Split (1)

train · 4.11M rows

text stringlengths 100 728k	url stringlengths 13 1.03k	crawl_date timestamp[ns, tz=UTC]date 2024-01-01 00:29:56 2024-01-20 05:17:14
MIAMI (AP) — Goran Dragic, a former All-Star guard with the Miami Heat and the leader of Slovenia’s team that won the EuroBasket championship in 2017, announced his retirement on Sunday. Dragic spent 15 seasons in the NBA and played for seven teams — Phoenix, Houston, Chicago, Brooklyn, Milwaukee, Toronto and the Heat. He was part of the All-NBA team in 2013-14, the same season in which he was voted the league’s most improved player, and made his lone All-Star appearance in 2018. “I have lived my greatest dream and I am extremely grateful for the countless people in my life who have enabled me to play this long,” Dragic said. “It starts with my parents, Marinko and Mojca, my brother, Zoran, my kids, Mateo and Vikorita and their mother Maja, and the rest of my family who always allowed this passion of basketball to be a priority for me.” Dragic intends to have a retirement celebration this summer in Ljubljana, Slovenia, likely after the Paris Olympics conclude. There are tentative plans to announce details of that celebration later this week. The 37-year-old Dragic spoke often in recent years about what the 2017 EuroBasket win meant to him, especially considering that it is generally considered to be Slovenia’s finest moment in team sports. Dragic averaged 22.6 points and 5.1 assists in the nine games at that tournament and finished off the gold with 35 points in the title game win over rival Serbia, his father’s homeland. Slovenia is his mother’s homeland. He became a national hero, receiving one of Slovenia’s highest civilian honors after that tournament, and was brought to tears by a gift of a jersey from the mother of one of his idols, the late star Drazen Petrovic. “It was everything,” Dragic said. A young guard on that 2017 Slovenia team that Dragic mentored: Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic. “It was an amazing run for him,” Doncic said Saturday, when word began to leak out of Europe that Dragic’s retirement announcement was imminent. “I’m just glad I know him, I’m glad I played with him and man, I learned a lot about him, especially about leadership in that tournament.” Dragic was beloved in Miami, where he and his family continue to maintain homes. When he was a free agent in 2020, the Heat surprised Dragic with billboards in his native Slovenia, with slogans such as “Your second family is always with you.” That gesture, Dragic said, was deeply moving and led to him quickly re-signing with the Heat. The left-handed Dragic was the 45th overall pick in the 2008 draft by San Antonio. He averaged 13.3 points and 4.7 assists in his career, and averaged 20 points in a season twice — in 2013-14 with Phoenix, and 2016-17 with the Heat. He helped Miami reach the NBA Finals in 2020, the season that ended in the bubble at Walt Disney World because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Dragic hurt his foot early in that series and appeared in only two games, an injury that seriously impacted Miami’s chances at a title. “Can you do something for me?” he asked a reporter when that series against the Los Angeles Lakers ended, the Heat having lost in six games. “Tell the fans we really tried and I’m sorry. I really tried.” Dragic thanked a long list of people for their involvement in his career, including David Stern and Adam Silver — the NBA’s two commissioners during his tenure — along with coaches, team executives and his agents Rade Filipovich and Bill Duffy. “All good things come to an end but this dream of basketball will always be with me,” Dragic said. ___ AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba	https://www.wtaj.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-slovenian-guard-goran-dragic-announces-his-retirement-after-a-15-year-nba-career/	2024-01-01T00:30:42Z
New Denver nightclub Riot House celebrating grand opening on NYE A brand new business in Denver will be celebrating its grand opening on New Year's Eve. A brand new business in Denver will be celebrating its grand opening on New Year's Eve. Jacqueline Addo remembers the time two years ago when her husband Joshua confided to her that the stress of adjusting to life in Canada from Ghana was proving too much for him to bear.He had reached a breaking point, and her own mental health wasn't great."I was just a shadow of myself, basically," she said.Joshua was struggling to find a job in his field as a financial adviser, and had instead worked stints at a courier company and at Costco.With Jacqueline looking after their children, they we LANSING, Mich. — The mutiny took hold on Mackinac Island. The Michigan Republican Party’s revered two-day policy and politics gathering, the Mackinac Republican Leadership Conference, was an utter mess. Attendance had plummeted. Top-tier presidential candidates skipped the September event, and some speakers didn’t show. Guests were baffled by a scoring system that rated their ideology on a scale, from a true conservative to a so-called RINO, or Republican in name only. Sign up for The Morning ne For some Jenny Agutter will always be associated with children, more specifically with Roberta Waterbury, or “Bobbie”, the oldest of the three siblings in the classic 1970 film The Railway Children. So, even though she has just turned 71, her connection these past two decades with Go Beyond, one of the Telegraph’s four Christmas charities which gives vulnerable children holidays in the countryside and by the sea, feels entirely of a piece. Taylor Swift is often seen onstage in sparkling dresses and flowing gowns. But sometimes, she opts for daring bodysuits and see-through outfits. "It would be great to know who the real allies are," the "Friends" star wrote of organizations and advocates he says refuse to believe victims The post David Schwimmer Calls Out Advocacy Groups That Don’t Believe Hamas Sexual Assault Survivors: ‘Where Is Their Outrage?’ appeared first on TheWrap. Ron DeSantis is curiously talking about "flattening" the Bahamas on the campaign trial, prompting the US Embassy in Nassau to respond. The Toronto Maple Leafs waived underperforming goalie Ilya Samsonov, and the Buffalo Sabres ended their three-goalie rotation by waiving Eric Comrie, a person with direct knowledge of the moves told The Associated Press on Sunday. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the teams have not announced the moves. Both players would land in the minors if they go unclaimed on Monday. Samsonov’s .862 save percentage and 3.94 goals-against average are each the second-worst among goa It is the custom of this column at the turn of each year to make negative predictions. That is, to put forward things that may have been expected to happen but will not. At the end of what has been one of the most depressing twelve month periods that most of us can recall, this lot of anti-predictions is deliberately skewed in the direction of hope and optimism while still, I sincerely believe, remaining credible. The Prince and Princess of Wales have revealed their garden at their new home, Adelaide Cottage, where they live with Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. US Navy helicopters returned fire sinking three of the four small boats attempting to board a cargo ship, killing the crews, said US Central Command. A Russian egg magnate has survived an assassination attempt two days after the authorities started investigating him for alleged price fixing. As Donald Trump stood before a crowd earlier in December, he joked about the increasingly frenzied speculation over his plans for a second term in power. A husband and wife and their two sons, ages 10 and 12, were found dead in a suburban New York home Saturday in what authorities described as a murder-suicide by a police sergeant. Police officials said Watson Morgan, a sergeant with the Bronxville Police Department, fatally shot his wife, Ornela Morgan, 43, and their sons before taking his own life. The four bodies were discovered by police just after midnight on Friday at the family’s home in New City, a suburb of New York City, after Morgan failed to show up for his evening shift at the Bronxville Police Department. A large proportion of Americans is willing to support leaders who would violate democratic principles. Rep. Lauren Boebert's decision to switch districts could deflate conservative enthusiasm in the 3rd district and help Democrats flip the seat in 2024. This week, the former hostage Mia Schem gave her first television interview. The 21-year-old French-Israeli tattoo artist described how she had been shot, groped and dragged into Gaza by her hair, where she was operated upon by a vet without anaesthetic and kept like an animal in a zoo. “I went through a holocaust,” she said. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) is reviving her rabble-rousing ways, creating new headaches for Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) as he settles into his role leading the House GOP conference’s razor-thin majority. Greene arrived on Capitol Hill in 2021 as a conservative firebrand who quickly emerged as a nuisance for top lawmakers. That changed when former… The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has refuted the claim, with Ramezan Sharif, a spokesperson for the group, labeling the report "baseless." ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — A large cargo ship with a fire in its hold is being kept 2 miles (3.22 kilometers) offshore of an Alaska port as a precaution while efforts are undertaken to extinguish the flames, the U.S. Coast Guard said Saturday. There were no injuries to the 19 crew members aboard the Genius Star XI, which was carrying a load of lithium-ion batteries across the Pacific Ocean, from Vietnam to San Diego, the guard's Alaska district said in a release. The fire started on Christmas Day James Baldwin famously said, "Anyone who has ever struggled with poverty knows how extremely expensive it is to be poor." In January 2014, long after the Great Recession but before the pandemic,...	https://ca.news.yahoo.com/denver-nightclub-riot-house-celebrating-001524362.html	2024-01-01T00:30:44Z
Seeking details on how to watch all of the college football postseason matchups now that bowl season and the College Football Playoff are here? Below, we highlight how you can catch all eight games involving teams from the Pac-12. Watch college football all season long on Fubo and ESPN+! Pac-12 Games on TV This Week Get your fix this season by signing up for Fubo and ESPN+!	https://www.kjct8.com/sports/betting/2023/12/17/bowl-season-pac-12-college-football-live-stream-48/	2024-01-01T00:30:46Z
Nick Moskovitz, astronomer at the Lowell Observatory, outlines the current search for life outside of Earth and what it would mean to humanity should we find it. Our ever-growing library will meet your interests whatever they may be Nick Moskovitz, astronomer at the Lowell Observatory, outlines the current search for life outside of Earth and what it would mean to humanity should we find it.	https://curiositystream.com/title/video/125	2024-01-01T00:30:47Z
UConn vs. DePaul Predictions, BetMGM Promo Codes, & Picks: Spread, Total - January 2 Tuesday's contest between the No. 5 UConn Huskies (11-2, 1-1 Big East) and DePaul Blue Demons (3-9, 0-1 Big East) at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion has a projected final score of 82-63 (based on our computer prediction) in favor of heavily favored UConn, so it should be a one-sided matchup. The game will start at 6:30 PM ET on January 2. The game has no set line. Sportsbook Promo Codes UConn vs. DePaul Game Info & Odds - Date: Tuesday, January 2, 2024 - Time: 6:30 PM ET - TV: Fox Sports 1 - Where: Storrs, Connecticut - Venue: Harry A. Gampel Pavilion Place your bets on any college basketball matchup at BetMGM, and sign up with our link for a first-time deposit bonus! UConn vs. DePaul Score Prediction - Prediction: UConn 82, DePaul 63 Spread & Total Prediction for UConn vs. DePaul - Computer Predicted Spread: UConn (-19.1) - Computer Predicted Total: 144.8 UConn has a 7-5-0 record against the spread so far this season compared to DePaul, who is 4-7-0 ATS. The Huskies are 6-6-0 and the Blue Demons are 4-7-0 in terms of hitting the over. Bet on this or any college basketball matchup at BetMGM UConn Performance Insights - The Huskies' +244 scoring differential (outscoring opponents by 18.8 points per game) is a result of scoring 83 points per game (37th in college basketball) while giving up 64.2 per outing (38th in college basketball). - UConn wins the rebound battle by an average of 10.4 boards. It is pulling down 39.6 rebounds per game (68th in college basketball) compared to its opponents' 29.2 per outing. - UConn knocks down 8.1 three-pointers per game (127th in college basketball) at a 32.7% rate (223rd in college basketball), compared to the 6.1 per game its opponents make at a 35.1% rate. - The Huskies rank seventh in college basketball by averaging 109 points per 100 possessions on offense, and defensively are 58th in college basketball, allowing 84.4 points per 100 possessions. - UConn has come up on top in the turnover battle by 1.2 turnovers per game, committing 9.5 (30th in college basketball action) while forcing 10.7 (294th in college basketball). DePaul Performance Insights - The Blue Demons' -102 scoring differential (being outscored by 8.5 points per game) is a result of putting up 66.9 points per game (331st in college basketball) while giving up 75.4 per outing (283rd in college basketball). - DePaul falls short in the rebound battle by an average of 4.9 boards. It pulls down 31.3 rebounds per game (350th in college basketball) compared to its opponents' 36.2. - DePaul makes 6.9 three-pointers per game (244th in college basketball), while its opponents have made 7.2 on average. - DePaul has lost the turnover battle on average this season, committing 13.3 per game (298th in college basketball) while forcing 10.7 (294th in college basketball). Rep your team with officially licensed college basketball gear! Head to Fanatics to find jerseys, shirts, and much more. Not all offers available in all states, please visit BetMGM for the latest promotions for your area. Must be 21+ to gamble, please wager responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, contact 1-800-GAMBLER. © 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved.	https://www.azfamily.com/sports/betting/2024/01/02/uconn-depaul-betmgm-promo-codes-college-basketball-picks-predictions/	2024-01-01T00:30:49Z
500 Swedish kronor to Costa Rican colóns Convert SEK to CRC at the real exchange rate Loading Compare prices for sending money abroad Leading competitors have a dirty little secret. They add hidden markups to their exchange rates - charging you more without your knowledge. And if they have a fee, they charge you twice. Wise never hides fees in the exchange rate. We give you the real rate. Compare our rate and fee with our competitors and see the difference for yourself. Top currencies Beware of bad exchange rates.Banks and traditional providers often have extra costs, which they pass to you by marking up the exchange rate. Our smart tech means we’re more efficient – which means you get a great rate. Every time. How to convert Swedish kronor to Costa Rican colóns - 1 Input your amount Simply type in the box how much you want to convert. - 2 Choose your currencies Click on the dropdown to select SEK in the first dropdown as the currency that you want to convert and CRC in the second drop down as the currency you want to convert to. - 3 That’s it Our currency converter will show you the current SEK to CRC rate and how it’s changed over the past day, week or month. Top currency pairings for Swedish kronor Change Converter source currency - Australian Dollar - Brazilian Real - British Pound Sterling - Bulgarian Lev - Canadian Dollar - Chinese Yuan RMB - Czech Republic Koruna - Danish Krone - Euro - Hong Kong Dollar - Hungarian Forint - Indian Rupee - Indonesian Rupiah - Israeli New Sheqel - Japanese Yen - Malaysian Ringgit - New Zealand Dollar - Norwegian Krone - Polish Zloty - Romanian Leu - Singapore Dollar - Swedish Krona - Swiss Franc - Turkish Lira - US Dollar Are you overpaying your bank? Banks often advertise free or low-cost transfers, but add a hidden markup to the exchange rate. Wise gives you the real, mid-market, exchange rate, so you can make huge savings on your international money transfers. Download Our Currency Converter App Features our users love:- Free and ad-free. - Track live exchange rates. - Compare the best money transfer providers.	https://wise.com/in/currency-converter/sek-to-crc-rate?amount=500	2024-01-01T00:30:49Z
India’s Climate Challenges and Progress Amidst Extreme Weather Conditions in 2023 India, a country known for its diverse climate, experienced a record-breaking 235 days of extreme weather conditions in 2023. These intense meteorological phenomena included heatwaves, floods, cyclones, and lightning, resulting in the loss of 2,923 lives and causing significant damage to crops and homes. The country also faced its driest August since 1901, triggering drought conditions and exacerbating water shortages. Extreme Climate Variations The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported minimum temperatures fluctuating between 7 to 10 degrees Celsius across most parts of North India. Dense fog conditions are predicted to persist in numerous regions, and cold day conditions are anticipated across certain parts of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and North Rajasthan. Some regions are bracing for light, isolated rainfall or snowfall due to the influence of a mild Western Disturbance and lower-level easterly winds from the Bay of Bengal. India’s Climate Action In the face of these climate challenges, India demonstrated resilience and a commitment to environmental sustainability. The country made substantial advancements in renewable energy, reaching a capacity of 172GW in March 2023. This progress is a testament to India’s dedication to mitigating climate change and shifting towards more sustainable energy sources. The investments in renewable energy infrastructure, coupled with policy initiatives, have demonstrated a concerted effort to reduce carbon emissions and enhance resilience to climate impacts. Global Climate Change The year 2023 was marked by extreme weather events worldwide due to record heat, rapidly intensifying storms, and unusual wildfire behavior. The warming planet led to warm ocean waters, fueling more storms and leading to the rapid intensification of hurricanes. Unusual wildfires occurred in areas where fires don’t typically ignite, and heat records were shattered across the Northern Hemisphere. In conclusion, India’s significant strides in renewable energy and climate action amidst a year of extreme weather conditions are indicative of the resilience of the nation and its commitment to a sustainable future. The progress made is critical for India, given its vulnerability to climate-related disasters, and is also seen as a means to achieve economic growth and energy security while contributing to global efforts to mitigate climate change. Comments Subscribe to BNN Breaking Sign up for our daily newsletter covering global breaking news around the world.	https://bnnbreaking.com/breaking-news/climate-environment/indias-climate-challenges-and-progress-amidst-extreme-weather-conditions-in-2023/	2024-01-01T00:30:50Z
Departments across NC are paying their respects after an off-duty officer was killed Departments across NC are paying their respects after an off-duty officer was killed Departments across NC are paying their respects after an off-duty officer was killed "It would be great to know who the real allies are," the "Friends" star wrote of organizations and advocates he says refuse to believe victims The post David Schwimmer Calls Out Advocacy Groups That Don’t Believe Hamas Sexual Assault Survivors: ‘Where Is Their Outrage?’ appeared first on TheWrap. A Florida woman trying to sell her house returned home one day to discover that her driveway was gone. The disappearing act was preceded by unsolicited visits from contractors and a series of text messages from a mysterious stranger. CNN affiliate WFTV has more on the curious case. An Israeli-French woman who was among scores of people taken hostage by Hamas militants has described how she feared being raped by the gunman who watched over her around the clock in the home where he lived with his wife and children in Gaza. Mia Schem, 21, was released in late November under a now-lapsed ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, and made headlines while in captivity after the Palestinians released video footage of her undergoing treatment for a bullet wound to the arm. Interviewed on Israeli TV, Schem recalled dancing at a rave near the Gaza border on Oct. 7 when Hamas infiltrators stormed in, killing hundreds of revellers. MISSISSAUGA, Ont. — Police say a 19-year-old woman is dead after an overnight shooting outside a nightclub west of Toronto. Peel Regional Police say officers responded around 1:30 a.m. to reports of a shooting in a plaza near Dixie Road and Eglinton Avenue in Mississauga, Ont. Police spokesperson Const. Mandeep Khatra says the woman was standing on a sidewalk outside the nightclub when she was shot. He says the woman was taken to hospital where she was pronounced dead. Police had not announced a Authorities have identified three members of a Massachusetts family who were found shot to death this week inside a palatial, 27-room mansion in a wealthy section of suburban Boston. A husband and wife and their two sons, ages 10 and 12, were found dead in a suburban New York home Saturday in what authorities described as a murder-suicide by a police sergeant. Police officials said Watson Morgan, a sergeant with the Bronxville Police Department, fatally shot his wife, Ornela Morgan, 43, and their sons before taking his own life. The four bodies were discovered by police just after midnight on Friday at the family’s home in New City, a suburb of New York City, after Morgan failed to show up for his evening shift at the Bronxville Police Department. QUEBEC — As Quebec faces a worsening homelessness crisis, some politicians, including Quebec City Mayor Bruno Marchand, have suggested the solution may be a Finnish model that aims to give everyone a home. But while Finland has managed to massively reduce the number of people experiencing homelessness through its "housing first" approach, one Quebec expert said she's not sure it could be applied here, even if the provincial government was interested. "It's the right way to fight the problem of h A 14-year-old boy has been arrested after allegedly killing his parents and severely injuring his 11-year-old sister at their home in a rural community in Fresno County, California, on Wednesday, authorities say. Suspected murder-suicides or familicides occurred in Arizona, California, Hawaii, Massachusetts, New York, and Texas in December. 'Baby, get down now': Mom and son parked at 7-Eleven witness moments surrounding murder-suicide Children, aged 7 and 9, found dead after burglary report later discovered to be ‘unfounded’ Kai Zhuang of China was officially declared missing Friday, and police have “reason to believe” that he is “being held against his will." Halifax District RCMP say a homeowner was held at gunpoint and forced to open a safe in a home invasion Friday evening in Gaetz Brook. N.S.It happened on Friday at 6:50 p.m., according to an RCMP news release.A man was operating an excavator on his property when he saw another man pointing a gun at him. Police say the homeowner was forced out of the excavator at gunpoint, directed inside the house to a safe and told to open it.The suspect took several items valued at nearly $200,000 before fleei Mounties are investigating after an ATM was stolen from a southwestern Saskatchewan town, according to a news release.RCMP responded to a business that had been broken into in Shaunavon, Sask., around 1 a.m. Saturday. The business' alarm was going off and the ATM inside had been stolen, police said.RCMP reviewed the footage and confirmed two suspects entered the store with their faces covered. One suspect wore all black, while the other wore a blue and green plaid jacket with a red hoodie undern A loud bang and accompanying shock-wave that shook homes has residents of a western New Brunswick village wondering what could have caused the Christmas Day incident.Andrew McDougall was sitting in his living room watching television when he heard a loud bang and felt what seemed to be an object hitting his house."It was like a huge gunfire or a very loud thunder clap, but it was short, like it was just a bang, and then the house shook right at the same time," said McDougall, adding it happened PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — An Oregon weekly newspaper has had to lay off its entire staff and halt print after 40 years because its funds were embezzled by a former employee, its editor said, in a devastating blow to a publication that serves as an important source of information in a community that, like many others nationwide, is struggling with growing gaps in local news coverage. About a week before Christmas, the Eugene Weekly found inaccuracies in its bookkeeping, editor Camilla Mortensen said. William Brown, 7, was killed in a suspected hit-and-run crash in Folkestone on 6 December. The 25-year-old had been fired from another Texas hospital after fellow nurses raised concerns, officials said. An activist involved in the Armistice Day pro-Palestine march has said that the taking of hostages was a “very important part” of any “act of resistance” and that Israel was “mimicking” Nazis. JERUSALEM (Reuters) -One of the senior figures in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing coalition called on Sunday for Palestinian residents of Gaza to leave the besieged enclave, making way for Israelis who could "make the desert bloom". The comments by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who has been excluded from the war cabinet and discussions of day-after arrangements in Gaza, appear to underscore fears in much of the Arab world that Israel wants to drive Palestinians out of land where they want to build a future state, repeating the mass dispossession of Palestinians when Israel was created in 1948.	https://ca.news.yahoo.com/departments-across-nc-paying-respects-001607548.html	2024-01-01T00:30:51Z
Home secretary James Cleverly ends ‘unreasonable practice’ of foreign students bringing families to UK Cleverly says ban will slash net migration by tens of thousands Home secretary James Cleverly has said the government is ending the “unreasonable practice” of foreign students bringing family members to the UK, as new visa curbs come into force. The ban – which affects all overseas students except those on postgraduate courses and certain scholarships – will slash migration by tens of thousands, Mr Cleverly claimed. The move was announced in May by his now sacked predecessor Suella Braverman, just as official figures showed net migration running at 672,000. Later figures showed it had hit a record high of 745,000, sparking outrage from right-wing Tory MPs, who demanded fresh action from Rishi Sunak’s government. Experts have warned that the restrictions on dependents joining overseas students in the UK could affect universities, which rely on the income generated via the fees paid by foreign students, and could harm the UK’s reputation as an international destination. As of Monday, international students starting courses in Britain will no longer be allowed to obtain visas for their spouses and relatives unless they are on a postgraduate research programme or a government-sponsored course. Mr Cleverly said the government had a “tough plan to rapidly bring numbers down”, and that he was “ending the unreasonable practice of overseas students bringing their family members to the UK”. The home secretary added: “This will see migration falling rapidly by the tens of thousands and contribute to our overall strategy to prevent 300,000 people from coming to the UK.” Immigration minister Tom Pursglove said universities had seen “a surge in the number of dependants being brought by students, which is contributing to unsustainable levels of migration”. In November, Tory MPs on the right demanded fresh action by Mr Sunak to cut immigration, as revised figures from the Office for National Statistics put annual net migration at a record figure of 745,000. Responding early in December, Mr Cleverly set out a raft of new restrictions that he said would cut numbers – including hiking the salary threshold for Britons bringing foreign spouses to the UK to £38,700. The move was criticised for threatening to tear families apart, with many fearing that their future plans had been thrown into doubt as the government considered the details of the policy. Ministers later U-turned, though only in part, by quietly announcing that the threshold would first be raised to £29,000 and then increased in “incremental stages” until the spring of 2025. This sparked fresh anger from right-wing Tory rebels, who want to see much tighter migration controls. The Home Office said the visa package that comes into force on Monday represents a “tough but fair” approach – insisting that the changes to student visas will still allow colleges and universities to attract “the brightest and best”. But the government said it was “removing the ability for institutions to undermine the UK’s reputation by selling immigration, not education”. Experts have previously expressed concern about the 1 January visa changes. Nick Hillman, director of think tank the Higher Education Policy Institute (Hepi), warned that international students could instead travel to competitor nations to undertake their studies. “As a country, we risk cutting off our nose to spite our face,” he warned. “International students benefit the UK ... they are vital to maintaining our world-class university sector as their fees cross-subsidise the teaching of home students and also help to fund UK research.” Labour has backed the restrictions for overseas students who are enrolled on shorter courses – but said they do not go far enough to tackle “deep failures” in skills and training across the UK labour market, or to boost the country’s sluggish economy. “This is nothing more than a sticking plaster,” shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said. “The Tories’ complete failure to tackle skills and labour market problems is undermining growth as well as increasing migration.” Mr Cleverly has faced calls to resign over Christmas after joking about spiking his wife’s drink with a date-rape drug at a reception in Downing Street. The home secretary apologised, and No 10 said Mr Sunak considered the matter closed. Mr Sunak boasted in his new year message that he had taken “decisive action” to stop illegal migrant boats in the English Channel. However, he is facing calls from rebel MPs in his own party to toughen up his Rwanda Bill and get deportation flights started by the spring. MPs on the right have threatened to kill the bill if the government does not agree to amendments in the new year. And top legal adviser David Pannick is said have warned Mr Sunak’s government that the Rwanda Bill may not enable deportation flights to begin because it still allows for individual legal appeals to be submitted. Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.	https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/sunak-immigration-foreign-students-cleverly-b2471537.html	2024-01-01T00:30:52Z
Affiliate links on Android Authority may earn us a commission. Learn more. Our picks for the best streaming movies of 2023 Following a few years of getting spoiled with theater-quality exclusives on streaming platforms, 2023 was somewhat of a return to business as usual, with only a few big-budget movies launching on streaming services instead of having a traditional theater run (or even simultaneously). Regardless, it was a good year for streaming, and there were plenty of unique movies produced this year. Below, we’ve picked our 10 favorite titles of the year, as determined with input from the entire Android Authority team. We’ve also included a few honorable mentions. We are ordering this in order of our preference, though every movie in the top 10 is so close (and so different) that it’s really hard to go wrong with any of these. While most of these films are true platform exclusives, be aware some of these films had limited releases at film festivals or internationally but are only available in the US through streaming. The best streaming movies of 2022 The Killer (Netflix) This movie technically had a limited theatrical release internationally, but it is a streaming exclusive in the US, so we’re going to count it as a streaming-only movie. Similar to movies like John Wick, this film is based on a French graphic novel of the same name and follows the story of a professional assassin on an international mission to eliminate those who have wronged him. When it comes to film, it seems like critical opinion and audience opinion have significantly diverged in recent years. The Killer is no exception, as it has received mostly positive reviews from critics, despite a more mixed reception among audiences. Nevertheless, it’s a film worth watching if you’re into fast-paced crime thrillers. There are also strong performances from Michael Fassbender, Tilda Swinton, and others. - Release date: September 23, 2023 - Genre: Action/Thriller - Rating: R - Director: David Fincher - Cast: Michael Fassbender, Sophie Charlotte, Tilda Swinton Leave the World Behind (Netflix) Currently holding the second place in Netflix’s USA top 10, Leave the World Behind has received mixed reviews but has generally won over audiences. While it’s not a perfect film, there’s enough action and mystery to keep you engaged. The storyline revolves around a family renting a beach house for a peaceful getaway. Everything seems perfect until strangers arrive, claiming they need to stay due to an emergency. Skepticism sets in from the beginning, and the family becomes increasingly suspicious as the power grid goes out and strange events unfold. Julia Roberts and Ethan Hawke make for an interesting pairing that ultimately works quite well, in my opinion, and the rest of the performances are equally solid. Netflix has had a successful year with its exclusives, and Leave the World Behind is just one of many on the list. However, it’s worth noting that some have mentioned that the movie starts off strong but loses its way a bit. I have to agree that this is somewhat true, though overall, I still found it to be a good flick. - Release date: November 22, 2023 - Genre: Suspense, Thriller - Rating: R - Director: Sam Esmail - Cast: Julia Roberts, Mahershala Ali, Ethan Hawke Nimona (Netflix) There have been quite a few kid films this year that are exclusive to streaming, but only one made it into the main list. Nimona is set in a sci-fi world that also has elements of the medieval era, complete with Elite Knights who protect the realm. Elite Knights are traditionally born for the job, but Ballister stands out as the first Knight to rise to the rank from nothing. When the Queen is murdered, all evidence points to him, and he is forced to flee. Hoping to clear his name and find the killer, he reluctantly teams up with a winged “monster” girl named Nimona. Without revealing any of the film’s twists, I felt like this was the perfect family movie. It was fast-paced enough to keep my younger boys intrigued, while its humor and darker vibes also appealed to my teen daughter. The movie was also very inclusive, featuring an openly gay main character and a general theme about moving beyond prejudice, hate, and outright ignorance so that you can truly see who people are deep down. - Release date: June 14, 2023 - Genre: Sci-fi/family - Rating: PG - Directors: Troy Quane, Nick Bruno - Cast: Chloë Grace Moretz, Riz Ahmed, Eugene Lee Yang Maestro (Netflix) Maestro is based on a dramatized version of composer Leonard Bernstein’s life, with a particular focus on his tumultuous relationship with his wife, the actress Felicia Montealegre. In particular, he strays many times, having affairs with other men throughout the marriage. While the subject matter is heavy at times, Bradley Cooper does a wonderful job playing the lead, and his directing skills equally help draw you in. There’s plenty of other great talent here, including Jeremy Irons and Justin Theroux. If we were to get technical, this one premiered at the 80th Venice International Film Festival back in September. However, outside of that event, the film is exclusive to Netflix in the United States. Flamin’ Hot (Hulu) Finally, something in the top ten that’s not from Netflix, Flamin’ Hot is exclusively streaming on Hulu. As fans of all things spicy, my son and I decided to give this one a go and absolutely loved it. This film tells the tale of Richard Montañez, a Frito-Lay janitor who goes on to invent Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, even if this is reportedly a stretch of the truth. According to interviews with Frito-Lay employees, Montañez has been instrumental in reaching out to underserved Latinx populations but didn’t directly invent the product. Nonetheless, it’s a fun film. The performances by Jesse Garcia, Annie Gonzalez, and Tony Shalhoub were particularly great, though everyone involved in the film was spot on. Just be aware that it is rated PG-13, so while it won’t be inappropriate for older kids, it’s not quite suitable for younger audiences. - Release date: March 11, 2023 - Genre: Comedy/drama - Rating: PG-13 - Director: Eva Longoria - Cast: Annie Gonzalez, Jesse Garcia, Brice Gonzalez No One Will Save You (Hulu) No One Will Save You offers a unique take on alien invasions, focusing primarily on one character as she attempts to fend off aliens attacking her home and eventually hits the road to unravel the mystery. More of a horror flick than your typical alien movie, this one has received mixed reviews, but we found it to be one of the most intriguing streaming exclusives of the year. If you’re seeking something different, this might just satisfy that craving. - Release date: September 19, 2023 - Genre: Horror/suspense - Rating: PG-13 - Director: Brian Duffield - Cast: Kaitlyn Dever, Zack Duhame, Geraldine Singer Clock (Hulu) Clock centers around a 37-year-old woman who feels pressured to consider having children, despite having no interest in doing so. This leads her to enroll in a clinical trial to fix her broken biological clock, which turns out to be a very dangerous and experimental procedure. After a horrific experience during the procedure, she initially starts to feel better. However, things take a dark turn as she begins to experience strange hallucinations. This sci-fi horror film offers a violent and mind-twisting ride. If that’s your kind of movie, it will be right up your alley. Be warned that this isn’t going to be a typical happy-ending horror experience, but it will leave you contemplating as the credits roll. - Release date: March 31, 2023 - Genre: Horror/thriller - Rating: R - Director: Alexis Jacknow - Cast: Melora Hardin, Jay Ali, Alexis Jacknow Flora and Son (Apple Plus) As a single, divorced parent, Flora does her best to raise her son, but as he continues to get into more trouble, she struggles to find a way to connect with him. After the police suggest her son find a hobby to keep himself busy before he winds up in jail, Flora comes across an old guitar to fix up and give as a present. Not surprisingly for a teenager, he rejects the gift but inadvertently inspires her to pick up the instrument herself. Her journey to learning music ultimately achieves what she was hoping for by bringing her and her son closer together. With stunning performances from Eve Hewson and one of my favorites, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, this is a heartfelt film that takes a realistic look at raising a teenager while trying your best, despite making numerous mistakes along the way. It delivers a feel-good ending, but it’s not necessarily what you expect, which only adds to its charm. - Release date: September 22, 2023 - Genre: Drama/Music - Rating: R - Director: John Carney - Cast: Eve Hewson, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Jack Reynor They Cloned Tyrone (Netflix) After witnessing the death of drug dealer Fontaine, Slick is shocked when he shows up the next day somehow still alive and without any knowledge of the events leading to his death. This leads Fontaine and Slick into an investigation that shines a light on a massive government conspiracy. As the movie progresses, the storyline sharply turns to the realm of sci-fi, as hinted at by the very title of the film itself. This movie has a few hidden messages, though it’s largely about how society can manipulate thoughts and actions in the name of conformity, stripping away free will and autonomy in the process. With great performances and a story that keeps you hooked and guessing, They Cloned Tyrone is a thought-provoking film that masterfully blends many different genres, including dark comedy, satire, drama, and more. - Release date: July 21, 2023 - Genre: Satire/drama/thriller/suspense - Rating: R - Director: Juel Taylor - Cast: John Boyega, Jamie Foxx, Teyonah Parris Reality (Max) Reality is a fictionalized look at the arrest of Reality Winner, who was later confirmed to be responsible for leaking classified documents that proved Russia interfered with the 2016 elections. The movie centers around her actual arrest and interrogation. What makes this such a compelling film is that the dialogue is largely based on actual recordings taken during the interview process that led to her arrest. Sydney Sweeney does an excellent job of portraying Winner, a figure that stands behind the fact she wasn’t interested in undermining the intelligence community or being a famed whistleblower like Snowden. While many Americans are divided on her actions, this film does a great job of portraying the events accurately and is worth a watch. - Release date: September 2, 2023 - Genre: Biographical drama - Rating: PG - Director: Tina Satter - Cast: Sydney Sweeney, Josh Hamilton, Marchánt Davis Honorable Mentions While the movies above are our favorite streaming exclusives, there were plenty of other decent movies available for streaming that just didn’t quite make it into the top step. Here are the rest of the best streaming movies of 2023: - You are so Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah (Netflix) — Largely considered one of Adam Sandler’s best movies in years, this is a fun movie for the whole family. - Tetris (Apple Plus) — A dramatized look at the real events behind Tetris, though the root of the story is more true than you might believe at first guess. - Beanie Bubble (Apple Plus) — This movie takes a unique look at the rise and fall of the Beanie baby empire and the three women largely behind the trend. - Bruiser (Hulu) — This flick tells the story of a young man trying to find himself, all while learning his way from two very different role models in his life. - Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget (Netflix) — It’s been decades since the first film, but ever wondered what happened to the chickens after they made their escape? This film takes a closer look. - Five Nights at Freddy’s (Peacock) — The popular video game gets an adaption that is designed as “horror for beginners,” though the movie has had a mixed reception at best. - The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar (Netflix) — Based on the famous book by Roald Dahl, Henry Sugar tells the story of a gambling addict who gains great powers, only to use the powers to improve his winnings. Soon his addiction turns into charity, as he begins to use his earnings to finance hospitals and orphanages across the United Kingdom. - Peter Pan and Wendy (Disney Plus) — The latest retelling of the Peter Pan story takes a more modern approach to the formula, which resulted in mixed reception. While I prefer the classic Hook, this is still a solid family film. - Sharper (Apple TV Plus) — Explaining this movie would take more room than I have, so let’s just say this is a crime thriller with more twists and turns than a rollercoaster. - Still (Apple TV Plus) — Apple Plus’ Michael J Fox documentary is a must-watch for fans of the beloved actor (like myself.) The movie closely examines Fox’s life as an actor and a man struggling with Parkinson’s disease.	https://www.androidauthority.com/best-streaming-movies-2023-3396956/	2024-01-01T00:30:52Z
Cale Yarborough, a three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, passed away today at the age of 84. The Timmonsville, South Carolina native’s career spanned 31 years and 560 starts. Yarborough won 83 of those starts, an impressive 14.8% winning percentage. He also set a then-record with 3 consecutive NASCAR Cup Series championships, a record only matched and then broken by 7-time champion Jimmie Johnson. It seems ironic that the most memorable moment of his career was a heartbreaking loss in what was one of the most iconic finishes in the 1979 Daytona 500, and the fight with the Allison brothers that ensued. But Daytona also gave him great moments, such as the 1983 Daytona 500, where Yarborough infamously won while making engine noises while driving the No. 28 Hardees car, entertaining the millions of fans who heard him. Yarborough was hailed as the toughest driver on the blacktop, fighting tooth and nail for every single spot. If a driver upset him, Yarborough let him know. If a competitor respected him, the respect was mutual. Yarborough never made himself out to be a flashy driver, which made sense, considering his humble beginnings. There’s a story that Yarborough and his wife were once on the way to a race in 1962 when a toll booth slowed their journey. Having no money after paying a $10 speeding ticket earlier in their journey and eating hastily made sandwiches along the way, the couple scrambled to find all the money they could in every possible crevice of the car. When they couldn’t come up with the required fare, Yarborough somehow convinced the toll agent to let him pay on the journey back with his race winnings. After an engine failure doomed Yarborough’s night at the track and his financial situation, he borrowed money from the track promoter, paid the toll agent and went on to become one of the greatest drivers in NASCAR history. Yarborough won his first race at the Valdosta (GA) Speedway in 1965, and started a streak of 8-straight consecutive top-9 points finishes in 1973 and winning Winston Cup titles in 1976, 1977, and 1978. He retired from full-time competition after 1980 and proceeded to run at least 10 races a season until 1987, garnering 14 wins over 8 years to further cement himself as one of the greats. Whether it be on or off the racetrack, his tough driving style, never-back-down attitude, and work ethic told you he was a racecar driver without him even having to tell you what he did for a living. Few men have embodied the spirit of a sport brought up by hard-working men and women who were willing to do whatever it took to put food on the table, outrun the law, and most importantly, win. Cale Yarborough, however, was the epitome of the hard-working attitude embraced by so many across the American South who became stock car racing legends. Cale has now joined the ranks of Dale Earnhardt, David Pearson, Lee Petty, and so many others before him up above, but his legacy here below will be remembered through the ages. Rest in Peace, Ol’ Hickory. Cale Yarborough, 1939-2023	https://speedwaymedia.com/2023/12/31/rest-in-peace-cale-yarborough-the-toughest-racecar-driver-the-world-has-ever-seen/	2024-01-01T00:30:52Z
Over the past three years, the world’s oldest democracy has been tested in ways not seen in decades. A sitting president tried to overturn an election and his supporters stormed the Capitol to stop the winner from taking power. Supporters of that attack launched a campaign against local election offices, chasing out veteran administrators and pushing conservative states to pass new laws making it harder to vote. At the same time, the past three years proved that American democracy was resilient. Former President Donald Trump’s attempts to overturn the 2020 election results failed, blocked by the constitutional system’s checks and balances, and he now faces both federal and state charges for those efforts. Then the voters stepped in. In every presidential battleground state, they rejected all candidates who supported Trump’s stolen election lies and were running for statewide offices that had some oversight of elections. The election infrastructure in the country performed well, with only scattered disruptions during the 2022 midterms. New voting laws, many of which are technical and incremental, had little discernable impact on actual voting. “Voters have stepped up to defend our democracy over the past few years,” said Joanna Lydgate, chief executive officer of States United, which tracks those who refuse to believe in the legitimacy of the 2020 presidential election. “State and local officials have done a tremendous job in protecting our free and fair elections.” So why all the worry? As Lydgate and anyone else who works in the pro-democracy field quickly notes, the big test — what Lydgate calls “the Super Bowl” — awaits in 2024. Trump is running for the White House again and has been dominating the Republican primary as the first votes approach. He has called for pardoning those prosecuted for the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, continues to insist falsely that the 2020 election was “stolen” and says he will use the federal government to seek revenge on his political enemies. Trump has used increasingly authoritarian rhetoric as he campaigns for the GOP nomination. If he wins, allies have been planning to seed the government with loyalists so the bureaucracy doesn’t hinder Trump’s more controversial plans the way it did during his first term. It’s gotten to the point that Trump was recently asked by conservative commentator Hugh Hewitt whether he planned to be a dictator: “Not at all,” Trump responded. “No, I’m gonna rule as somebody that’s very popular with the people.” The 2024 election could cause all sorts of conflict, including scenarios that have notably not materialized despite widespread concern since 2020: violence at the polls, overly aggressive partisan poll watchers or breakdowns in the ballot count. It seems unlikely, though, that Trump could return to the White House if he loses the election. That’s what he failed to accomplish in 2020, and he’s in a weaker position now. His strategy then was to use Republican dominance in swing state legislatures, governorships and secretary of state offices to try to send slates of fake electors to Congress even though Democrat Joe Biden won those states and captured the presidency. Since then, Republicans have lost two of those swing state secretary of state offices — in Arizona and Nevada — as well as the governor’s office in Arizona and control of the state legislatures in Michigan and Pennsylvania. In Congress, lawmakers passed a bipartisan bill closing some of the loopholes in the counting of Electoral College votes that Trump tried to exploit to stay in office, making it harder to challenge state certifications on the House floor. The upshot is it will be far harder for Trump to try to overturn a loss in 2024 than in 2020. The most likely way he returns to the White House is by winning the election outright. “It’s not to say the risks are gone,” said Rick Hasen, a law professor at the University of California, Los Angeles. “It’s to say we’ve successfully fought the last war.” History is full of examples of authoritarians who first came to office by winning a legitimate democratic election. But the risk to democracy of someone legitimately winning an election is different than the risk of a candidate trying to overturn an election loss. When Trump began to falsely claim he had won the 2020 election and urged Republicans to overrule their states’ voters and send his electors to Congress, every GOP official with the power to do that refused. The Republican leaders of the Michigan Legislature turned down his request to overrule voters. In Georgia, where the presidential ballots were counted three times and affirmed Biden’s win, Gov. Brian Kemp and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger earned Trump’s fury by rejecting him. So did then- Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey and the Republican leaders of that state’s legislature. Some Republicans did try to aid Trump. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton led a group of 17 GOP attorneys general in filing a lawsuit urging the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn the election. The high court swiftly dismissed the case. Trump lost all but one of more than 60 lawsuits he and his allies filed in states to overturn the election, sometimes before judges he had appointed. Then in November 2022, every swing state candidate who backed Trump’s effort to overturn his loss and who was running for a statewide office with a role in elections lost. “There’s little doubt our democracy has gotten dinged up in a couple of moments of late, but we have decided we like it compared to the alterative,” said Justin Levitt, who served as adviser for democracy and voting rights for two years in the Biden White House and is now a law professor at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. Election deniers have been able to make gains in one area — offices where they simply have to win a Republican primary. That’s meant they have taken power in local governments in many rural areas, often disrupting elections and embracing conspiracy theories or procedures such as hand-counting, which is less reliable and more time-consuming than tabulating thousands of votes on machines. They also have been able to expand their power within Republican legislative bodies from statehouses to Congress. U.S. Rep. Mike Johnson of Louisiana, who helped organize a brief supporting the quickly thrown-out lawsuit to overturn Biden’s victory, is now the House speaker. If Johnson retains his speakership in January 2025, he could be in a position to disrupt certification of a Biden victory. Republicans more willing to subvert democracy also could have greater sway in state legislatures. Then there’s the view of Trump backers. They report being even more worried about democracy than those who oppose him. Normally members of the party out of power feels like democracy isn’t working as well for them, but Trump’s situation is different. He’s the first president in history to face prosecution and is promoting the narrative that he’s being persecuted by his likely general election opponent. Trump says the criminal cases and separate attempts to bar him from the ballot under the insurrection clause of the Constitution are a form of election interference. The Colorado Supreme Court found his role in the Jan. 6 attack was sufficient grounds to remove him from the state’s ballot under the 14th Amendment, a ruling Trump’s campaign said it will appeal soon to the U.S. Supreme Court, where three of his nominees help form the conservative majority. On Thursday, Maine’s Democratic secretary of state struck Trump from that state’s primary ballot, becoming the first election official to take such action. Shenna Bellows suspended her ruling until Maine’s court system rules on the case. While campaigning, Trump has adopted an “I’m rubber and you’re glue” approach, accusing Biden of being the actual threat to democracy. A more revealing argument comes from a contention one of the former president’s attorneys made before the Colorado Supreme Court. Scott Gessler, a former Colorado secretary of state, was arguing against attempts by a liberal group to boot Trump from the ballot. “If the entire nation chooses someone to be president, can that be an insurrection or is that a democratic choice?” Gessler asked. Gessler was addressing the hypothetical case of a former Confederate winning the White House in the 19th century, but it’s easy to see how this applies to the election before us. Or, as Levitt said of American democracy: “It is kind of up to us how resilient we make it.”	https://www.wtaj.com/us-politics/ap-american-democracy-has-overcome-big-stress-tests-since-the-2020-election-more-challenges-are-ahead/	2024-01-01T00:30:50Z
Bowl season and the College Football Playoff are here, with eight games involving teams from the Big Ten on the schedule. For details on how to watch all of the postseason action, keep scrolling. Watch college football all season long on Fubo and ESPN+! Big Ten Games on TV This Week Get your fix this season by signing up for Fubo and ESPN+!	https://www.kjct8.com/sports/betting/2023/12/24/bowl-season-big-ten-college-football-live-stream-50/	2024-01-01T00:30:53Z
Denmark's Queen Margrethe II announced Sunday that she plans to abdicate after 52 years and hand over the throne to her son, Crown Prince Frederik. The queen, who is Europe's longest-reigning living monarch, announced during her New Year's speech that she would step down on Jan. 14th, which is the anniversary of her own accession to the throne at age 31 following the death of her father, King Frederik IX. Margrethe, 83, said the back surgery she underwent in early 2023 led to "thoughts about the future" and when to pass on the responsibilities of the crown to her son. "I have decided that now is the right time," she said in her speech. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen paid tribute to her in a statement, offering a "heartfelt thank you to Her Majesty the Queen for her lifelong dedication and tireless efforts for the Kingdom." Margrethe is the "epitome of Denmark" Frederiksen's statement read, and "throughout the years has put words and feelings into who we are as a people and as a nation." The 6-foot-tall (1.82-meters-tall), chain-smoking Margrethe has been one of the most popular public figures in Denmark, where the monarch's role is largely ceremonial. She often walked the streets of Copenhagen virtually unescorted and won the admiration of Danes for her warm manners and for her talents as a linguist and designer. A keen skier, she was a member of a Danish women's air force unit as a princess, taking part in judo courses and endurance tests in the snow. Margrethe remained tough even as she grew older. In 2011, at age 70, she visited Danish troops in southern Afghanistan wearing a military jumpsuit. As monarch, she crisscrossed the country and regularly visited Greenland and the Faeroe Islands, the two semi-independent territories which are part of the Danish Realm, and was met everywhere by cheering crowds. Denmark has Europe's oldest ruling monarchy, which traces its line back to the Viking king Gorm the Old, who died in 958. Although Magrethe is head of state, the Danish Constitution strictly ruled out her involvement in party politics. Yet the queen was clearly well-versed in law and knew the contents of the legislation she was called upon to sign. She received training in French and English from her earliest years, as well as Swedish from her mother. In addition to archaeology, she studied philosophy, political science and economics at universities in Copenhagen, Aarhus and Cambridge along with the London School of Economics and the Sorbonne in Paris. Ever since his birth on May 26, 1968, Frederik André Henrik Christian has been the heir to the Danish throne. He is the oldest son of Queen Margrethe and her late French-born husband, Prince Henrik, who died February 2018. Frederik, 55, has a younger brother, Prince Joachim. Since the age of 18, he has served as regent whenever his mother was outside the kingdom and carried out official duties, shaking hands with thousands and receiving foreign dignitaries. The queen's announcement made up only a few sentences at the end of her wide-ranging New Year's speech which reflected on the "turbulence and upheaval in the world" amid the wars in the Middle East and Ukraine, and the climate crisis. But she also thanked her nation's people for "the warmth and hospitality I meet with everywhere in Denmark." While lavishing accolades on the queen, the prime minister also looked to the future. "In the new year, Crown Prince Frederik will be proclaimed king. Crown Princess Mary will become queen. The kingdom will have a new regent and a new royal couple," he said in his statement. "We can look forward to all of this in the knowledge that they are ready for the responsibility and the task." Trending stories at Scrippsnews.com	https://www.turnto23.com/denmark-s-queen-margrethe-ii-to-step-down-from-throne	2024-01-01T00:30:54Z
Nick Moskovitz, astronomer at the Lowell Observatory, looks at Europa, one of Jupiter's moons; the ingredients found within it could sustain life. Our ever-growing library will meet your interests whatever they may be Nick Moskovitz, astronomer at the Lowell Observatory, looks at Europa, one of Jupiter's moons; the ingredients found within it could sustain life.	https://curiositystream.com/title/video/126	2024-01-01T00:30:54Z
Petra Kvitova is going to be a mom. The two-time Wimbledon champion announced on Instagram that she's expecting her first child with husband Jiri Vanek while sending "Happy New Year" wishes far and wide. "On the first day of 2024 I wanted to wish you a happy new year and share the exciting news that Jiri and I will be welcoming a baby into our family this summer!" Kvitova wrote alongside pictures of the two holding a baby's onesie emblazoned with "Courage, Belief, Pojd" -- Kvitova's personal slogan since 2017 -- and a sonogram. World No.17 Kvitova, 33, married Vanek, her longtime coach, last summer. The pair had been dating since 2021. The 2011 and 2014 Wimbledon winner had a resurgent season on the Hologic WTA Tour in 2023 that saw her win titles in Miami and Berlin, with her victory over Elena Rybakina in the final of the former being her biggest title in five years. A eight-time winner of the WTA's Karen Krantzcke Sportsmanship Award, Kvitova's peers with quick to congratulate the couple, as were fans worldwide. Current and former players including Ashleigh Barty, Angelique Kerber, Barbora Strycova, Kiki Bertens and Lucie Safarova -- all of whom have welcomed their own children in recent years -- were among those to wish the couple well in the comments.	https://www.wtatennis.com/news/3845663/kvitova-announces-first-pregnancy-in-new-year-s-post	2024-01-01T00:30:54Z
Denmark's Queen Margrethe II announced Sunday that she plans to abdicate after 52 years and hand over the throne to her son, Crown Prince Frederik. The queen, who is Europe's longest-reigning living monarch, announced during her New Year's speech that she would step down on Jan. 14th, which is the anniversary of her own accession to the throne at age 31 following the death of her father, King Frederik IX. Margrethe, 83, said the back surgery she underwent in early 2023 led to "thoughts about the future" and when to pass on the responsibilities of the crown to her son. "I have decided that now is the right time," she said in her speech. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen paid tribute to her in a statement, offering a "heartfelt thank you to Her Majesty the Queen for her lifelong dedication and tireless efforts for the Kingdom." Margrethe is the "epitome of Denmark" Frederiksen's statement read, and "throughout the years has put words and feelings into who we are as a people and as a nation." The 6-foot-tall (1.82-meters-tall), chain-smoking Margrethe has been one of the most popular public figures in Denmark, where the monarch's role is largely ceremonial. She often walked the streets of Copenhagen virtually unescorted and won the admiration of Danes for her warm manners and for her talents as a linguist and designer. A keen skier, she was a member of a Danish women's air force unit as a princess, taking part in judo courses and endurance tests in the snow. Margrethe remained tough even as she grew older. In 2011, at age 70, she visited Danish troops in southern Afghanistan wearing a military jumpsuit. As monarch, she crisscrossed the country and regularly visited Greenland and the Faeroe Islands, the two semi-independent territories which are part of the Danish Realm, and was met everywhere by cheering crowds. Denmark has Europe's oldest ruling monarchy, which traces its line back to the Viking king Gorm the Old, who died in 958. Although Magrethe is head of state, the Danish Constitution strictly ruled out her involvement in party politics. Yet the queen was clearly well-versed in law and knew the contents of the legislation she was called upon to sign. She received training in French and English from her earliest years, as well as Swedish from her mother. In addition to archaeology, she studied philosophy, political science and economics at universities in Copenhagen, Aarhus and Cambridge along with the London School of Economics and the Sorbonne in Paris. Ever since his birth on May 26, 1968, Frederik André Henrik Christian has been the heir to the Danish throne. He is the oldest son of Queen Margrethe and her late French-born husband, Prince Henrik, who died February 2018. Frederik, 55, has a younger brother, Prince Joachim. Since the age of 18, he has served as regent whenever his mother was outside the kingdom and carried out official duties, shaking hands with thousands and receiving foreign dignitaries. The queen's announcement made up only a few sentences at the end of her wide-ranging New Year's speech which reflected on the "turbulence and upheaval in the world" amid the wars in the Middle East and Ukraine, and the climate crisis. But she also thanked her nation's people for "the warmth and hospitality I meet with everywhere in Denmark." While lavishing accolades on the queen, the prime minister also looked to the future. "In the new year, Crown Prince Frederik will be proclaimed king. Crown Princess Mary will become queen. The kingdom will have a new regent and a new royal couple," he said in his statement. "We can look forward to all of this in the knowledge that they are ready for the responsibility and the task." Trending stories at Scrippsnews.com	https://www.tmj4.com/denmark-s-queen-margrethe-ii-to-step-down-from-throne	2024-01-01T00:30:54Z
What may arguably be one of the best anime series in recent years, Attack on Titan found a lot of its success in its masterful storytelling. Each story arc enthralled viewers by asking questions about what it means to be alive, the true meaning of freedom and their wonderful uses of storytelling devices. Combined with astoundingly written characters that are the heart and soul of the story, these story arcs make up the flesh and bone of the series. Whether it's the tragic Fall of Shiganshina or the deadly War for Paradis, Attack on Titan's story arcs never ceased to bring enjoyment to the millions of viewers who call themselves fans across the planet. Its wonderful story arcs prove that when it comes to good storytelling, Attack on Titan has some of the best there is. Attack On Titan After his hometown is destroyed and his mother is killed, young Eren Jaeger vows to cleanse the earth of the giant humanoid Titans that have brought humanity to the brink of extinction. - Release Date - September 28, 2013 - Cast - Marina Inoue , Hiro Shimono , Takehito Koyasu , Yûki Kaji , Josh Grelle , Bryce Papenbrook - Main Genre - Anime - Rating - TV-MA - Seasons - 4 - Website - http://shingeki.tv/ 10 The Fall of Shiganshina Arc Season 1, Episodes 1 & 2 Every story has its beginning and the beginning of Attack on Titan kicks off the series by introducing viewers to the protagonists of the series, Eren, Mikasa and Armin, before thrusting tragedy upon them as the Colossal and Armored Titans attack. The following attack on Shiganshina results in the Armored and Colossal Titans breaking a hole in the city wall, allowing the Titans to enter the city freely and Eren's mother being eaten by a Titan right before his eyes. What makes a good introduction is a solid hook that not only gets viewers to care about the characters but keeps them wanting to see what may happen next. The Fall of Shiganshina delivers on both fronts. The murder of Eren's mother ties audiences emotionally to Eren as he heartbreakingly has to watch her get eaten and the attack from the Armored and Colossal Titans sets up the stakes for the future dystopian conflict to come. 9 The Royal Government Arc Season 3, Episodes 1 - 12 When Pastor Nick is murdered and Eren and Historia are almost kidnapped, Erwin devises a plan to overthrow the government as their actions could mean the potential end for humanity. Humanity's battle brings out the truth about how Eren inherited his Titan, Levi's upbringing with the notorious Kenny Ackerman and the gory Rod Reiss Titan. The Royal Government arc brought a whole new type of conflict to the series. While for most of the series the conflict was between humans and the Titans, this arc brought humanity at odds with themselves. It was fresh and unique for the series. It also acts as a sort of "exposition arc," bringing loads of new information to light about the world and its characters. While it may be a tad slower than the rest, this arc is essential to the series and the amazing stories that will come after. 8 Humanity's Comeback Arc Season 1, Episodes 3 & 4 After the tragedy that befalls them in the Fall of Shiganshina, Eren, Mikasa and Armin decide to enroll as members of the Scout Regiment's 104th Cadet Corps and undergo military training. Through their rigorous training, they'll meet the other members of the show's expansive cast, such as Sasha, Connie, Jean, Annie, Reiner and many more. These characters would come to bring so much life to the series through heartfelt moments, intense action and even betrayal. Humanity's Comeback is essential for how much it sets up what is to come in the future of the series. It makes the protagonists and the viewers familiar with the extended cast, important items like the ODM gear and teases more about the coming conflict regarding the ever looming Titan threat. With the stage set, Humanity's Comeback enhances everything to come after. 7 The Epilogue Arc Season 4, The Final Chapters SPECIAL 2, 1:15:16 - 1:24:54 While it may only exist in the latter half of the final episode, the Epilogue of Attack on Titan is an arc in and of itself. Jumping into the future, the Epilogue arc is short but bittersweet as it shows us where the characters we've been watching for four seasons finally end up at as their own story arcs conclude. It answers many questions left after the nail-biting and heartbreaking final fight against Eren to save the planet. The Epilogue has a lot to say about humanity and while it may answer many questions related to the characters and story, it leaves viewers with many more questions to ponder. While the future of humanity shown in the end credits sequence is dire, it's meaning is deep, insightful and summarizes what creator Hajime Isayama was trying to tell the world with his series in the arcs prior. 6 The Marely Arc Season 4, Episodes 1 - 9 The opening arc of Season 4 took a lot of fans by surprise with its huge shift in narrative. For the first time in the entire series, we're treated to the world outside the walls of the present day. Following Reiner and Zeke back to Marley, the plot introduces a whole new cast of characters across the sea. This arc was essential to the final season for the major reason that it gave audiences time to grow empathy for the people of Marely and see that this world is much more grey than previously believed. This really aids the coming conflict as it makes things far more complicated while Eren enacts his grand plan with the Yeagerists. It introduces the final thesis of the series, stated perfectly by Eren, "Across the ocean, inside the walls... they're the same." We're all just people trying to make the best of the circumstances laid upon us. 5 The Struggle for Trost Arc Season 1, Episodes 5 - 13 Known as the first big arc of the series, Eren and the rest of the Scouts are thrown into battle directly after graduation when the Colossal Titan appears in the Trost District and breaks a hole in the wall. As they struggle to keep what happened so many years ago in Shiganshina from happening again, Eren discovers he has the ability to transform into a Titan. With humanity apprehensive of him at first, Eren uses his new abilities to secure the hole in the Trost wall. Among fans, this arc is considered the true hook for the series, almost making the Fall of Shiganshina a fake out hook to make this twist all the better. Everything that makes the series what it is on a fundamental storytelling level is found within The Struggle for Trost, establishing the groundwork for the series moving forward. 4 The Clash of the Titans Arc Season 2, Episodes 1 - 12 When a group of Titans appear within the walls, the crew fears there could be a possible breach at Wall Rose. This arc introduced the notorious Beast Titan, aka Eren's half-brother, Zeke Yeager. As if things couldn't get any worse, Eren would soon discover that his good friends and commrades, Reiner and Bertholdt are, in fact, the Armored and Colossal Titans. This is one of the most groundbreaking arcs within the series, masterfully delivering a boatload of exposition about the Titans, the Yeager family and the truth about the incident in Shiganshina while still being entertaining and enthralling. While being one of the most thrilling collection of episodes in the entire series with its outstanding action sequences, The Clash of the Titans also shifted the course of the series forever and propelled the narrative towards the grave events that would soon unfold. 3 The Female Titan Arc Season 1, Episodes 14 - 25 Just when everyone thought Eren was the only Titan Shifter out there, a new Female Titan appears and slaughters many of Eren's comrades. The sequence of events that would come to unfold with the reveal of the Female Titan slung the first season into a wonderful finale that ensured fans would return for a second go-around. Whether it be the reveal that none other than Annie was the Female Titan, the thrilling assault on the Stohess District or Annie encasing herself in crystal upon defeat, The Female Titan arc is packed full of incredible moments that secured the series a boat load of invested fans. It also placed the series on the world's stage as heaps of positive reviews poured in from across the planet as Attack on Titan transcended the anime community and became a show that even general television audiences would fall in love with. 2 The War for Paradis Arc Season 4, Episode 10 - THE FINAL CHAPTERS Special 2 The final story arc of the series brought loads of emotions to viewers everywhere. Fans felt thrill, joy, anxiety, heartbreak and so much more as they watched the protagonist they've grown to love over four seasons descend into villainy and vengeance as he planned to trample the world in The Rumbling. There's so much that can be said about the final story arc of Attack on Titan, but the most important of the bunch is the message it sent to audiences. Isayama attempts to tell the audience that, in the end, all of this pain and suffering could have been prevented had the two nations talked to each other and attempted reconciliation. He wants us to take these lessons from Attack on Titan to create a better world. There's nothing more impactful than that, is there? 1 The Return to Shiganshina Arc Season 3, Episodes 13 - 22 While it's quiet within the walls, the Scout Regiment expeditions to Shiganshina only to find it devoid of any Titans. Eren takes the chance to plug the hole in the wall and visit his childhood home to discover the truth about his father. They end up running into the Beast, Armored and Colossal Titans once more for a dramatic final battle in the series' third season. To say The Return to Shiganshina arc was executed masterfully on a storytelling level is an understatement. With two of the arc's episodes amongst the 100 highest rated television episodes of all time on IMDb, the numbers speak for themselves. From Levi's brutal assault on the Beast Titan, Erwin's famous and groundbreaking speech, Armin's sacrifice and his inheritance of the Colossal Titan, The Return to Shiganshina supplies the best of what this series and anime as a whole has to offer.	https://collider.com/attack-on-titan-story-arcs-ranked/	2024-01-01T00:30:54Z
5000 Swedish kronor to Costa Rican colóns Convert SEK to CRC at the real exchange rate Loading Compare prices for sending money abroad Leading competitors have a dirty little secret. They add hidden markups to their exchange rates - charging you more without your knowledge. And if they have a fee, they charge you twice. Wise never hides fees in the exchange rate. We give you the real rate. Compare our rate and fee with our competitors and see the difference for yourself. Top currencies Beware of bad exchange rates.Banks and traditional providers often have extra costs, which they pass to you by marking up the exchange rate. Our smart tech means we’re more efficient – which means you get a great rate. Every time. How to convert Swedish kronor to Costa Rican colóns - 1 Input your amount Simply type in the box how much you want to convert. - 2 Choose your currencies Click on the dropdown to select SEK in the first dropdown as the currency that you want to convert and CRC in the second drop down as the currency you want to convert to. - 3 That’s it Our currency converter will show you the current SEK to CRC rate and how it’s changed over the past day, week or month. Top currency pairings for Swedish kronor Change Converter source currency - Australian Dollar - Brazilian Real - British Pound Sterling - Bulgarian Lev - Canadian Dollar - Chinese Yuan RMB - Czech Republic Koruna - Danish Krone - Euro - Hong Kong Dollar - Hungarian Forint - Indian Rupee - Indonesian Rupiah - Israeli New Sheqel - Japanese Yen - Malaysian Ringgit - New Zealand Dollar - Norwegian Krone - Polish Zloty - Romanian Leu - Singapore Dollar - Swedish Krona - Swiss Franc - Turkish Lira - US Dollar Are you overpaying your bank? Banks often advertise free or low-cost transfers, but add a hidden markup to the exchange rate. Wise gives you the real, mid-market, exchange rate, so you can make huge savings on your international money transfers. Download Our Currency Converter App Features our users love:- Free and ad-free. - Track live exchange rates. - Compare the best money transfer providers.	https://wise.com/in/currency-converter/sek-to-crc-rate?amount=5000	2024-01-01T00:30:56Z
India’s Year of Climate Extremes and Renewable Energy Milestones in 2023 In a year marked by extreme weather and climate challenges, India emerged as a symbol of resilience and environmental commitment. In 2023, the nation witnessed an unprecedented 235 days of severe weather conditions, a stark reminder of the escalating climate crisis. Heatwaves, floods, cyclones, and lightning marked the days, resulting in the tragic loss of 2,923 lives, the devastation of nearly 2 million hectares of farmland, and the destruction of over 80,000 homes. The year was the warmest on record globally, as confirmed by the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service, with the world’s oceans reaching their highest ever recorded temperature. Extreme Weather Patterns and Climate Crisis According to the Centre for Science and Environment, India endured extreme weather events on nearly 86 percent of the days from January to September 2023. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported that heatwaves in the country are lengthening, with an average increase in duration of 2.5 days over the last 30 years. This trend indicates a deepening crisis, with projected further intensification. In August, India recorded its driest month since 1901, exacerbating drought conditions in key agricultural states. Meanwhile, satellite data revealed a global increase in forest fires, severely affecting India’s rainforests. Biodiversity at Risk In addition to climatic challenges, a new study highlighted a looming biodiversity crisis, reporting that up to two million species face the risk of extinction. The potential loss signifies not just an ecological disaster, but a blow to the intricate web of life that sustains our planet and its diverse ecosystems. India’s Renewable Energy Milestone Despite the considerable challenges, 2023 also marked a significant achievement for India in the field of renewable energy. By March, the installed capacity reached 172GW, reflecting the country’s substantial progress in climate action efforts. Amidst the devastating effects of climate change, this achievement stands as a beacon of hope and a testament to India’s commitment to a sustainable future. As we step into 2024, the IMD has issued warnings of dense fog and cold conditions in several states, indicating a continuation of climate-related challenges. However, the progress made in renewable energy provides hope and lays the foundation for a sustainable future fortified by resilience and commitment to climate action. Comments Subscribe to BNN Breaking Sign up for our daily newsletter covering global breaking news around the world.	https://bnnbreaking.com/breaking-news/climate-environment/indias-year-of-climate-extremes-and-renewable-energy-milestones-in-2023/	2024-01-01T00:30:56Z
Dog reunited with family after life with coyotes, fat cat's adoption: Top animal stories of 2023 There isn’t much a heartwarming animal story can’t fix. Many USA TODAY trending stories have focused on the happenings of creatures both rare and extraordinary, connecting readers with animal tales they may have otherwise missed. Some of the top animal stories of 2023 include the adoption of a massive cat, a golden retriever farm in Vermont and the birth of a giraffe without spots. You might not remember every single animal-centered story that made you feel things in 2023, but the good news is that we've compiled the year's best in one handy spot. Here are 12 of the best, fuzziest animal stories of 2023. January: Ohio dog sets record Guinness World Record At the age of 23, Spike the chihuahua mix earned the title of world's oldest living dog from Guinness World Records. The dog, who hails from the small town of Camden, was informally adopted by Rita Kimball in 2010 after she saw him hanging out in a grocery store parking lot. “He had been shaved up his back, had bloodstains around his neck from a chain or rope, and looked pretty rough,” Kimball said. "The clerk in the grocery told us he had been there for three days, and they were feeding him scraps. ... When we left the store and entered the parking lot, he followed." Kimball took the tiny pooch home and the rest was history. She decided to name him Spike because he had a big attitude despite being "small and friendly.” The record-holder spends his time taking long walks with his owner, enjoying Braunschweiger sausage with cheese for dinner and waiting to take his weekly evening bath. Spike just celebrated his 24th birthday. February: Dog famed for living with coyotes in Nevada reunites with family After living with a pack of coyotes in the Nevada desert for six months, a 4-year-old bull terrier named Hades was reunited with his family just in time for Valentine’s Day. The Cabada family of Las Vegas fought to prove they were Hades' rightful owners after a bitter battle ensued between them and the women who rescued him from the wild. After nine days of reviewing photos, videos, and documentation from the family, a nonprofit shelter caring for the pup determined Hades did belong to the Cabadas after all. "It was a very emotional reunion," Kelsey Pizzi, a spokeswoman for the Animal Foundation, told USA TODAY at the time. "As soon as he saw his family, he ran right over to them ... He just kept jumping into everyone's arms.” The family spent Valentine’s Day celebrating the return of their pup by baking a cake. "We got him some Valentine's treats, he's here, home in his big old fluffy bed," Christy Cabada said at the time. March: Husky with lopsided grin finds forever home One shelter dog’s unique looks made finding a home for him rather difficult. Harvey, a husky with an off-kilter muzzle, spent months in a Southern California waiting to be adopted. Most of the families that came around to adopt a pet would either ignore Harvey after a glance or say he was ugly. A shelter employee decided to lend Harvey a helping hand by sharing some of the canine’s best attributes on Facebook. "Harvey is a quiet and mellow husky who gets along with other dogs and loves treats," according to the post. "He has a facial deformity that doesn't bother him but gives him a crooked smile. I think it makes him even more endearing." It didn’t take long for the shelter to get a bite. A Seattle woman by the name of Sherry Lankston came across the post, she commented that Harvey’s sweet face had her “swooning." "I saw the post and shared a joke with my husband. I'm like, 'I found our second dog. His little wonky smile melted my little wonky heart,’” Lankston told USA TODAY. Lankston and her family drove over 1,000 miles to meet Harvey in person. They realized they were going to adopt Harvey as soon as they saw him. Lankston said Harvey's "deformity" is actually his superpower. "That smile is literally one in a million," she said. "He's gonna get away with so much trouble." April: Adoption of massive cat in Virginia It didn’t take long for someone to show interest in giving Patches, a 40-pound gray and white kitty, a fur-ever home, despite his unique health challenges. The Richmond Animal Care and Control campaigned hard for Patches, with clever captions and pictures on social media to entice a potential owner. "Did you wake up today and say, 'Let’s adopt the largest cat anyone has ever seen? If so, we have the cat for you,'” the shelter wrote in a Facebook post on April 19. People who expressed interest in adopting the “pretty sweet kitty” were asked to send the shelter an email with their home information and a written commitment to help Patches "get to a safe and (healthy) weight,” USA TODAY reported. Patches was adopted later that same afternoon, the shelter confirmed in a video saying the cat was "leaving the building." Christie Chipps Peters, director of Richmond Animal Care & Control, told USA Today the following morning that the feline was doing well in his new home. "We are so happy to have found him a committed companion who will help him get to a healthy weight," Peters said. May: Giant snapping turtle found in the Chicago River becomes internet sensation A Chicago resident took to the internet to document the sighting of a massive snapping turtle while they were sunbathing in the Chicago River, naming it Chonkasaurus. Since the clip was first posted in May, it has been viewed over 900,000 times. "Great to see this beast thriving here on what was once such a toxic river, but is slowly getting cleaned up and restored," Joey Santore, who shared video of Chonkasaurus on X, wrote in the post. "Somebody planted a bunch of native plants up the river from here, too," he said. "I can only wonder (what) this thing's been eating." Santore decided to take the bit one step further by adding hilarious commentary about the surprise sighting as he kayaked along the river and chatted with another person about the giant reptile. "That's a massive turtle … look at that beast," Santore is heard saying in the post as the turtle rests on rocks. "Hey, how ya doing guy? You look good, you’re healthy.” June: Video shows 28-year-old chimpanzee catch first glimpse of sky A 28-year-old chimpanzee named Vanilla melted hearts in June after video showing her see the sky for the first time after spending her life in a cage. Save the Chimps, a Florida sanctuary that captured the moment on video, had offered Vanilla a new home after the animal sanctuary where she lived in for 24 years closed down. Vanilla was among four primates relocated to Save the Chimps. “Vanilla was a bit more apprehensive when the door opened to this new world” unlike some of her chimpanzee counterparts, who strolled right in, Save the Chimps previously told USA Today. “She sat in the doorway until Dwight, the alpha male, encouraged her to join him.” The heartwarming video shows Vanilla leaping into Dwight’s arms while taking in the sky for the first time in her life. Keep looking up, Vanilla. July: Divers spot unique underwater creature in Taiwan Divers documented a rare encounter with a deep sea creature off the coast of Taiwan in June. The oarfish, characterized by a scaleless body covered in silvery guanine are usually found 200 to 1,000 feet below the surface, making the sighting highly unusual. The underwater creature, also known as Regalecus glesne, can be found pretty much anywhere except the Arctic. The viral video, originally published by diving instructor Wang Cheng-Ru in June, shows the group coming upon the deep-sea fish in shallow water off the coast of the Ruifang District on the northeast corner of the island, USA Today reported. “Many amazing animals can be found off Taiwan's northeast coast … but it was my first encounter with a giant oarfish,” Cheng-Ru told Newsweek. Guinness World Records once named the oarfish the "longest bony fish in the world." In 1963, an oarfish was caught in New Jersey that was an estimated 50 feet long, and in 1885, a 600-pound specimen was caught in Maine. August: Giraffe without spots born at Tennessee Zoo Kipekee isn’t like any giraffe you have seen. She's better. The giraffe, born at Brights Zoo in Limestone, Tennessee on July 31, is the only known giraffe to be born without any spots, zoo officials previously shared with USA TODAY. The last known sighting of a pattern-less giraffe was in Tokyo over 50 years ago. The animal, considered an endangered species, was added to the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List in 2018. Mutation in one or more genes might be the cause of Kipekee’s unusual coloring, Sara Ferguson, a wildlife veterinarian and conservation health coordinator at the Giraffe Conservation Foundation, told National Geographic. She was also the only one of her siblings born with a solid brown coat. Brights Zoo Director David Bright confirmed with NatGeo in August that Kipekee’s coloring was definitely a surprise, but stated that “she’s healthy and normal.” The zoo decided to make the announcement of the rare giraffe’s birth a tad more exciting by allowing the public to vote for one of four names on Aug. 22, landing on Kipekee a week later. Kipekee's name means "unique." Zoo officials hope all the attention Kipekee has gotten since her birth will help conservation efforts. “The international coverage of our pattern-less baby giraffe has created a much-needed spotlight on giraffe conservation,” Tony Bright, the founder of Brights Zoo, said in a press release. "Wild populations are silently slipping into extinction, with 40% of the wild giraffe population lost in just the last three decades." September: Baby burro rescued after its mother was killed A baby burro got a second chance at life after it was rescued by an Arizona state trooper. The day-old foal in question narrowly avoided death after its mother was hit and killed by a car on Sept. 5 near Lake Pleasant, about an hour north of Phoenix, USA TODAY reported. The baby burro had a few minor injuries and remained in the area where his mother was killed. As soon as Arizona Department of Public Safety trooper Sgt. Roger Hansen got the call, he went to pick him up. He knew the young foal wouldn’t survive by itself in the wild so he contacted Stacie Thomas of One Step Wild Burros and Mustang Rescue in New River. Thomas agreed to take in the foal if Hansen could get him to the rescue, so Hansen carefully loaded up the little burro in the back of his patrol vehicle. The baby burro settled in with a nursing burro not long after getting to the sanctuary. “The little guy quickly settled in and adjusted to his adoptive mom, and has been eating, running, and playing just like a little burro should," according to a Facebook post by the Arizona Department of Public Safety. "Ms. Thomas’ grandson even named the little burro “Roger” in honor of Sgt. Hansen." October: Gallery of funniest animal photos showcased in global competition A host of animals from all over the world, including two tangoing horses and a kangaroo air guitarist, made the image and video lineup of the 2023 Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards. The global competition was made up of a “wonderful eclectic mix of hilarious wildlife,” USA TODAY reported. All the photographs, taken by both professional and amateur photographers, were “all hilarious and sure to raise a cackle or a chuckle and wonder at the wonderful wildlife we share this world with,” officials said in a statement. The shortlist consisted of 41 standalone photographs, three videos and three portfolio entries chosen from thousands of entries. Winners were announced on Nov. 23, with the top image winning a one-week safari in Kenya. November: Golden retriever farm in Vermont goes viral One Vermont-based couple’s love of golden retrievers inspired them to create a one-of-a-kind experience for dog-lovers. A Golden Dog Farm in Jeffersonville, Vermont hosts an activity called "The Golden Retriever Experience," also called a “happy hour,” where you get to hang and cuddle with a group of golden retrievers for a while, USA TODAY previously reported. The one-hour sessions allow guests to bask in the company of at least 10 dogs from Butternut Goldens, all while they enjoy snacks and refreshments. Golden Dog Farm owners Doug and Becca Worple said that the overwhelming success they have experienced so far did not seem like a given when they decided to take on the venture in early 2023, when bookings were few and far between. That all changed when a video about the experience made it to the TikTok account of travel influencer @mydarlingpassport, racking up 5.6 million views. "We went to bed on a Thursday night and Friday morning we woke up and everything was sold out," Worple said. "We then immediately added more dates and those sold out. Then we added more dates." The experience is currently booked through the last couple days of the year, but you might get a chance to hang with these goldens in the new year. If you book early. "People are so happy when they're here, they have this childlike joy on their faces," Worple said. "People cry because they're so happy." December: Young Indiana girl rescues Arctic duck A young Indiana girl is the reason why a rare Artic duck named Rosealini was able to make it back home. The 1-pound, long-tailed duck was found in the middle of the road a couple days before Christmas Eve, according to Hancock Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation, a non-profit wildlife rescue and rehabilitation group that took in the displaced bird on Dec. 22. The wildlife rescue group determined that Rosealini was a female sea duck, which are "normally found in the Arctic and northern coastal regions, USA TODAY reported. As for how Rosealini ended up in the area of from Greenfield – about 25 miles east of Indianapolis – much less on the road, is anyone’s guess. "There are a few small retention ponds in the area where she was found, but no real bodies of water. She was literally in the middle of town,” Jen Hancock, founder and director of the rescue foundation, previously told USA TODAY. Rosealini did not appear to be injured. but was immediately taken to the shelter. Hancock told USA TODAY that the duck was very weak and was given "TLC, R&R, anti-inflammatory medication, and some good food." "Once she regained her strength and finished her meds, she was more than ready to be wild again," said Hancock. Rosealini was released back into the water Tuesday, where she could be seen taking several dives and paddling in videos shared by the shelter on Facebook. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fat cat's adoption, world's oldest dog: Top animal stories of 2023	https://ca.news.yahoo.com/dog-reunited-family-life-coyotes-001835739.html	2024-01-01T00:30:57Z
Affiliate links on Android Authority may earn us a commission. Learn more. The best headphones and true wireless earbuds I'm looking forward to in 2024: Sony, Samsung, more! 2023 delivered some of the best wireless earbuds and headphones that money can buy. From the sporty Jabra Elite 8 Active to the future-proof Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones, there were plenty of feature-rich headphones to choose from. But with such fast-paced change and increasing competition from more affordable brands, can high-end manufacturers deliver the goods over the coming year? While there are no confirmed dates yet, we have gathered information on which headphones to look forward to over the next 12 months. Here is my list of the best headphones to expect in 2024. Sony WH-1000XM6 While the launch of the Sony WH-1000XM6 may seem a way off, the company has stuck to a predictable two-year release window since the XM3. Given the Sony WH-1000XM5 came to market on May 20, 2022, Sony will likely update its most popular WH-1000X line in the Summer or Fall of 2024. The Sony WH-1000XM5 are lauded for their formidable active noise canceling, OS-agnostic design, and superior comfort. Their vegan leatherette-coated earcups form a robust seal over the ear to deliver excellent isolation. The headphones attenuate sounds where most music is found by around 30dB. This makes intrusive noises from trains, engines, and streets roughly one-eighth as loud as without ANC activated. The Sony Headphones Connect App (iOS/Android) helps to bring the best out of the XM5. In particular, the app provides access to ANC optimization, a custom EQ, 360 Reality Audio, and firmware updates. Sony will likely bring the WH-1000XM6 to market in the summer or fall of 2024. In addition to the above features, we expect the XM6 to retain Sony’s Speak to Chat feature. This intelligently pauses and resumes audio playback when you talk. The headphones are also likely to keep the simple touch controls of their predecessor. These include swipe gestures along the flat of the ear cups to skip songs forwards and backward and to increase or decrease volume. This is more intuitive than button controls, given that buttons are difficult to navigate while wearing headphones. Battery life is a mainstay of the XM5, and we expect this to continue with the WH-1000XM6. For example, Sony’s most recent flagship headphones boast over 30 hours of battery life with ANC activated and up to 50 hours without it. The headphones will likely support Bluetooth 5.2 and provide wireless connectivity via the SBC, AAC, and LDAC Bluetooth codecs. This is in addition to wired connectivity via a 3.5mm aux input and Bluetooth Multipoint for multiple device streaming. However, Sony should provide a foldable headband for the XM6 to make transport more convenient. The XM5’s lack of an IP rating is an oversight and something we hope Sony will bring to the updated XM6. This would help to protect the headphones from sweat, water splashes, and dust. Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro Earlier this year, SamMobile reported that the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro will launch in 2024. This seems likely, given Samsung skipped over 2023 without any mention of its flagship earbuds. Citing its sources, SamMobile believes the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro could launch alongside the next Galaxy Z Fold and Galaxy Z Flip smartphones. If so, we could see a formidable pair of Bluetooth earbuds that boast around 50dB of noise canceling, decent isolation, and a pleasing frequency response. While currently unavailable on iOS, the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro will likely enjoy Samsung 360 Audio capabilities and the Samsung Seamless Codec for 24-bit audio streaming. SamMobile reports that the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro will launch sometime in 2024. Like their predecessor, Samsung’s next-gen buds will likely adorn a matte finish and protruding form factor. However, unlike their more pedestrian brethren, the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro should support head tracking while streaming Dolby Atmos content. The earbuds will likely support Bluetooth 5.3, too, transmitting wireless content via SBC, AAC, and the company’s proprietary Seamless Codec. Those with a Samsung smartphone should also be able to use automatic device switching and Intelligent Conversation mode that automatically activates Ambient sound when speaking. Thankfully, the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro fixed the hypersensitive touch controls of their predecessor. We expect Samsung’s next-gen buds will adopt this improvement when they come to market, in addition to command sound prompts and greater control customization via the Samsung Wearables app. Ideally, the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro will boast longer battery life than the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro. These earbuds provide an uninspiring playtime of four hours and 50 minutes. The Samsung Wearables app would also benefit from housing a custom EQ and a broader list of EQ presets. While high-end features beget high-end prices, Samsung should consider launching its flagship buds for less than $299 to remain competitive. Google Pixel Buds A Series 2 The Google Pixel Buds A Series mark the company’s first attempt at designing affordable headphones. Having only released four earbuds during its tenure, Google has much to live up to when pitted against Sony, Samsung, and Apple. Nevertheless, the Pixel Buds A Series fixed many of the clunky connectivity issues of the original Pixel Buds. Considering Google launched the Pixel Buds A Series on June 17, 2021, and has released earbuds every year since 2020, we expect the Pixel Buds A Series 2 to come to fruition in the summer of 2024. For those already invested in the Google ecosystem, the Pixel Buds A Series provide high-end features on a wallet-friendly budget. We expect Google’s next-gen upgrade to benefit from the “Hey Google” voice assistant, in-ear detection, and bass boost. The earbuds will almost certainly adorn a similar snail-like form factor as their predecessor and host wing tips for improved security. Media playback will likely be controlled via flat touch panels on the exterior of the buds, and at least an IPX4 water-resistant rating should feature to protect from sweaty workouts. Like the original Pixel Buds A series, Google’s next-gen budget buds will likely sacrifice noise canceling for an affordable price tag. Google has released earbuds every year since 2020. The updated Pixel Buds A Series 2 should launch in 2024. Google’s affordable Pixel Buds A Series own many Bluetooth specifications boasted by the more expensive Pixel Buds Pro. For example, the Pixel Buds A-Series connect to smartphones via Bluetooth 5.0 and stream media via the SBC and AAC Bluetooth codecs. Google Fast Pair is also supported with devices running Android 8.0+ for one-step pairing. However, unlike the Pixel Buds Pro, Bluetooth Multipoint connectivity doesn’t work with the A Series. While the Google A Series 2 would benefit from a broader list of Bluetooth codecs and Multipoint connectivity, the company will likely save these features for its Buds Pro line. With an assumed list of pleasing colorways in Clearly White, Dark Olive, Charcoal, and Sea, and an average battery life of around five hours, the Pixel Buds A Series 2 will likely appease Android users when they come to fruition. Given the original Pixel Buds A Series provide 19 extra hours of charge from the case, the Pixel Buds A-Series 2 should last at least a week. Google may bring wireless charging to the updated A Series 2, and the case should fast charge the earbuds. Like the original A Series, five minutes of charging should provide at least 60 minutes of music listening. Ultimately, users will be attracted to the A Series 2 for their appealing price tag. If the original Pixel Buds A Series are anything to go by, we can expect Google’s flagship buds to debut for around $99. Apple AirPods Pro (3rd Generation) The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation) are some of the most sought-after true wireless earbuds for iPhone owners. Descending from a seven-year success story, the AirPods Pro 2 play host to industry-leading sound quality and impressive noise canceling. Apple’s Wearables and Home Accessories category, which includes all AirPods, continued to outstrip Mac and iPad sales in Q2 of 2023. Given the unwavering popularity of the AirPods line and the fact that the AirPods Pro 2 came to market on September 23, 2022, we may see the Apple AirPods Pro 3 launch in late 2024. Earlier this year, trusted industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicted that the next-gen AirPods could ship in the second half of 2024 or the first half of 2025. This prediction was backed up by Mark Gurman, who reported in October that Apple may overhaul its AirPods line next year. To that end, Gurman notes that Apple plans to bring forward its fourth-generation AirPods, followed by an upgrade to the AirPods Pro a year later. While this indicates the AirPods Pro 3 will not come to market until 2025, Apple has remained tight-lipped. With a big shake-up to its AirPods brand looming, we hope the updated AirPods Pro 3 will land within 12 months. Trusted industry analysts Ming-Chi Kuo and Mark Gurman predict the next-gen AirPods will launch in the second half of 2024 or first half of 2025. The white all-plastic build of the original AirPods Pro and AirPods Pro 2 has become an industry blueprint for many earbud manufacturers. Because of this, we expect the AirPods Pro 3 will wear an almost identical shape to their predecessors. This is an addition to touch-sensitive stems and oblong divots for audio playback and call control. Like the AirPods Pro 2, these allow users to swipe up or down to control the volume, which was not supported with the original AirPods Pro. Contrary to some other major earbud brands, the AirPods Pro 3 should also ship with extra small ear tips. While they will likely enjoy a water-resistant IPX4 rating, the AirPods Pro 3 would benefit from protection against dust ingress. In 2023, Apple relaunched its AirPods Pro 2 to support USB-C charging instead of its proprietary Lightning input. The AirPods Pro 3 will likely follow suit, boasting a charging case with a USB-C port. As with Apple’s AirPods Pro 2, the charging case for the AirPods Pro 3 should support Qi Wireless and MagSafe charging. We may also see an updated U2 chip inside the case, and the AirPods Pro 3 may integrate Apple’s newest H3 chip. This would provide access to some of Apple’s most advanced features, such as Adaptive Transparency Mode, battery optimization, spatial audio, and automatic switching between iOS devices. Apple’s H3 chip may even provide health-related features, such as superior Hearables technology, weight monitoring, mood tracking, and bespoke health analysis. For around $249, users are right to expect the AirPods Pro 3 to deliver high-end features. However, as with previous AirPods, many of these are unlikely to work harmoniously with Android. Apple AirPods Max 2 In addition to an update to its AirPods earbuds, it is expected that Apple is planning a reboot of its over-ear headphones. While there was no mention of the next-gen AirPods Max 2 at the company’s “Wonderlust” event on September 12, 2023, Mark Gurman indicates the updated headphones may be released in late 2024. This will likely coincide with the release of Apple’s next-gen iPhones and iPads at the end of the year. It is also worth noting that over three years have elapsed since Apple brought the original AirPods Max to market on December 15, 2020. With that in mind, it seems likely that we will see the Apple AirPods Max 2 launch in the next 12 months. While details are scarce, the AirPods Max 2 will likely follow in the footsteps of the AirPods Pro 2 and switch its Lightning charging port to USB-C. This could pave the way for USB-C wired audio, given Apple ditched the 3.5mm aux input long ago. We can also expect a list of new colorways, comfortable earcups, and a plush, lightweight headband. The top of the right ear cup will likely retain the digital crown of its predecessor, providing volume and playback controls. The headphones should house Apple’s auto-pause feature, which intelligently pauses and resumes your music when you remove and replace the headphones. However, rather than entering low-power mode, the AirPods Max 2 would benefit from a power button to save battery life when not in use. The Apple AirPods Max 2 will likely come to market alongside the release of the next-gen iPhone and iPad at the tail end of 2024. Users can also expect a list of Apple-exclusive features out of the box. First and foremost is spatial audio, which is excellent for immersing yourself in surround sound. The headphones are also likely to host some of the best noise canceling on the market, given the original AirPods Max boast more powerful ANC than the Sony WH-1000XM5 and Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700. The company’s Adaptive Transparency Mode should also be included, improving situational awareness and safety without removing the headphones. Apple may incorporate its H3 chip with the AirPods Max 2 to bring Bluetooth 5.3 with SBC and AAC Bluetooth codec connectivity. This could also see improved battery life, given the original AirPods Max boast 21 hours on a single charge using Apple’s H1 chip. However, the lack of foldable hinges makes the original AirPods Max difficult to stow away. The included smart case also leaves much to be desired, functioning more as an off switch than a protector from serious knocks. This is a big miss, given the AirPods Max cost an eye-watering $549 at launch. We hope Apple has learned some valuable lessons over the past three years and will provide an IP rating, a broader list of high-res Bluetooth codecs, L/R ear detection, and a lower price point when the AirPods Max 2 come to shelves. However, we are not holding our breath. There you have it: my top earbud and headphone picks to look out for in 2024. Is there anything you are excited about that didn’t make the list? Let us know in the comments below.	https://www.androidauthority.com/best-upcoming-headphones-true-wireless-earbuds-3395825/	2024-01-01T00:30:58Z
WASHINGTON (AP) — Chief Justice John Roberts on Sunday turned his focus to the promise, and shortcomings, of artificial intelligence in the federal courts, in an annual report that made no mention of Supreme Court ethics or legal controversies involving Donald Trump. Describing artificial intelligence as the “latest technological frontier,” Roberts discussed the pros and cons of computer-generated content in the legal profession. His remarks come just a few days after the latest instance of AI-generated fake legal citations making their way into official court records, in a case involving ex-Trump lawyer Michael Cohen. “Always a bad idea,” Roberts wrote in his year-end report, noting that “any use of AI requires caution and humility.” At the same time, though, the chief justice acknowledged that AI can make it much easier for people without much money to access the courts. “These tools have the welcome potential to smooth out any mismatch between available resources and urgent needs in our court system,” Roberts wrote. The report came at the end of a year in which a series of stories questioned the ethical practices of the justices and the court responded to critics by adopting its first code of conduct. Many of those stories focused on Justice Clarence Thomas and his failure to disclose travel, other hospitality and additional financial ties with wealthy conservative donors including Harlan Crow and the Koch brothers. But Justices Samuel Alito and Sonia Sotomayor also have been under scrutiny. The country also is entering an the beginning of an election year that seems likely to enmesh the court in some way in the ongoing criminal cases against Trump and efforts to keep the Republican former president off the 2024 ballot. Along with his eight colleagues, Roberts almost never discusses cases that are before the Supreme Court or seem likely to get there. In past reports, he has advocated for enhanced security and salary increases for federal judges, praised judges and their aides for dealing with the coronavirus pandemic and highlighted other aspects of technological changes in the courts. Roberts once famously compared judges to umpires who call balls and strikes, but don’t make the rules. In his latest report, he turned to a different sport, tennis, to make the point that technology won’t soon replace judges. At many tennis tournaments, optical technology, rather than human line judges, now determines “whether 130 mile per hour serves are in or out. These decisions involve precision to the millimeter. And there is no discretion; the ball either did or did not hit the line. By contrast, legal determinations often involve gray areas that still require application of human judgment,” Roberts wrote. Looking ahead warily to the growing use of artificial intelligence in the courts, Roberts wrote: “I predict that human judges will be around for a while. But with equal confidence I predict that judicial work — particularly at the trial level — will be significantly affected by AI.”	https://www.wtaj.com/us-politics/ap-chief-justice-roberts-casts-a-wary-eye-on-the-uses-of-artificial-intelligence-in-the-federal-courts/	2024-01-01T00:30:58Z
Revelers counted down to midnight on New Year's Eve across the Middle East, Africa and Europe, where fireworks and festive lights offered a hopeful start to 2024 for some, even as the globe's ongoing conflicts raised security concerns and let to subdued and cancelled festivities. In Australia, more than 1 million people watched the pyrotechnic display near the Sydney Harbor Bridge, packing the shore and boats in the harbor — a number of spectators equivalent to one in five of the city's residents. "It's total madness," said German tourist Janna Thomas, who waited in line since 7:30 a.m. to secure a prime waterfront location. People lined up early in New York City to secure a spot in Times Square for the midnight ball drop. Officials and party organizers said they're prepared to keep tens of thousands of revelers safe in heart of Manhattan, as the city has seen near-daily protests sparked by the Israel-Hamas war. Fireworks light up the night Stunning fireworks displays bloomed at iconic locations like the Acropolis in Athens, Greece, the sleek glass walls of the world's tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, in the United Arab Emirates, and accompanied a collective cheer filling the air in Nairobi, Kenya. China celebrated relatively quietly, with most major cities banning fireworks over safety and pollution concerns. Still, people gathered and performers danced in colorful costumes in Beijing, while a crowd released wish balloons in Chongqing. During his New Year address, Chinese President Xi Jinping said the country would focus on building momentum for economic recovery in 2024 and pledged China would "surely be reunified" with Taiwan. In Taipei, Taiwan's capital, the mood appeared upbeat as revelers gathered for a fireworks show at the bamboo-shaped Taipei 101 skyscraper, as well as at concerts and other events held throughout the city. For India, thousands of revelers from the financial hub of Mumbai watched the sun set over the Arabian Sea. In New Delhi, fireworks raised concerns that the capital — already infamous for its poor air quality — would be blanketed by a toxic haze on the first morning of the new year. Across Japan, people gathered at temples, such as the Tsukiji Temple in Tokyo, where visitors were given free hot milk and corn soup as they stood in line to strike a massive bell. Pope highlights the human cost of war At the Vatican, Pope Francis recalled 2023 as a year marked by wartime suffering. During his traditional Sunday blessing from a window overlooking St. Peter's Square, he offered prayers for "the tormented Ukrainian people and the Palestinian and Israeli populations, the Sudanese people and many others." "At the end of the year, we will have the courage to ask ourselves how many human lives have been shattered by armed conflict, how many dead and how much destruction, how much suffering, how much poverty," the pontiff said. Gaza and Ukraine wars grind on In Russia, the country's military actions in Ukraine have overshadowed end-of-year celebrations, with the usual fireworks and concert on Moscow's Red Square canceled, as they were last year. Even without the festivities, people gathered in the square and some cheered and pointed their phones at a clock counting down the year's final seconds. After shelling in the Russian border city of Belgorod Saturday killed 24 people, some local authorities across Russia also canceled their usual firework displays, including in Vladivostok. Millions were expected to tune in to Russian President Vladimir Putin's New Year's prerecorded address, where he asserted no force that could divide Russians and stop the country's development. Israeli strikes in the Gaza Strip have killed at least 35 people Sunday, hospital officials said, as fighting raged across the tiny enclave a day after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the war will continue for "many more months," resisting international calls for a cease-fire. Skyscrapers in Tel Aviv were lit up in yellow to call for the release of hostages held by Palestinian militants in Gaza for more than 80 days. "While you are counting down until the new year, our time and our lives stopped," said Moran Betzer Tayar, the aunt of Yagev Buchshtab, a 34 year old hostage. In the Gaza Strip, displaced Palestinians huddled around fires in a makeshift refugee camp. "From the intensity of the pain we live, we do not feel that there is a new year," said Kamal al-Zeinaty, who has lost multiple family members in the conflict. "All the days are the same." In Iraq, a Christmas tree was decorated with Palestinian flags and symbolic bodies in funeral shrouds, placed beside a liberty monument in central Baghdad. Many Christians in Iraq have cancelled this year's festivities in solidarity with Gaza, and have chosen to limit their celebrations to prayers and rituals. "We hope that the new year, 2024 will be a year of goodness, prosperity, and joy," said Ahmed Ali, a Baghdad resident. In Muslim-majority Pakistan, the government has banned all New Year's Eve celebrations in solidarity with the Palestinians. Global tensions spur security vigilance New York Mayor Eric Adams said there were "no specific threats" to his city's annual New Year's Eve bash. Police said they would expand the security perimeter around the party, creating a "buffer zone" that would allow them to head off potential demonstrations. During last year's party, a machete-wielding man attacked three police officers a few blocks from Times Square. Security was also heightened across European cities on Sunday. German authorities said they had detained three more people in connection with a reported threat of a New Year's Eve attack by Islamic extremists on the world-famous Cologne Cathedral. In Berlin, some 4,500 police officers are expected to keep order and avoid riots like a year ago. Police in the German capital issued a ban on the traditional use of fire crackers for several streets across the city. They also banned a pro-Palestinian protest in the Neukoelln neighborhood of the city, which has seen several pro-Palestinian riots. In Paris, over 1.5 million people are expected to attend celebrations on the Champs-Elysees, with around 90,000 law enforcement officers would be deployed nationwide, top officials said. Celebrations in the French capital will center on the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, including DJ sets, fireworks and video projections on the Arc de Triomphe. In a New Year's message, French President Emmanuel Macron predicted that the 2024 European Parliament elections will be crucial to Ukraine's future and the fate of democracy across Europe. SEE MORE: Looking back at the biggest headlines of 2023 Trending stories at Scrippsnews.com	https://www.turnto23.com/new-year-s-eve-sweeps-across-mideast-and-europe	2024-01-01T00:31:00Z
Nick Moskovitz, astronomer at the Lowell Observatory, describes the harsh conditions that may harbor life as well as which planets may be habitable for living organisms. Our ever-growing library will meet your interests whatever they may be Nick Moskovitz, astronomer at the Lowell Observatory, describes the harsh conditions that may harbor life as well as which planets may be habitable for living organisms.	https://curiositystream.com/title/video/127	2024-01-01T00:31:00Z
What players filled up the box score yesterday in the NBA? Keep scrolling for a recap of the top performers, including leaders in multiple stat categories. Watch the NBA, other live sports and more on Fubo! Use our link to sign up for a free trial. December 31 Points Leaders December 31 Rebounds Leaders Catch NBA action all season long on Fubo! December 31 Assists Leaders December 31 Blocks Leaders Rep your team with officially licensed NBA gear! Head to Fanatics to find jerseys, shirts, and much more. December 31 Steals Leaders December 31 3-Point Leaders Get tickets for any NBA game this season at Ticketmaster!	https://www.kjct8.com/sports/betting/2023/12/31/nba-daily-stat-leaders/	2024-01-01T00:31:00Z
The Big Picture - Blue Sky Studios released 13 movies between 2002 and 2019 before being dissolved by Disney in 2021. - Each of Blue Sky's movies had entertaining villains, although they didn't reach the heights of Disney or DreamWorks. - The article highlights specific villains from movies such as Ferdinand, Epic, Horton Hears a Who, Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, Ice Age: Continental Drift, Robots, Rio, and Spies in Disguise. Audiences who grew up as children during the 2000s likely know the name Blue Sky Studios. Founded in 1987 by a collection of animators who worked on Tron, the company began creating effects for commercials and movies before releasing its first feature film, Ice Age, in 2002. Blue Sky Studios released a total of thirteen movies between 2002 and 2019, only for their story to end with Disney dissolving them in 2021 following their acquisition of Blue Sky's parent company, 20th Century Fox. With thirteen movies to their name, Blue Sky Studios has a pretty good selection of villains. None of them reach the heights of what was produced by Disney or DreamWorks, but each is entertaining in its own way. This mirrors Blue Sky Studios itself: it might not be the best company, but it was certainly an entertaining one. 10 El Primero From 'Ferdinand' One of Spain's most renowned matadors, El Primero (Miguel Ángel Silvestre), has decided that his next bullfight will be his last. As such, he travels across Spain to find the largest, strongest, and most ferocious bull to end his career on. The one he ends up selecting is Ferdinand (John Cena), but what he doesn't know is that Ferdinand hates fighting and prefers to live a peaceful life. El Primero is more of an antagonist than a villain: he's a vain and egotistical man who wants only the best for his retirement. Still, he does his job well, and his myopic desire to look his best fits with the movie's themes about nonviolence, masculinity, and individuality. His arrogance also makes the climax, where Ferdinand ends up humiliating El Primero by refusing to fight, all the better. ferdinand - Release Date - December 9, 2017 - Director - Carlos Saldanha - Cast - Kate McKinnon , David Tennant , Bobby Cannavale , Gina Rodriguez , Miguel Ángel Silvestre , Jerrod Carmichael - Rating - PG - Runtime - 106 - Main Genre - Animation - Writers - Munro Leaf - Tagline - Built To Fight. Born To Love 9 Mandrake From 'Epic' Deep within a seemingly normal forest, tiny fairies called Leafmen battle their enemies, the Boggans, and their evil king, Mandrake (Christoph Waltz). When Mandrake learns that the Queen of the Leafmen, Tara (Beyoncé), is choosing a pod that will determine her successor, he and his son, Dagda (Blake Anderson), launch a surprise attack to seize it. While Mandrake succeeds in killing the queen, Dagda is killed as well, which makes Mandrake determined to corrupt the pod and use it to destroy the forest. Mandrake serves as the opposite of the Leafmen, focusing on rot and decay instead of life and growth. He even subverts a few dark lord tropes, such as his positive relationship with his son, and having a bit of an affably evil personality, thanks in large part to Waltz' performance. He's a serviceable big bad who sadly just doesn't have enough interesting power or epic moments to make him stand out. EPIC - Release Date - May 15, 2013 - Director - Chris Wedge - Cast - Blake Anderson , Aziz Ansari , Allison Bills , Jim Conroy , Todd Cummings , John Di Maggio - Rating - PG - Runtime - 102 8 The Sour Kangaroo From 'Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who' In The Jungle of Nool, a particularly Sour Kangaroo (Carol Burnett) considers herself the jungle's de facto leader. When the elephant, Horton (Jim Carrey), begins carrying around a speck of dust and claiming to hear tiny people called Who's on it, the Sour Kangaroo demands he get rid of it. He refuses, saying that a person is a person no matter how small, so the kangaroo retaliates by making Horton public enemy number one. The Sour Kangaroo sticks true to the themes present in Dr. Seuss' book while gaining some new personal traits and plot points to work better for the film. She's shown to be quite charismatic and clever when under pressure, which allows her to hire the vulture Vlad (Will Arnett) for free, and rally the jungle against Horton. Burnett's voice work does a good job of highlighting her know-it-all nature, and can even sound threatening when her authority gets challenged. Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who - Release Date - March 3, 2008 - Director - Jimmy Hayward , Steve Martino - Cast - Jim Carrey , Steve Carell , Carol Burnett , Will Arnett , Seth Rogen , Dan Fogler - Rating - G - Runtime - 88 Every ‘Ice Age’ Movie, Ranked From Chilly To Ice-Cap Melting Dive back into the chilly, nostalgic world of 'Ice Age'.7 Rudy From 'Ice Age: Dawn of The Dinosaurs' Upon arriving in an underground jungle inhabited by dinosaurs, Buck (Simon Pegg) the weasel encounters a massive Baryonix that he calls Rudy. Buck lost an eye to the dinosaur's claw but managed to knock out one of Rudy's teeth and fashion it into a knife. This begins a deadly rivalry between the two, as Rudy constantly hunts Buck while Buck simply has a good time facing off against him. Rudy is built up throughout Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, appearing in silhouettes and brief flashes before his reveal in the climax. For the most part, he acts like a feral predator hunting for survival, though he has limited intelligence since he can recognize Buck. This makes him feel more like a force of nature and helps set him apart from other villains in the Ice Age franchise. Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs After Sid (John Leguizamo) pilfers some dinosaur eggs, Manny (Ray Romano), Diego (Denis Leary) and the rest of their prehistoric pals enter a mysterious, underground world to rescue the hapless sloth. During the course of their mission, the gang encounters many creatures great and small, including hungry carnivores and a relentless, dinosaur-hunting weasel named Buck. - Release Date - June 26, 2009 - Director - Carlos Saldanha , Mike Thurmeier - Cast - Eunice Cho , Karen Disher , Harrison Fahn , Maile Flanagan , Jason Fricchione , Bill Hader - Rating - PG - Runtime - 112 6 Captain Gutt From Ice Age: Continental Drift Using a glacier as a boat, the Gigantopithecus, Captain Gutt (Peter Dinklage), sails the sea with his pirate crew, stealing food and treasure wherever they can. When they come upon another ship bearing Manny (Ray Romano), Sid (John Leguizamo), and Diego (Denis Leary), Gut offers them a chance to join his crew or be killed. During the ensuing fight, the herd escapes with Gutt's ship and treasure, causing him to swear revenge. The idea of a giant ape pirate sounds like it shouldn't work, but Captain Gutt manages to pull it off thanks in large part to his animation and voicework. His design is pretty intimidating, as even when he's trying to act civil, there is a savage bloodlust bubbling below the surface. Dinklage enhances this with his performance, especially when he gets furious. Ice Age: Continental Drift Scrat's continuous pursuit of an infernal acorn has world-changing consequences for Manny (Ray Romano), Sid (John Leguizamo) and Diego (Denis Leary) when the continents split apart. The continental crack-up separates Manny and his friends from the rest of the herd, including Manny's mate, Ellie (Jennifer Lopez) and rebellious daughter Peaches (Keke Palmer). The pals are desperate to return home, but a pirate (Peter Dinklage) and his ragtag crew stand in their way. - Release Date - June 27, 2012 - Director - Steve Martino , Mike Thurmeier - Cast - Aziz Ansari , Joy Behar , Christopher Campbell , Alain Chabat , Ester Dean , Peter Dinklage - Rating - PG - Runtime - 94 5 Soto From 'Ice Age' When a tribe of humans wiped out half of a pack of Smilodons for their meat and pelts, their leader, Soto (Goran Višnjić), demanded an eye for an eye. He led the rest of the pack in a raid against the tribe so his subordinate, Diego, could steal the infant of the tribe's leader for Soto to kill. When the baby ends up in the possession of Manny and Sid, Soto makes plans to hunt the mammoth as well. Soto doesn't get the most screen time compared to other Blue Sky villains, but he makes up for it thanks to a wonderful performance by Višnjić. His voice is cold, calculated, and vicious, perfect for an apex predator with a single-minded goal. He's also quite a cunning antagonist who knows how to use the strength of his pack to its fullest, making the act of challenging him a difficult prospect. ice age Twenty-thousand years ago, Earth is a wondrous, prehistoric world filled with great danger, not the least of which is the beginning of the Ice Age. To avoid a really bad frostbite, the planet's majestic creatures - and a few small, slothful ones - begin migrating south . The story revolves around sub-zero heroes: a woolly mammoth, a saber-toothed tiger, a sloth and a prehistoric combination of a squirrel and rat that is known as Scrat. - Release Date - March 10, 2002 - Director - Chris Wedge , Carlos Saldanha - Cast - Ray Romano , John Leguizamo , Denis Leary , Goran Visnjic , Jack Black , Cedric the Entertainer - Rating - PG - Runtime - 81 minutes How to Watch Every 'Ice Age' Movie and Short in Order (Chronologically or by Release Date) Ready for a prehistoric joyride?4 Phineas T. Ratchet From 'Robots' For years, Bigweld Industries distinguished itself as a haven of creativity and a place that made parts for all robots, be they new or old. However, the new head of the company, Phineas T. Ratchet (Greg Kinnear), has a different vision in mind. Rather than continuing to produce replacement parts for older robots, Ratchet wants to focus on expensive new upgrades, and if a robot can't pay, then they're only good for scrap metal. Ratchet is a decent enough take on the evil corporate suit who cares more about money than ethics. Kinnear's delivery lends itself to some good comedic moments, especially when Ratchet is taken down a peg and made to look more pathetic. His evil plan also has a lot of social commentary worked into it, both in the form of gentrification and a commentary on the business practices of big tech companies. Robots - Release Date - March 10, 2005 - Director - Chris Wedge , Carlos Saldanha - Cast - Paula Abdul , Halle Berry , Lucille Bliss , Terry Bradshaw , Jim Broadbent , Mel Brooks - Rating - PG - Runtime - 90 3 Madame Gasket From 'Robots' The mother of Phineas T. Ratchet, Madame Gasket (Jim Broadbent), is the true mastermind behind her son's plan to get rid of the old models. She operates a chop shop in the shady underbelly of Robot City where she melts down scraps and outdated robots into new parts. Once Ratchet makes the old robots completely outdated, Gasket will melt them down into new upgrades to sell to consumers. Gasket is one of Blue Sky's most evil villains: she takes unusual delight in destroying innocent robots for profit and treats her workers like slaves. Her one redeeming quality is the love she has for her son, but even that is highly conditional. If Ratchet doesn't follow her plans to the letter or speaks against her wishes, Gasket has no qualms about threatening to strip him of his upgrades and hang him beside his father (Lowell Ganza). Robots - Release Date - March 10, 2005 - Director - Chris Wedge , Carlos Saldanha - Cast - Paula Abdul , Halle Berry , Lucille Bliss , Terry Bradshaw , Jim Broadbent , Mel Brooks - Rating - PG - Runtime - 90 - Main Genre - Animation - Writers - Ron Mita , Jim McClain , David Lindsay-Abaire , Lowell Ganz , Babaloo Mandel - Tagline - Repair for adventure! - Website - http://www.robotsmovie.com 2 Nigel From 'Rio' Once a famous bird on a television show, Nigel (Jemaine Clement) eventually found himself replaced by a pretty parakeet. This left Nigel with an intense hatred for any bird considered beautiful. Eventually, he found himself the pet of a bird smuggler named Marcel (Carlos Ponce), which suited Nigel fine, as it gave him a chance to torment and terrify Marcel's captures. Nigel is a surprisingly dark antagonist in an otherwise standard animated animal film. His actions are very sadistic while still keeping inside a G rating, and include such acts as dropping a monkey from hundreds of feet in the air to convince him to work for Nigel and teasingly threatening to snap off another bird's foot. Clement's performance is a good mix of comedic and terrifying, which leans into Nigel's unhinged nature. rio - Release Date - April 3, 2011 - Director - Carlos Saldanha - Cast - Karen Disher , Jason Fricchione , Sofia Scarpa Saldanha , Leslie Mann , Kelly Keaton , Jesse Eisenberg - Rating - G - Runtime - 96 1 Killian From 'Spies in Disguise' American super spy Lance Sterling (Will Smyth) has made many enemies throughout his career. Among those is Killian (Ben Mendelsohn), a mysterious criminal with a mechanical left arm, whom Sterling fails to prevent from acquiring a new, deadly drone. Using holographic technology, he dons Sterling's identity to make it look like Sterling stole the drone to turn his organization against him while making plans to mass-produce the drone to take his revenge. Killian is a worthy antagonist for Blue Sky's underrated final film and might be their best all around. While he doesn't have as many jokes as other villains, he makes up for it thanks to his ruthless efficiency and intimidating presence. His backstory is also very strong, both in how he is connected to Sterling and how it ties into the movie's themes of escalating violence. Spies in Disguise - Release Date - December 4, 2019 - Director - Nick Bruno , Troy Quane - Cast - Rashida Jones , Will Smith , Karen Gillan , Ben Mendelsohn , Tom Holland , Masi Oka - Rating - PG - Runtime - 102 - Genres - Animation , Comedy	https://collider.com/blue-sky-movie-villains-ranked/	2024-01-01T00:31:00Z
Want to learn about our restaurant platform? Get a demo Belgian waffles in Dayton / Dayton / Belgian Waffles Dayton restaurants that serve belgian waffles B-Side Coffee Bar 6178 Chambersburg Road, Huber Heights No reviews yet Belgian Waffle $7.00 Belgian Waffle + Powdered Sugar + Maple Syrup More about B-Side Coffee Bar Stoney's Munchie Bar 1929 E. Fifth St, Dayton No reviews yet Belgian Waffle $10.00 Traditional belgian waffle w/ choice of side More about Stoney's Munchie Bar Browse other tasty dishes in Dayton French Toast Miso Soup Rangoon Fudge Eel Chef Salad Glass Noodles Turkey Reuben More near Dayton to explore Springfield Avg 4.3 (17 restaurants) Middletown Avg 4.6 (14 restaurants) Miamisburg Avg 4.6 (12 restaurants) Lebanon Avg 4.3 (9 restaurants) Yellow Springs Avg 4.8 (8 restaurants) Troy Avg 4.3 (8 restaurants) Fairborn Avg 4.8 (7 restaurants) Monroe Avg 3.8 (7 restaurants) Springboro Avg 4.2 (2 restaurants) More popular cities to explore Dayton Avg 4.4 (115 restaurants) Springfield Avg 4.3 (17 restaurants) Wilmington Avg 4 (7 restaurants) Bellefontaine Avg 4.5 (6 restaurants) Cincinnati Avg 4.5 (381 restaurants) Columbus Avg 4.5 (486 restaurants) New York Avg 4.3 (2394 restaurants) San Antonio Avg 4.4 (558 restaurants) Chicago Avg 4.4 (1827 restaurants) Providence Avg 4.5 (126 restaurants) Jacksonville Avg 4.5 (192 restaurants) Las Vegas Avg 4.4 (573 restaurants)	https://www.toasttab.com/local/dayton-oh-restaurants/dish/belgian-waffles	2024-01-01T00:31:01Z
Frances Jensen, neurologist and author of "The Teenage Brain," explains why the first signs of mental illness often emerge during adolescence. Our ever-growing library will meet your interests whatever they may be Frances Jensen, neurologist and author of "The Teenage Brain," explains why the first signs of mental illness often emerge during adolescence.	https://curiositystream.com/title/video/1271	2024-01-01T00:31:01Z
It’s a dreary day in a provincial English town. A tracksuit-wearing teenage boy affecting an exaggerated version of the “Jafaican”, which has replaced Cockney as the capital’s working-class dialect, asks a similarly dressed individual: “What nationality is the best to date?” His interviewee shuffles, then replies: “I like my white girls, innit.” One TikTok account doth not a trend make. But, really: no one is ready for race relations Gen Z style. Wince-making discussion of the relative sexual merits of “Chinese tings” and “Punjabi tings” is, in truth, the least politically virulent version of an emerging race-first mindset, already discernible in far more aggressive forms across the youth on both Left and Right. The bipartisan rise in the salience of race reflects the changing priorities of an empire whose attitude to ethnic politics has always been ambivalent: the United States. And the demographic at the bleeding edge of the new racism is Gen Z, the group born 1997-2012. In 2024, more of Gen Z will be eligible to vote than not, as several of the Anglosphere’s major democracies contest general elections, including the imperial centre in Washington. Much will depend on who secures the top seat at the heart of the world’s only hegemon. But whoever wins the US presidential election, the youngest voting bloc will be at the forefront of driving ethnic in-group politics to dominance, supplanting the now-faltering ideology of race neutrality. Even leaving aside the history of slavery, modern America’s foreign policy has tacitly accorded an important role to race — especially in the weaponisation of ethnic fractures as a means of undermining geopolitical rivals. From Woodrow Wilson to (roughly) the Civil Rights Act, 20th-century America called for, and supported, global “national self-determination” — which, in practice, meant the formation of states along the lines defined by a self-identifying (and usually implicitly ethnic) in-group. This policy had the convenient side-effect of providing an ideological justification for dismantling the European empires that were then America’s chief geopolitical rivals. But under the Pax Americana that supplanted imperial competition, these freshly-decolonised ethno-states were then to be stabilised under an America-led infrastructure of international rules and institutions. Bodies such as the UN sought to minimise, or ideally avoid, conflict between nation-states in favour of the relative peace that is a precondition for global trade. In effect, then, a kind of diet ethno-nationalism, in which states were initially delineated along approximate ethnic lines, then encouraged not to compete along these fractures but instead to commingle in the solvent global community of commerce. This system, again as a happy side-effect, has also tended to enrich America. For some decades now, this arrangement served as the ideological framework for the European ruling class. This is unsurprising: perhaps the most essential trait for survival in any upper bourgeoisie is an exquisite sensitivity to where sovereignty lies. And perhaps especially for Britain, as Aris Roussinos recently argued, this has for some time lain not in European capital cities or electorates, but ultimately in New York and Washington, plus its ideological correlates in Hollywood and the Ivy League. Perhaps the most distinctive popular trope of the imperial vision in the latter half of the 20th century was that of American children in national costume, holding hands around the world. This was the aspirational version of “multiculturalism” that I grew up with: one in which a plurality of peoples is envisaged as coexisting happily, while embracing and enjoying one another’s differences. Until recently, the injunction emanating from these imperial hubs was that America-aligned states should join Hands Around The World. But over time, this ideal has begun gradually to invert itself, via the justification it offers for the mass movement of people. After all, if we’re all alike, why shouldn’t people move in search of a better life? The existence of modern America is inextricable from this impulse. In line with this, the post-Cold War era has seen one European elite after another gradually retrofit their own countries with a version of modern America’s “nation of immigrants” origin story. In the Wasp-dominated America of the 20th century, this vision was at least somewhat believable, and powered a great many commendable political aspirations. And as the periphery will always tend to lag the centre, even in the Britain of the Eighties and Nineties, Hands Around The World still seemed plausible. But as first America, then Europe, has set out to practise what America preached, the resulting diversification has shrunk the proportion of Western populations that believe in Western-style egalitarian universalism. And in the wake of this, it’s growing ever clearer that, wherever the culture that espouses race-neutrality loses its numerical super-majority, that ideology will begin giving ground to ethnic or religious in-group preference. For it is increasingly clear that minority ethnic groups tend not, on the whole, to dissolve their political consciousness entirely into the larger body politic. Rather, as has been evident in the United States, expat groups tend to retain an interest in the politics of their countries of origin. There’s nothing intrinsically wrong or surprising about this. But inevitably it introduces new potential fault-lines in the national conversation. So as America has diversified, one side-effect has been opening space for a broader spectrum of ethnic in-group lobbies within the corridors of power, all while undermining the Wasp doctrine of universalism. Thus, ironically, policies rooted in the belief that all human peoples are equally capable of harmonious coexistence has helped to impel the West’s transformation into a real-life multicultural society, which is to say one increasingly governed by the politics of ethnic in-group preference. As this has accelerated, so too the American empire has begun to pivot institutionally from official colour-blindness to its inverse. And today, as evident in recent disputes over antisemitism and race-first ideologies in Ivy League universities, this worldview is so mainstream that one January 2024 Hollywood release is big-budget fantasy about African-American magicians tasked with keeping the dangerous, violent white majority quiescent, by making them feel comfortable. At the geopolitical level, too, the shift from universalist race neutrality to race-consciousness is echoed in the fracturing of America’s large-scale universalist project: the “rules-based international order”. Since Iraq and Afghanistan took the shine off this order qua moral project, it has become markedly more contested, not least in recent outbreaks of territorial war and ethnic cleansing even at the edges of Europe. But where the new American domestic racism has elite support on the Left, the retrenchment of American internationalism finds its advocates on the new American Right. There, figures including J.D. Vance argue that the US should wind down internationalist commitments such as the war in Ukraine, and refocus on ending illegal migration via the southern border. More broadly, those jockeying to shape a putative future Republican foreign policy lean toward international restraint rather than internationalism, including arguing for an end to US defence spending in Europe. None of this is to say that America is finished as imperial hegemon. On the contrary: the scale of its influence is evident in the seamless transition America’s satrapies have made in turn to re-align with the new American race-first ideology. This has been eagerly adopted in the peripheries’ increasingly multicultural populations, with the vehemence and volume of Left-wing pro-Palestinian support in the UK since 7 October being a case in point. UnHerd reporting from one such march showed an emerging coalition of racially and religiously inflected minority in-group identities, that skews very young and often frames Jews in virulently racist terms as the outgroup. There is considerable overlap with a broader, youth-inflected Left-wing politics of race: one young interviewee told UnHerd (also in a Jafaican accent) that the last protest he attended was during the 2020 BLM disturbances. Mirroring this coming to racial consciousness of a young and multicultural cross-section of Britain’s Left, race discourse is also re-emerging on the youthful Right. But this isn’t the stereotypical British racism of centrist demonology, coded white working-class and headed by demotic figures such as English Defence League founder Tommy Robinson. Britain’s emerging racist Right is more likely to be young, middle-class, and anonymous, reflecting their lives as students, or as recent graduates employed in sectors where only Left-wing forms of racism are socially acceptable. The central material grievance for this group is the tension between mass immigration and the lifestyles, earning capacities, and home-owning aspirations of young graduates. In line with this more knowledge-class demographic, they produce well-researched newsletters, and display knowledge-economy communication skills such as a polemical use of statistics comparatively lacking among the Tommy Robinson set. And their converging economic and ethnic disaffection is discernible in the young commentators who point to the preponderance of foreign-headed occupants in inner London social housing, or the memes that frame every Western “social contract” as an extractive one, that tax-farms young professionals and redistributes their earnings to foreigners. More provocatively still, the race-conscious Gen Z Left and Right now evince a shared belief that ethnic in-group advocacy is a central dimension of mainstream politics. But where on the Left this is granted mainstream form in support for policies such as reparations, or top-down imposition of racial equity, the Right extends this to the one demographic for which this remains taboo: white Europeans. From the perspective of a young Gen Z graduate educated to foreground race, working in a multicultural environment where his own demographic does not predominate, and regularly confronted with evidence of routine discrimination against people like him, it is perhaps difficult to see why doing so should be off-limits. And so race-based advocacy for Europeans is re-emerging. The recent announcement by Bradford University of a scholarship for white working-class males indicates the direction of travel, while a rising number of public-facing Gen Z exemplars gesture at related ethnic talking-points already commonplace on the more explicitly race-first anonymous Right. These include the fresh-faced anti-immigration activist Jack Anderton, and the 21-year-old student Felix Gilroy, who made waves when he explained to far-Left activist Owen Jones outside the 2023 Tory conference why he believed that Enoch Powell’s much-maligned “Rivers of Blood” speech was prophetic. Does this mean that every Gen Z is a rabid racist? No. One swallow does not make a summer; there are plenty of young men and women still indifferent to or disgusted by the new race politics. But the influence of America is overwhelming, whether geopolitically or via the media, and the message from the hegemon is now that race must be front and centre. It’s also a good rule of thumb that politics will tilt toward whichever group cares the most, and as things stand, the race-conscious Gen Zs across both Left and Right exhibit an ideological vigour that leads me to suspect they will be influential. It may come, then, via the Left-wing attack on equality under the law. It may come via the Right-wing attack on liberal internationalism, egalitarianism, and human rights. It may be a mix of the two — but it’s coming. Having grown up amid the 20th-century intra-ethnic ceasefire, reporting this gives me no pleasure. But my prediction for 2024 is that as we see Gen Z maturing to political agency, its radicals will bring the politics of ethnic in-group advocacy definitively back, to unpredictable but potentially seismic effect. Older generations may pine for Hands Around the World, and the long 20th-century peace. But we must all brace ourselves for the coming to political consciousness of a generation that no longer believes peace is in their interests.	https://unherd.com/2024/01/gen-zs-radical-race-politics/	2024-01-01T00:31:01Z
Jack Smith Claims Granting Trump Immunity Would Pave the Way for Presidential Murder Orders Special counsel Jack Smith argued against former President Donald Trump’s claims of presidential immunity in his federal election interference case in a brief filed Saturday with the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals. On Dec. 22, the Supreme Court denied Smith’s request to provide expedited review of an appeal of a district court ruling by judge Tanya Chutkan. That ruling rejected a motion by Trump’s attorneys to dismiss the charges from a four-count indictment of Trump secured by Smith in August. Trump asserted he was acting in his official capacity when he contested the 2020 presidential election in a brief filed with the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit Dec. 23. “Even if a former President could claim immunity from criminal prosecution commensurate with his immunity from civil damages liability for official conduct, dismissal would be unwarranted because the indictment contains substantial allegations of a plot to overturn the election results that fall well outside the outer perimeter of official Presidential responsibilities,” Smith argued in the reply brief filed Saturday. Smith accused Trump of using false claims of election fraud to hold on to power after the election. “The defendant’s further claim to have been carrying out his ‘official duties’ entirely ignores that, as a ‘candidate for re-election,’ he is alleged to have conspired to ‘overturn the legitimate results of’ a ‘presidential election,’ and to have done so with at least five others who had absolutely no role in the federal government, including private attorneys and a political consultant,” Smith wrote. Smith also claimed that Trump’s “dangerous” argument, if successful, would protect “a President who orders the National Guard to murder his most prominent critics,” orders to federal agents to frame a political opponent, or bribery in return for a federal government contract. Legal experts have noted that much of the conduct Smith claims was criminal in the indictment appears to be protected by the First Amendment. Harvard University law professor emeritus Alan Dershowitz said that the indictment not only attacks the First Amendment, but also Trump’s Sixth Amendment right to counsel. Trump did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation. All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org. Truth and Accuracy We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.	https://www.westernjournal.com/jack-smith-claims-granting-trump-immunity-pave-way-presidential-murder-orders/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=conservativebyte&utm_campaign=lminetwork&utm_content=2023-12-31	2024-01-01T00:31:01Z
Europe's longest-serving monarch Queen Margrethe II of Denmark surprised her nation on Sunday by announcing her abdication, saying she would pass the baton to her son. During her traditional New Year's Eve speech, the popular queen told viewers that she would step down on January 14. The 83-year-old pointed to her age and health issues as reasons for the unexpected decision. "In two weeks' time, I will have been Queen of Denmark for 52 years," Margrethe said, adding that such a long reign could take its toll on anyone. "One cannot undertake as much as one managed in the past," she added. Her son Crown Prince Frederik is set to become King in her place. The January 14 date carries a special significance, as it was on this day in 1972 that Margrethe's father King Frederik IX passed away, leaving the throne to her. Back surgery prompted change of heart The monarch had previously said she would never abdicate, but after having a successful operation on her back in February, she wondered "whether the time had now come to pass on the responsibility to the next generation." Margrethe has been Europe's only reigning queen after the death of Britain's Elizabeth II in September 2022. In July, she became the longest-sitting monarch in Denmark's history. She has enjoyed broad support from Danes and has been hailed for subtly modernizing the royal family in her half-century on the throne, while also staying out of politics. In Denmark, the monarch represents the nation with many traditional duties, ranging from state visits to national day celebrations. Tribute paid by PM Frederiksen Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen thanked the queen for her life-long dedication to duty: "It is still difficult to understand that the time has now come for a change of throne," Frederiksen said in a statement. She added that many Danes had never known another monarch. "Queen Margrethe is the epitome of Denmark and throughout the years, has put words and feelings into who we are as a people and as a nation," the prime minister said. Born in 1940 to former monarch King Frederik IX and Queen Ingrid, Margrethe took the throne in 1954 at the age of 31, after a constitutional amendment allowed women to inherit the throne. In 1967, she married French diplomat Henri de Laborde de Monpezat, who served as her royal consort until his death in 2018. The couple's two sons are Crown Prince Frederik, who will become King Frederik X and Prince Joachim. Frederik married Mary Elizabeth Donaldson, an Australian, in 2004. mm/dj (AFP, Reuters)	https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/5069512	2024-01-01T00:31:02Z
Recycling Renewables: Startups Tackle the Challenge of Solar Panel Waste As America’s use of wind and solar energy, as well as electric vehicles (EVs), continues to surge, a new challenge has emerged: the disposal of end-of-life photovoltaic (PV) solar panels, wind turbines, and lithium-ion EV batteries. Recognizing the potential environmental impact, startups such as Solarcycle have emerged to create a circular economy aimed at recovering, recycling, and reusing the core materials from these clean energy components. Revamping Renewable Energy Waste Solarcycle, a Texas-based company, has established a recycling facility that can extract 95% of the materials from expired solar panels. These recovered materials are then sold to various markets and manufacturers, contributing to the circular economy. Similarly, in Arizona, a company called We Recycle Solar is working to collect and recycle old solar panels, recovering valuable materials such as silver, copper, glass, and silicone. They can process up to 7,500 solar panels every day and recover up to 99% of the useful material from each panel. The Rising Tide of Solar Waste The issue of renewable energy waste is becoming more pressing as solar energy is predicted to account for 54% of new utility-scale electric generating capacity in the U.S. this year. With solar capacity increasing by 21% annually and the lifespan of a solar panel averaging 25 to 30 years, a significant amount of waste is anticipated. Currently, 90% of end-of-life solar panels are landfilled due to lower disposal costs compared to recycling. However, this practice is expected to change in the next decade as recycling becomes more cost-effective and landfilling costs rise. The Future of Solar Waste Recycling Estimates suggest 9.8 million metric tons of solar panel waste will be generated by 2060, leading to an increasing demand for recycling services. The market for recycled solar panel materials is projected to increase from $170 million in 2020 to $2.7 billion by 2030, and potentially up to $80 billion by 2050. As such, leading researchers like Professor Meng Tao advocate for U.S. government funding for solar panel recycling projects. Such initiatives would make it easier for homeowners to choose recycling over sending panels to a landfill, thereby contributing to an eco-friendly loop of reuse and recycling in the renewable energy sector. Comments Subscribe to BNN Breaking Sign up for our daily newsletter covering global breaking news around the world.	https://bnnbreaking.com/breaking-news/climate-environment/recycling-renewables-startups-tackle-the-challenge-of-solar-panel-waste/	2024-01-01T00:31:03Z
1 Swedish krona to Cape Verdean escudos Convert SEK to CVE at the real exchange rate Loading Top currencies Beware of bad exchange rates.Banks and traditional providers often have extra costs, which they pass to you by marking up the exchange rate. Our smart tech means we’re more efficient – which means you get a great rate. Every time. How to convert Swedish kronor to Cape Verdean escudos - 1 Input your amount Simply type in the box how much you want to convert. - 2 Choose your currencies Click on the dropdown to select SEK in the first dropdown as the currency that you want to convert and CVE in the second drop down as the currency you want to convert to. - 3 That’s it Our currency converter will show you the current SEK to CVE rate and how it’s changed over the past day, week or month. Top currency pairings for Swedish krona Change Converter source currency - Australian Dollar - Brazilian Real - British Pound Sterling - Bulgarian Lev - Canadian Dollar - Chinese Yuan RMB - Czech Republic Koruna - Danish Krone - Euro - Hong Kong Dollar - Hungarian Forint - Indian Rupee - Indonesian Rupiah - Israeli New Sheqel - Japanese Yen - Malaysian Ringgit - New Zealand Dollar - Norwegian Krone - Polish Zloty - Romanian Leu - Singapore Dollar - Swedish Krona - Swiss Franc - Turkish Lira - US Dollar Are you overpaying your bank? Banks often advertise free or low-cost transfers, but add a hidden markup to the exchange rate. Wise gives you the real, mid-market, exchange rate, so you can make huge savings on your international money transfers. Download Our Currency Converter App Features our users love:- Free and ad-free. - Track live exchange rates. - Compare the best money transfer providers.	https://wise.com/in/currency-converter/sek-to-cve-rate?amount=1	2024-01-01T00:31:03Z
Thousands gather to watch New Year’s Eve fireworks across the UK Thousands of people have gathered in London to celebrate New Year’s Eve at the capital’s annual firework spectacular. Large crowds joined the party around London Bridge and along the Thames as people rang in the new year after bad weather forced the cancellation of events around the UK. Revellers in Edinburgh enjoyed a stunning Hogmanay firework display. Thousands of people were at the sold-out Princes Garden Street Party and Concert in the Gardens in what mark’s the festival’s 30th anniversary. The event, organised by UniqueAssembly and City of Edinburgh Council, was headlined by Pulp, who have not played in the city in 20 years. Weather warnings for wind and rain have been issued for parts of England and Wales for New Year’s Eve into New Year’s Day, with revellers urged to pack a rain jacket for the countdown. Exposed coasts and hills on the southern coast of England and in South Wales will continue to be battered by strong winds, the Met Office said. The highest recorded wind gusts so far on Sunday were 74mph on the Isle of Wight, 64mph at Mumbles near Swansea, and 62mph on the Isles of Scilly. Wind warnings are in place until midnight on Sunday, with some delays to road, rail, air and ferry transport possible, the forecaster said. A yellow rain warning has been issued for an area of the North West which includes Manchester, Blackburn, Burnley and Blackpool from 6pm on Sunday until 6am on Monday, with 30-40mm possible locally. It comes after wet weather and strong winds caused travel chaos across Britain in the past week. Eurostar services have begun running as normal again after flooded tunnels brought 24 hours of disruption. Millions of gallons of water have been pumped out since Friday and both tunnels are now operational again with speed restrictions lifted, engineers said. A family who travelled to Brussels for a surprise trip for their Canadian relative have been “left in a state” and stranded in the city. Luke Gibbs, 32, from Kenley, south London, travelled with his wife, Kyla, cousin Liam Eton and sister-in-law Brea Melanson, from Canada, and planned to arrive in London in time for New Year’s Eve celebrations on Sunday. Mr Gibbs, a business development manager, paid £600 for a New Year’s Eve event in London Bridge, which is not refundable and now he cannot attend after his train from Brussels to St Pancras was cancelled. He described the communication with Eurostar as “appalling”. “I think the way (Eurostar) dealt with it is pretty appalling in terms of not trying to say ‘this is how you rebook it, we’ll help you out with expenses’,” Mr Gibbs told the PA news agency. “They just said, ‘unfortunately, it’s cancelled, we’re sorry, get on with it’, which is shocking really.”	https://ca.news.yahoo.com/eve-fireworks-london-watch-live-233000420.html	2024-01-01T00:31:04Z
Air Force vs. Utah State Predictions, BetMGM Promo Codes, & Picks: Spread, Total - January 2 Tuesday's contest features the Utah State Aggies (12-1, 0-0 MWC) and the Air Force Falcons (7-5, 0-0 MWC) squaring off at Clune Arena in what is expected to be a one-sided matchup, with a projected 77-64 win for heavily favored Utah State according to our computer prediction. Game time is at 4:00 PM ET on January 2. There is no line set for the game. Sportsbook Promo Codes Air Force vs. Utah State Game Info & Odds - Date: Tuesday, January 2, 2024 - Time: 4:00 PM ET - TV: MW Network - Where: Colorado Springs, Colorado - Venue: Clune Arena Place your bets on any college basketball matchup at BetMGM, and sign up with our link for a first-time deposit bonus! Air Force vs. Utah State Score Prediction - Prediction: Utah State 77, Air Force 64 Spread & Total Prediction for Air Force vs. Utah State - Computer Predicted Spread: Utah State (-13.7) - Computer Predicted Total: 140.9 Air Force is 2-8-0 against the spread this season compared to Utah State's 4-6-0 ATS record. The Falcons have gone over the point total in five games, while Aggies games have gone over seven times. Bet on this or any college basketball matchup at BetMGM Air Force Performance Insights - The Falcons are outscoring opponents by 4.2 points per game with a +50 scoring differential overall. They put up 69.2 points per game (298th in college basketball) and give up 65.0 per outing (53rd in college basketball). - The 31.7 rebounds per game Air Force averages rank 348th in college basketball, and are 1.6 fewer than the 33.3 its opponents grab per outing. - Air Force makes 8.6 three-pointers per game (84th in college basketball) at a 36.0% rate (86th in college basketball), compared to the 6.9 per game its opponents make at a 34.0% rate. - The Falcons' 94.7 points per 100 possessions on offense rank 188th in college basketball, and the 89.0 points they allow per 100 possessions rank 159th in college basketball. - Air Force has committed 11.6 turnovers per game (169th in college basketball play), 2.0 fewer than the 13.6 it forces on average (73rd in college basketball). Rep your team with officially licensed college basketball gear! Head to Fanatics to find jerseys, shirts, and much more. Not all offers available in all states, please visit BetMGM for the latest promotions for your area. Must be 21+ to gamble, please wager responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, contact 1-800-GAMBLER. © 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved.	https://www.kjct8.com/sports/betting/2024/01/02/air-force-utah-state-betmgm-promo-codes-college-basketball-picks-predictions/	2024-01-01T00:31:06Z
Max used to be the exclusive home of all your favorite DC content, but that's now changed with a new deal between Warner Bros. Discovery and Netflix. Some of DC Studio's most significant releases of the past few years are now available to stream on Netflix. This includes nearly all the entries in the recently concluded DCEU and a few other projects that DC fans are guaranteed to recognize. To find out what DC films are now available to stream on Netflix, read below for the complete list of entries. Also, be sure to check out our list of DC television series now available on the service. DCEU Films Streaming on Netflix Man of Steel (2013) The movie that started the DCEU, Man of Steel offers a dark and gritty take on the Superman mythos, courtesy of director Zack Snyder. Here, a more melancholic yet noble Clark Kent (Henry Cavill) learns that he is a member of the all-powerful Kryptonian race, giving him miraculous abilities of strength, speed, and flight. He's spent much of his life in the shadows, helping those in need where he can. However, he must shed his anonymity when rogue members of his people, led by the genocidal General Zod (Michael Shannon), seek to terraform Earth into the inhospitable land of old Krypton. Man of Steel An alien child is evacuated from his dying world and sent to Earth to live among humans. His peace is threatened when other survivors of his home planet invade Earth. - Release Date - June 12, 2013 - Director - Zack Snyder - Cast - Henry Cavill , Amy Adams , Michael Shannon , Diane Lane , Russell Crowe , Antje Traue - Rating - PG-13 - Runtime - 148 - Main Genre - Action - Writers - David S. Goyer , Christopher Nolan , Jerry Siegel , Joe Shuster - Tagline - A film by Zack Snyder. - Website - http://manofsteel.warnerbros.com 'Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice' (2016) Following his cataclysmic battle with Zod in Man of Steel, Superman catches the attention of Gotham City's protector, Batman (Ben Affleck). Viewing Superman as an extra-terrestrial threat, Batman decides that he is far too big of a threat to the planet and begins preparations to take him down for good. Little do either of the heroes know that deranged billionaire Lex Luthor (Jesse Eisenberg) is the one pulling the strings behind the scenes, and his plan to kill them both may destroy much more than the titular combatants. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Batman is manipulated by Lex Luthor to fear Superman. Superman´s existence is meanwhile dividing the world and he is framed for murder during an international crisis. The heroes clash and force the neutral Wonder Woman to reemerge. - Release Date - March 25, 2016 - Director - Zack Snyder - Cast - Ben Affleck , Henry Cavill , Amy Adams , Jesse Eisenberg , Diane Lane , Laurence Fishburne , Jeremy Irons , Holly Hunter - Rating - PG-13 - Runtime - 152 minutes - Main Genre - Superhero 'Suicide Squad' (2016) With Earth's protectors MIA after Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, shadowy operative Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) recruits a team of supervillains to take down the threat of The Enchantress (Cara Delevingne). Led by military agent Rick Flag (Joel Kinnaman), this rag-tag team includes Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), Deadshot (Will Smith), Captain Boomerang (Jai Courtney), Diablo (Jay Hernandez), Killer Croc (Adewale Akinnuoye-Abbaje), Slipknot (Adam Beach), and Katana (Karen Fukuhara). While trying to take down Enchantress, they'll also have to deal with Harley's psychotic boyfriend, The Joker (Jared Leto). Suicide Squad A secret government agency recruits some of the most dangerous incarcerated super-villains to form a defensive task force. Their first mission: save the world from the apocalypse. - Release Date - August 5, 2016 - Director - David Ayer - Cast - Will Smith , Jaime Fitzsimons , Ike Barinholtz , Margot Robbie , Christopher Dyson , Bambadjan Bamba - Rating - PG-13 - Runtime - 123 minutes - Main Genre - Superhero - Writers - David Ayer , John Ostrander - Studio - Warner Bros. - Tagline - Worst Heroes Ever - Website - http://www.suicidesquad.com 'Wonder Woman' (2017) Set in the backdrop of World War 1, Wonder Woman appropriately explores the origin story of the Amazonian hero, Diana (Gal Gadot). When pilot Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) washes up on the shores of their island, Diana learns that a global conflict is tearing the world outside their haven apart. Believing this to be the work of the God of War, Ares (David Thewlis), Diana sets off to end this conflict for good. Wonder Woman When a pilot crashes and tells of conflict in the outside world, Diana, an Amazonian warrior in training, leaves home to fight a war, discovering her full powers and true destiny. - Release Date - May 30, 2017 - Director - Patty Jenkins - Cast - Gal Gadot , Chris Pine , Ewen Bremner , Robin Wright , David Thewlis , Danny Huston - Rating - PG-13 - Runtime - 141 - Main Genre - Action - Writers - Jason Fuchs - Studio - Warner Bros. Pictures - Tagline - Power. Grace. Wisdom. Wonder. 'Justice League' (2017) In Justice League, Earth has never faced a threat like the herald of Darkseid, Steppenwolf (Ciarán Hinds), who seeks to destroy Earth with the Motherboxes and his legion of Parademons. With no Superman to help them, Batman and Wonder Woman form a team to stop Steppenwolf in his tracks. With the assistance of the Atlantean outcast Aquaman (Jason Momoa), the lightning-fast speedster The Flash (Ezra Miller), and the robotic genius Cyborg (Ray Fisher), the Justice League was officially born. Justice League Fueled by his restored faith in humanity and inspired by Superman's selfless act, Bruce Wayne enlists the help of his new-found ally, Diana Prince, to face an even greater enemy. - Release Date - November 17, 2017 - Director - Zack Snyder , Joss Whedon - Cast - Ben Affleck , Henry Cavill , Amy Adams , Gal Gadot , Ezra Miller , Jason Momoa - Rating - PG-13 - Runtime - 120 minutes - Main Genre - Superhero - Writers - Jerry Siegel , Joe Shuster , Chris Terrio , Zack Snyder , Joss Whedon , Gardner Fox - Studio - Warner Bros. Pictures - Tagline - Lets Make a Deal 'Aquaman' (2018) Arthur Curry may have helped save the world in Justice League, but he's still an outcast of Atlantis in Aquaman. This is something he'll need to confront when his half-brother, King Orm (Patrick Wilson), declares war on the surface world. With the help of Mera (Amber Heard), Arthur may finally reclaim his birthright as the one true king of Atlantis. Aquaman Arthur Curry, the human-born heir to the underwater kingdom of Atlantis, goes on a quest to prevent a war between the worlds of ocean and land. - Release Date - July 6, 2018 - Director - James Wan - Cast - Jason Momoa , Amber Heard , Willem Dafoe , Patrick Wilson , Nicole Kidman , Yahya Abdul-Mateen II - Rating - PG-13 - Runtime - 140 - Main Genre - Superhero - Studio - Warner Bros. Pictures - Tagline - Home Is Calling - Website - http://www.aquamanmovie.com 'Shazam!' (2019) A more grounded, personal story in the DCEU, Shazam! shows how a young man became an unlikely hero. Not adapting well to his new foster home, Billy Batson (Asher Angel) stumbles upon an ancient ruin, where a wizard (Djimon Hounsou) gives him vast power by saying a single word. When Billy yells the word "Shazam", he transforms into an older version of himself (Zachary Levi) with super strength, flight, and the ability to control lightning. Shazam! A newly fostered young boy in search of his mother instead finds unexpected super powers and soon gains a powerful enemy. - Release Date - March 29, 2019 - Director - David F. Sandberg - Cast - Zachary Levi , Michelle Borth , Mark Strong , Djimon Hounsou , Adam Brody , Ross Butler - Rating - PG-13 - Runtime - 132 - Main Genre - Superhero - Writers - Henry Gayden , Darren Lemke , Bill Parker , C.C. Beck - Studio - Callahan Filmworks - Tagline - Just Say The Magic Word - Website - http://www.shazammovie.com 'Birds of Prey' (2020) Taking a break from her Suicide Squad days, Harley Quinn is going through a tough breakup after being dumped by The Joker. Since she's no longer protected by the Clown Prince of Crime's reputation, she becomes the target of Gotham's criminal underworld, including the maniacal crime lord Black Mask (Ewan McGregor). Thankfully, Harley won't have to face him alone, as she forms a new super team with Renee Montoya (Rosie Perez), The Huntress (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), Black Canary (Jurnee Smollett), and Cassandra Cain (Ella Jay Basco). Birds of Prey After splitting with the Joker, Harley Quinn joins superheroines Black Canary, Huntress, and Renee Montoya to save a young girl from an evil crime lord. - Release Date - February 5, 2020 - Director - Cathy Yan - Cast - Margot Robbie , Mary Elizabeth Winstead , Ewan McGregor , Rosie Perez , Jurnee Smollett-Bell , Ali Wong - Rating - R - Runtime - 108 - Main Genre - Superhero - Genres - Superhero - Writers - Chuck Dixon , Jordan B. Gorfinkel , Christina Hodson , Greg Land - Studio - Warner Bros. - Tagline - Prey for Gotham. - Website - http://www.birdsofpreymovie.net/ 'Wonder Woman 1984' (2020) Taking place in between the original Wonder Woman and the heroine's debut in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Diana is still grappling with the loss of her beloved Steve Trevor in Wonder Woman 1984. After Diana finds a magical wishing stone, Steve miraculously returns, once again uniting the couple. However, when so-called philanthropist Maxwell Lord (Pedro Pascal) gets his hands on the stone, it threatens to plunge the world into chaos. Wonder Woman 1984 Diana must contend with a work colleague, and with a businessman whose desire for extreme wealth sends the world down a path of destruction, after an ancient artifact that grants wishes goes missing. - Release Date - December 16, 2020 - Director - Patty Jenkins - Cast - Chris Pine , Gal Gadot , Robin Wright , Kristen Wiig , Connie Nielsen , Pedro Pascal - Rating - PG-13 - Runtime - 151 minutes - Main Genre - Superhero - Writers - Dave Callaham , Patty Jenkins , Geoff Johns , William Moulton Marston - Tagline - A new era of wonder begins. 'The Suicide Squad' (2021) Part sequel to the 2016 film and part soft-reboot of the series, The Suicide Squad was James Gunn's first foray with DC before being named co-CEO of DC Studios. This time, the notorious squad is tasked with liberating a remote tropical island from a bloodthirsty dictator. Task Force X in this installment includes some familiar faces like Harley Quinn and Rick Flag, but there's also some newcomers like Bloodsport (Idris Elba), Peacemaker (John Cena), Ratcatcher 2 (Daniela Melchior), Polka-Dot Man (David Dastmalchian), and King Shark (Sylvester Stallone). The Suicide Squad Supervillains Harley Quinn, Bloodsport, Peacemaker, and a collection of nutty cons at Belle Reve prison join the super-secret, super-shady Task Force X as they are dropped off at the remote, enemy-infused island of Corto Maltese. - Release Date - July 28, 2021 - Director - James Gunn - Cast - Margot Robbie , Idris Elba , Joel Kinnaman , John Cena , Jai Courtney , Viola Davis - Runtime - 132 - Main Genre - Action - Writers - James Gunn , John Ostrander - Tagline - Boom. 'Black Adam' (2022) Long before Billy Batson inherited his incredible powers, there was another to hold the same abilities. We see Teth Adam's (Dwayne Johnson) story unfold in Black Adam, but he is far from the noble figure that his successor is. An anti-hero with absolutely no qualms against killing, his violent ways puts him at odds with the members of the Justice Society, consisting of Hawkman (Aldis Hodge), Dr. Fate (Pierce Brosnan), Atom Smasher (Noah Centineo), and Cyclone (Quintessa Swindell). Black Adam Nearly 5,000 years after he was bestowed with the almighty powers of the Egyptian gods--and imprisoned just as quickly--Black Adam is freed from his earthly tomb, ready to unleash his unique form of justice on the modern world. - Release Date - July 27, 2022 - Director - Jaume Collet-Serra - Cast - Dwayne Johnson , Sarah Shahi , Pierce Brosnan , Aldis Hodge , Noah Centineo , Marwan Kenzari - Rating - PG-13 - Runtime - 125 minutes - Main Genre - Superhero - Writers - C.C. Beck , Otto Binder , Rory Haines , Sohrab Noshirvani , Adam Sztykiel - Tagline - The hierarchy of power in the DC Universe is about to change. 'Shazam! Fury of the Gods' (2023) The final DCEU movie that is currently available to stream on Netflix is Shazam! Fury of the Gods. After sharing his power with his foster siblings in the first film, Billy Batson is still struggling to know what it means to be a hero in these trying times. He'll need to get over that fast, as the Sisters of Fate have arrived to cause trouble for the Shazam fam. Shazam! Fury of the Gods The film continues the story of teenage Billy Batson who, upon reciting the magic word "SHAZAM!" is transformed into his adult Super Hero alter ego, Shazam. - Release Date - June 2, 2023 - Director - David F. Sandberg - Cast - Zachary Levi , Helen Mirren , Lucy Liu - Main Genre - Superhero - Genres - Superhero - Writers - Henry Gayden , Chris Morgan - Studio - Warner Bros. Non-DCEU Movies from DC Streaming on Netflix 'Green Lantern' (2011) A film that predates the DCEU, Green Lantern represents a totally different era of DC filmmaking. When cocky pilot Hal Jordan (Ryan Reynolds) discovers a dying alien, he gains a green power ring that transforms him into the superhero, Green Lantern. Sworn to protect the galaxy, Hal needs to accept this responsibility to defeat the fearful entity Parallax (Clancy Brown). Green Lantern Reckless test pilot Hal Jordan is granted an alien ring that bestows him with otherworldly powers that inducts him into an intergalactic police force, the Green Lantern Corps. - Release Date - June 17, 2011 - Director - Martin Campbell - Cast - Ryan Reynolds , Blake Lively , Peter Sarsgaard , Mark Strong , Temuera Morrison , Jenna Craig - Main Genre - Superhero - Writers - Greg Berlanti , Michael Green , Marc Guggenheim , Michael Goldenberg - Rating - PG-13 - Runtime - 114 minutes - Tagline - In brightest day, in darkest night. 'The Batman' (2022) The legendary Caped Crusader has had plenty of great film adaptations, but Matt Reeves' The Batman is widely considered to be the best take since The Dark Knight. Taking place two years into his crimefighting career, this neo-noir detective story sees Bruce Wayne (Robert Pattinson) follow a trail of death led by The Riddler (Paul Dano). The World's Greatest Detective reveals a web of lies and deceit that permeates Gotham's infamous criminal underworld. The Batman When a sadistic serial killer begins murdering key political figures in Gotham, Batman is forced to investigate the city's hidden corruption and question his family's involvement. - Release Date - March 4, 2022 - Director - Matt Reeves - Cast - Robert Pattinson , Colin Farrell , Paul Dano , Andy Serkis , Peter Sarsgaard , Zoe Kravitz - Main Genre - Superhero - Writers - Peter Craig , Bill Finger , Bob Kane , Matt Reeves - Studio - Warner Bros. - Rating - PG-13 - Runtime - 176 minutes - Tagline - It's not just a call… It's a warning. 'DC League of Super-Pets' (2022) A rare animated venture into the DC universe, DC League of Super-Pets focuses on the animal best friends of the Justice League. In particular, it shines a light on Krypto the Super-Dog (Dwayne Johnson), whose master Superman is abducted by unknown forces. With the other Justice League members also being kidnapped, Krypto forms an unlikely team to save them and, in turn, the world. DC League of Super-Pets Krypto the Super-Dog and Superman are inseparable best friends, sharing the same superpowers and fighting crime side by side in Metropolis. However, Krypto must master his own powers for a rescue mission when Superman is kidnapped. - Release Date - July 22, 2022 - Director - Jared Stern , Sam J. Levine - Cast - Dwayne Johnson , Kevin Hart , Kate McKinnon , John Krasinski - Rating - PG - Runtime - 105 minutes - Main Genre - Animation - Writers - Jared Stern , John Whittington	https://collider.com/every-dc-movie-streaming-netflix/	2024-01-01T00:31:07Z
Want to learn about our restaurant platform? Get a demo Pastrami reuben in Boynton Beach / Boynton Beach / Pastrami Reuben Boynton Beach restaurants that serve pastrami reuben Flakowitz of Boynton 7410 W. Boynton Beach Blvd. B-11, Boynton Beach No reviews yet Turkey Pastrami Reuben $16.95 More about Flakowitz of Boynton Tsunami Subs - 309 East Woolbright Road 309 East Woolbright Road, Boynton Beach No reviews yet GRILLED PASTRAMI REUBEN $0.00 More about Tsunami Subs - 309 East Woolbright Road Browse other tasty dishes in Boynton Beach Garden Salad Miso Soup Fried Zucchini Shumai Shrimp Tempura Rolls Scallops Tuna Rolls Reuben More near Boynton Beach to explore Boca Raton Avg 4.4 (155 restaurants) West Palm Beach Avg 4.4 (146 restaurants) Delray Beach Avg 4.4 (84 restaurants) Lake Worth Avg 4.4 (59 restaurants) Palm Beach Gardens Avg 4.5 (40 restaurants) Deerfield Beach Avg 4.3 (31 restaurants) Wellington Avg 4.4 (23 restaurants) North Palm Beach Avg 4.4 (22 restaurants) Palm Beach Avg 4.5 (19 restaurants) More popular cities to explore Miami Avg 4.3 (1304 restaurants) Clewiston No reviews yet Sebring No reviews yet Naples Avg 4.4 (180 restaurants) Cape Coral Avg 3.9 (41 restaurants) Punta Gorda Avg 4.3 (24 restaurants) Buffalo Avg 4.4 (303 restaurants) Milwaukee Avg 4.5 (366 restaurants) Riverside Avg 4.1 (93 restaurants) Las Vegas Avg 4.4 (573 restaurants) Pittsburgh Avg 4.4 (383 restaurants) Detroit Avg 4.4 (209 restaurants)	https://www.toasttab.com/local/boynton-beach-fl-restaurants/dish/pastrami-reuben	2024-01-01T00:31:08Z
Nick Moskovitz, astronomer at the Lowell Observatory, highlights what would be the biggest discovery by mankind. Our ever-growing library will meet your interests whatever they may be Nick Moskovitz, astronomer at the Lowell Observatory, highlights what would be the biggest discovery by mankind.	https://curiositystream.com/title/video/128	2024-01-01T00:31:08Z
There’s a scene in the new apocalypse thriller Leave the World Behind in which a 27-year-old character describes the show Friends as “almost nostalgic for a time that never existed”. Her lip curls with contempt as she says it, and not just for the show itself. Because if Friends was guilty of selling a lie — with its shiny, sanitised, notably non-diverse depiction of life in New York — wasn’t its millennial fanbase equally guilty of buying it? When she sneers at Friends, she’s really sneering at herself, for falling for it. In this, she represents an entire generation’s penchant for repudiating the culture that shaped it. Nostalgia is resentment-tinged among millennials, for whom being downtrodden and disenfranchised has become something of a permanent calling card. Five years ago, it was a truth universally acknowledged that we would be the first cohort to do worse economically than our parents. Crushed by unmanageable college debt, unable to buy houses or start families, and burned out by the endless demands of side hustling, millennials were surely the unluckiest generation. The only problem with this universally-acknowledged truth is that, actually, it’s not true: a fact that’s become inescapable this year. “Millennials, as a group, are not broke—they are, in fact, thriving economically,” wrote Jean Twenge in The Atlantic in April. “Since the mid-2010s, Millennials on the whole have made a breath-taking financial comeback.” The data backs this up: although the wealth gap between rich and poor persists within the millennial generation, and the housing market makes home ownership slightly more challenging than it used to be, all the catastrophising seems to have been premature. Millennials are doing fine. And yet, their image as uniquely put-upon has proved persistent — especially among millennials themselves. Once you’ve entrenched a generational narrative, people will continue to identify with it, irrespective of how things may have evolved. For the same reason that the children of the Sixties styled themselves as anti-establishment hippies from the comfort of their corporate offices, millennials have struggled to let go of the sense that there’s something uniquely difficult about their lives — even as they cruise comfortably into middle age, buying homes, having kids, accumulating assets. But if we’re doing well by every available metric, how can we explain the fact that we feel like such losers? Enter the successor ideology to the debunked myth of the Left-Behind Millennial: the retrospective problematising of the Nineties. This oeuvre of cultural criticism, devoted to uncovering the evil subtext in every entertainment property produced before 2005, makes a certain kind of sense if you understand it as a coping mechanism for a generation that views their adult lives with not just disappointment but a sense of betrayal. The expectations we internalised — that the world was our oyster, that we would have it all — and which reality has so cruelly failed to meet, were the products of a Nineties paradigm in which millennials were not just avid consumers but guilty participants, victims and perpetrators alike. Hence why, where other generations dabble in more straightforward nostalgia for their formative years, millennials have developed an antagonistic relationship with them, rewriting and reframing it like a therapy patient searching out the hidden darkness in a seemingly happy childhood. (That this has happened in tandem with the widespread creep of therapy-speak into everyday life is surely not a coincidence.) Actually, your parents’ loving marriage was a sham; actually, your fun-loving father was an alcoholic man-child; and actually, Friends was a cesspit of racist sexist heteronormative bigotry masked as feel-good primetime TV. The reckoning isn’t solely an American phenomenon: the latest season of The Crown, which opens with Princess Diana’s death in 1997 and doubles as a searing indictment of the tabloid culture of the era, is also a fine example of this sort of meta-commentary. But in the US, exposing the dark underbelly of our youthful obsessions has become a genre unto itself. There’s this year’s memoir boom, in which maligned Nineties icons have spoken their truth in documentaries and bestselling books. Paris Hilton’s memoir of abuse at a boarding school for wayward youth reveals that her “celebutante” antics and baby-voiced bimbo persona were the result of hideous trauma; Britney Spears’s tell-all, The Woman in Me, describes how her apparent career renaissance was actually a puppet show in which she dangled on strings held by a father who managed her life, her finances, her reproductive choices, even the choreography of her Vegas comeback show. Meanwhile, on HBO, Woodstock 99: Peace, Love, and Rage discovers a sinister valence to the gleeful raunch culture of the Girls Gone Wild era, featuring interviews with the musicians and media figures who were once its vanguard. Now, middle-aged and chagrined, they shake their heads in lemon-faced disapproval at the provocations of toxic male pop metal icons like Limp Bizkit — but also at themselves, for being complicit. The question hanging in the air is: how did we ever think this was okay? And then there’s Monica Lewinsky, who marked the 25th anniversary of the scandal that made her famous with interviews, articles, even a television series — highlighting how her Nineties-era infamy has transformed to become one of the greatest reputational rehabilitations of all time. In 1998, when the story of her affair with then-President Bill Clinton broke, Lewinsky was a Jezebel, a homewrecker, and a punchline to the worst jokes that the slut-shaming culture of the moment could think of. Now, for exactly the same reason, she’s a feminist hero, toast of the Hollywood elite and NYC social pages alike, greeted with a standing ovation when she walks into a room. But stigma isn’t the only thing Lewinsky has shed: in the old paradigm, a woman in her early twenties who slept with a married man, even a powerful one, was considered an autonomous actor and old enough to know better. In the revised one, she’s not just a victim, but practically a child. Her shame is gone, but so is her agency — and with it, any sense that she may have had a hand in the current shape of her life. The cultural revisionism that refashions the wanton seductress as a hapless innocent speaks to the interplay of millennial childhood nostalgia with the overwhelming sense that we still aren’t really adults. The same generation that treats grownup responsibilities like bill-paying or doing laundry as a sort of LARP (“adulting”) is also characterised by its insistent and continued interest in childish things. YA fantasy, Funko Pop dolls, and the Marvel Cinematic Universe have supplanted the more sophisticated ideas and aesthetics that were once the hallmarks of adult taste. Even the most acclaimed millennial creators tend to be backward-looking, revisiting and reframing childhood favourites rather than writing something new, fresh, complex, grown-up. It was the approach to art expressed earlier this year by Greta Gerwig, director of Little Women and Barbie, when she proclaimed that the latter movie was both “doing the thing and subverting the thing” — the thing in question being Barbie’s pink-tinted, stereotypical, sexist tropes. But the bigger thing to accept about Barbie is not just that she’s sexist, but that she’s simple, in the way kids’ stuff tends to be. Where the irony-tinged approach to millennial nostalgia falls short is not in Gerwig’s notion of the thing that is at once done and subverted; it’s in its failure to comprehend that adulthood means putting aside the toys you used to play with, and doing something else. The fact is, despite all the think pieces, reckoning with the naughtiness of the Nineties ultimately doesn’t change much. Britney Spears, freshly liberated from her conservatorship, may be understood as a victim to be pitied rather than a spectacle to be gawked at — but that doesn’t change the fact that we’re all still gawking. Monica Lewinsky, no matter how sympathetically she is now received in a discourse chagrined by the #MeToo movement, is still only famous for being the owner of a dress covered in Presidential semen. And the videos of women being groped and assaulted at Woodstock ’99, which were aired to such moral indignation in Woodstock 99: Peace, Love, and Rage are still… videos of women being groped. All this revisiting and revising does little, except give us an excuse to relive every titillating tabloid scandal, every salacious moment. The former Nineties kids who engage in this mode of cultural critique are like the murderer who gets off on reliving his crime through confession, almost as much as he got off on the killing itself. There’s an almost giddy subtext to the whole thing: we were so bad! But of course, we’re also better now. We’re obsessed with the same scandals, but for morally superior reasons. This not only absolves us of our complicity in the raunch mischief of yore, but also conveniently align with the sentiments of the upcoming generation, the Zoomers, who are displacing us as society’s youngest adults whether we want to grow up or not. As the meme goes: How do you do, fellow kids? Maybe if we repudiate our own misspent youth enough, the zoomers will let us glom onto theirs? (They’re already wearing all our old clothes anyway.) The alternative, wholly unappealing, would be to abandon the protection that permanent adolescence affords — and with it, the central tenet of millennial identity that we have been, and remain, uniquely screwed by circumstance. The self-described “smol bean” who uses “adult” as a verb also maintains a teenager’s belligerent stance toward the world: a conviction that society doesn’t understand you, has left you behind. Millennials may not actually be materially worse off, but our expectations still don’t line up with reality. We still feel disempowered, disenfranchised, and victimised. The problematising of everything Nineties offers a sort of absolution: the expectations-reality gap isn’t our fault, but the fault of a toxic culture. And as long as we can keep writing bitter think pieces about the heteronormative whiteness of everything we used to love growing up, maybe we don’t actually have to grow up. We don’t have to embrace complexity or develop more sophisticated tastes. We don’t have to confront the uncomfortable limits of victimhood as a safe haven from responsibility — or, for that matter, the uncomfortable truth that Britney’s social media output since winning back her independence raises some serious questions about whether she is in fact equipped to manage her own affairs. Like the therapy patient who returns week after week, year after year, to dwell on the childhood traumas that shaped the man he became, we can linger in this metacritical limbo, virtually forever.	https://unherd.com/2024/01/how-the-nineties-are-haunting-millennials/	2024-01-01T00:31:08Z
Retrospective 2023: Navigating a Year of Challenges and Milestones The year 2023 unfurled its chapters in a world riddled with a convoluted array of challenges, significant events, and milestones across distinct domains. This retrospective analysis is structured around six thematic categories: war, climate, Europe, the United Kingdom, the United States, and global issues. War and Conflict In the realm of conflict, the Ukrainian conflict saw volunteers receiving urban warfare training from the British Armed Forces, signifying the international involvement in the crisis. The Israeli Iron Dome system was continuously put to the test, intercepting missiles from Gaza, reflecting the unabated tensions in the Middle East. The emotional toll of these conflicts was heart-wrenchingly palpable in the images of Palestinian children reacting to airstrikes and an Israeli woman mourning the loss of her family. Political Strife and Protests Protests and political strife were also at the forefront, with Israelis rallying against justice system reforms, Georgians vociferously opposing a ‘foreign agents’ bill, and French citizens taking to the streets against pension reform. In the United Kingdom, significant events unfolded with the coronation of King Charles III, and the Extinction Rebellion protests further elevated the conversation on climate crisis. Across the Atlantic, the United States grappled with Donald Trump’s civil fraud trial and President Biden’s attempt to normalize relations with China. Climate Crises and Natural Disasters The wrath of Mother Nature was vividly represented by the eruption of the Mayon volcano, wildfires blazing through Greece, and the River Danube’s catastrophic flooding in Budapest. Greta Thunberg’s continued participation in climate protests underscored the urgency of the climate crisis. Tragedies like the Moroccan earthquake and the migrant shipwreck off Italy’s coast were grim reminders of the human aspect of natural disasters and desperate migration. Technological Milestones Amidst these events, the realm of technology marked significant milestones, most notably SpaceX’s second test launch of the Starship rocket. The ever-increasing capabilities of generative AI models stirred an AI arms race amongst private companies, emphasizing the rapid progress in artificial intelligence. Global Issues and International Efforts The COP28 summit in Dubai highlighted international efforts to combat climate change, while Russia found itself in the midst of political intrigue with the crash of a plane carrying the head of the Wagner group. As the world population increased to an estimated 7.943 billion people at the start of 2023, there was a slight decrease in the rate of child mortality and extreme poverty, offering a glimmer of hope amidst the global challenges. Comments Subscribe to BNN Breaking Sign up for our daily newsletter covering global breaking news around the world.	https://bnnbreaking.com/breaking-news/climate-environment/retrospective-2023-navigating-a-year-of-challenges-and-milestones/	2024-01-01T00:31:09Z
10 Swedish kronor to Cape Verdean escudos Convert SEK to CVE at the real exchange rate Loading Top currencies Beware of bad exchange rates.Banks and traditional providers often have extra costs, which they pass to you by marking up the exchange rate. Our smart tech means we’re more efficient – which means you get a great rate. Every time. How to convert Swedish kronor to Cape Verdean escudos - 1 Input your amount Simply type in the box how much you want to convert. - 2 Choose your currencies Click on the dropdown to select SEK in the first dropdown as the currency that you want to convert and CVE in the second drop down as the currency you want to convert to. - 3 That’s it Our currency converter will show you the current SEK to CVE rate and how it’s changed over the past day, week or month. Top currency pairings for Swedish kronor Change Converter source currency - Australian Dollar - Brazilian Real - British Pound Sterling - Bulgarian Lev - Canadian Dollar - Chinese Yuan RMB - Czech Republic Koruna - Danish Krone - Euro - Hong Kong Dollar - Hungarian Forint - Indian Rupee - Indonesian Rupiah - Israeli New Sheqel - Japanese Yen - Malaysian Ringgit - New Zealand Dollar - Norwegian Krone - Polish Zloty - Romanian Leu - Singapore Dollar - Swedish Krona - Swiss Franc - Turkish Lira - US Dollar Are you overpaying your bank? Banks often advertise free or low-cost transfers, but add a hidden markup to the exchange rate. Wise gives you the real, mid-market, exchange rate, so you can make huge savings on your international money transfers. Download Our Currency Converter App Features our users love:- Free and ad-free. - Track live exchange rates. - Compare the best money transfer providers.	https://wise.com/in/currency-converter/sek-to-cve-rate?amount=10	2024-01-01T00:31:09Z
Fans were befuddled when Richie James returned a punt from Chiefs’ end zone Fans may have witness NFL history during the Chiefs game Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. In the third quarter, the Chiefs’ Richie James drifted back to field a punt and didn’t stop until he was in the end zone. That would be the Chiefs’ end zone. James caught the ball and then returned it 10 yards to the Chiefs’ 9-yard line. Had James let the ball land in the end zone, it would have been a touchback. But fans wondered what would have happened if he had called for a fair catch or taken a knee after fielding the punt. I checked the NFL rulebook and couldn’t find a specific ruling for that circumstance. That might be because no one returns a punt from their own end zone. Or no one had before Sunday. Here is the return. buddy returned a punt from the end zone pic.twitter.com/MqEZ7jgsEM — Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) December 31, 2023 Fans and media members watching had never seen this happen before. Here is what they were saying, and it’s worth noting that James also had a big 27-yard punt return in the fourth quarter. The Chiefs intend to win this game, even making some of the most undisciplined, boneheaded plays in NFL history — Burly Grimes (@BurlyGrimes) December 31, 2023 I have seen it all this season now https://t.co/xrK0pEYUM4 — Dan (@DYK88) December 31, 2023 If any team would do it, it’s the 2023 #Chiefs — Mic (@micjohnson) December 31, 2023 So much feels broken — Jonna (@ponyrossa) December 31, 2023 do they not coach them on that? Insane — Daniel Moore (@danielwku) December 31, 2023 An extremely questionable decision by #Chiefs Richie James to take out that punt.. I don't think I've ever seen anyone field a punt from their own end zone..— PJ Green (@PJGreenTV) December 31, 2023 I have seen it all this season now https://t.co/xrK0pEYUM4 — Dan (@DYK88) December 31, 2023 There's a lot of stuff I've seen from this team that I've never seen before....and hopefully never again — Jeff Wurtz (@JeffWurtz1) December 31, 2023 And there is your blackout on your Chiefs bingo card — k (@8pointspergame) December 31, 2023 Bro just fielded the punt in the end zone. pic.twitter.com/nLBHUETtP6 — Dave Cartwright (@TheChiefWildcat) December 31, 2023 I would also like the answer to this question. lol — łO.Øľ Cødy (@TheAvilaAnswer) December 31, 2023 Not if you have absolutely no idea of where you are on the field and start running around! — Sahar (@ThecatLestat60) December 31, 2023 Agreed. Ridiculous — denny peak (@PeakDenny) December 31, 2023	https://ca.news.yahoo.com/fans-were-befuddled-richie-james-002128417.html	2024-01-01T00:31:10Z
UConn vs. DePaul Predictions, BetMGM Promo Codes, & Picks: Spread, Total - January 2 Tuesday's contest between the No. 5 UConn Huskies (11-2, 1-1 Big East) and DePaul Blue Demons (3-9, 0-1 Big East) at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion has a projected final score of 82-63 (based on our computer prediction) in favor of heavily favored UConn, so it should be a one-sided matchup. The game will start at 6:30 PM ET on January 2. The game has no set line. Sportsbook Promo Codes UConn vs. DePaul Game Info & Odds - Date: Tuesday, January 2, 2024 - Time: 6:30 PM ET - TV: Fox Sports 1 - Where: Storrs, Connecticut - Venue: Harry A. Gampel Pavilion Place your bets on any college basketball matchup at BetMGM, and sign up with our link for a first-time deposit bonus! UConn vs. DePaul Score Prediction - Prediction: UConn 82, DePaul 63 Spread & Total Prediction for UConn vs. DePaul - Computer Predicted Spread: UConn (-19.1) - Computer Predicted Total: 144.8 UConn has a 7-5-0 record against the spread so far this season compared to DePaul, who is 4-7-0 ATS. The Huskies are 6-6-0 and the Blue Demons are 4-7-0 in terms of hitting the over. Bet on this or any college basketball matchup at BetMGM UConn Performance Insights - The Huskies' +244 scoring differential (outscoring opponents by 18.8 points per game) is a result of scoring 83 points per game (37th in college basketball) while giving up 64.2 per outing (38th in college basketball). - UConn wins the rebound battle by an average of 10.4 boards. It is pulling down 39.6 rebounds per game (68th in college basketball) compared to its opponents' 29.2 per outing. - UConn knocks down 8.1 three-pointers per game (127th in college basketball) at a 32.7% rate (223rd in college basketball), compared to the 6.1 per game its opponents make at a 35.1% rate. - The Huskies rank seventh in college basketball by averaging 109 points per 100 possessions on offense, and defensively are 58th in college basketball, allowing 84.4 points per 100 possessions. - UConn has come up on top in the turnover battle by 1.2 turnovers per game, committing 9.5 (30th in college basketball action) while forcing 10.7 (294th in college basketball). DePaul Performance Insights - The Blue Demons' -102 scoring differential (being outscored by 8.5 points per game) is a result of putting up 66.9 points per game (331st in college basketball) while giving up 75.4 per outing (283rd in college basketball). - DePaul falls short in the rebound battle by an average of 4.9 boards. It pulls down 31.3 rebounds per game (350th in college basketball) compared to its opponents' 36.2. - DePaul makes 6.9 three-pointers per game (244th in college basketball), while its opponents have made 7.2 on average. - DePaul has lost the turnover battle on average this season, committing 13.3 per game (298th in college basketball) while forcing 10.7 (294th in college basketball). Rep your team with officially licensed college basketball gear! Head to Fanatics to find jerseys, shirts, and much more. Not all offers available in all states, please visit BetMGM for the latest promotions for your area. Must be 21+ to gamble, please wager responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, contact 1-800-GAMBLER. © 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved.	https://www.kjct8.com/sports/betting/2024/01/02/uconn-depaul-betmgm-promo-codes-college-basketball-picks-predictions/	2024-01-01T00:31:12Z
The Big Picture - Studio Ghibli's Grave of the Fireflies deviates from their typical colorful fantasy movies, instead portraying the devastating consequences of war. - The animated adaptation of Akiyuki Nosaka's book utilizes animation as a powerful tool to enhance the audience's experience through creative visual metaphors and symbolism. - The film reveals the tragic fate of the characters early on to allow the audience to empathize with their struggles and reflect on the importance of peace and human connection. For many animation enthusiasts across the globe, Studio Ghibli is the epitome of animated masterpieces. Known for movies like Spirited Away and Howl’s Moving Castle, Ghibli has won audiences' hearts with its unique character designs, distinguishable style, and captivating stories. Just this month, Hayao Miyazaki’s The Boy and the Heron became the studio’s highest-grossing North American box office ever, despite having minimal promotion. While Studio Ghibli has been celebrated for creating colorful and vibrant fantasy movies, Isao Takahata’s Grave of the Fireflies deviates from this norm entirely. Released in 1988, Grave of the Fireflies tells the heart-wrenching story of two siblings who become orphaned during World War II, and it is arguably one of the best war movies ever made. While many Ghibli films are retellings of Western fairytales, this poignant picture is an adaptation of a Japanese semi-autobiographical short story by Akiyuki Nosaka, drawing from his personal experiences during the 1945 firebombing of Kobe. Grave of the Fireflies A young boy and his little sister struggle to survive in Japan during World War II. - Release Date - July 26, 1989 - Director - Isao Takahata - Cast - Tsutomu Tatsumi , Ayano Shiraishi , Akemi Yamaguchi - Rating - Not Rated - Runtime - 89 minutes - Studio - Studio Ghibli Why Did 'Grave of the Fireflies' Author Refuse Many Adaptation Offers? Akiyuki Nosaka wrote Grave of the Fireflies during a period of high economic growth in Japan. Having experienced the loss of many family members during the war, and struggling in particular with the grief caused by the death of his two-year-old sister, Keiko, he turned to writing his story as a coping mechanism. Riddled with guilt for having survived while she passed away, Nosaka wrote an "idealized version" of the events, portraying the older brother as caring and kind to his younger sister. After the book was published in October 1967, Nosaka received numerous offers to adapt his novel into a live-action film. However, the author strongly opposed the idea of an adaptation because he believed it would be impossible to recreate the devastation portrayed in his book. Additionally, though many war movies have been made from a child’s perspective, he thought no modern boy could possibly play the main character in a convincing way. So when he was offered an animated adaptation by Studio Ghibli, he was surprised and intrigued. After seeing the storyboards for Isao Takahata’s film, Nosaka concluded this was the only medium that could possibly bring his story to the screen. Isao Takahata’s interpretation of the book is what makes this adaptation so raw and, at times, even brutal. While Hayao Miyazaki has never shied away from depicting war scenes in his films, Takahata deviates from direct conflict in Grave of the Fireflies and focuses on the consequences of war and the innocent lives irreversibly impacted by it. His own harrowing experiences as a child during the war informed his representation of the society of the time, and his innovative, experimental approach to storytelling makes Grave of the Fireflies the saddest Studio Ghibli film. How Does 'Grave of the Fireflies' Subverts Animation Stereotypes? One of the reasons why Akiyuki Nosaka was drawn to the idea of an animated adaptation for his book, is because he believed animated features could only be used to tell adventure stories. Although there are great animated fantasy films, Grave of the Fireflies serves as evidence that animation can transcend mere entertainment. Despite its harrowing premise, Grave of the Fireflies captivates the audience by skillfully balancing stunning animation with a profoundly impactful plot. The film doesn't attempt to merely imitate reality, just like the sourcebook doesn't serve as a mere retelling of Akiyuki Nosaka's exact experiences. Instead, it uses animation as a powerful tool to enhance the audience's experience and allows for creative visual metaphors and symbolism. By using a much more flexible medium than live-action, Takahata utilizes the environment itself as a storytelling element. And so, fireflies become a symbol of short-lived happiness while simultaneously conveying a foreboding message of what's to come. Hayao Miyazaki Isn’t the Only Genius Behind Studio Ghibli Movies’ Magic His work is a perfect complement to Hayao Miyazaki's artistry.Grave of the Fireflies is a thought-provoking experience, not only because of the real-life events it depicts but also because it defies the expectations of what an animated movie is supposed to be. It serves as a testament that animated movies not only exist for entertainment and are not confined to the genres of fantasy and adventure, they can also rank among the saddest movies ever produced. Why 'Grave of the Fireflies’ Goal Isn't To Make the Audience Cry At the beginning of the film, we see a young boy agonizing in a train station as he slowly perishes due to malnutrition. After his passing, he is reunited with the spirit of his younger sister, and together they revisit the events that led to their deaths. Although this tragic beginning makes it seem like the audience is being given a major spoiler, Takahata does this to lessen the audience’s pain by revealing everything from the start. By knowing the characters' fate, the audience is unburdened by the expectation of a plot twist and the anticipation of when things will get better. Despite the horrific circumstances that propel the two siblings into a life of constant struggle and isolation, there are genuine moments of joy throughout the film. These small moments of respite allow the audience to reflect on the events and empathize with Seita's experience as he attempts to provide and care for his four-year-old sister to the best of his abilities. It becomes evident that, in the end, he is just a boy who lacks the knowledge, support, and resources necessary to do so, which eventually leads to tragedy. Although Grave of the Fireflies could be classified as an anti-war film, Isao Takahata himself said many times that this is not the case, simply because he doesn't believe his work could prevent another war. He created Grave of the Fireflies as an invitation to reflect on the importance of maintaining peace and how much humans need one another to survive. 'Grave of the Fireflies' Is One of Studio Ghibli's Best Films From celebrated masterpieces like Spirited Away to criminally underrated hidden gems like Only Yesterday, Studio Ghibli has produced enchanting masterpieces that seamlessly blend captivating storytelling, breathtaking animation, and profound themes that create an unparalleled cinematic experience. The romanticization of daily life and the concept of finding joy in common human experiences make Ghibli's work an enjoyable experience for all, inspiring many other great animated films. While Grave of the Fireflies may not be as heartwarming and whimsical as My Neighbor Totoro or Ponyo, it is undoubtedly a memorable experience with a powerful message that continues to resonate 35 years after its release. It also serves as a poignant reminder of the legacy created by the lesser-known founder of Studio Ghibli, Isao Takahata, and the gorgeous films he directed. Grave of the Fireflies is available to rent on Apple TV+ in the U.S.	https://collider.com/grave-of-the-fireflies-true-story/	2024-01-01T00:31:13Z
Want to learn about our restaurant platform? Get a demo Tuna salad in Dover / Dover / Tuna Salad Dover restaurants that serve tuna salad Two Bees Cafe + Patisserie 100 First St, Dover No reviews yet Pole Caught Tuna Salad $12.75 red onion, capers, cucumber, golden raisin, herbs, local greens, sprouts, ciabatta More about Two Bees Cafe + Patisserie The Dover Brickhouse 2 Orchard St, Dover No reviews yet SESAME SEARED TUNA SALAD $15.00 More about The Dover Brickhouse Browse other tasty dishes in Dover Meatloaf Rangoon Tacos Tarts Muffins Mango Smoothies Steak Subs Lasagna More near Dover to explore Portsmouth Avg 4.4 (72 restaurants) Ogunquit Avg 4.6 (15 restaurants) Kittery Avg 4.5 (13 restaurants) Durham Avg 4.1 (11 restaurants) Rochester Avg 4.5 (11 restaurants) York Avg 4.5 (9 restaurants) Kittery Point Avg 5 (4 restaurants) Somersworth No reviews yet Stratham No reviews yet More popular cities to explore Manchester Avg 4.4 (66 restaurants) Concord Avg 4.5 (17 restaurants) Laconia Avg 4.2 (17 restaurants) Portland Avg 4.4 (92 restaurants) Boston Avg 4.3 (696 restaurants) Lewiston Avg 4.7 (19 restaurants) New Orleans Avg 4.5 (344 restaurants) San Diego Avg 4.3 (1006 restaurants) Las Vegas Avg 4.4 (573 restaurants) Chicago Avg 4.4 (1827 restaurants) Portland Avg 4.5 (490 restaurants) Detroit Avg 4.4 (209 restaurants)	https://www.toasttab.com/local/dover-nh-restaurants/dish/tuna-salad	2024-01-01T00:31:14Z
An overview of Pluto's atmosphere, surface and seasonality by Nick Moskovitz, astronomer at the Lowell Observatory. Our ever-growing library will meet your interests whatever they may be An overview of Pluto's atmosphere, surface and seasonality by Nick Moskovitz, astronomer at the Lowell Observatory.	https://curiositystream.com/title/video/129	2024-01-01T00:31:14Z
There’s a story European progressives like to tell themselves: that, after the horrors of the Second World War, their governments struck a quasi-utopian compromise between capitalism and socialism — only for it to be corrupted by the import of the cutthroat capitalism that defined Reagan’s neoliberal counterrevolution in the early Eighties. It’s a comforting fable, designed to excuse their own failures. It is, however, completely untrue. Neoliberalism wasn’t exported to Europe from across the Atlantic (or from across the Channel, for that matter). It was a largely homegrown affair — one that was, in fact, spearheaded by European Socialists, and by one Socialist in particular: Jacques Delors, President of the European Commission from 1985 to 1995, who died this week. To understand this tragedy, we need not return to 1945, but 1981. In May, the Socialist François Mitterrand was elected France’s president, after more than two decades of the Left being excluded from office. He went on to form a government that also included Communist ministers for the first time since 1947, prompting a widespread belief that France was headed for a radical break with capitalism. At the time, such a notion was not inconceivable. Most European governments still firmly believed in the importance of economic dirigisme and the need for capital controls and regulated financial markets, which presupposed a high degree of economic sovereignty. Nowhere was this truer than in France: the French had always been particularly reluctant to agree to any supranational authority — a consistent position that had hampered progress towards an economic and monetary union. In general, there was still the belief that individual nations had the power to shape their own economic and political destinies — and even to challenge the capitalist system itself. Nothing exemplifies this better than Mitterrand’s victory in the spring of 1981. The new president’s policy agenda embodied an ambitious reform programme of Keynesian economic reflation and redistribution. It also proposed extensive nationalisations of France’s industrial conglomerates. By implementing this platform, Mitterrand claimed, his government would precipitate a “rupture” with capitalism, and lay the foundations for a “French road to socialism”. It’s easy to see why this represented a moment of immense hope not just for the French Left, but for the entire European Left — of the kind not witnessed since. Soon after the Mitterrand experiment began, however, it started to unravel. As a reaction to the Socialists’ ambitious plan for economic reform, capital started to flee France almost immediately. Despite the imposition of draconian capital controls, the government was unable to halt the flight. This created a downward pressure on the franc (further exacerbated by the post-1979 global interest rate hikes), threatening France’s membership in the European Monetary System (EMS) — the system of semi-fixed exchange rates created in 1979. Under the EMS, the central banks of participating states had little choice but to shadow the Bundesbank’s restrictive monetary policy. Yet this was incompatible with Mitterrand’s reflationary programme — and Mitterrand found himself in a position where a decision had to be made about whether to leave the EMS or abandon his progressive agenda. Regrettably, he chose the latter path. And so, in the spring of 1983, Mitterrand and the Socialists drastically reversed course, in what came to be known as the tournant de la rigueur (turn to austerity): rather than growth and employment, the emphasis would now be on price stability, fiscal restraint and business-friendly policies. A crucial aspect of this was the gradual rollback of virtually all capital controls and restrictions on financial transactions. And who was the main architect of this shift? Mitterrand’s finance minister, Jacques Delors. The effects of this U-turn cannot be overestimated. Mitterrand’s victory in 1981 had inspired the widespread belief that a break with capitalism — at least in its extreme form — was still possible. Yet two years later, the French Socialists had succeeded in “proving” the exact opposite: that globalisation was an inescapable reality. Even though there were alternatives available to Mitterrand (such as leaving the EMS and floating the franc), the conclusion most people drew was that the “Keynesian road to socialism” had failed. Capital had won. To make matters worse, the French Socialists, after having embraced neoliberalism at home, then proceeded to export their newfound views — on everything from capital movements to monetary integration — to the rest of Europe. Here, Delors was also central. “National sovereignty no longer means very much, or has much scope in the modern world economy,” he said. “A high degree of supranationality is essential.” This was a radical departure from France’s traditional souverainiste stance, which had already been seriously compromised by France’s decision to join the EMS, under which, as noted, the country was effectively forced to subjugate its own monetary-fiscal policy independence to the Bundesbank’s monetary policy. For all of France’s historical concerns about supranational (that is, “European”) encroachment on its sovereignty on the one hand, and German hegemony on the other, few missed the irony of it being the Socialists who gave up that freedom — and to Germany of all nations. But by the late Seventies, French politicians on both sides of the political divide had come to accept that maintaining France’s status required them to remain firmly “in Europe” — that is, in the EMS — which in turn entailed adopting a low-inflation, stable-currency policy. This brought about a distinct shift in attitudes among the Socialists towards Europe — a mood that Delors summed up in October 1983: “Our only choice is between a united Europe and decline.” As Rawi E. Abdelal, professor of business administration at Harvard Business School, noted: ‘To the extent that the French Left continued to hope for socialist transformation, its members could see Europe as the only arena in which socialist goals could be achieved.” The problem was that, by 1983, they had little to offer in terms of a Europe-wide progressive alternative, since they had accepted the notion that social-political objectives should be subjugated to “price stability”. And so, two years later, France strongly supported Delors’s nomination to the post of President of the European Commission — a position he would go on to hold for a decade, serving for three terms, longer than any other holder of the office. It is no exaggeration to say the Delors presidency was groundbreaking, giving the European integration process a momentum that had been lacking in the preceding decade. It is also the period in which the foundations of monetary union, and more generally of neoliberal Europe, were laid down — a development in which Delors, and the French Socialists in general, played a key role. Their logic was the following: given that, within the EMS, the Bundesbank effectively set the interest rates for all participating states, and that leaving the EMS wasn’t considered an option, the French became increasingly convinced that there was only one way to preserve a low-inflation fixed exchange rate system while also wrestling control of monetary policy away from Germany: to push for a full European monetary union. For Delors, creating a single European currency became an utmost priority, and he set out to persuade his reluctant fellow European policymakers to embrace the idea. The first step was the signing of the Single European Act, in 1986, which set the objective of establishing a single market by 1992. Delors also proceeded to export France’s new views on capital movements to the rest of Europe, by pushing for the full liberalisation of capital flows across the continent — paving the way for a monetary union. This brings the historical importance of the French Left’s neoliberal turn into stark relief: if the French hadn’t embraced financial liberalisation at the domestic level, they never would have offered their support for an integrated European financial market — and a monetary union would likely never have seen the light of day. The Commission’s proposals were initially met with fierce resistance from a number of governments. But by the late Eighties, Delors had succeeded in radically changing Europe’s approach to capital controls — and in getting EU member countries to introduce full capital mobility by 1992, effectively making the free movement of capital a central tenet of the emerging European single market. This was a binding obligation not only among EU members but also between members and third countries. In effect, Delors had succeeded in pushing Europe to fully embrace the “Paris consensus”, the European equivalent of the Washington consensus. The consequence of this was a European financial system that was, in principle, the most liberal the world had ever known. In this sense, the Europeans, far from being passive recipients of the free-market policies being concocted in Washington, actually preceded the Americans in embracing neoliberal globalisation, and promoting the spread of global capital. This also profoundly influenced the construction of the monetary union. In short, Delors succeeded in convincing European governments that, by joining the EMS and liberalising capital flows, they had effectively already lost much of their economic sovereignty; they therefore had little choice but to embrace monetary integration as a way to regain some sovereignty at the supranational level, by “having a say” in Europe’s collective monetary policy. It was a shrewd argument, but a fallacious one: as history would show, by ceding their monetary policy to a supranational central bank, European governments simply ended up losing what little sovereignty they had left. However, Delors was aided by the fact that, by the early Nineties, even the German establishment had come round to the idea of a monetary union — and indeed, national elites in most European countries had come round to the notion of a supranational central bank, fully immune to democratic pressures, as a useful way to insulate economic policy from popular contestation. By 1989, the Delors Committee had published its hugely influential Delors Report, which essentially acted as a blueprint for the construction of monetary union in the coming years. The final act of this democratic tragedy came three years later with the Maastricht Treaty. This didn’t only establish a timeline for the establishment of monetary union (in line with the Delors Report), but also created a de facto economic constitution that embedded neoliberalism into the very fabric of the European Union. By the time the Delors Commission came to an end, in 1995, much of the groundwork for the techno-authoritarian and anti-democratic juggernaut that the EU would later become was laid — and, to a large degree, we have Delors, a French Socialist, to thank for that. Ironically, this didn’t just lead to the demolishing of the Left’s cherished European social model, to the benefit of financial-corporate interests (and, of course, Germany), but it also paved the way to the demise of the European socialist Left — and to the rise of the populist Right. More than anyone else, it is the latter who, today, should pay tribute to Delors.	https://unherd.com/2024/01/jacques-delors-destroyed-the-european-left/	2024-01-01T00:31:15Z
Saving America’s Rivers: A Case Study of the Rio Grande In the heart of America, a crisis unfolds. The mighty Rio Grande, a lifeline for millions and the backbone of countless ecosystems, faces a dire future. This river, known as the Rio Bravo in Mexico, is under siege from overuse and the relentless march of climate change. With conditions drier than any seen in over a millennium, severe water shortages plague the West. The impact is far-reaching, threatening not only the river’s flow but also farming livelihoods and food security across two nations. The Reality of the River Decades of excessive irrigation have taken their toll. The once robust Rio Grande has seen its natural flow dwindle, leaving over 16 million people and numerous species in peril. Vital farmlands suffer from production losses, and the vibrant biodiversity nurtured by the river faces endangerment. The challenges faced by the Rio Grande aren’t isolated. A similar narrative unfolds in the Colorado River basin and Lake Powell, where below-average precipitation and runoff signal potential water shortages for states like Arizona, California, and Nevada. A Ray of Hope However, it’s not all doom and gloom. A study published in the Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management offers a glimmer of hope. It suggests that change is possible if we are willing to shift our paradigms. By transitioning to less water-intensive crops, repurposing farmlands, and embracing water-saving strategies, we can breathe new life into the struggling Rio Grande. This transformation, however, cannot happen in a vacuum. It requires federal support, including initiatives like the Inflation Reduction Act’s Drought Mitigation Program, which offers financial incentives to farmers to conserve water. A Template for the Future The plight of the Rio Grande serves as a case study, a cautionary tale that could echo in other river basins if we fail to act. But it also offers a template for adaptation, a roadmap for preserving not just one river, but the very lifeblood of our planet. By adopting these recommended changes, we can ensure the survival of farming communities, the health of ecosystems, and the stability of food production, for generations to come. Comments Subscribe to BNN Breaking Sign up for our daily newsletter covering global breaking news around the world.	https://bnnbreaking.com/breaking-news/climate-environment/saving-americas-rivers-a-case-study-of-the-rio-grande/	2024-01-01T00:31:16Z
100 Swedish kronor to Cape Verdean escudos Convert SEK to CVE at the real exchange rate Loading Top currencies Beware of bad exchange rates.Banks and traditional providers often have extra costs, which they pass to you by marking up the exchange rate. Our smart tech means we’re more efficient – which means you get a great rate. Every time. How to convert Swedish kronor to Cape Verdean escudos - 1 Input your amount Simply type in the box how much you want to convert. - 2 Choose your currencies Click on the dropdown to select SEK in the first dropdown as the currency that you want to convert and CVE in the second drop down as the currency you want to convert to. - 3 That’s it Our currency converter will show you the current SEK to CVE rate and how it’s changed over the past day, week or month. Top currency pairings for Swedish kronor Change Converter source currency - Australian Dollar - Brazilian Real - British Pound Sterling - Bulgarian Lev - Canadian Dollar - Chinese Yuan RMB - Czech Republic Koruna - Danish Krone - Euro - Hong Kong Dollar - Hungarian Forint - Indian Rupee - Indonesian Rupiah - Israeli New Sheqel - Japanese Yen - Malaysian Ringgit - New Zealand Dollar - Norwegian Krone - Polish Zloty - Romanian Leu - Singapore Dollar - Swedish Krona - Swiss Franc - Turkish Lira - US Dollar Are you overpaying your bank? Banks often advertise free or low-cost transfers, but add a hidden markup to the exchange rate. Wise gives you the real, mid-market, exchange rate, so you can make huge savings on your international money transfers. Download Our Currency Converter App Features our users love:- Free and ad-free. - Track live exchange rates. - Compare the best money transfer providers.	https://wise.com/in/currency-converter/sek-to-cve-rate?amount=100	2024-01-01T00:31:16Z
James May: We were 'stilted' and 'old-fashioned' in the early days of Top Gear The TV presenter reflects on his life and career with Yahoo UK for Origin Story Watch: James May shares his Origin Story James May has long been a mainstay of British TV, entertaining viewers alongside his regular co-presenters Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond for decades in Top Gear and The Grand Tour before venturing into solo travel and cooking shows with Prime Video. His newest show is Our Man in India, which sees him travel to the country and explore Indian culture in all its splendour. It is the latest in his Our Man series, for which he previously travelled to Japan and Italy, and continues his run of solo shows ahead of the return of The Grand Tour in 2024 (which is said to be its last outing). May looked back at his, Clarkson and Hammond's relationship over the years with Yahoo UK, admitting he feels they were "stilted" and old-fashioned" during Top Gear's early years. Joking that he's found it "terrible" to work with his co-presenters, May reflected on the BBC and Prime Video car shows, his upcoming travel series, and the defining moments of his life to present his Origin Story. Cars, Top Gear and The Grand Tour How did your interest in cars first start? I was quite interested in them as a lad and I used to read car magazines, but we all did to be honest back then. And then I sort of fell into it, I did a lot of jobs that were unsuitable for me, including working at the civil service during which time I produced a brochure for schools on behalf of the Department of Trade. Don't ask me how that happened, it's just something that happened and as a result of that I blagged my way into a sub-editing job on a technical magazine and then it went from there. When I was young and I didn't really know what I was doing and I learned as I went along, and then after being fired by quite a few places I had a go at writing stuff. There was no plan and there definitely wasn't any ambition, it's just what happened. How would you describe your experience working with Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond for all these years? Terrible, just awful. I think if you look back at the early stuff we did, the early Top Gear, it now looks quite old fashioned. It looks old fashioned and it looks quite stilted because it is a long time ago, it's over 2 decades and TV has changed a lot. I think we've probably got to a point now where we don't quite know what the other one's going to say, but we've got a pretty good idea. We don't live in each other's pockets, we don't all live in a big house like some people imagine with all our cars parked outside, we have our separate lives. But when we're together making our specials and things it's a pretty intensive, completely immersive experience apart from when we're actually asleep, which we tend to do separately. The rest of the time we're together and in each other's pockets, and getting on each other's nerves and in each other's hair. So yeah, I think I know them pretty well. What do you feel you have learned from your time presenting with them? Well, not just with them, doing the other things as well. I didn't know anything about it when I started, there aren't really any instruction books or courses and I don't know that other TV presenters are particularly keen to share their secrets in the same way that chefs aren't all painters and decorators. I remember Quentin Wilson when I had my first false start on Top Gear in the Pebble Mill days, he was always very helpful. I've always loved crediting him for that, he used to say to me, 'James, relax, relax.' He used to give me these because I was a complete beginner then. It's something that you learn as you go along like everything else, I'm not a very good role model for young people I'm afraid, cause I don't have any handy hints apart from that 95% of advice is rubbish. James May: Our Man in India When would you say you first became interested in travelling and exploring other cultures? Well, not as a child because we didn't really go abroad apart from I went on the school German exchange... I think it really started after I've left university and I went inter-railing, so I did a bit looking at things in Europe that I've always been intrigued about. Earlier in my working life, I never really planned proper holidays with my mates because I was too disorganised so there was a shop in Kilburn that sold what we used to call bucket seats, which were leftover flights on airlines. You could go in there and say 'what have you got for £50?' and I ended up going to Croatia, I went back to Italy, I went somewhere in Spain. So I suppose it comes from there, but it's not from childhood. In childhood, we went to the British seaside and British countryside. How would you describe your experiences in India, and how did they compare to your time in Italy and Japan? They are three very different countries. They don't really have anything in common I wouldn't say, apart from you can eat very well in all of them. India I've been to before, I know that it can be a bit challenging if you're British, or if you're a Westerner, but it's not actually as difficult as people imagine. Maybe it's easier these days, but I find India very, very stimulating and exciting and it's a rather remarkable place to be. Even if you're not doing anything in particular, just going about the daily business of existing and eating your breakfast and going for a walk to the shops it all becomes exciting in India because it's slightly riotous but not in a bad way. It's just exciting. How did this trip to India compare to the other times you have visited the country? I've either been on holiday or we did India with Top Gear in the old days so that was a little bit more, not scripted as such, but it's a bit more controlled because we're making a sort of sitcom really, of this time. I think I learned more in this trip about India than in all the previous ones combined because I was forced to by the nature of the job. So this one had more variety and it was also more informative. James May: Quick fire questions Movies you loved growing up: The first big feature film I went to was Battle of Britain in 1969 because I was already interested in aeroplanes, so my dad took me to see it and I found it quite scary. I was only six years old, it's quite a big noisy film, but I still watch it all the time because it has a special place in my heart. TV obsessions: It would have been largely what was on the BBC because that was the only thing I was allowed to watch, that quite normal in British families back then. So I liked Tomorrow's World, anything with Brian Cant and Derek Griffiths in, like, Play Away. I liked the Colditz series, anything to do with escaping or spying, anything like that. One song to define your life: It's probably Right, Said Fred or something stupid like that and something about things not going according to plan. I don't mean the band. I mean the old song about the removal men trying to move the piano, it's terrible. Final thoughts with James May Were there any mentors in your life or career that had a defining impact on you? There were two people I have to thank really for the way things turned out. First John Pullen, who was the editor of the Engineer magazine that was the first magazine job I had after I got fired from the civil service, and I applied for the job as the sub-editor not really knowing what I was doing and he gave me the job. I remember ringing him up and pestering him, saying I've applied to this job and I haven't heard back. Eventually, he said, 'well come in for an interview', but I later got to know him I realised that he actually hated interviewing people and he hated that process, and he met me and he decided I was okay. So he gave me the job to get it over with, I think there was an element of that or maybe he thought I had some promise, I don't know. But I have to thank him for that, for being that first break. And then the second one is Gavin Green, who was the editor of Car magazine and gave me my first proper writing job because he said 'come and write a column' and again that was a bit of a gamble on his part because I had no previous track record. I wasn't a journalist in any way, but I'd written a few columns in my spare time whilst working in production on magazines and I'd sent them to him. And getting a job in Car magazine in those days was quite a plummy job, people wanted that, and they gave it to me for some reason. He gave it to me, and that's where the move into cars and then TV started. If you could go back in time and give young James any advice on how to change his Origin Story, what would it be? I can't really remember now whether or not I was worried about life, but I suspect I probably did. I'd go back and say 'it'll be all right'. And the other thing I would do —and this is a bit of advice I'd give to young people even though they should ignore it— when you're a teenager, when you're in your 20s and you have that vitality of youth and the energy and the imagination you mustn't do things that you don't really like doing. You mustn't do a job, or be in a relationship, or live in a house that you don't really like because you're wasting the most valuable bit of your life, and it is pointless thinking you have to do something because that's what's expected of you, or that's what you're supposed to do, or that's what you are meant to do. I suffered from that. I wouldn't have believed I was allowed to work in magazines or newspapers. I would have believed I was supposed to work in something quite square and quite administrative, and you shouldn't do that. I think I did waste some years of my life doing things that fundamentally I was completely uninterested in and I would have been better off going and getting a job in a vibrant bar, or pub, or shop, or something where I met more people and and had more interaction. If you're not doing what you like you will never be very good at it, you can only be good at things that inspire you. So whatever that is, do that. That's what I would have told me. But in some ways I was very lucky. James May: Our Man in India launches globally on 5 January 2024 on Prime Video. Read more: Andy Nyman: The news every day is full of horrors that you can't begin to let into your head Russell Kane: Cancel culture means 'we live in a world where nothing has meaning' Watch the trailer for James May: Our Man in India:	https://ca.news.yahoo.com/james-may-top-gear-grand-tour-our-man-india-000141304.html	2024-01-01T00:31:16Z
Nuggets vs. Pacers January 14 Tickets & Start Time Published: Dec. 31, 2023 at 4:25 PM MST\|Updated: 1 hour ago On Sunday, January 14, 2024, the Denver Nuggets (23-11) hit the court against the Indiana Pacers (17-14) at 3:30 PM ET on ALT and BSIN. If you're looking to attend this game in person, head to Ticketmaster to purchase your tickets! Nuggets vs. Pacers Game Information - Buy Tickets for This Game - Game Day: Sunday, January 14 - Game Time: 3:30 PM ET - TV: ALT, BSIN Catch NBA action all season long on Fubo! Buy Tickets for Other Nuggets Games - January 10 at the Jazz - January 4 at the Warriors - January 12 at home vs the Pelicans - January 5 at home vs the Magic - January 7 at home vs the Pistons Nuggets Players to Watch - Nikola Jokic averages 26.1 points, 12.3 rebounds and 9.2 assists per contest. At the other end, he averages 1.2 steals and 0.8 blocks. - Michael Porter Jr. posts 16.1 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists per contest, shooting 47.0% from the floor and 39.3% from beyond the arc with 2.8 made treys per contest. - Reggie Jackson averages 12.3 points, 4.4 assists and 2.1 boards per game. - Jamal Murray averages 19.4 points, 3.9 rebounds and 6.2 assists per game, shooting 47.1% from the floor and 44.5% from downtown with 2.5 made treys per contest. - Kentavious Caldwell-Pope averages 10.2 points, 2.1 boards and 2.6 assists per contest, shooting 46.0% from the field and 42.6% from beyond the arc with 1.5 made treys per game. Watch ESPN originals, The Last Dance and more NBA content on ESPN+! Pacers Players to Watch - Tyrese Haliburton delivers 24.5 points, 3.9 rebounds and 12.7 assists per game for the Pacers. - On a per-game basis, Myles Turner gets the Pacers 17.4 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.1 assists. He also averages 0.6 steals and 2.1 blocked shots (eighth in league). - Buddy Hield gives the Pacers 13.4 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.7 assists per contest while putting up 0.8 steals and 0.7 blocked shots. - Bennedict Mathurin gives the Pacers 13.8 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.0 assists per contest while averaging 0.6 steals and 0.2 blocked shots. - Bruce Brown is averaging 11.7 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game. He is making 46.2% of his shots from the floor and 30.0% from beyond the arc, with 1.0 triples per contest. Sportsbook Promo Codes Nuggets vs. Pacers Stat Comparison Not all offers available in all states, please visit BetMGM for the latest promotions for your area. Must be 21+ to gamble, please wager responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, contact 1-800-GAMBLER. © 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved.	https://www.kjct8.com/sports/betting/2024/01/14/nuggets-vs-pacers-buy-nba-tickets/	2024-01-01T00:31:18Z
The Big Picture - The Hell House LLC franchise stands out with its intriguing mythology and backstory that rivals bigger budget blockbusters. - The franchise differentiates itself by genuinely scaring audiences and using creative scare tactics. - Hell House LLC proves that a big budget is not necessary to create compelling horror films; enthusiasm and passion are key. Hell House LLC has always succeeded in giving its audience quality films, but is now excelling in quantity as well. In a time of excessive and often unimaginative franchises, it is rare for one to stand out from the rest. Despite this, the Hell House LLC series has been quietly dominating the wide catalog of movie universes since its first entry almost 9 years ago. Even though the original film remains the strongest in the series, as is the case with most franchises, its sequels are entertaining and engrossing in their own right. The four-film franchise and its intriguing idea of a haunted attraction gone wrong still continues to make entertaining contributions to the found footage subgenre, and hopefully is not slowing down anytime soon. In a series that is seemingly only a small-scale haunting at an abandoned hotel, the indie horror universe has a surprisingly deep, intricate backstory that rivals blockbusters in the same genre. Between a trio of the creepiest clown mannequins you've ever seen and all the Abaddon Hotel's victims meeting brutal, fated ends, Hell House expands its history in a way that keeps the films interesting, without feeling forced. While the films are not entirely groundbreaking, they play around with stereotypes in interesting ways, such as the subtle turning of the "final girl" trope on its head. With its combination of a compelling backstory and actually effective scares, even the most casual horror fans should be keeping an eye out for the rare indie cinematic universe. What Sets Hell House LLC Apart From Other Horror Franchises? Written and directed by Stephen Cognetti, the found footage/mockumentary film that kicked off the Hell House LLC franchise follows the events that lead to a tragedy on the opening night of a Halloween attraction. Friends Alex (Danny Bellini), Sara (Ryan Jennifer Jones), Paul (Gore Abrams), Mac (Adam Schneider), and Tony (Jared Hacker) take their haunted house tour to an abandoned hotel that closed down in the 1980s, and the life-threatening terror begins soon after they arrive. From previous hotel guests mysteriously disappearing to the actions of a satanic cult, even the first film has much more going on than what initially meets the eye. However, shocking reveals prove that predestination plays a huge role in the Hell House movies, and even more so in the sequels. Something that the Hell House franchise has become an expert in is creating its own mythology, with a backstory so elaborate that it overshadows its competitors with bigger budgets. The passion that is often missing from blockbuster horror films is evident through the thought-provoking mythology of the indie series, starting with the foundation laid by the first film. Cognetti makes sure everything in the story ties together and has meaning. Knowledge of the word "abaddon," meaning "destruction," is enough of a clue to what is in store for the audience. The center of the series, the Abaddon Hotel, is much more than a place that housed guests in the 1980s. Once the mockumentary reveals rumors of the hotel owner being a cult leader and a portal to hell in the basement, the first film does not slow down and ends with barely any survivors. The original Hell House crew from the 2015 film seemingly chose the cursed location for their tour by accident. How Your Favorite Horror Franchise Began From Just an Unseen Short Film This beloved horror franchise is just one of many to come from humble beginnings.But by the second film, Hell House LLC ll: The Abaddon Hotel, it is clear that the Abaddon, as well as everyone who has and will come across the hotel, is woven together like a horrible tapestry. The Abaddon Hotel takes place 8 years after the original tragedy and sees another documentary crew investigate what went wrong at the hotel, and how those who have entered the hotel since then never come out. To the franchise, Cognetti adds the idea that those who die in the hotel were always meant to do so. Each victim of the hotel seems random. But a home video of one man who disappears inside the abandoned hotel as a child proves that each fatality is divine intervention, as the young child predicts the first Hell House movie's events years before they happen. This goes further with the third and fourth movies, Lake of Fire and The Carmichael Manor. The unfolding of the franchise has now unveiled an intriguing twist: many of the universe's characters were manipulated and drawn into their deaths, all in connection with the infamous hotel. Hell House LLC Is Better Than Most Cinematic Universes Today The most recent addition to the Hell House series explores the origin of the clown statues that are always in a different spot when you're not looking, after the Abaddon Hotel burns to the ground in the third film. Finally moving on from the notorious location, and expanding its universe, Hell House is slowly developing into its own indie horror franchise. While Cognetti is far from the first to do this with horror films, it is one of the rare few that are successful in the present day. Even in the midst of the sometimes questionable acting and subpar writing, Hell House continues to prove that you do not need a big budget to create compelling horror after eight years and four films. Rather, you just need the enthusiasm. The budding franchise also separates itself from the others due to how genuinely scary it is. While some are more terrifying than others, with the first still being the best of the four, all of them are consistently unsettling. One of the scariest scenes in the series sees an increasingly fearful Paul of the original Hell House LLC wake up from his overnight stay in the old hotel. As he turns on his camera and flips on the light switch, a young girl is in his room with him. After not noticing her right away, Paul hides under his covers. Once the camera peeks out again, she grows closer and closer, before finally attacking him. This scare tactic was once a recurring feature of the series, with figures moving, but only when the camera is not looking. Overtime, the films have incorporated fewer jump scares, making them more effective, while also including psychological horror. This is also what sets Hell House apart from others of its kind, particularly blockbuster franchises. The scares are genuine, and the backstory is creative. In the case of Hell House, there is also less catering to what studios assume audiences want to see. Large-scale blockbusters in the horror genre tend to fall into cookie-cutter, stereotypical horror movie elements. That is also not to say that Hell House films are perfect, which they are often not. The found footage format often sees characters make frustrating and repetitive decisions, and some of the CGI effects used come across as humorous rather than scary. However, it is the most interesting and the most entertaining horror franchise around. Even when scenes are cheesy rather than terrifying, Hell House movies are still overwhelmingly fun, and even addicting. The fourth installment, Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor, is now available to stream on AMC+.	https://collider.com/hell-house-llc-horror-franchise/	2024-01-01T00:31:19Z
Want to learn about our restaurant platform? Get a demo Fish soup in Pittsburgh / Pittsburgh / Fish Soup Pittsburgh restaurants that serve fish soup Bao - CMU - 400 S Craig St., Pittsburgh No reviews yet Fish Fillets and Sour Mustard Soup 酸菜鱼片汤 $16.95 More about Bao - CMU - Orient Express - 4609 Forbes Avenue 4609 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh No reviews yet Fish PickleVeg Soup HotPot 酸菜鱼砂锅 $17.50 Fish fillets, pickled veg, and onion in soup. More about Orient Express - 4609 Forbes Avenue Browse other tasty dishes in Pittsburgh Cheesecake Shrimp Noodle Soup Shawarma Tostadas Greek Pizza Miso Soup Corn Dogs Edamame Neighborhoods within Pittsburgh to explore Downtown Avg 4.3 (23 restaurants) Lawrenceville Avg 4.5 (14 restaurants) Shadyside Avg 4.4 (12 restaurants) South Side Avg 4.4 (12 restaurants) Oakland Avg 4.6 (8 restaurants) Squirrel Hill Avg 4.4 (5 restaurants) Strip District Avg 4.4 (5 restaurants) Bloomfield Avg 4.7 (4 restaurants) East Liberty Avg 4.7 (3 restaurants) More near Pittsburgh to explore Monroeville Avg 4.7 (13 restaurants) Carnegie Avg 4.5 (12 restaurants) Bridgeville Avg 4.7 (12 restaurants) Homestead Avg 4.7 (10 restaurants) Mc Kees Rocks Avg 3.7 (8 restaurants) Gibsonia Avg 4.4 (7 restaurants) Coraopolis Avg 4.7 (6 restaurants) Sewickley Avg 4.3 (5 restaurants) Allison Park Avg 4.6 (2 restaurants) More popular cities to explore Indiana Avg 4.5 (10 restaurants) Morgantown Avg 4.2 (31 restaurants) Johnstown Avg 4.6 (15 restaurants) Salem Avg 4.4 (4 restaurants) Youngstown Avg 4.5 (48 restaurants) Canton Avg 4.5 (25 restaurants) Indianapolis Avg 4.4 (288 restaurants) Cincinnati Avg 4.5 (381 restaurants) New York Avg 4.3 (2394 restaurants) Virginia Beach Avg 4.4 (189 restaurants) Detroit Avg 4.4 (209 restaurants) Las Vegas Avg 4.4 (573 restaurants)	https://www.toasttab.com/local/pittsburgh-pa-restaurants/dish/fish-soup	2024-01-01T00:31:20Z
Nick Moskovitz, astronomer at the Lowell Observatory, explains the importance of near-earth objects in helping us understand the origins of our solar system. Our ever-growing library will meet your interests whatever they may be Nick Moskovitz, astronomer at the Lowell Observatory, explains the importance of near-earth objects in helping us understand the origins of our solar system.	https://curiositystream.com/title/video/130	2024-01-01T00:31:20Z
amount-spellout.1000 Swedish kronor to Cape Verdean escudos Convert SEK to CVE at the real exchange rate Loading Top currencies Beware of bad exchange rates.Banks and traditional providers often have extra costs, which they pass to you by marking up the exchange rate. Our smart tech means we’re more efficient – which means you get a great rate. Every time. How to convert Swedish kronor to Cape Verdean escudos - 1 Input your amount Simply type in the box how much you want to convert. - 2 Choose your currencies Click on the dropdown to select SEK in the first dropdown as the currency that you want to convert and CVE in the second drop down as the currency you want to convert to. - 3 That’s it Our currency converter will show you the current SEK to CVE rate and how it’s changed over the past day, week or month. Top currency pairings for Swedish kronor Change Converter source currency - Australian Dollar - Brazilian Real - British Pound Sterling - Bulgarian Lev - Canadian Dollar - Chinese Yuan RMB - Czech Republic Koruna - Danish Krone - Euro - Hong Kong Dollar - Hungarian Forint - Indian Rupee - Indonesian Rupiah - Israeli New Sheqel - Japanese Yen - Malaysian Ringgit - New Zealand Dollar - Norwegian Krone - Polish Zloty - Romanian Leu - Singapore Dollar - Swedish Krona - Swiss Franc - Turkish Lira - US Dollar Are you overpaying your bank? Banks often advertise free or low-cost transfers, but add a hidden markup to the exchange rate. Wise gives you the real, mid-market, exchange rate, so you can make huge savings on your international money transfers. Download Our Currency Converter App Features our users love:- Free and ad-free. - Track live exchange rates. - Compare the best money transfer providers.	https://wise.com/in/currency-converter/sek-to-cve-rate?amount=1000	2024-01-01T00:31:22Z
The UK’s Challenging Journey to Net-Zero Carbon Emissions As a pioneering nation in climate action, the UK has made significant strides towards achieving its ambitious net-zero carbon emissions target. Despite halving its carbon emissions, becoming the first major economy to do so, the success has been overshadowed by a range of challenges and criticisms. Central to these is the contention that the government’s policies, including green levies on energy bills and restrictions on North Sea oil developments, have inadvertently escalated energy costs. The Road to Decarbonisation The decarbonisation of the power sector and the offshoring of heavy industries, while relatively straightforward, have only taken us halfway. The remaining emission reductions, however, are predicted to be much more challenging and costly. One such hurdle is the lack of sufficient electric vehicle charging infrastructure and the lukewarm reception of heat pumps. As a result, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has pledged a more pragmatic approach to reaching net zero, including pushing back deadlines for phasing out new petrol and diesel cars and gas boilers. The Economics of Net Zero Another major concern is the potential economic damage of the net-zero approach. An economist’s assessment suggests that up to 100 billion pounds may have been squandered on immature technologies. This criticism has been compounded by the perception that the Climate Change Committee (CCC), in acting like an eco-activist NGO, is providing advice that could lead to significant lifestyle changes for the public, including a dietary shift away from meat and dairy and reduced travel. Global Impact and Responsibility While the UK’s efforts are commendable, its global impact may be limited considering it contributes less than 1% to global emissions. This raises questions about the efficacy of the UK’s efforts and brings the focus onto major polluters like China, the US, and India. In the final analysis, it is clear that the UK’s path to net zero is fraught with challenges. However, it is also evident that this is a necessary journey – one that requires not only policy adjustments but also a societal shift in thinking and behaviour. Comments Subscribe to BNN Breaking Sign up for our daily newsletter covering global breaking news around the world.	https://bnnbreaking.com/breaking-news/climate-environment/the-uks-challenging-journey-to-net-zero-carbon-emissions/	2024-01-01T00:31:22Z
Looming junior doctors strike will put patients at serious risk – NHS leaders Six days of strikes by junior doctors in England later this month will put patients at “serious risk”, NHS leaders have said. The NHS Confederation issued the warning as it reiterated its call for the walkouts to be called off and said trust bosses should not be “forced into this position again.” It said the industrial action will leave hospitals, GP surgeries and other services “skating on very thin ice” and in a “highly vulnerable position” because it coincides with what is traditionally the busiest week of year for the NHS. Flu and winter illnesses, combined with rising staff absences due to coronavirus, are set to add more pressure to services that will already be stretched by the strike. The Government and British Medical Association (BMA) union must resume talks so a lasting compromise can be found “for the sake of the patients”, the confederation added. Junior doctors are set to walk out from 7am on January 3 until 7am on January 9. The strike amounts to 144 consecutive hours of industrial action – the longest in the 75-year history of the health service. The union wants junior doctors to get a 35% pay rise, which it says would restore their real earnings to 2008 levels, but the Government says this is unaffordable. An agreement allows striking junior doctors to be recalled for major incidents and in extreme circumstances. The confederation is urging the BMA to respond quickly to requests for junior doctors to be recalled and for the judgement of senior medics to be “trusted” when they say they need cover from those on strike. NHS Confederation chief executive Matthew Taylor said: “Many NHS trusts will have thin rotas and will be in a highly vulnerable position as they enter what is widely regarded as the busiest week of the year for local NHS services. “Parts of the NHS will be skating on very thin ice, and they will need the BMA to back any recall requests for junior doctors when services find themselves under extreme pressure. “With the chances of the strikes being called off all but over, the focus of every NHS leader and their staff is now on mitigating as many of the considerable risks that they face as possible. “But they shouldn’t have to be forced into this position again, especially at such a busy time for local services. “To face almost 150 hours of continuous stoppages is a serious and unprecedented risk – and one that NHS leaders and their staff have never experienced before. “The good news is that the NHS has again prepared extensively and has had to become adept at planning for strikes. “While they will again do all they can to mitigate the risks, especially for patients needing emergency care, they have again been left with no choice but to schedule in less activity in anticipation of the strikes. “That means more delays for patients who have faced lengthy waits for routine treatment.” Figures released last month showed more than 1.2 million appointments have had to be postponed because of industrial action in the NHS since it began in December 2022. Strikes by junior doctors last month caused around 86,000 appointments to be put back. Both strikes are expected to add to a growing post-pandemic backlog and make it harder for key waiting time targets to be hit.	https://ca.news.yahoo.com/looming-junior-doctors-strike-put-000100437.html	2024-01-01T00:31:23Z
In early 1960, fresh from another Conservative victory and almost a decade of Tory rule, T.E. Utley wondered what it all was for. “The Tories have shown they can win General Elections,” he wrote. “[But] have they still got a philosophy of government?” Utley’s answer, of course, was no — and they would be kicked from power at the next election. At the start of the year, Sunak set out what was supposed to be his response to this same question. The point of his government, he said, was to concentrate on “the people’s priorities”. And these, he claimed, were rising prices, NHS waiting times and illegal immigration. To show his seriousness, he then offered five pledges upon which he could be judged. He would halve inflation, grow the economy, reduce the national debt, cut waiting lists and pass new laws to stop the small boat crossings. “I will only promise what I can deliver,” he concluded in what was supposed to be a rousing peroration. “And I will deliver what I promise.” Here was Sunakian Blairism, where what matters is what works. A year on, his record is decidedly mixed. His inflation target has been met and the economy has grown, albeit only just. But debt has also grown, waiting lists are up, and no new laws have been passed to stop the small boat crossings, even if the numbers have somewhat come down. If we really are supposed to judge him by results, he’s kept only two of five promises. The thing is, though, this is not how government should work. Targets are not ends in themselves, but indications of underlying principles. Halving the rate of inflation isn’t the goal; the goal is to create a stable environment in which people can plan their lives. Beyond Sunak’s five targets, do we have any idea what principles underpin his government, let alone his Conservative Party? Do we know what kind of country they would like to build and why? Again, as in 1960, the answer is surely no. When you look back at Sunak’s time in power, what is striking is how much he has bounced from one idea to the next. When he first became Prime Minister, in October 2022, he presented himself as a safe pair of hands who would clean up the mess made by his predecessor. By October 2023, he was presenting himself as a radical who represented a break from a failed 30-year consensus. And then he hired David Cameron as his foreign secretary. Looking back at his record, there are three distinct periods of Sunak’s premiership: the technocratic honeymoon; the political reality check; and the desperate reset. From January to April, Sunak operated with the breezy confidence of a technocratic troubleshooter. After setting out his five tests on January 4, he started scraping off all the unwanted political barnacles he believed were making it harder for his government to function. First, Sunak blocked Nicola Sturgeon’s gender recognition reforms, flashing a bit of unionist muscle with a confidence that put the SNP in a position from which it has yet to really escape. Then, in February, Sunak concluded a deal with the European Union over the Northern Ireland Protocol. Here was a man in a hurry. By March, this new “Windsor Framework” was comfortably backed in the House of Commons by 515 votes to 29. Sunak was on a roll. And then reality kicked in. Over the next four months, from May to August, Sunak’s smooth technocratic sheen started to blister under the relentless pressure of events. First, in the local elections in May, the Tories lost more than 1,000 seats, registering an estimated 26% of the national vote, only a little better than their worst ever local election results in 1995 and 2013. Labour’s 35%, meanwhile, left them nine points ahead of the Tories, the largest lead that the party had recorded in any local election since 2010. Then, in June, Partygate reared its head once again, with Boris Johnson suddenly announcing he would quit parliament rather than accept the Privileges Committee’s conclusion that he should be suspended for 90 days. Later that month, the Court of Appeal threw out the Government’s policy of sending refugees to Rwanda for processing, declaring the country unsafe. And then, in August, the “crumbly concrete” scandal broke when the Education Secretary Gillian Keegan revealed at least 100 schools would need to close because they were no longer safe. A few days later, Keegan was filmed angrily asking why journalists did not tell her she’s done “a fucking good job” because “everyone else has sat on their arse and done nothing?” By September, the Tories had fallen back in the polls to almost exactly where they were at the start of the year, hovering at around 25% to Labour’s 45%. The truth is, while inflation was on its way down, prices were still rising dramatically and interest rates were being jacked up to deal with it. One way of looking at 2023 is through the prism of individual events, but another is to look at the structural current dragging the Government across the rocks. The basic reality for most people in 2023 was that they were quite obviously getting poorer while their services were getting worse. On top of all this, the Government seemed unable to deal with the growing problem of industrial unrest with strikes hitting transport, schools and even hospitals. Elsewhere, a new threat was beginning to emerge on the Right, as Reform steadily grew in the polls. It is at this point that we can see the third phase of Sunak’s troubled year begin: the desperate reset. As summer’s glow faded, Sunak began to show a far sharper political edge than before in an attempt to create dividing lines with Labour and kill off the threat from Reform. First, in September, he watered down some of the Net Zero commitments made by his predecessors, putting himself on the side of the motorist and, as he would have it, “good Conservative common sense”. Then, in his speech to the Conservative Party conference in October, he went further, scrapping the northern leg of HS2, connecting Birmingham to Manchester, in order to save billions in public spending he could then start diverting around the country before the next election. Alongside Jeremy Hunt’s Autumn Statement in November, cutting taxes with future spending cuts, the Tory election strategy began to become clear: Vote Tory to stop Labour tax rises. In other words: Sunak was preparing for the classic Tory election. What was more unusual — or eccentric, even — about Sunak’s conference speech in Manchester, though, was that in setting up this tediously traditional dividing line, he claimed he was upending decades of political wisdom. “What I have learnt is that there is an undeniable sense that politics just doesn’t work the way it should,” he declared. “The feeling that Westminster is a broken system… In particular, politicians saying things, and then nothing ever changing.” Sunak then declared that he agreed with this assessment. “Politics doesn’t work the way it should. We’ve had 30 years of a political system which incentivises the easy decision, not the right one.” He, however, was different. Sunak’s assessment was revealing. By using this marker, he was dismissing the premierships of not only John Major, Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, but also those of David Cameron, Boris Johnson, Theresa May and Liz Truss in which he had served. In effect, Sunak was declaring the last successful prime minister Margaret Thatcher. He was, he claimed, her heir. “You either think this country needs to change or you don’t,” he declared with an apparently straight face. The problem for Sunak is that he couldn’t look more like the system if he tried. There’s nothing radical about him, whether ideologically, stylistically or temperamentally. He went to Winchester, became a banker and then Boris Johnson’s chancellor. He believes in the system and shares its prejudices. He became prime minister when the Conservative Parliamentary Party decided it needed to throw out the Tory members’ choice, Liz Truss, because she couldn’t do the job. In both his first speech as Prime Minister and his set-piece address setting out his five pledges, Sunak claimed to be carrying the same ideological flame as Boris Johnson, only with more competence. “The mandate my party earned in 2019 is not the sole property of any one individual,” Sunak declared. “It is a mandate that belongs to and unites all of us.” When he then decided to keep Johnson’s Rwanda refugee plan, Sunak further tied himself to Johnson’s record. And yet, here he was at the Conservative Party conference, no longer pledging to honour the manifesto of his predecessor, but declaring him part of an era of failure. Ultimately, it is difficult to take seriously either Sunak’s claim that he is an anti-establishment radical or that he is different from all his predecessors in placing more value on “long-term” decisions than short term gimmicks. All governments must combine principle and expediency, but in his short time in power, Sunak seems to have grown ever more attracted to expediency. In September, he announced he would ban the XL Bully breed of dogs before working out exactly how he would do so. In November, he cancelled a meeting with the Greek PM at the last minute because his opposite number said he wanted the Elgin Marbles returned to Greece. And then in December, he forced ministers to suddenly come up with a new high salary threshold for migrants to be allowed to come to Britain without working out what exactly this would mean for the economy. Far from the calm, confident technocrat of January, here was a Prime Minister thrashing around to get some kind of traction with the public — and with little success. As 2023 draws to a close, Sunak is more unpopular than he was at the beginning, and with the Tories on 22% in the polls, close to the nadir the Tory party reached under Truss. If there is any hope for Sunak, it lies in the unpopularity of Keir Starmer, an improving economic picture and the fact that his own party just about kept itself together at its the moment of greatest crisis earlier this month — when it faced a choice between defeating the government over Sunak’s latest Rwanda plan or allowing it to die another day. The problem, though, remains the one that Utley put his finger on in 1960: what is the government’s purpose? Throughout Utley’s career, he prodded and probed at this most elemental of questions about the purpose of Toryism. In 1974, he wrote a piece titled “Left, Right — or simply Tory?” in which he took aim at the inadequacy of the Conservative Party simply declaring itself the party of common sense, as Sunak did in his party conference speech. “On the rare and painful occasions when the Tory party feels constrained to re-examine its role in British politics,” Utley observed, “it normally starts its thinking with the assumption that, whatever other characteristics it should have, it should above all else be a party of ‘balance’ and ‘moderation’.” Often, this means the party finds itself so desperate to avoid handing over any power to what it sees as its own “lunatic fringe” that it becomes captured by its “cliché ridden progressive wing” which is most obsessed with this notion of balance yet has few answers about the purpose of its rule. But, as Utley saw, Toryism needs to be about more than just moderating between other people’s ideologies — socialism and liberalism, say. And nor can it simply be about conserving the status quo, because that status quo could be wrong. This, though, is exactly where the Tory party finds itself once again, so desperate to avoid handing power to the various groups of lunatics that have formed on its Right that it has stopped thinking about what it actually believes. In 1974, Utley suggested a series of maxims that made up authentic Toryism. On top of securing the nation against foreign attack and maintaining public order at home, he argued that the chief function of government was to use its influence and power to “maintain that minimum of cultural and moral unity within society without which a nation can be held together only by political tyranny”. Toryism, in other words, was neither liberalism nor libertarianism. It does not believe in a neutral state, but one that fosters a sense of common purpose, habit, custom, duty and morality. As part of this job, Utley wrote, Toryism also believes the State is “justified in intervening to protect sections of the community whose protection is seen to be a matter of special importance to the nation as a whole”. Finally, Utley argued that of all the groups which the State exists to protect, “none is of more fundamental importance than the family”. And to protect the family, the State needed to defend and — crucially — expand property ownership. Looking at the record of the past 13 years of Conservative rule and it is hard to think of it as in any way particularly Tory. Almost nothing has been done to promote a sense of national unity across the whole of the UK. A trade border has been erected within the country and trade deals are signed that seem to actively put British producers at a disadvantage. Foreign governments are invited in to build core national infrastructure or run once-nationalised industries. Home ownership has collapsed and families are having fewer and fewer children in part because of the necessity for both parents to work full-time to afford the basics of life. State subsidies for childcare only apply to nurseries and other official settings and do nothing to help parents or grandparents look after their own children. And, uniquely in Europe, the tax system does not see family units, only individual workers. Sunak has shown some signs of an instinctive Toryism with his ideas about banning social media for the young, but there is little evidence of a wider, coherent Tory vision of what his government is trying to do. On the whole, Conservative governments now seem to treat everything as economic. People must be made more healthy — to grow the economy. Mothers and the retired must return to work — to grow the economy. And immigration must increase — to grow the economy. While there is a good deal of lunacy on the Tory Right, it is also the case that there is more intellectual energy coming on the fringes of the party than around Sunak, Cameron and the old Left. The New Conservatives, for example, today offer a more authentic Utleyite Torysim on questions of immigration and the family than the party’s liberal wing, which claims to want to reduce immigration but baulks at the economic price of doing so. Miriam Cates, though now under investigation for apparently bringing Parliament into disrepute, is not anachronistic in her concern about the falling birth rate in Britain — this is now a distinctly modern problem affecting not only this country, but almost all Western democracies. How to deal with the new reality of low birth rates, low growth and mass immigration will, in fact, be one of the central questions facing all Western economies over the coming decades. Most important of all is Utley’s central contention that Tory governments must endeavour to create a sense of national unity and harmony. How will Britain do this in what is now a multinational, multicultural state in a globalised world? The economist Dani Rodrik has argued that in today’s world a trilemma has emerged which cannot be escaped, in which countries must choose between democracy, national sovereignty and global economic integration because it is impossible to have all three at the same time. The more you integrate your economy into the world, the less democratic sovereignty you will have over the material interests of your citizens. But the less you integrate into the global economy, the less efficient your economy will be, leaving your citizens poorer. In some sense, Brexit is Britain’s answer to this trilemma, choosing sovereignty over integration. But, as we have seen, the trilemma does not go away, only emerges in different forms. What will be the Tory answer to these 21st-century dilemmas? The Tories have shown they can win General Elections: have they still got a philosophy of government? Right now, the answer is no.	https://unherd.com/2024/01/the-year-toryism-failed-britain/	2024-01-01T00:31:22Z
The Big Picture - Rebel Moon's universe is intriguing but lacks depth. It feels like an adapted story from a rich source, with plot and characters feeling like afterthoughts. - The pacing, fight scenes, and characters in Rebel Moon are disappointing. The joyless characters have no nuance, and their interactions are shallow. - A longer, R-rated Rebel Moon exists, but Netflix's decision to release a condensed, PG-13 version feels like a marketing gimmick that backfires, inconveniencing fans. There was a lot of hype leading up to the release of Rebel Moon: Part One - A Child of Fire. The movie was Zack Snyder’s passion project, something he’d been working towards for decades. It was proposed to be made as a Star Wars film, a TV show, and even a video game. Rebel Moon found its home on Netflix as a two-part space opera. The second part of the movie is yet to be released, but its first part is up on Netflix and, unfortunately, it’s nowhere near as good as anticipated. It has haphazard pacing, repetitive exposition-to-fight scene patterns, and stilted character development. But that’s not why we are so exasperated by Rebel Moon. The real problem lies in the fact that a better version of the movie exists, and it’s being kept veiled as a marketing gimmick. Rebel Moon When a peaceful settlement on the edge of a distant moon finds itself threatened by the armies of a tyrannical ruling force, a mysterious stranger living among its villagers becomes their best hope for survival. - Release Date - December 22, 2023 - Director - Zack Snyder - Cast - Sofia Boutella , Charlie Hunnam , Anthony Hopkins , Cary Elwes , Jena Malone , Djimon Hounsou - Studio - Netflix ‘Rebel Moon’ Is a Flawed Movie With Potent Concepts Rebel Moon’s universe definitely has a certain intrigue to it. It’s absolutely brimming with promises of exciting lore, but since the movie is pressed for time, it never really attempts to delve into the intricacies of the world. While watching Rebel Moon, you get a sense that it’s adapted from a copious source, perhaps a rich sci-fi novel spanning volumes, with the threadbare plot and characters being added as an afterthought. But that’s not the case. Rebel Moon in its entirety, with all its flaws and strengths, is an original IP. And while the attempt to bring it to a screen is a worthy effort, you can’t help but wonder why it wasn’t handled better. Rebel Moon has its pacing issues and uninspired fight scenes, but the movie receives the biggest grievance from its characters, all of whom are utterly joyless to follow around. None of them seem to have any bit of nuance in them. Consider the bland journey of its protagonist, Kora (Sofia Boutella), to enlist the help of like-minded rebels from around the galaxy to fight against the evil ever-expanding empire. Kora herself comes from a dark past, the glimpses of which are time and again shown to us in stylistic but substanceless flashback shots. Conveniently for Kora, it doesn’t take much convincing for the eccentric warriors to join her rank; just a few corny lines will do. Upon introduction, each new rebel gets an obligatory kick-ass sequence where they tame a soaring beast or slay a spider-like alien with a dual sword. It’s briefly hinted that all of these characters have a fascinating backstory — one of them is a prince turned slave — but as soon as their five minutes of fame ends, so does their contribution to the overall story. At no point do we see them interact with each other in any meaningful way. Their personalities, as distinct as they might be, neither clash nor rhyme, but simply trudge behind where the plot carries them. There is one character that feels a little fleshed out and actually like a human, but ironically enough, it’s a robot named Jimmy (Anthony Hopkins). A Longer, R-Rated Director’s Cut of ‘Rebel Moon’ Exists Rebel Moon is perhaps the most unapologetic and easily recognizable Zack Snyder movie, which, for a polarizing filmmaker like him, is a double-edged sword. On one hand, all the epic elements associated with Snyder are on proud display here. But at the same time, his weaknesses also stand bare and exposed. So, it comes as a little surprise to learn that Rebel Moon has turned out to be one of the more divisive movies of 2023, scoring 24% with the critics and 61% with the audience on Rotten Tomatoes at the time of writing. This isn't too atypical for a Snyder film; he has an extremely loyal fan base who have passionately defended Snyder movies that have been panned by the critics. But even his ardent fans can’t seem to get over the fact that Netflix is hiding a longer, better version of the movie in an obvious marketing stunt. In an interview with AP, Zack Snyder revealed that the Rebel Moon released in December is a condensed, PG-13 version of the movie intended to reach a wider audience. Snyder’s true vision of the film is actually a longer, R-rated story with more fleshed out characters and a more detailed world. And what’s more, this yet unreleased version of the film isn’t only meant to be an extended cut, but an alternative version of the movie that feels like it’s in a different universe. And while it’s good to know that a better version of the movie exists since it definitely has potential, it begs the awkward question of why Netflix even bothered with a PG-13 release that’s so noticeably inferior in quality? Ed Skrein Is a Sick Bastard in 'Rebel Moon' But the Director's Cut Is About to Make Him Even Worse “I can't believe we're getting away with this. I can't believe that Zack is asking me to do this."Netflix's 'Rebel Moon' Snyder Cut Stunt Feels Too Contrived Oftentimes, director’s cuts are dismissed as a marketing tactic to sell slightly tweaked versions of a film. And while there are movies that use director’s cuts only as a means to sell DVD box sets, Snyder has been more or less consistent in delivering director’s cuts that are better than the theatrical releases. We’ve seen the pattern repeat in Watchmen, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and most notably Zack Snyder's Justice League. He’s the sort of director whose best work comes out when it’s not restrained for corporate interest. This is a well-known fact among moviegoers, and now with Rebel Moon’s alternate version, there’s a sense that Netflix is trying to use the Snyder Cuts’ legacy as a marketing gimmick. Netflix can spin it any way they want, but the truth is that no one really wanted this version of Rebel Moon when it’s so painfully lacking in depth. Keeping the better version of the movie hidden until the release of Rebel Moon - Part Two: The Scargiver screams greed and marketing gimmick. For one, it’s a shameless attempt to double the view count through a single intellectual property. And secondly, it feels like a half-hearted attempt to re-create the Snyder Cut buzz that received unprecedented, organic promotion before the release of Zack Snyder's Justice League. But it just doesn’t work here because the context is very different. The reason why the Snyder Cut worked for Justice League was because there was a genuine, regretful reason behind Snyder not being able to complete his film, and it had to be completed by a different director. It was obvious that the Justice League we received was far from Snyder's vision. Since the fans had high hopes for Justice League and faith in Snyder, there was a genuine reason to demand a director’s cut. Netflix's approach with Rebel Moon, however, feels too disingenuous and artificial, like it's trying to bring in twice the view from the same IP. But fans can easily see through this trickery, and Netflix, Zack Snyder, and Rebel Moon's brands suffer on account of inconveniencing fans with a first draft-like version of the movie. The streaming giant would have fared better releasing a movie that feels fleshed out and complete. And maybe the eventual director's cut will be much better than the one we've just seen, but by then these marketing gimmicks might just tire and repulse even the most fervent fans. Rebel Moon - Part One: A Child of Fire is available to stream on Netflix in the U.S.	https://collider.com/zack-snyder-rebel-moon-directors-cut/	2024-01-01T00:31:25Z
From their role in extinction events to current impact possibilities, Nick Moskovitz, astronomer at the Lowell Observatory, explains the dangers posed by asteroids. Could we ever really prevent an impact from an asteroid hurtling through space to earth? Our ever-growing library will meet your interests whatever they may be	https://curiositystream.com/title/video/131	2024-01-01T00:31:26Z
amount-spellout.10000 Swedish kronor to Cape Verdean escudos Convert SEK to CVE at the real exchange rate Loading Top currencies Beware of bad exchange rates.Banks and traditional providers often have extra costs, which they pass to you by marking up the exchange rate. Our smart tech means we’re more efficient – which means you get a great rate. Every time. How to convert Swedish kronor to Cape Verdean escudos - 1 Input your amount Simply type in the box how much you want to convert. - 2 Choose your currencies Click on the dropdown to select SEK in the first dropdown as the currency that you want to convert and CVE in the second drop down as the currency you want to convert to. - 3 That’s it Our currency converter will show you the current SEK to CVE rate and how it’s changed over the past day, week or month. Top currency pairings for Swedish kronor Change Converter source currency - Australian Dollar - Brazilian Real - British Pound Sterling - Bulgarian Lev - Canadian Dollar - Chinese Yuan RMB - Czech Republic Koruna - Danish Krone - Euro - Hong Kong Dollar - Hungarian Forint - Indian Rupee - Indonesian Rupiah - Israeli New Sheqel - Japanese Yen - Malaysian Ringgit - New Zealand Dollar - Norwegian Krone - Polish Zloty - Romanian Leu - Singapore Dollar - Swedish Krona - Swiss Franc - Turkish Lira - US Dollar Are you overpaying your bank? Banks often advertise free or low-cost transfers, but add a hidden markup to the exchange rate. Wise gives you the real, mid-market, exchange rate, so you can make huge savings on your international money transfers. Download Our Currency Converter App Features our users love:- Free and ad-free. - Track live exchange rates. - Compare the best money transfer providers.	https://wise.com/in/currency-converter/sek-to-cve-rate?amount=10000	2024-01-01T00:31:29Z
The Nigerian teens clueless on computers but aiming to reboot The first time 18-year-old Christian Asogwa used a desktop computer was last April when he sat for the Nigerian university entrance exams. He spent the first several minutes of the two-hour exam, taken at a centre in the south-eastern state of Enugu, struggling to find his way around the screen. Before he could settle down to answer the multiple choice questions, which required him to click with a mouse - he was stumped. "They asked us to put our name and registration number and I didn't know how to do it," he said. "I asked the person sitting beside me and she showed me where to press the capital letters and all that." Christian had known in advance that the exam would require him to use a computer, but his state-run school in the Enugu town of Ngwo had none. His father is dead and his mother earns little selling baby items, so there was no-one he knew who could afford to buy him one for practice or to pay for private lessons. He had resorted to learning from videos on YouTube but describes being nervous when eventually faced with the real thing. When the results of the exam, known as Jamb (Joint Admission and Matriculation Board), were released days later, his score of 208 out of 400 was too poor to qualify him for admission to study his choice of law. Christian is now one of about 240 candidates registered for next year's Jamb who are undergoing free preparatory lessons, including how to use a computer, sponsored by a group of people who come from Ngwo but now live in different parts of the world. They call themselves the Ngwo Yellowpages. "We found out that 70% of our 218 children who took Jamb failed," said Alex Onyia, a member of the group and CEO of Educare, a company in Lagos that provides software to educational institutions and businesses. "That means 70% of them are not getting into school [university] this year." Concerned about the possible impact on crime rates and the youths' prospects, Mr Onyia organised about 12 volunteers, including their local senator, from the Ngwo Yellowpages WhatsApp group which is made up of more than 500 people. "With my background in education, I knew that the best way to help people is from bottom up," the 33-year-old said. "The long-term plan is to revitalise the entire education system in our community. The short term plan is to get our children to pass Jamb." They employed teachers for the various Jamb subjects and secured a local youth centre as the venue. They welcomed any interested candidate living in and around Ngwo. The intensive training sessions began in July, with morning classes for candidates like Christian who will be retaking Jamb, and evening sessions for those who are still in school. After the first month, the students were taken to a nearby technical institute and given their first assessment during which they were required to sit in front of desktop computers and answer test questions as if they were in an actual Jamb exam, with Educare providing the software. "We noticed something significant. A lot of people had never touched a computer before," Mr Onyia said. "You only saw a computer on the whiteboard, you've never touched a computer before and you're writing Jamb? So we saw that there is a knowledge gap and also a technology gap. The failure was massive." A 2020 survey by Nigeria's National Bureau of Statistics showed that while more than 95% of Nigerian youth aged between 15 and 35 can surf the internet, just about 45% had basic word processing skills. The Jamb exams were traditionally written on paper until 2012/13 when the Nigerian government switched to computer-based testing - to reduce the chances of malpractice including corruption from invigilators bribed to alter answers, to stop result sheets going missing or getting destroyed in transit and to reduce from months to about 72 hours the time it took to publish results. Bosun Tijani, Nigeria's new minister for communication, innovation and digital economy, published a blueprint in October that highlights a goal of increasing digital literacy in the country to 70% by 2027, including a focus on schools and teachers. Many Nigerian schools offer ICT as a subject but do not have any or enough facilities. Some photos on social media once went viral of a teacher in a government school in Ghana who, faced with the same challenge, improvised with detailed chalk diagrams of a Microsoft Word screen. "Our teachers tell us that it is simple to use a computer, that once you get to the Jamb exam hall, you can just ask someone to show you how to use it and it is simple," said 17-year-old Naomi Nkechinyere Mba, who also attends the free Jamb preparatory classes. "They tell us that all we need to do is to focus on our books." Naomi will be taking the Jamb for the first time next April, but was nervous when she took her first assessment test at the training centre. "I was palpitating. But the second time, I got used to it," she said. After each monthly assessment, the teachers identify which students were nervous or unfamiliar with the computer. "We do a bit of computer appreciation for them to know how to use a mouse, how to use technology," said Chimezie Aneke, the administrator of the programme. "It's something they can learn in a few minutes." Mr Onyia has promised the students that he, Senator Osi Ngwu and the Ngwo YellowPages will sponsor all of those who score above 300 in the Jamb with full scholarships for the entire duration of whatever course they choose to study in any Nigerian public university. He describes being pleased at seeing many of them now scoring higher in the monthly assessments. His social media posts about the project have led to people from around Nigeria getting in touch with him for advice on how to replicate similar initiatives in their own communities. "I know that we may not be passionate enough to help other villages, but if more people can support their own people collectively, we'll definitely have a much better Nigeria," Mr Onyia said. The free lessons in Ngwo are scheduled to continue until shortly before the next Jamb, in April. Christian, who is now proficient with a desktop computer, is keen to retake the exam. "I am very, very confident about next year's Jamb," he said. Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani is a freelance Nigerian journalist and novelist based in Abuja. More Letters from Africa: Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica	https://ca.news.yahoo.com/nigerian-teens-clueless-computers-aiming-001743352.html	2024-01-01T00:31:29Z
Active Shooter Situation Unfolds at MGM Signature Towers in Las Vegas Las Vegas, Nevada, is in the throes of a tense situation as a significant police presence descends upon the MGM Signature Towers. The incident follows reports of multiple gunshots being fired, potentially from a balcony within the complex. Eyewitness accounts suggest around 30 to 40 shots have been heard, creating an atmosphere of panic and confusion. Immediate Law Enforcement Response Upon receiving the alarming news, SWAT teams along with other law enforcement agencies sprang into action and quickly secured the scene. Their swift response has resulted in a lockdown of the MGM Signature Towers which, under normal circumstances, buzzes with tourists and locals alike. Evacuations and Ongoing Gunfire With reports of ongoing gunfire resonating within the complex, evacuations are currently being implemented. The priority remains the safety of those within the building, and efforts are being made to evacuate them swiftly and efficiently. The scenario remains fluid, with the authorities vigilant and ready to respond accordingly. Investigation and Public Safety The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department is actively investigating the shooting incident. As of now, there are no reports of injuries, which comes as a small glimmer of hope in an otherwise grim situation. Harmon Avenue between Las Vegas Boulevard and Koval Lane has been sealed off, and the public has been advised to avoid the area for the time being. This measure ensures the safety of the public while allowing law enforcement to focus on the situation at hand. Comments Subscribe to BNN Breaking Sign up for our daily newsletter covering global breaking news around the world.	https://bnnbreaking.com/breaking-news/crime/active-shooter-situation-unfolds-at-mgm-signature-towers-in-las-vegas/	2024-01-01T00:31:29Z
Peter Diamandis, Founder of X Prize and technology entrepreneur, describes the global explosion of interconnected communication devices. Soon, we will be able to "know anything we want, anytime we want, anywhere we want." Our ever-growing library will meet your interests whatever they may be	https://curiositystream.com/title/video/1317	2024-01-01T00:31:33Z
North Korea's Kim says armed conflict becoming reality because of US - KCNA SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un told the country's military commanders the most powerful means must be mobilized to destroy the United States and South Korea if they choose military confrontation, state media reported on Monday. Kim said the danger of an armed confrontation on the Korean peninsula is fast becoming a reality because of hostile maneuvers by the enemies including the United States, requiring the country to "sharpen the sword" to protect itself. "If they choose military confrontation and set the fire, we must mobilize all the most powerful means ... to deal a crushing blow and completely destroy them," KCNA state news agency quoted Kim as saying. Kim hosted senior military leaders on Sunday at the ruling Workers' Party headquarters to congratulate them on the accomplishments made in 2023, KCNA said. In separate reports, KCNA said Kim hosted a reception for senior members of the ruling party and attended a late night concert celebrating the new year. (Reporting by Jack Kim; Editing by Diane Craft and Lisa Shumaker)	https://ca.news.yahoo.com/north-koreas-kim-says-armed-000923604.html	2024-01-01T00:31:35Z
20 Swedish kronor to Cape Verdean escudos Convert SEK to CVE at the real exchange rate Loading Top currencies Beware of bad exchange rates.Banks and traditional providers often have extra costs, which they pass to you by marking up the exchange rate. Our smart tech means we’re more efficient – which means you get a great rate. Every time. How to convert Swedish kronor to Cape Verdean escudos - 1 Input your amount Simply type in the box how much you want to convert. - 2 Choose your currencies Click on the dropdown to select SEK in the first dropdown as the currency that you want to convert and CVE in the second drop down as the currency you want to convert to. - 3 That’s it Our currency converter will show you the current SEK to CVE rate and how it’s changed over the past day, week or month. Top currency pairings for Swedish kronor Change Converter source currency - Australian Dollar - Brazilian Real - British Pound Sterling - Bulgarian Lev - Canadian Dollar - Chinese Yuan RMB - Czech Republic Koruna - Danish Krone - Euro - Hong Kong Dollar - Hungarian Forint - Indian Rupee - Indonesian Rupiah - Israeli New Sheqel - Japanese Yen - Malaysian Ringgit - New Zealand Dollar - Norwegian Krone - Polish Zloty - Romanian Leu - Singapore Dollar - Swedish Krona - Swiss Franc - Turkish Lira - US Dollar Are you overpaying your bank? Banks often advertise free or low-cost transfers, but add a hidden markup to the exchange rate. Wise gives you the real, mid-market, exchange rate, so you can make huge savings on your international money transfers. Download Our Currency Converter App Features our users love:- Free and ad-free. - Track live exchange rates. - Compare the best money transfer providers.	https://wise.com/in/currency-converter/sek-to-cve-rate?amount=20	2024-01-01T00:31:35Z
Afghanistan’s Balkh Province: 13 Detained Amid Ongoing Efforts to Uphold Law and Order In an ongoing effort to uphold law and order in the Balkh province of Afghanistan, local authorities have detained 13 individuals on charges of various criminal activities. Among the detained are three women. The confirmation of these arrests came from Mohammad Asif Waziri, the spokesperson for the Balkh Department of Security. However, the specifics of the crimes or the identities of those arrested have not been disclosed. Law Enforcement’s Unyielding Efforts Amid Challenges The arrests highlight the continued efforts of local law enforcement, striving to maintain order in an increasingly challenging environment. Afghanistan, like many of its regions, including the Balkh province, is navigating a complex security landscape in its quest for stability and safety for its residents. These detentions provide a glimpse into the relentless endeavours of the security teams, working relentlessly to curb crime and bolster security. The Underlying Context: From Taxation to Land Grabbing In addition to the arrests, recent reports have shed light on the broader socio-political context in Afghanistan. Discussions revolve around the Taliban’s taxation practices and the creation of the Land Grabbing Prevention and Restitution Commission. The latter aims to address and prevent the illegal occupation of lands, a persistent issue in the region. Continued International Aid Amid Natural Disasters Amidst these security and governance issues, Afghanistan has been grappling with a series of earthquakes, the most recent being of 6.3 magnitude, resulting in significant casualties. The most affected are women and children, with over 2,400 reported deaths and more than 2,000 injuries. In response, Pakistan has pledged assistance and support to Afghanistan, while aid agencies are appealing for urgent funds to aid the impacted communities. Comments Subscribe to BNN Breaking Sign up for our daily newsletter covering global breaking news around the world.	https://bnnbreaking.com/breaking-news/crime/afghanistans-balkh-province-13-detained-amid-ongoing-efforts-to-uphold-law-and-order/	2024-01-01T00:31:36Z
Peter Diamandis, Founder of the XPrize and technology entrepreneur, sees virtual reality transforming how we live, work and shop -- and artificial intelligence leading us to a Star Trek universe. Our ever-growing library will meet your interests whatever they may be	https://curiositystream.com/title/video/1318	2024-01-01T00:31:39Z
Officials provide an update after an off-duty police officer was killed Officials provide an update after an off-duty police officer was killed Officials provide an update after an off-duty police officer was killed "It would be great to know who the real allies are," the "Friends" star wrote of organizations and advocates he says refuse to believe victims The post David Schwimmer Calls Out Advocacy Groups That Don’t Believe Hamas Sexual Assault Survivors: ‘Where Is Their Outrage?’ appeared first on TheWrap. A Florida woman trying to sell her house returned home one day to discover that her driveway was gone. The disappearing act was preceded by unsolicited visits from contractors and a series of text messages from a mysterious stranger. CNN affiliate WFTV has more on the curious case. An Israeli-French woman who was among scores of people taken hostage by Hamas militants has described how she feared being raped by the gunman who watched over her around the clock in the home where he lived with his wife and children in Gaza. Mia Schem, 21, was released in late November under a now-lapsed ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, and made headlines while in captivity after the Palestinians released video footage of her undergoing treatment for a bullet wound to the arm. Interviewed on Israeli TV, Schem recalled dancing at a rave near the Gaza border on Oct. 7 when Hamas infiltrators stormed in, killing hundreds of revellers. MISSISSAUGA, Ont. — Police say a 19-year-old woman is dead after an overnight shooting outside a nightclub west of Toronto. Peel Regional Police say officers responded around 1:30 a.m. to reports of a shooting in a plaza near Dixie Road and Eglinton Avenue in Mississauga, Ont. Police spokesperson Const. Mandeep Khatra says the woman was standing on a sidewalk outside the nightclub when she was shot. He says the woman was taken to hospital where she was pronounced dead. Police had not announced a Authorities have identified three members of a Massachusetts family who were found shot to death this week inside a palatial, 27-room mansion in a wealthy section of suburban Boston. A husband and wife and their two sons, ages 10 and 12, were found dead in a suburban New York home Saturday in what authorities described as a murder-suicide by a police sergeant. Police officials said Watson Morgan, a sergeant with the Bronxville Police Department, fatally shot his wife, Ornela Morgan, 43, and their sons before taking his own life. The four bodies were discovered by police just after midnight on Friday at the family’s home in New City, a suburb of New York City, after Morgan failed to show up for his evening shift at the Bronxville Police Department. QUEBEC — As Quebec faces a worsening homelessness crisis, some politicians, including Quebec City Mayor Bruno Marchand, have suggested the solution may be a Finnish model that aims to give everyone a home. But while Finland has managed to massively reduce the number of people experiencing homelessness through its "housing first" approach, one Quebec expert said she's not sure it could be applied here, even if the provincial government was interested. "It's the right way to fight the problem of h A 14-year-old boy has been arrested after allegedly killing his parents and severely injuring his 11-year-old sister at their home in a rural community in Fresno County, California, on Wednesday, authorities say. Suspected murder-suicides or familicides occurred in Arizona, California, Hawaii, Massachusetts, New York, and Texas in December. 'Baby, get down now': Mom and son parked at 7-Eleven witness moments surrounding murder-suicide Children, aged 7 and 9, found dead after burglary report later discovered to be ‘unfounded’ Kai Zhuang of China was officially declared missing Friday, and police have “reason to believe” that he is “being held against his will." Halifax District RCMP say a homeowner was held at gunpoint and forced to open a safe in a home invasion Friday evening in Gaetz Brook. N.S.It happened on Friday at 6:50 p.m., according to an RCMP news release.A man was operating an excavator on his property when he saw another man pointing a gun at him. Police say the homeowner was forced out of the excavator at gunpoint, directed inside the house to a safe and told to open it.The suspect took several items valued at nearly $200,000 before fleei Mounties are investigating after an ATM was stolen from a southwestern Saskatchewan town, according to a news release.RCMP responded to a business that had been broken into in Shaunavon, Sask., around 1 a.m. Saturday. The business' alarm was going off and the ATM inside had been stolen, police said.RCMP reviewed the footage and confirmed two suspects entered the store with their faces covered. One suspect wore all black, while the other wore a blue and green plaid jacket with a red hoodie undern A loud bang and accompanying shock-wave that shook homes has residents of a western New Brunswick village wondering what could have caused the Christmas Day incident.Andrew McDougall was sitting in his living room watching television when he heard a loud bang and felt what seemed to be an object hitting his house."It was like a huge gunfire or a very loud thunder clap, but it was short, like it was just a bang, and then the house shook right at the same time," said McDougall, adding it happened PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — An Oregon weekly newspaper has had to lay off its entire staff and halt print after 40 years because its funds were embezzled by a former employee, its editor said, in a devastating blow to a publication that serves as an important source of information in a community that, like many others nationwide, is struggling with growing gaps in local news coverage. About a week before Christmas, the Eugene Weekly found inaccuracies in its bookkeeping, editor Camilla Mortensen said. William Brown, 7, was killed in a suspected hit-and-run crash in Folkestone on 6 December. The 25-year-old had been fired from another Texas hospital after fellow nurses raised concerns, officials said. An activist involved in the Armistice Day pro-Palestine march has said that the taking of hostages was a “very important part” of any “act of resistance” and that Israel was “mimicking” Nazis. JERUSALEM (Reuters) -One of the senior figures in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing coalition called on Sunday for Palestinian residents of Gaza to leave the besieged enclave, making way for Israelis who could "make the desert bloom". The comments by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who has been excluded from the war cabinet and discussions of day-after arrangements in Gaza, appear to underscore fears in much of the Arab world that Israel wants to drive Palestinians out of land where they want to build a future state, repeating the mass dispossession of Palestinians when Israel was created in 1948.	https://ca.news.yahoo.com/officials-off-duty-police-officer-001307950.html	2024-01-01T00:31:42Z
2000 Swedish kronor to Cape Verdean escudos Convert SEK to CVE at the real exchange rate Loading Top currencies Beware of bad exchange rates.Banks and traditional providers often have extra costs, which they pass to you by marking up the exchange rate. Our smart tech means we’re more efficient – which means you get a great rate. Every time. How to convert Swedish kronor to Cape Verdean escudos - 1 Input your amount Simply type in the box how much you want to convert. - 2 Choose your currencies Click on the dropdown to select SEK in the first dropdown as the currency that you want to convert and CVE in the second drop down as the currency you want to convert to. - 3 That’s it Our currency converter will show you the current SEK to CVE rate and how it’s changed over the past day, week or month. Top currency pairings for Swedish kronor Change Converter source currency - Australian Dollar - Brazilian Real - British Pound Sterling - Bulgarian Lev - Canadian Dollar - Chinese Yuan RMB - Czech Republic Koruna - Danish Krone - Euro - Hong Kong Dollar - Hungarian Forint - Indian Rupee - Indonesian Rupiah - Israeli New Sheqel - Japanese Yen - Malaysian Ringgit - New Zealand Dollar - Norwegian Krone - Polish Zloty - Romanian Leu - Singapore Dollar - Swedish Krona - Swiss Franc - Turkish Lira - US Dollar Are you overpaying your bank? Banks often advertise free or low-cost transfers, but add a hidden markup to the exchange rate. Wise gives you the real, mid-market, exchange rate, so you can make huge savings on your international money transfers. Download Our Currency Converter App Features our users love:- Free and ad-free. - Track live exchange rates. - Compare the best money transfer providers.	https://wise.com/in/currency-converter/sek-to-cve-rate?amount=2000	2024-01-01T00:31:42Z
Bengaluru Tech Tragedy: Software Engineer Falls to Death from 33rd Floor A heart-wrenching incident unfolded in Bengaluru’s Bhattarahalli region near KR Pura when a 27-year-old software engineer, Divyanshu Sharma, met with a fatal fall from the 33rd floor of his friend’s apartment. The tragic episode took place on a Friday morning, casting a pall of gloom over the city’s tech community. The Fateful Morning Sharma, an employee at a private firm and a resident of Kodigehalli (KR Pura), was originally from Uttar Pradesh. His father, a retired Indian Air Force serviceman, now resides in Horamavu alongside other family members. As per preliminary police investigations, Sharma was trying to dispose of cigarette ash when he allegedly slipped from the balcony and hurtled down near the walking track of the apartment complex. The Night Before The evening preceding the accident witnessed Sharma and his friends partying at a pub in Indiranagar. They returned to the friend’s flat around 2:30 am. Sharma, in an attempt to clear the room of ash and cigarette butts, seems to have lost his balance while discarding the ash outside. Discovery and Identification Sharma’s body was found early in the morning by society members, who promptly informed other residents via a common WhatsApp group. Identification was ascertained through the deceased’s ID card located near the body. The exact cause of death is yet to be confirmed by an autopsy report. Meanwhile, Sharma’s friends have been interrogated by the police, shedding light on the circumstances leading to the tragedy. Comments Subscribe to BNN Breaking Sign up for our daily newsletter covering global breaking news around the world.	https://bnnbreaking.com/breaking-news/crime/bengaluru-tech-tragedy-software-engineer-falls-to-death-from-33rd-floor/	2024-01-01T00:31:43Z
AP Sports SummaryBrief at 7:15 p.m. EST Lamar Jackson’s perfect passer rating helps Ravens rout Dolphins 56-19 to clinch top seed in AFC BALTIMORE (AP) — In what may have been his final bid for the MVP award, Lamar Jackson threw for 321 yards and five touchdowns, finishing with a perfect passer rating and helping the Baltimore Ravens clinch the top seed in the AFC with a 56-19 rout of the Miami Dolphins. Isaiah Likely caught two TDs for the Ravens, who won their sixth straight game and also wrapped up their first AFC North title since 2019. Now Baltimore can rest Jackson in the regular-season finale against Pittsburgh. Miami is also postseason bound, but now the winner of next weekend’s Dolphins-Bills game will take the AFC East. Dolphins linebacker Bradley Chubb had to be carted off after hurting his knee. Kyler Murray throws 3 TD passes as Cardinals rally past Eagles, disrupt Philly’s playoff path PHILADELPHIA (AP) — James Conner ran for a 2-yard touchdown with 32 seconds remaining, Kyler Murray threw three TD passes, and the Arizona Cardinals rallied from a 15-point deficit to stun Philadelphia 35-31 and disrupt the Eagles’ playoff path. Former Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon returned to Philly and got his biggest win yet as Arizona’s coach. Granted, there haven’t been many of them for the Cardinals. But the playoff-bound Eagles’ fourth loss this month was a huge setback to their standing in the NFC. Dallas now has the inside track to win the NFC East and San Francisco has locked up the top seed in the conference. Brock Purdy bounces back, 49ers clinch the NFC’s top seed by beating the Commanders 27-10 LANDOVER, Md. (AP) — Brock Purdy threw two touchdown passes and the San Francisco 49ers clinched the top seed in the NFC by beating the Washington Commanders 27-10. The victory combined with Philadelphia’s home loss to Arizona wrapped up a first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs. Christian McCaffrey left the game in the second half with a right calf injury. He and San Francisco’s starters will now get multiple weeks to rest before their first playoff game. Sam Howell threw two interceptions as the Commanders fell to 4-12 with their seventh consecutive loss. Panthers owner David Tepper tosses drink into visiting stands late in 26-0 loss to Jaguars JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Panthers owner David Tepper threw the contents of a drink into the visiting crowd near the end of Carolina’s 26-0 loss at Jacksonville. Tepper’s reaction came after rookie Bryce Young threw an interception with less than 3 minutes to play. It was unclear whether Tepper was reacting to something said to him or the latest miscue for the team with the NFL’s worst record. General manager Scott Fitterer was standing near Tepper when he tossed the remnants of his drink while watching the game from a club suite. The Panthers dropped to 0-9 on the road and were shut out for the first time since losing to Atlanta in Week 12 in 2002. Bills set up AFC East-deciding finale at Miami with 27-21 win over Patriots ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Josh Allen ran for two touchdowns, cornerback Rasul Douglas returned one of his two interceptions for a score and the Buffalo Bills maintained their clear path to the playoffs with a 27-21 win over the New England Patriots. The three-time division champion Bills now prepare for a season-ending showdown at Miami next weekend that will decide the AFC East title. Buffalo has already defeated the Dolphins this year, and Miami blew a chance at clinching the division title with a 56-19 loss to Baltimore on Sunday. The Bills have yet to clinch a playoff berth but could do so Sunday with a Pittsburgh loss or tie at Seattle and a Cincinnati loss or tie at Kansas City. Steelers keep playoff hopes alive into Week 18 with 30-23 win over Seahawks SEATTLE (AP) — Najee Harris rushed for a season-high 122 yards and bullied his way into the end zone for a pair of touchdowns, and the Pittsburgh Steelers kept their playoff hopes alive into Week 18 with a 30-23 win over the Seattle Seahawks. Using a punishing running attack that faced little resistance from Seattle, the Steelers pushed their way into the final week of the regular season with a chance at the postseason and ensured that Mike Tomlin’s team would yet again avoid a losing record. Pittsburgh thrived against Seattle’s run defense that has been awful for more than half the season and finished with 202 yards rushing and a season-high 468 total yards. PGA Tour seeks extension on commercial deal with Saudis, private investors The PGA Tour’s agreement with the Saudi backers of LIV Golf is expiring and Commissioner Jay Monahan wants more time. Monahan is telling players in a memo that it has made enough progress in negotiations to take them into 2024. Monahan also says it has made meaningful progress with the private investment group Strategic Sports Group. That’s a consortium of U.S. professional team sports owners. The more complicated negotiations are with the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia. Monahan is describing those conversations as active and productive. So there’s still no deal. And the new PGA Tour season starts Thursday. College Football Playoff semifinals could set betting records LAS VEGAS (AP) — Sportsbook director Jay Kornegay is anticipating massive crowds at Westgate’s Las Vegas location this weekend and Monday to bet on the two College Football Playoff semifinal games. Part of it is timing. Last season’s games were on New Year’s Eve. This season’s games are on New Year’s Day. The other part is the field. Michigan is ranked first by the CFP committee. The Wolverines face No. 4 Alabama in the Rose Bowl. No. 2 Washington plays No. 3 Texas in the Sugar Bowl. A tantalizing Rose Bowl matchup pits Saban’s Alabama against Harbaugh’s Michigan in the CFP PASADENA, Calif. (AP) — Nick Saban and Jim Harbaugh are among the few larger-than-life figures still standing in a sport long defined by its coaching giants. They’ll meet on opposite sidelines as coaches for only the second time when the Crimson Tide face the Wolverines in a tantalizing Rose Bowl pitting the two winningest schools in major college football against each other. In no small part because of the coaching matchup, this 110th edition of the Granddaddy of Them All is one of the most anticipated games in the 10-year history of the College Football Playoff, with the winner headed to Houston next week to play for a title. Washington, Texas meet in Sugar Bowl CFP semifinal behind coaches with very different career paths NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Washington’s Kalen DeBoer and Texas’ Steve Sarkisian are newcomers as head coaches in the College Football Playoff, with career paths that could not be more different. DeBoer methodically climbed from the lowest levels of college football to become the AP’s coach of the year in 2023. Sarkisian was a coaching prodigy whose meteoric rise was interrupted by a drinking problem. On New Year’s Day, the second-ranked, Pac-12 champion Huskies and third-ranked, Big 12 champion Longhorns will play in the Sugar Bowl for a spot in the national championship game. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.	https://kstp.com/associated-press/ap-national-sports/ap-sports-summarybrief-at-715-p-m-est/	2024-01-01T00:31:44Z
5 N/A Offerings For Dry January Plus: 42 choices for New Year's dining, Polish deli reopens on South Side and farewell to Sunshine Cafe. Going alcohol-free for a month can feel like a daunting prospect anywhere, especially in a bar-saturated town like Milwaukee. Despite its boozy reputation, however, Milwaukee offers plenty of options when it comes to zero-proof beverages — whether that means opting for a mocktail, sipping on a comforting tea or delving into the world of CBD and hemp-derived products. And while non-alcoholic options are readily available at nearly every bar, brewery and restaurant in the city, here are five unique destinations and experiences for those looking to shake things up this Dry January. On Jan. 6, N/A Day Dry January Beverage Festival will lend a strong start to the month with more than 30 different vendors offering a wide range of non-alcoholic beverages. A handful of local businesses will be in attendance, as well as larger brands, all providing unlimited samples to help you discover a new go-to beverage. A new, hybrid cocktail bar is also slated to make its debut in early January, opening just in time for the first weekend of the new year. The concept, Equal Parts, will offer a single menu with both traditional and non-alcoholic versions of each cocktail. For a laid-back bar setting without the presence of alcohol, head to HoneyBee Sage Apothecary & Herbal Beverage Lounge. The Bronzeville business, 1819 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr., offers a selection of teas and non-alcoholic herbal drinks made with zero-proof spirits. Looking for a buzz without the alcohol? Indeed Brewing Company recently introduced a line of gummies infused with hemp-derived THC and broad-spectrum CBD. The gummies, called Two Good THC Goodies, are available for purchase inside the Walker’s Point taproom, 530 S. 2nd St. Hemp-derived THC is also making its way into a growing number of Milwaukee establishments. See Urban Milwaukee’s previous coverage for more information. New Restaurant Slated For High Turnover Southside Space Sunshine Cafe, a breakfast and brunch spot in the Clarke Square neighborhood, is closed. But the building, 831 S. Cesar E. Chavez Dr., may soon house a new restaurant. Desiré Calderón opened Sunshine Cafe in November 2022, serving American-style dishes such as eggs, bacon, pancakes and breakfast sandwiches. The goal, she told Urban Milwaukee at the time, was to emulate the feel of a classic diner — similar to Silver Dollar Cafe, a previous occupant of the building. Sunshine Cafe continued to operate throughout most of 2023, but abruptly went social media silent in August. Additionally, the business’s phone number has been disconnected and a recent trip to the address revealed that its signage has been removed from the building. In its place, industry veteran Hermogenes Correa Miramontes is preparing to open Carnitas Mi Pueblo. Like its predecessor, the new restaurant would focus only on food, with no plans to serve alcohol. N/A Beverage Festival Returns For Third Year More than 50 zero-proof beverages will be available to sample at the upcoming N/A Day Dry January Beverage Festival, which returns for its third installment next month. The festival, hosted by Milwaukee Record, will take place on Saturday, Jan. 6 from noon to 4 p.m. at The Cooperage, 822 S. Water St., featuring nearly 30 different vendors and unlimited samples. Local favorites including Lakefront Brewery, Soul Brew Kombucha and Great Lakes Distillery will be in attendance, along with brands such as Athletic Brewing, Ghost Energy and Guinness, which have international reach. The full lineup promises to encompass a wide variety of non-alcoholic beer and seltzer, kombucha, mocktails, N/A spirits, tonics, sparkling water, coffee, CBD and hemp-derived products and more. A complete list of vendors is available online. Polish Deli Has New Owners M&P Polish Deli saw a flurry of activity in the weeks before Christmas. Customers, most speaking in Polish, picked up packages of pierogi and fretted over the deli case — kielbasa or liver sausage? Better make it both. The scene is typical for the 32-year-old deli, 1215 W. Lincoln Ave., which caters to the city’s large Polish population, as well as others looking for authentic Polish foods. But one thing is different this year: the deli has new owners. “We’ve been coming here for 18 years,” said Przemyslaw Rybicki, who now leads the deli with his wife, Malgorzata Rostkowska. The couple purchased the business, formerly known as A&J Polish Deli, after previous owners Adam Zbik and Jadwiga Rozak retired. At the time, the future of the deli was uncertain. But Rybicki couldn’t bear to see the business close for good. 42 Choices for Special New Year’s Dining Bernie and Dennis Bondar will spend the first moments of 2024 knee-deep in oyster shells. The pair, co-owners of Wolski’s Tavern, have made it an annual tradition to shuck over 100 fresh oysters for customers on New Year’s Day, whether guests are stopping by after a good night’s sleep or just rising from their bar stools after an all-nighter (Wolski’s doesn’t close on New Year’s Eve). The shucking is likely to start between 6 a.m. and 8 a.m., according to a representative of the tavern. Seafood may be a step outside the norm for the 115-year-old dive bar, 1836 N. Pulaski St., but the novelty has proven to be popular. The new year is a time for transformation, after all. Discourse To Debut New Cocktail Bar in January After just over a year of operating its downtown cafe, Discourse will usher in 2024 with a brand-new concept. On Friday, Jan. 5, the coffee shop, 1020 N. Broadway, will begin moonlighting as Equal Parts, a cocktail bar offering both traditional and non-alcoholic versions of each beverage on its menu. By day, the coffee shop will continue as usual. The concept is the result of more than a year of intensive study, exploration and experimentation. “Every component has been meticulously considered,” said operating partner Kat Doughty, whose career includes work at Morel and Shanghai. “We’re simply a group of drink makers obsessed with what liquid has been and what it can be.” The opening menu, A Journey Through Time, will feature more than a dozen cocktails including classics like the Aviation, Margarita, Negroni and Espresso Martini, along with experimental offerings such as Jurassic, a mezcal old fashioned cocktail scented with geosmin (a chemical compound responsible for that post-rain smell) and The New Frontier, featuring brown butter-washed whiskey and house-spiced apple cider served hot with a flaming cinnamon stick. Another experimental cocktail, the Interstellar, is especially intriguing, having borrowed its flavor notes from the supposed taste and smell of the Milky Way. A 2009 discovery revealed that the center of the universe contains plentiful ethyl formate, a chemical that tastes like raspberries and smells like rum. Equal Parts turned that concept into liquor form, producing a cocktail with rum, sweet white wine, pandan-infused red tea, raspberry and acidified pineapple. If you think stories like this are important, become a member of Urban Milwaukee and help support real, independent journalism. Plus you get some cool added benefits. Now Serving - THC Has Become Alcohol Alternative Dec 24th, 2023 by Sophie Bolich - Milwaukee Is Big on Boba Cafes Dec 17th, 2023 by Sophie Bolich - Milwaukee Bars Hosting Many Holiday Pop-Ups Dec 10th, 2023 by Sophie Bolich	https://urbanmilwaukee.com/2023/12/31/now-serving-5-n-a-offerings-for-dry-january/	2024-01-01T00:31:44Z
Want to learn about our restaurant platform? Get a demo Chopped salad in Cockeysville / Cockeysville / Chopped Salad Cockeysville restaurants that serve chopped salad All About Lunch 10150 York Rd, Suite 202, Cockeysville No reviews yet BBQ Chopped Salad $9.99 More about All About Lunch PIZZA • SANDWICHES Bruno's Pizza 10709 York Road, Cockeysville Avg 4.7 (281 reviews) Signature Chopped Salad $8.99 Mixed Greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, cranberries, walnuts and shaved parmesan Loaded Chopped Salad $10.99 Chopped iceberg & spring mix lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, Kalamata olives,hard boiled egg & gorgonzola cheese More about Bruno's Pizza Browse other tasty dishes in Cockeysville Fish And Chips French Fries Turkey Bacon Chicken Fried Steaks Rice Pudding Meatball Subs Cheese Pizza Chicken Parmesan Sandwiches More near Cockeysville to explore Towson Avg 4.1 (35 restaurants) Lutherville Timonium Avg 4.4 (28 restaurants) Owings Mills Avg 4.4 (27 restaurants) Parkville Avg 4.4 (16 restaurants) Nottingham Avg 4.7 (16 restaurants) Pikesville Avg 4.5 (9 restaurants) Reisterstown Avg 4.4 (9 restaurants) Randallstown Avg 4.3 (7 restaurants) Fallston Avg 4.4 (6 restaurants) More popular cities to explore Baltimore Avg 4.4 (490 restaurants) York Avg 4.5 (39 restaurants) Gettysburg Avg 4.2 (26 restaurants) Lancaster Avg 4.6 (126 restaurants) Washington Avg 4.4 (916 restaurants) Harrisburg Avg 4.4 (54 restaurants) New Orleans Avg 4.5 (344 restaurants) Milwaukee Avg 4.5 (366 restaurants) San Jose Avg 4.3 (253 restaurants) Minneapolis Avg 4.5 (485 restaurants) Sacramento Avg 4.3 (306 restaurants) Las Vegas Avg 4.4 (573 restaurants)	https://www.toasttab.com/local/cockeysville-md-restaurants/dish/chopped-salad	2024-01-01T00:31:45Z
Peter Diamandis, Founder of X Prize and technology entrepreneur, believes that personal medical monitors will allow us to become "CEOs of our own health," and revolutionize healthcare around the world. Our ever-growing library will meet your interests whatever they may be	https://curiositystream.com/title/video/1319	2024-01-01T00:31:45Z
Panthers owner David Tepper appears to toss drink toward fans, viral video shows In a video that went viral on New Year’s Eve, Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper was filmed throwing what appears to be the contents of a drink into the stands from his suite at EverBank Stadium. The video was filmed Sunday from a neighboring suite during the Panthers’ 26-0 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 17. Instagram user Christy Honsberger (c_honsberger) posted the video — without sound — and declined to comment after being contacted by The Observer. The suites at EverBank Field have windows that apparently can be opened in some cases, and the video shows some substance going outside of the suite after the toss by Tepper. The TV screen in the press box playing during the video appears to show the replay of the fourth-quarter interception thrown by rookie quarterback Bryce Young. The pick, which was made by Jaguars safety Antonio Johnson, occurred with 3:07 left in the blowout loss. Panthers general manager Scott Fitterer is standing to the right of Tepper during the incident but is not involved in it. #Panthers owner David Tepper appears to throw the contents of a cup from the press box out into the stands with GM Scott Fitterer watching to his right:https://t.co/T3CvxUgCr6 — Mike Kaye (@mike_e_kaye) December 31, 2023 An NFL spokesperson provided The Observer with the following comment on the video: “We are aware of the video and have no further comment at this time.” Requests for comment from the Panthers were not immediately returned. The NFL’s personal conduct policy states: “Everyone who is part of the league must refrain from ‘conduct detrimental to the integrity of and public confidence in’ the NFL. This includes owners, coaches, players, other team employees, game officials, and employees of the league office, NFL Films, NFL Network, or any other NFL business.” The Panthers’ loss to the Jaguars was their first shutout defeat since 2002. The team also solidified that it would be giving the 2024 first overall pick — which the Panthers earned with an NFL-worst 2-14 record — to the Chicago Bears, per the terms of their March trade up to the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft. The Panthers still have one game left on their schedule — a home matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers next Sunday — at Bank of America Stadium.	https://ca.news.yahoo.com/panthers-owner-david-tepper-appears-000735827.html	2024-01-01T00:31:48Z
250 Swedish kronor to Cape Verdean escudos Convert SEK to CVE at the real exchange rate Loading Top currencies Beware of bad exchange rates.Banks and traditional providers often have extra costs, which they pass to you by marking up the exchange rate. Our smart tech means we’re more efficient – which means you get a great rate. Every time. How to convert Swedish kronor to Cape Verdean escudos - 1 Input your amount Simply type in the box how much you want to convert. - 2 Choose your currencies Click on the dropdown to select SEK in the first dropdown as the currency that you want to convert and CVE in the second drop down as the currency you want to convert to. - 3 That’s it Our currency converter will show you the current SEK to CVE rate and how it’s changed over the past day, week or month. Top currency pairings for Swedish kronor Change Converter source currency - Australian Dollar - Brazilian Real - British Pound Sterling - Bulgarian Lev - Canadian Dollar - Chinese Yuan RMB - Czech Republic Koruna - Danish Krone - Euro - Hong Kong Dollar - Hungarian Forint - Indian Rupee - Indonesian Rupiah - Israeli New Sheqel - Japanese Yen - Malaysian Ringgit - New Zealand Dollar - Norwegian Krone - Polish Zloty - Romanian Leu - Singapore Dollar - Swedish Krona - Swiss Franc - Turkish Lira - US Dollar Are you overpaying your bank? Banks often advertise free or low-cost transfers, but add a hidden markup to the exchange rate. Wise gives you the real, mid-market, exchange rate, so you can make huge savings on your international money transfers. Download Our Currency Converter App Features our users love:- Free and ad-free. - Track live exchange rates. - Compare the best money transfer providers.	https://wise.com/in/currency-converter/sek-to-cve-rate?amount=250	2024-01-01T00:31:49Z
Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel laments decision to keep LB Bradley Chubb on field late in blowout loss BALTIMORE (AP) — Miami Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel says “it doesn’t look very smart at all” that he kept star linebacker Bradley Chubb on the field late in a 56-19 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Chubb was carted off the field in the fourth quarter Sunday with a knee injury. He leads the team with 11 sacks this season, and now his availability for the playoffs is in question. McDaniel says the team will find out the extent of the injury on Monday. The Dolphins had hoped to secure the top seed in the AFC, but that will go to the Ravens. Now, Miami will need to beat Buffalo next week to win the AFC East. Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.	https://kstp.com/associated-press/ap-national-sports/dolphins-coach-mike-mcdaniel-laments-decision-to-keep-lb-bradley-chubb-on-field-late-in-blowout-loss/	2024-01-01T00:31:50Z
Three Buyers Seeking Former MPS School Plus: SoHi Lofts reopens to residents and a recap of the week's real estate news. Three buyers are in the running for a former Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) elementary school near W. Capitol Drive and Interstate 43. The Department of City Development is reviewing bids for the former Emanuel Philipp Elementary School, 4310 N. 16th St. The 1930s, Art Deco-inspired building is one of the more architecturally distinct MPS facilities with a penguin balustrade over its arched entrance and terracotta reliefs of fables and fairy tales throughout the facade. MPS vacated the three-story building in 2007. The 2.6-acre property fills the middle of the block between W. Olive and W. Congress streets and is surrounded by homes built in the same era as the school. Rufus King High School is nearby and was completed at the same time. It is not known whether the undisclosed prospective buyers, each of which responded to a request for proposals (RFP) by the Dec. 27 deadline, intend to use the 17-classroom building as a school or to redevelop the 39,625-square-foot building into housing or another use. The property, as state law requires, already went through a two-year period where it was available solely to other school users. The latest RFP allowed for either school use or adaptive reuse. However one potential impediment to using it for a school is that the RFP requires any future buyer to pay property taxes or enter into a payment in lieu of taxes agreement. “Proposals will be evaluated on price, prospective use, impact on the business community and adjoining neighborhood, extent and quality of renovations, contribution to the tax base, and financial viability,” says the RFP in enumerating the evaluation criteria. A final recommendation will be forwarded to the full Common Council for approval. Alderwoman Andrea Pratt represents the area on the council and lives in the surrounding Rufus King neighborhood. The RFP included a $634,000 asking price, the same price given in a 2017 third-party appraisal if the property were to be reused as a school. If redeveloped, the property is appraised at $495,000. The original building was designed by Eschweiler & Eschweiler, as was a 1961 auditorium audition. The property was given local historic preservation protection in 1988, which requires a legislative approval process for any exterior modifications, but is not yet on the National Register of Historic Places, which would make it eligible for historic preservation tax credits. Preservation tax credits have been successfully used in other school redevelopments, including Gorman & Co’s project a couple miles to the west to redevelop the former Edison Middle School, 5372 N. 37th St., into affordable housing. Construction is underway on that effort. Who was Emanuel Philipp? A railroad executive for starters, but also a governor of Wisconsin. He served three two-year terms as governor, from 1915 to 1921, as a conservative Republican and was critical of the Progressive movement and railroad regulation. He worked for multiple railroads, eventually taking control of the Union Refrigerator Transit Co. and, in 1903, reorganizing it in Wisconsin. As company president, he publicly sparred with then-Governor Robert “Fightin’ Bob” La Follette in 1904 over an alleged kickback scheme between Philipp and major shippers like Pabst and Schlitz. The issue was covered by a handful of area newspapers and magazines, and resulted in a liberal suit against the publications and a public retraction in 1906. The company’s Milwaukee operations were located three blocks from the school site, between N. Green Bay Avenue and N. Port Washington Road, and were developed during a period when the businesses were outside of the city limits. Philipp according to newspaper accounts, also owned the Mi Lola Cigar Co. Philipp passed away in 1925 at the age of 61 and is interred at Forest Home Cemetery. The refrigerated railcar company was originally created to serve the Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company, where Philipp worked for a period as transit manager. The company built wooden refrigerated railcars and leased them to railroads, like the Milwaukee Road. Philipp served on the board of the Milwaukee Road and the Second Ward Savings Bank and operated two large model farms. If you’ve been stuck in traffic on Interstate 43 near W. Capitol Drive in the past two years, you’ve encountered Philipp’s legacy. The freeway is being reconstructed and a complicating logistical factor is the need to replace a lengthy bridge north of W. Capitol Drive that spans what was previously the Union Refrigerator railyard on the Milwaukee-Glendale border just a few blocks from the school. The railyard, located along what was the Milwaukee Road’s Beerline, is long gone and a large portion of the west side of the site could soon house The Ability Center with the Beerline Trail running alongside it. The trail is being extended northwest, towards the school, from Riverwest as part of the freeway project. A Home Depot hardware store, 4155 N. Port Washington Rd., covers much of the railyard site east of the freeway. Union Refrigerator spent several decades as a subsidiary of the still-operating General American Transportation Corporation (today known as GATX) before its Milwaukee operations were closed. Photos A Christmas Miracle For Displaced SoHi Lofts Residents The displaced residents of a Near West Side apartment building got a welcome surprise in the week leading up to Christmas. Residents of the 16-unit SoHi Lofts, 2632 W. Wells St., were able to move back in. Repairs to the building are ongoing, but residents can come home. Late in the summer, a rear external stairway collapsed on the building, creating a fire-safety risk. The Department of Neighborhood Services (DNS), responding to a resident complaint, issued an emergency order on Sept. 1 and on Sept. 5 required all residents to leave by the next day. DNS has now given the all clear to come back. A public hearing on Sept. 12 brought the issue to a head, with a wide-ranging discussion about the development’s unusual history, even more unusual elevator system and what could be done to fix it. A class action lawsuit by some of the attendants against the building owner, Brinshore Development, is ongoing. Brinshore waived rent and paid for hotels during the displacement. Attorney Michael Cerjak filed the case. Photos Weekly Recap Movida’s Major Expansion Construction work on a major expansion of Movida at Hotel Madrid is nearing completion. The Walker’s Point restaurant, 600 S. 6th St., is receiving a two-story, eastern addition that includes a second-story rooftop patio, private event space, additional dining space and an expanded kitchen. The expansion, which will open in early 2024, will help the Spanish tapas restaurant, bar and event venue bolster its chances of securing a windfall during the July Republican National Convention. It’s an opportunity not lost on owner Stand Eat Drink Hospitality Group, which is promoting convention-specific leasing options on the Movida website. The website touts that the expansion will offer “seating for 500 guests, two kitchens, two bars, three dining rooms, and a second floor rooftop patio” across a 12,000-square-foot indoor-outdoor complex. Walgreens Shutters Three Milwaukee Stores In One Year One of the most ubiquitous American retailers continues to withdraw from Milwaukee. In January, Walgreens is closing its pharmacy and retail store at 2222 W. Capitol Dr. on the edge of the Garden Homes neighborhood. It follows fall store closures on the far northwest side and south side. “When faced with the difficult decision to close a location, several factors are taken into account, including our existing footprint of stores, dynamics of the local market, and changes in the buying habits of our patients and customers, among other reasons,” said the company in a statement about the latest closure. As part of a cost-cutting move announced in June, the company is closing 150 stores from its roster of approximately 9,000 stores. It has also eliminated approximately 500 jobs from its office workforce. Former Catholic School Sold To Charter School A third charter school has acquired the former St. Michael’s Catholic School on Milwaukee’s West Side. According to state real estate records, an affiliate of Milwaukee Academy of Science (MAS) purchased the currently vacant building at 2433 W. Cherry St. for $2.48 million on Dec. 22 from the former Penfield Montessori Academy. MAS, a K4 through 12th grade school, is currently located at 2000 W. Kilbourn Ave. in a multi-tenant complex that was once home to Sinai Samaritan Medical Center. It has undertaken several expansion projects in recent years, including building a new gymnasium, to expand the facility’s maximum student capacity to 1,500. It currently has approximately 1,400 students. Penfield, an affiliate of still-operating Penfield’s Children Center, closed at the end of the last school year, citing financial issues with state funding formulas. After the closure, the Wisconsin State Legislature and Governor Tony Evers passed a funding overhaul that substantially boosted per-pupil funding for charter and voucher schools. What’s It Worth? University Club Milwaukee, $2,728,500 Simply because an event occurred suddenly doesn’t mean it came as a surprise. Case in point: Tuesday’s permanent closure of the city campus of The University Club of Milwaukee after 125 years in operation. Established in 1898 and still housed today in a 1926 John Russell Pope historic-designated Georgian building at 924 E. Wells St., its management had tried many strategies to keep the organization viable over the decades. These included the 2016 merger with the Tripoli Country Club [Est. 1921]. It was renamed University Club Country Club. That campus, at 7401 N. 43rd St., Brown Deer, will remain. Management announced the permanent closure Wednesday, citing deferred maintenance, dwindling membership and other issues: The Board contemplated and exhausted all reasonable alternative scenarios to improve the Club’s financial position and determined that the closure of the downtown facility was the only responsible option. The Club changed focus to preserve the country club experience. If you think stories like this are important, become a member of Urban Milwaukee and help support real, independent journalism. Plus you get some cool added benefits.	https://urbanmilwaukee.com/2023/12/31/plats-and-parcels-three-buyers-seeking-former-mps-school/	2024-01-01T00:31:50Z
Cape Town Rocked by Weekend Surge in Violence: A Glimpse into the Gang Violence Issue In a disturbing surge of violence over the recent weekend, Cape Town is reeling from a series of brutal attacks that claimed the lives of at least 10 individuals. The victims were either shot or stabbed in various locations across the city, in a string of incidents that might be connected to gang-related activities. The Unfolding Violence The incidents, which broke the peace of the city, happened in different neighborhoods, suggesting a potentially coordinated wave of violence. The nature and pattern of these crimes hint that they may not be isolated events, but symptoms of a pervasive issue of gang violence that urban areas like Cape Town struggle with. The details of the incidents remain largely undisclosed, yet the bloody trail left in their wake speaks volumes about the severity of the situation. The Response to the Crisis These incidents have put the authorities and local communities on high alert. The urgent need to combat this surge of violence underscores the ongoing challenges that the city faces in tackling organized crime and ensuring public safety. The law enforcement agencies are likely to intensify their efforts in response to these potentially gang-related attacks. Looking Beyond the Surface While the immediate response is essential, this situation also highlights the necessity for effective strategies that address the root causes of gang violence. It brings into focus the need for community engagement in creating sustainable solutions for peace and security. As Cape Town grapples with this wave of violence, it’s clear that a long-term approach is needed – one that goes beyond suppression and focuses on prevention and intervention, addressing the structural issues that give rise to gangs in the first place. Comments Subscribe to BNN Breaking Sign up for our daily newsletter covering global breaking news around the world.	https://bnnbreaking.com/breaking-news/crime/cape-town-rocked-by-weekend-surge-in-violence-a-glimpse-into-the-gang-violence-issue/	2024-01-01T00:31:50Z
Want to learn about our restaurant platform? Get a demo Crab cake sandwiches in Cockeysville / Cockeysville / Crab Cake Sandwiches Cockeysville restaurants that serve crab cake sandwiches Pappas- Cockeysville - 550 Cranbrook Rd 550 Cranbrook Rd, Cockeysville No reviews yet Crab Cake Sandwich $27.99 Our crab cake served on a fresh brioche roll with lettuce, tomatoe, and french fries More about Pappas- Cockeysville - 550 Cranbrook Rd The Corner Stable 9942 York Road, Cockeysville No reviews yet Crab Cake Sandwich $23.99 A broiled half pound crab cake made with colossal and jumbo lump crab meat and a blend of our chef’s special seasonings. More about The Corner Stable Browse other tasty dishes in Cockeysville Crispy Chicken Wraps Chicken Sandwiches Sliders Cobb Salad Greek Salad Fried Zucchini Pudding Salmon More near Cockeysville to explore Towson Avg 4.1 (35 restaurants) Lutherville Timonium Avg 4.4 (28 restaurants) Owings Mills Avg 4.4 (27 restaurants) Parkville Avg 4.4 (16 restaurants) Nottingham Avg 4.7 (16 restaurants) Pikesville Avg 4.5 (9 restaurants) Reisterstown Avg 4.4 (9 restaurants) Randallstown Avg 4.3 (7 restaurants) Fallston Avg 4.4 (6 restaurants) More popular cities to explore Baltimore Avg 4.4 (490 restaurants) York Avg 4.5 (39 restaurants) Gettysburg Avg 4.2 (26 restaurants) Lancaster Avg 4.6 (126 restaurants) Washington Avg 4.4 (916 restaurants) Harrisburg Avg 4.4 (54 restaurants) New Orleans Avg 4.5 (344 restaurants) Milwaukee Avg 4.5 (366 restaurants) San Jose Avg 4.3 (253 restaurants) Minneapolis Avg 4.5 (485 restaurants) Sacramento Avg 4.3 (306 restaurants) Las Vegas Avg 4.4 (573 restaurants)	https://www.toasttab.com/local/cockeysville-md-restaurants/dish/crab-cake-sandwiches	2024-01-01T00:31:51Z
How do these two objects differ from one another, if at all? Nick Moskovitz, astronomer at the Lowell Observatory, compares these two space solar system bodies. Our ever-growing library will meet your interests whatever they may be How do these two objects differ from one another, if at all? Nick Moskovitz, astronomer at the Lowell Observatory, compares these two space solar system bodies.	https://curiositystream.com/title/video/132	2024-01-01T00:31:51Z
PGA Tour seeks extension on commercial deal with Saudis, private investors The PGA Tour believes it has made enough progress with the Saudi backers of LIV Golf to extend their negotiations into next year for a new commercial deal that would include a U.S. investment group and the European tour. Commissioner Jay Monahan sent a memo to players on Sunday afternoon, just seven hours before the deadline to finalize the deal that was set in the June 6 framework agreement. The PGA Tour board unanimously agreed three weeks ago to negotiate exclusively with Strategic Sports Group, a consortium of American-based professional sports teams owners led by Fenway Sports Group. Monahan said the tour has made “meaningful progress” with SSG and provided the group with all the information it requested. “As we move forward in our discussions, we are focused on the finalization of terms and drafts of necessary documents,” Monahan said. Far more complicated are the negotiations with Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, the financial supporters of the rival LIV Golf League which lured away Dustin Johnson and Brooks Koepka in 2022, and most recently Masters champion Jon Rahm earlier this month. Monahan described conversations with PIF and the European tour as “active and productive.” The framework agreement was to expire Dec. 31, though it included language that the deadline could be extended if all parties agreed. “We are working to extend our negotiations into next year based on the progress we have made to date,” Monahan said in his memo. Monahan said the goal for 2024 was to reach agreements with SSG, PIF and the European tour to bring them in as minority co-investors in the for-profit PGA Tour Enterprises. “These partnerships will allow us to unify, innovate and invest in the game for the benefit of players, fans and sponsors,” Monahan said. Under the framework agreement, PIF Governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan would have a seat on the PGA Tour board. The agreement also included PGA Tour Enterprises doing an “objective, empirical-driven evaluation” of LIV and to determine if team golf can be integrated into the PGA Tour and European tour. It also was to determine a “fair and objective” process for LIV players who might want to return to the PGA Tour or European tour, which is said to be a sticking point because of the players who turned down Saudi riches to remain on the PGA Tour. The PGA Tour season begins Thursday at The Sentry on Maui, the first of eight “signature” events with a $20 million purse and limited field. LIV Golf already has announced the bulk of its 2024 schedule and $20 million purses. It starts the first week of February. ___ AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf	https://ca.news.yahoo.com/pga-tour-seeks-extension-commercial-000710918.html	2024-01-01T00:31:55Z
5 Swedish kronor to Cape Verdean escudos Convert SEK to CVE at the real exchange rate Loading Top currencies Beware of bad exchange rates.Banks and traditional providers often have extra costs, which they pass to you by marking up the exchange rate. Our smart tech means we’re more efficient – which means you get a great rate. Every time. How to convert Swedish kronor to Cape Verdean escudos - 1 Input your amount Simply type in the box how much you want to convert. - 2 Choose your currencies Click on the dropdown to select SEK in the first dropdown as the currency that you want to convert and CVE in the second drop down as the currency you want to convert to. - 3 That’s it Our currency converter will show you the current SEK to CVE rate and how it’s changed over the past day, week or month. Top currency pairings for Swedish kronor Change Converter source currency - Australian Dollar - Brazilian Real - British Pound Sterling - Bulgarian Lev - Canadian Dollar - Chinese Yuan RMB - Czech Republic Koruna - Danish Krone - Euro - Hong Kong Dollar - Hungarian Forint - Indian Rupee - Indonesian Rupiah - Israeli New Sheqel - Japanese Yen - Malaysian Ringgit - New Zealand Dollar - Norwegian Krone - Polish Zloty - Romanian Leu - Singapore Dollar - Swedish Krona - Swiss Franc - Turkish Lira - US Dollar Are you overpaying your bank? Banks often advertise free or low-cost transfers, but add a hidden markup to the exchange rate. Wise gives you the real, mid-market, exchange rate, so you can make huge savings on your international money transfers. Download Our Currency Converter App Features our users love:- Free and ad-free. - Track live exchange rates. - Compare the best money transfer providers.	https://wise.com/in/currency-converter/sek-to-cve-rate?amount=5	2024-01-01T00:31:55Z
Flanigan, Murrell lead No. 24 Ole Miss past Bryant 95-78 as Rebels remain unbeaten OXFORD, Miss. (AP) — Allen Flanigan scored 20 points, Matthew Murrell had 18 and the duo combined for 31 second-half points to help No. 24 Mississippi remain unbeaten with a 95-78 victory over Bryant. The 13-0 Rebels head into Southeastern Conference play having matched the 2007-08 team for the best start in program history, which also equals the school’s longest overall winning streak. Sherif Gross-Bullocks led Bryant with 24 points and made four 3-pointers. The Bulldogs had pulled off an upset of No. 7 Florida Atlantic earlier this season. Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.	https://kstp.com/associated-press/ap-national-sports/flanigan-murrell-lead-no-24-ole-miss-past-bryant-95-78-as-rebels-remain-unbeaten/	2024-01-01T00:31:56Z
Car Tracking Apps: A Double-Edged Sword in Domestic Abuse In the age of connected automobiles, a sinister issue has arisen. Car tracking and control apps, originally designed to provide convenience to vehicle owners, are being misused as tools for control and intimidation in abusive relationships. The victims’ pleas for help and expert warnings have underscored the urgency of the situation, but car manufacturers remain disturbingly indifferent. The harrowing experience of Christine Dowdall, a victim of this technological abuse, encapsulates the severity of the situation. Technology as a Tool of Abuse After a violent altercation with her husband, Dowdall sought refuge in her Mercedes Benz C300. However, she soon discovered her husband was using the car’s connected services, accessible via the Mercedes Me app, to track her every move. Despite having a restraining order against her husband and sole use of the car granted during divorce proceedings, Mercedes representatives stated they could not remove her husband’s access as the loan and title were in his name. The Data Collection Conundrum Modern cars are equipped with sensors and cameras that can collect extensive personal information, including location data and driving habits. While this data collection can enhance convenience features such as remote locking and climate control, it also opens a Pandora’s box of privacy issues. Privacy advocates like Jen Caltrider from Mozilla have raised concerns about how car companies are using and sharing this data, with victims often finding themselves helpless when these features are misused in abusive relationships. Calling for Accountability While technology advances at a rapid pace, the response from car manufacturers to the misuse of their features has been sluggish, to say the least. Victims and experts are raising their voices, calling for mechanisms to prevent such abuse. Detective Kelly Downey, who investigated Dowdall’s case, has stressed the need for manufacturers to create ways to stop this misuse. Downey’s words highlight a stark reality: the onus falls on car manufacturers to prioritize user privacy and safety by implementing features that allow car owners to disable remote tracking. Comments Subscribe to BNN Breaking Sign up for our daily newsletter covering global breaking news around the world.	https://bnnbreaking.com/breaking-news/crime/car-tracking-apps-a-double-edged-sword-in-domestic-abuse/	2024-01-01T00:31:56Z
Want to learn about our restaurant platform? Get a demo Bread pudding in Groton / Groton / Bread Pudding Groton restaurants that serve bread pudding Salt & Light Cafe Bakery 159 Main Street, Groton No reviews yet Blueberry Bread Pudding $15.00 With real maple syrup More about Salt & Light Cafe Bakery Groton Publick House 94 Lovers Lane, Groton Avg 4.3 (161 reviews) Bread Pudding $6.00 More about Groton Publick House Browse other tasty dishes in Groton Corned Beef And Cabbage Cannolis Chicken Salad Bruschetta Pancakes Muffins Tuna Wraps Vanilla Ice Cream More near Groton to explore Nashua Avg 4.3 (38 restaurants) Lowell Avg 4.4 (21 restaurants) Chelmsford Avg 4.1 (13 restaurants) Fitchburg Avg 4.6 (12 restaurants) Leominster Avg 3 (11 restaurants) Westford Avg 4.7 (10 restaurants) Acton Avg 4.7 (8 restaurants) Hudson Avg 4.4 (6 restaurants) Stow Avg 4.7 (5 restaurants) More popular cities to explore Worcester Avg 4.6 (80 restaurants) Manchester Avg 4.4 (66 restaurants) Boston Avg 4.3 (696 restaurants) Concord Avg 4.5 (17 restaurants) Keene Avg 3.9 (12 restaurants) Providence Avg 4.5 (126 restaurants) Indianapolis Avg 4.4 (288 restaurants) Pittsburgh Avg 4.4 (383 restaurants) Grand Rapids Avg 4.5 (180 restaurants) Minneapolis Avg 4.5 (485 restaurants) Rochester Avg 4.4 (102 restaurants) Orlando Avg 4.4 (408 restaurants)	https://www.toasttab.com/local/groton-ma-restaurants/dish/bread-pudding	2024-01-01T00:31:57Z
Peter Diamandis, Founder of XPrize and technology entrepreneur, is among a group of visionary private citizens determined to open the space frontier and make us a multi-planetary species. Our ever-growing library will meet your interests whatever they may be	https://curiositystream.com/title/video/1320	2024-01-01T00:31:57Z
Pilot killed following a plane crash in NC Pilot killed following a plane crash in NC Pilot killed following a plane crash in NC A Florida woman trying to sell her house returned home one day to discover that her driveway was gone. The disappearing act was preceded by unsolicited visits from contractors and a series of text messages from a mysterious stranger. CNN affiliate WFTV has more on the curious case. QUEBEC — As Quebec faces a worsening homelessness crisis, some politicians, including Quebec City Mayor Bruno Marchand, have suggested the solution may be a Finnish model that aims to give everyone a home. But while Finland has managed to massively reduce the number of people experiencing homelessness through its "housing first" approach, one Quebec expert said she's not sure it could be applied here, even if the provincial government was interested. "It's the right way to fight the problem of h "It would be great to know who the real allies are," the "Friends" star wrote of organizations and advocates he says refuse to believe victims The post David Schwimmer Calls Out Advocacy Groups That Don’t Believe Hamas Sexual Assault Survivors: ‘Where Is Their Outrage?’ appeared first on TheWrap. Germaine Arenas advises travelers to choose a red-eye flight when there's a big time difference. MONTREAL — There will be no midnight fireworks to herald the new year in Montreal's Old Port. Montréal en Fêtes, the organization that since 2013 has organized a free holiday festival near the city's waterfront, announced last month that it would no longer stage the event and its New Year's Eve party. The Old Port of Montreal Corporation, the entity that manages the area, confirms there will be no other New Year's Eve fireworks to replace the cancelled festival this year, but the local skating r Visit Lauderdale, the official marketing agency of Florida's Broward County, is pushing back against the state government's conservative legislation by championing inclusivity at the 2024 Rose Parade. The average monthly car payment hit a record $736 in the third quarter of 2023 thanks to a 7.4% average APR and an average MSRP just south of $48,000. With numbers like that staring them down, buyers... The Portsmouth Police Department said a motorcycle crashed on the east bound side of I-64 on Virginia's West Norfolk Bridge around 8:00 a.m. on Sunday. Authorities have identified three members of a Massachusetts family who were found shot to death this week inside a palatial, 27-room mansion in a wealthy section of suburban Boston. Investigators are now trying to figure out what caused a ski-equipped Air Tindi twin otter plane to take a hard landing en route to Lac De Gras, N.W.T., with eight passengers and two crew members on board. MISSISSAUGA, Ont. — Police say a 19-year-old woman is dead after an overnight shooting outside a nightclub west of Toronto. Peel Regional Police say officers responded around 1:30 a.m. to reports of a shooting in a plaza near Dixie Road and Eglinton Avenue in Mississauga, Ont. Police spokesperson Const. Mandeep Khatra says the woman was standing on a sidewalk outside the nightclub when she was shot. He says the woman was taken to hospital where she was pronounced dead. Police had not announced a A husband and wife and their two sons, ages 10 and 12, were found dead in a suburban New York home Saturday in what authorities described as a murder-suicide by a police sergeant. Police officials said Watson Morgan, a sergeant with the Bronxville Police Department, fatally shot his wife, Ornela Morgan, 43, and their sons before taking his own life. The four bodies were discovered by police just after midnight on Friday at the family’s home in New City, a suburb of New York City, after Morgan failed to show up for his evening shift at the Bronxville Police Department. A loud bang and accompanying shock-wave that shook homes has residents of a western New Brunswick village wondering what could have caused the Christmas Day incident.Andrew McDougall was sitting in his living room watching television when he heard a loud bang and felt what seemed to be an object hitting his house."It was like a huge gunfire or a very loud thunder clap, but it was short, like it was just a bang, and then the house shook right at the same time," said McDougall, adding it happened With its sunny weather and scenic landscapes, Arizona is a go-to retirement destination. However, rising costs have priced some retirees out of the market. Frugal Living YouTuber Kate Kaden: 5... Russian courts have sentenced more than 200 Ukrainian fighters to prison terms since Moscow started its military operation in Ukraine, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in an interview with the state RIA news agency published on Sunday. "The courts of the Russian Federation have already sentenced more than 200 representatives of Ukrainian armed formations to long terms of imprisonment for committing atrocities," Lavrov told RIA. Both sides accuse each other of committing numerous atrocities in the war that Russia started with a full-scale invasion on Ukraine in February 2022. PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — An Oregon weekly newspaper has had to lay off its entire staff and halt print after 40 years because its funds were embezzled by a former employee, its editor said, in a devastating blow to a publication that serves as an important source of information in a community that, like many others nationwide, is struggling with growing gaps in local news coverage. About a week before Christmas, the Eugene Weekly found inaccuracies in its bookkeeping, editor Camilla Mortensen said. EDMONTON — A passenger on a transit bus in Edmonton is in critical condition after police say she fell out the vehicle's back door. Police say the bus was making a left turn in the city's west end on Friday afternoon when a 63-year-old woman stood up from her seat and moved towards the rear exit. They say she reached for and held onto a safety bar, but as the bus turned, she lost her balance and fell backwards through the door and onto the street. "Paramedics treated and transported the woman to The King and Queen did not want their loyal subjects to be left out - so they set up an amazing sounds system outside St Mary Magdalene Church 'Baby, get down now': Mom and son parked at 7-Eleven witness moments surrounding murder-suicide Kai Zhuang of China was officially declared missing Friday, and police have “reason to believe” that he is “being held against his will."	https://ca.news.yahoo.com/pilot-killed-following-plane-crash-001606280.html	2024-01-01T00:32:01Z
50 Swedish kronor to Cape Verdean escudos Convert SEK to CVE at the real exchange rate Loading Top currencies Beware of bad exchange rates.Banks and traditional providers often have extra costs, which they pass to you by marking up the exchange rate. Our smart tech means we’re more efficient – which means you get a great rate. Every time. How to convert Swedish kronor to Cape Verdean escudos - 1 Input your amount Simply type in the box how much you want to convert. - 2 Choose your currencies Click on the dropdown to select SEK in the first dropdown as the currency that you want to convert and CVE in the second drop down as the currency you want to convert to. - 3 That’s it Our currency converter will show you the current SEK to CVE rate and how it’s changed over the past day, week or month. Top currency pairings for Swedish kronor Change Converter source currency - Australian Dollar - Brazilian Real - British Pound Sterling - Bulgarian Lev - Canadian Dollar - Chinese Yuan RMB - Czech Republic Koruna - Danish Krone - Euro - Hong Kong Dollar - Hungarian Forint - Indian Rupee - Indonesian Rupiah - Israeli New Sheqel - Japanese Yen - Malaysian Ringgit - New Zealand Dollar - Norwegian Krone - Polish Zloty - Romanian Leu - Singapore Dollar - Swedish Krona - Swiss Franc - Turkish Lira - US Dollar Are you overpaying your bank? Banks often advertise free or low-cost transfers, but add a hidden markup to the exchange rate. Wise gives you the real, mid-market, exchange rate, so you can make huge savings on your international money transfers. Download Our Currency Converter App Features our users love:- Free and ad-free. - Track live exchange rates. - Compare the best money transfer providers.	https://wise.com/in/currency-converter/sek-to-cve-rate?amount=50	2024-01-01T00:32:02Z
Giants’ Tyrod Taylor solid in return to lineup but misses potential winning 2-point conversion EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Many fans were unhappy when New York Giants coach Brian Daboll switched quarterbacks this week and had veteran Tyrod Taylor start in place of the popular Tommy DeVito. While Taylor missed a wide-open open Saquon Barkley with a short pass on a potential game-winning 2-point conversion try, the 34-year-old held his own in a 26-25 setback to red-hot Los Angeles on Sunday. Taylor was 27 of 41 for 319 yards and a touchdown and scrambled 31 yards in the final minute to set up a potential winning 54-yard field goal by Mason Crosby in the waning seconds. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.	https://kstp.com/associated-press/ap-national-sports/giants-tyrod-taylor-solid-in-return-to-lineup-but-misses-potential-winning-2-point-conversion/	2024-01-01T00:32:02Z
Carole Gold: From Playboy Bunny to Paroled Murderer The infamy of Carole Gold, a former Playboy Bunny turned convicted murderer, has taken another twist as she walks free on parole after serving sixteen years of her life sentence. Gold, one of the key figures involved in the 1992 murder plot against her husband, Chuck Gold, was released from Perryville prison in Arizona on August 31. A Playboy Bunny’s Dark Turn Carole Gold’s life reads like a noir thriller. Known for her association with Playboy in the 1950s, she helped open the original Playboy Club in Chicago in 1959. Gold’s life in the limelight included photo ops with Playboy founder Hugh Hefner. However, her glamorous image took a dark turn three decades later as she descended into a life of crime. The Murder Plot The murder plot against Chuck Gold, also known as Black Bart for his Old West performances, was meticulously planned. The scheme involved Gold, her son Kenneth Cottini, and drug dealer Robert Pryor. The motivation behind the murder was a forged $150,000 life insurance policy in Chuck’s name. He was shot eight times at his Phoenix home, and the subsequent investigation implicated all three. The Hitman’s Testimony Hitman Dan Goddard, who carried out the fatal shooting, was granted immunity in exchange for his testimony against Gold and her accomplices. His chilling account of the crime served as a crucial piece of evidence leading to their conviction. Kenneth Cottini and Robert Pryor have since served their sentences and been released. Carole Gold’s fall from grace from a Playboy Bunny to a convicted murderer is a stark reminder of the unpredictable turns life can take. As she steps back into society, the world will be watching to see what her next chapter holds. Comments Subscribe to BNN Breaking Sign up for our daily newsletter covering global breaking news around the world.	https://bnnbreaking.com/breaking-news/crime/carole-gold-from-playboy-bunny-to-paroled-murderer/	2024-01-01T00:32:03Z
Want to learn about our restaurant platform? Get a demo Pudding in Groton / Groton / Pudding Groton restaurants that serve pudding Salt & Light Cafe Bakery 159 Main Street, Groton No reviews yet Blueberry Bread Pudding $15.00 With real maple syrup More about Salt & Light Cafe Bakery Groton Publick House 94 Lovers Lane, Groton Avg 4.3 (161 reviews) Bread Pudding $6.00 More about Groton Publick House Browse other tasty dishes in Groton Brisket Pies Hummus Bruschetta Carrot Cake Waffles Chai Lattes Chili More near Groton to explore Nashua Avg 4.3 (38 restaurants) Lowell Avg 4.4 (21 restaurants) Chelmsford Avg 4.1 (13 restaurants) Fitchburg Avg 4.6 (12 restaurants) Leominster Avg 3 (11 restaurants) Westford Avg 4.7 (10 restaurants) Acton Avg 4.7 (8 restaurants) Hudson Avg 4.4 (6 restaurants) Stow Avg 4.7 (5 restaurants) More popular cities to explore Worcester Avg 4.6 (80 restaurants) Manchester Avg 4.4 (66 restaurants) Boston Avg 4.3 (696 restaurants) Concord Avg 4.5 (17 restaurants) Keene Avg 3.9 (12 restaurants) Providence Avg 4.5 (126 restaurants) Indianapolis Avg 4.4 (288 restaurants) Pittsburgh Avg 4.4 (383 restaurants) Grand Rapids Avg 4.5 (180 restaurants) Minneapolis Avg 4.5 (485 restaurants) Rochester Avg 4.4 (102 restaurants) Orlando Avg 4.4 (408 restaurants)	https://www.toasttab.com/local/groton-ma-restaurants/dish/pudding	2024-01-01T00:32:03Z
Meteor, meteoroids, meteorites, what's the difference? Nick Moskovitz, astronomer at the Lowell Observatory, gives us the answer. Our ever-growing library will meet your interests whatever they may be Meteor, meteoroids, meteorites, what's the difference? Nick Moskovitz, astronomer at the Lowell Observatory, gives us the answer.	https://curiositystream.com/title/video/133	2024-01-01T00:32:04Z
Kick off 2024 with a big win thanks to your favourite paper. We’ve got great cash prizes up for grabs that will help you bust your festive bills. 10 lucky Daily Star readers will each scoop £500 to help boost your bank balance. There is no better way to start 2024 than with this fantastic cash boost. And if you’ve made some New year’s resolutions to get fit and healthy then you could put the cash towards a gym membership and some fitness gear. That’s not all - as the cost of our bills continues to rise, it could help ease the pain of the monthly gas and electricity bills. The choice is yours. So, don’t miss out on this fantastic prize, enter now using the entry form below to be in with a chance of winning! This competition closes at 23:59 pm on Monday January 15, 2024. Any entries received after this date will not be counted.	https://www.dailystar.co.uk/life-style/competitions/bust-your-xmas-bills-winning-31756606	2024-01-01T00:32:05Z
Chatter along Kauai's "coconut wireless" rumor mill, an allusion to Facebook, has had its share of intrigue over the mysterious private compound being built there by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg. Some say it will contain an underground city, while others tag it as a post-apocalyptic bunker. Wired reporter Guthrie Scrimgeour's investigation into the top-secret build on Hawaii's oldest and smallest island pins these conjectures as conservative—for once, the rumors don't go far enough. Though a wall of NDAs and a literal six-foot boundary makes peeking into the $270 million compound on 1,400 acres nearly impossible, Scrimgeour spoke with anonymous former contractors and dug into public records to learn what's going on inside the private vacation home, dubbed Koolau Ranch. To start, the plans include over a dozen structures, which include two mansions, disk-shaped treehouses connected by rope ladders, and a building that will house a gym, pools, sauna, and tennis court. In all, there will be at least 30 bedrooms and bathrooms each. The home is also self-sustaining, with an 18-foot tall water tank and food grown on the grounds. Intense security and safety measures, like an underground bunker, blast-proof doors, and an arsenal of security cams, are also in the plans. And while ogling the excesses of the ultra-rich is a favorite American pastime, the real story of Koolau Ranch lies in both Hawaiian land use, which has a measure of protections for Native Hawaiians, and the quest for privacy and isolation by tech-billionaires, who often profit on the sale of other people's personal data (Zuckerberg included). Read the full story here. (And check out more Longform recaps).	https://www.newser.com/story/344044/mark-zuckerberg-is-building-a-secret-luxury-bunker.html	2024-01-01T00:32:05Z
Denmark’s Queen Margrethe II to step down from throne on Jan. 14 STOCKHOLM, Sweden (AP) — Denmark’s Queen Margrethe II announced Sunday that she plans to abdicate after 52 years and hand over the throne to her son, Crown Prince Frederik. The queen, who is Europe’s longest-reigning living monarch, announced during her New Year’s speech that she would step down on Jan. 14th, which is the anniversary of her own accession to the throne at age 31 following the death of her father, King Frederik IX. Margrethe, 83, said the back surgery she underwent in early 2023 led to “thoughts about the future” and when to pass on the responsibilities of the crown to her son. “I have decided that now is the right time,” she said in her speech. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen paid tribute to her in a statement, offering a “heartfelt thank you to Her Majesty the Queen for her lifelong dedication and tireless efforts for the Kingdom.” Margrethe is the “epitome of Denmark” Frederiksen’s statement read, and “throughout the years has put words and feelings into who we are as a people and as a nation.” The 6-foot-tall (1.82-meters-tall), chain-smoking Margrethe has been one of the most popular public figures in Denmark, where the monarch’s role is largely ceremonial. She often walked the streets of Copenhagen virtually unescorted and won the admiration of Danes for her warm manners and for her talents as a linguist and designer. A keen skier, she was a member of a Danish women’s air force unit as a princess, taking part in judo courses and endurance tests in the snow. Margrethe remained tough even as she grew older. In 2011, at age 70, she visited Danish troops in southern Afghanistan wearing a military jumpsuit. As monarch, she crisscrossed the country and regularly visited Greenland and the Faeroe Islands, the two semi-independent territories which are part of the Danish Realm, and was met everywhere by cheering crowds. Denmark has Europe’s oldest ruling monarchy, which traces its line back to the Viking king Gorm the Old, who died in 958. Although Magrethe is head of state, the Danish Constitution strictly ruled out her involvement in party politics. Yet the queen was clearly well-versed in law and knew the contents of the legislation she was called upon to sign. She received training in French and English from her earliest years, as well as Swedish from her mother. In addition to archaeology, she studied philosophy, political science and economics at universities in Copenhagen, Aarhus and Cambridge along with the London School of Economics and the Sorbonne in Paris. Ever since his birth on May 26, 1968, Frederik André Henrik Christian has been the heir to the Danish throne. He is the oldest son of Queen Margrethe and her late French-born husband, Prince Henrik, who died February 2018. Frederik, 55, has a younger brother, Prince Joachim. Since the age of 18, he has served as regent whenever his mother was outside the kingdom and carried out official duties, shaking hands with thousands and receiving foreign dignitaries. The queen’s announcement made up only a few sentences at the end of her wide-ranging New Year’s speech which reflected on the “turbulence and upheaval in the world” amid the wars in the Middle East and Ukraine, and the climate crisis. But she also thanked her nation’s people for “the warmth and hospitality I meet with everywhere in Denmark.” While lavishing accolades on the queen, the prime minister also looked to the future. “In the new year, Crown Prince Frederik will be proclaimed king. Crown Princess Mary will become queen. The kingdom will have a new regent and a new royal couple,” he said in his statement. “We can look forward to all of this in the knowledge that they are ready for the responsibility and the task.” Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.	https://www.kfvs12.com/2024/01/01/denmarks-queen-margrethe-ii-step-down-throne-jan-14/	2024-01-01T00:32:05Z
CHICAGO (WLS) -- Amid the preparations for New Year's Eve celebrations in downtown Chicago, hundreds of demonstrators ended 2023 with a rally for Palestinian rights. The Chicago Coalition for Justice in Palestine marched down Michigan Avenue to the Water Tower on Sunday. The group has been calling for an end to the war in Gaza, and for the U.S. to stop giving aid to Israel. The march came as Israeli strikes in central Gaza killed at least 35 people on Sunday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been standing firm on resisting calls for a cease-fire, saying the war will continue for "many more months."	https://abc7chicago.com/palestinian-protest-chicago-today-michigan-avenue-water-tower-place/14251670/	2024-01-01T00:32:05Z
Senators name Steve Staios as GM, removing interim tag, and add Dave Poulin, Ryan Bowness to staff OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — The Ottawa Senators removed the interim tag and appointed Steve Staios the team’s general manager on Sunday. Staios joined the Senators as president of hockey operations on Sept. 29, and was later appointed the team’s interim general manager. The move comes as owner Michael Andlauer looks to right his struggling team, having fired head coach D.J. Smith roughly two weeks ago. Jacques Martin was named interim head coach, with Daniel Alfredsson as an assistant coach. The Senators entered Sunday's action last in the Atlantic Division with a record of 13-18-0. In other management moves, the Senators named Dave Poulin the senior vice-president of hockey operations and Ryan Bowness the associate general manager. Poulin, who was a contributor to TSN, played for the Philadelphia Flyers and Boston Bruins before joining the Toronto Maple Leafs' front office. Bowness had been the general manager of the Senators’ AHL farm team, the Belleville Senators. Both Poulin and Bowness will report to Staios. ___ AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL	https://ca.news.yahoo.com/senators-name-steve-staios-gm-002337027.html	2024-01-01T00:32:07Z

Subsets and Splits

No community queries yet

The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.