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SINGAPORE – At least five people have lost $167,000 since September 2023 through fraudulent advertisements on Facebook or Instagram, police said.
In many cases involving such scams, victims click on advertisements on the social media sites promoting the sale of Chinese New Year goodies.
They are then redirected to WhatsApp, Facebook or Instagram messaging platforms to communicate with the “sellers”, who direct them to download an Android Package Kit (APK) through malicious links to place orders for the food items, the police said in a statement on Jan 17.
Through the downloaded APK file, scammers are able to access victims’ devices remotely to steal banking credentials and passwords and carry out unauthorised transactions from the victims’ banking accounts.
The police advised the public to take precautionary measures.
The public can apply the ACT acronym, which outlines these steps to take: Add security features, Check for signs of a scam, and Tell the authorities and others about scams.
They can also download the ScamShield application to protect themselves from scam calls and SMSes, disable “Install Unknown App” or “Unknown Sources” in their phone settings, and not grant permission to persistent pop-ups that request access to the device’s hardware or data.
For more information on scams, the public can visit www.scamalert.sg or call the Anti-Scam Hotline on 1800-722-6688. To report scam-related information, call the police hotline on 1800-255-0000 or submit details online at www.police.gov.sg/iwitness with the assurance of confidentiality.
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https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/167000-lost-to-online-scams-through-fake-facebook-instagram-ads-since-september-2023-police
| 2024-01-17T09:43:18Z
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SINGAPORE – A man, who was handed 29 years’ jail and 24 strokes of the cane for inviting men to rape his wife as he watched, was told by the Chief Justice his sentence was “lenient” as the court rejected his appeal for a lighter sentence.
The 42-year-old father of four was the central figure in a horrific case where men with wife-sharing fantasies had their own partners drugged and raped.
In May 2023, the man admitted in the High Court to inviting five men to his home between 2010 and 2018 to rape his wife. He had fed her with sedatives and watched as the men raped her – often without protection – in his bedroom while the couple’s children lay asleep in another room.
He also raped the wives of two of the men.
On Jan 17, the man, who was self-represented, told the Court of Appeal that he was appealing out of his love for his wife, children and ageing parents, and that he could not leave his loved ones to “fend for themselves”.
He said he was not denying that he had done wrong, but was asking for leniency.
“The sentence imposed has already choked the life out of me,” he said. “My soul has died, what is left is just an empty shell.”
He also submitted letters from his mother and sister pleading for leniency.
In her letter, his mother said he was a filial son who did not scrounge off his parents even though he did not have enough money for his family.
She described how she once saw him ordering only vegetables and steamed eggs at a coffee shop.
But the three-judge apex court said it did not think the sentence was wrong.
“If anything, I think the judge was lenient,” Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon said.
He told the man: “I know you feel shattered, you’re self blaming... You have to confront what you did, and you have to find the answer to that, but it’s not in trying to suggest the court has to be lenient to you.”
The Chief Justice added that the court has to be faithful to precedents and stick to sentencing principles.
The man was one of seven hauled to court in an unprecedented case where husbands conspired with other men to have their own partners drugged and raped.
The crimes came to light after the man’s wife discovered explicit images of herself on his mobile phone on Jan 1, 2020, and found out that her husband and another man had been “exchanging wives”.
Most of the men got to know one another on the SammyBoy online forum and other platforms where people talked about exchanging sexual partners.
They discussed wife-sharing fantasies in private and group chats, and also exchanged details of their sex lives and shared explicit images or videos of their wives or partners with one another.
Four of these five men pleaded guilty to their respective charges and have been sentenced to between 13½ and 22 years in prison. Three of them were also each sentenced to 20 strokes of the cane.
The fifth man was found guilty in November 2023 following a trial, and is awaiting sentence.
One of these five men invited a seventh man to rape his wife, but the attempt was unsuccessful. This seventh man was jailed three years.
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https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/courts-crime/man-who-drugged-wife-and-had-her-raped-by-5-men-fails-in-appeal-against-sentence
| 2024-01-17T09:43:29Z
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SINGAPORE – A passenger who prised open the doors of moving and stationary MRT trains on various lines to “test them” was ordered to undergo mandatory psychiatric treatment on Jan 17.
Vanessa Wang Zi Qi, who has bipolar disorder, had previously pleaded guilty to two counts of being a public nuisance and one count of voluntarily causing hurt.
Wang, 47, was sentenced to a mandatory treatment order for 12 months in lieu of time behind bars.
Another charge of being a public nuisance was taken into consideration during sentencing.
Deputy Principal District Judge Kessler Soh told Wang: “You will need to make sure you comply with the psychiatrist and take the medicine as prescribed. Please make sure that such offences do not happen again.”
A report from the Institute of Mental Health stated that around the time of the offences, Wang was experiencing a hypomanic relapse of bipolar disorder.
This is characterised by elevated and irritable moods, increased energy, reduced need for sleep, and excessive involvement in activities that had potential for painful consequences.
The prosecution had previously told the court that this would have impaired Wang’s judgment and impulse control, contributing to Wang’s offences.
However, Wang was not of unsound mind at the time of the offences, and was fit to plead in court.
Wang, whom court documents identified as male, was diagnosed in 2019 with bipolar disorder and gender dysphoria, and missed follow-up treatments for two years. Those with gender dysphoria have a sense of unease due to a mismatch between their biological sex and their gender identity.
According to court documents, on Nov 29, 2023, at about 12.50pm, Wang pulled at the doors of an MRT train travelling between Khatib and Yio Chu Kang stations.
Wang wanted to test if the doors could be opened when the train was moving, and forced a gap between them.
When fellow commuters saw this, they were alarmed and called for Wang to stop. One of them asked Wang to wait for the next stop.
At Yio Chu Kang MRT station, when Wang continued to pull on the MRT doors and prevent them from closing, another commuter pressed the emergency button in the train.
Mr Foo Jee Yong, 65, an SMRT senior station manager, arrived with several colleagues.
Mr Foo asked Wang to leave the train with him and his colleagues, but the passenger refused and shouted at them not to touch Wang.
Wang called the police, saying that SMRT staff were making Wang alight, and wanted to meet the police at Bishan station two stops away, rather than at Yio Chu Kang station.
The SMRT staff remained on the moving train with Wang, who swung Wang’s elbows to avoid being touched, and kicked Mr Foo’s leg multiple times.
When they reached the next station, Ang Mo Kio, other SMRT staff removed Wang from the train as the passenger was kicking violently and shouting.
Wang lay down on the platform and refused to move, before calling the Singapore Civil Defence Force, claiming to be injured.
Videos of Wang pulling open the train doors were subsequently uploaded on social media.
DPP Poon said during investigations, Wang admitted to pulling MRT doors open along various lines from the middle of November to December 2023 and could not remember how many times this had been done.
On Nov 27, 2023, Wang had pulled open the doors of a train from the inside while it was stationary at Braddell station and created a gap wide enough that two to three people could walk through.
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https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/courts-crime/mandatory-treatment-for-passenger-who-forced-open-mrt-train-doors-several-times-over-two-weeks
| 2024-01-17T09:43:39Z
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SINGAPORE – Certificate of entitlement (COE) premiums ended higher at the latest tender exercise on Jan 17, with the category for larger cars closing at $112,000 – a 31.7 per cent jump from a fortnight earlier.
This is the final tender exercise under the current three-month quota period and comes after the Singapore Motorshow that ended on Jan 14. The event would have increased car sales and fuelled demand for COEs in this round.
The premium for Category B COEs, which are for bigger, more powerful models, rose by nearly $27,000 from $85,010 at the previous tender.
The COE premium for Category A – for smaller, less powerful models – finished at $81,589, or 25.5 per cent above the $65,010 recorded previously.
The price for the Open category COE closed at $109,004, which was 2.5 per cent higher than $106,388 before.
The COE premium for commercial vehicles inched up by 0.6 per cent from $67,599 to $68,001.
The motorcycle COE premium increased 2.1 per cent from $9,114 to $9,309.
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https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/transport/coe-prices-rebound-car-coe-premiums-rise-by-more-than-20-per-cent
| 2024-01-17T09:43:50Z
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VATICAN CITY - Pope Francis on Wednesday condemned the Iranian missile attack on the Kurdistan region in northern Iraq, and urged all parties to avoid an escalation of conflicts in the Middle East.
The strike has deepened worries about worsening instability across the Middle East since the war between Israel and Hamas broke out on Oct. 7, with Iran's allies also entering the fray from Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Yemen.
"I express my closeness and solidarity with the victims, all civilians, of the missile attack that hit an urban area of Erbil, the capital of the autonomous region of Iraqi Kurdistan," Francis said during his weekly audience at the Vatican.
"Good relations between neighbours are not built with similar actions, but with dialogue and collaboration. I ask everyone to avoid any step that fuels tension in the Middle East and other war scenarios," he added.
Francis called for prayers for the "many victims of war", mentioning specifically Ukraine, Gaza and other Palestinian territory, and Israel. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/pope-condemns-iran-strike-on-iraq-appeals-against-escalation
| 2024-01-17T09:44:00Z
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DUESSELDORF, Germhttp://content.reuters.com/auth-server/content/tag:reuters.com,2023:new… - Freezing rain in central and southern Germany grounded hundreds of flights and restricted train traffic on Wednesday as the weather service warned of slippery roads and heavy snowfall.
At Frankfurt airport, 570 of the 1,047 scheduled arrivals and departures were cancelled, while 254 flights were scratched at Munich airport and a smaller airport in the southern city of Saarbruecken ceased operations completely.
The weather service warned of an extreme risk of black ice and heavy snowfall in the affect regions through Thursday.
German rail operator Deutsche Bahn warned of delays and cancellations in view of the winter weather, and said it was limiting the top speed for its high-speed ICE trains to 200 kilometres per hour as a precautionary measure. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/winter-weather-snarls-air-train-travel-across-germany
| 2024-01-17T09:44:10Z
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DAVOS, Switzerland – This is a big year for democracy. Nearly half the world’s population will have the option to vote in a national election in 2024. The last time many of these countries went to the polls, there was no ChatGPT.
So, these are two topics that keep coming up during panels and side events on the promenade here this week at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Often the questions are about how one will affect the other.
Some leaders in artificial intelligence (AI) spoke at the Bloomberg House at Davos on Jan 16. They all said they took the threat of AI on elections seriously but were split on the likelihood of disruption.
Microsoft chief executive Satya Nadella somewhat downplayed the risks.
“It’s not like this is the first election where disinformation, or misinformation, and election interference is going to be a real challenge that we all have to tackle,” he said.
Later in the day, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman echoed that sentiment but expressed more uncertainty.
“I don’t think this will be the same as before,” he said. “It’s always a mistake to try to fight the last war.”
Speaking in an interview with Bloomberg’s Francine Lacqua, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates predicted that the “bad guys will be more productive” with AI.
Meanwhile, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff suggested that social media poses a bigger risk to the democratic process than AI does.
“Regulators have not done their job,” he said.
OpenAI, which counts Microsoft as its largest investor, is “quite focused”, Mr Altman said, on reducing the potential for political misuse of its tools, such as ChatGPT and Dall-E.
Mr Altman and Mr Nadella attended a meeting in May 2023 with United States Vice-President Kamala Harris to discuss AI risks.
OpenAI will soon release for testing a tool that can identify AI-generated content and will digitally watermark material generated by Dall-E, the start-up said on Jan 15. And it reiterated that the use of OpenAI models for political campaigning is not allowed.
“Our mind is not at ease,” Mr Altman said. “We’re going to have to watch this incredibly closely this year.”
As for how politics will impact AI, Mr Altman was less concerned.
“I believe that America is going to be fine, no matter what happens in this election. I believe that AI is going to be fine, no matter what happens after this election,” he said.
Ms Anna Makanju, OpenAI’s vice-president of global affairs, said she was encouraged by proposed regulation being put forward by US President Joe Biden and the European Union.
“What has struck me and has been really remarkable is that the conversation around AI has remained very bipartisan,” she said.
Mr Altman agreed, sort of: “Both parties hate it.” BLOOMBERG
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/tech-titans-weigh-ai-risks-in-big-election-year-threat-is-serious
| 2024-01-17T09:44:21Z
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FLORIDA - Lawyers for former president Donald Trump said in court papers filed on Jan 16 night that they intended to place accusations that the intelligence community was biased against Trump at the heart of their defence against charges accusing him of illegally holding onto dozens of highly sensitive classified documents after he left office.
The lawyers also indicated that they were planning to defend Trump by seeking to prove that the investigation of the case was “politically motivated and biased”.
The court papers, filed in US District Court in Fort Pierce, Florida, gave the clearest picture yet of the scorched-earth legal strategy that Trump is apparently planning to use in fighting the classified documents indictment handed up over the summer.
While the 68-page filing was formally a request by Trump’s lawyers to the office of special counsel Jack Smith to provide them with reams of additional information that they believe can help them fight the charges, it often read more like a list of political talking points than a brief of legal arguments.
Criminal defendants routinely make such requests in what are known as motions to compel discovery, but many of the requests in Trump’s filing appeared intended to paint the former president as the victim of the spy agencies that once served him and of purported collusion between the Biden administration and prosecutors who have filed parts of the four criminal cases he now faces.
That portrait was in keeping with Trump’s persistent refrain that the so-called “deep state” has been out to get him nearly from the moment he entered public service. Such allegations have proved politically useful to him even if his evidence in support of them has often been dubious or lacking.
The nation’s spy services took centre stage in the papers, given that intelligence officials are likely to testify at trial about what Trump’s lawyers called their “subjective assessments” of the more than 30 classified documents that the former president is accused of removing from the White House.
“One of the ways in which president Trump will challenge that testimony is by demonstrating that the intelligence community has operated with a bias against him dating back to at least the 2019 whistleblower complaint relating to his call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy,” two of Trump’s lawyers, Mr Todd Blanche and Mr Christopher M. Kise, wrote, referring to the incident that resulted in Trump’s first impeachment trial.
Mr Blanche and Mr Kise said they planned to use “evidence relating to analytic bias harboured by the intelligence community” to undermine the prosecution’s contention that the documents Trump took with him were connected to issues of national defence. Mr Smith’s team will have to prove such connections for jurors to find the former president guilty of violating the Espionage Act, the central statute he is accused of breaking.
While the specific contents of the documents remain unknown, the indictment says that some are related to nuclear secrets and military plans against US adversaries. The documents, which came from several intelligence agencies, were among the most highly classified records the federal government had, court papers say.
Trump’s legal team has persistently derided all of the cases he is facing as partisan attacks against him as he mounts his third bid for the White House. And in the filing on Jan 16 night, Mr Blanche and Mr Kise asked Judge Aileen Cannon, who is overseeing the classified documents case, to force Mr Smith to give them any “documents and communications reflecting bias and/or political animus towards President Trump” by members of his own prosecution team.
The lawyers further asked for any communications between Mr Smith’s team and the White House, as well as for those between the White House and local prosecutors in Georgia who have charged Trump in a sprawling racketeering indictment with seeking to overturn the results of that state’s election in 2020.
The filing additionally asked for information about one of Mr Smith’s chief deputies, Mr Thomas P. Windom, who has taken the lead in prosecuting the other federal case that Trump is facing – one in which he stands accused of plotting to overturn his 2020 loss to Mr Joe Biden. In a previously undisclosed detail, the filing noted that Mr Windom had also played a sizable role in prosecuting the classified documents case.
Trump’s lawyers noted, for example, that the National Archives, which set in motion the document investigation after it discovered sensitive records in a trove of materials that Trump returned to its office after leaving the White House, had reached out to Mr Windom in February 2022. The lawyers said that Mr Windom, aside from the interviews he conducted during the election interference case, also conducted 29 interviews in the classified document case.
The filing also asked for additional information about a security clearance from the Energy Department that Trump somehow maintained well after leaving office. That “inconvenient truth”, as his lawyers described it, could help Trump defend himself against charges that he illegally held on to at least one of the documents in the case – a record related to “nuclear weaponry.”
The filing on Jan 16 night was similar in tone and substance to a discovery request that Trump’s lawyers made in November 2023 in the election interference case, which is unfolding in US District Court in Washington.
In that filing, the lawyers suggested that they planned to question the findings of the intelligence community that the 2020 election was conducted fairly. They also indicated that they intended to raise a host of distractions as part of their defence, saying they wanted to drag unrelated matters like the criminal prosecution of Mr Biden’s son Hunter into the case. NYTIMES
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/trump-signals-plans-to-go-after-intelligence-community-in-document-case
| 2024-01-17T09:44:31Z
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DAVOS – Nato’s Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg reiterated that his alliance is concerned about developments in Asia because of emerging threats that are global in nature.
“Nato is a transatlantic alliance, and we will remain a regional alliance,” he said during a panel discussion on Securing an Insecure World during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos on Jan 16.
“But the transatlantic region faces global threats. Security is no longer regional. Security is global,” he told the audience.
“So what happens in Asia matters for Europe and what happens in Europe matters for Asia.”
Mr Stoltenberg went on to add that while Nato does not regard China as an adversary, the country’s “heavy investments in modern military capabilities, including war and advanced nuclear weapons”, are of concern.
To this list, he added China’s behaviour in the South China Sea, violation of core principles for Nato democracy, the rule of law, journalism, and freedom of expression, as seen in Hong Kong.
“All of that matters for Nato,” he said.
The Secretary-General’s remarks come as the region watches its discussions with Japan for an office to be opened in the country, to facilitate consultations in the region.
“We also have to understand that this is not about Nato moving into Asia, but instead about the fact that China is coming close to us,” he told the audience.
“We see them in Africa. We see them in the Arctic, we see them trying to control critical infrastructure.
“Not so many years ago, I had a big discussion about 5G and many allies said this is only a commercial issue. No, it’s also an issue about our security,” he said.
“Therefore, for all these reasons, of course, Nato has to address what happens in Asia.”
Sharing insights from his visit to Japan and South Korea, Mr Stoltenberg said people there were concerned about Ukraine.
“They are concerned about what happens in Ukraine, because they know that the more success Putin has in Ukraine, the more likely it is that Beijing will use force,” he said, sharing his interpretation of the situation.
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/what-happens-in-asia-matters-to-europe-nato-secretary-general-stoltenberg-says-at-wef
| 2024-01-17T09:44:42Z
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DAVOS – Just days ago, it seemed that Ukraine’s President would be addressing delegates attending the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) 2024 meeting in Davos virtually, as he had done previously.
Or perhaps, the presence of Mr Volodymyr Zelensky was kept confidential because of security implications.
But arrive he did and soon after, stormed his way into the hearts and minds of the Davos elite, with a series of public and private meetings to draw attention to the conflict near Ukraine’s borders that is now nearly two years old.
Traffic on roads in the Swiss ski resort came to a standstill as Mr Zelensky and his security entourage moved. Phones flashed and delegates strained to get a glimpse as he walked past at the Congress centre, the venue for key meetings. Nearly 70 chief executives showed up for an early morning meeting with him on Jan 16.
His forceful and charismatic address – over a 45-minute session – seemed to bring some of the spotlight back on Ukraine at a time when Israel’s war with Hamas, which has crossed the 100-day mark, continues to take the top spot among conflicts of concern in the world.
At Davos, attacks by Houthi militants in the Red Sea, relations between China and the United States as the latter prepares for elections, a gap between the Global North and the Global South, and other concerns also figured in discussions, among other issues.
Repeatedly lashing out at the Russian President during his address to the delegates, Mr Zelensky said: “(Vladimir) Putin embodies war.
“We all know that he is the sole reason why various wars and conflicts persist, and why all attempts to restore peace have failed. And he will not change. He will not change,” he noted.
Ukraine’s pitch for collective action began on Sunday, a day before the President arrived in Davos. Together with Switzerland, Ukraine hosted national security advisers from more than 80 countries and international organisations to discuss a 10-point peace plan.
Formulated by Mr Zelensky, this calls for the withdrawal of Russian troops as well as the cessation of hostilities and restoration of Ukraine’s borders with Russia, among other points.
“Russia targeted not only Ukrainians but people globally,” said Ms Yulia Svyrydenko, first deputy prime minister of Ukraine, in a statement released after the meeting.
“More than 300 million people are suffering now of food insecurity,” she said, alluding to the sharp increase in wheat prices in the wake of the war.
The global implications of Ukraine’s war echoed in Mr Zelensky’s address too. “If anyone thinks this is only about Ukraine, they’re fundamentally mistaken,” he said.
Warning of severe consequences if Mr Putin’s aggression was not stopped, he said: “In any dire confrontation, there’s always a point where a catastrophe can be stopped. Ukraine is that opportunity.”
The Congress hall at Davos, where Mr Zelensky gave his address, was full to the brim. He received a standing ovation at the end of his remarks. WEF president Borge Brende said: “I have never seen the hall so full.”
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken who, along with US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, met Mr Zelensky in Davos on Jan 16, said Washington is determined to keep supporting Ukraine, and they were working closely with Congress to do that, the Associated Press reported.
The Biden administration has been struggling to win approval from Congress for a US$60 billion (S$80.7 billion) aid package for Ukraine, due to opposition from Republican lawmakers.
Nato secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg, when asked to comment on the Ukraine situation at another panel discussion, said there was cause for “optimism”, pointing to the country’s impressive gains in liberating territory and opening a grain export corridor in the Black Sea.
He also emphasised that “support for Ukraine is not charity; it’s an investment in our own security”.
Pitching for more investments, Mr Zelensky said that despite two years of war, Ukraine’s economy had grown more than 5 per cent in 2023 and its accession to the European Union is on track.
“Strengthen our economy and we will strengthen your security,” he said.
The President also requested Switzerland to host a Global Peace Summit, and the Swiss government agreed.
But Russia dismissed Ukraine’s peace plans and declined to participate, wire agencies reported, quoting Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov.
“It’s just a matter of talking for the sake of talking,” he said. “Without our participation, any discussion has no prospects.”
Security-related issues have been top of mind at the annual meeting of government officials, businessmen, policymakers and influencers, with a few sessions on tensions in the Middle East throughout the conference from Jan 15 to 19. Israeli President Isaac Herzog will address the forum on Jan 18.
During a session on the theme “Securing an Insecure World” on Jan 16, Mr Brende remarked: “We live in the most complex geopolitical world than any other Davos before.”
Responding to a question on the situation in the Middle East, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud said Riyadh would be interested in a normalisation deal with Israel that is linked to a two-state solution.
“We agree that regional peace includes peace for Israel, but that could only happen through peace for the Palestinians through a Palestinian state,” he said during the session.
Israel launched attacks on Gaza in response to the Oct 7 incursion by the Hamas militant organisation into Israeli territory. Fears are mounting that the war could be widening, with Iran and its proxies stepping up attacks across the region in solidarity with Hamas that rules the Palestinian territory.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock described the situation as a “total disaster” for both Israel and Palestinian civilians, and called for better humanitarian access to Gaza.
“Actually, we know the solution. We can only come out together on a plan on a ceasefire, on a plan on a two-state solution, but at the moment we are stuck in a vicious circle,” she said.
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/zelensky-s-appearance-in-person-at-wef-shifts-some-spotlight-from-israel-hamas-war-to-ukraine
| 2024-01-17T09:44:52Z
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Mediarukh, a Ukrainian media freedom movement comprising leading media outlets and watchdogs, demands President Zelenskyy to “resolutely condemn” a pressure campaign on independent journalists and ensure that incidents of intimidation are investigated as crimes against media professionals.
“Anonymous Telegram channels that openly declare working for the government and constantly defend it, along with propaganda websites, have systematically targeted independent media and investigative journalists, staging provocations against them in real life. Unknown aggressors have tried to portray Ukrainian journalists as ‘enemies of the people,’ Russian agents, drug addicts, and discredit their professional work,” the statement says.
The statement was released following two incidents of intimidation of investigative journalists. Euromaidan Press is a signatory.
Yuriy Nikolov, whose investigation into inflated prices and opaque food procurements for the Ukrainian Army prompted a transparency drive and, ultimately, the resignation of Defense Minister Reznikov, has had unknowns plaster the door to his apartment with signs such as “traitor!”, “provocateur!” and demands that Nikolov enlist in the army — a popular way to denigrate males in Ukraine, despite Nikolov likely having an exemption over an ailing mother who needs his care. These images were then immediately circulated on anonymous Telegram channels believed to be affiliated with the Ukrainian government.
In a post on Facebook, Nikolov said that the only repercussions he faced after his investigations were former Minister Reznikov’s requests for Ukraine’s Security Service to open proceedings against Nikolov for “undermining the defense capacity” of Ukraine. While the police have informed the journalist they are looking into the matter, the outcome of the case is by no means certain and requires oversight.
A more complicated operation was conducted against Bihus.info, a team of investigative journalists delving into the corruption of Ukrainian officials who can boast of criminal proceedings being regularly launched against their subjects following the release of their investigations.
A murky project titled “People’s Truth” published a video where members of his team — camera people and SMM managers — appear to be ordering drugs at a New Year’s party. By no means does “People’s Truth” appear to be a legitimate media: its Youtube channel has published only four videos, the last being the Bihus expose, a “photo” of its editor-in-chief is generated by AI, and the biographies of the “editorial team” list names of fabricated outlets, a factchecker has found.
While the visibly distraught founder of Bihus.info Denys Bihus immediately announced that the team will conduct drug tests and face “hard personnel changes,” he also informed that members of the Bihus.Info team had allegedly been under surveillance for about a year. The purpose of the surveillance was likely a search for ways to discredit the editorial office. The resulting video was compiled from several episodes separated by months, Denys Bihus said.
“And when they couldn’t find professional f*ckups, they switched to personal attacks. As a result, they installed cameras in the room of the girls from the team at the New Year’s corporate party,” he said.
According to the journalist, such wiretapping and surveillance is blatant interference with “deeply private life,” and by using drugs, the team members shown in the video harmed only themselves but did not pose a social threat.
Bihus also noted that this surveillance and the publication of the video did not look like a spontaneous act of revenge for any specific materials but rather a systematic long-term surveillance and harassment to discredit the team’s work.
“I’m embarrassed by what I saw on the video, but what I’m really ashamed of are the performers of this show. And at the cost of all this embarrassment, we have learned for sure that the special services have the time, inspiration, and budgets to conduct systematic surveillance of the private lives of members of the investigation team,” he concluded.
A pattern of intimidation via anonymous Telegram channels
The incidents fall into a pattern that critics say is Ukraine’s government using anonymous Telegram channels to wage an “information war” against domestic opponents and critics amid the ongoing war with Russia.
“The precedent with Yurii Nykolov showed that this ‘army’ has already moved on not only to provocations in virtual reality, but also in the physical one,” said Nataliia Lyhachova, editor-in-chief of the Ukrainian media watchdog Detector Media.
According to Lyhachova, an “information army” of anonymous Telegram channels has formed in Ukraine during the war with Russia to target internal opponents and critics of the current government, as well as independent media and journalists. She said this amounts to an internal “information army” fighting part of Ukrainian society.
Lyhachova said while it is difficult to definitively prove links between this “information army” and the Office of the President, there are many “coincidences” pointing to connections.
Lyhachova pointed to the recent incident with Yuriy Nykolov as evidence that this “army” is moving beyond just online attacks to real-life provocations, while still providing heavy informational backing. She named the Telegram channels “Joker,” “Vertical,” and “Playing Card Office” as being involved.
According to Lyhachova, this “information army” operates by manipulatively portraying all government critics as Russian agents, draft evaders, enemies of the president, enemies of Ukraine, and so on. “This is vile and cynical,” she said.
Lyhachova made clear she does not agree with the specific words Nykolov used to criticize the president and commander-in-chief. However, she stressed Ukraine’s constitution still protects freedom of speech even during wartime.
Lyhachova drew parallels to the pro-Yanukovych “Ukrainska Kryvda,” a 2013 rip-off of the popular website Ukrainska Pravda, attacks on independent media, as well as the re-emergence of individuals involved in those efforts now targeting media on behalf of the current government.
“The whole history of Ukraine shows that any government that started a war with journalists and democracy was thus embarking on the path of defeat,” she warned.
Lyhachova’s reminiscence of the times of pro-Russian president Viktor Yanukovych, who fled Ukraine following the Euromaidan revolution in 2014, is echoed by Oksana Romaniuk, director of the Institute for Mass Information.
According to Romaniuk, targeted hunting of the media, surveillance, and recording of hidden videos are unacceptable in a democratic country.
“And I am very sorry to see examples that remind me of the times of Yanukovych. And they definitely have no place in 2024,” said the IMI director.
Not only Bihus and Nikolov
Other outlets, including Detector Media, Ukrainska Pravda, NV, Censor.net, Babel, and Liga.net said they have faced similar provocations from anonymous Telegram channels aimed at their discreditation.
“All these actions are crimes that require an urgent response from law enforcement agencies,” the statement by Mediarukh said. “And they all damage Ukraine’s future as a democratic state.”
The media groups called on Ukraine’s law enforcement to recognize the gravity of the situation and swiftly identify and prosecute those responsible for the alleged harassment and attacks on journalists.
They suggested anonymous Telegram channels linked to the provocations see them as retaliation for criticism of authorities, including President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The outlets urged international partners to speak out in defense of the persecuted journalists, saying public scrutiny is key to upholding democracy, rule of law and anti-corruption efforts.
Addressing civil society, the media groups stressed independent media and the right to criticize power are enshrined in Ukraine’s constitution and integral to the country’s aspirations for European integration.
“We together must stand up now to defend what we fought for during the Maidan protests, and what we continue resisting the Russian aggression for,” the statement reads.
The statement is open for signing via the email [email protected]
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https://euromaidanpress.com/2024/01/17/ukrainian-media-coalition-decries-targeting-of-journalists-critical-of-authorities/
| 2024-01-17T10:04:25Z
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2023 was quite the year for podcaster Sophie Habboo and the year to come shows no signs of slowing down. The former Made in Chelsea star, 30, married her boyfriend of four years and fellow MIC alum Jamie Laing, 35, in not one, but two gorgeous ceremonies including the Spanish getaway of dreams. But as she launches a new activewear line with USA Pro, Sophie is looking to the future.
The star of the hit podcast NewlyWeds sat down with HELLO! to exclusively chat about her love of fitness and the exciting new ventures she has planned for an already jam-packed year. Sophie tells us that her new partnership with USA Pro was a no-brainer from the beginning. "I have always been into gymming and working out mostly for the endorphins, I just love the way it makes me feel as well as the health benefits and recently more so it's become a real staple part of my life," she says. Even when she is not in the gym, Sophie loves to wear activewear but she found her existing workout gear wardrobe uninspiring. "I live in gym kit," she says, "I didn't have a particularly nice gym kit, especially gym kit that is that affordable because it's all so expensive now so I thought it was the perfect collaboration and I'm so excited and really happy with the pieces."
In creating a gymwear collection from scratch it was important to Sophie that she had a hands-on approach to bringing the pieces from the sketchbook to the hanger. She tells us: "I worked really closely with a design team at USA Pro and we all felt the fabrics, we chose the colours, the design, the fit, and the designer was incredible. She made everything come to life and it looks insane and all the fabric is really durable. Sophie also tells us that they did the all-important squat test to ensure she can relax when working out in her pieces. She adds that her favourite pieces are in the core edit. "It's so soft and so luxury and it's all seamless, she tells us. "And I love the desert and the green colours."
Sophie reveals that although she is now a keen gym-goer and passionate about durable gym wear that women feel confident in, she didn't always have the motivation she has harnessed in recent times. "I used to do classes and I am hypermobile and I was always injuring myself," she reveals. "So I got a PT and we now do resistance and strength training and now I enjoy going to the gym so much. Where before it was like I went because I knew I would feel amazing afterwards but I didn't love going, now it's like 'Oo yay!'." She says that plenty of stretching is her key to a great workout and though she loves her husband Jamie dearly, it is a solo workout that Sophie enjoys most.
"He's a real runner, he's such a good sprinter and I really don't love running," she admits. "I'm not fast, I'm very slow and he's like 'come on, go faster!' vibes. So we go to the gym together but I take it at my own pace, I do my own thing. I like working out and having that time to myself." Sophie explains that taking time for herself and getting active is important for her mental wellbeing as much as it is for her physical. Sophie tells us, "I love listening to podcasts, just zoning out when walking. I love walking at the moment, it's the best time to calm yourself down and it's almost like meditating." Though she is the star of two incredible podcasts, she says The Therapy Crouch with Peter Crouch and Abbey Clancy, The Diary of a CEO with Steven Bartlett and The Mel Robbins Podcast make for her picture-perfect wellness walk.
She adds that she also loves to carve out me-time when at the gym, taking a break from her PT sessions to unwind in the sauna. "I sauna as much as I can which I find so relaxing," she reveals. "I do box breathing in the sauna, breath in for four, hold for four, breath out for four and I do that for 15 minutes and then I feel amazing afterwards."
Sophie's brand new collection with USA Pro is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to her 2024 plans. Having just returned from an amazing sun-soaked romantic getaway with Jamie to Miami and Turks and Caicos, Sophie has plenty more travels on the horizon and they are extra special adventures. "Loads of my friends are getting married and they're getting married abroad so I have Rome, I've got Lake Como, I've got Spain again," she tells us. "I'm going back to where we got married for someone else's wedding in the same area so loads of trips for weddings! It's the year of love."
The newlywed also looks forward to taking the popular podcast that she co-hosts with Jamie on tour. NearlyWeds, as was, documented the ups and downs and every laugh along the way as Sophie and Jamie planned their stunning two-part wedding last summer. Now the podcast has taken on a new life, and a new moniker, as the NewlyWeds podcast explores Sophie and Jamie's life as a married couple and it is set to take the country by storm after their sold-out live show at London's Union Chapel last year. Sophie says, "This year is very exciting and fun. We've got our tour coming up, the NewlyWeds tour and I'm not going back to Made in Chelsea but just continuing to do lots of different projects, lots of different collaborations and the tour will be a really big part of the year so I'm excited for that." After her success presenting the red carpet for Wonka last November, Sophie also confirms that presenting is a passion she would love to explore further in 2024.
For now, she looks forward to expanding NewlyWeds and the lifestyle podcast she shares with fellow ex-MIC star Melissa Tattam, Wednesdays. With taking NewlyWeds into the New Year, Sophie says it is all about thinking outside the box. "We recently recorded us having a driving lesson and there might be some records of us doing trips away so taking you guys with us so not always being in the studio so trying different things to make it as interactive as it can be for you guys, so you guys get the scoop into the journey with us. So that will be fun," she reveals. With Wednesdays, Sophie tells us that her and Melissa's aim is to create a space that women can go to with their problems.
"We have had some really interesting guests on [sex educator Ruby Rare and dream psychologist Ian Wallace, to name a few] and we are trying to hone in on specific subjects that we think that our listeners would really want to hear about and get experts in in that area. So that is something that we really want to focus on this year so people when they're worried or want answers on something, our podcast can be the hub for those answers. Whether it be fashion or skincare or nutrition," the 30-year-old says.
The coming year is also an exciting one for Sophie personally. She tells us that she and Jamie are looking to buy their dream home and we can only imagine how stunning it will be given her current minimalist haven. "It will be a fun project for us both," Sophie says, letting us in on her passion for interior design as she waits to get to work on a new London pad. "I would absolutely love to have a family one day so that's very exciting," Sophie reveals but for now her focus is on her and Jamie enjoying their first full year of marriage and loving every second of the time they can spend connecting whilst recording their weekly episode. "I actually personally prefer doing [NewlyWeds] now as opposed to when we were talking about planning the wedding because it is all about our relationship and there's no planning or stress or pressure so I love doing the podcast every week now," she admits.
DISCOVER: The best fitness classes in London - tried and tested by team HELLO!
Listeners will know that Jamie and Sophie have the most fun-loving relationship imaginable and it is this light-hearted time spent together, Sophie says, that is the secret to their happy marriage. "Honestly I find him so funny and we are so outrageous with each other. I don't know what language we speak with each other but I find it very funny. We're always laughing, I think that's the key."
Shop Sophie Habboo’s USA Pro collection now via sportsdirect.com/usa-pro/sophie-habboo
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/healthandbeauty/health-and-fitness/511285/exclusive-sophie-habboo-gorgeous-fitted-activewear-perfect-spanish-wedding/
| 2024-01-17T10:12:14Z
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If you've been watching The Traitors on BBC One you'll be obsessed with the drama and you'll probably be obsessed with Claudia Winkleman's outfits. Dubbed 'Traitors-core' I can totally see why her countryside aesthetic is hitting all the right buttons with fans.
I should probably tell you that I dress nothing like this. I don't do knitwear, I don't own many earthy shades in my wardrobe, I've never owned anything tweed or plaid, and I mainly do bright colours and sparkles. Claudia's look is a world away from how I dress in real life. Actually, the prim pearl button blouses are within my remit but I'd most certainly be teaming a blouse like that with a pink blazer.
But here's the thing, Claudia has made me re-think my wardrobe choices. I can see with my perfect 20/20 vision that she looks amazing. She's comfortable in her skin and she looks cosy and warm. And as it's freezing outside, that cosy vibe is what I'm after.
So I decided to head out to the shops as a mini challenge to myself. Could I really do The Traitors-core aesthetic?
If you're expecting head to toe looks here, you'll be disappointed. I'm starting with the outerwear and the textures that her incredible stylist Sinead McKeefry chooses. I love Sinead and how amazing she is at selecting pieces for Claudia, whether it's for The Traitors or for Strictly Come Dancing. She knows her client so well. In an interview I did with her a while back, she told me that the pair go on the hunt together, saying: "We shop together but that usually ends in ten minutes of trying on and then a three hour coffee and a gossip."
Who wouldn't love to go shopping with the hilarious Claudia Winkleman and her expert stylist?! Sadly, I had neither and I had to fly solo on my lunch break.
First up I headed to & Other Stories. I don't consider myself to be an & Other Stories girly but I do enjoy having a browse. I bypassed the sparkly headbands, pretty hair bows and the baby pink new-in pieces that I would normally gravitate towards and went straight to brown. Yes, brown. I haven't worn anything brown in, since, well, literally forever. I have never worn brown. But my eyes darted towards a £165 brown blazer. £165? For a jacket that looks like you got it at the local charity shop? It's a lightweight blazer and I just decided to try it on in-store wearing my Levi's jeans and a white tee.
Guess what, I only went and loved it. Yes, while on this work 'research' trip I fell in love with a new colour for my wardrobe - go figure?! I begrudged spending £165 for it but I instantly felt cool but not in that look-at-me-cool. It's understated cool, and kind of rich money vibes. I also felt put together and confident. I bought a size 12 for reference, but I deliberated a while on whether the 14 would look slightly 'cooler'.
Also in & Other Stories I tried on a pea coat - I just can so imagine Claudia in this winter warmer coat, especially with the military design on the front. I sized up for the Claudia aesthetic but decided this wasn't going to come home with me. I only own one black coat and the rest are every colour of the rainbow. Could I be swayed by a coat like this? Probably. I tried on a medium and the size drowned by size 12-14 frame. I couldn't find it online to link to, but definitely take a look in store if it's up your country lane.
Moving on to Mango I decided to try another coat - a colourful one. Well, it's khaki green and Claudia has chosen a lot of khaki within her style choices on the show this year.
This was Mango's long 'lapels wool coat' and wow, it looked so expensive in real life. Can I also give a round of applause to Mango for epic changing rooms. While I put this £109.99 coat on the no rail, I haven't stopped thinking about it, and maybe now is the time to add some khaki to my rainbow of shades. FYI, I'm 5ft 3 and as you can see, the jacket was a good 'midi' length on me.
H&M had two blazers I gravitated to while on the quest to be more Claudia. First up was a very oversized double-breasted grey blazer. I do wear grey from time to time, but it's very rare. I felt like the masculine fit was keeping with the Winkleman way but I sometimes feel like I've accidentally picked up a man's blazer. Still, it's very on trend and it was a reasonable £44.99. I tried on a medium here so definitely don't size up.
The next blazer was a heringbone grey blazer. This also gave me similar vibes to one of the impressive outerwear pieces that Michelle Keegan wore in Fool Me Once. Was I foolish not buying it? I did like this jacket, and felt like I needed some black leggings and riding boots and a big chunky scarf. This was £54.99 so it's not cheap but the quality felt good and it felt a lot warmer than my expensive & Other Stories blazer I'd purchased earlier. I tried this on in a 14 and I liked the way it had some wiggle room without being too oversized.
Last but not least, I tried M&S. I decided to make a beeline for knitwear. Claudia wears some great knitted pieces in The Traitors, but it was a big no from me for this mustard knitted jumper. I think mustard suits the tanned Claudia with her jet black hair, but I can't pull it off. Never again!
I did try a nice beige blazer, priced at £79. This is a trending new item on the M&S website and is described as the 'Tailored Herringbone Blazer'. I liked this, but you have to size up. It's a little snug. I'm wearing a size 12 here, and that's the size I'd usually pick in M&S for a blazer, but alas, it wasn't the look I was going for.
According to the website, this tailored blazer is crafted from brushed herringbone fabric, making it perfect for the chill. I liked this jacket but would prefer to try it on with the right accessories, and size up for a slouchier fit.
So what's my verdict on Traitors-core?
Well, I bought the & Other Stories blazer and I really liked the Mango khaki coloured coat and the tweed-looking blazer from H&M. Next, I think I need to ditch the jeans and try thick black tights and chunky boots. Claudia has been rocking that look in some recent episodes and she just looks phenomenal. While I don't think I'll be ditching my Barbie aesthetic for Traitors-core, I'm not against it. Right, who's ready for a trip to the country, darling?
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/shopping/511357/claudia-winkleman-traitors-outfits-inspired-a-shopping-trip/
| 2024-01-17T10:12:20Z
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Sofia Vergara has been working up a storm when it comes to her ever-growing wardrobe of next-level looks that she has rocked whilst promoting her new Netflix show Griselda. The actress, 51, looked so stunning as she stepped out for an evening in NYC to make an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. She has been touring extensively to talk about the new limited series in which she stars as real-life Colombian drug lord Griselda Blanco and we think last night's look might be one of her best yet.
The Modern Family star was seen in a figure-hugging black cocktail dress that came down to her shin. The piece featured a scoop detail on the neckline and gold hardware on the straps for a subtle hint of detail. The star teamed the sublime dress with a pair of sheer black stockings and a pair of classy pointed-toe stilettos. We know from previous looks that Sofia is a loyal wearer of gold jewellery and last night's public outing was no different. The Chef actress added a gold cuff bangle on each wrist, a pair of gold statement earrings, and two dazzling gold rings.
As she was seen entering the studio Sofia stopped for a photo in the most glamorous coat imaginable. The midi-length style was made from sumptuous black velvet and complemented the classic star quality of the look perfectly. Her white square manicure was an appreciated understated touch. Sofia worked the 90s supermodel aesthetic to its full advantage when she opted for a gorgeous curly blowout that Brooke Shields would adore. The Hot Pursuit actress' makeup was worn in her usual style that never fails her – a brown smokey eye and mid-tone rosy matte lip with bold brows.
Take a look at Sofia's most eye-catching looks as she takes the world by storm in Griselda…
DISCOVER: Sofia Vergara is sensational in strapless corset top and incredible sequin pants
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/fashion/celebrity-style/511425/sofia-vergara-nineties-supermodel-sensational-fitted-dress-black-stockings/
| 2024-01-17T10:56:09Z
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Chicago Fire makes its long-awaited return to NBC on Wednesday night with its new season premiere – and after the season 11 finale left us with two huge cliffhangers, it's safe to say we've got some questions that need answering in the opening episode.
A lot has happened since we last paid a visit to Firehouse 51. Both Kara Killmer, who plays Sylvie Brett, and Alberto Rosende – aka Blake Gallo – have announced their departures, while Taylor Kinney's return to the show following a leave of absence has been confirmed.
So, what does all of this mean for season 12? Keep reading for everything we know, including details about Severide's return and Gallo's exit storyline…
What happened at the end of season 11?
The season 11 finale was nothing short of dramatic and left viewers with two huge cliffhangers regarding the futures of both Randall 'Mouch' McHolland and Sylvie Brett.
As we go into the new season, fans will be keen to find out whether Mouch survived after being hospitalized for a gunshot wound. In the last episode, Mouch took a turn for the worst whilst recovering from his shrapnel injury, leaving actor Christian Stolte's future on the show uncertain.
While viewers will have to tune into the season 12 premiere to find out Mouch's fate, showrunner Andrea Newman did tease that "the theme of this season is change" when asked about the storyline in an interview with TV Line. She also added that we'll learn what happened to Mouch in the first episode, which opens with a six-month time jump.
Elsewhere in the season 11 finale, Matt Casey (Jesse Spencer) got down on one knee and popped the question to his ex-girlfriend Brett during a brief trip into town from Portland.
Now that Kara Kilmer is leaving the show, what can fans expect from Brett and Casey? While we can't reveal whether she said yes or no to the proposal, Andrea did tell Variety that Brett's future plans will be revealed "pretty quickly". "So we'll find out a lot quickly and then things will change; there will be a rollercoaster," she said.
All we know about Kelly Severide's return
Fans will no doubt be overjoyed to see Severide back where he belongs in Firehouse 51 in season 12. The fan-favorite fighter has been missing from our screens since episode 14 of season 11, when Severide left the Windy City for a prestigious OFI training camp in Alabama.
His off-screen counterpart, Taylor Kinney, was written out of episodes after taking a leave of absence from the show.
Now that he's back, what's in store for Severide?
Showrunner Andrea teased a "new dynamic" between him and his wife, Stella Kidd (Miranda Rae Mayo), who he left back at Firehouse 51 when he enrolled in the training camp.
"The heat and the sexual tension are as high as ever," she told Variety. "They can't keep their hands off each other, as usual, and yet, there's this new dynamic that is present between them, something we haven't seen before."
The showrunner went on to tease "an edge in the air between them", with Severide's OFI case bringing up "a lot of tension".
Alberto Rosende's departure and Gallo's exit storyline
Not only is Kara leaving the show, but Alberto is also waving goodbye to Firehouse 51 in the new season.
After four seasons, Alberto will take his final turn as Gallo in the series 12 premiere, which sees the firefighter make a "tough call".
"When a character as major as Gallo leaves, you want to do justice to the character and make sure that it's the sendoff that the character deserves," showrunner Andrea told TVLine. "I think Gallo makes a decision that everyone will understand that's known him since he joined us. And it's a tough call for him, but we'll hear why, and as hard as it will be to say goodbye, especially for Ritter [Daniel Kyri] and Violet [Hanako Greensmith], they understand and we get it. It's part of who he is."
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/film/511429/chicago-fire-season-12-everything-to-know-severide-return-gallo-exit/
| 2024-01-17T10:56:15Z
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They may no longer be a couple, but Christina Applegate's ex-husband will always be one of her biggest fans.
Following her emotional appearance at the Emmys when she received a standing ovation for returning to the spotlight amid her battle with MS, Johnathon Schaech had a message for her.
Christina, 52, was a nominee and presenter at the awards in Los Angeles where she was brought to tears by the support she received.
Johnathon took to X to pay a heartfelt tribute to the woman he was married to for six years, from 2001-2007."She danced opening night on Broadway on a broken foot, beat cancer," he wrote. "She's the toughest human being I've ever met! F--- MS! So proud of her! Go, Christina!" he then reposted a story on Christina and her standing ovation.
Johnathon is an American actor and screenwriter and starred in a number of movies including 1996's That Thing You Do, the 2008 flick, Prom Night, and Day of the Dead in 2017.
Christina has retired from acting amid her battle with multiple sclerosis, making her appearance at the Emmys even more magical. While she didn't walk home with the Emmy for her role in Netflix's Dead to Me (which went to Quinta Brunson of Abbott Elementary fame instead), she did earn the respect and admiration of the audience.
The Samantha Who? actress was brought to tears by the audience's warm reception to her appearance, and joked: "You are totally shaming me with disability with standing up," and as the applause continued, she further joked that her body was "not by Ozempic."
She wowed in a red velvet gown by designer Christian Siriano and completed the look with a decorative cane which she uses to walk.
Christina revealed her diagnosis in 2021 and during a chatting with the New York Times in November 2022, she spoke about the symptoms she experienced that led to her seeking medical assistance.
She said she had been feeling unbalanced in the years leading up to her diagnosis and noticed her tennis skills were depleting. "I wish I had paid attention," she said. "But who was I to know?"
Numbness and tingling in her extremities followed and she was heartbroken by the reveal that she has MS.
"Acceptance? No. I’m never going to accept this," she told the outlet. "I'm pissed."But she later told Kelly Clarkson on her daytime talk show that she was using humor to help her get by.
"My humor shield keeps me OK," she said. "But of course, down on the insides, you feel the things. I do it to kind of deflect and also make people not scared to be around me.
"When people see me now as a disabled person, I want them to feel comfortable that we can laugh about it."
Read more HELLO! US stories here
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/healthandbeauty/health-and-fitness/511420/christina-applegate-famous-ex-husband-bold-statement-about-her-return-to-spotlight-emmys/
| 2024-01-17T10:56:21Z
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Finding the motivation to work out is hard enough at the best of times — let alone in the dark and dreary depths of January. When you add cold and uninviting weather into the mix, hauling yourself to the gym (or even forcing yourself out of bed!) can feel like a near impossible feat.
To counter the January workout blues, we spoke to a handful of fitness experts for their top tips on how to stay motivated when you really, really don't want to work out. Believe it or not, even fitness fanatics experience peaks and troughs in their motivation levels — it's only human.
Luckily for us, there are some trusty tricks of the trade that you can fall back on to make the prospect of working out a whole lot less daunting.
Starting is the hardest part
Clichéd as it may sound, it really is true what they say: that first step is the hardest to take. But, according to Ciana Glynn, personal trainer, holistic health coach and founder of The Wellness Primer, once you get into the swing of things, the feeling of exercising can actually become addictive.
"Once you start moving, this naturally changes your physiology and releases endorphins, shifting your mindset in a positive way that you will more likely follow through on your desired outcome," she said.
"Sometimes it's the initial thought that can feel overwhelming. If this is the case, commit to, for example, the first five to ten minutes of your session. Sometimes, just getting started is the hardest part. Once you begin, you feel great doing it, that you'll more than likely continue to follow through."
Set realistic goals
It's all well and good to decide that you want to work out more in the new year to get healthier. But what does that look like in practice? Setting yourself bitesize, tangible goals is a surefire way to spur you on when you really don't want to work out.
Ali Malik, personal trainer and founder of Fit Labs Kensington, explained just how crucial it is to have realistic goals to work towards. "Break down larger fitness objectives into smaller, achievable milestones. This not only makes the journey more manageable but also provides a sense of accomplishment along the way."
And whenever you feel your motivation flagging, Jenni Tardiff, master trainer at The Gym Group, advised sharing your goals with others, to hold yourself more accountable. "Tell everyone what your goals are, write them down and record your progress. You will be more likely to stay on track and achieve your fitness goals," she explained.
Any movement is better than nothing
When January rolls around, it can feel like everyone is suddenly flocking to the gym in their droves, swapping cocktails for protein shakes, signing up for ultra-marathons and donning their running shoes at 6am. But the reality is that it doesn't have to be all or nothing — subtle, healthier changes to your routine can be much more sustainable.
As Jess McDonald, Les Mills instructor, TAP coach and presenter, explained, making small adjustments can make a huge difference when you don't want to work out. "It can be tough to find motivation to work out, especially when it's cold and dark outside," she said.
"But remember, any activity is a workout! Remember that even a quick walk adds to our activity levels. So, on days where you may feel tired, simply walk. Choose to walk rather than jumping in the car when you pop to the shops or if you're on the school run. If you have a dog that you walk often, choose a slightly longer route and quicker pace as this adds to your activity too!"
Find a friend
Friends make everything better — and working out is no exception. Finding someone to tackle your goals with injects some much-needed fun into your workout routine.
Jess explained that finding an accountability partner massively helps when it comes to staying disciplined. "It's always more fun to work out with your pals, as we can keep each other accountable and help each other when we feel we may back out! When I know I'm lacking motivation, my friends help lift me out of it. And it's so much more fun to be with friends!"
Jenni added: "Organising and committing to meet someone at the gym makes it less likely for you to cancel as you don't want to let anyone down by not showing up. They will likely be feeling the same and looking forward to seeing you to help with their motivation too."
According to Jenni, booking a group class can also make working out more fun. "Booking a group exercise class is a great way to meet new training buddies and be part of a fitness community that provides social support and accountability. Try various workouts/classes until you find something you enjoy and that way you are more likely to stick with it."
Remember your 'why'
When your alarm that you set the night before for an early morning workout blares and your room is still pitch black, it's easy to lose sight of why you're doing it in the first place.
Ciana said the key is reminding yourself of your fundamental motivation — the reason why this life change is so important to you. This will help you stay disciplined even when motivation is lacking in that particular moment. "Don't forget to remind yourself why you are doing what you're doing," she said. "Remind yourself of how good you will feel afterwards. Feelings make the motivation stronger."
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/healthandbeauty/health-and-fitness/511423/how-to-stay-motivated-when-you-really-dont-want-to-workout/
| 2024-01-17T10:56:27Z
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Alajz Skorjanec and Janette Manrara couldn't be more in love with their little girl, Lyra Rose, and on Tuesday, the trio were spotted heading out on an adorable dinner date.
Taking to his Instagram Stories, dad Aljaz posted a video of little Lyra sitting on her mother's lap, both of them looking at the menu. She donned a beautiful cream headband adorned with a large bow, and a snuggly white tracksuit covered in red love hearts - so sweet! See the moment in the video below.
The family-of-three headed out to eat following Janette's rehearsals for Strictly Come Dancing live shows. Aljaz and Lyra have accompanied her to rehearsals in London this week but will be leaving for their family home in Cheshire on Thursday when Janette heads into the demanding technical rehearsals for the production.
Little Lyra always causes a stir with fans when the proud parents share photos of their infant. On Saturday Janette shared the sweetest photo showing her firstborn in the most beautiful red white and blue outfit.
"Red, White, & Blue never felt so cute!" penned the professional dancer. It's safe to say bows are a favourite of the little one as she donned another iconic headband, this time in cherry red. She also had white satin bows on her shoes.
Friends and fans went wild for the sweet snap and flooded the comments section with adoring messages. Fellow mother-of-one, Stacey Dooley simply replied with a crying face emoji.
Dianne Buswell replied: "Stop," alongside two red love heart emojis. One fan commented: "Give that beauty a baguette or croissant immediately [heart eye and love heart emoji] (I know it's a GB flag but I’m getting all the chic French gal vibes)." A second added: "Adorable looks like her mummy."
Janette and Aljaz welcomed Lyra into the world in July last year. Speaking exclusively to HELLO! Magazine about their pregnancy news, Aljaz explained: "We were preparing for IVF mentally and physically and then it was just a relief to finally have that positive test. I have so much respect for any parent that goes through IVF, not just for what it puts them through physically but mentally too."
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Jessica Simpson is a doting mom to her three children and during her latest outing the star looked incredible as she was joined by daughter Maxwell, 11, and the pair ended up twinning with their ensembles.
In a new set of photos, Jessica posed alongside Maxwell and the star's sister, Ashlee Simpson-Ross, with the Dukes of Hazzard star rocking a black bodysuit paired with matching knee-high leather boots. She three a leopard-print coat over herself and this was mirrored by her daughter, who sported the exact same coat alongside a black top and jeans.
The pair looked almost identical as they both wore their bright blonde hair down allowing it to run across their shoulders, but it was with their accessories where the duo slightly differed. Jessica had decided to add a black hairband to outfit, while Maxwell went with a gold necklace.
Jessica kept her caption relatively simple, only opting to use the eye emojis, but it was her fans that went wild in the comments.
One follower enthused: "I love how you're just over here killing it in life and work. Glowing and inspiring," and a second added: "Ashlee's jawline, such a gorgeous fam!" and a third shared: "Maxi is gonna be a tall beautiful girl! She sure looks a lot like her daddy."
A fourth commented: "GIRL WHAT [flame emojis] killing it since the 90's like how," and a fifth posted: "Three beautiful women. Loved your book Jessica. You are an amazing role model for your daughter and many others."
Maxwell has really started following in Jessica's footsteps in the style department and earlier in the month, she recreated one of her mom's most unforgettable reality television moments as they shot a commercial for tuna brand Chicken of the Sea.
The epic partnership is a call back to an infamous moment on the Newlyweds premiere in 2003, when, while eating a bowl of Chicken of the Sea tuna, she innocently asked her then-husband, Nick Lachey: "Is this chicken what I have or is this fish?" leaving him – and audiences – dumbfounded by the hilarious mishap.
Now, in her new ad 20 years later, Jessica and Maxwell appear similarly sitting on a couch, when the tween asks her mom whether the packet in her hands was "chicken or tuna." Jessica cheekily replies: "That is a great question! It's confusing right?" only for then Maxwell to say she's joking, and that she's aware it's tuna.
While Jessica appears uncertain about whether she might make her proud return to reality TV, it appears her children are very keen to make their debuts.
Speaking with E! News, she said: "As far as I would go with that would probably be a docu-series – which Newlyweds was supposed to be by the way, but we actually had a lot of fun doing it – or a documentary…" before adding: "I think [my kids] wouldn't mind being on camera."
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However, she then noted: "My son maybe not so much, but both daughters definitely are entertainers," adding that "it doesn't make them shy or anything like that," before joking that her son just "probably doesn't think it's anybody's business."
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/healthandbeauty/mother-and-baby/511431/jessica-simpson-fans-cant-believe-eyes-twinning-look/
| 2024-01-17T10:56:40Z
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DAVOS, Switzerland - Belgium does not oppose the confiscation of 280 billion euros worth of frozen Russian central bank assets, but there needs to be a clear mechanism such as using the assets as collateral for Ukraine, Prime Minister Alexander De Croo told Reuters.
After President Vladimir Putin sent troops into Ukraine in 2022, the United States and its allies prohibited transactions with Russia's central bank and finance ministry, blocking around $300 billion of sovereign Russian assets in the West.
G7 countries are discussing possibly confiscating the frozen Russian assets, though some G7 members have concerns about the precedent, mechanism and potential impact of taking such a step against central bank assets.
De Croo told Reuters in Davos that Belgium was ready for a discussion about what to do with the interest on the frozen Russian assets and the actual assets themselves.
"We don't say no to asset confiscation. But we need to work on a mechanism. For example, they can be used as collateral for raising funds for Ukraine," he said.
"We are open to further discussion and are willing to participate in a solution of finding a legal basis for those transfers to Ukraine, without destabilising the global financial system," he said.
De Croo said the risk was that financial stability could be undermined as central banks often deposit assets with each other.
The lion's share of the assets - essentially securities in which the Russian Central Bank had invested - are frozen in Euroclear, a depository based in Brussels.
Some securities mature and hence are being converted into cash - a transaction that is taxed at 25%, he said.
"If there is any taxable revenue, we will isolate it so it can go to Ukraine," De Croo told Reuters in Davos. He said tax on the frozen assets totalled about 1.3 billion euros in 2023 and in 2024 would total about 1.7 billion euros.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen last year had expressed concerns about significant legal obstacles to confiscating frozen Russian assets, but more recently has embraced exploring the idea in a tighter funding environment. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/belgium-pm-says-a-mechanism-is-needed-for-confiscation-of-280-billion-euros-of-russian-assets
| 2024-01-17T11:13:51Z
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BAGHDAD - Iraqi Kurdish Prime Minister Masrour Barzani cancelled a meeting with Iran's foreign minister at the World Economic Forum at Davos in Switzerland in protest over Iranian missile strikes on the Iraqi Kurdish city of Erbil, a source said on Wednesday.
Iran late on Monday struck Erbil, the capital of Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdistan region, with ballistic missiles in what it said was an attack on an Israeli spy headquarters, claims vehemently denied by Iraqi and Iraqi Kurdish officials.
The attack killed at least four people, including a prominent Kurdish businessman and his infant child.
The Iranian strikes have led to a rare diplomatic row with Iraq's government, with Baghdad filing a complaint against Iranian "aggression" at the United Nations Security Council and recalling its ambassador to Tehran.
Tehran has grown its influence in Iraq since the U.S. toppled former ruler Saddam Hussein in a U.S.-led invasion in 2003, particularly among Shi'ite Muslim factions, while the Kurds have traditionally been closer to the West.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, a Shi'ite, was brought to power with the backing of some pro-Iranian factions, but has been keen to show his government opposes any infringement on Iraq's sovereignty. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/iraqi-kurdish-pm-cancels-meeting-with-iran-minister-in-protest-over-attack-source
| 2024-01-17T11:14:01Z
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MOSCOW - The Kremlin said on Wednesday that it regarded work to integrate Saudi Arabia into the BRICs bloc of developing countries very important and said such work was continuing.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov made the comment after the kingdom's minister of commerce said in a panel at the World Economic Forum in Davos that Saudi Arabia has not yet officially joined BRICs.
Peskov said he had not heard about the minister's statement. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/kremlin-says-that-work-to-integrate-saudi-arabia-into-brics-is-very-important
| 2024-01-17T11:14:12Z
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MOSCOW - Russia is developing its relations with North Korea in all areas, including “sensitive” ones, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Jan 17.
North Korea’s Foreign Minister lauded comradely ties with Russia on Jan 16 and then held rare talks in the Kremlin with President Vladimir Putin, who has been invited by Mr Kim Jong Un to visit the reclusive nuclear-armed country.
Asked about the talks in Moscow, Mr Peskov said the situation on the Korean peninsula was discussed, but that the main focus was on developing bilateral relations.
“The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea is our very important partner, and we are focused on the further development of our relations in all areas, including in sensitive areas,” Mr Peskov told reporters.
Mr Putin has deepened ties with North Korea since sending troops into Ukraine in 2022, and the United States and its allies have condemned what they say have been significant North Korean missile deliveries to Russia to help its war effort.
Both Russia and North Korea have repeatedly dismissed the criticism. Moscow says it will develop ties with whatever countries it wants and that its cooperation with Pyongyang does not contravene international agreements.
Russia has gone out of its way to publicise the renaissance of its relationship, including military ties, with North Korea, which was formed in 1948 with the backing of the then Soviet Union.
For Mr Putin, who says Russia is locked in an existential battle with the West over Ukraine, courting Mr Kim allows him to needle Washington and its Asian allies while securing a deep supply of artillery for the Ukraine war. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/russia-is-developing-ties-with-n-korea-in-all-areas-including-sensitive-ones-kremlin
| 2024-01-17T11:14:22Z
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BANGKOK – At least 20 people were killed in Thailand in an explosion on Jan 17 at a firework factory, police said.
The incident occurred at around 3pm in Suphan Buri province, about 120km north of Bangkok.
The provincial governor told Reuters no survivor had yet been found.
Police told Agence France-Presse the authorities were still checking the official death toll.
“There were deaths, we are checking how many people died,” Colonel Theerapoj Rawangban said.
“We do not see more damage toward other houses or people who live in the (nearby) community,” he added.
There was no indication of what may have caused the explosion.
Images shared by the local rescue service showed metal debris littered on the ground, and a huge plume of black smoke.
Explosions at workshops producing firecrackers and other pyrotechnics are not uncommon in Thailand.
Ten people died, and more than 100 were injured, after an explosion in an fireworks warehouse in Sungai Kolok town in southern Narathiwat province in 2023.
Thailand also has a poor safety record in the construction sector and deadly accidents are common. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/at-least-20-killed-in-massive-explosion-at-firework-factory-in-central-thailand
| 2024-01-17T11:14:33Z
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NEW DELHI – A leading Indian think-tank confirmed on Jan 17 that it has been banned from taking foreign funding, the latest organisation among foreign charities, rights watchdogs and others similarly targeted after criticising the government.
The Centre for Policy Research (CPR) is one of the country’s most highly regarded public policy forums.
Its staff members are prominent talking heads and columnists who have been rare dissenting voices in the media on sensitive political issues, including national security policy and governance in the restive territory of Kashmir.
The home ministry had already provisionally suspended the CPR’s licence to receive foreign donations after raids in 2022 by the tax department, severely curtailing its operations.
Local broadsheet The Hindu reported that the authorities had resolved to cancel the licence because it had published reports on “current affairs programmes”.
“The basis of this decision is incomprehensible and disproportionate,” CPR president Yamini Aiyar said in a statement on social media.
“Some of the reasons given challenge the very basis of the functioning of a research institution.”
An undated home ministry gazette confirmed that the licence was cancelled “on violation” of foreign funding rules, without giving further details.
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the US State Department were among the organisation’s prominent international donors.
Last year, Ms Aiyar wrote that the tax raids and suspension of foreign donations had left the think tank in a “precarious financial position”.
Local media outlet Newslaundry also reported last year that the blocking of foreign donations had forced the CPR to cut its headcount by 75 per cent and significantly scale down its operations.
The CPR is the latest of several independent civic organisations accused of falling afoul of India’s strict foreign funding rules.
Authorities similarly raided Oxfam’s India offices in 2022 in what Amnesty International said was the weaponisation of investigative agencies “to harass, intimidate, silence, and criminalise independent critical voices”.
Amnesty saw its own local offices raided in 2019 in a foreign funding investigation and announced it was halting operations in India the following year after the government froze its bank accounts.
Rights groups say freedom of speech in India has suffered since Prime Minister Narendra Modi took office in 2014.
The country has fallen 21 spots to 161 out of 180 countries in the World Press Freedom Index, compiled by Reporters Without Borders, in the decade since. AFP
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| 2024-01-17T11:14:43Z
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LONDON - Britain's foreign minister David Cameron will meet U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and other leaders at the Word Economic Forum in Davos, the British government said on Wednesday.
Cameron plans to reiterate Britain's support for Ukraine and call for security and stability in the Middle East, the government said in a statement. REUTERS
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| 2024-01-17T11:14:53Z
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BRUSSELS - The European Union's chief executive voiced confidence on Wednesday that all 27 member states will agree to jointly extend more financial aid to Ukraine.
Hungary has resisted agreement on an aid package, raising the possibility of the other 26 countries giving funds to Ukraine under separate bilateral deals with Kyiv.
But Ursula von der Leyen, who heads the executive European Commission, told EU lawmakers: "I am confident that we will find a solution by 27."
EU leaders last month agreed to start accession talks with Ukraine but Hungary vetoed granting 50 billion euros($54 bln) in aid for Kyiv through 2027.
The bloc's 27 national leaders will meet again in Brussels on Feb.1 to try to agree on providing more financial assistance to Kyiv, which relies heavily on Western support to defend itself against Russian forces who invaded almost two years ago.
The European Commission proposed extending the support through a review of the EU's shared budget, which would also provide more financing for migration and other priorities.
But Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has refused to channel the aid through the joint budget run by the Commission, leaving the other 26 countries considering proceeding without Budapest.
The prospect of 26 countries giving aid to Ukraine under separate bilateral deals with Kyiv is one alternative that is under discussion. That is seen as more complicated and expensive than going via the EU budget, as well as damaging the bloc's unity. ($1 = 0.9194 euros) REUTERS
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| 2024-01-17T11:15:04Z
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SINGAPORE - Recently, several company directors have found themselves in hot water and were brought to task under the Companies Act for not being good stewards of the businesses under their care.
Their wrongdoings ranged from minor offences such as not holding regular annual general meetings or not filing annual returns on time, to more serious ones like dereliction of duty, cheating and fraud.
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https://www.straitstimes.com/business/regulations-on-company-directors-eligibility-and-appointment-may-need-updating
| 2024-01-17T11:15:14Z
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SINGAPORE – When Singaporean pop singer Rriley received the invite to play an opening set for Coldplay’s upcoming concerts at the National Stadium, she thought it was a prank.
“I had to re-read it a few times and check who it was from to make sure it wasn’t a scam or a joke,” the 33-year-old tells The Straits Times about the Instagram direct message sent by concert promoter Live Nation in July 2023.
It was an offer that the Coldplay fan, who grew up with the British pop-rock band’s music, could not refuse.
“I had Adventure Of A Lifetime as my alarm clock ringtone for the longest time,” she says, referring to the 2015 Coldplay song.
Rriley, whose real name is Sandra Riley Tang, will perform on three nights of the concert – Jan 27, 30 and 31.
Fellow home-grown singer Jasmine Sokko will take the stage on Jan 23, 24 and 26. Indonesian artiste Jinan Laetitia will open for the band on all six nights.
Rriley congratulated Sokko in an Instagram post in December 2023, but added that she was sad they would not be sharing the stage.
She also raved that she “might as well retire after this because there’s nothing that’s ever gonna beat this”.
While the prospect of performing to a full stadium with a capacity of 55,000 is daunting, it will not be the first time that Rriley, who made her name as a member of home-grown pop band The Sam Willows, is performing at the stadium.
In 2015, The Sam Willows sang at the venue for the 28th South-east Asia Games.
It will not be the first time she is opening for an international act, either. The Sam Willows were the supporting act for Irish pop-rock band The Script at the Singapore Indoor Stadium in 2015, and British girl group Little Mix’s 2016 concerts at The Star Theatre in Singapore and Kia Theatre in the Philippines.
In 2017, Rriley worked with American singer Michael Bolton, co-hosting his reality television show Bolt Of Talent, and sang with him at his Singapore concert.
The upcoming Coldplay shows will be her biggest as a solo artiste, though.
“I’ll be doing lots of rehearsals and meditation so I don’t freak out,” she says. “It’ll be an experience of a lifetime, and I want to be able to live in the moment and remember as much as I can for years to come.”
Rriley will be backed by a live band and dancers during her 30-minute sets.
“I’ve got new and bigger arrangements of my current repertoire for a larger stadium feel, so it’s definitely going to be epic. I would have had more people on stage with me, but I had a limit to work with.”
She will be dressed in an outfit styled specially by Nike, as she is an ambassador for the sports giant.
The Sam Willows, which also comprise singer-musicians Jonathan Chua and siblings Benjamin and Narelle Kheng, were formed in 2011 and released their eponymous debut EP the following year.
They have released several hit songs, such as Take Heart (2015), All Time High (2015) and Save Myself (2018).
They have performed at major events such as the National Day Parade in 2015 and Singapore Grand Prix from 2013 to 2015, and headlined their own concerts in 2016 in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.
They have also toured overseas and played at festivals such as Summer Sonic Festival in Japan in 2017 and South by SouthWest in the United States in 2013.
In 2019, soon after The Sam Willows were included in the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list, they went on hiatus as all the members focused on their solo careers.
Rriley released her debut solo single Burn in the same year, and an EP, Alpha, the following year. Her most recent single, Growing Pains, was released in 2022.
She has also been pursuing other passions, such as yoga, Brazilian jiujitsu and, most recently, wakesurfing.
Ever the restless artiste, Rriley is always looking for new ways to remain creative.
“I’ve been dabbling in practical art and the fine arts, so I’m hoping to perhaps pursue that this year,” she says, adding that she has been making her own jewellery too. “But nothing in my life is ever set in stone, so I’m just going to go where the currents take me.”
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https://www.straitstimes.com/life/entertainment/adventure-of-a-lifetime-rriley-thought-offer-of-coldplay-opening-act-gig-was-a-scam
| 2024-01-17T11:15:25Z
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SINGAPORE - Home-grown singer Jasmine Sokko was disappointed when she could not get tickets to Coldplay’s six upcoming Singapore shows after they sold out quickly in June 2023.
But what happened next went beyond her wildest dreams. The 28-year-old will be one of the opening acts for the British pop-rock band when they play at the 55,000-capacity National Stadium.
Sokko will take the stage on Jan 23, 24 and 26, while fellow home-grown singer Rriley will do so on Jan 27, 30 and 31. Indonesian artiste Jinan Laetitia, known for songs such as Timeless (2022) and Gemini (2020), will perform on all six nights.
Concert promoter Live Nation did not reply by press time when asked how the opening acts were selected.
Coldplay will also have opening acts at their other sold-out South-east Asian stops. Filipino singer Jikamarie will perform at the Manila concerts in the Philippines on Jan 19 and 20, while Thai-Italian singer Valentina Ploy will take the stage at the Bangkok shows in Thailand on Feb 3 and 4.
Sokko, whose real name is Jasmine Wong, says she was bingeing on Coldplay songs with her friends when Live Nation contacted her some time in July 2023 and offered her the opening act gig.
The songwriter and electronic music producer tells The Straits Times: “It was one of the most surreal yet serendipitous moments of my life.”
When she first picked up the guitar at the age of 13, one of the songs she learnt to play was Yellow, Coldplay’s breakout hit from their debut album Parachutes (2000).
Sokko says: “Coldplay songs like Paradise (2011) and Charlie Brown (2011) soundtracked my secondary school days, at a time when the feeling of always being out of place resonated deeply with me. Even today, songs like Fix You (2005) and Magic (2014) remain my go-to remedies when I need some catharsis.”
Backed by a two-piece band, she will play a half-hour set on each night of her Coldplay gig. Her set list will include her signature electronic pop songs such as Tired (2019), which has more than 11.2 million streams on Spotify, and Hurt (2018), which has 4.7 million streams.
“I shiver every time I pass by the National Stadium,” she says, adding that the upcoming gigs will be the biggest shows she has played.
Sokko is a fan of Rriley, who first came to fame as a member of home-grown pop band The Sam Willows. “I’ve followed The Sam Willows since I was in school, and they pushed the ceiling for what music could be in Singapore, so Rriley has always left an impact on me.”
Sokko does not know if she will get to meet singer Chris Martin and the rest of Coldplay after her set, but she is looking forward to watching them perform for the first time.
Known for her cyberpunk-inspired image, Sokko says her live set has been reworked to be more vivid and immersive than her other shows.
“Set in a futuristic Asia-centric universe, I envision the set to follow a distinctive narrative of how a character comes to find her own voice and identity through her music. Through this cinematic journey, I hope to leave the audience with a lingering sense of having teleported to a different dimension, and get pumped up before the main show.”
To ensure her singing voice is at its best, she is laying off some of her favourite dishes.
“I haven’t had any spicy or fried food since December. I miss nasi lemak’s sambal chilli the most. I find tons of joy and fulfilment fine-tuning the performance and losing myself in the music.”
Sokko debuted in 2016 with a self-released single, 1057. Over the years, the self-taught producer rose from local cult favourite to regional pop star, amassing a large following after reaching the finals of Rave Now, a 2018 Chinese reality TV programme for electronic music acts. In 2019, she became the first Singaporean to win MTV Europe Music Awards’ Best South-east Asia Act.
While she is not the first Singapore artiste to open a concert for a major international act, such occurrences are rare. In 2008, for example, a concert by American rapper Kanye West at the Singapore Indoor Stadium featured home-grown acts such as hip-hop turntablist DJ KoFlow and beatboxer Dharni.
American pop star Taylor Swift, too, had local musicians opening her past concerts here, including singer-songwriter Sezairi for her 2011 show at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.
Sokko hopes that the experience of singing to Coldplay’s large audience will give her a new perspective on being a stage performer.
“There is so much for me to learn in being their opening act. I’m already going through a very transformative process of learning to think bigger even before stepping onto the stage.”
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https://www.straitstimes.com/life/entertainment/i-shiver-every-time-i-pass-by-the-national-stadium-jasmine-sokko-on-opening-for-coldplay
| 2024-01-17T11:15:35Z
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SINGAPORE – Residents will continue to enjoy meal subsidies under DBS and POSB’s 5 Million Hawker Meals initiative after DBS Bank announced on Jan 17 that the scheme would be extended for six months, till July 26.
Launched in February 2023, the initiative allows users to enjoy cashback of up to $3 if they are among the first 100,000 to use the PayLah! app to scan and pay for their meals every Friday at over 11,600 hawker stalls islandwide.
Meant to offset the cost of meals for people facing persistent inflation and global uncertainties, it was due to end on Jan 19.
The extension to July 26 will see the scheme subsidise a projected total of 7.5 million hawker meals over 18 months, said DBS.
DBS’ acting chief information officer and Singapore country head, Mr Han Kwee Juan, said that the bank was heartened by the positive impact the subsidies have had on its customers.
“While we do see cautious signs of recovery on the horizon for 2024, we’re aware that ongoing economic uncertainties and inflation continue to be a concern for many,” he said.
“Our hope is that the subsidies will continue to provide some relief to those looking to better manage their everyday expenses and support our hawkers.”
According to DBS, close to five million hawker meal subsidies have been redeemed as at Jan 17.
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https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/consumer/weekly-hawker-meal-subsidies-on-dbs-paylah-app-extended-till-july
| 2024-01-17T11:15:45Z
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| 2024-01-17T11:15:56Z
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SINGAPORE – The labour market is cooling and economic uncertainty abounds but that has not dented the determination of many Singapore professionals to change careers for improved long-term prospects, higher pay and a better work-life balance.
Data from professional networking platform LinkedIn released on Jan 17 found that 86 per cent of over 1,000 professionals it polled here are considering a new job in 2024, up a striking 15 percentage points from 2023.
The survey conducted in November and December 2023 polled respondents aged 18 to 77.
The top motivations of those looking to leave were higher wages in a challenging economic environment and a better work-life balance, LinkedIn noted.
“This signals a shift in attitudes where professionals are no longer willing to stick it out, instead they’re taking ownership of their careers and want to make up for lost time by focusing on productivity and career growth,” the platform said on Jan 17.
It also noted that Gen Z workers – those 18 to 26 – and millennials, who are 27 to 32, led the charge among those looking out for new jobs, notching percentages higher than the overall figure.
Around 70 per cent of respondents also said they would likely choose a different industry or job role for their next career move
Their top motivations for a job switch include a desire to explore other interests, add to their experience and make them a more attractive candidate, as well as to pursue a role or industry with better growth prospects, LinkedIn added.
Despite taking the risk of leaving a job amid a cooler labour market with slower hiring, 50 per cent of those polled in the latest survey felt confident about their prospects if they were to quit, more so than how they felt last year.
The increased desire to leave a job was reflected in LinkedIn’s platform in 2023, with search activity increasing by 19 per cent compared with 2022.
Ms Jasmine Liew, founder of Breakthrough Catalyst, an organisational development consultancy, said the results reflect the growing desire among workers for ownership over their career plan.
“Employees don’t trust their employers to plan their careers for them any more, and would rather make backup plans for themselves amid the uncertainty,” she added.
However, Ms Liew, who has over two decades of experience in human resources, noted that switching jobs may not be the best option for everyone: “In some sectors, continually moving may not be helpful to build the depth of skills to progress, and some relationships may also need to be built over time.”
She added that employees may be competing for fewer jobs on the market with a global labour pool through remote hires.
Finalised Ministry of Manpower data for the third quarter of 2023 showed the number of job vacancies at 78,400 in September 2023, which marked a decline for the sixth consecutive quarter from the peak of 126,000 in March 2022.
Ms Liew also said that employee churn is likely to increase past April, following the festive season from Christmas to Chinese New Year, when resignation and hiring activity tends to slow down, as well as the disbursal of company bonuses.
LinkedIn, which has more than three million users in Singapore, also announced on Jan 17 its latest list of the top 15 fastest-growing jobs in Singapore.
The first was quantitative developer followed by sustainability consultant and security operations centre analyst.
Quantitative developers build the software used to execute algorithmic trading strategies.
Eight of the 15 roles were related to technology, including cybersecurity engineers and data science managers, while the remaining roles mostly pertained to financial and real estate services.
LinkedIn compiled the list by examining the jobs started by its members from January 1, 2019 to July 31, 2024, among other data points, to calculate a growth rate for each job title.
LinkedIn’s Jobs on the Rise list for Singapore
1. Quantitative developer
2. Sustainability consultant
3. Security operations centre analyst
4. Real estate agent
5. Sales development representative
6. Business development representative
7. Infrastructure engineer
8. Cybersecurity engineer
9. Site reliability engineer
10. Back-end developer
11. Cloud engineer
12. Data Science manager
13. Search engine optimisation specialist
14. Investment specialist
15. Chief of staff
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https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/jobs/more-s-pore-professionals-seek-to-change-jobs-despite-cooling-labour-market
| 2024-01-17T11:16:06Z
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PARIS - Number eight Gregory Alldritt will captain France in the Six Nations Championship after taking over from Antoine Dupont, who will miss the tournament to focus on the French Sevens side that competes at the Paris Olympic Games later this year.
Coach Fabien Galthie has named six uncapped players as France enter a new World Cup cycle having had the bitter disappointment of losing to eventual champions South Africa in the quarter-finals on home soil last year.
Centre Nicolas Depoortere, back row Esteban Abadie, locks Matthias Halagahu and Emmanuel Meafou, flyhalf Antoine Gibert and scrumhalf Nolann Le Garrec could all debut in the Six Nations.
Meafou was born in New Zealand and raised in Australia, but has been playing for Toulouse since 2019 and trained with France last year, though he has only now become eligible to play for the national team.
Twenty-two of the squad that competed at the World Cup are among the 34 selected, with scrumhalf Dupont not considered as he plays in Sevens World Series events in Vancouver and Los Angeles that overlap with the Six Nations.
Maxime Lucu and Le Garrec are the two specialist number nines in the squad and will vye to start in the absence of Dupont.
Galthie has preferred Alldritt, 26, as captain over fellow back rows Charles Ollivon and Anthony Jelonch, who have both had the armband before and are in the squad.
Alldritt took time off after the World Cup disappointment but returned for his club La Rochelle on Dec. 30.
Galthie has also called on 30-year-old lock Paul Gabrillagues, who won the last of his 16 caps for the national team in 2019.
France open their Six Nations campaign against Ireland in Marseille on Feb. 2.
Squad:
Forwards: Esteban Abadie, Dorian Aldegheri, Gregory Alldritt, Uini Atonio, Cyril Baille, Gaetan Barlot, Paul Boudehent, Francois Cros, Paul Gabrillagues, Matthias Halagahu, Anthony Jelonch, Thomas Laclayat, Julien Marchand, Peato Mauvaka, Emmanuel Meafou, Charles Ollivon, Romain Taofifenua, Sebastien Taofifenua, Reda Wardi, Cameron Woki
Backs: Louis Bielle-Biarrey, Jonathan Danty, Nicolas Depoortere, Gael Fickou, Emilien Gailleton, Antoine Gibert, Matthieu Jalibert, Melvyn Jaminet, Nolann Le Garrec, Matthis Lebel, Maxime Lucu, Yoram Moefana, Damian Penaud, Thomas Ramos. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/football/alldritt-to-skipper-france-in-six-nations-championship
| 2024-01-17T11:16:17Z
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DOHA - Australia made the right move to leave the Oceania confederation and join the Asian confederation (AFC) in 2006 as the level of competition in the continent has helped the Socceroos improve as a team, coach Graham Arnold said on Wednesday.
Australia had been with the Oceania Football Confederation for nearly four decades but made the switch in 2006 and played their first Asian Cup in 2007.
They have since won the competition as hosts in 2015 while they were runners-up in the 2011 edition, which was also held in Qatar.
"Yes, look, I didn't make the decision to come into Asia from Oceania. But I really think it's improved us as a nation in football because the competition, the teams we're playing against is much harder," Arnold told reporters.
"Australians are football fanatics and they're seeing that Asian football is growing enormously and quickly. You can see in this tournament, the quality of the teams there is getting better and better.
"So the Australian community is right behind the Socceroos and Australian football being in Asia."
When it was suggested it gave Australia an easier path to the World Cup with only one team from Oceania qualifying for the inter-confederation playoffs, he added: "I don't make those rules but New Zealand might not be happy if we go back."
Australia are top of Group B after beating India in their opening match and they next play Syria on Thursday, with Graham saying they needed to improve in certain areas despite the victory.
"I think that we did very well against India, but probably (need to improve) just the last pass or the last finish," he said.
"I think our set pieces were not great against India. We had a lot of corners and that is probably one of our strengths and we just need to improve on those little things."
Arnold said they had watched Syria's previous games and done their homework.
"We know everything about the Syrian players, we've done our homework. We expect a physical game and we'll be ready for it," he added.
"We're excited to get back on the field and play against Syria, but the focus is on ourselves.
"We were happy with our performance against India, but my expectations are that we will improve every game that we play. So tomorrow it's about playing better than what we did against India." REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/football/australia-made-right-call-to-join-asian-confederation-says-coach-arnold
| 2024-01-17T11:16:27Z
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DOHA - United Arab Emirates coach Paulo Bento said on Wednesday he hopes his team will not be distracted by the huge support Palestine are expected to receive when the two teams meet in their second Asian Cup Group C encounter.
Palestine enjoyed massive support at the stadium during their 4-1 loss to Iran in their group opener. Iranian fans also gave the Palestine team a warm welcome in a show of solidarity, with the conflict in Gaza raging for over 100 days.
"For me, no. It's not going to distract me ... I hope it doesn't disturb our players as well," Bento told reporters ahead of Thursday's game at Al Janoub Stadium.
"Some of the players have some experience while others not so much since it's their first time in such a competition ... What I think all the players and coaches like is that all stadiums should be full.
"Maybe it's a little bit different experience because in our league there aren't many people watching the games in stadiums. Until now I didn't see many people in stadiums for games of the national team in Abu Dhabi or Dubai."
UAE, semi-finalists in 2019, beat Hong Kong 3-1 in their opener and Bento is looking to secure six points and put one foot in the knockout stage.
While Palestine are seeking their first ever win at the Asian Cup since making their debut at the continental championship in 2015, the Portuguese coach said he is not taking them lightly.
"They are strong in the physical aspect with some players who are strong in heading duels," Bento said.
"It's a team that plays offence, more often with a direct game with some similar processes like our previous opponent.
"So we should be aware and focused in order to control their best moments and of course try to control the game according to our characteristics ... Our ambition is to win and to reach six points." REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/football/coach-bento-hopes-support-for-palestine-will-not-distract-uae-at-asian-cup
| 2024-01-17T11:16:37Z
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SINGAPORE – A player of the year and a coach of the year gong won by the same individual at an annual awards gala could be possible in Singapore’s Women’s Premier League (WPL) this season.
Albirex Niigata’s reigning WPL Player of the Year and the league’s Golden Boot winner Kana Kitahara will assume a dual player-head coach role for their women’s team in 2024.
While there is no official announcement when the new campaign kicks off, The Straits Times understands it is likely to start in March.
Kitahara scored 17 goals in 13 matches for Albirex as they finished second in the 10-team football competition, nine points behind champions Lion City Sailors.
This might be her debut on the WPL touchline but she is aiming high. Speaking through a translator, Kitahara, 35, said: “I have never heard of the best player winner also being named best head coach. That is unprecedented. But, to be honest, this will require the effort of everyone.
“A lot of the work will be done on the training pitch but, during matches, I have good and reliable coaches with me and we will all do our best to achieve our goal of winning the title.”
Kitahara, who holds a Japan Football Association B Licence, will be assisted by former Singapore women’s team head coach Melisa Ye and former Singapore men’s Under-17 assistant coach Toni Teo.
Her on-field experience is unquestioned. Kitahara has played in midfield and attack for Albirex and was deployed as a defender for the Japan national team that finished runners-up at the 2015 World Cup.
Albirex chairman Daisuke Korenaga said his main goal is to elevate women’s football here and that, amongst several Japanese players with World Cup experience, Kitahara was his first choice when he convinced her to relocate in 2022.
She was also hired on a coaching contract which saw her serve as the assistant of the U-17 Albirex men’s team that competed in the Football Association of Singapore’s Centre of Excellence U-17 league and as a coach in the Albirex Singapore Football Academy where she coached girls and boys aged six to 17.
Korenaga said: “It was a long-term plan (to have her as our women’s head coach). Not only has she got results in the World Cup, she also has exceptional personality.
“She is earnest, straightforward and has a charismatic charm that attracts people. Personally, I believe this is the best position for her, considering her career so far.”
The Sailors will have a new face in the dugout after promoting their goalkeeping coach Daniel Ong, 34. He takes over from Yeong Sheau Shyan, who led the side to back-to-back undefeated title-winning campaigns and was WPL Coach of the Year in 2022 and 2023.
Yeong is now head of the Sailors women’s programme, tasked with ensuring the development of players from the club’s girls academy through to the WPL team.
Ong, who is also the women’s national team goalkeeper coach, oversaw his first game in charge on Jan 12 in the Sailors’ 4-2 win over second-tier Women’s National League champions Royal Arion in the Cafe Football Charity Cup 2024 at Our Tampines Hub.
The job comes with “big pressure”, he admitted, but he is looking forward to the challenge.
“I feel blessed... coach Sheau Shyan has trusted me and I want to do well. Of course, it is a big pressure given the team has been undefeated but I see this job as one where I will focus on making players better. As a team, they are good but, individually, there’s a lot to improve,” he said.
Sailors and national team midfielder Ho Hui Xin said it will not be a “drastic change” as Ong has been with the team since 2022.
She added: “In terms of the understanding of the game and the ambitions for the team, he’s pretty much aligned with, and similar to, coach Sheau Shyan.
“He understands this team is very competitive and I’m sure he’s trying to train us in the same way coach Sheau Shyan did.”
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https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/football/no-experience-no-problem-singapore-s-top-two-women-s-football-teams-hire-rookie-head-coaches
| 2024-01-17T11:16:48Z
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LONDON - Saracens hooker Jamie George was named as the new England captain on Wednesday as coach Steve Borthwick included seven uncapped players in his 36-man squad for the Six Nations championship, which begins for his team on Feb. 3 away to Italy.
George, who has 85 caps, is one of the few players absolutely assured of his place as England undergo a period of transition in the wake of regular captain Owen Farrell's decision to stand down from international rugby.
The uncapped players are Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (Exeter), Chandler Cunningham-South (Harlequins), Ethan Roots (Exeter Chiefs), Oscar Beard (Harlequins), Fraser Dingwall (Northampton Saints), Tom Roebuck (Sale Sharks) and Fin Smith (Northampton Saints).
There is a recall for Northampton's in-form back George Furbank and Bath scrumhalf Ben Spencer, whose last appearance was as a late replacement in the 2019 World Cup final, but prop Kyle Sinckler, reported to be on the brink of securing a move to France, is a notable absentee.
"Building on the foundations of what the England team achieved in the Rugby World Cup, I have selected a squad that provides strong continuity and experience, whilst at the same time providing an opportunity to develop the talent of a number of new and less experienced players,” Borthwick said.
On George's appointment, he added: "Jamie has been a respected leader in this group for a number of years now. He is a quietly influential character who has an excellent tactical understanding and who sets high standards, whilst building strong relationships with the people around him.
"This, together with his previous experiences of captaining Saracens and the British & Irish Lions, leave him well-placed to lead the team."
After their opening trip to Italy, England then host Wales, play Scotland in Edinburgh, host Ireland before finishing off away to France.
England training squad.
Forwards:
Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers, 18 caps)
Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers, 107 caps)
Alex Coles (Northampton Saints, 3 caps)
Luke Cowan-Dickie (Sale Sharks, 41 caps)
Chandler Cunningham-South (Harlequins, uncapped)
Ben Curry (Sale Sharks, 5 caps)
Theo Dan (Saracens, 7 caps)
Alex Dombrandt (Harlequins, 15 caps)
Ben Earl (Saracens, 25 caps)
Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears, 58 caps)
Jamie George (Saracens, 85 caps) – captain
Joe Heyes (Leicester Tigers, 7 caps)
Nick Isiekwe (Saracens, 11 caps)
Maro Itoje (Saracens, 76 caps)
Joe Marler (Harlequins, 88 caps)
Beno Obano (Bath Rugby, 3 caps)
Tom Pearson (Northampton Saints, 1 cap)
Ethan Roots (Exeter Chiefs, uncapped)
Will Stuart (Bath Rugby, 33 caps)
Sam Underhill (Bath Rugby, 30 caps)Backs:
Oscar Beard (Harlequins, uncapped)
Danny Care (Harlequins, 96 caps)
Elliot Daly (Saracens, 64 caps)
Fraser Dingwall (Northampton Saints, uncapped)
Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (Exeter Chiefs, uncapped)
George Ford (Sale Sharks, 91 caps)
Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints, 3 caps)
George Furbank (Northampton Saints, 6 caps)
Ollie Lawrence (Bath Rugby, 21 caps)
Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints, 11 caps)
Tom Roebuck (Sale Sharks, uncapped)
Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs, 57 caps)
Fin Smith (Northampton Saints, uncapped)
Marcus Smith (Harlequins, 30 caps)
Ben Spencer (Bath Rugby, 4 caps)
Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers, 31 caps)
Rehabilitation: George Martin (Leicester Tigers), Manu Tuilagi (Sale Sharks), Anthony Watson (Leicester Tigers), Raffi Quirke (Sale Sharks), Jack van Poortvliet (Leicester Tigers. REUTERS
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| 2024-01-17T11:16:58Z
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MELBOURNE – It was a day for the next generation in women’s tennis to shine on Jan 17, as sixth seed Ons Jabeur and former champion Caroline Wozniacki fell victim to exciting young Russians in the Australian Open second round.
The veteran pair were no match for Mirra Andreeva and Maria Timofeeva, who emphatically stamped their mark on the opening Grand Slam of the year, which was marred by rain on Day 4.
Andreeva, just 16, was in scintillating form to take down 29-year-old three-time Major runner-up Jabeur 6-0, 6-2 under the closed roof on Rod Laver Arena in just 54 minutes.
“Probably it was the best match (ever),” said the Russian, a schoolgirl who burst onto the scene when she reached the fourth round at Wimbledon in 2023 as a qualifier.
“The first set, I didn’t expect that I would play this good. Second set was also not bad. It was an amazing match. But I was really nervous before the match, and I saw that she was nervous too. It kind of helped me, because I know I’m not the only one who is nervous.
“I decided to just enjoy, because it’s Rod Laver Arena, I’m playing against the person that I like. I decided just to play, and I think I played OK.”
Her reward is a third-round clash with France’s Diane Parry.
It was also just Andreeva’s second appearance on Melbourne’s centre court after losing the 2023 girls final to fellow Russian Alina Korneeva. She admitted it left her “super upset” and drove her forward against Jabeur.
The teenager made her Grand Slam bow at the French Open last season with a run to the third round after coming through qualifying, ahead of her exploits at Wimbledon. In her only other Grand Slam, she lost in the second round of the US Open to eventual champion Coco Gauff.
Andreeva is pursuing her dream of a tennis career while still juggling school.
“I still have to do a lot of school. It actually started two days ago, so I have to do it,” she said, adding “I don’t like chemistry”.
At such a young age, she is restricted by the WTA Tour in the number of tournaments she can play and she said it was too early to be thinking about what how far she can climb up the rankings.
“I mean, I’m 16. Why do I have to think about the rankings? I’m going a bit higher, and so my goal is to go higher and higher. But I just try not to think about that and just to think about tennis and that’s it,” the world No. 47 said.
Timofeeva, a 20-year-old qualifier, was equally impressive against 2018 champion Wozniacki, who flew through the first set and was a break up in the second.
Undeterred, the Russian, showing impressive power, hauled herself back into the contest and ultimately prevailed against a player 13 years her senior, winning 1-6, 6-4, 6-1.
“It was an honour to play here against Caroline today. I’m just beyond happy and couldn’t ask for more,” she said after setting up a testing third-round meeting with 10th seed Beatriz Haddad Maia.
Much has changed for Wozniacki after she returned to the Australian Open from a four-year absence to give birth but the Dane said the sting of disappointment of losing at a Grand Slam still felt the same.
The wildcard arrived at Melbourne Park with her children Olivia and James in tow but made her earliest exit since going out in the first round in 2016.
“Losing now and losing then, it doesn’t really change. You want to win everything. When you have the family here you want to win even more because you want to stay longer and not have to move around. It definitely sucks and it’s disappointing,” she said.
US Open champion Gauff, another youngster at 19, also eased through to the third round after beating fellow American Caroline Dolehide 7-6 (7-2), 6-2.
World No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka, meanwhile, defeated Brenda Fruhvirtova 6-3, 6-2 as she seeks to retain her title. AFP, REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/tennis/ons-jabeur-caroline-wozniacki-derailed-by-russian-nextgen-at-australian-open
| 2024-01-17T11:17:04Z
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MELBOURNE - Second seed Aryna Sabalenka continued her Australian Open title defence with another comfortable victory as the Belarusian beat 16-year-old Czech Brenda Fruhvirtova 6-3 6-2 to move into the third round on Wednesday.
Playing a second straight qualifier, Sabalenka did not have it all her way early in the opening set on Rod Laver Arena and swapped breaks with her opponent after some wayward hitting.
"I think for someone who is 16, she's doing an incredible job," Sabalenka said. "I wish I was at that level at that age. She's an unbelievable player, if she keeps on working she'll be at the top real soon.
"I'm super happy with the win. I was focused on myself, not on anything else and I just tried to fight for every point."
Sabalenka quickly reset to find her range for a 5-3 lead following a second break of serve before she wrapped up the first set and surged to a 4-0 lead in the second.
World number 107 Fruhvirtova responded to get on the board but Sabalenka was in no mood to allow an unlikely comeback and reeled off the winners en route to victory.
The 25-year-old will next play either Ukrainian 28th seed Lesia Tsurenko or Spain's Rebeka Masarova. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/tennis/sabalenka-glides-past-fruhvirtova-into-third-round
| 2024-01-17T11:17:15Z
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FRANKFURT – Frankfurt Airport’s operator cancelled more than half of flights scheduled for Jan 17 as central and southern Germany braced themselves for heavy snowfall and black ice.
Fraport pre-emptively cancelled 574 of 1,074 planned take-offs and landings, a spokeswoman said.
The country’s national weather service warned of “extreme freezing rain danger” in the south-west and the authorities advised drivers not to venture out.
Icy temperatures have been dominating northern Europe for the past few days.
The cold is set to intensify in Germany and parts of France until Jan 20.
Meanwhile, Britain experienced its coldest January night since 2019 on Jan 16, when temperatures fell as low as minus 14 deg C, the BBC reported citing the Met Office.
Sweden’s national forecaster issued orange and yellow weather warnings for parts of the west and the east coast as an “intense low pressure system” sweeps in from the west, bringing heavy snow.
In Germany, rail operator Deutsche Bahn said snow and ice could cause delays and train cancellations and limited the maximum speed of its high-speed ICE trains to 200kmh.
The fresh transport woes come just a week after a three-day nationwide rail strike.
That action had coincided with a wave of protests by farmers, who blocked roads and highways across the country to vent their anger over the government cutting subsidies.
Deutsche Lufthansa said it has “significantly reduced” overall capacity in the next two days, affecting both short and long-haul flights.
The airline urged passengers to check their schedules and to not travel to the airport should they be affected by cancellations. The carrier said it is aiming to stabilise operations once the weather improves.
The Arctic weather sweeping across Northern Europe is expected to give way to unseasonably warm weather next week. BLOOMBERG
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/frankfurt-airport-cancels-flights-amid-icy-winter-weather
| 2024-01-17T11:17:25Z
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BERLIN/COLOGNE - Protests against the far-right Alternative for Germany party are gaining momentum in the wake of a report that two senior party members joined a meeting to discuss plans for the mass deportation of citizens of foreign origin.
While the party has long railed against immigrants, the proposals for "unassimilated citizens" to be deported to "a model state in north Africa", reported by outlet Correctiv, have struck a nerve in Germany. Some have compared them to the Nazis' initial plan to deport European Jews to Madagascar.
"The line has long since been crossed," protester Stephan Kalsh said at a demonstration in Cologne on Tuesday evening, where many protesters called for the party to be banned.
It was the latest in a wave of protests around the country that have attracted tens of thousands since the story broke last week. Some have been attended by high-ranking officials like Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock.
The AfD, which is polling second in nationwide surveys, has denied the plans are party policy. Co-leader Alice Weidel parted ways with one of her advisers who participated in the talks.
Still, Germany's domestic spy chief Thomas Haldenwang has warned of extremist movements within the AfD, which is under security surveillance.
The reports of the plans have drawn widespread condemnation from political and security leaders. Scholz urged democrats to stand against far-right "fanatics" while Haldenwang called for the "silent majority" to wake up.
Images of thousands of citizens braving sub-zero temperatures and snow to protest against the AfD in cities nationwide suggest they may just be.
"Nazis, no thank you", "It feels like 1933, AfD ban now!" and "Investigate banning AfD" read banners at a protest in Berlin last Friday.
Other protests have been scheduled for later on Wednesday in Berlin and on Friday in Hamburg.
ELECTIONS LOOM IN EAST GERMANY
Weidel on Tuesday attacked what she called the use of the Correctiv report to misrepresent the AfD. She said the party aimed to exhaust all legal means to prevent illegal migration, restrict nationalizations and deport migrants suspected of terrorism.
"Whoever has German citizenship belongs without question and without doubt to the German nation," Weidel told a news conference. "And that´s precisely why the German citizenship may not be sold off cheap and distributed with a watering can."
The party has shifted more into focus this year ahead of the European Parliamentary elections and three state elections in eastern Germany in September where it is polling in first place. This is expected to make it much harder for mainstream parties, which have ruled out working with the AfD, to form workable governments.
Support for the 11-year-old AfD has soared over the past year as it has capitalized on discontent with the ruling coalition's handling of a multitude of crises, from the Ukraine war and inflation to public services overwhelmed by immigration.
Public infighting has made Scholz's government one of the least popular in modern German history.
There is no evidence yet of the Correctiv report damaging support for the AfD, which remained steady in polls released this week.
Political analysts say the strength of the AfD has already influenced the political debate, contributing to tougher policy and rhetoric on irregular migration.
Politicians this week discussed the possibility of calling on the constitutional court to ban the AfD although most concurred it risked backfiring. The hurdles to a ban are high and the party could stand to win from portraying itself as a victim of the establishment. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/nazis-no-thank-you-germans-take-to-streets-to-call-for-afd-ban
| 2024-01-17T11:17:35Z
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MOSCOW - Russia's foreign ministry said on Wednesday that it expected President Vladimir Putin and his Iranian counterpart to soon sign a new interstate treaty between the two countries which was in the final stages of being agreed.
Putin held five hours of talks in the Kremlin with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi last month amid growing political, trade and military ties between Moscow and Tehran that the United States and Israel views with concern.
Maria Zakharova, spokeswoman for the Russian foreign ministry, told reporters on Wednesday that the new treaty would consolidate the strategic partnership between Moscow and Tehran and cover the full range of their ties.
"This document is not just timely, but also overdue," said Zakharova.
"Since the signing of the current treaty, the international context has changed and relations between the two countries are experiencing an unprecedented upswing."
Zakharova said the new treaty was expected to be signed during what she described as one of the upcoming contacts between the two presidents.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted by the TASS state news agency as saying that an exact date for a meeting between the two leaders had yet to be determined.
The Kremlin in November said Russia and Iran were developing their relations, "including in the field of military-technical cooperation", but declined to comment on a suggestion by the White House that Iran may be considering providing Russia with ballistic missiles.
Iranian authorities have said military cooperation with Russia is expanding day by day. Iran said in November it had finalised arrangements for Russia to provide it with Su-35 fighter jets, Mi-28 attack helicopters and Yak-130 pilot training aircraft. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/putin-and-irans-raisi-to-sign-new-interstate-treaty-soon-russia
| 2024-01-17T11:17:46Z
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KYIV - Kyiv and Brussels are developing safeguards to make it impossible in the future to block the land borders of Ukraine and the European Union, Ukrainian deputy infrastructure minister Serhiy Derkach said on Wednesday.
Weeks of blockades by Polish drivers at border crossings have caused significant damage to Ukraine and it was only on Tuesday that Warsaw and Kyiv managed to unblock them.
"We are now working with the European Commission to make some safeguards so that borders and roads to border crossings cannot be blocked," Derkach told national television.
Polish hauliers had been protesting over what they said was unfair competition from their Ukrainian counterparts, demanding that the EU reinstate a system in which Ukrainian companies need permits to operate in the bloc and the same for European truckers entering Ukraine.
Ukraine has been forced to significantly increase trade through its land borders as its previously main trade routes were blocked after the Russian invasion in February 2022.
The current border crossing regime will remain in place until June 30 and Derkach said Polish officials have promised to give Ukraine their suggestions on how the agreement, which is reviewed annually, can continue to work.
"It is very important for us that the border works, the agreement must work and the borders must be free, especially during the martial law," he said.
Derkach said Ukraine now is working with each EU country to map the development of border crossings aiming to increase their number and capacity.
"We will activate all (export-import) routes considering that there is a risk of blocking borders with EU countries," he said. REUTERS
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| 2024-01-17T11:17:56Z
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DAVOS, Switzerland - United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Wednesday that parties to the conflict in Gaza were "trampling" on international law and urged them to implement an immediate humanitarian ceasefire.
Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Guterres said the warring parties were "ignoring international law, trampling on the Geneva Conventions, and even violating the United Nations Charter".
"The world is standing by as civilians, mostly women and children, are killed, maimed, bombarded, forced from their homes and denied access to humanitarian aid," he said.
"I repeat my call for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, and a process that leads to sustained peace for Israelis and Palestinians, based on a two-state solution."
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected calls for a ceasefire, saying Israel will continue its offensive in Gaza until it defeats Hamas and recovers the hostages taken there during a deadly rampage by Hamas gunmen on Oct. 7.
The Israeli bombardment and ground offensive in the Palestinian enclave in response to the Hamas attacks has driven most of Gaza's 2.3 million people from their homes.
It has also caused a grave humanitarian crisis as deliveries of food, fuel and medical supplies have been severely restricted.
The Israeli military recently focused its offensive on the southern end of the enclave, where nearly 2 million people are sheltering in tents and other temporary accommodation, after the initial phase of the war centred on the north. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/un-chief-says-parties-to-gaza-war-trampling-on-international-law
| 2024-01-17T11:18:06Z
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MALINDI, Kenya - A Kenyan judge on Wednesday ordered cult leader Paul Mackenzie and 30 associates to undergo mental health evaluations before being charged with the murder of 191 children whose bodies have been exhumed since last April from the Shakahola forest.
Authorities say Mackenzie, the head of the Good News International Church, ordered his followers in southeastern Kenya to starve themselves and their children to death so that they could go to heaven before the world ended.
More than 400 bodies were uncovered over the course of months of exhumations across tens of thousands of acres of forest, making this one of the world's worst cult-related tragedies in recent history.
Prosecutors say they will charge 95 people in total on counts of murder, manslaughter, terrorism and torture.
A lawyer for Mackenzie, who has been in custody since police started unearthing bodies in the forest, has said the self-styled pastor is cooperating with the investigation.
During a hearing in the coastal town of Malindi, a judge granted a prosecution request to conduct mental health assessments of the 31 defendants before they are formally charged and enter pleas in two weeks.
Mackenzie, dressed in a white-and-blue-striped polo shirt, sat largely expressionless alongside his fellow defendants in the courtroom.
Prosecutors have attributed delays in bringing charges to the gruelling and delicate task of locating, exhuming and autopsying so many human remains. Some of Mackenzie's other followers were rescued, emaciated, from the forest.
People with knowledge of the cult's activities told Reuters last year that Mackenzie planned the mass starvation in three phases: first children, then women and young men, and finally the remaining men.
A former taxi driver, Mackenzie forbade cult members from sending their children to school and from going to hospital when they were ill, branding such institutions as Satanic, some of his followers said.
He was convicted in December of producing and distributing films without a license and sentenced to 12 months in jail. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/kenyan-cult-leader-to-face-murder-charges-in-starvation-deaths
| 2024-01-17T11:18:17Z
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JERUSALEM - Israeli food-tech start-up Aleph Farms said on Wednesday it received regulatory approval in Israel to sell steak grown from cow cells in a process that effectively takes the animal itself out of the equation.
Cultivated meat, grown from animal cells in a lab or manufacturing plant, has been garnering interest globally as a way to sidestep the environmental impact of the meat industry and address concerns over animal welfare.
The Health Ministry's green light is a key development along the lengthy path to bringing the thin-cut beef steaks to market.
"This regulatory milestone, the first of its kind worldwide, reflects a comprehensive assessment of crucial factors, from toxicology and allergens to nutritional composition, microbiological safety, and chemical safety throughout the entire production process," said Ziva Hamama, Food Risk Management Department Director at the Health Ministry.
She said there were talks with other companies as well to bring more products to market. Israel is a global leader in the sector, with groups also pioneering alternatives to traditional fish and chicken products.
Aleph Farms has raised around $140 million since its founding in 2017 and has actor Leonardo DiCaprio as an advisory board member.
A year ago, Israel's chief rabbinate gave the company its approval, having determined that the cultivated steaks are indeed kosher.
The company said it is following final instructions from the health ministry for consumer labeling for the product, and is obtaining a final inspection of its pilot production facility in central Israel.
Within a few months it hopes to start selling to restaurants, and eventually for food service and retail.
"Aleph’s regulatory team is working in similar fashion with authorities in numerous markets around the world in order to ensure compliance with respective safety requirements," said Yifat Gavriel, the company's chief of regulatory affairs, quality assurance and product safety.
Aleph Farms says it collects sample cells from a living animal and then grows more in a cultivator that mimics conditions in the animal's body. They are mixed with plant proteins from soy and wheat, but the product is different from popular plant-based alternatives that do not have animal origins. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/middle-east/aleph-farms-gets-approval-to-sell-cultivated-steaks-in-israel
| 2024-01-17T11:18:27Z
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US tennis star Andy Roddick and Brooklyn Decker have given fans a candid insight into the early days of their romance. The couple, who met in 2007, got engaged after a year-long relationship, and have since been happily married for nearly 15 years.
With Andy touring the world, taking part in the biggest tennis tournaments, and Brooklyn's demanding modelling schedule, the pair were forced to spend long periods of time away from each other.
During a chat with GQ Sports last summer, Andy recalled: "I went from, 'I don't think I'm gonna get in a serious relationship forever,' and then we were engaged in, like, six months. And then we really got to know each other."
They married in April 2009, and have become parents to two children; Hank, eight, and daughter Stevie, six.
Andy, 41, went on to add: "If we hadn't actually made that commitment, I don't know that we would get through that. I don't know if she'd tell you the full truth cause she knows I don't talk about stuff, but…"
Admitting she didn't know whether their relationship would last due to their work pressures and Andy's ego, 36-year-old Brooklyn explained: "It can get in the way of emotional evolution, especially in men, but ego can also be a wonderful thing.
"With our relationship, I think that ego and insecurity about failing - and failing publicly - was very much a motivation to put our heads together and figure this out."
The tennis player, who won the 2003 US Open, confessed he could be "terrible" to be around during tournaments. Brooklyn added: "And Wimbledon was when Andy's nerves and the general tension was at its highest because that was that one that he really wanted."
On being parents to their two children, Andy previously told Us Weekly: "I think with work and kids, I think that we're a really good team. I think we know that we each try to go above and beyond with our household responsibilities and the kids. And so, I don't think we ever question either [person's] effort at all [which] leads to a kind of more of a calming situation."
But when it comes to keeping their romance alive, Andy remarked: "You have to schedule it. We do try to do a good job of saying, 'Hey, next Wednesday we're going to go out and enjoy each other.' Enjoy the silence of no children around, and enjoy not picking stuff up off the floor, unless we do it. So, scheduling matters when you’re this far out and have a couple of kids."
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/celebrities/511433/andy-roddick-making-relationship-brooklyn-decker-work/
| 2024-01-17T11:44:25Z
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Julianne Moore has been with her husband Bart Freundlich for over 20 years going strong. Their relationship shows no sign of breaking, and they have two fully grown children as well.
So it's of no surprise that the May December actress' birthday tribute to her beloved husband would be utterly adorable. Julianne took to Instagram to let the world know how she feels about Bart on his birthday, sharing a photo of the couple with beaming smiles on the red carpet at the Golden Globes.
Julianne stunned in a bright red dress with a fitted bodice which matched her red hair, neatly tied back, meanwhile Bart wore a simple black suit with his white shirt unbuttoned at the top for a laidback look.
"Happy birthday @freundlich96", the Oscar winner wrote. "I am in awe of your compassion, your talent, and the way you move through the world. You make an impression on everyone you meet. I’m grateful for the life we have built together and I love you so much!!"
It was clear to everyone that Julianne has a lot of love for her husband, as fans from across the globe flocked to wish Bart a happy birthday.
"What a cute couple", one fan wrote. Another agreed that they were "such a gorgeous couple".
The couple first met in 1996 on the set of The Myth of Fingerprints, which Bart wrote and directed. They married in 2003 and have raised children Caleb, 26, and Liv, 21, together.
The couple's longevity stands out in an industry where divorce is a regular occurrence for many, and they only go from strength to strength. But what is the secret to their long marriage?
"I feel grateful I have a relationship that’s as rewarding as it is, because it’s something I really wanted to have", she gushed to Harper's Bazaar.
But the secret to her happy marriage is "not to spend too much time apart".
She continued: "You cannot be intimately involved in somebody else’s life if you are not there. The same way that you can’t parent someone if you’re not there: you know you have to be present."
The couple keep it simple when away from the cameras, as they just "love to be at home", she said. "We love family time with our kids, with each other and our dog, and we love to watch movies together and cook and eat together."
Julianne made it clear that she has always prioritized family as well, as when her kids were growing up she tried to take on films which wouldn't come at a sacrifice to her family. Clearly, it hasn't come at a cost to her career in any sense at all.
"I didn’t travel outside New York because I needed to be there while they were in school. So if I did a little movie, it had to be shot in the city, and if it was a bigger thing, we’d have to move it to summertime so we could all go", she said.
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/celebrities/511436/julianne-moore-adorable-tribute-husband-bart-freundlich-birthday/
| 2024-01-17T11:44:31Z
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Nicole Kidman and her dazzling smile have graced a multitude of red carpets and magazine covers over her lengthy career in Hollywood and at 56 she's as gorgeous as ever.
But it's not just her infamous red hair or bold fashion sense that have transformed over the years as her megawatt smile has also undergone a makeover.
Photos from the early days of her acting career show Nicole's teeth looking very different from today. So, what has she done to achieve her picture-perfect smile? Two dental experts weighed in to HELLO! to reveal what treatments they believe Nicole has undergone.
Gum contouring
"Looking at the earlier pictures of Nicole, we can see that her top gums are visibly noticeable, which can cause the teeth to appear smaller," said leading cosmetic dentist and the President Elect of The British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, Dr. Sam Jethwa, of Bespoke Smile.
"This suggests that she has undergone a dental procedure called gum contouring to address the extra gum tissue, however not alone, the shapes of the teeth have been improved to match."
He described the procedure, revealing that it involves "using a high-powered laser to contour uneven, or extra gum tissue with the aim of re-shaping the gums to make them look smaller and/or neater in proportion to the teeth.
"The procedure lasts approximately one hour, and once the tissue has been lasered it cannot grow back. "The healing process depends on the patient," he added. "But it can take anything from a few days to a few weeks."
Smile dimensions
"If we compare old pictures to new pictures, we can see that Nicole Kidman’s teeth have always appeared straight, although they do lean slightly inwards and the proportions are ever so slightly irregular," Dr. Jethwa explained. "Her smile looks more mature now, in a good way with more width and balance with her natural asymmetries.
"Her smile is what we call 'harmonious', in keeping with her facial features, working with the asymmetries of the face. In more current pictures dimensions of her smile seemed to have changed. She now has what we like to call a ‘wide smile’, where the smile is typically wider and displays more of the upper teeth than the lower."
Dental veneers
Dental veneers appear to have played a big part in altering Nicole's smile and the experts agree. "We can see from Nicole Kidman’s smile that it has changed considerably over the years," said Dr. Richard Marques BDS of Doctor Richard London. "Her original smile was quite uneven, but her smile is now whiter and much more even.
"In my opinion she has had teeth straightening and whitening and she may well have had some natural looking veneers. As a dentist I think her smile looks great and still has a lot of character.
Dr. Jethwa further elaborated on the theory of Nicole's veneers by adding: "Veneers may be necessary to create a more even smile, which is what I believe Nicole Kidman has had. It appears that Nicole’s top eight teeth have been improved with ultra thin porcelain veneer treatment. Often eight or ten upper teeth are the chosen option.
"Dental veneers are essentially a covering for the natural teeth, and will be made of either composite resin or porcelain. They are bonded to the front of the tooth to change their color, shape, size or length."
And he clarified that while many people assume that to have veneer's their teeth need to be drilled down and transformed into small pegs, "this is not the case".
"This treatment is minimally invasive and we will always preserve as much of the natural tooth as we can. It is just not necessary to drill them down so much. On average, our ultra thin veneers can last from 10 to 15 years, and with excellent care they can last up to 20 years."
Teeth whitening
Dr. Jethwa and Dr. Marques also believe Nicole has had her teeth whitened and said that although dental veneers do not require whitening treatment, it looks as if her bottom teeth have been brightened up to match her top ones.
Note: Neither Dr. Sam Jethwa nor Dr. Richard Marques have treated Nicole Kidman.
Get the lowdown on the biggest, hottest celebrity news, features and profiles coming out of the U.S. Sign up to our HELLO! Hollywood newsletterand get them delivered straight to your inbox.
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/healthandbeauty/health-and-fitness/511426/nicole-kidman-teeth-transformation-before-and-after-photos-what-has-she-done/
| 2024-01-17T11:44:38Z
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Married at First Sight expert Mel Schilling has been inundated with support from fans after appearing on This Morning this week to discuss her journey with bowel cancer. The TV star and relationships coach sat on the ITV sofa opposite Dermot O'Leary and Josie Gibson to speak about her symptoms, her diagnosis and her recent operation.
Before being diagnosed with colon cancer in December 2023 and undergoing immediate surgery, Mel revealed she was in pain and suffering typical symptoms, but was putting off doing anything about it.
"I ignored the signs for such a long time," she began, adding: "My energy levels had dropped and I was having such incredible gut pain, literally doubled over in pain and shouting."
The MAFS star continued: "And I stopped going to the toilet completely, but I was doing so much international travel. I wasn't sleeping and my whole digestive system stopped but I put it down to the travel."
Mel then opened up about how she came to be diagnosed. "I did see a GP in Australia and they said it's constipation, you'll be fine. I then flew back to the UK and it became more serious, I couldn't even hold down water.
So I went to a gastroenterologist and he could pinpoint the signs, and for him, it was the unexplained weight loss, which was alarming.
"He got me in for a CT scan within 24 hours and they found Terry [the tumour], right there in my colon blocking everything. They looked at the results, brought Gareth, my husband, and I in and they said, 'You have cancer'."
Despite the extremely worrying diagnosis, Mel insists she was lucky: "That's why I say this a good news story. It's absolutely been tough, but it was a reasonably early intervention.
"Though it was stage three, so still very serious, if I had waited another month or so longer it could have been a very different story."
After appearing on the ITV programme, Mel took to her Instagram, stating: "Well … that was a very different @thismorning segment today. Rather than offering advice to others, I had the opportunity to talk about my own experience - my bowel cancer journey."
She then listed the key messages from the chat including listening to your body, asking for help if something feels wrong, and if your bowel habits have changed to ask for GP for a stool test, also known as a FIT test.
MORE: LeAnn Rimes shares heartbreaking health update as she undergoes surgery: 'I've had enough trauma'
Fans were quick to heap messages of praise and support on the television star: "This is so epic! Well done for sharing! You could well have saved so many lives among those watching by raising awareness! Thank you!"
Another said: "Amazing, informative and inspirational as always, Mel. So lovely to see you looking so well." A third added: "Thankyou for raising awareness for Colon Cancer… You Are An Inspiration To All."
After undergoing surgery in December, Mel has since shared an update on how she's doing now. Earlier this week, she wrote on Instagram: "Cancer Update: My PET scan was all clear. No spread."
She added: "Terry Tumour was definitely cancer. Doc removed 38 lymph nodes and six of them were malignant. The cancer had spread to some of the fat cells around my colon, all removed now. Next steps: chemo for three months. It will be a combination of infusions in the hospital & tablets at home. Overall, good news."
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/healthandbeauty/health-and-fitness/511438/married-at-first-sights-mel-schilling-inundated-with-support-amid-bowel-cancer-journey/
| 2024-01-17T11:44:44Z
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Neil Morrissey is returning to our screens in Channel 5's upcoming drama, Finders Keepers. Described as a 'lovable rogue' the actor's colourful romances with Rachel Weisz and Amanda Holden were the talk of the British tabloids, but nowadays, the TV star prefers to keep a low profile.
A family man above all else, Neil, 61, is a proud father of one. Through his first marriage to Boon co-star, Amanda Noar, the actor welcomed his Sam in 1989 – and they're like two peas in a pod. Amanda and Neil may have divorced in 1991, two years after Sam was born, but they've managed to make co-parenting look easy.
An extremely private family, in 2001, Sam made a rare red carpet appearance alongside his father, and fans couldn't believe the resemblance. Scoring major cool points, Neil brought his then-teen son to a VIP screening of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, held at the Kensington Roof Gardens in London.
Speaking to the Guardian in 2002, Neil addressed the highs and lows of being a celebrity parent, explaining that it could be both a blessing and a burden for Sam. "It's great having a famous dad when you get jumped up the queue for the London Eye, but there's always a downside," he said.
"His mates at school can read - and that's hard because, at that age, your knowledge of the universe doesn't really cover the complexities of a badly written tabloid story. But there were kids at drama school whose parents were famous and they couldn't stand the sight of them, so it could go either way."
Neil added: "Your relationship with your children isn't necessarily to do with your public persona - although, while I'm on the telly, I don't suppose he goes around school bragging that his dad had a number one with Bob the Builder."
Despite experiencing the highs and lows of fame, Neil's relationship with Sam has always kept him grounded. Speaking to The Times in 2014, the Men Behaving Badly star reflected on a particularly difficult period in his life. In 1997, Neil lost his brother Stephen to a drug overdose, and three months later, his father passed away too.
Explaining that he tries to stay in the present, Neil said: "Sure, life could overwhelm you but by then I had a young son and that was a comfort. I'd made a life and I just didn't want to throw it away."
MORE: Inside Stacey Dooley's birth story after celebrating baby Minnie's magical first birthday
READ: Stacey Solomon surprises fans with ‘broody’ confession as baby Belle takes first steps
During the interview, Neil also shared an update on Sam – and he's all grown up! Raving about his son's achievements, the TV star said: "He's a lovely, handsome, charming, clever boy. He knows my upbringing was different but you know, why the hell should he feel bad about that? You work with what you've got. I've always been a glass half-full type of guy, even when I didn't have a glass."
Now a screenwriter, Sam added that his son also won a scholarship to a private school and got a first at uni. Maybe we'll see them collaborate someday!
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/healthandbeauty/mother-and-baby/511434/neil-morrissey-lookalike-son-sam-morrissey-details/
| 2024-01-17T11:44:50Z
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It seems fitting that the world's newest makeup trend coincides with the moodiest week of the year.
Previously sported by the likes of Kendall Jenner, Iris Law, Sydney Sweeny, Dua Lipa and a baby-faced Kate Moss, blue eyeshadow and liner is officially on the rise once again.
MORE: New Year's Resolutions 2024: Beauty edition
RELATED: These are the 3 biggest Gen Z beauty trends of 2024 according to Pinterest
The first blue eye resurgence was seen on the steps of the Met donned by Miss Emma Chamberlain at the annual gala back in 2023 and ever since blue-toned eye makeup has skyrocketed to fame, donned by both beauty and fashion moguls alike.
Bold hues were all the rage back in the mid to late noughties, a time where knee-high socks and mini skirts were making waves, breaking through the synonymous 90s grunge scene where if you weren’t donning black in all forms, were you even in the know?
Now, the TikTok girlies have taken it upon themselves to sport the sky-blue hue, recreating the bold eye trend in various ways with new and improved formulas from beauty giants such as Victoria Beckham Beauty's Satin Kajal Liner in the shade 'Shimmer' and Dior's Diorshow 5 Couleurs Couture Blue Eyeshadow Palette.
For many of us, sporting a bold-coloured tone can be a little daunting, especially when left to our own devices without the helpful hand of an acclaimed celeb makeup artist. Lucky for you, we chatted with expert makeup artist Yasmin Salmon to discuss the best tips and tricks when it comes to making blue eyeshadow pop.
Yasmin says that the secret to any good coloured-eye look is to always use an eyeshadow primer beforehand. "P.Louise Base is one of my favourites as they come in loads of shades and it’s tinted which helps the shadow pop as it gives the eyelids a more even tone," she tells Hello! Fashion.
"To stop it from looking like a bruised eye I like to line the eyes with a dark brown or black eyeliner. This will help define your eyes and complete the look."
Take this as your 2024 sign to spice up your makeup looks and add a pop of colour.
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/hfm/beauty-trends/511427/blue-eyeshadow-how-to-wear-it-now-according-to-an-expert/
| 2024-01-17T11:44:56Z
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Legendary supermodel Kate Moss celebrated her 50th birthday in the utmost Kate style yesterday: with a lavish dinner full of A-list faces and a plethora of iconic outfits.
And the birthday girl added yet another stellar outfit to her see-through dress roster.
Kate’s family and friends celebrated abroad with a night that was certainly très stylé. Here’s everything you need to know…
Where did Kate Moss hold her 50th birthday party?
Kate and a plethora of other guests left the Ritz Hotel and headed to celebrate her at the famous Restaurant Laurent - a haute French restaurant housed in a stunning Art Deco mansion that has stood for over 180 years.
Who attended her birthday party?
It wouldn’t be a supermodel soirée without a host of faces from the fashion and beauty industry.
Her daughter Lila was in attendance with her boyfriend Yoni, alongside beauty industry mogul and close friend Charlotte Tilbury, and British fashion designer Stella McCartney. Designer Haider Ackermann and Kate’s long-term partner Nikolai von Bismarck also stepped out to celebrate.
The outfits
It was undoubtedly going to be a fashionable affair. The birthday girl, who has a penchant for wearing see-through dresses, wore a black lace maxi dress featuring statement black embroidered flowers. A pair of glitzy black sandals and a satin black cape completed her supermodel chic dinner attire.
Lila Moss also channelled her inner 90s model in a black cami dress with lace across the neckline and an asymmetrical hem. She paired it with black court heels and a wool-like trench over the top.
Charlotte Tilbury opted for a sequinned black maxi dress, but the pièce de résistance was her beaded black and white coat created by Bob Mackie in 1984.
Stella McCartney eschewed her typical oversized blazer and braved the Parisian cold in a satin one-sleeved tiger print mini dress paired with perspex and snake print court heels - we told you animal print was back with a bang.
Suffice to say, Kate’s birthday bash was très chic.
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/hfm/fashion-trends/511432/kate-moss-50th-birthday-party/
| 2024-01-17T11:45:02Z
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The Duke of Sussex has been pictured for the first time since revelations about his daughter's name emerged in a new royal book.
In pictures published by Mail Online, Prince Harry, 39, was seen leaving a workout session at a Santa Barbara gym on Tuesday.
The father-of-two made a low-key appearance in a black padded jacket, matching shorts, trainers and a blue beanie hat as he enjoyed a jog.
His gold wedding band could be seen on his left hand while he held his phone in the other.
Harry's outing comes just days after excerpts from Robert Hardman's new book, Charles III: New King. New Court. The Inside Story, claim that a member of staff reported that Queen Elizabeth II was "as angry as I'd ever see her" after Prince Harry and Meghan publicly stated that she was "supportive" of their decision to use her childhood name for their daughter Lilibet, born in June 2021.
The BBC later reported that a Palace source said the late Queen was not asked by the Sussexes whether they could use Lilibet.
But the couple's lawyers fired off legal letters to the broadcaster and other publishers, saying the claim was false and defamatory.
A spokesperson for Harry and Meghan insisted at the time that the Duke spoke to his grandmother in advance and would not have used the name had the monarch not been supportive.
Lilibet was first used when Princess Elizabeth was just a toddler and unable to pronounce her own name properly.
Her grandfather King George V would affectionately call her Lilibet imitating her own attempts to say Elizabeth. The sweet nickname stuck and she became Lilibet to her family from then on.
Other revelations in the book, which is being serialised in The Daily Mail and is out on Thursday, also include Princess Anne responding to claims that she had blocked Harry's view with her hat at King Charles' coronation on purpose.
Robert Hardman writes: "'The hat was an interesting question,' the Princess recalled later. 'I said: 'Are you sure you want me to keep the hat on? Because it's quite a decent-sized hat.' And the answer was yes. There you go. Not my choice."
Harry is set to receive an award at the Living Legends of Aviation gala in Los Angeles on Friday. The awards honour those who have made significant contributions to aviation/aerospace.
The Duke undertook flying missions in the US, UK and Australia, as well as two tours of Afghanistan during his ten-year career in the British Army.
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/royalty/511430/prince-harry-pictured-first-time-since-lilibet-name-debate/
| 2024-01-17T11:45:08Z
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ASTANA – On the 90th anniversary of the Al-Farabi Kazakh National University (KazNU), research professors and government officials reviewed the university’s achievements and addressed new opportunities in education as part of the celebration ceremony on Jan. 15, according to the Kazakh Ministry of Science and Higher Education.
The Almaty based university launched its work on Jan. 15, 1934, with only two faculties available for 54 students. Today, it encompasses 16 programs and educates more than 25,000 young talents.
KazNU cooperates with more than 650 foreign universities and research centers so far. Last year, it established more than 80 partnerships. There are now 3,928 international students from 54 countries studying in the university.
In 2022, KazNU opened its branches in Istanbul and Bishkek. The agreements were reached during the official visit of Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to Türkiye and the Kyrgyz Republic. It also includes the branch of Russia’s National Research Nuclear University MEPhI.
In his opening remarks, Almaty Mayor Yerbolat Dossayev noted that “KazNU ranks 207th among the 800 best universities worldwide in the international university ranking.”
In 2018, Dossayev noted, it became the first university in the country to be awarded the international mark of excellence in terms of providing educational services, scientific and innovative activities, and academic reputation.
The QS World Ranking includes only two universities from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries – Kazakhstan’s KazNU and Russia’s Lomonosov Moscow State University, reads the ministry’s statement. KazNU is also among the top 30 universities in Asia, according to the QS Asia University Rankings.
KazNU Rector Zhanseit Tuimebayev, in turn, highlighted the university center’s readiness to train technologists and operators of electrochemical production.
The Kazelectroprivod machine-building plant for the production of railway automation ordered services for obtaining protective coatings from the university. As a result, KazNU specialists developed a wide range of electrochemical technologies.
“It is planned to conclude agreements with Chinese business representatives and university research centers. In addition, our university will launch a support center for new robotics and robotics startups,” said Tuimebayev.
KazNU continues to lead the Global Hub of the United Nations Academic Impact Program (UNAI), which promotes the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and discloses the interconnection between education and sustainable development.
During the period of nine decades, KazNU students had the opportunity to attend lectures read by Kazakh prominent figures, including writer Mukhtar Auezov, geologist Kanysh Satpayev, or archeologist Alkey Margulan. Today, the university’s research activities include participation of 3,354 professors.
On July 25, 2022, the government decree granted KazNU the status of a research university. Over the past three years, revenues from university science have doubled and amounted to 8.5 billion tenge (US$18.8 million), according to the ministry’s data.
In 2023, KazNU scientists won 3.8 billion tenge (US$8 million) from the ministry for the implementation of the project, which will analyze the rational use of natural resources, conservation of wildlife, and prevention of environmental crises.
Supported by the head of state, the KazNU leadership is now constructing new dormitories for 3,180 people, sports and wellness centers within the second stage of the construction set for the 2024-2027 period.
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https://astanatimes.com/2024/01/al-farabi-kazakh-national-universitys-90th-anniversary-international-cooperation-and-new-goals/
| 2024-01-17T11:49:38Z
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ASTANA – The Kazakh government has approved the Astana city planning until 2035 with outlined priorities in social, housing, communal services, as well as transport and energy infrastructure on Jan. 17, reported the Prime Minister’s press service.
The plan includes measures for the city’s rapid development, taking into account the dynamic growth of the population. The general plan provides for the construction of 164 schools, 178 kindergartens and 93 healthcare facilities. Some 15 modern schoolchildren’s palaces will also be built until 2029.
The capital’s housing stock is planned to increase to 68.2 million square meters, and the length of the road network by 1,000 kilometers.
The pumping and filtering station No. 4 will be built for 210,000 cubic meters per day with a water pipeline from the Irtysh-Karagandy canal.
According to the document, it is planned to build the second stage of the Combined Heat and Power Plant-3 (CHP-3), four new gas thermal stations, expand the CHP-2, and launch 14 electrical substations of 110/10 kilovolt (kV).
The green belt planting will continue in the Kazakh capital with additional 2,700 hectares allocated last year and planned measures to improve public and courtyard spaces.
The volume of investment for the city’s development totals 6.3 trillion tenge (US$13 billion), including 4.3 trillion tenge (US$9.5 billion) for housing construction and 700 billion tenge (US$1.5 billion) for infrastructure projects.
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https://astanatimes.com/2024/01/astana-city-planning-until-2035-focuses-on-greening-social-services/
| 2024-01-17T11:49:44Z
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ASTANA – Yerlan Koshanov, the chairman of the Mazhilis, a lower house of the Kazakh Parliament, signed a decree to convene a joint meeting of the houses of the Parliament on Jan. 19 in Astana, reported the Mazhilis’ press service on Jan. 17.
The meeting is being convened in accordance with subparagraph 2 of paragraph 4 of Article 58 of Kazakhstan’s Constitution.
Both the Mazhilis and the Senate, an upper house of the Parliament, will convene at 10 a.m. local time.
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https://astanatimes.com/2024/01/houses-of-kazakh-parliament-to-convene-on-january-19/
| 2024-01-17T11:49:50Z
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ASTANA – A total of 1,800 teachers from 43 universities in Kazakhstan will have an opportunity to advance their skills through an enhanced model of teacher education launched by Nazarbayev University (NU) and Finland’s two leading universities, the NU Graduate School of Education (GSE) press service reported on Jan. 15.
Renowned as one of Europe’s best, the Finnish system incorporates advanced trends, allowing a single subject to combine several knowledge areas. Finnish teachers also hold a special status, granting them the autonomy to select teaching methods and organize the educational process – an approach that will now be imparted to Kazakh educators.
The six-month training program will be conducted both in online and offline formats. During this period, teachers will improve their competencies in trends in modern pedagogical education, student-centered learning, IT competence of teachers, and digital pedagogy.
Additionally, 200 professors and 50 rural school principals will undergo a professional development program in educational leadership. Training on subject-language integrated learning will also be organized for 100 teachers.
“We have just completed a very intensive teacher education project, in which 30 educational programs were changed according to competence-based education in pedagogical universities,” said NU GSE Associate Professor Duishonkul Shamatov.
“Our task within the courses is to create a new adapted syllabus for pedagogical universities. As representatives of one of the best education systems in the world, we share our experience,” noted Irmeli Lignell, a trainer from Häme University of Applied Sciences.
Parallel four-day offline training commenced on Jan. 15 in Astana, Almaty, and Shymkent cities. Additional training in Pavlodar, Turkistan, and Atyrau will last from Jan. 22 to 26.
The project, which involved foreign and Kazakh experts, garnered support from the World Bank and the Kazakh Ministry of Science and Higher Education.
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https://astanatimes.com/2024/01/kazakh-university-teachers-set-to-improve-qualifications-in-finland/
| 2024-01-17T11:49:57Z
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ASTANA – Some 77.6 billion tenge (US$171.3 million) were invested in the country’s professional, scientific and technical activities in January – November 2023, reported the Finprom financial and business analytical service on Jan. 16.
In the same period of 2022, investments in the sector reached 45.5 billion tenge (US$100.4 million).
The statistics show the volume of invested assets in each city of Kazakhstan. The largest share of investments fell on Almaty with 17.9 billion tenge (US$39.5 million).
The Mangystau Region took second place with 17.8 billion tenge (US$39.3 million) in investments – 8.5 times more than in the same period of the previous year.
Astana came third with 16.1 billion tenge (US$35.5 million), annual growth of 56.1%. The top three regions accounted for 66.7% of all investments in the sector across the country.
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https://astanatimes.com/2024/01/kazakhstan-observes-increased-investment-in-science/
| 2024-01-17T11:50:03Z
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ASTANA – Kazakhstan will chair several international organizations in 2024, and it increases the nation’s contribution to fostering regional and global peace and prosperity, said Aidar Kurmashev, the head of the Asian Studies Department at the Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies (KazISS).
Kazakhstan is chairing the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the Organization of Turkic States, the Collective Security Treaty Organization, the International Fund for the Aral Sea, and the Islamic Organization for Food Security.
He noted that against the backdrop of geopolitical upheavals, the country’s foreign policy stands out for its consistency, balance, and peaceful character, forming the foundation of international trust and support for its initiatives.
In a recent interview with the Egemen Qazaqstan newspaper, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev emphasized the significance of regional cooperation, particularly in the context of Central Asia. He underscored the important role of the C5+ format, a dialogue platform of Central Asian countries with other countries, in bolstering the region’s position on the international stage. He also expressed a commitment to deepening strategic partnerships.
Kurmashev noted this underscores Kazakhstan’s conscious effort to contribute to the development of regional initiatives and strengthen cooperation among Central Asian countries.
“Notably, over the past few years, Kazakhstan has become a focal point for attracting leaders of countries and international organizations for constructive dialogue. This year, we will witness significant events such as the Astana International Forum, One Water Summit, and the Central Asian Forum on Security and Cooperation,” he said.
According to him, in the interview, Tokayev presented a clear overview of Kazakhstan’s diplomatic priorities, demonstrating commitment to strengthening the country’s international position through pragmatic dialogue and partnership.
“This approach not only contributes to strengthening Kazakhstan’s international relations but also fosters stability and prosperity in the Central Asian region as a whole,” he added.
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https://astanatimes.com/2024/01/kazakhstan-takes-center-stage-in-global-leadership-in-2024/
| 2024-01-17T11:50:10Z
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ASTANA – The Samruk Energy power holding’s investment projects are expected to generate 12 gigawatts (GW) in Kazakhstan by 2035, said Samruk Energy Chair Kairat Maksutov during a Jan. 16 government meeting, reported the Prime Minister’s press service.
The planned investment projects include thermal plants worth 5.9 GW, hydro power plants with a capacity of 600 megawatts (MW) and renewable energy objects (wind and solar power plants) with 5.7 GW of the installed capacity.
Maksutov also spoke about the implementation of projects for the construction of new combined cycle plants at Almaty Combined Heat and Power Plant-2 (CHP-2), Almaty Combined Heat and Power Plant-3 (CHP-3), and new thermal power plants in three cities of Kazakhstan, following the agreement signed between Energy Ministries of Kazakhstan and Russia in November 2023. It is planned to complete the construction of thermal power plants in Kokshetau, Semei and Ust-Kamenogorsk in 2027-2028. They will help cover the country’s electricity needs.
Today, the total electrical capacity of Samruk-Energy is 7,845 MW, which is 32% of the total output in the country.
According to Energy Minister Almasadam Satkaliyev, it is also planned to build a new facility in Zhezkazgan, install gas stations in Aktau, Atyrau, Aktobe, Taraz, Kyzylorda and Shymkent and implement other measures.
Today, electricity in the country is generated by 220 power plants, including 144 renewable energy facilities with a total capacity of 2.8 GW. The average level of wear and tear on station equipment reaches 56%.
To cover this deficit in the country and increase the export potential, the ministry has developed an action plan for the advancement of the electric power industry, which provides for the introduction of additional new generating capacities of up to 35 GW.
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https://astanatimes.com/2024/01/kazakhstan-to-build-new-power-generating-capacity/
| 2024-01-17T11:50:16Z
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ASTANA – Wizz Air Abu Dhabi has launched the Abu-Dhabi-Turkistan flight route on Jan. 16 carrying nearly 100 passengers onboard, reported Khabar news agency.
The same day, the plane headed back to Abu Dhabi with 200 Kazakh tourists. With early booking, air ticket prices start at 20,000 tenge (US$44).
Operating Airbus A321 aircraft, the airline plans to conduct three weekly flights, providing travelers with convenient options on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.
Last year, the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) named Turkistan as the tourist capital of Turkic World for 2024.
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https://astanatimes.com/2024/01/wizz-air-launches-first-direct-flight-from-abu-dhabi-to-turkistan/
| 2024-01-17T11:50:23Z
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Beauty
Opening Ceremony’s Former Art Director Made A Body Care Line Solely For Your Pleasure
New scent-centric body care line Baude will make you want ditch your old, boring shower routine.
As so many good ideas begin, Baude body care was born out of a group chat. Former Opening Ceremony art director Heather Rosenthal, along with her best friends Monica Ha and Charlotta Hellichius, have been sharing beauty-product recommendations with one another via text and over dinner conversations for years. But it wasn’t until 2020 that they realized they were all disappointed by their body care routines — and that they should do something about it. This week, the trio debuted Baude, a scent-centric body care brand, with a first collection named Darkwave Utopia.
When it came to designing Baude, the founders say they noticed that most other new body care brands were quick to copy the facial skin care model by introducing solutions to perceived flaws. “We’ve seen great progress towards body positivity, but body care as a category just didn’t seem to be keeping up,” Ha tells NYLON. So instead of honing in on criticism, Baude focuses entirely on pleasure and enjoyment with sophisticated fragrances and elegant formulas in the form of body wash and lotion (for now). Rosenthal says Baude’s unusual mindset is in part inspired by her time at Opening Ceremony. “It was formative because it was a creativity-first company that always chased audacious ideas,” she says. “It’s the same risk-taking mindset we’re going after with Baude.”
Baude’s scents are not only more nuanced and luxe than your average drugstore body products, but they’re also what the brand calls functional — they contain a patented technology that’s meant to elicit pleasure and uplift the user’s mood. (This was tested and measured by taking brain scans of people before and after smelling the scents.) The first scent release, Darkwave Utopia, is meant to boost your energy and relieve tension with green notes of fresh-cut stems and orchids, grounded with hearty pumpernickel and the surprise note of tar. But, every season, Baude plans to launch a new scent in collectible, limited-edition bottles that fragrance lovers will be clamoring to collect before they sell out.
Darkwave Utopia is available now on baudeny.com. The two-piece collection includes a body wash and lotion, available as a set for $66.
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https://www.nylon.com/beauty/baude-body-care-launch-darkwave-utopia
| 2024-01-17T11:50:48Z
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Beauty
Vampy Lips Were The Coolest Beauty Trend On The Emmys Red Carpet
Burgundy lipstick currently trending.
The Emmy Awards are usually held in mid-September, however this year, with the awards delayed until Jan. 15 we also saw what a change of seasons could mean for the event’s red carpet looks. While the major award shows of the season are not usually the venues stars choose to dramatically change up their beauty looks, Monday night at the 75th annual Emmy Awards, some celebs decided to go for their most dramatic lip looks yet. The most exciting makeup trend on the red carpet was undoubtedly the unexpected appearance of dark burgundy lipstick.
Selena Gomez had the most dramatic goth glam lip moment of the night. Her vampy lipstick shade matched the color and sultry vibes of her burgundy, sequined dress and she even coordinated the look with a reddish pink 35-carat morganite gemstone on her necklace. To make the lipstick shade a custom color match, her Emmys night makeup artist Hung Vanngo revealed that he used a few lip colors (all Rare Beauty, of course) to get Selena’s shade. He lined her lips using Rare Beauty Lip Liner in Strong (a warm rich brown) topped with the brand’s Kind Words Matte Lipstick in the coordinating shade Strong mixed with the deep berry rose hue of the shade Devoted. (If you’re running to buy the lipstick right now, note the name of the berry shade has recently been changed to Bold).
But Selena wasn’t the only one vamping it up on the red carpet on Monday. Both Dominique Fishback of Netflix’s Swarm and Aubrey Plaza, repping The White Lotus, also wore similar shades of attention-grabbing burgundy-brown lipstick. However, unlike with Selena’s all-over dark look, the rich lip colors were more of an edgy accessory to their pastel-colored gowns.
Kathy Jeung, the makeup artist responsible for Aubrey’s look at the awards shared on her Instagram that she used a $14 L’Oréal Paris Colour Riche Intense Volume Matte Lipstick in the shade Worth It, for the actress’s dark, matte lip. We’re still waiting for Dominque’s makeup artist, Billie Gene to spill the details on the wine-colored lip combo she used on the actress. Needless to say we’re all looking for tips on how to master the hard-to-pull-off look. You’re only one lipstick swipe away from hopping on one of the hottest celeb-approved trends of the season.
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https://www.nylon.com/beauty/emmys-beauty-trend-vampy-burgundy-lips-selena-gomez-aubrey-plaza
| 2024-01-17T11:50:48Z
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Beauty
Kylie Jenner Confirms 2014 is 2024'S Biggest Trend with New Pink Hair
King Kylie is back!
On Tuesday, Kylie Jenner gave her longtime fans something exciting to talk about — the potential return of her mid-2010s Tumblr girl aesthetic. With just a three driver’s seat selfies and a vibrant, cotton candy pink wig, she has reignited the love of her King Kylie-era colorful hair looks and all of the nostalgia that comes with it.
In the 10 years since 2014, the now 26-year-old mogul has created massive beauty brand, Kylie Cosmetics, become a billionaire (sort of), had two children, started a high-profile new relationship, and has been the subject of endless covers, campaigns and pop culture moments. And yet, her 2014 to 2018 days still seem to hold a special place in people’s hearts and minds.
She captioned her Jan. 16 Instagram post where she’s sporting pastel pink waves with a flipped part, “hiiiii remember me.” Based on the explosive response to the post in her comments, we have to say, the answer is a resounding, “yes.”
“KING KYLIE is back?!!!!!!!!!!” is the most liked comment under Kylie’s latest instagram from fan account @kyliejennercloset. (That’s 10 exclamation points for anyone who doesn’t feel like counting for themselves.) “THIS IS NOT A DRILL KING KYLIE IS BACKK” wrote pop culture nostalgia account @velvetcoke (the second most liked comment on the post). Needless to say, the excitement over Kylie’s pink hair moment is palpable, with all caps and extra punctuation enthusiasm.
While the sudden, bright color change appears to be a temporary hair transformation, one can’t help but wonder if the reality star is taking out her old look for spin, before potentially delving into a more permanent change. Kylie might be back to her signature rich brunette color tomorrow, but here’s hoping there’s another black and turquoise ombre look in the future yet. After all, if you’re going to go 2014, you might as well go all the way.
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https://www.nylon.com/beauty/kylie-jenner-pink-hair-confirms-2014-is-trending
| 2024-01-17T11:50:51Z
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Entertainment
Dua Lipa’s New Album Will Touch On Her Breakup With Anwar Hadid
Plus, everything else we know about the project.
Dua Lipa’s next era is fully underway. After months of Instagram teasers, hair color changes, magazine cover interviews, and the arrival of lead single “Houdini,” the pop star is finally gearing up to release her long-awaited third studio record — a project that still lacks a name or release date yet, but we still know plenty about.
In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, Lipa revealed a bunch of new info about the record, including the little tidbit that she was working on it during her 2021 break-up with Anwar Hadid, which means there are some songs about it on the project. She also describes the record as her “psychedelic-pop” tribute to the U.K.’s infamous rave scene, citing influences like Primal Scream and Massive Attack for its songs — which has already gotten us hype for what to expect.
Lipa’s upcoming record will be her first since 2020’s Future Nostalgia, which means it’s already on track to one of 2024’s highest anticipated releases. Ahead, we rounded up everything we know about project so far, including what songs are rumored to be on it, the people she’s working with, and more.
Does DL3 have a title?
While Lipa hasn’t revealed the official title yet, she does have one in mind. “It has a vision,” she told The Wall Street Journal in 2022. More recently, she told Rolling Stone she wasn’t “quite ready” to reveal it just yet, which means there’s a chance it’s already been changed.
What will the music sound like?
In early interviews, Lipa vaguely teased the sound of the album as “lightness” and “optimism,” though she’s now specified that the record will feature “psychedelic-pop-infused tribute to U.K. rave culture,” per RS. She cited U.K. trip-hop and rock bands Massive Attack and Primal Scream as major inspirations behind the record’s sound. “This record feels a bit more raw,” she said. “I want to capture the essence of youth and freedom and having fun and just letting things happen, whether it’s good or bad.”
RS writer Brittany Spanos, who’s heard the album, revealed that there are no ballads on the project, and that its sound channels Lipa’s upbringing in London going to British clubs and listening to rock radio mixes from Oasis and Blur to Moby and Gorillaz.
What are the themes of the record?
Like much of her oeuvre, dating and relationships will be major themes across the record.
According to Lipa, she was already working on the album during her 2021 break-up with Anwar Hadid, and though doesn’t write about him directly, does sing about moving on from a relationship and gaining closure with an ex. On one song, per RS, she calls her an ex’s new girlfriend “pretty” and even sings the lyrics, “I must have loved you more than I ever knew.… I’m not mad/I’m not hurt/You got everything you deserve.”
Per her collaborators, it seems like Lipa largely pulled from her everyday life to write the album. Songwriter Caroline Ailin, who’s helped co-write “Don’t Start Now” and “New Rules,” told RS that studio sessions with Lipa “always started with the truth.”
Who is Lipa working with for the album?
According to RS, Lipa reconnected with longterm collaborators and several new names to create the new album. One of those new names is Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker, who worked on lead single “Houdini” and a slew of other tracks on the album. Parker ended up joining three more songwriters — Ailin, Danny L Harle (who frequently works with Charli XCX and Caroline Polachek), and Tobias Jesso Jr. — in the studio, where, together, they wrote eight of the record’s 11 tracks.
“After a while, we all just loosened up together,” Lipa told RS about being in the studio with her “band,” as she called them.
When is the album’s release date?
There’s no release date for the project (yet), but Lipa confirmed to the New York Times that album will drop sometime in 2024 — hopefully sooner rather than later.
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https://www.nylon.com/entertainment/dua-lipa-new-album-release-date-tracklist
| 2024-01-17T11:50:54Z
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Entertainment
Governors Ball's 2024 Lineup Includes Some Of Latin Music's Biggest Names
Peso Pluma, Rauw Alejandro, SZA, Post Malone, and more will headline.
Over the past few years, Latin music and, more recently, Mexican regional music, have taken over the world. On any given day their influence is on full display on the charts, and have now slowly trickled down into festival circuit like New York City’s Governors Ball, who on Jan. 16, announced its most global lineup yet.
Post Malone, Rauw Alejandro, 21 Savage, The Killers, SZA, and Peso Pluma have all been tapped as headliners for the festival’s 2024 iteration, which features “an expanded presence of Latin music,” per organizers. Other Latin musicians like Farruko have been tapped as topline acts this year.
In 2023, after a brief stint at Citi Field, Governors Ball found a new home at the sprawling green locale of Flushing Meadows Corona Park, and it will return to the same spot this year with over 60 musicians and bands expected to perform across three days in June. In addition to its Latin music-focused headlining slate — a first for the festival — the event will also see sets from Dominic Fike, Labrinth, Alex G, Reneé Rapp, Carly Rae Jepsen, Chappell Roan, Sexyy Red, and more. It’s a NYC event after all so amidst the music you can also expect local art installations and the return of the very popular Queens Night Market.
Read on for everything you need to know about attending Gov Ball, including the full lineup, dates, and how to score tickets.
Who’s playing Gov Ball 2024?
As a change of pace from previous years, Governors Ball 2024 will feature two headlining acts each night. Post Malone and Rauw Alejandro will headline Friday night; The Killers and 21 Savage, Saturday night, while SZA and Peso Pluma will close the festival as the Sunday night headliners.
The rest of the lineup is as equally stacked with performances from Dominic Fike, Labrinth, Alex G (making his Governors Ball debut), Carly Rae Jepsen, Sabrina Carpenter, Sexyy Red, Tyla, Reneé Rapp, Victoria Monét, Faye Webster, Chappell Roan, and more.
See the full list of acts expected to play, below.
Where is Gov Ball 2024?
For the second year in a row, the festival will take over Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens, New York, the weekend of June 7-9, 2024.
How to buy tickets to Gov Ball 2024
A presale kicks off on Thursday, Jan. 18, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. ET. Sign up here for access. Immediately after the presale concludes, ticket prices will increase for the public on-sale. Three-day general admission passes start at $310, and three-day VIP passes at $800. Visit Gov Ball’s website for more info about tickets.
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https://www.nylon.com/entertainment/governors-ball-2024-lineup-location-how-to-buy-tickets
| 2024-01-17T11:50:54Z
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Culture
Our favorite post-ceremony looks from your favorite TV stars.
The 2024 awards season is in full swing. Following last week’s Golden Globes, the 2024 Emmy Awards red carpet was stacked with television’s biggest stars from shows like The Bear, Beef, Succession, and more — bringing the LA’s Peacock Theatre down with no shortage of glamorous, fierce fashion. The looks continued well into the night at a slew of 2024 Emmy after parties, where stars like Natasha Lyonne and Jennifer Coolidge donned new gowns to keep the night going. See our favorite after party outfits, below.
Beatrice Grannò
Beatrice Grannò also opted for lace in an Alessandro Vigilante dress at HBO’s 2024 Post-Emmy Reception at San Vicente Bungalows.
Natasha Lyonne
Natasha Lyonne went from one silver Schiaparelli gown to another for HBO's 2024 Post-Emmy reception at San Vicente Bungalows.
Jennifer Coolidge
Jennifer Coolidge went ornate in a tapestry-like gown for HBO’s 2024 Post-Emmy Reception held at San Vicente Bungalows.
Hannah Waddingham
Hannah Waddingham changed into a sleek, one-shoulder sparkly gown for the Apple TV+ after party at Mother Wolf.
Jessica Williams
Jessica Williams’ ethereal white dress brought some sweetness to the Apple TV+ after party at Mother Wolf.
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https://www.nylon.com/life/2024-emmys-after-party-outfits
| 2024-01-17T11:51:09Z
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Three residents have been injured and 130 evacuated from an apartment building damaged in Russia’s overnight drone attack on the Ukrainian port city of Odesa.
Odesa, Ukraine’s third-largest city, faces the brunt of Russian drone attacks, which are launched in close proximity from occupied Crimea and other occupied areas of south Ukraine. Waves of these attacks have targeted the city’s port infrastructure, crucial for Ukraine’s sea exports of grain.
Photos: Dumska, Ukraine’s DSNS
This night, the Iranian-designed Shahed kamikaze drones were launched at “critically low altitudes,” according to the Defense Forces of Southern Ukraine. 19 of 20 were downed.
Despite most drones being shot down, an apartment building was badly hit, with 130 residents evacuated and three injured, as a result of the Russian attack. The local media outlet Dumska reported that not a single apartment building was left intact. As well, four cars have been destroyed and eight damaged in the attack, Ukraine’s State Emergency Service (DSNS) reported.
Also this night, Russia struck central Kharkiv with S-300 missiles, injuring 17.
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https://euromaidanpress.com/2024/01/17/130-residents-evacuated-after-russian-drone-attack-hits-odesa-apartment-building/
| 2024-01-17T12:08:35Z
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Russian President Vladimir Putin has notably increased rhetorical attacks against Latvia and other Baltic nations in recent statements, a move analysts at the Institute for the Study of War say is likely aimed at weakening NATO unity as part of the Kremlin’s broader anti-NATO campaign.
The rhetoric is significant as, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, many analysts fear that the Baltics will be next.
“Putin claimed on January 16 that Latvia and other Baltic states are ‘throwing [ethnic] Russian people’ out of their countries and that this situation ‘directly affects [Russia’s] security,'” the ISW assessment states.
The accusations reference Latvia’s recent changes to immigration laws requiring Russian citizens to apply for new EU permanent residence permits.
ISW notes Putin frequently uses concern for “compatriots abroad” as justification for aggressive foreign policy actions. While the analysts see no evidence of imminent Russian escalation against the Baltics, they warn Putin may be deliberately stirring tensions to lay groundwork for potential future moves under the guise of protecting ethnic Russians.
According to ISW, Putin also slammed NATO’s open door policy, calling the potential expansion destabilizing – part of the Kremlin’s ongoing efforts to fracture NATO cohesion. The ISW assessment says weakening NATO is a key Russian objective, pursued through disinformation and hybrid warfare.
Overall, ISW analysts view Putin’s latest rhetoric targeting Baltic states as the newest phase in an ongoing Russian campaign to divide and destabilize the NATO alliance. Though Baltic escalation may not be imminent, experts say the Kremlin is likely working to set information conditions that could enable future aggressive actions in the region.
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https://euromaidanpress.com/2024/01/17/isw-putin-sets-information-conditions-for-escalation-against-baltic-states/
| 2024-01-17T12:08:36Z
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Ukraine’s military intelligence agency (HUR) reported that resistance forces inside Russia have once again set fire to several relay boxes, disrupting rail transport.
Partisan operations inside Russia and occupied Ukrainian territories frequently target the railway, as it is key to the Russian war effort.
“Unknown opponents of Putin’s regime have again burned down several relay boxes on railways and other logistic facilities used by the occupying terrorist troops,” the intelligence agency wrote while sharing a video of the alleged attacks without specifying their date. Euromaidan Press was unable to find additional confirmation of the attacks.
Ukraine's military intelligence agency alleges partisan forces inside Russia recently burned multiple railway relay boxes, paralyzing railway traffic near Moscowhttps://t.co/UarT1lFk2M
🎥 https://t.co/jTdlEUOHqX pic.twitter.com/wEBOfugh4u— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) January 17, 2024
The events captured on video took place near the cities of Saratov, Yaroslavl, and Dzerzhinsk in Russia’s Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, according to the agency.
As a result of the arsons, traffic on the indicated railway sections in central Russia was paralyzed, the report stated.
A similar incident took place on 30 November, when two key railway relay boxes near Moscow were set ablaze, also paralyzing train movement, HUR informed.
The same day, a larger-scale operation took place in Russia’s Far East, when a two-step operation attributed to Ukraine’s Security Service disabled one of China’s two railway routes to Russia.
Attacks on railroads are a staple of the activities of Ukraine’s resistance movement Atesh, which includes a network of agents on Russian territory.
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https://euromaidanpress.com/2024/01/17/ukraines-intel-rebel-forces-in-russia-torch-relay-boxes-paralyze-trains/
| 2024-01-17T12:08:40Z
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Michelle Keegan's stunning wedding look in the new Netflix show that has us all hooked, Fool Me Once, got us thinking about the actress' choice of wedding hair. After all, when Michelle, 35, married her former TOWIE star and radio host partner Mark Wright in 2015 she did go for a rather unforgettable 60s-inspired look that we just can't help but come back to. As we approach wedding season brides face the decision of how to style their locks which is why we have enlisted Luke Benson to help.
Celebrity hairstylist Luke Benson has worked with the likes of Billie Eilish and Joe Jonas, and, crucially, Michelle Keegan herself. The stylist tells HELLO!: "She’s just the nicest person and always has that 'up' energy and makes everyone on set feel great which in turn makes the shoot go well. And of course incredible, natural hair like that is a dream to work on." Luke tells us what Michelle looks for in her hairstyles. "She’s pretty open and knowledgable about what will work for the shoot concept," he says. "As long as it is polished and looks healthy then she’s open to most things and we know she suits up, down, straight or wavy!".
We can say for sure that Michelle's wedding hair was a polished look. Whilst her Fool Me Once style was a voluminous ponytail look with a sweeping fringe, the look the Brassic actress chose for her own day was a timeless 60s-inspired look with a voluminous bouffant half-up section and loose waves. She had curtain bangs cut into her hair, which we know have come back around as a trend of late, which framed her face. Though Michelle got married nearly a decade ago, we know this look will be one 2024 brides can take tips from as they ponder styles for their big day.
Take a look at Luke's expert tips for recreating Michelle's look…
Luke tells us a look like Michelle's that takes inspiration from a past era will always look good if executed well so take your time. "It has a feel of being a nod to the 60s but keeps a modern edge and when done well it looks timeless," he reminds us. "Anything that is done well and beautiful has longevity if it suits the make-up, dress, and occasion". Luke says it is all in the products when it comes to the prep and the products. A mousse is always in his kit for looks that need to last. The foamy product will coat the hair and ensure it holds the style for longer which is ideal if you have naturally fine or straight hair that tends to drop. Mousse also acts as a heat protectant so will ensure your style looks shiny and "healthy" as the former Corrie star did on her special day.
The expert stylist also says that a salt spray is a must for this look and Keune is his go-to brand. Salt spray adds instant volume and texture which we can see is key with the Our Girl star's bridal hair. Luke adds that you must allow the curls to cool before playing with them too much to ensure they don't drop and always reaches for the Keune 'Instant Blowout' spray that offers both shine and hold. He tells us: "Balance is key so think about the size and keep it looking shiny and polished and expensive, don’t overload it with product or matte it down too much."
Beyond that, Luke says it is all about "keeping the shape full but balanced, the waves looking healthy, and that Bardot inspired height and fringe to still be modern and in keeping with everything else." Just don't touch your hair too much once the look is complete, Luke says, and your style will last long into the night.
DISCOVER: Michelle Keegan's Hollywood glow-up: From Coronation Street to polished new look
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/brides/511435/michelle-keegan-sixties-inspired-wedding-hair-old-school-glamour-mark-wright/
| 2024-01-17T12:28:18Z
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Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf are both sporting legends in their own right, and the tale of their blossoming romance is a truly enchanting fairytale.
The pair first met in the early 1990s, when they were both busy holding court as the king and queen of the tennis world.
Andre Agassi is an eight-time Grand Slam winner, and in his prime he was a favourite with the ladies due to his iconic long locks and puppy-dog brown eyes. Steffi Graf was also thriving in her sporting career — the German-born tennis star won Wimbledon a stunning seven times.
In 1992, after they both won the Wimbledon singles title, Andre was gearing up to have his first ever dance with Steffi at the post-tournament Wimbledon Ball. The American tennis professional had been admiring Steffi from afar up until that point. "I've had a crush on Steffi since I first saw her doing an interview on French TV," he recalled in his memoir Open.
Andre was ecstatic to have the opportunity to dance with his crush — but he was heartbreakingly let down when he found out that the traditional champion's dance had been cancelled for the first time. However, the pair still got the chance to formally meet, and had their photos taken together. It would be another seven years before they sparked up a romance.
They began officially dating in 1999 during the French Open and Wimbledon, before marrying in October 2001. They welcomed their first child, a son called Jaden, in 2001, and their second, a daughter called Jay, in 2003. The family currently reside in the Las Vegas valley, and their romance still appears to be thriving.
In 2004, Andre stole our hearts when he proclaimed his love for Steffi during a speech at her International Tennis Hall of Fame induction. "As I attempt to find words worthy to introduce the person that has changed my life, I realise the words have yet to be invented that are large enough, colourful enough, or true enough to express the heart and soul of this woman that I love," he said.
We look back at some of the standout moments in their love story through photos.
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/celebrities/511440/andre-agassis-love-story-with-steffi-graf-in-pictures/
| 2024-01-17T12:28:24Z
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The Duchess of Edinburgh's sartorial prowess is no surprise to royal style fans, who often marvel at the royal's effortless elegance and penchant for silhouette-enhancing tailoring.
In one final fashion success of the year, the wife of Prince Edward stunned in a Claire Mischevani bow-adorned coat on Christmas Day, before stepping out in the first week of 2024 in a fluid midi skirt by Gabriela Hearst and a cinched forest green blazer.
On Tuesday, the Duchess once again looked immaculate as she made a radiant appearance at the Dispensaire Français biennial gala dinner. Cutting an elegant figure in a metallic Maison Alaïa midi dress, the mother-of-two opted to rewear one of her most playful dresses, which she last wore during a visit to the Channel Islands in 2022.
With romantic, puffed sleeves, a sophisticated boater neckline and a fit-and-flare skirt, Sophie's dazzling dress was flecked with sparkles that dazzled under the lights. She paired it with navy, pointed-toe heels, a Maison Valentino clutch, and beautiful 'Drop Stone Earrings' from Pomegranate Jewellery.
Adding to her regal aesthetic, the Duchess swept her blonde hair into a balletic, low bun embellished with a large black bow.
Royal style fans couldn't help but gush over Sophie's "magnificent" style moment, praising her sartorial success on Instagram page @royalfashionpolice.
"The perfect dress. Absolute elegance, the colour, the cut, the sleeves and the length all of that not too much or too less," wrote one.
"Sophie looks lovely here. Styled hair and the dress is gorgeous," chimed in another fan, while a third wrote: "Love this dress, very elegant and one that could be worn anywhere."
In photographs shared by the French Embassy on X (formerly, Twitter) the royal was seen speaking with representatives in her glittering navy gown.
A tweet read: "Dispensaire Français’ biennial gala dinner at the Residence of France. This non-profit organization provides services for more than 2,000 French and other French-speaking beneficiaries each year."
Prince Edward's wife has wasted no time in returning to royal duties this year, having already visited the Katherine Low Settlement in Battersea to mark the charity's 100-year anniversary.
Speaking about Sophie's visit earlier this week, Sarah Gibb, Chief Executive of KLS said: "It was an absolute honour for us to welcome Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Edinburgh to Katherine Low Settlement in Battersea today.
This year marks the charity's 100th anniversary of bringing the Battersea community together and we are thrilled to start our centenary year with a Royal visit. KLS has been lucky enough to have had four previous Royal visits, since it was founded in 1924, and we are extremely grateful for each and everyone of these visits."
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/fashion/royal-style/511439/duchess-sophie-glitters-fit-and-flare-metallic-dress-french-gala/
| 2024-01-17T12:28:30Z
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Nina Warhurst has responded to criticism from a BBC Breakfast viewer after returning to the show following a seven-month absence. The business presenter signed off on maternity leave back in June last year before welcoming her third child, a daughter named Nancy, in July.
While most fans have loved having the fan-favourite journalist back on their screens over the past week, one viewer took to social media on Tuesday to comment on Nina's appearance.
"Nina I wish you would do something with your hair fluff it up it looks like it's been plastered down No offence intended," the viewer penned, prompting Nina's reply: "Ahhhhh it's good to be back!"
The 43-year-old's followers rushed to the comments section with support for Nina, with one person writing: "I was just thinking how utterly gorgeous you look, Nina. I presume some people have nothing better to do with their time but find things to criticise. I'd say if you've nothing nice to say keep quiet eh?" while another commented: "No pleasing some people, great to have you back Nina."
A third fan penned: "Recognised your voice before I even saw the screen! Welcome back, lovely to see you looking well, and your hair looks lush."
Nina returned to the Breakfast studio in Salford's Media City last Wednesday. Upon her return, the presenter said it was "lovely to be back", but admitted she was missing her little girl at home. "I've missed the gang, I'm missing the baby this morning, very much but it's lovely to be back, best job in the world," she told hosts Jon Kay and Sarah Campbell. "And best baby in the world! I know everyone thinks their baby is the best one, but sorry guys, mine actually is."
Nina shares her little girl with her husband Ted, who she married back in 2014. As well as Nancy, the couple, who live in Manchester, share two young sons: Digby, who arrived in 2016, and Michael, who was born two years later in 2018.
Nina isn't the only BBC Breakfast star who recently returned to screens following a period of absence. Sally Nugent was back on the red sofa on Tuesday following two weeks off.
Taking to Instagram ahead of her return to work, Sally revealed that she had been enjoying a holiday in the Maldives. Sharing some snaps from her trip, including one of the star sporting a stunning one-shoulder dress, she penned in the caption: "Home from a dreamy holiday and excited to get back to work. We've got a busy 2024 for you! See @bbcbreakfast soon."
Sally's New Year getaway came after a busy time for the star, who competed in the 2023 Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special following weeks of training with dance partner Graziano Di Prima.
While Sally scored a whopping 38 points for her stunning Foxtrot, she ultimately lost out to EastEnders star Jamie Borthwick and his dance partner Nancy Xu, who were crowned the Yuletide champions.
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/film/511444/bbc-breakfast-nina-warhurst-hits-back-viewer-criticism-over-appearance-amid-return/
| 2024-01-17T12:28:36Z
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Heidi Klum has been doing the rounds during awards season, making head-turning appearances at the Golden Globes and Emmys after-parties – but on Tuesday she was forced to take a break after falling ill.
The AGT star, 50, attended The Walt Disney Company Emmy Awards Party for the 75th annual Emmy Awards on Monday night and looked stunning in a figure-hugging turquoise gown.
But her evening didn't end well as she revealed on Tuesday morning that she was struck down with food poisoning.
Sharing a short clip on her Instagram Story, which you can see above, the German supermodel sounded hoarse as she explained the reason, she was bedridden "all day".
As if being wrapped up in blankets with a croaky voice wasn't enough, to make her point even clearer, Heidi added five emojis that depicted vomiting.
Of course, while Heidi attended the star-studded after-party just hours before she got food poisoning, she made no indication that it was at the event that she picked up the nasty illness, which symptoms often include upset stomach, diarrhea, and vomiting, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Before she was bedridden, Heidi made a glamorous appearance at the party, held at Otium in Los Angeles.
She displayed her supermodel physique in a stunning gown by Tony Ward that boasted an off-the-shoulder neckline, ruched detailing, and a floor-sweeping train.
Heidi accessorized with turquoise earrings to match her dress and added blue eyeliner to draw attention to her eyes.
Her hair was styled in loose, bouncy waves that cascaded down one side of her chest, and for a clash of color, she rocked a bright red manicure and matching pedicure that peaked out from her open-toed heels.
Earlier this month, Heidi was seen at the 81st Golden Globes in Beverly Hills alongside her husband Tom Kaulitz.
She stole the show in a strapless red dress that boasted a corset with a sweetheart neckline which accentuated her cleavage.
The gown's voluminous skirt showcased her trim waist, and a daring leg slit displayed her endlessly long legs.
Complementing her height with stiletto heels, Heidi's blonde tresses cascaded in soft waves, enhancing her radiant look.
Tom, 34, looked dapper in a sleek black suit and shirt, affectionately wrapping an arm around his wife as they posed for photographers outside The Beverly Hilton Hotel.
Heidi’s love story with Tom began in 2018 after they sparked romance rumors with multiple public appearances.
The couple took their relationship a notch higher with an engagement later that year and a secret Californian wedding in February 2019.
The couple got married for a second time on a yacht in Capri, Italy, on August 3 – and it was an epic wedding with no expense spared.
Heidi looked breathtaking in an off-the-shoulder white gown with floral embroidery, and a long white veil, while her husband was dapper in an off-white suit and blue shirt.
She shared the news with fans by posting a photo that showed herself and Tom sharing a kiss on the deck of the boat.
The vessel had been decorated with beautiful floral displays and had strands of white orchids draped from a canopy.
"We did it. Mr & Mrs Kaulitz," Heidi captioned the photo.
Get the lowdown on the biggest, hottest celebrity news, features and profiles coming out of the U.S. Sign up to our HELLO! Hollywood newsletterand get them delivered straight to your inbox.
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/healthandbeauty/health-and-fitness/511441/agt-heidi-klum-bedridden-video-food-poisoning-emmys-after-party/
| 2024-01-17T12:28:42Z
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When I sat down to chat with personal trainer Monique Eastwood, she was fresh from a session with a Hollywood A-lister. After our meeting, she had another client booked in. Such is life during awards season, when your clients all want to feel their best on the red carpet.
Despite her hectic schedule, Monique was a ball of energy when we met – but she explained her high-octane attitude spelled trouble for her when she went through menopause. "Some women just breeze through menopause, and they don't understand all the fuss around it, while some women have a very severe journey.
"Mine was a big journey because I had high cortisol and high energy," Monique shared, explaining that if you are a high-stress person, you're likely to have a rougher ride when it comes to menopause.
"If you've got high-stress levels, your menopause can be a lot worse because you already got that raised cortisol which shuts down your oestrogen – which is declining already.
Monique's friends were key when it came to getting through menopause, calming her down and helping her reframe her thinking.
"Our mothers didn't really talk about menopause, so we didn't have any idea of what to expect, which is why open female friendships are so important at this stage in life," she says.
"You get very strong female friends because I think girls know themselves by their mid-fifties. You need those kinds of girlfriends who are very strong with their opinions.
DISCOVER: Menopause made me feel like an imposter – but now I'm more liberated than ever
Some girlfriends are going through the same thing, so it's good to compare notes.
"You've got to respect that other person's views and realise that maybe their journey is going to be a different one."
On how her friends helped her in menopause, Monique explains: "I'm such a disciplined girl, so I tend to go for the girls that chill me out. The ones who tell me to let go a little bit, to stop being so serious about it all.
"They inspired me to go with the flow a little bit more, because otherwise I can get so wrapped up in living in the way that's right for my body, rather than enjoying life.
DISCOVER: I'm a menopause wellness coach and this is what helped me through menopause
On top of the advice of friends, Monique used HRT to manage her symptoms, despite initially feeling hesitant to try it. "Within 10 days my hot flushes stopped, and emotionally, I was able to cope again with my demanding job."
Monique also made lifestyle changes to manage menopause too, including amending her intense exercise regime.
Exercise in menopause
"I cannot do three crazy HIIT sessions a week at this stage," she say. "I lowered my HIIT sessions and put more strength and technique sessions in place. I realised what my body needed, and was a little bit more mindful to add yoga in.
"At this age, you really have to listen to your body and understand you are on a different journey. It doesn't mean you can't do the things you want to do, but you've really got to moderate it and understand that you can't overload your system."
READ: How to work out during menopause according to a PT
You may have heard the benefit of weight training in menopause, but this is something Monique advises approaching with caution – especially if you've never been into weightlifting before.
Weight training in menopause
"I'm really worried that suddenly older women are being told to lift weights without any idea of how to move their bodies," Monique begins.
"If you've never lifted weights, you need to understand how to move your body first and you need to know where your alignment is. Start low with your weight, learn to lift your body weight and then you can start to progress with lifting a heavier weight."
Menopause isn't all about weight training though, as Monique adds: "Cardiovascular training is also hugely important, as is balance and multidirectional movement is great for your pelvic floor."
READ: Try this super-fun exercise to strengthen your pelvic floor – it's not a Kegel, I promise
Preparation is key
"Women are fragile at this age. We're losing a bit of control with our hormones changing, but if we can arm our 40-year-olds and 30-year-olds with knowledge about what's happening in a positive way, I think we can make positive changes.
"Don't panic about going into menopause, but get yourself into a healthy lifestyle prior to it. You've got the tools to know how to deal with it."
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| 2024-01-17T12:28:49Z
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It may have been her son's birthday, but all eyes were on Keely Shaye Brosnan when she celebrated Dylan's big day with her family.
Keely took to Instagram this week with a selection of photos with husband, Pierce Brosnan, and their sons, Dylan and Paris.
Wishing her firstborn a happy 27th birthday, Keely shared a series of images including one in which she wore a striking, sheer dress as she enjoyed a meal with her family.
Keely looked incredibly youthful with a glowing complexion and content expression. She wrote a heartfelt caption for her son who was towering over her in another photo with his mom. "Happy 27th Birthday to the kindest, tenderest, most amazing human. I'm so proud to be your mama @dylan_brosnan. Thank you for taking me on this phenomenal journey called motherhood. I love you to the moon and back …with all my heart."
While Dylan now stands tall, Keely also gave a glimpse into their childhood with sweet photos of him as a young kid.
Fans adored the insight into their life and commented: "So beautiful; a loving family is worth more than the secrets of the Gods," and, "He is lucky to have you as his mamma," while others wrote: "Gorgeous! Good job mom," and, "wonderful family."
Dylan, who is a model and musician, graduated from USC School of Cinematic Arts back in 2020. Paris, 22, reportedly studied film at Loyola Marymount University.
Last year, Dylan produced a short film looking back on his dad's career in art. He also reflected on Pierce's early life, which inspired his love for painting.
In an interview with E!, Dylan and Paris, opened up about their relationship with their father and says he has helped them forge their own paths in the industry.
"I think we need to just be grateful for our blessings," Paris said, as he addressed the conversation surrounding 'nepo babies' in Hollywood, with Dylan saying they were trying to "pave our own way".
"It's always gonna be there and we got to recognize it," the 22-year-old added. "At the end of the day, we're just grateful to be here. Dylan's an amazing musician and I'm painting right now, so we're figuring it out. Taking it day by day."
Keely and Pierce have been married for 22 years and the 007 actor is thankful to have her continued love and support, telling Fox News: "She allows me to go out into the wild blue yonder and do what I do as a man, as an actor, [she] always has."
Discussing how they keep the spark in the marriage through the ups and downs, he added: "We like each other a lot. We love each other a lotAnd we've been down the road, and we've seen many, many hardships as families do, as we all do.
"But watching someone grow up with you and grow old with you is a very spiritual journey," he continued of Keely, who he first met in 1994. "To watch each other change, whatever it may be, the hair, the waist. But it's the love in the heart."
Get the lowdown on the biggest, hottest celebrity news, features and profiles coming out of the U.S. Sign up to our HELLO! Hollywood newsletterand get them delivered straight to your inbox.
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/healthandbeauty/mother-and-baby/511443/pierce-brosnan-wife-keely-steals-show-sheer-dress-celebrates-towering-son-27-birthday-photo-family/
| 2024-01-17T12:28:55Z
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DAVOS, Switzerland - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told business and political leaders in Davos on Wednesday he could not think of a time in his career when there had been more global challenges, ranging from war in Gaza and Ukraine to tensions over Taiwan.
Blinken said that almost none of the problems that U.S. President Joe Biden's administration wanted to address could be tackled in isolation, echoing comments on Tuesday by Chinese Premier Li Qiang, who called for greater global cooperation.
Describing the conflict in Gaza as "gutwrenching", Blinken said what was needed to resolve the situation was a Palestinian state with a government structure "that gives people what they want and works with Israel to be effective".
"The suffering breaks my heart," he said during a keynote session at the World Economic Forum in the Swiss ski resort of Davos, adding: "The question is what is to be done."
The U.S. Secretary of State said that Washington was hearing from virtually every country in the Middle East that they wanted the United States to be at the table in discussions over how to bring about an end to Israel's war with Hamas militants in Gaza.
And he said Washington was also in demand elsewhere.
"There is a greater premium than ever on a U.S. partnership," Blinken told the WEF panel audience.
The war in Gaza started when Hamas militants stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 people and taking 240 hostages. Israel says more than 130 remain in captivity.
Israel responded to Hamas' assault with a siege, bombardment and ground invasion of Gaza that have devastated the tiny coastal territory and killed more than 24,000 people, according to Gaza health officials.
NO IMMEDIATE PROSPECT SEEN FOR UKRAINE CEASEFIRE
Asked if there was any immediate prospect of a ceasefire in the war between Russia and Ukraine, Blinken was said he did not think there was, although the U.S. was always open to one.
He said that in terms of money and resources needed to pay for Ukraine's reconstruction after nearly two years of conflict, the private sector was visiting the country and that the process was "taking on a life of its own".
After Chinese Premier Li's comments on China being open to foreign investment on Tuesday, Blinken said the United States was dealing "very directly and clearly" with Beijing on businesses and while there were differences between the two, there were also "places to cooperate more".
Asked about tensions over Taiwan, where the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) won the presidential election on Saturday, Blinken highlighted the importance of the Taiwan Strait and said the island had an outsized place in the world.
He said that everyone had the same interests, particularly given Taiwan's role in producing semi-conductor chips.
Summing up the challenges the United States was facing around the world, Blinken drew on the words of British wartime Prime Minister Winston Churchill.
"When it comes to the hard things ... when you are
going through hell, keep going," Blinken said. REUTERS
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| 2024-01-17T12:46:09Z
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BANGKOK - Thailand's jailed former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra qualifies for release on parole next month due to his age and health, a corrections department official said on Wednesday.
Billionaire Thaksin, 74, was hospitalised with high blood pressure and chest tightness within hours of his dramatic return to Thailand in August from 15 years of self-imposed exile to serve an eight-year sentence for abuse of power.
His sentence was commuted to a year following a royal pardon.
The corrections department last week extended his stay in a police hospital, citing the need to monitor his health.
"Based on the criteria, Thaksin qualifies for a special parole," Corrections Department Deputy Director General Sitthi Sutivong told reporters in answer to a question on whether Thaksin could be released in February.
Sitthi said his department had yet to receive an official request from the Bangkok Remand Prison for his parole.
Thaksin was ousted from power in a 2006 military coup and has been at the heart of 17 years of on-off turmoil in Thailand, influencing politics from exile.
Thaksin, a former telecoms tycoon and owner of Premier League football club Manchester City, was accused by the military of corruption, cronyism and abuse of power.
He was sentenced to jail in absentia in 2008. His sister, Yingluck Shinawatra, was ousted as prime minister in another military coup in 2014.
Thaksin received a rock star reception as a fugitive on his return to Thailand in August, with crowds cheering his arrival by private jet and policemen saluting him before escorting him to court and then jail.
The same day, his ally and real estate mogul Srettha Thavisin was elected prime minister by parliament.
Thaksin has repeatedly denied still being in politics and says he is retired. REUTERS
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| 2024-01-17T12:46:12Z
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MANILA – The Philippines’ defence minister on Jan 17 accused a Chinese Foreign Ministry official of insulting President Ferdinand Marcos Jr during a news briefing, stooping to what he called “low and gutter-level talk”.
Defence Minister Gilberto Teodoro in a statement also accused spokeswoman Mao Ning of “spouting state-sanctioned propaganda and disinformation”.
Mr Teodoro was reacting to Ms Mao’s remarks on Jan 16 telling Mr Marcos to “read more books to properly understand the ins and outs of the Taiwan issue” after he congratulated the democratically governed island’s election winner Lai Ching-te, referring to him as president.
“It is unfortunate that the (Chinese) ministry of foreign affairs spokesperson stooped to such low and gutter-level talk, resorting to insulting our president and the Filipino nation, and further debasing herself, the ministry and (the) party she represents in the process,” Mr Teodoro said.
China’s embassy in Manila and its Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Mr Teodoro’s remarks, the latest in a succession of rhetorical spats between Beijing and staunch US ally Manila.
The congratulatory remarks on Jan 15 by Mr Marcos were followed by his Foreign Ministry reaffirming the Philippines’ “One China policy” and stressing that the message of Mr Marcos intended to recognise the Philippines and Taiwan’s “mutual interests”, including 200,000 Filipino workers in the democratically governed island. REUTERS
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BANGKOK – A Thai court on Jan 17 dismissed terrorism charges against 32 political activists who led an anti-government protest that shut down Bangkok’s two main international airports in 2008, their lawyer said.
Thirteen out of 32 leading members of the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) will still have to pay a fine of 20,000 baht (S$756) each for leading the protest that shut down Don Muang and Suvarnabhumi International airports, their lawyer said.
“This case will set a precedent for those who love this country and want to fight for justice in the country to hold protests,” Mr Panthep Puapongpan, one of the 32 PAD activists, told reporters after the verdict.
The state prosecutor can appeal the verdict.
The PAD blockaded the two airports for more than a week in late 2008, disrupting hundreds of flights and leaving hundreds of thousands of travelers stranded.
The PAD was formed in 2005 in opposition to Thaksin Shinawatra, the former Thai prime minister who returned to Thailand last year from 15 years in exile after he was ousted in a 2006 coup.
In a civil case in 2017, Thailand’s Supreme Court ordered 13 PAD leaders to pay a total of US$16 million in compensation to the Airports Authority of Thailand for shutting down the two airports in 2008. The case was closed after the activists were declared bankrupt. REUTERS
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SINGAPORE – A global share market rout sparked by interest rate concerns sent the local bourse reeling on Jan 17.
Fears that rates might not be cut as early as anticipated rattled investors on Wall Street overnight and spread to the region, leaving the Straits Times Index (STI) down 42.77 points or 1.3 per cent at 3,142.22.
The only index constituent to close higher was Singapore Exchange, which rose 0.1 per cent to $9.64.
Offshore and marine player Seatrium and alcohol maker Emperador were unchanged.
Losers trounced gainers 413 to 173 across the broader market, with 1.2 billion securities worth $1.2 billion changing hands.
The Hang Seng Index in Hong Kong led regional losses, plunging 3.7 per cent. South Korea’s Kospi was down 2.5 per cent and the Shanghai Composite lost 2.1 per cent. Australian shares fell 0.5 per cent to a five-week low.
The losses came as European Central Bank and Federal Reserve officials tempered rate-cut expectations.
SPI Asset Management managing partner Stephen Innes noted that the tone set by United States Fed Governor Christopher Waller on Jan 16 has caused a shift in bond markets, indicating that there may not be a swift rate-cutting trajectory as expected.
One of the more notable STI movers was in-flight caterer and ground handler Sats. It was down 0.7 per cent at $2.87. It announced earlier that it had issued US$500 million (S$672.25 million) worth of senior unsecured notes due 2029 at 4.828 per cent.
The proceeds will be used to refinance part of the group’s €1billion (S$1.5 billion) bridge loans, saving $8.8 million in interest expenses.
17Live Group has been on a downward trajectory since the company’s business combination with Vertex Technology Acquisition. The livestreaming platform’s counter closed 9.2 per cent lower at $1.18.
It has tumbled from its first trading day post-combination closing price of $3.15 on Dec 8, erasing about 62.5 per cent in market value during this period. THE BUSINESS TIMES
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https://www.straitstimes.com/business/companies-markets/singapore-stocks-tumble-amid-regional-rout-as-rate-cut-hopes-fade-sti-down-13
| 2024-01-17T12:46:14Z
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SINGAPORE - A security officer worked together with an auxiliary policeman from security firm Certis Cisco to obtain $140 in bribes from a peddler selling illegal sex enhancement drugs (SEDs).
Mohammad Hafizudin Hanapiah, who was then employed by Dynamiz Security and contracted to Certis Cisco, committed the offences with Thiru Murugan Shanmugam, 30, said the prosecution.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Kiera Yu said that from May to June 2022, Hafizudin abetted Thiru on two occasions to obtain the money from the peddler, Chinese national Chen Zixiong, 31.
According to court documents, the pair obtained the bribes in exchange for refraining from taking enforcement action against Chen.
Hafizudin and Thiru split the bribes in half, with each receiving $70, said the DPP.
On Jan 17, Hafizudin, 30, who is no longer working for Certis Cisco, was sentenced to three months and two weeks’ jail after he pleaded guilty to a graft charge. He was also ordered a pay a penalty of $70.
The cases against Thiru, who is no longer with Certis Cisco, and Chen are pending.
DPP Yu said the Singapore Police Force (SPF) had formed Foreign Workers Management (FWM) teams to patrol places where such workers congregate.
Each FWM team typically consists of auxiliary police officers, who are in uniform and armed, and security officers, who are in polo shirts and unarmed.
The SPF also had a contract with Certis Cisco to supply auxiliary police officers and security officers for deployment in the FWM teams.
Among other things, the officers were tasked to take action against offences such as littering and the sale of illegal SEDs.
Hafizudin and Thiru were deployed to the same team, known as “Golf 3”, and attached to Geylang Neighbourhood Police Centre. The team was tasked to patrol the areas around Geylang.
To commit their offences, Hafizudin and Thiru would first seize the SEDs from a peddler, according to protocol, said DPP Yu.
However, the pair would not hand over all of the seized drugs to the SPF and would retain a portion instead.
Hafizudin would then snap an image of the retained drugs and send the picture to Thiru.
The prosecutor added: “After the rest of the team leaves, Thiru would then secretly approach the peddler in person to offer to return a certain amount of the seized SEDs to him if the peddler agreed to pay a specific sum of money to Thiru.
“Thiru would show the photo of the seized SEDs to the peddler. This sum of money would be a few times higher than the cost price of the SEDs.”
If the peddler agrees, he would slip some cash in a cigarette box that he would place at a certain location.
The court heard that either Hafizudin or Thiru would then collect the money at a later time.
DPP Yu said: “Thiru or Hafizudin would place the agreed amount of SEDS to be returned to the peddler at a location, such as under a traffic cone in an alleyway, and inform the peddler for him to pick it up.
“On some occasions, Thiru or Hafizudin would tip off the peddler in advance of incoming raids... so that the peddler could prepare to escape and avoid detection from the FWM team.”
DPP Yu added that the two men had seen Chen during their patrols in the Geylang area and approached him in May 2022 to obtain the bribes. He agreed to hand over the money.
In August 2022, the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau received information about the graft-related offences and Hafizudin was arrested in September 2022.
Two other men, former Certis Cisco officer Mohd Aris Jalil, 66, and Chinese national Chen Dongliang, 33, are also accused of committing similar offences. Their cases are pending.
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https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/courts-crime/jail-for-man-who-worked-with-auxiliary-cop-to-get-bribes-from-sex-drug-peddler
| 2024-01-17T12:46:30Z
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SINGAPORE – A 27-year-old man died in an accident along the Bukit Timah Expressway (BKE) on the morning of Jan 17.
In response to queries, the police and the Singapore Civil Defence Force said they were alerted to the accident, involving a car and two motorcycles – along the BKE towards the Pan-Island Expressway, after the Dairy Farm exit – at around 8.10am.
Both motorcyclists were taken to Ng Teng Fong General Hospital. Between the two, the 29-year-old man was conscious, while the 27-year-old man was unconscious en route.
The 27-year-old man later died in hospital.
A video, posted on the SG Road Vigilante Facebook group, shows a red car being rear-ended by a motorcyclist after the car brakes.
The motorcyclist is then seen skidding and falling on the road with his motorcycle overturned, and is apparently hit by another motorcyclist coming from behind.
The second motorcyclist is later seen on the ground, with multiple parts of his bike scattered on the expressway.
Chinese news outlet Shin Min Daily reported an eyewitness as saying he was stuck in a traffic jam for an hour, along the stretch of the expressway where the accident happened.
In a photo provided by the eyewitness, a red car is parked on the second left-most lane of the expressway, with a motorcycle parked right behind it. A trail of reddish liquid can be seen on the road, to the left of the vehicles.
Police investigations are ongoing.
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https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/motorcyclist-27-dies-in-accident-along-bke
| 2024-01-17T12:46:41Z
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DAVOS, Switzerland - President Tharman Shanmugaratnam met Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Jan 16, with both leaders discussing the growing opportunities for collaboration between the two countries.
Both men are in Davos, Switzerland, for the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2024.
In a Facebook post on Jan 17, Mr Tharman said there is much potential for Singapore and China to expand and deepen cooperation to help spur Asia’s transition to a green economy, which needs acceleration.
The countries are also developing further linkages in financial markets to help trade and investments within Asia to grow, he added.
Mr Tharman noted that the two countries had in 2023 upgraded their bilateral relations to an “All-Round High-Quality Future-Oriented Partnership”, and also recently concluded the 19th Joint Council for Bilateral Cooperation.
He added that the pair also exchanged views on regional and international developments.
“I reaffirmed Singapore’s longstanding and consistent ‘one China’ policy and opposition to Taiwan independence. The peaceful development of cross-strait relations will contribute to stability and prosperity in the region, which is important for all of us,” he said.
Separately on Jan 16, Mr Tharman also met Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky.
In his post, he said Mr Zelensky had thanked Singapore for its principled stand and support for Ukraine following Russia’s invasion, and for the Republic’s humanitarian assistance.
Mr Tharman emphasised Singapore’s commitment to the United Nations Charter, the principles of political independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity for all countries, big and small.
“It also matters critically for global order and stability. I informed him too that Singapore’s latest assistance of 22 ambulances, as Ukraine had requested, has just left our port,” he added.
“President Zelensky and I also discussed potential areas for cooperation in preparation for the eventual return to peace, such as in cyber security, smart cities and food exports from Ukraine.”
Mr Tharman added that one of the most fruitful things about the forum in Davos is being able to meet a wide range of foreign leaders.
On Jan 16, he also met Mongolia’s Prime Minister Oyun-Erdene Luvsannamsrai, and Luxembourg Prime Minister Luc Frieden.
Both countries are keen to deepen relations with Singapore in a few areas, as is Singapore, Mr Tharman added.
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https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/president-tharman-meets-chinese-premier-li-qiang-ukraine-president-zelensky-at-davos
| 2024-01-17T12:46:51Z
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SINGAPORE – Engineering undergraduate Ethan Chia spends most of his free time on MRT platforms, sometimes with a camera in hand, but does not always board the train.
On some days, he plays a little game of hide-and-seek with station officers, whose duties include ensuring commuter safety, and making sure trains run on time.
When officers approach him, Mr Chia – a Nanyang Technological University student – assures them they have no cause for concern.
He, like other train enthusiasts or trainspotters, likes waiting to see or take a snapshot of trains they like.
Trainspotting – which mainly involves watching trains pass through a station – is a hobby with roots in countries like the United States and Britain, with a history of about 200 years.
Trainspotters keep track of train schedules and look out for distinctive rail features, sometimes taking photos and videos to document their findings.
Mr Chia, 25, said one aim of trainspotters in Singapore is to document older train models before they are phased out. They also preserve a record of the experience of riding existing train models.
He said: “We can grow up with the same rail asset that operates and ages with us through the years. We develop memories and eras as the years pass, with rail assets being introduced, refurbished or scrapped altogether.
“When a train retires, about 15 to 20 years of your childhood is gone and never to be experienced again first hand. You’ll only have your own bank of memories.”
However, trainspotters have had to make sure they do not flout any rules or raise security concerns in the pursuit of their hobby.
Although taking photos and videos in MRT stations is allowed, station staff have discouraged them from doing so because of security risks.
One incident that sparked a discussion in the trainspotting community recently involved a lower secondary school student who was filming his MRT ride on the North-South Line.
In a YouTube community post in September 2023, he said he was approached by station staff, who told him he could not film on the premises.
Even after he told them that the Land Transport Authority (LTA) does not prohibit filming in public access areas of MRT stations, the staff escorted him to the passenger service centre in Raffles Place.
He was then questioned by three TransCom officers, who asked why he was filming and if the station workers’ faces were filmed, too.
He was eventually let off after agreeing to blur out images of the employees.
In response to queries, an LTA spokesman said taking photos and videos at MRT stations, trains and bus interchanges is not prohibited, but people should “ensure that such activities do not interfere with operations, cause any inconvenience, or violate the privacy of other commuters”.
He added that transit staff may conduct interviews to ensure that photographs and videos taken are not malicious or intended for use in criminal activities.
“Our transit staff reserve the right to stop the activities and may ask for specific or whole photographs and video recordings to be deleted due to operational and security reasons,” he added.
SBS Transit spokeswoman Grace Wu echoed LTA’s concerns.
She said: “For this reason, interested parties are to write in to us with details of their activities for approval.”
SMRT did not respond to queries on what security protocols its front-line staff adhere to and when they decide to involve TransCom officers, but instead directed the paper to its frequently answered questions webpage.
According to the site, photos and videos taken on SMRT premises for personal and non-commercial purposes are allowed, while those who take footage meant for other uses must seek the operator’s written approval.
But some train enthusiasts said seeking prior approval can be difficult because trainspotting is at times a spontaneous activity.
Institute of Technical Education student Dante Huang, 22, has been trainspotting for a decade and said trainspotters are sometimes pleasantly surprised by things like train motor sounds, and want to document them.
The trainspotting community has been around for over a decade, with one group on Facebook boasting 9,600 followers.
While previous generations of trainspotters would camp out to wait for trains, Mr Chia said the trainspotting scene has since evolved.
He said: “Instead, trainspotting is something more integrated within our daily commute to and from home, school, office and play”, which makes it particularly frustrating when station staff treat them as threats.
Mr Chia said station staff often take a “blanket” approach to trainspotters, instructing them to stop after saying photography and videography on the premises are not allowed. Even when some of them have good intentions, such as reporting railway-premises defects to SnapRep, SMRT’s technical defect reporting channel.
Mr Chia, who has been trainspotting for almost 13 years, said it was very hurtful to be treated as a suspicious person for doing something he loves.
To allay the staff’s concerns, Mr Chia and Mr Huang have e-mails from LTA and train operators to prove that they are within the boundaries of the law.
When asked, they show them the correspondence as proof that their activities are legal.
Still, not everyone buys the story.
Security experts The Straits Times spoke to said they were sympathetic to the trainspotters’ situation, but added that a security presence in MRT stations is vital as transnational terrorist groups have been known to target train stations and trains.
Mr Kalicharan Veera Singam, a senior analyst at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), said: “Deterrent measures such as patrolling and the community’s role in reporting suspicious activities can play important functions in managing this threat.”
RSIS dean Kumar Ramakrishna – who holds the provost’s chair in national security studies – said photos and videos of the MRT system would offer useful intelligence to terror groups that are planning a mass casualty attack.
Associate Professor Bilveer Singh, from the National University of Singapore, agreed.
He said: “Photos and films provide terrorists planning such attacks with ready-made blueprints to plan, organise and coordinate their attacks, showing peak and off-peak hours, when and where security personnel can be distracted, are vulnerable and when best to time their attacks.”
Experts said terrorist groups have targeted MRT stations in the past, like the Al Qaeda-linked Jemaah Islamiyah, which attempted an attack on Yishun MRT in 2001.
They had filmed the station and used it to identify locations where bombs could be placed.
Mr Singam said loitering in stations can also hinder security efforts as suspects can easily take cover in crowds, making it harder to notice suspicious activities.
Professor Ramakrishna said trainspotters can take security checks in their stride, but added that train staff should also be trained to conduct spot checks in a “low-key, professional and unobtrusive way to minimise inconvenience” for genuine enthusiasts and also know how to detect genuinely suspicious individuals as well.
Prof Singh said more conversations promoting the trainspotting hobby and critical public safety and security are needed to arrive at a “win-win approach”.
While Mr Chia said he understands the need to remain vigilant against potential threats to the rail network, he also hopes staff will eventually be able to work out a balanced approach where trainspotting can continue to thrive.
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https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/trainspotting-enthusiasts-navigate-security-rules-in-pursuit-of-hobby
| 2024-01-17T12:47:01Z
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LONDON - McLaren boss Zak Brown has urged Formula One and the governing FIA to ensure Red Bull and sister team AlphaTauri do not gain an unfair advantage from closer ties.
Red Bull have owned two teams since 2006, when the Austrian energy drink brand bought the failing Italy-based Minardi and renamed them Toro Rosso, again changing the name in 2020 to AlphaTauri.
AlphaTauri are undergoing a further rebranding this season, with Laurent Mekies the new team boss and Peter Bayer as chief executive, and are planning closer ties with Red Bull in Milton Keynes.
Brown told reporters at his team's Woking headquarters that he was concerned by the tightening Red Bull alliance and the issue needed to be addressed.
Faenza-based AlphaTauri have traditionally served as a feeder outfit for Red Bull Racing, bringing on young drivers within the Red Bull junior programme, and Brown referred to them as a B team.
"This A/B team and co-ownership, which is a whole other level of A/B team, is of big concern to us and the health of the sport and the fairness of the sport," he said.
"The thing I would like to see us as a sport focus on, and where we sit on the regulation side, is the A/B team co-ownership.
"I believe it's a serious issue for the fairness of the sport, for the fans. That’s why it’s pretty much not allowed in any other form of major sport.
"I’d like to see us as an industry focus on that before it gets to a level of being where Formula One once was, which is very out of balance because people are playing by the rules but a different set of rules."
Red Bull team boss Christian Horner said last month that AlphaTauri operated independently from his team.
"They take benefit of the parts that are allowed to be transferred, like the gearbox and the suspension and so on, in the same way that Williams and Aston Martin have done so with Mercedes or Haas with Ferrari," he added.
"They’re designing their own car, they’ve got their own ideas."
The FIA's single-seater head Nikolas Tombazis said last month that the governing body was aware of concerns and would be issuing further guidance.
Formula One has a budget cap to prevent teams from massively outspending others, as they did in the past, and to make the racing more competitive.
Champions Red Bull Racing won 21 out of 22 races last season, the most dominant performance in the history of the sport, with Max Verstappen taking his third title in a row.
AlphaTauri, who have experienced race-winning Australian Daniel Ricciardo cementing his comeback before a possible move back up to Red Bull, finished eighth out of 10 teams overall. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/formula-one/mclaren-boss-concerned-by-red-bull-teams-closer-ties
| 2024-01-17T12:47:12Z
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Manchester United lowered its full-year revenue and profit forecasts on Wednesday, after the English Premier League club was knocked out of this season's European Champions League football tournament.
The cut comes as a blow to British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe, who struck a long-awaited deal last month to buy a 25% stake in the club to try to revive its fortunes.
The English club reported a smaller net loss of 25.8 million pounds ($32.7 million) for the first quarter ended Sept. 30, compared with 26.5 million pounds a year earlier.
The 20-times English champions now expects full-year revenue of 635-665 million pounds, less from its previous forecast of 650-680 million pounds.
It expects adjusted core profit of 125-150 million pounds, compared with 140-165 million pounds earlier. ($1 = 0.7890 pounds) REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/man-utd-cuts-financial-forecast-after-early-champions-league-exit
| 2024-01-17T12:47:22Z
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BRUSSELS – The Belgian authorities seized a record 121 metric tonnes of cocaine at the Port of Antwerp-Bruges in 2023, a 10 per cent increase from 2022.
The data released on Jan 17 by Belgium’s federal customs authorities and the Finance Ministry highlights the country’s outsize role in Europe’s illegal drugs market, in part due to the presence of Europe’s second-largest port.
The worsening problem is putting pressure on the government as drug-related violence and organised crime are spreading into several Belgian cities. In December, five people were injured in a shooting on one of Brussels fanciest shopping streets that was suspected to be drug-related.
The most-common origin of the drug entering Europe were Ecuador, West Africa, Brazil and Colombia, though the authorities noted the West African shipments would have originated from Latin America.
The seizure data was announced at a joint press conference by Belgian Finance Minister Vincent Van Peteghem and Dutch State Secretary for Benefits and Customs Aukje de Vries.
The Dutch customs authorities seized 60 tonnes of cocaine in 2023, up from 51 tonnes in 2022, with the largest quantities found in the ports of Rotterdam and Vlissingen, according to a statement.
Mr Van Peteghem said in a post on X that the record figures showed “the success of the federal government’s many investments in people and resources for customs”.
The challenge of stopping illicit narcotics coming into Europe via ports has been a focus for businesses and European authorities.
“Our fight against drugs is like a water bed, so if you push it somewhere, somewhere else the water will come up,” Ms Annick De Ridder, who chairs the board of directors of the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, said while presenting its 2023 results on Jan 10.
The European Union adopted a roadmap to fight organised crime and drug trafficking in October, which included setting up an alliance of European ports to work together to increase their resilience against drug smuggling. BLOOMBERG
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/cocaine-seizures-surge-at-key-european-port-of-antwerp-bruges
| 2024-01-17T12:47:33Z
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ROME - Italy would like a political decision made to create an EU maritime security mission for the Red Sea by next week so that it can become operational as soon as possible, Italy's foreign minister said on Wednesday.
European Union member states gave initial backing on Tuesday to the mission to protect ships from attacks by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi militia in the Red Sea on concern that disruption in one of the world's top trading arteries could hit the global economy.
The objective was to establish it by Feb. 19 at the latest and make it operational soon afterwards.
Several diplomats said they hoped the process could be fast-tracked given the tensions in the region. It will be discussed by foreign ministers on Jan. 22.
"The idea is to have a European mission that can be operational as soon as possible," Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani told reporters. "Then, certainly, decisions will be made, but the political decision for us must be taken by next Monday."
Diplomats said there was still a need to define exactly the rules of engagement beyond patrolling and how it fitted in with other EU missions off the coast of Somalia and in the Strait of Hormuz, the strategic entrance to the energy-rich Gulf region.
Tajani said the easiest solution was to expand the EU-led Agenor mission currently operating in the Strait of Hormuz into the Red Sea.
"I believe that even the European Union's External Action Service is quite favourable to this hypothesis," he said, referring to the EU's diplomatic arm, which proposed the mission.
Two diplomats said France and Italy, which already have warships in the region, along with Germany, which planned to send the Hesse frigate, would contribute first to the EU mission. France is currently in command of the Agenor mission.
Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, France, Greece, Italy and Norway, Germany and Portugal participate in Agenor.
Italy, Spain and France stood out last week by not taking part in U.S. and British strikes against the Houthis in Yemen and not signing a statement put out by 10 countries justifying the attacks. However, the EU mission would coordinate patrols with an existing U.S.-led operation in the region. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/italy-pushes-for-quick-decision-on-eu-maritime-red-sea-force
| 2024-01-17T12:47:43Z
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GAZA/ISRAEL-GAZA BORDER/DOHA - Israel stepped up its assault on Khan Younis in southern Gaza on Wednesday, pushing tanks westwards and prompting accusations from Jordan that its field hospital in the city had been badly damaged by nearby shelling.
The Jordanian army said it held Israel responsible for a "flagrant breach of international law" in what it said was the damage to the facility as a result of Israeli shelling in the vicinity. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military.
People in and around another hospital, Nasser, fled as tanks approached the district overnight following an Israeli army statement that it had come under fire from the area. Hamas militants deny using health facilities for military operations.
Palestinian health officials said seven people were killed by Israeli air strikes that damaged homes near the hospital.
Many of the Nasser hospital staff have left for shelters further south, with just one doctor for more than 100 burn victims remaining, Sean Casey, World Health Organisation emergency medical teams coordinator in Gaza, said on Jan. 9.
Only about a third of Gaza's hospitals remain operational and some only partially.
Explosions from shelling and air strikes sounded further west in Khan Younis as the Israeli tanks moved on, with lines of thick black smoke rising from bomb sites. Witnesses said tanks and bulldozers had damaged a cemetery there before retreating to the city centre again.
Israel said it had killed six Palestinian fighters, including the southern district Hamas officer in charge of interrogating suspected spies.
The military said the killing of counter-espionage officer Bilal Nofal "significantly impacts the terrorist organisation's capacity to develop and enhance its capabilities" in a statement summarising its latest operations.
Further south in Rafah, where hundreds of thousands of people have moved on Israeli advice, people cried over several shrouded bodies, including of a young girl, Masa.
"We were asleep and then we found the missiles falling on us. We got up and couldn't see anything. We started checking on each other. The girl was martyred," said her aunt, Tahreer Shoman, adding that her siblings had been wounded but survived.
Israeli forces fought their way to the centre of Khan Younis more than a month ago and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said on Monday intense military operations in the south were drawing to a close, weeks after similar statements about northern Gaza.
Fighting raged in densely populated Jabalia in northern Gaza on Wednesday however, a day after Israeli tanks stormed back into parts of the north they had left last week.
Israel announced was scaling back its operations in northern Gaza in early January as part of what it said would be a more targeted approach in its war against Hamas militants after operations that have flattened entire residential districts.
COMMUNICATIONS BLACKOUT
Communications were down across Gaza on Wednesday for a sixth day, leaving its Palestinian inhabitants, most of whom have been forced to flee several times, unable to receive warnings on social media from the movement of Israeli forces.
The lack of local mobile phone signals also robs people trapped in the rubble left by Israeli air strikes of the means to call for help.
Palestinian health officials said 163 Gazans had been reported killed over the past 24 hours, taking the death toll to 24,448 in Israel's war on Gaza, now in its fourth month.
Israel reported two more soldiers killed, taking the toll since it began ground operations in Gaza to 193.
Israel says it has killed 9,000 Hamas militants and has vowed to "eliminate" the Palestinian enclave's Hamas rulers after gunmen stormed into southern Israel and killed 1,200 people and captured 240 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.
Around half of the hostages were released in an October truce during which some Palestinian prisoners were also freed.
Israel has said the only way to secure the release of the rest of the hostages is military pressure on Hamas, which is sworn to Israel's destruction. But more indirect negotiations have been taking place behind the scenes.
A U.S. official said "intensive discussions" had taken place in Qatar about the possibility of another deal.
"We're hopeful that it can bear fruit and bear fruit soon, because there's still, you know, over 100 — about 140 hostages still being held," White House national security spokesman John Kirby said on Tuesday.
Qatar and France have brokered a separate deal with Israel and Hamas to deliver urgent medication to some 45 Israeli hostages held by the group in Gaza in return for humanitarian and medical aid for the most vulnerable civilians.
The aid left Qatar for Egypt on Wednesday and was due to be taken across the Rafah border crossing later in the day.
WEST BANK VIOLENCE
The conflict has spread to the Israeli-occupied West Bank, where more than 300 Palestinians have been killed and thousands arrested in raids Israel says are aimed at rooting out militants there.
The Israeli military said its forces had eliminated a "terrorist cell" during a precise air strike on a car near the Balata camp in the city of Nablus.
The military said it had killed Abdullah Abu-Shalal, the "head of terrorist infrastructure" of the camp, who it said had planned an imminent, large-scale terrorist attack with his cell members. Four other cell members were also killed, it said.
The Palestinian Red Crescent said earlier that its teams had been prevented from reaching the wounded.
Hours later, four people were killed in an air strike in Tulkarm, location of one of the main crossing points between the West Bank and Israel and a frequent target of Israeli military operations since the Gaza conflict began. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/jordan-says-southern-gaza-hospital-badly-damaged-by-israeli-shelling-nearby
| 2024-01-17T12:47:53Z
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VATICAN CITY - Pope Francis on Wednesday urged political, economic and business leaders at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos to look beyond profit and try to heal an "increasingly lacerated" world with moral and ethical decisions.
In his message to the world's movers and shakers meeting at the Swiss resort, Francis urged them to tackle the "injustices that are at the root causes of conflict", primarily hunger and the exploitation of natural resources for the benefit of the few.
"Sadly, as we look around, we find an increasingly lacerated world, in which millions of persons – men, women, fathers, mothers, children – whose faces are for the most part unknown to us, continue to suffer, not least from the effects of prolonged conflicts and actual wars," Francis, 87, wrote.
Francis, who has made defence of the poor and immigrants one of the hallmarks of his 11-year-old papacy, said globalization must have a "fundamentally moral dimension" in economic, cultural and political discussions taking place at the WEF.
States and businesses had to join together in promoting "far-sighted and ethically sound" models of globalization that place the common good over the "pursuit of power and individual gain," he said.
"How is it possible that in today's world people are still dying of hunger, being exploited, condemned to illiteracy, lacking basic medical care, and left without shelter?" he asked.
The Argentine-born pope, the first from the Global South, said the world situation required that "businesses themselves be increasingly guided not simply by the pursuit of fair profit, but also by high ethical standards".
The "widespread exploitation" of male, female and child labourers with low wages and no real prospects for personal and professional development must stop, he said.
"It is my hope, then, that the participants in this year’s Forum will be mindful of the moral responsibility that each of us has in the fight against poverty, the attainment of an integral development for all our brothers and sisters, and the quest for a peaceful coexistence among peoples," he said. REUTERS
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| 2024-01-17T12:48:04Z
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Kylie Jenner got her fans feeling incredibly nostalgic, as she posted photos of herself with newly dyed bubblegum pink hair.
The Kylie Cosmetics entrepreneur seemed super pleased with her new look, which saw her trademark dark brown hair go bright pink as she shared a carousel on Instagram and a video of her new look with the caption: "hiiiii remember me".
Immediately her fans went wild over the look, which harked back to a very specific era of Kylie Jenner's life that many netizens call the 'King Kylie' era.
Back in 2014, before she was known for her lip kits, Kylie was known for dyeing her hair an array of different colors: blonde, blue, pink, red - you name it. When she started publicly dating rapper Tyga in 2015, the cosmetics queen changed her Instagram handle to 'King Kylie' and a legacy was created.
During this era, Kylie had her own reality TV show, Life of Kylie, and she regularly updated fans on her life as a teenager girl. While the King Kylie era seemed to end in 2017, fans never forgot the iconic period of time and the aesthetic that went with it - something that really stood out in the 2010s.
"KING KYLIE is back?!" one fan wrote. Another added: "I'M MISSING KING KYLIE of 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017".
"Nah we want blue ombré King Kylie back", a third person joked. Meanwhile another mentioned that "we never did get a season 2 of Life of Kylie…. just saying".
Already there are big predictions that many people are going to suddenly feel very nostalgic over the 2010s this year - particularly 2014.
Kylie's hair throwback feels very in line with that trend, as many people are talking about the return of the 2010s Tumblr era which adored pink hair in particular. It was during this time that Kendall and Kylie first made their foray into the limelight.
Kendall started strutting down the runway during this time, before she became one of the highest paid models in the industry, and Kylie appeared in old friend Jaden Smith's 'Blue Ocean' music video. The sisters also co-authored a dystopian science fiction novel - Rebels: City of Indra: The Story of Lex and Livia.
Nowadays Kylie is best known as a cosmetics business magnate, with two children she shares with her ex Travis Scott, and a blossoming romance with iconic actor Timothée Chalamet. But the new hair transformation shows that neither she or her fans have forgotten her roots.
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/celebrities/511447/fans-have-a-lot-to-say-kylie-jenner-major-appearance-transformation/
| 2024-01-17T13:16:38Z
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Ever since I had my hair bleached in October I've been using a protein shampoo to try and bring the damaged strands back to life. I thought I was doing what was best for my barnet, until my stylist warned me my supposedly strengthening routine could be doing further damage to my hair.
"Protein shampoos are designed to repair and strengthen hair that has been through multiple processes, from heat to bleach to environmental factors," explains Redken Education Manager Jimmy Green.
Living Proof hair expert Mitchell Ramazon continues: "Protein products contain ingredients such as proteins and amino acids that help rebuild the hair's structure, reducing breakage and improving overall health. These shampoos can be beneficial for damaged or chemically treated hair by restoring essential proteins."
He adds that protein shampoos focus on reinforcing the hair's protein structure, aiding in strength and resilience – all sounds good, right? The problem arises when we use protein shampoos for too long, or when we don't need them, explains Tia Lambourn, Redken Advocate and Founder of Bay Studios.
Can protein haircare damage our hair?
"Because of how amazing and potent these products are, you have to be careful not to overuse them when hair doesn’t need such an intensive regime, as too much protein when hair doesn’t need it could make hair feel brittle," Tia explains.
Mitchell continues: "Extended use of protein shampoos may lead to protein overload, causing hair to become brittle and prone to breakage. Too much protein can create an imbalance, as hair also needs moisture. It's important to maintain a balance between protein and moisture to keep hair healthy."
Given that according to hair tool brand Cloud Nine, 47% of Brits are making hair health a 'definite focus' for 2024, what can we do to maintain our healthiest hair? The answer is in balance – and adding different products into your routine.
Adding moisture back to hair
"A balanced approach is key for damaged hair," confirms Mitchell. "Start with a protein shampoo to strengthen, then incorporate a moisturising or softening shampoo to maintain hydration. Additionally, use a deep conditioning treatment regularly.
"Regularly using moisturising products alongside protein treatments can help maintain balance and prevent potential damage," reassures Mitchell.
Tia adds that switching between protein shampoos and softening haircare allows the protein to be built up whilst also keeping the hair soft, flexible and shiny.
INSPIRATION: I revived my frazzled blonde hair after years of damage in 3 simple steps
She recommends Redken's 'Extreme Shampoo' for strengthening, and Redken's' All Soft Shampoo' for softening. To strengthen damaged hair, try Living Proof's leave in 'Triple Bond Complex'.
Subscribe to HELLO!'s Beauty Collective newsletter for exclusive content straight to your inbox
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/healthandbeauty/511448/strengthening-shampoo-damaging-hair/
| 2024-01-17T13:16:44Z
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Nadiya Bychkova will soon be joining her Strictly co-stars as the group head out to tour the nation for the Strictly Live Tour. Back at home cheering her on will be her daughter Mila, seven.
The professional ballroom dancer took part in an Instagram Q+A session with her fans, and one of them asked Nadiya whether her daughter would be joining her at one of the shows. While Nadiya didn't reveal when exactly her young girl would be present, she did confirm that Mila would be making sure to watch her mum dance.
"Yes, Mila is coming to watch @strictlycomedancinglive," she wrote alongside a glitterball emoji and a snap of Nadiya and Mila behind the judges' desk during the show's annual Halloween Week.
Nadiya also lifted the lid on some of the group dances that would be performed during the nationwide tour, revealing that the one she was most looking forward to reprising was the iconic Barbie-themed number, which was first seen on Movies Week.
Nadiya is a doting mum to her young girl, who she shares with her ex-fiance Slovenian footballer, Matija Skarabot. Nadiya is now dating her Strictly co-star, Kai Widdrington, and in an exclusive interview with HELLO!, she opened up about her worries about forging a new relationship.
Although Nadiya doesn't have a celebrity partner on the show, her boyfriend Kai will be dancing with his latest partner, Angela Rippon. The pair are due to perform their death-defying Aregentine tango and their iconic cha-cha-cha, which introduced Angela's never-ending legs.
Speaking exclusively to HELLO!, Kai revealed he is looking forward to hearing the roar of the crowd when he and Angela, 79, once more perform her high-kick. "I can't wait for Angela to have that moment in the spotlight," he quipped. Of her decision to join the tour, Angela said: "I thought: 'Why the hell not?' I shall be 80 in October. I'm going to fit in as many adventures as I can."
Away from work, Kai spends plenty of time with Nadiya and her daughter Mila. Back in November, Nadiya and Kai treated the young girl to the latest offering from Disney, Wish. The star shared a carousel of images which also featured the blonde beauty modelling a figure-hugging short black dress with her long hair in loose waves.
Nadiya commented: "A magical evening at the UK's premiere of #wishmovie @disneystudiosuk… Thank you for having us @concordemedialondon… Mila, my mum and I had the most wonderful time [star emoji]."
SEE: Strictly's Nadiya Bychkova wows in gorgeous dress to announce exciting new role
MORE: Strictly's Nadiya Bychkova sparks comments in intimate photo with boyfriend Kai Widdrington
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/healthandbeauty/mother-and-baby/511445/strictly-nadiya-bychkova-sweet-detail-daughter-heading-tour/
| 2024-01-17T13:16:50Z
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Enrique Iglesias, 48, and his partner Anna Kournikova, 42, have an incredible Miami home that they share with their three adorable children twins Nicholas and Lucy, six, and Mary, three.
But when their twins were born, an unusual measure was added to their incredible leafy backyard with its own tennis court – a 16-foot wall had been erected around the perimeter of the garden as an extensive child-proofing privacy measure.
TMZ reported that the wall was erected during Anna's pregnancy with Nicholas and Lucy in 2017, a pregnancy that she initially kept under wraps, as part of an extensive array of home renovations. At the time the city building permits stated that the couple intended to add a two-storey single-family residence to the grounds surrounding their property and as part of the wise safety measures put in place to protect their little ones, set out to have a 'child barrier' put in around the swimming pool.
Photos of the home have also revealed that the property is surrounded by tall palm trees and high hedges to ensure that their children can play safely outside and that the couple, who have millions of Instagram followers are afforded some privacy.
The 'Bailando' singer and his tennis champ long-term partner purchased the sprawling home in 2013, after 12 years of being together. The $26 million mansion by the water also boasts a sapphire-tinged lap pool and a jacuzzi. According to Miami-Dade County records, the singer bought two lots for $5 million in 2009 and then had the two existing homes leveled to start afresh.
Now their garden feels secure, Enrique and Anna are happy to let their children explore the outdoors freely. Anna has previously shared adorable photos with her family enjoying time in the backyard with her 1.8 million followers. She wished Enrique a happy birthday in 2022 with an adorable family snap with the twins on her lap and little Mary on her father's shoulders. She captioned the post: "Happy Birthday to the most amazing Dad! We super love you!!!".
In the background fans spotted their chocolate brown labrador laid on their lush green lawn where the children's play equipment was set up. On Nicholas and Lucy's fourth birthdays in 2021, Anna gave fans another insight into their outside space. Little Nicholas was pictured in front of a huge tree next to the high wall with bean bags and miniature chairs laid out.
In another snap, little Lucy was seen playing on metal playground equipment at home against a leafy backdrop. In a separate post, the Grand Slam title-holder shared an adorable video of her children piled into a bright red play car riding around their at-home tennis court where no doubt Anna gets her practice in.
In recent times Anna has decided to go one step further and has stopped posting recent updates of life at home with her children. However, the previously named 'Top Latin Artist Of All Time' took to Instagram to share a rare family moment with his 18.8 million followers. The video showed Anna playing with her children in the garden with a Wendy house, play tractor, and sandpit.
DISCOVER: Enrique Iglesias reveals his son with Anna Kournikova was shocked by his real singing – see why
A visible fence was put around the area fans caught a rare glimpse at the exterior of their unbelievable home. Enrique marked the occasion saying, " Happy Mother’s Day! To all the Mothers around the world, you rock."
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/homes/511450/enrique-iglesias-anna-kournikova-miami-home-surprising-child-proof-measures/
| 2024-01-17T13:16:56Z
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Receiving a bunch of flowers through the post is like receiving a hug – there’s nothing better than a flower delivery. And yes, we love receiving flowers on those big calendar moments like Valentine’s or Mother’s Day, but for me it’s getting that ‘just because’ bunch that puts the biggest smile on my face. Online flower delivery in the UK is huge, with everything from a celebratory bouquet to dried flowers, letterbox flowers and even plants available to be sent.
But with so many flowers for delivery, how to choose the best flower delivery for you? It all depends on the occasion, your budget, and even the type of flowers you want to send. One of the best flowery deliveries in the UK with free delivery is Bloom & Wild, who are lauded for their luxury letterbox flowers. M&S Flower Delivery is a great choice for classic, reasonably priced blooms that are high quality too, and for premium roses, you can't beat Haute Florist or Amarante London and their infinity rose selection.
Looking for a super sustainable flower delivery service? Arena Flowers has been ranked #1 most ethical flower delivery company in the UK for quite a few years running. The best cheap flower delivery services include Bloompost for bouquets under £20, and Bunches and Moonpig Flowers for under £30.
How I chose the best flower delivery services
- Reviews: I’ve sent quite a few bouquets of flowers in my time (sorry mum for not being super original!) and I’ve tried and tested a lot of these flower delivery services, so I’ve included my personal opinion where possible. Otherwise, I’ve scoured online and trusted reviews to bring the ones that get rated the best.
- Flower choice: I love a flower delivery service that offers a wide choice of flowers, from classic to contemporary and everything in between, and I’ve included that in this edit.
- Sustainability: With companies doing the upmost to be as sustainable as possible, I’ve called out those that actually are, or have great ethical ratings.
- Budget: Big budget? There’s plenty of flowers for delivery that can cost upwards of £100, but for the mid-price and cheaper flowers, there’s actually more services available than you might realise. You’ll find both high and low prices in this edit.
- Delivery options: As well as next day delivery options, some of those listed in this edit include same day flower delivery services and I’ve included as many as I can that offer a range of delivery options. Always handy if you’re a last-minute gift sender…
Here's our pick of the best flower delivery services...
Roses, Iris & Stock Bright Bouquet
- Free nominated day delivery
- Order by 7pm for next day delivery Mon-Fri
- Free gift message
Editor's note: "M&S Flower Delivery offers great value for money. You can even add extras to your flower delivery, including chocolates, prosecco or Percy Pigs and there's over 50 bouquets to choose from.
"I've used the service before and always been impressed by the choice of flowers and the price is hard to beat."
The Scented Lily & Rose Showstopper
- Delivery costs £4.95
- Choose which day your flowers are delivered
- Order by 6pm Sunday-Friday for next day delivery
Editor's note: "I've had nothing but positive experiences using Waitrose Florist. Even when there was an issue, it was dealt with quickly and efficiently. The flowers are beautiful bouquets and plants, for something a little different, and there's an option to add extras like hand wash or reed diffusers for an additional cost."
The Pink Petals
- Next day delivery available, order by 9pm
- 7 days freshness guaranteed on all flowers
- Greeting card can be added at extra cost
Editor's note: "Moonpig doesn't just do personalised cards, but flowers and plants too - you can add a card for an extra fee to your flower delivery for that extra special touch.
"From cheap flowers to luxury arrangements, plus letterbox flowers and plants, you can even supersize your bouquet for £5."
The Whitney
- Free next-day delivery Monday - Saturday. Place your order before 10pm for tracked next-day delivery.
- Free greeting card can be added
Editor's note: "According to their website, since 2013 Bloom & Wild have become the UK’s most-loved online florist and the were also announced as the Flowers of the Year 2023.
"Sending fresh blooms in the post, the buds are packed by hand and some are delivered in letter-box sized packaging. Plants, hampers, and gifts available too, plus seasonal flowers, subscriptions and a handy guide on how to arrange your bouquet for us novices."
Spring Bliss
- £4 next day delivery charge
- Order by 9pm for next day delivery
Editor's note: "Arena Flowers is a wonderful option - in fact, it's ranked the UK’s most ethical florist for the past six years in a row, so perfect if you're looking for an eco-friendly option. Arena Flowers plant a tree for every order received, and use eco-friendly packaging, never relying on single-use plastics."
Infinity Roses
- Same day UK delivery available across London and surrounding areas (charges vary)
- Free next day delivery, order by 4pm
- Free specified day delivery
Editor's note: "Those amazing hat boxes of roses that you see all over Instagram can be yours, and the one place to go to for them? Amarante London. You can not only choose the colour of your roses (red or white), but the colour and finish of your hatbox too."
Pink Rose and Lily Bouquet
- Same day delivery available (charges vary)
- Next day and standard delivery costs vary
- Hand delivered
- Handcrafted by a florist local to you
Editor's note: "Interflora is one of the UK's best known flower delivery companies, and I've used them many times for sending flowers. They're pricier than say, M&S or Waitrose, but the bouquets are handcrafted by a florist local to the recipient and delivered by hand too, so feels a little more personal."
Letterbox Pink Bunny Tail Dried Flowers
- Delivery £3.49 for named day delivery
- Next day delivery available
Editor's notes: "Bunches offer UK next-day delivery with a 7-day freshness guarantee. Fresh bouquets are sent in bud for maximum vase life so you can admire your blooms for as long as possible, with letterbox flowers available, but it's the dried flower bouquets that got my attention - a really cool alternative to a standard bouquet."
Red Naomi Roses
- Delivery charges apply
- Next day delivery available
- Extras can be added to order at an extra cost, including vases
Editor's note: "Founded by celebrity florist Larry Walshe, Bloom is the one to order from if you're concerned about your flowers' sustainable credits; all of the products are 100% plastic-free and they promote zero flower waste. Plus, the blooms are gorgeous!"
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/shopping/511377/best-flower-delivery-services/
| 2024-01-17T13:17:02Z
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Just days after going viral at the Critics Choice Awards for his reaction to "I'm Just Ken" winning Best Song, Ryan Gosling is talking all things Barbie, and also all things family.
The 43-year-old actor and musician was asked by E! News at the 2024 Santa Barbara International Film Festival what his daughters with longtime partner Eva Mendes thought of the Greta Gerwig fantasy comedy.
But as it turns out, their two girls, nine-year-old Esmeralda and seven-year-old Amada, haven't seen the movie yet, despite helping him prep for the role.
"I don't know if you should watch your father as Ken," the Dead Man's Bones frontman told the outlet. "I don't know what age is a good age to see your father do that. It gets pretty crazy."
He added, though, that they weren't completely unfamiliar with Greta's vision or what he'd done for the film, as they did visit him on set. "They've seen little parts of it and they came to set one day when I did a big musical number."
Ryan has opened up in interviews about how much Esmeralda and Amada loved Barbie from the jump, which was a big factor in him taking the role.
He told E!: "I knew that they loved it because they kept saying at first, 'Hey, can we go to Target?' And we go to Target, and then they'd slowly go by the Barbie aisle.
"And my wife and I sort of realized, 'OK, I think it's time to let them have Barbies.' And no interest in Ken, which was pretty interesting, too," saying that taking on the film was a "way to sort of make something both for and with them."
MORE: Why Eva Mendes kept Ryan Gosling marriage secret for years after 'very boring' milestone confession
He also continued to gush about Eva, 49, his partner since 2011, when they met on the set of the 2012 movie The Place Beyond the Pines, and remarked that he'd love to relive that experience with her. "That was the greatest experience I had making a film, so I hope so."
At the same event, the La La Land actor was honored with the Kirk Douglas Award for Excellence in Film, and spoke lovingly about Eva and their daughters.
"Most importantly, I got to meet the girl of my dreams, Eva Mendes, and have two dream children," he said of the greatest gift his film career had given him.
Back in July, at the Los Angeles premiere of Barbie, the Oscar-nominated actor revealed that his daughters had in fact "seen a lot of pieces of [the film]," and "helped me a lot with it" in an interview with Entertainment Tonight.
MORE: Ryan Gosling and Eva Mendes enjoy family day out with daughters amid Barbie success
But even back then, he admitted that he was reluctant to give them the full Kenergy experience. "Well, it was, I think, weird enough for them that I played Ken anyway," he admitted. "I might like, you know, just hold off on them seeing the full Ken energy."
He did say, however, that Esmeralda and Amada definitely found his scene-stealing role worth the laughs. "Unless it wasn't. And then I worked on it."
Get the lowdown on the biggest, hottest celebrity news, features, and profiles coming out of the U.S. Sign up to our HELLO! Hollywood newsletter and get them delivered straight to your inbox.
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/healthandbeauty/mother-and-baby/511453/ryan-gosling-very-surprising-revelation-wife-eva-mendes-private-life-two-daughters-barbie/
| 2024-01-17T14:00:35Z
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