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SINGAPORE – Up-and-coming artificial intelligence (AI) start-up Vizzio Technologies landed in hot water after its chief executive was found to have faked his credentials.
In a Jan 16 expose by online publication Tech in Asia, Vizzio founder and CEO Jon Lee – previously known as Dennis Lee – was said to have forged his doctorate certificate from Cambridge.
Some partner firms contacted by The Straits Times said that they are considering their ties with Vizzio on the back of the developments. A renowned AI scientist has also stepped down from its board.
Meanwhile, several entities whose logos are listed as clients on Vizzio’s website have clarified that they are not customers of the company – or at least not directly.
Started in 2019, the Singapore-based AI firm uses software to make 3D interactive maps of cities and digital objects. It garnered international media attention, including being listed among The Information’s 50 most promising start-ups list.
During an interview with Tech In Asia on Jan 12 following investigations it had conducted, Mr Lee confessed to having lied about having a computer science doctorate from Cambridge and admitted that his doctorate certificate was forged.
Mr Lee on Jan 17 apologised for his “personal misstep” on the firm’s website, and added that the board and shareholders decided that he would continue to serve as CEO.
ST’s checks on Jan 19 found that Vizzio’s website had listed more than 20 Singapore Government organisations and major companies as clients.
Temasek Polytechnic (TP), SMRT, the Infocomm Media Development Authority, the Ministry of Home Affairs, and the Hong Kong Police were among the organisations whose logos had been removed since the scandal broke. The client list was whittled down to 17 by 9pm on Jan 22.
Government Technology Agency (GovTech), whose logo is still on the site, denied being a client.
Its spokesperson told ST: “While Vizzio did a demonstration of its capabilities to GovTech in 2020, GovTech did not proceed to procure any products and is not a current customer of Vizzio.”
When contacted, Mr Lee said that Vizzio had worked with GovTech under a paid proof-of-concept product demonstration. He showed ST a copy of a contract with GovTech dated April 6, 2020, over a video call.
TP should not have been included under Vizzio’s list of clients, said Mr Lee. He said the polytechnic had engaged infrastructure consultancy Surbana Jurong, which worked with Vizzio to develop a digital twin on the polytechnic’s behalf.
A spokesperson for the polytechnic said: “TP is not a direct customer of Vizzio Technologies. It is used by a TP-appointed vendor for support in the vendor’s operational work. TP will look into the matter with its commissioned vendor.”
Other companies linked to Vizzio are also assessing its ties with the start-up.
These include DP Architects and Surbana Jurong, which collaborated with Vizzio under Aetos, a security firm under its group, to build digital renders of facilities for virtual surveillance.
A spokeswoman for Surbana Jurong said: “In light of the recent disclosures, we are conducting a comprehensive evaluation of our arrangements with Vizzio, while continuing to deliver high-quality solutions to our clients.”
“(We) do not condone the fraudulent misrepresentations by Vizzio’s founder Jon Lee,” she added.
Mr Lee said Vizzio will thoroughly review the content on its website and official marketing pages. “I want to reiterate that I have contacted the majority of customers, partners, board members and investors. I have apologised to them about my judgment lapse, and I will work to rebuild whatever trust has been lost,” he added.
Following Mr Lee’s admission, Vizzio board member Lee Kai-Fu has stepped down.
Dr Lee, a Taiwanese AI scientist and the author of AI 2041: Ten Visions For Our Future, is CEO of Sinovation Ventures, which invested in Vizzio. Singtel Innov8, which invests in start-ups, is another investor.
Mr Lee’s admission adds to a history of fabricated claims. He was in 2001 dropped by software provider Elipva, where he served as its chief technology officer under the name Dennis Lee, after The Business Times revealed that he had falsely claimed to have won awards and fellowships from prestigious universities and foundations.
Elipva’s subsequent probe discovered that he had faked awards in his portfolio, such as a “rare AI award” sponsored by the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence and Stanford University.
Civil and criminal lawyer Mark Yeo told ST that individuals who forge documents and fabricate their credentials could land themselves in legal trouble if their partners feel that they have been deceived.
“Anyone who puts money into the company could take issue with these practices, especially if the credentials formed part of the pitch presented to them,” the director of Fortress Law Corporation added.
Forgery can apply to those who falsify a record with the intent to support any claim or title, to cause a person to enter a contract, according to Section 463 of Singapore’s Penal Code.
Vizzio chairman Abu Bakar Mohd Nor, who is a director of SMRT Corporation, on Jan 16 signed off on a statement on the firm’s website that said the board will continue to back Mr Lee as CEO.
Mr Bakar, who also sits on the Board of Trustees of the Singapore Institute of Technology and the Board of Public Utilities Board, wrote: “The board is of the opinion that the technology developed by Vizzio is not dependent on the doctorate. The technology has since proven itself and has been successfully deployed in Singapore and other parts of the world.”
He added: “On the issue of Jon’s time in Elipva until 2001, the board firmly believes that no one should be sanctioned again for what happened 23 years ago when Jon Lee was a 29 year-old technopreneur... We cannot, and will not, take his life’s work away from him as he has paid his dues some 23 years ago as a young man.”
Stellar Lifestyle, which manages retail spaces in SMRT’s rail network, said it stands by Vizzio. Its president, Mr Tony Heng, told ST: “We engaged Vizzio to develop interactive 3D digital map solutions. Vizzio has superior technical solutions that meet our requirements, and we are pleased that they have delivered on their contractual obligations so far.”
In his Jan 17 statement, Mr Lee said: “I had intended to address this matter prior to the report as part of my long-term plan to transition the leadership of our company since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic.”
He added: “Misrepresenting my academic qualifications was a grave misjudgment, and I fully acknowledge its seriousness. I want to assure all our stakeholders that this personal misstep does not have a bearing on the integrity or achievements of our company.”
He said Vizzio will implement new measures to preserve the firm’s integrity, without providing further details.
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https://www.straitstimes.com/tech/vizzio-ceo-s-fabricated-credentials-inflated-client-list-haunts-start-up
| 2024-01-22T14:28:37Z
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The global fight against malaria took a stride forward on Monday as Cameroon launched the world's first routine vaccine programme against the mosquito-borne disease that is projected to save tens of thousands of children's lives per year across Africa.
Around 40 years in the making, the World Health Organization (WHO)-approved RTS,S vaccine developed by British drugmaker GSK is meant to work alongside existing tools such as bed nets to combat malaria, which in Africa kills nearly half a million children under the age of five each year.
After successful trials, including in Ghana and Kenya, Cameroon is the first country to administer doses through a routine programme that 19 other countries aim to roll out this year, according to global vaccine alliance Gavi.
Around 6.6 million children in these countries are targeted for malaria vaccination through 2024-25.
"For a long time, we have been waiting for a day like this," said Mohammed Abdulaziz of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) at a joint online briefing with the WHO, Gavi and other organisations.
The urgency is clear. Disruptions linked to the COVID pandemic, rising insecticide resistance and other issues have hindered the fight against malaria in recent years with cases rising by around 5 million year-on-year in 2022, according to the WHO.
Overall, more than 30 countries on the continent have expressed interest in introducing the vaccine and fears of a supply squeeze have eased since a second vaccine completed a key regulatory step in December.
Rolling out the second vaccine "is expected to result in sufficient vaccine supply to meet the high demand and reach millions more children", the WHO's director of immunization, Kate O'Brien, said at the briefing.
This R21 vaccine, developed by the University of Oxford and the Serum Institute of India, could be launched in May or June, said Gavi's Chief Programme Officer, Aurelia Nguyen.
"Having two vaccines for malaria will help to close the huge gap between demand and supply and could save tens of thousands of young lives, especially in Africa," said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the WHO, at a meeting of the U.N. body's executive board on Monday.
Some experts have expressed scepticism about the potential impact of the vaccines, saying attention and funding should not be drawn away from the wider fight against the age-old killer and the use of established malaria-prevention tools like bed nets.
Health experts at the briefing said the roll-out was accompanied by extensive community out-reach to combat any vaccine hesitancy and to emphasise the importance of continuing to use all protective measures alongside the vaccines. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/cameroon-launches-routine-malaria-shots-in-global-milestone
| 2024-01-22T14:28:47Z
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PARIS - A fiercely contested immigration bill violates France's constitutional commitment to equality and liberty, the U.N. special rapporteur on racism said, amid nationwide protests against the legislation that is backed by far-right lawmakers.
President Emmanuel Macron has made the bill a key plank of his second term but has been embarrassed by the support it drew from his arch rival, Marine Le Pen's far-right National Rally party, and referred the legislation to France's Constitutional Council to check if it complies with the constitution.
The Council is due to announce its verdict on Thursday.
The bill includes migration quotas, obstacles to family reunification and delays to migrants' access to welfare benefits, as well as articles cancelling automatic birthright citizenship and making it easier to deport non-French nationals.
"When we look at the French constitution or the way in which the head of state or many in positions of power speak, it's [about] equality, but that is in strong contradiction to these policies," Ashwini K.P., Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, told Reuters in a phone interview at the weekend.
On Sunday, tens of thousands of people across France took part in the latest protests against the bill, denouncing it as a betrayal of French values, although opinion polls indicate public support for the legislation.
'MARGINALISED COMMUNITIES'
Ashwini K.P. expressed particular concern over the proposed restrictions to social welfare for migrants, fee hikes and the introduction of a refundable deposit for foreign students, saying these would greatly "impact marginalised communities".
She said she hoped France's Constitutional Council would make amendments.
The Elysee and French interior ministry did not respond to a Reuters request for comment.
Some of the tougher elements in the bill were added to win the support of right-wing lawmakers after Macron, a centrist, lost his parliamentary majority last year but they have caused unease among some of his more left-leaning lawmakers.
Ashwini K.P. said she would focus on discrimination in France this year, given the influence of far-right groups there, incidents such as the police shooting last year of a teenager of North African descent that prompted nationwide riots, and discrimination against Muslim women wearing the hijab. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/un-racism-rapporteur-criticises-frances-contested-immigration-bill
| 2024-01-22T14:28:58Z
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JERUSALEM - Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pushed back on Monday after speculation that a new release of Gaza hostages was in the works, saying Israel was taking an unspecified initiative in the absence of an offer by the Palestinian militant group Hamas.
"There is no real proposal by Hamas. It's not true," a statement from Netanyahu's office quoted him as telling representatives of hostage families after some relatives stormed a committee session in parliament, demanding a release deal.
"I am saying this as clearly as I can because there are so many incorrect statements which are certainly agonising for you," Netanyahu added. "Conversely, there is an initiative on our part, on which I shall not elaborate."
The Netanyahu government argues that an Israeli offensive, launched in retalation for the cross-border Hamas killing and kidnapping spree of Oct. 7, is necessary to pressure the Palestinian captors into releasing hostages on acceptable terms.
But many of the relatives worry the hostages may be killed. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/middle-east/hamas-has-not-made-a-solid-deal-offer-says-netanyahu-to-gaza-hostage-kin
| 2024-01-22T14:29:09Z
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January is the ideal time to set your intentions for the next year, and if you or a loved one are dreaming of a career in the fashion industry, we have just the ticket.
The Shein X Global Challenge is returning for a third year, helping to foster the talent of tomorrow. Offering a generous prize to invest in your line and the chance to see your designs modelled on the catwalk, it could spell the start of a lucrative career and give you the platform to kickstart your own label.
Take our poll:
As part of its mission to empower emerging artists and make the business of fashion accessible for the next generation, Shein is inviting students and any aspiring designers across the world to submit digital sketches of three full and original looks based on the theme of “radiance”, accompanied by the inspiration behind their vision.
Judges from the leading etailer’s fashion and retail team will draw up a shortlist for an expert panel of four leading figures from the fashion and media industries. They will be seeking entries that best embody this year’s theme and embrace creativity in its most original form.
The top ten emerging designers to make the final round will gather in London this spring to meet the judges and attend design masterclasses, where they will receive expert feedback on their collections and tailored advice to enable them to progress their careers in the fashion industry.
They will also see their collections modelled on the catwalk later this year, with the overall winner awarded €10,000 (£8,600) to invest in their own brand.
As well the masterclass, showcase and generous prize fund, the overall winner will see their designs come to life to be sold on Shein’s website and receive a dedicated intro page seen by millions of customers online plus exposure on social media. They will retain the rights to their work and earn a commission from each sale of their products.
Three designers from the top ten will secure cash prizes of €5,000 (£4,300), while the remaining six will each receive €3,000 (£2,580).
Since its launch in 2021, Shein X has worked with over 4,600 designers from more than 20 countries to discover and nurture future fashion stars. The brand has launched nearly 2,000 collections including 25,000 original creations since 2022 and released more than $5million in commission to the designers.
Winners of the global competition are helped to scale up their businesses by leveraging the etailer’s on-demand manufacturing model, with access to fabric libraries, supply chain technologies and global logistics. Entrants also gain exposure with the brand’s vast community of customers across the globe.
By providing fledgling designers with marketing, manufacturing, operational and financial support, Shein helps individuals to focus on what they excel at: creating desirable and captivating collections using their unique vision.
The future of fashion is here, and you’re invited to join the collective! Entries close on 15 February 2024.
To find out more about the Shein X Global challenge, watch videos by previous winners and enter the competition, visit the website. Follow the challenge on Instagram @sheinx__official.
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/fashion/511394/shein-x-global-fashion-competition-2024/
| 2024-01-22T14:34:54Z
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Haute Couture Week is officially underway, and as expected, Paris has drawn in a band of global fashionistas ready to populate the French capital with their stellar street style looks.
Rita Ora is one of those who is bringing her style A-game, and the Poison singer has the Instagram dump to prove it.
The star shared a post with her 16.1m followers, and right at the end of a very Parisian array of snaps – think bouclé jackets, navy and chic flats aplenty – we spied an accessory that felt utterly in keeping with one of the biggest aesthetic trends of the moment.
READ: Rita Ora's "morning pilates" outfit is giving modern Princess Diana
Rita sported a super fluffy black hat, so fluffy in fact that it partially obscured her eyes. Now that's what we call commitment to the cause.
The star styled her standout headwear alongside yet more cosy texture, a multi-coloured fluffy coat spanning from baby blue to burnt orange.
MORE: Rita Ora, Dua Lipa, Kendall Jenner: How the A-list fashion set spent New Year's Eve
READ: Rita Ora just wore her sheerest dress yet
Rita's look felt richly reminiscent of the currently ubiquitous 'Mob Wife' aesthetic, a look defined by unadulterated opulence.
"In a nutshell, mob wife style is all about bold, overstated and sensual glamour that evokes a sense of confidence and class," explains Hello! Fashion's Features Writer Orion Scott.
READ: EXCLUSIVE: Rita Ora’s Party Season Fashion Do’s and Don’ts
RELATED: Rita Ora just perfected the art of a three-piece suit
"Think New York 'old money' but with a touch of grunge and likely a red lip… From oversized fur coats, thigh-high leather boots, big hair and animal prints in all forms are quickly rising to fame on both catwalks and city streets."
Rita styled her larger-than-life hat alongside a flashy slew of gold rings, bracelets and a pair of timeless hoops, further contributing to her decadent, mobster-adjacent energy.
If this is Rita's version of off-duty, we seriously can't wait to feast our eyes upon her front row 'fits…
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/hfm/fashion-trends/511789/rita-ora-mob-wife-aesthetic-paris-fashion-week/
| 2024-01-22T14:35:00Z
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If you're working a hybrid work model, or whether you're back to the office full time, you might be struggling with what to wear for your trips to the office. You might also just be in the mood for some new 2024 additions to your work wardrobe, and we're here to help. Choosing what to wear for your morning commute is no mean feat - here are some ideas for your daily work outfits.
We reached out to Gemma Rose Breger, a fashion and celebrity stylist and the co-founder of This Is Mothership, to get her tips on how to have a stress-free morning while getting ready for work.
Top tips for having a million dollar morning on a work day - according to a stylist
It's all in the prep work. Nothing will ever go to plan if you are attempting to do it last minute, whilst stressed out and trying to wrangle yourself and/or kids out the door on time.
Allocate some time for a clear out: "You can't see what you've got if it's all crammed into your wardrobe so invite over some friends, or put on a podcast whilst doing a wardrobe cleanse. The simple rules are, only keep what you need, what you love, and what makes you feel a million dollars when wearing it."
Categorise: "Once you've done your clear out you need to organise what you are keeping. Hang or fold it in categories - dresses, trousers, jeans, skirts, blouses, knitwear. A general rule of thumb, hang the lighter pieces (dresses, blouses) and fold the heavier (knitwear & denim)."
Outfit plan the night or week before: "Build a few work outfits you feel great in and hang them altogether on one side of your wardrobe. or in a separate space. Accessories, shoes, bags, the works - hang it all there so when you are short on time you can grab it and go."
If in doubt, blend: "If you haven't had a chance to outfit plan then pull out a few pieces from your wardrobe in similar shades of one colour. For example, brown trousers, a camel jumper, a beige jacket, brown boots. Tonal dressing instantly makes you look chic, and can make an outfit look more expensive than it is."
If in a state of panic, wear black: "Head to toe black looks effortless (and it usually involves very little effort!) Depending on how smart you have to be for work you could wear black leggings, black knee high boots, a black t shirt or blouse and black blazer. Add some jewellery (and a bold lipstick if you want to feel more pulled together) and you are good to go."
Gemma Rose Breger, fashion & celebrity stylist and the co-founder of This Is Mothership.
How we chose the best work outfit ideas
Our own experience: The HELLO! office is rather relaxed - we can wear jeans and trainers (and most people do!) but we've also worked in more corporate environments so we were keen to keep this edit as professional looking as possible. We realise some people must wear formal office wear so we hope you find what you're looking for below.
Comfort: While we haven't tried on all of these garments, we have included items we know strive to be comfortable, such as wide-leg trousers and mid-heel shoes. The office isn't a place for pain-inducing footwear or restrictive clothing.
Catering to all budgets: We know that work is different for everyone, and everyone's salary is different. Some women would prefer to shop savvy when it comes to their workwear - opting for cheap brands such as Primark, Matalan and Vinted. While others would prefer to invest, leaning towards the likes of Reiss, Boden and sustainable fashion brands. We've tried to do a nice mix of it all.
What is the 3-3-3 method for a capsule work wardrobe?
The 3-3-3 method for a capsule wardrobe was created to make choosing outfits easier, and to be more sustainable. It involves selecting 33 items of clothing and wearing only these items for three months. The goal is to streamline the decision making and make more mindful choices about your daily looks. The trend has gone viral on Instagram and TikTok with fashion girls proving the theory works. Keep scrolling for some ideas on your workwear wardrobe whether you try the 3-3-3 method or not.
If you work in a corporate environment, we're here to help! If you're in a more relaxed office, we want to give you some ideas, too. All of the options below are classy, let's just put it that way.
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M&S Collection Tailored Single Breasted Blazer
The Power Blazer
Sizes available: UK 6-24
Colours available: Black, Ecru, Dark Navy
Shipping: £3.99 Standard Delivery or free for orders over £60
Returns: Free within 35 days
A power blazer is a must-have for the office. We're loving this M&S one. We'd pair it with a crisp white shirt and a pair of smart cigarette trousers, teamed with a chunky gold necklace and a pair of small-heeled work shoes.
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Boden Laura Jersey Midi Shirt Dress
The Printed Work Dress
Sizes available: UK 8 - 22 (Petite, Regular, Long)
Colours available: Mulptiple Prints
Shipping: Free over £50
Returns: Free within 90 days
A printed midi dress is a must for any workwear wardrobe. They're airy enough to keep you feeling comfortable throughout the day and smart enough that you feel well put together with minimal effort. We love this bold midi from Boden.
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John Lewis Cotton Relaxed Shirt In White
The Perfect White Shirt
Sizes available: UK 6 - 18
Colours available: White
Shipping: Free click and collect or free on orders over £50
Returns: Free within 28 days
Finding the perfect white shirt is not easy. If you're a fan of a fitted blouse or a loose, oversized look, you simply cannot go wrong with this beauty. We love this John Lewis shirt because it's perfect for the office, with your jeans at the weekend, or tucked into your sequin skirt come party time.
Shipping: £4 Standard Delivery or free on orders over £50
Returns: Free within 28 days
Tight trousers are a no-go when you're working at a desk - a pair of wide-leg trousers are an absolute must. We love this pair from River Island. And they also come in white and tan.
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Fiorelli Erika Tote In Tan
The Chic Work Bag
Colours available: Tan, Black
Shipping: £3.99 Standard Delivery or free for orders over £50
Returns: Free within 28 days
You'll need a decent-sized bag that's chic enough to sit on your desk. We love this Fiorelli tote bag in tan - it'll work all-year round. With soft pleating and crafted from non leather materials, this lovely shoulder bag is perfect for busy days on the go. If you're on the look out for a laptop bag that will make a statement, check out this edit of stylish laptop bags.
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Hawes & Curtis Navy Satin Pussybow Blouse
The Satin Blouse
Sizes available: UK 6 - 22
Colours available: Navy, Cream, Red, Black, Taupe
Shipping: £4.95 or free on orders over £175
Returns: Free within 28 days
This elegant satin blouse ideal for the office - and it's available in lots of other colours. Team with black trousers, loafers and a stylish laptop bag. One happy verified shopper reviewed the shirt, saying: "The blouse fits perfectly and is really well tailored. Excellent value for money."
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Arket Pleated Maxi Skirt
The Pleated Skirt
Sizes available: UK 6 - 16
Colours available: Off-White
Shipping: £5 Standard Delivery or free for orders over £125
Returns: Free within 30 days
Work skirts don't have to be boring. Arket's calf-length cream pleated skirt has an asymmetric hem which adds a bit of interest to the look.
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M&S Collection Cotton Rich Belted Longline Trench Coat In Buff
The Trench Coat
Sizes available: UK 6 - 24 and petite
Colours available: Buff, Black
Shipping: £3.99 Standard Delivery or free for orders over £60
Returns: Free within 35 days
A trench coat is a must for your work wardrobe - especially when you have to deal with unpredictable weather! This premium looking design from M&S is also available in black and will be your go-to for years to come.
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H&M Premium Leather Loafers
The Chunky Loafer
Sizes available: UK 2 - 9
Colours available: Black, White
Shipping: £3.99 Standard Delivery or free for orders over £30
Returns: Free within 28 days
Our work heels have been switched up for a more comfortable style these days. These H&M loafers have an on-trend snaffle detail on the toe. Loafers are having a moment right now. Wear yours with a belted blazer and ankle-grazing trousers this season.
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M&S Collection Slip On Stiletto Heel Pointed Court Shoes In Navy
The Mid-Heel Court Shoe
Sizes available: UK 3 - 8
Colours available: Navy. Black
Shipping: £3.99 Standard Delivery or free for orders over £60
Returns: Free within 35 days
You can never go wrong with a new pair of court shoes. Update your collection by opting for navy instead of black. This is a good choice if you can get away with a dark navy wash jean in your office but you still want to look smart. Team with a blazer. What's more, M&S cater for half sizes as well.
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& Other Stories Mid-Waist Leather Belt
The Designer Looking Belt
Sizes available: XS-L
Colours available: Black, Cognac
Shipping: £4 Standard Delivery or free for orders over £80
Returns: Free within 30 days
Smarten up any outfit with a buckled belt. This one from & Other Stories is perfect! It's crafted from leather with a gold-toned equestrian buckle and adjustable stud closures at the back.
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Abbott Lyon Large Twisted Hoops In Silver
The Hoop Earrings
Colours available: Silver, Gold
Shipping: £2.99 Standard Delivery or free for orders over £70
Returns: Earrings are excluded for returns
You can't go wrong with these simple, but stylish, hoops. Elegant, classy and chic - what's not to love? If you prefer gold, check out this edit of the best gold hoops.
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Jigsaw Cotton Blend Crew Tank
The Tank Top
Sizes available: UK XS - XL
Colours available: Black, Ivory, Grey, Purple, Green, Navy, Forest Green
Shipping: £4 Standard Delivery or free for orders over £80
Returns: Free within 30 days
The humble sweater vest is fast-becoming the ultimate workwear essential. The chic and versatile layering piece is ideal for the office.
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COS Oversized Double Breasted Wool Coat In Grey
The New Season Coat
Sizes available: XS - L
Colours available: Grey
Shipping: £4 Standard Delivery or free for orders over £100
Returns: Free within 28 days
We're eyeing up this new grey wool coat from COS. It's shaped with a double-breasted close and designed with oversized notch lapels, soft shoulders, premium pick stitching and wrapped-seam sleeves that create a cocooning silhouette. This coat is a works-with-everything investment.
Meet the expert
Gemma Rose Breger is a fashion and celebrity stylist and the co-founder of This Is Mothership, alongside beauty director Samantha Silver. Their goal is to give fashion tricks and speedy beauty tips for busy women.
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/shopping/511689/work-outfit-ideas-for-office-inspiration/
| 2024-01-22T14:35:06Z
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Moldova accused Russian peacekeepers in its Transnistria of multiple violations, including the improper use of drones during exercises in late December 2023, prompting an information attack by a pro-Kremlin mouthpiece, according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
Moldova’s authorities asserted that the presence and utilization of these weapons by Russian peacekeeping forces within the security zone contravened JCC protocols. Additionally, they contended that some of these weapons and drones had not been adequately disclosed as part of the Russian peacekeepers’ arsenal. In response, a prominent Russian milblogger with Kremlin affiliations claimed on 21 January that Moldovan authorities had been intensifying pressure on the Russian-backed breakaway republic of Transnistria. This pressure included calls for the withdrawal of Russian peacekeepers and economic measures, according to ISW.
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https://euromaidanpress.com/2024/01/22/moldova-accuses-russian-troops-in-transnistria-of-violations/
| 2024-01-22T15:18:43Z
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The UK has sent satellite images to a panel of UN experts of North Korean cargo shipments to Russia as proof that Pyongyang is violating international sanctions by providing weapons to Moscow for use in its invasion of Ukraine, The Guardian reports.
North Korea has been accused of supplying Russia with ballistic missiles and hundreds of thousands of artillery shells for its war against Ukraine since Russian leader Vladimir Putin met with Kim Jong-un in September 2023.
Ukraine’s Prosecutor General’s office said it had initial evidence that Russia used North Korean-made ballistic missiles in the 2 January strike on Kharkiv. The fragments of Iskander missiles from North Korea were sent to Kyiv for analysis.
The satellite images, captured between September and December 2023, show three Russian ships loading containers at North Korea’s revived Najin port before transiting to Russian ports.
While the agency said it could not identify what was in the containers, it followed a US announcement last week that Russia had used ballistic missiles from North Korea to strike Ukraine.
“Russia’s use of North Korean weapons in Ukraine is a violation of multiple UN Security Council resolutions. It undermines international efforts to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and exposes just how desperate Russia has become,” said a UN diplomat.
The diplomat added that the evidence from the UK should “trigger a full investigation” into Russia and North Korea’s “flagrant breaking of international sanctions.”
Meanwhile, North Korea’s foreign minister, Choe Son-hui, met with Vladimir Putin and other Russian officials in Moscow this week to discuss “further development of our relations in all areas, including sensitive ones.” There are also signs Russia may be helping Pyongyang’s space program, with Choe photographed holding a document titled “Observation List in Space Technology Field.”
Read more:
- Mapping North Korea’s discreet artillery ammo route to Russia
- Russia hits 2 million large-caliber munitions yearly; 500k shortfall covered by North Korea
- Ukraine reports first evidence of North Korean missile used by Russia
- North Korea may sell tactical guided missiles to Russia in addition to short-range ballistic missiles, Seoul says
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https://euromaidanpress.com/2024/01/22/the-guardian-uk-provides-evidence-of-north-korea-supplying-arms-to-russia/
| 2024-01-22T15:19:23Z
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Ukrainian Air Force spokesman Yurii Ihnat said that the crew on board Russia’s A-50 long-range radar detection aircraft downed on 14 January comprised mainly junior officers and a colonel. He said it on the Ukrainian national telethon, according to Liga.
Ihnat said he discovered that obituaries said that that a colonel was on the downed A-50, and young air force officers:
“I was even surprised, to be honest, that junior lieutenants were on board those planes,” he said.
Ihnat says the loss of junior officers is tangible for Russia since they are military university graduates trained for five years, followed by several more years they practice directly in the troops to gain combat operation experience.
“We’re talking about the A-50, also about the Il-22. Two airframes were destroyed there (IL-22 was severely damaged, but managed to land, – Ed.) They have fewer aircraft and fewer crew. This, of course, made us feel better, as their capabilities have somewhat decreased,” the spokesman added.
Ihnat also recalled that a new Russian A-50 aircraft had recently appeared in the Sea of Azov, “but it did not fly so close” to Ukraine after the previous aircraft was destroyed.
“And the closer it flies to our coast, the further it can conduct radar reconnaissance in the airspace of our country. So it doesn’t dare to do that anymore, and that’s good,” Ihnat explained.
UK: New Russian A-50 radar plane kept distant from Ukraine after previous one downed
- On the evening of 14 January 2024, reports emerged on social media that the Russian A-50 and Il-22M11 aircraft were downed over the Sea of Azov.
- The morning after the news broke, Air Force commander Mykola Oleshchuk hinted that this was true and announced revenge against the Russians for the missile attack on a high-rise building in Dnipro on 14 January 2023.
- On the afternoon of 15 January, the Ukrainian Army’s Chief Zaluzhnyi confirmed the downing of two Russian aircraft.
- Ukrainian Intelligence Chief Kyrylo Budanov said the A-50 was shot down and exploded, while the IL-22 was heavily damaged but managed to make an emergency landing in Russia’s Anapa.
Read also:
- UK: new Russian A-50 radar plane kept distant from Ukraine after previous one downed
- ISW: Russian air operations drop over Azov Sea after Ukraine strikes hit radar plane, command aircraft
- Russia reportedly loses valuable AWACS A-50 aircraft over Azov Sea (updates)
- UK intel: Russia integrates radar plane with S2A missile system eyeing Ukraine’s future Western jets
- Belarusian partisans conducted aerial reconnaissance for 2 weeks before drone attack that damaged Russian A-50 aircraft
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https://euromaidanpress.com/2024/01/22/ukraine-air-force-russian-colonel-junior-officers-were-on-board-of-destroyed-a-50-awacs-plane/
| 2024-01-22T15:20:03Z
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Ruby Bhogal announced the exciting news that she is engaged to TV presenter James Stewart by sharing photos of not one but two engagement rings.
During their trip to New York, James surprised the Great British Bake Off star by popping the question after spending days sharing sneaky snaps of the rings without Ruby's knowledge. Inside the vintage orange ring box sat one ring with an intricate gold band featuring a large green central stone, nestled next to a unique gold multi-band ring. Alongside the flurry of congratulatory messages, some of Ruby's followers questioned why she had multiple engagement rings.
She replied: "This was me being cheeky and [wanting] stacking rings to go [with] the main ring so I have eternal choice on how to wear them. The fact he fell for it and actually did it? Keeper." We wonder how she's planning to stack her wedding ring!
Alongside photos of her asleep on the plane, taking photos of the city and brushing her teeth while unbeknownst to her, her rings were on full display, she shared details of the "unromantic" proposal.
"POV: You’re prancing around New York unaware you’re about to be proposed to. Have deceptively been hiding my hand in the recent the vids because it’s taken me about 3 weeks to tell most of my family whilst it took James a whole 3 minutes.
"I wish we had a romantic story to go alongside it but food poisoning managed to kick in right about 5 mins before he was about propose and I was about to have a bridesmaid moment running across the street (iykyk) so yay for love and yay for uncooked chicken in NYC.
"I love this life. (Time to start planning a big FAT Indian wedding but all I’m thinking about is the CAKE am I right?!)"
The final comment also saw many of her fans question if the baker would put her own skills to the test on her big day, or if she would give herself a break from creating delicious confections. "Immediate answer - dessert table so I’m gonna rally the troops!" she joked in the comments section, as well as hinting she would enlist the help of fellow GBBO stars such as Rahul Mandal.
Ruby previously joked that she used to use weddings as an excuse to hide the fact she was competing in the BBC baking competition in 2018. When asked by Vulture how she kept her participation a secret from colleagues and family, she said: "This is why I’m so glad I’m Indian. I have such a huge family, so I’d say someone was getting married every weekend.
"Indian weddings last, like, a week, which is great, because if I needed to work on something baking-related during the week as well, I’d say it was wedding-related. Nobody questioned me at all! They did want to see photos, so I conjured up photos from weddings in the past."
Ruby and James have been dating for several years, and while they haven't released many details of their relationship, they regularly share photos together on social media. Heart Radio star James gave a rare insight into their love story in 2020, telling Square Mile: "I’m loving Kettner's in Soho, now it’s back and full refurbed - my girlfriend and I had our first date there together, so I guess it’s sentimental for me in that respect too!"
RELATED: Mary Berry is a vision in seriously surprising £5 wedding dress
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/brides/511806/great-british-bake-off-ruby-bhogal-cheeky-two-engagement-rings-new-york-proposal/
| 2024-01-22T15:53:54Z
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Jennifer Hudson and Common are finally (at least, seemingly) confirming that they're in a relationship after making several appearances together.
While the talk show host and American Idol finalist, 42, has previously opened up about being in a serious relationship (without confirming who it was with), the 51-year-old Oscar-winning rapper is now finally breaking his own silence.
Common appeared as a guest on the latest episode of The Jennifer Hudson Show, slated to air on Monday, January 22, however a clip released ahead of the show told more of a story.
Jennifer straight up asked the musician if he was dating someone, and after an enthusiastic round of cheers from the audience, he stated that that was indeed the case.
"I'm in a relationship with one of the most beautiful people I've ever met in life," he gushed. "She's smart, she loves god, she has something real down-to-earth about her, she's talented."
He then gave away a major hint at the fact that his girlfriend was, in fact, sitting right across him when he teased: "But I set my standard kind of high because she had to have an EGOT, she had to win an Oscar on her first movie, she had to get her own talk show."
Jennifer famously became the youngest woman to become an EGOT in 2022, when she picked up a Tony Award as a producer for the musical A Strange Loop. She has two Grammy Awards, a Daytime Emmy Award, and an Oscar for her debut movie role, 2006's Dreamgirls.
As he adoringly gazed at Jennifer while sharing his praise, she quickly began chuckling and while she tried to regain her composure, she couldn't stop smiling as cheers from the audience grew louder.
MORE: Jennifer Hudson is all legs in leather look for date night with Common – see photos
She then confirmed once again that she was in a relationship as well, although shied away from giving many details. But when she asked Common how he felt about his new romance, he sweetly stated: "This relationship is a happy place."
During a previous appearance on CBS Mornings with Gayle King, the "Spotlight" singer was asked about her "very nice relationship with someone who shall remain nameless."
MORE: Jennifer Hudson turns heads as she showcases toned legs in pink mini-dress
The performer responded: "I am very happy, yes, ma'am," and even admitted that she saw long-term potential with her relationship. "Boo'ed up? I think it's more sophisticated than boo'ed up... Definitely not an entanglement. That's for sure."
In the past, Jennifer previously dated James Payton, her high school sweetheart, from 1999 to 2007. She then embarked on a relationship with actor and former pro wrestler David Otunga, welcoming their son David Daniel Otunga Jr. in August 2009. They got engaged in 2009, but separated in 2017.
MORE: Jennifer Hudson dazzles in plunging ensemble for star-studded night out – photo
Common, meanwhile, has previously been in serious relationships with the likes of Erykah Badu, Taraji P. Henson, Serena Williams, and Tiffany Haddish. He welcomed a daughter named Omoye Assata Lynn with ex-fiancée Kim Jones in 1997, who is now 26 and a law school graduate.
The two musicians have been friends for years now, but only reportedly began seeing each other in 2022, although they initially shut down romance rumors due to the fact that they are also co-stars in the upcoming thriller Breathe.
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/celebrities/511804/jennifer-hudson-common-seemingly-confirm-romance-playful-on-air-exchange/
| 2024-01-22T15:54:00Z
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Sean Murray has a special brand of magic. Revered for his palpable on-screen presence, the American actor has been spellbinding audiences since 1993, after landing the role of Thackeray Binx in Disney's cult classic, Hocus Pocus.
Of course, nowadays, Sean's recognized for another iconic character – Agent Timothy McGee – making him one of the longest-serving members in the NCIS universe. But, whether he's fighting the Sanderson sisters, or solving crimes with Mark Harmon and the gang, Sean's star has always burned bright.
We're taking a look at the actor's illustrious career and family life. From his early days on NCIS and rumored feud with co-star Wilmer Valderrama, to his famous family and home life in Southern California, here's what you need to know…
Famous family
Born on November 15, 1977, Sean grew up on several military bases around the world, owing to his father's role as a Navy captain. After living in Australia, Singapore and London as well as numerous States in the US, Sean's parents divorced when he was 15.
By 1998, Sean had gained a stepfather with his mother marrying television producer and screenwriter Donald P. Bellisario. Boasting an impressive decade-spanning career, Donald's credits include Magnum, P.I. (1980), Tales of the Gold Monkey (1982), Airwolf (1984), Quantum Leap (1989), JAG (1995), and NCIS (2003).
Through his stepfather, Sean and his brother, Chad W. Murray, also gained seven stepsiblings, including Pretty Little Liars alum Troian Bellisario, and JAG actor, Michael Bellisario. A family affair, Troian and Michael have each joined Sean in NCIS, with his younger brother Chad serving as a producer on NCIS and NCIS: Los Angeles.
Hocus Pocus debut
Sean got his big break in 1993 after starring in Disney's Halloween classic, Hocus Pocus. Cast as Thackeray Binx – a 17th-century teen cursed by the Sanderson sisters and forced to wander the earth as a cat – it was the actor's enchanting and heartwarming performance that made him a star.
Reflecting on the film's enduring legacy, in 2023 Sean told Entertainment Weekly: "At the time, we were just doing our thing. We didn't know what it would become. It was a bomb when it was first released."
"I was seeing the kids that grew up on Hocus Pocus, they now have kids, and they're showing their kids Hocus Pocus," he added. "It's really cool seeing the second generation discover Hocus Pocus and be like, 'You know what? This is like the greatest Halloween movie ever made.'"
While Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy went on to reprise their roles as the Sanderson sisters in Hocus Pocus 2, Sean was noticeably absent from the sequel. "To me, Hocus Pocus is really about those three women, those three witches," he said. "It actually makes total sense to me that you would have a newer group with the witches and not necessarily from the original group. You know, we're all old and wrinkled now. Who wants to see us?"
After appearing in the original, Sean was propelled into the spotlight. In the years that followed, he starred in Harts of the West (1994), ER (1995), JAG (1998-2001) and Boston Public (2000), but it wasn't until 2003 that he became a household name.
NCIS stardom
One of the longest-serving cast members on NCIS, Sean joined the hit procedural programme in 2003. After signing on for a recurring role, the actor's fan favorite performance as Special Agent Timothy McGee, saw him promoted to a main cast member in season two.
Having featured in over 450 episodes of NCIS, Sean spoke about the show's longevity in 2023. "It's funny, I get asked this question quite a bit, and I always kind of wonder myself. You know, a lot of these procedurals, everyone takes themselves very seriously, it seems. And we have a little more fun," he said.
"The longer we've been around, the longer people have kind of really gotten to know these characters and like these characters, have become very protective of them. And I know people love to say this but I actually mean it: we have a blast on set. We really do. We work hard, but we have a lot of fun, and a lot of us spend time with each other outside of the set. We're all very close friends, and I think that that shows."
Rumored feud with Wilmer Valderrama
The stars of NCIS have had their fair share of feuds. Series lead Mark Harmon famously clashed with Michael Weatherly and Pauley Perette, while Sean was reportedly at loggerheads with Wilmer Valderrama.
Currently, neither Sean nor Wilmer has addressed their alleged feud, however, several outlets reported that their working relationship had become tense in 2023.
With series 21 of NCIS set to premiere on February 12, 2024, it's clear that Sean and Wilmer remain dedicated to the show. So, even if the reports are true, the co-stars aren't letting it interfere with their roles.
MORE: Meet NCIS star Sean Murray’s family - including famous daughter who starred on the show
Private life with wife and children
Halloween has played a paramount role in Sean's life. Not only is it the setting for Hocus Pocus, but it also serves as the date that he met his wife, Carrie James.
During an appearance on the Wedding Dish podcast, Carrie – a former teacher, entrepreneur and activist – revealed that she and Sean had crossed paths at a Halloween party hosted by a mutual friend. A fortuitous first meeting, both Carrie and Sean were newly single at the time, having recently split with their exes.
After falling head over heels for one another, the couple tied the knot on November 26, 2005. They've since welcomed two children – daughter Caitlyn, also known as 'Cay' and son, River.
Following in her father's footsteps, Cay has inherited Sean's love of acting, and in 2022, she appeared on NCIS, landing a guest role as computer-savvy teen, Teagan Fields.
Speaking to Entertainment Weekly about their time on set, Sean recalled: "One of the things I was worried about was the chaos of people on set, everyone coming up, giving you direction, so many different things.
"I was like, oh, man, I hope she doesn't get overwhelmed, and Cay took it like a champ," he continued. "She was a total pro. I'm like, I wish I was as cool as she is because she handled it so well. I'm so proud. It's hard to… I'll get choked up."
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| 2024-01-22T15:54:07Z
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Fiona Shaw has kept us glued to our screens with her haunting portrayal of mysterious survivalist Rose Aguineau in True Detective: Night Country. The Irish actress stars alongside Jodie Foster and Kali Reis in HBO's revived drama, which follows two police officers investigating the puzzling disappearance of eight men from a search station in Alaska.
Fiona has been on our screens for decades, having played iconic roles in various major films and TV shows, including Petunia Dursley in the Harry Potter films, Marnie Stonebrook in True Blood, and Carolyn Martens in Killing Eve. While the actress is a familiar face across the world, how much do you know about her home life? And did you know that her wife is also famous?
The 65-year-old is married to Sonali Deraniyagala, an author, memoirist and economist from Sri Lanka.
Sonali, who is a lecturer in Economics at the SOAS South Asia Institute, is perhaps best known for her memoir, Wave: A Memoir of Life After the Tsunami, which she penned after losing her husband and sons in the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami in Indonesia.
Sonali was on a family holiday when the natural disaster struck. Her memoir, which details her heartbreaking account of the horrifying event and the years of grief that ensued, became a national bestseller in North America and was named by the New York Times as one of the Top 10 Books of 2013.
Fiona and Sonali first met after being introduced by friends. Fiona had read Sonali's memoir and was so moved by it that she wanted to meet her.
Speaking about her relationship with the author, Fiona told Good Housekeeping back in 2020: "I'm married to a very unusual person, but maybe it took a very unusual person to be willing to marry me.
"Sonali's children, parents and husband were all killed in the Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004, and I’m very cognisant of that," the Baptiste star continued. "Its sorrow doesn’t dominate our life, but it definitely defines it. I understand the value of things by being with Sonali.
"She lives knowing that at any moment the world could end because she lost her world. It has brought me into land, I suppose, about lots of things; a lack of arbitrariness about life," she added.
Fiona, who grew up in Cork, tied the knot with Sonali in 2018.
Fiona previously told Saga magazine that it was "a good time" for her to get married. "Until then, I had given my life to tearing around the world working," she explained. "I don't think I could have married when I was in my twenties or thirties; I don’t think I was that person.
"I just made a decision when I was about 26 to give myself entirely to the whims of my work, and it was only about six years ago I began to get fed up with that," she concluded.
The couple split their time between London, Ireland, Sri Lanka, and New York, where Sonali teaches at Columbia University.
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/film/511800/meet-fiona-shaw-wife-sonali-deraniyagala/
| 2024-01-22T15:54:13Z
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Welcome to the Daily Lowdown podcast from HELLO!. In this episode, we chat about Adele revealing her plans for when her mammoth residency in Las Vegas comes to an end in June.
Not only that, but the Grammy Awards confirm more performers and Zayn Malik shares an update on his foot after it was run over after a Kenzo show at Paris Fashion Week.
Listen to the episode in full below…
She might have six more months of performing in Sin City to do, but Adele is already thinking ahead for when her Las Vegas residency comes to an end. The global superstar was performing her 35th show over the weekend when she told the huge crowd that she had planned some activities for the rest of the year. But if fans were hoping she'd be heading straight back to the studio to record new music, they might be disappointed, because the star is planning on hitting the gym to get to her peak physical fitness, as well as host gala bingo nights at her huge home in Los Angeles with her friends and family. Meanwhile, Adele will wrap her Vegas shows in June but is reportedly eyeing up further shows in European cities after re-discovering her love of live performing, but the star insists a full-on world tour won't be happening anytime soon.
MORE: The Daily Lowdown: Ariana Grande shares big news with fans after 'hitting back' at critics
MORE: The Daily Lowdown: The Coachella Festival 2024 line-up features a major reunion
The Grammys are just two weeks away and more performers have been announced. The Music Academy has confirmed that country music stars Luke Combs, Travis Scott and Burna Boy will hit the stage at The Grammys to perform to the crowd and viewers at home. The three new names will join the previously announced acts including Billie Eilish and Dua Lipa as well as Beyonce who is heavily rumoured to be performing a tribute to Tina Turner. The Grammys will take place in LA on Sunday 4 Feb.
The internet went wild over the weekend not only because actor of the moment Jacob Elordi appeared as a guest presenter on Saturday Night Live, but the OG Regina George, Rachel McAdams, made a shock cameo on the sketch show to introduce Renee Rapp to the stage, who plays the character in the brand new re-vamped musical version of the hit 2004 film. Later in the show, Rachel was also seen alongside rapper Megan Thee Stallion, who appears on the new movie's soundtrack, and all three Regina George's looked 'so fetch' together.
Zayn Malik has shared an update with his fans after his foot was run over by a car outside a fashion show in Paris. The former One Direction singer was in the French capital to watch the Kenzo presentation during PFW when he was walking in a swarm of fans before noticing a car had jammed his foot while it was driving away. Fortunately, the singer looked relatively unphased by the incident and later said on social media that his foot was "fine" before adding it was thanks to his incredibly well-made shoes. That's certainly a week in Paris he won't forget.
And we are sending all of our best wishes to Sarah Ferguson who has shared her melanoma diagnosis. The Duchess of York was diagnosed with malignant melanoma shortly after being diagnosed with an early form of breast cancer last summer which resulted in a mastectomy and reconstructive surgery. Sarah said in a statement on social media that she has been taking some time to herself following her skin cancer diagnosis and that it was thanks to the great vigilance of her dermatologist that the melanoma was detected. The Duchess added a second cancer diagnosis was a shock and that her experience underlines the importance of checking size, shape and colour of new moles. She finished the statement by insisting she was in good spirits.
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| 2024-01-22T15:54:19Z
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How do you feel about talking openly about sex with your partner? Does it come naturally, or do you feel a little bit of British awkwardness when it comes to voicing your desires?
Chances are, if you're over 35 you'll feel more confident than ever talking about sex, with new research from Bloom sharing that people aged 35 to 54 are the most comfortable age group when it comes to talking to partners about sex, while Gen Z are the most unsure about communicating desires. It comes with age, we guess!
That said, Bloom also found that 48 per cent of people find it difficult to discuss sexual desires with their partners – so why do so many of us feel awkward chatting about it?
Why can't we talk about sex?
"Discomfort talking about sex and the sense that it’s taboo is rooted in so many things, none of which are our fault," says Hannah Albertshauser, Bloom's co-founder. "We’re shaped by how family members speak to us about sex at a young age, by the representations of sex we see online and in culture, and by our early sexual experiences and relationships.
"Historically, we haven’t been very good at discussing sex and desire in an open and positive way as a society. We’ve either shamed people for talking about sex too much or celebrated unrealistic and exclusionary portrayals of sex that make us mere mortals worry we’re doing it wrong.
"Each of these factors has contributed to a world where sex and voicing our desires is still stigmatised. This is gradually changing, but I wouldn’t blame anyone for still feeling unsure about expressing themselves. It can feel vulnerable and goes against almost everything we’ve been taught for hundreds of years."
Why do we get more confident as we get older?
Given that those over 35 feel more comfortable voicing their desires, we wondered where the newfound confidence comes from.
1. We don't care what people think anymore
"As we get older and learn about ourselves, we tend to become more confident advocating for what we want because we care less about what other people think of us. This can track across into our sex lives, too," says Hannah.
READ: How to get your fashion mojo back in your 40s and beyond
2. We know ourselves better
"When you’ve been having sex for a number of years, you’re more likely to know what you like and what you want. And if you’re in a long-term relationship, you might have built up a level of trust over that time which means you feel more comfortable communicating your desires.
"There’s a definite element of 'life’s too short' as we get older. We want to have fun and embrace pleasure. Because why not? We won’t be here forever!"
How to talk about sex
1. Be vocal
"Being vocal about your desires and pushing past that internal barrier feels so good. It’s incredibly empowering, and it will lead to better sex," Hannah says.
"Vocalising our desires can be a powerful source of connection between partners. Sharing your deepest desires and exploring them requires a level of intimacy and trust that can only bring you and the person you’re with closer together. And we know that intimate human connection is great for our mental health and wellbeing.
"It’s also about confidence. It’s about being able to advocate for yourself both in your intimate relationships but also in the outside world. If you can ask for what you want in the bedroom, you’ll likely feel less embarrassed asking the waiter to take that food you weren’t happy with off of your bill. "
INSPIRATION: I changed my entire life at 54 – here's what happened
2. Start small
"Next time you’re on a date night and you’re feeling confident, let them know that it’s a goal of yours to get better at communicating your desires to them. Start small and think of one thing you’d like to try next time you have sex. Tell them about it. Build it up until you feel comfortable voicing bigger, bolder fantasies."
3. Be patient
"Be patient with yourself. Don’t put pressure on yourself and don’t compare yourself to others. It’s going to be a journey, and just because you’ve decided today that you want to be more open about your desires doesn’t mean it needs to happen overnight.
"But do keep trying and push past that discomfort barrier. You’ll have amazing sex - and bucket loads more confidence - when you do."
Visit HELLO!'s Second Act hub for inspiring stories of women living their best life in midlife
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/healthandbeauty/health-and-fitness/511798/uncomfortable-talking-about-sex-confident/
| 2024-01-22T15:54:25Z
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Carrie Underwood has previously described the garden at her Tennessee family home as her "happy place", but her latest videos prove that it is also a source of great joy for her two sons Isaiah and Jacob.
The mother-of-two lives at a sprawling 400-acre farm in Franklin with her husband Mike Fisher and their sons. Not only does the land feature horse stables, a huge greenhouse with homegrown fruit and vegetables, and a dedicated gym area, but it also has its own lake where Jacob chose to practice his ice hockey skills on his birthday.
"A special birthday for a special 5-year-old!!! Our pond was frozen over in perfect condition for a night skate! What a treat!!! Happy birthday, Jake! I know you wouldn’t have wanted it any other way! #blessed #hockey #12 #HappyBirthday #DudePerfect," wrote Carrie next to clips of her five-year-old gliding across the frozen lake.
Dressed in his uniform, complete with a helmet and black skates, Jake carefully guided a puck into one of the goals that were set up on either side of the ice, while several other family and friends joined in on the fun. In the comments, fans were quick to note that the little boy is taking after his father, a former professional ice hockey centre who played for the Ottawa Senators and Nashville Predators.
The love of sport runs in the family, as Carrie's latest photos come two years after she shared snaps of Isaiah's similar birthday party in February 2022. Isaiah, then seven, opted for a Star Wars indoor skating birthday party with arcade games and a cake.
Meanwhile, Carrie's sons have also been pictured enjoying baseball games. The Before He Cheats hitmaker told Vegas Magazine she loves to get involved in "wonderfully ordinary" parenting duties, alongside her lifestyle as a superstar on tour.
"I love my role as a mom and wife," she said. "In addition to what I get to do on stage, I go to baseball practice. It's wonderfully ordinary, and I love that. In a lot of ways, I lead a double life. I'm mom at home, and then I fly away to Vegas or to go on tour."
The country music singer and the ice hockey professional reportedly spent $3 million buying the land where they now live in 2011, before spending several years building their dream home. In 2016, Carrie told Country Living: "My husband, Mike, and I are designing our forever home. My must-haves are a wood-burning fireplace, a porch swing and rocking chairs."
LOOK: Kourtney Kardashian reveals major update at $12m desert home just months after giving birth
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/homes/511782/carrie-underwood-never-ending-frozen-lake-400-acre-home-playground-sons/
| 2024-01-22T15:54:31Z
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The Princess of Wales is a dedicated, hands-on mother who prioritises the wellbeing of her children. So her lengthy hospital stay at The London Clinic, where she's been recovering from her planned abdominal surgery, will no doubt be playing on her mind.
Kate, who had her operation last Tuesday, hasn't been able to see Prince George, ten, Princess Charlotte, eight, and Prince Louis, five. The earliest she is expected to leave hospital is this Thursday.
But it's thought the Princess is keeping in touch with her children via FaceTime while Prince William holds the fort at Adelaide Cottage, the family home on the Windsor estate.
"Kate loves FaceTiming the children when she is working away overseas so I'm sure they will be in regular contact while she's in hospital, and the kids will be keen to see her as soon as she's well enough," HELLO!'s royal editor Emily Nash said.
"She loves having her family around her so will be looking forward to getting home and having cuddles with the kids.
"Both William and Kate are very hands-on parents – they take the kids to school, attend sports matches and concerts and try to be home for bedtime as much as they can. While Kate is in hospital, William will be at home keeping things as normal as possible."
Last week, Kensington Palace announced that Kate, 42, would be staying in hospital for ten to 14 days before returning home to recover. She is unlikely to return to public duties until after Easter.
Kate apologised to her charities, patronages, and those involved in any imminent engagements that she was forced to cancel due to her hospital stay. And while we don't expect to see her out and about in public, a new report in The Sunday Times has claimed the Princess will continue working during her recovery, maintaining contact with some of her charities.
She will be keeping a close eye on her Shaping Us campaign in particular – her life's work around the Early Years age group.
While William is in charge of school runs and maintaining normalcy at home, he can also rely on the children's nanny for help. Spanish nanny Maria Teresa Turrion Borrallo no longer lives with the Wales family after they downsized to their four-bedroom property in Windsor, but she is a constant helping hand, as are Kate's parents Carole and Michael Middleton, who live in Bucklebury village about 40 minutes' drive away.
King Charles also regularly sees his grandchildren, Robert Hardman's new book Charles III: New King. New Court. The Inside Story, has revealed.
Robert wrote of the King: "He really loves getting to Windsor, and he's down there two nights a week, two or three days, and the fact is that his British-based grandchildren are just next to the castle. They're in the grounds [in Adelaide Cottage] and I think he loves seeing them."
Pick up the latest issue of HELLO! on sale now. Subscribe to HELLO! to get the magazine delivered free to your door every week or purchase the digital edition online via our Apple or Google apps.
LISTEN to A Right Royal Podcast and find out why Prince William was 'really hurt' by Prince Harry's 'veiled criticisms of Kate':
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/royalty/511805/kate-middleton-loves-facetiming-george-charlotte-louis-hospital-stay-exclusive/
| 2024-01-22T15:54:37Z
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The yellow-winged bat is a vibrant species that comes in brilliant yellow, found flapping across countries in Africa. They’re one of five species of false vampire bats from the continent, but that’s not the only fake thing about them.
Yellow-winged bats (Lavia frons) are around 58–80 millimeters (2.3–3.1 inches) in size with the females typically a little larger than the males. This comes in handy when they’re with pup, as the females have the laborious task of flying around with their babies clinging on. A recent preprint revealed how carrying young can influence a female bat’s flying ability.
“Our results suggest that pregnancy has a significant effect on flight in female bats, with a particularly strong impact on achieving upward motion after emergence,” wrote the authors of the preprint that hasn’t yet undergone peer review. "However, the higher wingbeat rate per second recorded from bats flying during the pregnancy period implies that bats acclimate to such changes in body mass by altering their flight behaviors to sustain upward motion while pregnant.”
Not an easy task, then, but the female yellow-winged bat has a sneaky set of tools to make the process a little easier for her freeloading carry-on. Close to her anus sits a pair of false nipples that the pup uses as a way of clinging on.
The fake nipples mean the female can continue foraging and feeding while she carries her pup for several weeks after birth. It’s an unusual setup, but for the yellow-winged bat, it works.
“The mother-young attachment was secure: young Lavia held a 'false' (non-functional) inguinal nipple in its mouth, wrapped its legs around its mother's neck, and clutched the back of her neck with its feet,” wrote the authors of a 1987 observation of yellow-winged bat parental behavior.
“The young periodically released its hold on a false nipple and suckled from a pectoral nipple. Occasionally the young released its hold with its mouth, suddenly dropped down and hung pendant, grasping the mother's neck with its feet. From this position the young could stretch, groom, or flap its wings.”
Human babies might not cling to false nipples on their parents’ butts (thankfully), but we do get our own kind of false nipple. Known as supernumerary nipples, they affect around 6 percent of the popular and are present from birth, but often get mistaken for moles.
The other false thing about yellow-winged bats is their vampire status, being one of five false vampires found across Africa. Falling into the familiar Megadermatidae, the false vampires get their name for their superficial resemblance to true vampire bats, but crucially, they have a much broader diet that encompasses insects, small vertebrates, and fruits, rather than just chugging blood.
The yellow-winged bat looks more Pokémon than animal, so it seems fitting that it has a couple of special moves up its sleeve. Or anus, as it were.
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https://www.iflscience.com/meet-the-yellow-winged-bat-the-false-vampire-with-fake-nipples-72557
| 2024-01-22T15:56:20Z
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NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter successfully shot a laser toward India's Vikram lander on the Moon. However, this was not the first shot in a new space war but a carefully planned scientific experiment. The laser traveled about 100 kilometers (62 miles) from orbit to the surface of the Moon, hitting a target just 5 centimeters (2 inches) wide. It was the first time a laser was shot from around the Moon to a target on its surface.
The tiny Oreo-sized target, a Laser Retroreflector Array, was placed on the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO)’s Vikram lander. The laser bounced off the target and was picked up again by NASA as it whizzed around the Moon. Bouncing light to and from satellites is used on Earth to know where they are in their orbit. On the Moon, this approach could be used to determine the precise location of a stationary object.
“We’ve shown that we can locate our retroreflector on the surface from the Moon’s orbit,” mission leader Xiaoli Sun, from NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, said in a statement. “The next step is to improve the technique so that it can become routine for missions that want to use these retroreflectors in the future.”
Xiaoli Sun’s team developed the retroreflector on Vikram as part of a partnership between NASA and ISRO. The device can reflect light coming from any direction. It is also completely optical, so it doesn’t require power or maintenance. This means they could keep finding the precise location of Vikram over and over again for decades to come. Vikram is no longer functional so it's not actually going anywhere, but future missions will move on the Moon, and knowing where they are will be important.
Surprisingly the difficulty was not the target. Retroreflectors on the Moon about the size of a suitcase have been used since the Apollo era. Thanks to those we know that the Moon is moving away from us by 3.8 centimeters (1.5 inches) every year. NASA used the only laser instrument around the Moon right now, the Lunar Orbiter's altimeter, LOLA. LOLA, which has been working 13 years beyond its primary mission so far, was not designed to hit such a small target, usually aiming for an area 10 meters wide.
“We would like LOLA to point to this Oreo-sized target and hit it every time, which is hard,” said Daniel Cremons, a NASA Goddard scientist who works with Sun.
It took LOLA eight goes to hit the Vikram retroreflector but if LOLA can do it, specialized future lasers could easily make retroreflectors a crucial technology for future lunar missions. NASA also has a retroreflector on Japan's SLIM, which landed on the Moon on Friday. We shall see if LOLA can repeat the same impressive feat again.
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https://www.iflscience.com/nasa-just-shot-a-laser-at-indias-moon-lander-72562
| 2024-01-22T15:56:26Z
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The hunt is on to find meteorites from an object that hit the Earth’s atmosphere 100 kilometers (62 miles) west of Berlin over the weekend. Although bits of rock would be most prized, scientists are also keen to collect as many photographs of the descent of the meteor 2024BX1 as possible.
Central Europeans awake at the right time were given warning of the arrival of a 1-meter (3-foot) wide asteroid in the early hours of Sunday morning. This probably represents the most populated area for an anticipated impact by a space rock yet, although the timing meant only night owls saw it.
Until recently, meteors came entirely out of the blue (or the black, depending on the time of day/night). However, increasing observations of the skies mean we sometimes spot small asteroids shortly before they hit the atmosphere, creating the opportunity to issue alerts. One such case achieved meme-worthy status when the incoming object was described as being the size of half a giraffe.
However, that space rock went down off the coast of Iceland, leaving no chance of finding debris and a very small pool of potential observers. It’s inevitable that with most of the planet covered by oceans and much of the rest barely populated desert even when we predict an object’s arrival few will get to witness it.
A subsequent smaller asteroid burned up over the English Channel last year, ensuring no one was directly beneath it, but thrilling photographers from the heavily populated coasts.
The 2024BX1 meteor was seen from eastern Germany, Poland, and Czechia. Had it been a few hours earlier it might have been seen by millions. Instead, it arrived at 1:32 am local time – not the best time to attract crowds, particularly with overnight temperatures well below zero.
Nevertheless, some people were onto it.
Like last year’s event, the prediction came from prolific minor planet hunter Krisztián Sárneczky, who noticed the flicker in his images.
Sárneczky’s alert, shared to a wider audience by the International Meteor Organization and NASA Asteroid Watch gave a 75-minute warning for those who were awake and online. The IMO even provided anyone too far away to view the event themselves with links to webcams, some of which turned out to be pointed appropriately.
Research into these events always benefits from more data, and anyone who saw, or better still recorded, the meteor, is invited to report it here.
Space rocks usually need to be bigger than this for pieces to survive the atmosphere and reach the ground. However, there has been speculation online that the steep angle of entry and low velocity relative to Earth might have enabled pieces to survive. If so, hunters probably have until the next snowfall to maximize their chances.
If any pieces are found, it would be the second fresh asteroid discovery of the year. On December 29, almost a hundred people across four American states reported seeing a fireball. Their assistance, along with CCTV recordings and the AllSky7 video network allowed meteorite hunters to pinpoint the location near the California/Arizona border. On New Year’s Day, three fragments weighing 450 grams (16 ounces) were collected from the Arizona desert.
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https://www.iflscience.com/rare-75-minute-warning-issued-before-asteroid-hit-earths-atmosphere-above-germany-72555
| 2024-01-22T15:56:33Z
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People have been discussing the "dark forest hypothesis", a potential solution to the Fermi paradox, finding it either cool, terrifying, or hilarious.
If you haven't heard of the Fermi paradox, this is the simple version: with all the stars, space, and time in the universe allowing for the possibility of alien life, how come we have not found any signs of it? If there is intelligent life out there, why has nobody got in touch?
Answers range from the frustrating (the oxygen bottleneck could keep aliens trapped in the stone age) to the terrifying (what if there is no paradox at all). The dark forest hypothesis, a piece of speculation on the topic outlined in Liu Cixin's sci-fi novel The Dark Forest, falls towards the creepier end of the spectrum.
In the book, the second in the Three Body Problem series (also known as Remembrance of Earth's Past), conversations take place between a sociology professor and former astronomer, and their dead friend's mother.
The professor states that life will always strive to stay alive, and there is no way of knowing the intentions of other alien species. Some could be benevolent, some could be hostile. Even if the life out there isn't hostile, it will still be expanding in a universe with limited resources, increasing the likelihood of conflict with others who need those same resources.
Given these factors, the book suggests, all intelligent life is left with the safest course of action: to wipe out any other lifeforms before they can do the same to them.
“The universe is a dark forest. Every civilization is an armed hunter stalking through the trees like a ghost, gently pushing aside branches that block the path and trying to tread without sound. Even breathing is done with care. The hunter has to be careful, because everywhere in the forest are stealthy hunters like him. If he finds other life – another hunter, an angel or a demon, a delicate infant or a tottering old man, a fairy or a demigod – there’s only one thing he can do: open fire and eliminate them," a key passage from the book reads.
"In this forest, hell is other people. An eternal threat that any life that exposes its own existence will be swiftly wiped out. This is the picture of cosmic civilization. It’s the explanation for the Fermi Paradox.”
This doesn't mean that we haven't heard from other species because they have all been wiped out, the book argues. If even one species out there acts like this, destroying others for resources or sport, it makes sense for all others to keep quiet, and not advertise their existence to others.
Which, as people are pointing out, is not what humans have been doing.
As Greg Bear's sci-fi book The Forge of God put it when killer probes are found, "We’ve been sitting in our tree chirping like foolish birds for over a century now, wondering why no other birds answered. The galactic skies are full of hawks, that’s why."
However there is one factor that the book expands on – that though wiping out others before they can do the same to you is the most rational course of action, aliens may not do it for practical reasons. Say you send out a fleet of destroyers to another star system. By the time it gets there, your fleet will remain at the same technological level you sent it, while the people you are attacking will have advanced by centuries or even millennia.
As such, it may be beneficial to most civilizations to simply sit out there like many other forms of benevolent lifeforms, all hiding themselves in the forest in fear.
An earlier version of this article was published in April 2021.
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https://www.iflscience.com/the-dark-forest-hypothesis-on-why-we-havent-met-aliens-has-humans-terrified-72556
| 2024-01-22T15:56:39Z
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BEIJING – A tough road ahead remains for climate cooperation between the United States and China, despite the foundation laid by their retiring climate envoys in the past three years against the prevailing backdrop of bilateral tensions.
Substantive issues, from coal and renewable energy use to methane emissions reduction, have yet to be resolved between the world’s two largest carbon emitters, whose cooperation remains vital for global climate action.
This is even as observers say Mr John Kerry and Mr Xie Zhenhua, with their strong track records and rapport, have performed admirably in keeping climate cooperation on track during their three-year tenure as inaugural envoys.
On Jan 12, former Chinese vice-foreign minister Liu Zhenmin, 68, was announced as the successor to Mr Xie, 74, who stepped down due to health reasons. Mr Liu is a seasoned diplomat who has served various roles in representing China at the United Nations.
Greenpeace East Asia’s Beijing-based chief China representative Yuan Ying said Mr Liu “has the experience and political profile to enact decisive progress along the path forged by Mr Xie”.
She noted that Mr Liu was a key driver in landing the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, a legally binding global climate agreement that remains remarkable today.
No replacement has yet been named for Mr Kerry, 80, who will step down in a few months to work on President Joe Biden’s re-election campaign, but he has two deputies that could fill the role in the short term. Some do not expect an appointment soon, given the short runway before the US presidential election in November 2024.
Singapore’s Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said both the retiring climate envoys “made a real difference for the course of climate change over the past decade”.
Dr Balakrishnan had worked with both men on the 2015 Paris Agreement – the first binding pact under which all nations committed to taking actions to curb global warming. Through his involvement in the negotiations, he “saw upfront and close how essential it is for China and America to get onto the same page”.
Expressing gratitude to both envoys, Dr Balakrishnan said: “The Paris Agreement would not have happened without enormous preparation and negotiations and meetings – bilateral, multilateral – involving the US and China.”
The foreign minister told The Straits Times on Jan 22 that he got to know Mr Xie very well over the course of the negotiations and considered him a friend.
He also recalled how Mr Kerry, who was then US Secretary of State, had sat through meetings that ran through the night, in a testament to his longstanding passion for climate change.
Dr Balakrishnan expressed hope that the trust and processes established so far will put future climate change negotiations “in a good place”, even with both envoys’ departure.
Mr Kerry and Mr Xie’s efforts culminated in the Sunnylands deal in November 2023 after the two met in California. This included an agreement to step up cooperation on methane reduction and support global efforts to triple renewable energy by 2030.
But China’s long-awaited national plan on methane reduction, released a week before the statement, did not specify a target for the total amount of methane emissions to be avoided, nor any timelines – falling short of what some observers were hoping for.
The declaration signified progress – albeit limited – from the low point when climate talks were suspended in August 2022, after former US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi had visited Taiwan in a move that angered Beijing.
Mr Li Shuo, director of the China Climate Hub at the New York-headquartered Asia Society Policy Institute think-tank, said most, if not all, of the substantive issues remain unresolved.
For instance, questions remain over whether the 2022 US Inflation Reduction Act – President Joe Biden’s signature climate law that incentivises clean energy – can cut US emissions by about 40 per cent by 2030 as expected.
China’s coal use, which it still relies on despite building record capacity of renewable power in the past decade, has been another sticking point in US-China climate discussions.
Another issue is climate financing, or funding from wealthy countries to the developing world to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change. Both the US and China have not met their pledges, although they have acknowledged in previous discussions that this is a potential area for cooperation.
Mr Li believes their successors will be judged by the extent to which they can transcend the politics between the US and China, given the urgency of the climate crisis. “That’s the unfinished business.”
“Kerry and Xie should also be judged by that. At best, they have only succeeded or achieved a very fragile resilience,” he said.
Ms Melissa Low, a research fellow at the National University of Singapore’s Centre for Nature-based Climate Solutions, said US-China declarations before or during COP meetings – the annual international conferences on the climate crisis – have been critical in unlocking international progress.
In her view, Mr Kerry and Mr Xie’s biggest contributions to date were helping to broker the first global agreement to move away from fossil fuels under the Global Stocktake at Dubai COP28. The Global Stocktake is a process that allows countries to review how to address their shortcomings to raise global climate ambition.
Dr Bill Hare, founder and chief executive of international climate science and policy institute Climate Analytics, said the value of the longstanding rapport between Mr Kerry and Mr Xie cannot be undersold. There is “no doubt” that their mutual respect and informal discussions have been essential for much of the progress since 2021, he added.
On whether their retirement will be a setback to cooperation, he said it was hard to speculate when Mr Kerry’s successor has not been announced.
“I think they both stepped up or stayed in these roles because they recognised that their experience could play a decisive role at a decisive time. You would hope that their decision to move on comes from a confidence that there are others coming up behind them who can steward this relationship.”
- Additional reporting Joyce ZK Lim
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https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/us-and-china-climate-envoys-unlocked-milestones-yet-retire-with-unfinished-business
| 2024-01-22T15:59:18Z
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PUTRAJAYA - Toh Puan Naimah Khalid, the wife of Malaysia’s former finance minister Tun Daim Zainuddin, is expected to be charged on Jan 23 and has said she will fight the charge levelled against her.
“This is despite the fact that I assured them (the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, MACC) that I would give a statement as soon as my husband’s medical procedure is over on Tuesday (Jan 23),” she said, adding that she had requested the court appearance to be postponed by 24 hours.
“I will be in court and I will fight this charge,” she said in a statement late on Jan 22.
It is learnt that she will be brought to the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court at 9am to be charged under Section 36(2) of the MACC Act for failing to declare her assets.
In December 2023, the MACC seized the family-owned Menara Ilham, a 274m-tall tower, as part of its investigations.
The anti-graft agency previously said that the investigation carried out against Tun Daim is based on existing laws and information from the Pandora Papers – a massive leak of financial records in 2021 which revealed offshore assets held by politicians and public figures worldwide.
On Jan 10, the MACC officers summoned Toh Puan Naimah and the couple’s two sons to record their statement.
On the same day, Mr Daim and his family filed an application for leave to commence a judicial review against the MACC’s probe on them.
In the application, Mr Daim and Ms Naimah named the MACC and the public prosecutor as the first and second respondents respectively.
Ms Naimah had claimed that her husband had been persecuted for his success as a businessman and that there was a plot to make it seem that he was corrupt.
Following the seizure of Menara Ilham, Mr Daim hit out at the investigation on him and his family, claiming that it is nothing short of a political witch-hunt. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
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https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/wife-of-malaysia-s-former-finance-minister-expected-to-be-charged-on-jan-23
| 2024-01-22T15:59:19Z
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SINGAPORE - Semiconductor equipment maker AEM Holdings will adjust its inventory value and profit before tax in its results for the fourth quarter of 2023 after finding a shortfall in the group’s inventories, following an internal stocktaking exercise.
The group has “found no evidence of fraud, illegal activity or physical loss of inventory”, and the shortfall is attributed to human error in transactions with the group’s enterprise resource planning system, it said on Jan 22.
Excess inventory and profits are estimated at between $18 million and $25 million.
“The company, in consultation with its independent external auditors, has made a determination that the entirety of the $18 million to S25 million will be adjusted down in the fourth quarter of financial year 2023,” AEM said.
For the first nine months of 2023, AEM’s revenue fell by 48.2 per cent to $387 million, with profit before tax excluding exceptional items of $43 million over the same period.
Giving more details on what caused the shortfall, AEM Holdings said on Jan 22 that the error had occurred during the migration of production to the group’s Penang facility from Singapore.
Full system build production orders were incorrectly closed during the transfer of the production order to the Penang facility.
Production orders within the enterprise resource planning system for partially produced orders were incorrectly closed, without quantities being modified to reflect the actual number of modules and sub-assemblies produced, AEM Holdings said.
Furthermore, data entry errors resulted in incorrect amounts recorded for goods received.
As a result, these errors resulted in excess inventory and profits within the system.
AEM said: “The company is in the process of investigating and addressing the weaknesses in the processes, controls and systems that attributed to the excess inventory issue.”
It is working to finalise year-end adjustments, and expects to clearly delineate changes to systems and processes to prevent a recurrence of the inventory issue.
“The board and the management take the shortfall in inventory issue very seriously. A full independent review is being launched to ensure that robust controls, processes and systems are in place, and staff are appropriately trained,” AEM Holdings said.
The group will report its full-year results for financial year 2023 no later than Feb 28. THE BUSINESS TIMES
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https://www.straitstimes.com/business/companies-markets/aem-s-shortfall-taken-very-seriously-inventory-and-pre-tax-profit-to-be-adjusted-downwards-in-q4
| 2024-01-22T15:59:19Z
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SINGAPORE - IReit Global’s portfolio valuation as at Dec 31, 2023, stood at €899 million (S$1.3 billion) across its properties, based on the latest external valuation conducted by Savills.
This was 2.6 per cent lower than the real estate investment trust’s (Reit) portfolio value of €922.7 million as at June 30, 2023, and 5.4 per cent lower than the €950.5 million it reported the year before.
Mr Louis d’Estienne d’Orves, chief executive of the manager, said that since the Covid-19 pandemic and interest rate hikes, IReit’s office portfolio valuation has fallen by only 5.6 per cent, supported by active leasing and stable leases; its retail portfolio valuation actually rose by 1.4 per cent, he said.
The manager said that the September 2023 acquisition of 17 retail properties in France highlighted the importance of its strategy of diversifying the Reit’s portfolio from geographical and asset class standpoints.
On a like-for-like basis excluding the 17 retail properties, IReit’s portfolio would have fallen by 13.6 per cent year on year, triggered mainly by the weak performance of its properties in Germany, the manager added.
Compared with its total initial purchase consideration of €775.6 million, IReit’s portfolio valuation as at Dec 31, 2023, was still up by €123.4 million, or 15.9 per cent.
As at Dec 31, IReit’s gearing stood at approximately 37.4 per cent. This was higher than the 34.4 per cent it reported in its third-quarter 2023 update. The gearing ratio, also known as aggregated leverage, is the ratio of a Reit’s total debt to its total assets.
The manager now anticipates IReit’s net asset value (NAV) per unit to be approximately 40 euro cents.
It said: “Based on the last closing unit price of 40.5 cents, IReit still trades at an attractive 30.7 per cent discount to its NAV.”
Units of IReit were down 1.2 per cent, or 0.5 cent, at 40 cents at the close of trading on Jan 22. THE BUSINESS TIMES
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https://www.straitstimes.com/business/companies-markets/ireit-s-portfolio-valuation-falls-by-26-to-13-billion
| 2024-01-22T15:59:29Z
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BEIJING - Film star Daniel Wu criticised the Barbie manufacturer for perpetuating stereotypical images of Asians on social media.
His Weibo post included images of a Barbie dressed as a doctor wearing a panda-themed outfit and another Barbie playing the violin, both of which depicted Asian characters.
“I strongly support diversity. However, an Asian Barbie marketed as ‘You can be anything’ is set as a violinist or a panda doctor? It seems more like ‘You can be anyone your Asian parents want you to be.’ This either appears to be a misrepresentation by a non-Asian, playing into stereotypes, or it’s designed by an Asian carrying intergenerational trauma,” said Mr Wu on Weibo.
The Barbie dolls are manufactured by American toy and entertainment company Mattel.
Owner of one of the strongest portfolios of children’s and family entertainment franchises in the world, Mattel said on its website that their purpose is to “empower the next generation to explore the wonder of childhood and reach their full potential”.
Indeed, many Chinese immigrants in the past have fervently hoped that their children would become doctors, and the violin was often a talent they encouraged.
The issue with perpetuating stereotypes, even if they seem positive, is that they can limit individual aspirations and reinforce narrow expectations based on race or ethnicity.
While being a doctor or a violinist are respectable professions, not all individuals of Asian descent want to pursue these paths, and it’s important to recognize and celebrate the diversity of interests and career choices within any community.
In July 2021, famous US violinist Pinchas Zukerman angered many of the roughly 100 students and teachers during a master class at the Juilliard School, a private performing arts conservatory in New York City, when he invoked racist stereotypes about Asians. The violinist had to apologise for his words.
Only by actively challenging stereotypes and embracing the richness of diverse experiences, can the US create a more inclusive society where individuals are valued for their unique talents and aspirations. CHINA DAILY/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
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https://www.straitstimes.com/life/actor-daniel-wu-criticises-barbie-maker-mattel-for-playing-to-asian-stereotype
| 2024-01-22T15:59:40Z
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SINGAPORE - A congressional delegation from the United States called on Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lawrence Wong on Jan 22.
The five-member delegation – led by Representative Young Kim, chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Indo-Pacific Subcommittee – was also hosted to breakfast by Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement.
During their meetings, Mr Wong and Dr Balakrishnan both reaffirmed the “robust and multi-faceted” relationship between Singapore and the US, which is rooted in strong defence ties and economic cooperation, the statement said.
The leaders also welcomed collaboration in new areas, and their talks touched on global and regional developments, and the importance of upholding the multilateral rules-based order.
Members of the delegation included Representatives Debbie Lesko, Kathy Manning, Mariannette Miller-Meeks and Jonathan Jackson.
Later in the day, the delegation met Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen for tea, said the Ministry of Defence in a separate statement.
Dr Ng reaffirmed the close bilateral defence ties between Singapore and the US, and expressed appreciation for Congress’ strong support for the access given to the Singapore Armed Forces for overseas training and technology in the US.
The congressional delegation expressed gratitude for Singapore’s longstanding support for the US presence in the region, the statement said.
Both sides discussed the regional geopolitical outlook, and US foreign policy approach to the region.
The delegation also met Trade and Industry Minister Gan Kim Yong during their one-day visit.
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https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/us-congressional-delegation-calls-on-dpm-lawrence-wong-during-visit-to-s-pore
| 2024-01-22T15:59:50Z
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SINGAPORE - When planning for her post-graduation trip to Melbourne last November, Hazel Lim made sure to include visits to museums and art exhibitions, while also making time – and space in her luggage for her gloves and football boots – for a side trip to a football pitch.
That proved to be an inspired move as her gear came in handy when she attended trials there, with the 21-year-old goalkeeper earning her first overseas contract.
Lim, who kept goal for Balestier Khalsa and Tampines Rovers in the last two seasons of the Deloitte Women’s Premier League, has signed a deal for this season with Melbourne-based side Southern United, who compete in the Victorian Premier League Women’s (VPLW).
Lim, who completed her studies at the Institute of Technical Education College West last October, said from Melbourne: “Before I made the trip, I was encouraged by a friend who is based here to attend a few trials because this is the period when clubs are looking for players plus I can also have an exposure to football in Australia.”
“I did not have much expectations but when I got an offer from Southern, I knew I had to grab it because not everyone gets to play football overseas.”
Lim’s composure was one of the things that caught the eyes of Southern United coach, Brian Roberts.
The former New Zealand international said: “Hazel has played in a few practice matches with us and she did very well in those games. She has impressed us with her shot-stopping ability and she also brings a very calm presence to the backline.
“At the moment, we want to work on improving her distribution with her feet. We want to ensure that she can develop and her game goes forward and she can then return to Singapore and push for the No. 1 spot there.”
The VPLW is effectively the third tier of women’s football in Australia. The professional A-League Women is the top division while the National Premier Leagues Women’s (NPLW) are regional competitions in some states and territories and act as the second tier. There is no promotion to the A-League.
Southern United – who have a partnership with A-League club Melbourne City – were relegated last season from the NPLW and will compete in the VPLW in 2024.
The season is set to be held from March to September. The club will also compete in the Football Victoria Women’s State Knockout Cup.
This will be the first time that Lim is living abroad alone but it is an experience that she relishes as she sets out to improve her game and help Southern United gain promotion.
She said: “Football in Singapore as a female is just not easy. If you really want to improve yourself, and want better opportunities, you should try to go out there and take the first step.
“The goal for the first season is to make sure I do well enough to get the club promoted and earn a stint for a second season.”
In doing so, she believes she will be able to win her first national cap. Lim was called up to the Singapore squad in March 2022 for international friendly matches against Seychelles and Papua New Guinea, but was not fielded.
With Noor Kusumawati Rosman retiring last November after 51 caps as Singapore’s No. 1, she sees a window of opportunity ahead of the Asean Women’s Championship in 2024, the date for which has not been announced.
Lim will have to compete for the No. 1 spot with Lion City Sailors goalkeeper Beatrice Tan, Tanjong Pagar’s Haziqah Haszman and Erlinawaty Jaffar of Hougang United.
Lim, who named Chelsea and Sweden custodian Zecira Musovic as her favourite goalkeeper, said: “I want to learn as much as possible (in Melbourne) and be able to come back and get an opportunity with the national team.
“I have watched the senior goalkeepers long enough and I want a chance to prove myself and fulfil a dream of playing for Singapore.”
Singaporean women footballers based overseas
Irsalina Irwan (IMG Academy - United States)
Chloe Koh (IMG Academy- United States)
Yasmine Zaharin (IMG Academy - United States)
Kyra Elise Taylor (IMG Academy - United States)
Ardhra Arul Ganeswaran (IMG Academy - United States)
Putri Nur Syaliza Sazali (Oakland University - United States)
Summer Chong (Springfield College - United States)
Seri Ayu Natasha Naszri (ESC LaLiga - Spain)
Danelle Tan (Borussia Dortmund - Germany)
Nicole Lim (University of Edinburgh - Scotland)
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https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/football/goalkeeper-hazel-lim-earns-overseas-stint-while-on-holiday-in-australia
| 2024-01-22T16:00:00Z
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Udinese will seek to ban for life the spectators found guilty of racially abusing AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan during Saturday's Serie A tie, general manager Franco Collavino said on Monday.
Frenchman Maignan alerted the referee before leaving the pitch due to repeated racist chants from the local fans, according to Italian media. He was followed by his team mates to the tunnel before returning to the goal after a few minutes.
"The possible Daspo stadium ban imposed by the judicial authorities has a limited duration, but we will work to exclude these racists from the stadium for life," Collavino told reporters, as quoted by ANSA.
"There was no chanting, both the referee and the federal prosecutor's office confirmed this to us... even if it was only one, it would still be very serious," he added.
Maignan called for accountability from "the entire system" in a post on X, formerly Twitter, on Sunday, including those who abused him, those who saw everything but did nothing, Udinese and the authorities.
Udinese said the club "deeply regrets and condemns every act of racism and violence" in a statement on Sunday, adding they would "collaborate with all investigating authorities to ensure immediate clarification of the incident". REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/football/lifetime-bans-for-those-who-racially-abused-maignan-udinese-general-manager-says
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LONDON – Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino is confident home advantage will help turn the League Cup semi-final against Middlesbrough in their favour at the start of a pivotal week for the London club.
The five-time League Cup winners face Championship side Middlesbrough on Jan 23, trailing 1-0 from the first leg.
“It is a passport to the final, to visit Wembley. It’s really important for us, the club, for everyone,” Pochettino said on Jan 22.
“We want to be in the final but first of all, we need to beat a very good team in Middlesbrough. We could not beat them in the first leg, but we are very confident that we can have a very good game in front of our fans and the energy from the fans.”
There is no chance French forward Christopher Nkunku will be fit to play due to a hip injury, the manager said, and Chelsea will also be without right-back Malo Gusto.
“He is not available for tomorrow,” Pochettino said of Nkunku, who has played just four times since his big-money move to the Blues in the summer. “It’s a shame but he is still recovering and we hope he can be ready again as soon as possible.
“Like always happens with long-term injuries, the most difficult thing is to find the balance afterwards. He suffered a little problem. Now he is recovering. It’s not a big issue.”
In the French forward’s absence, Armando Broja looks set to start up front, despite reports that the Blues are open to selling him for £50 million (S$85.4 million), with Wolverhampton Wanderers and Fulham reportedly interested in the 22-year-old.
Said Pochettino: “At the moment, there is no news. We cannot update in any way. It’s all so quiet and I think it’s a good thing because we are working really well and there are no surprises.
“There is no news about players who can leave or come in.”
Chelsea have recalled midfielder Cesare Casadei and forward Diego Moreira from loan spells at Leicester and Olympique Lyonnais.
“It will help us as we had been suffering from injuries,” Pochettino said.
Casadei cannot play in the League Cup or FA Cup games this week because he has appeared in both competitions with Leicester City.
Chelsea are languishing ninth in the Premier League table, 12 points behind fourth-placed Aston Villa, who they host in the FA Cup fourth round on Jan 26.
But Pochettino's side are unbeaten in their last eight games at Stamford Bridge across all competitions.
On the first leg, he said: “Of course we feel very disappointed after the (first leg). When you analyse it, you see we deserved more, but football is not about ‘deserved’, it’s about being clinical, scoring goals and defending some actions close to your goal and being strong.
“We were all disappointed, but we have 90 minutes to fix the situation and try to win the tie. We need to respect the opponent. They are going to be tough. But it’s a massive chance for us to go to the final and fight for a title.”
Boro, meanwhile, are 11th in the second-tier Championship after a poor start that saw them winless in their first seven league matches, five of which they lost.
But Michael Carrick has since been able to steady the ship and they are targetting their first League Cup final since 2004, when they beat Bolton Wanderers to lift the only major silverware in the club’s history. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/football/pochettino-counting-on-chelsea-crowd-to-help-overcome-middlesbrough
| 2024-01-22T16:00:21Z
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PARIS - French police will be on high alert for threats along the route of the 2024 Olympic torch relay, the interior minister said on Monday, with torchbearers protected by about 100 officers in a security bubble and anti-drone measures in place.
The Olympic flame will arrive in Marseille from Greece on May 8, with up to 150,000 people expected to attend the ceremony in the southern city's Old Port before the French leg of the relay begins.
Speaking at a press conference, Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said the "terrorist and protest threat" to the relay was significant, citing "far left environmental activists" or "radical Islamists" as potential sources of such threats.
"The relay of the torch is subject to a lot of media attention and the ministry is giving it a special attention as it could be the target of malicious acts," he said.
"We did a background check on all 11,000 torchbearers and the 1,000 replacements, and it led to 13 being left out of the relay."
The flame will be lit on April 16 in a ceremony at Greece's ancient Olympia, birthplace of the Games.
An actress playing a high priestess lights the torch for every Games - summer or winter - using a parabolic mirror before passing the flame to the first torchbearer at the edge of the ancient Olympic stadium.
The torch will remain in Greece for about a week for a short relay before being handed over to host city Paris and its departure for France.
Paris organisers have said they will use a three-masted ship, the "Belem", to take it to the port city of Marseille, where the Olympic sailing competitions will also take place.
Some 18,000 police officers will be on duty in Paris when the torch goes through the city on July 14 and 15, and on July 26, when the opening ceremony takes place.
About 5,000 police will be on the ground in Marseille when the torch arrives.
The interior ministry has been at odds with police officers, who have been asking for a 2,000-euro Olympic bonus and better working conditions.
Darmanin said the discussions with police unions were "ongoing", confirming the ministry was offering a bonus of 1,000 to 1,500 euros. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/french-police-to-be-on-high-alert-for-torch-relay
| 2024-01-22T16:00:32Z
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DUBLIN - Wales lost several experienced players in 2023 and head into the Six Nations Championship with a new-look young squad, but coach Warren Gatland has warned rivals not to write them off as they prepare to meet Scotland in their opener in Cardiff on Feb. 3.
Retirement, injury, overseas contracts that make players ineligible and even defections to other sports has left Gatland with a major rebuild, most notably losing wing Louis Rees-Zammit last week after he decided to give American Football a go.
"We have got an average age of 25 at the moment, so it is very young," Gatland told reporters on Monday. "There are five new caps and eight others who have never played in the Six Nations. They will learn and develop from the experience.
"I need to give these youngsters the opportunity to develop over the next three or four years, so they get to a World Cup with 40 or 50 caps."
But any suggestion Wales may sacrifice results to gain that experience was quickly quashed by Gatland.
"We probably go in with people not having a huge amount of expectation on us. But you write us off at your peril because we will work incredibly hard over the next couple of weeks," he said.
"It is one game at a time, if we start well against Scotland, then the thing we know about this tournament, if you build confidence (anything is possible). Then we go to Twickenham (against England in their second game) without much fear.
"The thing about Welsh players is that when they get a couple of wins under their belt, they are incredibly difficult to beat. That is what I am putting my hopes on anyway."
Gatland has also called on his young players to seize the moment.
"When you see talent, sometimes you have to expose them before they are quite ready, looking to see if you can fast-track them. It is not about age and experience, it's about courage and the talent to develop," he said.
"I see this as a chance to mould a group of core talented youngsters who can drive this team forward, show how they want this team to operate, working with the coaches and setting standards.
"Taking pride as a young group of players, men and leaders." REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/gatland-warns-rivals-not-to-underestimate-wales-young-guns
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MONROVIA - Liberia's new president Joseph Boakai had to be helped away from the podium after he paused twice during his inauguration speech on Monday.
The 79-year-old who defeated George Weah in a runoff election in November took the oath of office in an outdoor ceremony in sweltering heat in the West African nation's capital Monrovia.
Boakai then paused during his speech and aides rushed to his side and fanned him.
He resumed his speech a few minutes later, but paused again. The ceremony was curtailed and aides helped him walk away from the podium, Reuters reporters at the scene said.
Boakai's spokesperson said he had no immediate comment.
Some of Boakai's opponents had raised concerns about his age and energy during election campaigning but his team dismissed the criticism. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/liberia-president-boakai-helped-away-from-podium-during-inauguration
| 2024-01-22T16:00:53Z
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MEXICO CITY - Mexican, U.S. and Guatemalan officials will meet as soon as possible for talks on migration, Mexican Foreign Minister Alicia Barcena said on Monday after her government held discussions with U.S. officials last week.
Speaking at a regular government press conference, Barcena said Mexican and U.S. officials reached 10 important agreements during their meetings. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/mexico-us-and-guatemala-officials-to-meet-for-migration-talks
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JERUSALEM - After conquering a Hamas tunnel in the northern Gaza Strip, a group of Israeli soldiers went down it with some unusual kit in hand - not explosives, robot probes or pistols for close combat, but rather: old-style, dial-operated transistor radios.
Their mission was to descend until the devices could no longer receive AM transmissions from Israel. That point, they found, was at about 10 to 12 metres depth, generally the upper "storeys" of Palestinian militants' subterranean network.
The Jan 4 experiment was ordered by their commander at the behest of Israeli Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi, who had just expanded the country's most popular broadcaster, Army Radio, from industry-standard FM into complementary AM channels.
AM's greater range meant emergency updates would have a better chance of being heard by civilians in bomb shelters. Troops in Gaza would also benefit, as they were being allowed transistor radios to keep themselves informed while being asked to surrender their cellphones lest those be geolocated by Hamas.
The tunnel experiment dangled another possibility for a country tormented with worry for 132 people held hostage by Hamas-led gunmen in the enclave: reaching out to them with custom-composed, morale-raising Army Radio broadcasts.
"It suddenly occurred to me that maybe some of those hostages also had access to transistor radios," Karhi told Reuters. "If they had the means to hear their families' voices it would have a huge value in terms of morale - and for their relatives, too."
The gambit would likely need Hamas' cooperation, a prospect its initiators hope is within the bounds of possibility.
Hamas officials in Gaza were not immediately available for comment on the idea - a testament to Palestinians' shattered infrastructure under an Israeli offensive, as well as their reluctance to release information on the hostages' conditions.
ACCESS TO TVS, RADIOS
Of scores of hostages freed in a November truce, several said captors had allowed them limited access to TVs or radios.
One of them learned from the radio that her husband and daughter, from whom she had been separated during the Oct. 7 cross-border Hamas killing and kidnapping spree that sparked the war, had survived. For another, an Israeli broadcast was the first notification that two relatives were among the dead.
But the accounts often left unclear whether the hostages were kept just under the surface, or in tunnels well out of range, or in above-ground safe houses with regular reception. Tunnels shown to journalists by advancing Israeli forces have sometimes included upper levels of about 10 metres depth.
Asked to respond to the Army Radio initiative, ex-hostage Nili Margalit said part of her captivity was spent 40 metres underground. "It is too deep," she told Reuters, declining to discuss the matter further for fear "that the terrorists will use my words to hurt the captives that are still there".
Dan O'Shea, a former Navy SEAL and hostage coordinator for U.S. forces in Iraq, said that while he "completely agrees" with the AM-radio initiative he saw scant chance of Hamas cooperating while Israel pursues search-and-rescue operations in Gaza.
"If Hamas knew that these radios could be picked up by Israeli forces, it's the last thing they would want," he said. "They're paranoid about anything that's going to track an IDF bomb to their position."
Peter Duffett-Smith, emeritus reader in astrophysics at the University of Cambridge's Cavendish Laboratory, said AM transistor radios, which are designed to passively receive broadcasts, cannot easily be traced. But he did not rule it out.
Most such radios use oscillators which emit faint signals, he said, "and it is possible that (these) could be detected at a distance using specialised equipment. These signals decrease rapidly with distance, especially through ground."
Asked whether Israel could mount such location operations, Army Radio director Danny Zaken said: "We cannot. It (a broadcast received by the radio) is not coming back. I mean, it's not like sonar ... It's only one-way, unfortunately."
STAVING OFF DESPAIR
Karhi said he knew of neither Israel nor Hamas being able to track passive AM reception - hence the permission for troops in Gaza to use transistor radios.
Staving off despair or rebelliousness among the hostages might prompt captors to consider taking a risk on the radios.
But Ruth Pat-Horenczyk, a clinical psychology professor with the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, said if Hamas felt it would weaken its control of captives it would prevent them listening.
Army Radio's shift into AM is backed by the Defence Ministry's National Emergency Management Authority and Israel's largest telecom group, Bezeq. The station has been pre-recording messages by hostage families for airing several times a day.
"They're telling them: 'Stay strong. We are fighting for you. Don't worry. We'll get to you. Stay strong," Zaken said.
At a Tel Aviv rally to mark the first birthday of Kfir Bibas, the youngest of the hostages, an Army Radio reporter approached one of the baby's relatives, Yosi Shnaider, to explain the station's new reach and ask to record an interview.
He agreed: "If they are hearing us ... We want to tell you that the families love you, that no one has forgotten you." REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/middle-east/israels-am-radio-pierces-gaza-tunnels-in-bid-to-soothe-hostages
| 2024-01-22T16:01:14Z
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On the same day, another vessel – the cargo ship Briza – was heading to one of the Ukrainian ports, according to the report.
The Bull, a Panamax type bulker, had a substantial deadweight of 82,000 tonnes and entered the Ukrainian port for loading on 12 October. The other two vessels, Ramus and Bahar K, had deadweights of 6,000 tonnes and 8,300 tonnes respectively, entering the port via this temporary route on 13 October.
As per the CTS’s estimates, a significant number of 33 vessels, including the cargo ship Briza, have utilized this newly announced route to access the ports of Odesa Oblast. In total, 57 ship passages in both directions have been recorded since its implementation.
Russia maintains a de-facto blockade of Ukrainian seaports from the beginning of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Last summer, the UN and Türkiye brokered a “grain deal” with Russia to enable Ukrainian agricultural exports by sea. Russia, however, exited the deal this summer, jeopardizing the exports.
In response, Ukraine announced temporary routes for merchant vessels on 10 August 2023. The primary intent was to ensure civilian vessels could continue their operations amidst Russia’s increased maritime aggression, thereby demonstrating Ukraine’s commitment to safeguarding its maritime trade.
Read also:
- UK Intelligence: Russia may continue targeting civilian shipping in Ukraine
- Frontline report: Ukraine regains control of Black Sea shipping lanes; Russia shoots down own jet
- Reuters: Turkish cargo ship hit a mine en route to Ukrainian Black Sea port
- MarineTraffic: Five cargo vessels heading for Ukrainian Black Sea ports amid Russia’s blockade
- Reuters: Another cargo vessel sets off from Ukrainian Black Sea port amid Russian blockade
- Ukraine’s economy suffers as Russia destroys 280,000 tons of Ukrainian grain
- UK to monitor Black Sea against Russia’s “weaponization of Ukrainian grain”
- Second merchant vessel successfully sailed through temporary corridor amid Russia’s Black Sea blockade
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https://euromaidanpress.com/2023/10/17/another-three-ships-leave-ports-of-odesa-via-black-sea-corridor-amid-russias-blockade/
| 2024-01-22T16:15:24Z
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Cameron Diaz and Jamie Foxx are officially, finally, back in action!
Months after the co-stars halted production on their upcoming Netflix film, Back in Action, after the Django Unchained actor suffered from an undisclosed medical emergency, the two have returned to set.
In April, Jamie was rushed to the hospital and treated there for several weeks, and though he never disclosed the debilitating health ailment, he has been slowly inching back towards the spotlight.
Now, both him and Cameron were spotted over the weekend back on set in Atlanta, Georgia, over one year since they first started production in December 2022.
This marks Cameron's first return to acting since previously announcing she would be retiring from the industry. Her last film in 2014, Annie, also starred Jamie, as well as Bobby Cannavale, Rose Byrne, Quvenzhané Wallis, among others.
Jamie made his first public appearance after his health scare at the end of last year, for the Critics Choice Association's Celebration of Cinema and Television: Honoring Black, Latino and AAPI Achievements.
After receiving the Vanguard Award for his performance in The Burial, he walked up on stage and first noted that walking unassisted was not something he could do six months ago, before opening up about the life changing last few months.
MORE: Jamie Foxx sparks reaction with photos of rarely-seen 15-year-old daughter in celebratory tribute
He said: "It feels good to be here. I cherish every single minute now. It's different," adding: "I wouldn't wish what I went through on my worst enemy."
"Because it's tough when it's almost over, when you see the tunnel," he continued, and revealed: "I saw the tunnel, I didn't see the light. It was hot in that tunnel too, I don't know where I was going. '[Expletive], am I going to the right place?'"
MORE: Jamie Foxx left heartbroken after death of close friend, months after battling health woes
He further shared: "I have a new respect for life, I have a new respect for my art. I watched so many movies and listened to so many songs trying to have the time go by.
"Don't give up on your art, man, don't give up on your art. When you realize that it could be over like that… I got to tell you, don't give up on your art and don't let them take the art from you either."
It was his daughter Corinne Fox who first shared news of her dad's medical emergency back in April, sharing a statement on Instagram which read: "We wanted to share that, my father, Jamie Foxx, experienced a medical complication yesterday. Luckily, due to quick action and great care, he is already on his way to recovery… We know how beloved he is and appreciate your prayers. The family asks for privacy during this time."
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/film/511807/cameron-diaz-jamie-foxx-return-to-set-back-in-action/
| 2024-01-22T16:42:10Z
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This past weekend, Adele returned to the stage at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace for her beloved Weekends with Adele ongoing Las Vegas residency.
The singer-songwriter, 35, spoke with the audience at her first show of 2024 about her holidays and also revealed what she planned to do once her residency was over.
Weekends with Adele first began on November 18, 2022, after its initial January 2022 start was delayed due to complications created by Covid-19, and has been playing to sold out audiences ever since. It is scheduled to end on June 15, 2024 after 100 shows played.
Adele told the audience that once the concert series ended, she was keen to get back into her fitness regimen with renewed vigor. "I don't normally do New Year's resolutions but I want to build my muscles in my core and my goal at the end is to learn how to do a backflip and not be in pain."
She referenced her previous physical transformation as well, saying: "I've decided that this year I want to get to my peak physical fitness.
"I did it a few years ago and I felt fantastic but I know I can get stronger than that because I got there. Then I got lazy. So I'll start working out again to get my back completely right."
Although, it's not going to be just all about the fitness, as the "Someone Like You" hitmaker also added that she was keen to spend some downtime at home with friends, including a weekly night of activities.
MORE: Adele reveals how Rich Paul 'drives me insane' amid private wedding
"I want to do weekly activities with my friends in my house at home, right," she shared. "An activity every week and I was like, 'Oh my God! I should do bingo!'
She continued to explain that she used to watch her grandmothers and aunts play bingo when she was younger. "I used to think that maybe they had a gambling problem and it wasn't until I was older I realized it was a socializing thing more than anything."
MORE: Adele talks baby number two during surprise Las Vegas gender reveal
While she wasn't allowed to join them, because she was too young, she found herself fascinated by the idea. "So then I was like, 'Oh maybe I can start actually doing it in real life', but they've closed down. We used to have one called Gala Bingo… Anyway I'm gonna start hosting a weekly bingo!"
In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the acclaimed musician opened up about all the viral moments from the show, including her reactions to seeing celebrity guests like Shania Twain and Lady Gaga.
The one person she revealed that hasn't yet seen her show is none other than her own mother. "The only person I want to see it that hasn't yet is my mum."
However, she wants to hold off on giving her mom that joy till the very end of the residency for a special reason. "I'm going to wait – I want her to see it at the end. Because I think she'll find it really emotional as well."
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/health-and-fitness/511809/adele-confession-health-reveals-post-residency-plans-at-home/
| 2024-01-22T16:42:16Z
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Sarah Ferguson is taking some time to recuperate at her home in Windsor, following the news that she had been diagnosed with malignant melanoma.
The Duchess of York had been receiving treatment at the MARYLIFE Clinic in Austria for the past few weeks, as well as at the Royal Marsden Hospital and King Edward VII Hospital in London before returning home for some much-needed rest.
The 64-year-old shared in a statement: "I have been taking some time to myself as I have been diagnosed with malignant melanoma, a form of skin cancer, my second cancer diagnosis within a year after I was diagnosed with breast cancer this summer and underwent a mastectomy and reconstructive surgery. It was thanks to the great vigilance of my dermatologist that the melanoma was detected when it was."
Sarah added that another cancer diagnosis had been a shock for her, but she insisted she remains in good spirits. "I am incredibly thankful to the medical teams that have supported me through both of these experiences with cancer and to the MAYRLIFE Clinic for taking gentle care of me in the past weeks, allowing me time for recuperation.
"I am resting with family at home now, feeling blessed to have their love and support."
Sarah resides at Royal Lodge on the Windsor Estate and lives there with her ex-husband, Prince Andrew. The Duchess is no doubt thrilled to be back in her home comforts surrounded by family, including her two daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie and her three grandchildren, August, Ernest and Sienna.
Royal Lodge is not open to the public, so seeing the residence in its entirety isn't possible, but she has shared the occasional glimpse from inside, as well as its sprawling gardens – and it's the perfect botanical haven for Sarah to enjoy while she rests.
The Duke and Duchess of York, despite divorcing in 1996, acquired the royal residence in 2004 and have lived there ever since. As Sarah recuperates from treatment, Royal Lodge is the ideal location as it's close by to Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank's UK residence, Frogmore Cottage, also on the Windsor Estate.
However, it's a little further from Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi's home in the Cotswolds, but with Royal Lodge's 30 rooms, it has plenty of space for when the family of three come to visit.
Sarah has often filmed her YouTube videos from inside the house, particularly the conservatory area, and from the huge gardens. One shot shows how leafy the inside is, thanks to a gorgeous blossom tree in a pot, as well as many vases full of blooms on the side.
MORE: Royals in chic skiwear: Princess Diana, Princess Kate, Princess Eugenie & more
MORE: Sarah Ferguson shares ultra-rare photo of late Queen's beloved corgis
Another photo shows off the scale of the home. Sarah can be seen standing in a long hallway at home and plenty of paintings can be spotted on the wall, as well as sideboards and chairs further down the corridor.
Princess Eugenie was spotted at Royal Lodge in another clip of her reading a children's story while sitting on a garden swing, personalised with her name on, no doubt a source of great entertainment when she and sister Beatrice were growing up.
The royal residence, situated at the heart of Windsor Great Park, which is approximately 2,000 hectares of Crown Estate land, is just three miles south of Windsor Castle and was the Windsor residence of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother from the early 1950s until she died in 2002.
In 2023, there was growing speculation that Prince Andrew had been ordered by King Charles to vacate the royal residence.
However, in October last year, it was reported that despite ongoing rumours, the Duke of York was granted permission to remain at the residence, but must make necessary repairs to the building.
Sarah was quizzed about the speculation by Samara García Mendez from ¡HOLA! TV, to which she responded: "Don't always believe what you read. I don't know. I take every day as it comes."
LISTEN: A Right Royal Podcast - Abdications
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/homes/511808/sarah-fergusons-botanical-haven-on-windsor-estate-where-shes-recuperating-following-melanoma-diagnosis/
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PS5 vs Xbox Series X|S vs Switch 2023 Worldwide Sales Comparison Charts Through December - Sales
by William D'Angelo , posted 24 minutes ago / 439 ViewsHere we see data representing the sales through to consumers and change in sales performance of the three current platforms (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch) and two legacy platforms (PlayStation 4 and Xbox One) over comparable periods for 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023. Also shown is the market share for each of the consoles over the same periods.
Year to Date Sales Comparison (Same Periods Covered)
Market Share (Same Periods Covered)
2020 – (January 2020 to December 2020)
2021 – (January 2021 to December 2021)
2022 – (January 2022 to December 2022)
2023 – (January 2023 to December 2023)
"Year to date" sales for 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023 sales are shown in series at the top of the table and then just below a comparison of 2023 versus 2022 and 2023 versus 2021 is displayed. This provides an easy-to-view summary of all the data.
Total Sales and Market Share for Each Year
Microsoft
- Xbox Series X|S
- 7.50 million units sold year-to-date
- Down year-on-year 1,157,528 units (-13.4%)
Nintendo
- Nintendo Switch
- 15.90 million units sold year-to-date
- Down year-on-year 1,157,528 units (-16.5%)
Sony
- PlayStation 5
- 21.64 million units sold year-to-date
- Up year-on-year 7,720,610 units (55.5%)
- PlayStation 4
- 0.26 million units sold year-to-date
- Up year-on-year 16,417 (6.8%)
A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can contact the author on Twitter @TrunksWD.
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https://www.vgchartz.com/article/459672/ps5-vs-xbox-series-xs-vs-switch-2023-worldwide-sales-comparison-charts-through-december/
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Action Roguelite Spiritfall to Leave Early Access on February 28 - News
by William D'Angelo , posted 1 hour ago / 228 ViewsDeveloper Gentle Giant announced the fast-paced action roguelite with combat inspired by platform fighters, Spiritfall, will leave Early Access and launch for PC via Steam on February 28.
View the release date trailer below:
Read details on the game below:
Spiritfall is a fast-paced action roguelite with combat inspired by platform fighters. Slash, smash, launch, and wall-splat a multitude of enemies using an ever-changing arsenal of divine powers.
A Platform Fighter Roguelike
Spiritfall combines tight Platform Fighter combat, nimble movement, and roguelite mechanics into one! Traverse dangerous regions and unleash deadly combos through a randomly generated map.
Divine Synergies Await
The divine spirits offer powerful blessings that enhance your abilities in combat, discover your favorite abilities, and experiment with unique builds.
Grow Stronger from Defeat
Death is only a temporary setback, reawaken stronger than before at the Sanctum and continue your adventure. Use the resources you gathered to upgrade your skills, unlock unique powers, and equip mighty weapons.
Meet Mysterious Characters
NPCs can be encountered throughout your journey, some will even return to the Sanctum and help you on your quest. Others may not be as friendly…
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A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can contact the author on Twitter @TrunksWD.
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https://www.vgchartz.com/article/459698/action-roguelite-spiritfall-to-leave-early-access-on-february-28/
| 2024-01-22T17:01:57Z
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WWE 2K24 Announced for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, Xbox One, and PC - News
by William D'Angelo , posted 1 hour ago / 253 ViewsPublisher 2K and developer Visual Concepts have announced WWE 2K24 for the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC via Steam. It will launch on March 8, however, the Deluxe and 'Forty Years of WrestleMania' editions will launch earlier on March 5.
View the official announcement trailer below:
Read details on the game below:
WWE 2K24 features several franchise advancements, including 2K Showcase… of the Immortals celebrating 40 years of WrestleMania, four new match types such as Ambulance and Special Guest Referee, two new MyRISE experiences, and much more. In addition, fans can also look forward to a massive roster of more than 200 WWE Superstars and Legends including Roman Reigns, Andre the Giant, Becky Lynch, Batista, Kurt Angle, Asuka, Bret Hart, Brock Lesnar, “Macho Man” Randy Savage, Chyna, and more. Incredibly realistic graphics and improved animations—with over 90 percent of facial expressions updated—plus improvements to Ramp cameras and Dive cameras, and the ability to move the camera during live gameplay provide the most visually impressive WWE 2K experience to date.
2K Showcase… of the Immortals
For 40 years, WrestleMania has captivated millions of fans around the globe as WWE Superstars became Legends and spectacular moments—from Hulk Hogan slamming Andre the Giant, to “Mr. WrestleMania” Shawn Michaels and The Undertaker putting on a match for the ages, and many more—cemented WWE Hall of Fame legacies. “The Grandest Stage of Them All,” has drawn earth-shaking roars from 100,000-plus in attendance, as the biggest icons in WWE made history, and left every drop of blood, sweat and tears in the squared circle. 40 years in the making, the WWE 2K24 Showcase…of the Immortals puts players in control, playing through the most iconic moments in WrestleMania history as 2K’s distinctive Slingshot Tech seamlessly morphs gameplay to live-action footage and back again for the most immersive WrestleMania video game experience to date. A host of unlockable content adds challenge and replay value to this historical experience.
Iconic Roster
WWE 2K24 boasts a star-studded roster featuring WWE Legends including “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, Undertaker, and Andre the Giant, alongside current WWE Superstars including “The American Nightmare” Cody Rhodes, Bianca Belair, John Cena, Rhea Ripley, and Roman Reigns, whose larger-than-life entrances and signature moves are heightened by ultra-realistic graphics.
New Match Types and Improvements on Existing Match Types
Players asked, and WWE 2K24 delivers, with four new, chaotic match types: Special Guest Referee, Ambulance Match, Casket Match, and Gauntlet Match. In addition, the Backstage Brawl now features four-player support and new interactive environmental elements—including a working elevator, breakable control room glass, and a vending machine with throwable sodas—while the Royal Rumble now offers support for eight online players in 30-Superstar online matches. All of the familiar WWE 2K match types, such as WarGames, Extreme Rules, TLC, Submission, Hell in a Cell, and many more also return. More details on each new match type will be shared soon.
Gameplay Upgrades
WWE 2K24 features improvements to gameplay throughout, including Super Finishers, the Trading Blows mini-game, top rope dive onto a group of opponents outside the ring, double title matches, new Paybacks and much more. New weapon types, including trash cans, guitars and microphones, plus the ability to throw weapons, allow players to bring the pain. Also, seven real WWE referees are featured to add to the immersive experience.
MyGM – The popular WWE brand management simulation continues to expand with new GMs and brands to choose from, more match types, more Dramas, more Championships, talent scouts, Superstar trading between brands, Superstar contract management and the new Superstar Journey, which allows Superstars to earn XP, train and level up to gain new benefits after participating in matches.
MyFACTION – The team-building mode in which players collect, manage, and upgrade an array of WWE Superstars and Legends to create their ultimate four-person factions returns with a new direct purchase card market and updated multiplayer experience. Players can now compete in ranked online QuickPlay with unique rewards and seasonal leaderboards, challenge themselves with Weekly Towers, and take on a revamped Faction Wars 2.0, featuring more real-world factions, more 4v4 match types, a Faction Wars specific reward shop and more. New themed card packs and goals will continue to roll out regularly throughout the year with seasonal content refreshes.
MyRISE
In WWE 2K‘s unique career mode experience, two new storylines—Undisputed (men’s) and Unleashed (women’s)—put players in control of custom created Superstars looking to make a name for themselves and cement their legacies in WWE history. Featuring Roman Reigns, Cody Rhodes, Mick Foley and others performing MyRISE voiceover for the first time, alongside other Superstars and Legends, expanded rewards, original MyRISE characters and unlockables carrying-over into other game modes, and new environments, MyRISE is more impactful on the overall WWE 2K experience than ever before.
Universe
The ultimate WWE Universe sandbox that puts players in charge of Superstar rosters, feuds, champions, weekly shows, and Premium Live Events now features expanded Rivalry actions, including run-ins, Money in the Bank cash-ins, scenarios and brawls, as well as new cutscenes, Special Guest Referee support, Double Title Matches and a Loser Leaves Town stipulation.
Creation Suite
The crown jewel of the WWE 2K franchise, the best-in-class, most detailed and robust creation suite returns with all-new support for Create-A-Referee and Create-A-Sign, as well as new parts and animations to design custom Superstars, GMs, arenas, entrances, move sets, championships and more.
Peacock Promotion
New subscribers get one month of Peacock at no extra cost (a $5.99 value) with purchase of any edition of WWE 2K24 by April 14, 2024. Promotional code must be redeemed between March 12 and May 31, 2024. After offer ends, plan auto-renews at the then-current retail price (plus tax) until canceled by subscriber. Eligibility restrictions and terms apply. See the official website for full terms, availability, redemption, and cancellation instructions.
Game Editions
Standard Edition
The Standard Edition will be available for $59.99 on previous-gen platforms (PlayStation 4, Xbox One consoles) and PC, and for $69.99 on current-gen consoles (PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S).
Pre-Order Bonus Offers
Players who pre-order the WWE 2K24 Standard Edition will receive the Nightmare Family Pack a bonus pack of content including four playable Superstars—two alternate versions of Cody Rhodes (The “Undashing” masked Cody and the flamboyant Stardust), as well as the 1976 version of his father, WWE Hall of Famer Dusty Rhodes, plus one of Dusty’s greatest rivals, “Superstar” Billy Graham, all available as playable characters. Additional MyFACTION content includes three MyFACTION cards—a Mattel “Bruised” Cody Rhodes Gold Rarity card and, for the first time ever, Cody’s dog, Pharaoh, appears in WWE 2K as a Gold Rarity Manager card. In addition, all Digital Pre-Orders of any edition of WWE 2K24 will include the Standard Edition of WWE 2K23, the highest-rated game in franchise history according to Metacritic.
Standard Cross-Gen Edition
The Standard Cross-Gen Digital Edition will be available for $69.99 on PlayStation and Xbox consoles. The Standard Cross-Gen Digital Edition includes the Standard Edition across previous and current-gen platforms within the same console family and the same PlayStation or Xbox account.
Deluxe Edition
The Deluxe Edition will be available for $99.99 for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC. The Deluxe Edition includes the Standard Cross-Gen Edition, Nightmare Family Pack, plus a Season Pass to all five post-launch DLC content packs; the MyRISE Mega-Boost and SuperCharger; Gold Rarity Rhea Ripley MyFACTION Card, Gold Rarity Bianca Belair MyFACTION Card, and alternate attires for Bianca and Rhea. The Deluxe Edition will be available from March 5, 2024—three days ahead of Standard and Cross-Gen Editions!
Forty Years of WrestleMania Edition
The Forty Years of WrestleMania Edition will be available for $119.99 for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC. In addition to the Standard Cross-Gen Edition and all bonus content included in the Deluxe Edition, the Forty Years of WrestleMania Edition includes the Forty Years of WrestleMania Pack, which features alternate attires for “Macho King” Randy Savage (WrestleMania 6), Rey Mysterio (WrestleMania 22), Triple H (WrestleMania 30), Charlotte Flair (WrestleMania 33), and Rhea Ripley (WrestleMania 36), as well as Gold Rarity MyFACTION cards for each, instant unlocking of all playable Showcase characters, and the WrestleMania 40 Arena, which will be available after launch. The Forty Years of WrestleMania Edition will be available from March 5, 2024—three days ahead of Standard and Standard Cross-Gen Editions!
A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can contact the author on Twitter @TrunksWD.
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https://www.vgchartz.com/article/459699/wwe-2k24-announced-for-ps5-xbox-series-xs-ps4-xbox-one-and-pc/
| 2024-01-22T17:02:10Z
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Brotato Headed to PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, and Xbox One on January 30 - News
by William D'Angelo , posted 1 hour ago / 138 ViewsDeveloper Blobfish announced Brotato will launch for the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, and Xbox one on January 30. It was previously announced it will launch on Xbox Game Pass on the same day.
Read details on the game below:
A spaceship from Potato World crashes onto an alien planet. The sole survivor: Brotato, the only potato capable of handling 6 weapons at the same time. Waiting to be rescued by his mates, Brotato must survive in this hostile environment.
Features:
- Auto-firing weapons by default with a manual aiming option.
- Fast runs (under 30 minutes).
- Dozens of characters available to customize your runs (one-handed, crazy, lucky, mage and many more).
- Hundreds of items and weapons to choose from (flamethrowers, SMGs, rocket launchers or sticks and stones).
- Survive waves lasting 20 to 90 seconds each and kill off as many aliens as you can during that time.
- Collect materials to gain experience and get items from the shop between waves of enemies.
- Accessibility options: tweak the health, damage and speed of enemies so the difficulty is right for you.
A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can contact the author on Twitter @TrunksWD.
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https://www.vgchartz.com/article/459700/brotato-headed-to-ps5-xbox-series-xs-ps4-and-xbox-one-on-january-30/
| 2024-01-22T17:02:20Z
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Palworld Sells Over 5 Million Units in 3 Days - Sales
by William D'Angelo , posted 1 hour ago / 243 ViewsDeveloper Pocket Pair announced Palworld has sold over five million units in three days since it released in Early Access last Friday.
This figure is up from four million units in about three days, two million units sold in in the first 24 hours and one million units sold in the first eight hours.
"Palworld has sold over 5 million copies in only 3 days!," said the developer. "Thank you soooo much! In addition, thank you for all the illustrations on PalworldArt and videos on PalClips from all over the world!"
Palworld released in Early Access on the Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC via Steam and Microsoft Store, and Xbox Game Pass on January 19.
#Palworld has sold over 5 million copies in only 3 days!
— Palworld (@Palworld_EN) January 22, 2024
Thank you soooo much!
In addition, thank you for all the illustrations on #PalworldArt and videos on #PalClips from all over the world!
Please leave a review if you've been enjoying your time in Palworld!#Pocketpair pic.twitter.com/wyq5HlNDHZ
Read details on the game below:
Palworld is an open-world survival crafting game that supports up to 32 players and is set in a world where mysterious creatures called “Pals” live.
Along your adventures, you will encounter many Pals. Capture them, make them work, fight, breed and even sell them. You can adventure in a large world alongside your Pals.
Over 100 Pals
In Palworld, mysterious creatures called “Pal” live in the wild. There are also many rare pals such as subspecies, bosses, legends, lucky pals, etc. Additionally, more Pals will continue to be added in future updates.
Capture and Train Pals
Every pal has a special skill for you to utilize. There are also Pals that can fly and Pals that can use guns!
Vast Open World and many Dungeons to Explore
There are various areas such as plains, deserts, snowy mountains, and volcanoes, and the pals living there are all different. There are also many dungeons with hidden treasures and special pals. Set out on a great adventure in search of unknown treasures and unknown pals.
Fight Against Leaders of Hostile Factions and Field Bosses
As you explore the vast open world, you may come across giant Pals. In addition, each biome has a hostile faction based there, whose leaders stand in your way and won’t back down without a fight.
Fight Alongside Pals using a Wide Variety of Weapons
From traditional weapons such as bows and swords to modern weapons such as assault rifles and rocket launchers. Some pals can use heavy weapons such as Gatling guns and missile launchers!
Build a Base
Leave production, farming, cooking, power generation, etc. to your pals. Pals work in ways that suit their personalities. However, pals are also living creatures like us. If you forget to give them food and rest, it will negatively affect their motivation.
Supports Multiplayer for up to 32 Players
Palworld can be played alone as well as multiplayer. By forming a guild and cooperating with your friends, you can adventure together towards a common goal. Player Battles will be implemented in a future update.
A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can contact the author on Twitter @TrunksWD.
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https://www.vgchartz.com/article/459701/palworld-sells-over-5-million-units-in-3-days/
| 2024-01-22T17:02:31Z
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Grand Theft Auto V Tops the Australian Charts - Sales
by William D'Angelo , posted 57 minutes ago / 178 ViewsGrand Theft Auto V has retaken 1st place on the Australian charts, according to IGEA for the week ending January 14, 2024. Grand Theft Auto Online shot up from eighth to fourth place.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III is down one spot to second place, EA Sports FC 24 remained in third place, and Super Mario Bros. Wonder is up two spots to fifth place. Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege re-entered the top 10 in sixth place and Red Dead Redemption 2 is down two spots to seventh place.
NBA 2K24 is down two spots to eight place, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe re-entered the top 10 in ninth place, and Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora rounds out the top 10.
Here are the top 10 best-selling titles in Australia for the week:
- Grand Theft Auto V
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III
- EA Sports FC 24
- Grand Theft Auto Online
- Super Mario Bros. Wonder
- Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege
- Red Dead Redemption 2
- NBA 2K24
- Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
- Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora
A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can contact the author on Twitter @TrunksWD.
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https://www.vgchartz.com/article/459702/grand-theft-auto-v-tops-the-australian-charts/
| 2024-01-22T17:02:37Z
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Grand Theft Auto V Tops the New Zealand Charts - Sales
by William D'Angelo , posted 52 minutes ago / 184 ViewsGrand Theft Auto V has retaken 1st place on the New Zealand charts, according to IGEA for the week ending January 7, 2024. Grand Theft Auto Online shot up from seventh to second place.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III dropped two spots to third place, EA Sports FC 24 remained in fourth place, and Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege re-entered the top 10 in fifth place.
Red Dead Redemption 2 is down from fifth to sixth place, NBA 2K24 is down one spot to seventh place, Need For Speed: Heat remained in eighth place. Gran Turismo 7 and A Way Out re-entered the top 10 in ninth and 10th places, respectively.
Here are the top 10 best-selling titles in New Zealand for the week:
- Grand Theft Auto V
- Grand Theft Auto Online
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III
- EA Sports FC 24
- Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege
- Red Dead Redemption 2
- NBA 2K24
- Need For Speed: Heat
- Gran Turismo 7
- A Way Out
A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can contact the author on Twitter @TrunksWD.
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https://www.vgchartz.com/article/459703/grand-theft-auto-v-tops-the-new-zealand-charts/
| 2024-01-22T17:02:44Z
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LONDON - Coach Steve Borthwick says he is changing the way England prepare for the Six Nations in a bid to shake them out of the slump that has produced three successive poor campaigns since they won it in 2020.
England have won only six of their last 15 games in the championship, three of those against Italy, for finishes of fifth, third and fourth. Even taking into account the title-winning year they are at a 50% win rate for the last six years.
Borthwick was freshly installed for 2023 but unable to stop the rot, which included a shocking 53-10 home defeat by France who chalked up their biggest ever win over England.
Now, a year into the role and with a World Cup under his belt, Borthwick is determined to make a serious assault on the competition, somewhat in contrast to the “everything is about the World Cup” approach of predecessor Eddie Jones.
“We want to make sure that this England team is competing in every single one of these games, which is not something you can say about them in recent years,” Borthwick said at the official Six Nations launch on Monday.
“Expectations are a lot higher, on the back of what this team has achieved, and quite rightly. The team is really well aware that we haven’t performed in the Six Nations for a period of time."
Of particular concern to England is their terrible starts, as they managed to kick off the last three championships with defeats by Scotland, two of them at Twickenham.
Borthwick is trying to address this with a different build-up, which this year will include a week in Italy to prepare for their opening fixture in Rome on Feb. 3.
"Our intention is to prepare so we hit the ground running with the intensity we want, which again is something England haven’t done in recent years," he said.
"So we need a different mindset, a different way of approaching the tournament. We’re preparing differently. We need a different approach because we need different results.
"I'm seeing glimpses of it but I take nothing for granted. Preparing for a test match, you need to absolutely get that mindset in every single moment of every single game.
"We need to ensure that for this first game we play with an intensity and competitiveness, mental and physical, that is different to what we've had at the start of previous championships."
COURAGE NEEDED
Almost any approach would be likely to secure victory against Italy, who England have never lost to, but Borthwick is keen to see the team develop into what he wants as he rolls into his second year in charge.
"Over time the team becomes more and more the team you’ve worked together to create," he said. "I think it's very hard to coach players until they trust you.
"So, a few weeks before a tournament, we are asking them to do things a bit differently. That requires them to challenge themselves and that takes courage.
"I need to ensure that the new relationships are based on trust again because when you do that, then you start building the team you want to build.
"This England team have been in some tough circumstances and fought their way out of it and that is a reflection of the England team as I see it."
England will be playing under a new captain in hooker Jamie George after Owen Farrell decided to take time out from international rugby and Courtney Lawes, his usual stand-in, called it quits internationally for good.
George, 33, vastly experienced with England, the British & Irish Lions and Saracens, says he will not be trying to emulate either of his predecessors and will lead as Borthwick has asked him to - by being himself.
"Everyone has a different style and approach to leadership," George said. "For me it's very inclusive and I'm very lucky to have a group of very experienced players who have won things over a long period.
"I need to build a relationship with everyone in that group and the approach will be different for different people." REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/england-must-change-mindset-for-six-nations-improvement-says-borthwick
| 2024-01-22T17:31:46Z
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LONDON - A post-Rugby World Cup Six Nations always has something of a reset feel about it but this year's championship, featuring five new captains, a new coach and missing four icons of the sport, feels even more like the start of the next four-year cycle.
Jamie George (England), Dafydd Jenkins (Wales), Peter O’Mahony (Ireland), Gregory Alldritt (France) and joint captains Finn Russell and Rory Darge (Scotland) will don armbands next month, with Italy's Michele Lamaro the only man left standing.
The competition will also feel slightly different without Alun-Wyn Jones, Johnny Sexton, Owen Farrell and Antoine Dupont, though the Frenchman's absence is temporary as he switches to Sevens ahead of the Paris Olympics in August.
Cap centurions Stuart Hogg, Dan Biggar and Courtney Lawes have also called it a day, while Louis Rees-Zammit has left the sport altogether to try his hand at American football.
There is more stability on the coaching front, with Gonzalo Quesada, in for Kieran Crowley in Italy, the only new face.
The changes, alongside the relative easing of pressure on coaches no longer operating under the pressure of a looming World Cup, should, in theory, invigorate the competition.
France enter as favourites and many observers consider the title will be decided before four of the teams have even taken to the field as the French host 2023 Grand Slam winners Ireland in a blockbuster opening night in Marseille on Friday Feb. 2.
France are playing their three home matches around the country as the Stade de France is out of commission for Olympic preparation but, as anyone who was in Marseille during the World Cup can attest, heading to the Velodrome will hardly be a disadvantage.
The teams' clash in Dublin in 2023, when Ireland emerged 32-19 winners, was one of the all-time great Six Nations games, but both sides ended the year in a world of pain after their World Cup quarter-final exits.
Both countries now need to start again without their most inspirational players, scrumhalf Dupont and flyhalf Sexton.
The ever-busy Maxime Lucu looks set to take over as France number nine, having shown during much of the World Cup when Dupont was injured that he was up to the task, while Alldritt's leadership will compensate Dupont's captaincy absence.
Ireland look strong and brilliantly coached in all areas, with long-serving Munster skipper O'Mahony a natural leader, but filling the flyhalf hole will be far more daunting.
With Sexton so far ahead of his rivals for over a decade, the three flyhalves Ireland have picked have just 12 caps between them.
The pressure will fall most keenly on Munster's talented but relatively untested Jack Crowley. The 24-year-old has started three times since making his debut 14 months ago and his Six Nations experience amounts to three minutes off the bench against Italy last season.
Since winning the 2020 championship, England's record has been dire - only two wins in each of the last three seasons.
Coach Steve Borthwick said last week that it was not good enough and he has always promised to value every Six Nations match, rather than treating the competition as a glorified World Cup warm-up event as per his predecessor Eddie Jones.
England's confidence was buoyed by their run to the World Cup semi-finals but fans will now be desperate to see them add some attacking variety to the effective but dull kick and territory game that took them to the brink of the final.
It is a similar story for Wales, who looked all over the place in last year's Championship when they lost four of their five games but, under the guiding hand of Warren Gatland, found form and confidence at the World Cup.
They have experience of being without Biggar but the shock loss of Rees-Zammit has left them reeling and looking short of firepower.
Scotland had the opposite experience, enjoying another win over England en route to a third-place Six Nations finish, only to fall flat at the World Cup to lower expectations for 2024.
After Italy ended their 36-match, seven-year losing streak by beating Wales in 2022, they were back to normal last season with five more straight losses and will need to find something special to avoid another clean sweep of defeats this year. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/five-new-captains-give-six-nations-fresh-feel
| 2024-01-22T17:31:57Z
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MELBOURNE - Dayana Yastremska reached her first Grand Slam quarter-final with Monday's win over Victoria Azarenka at the Australian Open, and the Ukrainian qualifier has learned to put aside the pressure of representing a country at war in order to do so.
Yastremska is ranked 93 in the world, and her 7-6(6) 6-4 win over 18th seed Azarenka is not her first shock result in Melbourne having beaten Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova in the first round.
It's almost two years since the war in Ukraine began, and in that time Yastremska has failed, until now, to make it past the opening round of a Grand Slam tournament.
"I was putting a lot of pressure on myself in different ways," Yastremska said.
"In the way that it's the war and I have to show better results, you know, for Ukraine, and I wasn't playing just for myself in the beginning.
"But now I decided that from this year no more pressure, no more high expectations for myself. Just be the way you are, and we will see how it's going to go."
For now, it couldn't be going any better, but while the 23-year-old is learning to deal with the pressures, reminders of what is happening in her native Ukraine are never far away, even if others may have already moved on.
Yastremska recently revealed that before her first round defeat in the Brisbane International earlier this month, a rocket hit her grandmother's house.
"It's tough emotionally to play, but the worst thing is you feel like you are already accepting this, what is happening," Yastremska said.
"And people are starting to forget about what is going on. Just in general, it's tough to play, but after two years you get to manage already how to deal with all the emotions and with everything that is going on inside."
Yastremska was asked if there had been extra pressure playing against Azarenka, from Belarus, given her country's involvement as a staging post for Russian troops.
"If I'm going to start talking about it, I think you're not going to like my answers so I'm just going to say I want to skip this question," she said.
"Because I think, if you're asking this question, I'm sure you know how is it for us, for Ukrainians to play against Russians and Belarusian."
In a tournament which has seen top seeds such as Iga Swiatek and Elena Rybakina already exit the competition, Ukraine has two women in the quarter-finals, with Marta Kostyuk joining her compatriot.
"Yeah, I'm proud of Marta as well and I'm proud of us, of Ukrainians, and we are showing good results," Yastremska said.
"She had tough matches. She also had to deal with playing with Russians."
Yastremska now faces Czech Linda Noskova for a place in the semi-final while Kostyuk is up against American fourth seed Coco Gauff. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/tennis/yastremska-put-pressure-of-representing-ukraine-aside-in-order-to-progress
| 2024-01-22T17:32:07Z
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ROME - Less than two years ago, 35-year-old Yuliia Dobrohurska was fearing for her life under the threat of Russian bombings in her Ukrainian hometown of Konotop.
Now she is dreaming of a career as a fashion jeweller in Italy, the country where she has taken refuge.
Dobrohurska wore some of her creations on Saturday as she walked down the catwalk of the "Refugees live fashion show", organised by a Rome health authority, alongside professional models.
The event, which presented eight outfits and matching jewellery made by refugees, concluded a six-month course for 19 women and men who escaped war, violence and human rights violations, and now aspire to become fashion designers.
Flush with her success, Dobrohurska sees boundless opportunities opening up before her.
"I can't imagine what I can't make and what I can't do here in Italy," she told Reuters.
During the course organised by the Maiani fashion academy in Rome, she learned engraving, wax casting and embossing techniques to make jewellery.
She will now start an apprenticeship at a jeweller's in the Italian capital.
The Maiani academy is part of a network of 110 organisations which use the motto "culture is health" to promote the integration into employment of asylum seekers and refugees from 95 countries through arts and crafts.
While a career in high fashion may be a glittering final goal, the courses were above all an opportunity for the migrants to integrate into Italian culture and learn the language while seeking an outlet for their talents.
Saturday offered the chance to "showcase the beauty of these products made, designed and produced by the refugees", said Giancarlo Santone, a psychiatrist who works with the Rome health department that organised the event.
"We are really pleased because we have seen the results on the health of these people who are victims of war and extreme violence," he added.
"The benefits are really remarkable." REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/migrants-fashion-themselves-new-careers-in-italian-design
| 2024-01-22T17:32:17Z
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MADRID - Spanish police on Jan 22 said they had arrested a Pakistani man in connection with the killing of three siblings in their 70s, over debts reportedly linked to an online romance scam.
The suspect turned himself in on Jan 21, “admitting his involvement in incidents related to the triple murder in a house in Morata de Tajuna”, a police statement said.
Judicial sources said the suspect had previously been convicted for attacking one of the sisters with a hammer a year ago.
Police had on Jan 18 found the three bodies, which were partially burned inside their home in the village some 35km south-east of Madrid.
Neighbours raised the alarm after not seeing the two sisters and their disabled brother for some time, with the police saying their deaths were being treated as murder over a suspected debt.
The police on Jan 22 said the man, referred to only as D.H.F.C, was the “main suspect” in the case as he had “previously injured one of the female victims last year”, with the courts confirming his arrest and conviction.
Quoting local residents, Spanish media said the tragedy was likely linked to a fake online love affair, with the two sisters embarking on what they thought was a long-distance relationship with two apparent United States servicemen.
They were led to believe one had died and that the other needed money so that he could send them a multi-million-euro inheritance, causing the sisters to rack up huge debts.
Initially they began borrowing money from neighbours.
Sentenced for hammer attack
During that time, the suspect had reportedly lent the sisters at least €50,000 ($73,000), which they had never repaid, prompting his violent attack on one of the sisters.
According to a statement from the Madrid region’s top court, the suspect was arrested in February 2023 at their house, where he was living as a tenant.
According to the sentence, he hit the victim “on the head, at least three times, with a hammer”. Then, when she fell to the floor, he kicked her.
He was held in pre-trial detention until his case came to court in September, when he was handed two years behind bars, slapped with a €2,900 fine and banned from being within 500m of the victim for two years and six months.
But under Spanish law, anyone receiving a jail term of up to two years on a first offence automatically has his sentence suspended, so he was released after agreeing to pay the compensation, the statement said.
Police initially said the suspect was 43, but court records showed that he was 42.
Neighbours said they had not seen the siblings since before Christmas.
Speaking to Spanish media, they said the sister had repeatedly asked to borrow large sums of money, refusing to believe it was a scam and saying they would pay it back when they got the €7 million inheritance payout.
“They weren’t asking for €100 or €20, they were asking you for €5,000 or €6,000,” one neighbour had told state-owned broadcaster TVE on Jan 15.
Police did not comment on those reports. AFP
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/spain-police-make-arrest-in-love-scam-triple-murder
| 2024-01-22T17:32:28Z
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MADRID - The deportation of hundreds of Moroccan youths from the Spanish enclave of Ceuta in August, 2021 after a mass border crossing was illegal, Spain's Supreme Court ruled on Monday, dealing a blow to the leftist coalition government's immigration policy.
The judges dismissed the government's appeal against an earlier ruling by a local court in Ceuta that had ordered Madrid to ensure the youths' return to Spain as it deemed their expulsion unlawful.
A spokesperson for the Interior Ministry said it had "maximum respect for judicial decisions" but declined to comment further on the ruling or its practical consequences.
The underage and unaccompanied migrants had crossed into the North African enclave alongside some 12,000 people in May 2021, at the peak of a diplomatic row between Madrid and Rabat over Western Sahara.
Around 700 of them were sent back to Morocco in mid-August following an agreement between the neighbouring countries.
The Supreme Court said the minors' collective expulsion flouted not only domestic immigration laws, but also breached the European Human Rights Convention.
Spanish legislation requires an individual administrative procedure for each minor who is deported with information on their specific circumstances, and a proper hearing if they are deemed mature enough.
Authorities in Ceuta failed to meet any of these conditions, the Supreme Court ruled, adding that the minors' rights to physical and moral integrity were violated, as they were "put in serious danger of suffering physical or psychological harm".
Lawyers for the Spanish government had invoked "exceptional circumstances" due the mass crossings, but the court said the European Convention on Human Rights, of which Spain is a signatory, clearly banned the collective expulsion of foreigners. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/spains-top-court-rules-mass-deportation-of-minors-to-morocco-was-illegal
| 2024-01-22T17:32:38Z
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The secret identity of a curious group of fossils has been revealed after palaeontologists sifted through almost 500 papers and got to watch a world-first microscope observation on YouTube. The fossils look a bit like a fingerprint that’s sloughed off, but they are, in fact, the encysted remains of a group of organisms that are neither plant nor animal.
The fossils have been misidentified over the years due to strange lines or “ribs” that mark their surface, making them look a bit like a fingerprint. Unsure of what to do with them, scientists slapped on the label Pseudoschizaea, imagining they were some kind of shell, but new research has pointed to an alternative explanation.
An international team realized they could be looking at euglenoids, a group of single-celled protists that are neither plant nor animal. Like plants, euglenoids photosynthesize, but like animals, they also eat. They’re thought to date back around a billion years to the start of the eukaryotic branch of the tree of life, but we haven’t found many of them in the fossil record.
To test if they were onto something, the team sifted through hundreds of sources on animals resembling Pseudoschizaea, covering specimens that dated back almost 500,000 years in the fossil record. The theory was that the fossils may be encysted euglenoids, which is a magic trick they use to survive harsh conditions by buckling down into a little ball. A skill that could explain why they’ve persisted for such a long time on Earth.
"Perhaps related to their capabilities to encyst, these organisms have endured and survived every major extinction on the planet," said Bas van de Schootbrugge, then at the Goethe University in Frankfurt am Main, in a statement. "Unlike the behemoths that were done in by volcanoes and asteroids, these tiny creatures have weathered it all."
The only problem was that nobody to date had ever been able to observe a euglenoid encysting in a lab, but then along came microscopy enthusiast Fabian Weston from Sydney, Australia. His footage of water taken from a nearby pond in New South Wales posted to YouTube ended up capturing the moment the Euglena balled up and formed cysts with little lines similar to those seen in our mystery fossils.
“Unwittingly, Fabian provided a key piece of evidence,” said Paul Strother from Boston College. “He is probably the only person on the planet to have witnessed Euglena encyst under a microscope.”
The findings enabled the team to establish a timeline for euglenoids that goes back 400 million years, pieced together with the help of 200-million-year-old fossils and pond sediments from the Triassic-Jurassic boundary, as well as extant euglenoids living and encysting today.
“This opens the door for recognizing even older examples, for example from Precambrian records that go back to the very root of the eukaryotic tree of life,” concluded Strother.
“Now that we know which organisms produced those cysts, we can also use them for paleo-environmental interpretations. Their abundance around two of the largest mass-extinction events of the past 600 million years is a tell-tale sign of some major upheavals on the continents related to increased precipitation under extreme greenhouse climate conditions.”
The study is published in the journal Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology.
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https://www.iflscience.com/200-million-year-old-problematic-microfossils-finally-identified-and-theyre-super-weird-72569
| 2024-01-22T17:42:59Z
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A new noninvasive brain stimulation technique that has the potential to help people living with memory loss due to Alzheimer’s disease has been developed by scientists from the UK Dementia Research Institute. We spoke to the first author of the new paper, Dr Ines Violante, Senior Lecturer in Psychological Neuroscience at the University of Surrey, to find out more about the study and what’s next for this research.
The road from idea to laboratory
The technique is called temporal interference (TI), and it was first described by a team at Imperial College London led by Dr Nir Grossman. Back in 2017, they successfully tested it in mice, opening up the possibility of its use in humans. However, there’s a very long way between a proof-of-concept in an animal and trying the technique out on human volunteers.
“There are a number of challenges,” Dr Violante explained to IFLScience. “Let’s just start with the anatomy. If we think about the size of the brain – very different, right? The size of the brain in a mouse is like the tip of my finger and, well, in humans that’s not the case!”
Not only are you dealing with two animals that have very different-looking brains, but the ethical and practical considerations around animal vs. human research are substantially different too. At the end of an experimental period, model animals may be sacrificed so that researchers can extract and examine brain tissues – clearly, this is not an option for human subjects. Safety concerns around human trials are also paramount, so they require careful planning.
Fortunately, TI is not the only noninvasive brain stimulation method that’s been used in humans. We have many years’ worth of safety data about other methods, including transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), and transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS). Some of these methods already have medical uses, and scientists have a good understanding of how humans react to them. Using this as a benchmark made designing a trial of TI in 20 healthy participants much easier.
But even with all of this careful planning, nature could still throw a spanner in the works.
“Unfortunately, we also had COVID in between [the mouse study and the human trial],” Dr Violante told IFLScience. “So we had to stop scanning for a year almost.”
Eventually, the team was able to accomplish their experiments in all 20 volunteers. But what does a session of TI actually feel like, and what is it doing to the brain?
How does it feel to have your brain stimulated?
The aim of TI is to replicate the targeted brain stimulation that has, up to now, only been achieved through surgery. Deep brain stimulation (DBS), where electrodes are implanted into the brain in specific areas, comes with some risks – but it does have important uses.
In Parkinson’s disease, it’s the main surgical treatment offered when drugs no longer work to control the symptoms. The electrodes deliver high-frequency stimulation to regions in the brain that help control movement, powered by a battery-operated generator that’s usually inserted under the collarbone (a bit like a pacemaker).
Although treatment for Parkinson’s may be its best-known application, DBS is also approved for use in obsessive-compulsive disorder, some forms of epilepsy, and other movement disorders. A recent study even suggested it could be transformative for people suffering the aftermath of a traumatic brain injury.
But there’s no denying that brain surgery comes with significant risks to the patient.
“Not everyone is a good candidate for DBS,” Dr Violante told IFLScience. “Having brain surgery is not your first port-of-call […] and for many conditions we don’t yet have good targets for DBS.”
By contrast, TI involves applying electrodes to the surface of the skull, in locations that can be carefully mapped and personalized to the individual. The subjects stay awake the whole time and can tell the researcher if something feels off or uncomfortable while the electrodes are delivering overlapping electrical fields over the target region.
"The idea is quite ingenious," Dr Violante said. "The idea is that you have at least two current sources [...] and there is a difference between [the] frequency of those two current sources [...] in the range of something that the brain is going to respond to."
"Because we're using two current sources, they will meet at some point, [where] they generate an interference pattern." It's this overlapping of different frequencies that the research in animals demonstrated had the ability to influence neuronal activity deep within the brain.
With other types of brain stimulation, such as tACS, it’s common for people to experience a tingling sensation, or some more unusual side-effects like the perception of flashing lights (called phosphenes) or a metallic taste in the mouth depending on the frequencies used. With TI, Dr Violante explained, most of the participants hardly felt a thing.
“One advantage of the high frequencies that we’re using with TI is that actually, the perception of the stimulation only occurs for higher intensities. If you would compare tACS and TI directly at an intensity where you’re already feeling the pins and needles and tingling sensations you have with tACS, you don’t feel them with TI, and this is something that we also show in the paper.”
The way that individuals experience brain stimulation differs enormously, but with TI the most common sensation was a slight pressure or heat. “We had one participant that reported it made them laugh!” Dr Violante recalled. An uncontrollable fit of the giggles certainly sounds preferable to complex brain surgery. But the million-dollar question is: does it work?
Does it work, and where do we go from here?
The recent study aimed to see whether TI had the potential to influence the hippocampus, the brain’s memory center, and the team first assessed this possibility using post-mortem brain tissues.
Then they moved to the healthy volunteers, applying the TI stimulation while they were being asked to memorize pairs of faces and names. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was able to show that the stimulation was selectively targeting the hippocampal activity that was being ramped up as the subjects were performing the memory exercise.
A later experiment involved a tougher memory test and longer stimulation sessions. Asking the participants to try to recall the names and faces they’d memorized 30 minutes later revealed that the stimulation led to improved memory accuracy – just as the team had hoped.
The next step, led by Dr Grossman and the team from Imperial College, is a clinical trial in patients with Alzheimer’s disease. Dr Violante explained to IFLScience that the aim is two-fold – clearly, the team needs to understand whether targeting the hippocampus in people who already have impaired memories is possible and beneficial, but they also need to learn more about who the treatment might work best for.
There’s a lot more work to be done before we could see TI being offered as a treatment in the clinic. But these first steps have been promising, and come alongside a separate study from a team in Switzerland who also validated the use of TI to target the human striatum.
The road from hypothesis to validated treatment may be long and winding, but it’s also peppered with lots of little wins.
“You put everything together in the scanner and nothing explodes. You don’t break any equipment, it’s great. When you start seeing that you do have some changes in brain activity, that’s really great,” Dr Violante told us. “And then when we see that we could indeed see changes in behavior by following this line from A to B to C, that was quite exciting.”
The study is published in the journal Nature Neuroscience.
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https://www.iflscience.com/how-a-new-brain-stimulation-technique-could-boost-memory-without-surgery-72565
| 2024-01-22T17:43:03Z
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Happy respiratory virus season kids! We’re now in the depths of winter, which has brought with it a triple threat of respiratory diseases – the so-called “tripledemic”. But what does that actually mean? And how concerned should we be? We’ve got you covered.
What is the tripledemic?
The term tripledemic refers to the combination of three respiratory viruses: COVID-19, influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Concerns were rife back in 2022, but seem to have sparked up again as the winter virus season rages.
“People are using the word ‘tripledemic’ to refer to three prominent respiratory viruses that began their circulation, unseasonably, very early this year,” Dr William Schaffner, medical director for the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, told GlaxoSmithKline.
“All of these… are active simultaneously, not to mention that there are other winter respiratory viruses that have not received quite as much publicity.”
As the weather gets colder, and people are forced indoors in closer proximity to one another, virus transmission increases, Schaffner explained, adding that an uptick in traveling over the holidays can also help drive this.
Should I be concerned?
COVID-19, flu, and RSV all have relatively similar symptoms. They all affect the respiratory system, so coughing, sneezing, and a runny nose are hallmarks of each. While such symptoms tend to be mild for most people, for older adults, young infants, or people with a compromised immune system, they can present a greater risk.
Unfortunately, it is possible to become infected by more than one virus at once – and while this can mean that symptoms are worse, they can also be the same, if not better, than when just one virus is present.
“We’ve had patients come into our clinics testing positive for both COVID and flu,” Dr Caroline Goldzweig, chief medical officer of the Cedars-Sinai Medical Network, told Cedars-Sinai blog earlier this month. “Having one doesn’t protect you from the other.”
While Goldzweig reported a steady rise in respiratory viruses since November, more recent national estimates suggest that cases might have fallen off in recent weeks.
Per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “the amount of respiratory illness (fever plus cough or sore throat) causing people to seek healthcare is elevated across most areas of the country, though some decrease in activity is noted.” The week ending January 19, 25 jurisdictions experienced “high or very high” levels of patients seeking care for respiratory illness symptoms – down from 37 the previous week.
Likewise, emergency department visits involving flu, COVID-19, and RSV are still elevated but seem to be decreasing. Meanwhile, COVID-19 and RSV test positivity has decreased, but influenza test positivity has remained stable.
How do I protect myself?
Fortunately, there are things you can do to protect yourself, and they’re no doubt things you’ve heard countless times before.
First up: vaccines.
The CDC recommends that everyone aged 5 years and older should get one dose of an updated COVID-19 vaccine to protect against serious illness.
There are also seasonal flu vaccines, which the CDC recommends for everyone aged over 6 months old – especially those at higher risk of developing serious flu complications. RSV vaccination is recommended for infants or pregnant people, and may be available to those over 60 on the advice of a doctor.
“Vaccines clearly assist in the prevention, particularly in the most serious aspects of both influenza and COVID-19,” added Schaffner. “By getting vaccinated you help protect yourself and may also extend some of that protection to your family, your neighbors, and your communities.”
Schaffner also advises hand-washing, staying home if you’re sick, wearing a mask, and social distancing.
“If we do become ill, we can contact our healthcare provider, particularly if we’re in one of these high-risk groups. [But] if you have any kind of questions, always it’s recommended to speak to your healthcare provider. Have that conversation.”
The content of this article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.
All “explainer” articles are confirmed by fact checkers to be correct at time of publishing. Text, images, and links may be edited, removed, or added to at a later date to keep information current.
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https://www.iflscience.com/the-winter-tripledemic-heres-what-to-know-72564
| 2024-01-22T17:43:04Z
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Distrust in science has become an ever-growing theme across the globe, not least in the US where the public perception of some scientific topics – notably COVID-19 and climate change – has become dominated by partisanship, politicization, and conspiracy theories. According to a new study, support for former President Donald Trump is a major variable that can predict whether a person will reject the scientific consensus on these subjects.
In other words, buying into populist Conservative ideology and “Trumpism” increases the chances of a person not believing the accepted science of COVID-19 and climate change.
These two subjects were the most outstanding sticking points, but Trumpism was also associated with people believing in a whole load of wildly anti-scientific ideas, albeit to a less significant extent.
“Trump approval correlates with other conspiracy or science-rejecting views. Trumpists indicate higher agreement not only with flat Earth and Moon landing conspiracies, but also that vaccinations implant tracking microchips, and COVID-19 dangers have been exaggerated by scientists,” the study reads.
“At the same time, they express lower agreement with scientific conclusions that the Earth is billions of years old, humans evolved from earlier forms of life, human activities are changing the climate, or vaccines are mostly beneficial,” it adds.
Some other interesting insights from the new study include:
- Women are more likely than men to reject COVID-19 vaccines, but climate change denial was equally common among both men and women.
- Science rejection is less common among people with higher levels of education.
- Vaccine rejection is more common in low-income households, although income has no impact on climate-change views.
- The probability of climate change denial increases with age, while the probability of vaccine rejection decreases as people get older.
- Around 10 percent of the total people surveyed thought the Earth is flat, while a further 9 percent were unsure whether the Earth is flat.
The new study was carried out by Professor Lawrence Hamilton, a sociologist at the University of New Hampshire, whose work uses statistical analysis to understand public perceptions of the environment, energy sources, and climate change.
To reach these findings, he analyzed data from an online survey called POLES 2021, answered by 1,134 US adults in the summer and early fall of 2021. The survey contains a variety of questions that asked about the respondents’ sociopolitical identity and background, as well as their views on things like the world’s climate and COVID-19.
The study notes that conservative political identity has long been associated with lower concern about environmental problems and traditionally rejects strong state interventions, such as lockdowns, vaccine mandates, etc. However, these themes have become supercharged over the past decade through populist politics, which has exploited a growing distrust of “the establishment” (whatever one perceives that to be).
“In the case of climate change and COVID, preexisting biases against scientists were reinforced by messaging from economic and political elites serving interests such as fossil fuel use or Trump’s re-election,” the study adds.
The study did not offer any ideas on how to regain the public’s trust in science, nor how this anti-science trend might develop in the years ahead.
Trump was voted out of the White House in 2020, but he remains a dominant force in US politics and his 2024 presidential campaign is gaining substantial traction. Whatever the future may hold, it seems like the rise of anti-science is far from over.
“Although Trump’s personal future is uncertain, his deep effects on US society are unlikely to go away soon; under some scenarios they could intensify. Even if support for Trump himself narrows, for example, elements of conspiracism and science rejection might become more pronounced among his core believers, or attach to new grievances and leaders,” the study concludes.
The new study is published in the journal PLOS One.
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https://www.iflscience.com/trumpism-is-linked-to-anti-science-beliefs-on-climate-change-and-covid-72558
| 2024-01-22T17:43:04Z
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Do video games make people more violent? It is a persistent belief among some people that they do, but the empirical evidence does not seem to support it. In fact, a new study has demonstrated that, contrary to making people more aggressive, playing violent video games can actually lower stress hormone levels in some players. It seems the relationship between video game content and player behavior is more complex than often assumed.
The idea that video games make people more violent has been a contentious claim for many years. Within the public sphere, random acts of violence have sometimes been blamed on the perpetrator’s use of video games. In fact, in 2019, after a series of school shootings in the US, many commentators blamed video games for inspiring violence.
Interestingly, previous research has shown that the video game explanation is often offered by people when the shooter is a white male, rather than Black. This seems to suggest a kind of cultural blind spot where racial minorities are more stereotypically associated with violence. But while the evidence continues to show that the relationship between video game content and violence is far more complicated, the whole “video games did it” argument continues to appear.
This belief motivated researchers to take a closer look at the assumed association by examining the physiological and psychological effects of violent video games on players.
“I am interested in this topic as I am a gamer myself. Since I was little, I was fascinated by video games and the virtual worlds. I played because it was fun, because I enjoyed the competition, to enjoy good stories, but also to relief some stress of my daily life,” study author Gary L. Wagener, a doctoral researcher at the University of Luxembourg, told PsyPost.
For Wagener, the inconsistencies between studies into video games and violence were a point of curiosity. Although there are some that have suggested a potential link between video games and heightened aggression, others have shown that this is not the case. But the media depictions of violent games do not reflect the complexity of this ongoing debate. As such, he decided to “investigate violent video game effects myself”.
Wagener recruited 54 male participants through a mix of university mailing lists, social media, and advertisement posters. Each participant was randomly assigned to either play a violent or non-violent part of the video game "Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End". Each participant played their assigned passage for 25 minutes.
Before and after the participants played the game, researchers measured their levels of cortisol (a stress hormone) and testosterone using saliva samples. Participants also completed questionnaires to measure their personality traits. These questionnaires assessed the “Dark Tetrad” or “triad” traits, which include levels of narcissism, psychopathy, sadism, and Machiavellianism.
Finally, the participants took an Implicit Association Test to measure their aggressive tendencies.
Contrary to what you might expect, the results found no significant changes to levels of testosterone in either group. Moreover, participants who played the violent part of the game actually had lower cortisol levels after it. This suggests that, rather than increasing stress, the violent content may have actually relaxed the players.
In addition, the Implicit Association Test results showed no significant difference between the two groups of participants.
“What was surprising for us in the end was that playing a violent video game had no effect on aggression whatsoever, even taking physiological effects and personality into account but it provided even beneficial physiological effects,” Wagener added.
“The average person should take away from this study that there is no clear picture that violent video games are harmful for players,” Wagener explained. “They do not necessarily increase aggression in any way but can even have positive relaxing effects for players.”
This finding is significant but the study still has its limitations. Firstly, the results cannot necessarily be generalized to other games. Wagener and colleagues are continuing to broaden the material they use to gain a greater understanding of these findings.
Secondly, the study focuses solely on male participants. This was principally done to reduce variability and control factors linked to menstrual cycles and oral contraceptives, which could impact hormone levels. This then opens the prospect of studying the influence violent games may have on women.
Future research will need to address these limitations. A larger pool of content and larger sample sizes using both male and female participants would add more detail to our understanding of this complex relationship between video games and violence.
Wagener and colleagues are viewing this as the first step in ongoing research. Hopefully, we will be seeing a sequel to this work in the near future.
The paper is published in Physiology & Behavior.
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https://www.iflscience.com/violent-video-games-dont-increase-aggression-and-might-actually-be-beneficial-72563
| 2024-01-22T17:43:05Z
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Hang around any supermarket for long enough and you’re sure to be approached by a mature shopper with a request to pass them a top-shelf item. And while it may seem impossible to imagine our future selves experiencing similar grocery woes, the reality is that your spinal column can start shrinking from as early as your 30s, leaving you staring up helplessly at those high-stacked objects in your later years.
The causes of this gradual demise are varied, with perhaps the most obvious being an increase in spinal curvature. Age-related slouching is known as kyphosis, and occurs as our muscle fibers dwindle over the years. As a result, the muscles surrounding the spine become weaker and we start to lose the battle against gravity, eventually becoming unable to stand up straight.
Fortunately, however, kyphosis is not an inescapable destiny, and can be avoided by maintaining an active lifestyle and getting regular exercise. Ideally, this is something we should all be aiming at throughout our lives, and it’s much easier to avoid kyphosis by staying active as we age than to reverse it by taking up exercise once we’re elderly.
And while slouching isn’t the same as shrinking, other age-related processes do cause us to literally become smaller. Among the most significant drivers of this shortening is a reduction in bone density, which is believed to be triggered by decreases in estrogen and testosterone as we get older.
Vitamin D deficiencies and a decrease in renal calcium absorption in older age can exacerbate this process, sometimes leading to a bone disease known as osteoporosis. As the bones become weaker and more porous, the vertebrae that make up our spine can become crushed under our own weight, producing breaks that are known as compression fractures.
Surprisingly, most compression fractures are pain-free, which is why we tend not to notice as our spines become increasingly compact over time. However, as these fractures accumulate and more of our vertebrae get squished, that top shelf may become more and more difficult to reach.
This effect is often compounded by the degeneration of spinal disks, which sit between our vertebrae and act as shock absorbers. From our 30s onwards, these disks can start to dry out, becoming less and less firm as they lose water.
With 23 disks in our spinal column, it only takes a few of these to decrease in height by a couple of millimeters before we start to notice ourselves shrinking.
Unfortunately, stretching probably won’t make you any taller, although living a healthy lifestyle can prevent excessive shrinking. A diet rich in vitamin D and calcium, for instance, can help bones stay young and minimize the risk of compression fractures, while regular exercise also keeps bones strong and reduces the possibility of developing osteoporosis.
The content of this article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.
All “explainer” articles are confirmed by fact checkers to be correct at time of publishing. Text, images, and links may be edited, removed, or added to at a later date to keep information current.
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https://www.iflscience.com/why-do-we-shrink-as-we-age-72566
| 2024-01-22T17:43:19Z
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“In this world nothing can be said to be certain,” wrote Ben Franklin in a letter to his pal Jean-Baptiste Le Roy in 1789, “except death and taxes.” This tells us two things: firstly, that Franklin knew a quotable turn of phrase when he saw one, and secondly, that he lived before the invention of the BMI.
In the last 50 years, the body mass index (BMI) has gone from a relatively obscure demographic tool to an ever-present gauge of personal worth. BMI over a certain number? Say goodbye to that life-changing surgery – in fact, good luck getting treated equally in pretty much any medical setting. Prepare to be undervalued and underpaid at work – if you can even get hired in the first place – and if you’re still at school, expect to be graded more harshly and perceived by your teachers as “more burdensome” than your thinner peers. Frankly, it’s no wonder that a higher BMI correlates with lower self-esteem, higher rates of depression and anxiety, and a higher likelihood of facing abuse from family and romantic partners.
And the real kicker in all of this? The BMI is bunk.
The BMI was not meant for you
With the level of importance we tend to impart upon the metric, you might expect the BMI to be the result of years of research by health experts. It’s not. In fact, it was never meant to be used on individuals at all.
“The BMI was introduced in the early 19th century by a Belgian named Lambert Adolphe Jacques Quetelet,” explained Stanford University mathematician and well-known science communicator Keith Devlin to NPR all the way back in 2009.
“He was a mathematician, not a physician,” Devlin pointed out. “He produced the formula to give a quick and easy way to measure the degree of obesity of the general population to assist the government in allocating resources. In other words, it is a 200-year-old hack.”
To a mathematician, or statistician, the metric kind of makes sense: over a large enough sample size, after all, the mean does indeed tend towards truth. But it was never intended to be a measure of health, or even of obesity – it was originally just an observation aimed at classifying some theoretical “average man”.
And yes, it was almost entirely men that Quetelet based his figures on – specifically, European men, mostly from France and Scotland, and if you’re starting to see a problem here then whew boy, hold on to your hats, because we’re not done yet. The concept doesn’t just assume you’re a white guy born in 19th century Ghent; it also presupposes a mostly sedentary lifestyle, a working age and able body, an average income and education level – hell, even an average complexion (three guesses as to what that was).
This is despite the fact that “our bodies, by nature, have some distinct characteristics driven by our gender, including that females generally have less muscle mass and more fat mass than males,” pointed out Nick Fuller, Charles Perkins Centre Research Program Leader at the University of Sydney, in a 2022 article for The Conversation. “We also know muscle mass decreases and shifts around the body as we age.”
Similarly, “research has also confirmed significant differences in body weight, composition and disease risk based on ethnicity,” he continued. For example, “people of Asian ethnicity should have a lower BMI, and people of Polynesian ethnicity could be healthier at higher BMIs,” he wrote.
Even in more modern variations of the index, though, the base data has been overwhelmingly white and male. In other words: not only is the BMI a population measure rather than an individual one, but you’re probably not even a member of the population it’s measuring.
The BMI does not measure health
So how does a relatively obscure population-wide statistical data point become a ubiquitous proxy for individual health? Well, it becomes a little clearer when you learn the identities of two of the main supporters of the metric’s use in healthcare: insurance companies, and drug companies.
“By 1867 the first American life insurance company created height and weight tables with the purpose of charging fat customers more,” explained author and journalist Aubrey Gordon in a 2021 episode of the podcast Maintenance Phase. “The entire history of the thing is a dude who thought he was doing a population analysis and then a series of people who grabbed onto it largely for-profit motives – first insurance companies and then drug companies.”
Working out a person’s BMI is cheap, and easy, and reduces a whole host of questions down to one relationship between two measurements – no wonder it took off. Looking at it from this perspective, its flaws as a health metric become even more glaringly obvious.
For proof of that, look no further than your favorite sportspeople. “[The BMI] makes no allowance for the relative proportions of bone, muscle and fat in the body,” noted Devlin. “But bone is denser than muscle and twice as dense as fat, so a person with strong bones, good muscle tone and low fat will have a high BMI.”
It’s why using the BMI alone will give you such unintuitive results as Tom Brady (BMI: 27.4; overweight, obese using pre-1998 definitions), Jonah Lomu (BMI: 34.5 at his prime; obese), or Shaquille O’Neal (BMI: a stonking 40.3 at his prime; severely obese) – or why Chris Hemsworth (BMI: 29.0) was playing a near-obese character in Thor: Love and Thunder even (perhaps especially) after the eponymous character’s buffing-up montage.
“Because of how Quetelet came up with it, if a person is fat or obese, he or she will have a high BMI,” Devlin explained. But "it doesn't work the other way round. A high BMI does not mean an individual is even overweight, let alone obese.”
And it’s when the BMI is compared against other ways of measuring health that its weaknesses really show through. Take, for example, the 2016 study of more than 40,000 Americans which concluded that “nearly half of overweight individuals, 29 percent of obese individuals and even 16 percent of obesity type 2/3 individuals were metabolically healthy” while “over 30 percent of normal weight individuals were cardiometabolically unhealthy.”
Similarly, the index cannot account for body fat distribution – and that matters a lot more than you might think. “If you have fat stored around your stomach, your risk of chronic disease is much higher than people who have fat stored around their hips,” explained Fuller, “because this is an indicator of how much visceral fat you have – the type of fat deep inside the belly that increases your risk of stroke, type 2 diabetes and heart disease.”
“[The BMI] lacks accuracy and clarity and, in its current form, misses measuring the many important factors that influence your risk of disease,” he wrote. “It should never be the only measurement you use.”
The BMI is statistical nonsense
But why, you might ask, is the BMI so useless? Well – why wouldn’t it be?
The legitimacy of the BMI as a meaningful metric is on shaky ground from the get-go: after all, “there is no physiological reason to square a person's height,” noted Devlin. That’s something Quetelet decided to do for more-or-less aesthetic reasons – he wanted the data collected to follow a Gaussian curve, and that was the ratio that provided one. (“If you can't fix the data, rig the formula!”, says Devlin.)
And, having calculated your BMI, things get even more esoteric. According to the CDC, a BMI of 25 or above makes a person “overweight”; 30 or more and the classification is “obese”. But nobody really knows where those cut-offs come from: “these are arbitrary numbers,” Katherine Flegal, a consulting professor in obesity epidemiology at Stanford University, told The Washington Post.
As such, it’s pretty useless for measuring health – and, frankly, it’s weird that we still use it.
“Imagine a sales rep comes to your clinic office to pitch a new gadget to gauge your patients' health,” wrote S. Bryn Austin, a professor of social and behavioral sciences at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and Tracy K. Richmond, an assistant professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School, in a 2022 MedPageToday article on the BMI’s shortcomings as a diagnostic tool.
“They tell you that it's not nearly as good as the measures you already have. It performs even worse with older people and athletes. It will drive large numbers of patients away, while it worsens symptoms in others. Then the sales rep adds sheepishly, at least it's cheap and easy to use,” they suggest.
“Would you buy it? Of course not, who in their right mind would?”
The content of this article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.
All “explainer” articles are confirmed by fact checkers to be correct at time of publishing. Text, images, and links may be edited, removed, or added to at a later date to keep information current.
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https://www.iflscience.com/your-bmi-is-not-a-health-measure-heres-why-72554
| 2024-01-22T17:43:25Z
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Prince Harry admitted that his first meeting with Meghan Markle's mother Doria Ragland marked "the end of the beginning" in his bombshell book Spare, which was released in 2023.
While discussing avoiding the media interest in his early relationship with Meghan, the Duke of Sussex reflected on the "nerve-wracking" dinner he had to celebrate Doria's 60th birthday. Just months after meeting at Soho House at 76 Dean Street for their first date in the summer of 2016, the couple returned there with Doria, who had flown in to spend time with the couple.
"We were celebrating Doria, celebrating being together, and doing it all at our favorite place," Harry wrote, before adding he felt added pressure to make sure the meeting went well considering the negative press about his relationship. I’d been quite nervous about that dinner. It’s always nerve-racking to meet a girlfriend’s mother, but especially when you’re currently making her daughter’s life hell."
Despite insisting the dinner was "wonderful", the Duke explained: "I look back on it now as the end of the beginning. The next day, the pap photos appeared, and there was a new flood of stories, a new surge along the many channels of social media. Racism, misogyny, criminal stupidity – it all increased."
Luckily, Doria had avoided being pictured leaving the dinner, but Harry's concern for his then-girlfriend increased after the paparazzi began to interfere with her work and her potential safety.
He claimed his father King Charles, whom he affectionately nicknamed "pa", simply told him to ignore the press intrusion, but he insisted in his book: "'It’s not that simple', I said angrily. 'I might lose this woman. She might either decide I’m not worth the bother, or the press might so poison the public that some idiot might do something bad, harm her in some way.'"
Doria also recalled her first impressions of Harry in a very rare interview as part of the couple's Netflix docuseries, Harry & Meghan. Discussing their meeting, which we can now assume was at this Soho dinner, Doria said: "He was 6’1, a handsome man with red hair, really great manners. He was just really nice. And they looked really happy together. Yeah, like he was the one."
The yoga instructor also revealed how she first learnt of her daughter's secret relationship with the royal. Reminiscing about their phone conversation, Doria said Meghan whispered: "Mommy, I'm going out with Prince Harry." She continued: "I started whispering [and said] 'Oh my god!'"
The Duke and his mother-in-law have continued to develop a close bond following his wedding to Meghan in 2018. Harry and Meghan have chosen to share some special moments with Doria – including involving her in their first wedding anniversary celebrations in 2019.
In Finding Freedom, co-authors Omid and Carolyn Durandit wrote: "On the anniversary of their first year of marriage, Harry and Meghan enjoyed a traditional Sunday lunch with Doria, her last meal before travelling back to LA."
After stepping back as senior members of the royal family and relocating to the United States in 2020, they are geographically much closer to each other, too. Doria's Los Angeles home is very close to the Montecito house the couple share with their two children Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
DISCOVER: Bedridden Queen Camilla, Meghan Markle's 'chill' breakfast & more private royal wedding mornings
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/brides/511644/prince-harry-first-meeting-mother-in-law-doria-marked-the-end-of-the-beginning/
| 2024-01-22T17:47:57Z
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While Prince William and Princess Kate and Zara and Mike Tindall have had fairytale romances, not every member of the royal family has had drama-free love stories.
Prince Andrew had a romance with an actress that was deemed scandalous before he married Sarah Ferguson, while Crown Princess Mette-Marit had a "wild" past before her royal wedding. Meanwhile, King Charles and Queen Camilla sparked backlash for their affair and King Edward's decision to abdicate due to his forbidden marriage was considered shocking at the time.
Join HELLO! as we take a closer look at some of the most controversial royal relationships behind palace walls that set tongues wagging…
Prince Andrew and Koo Stark
Five years before he married his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, Queen Elizabeth's son dated American actress Koo Stark for 18 months.
According to People magazine, Andrew even introduced her to his mother in 1982 and Buckingham Palace released a statement regarding her past, which saw her take part in daring photoshoots and film scenes.
"We do not know if the Queen was aware of the girl's acting career before she was invited to Balmoral," a spokesperson said.
READ NOW:
Crown Princess Mette-Marit and Crown Prince Haakon
Crown Prince Haakon married Crown Princess Mette-Marit, formerly known as Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby, on 25 August 2001. However, their relationship was considered unconventional due to her past before joining the Norwegian royal family.
The former waitress was a single mother to her four-year-old son Marius from a previous relationship when the couple were introduced by mutual friends in 1999.
After announcing their engagement in December 2000, they made the controversial decision to live together until their wedding took place eight months later.
Considered a modern-day Cinderella, Mette-Marit addressed her "wild" past in a press conference held shortly before the wedding. "My youth rebellion was much stronger than many others. That resulted in me living quite a wild life," she said, before condemning drugs and asking for a fresh start.
King Charles and Queen Camilla
King Charles III and Queen Camilla's unconventional love story most definitely upset the apple cart. Whilst the couple are now happily married, their romance got off to a sticky start when reports suggested that the monarch had an affair with Camilla during his marriage to Princess Diana.
When asked if he tried to be "faithful and honorable" to Princess Diana during their marriage, Charles replied: "Yes… until it became irretrievably broken down, us both having tried." He added: "Mrs. Parker Bowles is a great friend of mine… a friend for a very long time. She will continue to be a friend for a very long time."
After meeting at a polo match, Charles and Camilla first started dating in the 70s. They nonetheless called it quits when a young Prince Charles travelled overseas. Camilla went on to marry Andrew Parker-Bowles in 1973, and Charles wed Princess Diana in 1981. In 1992, Charles and Diana announced their split. Meanwhile, in 1995, Camilla filed for divorce from Andrew Parker-Bowles.
Nearly 30 years after they first met, Charles and Camilla eventually went public with their relationship in 1999. They went on to marry in 2005 in a civil ceremony at Windsor's Guildhall followed by a service of blessing at St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle.
Whilst key members of the royal family such as Prince Harry and Prince William attended the couple's ceremony, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip were notably absent on Charles's big day. The reason? According to the Telegraph, the late monarch bowed out because of her role as head of the Church of England, which discourages divorce.
Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson
Despite marrying for love, both Edward and Wallis were effectively exiled by the royal family. The once future King only returned to England a handful of times, most notably to attend two royal funerals: that of his brother in 1952, and later for his mother Queen Mary in 1953.
Why did their relationship cause such a scandal? Prior to finding love with Edward, Wallis had been married twice before. She married Earl W. Spencer (a navy pilot) in 1916 whom she divorced in 1927, and later wed Ernest A. Simpson in 1928 whom she divorced in 1936.
In light of her two divorces, Wallis was deemed socially and politically unacceptable as a prospective British queen. Beyond this, both the government and the crown rejected Edward's proposal to Wallis as the Church of England did not permit divorced people to remarry in the church.
Thus, on December 10, 1936, Edward famously renounced the throne before marrying Wallis in France at Chateau de Cande.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
Similar to King Edward, Prince Harry fell for a divorced American actress, Meghan Markle. The Suits star was previously married to film producer Trevor Engelson from 2011 to 2013.
After they confirmed their relationship in 2016, Harry issued a statement asking the press to stop the "wave of abuse and harassment" toward his girlfriend, which he said came in the form of "the smear on the front page of a national newspaper; the racial undertones of comment pieces; and the outright sexism and racism of social media trolls and web article comments."
The statement continued: "Prince Harry is worried about Ms. Markle’s safety and is deeply disappointed that he has not been able to protect her. It is not right that a few months into a relationship with him that Ms. Markle should be subjected to such a storm. He knows commentators will say this is ‘the price she has to pay’ and that ‘this is all part of the game’. He strongly disagrees. This is not a game - it is her life and his."
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have continued to open up about dealing with criticism around their relationship after tying the knot in 2018.
Princess Margaret and Peter Townsend
Prior to finding love with Antony Armstrong-Jones, Queen Elizabeth II's sister Princess Margaret sparked controversy with her engagement to Peter Townsend: King George VI's equerry.
News of their engagement sparked debate within the royal family given that Peter had been married before. Princess Margaret, who was just 25 years old at the time, needed the Queen's consent to marry a divorced man.
In 1955, Margaret issued a heartbreaking statement calling off her engagement. Her message read: "I would like it to be known that I have decided not to marry Group Captain Peter Townsend.
"Mindful of the Church's teachings that Christian marriage is indissoluble, and conscious of my duty to the Commonwealth, I have resolved to put these considerations before others."
Princess Mako and Kei Komuro
Princess Mako's fairytale love story rocked the Imperial House of Japan, leading her to give up her royal title.
Princess Mako, now known as Mako Komuro, fell head over heels in love with her beau Kei after they first crossed paths as students in 2012. And in 2018, the couple announced their decision to wed.
Just two months after the young lovebirds went public with their engagement, Kei became the subject of headlines, with numerous news outlets reporting on Kei's mother's alleged money dispute with her former fiancé.
The revelations sparked a public backlash, eventually leading Princess Mako's father to temporarily withhold his approval of their marriage. Despite the uproar, in November 2020, Crown Prince Akishino eventually gave his daughter the green light she needed to wed her university sweetheart.
DON'T MISS: Bedridden Queen Camilla, Meghan Markle's 'chill' breakfast & more private royal wedding mornings
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/brides/511813/scandalous-royal-romances-king-charles-crown-princess-mette-marit-more/
| 2024-01-22T17:48:03Z
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Audrey McGraw, daughter of country superstars Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, is not hiding the fact that The Lincoln Lawyer is taken.
The aspiring singer, 22, has hinted at a romance with Manuel García-Rulfo, 42, in the past, but made it all the more clear with her latest social media post.
Audrey is the youngest of Tim and Faith's three daughters; the two, who have been married since 1996, also share Gracie, 26, and Maggie, 25.
On Sunday, the youngest of the McGraw girls took to Instagram and shared the least coy of any of her previous photos hinting at her relationship with the actor.
She posted a moody photo of the star, in which he is looking head on at the camera standing in the middle of a dark street, illuminated by green-blue lighting.
Though Audrey shared the post without a caption, fans were quick to take to the comments section under it nonetheless, commenting on the hard launch.
"Lincoln Lawyer!!" one of her followers wrote with a praising hands and red heart emoji, as others followed suit with: "Who is this cutie?" and: "@manu_rulfo looking good and loving the smile," as well as: "Loved the show!"
Back in August, both Audrey and Manuel shared subtle photos of their time together in Germany, and they had previously shared photos of another trip to Mexico – where Manuel is originally from – as well.
Audrey is both an aspiring singer and actress, and attends the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, which has campuses in both New York City and Los Angeles.
Her older sister Gracie has similar interests of a career in entertainment, more specifically a passion for Broadway, and has previously performed with Broadway Sings.
MORE: Faith Hill's youngest daughter is an unexpected mini-me in stunning beach photo
Meanwhile, the middle McGraw sister, Maggie, has a Master's degree in Sustainability Science and Practice from Stanford, has worked as a staff assistant and legislative correspondent for congressman Jim Cooper – a Democratic representative from Tennessee – and her older sister previously shared that she is studying for the LSAT.
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/celebrities/511818/tim-mcgraw-faith-hill-daughter-audrey-romance-photo-manuel-garcia-rulfo/
| 2024-01-22T17:48:09Z
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It looks like Lauren Sanchez is still basking in the glow of a big month for birthdays, as the journalist and philanthropist took to social media to share outtakes from a big celebration.
She posted photos of her latest glam look on Instagram, which seemed to be from a star-studded celebration either for herself (Lauren turned 54 on December 19) or her fiancé Jeff Bezos (who turned 60 on January 12).
Based on photos shared by other attendees, Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom, Nicky Hilton, Jewel, Tina Chen Craig, Heidi Klum, even Ivanka Trump, and more, the theme for the night was space age and celestial.
Several of the attendees were seen in photos shared on Instagram dressed in shimmering gowns and carrying celestial-themed purses, including ones with star-signs and shaped like the moon.
Former The View guest host Lauren, however, went for a red-hot fit, opting to dress in a gorgeous gown that hugged her figure and was covered in stones from head to toe.
The outfit featured a deeply plunging neckline and a few cut-outs around it as well, and Lauren styled the fit with matching red heels, and the cutest of purses shaped like a tiny rocket, with a tassel mimicking its flaming path, as a tribute to her work with her fiancé on Blue Origin and space travel.
"Getting ready is sometimes the best part of the night," Lauren captioned her photos. "Thank you @laurabasci for creating this incredible dress for such a special evening."
MORE: Lauren Sanchez's 'mob wife' style has fans saying the same thing
Heidi commented: "You are the brightest gift to Jeff, Happy Birthday! We had a blast celebrating with you," while Jewel responded: "It was the best time!" and Kathy Hilton also wrote: "You look so gorgeous in that red dress!!! What a fun, beautiful evening."
The party comes just days after the former news anchor and licensed pilot attended the 2024 Living Legends of Aviation awards ceremony with her fiancé and other celebrity guests (and famed pilots) like Prince Harry and John Travolta.
MORE: Lauren Sanchez displays incredible physique in see-through dress for Jeff Bezos' 60th birthday
Lauren was inducted into the Hall of Fame at the ceremony and presented with the Elling Halvorson Vertical Flight Hall of Fame Award, and she reflected on the special occasion on social media.
"Honored to have been in the presence of aviation legends who have shaped the history and future of flight. Thank you @livinglegendsofaviation for this incredible recognition. Grateful to my loving family for their unwavering support," she sweetly penned.
The announcement of the news back in December reads: "From Emmy Award-winning journalist to helicopter pilot and aviation businesswoman, Lauren Sanchez's achievements in aviation and unwavering commitment to advancing women in the industry inspire us all. We are truly honored to recognize her with our highest award for vertical flight."
The star reacted with glee, sharing on Instagram: "I just can't believe it!!! What a huge honor it is to be recognized by the Living Legends of Aviation. Flying is my passion and this is truly such an honor. (You also have no idea how happy you made my dad, who has been a pilot since I was a little girl)."
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/fashion/celebrity-style/511817/lauren-sanchez-glamorous-figure-hugging-red-gown-cut-outs-birthday-celebration/
| 2024-01-22T17:48:15Z
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The Traitors' roundtables are dwindling in numbers, which can only mean one thing. Season two of the hit BBC show, which has kept millions entertained during the long month of January, is finally coming to an end. But how will the show conclude? Will Snake King Harry take home the prize pot? Will Ross avenge his mother? And when is this all set to go down? Find out when the show is ending, and what to expect, here…
Airing three times a week over Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, we have three episodes left of The Traitors before the show’s finale on 28th January, which will reveal whether the Traitors of Faithfuls will split the cash prize of up to £120,000.
Fans have been loving the show, which has taken on many twists and turns since Paul, Ash and Harry were named as Traitors in the first episode. After being joined by Miles by episode two, the Traitors have been engaging in plenty of traitorous activity themselves, with Ash quickly being spotted as a Traitor and picked off.
Miles followed after an unfortunate poisoned chalice situation, where the Faithfuls were quick to work out that Miles was the one who gave murdered Diane a murderous glass of fizzy rose - even though the roundtable charge was led by Miles’ fellow Traitor, Paul. Paul and Harry then recruited Andrew - but things didn’t go quite to plan for Paul after he casually bandied Harry’s name about during the car ride after asking - with Harry finding out about the situation - the Traitor quickly got in ahead of any betrayals that Paul had in mind by ruthlessly setting everyone against him during a roundtable.
While Harry appeared to be infallible - could his time be coming to an end after making a fatal misstep?
After Harry led the charge against Paul at the roundtable, the Faithfuls were confused when Charlie was murdered, and Harry left alive, considering that he had ‘masterminded’ the Traitors’ moves and showed himself to be a threat. However, after the latest challenge, Harry had a stroke of luck by managing to bag himself the shield, meaning that he was protected from being murdered.
As a result, Harry planned to keep his shield a secret, and then recruit another Traitor. When no one was murdered in the morning, he planned to reveal to everyone that he was carrying the Shield, leading them to think that the Traitors had attempted to murder Harry, but it hadn’t worked out.
However, the fatal misstep was recruiting Ross as a Traitor. Unbeknownst to Harry or Andrew, Ross is Diane’s son, who was murdered via rose by the Traitors. After Ross casually quizzed them both on why they had decided to pick off Diane, Harry replied, “She needed to be put in her place.”
With a new task to avenge his mother’s demise, Ross told the cameras his plan to take down Harry when and where he could. But will Ross’ plan of revenge pan out, or will Harry be one step ahead once again? We can’t wait to find out, and in the meantime, Twitter/X has been loving the discourse.
One person wrote: “Ross being recruited and saying he is going for revenge for his mum's murder is Exactly WHAT I NEEDED FROM THIS SHOW,” while another fan joked: “Love Island producers: ‘Same again this year?’ ‘Yeah, gets ratings, don’t mess.’ Traitors producers: ‘What if we engineered Hamlet?’”
How will the winner(s) be decided?
The finale is just as delightfully theatrical as the rest of the season - and if it follows season one, we already know how the final contestants will decide when the game is over. Instead of battling it out at the roundtable, the contestants will gather by the fire pit, and cast either green or red smoke into the fire. If they throw in green smoke, it means they are satisfied that the game is over. If one player throws in red smoke, the group has to vote out another play.
If there is one Traitor left in their midst by the time they all agree to end the game, that player takes home the prize. If not, the prize pot is split between the remaining Faithfuls. At this present moment in time; Harry, Andrew and Ross are still in the game as Traitors, while Evie, Mollie, Jaz, Zack and Jasmine are the remaining Faithfuls.
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/film/511814/the-traitors-ending-has-harry-blown-his-chances-with-new-recruit-and-how-will-the-winner-be-decided/
| 2024-01-22T17:48:21Z
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Cruising and children aren't two words that often go together, are they? 'Will my kids enjoy being at sea, will we feel claustrophobic, will we get seasick', are all concerns that had entered my head when considering the holiday.
However, friends of ours were cruise devotees and raved about their children having a blast, so we thought, let's give it a go – and I admit, we had the most amazing holiday. We are now officially cruisers.
My husband and I, and our two children aged 13 and 10, decided to do a 10 -night cruise around Italy, Croatia and Montenegro in August with Celebrity Cruises. The children were dying to visit Italy and none of us had visited Croatia or Montenegro, so we were all excited about the route.
Celebrity Cruise ships are owned by the Royal Caribbean Group and are known for their luxury and impressive Forbes accreditation. Our ship, Celebrity Beyond was a brand-new cruise liner complete with stunning interiors designed by Kelly Hoppen.
The ship boarded in Rome, stopping at the following ports: Olympia, Corfu, Dubrovnik, Kotor in Montenegro, Sicily, Naples, Florence/Pisa and back to Rome. What a wonderful itinerary!
Stepping onto Celebrity Beyond
Wow, wow, wow, were our words as we embarked the ship and explored. The ship was enormous, like a city on the sea and we were all blown away.
We were shown the way to our stateroom cabin which has beautiful views out to the ocean. The cabin had everything we needed – a lovely bathroom and spacious shower, and an ultra comfy king-sized bed featuring eXhale® bedding and CashmereTM mattresses. I've honestly never slept so soundly.
The children slept on a sofa transformed each evening into two beds. We didn't have to do this – our stateroom attendant would come in every day, late afternoon to set the bed up for us. We adored the plate of petite cakes brought to us each teatime in our room, always a welcome snack.
The room had ample and cleverly hidden storage for all of our belongings, and our favourite part was the in-room automation where you can control your air-con, TV and even the window blinds from the Celebrity Cruises app on your phone. Impressive. The app also had an on-board messaging service for over 13s which is very handy for locating your teenagers!
Walking around the ship for the first time, there was so much to see.
The upper deck featured a stunning main pool surrounded by sun loungers and a bar. Top tip: grab your sunlounger early on in the morning on days at sea as the pool area gets busy. We particularly loved the trolley drinks service direct to our sunloungers – ultimate relaxation.
Elsewhere on the ship were various plunge pools and jacuzzis dotted around, some with views out to sea.
The kids loved the deck with table tennis and pickleball, the outdoor cinema and running track. There's a beautiful garden too for leisurely sunset walks and a cocktail bar nearby.
The Magic Carpet bar and restaurant was something to behold… a cantilevered, floating platform that reaches heights of 13 stories above sea level and can move up and down the outside of the ship.
Inside the boat, we discovered the huge theatre, nightclub, casino, eight specialty restaurants, café (the kids loved getting their hot chocolates and cakes from here), art gallery and shops. There's also a gym, spa and kids' club.
Onboard activities and entertainment
Where do I start? There was so much to see and do.
By day, there were fun games organised around the pool – yes, I may have done pool Zumba, which was a blast. Brandon loved the pickleball tournaments, Zara had a go at the sketch class and they both enjoyed their pool time with new friends they made.
Down at the Kids' Club, they could run around in the vast hall playing ball sports and there were video games for a spot of downtime too.
The spa is a divine location for adults, offering more than 120 rejuvenating treatments, complete with a thermal suite, Persian garden and solarium.
After dinner, the cruise ship is abuzz with evening entertainment. There were two showings at the theatre so you could eat early or later – we saw everything from comedy to spellbinding dance shows and acrobats to magic.
At the Grand Plaza, the silent discos were a huge hit with young and old and the bands playing were wonderful to watch. We had a couple of evenings dancing in the club, and of course, we had to try our luck in the casino which was huge fun.
Drinking and eating
Celebrity Beyond boats 32 food and beverage venues, including eight specialty restaurants, with menus crafted by Michelin-starred chef, Cornelius Gallagher, inspired by the regions visited by the cruise ships.
For breakfast, we'd eat at the Ocean View buffet which catered to all tastes – from omelettes to pastries and an incredible all-day pizza bar. We often ate here for dinner too. For convenience, the ship also has a pool-side grill where you can grab a burger and chips to eat on your lounger should you fancy. Everything was so relaxed on board and the staff were fantastic, so helpful and efficient.
We also tried the Tuscan and Normandie restaurants which were included in our basic food and drink package (which was more than sufficient).
Some stand-out meals were at the amazing Le Petit Chef which is a must-try experience-meal. Animations are beamed down onto your plate and you watch as a tiny chef makes your meal, before the actual dish appears on your plate via the waiter. Our children absolutely loved it.
Eden restaurant was truly fabulous. Not only does it look spectacular with indoor walled gardens and tall glass windows, the experimental food was delicious (think raclette, lobster casserole, the freshest fish) and you have to try their cocktails – one comes in its own treasure chest.
We honestly could have stayed on board for weeks, the quality of the food was so good.
Ports of call
A big part of a cruise is the countries you visit, and our stops did not disappoint.
From exploring the picturesque beaches and tavernas of Corfu to wandering around Dubrovnik's beautiful old town, we lapped up the culture.
Our youngest wasn't the biggest sightseeing fan (gelato kept her going), but our son enjoyed the new places and learning about their history. In Naples, we went for a traditional pizza and booked a Celebrity Cruises excursion to Pompeii, the ancient city, and had a fascinating morning exploring the ruins.
In Dubrovnik and Sicily, we found stunning coves to snorkel in – some of our highlights of the trip. In Kotor, Montenegro, the ship docked close to the old town so it was easy to explore on foot. The boys were full of energy and climbed part way up the imposing mountain on a tourist trail, while Zara and I happily strolled back to the ship's air con. August is hot!
In Pisa, we loved visiting the famous Leaning Tower and doing the obligatory 'pushing it over' pictures. Such fun and an interesting afternoon.
Arriving back in Rome, we stayed on for an extra couple of days and walked the city's sights, seeing the Colosseum, historic piazzas and Roman ruins.
Our views on the cruise
I think you can tell we adored our time on the cruise. It was such a relaxing and fun way to see new places and experience different cultures.
One of my best memories is the joy of our cabin blind going up every morning to be greeted with a new port; the excitement never got old.
I had thought I might get bored on a cruise ship or fed up with so many people around, but it was quite the opposite. The ship was so big with so much to do, I could have stayed on indefinitely. We loved the freedom and chilled, happy vibe on board.
Another welcomed touch was the cold face towel and cool drinks on offer at port before you stepped back onto the ship. After walking in the heat it was so needed.
None of us felt seasick at any point. Even the last night on board with a slightly choppy sea didn't affect us, much to our surprise.
Our children loved the cruise just as much as we did. I know some cruises offer kids' facilities such as water slides and high rope climbing, and although our kids would have loved that, I feel it would have changed the feel of the ship. We liked the laid-back family feel rather than a ship overrun with children, so for us, the setup was perfect.
Just one thing to say, take me back!
To book with Celebrity Cruises or for further information visit www.celebritycruises.co.uk, call 0800 240 4286 or contact your preferred travel agent.
Prices are subject to availability and change, depending on supply and demand. Price includes taxes and fees, excludes additional amenities. Please see www.celebritycruises.co.uk for full Terms and Conditions.
In 2024, Celebrity Beyond is spending her first summer season in the Caribbean offering trips to the private island ‘Perfect Day at CocoCay’ for the first time.
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Roman Hrynkevych was detained on 22 January while trying to cross the border in Odesa Oblast. He and four other suspects in custody have been probed under fraud charges linked to a corruption scandal around Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense’s (MoD) procurement contracts. Hrynkevych was to be brought to court and remanded today, said the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI).
The Hrynkevych case makes a high-profile example of Ukraine’s anti-graft actions taken against frontline supply violations. Earlier on 29 December 2023, Roman’s father, Ihor Hrynkevych, was arrested after allegedly offering a $500,000 bribe to a senior SBI official. His companies are alleged to have violated the MoD’s procurement contracts, resulting in a financial loss to the state amounting to UAH 934 million ($25 million).
The Hrynkevychs and their three suspected accomplices face charges of fraud and formation of a criminal organization. They signed contracts with the MoD to supply Ukraine’s Armed Forces with clothes, later allegedly failing to fulfill their obligations. The investigation found that Ihor Hrynkevych’s companies were previously involved in construction and did not have proper production facilities, warehouses, and other infrastructure for producing and storing products for the MoD’s needs.
The SBI says six contracts were not fulfilled at all; under at least seven contracts, the businessman’s companies supplied goods to military units reportedly insufficiently but received state funding for the complete fulfillment of their obligations. The SBI also found that the Hrynkevych’s companies allegedly executed eight contracts with a delay of three to five months. As a result, Ukraine has experienced budget fund losses and supply disruptions on the frontline, the SBI claims.
On 17 January, the MoD canceled the last contract with Ihor Hrynkevych’s companies that had still been in effect. Reportedly, Hrynkevych Jr. headed to Odesa to flee from justice abroad. The next day, SBI declared Roman Hrynkevych wanted. On 19 January, the court ordered his arrest. He could not be detained earlier due to lack of evidence, according to the SBI.
Five defendants in the case may face up to 12 years in prison. As per Defense Minister Umerov, audits and investigations conducted at the ministry in the past four months have revealed previously committed violations amounting to more than UAH 10 billion ($260 million).
Read more:
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https://euromaidanpress.com/2024/01/22/anti-graft-watchdog-key-mod-procurement-corruption-scandal-suspect-caught-trying-to-escape-ukraine/
| 2024-01-22T18:04:02Z
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Poland will provide Ukraine with a new package of weapons, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on 22 January on X (Twitter).
The announcement followed a meeting between Zelenskyy and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk during Tusk’s visit to Kyiv on the morning of 22 January.
Today, we had very productive talks in Kyiv with @DonaldTusk about all aspects of Ukrainian-Polish bilateral relations.
We appreciate Poland's unwavering support and the new military aid package for Ukraine, as well as a new form of cooperation aimed at larger-scale arms… pic.twitter.com/m5QCm67acD
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) January 22, 2024
“There is a new Polish defense package. We appreciate Poland’s unwavering support and the new military aid package for Ukraine, as well as a new form of cooperation aimed at larger-scale arms purchases for Ukrainian needs: a Polish loan for Ukraine,” Zelenskyy said on Twitter.
According to Zelenskyy, they held “very productive” talks on all aspects of bilateral relations between Ukraine and Poland. “We discussed the possibilities of future joint weapons production as well. Thank you for supporting Ukraine!” Zelenskyy wrote.
Tusk also said Poland will support Ukraine’s swift accession to the EU. In addition, the Polish government will appoint an authorized representative to reconstruct Ukraine.
Previously, following Tusk’s visit, it became known that Poland joined the G7 declaration on “security guarantees” for Ukraine. Both countries will start working on a bilateral security agreement.
The G7 leaders presented the declaration at the July NATO summit in Vilnius. The Group of Seven comprises Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the European Union.
Read also:
- Cyprus becomes 30th country to join G7 declaration on security guarantees for Ukraine
- Japan: G7 stands resolute in supporting Ukraine despite Middle East turmoil
- G7 to impose sanctions on Russian diamonds by early 2024
- Meloni pledges support for Ukraine in first call to international leader, Zelenskyy, as G7 president
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https://euromaidanpress.com/2024/01/22/zelenskyy-poland-allocates-ukraine-with-new-defense-package/
| 2024-01-22T18:04:42Z
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On Unity Day, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a decree “On the territories of the Russian Federation historically inhabited by Ukrainians,” the Presidential Office reported on 22 January.
According to the decree, the Cabinet of Ministers is developing an action plan for preserving the national identity of Ukrainians in Russia, particularly in historically Ukrainian-inhabited lands.
“This means reclaiming the truth about our past for Ukraine’s future,” Zelenskyy said.
According to the president, the government must gather facts and evidence about “crimes committed against Ukrainians living (or having lived) in Russia, about the policy of forced Russification, political repression and deportation of Ukrainians, [and] restoration and preservation of historical memory.”
The decree also aims to counter Russian disinformation regarding the history and present-day lives of Ukrainians in Russia. It orders the dissemination of materials on “the over-the-thousand-year history of Ukrainian state-building” and the “historical ties of lands inhabited by ethnic Ukrainians to Ukrainian national state entities in different historical periods.”
This history will also be represented in educational programs and textbooks.
22 January is the day of the proclamation of the Act of Unification of the Ukrainian People’s Republic and the Western Ukrainian People’s Republic in 1919. Since 1999, Ukrainians have celebrated the Day of Unity of Ukraine annually.
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https://euromaidanpress.com/2024/01/22/zelenskyy-signs-decree-acknowledging-russian-territories-historically-populated-by-ukrainians/
| 2024-01-22T18:05:22Z
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Nick Cannon may have countless upcoming milestones to celebrate for the coming decades between all of his kids, but the nearest one might be the craziest to date.
The television personality, 43, has welcomed a total of 12 children with six different women, his oldest being twins Moroccan and Monroe, 12, who he shares with ex-wife Mariah Carey.
Now, come April, the twins will officially take a stab at teenagerdom, and their dad cannot believe it.
Recently speaking with People about the "crazy" milestone, Nick said: "It's crazy, man. I was just talking to them about that," adding: "13! That's a big age, too. I remember that age like it was yesterday."
He continued: "Then you think in five more years they'll be college students and adults, and it's like, 'Whoa. Wow.' Time flies like crazy."
Nick further joked: "You scroll through your iPhone and they send you those photos like, 'This was three years ago today,' and you are like, 'Yo, I thought that was last week,'" noting: "You just see the growth just right before your eyes."
Nick and his ex-wife Mariah welcomed their twins in 2011, exactly three years after their wedding in 2008; they were together until 2016.
MORE: Mariah Carey's daughter, 12, towers over twin brother in new photos – and she looks so different
MORE: Mariah Carey shares special Christmas plans with twins Moroccan and Monroe
Besides Moroccan and Monroe, Nick has grown his brood with kids Golden Sagon, Powerful Queen, Zion Mixolydian, Zillion Heir, Legendary Love, Onyx Ice, Rise Messiah, Beautiful Zeppelin, and Halo Maire. He had another son, Zen, born in 2021, though he died at five months old after being diagnosed with brain cancer.
He welcomed Golden, six, in 2017, with Brittany Bell, with whom he also shares Powerful, three, born in 2020, and Rise, born in October 2022.
In 2021, he welcomed another set of twins, sons Zion Mixolydian and Zillion Heir, with model and DJ Abby de la Rosa. He also shares with her daughter Beautiful, his 11th child, born in November 2022, a month after his son Rise with Brittany was born.
Plus, in July of that year, he welcomed son Legendary with Selling Sunset star Bre Tiesi. His daughter with LaNisha Cole, Onyx Ice Cole, was born in September 2022, and he also has Halo Marie, born in December of 2022, with Alyssa Scott, who was the mother of his other son, Zen, who passed away.
In his conversation with People, he also maintained he has no plans of welcoming a 13th child, telling the outlet: "I'm chilling right now. There's no plans on the horizon as of yet," and he wondered: "It's like, 12 ain't enough?"
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/healthandbeauty/mother-and-baby/511820/nick-cannon-crazy-next-chapter-twins-mariah-carey/
| 2024-01-22T18:40:36Z
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Sanjay Shah, the CEO and founder of Chicago-based tech company Vistex, tragically passed away during a horrific accident at a company party in India.
The incident took place at the company's silver jubilee celebration at Ramoji Film City in Hyderabad, India on Thursday, January 18, which was attended by nearly 700 people, including company employees, their friends, and family.
The 56-year-old Shah and the company's president, Raju Datla, intended to kick off the grand celebration by arriving in a large mechanical cage that used machinery to glide in from the top of the stage.
As music played in the background and fireworks went off, the cage was meant to lower the two down, but ended up snapping and tipping over instead, dropping the two men over 20 feet.
The two were immediately rushed to the hospital, where Shah, a native of Mumbai who had been living in Chicago, succumbed to his injuries and Datla remains in critical condition.
Both Shah and Datla were based in the United States and had arrived in the South Indian city for the special event to celebrate with the employees of the Hyderabad branch. A video of the accident quickly went viral on social media.
Police sub-inspector D Karnakar Reddy spoke with Indian publication The Indian Express about the incident, which he said was reported by one of the employees nearly an hour after it took place. The venue and its management team, he said, have been booked for negligence.
"It is a stunt usually seen during dance performances on stage," he told the outlet. "The 6mm iron cable used [to support the cage] snapped. We feel it was substandard and safety precautions were not in place but we will wait for a report from experts."
He continued: "We have booked the management of Ramoji Film City and others involved in the event. No arrests have been made so far and the investigation is on."
Providing further details of the event as well, the police official said: "It was just the beginning of the event. The father, mother, wife and brothers of the deceased were present in the audience. Around 680 people from the Hyderabad branch were in the audience."
Shah founded Vistex, an enterprise resource planning solutions firm, in 1999 and moved to the United States over 20 years ago. An alum of Lehigh University in Pennsylvania, he was also responsible for setting up the Vistex Foundation and the Vistex Institute for Executive Learning and Research at Lehigh.
Vistex's official website says of Shah: "Under Sanjay’s leadership, Vistex has grown into a global organization dedicated to transforming how businesses across multiple industries bring their products and services to market by taking control of mission-critical processes."
A glimpse of the company's headquarters in Chicago
Datla, meanwhile, had been with the company since 2000. He is described on their website as bringing "an extraordinary amount of focus, energy, and discipline to ensure that Vistex customers get the most value out of their technology investment."
Chicago-based CBS affiliate WBBM-TV reported that the Vistex flag in Barrington now sits at half-mast as a sign of mourning.
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/news/511821/tech-ceo-death-horrific-accident-company-party-700-people-vistex/
| 2024-01-22T18:40:42Z
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TORONTO - Canada on Monday announced a two-year cap on the intake of foreign students after an explosive growth in recent years aggravated the housing shortage. Last year Canada issued nearly one million study permits, about three times that of a decade ago, according to government data and the new proposal will cut the intake by nearly a third.
Here is how the new plans will work and what's at stake.
WHAT ARE THE DETAILS?
Canada's Immigration Minister Marc Miller said the Liberal government will introduce a temporary, two-year cap on student visas, which will result in the issue of about 364,000 visas in 2024.
The new proposals will also set limits on post-graduate work permits issued to foreign students, which will likely encourage them to return to their home countries. The permits were previously seen as an easy path to securing permanent residency. People pursuing master's or post-doctorate programs will be eligible for a three-year work permit.
Spouses of international students enrolled in other levels of study, including undergraduate and college programs, will no longer be eligible, Miller said. The acceptance of new study permit applications in 2025 will be subject to reassessment at the end of the current year, he said.
WHY IS GOVERNMENT CRACKING DOWN?
Canada has emerged as a popular destination for international students since it is relatively easy to obtain work permits after finishing courses. But the surge in international student led to acute shortage in rental apartments, which pushed up rents. Just in December, rents nationwide rose 7.7% from a year earlier, according to Statscan.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's popularity has taken a hit mainly due to the affordability crisis, and the opposition Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre has taken a commanding lead over Trudeau in opinion polls ahead of an election next year.
Apart from the rental crisis, the government has also been concerned about the quality of education provided by some of the institutions.
WHO WILL THIS IMPACT?
International students are also a cash cow for universities as they bring in about C$22 billion ($16.4 billion) annually and the move will hurt many institutions that had ramped up their campuses in the hope of a continued inflow of students. Ontario, the most populous province, received the biggest share of international students. Some businesses, including restaurants and retail sectors, have warned that a cap on foreign students will create shortage of temporary workers.
Restaurants across Canada are grappling with labour shortages with nearly 100,000 vacancies, and international students made up 4.6% of 1.1 million workers in the food service industry in 2023, a lobby group told Reuters last week.
Canadian banks had benefited from the influx of new students, as each student was required to have a Guaranteed Investment Certificates (GIC) of more than C$20,000, a prerequisite for international students to cover living expenses.
The vast majority, about 40%, of foreign students come from India, with China coming in second with about 12%, according to official data from 2022. REUTERS
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| 2024-01-22T19:04:22Z
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LONDON – Stocks moved higher in the US and Europe on Jan 22, with both the Dow and the S&P 500 building on record gains seen ahead of the weekend on growing optimism for the American economy.
Expectations that the Federal Reserve will not be cutting rates as soon as many investors hoped failed to dent the upbeat mood ahead of a heavy week of US corporate earnings.
Investors will also see on Jan 25 data on fourth-quarter growth in the United States, which could offer clues on when the Fed might start ease rates.
“Optimism is back, more and more investors think the downward trend for stocks is over,” said Mr Pierre Veyret, an analyst at ActivTrades.
Technology stocks drove a US market rally on Jan 19 that saw the Dow and S&P 500 index reach an all-time high, and this week will see results from Netflix and Tesla among the wave of heavyweights reporting.
The Dow rose above 38,000 points for the first time on Jan 22.
Wall Street’s rally on Jan 19 was helped by a closely watched survey from the University of Michigan showing a surge in consumer confidence and optimism about falling inflation.
“Investors appear unperturbed by the prospect of an avalanche of earnings heading their way,” said Mr Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at the trading platform IG.
“Stocks have once again defied the doubters by moving higher, after their brief outbreak of worry about the path of interest rates in the US and elsewhere,” he said.
While the European Central Bank is unlikely to cut rates at its policy meeting on Jan 25, all eyes will be on its president Christine Lagarde after she said last week that rate cuts could be coming this summer.
In the US, a string of data in recent weeks has shown inflation remains sticky and well above the bank’s two per cent target, while the jobs market continues to show resilience despite borrowing costs sitting at two-decade highs.
Minutes from the Fed’s most recent meeting also showed decision-makers were happy to keep monetary policy tight until they are confident prices are under control.
On Jan 19, San Francisco Fed boss Mary Daly said it was likely too early to think of moving just yet, while Atlanta Fed chief Raphael Bostic said on Jan 18 that he did not expect a policy tweak until the third quarter.
The chances of a reduction before the end of the first quarter fell last week to less than 50 per cent, having been above 80 per cent the week before, Bloomberg News reported.
Asian equities closed mixed, with Japanese stocks extending gains since the start of the year thanks to a weaker yen and rising Japanese inflation, ahead of a Bank of Japan policy decision later this week.
But Shanghai and Hong Kong saw heavy selling because of worries about ongoing weakness in China’s economy and a lack of measures aimed at kickstarting growth.
Oil prices saw choppy trading on Jan 22, moving higher as worries about potential supply disruptions in the Middle East offset a recent report by the International Energy Agency slashing its demand growth forecast.
“Markets continue to exercise caution over supply disruption in and around the Red Sea,” Mr Beauchamp said. “The prospect of further US retaliation on Houthi rebels in Yemen as well as on militants in Iraq and Syria is keeping the downside limited.” AFP
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| 2024-01-22T19:04:33Z
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DOHA – Debutants Tajikistan struck twice late on to beat Lebanon 2-1 and reach the Asian Cup knockout rounds on Jan 22 but China’s hopes are hanging by a thread after defeat to Qatar.
It was a night of drama as Group A drew to a thrilling conclusion full of twists and turns.
Hosts and holders Qatar were already through to the last 16 as group winners but China, Lebanon and Tajikistan were all fighting to progress with them.
The top two from each of the six groups qualify automatically but going with them are the four best third-placed teams, adding an extra layer of intrigue.
Tajikistan are one of the revelations of the tournament under their colourful Croatian coach Petar Segrt.
“Believe me, I don’t care who is coming,” the 57-year-old told beINSPORTS, asked who he wanted to face next.
“This is a historic moment. Tomorrow we will have a meeting with the president of our country.”
Qatar finished with a perfect nine points, with Tajikistan on four, China two and Lebanon one – and on their way home.
Tajikistan thought they had taken the lead on the cusp of half-time but the referee ruled the goal out for the tightest of offsides.
Their misery was compounded almost immediately after the restart when Bangkok United forward Bassel Jradi arched in a delicious strike from the edge of the area to put Lebanon ahead.
But Lebanon soon had a man sent off when a VAR check upgraded Kassem El Zein’s yellow card for a studs-up challenge to a red.
With a man advantage, Parvizdzhon Umarbaev levelled in the 80th minute with a free-kick.
As things stood the Tajiks were going through, but they continued to push for a winner and got it in the second of 16 minutes of injury time through Nuriddin Khamrokulov’s delicate backwards header.
In the other game, Qatar defeated a blunt China 1-0 and the Chinese must now hope for a miracle – that their two points is enough to qualify as one of the four best third-placed teams.
If China do go out they can have no complaints – they failed to score in any of their three matches and could not beat or even draw with a much-changed Qatar side who had already topped Group A.
Hassan Al-Haydos’ 66th-minute wonder goal gave the hosts and holders a perfect three wins from three in Doha.
A corner picked out Haydos lurking on the edge of the box and he lashed a volley into the net.
China will rue several missed chances, especially in the first half, with Wei Shihao especially profligate in front of goal. AFP
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| 2024-01-22T19:04:43Z
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AL RAYYAN, Qatar - Asian Cup debutants Tajikistan qualified for the last 16 in dramatic fashion as they came from behind to snatch a last-gasp 2-1 victory over 10-man Lebanon in Group A after scoring their first ever goals in the tournament on Monday.
Having had two goals ruled out by VAR and finding themselves 1-0 down, Tajikistan did not let up and scored through Parvizdzhon Umarbayev as the skipper found the top corner from a free kick in the 80th minute.
The winner came in added time from Nuriddin Khamrokulov whose effort looped over goalkeeper Mostafa Matar to seal a historic win for Tajikistan, who finished second in the group with four points behind table-toppers Qatar.
Lebanon took the lead two minutes into the second half when Bassel Jradi curled a shot from the edge of the box past the outstretched hand of keeper Rustam Yatimov to bring the crowd to their feet.
But Lebanon were reduced to 10 men in the 56th minute when Kassem El Zein was sent off after a stamp for which he initially received a yellow card before VAR asked the referee to take a second look and it was upgraded to red.
Qatar, who had already won the group and sealed a last-16 place, rested key players but still beat China 1-0 after captain Hassan Al-Haydos scored the winner with a fantastic volley from a corner after 66 minutes to give the hosts maximum points. REUTERS
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BERLIN - French President Emanuel Macron urged lawmakers in Germany's lower house of parliament to join him in living up to the legacy of late statesman Wolfgang Schaeuble in a speech on Monday that was mostly in German.
Macron, who studied German at school but does not speak it fluently, practiced ahead of his address at the ceremony in the Bundestag honouring Schaeuble, French officials said.
The gesture comes as French-German ties are strained by disagreements on energy, industry and defence policy that are exacerbated by a lack of chemistry between charismatic Macron and his tight-lipped German counterpart, Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
Schaeuble, who grew up in the shadow of the Second World War and served as a member of the German parliament for more than half a century, was a fervent defender of the Franco-German relationship which he saw as key to broader European peace and prosperity.
"The life of this great German, this great European, shows that he saw the changes of his country and the implementation of the European project as all part of one whole," Macron said.
The French-German bond helped two countries blossom again after the war, he said.
"The German-French friendship is the guarantor of that formula as the fundamental connector link of Europe."
Schaeuble devoted much of his career to re-unifying Germany and later served as former chancellor Angela Merkel's finance minister during the eurozone debt crisis. He died in late December, aged 81.
"Now an era after Wolfgang Schaeuble begins. Let us take on this legacy and be up to the task," Macron said. REUTERS
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| 2024-01-22T19:05:04Z
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ANKARA - The Turkish parliament's general assembly is set to debate Sweden's NATO membership bid on Tuesday, three sources from parliament said.
After likely full parliamentary approval on Tuesday, President Tayyip Erdogan is expected to sign it into law, concluding a lengthy process that has frustrated some of Ankara's Western allies.
Sweden and Finland asked to join the military alliance in 2022 after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. But NATO member Turkey raised objections over what it said was the two countries' protection of groups that Ankara deems terrorists.
Turkey endorsed Finland's membership bid last April but, along with Hungary, it kept Sweden waiting until it toughened its stance on local members of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which the European Union and United States also list as a terrorist group.
In response, Stockholm introduced a new anti-terrorism bill that makes being a member of a terrorist organisation illegal.
Sweden and NATO members Finland, Canada and the Netherlands also took steps to relax Turkey arms-export policies.
Erdogan sent Sweden's bid to parliament in October, but has also linked its ratification with U.S. approval of sales of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey.
The White House backs the sale, though there is no clear timeframe for the U.S. Congress to approve it and Turkey faces some congressional opposition over delaying NATO enlargement and over its human rights record.
After talks with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan earlier this month, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he expected Turkey to ratify Sweden's NATO membership bid "in coming weeks."
The parliament's foreign affairs commission approved the bid last month in the first step of the ratification process.
Erdogan's AK Party, its nationalist MHP allies, and the main opposition CHP voted in favour of ratification in the commission meeting, while the small Islamist Felicity party and right-wing Iyi party voted against it. Pro-Kurdish DEM was absent during the vote. REUTERS
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NEAR KHAN YOUNIS - Mariam Abu Haleeb and her family were on the move again on Monday, the seventh time they had been displaced in less than four months of war.
She and other Gazans, their cars and donkey carts piled high with belongings, fled what they said was a terrifying night at the al-Aqsa university in the west of Khan Younis, where they had taken shelter after being told again it was risky to stay put.
They had no idea where to go next.
"What hurts me most is that my old mother is under siege. My siblings and their children are besieged. Everyone, everyone. All of Khan Younis needed help yesterday," she said.
"This is the seventh time I've been displaced, or maybe even more. Torture, torture, torture," she said, weeping.
Mohammad Abu Haleeb said many people had pitched their tents at the university after the Israeli military warned them to move from other areas as they stormed through the southern Gaza city, where they now say Hamas leaders are hiding.
"In the evening, gunfire started - shelling and air strikes from every direction. I couldn't move with my nine children at all. There was a building inside that we all entered and we stayed there until the morning. No one was able to leave."
"There were injured and martyred people that no one was able to reach," he said.
Israel says it tries hard to protect civilians but that Hamas deliberately fights amongst them, an allegation the militants deny.
In the end Abu Haleeb said he escaped through the university's back entrance and headed towards Rafah at the southern tip of the narrow coastal strip, where almost a million people have already taken shelter in a town of 300,000.
"I do not know where I should go, as you see," he said, standing by his car on the side of the road.
Ahmad Abu-Shaweesh, a young boy, was helping relatives unload their belongings, placing them on the ground.
"We hardly made it out of the university under the shelling. We didn't expect the tanks at the university's gates. We hardly made it out," he said.
Manal Abu-Jamea said he had been sheltering at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis and was then told it wasn't safe any more, only to find that the university complex wasn't either.
"We left under air strikes and bullets flying in our direction. I took my children and ran away with them.
Nahed Abu-Jamea said he had been on the road for four hours and did not know what to do next.
"There isn't a safe place," he said. "Let us live safely." REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/middle-east/displaced-again-gazans-flee-under-fire
| 2024-01-22T19:05:25Z
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OTTAWA - Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is gathering his government and lawmakers this week to talk about crucial issues, including housing and food prices, as he seeks to claw back support ahead of a likely fourth election run next year.
Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre would clobber Trudeau if an election were held today, according to an Angus Reid Institute poll published on Monday. Conservatives would take 41% versus 24% for Liberals, according to 1,620 adults surveyed on Jan. 16-17.
"The Conservatives have maintained a double-digit vote lead since last September," the Angus Reid Institute said. "The Liberals have much work to do to convince past supporters to return to the party."
Fewer than three-in-five (57%) of those who voted Liberal in 2021 say they would do so again, the pollster said.
Trudeau's cabinet is meeting in Montreal on Monday and Tuesday, and all the Liberal members of parliament are meeting in Ottawa on Wednesday through Friday.
On Monday, Immigration Minister Marc Miller announced a two-year cap on international student permits as it seeks to rein in record numbers of newcomers seen aggravating a housing crisis.
"This cabinet retreat is focused on issues as important as housing affordability and housing accessibility," Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc told reporters late on Sunday. "There's a broader conversation around affordability."
The meetings come as interest rates hover at a 22-year high after 10 rate hikes to tame inflation, which is still running well above the central bank's 2% target.
Treasury Board President Anita Anand said this week's meetings have nothing to do with poll numbers.
"What we are here to do is to fight for Canadians every single day in terms of what is needed in times of high inflation and high interest rates," she told reporters on Sunday.
The meetings also come ahead of this year's election in the United States, and the possible return of Donald Trump to the White House.
While president, Trump forced the renegotiation of the North American trade pact, a vital agreement for the Canadian economy. The U.S. and Canada are top trading partners and their economies are closely linked.
Industry Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne said the election would be part of their discussions, adding that the Liberal government has had valuable experience dealing with Trump in the past if he should win again.
"We've negotiated the North American free trade (pact) and I think people should trust those who have done that," Champagne told reporters.
Last week, Trudeau said a second Trump presidency would be challenging and would reflect "a lot of anguish and fury." REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/trudeau-meets-to-rally-ministers-lawmakers-around-key-issues-as-reelection-support-sags
| 2024-01-22T19:05:36Z
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Dexter Scott King, a civil rights activist like his legendary father Martin Luther King Jr., has died. He was 62.
The youngest of Mr. King's two sons with wife Coretta Scott King, he carried on his father's legacy through his work with the Center for Nonviolent Social Change, which is known as The King Center, and as president of the King estate.
King died from prostate cancer, according to The King Center. His wife Leah Weber King, who he married in 2013, said in a statement: "He transitioned peacefully in his sleep at home with me in Malibu," adding: "He gave it everything and battled this terrible disease until the end. As with all the challenges in his life, he faced this hurdle with bravery and might."
More to come.
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/celebrities/511825/mlk-son-dexter-scott-king-dead-at-62/
| 2024-01-22T19:37:38Z
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Fashion enthusiasts and Barbiecore fans, rejoice.
Barbie: The World Tour is set to hit shelves on March 8, 2024, offering an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the iconic outfits Margot Robbie sported during her global Barbie press tour.
“This book was an idea I had in my living room when I started dreaming about Margot’s wardrobe for the Barbie press tour in March 2023,” explained her visionary stylist Andrew Mukamal, “I could have never imagined just a few months later we’d be in the studio shooting this project with the team of our dreams.”
Thanks to the creative direction of Andrew, who drew inspiration from the Mattel doll’s vast archive of looks, the book is a testament to the power of pink and of course the iconic toy. “Thank you Margot for bringing me on this wild ride and being the most incredible and trusting partner,” said Andrew in an Instagram post shared with his 133K followers, “Every second of the process, every conversation, every fitting, and every quick outfit change was an absolute joy. None of this would have been possible without your unwavering faith and confidence in me and my vision for what I knew would be a project that would change my life.”
MORE: Margot Robbie gives Barbiecore a retro spin at Asteroid City premiere
RELATED: Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling just served major Barbie and Ken energy
A labour of love dedicated to Barbie lovers worldwide. It documents the essence of Margot's unforgettable press tour's wardrobe, bringing readers on an unforgettable journey through the creativity, challenges, and triumphs of her outfits. Who can forget when Margot radiated classic Hollywood elegance at Leicester Square, channelling Barbie’s 'Enchanted Evening' look from the 1960s?
Adorned in a Vivienne Westwood satin pink gown, the outfit featured a meticulously designed corset, elegantly cinched at the waist by a rosette, and extended into a flowing satin train. Complementing the gown, she accessorised with a ruffled white stole, long white gloves reaching full length, and a stunning three-strand pearl choker courtesy of Assael Pearls, perfectly capturing the essence of vintage Barbie glamour.
MORE: Margot Robbie stuns in Barbie-inspired sheer cape
RELATED: Barbiecore: 17 things things you need to nail the doll-themed trend
Likewise in Seoul, Margot Robbie once again drew inspiration from Barbie's rich history. During a press conference, she gave a nod to the 1964 'Sparkling Pink' Barbie by donning an outfit that completely mirrored the doll's style. Her ensemble included a structured jacket and mini skirt paired with a matching pillbox hat. This glamorous attire was part of Moschino's Spring/Summer 2015 Ready-to-Wear collection, known for its innovative designs. The standout accessory of Margot's outfit was her incredibly sweet, heart-shaped bag, adding a perfect touch of unabashed femininity to her homage. “Barbiecore’s grip on society is a true force to be reckoned with,” explained fashion writer Tania Leslau at the time, “Nobody understands this better than Margot Robbie, the star of Greta Gerwig’s new film centring the beloved plastic protagonist.”
"For the press tour following the record-breaking release of Greta Gerwig’s award-winning, acclaimed Barbie movie, producer and star Margot Robbie and her stylist Andrew Mukamal immersed themselves in some of Barbie’s most iconic outfits and curated vintage pieces, then approached designers, from Giorgio Armani to Donatella Versace, to create looks inspired by the doll-size originals," explains luxury publishing house Rizzoli, "Many of these looks were not seen as the official Barbie press tour was cut short—so Margot and Andrew worked with renowned fashion photographer Craig McDean to shoot her in the looks exactly as they were curated: Schiaparelli in Los Angeles, Vivienne Westwood in London, vintage Chanel with matching Streamline luggage at the airport, and beyond."
McDean's exquisite photography is complemented by an array of original Barbie dolls from the era, alongside a collection of unique materials from the Barbie fashion archives. The book also features designers' sketches and Polaroids from fittings, along with handwritten notes from the designers responsible for the looks, including Olivier Rousteing, Michelle Ochs, Manolo Blahnik, and Jeremy Scott.
As the release date approaches, anticipation builds for a book that promises to be as enchanting as the press tour that inspired it.
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/hfm/culture/511822/margot-robbie-barbie-the-world-tour-book-rizzoli/
| 2024-01-22T19:37:44Z
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Astronomy is full of puzzling objects, and an international team of researchers has just added another juicy one: A dense compact object that has been spotted orbiting a pulsar. This in itself is not that groundbreaking – but the mass of this object is puzzling. It is in the so-called mass gap. Researchers are either observing the heaviest neutron star known or the lightest black hole.
When stars much heavier than the Sun go supernova, they can form two different types of objects. If they are not too big, they will collapse into a neutron star. Neutron stars are stellar objects made of only neutrons (the particles at the center of an atom with zero electric charge) and have an incredible density. A teaspoon of neutron star matter has a weight similar to that of a mountain.
Neutron stars can have various properties. Pulsars are a type of neutron star that spin fast around their axis, emitting periodic pulsation. Millisecond pulsars such as the object in this study (called PSR J0514−4002E) spin hundreds of times per second. They act like some of the most precise clocks in the universe.
The other dense object that a supernova can create is a black hole – an object so dense that nothing, not even light, can escape. Observations and theories put the heaviest possible neutron star at 2.2 times the mass of the Sun. The lightest black hole is expected to be around five times the mass of the Sun. In between, there’s the mass gap, where an object is expected to be a black hole unless we are missing something in the physics of neutron stars.
The companion of the pulsar in this case has a mass between 2.09 and 2.71 times that of our Sun. It could be a system with a pulsar and a black hole; or one with neutron stars, one of which is pulsating.
“Either possibility for the nature of the companion is exciting. A pulsar–black hole system will be an important target for testing theories of gravity and a heavy neutron star will provide new insights in nuclear physics at very high densities,” co-author Professor Ben Stappers, from The University of Manchester, said in a statement.
The pulsar spins (and so pulsates) 170 times every second, which has been observed with the MeerKAT radio observatory. By studying tiny variations of this rhythmic signal, researchers were able to estimate the properties of the system. The precision reached is incredible given that these two celestial bodies are 40,000 light-years away.
“Think of it like being able to drop an almost perfect stopwatch into orbit around a star almost 40,000 light years away and then being able to time those orbits with microsecond precision,” added Ewan Barr from Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy, who led the study with his colleague Arunima Dutta.
The team believes that the companion is not the direct consequence of a supernova, but rather that it was originally two neutron stars, merging into this massive object.
It might seem peculiar to have three neutron stars in a single system, but this object is in a globular cluster. This is a spherical collection of stars with a much higher density than other places in the galaxy, like our neighborhood. It’s common for many stars to interact in the globular clusters. Such interactions probably led to the formation of an incredible object. And while we don’t know exactly what it is yet, researchers are committed to finding out.
“We're not done with this system yet,” Arunima Dtta concluded. “Uncovering the true nature of the companion will [be] a turning point in our understanding of neutron stars, black holes, and whatever else might be lurking in the black hole mass gap.”
A paper describing this research is published in the journal Science.
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https://www.iflscience.com/newly-discovered-astronomical-object-is-right-on-the-edge-of-two-extreme-possibilities-72572
| 2024-01-22T20:15:48Z
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"When I came to you with those calculations, we thought we might start a chain reaction that might destroy the entire world," J. Robert Oppenheimer says to Albert Einstein at the end of Oppenheimer and the beginning of many Oppenheimer remixes. “What of it?” Einstein asks, to which Oppenheimer replies “I believe we did."
Oppenheimer is talking metaphorically, of course, referring to a world beginning to arm itself to the teeth with weapons that could destroy the world many times over. But before the first nuclear bomb was launched, as referenced in the film, physicists were concerned that the blast could set the atmosphere on fire, and literally destroy the world.
Key concerns, raised by theoretical physicist Edward Teller at a recruitment meeting in California, were that a reaction may become sustained, as it is in the Sun.
"The fear of Teller was that a fission bomb's detonation process might involve rapid local heating of the atmosphere in which," a new paper on the topic outlines, "because of a possible lack of cooling capability, the temperature might rise to such a point that the 14N nitrogen nuclei in the atmosphere might fuse with each other or with other light atmospheric isotope components, such as 1H hydrogen, 12C carbon, or 16O oxygen."
The Manhattan Project had the foremost physicists of the time to figure it out. In 1942, Oppenheimer took a train to see Arthur Compton, Nobel Prize winner and expert in radiation physics, to try and get some answers. Or at least, the best answers available without experimental data (blowing up a big bomb and seeing if the planet sets on fire).
Compton remembered the meeting years later, and spoke about Oppenheimer's fears.
"Hydrogen nuclei," Arthur Compton explained to American Weekly in 1959, "are unstable, and they can combine into helium nuclei with a large release of energy, as they do on the sun. To set off such a reaction would require a very high temperature, but might not the enormously high temperature of the atomic bomb be just what was needed to explode hydrogen?"
There was also the possibility that the same thing could happen in the oceans.
"And if hydrogen, what about hydrogen in sea water? Might not the explosion of the atomic bomb set off an explosion of the ocean itself? Nor was this all that Oppenheimer feared. The nitrogen in the air is also unstable, though in less degree. Might not it, too, be set off by an atomic explosion in the atmosphere?"
This, of course, while ending the war, would do so a little too permanently, given that man, woman, and fish would be killed in the resulting reaction.
"It would be the ultimate catastrophe," Compton continued. "Better to accept the slavery of the Nazis than to run the chance of drawing the final curtain on mankind."
Compton, however, told Oppenheimer that it would not occur in atmospheric conditions. Radiation cooling would always be too fast for such a reaction to be sustained, as Teller later wrote a report classified until 1979.
"The energy losses to radiation always overcompensate the gains due to reactions," he wrote in the report, adding "It is impossible to reach such temperatures unless fission bombs or thermonuclear bombs are used which greatly exceeds the bombs now under consideration."
We now know through experimental data, including tests that forged "forbidden" quasicrystals, that sustained reactions in the oceans and atmosphere are not triggered by nuclear explosions. However, as the new paper written by Michael Wiescher and Karlheinz Langanke points out, the initial teams missed a key reaction. Though they had been concerned by 14N the most, given nitrogen's abundance in the atmosphere, they did not consider the 14N(n,p)14C reaction, which produced 14C in abundance.
"The radiocarbon peak in our atmosphere decreases quickly because this long-lasting carbon isotope gets absorbed by plants through the carbon cycle. As a result, it becomes a part of all biological materials for thousands of years," the team concludes. "This radiocarbon remains in our bodies, serving as a lasting reminder of the human hubris leading to the development of nuclear weapons that Oppenheimer wanted to caution against."
The paper is published in Natural Sciences.
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https://www.iflscience.com/the-ultimate-catastrophe-can-a-bomb-set-the-atmosphere-on-fire-72570
| 2024-01-22T20:15:54Z
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The world of robotics is an exciting place, especially when it comes to those robots that take inspiration from nature as a means to create something unique and impressive. A self-3D-printing, snake-like robot that grows longer as it moves (stop sniggering) in a similar manner to a vine has been created, opening up a mind-boggling avenue of possibilities for its use.
Named the FiloBot by researchers at Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia in Italy, the robot is snake-like with a white head containing 3D printing technology, including a feeding mechanism and a plotting unit. As the head spins more mass is created, increasing the length of the robot behind. The body also contains a tube containing the 3D printer ink, which is a type of plastic. The tail end of the robot contains the inkwell, a pump, and a power source.
FiloBot can be programmed to grow towards the light or against gravity, drawing inspiration from climbing plants. The robot can also adapt its growth depending on the support available; for instance, where strong supports are present for the robot to climb up, it can develop a lighter body and faster growth. When the supports are weak or missing, it can produce a tougher body to allow it to support itself.
The team suggests that this ability to use atypical growth can help the robot cross bumpy terrain and even gaps. These skills could be useful in scenarios such as disaster relief or measuring environmental pollution in hazardous areas. The embodied intelligence helps the robot respond to the physical challenges of different environments.
The study is published in Science Robotics.
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https://www.iflscience.com/watch-this-soft-snake-like-3d-printing-robot-grow-as-it-moves-72560
| 2024-01-22T20:16:00Z
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Despite common belief, English is not the official language of the US. In fact, it is one of the exceptional countries on the planet that does not officially recognize any language. To understand why, we must travel back to the genesis of the US and the ambitious ideals of the Founding Fathers.
Across the world, approximately 180 countries have an official language and more than 100 have multiple official languages. The country that currently holds the record for the most is Bolivia, which has 37 official languages including Spanish and dozens of Indigenous languages.
Countries adopt official languages to establish a universal means of communication in their governance, making it easier to outline and define things like laws, rights, etc. It can also be used as a tool to foster national unity and preserve cultural identity.
However, when the US came to fruition during the 18th century, it had other ideas at the forefront of its mind, namely the ideals of individual liberty and equality.
While English was establishing itself as the most dominant language in the American colonies throughout the 1700s, there were still significant portions of the population who spoke their mother tongue from their homeland: German, Dutch, Flemish, French, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, Polish, Gaelic, Portuguese, Italian, and more.
As a multicultural country of migrants who spoke an array of different languages, it was deemed unfair to pick one language over any other. In 1780, John Adams proposed that English should be made the official language of the US to the Continental Congress, but it was deemed “undemocratic and a threat to individual liberty.”
There is an urban legend that Congress came very close to approving German as the official language, but it didn’t pass due to a single vote cast by Frederick Muhlenberg, the first-ever Speaker of the US House of Representatives. However, this story has been thoroughly debunked as a myth.
The US has no official language at the federal level, but 32 of the 50 US states and all five US territories have recognized English as an official language at a local level.
Furthermore, there have been continued attempts to install English as the official language of the US in recent decades. Even recently, in 2023, Republican Senators JD Vance of Ohio and Kevin Cramer of North Dakota introduced a bill to declare English as the nation’s official language.
Many of these attempts have been driven out of fear that the English language is dying, but that’s a pretty sensational – and unfounded – claim.
The latest census data indicates that 78.3 percent of the nation speaks only English at home. While that is slightly down from the previous dataset (78.7 percent in 2013-2017), it’s evident that English reigns supreme. The second most commonly spoken language in the US is Spanish, yet 61 percent of Spanish speakers can additionally speak English “very well.”
Languages are constantly evolving – and the US, for once, is no exception. Linguists have reported several developments in the way people speak in the US compared to decades gone by. For instance, researchers have noted how the classic Southern accent is fading away. Conversely, new accents are being born in other places as a result of cultural intermingling between Spanish and English speakers.
Parts of the English language may be shape-shifting in the US, but it’s not going anywhere anytime soon.
All “explainer” articles are confirmed by fact checkers to be correct at time of publishing. Text, images, and links may be edited, removed, or added to at a later date to keep information current.
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https://www.iflscience.com/why-english-is-not-the-official-language-of-the-us-72568
| 2024-01-22T20:16:06Z
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George Clooney is one of the most well-known names in Hollywood, and also one of the most liked.
The down-to-earth star is thought of so highly by his co-stars, that they made sure to treat him in the sweetest way when he was celebrating his birthday on the set of his 2022 movie, The Boys in the Boat in the UK.
George's PA requested a personalized cake by popular local bakery, Project Cakery, and owner Holly Tait couldn't believe her luck when she found out she was baking for the A-lister.
Everything was top secret at first, with Holly being told that the request was for "the director's birthday," and to feed "200 people on set".
She was also given a brief: "To follow the theme of water, boating and the general theme of the movie."
George's favorite cake flavour is chocolate, Holly tells HELLO!: "I gave them my list of flavours and they chose chocolate."
Holly found out it was a cake for George only after she made the cake, with the actor's team coming to collect it in a private taxi to bring to the set for the star and the rest of the cast and crew to enjoy.
Holly explained: "There was lots of gossip going around in my village that George Clooney filming in the area so I starting piecing hints together when I was told to write 'happy birthday George' on there, as well as being asked not to say anything or show anyone the pictures of the cake or boat images that they sent me.
"But it was only when the cakes got collected by private taxi and the driver told me what was going on, that I worked it out.
"I didn't get final confirmation until the week that I could finally release the news, when his PA messaged me to say 'I wasn’t allowed to give any info at the time, but I can confirm they were for George. Thank you so much, everyone on set loved them and said they were delicious.'"
Making a birthday cake for George was no easy task, as Holly explained: "The time pressure due to being fully booked with wedding cakes that weekend.
"But also replicating the boat that was in the movie, out of fondant. Making semi realistic edible items is always challenging!"
This was nothing Holly couldn't handle though: "I work well under pressure, but luckily I didn't get proper confirmation until after the cakes were finished and picked up, so there was nothing I could do.
"But I was really happy with what I created, regardless of who it was for. I always make sure all my cakes are special and unique."
Read more HELLO! US stories here
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/celebrities/511826/what-its-like-working-for-george-clooney-baker-reveals-sweet-story/
| 2024-01-22T20:34:42Z
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A very important guest stepped out to attend Christian Dior’s Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2024 show in Paris.
Just months after the birth of her second son with rapper, icon and Fenty Skin muse A$AP Rocky, Rihanna debuted her mother-of-two style, dripping in head-to-toe Dior, complete with a 'Rude Boy era' cap.
Donning an eye-catching black midi skirt and matching, off-the-shoulder oversized collared jacket cinched at the waist with a leather belt, leather gloves, a Lady Dior bag, white ankle-strapped pumps and an accentuated brim cap, Rihanna proved that she can literally wear any style and look fabulous. Accompanying her stand-out look was a magnificent drop-down diamond necklace, matching earrings and two dainty anklets
The House of Dior debuted its first Haute Couture collection back in 1947 and has since continued to be one of the most acclaimed haute couture maisons in the world. I can't help but think that Rihanna’s dotting Dior look was inspired by the brand’s famous bar suit, which was coincidently a part of their first Haute Couture collection. The silhouette of Rhi’s outfit most definitely screams Dior, however, her accessory choices prove that the modern-day Dior girl is all about keeping things classy, whilst injecting a fun flare.
This isn’t the first time Rihanna has attended a Dior show in style. Back in March of last year, the Savage Fenty founder showed off her baby bump in a black Dior sheer dress, a patent trench coat, knee-high heeled boots and an excessive amount of diamond jewellery.
If Queen Ri’s latest look is anything to go by, the next three days of Paris Haute Couture week are set to be seriously stylish, starstudded and with ample amounts of savoir-faire.
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/hfm/fashion-trends/511810/rihanna-dior-couture-show-ss24/
| 2024-01-22T20:34:48Z
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Paris Couture Week is officially underway and with that comes a week of the world's most fabulous ‘fits, street style standouts and opulent afterparties.
From our favourite fashion moguls donning Dior to Schiaparelli's bevvy of stars sitting front row, here are just a few of our favourite street style looks thus far from this season...
Fashion 'it' girl Xenia Adonts pulled up to the Schiaparelli show wearing a full look from the brand. The off-the-shoulder velvet gown was complete with a hair-like trim and gold accents.
Karlie Kloss
Supermodel, mum and Kode With Klossy founder, Karlie Kloss showed up to the Schiaparelli moments before she was set to walk the runway in the most iconic model off-duty 'fit (technically she was on duty tho). Karlie wore a navy blue and white striped suit with a black overcoat and oval sunglasses.
Leonie Hanne
Opting for a cosy yet chic teddy bear-core ensemble, Leonie Hanne chose to don the most luscious-looking two-piece set with a velvet turtleneck, matching black headband, striking red handbag and oversized gold earrings.
Soo Joo Park
Soo Joo Park also channelled her inner Blair Waldorf for her Schiaparelli show look, donning a thick black headband with giant drop-down earrings, the most beautiful bustier corset I have ever seen, a black maxi skirt, a structured over goat with gold accents and a divinely comical handbag.
Sabina Jakubowicz
It's with great excitement that I confirm wearing no pants is still classed high fashion. Wearing itty bitty black shorts (or underwear)over a pair of opaque black tights, stiletto heels, the most divinely iconic Dior silhouette cream peplum jacket, a micro Lady Dior handbag, a black fishnet veiled cocktail hat, all tied together with the addition of some racer-girl black wrap-around sunglasses.
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/hfm/fashion-trends/511823/street-style-outfits-paris-couture-week-ss24/
| 2024-01-22T20:34:54Z
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BEIJING – A major 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck along the China-Kyrgyzstan border on Jan 22, the United States Geological Survey reported, warning of potentially widespread damage.
In Kyrgyzstan’s capital Bishkek, people fled their homes to seek refuge in the street, according to an AFP reporter, after the quake caused walls to shake and furniture to shift.
Local TV channels in the Indian capital New Delhi reported strong tremors in the city, about 1,400km away.
The quake was registered just after 6pm GMT (2am Singapore time) at a depth of 13km in China’s Xinjiang region, west of the city of Aksu.
Shortly after, three more earthquakes were recorded in the area, at magnitudes 5.5 and 5.1 and 5.0.
The USGS said casualties were possible, though none were immediately reported in the mountainous, rural area where the earthquake struck.
“Significant damage is likely and the disaster is potentially widespread,” its report said.
Authorities in Kazakhstan reported tremors, though without any casualties or major destruction so far.
In Almaty, Kazakhstan’s largest city, citizens also streamed outside following the quake, according to images posted on social media and by local news outlets.
Tuesday’s earthquake came the day after a landslide buried dozens of people and killed at least eight in the southwest of China.
A December quake in the northwest of the country killed 148 people and displaced thousands in Gansu province.
That quake was China’s deadliest since 2014, when more than 600 people were killed in southwestern Yunnan province.
In the December earthquake, subzero temperatures made the aid operation launched in response even more challenging, with survivors huddled around outdoor fires to keep warm. AFP
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https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/magnitude-70-earthquake-hits-china-kyrgystan-border
| 2024-01-22T20:36:48Z
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Mr Khoo Boo Hor, 58, runs a local company with a global footprint that stands ready for adversity, is swift to seize opportunities, and eager to partner.
As chief executive officer of private firm Sunningdale Tech, he helms a manufacturing company, born in 2005 through the merger of local precision plastics engineering companies Tech Group Asia and Sunningdale Precision Industries.
It has seen tremendous growth. In 2022, it generated $738 million in revenue – an 84 per cent increase from its first year of operations.
Ready for adversity, quick to shift
When Singapore was in the throes of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, Sunningdale – which produces components for multinationals in the automotive, consumer and healthcare sectors – converted part of its operations to making masks, antigen rapid test kits, and even TraceTogether tokens.
Like most companies, it grappled with pandemic disruptions. But, says Mr Khoo, “to be resilient in a dynamic environment, you need to diversify, and be flexible to meet needs”.
Within three months, its manufacturing facility in Joo Koon became one of the first to produce face masks locally, with a production capacity of over four million masks monthly, primarily for Singapore.
He adds that it is critical to “be prepared, so you can react when you are forced into a situation”, sharing how the company has started investing aggressively in growing its medical technology segment.
“We identified (the medtech segment) as a key growth driver. It initially made up about 10 per cent of our business in 2018. We have more than doubled it now, and are on track to increase this to a third in the next few years.”
Swift to seize opportunities
Sunningdale currently operates in over 18 locations in Asia, Europe and North America with a workforce of over 8,000 employees. Of this, about 1,000 are in Singapore, which is the company’s global base for innovation, research and development.
The company’s global footprint, says Mr Khoo, is its greatest advantage. “It’s not just about being very strong in one location, but being able to better support the needs of our global customers.”
This, he adds, has positioned the company to take on its next challenge: A shift in global manufacturing supply chains from China to other Asian countries, accelerated by recent events such as the US-China trade war, the Covid-19 pandemic and rising labour costs in China.
Between 2015 and 2021, the share of global foreign direct investment flow into Asean almost doubled, from 6 to 11 per cent, notes an August report by German management consulting firm Roland Berger.
Also, while US imports from Asean countries remained low overall, Cambodia and Vietnam saw a 231 per cent and 165 per cent increase in US imports in 2022 compared with 2018. The report suggests that this is “an early indication of shifting supply chains”.
Enter Sunningdale, whose established presence in the region enables it to support customers who have chosen to expand their manufacturing footprint in South-east Asia.
“We are seeing a trend towards nearshoring and other strategies to diversify their production,” says Mr Khoo, who has an engineering background. “They want to build more resilient supply chains, and we can support this.”
Nearshoring refers to businesses moving production and sourcing activities closer to end markets. Some advantages include reduced shipping and delivery costs, and increased operational flexibility and efficiency.
Mr Khoo notes that the company has been receiving “a rising number of queries from customers looking to set up base in the region”, which he anticipates will translate into new business in the near future.
Sunningdale has also invested heavily in digitalising its supply chain to better serve its customers.
“You have to be able to make quick and smart decisions, and you need a system that allows you to do that,” explains Mr Khoo. “If not, it is going to be very difficult to grow the business.”
Eager to partner
To grow and diversify its supply chains, it has tapped UOB’s financial supply chain management capabilities through its digital platform, UOB Infinity. The platform automates and streamlines financing between Sunningdale and its suppliers.
“This enables online tracking of Sunningdale’s payments and transactions, thus improving transparency and productivity, which is key for Sunningdale,” says Ms Ng Poh Yee, head of Trade and Financial Supply Chain Management Sales, UOB.
She adds that the platform gives stakeholders access to financing and fund-crediting through a single platform, “saving time and redirecting focus towards business management”.
Mr Khoo says that this has been crucial in managing the company’s liquidity needs and facilitating cross-border payments, enhancing operational efficiency and control over financial transactions as its business grows.
Looking ahead, Sunningdale Tech anticipates the company’s growth to accelerate as multinationals continue to prioritise resilience in their supply chains by diversifying into South-east Asia.
“With UOB Infinity, Sunningdale and the bank can seamlessly extend similar supplier financing for both cross border and domestic programmes to new suppliers,” says Ms Ng.
“This enhances Sunningdale’s working capital management and strengthens the relationship with their suppliers.”
This is the eighth of a 12-part series in partnership with
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https://www.straitstimes.com/business/how-local-firm-s-nimble-approach-to-supply-chain-issues-promises-big-returns
| 2024-01-22T20:36:59Z
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DOHA - China coach Aleksandar Jankovic said his team were still alive in the Asian Cup after finishing third in Group A and he was not worried about losing his job after Monday's 1-0 loss to Qatar saw them finish the stage without scoring.
China finished third with two points behind Qatar and Tajikistan having drawn their first two games and coach Jankovic said he was disappointed their "destiny doesn't depend on us any more" with only the four best third-placed teams going through.
The Asian Cup campaign was a disappointing one for China who have invested a lot in the sport and were the original hosts of the 2023 edition before they pulled out and Jankovic could find himself in the firing line if they exit in the group stage.
"There are two types of coaches in general - those who have been fired and those who will be fired, so when you accept to do this job you accept both," Jankovic told reporters after their defeat by Qatar.
"The one who thinks about the moment when he will stop working is the one who is afraid of everything. And the guy who's afraid of everything can never be a coach focused on giving everything, doing their best to push the team.
"I'm never focused on personal questions. I've been in China for almost six years, I've prepared one generation, the next generation for Chinese football also ... I'm focused on giving, not receiving, trying to do my best and not to have regrets."
With Tajikistan beating Lebanon 2-1 and both teams finally getting on the scoresheet at the tournament in a dramatic game, China were the only side not to find the net in the group.
"We are disappointed we expected more ... we deserved more but football without goals is not football and you can't expect big results if you don't score goals," added Jankovic.
"In the three games we played here a lot of chances were missed in every game. If you don't score you can't expect to advance."
When asked if Chinese football was going backwards, Jankovic said they would not be discussing the topic if their goal against Tajikistan in their group opener had not been chalked off by VAR.
"In total we played three games, scored no goals, conceded one goal and we're third in the group," he said.
"On the other side we start to think about the World Cup qualifiers and China will keep moving. China can never go backwards." REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/football/jankovic-not-worried-about-future-with-china-on-verge-of-asian-cup-exit
| 2024-01-22T20:37:09Z
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ABIDJAN - Nigeria booked their passage into the last 16 of the Africa Cup of Nations after a first-half own goal from Guinea-Bissau's Opa Sangante handed them a 1-0 victory on Monday, which was enough to earn them second place in Group A.
Moses Simon sent in a low cross from the left looking for Victor Osimhen but as Sangante attempted to clear ahead of the striker he could only steer the ball into the roof of his own net after 36 minutes.
Nigeria finish on seven points from three games, behind surprise package Equatorial Guinea on goal difference.
Hosts Ivory Coast face an anxious wait to see if they will advance as one of the best third-place finishers with three points and a minus three goal difference.
Nigeria dominated the game but poor finishing meant it was a tense encounter to the end, with Osimhen missing several chances to secure the three points earlier in the contest and both teams having late goals correctly ruled out for offside. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/football/nigeria-edge-guinea-bissau-1-0-to-seal-last-16-place
| 2024-01-22T20:37:19Z
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England fly-half Owen Farrell has joined French side Racing 92 on a two-year-deal, the Top 14 club said on Monday.
Farrell, 32, has played 112 matches for England and scored 10 tries. He represented his previous club Saracens in 237 matches.
The former England captain will join his new club on July 1, Racing 92 said in a statement.
The move to France potentially ends Farrell's international career after he decided to take a break this year for mental health reasons. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/former-england-captain-farrell-joins-french-side-racing-92-on-two-year-deal
| 2024-01-22T20:37:29Z
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QUITO - Ecuador's police on Monday said they have captured the leader of Colombian armed group Oliver Sinisterra and that Ecuadorean authorities will return him to Colombia.
News of the capture comes amid a military offensive launched by Ecuador's government to combat criminal gangs.
President Daniel Noboa declared a state of emergency with nighttime curfew for 60 days at the beginning of January amid spiraling violence in the Andean country and designated 22 criminal bands as terrorist groups.
Carlos L, known as El Gringo, was captured on Sunday night in Imbabura, in the north of Ecuador, following three months of preparations by security forces.
"An immigration hearing will be held so that he can be expelled from Ecuador and sent to Colombia," Ecuador police commander Cesar Zapata told reporters. "He has a pretty hefty criminal record."
Zapata has spoken with Colombian police to coordinate the handover, he said.
Carlos L was involved in criminal activities in Ecuador, police said, especially with terrorist groups in San Lorenzo near the border with Colombia.
Oliver Sinisterra is a faction of the Segunda Marquetalia group of dissident rebels of the now-demobilized Revolutionary Forces of Colombia (FARC) which abandoned a 2016 peace deal with the state.
The Oliver Sinisterra front operates in Colombia's Narino province and Ecuador's Esmeraldas province. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/ecuador-police-capture-leader-of-colombian-dissident-rebel-group
| 2024-01-22T20:37:40Z
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WASHINGTON - U.S. President Joe Biden spoke to British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Monday about the Red Sea, Gaza, and Ukraine, White House spokesman John Kirby said.
"They talked about what's going on in the Red Sea and the need for a continued international multilateral approach to disrupting and degrading Houthi capabilities," Kirby told reporters in Washington.
Biden and Sunak also spoke about the need to bring down the number of civilian casualties and to increase the flow of humanitarian assistance into Gaza and the urgent need for supplemental funding and support for Ukraine, Kirby said. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/biden-uk-pm-sunak-spoke-about-middle-east-ukraine-on-monday-white-house
| 2024-01-22T20:37:50Z
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BRASILIA - Brazil is moving ahead with the creation of an international security center in Manaus that will bring together Amazon nations in policing the rainforest, sharing intelligence and chasing criminals, a senior Brazilian police officer said.
A building has been rented and equipment is being purchased for the center that will have police representatives from the other seven countries of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO).
The center will fight drug trafficking and the smuggling of timber, fish and exotic animals, as well as deforestation and other environmental crimes, Humberto Freire, head of the Federal Police's Environment and Amazon department, said in an interview on Friday. Illegal gold mining on protected reservations of Indigenous peoples like the Yanomami, will also be a priority, he said.
Uniting the Amazon countries against criminal activity in the world's largest tropical rainforest is key to President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's effort to restore Brazil's environmental credentials after four years of soaring deforestation under his hard-right predecessor, former President Jair Bolsonaro.
The Center for International Police Cooperation (CCPI), now scheduled to be up and running in the first quarter of this year, will be financed with 9 million reais ($1.8 million) from the Amazon Fund, a multinational donation effort started by Norway to help finance sustainable development in the Amazon.
Brazil will share with its Amazon neighbors the technology the Federal Police is developing to trace the origins of gold illegally extracted by wildcat miners in the rainforest, Freire said.
This technology, which should establish the "DNA of gold," uses radioisotopes to determine what prospect the gold comes from by checking particles of the metal, ore or dirt against samples collected from gold mining areas across Brazil, a vast mapping process that is near completion, he said.
ACTO members will be asked to do the same mapping of samples on their countries, Freire said.
The police developed the technology with the University of Sao Paulo and has 50 million reais from the Amazon Fund to implement a program that will require a radioisotope scan, possibly from Japan, and handheld radioisotope identification devices to be used in ports and airports, he said. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/brazil-to-share-intel-technology-with-amazon-nations-at-manaus-police-hub
| 2024-01-22T20:38:00Z
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Jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny has complained of being poisoned, assaulted and deprived of proper medical care, but on Monday he disclosed he faced a new challenge: being forced to listen to a pro-Putin pop singer at 0500 every morning.
Navalny, 47, a former lawyer who rose to prominence more than a decade ago by lampooning President Vladimir Putin's elite and voicing allegations of vast corruption, is currently in a jail about 60 km (40 miles) north of the Arctic Circle.
Sentenced to stay in prison until he is 74 on charges he says were trumped up to keep him out of politics, Navalny said his morning regime now consisted of listening to the Russian national anthem before being played "I am Russian," a patriotic song performed by a pro-Putin singer called "Shaman".
Shaman, whose real name is Yaroslav Dronov, has ridden a wave of war-fuelled patriotism to become a staple on state TV and is one of the celebrities officially putting Putin forward to run again for the presidency in March.
His signature song, which he sometimes performs dressed in a black leather outfit with an arm band in the colours of the Russian flag - "I am Russian" - talks of how Russians cannot "be broken" and "go to the end" and carry the blood of their fathers.
The 32-year-old singer courted controversy in November when he simulated setting off a nuclear bomb at a concert broadcast on state TV pushing a red button in a mock nuclear suitcase before fireworks erupted around him.
In a message on X facilitated by his allies, Navalny described a surreal morning routine.
"The singer Shaman came to prominence when I was already in prison so I could neither see him nor listen to his music. But I knew he had become Putin's main singer. And that his main song was 'I am Russian'," wrote Navalny.
"Of course I was curious to hear it, but where could I listen to it in prison. And then they brought me to Yamal (the location of his Arctic prison). And here, every day at 5 o’clock in the morning, we hear the command: 'Get up!' followed by the Russian national anthem and then immediately afterwards, the country's second most important song is played - 'I am Russian' by Shaman."
The irony, said Navalny, was that state propaganda had once highlighted the fact that he used to march with Russian nationalists on annual marches and now, years later, he was being played an ultra-nationalist pop song for educational purposes while doing his morning prison exercises.
"To be honest, I'm still not sure that I correctly understand what post-irony and meta-irony are. But if that's not it, what is it?," quipped Navalny. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/russias-navalny-says-he-is-forced-to-listen-to-pro-putin-singer-every-morning
| 2024-01-22T20:38:11Z
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Latvian Foreign Minister Krišjānis Kariņš said the West needs to realize Russia will not stop its war in Ukraine and take decisive steps to ensure Kyiv’s victory over the occupiers, as per The Guardian.
“The Ukrainians are willing to put up the fight. The Ukrainians need our Western, undivided support – European Union support.
So we have to come finally to the decision to make sure that we have the funding for Ukraine for the coming years, so they can continue to sustain their government,” Kariņš stated.
The Latvian foreign minister stressed that the West should be persistent in providing Ukraine with the weapons and the ammunition that it needs to liberate its territories from Russian troops.
“For anyone who thinks that it’s expensive to support Ukraine and that this money is better spent elsewhere, I can only say it will only get more expensive in the future. If we do not help Ukraine stop Russia now, it will be only all the more expensive for us later because Russia will not stop,” Kariņš added.
Earlier, President of Latvia Edgars Rinkēvičs said his country prepares its armed forces for various provocations from Russia and hybrid warfare.
Latvia, as a member of NATO and the European Union, has security guarantees. At the same time, it also takes measures to enhance the country’s defense capabilities, the president emphasized in Davos, UkrInform has reported.
“On the one hand, we are members of NATO and the EU, and these are the best security guarantees. However, it is also necessary to implement tangible measures. Latvia’s defense industry should enhance its capabilities for two reasons – to support Ukraine and to acquire more equipment and technology, as the purchasing process takes longer than production.
We must introduce conscription, and we plan to do it in the long term. And, of course, Latvia will increase its defense spending – up to 3% of GDP by 2027,” said Rinkēvičs.
The Latvian president also stressed that the West needs to implement strategies in countering Russia’s military tactics to prepare for challenges linked with Russia’s expansion ambitions.
“Unfortunately, we always find ourselves a step or two behind Putin – he figures out how to attack us, and we find ways to counter. But we must act proactively. I discuss this with my NATO colleagues, and sometimes, I have to convince them that we will face even more unpleasant things than we have already seen,” Rinkēvičs noted.
In January 2023, Latvia initiated the deportation process for 985 Russian citizens who failed to meet the country’s immigration requirements, according to Postimees.
It is noted that to reside in Latvia, Russian citizens are required to pass a language proficiency test or submit an application for another type of residence permit. Individuals who did not meet these criteria received a letter requesting them to leave the country within two weeks or to formalize their legal residence.
Related:
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https://euromaidanpress.com/2024/01/22/media-latvian-minister-calls-for-sustained-weapons-supply-for-ukraine/
| 2024-01-22T20:38:21Z
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WASHINGTON - U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will attend a meeting on Ukraine's military needs virtually from his house, the Pentagon said on Monday, as the defense chief continues to recover from complications of prostate cancer treatment that led to his secret hospitalization.
Austin, 70, was admitted to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Maryland on Dec. 22 to treat prostate cancer. He returned to the hospital on Jan. 1 due to complications, including a urinary tract infection. His hospitalization was not revealed until four days later, and the Pentagon did not specify why he was being treated until Jan. 9.
Austin's failure to tell President Joe Biden he was hospitalized drew criticism from lawmakers and caught the White House by surprise.
While Tuesday's virtual conference will mark Austin's first public engagement, he will not carry out a press conference alongside the top U.S. general- something common after the monthly meetings that brings together defense leaders from more than 50 countries.
The meeting comes as Republicans in Congress have blocked emergency funding that Biden has requested for Ukraine and threaten to force a partial shutdown of the government in an effort to push new security policies along the U.S.-Mexico border.
Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh said that while the United States was committed to Ukraine, lawmakers needed to pass more funding for Kyiv as it battles Russian forces.
"It's not just the United States that has been critical and providing security assistance to Ukraine, our partners, our allies continue to do that, despite the fact that we do not have a supplemental that's been passed by Congress," Sing told reporters.
Biden has requested $61.4 billion in additional funding to help supply Ukraine with weapons and replenish U.S. stocks as it nears the two-year mark of its war with Russia. The funds sought for Ukraine are part of a "supplemental" request that also includes $14.3 billion for Israel and $13.6 billion for border protection. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/us-defense-secretary-to-attend-virtual-meeting-on-ukraine-from-home
| 2024-01-22T20:38:21Z
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HAVANA - Family members of 34 prisoners in Cuba who were jailed following anti-government protests in July 2021 have filed a petition with lawmakers seeking an amnesty for their loved ones.
According to rights groups, some 1,000 people were jailed in the wake of the protests, the largest since Fidel Castro's 1959 revolution. Some of those were immediately released, but hundreds are now serving sentences that range from a few years to over 20 years, according to NGO and official tallies.
The petition letter, filed on Friday, asks Ana Maria Mari Machado, vice president of the National Assembly, to begin the process of proposing and debating a law that would "recognize that there was no crime in expressing the will for democratic change by citizens who protested in July 2021."
It includes signatures from the relatives of several high-profile protesters, including Maykel Castillo and Luis Manuel Otero, both of whom appeared in the music video for the Latin Grammy-winning song "Patria y Vida," the unofficial anthem of the July 11 protests.
An online petition also began circulating this week, seeking support both domestically and abroad.
Cuban officials say those jailed following the protests violated Cuban law and were convicted after facing trial for crimes ranging from assault and public order offenses to sedition.
The United States and the European Union have criticized Cuba's response as repressive and heavy-handed, and together with the Catholic Church have called for the release of prisoners.
More than a dozen additional people from Nuevitas, in eastern Cuba, faced trial last week for protests that took place in August 2022, according to a court document viewed by Reuters, and are currently awaiting their sentences. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/families-of-jailed-cuban-protesters-file-petition-for-their-freedom
| 2024-01-22T20:38:32Z
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