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ABUJA/WASHINGTON - Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday said the United States is determined to remain a strong security partner for Nigeria, whose military is backed by the U.S., Britain and other allies in a long war against Islamist insurgents.
Blinken also discussed challenges to democracy and security in the region during his meeting on Tuesday with Nigerian President Bola Tinubu in a visit that comes after last year's coup in neighboring Niger, one of a series of coups or attempted power grabs over the past few years in West and Central Africa.
"The United States is determined to be and remain a strong security partner for Nigeria," Blinken told reporters.
Blinken added that he discussed how it is vitally important there be a focus on ensuring civilians are protected and humanitarian considerations.
Observers have noted a pattern of deadly aerial assaults by the Nigerian military that have killed civilians, which was the subject of a Reuters special report last year.
The U.S. faced a setback in its fight against militants in the Sahel when military officers toppled Niger's President Mohamed Bazoum, a key ally, in July last year.
The coup in Niger was one of a series of military takeovers or attempted power grabs that occurred in West and Central Africa over the past three years.
The instability has raised concern, particularly as juntas have cut ties with traditional Western allies such as the European Union and France, which withdrew thousands of troops from the Sahel last year.
Blinken, speaking in Abuja as part of a four-nation tour of Africa taking him to Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Nigeria and Angola from Jan. 21-26, also said repatriation of capital and corruption were among challenges that need to be tackled for companies to invest in Nigeria.
Africa's biggest economy has about $7 billion in forex forwards that have matured, a major concern for investors as foreign currency shortages continue to weigh down the naira currency, despite assurances by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to clear the backlog.
So far, about $2 billion of the backlog across sectors such as manufacturing, aviation, and petroleum have been paid, CBN spokesperson Hakama Sidi Ali said in a statement. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/us-determined-to-remain-strong-security-partner-for-nigeria-blinken
| 2024-01-24T12:42:17Z
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A number of high-profile figures gathered to wish CBS Evening News anchor Norah O'Donnell a very happy birthday as she turned 50.
The likes of Dolly Parton, Oprah Winfrey, Jill Biden and Stephen Colbert all extended their birthday wishes to the CBS stalwart, who spent her birthday on the campaign trail in New Hampshire.
"Hey Norah, happy birthday!" Dolly exclaimed, adding: "They told me the number but I don't believe it. Happy birthday, have a great day - I just love you."
Meanwhile Oprah opted to give the TV anchor some advice on the milestone age. "It's better than you can imagine, it's what Maya Angelou says: the 50s are everything you've been meaning to be, everything you've meant to be. It is the decade to ride the waves."
Jill Biden was sure to offer birthday wishes from her and the President, saying: "Hope you have an amazing day."
Drew Barrymore also wished the journalist a happy birthday as well from the studio of her show. She said: "I want to wish you, Norah O'Donnell, Happy 50th Birthday."
"You are such an extraordinary woman. You are a hero to me. I am honored to call you my friend and colleague", Drew added. "I hope this is the best year of your life."
Similarly from his own studio, Stephen Colbert was sure to thank Norah for "all your years of giving the world timely, intelligent news, so I can give them the late, stupid kind."
Nancy Pelosi, Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, told Norah that "every day, you inform and inspire millions of Americans as you deliver hard news with heart."
But Nancy wasn't the only politician with a heartfelt message for the anchor. Mitt Romney was sure to thank Norah for "all the things you do for Carrie Marriott and Ann Romney, helping us with the Ann Romney Center. A great friend and I appreciate knowing you."
As well as being greeted by many famous friends, Norah's family, husband Geoff Tracy and her three kids Grace, Henry and Riley, were sure to send a heartfelt message.
Despite turning 50, it was business as usual for the TV anchor who covered the New Hampshire primaries which saw former President Donald Trump go up against Nikki Haley ahead of the 2024 elections.
For Norah, it was an opportunity to do what she loves best: "Talking to voters, doing what I love most. Hearing from people about what matters most to them. Who they're going to vote for."
"Part of something I want to do this election cycle called listening to America", she explained, as this year marks the 7th presidential election she's covered. "We talked to two republicans, one voting for Nikki Haley, one voting for Donald Trump. Talked to an Independent college student who's voted for Democratic in the past - now she's voting for Nikki Haley."
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/celebrities/511943/cbs-evening-news-norah-o-donnell-turns-50-you-wont-believe-who-congratulated-her/
| 2024-01-24T12:43:06Z
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Jeff Bezos turned 60 on January 12 and he has enjoyed several celebrations to mark the milestone since – but none have been as star-studded as his most recent party.
The Amazon founder was treated to a "celestial space-age" themed bash thrown by his fiancée, Lauren Sanchez, at their palatial Beverly Hills mansion, and a who's who of Hollywood was in attendance.
The billionaire's guest list included everyone from Beyonce and Jay-Z, Oprah, Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom to Kim Kardashian, Kris Jenner, and Bill Gates.
The super-private party's theme was a nod to Jeff's Blue Origin aerospace company, but it also paid homage to his humble beginnings, according to The Sun.
Lauren went all out for her husband-to-be and set up a replica of his first Amazon office which included his original chair.
The A-list guests were also reportedly served a variety of food, including caviar and McDonalds, a tribute to Jeff's first job when he was 16.
While photography was banned at the event, many of the attendees confirmed they were there with posts on social media, including Paris Hilton and her sister Nicky Hilton Rothschild, Heidi Klum, and Ivanka Trump.
While every guest looked spectacular – including Katy Perry who added alien prosthetics to her face – it was Jeff's fiancé Lauren who stole the show.
The 54-year-old looked phenomenal in a Laura Basci red gown that was embellished with Swarovski crystals. The intricate detailing took more than 800 hours of hand-beading, according to a press release from the brand via the New York Post.
Lauren's head-turning gown hugged her incredible curves and boasted a plunging neckline with a few cutouts under the bust. She accessorized with matching red heels and a symbolic crystal-encrusted rocket ship bag by Judith Leiber, which cost a whopping $4,995.
Giving the designer a shout-out on Instagram, Lauren shared some behind-the-scenes photos of her dazzling outfit following the top-secret party.
"Getting ready is sometimes the best part of the night. Thank you @laurabasci for creating this incredible dress for such a special evening," she wrote in the caption.
Famous faces from the bash were quick to comment, with Heidi Klum writing: "You are the brightest gift to Jeff, Happy Birthday! We had a blast celebrating with you." Kathy Hilton also wrote: "You look so gorgeous in that red dress!!! What a fun, beautiful evening."
On Jeff's actual birthday, Lauren posted an adorable throwback photo of Jeff as a child, alongside a black-and-white image of the couple together.
She added a heartfelt message, which read: "Look who's turning 60! Happy birthday, baby! Today is another day where your laughter fills our home, and that smile of yours lights up every room. Wishing you an abundance of simple joys and quiet moments of happiness.
"May this year be filled with everything you love, from peaceful mornings to joyous celebrations. I hope each day brings you countless reasons to smile, just like you give me a reason to smile every single day. Love you, and happy birthday, my love."
This year's birthday marks Jeff's first since he got engaged to Lauren. He popped the question last May with a stunning diamond ring estimated to be worth $2.5 million, while they were aboard his luxurious $500 million superyacht.
The couple took their relationship public in January 2019, shortly after he announced he was divorcing his wife of 25 years, novelist and philanthropist MacKenzie Scott, with whom he shares four children.
At the time, Lauren was also amid a divorce after 13 years of marriage to Patrick Whitesell. She has two children from a previous relationship with former NFL star Tony Gonzalez.
Get the lowdown on the biggest, hottest celebrity news, features and profiles coming out of the U.S. Sign up to our HELLO! Hollywood newsletterand get them delivered straight to your inbox.
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/celebrities/511950/jeff-bezos-star-studded-60th-birthday-party-beyonce-katy-perry-photos/
| 2024-01-24T12:43:12Z
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Midlife comes with many challenges and one of the most difficult parts of this time in our life is when our parents stop feeling like parents. The roles reverse and you feel like you're looking after them instead. At some stage, you might feel you're unable to look after them anymore, and with this comes a sense of guilt.
"We automatically want what is best for our loved ones and preferably be the ones who can give that. But what we can offer is not always the best thing for them," says BACP-accredited counsellor Jackie Rogers. "We may have other commitments that take our time, be it juggling employment, managing a home, children and possibly our own health conditions.
"Deciding to move an elderly relative into a care home is probably not an easy one and may take some time," Jackie continues. "There is an element of having to admit to ourselves we are not superhuman. We give to others, sometimes to our detriment. We can only give so much before we exhaust or burn ourselves out."
Anticipatory grief
"There will be an element of grief when our loved one goes into a care home," Jackie explains. "They are no longer the strong able person we remember. This grief is described as anticipatory grief, grieving before someone dies and with grief comes guilt.
"Perhaps we may feel a sense of duty in wanting to look after our loved one and when this is not possible we feel a sense of failure which then can lead to feeling guilty. Other family members’ opinions or judgements may reinforce our feelings of guilt," Jackie says of why we can feel guilt of moving an elderly relative from their home.
It's natural to feel concerned about a big transition, and it's something Holly felt before her mother moved into KYN, an innovative care home based in Bickley. "My sister and I were a little anxious at first, due to a negative experience in my mum's previous home," Holly shares.
Reassurance is key
It can be a difficult time for your relative too, so it's important to reassure them about the changes ahead. "I thought it was important to focus on the positives and get my mum excited for what was to come," Holly said of how she reassured her mother ahead of her move. "I told her it was a new chapter, that it was a place where she would be happy and I pointed out how nice the people were we had met so far. She found it difficult to believe it at first and was hesitant due to her past experience, but we convinced her to try it, and a year on, she couldn’t be happier."
READ: I tried online dating as a widow in my 50s - here's what you need to know
How to make a smooth transition
"There’s so much you can do to help make the transition smoother, from helping your loved one pack their belongings and unpack in their new room, accompanying them on moving day and staying in touch regularly, including visits and phone calls," says Caroline Naidoo, Managing Director at KYN.
"Remember, it's important that you also look after yourself throughout this process - it can be difficult when someone you love is going through a significant lifestyle change."
Here she shares her advice for making sure the emotional time is as smooth as it can be.
Understand the transition process
"It's helpful to understand what a transition process might entail so you and your loved one know what to expect," says Caroline.
"Speak to the team about how they will help your loved one adjust. Understanding this fully is often a good way to reassure any worries during a process that can naturally be filled with emotions. It’s important that you take the time to understand what your loved one should expect and let them feel heard and supported."
INSPIRATION: I changed my entire life at 54 – here's what happened
Arrange a visit to the home together
"Arrange a visit to the home together to explore the facilities, meet the team and other residents, and experience what everyday life might be like in a new care home," says Caroline. "Visiting at different times of the day and attending social events can also be useful. Make sure you take plenty of time during your visit; it’s important that both yourself and your loved one can ask the questions you want and get a feel for the home."
Holly agrees that getting to know the home is key, and familiarise yourself with what others say. "I would say the most important thing is to read all the reviews of the home and make sure you do your research, so you know the home is the right fit for your loved one.
"Go and visit the home, ideally multiple times to really get a feel for it and meet different people. When you’re there, make sure you ask lots of questions. It’s worth spending time on this as I now have such great peace of mind knowing my mum is somewhere she’s well looked after and happy."
Help pack their belongings
"Helping your loved one to pack their belongings and personalise their new living space can make moving into a care home much more manageable," Caroline advises. "Make sure you work together to decide which items should come with them and anything that might need special attention when moving – what is valuable to them might not be obvious to you, and vice versa.
"It’s important to try to make their new room feel as familiar as you can, to help your loved one feel at ease and the transition smooth. It can be helpful to ask the care home for advice on what belongings they recommend bringing as some homes are fully furnished while others offer residents the option to bring furniture from home."
Accompany them on moving day
"It’s always a good idea to accompany your loved one on moving day," recommends Caroline. "This way, you can be there to help answer any questions they have or just provide a comforting presence in an unfamiliar environment."
Stay in touch regularly
"Stay in touch with your loved one through regular visits, phone calls and letters throughout," suggests Caroline. "It’s a good idea to plan a regular day and time to visit to give your loved one a routine so they know when to expect you.
"Ask the care home if there are any visitor policies or hours you should know first."
Encourage new friendships
"The transition into a care home is sometimes difficult, and it’s important that your family member has people on hand to talk to," says Caroline. "Encourage them to get to know their nurses, carers and other residents in the home.
"Healthy relationships increase your sense of worth and belonging and will help your loved one feel less lonely and happier in their new home. Getting to know people will help the transition become smoother by helping them feel more settled.
"Most care homes offer a variety of organised activities and social clubs, which are great for forming new friendships. You can often join in with some of these when you visit. This will help your loved one feel more comfortable and familiar with their new surroundings."
READ: I went on my first solo holiday at 69 – here's what happened
Be kind to yourself
"It is crucial to be kind and compassionate to yourself, especially when it comes to caring for your elderly relatives, which not only can be physically exhausting but emotionally draining too," says Jackie.
"It is also very important to take care of yourself and seek support from others, especially emotional support, be it through counselling, local carers’ support groups or charities such as Age UK."
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/healthandbeauty/health-and-fitness/511887/guilt-moving-parent-into-home/
| 2024-01-24T12:43:18Z
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Aljaz Skorjanec is every inch the doting dad and on Monday, he shared the most adorable video of his little girl, Lyra Rose.
The former Strictly Come Dancing professional was cosied up to his first-born and gently blew a '"raspberry" next to her cheek. She adorably followed suit and blew a number of raspberries for the camera. See the full clip below.
"Blowing raspberries submachine [smilie with sunglasses emoji]". The pair were cuddled up on the sofa of their chic Cheshire home. Lyra looked adorable in a cream babygrow and green patterned bib.
The sweet moment went down a treat with followers who couldn't get over the heartwarming moment. "I agree! She’s absolutely right!" alongside a red love heart emoji. Mum Janette Manrara also weighed in writing: "Delicious!!!!"
Janette is currently away from her family whilst performing in the Strictly Come Dancing! Live tour. On Tuesday, the mum-of-one made a heartbreaking confession about being away from Lyra. She said: " "It'll be [the] longest I've been away from her. It's hard but loving what I do and being busy helps. See you tonight Sheffield. In the meantime, I'll watch this video over and over [white heart emoji]," alongside a video of her cuddling her daughter.
Little Lyra did accompany her mum to the start of rehearsals along with Aljaz but the trio parted ways when Janette entered the gruelling technical rehearsals.
One special moment from Lyra's trip to visit her mum was when she stepped on the Strictly stage. The heartfelt trip was very close to Janette's heart. She penned: "Such a beautiful moment having Lyra [rose emoji] and @aljazskorjanec come to visit and get on stage w/ me.
"I was pregnant w/ her all of the @strictlycomedancinglive last year, so it was quite a full circle moment to have her on stage. I miss them both, but so thrilled to show her one day how much mami loved doing what she did and how wonderful it is to bring so much joy to those who come watch. Feeling very blessed."
The featured photo of the post showed Lyra being cradled by her parents with Aljaz holding his daughter's arm in a dancer-esque post. Janette also shared a video of Lyra's big moment.
"This is where mummy works, this is mummy's job," Janette said to her daughter who looked so sweet wearing a cream love-heart-adorned tracksuit, matching cream bow, and white shoes.
The couple welcomed Lyra back in July 2023 just months after upping sticks and moving to Cheshire. The couple announced the news their bundle of joy arrived with a sweet photo from the hospital. Captioning the post were the words: "Lyra Rose Skorjanec July 28, 2023," alongside a rose emoji.
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/healthandbeauty/mother-and-baby/511947/strictly-aljaz-skorjanec-adorable-video-baby-lyra/
| 2024-01-24T12:43:24Z
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Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell's grandkids are getting so big... and grown up. During an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! this week, siblings Kate and Oliver Hudson opened up about their famous family and marveled at the "craziness" that is the teenage years.
The host asked them how old their broods are with Kate revealing Ryder is 20, her son Bingham is 12, and her youngest, Rani, is five.
Oliver then said: "I got 16, 13, 10," before making a revelation about his oldest son, Wilder.
"He just got a girlfriend," he said, before confessing he's navigating this whole new world and he's been with her for 10 months.
While Kate listened intently, she then confessed it was bittersweet watching her nephew grow up as he appeared at her home the other day and she was astounded by his stature.
"I hear this sound at my side door," she said. "I hear, 'Hey Auntie Kate'. I didn't know he'd come over and he's like 6ft 2 and I'm like these boys, they're so big."
While detailing a little of Wilder's experience of dating, Oliver opened up about his own teen years growing up with Goldie and Kurt and how his mom dealt with him dating an older girl.
Oliver said he'd since vowed not to react in the same way to his kids. "[As a kid] I'm walking outside and mom's like 'where are you going?'," he said of the moment he was going to jump in his girlfriend's cool convertible car.
"I'm like 'I'm going with Rebecca', And she's like 'no you're not, you're 15 years old, she's 17'.
"I said 'mom, not in front of her,' and she pulls me away right there. I lost it and went to my room and made holes with a broom," Oliver detailed. "I was so angry and mortified and embarrassed."
And so he says, he and his wife Erinn keep drama behind closed doors so as not to embarrass their kids. Not that Goldie was fussed about the holes in the wall.
Kate added: "Mom didn't really care. There goes a door, oh a little bit of dry wall has been punched out. We would be so mad if our kids did that. Our parents were so laid back."
Oliver does keep an eye on his kids using the family tracking app, Life360, however. "He's driving now," the Nashville actor said. "I have him on Life360 so you can track your children, which probably isn't the greatest thing.
"But I call him up and I say 'You're doing 65 in a 55 kid, slow it down.'"
Goldie and Kurt will welcome their eighth grandchild later this year when their son, Wyatt, and his wife Meredith Hagner welcome another baby boy, this February.They're already the proud parents of Buddy Prine Russell, who recently turned three years old.
Get the lowdown on the biggest, hottest celebrity news, features and profiles coming out of the U.S. Sign up to our HELLO! Hollywood newsletterand get them delivered straight to your inbox.
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/healthandbeauty/mother-and-baby/511951/goldie-hawn-6ft-2-teenage-grandson-taking-after-famous-dad-oliver-hudson-photo/
| 2024-01-24T12:43:30Z
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Amanda Owen has had a double whammy this week with Storms Isha and Jocelyn hitting her Yorkshire-based farm of Ravenseat, but thankfully the weather events don't seem to have impacted her too much.
The mum-of-nine took to her Instagram to show herself with some of her children on the snow-topped hills surrounding her farm and it appears the family had no concerns as three of her children gathered around a rock and drank warm beverages from a flask. The star also shared a snap of her children enjoying their time on the farm.
It appeared there was still wind blowing around as Amanda's hair was ruffled by gusts as she shared a beautiful photo of the area, with grey clouds moving in.
There didn't seem to be any damage at the 2,000-acre property as stone walls were still standing and the sheep nearby didn't seem to be bothered at all. Making a quip about the weather, Amanda said: "Whatever the weather #weatheringthestorm."
The star shares her nine children with ex-partner Clive Owen, and despite the split, the couple are still on amicable terms with one another, even embarking on a renovation project at their farm in October.
The news was shared by the duo's oldest son Reuben, 18, who shared photos of himself hard at work taking off the roof, and captioned it: "Me and Tom took the day of the diggers to give Mum and dad a hand taking the roof off Anty Johns. One amazing view from the scaffolding. @yorkshireshepherdess @tommy.mcwhirter."
Speaking about the couple's split on Lorraine, Clive said: "I handled it very badly. It was such a change in our life and I sadly made a right mess of things really. And I had a massive part to play in our relationship ending. A massive part to play."
"When all this was going on I am ranting and raving and drinking and carrying on," Clive added, commenting on the fact he was a little jealous of the time his wife spent filming Yorkshire Shepherdess.
"She was committed and we were all committed to this thing but it seemed to eat away at me and I handled it badly and I behaved badly towards her. I should have been supporting her and I was doing the absolutely opposite."
PHOTOS: Amanda Owen's snaps of rarely seen daughter sparks reaction among fans
SEE: Amanda Owen exudes glamour in waist-cinching dress as she celebrates incredible win
Amanda and Clive announced their split in 2022 with a statement that read in part: "This hasn't been easy, but we both believe it's the right choice for the future of our family."
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/healthandbeauty/mother-and-baby/511952/our-yorkshire-shepherdess-amanda-owen-lookalike-children-ravenseat-storm-impact/
| 2024-01-24T12:43:36Z
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There's nothing we love more than when a style icon has an unexpected style moment.
From Rita Ora at Dior's PFW show to Lily James' recent trousers look, fashion is much more fun when it surprises us. And The Crown star Claire Foy did exactly that at the premiere of her new movie All Of Us Strangers.
The actress who played Queen Elizabeth in seasons one and two of the Netflix series, has always possessed the utmost elegant style agenda.
Tailored jumpsuits, form-fitting dresses and modern separates from the likes of Gucci, Oscar De La Renta and Dior have stayed firmly at the top of her dress code. And although she has a penchant for plunging necklines, her latest modish moment felt more eccentric and daring than ever
Claire stepped onto the red carpet in an ethereal white maxi dress featuring a low v-neckline, elasticated spaghetti straps and two daring thigh-high leg splits down the front.
Since autumn/winter 2023, A-listers have been championing wearing head-to-toe white looks, from the Princess of Wales to Victoria Beckham. And the trend has transitioned from street style agendas to the red carpet and the front rows at fashion week.
At the Golden Globes earlier this month, Gillian Anderson stunned in Gabriella Hearst, Natasha Lyonne in Schiaparelli couture and Keri Russel in Jil Sander, all dressed in opulent white and ivory hues in various silhouettes.
Claire wore her hair in a middle-parted low ponytail and eschewed neck jewellery to let her plunging dress silhouette do all the talking. A simple and sophisticated pair of silver hoops rounded off her accessories to add a touch of elegant glamour.
All Of Us Strangers, also starring Paul Mescal and Andrew Scott, is out in cinemas now.
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/hfm/fashion-trends/511942/claire-foy-stuns-in-double-thigh-split-dress/
| 2024-01-24T12:43:43Z
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Infanta Cristina and Iñaki Urdangarin finalised their divorce in December, it has been confirmed.
The former couple signed the papers at a notary office in Barcelona, HELLO!'s sister publication HOLA! exclusively reports.
Their split was confirmed in January 2022 just days after former handball player Iñaki was pictured holding hands with another woman.
She was later revealed to be his co-worker at Imaz & Asociados law firm - Ainhoa Armentia.
According to HOLA! Iñaki and Ainhoa now have an apartment together in Vitoria, where he now works at a small construction company.
Iñaki and Infanta Cristina formally ended their marriage after 26 years together. The couple, who tied the knot, share four children - Juan, Pablo, Miguel and daughter Irene.
Infanta Cristina, 58, is the older sister of King Felipe of Spain.
In June 2018, Iñaki was given a five year and ten-month prison sentence following convictions of embezzlement and money laundering in excess of £4.5 million through his non-profit organisation, the Noos Institute. In 2021, he was put on supervised release, needing to visit prison only once a week.
Infanta Cristina was also investigated but acquitted of any charges. However, King Felipe issued a decree stripping his sister of the title of Duchess of Palma in 2015.
The news of his sister's divorce came as King Felipe and Queen Letizia stepped out at the International Tourism Trade Fair in Madrid on Wednesday.
Letizia looked elegant in a black jumpsuit with blouse-style detailing, while Felipe donned a grey suit and a red tie.
Their eldest daughter, Princess Leonor, 18, is currently in the middle of her military training while their youngest, Infanta Sofia, 16, is studying for her International Baccalaureate at UWC Atlantic College in Wales.
King Felipe will celebrate the tenth year of his reign on 19 June 2024. He succeeded his father as monarch after Juan Carlos I's abdication.
LISTEN: Inside Queen Margrethe's abdication
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/royalty/511948/infanta-cristina-inaki-urdangarin-finalise-divorce/
| 2024-01-24T12:43:47Z
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Taking a trip abroad should come with nothing but excitement. Packing your suitcase, gathering your travel essentials, and creating a packed itinerary for when you land in a foreign territory all make up the magic of travelling.
But more often than not the journey to get to your final destination comes with many stresses including flight delays. Airline hold-ups have become so frequent they're almost inevitable and to be expected.
In fact, a study from travel tech specialist IBS Software found that 71 per cent of Brits have experienced a flight delay, or cancellation in the last 12 months.
However, it's worth noting that some airlines fare much better than others when it comes to getting you there on time.
If you're thinking of booking a trip to Europe for a city break or some continental sunshine, then find out below which airlines are the most reliable when it comes to overall satisfaction, punctuality, and more…
The best-rated airlines for short-haul economy flights
Jet2
Jet2 topped the board for customer score and punctuality. Only 0.5 per cent of its flights were cancelled last minute in the past year and 66 per cent ran on time, according to a study conducted by Which?
It also had a healthy 80 per cent score when it came to overall satisfaction and four-star rankings for cleanliness and boarding. They even received a perfect score of five stars for customer service.
The fares are cheap, there are often great deals on holiday packages, and the flight frequency is high – making Jet2 a great option for your mini-breaks.
Turkish Airlines
Turkish Airlines are another great option. They scored highly for overall satisfaction, customer service and boarding. The airline also had 69 per cent of its flights running on time in the past year, with only 0.5 per cent being last-minute cancellations. Pretty reliable stats if you ask us.
Finnair
Although Finnair is ranked third best due to its ratings combined, when it comes to on-time flights, they actually scored even better than Turkish or Jet2.
Seventy-seven per cent of their flights ran on time last year, with only 0.5 per cent cancellations. However, it's the slightly less comfortable seats and smooth-sailing boarding which kept it from the top spot. Still, a decent airline choice for your flight booking.
Swiss
Swiss and Finnair were pretty much neck-and-neck in terms of satisfaction from customers, however, a few more last-minute cancellations last year meant they came in fourth.
Its base is in Zurich and Geneva but they run flights to more than 100 destinations, making it a great option to consider when planning your trip.
MORE: January blues? We've found the best cheap holiday packages in TUI's epic travel sale
MORE: 12 of the most romantic hotels in the UK you'll want to take your Valentine to
Aurigny Air Service
Rounding off the top five best short-haul flights is Aurigny Air Service. Eighty-three per cent of its flights ran on time last year, but 3 per cent were last-minute cancellations.
However, smooth-sailing boarding gives them a four-star rating from customers, and four stars for customer service, too.
How do other popular airlines fare in comparison?
Other big brand airlines like Norwegian, Icelandair and Aer Lingus also did pretty well in terms of customer scores and found themselves in the top ten on the chart. You can see the full ranking, here.
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/travel/511893/these-are-the-most-on-time-short-haul-airlines-for-2024-ranked/
| 2024-01-24T12:43:53Z
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SINGAPORE – Local shares snapped this week’s losing streak with a solid effort on Jan 24, although the rest of the region was mixed despite another record session for Wall Street’s blue chips.
The Straits Times Index (STI) rose 0.6 per cent or 18.08 points to 3,153.33.
Gainers outpaced losers 343 to 206 on trade of 1.7 billion shares worth $938.1 million.
Most STI constituents were in the black, led by developer Hongkong Land, which rose 2.9 per cent to US$3.19.
Other property players also fared well. Frasers Logistics & Commercial Trust climbed 2.7 per cent to $1.13, while CapitaLand Ascendas Reit advanced 2.4 per cent to $2.97.
Conglomerate Jardine C&C was the STI’s biggest loser, falling 2.4 per cent to $27.03.
Seatrium, which rose 1.9 per cent to 10.6 cents, was again the most actively traded by volume, with 364.2 million shares changing hands.
Regional bourses ended mixed after a similar session on Wall Street that saw the S&P 500 set a third consecutive record.
South Korea’s Kospi was down 0.4 per cent and the Nikkei 225 in Japan fell 0.8 per cent, but Australia’s ASX 200 edged up 0.1 per cent and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng added 3.6 per cent.
The Shanghai Composite advanced 1.8 per cent on the back of news that Chinese officials are considering a stimulus package to boost the economy.
OCBC Investment Research expects China’s policymakers to implement a stabilisation package to boost market sentiment and stability, which would support a trading rebound in the near term.
Separately, Saxo market strategist Charu Chanana said markets will begin pricing in the risk of a Trump presidency, noting that his policies could bring volatility.
“The possibility of trade wars and higher import tariffs would also likely make the Federal Reserve concerned about the path of inflation,” she added.
“Together with risks of overheating the economy, the market may be forced to push back on the Fed easing expectations.” THE BUSINESS TIMES
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https://www.straitstimes.com/business/companies-markets/singapore-stocks-rebound-on-hopes-of-china-stimulus-measures-sti-up-06
| 2024-01-24T12:44:07Z
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It's a busy time for the royal medical team at the moment, with Princess Kate, King Charles and Sarah Ferguson all in the midst of health struggles – but who is looking after them?
We know the Princess of Wales is currently staying at the capital's exclusive The London Clinic following her abdominal surgery, while it hasn't been announced where King Charles will undergo his operations for an enlarged prostate.
Sarah Ferguson, on the other hand, was treated for malignant melanoma at the Royal Marsden Hospital in London, the King Edward VII Hospital in London and is now recuperating in Austria at the MAYRLIFE clinic.
The Duchess of York namechecked her doctors – Dr. Andrew Furness and Catherine Borysiewicz – but as senior working royals, Princess Kate and King Charles have not mentioned their super-private medical team by name.
Who are the royal family's doctors?
The royal family is looked after by The Royal Medical Household, a department in the Royal Household which retains the medical professionals who look after the Sovereign and royal family.
Royal family members can consult other physicians, but the Medical Household are the key health professionals who are used.
The Medical Household is not the full-time job of the members. They often also hold positions in the NHS and privately and they differ from other departments in the royal household, as they are not named on the royal family's website.
Over the year, the appointed team has included specialists in areas including general practice, gynaecology and orthopaedic surgery, but the roles within the department have not been publicly announced since King Charles took to the throne.
The Palace said in a statement following the news of King Charles' upcoming surgery that they did not plan to make the physician’s name, or any other appointments to the Medical Household, public.
The late Queen Elizabeth was less secretive about her medical team, naming the orthopaedic surgeon who performed her 2003 knee operation, plus she knighted her Head of the Medical Household, Sir Huw Tomas in 2021.
Sir Thomas works as a consultant at The London Clinic, where Princess Kate is recovering from her surgery, specialising in indigestion, irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease and colonoscopy.
Whoever is looking after the royals, we hope they're making sure they're as comfortable as possible!
Royally obsessed? Listen to the latest episode of HELLO!'s Right Royal Podcast, revealing why Prince William was ‘really hurt’ by Prince Harry’s ‘veiled criticisms of Kate
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/healthandbeauty/health-and-fitness/511953/kate-middleton-king-charles-private-medical-team/
| 2024-01-24T12:56:15Z
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When it comes to both on and off-duty royal style, Queen Letizia of Spain has it down to a fine art.
Spotted just yesterday whilst out on official business in Lleida, Spain, visiting an exhibition, Queen Letizia chose to don the most enviable tailored two-piece suit in a trending colourway that fashion lovers have been all over since late last year.
MORE: Meghan Markle just brought back a 90s dress trend we'd forgotten about
RELATED: 5 ways the fashion set is styling all-white this winter
She paired her slim fitted suit in fiery red with a neutral nude coloured blouse and a pair of chunky heeled, rose-toned heels. Keeping things casual on the accessories front, the Queen chose to don a simple triple hoop earring and a gold band ring on her pointer finger. She paired the whole look with a swooping side part, letting her tousled brunette locks cascade down the back of her power suit.
Upon further inspection, I pleasantly found that this isn’t the first time that the stylish royal has sported the red-hued suit, leading me to believe that it might just be one of her favourites. Back in November of last year, she recreated the exact look to attend the International Journalism Awards: every inch of her outfit the same as yesterday’s fit except a twinkling, drop-down diamond earring.
The Spanish Queen has been known to love a twin-set suit, often donning the classically chic ensemble in various colourways. Late last year she was seen attending the closing concert of the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the European Union in a velvet black suit. Pairing the seriously chic ensemble with an up-do and decadent diamond earrings.
When she’s not sporting prim and proper tailoring and pumps, Queen Letizia can often be seen sporting some of the fashion spheres' most cultivated must-haves.
Earlier this month she leaned into the ballet flat girly trend with a pair of patent black micro wedges ballet pumps, instantly taking out the top space for the most fashionable and on-trend royal to date.
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/hfm/fashion-trends/511946/queen-letizia-stepped-out-in-the-chicest-suit-trend-of-the-season/
| 2024-01-24T12:56:21Z
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BEIJING - China has upgraded its diplomatic ties with Uzbekistan and offered closer cooperation across a range of energy, manufacturing and infrastructure projects, state media said on Wednesday.
The announcement came after Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks with his Uzbek counterpart Shavkat Mirziyoyev in Beijing.
China said it is ready to expand cooperation with Uzbekistan across the new energy vehicle industry chain, as well as in major projects such as photovoltaics, wind power and hydropower, state television CCTV said.
China also called for work on the construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway project to start "as soon as possible".
China and Uzbekistan have elevated their diplomatic ties to an "all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership", Chinese state news agency Xinhua said.
The ties were upgraded from a "comprehensive strategic partnership" previously.
An "all-weather" partnership refers to both sides maintaining friendly relations at all times, regardless of the international and domestic political landscape, according to an article by state media China Daily.
China has a similar "all-weather" partnership with Belarus. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/china-announces-closer-ties-with-uzbekistan-further-cooperation
| 2024-01-24T14:11:51Z
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BEIJING – At least 39 people died and nine were receiving treatment for injuries on Jan 24 after a fire broke out at a store in the central Chinese province of Jiangxi, state media reported.
“At 3.24pm on Jan 24, a fire broke out on the below-ground level at a store… in Xinyu, Jiangxi,” the country’s state broadcaster CCTV reported.
“Up until now, the accident has resulted in the death of 39 people, injuries to nine people, and others are still trapped,” it said.
The report did not specify a precise cause of the fire, or how many people were still in danger.
Chinese President Xi Jinping called for “resolute containment” of deadly accidents in China in a statement made after the fire.
Mr Xi “issued important instructions... requiring resolute containment of the frequent occurrence of various safety accidents to ensure the security of people’s lives and property and overall social stability”, CCTV reported.
Video footage released by CCTV of the scene showed several fire trucks and other emergency response vehicles lined up across the street from a row of businesses.
State-backed outlet The Global Times posted a statement by an “emergency command” in the city, which was set up by local officials after the fire broke out.
“At present, on-site search and rescue work is still ongoing, and the cause of the accident is also being investigated,” the statement said.
Footage from the scene shared on social media by government-run outlet The Paper showed huge clouds of smoke billowing into the sky as crowds of people looked on from a distance.
Emergency response vehicles could be seen nearby as security staff told people not to go any nearer.
Fires and other deadly accidents are common in China due to lax safety standards and poor enforcement of regulations.
The incident on Jan 24 comes just five days after a late-evening blaze at a school in central China’s Henan province killed 13.
In November, 26 people died and dozens were sent to hospital after a fire at a coal company office in northern China’s Shanxi province.
The month before, an explosion at a barbecue restaurant in north-western China left 31 dead and prompted official pledges of a nationwide campaign to promote workplace safety.
In April, a hospital fire in Beijing killed 29 people and forced desperate survivors to jump out of windows to escape. AFP
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https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/at-least-39-dead-in-store-blaze-in-jiangxi-province-in-central-china
| 2024-01-24T14:12:02Z
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SINGAPORE - A 59-year-old Singaporean man suspected of drug trafficking offences was among five foreign nationals arrested in Cambodia on Jan 22.
The Cambodian Anti-Drug Department in a statement on Jan 24 said it seized 1.51 tonnes of narcotics, which had been brought into the country from Laos, and meant to be delivered to Taiwan.
The suspects – all men – were arrested during simultaneous raids in three places at 3.15am on Jan 22, the statement added.
The three spots were the Steung Hav International Port in Preah Sihanouk province in the south-west of Cambodia, an unmarked house in Sihanoukville, the capital of Preah Sihanouk province, and a residential address in the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh.
Of the five arrested, two are Chinese nationals, while the other two are Taiwanese.
The Anti-Drug Department said it seized 980kg of ketamine and 532kg of methamphetamine, also known as Ice.
It also seized two fishing boats, a car and motorcycle, as well as eight mobile phones.
Cambodia is not viewed as part of the Golden Triangle – the region where the borders of Thailand, Laos and Myanmar meet – but the kingdom has become a “key transit” and production hub for the regional drug trade, according to a 2023 report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
Criminal syndicates, the report added, have set up bases elsewhere in the region as insurance, with Cambodia being one of the prime spots.
The Straits Times has contacted the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the UNODC for more information.
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https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/s-porean-man-nabbed-in-cambodia-for-suspected-drug-trafficking-15-tonnes-of-drugs-seized
| 2024-01-24T14:12:12Z
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SINGAPORE - A campaign aimed at encouraging nightlife outlets and patrons to adopt safe clubbing practices has returned following a rise in the number of molestation cases and fights at nightspots.
Known as the safe clubbing campaign, this year-long effort will see staff of public entertainment outlets receive training to handle situations involving intoxicated patrons effectively and safely.
This comes after a rise in molestation cases and fights in and within the vicinity of nightspots.
Speaking at the launch of the campaign at HighHouse, a nightlife venue at One Raffles Place, Minister of State for Home Affairs Sun Xueling said 106 outrage of modesty cases were reported at nightspots between January and September 2023.
This marks a 37 per cent increase from the 77 molestation cases reported during the same period in 2022.
Meanwhile, the number of cases involving rioting, affray, disorderly behaviour and serious hurt at nightspots rose in the first nine months of 2023, with 45 such cases reported.
This was a 25 per cent rise from the 36 cases reported during the same period in 2022.
Ms Sun said: “Now, we all know that people want to come out to public entertainment outlets to have a good time and to, of course, return home safely. So these numbers are concerning.
“I think we should work together – the police, together with public entertainment outlets, to protect the safety of their staff as well as their patrons.”
Speaking to the media, Superintendent Randy Chua, Commanding Officer of Marina Bay Neighbourhood Police Centre, said: “With the public entertainment scene remaining diverse and vibrant, the police are concerned with the increase in the number of outrage of modesty cases and fights in and within the vicinity of outlets.”
He noted that the police are constantly exploring ways to collaborate with business operators to ensure a safe environment at nightspots.
“For this year’s campaign, we brought in liquor suppliers, mainly from the Singapore Alliance for Responsible Drinking, so we can tap their networks and reach even more people this time round,” he added.
This year marks the fourth edition of the campaign, which was launched by the police and the National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC).
Previous versions of this campaign were held in 2018, 2019 and in 2023, following the resumption of public entertainment activities after the pandemic.
As part of 2024’s campaign, the police collaborated with the Singapore Nightlife Business Association, Singapore River One and NCPC to create a training handbook for staff working at public entertainment outlets.
This is aimed at equipping staff with knowledge to identify signs of binge-drinking in their customers and to teach them how to intervene early, as well as handle such situations safely.
Meanwhile, a set of mobile games to test customers’ reflexes and memory was launched as part of the campaign.
“These three simple games, which help to test reflexes and memory, are a fun and light-hearted way to see if alcohol-induced cognitive impairment has set in,” said Ms Sun, noting that these games are not sobriety tests.
The police said several nightspots such as Marquee Singapore and Zouk Singapore have trialled the games since end-December 2023 by offering entry fee waivers to those who play.
The police added: “We will continue to do our part by conducting regular checks on public entertainment outlets and will not hesitate to take strict enforcement action against errant outlets and patrons who commit crimes.”
On Jan 23, more than 10 men were charged in court over their suspected involvement in separate cases of molestation. Three of them had allegedly molested victims at nightspots.
Al Amin, 41, is said to have molested a 27-year-old woman at the Ce La Vi club at around 2.40am on Oct 12, 2023.
Jephthah Goh Poh Khang, 29, was at the Marquee Singapore nightclub shortly before 5.20am on Nov 25, 2023, when he allegedly molested a 25-year-old woman.
On Jan 1, 2024, July Izaak, 30, was at the Avenue Singapore lounge in Marina Bay Sands when he allegedly molested a 31-year-old woman.
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https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/safe-clubbing-campaign-returns-amid-rise-in-molestation-cases-and-fights-at-nightspots
| 2024-01-24T14:12:23Z
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MILAN - Luxury sports car maker Ferrari said on Wednesday it would enter world sailing competitions, teaming up with Italian ocean racing yachtsman Giovanni Soldini as team principal.
An icon of motor racing with its uninterrupted presence in Formula One since the start of that world championship in 1950, Ferrari last year also returned to the Hypercar top flight of endurance racing and Le Mans.
"In addition to competing on tracks all over the world, Ferrari is now embarking on this new venture to enhance its technological know how," the company said in a statement.
Ferrari won its last Formula One drivers' championship in 2007 and constructors' title in 2008.
The company said it would rely on "cutting-edge technologies throughout the entire cycle, from conception and engineering to realisation" of the boat.
"The search for maximum performance at sea will generate innovations and concrete solutions for sustainability that, in line with Ferrari's tradition, will be an important stimulus in the evolution of its sports cars," it said in the statement.
Earlier this week Soldini, 57, and Italian carmaker Maserati, part of Stellantis, announced the end of their 11-year long partnership in ocean navigation.
Soldini is a veteran of more than 30 years of solo and crewed ocean competition, including two solo round-the-world races.
"I am thrilled to start this new adventure with Ferrari. We are working on an important and cutting-edge project with an amazing technological potential," Soldini said in the statement.
Ferrari Chairman John Elkann said the new project would expand Ferrari's "racing soul".
"With this new competitive challenge, motivated by our innovative capacity and commitment to sustainability, we will push beyond current boundaries," said Elkann, who is also Stellantis chairman. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/formula-one/ferrari-takes-to-the-water-with-soldini-for-new-sailing-venture
| 2024-01-24T14:12:33Z
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PARIS - President Emmanuel Macron visited France's National Institute of Sport and Performance (INSEP) on Tuesday, hoping to give a boost to the country's athletes and insisting the organisation of the Paris 2024 Olympics needed to be flawless.
Macron took to the tatami to chat with members of France's judo team, telling them how much he 'relied on (them) in this Olympic year'.
"I count on you not only to bring medals, but to inspire the youth. Do your best," he said.
"Are you ready?," he then told the coaches. "Anyway, you're under big pressure."
Macron, who said France were able to finish in the "top five of the medals table", then addressed a thousand of guests, among them some 500 athletes, to stress that France would be ready for the 'unique opportunity' that home Games are.
"We will pursue our efforts after 2024 as we also have to organise the 2030 (Winter) Games (in Nice), I give you my word it will be the case until the end of my term (in 2027)," he said.
The Paris 2024 Games will be held from July 26-Aug. 11 while the Paralympics will take place from Aug. 28-Sept. 8.
"Our organisation needs to be beyond reproach," Macron said.
"In the last seven years we have been working on this project and you have always been rigorous and creative I know that you will succeed," he told Paris 2024 president Tony Estanguet.
"Out first challenge is security with the terrorist threat that is always there. I want to thank the law enforcement officers' commitment."
Up to 500,000 are expected to attend the opening ceremony on the banks and surroundings of the River Seine, with some 30,000 law enforcement officers on site to secure the event.
"The second challenge is the challenge of public transportation. It is a massive challenge. We will succeed. And the third challenge is that competition venues need to be accessible to the disabled," added Macron, who also hailed the Paris Games as 'the greenest ever'.
"We've been acting on it (accessibility) even if we need to look up to the more accessible cities (in the world). We've been late on this topic in France and we need to pursue or efforts to catch up." REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/macron-wishes-flawless-paris-2024-games-boosts-french-athletes
| 2024-01-24T14:12:43Z
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MELBOURNE - Daniil Medvedev said he felt "destroyed" after another five-sets victory at the Australian Open on Wednesday but the third-seeded Russian was at a loss to explain why he felt so tired after some of his matches.
Former U.S. Open champion Medvedev, who finished runner-up at Melbourne Park in 2021 and 2022, ground out a 7-6(4) 2-6 6-3 5-7 6-4 victory over Hubert Hurkacz after nearly four hours in searing heat on Rod Laver Arena to reach the semi-finals.
He had laboured to a similar five-sets victory over Emil Ruusuvuori in a contest that finished at almost 4 a.m. local time last week, but felt similarly worn out despite cooler conditions to play in.
"After every match I'm in the locker room I'm destroyed," Medvedev told reporters. "But then we do a good job. One day off is probably enough to feel good the next day.
"So far, so good in the beginning of the matches and that's what matters. Then try to win and if you're dead after, doesn't matter because you have a day off."
Medvedev, who will face either second seed Carlos Alcaraz or sixth seed Alexander Zverev for spot in the title clash, said he had "no idea" why he felt so fatigued.
"Maybe I should dig into it more, because we try hard with my team to put myself at the 100% of my abilities, and I think we do it," Medvedev added.
"For me, the question is, is it maybe something where you have to work, like from 14 till 20 really hard on your aerobic, physical, whatever?
"Sometimes I see some guys, Hubi's one of them, and I see them play five-sets matches, 7-6 in the fifth, they seem fine in the locker room. I'm, like, 'wow. Did he look good? Right'. That's what I'm saying."
Medvedev wondered if it was all down to his metabolism or genetics, but said he always worked with his team to be ready for the next challenge.
However, the 27-year-old pointed to a Davis Cup match against Novak Djokovic in 2017 where he retired in the fourth set after starting to suffer cramps as early as the second.
"Probably everyone works hard, but I know what I started doing with my team since I was 22, 23 when I decided to be more professional... if I didn't, today after the third set I'm done," Medvedev said.
"I'm trying my best. I'd love to be someone who's not really tired, doesn't care about the heat, but that's not me. But I try to win as I can." REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/tennis/why-so-tired-after-matches-i-dont-know-says-medvedev
| 2024-01-24T14:12:54Z
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MADRID - Rights and environmental activists demanding a ceasefire in Gaza unfurled a giant picture of a Palestinian child crying for help above the entrance to Madrid's Reina Sofia museum, home to Pablo Picasso's painting "Guernica" that depicts the horrors of war.
In Wednesday's action, global campaigning group Greenpeace and the Unmute Gaza movement that supports photojournalists reporting from the war zone used a banner with an illustration by U.S. artist Shepard Fairey based on an image taken by Gazan photographer Belal Khaled.
"Can you hear us?" read the caption, with "Ceasefire now" emblazoned below. Police and firefighters watched on without intervening.
Israel launched its assault on Gaza in October in response to an attack by the Hamas group that runs the enclave, which killed 1,200 people and captured around 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Since then, more than 25,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to Gaza health authorities, by as asault that has turned much of the enclave to a wasteland.
Picasso's mural-sized work housed at the museum, inspired by a Nazi air raid on the northern Spanish town of Guernica in 1937 that killed as many as 1,600 people, is widely considered one of the anti-war masterpieces of 20th century art. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/activists-unfurl-banner-at-madrid-museum-to-demand-gaza-ceasefire
| 2024-01-24T14:13:04Z
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MADRID - Rights and environmental activists demanding a ceasefire in Gaza unfurled a giant picture of a Palestinian child crying for help above the entrance to Madrid’s Reina Sofia museum, home to Pablo Picasso’s painting Guernica that depicts the horrors of war.
On Jan 24, global campaigning group Greenpeace and the Unmute Gaza movement that supports photojournalists reporting from the war zone used a banner with an illustration by American artist Shepard Fairey based on an image taken by Gazan photographer Belal Khaled.
“Can you hear us?” read the caption, with “Ceasefire now” emblazoned below. Police and firefighters watched on without intervening.
Israel launched its assault on Gaza in October in response to an attack by Hamas, which runs the enclave.
The incursion led to the deaths of 1,200 people, with around 250 hostages captured, according to Israeli tallies.
Since then, more than 25,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to Gaza health authorities, by a prolonged assault that has turned much of the enclave to a wasteland.
Picasso’s mural-sized work housed at the museum, inspired by a Nazi air raid on the northern Spanish town of Guernica in 1937 that killed as many as 1,600 people, is widely considered one of the anti-war masterpieces of 20th century art. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/activists-unfurl-banner-at-madrid-museum-to-demand-gaza-ceasefire-0
| 2024-01-24T14:13:15Z
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ADEN - Yemen's Houthi authorities have ordered US and British staff of the United Nations and Sanaa-based humanitarian organisations to leave the country within a month, a document and a Houthi official said on Jan 24.
The decision comes after the United States and Britain, with support from other nations, struck military targets of the Iran-aligned group which has been launching attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea that it says are linked to Israel.
The US government on Jan 17 also returned the group to a list of terrorist groups as Washington tries to stem attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea. The Houthis have said their attacks are in solidarity with the Palestinians as Israel strikes Gaza.
"The ministry... would like to stress that you must inform officials and workers with US and British citizenships to prepare to leave the country within 30 days," said a letter sent by the Houthi foreign ministry to the UN's acting humanitarian coordinator in Yemen, Mr Peter Hawkins.
The letter also ordered foreign organisations to not hire American and British citizens for Yemen's operations.
Houthi top negotiator Mohammed Abdulsalam confirmed the letter's authenticity to Reuters.
The office of Mr Hawkins, who is himself a British national, did not respond to a request for comment. The US and British embassies in Yemen did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Houthi movement controls much of Yemen after nearly a decade of war against a US-backed and Saudi-led coalition. The war has shifted to a no-war, no-peace stalemate as the fighting has largely stopped, but both parties have failed to formally renew a UN-brokered ceasefire.
US and British warplanes, ships and submarines have launched dozens of air strikes across Yemen in retaliation for Houthi attacks as container vessels have been forced to divert from the Red Sea, the fastest freight route from Asia to Europe.
US and British forces on Jan 23 targeted a Houthi underground storage site as well as missile and surveillance capabilities, the Pentagon said. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/houthis-order-us-british-nationals-to-leave-yemen
| 2024-01-24T14:13:25Z
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BUDAPEST - Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban told NATO secretary general Jens Stoltenberg in a phone call that the Hungarian government supports Sweden's membership of the military alliance, Orban said on social media platform X on Wednesday.
"I reaffirmed that the Hungarian government supports the NATO-membership of #Sweden," Orban said in the post.
Orban added that he also told Stoltenberg that he will continue to urge the Hungarian national assembly to vote in favour of Sweden's accession to NATO and conclude the ratification at the first possible opportunity.
Stoltenberg said after the call that Orban and his government clearly supported Sweden's NATO membership.
"I look forward to the ratification as soon as parliament reconvenes," Stoltenberg said on X.
Turkey's parliament approved Sweden's membership in the Western military alliance on Tuesday, leaving Hungary as the only NATO member yet to ratify the accession. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/hungary-supports-swedens-nato-membership-pm-orban-tells-stoltenberg
| 2024-01-24T14:13:36Z
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ROME - Italy's cabinet is set to approve a bill demanding greater clarity from companies that link product sales to charity donations after top fashion influencer Chiara Ferragni came under fire for misleading posts about a Christmas cake.
Ferragni, with nearly 30 million followers on Instagram, was fined last month after Italy's competition watchdog AGCM found that consumers had been duped into thinking that by buying a Ferragni-branded pandoro cake they were contributing to a children's hospital.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni was among those who criticised the influencer, who apologised and admitted to a "communications error". She said she would give 1 million euros ($1.1 million) to a children's hospital.
Eyewear maker Safilo subsequently interrupted a contract with Ferragni, saying she had violated good conduct clauses and prosecutors in Milan are investigating her for alleged fraud related to other campaigns. Her lawyers said she would prove her innocence from all charges.
A draft of the bill seen by Reuters and due to be approved on Thursday, stipulates that products linked to charity donations should indicate the purpose and recipient, and make clear the share of the price going to charity.
The bill envisages fines of up to 50,000 euros ($54,500) for those who fail to respect such obligations. In case of repeated violations, their activities can be suspended for up to one year.
Prime Minister Meloni said this week that the Ferragni case had shown there was a lack of transparency in the regulations on commercial activities with charitable purposes and the government was ready to intervene on that.
Matteo De Angelis, a professor of marketing at Luiss University in Rome, said tight rules may boost the reliability of charity campaigns in the short term, but it will remain challenging to control social media advertising in the future.
"It is a world that is difficult to control, there will be grey areas which will make it hard to determine what is sanctionable and what is not," he told Reuters.
De Angelis said companies seek sponsorship contracts with influencers regardless of their credibility, because they can reach a large number of consumers through their accounts and offering a charity opportunity gives an added incentive to buy.
"People are not induced to buy just because Chiara Ferragni sponsors (the product), but with the donation you invite them to act," he said.($1 = 0.9175 euros) REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/italy-tightens-charity-giving-rules-after-influencer-ferragni-scandal
| 2024-01-24T14:13:46Z
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MOSCOW - Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday met Chadian leader Mahamat Idriss Deby in the Kremlin, courting a country that had previously maintained a pro-Western policy and spurned Russia's recent outreach in Africa's Sahel region.
Russia has been moving to edge out the influence of France, the former colonial power in West Africa and the Sahel, and build ties with countries that have been roiled by a wave of coups since 2020.
Deby has led Chad since 2021, when he took power in a coup shortly after his father, long-serving president Idriss Deby, was killed in battle fighting anti-government rebels. The junta initially promised an 18-month transition to elections, but later delayed them until October this year.
In brief televised comments, Putin said Russia was pleased that Deby had stabilised the situation in the country, and was ready to help in any way.
According to a transcript published on the Kremlin website, Putin said that the two countries had "great opportunities to develop our bilateral ties", and that Moscow would double the quota for Chadian students studying at Russian universities.
Deby's visit comes a week after the prime minister of Niger, also appointed by a junta, visited Moscow. Russia has courted Niger since a July 2023 coup ousted a pro-Western government there.
In Niger and Burkina Faso, the coups have brought to power military governments that have broken with France and instead pivoted towards Russia.
Chad, however, had been seen as an enduring bastion of French influence in Africa, with Moscow's clout there far more limited than in its neighbours.
Russian influence in some countries, including in Mali and the Central African Republic, was initially spearheaded by Moscow's Wagner Group mercenary army, led by businessman and one-time Putin ally Yevgeny Prigozhin.
Prigozhin was killed in a plane crash last August, two months after he led Wagner in a failed mutiny aimed at ousting Russia's top military leadership. He had accused defence chiefs of bungling Russia's military campaign in Ukraine.
Since Prigozhin's death, Moscow has moved to seize control of his network in Africa, incorporating Wagner's operations into its formal state structures. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/putin-meets-chad-junta-leader-as-russia-competes-with-france-in-africa
| 2024-01-24T14:13:58Z
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RIYADH - Saudi Arabia is preparing to open its first alcohol store in the capital Riyadh which will serve exclusively non-Muslim diplomats, a source familiar with the plans and a document showed on Wednesday.
Customers will have to register via a mobile app, get a clearance code from the foreign ministry, and respect monthly quotas with their purchases, the document said.
The move is a milestone in the kingdom's efforts, led by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, to open the ultra-conservative Muslim country for tourism and business as drinking alcohol is forbidden in Islam.
It is also part of wider plans known as Vision 2030 to build a post-oil economy.
The new store is located in Riyadh's Diplomatic Quarter, a neighbourhood where embassies and diplomats reside and will be "strictly restricted" to non-Muslims, the document said.
It was unclear if other non-Muslim expatriates will have access to the store. Millions of expatriates live in Saudi Arabia but most of them are Muslim workers from Asia and Egypt.
A source familiar with the plans said the store is expected to open in the coming weeks.
Saudi Arabia has strict laws against drinking alcohol which can be punishable by hundreds of lashes, deportation, fines, or imprisonment and expatriates also face deportation. As part of the reforms, whipping has largely been replaced by jail sentences.
Alcohol has been available only through diplomatic mail or on the black market.
The Saudi government did not respond to a request for comment.
State-controlled media reported this week that the government was imposing new restrictions on alcohol imports within the diplomatic consignments, which may boost demand for the new store.
The new regulation will curb imports to counter "improper exchange of special goods and alcoholic beverages received by the embassies of non-Muslim countries inside Saudi Arabia", Arab News daily reported on Sunday.
Saudi Arabia, which was relatively closed off for decades, has in recent years relaxed strict social codes, such as segregating men and women in public places and requiring women to wear all-covering black robes, or abayas.
Prince Mohammed's tightening grip on power has been accompanied by changes which included opening the country for non-religious tourism, concerts and allowing women to drive, as well as a crackdown on dissent and political rivals.
Vision 2030 also includes developing local industries and logistics hubs, and aims at adding hundreds of thousands of jobs for Saudi nationals. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/middle-east/saudi-arabia-prepares-to-open-first-alcohol-store-for-diplomats
| 2024-01-24T14:14:08Z
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DAR ES SALAAM - Tanzania's political opposition held its first major protest in years on Wednesday to demand constitutional changes to reduce presidential powers and reform of the electoral commission ahead of a general election due next year.
President Samia Suluhu Hassan last year lifted a ban on most political rallies that her predecessor John Magufuli had imposed in 2016 and has eased other restrictions on media and opposition parties.
However, Hassan faced criticism from human rights activists last year after several people were arrested for planning protests against a port management deal.
Wednesday's protest in the commercial capital Dar es Salaam was called by the opposition Party for Democracy and Progress, known as CHADEMA.
CHADEMA says it is impossible to have free and fair elections next year under the current constitution, which was adopted in 1977 when Tanzania was under single-party rule. Protesters also called on authorities to bring down the cost of living.
Thousands of CHADEMA supporters marched through Dar es Salaam waving banners that carried slogans pushing for an independent electoral body and constitutional reforms. Police officers accompanied the marchers.
"I'm here to push for the new constitution and for the new electoral laws which will bring accountable leaders," Ananilea Nkya, a rights activist and one of the protesters told Reuters as she walked.
"I will continue to fight and protest until we get all of these."
CHADEMA is pushing for a new constitution that trims presidential powers and also strengthens the independence of the country's electoral body.
Previous attempts to reform the constitution have failed. In 2015, the government cancelled a planned constitutional referendum after the electoral commission said it needed more time to register voters.
Hassan is expected to run for a new term in next year's election. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/tanzania-opposition-holds-protest-to-demand-constitutional-reform
| 2024-01-24T14:14:19Z
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As The Celebration Tour continues to sell out arenas worldwide, Madonna isn't forgetting to carve out extra special time for her loved ones, with the latest being her daughter Chifundo "Mercy" James.
The 65-year-old pop icon's daughter officially turned 18 years old earlier this week, and in order to celebrate her big day, she recruited her thousands of fans.
As she was performing at the Madison Square Garden in New York City on January 22, which can house nearly 20,000 attendees at capacity, she brought up her talented daughter to receive a special serenade.
The newly-minted adult was playing the piano at the show, and as Madonna led her troupe in singing happy birthday, the audience joined in for the occasion, leading Mercy to exclaim: "Oh my god!"
Madonna said: "Thank you to the people," as she then motioned to her daughter. "Stand up, stand up, beautiful girl. Look at this queen. That's what a beautiful queen looks like."
The troupe then gave Mercy a birthday cupcake with a lit candle and asked her to make a wish. As she closed her eyes and blew out the candle, the crowd erupted into cheers. Madonna hugged her daughter and proudly remarked: "That's my girl!"
She then looked at the drink in her hand and joked: "Do you want a sip?" before quickly adding: "Oh no, 18's not the drinking age here." Mercy then left center stage while shouting out to the audience: "I love you all!"
Mercy lands in the middle among Madonna's six children: her oldest is daughter Lourdes Leon, 27, followed by sons Rocco Ritchie, 23, and David Banda, also 18. Her youngest are twins Stella and Estere, both 11.
MORE: Madonna's emotional messages for her six children amid appearances on stage during world tour
The Desperately Seeking Susan star also shared the sweetest tribute to her daughter on Instagram, complete with family photos and videos, plus ones that displayed her talents as a pianist and photographer.
"Beautiful Chifundo James! You're 18 yrs old today!! Beautiful Mercy James. You're already a young woman! Beautiful African Queen!!" she wrote.
"You surprised all of us! You were always the quiet one. The gentle one. The shy and stoic one. While all of my other children were clamoring for attention, you were hiding under your hoodie – never wanting to draw attention to yourself."
MORE: Madonna shares emotional at-home Christmas montage with kids — and the best ornament ever
She continued: "Always humble and kind, always the first one to say thank you. To clear the table after dinner! To come and hug me and say how much you appreciate something. And always the most responsible."
She continued to praise her daughter, saying she was "astounded by the woman you have become," deeming her "poised and radiant, skilled and soulful."
Of her skills as an artist, Madonna added: "To hear you play Chopin every night in my show with such confidence is such a thrill. To see what you see through the lens of your camera.
"To watch how you care for your younger sisters. To see you unfold from a chrysalis to a butterfly. Beautiful Chifundo James, nothing gives me greater pleasure than to watch you grow. You really are a wonder."
Get the lowdown on the biggest, hottest celebrity news, features, and profiles coming out of the U.S. Sign up to our HELLO! Hollywood newsletter and get them delivered straight to your inbox.
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/healthandbeauty/mother-and-baby/511956/madonna-tribute-daughter-mercy-james-with-thousands-on-tour-18th-birthday/
| 2024-01-24T14:15:15Z
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The Duchess of Edinburgh got candid about periods as she visited a school in East Dulwich, London on Wednesday.
Continuing her work around breaking the taboo around menstrual health issues, Sophie, 59, joined a myth-busting workshop at Harris Girls Academy.
When asked what comes to mind when talking about periods, the Duchess said: "When you have heavy periods worrying about when you stand up from a chair. That's the worst one."
Sophie, who had emergency surgery in 2001 after suffering an ectopic pregnancy, spoke to the girls about period products and how tampon size related to flow rather than body shape.
She said: "If you were going shopping and your friends are going for the mini and regular tampons are you going to feel self-conscious saying 'I need the big guns'? It’s not because of the size of what you are thinking 'Oh I must be really big down there'."
She added that period products should be on display at home rather than locked in a cupboard, saying: "Let’s get them out of the closet."
Sophie, who is mother to Lady Louise Windsor, 20, and James, Earl of Wessex, also praised three boys who joined the group of 15 to 18 girls at the workshop.
She told them that they were "very brave" for agreeing to talk about periods, adding: "I think bringing boys into the conversation is very important. I’ve been to many countries around the world and other countries seem to be more progressive."
Tanya Simon-Hall, owner of Adeno Gang, which runs workshops about menstrual health in schools and colleges, said: "The Duchess said: 'Even I learnt something new'. They all got a takeaway from the session so they can go on and inform other people."
Dame Lesley, the government’s ambassador for the Women's Health Strategy and chair of Wellbeing of Women, said that girls need to be told about menstruation at a younger age.
"Ten is now the average age that girls start to menstruate, so they need to know about it earlier. Not masses of details but something to put over in a positive way," she said.
She added that she wanted every medical professional to ask about female patients’ periods, even if they are presenting with seemingly unrelated symptoms.
She added: "The Duchess was very helpful on our campaign on the menopause two years ago and now with our campaign Just a Period we hope to make it something that everybody talks about – over the dinner table, the breakfast table, in the petrol station, even. The Duchess demonstrated that she is really open, receptive and, of course, she has a daughter, too."
In 2021, the Duchess won plaudits for candidly sharing her experience of menopause, saying: "You suddenly can’t remember what on earth it was you were talking about. Try being on an engagement when that happens. Your words just go. And you're standing there going, 'Hang on, I thought I was a reasonably intelligent person'. What has just happened to me?"
She added: "It's like someone has just gone and taken your brain out for however long before they pop it back in again, and you try and pick up the pieces and carry on."
LISTEN: Why a reconciliation between King Charles and Prince Harry is set to happen
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/royalty/511957/duchess-sophie-tackles-taboo-around-periods/
| 2024-01-24T14:15:21Z
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Winter seems to be going nowhere, fast, with temperatures up and down constantly and a new storm every few days, blowing a gale. And if there's one thing I learned from last year, it's how to stay warm without cranking up the heating - especially if you work from home. Enter the hooded blanket.
The original, the Oodie, is a constant bestseller and has been lauded for its cosiness, with reviewers waxing lyrical about how they can skip putting on the central heating when wearing one. Their designs are fun, silly and brighten up a dreary day. But if you want an Oodie without the price tag (they can cost upwards of £69 for an adult Oodie, and £77 for a kids’ Oodie) then the high street is your friend. But plot twist - Oodie has a brilliant sale on right now, with up to 60% off, with adult versions starting from £36.
So if it's the real thing you want, is there a better time to shop Oodie than now?! With energy bills still high and the general cost of living not to mention a schlep until January payday, an oversized, wearable blanket is perfect for popping on while working from home or as an alternative to wearing your dressing gown at 5pm. I own an Oodie, and even bought a matching one for my four-year-old (the avocado print, if you were wondering).
They're incredibly warm - and I mean incredibly, extremely oversized (no bad thing!) and comfortable. The soft material is literally dressing gown worthy but less embarrassing to answer the door in, and I love that it has a hood for extra cosiness. It is true what they say, you don't need the heating on wearing one, you really don't.
How I chose the best Oodie alternatives
- Trusted and personal reviews: This is where reviews really shine! I've searched through online reviews to find the Oodie alternatives that actually deliver in terms of warmth and comfort. And if I've tried one, you'll find my own personal review in there too.
- Price: All of the hooded blankets listed cost less than the original version.
- Design: Hooded blankets come in all sorts of styles, from block colours to bold patterns. I've found as many different versions as possible, but it's always worth checking if the style you like comes in an alternative print to the one I've listed.
- Warmth: As much as I'd love to, I haven't tried all of the products listed but where possible, I've called out the ones that seem to win for warmth in reviews and again, if I've tried it, I've made it clear just how warm it is (or isn't).
So save your heating and invest in one of these warm, hooded fleece blankets for you and your family instead.
M&S Hooded Blanket
Editor's note: "I always turn to M&S for my dressing gowns and will be snapping up one of these hooded blankets too! Over 750 positive reviews call it "brilliant" with one adding: "Really keeps you so toasty warm you can save loads on heating bills!"
Sizes: Medium, large plus kids
Colours: Grey, pink and natural
Shipping: Free delivery with a £60 spend; or free next-day click and collect from M&S stores.
Returns: Within 35 days
This M&S hooded blanket not only looks cute but, according to the reviews, is off the scale in cosy. Available in sizes medium and large, as well as a kids' version, there's five neutral colours to choose from and the navy version is currently on sale
kudd:ly Hooded Blanket
HELLO Tried and Tested: "I was sent the tie-dye print to try and on first impressions, I'm really into the print - it feels cooler and more feminine than some of the other designs.
"Compared to my original Oodie, it's a lot less thick but I actually quite like that - the Oodie can feel heavy and almost a bit much sometimes. It's very soft, big and roomy (I'm a size 12, and wore it with a hooded sweatshirt underneath with plenty of room to spare). And at 5ft3ish, it comes to my knees like the Oodie does.
"I'd say if you want something very warm, stick to the Oodie but I found this a lighter way to keep warm enough. The Oodie offers almost instant warmth but this kept me toasty, without overheating, all day long. I love that the hood is big too!"
Shipping: Free delivery on all orders.
Sizes: One size (equivalent to 6XL)
Colours: 11 to choose from, including plain and patterned
Returns: Within 30 days
The kudd:ly oversized blanket comes in one size (to fit 6XL) and a range of designs, from plain to patterned.
John Lewis Hooded Blanket
Editor's note: "I can almost feel how soft and squishy this John Lewis hooded blanket would be!"
Sizes: One size
Colours: Oatmeal, grey and pink
Shipping: Free delivery with a £50 spend
Returns: Within 30 days of purchase
Generously cut and loose-fitting, John Lewis' hooded blanket has a snuggle soft finish and is made from thermal fleece to make it even cosier.
Boux Avenue Hooded Blanket
Editor's note: "I was sent this hooded blanket to test out, and at first glance, I love the subtle heart print and light grey look. It feels silky soft, and lightweight (as opposed to the heavy Oodie). Warmth wise, it provided a certain amount of warmth but I have to admit I do have a few warmer sweatshirts, but over a hoodie, it was perfectly cosy enough.
"I was sent the Medium/Large and it felt very oversized as you can see from the picture. And because it's a thinner, lighter material than others sat a little awkwardly. Obviously not expecting to win best dressed wearing one of these, but it didn't fit quite the same as the others. It was also quite static on my WFH uniform of leggings and hoodie.
"I think for the price, it's a great buy and definitely is less garish than other designs. I'd actually wear this one instead of a dressing gown over PJS, it had that sort of feel."
Sizes: Small to large
Shipping: Free delivery with a £40 spend; or £3.95 for standard delivery.
Returns: Within 28 days
Created from a soft, plush material, Boux Avenue's cute hooded blanket also comes in kids' sizes and is available in small-medium, or medium-large.
New Look Hooded Blanket
Editor's note: "I'm a sucker for a fun, kitsch print on a hooded blanket and New Look's got them in abundance. If you're not a dog fan, there's breakfast prints, avocado, koala and more."
Sizes: Medium and large
Shipping: Free delivery with a £50 spend; or £2.99 for standard delivery on orders under £50.
Returns: Within 28 days
Head to New Look for a cute print oversized hooded blanket.
Amazon Hooded Blanket
Editor's note: "I love the longer length of this Amazon number, which really does look part blanket, part hoodie."
Sizes: One size
Colours: 12 available, including black, lilac and blue
Shipping: Free delivery with a £25 spend.
Returns: Within 30 days
Ranging from black to lilac, Amazon's hooded blanket has a big pocket on the front (ideal for your phone or snacks) and comes in one size.
Tu Hooded Blanket
Editor's note: "This is the one I wouldn't mind if my local delivery person saw me in! The Tu hooded blanket comes in black and white print, which I adore, and looks silky snuggly."
Sizes: Small to XL
Shipping: From £3.95 on all orders, or free click and collect.
Returns: Until January 31 2024
Available in small to extra large, this mono spot print hooded blanket contains recycled yarns and a kangaroo pocket.
Snuggy Hooded Blanket
Editor's note: "I couldn't resist including this hilarious kebab print hooded blanket! It looks super comfy and soft, and has an oversized hood and massive front pocket too."
Size: One-size for adults
Shipping: Free delivery with a £50 spend
Returns: Within 14 days
Crafted from soft flannel fleece with a sherpa lining, the Snuggy hooded blanket is said to be thick, durable and super snuggly.
Etsy Hooded Blanket
Editor's note: "Who doesn't love something personalised? This would make a fab present for a loved one, or of course yourself. There's a few colours to choose from too, including neutrals like black and grey and a bright pink or blue."
Sizes: One size
Colours: Grey, black, navy, red or pink
Shipping: Free UK delivery
Returns: Available within 14 days
This one-size fits all hooded blanket has a super soft sherpa lining and high-pile fleece fabric for maximum cosy points. Can be fully personalised with a name or initials.
Peppa Pig Hooded Blanket
Editor's note: "Delight your little one with a Peppa Pig hooded blanket - they'll want to wear it all the time!"
Sizes: One size
Shipping: From £3.95
Returns: Within 14 days
Sherpa lined and with pockets, this Peppa Pig hooded blanket fits ages 3-6, and is machine washable.
Silentnight Hooded Blanket
Editor's note: "How cool is this glow in the dark hooded blanket for kids? Such a great one for car journeys and winter evenings."
Sizes: One size
Shipping: Standard delivery costs £4.99
Returns: Within 30 days
Designed for kids aged 3-11, this glow in the dark hooded blanket would make a great gift, with a warm sherpa inner and fleece exterior.
M&S Kids Hooded Blanket
Editor's note: "I know my daughter would adore this Frozen hooded blanket, with its cosy fleece finish."
Sizes: Ages 3-8 years
Shipping: Free delivery with a £60 spend; or free next-day click and collect from M&S stores.
Returns: Within 35 days
Available in sizes 3-8 years, this cosy hoodie has an oversized fit, long sleeves and a snuggle hood.
John Lewis Kids' Hooded Blanket
Editor's note: "This John Lewis hooded blanket is a classic buy for kids and looks super snuggly."
Sizes: From 3 years to 16 years
Shipping: Free delivery with a £150 spend
Returns: Within 30 days of purchase
John Lewis' kids hooded blanket is oversized, sherpa finished and available in ages 3-16.
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/shopping/511945/best-affordable-oodie-alternatives-on-the-high-street/
| 2024-01-24T14:15:27Z
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Timeless and elegant, a classic cream coat is a must-have for any wardrobe. Investing in the trans-seasonal staple will pay off for years to come, as the neutral shade will complement any colour palette for a smart, understated appearance.
If you're working on building your capsule wardrobe for 2024, a long cream coat is a style worth looking out for. Not only is a longline silhouette so on-trend, but the versatile piece can be thrown on over dresses, jeans and leather trousers. Plus, once wedding season rolls around, you'll be glad to have a cream coat in your collection to complete your wedding guest outfit.
From vanilla to oatmeal colourways, there are plenty of cream styles around right now. Whether you're looking for a cosy teddy coat or a chic trench, I've handpicked the best cream coats for the new season that are worth buying now and keeping forever.
Variety: I've picked out a range of cream coats including long, puffer, trench and wool styles, so there should be plenty of options for all tastes.
Price: Coats can often come with a sizeable price tag, so I chose a variety of different price points ranging from £65 to £560.
Inclusivity: Most of the coats in the list have a versatile selection of sizes, with plus-size options included.
I headed to the high street in search of a cream coat, and came across lovely styles in New Look, H&M and Mango. I was particularly impressed by Mango's Lapel Manteco Wool coat (far right). It was so comfortable without being too heavy, and I thought the oversized fit was great for styling with jumpers and cardigans. For reference, I'm a size 10 and I tried on a size small.
Mango Lapels Wool Coat
Mango Wool Cream Coat
Sizes: S-L
Shipping: £4.50 or free with a £50 spend
Returns: Within 30 days
Mango's premium wool coat features a slightly oversized fit that's perfect for layering, a smart lapel collar and double-button fastening. The virgin wool blend gives the coat a luxe appearance, and it will add a touch of elegance to any work, everyday or occasion outfit.
M&S Brushed Textured Car Coat
M&S Brushed Textured Cream Coat
Sizes: 6-24
Shipping: £3.99 or free with a £60 spend
Returns: Within 35 days
M&S has so many staple coats in stock right now, and the cream brushed coat is ticking all of the boxes. Its soft brushed texture makes it look far more expensive than it is, while the midi-length and slightly relaxed fit adds extra comfort without compromising on style.
Karen Millen Italian Manteco Wool Coat
Karen Millen Wool Cream Coat
Sizes: 6-16
Shipping: £4.99 for standard delivery
Returns: Within 28 days
Karen Millen never disappoints when it comes to sophisticated investment pieces that you'll keep in your wardrobe for a lifetime, and its pleated cream midi coat is no exception. Made from premium Italian wool, the timeless style is finished with a waist-cinching belt, notched lapels and pleated detailing. The versatile design makes it suitable for any occasion, and it would look just as stylish teamed with black tapered trousers and loafers as it would with a floral dress for wedding season.
Phase Eight Eleanor Pleat Back Trench Coat
Phase Eight Cream Trench Coat
Sizes: 8-18
Shipping: £2.95 or free with a £150 spend
Returns: Within 28 days
Everyone needs a classic trench coat in their wardrobe during the transitional seasons, and Phase Eight's smart outerwear has a unique twist. The coat has a flattering silhouette with a shape-enhancing belt, along with contrasting black double-breasted buttons and buckled cuffs. The pleated detailing across the back is what gives the coat a statement finish, and I'd recommend styling with wide-leg trousers and ballet flats for a smart yet stylish look.
L.K. Bennett Anderson Wool Blend Coat
L.K. Bennett Wool Blend Cream Coat
Sizes: S-L
Shipping: £4.50 or free with a £50 spend
Returns: Within 30 days
L.K. Bennett's gorgeous cream coat may be the ultimate investment piece. Made with an Anderson Wool blend, the elegant coat features a sleek silhouette with a flattering high-waisted belt that will bring together any look. Princess Kate has been seen in several L.K. Bennett coats over the years, and the sophisticated style will make a go-to occasion piece for styling over dresses.
H&M Pile Cream Coat
H&M Cream Coat
Sizes: XS-XXL
Colours: Available in cream or dark beige
Shipping: £3.99 or free with a £30 spend
Returns: Within 28 days
With temperatures still dropping, we're not yet over the teddy coat trend. H&M's pile coat looks so warm with its oversized fit, calf-length design and soft teddy feel. The relaxed silhouette makes it great for layering with knitwear in the cold weather, and the day-to-night style will work well with trousers or dresses.
ASOS Boucle Cream Coat
ASOS Cream Boucle Coat
Sizes: 4-18
Shipping: £4.50 or free with a £40 spend
Returns: Within 28 days
ASOS's cream coat is the perfect mix between a teddy and boucle style, making it a great transitional piece for the change in seasons. It features a longline fit with brown buttons on the front and cuffs, and it could be thrown on with just about any outfit. Keep it casual with jeans and trainers, or dress up the relaxed coat with a pencil skirt and boots for a smart finish.
New Look Teddy Trim Longline Coat
New Look Cream Longline Coat
Sizes: 12-22
Colours: Available in cream or black
Shipping: £2.99 or free with a £50 spend
Returns: Within 28 days
For a coat that will keep you cosy in the cold weather while still being lightweight enough to wear through the spring months, New Look's cream longline coat is the one. It has a smooth faux suede exterior with a soft teddy lining, along with a revere collared neckline and a button front fastening. It's also available in black with a contrasting white trim – and it will look great styled with chunky knitwear, jeans and trainers for an effortless ensemble.
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/shopping/511895/best-cream-coats-for-women/
| 2024-01-24T14:28:24Z
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An 11-year-old boy who was born with congenital hearing loss has become the first patient to receive a new gene therapy procedure, and it’s allowed him to hear sounds for the first time in his life.
“Gene therapy for hearing loss is something that we physicians and scientists in the world of hearing loss have been working toward for over 20 years, and it is finally here,” said Dr John A. Germiller, Director of Clinical Research in the Division of Otolaryngology at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), in a statement.
“While the gene therapy we performed in our patient was to correct an abnormality in one, very rare gene, these studies may open the door for future use for some of the over 150 other genes that cause childhood hearing loss.”
The patient, Moroccan-born Aissam Dam, has an extremely rare form of deafness that is thought to affect only about 200,000 people worldwide. It is caused by a recessive mutation in the otoferlin (OTOF) gene. Dam was born with profound hearing loss in both ears, but for safety reasons, the researchers had to start by treating only one ear.
During surgery, the patient’s eardrum was partially lifted to open a tiny access window into the cochlea. A single dose of the experimental gene therapy was then inserted directly into the inner ear – a harmless viral vector containing copies of the normal OTOF gene. The idea is that having the functioning gene in place will allow the sensory cells to transmit signals along the auditory nerve to the brain, as happens in hearing people, although the scientists weren't certain it would work in someone who had been deaf for 11 years.
However, four months later, the hearing in the treated ear has recovered to only mild/moderate hearing loss, meaning that Dam can hear sounds for the first time in his life. In an interview with the New York Times, with the help of a translator, his father explained how he could hear traffic noises only days after the surgery.
“There’s no sound I don’t like,” Dam expressed through interpreters. “They’re all good.”
The surgical technique that makes this treatment possible was developed 10 years ago by Dr Germiller, and it is used for a different diagnostic procedure in young children. Combining this with cutting-edge gene therapy research from Akouos, Inc., a subsidiary of pharma giant Eli Lilly and Company, has led to the current clinical trial.
“As more patients at different ages are treated with this gene therapy, researchers will learn more about the degree to which hearing is improved and whether that level of hearing can be sustained over many years,” Dr Germiller said. “What we have learned from following this patient’s progress will help direct our efforts toward helping as many patients as we can.”
The New York Times reports that another child was similarly treated in Taiwan towards the end of last year, and the CHOP team has two further candidates lined up for surgery. A 3-year-old boy from Miami and a 3-year-old girl from San Francisco will both be treated in one ear, while their other ears have already been fitted with cochlear implants.
If the trials continue to produce such positive results, attention is likely to turn to the other 150-plus genes that are implicated in congenital hearing loss. However, the idea of providing a “treatment” for deafness at all is a controversial one, with some members of the Deaf community rejecting the characterization of hearing loss as a disability.
In cases where parents do choose to seek treatment for their children born with hearing loss, the results of this trial represent an exciting possibility for the future.
“For decades people have been saying, ‘When is this going to work?’,” Dr Margaret Kenna, an otolaryngologist and professor of otolaryngology at Harvard Medical School, told the New York Times. “I didn’t think gene therapy would begin in my practice lifetime. But here it is.”
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https://www.iflscience.com/11-year-old-boy-hears-for-first-time-ever-thanks-to-gene-therapy-breakthrough-72600
| 2024-01-24T14:47:24Z
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Chickpeas have been grown on the Moon. Well, not on the Moon exactly – not even in the sense that one couple had sex "on the Moon" – but they have been grown using simulated lunar dust, replicating samples brought back by the Apollo missions. Assuming this work can be extended to other plant species, it’s a step towards a future in which lunar bases are partially self-sufficient, although those wishing to apply might be advised to get used to a vegan diet.
The capacity to grow their own food is an essential requirement of future space colonies. Even Antarctic bases now grow some fresh fruit and vegetables for morale purposes – but in their case, it’s usually cheaper to ship food in. If that’s the case for human settlements beyond the Earth, then our prospects for expansion as a species are grim indeed. Things will not be much better if we need to take the soil with us to farm, rather than finding at least some on location.
The Moon does not have soil as we think of it, but it has regolith, the surface’s loose dust and bits of rock, which will need to be the primary medium in which future colonies grow their food. The Apollo missions returned regolith samples from their landing sites, along with larger chunks of rock. In a preprint yet to pass peer review, two agricultural scientists claim Earthly fungi and worm castings are the key to growing plants in this.
Lunar regolith could pose two obstacles to space agriculture: what it contains, and what it lacks. The second should be easier to deal with; when vital nutrients are in short supply, we can bring supplements from Earth, but toxins pose more of a challenge.
Jessica Atkin of Texas A&M University and Brown University PhD student Sara Oliveira Pedro dos Santos say they have dealt with both. They used arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi to capture the heavy metals in lunar soils and prevent them from being taken up by plants. For nutrients, the pair turned to vermicompost; that is the product of a worm farm. They note the worms can be fed not only waste food but also used clothing and hygiene items.
Access to samples from the Apollo missions is improving as NASA no longer fears replenishment may be decades away. Nevertheless, testing multiple scenarios would have exceeded availability. Instead, Atkin and dos Santos replicated Apollo samples as closely as possible and created pots with between 25 and 100 percent imitation lunar regolith mixed with worm droppings. Half were inoculated with fungi, while the rest had to fend for themselves.
Plants without fungal protection started to die by week 10. Even with inoculation, the plants in the 100 percent lunar soil only lasted two weeks longer. However, those in up to 75 percent lunar soils did better, flowering despite signs of chlorophyll deficiency. Further data is promised as the experiment goes on.
The pair chose chickpeas because the products are high in protein and micronutrients, and as legumes they have a symbiotic relationship with the fungi, offering space on its roots for the symbiont to grow.
Atkin and dos Santos are not the first to try growing plants in lunar soil. They note that research using the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana got seeds to germinate, but the seedlings grew more slowly than they should have and showed signs of severe stress.
One thing this experiment did not address is the effects of low gravity or high radiation. However, the limited data available from Chang’e 4’s efforts to grow a plant in Earth soil on the lunar surface suggests lunar gravity may even assist plant growth.
There’s still a long way to go, however. Even if the plants produce chickpeas, being the first to try them might be a little like the job of a Roman Emperor’s food taster. “They will need to be tested for heavy metal concentrations, and we’re going to do that,” Atkin told New Scientist. Nevertheless, she has hope, adding; “Even if the first few generations of chickpeas are not edible, the bioremediation process could take those toxins out of the soil over time.” Being a space colonist will require patience, and not just when it comes to taking off.
The preprint is hosted on biorxiv.
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https://www.iflscience.com/chickpeas-grown-in-replica-lunar-soil-with-help-from-worms-and-fungus-72591
| 2024-01-24T14:47:30Z
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Okay. We’re all grownups here. We can admit when we’ve made a mistake. Despite previous headlines, it turns out multivitamins may not be useless after all.
“Cognitive decline is among the top health concerns for most older adults,” said Chirag Vyas, an instructor in investigation at the Department of Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital and first author of a new study linking a daily multivitamin supplement with improved memory and slower cognitive aging for older people, in a statement.
“A daily supplement of multivitamins has the potential as an appealing and accessible approach to slow cognitive aging,” he confirms.
It’s actually not the first study to have found such an effect. Two previous trials within the same project – dubbed the COcoa Supplement and Multivitamin Outcomes Study, or COSMOS – have already suggested a cognitive benefit from a daily multivitamin, but they were based on telephone and web-based cognitive assessments of participants.
This one, however, was in-clinic: the researchers administered detailed cognitive assessments in person to more than 570 participants, all of whom were aged over 60 and live throughout the US. Compared to placebo, they found a significant benefit from a multivitamin for the subjects’ episodic memory, and a modest benefit for global cognition – although executive function and attention were not affected by the supplement.
Nevertheless, this third study, along with a meta-analysis of all three, “provides strong and consistent evidence that taking a daily multivitamin, containing more than 20 essential micronutrients, helps prevent memory loss and slow down cognitive aging,” Vyas said.
While it now seems clear that a daily multivitamin can slow cognitive aging by what the team estimates to be the equivalent of roughly two years, it’s still unknown precisely how the effect is achieved. “It is now critical to understand the mechanisms by which a daily multivitamin may protect against memory loss and cognitive decline,” comments Howard Sesso, associate director of the Brigham and Women’s Hospital Division of Preventive Medicine and a co-author of the study.
“The modifying role of baseline nutritional status on protecting against cognitive decline has been shown for the COSMOS cocoa extract intervention,” he explained. “A typical multivitamin such as that tested in COSMOS contains many essential vitamins and minerals that could explain its potential benefits.”
One vitamin known to be related to brain health is B12 – and indeed all B vitamins. For example, in 2013, research at Oxford University found that a B-vitamin supplement could reduce cerebral atrophy in key regions of the brain related to cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease by up to seven times. Other supplements thought to protect the brain are vitamin D and Omega-3 – both substances that most of our diets are typically low in.
Even if we go out of our way to get these nutrients, however, aging brings its own challenges to the plate. For various reasons, older bodies are less able to efficiently absorb nutrients from food – which is part of the reason why multivitamin supplements have so far not generally been recommended as standard.
But perhaps we will soon see that change. “These findings will garner attention among many older adults who are, understandably, very interested in ways to preserve brain health,” said Olivia Okereke, director of Geriatric Psychiatry at Massachusetts General and senior author of the report.
“They provide evidence for the role of a daily multivitamin in supporting better cognitive aging.”
The study is published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
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https://www.iflscience.com/more-evidence-that-a-daily-multivitamin-could-help-slow-cognitive-decline-in-old-age-72597
| 2024-01-24T14:47:36Z
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NASA has announced the winners of its 2024 funding for pioneering concepts in space exploration. Highlights include a fixed-wing plane to soar over Mars, a swarm of tiny probes to explore nearby star systems, and a set of telescopic dishes with a baseline the size of the Solar System.
NASA Innovative Advanced Concept (NIAC) grants give money to projects that are not ready to be implemented, but might one day prove transformational. The Phase I stage involves relatively small amounts of money for blue-sky projects, encouraging scientists and engineers to dream big by putting some detail on ideas that are currently little more than notepad sketches.
The majority of past Phase I grants have yet to get much further. Some may just be ahead of their time, but most will probably prove more suited to the pages of science fiction than practical applications. On the other hand, some past awardees have graduated to the larger sums available in later phases. An even smaller number are now being built or have already been implemented. The Ingenuity helicopter, which has done so much to expand our knowledge of Mars, is a NIAC alumnus.
This year’s headline-grabber among the 13 Phase I winners takes Ingenuity one step further. Dr Ge-Cheng Zha of the Coflow Jet company has proposed the Mars Aerial and Ground Intelligent Explorer (MAGGIE), a plan for a fixed-wing airplane covered in solar panels for much longer flights. At one percent of air pressure at sea level, the Martian atmosphere does not provide a lot of lift. Nevertheless, it has been enough to get Ingenuity airborne and making 71 hops totaling 17 kilometers (10.6 miles)
Zha hopes to leave that in the Martian dust. By making MAGGIE very light, using enormous wings compared to its body, and banks of propellers, he believes it will be possible to fly 16,000 kilometers (10,000 miles) each Martian year. The combination of this range and the low altitude would allow MAGGIE to study the weak Martian magnetic fields to explore the history of the planet’s core, track the source of methane releases, and map subsurface ice.
“It is the first concept to enable ongoing exploration of this region of Mars and would provide a substantial leap in capability for NASA’s exploration of the Red Planet,” Zha wrote in his pitch.
Ambitious as it is, MAGGIE has nothing on Dr Thomas Eubanks of Space Initiative’s idea for a swarm of probes to study Proxima Centauri b. Eubanks builds on an idea that has been around for a while, creating a powerful laser that can accelerate very light solar sails to around 20 percent of the speed of light and direct them to a nearby star system. One challenge for this scheme is that the probes would have to carry so little weight they might struggle to send their messages home. Eubanks proposes to have the probes work together to produce signals far more powerful than any could produce alone.
Most importantly, these would be strong enough to be detectable from Earth, or in orbit nearby. In order to achieve this, the probes would self-organize like a flock of starlings into a lens shape. The probes would be launched in a long chain, with the latter ones given a slightly greater push so they can catch the forerunners. Some probes might fail to launch, be damaged on the journey, or suffer internal failure. However, once the immensely powerful launching laser is built, the cost of adding probes to the swarm would be minor, allowing multiple redundancies.
Others thinking big include Dr Lynn Rothschild of NASA’s Ames Research Center who hopes to detoxify Mars to make it suitable for humans - which could be uncomfortable for any existing life, if it exists. Meanwhile, Dr Ryan Sprenger of Fauna Bio Inc wants to study zero-gravity hibernation, hopefully as a stepping stone to sending people to the stars in suspended animation.
Later phases are announced separately.
Examples of some previous Phase I winners can be seen here and here.
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https://www.iflscience.com/nasa-is-exploring-the-first-fixed-wing-aircraft-to-soar-over-mars-72599
| 2024-01-24T14:47:42Z
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A reader has a question, which seems like it'll be fun to discuss. "In space, an object in motion stays in motion right?" the IFLScience reader asked. "So if you banged a tuning fork in space would it produce the vibrations forever?"
Without looking into it, you probably instinctively know that this shouldn't be possible. If it went on forever, it would be a perpetual motion machine, which are not possible according to the laws of thermodynamics.
Specifically, here it would violate the second law, which states that the entropy of an isolated system increases over time, and that heat always flows "downhill" from hotter to colder regions. In practical terms, it tells us that as energy is transferred and transformed, some of that energy is spread out and "wasted", eg through heat loss via friction. There's no obvious reason why a tuning fork would be an exception to this law, so what is the exact mechanism?
The answer is that in the near vacuum of space, away from the friction of our atmosphere, there is still internal friction inside the tuning fork, which is what produces its vibrations and (on Earth) sound.
As NASA, which thankfully has a habit of answering just about any question they come across, explains:
"For a tuning fork to vibrate, it must be struck. On Earth, these vibrations compress surrounding air molecules to produce a sound wave that we can hear. If an astronaut in space were to strike a tuning fork, it would vibrate, and sound waves would occur within the tuning fork itself. However, with no air molecules around, it would not produce a sound that the astronaut could hear. The energy from these vibrations would heat the tuning fork (due to internal friction) and eventually be radiated away."
The tuning fork would stop, yet another victim of those pesky laws of physics.
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https://www.iflscience.com/people-are-asking-if-you-banged-a-tuning-fork-in-space-would-it-vibrate-forever-72595
| 2024-01-24T14:47:48Z
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A huge breakthrough for endangered rhino species in Africa has been achieved through the world’s first in-vitro fertilization (IVF) rhino pregnancy. A team has successfully implanted a lab-created rhino embryo into a surrogate rhino mother for the first time, resulting in pregnancy. This could be a big step towards saving the northern white rhino, a species on the very brink of extinction.
Producing a southern white rhino embryo via IVF is a test run for the northern white rhinos in the future. The egg came from a female southern white rhino at a zoo in Belgium and was fertilized with sperm from a male in Austria. The fetus was then implanted in a southern white rhino surrogate female in Kenya. This was the 13th attempt to achieve a viable pregnancy.
"To achieve the first successful embryo transfer in a rhino is a huge step," Dr Susanne Holtze, a scientist at Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW) in Germany, which is part of the Biorescue Consortium, an international consortium trying to save this species, told BBC News.
The fates of the two of Africa's rhino species are closely intertwined. The northern white rhino (Ceratotherium simum cottoni) has just two living individuals left in the world, a mother and daughter named Najin and Fatu. Unable to reproduce, the species is essentially extinct. Scientists have been harvesting eggs from Fatu for some time, creating a stock of eggs that could one day save the species. Sperm from the last living male rhino, Sudan, has been frozen since before he died in 2018 and has been combined with Fatu's eggs to create 30 precious embryos for this very reason.
The southern white rhino (Ceratotherium simum simum) is considered much more of a success story. Previously hunted to tiny population numbers, conservation efforts have seen the population rebound to around 20,000 in the wild even though they are still heavily threatened by poaching. This is where the southern white rhinos come in to help their closely related kin.
"I think the situation for the northern white rhino is quite privileged for the embryo transfer because we have a closely related recipient – so their internal map is nearly the same," said Professor Thomas Hildebrandt, the director of Leibniz IZW, to the BBC.
The team successfully implanted the southern white rhino embryo into a southern white rhino mother creating the world-first IVF rhino pregnancy. However such major success was followed by tragedy as the pregnant female died from an infection of Clostridia bacteria just 70 days into the pregnancy.
A post-mortem of the mother and the fetus, which was found to be male, showed that it was 6.5 centimeters long and the team believed it had a 95 percent chance of being born alive.
While this is a devastating blow, the success of the pregnancy proves that the technique to impregnate a rhino via IVF is possible. This is a huge step because to create a northern white rhino calf, the team will have to use a southern white rhino as a surrogate since neither of the last two living females can carry a pregnancy.
"[W]ith this achievement, we are very confident that we will be able to create northern white rhinos in the same manner and that we will be able to save the species," said Holtze.
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https://www.iflscience.com/worlds-first-ivf-rhino-pregnancy-is-big-step-to-saving-species-on-brink-of-extinction-72605
| 2024-01-24T14:47:54Z
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SEOUL – Pressure on South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol is set to grow after a public rift between him and his party’s leader Han Dong-hoon, fuelled by the ongoing controversy over a luxury handbag that was gifted to the First Lady in 2022.
The incident may dampen the prospects of the ruling People’s Power Party (PPP) in the legislative elections that are just weeks away.
The President is said to have ordered the resignation of Mr Han over the weekend, after the latter said the party and the presidential office could have better handled the controversy surrounding Mr Yoon’s spouse for accepting a Dior handbag from a pastor.
News of the fallout shocked many, given the close ties between the duo, whose relationship goes back more than 20 years to their time as prosecutors.
In a dramatic U-turn, both made a show of reconciling when Mr Yoon visited a local market on Jan 23.
News footage showed the former justice minister giving the President a 90-degree deep bow in greeting, while Mr Yoon tapped Mr Han’s shoulder in an ostensibly friendly gesture.
Mr Han is widely regarded as PPP’s ticket to success in the legislative elections, and tipped to be a presidential candidate in 2027.
The 50-year-old political heavyweight rose to popularity for his calm demeanour while delivering sharp rebuttals to the opposition, which dominates the current national assembly.
He stepped down as justice minister just a month ago to take over the party reins.
A survey conducted by Gallup Korea last month had Mr Han voted as Korea’s No. 2 “favourite future political leader” with 16 per cent support, second only to main opposition leader Lee Jae-myung, who had 19 per cent of the votes.
On the sudden patch-up, Seoul National University’s law professor Lee Jae-min said: “Just too much is at stake for them now. They just can’t afford to be wrangling over their different views.”
Sogang University’s political science professor Kim Jae-chun called Mr Yoon’s initial reaction “absurd”. He said: “What was going on with Yoon that day? Did he, in a fit of pique, call his chief of staff, and say, “Just go to that guy and then tell him to step down’? I mean, you only have 77 days left to the election (as of Jan 24).”
Mr Han is known to be one of Mr Yoon’s closest advisers and confidantes.
In 2023 as justice minister, he sided Mr Yoon in opposing a Bill proposed by the opposition – that was eventually vetoed by the President – to launch a special investigation into First Lady Kim Keon-hee’s alleged involvement in stock manipulation.
But when Madam Kim was caught on camera supposedly accepting a Dior handbag worth three-million won (S$3,000) during a meeting with a pastor in September 2022, Mr Han finally admitted on Jan 18 during a party policy event that the controversy is “a matter of public concern”.
An opinion poll in December showed 53 per cent of respondents believe she had acted inappropriately.
Mr Han noted that the situation was “a planned setup using a spy cam”, but said there were “several misdeeds in handling the issue”, referring to the party’s stubborn silence for nearly 50 days after the controversy broke last November.
On Jan 19, a presidential official finally told reporters that “gifts given to the President or First Lady are not accepted by them personally. According to the relevant rules, the gifts are managed and stored by the State”.
Mr Yoon, known to be a devoted husband, has continued to stand firmly by his wife.
He was reportedly most upset by comparisons of his wife to Marie Antoinette, made by Mr Kim Kyung-yul, who was appointed by Mr Han to the PPP’s emergency leadership committee. The French queen was unpopular for her excesses and executed during the French Revolution.
Mr Kim suggested on Jan 17 that “an apology, whether from the president, the First Lady, or both, might be a way to soothe the feelings and hearts of the people”.
The same day, Mr Han publicly supported Mr Kim’s nomination for a parliamentary seat in a district in Seoul’s Mapo Ward, which Mr Yoon likely felt was a twist of the knife.
On Jan 21, the presidential office announced that Mr Yoon had withdrawn his support for Mr Han as party chief, effectively requesting his resignation.
Mr Han rejected the call for his resignation, telling reporters that his work would only be done after the elections. “The path that I’ve decided on is to walk for the people, so I will do my job,” he said.
The public rift between both men saw party members split into two camps.
Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo, a PPP member, appeared to criticise Mr Han, saying on Facebook: “You may not know this because you have only held appointed positions. But if you lose the trust of the people and party members, the party leader can still be kicked out.”
But he also acknowledged that a resolution was urgently needed, given the impending elections.
Other lawmakers who came out to support Mr Han’s position included Mr Lee Soo-jeong, who is looking to run for office in Suwon, a city 30 minutes away from Seoul.
He said during a radio interview that the easiest way to resolve the conflict would be for Madam Kim to return the gift, explain herself and apologise to the public.
Public opinion also appears to be on the side of Mr Han. Two separate opinion polls released this week showed Mr Han’s approval rating to be 41.8 per cent, higher than Mr Yoon’s rating of 35.7 per cent.
Furthermore, 69 per cent of those polled called for Mr Yoon to state his position on the handbag controversy.
Looking ahead, analysts said the rift – despite the hasty patch-up – may be politically costly for the PPP, but recovery is possible if the handbag controversy can be resolved.
Prof Kim said: “Some people are still pinning hopes on Han to pull off some magic and steer Yoon into asking his wife to offer an apology.”
Prof Lee agreed, saying: “I think the rift is already a cost for them. So it is important for them to manage the consequences properly so that the cost does not become larger than it is now.”
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https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/pressure-mounts-on-south-korea-president-after-public-spat-with-leader-of-ruling-party
| 2024-01-24T15:44:14Z
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KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia is setting up a Royal Commission of Inquiry to look into how the government handled the review of an international court’s ruling on three disputed islets including Pedra Branca, a government statement said on Jan 24.
“The Cabinet has agreed to set up a Royal Commission of Inquiry to study the handling of cases related to Batu Puteh, Batuan Tengah and Tubir Selatan,” said the Chief Secretary to the Government, Tan Sri Mohd Zuki Ali.
Malaysia uses Malay names to refer to Pedra Branca (Batu Puteh) and the two maritime outcrops – Middle Rocks (Batuan Tengah) and South Ledge (Tubir Selatan).
The decisions were made by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad when he became prime minister after the 2018 polls.
Mr Zuki said Malaysia’s King will approve the members of the commission, who will be chosen for their expertise in judicial, legal and public administration matters, and “who can carry out a transparent, fair and equal investigation”.
Pedra Branca is located at the eastern entrance of the Singapore Strait, about 24 nautical miles east of Singapore. To its south are Middle Rocks and South Ledge.
In 2008, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) awarded sovereignty over Pedra Branca to Singapore, after both countries took the territorial dispute to the court.
The ICJ also decided that sovereignty over Middle Rocks belonged to Malaysia, and sovereignty over South Ledge belonged to the state in the territorial waters in which it is located.
Malaysia and Singapore have set up a joint technical committee to draw the maritime boundary around Pedra Branca and Middle Rocks, and to determine the ownership of South Ledge.
Both countries said in 2008 that they would accept and abide by the court’s decision, which is final.
However, Malaysia in 2017, under then Premier Najib Razak, started an application for revision of the ICJ’s 2008 decision, citing new evidence that it had. A hearing was subsequently set for June 2018.
But Dr Mahathir decided in May 2018 to abandon the proceedings.
Under the ICJ statute, an application for revision cannot be made more than 10 years after the court’s judgment on May 23, 2008.
In December 2022, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim instructed then Attorney-General Idrus Harun to review matters pertaining to claims over Pedra Branca, which he said would allow negotiations with Singapore over the island to be more fruitful.
In January 2023, the Attorney-General’s Chambers said it was studying the recommendations made by a special task force the government had set up previously.
“Issues relating to Batu Puteh are of vital importance as it relates to strategic interests and sovereignty of the nation. In this regard, the government will continue to ensure that Malaysia’s interest and sovereignty are protected and preserved at all times,” Tan Sri Idrus said then.
Senior constitutional lawyer Rajan Navaratnam said the royal commission is expected to investigate the basis of the withdrawal of the appeal by the Mahathir-led government.
“The Anwar Ibrahim-led government cannot challenge the ICJ ruling as it was withdrawn previously,” he told The Straits Times.
The British colonial government took possession of Pedra Branca to build Horsburgh Lighthouse between 1847 and 1851 and other structures, and since that time, Singapore has exercised continuous sovereignty over the island and its adjacent waters.
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https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-to-set-up-royal-commission-to-study-government-decision-to-withdraw-pedra-branca-review
| 2024-01-24T15:44:24Z
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ROHTAK, Haryana – They waited patiently in padded jackets or with shawls wrapped around their torsos one recent morning at a public university in Rohtak. The haversacks on their backs were packed with certificates.
Mr Dayanand Kumar, 29, was among several hundred men queueing at a recruitment camp in the north Indian city. Some even clutched passports to prove their working stints in foreign countries.
Mr Kumar had shown up early for the third day in a row, hoping to show off his masonry skills to recruiters from Israel, who have turned to India to replace thousands of deported Palestinian construction workers following Hamas’ attack on the country on Oct 7.
The lure of handsome pay in Israel has made these daily-wage workers, who mostly earn around 25,000 rupees (S$403) or less for 30 days of work, overlook the danger of working in Israel amid the continuing conflict there.
“We can’t run our house with the money we make here,” Mr Kumar, who has two daughters, told The Straits Times. “With 25,000 rupees, do we feed our children or ourselves?”
Haryana Kaushal Rozgar Nigam, a state government recruitment agency that co-organised the job camp, has advertised a monthly pay of around 137,000 rupees for various construction sector roles in Israel. Workers will also be provided other benefits, such as four days of leave every month.
More than 2,000 workers were screened at the six-day camp in Rohtak that began on Jan 16. More such recruitment drives are planned in the coming weeks, as Israel speeds up efforts to recruit foreign workers.
Job seekers had trooped in from across the state, including those with no or little experience in construction. Many also came from neighbouring states such as Punjab and Rajasthan but were turned away after the first two days, following demands that only those from Haryana be screened at the camp organised by the local state government.
This is not the only controversy dogging this recruitment drive. There are concerns over the workers’ safety in Israel and labour unions in India are worried that these Indian workers could become “tools in the hands of Israel” to further its war efforts against Palestine, including by getting them to build military-related infrastructure or construct illegal settlements on occupied territory.
But all this is of little worry to the workers at the camp, who consider unemployment and poverty in India a bigger threat than the conflict in Israel.
“There you will die once; here you die daily, every moment,” said Mr Ashok Rohilla, 29, who is desperate for a job that will pay him more than the 18,000-odd rupees he earns every month as a mechanic in an automotive spare parts manufacturing company. He has little left over after paying his rent and supporting his mother, who lives with him.
“We are dying here. Better we die there; at least we will get something,” added 36-year-old Manish Kumar, who worked in Malaysia as a carpenter and returned nine months ago to be with his family in Haryana.
Since then, he has managed to earn just about 15,000 rupees every month, making him desperate to get out of India again.
According to the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy, a private economic think-tank, the unemployment rate in the country was 8.65 per cent in December 2023, but joblessness among those aged 20 to 24 for the October-December 2023 quarter grew to 44.49 per cent, up from 43.65 per cent in the previous quarter.
The fight for jobs has been particularly contentious in Haryana, which has had one of the highest unemployment rates in the country.
In 2021, the state government approved a piece of legislation mandating that private companies reserve 75 per cent of their jobs that paid less than $484 per month for residents of the state. The law was struck down by the High Court of Punjab and Haryana in 2023.
The lack of meaningful employment opportunities in India has made India’s youth, many of whom have poor levels of education and skills training, desperate for lucrative opportunities abroad.
In May, Israel and India inked an agreement to allow 42,000 Indian workers to work in the Jewish state. On Dec 19, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also “discussed advancing the arrival of foreign workers from India to Israel” during a telephone conversation with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi.
Mr Shay Pauzner, deputy director-general of the Israel Builders Association, had told ST in December that the goal was to bring 10,000 workers to Israel as quickly as possible because “time is running (out) and we are already in a big, big problem financially”. He refused to comment for this story.
Around 82,000 Palestinians worked in Israel’s construction industry before the Hamas assault, accounting for a third of the sector’s workforce. Their absence has crippled the industry, one of the country’s biggest economic sectors, with a market size valued at US$71 billion (S$94 billion) in 2022.
But Indian trade unions have opposed the move to replace Palestinian workers with Indian workers in a conflict zone.
Ms Amarjeet Kaur, general secretary of the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), the oldest trade union federation in the country, noted that the Indian government has regularly evacuated Indians stuck in war zones, including more than 1,300 Indian nationals from Israel after the latest bout of conflict broke out with Hamas.
“But here the opposite is being done... The government (of India) should not use our workers as tools or as guinea pigs for political purposes,” she told ST.
“I am all for giving our youth employment opportunities but what we are seeing in this case is distress migration. Why should the government encourage this? It should instead provide them jobs here. Why has it failed to provide them jobs?”
The AITUC, with support from other labour unions, plans to approach the courts in India to stop the recruitment drive.
The Ministry of External Affairs did not respond to a request for comment from ST but its spokesman, Mr Randhir Jaiswal, said at a media briefing on Jan 18 that the government was committed to the safe and legal mobility and migration of Indians and noted that labour laws in Israel “are very strict, robust”.
The involvement of the government has brought some assurance for many workers and their families. A poster featuring Haryana Chief Minister Manhohar Lal welcomed candidates at the recruitment camp in Rohtak. “Transforming Haryana through a ‘Go Global Approach’,” it read.
“The Indian government would surely have discussed the safety of its workers with Israel,” said Mr Sohan Lal, 53, who had come to the camp with his 30-year-old son, who works as a plasterer.
Also among those at the camp in Rohtak on Jan 21 was Sanjeev Kumar Yadav, a 35-year-old driver, who had taken a train from Allahabad, more than 700km away in the state of Uttar Pradesh. He had travelled more than 24 hours, lured by the possibility of high pay in Israel.
Mr Yadav hung around despite hearing that outsiders were not being screened. “Maybe I can get a job as an assistant to a mason,” he said. “From 15,000 rupees, if I am able to earn around 135,000 rupees, our problems will disappear.”
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https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/south-asia/thousands-of-indians-keen-on-construction-jobs-in-israel-despite-safety-concerns
| 2024-01-24T15:44:34Z
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SINGAPORE - The amount of stolen cryptocurrency from hacking may have fallen globally in 2023, but the number of incidents has risen, a report by blockchain research firm Chainalysis said.
The firm on Jan 24 said global funds stolen via crypto hacking plunged by about 54.3 per cent to US$1.7 billion (S$2.3 billion) in 2023 compared with the year before.
However, the number of individual hacking incidents grew 5.5 per cent the same year to 231, from 219 in 2022.
Hacking refers to the unauthorised access, manipulation or exploitation of computer systems, networks or information.
The report said cryptocurrency hacking has become a pervasive and formidable threat that has led to billions of dollars stolen from crypto platforms and exposing vulnerabilities across the ecosystem.
The drop in the amount stolen via crypto hacking in 2023 is largely because of a fall in decentralised finance, or DeFi, hacking. DeFi refers to a new financial system where transactions are made peer to peer on public blockchains.
“Hacks of DeFi protocols largely drove the huge increase in stolen crypto that we saw in 2021 and 2022, with cyber criminals stealing US$3.1 billion in DeFi hacks in 2022. But in 2023, hackers stole just US$1.1 billion from DeFi protocols. This amounts to a 63.7 per cent drop in the total value stolen from DeFi platforms year over year,” said Chainalysis.
The fall in the value and number of DeFi hacks come as DeFi operators become better at smart contract security, the report said.
Smart contracts are self-executing contracts on the blockchain, with the terms of the agreement directly written into code.
Ms Mar Gimenez-Aguilar, lead security architect and researcher at Web3 and blockchain security firm Halborn, said in the report that the rise in security measures in DeFi protocols is a key factor in lowering the number of hacks linked to smart contract vulnerabilities.
“If we compare the top 50 hacks by value lost from 2023 with those from previous years, there is a reduction in losses from 47 per cent of the total to 18.2 per cent,” she said.
Ms Gimenez-Aguilar said price manipulation attacks remained almost constant, with around 20 per cent of the total value lost. Price manipulation hacks take place when an attacker exploits a smart contract vulnerability to reflect inaccurate asset prices, thereby manipulating a token’s price.
These trends, when combined, indicate that protocols have to take into account how they interact with the whole DeFi ecosystem when performing audits, she added.
Despite the drop in amount stolen from DeFi hacks, there were still some incidents that stood out.
In March 2023, Euler Finance, a borrowing and lending protocol on the Ethereum blockchain, experienced a flash loan attack. This led to roughly US$197 million in losses.
In 2023, July recorded the most number of hacks at 33. These included US$73.5 million stolen from decentralised exchange and automated market maker Curve Finance.
Chainalysis noted that there were several large exploits that occurred in September and November, on both decentralised and centralised platforms, including Mixin Network (US$200 million), CoinEx (US$43 million), Poloniex Exchange (US$130 million), crypto entrepreneur Justin Sun’s exchange HTX (US$113.3 million) and Kyber Network (US$54.7 million).
The report also found that North Korea hacked more crypto platforms than ever in 2023, but stole less in total value than in 2022.
It noted that North Korea-linked hacks have been on the rise over the past few years, with cyber-espionage groups such as Kimsuky and Lazarus Group using various malicious tactics to acquire large amounts of crypto assets.
In 2023, the estimated total amount stolen in hacks linked to North Korea came up to just over US$1 billion, down from US$1.7 billion in 2022.
However, Chainalysis said the number of hacks rose to 20 in 2023 – the highest number on record – in a crypto bear market. This was up from 15 hacks in 2022.
The report added that while it is clear that attackers are becoming increasingly sophisticated and diverse in their attacks, crypto platforms are also beefing up their security and responses to these incidents.
“When crypto platforms act promptly after exploits, law enforcement agencies will be better equipped to contact exchanges where frozen funds are located, to initiate seizure and contact services through which the funds flowed to gather relevant information about accounts and users,” Chainalysis said.
It added that over time, it is likely that funds stolen from crypto hacks will continue to decline as these processes improve.
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https://www.straitstimes.com/business/amount-in-crypto-stolen-via-hacking-fell-in-2023-but-number-of-cases-on-the-rise
| 2024-01-24T15:44:45Z
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SINGAPORE – A new body that incorporates expertise from across the economy will make it easier for companies and other entities to collaborate with the financial sector to drive sustainability initiatives.
The Singapore Sustainable Finance Association (SSFA) launched on Jan 24 is the first cross-sectoral industry body to support the development of Singapore as a leading global centre for sustainable finance.
It includes members from the financial services, non-financial sector corporates, academia, non-governmental organisations and other industry bodies.
The co-chairs for its first term are Ms Deborah Ho, BlackRock country head of Singapore and regional head of South-east Asia, and HSBC Singapore chief executive Wong Kee Joo.
New Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) managing director Chia Der Jiun told the launch ceremony that the association can lead the way in developing industry best practices in areas such as carbon credits trading and transition finance.
It can also bring together financial bodies and industry sectors to address barriers that hinder compiling the financing needed for sustainability projects, he added.
For example, it can combine financing solutions from different asset classes, including risk mitigation tools, to help to make projects more bankable.
“This applies not only in climate mitigation, but also in financing less bankable projects related to climate adaptation and biodiversity preservation,” Mr Chia noted.
He added that the new body can also contribute to upskilling and capacity-building, by guiding the relevance of sustainable finance courses, including training offered by Institutes of Higher Learning and other providers.
It can also organise capacity building workshops in areas not readily offered by training providers, such as carbon markets, taxonomy application and blended finance.
“Singapore has come a long way in sustainable finance in less than 10 years,” Mr Chia said. “Today, Singapore is one of the leading sustainable finance centres serving the net-zero transition needs in Asia and beyond.”
He noted that Singapore remains Asean’s largest market for green, social, sustainability and sustainability-linked bonds and loans. More than $30 billion worth of such financing originated here in 2022.
It also has a carbon services and trading ecosystem of over 100 companies, the highest concentration in the region.
“Singapore has stepped up in leading change and seeding solutions. We have shaped standards and guidance, and championed innovative financing approaches for green and transition finance projects, together with international partners,” Mr Chia said.
But Singapore can do more to contribute in the areas of standards, solutions and skills – that will require the financial sector and industry “to collaborate and leverage the deep expertise that resides in each domain. The SSFA will be a key platform to achieve this.”
Singapore has to adopt innovative financing approaches so it can tackle projects that are only marginally bankable or considered to be currently unbankable, he added.
The country also needs to invest in the skills and capabilities of its people. Mr Chia noted that the MAS, the Institute of Banking and Finance and Workforce Singapore have embarked on a Jobs Transformation Map to study the impact of sustainability on the financial sector workforce.
“Preliminary findings suggest that most of the jobs must be augmented by upskilling to support changes in regulations, products, and processes to better serve their clients. In addition, new and highly specialised roles, such as sustainability risk analysts, will be created,” he added.
Detailed findings and key initiatives by the MAS and IBF to support the sector’s upskilling will be announced in April.
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https://www.straitstimes.com/business/new-sustainable-finance-platform-launched-to-support-collaboration-across-industries
| 2024-01-24T15:44:55Z
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SINGAPORE – A 49-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly assaulting a police officer and for suspected criminal intimidation.
The police said on Jan 24 that the incident occurred at around 9.15pm on Jan 23.
Upon receiving a report of an assault, police officers were dispatched to Block 462 Sembawang Drive. A 49-year-old suspect had barricaded himself in a flat with a 52-year-old woman.
The situation escalated to the point where the Crisis Negotiation Unit, Special Operations Command and the Singapore Civil Defence Force were called in.
After three hours of negotiation, the police seized an opportunity to enter the unit when the woman temporarily left the man’s side to use the toilet. This allowed the officers to ensure her safety.
The unit was breached around 1.15am on Jan 24, and the man was taken into custody. It was during the arrest that he allegedly kicked one of the officers.
The man will be charged in court on Jan 25 with voluntarily causing hurt to deter a public servant from his duty. The offence carries a jail term of up to seven years, as well as a fine or caning.
Additionally, he is under investigation for criminal intimidation, which could result in a jail term of up to two years, a fine, or both.
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https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/man-who-allegedly-kicked-police-officer-arrested
| 2024-01-24T15:45:06Z
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BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Brunei - It took Mr Balakrishnan Chandramohan about an hour to drive 90km to an evening reception, but the Brunei-based Singaporean was eager to meet President Tharman Shanmugaratnam.
The technical manager and trainer for an oil and gas inspection company, who has been working in Brunei for almost 10 years, said he has followed Mr Tharman’s political career from the time he was finance minister.
With Mr Tharman on his first overseas state visit, Mr Balakrishnan had a chance to meet and take a picture with the “high-profile President” at the reception for overseas Singaporeans in Brunei.
The 51-year-old, who drove from Kuala Belait, a town in western Brunei, said: “He has done a lot for Singapore, and I’m proud that he has come here to Brunei. It’s a rare opportunity to meet him.”
The reception on Jan 24 was Mr Tharman’s first public event on his three-day state visit to Brunei at the invitation of the country’s monarch Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah.
Speaking to about 400 invited guests at the Royal Berkshire Hall in the Royal Brunei Polo and Riding Club, President Tharman said overseas Singaporeans play an important role in building the nation’s image abroad.
He added that their experience enriches Singapore because they gain a diversity of perspectives, which they will bring back with them when they return to the country.
Mr Tharman thanked the High Commission for organising the state visit amid a busy period of high-level visits between Singapore and Brunei.
In December 2023, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong led a delegation of Singapore political office-holders to Brunei for a four-day visit for the 9th Young Leaders’ Programme.
Earlier in January 2024, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security Teo Chee Hean and Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan also visited to attend the wedding celebration of Prince Abdul Mateen and Pengiran Anak Isteri Anisha Rosnah.
The President noted the significance of the state visit, and said he was happy to accept the Sultan’s invitation as it reflects the special relationship between both countries.
After his remarks, Mr Tharman and his wife, Mrs Jane Ittogi Shanmugaratnam, mingled with the invited guests.
Teenager Pianni Chua, who was born in Brunei, was excited to meet Mr Tharman as it was the first time he was meeting a Singapore president.
The 13-year-old, who was at the event with his parents and two sisters, said: “I have a higher chance of meeting our president in Brunei than if I were in Singapore.”
Mr Tharman’s state visit kicks off a year of celebrating the 40th anniversary of the establishment of Singapore’s diplomatic relations with Brunei.
When he arrived in the afternoon, Mr Tharman was received at Brunei International Airport by a delegation that included Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Minister of Finance and Economy II Dato Amin Liew.
The Singapore delegation included National Development Minister Desmond Lee; Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office and Second Minister for Foreign Affairs and Education Maliki Osman; Minister of State for Education and Manpower Gan Siow Huang; and MPs Mariam Jaafar and Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim.
The flags of both Singapore and Brunei graced the lampposts along roads from the airport, adding a touch of warmth to Mr Tharman’s visit.
On Jan 25, Mr Tharman will receive a ceremonial welcome at Istana Nurul Iman – Sultan Bolkiah’s official residence. In the evening, he will be hosted to a state banquet by the Sultan and his wife, Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleha.
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https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/president-tharman-meets-overseas-singaporeans-on-first-day-of-state-visit-to-brunei
| 2024-01-24T15:45:16Z
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SINGAPORE - Popular watering hole Stickies Bar abruptly closed two of its outlets on Jan 15 and laid off more than 30 employees, amid workers’ complaints about delayed salary payments.
Former employees The Straits Times spoke to said they are still owed salaries and Central Provident Fund (CPF) contributions. They have since filed salary-related claims with the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management (TADM).
In a joint statement on Jan 24, spokespersons for the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and TADM said 37 Stickies employees have filed claims with TADM as at Jan 22.
TADM has arranged for mediation sessions between the company and the affected employees on their claims, the joint statement added.
Stickies is a popular local bar in Singapore known for affordable drinks. According to the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority, the directors of Stickies are Mr Norman Then and Mr Chong Sing Yong.
In response to queries from ST, Mr Then said on Jan 24 that the bar has engaged insolvency practitioner Farooq Mann from Mann & Associates in the capacity of an interim judicial manager.
Mr Then added that this was to “protect the going concerns of the business and to look out for the best interest of all the creditors, including the staff”.
On Jan 15, two of the bar’s four outlets – in Aljunied and Keng Cheow Street – were closed with immediate effect, said Mr Calvin Chen, a part-timer at Stickies.
The 28-year-old added that prior to the closing of the outlets, Stickies had already started retrenching employees.
At the time of the interview on Jan 22, Mr Chen said Stickies’ outlets in Dhoby Ghaut and Sunset Lane were still operating.
However, Mr Then told ST on Jan 24 that only the Dhoby Ghaut outlet remains open, and did not provide further information on the one at Sunset Lane.
Mr Chen, who currently works full-time in administration, said that the majority of employees were not paid for the month of December.
He added that payment was supposed to come in on the 7th of every month, but since August 2023, delayed salary payments and wrong amounts of salaries credited had become the norm.
Explaining the situation in December, an employee who wanted to be known only as Cel said Mr Then had said on Jan 11 that employees would receive their December salaries on Jan 15.
However, when the day came, employees received a WhatsApp message that indicated that the company would be undergoing debt restructuring, or interim judicial management.
Mr Bryan Kuah, a 24-year-old part-timer at the company, said his pay came in two weeks late in September, and even then, he received only 10 per cent of his pay.
He added that the last time he had received his pay on time was in March 2023, and the last time he received his pay at all was in October.
“The delayed salary has affected me in my daily needs and spending as I am also a full-time student in university, and do not have much time to earn money for my monthly spending,” said Mr Kuah.
Ms Joey Peh, Stickies’ former marketing manager, told ST on Jan 22 that she resigned in December after months of not receiving her pay and CPF contributions on time.
“It was not just a one-off thing. It started to happen more frequently and that’s when the red flags started popping up,” Ms Peh said, adding that she had tried to raise this issue with higher management before she finally resigned.
Ms Peh said her entire team, as well as employees in maintenance, e-commerce and operations, was let go in the week of Jan 1, but was told to stay till Jan 15 with salaries promised.
However, she has not received her pay.
“It’s not just me, but many colleagues are actively chasing for their salaries,” said Ms Peh, adding that she feels for them. “Their families are suffering. It has been quite a hard time for them, especially for those who are the breadwinner of the family and do not come from financially stable households.”
Another part-timer, a 22-year-old university student who wanted to be known only as Joby, said she also has not received her December salary, although the outlet she works at is still operating.
She told ST on Jan 22 that Stickies’ human resources team advised employees to lodge a claim with TADM.
In a WhatsApp message seen by ST, an HR employee said that this was advice given directly by TADM and that it will “ensure that the outstanding basic salary is paid and that there is a settlement between both parties”.
One 23-year-old former part-time employee, who wanted to be known only as Dara, said she had already filed two claims with TADM regarding salary issues, one in Dec 2023 and one in Jan 2024.
“I am mainly upset at the lack of accountability and transparency,” said Ms Dara, who had worked at Stickies since 2020.
She said: “I am most worried about my colleagues who are full-time and rely on this job for their expenses.
“Some of them are struggling mentally as this really affects their lives.”
TADM has directed the matter to MOM for investigations on possible breaches of the Employment Act, the TADM-MOM joint statement said.
“TADM and MOM have also been working closely to provide affected employees with assistance, including helping them with their salary recovery and linking them up with the Employment and Employability Institute (e2i) if they require employment facilitation,” the statement said.
But for now, the affected employees are left in limbo, with no resolution in sight.
Ms Peh said: “I have no choice but to move on and find a new job, but my colleagues and I will never stop fighting for the pay that we deserve.”
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https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/stickies-bar-abruptly-shuts-down-outlets-37-employees-file-salary-related-claims
| 2024-01-24T15:45:26Z
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SINGAPORE – Two women and a food manufacturing firm were fined on Jan 24 for flouting food import and safety rules, among other things.
The women, Bui Thi Quyen and Ta Thi Tuyen, were each fined $27,000 for illegally operating unlicensed cold stores and illegally importing meat and seafood products from Vietnam, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) said.
SFA officers found more than 700kg of meat and seafood products in an unlicensed cold store at 62 Senoko Road on April 13, 2023.
The processed and raw food products, including pork, beef, chicken, fish and frog, had also been imported from unapproved sources and without a valid licence, said the SFA, which seized the products.
The offence carries a fine of up to $50,000, jail for up to two years, or both. Repeat offenders may be fined up to $100,000, jailed for up to three years, or both.
All cold stores for meat and seafood products must also be licensed, and meet the SFA’s requirements and food safety standards.
Illegal storage of meat and seafood at unlicensed facilities poses a food safety risk, the agency said. Such offenders may be fined up to $10,000, jailed for up to 12 months, or both.
Separately, Suvai Foods – which manufactures flour confectionary such as chapati, dosa and idly batters – was fined $10,000 for multiple offences.
An SFA inspection on Feb 21, 2023, uncovered severe cockroach infestations throughout Suvai Foods’ premises at 1009 Aljunied Avenue 4, which were poorly maintained.
Its food delivery truck was not clean and live cockroaches were found at the back of it.
The packing area was also extended without approval, it added.
The SFA said it suspended the company’s operations from Feb 21 to March 8, and directed it to rectify the lapses and improve the food safety practices and cleanliness of its premises.
The suspension was lifted on March 9, 2023.
Food operators who do not adhere to food safety regulations may be fined up to $5,000 and, in the case of a continuing offence, to a further fine of up to $100 for every day or part thereof during which the offence continues after conviction.
Those who come across poor food safety practices in food establishments are advised not to patronise them and to provide feedback at www.sfa.gov.sg/feedback
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https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/two-women-and-food-manufacturer-fined-for-flouting-food-safety-rules
| 2024-01-24T15:45:37Z
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ABIDJAN - Africa Cup of Nations hosts Ivory Coast fired coach Jean-Louis Gasset on Wednesday after their humiliating loss to Equatorial Guinea which left them unsure of whether they will qualify for the next round, the country's football federation said.
The 4-0 loss to the small central African country on Monday was the heaviest defeat suffered by a Cup of Nations host and left the Ivorians third in Group A, waiting to see whether they might qualify as one of four best third-placed finishers.
A statement said the 70-year-old Gasset was fired for "insufficient results" and would be replaced by Emerse Fae as interim coach.
Ivory Coast will know their fate later on Wednesday when the last group matches are completed. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/football/africa-cup-of-nations-hosts-ivory-coast-fire-coach-after-embarrassing-loss
| 2024-01-24T15:45:47Z
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ABIDJAN - Algeria coach Djamel Belmadi told his players he was quitting after they were eliminated from the Africa Cup of Nations finals on Tuesday, the state-run Algerie Presse Service reported on Wednesday.
No announcement has come from Belmadi or the Algerian football federation but the news agency reported Belmadi had made the announcement in the changing room after Algeria were beaten 1-0 by Mauritania in Bouake on Tuesday in a shock result at a tournament already rife with sensational upsets.
Earlier, in the post-match press conference, he told reporters who asked about his future: "When we return to the country I will tell you."
Algeria were due to depart Bouake later on Wednesday.
Belmadi is the third coaching casualty in a matter of hours at the tournament in the Ivory Coast after Gambia’s Tom Saintfiet quit and then Ghana announced the sacking of Chris Hughton.
Belmadi was coach when Algeria won the 2019 Cup of Nations in Egypt but his side have finished bottom of their opening round group for two successive editions since.
They also failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, conceding a last gasp goal at home to Cameroon to go out on the away goals rule in a play-off.
Belmadi, famed for emotive gesturing on the touch line and a demonstrative demeanour, has clung onto his job despite the recent setbacks. Algeria were fancied to do well at the Cup of Nations in the Ivory Coast with a formidable squad.
But they were held to draws by Angola and Burkina Faso in their opening Group D games before suffering a first ever loss to Mauritania, ranked 75 places below them.
"The only thing that was missing was a goal. Whenever they got a half chance they scored, whenever we got a chance we didn't. That's the mystery of football," Belmadi told a press conference after the Mauritania match.
The 47-year-old, born in France but who played for Algeria and whose club career included stints at Manchester City and Paris St Germain, lost only seven of 67 matches in charge since being appointed in 2018. He won 43 of his games in charge. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/football/algeria-coach-belmadi-tells-players-he-quits-agency-report
| 2024-01-24T15:45:58Z
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AMSTERDAM - Dutch prosecutors said on Wednesday they were looking for a nine year prison sentence for Spartak Moscow's Dutch forward Quincy Promes, who is being tried for drug trafficking.
Prosecutors last year said the former international was suspected of having been involved with smuggling 1,360 kg of cocaine through the port of Antwerp, Belgium, to the Netherlands in two shipments in 2020.
Promes did not attend the court hearing in Amsterdam. His lawyers told Dutch news agency ANP he denies the charges of importing, exporting, transporting and possessing the drugs.
The cocaine had been hidden in shipments of salt from Brazil, the prosecutors said on Wednesday.
Phone taps had shown that Promes had been directly involved with the shipment of the drugs to Antwerp and their further transport and sale, they said.
In another Dutch court case, the 32-year old former Ajax and Sevilla forward last year was sentenced in absentia to 18 months in jail for assault, in connection with a fight in 2020 in which he stabbed a cousin in the knee.
Promes has filed an appeal against that sentence.
He is currently living in Moscow and it is not certain he will return to the Netherlands. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/football/dutch-prosecutors-seek-9-years-prison-for-spartak-moscows-promes
| 2024-01-24T15:46:08Z
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ROME - Italian authorities have identified four more people suspected of shouting racist abuse at AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan and they will be banned from stadiums for five years, police said in a statement on Wednesday.
The game between Udinese and Milan on Saturday was halted briefly after Maignan alerted the referee about the chanting directed at him.
A man from the city of Udine, and a woman and two other men from the local area were picked out after an analysis of video footage from the Bluenergy stadium, local police said in a statement. Their details have been passed on to prosecutors.
The five-year ban is the maximum that can be given to first-time offenders.
Another suspect was identified and given a stadium ban earlier this week and Udinese said they would seek to impose a lifetime ban on offenders.
The club itself has been ordered to play one match behind closed doors after the latest episode of racism to blight Italian soccer. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/football/four-more-fans-given-stadium-bans-after-maignan-racially-abused
| 2024-01-24T15:46:18Z
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DOHA - Japan beat Indonesia 3-1 in their final Asian Cup Group D game on Wednesday to guarantee a top-two finish and qualify for the last-16 while Iraq went top with maximum points when they sealed a 3-2 win over Vietnam with a 102nd-minute winner.
Japan's Ayase Ueda scored twice for Hajime Moriyasu's side, who finished second with six points, while Iraq's Aymen Hussein went top of the tournament's scoring charts with his fourth and fifth goal.
Japan took a 1-0 lead when they won a penalty in the second minute after Ueda was hauled down in the box by Jordi Amat, with the spot kick awarded after a VAR check. Ueda stepped up to take it himself and he fired home into the top corner.
Japan doubled their lead when Ritsu Doan put in a pass across the six-yard box that found Ueda unmarked at the far post for an easy tap-in. Ueda then forced an own goal in the 87th minute when Justin Hubner attempted to block his shot.
Indonesia scored a consolation goal in added time when Japan failed to clear a long throw-in and the ball fell to Sandy Walsh at the far post where he finished smartly for his first international goal.
In the other Group D game, Vietnam took the lead just before halftime when Bui Hoang Viet Anh scored from a set piece but Khuat Van Khang was sent off for a second yellow at the stroke of halftime.
Iraq equalised two minutes after the restart when Rebin Sulaka headed home from a corner before Hussein scored with a header of his own in the 73rd minute.
Vietnam nearly stole a point in added time when Nguyen Quang Hai equalised in the 91st minute but Iraq earned a penalty which was calmly converted by Huessein in the 12th minute of added time. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/football/japan-beat-indonesia-to-seal-asian-cup-last-16-spot-iraq-top-group
| 2024-01-24T15:46:29Z
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DOHA – Japan cruised into the last 16 of the Asian Cup and are prepared to “fight” in a possible showdown with rivals South Korea after a 3-1 victory over Indonesia on Jan 24.
Ayase Ueda struck in each half to go with a late Indonesia own goal in Doha to send the pre-tournament favourites through as Group D runners-up behind Iraq, who beat Vietnam 3-2.
Sandy Walsh scored a consolation goal for Indonesia in second-half injury time.
Japan will now face the winners of Group E – South Korea’s group. Jurgen Klinsmann’s Taegeuk Warriors are currently second on goal difference behind Jordan and face Malaysia in their final group match on Jan 25.
Indonesia finished third in Group D and will have to wait until the first round concludes to see if they go through as one of the four best third-place teams.
“I think it was good that we went into the match against Indonesia by looking back on what the team has done so far and thought about how we need to prepare,” said Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu.
“The players were prepared for a tough battle, and played the game aggressively and smartly. I think that led to the score. I think it was a game where we were able to have control.”
On the next round, he added: “I want to make sure that we are in good physical and mental condition so that we can perform to the best of our ability as a team.”
Following Japan’s shock 2-1 defeat to Iraq last week, Moriyasu made eight changes to his starting line-up.
He kept faith in goalkeeper Zion Suzuki, who was at fault against Iraq and was racially abused online after the game.
Japan were awarded a penalty in the sixth minute after a VAR (video assistant referee) check ruled that Indonesia defender Jordi Amat had dragged down Ueda in the box.
The striker dusted himself down and dispatched the spot kick past goalkeeper Ernando Ari.
Japan stayed in control but let the pace drop off significantly, and Indonesia began to create scoring chances.
But the Samurai Blue cranked the tempo back up and kept it going in the second half, before Ueda doubled their lead seven minutes after the restart, tapping home a low cross.
He went looking for his hat-trick and his shot pressured Indonesia defender Justin Hubner into an own goal in the 88th minute.
But Indonesia got an even later goal to give their fans something to cheer about, with Walsh volleying home from close range in the 91st minute.
Meanwhile, Japan’s football association has condemned the “shameful behaviour” of fans who racially abused Suzuki.
The United States-born 21-year-old, whose father is Ghanaian-American and mother is Japanese, said that he was racially abused on social media following the loss to Iraq.
“We have a zero-tolerance stance (towards racism) and our aim is to stamp it out,” Japanese Football Association president Kozo Tashima said in a statement on Jan 24, a day after Moriyasu also slammed the incident and said the whole team are fully behind Suzuki.
He added: “The players, manager, staff and JFA are all united. Posting cruel racist and other abuse online is an invasion of human rights and privacy. It goes against the values of a society that respects diversity and is shameful behaviour.”
In the other game on Jan 24, Vietnam took the lead just before the break when Bui Hoang Viet Anh scored from a set piece but Khuat Van Khang was sent off for a second yellow at the stroke of half-time.
Iraq equalised two minutes after the restart when Rebin Solaka headed home before Aymen Hussein scored with a header of his own in the 73rd minute.
Vietnam nearly stole a point in added time when Nguyen Quang Hai equalised in the 91st minute but Iraq earned a penalty which was calmly converted by Hussein in the 12th minute of added time. AFP, REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/football/japan-cruise-past-indonesia-to-reach-asian-cup-last-16
| 2024-01-24T15:46:39Z
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Manchester United forward Anthony Martial will be ruled out of play until April as he recovers from surgery for a groin injury, the club said on Wednesday.
The 28-year-old only made 19 appearances this season across all competitions after being sidelined due to an undisclosed illness. He was last brought as a substitute during United's 3-0 loss to Bournemouth in the Premier League in December.
"Anthony Martial has completed successful surgery to address a groin complaint and will be out of action for about 10 weeks as he rehabilitates," United said in a statement.
United were plagued by injury woes this season but there has been good news elsewhere in the squad as midfielder Casemiro and defenders Lisandro Martinez and Luke Shaw have returned to training after being out injured, manager Erik ten Hag confirmed on Jan. 12.
United are seventh in the League standings, 16 points behind leaders Liverpool, and meet Newport County in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Sunday. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/man-uniteds-martial-suffers-another-lengthy-injury-setback
| 2024-01-24T15:46:49Z
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MELBOURNE - Germany's Alexander Zverev stunned second seed Carlos Alcaraz to reach the Australian Open semi-finals as a sublime display of serving took him to a 6-1 6-3 6-7(2) 6-4 victory on Wednesday.
Zverev made a flying start on Rod Laver Arena, dropping just two points on serve as he raced through the opening set.
The sixth seed was rock solid to keep an unusually-subdued Alcaraz at arm's length and broke serve twice in the second set as errors leaked off the Spaniard's racket.
The pattern continued in the third set as the German maintained an incredibly high level but he faltered for the first time when serving for the match and Alcaraz played an astonishing tiebreak to prolong the contest.
A fired-up Alcaraz seemed to have the momentum in the fourth set but a tiring Zverev dug deep to stay with the Spaniard and broke serve at 4-4 before closing out his first ever win against a top-five ranked opponent in a Grand Slam.
He will face Russian Daniil Medvedev in Friday's semi-final. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/tennis/zverev-stuns-alcaraz-to-reach-australian-open-semi-finals
| 2024-01-24T15:47:00Z
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BUENOS AIRES - Argentina's largest union is set to hold a 12-hour strike on Wednesday and a major demonstration in the heart of Buenos Aires against tough economic austerity measures and reforms by new libertarian President Javier Milei.
The action, which will hit sectors from transport to banks, is the biggest show of opposition to Milei's plans for spending cuts and privatization since he took office last month pledging to fix an economy reeling from 211% inflation and crippling debt.
The strike, coordinated by the powerful umbrella union the General Confederation of Labor (CGT), comes amid major scrutiny on Milei's two major reform pushes: his "omnibus" bill going through Congress and a "mega-decree" deregulating the economy.
The CGT had already used the courts to temporarily suspend some measures related to labor in Milei's decree.
The strike will start officially at noon (1500 GMT), but it was already affecting transportation, banks, hospitals and public services. Local airlines were forced to cancel hundreds of flights.
Milei, an economist and former TV pundit who pulled off a shock election win last year, is balancing stabilizing the South American country's economy and reducing a deep fiscal deficit with a painful cost of living crisis and poverty running at more than 40%.
"Milei wants a country where poverty and informal work reaches 90%," union member and national opposition deputy Hugo Yasky told local radio station Radio Con Vos.
"Now there is no job creation, what there is now is widespread misery, people's desperation, there are no measures to mitigate the damage they are causing."
Milei's government says the austerity measures are needed after years of over-spending that have left Argentina with huge debts to local and international creditors, including a shaky $44 billion deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
"There is no strike that stops us, there is no threat that intimidates us," Milei's security minister and former presidential election rival Patricia Bullrich wrote on X.
"It's mafia unionists, poverty managers, complicit judges and corrupt politicians, all defending their privileges, resisting the change that society chose democratically." REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/argentina-labor-union-holds-strike-in-biggest-challenge-yet-to-milei
| 2024-01-24T15:47:10Z
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Calista Flockhart appeared visibly moved when her husband, Harrison Ford, gave a tearful speech at the Critics Choice Awards on January 14.
The Indiana Jones actor, 81, was presented with the Career Achievement Award, and in his speech, he thanked his wife of almost 14 years for being his constant supporter. See the video below.
Being the supportive spouse is not one-sided, however, as Calista, 59, revealed that she too leans on her husband.
During the New York City premiere of Ryan Murphy's new TV series, Feud: Capote vs. The Swans, on Tuesday, Calista responded to Harrison's kind words about her with an emotional statement of her own.
Despite walking the red carpet alone, the actress – who plays Jackie Kennedy's sister, Lee Radziwill in the eight-episode drama – was asked how her husband supports her.
Calista told People that he does so in "so many ways," adding: "He supports me a lot. It’s a mutual thing."
The long-time couple quickly fell in love after meeting at the Golden Globes in 2002. "I'm in love," Harrison told HELLO! in 2003.
"Romantic love is one of the most exciting and fulfilling kinds of love and I think there is a potential for it at any stage of your life," he continued. "I was not surprised that I was able to fall in love, and I wasn't surprised that I did."
Eight years after they began dating, Calista and Harrison married in Santa Fe, New Mexico, in June 2010. Just months before they met, Calista adopted her son, Liam, now 23, with Harrison adopting him shortly after their wedding.
The Fugitive star has four other children and didn't have plans for anymore until he met Calista. "I wasn't expecting [to adopt] at all," he admitted to Parade. "The unexpected part was certainly true, and the joy is also true."
He added: "I think Liam was about six or eight months old when I met him and Calista. We have been together ever since."
When Liam was seven years old, the actor revealed how grateful he was to be able to raise another child, telling Reader's Digest: "My youngest, other than Liam, is 17. It's a wonderful opportunity to be part of a child's growing up, which is always an endless springtime."
He added: "You see the blossoming and the growing and the nurturing and the payoff. Being a parent made me just a bit less self-centered… [Calista] brought a child back into my home."
Harrison is also a proud dad to sons Ben, 56, a chef and restaurant owner, 53-year-old Willard, an entrepreneur, musician Malcolm, 35, and daughter Georgia, 32, also an actress.
Speaking of how raising them helped his parenting when it came to Liam, Harrison told the Independent: "I've got five kids in total, so it's not my first rodeo… My older children have taught me a lot about parenting. My first child was born when I was 25. I reckon I'm a little better at it now."
Get the lowdown on the biggest, hottest celebrity news, features and profiles coming out of the U.S. Sign up to our HELLO! Hollywood newsletterand get them delivered straight to your inbox.
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/brides/511969/calista-flockhart-responds-harrison-ford-teary-critics-choice-speech-emotional/
| 2024-01-24T15:47:20Z
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Brown, Yale and Columbia universities have agreed to pay a combined US$62 million (S$83 million) to resolve a lawsuit that accused them and others of favouring wealthy applicants, pushing total settlements in the case to US$118 million.
Lawyers for a proposed class of hundreds of thousands of current and former US college students disclosed the latest settlements, which also include Emory and Duke, in a filing late on Jan 23 in Chicago federal court.
The University of Chicago and Vanderbilt had already reached settlements in the 2022 case, which alleged massive tuition overcharges in violation of the United States antitrust law.
The plaintiffs claim the schools conspired to restrict aid by violating a pledge not to consider students' finances in making admissions decisions, giving wealthy students an edge.
The schools, including those that have reached settlements, have denied wrongdoing.
Yale and Emory said they would each pay US$18.5 million; Brown agreed to pay US$19.5 million; and Columbia and Duke both said they would pay US$24 million.
The amount of Vanderbilt's settlement has not been disclosed. The University of Chicago, which was the first school to settle, said it planned to pay US$13.5 million.
The 10 remaining defendants include Cornell University, University of Pennsylvania and Georgetown University.
One of the plaintiffs’ lawyers, Mr Robert Gilbert, in a statement urged leaders of other schools to “resolve the overcharges to middle class and working-class students”.
Brown in a statement said it decides student aid independently and “in alignment with our own institutional methodologies for determining need”.
Spokespersons for Columbia, Emory and Yale said settling allowed the schools to move past the case and focus on their academic missions.
Duke did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
US District Judge Matthew Kennelly must still approve the settlements. He declined to dismiss the lawsuit in 2022. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/brown-yale-columbia-among-latest-to-settle-financial-aid-lawsuit
| 2024-01-24T15:47:20Z
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Origin star Niecy Nash highlighted an incredible family connection with two of this year's Oscar nominees who happened to be her cousins.
Taking to Instagram, the actress and comedian highlighted that clearly talent runs in the family for these three actors, who have been stalwarts throughout award season.
It turns out that Niecy can count both Sterling K. Brown and Danielle Brooks as cousins - and she was more than proud of the family connection as the two were nominated respectively for Best Actor and Actress in a Supporting Role in American Fiction and The Color Purple.
She extended her congratulations to the cousins on Instagram: "Both of my COUSINS are OSCAR NOMINATED ‼️‼️ Yes! We are blood related! REAL cousins! I’m so proud of my fam! @thedaniellebrooks @sterlingkbrown I’m rooting for you! #KinFolk".
The photo saw the three of them looking glam in black dresses and black tie with massive beaming smiles on their faces.
Needless to say, fans went wild at the unusual family connection - especially as it's incredibly rare to have one family member nominated for such a prestigious award, let alone two.
Kerry Washington commented below: "So the talent runs in the family, got it" with a number of clapping emojis.
"This is a FLEX!!!! Beautiful!!!!!", one fan commented, "congratulations because THEY deserve!!!!!" Another added: "A dynasty of talent. We love to see it".
A third fan commented: "Danielle Brooks was so amazing in her role. I’ve loved her work ever since I first saw her. Wow."
Minutes after Danielle found out about her incredible nomination, she was on the phone with the New York Times. She said: "I'm alive and I am an Oscar nominee today", adding, "I don't think I'll be able to go back to sleep."
Having first broke out in Orange Is The New Black, Danielle is previously an Emmy and Tony nominee, as well as a Grammy Winner. She said of her nomination:
"It's like getting the M.V.P. at the Super Bowl. Crazy. It's what I always just hoped and dreamed would happen, but for it to actually happen, I'm in shock! It's like what it says in The Color Purple: 'Look what God has done."
Meanwhile Sterling K. Brown took to Instagram and shared a video of his response to the nomination.
"I just have to tell you guys how your boy woke up this morning", he started. "So I fell asleep on my kids' floor, and my phone was close to dead so I got up off the kids' floor and I go to sleep in my bedroom and my phone had died."
After charging his phone, sleeping and getting his kids' breakfast the next morning, he checked his phone to find "126 messages".
The This is Us star joked that previously that his son was unimpressed at the news of his recent SAG award nomination, asking him to come back when it was an Oscar. But as he showed the 12-year-old his Academy Award nomination, Sterling revealed "you could see his 12 year old mind trying to find a way to bring your boy down, but all he said was congratulations."
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/celebrities/511961/niecy-nash-highlights-incredible-family-connection-two-major-oscar-nominees/
| 2024-01-24T15:47:26Z
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LONDON - British citizens should be prepared to fight in a potential land war, the highest ranking army officer General Patrick Sanders said on Jan 24.
The chief of the general staff said any conflict would need to be a “whole-of-nation undertaking” and that citizens should be trained and equipped to be in a state of readiness.
The general’s remarks come after the UK defence ministry said in 2023 that it would cut overall numbers in the UK’s professional army from 82,000 to 73,000 by 2025.
“Taking preparatory steps to enable placing our societies on a war footing when needed are now not merely desirable but essential,” Gen Sanders said, in a speech at an armoured vehicles conference in south-west London.
“Within the next three years, it must be credible to talk of a British Army of 120,000, folding in our reserve and strategic reserve.”
Gen Sanders, who steps down later in 2024, said the UK could not rely on its navy and air power, arguing that “we must be able to credibly fight and win wars on land”.
UK allies were already doing so, he said.
“Our friends in eastern and northern Europe, who feel the proximity of the Russian threat more acutely, are already acting prudently, laying the foundations for national mobilisation,” he added.
“Ukraine brutally illustrates that regular armies start wars; citizen armies win them.”
Last week, the chair of Nato’s military committee, Admiral Rob Bauer, said civilians in member states should be prepared for a potential future war with Russia.
A large number of civilians would have to be called up if conflict accelerates in Europe, he added.
Earlier in January, UK Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said that the UK wants to increase defence spending from 2.1 per cent of GDP to 2.5 per cent in the future.
In a speech last week, the minister said that the world was “moving from a post-war to pre-war world”.
The UK, he said, must ensure its “entire defence ecosystem is ready” to defend its homeland.
Mr Richard Dannatt, who was chief of the general staff from 2006 to 2009, compared the current situation to the 1930s when the “woeful” state of the UK’s armed forces failed to deter Nazi aggression.
“There is a serious danger of history repeating itself,” he wrote in The Times newspaper last week, calling for UK defence spending to reach 3 per cent of GDP.
“If our armed forces are not strong enough to deter future aggression from Moscow or Beijing, it will not be a small war to contend with but a major one.” AFP
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/british-citizens-should-be-prepared-to-fight-a-land-war-says-army-chief
| 2024-01-24T15:47:31Z
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There was a time that the techno beat of Love Island’s introduction would give me a shiver of excitement on a lazy summer’s evening, tucked on the sofa with snacks, phone in hand, ready to watch the show and - more crucially - be entertained by Twitter’s hilarious take on the latest villa drama.
But - slowly but surely - the show’s shine began to dim. Maybe it was the overexposure; with the ITV2 reality show going from a one-show-a-year TV event to a winter and summer version, maybe it was the slight eye roll at watching the same dramas play out time and time again… or maybe I’m just getting old.
Either way, when the show came back for an All-Star edition for 2024, to air over the same time as the BBC’s The Traitors - I knew exactly what I was watching.
Airing for the first time back in December 2022, The Traitors couldn’t be more different from Love Island. Taking place in a chilly Scottish castle with Claudia Winkleman as the presenter (and knitwear model), the first series was a refreshing take on reality TV, with cast members feeling more like the boy or girl next door rather than the boy or girl you’d see selling gummy vitamins on Instagram.
Unlike shows like Love Island or Made in Chelsea, the production also feels very understated, like the producers just put all of the contestants in a big castle and rolled the cameras.
Manufacturing dramatic moments, like two characters being ‘pulled for a chat’ proved unnecessary as paranoia, outrage at being accused of dishonesty and the stress of potentially being murdered or eliminated every night led to total mayhem in season one - without producers egging the stars on.
By season two, my conversion to The Traitors from Love Island was complete. Although the season has been epic - a tragedy and comedy of Shakespearian levels - I think one of the main things that influences the move is the transformation of terrestrial TV events, and our reaction to them.
And I’m not alone. The Traitors recently received over 4 million people on BBC for the iconic episode where Diane was poisoned with a murderous chalice of fizzy rose. The show’s companion show received almost 1 million viewers. Love Island: All Stars, by comparison, received 800,000.
And I’m not alone. The Traitors recently received over 4 million people on BBC for the iconic episode where Diane was poisoned with a murderous chalice of fizzy rose. The show’s companion show received almost 1 million viewers. Love Island: All Stars, by comparison, received 800,000.
A few summers ago, we all gathered to laugh at and with Love Island, sharing memes and clips reacting to the drama - but now the jokes feel stale. After all, we’ve seen them all before - just like we have already seen all of the contestants.
As one of my colleagues pointed out, these stars already all know each other - they’ve all attended the same glitzy London soirees, red carpet events and club openings - if they were there to find love, they would have found it already. Where is the emotional investment? Where is the couple we’re rooting for? Quick simply, it feels as though there are absolutely no stakes.
Our TV writer Megan Bull explained: "The reason I don't watch it anymore is that it doesn't feel genuine anymore. It feels like they're influencers looking for a brand deal rather than a relationship." Meanwhile HELLO! reporter Isabelle Casey added: "What I like about The Traitors is that you could find the entire cast in Sainsburys. They're real people, with no agenda. You really feel a front row to a psychological experiment."
Meanwhile, The Traitors’ stakes couldn’t be higher. While contestants would like their cash prize, what has become more important now is their all-encompassing pressure to be perceived by their fellow players to be Faithfuls, whether they are, or not. While some are obsessed with their integrity and getting out the Traitors, the Traitors are gleefully toying with their new friends. Either way, the action is compelling.
It’s easy to become emotionally attached to the crowd too, ranging from the earnest, quick-thinking ‘Jazatha Christie’, to the moustache-twirling villain, Paul.
More importantly, the jokes are fresh. Like we all did once upon a time with Love Island, creativity on social media with The Traitors has united viewers across the country - and feels like the next level of modern event television. As for Love Island? It’s just not our type on paper anymore.
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/film/511960/why-the-traitors-has-replaced-love-island/
| 2024-01-24T15:47:32Z
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We've been loving watching JJ Chalmers hit the road in search of hidden gems in the second season of BBC One's The Travelling Auctioneers. The popular daytime show sees JJ, along with Christina Trevanion, Robin Johnson and Izzie Balmer take their travelling auction house and workshop up and down the UK, turning unwanted items into winning lots.
While the Scottish presenter is a familiar face on our screens thanks to his stint on Strictly Come Dancing back in 2020, as well as his appearances on BBC shows including Breakfast and Money For Nothing, how much do you know about his life away from the cameras?
JJ's military career and Invictus Games medals
For those who don't know, JJ, 37, is a former Royal Marine Commando. Before he made his name in the entertainment industry, JJ served in Afghanistan, where he was caught in an explosion in 2011 after an IED (Improvised explosive device) blew up.
JJ was seriously injured as a result. He lost two fingers and was left with a badly damaged right elbow, as well as face and leg injuries.
Describing the incident, JJ previously told Metro.co.uk: "Unfortunately, one of my friends stepped on one of these devices, the blast went off underneath his feet, and all the rubbish that gets thrown off of these IEDs are buried in the ground, just came my way and it just pulverised my body. My arms essentially came off, and they were stuck back on by incredible surgeons in the coming weeks, and months, and years, for that matter.
"My face was crushed, my neck was broken, my eardrums were burst. Pretty much everything had had some level of damage."
JJ didn't let his injuries hold him back, however, and in 2014, when he was still in rehabilitation in the Royal Marines, the Scotsman signed up for the Invictus Games. He went on to win a gold medal for the Men's IRecB1 Recumbent Circuit Race, as well as medals in Non-amputee Cycling, the 1-mile Time Trial and the 4 × 100m Mixed Relay race.
In 2016, JJ returned to the Invictus Games as an Ambassador.
The Invictus Games was launched in 2014 by Prince Harry, who first met JJ when they were both serving in the military.
Speaking about his friendship with the Duke of Sussex, JJ named him as "one of the key people who created one of the key catalysts in my recovery".
"Harry's a friend of mine and someone I dearly love and wish the best for. I wouldn't be here talking to you if it wasn't for him," he previously told The Big Issue. "Not to lay all of it at his feet, but he's one of the key people who created one of the key catalysts in my recovery. For that, I'll be forever grateful."
JJ's career in the media
After his big win at the Invictus Games, JJ went on to forge a career in the world of broadcasting, covering the 2016 Rio Paralympics for Channel 4, as well as the 2018 Commonwealth Games for BBC One.
Since then, he has appeared on various panel and documentary shows, including The Last Leg and The Superhumans Show, as well as featuring in the BBC's coverage of Remembrance at the Cenotaph.
JJ is currently a regular fixture on the BBC's daytime schedule thanks to his new role as a presenter on The Travelling Auctioneers.
On joining the show, JJ said: "My life has certainly gone in an unexpected direction, from Helmand, to the Invictus Games, to my career as a TV presenter. But in real life, I'm happiest in my workshop, and whilst I've let cameras into it in recent years, I was very happy to head out on the road with The Travelling Auctioneers to discover more forgotten treasures in need of restoration. After all, I know more than most about second chances!"
JJ's home life with wife and children
Away from the cameras, JJ lives in Fife, Scotland, with his wife, Kornelia Chitursko, whom he married in 2015.
The couple share two children: a daughter named Hayley and a son called James.
In a previous interview, the presenter spoke of how supportive his wife following the bomb blast in Afghanistan.
"She dragged me through hospital, through recovery, did things for me that no one would ever want to ask a loved one to do for them but she did it and she kept my morale going, and she was the one who said go out there and chase your dreams," he told The Scotsman.
"She put her life on hold essentially so that I could have the opportunities I have and when I get out on the dance floor come Saturday I'm doing it for both of us. That's how it is."
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/film/511963/jj-chalmers-life-away-from-cameras-family-life-wife/
| 2024-01-24T15:47:38Z
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MOSCOW - Russia accused Ukraine on Jan 24 of shooting down a military transport plane carrying 65 captured Ukrainian soldiers to a prisoner exchange.
Ukraine has yet to comment on what happened.
Here's a summary of what we know so far.
Where did the crash occur?
The crash took place just north-east of Belgorod in western Russia, close to the border with Ukraine.
The Belgorod region has been the target of frequent cross-border attacks by Ukraine but this, if the details are confirmed, would be the deadliest single incident of its kind in the almost two-year-old war to take place inside Russia's internationally recognised territory.
Who was onboard the plane?
The aircraft was an Ilyushin Il-76, a large military transport plane designed to carry troops, cargo or weapons.
Russia's defence ministry said that besides the 65 Ukrainian POWs there were six Russian crew members and three Russian soldiers on board.
The plane crashed in a huge fireball and the ministry and the local governor said everyone on board had died.
What caused the crash?
Russia's defence ministry accused the "Kyiv regime" of shooting it down, saying Russian radar had detected the launch of two Ukrainian missiles from Ukraine's Kharkiv region.
Earlier, Russian lawmaker and former general Andrei Kartapolov had spoken of three missiles and said they were either US Patriots or German-made IRIS-Ts.
He said investigators would determine exactly what kind of missiles were used when they recovered fragments from the crash site.
What was the prisoner exchange that was planned?
Russia's defence ministry said an exchange had been due to take place at the Kolotilovka checkpoint on the border between Russia and Ukraine.
It said the plane that was shot down had been flying from the Chkalovsky airbase near Moscow to Belgorod, in which case it would have been in the final stage of its flight.
Lawmaker Mr Kartapolov said it had not been escorted by Russian fighter planes because the flight had been agreed with the Ukrainians.
He said a second Il-76 transport plane carrying around 80 more Ukrainian soldiers to the exchange had managed to turn around.
Ukraine's GUR military intelligence spokesman Andriy Yusov told the Radio Svoboda outlet that a prisoner exchange had been planned for Jan 24, adding: "It's not taking place at the moment."
Russia and Ukraine have carried out several big prisoner swops in the course of the war.
Russian state TV journalist Margarita Simonyan published what she said was a list of the 65 names of the Ukrainian POWs on the plane. Reuters could not independently confirm it.
What is Ukraine saying?
Ukraine's defence ministry did not immediately reply to a request for comment.
Mr Mykhailo Podolyak, a Ukrainian presidential adviser, told Reuters: "Comments will come a little later. Time is needed to clarify all the data." REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/plane-crash-in-western-russia-what-we-know-and-dont-know
| 2024-01-24T15:47:41Z
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ASTANA – Kazakhstan Agency for International Development (KazAID) presented projects for 2024 at a Jan. 22 briefing with the embassies of the Kyrgyz Republic, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan, reported the KazAID’s press service.
They elaborated on the Dostyk program for civil servants from Central Asian countries on effective public administration and e-government, slated for implementation from April 1 to 5 jointly with Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
During the year, Central Asian specialists can participate in the Dostyk diplomacy and Avicenna health programs, including educational courses, expert meetings and a cultural program.
KazAID programs aim to bolster cooperation between Central Asian expert communities and civil servants to foster the region’s exchange of experience and best practices.
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https://astanatimes.com/2024/01/kazaid-presents-projects-for-2024-to-central-asian-embassies/
| 2024-01-24T15:47:42Z
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Rumer Willis and partner Derek Richard Thomas welcomed their daughter Louetta on April 13, 2023, and the star has been bossing it as a new mom.
Rumer has made parenting appear to be so effortless that fans are getting in touch with the 35-year-old to ask for her advice, and on Wednesday the star was all too happy to oblige. Taking to her Instagram, Rumer recommended a whole raft of products as she reflected on how it was "mind blowing" that her daughter had been part of her life for nine months.
"Lou is 9 months now which is mind blowing," Rumer confessed. "I have had a few friends reach out to me recently who are about to have their first babies and asked me to share a few ideas for must have registry items to add to their lists here are my favs."
The mom-of-one shared photos alongside the recommendations, and they included some of the sweetest snaps of baby Louetta, with one featuring the young girl in a baby carrier from Bumpsuit and another one of Louetta in a small tent playing with some rubber toys.
The unique name is an amalgamation of her and her father Bruce Willis' favorite singers, with Lou coming from Louis Armstrong and Etta being a reference to Etta James. Louetta's middle name is Isley, which is also inspired by The Isley Brothers.
Rumer has also noticed similarities between her baby daughter and her father, who was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia in 2023. Speaking to People, the actress explained how in rewatching Bruce's film Moonlighting she saw similarities between Louetta and Bruce's expressions.
The star confessed: "Whenever she's got a stern discerning look on her face, I just see Bruce Willis. My dad – especially on Moonlighting – has this little side smirk, that very [mischievous] twinkle in his eye, and I see that so much in her. We were ecstatic, beyond ecstatic, because we used to watch it literally on videotape."
2023 was a rollercoaster of a year for Rumer and in a candid post towards its end she reflected on the journey that she had experienced.
In parts of her post, she expressed joy with "being pregnant and postpartum, falling in love with the tiny love of my life Lou," while also explaining how she was living her life sober to make sure that Louetta doesn't get an addiction later on in life.
However, there was also heartbreak due to her father's declining health as she noted how she "spent precious love filled moments with my Daddio."
The Willis family released a joint statement in February 2023 confirming the 68-year-old actor's deteriorating health, and revealing that Bruce's initial diagnosis of aphasia had progressed to FTD, significantly impacting his communication skills.
"FTD occurs when abnormal proteins accumulate and clump together in brain cells called neurons," the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration's website reads. It is also thought that "a subset of familial FTD cases are genetic, or hereditary, in nature. They occur when a parent passes a genetic variant associated with FTD to their child".
Symptoms of FTD start gradually and progress steadily, and often include dramatic behavioral changes such as swearing, impaired judgment, emotional withdrawal from others, loss of energy, and less frequent speech.
SEE: Demi Moore, 61, looks fresh-faced for surprise appearance with daughter Rumer Willis
RELATED: Bruce Willis' daughter Rumer shares 'ecstatic' family update amid dad's heartbreaking health battle
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/healthandbeauty/mother-and-baby/511965/bruce-willis-daughter-rumer-mind-blowing-parenting-journey/
| 2024-01-24T15:47:44Z
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ASTANA – Some 80 Kazakh artists took part in the Lakshminarayana Global Music Festival in India, highlighting the rich culture of the two countries, reported Kazinform news agency on Jan. 23.
The festival spanned two weeks in four Indian cities: Delhi, Bangalore, Mysore, and Mumbai. It has held prestige since its establishment in 1992 by Indian musician and composer Subramaniam Lakshminarayana.
The 2024 edition emphasized cultural interaction between India and Kazakhstan, featuring performers such as the symphonic orchestra of the Rakhmadiyev State Academic Philharmonic and the Akan Seri North Kazakhstan Regional Philharmonic under the artistic direction of Abzal Mukhitdin. The chamber choir of the capital’s Philharmonic, led by artistic director and chief conductor Gulmira Kuttybadamova, also contributed to the cultural exchange.
The festival showcased a repertoire including Kazakh famous songs, and the main program featured compositions by Lakshminarayana.
According to Mukhitdin, the collaboration with Indian traditional percussion instruments and vocals marked a unique experience for the Kazakhstan philharmonic ensembles.
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https://astanatimes.com/2024/01/kazakh-artists-participate-in-lakshminarayana-global-music-festival-in-india/
| 2024-01-24T15:47:49Z
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He's conisdered one of Britain's national treasures, and now David Jason has returned to screens.
But rather than reprising the on-screen persona that made him a household name, Derek 'Del' Trotter from Only Fools and Horses, the 83-year-old actor has now teamed up with another beloved television name, Jay Blades, for David & Jay's Touring Toolshed on BBC Two.
The Open All Hours star and The Repair Shop host have built up a solid friendship in recent years, with Jay being, like many of us, a self-confessed Only Fools super-fan.
Away from David's influential and long-running career on the screen, however, less is known about the veteran actor's private life.
He prefers to keep his family life low-key and away from the spotlight, but he has been spotted a number of events and evenings out with his beloved wife, Gill Hinchcliffe, who he married in 2005, and their 22-year-old daughter, Sophie. See more of their bond in the photographs below from over the years…
David Jason's ultra-rare photos with his daughter and wife are so sweet…
David and his daughter, Sophie
David was 61 when he and wife Gill, who met in the television industry, became parents to Sophie.
The actor previously spoke to The Telegraph about being an older parent: "I suppose the thing that you miss, perhaps, is being able to do all the things a younger father would do with their child.
"But Sophie is lovely – when she was a baby and a small child, she was so funny, it was sheer delight."
This photo shows the family-of-three enjoying a night out at Cirque du Soleil in 2014.
Don't miss
Teenage kicks
Just two years later in 2016, David, Gill, Sophie and a guest joined them for another night out on the town for an event.
No doubt Sophie, who would have been a teenager at the time, loved being engrossed in the glitz and glam of industry events.
Date night
David and Gill stepped out to attend another red carpet event in 2019 just the two of them. Gill looked stunning red floral dress while David kept things suave in dapper jacket with jumper and shirt underneath.
The pair met through work when David was acting in popular ITV drama A Touch of Frost and Gill was working as a production assistant.
"I first set eyes on Gill, a floor assistant at [a TV studio] in Leeds, when she was sent to meet me in the studio car park," he told the Guardian.
"She was 20 years younger, we were living in different parts of the country, and I was still numb with grief. Yet work kept bringing us together and fondness turned to love."
Dressed to the nines
In 2020, just before the pandemic, David, Gill and Sophie headed out to another night at Cirque De Soleil.
Sophie oozed glamour in a black embellished mini-dress with sparkling jewellery and glittering heels.
Abi was born in 1970 and her mum is Jennifer Hill, with whom David had a brief relationship. David also has an 11-year-old grandson.
David told the Mirror: "To say it was a surprise to find out I had a daughter from years ago is an understatement. However, on settling with the news, I am delighted that I am now able to get to know Abi and so we meet up when we can.
"My wife, Gill, and daughter, Sophie, have been very supportive and understanding and have embraced Abi and welcomed her and her young son into her now wider family."
Prior to marrying Gill, David was in a relationship with partner Myfanwy Talog for over eighteen years before her passing. The couple began a relationship in 1977 and remained together while he nursed her through her battle with breast cancer.
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/healthandbeauty/mother-and-baby/511966/david-jasons-sweetest-photos-with-his-rarely-seen-daughter-sophie/
| 2024-01-24T15:47:51Z
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VATICAN CITY - The Vatican, which over the centuries has codified all aspects of faith, morals, doctrine and dissent, on Wednesday announced a new entry - the rights and responsibilities of a whistleblower.
The Vatican released a seven-page legal document and a press statement on the new rules, which take effect on Feb. 1. Both used the English term several times amid the Italian text.
"The procedure will facilitate the spread of the awareness of the institution of whistleblowing," the statement from the Office of the Auditor General read.
It said the new procedures were part of Pope Francis' efforts to install financial transparency and combat corruption.
The Vatican, no stranger to financial scandals, has for years allowed Suspicious Activity Reports(SAR)in its bank. But they have been used mostly by upper echelon sleuths and one SAR report led to the conviction of a cardinal on fraud charges last year.
The new democratisation of whistleblowing allows anyone in any department to signal suspected malfeasance, mostly of a financial type, in a simple, user friendly way that includes a dedicated email address in the auditor's office.
Accusers cannot hide their identities with anonymous tips but the auditor will keep their names confidential, except in special cases where judicial authorities must be informed.
And lest anyone forget that the Vatican, like all bureaucracies, can be prone to office gossip, the new rules say whistleblowing should be reserved for serious offences and not petty "moaning" about a boss or colleague. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/thou-shall-be-a-whistleblower-but-not-an-anonymous-one-new-vatican-rules-say
| 2024-01-24T15:47:51Z
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ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev arrived in Almaty on a working visit on Jan. 24, reported the Akorda press service.
Tomorrow, Tokayev will visit several infrastructure and social facilities. The city administration is expected to introduce their plans for the development of the road transport system.
The President is also set to attend a meeting on seismic safety following an earthquake that struck the city on Tuesday.
Tokayev visited Almaty last August to discuss urban planning, traffic regulation, businesses, and measures to address issues in education and healthcare, among others.
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https://astanatimes.com/2024/01/kazakh-president-arrives-in-almaty-for-working-visit/
| 2024-01-24T15:47:56Z
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The Blair Waldorf effect is officially in full force once again. Recently sported by the likes of Rita Ora at Paris Fashion Week, Sydney Sweeney at a Miu Miu dinner party and Bella Hadid whilst errand running in NYC, it’s safe to say that the fashion elite are all in favour of a thick headband comeback.
The thick jersey headband trend has been reinvented time and time again. Mid-last year the accessory was in the limelight after a short hiatus, brought back to life by the TikTok fashion sphere and workout girlies. Although not a new trend, it seems ‘it’ girls are donning the over-ear accessory for more formal events, using them as an outfit ingredient for appearances, performances and opulent dinner dates.
An expert in the headband sphere, luxury brand strategist Alexandra Carello told me that thick jersey headbands:
Made famous back in the '50s and ’60s by the likes of Brigitte Bardot in Vie Privée and Barbra Streisand, the thick headband was a go-to for when your blowout mane wasn't cooperating. Then worn with a bold cat-eye flicked liner and a backcombed voluminous hairstyle, it seems today’s elite are following suit.
Alexandra continues to say that the trend "can be traced back to the 1950s and has a lot of association with sports (Jane Fonda!) but now I believe it fits with a stealth wealth / quiet luxury aesthetic."
Here's how the fashion set is styling the trending hair accessory now.
With a Glamorous Gown
Just days ago Rita Ora performed at the Tamara Ralph dinner, pairing her black gown with crystal embellishments and long gloves with an extra thick, black jersey headband.
With an All-Black Ensemble
Also pictured yesterday outside the Haute Couture Schiaparelli show in Paris was Soo Joo Park. The fashion muse paired her headband with giant, gold drop-down earrings, a bustier corset, a black maxi skirt and a structured overcoat with gold accents.
With Chunky Boots and Bold Earrings
Earlier this month, ‘it’ girl Sarah Lysander jumped ahead of the trend, dressing up her headband look with a cosy, all-black ensemble. The Londoner spiced up her fabulous ‘fit with this season's most cultivated bag in metallic silver, chunky biker boots and a pair of striking over-the-top earrings.
With a Collared Mini-Dress
Miu Miu muse Sydney Sweeny complemented her blonde mermaid locks with a thick black headband to attend a Miu Miu dinner party mid-last year. Boasting big Wednesday Adams vibes, the Euphoria star wore a black sequin dress with a white collar, white chunky platform heels and a sultry smokey eye look.
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/hfm/fashion-trends/511881/thick-headbands-are-trending-now/
| 2024-01-24T15:48:02Z
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NEW YORK – Ghostwriting is a secretive profession. It has long been maintained that a good ghostwriter, like a well-behaved child in the old proverb, should be neither seen nor heard.
So it was unusual for a group of around 140 ghostwriters to gather, as they did in Manhattan on Jan 22, to schmooze and celebrate their work with awards, panel discussions and keynote speeches.
The one-day conference, called the Gathering of the Ghosts, took place at a moment when ghostwriting is in high demand and gaining recognition as an art form of its own, after years of operating largely in the shadows.
“There’s great value in building this community because of the nature of what we do,” said Mr Daniel Paisner, who hosts a podcast about ghostwriting called As Told To and has collaborated on 17 New York Times bestsellers.
“We do it in a vacuum, sitting alone in our underwear in our offices. We don’t get out much. So I think it’s helpful to be able to compare notes.”
Held at the New York Academy of Medicine, in a room lined with old, leather-bound medical books overlooking a snowy Central Park, the event included panel sessions about finding the right publisher for a project, whether artificial intelligence might render ghostwriters irrelevant, and conversations about how much a ghostwriter can charge (the consensus: more).
The profession has a history of being undervalued, and one panelist advised everyone in the audience to double their rates and add 20 per cent.
Best of times, worst of times
“Is it good to be a ghostwriter?” Ms Madeleine Morel, an agent who specialises in matchmaking book projects with ghostwriters, said at the event. “I’ll paraphrase Dickens: It’s the best of times and the worst of times. It’s the best of times because there’s never been so much work out there. It’s the worst of times because it’s become so competitive.”
Ms Jodi Lipper, who has ghostwritten 25 books, including a collaboration with shoe designer Steve Madden, said she was gratified to see awards that recognise ghostwriters for their talent.
“There has been this misconception for a long time that ghostwriters are people who couldn’t write their own book, that they are these hacks,” she said.
Ms Lipper and other ghostwriters argue that their job requires not only literary chops, but also a host of other skills, including wrangling talent and drawing out illustrative stories from their subjects.
The writer must also effectively channel the subject’s voice, so readers feel like they are hearing directly from the person whose face is on the cover.
“I have a whole process – like for every client, I have a different scent,” said Ms Tracey Michae’l Lewis-Giggetts.
For one project she might put lavender essential oils in her diffuser, she explained, and for another, she might use lemon. This helps her slip into her subject’s voices, she said.
Ms Lewis-Giggetts received an award at the conference on Jan 22 for the book Sisterhood Heals, although the name on the cover is Joy Harden Bradford. (Her scent for that book was lemongrass.) She also writes under her own name, and her essay collection, Black Joy: Stories Of Resistance, Resilience, and Restoration, won an NAACP Image Award in 2023.
“I have my own work, but I’m still doing a lot of ghosting,” she said. “Quite frankly, because it pays the bills.”
‘It’s not your effing book’
While many celebrities and politicians maintain the pretence that they are writing their own books, it is becoming more common to acknowledge one’s ghostwriter, and the occupation has gained more visibility.
Collaborators for celebrity memoirs – which can be enormously lucrative for publishers – are in increasingly high demand, with some making six figures for their work.
The genres that many ghostwriters work in – memoirs by actors and musicians, athletes, CEOs and self-help gurus – are the types of books that publishers are pouring money into, because a well-known author with an established following can potentially sell millions of copies.
Some of last year’s top-selling non-fiction books were ghostwritten memoirs – Britney Spears’ The Woman In Me and Prince Harry’s Spare.
Top-tier ghostwriters are also being lauded for their literary skills, with some publishers even touting their participation in a project as a hint to readers and booksellers that a memoir will be juicy and artfully written.
Actress Demi Moore gave ample credit to her ghostwriter, New Yorker writer Ariel Levy, for working on Moore’s memoir, Inside Out.
In a sign of how much more open ghostwriters have become about their work, Mr J.R. Moehringer, an in-demand and widely acclaimed ghostwriter who has worked with tennis star Andre Agassi and Phil Knight, the co-founder of Nike, wrote in The New Yorker about the challenges of working on Prince Harry’s memoir.
Mr Moehringer revealed debates that he and Prince Harry had over particular scenes, and described how he would talk himself down when they clashed: “For the thousandth time in my ghostwriting career, I reminded myself: It’s not your effing book.”
Not the musings of the rich and famous
But some delicacy lingers around revealing a ghostwriter’s participation in a work. To be eligible for awards, both the official authors and their paid collaborators had to co-submit for consideration and agree to share the award.
Years ago, Mr Paisner said, he was invited to a dinner party at the apartment of former mayor Ed Koch, where Mr Paisner introduced himself as the person who helped Mr Koch write his book.
Later that evening, Mr Koch asked for a word. “He said, ‘I would prefer if you never say that again,’” Mr Paisner recalled.
For a long time, Mr Paisner said, people seemed to believe that these books were written by having a person of renown speak into a tape recorder and then bringing in a ghostwriter to transcribe those thoughts.
“It is not that, and I think readers are slowly coming around to accept that it is not that,” he said. “That these are not the musings of the rich and famous as dictated to the lowly ghostwriter.” NYTIMES
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/ghostwriters-emerge-from-the-shadows-to-celebrate-their-work
| 2024-01-24T15:48:02Z
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ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s exports of IT services have increased 12-fold since 2020, Yersultan Yermanov, Head of the IT Industry Development Department of the Ministry of Digital Development, Innovation and Aerospace Industry, said at a Jan. 19 briefing in the Central Communications Service (CCS), reported the CCS’s press office.
Kazakhstan ranks 28th in the United Nations E-Government Development Index, securing 8th place in the subindex for the quality of online services among 193 countries. This is a significant indicator of the digital ecosystem’s achievements, Yermanov noted.
He emphasized that Kazakhstan’s electronic Government was developed entirely by domestic IT companies, not relying on international organizations.
“We have many cases that do not exist anywhere in the world, for example, such functions as to re-register a car in 5 minutes, get approval for an online mortgage, and more,” Yermanov shared.
Touching on a National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Platform and a Digital Code being created on the instructions of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Yermanov said the development concept of a strategy for AI has been worked out.
“AI development is based on computing power, qualified IT personnel, venture investments and commercialization of these projects,” he noted, adding that a dedicated working group is developing the Digital Code.
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https://astanatimes.com/2024/01/kazakhstans-exports-of-it-services-increase-12-times-since-2020/
| 2024-01-24T15:48:02Z
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Congratulations are in order for the producers of Past Lives who have received Oscars nominations for Best Picture and Writing (Original Screenplay). But its protagonist Greta Lee who has received Hello! Fashion's (imaginary) nomination for the best-dressed actress of 2023.
With a recent campaign for Loewe under her belt and Jonathan Anderson dressing her for a multitude of special events, she's currently in her cool-girl era and we're loving every second of her style agenda (props also to her stylist Danielle Goldberg). Combining this with a touch of Bottega and a dashing of The Row, her looks are exciting and playful yet seriously elegant.
Born and raised in Los Angeles to Korean parents, Greta studied theatre at Northwestern University before moving to New York City to study acting. Since making her debut on TV in Law and Order: SUV in 2006, she has starred in major shows and movies including New Girl, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Money Monster alongside Julia Roberts and George Clooney, and Apple TV+ series The Morning Show with Reese Witherspoon.
Past Lives starring Greta, Teo Yoo and John Magaro was produced by A24, the same company behind Everywhere All At Once, Uncut Gems (Julia Fox voice) and the Euphoria series starring Zendaya, to name a few.
What is Past Lives about?
"Nora and Hae Sung, two deeply connected childhood friends, are wrest apart after Nora’s family emigrates from South Korea," A24 explains on its website. "Two decades later, they are reunited in New York for one fateful week as they confront notions of destiny, love, and the choices that make a life, in this heartrending modern romance."
To celebrate both Past Lives' nominations and Greta's unwaveringly cool style agenda, we take a look at the actress's best fashion moments of all time.
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/hfm/fashion-trends/511954/greta-lee-most-stylish-moments/
| 2024-01-24T15:48:08Z
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ASTANA – The Kazakh Ministry of Digital Development, Innovations and Aerospace Industry outlined key achievements in technological sectors, following successful execution of tasks set for the country’s innovative advancement in 2023, the ministry’s press service reported on Jan. 24.
Last year, Kazakhstan approved focused funding for priority technological areas, including MedTech, AgriTech and GreenTech, Artificial Intelligence, Industry 4.0, GovTech, and Metallurgy.
A pilot launch of the Single Window of the National Innovation System was initiated through the astanahub.com information system. This platform streamlines access to support measures for innovative projects and acts as a government platform for placing technological business tasks, ensuring transparency throughout the innovation process.
Implementing government support measures for innovation, such as innovation grants, business incubation, and technology transfer, was reinforced. At the end of the year, 31 projects were supported under three grant programs, totaling around 1.2 billion tenge ($2.6 million).
Subsoil users collaborated with the Park of Innovative Technologies Autonomous Cluster Fund, concluding 58 contracts worth 8.2 billion tenge ($18.4 million). These funds financed 32 projects within the fund, totaling 4.7 billion tenge ($10.5 million), fostering innovative activities.
Three rounds of competitions were held under the manufacturing sector consortia and inclusive innovation consortia programs, financing 13 subprojects with a total of about three billion tenge ($6.7 million).
The Fostering Productive Innovation Project led to the creation of Tumar Ventures, an early-stage venture capital fund. An acceleration program in Silicon Valley with Draper University resulted in successful startups, attracting investments from My Ventures and Draper Fisher Jurvetson.
As such, Beyne.ai, Beep, and Smartestprep startups received investments from the My Ventures venture fund for $30,000 each, and the CoPath startup raised $20,000.
The startup CITIX attracted $1 million worth of investment from Draper Fisher Jurvetson.
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https://astanatimes.com/2024/01/kazakhstans-innovative-development-flourishes-in-2023/
| 2024-01-24T15:48:09Z
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RIYADH – Saudi Arabia plans to allow the sale of alcohol to non-Muslim diplomats for the first time, two sources familiar with the plan told AFP on Jan 24.
Alcohol “will be sold to non-Muslim diplomats” who previously had to import alcohol via a diplomatic pouch, one of the sources said.
Customers will have to register via a mobile app, get a clearance code from the foreign ministry, and respect monthly quotas with their purchases, said the document, which was seen by Reuters.
Prohibition has been the law of the land in Saudi Arabia since 1952, shortly after one of King Abdulaziz’s sons got drunk and, in a rage, shot dead a British diplomat.
Rumours have swirled for years that alcohol would become available in the Gulf kingdom amid a wave of social reforms introduced as part of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030 reform agenda, which includes the introduction of cinemas and mixed-gender music festivals.
The new store is located in Riyadh’s Diplomatic Quarter, a neighbourhood where embassies and diplomats reside, and will be “strictly restricted” to non-Muslims, the document said.
It was unclear if other non-Muslim expatriates will have access to the store. Millions of expatriates live in Saudi Arabia but most of them are Muslim workers from Asia and Egypt.
A source familiar with the plans said the store is expected to open in the coming weeks.
A Saudi government statement on Jan 24 said the authorities were introducing “a new regulatory framework... to counter the illicit trade of alcohol goods and products received by diplomatic missions”.
The statement added: “The new process will focus on allocating specific quantities of alcohol goods when entering the kingdom to put an end to the previous unregulated process that caused an uncontrolled exchange of such goods in the kingdom.”
The rules in place until now leave most of Saudi Arabia’s 32 million people with few ways to imbibe.
Beyond attending diplomatic receptions, they can make home-made wine or turn to the black market, where bottles of whisky can go for hundreds of dollars ahead of holidays like New Year’s Eve.
Under Saudi law, penalties for consumption or possession of alcohol can include fines, jail time, public flogging and deportation for foreigners. AFP, REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/middle-east/saudi-arabia-to-allow-sale-of-alcohol-to-non-muslim-diplomats-sources
| 2024-01-24T15:48:12Z
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Jennifer Lopez has traded in her mob wife-coded fur coat and oversized aviator sunglasses for a sage green gown, feather flowered cape and the most perfect velvet hair bow I have ever seen.
Stepping out just moments ago to attend Elie Saab’s (the elevated eveningwear brand approved by The Princess of Wales) Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2024 in Paris, Jenny from the Block turned a multitude of heads, and rightfully so as she quite literally looks like a real-life Disney princess.
In support of the Lebanese fashion house, JLo wore a full Elie Saab outfit, consisting of a pastel green gown, cinched at the waist with a twinkling crystal belt. In true haute couture elegance, Ben Affleck's wife paired the dress with the most magical cape, adorned with thousands of lilac and green flower motifs made from delicate feathers. Each feather flower was embellished with singular diamantes to catch the light and match her belt.
Aside from the showstopping outfit ensemble, our favourite part of the look was her hairdo. Opting for a side part, which has been trending amongst the A-listers for the past few months, JLo’s luscious loosely curled, macchiato-coloured locks were pinned to one side and clasped with a moss-green velvet bow.
As we all know, bows have been doing the rounds in the fashion sphere for a while now and have been coined the must-have accessory amongst fashion phonetics and style moguls alike.
Last month John Lewis' sales and search stat results revealed that
I think it’s safe to say that Jen just gave the bow trend her official seal of approval, and those aforementioned statistics are about to skyrocket to all-new heights.
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/hfm/fashion-trends/511959/jennifer-lopez-bow-hairstyle-paris-couture-week/
| 2024-01-24T15:48:14Z
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ASTANA – Kazakhstan Agency for International Development (KazAID) presented projects for 2024 at a Jan. 22 briefing with the embassies of the Kyrgyz Republic, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan, reported the KazAID’s press service.
At the council’s inaugural meeting, participants agreed on the fundamental principles of the council’s activities and a roadmap.
Turkish Trade Minister Ömer Bolat highlighted that the collective national income of the Turkic states reached $1.5 trillion.
He underscored the strategic location of the Middle Corridor, a crucial global trade route passing through the territories of the Turkic states, which opens up great opportunities for advancing trade and economic collaboration.
Bolat emphasized a significant increase in trade volume between the Turkic states in recent years, surging from $33 billion in 2022 to $42 billion in 2023.
The meeting was attended by representatives from the authorized bodies of OTS member countries, such as Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Türkiye, and Uzbekistan.
According to the Ministry of Economy of Azerbaijan, Türkiye will chair the council for three years. The parties also agreed to hold the next meeting in Azerbaijan’s city of Shusha.
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https://astanatimes.com/2024/01/ots-establishes-turkic-states-competition-council/
| 2024-01-24T15:48:15Z
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Princess Alexandra of Hanover has an enviable wardrobe and she wowed royal fans with her latest look at Paris Fashion Week.
The 24-year-old looked chic in a black collared military-style dress as she attended the Chanel Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2024 show as part of Paris Fashion Week on Tuesday.
Alexandra's ensemble is in fact a vintage Chanel number, as first noticed by royal style account Royal Fashion Police.
The Monegasque figure skater appears to have borrowed the piece from her stylish mother, Princess Caroline.
Caroline, who is the daughter of the late Grace Kelly, first wore the look in 1990 at the International Annual Bouquet Contest.
Alexandra is a regular on the front row and has followed in her stylish mother and sister Charlotte Casiraghi's footsteps.
Born on 20 July 1999 in Austria, she is the only daughter of Princess Caroline and her estranged husband, Ernst August, Prince of Hanover.
Her half-siblings are Princess Caroline's children from her second marriage to Stefano Casiraghi – Andrea, Charlotte and Pierre.
Alexandra's father, Ernst August, also has two sons from his first marriage to Chantal Hochuli – Prince Ernst August and Prince Christian.
The Princess has joined the Monaco royals at some major public events, including the annual Rose Ball and Monaco's National Day.
Alexandra has been dating Ben Sylvester Strautmann, the descendant of a wealthy German family, since 2017.
LISTEN: Inside Queen Margrethe's abdication
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/royalty/511968/princess-alexandra-borrows-princess-caroline-vintage-chanel-dress/
| 2024-01-24T15:48:20Z
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ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev received Ikram Adyrbekov, a Kazakh statesman, diplomat, and member of the Council of Elders of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) on Jan. 23, reported the Akorda press service.
They discussed the implementation of the main directions of the “TURKTIME!” program, which Kazakhstan, as chair, presented at the tenth OTS Summit last November.
The President stressed the need to enhance relations between Turkic-speaking states in the cultural, spiritual, historical, political and economic spheres.
He placed particular emphasis on opening university branches, conducting joint scientific research, promoting shared values, and undertaking joint projects in priority sectors of the economy, such as finance, artificial intelligence, IT and the aerospace industry.
Adyrbekov highlighted the measures needed to be taken to develop Turkistan as the spiritual capital of the Turkic world and a city that played a unique role in the history of all Turkic peoples.
Tokayev expressed confidence that the OTS Council of Elders will significantly contribute to increasing the effectiveness of interaction between fraternal countries.
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https://astanatimes.com/2024/01/president-tokayev-meets-kazakh-statesman-ikram-adyrbekov/
| 2024-01-24T15:48:22Z
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At first glance, southeastern Libya looks like an unforgiving land of sand and barren mountains. However, look closer and you’ll see clues that the desert is home to a massive underground oasis.
Images taken by satellites and astronauts onboard the International Space Station (ISS) show that Libya’s Kufrah district is not as desolate as it first seems. Amid the vast swathes of golden sand, you can spot strange circles and odd patches of green.
These blots are evidence of Libya’s struggle to stay hydrated. In 1983, the Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi initiated a colossal civil water works project called the Great Man-Made River (GMMR). Consisting of a vast network of underground pipes, it's considered to be the world's largest irrigation project and supplies the majority of all freshwater used in Libya.
The water comes from the world's largest fossil water aquifer system, known as the Nubian Sandstone Aquifer System. It was left behind some 10,000 years ago when this region was a surprisingly lush landscape of rivers, lakes, and rain.
The aquifer is around 2 million square kilometers (772,204 square miles) in size and lies beneath north-western Sudan, northeastern Chad, southeastern Libya, and much of Egypt. It’s an invaluable resource for these countries, which constantly battle with arid conditions.
While much of the system is underground, imagery from low-Earth orbit shows signs of its presence. As explained by ESA, satellite imagery shows large circles embedded in the Al Kufrah Oasis, each of which has a diameter of nearly 1 kilometer (0.6 miles). Described as “Libya’s Circles of Life”, the circles are the product of numerous sprinklers that use water from the fossil aquifer to irrigate the land, allowing crops to grow.
The fruits of this labor are also visible from the skies. As per NASA Earth Observatory, more recent photographs taken from the ISS show that a patch of green can be seen among the extensive sands of the Kufrah district.
This is Al Jawf, a town that owes much of its existence to the ancient aquifer that it sits on top of. Zoom into the photograph and you’ll see this small but significant settlement is covered in farms, all of which are irrigated by water from the Nubian Sandstone Aquifer System.
Libya, however, still has problems with its water supply. Water scarcity has been one of the greatest challenges facing Libya in recent history and it ranks as the most water-stressed country in North Africa. Now, it has to address these problems against the backdrop of corruption, conflict, and climate change.
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https://www.iflscience.com/libyas-circles-of-life-show-hints-of-a-giant-ancient-aquifer-beneath-the-sand-72604
| 2024-01-24T15:48:23Z
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The Biden administration is seeking to reduce the use of U.S.-made guns in foreign crimes and human rights violations by tightening oversight and rules governing commercial exports of semiautomatic weapons, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday.This follows a review by the U.S. Commerce Department of its support for American gunmakers after a Bloomberg investigation linked increasing civilian gun exports to higher rates of global gun crime, according to the report, which cited draft rules obtained by Bloomberg.
Commerce Department officials described the proposed changes to advocacy groups and others last week, telling them that the U.S. State Department would have more influence over vetting exports to countries with poor human-rights records, the Bloomberg report said, citing people who were briefed.
Under the draft rules, officials would create distinct trade categories for semiautomatic firearms - including pistols, rifles and shotguns, making it easier for federal regulators to scrutinize exports of those weapons, Bloomberg said.
In October last year, the Commerce Department stopped issuing export licenses for most civilian firearms and ammunition for 90 days to assess the "risk of firearms being diverted to entities or activities that promote regional instability, violate human rights, or fuel criminal activities." REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/us-aims-to-impose-tighter-curbs-on-civilian-gun-exports-bloomberg
| 2024-01-24T15:48:23Z
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A dead body that’s been gnawed upon by cats and dogs might sound like a particularly grisly cold open to an episode of Bones, but pet-scavenged bodies aren’t just the stuff of police procedurals – your pets would probably eat you if you died. Thankfully, if that death happens to have occurred under criminal circumstances, new research means that using hungry pets to cover it up might not be that smart of a plan.
Coming across a dead body that’s been scavenged by pets is surprisingly not all that uncommon. Whilst it’s not exactly resting in peace, it makes sense that cats and dogs might give us a little nibble given that they are carnivorous and probably peckish. However, it can be a pain for those trying to investigate deaths, as scavenging can potentially cover up its more nefarious causes.
In a recent study, anthropologists from the University of Bern set out to determine trends across known cases of pet scavenging and how this could be used in assessing the cause of death. If you want to look at the paper, it’s linked at the bottom of the article, but be warned – the images are not for the squeamish.
The team collected published reports of cases where scavenging by pets had occurred (there was even a hamster involved in one case – never looking at Penfold in the same way again) and identified seven recent cases in Switzerland where cats and dogs in particular had caused issues for investigators due to their snacking.
Picking out the problems allowed the researchers to create a flowchart that could be used by investigators to determine what evidence to collect and how and when to collect it, to determine whether or not an animal scavenged a body and if so, what animal.
Alongside taking photos and samples of animal fur and feces, the team suggests noting down the size, breed, and number of animals, as well as considering how gnawing or bite marks might have mimicked or obscured forensically relevant wounds. Arming investigators with this methodology could help them focus on areas that often seem to be missed or dismissed as irrelevant.
“Our study highlights the need for sophisticated documentation, particularly for distinction between human-inflicted injuries and scavenging, but also discrimination between cats and dogs, and between canines of different sizes,” the authors conclude. “It also shows that the information typically collected at scenes of indoor scavenging is insufficient to perform a discrimination study.”
It's hoped that, with the flowchart in hand, investigations of death could “overcome these aspects and gather systematic information for future indoor death scenes with questionable scavenging activity.”
So even if you do receive the double whammy of dying under suspicious circumstances and being munched on by your otherwise loving pet, you can rest in peace knowing that whoever’s investigating hopefully won’t be hindered by your dog nibbling your nose.
The study is published in Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology. Again, don't click if you're squeamish.
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https://www.iflscience.com/pets-snacked-on-your-dead-body-worry-not-your-cause-of-death-can-still-be-determined-72601
| 2024-01-24T15:48:29Z
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Shimadzu Scientific Instruments introduces the ICPMS-2040/2050 series of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometers that feature a proprietary advanced mini-torch system, a redesigned collision/reaction cell, and a high-performance quadrupole mass filter with enhanced resolution. The ICPMS-2040/2050 series is ideal for analyzing the concentration of inorganic elements in solution samples in environmental, pharmaceutical, clinical, food, chemical, and material Industries.
The optimized torch design of the ICPMS-2040/2050 series improves sample ionization efficiency by keeping argon gas consumption low and decreasing the sample flow rate into the plasma. The innovative mini-torch system consumes 11 liters per minute of argon, two-thirds the amount used by typical plasma torches, enabling continuous operation using a 7-cubic-meter gas cylinder for up to 10 hours. These systems have a high-frequency power supply featuring high-speed matching functionality, using low-cost, low-purity (99.95%) argon gas to generate a robust plasma.
The ICPMS-2040/2050 series enables high-sensitivity analysis of target elements. In collision mode, introducing inert helium gas into the cell generates a kinetic energy difference between target and polyatomic ions. This difference is used for polyatomic interference removal in many applications. In reaction mode, when a specific gas is introduced into the cell, a gas with ions reaction occurs to reduce interferences.
These instruments feature a patent-pending high-performance quadrupole mass filter with enhanced resolution that improves signal stability when analyzing samples for long periods by applying a pulse voltage between the analysis of each mass. This maintains a constant charge level at the electrode surface to mitigate ion charge effects on the mass filter.
With the ICPMS-2040/2050 series, operators can analyze masses at 0.5 amu intervals using the high-resolution mode, enabling half-mass correction for doubly charged interferences common in rare earth elements (REEs). In addition, the inter-element correction (IEC) function can correct for interferences that cannot be eliminated by the collision/reaction cell.
The patent-pending redesigned gas controller reduces gas introduction and purge times, allowing analytical conditions to be changed rapidly. While measuring multiple samples, users can start the rinsing sequence early by sending the autosampler probe to rinse while collecting data using the sample already in the probe line to complete the analysis, thus reducing analysis time and conserving the sample without any additional accessory or cost. The ICPMS-2040/2050 series also reduces operator supervision time because the extended rinsing function allows the ICPMS to run autonomously after plasma ignition.
The LabSolutions ICPMS software’s maintenance window indicates the operation times of components and automatically alerts users when it is time to maintain or replace parts. Preset analytical methods come configured with optimized settings, such as plasma conditions, target elements, mass information, and an internal standard, for ICPMS applications such as EPA 200.8, USP 232/233/2232, ICH Q3D, and more.
For more details, visit the ICPMS-2040/2050 series information page.
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https://www.rdworldonline.com/shimadzus-new-mass-spectrometer-series-provides-eco-friendly-elemental-analysis/
| 2024-01-24T15:48:41Z
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The R&D World Index (RDWI) for the week ending January 19, 2024, closed at 3,297.56 for the 25 companies in the RDWI. The Index was up 0.70% (or 22.95 basis points). Fourteen RDWI members gained value last week from 0.22% (Merck & Co.) to 3.43% (IBM). Eleven RDWI members lost value last week from 0.40% (Bristol-Myers Squibb) to -4.41% (Roche Holdings AG).
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), Hsinchu, Taiwan, announced last week that it was delaying the production start at the second of two manufacturing plants it is building in Arizona. This plant was scheduled to begin production of 3-nm-based advanced semiconductor chips in 2026, which has now been pushed back to 2027 or 2028. Its first plant was scheduled to begin production in 2024, but that was earlier delayed to 2025. Reasons for the delays were cited as being a shortage of skilled workers in the U.S. and difficulty in negotiations over how much money the U.S. government will provide. Some analysts have noted that the production delays could be a negotiating tactic to secure more funding from the U.S. government’s $53 billion Chips Act. In a separate news item, TSMC forecast last week that semiconductor chip revenue is expected to grow more than 20% in 2024 over its revenue in 2023. Revenue in 2023 fell by 2% year over year for TSMC due to a pervasive supply glut throughout the semiconductor supply chain. This supply issue has now abated and returned to its normal growth curve. The growth is noted as being fed by surging demand for generative AI devices.
Electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer BYD, Shenzhen, China, announced last week that it has developed a smart car system, Xuanji, which offers automated parking, and voice recognition capabilities like that provided by Tesla and other EV manufacturers. To provide these capabilities, BYD has been hiring large numbers of software engineers — the company has hired about 90,000 engineers for its R&D efforts. More than 4,000 of these researchers work on L2-level smart driving projects. The company has about 230,000 employees spread over 50 global campuses. BYD also announced last week that it is investing more than $700 million to build all-terrain professional test drive sites throughout China. The company also has a conditional testing license for L3 autonomous driving on high-speed roads in Shenzhen, China. BYD sold more than 3 million EVs in 2023, overtaking Tesla in overall battery EVs. Overall, China’s EV manufacturers expect to sell about 11.5 million EVs in 2024, a 22% increase over the EVs sold in 2023, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers.
The recent 25% wage increases (over four years) negotiated by the United Auto Workers (UAW) union have forced most U.S. automakers to take a stronger look at increasing the automation operations at their factories. Detroit auto executives are now strategizing ways to blunt these increased costs, which according to Ford Motor Co., would add about $900 in cost per vehicle by the time the current labor contracts expire in 2028. Dozens of new battery factories and EV plants open the doors to broader use of high-tech and automated systems, according to analysts. It is easier and less costly to install robots in a new facility compared to retrofitting an existing facility. Automakers are looking to introduce more robots and other automation systems over time, replacing workers as they retire, rather than displacing their current workforce. The automakers also note that the productivity gains from robotization will be zeroed out by the required personnel for the repair, maintenance, and programming of the robots.
RDW Index member Ford Motor Company, Dearborn, Michigan, announced last week that it was cutting the workforce at its Lightning electric truck factory in Dearborn from two shifts to just one shift and relocating about two-thirds of its 2,100 hourly workers, mostly to factories that build gasoline-engine vehicles. These cuts resulted from reduced demand for EVs due to high initial costs, limited charging infrastructures, and effects on EVs during the recent brutal winter snowstorms that hit much of the U.S. in January. The cold weather revealed the increased charge times and reduced range of EVs during these periods.
Samsung, Suwon, South Korea, introduced its latest version of its Galaxy smartphones last week. The company noted that these devices are the first to feature on-device AI, meaning that they can process generative AI data directly on the cell phone without relying on sending the data up to the cloud. Galaxy S24 devices will begin shipping at the end of January. RDW Index member Apple, Cupertino, California, also has stated that it plans to include on-device AI in its new products introduced later this year. The on-device AI will provide real-time translation, image-based web searches, and photo-editing features. The Samsung AI is supported by a partnership with Google, which has released its own Pixel 8 smartphones with generative AI abilities.
Diesel engine developer Cummins, Columbus, Indiana, Paccar truck-builder, Bellevue, Washington, and Daimler Truck U.S., Portland, Oregon, agreed to jointly build a $2 billion factory near Memphis to build batteries for commercial vehicles. Initial output is projected to supply enough batteries annually to power more than 40,000 medium- and heavy-duty trucks. Battery-powered trucks and buses have been available for years, but truck manufacturers have not been as aggressive as the consumer vehicle industry in changing their production to battery-electric models. Lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery technology is being provided by EVE Energy, Huizhou, China which will own about 10% of the collaboration.
R&D World’s R&D Index is a weekly stock market summary of the top international companies involved in R&D. The top 25 industrial R&D spenders in 2020 were selected based on the latest listings from Schonfeld & Associates’ June 2020 R&D Ratios & Budgets. These 25 companies include pharmaceutical (10 companies), automotive (6 companies), and ICT (9 companies) that invested a cumulative total of nearly $260 billion in R&D in 2019, or approximately 10% of all the R&D spending in the world by government, industries, and academia combined, according to R&D World’s 2021 Global R&D Funding Forecast. The stock prices used in the R&D World Index are tabulated from NASDAQ, NYSE, and OTC common stock prices for the companies selected at the close of stock trading business on the Friday preceding the online publication of the R&D World Index.
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https://www.rdworldonline.com/tsmc-delaying-u-s-chip-plant-startups-in-this-weeks-rd-power-index/
| 2024-01-24T15:48:47Z
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Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith have had an upsetting start to the year, following the loss of a beloved member of their family.
The former celebrity couple are both grieving the death of their four-legged friend Fang, who passed away on Tuesday January 23.
Jada took to Instagram the following morning to pay tribute to Fang, alongside a series of photos of their pet dog over the years.
She wrote: "Last night we lost one of our furry sons Fang. He brought so much love into our family, our animal pack and community. Thank you Fang for 15 years of pure joy. We are going to miss you soooooo much."
While Will and Jada are no longer living together, the former couple have remained good friends.
Last year, Jada made the bombshell revelation that the couple had been living apart since 2016.
Chatting on NBC News, the Red Table Talks star said: "By the time we got to 2016, we were just exhausted with trying ... I made a promise that there will never be a reason for us to get a divorce."
Will and Jada have continued to make red carpet appearances and social media posts together in the seven years since, and have never hinted at a split but Jada explained it was because they are "just not ready yet".
"[We're] still trying to figure out between the two of us how to be in partnership, right… how do we present that to people, you know? And we hadn't figured that out," she admitted.
The couple are doting parents to grown-up children, Jaden, 25, and Willow, 23. Will is also father to 31-year-old Trey Smith, who he shares with ex-wife Sheree Zampino.
In the wake of Jada's revelation about her marriage woes with Will, she has maintained that the two have no plans of divorcing. "We really have been working hard," she told Hoda Kotb during an interview on the Today Show, adding: "We are working very hard at bringing our relationship back together."
She further explained: "I made a promise that there will never be a reason for us to get a divorce. We will work through whatever. And I just haven't been able to break that promise."
In a separate interview with People, she also shared: "We're still figuring it out," adding: "We've been doing some really heavy-duty work together." She declared: "We just got deep love for each other and we are going to figure out what that looks like for us."
Read more HELLO! US stories here
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/celebrities/511973/will-smith-jada-pinkett-smith-come-together-in-grief-sad-death-family-member/
| 2024-01-24T16:00:31Z
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The Harry Potter movie franchise has a fond place in the hearts of millions of fans all over the world - but plenty were baffled by a character from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, and still discuss him online to this day. Need a reminder?
In the third instalment of the hit franchise, fans were impressed but also somewhat bemused by a morbid Gryffindor student who attends Divination classes with Harry, Ron and Hermione, and who doesn’t appear in any subsequent movies.
During the film, he delivers some of the more ominous lines of the movie. Speaking about the Grim, he says: “Taking the form of a giant spectral dog, it's among the darkest omens in our world. It's an omen...of death.” Another line is: “It's like trying to catch smoke... like trying to catch smoke with your bare hands.” See what we mean?
The character is known by the captions as ‘Bem,’ and was played by Ekow Quartey. So what was the deal with the actor, and what is he up to nowadays?
Ekow has gone on to become a massive star - and has appeared a plenty of TV shows over the last few years, including Smothered, Breeders, Trying and Becoming Elizabeth. He also recently appeared in the National Theatre’s adaptation of The Witches, and spoke about the experience on Instagram, writing: “The Witches @nationaltheatre is now open! What a company and production to be part of! Even @cadburyuk Jeff the Postie sent some Press Night Secret Santa love! Special thanks to @alicemartyr and @ogilvyuk for making the surprise possible Well what are you waiting for?! Book da ting!”
Ekow is also very cheerful about being known by his Hogwarts alter-ego, with his Instagram bio reading: “Yes, I am the guy from Harry Potter!” Currently working with Shakespeare’s Globe, the official TikTok account for the theatre also recently shared a hilarious video of the star referencing his Harry Potter role, writing: “Oh, you probably recognise me as the person in the artwork for ‘Much Ado About Nothing,’ […] No other reason.”
Fans were delighted by the post, with one writing: “The boy who DELIVERED,” while another person added: “I have no doubt you’re a Shakespeare actor after you changed our lives with the most dramatic delivery in the entire HP series.” A third person added: “I quite you CONSTANTLY, the best line in the entire series.”
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/film/511971/harry-potter-bem-this-is-student-actor-now/
| 2024-01-24T16:00:37Z
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Nicole Kidman made sure to turn heads when she stepped onto the red carpet in a backless Versace dress at the Expats premiere in New York City this week and now HELLO! has the secrets to her flawless skin.
At 56, the Hollywood A-lister looked healthy, toned and radiant, something that leading aesthetics doctor, Dr Lubna Khan-Salim puts down to a combination of factors
.Speaking to HELLO!, the skincare specialist weighed in on the treatments, procedures and products she believes help Nicole's skin look and feel her best.
Wear sunscreen
Nicole has been vocal about the importance of protecting her fair skin telling Forbes: "I wouldn’t say I have a typical skincare routine as my routine definitely changes based on where I am (whether that's Nashville or Sydney), what I'm doing (i.e; on-set or on vacation) and the weather." Adding: "Over the years I’ve added more oils and serums to my routine but my constant is a simple cleanser. And I'm always wearing sunscreen."
Dr Lubna Khan-Salim mirrored her statement when she told HELLO!: "It's clear that sun protection is an important part of Nicole Kidman’s skincare regime. The fact that she wears a high factor broad spectrum SPF is apparent by the fact that her skin is healthy and does not display hyperpigmentation and sun spots as you would typically expect for a woman of that age who has been exposed to the sun."
Skincare is also about your diet
It's not just about what you put on your skin, but what you put into your body that counts when it comes to skincare. "In order to achieve such healthy-looking firm skin Nicole is likely taking a holistic approach to her health and wellbeing in which she combines a nutrient-rich diet with topical skincare products containing active ingredients alongside supplements," explained the doctor.
"Women of this age often experience dry skin as a result of lowered estrogen production during menopause. Estrogen is a hormone that helps to stimulate oils and collagen which are vital to maintain skin health, elasticity and firmness."
Injectable treatment Profhilo
"It's likely that Nicole is also having treatments such as Profhilo - an injectable treatment which I use to treat many women of Nicole’s age," she said. But what is Profhilo and what does it do?
"It contains hyaluronic acid that helps to restore skin elasticity and firmness by boosting collagen and elastin production, improving skin tone, texture hydration and radiance. It can also help to reduce skin laxity."
Exosomes, polynucleotides and collagen
Dr Lubna Khan-Salim elaborated further with the skin treatments that she believes Nicole's skincare regime almost certainly includes.
"Treatments based on revolutionary regenerative medicine, such as exosomes and polynucleotides and senolytic skin products to improve the cellular age of skin are gaining popularity due to the fact that they are minimally invasive but produce extremely effective results."
We asked Dr Lubna Khan-Salim what exosomes and polynucleotides are and she gave a breakdown. "Exosomes are tiny extracellular vesicles secreted by most cell types, which are filled with proteins, lipids and nucleic acids. When injected into the skin they stimulate it on a cellular level, reawakening inactive skin cells and older exosomes so that they can improve skin repair and rejuvenation.
"Polynucleotides are filtered and purified natural DNA fractions that initiate your body’s natural fibroblast production, increasing collagen. These are an injectable bio-stimulator."
Together, these work to help produce and enhance collagen. Bio-regenerative treatments such as these are not trying to plump and distort the face but rather to work biologically to produce new collagen and elastin.
In conclusion: "By working on a cellular and regenerative level they will not only help to plump skin naturally but also to give it a healthy and youthful glow- this is pro-aging in the healthiest way as demonstrated by Nicole."
.Disclaimer: Dr Lubna Khan-Salim has not treated Nicole Kidman
Get the lowdown on the biggest, hottest celebrity news, features and profiles coming out of the U.S. Sign up to our HELLO! Hollywood newsletterand get them delivered straight to your inbox.
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/healthandbeauty/health-and-fitness/511962/the-secrets-to-nicole-kidman-amazing-skin-backless-dress-revealed-skincare-experts-procedures/
| 2024-01-24T16:00:43Z
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Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba called on the West to stop even considering the possibility of Russian victory in Ukraine and start supplying Kyiv with all the necessary weapons to repel Moscow’s military aggression, as per Bild.
On 23 January, after a week-long break, Russia launched another massive aerial attack on Ukraine. The main target of the assault was the Ukrainian capital city of Kyiv. President Zelenskyy said the Russian attack killed at least six civilians and injured dozens. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s Air Force says Russia has used 41 missiles of five types as the air defenders destroyed 21 of those.
The minister noted that Russia still has the capability to carry out massive missile attacks, and Ukraine needs air defense systems, such as Patriot air defense missile systems, to protect its skies. Kuleba said that while Russia intensified its attacks, Ukraine lacks essential weapons, ammunition, and military equipment.
“Despite the fact that Ukraine has significantly increased its production and will continue to do so, we still see that Western defense industry – the defense industry of the allies that assist us – is unable to produce a sufficient number of artillery munitions,” said the Ukrainian foreign minister.
Kuleba emphasized that ammunition has been the number one problem for Ukraine from the very beginning of the war.
Russia has significantly increased its production and even receives military products from North Korea, while Ukraine’s allies still haven’t delivered pledged ammunition. The creation of new production lines takes too long, affecting not only assistance to Ukraine but also undermining the defense capabilities of European countries themselves.
“It may sound absurd, but it seems that North Korea is a more effective partner for Russia than friends supplying artillery ammunition to Ukraine. And it needs to be changed,” stated Kuleba.
He urged Western allies to stop blaming each other for the slow growth of production.
“When it comes to specific decisions, we see how our partners sometimes are drowning in endless discussions. But there is no time to drown; we need to move forward,” said Kuleba.
The Ukrainian foreign minister said he still hopes that Germany will eventually approve a decision to transfer Taurus missiles to Ukraine.
“Long-range missiles provided by Western partners are not needed to attack Moscow or any other part of Russian territory. We need Taurus to destroy Russian military infrastructure beyond the front lines on Ukrainian territory,” he explained, adding that negotiations on this matter are ongoing.
Kuleba said he is irritated with discussions suggesting that if assistance from partners is reduced, Ukraine will be “more ready for peaceful negotiations” with Russia.
“People, officials, decision-makers, and interested parties should stop theorizing about the possibilities of Russia’s victory. Because in that case, Ukraine would be the first victim,” Kuleba stated.
He also stated that he has no doubt that Russian leader Vladimir Putin would attack a NATO country if not stopped in Ukraine. Simultaneously, the minister called for optimism and a focus on victory.
“We need to focus on victory. Because it must be understood that defeat will cost much more for everyone… The best way to ensure the security of Germany and other European states is to provide Ukraine with everything necessary to defeat Russia and liberate Ukrainian territories,” concluded Kuleba.
Earlier, former German President Joachim Gauck criticized the current German government’s cautious stance on supplying long-range Taurus missiles to Ukraine.
Read also:
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https://euromaidanpress.com/2024/01/24/media-ukrainian-foreign-minister-kuleba-says-kyiv-needs-taurus-missiles-to-destroy-russian-military-infrastructure-not-to-attack-moscow/
| 2024-01-24T16:22:16Z
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During their meeting in Ukraine’s westernmost regional capital of Uzhhorod on 24 January, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal and his Slovakian counterpart, Robert Fico, agreed on several matters, notably Slovakia’s backing for the Ukraine Facility, the EU’s 50 billion euro aid package for Ukraine, vetoed by Hungary in December.
Pro-Russian Robert Fico won Slovakia’s parliamentary elections this fall, repeatedly promising to halt weapons supplies to Ukraine. As Hungary, a key Russian ally in the EU, impedes the Bloc’s aid for Ukraine and resists Ukraine’s Euro-Atlantic ambitions, Slovakia’s PM reportedly will not join Hungary in blocking the EU’s aid to Ukraine. Nevertheless, Fico has so far stopped his country’s military support to Ukraine and opposes Ukraine’s NATO accession.
The Ukrainian PM reported it on X/Twitter:
“We have reached agreement with Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico on a number of important issues. The Slovak government will not block the purchase of weapons and equipment by Ukraine from Slovak companies. Slovakia will support the Ukraine Facility programme, which envisages the provision of 50 billion euros by the EU for Ukraine,” Shmyhal said.
In a Facebook post, Shmyhal noted that Fico had assured him of his full support for Ukraine’s European integration aspirations, according to Ukrinform.
“Ukraine and Slovakia will pursue fruitful cooperation for the sake of the security and prosperity of our countries. We are grateful to the Slovak people, who have been helping Ukraine and Ukrainians in these difficult times,” Shmyhal wrote.
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https://euromaidanpress.com/2024/01/24/pm-shmyhal-slovakia-to-support-eur-50-billion-ukraine-facility-vetoed-by-hungary/
| 2024-01-24T16:22:56Z
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On 24 January, Polish farmers staged nationwide protests, taking to the roads in tractors and farming equipment to demonstrate against extended tariff-free imports of agricultural and food products from Ukraine, RMF24 reports. The farmers claim the cheap imports create unfair competition, undercutting domestic prices and threatening their livelihoods.
The protests come shortly after the Polish truckers suspended their two-month blockade of the Ukrainian border checkpoints that caused huge losses for both Ukrainian and Polish economies and disrupted supplies of aid and matériel to Ukraine.
The farmers reportedly protested on the roads in more than 200 places throughout Poland, demanding among other things, not to extend duty-free imports of agri-food products from Ukraine. Some farmers claimed that today’s demonstration was a warning protest.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk promised to find a solution that would address the farmers’ concerns without violating EU laws or antagonizing Ukraine too much. He said Poland would seek to make sales of Ukrainian products in Poland subject to approval by Polish institutions.
Tusk stated the government would find wording “that may not excite enthusiasm in Brussels but won’t unambiguously violate European law, and will be, with effort, acceptable to Ukrainians.” He added that resolving the farmers’ anxiety over imports was a priority for him.
Read also:
- Minister: Some 5,000 trucks left for Poland after Polish truckers suspended border blockade
- Polish truckers end Ukraine border blockade after two-month standoff
- Ukraine ranks as third largest agricultural supplier to EU
- Third Ukrainian trucker dies due to Polish blockade of Ukraine’s border
- Russia stole nearly 8 million tons of harvest in occupied Ukraine
- Grain dispute: how Poland and Ukraine can reach a solution
- Romania and Ukraine work together to regulate Ukrainian grain exports
- Farmers block roads across Bulgaria, protesting agricultural imports from Ukraine
- Ukraine to sue Poland, Hungary, and Slovakia over grain ban
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https://euromaidanpress.com/2024/01/24/polish-farmers-take-to-roads-opposing-prolonged-tariff-free-ukraine-food-imports/
| 2024-01-24T16:23:36Z
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On 24 January, the Russian IL-76 military cargo aircraft crashed in Russia’s Belgorod Oblast, according to Russian Telegram channels. Russia’s Defense Ministry claims the IL-76 was carrying 65 Ukrainian POWs.
The Russian news Telegram channel 112 was among the first to report on the incident, which reportedly occurred in the Korochansky district of Belgorod Oblast. The channel’s later update claimed that there were 63 people on board the military plane, all of whom died in the crash.
Russia claims the IL carried Ukrainian POWs
Russian state-funded news agency RIA Novosti, citing the Russian Ministry of Defense, reported that the plane was carrying 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war, who were being transported to Belgorod Oblast for exchange, six crew members, and three escorts.
Ukraine hasn’t made official statements yet
Ukrinform says Ukraine’s Air Force has not yet commented on the reports about the crash of the IL-76 in the Korochansky district of Belgorod Oblast, but promised to provide its comments later.
The Ministry of Defence of Ukraine told public broadcaster Suspilne that they could not confirm that the plane had been shot down by the Ukrainian Defence Forces, as they were “still clarifying the information.”
Ukrinform says the plane was carrying surface-to-air missiles for the S-300 systems, referring to its Ukrainian Army sources.
Russia is extensively using the S-300 ballistic missiles in its secondary ground attack role, often targeting Kharkiv City and other border areas.
Read also:
- ISW: Russian air operations drop over Azov Sea after Ukraine strikes hit radar plane, command aircraft
- Ukraine’s top general wants more military aircraft to turn the tide of war
- Prigozhin was on board plane that crashed near Moscow, Russian transport agency says – CNN (UPDATE)
- British intel: Russia will likely bring the Soviet-era M-55 high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft back into service
- A Russian Su-25 attack aircraft crashed into the sea
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https://euromaidanpress.com/2024/01/24/russian-il-76-aircraft-crashes-in-belgorod-oblast-russia-claims-it-carried-ukrainian-pows/
| 2024-01-24T16:24:16Z
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The Russian parliament is considering a bill allowing the seizure of property from Russians openly criticizing the military, which builds on stringent “Foreign Agents” laws used to silence dissent, according to the intelligence update by the British Defense Ministry.
The Ministry wrote:
- On 22 January 2024, the Russian state Duma, or lower house, discussed a bill to seize the financial assets, including property, of Russians who openly criticise the Russian military and the ‘special military operation’. A number of prominent Russian writers and a musician have been sentenced in recent months for their criticism of the war.
- In July 2022, Russian President Putin approved amendments to the 2012 ‘Foreign Agents Law, which came into force on 01 December 2022. This legislation has been widely used to repress opponents of the regime. According to OVID-Info, a Russian human rights monitoring agency, in 2023, 217 individuals and organisations were designated ‘Foreign Agents’. As of 03 November 2023, according to the Russian Ministry of Justice, the total list of ‘Foreign Agents’ was 707. ‘Foreign Agents’ include independent Russian news outlets and human rights organisations, many of which have been forced to operate outside of Russia.
- This legislation highly likely seeks to deter and silence anti-war opposition. This recent bill in conjunction with the Foreign Agents measures, likely intends to restrict criticism of the war altogether.
Last fall, Russia restricted open discussion at universities ahead of Putin’s expected 2024 re-election bid, tightening control of narratives and dissent in wartime Russia. An opinion poll at the time showed that 61% of Russians considered ‘foreign agents’ to be ‘traitors’ who ‘disseminate lies’ about Russia.
Updating its “foreign agents laws,” the Kremlin was likely acting pre-emptively to prevent greater domestic dissent by further extending the state’s repressive powers, the British Defense Ministry’s November 30 intelligence update suggested.
Read also:
UK intel: Kremlin suppresses criticism of its Ukraine war before Putin re-election bid
New Russian foreign agents laws “will further extend the repressive powers available to the Russian state” – British Intelligence
Russia still capable of waging protracted war, no cracks visible in Putin’s system – German intel
British intel: 61% of Russians see ‘foreign agents’ as traitors
- British intel: Russia’s new school curriculum incorporates biased view on Ukraine, military training
- Russian troops force schools to adopt Kremlin-curated curriculum in occupied territories of Ukraine – General Staff
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https://euromaidanpress.com/2024/01/24/uk-intel-russian-government-floats-bill-to-threaten-livelihoods-of-vocal-opponents-to-ukraine-invasion/
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Carolina Shiino, a 26-year-old model born in Ukraine who moved to Japan at age five, was crowned Miss Japan 2024 on Monday, becoming the first naturalized Japanese citizen to win the pageant.
Tokyo Weekender reported that her victory has reopened discussion around the criteria for being “Japanese enough” to hold the title.
While some have hailed Shiino’s win as “a sign of the times,” others argue that she does not meet the expected image of a “Miss Japan,” citing her lack of Japanese parentage.
“This person chosen as Miss Japan is not even a mix of Japanese but 100% pure Ukrainian. Understand she is beautiful, but this is ‘Miss Japan.’ Where is the Japaneseness?” one commenter on X (Twitter) wrote.
Additional criticisms centered on the message Shiino’s coronation sends to the Japanese public.
“I think that Japanese people naturally (would) get the wrong message when a European-looking person is called the most beautiful Japanese,” one commenter said.
Some even alleged political motivations, with one person stating: “If she were born Russian, she wouldn’t have won. Not a chance. The criteria is now a political decision. What a sad day for Japan.”
Pageant organizer Ai Wada defended the judge’s decision, saying Shiino “speaks and writes in beautiful and polite Japanese. She is more Japanese than we are.”
Upon accepting her crown, Shiino acknowledged she “may not look Japanese,” but having grown up in the country, her “mind had become Japanese.”
Read also:
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https://euromaidanpress.com/2024/01/24/ukraine-born-miss-japan-win-reignites-discussion-of-identity/
| 2024-01-24T16:25:36Z
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A prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine was scheduled for January 24, a representative of the Chief Intelligence Directorate, Andriy Yusov, told Radio Liberty.
“I can state that the exchange planned for today is not currently taking place,” he said.
However, it is still unknown whether any Ukrainian prisoners of war were aboard the Russian IL-76 aircraft that crashed in Russia’s Belgorod Region. According to Yusov, the information is still being verified.
Mykhailo Podoliak, a Ukrainian presidential adviser, told Reuters: “Comments will come a little later. Time is needed to clarify all the data.”
On January 24th, a Russian IL-76 military cargo plane crashed in Russia’s Belgorod Oblast. The Kremlin accused Ukraine of deliberately shooting down the plane, which they claim was carrying 65 captured Ukrainian soldiers for a prisoner exchange, in what it called a “barbaric act of terrorism” that killed 74 people total.
The Russian Defense Ministry said there were six Russian crew members and three Russian soldiers on the IL-76 military transport plane.
So far, Russia’s claims cannot be verified, however they raise doubts. First, it is difficult to imagine how 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war were guarded by only three Russian military men. Second, as one Ukrainian OSINT analyst told RBC-Ukraine, the crashed IL-76 aircraft with registration number RA-78830 previously flew through Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the Red Sea and Iran, disappeared from radars near Syria, and then reappeared over Belgorod.
So, according to the analyst’s version, “everything indicates that the IL-76 was transporting weapons from the East and so far there are no signs that POWs could have been there.”
Read more:
- Russian IL-76 aircraft crashes in Belgorod Oblast, Russia claims it carried Ukrainian POWs
- ISW: Russian air operations drop over Azov Sea after Ukraine strikes hit radar plane, command aircraft
- Ukraine’s top general wants more military aircraft to turn the tide of war
- Prigozhin was on board plane that crashed near Moscow, Russian transport agency says – CNN (UPDATE)
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https://euromaidanpress.com/2024/01/24/ukraine-prisoner-swap-planned-pows-presence-on-crashed-russian-il-76-still-unclear/
| 2024-01-24T16:26:17Z
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On 23 January, the 18th meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group took place via video conference. US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin called for the allied nations to “dig deep” to supply Ukraine with anti-air interceptors and systems, while NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg pledged the Alliance’s support now and in the long term.
The Ukraine Defense Contact Group, or the “Ramstein Format Meetings,” an alliance comprising some 50 nations, was formed to support Ukraine’s defense by providing military equipment in response to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine unleashed in February 2022. This US-led group coordinates the continuous contribution of military aid at monthly meetings.
The US has been Ukraine’s biggest financial supporter amid Russia’s invasion, yet the Pentagon has depleted Ukraine aid funds by the end of 2023, while the US Congress has been stalling the approval of new aid funding for months.
US urges nations to bolster Ukraine’s air defenses, says secure Ukraine critical for global security
Addressing the meeting participants in his opening remarks, Austin, who made his first public appearance virtually since his release from a two-week hospitalization for complications from surgery, noted that Ukraine’s fight against Russian aggression is “important for all of our countries.” Austin says the defenders of Ukraine continue to inflict heavy losses on the “badly weakened and demoralized” Russian forces.
Underscoring the importance of Ukraine’s struggle, the US Defense Secretary noted:
“Our support for Ukraine’s struggle against tyranny makes all of our countries more secure,” said Austin, later adding, “If we lose our nerve, if we flinch, if we fail to deter other would-be aggressors, we will only invite even more bloodshed and chaos. So, a sovereign and secure Ukraine is critical to global security.”
After Russia resumed its massive missile attacks against Ukraine a month ago, the Secretary called for the allies to supply Ukraine with more air defense weapons and ammunition:
“I urge this group to dig deep to provide Ukraine with more lifesaving ground-based air-defense systems and interceptors,” Austin said.
The Defense Secretary noted that Estonia, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom have collectively pledged billions of dollars in additional military aid for Ukraine, marking significant commitments by these nations.
“We must continue to focus both on Ukraine’s immediate battlefield needs, and on helping Ukraine to strengthen, modernize, and sustain its defense forces for the long haul,” he said.
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https://euromaidanpress.com/2024/01/24/us-defense-secretary-urges-ramstein-group-to-dig-deep-on-ukraine-support/
| 2024-01-24T16:26:57Z
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Turn-Based RPG The Nameless: Slay Dragon Announced for Switch and PC - News
by William D'Angelo , posted 1 hour ago / 222 ViewsPublisher WhisperGames has announced turn-based RPG, The Nameless: Slay Dragon, for the Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam. The game will first launch for PC in Q2 2024 and for the Switch at a later date.
View the teaser trailer below:
Read details on the game below:
Fully developed and created by one man Nameless Sword Studio, over three years, it is impressive in its visual presentation, along with the challenges it offers, with its stylized and sparkling visual effects!
The Nameless: Slay Dragon is a visually interesting turn-based RPG—in short—how to slay the immensely powerful and cunning evil dragon? You will play as a young man having a bloody feud with a dragon, and face powerful, sinister and tricky enemies with friends…
Exploration is as Important as Combat
Observe, listen, think, communicate, act – you need to use all possible skills to find your own path. Exploration is not only full of choices, but often require a bit of luck.
Classic Turn-Based and Meaningful Choices
Every action you take is meaningful, including knocking down enemies and using skills that will enhance your talents and allow you to learn new skills faster.
Free Progression System
There are more than twenty classes with different mechanisms in the game, and the classes can co-exist. You can mix and match skills and traits to create unexpected chemical reactions.
Abundant Skill Customization
Sparks of inspiration can be obtained while fighting, exploring, cooking, even dreaming. Infuse the spark into a skill and eventually make it your own, creating a unique skill and naming it.
Rich Craft System
You can use simple raw materials to build anything you want. Whether it’s a precious potion, a great invention, legendary equipment or overnight leftovers.
Real Choices and Multiple Endings
Choices are very important in the game; some may have less impact and some may change the entire story.
Optional Challenges to Face
The game is full of overpowering enemies who don’t care if you’re still a newbie, they only care about one thing – crushing you. But you can always find a way to evade or defeat them.
Character Design
Each character has a past behind him or her that he or she doesn’t want to talk about, and you can learn about their past, get close to them or break with them in the game.
Respect Your Time
No random battle, no forced grinding, no endless maze, all endings are available in the first run.
Real Choices and Multiple Endings
Choices are very important in the game; some may have less impact and some may change the entire story.
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/459724/turn-based-rpg-the-nameless-slay-dragon-announced-for-switch-and-pc/
| 2024-01-24T16:44:32Z
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Splatoon 3 Expansion Pass Wave 2 Side Order Releases February 22 - News
by William D'Angelo , posted 59 minutes ago / 154 ViewsNintendo announced Wave 2 of the Splatoon 3 Expansion Pass DLC is called "Side Order" and will release on Thursday, February 22.
SRL Big Newsroom here with an exciting announcement! Side Order, Wave 2 of the Splatoon 3: Expansion Pass paid DLC, is coming at you on Thursday, February 22nd. Join up with new faces and old friends to escape the world of order! pic.twitter.com/ap9ORzxtMZ
— Splatoon North America (@SplatoonNA) January 24, 2024
Read details on the DLC below:
Challenge yourself to a new single-player campaign, “Side Order!” As Agent 8, you wake up to discover Inkopolis Square has been drained of color and its residents have gone missing. Looming over the city is the ominous Spire of Order. Alongside a drone who claims to be Off the Hook member Pearl, Agent 8 must fight off waves of enemies in floor after floor of challenges on their way to the top of the Spire and learn its secrets. Use color chips to boost your abilities in this experience that’s designed to be replayed over and over.
Splatoon 3 is available for the Nintendo Switch
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/459725/splatoon-3-expansion-pass-wave-2-side-order-releases-february-22/
| 2024-01-24T16:44:40Z
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The Legend of Zelda and Splatoon 3 Concerts to be Posted on YouTube in February - News
by William D'Angelo , posted 51 minutes ago / 176 ViewsNintendo announced it will be posting The Legend of Zelda and Splatoon 3 concerts on YouTube next month.
The concerts were originally going to be part of Nintendo Live 2024 events, however, both were cancelled due to safely events. Now both will be posted to the official Nintendo YouTube channel.
The Legend of Zelda Orchestra Concert will be posted to YouTube on February 9 at 5:00 am PT / 8:00 am ET / 1:00 pm UK. It is a pre-recorded performance.
The Splatoon 3 Deep Cut concert will be held on February 10 and Nintendo says it will be "posted on Nintendo's official YouTube channel so you can watch at home."
Mark your calendars for this special The Legend of #Zelda Orchestra Concert! 🎶
— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) January 24, 2024
Visit our official YouTube channel on 2/9 to watch the full, pre-recorded performance: https://t.co/KM8OywoysE pic.twitter.com/d0xqNw03Ve
SRL Stage Management here! The show must go on! The Splatoon 3 Deep Cut concert previously scheduled for Nintendo Live 2024 TOKYO will be held on February 10.
— Splatoon North America (@SplatoonNA) January 24, 2024
It'll be posted on Nintendo's official YouTube channel so you can watch at home! pic.twitter.com/JrvfZLYAM5
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/459726/the-legend-of-zelda-and-splatoon-3-concerts-to-be-posted-on-youtube-in-february/
| 2024-01-24T16:44:49Z
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MELBOURNE – The best players in tennis eagerly wait for each other like gunfighters on a dusty main street in old Westerns. They want to duel, they ache for the contest. How good they are at their craft is only confirmed by who they beat on important days. And so we can say that Alexander Zverev, the sixth seed, confirmed he is a player of high quality because of who he felled on Jan 24 night and how he did it.
In a quarter-final match that kept shifting shape, one moment one-sided, the next a blistering duel, Zverev lost his game briefly but eventually never his nerve. He led the second seed Carlos Alcaraz by two sets to love and 5-3, started thinking too much, lost the third set but finally prevailed 6-1, 6-3, 6-7 (2-7), 6-4. Masterpiece it wasn’t, magnificent it absolutely was.
After three hours and five minutes, Alcaraz had not lost his smile as he exited but the German’s grin was bigger. He apologised for talking too much to the crowd but explained, “I’m excited.” Of course he was. He first outplayed the Spaniard and then later outfought him. Two great feats on a single night. Not bad when your toenails are filling with blood.
Both men arrived on court just past 10pm, far too late a start for such a match but at the Open dollars beats sense every time. The night was late, but the court was full. Alcaraz is good at filling seats and was met with an ovation. The crowd had declared it had taken sides before the first shots, whereupon Zverev, without a word, simply produced the best shots. He won eight of the first nine points and 12 of the first 14.
Boys shouted “Carlitos” and “Let’s go Carlos, let’s go” became a chant. The only person it roused was Zverev. His tennis was what players wait for, that rare day when racket, ball, mind, feet find a perfect synchronicity. Zone is the word for it. If Alcaraz won 50 per cent of first-serve points in the first set, Zverev won 88 per cent. If the Spaniard hit 21 unforced errors in the first two sets, the German made a measly nine. This wasn’t a contest, it resembled a rout.
Like a minor shockwave, a murmur rippled across the crowd. Alcaraz was the favourite, but Zverev likes to play him. Sometimes one man’s playing style simply fits another’s. In eight meetings, he has now beaten the Spaniard five times and twice at Grand Slams. The scoreline in parts was a surprise, the result not a fluke.
A Spanish fan wore his flag as a cape, but his hero wasn’t flying. For most of the match, the 20-year-old Alcaraz resembled those old motor cars. On a cool night, he was taking too long to start up. His battery looked flat and his smile lacked its beam. Every day it’s not easy to find your best, which is why Novak Djokovic is an anomaly.
Instead of dynamic, Alcaraz looked rushed, instead of confident he appeared imprecise. He did not get enough first serves into play, flirted too heavily with error and was imperfect with his drop shots. But since “fight” is the first word in the Spanish vocabulary, he refused to exit half-heartedly.
At 5-3 in the third set, victory one nail in the coffin away, Zverev stalled. One moment he was all flowing instinct, next moment his brain was overheating. “Carlos is one of the best players in the world,” explained the German. “You start thinking. We’re all human. You’re so close to winning your brain starts going. It’s not always helpful.”
Alcaraz saw a chance and he held it like it was a lifeline. He broke Zverev in the third set, pulled him into a tiebreak, went down a mini-break, hit two glinting forehand cross-court winners and suddenly had a set, 7-6 (7-2), in his pocket. He waved his racket. Zverev looked like a slightly spent bee, his shots carrying less buzz and little sting.
Alcaraz had seized a weapon of last resort: Pride. Now he had woken up, now he had the momentum, now surely he’d remind everyone who he is. But in a fourth set where he hit the ball cleanly and bullied Zverev in rallies, he was the one who finally broke.
Zverev now meets Daniil Medvedev and Alcaraz must again meet hard truths. On a magical Sunday in July, he held off Djokovic to win Wimbledon and has inexplicably not won a tournament since. He lost in the US Open semi-finals in four sets to Medvedev, fell in straight sets to Djokovic in the ATP Finals and now this. Panic? Nope. Just a 20-year-old overachiever having an overdue plateau.
In the interview room, Alcaraz did what he does on court. Never flinches. He acknowledged his ups and downs, wished he’d started better, clutched onto positives and sighed “It’s tennis”. He loves this game intensely and even though his Open is done, he is not done with the Open. “I am going to watch the matches, of course,” he said. Maybe even of the man who has sent him home.
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https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/alexander-zverev-shows-silk-and-steel-to-fell-carlos-alcaraz
| 2024-01-24T17:16:34Z
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ROME - A car being sold as an "Italian jewel" needs to be made in Italy, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said, telling lawmakers that Fiat's parent company Stellantis has sometimes made choices which were against the country's interests.
Asked about her plans to safeguard production at Stellantis plants in Italy during a Q&A session in parliament, Meloni said it was a priority to defend jobs and production.
"We want to go back to producing at least one million vehicles a year in Italy. If you want to sell a car.... advertising it as an Italian jewel, that car must be made in Italy," she said.
Meloni said Franco-Italian group Stellantis, the country's sole major automaker, was more focused on France than on Italy in its industrial choices, but her government wanted a good relationship with them.
"We want to defend the national interest, establish a balanced relationship with Stellantis," Meloni said.
Stellantis, whose brands include Fiat and Alfa Romeo, produced around 750,000 vehicles in Italy last year, including vans.
The group has been in talks with the government since last summer over a long-term plan for the industry, and is seeking support measures, including cheaper energy costs and electric vehicle sales incentives, to boost production in Italy.
Yet, the relationship between Rome and the Agnelli family, the single largest shareholder of Stellantis though its holding company Exor, been strained since Meloni's right-wing administration took office in late 2022.
Stellantis wasn't immediately available for comment on Meloni's remarks.
Earlier this week, Meloni took aim at left-leaning daily la Repubblica, controlled by the Agnelli family, which accused her of selling off Italy's main assets, such as stakes in oil and gas company Eni, as part of her privatisation plan.
During a TV show, she accused la Repubblica of hypocrisy, saying they had sold Fiat to the French and moved the company's headquarters away from Italy to the Netherlands.
On Tuesday, Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares said Italy's penny-pinching approach to purchase incentives has meant several months of reduced automotive production in the country.
Exor has always declined to comment on Meloni's criticism. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/cars-sold-as-an-italian-jewel-must-be-made-in-italy-pm-tells-stellantis
| 2024-01-24T17:16:44Z
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