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LONDON – Brighton & Hove Albion manager Roberto de Zerbi refused to be drawn on talk that he could succeed Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool, following the German’s shock decision to quit at the end of this season.
De Zerbi is among the early favourites to take over Klopp following the bombshell announcement on Jan 26. The Italian has earned plaudits for his impressive work at Brighton, leading them to a first European campaign this term.
However, he would not contemplate suggestions that he could be offered the chance to manage Liverpool, who sit top of the English Premier League at present.
“My focus is just on the last part of the season,” he said.
“We are going to compete and to play a historic part of the season. We compete in the Premier League to reach the same target as last season (qualifying for Europe).
“We’re going to play the last 16 in the Europa League and we compete in the FA Cup.”
De Zerbi is contracted to Brighton until 2026 and has significantly enhanced his coaching reputation since replacing Graham Potter at the Amex Stadium in 2022.
But the 44-year-old said there was no update on a potential new contract after revealing in December that he was in discussions with the Seagulls.
Asked about Klopp’s decision to step down due to the draining demands of the job and taking a year off, de Zerbi admitted it will be a significant loss for the Premier League.
Klopp has said he will never see himself managing another English club because of his love and respect for Liverpool.
“I’m very sad because, if he changes league, changes country, the Premier League loses one of the best coaches in the world,” he said.
“I consider Klopp, (Pep) Guardiola, (Carlo) Ancelotti, (Marcelo) Bielsa the best coaches in the world and I’m sad for it.
“But I can understand it very well. I think our work is the best work you can do but it is very tough. You need energy. You have to push every day. If you don’t work with the right energy, you lose everything.”
Bayer Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso has also played down speculation he could replace Klopp in the summer, saying: “What comes next, I don’t know.”
Alonso, a former Liverpool player whose unbeaten Leverkusen side sit four points clear of Bayern Munich at the top of the Bundesliga table, has been linked to a return to the club where he won the 2005 Champions League as a player.
“I’m trying to give my best to help prepare my players to be ready. And that’s my goal, what comes next, I don’t know,” said the Spaniard, whose contract with Leverkusen also ends 2026.
Saying the “speculation is normal”, Alonso added: “At the moment I am really happy here... I’m not thinking about May, I’m thinking about tomorrow’s game.
“We are on an intense and beautiful journey here in Leverkusen.”
German media have reported that the 42-year-old has a clause in his contract which allows him to leave for one of his former clubs – Liverpool, Real Madrid and Bayern.
“I am not thinking about the next step,” Alonso insisted.
“I am thinking about where I am right now. I am in a great place and I am enjoying myself. And I think it’s the right place, so that’s all I can say. What’s going to happen in the future? I don’t know and I don’t really care at the moment.”
He also praised Klopp, saying he has “huge respect and great admiration for what Jurgen did for the last nine years in Liverpool – and how he did it”.
In an interview with AFP and other media in November, Alonso described Klopp as “unbelievable” and said that “I would have loved to be coached by Jurgen Klopp”. AFP
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https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/football/roberto-de-zerbi-coy-over-liverpool-talk-after-jurgen-klopp-s-sad-exit-plan
| 2024-01-27T08:26:10Z
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CAIRO -The Houthi's Al-Masira television said on Saturday that the U.S. and the UK launched two airstrikes that targeted the port of Ras Issa, Yemen's main oil export terminal.
No further details were immediately available.
The airstrikes came as Yemen's Houthi rebels have stepped up attacks on vessels transiting the Red Sea, including a hit that sparked a fire on a fuel tanker on Friday.
The tanker Marlin Luanda, which was operating on behalf trading firm Trafigura, was damaged but no injuries were reported and a U.S. Navy ship was providing assistance, the U.S. military said.
About eight hours later, the U.S. military destroyed a Houthi anti-ship missile that was aimed into the Red Sea and ready to launch, Central Command said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
The Iran-aligned Houthi militants have launched waves of exploding drones and missiles at vessels since Nov. 19 in response to Israel's military operations in Gaza.
The attacks have primarily targeted container vessels moving through the Red Sea. Many oil tankers have kept using the route. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/houthis-tv-says-us-and-british-airstrikes-target-yemen-port
| 2024-01-27T08:26:20Z
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Russian forces hit civilian infrastructure in Sloviansk, Donetsk Oblast, with an Iskander-M missile, Ukraine’s Air Forces reported on 27 January.
The missile was launched from Rostov Oblast, Russia.
The Russian morning attack on Sloviansk destroyed a ceramic workshop, according to city mayor Vadym Lyakh. There were no casualties.
According to Ukraine’s Air Forces, the Russian military attacked with four Shahed-136/131 attack drones overnight on 27 January. The drones were launched from southeast Primorsko-Akhtarsk, Russia.
Ukraine’s air defenses destroyed all four drones in the Kirovohrad Oblast. Reportedly, there were no casualties.
Read also:
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https://euromaidanpress.com/2024/01/27/russia-hit-sloviansk-in-donetsk-oblast-with-iskander-m-missile/
| 2024-01-27T08:42:51Z
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Carrie Johnson's brood of three couldn't be more adorable and the 35-year-old's latest snap of her two-year-old daughter Romy may just be her sweetest yet.
Taking to her Instagram Stories on Friday, Carrie posted a snap of the middle Johnson child enjoying a ride on a neon pink scooter which featured multi-coloured tassels on either side of the handlebar. Her vibrant blonde locks took centre stage in the candid snap, blowing in the wind whilst she rode along a wide country lane.
The little one was cosily dressed in a fluffy navy blue fleece which was adorned with light blue patches, bright pink trousers which matched her fabulous mode of transport and pink dolly shoes.
The scooter also featured a swirly purple design and had a little basket with pink bunting around the top.
Romy was joined by her elder brother Wilfred who was also enjoying a scoot before the sibling duo and their baby brother Frank went to meet some donkeys. Wilf was captured donning a blue and red chequered jacket as he stroked his new furry friend.
The siblings certainly share a love for animals, as revealed by their doting mum. In November, the family enjoyed an exciting trip to Port Lympne Safari Park where they slept next to the lions. Romy and Wilfred also pay frequent visits to the family of ducks who live in their sprawling garden at their lavish family home.
On Sunday, Romy and Wilfred were captured twinning with their blonde locks from inside the lavish property.
The pair donned matching dungarees as they stood a their dining table. When side by side their family resemblance couldn't be clearer with Romy's honey blonde locks resembling her more Carrie's cascading tresses. Meanwhile, Wilfred's ice-blonde tresses are the image of his father, Boris Johnson.
Romy's dungarees were covered in little piglets embroidered in pink. Under the denim, she donned a matching pink long-sleeved top covered in beautiful flowers. Meanwhile, Wilfred's dungarees were embellished with embroidered cows and he opted for a green long-sleeve top underneath. Just adorable!
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/celebrities/512171/carrie-johnson-daughter-romy-vibrant-blonde-locks/
| 2024-01-27T09:39:43Z
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Masters of the Air actor Jon Ewart has revealed the "really good" advice Barry Keoghan gave him on the set of Apple TV+'s new World War Two series – and it might surprise you!
The nine-part series, which is executive produced by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks, is a follow-up to Band of Brothers and The Pacific but moves the story from the land and ocean to the skies, following the 100th Bomb Group of the US Eighth Air Force in their fight against Nazi Germany.
During an exclusive interview with HELLO!, Jon, who portrays Lieutenant William Couch in the drama, opened up about his filming the series, which features a star-studded cast including Barry, as well as Austin Butler and Callum Turner.
On working with Barry, Jon shared the acting tips he received from the Saltburn star, who is among the nominees for this year's BAFTAs. "Barry Keoghan gave really good advice on set," he said. "He would say, it's not about looking good. You don't need to look good on camera. He's like, 'Pick your nose, flick it on the floor if that's what people want to see. Be real in the situation.'
"I would love to work with him again because he's such a raw talent, he's amazing," he added.
Jon and his co-stars would often spend their downtime in pubs in Oxford, where parts of the series were filmed.
"There'd be a group of 20 lads. Like, imagine Austin Butler, Callum Turner and Raff Law all walking around and having drinks together in Oxford. We spent so much time together off-set, which made it really easy for us to gel."
While Jon was only supposed to film for four months, he ended up staying on set for nine due to setbacks caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
"It's a long time to spend with people and while there were big names, I felt like we were all equal," he said.
Praising his castmates, he continued: "I learned a lot from Callum Turner, he's phenomenal on screen. Barry Keoghan is such a raw talent. We spent so much time together."
The new series, which is based on Donald L Miller's book of the same name, tells the story of the men who flew in the 100th Bomb Group of the US Eighth Air Force – aka the Bloody Hundredth – and helped lead the Allies to victory in the war with Nazi Germany.
The drama portrays "the psychological and emotional price paid by these young men as they helped destroy the horror of Hitler’s Third Reich is at the heart of Masters of the Air," per the synopsis.
"Some were shot down and captured; some were wounded or killed. And some were lucky enough to make it home. Regardless of individual fate, a toll was exacted on them all."
Master of the Air is available on Apple TV+.
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/film/512124/masters-of-the-air-jon-ewart-surprising-advice-barry-keoghan/
| 2024-01-27T09:39:49Z
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Kim Kardashian is constantly learning when it comes to parenting her four children – especially her daughters, North, 10, and Chicago West, six.
The 43-year-old has admitted to making some changes to her approach with Chicago after living to regret one parenting decision she made with North.
Kim confessed that she regrets letting North wear red lipstick when she was just five years old, so she won't allow Chicago to experiment with makeup just yet.
"[Chicago]'s too little and I don't let her," the TV personality told Bustle.
"I look back and there's times when I remember I let my daughter wear a red lip once for Christmas," she added of North. "Would I do that now? Probably not."
The mom-of-four was referring to 2018 when she attended her family's annual Christmas party with her then-husband, Kanye West, and their three children, North, Saint, eight, and Chicago (son Psalm, four, was yet to be born).
After sharing photos from the bash, which saw North rocking a bright red lip, Kim received criticism for letting her child wear makeup.
"She picked it though! It's a special occasion!" she wrote on X, formerly Twitter, in response.
One person who is no doubt happy to hear about Kim's regret with North is Kanye.
In 2019, The Kardashians star revealed that he had banned his daughter from wearing makeup – at least until she's a teenager.
"North is trying to get in on the makeup, but she's being blocked heavily because her dad has stopped all makeup for her until she is a teenager," Kim told E! News.
She added: "It's a big discussion, a big fight in the household right now but it is what's best."
Discussing North's appreciation for makeup now, Kim continued to Bustle: "At least with my oldest daughter, she just likes to dress her friends up and do makeup looks, whether it's like Pikachu or the Grinch.
"I don't think she's there yet to where she is going into Sephora and trying on stuff."
She added: "We were at Saks in the makeup department the other night and she tested something but put a heart on her face with it. I'm like, 'I don't think that's really why you use eyeliner.'"
Kim is more than happy though for her daughters to experiment with her makeup in the comfort of their own home.
"They are always trying to use everything that I have in my drawers. I think it's a fun game for them," she explained to the publication.
"It’s art for them to try to do makeup, which is so fun for me to watch," she added.
"It's like they want to play with their friends and do it, and then they want to just wash it right off. I'm down for the artistry. I think it's fun when they're trying it all and expressing themselves."
According to Kim, North's experimentation with makeup is paying off as she's "so skilled at special effects makeup", she told People.
North has even revealed that she sees herself being artistic in the future. When asked about her aspirations in 2023, she told i-D magazine she wants to be "a basketball player, a rapper.
"Well, when I was seven, I wanted to be a boxer. But now I don’t want to be a boxer. I’m going to do art on the side."
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/512170/kim-kardashian-parenting-regret-north-west-lipstick/
| 2024-01-27T09:39:55Z
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JAKARTA – Indonesia President Joko Widodo has clarified comments that he made about his right under the law to campaign for election candidates, following criticism from netizens and representatives of presidential candidates that he is trying to cling on to power.
Mr Widodo said on Jan 26 that he was replying to journalists asking about Cabinet ministers participating in the hustings when he made the comments two days earlier that holding public office did not restrict him from campaigning for any election contenders.
In a recorded statement uploaded onto the YouTube page of the presidential secretariat, Mr Widodo said his comments should not be taken out of context.
“Don’t interpret it elsewhere. I simply conveyed the provisions of the law, because I was asked,” said the President.
In the video, he held up a large piece of paper indicating how the president and vice-president are allowed to participate in election campaigns, according to Indonesian law.
Under the prevailing laws in Indonesia, sitting presidents, vice-presidents and other state officials are allowed to engage in campaign activities, but are prohibited from using state facilities and are required to take leave when participating in such activities.
The same law also prohibits “state officials, structural officials and functional officials in state positions, as well as village heads, from making decisions and/or taking actions that benefit or harm one of the election (candidates) during the campaign period”.
On Jan 24, Mr Widodo, or Jokowi as he is commonly known as, made headlines when he said that a sitting president was free to back any presidential candidate, in response to media questions.
The president was also entitled to campaign for the candidate of choice in his or her free time, provided there was no use of government facilities while doing so, said Mr Widodo.
“Yes, a president can join the campaign. Yes, a president can pick a side. All that is permitted as long as he does not use state facilities,” Mr Widodo told reporters, adding that presidents and ministers had the same “democratic right” as every citizen to support their preferred candidates.
The President made the comments as he stood next to Defence Minister and presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto, after a handover ceremony at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Base in East Jakarta for new military equipment.
Mr Prabowo, who is Mr Widodo’s former rival in previous elections, is now running with Mr Gibran Rakabuming Raka, who is the President’s son and mayor of Solo.
The other presidential candidates are former Jakarta governor Anies Baswedan, who is running with Mr Muhaimin Iskandar, and former Central Java governor Ganjar Pranowo, who is running with Chief Security Minister Mahfud MD.
More than 200 million eligible voters are expected to head to the polls on Feb 14.
Reactions to Mr Widodo’s earlier sentiments from Mr Prabowo’s competitors have been largely negative.
Campaigner Ari Yusuf Amir from the Anies-Muhaimin campaign team said on Jan 25 that it intended to report Mr Widodo to the Indonesian Election Supervisory Agency, or Bawaslu, for causing political instability in the country.
But Mr Anies clarified the next day that he ordered his team to refrain from making such a report.
Mr Ganjar’s team has called on Mr Widodo to maintain ethical principles and act as a statesman. Campaigner Chico Hakim said that the President actively campaigning for his son’s ticket “will certainly prompt stronger public perception about nepotism”.
Netizens have also voiced their concern. On social media platform X, formerly Twitter, users have been using the hashtag #GerakanUnfollJokowi (#movetounfollowjokowi) to criticise his comments.
User @Dennysiregar7 said on Jan 26 that he would be unfollowing the President’s account. Tagging Mr Widodo’s account, the user said: “Sorry, I will unfollow yeah. I do not believe in you any more.” As at Jan 27, his tweet has garnered more than 9,000 likes and has been shared almost 2,000 times.
Other users like @yusuf_dumdum and @PreciosaKanti have also posted similar comments, complete with photos or videos of them unfollowing Mr Widodo’s X account.
“Sorry, Mr @jokowi, I will be unfollowing. Stay healthy always,” said @yusuf_dumdum.
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https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/jokowi-clarifies-comments-about-campaigning-for-presidential-candidates-following-backlash
| 2024-01-27T09:57:20Z
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SINGAPORE – Four-year-old Zara Mei celebrated her birthday on New Year’s Day and went on her first skiing trip in December but on Jan 23, her life was cut short in a fatal accident near her home.
Zara was walking to her River Valley home after pre-school with her two-year-old sister and their maid Lily when a car drove around a nearby street corner and knocked her down.
Speaking to The Straits Times on Jan 28, Zara’s father Nick Orlic said the helper was holding the younger girl’s hand and carrying their school bags, and gave Zara the green light to cross the road after checking that it was safe.
Zara’s six-year-old sister was not with them at the time.
Dr Orlic, a senior lecturer at Nanyang Business School, said: “Zara was a careful girl. She was taught to check the roads before crossing.”
The street was usually not busy with traffic either, he added, although illegal parking and speeding cars were a problem.
The maid, an Indonesian in her 30s, said she could not reach Zara in time after she was knocked down by the car. All she could do was scream for the driver to stop, but the car stopped only after some time.
Dr Orlic, 39, said he was at home, just minutes away from the accident spot, when he got a phone call from the helper, and he raced down to where Zara was.
“When I saw her, my heart sank. Her skull was shattered. She was bleeding profusely from her nose, mouth and head. And her eyes were closed,” he said.
Singapore Civil Defence Force paramedics arrived soon after and found that Zara had a faint pulse, he added.
The child was rushed to hospital, where a surgeon told Dr Orlic that Zara’s chances of survival were not good.
However, Dr Orlic said, the doctors continued to perform about half an hour of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on Zara.
“I asked them to continue keeping her alive till Michelle arrived because I wanted us to make a decision together.”
Dr Orlic’s wife Michelle, a 38-year-old British lawyer, reached the hospital as soon as she could after speaking to the police at the accident location.
Seeing Zara for the first time after the accident, her mother broke down in tears, said Dr Orlic.
“She did not realise how bad the injuries were before she had seen Zara. But she was very brave. Together, we told the surgeon to stop the CPR and said: ‘You can let her go now.’”
In response to queries, the police said there was an accident involving a car and a pedestrian in Institution Hill towards River Valley Road on Jan 23, at about 4.55pm.
They said a four-year-old girl was taken unconscious to hospital, where she later died of her injuries. The police added that a 40-year-old woman was arrested under suspicion of careless driving causing death.
Dr Orlic – who has lived in Singapore since 2012 and, like his wife, is a permanent resident – said Zara was a joyful child who loved dancing. She also adored her sisters.
He added that she loved her first skiing trip in 2023 and spent a memorable Christmas in Croatia, where Dr Orlic is from.
Zara was too young to ski but wanted her father to be with her the whole time. So, Dr Orlic took her for three hours of skiing lessons and stayed by her side for all the skiing activities. He is happy that he was able to have that time with her, he said.
He added: “Lily noticed that Zara was singing to herself cheerfully just moments before the accident. It gives us some comfort to know that she was happy when she died.”
Lily will be getting professional psychological help to cope with the trauma of witnessing the accident, he said.
The family, Dr Orlic added, will hold a private funeral for Zara on Jan 28 and 29.
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https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/4-year-old-girl-dies-in-river-valley-accident-woman-driver-arrested-for-careless-driving
| 2024-01-27T09:57:31Z
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SINGAPORE – Eight-year-old Hiten Yong had his first taste of ramen on Jan 27 when he was invited for lunch at Torasho Ramen & Charcoal Bar in Tras Street.
His “oishii” verdict: “I like it. It’s my first time eating it.”
The Geylang Methodist School Primary 2 pupil, who turned up with his brother and aunt, was one of nine beneficiaries of The Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund (STSPMF) invited to dine on Japanese food like gyu-don, seafood don and ramen.
The treat was in celebration of the fourth anniversary of Torasho Ramen & Charcoal Bar, The Chef Company’s first eatery. A funfair within the outlet had Japanese food booths and game stalls, with highlights including demonstrations of tuna fish cutting and wagyu beef carving.
The Chef Company also donated $8,888 to the fund that supports students from low-income families.
Said the company’s director Sho Naganuma: “The contribution to STSPMF is a meaningful way to improve the lives of underprivileged kids, giving them the chance to receive an education and end the cycle of poverty.”
Davis Huang, a Secondary 2 student from Bukit Merah Secondary School who was there with his father and two sisters, also found the ramen and sushi “yummy”.
“STSMPF helps me a lot for my daily transportation, and I now have money to buy food during recess time,” the 14-year-old said. “I have also learnt to plan the use of my money wisely.”
Since 2000, the fund has helped more than 210,000 cases of children and youth in need and disbursed more than $97 million. They come from families whose per capita gross monthly household income is not more than $750. Funds raised go towards school pocket money disbursements, as well as social and educational development.
A primary school pupil receives $65 each month, a secondary school student gets $100, while those in the Institute of Technical Education, junior colleges and polytechnics get $125.
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https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/oishii-lunch-treat-for-straits-times-school-pocket-money-fund-beneficiaries
| 2024-01-27T09:57:41Z
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MELBOURNE – Jannik Sinner has sprinted past opponents at the Australian Open in his quest for a maiden Grand Slam but could end up running a marathon in the final against Daniil Medvedev on Jan 28.
Melbourne Park is set to crown a new king as the winner at Rod Laver Arena will become the first new men’s champion at the Australian Open since Stan Wawrinka in 2014.
It will also be the first final since 2005 not to feature at least one of the “Big Three” – Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal. Sinner made sure of that by dismantling reigning champion Djokovic in the semi-finals to end the world No. 1’s bid for a record 25th Slam.
It was the Italian’s third victory in four matches against Djokovic since November, confirming a red-hot run of form that, Sinner says, has primed him for his first run to the business end of a Major.
“After last year, especially the end of the year, it gave me confidence that I could potentially do some good results in the Grand Slams,” said the 22-year-old, who has dropped only one set on his way to the final.
“But you still have to show it, no? There are people who talk a lot, but you have to show it.”
Sinner’s game has moved to another level since he began working with Darren Cahill, who believes the fourth seed has all the weapons to land one of the game’s four big prizes.
“He’s got the qualities I believe that a lot of the great champions in the game have, but you’ve got to start winning to let that come to fruition,” the Australian said.
“So he’s making little steps. He had a good finish to last year. He gained a lot of belief from what he was able to do.”
Belief and a rich vein of form might, however, count for nothing against the incredible will power of Russian Medvedev, who has twice battled back from the brink of defeat to make his third Australian Open final.
While Sinner has spent a little more than 14 hours on court, his third-seeded opponent has battled for more than 20 thanks in large part to his five-set wins over Emil Ruusuvuori in the second round and Alexander Zverev in the semis.
On both occasions he rallied from two sets down and, although he said he may feel “destroyed” physically, Medvedev will be determined to finally raise the trophy after losing to Djokovic in 2021 and to Nadal in 2022.
“I’m stronger than I was before this tournament because now I know that I’m capable of some things... Because before I didn’t do anything like this to get to the final,” the 27-year-old said.
“I’m proud and looking forward to the final to give 100 per cent again.”
The former US Open champion, who has now reached six Slam finals, has defeated Sinner six times in nine meetings but, perhaps crucially, lost their last three clashes on hardcourts in 2023.
Medvedev’s coach Gilles Cervara is convinced, however, the experience that the Russian has could be decisive.
“I would like (to think) that it makes a big difference,” he said. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/tennis/melbourne-set-for-new-champion-as-hot-jannik-sinner-faces-daniil-medvedev
| 2024-01-27T09:57:51Z
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MELBOURNE - Jannik Sinner has sprinted past opponents at the Australian Open in his quest for a maiden Grand Slam but could end up running a marathon in the final against Daniil Medvedev on Sunday, when Melbourne Park will crown a new king.
The winner of the title-decider at Rod Laver Arena will become the first new men's champion at the Australian Open since Stan Wawrinka won his only Melbourne Park title in 2014.
It will be the first final since 2005 not to feature at least one of the three players who have dominated men's tennis for two decades - Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer or Rafa Nadal.
Sinner made sure of that by dismantling reigning champion Djokovic in the semi-finals to end the world number one's bid for a record 25th major.
It was the Italian's third victory in four matches against Djokovic since November, confirming a red-hot run of form that, Sinner says, has primed him for his first run to the business end of a major.
"After last year, especially the end of the year, it gave me confidence that I could potentially do some good results in the Grand Slams," said the 22-year-old, who has dropped only one set on his way to the final.
"But you still have to show it, no? There are people who talk a lot, but you have to show it."
Sinner's game has moved to another level since he began working with Darren Cahill, who believes the fourth seed has all the weapons to land one of the game's four big prizes.
"He's got the qualities I believe that a lot of the great champions in the game have, but you've got to start winning to let that come to fruition," the Australian coach said.
"So he's making little steps. He had a good finish to last year. He gained a lot of belief from what he was able to do."
WILL POWER
Belief and a rich vein of form might, however, count for nothing against the incredible will power of Russian Medvedev, who has twice battled back from the brink of defeat to make his third Australian Open final.
While Sinner has spent a little more than 14 hours on court, his third-seeded opponent has battled for more than 20 thanks in large part to his five-set wins over Emil Ruusuvuori in the second round and Alexander Zverev in the semi-finals.
On both occasions he rallied from two sets down and, although he said he may feel "destroyed" physically, Medvedev will be determined to finally raise the trophy after losing to Djokovic in 2021 and a five-set heartbreaker to Nadal in 2022.
"I'm stronger than I was before this tournament because now I know that I'm capable of some things maybe I thought I'm not. Because before I didn't do anything like this to get to the final," the 27-year-old said.
"It's better to be in the final winning three-set, four-set matches. That's the better way physically. But it is what it is. I'm proud and looking forward to the final to give 100% again."
Former U.S. Open champion Medvedev, who has now reached six Grand Slam finals, has defeated Sinner six times in nine meetings but, perhaps crucially, lost their last three clashes on hardcourts in 2023.
Medvedev's coach Gilles Cervara is convinced, however, the experience that the Russian has of playing major finals could be decisive.
"I would like (to think) that it makes a big difference," Cervara said.
"Of course, Jannik is playing amazing tennis. He proved it. Daniil played against him at the end of last year, and they were tough matches." REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/tennis/melbourne-set-for-new-champion-as-hot-sinner-faces-medvedev
| 2024-01-27T09:58:02Z
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Factbox on Australian Open finalist Daniil Medvedev, the third seed, who beat Alexander Zverev 5-7 3-6 7-6(4) 7-6(5) 6-3 in the semi-finals (Prefix numbers denote seeding).
Age: 27
Nation: Russia
ATP Ranking: 3
Seeding: 3
Grand Slam titles: 1 (U.S. Open 2021)
ROAD TO FINAL
First round: beat Terence Atmane (France) 5-7 6-2 6-4 1-0 retired
Second round: beat Emil Ruusuvuori (Finland) 3-6 6-7(1) 6-4 7-6(1) 6-0
Third round: beat 27-Felix Auger Aliassime (Canada) 6-3 6-4 6-3
Fourth round: beat Nuno Borges (Portugal) 6-3 7-6(4) 5-7 6-1
Quarter-finals: beat 9-Hubert Hurkacz (Poland) 7-6(4) 2-6 6-3 5-7 6-4
Semi-finals: beat 6-Alexander Zverev (Germany) 5-7 3-6 7-6(4) 7-6(5) 6-3
EARLY LIFE
* Born in Moscow. Began playing tennis at age six.
CAREER TO DATE
* Made his ATP singles debut at the 2016 Nice Open.
* Reached his first Grand Slam main draw at the 2017 Australian Open and won his first Major match at Wimbledon the same year.
* Won his first ATP title at the Sydney International 2018 before winning the Winston-Salem Open and his first ATP 500 title in Tokyo later that year.
* Reached the fourth round of the 2019 Australian Open, where he lost to eventual champion Novak Djokovic. Months later, Medvedev beat Djokovic at the Monte Carlo Masters, his first win against a world number-one ranked player.
* Broke into the top-ten rankings after Wimbledon 2019 and reached his first Grand Slam final months later at the U.S. Open.
* Reached U.S. Open semi-finals and was runner-up at the ATP Finals in 2020.
* In 2021, he reached the Australian Open final for the first time, where he lost to Djokovic. They rematched at the U.S. Open final, and Medvedev won in straight sets to lift his first Grand Slam title.
* Ended 2021 winning the Laver Cup for Team Europe and the Davis Cup for Russia.
* Reached the final of the 2022 Australian Open but lost to Rafa Nadal in a match that lasted five hours and 24 minutes, the second-longest Major final ever.
* Earned the world number one rank for the first time after finishing runner-up at the Mexican Open in 2022 while also winning the Los Calebos Open and the Vienna Open.
* In 2023, he won three consecutive titles in Rotterdam, Doha and Dubai while also finishing as the finalist at the U.S. Open. He also reached the semi-finals of the ATP Finals, losing to Jannik Sinner. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/tennis/tennis-australian-open-mens-singles-finalist-daniil-medvedev
| 2024-01-27T09:58:12Z
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MELBOURNE - Factbox on Australian Open finalist Jannik Sinner, the fourth seed, who beat defending champion Novak Djokovic 6-1 6-2 6-7(6) 6-3 in the semi-finals (Prefix numbers denote seeding).
Age: 22
Nation: Italy
ATP Ranking: 4
Seeding: 4
Grand Slam titles: 0
ROAD TO FINAL
First round: beat Botic van de Zandschulp (Netherlands) 6-4 7-5 6-3
Second round: beat Jesper De Jong (Netherlands) 6-2 6-2 6-2
Third round: beat 26-Sebastian Baez (Argentina) 6-0 6-1 6-3
Fourth round: beat 15-Karen Khachanov (Russia) 6-4 7-5 6-3
Quarter-finals: beat 5-Andrey Rublev (Russia) 6-4 7-6(5) 6-3
Semi-finals: beat 1-Novak Djokovic (Serbia) 6-1 6-2 6-7(6) 6-3
EARLY LIFE
* Born in Innichen. Began playing tennis at age three.
CAREER TO DATE
* Began his professional career playing on the ITF Circuit in 2018.
* Won the ATP Challenger title in 2019, becoming the youngest Italian to do so. Qualified for the main draw of the 2019 U.S. Open, but suffered a defeat on his Grand Slam debut to former champion Stan Wawrinka.
* Won the 2019 Next Gen ATP Finals by upsetting Alex de Minaur in straight sets. Ended the year ranked 78th in the world, winning the ATP Newcomer of the Year award.
* Won his first Grand Slam main draw match at the Australian Open 2020. He reached the quarter-finals of the French Open in 2020 by defeating David Goffin and Alexander Zverev before losing to Rafa Nadal.
* Won the 2020 Sofia Open, his first ATP title, and became the youngest Italian to win a tour-level title in the Open Era. Ended the year ranked 37th in the world.
* In 2021, he won the Great Ocean Road Open, Citi Open, Sofia Open and European Open and played in the ATP Finals as the first alternate. Ended the year ranked number 10 in the world.
* In 2022, he reached the quarter-finals of the Australian Open and U.S. Open. He lost the latter to eventual champion Carlos Alcaraz in a match that lasted five hours and 15 minutes, the second-longest in the tournament's history.
* Reached his first Grand Slam semi-final at Wimbledon 2023 and won his first Masters 1000 title at the Canadian Open. He also reached a career-high ranking of world number four, becoming just the second Italian to reach the top five.
* Beat Novak Djokovic in the round-robin stage of the ATP Finals before losing to the Serb in the final. Helped Italy win the Davis Cup after a gap of 47 years in Nov. 2023. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/tennis/tennis-australian-open-mens-singles-finalist-jannik-sinner
| 2024-01-27T09:58:23Z
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GAZA - Thousands of civilians were trapped in southern Gaza by bombardment and fighting between Israeli troops and Hamas fighters on Jan 27, a day after the top UN court ruled that Israel must prevent genocidal acts.
Growing alarm has focused on Khan Younis, the biggest city in Gaza’s south, where the two main hospitals were barely functioning under the weight of the relentless bombardment and the press of thousands in need.
Witnesses reported more overnight strikes on Khan Younis, the current epicentre of Israel’s assault on Gaza, and the Palestinian Red Crescent Society said some of the dead and wounded had been taken to the city’s barely functioning Al-Amal hospital.
The strikes came after the International Court of Justice (ICJ) at The Hague ruled that Israel must prevent possible acts of genocide in its war against Hamas, the Islamist group that controls Gaza.
The court, which has virtually no enforcement power, stopped short of calling for an end to the fighting but also said in its ruling that Israel must facilitate “urgently needed” humanitarian assistance.
“This is the first time the world has told Israel that it is out of line,” said Ms Maha Yasin, a 42-year-old displaced Palestinian woman in Gaza.
“What Israel did to us in Gaza for four months has never happened in history.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected the case as “outrageous”.
Israel’s relentless bombardment and siege of the Palestinian territory began soon after Hamas’ unprecedented Oct 7 attacks that resulted in about 1,140 deaths in Israel, mostly civilians.
Militants also seized about 250 hostages, and Israel says around 132 of them remain in Gaza, including the bodies of at least 28 dead captives.
Israel has vowed to crush Hamas, even as the Health Ministry in Gaza says the Israeli military offensive has killed at least 26,083 people, about 70 per cent of them women and children.
Hospital services ‘collapse’
Fierce fighting between Israeli troops and Hamas fighters has raged for days around Khan Younis, forcing tens of thousands to flee further south to Rafah on the border with Egypt.
With a humanitarian crisis growing in Khan Younis and northern areas of Gaza, United Nations agencies say most of the estimated 1.7 million Palestinians displaced by the war are crowded into Rafah.
At Khan Younis’ Nasser Hospital, the largest in the besieged city, Doctors Without Borders said surgical capacity was “virtually non-existent”.
The international medical aid organisation said in a news release that medical services at the hospital had “collapsed” and the few staff who remained “must contend with very low supplies that are insufficient to handle mass casualty events”.
World Health Organisation (WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on social media platform X that 350 patients and 5,000 people displaced by the fighting remained at the hospital and that fighting in the vicinity continued.
He said Nasser Hospital was “running out of food, fuel and supplies”, and called for an immediate ceasefire so they could be replenished.
The Palestinian Red Crescent Society said Israeli tanks were targeting Al-Amal hospital, another of the few remaining medical facilities in Khan Younis, and that it was “under siege with heavy gunfire”.
The Israeli military accuses Hamas of having tunnels under hospitals in Gaza and of using the medical facilities as command centres.
Ms Meirav Eilon Shahar, Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, accused the WHO this week of collusion with Hamas by ignoring Israeli evidence of Hamas’ “military use” of Gaza hospitals.
Dr Tedros rejected the accusation, saying it could “endanger our staff who are risking their lives to serve the vulnerable”.
Diplomatic relations sour
Relations between Israel and the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) soured after the agency said tanks had shelled one of its shelters in Khan Younis on Jan 24, killing 13 people.
UNRWA said on Jan 26 it had sacked several employees accused by Israel of involvement in the Oct 7 attack.
The UN Security Council will meet on Jan 31 to discuss the ICJ’s ruling, the council’s presidency announced.
The European Union called for the “immediate” application of the ICJ’s decision.
The ruling in The Hague was based on an urgent application brought by South Africa, long a supporter of the Palestinian cause, but a broader judgment on whether genocide has been committed could take years.
A security source told AFP on Jan 27 that the head of the United States Central Intelligence Agency will meet officials from Israel, Egypt and Qatar “in the coming days in Paris” to try to reach a deal with Hamas.
A week-long truce last November saw an exchange of hostages for Palestinian prisoners, but the White House warned that “imminent developments” for another hostage release deal are unlikely.
The war has led to fears of wider conflict, and US forces said they had struck a target in Houthi-held Yemen after an attack on a British tanker in the Gulf of Aden. AFP
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/middle-east/civilians-trapped-by-fighting-between-israel-hamas-in-gaza
| 2024-01-27T09:58:33Z
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GAZA - In the two weeks since Israeli troops scaled back operations in northern Gaza, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians are emerging from hiding only to adjust to a grim reality – that food is scarce.
As the Hamas police force also stirs back into partial operation, its officers are touring markets and issuing orders to keep prices down.
A kilogram of lentils must not be priced above 12 shekels (S$4.37), they say, and nothing more than eight shekels for the same amount of rice.
But there are so few of these staples that the instructions are meaningless, said Mr Youssef Fares, a journalist who did not heed Israel’s evacuation orders and has been living with his siblings and their families in Jabalia, Gaza’s largest refugee camp just north of the city.
Mostly what is available – seasoning, coffee creamer, candy and gum – is of no use, he said.
That has led some to gather dwindling animal fodder – corn, wheat and barley – and grind it into flour. Others are venturing into abandoned farm fields to forage for wild greens such as spinach, chard and sorrel.
“People risk their lives to collect these herbs,” said resident Ryad Asaliya.
He added that he mostly depends on lemons for sustenance, since they are in season.
His current diet primarily consists of “lemon with salt, lemon with red chilli paste and pickled lemon”.
After Hamas attacked Israel on Oct 7, Israeli forces responded with a ground and air assault, sealing off the territory and cutting off food, water, fuel and medicine to some two million people who call the Gaza Strip home.
The United Nations’ Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights said starvation is setting in across the coastal strip.
In a report on Jan 16, it said: “Gazans now make up 80 per cent of all people facing famine or catastrophic hunger worldwide, marking an unparalleled humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.”
Israel said it is stepping up aid entering Gaza, by facilitating the delivery of medical supplies and hundreds of trucks with food.
But getting those supplies to the north is a complicated and dangerous endeavour, with Israel forbidding traffic from heading to that part of Gaza as it continues its operations there.
Asked about hunger in the area, a military official said all civilians are being encouraged to head to safer parts of the south, where aid is available.
Colonel Elad Goren, head of civilian affairs in Gaza for the Israeli military, said at a press briefing in mid-January that from southern Gaza “you can see pictures in the Arab media of markets selling fruits and vegetables and bread”.
Twelve bakeries are open there, he added.
Some of the problem of nourishment in the rest of the territory is because the UN does not move enough trucks when Israel clears them, Col Goren said, adding that “there is no starvation in Gaza”.
Those who live in the northern parts see it differently.
“The situation here in the north is famine,” Mr Fares said. “There are no other words to describe it.”
Mr Majd Hamdouna, who is in Gaza City, also in the north, said some people collect food – bags of salted nuts, peanut butter and luncheon meat – that Israeli soldiers left behind in houses they were holed up in or from field camps and resell them for prices beyond the capacity of most residents.
Ms Enas Mohammed, who managed to leave Gaza and is now in Cairo, said her neighbours called her and asked if they could enter her Gaza City home to search for food.
“They found biscuits, some flour, cooking gas, sugar, tea and coffee,” she said of the things she left behind.
Hamas fighters killed 1,200 people and abducted 240 others when they swarmed into Israel on Oct 7, according to Israeli figures.
The death toll in Gaza has risen above 26,000, the majority being women and children, according to officials from Hamas, which is considered a terrorist organisation by the United States and the European Union.
The tally does not distinguish between civilians and fighters or include 7,000 missing people.
“While everyone in Gaza is hungry, the people in the northern areas face the highest share of catastrophic hunger, exposing them to the grimmest consequences of food insecurity,” said Mr Matthew Hollingworth of the World Food Programme in a statement.
“During the few times the World Food Programme has been able to gain access to deliver food there, the team saw shocking levels of deprivation.”
As Professor Aeyal Gross puts it, supply means little if you cannot afford to pay.
“It’s misleading to focus only on how much food enters Gaza,” said the professor of international law at Tel Aviv University. “The economy is so weak that supply is only part of the story. People have no money.” BLOOMBERG
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/middle-east/north-gazans-scrounge-animal-feed-for-flour-as-markets-empty
| 2024-01-27T09:58:43Z
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Advia Credit Union plans to expand further in Illinois with the acquisition of a Chicago-area bank.
The Oshtemo Township-based Advia Credit Union has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Gurnee, Ill.-based NorthSide Community Bank, which has four offices in the market north of Chicago.
The deal should close in the third quarter pending regulatory and NorthSide shareholder approval.
“At Advia, our mission is to provide financial advantages to those we serve. NorthSide has a very talented team, and we are excited to have them join ours – growing stronger together,” Advia Credit Union President and CEO Jeff Fielder said in an announcement of the deal. “As an organization, we are dedicated to advancing lives in our communities and look forward to being an even stronger contributor within Illinois through outreach and volunteerism.”
The acquisition will elevate Advia Credit Union to 32 offices in Michigan, Illinois and Wisconsin. The credit union will expand from three locations to seven in Illinois, where Advia acquired the former Golden Eagle Community Bank in 2019, to go along with the 19 branches in Michigan and six in Wisconsin.
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One of the largest credit unions based in Michigan, Advia Credit Union had $2.93 billion in total assets and $2.47 billion in deposits as of Sept. 30, 2023, according to its most recent quarterly financial report to federal regulators. Loans totaled $2.25 billion, including $367.3 million in commercial loans.
The credit union recorded $30.5 million in net income through the first nine months of 2023, according to its latest filing to the National Credit Union Administration.
Founded in 1997, NorthSide Community Bank had $267 million in total assets and $207.7 million in total deposits with net income of $1.4 million, according to its third quarter 2023 financial report to the FDIC.
“We are very pleased with the transaction, and we believe NorthSide Community Bank’s customers, employees, communities and shareholders will all benefit,” bank president and CEO Patti Clausen said. “Advia is well positioned to competitively meet the financial needs of both our commercial and consumer customers.”
Michael Bell of Honigman LLP served as Advia’s legal adviser on the transaction, while Jay Wilson of Mercer Capital was the financial adviser. Barack Ferrazzano served as NorthSide Community Bank’s legal adviser and Hillworth Bank Partners was financial adviser.
The deal is the latest involving a credit union buying a community bank, a trend that has been occurring for several years across the nation.
In 2023 in Michigan, Dort Financial Credit Union in Grand Blanc acquired Flagler Bank in West Palm Beach, Fla., and 4Front Credit Union in Traverse City acquired Old Mission Bank in Sault Ste. Marie.
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Developer plans 202 apartments in second Holland-area project
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Holland Hospital completes leadership transition with new CEO, president
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https://www.crainsgrandrapids.com/news/banking-finance/advia-credit-union-to-acquire-illinois-bank-2/
| 2024-01-27T10:25:00Z
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Businesses beware: A letter in your inbox that offers assistance to comply with a new federal law may turn out to be a scam, according to Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel.
The attorney general’s office on Jan. 25 issued a consumer alert about a letter that some businesses have received. Titled “Important Compliance Notice,” the letter asks recipients to click on a URL or to scan a QR code on the Corporate Transparency Act.
The federal law that took effect Jan. 1 targets illegal activities, such as using shell companies for money laundering. The law requires legal business entities registered with a state to report to the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) their beneficial ownership and anybody who has “substantial control” in the company, including equity partners, executives, senior officers, and directors.
The emails and letters “are fraudulent” and a possible attempt to steal personal or corporate information, according to Nessel’s office. The consumer alert said that “FinCEN does not send unsolicited requests. Accessing codes or links or providing any information to scammers could lead to business identity fraud.”
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“Individuals are not the only ones who can be victims of identity theft,” Nessel said in a statement. “Many companies have seen their assets and reputations ruined by bad actors who have stolen their information through imposter schemes like this or other avenues, including brand spoofing. My Consumer Protection Team is dedicated to educating business owners about these tactics to help prevent them from falling victim and stands ready to help when needed.”
In a statement announcing the consumer alert, Nessel noted that many small business owners remain unaware of the Corporate Transparency Act and reporting requirements.
Congress enacted the Corporate Transparency Act in late 2020. Rules implementing the law took effect Jan. 1, requiring businesses to report their beneficial ownership to FinCEN. The law is intended to flesh out shell companies that protect illegal activities such as money laundering and terrorism financing through business entities, as Crain’s Business Grand Rapids reported in December.
The Corporate Transparency Act defines beneficial ownership as anyone who has an ownership interest of 25% or more in a business, a majority of voting ownership, or someone who exerts “substantial control” over the entity, such as executives, senior officers and board directors — even if they do not hold an ownership stake in the company.
The federal law imposes a civil penalty of $500 a day for companies that fail to report beneficial ownership changes, and criminal penalties for willful violations that include up to a $10,000 fine or two years in prison.
“The Corporate Transparency Act is necessary legislation that will help prevent criminals from using U.S. companies to facilitate their illegal operations while hiding their ownership of those companies from authorities,” Nessel said.
Under the law, a company created or registered to do business prior to Jan. 1, 2024, has until Dec. 31 to file an initial beneficial ownership information report with FinCEN through an online portal.
A company created or registered on or after Jan. 1, 2024, and before Jan. 1, 2025, has 90 days to file from the date when it receives notice from the state that its registration is effective. FinCEN in November extended that deadline from 30 days.
Companies formed or registered on or after Jan. 1, 2025, will have 30 days to file an initial report to FinCEN.
Businesses who believe they have been a victim of fraud can contact FinCEN or call 1-800-767-2825, or contact the state Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Team through an online complaint form or call 877-765-8388.
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New details emerge on the proposed $300M Kalamazoo Event Center
Advia Credit Union to acquire Illinois bank
Priority Health case sparks debate over insurance coverage of high-cost therapies
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https://www.crainsgrandrapids.com/news/banking-finance/state-warns-businesses-of-potential-scams-targeting-corporate-transparency-act-compliance/
| 2024-01-27T10:25:06Z
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A Grand Rapids-based cosmetic surgery practice seeks to grow after a private equity investment and becoming part of a national consortium.
The Bengtson Center for Aesthetics & Plastic Surgery this month partnered with United Aesthetics Alliance, a Los Angeles-based consortium formed in September 2023. United Aesthetics is backed by Varsity Healthcare Partners, a private equity firm that invests in health care services companies and closed in June 2023 on a fourth fund after raising $700 million.
With the investment from Varsity Healthcare Partners, The Bengtson Center became one of the first two practices in United Aesthetics Alliance, along with Edina Plastic Surgery in Edina, Minn.
Varsity Healthcare Partners plans to add six to 10 more practices in the U.S., according to Dr. Brad Bengtson, a partner at The Bengtson Center with Dr. David Alfonso.
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“UAA is selecting the absolute top plastic surgery practices with associated MedSpas in the United States that have similar structure, goals, vision, all having a patient centric/patient first focus,” Bengtson wrote in an email to Crain’s Grand Rapids Business. “This Alliance will allow the partners to focus on growth and expansion, not cost or staff cutting and with continued growth and synergy.
“We have had a capital investment in our practice to allow us to expand our resources and our presence in West Michigan and expand at our current site as well as purchasing new technologies.”
The private equity investment and becoming part of United Aesthetics Alliance “allow us to focus more on our patients, allow us to better expand technology and services but mainly to allow us to do best practices with other top plastic surgery practices throughout the United States,” Bengtson wrote. “We will still be the Bengtson Center. Same name, same practice, same staff, same leadership, same mission and core values and same focus on the absolute top experiences for our surgical and non-surgical patients.”
Founded more than 15 years ago, The Bengtson Center specializes in plastic surgery and medical spa services and recently launched a hair restoration center, expanding its surgical and non-surgical offerings.
“Our partnership with UAA will help facilitate our continued growth and allow us to expand our presence to enhance and grow a regional destination for aesthetic procedures. In addition, the commitment of UAA to partner with highly credentialed practices made them a natural fit for us,” Alfonso said in a recent announcement.
Terms of the transaction were undisclosed.
Dallas, Texas-based M&A consulting and advisory firm Skytale Group served as The Bengtson Center’s investment bank, while Dykema Gosset PLLC was the legal adviser.
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Industrial developer gets creative with partnerships to counter market challenges
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Former Proos Manufacturing building in Grand Rapids sells for $7.1 million
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https://www.crainsgrandrapids.com/news/health-care/grand-rapids-plastic-surgery-practice-joins-private-equity-backed-consortium/
| 2024-01-27T10:25:12Z
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A Utah company that offers direct contracting for medical care to employers with self-funded insurance plans wants to build a broad market presence in Michigan, starting with the academic medical center and practice for Michigan State University.
MSU Health Care Inc. this month joined Nomi Health’s care network, which has already contracted with a dozen large employers spanning from mid-Michigan to the lakeshore for coverage for that begins April 1.
They aim to reduce the high costs for health care by contracting directly with care providers, eliminating the middleman of health insurers and brokers.
“The current system is designed to get exactly what it’s getting, and what it’s getting is higher prices, less satisfaction from physicians, nurses, employers and patients,” said Roger Jansen, chief strategic growth officer at MSU Health Care. “We believe that employers have been continuing to foot the bill for health care in a way that is unsustainable, and we have to find a different business model.”
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Nomi Health promises to lower costs for employers through a company-owned pharmacy that charges wholesale prices for prescription drugs plus a 10% markup and a $3 transaction fee. The company also uses data analytics to provide employers insight on their spending and which physicians and care facilities perform at a high level. As well, it contracts with care providers and pays them within 48 hours of service, Jansen said.
In return for quick payments, Nomi Health is able negotiate better rates with care providers than what commercial health carriers secure.
Self-funded employers who enroll in Nomi Health get access to a care network with zero deductibles and co-pays for employees.
Under the contract with Nomi Health, MSU Health Care charges employers “a pure agreed upon price that’s great for us and great for the employer,” Jansen said. “It’s a one-and-done transaction. There’s no follow-up billing.”
Building out the network
After signing MSU Health Care and entering the Michigan market, the Salt Lake City-based Nomi Health wants to contract with many more health systems and medical practices across the state to build out a large care network for employers to use, said co-founder and CEO Mark Newman.
Nomi Health is “going deep in Michigan to build this network for any employer to tap into,” Newman said. MSU Health Care is the first care provider of size in Michigan to join Nomi’s network, he said. The company has smaller primary and specialty care providers in the network.
“We are planning to massively expand across Michigan with providers across the state,” Newman said. “We’re looking to build a full replacement network for any employer to use for all of their health care needs, and … the partnership with MSU is a starting point. We’re bringing along a lot of other providers with us.”
That push began with MSU Health Care, which has more than 300 primary and specialty care doctors practicing statewide, concentrated primarily in mid-Michigan and the Lansing area. The practice plans to expand with additional clinicians and locations, either on its own or with partners, and has been considering a new location in the Grand Rapids area, Jansen said.
“We want to create what we call the health system for employers. Employers are the ones that are footing the bill for America’s health care,” he said. “If employers don’t see a reduction in their health care costs, they won’t be able to see an investment in their people, whether it’s salary or it’s innovation or it’s new hires and new development.”
‘A different option’
In a recent interview with Crain’s Detroit Business, MSU Health Care’s new chief medical officer, Dr. Michael Weiner, said the university wants to expand its health care reach beyond mid-Michigan. MSU Health Care is “about to open our first ambulatory surgical center in the Lansing area and (we) are breaking ground on another in East Lansing soon,” Weiner said.
MSU Health Care also has its own lab and a tele-physical therapy service, he said.
“The future of medicine, not for just MSU, the future of medicine in America, is pushing to get patients out of the hospital and into outpatient settings. We are wonderfully set up to be part of that national transition — and lead some of it. We are focused on ambulatory surgical centers and primary care delivery and utilizing telemedicine,” Weiner said. “If you get rid of the burden that is the hospital and just think about the agility of what’s available without a hospital, we are primed for that. That is our strategic plan.”
In joining the Nomi Health network, MSU Health Care aims to tap into the rising frustration among employers about the persistent rising cost for health care.
All of the self-funded employers that MSU Health Care approached while putting together the arrangement with Nomi Health signed on to do direct contracting for care, said Jansen, noting that “we’re batting a thousand.”
“People are yearning for a different option. We’re a different option,” said Jansen, who hopes that MSU Health Care’s new arrangement “will become a model that others can adopt either by working directly with Nomi or others that may be in a similar place in the marketplace.”
“The business model is the deepest form of innovation that will have the biggest impact on change,” he said. “If we don’t change how dollars come in and go out and pay people in the system, it doesn’t matter.”
Confronting an unaffordable model
Jansen believes that the era of high costs and high deductible health plans increasingly makes health care unaffordable for many people, particularly as employees pay higher deductibles and copays and a larger share of the monthly health premium.
Across the U.S. last year, a family health plan cost an average of $23,621 for small employers with three to 199 employees, a 22% increase since 2018, and $24,401 for larger firms, up 21% in five years, according to the 2023 Employer Health Benefits survey by to health policy research nonprofit KFF that considered all types of health plans.
Employees on average paid $6,595 in 2023 for their share of the premium for a family plan and $1,401 for single coverage, according to KFF. One-quarter of people enrolled in a family plan had an annual deductible of $6,000 or more and 17% had deductibles of $5,000 to $5,999.
Another 24% of family plans had deductibles of $3,000 to $3,999, and 37% came with $2,000 to $2,999 deductibles.
The high costs for coverage and high out-of-pocket costs for employees also have created collection problems for care providers when patients are unable to pay their copay or what they owe prior to meeting their annual deductible, Jansen said, noting the process leads people to avoid seeking needed care.
“We think that if people are avoiding health care because of cost, this is one way to begin to challenge that,” he said. “The concept here is can we can make health care better by focusing on who we contract with to deliver health care and how those people get paid for it. If we can do that, we can lower the cost for the employer and increase the access and decrease the headaches that health systems and providers have on the whole revenue side.”
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https://www.crainsgrandrapids.com/news/health-care/msu-health-care-helps-employers-save-on-insurance-costs-with-new-direct-contracting-model/
| 2024-01-27T10:25:18Z
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The industry trade association for health plans in Michigan wants greater clarity on how exactly state regulators view high-cost gene and cell therapies and their mandated coverage.
In a response to a regulatory bulletin saying they must cover expensive gene and cell therapies, the Michigan Association of Health Plans notes that when the state Legislature enacted a law in 1989 that requires health insurers to cover cancer drugs, the new generation of gene and cell therapies had not yet been developed.
The bulletin followed a November report from ProPublica that detailed how Priority Health denied coverage to a Sparta man who had an aggressive form of lymphoma. Forrest VanPatten died Feb. 17, 2020 at the age of 50 while awaiting a response from an independent medical reviewer on an appeal of Priority Health’s denial, according to the report.
RELATED: To pay or not to pay: Insurers face challenges with new high-cost gene, cell therapies
“It is the opinion of MAHP that gene therapies could not have been intended to be included by the Legislature (in the state law) because gene therapies did not exist when the Legislature enacted its statute,” association Executive Director Dominick Pallone wrote in a letter this week to Anita Fox, director of the Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services.
“We need to better understand how gene therapies and cell therapies fit within the existing benefit mandate and what we can do to work with the department on what the intention is so that we can remain compliant,” Pallone told Crain’s Grand Rapids Business.
The MAHP’s Jan. 24 letter responded to the regulatory bulletin that Fox issued Jan. 8 reminding health insurers of the state law that requires coverage for cancer therapies that have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Health insurers may not deny coverage for genetic therapies or immunotherapies that meet criteria in the state law, Fox wrote in the bulletin.
DIFS rejects “any assertion that insurers are only required to cover medical treatments that existed before specific provisions in the law were enacted” and “is reviewing industry questions and will provide additional guidance to insurers as necessary,” according to a department spokesperson.
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The 34-year-old state law requires coverage for cancer drugs if a patient’s doctor orders an approved therapy and if current “medical literature substantiates its efficacy and recognized oncology organizations generally accept the treatment,” according to the DIFS bulletin. That includes CAR-T, an expensive form of cell therapy used to treat cancer.
“The Department of Insurance and Financial Services will disapprove any health insurance policy form that limits or restricts coverage for cancer therapies, including genetic therapies or immunotherapies, including but not limited to CAR-T,” and that meet the state law’s criteria, Fox wrote in the bulletin.
“The Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services is committed to protecting Michiganders by ensuring that health insurers are following all state and federal laws and regulations,” Fox said in a statement emailed to Crain’s Grand Rapids Business.
In responding to the bulletin, and as with any issue involving health care, the MAHP seeks to “position ourselves at the table” for a discussion on how the state insurance code treats costly gene and cell therapies, as well as other costly medical advances and their affordability, Pallone said.
Pallone considers the issue an example in which state law and regulation have not kept up with medical advances. That’s why the MAHP generally opposes writing specific medical treatments into state law.
“We always encourage the conversation on any piece of our insurance code. Is it up to date? Is it the right language reflecting modern medicine, modern times?” Pallone told Crain’s Grand Rapids Business. “When you codify medicine, and medicine changes, then it needs frequent updates. So, we tend to default to ‘don’t codify medicine’ because we know it’s going to change. There’s going to be some new breakthrough. There’s going to be something that somebody never envisioned.
“It’s really hard to codify that in a static piece of statute and expect that it’s still relevant.”
The MAHP also asked whether the state regulatory agency requires health plans “who are selling full-risk commercial products that must be approved by DIFS before they can be sold, to cover all oncology drugs, and cellular and gene therapies without regard to FDA safety guidance so long as the aforementioned conditions are met?”
ProPublica’s story in November reported that Priority Health questioned the effectiveness of CAR-T and claimed that the cell therapy is not a drug, meaning the health plan technically did not have to include it in coverage under the state law.
In a statement to Crain’s Grand Rapids Business, a Priority Health spokesperson wrote that “after ongoing clinical evaluations, the medical community demonstrated continued clinical improvements from the treatment, and we began covering CAR-T Cell therapy several years ago.”
The spokesperson did not respond to questions about when exactly it started that coverage.
“The health and safety of our members is always our top priority,” the spokesperson for Priority Health said. “The constant progression and accumulation of scientific evidence is part of our process. We are committed to finding new ways to make medical innovations more affordable and accessible as quickly as possible.”
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| 2024-01-27T10:25:24Z
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The new generation of gene and cell therapies that hold high promise medically but come with great costs have health insurers wanting to strike a delicate balance between access and affordability.
In the last couple of years, health insurers have been pointing to costly gene and cell therapies as a contributor to rising health insurance premiums for employers. That issue will only grow larger as pharmaceutical manufacturers bring more of the high-cost gene and cell therapies to market.
“One of the basic problems with all of these cell therapies is that there is an extraordinarily high front-end cost,” said Leonard Fleck, a professor of bioethics and philosophy at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. “The balance is something that has to be struck, so to speak, by all of us collectively looking at the range of all the kinds of emerging lifesaving, life-prolonging medical therapies that are out there that have a range of costs, and a range of benefits, and different degrees of cost effectiveness.”
For example, CAR-T cell therapy to treat blood cancers costs about $475,000, plus administrative costs and potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars more to treat side effects or complications that require intensive follow-up care, Fleck said.
RELATED: Priority Health case sparks debate over insurance coverage of high-cost therapies
Statistically, about 30% of patients receiving CAR-T cell therapy will survive for less than a year, Fleck said. Most of the remaining 70% will survive from one to four years, and “there will be a small number that will gain several years beyond that,” Fleck said.
Research seeks methods to identify how a patient may respond and can qualify for expensive therapies, he said. The effectiveness of the therapy also may wear out in time for some patients, causing any residual cancer to recur and requiring another costly treatment.
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“One of the ethics issues that comes up is whether we would then as a society deny individuals access to those therapies because they will not gain enough good to justify that front-end cost,” Fleck said. “We do have to address that issue. There’s not any simple formula, there’s no simple answer to what that balance ought to be.”
Across Michigan, Crain’s has reported on issues health insurers and employers face given the rise in costly gene and cell therapies to treat complex diseases and concerns about the implications for the cost of employee health coverage.
An August 2023 report by Deloitte noted a prediction that the gene and cell therapy market could grow from $5.3 billion in 2022 to $19.9 billion by 2027.
All 11 members of the Michigan Association of Health Plans cover CAR-T cell therapy, according to Executive Director Dominick Pallone said.
While state law requires health insurers to cover cancer drugs, the question that arises with each new product introduction centers on its effectiveness, Pallone said. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has a faster approval process and accelerated pathway for gene and cell therapies, and questions persist about the evidence standards used to gauge how well they work, he said.
“When these drugs come to market, there’s not a robust amount of literature out there showing that it’s evidence-based or that there’s evidence of efficacy. So, it puts insurers in a tough, difficult position. It puts providers in a tough position to prescribe something that doesn’t have a lot of evidence behind it just yet.
“It’s hard for us to find that balance of wanting to give access to the patient of drugs that work, or of treatments and therapies that work.”
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan has covered CAR-T since the FDA approved the cell therapy in 2017, said Atheer Kaddis, the insurer’s vice president and chief pharmacy officer.
Kaddis describes Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan’s “very extensive” review process for new gene and cell therapies beginning 12 to 18 months before the FDA approval process. The state’s largest health insurer also closely monitors patient outcomes data.
In reviewing proposed new gene or cell therapies coming to market, some of which can cost $3 million to $4 million to treat a complex disease, Blue Cross Blue Shield wants to enable access to a potentially life-saving treatment and, given the high costs involved, ensure that it’s effective.
“This is the crux of the challenge. These are breakthrough therapies for pretty devastating diseases,” Kaddis said. “Obviously, our goal is to provide access to patients for therapies that may change their life, may result in a cure of their disease. It’s a dilemma because of the cost of these therapies.”
As more gene cell therapies become available, Kaddis believes they will get used for “more common” diseases.
“Right now, we’re talking about rare diseases, but what if these cell and gene therapies become the treatment of choice for common diseases like diabetes or something like that? That’s going to become a major, major challenge for payers,” he said.
As a result, pharmaceutical manufacturers “also have to have skin on the game” and perhaps get paid for a therapy based on how well it works for a patient, Kaddis said.
“There has to be some sort of continued evolution of outcomes-based contracts of reimbursement to the payer if these therapies don’t work for the patient. That has to continue to evolve over time,” he said. “You can’t come out with a $4 million therapy, or a therapy that’s $1 million and used for 100,000 potential patients in the United States, and not be held accountable for the pricing on that product.”
Pallone was unaware of any value-based arrangements with drug makers, although they “could be an avenue.”
“This might be an area if the manufacturer is confident that the evidence will be there, then perhaps they may be more inclined to enter into some sort of value-based agreement that when the efficacy is proven, the full cost (is paid),” he said. “That could look like a partial payment up front and then payment down the line as the person’s quality of life improves. It could take the shape of many very different ways.”
Health insurers typically handle claims for gene and cell therapies through re-insurance that kicks in once a claim exceeds a certain financial threshold, Pallone said.
Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services Director Anita Fox issued a regulatory bulletin Jan. 8 reminding health insurers that state law requires them to cover cancer drugs, including gene and cell therapies. Fox issued the bulletin weeks after a ProPublica story detailed how Priority Health denied coverage for a Sparta man who had an aggressive form of lymphoma and whose doctor wanted to try a cell therapy known as CAR-T. He later died as an appeal of the coverage denial was pending, according to ProPublica.
Since receiving its first CAR-T claim in December 2017, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan has paid for 179 patients to receive the cell therapy at an average cost of about $500,000 per treatment, Kaddis said. Side effects that can occur, including “basically your immune system going haywire after receiving CAR-T therapy,” can cost another $500,000 to treat on top of the therapy, he said.
CAR-T is used for blood cancer patients who have not responded well to a prior treatment, Kaddis said.
“Some of these patients are quite sick. They’ve already failed on other treatments,” Kaddis said. “These are not first-line therapies. These are therapies that are administered after a patient has been treated with other cancer chemotherapy drugs or immunotherapies. If they didn’t respond to past treatment, these are the patients that qualify for CAR-T therapy.”
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| 2024-01-27T10:25:30Z
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The Grand Rapids Planning Commission hopes city officials enact five policy changes that board members say would gradually help increase housing supply, diversity and affordability.
The zoning ordinance amendments that the commission unanimously approved Thursday include easing restrictions on accessory dwelling units (ADUs) and reducing or eliminating parking minimums in certain areas. Other proposed changes would reduce unit occupancy limits, adjust group-living requirements and allow for more small-scale residential infill projects throughout the city.
If enacted by the full City Commission in the coming months, the zoning changes would be “super valuable” for helping average homeowners increase housing density, said Ryan Kilpatrick, lead consultant for Housing Next.
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The city’s current zoning ordinance is well-suited for large-scale, multifamily developments, but those projects are difficult to build in a market with high interest rates and construction costs, he said. They’re also not accessible to typical landowners.
“A lot of what has been proposed is very helpful to the average homeowner to get through the (development) process in a streamlined fashion with checks still in place,” Kilpatrick said.
City officials had requested planning staff and the planning commission to examine ways to increase the city’s housing stock shortly after the 2023 Kent County Housing Needs assessment was published in February 2023. Study results showed 34,699 more housing units will be needed in the county by 2027, and 14,106 of which will be needed in the city of Grand Rapids to stabilize the housing market.
The planning commission has discussed the proposed zoning changes at its past several meetings, and also held a joint work session with the city commission in July 2023 to go through all of the proposed changes in detail. The proposed zoning amendments will now go on to the city commission for consideration, which could take place in the coming months.
Public weighs in
Thursday’s planning commission meeting drew both strong supporters and opponents to the proposed zoning changes.
Patrick Tischler, who identified himself as a property owner and property manager, was among several Heritage Hill neighborhood residents who spoke against the proposed changes. The Heritage Hill residents shared most of the same concerns, including that the city did not give neighbors enough notice of the changes. Tischler raised concerns about unintended consequences involving absentee landlords and private equity or other outside investors buying up housing in the city.
“I’m concerned we’re rushing and we need to slow things down,” Tischler said. “Table and reevaluate (the zoning amendments) to make sure those things don’t happen.”
Kilpatrick said outside investors are already coming into town, and that pausing on the zoning proposals is unlikely to stop that trend.
Grand Rapids Planning Director Kristin Turkelson acknowledged that there would be tradeoffs if the amendments are enacted.
“It may be more difficult to find a parking space out in front of your home, but if we prioritize housing instead of the need for housing in the proximity of your vehicle, these are the changes we need to consider,” Turkelson said.
Achieving the city’s housing goals will require zoning regulation changes that apply to every neighborhood. That could lead to an increase in traffic in the city, but it would not be more than the streets could handle, Turkelson said.
Andrew Carley, director of land use advocacy group Strong Towns Grand Rapids, was among people who spoke at the meeting in support of the zoning amendments and goals of creating more affordable housing.
“People are losing their apartments and losing their homes because we are not effective at building affordable housing,” Carley said.
Nathan Biller, a local small-scale developer, told commissioners that he wished the amendments went further.
“The quiet majority stands behind you and we’re counting on you,” Biller said during the meeting. “Thank you for prioritizing people over parking. That is the correct order of our city’s values.”
Here’s a look at the issues covered under the zoning amendments:
Accessory Dwelling Units
ADUs allow for the construction of a single housing unit on the same lot as an existing residence, which affordable housing advocates have pointed to as a way to achieve a slight increase in housing density for single-family neighborhoods. The city’s zoning ordinance for ADUs has made it hard for any of these developments to get off the ground, along with financing and lending obstacles that come with ADU projects.
The zoning changes advanced on Thursday would streamline the review process by allowing ADUs as a permitted use, remove the owner occupancy requirement, modify the height and setback requirements, permit ADUs for single- and two-family dwellings, and eliminate the parking requirement.
Unit occupancy, group living requirements
The zoning changes would increase the number of unrelated occupants who are able to live in a dwelling unit from four to six people. The proposal also would modify single-room occupancy (SRO) requirements to allow for SRO developments in residential districts, where they are currently banned, through a tiered review process based on proposed unit size.
The amendment also proposes modifying transitional and emergency shelter requirements to allow small-scale shelters in residentially zoned districts, adding use regulations and requiring a good neighbor plan when they are permitted as a special land use.
Small-scale residential infill
In Traditional Neighborhood-Low Density Residential zoned districts, the amendments would allow changes including reducing lot area and width requirements for two-family and multiple-family residential developments of six or fewer units, and allowing the conversion of existing single- and two-family housing stock to higher densities.
Parking minimums
Also under Traditional Neighborhood-Low Density Residential zoning, the changes call for eliminating parking requirements for developments of six or fewer dwelling units on Link Residential or Network residential streets, as defined in the city’s Vital Streets plan. As well, developers would be able to gain parking reductions for projects if their development is located within a half-mile instead of the current 300-foot requirement to transit.
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| 2024-01-27T10:25:36Z
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The Kent County Board of Commissioners approved John Ball Zoo’s proposal to alter its surface-parking expansion plans Thursday morning amid opposition from some elected officials and nearby residents.
The board voted 11-6 to approve the parking amendment, with two commissioners abstaining because of conflicts of interest. Several commissioners voiced frustration about the lack of decision-making power elected officials have under an operating agreement between the county and the zoo.
The zoo’s parking amendment involves paving over adjacent park space to add an additional 620 paved parking spaces, which is slightly less than the 670 spaces proposed in its 2015 master plan. The parking expansion is needed to accommodate an increase in visitors, zoo officials have said.
Construction on the first half of the parking expansion will begin this year, zoo CEO Peter D’Arienzo told Crain’s Grand Rapids. The construction timeline is dependent on the zoo’s fundraising efforts, though enough funding has been secured to complete about half of the plans this year, he said.
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Kent County owns both the John Ball park and zoo properties. The zoo is required to secure approval from the county board on a master plan update every 10 years. The zoo’s current master plan was adopted in 2015.
County commissioners could submit and seek approval of alternative plans from the zoo’s board, but there is “nothing we can do to change the 2015 (zoo) master plan,” Linda Howell, the county’s corporate counsel, said during the Thursday meeting.
Commissioner Stephen Wooden voted to approve the amendment, although he admitted that he wished the county had more power to approve a different parking solution at the zoo that had broader support from the neighbors.
“The interaction with how (the zoo) functions with greenspace seems like the most important policy discussion that should require our involvement,” Wooden said before the vote. “While I’ll be voting for this amendment, I’m frustrated by the limits we have as a body.”
Eleven people spoke against the zoo’s parking amendment during the public comment portion of Thursday’s meeting. Most neighbors disagree with any parking expansion plans that involve paving over green space at the park.
The Save John Ball Park group is working with the county to form a liaison group to foster better communication with zoo officials, in which D’Arienzo said the zoo would fully participate.
“We were hoping for something that would be truly collaborative and creative and there just wasn’t room for that between everyone involved,” Amy Hinman, one of the leaders of the Save John Ball Park group, told Crain’s Grand Rapids after the vote. “It’s just sad to see something that’s been such an important resource go down like this.”
Meanwhile, several members of the Save John Ball Park group are seeking a historic district designation from the city of Grand Rapids for John Ball Zoo as a way to preserve greenspace at the park, MLive reported today.
The city of Grand Rapids Historic Preservation Committee voted on Jan. 17 to approve neighbors’ request to form a study committee to kick off the process, which will also require approval from the Grand Rapids City Commission. The city commission is expected to consider approval of the research committee next month, Hinman said.
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| 2024-01-27T10:25:42Z
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The wealthy visionary behind a downtown Kalamazoo sports and entertainment arena 27 years in the making shared as-yet-unreleased details on the project at an event Thursday.
Greenleaf Companies founder and chair William Johnston said the schematic design phase is now complete on the proposed $300 million, 320,000-square-foot Kalamazoo Event Center. His company’s real estate development arm, Catalyst Development Co. LLC, hopes to break ground on the project in November.
Johnston, who is married to Stryker Corp. scion Ronda Stryker, shared a project update and newly completed renderings from Kalamazoo-based TowerPinkster and Detroit-based Rossetti as part of Southwest Michigan First’s State of Economic Development outlook event. The organization held this year’s inaugural event at the Radisson Plaza Hotel in downtown Kalamazoo, a property Catalyst Development owns.
The event center is expected to host nearly 240 events, shows, concerts and community sporting events per year and is slated to be the future home of the Western Michigan University men’s hockey team and men’s and women’s basketball teams, as well as the Kalamazoo Wings professional hockey team.
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Johnston expects construction to be completed on the facility within 42 to 48 months, in time for the 2027-28 hockey season.
“It’s going to be a facility that’s going to activate, it’s going to coalesce,” Johnston told the sold-out ballroom. “This event center … will be literally used 365 days a year, will host close to 240 events, and bring to downtown Kalamazoo 700,000 to 800,000 people a year.”
Southfield-based Barton Malow, which specializes in building NHL and NBA facilities, will serve as the project’s construction manager, with an assist from Kalamazoo-based CSM Group, which has managed construction for other Catalyst Development Co. projects, including for Greenleaf Trust.
Johnston said over the last six months, the project design team toured an unspecified list of “some of the best facilities in the country” to learn from their mistakes and missed opportunities, so that Kalamazoo could build a facility that will “stand the test of time.”
“They were pretty nice, but the overwhelming feeling we got when we toured the facilities is, ‘We can do better,’” he said. “We want to design for the future. We’ve got that 100-year vision.”
He said quality was the overriding “nonnegotiable” in the design process, with a hospitality-centric guiding principle that is focused on anticipating visitors’ “wants, needs and desires.”
Johnston said the design “will have very much a Western Michigan University brand and a Kalamazoo identity.”
“TowerPinkster did a wonderful job of capturing the history of Kalamazoo in terms of materials in our historical past, and that really defined how the exterior of this was going to look. We didn’t want to have this big, 380,000-square-foot blob, this monolithic (structure).”
Johnston said the design team wanted the facility to feel “alive” 24 hours a day, with lighting and bronze and metal materials that “all (work) together in this dynamic shape and form that speaks to our past, as well as the present and the future.”
In his presentation, Johnston addressed fears from the community that the facility will have a negative effect on its neighbors.
“We are committed to making sure that this center activates, amplifies everything about our community, everything about downtown Kalamazoo,” he said. “Some people have some fears about these kinds of large facilities, that they don’t play well with their neighbors. We’re committed to playing well with our neighbors. We’re committed to making sure that this is an amplification for everybody.”
In addition to the community benefits agreement signed as part of the land purchase for the arena site, the facility also will take a “holistic” approach to developing the student athletes of WMU, Johnston said.
The facility will include a nutrition center and an academic career counseling center, and WMU athletes will be able to receive coaching and mentoring from the 75 community leaders on the board of Southwest Michigan First, of which Johnston is one.
“Successful companies hire athletes for a reason, and we want to make sure we make that connection,” he said.
Now that schematic facility design is completed, Johnston said the team is focused on design development to build-out every single detail, down to where the power outlets are placed. Following that, construction documents will be completed, and the construction team will seek city permits.
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| 2024-01-27T10:25:42Z
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The third generation of a prominent real estate family in the Grand Haven area is selling their late parents’ 8,000-square-foot mansion built in the French country style with antiques and materials sourced from their global travels.
The children of the late Howard and Barbara Reenders on Jan. 11 listed the couple’s seven-bedroom, seven-bathroom home tucked away on a private drive in Grand Haven Township for $8.1 million. Sandi Gentry, of The Sandi Gentry Team of Re/Max Lakeshore, is their broker.
Howard Reenders, who died Nov. 7 following his wife’s death in 2019, was the second-generation leader of a Grand Haven-based real estate development business founded in 1946 by his father, Arthur Reenders. Over time, the business grew to include Heritage Senior Communities, which has 18 senior and assisted-living communities in Michigan and Indiana, as well as the construction and real estate development firm Reenders Inc. and Heritage Property Management.
The Reenders bought the property in 1972. It included a 1940s-era cottage that the couple eventually tore down. They built the current mansion in 1998 to accommodate their ever-growing family of children, grandchildren and now great-grandchildren.
Scott Reenders, one of the Reenders’ six children who is president of Heritage Property Management, told Crain’s Grand Rapids Business the home has been wonderful for family gatherings over the years but the next generation is ready to part with it.
“Everybody’s settled into their own lives and their own homes, and that’s really why we’re selling the property, even though it’s spectacular,” he said.
A well-appointed, year-round home
The 8,042-square-foot house, which was built to be lived in year-round, includes a secluded 5.3 acres and 330 feet of private beachfront, a three-stall garage connected to the east end of the house via a porte-cochère, and a fourth stall attached to the north side of the house.
The mansion has four outdoor terraces, French-style landscaping and a family-oriented basement with concrete floors for sandy beach-day feet and two changing rooms.
The house boasts two kitchens, two laundry rooms, a kitchen dinette area and a formal dining room that flows into a large open-plan living room with a fireplace, a den with a fireplace, a main-floor primary suite, and six more bedrooms upstairs, four of which have attached full bathrooms.
Scott Reenders said he and his siblings are selling the home unfurnished but would entertain offers on certain pieces that don’t have sentimental value.
An American-French pastiche
Howard Reenders was a builder, and Barbara Reenders was an interior designer in the family business, and they took their style inspiration from traveling all over the world.
According to Scott Reenders, the home and its gardens were patterned after “fine French homes” they saw while traveling through the south of France, as well as a trip to the historic Doheny Greystone Estate in Beverly Hills, Calif.
They hired French architect and family friend Ralph Fournier, more commonly known for his mid-century designs in St. Louis, to design this house in 1997. Fournier also designed their other French Provincial-style home where the Reenders raised their children in Grand Haven in 1965.
Dennis Reenders, president of Reenders Inc., oversaw the team that built this house. For the exterior, they used rubble limestone mined in the Upper Peninsula, brick, and limestone balustrades, as well as a slate roof and zinc-coated copper gutters and downspouts.
Barbara Reenders did the interior design, collecting special architectural pieces in her travels across the country over a period of several years to complete the look, Scott Reenders said.
They salvaged the 3,000-pound bronze front door from one of the Dodge estates in the Detroit area when it was torn down. The fireplace mantel in the den was salvaged from a chateau in France and purchased in Atlanta.
Barbara Reenders also transferred over some of the 1960s and ’70s light fixtures from their first French-inspired home to this house, including the Tiffany-style hanging fixture in the dinette and the French art glass in the primary bedroom.
They also purchased antique fixtures for many rooms in the house.
The living room has a limestone fireplace mantel, and the lower-level family room mantel is supported by two lion heads salvaged from a building in the Chicago area.
“They sourced stuff from really all over the country, because that was kind of their hobby,” Scott Reenders said.
The couple also supported local craftsmen in their design. All interior doors of the home were built at a Zeeland millwork company, and the cabinetry was custom built and finished locally.
Modern amenities
The home is heated and cooled with a geothermal system, thanks to freon lines buried in the yard, Scott Reenders said. He called it a “sophisticated” system that was ahead of its time.
Also ahead of its time was the large kitchen, which is equipped with a Sub-Zero refrigerator, a large range with double ovens, two dishwashers, an expansive island with bar stools and an open-plan layout that flows into the dinette, which overlooks a shady covered terrace.
Scott Reenders said the kitchen/dinette/terrace trio remains one of his favorite spots in the house.
“My mom was a good cook, and they also liked to entertain, so we spent a lot of time sitting around the kitchen table,” he said. “And also, the terrace off the kitchen was a gorgeous little covered area that you could enjoy seven months out of the year because it was out of the elements.”
His other favorite spot, and one of the most-used by the family, was the den, with its large French mantel and gas-starter fireplace that burns wood, like all the home’s fireplaces.
“It’s just a really cozy, warm room,” he said.
The family used the main living room and formal dining room for entertaining large groups of friends, while the basement — with its space for several long, informal tables — was typically the center of extended family gatherings.
Scott Reenders said the couple designed their home with aging in place in mind, as all the doors are extra wide, and the primary bedroom suite is on the main floor.
He added that the primary suite was built as a “sanctuary overlooking Lake Michigan.”
“It’s quite amazing that you can lie in bed and look at the lake,” he said.
The suite features a jacuzzi bath, large 5-foot-by-7-foot shower, massive walk-in closet/dressing room with custom-built drawers and shelving, and heated floors.
A door off the bedroom leads to a “secret garden” for enjoying morning coffee, and it is secured with a gate from the Ringling Museum of Art in Sarasota, Fla.
The price point
Gentry, who specializes in high-end real estate, said this is her highest-priced residential listing ever, and only one other home in Grand Haven Township has sold for more. It was a 20-acre property with 800 feet of beachfront that another broker closed at $9 million in 2016.
“That (listing) kind of proves my number a little bit,” she said.
Gentry said she took into consideration all of the factors that go into making this a “one-of-a-kind” property when setting the list price, including the quality and that “no expense was spared.”
“They believe in quality and that is something they do not jeopardize,” she said. “(Howard Reenders) just went above and beyond with what he did. He found the perfect piece of property, carved out where he wanted the house to be (and) made sure it was very private. It’s just one of a kind.”
Scott Reenders said although the house hasn’t been substantially updated since it was built, everything is still in excellent condition.
“My parents were meticulous about taking care of everything, and it still looks practically brand-new,” he said. “And of course, for the most part, only two people lived in the house.”
More from Crain’s Grand Rapids Business:
Financing, construction costs stall 39-unit Grand Rapids housing project
Global packaging company to close Grand Rapids-area plant, laying off 111 workers
Talent constraints drive need for pre-planning in 2024 construction projects
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https://www.crainsgrandrapids.com/news/real-estate/ornate-french-country-style-mansion-on-lake-michigan-lists-for-8-1m/
| 2024-01-27T10:25:48Z
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Frontier Airlines later this year will offer a new nonstop flight between Dallas and the Gerald R. Ford International Airport as the budget airline aims to grow in “underserved and overpriced” markets.
The Denver-based airline this week announced plans to expand service across various airports in the U.S. and internationally, including Grand Rapids and the Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport.
Starting May 16, nonstop service between Grand Rapids and the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) will be available three times a week.
A Grand Rapids airport spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Keep up with all things West Michigan business. Sign up for our free newsletters today.
Fare for the first available ticket from Dallas to Grand Rapids on May 16 costs $39 one way, according to booking details on Frontier’s website, but the price does not include baggage fees or booking extras.
Frontier Airlines becomes the second airline to fly directly between Grand Rapids and the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, in addition to American Airlines, which is headquartered in Fort Worth.
Frontier also announced new nonstop service between Detroit and Dallas four times a week beginning April 22 and new nonstop service between Detroit and Baltimore/Washington International Airport four times a week beginning April 10.
In addition to the new Michigan flights, Frontier is adding flights to airports across the country and to a few select destinations in Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean.
“This is a massive expansion of our operation from coast to coast and internationally as part of our focus on growing in underserved and overpriced routes,” Josh Flyr, vice president of network and operations design at Frontier Airlines, said in a statement.
Frontier’s service expansion comes after Southwest Airlines in fall of 2023 announced new direct weekend flights between Grand Rapids and Nashville. This service will be effective June 8.
As well, Minnesota-based Sun Country Airlines in 2023 announced plans to begin service at the Grand Rapids airport in June, marking the seventh airline to serve the airport. The airline will initially operate a seasonal route from Grand Rapids to the Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport.
More from Crain’s Grand Rapids Business:
Developer plans 202 apartments in second Holland-area project
Meritage closes Stan’s Tacos downtown Grand Rapids location
Holland Hospital completes leadership transition with new CEO, president
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| 2024-01-27T10:25:55Z
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Kaylee Dillard, Project Manager for Wolverine Building Group has been appointed to the City of Grand Rapids’ Brownfield Redevelopment Authority (BRA). She is honored to have the opportunity to serve with the BRA and help make a positive impact on the City of Grand Rapids. “Going behind the scenes and immersing myself in the brownfield process is going to be exciting,” said Dillard. “I know that redevelopment is essential to a vibrant city, and I can’t wait to watch my hometown grow.”
Jamie Garlock has been named as Special Projects Supervisor, leading the expanding Building Services and Facilities Maintenance team at Wolverine Building Group. The team has encountered rapid growth since 2020, more than doubling their workload in 2023.
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https://www.crainsgrandrapids.com/people-on-the-move/news-from-wolverine-building-group/
| 2024-01-27T10:26:01Z
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A mystery that has dogged materials science for 200 years has finally been solved. A mineral found in many ancient rock formations had stubbornly resisted the efforts of scientists to grow it in the lab, even though they could recreate the conditions they thought formed it in nature. Now, a team has cracked the problem, figuring out how to speedily grow dolomite crystals for the very first time.
Dolomite is a mineral so important, there’s a whole mountain range named after it. As well as these peaks in the Italian Alps, dolomite is abundant in the White Cliffs of Dover, the hoodoos of Utah, and other rocks dating back more than 100 million years. It actually accounts for almost 30 percent of minerals of its type – carbonates – in the Earth’s crust, but it’s notably absent in rocks that formed more recently.
Despite trying to carefully recreate its natural growing conditions, scientists have failed for two centuries to produce dolomite crystals in the lab. To solve the mystery, they had to get back to basics.
“If we understand how dolomite grows in nature, we might learn new strategies to promote the crystal growth of modern technological materials,” said corresponding author Wenhao Sun of the University of Michigan in a statement.
Dolomite crystals are formed over eons of geological time by the buildup of alternating layers of calcium and magnesium. Sounds simple enough, if time-consuming, but there’s a snag. When there’s water around, calcium and magnesium atoms can attach at random to the growth edge of the crystal, often in the wrong place. These defects prevent the alternating layers from forming correctly, which is why it takes so long – 10 million years – to create just one ordered layer of dolomite rock.
Since Sun and the team very much did not have 10 million years to wait, they turned to powerful software to simulate all the possible interactions going on between atoms in a growing dolomite crystal.
“Each atomic step would normally take over 5,000 CPU hours on a supercomputer. Now, we can do the same calculation in 2 milliseconds on a desktop,” said first author Joonsoo Kim.
The team landed on a theory: Perhaps dolomite would grow faster if it were put through cycles where, periodically, there was a lower concentration of calcium and magnesium around. Most crystals will grow well in a supersaturated solution – that is, where their atomic components are present at very high levels. For dolomite, though, this just leads to more defects and slows everything down.
To test the theory, the team consulted with collaborators at Hokkaido University, and an ingenious experiment was devised using a transmission electron microscope.
“Electron microscopes usually use electron beams just to image samples,” explained Yuki Kimura, a professor of materials science at Hokkaido University. “However, the beam can also split water, which makes acid that can cause crystals to dissolve. Usually this is bad for imaging, but in this case, dissolution is exactly what we wanted.”
A tiny crystal of dolomite in a solution of calcium and magnesium was exposed to the electron beam, which was pulsed 4,000 times over a period of two hours, to start to dissolve the crystal. When the beam is switched off, the surrounding solution quickly corrects itself to a more saturated state.
It worked like a charm. After this treatment, the team was elated to observe that the crystal grew by approximately 100 nanometers. That may not sound like a lot, but it represents 300 newly formed layers of dolomite. The most that had ever been achieved in a lab before was five.
The findings also track with what is observed in nature. There are only a few locations where dolomite forms today, but they’re all places with cycles of flooding followed by drier conditions.
Solving the dolomite problem is a big milestone. “This discovery opens the door to investigating the geochemical process that influenced massive dolomite formation in the natural world,” wrote Juan Manuel García-Ruiz, who was not directly involved in the work, in a Perspective accompanying the study.
Not only that, learning how to grow defect-free crystals quickly could have important applications for the manufacture of many vital components of products like semiconductors, solar panels, and batteries.
“In the past, crystal growers who wanted to make materials without defects would try to grow them really slowly,” said Sun. “Our theory shows that you can grow defect-free materials quickly, if you periodically dissolve the defects away during growth.”
The study is published in the journal Science.
An earlier version of this article was published in November 2023.
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https://www.iflscience.com/the-dolomite-problem-involving-mysterious-crystal-formation-has-been-solved-after-two-centuries-72642
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Russian occupying forces dropped explosives from drones on Beryslav, Kherson Oblast, on the morning of 27 January, Kherson Oblast Head Oleksandr Produkin said.
The morning attack killed one person and injured another one. Reportedly, the injured person was hospitalized.
Beryslav is located on the western bank of the Dnipro River in Kherson Oblast, not far from the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant’s bridge, which was destroyed in May 2023. Ukraine’s forces liberated the west bank of the River in November 2022. Since then, Russia has been repeatedly attacking those areas.
Over the past day, the Russian military launched 85 attacks on the Kherson Oblast, destroying residential areas, local governor Oleksandr Produkin said.
Russia fired on the city of Kherson 32 shells, hitting an educational institution. Reportedly, one person was injured.
Read also:
- Russian reconnaissance and sabotage group shot brother, sister in Sumy Oblast
- Russian reconnaissance and sabotage group shot brother, sister in Sumy Oblast
- Russia hit Sloviansk in Donetsk Oblast with Iskander-M missile
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https://euromaidanpress.com/2024/01/27/russian-forces-kill-one-injure-two-over-past-day-in-kherson-oblast/
| 2024-01-27T10:59:10Z
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A Russian reconnaissance and sabotage group shot a brother and a sister from the Khotinska community in Sumy Oblast, the local government reported on 27 January.
The house of the killed Ukrainians is located in the village of Andriivka, which is in a 5-kilometer border zone with Russia, according to the Sumy Oblast Military Administration.
The head of Sumy Oblast, Volodymyr Artiukh, has repeatedly called on civilians in border communities to evacuate from the areas due to constant Russian shelling.
“This evacuation process has been ongoing for several months now. Ukraine has provided evacuation assistance at every stage. Russian terrorists continue to kill civilians. You will save your lives by evacuating dangerous areas,” Artiukh said.
Overnight and on the morning of 27 January, the Russian military fired upon the border areas and settlements of the Sumy Oblast three times.
The Russian forces attacked the Velykopysarivska community and the Bilopilska community in Sumy Oblast with AGS grenade launchers and mortals. In total, 61 explosions were recorded there.
Read also:
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https://euromaidanpress.com/2024/01/27/russian-reconnaissance-and-sabotage-group-shot-brother-sister-in-sumy-oblast/
| 2024-01-27T10:59:50Z
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The Ukrainian-American documentary “Porcelain War” wins the US Grand Jury Prize: Documentary at the independent movie festival Sundance on January 26, according to the festival’s website. This is the seventh movie filmed in Ukraine that was presented at the festival since Ukraine’s first participation in 2020.
The film tells the story of Ukrainian artists Slava, Anya, and Andrey, as they choose to stay behind and fight, contending with the soldiers they have become. Defiantly finding beauty amid destruction, they show that although it’s easy to make people afraid, it’s hard to destroy their passion for living.
Jury citation described the making of this film as the “ultimate pursuit of good” while simultaneously resisting totalitarian aggression and holding on to humanity.
“Porcelain War embodies the passion and fight, that only an artist can put back into the world when it’s crumbling around them”, says the Porcelain War official site.
The documentary was directed by Best Picture Oscar nominee Brendan Bellomo, as well as Ukrainian artist and former soldier of the Ukrainian Special Forces Slava Leontyev.
“I’m so eager to show people my Ukraine, to remind people that the future of the world is in the hands of each of them,” the co-director told on Sundance YouTube.
The Ukrainian-American documentary received praise from critics for its sensitive yet understandable portrayal of the war. Screen Daily called Porcelain War “a personal testament, almost like a moving scrapbook which begins to add memories previously unimagined”. As per The Wrap, the film “doesn’t seem nearly as fragile as Leontyev and Stasenko’s porcelain figures. It’s the audience that’s likely to shatter.”
The film is available for US audiences online through 29 January or in person on 26 January at Holiday Village Cinemas – 2 in Park City, Utah.
Earlier, a Sundance award-winning documentary “20 Days in Mariupol” received an Oscar nomination.
Read more:
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https://euromaidanpress.com/2024/01/27/ukraine-us-documentary-wins-grand-jury-prize-at-sundance-festival/
| 2024-01-27T11:00:30Z
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ASTANA – Kazakh cuisine restaurant Qazaq Gourmet, located in Astana, has been recognized in the prestigious international 50 Best Discovery list, reported the Kazakh Tourism company’s press service.
“Serving refined interpretations of traditional Kazakh cuisine amid a magnificent scarlet and orange-hued dining room replete with domed ceiling, chandeliers and a scattering of historic national costumes and artifacts, Qazaq Gourmet is a feast for the senses,” reads the description of the restaurant on their website.
50 Best Discovery has also spotlighted Qazaq Gourmet’s chef for his culinary expertise, emphasizing the menu influenced by his travels through various regions of Kazakhstan.
“Having made it his mission to preserve the integrity of Kazakhstan’s gastronomic heritage, chef Artem Kantsev has traveled across the country, studying regional varieties and the seasonality of local produce,” it reads.
“Co-author of the book “Gourmet Cuisine of Astana”, Kantsev is known for producing creative dishes – delicate mutton and pumpkin dumplings, lamb with smoked aubergine, dates and Narsharab sauce and a plethora of horsemeat and veal specialities – that challenge diners to see Kazakhstan’s rich culinary legacy in a new light,” added 50 Best Discovery.
50 Best Discovery is a prestigious international platform that curates a collection of restaurants and bars from around the world, selected by experts of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants and The World’s 50 Best Bars awards.
This list is compiled based on recommendations from over 1,000 independent authorities in the field of culinary and bar arts, including chefs, restaurateurs, critics, and connoisseurs. It encompasses a wide range of culinary experiences – from exclusive restaurants to street food, offering gastronomy enthusiasts unique taste experiences and culinary discoveries from various cultures and countries. It is also regularly updated to reflect new gastronomic trends and discoveries.
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https://astanatimes.com/2024/01/astanas-culinary-gem-qazaq-gourmet-lands-spot-on-50-best-discovery-list/
| 2024-01-27T11:24:19Z
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ASTANA – On Jan. 26, the Kazakh government approved a resolution to establish the Caspian Sea Research Institute, developed by the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation, reported the ministry’s press service.
The institute will study environmental issues of the Caspian Sea, the problem of declining water levels, the causes of mass mortalities of seals and fish, and the preservation of the Caspian seal population, marine life, and coastal areas. It will also be engaged in activities to foster close collaboration with other Caspian states.
The institute will provide objective and independent information about the ecosystem of the Caspian Sea. The obtained data will guide the adoption of comprehensive measures by state and local executive bodies. Creating a scientific organization will allow for the fulfillment of international and national obligations to preserve the Caspian Sea.
Minister Nurzhan Nurzhigitov opined that the institute’s inception, put forth by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, will facilitate a comprehensive approach to addressing water-related issues and strengthen international cooperation.
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https://astanatimes.com/2024/01/kazakh-government-to-establish-caspian-sea-research-institute/
| 2024-01-27T11:24:25Z
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ASTANA – The Astana Times has selected articles on Kazakhstan published in international media. This week’s foreign media digest covers Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s meeting with Pope Francis in the Vatican, Almaty’s aport apples, Nasdaq IPO from Kaspi.kz, and more.
Fintech heavyweight Kaspi.kz valued at $17.5 billion in tepid Nasdaq debut
Kaspi.kz was valued at $17.51 billion when its shares debuted 0.5% above their offer price on Friday, a day after the Kazakhstan-based banking and fintech giant fetched $1 billion for its investors in an upsized IPO [Initial Public Offering], reported Reuters on Jan. 20.
Kaspi.kz’s American depositary shares opened at $92.50 each, compared with their IPO price of $92.
Kaspi looks beyond London listing to brighter lights of New York
The boss of $18 billion fintech Kaspi said the U.S. was the “natural home” for an ambitious technology company after it became the latest London-listed group to sell shares in New York in search of higher valuations and better liquidity, reported the Financial Times on Jan. 21.
Kaspi raised just over $1 billion for existing shareholders through an offering on Nasdaq this week, less than three years after it first listed on the London Stock Exchange.
Mikheil Lomtadze, Kaspi chief executive, told the Financial Times that the London listing “was an incredible milestone for us, especially at the beginning of our journey”. But he added that “the U.S. is the market which will give us access to a wider pool of investors and another level of recognition”.
Tajikistan’s foreign policy harps on intense cooperation with Kazakhstan, Rahmon says
The development and strengthening of cooperation with Kazakhstan remains a priority in Tajikistan’s foreign policy, said Emomali Rahmon, President of Tajikistan, as reported by Trend on Jan. 25.
He made the remarks during a meeting with Murat Nurtleu, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan, who arrived in Tajikistan for an official visit.
The meeting covered a wide range of Tajik-Kazakh cooperation issues. The parties expressed satisfaction with the sustained expansion of the strategic partnership between the two countries, elevating their relationship to an alliance level. The remarkable achievements of Tajik-Kazakh relations in the past year were also underscored.
Kazakhstan updates forecast on Middle Corridor-run cargo transit growth
Trend news agency published an article on Jan. 23 about Kazakhstan’s plan to increase the capacity of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR, or Middle Corridor) from 6 to 10 million tons of cargo by 2025.
The relevant statement was made by Kazakh Minister of National Economy, Alibek Kuantyrov, during a panel session at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
As he noted, Kazakhstan is taking additional measures to increase the capacity of the TITR. In particular, new railway lines are being laid, and the infrastructure of ports located on the Caspian Sea (Kuryk, Aktau) is being expanded.
Kazakhstan looks to strengthen position as transit country between Asia, Europe
Kazakhstan hopes to strengthen its position as a transit country between Asia and Europe by strengthening the TITR, through which cargo bypasses Russia, Kazakh Deputy Foreign Minister Roman Vassilenko told EFE in an interview.
Vassilenko informed EFE that “today, the attention of many countries of the world is directed to expanding the capacity of the TITR, which starts in China and passes through the territories of Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Türkiye, and ends in Europe, thus bypassing Russian territory.”
He added that an investment forum will be held in Brussels on the 29th and 30th, where new measures to strengthen TITR will be discussed.
Kazakhstan seeks FAO support in promoting exports of aport apples
The Times of Central Asia reported on Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s meeting with Director General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Qu Dongyu, on Jan. 20 in Rome.
Tokayev and Dongyu attended a presentation of the famous Kazakh aport apples as part of the FAO’s One Country One Priority Product program, the Kazakh Ministry of Agriculture reported.
“Kazakhstan is widely known as the birthplace of apples,” the President said. “Aport apples grow in the vicinity of Almaty, the largest metropolis in our country and my hometown. Translated from Kazakh, ‘Almaty’ means ‘place of abundance of apples.’”
Aport apples are distinguished by their large size, distinct smell, and their succulent nature. One of the main landmarks in Almaty, the first sight to greet visitors to the Kok-Tobe mountain, which looms over the city, is a granite statue of an apple with water gushing from its core.
Kazakhstan’s actions to address nuclear and biological risks
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace announced an upcoming event, which will take place on Jan. 30 in Washington, D.C.
“Please join the Carnegie Endowment and the Council on Strategic Risks for a hybrid panel on Kazakhstan’s increasingly global role in the changing threat landscape of weapons of mass destruction. The discussion will feature Kazakhstan’s Ambassador to the United States of America Yerzhan Ashikbayev, the Honorable Andrew Weber, and Dr. Toghzan Kassenova. It will be moderated by Shannon Green, senior fellow at Council of Strategic Risks,” the release informs.
Upon the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union, Kazakhstan found itself in possession of the world’s fourth-largest nuclear weapons stockpile and the former union’s most significant biological weapons factory. Kazakhstan’s subsequent decision to return and dismantle these weapons has solidified its position as a leader in nuclear and biological risk reduction. For the last thirty years, Kazakhstan’s actions have served as a core model for regional and international security.
Pope Francis meets with President of Kazakhstan
Vatican News published an article on Jan.19 about Pope Francis’ audience with President Tokayev to discuss the importance of “the urgent commitment to promote peace and stability in the world.”
Following his meeting with Pope Francis, the President met with the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, accompanied by the Vatican Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations, Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher.
According to a statement issued by the Holy See Press Office, the discussions were “cordial,” and “appreciation was expressed for the positive bilateral relations between the Holy See and Kazakhstan.”
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https://astanatimes.com/2024/01/news-digest-foreign-media-on-kaspi-kzs-nasdaq-debut-aport-apples-and-more/
| 2024-01-27T11:24:32Z
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TAIPEI - More than 30 Chinese military aircraft were detected around Taiwan in a 24-hour window, Taipei’s defence ministry said on Jan 27, marking the largest show of force around the island since it held crucial elections.
China claims Taiwan as part of its territory, and has never renounced the use of force to try to bring the self-ruled island under its control.
Ahead of Taiwan’s Jan 13 poll, Beijing warned voters that presidential candidate Lai Ching-te – the current vice president whom China has called a “dangerous separatist” – would bring “war and decline” if chosen to lead.
Mr Lai still won the election, securing an unprecedented third term for the Democratic Progressive Party, which has long rejected China’s territorial claim on Taiwan.
In the 24 hours leading up to 6am on Jan 27, the Ministry of National Defence detected 33 Chinese military aircraft and seven naval ships operating around Taiwan, it said in a statement.
Thirteen of the aircraft “crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait”, it said.
Taiwan’s armed forces have “monitored the situation and employed (air patrol) aircraft, Navy vessels, and coastal missile systems in response to the detected activities”.
Two Chinese balloons were also detected crossing the sensitive Taiwan Strait, which separates China from the island.
The show of force also came after a visit by two United States lawmakers to Taipei to meet president-elect Lai and his running mate Hsiao Bi-khim – criticised by Beijing as an “independence duo”.
Mr Lai has in the past been outspoken about the issue – a red line for China – calling himself a “pragmatic worker of Taiwan independence”.
But he has moderated his stance and vowed to follow President Tsai Ing-wen’s path of maintaining the status quo while bolstering the island’s defence capabilities.
Two days after his election, Pacific nation Nauru announced it was switching its diplomatic relations from Taipei to Beijing – reducing Taiwan’s already short list of allies to twelve.
One of them, Tuvalu, is now being closely watched, as its pro-Taiwan prime minister just lost his parliamentary seat, according to election results released on Jan 27. AFP
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https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/taiwan-detects-33-chinese-military-aircraft-around-island
| 2024-01-27T11:29:37Z
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NEW DELHI - A Hindu group said several mosques in India were built over demolished Hindu temples, in a sign it is hardening its stance in a decades-long sectarian dispute, just days after the inauguration of a temple in Ayodhya.
The comments from the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) - the ideological parent of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) - come after Mr Modi and the RSS chief led Monday's consecration of the temple in Ayodhya.
The temple has been built on the site where a 16th-century mosque was demolished by a Hindu mob in 1992.
Since independence from British rule in 1947, the fight over claims to holy sites has divided Hindu-majority India, which has the world's third-largest Muslim population.
Four days after the temple was inaugurated in the northern city of Ayodhya, a lawyer for Hindu petitioners said the Archaeological Survey of India had determined that a 17th century mosque in the Hindu holy city of Varanasi, in Mr Modi's parliamentary constituency, had been built over a destroyed a Hindu temple.
The Archaeological Survey did not respond to a request for comment.
Late on Friday, senior RSS leader Indresh Kumar questioned whether Varanasi's Gyanvapi mosque and three others - including the razed one in Ayodhya on the site where many Hindus believe Lord Ram was born - were mosques at all.
Referring to the sites in Gyanvapi, Ayodhya, one in Uttar Pradesh state and another in Madhya Pradesh, Mr Kumar said: "Whether we should consider them mosques or not, the people of the country and the world should think about it.
“They should stand with the truth, or they should stand with the wrong?”
In the group's first reaction to the Gyanvapi findings, Mr Kumar said, "Accept the truth. Hold dialogues and let the judiciary decide."
Raising questions about the mosques does not mean Hindu groups comprise "an anti-mosque movement", he said. "This is not an anti-Islam movement. This is a movement to seek the truth that should be welcomed by the world."
Muslim groups are disputing the assertions of Hindu groups in court.
Mr Zufar Ahmad Faruqi, chairman of the Sunni Central Waqf Board in Uttar Pradesh, said the group has “confidence in the judiciary, that it will do what is correct”.
He said: "We want to live in harmony and peacefully while protecting the monuments as they are. Nothing political about it - we are in the court and facing it legally."
The Modi-led opening of the Ayodhya temple fulfilled a 35-year-old pledge by the BJP, ahead of a general election due by May.
Mr Modi is expected to win a third straight term, the longest stretch since India's first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru.
The razing of the Ayodhya mosque sparked riots across India that the authorities say killed at least 2,000 people, mostly Muslims. Hindu groups have for decades said Muslim Mughal rulers built monuments and places of worship after destroying ancient Hindu structures.
Indian law bars the conversion of any place of worship and provides for the maintenance of the religious character of places of worship as they existed at the time of independence - except for the Ayodhya shrine. The Supreme Court is hearing challenges to the law.
The court this month halted plans for a survey of another centuries-old mosque in Uttar Pradesh - the country's most populous and politically important state - to determine if it contained Hindu relics and symbols.
Mr Kumar, who is also the chief patron of the group's Muslim wing, said Islamic law requires mosques to be constructed on undisputed land, or the land should be donated by someone who has bought it or the people building the mosque should buy it. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/india-hindu-group-toughens-stance-on-mosque-temple-disputes
| 2024-01-27T11:29:47Z
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Iran on Saturday dismissed three European countries’ condemnation of its launch of the Soraya satellite, saying peaceful technological advancement in the aerospace field was the country’s legitimate right.
France, Germany and Britain on Friday condemned the launch of the Soraya last week using the Ghaem-100 Space Launch Vehicle (SLV).
The SLV uses technology essential for the development of a long-range ballistic missile system, which could also allow Tehran to launch longer-range weapons, the countries said in a joint statement.
“Such interventionist statements,” said foreign ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani in a post on X, “will not make a dent in Iran’s determination to advance in science and technology.”
Iran, he said, “considers the use of peaceful technologies” as its given right.
Last week, the Soraya satellite, which is being developed by the research arm of the civilian Iranian Space Agency, was put into a 750 km (470 mile) orbit, the highest successfully reached by Iran, according to Iranian media.
The 50 kg (110 lb) satellite was launched by the Qaem 100, a three-stage solid-fuel rocket built by the elite military Revolutionary Guards, they said.
Tehran denies U.S. assertions that such activity is a cover for ballistic missile development and says it has never pursued the development of nuclear weapons.
Iran, which has one of the biggest missile programmes in the Middle East, has suffered several failed satellite launches in recent years due to technical issues. REUTERS
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| 2024-01-27T11:29:58Z
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ROME - Italy has decided to suspend financing of the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said on Saturday.
The decision follows allegations that some UNRWA workers were involved in the Oct. 7 attacks in Israel carried out by Palestinian militant group Hamas, though Tajani made no direct reference to those suspicions.
"The Italian government has suspended financing of the UNRWA after the atrocious attack on Israel on October 7," Tajani posted on social media platform X, adding that some of Italy's allies had already taken the same decision. REUTERS
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| 2024-01-27T11:30:08Z
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MANILA – Government troops killed nine members of a pro-Islamic State group in southern Philippines, the military said on Jan 27, including two suspects in a deadly blast at a Roman Catholic mass in Marawi city in December.
Four soldiers were wounded during counter-terrorism operations on Jan 25 and 26 in Lanao del Sur province, the military said in a statement, but all were in stable condition.
The military said those killed were members of Daulah Islamiyah, a militant group with ties to the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria that took control of Marawi in 2017 and held it through five months of ground offensives and air strikes by the military.
Among those killed were the two named suspects in the Dec 3 bombing in a university gymnasium in Marawi that killed at least four people and injured 50 others.
“The precision and unwavering dedication exhibited in this operation… delivered swift and decisive justice for the victims of the despicable attack,” General Romeo Brawner, the military chief, said in a statement.
“This operation sets a clear precedent: The AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) will not tolerate those who endanger the lives and well-being of our people,” Gen Brawner said. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/philippine-troops-kill-9-islamist-militants-including-2-linked-to-catholic-mass-bombing
| 2024-01-27T11:30:19Z
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KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia is looking into extending the stay of giant pandas Xing Xing and Liang Liang at Zoo Negara, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has said.
Datuk Seri Anwar said he will reach out to Chinese President Xi Jinping as soon as both pandas are due to be returned.
“I will take it up with the Chinese government, particularly President Xi Jinping, to see if there is a mechanism to extend the period of the panda staying in Malaysia,” he said.
“Knowing (the) excellent relations between (our) two countries, I am rather optimistic that they will give due consideration to support our proposal,” said Mr Anwar.
He was speaking at Zoo Negara’s 60th anniversary celebration on Jan 27.
Also present were Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Huang Tiong Sii, Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari, Zoo Negara deputy president Rosly Lana and Chinese Ambassador to Malaysia Ouyang Yujing.
When asked about the high maintenance of the two pandas, Mr Anwar said Xing Xing and Liang Liang had become an attraction that many Malaysians look forward to.
“We don’t pay for the pandas, just the maintenance. If we notice, many people come to the zoo to see the pandas because not all Malaysians can afford to go to China to see giant pandas,” he said.
“For some Malaysians, seeing them (the pandas) here is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” he added.
He said that while the pandas require high upkeep, “we are looking at the benefits for zoo visitors”. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
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https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/pm-anwar-to-ask-china-to-allow-pandas-to-stay-longer-in-malaysia
| 2024-01-27T11:30:29Z
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LONDON – British fashion retailer Superdry is to explore a radical restructuring that could include substantial numbers of store closures and job cuts, Sky News reported on Jan 27.
The Sky News report said Superdry and its advisers at PricewaterhouseCoopers are starting work on plans that could lead to a company voluntary arrangement or restructuring plan.
This could be aimed at closing underperforming shops, which would also have an impact on jobs, but there was little indication of how many of the company’s staff and stores might ultimately be affected.
The Gloucestershire-based firm said on Jan 26 its chief financial officer Shaun Wills will step down at the end of March, naming Mr Giles David as its interim CFO, effective on Jan 29.
The fashion retailer reported a wider half-yearly loss as unusual weather curbed sales amid a cost-of-living crisis. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/business/companies-markets/superdry-to-weigh-restructuring-including-store-closures-job-cuts
| 2024-01-27T11:30:39Z
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Catch up on some of the week's top reads. Subscribe to our newsletter here.
LTA to look into how to improve SimplyGo features, user experience
Commuters’ wish to see balances and deductions was misjudged, said Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat.
Schools, businesses and buildings to simulate power, food disruptions for Total Defence exercise
Ready-To-Eat meals and water bags will be distributed as part of an islandwide exercise to test emergency preparedness.
askST: What is far-right extremist ideology and how did a S’porean teen become radicalised?
The self-radicalised teen was in 2022 exposed to violent extremist material online after chancing upon videos by a far-right Internet personality.
More than 400 rental households in Toa Payoh relocated, two blocks to be redeveloped
About half of the households opted to move to rental flats within Toa Payoh, while 22 per cent shifted to new rental flats in nearby Bidadari.
‘Chaotic working’ tops S’pore workplace trends in 2023, survey finds
Moonlighting came in second with 13 per cent, while 12 per cent of respondents reported being a boomerang employee – the third-place trend.
Golden Mile Complex designer Tay Kheng Soon: Don’t be duped by idea of global city
He turned down Mr Lee Kuan Yew's offer to be a People's Action Party candidate and also organised a protest.
Man swam, cycled, ran 9,555km in Singapore to set record for longest triathlon
Do you really need to stretch before and after exercising?
Experts say it depends on the type of workout you are doing as well as your fitness goals.
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https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/this-week-s-top-reads-from-the-straits-times-jan-27-2024
| 2024-01-27T11:30:50Z
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LONDON – As well-kept secrets go, that Liverpool’s hierarchy knew about Jurgen Klopp’s departure since November counts as an all-timer. For the rest of the world, Jan 26’s announcement came as an almighty shock.
Two other surprise resignations of Reds managers rank among the biggest stories of English football in the late 20th century.
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https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/can-the-likes-of-xabi-alonso-fill-jurgen-klopp-s-big-shoes-at-liverpool
| 2024-01-27T11:31:00Z
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MELBOURNE – An authoritative Aryna Sabalenka blew China’s Zheng Qinwen off court on Jan 27 to successfully defend her Australian Open title – the first woman to do so in more than a decade.
The Belarusian world No. 2 proved too powerful for the 12th seed with a 6-3, 6-2 drubbing in 76 minutes to claim her second Grand Slam crown on Rod Laver Arena.
It capped an incredible display of power and poise from Sabalenka over the past fortnight, with the 25-year-old surging to the title without losing a set through her seven matches.
The last time the tournament witnessed a successful women’s title defence was in 2013, when fellow Belarusian Victoria Azarenka achieved the feat.
With her latest exploits, Sabalenka cemented her reputation as one of the game’s most consistent contenders at Grand Slams, reaching at least the semi-finals in her past six Majors, making three finals and winning twice.
In vivid red, she overwhelmed Zheng with her crushing groundstrokes deep into both corners and a consistently reliable serve.
Zheng had reached her first Grand Slam final without meeting a seed after a host of players crashed out early on her side of the draw, and the gulf in class was quickly exposed.
Sabalenka opened with a comfortable serve then got a look at two break points at 15-40 in Zheng’s opening service game when the Chinese star sprayed a backhand wide.
She seized the chance, attacking her opponent’s second serve for the break.
Sabalenka consolidated on serve for 3-0, but only after saving three break points as Zheng’s nerves settled and she worked to get into the contest.
The Chinese star finally got on the board as her serve hit its mark in game four, with two big unreturnable aces and a forehand winner giving her confidence.
But she had few answers to the booming Sabalenka serve, struggling to get the ball back over the net and into any rallies.
Zheng saved three set points with a pair of aces and a winner to hold for 3-5, but it was delaying the inevitable as Sabalenka closed out the set on serve in 33 minutes.
Three double faults, including on break point, immediately put Zheng on the back foot on the second set as the pressure took its toll.
And there was no way back as she conceded another break to slump 4-1 behind when Sabalenka prefectly played a drop shot.
Fighting until the end, Zheng saved four championship points before the second seed closed out the match to bank her 14th career title.
Despite the loss, it has been a breakthrough tournament for Zheng, who will move into the world’s top 10 when the new rankings are released next week.
Sabalenka will remain at No. 2 behind Iga Swiatek, who crashed out in the third round. AFP
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https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/tennis/aryna-sabalenka-beats-zheng-qinwen-to-claim-back-to-back-australian-open-titles
| 2024-01-27T11:31:11Z
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MELBOURNE - Aryna Sabalenka beat China's Zheng Qinwen 6-3 6-2 to retain the Australian Open women's singles title on Saturday.
The Belarusian second seed was the first woman to retain the Melbourne Park title since compatriot Victoria Azarenka in 2013. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/tennis/sabalenka-beats-chinas-zheng-to-retain-australian-open-title
| 2024-01-27T11:31:21Z
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MELBOURNE - Aryna Sabalenka continued to be an irrepressible force at the Australian Open as she powered to a 6-3 6-2 victory over Chinese 12th seed Zheng Qinwen on Saturday to successfully defend her title and add a second Grand Slam trophy to her cabinet.
The Belarusian second seed has barely put a foot wrong at what has turned into her happiest hunting ground as she became the first woman to retain the Melbourne Park crown since compatriot Victoria Azarenka in 2013.
"It's been an amazing couple of weeks and I couldn't imagine myself lifting this trophy one more time," Sabalenka said.
"I want to congratulate you Qinwen on an incredible couple of weeks here in Australia. I know it's really tough to lose in the final but you're such an incredible player.
"You're such a young girl and you're going to make many more finals and you're going to get it."
Sabalenka came into the match without dropping a set at the year's first major and stayed perfect to join Ash Barty, Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova and Lindsay Davenport in the elite club of players to have managed the feat since 2000.
She unleashed monster groundstrokes to grab the final by the scruff of the neck with an early break and thousands of Chinese supporters and millions back home watched Zheng fall behind 3-0.
Sabalenka did not have her nation's flags in the stands due to a ban over her country's role in Russia's invasion of Ukraine but the charismatic 25-year-old has a big Melbourne fan base and she rode the Rod Laver Arena support to take the first set.
Zheng, who had saved four set points, showed she was slowly growing in confidence in her second meeting with Sabalenka by firing up her own big forehand amid the rallying cry of "Jia You" from her compatriots in the crowd.
A clean crosscourt winner earned Sabalenka a break point in the opening game of the second set and Zheng's double fault handed it to her on a platter.
The 21-year-old first-time finalist, bidding to match her idol Li Na - the Melbourne Park champion 10 years ago and first Asian and Chinese player to win a major - saw her hopes fade after two more errors on serve left her 4-1 down.
Sabalenka shrugged of shaky service game to close out the most one-sided final since Azarenka beat Maria Sharapova 6-3 6-0 in 2012 by smashing a forehand winner.
"It's my first final and I'm feeling a little bit pity, but that's how it is," said Zheng. "I feel very complicated because I could have done better than I did in this match." REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/tennis/sabalenka-overpowers-zheng-to-retain-australian-open-crown
| 2024-01-27T11:31:31Z
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MELBOURNE - Factbox on Belarus' Aryna Sabalenka, who beat China's Zheng Qinwen 6-3 6-2 in the Australian Open final on Saturday to win her second Grand Slam title.
ARYNA SABALENKA
Age: 25
Nation: Belarus
WTA Ranking: 2
Seeding: 2
Grand Slam titles: 2 (Australian Open 2023, 2024)
ROAD TO FINAL
First round: beat Ella Seidel (Germany) 6-0 6-1
Second round: beat Brenda Fruhvirtova (Czech Republic) 6-3 6-2
Third round: beat 28-Lesia Tsurenko (Ukraine) 6-0 6-0
Fourth round: beat Amanda Anisimova (U.S.) 6-3 6-2
Quarter-finals: beat 9-Barbora Krejcikova (Czech Republic)6-2 6-3
Semi-finals: beat 4-Coco Gauff (U.S.) 7-6(2) 6-4
Final: beat 12-Zheng Qinwen (China) 6-3 6-2
EARLY LIFE
* Born in Minsk. Began playing tennis at age six.
CAREER TO DATE
* Began her professional career playing on the ITF Circuit in 2012.
* Won three singles titles and one doubles title on ITF Circuit in 2015.
* Played first WTA qualifying event at Rabat in 2016 and played in her first WTA main draw at Dubai the following year. Ended 2017 ranked number 78 for first top-100 finish.
* Won two WTA titles at New Haven and Wuhan in 2018. First Top-20 season finishing ranked 11th.
* Won three WTA singles titles and three doubles titles in 2019, including first Grand Slam doubles title at the U.S. Open with Belgian partner Elise Mertens.
* Won Doha, Ostrava and Linz titles for a joint Tour-leading record in 2020. Climbed one place in the rankings for her first Top-10 season.
* Won Abu Dhabi and Madrid in 2021 and reached the semi-finals at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open.
* Reached the 2022 U.S. Open semi-finals. Qualified for the WTA Finals for the second consecutive year where she defeated the top 3 players of the tournament -- Jessica Pegula, Ons Jabeur and Iga Swiatek -- and finished runner-up losing to Caroline Garcia.
* Won the Australian Open beating Elena Rybakina (Kazakhstan) and reached Wimbledon and French Open semi-finals, finished runner-up at the U.S. Open in 2023 after defeat by Gauff. Also won titles in Adelaide and Madrid.
* Reached career high ranking of number one in September, 2023.
* Won the Australian Open for the second consecutive year, beating Zheng Qinwen. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/tennis/tennis-australian-open-womens-singles-champion-aryna-sabalenka
| 2024-01-27T11:31:42Z
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KUPIANSK, Ukraine - After spending another night on watch duty, a Ukrainian soldier near the country’s northeastern front crashed out on a bunk inside his dugout, a cap resting over his closed eyes.
It is -8 deg C outside, snow crunching underfoot as troops from the 41st Mechanised Brigade shuffle around their trenches, east of the town of Kupiansk.
“It’s hard, but we’re holding on,” said Vadim, a 31-year-old member of the brigade. “We have no choice.”
Nearly two years of unremitting trench warfare have pushed Ukraine’s troops to the brink of exhaustion.
Its army is struggling to find men for the front, in contrast to the outpouring of patriotic volunteers at the start of the war.
Kyiv has kept its losses secret, but the latest US estimates published in August by the New York Times put the death toll at nearly 70,000 and the number of wounded at up to 120,000.
The town of Kupiansk and surrounding Kharkiv region were liberated from Russian occupation in September 2022 following a lightning push by the Ukrainians.
But since the summer, Russian forces have again been on the offensive here without making any major progress.
“They’re constantly carrying out attacks, advancing,” Vadim said.
He said adrenaline got them through the first year, when they “weren’t afraid of anything”.
“But now, we’re simply tired. Because two years in, we haven’t seen the light at the end of the tunnel,” he said.
‘Can’t take it anymore’
President Volodymyr Zelensky warned in December the military wanted to mobilise up to half a million people to battle the 600,000 or so Russians deployed in Ukraine.
But earlier this month, Parliament refused to debate a controversial bill aimed at mobilising more soldiers, amid fierce criticism from the public and lawmakers.
For an army that has been struggling to fill its ranks, let alone reprieve its long-serving frontline troops, this was a painful blow.
“Of course we want demobilisation, because it’s hard. I haven’t seen my family in six months,” said Vadim.
But he added: “It’s not a matter of them giving us 10 days. That wouldn’t be of any use... What kind of rest would that be?“
“If they gave us at least six months off, that would be better,” he said.
Calls to demobilise troops come at a difficult time for the army, which is now facing renewed Russian pressure across the eastern front.
After a year of grinding warfare that has failed to yield major territorial gains on either side, Moscow is throwing more manpower into the conflict and has been upping strikes on Ukrainian positions.
“The intensity of the hostilities aimed at us is now quite high, and there are more wounded than we’d like,” said Oleksandr, a 20-year-old soldier who also refused to give his last name for security reasons.
Oleksandr pointed out that “today, generally speaking, it’s older men who are mobilised”, so there are reserves that can be called up.
“We need mobilisation and we have the means to do it,” he said.
But the patriotic impetus of the early months, when Ukrainians went en masse to the front voluntarily, is no longer there.
“Since the first days of the invasion, we’ve almost always been on the front line...,” said Vadim.
“The guys are tired. Mentally, physically, they can’t take it anymore.” AFP
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/exhausted-by-war-ukraines-frontline-troops-seek-bit-of-rest
| 2024-01-27T11:32:03Z
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BAMAKO - Mali's junta on Friday issued a decree to establish a committee to organise national peace and reconciliation talks, a day after it ended a 2015 peace deal with Tuareg separatist rebels and accused mediator Algeria of interfering in its affairs.
The decision to end the so-called Algiers accord threatens to further destabilise the conflict-torn West African nation.
Algeria, which shares a border with Mali more than 1,300 km long said it could put the entire region at risk.
In an apparent move to establish a new internal peace process, the junta's decree outlined the structure of a committee and the steps it should take to prepare talks. It did not give a timeframe or say which groups it wanted to include in the dialogue.
The Tuareg rebels on Friday acknowledged the termination of the 2015 peace deal but did not mention the new initiative.
Mali, on the Sahara Desert's southern fringe, has been plagued by violence since 2012, when Islamist militants hijacked an uprising by the Tuareg groups who complained of government neglect and sought autonomy for the desert region they call Azawad.
The Tuaregs signed the peace accord with the Bamako government in 2015, but militant groups linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State have gone on to kill thousands of civilians in insurgencies that have spread to neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger.
The Tuareg peace agreement had come under increasing strain since the military consolidated power in two coups in 2020 and 2021, teamed up with Russian military contractor Wagner Group, and kicked out French forces and the U.N. peacekeeping mission.
Fighting between the Malian army and the separatists has escalated again since last August as they have jostled for position during the gradual withdrawal of U.N. peacekeepers. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/mali-junta-eyes-new-peace-talks-after-ending-accord-with-separatists
| 2024-01-27T11:32:13Z
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NEAR RE'IM, Israel - At the site of the bloodiest incident in Hamas' Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel, foreigners and Israelis walk between placards that carry the names and photos of the dead, killed at an open air rave.
Some take videos and pictures on their mobile phones, others weep.
"It's very important to come and see with your own eyes," said Samantha Malcar, from Canada. "You see all these posters of real faces. And you see the destruction. You see these were real people who lost their lives just for coming to a party."
Thousands of young people were partying in the dawn hours of Oct. 7 when the gunmen swept in from Gaza.
According to authorities, 364 people were shot, bludgeoned or burned to death and some were sexually assaulted at the Nova festival in a stretch of tree-dotted brush near Kibbutz Re'im. Around 40 were taken hostage back to Gaza, 5 km (2 miles) away.
Some tourists come on visits organised by civil society groups, others come independently to pay tribute to those killed at the Nova festival.
It was the single most deadly incident in a shock cross-border assault by Hamas in which 1,200 people were killed and 240 were taken hostage.
Israel's subsequent war aimed at eliminating the militant group that rules Gaza has killed more than 26,000 Palestinians, health authorities in the enclave say. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/middle-east/israeli-rave-site-hit-by-hamas-draws-tourists
| 2024-01-27T11:32:23Z
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FULLERTON - A generation of children who learned to write on screens is now going old school.
Starting this year, California grade school students are required to learn cursive handwriting, after the skill had fallen out of fashion in the computer age.
Assembly Bill 446, sponsored by former elementary school teacher Sharon Quirk-Silva and signed into law in October, requires handwriting instruction for the 2.6 million Californians in grades one to six - roughly ages 6 to 12 - and cursive lessons for the "appropriate" grade levels - generally considered to be third grade and above.
Experts say learning cursive improves cognitive development, reading comprehension and fine motor skills, among other benefits. Some educators also find value in teaching children to read historic documents and family letters from generations past.
At Orangethorpe Elementary School in Fullerton, about 50 km southeast of Los Angeles, teacher Pamela Keller said she was already teaching cursive before the law took effect on Jan 1.
Some kids complain about the difficulty, to which Ms Keller, who teaches the fourth to sixth grade, has a ready answer.
"We tell them, well, it's going to make you smarter, it's going to make some connections in your brain, and it's going to help you move to the next level. And then they get excited because students want to be smarter. They want to learn," Ms Keller said.
While teaching a cursive lesson this week, she dished out gentle tips to her students such as "Lighten up a little - do it really gently ... An eraser is our best friend ... That loop is wonderful. I love that loop."
During a recent visit to the school library, Ms Keller said one student grew animated upon seeing an image of the U.S. Constitution, written in 1787, remarking, "It's cursive!"
Several of Keller's students acknowledged the subject was difficult, especially the letter Z, but enjoyed it nonetheless.
"I love it, because I just feel it's fancier to write, and it's fun to learn new letters," said Sophie Guardia, a 9-year-old in the fourth grade.
In teacher Nancy Karcher's class, the reaction from third-graders ranged from "It's fun" and "It's pretty" to "Now I can read my mom's writing" and "It's for my secrets."
As computer keyboards and tablets proliferated, cursive faded. In 2010, the national Common Core education standards were published to help prepare students for college. Cursive was left out.
"They stopped teaching kids how to form any letters at all. Teacher colleges are not preparing teachers to teach handwriting," said Ms Kathleen Wright, founder of the Handwriting Collective, a nonprofit promoting handwriting instruction.
But cursive is making a comeback. California became the 22nd state to require cursive handwriting and the 14th to enact a cursive instruction bill since 2014, according to Ms Lauren Gendill of the National Conference of State Legislatures. Five states have introduced cursive bills so far in 2024.
Ms Leslie Zoroya, project director for reading language arts at the Los Angeles County Office of Education, said research has shown that learning cursive promotes several skills that link together and improve childhood development.
"You're using different neural networks when you're doing cursive rather than printing. And so it's creating those pathways in your brain. It also helps with the retention of information, how letters are formed. As you're creating the letter, you're thinking about the sound that letter makes and how it connects to the next letter," Ms Zoroya said.
Mrs Quirk-Silva said she was inspired to sponsor the bill after a 2016 meeting with the Jesuit-educated former Governor Jerry Brown, who, when he learned the recently re-elected assembly member was a teacher, immediately told her: "You need to bring back cursive writing."
Technically, cursive was still alive. California's standards had cursive writing goals, but Mrs Quirk-Silva said instruction was flagging and inconsistent.
"The hope of the legislation is that by the time students leave sixth grade, they would be able to read and write it," Mrs Quirk-Silva said. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/shunned-in-computer-age-cursive-makes-a-comeback-in-california
| 2024-01-27T11:32:34Z
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NEW YORK – Alaska Airlines gradually resumed flights with its Boeing 737 Max 9 fleet on Jan 26, three weeks after a mid-flight blowout of a panel and emergency landing prompted sweeping inspections of the aircraft, the company said.
The first trip was Flight 1146 from Seattle to San Diego.
The voyage comes after the Federal Aviation Administration on Jan 24 announced a maintenance and inspection programme to clear the Max 9 to resume service.
Alaska Airlines said it expects inspections on its fleet of 65 Max 9 planes to be completed by the end of next week, allowing for a resumption of its schedule.
“Each of our 737-9 Max will return to service only after the rigorous inspections are completed and each plane is deemed airworthy according to FAA requirements,” the company said.
“The individual inspections are expected to take up to 12 hours per aircraft.”
The FAA grounded 171 Max 9 planes with a similar configuration to the one in the Jan 5 incident, in which a door plug blew out mid-flight.
While nobody was seriously injured in the incident, inspectors have said the episode could have been catastrophic.
The grounding resulted in 3,000 Alaska Airlines flight cancellations in January. The company said on Jan 25 that it expects a US$150 million (S$201.2 million) hit from the grounding.
United Airlines, which has the largest fleet of Boeing models affected by the grounding order, said on Jan 25 that the first flight of one of its aircraft is scheduled for Jan 28, but does not rule out an earlier return to service.
The United States Transportation Safety Board, tasked with determining the circumstances surrounding the Jan 5 incident, told AFP on Jan 26 that one of its investigators is due to return to Boeing’s Renton plant in Washington state the same day.
The team of investigators will establish a chronology from the production stages to the in-flight accident, the agency said.
A report on the investigation is expected next week. AFP
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/united-states/alaska-airlines-boeing-737-max-9-resumes-flight
| 2024-01-27T11:32:44Z
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WASHINGTON - Ending months of negotiations, the US government on Jan 27 approved a US$23 billion (S$30.9 billion) deal to sell F-16 warplanes to Turkey, after Ankara ratified Sweden’s Nato membership, the State Department said.
As required by US law, the State Department notified Congress of the agreement, as well as a separate US$8.6 billion sale of 40 F-35s to Greece.
Turkey will get 40 new F-16s and upgrades to 79 of the jets in its existing fleet, the State Department said in a news release.
The United States did not green light the transaction until Turkey’s instruments of ratification of Sweden’s membership had arrived in Washington, a US official said, highlighting the highly sensitive nature of the negotiations.
All instruments of ratification must be deposited in the US capital – a city Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg will visit next week, and which will host a summit in July to mark the 75th anniversary of the trans-Atlantic alliance.
Turkey’s parliament ratified Sweden’s Nato membership on Jan 23 after more than a year of delays that upset Western efforts to show resolve in the face of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan initially objected to Sweden’s Nato bid over Stockholm’s perceived acceptance of Kurdish groups that Ankara views as “terrorist” organisations.
Sweden responded by tightening its anti-terrorism legislation and taking other security steps demanded by Mr Erdogan.
But Mr Erdogan then turned to an unmet US pledge to deliver a batch of F-16 fighter jets that has met resistance in Congress because of Turkey’s perceived backsliding on human rights and standoffs with fellow Nato member Greece.
The powerful chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Democrat Ben Cardin, said on Jan 26 he would permit the F-16 sale to Turkey but that it was “not a decision I came to lightly”.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken led an intense diplomatic effort to broker the deal, telling the Turkish president three times during a trip to Ankara just after the February 2023 earthquake that there would be no planes if Turkey blocked Sweden’s Nato bid, the US official said.
Athens meanwhile strongly opposed the sale due to unresolved territorial disputes with Turkey in the energy-rich Mediterranean region.
The US agreement with Turkey hinged first on Athens not obstructing the sale, and Greece was simultaneously granted more advanced F-35s.
Turkey’s ageing air force would benefit from new F-16s, as it has suffered from Ankara’s expulsion from the US-led F-35 joint strike fighter programme in 2019 over Mr Erdogan’s decision to acquire an advanced Russian missile defence system.
Turkey’s green light of Swedish Nato membership leaves Hungary as the last holdout in an accession process that Sweden and Finland began in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine nearly two years ago.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Jan 23 invited his Swedish counterpart to Budapest to discuss the bid, although hints emerged of strains between the two countries.
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson has said he will meet with Mr Orban, but that he would “not negotiate” with Hungary over Stockholm’s Nato bid.
In Washington, it is thought that the process will take a few more weeks, with hopes of a flag-raising ceremony during the next Nato ministerial in Brussels in April. AFP
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/united-states/washington-approves-sale-of-f-16-warplanes-to-turkey
| 2024-01-27T11:32:55Z
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Gwen Stefani isn't helping to dispel the rumors that her marriage to Blake Shelton is in trouble after she swooned over Dallas Cowboys quarterback, Dak Prescott.
The 54-year-old had some very kind words to say about the NFL star in a video she shared on Instagram on Friday ahead of her performance at the Super Bowl LVIII TikTok Tailgate party.
Gwen gushed over the 30-year-old while admiring his fashion choices – but he wasn't the only NFL player to catch her eye.
Gwen was collaborating with the NFL by judging a handful of players' outfits from the season, and she was especially impressed with Dak when he made an appearance.
"Wow! I'm talking sexy," she exclaimed. "This screams, 'I'm here to win'".
Also getting Gwen's seal of approval were 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey, Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs, and Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.
Gwen was also impressed with Cowboys wide receiver Ceedee Lamb, 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel, Lions' defensive end Aiden Hutchinson, and the Ravens' wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.
You can hear what she had to say about each of them in the video below.
Gwen's fans loved her commentary, with one replying: "I didn't know I needed Gwen rating NFL fashion, but I do!"
A second said: "This was a delight to watch," and a third added: "I'm here for this Gwen Stefani x NFL best dress content."
It was announced earlier this month that Gwen is the marquee performer for the Super Bowl LVIII TikTok Tailgate, the ultimate pregame party before the big game on February 11.
"We all know how massive of an event Super Bowl is, and I am so honored I get to be a part of it and perform at the Super Bowl TikTok Tailgate," she said in a statement.
Her video comes amid continued speculation that she and her husband of almost three years have been struggling with their marriage due to them spending significant amounts of time apart over the last few months.
Just recently, Blake made a solo appearance in Nashville at CMT Giants: Alabama, a tribute to country group Alabama, while Gwen stayed behind in Los Angeles.
They also celebrated New Year's Eve in different time zones, with Gwen attending an event in Las Vegas, Nevada, while Blake was performing at WinStar World Casino and Resort near the Oklahoma–Texas state line.
However, on January 12, they attempted to silence the rumors by putting on a united front when Gwen was inducted into Orange County's first-ever Hall of Fame.
Sharing a behind-the-scenes video from the event, it was revealed that Blake was right by his wife's side to support her big moment.
The clip showed the couple walking hand-in-hand as they made their way to an auditorium, with the singer turning around to smile for the camera as she gripped her husband tightly.
Being the perfect gentleman, Blake held a door open for Gwen, before escorting her into the room while placing a protective hand across her back.
However, eyebrows were raised again when just a few days later, she failed to show any public support for the opening of his latest business venture, Ole Red Las Vegas.
The couple married at Blake's 1,300-acre Oklahoma ranch on July 3, 2021, after falling in love while working on The Voice together in 2014.
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/brides/512175/gwen-stefani-calls-dallas-cowboys-qb-dak-prescott-sexy-amid-marriage-trouble-claims/
| 2024-01-27T12:08:42Z
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Stacey Dooley and her baby girl Minnie are two peas in a pod. The 36-year-old has confessed on countless occasions that the two are inseparable.
On Friday, her mini-me was the image of her TV star mum in a sweet new photo from inside their family home. The one-year-old's vibrant red locks were on full display as she settled in to watch the Traitor's final.
Minnie was certainly in the spirit of the programme donning a red chequered skirt and cream knitted jumper which she paired with white socks. She also had her toy Paddington next to her.
"It's giving, perfect Traitors final outfit. Styled by @sineadmckeefry [emojis]," penned the mother of one. Sinead, who was tagged in the photo is host Claudia Winkleman's stylist on the show.
Little Minnie was facing away from the camera giving fans a full glimpse of Stacey's cosy brown sofa. Over the back of the sofa was a faux sheepskin rug.
The sweet snap comes just days after Stacey, Minnie, and her dad, Kevin Clifton marked the infant's first birthday with a beautiful party.
Stacey shared several fabulous photos from Minnie's pink-themed celebrations on Instagram. The first showed off the towering hot pink three-tiered birthday cake Minnie had which was adorned with white icing and emblazoned with the words: "MINNIE IS ONE".
The cake was surrounded by a slew of other delicious-looking dishes including two raspberry pavlovas which also featured large pink icing bows. Also on the table was a dish filled with focaccia bread, spaghetti, tomato and mozzarella salad, and cheese-topped aubergine.
"Spent the entire weekend celebrating our baby g [pink love heart emoji]. My best best little pal is ONE. To all our dearest pals and fam who made such an effort…what can I say? We are v v lucky. So touched. Kev, first year? COMPLETED IT MAAAAATE," Stacey penned in the caption.
Another image gave fans a glimpse at the chic party decorations. The photo showed pale pink, metallic grey, and pearly white balloons covering the ceiling in their living room.
For the adults, Stacey added elegant rose-hued velvet ribbons to the stems of prosecco glasses which were placed on her wooden table next to a magnum of prosecco - just stunning!
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/celebrities/512173/stacey-dooley-minnie-red-hair-photo-family-home/
| 2024-01-27T12:08:48Z
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While dating apps may have made it easier to meet people, they've brought a whole host of complications with them - even Drew Barrymore has encountered obstacles after revealing she was once catfished on an app.
The 50 First Dates star spoke out on her talk show about her experiences online dating, and how one person had tried to lie about their identity while trying to seduce her.
"This guy on my dating app said he was the quarterback for the Los Angeles Rams," she explained on her eponymous talk show as she revealed she quickly swiped right on the potential suitor to make her move.
"So I wrote to him and I was like, ‘Oh my god, I went to the first practice game. I was so frustrated being a girl from Los Angeles who loves football and we didn't have any teams, and then I moved away to New York and then we got two teams and—it's nice to meet you, my name is Drew.'"
Drew swiftly realized that she had been lied to. "He was not the quarterback for the L.A. Rams," she explained. "He's a musician that thought he was being cute."
Disappointed, Drew carried on that the man dared to call her 'Drewski'.
She said: "The guy was like, ‘Hey Drewski, and I was like, ‘I hate you. You pithy, deceiving, playful—you've made me feel stupid. I don't know who you are. I feel so dumb. Why did we have to get off on this foot? I hate you!'"
Drew took to the audience to settle the issue, asking how she should feel about the awkward encounter. Many people completely understood her disappointment, with her co-host Ross Matthews explaining, "You should feel lied to - robbed."
He added his disappointment: "I had a fantasy that you're like the new Taylor Swift and you'd be at the games, right?"
But for Drew, it was nothing to do with finding a man like Travis Kelce. Although she admitted that she had taken inspiration from Taylor Swift when it came to dating again.
"She just went on a date," Drew said of the songstress back in October. "It made me think I could just go out on a date."
The Never Been Kissed star shares two daughters with ex-husband Will Kopelman, and revealed recently that it hadn't been easy raising her daughters, as she shared the tip that got her "the best results I've ever gotten in my parenting" while dealing with her daughter's tantrums.
Drew learned to "walk in the room and just say, 'I understand we're having a moment. I'm here on the other side of this door for you, waiting. When you are ready, I am here.'"
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/celebrities/512177/drew-barrymore-opens-up-being-catfished-dating-app-it-made-me-feel-stupid/
| 2024-01-27T12:08:54Z
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Nicole Kidman is one to watch on the red carpet and has been since the beginning of her career. Not only has the Expats star, 56, maintained an impressive long-standing status in Hollywood, she has continued to wow in the sartorial stakes with an array of showstopping looks.
90s style has had a real resurgence in recent times with so many dusting off the leather jackets and denim midi skirts at the backs of their wardrobes. Unearthing some of Nicole's earliest red carpet looks shows how timeless the aesthetic was and there are even hairstyles that she rocked then that work now (curly updo worn to the 1997 Golden Globe Awards and 2023 Expats screening, we're looking at you).
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Walk back in time with us as we revisit some of the Big Little Lies star's best early red carpet looks. Spoiler…prepare to see a lot of her ex-husband Tom Cruise.
1991
In 1991 Nicole attended the 63rd Annual Academy Awards with her then-husband Tom Cruise a year after they got married. She looked stunning in a classic LBD in velvet with long sleeves that had an unusual neckline that started square and then scooped down in a rounded silhouette. It also had tassel detailing around the waist and wrists. A then-29-year-old Tom Cruise looked dapper in black tie.
1992
The Moulin Rouge actress stepped out in 1992 for the Strictly Ballroom premiere in an incredible power suit that we are sure Princess Diana would have adored. The navy two-piece featured a slim-fit blazer jacket with double-breasted buttons down the front and a coordinating pencil skirt which she styled with sheer stockings and navy suede kitten heels.
1993
In 1993 the Aquaman star attended the Los Angeles premiere of My Life and she couldn't have gotten more classically 90s in her aesthetic if she tried. Nicole rocked a burgundy velvet mini dress with appliqué satin flowers around the off-the-shoulder neckline. She paired it with black stockings, kitten heels and wore her hair naturally curly.
1994
The star of The Undoing arrived at the Frankenstein Los Angeles premiere in 1994 in another black dress moment but opted for a floor-grazing garment and a vampy deep red lip that epitomized the makeup trend of the era. Tom Cruise looked starkly different from his 1991 black tie look when he stepped out with long hair and a goatee.
1995
Nicole looked sensational when she pulled out all the stops at the Batman Forever Los Angeles premiere in 1995. The actress dazzled in a strapless bodycon midi dress covered in silver sparkles with coordinating sparkly peep-toe heels. Her hair was worn curly but in looser curls than those worn earlier in the decade.
1997
To attend the 54th Annual Golden Globe Awards in 1997, Nicole scooped all of her curls up and piled them on top of her head. She stood beside Tom wearing a figure-skimming dress with capped sleeves and a sheer mesh panel around the neckline. An ultra-trendy sparkly choker completed the look.
1998
In 1998 Nicole decided it was time to ditch the LBD energy and opted for an angelic white slip dress at the Artists Rights Foundation Honors. The strappy number featured a panel of metallic silver lace over the bodice and she rocked a trendy frosty grey eyeshadow look.
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/fashion/celebrity-style/512176/nicole-kidman-unearthed-first-red-carpet-photos-looks-same/
| 2024-01-27T12:09:00Z
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Duchess Sophie of Edinburgh is a member of the royal household that so many love to follow sartorially speaking. The Duchess, 59, dresses to impress at every public outing and historic event and it is becoming increasingly clear that her daughter, Lady Louise, 20, plans to take after her mother in her classically elegant dress sense.
In fact, taking after her mother doesn't just mean channeling her sophisticated energy. The young royal has also had bespoke pieces made by her mother's go-to handbag designer, Sophie Habsburg.
So many of Duchess Sophie's handbags over the years have been designed by Sophie Habsburg who happens to move in royal circles as the wife of the Italian Prince Mariano Hugo of Windisch-Graetz and has the fashionista holds the title of the Archduchess of Austria.
Sometimes the royal mother-daughter duo go one step further and don matching handbags. Their coordinating accessories at the National Service of Thanksgiving during the late Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations in 2022 spring to mind.
But that wasn't the first time Louise took style inspiration from her mum, and we are sure it won't be the last.
In an exclusive interview for HELLO!'s Royal Club, Sophie Habsburg told us: "I actually made a bag for Louise with her name on it too when she was much younger. And she probably steals from her mother whenever she needs to. Like my daughter does with me!".
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Take a look at five occasions when Lady Louise channeled her mother's elegant energy.
Blue and white florals
Sophie attended a performance of 'Orb and Sceptre' at The Household Division's Beating Retreat Military Musical Spectacular during at Horse Guards Parade last July in a beautiful white and light blue floral midi dress with long sleeves and a cinched waist. Her daughter channeled the same energy when she was seen at King Charles' coronation last May in a similar dress with the same hues but with a high neck and a fascinator to accessorise.
Khaki with a feathered hat
The young royal sported a feathered hat and khaki dress coat when she took part in the Champagne Laurent-Perrier Meet of The British Driving Society on day four of the Royal Windsor Horse Show in Home Park, Windsor Castle in 2022. Her mother rocked a similar country chic aesthetic for the Christmas Day service at Sandringham.
Florals and fascinators
The royal duo stepped out together for the Easter Sunday service at St George's Chapel in 2019 in coordinating florals and fascinators. Though both were seen in a black printed dress, Sophie opted for a longer style with bare legs and nude heels, whilst her daughter went for a shorter option with black tights and heels.
Soft neutrals
The royal and her daughter opted for soft blush hues when they stepped out together for the late Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations in 2022. Whilst Sophie sported a soft pink metallic dress with fluted sleeves and a coordinating fascinator, Louise was so elegant in a cream dress with matching sleeves, an embellished headband to coordinate with Sophie's dress, and of course, that matching clutch bag.
Coral and cream
Sophie and Louise were photographed alongside Prince Edward and James, Earl of Wessex at the Sandwell Aquatics Centre during the 2022 Commonwealth Games and both decided coral and cream printed numbers were the order of the day. The Duchess paired white trousers with a coral and cream top with bell sleeves whilst Louise used the colour palette in a printed skirt and white blouse ensemble.
Sophie Habsburg's interview first appeared on The HELLO! Royal Club on Substack. To read the full interview, sign up to become a member of our club – a place where we deliver the best in royal journalism without the adverts.More information can be found here and to subscribe, click here.
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/fashion/royal-style/512172/lady-louise-windsor-sentimental-accessory-inspired-mother-duchess-sophie/
| 2024-01-27T12:09:06Z
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Princess Charlene and Prince Albert stepped out with their children Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella to take part in the traditional festivities of Sainte Devote at Monaco Cathedral on Friday evening.
The Princess looked elegant in an Emilia Wickstead white double-breasted longline coat, teamed with a pair of black trousers, a knitted scarf, a pair of heeled boots and black leather gloves.
The Monaco royals share nine-year-old twins, Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella. Charlene's daughter looked just like her mum for the occasion, wearing a Burberry wool coat with the designer label's signature checked print, teamed with black jeans that were tucked into her brown knee-length leather boots.
The family resemblance didn't end there, as Prince Jacques channeled his father wearing a similar black longline coat, smart black shoes, and a cosy neck scarf.
A series of official photographs of the family were shared on the Palais Princier de Monaco's Instagram account, with a caption that translated as: "On Friday, January 26, the princely family attended the ceremony of the Salvation of the Most Holy Sacrament, presided by H.E Mgr Dominique-Marie David in the Chuch Sainte-Davote."
"After the religious celebration, LL. AA. SS. Prince Albert II, Princess Charlene, Hereditary Prince James and Princess Gabriella kiss the symbolic boat."
On Thursday, the family-of-four stepped out to celebrate Princess Charlene's 46th birthday.
Attending the Condamine Market, the royals were welcomed with a six-tiered cake to mark the special occasion.
The royals were pictured admiring the incredible cake, which was draped in white and gold icing, and decorated with red ribbons and delicate gold butterflies.
Perfectly coordinated once again, the royal wore a grey fleece jumper with a matching grey scarf and a quilted brown gilet, while Princess Gabriella looked adorable in grey turtleneck knitwear and a brown tailored coat.
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/fashion/royal-style/512174/princess-charlene-form-fitting-coat-family-outing-with-prince-albert/
| 2024-01-27T12:09:12Z
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Meghan Markle had royal fans swooning over her cropped Celine bouclé jacket when she wore the tweed style to the Invictus Games in the Netherlands – and I'm still not over the off-duty look.
One of Meghan's most stylish looks to date, the Duchess looked effortless in the jacket teamed with a white ribbed top, a pair of turned-up washed jeans, her go-to Chanel ballet flats and a Celine chain strap bag.
Bouclé jackets are trending more than ever right now, and everyone from Sofia Ritchie to Frankie Bridge has been sporting the 'old money' craze with their elegant tweed styles.
Plenty of retailers are stocking their own versions of the bouclé jackets for the new season including M&S, Reformation and River Island. One that stood out for me during my most recent shopping trip though was Mango's Pocket Tweed Jacket, due to its striking resemblance to Meghan's designer number.
While Meghan's Celine jacket came with a hefty price tag of around $4,000, Mango's lookalike version currently retails at £79.99/$129.99. Made with tweed fabric, it features a cropped fit, a crew neckline and patch front pockets, complete with metallic buttons that give it a luxe finish. It's available in sizes XXS-4XL, and it also comes in cream and khaki colourways.
I tracked down the Mango jacket to try it on for myself, and I chose to channel Meghan by styling the bouclé piece with a pair of jeans and a white top. Described on the website as having a "frayed finish", I worried that the detailing would cheapen the smart style, but I was pleasantly surprised with how expensive it looked for the price point.
I'm typically a size 10, so I opted for a medium and it felt spot on. The tailored fit made the jacket feel perfect for work or formal wear, while the metallic buttons gave it a high-end feel. The tailored silhouette is a dead-ringer for the Duchess' designer label, with the main difference between the two designs being the gold buttoned detailing on the cuffs of the Celine version.
Meghan's on-point fashion sense left me confident that the lookalike would work well with washed denim and pumps and I was right, so if I was purchasing the jacket I'd keep it simple with a similar style.
For an on-trend work outfit, you could complete the look with a pair of black wide-leg trousers and loafers, and we've seen plenty of the fashion girls throwing their bouclé jackets over white mini dresses, so it's definitely a piece that you'll want to repeat wear in multiple ways.
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/shopping/512132/meghan-markle-cropped-boucle-jacket/
| 2024-01-27T12:09:18Z
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SINGAPORE – A new four-year study aims to help women who have had diabetes while pregnant cut their risk of developing Type 2 diabetes later in life, by studying health factors such as mental well-being and sleep.
The study will assess the efficacy of a digital intervention, which focuses on diet, physical activity, sleep and mental well-being, on the glucose regulation of 400 women between the ages of 21 to 45 who previously had gestational diabetes.
The study is led by the Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences (SICS) at the Agency for Science, Technology and Research, in collaboration with the National University of Singapore’s (NUS) Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine and the Singapore-ETH Centre.
A pregnant woman can develop gestational diabetes when her body does not produce enough insulin or does not use insulin effectively due to hormonal changes. The Growing Up in Singapore Towards Healthy Outcomes or Gusto study published in 2021 found that one in five expectant mothers in Singapore has gestational diabetes. These women are 12 times more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes within four to six years after giving birth.
Type 2 diabetes is a long-term medical condition in which one’s body does not use insulin properly, and those at risk of it include those who are aged 45 and older, who have a family history of diabetes or are overweight.
Professor Johan Eriksson, the lead researcher of the study, said there are many reasons women who have gestational diabetes have a higher risk of Type 2 diabetes. One is increased weight gain during pregnancy, and another is that both disorders share a large number of genetic risk factors.
Lifestyle modifications like improving dietary intake and mental well-being and more physical activity can prevent or delay the onset of Type 2 diabetes, but limited studies have been conducted with Asian populations.
Unlike other diabetes studies that looked only at physical activity and diet, the upcoming study also seeks to prompt women to take steps to improve their sleep and mental well-being, to determine if these changes reduce their risk of Type 2 diabetes.
Prof Eriksson pointed out that diabetes and depression are closely linked, and that those with Type 2 diabetes have a twofold to threefold higher risk of depression and anxiety.
“But it’s a chicken-and-egg paradox, and which comes first? It’s not really known. But there have been studies showing that if you treat depression in an individual at risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, the risk of developing it is lower. And if you treat depression in an individual with Type 2 diabetes, you get better glycemic control (that is, appropriate levels of blood sugar concentration),” said Prof Eriksson.
Why the two conditions are linked is unclear, he said, but theories include depressed people having less motivation to eat healthily and exercise, and high levels of stress hormones making the body less sensitive to insulin.
Too little or too much sleep has been linked to a higher likelihood of developing Type 2 diabetes.
Study participants will wear a digital ring tracker to accurately measure their sleep or wake states for eight weeks.
The researchers are hoping to recruit 400 Chinese, Malay or Indian women between the ages of 21 and 45 who had gestational diabetes in the past decade, but have no current or past major health conditions, and are currently not expecting.
They will have to install the Happy app on their personal smartphones. “Happy” stands for “Harnessing human potential and improving health span in women and their children study”, which is the name of the study.
Developed by SICS, the Happy app will allow participants to track their health data such as body mass index, blood pressure, and records of their diabetes screening test reports. It will also provide health tips from the Health Promotion Board and HealthHub.
For the first six months, half of the participants will be in an intervention group and will use an app called LvL Up, a smartphone-based chatbot that provides personalised lifestyle coaching to guide participants in attaining specific goals.
These goals include cultivating healthier eating habits, increasing physical activity, and enhancing mental wellness. The app offers other features such as tips and suggestions on breathing exercises, steps tracking, diet logs and journaling tools.
Lvl Up was created by the Singapore-ETH Centre in collaboration with Nanyang Technological University and NUS, and some prompts include how to manage stressful situations, and not to use a smartphone before bedtime.
All participants will undergo a set of laboratory tests like blood tests to assess their glucose and lipid levels, full blood count and liver enzymes, and questionnaires assessing their own and their child’s physical activity, diet, sleep and mental well-being. All participants will also have regular diabetes screening from the second to the fourth years.
As a secondary goal, the study will also look at whether the LvL lifestyle app will have a positive impact on the participants’ children.
Children born to mothers with gestational diabetes face an increased risk of obesity and diabetes, and it is believed that a healthy lifestyle among the women will influence the lifestyle of the whole family, said Prof Eriksson.
Prof Eriksson said he hopes that if the LvL Up app is proven to work, then the chatbot can be deployed in the healthcare system to prevent Type 2 diabetes in high-risk groups.
“(Healthcare workers) don’t have resources to engage high-risk individuals on a one-on-one basis, so if the app works, we could employ it in the system... and it is a straightforward way (of managing diabetes risk).”
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https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/new-study-to-cut-type-2-diabetes-risk-in-mums-to-look-at-mental-well-being-and-sleep
| 2024-01-27T13:01:39Z
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DOHA - Australia may have the easiest Asian Cup last 16 game on paper when they take on Indonesia, who scraped through to the knockout stages, but coach Graham Arnold said on Saturday that the south-east Asian team would be a hard nut to crack.
Indonesia were the last team to qualify as one of the four best third-placed teams, moving into the knockout stage on three points to earn a match-up against Group B toppers Australia.
Indonesia are also the lowest-ranked team in the knockouts -- 121 rungs below their opponents -- but Arnold is wary of the fact that they have foreign-born players who were naturalised as the team qualified for the Asian Cup for the first time in 17 years.
"There are a lot of new faces in the Indonesian team and a lot of them foreigners, some Spaniards have played for them. But at the end of the day, that's how Asia is growing and the Asian tournament is getting harder and harder," Arnold said.
"Playing Indonesia is not a David v Goliath battle, it's two teams that will go out there and give it their best. They've shown in this competition so far how strong they are against Japan and Iraq, and obviously with their win over Vietnam.
"Mentality is the most important thing, the mindset and the Aussie DNA. The Aussie way is we fight till we drop."
Arnold's team did enough to reach the last 16 but questions remain over their lack of out and out goal scorers, which the 60-year-old put down to rebuilding the squad.
"That's down to the fact that we've moved on with players. We've only got 12 players here that were at the World Cup. Some retired, some are injured, some have moved on," Arnold said.
"You've got to regenerate the squad all the time otherwise nothing will change... You can't just sit still and think that players are always going to be there.
"Regenerating the squad is also important and bringing those kids in to give them an opportunity is crucial."
With extra-time and penalties potentially coming into play in the knockout stage, Australian forward Craig Goodwin said the squad have been practicing for such a scenario.
"I hope that it doesn't come to that point, but my advice to any player that's stepping up will be to go up there with confidence," he said.
"We have a lot of young players that have a lot of confidence and who do take penalties at their club as well. Penalties aren't for everyone and they're definitely a nervous thing to do, especially in a big game.
"But it's about having that thought process that you're going to be the one to score the goal to put the nation through rather than thinking that you're going to miss." REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/football/australia-v-indonesia-is-no-david-v-goliath-battle-says-coach-arnold
| 2024-01-27T13:01:50Z
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Left-back Alejandro Balde will undergo surgery after injuring his hamstring in Wednesday's Copa del Rey quarter-final at Athletic Bilbao, Barcelona said on Saturday.
The Spain international had to leave the field after 22 minutes as Barcelona exited the tournament with a 4-2 loss after extra time.
"Tests show that first team player Alejandro Balde has an injury to the tendon in his right hamstring," Barcelona said in a statement, adding: "He will undergo a surgical procedure at the hands of Dr. Lasse Lempainen, under the supervision of the club's medical staff, in Turku, Finland."
Balde, 20, has made 18 league appearances for Barcelona this season. The club sit third in the table, eight points behind leaders Girona.
Barcelona host 14th-placed Villareal on Saturday. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/football/barcelonas-balde-to-have-surgery-after-hamstring-injury-at-bilbao
| 2024-01-27T13:02:00Z
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Olympique Lyonnais have signed Serbian midfielder Nemanja Matic from Stade Rennais, the Ligue 1 club announced on Saturday.
The 35-year-old has signed a contract with Lyon until June 2026, in a deal worth 2.6 million euros ($2.8 million).
Matic had two spells with Chelsea, where he won two Premier League titles, and also played for Manchester United and AS Roma before moving to Stade Rennais on a two-year contract in August 2023.
He missed training earlier this month which saw the club issue a statement criticising him. Matic said in reply that he had been dealing with enrolling his children in school.
Lyon are 16th in Ligue 1 after their 3-2 loss at home to Stade Rennais on Friday. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/football/lyon-sign-matic-from-stade-rennais
| 2024-01-27T13:02:10Z
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South Africa’s director of rugby Rassie Erasmus has been admitted to hospital after a freak accident left him with chemical burns, but he is expected to be back at work next month, officials confirmed on Saturday.
Erasmus, who has masterminded back-to-back Rugby World Cup wins for the Springboks, has undergone treatment but is not in any long-term danger.
"Rassie Erasmus is recovering in hospital following a medical procedure for chemical burns sustained in a freak accident using a powerful detergent product," South African Rugby said in a statement on Saturday.
"He is otherwise in good health and expects to return to full-time working within weeks."
Erasmus is expected to take over the head coach role again in the next cycle to the 2027 World Cup in Australia after Jacques Nienaber vacated the position when he left for Irish club Leinster following last year’s triumph in France.
Erasmus was coach when the Boks won the tournament in Japan in 2019. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/s-africa-director-of-rugby-erasmus-in-hospital-after-accident
| 2024-01-27T13:02:21Z
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MELBOURNE – Aryna Sabalenka won a second Grand Slam title at the Australian Open on Jan 27 by marrying her undoubted tennis prowess with a more relaxed mentality and the discipline to stick with her strategy.
Following her breakthrough at Melbourne Park in 2023 to clinch a first Slam, the powerful 25-year-old Belarusian again demonstrated she has what it takes to come out on top, beating Chinese 12th seed Zheng Qinwen 6-3, 6-2.
The emphatic win removed her fear of being a one-hit wonder – a fate that has befallen many of her contemporaries since the dominant era of Serena Williams.
In doing so, she also became the first female player to mount a successful title defence at Melbourne Park since compatriot Victoria Azarenka in 2013.
“I think my mindset is that I’m not getting crazy on court, I’m not rushing things,” said the world No. 2.
“You know, I’m just playing point by point, and fighting for every point without over-thinking about my dreams, about what I want to do, about how many Slams I want to win and all that stuff.
“I was able to separate myself from that kind of mentality and just start focusing on myself and focusing on things I can improve... and what I actually have to do to win every match I play.”
Her breakthrough in Melbourne last season, which she followed up by making the semi-finals at the French Open and at Wimbledon before reaching the final of the US Open, is in stark contrast to her performance two years ago.
At the 2022 Australian Open, Sabalenka’s serve was in pieces and she was having to scrape through fraught battles as her fragile emotions were laid painfully bare.
The dramatic change has been a reward for hard work with her coaches and a sports psychologist, which has given her a zen-like peace while she has lost none of her fierce competitive instincts.
“A big part is just seeing how, regardless of how she’s feeling or what’s happening, she’s having more and more discipline to stick with what the plan is, the strategy,” her physical trainer Jason Stacy said ahead of the final.
“She’s trusting herself and understanding what she’s doing a bit better.
“I think seeing that, no matter how the match is going... she’s just having the discipline just to be grounded where she is in the moment and just do the next step.”
The belief in that strategy allows Sabalenka to dig herself out of sticky situations, not that she faced many over the past two weeks during a dominant run to the title.
Wearing a striking red dress on the blue courts, she did not drop a single set and was only once taken to tiebreak, by US Open champion Coco Gauff in the semi-finals.
She has attributed her consistency over the past year to being “more mature, older, whatever you want to call it”.
The Belarusian, who has been locked in a battle with Iga Swiatek for the world No. 1 slot, feels so in control now that she has dispensed with her sports psychologist.
“When you’re working with a psychologist... at some point you start expecting somebody to help you. You’re not fixing your problems by yourself,” she said.
“I just decided I need to figure out by myself how to start to control myself better.
“And I think that decision was the biggest decision for me and I started taking responsibility for everything I’m doing, and it’s really helped me to become more controlled on court.” AFP
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https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/tennis/mature-aryna-sabalenka-seizing-control-of-her-destiny
| 2024-01-27T13:02:31Z
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MELBOURNE - Aryna Sabalenka paid special tribute to her team of coaches after retaining the Australian Open title in emphatic style to win her second Grand Slam title on Saturday.
The Belarusian became the first woman since her compatriot Victoria Azarenka in 2013 to retain the title after pummelling China's Zheng Qinwen 6-3 6-2 on Rod Laver Arena.
The manner of her romp to the title without giving up a set will send out a warning to her rivals that the days when her on-court meltdowns threatened to undermine her undoubted talent are long gone.
Her more relaxed attitude has been reflected in her new pre-match ritual at this tournament - signing the bald head of her performance coach in marker pen.
"I think it's the biggest improvement in my game, my mindset, I'm more calm on court now and more in control," she said.
"And no matter what happened, I know that I'm gonna try my best on each point."
Sabalenka jokingly put the blame on her team after she was thrashed in the final of the Brisbane International warm-up tournament three weeks ago and turned to them again with trophy in hand.
"It's been an amazing couple of weeks and I couldn't imagine myself lifting this trophy one more time. It's an unbelievable feeling right now," the 25-year-old said.
"As always my speech is going to be weird. It's not my superpower, but I'll try my best," she added with a laugh.
"Team. Wow. You see guys, I put a little bit of pressure on them after the Brisbane final and we did a little bit better in this one.
"But yeah, thank you so much for being by my side no matter what. Without you, I wouldn't be able to achieve so much in this sport. I mean, without me you wouldn't be that good as well. Let's accept that."
Sabalenka also had some words for her family and for Zheng, a first-time Grand Slam finalist at the age of 21.
"I want to congratulate you Qinwen on an incredible couple of weeks here in Australia," she said.
"I know it's really tough to lose in the final but you're such an incredible player. You're such a young girl and you're gonna make many more finals and you're gonna get it."
Zheng, who was cheered on by thousands of compatriots on Rod Laver Arena and millions more back home as she sought to match her idol Li Na in winning the Melbourne Park title, was downcast.
"I feel very complicated because I could have done better than I did in this match," she said.
"This was an amazing memory for me. I'm sure there's going to be more and better in the future." REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/tennis/sabalenka-hails-team-after-second-australian-open-crown
| 2024-01-27T13:02:42Z
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DOHA/GAZA - Israel pressed ahead on Saturday with its campaign against Hamas in Gaza's Khan Younis, as bad weather hit displaced Palestinians seeking refuge further north in the battered enclave.
Residents reported heavy aerial and tank fire across Khan Younis, an area of southern Gaza that has become the focus of Israel's ground offensive against Hamas, and around two main hospitals there.
Hamas said its fighters fired an anti-tank missile against an Israeli tank in southwest Khan Younis.
The Israeli military said it killed at least 11 gunmen who were trying to plant explosives near troops and others firing rifles and rocket-propelled grenades at soldiers in Khan Younis.
The Palestinian Islamic Jihad group, allied with Hamas, said its fighters were engaging Israeli forces in the area and had fired rockets into Israel.
The Gaza Health Ministry said Israeli strikes hit in the vicinities of Al-Amal Hospital and the largest functioning medical facility in the south, Nasser Hospital.
The Israeli bombardment was compromising healthcare and endangering the lives of doctors, patients and displaced people, said ministry spokesman Ashraf Al-Qidra.
The Israeli military says it is in contact with hospital directors and medical staff by phone and on the ground to make sure that they are running and accessible. Israel says Hamas operates in and around medical facilities, an allegation the group denies.
In a ruling on Friday, the World Court stopped short of ordering a ceasefire but ordered Israel to prevent acts of genocide against Palestinians and do more to help civilians. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said afterward that the war aimed at eliminating Hamas would continue.
In the southern city of Rafah, Zainab Khalil, 57, displaced with her family several times until reaching shelter not far from the border with Egypt, said the International Court of Justice's ruling was important but not enough. "We want a ceasefire now," she said.
Israel launched its air, sea and land offensive after militants from the Hamas group that rules Gaza stormed into Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 people and abducting 253.
Some 26,257 Palestinians have been killed and nearly 65,000 wounded so far, including 174 killed in the last 24 hours, Gaza health authorities said on Saturday. The majority of the enclave's 2.3 million population has been displaced.
Israel says 220 soldiers have died since it launched its ground offensive. It says it has killed at least 9,000 Gaza militants so far, a figure that Hamas has dismissed.
Residents and Hamas militants reported fighting on Saturday in the central and northern parts of the enclave, where heavy rain flooded tents of those displaced, forcing some to seek alternative shelter in the middle of the night.
In Rafah, where over half of Gaza's people are now taking cover in shelters and tents, the Gaza Health Ministry said an Israeli air strike killed three people in a house there.
It was not immediately clear who the casualties were and there was no immediate comment from the Israeli military.
In the occupied West Bank, one man was killed in an exchange of fire with Israeli forces near Jenin, residents said. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/middle-east/south-gaza-battles-rage-as-heavy-rain-hits-displaced-people-further-north
| 2024-01-27T13:02:52Z
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NEW YORK – The world’s largest cruise ship set sail for its maiden voyage on Jan 27, but environmental groups are concerned that the liquefied natural gas-powered vessel – and other giant cruise liners to follow – will leak harmful methane into the atmosphere.
Royal Caribbean International’s Icon of the Seas set sail from Miami with a capacity for 8,000 passengers across 20 decks, taking advantage of the surging popularity of cruises.
The ship is built to run on LNG, which burns more cleanly than traditional marine fuel but poses greater risks for methane emissions.
Environmental groups say methane leakage from the ship’s engines is an unacceptable risk to the climate because of its short-term harmful effects.
“It’s a step in the wrong direction,” said Mr Bryan Comer, director of the Marine Programme at the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT), an environmental policy think tank.
“We would estimate that using LNG as a marine fuel emits over 120 per cent more life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions than marine gas oil,” he said.
In terms of warming effects, methane is 80 times worse over 20 years than carbon dioxide, making cutting those emissions key to holding down global temperature warming.
More efficient
Cruise ships like the Icon of the Seas use low-pressure, dual-fuel engines that leak methane into the atmosphere during the combustion process, known as “methane slip”, according to industry experts.
There are two other engines used on bulk carriers or container ships that emit less methane, but they are too tall to fit in a cruise ship.
Royal Caribbean says its new ship is 24 per cent more efficient when it comes to carbon emissions than required by the global shipping regulator International Maritime Organisation (IMO).
LNG emits fewer greenhouse gases than very low sulphur fuel oil that powers most of the global shipping fleet, said Mr Steve Esau, chief operating officer of Sea-LNG, an industry advocacy organisation.
Cruise engines convert natural gas into power in a cylinder, where it is “important to make sure that all the natural gas is converted to energy”, said Mr Juha Kytola, director of research and development and engineering at Wartsila, which developed the cruise ship’s engines.
What is not converted can escape during the combustion process into the atmosphere, he said, adding that Wartsila’s natural gas engine technology emits 90 per cent less methane than it did 20 to 30 years ago.
Cruise ship engines have an estimated methane slip of 6.4 per cent on average, according to 2024 research funded by the ICCT and other partners. The IMO assumes methane slip at 3.5 per cent.
Methane under scrutiny
“Methane is coming under more scrutiny,” said Ms Anna Barford, Canada shipping campaigner at Stand Earth, a nonprofit organisation, noting that the IMO last summer said its efforts to cut greenhouse gases includes addressing methane emissions.
Of the 54 ships on order from January 2024 to December 2028, 63 per cent are expected to be powered by LNG, according to the Cruise Line International Association. Currently, about 6 per cent of the 300 cruise ships sailing are fueled by LNG.
Newer cruise ships are being designed to run on traditional marine gas oil, LNG or alternatives like bio-LNG that only account for a fraction of United States fuel consumption.
Royal Caribbean will use different fuels as the market evolves, said Mr Nick Rose, the company’s vice-president of environmental, social and governance.
“LNG is one piece of our actual strategy,” he said. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/world-s-largest-cruise-ship-sets-sail-bringing-concerns-about-methane-emissions
| 2024-01-27T13:03:02Z
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Audrey McGraw and The Lincoln Lawyer star Manuel García-Rulfo are fuelling reports they are in a relationship.
The 19-year-old daughter of Tim McGraw and Faith Hill and the 42-year-old Mexican actor have been dropping major hints that they are dating since last summer.
Audrey seemingly confirmed those rumors when she shared a photo of Manuel earlier this week – and he did the same when he posted an intimate image of Audrey on Instagram.
While you can't see her face, the beautiful photo certainly resembles the talented singer. The image shows her sitting on a hotel bed wearing a silky white negligée while holding her hand up to her long, dark hair.
The room is covered in darkness apart from a stream of light breaking through the window, perfectly highlighting Audrey's presence on the bed.
"Hotels spy on their guests," he captioned the exquisite photo. Audrey replied: "Windows name names."
Manuel's post comes after Audrey gave her biggest clue yet to their romance by sharing a moody photo of the star starring directly down the camera lens while standing in the middle of a dark street, illuminated by green-blue lighting.
Rumors of their romance have been circling for some time; they have both shared the same pictures taken by Manuel of Audrey, including one of her posing behind a sheer curtain.
In mid-June, Audrey shared pictures of an unidentified man lounging on a sunchair with his arms stretched back towards the camera which was positioned behind him.
She also shared a carousel of pictures taken at Copa Del Sol (Cup of the Sun) in Careyes, Mexico, and a week later Manuel shared pictures someone had taken of him at the same spot.
"My sweet Caroline," he captioned the photos. Caroline is Audrey's middle name, and she replied with a kissing emoji.
While their relationship appears to be going from strength to strength, it's unclear if he has been introduced to Audrey's family.
There is no doubt her famous parents will make a lasting impression on him, especially if their past behavior with their daughters' boyfriends is anything to go by.
In 2017, Tim and Faith opened up about their daughters dating and recalled meeting their eldest, Gracie's then-boyfriend for the first time. They also share a daughter Maggie, 25.
During a joint interview on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, they discussed the 26-year-old's first date. "Faith said, 'I've met him, he's a really nice guy, we've done all the research and we've put our Secret Service guys on him, he's good," Tim recalled.
But when Gracie's boyfriend turned up at the family home – things didn't go as planned. "So, I'm in the kitchen and I forget that he's coming," Tim explained. "So I have a white apron on and a knife and I'm trimming meat.
"So, I've got chunks of meat all over this white apron, blood everywhere and the doorbell rings. And I go and answer the door and there's this kid who is dating Gracie and I've got a knife in my hand and a bloody apron on."
It's not clear if it was a happy ending or not for Gracie's boyfriend, but Tim revealed the situation "worked out really well".
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/brides/512183/tim-mcgraw-daughter-audrey-wows-intimate-photo-taken-by-boyfriend-manuel-garcia-rulfo/
| 2024-01-27T14:24:30Z
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David and Victoria Beckham are the ultimate couple goals, and on Saturday, the former footballer couldn't get enough of his former Spice Girl wife when she shared a gorgeous new snap.
The 49-year-old looked beautiful as she posed for a black and white photo for HTSI, the lifestyle magazine for the Financial Times. David was quick to show his appreciation and penned a flirty message to his wife of 24 years.
"Yum," he wrote on his Instagram Stories alongside the chic shot which showed VB candidly resting against a brickwall in an ultra-chic trouser suit. David also added a GIF of a smiley face sticking its tongue out.
The shot was taken side on and perfectly showed off the beauty mogul's cascading brown tresses and flawless makeup.
The mother-of-four also shared the image as well as the leg-baring cover of the magazine on her feed beside the words: "Kisses @Fthtsi… Out now!! Thank you @JEllison22 @NathanielGoldberg @Isa_Kountoure. I’m wearing my new #VBSS24 precision tailoring, oversized knit jumper and signature black brogues (coming soon!) xx."
The cover photo showed off Victoria's impressively svelte legs as she rocked an elevated white knit jumper and a pair of black shoes. The former pop star sat with her legs crossed and gazed up to one side.
The brunette beauty added two silver watches to accessorise her look and had her cascading tresses styled in brilliant waves.
As for her makeup, Victoria opted for natural face makeup, touches of rosy blusher, lengthy lashes, and elegant nude lipstick. Her nude nail colour was perfectly toned in with the soft neutral aesthetic.
We are used to seeing VB looking picture-perfect but last week she revealed that she dedicates a lot of time and effort to staying healthy.
Taking to her Stories, Victoria revealed her full health and fitness regime which includes working out five days a week.
She also shared the details of her daily apple cider vinegar intake as well as hers and David's "Beckham green smoothie'' which she has daily.
The vitamin-filled delight is made from one avocado, spinach, one lemon, cucumber, apple slices, celery, and lime.
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/celebrities/512179/david-beckham-cant-get-enough-wife-victoria/
| 2024-01-27T14:24:37Z
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Christina Hall is making her feelings known after shutting down some "highly offensive" rumors she recently heard about herself.
The HGTV star, 40, shared a photo on Instagram of her enjoying an "impromptu work dinner" with her husband, Josh Hall, and some colleagues on Thursday.
The smiley photo alluded that a fun time was had by all, but it also appeared to prove another point that Christina was eager to get across – she does work with women.
In the caption, the Christina on the Coast star clapped back at rumors she prefers to only work with men.
She began: "Recently a coworker of mine told me a former employer told him I refused to work with women because I was some sort of ?? Not sure what the word is because I don't identify with whatever it is."
She continued. "I've always worked with females so that's a load of [expletive] and highly offensive."
Christina added: "My current 'Christina on the Coast' team is the most fun and on point it's ever been and I see a lot of females here.
"So to those who love to throw stones that's just your own internal struggle," she concluded, adding a peace emoji.
Many of Christina's female colleagues jumped to her defense in the comment section of the post.
One said: "I have worked with Christina for two years. She is the star of the show and executive producer. She is gracious and kind. She is good to everyone male and female.
"She has been wonderful to me since the day we met. Everyone at my company, glass entertainment group, loves her!"
Another wrote: "I would like to say that as a woman, who been one of the producers on @thechristinall show for the last two years, I'd LOUDLY say she is highly supportive of me in every area of my life on set or off.
"She is generous beyond measure, authentic and honest and such a badass at everything she does."
This isn't the first time Christina has faced scrutiny online. She is often subjected to hurtful messages about her three marriages and her decision to make her children an active part of her social presence.
While she will soon celebrate her third anniversary with husband Josh, she was previously married to Tarek El Moussa for seven years, and Ant Anstead for two years.
During her marriage to Tarek, she welcomed daughter Taylor, 13, and son Brayden, eight. She also shares son Hudson, four, with ex-husband Ant.
But she is learning to shut out the negativity. "I allow myself a little time to be upset," she told People last year.
"Usually, the things that upset me are when people make direct statements about things they have no idea about. Sometimes that'll really irritate me and then I'll talk to [my husband] Josh about it."
She continued: "The thing is, people already have a preconceived notion in their head. You could literally show them the truth and they could still be like, no, that's not the truth.
"I think the older I get, the less I care. I'm approaching 40 in a few months and what I've heard is, in your forties, you're the most confident and comfortable in your own skin."
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/512180/hgtv-christina-hall-reacts-highly-offensive-rumors-wont-work-with-women/
| 2024-01-27T14:24:43Z
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Fans were shocked to find out that last year Milo Ventimiglia had quietly married long-time girlfriend Jarah Mariano, and now the This Is Us actor has finally responded to his fans' disappointment.
Appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live on Thursday, the 46-year-old, who played heartthrob Jess Mariano in Gilmore Girls, heard but a small sample of complaints from his large fanbase.
"Are you aware that not all your fan base are thrilled about the fact that you got married?" show host Jimmy asked him.
Milo couldn't help but laugh and nod sheepishly. "I'm sure there's a few broken hearts", he admitted, to which Jimmy confirmed there were more than a few.
The actor added, "Female and male, I don't know, maybe."
Jimmy read out some tweets from his fans exemplifying the discontent.
"Nobody talk to me, I'm in mourning. Milo Ventimiglia just got married and it wasn't to me", one fan wrote.
Another added: "Just found out the love of my life (Milo Ventimiglia) got married to someone that isn't me (we've never even met) so brb I will be jumping off very tall somethings."
A third fan had written: "Just found out Milo Ventimiglia is married", with a sad face emoji, "What's the point anymore?"
It seemed by this point Milo had understood the disappointment of his fans, and the This Is Us heartthrob decided to cheer them up.
"The point is, there's a lot of Milo Ventimiglias out there," he offered - slightly puzzled by his own platitude. Jimmy pointed out that when he got married, he'd never received a response like this.
"When I got married, not one of these, literally nothing. Not one and believe me I looked!" He exclaimed, to which Milo said he "might have been the only one" to respond with disappointment to the news of Jimmy's wedding.
News of the couple's marriage broke in October 2023, as he married the 39-year-old model in an intimate ceremony attended by family and close friends.
The Heroes star has often spoken about how he tries to keep his personal life private and separate from his work, explaining to People: "I try to minimize myself so people can see the character and can really dive into the work."
"I try and remain as anonymous and invisible as I can so it doesn’t take away from the experience of the men that I play. I don’t know how interesting my life is any more than anyone else’s."
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/celebrities/512181/milo-ventimiglia-responds-to-fan-disappointment-after-secret-wedding/
| 2024-01-27T14:24:49Z
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Michelle Keegan is always giving us style-envy with her perfectly put-together outfits, and the star looked better than ever as she posed in the most amazing strapless jumpsuit.
In a snapshot shared on Instagram, the Fool Me Once actress showed off her endless legs in the fitted one-piece that featured a figure-flattering belt and a beige and white striped print.
Letting the wide-leg jumpsuit take centre stage with minimal accessories, Michelle, 36, completed the stylish ensemble with a chunky gold necklace and a pair of cream heels.
For he hair, the star styled her long locks in bouncy waves, opting for a soft glam makeup look consisting of a touch of rosy blush, a flutter of black mascara, and a glossy pink lip.
Michelle captioned the carousel of photos: "Bits & bobs over the past few days… lucky girl."
The carousel of shots also gave a behind-the-scenes glimpse into Michelle's recent photoshoots, including a video of the star with her hair styled in voluminous beachy curls.
A third photo showed a black and white snap of the former Coronation Street actress looking effortlessly gorgeous in a pair of denim jeans and a fitted V-neck top.
Michelle has undoubtedly had a jam-packed schedule since starring in the hit drama series Fool Me Once earlier this month, but the Netflix star managed to take some time out last week to enjoy a snowy getaway with her husband Mark Wright.
Taking the trip to celebrate Mark's 37th birthday, the couple looked loved-up as they posed in the French Mountains. Michelle looked so chic in her skiwear, wearing a cropped houndstooth puffer coat and a pair of fitted trousers, completing the ensemble with black cat-eye sunglasses and a knitted beanie.
The Brassic actress could be seen cuddling up to her Heart Radio presenter spouse, and the pair were joined by Mark's family and best friend James Argent for the ski holiday.
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/fashion/celebrity-style/512182/michelle-keegan-supermodel-in-waist-cinching-strapless-jumpsuit/
| 2024-01-27T14:24:56Z
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Maya Jama always looks flawless and on Friday, it was no different when she stepped out in a bikini top and jeans.
Taking to her Instagram Stories, the Love Island presenter, the 29-year-old showed off her impeccably toned abs as she filmed herself in the mirror. The top featured yellow, orange, and blue stripes and she paired the piece with some fabulous medium-wash blue jeans.
Maya is currently living it up in South Africa where she is filming the current series of Love Island All Stars, and her Cape Town fashion portfolio is the gift that keeps on giving.
One of the stand-out pieces has to be when the TV star donned a brown suede gown that featured dramatic plunging cut-outs on either side. The dress perfectly accentuated Maya's incredible curves and showcased the tattoo she has on her ribs.
The skirt of the dress was equally as glamorous and hugged her in all the right places. Captioning a photo of the number on Instagram, she penned: "Last night's show was [chef's kiss emoji]. Last night's look was @laquan_smith".
Maya rocked the gown for the Love Island cameras and looked flawless as she strutted into the villa donning the suede ensemble. Her chic Gen-Z-inspired hairstyle also went down a treat with followers who were asking the presenter how the look was created. "Who did ur hair!!!! We need a tutorial pls," one replied.
The style which was a half-up, half-down do, featured two face-framing strands and a spikey bun at the back. The rest of Maya's raven tresses were left to cascade down her back.
As for her makeup, Maya opted for dramatic black winged eyeliner, rosy blusher, warm bronzer, and a slack of matte nude lipstick - a winning combination!
The bombshell accessoried her outfit with chunky gold swirly earrings, and a matching gold ring on her finger.
Another stand-out fashion moment from her time abroad has to be last week when she opted for a figure-skimming sheer white sun dress that was adorned with beautiful white flowers. The maxi dress featured a daring thigh-high split.
As for her hair and makeup, Maya let her natural curls do all the talking and left them flowing past her shoulders.
Completing the waist-cinching look, Maya slipped on a pair of silver stilettos which featured an elegant ankle strap. Just stunning!
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/fashion/celebrity-style/512184/love-island-maya-jama-string-bikini-top/
| 2024-01-27T14:25:02Z
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Queen Camilla was spotted on Friday in a tasteful blue outfit as she left The London Clinic where her husband King Charles is being treated for an enlarged prostate and her daughter-in-law Princess Kate is recovering from abdominal surgery.
The royal, 76, looked so elegant in a corduroy tiered midi dress by Me + Em that had a ruffle detail around the neckline and a cinched waistline thanks to the built-in tie belt.
Camilla paired the garment with her go-to 'Dressage' knee-high black suede boots by Russell and Bromley with a block heel. As she so often does, Her Majesty stacked pendant necklaces.
She wore the ‘Apollo Mini Blue Topaz and Diamond Pendant in Yellow Gold' by Kiki McDonough and a gold necklace with an extra special meaning. The piece has been embellished with a ruby for her July birthstone and engraved with the initials of her five grandchildren from her first marriage to Andrew Parker-Bowles – Lola, Freddy, Eliza, Louis and Gus.
The royal wore her hair in her signature blowdry and her makeup was kept natural with definition on the eyes and a rosy pink lipstick.
Camilla flashed a smile at the cameras as she exited the hospital. It was announced earlier this month that the King would undergo treatment for his prostate and the Princess would undergo planned abdominal surgery.
Earlier in the day, Charles and Camilla were seen arriving at the private London Clinic together and it is understood that the pair visited Kate, who is on the 11th day of her time in hospital stay undergoing a successful operation last week.
Buckingham Palace released a statement saying: "The King was this morning admitted to a London hospital for scheduled treatment. His Majesty would like to thank all those who have sent their good wishes over the past week and is delighted to learn that his diagnosis is having a positive impact on public health awareness."
Kate, 42, remains in hospital and is not expected to return to official engagements until after Easter, with her husband Prince William also clearing his diary of official duties for the time being.
Meanwhile, Camilla has been embarking upon solo public engagements. The royal was seen visiting the Deacon & Son Jewellers in Swindon who are celebrating 175 years of trading.
She wore a camel-coloured brushed coat with stitching details down the front and on the sleeves. She created a traditional country chic ensemble by adding a khaki green round-neck jumper and a red tartan pleated skirt.
The most unexpected detail was her mismatched earrings. On the right side, she wore a gold statement earring with diamond chips and on the other side, she wore a pearl drop earring.
DISCOVER: Queen Camilla's life in photos: from a young girl to her coronation
Alexia Karides, founder of Greek jewellery brand YSSO, told HELLO!: "Asymmetric earrings are perfect for someone confident and rebellious who isn’t afraid to express themselves through their jewellery: it’s all about having fun and embracing imperfection."
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/fashion/royal-style/512178/queen-camilla-wows-unexpected-cinched-look-king-charles-hospital/
| 2024-01-27T14:25:08Z
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BANGKOK – Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi had “candid, substantive and fruitful strategic communication” with US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, aimed at furthering a pledge of dialogue by their leaders, China’s Foreign Ministry said on Jan 27.
The two officials met in Bangkok to properly handle important and sensitive issues in US-China relations, the ministry said.
They also discussed how Presidents Xi Jinping and Joe Biden could “maintain regular contact to provide strategic guidance for bilateral relations… and make good use of the current strategic communication channels”.
Beijing and Washington have clashed in recent years on flashpoint issues, from technology and trade to human rights, as well as over the self-ruled island and competing claims in the South China Sea.
In a bid to improve some of the worst relations in decades, Mr Biden met Mr Xi in San Francisco in November for talks that both sides described as a qualified success.
Mr Wang and Sullivan “had candid, substantive and fruitful strategic communication on implementing the consensus reached at the San Francisco meeting... and on properly handling important and sensitive issues in China-US relations”,China’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement on its website.
The topics discussed in the two-day talks included Taiwan, which held elections in January.
In the run-up to the poll, Chinese officials slammed president-elect Lai Ching-te as a dangerous separatist who would take Taiwan down the “evil path” of independence.
But Washington congratulated Mr Lai, with Beijing saying it “strongly deplored” the statement.
During the latest talks, Mr Wang stressed that Taiwan was “China’s internal affair, and the regional election in Taiwan cannot change the basic reality that Taiwan is part of China”, according to ministry statement.
“The biggest risk to peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait is the so-called ‘Taiwan independence’ movement. The biggest challenge to China-US relations is also the ‘Taiwan independence’ movement,” it added. REUTERS, AFP
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https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/china-says-wang-us-sullivan-held-candid-fruitful-talks-on-handling-issues
| 2024-01-27T14:33:49Z
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VIENTIANE – Laos has enormous economic potential despite its fiscal difficulties and will thrive if the right infrastructure and policy frameworks are in place, said Singapore’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan during his official visit to the country.
Speaking to reporters on Jan 27, he said that Singapore can work closely with Laos to maximise its economic potential through education and training, as well as provide assistance to help it plug into the global markets, including in the sale of carbon credits.
Over the course of the day, Dr Balakrishnan met Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone, Foreign Minister Saleumxay Kommasith and the head of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party external relations committee, Mr Thongsavanh Phomvihane.
Laos, one of the world’s few remaining communist states, is currently grappling with slowing growth, rising debt and inflation that averaged 31.2 per cent in 2023.
“They have also been quite open and candid that their fiscal circumstances have also been quite tight. And yet, they do want to move forward, and they want to look at the opportunities,” Dr Balakrishnan told reporters of his discussions with the senior Lao leaders.
“We are now at the start of another technological revolution characterised by advances in artificial intelligence, quantum computing, digitalisation, synthetic biology and the need for renewable energy to create a more sustainable and safe world.”
These present opportunities for Laos, which has plentiful supplies of renewable energy, especially hydropower, that can be a source of carbon credits.
“As the world moves and tries to achieve a genuinely zero emissions target in 2050, you are going to need the resources and the availability of what Laos has to offer, particularly in the carbon credit trading space,” he said.
Laos also has significant deposits of rare earths needed in the electronics industry, and it is a net food exporter.
“If you again project forward a world facing climate change, floods, droughts and potentially food crises in the future, a place like this, with plentiful land and fertile land at that, if they can step up their agricultural productivity, they can certainly be another source of food and contribute to food security in Asean as well,” said Dr Balakrishnan.
Singapore, meanwhile, needs energy, carbon credits and food – which offers potential for collaboration between the two countries.
Singapore started importing hydroelectricity from Laos through existing infrastructure in Thailand and Malaysia in June 2022.
The Lao PDR-Thailand-Malaysia-Singapore Power Integration Project allows Singapore to buy up to 100MW of hydropower over a two-year period. The four countries are discussing how to expand this project, including by possibly enhancing its capacity.
Both countries are also in discussions on how carbon credits can be transferred to help nations meet their climate targets in a way that meets requirements under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, an international treaty on climate change adopted in 2015.
Dr Balakrishnan said: “You need to set up not just the physical infrastructure, but the policy and legislative frameworks cross border and preferably Asean-wide in order to enable the sustainable and win-win commercial arrangements for these sort of exports to occur. “
Singapore can also work closely with Laos to enable it to export carbon credits, he said.
He called these examples “the tip of the iceberg” that illustrates “there is potential and there are sensible rational arrangements that can be made bilaterally, regionally, Asean-wide, which will unlock the potential for Laos and also expand opportunities for Singapore and Singaporeans”.
In September 2022, then Lao prime minister Phankham Viphavanh visited Singapore, where he signed four memorandums of understanding on cooperation in areas like environmental protection and energy.
In Vientiane, Dr Balakrishnan attended a reception for Lao alumni of the Singapore Cooperation Programme at the Crowne Plaza hotel on Jan 27.
Under the programme, more than 16,000 Lao officials, including Mr Thongsavanh and Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith, have attended Singapore-run training courses on subjects like the English language, e-commerce and sustainable development since 1992.
This reception for Lao officials was held in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Singapore and Laos.
To support Laos’ work chairing Asean in 2024, Singapore also launched customised capacity-building courses for Lao officials on subjects such as speech writing and communication skills – which Mr Saleumxay thanked Dr Balakrishnan for during their meeting.
The Singapore Foreign Minister, who also met Singaporeans living in Laos during a tea reception, thanked them for helping the local communities and enhancing the level of goodwill for Singapore among Laotians.
Among the Singaporeans who met the minister was Ms Lim Jue Hui, 35, assistant director of a private institution called Sunshine School in Laos. She noticed that many Laotians look up to Singapore.
“Many of my students want to study in Singapore other than Australia and the United States,” she told The Straits Times.
As part of his three-day visit, Dr Balakrishnan will attend the Asean foreign ministers’ retreat in Luang Prabang on Jan 29. The ministers are expected to discuss ways to deepen regional integration and maintain an inclusive and stable regional order together with Asean’s external partners.
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https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/singapore-can-help-laos-realise-its-potential-says-vivian-as-the-2-nations-mark-50-years-of-diplomatic-ties
| 2024-01-27T14:33:59Z
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SINGAPORE – The muted brown walls of the 47-year-old Peace Centre mall were filled with a myriad of colour for its final weekend open to the public on Jan 27 and 28.
Throngs of people with cameras in hand flocked to the 47-year-old mall to catch a last glimpse of it, with most tenants holding their final hurrahs on Jan 27 before handing the building back to its owners on Jan 29.
Social movement PlayPan took over the historic mall in October 2023 after its developers agreed to postpone till 2024 original plans to demolish it in August 2023, so that the building can be used for community-building activities.
Founded by good friends Gary Hong, 51, and Yvonne Siow, 50, PlayPan guided Peace Centre to organically evolve into a vibrant creative hub filled with eclectic thrift stores, art galleries, a photography studio, and even a bespoke barber shop.
All of Peace Centre’s original tenants had moved out before the new ones moved in, except for two eateries.
Other than covering some utilities and the building’s maintainence, PlayPan did not pay rent to Peace Centre’s developers, allowing Mr Hong and Ms Siow to offer units to tenants for free or at heavily discounted rents.
Mr Hong, who founded car-vending machine Ten Square, and Ms Siow, the head of OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation, said they felt they succeeded in creating a positive impact on the local creative community and that bidding farewell to Peace Centre will be bittersweet.
Associate Professor Ijlal Naqvi of Singapore Management University’s School of Social Sciences said that the “exuberant, messy vitality of the community at the Peace Centre convened by PlayPan... encouraged a spirit of play, a DIY attitude, and fostered an atmosphere of generosity and mutual support among everyone there”.
The closing weekend’s line-up includes a performance art piece on the theme of demolition, art exhibitions, and a mall-wide music festival featuring live performances and DJ sets.
Make-up artist Joie Leong, 46, said she used to go to Peace Centre when she was younger but has not returned for many years as the mall gained a seedy reputation before PlayPan moved in. The mall in recent years was known for its printing shops and karaoke lounges.
Visiting the mall on Jan 27 for the first time since PlayPan took over, she said: “It’s quite sad to see it torn down because it’s a part of Singapore’s history. It’s been great seeing people do something to bring some life to the end of Peace Centre.”
Boxing instructor Dominic Neo, 57, said he used to frequent Peace Centre when he was in primary school and often visited his friend’s beauty salon there in the late 1970s.
Asked what he thought of the current Peace Centre and its demolition, he said: “The old has to go, the new has to come.”
Many tenants and businesses at Peace Centre did not have a physical shop presence before joining PlayPan, and some of them do not intend to move to another physical space after they leave Peace Centre.
Crowd favourite Resurrack, a thrift store selling curated retro and vintage items, was founded around June 2023 and opened its first brick-and-mortar shop at Peace Centre in October that year. It had previously been running its business at pop-up events.
Owner Isaac Loh, a 19-year-old student at Temasek Polytechnic, said Resurrack will be taking a hiatus for about six months as he will be headed to Vietnam in February to serve an internship.
After the internship, he plans to dive into working on events instead of running a physical store, using the break as a time to plan and recruit more vendors both locally and internationally.
Of his time at Peace Centre, Mr Loh said: “One of my biggest achievements here was gaining the experience of running a business at this age.”
He had long had an interest in business and the opportunity at PlayPan was a “huge boost” in his personal and entrepreneurial development.
“This place really means a lot to me. The people, the community, the businesses that I’ve met here are all super awesome people. It’s sad to part ways with Peace Centre and the people here, so I’m trying to make the most out of it,” he added.
Recent School of The Arts (SOTA) graduate Robyjnn Lui founded art gallery Blueprint Arthouse with a friend after her mother opened a vintage thrift store at Peace Centre and pushed her to start her own business in a neighbouring unit.
The gallery represents nine artists, who are all SOTA students or alumni, and was such a hit – chalking up 125 sales on its opening day – that PlayPan offered it a second unit within its first month.
Ms Lui, 19, said: “The experience has taught me to just have faith. I was actually really reluctant to start this because I didn’t think it was possible, if people would even buy our art, but now I see that there is a chance to do art in Singapore.”
Blueprint Arthouse artworks range from $60 to $3,500, but also offers more affordable merchandise, such as prints and stickers, which cost $2 to $15.
She plans to study fine art in university and has no foreseeable plans for another gallery, but said she would do so if a suitable space was made available.
While many of PlayPan’s tenants are young people with little memory of the original Peace Centre, there are also older folk who remember the fading mall’s heyday.
One such tenant is 75-year-old locksmith James Ho, who grew up along Selegie Road and started his business at the mall about 40 years ago.
After PlayPan’s takeover, he moved his business to Parklane Shopping Mall next door, but used his original unit at Peace Centre as an inventory space and also helped new tenants duplicate their units’ keys.
Speaking to The Straits Times as he packed up the last bits of his inventory, he said: “I can’t bear to let go. It’s hard to find another place like this.”
Another tenant is LocalThriftSG owner Rosli Lasa, who only moved into Peace Centre during the PlayPan era, but said he has a special attachment to the space as it was built around the time he was born.
The 52-year-old said: “I’m really sad to see this place go. I used to always go to the coffee shop on the second floor with my friends in the 1980s.”
LocalThriftSG has another outlet in Haji Lane, but Mr Rosli said he is still searching for a second space after Peace Centre closes.
He said: “There’s been a lot of change in Peace Centre since PlayPan took over, but it’s a lot of change for good,” adding that he has thoroughly enjoyed engaging with the younger crowd of creatives.
Documenting Peace Centre
Ms Ethel Pang in August 2023 started creative documentary project A Piece Of Peace Centre to capture the mall’s extended lease of life.
The 26-year-old, who works on the project full-time, said she was drawn to PlayPan’s idea of creating an incubation space for social enterprises and social impact projects.
“I just don’t really see many examples of that in Singapore, where there is a viable kind of business model that sustains the ability to be involved in social impact work or in supporting social impact work,” she said.
In November 2023, she decided to take up tenancy in Peace Centre to observe the day-to-day life of the new community in the mall, which is largely closed to the public on weekdays.
She also opened her project for other creatives to work on their own projects related to Peace Centre, tasking them to produce alternative forms of documentation. It now has five projects under it, spanning from performance art pieces to interactive installations to public workshops.
Asked what she has learnt through the project, she said: “My takeaway is that things take time to develop, but this is also a very complicated thing to grapple with.
“Things like building a community and a village takes time. In terms of conflict management, building a culture, you cannot do that within three to four months.”
One of the most eye-catching aspects of the revived mall has been the graffiti and murals covering its walls, but Ms Pang said it has also caused tension among PlayPan’s different stakeholders.
While the artworks were originally commissioned for specific locations by PlayPan, other artists and members of the public also gradually began leaving their marks on the walls.
Some felt that graffiti art turned into vandalism when mall-goers started spray painting profanities on the walls and even defaced commissioned artworks.
Ms Siow said: “It takes a whole village to build up something so wonderful for everyone’s enjoyment and appreciation. Time, effort and energy are spent to curate all these wonderful art and installations. It just takes one minute to mindlessly destroy all these efforts.”
She added that there were many times where the building’s security, which is employed by Peace Centre’s owners, wanted to call the police over the vandalism.
But PlayPan’s founders convinced them not to do so as they did not want to affect these people’s academic and career records, preferring to use mentoring to resolve the issue.
Still, Ms Siow said: “Nobody said this was going to be easy. Old building, lack of resources, vandalism, short time frame, difficulty onboarding partners, demanding people and the list is long, but we took that much needed leap of faith,” adding that the community forged in the recent months is “nothing short of a miracle”.
Ms Pang added that her time at Peace Centre was a fruitful one and that she is thankful for the community forged as it is something she can take away even if the physical building is gone.
“It’ll be different for sure, but relationships can keep on building,” she said.
PlayPan 2.0
On Jan 28, PlayPan will host a three-hour jam session led by composer Clement Chow and share more about its next steps. Dubbed PlayPan 2.0, the movement’s next phase will transition into the digital and academic world.
Peace Centre’s lights will shut off for the last time at 5pm on Jan 29, but its legacy continues to live on in its community’s hearts and stories.
The Institute of Technical Education and virtual reality company The Sandbox will partner to produce a digital twin of PlayPan’s Peace Centre – a three-dimensional representation of the building which will be hosted on a website, complete with the community’s different artworks and contributions to the space.
Mr Hong said: “”PlayPan 2.0 is our leap into the future, where community-building transcends physical boundaries.
“This new phase will harness the power of digital platforms to foster creative collaborations and social engagement on a global scale.”
Researchers from the Singapore Management University’s School of Social Sciences and the Lien Centre for Social Innovation will also be documenting the PlayPan experiment as a case study.
Associate Director at the Lien Centre for Social Innovation Ho Han Peng said: “The overall vibrant, creative, and engaging network of tenants, participants, documenters, partners and visitors at Peace Centre in the last few weeks fuel a sense of coming-togetherness for joy, sharing and inspiration.”
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https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/it-s-hard-to-find-another-place-like-this-peace-centre-to-close-after-jan-28
| 2024-01-27T14:34:10Z
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SINGAPORE – Retrenched twice over his 14-year career as an environmental engineer – the second time in mid-2023 – Mr Lin Quanhong decided to make a career switch to become a financial consultant.
While the 44-year-old was out of work for about half a year as he worked on his qualifications, weathering the storm was challenging for his family of four, who relied on the income of his wife, a part-time hourly paid office administrator.
Working full-time would have made a difference to their finances, but Mrs Lin had to be home after school to care for their two sons, especially their younger, seven-year-old Lin Sheng. Their older son, who is 10, has activities in school a couple of afternoons, and is able to get home himself.
But things are looking up for the family in 2024, with Mr Lin starting a new job in December 2023 and Mrs Lin now able to look for full-time work.
This is because Lin Sheng will be enrolled in after-school care through a scholarship from education chain MindChamps.
The $200,000 in scholarships were given out to Marine Parade residents in celebration of the official opening of MindSpace, a network of after-school centres for primary school pupils that MindChamps started in Singapore in January 2022.
Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong, who is an MP for Marine Parade GRC, was the guest of honour at the launch and scholarship ceremony, held at Kinex mall in Paya Lebar.
In his speech, Mr Tong said that MindChamps’ scholarship initiative was “a great example of the Forward SG movement in action”.
An exercise by the fourth-generation leadership to refresh Singapore’s social compact, Forward Singapore sets out the roles of the Government and citizens in building a cohesive society.
Mr Tong said the Government requires the help of individuals, families, businesses and community members to support and take care of one another.
A 180-page Forward SG report was published in October 2023 following about a year of public engagement.
In it, Singaporeans were encouraged to give back to society, and Mr Tong thanked MindChamps for heeding the call.
MindChamps founding chairman David Chiem said “education is the most powerful tool for levelling society”, adding that the scholarship demonstrates MindChamps’ goal of providing educational opportunities to those who would not otherwise have the means.
The company’s chief operating officer Michelle Peh said the initial $200,000 will be able to sponsor about 10 pupils through one year in MindSpace, where their after-school care needs will be taken care of, including meals and enrichment lessons.
Monthly fees for paying pupils start at about $1,200.
“The MindSpace after-school programme is critical for us. It not only allows us to consider full-time work, but, just as importantly, supports Lin Sheng’s development,” said Mr Lin.
Ms Peh said that MindChamps decided to give out its first scholarships to Marine Parade residents to mark the opening of its MindSpace centre in Kinex mall. She added that the company hopes to extend the scholarships to pupils in other parts of Singapore, where it can work with grassroots groups to identify potential scholarship recipients.
Those in the first batch came from households with a gross monthly income of below $3,000, or below $750 per household member, and were selected with the help of grassroots organisations in Marine Parade.
Also receiving the scholarship on Jan 27 were brothers Kyle, 10 and Kris, eight.
Their mother, Ms Theresa Bose, who works mornings at a childcare centre, and cares for her sons after their school, said she hopes to get a full-time job so they can buy a flat, instead of renting one as they currently do.
“At least (with a higher paying job) I will be able to bring them out,” said the 48-year-old, adding that it is something she is seldom able to do now.
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https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/mindchamps-after-school-care-scholarships-for-some-children-free-parents-to-work-full-time
| 2024-01-27T14:34:20Z
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RUNGIS, France - Chef Charles Guilloy's lentil dahl is one of 550 dishes that will be served to the 15,000 athletes at the Paris Olympics, where up to 40 tons of food will be cut up and cooked daily with regard to many different tastes and cultures.
Guilloy, chef executive at Sodexo Live!, the company in charge of delivering meals 24/7 in the athletes' village just north of Paris, will head a 300-strong team tasked with feeding people from 206 countries.
Sodexo Live! has provided meals for athletes at the French Open tennis, as well as those at the French national institute of football.
"We'll be welcoming the world at our table," Guilloy told Reuters as he chopped onions and garlic before roasting curcuma, ginger and a mix of spices - key ingredients in his dahl - made with French green lentils instead of red lentils.
"We want 25% of our ingredients to be locally sourced," he explained.
"The menus are ready, they have been validated by the International Olympic Committee and Paris 2024. There is one main dining hall at the Cite du Cinema with six restaurants and another one on the Ile St Denis (both within the 52-hectare village)."
On top of that, a bakery will open and athletes will be invited to workshops to make their own baguettes.
The service will start on July 10, 16 days before the Games begin and will end on Sept. 12, four days after the completion of the Paralympics.
"Breakfast, lunch, dinner, night snacks, pre-competition, pre-training, post-competition, it's culinary and logistical challenge," said Guilloy, adding that 1,000 people would work around the clock at the village.
Some 40 different dishes - for about 40,000 meals served - will be on offer every day and nutritionists will be deployed to help athletes who don't have the means to hire their own.
"We're taking into account the intolerances, allergies, but also ethical and cultural cuisines. There will be gluten free, lactose free, halal and kosher food," said Guilloy as his lentils finish cooking in coconut milk and tomato pulp before he serves them with a fat free, protein-packed Icelandic dairy product seasoned with lime and coriander.
"I like this dish because it's consistent and it's a mix of cultures. It comes from India but we're using French lentils," he said.
Guilloy, however, is no dreamer. He knows that despite his best efforts, one dish will always be the most popular - pizza. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/chop-chop-paris-chefs-prepare-for-athlete-feeding-frenzy
| 2024-01-27T14:34:30Z
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DOHA - The Asian Cup enters the business end when the last-16 round kicks off on Sunday, with some shock results in the group stages leaving a few of the continent's heavyweights facing an uphill task if they are to make it all the way to the final.
Juergen Klinsmann's South Korea may have avoided a last-16 clash with Japan but they have it all to do when they take on Roberto Mancini's Saudi Arabia, with the winner of that game potentially facing Australia in the quarter-finals.
Klinsmann could only smile from the dugout when Malaysia scored an equaliser in the 15th minute of stoppage time to push South Korea down to second in the group, although he denied that was part of the plan to avoid Japan in the next round.
"The knockout stage is different from the group stage. Every team is difficult to play," Klinsmann said.
"So no matter who you meet in the round of 16, if you want to win this tournament, you've got to beat everybody. It's as simple as that.
"We've got to have fun, and Saudi Arabia is our next opponent so it will be a battle, but I don't think there's an easy team in this tournament."
Saudi Arabia guaranteed themselves qualification before their third group game but coach Mancini had come under scrutiny for his team selection, and the Italian saw his players score only four goals from 57 attempts in the group stage.
"We had a lot of chances which we couldn't take, but what is important to me is the performance. Our motto is to always play well and try to win," said Mancini, who guided Italy to European championship glory in 2021.
"This is football... but football is to score. In the last two games we had many chances, but I hope we are saving those goals for the next game."
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT
Japan are the number one ranked team in Asia but qualified in second place after they were stunned by Iraq, while coach Hajime Moriyasu said there is plenty of room for improvement having failed to keep a clean sheet in all three games.
"Even though we won the game (against Indonesia) there are many aspects we can improve on, defensively and offensively," he said.
"Buildup play from the back could have been better. We could have created more varieties of attack."
Bahrain coach Juan Antonio Pizzi will be seeking personal redemption when his side take on Japan, after he led Saudi Arabia to a loss against the Japanese at the same stage in 2019.
The Spaniard was all praise for the level of the Japanese players, however, many of whom play in Europe's top leagues.
"They have high individual skills and potential but we have high confidence in our players, their focus and their effort," Pizzi said after Bahrain topped their group ahead of South Korea and Jordan.
"The Japan team is excellent and has experienced players who play in European leagues, but we're optimistic about our group. We have high morale in our team."
Iran were one of three teams to claim maximum points from the group stage, along with Qatar and Iraq, but coach Amir Ghalenoei thinks his players can raise the bar in the knockout stage.
"One of our biggest problems is ourselves. We are a very good team tactically and technically and if we can have a very good game every time, then we can go far," said Ghalenoei, whose side face Syria.
"How many chances (we) created and how many chances the opponents created -- by these two measures we've done a good job in the group stage. If our players can show their real quality in the knockout stage, we can be very dangerous." REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/football/south-korea-v-saudi-arabia-headlines-asian-cup-last-16
| 2024-01-27T14:34:41Z
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Juergen Klopp's shock announcement that this will be his last season as Liverpool manager was hard to take for the players but will spur them on even more for the rest of the season, captain Virgil van Dijk said on Saturday.
Klopp has been in charge at Anfield since 2015 and in 2019-20 led Liverpool to their first league title in 30 years.
"It's a hard one to take, because the manager means so much for us, to me, to the club, to the whole Premier League I think," Van Dijk told Liverpool's website.
"But he made the decision for him and his family. It was always going to be a tough one and it was definitely the case."
Klopp said it would be business as usual at the club, with Liverpool still in the hunt on four fronts, top of the Premier League, into the League Cup final and still involved in the Champions League and FA Cup.
"We have a lot of targets still to achieve this year and why not finish the season on a high and together with celebrations for the boss as well," Van Dijk said.
"Of course this is massive, it's massive news in football... It will maybe even give you an extra boost to do that extra or maybe enjoy it a little bit even more together and make the last part of the season, the last bit of the manager's time at the club, the best time he's ever had."
As captain, Van Dijk will be looking to ensure the squad stay focused on their impressive season.
"For me personally, my mindset is making sure our goals that we have and our targets that we are trying to achieve don't get disrupted by the news," the Dutch defender said.
"That's what the manager wants as well. We want to achieve a lot of things and carry on with the form we have, with the way we are playing, with the players who are doing so well and keeping that confidence."
Liverpool host Norwich City in the FA Cup fourth round on Sunday before welcoming Chelsea on Wednesday in the Premier League, leaving them little time to dwell on the Klopp news.
"We are ready for the FA Cup this weekend and it's going to be a tough one, big one. Let's go out there and enjoy it all.
"Let's make the rest of the season a special one so he can have the farewell that he definitely deserves." REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/football/van-dijk-aims-to-make-klopps-final-season-at-liverpool-a-special-one
| 2024-01-27T14:34:51Z
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Ferrari have added British teenager Oliver Bearman to their roster of Formula One reserve drivers ready to step in for race regulars Charles Leclerc or Carlos Sainz.
The 18-year-old Formula Two driver joins ex-F1 racer Antonio Giovinazzi and Robert Shwartzman who are both taking part in the world endurance championship.
This season has a record 24 grands prix, some of them clashing with the world endurance calendar, and Bearman will be present at those that feature F2 on the support programme.
Leclerc's younger brother Arthur, 23, has joined as a development driver alongside Italians Antonio Fuoco and Davide Rigon, with all three working in the simulator at Maranello when not racing in Italian GT and world endurance.
Ferrari are carrying out a three-day tyre test with Pirelli at Barcelona's Circuit de Catalunya next week using last year's SF23 car and the 2022 F1-75. Bearman will drive the latter on Wednesday.
Leclerc will have his first taste of a Formula One car when he drives the F1-75 on Monday. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/formula-one/ferrari-add-bearman-to-their-f1-reserve-roster
| 2024-01-27T14:35:02Z
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HYDERABAD, India - England vice-captain Ollie Pope's sublime hundred against India in the opening test has set a benchmark for all touring batsmen on how to bat on the country's spin-friendly tracks, team mate Joe Root said on Saturday.
England conceded a first-innings lead of 190 and risked defeat inside three days, but Pope's unbeaten 148 helped them finish day three on 316-6.
Pope struck the only hundred so far in the spinner-dominated contest to keep England alive, and his handling of India's three-pronged spin attack was exemplary for a touring batsman.
"Honestly it's an absolute masterclass on how to bat in these conditions as an overseas player, someone that's not exposed to these surfaces day in day out," Root told reporters afterwards.
"To come back off a serious (shoulder) injury like he had in summer and have that amount of time out of the game and then put together that...I'm speechless."
England had slumped to 163-5 before Pope combined with Ben Foakes in a century stand to prop up the innings.
The 26-year-old's deft dealing of Indian spinners particularly stood out during his marathon knock.
Pope frequently played the sweep shots -- both traditional and reverse -- to negate spin and mess with India's fielding strategy.
His 17 boundaries included a no-look ramp shot off Ravindra Jadeja that went over the wicketkeeper's head for a four.
"It's one of the best knocks that I've ever seen," Root said.
"I've seen a lot of cricket, played and batted with a lot of brilliant players, and to witness that today was really special."
So much so that Root did not mind being told by Pope to address the news conference, the former England captain quipped.
Root, being one of the premier batters of his era, is often considered the benchmark in mastering tough conditions but the 33-year-old said Pope's latest knock had taken that place.
"I'm not any more. I think that's the benchmark," Root said.
"Honestly, I might have scored a few runs in the sub-continent. But not on a surface like that against an attack like that."
India have not lost a test series on home soil since 2012 and they will still fancy going 1-0 up in the series.
Root said Pope's knock would give them a lot of confidence in their own ultra-aggressive approach to test cricket.
"We don't always judge ourselves on results, there are other benchmarks we look at.
"But this is another great step in the right direction in the long-term sense for this group of players." REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/pope-masterclass-sets-benchmark-for-touring-batters-in-india-root
| 2024-01-27T14:35:12Z
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SINGAPORE – Having filled her trophy cabinet with multiple shiny medals in 2023, Singapore sprint queen Shanti Pereira will be heading to Florida, United States, hoping that a two-month training camp in the Sunshine State will propel her into another glittering season.
Pereira had started preparations for the new season last November, just a month after her historic 200m title in the Asian Games had capped a spectacular season, which included five gold medals and Olympic qualification.
The 27-year-old will leave for Florida next week. In April, she will head to Europe for competitions, just as she did in 2023, when she raced in Germany, Switzerland and France.
The 80,000-capacity Stade de France, which will host the Paris Olympics’ athletics events from Aug 1-11, will be her final destination for 2024.
Pereira told The Sunday Times: “I have had a good break and now it is all about Paris, because it’s the only major competition for me this year. I decided on the US because it is a great environment to train in weather wise and the facilities there are great as well. I am excited for it.”
She was speaking on the sidelines of a meet-and-greet session on Jan 27 at the Tampines West Community Club, where residents got to meet the Singaporean trail-blazer.
Beyond racing against some of Europe’s best, the competitions will also give her an opportunity to secure a 100m spot at the Paris Games by racking up world ranking points. At the world championships in Budapest last August, she had met the Olympic qualifying mark in the 200m after clocking a national-record 22.57sec in the semi-finals.
Individual athletes have two routes to earn a ticket to Paris till the qualification window closes on June 30. Half of the quota spots will be allocated based on timing, while the other half will be based on world rankings.
Over the course of 2023, Pereira competed in 47 individual races, rewrote the national 100m mark six times and the 200m record four times as she emerged as a national hero.
Her goal for this season is to further eclipse her national records. She had set the 100m mark of 11.20sec en route to winning the 100m at the Asian Athletics Championships in July, just weeks before lowering the 200m standard.
Shaving off any fraction of a second could help in her Olympic target, which is to better her performance at the world championship, where she finished 17th out of 24 overall in the 200m.
She said: “The place I am at, (getting quicker timings) boils down to the smallest details. So we’re just really working on getting faster. I’m just excited to continue this progress. I have been working on improving my arms swing and my hip motions.”
The meet-and-greet session, which was organised by Tampines West Community Sports Network, saw Pereira share her experiences candidly with the 100 participants, with some posing questions on the challenges she faced and how she overcame them.
She then flashed her widest smile as she signed autographs and posed for photographs with every attendee, young or old.
One of them was property agent Hairul Sahril, who brought along his daughter Hannah Sofea,11.
Hairul said: “I asked Shanti about how she has maintained her motivation through the years because my daughter is also a student-athlete pursuing gymnastics. Shanti is a motivation to all the younger ones who want to do sports and represent the country.”
Hannah, who could not stop smiling after getting a picture taken with Pereira, said: “It is not every day that you get to meet a national sports hero. I read about how Shanti had a knee injury but still pushed through and I am motivated to always do my best and overcome any issues I have in training.”
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https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/shanti-pereira-to-train-in-us-and-europe-ahead-of-paris-olympics
| 2024-01-27T14:35:22Z
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MELBOURNE - India's Rohan Bopanna and Australian Matthew Ebden dug deep to win the Australian Open men's doubles title on Saturday with a 7-6(0) 7-5 victory over Italian duo Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori.
The second seeds fell to the ground after overcoming their Italian challengers before bowing to the crowd at the Rod Laver Arena.
Bopanna becomes the oldest male player at 43 to win a Grand Slam title, and the Indian finally tasted success in Australia in his 17th consecutive Open, having lost the mixed doubles final last year and in 2018.
"Age truly really is not even a number for this guy. He's young at heart, he's a champion, he's a warrior. He's fought hard by my side this whole past year" Ebden said.
Bolelli and Vavassori held their own in the opening set and earned their first break point at 5-5, but the Indian-Australian pair rallied to save serve and ran out easy winners in the tiebreak, backed by the crowd.
The second set looked to be headed the same way, going with serve and locked at 5-5, until Vavassori's serve was broken leaving Ebden to serve for the match.
"This could not have been possible if I did not have a fantastic Aussie partner by my side," Bopanna said.
It is the first Major win for the pairing, who lost last year's U.S. Open final, and Bopanna will be world number one when the rankings are updated on Monday, with Ebden at number two having played three more tournaments during the ranking period.
Ebden won the Australian Open mixed doubles in 2013 and the Wimbledon men's doubles in 2022 - when he lost in the men's doubles final in Australia the same year - while Bopanna won the 2017 French Open mixed doubles.
Vavassori was making his first appearance in a Major final, while Bolelli won the men's doubles title in Australia in 2015. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/tennis/bopanna-and-ebden-overcome-italians-to-win-australian-open-doubles-title
| 2024-01-27T14:35:33Z
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MELBOURNE - China's Zheng Qinwen said she was bitterly disappointed not to have shown her best tennis as she was blown off the Rod Laver Arena court by Aryna Sabalenka in the Australian Open final on Saturday.
The 21-year-old, playing her first Grand Slam final and hoping to emulate her childhood hero Li Na's 2014 triumph at Melbourne Park, showed her best game only fleetingly as Sabalenka retained the title with a crushing 6-3 6-2 win.
"I didn't play my tennis there," the 12th seed told reporters.
"Yeah, I mean, she's obviously aggressive, but I had to hold more of the ball off her, and at the same time be as aggressive as she was.
"And today's match, I didn't perform my best. That's a real pity for me, because I really want to show better than that."
After being broken in the second game of the match, Zheng had a chance to put the set back on serve immediately only for Sabalenka to rattle off five straight points, saving three break points and holding.
"When I got the chance to break her 40-Love up and I'm not able to make it, that little moment makes the match so different," she recalled.
"Playing against Sabalenka at this level, if you don't take these chances the match will get away from you really fast. She's a really aggressive player. If you let a chance go, it will happen like it did today."
Zheng was voted the WTA's most improved player last year and had pundits purring over her serve and heavy forehand as she made her way through the soft top half of the draw.
She might take some comfort from the fact that Li, the first Chinese player to win a Grand Slam, was not even playing tennis at the age of 21, having dropped out of the sport to go to university.
Zheng, who will enter the top 10 in the world when the next rankings are issued, said she felt a little positive that she had made the final in her ninth Grand Slam.
Overall, though, the margin of defeat was a chastening reality check at how much more work she needed to do on her game to compete with the best.
"Maybe I have to work more on my tennis, also work more on my mental side, work more on myself to be able to get through this moment," she added.
"Because if you lose, there must be a reason behind why you lose, and we have to try to figure out why and then come back stronger and better next time.
"I think I can learn more with the loss today, and then I just hope next time I can come back as a better tennis player, and come back stronger." REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/tennis/chinas-zheng-downcast-by-sabalenka-reality-check
| 2024-01-27T14:35:43Z
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PARIS - French farmers maintained a series of nationwide protests on Saturday, arguing government measures announced to quell the demonstrations did not go far enough to meet their demands for better pay and living conditions.
On Friday, Prime Minister Gabriel Attal's government dropped plans to gradually reduce state subsidies on agricultural diesel, and announced other steps aimed at reducing the financial and administrative pressures faced by many farmers.
The FNSEA, France's biggest farming union, said it would keep up its protests and many farmers remained at roadblocks set up by motorways and major roads on Saturday.
"The measures announced by Attal are not enough, they will not help our cash flow," farmer Natacha Guillemet told BFM TV.
Others stuck to their threat of setting up roadblocks around Paris.
Demonstrators also held a silent march in the northern French town of Beauvais to pay tribute to farmers who have died in recent years, with some having committed suicide due to the stress of their working conditions.
France is the European Union's biggest agricultural producer and the French farmers' protests follow similar action in other European countries such as Germany and Poland, with many demonstrators saying they are being hit by globalisation and foreign competition. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/french-farmers-maintain-protests-despite-government-concessions
| 2024-01-27T14:35:54Z
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MOSCOW - Russia is ready to hold talks with the European Union on natural gas supplies as a transit deal with Ukraine expires at the end of 2024, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak was quoted as saying by several news agencies on Saturday.
Under a five-year deal agreed between Moscow and Kyiv in 2019, Russia is exporting gas to Europe via Ukraine and pays Ukraine for the usage of its pipeline network.
The arrangement has continued despite the start of Russia's war in Ukraine in February 2022, although Russian gas deliveries to Europe have plummeted since then.
Earlier this week, various media outlets cited Ukraine's government as saying that Kyiv will not seek talks with Moscow on the possibility of extending the gas transit agreement.
"If the other party [EU] wishes, we are ready to discuss. So far we don't see such a desire," Novak was quoted as saying by the RIA news agency.
A European Union official on Friday declined to speculate on whether the Ukraine transit deal would be extended beyond the end of 2024, but said the bloc was assessing all scenarios to ensure its preparedness.
The conflict in Ukraine, which Moscow calls a special military operation, prompted a European drive to replace Russian fuel with alternative supplies and renewable energy.
But the Kremlin-controlled gas pipeline exporting monopoly Gazprom still continues shipping gas via Ukraine. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/russia-ready-to-discuss-gas-supplies-with-eu-as-ukraine-transit-deal-expires-agencies
| 2024-01-27T14:36:04Z
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WASHINGTON – The Biden administration is expected to award billions of dollars in subsidies to top semiconductor companies, including Intel and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TMSC), in the coming weeks to help build new factories in the US, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on Jan 27.
The forthcoming announcements are aimed at kick-starting manufacturing of advanced semiconductors that power smartphones, artificial intelligence and weapons systems, the WSJ reported, citing industry executives familiar with the negotiations.
The executives expect some announcements to come before United States President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address on March 7.
Among the likely recipients of the subsidies, Intel has projects under way in Arizona, Ohio, New Mexico and Oregon that will cost more than US$43.5 billion (S$58.3 billion), the WSJ said.
Another likely recipient, TSMC, has two plants under construction near Phoenix for a total investment of US$40 billion. South Korea’s Samsung Electronics, also a contender, has a US$17.3 billion project in Texas.
Micron Technology, Texas Instruments and GlobalFoundries count among other top contenders.
In December, US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said she would make around a dozen funding awards for semiconductor chips in 2024, including multibillion-dollar announcements that could drastically reshape US chip production.
The first award, worth more than US$35 million and announced in December, was for a BAE Systems facility in Hampshire to produce chips for fighter planes, part of a US$39 billion “Chips for America” subsidy programme approved by the US Congress in 2022. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/united-states/us-to-announce-billions-in-subsidies-for-more-advanced-chips-factories
| 2024-01-27T14:36:14Z
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Britain's Got Talent fans look forward to the show's return as the four glamorous judges - Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon, Simon Cowell, and Bruno Tonioli, and two iconic presenters, Ant McPartlin and Dec Donnelly, took to the red carpet earlier this week for the London photocall.
But when not stepping onto the red carpet or the stage for the show's first auditions of the year, host Declan Donnelly, 48, spends quiet time at home with his wife Ali, 45, and their two children Isla, five, and Jack, one, whom they keep out of the limelight.
What fans might now know is that little Isla's name has a special meaning, and it's one close to BGT presenter Dec's heart. When she was born in 2018, Ali and Dec named their daughter Isla Elizabeth Anne after Dec's mother Anne.
Dec shares a close bond with his mum Anne and she has even spoken about the emotions the family went through when Dec's best friend and co-host Ant McPartlin battled with addiction.
It has been reported that Anne sees Ant, who befriended her son in 1989, "like a son" and has said: "When I found out about what he had been going through I was quite upset that he had been in that much pain."
Anne first learned of Ant's struggle at the same time as the public, saying he said: "We didn't know how he was doing until we read about it." She added that "he has done so well, and we are all so proud of him."
In 2022, Dec's wife gave birth to a second child – Jack Anthony Alphonsus. The I'm a Celeb presenter took to social media to announce the arrival saying: "Shortly before 10am yesterday, 23.7.2022, Ali and I welcomed the arrival of our son, Jack Anthony Alphonsus, a very welcome ray of light. He is wonderful and Isla is beyond excited to be a big sister!".
Little Jack's name also has a special meaning to the couple. His middle name 'Anthony' is a tribute to his friend of 35 years whom he met at just 13 years old on the set of children's TV show Byker Grove. Ant has previously spoken of their enduring friendship saying: "We've grown like any friends do who have known each other that long. We know everything about each other. We know what makes the other laugh, what annoys the other one and, yeah, we love each other."
Jack's second middle name is a tribute to Dec's father Alphonsus Donnelly, who passed away in 2011. In the book he wrote with his co-host Once Upon a Tyne, Dec opened up about the birth of his daughter, revealing: "Becoming a dad has completely transformed me. At first, like all expectant parents, I didn't truly understand how much it was going to change me.
"I just thought it was another little person coming to live in the house... It opened up a whole other side to me, a side I didn't know existed. I felt a love that I didn't realise it was possible to feel. Everything I do, every day, is for my daughter now."
Ant is a stepfather to the two daughters of his wife Anne-Marie Corbett whom he wed in 2021. "I’ve got two step-daughters, 13 and 15, and they are more socially aware at that age than I was in my mid-20s. Than I still am," he admitted, adding: "It’s not going to be our generation that saves the world. Look at Greta Thunberg, single-handedly almost making the world aware of climate change."
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/healthandbeauty/mother-and-baby/512185/declan-donnelly-special-meaning-daughter-name/
| 2024-01-27T14:37:39Z
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Ukrainian counter-attacks are holding Russian forces from progressing further within Avdiivka, Donetsk oblast, the UK Defense Ministry reported on 27 January.
According to the British Defense Ministry, Avdiivka will likely remain in Ukrainian control over the coming weeks, as “the main supply route remains intact and Ukrainian forces make local counter-attacks.”
Russian forces continue attempting to bypass Ukrainian fortifications by entering the city edges via service tunnels. The UK intel said that this is a method of infiltration they have been trying since October 2023, the time Russian forces started their offensive operation on Avdiivka.
The UK intel said that Avdiivka is still the main priority for Russian forces.
“The Russians are mounting a three-pronged attack to encircle the city from the south and north, and also fighting on the outskirts of the eastern quarter of Avdiivka city itself,” they tweeted.
Russian forces have suffered heavy personnel and armoured vehicle losses, frequently caused by Ukrainian uncrewed aerial vehicle munitions.
The British intel also reported that Russia continues its offensive across multiple axes, aligning with its strategic objective to capture the Donbas.
Russian forces captured the village of Krokhmalne in Kharkiv Oblast on 21 January and Vesele near Bakhmut on 18 January. However, the UK intel reported that these are “strategically insignificant.”
Vesele had a pre-war population of 102, and Krokhmalne had 45.
“This represents a continuation of Russia’s minor incremental gains whilst Ukraine focuses on active defense,” British Ministry reported.
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https://euromaidanpress.com/2024/01/27/british-intel-avdiivka-likely-to-remain-in-ukrainian-control-over-coming-weeks/
| 2024-01-27T15:08:01Z
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The Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) keeps expanding Russia’s influence and subsuming previous Wagner Group operations in Africa, ISW said in its daily report on 26 January.
A Russian MoD delegation arrived in Burkina Faso on 26 January to discuss “the rights and powers of the Russian military contingent” in the country and future cooperation between Burkina Faso and Russia.
The Russian milbloger said that Burkina Faso would likely become the “main coordination center” between Sahel Alliance members Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali. Russian media operates in Burkina Faso to “compete with French media” and “create a loyal information space.” He said Russia’s military presence in the Sahel “would likely last for years.”
Additionally, Alexander Ivanov, director of the Russian Officers’ Union for International Security (OUIS), told the Russian state news agency TASS that “several hundred Russian military personnel” in the Central African Republic (CAR) would be “sufficient and effective.” Ivanov argued this would “strengthen Russia’s position in CAR and the region.” However, he labeled claims that the proposed Russian base could accommodate 10,000 personnel as “a clear exaggeration.”
The ISW report also states that the US Treasury Department sanctioned OUIS and Ivanov earlier this year for acting as front companies for the Wagner Group. Ivanov’s recent comments suggest Russia has been successful in “co-opting some former Wagner Group structures in CAR,” the report says.
Russia reopened its embassy in Burkina Faso in December 2023, BBC reported.
Previously, Burkina Faso was an ally of the former colonial power of France. However, the country has shifted its allegiance towards Russia since the military took control of Burkina Faso’s government in a 2022 coup.
Other takeaways from the ISW report:
- The Kremlin and US officials rejected rumors about Russian President Vladimir Putin’s willingness to engage in meaningful negotiations amid continued indications from the Kremlin that Russia seeks nothing less than full Ukrainian and Western capitulation.
- Russian demands for Ukrainian “neutrality” and a moratorium on NATO expansion have always been and continue to be one of Putin’s central justifications for his invasion of Ukraine. Any hypothetical concession on these demands would represent a major strategic and rhetorical retreat on Putin’s behalf that Putin is extremely unlikely to be considering at this time.
- Russian President Vladimir Putin reiterated boilerplate Kremlin narratives that blame Ukraine for the war while also highlighting Russian forces in the Soledar direction.
- The circumstances of the 24 January crash of a Russian Il-76 military transport aircraft in Belgorod Oblast remain unclear.
- The European Union (EU) will provide Ukraine with an additional five billion euros to meet “urgent military needs” in the near future.
- Russia reportedly imported $1.7 billion worth of advanced microchips and semiconductors in 2023, primarily from the West, skirting Western sanctions intended to deprive Russia of such technology.
- Russian forces advanced near Avdiivka amid continued positional engagements throughout the theater.
- Elements of Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin’s alleged personal private military company (PMC) may have deployed to Ukraine.
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https://euromaidanpress.com/2024/01/27/isw-russia-expands-its-military-presence-and-influence-in-africa/
| 2024-01-27T15:08:42Z
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In a world often plagued by challenges, from climate change to political turmoil, it’s easy to succumb to a pessimistic view of the future. But, as we step into 2024, Boston University faculty members shed light on various reasons to be optimistic about the years ahead. Through the lens of experts spanning diverse fields, this report explores promising developments in climate change activism, democratic resilience, public transportation, Middle East peace efforts, abortion rights, the arts, healthcare, inflation, artificial intelligence, mental health awareness, local journalism, and inclusive education.
1. Climate change – A youthful call to action
As the world grapples with the slow pace of policy change and resistance to phasing out fossil fuels, biologist Pamela Templer sees a glimmer of hope. Engaging with youth at the forefront of climate activism, Templer emphasizes their growing recognition of the urgent need for change.
From local actions on campuses to global summits, the younger generation’s voices are becoming a catalyst for effective measures to secure a sustainable future.
2. Democracy – Weathering the storm
Despite the noise surrounding court cases and concerns about the 2024 presidential election, Michael Holm, a social sciences expert, offers a more optimistic perspective on democracy. Acknowledging the challenges posed by extreme political fringes, Holm believes in the positive forces of democracy, emphasizing its capacity for debate and discussion leading to net positive outcomes.
3. The T – Navigating optimism in public transportation
Public transportation in Boston, often a source of frustration, might just be turning a corner. Kristian Klinger, BU’s Vice President of Auxiliary Services, outlines strategic decisions and improvements in the MBTA. Planned service disruptions, increased speed, new hires, and enhanced accessibility point towards a renewed commitment to making the T a more reliable and efficient mode of transportation.
4. Middle East peace – Faint hopes amidst conflict
Amidst the devastating conflict between Israel and Hamas, Professor Thomas Berger acknowledges the grim reality of many innocent lives lost, including children and women. The atrocities committed by Israel have ruptured the sense of safety for countless individuals and strained political alliances, particularly with former progressive allies.
While the human toll is undeniable, Berger cautiously points to two faint hopes amid the turmoil. The geopolitical divide, primarily between Sunni and Shiite states, presents an opportunity for Israel to seek common ground with Sunni states, potentially leading to normalization. Also, global pressure may exert influence on Israel to engage in diplomatic dialogue with the Palestinians. The road to peace, yet, remains fraught with challenges, and the international community’s role in addressing the ongoing crisis is pivotal.
5. Abortion- Navigating a changing landscape
In the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s ruling overturning abortion protections, Nicole Huberfeld, a health law expert, identifies a trend favoring abortion rights. Referenda rejecting restrictive measures, voter preferences against limitations, and amendments actively protecting abortion access point towards a collective push for maintaining and expanding reproductive rights.
6. The Arts – Resilience in creativity
Despite challenges posed by the pandemic and threats from generative AI software, the arts sector displays resilience. Douglas DeNatale, director of the Arts Administration program, notes the sector’s capacity for reinvention. Increased government support, creative programming, and innovative use of AI highlight the adaptability of the arts community.
7. Healthcare – A positive trajectory
Sandro Galea, School of Public Health dean, counters the narrative of a bleak healthcare system in the US. Highlighting technological innovations and ongoing efforts to address structural inequities, climate change, and infectious diseases, Galea argues that there has never been a healthier time to live in the country.
8. Inflation – Navigating economic challenges
Economist Tarek Hassan offers a positive outlook on inflation, pointing to improvements in global supply chains and Federal Reserve interventions. After a period of disruption caused by the pandemic, the trend suggests a gradual decline in inflation rates, potentially aligning with the Fed’s target of 2 percent yearly inflation in 2024.
9. AI – Beyond doomsday predictions
Azer Bestavros, associate provost for the Faculty of Computing & Data Sciences, dispels fears of AI takeover. Bestavros emphasizes the benefits of AI, including its role in catching deep fake videos and its potential to enhance efficiency in various domains. The year 2024 is seen as a period where society begins to fully realize and harness the capabilities of AI.
10. Mental health’s challenges – Progress amidst crisis
Despite the exacerbation of mental health issues during the pandemic, Kara Cattani, director of Behavioral Medicine at Student Health Services, sees progress. Increased awareness, expanding research, and efforts to leverage technology for mental health support signal a positive trajectory. BU’s commitment to addressing diverse needs and underserved populations further contributes to the optimistic outlook.
11. Local journalism – A phoenix rising from the ashes
Brian McGrory, chair of the College of Communication journalism department, acknowledges the challenges faced by local journalism. However, he identifies a growing inclination to pay for journalism, evidenced by increased online subscriptions. Nonprofit journalism start-ups, such as the New Bedford Light and the Concord Bridge, exemplify community support for a new financial model.
12. Public education – Inclusive progress
In the realm of public education, Lindsey A. Chapman from BU Wheelock highlights progress in inclusive education for students with disabilities. Legislative protections and advocacy efforts have led to increased attention to ensure quality and inclusive educational experiences. Despite ongoing challenges, there is a growing movement towards recognizing and addressing systemic inequities in education.
A question for the future
As we navigate the myriad reasons for optimism in 2024, one question lingers: How can collective efforts and positive trends across these diverse fields shape a brighter future for all? The challenges are undeniable, but the shared optimism from experts across Boston University suggests a collective belief in the potential for positive change. In the face of uncertainty, the year 2024 beckons as a canvas for hope, innovation, and progress. What role will you play in shaping this future?
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| 2024-01-27T15:15:42Z
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Without a doubt, 2023 was the year of artificial intelligence. There were lots of breakthroughs, advances, and major headlines about AI last year. The technology permeated several industries and sparked both excitement and apprehension about the future.
But as we turn the page to 2024, a new question emerges: what will define this year?
While AI’s influence is sure to continue, several other contenders vie for the title of “The Year Of.” From pivotal political events to groundbreaking technological leaps, cultural shifts, and sporting spectacles, 2024 promises to be a year brimming with potential turning points.
It’s uncertain what would define the year, but here are some glimpses into the possibilities that lie ahead in 2024 across different areas.
Politics
The US Presidential Election in November 2024 takes centre stage, with the world watching as Americans choose their next leader. As the largest economy in the world, the upcoming US election is a major event that could reshape the global political landscape.
A closely contested race or a decisive victory could have far-reaching consequences, shaping domestic and international policies for years to come.
Beyond the US, geopolitical tensions simmer in various regions. The ongoing conflicts in Ukraine, the Middle East, and other regions could escalate or find unexpected resolutions, fundamentally altering the world’s political landscape.
Technology
AI may have reigned supreme in 2023, but 2024 could witness even more groundbreaking advancements. Imagine robots seamlessly integrated into everyday life, healthcare revolutionized by AI-powered diagnostics and treatments, or personalized experiences tailored to our every whim.
Open-source AI models and user-friendly APIs could make AI more accessible to smaller businesses and individuals in 2024, paving the way for innovative applications across various sectors. We might see more seamless collaboration between humans and AI, with systems that can learn from and adapt to our input, leading to more intuitive and effective solutions.
The metaverse, that nascent virtual world, is poised for major expansion. Tech giants and brands are expected to make significant forays into this realm, potentially transforming how we interact, work, and consume content.
Sporting
In the sporting arena, the eyes of the world are glued to Paris in July and August for the Summer Olympics.
The Summer Olympics is always a major spectacle with its diverse range of sports and athletes from various nations. It’s a time for athletes to showcase their hard work and dedication, often involving intense competition, memorable moments, and records being broken. Besides the sporting aspect, the Olympics also promote cultural exchange and national pride, making them a unique global event.
The sporting calendar also features the Men’s T20 World Cup in June. This cricket extravaganza could bring unexpected upsets, the emergence of new stars, and heart-stopping moments that leave fans on the edge of their seats.
Climate Change
As the effects of climate change become more pronounced and widespread, with extreme weather events hitting all corners of the globe, the sense of urgency is reaching a critical point. 2024 could see a surge in activism and public pressure for actions towards tangible solutions from governments and corporations.
With growing public pressure, we can expect to see more ambitious policies and regulations aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions in 2024. This could include investments in renewable energy, stricter regulations on fossil fuels, and policies to promote sustainable practices across various sectors.
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https://www.cryptopolitan.com/4-arenas-where-2024-will-reshape-our-world/
| 2024-01-27T15:15:49Z
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Cryptocurrency, the digital gold rush of our times, has hit a regulatory snag. The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) has unleashed a thunderbolt in the form of a report: approximately 70% of crypto-related communications are tangled in a web of violations. These aren’t just minor missteps; they’re serious breaches involving false, exaggerated, and misleading claims.
In November 2022, FINRA turned its regulatory lens towards member firms engaged in crypto communications. The mission? To ensure compliance with Rule 2210, a cornerstone in the realm of public communications. This rule isn’t just a guideline; it’s the bulwark against misinformation, mandating that communications must be fair, balanced, and fact-based.
The Cryptic Challenge of Crypto Compliance
The scrutiny was rigorous. Over 500 crypto asset-related communications were dissected, revealing that a significant chunk failed to differentiate between products offered by the member firms and those by third parties or affiliates. The lack of clarity didn’t stop there. These communications often misleadingly equated crypto assets to cash or similar instruments, and comparisons with other asset classes like stocks or cash were made without a sound basis.
This fog of confusion extended to explanations about how crypto assets operate. Key details about issuance, holding, transfer, and sale were often omitted, leaving investors in the dark. Furthermore, some communications falsely implied that crypto assets were shielded by federal securities laws or FINRA rules, and some even misrepresented the extent of protection under the Securities Investor Protection Corporation.
FINRA’s 2024 Report: A New Chapter in Crypto Oversight
This development dovetails with FINRA’s 2024 Annual Regulatory Oversight Report, marking the first time a section is devoted to crypto assets. As a self-regulatory body under the SEC, FINRA’s mandate is clear: to oversee securities broker-dealers. This report is more than just a document; it’s a critical tool for member firms to refine their compliance programs.
The report casts a wide net, covering crypto asset developments and advertised volumes among 26 topics. It targets firms involved or planning to be involved in crypto-related activities, guiding them through the intricate maze of SEC compliance. This includes a comprehensive checklist for assessing if a crypto asset is a security, measures for cybersecurity, and anti-money laundering protocols.
Retail communications, a critical aspect of customer engagement, have shown a significantly higher rate of non-compliance compared to other products. This highlights the need for heightened vigilance and adherence to regulatory standards.
FINRA’s role and practices could be further influenced by an upcoming Supreme Court decision regarding the SEC’s use of in-house judges. This decision, expected in 2023, could have repercussions for FINRA, which also employs in-house judges for member-related cases. This follows a 2023 ruling by the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit against FINRA’s use of these judges.
In sum, FINRA’s report serves as a stark reminder of the growing pains of the crypto industry. The high rate of non-compliance in crypto communications underscores the need for rigorous oversight and adherence to regulatory standards. As the industry continues to evolve, this report and subsequent regulatory actions will play a pivotal role in shaping the landscape of cryptocurrency and its integration into the broader financial system.
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https://www.cryptopolitan.com/70-crypto-communications-violate-regulations/
| 2024-01-27T15:15:56Z
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Blockstream CEO Adam Back recently took a firm stance to address mounting concerns within the cryptocurrency community surrounding Mt. Gox’s repayment plans and their potential implications for the Bitcoin market. Back’s direct response aimed to dispel “FUD” (fear, uncertainty, and doubt) circulating within the crypto sphere regarding this long-anticipated event.
Adam Back supports repayment in cryptocurrency
In his statement, Adam Back questioned the rationale behind selling Bitcoin at its current market price, which hovers around $40,000. He emphasized the optimistic outlook driven by forthcoming Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) and the highly anticipated Bitcoin halving event. Back argued that holding onto Bitcoin, often referred to as “HODLing,” could potentially yield much higher prices in the near future. Waiting for just one more year, he suggested, could result in Bitcoin prices around $400,000, underlining the potential benefits of a long-term investment strategy.
A noteworthy aspect of Mt. Gox’s repayment strategy is its decision to reimburse creditors in Bitcoin rather than traditional currency, commonly known as the greenback. This unique approach sets Mt. Gox apart from other cases, such as the U.S. bankruptcy proceedings of FTX Official, which chose to sell assets to cover legal expenses. By opting for Bitcoin repayments, Mt. Gox aligns with the principles and values of the cryptocurrency community.
Progress towards repayments
Recent reports suggest that Mt. Gox’s custodians are actively working to confirm Bitcoin addresses with creditors, marking a pivotal step toward realizing the repayment process. This development brings a glimmer of hope to those affected by the infamous 2014 hack but has also significantly impacted the current Bitcoin market.
As Adam Back addresses concerns over Mt. Gox’s repayment plans and their potential impact on the Bitcoin market, the cryptocurrency community faces an important juncture. The decision to repay creditors in Bitcoin, the optimism surrounding future Bitcoin prices, and the progress in confirming addresses all play significant roles in the ongoing discourse.
What’s next?
The Mt. Gox case serves as a poignant reminder of the complexities involved in managing cryptocurrency exchanges and their aftermath. As the cryptocurrency world continues to evolve, individuals and institutions must navigate this dynamic landscape with vigilance and adaptability.
In the coming months, all eyes will be on Mt. Gox’s custodians as they endeavor to fulfill their commitment to repay creditors. The outcome of this process will undoubtedly shape the perceptions and expectations of many within the cryptocurrency community. Regardless of the outcome, Adam Back’s message serves as a reminder to approach the situation with a long-term perspective, weighing the potential benefits of “HODLing” against short-term gains.
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https://www.cryptopolitan.com/adam-back-addresses-mt-gox-repayment/
| 2024-01-27T15:16:02Z
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Web3 advertising platform AdEx has announced the development of a privacy-preserving ad-targeting engine based on zero-knowledge technology. AdEx will now introduce “ZK targeting” into its platform once it launches in 2024. The incorporation of zero-knowledge technologies into Web3 advertising represents a seismic shift from the intrusive nature of Web2 models.
User privacy issues with digital advertising solutions (or adtech) have been a long-running problem. As we’ve moved to spending more of our lives online, advertisers have gained the unprecedented ability to target ads to the level of individual preferences. However, this comes at the expense of user privacy, as it involves tracking online activity and sending data to advertisers. Blocking tracking cookies is one option, but it doesn’t stop websites from serving ads – it simply limits them to generic, non-targeted placements.
AdEx harnesses Web3 technology to give more control to users, but crucially without limiting the ability of advertisers to deliver targeted ads. The project has now announced the launch of AdEx ZK, which is based on zero-knowledge technology. This allows advertisers to target ads to users based on an opt-in arrangement where the user has control over their ad preferences without having to disclose their browsing activity or personal data.
Benefits Beyond Privacy
The AdEx ZK solution addresses the key user privacy issue that faces the digital ad sector, but AdEx points out that it offers other benefits, too. By allowing users to opt in and curate their own ad feed, there’s a lower risk of ad fatigue. Furthermore, AdEx users can earn rewards for viewing adverts, helping to enhance engagement and click-through rates. Since it’s based on a direct connection between advertisers and publishers, AdEx is also able to offer its services with lower fees. Finally, it’s a fully compliant solution. All data is retained on the users’ own device and never shared with advertisers or publishers. In this respect, it actually reduces the burden of complying with regulations such as the GDPR, since nobody is acting as a data processor or controller of any personal data, even in an anonymized way.
AdEx’s launch could prove to be timely, as privacy and surveillance concerns around third-party cookies are overriding the imperative to deliver more targeted ads. Google recently commenced testing for changes to how companies can track user browsing activity, introducing a new feature to the Chrome browser that disables third-party cookies. Although it’s initially only available to around 1% of Chrome’s three billion-strong user base, the firm plans to roll out the changes to all users later this year. With advertisers complaining that their revenues will suffer as a result, it could mark a shift towards Web3 solutions, such as AdEx, if firms decide to seek alternative solutions for generating ad income.
AdEx has confirmed it will introduce AdEx ZK shortly after its platform launches in Q2 2024.
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https://www.cryptopolitan.com/adex-set-to-launch-web3-advertising-solution-based-on-zk-technology/
| 2024-01-27T15:16:08Z
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Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ: AMD) has recently faced a setback as its stock dropped by 3.6% following a downgrade by Northland Capital. Investors have been on the hunt for the next big player in the artificial intelligence (AI) sector after witnessing Nvidia’s (NASDAQ: NVDA) remarkable performance in 2023, where the stock price tripled. AMD, known for its MI300X line of accelerator chips, has been considered by many as a potential candidate for the next AI powerhouse. However, Northland Capital’s recent downgrade has raised concerns and cast doubts on AMD’s prospects.
Cautionary words from Northland Capital
Northland Capital downgraded AMD to a “market perform” rating, sparking a decline in the company’s stock price. While Nvidia’s stock has surged over 200% in the past 52 weeks, including a 20% increase in 2024 alone, AMD’s stock has seen a rise of 127% during the same period. This performance gap has left many investors still believing that Nvidia is the frontrunner in the AI revolution.
Northland Capital’s cautionary advice stems from their belief that the AI revolution, while significant, may not be as massive as investors currently anticipate. In 2023, a rush among companies to secure high-powered chips resulted in excessive purchases, leading to an oversupply of AI chips. Consequently, the anticipated growth in AI chip demand might not materialize as rapidly as expected, with some companies now focused on managing their existing inventory.
Divergent predictions for AMD’s future
The predictions for AMD’s future in the AI market are diverging. While some analysts, like Melius Research, forecast that AMD’s data center revenue could reach an astonishing $15.5 billion by 2025, up from approximately $6 billion in 2023, Northland Capital believes it might take until 2027 for AMD to surpass the $16 billion mark in AI revenue. This discrepancy highlights the uncertainty surrounding the pace and scale of AMD’s growth in the AI sector.
Is it time to sell AMD stock?
Northland Capital’s downgrade does not imply a lack of confidence in AMD’s potential. They still believe that AMD can achieve substantial growth in the AI market. However, the key concern is that the stock may have already priced in much of this growth. At the moment, AMD is valued at a staggering 1,580 times its trailing earnings and is trading at more than double its value from a year ago.
With this in mind, Northland Capital advises investors to exercise caution, take a step back, and evaluate their investments. It might be prudent to wait and observe how events unfold before making further investments in AMD. The impending earnings report on January 29, 2024, could provide crucial insights into AMD’s performance and prospects.
Investor considerations
Investors contemplating whether to buy or hold AMD stock should carefully weigh the potential risks and rewards. While AMD has been a strong performer in the past, the current valuation may reflect overly optimistic expectations about its AI revenue growth.
Additionally, it’s worth noting that The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team recently excluded AMD from its list of the top 10 stocks for investors to buy now. Instead, they identified other stocks they believe have the potential to deliver substantial returns in the coming years.
Investors should conduct thorough research and consider diversifying their portfolios to manage risk effectively. The AI market remains dynamic and competitive, and the long-term success of companies like AMD depends on their ability to adapt to changing market conditions and deliver on their growth promises.
While AMD’s recent downgrade by Northland Capital has caused a dip in its stock price, the AI sector’s future remains uncertain, and the pace of growth may not meet investors’ high expectations. It is advisable for investors to exercise caution, analyze the upcoming earnings report, and assess their investment strategies in light of the current market dynamics.
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https://www.cryptopolitan.com/advanced-micro-devices-amd-stock-see-decline/
| 2024-01-27T15:16:15Z
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