mnl168+free+100 Zhang Guimei bowed respectfully to her teacher, a gesture of gratitude and respect for the guidance and support she had received over the years. Ms. Zhang returned the gesture, her hands trembling with emotion as she reached out to touch her student's shoulder.

Capitals' Ovechkin to miss 4-6 weeks with broken leg

NoneTitle: 30-Year-Old MIT Doctorate Graduate Reunites with Family After Being Kidnapped 3 Times: A Story of Resilience and Hope

The Congress on Saturday described the Maharashtra Assembly election results as "absolutely strange, inexplicable, and beyond comprehension," claiming that the level-playing field was disturbed in a "targeted manner" as part of a "conspiracy". The party, however, hailed the JMM-Congress alliance victory in Jharkhand, stating that the people here had rejected the "politics of polarisation" propagated by the Bharatiya Janata Party. The grand old party emphasised that it will continue to raise the issues of caste census, protection of the Constitution and Manipur, and economic disparities, along with pushing its agenda against the "Modani" scams. Jairam Ramesh Says Maharashtra Results 'Absolutely Strange': 'Will Definitely Analyse Them' Addressing a press conference at the AICC headquarters after the announcement f results, Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh and chairman of the Media and Publicity Department Pawan Khera stated that the results were not only surprising for the party but for even those candidates who have won the polls. Asserting that the party will definitely analyse the Jharkhand results, Jairam Ramesh said: "We can say that even those who won did not anticipate that this result would come". "The Maharashtra assembly poll result is surprising, inexplicable for us," he said, adding that this win was not a victory of development, as the BJP is believing it to be. He noted that the farmers of Maharashtra were angry, and that the working class of the state was against the government. Ramesh added that the results in Maharashtra have turned out to be "completely opposite" despite BJP faring badly in the Lok Sabha elections earlier this year. "We will definitely analyse the result that has come. But today we can say that even those who won did not anticipate that this result would come. We were assuming that we will get the mandate. The farmers of Maharashtra are angry, the working class of Maharashtra is against the government. And the atmosphere that was there in Maharashtra 4-5 months ago, the same atmosphere is there today too, we were assuming this and everyone accepted this," the Congress leader said. Calling the results "absolutely strange" and alleging "conspiracy" behind the outcome, Ramesh added: "But the results that have come are completely opposite to this. But this does not mean that we will step back from our agenda... somewhere there is a conspiracy to defeat us... The result of Maharashtra is very strange, I cannot use any other word for it, it is absolutely strange". #WATCH | Delhi: On #MaharashtraElection2024 , Congress MP Jairam Ramesh says, "We will definitely analyse the result that has come. But today we can say that even those who won did not anticipate that this result would come. We were assuming that we will get the mandate. The... pic.twitter.com/F7jMpnrYKU — ANI (@ANI) November 23, 2024 He claimed that while the non-entities from the BJP emerged winners, prominent MVA leaders were made to lose the polls. "What some people say as micro-management was the manipulation at the ground level," the Congress leader remarked. Jairam Ramesh further called on all Opposition parties to unite against the alleged manipulation in the electoral process, including the use of EVMs, which he said results in manipulated mandate. Meanwhile, Pawan Khera, while replying to a question said: "In Jharkhand where the INDIA bloc got a level playing field it won". He claimed that the Congress and INDIA bloc wins wherever they get the level playing field. Khera expressed surprise over the Maharashtra results, highlighting that the Lok Sabha election was also fought in the name of PM Modi and the BJP, but the NDA had lost in Maharashtra that time. Referring to the Dharavi Assembly segment, where the Congress candidate won by a margin of over 24,000 votes, Khera said: "They (the people of Dharavi) have given their verdict”, suggesting that the people had also rejected the tender given to Adani for the redevelopment of the place. The Congress leader stated that the party will follow the coalition dharma in Jharkhand.

How the Israel-Gaza war is also playing out in Europe's soccer stadiums, known for enjoying a glass of vodka while hosting foreign dignitaries, is a modern proponent of the temperance movement compared to previous leaders. Peter the Great, for instance, would consume from a custom-made 1.5-litre chalice. His love of women was the only match for his love of alcohol. Boris Yeltsin, meanwhile, was discovered wandering along Pennsylvania Avenue, during a presidential trip, half-dressed and on a quest for pizza. now, however appears to be reshaped in his more temperate image. Tax measures and marketing restrictions mean alcohol consumption has fallen for over ten years, hitting a low of seven litres per person in 2017, down from a record high of 20 litres in 2003. These 'health initiatives' are now been undermined by another of Putin's hallmark policies - war. The mental strain of nearly three years of full-blown conflict is now reportedly causing a resurgence in heavy drinking. From January to October of this year, alcohol sales in Russia reached a record 184.2 million decaliters, according to data released by the industry regulator, marking the highest volume since records began in 2017. Russians' fondness for vodka, a term that affectionately translates to 'little water', remains strong, with the national drink topping the market with 62.5 million decaliters sold. Sales of still wine reached 46.9 million decaliters, a rise of 22.5 per cent from 2017, while sales of sparkling wine saw a significant increase of 10.9 per cent from last year and a whopping 61 per cent more than in 2017, totalling 16.3 million decaliters. Research agency To Be Exact claims Russians are now consuming the equivalent of eight litres of pure alcohol per person each year. This surge in consumption, of course, has accompanied an increase in alcohol dependency rates, as reported by Moscow officials, marking the first such rise in a decade. From 2010 to 2021, first-time diagnoses of alcohol use disorder fell from 153,900 to 53,300. However, in 2022, this figure began to climb again, with doctors issuing 54,200 diagnoses. Russia's health ministry has attributed this trend to the Covid-19 pandemic, where people stuck inside due to lockdown restrictions had nothing better to do than to drink. However, this explanation fails to consider an obvious unanswered question about war and the increasing totalitarianism within Russian life. "Social and economic upheavals, increased geopolitical confrontations and sanctions have somewhat slowed" progress in reducing excessive alcohol consumption, Ruslan Isayev, who heads a Moscow-based addiction clinic, told Kommersant. Come and join The Daily Star on , the social media site set up by ex-Twitter boss Jack Dorsey. It's now the new go-to place for content after a mass exodus of the Elon Musk-owned Twitter/X. Fear not, we're not leaving , but we are jumping on the bandwagon. So come find our new account on , and see us social better than the rest. You can also learn more about The Daily Star team in what Bluesky calls a . So what are you waiting for?! Let's Other reasons include fears of losing a loved one, being drafted into the military, or facing imprisonment for voicing dissent - all compounded by the existential threat of nuclear confrontation with the West. On Tuesday, the Kremlin declared that it had lowered the bar for launching a nuclear strike against the West, updating its nuclear weapons doctrine to permit their use in response to attacks on its territory with Western-supplied arms. Concurrently, Russia has started manufacturing mobile nuclear bomb shelters for the first time. Perhaps the advice to Moscow should be: make vodka not war.

AMAP Teams Up with Lenovo Baiying to Provide One-Touch Access to Professional Computer Services

The travel map showcases a vast and visually stunning world, brimming with secrets to uncover and challenges to overcome. From lush forests and towering mountains to ancient ruins and bustling cities, each location in the game is intricately designed to offer a unique and immersive experience.

The investigation into Google's secret advertising collaborations with Meta marks a significant milestone in the ongoing debate over the power and influence of tech giants in the digital advertising ecosystem. As more and more advertising dollars flow to online platforms, concerns about competition, data privacy, and consumer protection have come to the forefront of regulatory agendas worldwide.

In conclusion, the appointment of Anthony Taylor to officiate the Manchester Derby in Matchweek 16 of the English Premier League highlights the importance of this fixture and the significance of fair and impartial refereeing in top-level football. With Taylor's experience and professionalism, fans can look forward to a memorable and fiercely contested encounter between Manchester City and Manchester United that is sure to captivate audiences worldwide.In late October, amidst the tensions of a looming election, the world witnessed the birth of a new kind of democratic event - the celebrity lookalike contest. It all began with the Timothee Chalamet event in New York, when a bunch of mop-haired, square-jawed lookalikes descended upon Washington Square Park, all for a small trophy, a $50 cash prize, and the knowledge they (vaguely) resemble a Hollywood star. The contest was a raging success; hundreds of onlookers stopped by, there were four arrests, and Chalamet himself even turned up to meet his doppelgangers. And since then, dozens of copycat lookalike contests have popped up around the world. In Dublin, mulleted men in short shorts compared thighs in the hopes of having their likeness to Paul Mescal verified with 20 euros and a few pints. In Chicago, apron-wearing, bedraggled men resembling Jeremy Allen-White put it all on the line for $50 and a pack of cigs. And in San Francisco, a host of handsome South Asian men (and women looking for boyfriends) showed up to the Dev Patel lookalike contest. Now, it's New Zealand's turn. On Saturday 30 November, The Edge radio station is holding a Jason Momoa lookalike contest at Auckland's Mission Bay, with a winning prize of $1000. It's unclear exactly what the criteria is for these celebrity lookalike contests, but one thing is certain: they've been an exercise in pure, joyously human absurdity, and a rare example of a completely grassroots, organic online moment translating into real life events. But what's actually behind the sudden rise in celebrity lookalike contests? AUT communications lecturer and pop culture expert Thomas Watts says it's not necessarily a new thing - lookalikes and impersonators have always been around in popular culture. "Impersonators are quite an interesting phenomenon, because there's quite a lot of skill attached to them ... you start with the mannerisms, the movement, the voice, and the look almost comes after. "A lookalike contest is a much more simple exercise than an impersonator, per se, because you just need to look like the person to some extent." Watts says the celebrity lookalike contests may have seen a sudden rise in popularity because they're "fun and silly and easy to understand." "Someone either looks like Timothee Chalamet or they don't. Or people look like Timothee Chalamet to a certain extent, and then you have to try and work out what are the things that makes someone the most Timothee Chalamet, what are those kind of elements? "In terms of that sudden rise, it's got elements of a trend, but it's got very deep roots in the past. I think at its heart there's a level of celebrity culture that exists and we like celebrities, especially big celebrities, that there's enough of an understanding of who they are, for the average person to go, 'Oh yeah, I've got a friend that looks like Timothee Chalamet or Jason Momoa'. What makes them so popular and joyful? Celebrity lookalike contests are low stakes fun with just enough substance in them to keep people interested, Watts says. "They're a silly way for people to come together, and I think as humans, we love a bit of an abstract competition ... you still have heats and tasks that people have to do, there are challenges, and so as a result, you get a bit of an event out of that ... everyone's getting very emotionally invested into something that doesn't mean heaps to the functioning of a society, but is good, silly fun. "And then you have a lineup of a whole lot of people who have elements of Jason Momoa and you have to work out, what makes Jason Momoa, Jason Momoa. I'd love to see the criteria they're using to assess exactly all the things you need to do to be the most Jason Momoa lookalike. Do you prioritise hair over size? Do you get bonus points for tattoos? Does your acting ability slot in there? It's an interesting one." Where are the lookalike contests for women celebrities? The contests so far have largely all been for male celebrities, with the exception of a small Zendaya lookalike contest in Oakland on Wednesday. Watts suggests this discrepancy could be due to an element of discomfort in ranking and rating women. "There are a number of celebritiy lookalikes on social media, people that have made their own identity around looking or dressing like a celebrity. There are quite a few people who do this for Taylor Swift ... but with competitions, I think, you'd feel slightly less comfortable if you're assessing a female celebrity lookalike because of how they fit a beauty standard. "At that points it feels like you're objectifying the person which ends up feeling slightly arcaic, almost like a beauty competition, and I feel like you kind of ignore that with your Harry Styles and your Jeremy Allen White and your Heath Ledger, because I think you can ignore that question of objectifying and overly perceiving someone." Will the contests die down any time soon? Watts says we may be reaching the peak of the celebrity lookalike events. The nail in the coffin? When they stop being organic, fan-driven events, and start becoming tool for PR. "I think with a lot of these online trends, there's often the question of who's driving them ... maybe we'll see a large corporate do a celebrity lookalike event, or maybe a cringy political party doing that, and that will be where we kind of jump the shark, so they will die down. "With most of these things, there's always someone who's kind of pushing for it, you kind of need someone with some form of resource. In the case of the Timothee Chalamet one, there was a YouTuber driving it, in the case of Jason Momoa, the Edge radio station is driving that. "The woman who was trying to find someone who looked like Jacob Elordi in Melbourne, this is one of my favourites because it was very lowkey, very few people showed up. In fact I don't think any men showed up for the Jacob Elordi lookalike competition, so she ended up giving the cash prize to a guy that just happened to be in the park that she was in. A $50 cash prize, that's not bad. The public spectacle of it all Watts says the rise of celebrity lookalike contests is not unlike the viral mobilisation of flash mobs in the early 2000s. "I'm old enough to remember flash mobs before they got really uncool. People will say they were always uncool, I don't think that's true, I think flash mobs absolutely had their time in the sun because it was an interesting thing where there was an in group and an out group, and it was things that were organised online that enabled you to create your own lore around creating a bit of a public spectacle. "It was an interesting thing going on in a public space, and that's what's fun about all of these [lookalike contests], they're all taking place in public, which means there are people that know about what's going on, and there'll be people walking past bemused or confused, but it's really easy to get behind. "It's just good, dumb fun. It's like Bird of the Year ... it's a package to talk about how much we love birds, but it's the competition that is the vessel for that. This is a vessel for people to talk about our relationship with celebrity, and for that everyday punter who's always been told they look like Jason Momoa to be like, 'Yeah, and I'm gonna prove it now'. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

Texas still has a few blue dots scattered across its political map — often an incumbent state representative who managed to survive the state’s red wave in the election. And those Democrats in those districts had some things in their favor that made a difference at the polls. Most Texas voters sent their current state representative — whether they were Democrats or Republicans — back for another term. Incumbents have a leg up when running for reelection. Janet Johnson, an associate professor of communications studies at the University of Texas at Dallas, said the candidates have name recognition. “You see them out there,” Johnson said. “You see them at events. You see them working with the electorate.” It’s not unusual to run into Rep. Mihaela Plesa at an event in her district, Texas House District 70. She’s one of the Democrats who survived the red wave. On the anniversary of the mass shooting at the Allen Outlet Mall in May, she spoke at a memorial for the people killed. House District 70 includes parts of Allen. She also participated in a candidate forum with public education group Raise Your Hand Texas in Plano in October. Several Plano ISD trustees were also present. Plesa also knocked on a lot of people’s front doors in her district while running for election — something you’re much more likely to see from a local candidate than someone running for federal office. She said that’s how she was able to connect with voters who leaned Republican. “I don't know if Collin [Allred], or Ted [Cruz] or [Donald] Trump is ever going to come knock your door, but I'm here now asking for the vote and explaining why I think I'm the best person for the job,” Plesa said. Thomas Gray, a political science professor at UT Dallas, said people are more likely to have a personal experience with their local or state representative. It could be a conversation at their front door during a reelection campaign. Maybe they called their representative’s office to ask about a road that needed fixing. Or they might have seen or heard their representative on their favorite local news program. Whatever the interaction, Gray said it makes a difference at the polls. “All those little things, they add up to enough to give an incumbent an extra few percentage points of the vote,” he said. Gray also said the way the district is drawn plays a role. He said Texas House district lines were designed to favor a certain party. That way, the parties can concentrate most of their resources on the few competitive seats — like Plesa’s district. She won by 850 votes when she was first elected. This year, she won by about 3,200 votes. State Rep. Chris Turner from Texas House District 101 holds one of the four safely Democratic seats in Tarrant County. The other seven House seats in the county are Republican. Turner said Tarrant County’s representation should be more evenly split. President Joe Biden won the county in 2020. And Democratic Senate candidate Collin Allred won a narrow majority there despite president-elect Donald Trump winning the county’s vote. Turner said Tarrant County is gerrymandered to favor Republicans. “They have so packed the minority communities into four districts in order to artificially preserve their advantage in the House,” he said. Gerrymandering and incumbent advantage all added up to election results Gray said aren’t unusual, even though many Democrats had thought otherwise. “Not much actually changed, but the fact that it didn't change feels like a victory for the Republican Party because of those assumptions,” he said. The Texas legislative session starts in January. And Plesa and Turner will have to contend with a Republican majority that’s growing more divided. But enough of the voters in their districts decided their current Democratic representatives are more than ready for the challenge. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request.Bethune-Cookman 79, North Dakota 67