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After his team's 102-89 home win on Wednesday night over Purdue Fort Wayne, Penn State coach Mike Rhoades challenged his team's fan base to show up and make more noise. "Sweat with us," he said at one point. At 5-0, the Nittany Lions haven't had to sweat much to get off to a fast start. They might not have to expend much perspiration to make it 6-0 on Monday when they meet Fordham in a semifinal matchup at the Sunshine Slam tournament in Daytona Beach, Fla. Penn State hasn't played a strong schedule so far, but the team has been impressive. It's averaging 98.2 points per game and 13.8 steals per game, both of which ranked second in Division I through Saturday's play. The Nittany Lions were seventh per kenpom.com in turnover rate, forcing 25.3 per 100 possessions. Point guard Ace Baldwin Jr. is leading the charge, scoring 16.4 points and dishing out 7.8 assists while chipping in 2.6 steals. Zach Hicks has nearly doubled his scoring average from 8.4 last season to 15.8 this season, while Northern Illinois transfer Yanic Konan Niederhauser has beefed up the interior, tallying 12.2 points and 7.2 rebounds. Meanwhile, Fordham (3-3) is coming off a 73-71 home loss Friday night against Drexel in New York. The Rams blew a seven-point lead early in the second half and missed a chance to force overtime when leading scorer Jackie Johnson III missed a layup as time expired. Johnson, a UNLV transfer, is averaging 19 points per game and is making nearly 48 percent of his shots as one of three Rams with double-figure scoring averages. Jahmere Tripp scores at an 11.0 clip while Japhet Medor is contributed 10.5, but Fordham is struggling to make shots, canning only 41.5 percent from the field. The Rams were picked for a 14th-place finish in the Atlantic 10 despite returning more scoring than any team in the league except for VCU. Third-year coach Keith Urgo thinks his team can defy low external expectations. "We're experienced and I think we're poised to have a tremendous year," he said. --Field Level MediaOfficer fatally shot in a North Carolina supermarket, suspect in custody, police sayNew York: At the fruit stand where he works on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, Shah Alam sells dozens of bananas a day at 35 cents apiece, or four for $US1. He does a brisk business in cheap fruit outside Sotheby’s auction house; inside, art can sell for millions. But last Wednesday, Alam sold a banana that a short time later would be auctioned as part of a work of absurdist art, won by a cryptocurrency entrepreneur for $US5.2 million plus more than $US1 million in auction house fees ($9.5 million in total). A fruit stand in front of Sotheby’s in Manhattan, where a banana that became part of a $US5.2 million piece of art was sold. Credit: Amir Hamja/The New York Times A few days after the sale, as Alam stood in the rain on York Avenue and East 72nd Street, snapping bananas free of their bunches, he learned from a reporter what had become of the fruit: It had been duct-taped to a wall as part of a work by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan, and sold to Justin Sun, the Chinese founder of a cryptocurrency platform. And when he was told the sale price, he began to cry. “I am a poor man,” Alam, 74, said, his voice breaking. “I have never had this kind of money; I have never seen this kind of money.” The infamous ‘Comedian’ by Maurizio Cattelan will be displayed at the 2023 Triennial. Credit: Eddie Jim The banana’s journey from fruit stand to artwork began in 2019, when Cattelan first exhibited the work at Art Basel Miami Beach, an international art fair. The conceptual piece of three editions, titled Comedian , is an implicit send-up of the absurdity of the art world, in keeping with Cattelan’s puckish oeuvre. It came with a detailed owner’s manual on just how to affix the banana with the tape, and permission to refresh it when it rots. (Cattelan bought the original bananas at a Miami grocery store, he has said in interviews.) Each edition sold in Miami for $US120,000 to $US150,000 and spurred unruly crowds: A performance artist at the exhibition ripped one off the wall, peeled the banana and ate it. Cattelan was delighted by the ensuing debate over what exactly constitutes art, and how it is valued. By last Wednesday, those questions of five years ago seemed quaint: Bidding for Lot No. 10 — Alam’s banana affixed to a wall with a slash of silver tape — started at $US800,000. Within five minutes, seven bidders drove its price above $US5 million. Loading The artist was not compensated for the Sotheby’s sale, which was on behalf of a collector who has not been named, but he said in an email that he was nonetheless thrilled by the price it commanded. “Honestly, I feel fantastic,” Cattelan wrote. “The auction has turned what began as a statement in Basel into an even more absurd global spectacle.” He added: “In that way, the work becomes self-reflexive: The higher the price, the more it reinforces its original concept.” On social platform X, Sun crowed about his new art acquisition, and announced he now plans to eat it Friday. He was honoured, he wrote, to be the banana’s “proud owner”: “I believe this piece will inspire more thought and discussion in the future and will become a part of history.” Nowhere in that history is Alam. (Karina Sokolovsky, a spokesperson for Sotheby’s, confirmed that the banana was purchased from the cart where Alam works the day of the sale. The vendor himself has no specific recollection of selling an extra-special fruit.) A widower from Dhaka, Bangladesh, Alam was a civil servant before he moved to the United States in 2007 to be closer to one of his two children, a married daughter who lives on Long Island. He said his home is a basement apartment with five other men in Parkchester, in the Bronx. For his room he pays $US500 a month in rent, he said, speaking in Bengali. His fruit stand shifts are 12 hours long, four days a week; for each hour on his feet, in all weather, the owner pays him $US12. His English is limited mostly to the prices and names of his wares — apples, three for $US2; small pears, $US1 each. He has never stepped inside the auction house. He wouldn’t be able to see the art clearly anyway: His vision is deeply impaired, he said, because he needs cataract surgery, which he has scheduled for January. To Alam, the joke of Comedian feels at his expense. As a blur of people rushed by his corner a few days after the sale, shock and distress washed over him as he considered who profited — and who did not. “Those who bought it, what kind of people are they?” he asked. “Do they not know what a banana is?” In his email, Cattelan said he was affected by Alam’s reaction to his artwork, but stopped short of joining in his criticism. “The reaction of the banana vendor moves me deeply, underscoring how art can resonate in unexpected and profound ways,” he wrote. “However, art, by its nature, does not solve problems — if it did, it would be politics.” For Alam, not much has changed since his banana sold. At the fruit stand, it’s still four bananas for $US1, or 24.8 million bananas for $US6.2 million. This article originally appeared in The New York Times . Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Auctions Art USA Most Viewed in World Loading
‘We can overcome climate change': Richard Branson says young people should not be down about the future
Paul Ibe, media aide to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has launched a scathing attack on Daniel Bwala , recently appointed as a spokesman to President Bola Tinubu, accusing him of betraying his integrity for personal gain. In a statement on Sunday, Ibe described Bwala as a man “without an iota of shame,” claiming he had conspired against his own dignity and values for selfish interests. The remarks followed the circulation of a video compilation showcasing instances where Bwala, during his time as a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, publicly criticized Tinubu. Before his appointment, Bwala served as an aide to Atiku Abubakar, who was the PDP’s presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections. His recent political alignment with Tinubu has sparked a backlash from his former party members and associates. Ibe wrote in a post on X (formerly known as Twitter), “Shut up, Daniel Bwala! If you had any iota of shame, you wouldn’t be eating your own vomit. Or is this the case of the hand of Daniel and the voice of Bwala? “You are the master of conspiracy. For the sake of your stomach, you conspired against your own integrity and dignity. “You are damn right about God exposing humans for who they are in the fullness of time. God has already exposed you as a duplicitous, “double-faced infernal traitor and schemer.”
I’ve been reflecting a lot about politics these past weeks, with the B.C. and American elections, former B.C. premier John Horgan’s death and lots of political appointments happening on both sides of the border. I also happen to be teaching a university course this term called Politics and Journalism, so the topic is on my mind. As I tell my students, politics is all about who gets what, when and how. (With a nod to political scientist Harold Lasswell for the saying.) In a democracy, the people choose their government, and that government decides who gets what, when and how. I never would have expected the American election on Nov. 5 to be decided before the B.C. election held on Oct. 19, but so it was. The B.C. election was a squeaker that relied on recounts for the slimmest of majorities to emerge for the New Democratic Party, while the American election was decided late in the evening on voting day, and the victory included the American presidency, the senate and the house. I was struck by the different tones taken by everyone in my particular filter bubbles about the American election versus the death of former premier John Horgan on Nov. 12, aged 65, after a third bout with cancer. Horgan resigned as premier in 2022, after five years as premier, after treatment for his second cancer. Horgan had been working in government since 1991, was premier for five years and his popularity rose while he was in office. He was a rare B.C. premier – he resigned of his own choice, for health reasons, rather than being defeated in an election or forced to resign in a scandal. And his time in office wasn’t easy. He ruled for two years in a minority government made secure by a confidence and supply agreement between the NDP and the Green Party. He ruled through the pandemic, staying largely behind the scenes as provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and then-health minister Adrian Dix held daily news conferences. Horgan’s successor, Premier David Eby, put it well when he said Horgan “sought to address injustice wherever he saw it.” Accolades poured in, from all sides of the political spectrum, recognizing Horgan’s ability to put the best interest of the province above his own self-interest and his willingness to apologize as the head of the government when things went wrong. It seems like simpler times when such a man could rise to power, but it was a mere two years ago that Horgan resigned. How far we seem to have fallen and how vast the political spectrum appears to have grown. Where once common ground was the goal, now there lies a vast divide. Today, the right wing are the disrupters, and the left are criticized as elites. The political spectrum has flipped itself inside out and upside down, and the vitriol flows like never before. Finally, on Nov. 18, a full month after the election, Eby’s cabinet was sworn in. Some cabinet ministers stayed in place from the last government, including Attorney General Niki Sharma, Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon and Minister of Children and Family Development Grace Lore. Adrian Dix, who served as Minister of Health since 2017 and through the pandemic, was given a well-deserved break from that thankless and chaotic job. He’s now Minister of Energy and Climate Solutions. I was happy to see Kelly Greene, my MLA in Steveston, appointed as a full minister this time around. I assume she will be working closely with Dix, because her ministry is Emergency Management and Climate Readiness. Education has a new minister, Lisa Beare, who is the MLA for Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows, first entered politics in 2014 as a school board trustee. An MLA since 2017, she has held previous cabinet posts in tourism, culture, sport and post-secondary education. Like any education minister, she’s got her work cut out for her. New MLA Christine Boyle gave up her seat on Vancouver City Council to enter provincial politics and will now oversee the Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation ministry, another ministry with high expectations. It’s a tough crowd for incumbent governments, with inequality at the highest-ever levels, inflation making it tough for people to get by and the many crises our population faces – housing, healthcare, opioid – causing despair. Eby promised to bring down costs for families, strengthen health care, make communities safer, grow the economy, build relationships with Indigenous communities and act on climate change, all while making B.C. more prosperous. "These are big challenges and tackling them all will take time," Eby said. "While British Columbians may sometimes disagree, we all want the same basic things in life — a good paycheque, a home we can afford in a safe community and high-quality health care that's there when we need it.” Let’s hope those aren’t empty promises. Tracy Sherlock is a freelance journalist who writes about education and social issues. Read her blog or email her [email protected] . Got an opinion on this story or any others in Richmond? Send us a letter or email your thoughts or story tips to [email protected] . To stay updated on Richmond news, sign up for our daily headline newsletter . Words missing in article? Your adblocker might be preventing hyperlinked text from appearing.
Chuck Woolery, smooth-talking game show host of 'Love Connection' and 'Scrabble,' dies at 83TikToker teaching science hopes short-form video will become part of curriculum
Gary Neville hails five Tottenham players for obliterating Man City in huge Premier League winTikToker teaching science hopes short-form video will become part of curriculumEarlier this month, former Oklahoma state Rep. Monroe Nichols (D) was elected the first Black mayor of Tulsa. Among other plans, Nichols wants to help heal a community still grappling with the legacy of a racist massacre that killed at least 300 people more than a century ago. The Department of Justice recently announced a review of the Tulsa Race Massacre , a two-day event in 1921 when a white mob terrorized a 35-square block area known as “Black Wall Street,” which consisted mostly of affluent homes and thriving Black-owned businesses. There has been a sustained push in Tulsa for the city government to issue reparations of some kind to the descendants of those affected by tragedy, and to the larger community of Greenwood, the neighborhood that now stands on the site of the massacre. Nichols told HuffPost he supports the effort to resolve the pain that descendants of the massacre ― and the two remaining survivors of the event, both now over 100 years old ― still face. But he has not yet established a hard stance on reparations. Nichols’ campaign was based on rehabilitating Tulsa’s education system and addressing affordable housing issues in order to combat homelessness. Black Tulsa residents have long suffered from a dearth of economic opportunity, Nichols said. “My election was a strong statement that Tulsans are ready to respectfully and meaningfully close a painful chapter in our city’s history and move forward together,” he told HuffPost in an email. “My time in office is about the future and I don’t believe a better future is possible until we do the hard work of healing the wounds of the past.” The DOJ review will assess what occurred during the riots. It is unclear if the review will lead directly to a local reparations effort. But the city started the Beyond Apology Commission this year to reconcile and unite Tulsa residents in the Greenwood community and the descendants of those affected by the riot. Under the leadership of Tulsa’s current mayor, G.T. Bynum, t he commission has not seen much progress regarding reparations. It was tasked with reviewing two reports, one from 2023 and one from 2001, that both called for reparations for descendants and survivors of the massacre. “I believe it’s essential for survivors and descendants of massacre victims to find closure from this painful chapter in our history,” Nichols said. “Once the Beyond Apology Commission releases its recommendation and the DOJ investigation has concluded I believe my role is to act on the recommendation and focus on uniting our city.” Bynum has said people in Tulsa “view reparations as not just cash payments,” and that there is also interest in economic, educational and housing opportunities ― issues that Nichols named as his priorities during his campaign. In August, Nichols said education was something the city should be laser-focused on. “We’ve got to take this talk of reparations out of the political sense and focus on other areas,” he told The Associated Press . “Education is an area where we should really sink our teeth into quite a bit.” It’s not clear whether any potential reparations would actually take the form of cash payments. Joyce Williams, a longtime Tulsa resident who voted for Nichols, said she expects him to be “open to the community” and make a real effort to provide “some means of compensation” to descendants and survivors. “I expect that he will attempt to impact our ability to get in the position to have a hearing on the loss of a strong financial system brought on by [the massacre], and I expect we are going to have to push him just like anyone else,” Williams told HuffPost. “I’m not naive to think that this man is not going to be able to do a whole lot without some push and support.” Damario Solomon-Simmons, executive director of Justice for Greenwood, an advocacy group for Tulsa Race Massacre survivors and descendants, told HuffPost that addressing the terror and trauma that erupted in 1921 should be a “top priority” for Nichols. “We are excited because we want to see policies and laws implemented that benefit our community, and at the top of our list is justice and reparations for the 1921 Tulsa race massacre, particularly as it relates to the two living survivors,” Solomon-Simmons told HuffPost. “That has to be one of the things he does in the very beginning to move this issue forward and have actual progress, and not just another Black face in a high place,” Solomon-Simmons said. The last two living survivors of the massacre ― Viola Fletcher, 110, and Lessie Benningfield Randle, 110 ― have, along with several descendants, been fighting in courts in their quest for reparations. In June, the Oklahoma Supreme Court rejected a request to reconsider a dismissed lawsuit filed by Fletcher and Randle. The aim of the lawsuit was to force the city of Tulsa to pay reparations to Fletcher and Randle for their sufferings after the massacre. After the rejection, Solomon-Simmons, who represents the two survivors, requested a federal review from the Department of Justice, and met with Kristen Clarke, assistant attorney general for civil rights, in Washington, D.C. The announcement of the review came months later. “My election as Mayor shows that Tulsans are ready for a new kind of leadership ― one committed to building a city where we can live and work together, regardless of race,” Nichols told HuffPost. “I know that I’m able to serve today because I stand on the shoulders of those who sacrificed for our community before, during, and after the race massacre.” Solomon-Simmons told HuffPost that addressing the city’s racial issues and history was one of the main driving factors for voters this year. Now, the community waits for results. “This is one of the reasons North Tulsans and Black Tulsans voted in such high numbers for Monroe,” Solomon-Simmons said. “Because they believe he will do something that has never been done. To make sure reparations are implemented correctly.” Descendants Of Tulsa Massacre Victims Are Skeptical Of Justice Department Review Justice Department To Launch Review Into 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre The 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre And What Survivors And Descendants Are OwedDiageo: Premiumization Drives Future Growth; Initiating With 'Buy'
TikToker teaching science hopes short-form video will become part of curriculumSamsung ordered to pay $118 million for infringing Netlist patents
Facebook and Meta chief Mark Zuckerberg was reportedly spotted at President-elect Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort amid speculation about his potential links to the incoming administration. Neither the Trump-Vance campaign nor the billionaire have revealed the reason why he was at the Florida club. The New York Times reported that Zuckerberg had a private meeting with Trump. "I’m told Mark Zuckerberg was just spotted at Mar-a-Lago ...," Natalie Allison of the Politico reported on X, platformf formerly known as Twitter. The reporter, however, didn't post any visuals of Zuckerberg at the club. Read More: Musk Effect? Donald Trump Planning To Ban Mainstream Media From White House This comes as SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk has been spending a chunk of his time with Trump at Mar-a-Lago, where the president-elect's transition team is picking cabinet nominees. Commenting on the DOGE chief's relationship with Trump, tech journalist Kara Swisher claimed that he is not going anywhere "until Trump throws him out. Which could happen, because they're both really strong personalities who like to be at the centre of attention." Reacting to Zuckerberg's spotting in Mar-a-Lago, one social media user said: "Mark Zuckerberg needs to be held accountable for lying to Congress about censoring conservatives. No amount of kissing the ring at Mar-A-Lago should matter. Not to mention how he tried to buy the 2020 election..." Read More: Kamala Harris Always Knew She Was Losing To Trump, Hoped For A D-Day Miracle "Mark Zuckerberg is currently at Mar-a-Lago meeting with President Trump to avoid going to jail for helping Democrats steal the 2020 election with $400 MILLION," another one added. Ahead of the 2024 election, Zuckerberg decided to neither endorse Trump nor support Vice President Kamala Harris. Get Latest News Live on Times Now along with Breaking News and Top Headlines from US News, World and around the world.Cooking up a breakthrough: Engineers refine lipid nanoparticles for better mRNA therapies November 22, 2024 University of Pennsylvania School of Engineering and Applied Science Engineers have cooked up a new way to improve mRNA delivery, developing an optimal 'recipe' for ionizable lipids -- key ingredients in lipid nanoparticles (LNPs), the molecules behind the COVID-19 vaccines and other innovative therapies. The method mirrors the iterative process of developing a culinary dish and may lead to safer, more effective mRNA vaccines and therapeutics. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIN Email Penn Engineers have cooked up a new way to improve mRNA delivery, developing an optimal "recipe" for ionizable lipids -- key ingredients in lipid nanoparticles (LNPs), the molecules behind the COVID-19 vaccines and other innovative therapies. The method, described in Nature Biomedical Engineering , mirrors the iterative process of developing a culinary dish and may lead to safer, more effective mRNA vaccines and therapeutics. Just as a chef perfects a dish by experimenting with flavors and textures, the researchers used an iterative process, testing variations to find the ideal structure for the ionizable lipid. This lipid's structure influences the ability of LNPs to successfully deliver their contents and advances mRNA therapies for vaccines and gene editing. A Breakthrough in LNP Design Nanoparticles have transformed how mRNA vaccines and therapeutics are delivered by allowing them to travel safely through the body, reach target cells and release their contents efficiently. On its own, RNA is fragile, and would otherwise dissolve without ever reaching its intended target. At the heart of these nanoparticles are ionizable lipids, special molecules that can switch between charged and neutral states depending on their surroundings. This switch is essential for the nanoparticle's journey: In the bloodstream, ionizable lipids stay neutral, preventing toxicity. But once inside the target cell, they become positively charged, triggering the release of the mRNA payload. Led by Michael J. Mitchell, Associate Professor in Bioengineering, the researchers refined this delivery process by optimizing the structure of ionizable lipids. Moving beyond existing methods limited by tradeoffs between speed and accuracy, the team developed a step-by-step, "directed chemical evolution" process. Through five cycles, with each further refining the lipids, they created dozens of high-performing, biodegradable lipids -- some even surpassing industry standards. The Secret Sauce: Directed Chemical Evolution To develop safer, more effective ionizable lipids, the Penn Engineers employed a unique approach that combines two prevailing methods: medicinal chemistry, which involves slowly and laboriously designing molecules one step at a time, and combinatorial chemistry, which involves generating many different molecules quickly through simple reactions. The former has high accuracy but low speed, while the latter has low accuracy and high speed. "We thought it might be possible to achieve the best of both worlds," says Xuexiang Han, the paper's first author and, until recently, a postdoctoral fellow in the Mitchell Lab. "High speed and high accuracy, but we had to think outside the traditional confines of the field." By borrowing the idea of directed evolution, a technique used in both chemistry and biology that mimics the process of natural selection, the researchers combined precision with rapid output to achieve their ideal lipid "recipe." The process begins with the generation of a wide variety of molecules, which are screened for their ability to deliver mRNA. The best-performing lipids are then used as starting points for generating another round of molecular variants, and so on, until only high-performing variants remain. An Innovative Ingredient: A 3 Coupling A crucial contributor to the team's recipe for improved ionizable lipids is A 3 coupling, a three-component reaction named for its chemical ingredients: an amine, an aldehyde and an alkyne. The reaction, which has never been leveraged to synthesize ionizable lipids for LNPs, uses inexpensive, commercially available ingredients and produces only water as a byproduct, making it a cost-effective and environmentally friendly choice for rapidly producing the large numbers of ionizable lipid variants needed as ingredients for directed evolution. "We found that the A 3 reaction was not only efficient, but also flexible enough to allow for precise control over the lipids' molecular structure," says Mitchell. This flexibility was key to fine-tuning the ionizable lipid properties for safe and effective mRNA delivery. Why This Advance Matters This new method for designing ionizable lipids is expected to have broad implications for mRNA-based vaccines and therapeutics, which are poised to treat a range of conditions, from genetic disorders to infectious diseases. In this work, the optimized lipids improved mRNA delivery in preclinical models for two high-priority applications: editing genes that cause hereditary amyloidosis, a rare disease that results in abnormal protein deposits throughout the body, and improving delivery of the COVID-19 mRNA vaccine. In both cases, the engineered lipids showed higher performance than current industry-standard lipids. Beyond these specific applications, the new approach has the potential to accelerate the development of mRNA therapies overall. While it can take years to develop an effective lipid using traditional methods, the team's directed evolution process could reduce this timeline to just months or even weeks. "Our hope is that this method will accelerate the pipeline for mRNA therapeutics and vaccines, bringing new treatments to patients faster than ever before," says Mitchell. A New Frontier for mRNA Delivery LNPs represent a safe, flexible way to deliver genetic material, but their success hinges on the properties of their ionizable lipids. The Penn Engineers' iterative design process allows researchers to improve these lipids with unprecedented speed and precision, bringing the next generation of mRNA therapies closer to reality. With this innovative recipe for LNPs, Penn Engineers have taken a major step forward in advancing mRNA technology, offering hope for a faster and more efficient path to life-changing treatments. This study was conducted at the University of Pennsylvania School of Engineering and Applied Science and supported by a U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director's New Innovator Award (DP2 TR002776), a Burroughs Wellcome Fund Career Award at the Scientific Interface (CASI), a US National Science Foundation CAREER Award (CBET-2145491), an American Cancer Society Research Scholar Grant (RSG-22-122-01-ET) and iECURE. Additional co-authors include Kelsey L. Swingle, Junchao Xu, Ningqiang Gong, Lulu Xue, Giangqiang Shi and Il-Chul Yoon of Penn Engineering; Rohan Palanki, of Penn Medicine and Penn Engineering; Mohamad-Gabriel Alameh, Rakan El-Mayta, Garima Dwivedi, James M. Wilson and Drew Weissman of Penn Medicine; and Claude C. Warzecha of Gemma Therapeutics. Story Source: Materials provided by University of Pennsylvania School of Engineering and Applied Science . Original written by Ian Scheffler. Note: Content may be edited for style and length. Journal Reference : Cite This Page :Forthcoming Bump Cap Standard Awaiting Approval
Winter is almost here, and that means it's time to start picking up the right gear and gifts for the upcoming season. Luckily, just went live with tons of deals on everything from stocking-friendly to popular and a ton of , among countless other categories. But one deal that deserves to be on everybody's list, whether as a gift or for yourself, is this set of rechargeable hand warmers—and they're only $20. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Thanks for the feedback.In June, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un gifted a pair of Pungsan dogs to Russian President Vladimir Putin. While the Jindo dog is a representative breed of South Korea, the Pungsan dog is the iconic native breed of North Korea. Additionally, the traditional Korean dog, the Japsal dog, has historically been considered a symbol of warding off misfortune and bringing good fortune, though it nearly faced extinction during the Japanese colonial period. (Photo: KCNA, Yonhap News. For domestic use only. Redistribution prohibited.) SEOUL, Nov. 24 (Korea Bizwire) – In a remarkable display of soft power, Russia and North Korea have deepened their military and diplomatic relationship through the exchange of exotic animals, signaling a new facet of their growing alliance. On November 20, Russia gifted North Korea a collection of animals, including a lion, two brown bears, two yaks, and over 70 birds and other creatures, such as a cockatoo, pheasants, and mandarin ducks. These animals were transferred from the Moscow Zoo to the Central Zoo in Pyongyang, following a directive from Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Russian Ministry of Natural Resources described the gifts as “a present from President Putin to the people of North Korea.” This isn’t the first time Russia has sent animals to North Korea. Earlier this year, in April, the Moscow Zoo donated eagles, pythons, and other creatures to the Pyongyang zoo. In August, Russia also exported 24 Orlov Trotter horses to North Korea, which are widely believed to be a gift for North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Kim Jong-un has reciprocated by gifting animals to President Putin. During a visit to North Korea in June, Putin received a pair of rare Korean Jindo dogs, which sparked considerable media interest in Russia. Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesperson, provided detailed updates on the dogs, including their names and adaptation process upon arrival in Moscow. Beyond these symbolic gestures, Russia and North Korea are also collaborating on joint projects involving animal conservation. In June, Russia announced that it was discussing a project with North Korea to protect the critically endangered Amur leopard, a native species of the Korean Peninsula. The lion gifted by President Putin to North Korea (AP/Moscow Zoo Telegram, Yonhap News. No resale or database use permitted.) While military and technological cooperation has long dominated the narrative of Russia-North Korea relations, the two nations have increasingly emphasized other areas of mutual interest, such as economic and cultural ties. Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the two countries have aligned themselves politically, supporting each other in opposition to the West. They have also faced ongoing accusations of arms deals and military cooperation, including reports of North Korean troops being deployed in Russia. In an effort to counterbalance this militaristic image, both countries have pursued what is known as “animal diplomacy.” This approach, which uses the exchange of animals to foster goodwill, is considered a form of cultural soft power. A similar tactic is famously used by China through its “panda diplomacy,” where giant pandas are loaned to countries as a gesture of friendship. Notably, South Korea’s beloved panda, Fu Bao, born in 2020, became a symbol of China-South Korea relations before being returned to China in April 2024. Professor Kim Chi-uk from Ulsan University explained that animal diplomacy can serve to both display leaders’ closeness and foster positive sentiments among the people of the recipient nation. However, he also pointed out that there are strategic calculations behind the choice of animals. For example, the lion and bear gifted by Putin could be seen as symbols of authority and power, rather than creatures that would resonate with the general North Korean population. Seoul National University’s Professor Cho Dong-jun noted that democratic nations tend to send animals that appeal to the general public, unlike Russia’s gifts to North Korea, which seem more geared toward showcasing leadership prestige. Animal diplomacy is considered a form of diplomacy that fosters friendly relations through soft power, such as culture and the arts, rather than military or economic strength. A prominent example is China’s “panda diplomacy,” where it loans endangered panda species to friendly nations. A well-known case of this is Fu Bao, the panda beloved in South Korea, which became famous as part of China’s diplomatic efforts. (Image provided by Samsung C&T) He also suggested that the Orlov Trotter horses were more about Kim Jong-un’s personal preferences rather than the wider interests of the North Korean people. The high costs involved in maintaining these animals may also pose a challenge for North Korea, as managing a large collection of exotic species is a significant financial burden. This could lead to some tensions regarding the continuing flow of such gifts from Russia. In this evolving relationship, animal exchanges are an intriguing addition to the complex web of military, economic, and political cooperation between Russia and North Korea, highlighting the multifaceted nature of their growing alliance. M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
Is Deadlock on Console?Emanuel Wallace, 27, from east London, is better known as Big Manny by his 1.9 million followers on TikTok, where he shares videos explaining various science experiments from his back garden while using Jamaican Patois phrases and London slang. In early December, Mr Wallace won the Education Creator of the Year award at the TikTok Awards ceremony, which he said is a “symbol that anything that you put your mind to you can achieve”. The content creator began making videos during the coronavirus pandemic when schools turned to online learning but has since expanded his teaching from videos to paper after releasing his debut book Science Is Lit in August. He believes his “unconventional” teaching methods help to make his content relatable for younger audiences by using slang deriving from his Jamaican and British heritage. “The language that I use, it’s a combination between Jamaican Patois and London slang because I have Jamaican heritage,” the TikToker, who holds a bachelors and masters degree in biomedical science, told the PA news agency. “That’s why in my videos sometimes I might say things like ‘Wagwan’ or ‘you dun know’. I just want to connect with the young people more, so I speak in the same way that they speak. “The words that I use, the way that I deliver the lesson as well, I would say that my method of teaching is quite unconventional. I speak in a way that is quite conversational.” Examples of his videos include lithium batteries catching fire after being sandwiched inside a raw chicken breast, as well as mixing gold with gallium to create blue gold, earning millions of views. Mr Wallace hopes his content will help make the science industry more diverse, saying “the scientists that I was taught about, none of them look like me”. “Now me being a scientist is showing young people that they can become one as well, regardless of the background that they come from, the upbringing that they’ve had,” he said. “I just want to make it seem more attainable and possible for them because if I can do it, and I come from the same place as you, there’s no reason why you can’t do it as well.” The TikToker has seen a shift in more young people turning to the app as a learning resource and feels short-form videos will soon become a part of the national curriculum in schools. “I’m seeing (young people) using that a lot more – social media as a resource for education – and I feel like in the future, it’s going to become more and more popular as well,” he said. “I get a lot of comments from students saying that my teacher showed my video in the classroom as a resource, so I feel like these short form videos are going to be integrated within the national curriculum at some point in the near future.” He also uses his platform to raise awareness of different social issues, which he said is “extremely important”. One of his videos highlighted an anti-knife campaign backed by actor Idris Elba, which earned more than 39 million views, while his clip about the banning of disposable vapes was viewed more than 4.6 million times. He said there is some pressure being a teacher with a large following online but hopes he can be a role model for young people. “I’m aware that I am in the public eye and there’s a lot of young people watching me,” he said. “Young people can be impressionable, so I make sure that I conduct myself appropriately, so that I can be a role model. “I always have the same message for young people, specifically. I tell them to stay curious. Always ask questions and look a little bit deeper into things.” His plans for 2025 include publishing a second Science Is Lit book and expanding his teaching to television where he soon hopes to create his own science show.
Taylor Swift appears to be in a giving mood this holiday season, this time for a special girl she met during a visit to Kansas City’s Children’s Mercy Hospital. The superstar singer visited the hospital earlier this month, just days after she played the final show of her Eras Tour, where she met and spent time with some of the young patients, as seen in footage later posted to social media. One of the videos shared by a patient, who goes by the name of Naya Jade on her TikTok page, gained widespread attention after Jade complimented Swift’s outfit, describing it as “tea.” “You made my day with that,” Swift is seen in the video telling Jade about receiving the compliment about her outfit. On Sunday, Swift appears to have made Jade’s day, too. In another video posted to Jade’s TikTok page, she’s seen in her hospital bed excitedly unwrapping several gift boxes sent to her by Swift herself. She unwrapped the gifts to find that Swift sent her the same plaid Miu Miu jacket and skirt set that she wore during her visit, and which Jade admired. “She is soo amazing im so blessed,” Jade wrote in the caption of her video. “I love you Tay Swizzle you’re literally the Best.” Swift was seen in several other videos earlier this month visiting with the young patients at the hospital, spending time at their bedsides and signing copies of her commemorative Eras Tour book. At the time, Jade posted a video with Swift dancing to “Bad Blood” in their hospital room. The video has so far been viewed nearly 15 million times.The condemnation came as the House of Lords debated regulations paving the way for a scheme which would require animal lovers on the British mainland to have documentation in order to visit Northern Ireland. Critics view the move as further evidence of Northern Ireland still having to follow EU rules post-Brexit and being treated differently from the rest of the UK – a major source of contention to the unionist community. The paperwork, which will be free to apply for, includes a declaration that the owner will not travel onwards to Ireland or another EU country with their pet or assistance dog. Animals will have to be microchipped and have their own individual pet travel document, which will be valid for its lifetime. Northern Ireland residents returning after a stay in Great Britain with their pet or assistance dog will not need a travel document. The scheme is being introduced under the Windsor Framework, a revised deal for Northern Ireland’s post-Brexit trading arrangements aimed at tackling issues caused by the protocol. Raising her concerns in Parliament, Baroness Hoey, a Northern Irish Brexit supporter and former Labour MP, said: “These regulations are in effect about a new aspect of the Irish Sea border that has not had expression until this point because of the grace periods.” She added: “The experience of visiting Northern Ireland with your pet dog or cat, or even a ferret, will be made to feel like a visit to a foreign country. Lady Hoey went on: “This could spell the end of holiday trips for pet owners from GB to NI and then on to the Republic, when they want to explore both Northern Ireland and the Republic. “If they have a pet passport, they will have renounced their right to go to the Republic. That makes the border more of an obstruction than having border control posts on it, because at least in that eventuality, you could still cross over it.” Rejecting claims it was a result of the UK leaving the EU, she said: “The reality is that this is happening precisely because Northern Ireland has not got Brexit. “As we say repeatedly, it is still subject to EU rules and the EU could change the rules overnight.” Former DUP deputy leader Lord Dodds of Duncairn said: “Every one of the statutory instruments that come forward under the Windsor Framework must be properly debated, because these laws are being brought forward to implement what a foreign jurisdiction has decided should be the law of the United Kingdom. “In the 21st century, we should not accept colonial rule. We abolished it elsewhere. We believe it should not be tolerated for one second. People should have the democratic right to decide their laws for themselves, in their interests.” He added: “The ridiculous part about this debate is that we are having to debate European laws regulating the movement of pet animals owned by British citizens between one part of the United Kingdom and another. That is an outrage.” Lord Dodds went on: “As I said, there will be hundreds, thousands more of these regulations, in all areas, affecting the daily lives of people in Northern Ireland. They all add up to a grievous assault on Northern Ireland’s constitutional position.” But former leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick said: “I support the Windsor Framework because it is a necessary legal device to deal with the complexities that were presented to us in Ireland, north and south, on the issue of Brexit. “We need a pragmatic solution rather than choosing to have political contests and duels simply for the sake of them.” Introducing the regulations, environment minister Baroness Hayman of Ulloch said: “This scheme will simplify the requirements associated with moving pet dogs, cats and ferrets from Great Britain to Northern Ireland significantly. “It replaces single-use animal health certificates with a free-of-charge lifelong travel document and removes the need for costly pet health treatments. “Pet owners who travel frequently with their pets, or those who rely on the services of an assistance dog to travel independently, will benefit substantially from this change in approach.” However, she acknowledged the concerns raised by peers and promised to continue engagement with them.After picking Vijaykumar Vyshak, Punjab Kings (PBKS) strengthened their bowling department by acquiring the services of their uncapped speedster Yash Thakur, who was sold for INR 1.6 crore at the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 mega auction. Gujarat Titans also showed their interest in buying Yash Thakur, but they lost the bidding war against Punjab Kings. IPL 2025 Mega Auction Day 1 Live Updates: Simarjeet Singh Goes to Sunrisers Hyderabad for INR 1.5 Crore . Yash Thakur moves to Punjab Kings Yash Thakur is SOLD to @PunjabKingsIPL for INR 1.6 Crore⚡️⚡️ #TATAIPLAuction | #TATAIPL — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) November 24, 2024 (SocialLY brings you all the latest breaking news, viral trends and information from social media world, including Twitter, Instagram and Youtube. The above post is embeded directly from the user's social media account and LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body. The views and facts appearing in the social media post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY, also LatestLY does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.)
Chris Mubiru leads Northwestern State over North Alabama 71-58Chargers RB J.K. Dobbins unlikely to play against Falcons because of knee injury
