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‘AI-powered Weapons Depersonalise the Violence, Making It Easier for the Military to Approve More Destruction’A body language commentator has suggested that one particular campmate on I'm A Celebrity could end up "susceptible" to quitting the ITV show in the coming days. Dean McCullough , 32, has faced more bushtucker trails than any other celebrity so far on the new series, having taken on four trials in the last week. The BBC Radio 1 presenter however hasn't managed to win many stars for the camp. One trial, which aired on Wednesday night, saw Dean joined by fellow campmate and podcast host GK Barry, 25. The pair failed to win any stars for camp, though Dean has since won stars in subsequent trails in the jungle. Following Dean's trial with GK, behaviour and body language commentator Nicole Greenfield-Smith teased to Mecca Games that he could end up quitting I'm A Celebrity. Nicole said: "I thought [Wednesday's] trial was interesting and if Dean flunks many more trials, it could leave him susceptible to walking." The commentator added: "Firstly, Dean and GK Barry in a bushtucker trial proved to be a disastrous combo - even though they went in with the best intentions. We all have 'mirror neurons' which enable us to connect and empathise with others. This means we are highly sensitive to the mood, tone of voice and body language of those around us. "So, if we hear someone screaming and panicking it intensifies our own fear, which is exactly what happened with the hapless duo and why they left the trial with zero stars." Nicole continued: "The challenge moving forward is that hunger, the rain, and tiredness will serve to escalate the emotional responses of the campmates and reduce their tolerance significantly. If Dean continues to be selected for trials and lets his fear dominate, it's likely that some of the other campmates will lose patience with him for not delivering the goods. "Our brains are wired for social connection and cooperation. Disappointing others can trigger feelings of rejection, shame, or guilt, which may well tip Dean over the edge." Viewers teased earlier this week that I'm A Celebrity host Ant McPartlin , 49, was himself frustrated by Dean in a subsequent trial, which he quit after winning four stars. Ant later admitted that his "annoyance came across onscreen" . Elsewhere in the analysis from body language commentator Nicole earlier this week was the suggestion that campmate Alan Halsall 's patience seems to be "on the wane" in camp. Nicole wrote about the Coronation Street cast member: "Alan's patience already seems to be on the wane with several side glances, sighs and subtle gestures that suggest disapproval in [Wednesday's] episode." Follow Mirro r C elebs on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .
Scheifele notches hat trick as Jets top Maple Leafs 5-2
Customers Bank Named to Inc.’s 2024 Best in Business List in Financial Services CategoryWith Ghana’s 2024 Presidential and Parliamentary elections fast approaching, political campaigns are reaching a fever pitch in the Western Region, as candidates from various parties make a final push to win over voters. Key political figures from the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) are leaving no stone unturned, staging rallies, commissioning projects, and making bold promises in a last-ditch effort to sway the electorate. In Essikadu-Ketan, NPP Parliamentary candidate Charles Cromwell Nanabanyin Onuawonto has announced a “final rally” scheduled for Wednesday, December 4, with the participation of incumbent Member of Parliament Joe Ghartey. The NDC’s contender, Dr. Grace Ayensu Danquah, recently led a massive walk, with reports of “thousands pouring onto the streets” in a jubilant demonstration of support, declaring, “Essikadu-Ketan is in the bag.” Meanwhile, in the Evalue Gwira Ajomoro Constituency, incumbent NDC MP Kofi Arko Nokoe is set to commission a new maternity ward at Ewoku on Tuesday, December 3, further solidifying his standing. Former MP Catherine Afeku, now seeking a return to Parliament, is taking a more discreet approach, with close associates describing their strategy as “submarine-like,” focusing solely on the ultimate prize. In Sekondi Constituency, political campaigns have intensified like never before, with simultaneous health walks and music festivals adding to the charged atmosphere. NPP’s incumbent MP Andrew Egyapa Mercer has been active, overseeing road rehabilitation in Sekondi Zongo and commissioning a new health facility at Adiembra. He also broke ground for a new Astroturf at Ekuase and promised another one in Nkotompo. His challenger, NDC’s Lawyer Blay Armah, has taken an interactive approach, regularly engaging with constituents and offering interest-free loans to traders, a move that could be pivotal in the race. Several radio stations in Sekondi-Takoradi are also gearing up for interviews with key political figures, including some who rarely grant media appearances, highlighting the high stakes of the upcoming elections. The crown jewel of these last-minute political activities may well be the commissioning of one of the Agenda 111 Hospitals in Bokro, Ahanta West District, by President Akufo-Addo, marking a significant milestone in the region’s development ahead of the polls.
Events Ojobaro describes comedy shows as goldmine, export commodity By Gbenga Akinfenwa 23 November 2024 | 3:48 pm Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on WhatsApp Share on Telegram Comedy shows in Nigeria have been described as a goldmine, but they have yet to achieve their full potential as most Nigerians have Comedy shows in Nigeria have been described as a goldmine, but they have yet to achieve their full potential as most Nigerians have not fully tapped into their array of benefits. This was the view of Babatunde Ojobaro, popularly known as Mister Rain, in a chat with Journalists. He disclosed that as a multi-talented individual, he had always believed that talent goes way beyond what it looks like. “Comedy shows have achieved a very huge milestone in the past decade, and the improvement cannot be ignored. I feel that these comedy styles – satire, farce, parody and slapstick are the most popular and have been explored quite a lot to a certain extent and to be honest, they have worked for the people who have distinctively employed any of all of them in their standup comedy style. “Other comedy styles like comedy of humor, classical comedy, comedy of errors, romantic comedy, and a few others are more in tune for TV, drama, and films than it is to stand-up comedy,” he said. Ojobaro revealed that as a comedian, he believes comedy is more than just making people laugh. “One of my favourite quotes is that ‘If you can make them laugh, you can get their attention, and if you can get their attention, you can tell them anything.’ “I believe there’s so much that can be done with the opportunity of having a lot of people listening to you at the same time. I am a sucker for capacity building, social change, community development and anything that encourages personal and communal growth and performing comedy on a regular show where you get just five to 10 minutes, doesn’t give me enough time to really preach my message while making people laugh. “I decided to curate my comedy show, which will give me enough time to make them laugh while touching on issues that can preach my ideals that generally address the essence of personal and communal growth. “I also wanted to do something different from the usual, something that will challenge me to give the whole of myself to my craft and performance and then I feel like doing what allows me to service audience and clients in my niche satisfactorily,” he said. Ojobaro, who stressed that every endeavour has its own challenges, said in the case of one-man comedy show, it comes with the challenge of changing the narratives. “People are used to comedy shows with variety of comedians, which is not bad at all and sometimes it feels like good value for their time and money, compared to just coming to sit down for just one person who is not even a popular figure in that sense. Having to convince people to pick a one-man comedy show for a fee that can get them into another comedy show with a variety of comedians is a top-notch challenge. “The other challenge would be getting the full attention of your guest as the only comedian for the advertised duration. You have to serve variety as an individual; that’s some very hard work, but with the track record of five successful one-man comedy shows, that challenge has been mastered and overcome. He encouraged his colleagues to embrace one-man comedy, when it comes to stand-up comedy, saying it is a litmus test, not necessarily for how good the person is, but a test in the real sense of it. “It paints you as a comedian in a more brilliant light. It could also test how popular or not you are amongst many other things.” While noting that comedy is already an export commodity for Nigeria, he said: “I can name a lot of comedians who have put the Nigeria comedy scene on the international map. It can be better than it is now, but it is already an export. While speaking on his journey as an entertainer, he said: “I started out as a dancer. Dancing for fun and entertaining people as a very young boy, then got into acting and comedy in the university as far back as 2003, and then I combined all three. In fact, it became so serious after my first degree. I had to take JAMB again to study Theatre Arts, and I have never looked back since then. As an award winner – Radio presenter, actor for screen, director and producer for theatre, a stand-up comedian, I would cumulatively say I have been in entertainment for more than 20 years (this is inclusive of my years in the university). Ojobaro said that he believes everyone who does something wants to either be the best at it or get due recognition or just be at that space where a lot of people can reckon with your work. “Sometimes when that doesn’t happen either as fast as you want or as large, you may begin to worry but again there are a lot of other talents jostling for the same thing. The ripple effect of this is, that when one is not at that stage yet, getting funding and sponsorship may become a very big deal and it can hinder personal projects and stuff like that if one is not even careful it can hinder growth and I considered that a very huge challenge for a long time but not anymore. “I know that not everyone can be an RMD or an Ali Baba, but you can carve out your niche, build your own client and audience base, begin to nurture and service them satisfactorily and that’s what I have been doing in the last couple of years. “As a comedian, I am not as popular as most comedians, but all my stand-up comedy shows are usually sold out weeks before the show. I don’t know how many comedians can do a one-man comedy show in October and November of the same year in the same city, charging different fees per show and still sell out the auditorium for both shows but I did. “As an actor, especially for stage and theatre, my shows are also usually sold out. A very recent instance is my participation at the Lagos International Theatre Festival and even the Lagos Fringe, the play “Who Tif Mona Lisa?” When I featured as an actor was a massive success. “So the idea is, I don’t want to rule the world; I want to rule my world, and that’s how I’m able to constantly overcome the challenges.”Weekly Horoscope Taurus, December 8 to 14, 2024 predicts an auspicious week in business
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By Tom Murphy and Devi Shastri | Associated Press For years, patients in the U.S. health care system have grown frustrated with a bureaucracy they don’t understand . Doctors are included in an insurer’s network one year but not the next. Getting someone on the phone to help can be next to impossible. Coverage of care and prescriptions is often unceremoniously denied. This week’s fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson has unleashed a wave of public feeling — exasperation, anger, resentment, helplessness — from Americans sharing personal stories of interactions with insurance companies, often seen as faceless corporate giants. In particular, the words written on ammunition found at the shooting scene — “delay,” “deny” and “depose,” echoing a phrase used to describe how insurers dodge claim payouts — amplified voices that have long been critical of the industry. “All of a sudden, I am fired up again,” said Tim Anderson, describing how his wife, Mary, had to deal with UnitedHealthcare coverage denials before she died from Lou Gehrig’s disease, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, in 2022. Anderson said they couldn’t get coverage for machines to help his wife breathe or talk — toward the end, she communicated by blinking when he showed her pictures. The family had to rely on donations from a local ALS group, he said. “The business model for insurance is don’t pay,” said Anderson, 67, of Centerville, Ohio. “When Mary could still talk, she said to me to keep fighting this,” he added. “It needs to be exposed.” For Anderson and others, Thompson’s death and the message left at the scene have created an opportunity to vent their frustrations. Conversations at dinner tables, office water coolers, social gatherings and on social media have pivoted to the topic, as police efforts to find the gunman keep the case in the news. Hans Maristela said he understands why the chatter is bubbling up. The 54-year-old caregiver in California was moved to comment on Facebook about UnitedHealthcare’s reputation of denying coverage. As a Catholic, he said, he grieves Thompson’s death and feels for his family, especially with the holidays around the corner. But he sees frustration with insurers even among his clients, most of them wealthy older people who’ve not been shielded from high out-of-pocket costs. “And then you know the CEO of this company you pay a lot of money to gets $10 million dollars a year, you won’t have a lot of sympathy for the guy,” Maristela said, citing Thompson’s compensation package that included base pay and stock options. “Health care is a business, I understand, but the obsession with share price, with profit, has to be reevaluated.” University of Pennsylvania researcher Michael Anne Kyle said she’s not surprised by the growth of conversation around insurers. “People are often struggling with this by themselves, and when you see someone else talk about it, that may prompt you to join the conversation,” she said. Kyle studies how patients access care and said she’s seen frustration with the system build for years. Costs are rising, and insurers are using more controls such as prior authorizations and doctor networks to manage them. Patients are often stuck in the middle of disputes between doctors and insurers. “Patients are already spending a lot of money on health care, and then they’re still facing problems with the service,” she said. Insurers often note that most of the money they bring in goes back out the door to pay claims, and that they try to corral soaring costs and the overuse of some care. In Ohio, Anderson said his initial reaction to the CEO shooting was to question whether it was connected to a coverage denial, like the ones he’d experienced with his wife. “I definitely do not condone killing people,” he said. “But I read it and said, ‘I wonder if somebody had a spouse whose coverage was denied.’” It’s something Will Flanary, a Portland-based ophthalmologist and comedian with a large social media following, saw online a lot in the shooting’s immediate aftermath and found very telling. “It’s zero sympathy,” he said. “And the lesson to take away from that is not, ‘Let’s shame people for celebrating a murder.’ No, it’s: ‘Look at the amount of anger that people have toward this system that’s taken advantage of people and do something to try to fix that.’” Flanary’s content, published under the name Dr. Glaucomflecken, started out as niche eye doctor jokes and a way to cope with his own experiences with two cancer diagnoses and a sudden cardiac arrest. But it has evolved, featuring character skits that call attention to and satirize the decisions of large health insurers, including UnitedHealthcare. He said he’s never seen conversations around health insurance policy take off the way they did this week — and he hopes these new voices can help bring about change. “I’m always talking about how powerful social media can be with advocacy,” he said, “because it really is the only way to put a significant amount of pressure on these corporations who are doing bad things for patients.” The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.No. 2 Ohio State takes control in the 2nd half and runs over No. 5 Indiana 38-15 COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Will Howard passed for two touchdowns and rushed for another, TreVeyon Henderson ran for a score and No. 2 Ohio State beat previously undefeated No. 5 Indiana 38-15. All Ohio State has to do now is beat Michigan at home next Saturday and it will earn a return to the Big Ten championship game for the first time since 2020 and get a rematch with No. 1 Oregon. The Ducks beat Ohio State 32-31 in a wild one back on Oct. 12. Man City routed 4-0 by Tottenham in fifth-straight defeat as crisis deepens for Pep Guardiola What started as an evening of celebration for Manchester City ended with the four-time defending Premier League champion falling to a fifth-straight loss in all competitions and facing a deepening crisis in a season that is threatening to unravel. A 4-0 defeat to Tottenham left City five points behind league leader Liverpool, having played a game more. Two goals from James Maddison inside 20 minutes at the Etihad Stadium stunned the home crowd. Pedro Porro scored a third for Tottenham after halftime. Brennan Johnson added a fourth in the third minute of stoppage time. City manager Pep Guardiola signed a two-year contract extension this week. Chelsea, Arsenal and Brighton all won and closed the gap on Liverpool to six points. Florida knocks No. 9 Ole Miss out of College Football Playoff contention, 24-17 in the Swamp GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — DJ Lagway threw two touchdown passes, Montrell Johnson ran for 127 yards and a score, and Florida upset No. 9 Mississippi 24-17 on Saturday to knock the Rebels out of College Football Playoff contention. The Gators beat ranked teams in consecutive weeks for the first time since 2008 and became bowl eligible. The late-season spurt provided another vote of confidence for coach Billy Napier, who is expected back for a fourth season. Ole Miss lost for the first time in four games and surely will drop out of the 12-team playoff picture. Jennings has 3 TDs as No. 13 SMU routs Virginia 33-7 to clinch a spot in the ACC title game CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) — Kevin Jennings threw for a career-high 323 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another, and No. 13 SMU clinched a spot in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game by routing Virginia 33-7. Isaiah Smith and Jared Harrison-Hunte each had two sacks to help the Mustangs extend their winning streak to eight. They would earn an automatic bid into the expanded College Football Playoff by beating 11th-ranked Miami or 17th-ranked Clemson in the ACC title game on Dec. 7 in Charlotte, North Carolina. UVa must beat rival Virginia Tech next week to become bowl eligible. No. 11 Miami pulls away late to beat Wake Forest 42-14 and move one win from the ACC title game MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Cam Ward passed for 280 yards and threw two touchdowns to Jacolby George on another record-breaking day, Mishael Powell ran an interception back 76 yards for a touchdown and No. 11 Miami pulled away late to beat Wake Forest 42-14. The 10-1 Hurricanes can clinch a berth in the ACC title game with a win at Syracuse next weekend. Ward completed 27 of 38 passes, plus ran for a score. Demond Claiborne had a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown for 4-7 Wake Forest. No. 24 Illinois stuns Rutgers on Bryant's 40-yard TD reception with 4 seconds left PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) — Luke Altmyer found Pat Bryant for a catch-and-run, 40-yard touchdown pass with 4 seconds left, sending No. 24 Illinois to a wild 38-31 victory over Rutgers. Illinois was down 31-30 when it sent long kicker Ethan Moczulski out for a desperation 58-yard field goal with 14 seconds to go. Rutgers coach Greg Schiano then called for a timeout right before Moczulski’s attempt was wide left and about 15 yards short. After the missed field goal was waved off by the timeout, Illinois coach Bret Bielema sent his offense back on the field. Altmyer hit Bryant on an in cut on the left side at the 22, and he continued across the field and scored untouched. Andy Murray will coach Novak Djokovic through the Australian Open Recently retired Andy Murray will team up with Novak Djokovic, working with him as a coach through the Australian Open in January. Murray’s representatives put out statements from both players on Saturday. Djokovic is a 24-time Grand Slam champion who has spent more weeks at No. 1 than any other player in tennis history. Murray won three major trophies and two Olympic singles gold medals who finished 2016 atop the ATP rankings. He retired as a player after the Paris Summer Games in August. Jannik Sinner and Matteo Berrettini lift Italy past Australia and back to the Davis Cup final MALAGA, Spain (AP) — Top-ranked Jannik Sinner and Matteo Berrettini won their singles matches to lift defending champion Italy past Australia 2-0 and back into the Davis Cup final. Sinner extended his tour-level winning streak to 24 sets in a row by beating No. 9 Alex de Minaur 6-3, 6-4 on Saturday on an indoor hard court in Malaga, Spain. That came after Berrettini came back to defeat Thanasi Kokkinakis 6-7 (6), 6-3, 7-5. Italy will meet first-time finalist Netherlands on Sunday for the title. The Dutch followed up their victory over Rafael Nadal and Spain in the quarterfinals by eliminating Germany on Friday. Formula 1 expected to expand grid to 11 teams as early as next week for Cadillac to enter in 2026 LAS VEGAS (AP) — Formula 1 is expected to approve grid expansion for an 11th team originally started by Michael Andretti as early as next week. The team will be called Cadillac F1 and powered by Ferrari engines when it enters the sport in 2026. General Motors is expected to complete its own Cadillac power unit ahead of the 2028 season. Multiple industry insiders spoke to The Associated Press about the grid expansion on condition of anonymity because an announcement ahead of Saturday night’s Las Vegas Grand Prix could potentially steal the spotlight from the showcase event on the F1 calendar. Shiffrin wins World Cup slalom and takes quest for her 100th victory to North America GURGL, Austria (AP) — Mikaela Shiffrin has earned her record-extending 99th career World Cup win to take the quest for victory No. 100 to North America. The American ski star held on to her first-run lead in the season’s second slalom to beat Italian prodigy Lara Colturi and Swiss skier Camille Rast. They both got their first career podium result. Shiffrin next enters a 16-day North American sweep of the World Cup starting next weekend. She said “I guess there is a bit of pressure around it.” No other skier has won more than 86 World Cup races. Shiffrin set the best mark when she overtook Swedish great Ingemar Stenmark in March 2023.AP Sports SummaryBrief at 5:50 a.m. EST
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