There's a reason Sophie Castillo's discography doesn't focus on one genre, one language, or any one rhythm. The London-born Colombian-Cuban is a multi-faceted artist whose music is a testament to the cross-cultural environment she grew up in. You might recognize Castillo from TikTok, where her song "Call Me By Your Name" became one of her most listened-to tracks. Her ability to seamlessly blend Spanish and English over a bachata beat has undoubtedly earned the admiration of listeners. Castillo began singing at the age of 3. Growing up, her Colombian mother and Cuban father, who were the first people in their respective families to migrate to the UK, only played Latin music — specifically salsa. "My family was always playing a lot of salsa, so Grupo Niche, Brava Fruko y Sus Tesos, Joe Arroyo, Celia Cruz," Castillo says. And her love of and talent for musical theatre was recognized early. Around when Castillo was 5, she performed in a school show and left an adult audience teary-eyed. This resulted in her mom and uncles placing her in an after-school drama program that allowed her to practice music and pursue acting, singing, and dancing. "This has been a lifelong dream of mine," the now 26-year-old says. Reflecting on her childhood, Castillo's representation of the Latine community in UK media really stands out. "I definitely had my issues as a kid growing up with not feeling represented. " As a result, she idealized Eurocentric features in Barbie dolls, films, and toys. Castillo says she didn't see herself in any of this media growing up: "I never saw any type of Indigenous representation of Latina women." "When I was a kid and didn't have the language to have those conversations, I had insecurities, but then as soon as I could express my feelings about that, I had a lot of support, and it really changed the way that I viewed myself," she continues. Castillo's advice for women who, like her, don't feel represented in the media is to "remember you have the features of your ancestors." She reflects on a beautiful sentiment she came across online: "You look the way you do because two of your ancestors loved those features in each other so much that they decided to come together and create a child. That child passed those features on, and eventually, they became yours." Honoring the legacy of those who came before her has been crucial in the artist's journey to self-love. When insecurities arise, Castillo reminds herself: "Hold on a minute—I might have this nose or these eyes because one of my ancestors gave them to me." Castillo has also learned to look inward when it comes to prioritizing her mental health and self-image. "What I've learned over time is actually just how much power we have within our own lives," she says. "I'm in control of my thoughts, my feelings, my mind. I can always change something to make myself feel better. I can always cheer myself up." Pride for her heritage doesn't only serve her confidence physically but also spiritually as she navigates her way into the music industry. "Being Latin American, our continent has gone through so much trauma as a land, and our ancestors went through so much trauma that we need to honor them for what they gave us and how much they fought to survive in the midst of everything that they had to face," she says. Evidently the influence of Castillo's Latin American heritage inspires the sound of her music — but most importantly, the influence of her ancestors serves as an inspiration for perseverance as she navigates her rise to stardom. Beyond her upbringing influencing her sound as a singer-songwriter, the artist credits several important values to growing up with Latine parents. "There are many, but one of them is having that inner strength and general positive outlook on life — being able to pick yourself back up when you're down, dust off your knees, and continue," she says. This mindset is something "everyone in our family, and in a lot of Latine and immigrant families, have had to do." These days, through adapting the language and sounds of her childhood into her storytelling, she's able to honor these sacrifices and alchemize them. Integrating components of music that originated in Latin America, while weaving in other inspirations has resulted in the development of a unique sound and deeply personal voice. All while preserving cultural genres and introducing them to new audiences. Through social media, Castillo has not only been building a platform for her music but also working to provide the representation she yearned for growing up. As she shares on her TikTok, she's patiently waiting to become a mainstream representation for "brown skin/Indigenous features women. " As she puts it, "A lot of girls message me or comment that they love that I look like them and their primas, and how they love seeing me with my features representing us in the music industry. They're rooting for me." And so are we. Ashley Garcia Lezcano is an audience strategist, writer, and producer with a passion for highlighting Latine culture and stories. In addition to PS, her work has appeared in People en Español and Teen Vogue. As a first-generation Colombian American, Ashley is committed to authentically amplifying Latin voices and narratives.Cowboys win wild one vs. Commanders to halt five-game slideUS Health Care Prices Up 143 Percent From 25 Years Ago
The Vikings designated tight end Nick Muse to return Wednesday, opening his 21-day practice window. The team announced Monday that it has waived Muse. Muse was placed on injured reserve Sept. 18 after he fractured his hand. The injury occurred in Minnesota’s Week 2 win over San Francisco. Muse stayed in the game and successfully fielded an onside kick by the 49ers to allow the Vikings to finish the game in victory formation. Muse, a 2022 seventh-round pick, has appeared in 14 games, playing 156 snaps on special teams and five on offense. His lone career target so far resulted in a 22-yard reception at Detroit in the 2023 regular-season finale.Is There An 'Easy' Way For Keir Starmer To Start Winning The Public's Trust Back?US President-elect Donald Trump has delivered a ferocious warning to Hamas as he called for hostages in the Middle East to be released. On October 7, 2023, 251 people were taken hostage by Hamas following an attack on Israel during the Tribe of Nova Music Festival. About 63 people are still reportedly being held in Gaza, and are believed to be alive, while 117 have been rescued or freed and 71 have been confirmed killed, according to the Washington Post. After raw footage of 20-year-old American-Israeli hostage Edan Alexander breaking down as he pleaded to be able to return home was shared by Hamas, Trump took to Truth Social to issue a warning to the Palestinian militant group. Protesters took to the streets in Tel Aviv, Israel on Saturday, local time to call for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to broker a ceasefire deal, holding up signs with Mr Alexander's face on them, reading: "Bring him home now!" "Everybody is talking about the hostages who are being held so violently, inhumanely, and against the will of the entire World, in the Middle East - But it’s all talk, and no action!" Trump said, seemingly accusing the Biden administration of failing to act. "Please let this TRUTH serve to represent that if the hostages are not released prior to January 20, 2025, the date that I proudly assume Office as President of the United States, there will be ALL HELL TO PAY in the Middle East, and for those in charge who perpetrated these atrocities against Humanity. "Those responsible will be hit harder than anybody has been hit in the long and storied History of the United States of America. RELEASE THE HOSTAGES NOW!" The warning comes after a ceasefire was brokered between Israel and Lebanese militant group Hezbollah - a deal former NATO chief James Stavridis claimed was successful because of Trump's imminent return to power following his victory in the 2024 US presidential election. Trump quoted Mr Stavridis' comments in a post on Truth Social an hour before issuing his warning towards Hamas, as he aims to start strong on the situation in the Middle East early. On Sunday local time, the 78-year-old announced Lebanese-American businessman and daughter Tiffany's father-in-law Massad Boulos as senior advisor to the President on Arab and Middle Eastern Affairs. "He has been a long-time proponent of Republican and Conservative values, an asset to my Campaign, and was instrumental in building tremendous new coalitions with the Arab American Community," Trump said in a statement. "Massad is a dealmaker, and an unwavering supporter of PEACE in the Middle East. He will be a strong advocate for the United States, and its interests, and I am pleased to have him on our team!" The US has been "working actively" to achieve a ceasefire agreement which would allow the remaining American and other hostages to be released, according to White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan. He said the sides were "not there yet" on the deal but flagged Washington was "engaged deeply with the key players in the region". Since war broke out between Israel and Hamas on about 14 months ago, at least 44,000 people have been killed according to the health ministry in Gaza.
Jay-Z Lawyer Says Jane Doe Accusing Rapper of Rape Must Reveal Her Identity or Drop Lawsuit
Kashyap "Kash" Patel is receiving high marks from Senate Republicans in his quest to be President-elect Donald Trump's next FBI director. The 44-year-old former federal prosecutor and national security official, considered a Trump loyalist by many, has promised major changes to the country's top law enforcement agency . Like many of the president-elect's supporters, Patel has been a vocal critic of the so-called "deep state" or longtime members of the country's national security bureaucracy. "Kash Patel is an agent of transformation. He’ll do a great job," Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kansas, told USA Today. Markwayne Mullin, R-Oklahoma, said he hadn't met Patel one-on-one but had spoken to him previously. "Kash is great," he said. "Can’t wait to get Kash there." Patel's nomination signals Trump wants to remove current FBI Director Christopher Wray, who the former president nominated in 2017 to what was supposed to be a 10-year term. "We still don't know what Director Wray's plans are," Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, told reporters Monday. "But eventually I assume Mr. Patel will be confirmed as the next FBI director." Wray has fallen out of favor with Trump and his GOP allies in Congress, who hold resentment toward the bureau for its investigations aimed at the former president, such as his possession of national security documents his Florida resort, Mar-a-Lago, which were discovered after he left the White House. Other Republicans have called out the FBI for a federal court ruling in July that said the agency failed to alert social media companies that a story about Hunter Biden’s laptop was real rather than Russian disinformation days before the 2020 presidential election. In a stinging 11-page letter, Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, blasted Wray for what he described as "failed" leadership. The incoming Senate Judiciary Committee chairman said Monday he has "seen enough" and that Wray should step aside. But some GOP senators told USA TODAY they don’t know much about Patel, who has been criticized by Democrats and nonpartisan groups for lacking the experience to lead the FBI and for peddling conspiracy theories about federal government employees, the COVID-19 vaccine and more. Trump's former Attorney General Bill Barr wrote in his memoir "One Damn Thing After Another" that he remembers saying Patel's appointment to deputy FBI director would happen "over my dead body." "Patel had virtually no experience that would qualify him to serve at the highest level of the world's preeminent law enforcement agency," Barr wrote in the 2022 book. Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., said he thinks Patel will do a "good job," but notes he didn’t serve with Patel and doesn’t know him as well as other Trump cabinet picks, such as Pam Bondi who has been nominated for attorney general. “Honestly, I don't know anything about him," Sen. Susan Collins, a moderate Republican from Maine, said. "His name was vaguely familiar to me, but I don't know his background, his experience. I'm going to need to do a lot of work on his nomination. The FBI post is a really important one, but I just don't have an opinion." Contributing: Savannah Kuchar, Bart Jansen and Sudiksha KochiNepo baby Meghan McCain complains about ‘nepo baby’ Hunter Biden’s pardon
“The tragic news of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO has opened a lot of discussion about the very nasty subject of health care costs and quality of service,” Mark Malek, chief investment officer at Siebert Financial, said in a note emailed to The Epoch Times. The Federal Reserve has attributed elevated price pressures to services inflation, particularly in the housing sector, which accounts for a significant portion of the CPI report. “Do you know what other services inflation consistently runs hot, well above the 2% guideline? Health care,” Siebert said. The report forecasts that medical costs will increase by 8 percent from last year for the group market and 7.5 percent for the individual market. If accurate, health care cost growth will be the highest in 13 years. The research shows that private health insurance premiums have risen cumulatively by 15 percent since 2022, and they are becoming more expensive in 42 states. “In the health care sector, both rising employment levels and wage increases fueled by economy-wide inflation during the past few years are pushing health care costs higher,” Debbie Ashford, North America chief actuary for Health Solutions at Aon, said in a statement. “To keep pace with these pressures, the health care industry negotiates higher prices, which in turn emerge as higher medical trends.” National health care spending has garnered attention recently, with billionaire Elon Musk shining a spotlight on the exorbitant costs amid the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative. Musk reposted a Peter G. Peterson Foundation chart shared by the popular social media X account “The Rabbit Hole.” The data highlighted administrative costs per capita of $1,055, the highest among OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) countries. The fiscal think tank estimated that U.S. health care spending reached $4.5 trillion in 2022, averaging $13,493 per person and accounting for 17 percent of GDP. Experts say the triple-digit percentage increase in health care costs is due to a combination of hospital consolidations, growing prescription drug prices, and an aging population. “When the population is aging and getting sicker, it adds more strain to the health care system and just an overall shortage of healthcare workers,” Divya Sangameshwar, an insurance expert and spokesperson at LendingTree, told The Epoch Times. “And this isn’t a new problem. Health care costs have been rising since the year 2000, and these costs are just ultimately getting caught down to policyholders in the form of higher premiums.” As a result of an increasing number of seniors, Medicare enrollment is expected to surge in the coming years, adding to the ballooning costs of the federal program. This past spring, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office projected that Medicare spending would play a sizable role in the significant increase in federal spending over the next 30 years. Medicare spending, the report concluded, will double over the next 30 years and reach 5.5 percent of GDP. While this is not a new trend, it has accelerated in recent years, with nearly 1,900 hospital mergers between 1998 and 2021, according to the American Hospital Association. Various assessments suggest this has adversely affected the health care system, including the number of hospitals, experts say. “There are also indications that consolidation will reduce access to health care for the most vulnerable populations through hospital closures and higher prices in highly consolidated markets. “Adding to that is the fact that private equity has entered the market amid predictions that the stresses of the COVID-19 pandemic will accelerate the pace of consolidation.” The newest trend is that corporate giants such as Amazon, CVS, UnitedHealth, and private equity companies are acquiring many physician practices. The U.S. government is beginning to take notice. “Hospital consolidations often lead to worse outcomes for nurses and doctors, result in higher prices, and can have life and death consequences for patients,” said Henry Liu, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Competition, adding that this deal could lead to higher out-of-pocket costs for essential health care services. Though the numbers vary, data show that administrative costs represent a sizable share of total expenses incurred in delivering healthcare to patients. Vivek Ramaswamy, the co-head of DOGE, blames regulations and bureaucracy for high administrative costs. “Most regulations ultimately hurt the very people they are supposed to ‘help,’” Ramaswamy wrote on X on Dec. 6. “Many hospitals and health systems are forced to dedicate staff and clinical resources to appeal and overturn inappropriate denials, which alone can cost billions of dollars every year,” the report reads. John Bright, the founder and CEO of Med Claims Compliance Corporation, says costs associated with administrative errors can also add to the final tally. Medicare maintains an improper payment rate—or claims overpaid in errors—that costs as much as $32 billion per year. According to Bright, this could be due to administrators not knowing the proper billing codes. The elevated improper payment rate, says Bright, can also be attributed to theft, fraud, waste, and abuse. “Health and Human Services has to factor in the improper payment rate,” Bright told The Epoch Times. “It’s kind of like if you own a grocery store, and you have to allocate the cost of what’s called shrinkage theft. You have to factor it into your cost of operation.” The incoming administration, particularly Robert F. Kennedy Jr., wants to work with the American Medical Association to remedy this situation. The organization devises the billing codes and generates millions of revenues from royalties. RFK Jr. aims to update the system to bolster primary care and enhance health outcomes.