ocean magic surfboards
Towana Looney donated a kidney to her mother in 1999 only for the remaining one to fail years later due to pregnancy complications. Now, the 53-year-old from Alabama has become the latest recipient of a gene-edited pig kidney - and is currently the only living person in the world with an animal organ transplant, says New York's NYU Langone hospital. "I'm overjoyed, I'm blessed to have received this gift, this second chance at life," Looney said weeks after the procedure. Xenotransplantation - transplanting organs from one species to another - has long been a tantalizing yet elusive scientific goal. Early experiments on primates faltered, but recent advances in gene editing and immune-system management have brought the dream closer to reality. Pigs have emerged as the ideal donors: they grow quickly, produce large litters and are already part of the human food supply. Advocates hope this approach can help address the severe organ shortage in the United States, where more than 100,000 people are waiting for transplants, including over 90,000 in need of kidneys. Looney had been living with dialysis since December 2016 - eight grueling years. High blood pressure caused by preeclampsia had taken its toll, leaving her with chronic kidney disease. Despite receiving priority on transplant waiting lists as a living donor, her search for a compatible kidney was a frustrating dead end. Her unusually high levels of harmful antibodies made rejection almost inevitable, and as her body lost viable blood vessels to support dialysis, her health declined. Out of options, Looney applied to join a clinical trial for pig kidney transplants and finally underwent the seven-hour surgery on November 25. Asked how she felt afterward, Looney's joy was infectious. "I'm full of energy, I've got an appetite ... and of course, I can go to the bathroom. I haven't been going in eight years!" she laughed. Jayme Locke, a surgeon on the transplant team, described the results with awe. "The kidney functioned essentially exactly like a kidney from a living donor," she said, adding that Looney's husband saw a rosiness in her cheeks for the first time in years. "That is the miracle of transplantation." Looney's surgery is the third time a gene-edited pig kidney has been transplanted into a human who is not brain dead. Rick Slayman, the first recipient, died in May, two months after his procedure at Massachusetts General Hospital. The second, Lisa Pisano, initially showed signs of recovery following her surgery at NYU Langone, but the organ had to be removed after 47 days, and she passed away in July. Looney, however, was not terminally ill before the transplant, noted Robert Montgomery, who led the surgery. Each case, he emphasized, provides critical lessons for refining the techniques. The kidney was provided by biotech company Revivicor, which breeds genetically modified herds in Virginia. A Massachusetts-based company, eGenesis, provided the kidney for Slayman. Looney's organ has 10 genetic edits to improve compatibility with the human body - an advance over Revivicor's earlier efforts that used kidneys with a single gene edit and included the pig's thymus gland to help train the host's immune system and prevent rejection. Montgomery, a pioneer in the field who performed the world's first gene-edited pig organ transplant in a brain-dead patient in 2021, said both methods are likely to enter clinical trials "probably by this time next year, or even sooner." "This is a watershed moment for the future of transplantation," said Kevin Longino, head of the National Kidney Foundation. The nonprofit's polling shows that patients and families favor faster clinical trial progress, believing the risk of inaction outweighs the uncertainties of xenotransplantation. Looney was discharged on December 6 to a nearby New York City apartment. Though her high antibody levels remain a concern, doctors are monitoring her closely using wearable technology and are trying a novel drug regimen to prevent rejection. Periodic hospital visits may still be required, but the team remains optimistic she can return home in three months. AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Has a waltz written by composer Frederic Chopin been discovered in an NYC museum?Lisa Simpson once said during an episode of “The Simpsons:” What could be more exciting than the savage ballet that is pro football? On Monday night, the entire Simpsons universe gets to experience it in a way not many could have imagined. The prime-time matchup between the Cincinnati Bengals and Dallas Cowboys will also take place at Springfield’s Atoms Stadium as part of “The Simpsons Funday Football” alternate broadcast. The altcast will be streamed on ESPN+, Disney+, and NFL+ (on mobile devices). ESPN and ABC have the main broadcast, while ESPN2 will carry the final “ManningCast” of the regular season. The replay will be available on Disney+ for 30 days. Globally, more than 145 countries will have access to either live or on replay. “We’re such huge football fans, and the Simpsons audience and the football audience, I feel, are like the same audience of just American families and football. And the Simpsons are so much a part of the DNA of the American family and culture that for us to, like, mush them together in this crazy video game, it’s so fun,” said Matt Selman, executive producer of “The Simpsons.” While the game is the focal point, the alternate broadcast, in some ways, will resemble a three-hour episode of “The Simpsons.” It starts with Homer eating too many hot dogs and having a dream while watching football. Homer joins the Cowboys in the dream while Bart teams up with the Bengals. Lisa and Marge will be sideline reporters. “That’s the beginning of the story, and the story continues through the entire game until Homer wakes up from his dream at the end of the game. It is like a complete story, and the NFL game will happen in between. It’s just going to be an amazing presentation with tons of surprises,” said Michael “Spike” Szykowny, ESPN’s VP of edit and animation. This is the second year ESPN has done an alternate broadcast for an NFL game. It used the characters from “Toy Story” for last year’s Sunday morning game from London between the Atlanta Falcons and Jacksonville Jaguars. “The Simpsons” has featured many sports-themed episodes during its 35 seasons. Even though “Homer at the Bat” remains the consensus favorite sports episode for many Simpsons fans, there have been football ones such as “Bart Star” and “Lisa The Greek.” There also was a Super Bowl-themed one after Fox’s broadcast of Super Bowl 33 between Denver and Atlanta in 1999. Even though “The Simpsons” remains a staple on Fox’s prime-time schedule, it is part of the Disney family after their acquisition of 20th Century Fox in 2019. All 35 seasons are on Disney+. The show’s creators have worked with ESPN and the NFL to make sure the look and sound is definitely Simpsonsesque. The theme song is a mash-up of “The Simpsons” opening and “Monday Night Football’s” iconic “Heavy Action.” There have also been pre-recorded skits and bits to use during the broadcast featuring Simpson’s legendary voices Hank Azaria, Nancy Cartwright, Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, and Yeardley Smith. The telecast will be entirely animated, with the players’ movements in sync with what is happening in real-time on the field. That is done through player-tracking data enabled by the NFL’s Next Gen Stats system and Sony’s Beyond Sports Technology. While Next Gen Stats tracks where players are on the field with a tracking chip in the shoulder pads, there is skeletal data tracking and limb tracking data — which uses 29 points per player — to get closer to the player’s movements. The other data tracking will allow Beyond Sports and Disney to add special characters to the game. For example, there might be a play where Lisa catches the ball and goes 30 yards instead of Cincinnati’s Tee Higgins. “Lisa is much smaller than the rest of the players. So, in real life, the ball would go over her head, but now, with data processing, we can take the ball and make it go exactly into her hands. So for the viewer, it still looks believable, and it all makes sense,” said Beyond Sports co-founder Nicolaas Westerhof. The other major challenge is making “The Simpsons” two-dimensional cartoon characters into 3-D simulations. Szykowny and his team worked to make that a reality over the past couple of months. “That’s a big leap of faith for them to say, hey, we trust you to make our characters 3-D and work with it. Our ESPN creative studio team has done a wonderful job,” Szykowny said. Lisa, Krusty, Nelson, Milhouse and Ralph will be with Bart and the Bengals; while Carl, Barney, Lenny and Moe join up with with Homer and the Cowboys. The broadcast will also feature ESPN personalities Stephen A. Smith, Peyton Manning and Eli Manning. ESPN’s Drew Carter, Mina Kimes and Dan Orlovsky will call the game from Bristol, Connecticut, and also be animated. They will wear Meta Quest Pro headsets to experience the game from Springfield using VR technology. For Kimes, being part of the broadcast and being an animated Simpsons character is a dream come true. She is a massive fan of the show and has a framed photo of Lisa Simpson — who she said is a personal hero and icon — as part of her backdrop when she makes appearances on ESPN NFL shows from her home in Los Angeles. “I didn’t have any input, and I didn’t see anything beforehand, so I wasn’t sure if it would look like me, but it kind of does, which is very funny,” said Kimes, who drew Simpsons characters when she was a kid. “To see the actual staff turn me into one was a dream.” Even though the Bengals (4-8) and Cowboys (5-7) have struggled this season, Selman thinks both teams have personalities that appeal to “The Simpsons” universe. “We were just so lucky also that the Cowboys are sort of like a Homer Simpson-type team, American team, and Mike McCarthy might be a Homer-type guy, one might imagine,” he said. ”And then you have Joe Burrow on the other side who is a cool young, spiky-haired, blonde bad boy -- he’s like Bart. And that fits our character archetypes so perfectly. “If Homer is mad at Bart and has a hot dog dream while watching ’Monday Night Football’, and then it’s basically McCarthy versus Burrow, Homer versus Bart, and that’s the simple father versus son strangling — Homer strangling Bart dynamic that has been part of the show for 35 years. I don’t know if that would have worked as well if it was like Titans versus Jacksonville. We would have found something. We would have made it work.” AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflNEW YORK — The brooding waltz was carefully composed on a sheet of music roughly the size of an index card. The brief, moody number also bore an intriguing name, written at the top in cursive: “Chopin.” A previously unknown work of music penned by the European master Frederic Chopin appears to have been found at the Morgan Library & Museum in Manhattan. The untitled and unsigned piece is on display this month at the opulently appointed institution, which had once been the private library of financier J.P. Morgan. A previously unknown musical manuscript, possibly by Frederic Chopin, is held in a display case after it was discovered at The Morgan Library & Museum on Nov. 13 in New York. John Minchillo, Associated Press Robinson McClellan, the museum curator who uncovered the manuscript, said it's the first new work associated with the Romantic era composer to be discovered in nearly a century. But McClellan concedes that it may never be known whether it is an original Chopin work or merely one written in his hand. People are also reading... The piece, set in the key of A minor, stands out for its “very stormy, brooding opening section” before transitioning to a melancholy melody more characteristic of Chopin, McClellan explained. “This is his style. This is his essence,” he said during a recent visit to the museum. “It really feels like him.” McClellan said he came across the work in May as he was going through a collection from the late Arthur Satz, a former president of the New York School of Interior Design. Satz acquired it from A. Sherrill Whiton Jr., an avid autograph collector who had been director of the school. McClellan then worked with experts to verify its authenticity. The paper was found to be consistent with what Chopin favored for manuscripts, and the ink matched a kind typical in the early 19th century when Chopin lived, according to the museum. But a handwriting analysis determined the name “Chopin” written at the top of the sheet was penned by someone else. Born in Poland, Chopin was considered a musical genius from an early age. He lived in Warsaw and Vienna before settling in Paris, where he died in 1849 at the age of 39, likely of tuberculosis. Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | SoundStack A previously unknown musical manuscript, possibly by Frederic Chopin, is seen in a display case after it was discovered at The Morgan Library & Museum, Nov. 13 in New York. John Minchillo, Associated Press He’s buried among a pantheon of artists at the city’s famed Père Lachaise Cemetery, but his heart, pickled in a jar of alcohol, is housed in a church in Warsaw, in keeping with his deathbed wish for the organ to return to his homeland. Artur Szklener, director of the Fryderyk Chopin Institute in Warsaw, the Polish capital city where the composer grew up, agreed that the document is consistent with the kinds of ink and paper Chopin used during his early years in Paris. Musically, the piece evokes the “brilliant style” that made Chopin a luminary in his time, but it also has features unusual for his compositions, Szklener said. “First of all, it is not a complete work, but rather a certain musical gesture, a theme laced with rather simple piano tricks alluding to a virtuoso style," Szklener explained in a lengthy statement released after the document was revealed last month. He and other experts conjecture the piece could have been a work in progress. It may have also been a copy of another's work, or even co-written with someone else, perhaps a student for a musical exercise. Jeffrey Kallberg, a University of Pennsylvania music professor and Chopin expert who helped authenticate the document, called the piece a “little gem” that Chopin likely intended as a gift for a friend or wealthy acquaintance. “Many of the pieces that he gave as gifts were short – kind of like ‘appetizers’ to a full-blown work,” Kallberg said in an email. “And we don’t know for sure whether he intended the piece to see the light of day because he often wrote out the same waltz more than once as a gift.” David Ludwig, dean of music at The Juilliard School, a performing arts conservatory in Manhattan, agreed the piece has many of the hallmarks of the composer’s style. “It has the Chopin character of something very lyrical and it has a little bit of darkness as well,” said Ludwig, who was not involved in authenticating the document. But Ludwig noted that, if it's authentic, the tightly composed score would be one of Chopin’s shortest known pieces. The waltz clocks in at under a minute long when played on piano, as many of Chopin’s works were intended. “In terms of the authenticity of it, in a way it doesn’t matter because it sparks our imaginations,” Ludwig said. “A discovery like this highlights the fact that classical music is very much a living art form.” The Chopin reveal comes after the Leipzig Municipal Libraries in Germany announced in September that it uncovered a previously unknown piece likely composed by a young Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in its collections. Classic Christmas songs that are more than 100 years old Classic Christmas songs that are more than 100 years old Christmas music has a long and storied history beginning centuries ago with pagan rituals. Those traditions evolved with St. Francis of Assisi’s Nativity plays in the 13th century, and survived Puritan rule when many Christmas traditions and celebrations were banned during part of the 17th century. Traveling minstrels spread original songs before the invention of the printing press in 1440 ushered in an era of texts that served as the foundation for some of the most beloved Christmas songs. These tunes would be shared in the form of poetry and hymns printed on broadsides . Today, Christmas music runs the gamut from silly to revolutionary. Songs range from grandmothers getting trampled by reindeer to those based on the work of a Romantic-period poet. Who knew that the catchy tune of Wenceslas, the king with the funny name, is a reverent song about the patron saint of the Czech Republic? Or perhaps it would surprise readers to discover that “Silent Night” was designated as an item of Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO. These songs we know by heart and hear so often have rich histories rooted in things like war, religion, social reform, and slavery. Stacker compiled a list of Christmas songs released before 1920 and explored the origins of these pieces. This list includes Christmas carols, famous instrumentals, popular hymns, and spirituals from countries around the world. Many of these songs were created out of a chance collaboration between artists spanning time and space; a clergyman pens a hymn, and years later, a composer resurrects those words and sets them to a melody. It may come as no surprise, then, that what people consider to be Christmas classics are among the most-covered Christmas songs of all time . “Silent Night,” for example, had 137,315 recordings according to a 2017 Billboard report. Read on to learn about the rich histories of some of the most beloved Christmas songs that are more than a century old. You may also like: 71 years of Emmy history Plum Leaves // Flickr 'Jingle Bells' (1885) Written by James Lord Pierpont in 1857 and originally titled “One Horse Open Sleigh,” “Jingle Bells” is one of the most beloved and ubiquitous Christmas carols in existence. In 1965, astronauts Wally Schirra and Thomas Stafford made “Jingle Bells,” the first song heard from space as they orbited Earth aboard the Gemini 6. It may be surprising that this Christmas classic was written as a Thanksgiving song. Public Domain 'Here We Come A-wassailing' (c. 1850) This traditional English Christmas carol refers to the practice of wassailing, the definition of which has evolved over the years . In the song, wassailing is the practice of traveling door-to-door, wishing good health, and asking for a bit of hospitality and Christmas tidings in return, including a drink from a communal bowl filled with mulled cider or ale called wassail. Other familiar variants of the song include “Here We Come A-Caroling,” and “Here We Come A Christmasing.” Hulton Archive // Getty Images 'Good King Wenceslas' (1853) Published by hymn writer John Mason Neale in 1853, this carol was based on the life of the virtuous ruler Wenceslaus I, Duke of Bohemia . Wenceslaus I was revered for his piety, morality, and virtue. After his assassination, he was posthumously conferred as a king by Holy Roman Emperor Otto I, which is why people don’t sing of good Duke Wenceslaus. Wenceslaus was elevated to sainthood immediately after his death, and he's considered the patron saint of the Czech Republic. Public Domain // Wikimedia Commons 'O Tannenbaum' (1824) The version of “O Tannenbaum” most of us are familiar with today was written in 1824 by Ernst Anschütz, a well-known organist and composer from Leipzig, Germany. Anschütz’s version was one of many based on a 16th-century German folk song that pays homage to the steadfast nature of the "Tannenbaum," the German word for a fir tree. The song’s association with Christmas began with Anschütz even though no explicit mention of Christmas was made in his original lyrics. Furthermore, most Christmas trees are spruce, not fir. Readers may be more familiar with the song’s English title, “O Christmas Tree.” Hulton Archive // Getty Images 'God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen' (1760) If you’ve ever wondered what “God rest you merry” means, you’re not alone. This carol’s title is often misinterpreted, mispunctuated, and widely debated. The phrase “rest you merry” is used in the same way we use “rest assured.” It is not an address to merry gentlemen but rather an imperative statement to all gentlemen to be happy, citing the birth of Christ. It’s even referenced in Charles Dickens' classic “A Christmas Carol.” The earliest known print edition of the carol dates back to 1760, but its author is unknown. You may also like: 30 celebrities you might not know are LGBTQ Pixaby 'We Three Kings' (1863) Originally titled “Three Kings of Orient,” this carol was written by journalist-turned-clergyman John Henry Hopkins in 1857 for a Christmas pageant and published six years later. The carol chronicles the Christian gospel of Matthew in which three biblical magi, commonly known as the three wise men, bring gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to honor the birth of Jesus. Leopold Kupelwieser // Wikimedia Commons 'It Came Upon the Midnight Clear' (1850) Edmund Sears—a Unitarian pastor in Wayland, Mass.—wrote a five-stanza poem titled “It Came Upon the Midnight Clear” in 1849. It was adapted by American composer Richard Storrs Willis in 1850 and set to a melody called “Carol.” The words of this poem-turned-carol are regarded as an account of the issues at the time. Topics referred to in the song include the end of the Mexican-American war and a call for peace among men. Public Domain // Wikimedia Commons 'Go Tell It on the Mountain' (1907) Proudly rejoicing the nativity of Jesus, “Go Tell It on the Mountain” was an African-American spiritual dating back to 1865. John Wesley Work Jr. was a composer and ethnomusicologist who compiled hundreds of spirituals and even composed a few, including “Go Tell It on the Mountain,” in his work: “American Negro Songs and Spirituals; A Comprehensive Collection of 230 Folk Songs, Religious and Secular.” Public Domain // Wikimedia Commons 'What Child is This?' (1871) Written by William Chatterton Dix in 1865 and published in 1871, this carol explores what the shepherds present at the birth of Jesus must have been thinking when they encountered him. In gospel, hymns, and art, shepherds are central characters in the Nativity of Jesus. The song is set to the familiar melody of “Greensleeves,” a 16th-century English folk song. Hulton Archive // Getty Images 'O Come, All Ye Faithful' (1751) The exact origins of this popular carol are unknown, but it is most often credited to John Francis Wade. Originally written and printed in Latin as “Adeste Fideles,” it first appeared in Wade’s 1751 collection “Cantus Diversi.” You may also like: Exploring minority representation in the biggest box office winners ever Plum Leaves // Flickr 'Silent Night' (1818) What began in 1818 as a modest performance outside of St. Nicholas parish in Oberndorf, Austria, has become one of the most popular Christmas songs of all time. Translated into over 300 languages, “Stille Nacht” was written by a priest named Joseph Mohr and composed by Franz Xaver Gruber in 1818. The song became popular among traveling folk singers, and before long, it could be heard around the world. The English version we know today called “Silent Night” was not written until 1863. “Stille Nacht” was named an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO in 2011 . JOE KLAMAR // AFP via Getty Images 'Carol of the Bells' (1919) “Carol of the Bells” is no doubt familiar to you, if not by name, then by melody. The carol was based on an Ukranian folk chant called "Shchedryk,” which was traditionally sung on New Year’s Eve as it spoke of good fortune for the upcoming year. American composer Peter J. Wilhousky adapted the lyrics "Shchedryk” into a Christmas song in 1919 using the original musical arrangement by Ukranian composer Mykola Leontovych. Many artists have covered the carol over the last century, and one of its more popular variants is “Christmas Eve/Sarajevo” by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Public Domain // Wikimedia Commons 'In the Bleak Midwinter' (1906) “In the Bleak Midwinter” was based on a poem of the same name written by English poet Christina Georgina Rossetti in 1872. English composer Gustav Holst first set the poem to music in 1906. Public Domain 'The Holly and the Ivy' (1911) This particular carol was published by Cecil Sharp, a famous conservator of English folk tradition, in 1911. The song is packed with symbolism that dates back to pagan rituals. Holly, representing males, and ivy, representing females, used to be burned together during the pagan festival of Beltane to encourage a fruitful spring. In Christianity, holly is symbolic of the crown of thorns Jesus wore during his crucifixion. With this rich history, evergreens like holly and ivy are viewed as symbols of rebirth and renewal, which are common themes celebrated at Christmas time. AEWD // Shutterstock 'I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day' (1872) This carol was based on the poem "Christmas Bells," written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow on Christmas Day in 1863. With an injured wife and a son who joined the union army against his father’s wishes, Longfellow lamented hearing bells on Christmas Day during the American Civil War. The lyrics convey a sense of hopelessness when goodwill and peace on Earth seemed impossible. The poem was set to music in 1872 by English composer John Baptiste Calkin. You may also like: Mistakes from the 50 best movies of all time GoodFreePhotos 'O Holy Night' (1847) “O Holy Night” is based on a French poem titled "Minuit, Chrétiens," written by Placide Cappeau at the behest of a parish priest. Composer Adolphe Adam set the poem to music that same year, and it quickly gained popularity throughout France. When Cappeau denounced the Catholic Church to join the socialist movement, the church responded by denouncing his beloved carol. The song made a resurgence after it was translated into English and introduced in America by John Sullivan Dwight. Public Domain // Wikimedia Commons 'O Little Town of Bethlehem' (1868) After visiting Bethlehem in the Mutasarrifate of Jerusalem , Phillips Brooks was inspired to write about his experiences. Brooks, an Episcopal priest, shared the poem he had written with Lewis Redner, his church’s organist, and asked him to create a melody for it so they could perform it at an upcoming Sunday school service. In a single evening, Redner composed the tune that we know today. Reflecting on the success of the carol, Redner stated : “Neither Mr. Brooks nor I ever thought the carol or the music to it would live beyond that Christmas of 1868.” Rawpixel Ltd // Flickr 'Away in a Manger' (1885) Mistakenly attributed, for many years, to Martin Luther—the seminal figure of Europe’s Protestant Reformation in the 16th century—and even titling early versions of this piece “Luther’s Cradle Song,” “Away in a Manger” is a relatively simple carol with unknown origins. The first record of the text being set to music with the title “Away in a Manger” is found in the 1885 publication “Little Children's Book for Schools and Families.” Public Domain // Wikimedia Commons 'Hark! The Herald Angels Sing' (1855) The carol we know as “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” was originally titled "Hymn for Christmas-Day,” published in 1739 by Charles Wesley, leader of the Methodist movement and brother to John Wesley, the movement’s founder. But it was George Whitefield who adapted the text in 1753 to give us that familiar opener “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.” The melody was composed by Felix Mendelssohn and later adapted by William H. Cummings in 1855 to create the song that's popular today. Pixabay 'The Twelve Days of Christmas' (1780) This numeric carol was originally published in England in 1780 in a children’s book called “Mirth Without Mischief.” It is believed to be a type of children's memory-and-forfeit game in which the singer must remember every verse or forfeit something if they make a mistake. You may also like: Best and worst Al Pacino movies spatuletail // Shutterstock 'Angels We Have Heard on High' (1862) Citing the gospel of Luke, this English carol is based on a French song called “Les Anges dans nos campagnes.” The lyrics were written by James Chadwick, a bishop in 1862. His words were set to the tune "Gloria," which was arranged by Edward Shippen Barnes. Public Domain // Wikimedia Commons 'The Cherry Tree Carol' (c. 1500) This Christmas ballad is believed to date back to the 15th century. Unlike many other carols that reference the gospels of Luke or Matthew, this story takes place sometime in between as Mary and Joseph journey to Bethlehem. It is one of the few depictions of Joseph struggling to accept Mary’s pregnancy, evidenced through lyrics such as “O then bespoke Joseph/ With words so unkind,/ Let him pluck thee a cherry/That brought thee with child.” The song was made popular again by Joan Baez’s rendition in 1961. Public Domain // Wikimedia Commons 'The Friendly Beasts' (12th century) The exact origins of this carol are unknown, but it is believed to be one of the oldest carols still sung today. Dating back to the 12th century, “The Friendly Beasts” is a traditional French carol about the animals present at the birth of Jesus and the gifts they bestowed on him. bob // Flickr 'Joy to the World' (1719) “Joy to the World” was originally written as a hymn by Isaac Watts. Watt’s adaptation of Psalm 98 interprets Christ as the king of the church and as the king of the world. “Joy to the World” is one of the most recorded Christmas songs of all time . Public Domain // Wikimedia Commons 'Coventry Carol' (c.1591) Perhaps the darkest song on this list, “Coventry Carol,” depicts the biblical event “The Massacre of the Innocents” in which King Herod ordered the killing of all male babies under the age of two in Bethlehem. The song takes the form of a lullaby recited to the persecuted children. In Christianity, “The Massacre of the Innocents” is an important part of the broader Nativity story and thus a relevant story in the Christmas narrative. “Coventry Carol” was originally part of a medieval mystery play performed in England called “The Pageant of the Shearmen and Tailors.” You may also like: Best Grateful Dead albums of all time José Luiz Bernardes Ribeiro // Wikimedia Commons Stay up-to-date on what's happening
Share Tweet Share Share Email You’ll never believe this based on their recent price action, but Stellar ( XLM) and Litecoin ( LTC) were once mainstays among the top 20 crypto leaders by market capitalization. But that was a good seven years ago—back when Stellar and Litecoin’s price action were at all-time highs. Fast forward to today, and Stellar and Litecoin have fallen precipitously out of the top 20 crypto list, remaining but mere shadows of their former selves even as the market turns bullish. The prognosis is better for innovative newcomers with unlimited upside to pump—one of which is multichain DeFi protocol Lunex Network . Interest in Lunex presale moons amid bullish market sentiment DeFi is being tipped for a major comeback in 2025. That makes investing in undervalued gems with significant potential to capture the incoming liquidity explosion in the sector the big-brained play. One of those opportunities appears to have arrived with the launch of the cross-chain DeFi protocol Lunex Network , which aims to solve the interoperability hurdle that has hampered the wider adoption of blockchain technology. Through the self-custodial Lunex Wallet, users will be able to swap and trade 50,000 tokens across 40 blockchains, reducing the friction involved with having to manually perform the tedious task of connecting your wallet to a potentially vulnerable bridge and wrap your tokens to trade them on the blockchain of your choice. With Lunex Network, every aspect of managing your portfolio—staking, swapping, and interacting with Web3 protocols—is at your fingertips. Through its ability to streamline the Web3 and DeFi user experience, Lunex Network could be in line to play a role in onboarding new users. In turn, that could translate to a parabolic pump for its native token, $LNEX, in 2025. Given its low cap status, Lunex can very well outperform big caps in the list of top 20 crypto tokens by market cap, making it an intriguing play for big game hunters. Can Litecoin price break into the top 20 crypto by market cap? Litecoin hasn’t been “right” since Bitcoin minted its historic all-time high in 2021. Prior to Bitcoin’s first “moon,” Litecoin prices had generally followed the same chart as Bitcoin. Since then, however, Litecoin prices have diverged, leading to a sensational crash. That makes a retest of its 2021 all-time high of $410 look unlikely. Nevertheless, Litecoin ‘s utility for online payments has kept it hovering within earshot of the top 20 crypto list, even as it remains 79% below its all-time high. Stellar picks up the pace in November Stellar is another blast from the past that’s trying to make a comeback in 2024. Once written off as a relic of a bygone era, Stellar defied expectations by enabling smart contracts on its blockchain earlier this year. That has seemed to strike a chord with the investing public. In the past 30 days, Stellar has been on a blistering 150% gain, outpacing even Bitcoin in terms of monthly growth. Between Stellar and Litecoin , the former has more going for it to break into the top 20 crypto list. However, if we’re talking about potential gains, Lunex Network has the higher upside to go on a parabolic run compared to Stellar and Litecoin—making it the best choice for investors looking to make a profit with a small-cap blue chip. You can find more information about Lunex Network (LNEX) here: Website: https://lunexnetwork.com Socials: https://linktr.ee/lunexnetwork Related Items: Litecoin (LTC) , Lunex Network Share Tweet Share Share Email Recommended for you Top Crypto to Buy Before Christmas? Watch Out for Monero, Optimism, and Lunex Top Crypto Gainers You Can’t Afford to Miss: Mantra, Stellar, Lunex Token Discover Why Crypto Whales are Selling off FLOKI and BRETT in Lunex Network Migration Comments
Nutanix Announces Proposed $750 Million Convertible Senior Notes Offering
The cost of Storm Bert will run to millions of euro as a massive clean-up operation is underway nationwide. On Sunday, forecasters issued low-level wind warnings for 13 counties across the island. A status yellow wind warning is in place for Leitrim, Mayo and Sligo until 2am on Monday while a yellow wind alert is in place for Donegal until 8am on Monday. A status yellow wind warning is also in place for Clare, Kerry and Galway until 7pm on Sunday. Forecasters at Met Éireann said gusty winds will create a risk of fallen trees and difficult travelling conditions in these counties. In Northern Ireland, a yellow alert warning has been issued by the Met Office for all counties from 11am until 6pm on Sunday, with possible disruption to travel and utilities. While the Atlantic storm wasn't as damaging as initially feared with Status Red warnings in place for both Galway and Cork on Saturday, torrential rainfall caused havoc across many rural communities with homes flooded, infrastructure damaged, roads left impassable, festive attractions closed and Christmas shopping interrupted. At its peak, over 60,000 homes and businesses were left without power as Storm Bert battered Ireland with torrential rainfall and high winds. The River Blackwater bursts its banks and floods Mallow Racecourse in Mallow, County Cork Storm Bert: Footage shows heavy flooding as rivers burst their banks More than 100 roads, mostly rural, were left impassable on Saturday due to the combination of flooding, fallen trees and storm debris. The ESB said almost 50,000 people were successfully reconnected on Saturday evening as repair crews began operations once it was safe to do so. All businesses and householders are expected to be reconnected by Sunday evening. At one point, repair crews were battling to deal with storm related issues in 14 counties. Donegal, Limerick, Cork, Kerry and Galway witnessed the worst of the damage. However, while major flooding fears had focused on Bantry and Midleton in Cork, both were spared the worst of the damage on Saturday. Rising water levels as the rainfall from Storm Bert feeds down from mountains and hills - combined with melt from the snow and ice of last week's Arctic snap - will ensure all flood-prone towns will remain on high alert for days to come. Met Éireann warned that the winds in the aftermath of Storm Bert will vary from strong gusts to gale force with the risk of fallen trees, flying debris and difficulty travelling conditions. Flood barriers were erected in Mallow and Fermoy - with Fermoy's Kent Bridge over the River Blackwater having to be closed to both vehicle and pedestrian traffic on Sunday because of rising water levels. It reopened on Sunday morning. Significant flooding hit a number of communities nationwide with Killybegs in Donegal, Abbeyfeale in Limerick and Listowel in Kerry hardest hit. All three suffered what has been described as the worst flooding in living memory. Assessments are now underway in all three towns to determine the scale of the flood-repair costs. However, the combination of damage to property and infrastructure, allied to the disruption of critical Christmas trade, is expected to see losses run to millions of Euro. At its peak, a river was running through the centre of Killybegs - while Abbeyfeale's soccer pitch was left resembling a waterpark as flood water turned a local road into a river. Listowel's town centre flooded as locals admitted it was the worst flooding seen for over half a century. Some traders fear they have suffered flood-related damage to much of their critical Christmas stock. Maam Cross in Galway su ffered a major landslide as hillsides were unable to cope with the sheer volume of rainfall dumped by Storm Bert. Maam Road in Leenane had to be closed due to the massive landslide with Galway Co Council experts now conducting a safety and repair assessment. At its peak, some parts of Ireland received 60mm-plus of rainfall in a matter of hours. Fears had focused on both Midleton and Bantry in Cork but they escaped any major flood damage. Midleton was hit by severe flooding in October 2023 after Storm Babet. Bantry suffered damaging flooding just last month with a culvert under the town's main street unable to cope with the huge volume of rainfall washing down from the mountains which ring the coastal town. The west Cork town has been waiting for almost two decades for a flood protection scheme. Storm Bert also played havoc with public transport across Ireland with dozens of Iarnród Éireann and Bus Éireann services either delayed or cancelled because of the conditions. A number of flights were also either delayed or diverted at the height of the storm. Fears were that Storm Bert rainfall could reach from 50mm to possibly even 80mm across Galway and Cork in a matter of hours. The average rainfall for the entire month of December is 123mm. Storm conditions forced a number of festive events to be postponed - with the Christmas lights ceremony being hit in Fermoy firstly by Storm Bert on Saturday and then on Sunday by the town effectively being cut in two by the flood-related bridge closure. However, a number of cities and towns proceeded on Sunday with Christmas festivals and events which had to be cancelled on Saturday due to Storm Bert. Both the Gardaí and Road Safety Authority (RSA) repeated their plea to people to be careful when travelling near flooded roads over the coming days. A large number of roads are expected to be flooded for days to come and motorists were warned never to attempt to drive into flood waters because of uncertainty over the depth and possible current. Drivers were also urged to drive with care, to slow down, allow extra braking distance to the vehicle in front and to be conscious of vulnerable road users. Gardaí repeated their plea to motorists to check that their vehicles were winter-ready with tyres, windscreen wipers and headlights all in good condition. Water Safety Ireland urged people to avoid waterways given that many streams and rivers have been transformed into raging torrents. The public have also been urged to stay away from exposed coastal areas due to hazardous gusts.
PTA enables VPN registration for freelancers via mobile numbers
76ers' star Paul George sidelined the next 2 games with bone bruise in left kneeAvior Wealth Management LLC raised its stake in BlackRock MuniVest Fund II, Inc. ( NYSE:MVT – Free Report ) by 17.8% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 11,184 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after acquiring an additional 1,689 shares during the period. Avior Wealth Management LLC owned 0.05% of BlackRock MuniVest Fund II worth $127,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Several other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in MVT. Pathstone Holdings LLC boosted its position in shares of BlackRock MuniVest Fund II by 20.8% in the 3rd quarter. Pathstone Holdings LLC now owns 520,807 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $5,932,000 after purchasing an additional 89,537 shares during the period. Kimelman & Baird LLC acquired a new stake in shares of BlackRock MuniVest Fund II in the second quarter valued at approximately $146,000. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC grew its position in shares of BlackRock MuniVest Fund II by 204.0% during the second quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 6,333 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $70,000 after acquiring an additional 4,250 shares during the last quarter. Blue Bell Private Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of BlackRock MuniVest Fund II in the 2nd quarter valued at $27,000. Finally, Wolverine Asset Management LLC raised its position in BlackRock MuniVest Fund II by 268.7% in the 2nd quarter. Wolverine Asset Management LLC now owns 6,637 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $73,000 after purchasing an additional 4,837 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 34.19% of the company’s stock. BlackRock MuniVest Fund II Price Performance Shares of BlackRock MuniVest Fund II stock opened at $10.94 on Friday. BlackRock MuniVest Fund II, Inc. has a 1 year low of $10.14 and a 1 year high of $11.97. The company’s fifty day moving average is $11.19 and its two-hundred day moving average is $11.05. BlackRock MuniVest Fund II Announces Dividend About BlackRock MuniVest Fund II ( Free Report ) BlackRock MuniVest Fund II, Inc is a closed ended fixed income mutual fund launched by BlackRock, Inc It is managed by BlackRock Advisors, LLC. The fund invests in fixed income markets. It invests primarily in long-term municipal bonds exempt from federal income taxes. BlackRock MuniVest Fund II, Inc was formed on March 29, 1993 and is domiciled in United States. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding MVT? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for BlackRock MuniVest Fund II, Inc. ( NYSE:MVT – Free Report ). Receive News & Ratings for BlackRock MuniVest Fund II Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for BlackRock MuniVest Fund II and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .
NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stock indexes reached more records after tech companies talked up how much artificial intelligence is boosting their results. The S&P 500 climbed 0.6% Wednesday to add to what looks to be one of its best years of the millennium. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.7%, while the Nasdaq composite added 1.3% to its own record. Salesforce pulled the market higher after highlighting its artificial-intelligence offering for customers. Marvell Technology jumped even more after saying it’s seeing strong demand from AI. Treasury yields eased, while bitcoin climbed after President-elect Donald Trump nominated a crypto advocate to head the Securities and Exchange Commission. THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below. NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stock indexes are rising toward more records Wednesday after tech companies talked up how much of a boost they're getting from artificial intelligence . The S&P 500 climbed 0.5% to add to what looks to be one of its best years of the millennium. It’s on track to set an all-time high for the 56th time this year after coming off 10 gains in the last 11 days . The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 252 points, or 0.6%, with an hour remaining in trading, while the Nasdaq composite was adding 1.2% to its own record. Salesforce helped pull the market higher after delivering stronger revenue for the latest quarter than analysts expected, though its profit fell just short. CEO Mark Benioff highlighted the company’s artificial-intelligence offering for customers, saying “the rise of autonomous AI agents is revolutionizing global labor, reshaping how industries operate and scale.” The stock of the company, which helps businesses manage their customers, rose 9.3%. Marvell Technology jumped even more after delivering better results than expected, up 23.2%. CEO Matt Murphy said the semiconductor supplier is seeing strong demand from AI and gave a forecast for profit in the upcoming quarter that topped analysts’ expectations. They helped offset a 9.8% drop for Foot Locker, which reported profit and revenue that fell short of analysts’ expectations. CEO Mary Dillon said the company is taking a more cautious view, and it cut its forecasts for sales and profit this year. Dillon pointed to how keen customers are for discounts and how soft demand has been outside of Thanksgiving week and other key selling periods. Retailers overall have offered mixed signals about how resilient U.S. shoppers can remain. Their spending has been one of the main reasons the U.S. economy has avoided a recession that earlier seemed inevitable because of high interest rates brought by the Federal Reserve to crush inflation. But shoppers are now contending with still-high prices and a slowing job market . This week’s highlight for Wall Street will be Friday’s jobs report from the U.S. government, which will show how many people employers hired and fired last month. A narrower report released on Wednesday morning may have offered a preview of it. The report from ADP suggested employers in the private sector increased their payrolls by less last month than economists expected. Hiring in manufacturing was the weakest since the spring, according to Nela Richardson, chief economist at ADP. The report strengthened traders’ expectations that the Fed will cut its main interest rate again when it meets in two weeks. The Fed began easing its main interest rate from a two-decade high in September, hoping to offer more support for the job market. The central bank had appeared set to continue cutting rates into next year, but the election of Donald Trump has scrambled Wall Street’s expectations somewhat. Trump’s preference for higher tariffs and other policies could lead to higher economic growth and inflation , which could alter the Fed’s plans . Fed Chair Jerome Powell said Wednesday that the central bank can afford to cut its benchmark rate cautiously because inflation has slowed significantly from its peak two years ago and the economy remains sturdy. A separate report on Wednesday said health care, finance and other businesses in the U.S. services sector are continuing to grow, but not by as much as before and not by as much as economists expected. One respondent from the construction industry told the survey from the Institute for Supply Management that the Fed’s rate cuts have not pulled down mortgage rates as much as hoped yet. Plus “the unknown effect of tariffs clouds the future.” In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.18% from 4.23% late Tuesday. On Wall Street, Campbell’s fell 6% for one of the S&P 500’s sharper losses despite increasing its dividend and reporting a stronger profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected. Its revenue fell short of Wall Street’s expectations, and the National Football League’s Washington Commanders hired Campbell’s CEO Mark Clouse as its team president. Campbell’s said Mick Beekhuizen, its president of meals and beverages, will become its 15th CEO following Clouse’s departure. Gains for airline stocks helped offset that drop after JetBlue Airways said it saw stronger bookings for travel in November and December following the presidential election. It said it’s also benefiting from lower fuel prices, as well as lower costs due to improved on-time performance. JetBlue jumped 8.3%, while Southwest Airlines climbed 2.8%. In stock markets abroad, South Korea’s Kospi sank 1.4% following a night full of drama in Seoul. President Yoon Suk Yeol was facing possible impeachment after he suddenly declared martial law on Tuesday night, prompting troops to surround the parliament. Yoon accused pro-North Korean forces of plotting to overthrow one of the world’s most vibrant democracies. The martial law declaration was revoked about six hours later. Samsung Electronics fell 0.9% in Seoul. The country’s financial regulator said it was prepared to deploy 10 trillion won ($7.07 billion) into a stock market stabilization fund at any time, the Yonhap news agency reported. In the crypto market , bitcoin climbed back above $97,000 after Trump said he would nominate Paul Atkins , a cryptocurrency advocate, to chair the Securities and Exchange Commission. ___ AP Writers Matt Ott and Zimo Zhong contributed. Stan Choe, The Associated PressThe standard Lorem Ipsum passage, used since the 1500s "Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum." Section 1.10.32 of "de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum", written by Cicero in 45 BC "Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit, sed quia non numquam eius modi tempora incidunt ut labore et dolore magnam aliquam quaerat voluptatem. Ut enim ad minima veniam, quis nostrum exercitationem ullam corporis suscipit laboriosam, nisi ut aliquid ex ea commodi consequatur? Quis autem vel eum iure reprehenderit qui in ea voluptate velit esse quam nihil molestiae consequatur, vel illum qui dolorem eum fugiat quo voluptas nulla pariatur?" Thanks for your interest in Kalkine Media's content! To continue reading, please log in to your account or create your free account with us.
Nutanix Announces Proposed $750 Million Convertible Senior Notes Offering
In a lengthy speech at the Brookings Institution, a Washington, D.C. think tank, on Tuesday, President Joe Biden forcefully defended his economic legacy and harshly criticized his successor. “Most economists agree the new administration is going to inherit a fairly strong economy, at least at the moment, an economy going through fundamental transformation,” Biden said. “It is my profound hope that the new administration will preserve and build on this progress. Like most great economic developments, this one is neither red nor blue, and America's progress is everyone's progress.” RELATED STORY | What impacts will a Trump presidency have on the economy? The president pointed specifically to record job growth during his tenure and an historically-low unemployment rate, as well as solid GDP performance, major investments in infrastructure and a soaring stock market. Most economists agree Biden’s term in office has coincided with a strong jobs market, and note the economic forecast remains bright – especially when contrasted to that of other peer nations, many of which have struggled to rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic. And yet, Americans by and large disapprove of Biden’s economic tenure, particularly the high costs of goods and services. Though inflation has fallen some, it remains higher than when the president took office and has become a frequent point of attack for Republicans critical of the Biden administration. RELATED STORY | Wealthier Americans are driving retail spending and powering US economy President-elect Donald Trump’s victory last month served in some was as a repudiation of the president’s so-called “Bidenomics” policies, with most voters telling pollsters they were dissatisfied with the state of the U.S. economy and Biden’s handling of the issue. Since Trump’s election, attitudes towards the economy have improved slightly, particularly among Republicans; according to research from Gallup, just eight percent of Republicans in October viewed economic conditions as getting better, compared to 30% last month. Biden himself seemed to acknowledge some missteps in selling his economic vision to Americans. “I also learned something from Donald Trump,” Biden said. “He signed checks for people for $7,400 bucks,” the president noted of the pandemic-era relief measures. Even though Biden approved similar relief efforts during his term, his name never appeared on American’s checks. “I didn't – stupid,” Biden conceded. RELATED STORY | Powell says Fed will likely cut rates cautiously given persistent inflation pressures Seeking to bolster Biden’s economic legacy, the White House on Tuesday launched a new website hailing the “Biden Economy,” featuring statistics about economic performance during his term and complimentary videos from his supporters. Biden’s speach, meanwhile, also served as a warning of sorts to his successor, with the president arguing against tax cuts for the wealthy and the notion that such benefits would “trickle down” to middle class Americans. “You can make as much money as you can, good for you, but everybody's got to be they pay their fair share,” Biden said. Trump has pledged to extend the tax cuts he signed into law in 2017, telling NBC News he intends to submit a tax package to Congress within his first 100 days in office. “They’re coming due and they’re very substantial for people,” Trump said of his 2017 cuts. “That’s what led us to one of the greatest economies ever.” RELATED STORY | Amid corporate layoffs, 36% of workforce turns to gig economy for alternative employment A report by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office in December found that failing to extend those tax incentives would have a negligible impact on the economy, though Republicans are expected to pursue them and other business tax breaks after they retake both chambers of Congress next year. Trump has also promised to impose significant tariffs on the import of foreign goods from Mexico, Canada and China – despite economists’ and retailers’ warnings that will drive up consumer prices. Trump in the NBC interview said he couldn’t guarantee the move wouldn’t increase consumer costs, something Biden harshly refuted. “I believe we've proven that approach is a mistake over the past four years,” Biden said. “But we all know in time, we all know in time what will happen.”New Delhi: External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar and Kuwait’s Foreign Minister Abdullah Ali Al Yahya signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Wednesday to establish a Joint Commission for Cooperation (JCC) at the level of foreign ministers. According to a press statement by the Ministry of External Affairs, the agreement outlines the formation of new Joint Working Groups in sectors including trade, investment, education, technology, agriculture, security, and culture, and these groups will operate under the JCC to review and monitor bilateral relations between the two nations. The JCC would also oversee existing working groups in areas such as hydrocarbons, health, and consular matters. “New Joint Working Groups in areas of Trade, Investment, Education, Technology, Agriculture, Security and Culture, will be set up under the JCC. The JCC mechanism will act as an umbrella institutional mechanism to comprehensively review and monitor the entire gamut of our bilateral relations under the new Joint Working Groups and the existing ones in areas including Hydrocarbons, Health and Consular matters,” the statement read. Abdullah Ali Al Yahya was on an official visit to India at the invitation of the EAM. This is the first official visit of Abdullah Ali Al Yahya as the foreign minister of Kuwait to India. During his visit, he met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who affirmed confidence in advancing the historical and deep-rooted ties between the two countries. Taking to X, PM Modi lauded the Kuwaiti leadership for ensuring the welfare of Indian nationals. “Glad to receive Foreign Minister of Kuwait H.E. Abdullah Ali Al-Yahya. I thank the Kuwaiti leadership for the welfare of the Indian nationals. India is committed to advancing our deep-rooted and historical ties for the benefit of our people and the region,” he stated on X. Kuwait’s Foreign Minister also held a bilateral meeting with the EAM, and during the bilateral meeting between them, the leaders reviewed the entire spectrum of India-Kuwait ties in areas including political, trade, investment, energy, food security, and people-to-people ties. They also exchanged views on regional and international issues of mutual interest, the Ministry of External Affairs noted in a press statement. During the bilateral meeting, Jaishankar congratulated Kuwait on its successful leadership of the Gulf Cooperation Council and also highlighted areas of cooperation between the two countries and thanked his counterpart for taking care of the Indian community in Kuwait. “Our two countries enjoy a long-standing friendship, and in our case, centuries old. We are committed to strengthening our bilateral ties across various domains, including trade, investment, energy, IT, culture, and consular,” he said. Kuwait Foreign Minister, Abdullah Ali Al-Yahya, during the meeting, called India a “very important partner,” adding that he looks forward to upgrading their bilateral relationship into a strategic partnership. He also expressed gratitude on meeting PM Modi and called him “one of the wisest people worldwide. The prime minister put India at a better level. And I’m sure he will continue for that.” This report is auto-generated from ANI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content. Also read: With Modi at the helm, India and the Arab world have become closer than ever. Here’s why var ytflag = 0;var myListener = function() {document.removeEventListener('mousemove', myListener, false);lazyloadmyframes();};document.addEventListener('mousemove', myListener, false);window.addEventListener('scroll', function() {if (ytflag == 0) {lazyloadmyframes();ytflag = 1;}});function lazyloadmyframes() {var ytv = document.getElementsByClassName("klazyiframe");for (var i = 0; i < ytv.length; i++) {ytv[i].src = ytv[i].getAttribute('data-src');}} Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() );