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Published 20:08 IST, December 25th 2024 Buyers who are looking for a sub-4m compact SUV and a feature loaded car can check out the Maruti Suzuki Fronx. Here is a list of its top three alternatives: Alternatives of Maruti Fronx: Buyers who are looking for a sub-4m compact SUV and require a feature loaded vehicle can check out the Maruti Suzuki Fronx. The Maruti Suzuki Fronx shares its platform with the Baleno. It has a bold design, spacious interiors, and has a comprehensive set of features on offer. For starters, it offers a wireless charger, paddle shifters in the automatic variant, a heads-up display, and more. For safety, the Fronx has six airbags, traction control, and more. Regarding engine options, buyers have an option to choose from a 1.2L inline four-cylinder petrol engine, producing 90BHP and 115Nm torque, mated to a five-speed manual and an AMT gearbox. Further, this engine options is also available with CNG. The other engine on offer is a 1.0L inline three-cylinder turbo petrol engine, producing 100BHP and 147Nm torque, mated to a six-speed automatic transmission or a five-speed manual gearbox. The price of the Maruti Suzuki Fronx starts at Rs 7.52 lakh (ex-showroom) for the base Sigma variant. Here is a list of the top three alternatives that buyers can check out if planning to buy Maruti Suzuki Fronx: Hyundai Venue: Buyers looking for a sporty SUV can check out the Hyundai Venue. It has a sporty exterior, decent space in the interiors and is offered in multiple engine options. It has features such as a digital instrument cluster, a wireless charger, a sunroof, and more. Regarding safety, it comes with six airbags, Level-1 ADAS, TPMS, and more. Buyers have multiple engine options to consider. The Hyundai Venue has a 1.2L inline four-cylinder naturally aspirated petrol engine, producing 82BHP and 113Nm torque, mated to a five-speed manual. It has a 1.0L inline three-cylinder turbo petrol engine, producing 120BHP and 170Nm torque, mated to a six-speed manual or a seven-speed DCT transmission. Buyers looking for a diesel engine can opt the Hyundai Venue as it is powered by a 1.5L inline four-cylinder engine, producing 115BHP and 253Nm torque, mated to a six-speed manual gearbox. The price of the Hyundai Venue starts at Rs 7.94 lakh (ex-showroom) for the base E variant. Also Read: Hyundai Creta N Line Review: Feature Loaded Comfortable SUV With Punchy Performance Tata Nexon: Buyers who are looking for a safe SUV from Indian automaker can check out the Tata Nexon. Nexon scored a five-star safety rating in the Bharat NCAP and Global NCAP. It has a sleek and muscular design, decent comfort in the interiors and has a feature loaded cabin. It has features such as a wireless charger, a 360-degree parking camera, automatic climate control, and more. Regarding engine options, buyers have an option to either opt for a petrol or a diesel engine. Nexon has a 1.2L turbocharged inline three-cylinder petrol engine, producing 120BHP and 170Nm torque, mated to a six-speed manual or an AMT gearbox or a seven-speed DCT gearbox. This engine is also paired with the dual-cylinder CNG technology. Buyers also have an option of a diesel engine to choose. It is a 1.5L inline four-cylinder engine, producing 115BHP and 260Nm torque, mated to a six-speed manual or an AMT gearbox. The price of the Tata Nexon starts at Rs 7.99 lakh (ex-showroom) for the base Smart variant. Also Read: Tata Nexon iCNG Review: Feature Loaded SUV with Great Fuel Efficiency Mahindra XUV 3XO: Buyers who are looking for a bold SUV, with great space in the interiors and decent features can check out the Mahindra XUV 3XO. It has a bold front design, great space in the second row seats and has features such as driving modes, dual-zone climate control, steering modes, and more. For safety, Mahindra offers Level-2 ADAS, six airbags, TPMS, and more. Buyers have a wide array of engine options to choose from. The Mahindra XUV 3XO has a 1.2L mPFI turbo petrol engine, producing 118BHP and 200Nm torque, mated to a six-speed manual or an automatic gearbox. The second engine is a 1.2L TGDi inline three-cylinder petrol engine, producing 130BHP and 230Nm torque. Buyers who are looking to opt for a diesel engine can check out the XUV 3XO. It has a 1.5L inline four-cylinder engine, producing 115BHP and 300Nm torque, mated to a six-speed automatic and a manual gearbox. The price of the Mahindra XUV 3XO starts at Rs 7.79 lakh (ex-showroom) for the base variant. Also Read: Mahindra XUV 3XO Review: Feature Loaded SUV with Better Boot Space Updated 20:08 IST, December 25th 2024Every Black Friday, there’s a number of viral products that everyone has on their Christmas wish list, and we don’t expect this year to be any different. However, not all of these popular items are going to stay in stock, and we have some insight on the ones that won’t. Black Friday is big business, and last year shoppers spent $222.1 billion during the entire holiday shopping season, according to Queue-it. Sales on Black Friday reached $16.4 billion (online and in stores), and this was a 9% increase from the year before. While it comes as no surprise that electronics are the most sought-after products of the holiday season, Queue-it said this accounts for the majority of holiday sales, jumping to $50.8 billion in 2023. Apparel, furniture, groceries and toys are the other hot sellers of Black Friday. Together, these five categories accounted for 65% of sales during the holidays last year and is only expected to grow in 2024. While many items that sell out over Black Friday are driven by a good deal, we also know that a hot product is just that — a gift that most people want to open on Christmas Day. So, here are our picks for the top 10 hot-ticket items that could sell out over Black Friday. Samsung 98-inch QLED TV The holidays are ripe for TV deals, and we expect shoppers to buy a ton of them in 2024, especially at Walmart. Consumers are trending toward bigger TVs and the super low-price deals over Black Friday force many models to sell out. This is especially true of popular models from Samsung, Hisense, LG and more favorites. Apple Watch Series 9 Apple's smartwatches are a top pick among Apple fans. We’ve seen prices on the Apple Watch continue to trend downward, which was only spurred by the release of the new Apple Watch 10 in September. This pushed down prices on earlier models, with the best deals coming on the Apple Watch SE and Apple Watch 9. For Black Friday, we think the prices will drop even lower and sell out due to high demand. Beats Solo3 Wireless headphones are one of the most popular products of 2024, and Beats are one of the top brands. We’re already seeing big markdowns on Beats Wireless Headphones, and we expect these price drops to continue into Black Friday. The Beats Solo3 is likely to be on sale for even cheaper than we’ve already seen, and we think they will sell out for Black Friday, with the possibility of other popular Beats headphones joining them. Apple AirPods (3rd gen) If you haven’t picked up a pair of Apple AirPods yet, this could be your year to do it. With Apple launching a fourth generation of AirPods earlier this year, the price on prevvious models are creeping lower. We think over Black Friday they’ll be at their cheapest price ever, with the AirPods (3rd Gen) likely to sell out. JBL Flip 6 Bluetooth speakers are a must-have for many this year, and with the big sound that comes from JBL’s speakers, it’s easy to see why they might sell out for Black Friday. These popular speakers come in a variety of portable sizes and waterproof designs. We expect big deals on JBL’s top-rated Clip 5 and Flip 6 Bluetooth speaker models. Apple iPad (10th Gen) One of Apple’s most sought-after products of the year was the iPad, and we saw the 9th Gen and 10th Gen models drop to their lowest prices ever. We think this year will bring some iPad bliss with even better discounts, but these deals will disappear just as fast as they arrive. We think that mega discounts on the iPad (9th Gen) and iPad (10th Gen) could cause sell outs, especially on Amazon. Dyson Airwrap The Dyson Airwrap just might be the top product of Black Friday, as this is one of the rare times there’s a discount on the beloved hair styling tool. At $600, the Airwrap carries a hefty price tag, so any discount presented is a welcome surprise. But as we’ve seen in the past, any Black Friday deal on the Dyson Airwrap causes a crush of interest that’s followed by a sell out. Ugg Tasman slippers If you’ve tried to scoop up the UGG Tasman Slippers in previous years, you already know they never stay in stock for long. As the “it” slipper of the holiday season, UGG’s Tasman sells out multiple times over the holidays, even without a discount offered. We think that this year will be similar, with popular sizes and colors of the Tasman Slipper snatched up fast over Black Friday. Bissell Little Green The Bissell Little Green carpet cleaner is a popular home product that just can’t seem to stay in stock. With prices falling under $90, this mighty machine can be a blessing for pet owners and parents, as its compact size makes it easy to store and use when needed. We’ve seen the Little Green Machine sell out before, and we’d be surprised if it didn’t do it again over Black Friday. Furby Galaxy Edition We’d be remiss if we didn’t include a top toy that we think will be hard to find and gift this year. Our pick is the Furby Galaxy Edition. This glow-in-the-dark Furby is based on the original Furby from the late ’90s with even more features, interactive modes and more fun. Making a comeback in 2023, we saw the revival of this popular toy sell out last year, and we expect the new Furby Galaxy Edition to do the same. For the holidays: Get inspiring home and gift ideas – sign up now!
BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov 21, 2024-- Skillsoft (NYSE: SKIL) (“Skillsoft” or the “Company”), a leading platform for transformative learning experiences, today announced it will release its third quarter fiscal 2025 financial results after market close on Tuesday, December 10, 2024. The Company will host a conference call and webcast to discuss the results on the same day at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Conference Call Details The conference call can be accessed by dialing (877) 413-9278 from the United States and Canada, or (215) 268-9914 from international locations. The live webcast can be accessed from the Investor Relations page of Skillsoft’s website at investor.skillsoft.com , and a replay will be available for six months. About Skillsoft Skillsoft (NYSE: SKIL) delivers transformative learning experiences that propel organizations and people to grow together. The Company partners with enterprise organizations and serves a global community of learners to prepare today’s employees for tomorrow’s economy. With Skillsoft, customers gain access to blended, multimodal learning experiences that do more than build skills, they grow a more capable, adaptive, and engaged workforce. Through a portfolio of best-in-class content, a platform that is personalized and connected to customer needs, world-class tech and a broad ecosystem of partners, Skillsoft drives continuous growth and performance for employees and their organizations by overcoming critical skill gaps and unlocking human potential. Learn more at www.skillsoft.com . View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241121476832/en/ CONTACT: Investors: Ross Collins or Stephen Poe SKIL@alpha-ir.comMedia : Cameron Martin cameron.martin@skillsoft.com KEYWORD: MASSACHUSETTS UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: TECHNOLOGY SECURITY SOFTWARE NETWORKS INTERNET CONTINUING TRAINING DATA MANAGEMENT EDUCATION ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE SOURCE: Skillsoft Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 11/21/2024 04:15 PM/DISC: 11/21/2024 04:15 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241121476832/enThe Department of Fisheries, Government of Manipur, in collaboration with the Sinheibi Development Organisation, organized a Fish Farmers’ Awareness Programme cum Fisherman Card Distribution under the National Fisheries Digital Platform (NFDP) at Keibul Lamjao Village. This initiative, a vital component of the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Kisan Samridhi Sah-Yojana (PM-MKSSY), aims to strengthen the fisheries sector through financial and technological interventions. It also fosters institutional reforms to achieve sustainable and transformative growth in fisheries. The event coincided with the celebration of Good Governance Day, marking the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Also Read: As part of the programme, fisherman cards were distributed to approximately 100 fish farmers from Moirangkhunou Gram Panchayat in the Thanga constituency. These cards are designed to enhance access to government schemes and resources, empowering local fish farmers and promoting the development of the fisheries sector. Dignitaries present at the event included M. Asnikumar Singh, Chairman of the Loktak Development Authority; E. Rameshore, District Fishery Officer, Bishnupur District; L. Dhaneshwore Singh, Pradhan of Moirangkhunou Gram Panchayat; and Oinam Sova Singh, an educationist. Speaking at the event, M. Asnikumar Singh emphasized the government’s commitment to uplifting the fishing community and ensuring sustainable growth in the fisheries sector. He highlighted the programme as a testament to the administration’s dedication to fostering development and empowerment among fish farmers.‘Gladiator II’ review: Are you not moderately entertained?
BATON ROUGE (AP) – Louisiana’s Legislature approved a constitutional amendment that would allow them to expand the number of crimes in which juveniles between 14 and 16 years old could be tried as adults. The state’s constitution currently outlines 15 violent juvenile offences, such as rape, murder and armed robbery, which prosecutors can handle in adult courts. Any changes to that list of crimes must be approved by voters. But the constitutional amendment sponsored by Republican Sen. Heather Cloud – which require voter approval in March 29 elections to take effect – would allow legislators the power by a two-thirds vote to decide what juvenile crimes can be transferred to adult courts. It’s part of a wider push in Louisiana in the United States (US), which already has the second-highest incarceration rate in the country behind Mississippi, to implement tough-on-crime policies under Republican Governor Jeff Landry. Since taking office in January, Landry has passed laws to treat 17-year-olds as adults in the criminal justice system, largely eliminate parole and allow surgical castration as punishment for certain sex crimes against children. Supporters of the measure to make it easier to expand prosecution of juveniles as adults – backed only by Republican legislators – said it will grant lawmakers more flexibility to give prosecutors the tools they need to increase public safety. Vesting authority in the constitution “has hamstringed Louisiana from being able to address changes in an ever-changing juvenile crime landscape”, Cloud said on the Senate floor on November 14. Opponents, including Democrats, social workers and criminal justice reform advocates, said specific offenses routing juveniles to adult courts should remain part of the constitution to keep this power in the hands of voters.Byfield scores in 200th career game as Kings hold off Kraken for 2-1 win“Gladiator II” asks the question: Are you not moderately entertained for roughly 60% of this sequel? Truly, this is a movie dependent on managed expectations and a forgiving attitude toward its tendency to overserve. More of a thrash-and-burn schlock epic than the comparatively restrained 2000 “Gladiator,” also directed by Ridley Scott, the new one recycles a fair bit of the old one’s narrative cries for freedom while tossing in some digital sharks for the flooded Colosseum and a bout of deadly sea-battle theatrics. They really did flood the Colosseum in those days, though no historical evidence suggests shark deployment, real or digital. On the other hand (checks notes), “Gladiator II” is fiction. Screenwriter David Scarpa picks things up 16 years after “Gladiator,” which gave us the noble death of the noble warrior Maximus, shortly after slaying the ignoble emperor and returning Rome to the control of the Senate. Our new hero, Lucius (Paul Mescal), has fled Rome for Numidia, on the North African coast. The time is 200 A.D., and for the corrupt, party-time twins running the empire (Joseph Quinn and Fred Hechinger), that means invasion time. Pedro Pascal takes the role of Acacius, the deeply conflicted general, sick of war and tired of taking orders from a pair of depraved ferrets. The new film winds around the old one this way: Acacius is married to Lucilla (Connie Nielsen, in a welcome return), daughter of the now-deceased emperor Aurelius and the love of the late Maximus’s life. Enslaved and dragged to Rome to gladiate, the widower Lucius vows revenge on the general whose armies killed his wife. But there are things this angry young phenom must learn, about his ancestry and his destiny. It’s the movie’s worst-kept secret, but there’s a reason he keeps seeing footage of Russell Crowe from the first movie in his fever dreams. Battle follows battle, on the field, in the arena, in the nearest river, wherever, and usually with endless splurches of computer-generated blood. “Gladiator II” essentially bumper-cars its way through the mayhem, pausing for long periods of expository scheming about overthrowing the current regime. The prince of all fixers, a wily operative with interests in both managing gladiators and stocking munitions, goes by the name Macrinus. He’s played by Denzel Washington, who at one point makes a full meal out of pronouncing the word “politics” like it’s a poisoned fig. Also, if you want a masterclass in letting your robes do a lot of your acting for you, watch what Washington does here. He’s more fun than the movie but you can’t have everything. The movie tries everything, all right, and twice. Ridley Scott marshals the chaotic action sequences well enough, though he’s undercut by frenetic cutting rhythms, with that now-familiar, slightly sped-up visual acceleration in frequent use. (Claire Simpson and Sam Restivo are the editors.) Mescal acquits himself well in his first big-budget commercial walloper of an assignment, confined though he is to a narrower range of seething resentments than Crowe’s in the first film. I left thinking about two things: the word “politics” as savored/spit out by Washington, and the innate paradox of how Scott, whose best work over the decades has been wonderful, delivers spectacle. The director and his lavishly talented design team built all the rough-hewn sets with actual tangible materials the massive budget allowed. They took care to find the right locations in Morocco and Malta. Yet when combined in post-production with scads of medium-grade digital effects work in crowd scenes and the like, never mind the sharks, the movie’s a somewhat frustrating amalgam. With an uneven script on top of it, the visual texture of “Gladiator II” grows increasingly less enveloping and atmospherically persuasive, not more. But I hung there, for some of the acting, for some of the callbacks, and for the many individual moments, or single shots, that could only have come from Ridley Scott. And in the end, yes, you too may be moderately entertained. “Gladiator II” — 2.5 stars (out of 4) MPA rating: R (for strong bloody violence) Running time: 2:28 How to watch: Premieres in theaters Nov. 21. Michael Phillips is a Tribune critic.
Christopher Nolan’s next film is based on ‘The Odyssey’Kansas City (14-1) at Pittsburgh (10-5) Wednesday, 1 p.m., EST, Netflix. BetMGM NFL Odds: Chiefs by 2 1/2. Against the spread: Chiefs 7-8; Steelers 10-5 Series record: Steelers lead 25-14. Last meeting: Chiefs beat Steelers 42-21 in the first round of the playoffs on Jan. 16, 2022, in Kansas City. Last week: Chiefs beat Texans 27-19; Steelers lost to Ravens 34-17 Chiefs offense: overall (13), rush (15), pass (12), scoring (11). Chiefs defense: overall (3), rush (3), pass (17), scoring (3). Steelers offense: overall (19), rush (11), pass (25), scoring (12). Steelers defense: overall (11), rush (8), pass (20), scoring (7). Turnover differential: Chiefs plus-4; Steelers plus-16. WR Marquise Brown, who hurt his shoulder on the first play of the preseason and landed on injured reserve, made an impressive regular-season debut against Houston last week. “Hollywood” caught five passes for 45 yards, including an early 13-yarder that converted a fourth down and led to an eventual touchdown. But perhaps most importantly, Brown's mere presence kept Houston from double-teaming Xavier Worthy, DeAndre Hopkins and Travis Kelce all afternoon. LB T.J. Watt. The perennial All-Pro is dealing with an ankle injury and had a quiet game in the loss to Baltimore, finishing with just four tackles and didn’t have a single hit against Ravens QB Lamar Jackson. Pittsburgh's best chance at pulling the upset relies heavily on disrupting Kansas City QB Patrick Mahomes at every turn. To do it, Watt will need to do some Watt-like things. The 30-year-old leads the NFL in forced fumbles for a defense that thrives on takeaways. Steelers RBs Jaylen Warren and Najee Harris against the Chiefs rush defense, which is ranked third in the NFL and allowing just 91.4 yards per game. The Chiefs held the Texans' Joe Mixon to just 57 yards rushing last week, the latest in a season-long trend of shutting down top running backs. The Browns' Nick Chubb had 41 yards the previous week, and the Ravens' Derrick Henry, the Falcons' Bijan Robinson and the Saints' Alvin Kamara are among those who have similarly struggled against Kansas City. Chiefs: LT D.J. Humphries (hamstring) and CB Chamarri Conner (concussion) are likely to miss a second straight game. DT Chris Jones (calf) and RT Jawaan Taylor (knee) are iffy after getting hurt against Houston. Steelers: WR George Pickens (hamstring) should return after missing the past three games. S DeShon Elliott (hamstring) and DT Larry Ogunjobi (groin) may also be back after sitting the past two weeks. Starting CB Joey Porter Jr. (knee) and backup wide receiver/special teams ace Ben Skowronek (hip) are out. The Steelers have dominated the series, leading 23-14, but the Chiefs have won the past three games. That includes a 42-21 rout in their most recent matchup in the wild-card round of the playoffs on Jan. 16, 2022 — the last game played by Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. Prior to the Chiefs' three-game win streak, the Steelers had won three in a row, including an 18-16 victory in the divisional round on Jan. 15, 2017, that they won despite not scoring a touchdown. Kansas City can clinch the No. 1 seed and first-round playoff bye with a win over the Steelers, or if the Bills lose or tie when they play the Jets on Sunday. ... Pittsburgh has dropped two straight, but can still earn its first AFC North title since 2020 by winning its last two games. ... The Chiefs can set a franchise record for regular-season wins with their 15th by beating Pittsburgh or Denver in their regular-season finale, breaking a tie with the 2020 and ‘22 teams. ... The Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes needs three TD passes to break Peyton Manning’s record of 244 for a QB's first eight seasons. Mahomes did not start as a rookie and has played just 111 games while Manning played 128 over that span. ... Mahomes has dominated the Steelers so far in his career, throwing 14 touchdowns without a pick while leading Kansas City to three victories in as many tries. ... Chiefs WR DeAndre Hopkins has an NFL-leading 177 straight games with a catch. TE Travis Kelce is second with 173. ... Kelce has 76 TD catches, tied with Tony Gonzalez for the Chiefs record. Kelce has 79 total TDs, four shy of Priest Holmes' franchise record. ... WR Xavier Worthy has five TD catches, tied for the sixth most by a rookie in Chiefs history. Worthy also has three TD runs, and the eight total is also tied for sixth most in franchise history. ... Chiefs DB Trent McDuffie has intercepted a pass in back-to-back games. He did not have a pick in his first 48 games. ... This is the 12th game in Steelers history to be played on Wednesday and the first since 2020, when a showdown with the Ravens was repeatedly postponed because of COVID-19 issues. Pittsburgh is 5-6 all time on Wednesdays. ... A healthy Pickens will likely give the Steelers passing game a serious boost. QB Russell Wilson is averaging just 167.7 yards per game in Pickens' absence, down from 271 yards per game with Pickens in the lineup. ... This is Pittsburgh's first regular-season game against a team with 14 wins. ... The Steelers have five wins against the defending Super Bowl champions since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger. ... Pittsburgh is 26-12 in Weeks 17 and 18 since the start of the 1990 season, the second-most wins in the NFL over that span behind Green Bay (28). ... The Steelers have won seven straight games and 12 of their past 13 the week following a loss of at least 17 points. ... Pittsburgh leads the NFL with 31 takeaways. and has forced at least two turnovers 11 times. It might be championship week in your league, so why not turn to a championship quarterback. Mahomes has earned the benefit of the doubt even in a “down” season by his standards and with Pittsburgh missing its top cornerback and the pass rush slowed of late, give Mahomes a start against a team he has toyed with in his career. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
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What do Reviews of Real Mitolyn Users Say About Purple Peel Exploit for Weight Loss?President Bola Tinubu has been called upon to confer a National Honours Award on High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, a.k.a Tompolo, Chairman of Tantita Security Services Limited over his unwavering commitment and dedication to the war against crude oil theft in the Niger Delta region. This call was made by HRM Monday Obukowho Whiskey, Udurhie 1, Ovie of Idjerhe Kingdom in his palace on Sunday in Idjerhe, Ethiope West Local Government Area of Delta State, he said that the attainment of 1.8million barrels per day recently declared by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL was possible because of Tompolo’s collaborative efforts. According to HRM Whiskey, “Tompolo needs commendation. In fact, he needs a National award. Nothing stops the President from inviting him to Abuja and confering on him a National Award, because he has done what Napoleon could not do. “First and foremost, let me especially congratulate the staff and management of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited(TSSNL )led by High Chief Government Ekpemupolo for the battle against oil theft. “From every available facts now, it is now very clear that only the section being handled by Tompolo and his Tantita group are performing exceedingly well. So we can rightly say that Tompolo is not only protecting Critical National Assets but has gone extra mile to take the highest risk. “The situation today is that Tompolo is singlehandedly fighting the oil cabals, the oil cabals that were siphoning the country oil. And if we look at it very critically, there are three major things that Tompolo’s Tantita is achieving today. “One, the firm is working very hard to increase oil and gas production output to the Nigerian government. Before this job was given to Tantita, Nigerian production was less than 1m barrels per day and to bring on board extra 800,000 barrels and still working hard to get it to 2 million barrels per day. “There are serious agencies saddled with the responsibility of protecting this installations. What did they do? Rather, they are conspiring with the oil thieves, and they have started doing it as business. “Secondly, Tompolo is helping to restore our environment that has been criminally degraded from its natural state that today is supporting aquatic life and the growth of this environment, especially cleaner water. “If you are used to this area before Tantita was given this job, you barely can see the water content, because everything is covered in black oil. “But today, aquatic live is being restored and aquatic animals are returning to their natural habitat as a result of the hard work of an individual. An individual took it upon himself. Other people were given the same job. What have they done? “Thirdly, this Tantita Security Project is creating employment opportunities to youths in the entire Niger Delta area and it is exposing our youths to the deployment of high tech facilities, because they are not using manual technologies anymore. “I want to appeal to the federal government to increase and expand this project. Because if you look critically, it is only the areas where Tantita is working that you have this very noble achievement. “So there is no reason why I should not advocate for the expansion of the project so that we can get more able bodied youths from the streets, they need to work. The federal government should, as a matter of urgency, begin to fund Tantita very regularly, because, you know, an idle mind is the devil’s workshop. “Now that Tompolo has used his native sagacity to bring together most dreaded youths in the region to be part of this program, there is no reason why salaries should not be regular. “Increase the workforce, regularize the workers’ salaries, the security contract has enhanced oil production and sustained environmental protection of the Niger Delta people, Tompolo deserve a national award for the feat he has achieved so far.”Christopher Nolan is following his Oscar-winning “Oppenheimer” with a true epic: Homer’s “The Odyssey.” It will open in theaters on July 17, 2026, Universal Pictures said Monday. Details remain scarce, but the studio teased that it will be a “mythic action epic shot across the world using brand new IMAX technology.” It will also be the first time that an adaptation of Homer’s saga will play on IMAX film screens. Nolan has been an IMAX enthusiast for years, going back to “The Dark Knight,” and has made his last three films exclusively using large format film and the highest resolution film cameras. For “Oppenheimer,” the first black-and-white IMAX film stock was developed. Nolan hasn’t said specifically what the new technology for “The Odyssey” will be, but earlier this month he told The Associated Press that they’re in an intensive testing phase with IMAX to prepare for the new production. “They have an incredible engineering staff, really brilliant minds doing extraordinary work,” Nolan said. “It’s wonderful to see innovation in the celluloid film arena still happening and happening at the highest level possible.” “The Odyssey” will be Nolan’s second collaboration with Universal Pictures following “Oppenheimer,” which earned nearly $1 billion at the box office and won the filmmaker his first Oscars, including for best director and best picture . Rumors about his next project have been swirling ever since, with near-daily speculations about plot — none of which turned out to be true — and casting. While there are many reports about actors joining the ensemble, none has been officially confirmed by the studio. Lindsey Bahr, The Associated Press
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Mick Byrne did not hold back to question why Ireland’s first five eight Sam Prendergast was not shown a red card for a high-high tackle on openside flanker Kitione Salawa. Speaking to RTE after Fiji’s 52-17 loss to Ireland in Dublin yestrday morning (Fiji time), the Flying Fijians head coach said that it would have been a red card if it was one of the players. “He’s wearing a green jerset so it starts yellow,” was Bryne’s take on the incident when interviewed by the Irish Independent. Replays seemed quite clear that Prendergast shifted his shoulder forward as it made contact with Salawa’s head. Commentator’s Theory Alan Quinlan in co-commentary, as well as Andrew Trimble and Ian Madigan in the Virgin Media studio, felt Prendrergast could consider himself fortunate. Trimble made the point that his relative slightness may have worked in his favour. The pundit pondered: “If he’s five kilos heavier I think that’s a red card because there’d be way more force and danger as a result. “So I think he’s been very lucky.” Madigan tacked on to that: “If that’s a Fijian player are they getting red-carded? Potentially so. “You’ve got to avoid head contact and if you’ve an opportunity to pull out- which I feel he did- you have to take it.” So it can’t just be chalked up as sour graoes that Bryne went down a similar train of thought in his post-match interview. Byrne did then accept accountability for his own side’s disciplinary failings as he eschewed the option of blaming (referee Hollie) Davidson or her crew. He said of their 17 conceded penalities and two yellows: “It was definitely on is. We just need to get better, “Sometimes our enthusiasm to get the job done, especially early on, we came in from the side of the ruck a couple of times, but at the end of the day, it’s on us. It’s not on the referee. “The 50/50s, that last try, if you have another look at it, the green jersey was holding on to the white jersey, but nothing comes from the TMO (television match official). “I’m sure if it was the other way around, you might not have got that try allowed,” Byrne said. “But that’s our job, our jon is to earn ourselves, over the next two years, the respect of World Rugby and we have to play a little bit better than we did today to get that.” Feedback: leonec@fijisun.com.fj