Leinster posted a bloodless bonus-point win over Munster, Luke McGrath, Sam Prendergast, Josh van der Flier and Caelan Doris all crossing. It was a debilitating outing for Munster who huffed and puffed but were unable to finish off when close to the opposition, their one try coming from Tom Ahern. The Leinster gamble on selecting an almost full-strength side had paid off “I just thought in our last game against Clermont, we looked a little bit jaded perhaps," said Leo Cullen afterwards. READ MORE: What time and TV channel is Connacht v Ulster on today in the URC? READ MORE: Football In The Time Of War - Ukraine's national team carrying huge weight of expectations "That’s obviously easy to say post-event, but it’s difficult in terms of coming off four Test matches and you’re into two big Champions Cup games. “It’s like six Tests in many ways, isn’t it? But anyway, we have come through that. Clermont are an unbelievably nuggety team. You probably saw that if you watched their La Rochelle game at the weekend as well, how they are able to stick in there. “So, I think it was important that they guys got a bit of time to freshen up. The pleasing part is they hit the ground running when they come in on Monday, and you’re seeing guys with really good energy out there. It’s good, I might have to consider that again for them.” Munster coach Ian Costello felt his side's performance was better than the previous game - when they beat Ulster. "Last week, our ball retention was poor and some areas of our attack that are usually strong were off. I know we got four really good tries but we had 30 percent possession. "It was closer to 50 percent tonight and still made errors but I thought our intent was good. You would have seen that we looked to kick early and we looked to turn them, get the crowd into the game. "We put a lot of emphasis on our kick chase and got some great return out of that. "Unlucky that one kick went dead but we had a particular change-up to the way we were playing and I suppose as positive as that was, if we don't convert when we get within five metres of the line against a side like Leinster, then they convert when they're five metres out, that can be immaterial." Cullen admitted team selection had been with the upcoming European game against Ronan O'Gara's La Rochelle in mind. That he considered the 'away' game and the 'Munster' unit as good preparation. "We have an unbelievable challenge in the Champions Cup then going up against La Rochelle away, which will be a great test for us. We will see how they are tracking over the next couple of weeks. “Again, going back to what we can control is how we prepare, we’ll go over there and try and give a good account of ourselves.” Get the latest sports headlines straight to your inbox by signing up for free email alerts .Adrian Butler Elected to PRA Group Board of DirectorsPresident-elect Donald Trump has extended an invitation to Chinese President Xi Jinping to attend his inauguration next month, a gesture of diplomacy despite Trump's threats to impose substantial tariffs on Chinese goods. Trump's incoming press secretary , Karoline Leavitt, confirmed the invitation on Thursday, stating that it was "to be determined" whether the leader of the United States' most significant economic and military competitor would attend. Prior to the invitation, President Xi told President Biden that he was "ready for new adimistration." Leavitt highlighted Trump's approach to open dialogue with leaders of countries that are not only allies but also adversaries and competitors, reports the Associated Press. Canadian PM Trudeau has dinner with Trump at Mar-a-Lago after tariff threat Trump transition team 'bypassing FBI background checks' for some Cabinet picks During an appearance on on Fox & Friends, she said Trump's willingness to engage in talks with anyone, prioritizing America's interests, led to peaceful outcomes during his first term. When asked about Trump's invitation during a Chinese Foreign Ministry briefing on Thursday, spokesperson Mao Ning said: "I have nothing to share at present." Leavitt mentioned that invitations have also been extended to other foreign leaders, but did not provide further details. The decision by Trump to extend an invitation to a leader of an adversarial nation for the iconic American Inauguration Day epitomizes his unconventional approach. Embracing the philosophy that international relations, akin to business dealings, should use incentives and pressures to sway adversaries towards the preferences of the US, this might be seen as a bold or even brash strategy. Historian Jim Bendat, with his expertise captured in Democracy's Big Day: The Inauguration of Our President , remarked on the unprecedented nature of such attendance by a foreign head of state at a US inauguration. He said: "It's not necessarily a bad thing to invite foreign leaders to attend," said Bendat. "But it sure would make more sense to invite an ally before an adversary." DON'T MISS: ' Conflict of interest' concerns raised over Trump's new attorney general pick Trump announces more picks for key roles in Cabinet — including ex-NFL player Several Trump Cabinet picks receive 'violent' bomb threats in latest attack On Thursday, amidst the bustle of the New York Stock Exchange, where he initiated the day's trading by ringing the opening bell, Trump teased the notion of extending inauguration invitations, yet withheld specific names. "And some people said, 'Wow, that's a little risky, isn't it? '" Trump recounted. "And I said, 'Maybe it is. We'll see. We'll see what happens.' But we like to take little chances." In contrast, Gergely Gulyas, chief of staff to Viktor Orban, Trump 's staunch supporter on the global stage and Hungarian Presidentclarified on Thursday that there were no current plans for Orban to join the inauguration festivities. "There is no such plan, at least for the time being," Gulyas stated. The nationalist Hungarian leader, embraced by Trump, has been somewhat isolated in Europe due to his efforts to undermine the EU's support for Ukraine . He's known for blocking or diluting the bloc's initiatives to provide aid and impose sanctions on Moscow following its invasion. Orban recently visited Trump at Mar-a-Lago. An official from the Trump Inaugural Committee, who requested anonymity as they were not cleared to speak publicly, stated that every country's chief of mission to the United States will be invited. Amidst these diplomatic maneuvers, Trump is pushing for hefty tariffs on Canada, Mexico , and China to pressure them into addressing illegal immigration and the flow of narcotics like fentanyl into the U. S. Trump has announced plans to slap a 25% tariff on all goods from Mexico and Canada starting his first day back in office in January, with China potentially facing even steeper tariffs. Despite China being a key producer of precursor chemicals for fentanyl, Beijing has reportedly intensified its crackdown on chemical exports over the past year. In a recent CNBC interview, Trump expressed optimism about discussions with President Xi and other global leaders: "We've been talking and discussing with President Xi, some things, and others, other world leaders, and I think we're going to do very well all around," he said. During a meeting with President Joe Biden in Beijing last month, Xi cautioned the US against igniting a trade war. "Make the wise choice," warned Xi, urging for a continued exploration of harmonious relations between two major countries. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has also responded to Trump's threats, cautioning that such a move towards tariffs would be detrimental to the US economy. Earlier this week, Trudeau stated that Americans "are beginning to wake up to the real reality that tariffs on everything from Canada would make life a lot more expensive." He further declared his intention to retaliate if Trump proceeds with these tariffs. Trump retorted by referring to Canada as a state and Trudeau as its governor. Apart from the tariff disagreement, US- China relations are strained over other issues, including what US officials perceive as Beijing's indirect support for Russia 's war on Ukraine . The Biden administration claims that China has backed Russia with a surge in sales of dual-use components, aiding its military industrial base. US officials have also expressed their disappointment with Beijing for not taking more action to curb North Korea 's support for the Russian war. China is responsible for the vast majority of North Korea's trade. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has sent thousands of troops to Russia to assist in repelling Ukrainian forces from the Kursk border region. The North Koreans have also supplied Russia with artillery and other munitions, according to US and South Korean intelligence officials. Trump's inauguration on Jan. 20 comes just a day after the US ultimatum for ByteDance, TikTok 's Chinese parent company, to offload the social media behemoth or risk being banned in the United States
Cracks emerge in Trump's MAGA coalition
Invesco QQQ (NASDAQ:QQQ) Stock Price Down 0.2% – Here’s WhyCoal and gas-fired power plants will stay open for longer under the coalition's $330 billion nuclear transition plan. Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has pledged to build seven publicly-owned nuclear power plants across the country, with predictions the first will come online from the mid-to-late 2030s - a timeline rubbished by some experts. Renewables would make up just over half of Australia's energy grid by 2050, with nuclear accounting for just under 40 per cent and the rest a combination of storage and gas, snippets of the plan dropped ahead of its release contend. Labor's plan is to have the grid firmed by just over 80 per cent renewable energy by 2030. This will increase to more than 90 per cent by 2050 with the rest made up of storage and gas. Nuclear energy would provide the "always-on" power to back up renewables and lead to cheaper power bills in the long run, Mr Dutton claimed. But nuclear energy does not offer a good deal for Australia, a report released just ahead of Mr Dutton unveiling his costings found, while postponing coal power station closures would heighten Australia's carbon emissions in the medium term. For the seventh straight year, the GenCost 2024-25 Report found renewable energy sources are the lowest-cost of any new-build electricity-generating technology. Nuclear energy generation would be 1.5 to two times more expensive than large-scale solar, according to the analysis by the national science agency CSIRO and the Australian Energy Market Operator. Energy market operators would also need to establish new connection points to safely supply the national electricity grid, experts have said. The coalition's plan was modelled by Frontier Economics, which cost Labor's transition around $600 billion. Energy Minister Chris Bowen has rubbished this number, saying the government's plan would cost $122 billion, citing a forecast made by the national energy grid operator. "They're making it up as they go along," Mr Bowen told ABC TV of the coalition's costings on Friday. Mr Bowen said preliminary reports of the coalition's plan ahead of Friday's full announcement that nuclear would need fewer transmission lines - therefore bringing down the estimated cost - was incorrect. "I'm not sure how they'll get the nuclear power into the grid, maybe by carrier pigeon if they're going to assert if somehow you'll need less transmission," he said. "They have had to make some very heroic assumptions here and they have had to really stretch the truth to try to get some very dodgy figures." Keeping coal-fired power plants open beyond their lifespan was a threat to energy reliability, with outages and breakdowns happening on a daily basis, Mr Bowen said. "It's a recipe for blackouts to keep ageing coal-fired power stations in the grid for longer," he said. The coalition is pushing for an end to Australia's nuclear ban but has faced opposition from states. Nuclear power doesn't stack up for Australian families or businesses, Fortescue chairman Andrew Forrest said on Friday. "As our national science agency has shown, 'firmed' solar and wind are the cheapest new electricity options for all Australians," he said in a statement. "The cost of electricity generated on a grid dominated by firmed renewable energy in 2030 will be half what you would have to pay if it came from nuclear, CSIRO found." Mr Forrest, who is a big player in the non-fossil fuels energy market, said that without continued action on "low-cost, high-efficiency renewable energy" Australians will be left with "pricier power and crumbling coal stations". "We must never forget - Australia has the best renewable resources in the world," he added. "Seizing these Australian opportunities must be our shared national goal."
NEW YORK — It was not LeBron James in Miami, counting up how many championships he planned to win alongside Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh. But on a momentous day in the history of the New York Mets , Juan Soto and his new team were not shy about their ambitions. “To try to grow a dynasty is one of the most important things,” said Soto, the day he became the $765 million centerpiece of the Mets . “What they’ve been showing me, what they want to do is become a dynasty and win for a long time. So I think, why not?” “We’re the New York Mets. We’re going after championships,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “A dynasty — that’s what we’re trying to build.” Signed Soto ✍️ pic.twitter.com/l9tl03C6x2 — New York Mets (@Mets) December 12, 2024 This has not generally been the Mets’ identity. They own two championships in 63 seasons, the last of them coming in 1986 — before any player currently on their roster was born. But that vision was embedded in the pitch owner Steve Cohen and the Mets made to Soto. “He asked me how many (championships) in the next 10 years,” Cohen said, “and I said I’d like to win two to four.” Advertisement Those words from Cohen Thursday echoed sentiments from when he was introduced as the club’s new owner four years ago. That day, he said he’d be disappointed if the Mets didn’t win a title in his first three to five seasons as owner. In the time since, he’s walked back that remark, wishing he hadn’t put it that way. With the timeline on that goal expiring after this upcoming season, Cohen has set a new, bigger one. “That’s what you play baseball for, to be a championship player and try to win as many as you can,” Soto said. “At the end of the day, you can have all the stuff and everything, but if you don’t win it’s kind of hard. I want to have the best chances to win every year and try to win as many World Series as we can.” The Mets’ pursuit of Soto was something they had contemplated as an organization as far back as during the interview process with current president of baseball operations David Stearns late in the 2023 season. “We talked about some of the generational players in our game, and the difficulty of accessing some of those generational players,” Stearns said of those conversations. “And certainly Juan is one of them. You never know exactly where this is going to go and if he was going to get an extension of some sort, but we did know that if he was going to be a free agent, we were going to make a very strong push.” In Stearns’ first 14 months with the Mets, the franchise has made significant strides in the right direction. In Mendoza, he hired a manager that fit seamlessly with his roster and with the market. The 2024 Mets rebounded from a moribund start to the season to surge into playoff contention, advancing all the way to the National League Championship Series. They pushed the eventual champion Dodgers one game further than Soto’s former squad, the Yankees , did with Soto already in the lineup. GO DEEPER For Mets fans, signing Juan Soto away from the Yankees is extra special Soto couldn’t help but notice. “What you were seeing from the other side was unbelievable,” he said. “The vibes and everything, the feel and future this team has had a lot to do with my decision.” Even as the Mets handed out a contract that obliterated expectations and prior records, they preached sustainability. Advertisement “We talked a lot about both our approach to roster building and the young talent that we have coming,” Stearns said. “And our ability to continuously supplement our major league team with ownership resources while also investing heavily in our minor-league system. “Juan’s been around enough organizations, and he’s certainly been around the league enough that he has a pretty good feel of what leads to sustainable competitiveness. And I think he felt like our vision aligned with his.” Of course, Soto swapped boroughs, going from the Bronx to Queens, and it’s his now former organization most often tied to the word “dynasty.” He’d like to change that. “We’ve just got to bring it to the top,” he said. “At the end of the day, championships tell you whether it’s the Yankees or the Mets’ town.” Required reading (Photo: Al Bello / Getty Images)Alberta to put $29M into border security patrol unit with sheriffs, dogs, drones
Apple nears switch to in-house Bluetooth and Wi-Fi chip for iPhone, smart home, Bloomberg reportsDaiwa Securities Group Inc. decreased its stake in Catalent, Inc. ( NYSE:CTLT – Free Report ) by 4.0% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 22,011 shares of the company’s stock after selling 925 shares during the period. Daiwa Securities Group Inc.’s holdings in Catalent were worth $1,333,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Several other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in CTLT. Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc. boosted its holdings in Catalent by 3.7% in the third quarter. Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc. now owns 405,318 shares of the company’s stock worth $24,550,000 after acquiring an additional 14,373 shares in the last quarter. Quest Partners LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Catalent by 289.8% in the third quarter. Quest Partners LLC now owns 49,300 shares of the company’s stock valued at $2,986,000 after purchasing an additional 36,652 shares in the last quarter. Swedbank AB bought a new stake in Catalent during the first quarter worth $1,659,000. New York Life Investment Management LLC lifted its holdings in Catalent by 67.9% during the second quarter. New York Life Investment Management LLC now owns 297,903 shares of the company’s stock worth $16,751,000 after acquiring an additional 120,502 shares during the period. Finally, Natixis Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Catalent during the third quarter worth $1,287,000. Insiders Place Their Bets In other news, insider David Mcerlane sold 1,994 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, September 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $59.97, for a total value of $119,580.18. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 36,304 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,177,150.88. This represents a 5.21 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website . Also, Director Michelle R. Ryan sold 2,800 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, November 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $59.70, for a total value of $167,160.00. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 10,835 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $646,849.50. This trade represents a 20.54 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . In the last 90 days, insiders sold 5,114 shares of company stock worth $305,931. 0.31% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders. Catalent Trading Up 0.2 % Catalent ( NYSE:CTLT – Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, November 5th. The company reported ($0.13) earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.05 by ($0.18). Catalent had a negative return on equity of 0.66% and a negative net margin of 9.28%. The business had revenue of $1.02 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.06 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted ($0.10) EPS. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 4.2% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Catalent, Inc. will post 0.84 earnings per share for the current year. Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of research firms have issued reports on CTLT. Robert W. Baird reissued a “neutral” rating and issued a $63.50 target price on shares of Catalent in a research report on Tuesday, September 24th. StockNews.com cut Catalent from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research report on Friday, November 22nd. William Blair reaffirmed a “market perform” rating on shares of Catalent in a research note on Tuesday, September 3rd. Finally, Baird R W lowered Catalent from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday, September 24th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating and seven have issued a hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Catalent has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $63.40. View Our Latest Stock Report on Catalent About Catalent ( Free Report ) Catalent, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, develops and manufactures solutions for drugs, protein-based biologics, cell and gene therapies, and consumer health products worldwide. It operates in two segments, Biologics, and Pharma and Consumer Health. The Biologics segment provides formulation, development, and manufacturing for biologic proteins, cell gene, and other nucleic acid therapies; pDNA, iPSCs, oncolytic viruses, and vaccines; formulation, development, and manufacturing for parenteral dose forms, including vials, prefilled syringes, and cartridges; and analytical development and testing services for large molecules. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Catalent Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Catalent and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .ME concedes it was a mistake to declare the death of a respected Alberta Métis woman a suicide
Is It Time to Stop Selling a Product? Here Are 3 Key Questions You Need to Ask to Unlock Longterm ProfitabilityEXCLUSIVE Labour's £400 tax hit on family holidays: Passengers to be hit with highest ever levies on flights in multi-billion-pound raid By DAVID CHURCHIL CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT Published: 22:02 GMT, 27 December 2024 | Updated: 22:02 GMT, 27 December 2024 e-mail View comments Families will be hit with the highest ever tax rates on flights in Labour’s multi-billion-pound raid on holidaymakers. Analysis shows air fare levies for a family of four to popular destinations such as Walt Disney World in Florida will surge above £400 for the first time after the hike. The finding comes ahead of Sunshine Saturday next weekend, when millions will buy foreign breaks on what is traditionally the busiest day of the year for bookings. Critics said it makes a mockery of the Government’s claim that it has not raised taxes on ‘working people’ and that it is prioritising economic growth, given the move is set to hammer the travel industry. Bosses in the sector are already considering shedding jobs and investment due to Rachel Reeves ’s National Insurance raid on businesses. In the October Budget , the Chancellor hiked Air Passenger Duty (APD) – a stealth levy on fares also known as the ‘holiday tax’ – by 15 per cent on most flights, which is more than five times the current 2.6 per cent rate of inflation. A study by the TaxPayers’ Alliance shows by April 2026, when Ms Reeves’s APD hikes take effect, inflation will have risen by about 111 per cent since 1994 when the levy was first introduced. But over the same period, APD for short-haul European destinations such as Spain will have surged 200 per cent. For long-haul trips it will have rocketed 920 per cent, and 960 per cent for ultra long-haul. The measures mean the Chancellor will rake in an extra £2.5billion from APD between 2026 and 2030. It blows a hole in Ms Reeves’s claim that APD has not risen with inflation, which she cited as one of the reasons for hiking it during her Budget speech. Darwin Friend, of TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: ‘While the Prime Minister is able to swan off around the world without the need to pay APD from his own pocket, the taxpayers funding his travel have to work even harder to be able to afford an annual holiday. The Chancellor hiked Air Passenger Duty (APD) by 15 per cent on most flights, which is more than five times the current 2.6 per cent rate of inflation. Under Rachel Reeves’s hikes, a family of four in economy class will be taxed £408 to fly to Disneyland Florida ‘Ministers should immediately freeze this tax for an extended period to bring it more in line with inflation.’ Tory transport spokesman Gareth Bacon said: ‘Farmers, pensioners, small businesses and now holiday-goers. Keir Starmer wants them all to pay to fund his inflation-busting pay rises for his union paymasters .’ Former British Airways boss Willie Walsh, now chief of industry body the International Air Transport Association, said: ‘British passengers are rightly fed up with paying ever-higher rates of APD. ‘But APD is not just a tax on holidays – it drags down all of the UK. ‘Sir Keir Starmer has said growth is the “number one priority” for his Government. ‘If that is the case, why is he letting his Chancellor throttle aviation – which supports 1.6million jobs, generates £127billion pounds in GDP and which is the only way for the UK to rapidly move its goods and services abroad?’ And Tim Alderslade, boss of Airlines UK, which represents major carriers including BA, Virgin, easyJet and Tui , said: ‘APD already makes the UK less competitive and the increases will hit working people in the pocket and make it harder for airlines to put on and sustain new routes.’ The study shows that, under Ms Reeves’s hikes, a family of four in economy class will be taxed £408 (or £102 per person) to fly to Disneyland Florida – a 16 per cent hike on the current rate. The amount for ultra long-haul destinations such as Australia will be £424 (or £106 per person), while for short-haul hotspots a family of four will be charged £60 (or £15 per person) – a 15 per cent rise. When it was introduced in 1994, APD was £5 for destinations in the European Economic Area and other closely connected destinations, and £10 everywhere else. The cost for a family of four to popular destinations such as Walt Disney World in Florida will surge above £400 for the first time after the hike If it had risen in line with inflation, it would be £10.31 and £20.62 respectively as of October this year, much lower than the current categories of APD. The levy is charged on flights taking off from the UK, so is not charged on inbound journeys, and the cost is usually always passed on to customers by carriers. The APD regime was overhauled in April last year, replacing the former two-band system with a three-tier scheme based on the distance being flown and amount of carbon emitted. Those flying abroad up to 2,000 miles currently pay £13 in economy. For journeys up to 5,500 miles the charge is £88 and for ultra long-haul it is £92. The rates for business class seats are even higher. The Treasury was contacted for comment. Keir Starmer Florida Labour Spain Share or comment on this article: Labour's £400 tax hit on family holidays: Passengers to be hit with highest ever levies on flights in multi-billion-pound raid e-mail Add commentGwent writer listed in Shaw Trust Disability Power 100 2024( MENAFN - UkrinForm) The Ministry of Defense has amended the defense procurement procedures under state guarantees for Ukrainian manufacturers. Defense Minister Rustem Umerov reported this on Facebook, Ukrinform saw. “We are strengthening the capability of Ukrainian manufacturers to supply the army with weapons more quickly and efficiently,” Umerov noted. According to the minister,“from now on, payments will be made for already delivered batches of products. This allows enterprises to repay loans early and earn profit based on actual deliveries.” “Contracts have become more flexible: their value can be adjusted in response to changes in interest rates on loans. Previously, funds were allocated only after the full completion of the contract, which complicated access to working capital and hindered industrial development,” the minister emphasized. He recalled that“this year, the Ministry of Defense has already contracted Ukrainian manufacturers for over UAH 6.5 billion under state guarantees.” “These changes create better conditions for long-term planning, investments in production modernization, and the adoption of cutting-edge technologies. Most importantly, they ensure the rapid delivery of essential products to the Armed Forces of Ukraine,” Umerov added. He thanked the government for supporting the initiative. “Together, we are enabling the stable development of Ukraine's defense industry,” Umerov emphasized. As reported, the State Logistics Operator announced the first purchases of fuel and lubricants for Ukraine's Armed Forces of Ukraine for 2025. MENAFN17122024000193011044ID1109004999 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
IS it Beyonce? Or could it be Shakira? Or might it even be a rediscovered picture of Jodie Marsh, circa 2003? No. This blonde bombshell, looking markedly more tanned than usual, is Kim Kardashian. You know, the American-Armenian reality star whose signature look is long, raven hair. In the latest promotional for her Skims underwear brand, the 44-year-old wears a teeny-weeny fur bikini from the Winter Heat collection, which goes on sale today. But it seems the sexy picture is getting less attention for the clothes — or lack of — and more for Kim looking unrecognisable. Fans posted on social media that they “thought it was Beyonce”, “It’s giving Shakira” and “Award for the Best Supporting Actor goes to the wig.” One fan wrote: “Why are you dressed up like Beyonce, lol.” The mum-of-four posted several pictures of herself wearing the knitwear-heavy range including a cream cami with cable-knit trousers and a blue bralette. Whether Kim intentionally dressed up as her old pal and pop star Beyonce , 43, for the photoshoot is uncertain. But the age-defying snaps prove Kim is the ultimate chameleon. Over the past two decades, she has gone from Paris Hilton’s stylist to a billionaire businesswoman, and Kim has reinvented her look more times than we can count. She has experimented with pink and platinum blonde hair and has been accused of cultural appropriation for wearing braids. But her risk-taking paid off as she has been given one of the most coveted spots in the industry — the cover of American Vogue — three times. In 2022, Balenciaga creative director Demna Gvasalia said: “I think for many, many years, there hasn’t been anyone who has redefined the standards of beauty as much as Kim has. “She did something that is very similar to what Marilyn Monroe did back in the day. “She redefined our understanding of what beauty is.” Kim has previously discussed the unnerving lengths to which she would go to remain looking youthful. She said: “I was kind of joking, but now that I think about it, I would probably eat s*** if someone told me, ‘If you eat this bowl of poop every single day, you’ll look younger’.” On the topic of cosmetic surgery, for which her honesty has always been admirable, she said: “I always want to look appropriate. There does come a point when you’ve taken it too far — overfilled, too tight, too much cosmetic work.” She added, without irony: “There’s nothing worse.” In another interview that year, she revealed: “I really genuinely care about looking good. "I probably care more than 90 per cent of the people on this planet. It’s not easy when you’re a mum and you’re exhausted at the end of the day or you’re in school, and I’m all of the above. I do my beauty treatments usually late at night. “After everyone’s in bed, I’m doing laser treatments.” Kim, who has almost had as many careers as she has changing faces, more recently took up acting with a role as a ruthless publicist in the 12th series of American Horror Story. On The Kardashians, she said: “I can do a movie a year. I’ve got about ten years where I still look good. That’s all I’ve got in me then I’ll take some time off.” Maybe then we will get to see the real au naturel Kim . . .WVU provost explains new annual academic review process to Board of Governors
NAHCO targets N300bn revenue growth by 2029D-Wave Quantum (NYSE:QBTS) Shares Up 11.2% – Here’s Why
Local View: From Duluth to NYC, the fall of the mighty always possibleUBHOME Collaborates with Qualcomm to Release the Smart Lawn Mower, Co-Creating a New Era of Smart Life