30 jilibet
Lucknow: To find a permanent solution to the frequent road cave-ins in Sector 5 of Vikas Nagar, Jal Nigam has decided to fix sewage pipelines in the area using a new technology. The department has proposed a project worth Rs 30 crore for the purpose. The reason behind the frequent road cave-ins in Vikasnagar is leaks in the aging sewer lines. The proposed technique involves inserting a new pipe inside the old one. The detailed project report (DPR) for the project has been submitted to govt for approval. Divyanshu, executive engineer in Jal Nigam, confirmed that the proposal for this critical repair project has been presented to the authorities. Upon govt approval, work to reinforce the sewer pipes will begin, utilising advanced technologies such as polymer-based systems and glass-reinforced plastic (GRP) lining, which are commonly used in municipal water supply systems. The new pipe reinforcement method will strengthen weakened pipes, even in cases where parts of the original pipe are missing, ensuring the sewer system can handle increased loads without collapsing. The project is expected to incorporate various technology options, including centrally integrated pipe (CIP) lining or polymer-based GRP systems. The final decision on the technology to be used will be made through a tendering process. Earlier this week, the road in Vikasnagar caved in for the ninth time, underscoring the urgency of repairs. Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India . Don't miss daily games like Crossword , Sudoku , and Mini Crossword .
Global Times: People's Daily article says favorable conditions for China's economic development remain unchanged
The Nigerian currency, the naira, has witnessed rapid gains in the foreign exchange markets in recent weeks Data from the FX markets shows that the naira has gained over N300 in the last three weeks The development is due mainly to the introduction of the Electronic Foreign Exchange Matching System (EFEMS) by CBN CHECK OUT: Don't let unemployment hold you back. Start your digital marketing journey today. Legit.ng’s Pascal Oparada has reported on tech, energy, stocks, investment and the economy for over a decade. The Nigerian currency, the naira , has appreciated steadily since the Eurobond sales and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) introduced the Electronic Matching System on Monday, December 2, 2024. Information from the CBN shows the naira appreciated N1,533 from N1,570 on Friday, December 6, 2024. Naira gains N300 against the dollar in three weeks The naira has gained more than N300 since the second week of November 2024, when it hit an all-time low of N1,689 per dollar. Read also Again, CBN crashes dollar for Customs duty rate as naira appreciates for three consecutive days PAY ATTENTION: Legit.ng Needs Your Help! Take our Survey Now and See Improvements at LEGIT.NG Tomorrow Experts have disclosed that the naira will continue to rally until January 2025. They say that the naira’s gains are due to the FX market's transparency, which the introduction of the EFEMS has boosted. The new FX trading platform helps tackle speculations and improve transparency in Nigeria’s FX market. The functions of the EFEMS It automatically matches buy and sell orders and promotes fairness and efficiency in forex trading. Analysts have expressed hope about the EFEMS’ potential to curtail persistent challenges affecting the naira and Nigeria’s FX reserves. The new platform allows authorised dealers, including banks, to place buy and sell orders in real-time. Transactions are automatically matched based on predetermined rules to ensure rapid execution and real-time visibility for participants and regulators. Experts predict new rates for the naira Experts have lauded the CBN’s initiative, saying the naira is now finding its value via the new platform. Senior banker and economist Janet Ogochukwu disclosed that the new platform enabled the naira to perform well against major currencies, defying the dire predictions against it. Read also CBN crashes dollar for importers to clear goods as naira records massive gains in 24 hours “I think the new system has been seen as transformative in shaping the true value of the naira. Now, we are seeing the true rates in which the local currency can trade,” she said. According to her, the move has defied naysayers who predicted the worst for the naira. She said that if the move is sustained, the naira could revert to N1,300 by January 2025. CBN crashes dollar for importers Legit.ng earlier reported that the CBN had crashed the dollar for Nigerian importers as the value of the naira rose. The apex bank reduced the Customs exchange rate for cargo clearance from N1,588 to N1,533 per dollar as of Saturday, December 7, 2024. The development means importers opening Form M will pay N55 less to clear cargoes from Nigeria's ports. PAY ATTENTION: Сheck out news that is picked exactly for YOU ➡️ find the “Recommended for you” block on the home page and enjoy! Source: Legit.ngI devoted time in the past explaining the context of inadequate national security architecture to the herder-farmer situation in Nigeria. I added that this was the main reason diverse criminal acts happened in different parts of the country, and most of them weren’t closures. In the event, crimes were interpreted based on local feelings sometimes influenced by the historical, ethnic and religious circumstances of those concerned. In the North, especially almost similar acts of criminality were given different tags. It is banditry, kidnapping, and cattle rustling in the far north, but we hear of attack by “suspected Fulani herdsmen” and “ethnic cleansing” in the North-Central. My interest in explaining this in past years was based on my concern that these incidents had become a basis for stoking embers of hate, not just against whoever was engaged in criminal acts but an entire ethnic group. For a clearer understanding, I explained in the past that acts of criminality happened in both Muslim and Christian-dominated areas in the North. Destruction of crops and killings happen on farmlands owned by both non-Fulani and town Fulani. It’s regular in Jigawa and in Gombe States, where a Fulani Muslim man has just informed me, that it’s currently happening on their farmlands. In parts of Nasarawa State, herds ate up farmers’ crops in the current harvest season. In Birnin Gwari LGA, as well as in Giwa LGA, which is in Zauzau Emirate, Kaduna State, killings have been perpetrated by elements called bandits for years. I stated that those acts of criminality should have been stopped if the nation’s security architecture was what it should be. Meanwhile, in some parts of the north, every attack is attributed to “suspected Fulani herdsmen” in news reports even though further investigations that I carry out show that sometimes these are just two communities in minority ethnic group areas attacking each other. The template of “suspected Fulani herdsmen” has bred misinformation. This seems powered by a determination to spread hate against an ethnic group, as well as the confessed vow of some to permanently keep Nigeria on the US list of nations, where religious beliefs are threatened. Such persons and the misinformation they provide constitute much of the sources that some entities in the UK and US cite in the reports submitted to their governments about Nigeria. It’s this phenomenon I proceed to interrogate here, while I also ask a question, as I conclude this piece that I started last Friday. What do those who say there are no herder-farmer challenges, those spreading misinformation, seek to gain from demonising all Fulani? Why are criminal few not separated from non-herding law-abiding Fulani people as it’s done to other ethnic groups in Nigeria? These are relevant questions because Yoruba people say, “When we cry, we still see.” It’s noteworthy that no news outlet in Nigeria reports “Yoruba armed robbers” or “Igbo fake drug makers”. But there were reports of “Fulani killer herdsmen”, which made one Fulani man sue some media houses for N100m for discrimination. Nonetheless, as some Nigerians dedicate themselves to pushing a narrative abroad that there are no herder-farmer “clashes” (published by the UK-based CSW), other reports by credible international organisations support the view of the government of Nigeria that there’s such a problem. For instance, as far back as May 11, 2004, a report by Amnesty International stated that the previous three months saw “at least 350 people killed in clashes and reprisal attacks between Christian Tarok farmers and Muslim Fulani cattle herders in different locations in Plateau State.” The international NGO had also stated: “As the Nigerian government deploys security forces to restore order in Yelwa, Shendam Local Government Area in Plateau State, following a recent outbreak of violence between Fulani cattle herders and Tarok farmers, Amnesty International is urging the Nigerian authorities to ensure adequate protection from further attacks and to carry out thorough, independent and impartial investigations into the killings... In the recent spate of violence, the attackers, mainly Christian Taroks, were armed with assault rifles, machetes and bows and arrows. Most of the victims were Muslims, including an unconfirmed number of women and children...” On December 17, 2018, Amnesty released a report cataloguing violent clashes between members of farming communities and members of herding communities in the northern parts of Nigeria “over access to resources: water, land and pasture”. Amnesty further states that clashes in Nigeria between farmers and semi-nomadic herders have killed “more than 3,600 people since 2016, more than 2,000 people killed in 2018 alone”. This is in the same country where some Nigerians go to CSW and other platforms to claim there have never been herder-farmer challenges, thereby contradicting past Nigerian leaders as well as President Bola Tinubu whose accurate views on herder-farmer matters I referenced last Friday. So, this makes me ask the question again: What’s the goal of those who spread falsehood and hate? Related News A fresh look at NBS data on kidnapping in Nigeria Kidnappers’ trillion-naira paradise Police summon C’River farmers, herdsmen over clashes What have these people achieved, since the Nigerian president holds a view different from theirs on the challenge? Or is this solely about getting an ethnic group hated? This is concerning as it breeds divisiveness that has lasting consequences for everyone. It threatens the peace of Nigeria, and much as it’s within the rights of anyone to seek to defend their people so it’s also within the rights of the rest of us to defend the unity and peace of this nation. Those who go around making people in the south of Nigeria hate an ethnic group in the north, I ask: What do they hope to achieve? Is it just to pursue a narrative that herder-farmer didn’t happen, get all religionist sympathisers worked up in the process, and thereby plant hatred in the born and unborn? Those who make the Surrey-based CSW in the UK, the US Commission on International Religious Freedom, and several other religion-based news outlets write reports that demonise every Fulani person. What have they achieved? They want foreign governments to put pressure on Nigeria’s political leadership. The same leadership that they’ve publicly dismissed and called liars because of the falsehood of no “herder-farmer clashes” that they spread. Their view is the opposite of the President’s perspective (referenced last Friday) on the herder-farmer challenge, yet they think they could achieve anything that way. Their narrative can lead to more instability in Nigeria, but they expect the president to listen to them. Is that how things work? These people need to take a second look at their approach because credible foreign NGOs, such as Amnesty International, don’t even agree with their skewed narratives. International organisations involved with migration, refugees and internally displaced persons don’t agree with them considering the meetings such entities regularly organise in Nigeria to offer useful advice on the herder-farmer problems. Also, embassies of Western nations in Nigeria don’t agree with them as they report to their governments facts as credible NGOs, such as Amnesty report. On top of these, the US recently removed the name of Nigeria from among nations where religious beliefs are threatened. Moreover, as I stated on this page in the past and as Moritz and Mbacke (referenced last Friday) also wrote in their academic essay, there can’t be peace and lasting security if falsehood and hate were what those involved spread about one another. But who goes about pushing the hate narrative rather than admit the inadequate security context and work for solutions accordingly? Where do they mostly push it and among whom? Religionists pushed it. They did this in places of worship and among religionists. So, religionists end up hating fellow humans that their religions enjoin them to love. This should stop.Israeli attorney general orders probe into report that alleged Netanyahu's wife harassed opponents
Drones, planes or UFOs? Americans abuzz over mysterious New Jersey sightings
New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr sustained a left hand injury and possible concussion in the fourth quarter of Sunday's 14-11 victory over the New York Giants. The Saints feared Carr fractured the hand, per reports, and he was slated to undergo further testing. He reportedly had a cast on the hand when exiting the stadium. Saints interim coach Darren Rizzi said Carr may have to enter the concussion protocol. Carr was injured when he tried to leap for a first down late in the final quarter. He was near the sideline and went airborne, landing hard on the left hand with this face then slamming into the turf as he landed out of bounds with 3:59 left in the game. Jake Haener finished up the game for the Saints. Carr completed 20 of 31 passes for 219 yards, one touchdown and one interception for New Orleans. Overall, Carr has passed for 2,145 yards, 15 touchdowns and five interceptions this season. He missed three games earlier this season due to an oblique injury. --Field Level Media
By CHRISTINE BRUNKHORST The Minnesota Star Tribune Anita Felicelli’s stories are masterfully unsettling. Combine your most eerie déjà vu moment with your most vividly prophetic dream and you have the tone of the 14 futuristic tales in “How We Know Our Time Travelers.” This is the new science fiction. Not so much Isaac Asimov’s techy gadgetry or Ursula K. Le Guin’s moral conundrums, Felicelli’s vignettes explore a world where time and consciousness — the last unexplored frontiers — have been conquered. The stories are set in the Bay Area in the near future. The government is an unreliable entity, politics have fallen apart and we’ve “rocketed past the point of stopping the death of the planet.” It is a time of drought, wildfires, hurricanes, cult movements, senescent robots, fringe theories and time travel. But, amidst these existential challenges, the need for love and connection remains. In the first story, “Until the Seas Rise,” a young woman who keeps herself financially afloat by volunteering for pain studies is robbed on the beach on the night of a tsunami. As the wave crests, she reflects on what seems the essential question of the book, “Why can we never control pain? Why are we always controlled by absence? It’s nearly incomprehensible, this ever-present incinerating desire for what’s not there.” Loss permeates these stories, as do technologies invented to allay it. In “Assembly Line,” an art teacher with a curiously mechanical thought process wonders what her student-turned-boyfriend works on in the “forbidden” rooms of his apartment. In “The Glitch,” rogue holograms assail the coder who created them. In “Keeping Score,” a couple downloads an app only to find that the constant tallying of who does what for whom is destroying their relationship. And then there are Felicelli’s stories about time. In “Steam Tunnels,” a ragtag group of disaffected female college students is chased by a menacing figure in the sewer system beneath the University of California, Berkeley. When they emerge, the campus has become a ghost town, their clothes are tattered and worn and their hair has turned white. In “The Encroachment of Waking Life,” a woman mistakenly boards a time-travel flight from Barcelona to San Francisco and visits not her boyfriend of the moment but her boyfriend of 20 years in the future. Women narrate most of the stories, which seems particularly poignant in a world where tech bros dominate the microphones. In one tale, a female potter throws all her clay into the creation of a real boy. In another, a friendless scammer and swindler of wealthy men wonders if a band of anarchic, menacing “fog catchers” exists only in her mind. In another, an elderly mother with dementia struggles to maintain dignity in a world that has discarded her. I thoroughly enjoyed the mind-bending perspective of these stories, especially the final pair: one a personification of illness that will blow your mind and make you weep, and one an epistolary tale with letters between a scientist consumed by creative mania and her loyal, half-believing friend. Author of novel “Chimerica” and short story collection “Love Songs for a Lost Continent,” Felicelli is a writer to watch.The billing of London-born former Chelsea boss Hayes against England’s Dutch manager Sarina Wiegman – arguably the best two bosses in the women’s game – had generated more buzz in the build-up than the players on the pitch, despite it being a rare encounter between the two top-ranked sides in the world. Hayes enjoyed her return to familiar shores but felt the US lacked the “killer piece” after they looked the likelier side to make the breakthrough. Elite meeting of the minds 🌟 — U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) Asked what was going through her mind during the national anthem, Hayes said: “I was definitely mouthing (it), and Naomi (Girma) and Lynn (Williams) could see that I was struggling with where to be and all that. “I got to the end of the anthems and I thought, ‘that’s so ridiculous. I’m proud to be English and I’m proud of our national anthem, and I’m also really proud to coach America’. “Two things are possible all at once. I don’t want to fuel a nationalist debate around it. The realities are both countries are really dear to me for lots of reasons, and I’m really proud to represent both of them.” The Lionesses did not register a shot on target in the first half but grew into the game in the second. US captain Lindsey Horan had the ball in the net after the break but the flag was up, while Hayes’ side had a penalty award for a handball reversed after a VAR check determined substitute Yazmeen Ryan’s shot hit Alex Greenwood’s chest. Hayes, who left Chelsea after 12 trophy-packed years this summer, said: “I’ve been privileged to coach a lot of top-level games, including here, so there’s a familiarity to being here for me. “It’s not new to me, and because of that there was a whole sense of I’m coming back to a place I know. I have a really healthy perspective, and I want to have a really healthy perspective on my profession. “I give everything I possibly can for a team that I really, really enjoy coaching, and I thrive, not just under pressure, but I like these opportunities, I like being in these situations. They bring out the best in me. “You’ve got two top teams now, Sarina is an amazing coach, I thought it was a good tactical match-up, and I just enjoy coaching a high-level football match, to be honest with you. I don’t think too much about it.” Hayes had travelled to London without her entire Olympic gold medal-winning ‘Triple Espresso’ forward line of Trinity Rodman, Mallory Swanson and Sophia Smith, all nursing niggling injuries. Before the match, the 48-year-old was spotted chatting with Wiegman and her US men’s counterpart, fellow ex-Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino, who was also in attendance. England were also missing a number of key attackers for the friendly including Lauren Hemp, Lauren James and Ella Toone, all ruled out with injury. "This shows where we are at and we need to keep improving. It is November now. This is good but we want to be better again. We have to be better again." 👊 Reaction from the boss ⬇️ — Lionesses (@Lionesses) Wiegman brushed aside suggestions from some pundits that her side were content to settle for a draw. She said: “I think we were really defending as a team, very strong. We got momentum in the second half, we did better, and of course both teams went for the win. “So many things happened in this game, also in front of the goal, so I don’t think it was boring. “We wanted to go for the win, but it was such a high-intensity game, you have to deal with a very good opponent, so you can’t just say, ‘Now we’re going to go and score that goal’. “We tried, of course, to do that. We didn’t slow down to keep it 0-0. I think that was just how the game went.”
The first hearing of the Judicial Review (JR) over the appointment of the Acting Ombudsman by the President was adjourned yesterday to March 2025. Supreme Court Judge Edwin Peter Goldsbrough made the adjournment following the President’s counsel (State Law counsel) submitting their submission yesterday morning at the Supreme Court, which was done at short notice, leading to the adjournment. The Office of the Ombudsman (Claimant) had filed an urgent claim for JR against President Nikenike Vurobaravu (First Defendant) over the appointment of Acting Ombudsman Hamilson Bulu (Second Defendant). The Claimant, represented by counsel Kent Ture Tari, seeks a quashing order that the decision of the First Defendant to appoint the Second Defendant as Acting Ombudsman by the Instrument of Appointment of Acting Ombudsman Order No. 97 of 2024, made on 10 July 2024, be quashed as unlawful, null, and void. The appointment of the Second Defendant was made pursuant to sub-article 61 (1) of the Constitution, which requires the First Defendant to consult with the Prime Minister, the leaders of political parties represented in Parliament, the chairman of the National Council of Chiefs, the chairmen of the Local Government Councils, the chairman of the Public Service Commission, and the Judicial Service Commission before making the decision to appoint the Second Defendant as Ombudsman. The Second Defendant’s term as Ombudsman expired on 10 July 2024, and the position became vacant at the end of his five years in service under sub-article 61 (1) of the Constitution. This sub-article does not grant the First Defendant the power to appoint an Acting Ombudsman if the position becomes vacant, but section 9 of the Ombudsman Act [CAP 252] addresses this gap, specifying requirements if the position is vacant. The legal counsel argued that the appointment of Bulu as Acting Ombudsman breached the requirements of sub-article 61(1) of the Constitution and section 9 of the Ombudsman Act. Additionally, the presidents of two political parties in the 13th Legislature confirmed they were not consulted before the appointment of Acting Ombudsman Bulu. Both party presidents, former Member of Parliament (MP) Ralph Regenvanu of the Graon mo Jastis Pati (GJP) and former MP Jay Ngwele, leader of the Rural Development Party (RDP), confirmed this in a letter supporting the Ombudsman’s office. The JR’s next hearing is scheduled for 7 March 2025.( MENAFN - media OutReach Newswire) SINGAPORE - Media OutReach Newswire - 27 December 2024 – BAKE Cheese Tart is back! The Japanese brand, recognised for its cheese tarts made with premium ingredients from Hokkaido, will open a new outlet at Takashimaya, Basement 2, 391 Orchard Road on 27 December 2024. The return of BAKE Cheese Tart introduces customers to its classic recipe, which balances a crisp, double-baked crust with a smooth cheese filling, offering a satisfying and versatile treat. The Story Behind Hokkaido's Finest Cheese Tarts Originating in Hokkaido, BAKE Cheese Tart started as a chilled dessert before evolving into its signature freshly baked version. The recipe blends Hokkaido cream cheese with a carefully developed double-baked crust to create a balance of flavours and textures. The tarts can be enjoyed in various ways: served warm for a light and airy texture, chilled for a denser cheesecake-like experience, or frozen for a creamy, ice-cream-like treat. This versatility has made the product a favourite among customers across regions. Lunar New Year Promotion: A Sweet Start to 2025 In celebration of its comeback, BAKE Cheese Tart is launching an exclusive promotion. From 27 December 2024 to 27 January 2025, customers who purchase six tarts (any flavour combination) will receive one complimentary Earl Grey Cheese Tart-a flavour available for the first time in Singapore. This Earl Grey delight features the classic creamy cheese filling infused with fragrant Earl Grey tea, offering a luxurious and aromatic twist to the iconic tart. Each set of six tarts will be packaged in a Lunar New Year-themed box. Availability is limited, and the promotion will run while stocks last. A Comeback Powered by Popular Demand BAKE Cheese Tart's return to Singapore is a response to overwhelming demand and fond memories from fans who fell in love with its iconic tarts. Known for drawing long queues and rave reviews, BAKE Cheese Tart has cemented its place as a beloved favourite among dessert enthusiasts. This grand comeback brings joy to its loyal following while introducing new generations to the irresistible taste of its freshly baked cheese tarts. MENAFN26122024003551001712ID1109033865 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.
Mario Vargas Llosa: discover how many degrees he studied and the universities that marked his pathWhat could go wrong for the US economy in 2025? Here are 6 things to noteCHOOSING your child’s name is a tricky decision, particularly as you don’t want them to resent it later in life. However, this has been sadly the case for one teen who shared how she’s desperate to change her moniker, which was inspired by a Game of Thrones character. 2 A teen has shared how she hates being called 'Khaleesi', after the Game of Thrones character Credit: HBO 2 She said she is sadly being bullied due to her name Credit: Getty Taking to Reddit , she wrote how her parents called her Khaleesi, which is the title given to Daenerys Targaryen, played by Emilia Clarke in the HBO series. She wrote: “My parents named me after a fantasy TV show character, and it's deeply affected my life “I was born just after the first season of the show. They decided to name me after one of the main characters, but it's not her actual name, but instead her title.” She called the name “pretty dumb” and said she has been “bullied and made fun of” among peers. More on names NAME GAME ‘It’s the lower back tattoo of names’ mums cry over ‘pretentious’ moniker Wait, what? People are only just realising that Liam is short for another popular name However, she revealed that she didn’t always hate the name Khaleesi. She wrote: “When I was growing up I liked the name because of how unique it is. “I remember a teacher asking me if I'm telling the truth when I told her my name when I was about 6-ish. I didn't understand stuff like that really. “I'm considering getting my name changed, but it feels a little wrong to do so. I do feel like it is my own name, and my parents did name me that. Most read in Fabulous OH SO POSH Inside Victoria Beckham’s ‘insane obsession’ to stay young after turning 50 BUDGET BRIDE I tried out Shein wedding dresses - the cheapest was £40, but a £116 gown won CHEERS! I tried UK's first trending drink delivery service - it's perfect for Xmas nights SNAP IT UP I make five figures a month & splash cash on surgery & business class flights “I don't hate my parents or anything but I did feel angry at them today over it.” She told internet users how she typically goes by Kay as a shortened version as she’s been getting “more and more self conscious” about the name. I'm a gypsy trolled for my 'chavvy' kids' names - people say I've 'set them up to fail' but I love their unique monikers When she confronted her parents about their choice, they replied that it “fits her”, and got upset at the idea of her changing it. She added: “There's nothing cultural about my name. My parents are just annoying nerds and are too big into fandoms. Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, whatever popular sci-fi or fantasy thing, they're into”. People were quick to comment and offer support. One said: “This post should be pinned in every baby name sub.” Khaleesi replied: “Yeah, I feel like some parents don't get the idea of just how impactful a name actually is. “It's the child who will actually be called that.” The struggle of choosing a baby name CHLOE Morgan, a Senior Writer at Fabulous, has revealed her dilemma on choosing a baby name... At 35 weeks pregnant, by far the trickiest part of pregnancy for me in the past few months (minus the insomnia and countless night-time wee breaks!) has been trying to decide on a baby name. The dilemmas are endless... My partner and I went for a private scan to find out the gender as early as we could - partly due to the fact we thought it would make baby naming so much easier because we'd only have to come up with a list of names for one gender rather than two. How wrong we were... I was absolutely thrilled to be told I was expecting the baby girl I'd already dreamed of, but being one of the last of my friends to fall pregnant, I've had countless conversations over the years with excited pals discussing their top baby names ...something which I wish I could go back in time and un-hear. With each friend mentioning at least 10 possible monikers, I can't help but feel like several are now a no-go even though I know it's something that none of them would mind in the slightest - it's a total me problem! The debate comes up time and time again on social media forums - can you choose the same name that was a "potential" for a friend's baby? It's a very divisive topic and opinions are always mixed...and I don't want to be THAT person. While some will argue there's thousands of other names out there to choose from, others will say you need to choose YOUR favourite...after all, there's no guarantee that person will even have another baby. Then there's also the issue of finding a name you adore...only to research it online and read one negative comment amongst hundreds of positives that you just can't shake off. I made that very mistake when I fell in love with a certain name (I won't reveal it because I don't want to ruin it for others!) ...only to see someone point out that it constantly gets autocorrected on a phone to something rather rude instead. So, back to the drawing board we went.. Just five weeks to go and it looks like our little one is going to be known as 'baby gal' for a little while longer! Another person added: “Parents need to remember they're naming a person. Not an object or a pet.” Blonde-haired Daenerys was introduced to the hit fantasy series as the submissive sister of Viserys, who sold her to the Dothraki and ruthlessly left her at the mercy of husband Khal Drogo. Defying all odds, Daenerys managed to find inner strength and power during her time with the Dothraki, growing to love her husband and becoming a respected Khaleesi among the army. The silver-haired leader firmly divided the Game of Thrones fanbase, with some seeing her as a progressive liberator, and others a ruthless warmonger. Read more on the Scottish Sun 'vicious circle' I live in Scotland's benefits hotspot -I've only worked 4 years of my life SPLIT THE PACK I'm one of the best ever snooker stars but I wouldn't be if I was born later In any case, one of the most captivating aspects of the character was her affinity with dragons. Daenerys took command of three of the formidable beasts after successfully incubating a trio of eggs in a blaze.
Viola Davis said that probably her proudest achievement was the creation of her game-changing character Annalise Keating in legal drama thriller “How to Get Away With Murder,” during an onstage interview Thursday at the Red Sea Film Festival in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where many in the ecstatic audience had greeted her by declaring, “I love you, Viola.” She also spoke of the bravery that was required to stand up to the orthodoxy that held sway in network TV when the show launched 10 years ago. Variety publishes, below, an edited excerpt from the interview, which was as refreshing in its honesty as the actor’s performances. “As a character [as originally envisaged], she made absolutely no sense,” she said, eliciting laughter and applause in the audience. “I mean, you have to be honest with it: a lot of characters on television, they just don’t make sense. They’re a Mr. Potato Head of an audience’s desires. They want them to walk like supermodels and they want them to look beautiful in the costumes and in the courtroom scenes, whether they’re wearing Alexander McQueen or Armani. They talk really fast in Shondaland, you know, faster than what people actually speak. You don’t really see people as talking and listening, and, I mean ... I don’t want to sound like I’m ragging. “And then you go into the sexuality thing, and maybe there is a plethora of women out there who have 15 sexual partners in a day, but what is missing from all of it is: the why. “And so, I was given the character ... her name was Annalise DeWitt when I first started, and I was like, DeWitt? So, I did change that. I changed it to Annalise Keating. I mean, she could have been DeWitt, but it’s just so grand. “But the reason why I think I’m proud of it is because I felt it was brave of me. I haven’t always been brave in my life, but that was one moment that I was brave. I had a decision to make: I could just join the crop of women who work on TV who, to be honest, they have a certain look in the lead roles. “And, here’s the thing: When you become a celebrity, you get all kinds of messages from people. It’s like Mark Twain said: You need two types of friends ... The friends who talk about you, and the friends who tell you about people who talk about you. So, you get a lot of friends who tell you about people who talk about you. “So, there’s so many people who said, ‘Oh, she’s miscast. Annalise Keating is described as mysterious and sexual and all that, and that can’t be Viola.’ “Sanford Meisner, a great acting teacher, he said: One of the most important questions an actor can ask is: ‘Why?’ And when you ask ‘Why?’ it brings you on a journey that could be transformative. “And so, here’s what I had to do: I had to at least try to lose weight and try to be that woman who could be on television, which is not going to happen. I was about 50 years old at the time. It’s not like I was going to do Botox and start eating string beans. “So, then I had to ask some questions: Why do I have to be that woman? Why does she have to walk great in heels? Why can’t I be the size I am? And why can’t all those things be true and I be on network TV? Why can’t I take my wig off? Why can’t I wear my natural hair? “And every time I asked, ‘Why?’ I got to the truth of who Annalise was, and so then I had something to work with, which is trying the best I could with network TV writing to make her some semblance of a human being, and so that was the first thing with Annalise Keating. “I remember the phone call with Peter Nowalk, who is the showrunner-creator of ‘How to Get Away With Murder,’ and Shonda Rhimes and Betsy Beers, and the head of the studio [ABC Entertainment Group], Paul Lee. We were all on the telephone, and I remember saying, I can’t believe I was saying this, because I wanted the job, y’all, I didn’t want to lose this job, but I heard myself say it ... I said: ‘Well, I’m not going to do this show unless she could take off her wig. And the reason is, if I take off the wig, and if I take off the makeup, they’re going to have to deal with that woman who’s been revealed. They’re going to have to deal with her crinkly, curly hair. They’re going to have to deal with the woman behind the mask. And that is a character that I could play. “And then you have to deal with why a woman would be that sexual. You can’t just do it, because here’s the thing, with sexuality and human beings, it’s not pornography. Pornography is selling the sex, right? It’s to turn people on. It’s serving a purpose. Being sexual is an extension of who you are as a human being. It’s based in memory, experience, trauma, everything. You don’t just do it. “And then when you are having sex, in my imagination, in my fantasy, every sex scene should be cringy. I mean, who has a camera in their bedroom, where it’s perfectly shot, and everyone has been in the gym for the last five months, no one puts down a towel. But I decided to deal with the woman who would be bisexual, have affairs, be married to a man who could be a murderer, and so that’s when her sexual past and her sexual abuse came up. That’s when Miss Cicely Tyson [who played Ophelia Harkness, Annalise’s mother] came into the picture. And then I felt like I was building a world that was honest; it was a world that was fantastical, but there were some threads of the truth in there, that made people lean in, and that is what I’m most proud of.” Later, when asked what her legacy would be, she added: “My legacy is to help people feel less alone. I do think that there’s something sacred when the lights go down and you’re in the audience and you have your popcorn and your Sour Patch Kids and your Diet Coke. That’s what I eat, y’all. And there’s something sacred in that relationship and that agreement. And the agreement is that I am not going to escape as an artist. I’m going to show you you. You, with all the piss and the poop, and all those private moments that you don’t want to show people, all the parts of you that you probably feel that if you share with people, it would be the most shameful part of your life. I want you to be brave enough to witness that and acknowledge that, and I want to be brave enough to give it to you. “And if I can do that, that would be a legacy. Not just the awards and the accolades, but the bravery of how well I can craft that and give it to you.”New public bus management firm set to ease transport - Minister Gasore
State Sen. Brian Jones (R-Santee) is hosting his annual open house Dec. 14. The event – at his Scripps Ranch district office, at noon – will be open to all residents and community groups of Senate District 40. Groups that plan to take part include local schools, restaurants and non-profits, along with representatives of business, education, environmental, community and veterans organizations. We have launched our year-end campaign. Our goal: Raise $50,000 by Dec. 31. Help us get there. Times of San Diego is devoted to producing timely, comprehensive news about San Diego County. Your donation helps keep our work free-to-read, funds reporters who cover local issues and allows us to write stories that hold public officials accountable. Join the growing list of donors investing in our community's long-term future. According to a press release from Jones’ office, the event will be an opportunity for constituents to seek help with case work and state agency issues while learning about legislation. Jones will also provide an update about the district and his work in Sacramento. Get Our Free Daily Email Newsletter Get the latest local and California news from Times of San Diego delivered to your inbox at 8 a.m. daily. Sign up for our free email newsletter and be fully informed of the most important developments.Kim Yo-jong, vice department director of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea / Korea Times file The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on Tuesday denounced "political agitation" leaflets, accusing South Korea of sending them across the border. "Various kinds of political agitation leaflets and dirty things sent by the ROK scum were dropped again in different areas near the southern border of the DPRK" on Tuesday, the North's Korean Central News Agency quoted Kim Yo-jong as saying in a statement. ROK stands for the Republic of Korea, the official name of South Korea, while DPRK stands for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the official name of North Korea. Security forces organs have blocked the affected areas and were searching for, gathering and disposing of the materials, she said. "We strongly denounce the despicable acts of the ROK scum who committed the provocation of polluting the inviolable territory of the DPRK by scattering anti-DPRK political and conspiratorial agitation things again," the statement said. Last week, Kim accused South Korea of sending anti-Pyongyang leaflets to the North and warned that the South would pay a "dear price." This was followed by the North launching trash-filled balloons across the border into the South. North Korea has reacted angrily to South Korean activists sending balloons across the border carrying anti-Pyongyang propaganda leaflets and South Korean consumer goods. (Yonhap)Online marketplace is not a fixed-price shop. That’s a double-edged sword “From each according to their ability,” said Marx, and looks like cab aggregators were listening. Viral social media posts this week have claimed ride-hailing apps charge Android and iPhone users different rates for the same route, booked at the same time from the same location. The assumption is that since iPhones cost more than most Android phones, their owners might have deeper pockets. TOI did a quick test in Chennai and found the theory plausible, but our sample size is not large enough to be conclusive. Some users are outraged, understandably. Nobody likes to pay more than the next person. But are we really surprised? Dynamic pricing, which is just another name for discriminatory pricing or differential pricing, is as old as markets. Don’t street vendors quote their first price after sizing up your clothes and car? By some accounts, products for women are priced higher than comparable products for men – the so-called ‘pink tax’. A US govt study found women’s personal care products were 13% costlier, on average. In UK, women’s face moisturiser was 34% more expensive. But ethicists mostly agree that discriminatory pricing is neither good nor bad. It’s morally neutral as long as businesses use it to advance their morally legitimate interests – shorthand for profit and growth. Yet, time and again discriminatory pricing has backfired. A major e-tailer’s gambit in 2000 to offer variable discounts on DVDs ended with an apology and refunds. Although the firm denied using customer data – address, purchase history, etc – to set prices, it was possibly the first instance of discriminatory pricing online. That was long before smartphones. Now, anyone with access to your phone data, including e-tailers and cab aggregators, knows all about you. Access to SMS, for example, lets apps read bank messages. So, knowing what kind of person you are and guessing your ‘reservation price’ – the most that you would be willing to pay – are not so difficult. Question is, should it be done? Customers like equal treatment; it takes guessing out of the equation, and having to guess for best deals all day is tiring. People shop online not only because it’s convenient but also because they believe they’re getting the best deals without haggling. That’s why discriminatory pricing can feel like a breach of faith. If cab aggregators really discriminate on the basis of phone type, they might want to weigh its long-term costs along with short-term benefits.
Aaron Rodgers has opens up about his relationship with his father in his new Netflix documentary. In a new trailer for the New York Jets quarterback ’s Aaron Rodgers: Enigma, Rodgers said he felt like his emotional intelligence was “stunted” because his father refused to show emotions. The clip begins with the NFL player at an ayahuasca ceremony, as he is known for being an avid psychedelic user. “I think part of the real joy in this work, is, there is such a feminine spirit to ayahuasca,” Rodgers can be heard saying. He then begins discussing the benefits he’s experienced since beginning the ceremonies such as being able to “model a new way of thinking about masculinity, or what it means to be a man,” and helping him to be able to achieve “the balance between the divine masculine and the divine feminine.” The former Green Bay Packers quarterback transitioned to talking about his father, Ed Rodgers, as he admitted that he could only recall him crying once which was when his grandfather died. “I think I saw my dad cry when my grandfather passed. And that might have been it,” he said. “There wasn’t space for emotion, so I definitely had some stunted emotional intelligence.” He explained that he didn’t start to become more in tune with his feelings until he discovered what the public perception of him was. “People who haven’t been around me a lot have this idea of who I am or whatnot, and in these situations, you start to peel back some of those layers of who they think you are and start getting deep and getting emotional,” Rodgers said. “I think that’s what it means to be a well-balanced man,” he added. “To be able to tap into that divine feminine and be vulnerable.” The documentary, directed by Gotham Chopra and Liam Hughes, will be split into three parts as Rodgers discusses his injury during the 2023 NFL season when he tore his left Achilles only four minutes into his debut game as a Jet. The football player will also discuss his more controversial opinions such as his false claims regarding the COVID-19 vaccine. Back in May, Rodgers said in a discussion with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson : “I’ve been strong against the vax, against lockdowns, against mandates, against all of it. In the last few months, I’ve been looking at things a little bit differently. “Those people had a ton of fear. They thought they were doing the right thing, for themselves, for their friends, for their families.” He continued: “They went through all the mass-formation psychosis that we all did — the full-court propaganda against us – and are now going, ‘oh s***. Maybe that wasn’t the best. Maybe they lied to us. Maybe this wasn’t safe...’” Aaron Rodgers: Enigma will be available to stream on Netflix on December 17.
A nonprofit leader, a social worker: Here are the stories of the people on Biden's clemency list