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Kazakhstan's authoritarian leader says he has ordered security forces to "fire without warning", amid a violent crackdown on anti-government protests. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev also said "20,000 bandits" had attacked the main city of Almaty, the epicentre of protests sparked by a fuel price hike. He blamed foreign-trained "terrorists", without giving evidence. The interior ministry says 26 "armed criminals" and 18 security officers have been killed so far in the unrest. In a televised address, Mr Tokayev dismissed calls to hold talks with protesters as "nonsense", saying: "What kind of talks can we hold with criminals and murderers?" "We had to deal with armed and well-prepared bandits, local as well as foreign. More precisely, with terrorists. So we have to destroy them, this will be done soon," he said. Opposition groups have rejected the authorities' accusations of terrorism. Earlier, the president said constitutional order had been largely restored. A BBC correspondent in Almaty said the situation was much quieter after days of violence, although there had been some sounds of gunfire and explosions. Presentational grey line Kazakhstan: The basics Where is it? Kazakhstan shares borders with Russia to the north and China to the east. It is a huge country the size of Western Europe. Why does it matter? A former Soviet republic which is mainly Muslim with a large Russian minority, it has vast mineral resources, with 3% of global oil reserves and important coal and gas sectors. Why is it making the news? Fuel riots, which have escalated to become broader protests against the government, have resulted in resignations at the top and a bloody crackdown on protesters. BACKGROUND: Kazakhstan country profile CONTEXT: Why is there unrest in Kazakhstan? Presentational grey line President Tokayev said peacekeeping forces sent from Russia and neighbouring states had arrived on his request and were in the country on a temporary basis to ensure security. The force from the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) reportedly has about 2,500 soldiers. Mr Tokayev gave "special thanks" to Russian President Vladimir Putin for sending troops to the former Soviet nation. Internet connection seems to have been restored in some areas, and Kazakh officials and CSTO troops were controlling Almaty's main airport, a day after it was recaptured from protesters. The European Commission, which is the EU executive, offered "assistance where we can" to help Kazakhstan resolve the crisis. It also called for an end to the violence, echoing earlier statements from the UN, US, UK and France. The unrest began on Sunday when the cost of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) - which many people in Kazakhstan use to fuel their cars - doubled. The government has said that fuel price caps will be restored for six months. But the announcement has failed to end the protests, which have broadened to include other political grievances. Kazakhstan is often described as authoritarian, and most elections are won by the ruling party with nearly 100% of the vote. There is no effective political opposition. Link:- Kazakhstan unrest: Troops ordered to fire without warning - BBC News

The UK's top civil servant has stepped aside from his role leading an inquiry into Downing Street lockdown parties, after it emerged an event was held in his own office. Simon Case had been due to report on claims Covid rules were broken at events for staff last year. But his role was put into doubt after reports a party was held in his office while London was under Covid rules. No 10 said the probe would be concluded by senior civil servant Sue Gray. Ms Gray is the second permanent secretary at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. A spokesperson for No 10 said: "To ensure the ongoing investigation retains public confidence the cabinet secretary [Simon Case] has recused himself for the remainder of the process". They said Ms Gray would "ascertain the facts and present her findings to the prime minister". Kuenssberg: PM has been put on notice by his own side Which parties are being investigated? PM urged to get a grip after by-election rout Department for Transport sorry for Christmas party The BBC understands a quiz was held for members of Mr Case's private office on 17 December 2020, and invites were sent out titled "Christmas Party!" About 15 people were invited to the gathering at 70 Whitehall, near Downing Street, although it is understood not everyone turned up. Responding to the claims, a government spokesperson said: "Staff in the cabinet secretary's private office took part in a virtual quiz on 17 December 2020. "A small number of them, who had been working in the office throughout the pandemic and on duty that day, took part from their desks, while the rest of the team were virtual. "The cabinet secretary played no part in the event, but walked through the team's office on the way to his own office. "No outside guests or other staff were invited or present. This lasted for an hour and drinks and snacks were bought by those attending. He also spoke briefly to staff in the office before leaving." 'Corruption and sleaze' The party was first reported on the Guido Fawkes website on Friday afternoon. Mr Case, who has been cabinet secretary since last September, had been asked by Prime Minister Boris Johnson to investigate gatherings for staff in government buildings last year. His inquiry was focusing on events in Downing Street on 27 November, 15 December and 18 December, and at the education department on 10 December. line Analysis box by Nick Eardley, political correspondent This investigation was supposed to clear up whether rules had been broken - and many hoped it would allow the government to move on. Instead, it rumbles on and on. We are seeing more allegations - right up to the office of the man who was given the job of investigating. It is deeply embarrassing for the government - and for the cabinet secretary - that he is now seen to have a conflict of interest in this inquiry. The big picture is that Boris Johnson has faced a torrid few weeks which has left his party jittery. The list is long; the handling of sleaze allegations, the record Tory rebellion in the Commons, the loss of an incredibly safe seat, the continued fallout from allegations of Christmas parties in Whitehall. Christmas cheer will be in short supply in the Conservative Party this year. And many MPs will be hoping the prime minister makes some significant new year's resolutions to steady the ship. line Labour's deputy leader Angela Rayner said she was "incredibly disappointed" Mr Case "didn't come clean" when he was first tasked to investigate alleged parties in Downing Street - and that his replacement Ms Gray has an "incredible responsibility to restore trust". Ms Rayner said the issue of departmental parties now appeared to be "endemic" but that it was the prime minister who "set the tone" for the government and had "allowed it to happen under his watch". line Who is Sue Gray? The new head of the inquiry into government lockdown parties has worked in several departments including transport and health. But she is not exactly a typical career civil servant. In the late 1980s she took a career break to run a pub called the Cove Bar in Northern Ireland. Speaking to the BBC she said: "I loved it, loved it at the time, I'd never do it again." Having served as head of the ethics team in the Cabinet Office, she has experience of investigating ministers, officials and advisers. In 2012, her inquiry into "plebgate" led to the resignation of then-chief whip Andrew Mitchell. Mr Mitchell admitted using bad language towards a Downing Street police officer, but denied calling him a "pleb". And in 2017, one of her investigations forced Damian Green to step down as a minister after he was found to have made "inaccurate" statements over what he knew about claims pornography was found on his office computer in 2008. Last year she applied to become head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service, but was rejected - something she attributed to being "too much of a challenger". She is married to a country and western singer, originally from County Down, called Bill Conlon. Link:- Top civil servant Simon Case quits No 10 party probe amid rule breach claims - BBC News

The privileged few who live cosseted in their own sumptuous little world? That’s not fair. More accurately, those who can afford to buy and race Ferraris have their own universe in which to play and indulge, judging by the astonishing scale of the company’s end of season Finali Mondiali extravaganza, held last month. A voyeuristic dip into the World Finals, run this year at Ferrari-owned Mugello in the tranquil hills of Tuscany, revealed an insular motorsport dimension that tends to sweep straight past our general consciousness – because it doesn’t exist for our benefit. It’s a creation for those who continue to feed and breathe life into the most famous car maker in existence: the precious Ferrari customers without whom the prancing horse would have been put out to grass years ago. To be fair, it’s only the ongoing effects of Covid-19 that thwarted Ferrari from opening the green banks and grandstands of Mugello to those who dwell in the real world: the fans who, even all these years on, are still swept up by the old mystique. Finali Mondiali is usually mobbed. But this time, attendance was limited to Ferrari employees and those deep-of-pocket customers, plus members of the Scuderia Ferrari Club, which is open to those who don’t own one of the cars. Still, there’s enough of a throng to ensure the place is dripping in a crisp atmosphere of anticipation, excitement and awe – because that’s what Ferrari creates when it gathers its greatest hits en masse. No other car maker comes close to successfully feeding its own legend, and while it’s easy to dismiss a commercial cynicism that glares through the scarlet haze, somehow you can’t help finding yourself caught up in the moment – simply because, well, it’s Ferrari. I arrive by bus the day after the latest Icona model, the £1.7 million Daytona SP3, has been unveiled to the media in Florence and here at Mugello to those who might buy one. Suitably, it’s a car that’s preaching to the converted, limited to a run of just 599, most of which will head into the collections of those already fully immersed in the Ferrari myth. Giant red structures give the paddock a theme-park air for the rich and gauche as we head to the main grandstand and its views of both the start/finish and back section of Mugello’s sweeping contours. First, there’s the business of Ferrari Challenge one-make racing to conclude. Unless you’re invested, either literally or figuratively as a watching family member, it’s hard to care too much about the Ferrari Challenge. But its scale is still impressive. Regional series run in mainland Europe, North America, the Asia-Pacific and the UK, and here at Finali Mondiali, they all come together. There was even a bit of history made on the opening day when Dane Michelle Gatting became the first woman to win a Ferrari series, the Pirelli Trofeo for 488 Challenge cars. On the Saturday, the main European series concluded and now a pair of bumper races finish the season, the winners of which are ostentatiously titled as FIA-endorsed world champions. For the record, Finland’s Luka Nurmi becomes the youngest Ferrari ‘world champion’ in the Trofeo Pirelli. He’s just 17, which at least breaks the perception that such racing is just for paunchy, ‘mature’ businessmen – while Ernst Kirchmayr completes a double in the Coppa Shell series, adding the world title to the European crown he had clinched the day before. The racing is spirited but peppered by too many safety-car periods as drivers, perhaps out of their depth, keep burying themselves in Mugello’s old-school gravel traps Of far more interest is the Ferrari Show that follows the racing, capping what has been a successful year for the company’s wares on the race track. You scoff… Yes, on a day when Carlos Sainz Jr and Charles Leclerc will toil to a forgettable seveneight finish in the inaugural Qatar Grand Prix, it’s impossible to ignore Ferrari’s current lethargy in Formula 1 – and for most of us, that counts far beyond anything else. It has been a strange season for the Scuderia: ahead of the final two races, it has risen back to third in the constructors’ standings this year, comfortably outscoring McLaren. But there hasn’t been a sniff of a win, the gap to Mercedes-AMG and Red Bull-Honda is a chasm and Leclerc in particular continues to be wasted in a car operating far below his significant potential. But while there’s nothing to celebrate in F1, Ferrari can savour a monumentally successful campaign in GT endurance and sports car racing. The factory AF Corse team swept to a Le Mans and World Endurance Championship double-double, winning both the GTE Pro and Am classes at the 24 Hours and in the series. There was further title success for the Iron Lynx team’s drivers in the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup for GT3 cars, champions Alessandro Pier Guidi, Nicklas Nielsen and Côme Ledogar also claiming Ferrari’s first win at the Spa 24 Hours since 2004; and young Kiwi Liam Lawson was a standout star of the DTM’s first season run to GT3 regulations in an AF Corse-run 488 in Red Bull colours – even if he was muscled out of title contention at the final round in controversial fashion. Ahead of its return to the top class of endurance racing with a Le Mans Hypercar in 2023, Maranello is firmly back in love with the long-form codes of motorsport. Britain’s James Calado has raced for AF Corse since 2014, and at Mugello he enjoys soaking up the deserved plaudits for his second Le Mans class win and WEC title, following a stressful and contentious climax to the season. The Bahrain double-header involved complicated and opaque Balance of Performance rows with Porsche and the FIA, then a title-deciding collision between his team-mate Pier Guidi and the 911 RSR of Michael Christensen. AF Corse’s title wasn’t confirmed until days after the final round, so Mugello is Calado’s first opportunity to celebrate with his team – and he looks a tad green around the gills when I catch up with him a day after Ferrari’s awards evening held in a (posh) giant hangar specially erected in the paddock. “This is a huge event, and it always gives you a special feeling when you do the show in front of the grandstands,” says Calado. “The people here love it, and coming here as world champions and Le Mans winners makes it extra special. It has been seven years for me at Ferrari, and it’s a second home for me. I know all the guys, we fit in well together and the 488 GTE Evo is always quick. We’ve won a lot of races, so it’s great to be a part of Ferrari.” The show begins with an impressive, if left-field, medieval pageant featuring the local flagbearers of Castel San Barnaba, before a trio of modern F1 cars are let loose around Mugello. This begins the best bit of Finali Mondiali, as a 2017 SF70H and a pair of 2009 F60s are let loose, driven by three-time grand prix winner and latter-day AF Corse ace Giancarlo Fisichella, Andrea Bertolini and Olivier Beretta. The turbo-hybrid F1 car that Fisichella drives is comprehensively outsung by the squalling V8-powered F60s, before the new Daytona SP3 leads a glorious 1960s 330 P4 and 412P – two of the cars that inspired its form. Comparisons are unfair but unavoidable when they’re on track together. nce the GT title winners complete their demonstration laps, a complete armada of F1 cars, GTs, FXX track cars and Challenge racers are meticulously arranged on a grid that stretches far back along Mugello’s straight – and once the photos are taken, the track is left to the customers to indulge themselves for the rest of the afternoon via the FXX and Corsa Clienti programmes. We retire to the paddock to watch the Qatar GP as a cacophony of Ferrari horses let rip around the track before the late November light begins to fade. No other car maker puts on a show like this, because no other car maker has such a heritage and back catalogue to draw on. Yes, it’s easy to be cynical and dismiss such days as an indulgent money-making exercise, a garish beacon for the pampered, privileged few. But isn’t selling cars and making money a fair target for an automotive business? We all know Ferrari people live in a different universe, but should we begrudge them? (Don’t answer that.) But beyond the glitz and the pomp, what Ferrari always comes back to is the cars, and whether you’re drawn to the old or new, the stodgy real world is a much brighter place for their existence. Next October, Finali Mondiali will be held at wonderful Imola, all being well with the public welcomed back. Autumnal road trip? Now there’s an idea. These are a few of our favourite things The day after the awards, Ferrari’s giant hangar was free to house the greatest collection of Formula 1 Ferraris that we’ve ever laid eyes on. It was simply jaw-dropping to see so many under one roof. Picking our favourites wasn’t the work of a moment, so we took our time… 1974 312 B3: Mauro Forghieri masterpiece that reignited Ferrari as an F1 force. Niki Lauda’s first F1 winner. Clay Regazzoni finished a close second in the points to McLaren’s Emerson Fittipaldi. 1979 312 T4: T for transverse gearbox. Penultimate model of Forghieri’s epochal series carried Jody Scheckter to title glory, but Gilles Villeneuve won our hearts when racing René Arnoux at Dijon. 1982 126 C2: Bittersweet. Villeneuve died in one and Didier Pironi’s leg-smashing crash in another at Hockenheim ended his career, then Patrick Tambay kept their flame alive. 1995 412 T2: Pretty John Barnard-designed car and Ferrari’s last F1 car powered by a V12. This is Gerhard Berger’s. Jean Alesi won his only grand prix in Canada, the last V12-powered F1 win. 1996 F310: Barnard’s ugly duckling, but significant as Michael Schumacher’s first Ferrari. Driven to the German’s brilliant maiden Ferrari win in the rain in Spain; also won at SpaFrancorchamps and Monza. 2001 F2002 and 2003 F2003 GA: Two Rory Byrne masterpieces in which Schumacher claimed his third and fourth Ferrari titles. The F2002 won 15 of 17 races – 11 to Schumacher and four to Rubens Barrichello. Link:- Behind closed doors at the Ferrari Finali Mondiali | Autocar

David Seymour captured this image of Italian youth in 1948. (David Seymour/Magnum Photos/Agentur Focus) By Klaudia Prevezanos “Chim was motivated by his sense that children were always the greatest victims of wars,” notes Carole Naggar, David Seymour’s biographer. Seymour, whom everyone called Chim, was one of the founders of the world-renowned Magnum photography agency. Seymour left Poland as a Jew in 1932 and returned from the US in 1948 to photograph children and young people in devastated post-World War II Europe. His photographs brought them into focus as victims of war and conflict. “His photography, in particular his work on children for UNICEF, was groundbreaking,” Naggar said. His sensitive images of the young survivors of war are still moving today and have influenced countless photojournalists who have worked in war and crisis zones. ALSO READ |Banksy creates T-shirt to help statue-toppling defendants An early start in documenting people’s suffering As early as the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939), Seymour took famous photographs of the Republican troops fighting against fascist dictator Francisco Franco. As a socialist, he took sides with the Republican troops in his pictures and photographed the suffering civilian po[CENSORED]tion. It was a novelty. At the time, Seymour still bore his Polish name Dawid Szymin. A decade later, when Chim accepted the newly founded UNICEF’s commission to take photographs for the Children of Europe photo project in 1948, he had long become a successful photojournalist. In addition, he had co-founded the world-famous agency Magnum Photos in 1947 — together with his friends and colleagues Robert Capa, Henri Cartier-Bresson and George Rodger. “He hoped to bring international attention to the plight of children orphaned and maimed by war, often suffering from malnutrition and illnesses,” said Naggar. Instead of his usual daily fee of $100, he accepted at the time a total of $2,600 for the UNICEF assignment that spanned several months. He ultimately shot 257 rolls of film. ALSO READ |George Floyd, Breonna Taylor sculptures to be auctioned in New York With sensitivity and profound empathy, Chim photographed children in Greece, Italy, Austria, Poland and Hungary in the summer of 1948. The photographer, who gained US citizenship in 1942, was known from then on as David Robert Seymour. Taking pictures in post-war Germany and France As early as 1947, he had photographed the everyday lives of children in France and Germany among the ruins and remnants of the Second World War. The photo book Children of Europe was released in 1949 and was intended to document the work of the United Nations and UNICEF. The children’s relief organization was founded after the war on December 11, 1946, and celebrates its 75th anniversary in 2021. “Chim was truly the first human rights photographer,” said Naggar, who has written about Seymour’s life and work in books and articles. “It inaugurated a tradition of photographers working with human rights organizations.” Among those who followed in Chim’s footsteps were Magnum photographers Bruce Davidson, Thomas Dworzak, Martine Franck (who often worked with children and senior citizens), Paul Fusco, Susan Meiselas, Sebastiao Salgado, Fazal Sheikh, Chris Steele-Perkins, Larry Towers, and others. Seymour became vice president of the Magnum photo agency in 1948 and its president in 1954 — after co-founder and Magnum president Robert Capa’s death in Vietnam. ALSO READ |Fidel Castro’s boots, binoculars, jeep on display in Cuba’s newest museum Chim was considered an outstanding businessman and negotiator, but also continued to take photographs himself. Move back to Europe In 1950, Seymour moved to Rome and developed his own new style of portrait photography: actors, artists and musicians were clamoring to be photographed by him. According to Naggar, it was the photographer’s trustworthy, sensitive nature that turned these personal shots into dynamite. “Chim’s specialty was discovering stars before they became stars. They included Irene Papas, Joan Collins, Gina Lollobrigida, Ingrid Bergman and countless others,” said Naggar. He took portraits of the likes of Sophia Loren, Pablo Picasso and Audrey Hepburn. “With young starlets Chim had a way of becoming a friend, a confidante and winning their trust, so that the portraits are more about intimacy and spontaneity than glamour,” Naggar added. Seymour’s family: victims of the Holocaust in Poland According to his biographer, Seymour’s 1950 move to Rome was an attempt to distance himself from the experiences of the previous years. During World War II, Seymour — then a US soldier — was stationed in London. His job was to assess images and aerial photographs for attacks by the Allied forces against Nazi Germany. The work of the “photography interpreter” was also important in preparation for the Allied invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944 — known as “D-Day.” Chim, who was born in Warsaw on November Link:- David Seymour: Magnum founder and human rights photographer | Lifestyle News,The Indian Express

A social media influencer said she had been the victim of cyber-flashing for the past 10 years. Podcaster Jess Davies, from Penarth, Vale of Glamorgan, said she had received hundreds of unsolicited obscene images. Calls are growing for cyber-flashing to become a crime as part of measures to toughen laws on online safety. The UK government said its plans would "force social media companies to stamp out online abuse". Jess, who has 151,000 followers on Instagram, said she has become almost "numb" to the images she is sent, adding: "What's illegal offline should be illegal online." Cyber-flashing 'likely' to be made illegal Sending unwanted nudes 'must be standalone crime' Online safety plans need more clarity, says Twitter "I am probably cyber-flashed every month, maybe more, depends really on what I share. "This has been going on for 10 years. I've probably received literally hundreds of these images. The kind of stuff I get is close-up shots, or of them performing a sex act. "When I receive the images it makes you feel a bit dirty and you start thinking, 'why me? Why have they sent them to me, is it something I've done'?" She fears it has become "normalised" online, compared to what is tolerated in public. "If you had thousands of men flashing you in the street, that's illegal, and that would be a huge problem and a huge conversation, so why are we accepting it online?" Cyber-flashing has become increasingly common during the pandemic as people spend more time online, campaigners have said. On Tuesday, a joint committee of MPs will publish its report on the UK government's draft Online Safety Bill, aimed at introducing tougher regulations for social media firms. Cyber-flashing is not included in the bill, but campaigners and MPs backing the change hope it will be added and Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said it should be illegal. The campaign to criminalise the act of cyber-flashing is a personal one for Conservative MP for Brecon and Radnor Fay Jones. At 17, she was flashed by a man in Cardiff. "I picked my dad up late at night from in town and as I was walking towards the restaurant where my dad was, this guy walked towards me and exposed himself to me. "I have never forgotten it. It stayed with me for such a long time. But, every time I tell that story somebody goes 'Oh, yeah, when I was 19 or when I was on a bus this happened. It's all too common." But there are concerns about the bill making its way through Parliament. Labour's shadow Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens argues that it "isn't good enough" and needs "a lot of changes". But the Cardiff Central MP does believe that cyber-flashing will eventually be included in the bill. "It's a promise from the prime minister," she said. "We will be holding them to account on this because they've made it clear that it should be accepted." The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport said: "Our comprehensive online safety laws will force social media companies to stamp out online abuse alongside other abhorrent behaviour on their platforms. "Failure to act could mean multi-billion pound fines up to 10% of their global turnover and having their sites blocked." The UK government hopes the bill will prevent the spread of illegal content and activity such as images of child abuse, terrorist material and hate crimes. Ministers hope it will protect children from harmful material and protect adults from legal, but harmful, content. Some critics say the bill harms free speech, while others say it fails to recognise the high levels of online violence toward women - the NSPCC said it must be strengthened and have children at its heart. Link:- Instagram influencer received 'hundreds' of obscene photos - BBC News

Current Skoda boss Thomas Schäfer will switch over to head up Volkswagen next year as part of a major reshuffle of the Volkswagen Group management team. Schäfer only took over as Skoda chairman in August last year, having previously served as the head of the VW Group’s South African operation. He will take up his new role as Volkswagen’s chief operating officer from 1 April next year. Current Volkswagen cars CEO Ralf Brandstätter will join the main VW Group board, and from August next year will take over as the head of the group’s crucial China operation. Skoda has yet to name a successor for Schäfer. RELATED ARTICLES Report: Herbert Diess to continue as Volkswagen Group CEO Volkswagen Group moves step closer to acquiring Europcar Stellantis boss Alison Jones appointed SMMT president Jaguar Land Rover engineering boss Nick Rogers steps down New source: Audi, BMW in talks to partner McLaren The move is one of several significant management changes confirmed by Volkswagen Group’s Supervisory Board. Diess will take direct control of Cariad, the firm’s software division from the start of next year, succeeding Audi boss Markus Duesmann. Diess said the move would allow him to help “set important milestones in the development of our own operating system.” Hauke Stars, who most recently served on the board of German investment firm Deutsche Börse, has joined as the head of group IT, with a brief to further push the firm’s development of digital technologies. Meanwhile, Audi sales boss Hildegard Wortmann will join the VW Group board with responsibility for sales, with a particular focus on developing new digital sales formats. While the moves announced by the Supervisory Board are significant, they are not as extensive as had been rumoured, including reports that Diess could be shifted from his post as chairman of the board. Link:- Skoda boss Thomas Schäfer becomes Volkswagen CEO | Autocar

Lady Gaga sported the colour in her show stopping Gucci outfit for the 'House of Gucci' premiere. (Photo: Lady Gaga/Instagram) Pantone just announced its colour of the year 2022, a violet-blue shade called ‘Very Peri’ which is, as described by Pantone, “a symbol of the global zeitgeist of the moment and the transition we are going through.” It added, “Encompassing the qualities of the blues, yet at the same time possessing a violet-red undertone, PANTONE 17-3938 Very Peri displays a spritely, joyous attitude and dynamic presence that encourages courageous creativity and imaginative expression.” While we are sure of spotting this “dynamic periwinkle blue hue with a vivifying violet red undertone” in global fashion trends in 2022, celebrities have already turned to this lovely hue for public appearances, premieres, and launches this year. Here’s taking a look at some of our favourite ‘Very Peri’ looks: To-be-bride Katrina Kaif shared the perfect sun-kissed picture in an off-the-shoulder dress with a corset top and yellow floral prints on a ‘Very Peri’ colour. Styled by Shaleena Nathani, Tamannaah Bhatia looked gorgeous in a custom Saisha Shinde dress which had a bright pink corset top and a contrasting violet-coloured floor-grazing skirt with a thigh-high slit. Anushka Ranjan made for an unconventional bride decked in a ‘Very Peri’ lehenga set from Mohini’s by Mohini Chhabria for her wedding with Aditya Seal. Mrunal Thakur looked as lovely as ever in a simple everyday classic sleeveless crop top in the hue. Queen’s Gambit star Anya Taylor-Joy was a vision in a peplum jacket over a bustier cocktail dress with animal print hat and gloves as she was crowned CFDA Awards‘ first-ever ‘Face of the Year’ honoree. Lady Gaga brought her sartorial drama to the red carpet of House of Gucci’s London premiere, clad in a violet-hued cape and gown by Gucci. Link:- Pantone announces ‘Colour of the Year 2022’: Here are celebs who have already rocked it | Lifestyle News,The Indian Express

China has committed genocide against the Uyghur people in Xinjiang, an unofficial UK-based tribunal has found. The Uyghur Tribunal cited birth control and sterilisation measures allegedly carried out by the state against the Uyghurs as the primary reason for reaching its conclusion on Thursday. Sir Geoffrey Nice, a prominent British barrister who chaired the tribunal hearings, said its panel was satisfied China had "affected a deliberate, systematic and concerted policy" to bring about "long-term reduction of Uyghur and other ethnic minority po[CENSORED]tions". He added that the panel believed senior officials including the Chinese president Xi Jinping bore "primary responsibility" for the abuses against Muslim minorities in the Xinjiang region. The tribunal's panel was made up of lawyers and academics. Its findings have no legal force and are not binding on ministers, but its organisers said at the outset they intended to add to the body of evidence around the allegations against China and reach an independent conclusion on the question of genocide. The Chinese government denies all accusations of human rights abuses in Xinjiang. Responding to the tribunal's ruling on Thursday, a spokesman told the BBC the body was a "pseudo tribunal" and a "political tool used by a few anti-China elements to deceive and mislead the public". Uyghur imams targeted in China's Xinjiang crackdown The cost of speaking up against China Reading the tribunal's judgement, Sir Geoffrey said there was "no evidence of mass killings" in Xinjiang, but he said that the alleged efforts to prevent births amounted to genocidal intent. The panel also said it had found evidence of crimes against humanity, torture, and sexual violence against the Uyghur people. Speaking to the BBC after the judgment, Sir Iain Duncan Smith, the former Conservative Party leader and co-chair of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, said it was time for the UK government to accuse China of genocide. "The British government said the evidence needed to be assessed by a competent court, well it doesn't get more competent than this," he said. "The government now needs to stop messing around. The genocide taking place in Xinjiang has got to dominate our relationship with China." Conservative MP Nus Ghani called the conclusion of the tribunal "groundbreaking". "This tribunal was set up to the highest legal standards and the evidence that that was put forward today shows that there is enough proof beyond reasonable doubt that there was an intent to commit genocide," she told the BBC. "What is particularly troubling is the evidence that this genocide is in particular targeted at women, and focused on preventing births." The Chinese state has been accused of crimes against humanity and genocide in Xinjiang, a large region in the country's north-west which is home to the Uyghurs and other minority Muslim groups. Experts say that at least a million Uyghurs and other Muslims have been detained in the region and held in extra-judicial camps or sent to prisons. Former detainees and residents of Xinjiang have made allegations of torture, forced sterilisation and sexual abuse. The Uyghur Tribunal heard from more than 70 witnesses over two sets of hearings in London in June and September, including former detainees and experts. Among the witnesses was the Uyghur linguist Abduweli Ayup, who testified about the harassment of his family in Xinjiang and the 15-month sentence imposed on him in his absence for inciting terrorism - a common allegation levelled by the Chinese state against Uyghurs. Mr Ayup told the BBC the finding of genocide was "very encouraging". "I was sentenced by the Chinese government, now I hope after this ruling someone can sentence them. Many Uyghurs have been sent to prison only for being Uyghur, now it is time their oppressors are also sentenced," he said. The issue of whether China's alleged abuses amount to a genocide has divided the international community. The US government has accused China of a genocide against the Uyghurs, and the parliaments of the UK, Canada, the Netherlands, and Lithuania have passed resolutions making the same declaration. But the UK government has declined to accuse China of genocide. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has argued that genocide is a specific term with legal force that should only be determined by a criminal court. The case for genocide is based on reports that China is taking steps to erase the culture of the Uyghurs and assimilate or diminish the po[CENSORED]tion through programmes of forced relocation and birth control. In a report published in April, the US-based charity Human Rights Watch concluded that China was responsible for crimes against humanity in Xinjiang - but stopped short of calling the state's actions a genocide. Amnesty International reached the conclusion in its own report. The Uyghur Tribunal was established by Sir Geoffrey at the urging of the World Uyghur Congress, a global activist group. The president of the WUC, Dolkun Isa, told the BBC the tribunal's judgment represented a "historic day" for the Uyghur people. "Now there is no excuse for the international community to continue its silence on the Uyghur genocide," he said. "It is the legal obligation of all countries who signed the 1948 genocide convention to take legal action." Reading the judgment on Thursday, Sir Geoffrey said the tribunal had formed in part because no international criminal court had taken up an investigation into the alleged abuses in Xinjiang. The International Criminal Court announced in December last year that it would not investigate the allegations because China, as a non-member, was outside of its jurisdiction. Meanwhile, the International Court of Justice can only take a case that has been approved by the UN Security Council, over which China has veto power. "Had any other body, domestic or international, determined or sought to determine these issues, the tribunal would have been unnecessary," Sir Geoffrey said. The tribunal's final report follows announcement by the US, UK and Canadian government of diplomatic boycotts of the Winter Olympics in China next year. Mr Johnson said on Wednesday that the UK, like the US and Canada, would not pursue a sporting boycott of the games. Link:- China committed genocide against Uyghurs, independent tribunal rules - BBC News

For decades, car makers have invested vast sums of money into new models, or new derivatives of existing models, only for the plug to be pulled before they enter production. The company might run out of cash, the market might change or the new model might be deemed too radical. Or it might simply be that too late in the day, the car maker realises that the sales aren't there to justify the expense of putting that new model into showrooms. The all-electric new Jaguar XJ (spyshot pictured) was cancelled in February 2021 just before its unveiling; we recently asked company boss Thierry Bolloré why and he said it was a tough decision but that plans had changed and that the only thing the car had in common with those plans was that it was electric. This is by far from the only example of a late stage cancellation. Here are the other famous cars that you should have been able to buy, but for one reason or another you were denied the chance: Link:-Axed! Great cars cancelled at the last moment | Autocar

She has kept her fashion game strong, opting for elegant, old school gowns with a touch of contemporary edge. Vaani Kapoor opted for an elegant satin gown for 'Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui' promotions. (Photo: Vaani Kapoor/Instagram) Vaani Kapoor has been in the news for the promotion of her next movie Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui co-starring Ayushmann Khurrana. Her looks and sartorial choices have been impressive, too. Styled by Allia Al Rufai, she has kept her fashion game strong, opting for elegant, old school gowns with a touch of contemporary edge. The Befikre actor recently wore a flamingo pink form-fitting satin gown. With a deep cowl front, strappy back with criss-cross ties ending in a bow, the cinched waist and a thigh-high slit made the gown look perfect on her. She accessorised with silver accents in her ears and silver strappy heels. Simple middle-parted hair completed this gorgeous look that is a perfect ensemble for romantic dinner dates or even a cocktail party. We are still in love with Kapoor’s last promo look, which was a floral embellished mustard gown, also with a thigh-high slit and a plunge open back. Link:-‘Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui’ promotions: Vaani Kapoor slays in yet another gown | Lifestyle News,The Indian Express

The Duke of Cambridge has revealed the impact that dealing with life and death moments had on him while he was an air ambulance pilot. Prince William served as a pilot in the East Anglian Air Ambulance (EAAA) from 2015 to 2017. Speaking on Apple's Time to Walk podcast, he said he was "taking home people's trauma, people's sadness". The prince said the work was making him sad, despite having a happy home and work life. In a lighter moment, the duke recalled how his mother, Princess Diana, would play Tina Turner's song The Best on the drive to school. Prince works last air ambulance shift Prince talks of 'traumatic' 999 callouts The prince has spoken in the past about how working for the EAAA affected his mental health, but the audio recording, made while walking around the Queen's Sandringham estate in Norfolk, reveals how the incidents still live with him. Speaking about dealing with traumatic moments, he said: "Talking about those jobs definitely helped, sharing them with the team, and ultimately, in one case, meeting the family and the patient involved who made a recovery, albeit not a full recovery, but made a recovery - that definitely helped." He said recalling the experience now makes him "quite emotional" and "still even affects me now". "But I think, as a human being, when you see someone in such dire circumstances, basically at death's door, you can't help but not be affected by that." The duke told how his mother took him on private visits to a homeless shelter to meet people "down on their luck" and teach him the lesson that life happens "outside palace walls", adding: "This is the real world here." Following in his mother's footsteps, Prince William became patron of the homeless charity Centrepoint, in 2005. He is also a patron of another homeless charity, The Passage. He also touched on joyful memories, such as how his mother would sing Turner's hit song The Best at the "top of her voice" with her sons on the way to school to help ease his anxiety. "You'd be singing and listening to music right the way up to the gates of school when they dropped you off and that's when reality kind of sunk in - you really were going back to school. "Because before that you're lost in songs - want to play it again, just to keep that family moment going. And when I listen to it now it takes me back to those car rides and brings back lots of memories of my mother." He also revealed that AC/DC's Thunderstruck is a favourite "Monday morning" track that helped him "get back into the grind of the week". "It absolutely wakes you up, puts your week in the best mood possible, and you feel like you can take on anything and anyone," he added. And his three children appear to have inherited his love of music, with Prince William revealing that "most mornings" there is a "massive fight" between Prince George and Princess Charlotte over which song is played. The solution, he said, was to alternate between his eldest children as to who can choose the music. He also recounted how Princess Charlotte loves dancing to Shakira and dresses up as a ballerina for the performance. He said: "One of the songs that the children are loving at the moment is Shakira, Waka Waka. There's a lot of hip movements going along with a lot of dressing up. "Charlotte particularly is running around the kitchen, in her dresses and ballet stuff. She goes completely crazy with [Prince] Louis following her around trying to do the same thing." Prince William's Time to Walk episode will be streamed free on Apple Music 1, with three airings on Monday at 08:00, 16:00 and 21:00 GMT. Link:-Prince William reveals emotional toll of air ambulance rescues - BBC News

Prototypes of the new, sixth-generation Mercedes-Benz E-Class have been spotted testing on public roads for the first time ahead of a planned UK introduction during the first half of 2023. Known internally under the codename W214, the new E-Class follows an evolutionary path, with development focused around refinements to its platform, electric architecture and engines. Its electric architecture is being heavily upgraded to support new functions that include level three autonomous driving potential in countries where it is permitted, together with 5G connectivity that allows high-speed over-the-air software updates for the first time. With the new Mercedes-Benz EQE offering electric drivelines when it goes on sale in the UK early next year, the 2023 E-Class will stick with electrified versions of today’s four- and six-cylinder engines. RELATED ARTICLES Buy them before we do: second hand picks for 22 October Nearly new buying guide: Mercedes-Benz E-Class Mercedes-Benz hints at uncertain future for estate models Mercedes-Benz E-Class E400d Estate 2021 UK review Why it should be 'Sir Lewis' for seven-time F1 champ Alongside the saloon model previewed by the prototype seen here, Mercedes-Benz also plans to follow up today’s E-Class Estate and E-Class All Terrain with successor models, due out in 2024. Mercedes-Benz is not giving too much away about the future of the E-Class Coupé and Cabriolet, although it is believed a new CLE – a moniker recently trademarked by Mercedes – could serve as a replacement for both of these cars and the smaller two-door C-Class models. One of the last models to be based on Mercedes-Benz’s existing MRA platform, the new E-Class saloon receives a slightly longer wheelbase than today’s fifth-generation model. The track widths have also been increased, giving the new 2023 model a larger footprint and interior dimensions. The double-wishbone front and multi-link rear suspension has been modified to fit the new dimensions of the platform structure. It will be offered in combination with an optional air suspension and, for the first time on the E-Class, a rear-wheel steering system offering up to 10deg of steering at the rear. The engines, mounted in their traditional longitudinal position, will be reduced in number and – in selected models – capacity, too. Officials have hinted that the existing twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 in the E63 will no longer be offered. As in the smaller C63, due out in 2022, its place will be taken by a highly strung turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder, the M139, with plug-in hybrid assistance for a total output of up to 600bhp. The existing M254 four-cylinder petrol and OM654 four-cylinder diesel units will be offered exclusively with an integrated starter-generator and 48V electrical system as well as changes to their exhaust system that allows them to meet upcoming EU7 emission regulations. The turbocharged 2.9-litre in-line six-cylinder M256 petrol and turbocharged 3.0-litre in-line six-cylinder OM656 diesel units are planned to receive similar upgrades and will be offered with both mild-hybrid and plug-in hybrid functionality with up to 435bhp and 330bhp respectively. All plug-in hybrid versions are set to receive a 28.6kWh battery, the same unit used by the S580e, to give them an electric range of over 62 miles. Every engine is set to be combined with a standard nine-speed torque-converter automatic gearbox. Rear-wheel drive will feature on lower-end models, with Mercedes-Benz’s 4Matic four-wheel drive system set to appear on more powerful models, including those from AMG. Mercedes-Benz is determined to once again make the new E-Class the safest car in its class. As well as adopting all the various driving assistant systems from the larger S-Class, the sixth-generation model is also set to support level three autonomous driving functionality with lidar based sensors. Inside, the new E-Class adopts a similar dashboard architecture to that of the latest C-Class and S-Class. The set-up includes digital instruments in a free-standing display panel, optionally with 3D graphics, and a portrait-style display within the centre console for the infotainment functions. Link:-New Mercedes E-Class due in 2023 with all-electrified engines | Autocar

The house where our childhood favourite Kevin McCallister’s (played by Macaulay Culkin) shenanigans with thugs Harry Lime (Joe Pesci) and Marv Murchins (Daniel Stern) takes places in the famous American Christmas family comedy Home Alone in Chicago, is now available on Airbnb. The vacation rental company took to Instagram to invite bookings, saying “one crew of mischief makers can book a holiday in the timeless house where the Home Alone story began (without the interruption of pesky intruders).” The house will be available for just one night on December 12, 1 PM CT (12:30 AM IST), for a tariff of just $25 (INR 1,873). “Guests will enjoy a cozy holiday scene with a perfectly trimmed tree included, booby traps galore (but don’t worry – you’ll be setting them, not sidestepping them!), Chicago’s finest pizza and a meet and greet with a real-life tarantula.” This offer coincides with the release of Home Sweet Home Alone, the latest in the franchise, last month. As per the company, the guests will be hosted by Kevin’s big brother the movie, Buzz McAllister. ALSO READ |Six offbeat domestic destinations for your winter travel The house looks just the same as it did in the 90s movies, complete with the paint can that Kevin deployed to fend off the burglars, the lawn jockey statue outside the house, and a candle lit dinner setting for mac and cheese. Earlier this month, Airbnb also announced that the famous Villa Balbiano, which completed the immaculate Italian setting in the Ridley Scott-directed House of Gucci, will also be available for just one night. Link:- Make your childhood Christmas dreams come true at the ‘Home Alone’ house | Lifestyle News,The Indian Express