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The Syrian government forces, backed by Russia, have unilaterally ceased firing in the northwestern Idlib province, the last major rebel-held territory, Moscow's defence ministry said. However, opposition activists said shelling and air attacks continued on Sunday despite the announcement. Fighting erupted in northwestern Syria last month and shattered a truce negotiated by Russia and Turkey late last year. Syrian government forces intensified their attacks on Idlib, which is home to three million people, late in April, as the United Nations and rights groups warned of an humanitarian catastrophe. The offensive by the Syrian army and its allies uprooted more than 150,000 people, the UN said. In a brief statement on Sunday, the Russian Defence Ministry's Center for Reconciliation of the Warring Sides in Syria said government forces had ceased firing as of midnight. It described the move as unilateral but did not give any further details. However, the pro-government Syrian Central Military Media said government forces responded to shelling by rebel fighters on Sunday on the edge of Idlib, according to the Associated Press news agency. It gave no further details. Meanwhile, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitoring group, reported an air attack on the town of Khan Sheikhoun, saying it inflicted casualties. The opposition's Syrian Civil Defence also reported shelling near the town of Jisr al-Shughour without reporting any casualties. Russia-Turkey deal Russia has firmly backed President Bashar al-Assad's government in the eight-year civil war, while Turkey has supported some of the rebel groups, but the two sides had worked together to try to contain fighting in the country's northwest. Turkey and Russia agreed on a truce in Idlib after Ankara pledged to disarm and remove Hay'et Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) fighters there in a deal reached last September in the Russian city of Sochi. The deal came after another escalation between government forces and HTS fighters in late 2018. Both Russia and Turkey list the HTS as a "terrorist" organisation. The Sochi agreement prevented government forces from launching a major military operation on Idlib and protected the so-called "de-escalation zone" agreed on between Russia, Iran and Turkey in 2017. Since the Sochi agreement, Moscow at various times said that "terrorist groups" were operating in the zone. Russia has also been piling pressure on Ankara to start an operation in Idlib after Turkey's failure to get the HTS fighters out of the "de-escalation zone". Turkey has said the recent Syrian government attacks violated the Sochi agreement. The Sochi agreement prevented government forces from launching a major military operation on Idlib and protected the so-called "de-escalation zone" agreed on between Russia, Iran and Turkey in 2017. Since the Sochi agreement, Moscow at various times said that "terrorist groups" were operating in the zone. Russia has also been piling pressure on Ankara to start an operation in Idlib after Turkey's failure to get the HTS fighters out of the "de-escalation zone". Turkey has said the recent Syrian government attacks violated the Sochi agreement.

With a $500 budget for a race car, what could possibly go wrong? Racing cars is expensive. That is an ironclad fact and, unless you have a large excess of money, wheel-to-wheel racing becomes a full-time job in seeking sponsorship while keeping a car in shape, tuned, and trying to find that edge. On top of that, becoming a decent race car driver requires training and then hours, and hours, and then some more hours, of seat time; which is expensive. A retired auto writer named Jay Lamm understood this. The germ of the idea for LeMons started when he got involved in some cheap racing, including being part of the Double 500. The Double 500 was a 500-mile rally and the rule for entry was that the cars that entered could only cost a maximum of $500. Over repeated meals in a Chinese restaurant in Berkley, California, with friends, the idea for an endurance racing series based on the $500 car rule was kicked around until it took shape into the absurd genius of the LeMons racing series. A series where junk level cars are elevated into creatively decorated endurance racing machines. An early flier sums up LeMons with a strapline that reads: "Bad Drivers. Terrible cars. Don’t worry: You’ll fit right in.” For LeMons events, the tech-inspection judges dress up in wigs and robes. Penalties aren’t necessarily given in time and often also involve some sort of punishment such as having sardines dumped on the car's manifold, being handed a bunch of nuts and bolts of different threads and having to mate them all correctly before carrying on, being tarred and feathered, and sometimes if two teams come into contact on track the drivers are tied together and told to go and get food for the crew. Prizes are also handed out for things including the People’s Curse for the car driven by the biggest jerks, which entails the car being ceremoniously destroyed. There’s also the Organiser’s Choice award for the team that represents the friendly spirit of the race. However, the grand prize is the Index of Effluency, which is handed to the car ruled as least likely to finish the race, or even score a decent amount of laps. Other awards can include the I Got Screwed Award, Most Heroic Fix, and Most Horrible Yank Tank. LeMons racing is not about winning, it’s about teamwork and having fun. As you can imagine, there’s a lot of creativity that goes into many of the themed cars, and over the years there have been some sublimely wonderful mechanical not-quite-masterpieces. These are just some of our favorites.

As the market for African art has experienced explosive growth, so too has the interest in and proliferation of African photography. CNN asked 4 African art experts for their picks of today’s most promising talents. Touria El Glaoui is the creative force behind 1-54, an international art fair helping to introduce leading African artists to the global market. She spotlighted photographer Phumzile Khanyile from South Africa. Helen Jennings, editorial director and co-founder of Nataal magazine, a digital and print publication focused on contemporary African fashion, arts and culture, chose to highlight visual artist Prince Gyasi from Ghana. Maheder Haileselassie Tadese, member of the Everyday Africa collective which aims to change perceptions about Africa, spotlighted Kenya’s Brian Otieno. As the founder and director of the international art fair, Art x Lagos, Tokini Peterside has helped amplify African artists’ voice in the global market. She selected two Nigerian photographers, Kadara Enyeasi and Lakin Ogunbanwo.

Need a part for a 1964 Mustang? Online catalogs offer a heater knob, a complete unibody or anything in between. With easily found replica components, you could effectively build a new ’64 from the tires up. But what if you had a 1917 Hupmobile? Or a Willys-Overland? Or a Peerless? For decades, a loose network of machinists and tradesmen would supply collectors and museums with cast bearings, a one-off radiator cap or a custom-milled crank, as needed. Now those ranks are thinning, replaced by technology, so a scan of a single part can become a digital blueprint that anyone with a special machining tool or 3-D printer can use to churn out a replacement. This shift is convenient if you need a semi-rare part to get your old car back on the road, but for collectors, it’s a headache.

Howard Marks made his name in the illicit drugs trade but the late drugs baron is making a posthumous comeback to cash in on a booming legal trade in cannabis-related products. Borrowing his most famous alias, the first Mr Nice store opened in London’s Soho district on Thursday, selling everything from upmarket bath bombs and face creams to hoodies inspired by Britain’s best-known drug smuggler. Mr Nice bills itself as a “modern cannabis destination” that sells “carefully curated cannabis accessories from around the world”. Xan Morgan, the chief executive of Equinox International, the international cannabis company behind the venture, plans to launch 10 Mr Nice stores across the UK. He said: “We are the first cannabis lifestyle shop. We are selling clothes and products that celebrate the positive side of cannabis culture.” Companies big and small are looking at cashing in on the the buzz around CBD, or cannabidiol, which is one of the scores of chemicals, known as cannabinoids, produced by the cannabis plant. Amid an explosion in new products coming on the market, sales of CBD oil and CBD-infused products are already thought to be close to €1bn a year in Europe. Unlike tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primary psychoactive ingredient in cannabis, CBD does not get users high, making it the most promising compound from a marketing perspective. As a result, the ingredient is being added to everything from toiletries to cocktails. It was recently billed in the lifestyle press as the “hottest new wellness trend”. Optimism about future sales if countries continue to liberalise their legal stance – last year Canada legalised the sale of all recreational cannabis – has seen the value of listed cannabis companies soar. The excitement around the potential for CBD has been most notable in the food and drink sectors, with Coca-Cola revealing last year that it was it looking at developing a range of cannabis-infused beverages to help ease physical problems such as inflammation, pain and cramps. Other firms looking for a piece of the action include the Corona beer maker Constellation Brands, which has invested in the Canadian cannabis group Canopy Growth, while Diageo, the drinks giant behind Guinness and Johnny Walker whisky, is also reported to be exploring investment opportunities in the sector. Alex Brooks, an analyst with Canada-based Canaccord Genuity, said there had been “striking growth” in demand for CBD products, which he estimated had generated €750-€1bn in retail sales in Europe last year. “The availability of CBD products continues to improve, with UK pharmacies and health stores now routinely stocking a wide range of CBD oils,” said Brooks. “Our regular visits to Holland & Barrett around London indicate that the Jacob Hooy CBD brand stocked there is regularly sold out.” Mr Nice has the blessing of Marks’s daughter Amber Marks. The range includes handmade chillum pipes costing £180 as well as £70 bottles of organic CBD oil. The clothing range includes an £80 short-sleeved shirt emblazoned with a marijuana leaf print – based on one Marks was pictured wearing in Ibiza in the 1990s – and hoodies with secret pockets to stash drugs in. Morgan, who is a scion of the family behind the still British-owned Morgan Motor Company, said its organic CBD oil “passes the Ronseal test”, adding: “We are just starting to understand the role that cannabis can play in society.” He would like to see cannibis use legalised in the UK and points to a black market estimated to be worth £8bn annually as evidence of a huge market for Mr Nice’s products: “That tells you the scale of cannabis use and that there is a thriving cannabis culture.” Prohibition Partners, a cannabis industry research firm, thinks the global cannabis market could be worth up to €200bn annually by 2028 if countries continue to legalise medical and recreational cannabis. Within that timeframe it estimates the UK market would be worth €18.4bn, with the bulk of that value coming from the recreational market, which it puts at €9.6bn. Prohibition Partners’ Eoin Keenan said that cannabis products were increasingly becoming part of the mainstream. “The UK is a relatively slow mover in the grand scheme of the international cannabis market but CBD is entering the mainstream here with products retailing at Holland & Barrett, Sainsbury’s and Planet Organic.” Since you’re here… … we have a small favour to ask. More people are reading and supporting our independent, investigative reporting than ever before. And unlike many news organisations, we have chosen an approach that allows us to keep our journalism accessible to all, regardless of where they live or what they can afford. The Guardian is editorially independent, meaning we set our own agenda. Our journalism is free from commercial bias and not influenced by billionaire owners, politicians or shareholders. No one edits our editor. No one steers our opinion. This is important as it enables us to give a voice to those less heard, challenge the powerful and hold them to account. It’s what makes us different to so many others in the media, at a time when factual, honest reporting is critical. Every contribution we receive from readers like you, big or small, goes directly into funding our journalism. This support enables us to keep working as we do – but we must maintain and build on it for every year to come. Support The Guardian from as little as $1 – and it only takes a minute. Thank you.

On Wednesday, Priyanka Gandhi is taking on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his home turf - by holding a road show in his constituency Varanasi. Ever since she formally joined politics in February, she has been on a whirlwind tour, campaigning mostly in Uttar Pradesh where Varanasi is located. But will her efforts make any difference to the fortunes of the Congress party in the general elections? When Ms Gandhi, the charismatic sister of Congress party president Rahul Gandhi, walked up onto the stage at a rally in the town of Pratapgarh last week, she was greeted by shouts of "Priyanka Gandhi zindabad! [Long Live Priyanka Gandhi!]". A massive garland of red roses was held up by local Congress leaders to frame her and a golden crown was placed on her head. Ms Gandhi launched a direct attack on Mr Modi, accusing him of not fulfilling the promises he had made before the 2014 elections. His government, she said, had failed to create jobs, his decision to scrap high denomination banknotes had broken the backs of poor people and small businesses, and she chided the prime minister for denying farmers their rights. When the Congress is voted to power, she said, the job scheme for the poor would be extended, wages paid on time and high school education made free. The rally was held in a small ground in the town centre and it was a small crowd, but the audience was responsive, clapping and cheering as she spoke in flawless Hindi. She ended her speech by appealing to them to vote for the Congress candidate, to vote in the change. Mithilesh Kumar Yadav, a 21-year-old student in the audience, told me that as a young man, that's what he wanted. "Priyanka Gandhi wants to bring change here. As a young man I want change. Mr Modi's policies have affected people adversely," he said, adding that "the prime minister doesn't talk about issues that are important. He's trying to divert attention from his unkept promises." Congress spokesman Akhilesh Pratap Singh told me that Ms Gandhi had been brought in to strengthen her brother's hands, help energise the party rank and file and counter Mr Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

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Awhile back, Aston Martin announced that it would create some Aston Martin DB5 sports cars that replicate James Bond's car in the movie "Goldfinger." What really got our attention was that Aston Martin intended to give it functional gadgets. The company has finally provided a list of the details it intends to replicate, along with some samples of progress, and it's all quite impressive. The list of functional or semi-functional gadgets that will be included is extensive. About the only thing that won't operate is the passenger ejector seat, which is completely understandable. Otherwise, the car will have rotating license plates, extending bumper rams, an oil slick system, smoke screen generator a simulated radar screen in the center stack, switches under the armrest and shift knob and a weapons storage tray under the seats. Under the semi-functional list are the machine guns and raising bullet shield. We say semi-functional because the machine guns don't actually fire anything, and we doubt the bullet shield should be put to the test. he company also released video showing the progress on the smoke screen, oil slick and machine guns. The oil slick is easily the most impressive, as the dispenser deploys from behind the taillight and sprays in the same fan pattern from the movie. And it very clearly will spray liquid, though actual oil spray is probably inadvisable in real life. The machine gun, while not actually firing shots, is still impressive to see. It deploys from behind the turn signals, and it lights up and recoils in a very convincing manner. The smoke screen is less impressive after all this, but it still looks true to the movie, since it appears it will send smoke out the tailpipe. This car is turning out to be the ultimate piece of Bond memorabilia with its shockingly realistic and well-integrated gadgets. So we're inclined to agree with our West Coast Editor and resident Bond expert James Riswick that this is totally worth the 2.75 million pound price tag. And if you don't agree, you may find the Lego DB5 model more acceptable.

Martin Clunes is under fire after he was filmed riding an elephant for a TV show. Not only is elephant riding unethical, but the actor was also a celebrity patron of animal welfare charity, Born Free – a role he has now been dropped from. Clunes was widely criticised for his actions on ITV’s My Travels and Other Animals by charities and viewers. Born Free’s chief executive, Howard Jones, confirmed to The Mirror that ties had been severed with the 57-year-old since the controversial footage emerged. “Born Free has always been opposed to the exploitation of captive wild animals for entertainment and human interactions, including riding elephants,” he says. Programme viewers took to Twitter to express their surprise, and condemn Clunes’ decision to climb on top of an Asian elephant in captivity, and then ride the animal.

WASHINGTON — As President Donald Trump fights investigations by the Democrat-controlled House on multiple fronts, a court hearing Tuesday highlighted his strategy to fend off inquiries into his personal business affairs. Trump so far is challenging congressional subpoenas for financial records — both personal and from the Trump Organization — in federal courts in Washington, DC, and Manhattan. On Tuesday, a judge in the DC case heard arguments on Trump's effort to block a House Oversight Committee subpoena to accounting firm Mazars, which has long worked with Trump and his companies. Trump's strategy has three parts: First, resist efforts to speed up the litigation. Second, raise sweeping arguments about the limits of Congress's ability to investigate him that test the bounds of previous US Supreme Court and appeals court decisions. Finally, be prepared to lose and appeal. Tuesday's hearing was the first of what will likely be numerous court proceedings over Democrats's subpoenas probing not only Trump's business affairs but also the goings on of his administration. The federal judge in New York handling Trump's lawsuit challenging a subpoena to Deutsche Bank and Capital One is scheduled to hear arguments May 22. Buy time US District Judge Amit Mehta has pushed to quickly move the Mazars subpoena case along. Trump asked for a preliminary injunction temporarily stopping the House from enforcing the subpoena while the litigation went forward, but Mehta issued an order last week saying he believed the case was ready for a final decision now — the question of Congress's authority to issue the subpoena was purely a legal one, he said, and he didn't believe there was other evidence Trump needed time to gather and present to the court to resolve it. In court on Tuesday, Trump's attorney William Consovoy pushed back on the judge's plan. He said they needed time to gather evidence that would go to Democrats' intent in issuing the subpoena — Trump's core argument is that this is all a politically motivated effort to harass him, and that the subpoenas aren't tied to any "legitimate legislative purpose." Consovoy initially balked when Mehta asked him to specify what evidence they wanted and how much they would need. Consovoy said they were seeking a copy of a memorandum of understanding between several House committees that he believed would show the Mazars subpoena was part of a coordinated effort to look for evidence of wrongdoing by the president, which he argued was a law enforcement function Congress lacked authority to carry out. But when pressed by Mehta, Consovoy said there were some Republicans who had access to the memo, and he'd work with the committee's top Republican, Rep. Jim Jordan, to get it and any other information Jordan was able to give him on the issue. Douglas Letter, the House's general counsel, said they would show the judge under seal the memorandum. Letter said it involved an information-sharing arrangement among several committees related to a subpoena for records from another financial institution, which he didn't identify. Mehta said he'd review the document and decide if it should be turned over to Trump's lawyers. Consovoy also argued that he wanted another opportunity to expand their legal arguments — they didn't have to put all of their cards on the table at a preliminary injunction stage. Mehta made a small concession to Consovoy, giving him until May 18 to add any evidence to the record that he wanted. But he was unmoved by Consovoy's request for more time to brief and argue the issue, saying he thought both sides already cited all the relevant cases, and had the opportunity Tuesday to make any other arguments they wanted. "We're not going to drag this out," the judge said. Letter supported Mehta's plan to speed up the proceedings. He said they were "so cognizant" of previous cases that had taken a long time to resolve. "This Congress is limited in time," he said, in a nod to the 2020 election. "Any delay here undermines the House's ability to do what the Constitution allows it to do." Mehta did not say when he would rule, but he isn't expected to issue a decision until after the May 18 deadline. He said the case presented "serious" issues that required time to consider, but he'd abide by guidance from the Supreme Court to move "expeditiously" in cases that affect the function of government. Go big Consovoy argued that Congress had little, if any, power to investigate a president, to the point of avoiding a direct answer on the lawfulness of two of Congress's most famous investigations — former president Richard Nixon's role in the Watergate scandal and former president Bill Clinton's role in the Whitewater scandal. Any effort to investigate Trump's compliance with the law was the type of law enforcement function that Congress lacked authority to carry out, Consovoy argued. He said that logic applied to many of the reasons Democrats gave for wanting Trump's financial records, such as whether he was accurately reporting his finances under government ethics rules, whether he had any undisclosed conflicts of interest, or whether he was abiding by the Constitution's prohibition on accepting "emoluments," or things of value, from foreign governments. Mehta asked Consovoy if, by his logic, the congressional investigations into Nixon and Clinton went beyond the scope of Congress's constitutional authority. Consovoy said he would need to look more closely at those cases, and Mehta responded that they were "straightforward" — that Congress was investigating whether there were violations of law. Consovoy pivoted, saying the court had to look at contradictions between what committee chair Elijah Cummings cited as the foundation for the subpoena — information from Trump's former lawyer Michael Cohen about Trump's finances — and the reasons Democrats were giving now, such as citing the emoluments clause. Mehta asked how Consovoy's argument squared with Supreme Court precedent that said Congress didn't have to point to specific legislation to justify its investigative demands. Consovoy said Democrats had repeatedly made clear that subpoenaing Trump wasn't about adopting legislation, and that Congress's oversight power was more about the actions of federal agencies, not the president himself. Mehta expressed skepticism at Consovoy's argument that the judge had to weigh the constitutionality of the potential legislative reasons that Congress gave for issuing the subpoenas — that is, deciding the constitutionality of legislation that hadn't even been drafted yet. When Letter got up to argue, Mehta said one big difference between this case and other congressional subpoena fights in the past was that Cummings and the committee hadn't issued a formal statement outlining the scope of the investigation. That opened the door to accusations that this was an effort to harass Trump, the judge said. Letter replied that a unanimous Supreme Court decision from 1927 made clear that Congress did not have to specify what sort of legislation it was looking to adopt in launching an investigation — only that the subject was one that could lead to legislation. Congress had power to regulate the president, and his financial records could show areas that lawmakers needed to improve on, such as financial reporting rules. Mehta asked Letter where the limits were on Congress's power to investigate a president's private affairs, and Letter struggled to answer the question. He said Congress was already limited from subpoenaing "things," so, for instance, they probably couldn't subpoena a blood sample from the president. A demand for a president's childhood diaries would probably stretch his argument, he said, but the current case was nowhere near those hypothetical limits. Letter also rejected Trump's arguments that Congress was trying to take over the job of law enforcement — "Congress is not trying to send President Trump to jail," he said. Mehta asked why lawmakers needed to see records that predated Trump's time in office. Letter said that if Trump had violated the law before becoming president and a foreign government knew about it — for instance, if Trump did illegal things in pushing his ultimately unsuccessful plan for a Trump Tower in Moscow, he said — Congress would want to know. Prepare to lose Consovoy told Mehta that if they lose, they will appeal. Trump could take the case to the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit, and then up to the Supreme Court. If Mehta does rule against Trump, Consovoy asked the judge to give Trump's legal team enough time to file the appeal before allowing the committee to enforce the subpoena. Letter said they opposed any delay, but asked that if the judge did agree to stay his order, he put in a condition that Trump must file an appeal soon and ask the DC Circuit to put the case on an expedited track. Judges are usually hesitant to disturb the status quo while a case is being litigated, and are more likely to grant stays in cases where the outcome is all-or-nothing: In this instance, either the committee gets the documents, or it doesn't. Mehta didn't say what he would do, but said his order would make clear whether there's a stay, and for how long, whichever way he rules.

Two of Ford Motor Company's discontinued small cars may come back to haunt it for the second time. The automaker is facing potential legal action as a law firm in California hopes to undo an earlier class-action lawsuit in pursuit of an even bigger payday for consumers over transmission woes in its Focus and Fiesta models, The Detroit Free Press reported last week. Ford could be looking at a $4 billion liability in a lawsuit that alleges the automaker knew about faulty transmissions and then lied to buyers to cover up the issue. Litigation surrounding the dual-clutch automatic transmissions found in the Fiesta and Focus has existed for years, and most recently, Ford entered a settlement with owners in a class-action lawsuit. However, Public Citizen, a non-profit firm arguing the case for free, now hopes to undo the $35 million settlement to ensure owners get a fairer shake. There are 1.9 million drivers who purchased or leased a 2012-2016 Focus or 2011-2016 Fiesta that have complained of shuttering, jerking, slowed acceleration, and more from the transmissions.Two of Ford Motor Company's discontinued small cars may come back to haunt it for the second time. The automaker is facing potential legal action as a law firm in California hopes to undo an earlier class-action lawsuit in pursuit of an even bigger payday for consumers over transmission woes in its Focus and Fiesta models, The Detroit Free Press reported last week. Ford could be looking at a $4 billion liability in a lawsuit that alleges the automaker knew about faulty transmissions and then lied to buyers to cover up the issue. Litigation surrounding the dual-clutch automatic transmissions found in the Fiesta and Focus has existed for years, and most recently, Ford entered a settlement with owners in a class-action lawsuit. However, Public Citizen, a non-profit firm arguing the case for free, now hopes to undo the $35 million settlement to ensure owners get a fairer shake. There are 1.9 million drivers who purchased or leased a 2012-2016 Focus or 2011-2016 Fiesta that have complained of shuttering, jerking, slowed acceleration, and more from the transmissions. ------ Michael Kirkpatrick of Public Citizen said the $35 million would be a sweet deal for Ford, but argued other poor behavior from Ford to convince judges to toss out the settlement. One example includes a 2014 Focus that housed one of the defective transmissions. Ford allegedly "induced" the individual into buying the car. Three days after the purchase, the new owner brought the car back for repairs. Nothing fixed the bad transmission, and when the owner asked for a refund, Ford refused. Days before the owner's case received a trial jury, Ford admitted it broke lemon laws. CHECK OUT: Three-cylinder powered Ford Focus recalled for clutch slip and transmission fluid leak The owner was awarded $550,000 for one case, which makes the $35 million settlement look slim in comparison. There are another 1,200 cases pending in California alone, and 12,300 owners have joined a "mass-action" lawsuit after declining to participate in the class-action lawsuit. Kirkpatrick believes Ford could be facing settlements, fines, and buybacks worth $4 billion if owners are victorious in court.

WINDHOEK - Arts industry experts in Namibia are being invited and encouraged to enter for this year’s Simply You Magazine Fashion and Lifestyle Awards. A panel of industry experts will be tasked with the vetting and judging process and selecting the top four nominees in each category. The nominees will be presented to the public, who will then vote for their favourite personality. This year’s categories are Favourite Actor, Actress, Radio Personality, Model, Stylist, DJ, Make-up Artist, Emerging Fashion Designer, Fashion Designer, Blogger, Best Accessories Designer, TV Personality, Fitness Personality, Photographer, Sports Personality, and Diamond Award. The Diamond Award will be selected by the organising committee also with the assistance of industry experts. For this year’s awards, Simply You Magazine partnered with The Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC). At the launch of the awards, NBC Chief Commercial Officer Umbi Karuaihe-Upi said, “The NBC is proud to hold exclusive broadcasting rights to the Simply You Magazine Lifestyle and Fashion Awards (SYMLAFA). We are committed to joining forces and resources to leverage our marketing strategies and solicit for sponsorship for the awards.” Helena Ngaifiwa, Simply You Magazine General Manager said the purpose of the awards is to celebrate Namibia’s diverse and growing arts industry, “When we are talking about arts- we mean, the fashion, photography, beauty, philanthropy, entertainment-you name,” said Ngaifiwa. “The good thing about The Simply Magazine and Lifestyle Awards is that you can nominate anyone you feel is an expert in the arts industry or they enter themselves. The link to the application forms are available on our socal media platforms.” Simply You Magazine Managing Editor Ndapewoshali Shapwanale said the awards are happening in November at the National Theatre of Namibia (NTN). “We want industry experts to be part of this initiative. Last year, we had more than 300 nominations all combined,” she said. Shapwanale recommended those interested apply as soon as possible as the due date for entering for the awards is on June 4th 2019.

(CNN)The following contains spoilers about the "Veep" series finale. "Veep" earned a reputation for its uncanny ability to anticipate the news, dreaming up fantastic plots that somehow seemed to magically be mirrored by reality. After a closing flurry of episodes that consciously leaned into current events, the show closed at its most cynical and acerbic in an effort to trump them, zeroing in on its protagonist's utter ruthlessness in the pursuit of power. The Emmy-winning HBO comedy aired its finale on Sunday, after a build-up in which former president and current presidential candidate Selina Meyer (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) accepted help from the Chinese government, which reached out to her through the most unwitting of third parties. The final episode picked up at a deadlocked, brokered convention, where Selina demonstrated her complete lack of principle. That included using the #MeToo movement to torpedo a rival, and throwing everyone close to her -- including her trusted aide Gary (Tony Hale) and own daughter (Sarah Sutherland) -- under the bus in her bid to retake the White House. Written and directed by David Mandel, the episode seemed particularly true to a character whose commitment to winning has always overwhelmed any pretense of morality -- certainly in her private, hilariously foul-mouthed exchanges with her various minions. The idea that the show could last seven seasons without designating Seliina's political party always felt a little too precious, but in the end, as the finale made clear, it was because there was no position she wouldn't abandon, no constituency she wouldn't betray. "Why is this so hard? I just want to be president," she groused at one point, later describing the party platform as "a to-do list of things we're not gonna do." Nothing summed up Selina's whatever-it-takes attitude more than her decision to choose the totally unhinged Jonah (Timothy C. Simons) as her vice president, overruling the pleas of everyone around her not to put such a loose cannon within proximity of the Oval Office. Selina's closing scene -- a showcase for Louis-Dreyfus, as a sense of melancholy fleetingly crept across her face -- exhibited the smallest touch of regret, but was quickly shunted aside by a 24-year flashforward to her death. That felt a trifle tacked-on at first, until the brilliant final twist, which underscored something else "Veep" has reveled in from the beginning: the indignities endured by those in these positions, thanks to forces and events which they're unable to control. In this case, it was Selina's legacy -- her CBS News obituary -- being abruptly shoved aside to make room for a bigger name: Beloved actor Tom Hanks, dead at 88. Overall, the episode wasn't a perfect finish, but it felt completely in keeping with the concepts and values -- or specifically, the lack of the latter -- that "Veep" has wallowed in throughout its Emmy-winning run. Granted, the series has always enjoyed a level of cachet among award voters and political power brokers that far exceeds its po[CENSORED]r appeal, which was perfectly fine for HBO's purposes. For those who have followed Selina's arc, the last episode felt not only like a fitting encapsulation of the show's roots, but very much tailored to the craziness of the current moment. While truth has at times seemed stranger than the show's fiction, "Veep" successfully conjured a wrap-up whose chaotic zaniness even this news cycle, hopefully, will be hard-pressed to match. (HBO and CNN share parent company WarnerMedia.)

"This leads to long waiting times and interruptions in the registration process in some markets," the company said in a statement. "Volkswagen is working hard to eliminate the hitches." The limited edition ID.3 1ST has a range of up to 260 miles and will cost less than €40,000 ($45,000) in Germany. Customers need a €1,000 ($1,120) deposit to reserve one of the 30,000 cars Volkswagen plans to make. They'll get free battery charging for a year, Volkswagen hopes that its Modular Electric Toolkit, or MEB, will help it catch up to Tesla in the electric-car race. The company described the platform as the "heart" of its "electric offensive." The German carmaker plans to release 70 different electric models over the next decade, across brands including Audi, Porsche and Skoda.

SINGAPORE: CNA has launched CNALuxury.asia, the latest extension of CNALifestyle.asia that aims to augment the lifestyle portal’s appeal to an affluent audience. People will be able to consume content across digital, social and mass media, including CNA TV, radio, podcasts and online. The CNA Luxury homepage has content categorised under: • PEOPLE for personality profiles, opinion and astute analytical pieces • EXPERIENCES for gourmet and globetrotting exploits, holistic health and wellness • OBSESSIONS for in the form of fashion, grooming, gems, timepieces, abodes, automobiles and art • ACCESS for an editorial tie-up with Asia’s leading luxury media company Edipresse Media In a digital-first development, CNA Luxury has premiered episodes of its Remarkable Living series on CNAluxury.asia prior to telecast on CNA TV. The 10-part series has also been expanded into 40 feature articles on CNALuxury.asia. Phin Wong, Supervising Editor, CNA Lifestyle said: “Our discerning audience is defined not by age, but by how they live their lives. Our audiences want content that speaks to their passions – and they consume that content in multiple formats. We are proud to have CNA Luxury be the only luxury lifestyle platform to meet those needs on both digital and mainstream media.” Added Wong: “CNA Luxury is an organic evolution of the CNA Lifestyle brand in accommodating a specific subset of our audience, and demonstrates Mediacorp’s commitment to engaging consumers through their interests.” WATCH the Remarkable Living series here. Source: CNA/ly Share this content Read more at https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/business/cna-lifestyle-expands-its-offerings-with-launch-of-cna-luxury-11517026

WTSA News for Thursday, May 9th: New data from the Vermont Department of health finds a high number of Vermont children in child care and school have received all their required vaccines. Among regulated child care programs, which represent more than half of all Vermont children younger than age 5, nearly 94% met all vaccine requirements for their age. Among School age children, over 94 percent had been vaccinated the highest number since the Health Department began collecting this data in 2012. The state immunization web page features information about which immunizations adults and children should have. The New Hampshire House has once again shut down the idea of opening casinos in the state. A bill to allow two casinos narrowly passed the Senate in March. But the House voted 289-63 on Wednesday to kill the bill, then voted by a similar margin to go even further and “indefinitely postpone” it so the idea can’t come back again in any form later this year. The House has passed a sports betting bill, however, that is backed by Republican Governor Chris Sununu. A Vermont National Guard Aviation unit has returned from action overseas. Soldiers with Charlie Company, 3rd Battalion, 126th Aviation Regiment deployed in May 2018 and will be returning home after completing the demobilization process. Vermont Guard Brigadier General Gregory Knight said the unit represents the best Vermont has to offer and they performed well overseas. Windham Grows is accepting applications for its Summer/Fall 2019 program. The food and agriculture business accelerator connects entrepreneurs with mentoring, industry connections and support. It is credited with bringing in over $1.6 million in outside investments to regional businesses that have completed the program. To apply for admission, please go to windham grows dot org. Vermont Governor Phil Scott has signed a proclamation designating this week as as Nurses Week in Vermont to celebrate nurses’ care for their patients and contributions to their communities. Scott said nurser play a major role in helping to fight the opioid epidemic and providing healthcare services for an aging po[CENSORED]tion According to the Vermont Board of Nursing, there are currently more than 14 thousand Registered Nurses; over 2 thousand Licensed Practical Nurses; 45 hundred Licensed Nursing Assistants; and over 900 Advanced Practice Registered Nurses in Vermont. LOTTERY NUMBERS: TRI STATE PICK 3 7-5-4 TRI STATE PICK 4 9-2-5-1 TRI STATE GIMME 5 4-7-8-9-22 TRI STATE MEGABUCKS 1-4-16-31-37 MEGA BALL 5 POWERBALL 1-45-53-64-66 POWERBALL 3 MASS CASH 2-14-26-28-32 WTSA SPORTS: Giannis Antetokounmpo had 20 points, eight rebounds and eight assists, and the Milwaukee Bucks routed the Boston Celtics 116-91 on Wednesday night to advance to the Eastern Conference final. And so begins a pivotal off-season for the C’s. First concern? Where will Kyrie Irving end up? Stay tuned, should be a very interesting. The Bruins host the Carolina Hurricanes tonight in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference Finals Series, puck drops 8pm. Andrew Benintendi homered in the 12th inning, and the Boston Red Sox received a masterful pitching performance from Chris Sale and a game-saving catch from Jackie Bradley Jr. in a 2-1 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday night. The Red Sox have an off day in which some members of the Red Sox will visit the White House today for a ceremony honoring the ‘Sox and their World Series win last year. Among those who will not be attending the ceremony, Red Sox Manager Alex Cora. Yusei Kikuchi was brilliant on the mound in his Yankee Stadium debut, Ryon Healy had four extra-base hits, and the Seattle Mariners routed New York 10-1 on Wednesday. The Yankees and the Mariners play again tonight, JA Happ on the mound for New York, first pitch is at 6:35 Locally, your Brattleboro Colonels Girls Softball Team and Boys Baseball Team host Keene today. We will have both games for you on 99 5 The Beast beginning with coverage of the Girls Softball game, the Colonels Pre-Game Show beginning at 4:45. We’ll have the Boys Baseball game immediately following Girls Softball, again on 99 5 The Beast Fm, 1450 Am. a