BirSaNN

A customer survey obtained by Car and Driver shows that the EV9 could offer up to 400 hp and cost between $56,000 and $73,000. A reader reached out to Car and Driver, providing a screenshot from a customer survey that shows potential specifications for the upcoming electric Kia EV9 mid-size SUV. The survey shows the EV9 starting at $56,000 with rear-wheel drive, with the highest trim bringing all-wheel drive and costing $73,000. The range will allegedly be between 220 and 290 miles, while horsepower will rise from 200 ponies in the base model to 400 hp in the top trim. Car and Driver has obtained a document from Kia that could show specifications for the upcoming electric 2024 Kia EV9. A reader, who says they own a Telluride, contacted C/D after they received a survey for prospective EV owners and sent a screenshot purporting to show details about the powertrain, pricing, and range for the electric crossover. While these potential specifications could easily change before the EV9 reaches production, the information in the survey gives a good idea of Kia's targets for its new three-row EV SUV. In a statement to Car and Driver, Kia said, "Like other car companies, we are constantly evaluating the market and often conduct research on a regular basis to inform future product development." The trim-level names for the five EV9 models listed remain a mystery, but the document states that the two lower trims will come with rear-wheel drive, 200 horsepower, and 250 pound-feet of torque. The base model will apparently start around $56,000, providing 220 miles of range and a claimed 8.5 second 60-mph time but with no towing capacity. Stepping up to the $61,000 RWD trim, which presumably has a larger battery pack, lets you tow 2000 pounds and adds an extra 70 miles of range at the expense of 0.4 seconds in the sprint to 60 mph. Opting for all-wheel drive will set you back at least $63,000, but this upgraded powertrain allegedly brings 400 horsepower and 380 pound-feet. Range drops to 260 miles, but towing capacity jumps to 3500 pounds and the 60-mph time is slashed to 6.0 seconds. Paying $68,000 for the next trim up adds 20-inch wheels in place of the standard 19s, cutting range to 240 miles. The top trim, at $73,000, features the same range estimate, but torque is boosted to 480 pound-feet and the claimed dash to 60 mph goes down to 5.2 seconds. The towing capacity increases to 4500 pounds. This version also gets black 21-inch wheels, black exterior trim, and an extra 0.4 inches of ground clearance. The EV9 will be an electric counterpart to the po[CENSORED]r Telluride mid-size SUV, will ride on the e-GMP platform that will also underpin the Hyundai Ioniq 7, and is set to go on sale in the second half of 2023. Teaser photos show a design that will hew closely to the concept shown at the 2021 Los Angeles auto show, and now we might have a decent idea of what to expect from the EV9. link: https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a42621986/2024-kia-ev9-specs-leaked/

John, 67, and Jane, 64, began writing letters to one another in 1981, before finally meeting and falling in love. They’ve travelled the world together and now live in Wisconsin, US Lizzie Cernik Mon 23 Jan 2023 11.30 GMT When the farming crisis hit Iowa’s economy in 1981, John left his home state to find work. “I moved to Saudi Arabia as a field engineer for an electrical firm,” he says. Soon after starting the role, he met his colleague Robert, who would regularly write letters to his family in Yorkshire, including his sister-in-law, Jane. “Other than working, there was very little to do aside from writing to people in the evenings,” says John. “Robert asked me if I’d like to write to Jane.” Soon, the pair began exchanging letters and struck up a friendship. “The first letter I sent, I asked him whether Iowa was a city or a town,” Jane says with a laugh. “I’d never heard of it and didn’t know it was a state.” John returned to the US in 1982, before heading back to Saudi Arabia in 1983, but the pair continued to write to each other regularly. “John used to send me lots of cards,” says Jane. “We enjoyed writing to each other but never expected it to lead to marriage.” At the end of that year, they finally got a chance to meet when John was offered a layover in London on a flight back to Iowa. “Every few months I’d get leave and a co-worker booked for me to stay overnight in the UK,” he says. Knowing a letter would never reach Jane in time, he asked Robert to phone her and ask her to meet him at King’s Cross station. “I was working in BHS and it was the busiest time of the year. I don’t know how I got the day off,” says Jane. After spending the day exploring the city together, they both knew there was something special between them. “We had so much in common, despite being from different parts of the world,” says Jane. Rather than returning to the US when he next had leave, in the spring of 1984, John went to stay with Robert’s mother in England so that he could spend time with Jane. “We fell in love in that month,” she says. “We toured various parts of England and Scotland together whenever I wasn’t working.” At the end of their month together he proposed, and returned to the UK in September so they could plan the wedding. The couple married in January 1985, and Jane travelled to Saudi Arabia for the first time that summer. “It was a very different culture but I quite enjoyed it,” she says. Their daughter was born in 1986, and the couple moved to Texas for John’s work the same year. “It was completely different to Yorkshire and I was terribly homesick at first,” says Jane. In 1994, they moved to Kuala Lumpur for two years, then Folkestone, England, before settling in Wisconsin in 1999. The couple have supported each other through grief, including the deaths of their parents. “In February 2006, my father died on the same day as Jane’s mother. Despite the logistical issues, we managed to attend both funerals together,” says John. Jane also suffers from rheumatoid arthritis, which she developed three years after they married. “John has always been a big support. One of the reasons why we travelled so much early on was because we thought I’d be in a wheelchair by now,” she says. Luckily, new treatments have helped her condition. “I love that Jane’s been by my side for our journey,” says John. “There have been challenges but we’ve made it work; I know I can depend on Jane.” She says they are both “really loyal people” who never give up. “All these years later, we still really like each other. We can argue and then just forget about it. We’re best friends.” link: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2023/jan/23/how-we-met-we-enjoyed-being-penpals-but-i-never-expected-it-to-lead-to-marriage

Germany's foreign minister Anna Baerbock has said she "would not stand in the way" of Poland if it were to send Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine. Ukraine has called on the West to provide the German-made tanks which they say will help them defeat Russia. Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba told the BBC that Germany had the power to "save the lives of many Ukrainian soldiers". But Germany is yet to agree and its export laws have stood in Poland's way. On Sunday, Ms Baerbock said Poland had not yet asked for export permission. "For the moment the question has not been asked, but if we were asked we would not stand in the way," she told France's LCI TV. Poland's Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said on Monday the government would request authorisation from Berlin. But he said Poland would send the tanks to Ukraine, even if it was not granted. "Even if, ultimately we did not get this consent, within the framework of a small coalition….we will still hand over our tanks, together with others, to Ukraine," Mr Morawiecki said. The European Union's foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, said Germany would not stop other EU countries exporting Leopard tanks. He added that discussions of support for Ukraine should not solely revolve around tanks. In a BBC interview on Monday, Ukraine's Mr Kuleba appealed to all countries willing to send Leopard 2 tanks to "immediately, officially request the German government to allow delivery of these tanks to Ukraine". "This is the move that will make the whole situation crystal clear and we will see where it takes Germany. This is something that needs to be done right away and everything will become obvious," he added. A spokesperson for the German government said on Monday it had not yet received any requests to authorise the delivery of the Leopard 2 tanks. Last week, Mr Morawiecki said Poland was ready to provide 14 Leopard 2 tanks to Kyiv. On Monday, the Polish president's foreign policy adviser, Marcin Przydacz, said he welcomed Ms Baerbock's announcement, but would prefer to hear Germany's position confirmed by Chancellor Olaf Scholz. "It turns out that through talks and diplomatic actions, Poland is able to change the German position," Mr Przydacz told Polish Radio. However, Warsaw ultimately wants Berlin and Nato allies to also send their own Leopards because government officials admit that 14 tanks will have a limited impact on Ukraine's fighting capacity. The Leopard 2 tanks were specifically designed to compete with the Russian T-90 tanks, which are being used in the invasion. There are believed to be more than 2,000 of them worldwide and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky said about 300 of them would help ensure a Russian defeat. Many allied countries have become frustrated with Germany over its reluctance to send its own Leopard 2 tanks. Under current regulations, Germany must also sanction any re-export of its tanks by other countries, such as Poland. Following a meeting of more than 50 allied countries on Friday, Germany had not yet committed to supplying the tanks nor releasing their export licence. But it denied unilaterally blocking the tanks' export. In a joint statement on Saturday the foreign ministers of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania told Germany "to provide Leopard tanks to Ukraine now". Presentational grey line Why are Leopard tanks so in demand? By Chris Partridge, BBC weapons analyst The Leopard 2 tank is a world-class weapon used by more than a dozen countries. Ukraine sees tanks as another vital part of its defence against Russian forces and Leopards have seen combat action in Afghanistan and Syria. What makes them particularly attractive to Kyiv is that nearly two-thirds of all Leopards produced are still in Europe. So physically getting Leopards to the fight is relatively straightforward. That also makes maintenance and repair - vital aspects of any weapons system - easier too. It is worth remembering in all this that Germany is giving Ukraine vital air defence systems, such as IRIS-T and Patriot surface-to-air missiles, as well as armoured personnel carriers. Presentational grey line Mr Scholz has traditionally been sceptical of German involvement in military conflicts, and concerned about triggering an escalation from Russia. The chancellor met French president Emmanuel Macron at the weekend to reiterate the two countries' post-war alliance. France has already committed to sending light tanks to Ukraine, and Mr Macron suggested it was possible that French-made Leclerc heavy tanks may also be delivered to Ukraine. Other countries have committed to sending tanks, including the UK, which will send 14 Challenger 2s. link: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-64370165

Morocco’s finance ministry maintains that the national budget deficit continued on a downward trajectory in 2022. Rabat - Morocco’s national budget deficit stood at MAD 69.5 billion ($6.8 billion) at the end of 2022, almost 5% of the country’s Gross Domestic Production (GDP), down by 0.4% year-on-year. According to a new publication from Morocco’s Ministry of Economy and Finance, the country’s budget deficit continued on a “downward trend” in 2022. State budget deficit occurs when a government's expenditures exceed its income, prompting countries to borrow money to cover the deficit. The state rising expenditures in 2022 were mainly due to the country’s efforts to cushion prices for households and preserve the national purchasing power. In addition, Morocco continued to support the national economy through investments, and tax cuts among other measures. Amid the ongoing price shocks, government expenditures rose by 14% year-on-year in 2022. The cost of subsidizing basic commodities rose by MAD 20.3 billion ($1.9 billion) on the backdrop of rising gas prices and the direct financial support allocated to transportation workers. Meanwhile, treasury revenues have also increased from both tax and non-tax sources, the report notes. At the end of 2022, tax revenues grew by 17%, or MAD 37.3 billion ($3.6 billion), outperforming government predictions. Tax revenues reached MAD 48.7 billion ($4.7 billion) at the end of 2022. In 2022, the World Bank (WB) warned that Morocco’s subsiding campaign would heavily affect its budget deficit. However, Morocco’s actual budget deficit fell short by 6.4% of GDP the WB predicted. link: https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2023/01/353685/moroccos-treasury-national-budget-deficit-stood-at-5-of-gdp-in-2022

Nick Movie: Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Time: 2. jun 2023. Netflix / Amazon / HBO?: ? Duration of the movie: 1h 55min Trailer:

Live Performance Title: Skusta Clee performs "Zebbiana" LIVE on Wish 107.5 Bus Signer Name: Skusta Clee Live Performance Location: - Official YouTube Link: Your Opinion About the Track (Music Video): 10/8

Music Title: Music Mix 2023 🎧 Remixes Of Po[CENSORED]r Songs 🎧 EDM Dance Music Playlist$$$ Signer: - Release Date: 23/01/2023 Official Youtube Link: Informations About The Signer: - Your Opinion About The Track (Music Video): 10/7

Nick: @-Sethu - <HUNT3R> Old grade : Co-Owner New grade : Owner Reason : Good activ + my decision

Nick: @[Ty]M@g0k1l3r Old grade : Owner New grade : Legend Reason : Retirement

• Name: @BirSaNN • Time & Date: 01:14 /23/01/2023 • Screenshot: https://imgur.com/a/ca6ED1c

Labour is calling for a parliamentary investigation into claims the chairman of the BBC helped Boris Johnson secure a loan guarantee, weeks before the then-PM recommended him for the role. The Sunday Times says Richard Sharp was involved in arranging a guarantor on a loan of up to £800,000 for Mr Johnson. Mr Sharp said he had "simply connected" people and there was no conflict of interest. Mr Johnson's spokesman said he did not receive financial advice from Mr Sharp. He also dismissed Labour's suggestion Mr Johnson could have breached the code of conduct for MPs "through failing to appropriately declare the arrangement" on his Parliamentary register of interests. On Sunday the Cabinet Office said Mr Sharp was appointed following a "rigorous appointments process" and all the correct recruitment processes were followed. Labour's chairwoman Anneliese Dodds has written to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, Daniel Greenberg, asking for "an urgent investigation into the facts of this case". Foreign Secretary James Cleverly told the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg that "of course perception matters". But he added Mr Sharp was an "incredibly accomplished, incredibly successful individual", and there was "no doubt he was appointed on merit". He also said it was not "unusual for someone to be politically active prior to their appointment to senior BBC positions". Mr Sharp declined to appear on Laura Kuenssberg on Sunday but told the show "the claim that there was anything financial involved is not true". Meanwhile, Mr Johnson travelled to Ukraine on Sunday to visit parts of Kyiv and meet with President Zelensky. Who is the BBC's chairman, Richard Sharp? Mr Johnson was reported to be in financial difficulty in late 2020. The Sunday Times says multimillionaire Canadian businessman Sam Blyth - a distant cousin of Mr Johnson - raised with Mr Sharp the idea of acting as Mr Johnson's guarantor for a loan. It is not clear where the loan agreement itself came from. Mr Sharp - a Conservative Party donor who at the time was applying to be the chairman of the BBC - contacted Simon Case, the then-cabinet secretary and head of the civil service. The paper says a due diligence process was then instigated. The Cabinet Office later wrote a letter telling Mr Johnson to stop seeking Mr Sharp's advice about his personal finances, given the forthcoming BBC appointment, the Times says. BBC News has not seen the letter. On Sunday afternoon a Cabinet Office spokesperson said: "Mr Sharp reminded the cabinet secretary about the BBC appointment process and asked for advice given his existing relationship with Boris Johnson. "They agreed that he could not take part in discussions involving the then prime minister, given the appointment process. This was accepted by Mr Sharp to avoid any conflict or appearance of any conflict of interest and the then prime minister was advised accordingly." According to the Times, Mr Sharp, Mr Blyth and Mr Johnson had dinner together at Chequers before the loan guarantee was finalised, although they deny the PM's finances were discussed then. Former Goldman Sachs banker Mr Sharp was announced as the government's choice for the new BBC chairman in January 2021. The government's choice is ultimately decided by the prime minister, on the advice of the culture secretary, who is in turn advised by a panel. The BBC chairman heads the board that sets the corporation's strategic direction and upholds its independence. Candidates for such publicly-appointed roles are required to declare any conflicts of interest. Appointed for a four-year term on the recommendation of the culture secretary through the PM, and with a salary of £160,000 a year, the BBC chairman's role is to uphold and protect the independence of the BBC. After a 40-year career in finance, since February 2021 Richard Sharp has led the BBC board, responsible for setting the corporation's strategic vision and budgets as well as ensuring BBC decisions are made in the interests of the public. Mr Sharp is often the public face of the corporation; only a few days ago, he was making a speech about the financial pressures on the BBC World Service and the importance of impartiality. Now he is accused of helping his old friend, Boris Johnson to secure a loan guarantee. Crucially, during the application process to be chairman, Mr Sharp didn't declare a potential conflict of interest and Mr Sharp insists there was none. The post is a political appointment, but the story is damaging not just to Mr Sharp personally but could also be to the BBC more widely. The corporation is making a highly visible effort, in a polarised media landscape, to put impartiality and transparency at the heart of its attempts to earn people's trust. Whatever the truth of what happened, perceptions matter - particularly with the corporation facing a review of its charter by the government ahead of renewal in 2027. 2px presentational grey line In a statement, Mr Sharp said: "There is not a conflict when I simply connected, at his request, Mr Blyth with the cabinet secretary and had no further involvement whatsoever." A Cabinet Office spokesperson said: "Richard Sharp was appointed as chairman of the BBC following a rigorous appointments process including assessment by a panel of experts, constituted according to the public appointments code. "There was additional pre-appointment scrutiny by a House of Commons Select Committee which confirmed Mr Sharp's appointment. All the correct recruitment processes were followed. "The recruitment process is set out clearly and transparently in the governance code on public appointments and overseen by the Commissioner for Public Appointments." link: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-64362640

A new study has revealed that red junglefowl, the wild ancestors of chickens, are losing their genetic diversity as they mate with their domesticated counterparts. Red junglefowl are under threat from domesticated chickens that want to mate with them, a new study shows. These wild birds, the ancestors of domesticated chickens, risk losing their genetic diversity because they are breeding with farmed chickens that putter around their natural habitat. If this crossbreeding continues, it could threaten junglefowl's survival in the future, which would likely have knock-on effects for their domestic counterparts. Between 6,000 and 8,000 years ago, humans began to farm red junglefowl (Gallus gallus) for the first time in China and other parts of Southeast Asia. As farmers selectively bred individuals with desirable traits, such as having more meat or producing more eggs, junglefowl gradually evolved into what we now know as chickens (G. g. domesticus), which are a subspecies of red junglefowl. The practice of farming chickens was then eventually adopted all over the globe. Today, there are five wild subspecies of red junglefowl: G. g. gallus, which live in India, Bangladesh and Southeast Asia; G. g bankiva, on the Indonesian islands of Java and Sumatra; G. g. jabouillei, native to Vietnam; G. g. murghi, which are found in Bangladesh, India and Pakistan; and G.g. spadiceus, which live in Myanmar and Thailand. All of these subspecies can successfully breed with domesticated chickens, meaning that chickens' genes, which were artificially selected by farmers, can be introduced to wild po[CENSORED]tions. Scientists call this type of genetic mixing introgressive hybridization, or introgression. As chicken farming has intensified around the world due to increased demand for meat and more efficient farming practices, the amount of introgression between chickens and wild junglefowl is believed to have increased significantly, but until now nobody had studied this in detail. Related: All hail the hen! Chickens were revered for centuries before they were food In a new study, published Jan. 19 in the journal PLOS Genetics(opens in new tab), researchers sequenced genomes of 51 chickens and a mix of 63 red junglefowl from the wild subspecies. The sequenced birds included recently deceased individuals as well as remains from older individuals dating to around 100 years ago, which enabled the team to see how much introgression had occurred over the last century. The results showed that between 20% and 50% of wild red junglefowl genes have been inherited from domesticated chickens, and that the rate of genetic mixing has increased over time. Despite this increase in shared DNA, the researchers identified eight key genes in chickens that have not been passed on to their wild counterparts. These genes, which play important roles in development, reproduction and vision, were likely key to the domestication of chickens, the researchers wrote in the study. Therefore, the subspecies will likely continue to remain separate for now. But if this rate of introgression continues, wild red junglefowl subspecies could soon struggle to survive, the researchers warned. Having a reduced genetic pool means that the wild birds may not be able to adapt to changing conditions, such as a loss of habitat or human-caused climate change, which are likely in the future, they said. A reduced gene pool in wild junglefowl po[CENSORED]tions could also have negative implications for domesticated chickens. Currently, researchers can use wild junglefowl as a genetic reservoir to find new genes that can be introduced to domestic breeds — for example, finding genetic variants that make an animal more resistant to a particular disease. But if wild po[CENSORED]tions have reduced genetic diversity, then this option will be lost. The team, therefore, believes that attempts should be made to protect wild red junglefowl subspecies from any further introgression. "Our study brings to light the current and ongoing loss of the wild junglefowl genotype, suggesting that efforts may be needed to safeguard its full genetic diversity," researchers wrote. link: https://www.livescience.com/chickens-decreasing-red-junglefowl-diversity

The SUV is still in high demand and short supply, but Ford is apparently determined not to lose those customers. Ford still can't build enough Broncos, and the issues aren't about to go away if our reading of the tea leaves in a new "2023-Model Bronco Cancel Order & Purchase Replacement Offer" are correct. The letter, which Ford recently sent to dealers, says that customers can get a $2500 discount if they order a different Ford model before early April. Another option is to switch to a lower-trim or lower-content Bronco by removing "constrained commodities." Ford has a problem, and it thinks $2500 might make it go away. The problem—admittedly, a good one to have—is that demand for the Ford Bronco has remained strong since the Jeep-esque off-roader debuted in 2021. But, supply chain and production challenges have meant that Ford has had to repeatedly delay Bronco orders. Now, Ford is going to force, in Ford's words, a "small number of existing Bronco reservation and order holders" who ordered but have not yet received their 2023 Bronco to choose among four options, none of which will result in these customers getting the vehicle they ordered. First reported by Cars Direct, Ford has sent an incentive bulletin to dealers that offers anyone who's ordered a 2023 Bronco a $2500 discount if they switch to another Ford model. The 2023-Model Bronco Cancel Order & Purchase Replacement Offer says Ford is prepared to give "an additional incentive to cancel their current 23MY Bronco Order and retail order an eligible 23MY Ford vehicle," according to Cars Direct. Customers can get the discount if they make the switch to one of seven other Ford models before April 3. The qualifying list of non-Bronco vehicles includes the Escape, Bronco Sport, Edge, Explorer, Expedition, Ranger, and F-150. The Mustang Mach-E, F-150 Tremor, and Raptor apparently do not qualify. Ford told Car and Driver that the causes of the problems are, unsurprisingly, ongoing supply-chain challenges. The missing parts mean that certain "constrained features," like the Sasquatch and Lux packages and the Molded in Color Hard Top, are not going to be available for 2023 model Bronco customers who ordered them and have not yet received their vehicle. "Customers who remove constrained features are expected to receive a 2023 model year Bronco along with a $2500 rebate toward purchase or lease in addition to existing MSRP price protection they may have," Ford spokesperson Mike Levine told C/D. Customers who don't want to modify their reservation will have to accept one of four options. As mentioned, there's the $2500 rebate. Customers can also just cancel their reservation and get their original $100 deposit back. Third, they can try to find a "suitable Bronco" at a dealer that happens to have one. Finally, they can just cancel their order and place a new one for a 2024 Bronco. "If we are not able to schedule a reservation or order for production, it will be canceled for the 2023 model year and their $100 reservation deposit will be refunded automatically," Levine said. One problem with all of this is that no one can order a new Bronco at the moment. While the configurator remains active, Ford's consumer site also says, "Due to high demand, the current model year [2023 Bronco] is no longer available for retail order. Limited inventory may be available at selected dealers." There's also no way to order a 2024 Bronco through the site just yet. Ford's site also says, "[Bronco] supplies are limited and there are no guarantees." You don't say. link: https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a42610346/ford-bronco-customers-pay-to-switch-models/

On the 20th anniversary of his bestseller, Nigel Slater tells how it all began … and how it went to stage and screen Toast is 20. But the memoir that chronicled my childhood (cooking, eating, crying, and a few other “ings” a wiser author might have left out) started life as neither book, film nor stage play, but as an article in the Observer. I was unsure about the idea. A request for a piece about the food I had grown up with. Did my editor know that my childhood had been a catalogue of sliced white bread, Jacobs’ Cream Crackers and Sugar Puffs? That I refused to eat any meat that wasn’t roast chicken or a lamb chop and any vegetable save frozen peas? I pondered how a story whose gastronomic highlights were arctic roll and butterscotch Angel Delight would go down with the readers. Surely the food of my father’s childhood, where his broke single mum brought him up on bread and dripping and soup made from bones begged from the butcher, might produce a better story. As I handed my tales to Justine Picardie, then the editor of Observer Life magazine, I explained how jelly with mandarin oranges, Abbey Crunch biscuits and Smartie-studded birthday cake had been a lifeline to a small boy whose early life had been far from idyllic. There were chapters on chocolate mini rolls and Space Dust, cheese and onion crisps, Fray Bentos steak and kidney pie, and the bowl of yellow bliss that was Mum’s banana custard. To give the culinary delights of the 1960s a sense of place, I chronicled what was happening in my life at the time, including the death of my mother when I was nine and a somewhat misspent adolescence. As I filed, I mentioned she may like to cut the autobiographical element. Rather than cut, it was decided to dedicate most of the magazine to the piece. I remained hesitant. Other cooks’ memoirs were filled with trips to buy goat’s cheeses and pain au chocolat in the markets of Provence, where mine was a story of buying Kraft cheese slices and Jammie Dodgers from the grocers in Wolverhampton. I don’t think I have ever written anything that created a bigger avalanche of letters and emails. The reaction from readers was uplifting. I had obviously underestimated the number who had also lived through the dubious delights of jelly with evaporated milk. Apparently, I wasn’t the only one who knew their humbugs from their Nuttall’s Mintoes. Louise Haines, my book editor at 4th Estate phoned to commission an entire childhood memoir. Toast – The Story of a Boy’s Hunger was written on an old iMac at the desk in my north London bedroom and published in 2003. Like most memoirs, there were details missing, some pieces exaggerated for effect, other stories simply forgotten. A few facts and names were fudged, if only to protect those involved. I received criticism from some for being hard on my father and stepmother. A grumble that irked me as I felt the memoir had been extremely lenient, generous even. I had pared back the beatings from my bullying father and preserved my stepmother’s privacy by changing her name. None of which stopped the family being somewhat irked by my scribblings. The book gathered a number of awards which its author collected gratefully, the first of which was at a rather grand ceremony in the ballroom at Grosvenor House. “Oh dear, my work appears to have been beaten by a book about toast,” spat out one of the disgruntled authors. This was followed by others and then news the book was to be translated into German and Polish, Dutch and Korean. The US edition contained a glossary explaining what fairy cakes and crumpets were. I am honestly not sure what the average reader in Seoul would make of a Walnut Whip or a Sherbet Fountain. Whatever, my little book had sprouted legs. More news arrived. A film company was interested. I met with Alison Owen of Ruby Films, who had produced Elizabeth R. Over tea, we discussed the possible cast and the chapters that would and wouldn’t work on screen. Then we heard BBC One wanted it for their Christmas line up of family-friendly viewing [it was shown in 2010], which, though thrilling, put paid to my thoughts of a grey, gritty and salacious biopic. Lee Hall, who had written the screenplay for Billy Elliot, was brought in to write the script. Daunted by the whole idea, I decided to stay out of the picture. One hot summer’s day, I went to the first reading at what felt like a church hall, tucked away behind a scruffy door in Soho. Victoria Hamilton had been cast – perfectly – as my kindly, gentle mother. (Mum’s character was the one I felt most protective of.) I sat with Helena Bonham Carter, who was to play my stepmother. The first of many an hour spent with Helena, getting to the heart and soul of the woman I had renamed Joan Potter. What hit me at the time was the way I could remember with such terrifying clarity every detail of someone I had not seen for decades, from the way she lit her endless cigarettes to the flourish with which she sprayed her beloved Pledge over the woodwork. Some of the filming was done in an abandoned hotel in Birmingham, a crumbling, once magnificent place with a vast white ballroom with ceilings like a wedding cake. I spent time with the first two Nigels, Oscar Kennedy and Freddie Highmore. Filming my television cookery series, I could only attend a few of the rehearsals. It was sod’s law I turned up for the most traumatic moments of the story – a heartbreaking scene just prior to my mother’s death and one where she dances the waltz with Oscar, which had me floored. I sobbed throughout the scene. In 2017, my agent received an approach about turning Toast into a play. The script turned out to be a joy. As the director, cast and crew set about, I attended many rehearsals. There purely to watch and bring cake, I became surprisingly emotionally invested. A stage production feels more visceral and no matter how many times I watched the tenderness with which Lizzie Muncey played my mother, I ended up in tears. The play debuted at the Lowry in Salford and then went on to the Edinburgh festival. The day we heard it had been picked up for a London run and then a countrywide tour was both happy and slightly intimidating, to me if not the cast. James Thompson took on the role of food director, orchestrating the play’s cooking scenes including a poignant slow-motion rendition of an adolescent Nigel making mushrooms on toast for his dead father. Easy enough to fake, but James wanted the scene to be real, with gas burners on stage and the smell of thyme and garlic butter rising all the way to the upper circle. It worked brilliantly, though probably left the audience ravenous. Giles Cooper, who played the young Nigel, valiantly tucked into mushrooms on toast night after night, despite loathing all manner of edible fungi. It was suggested that the audience might appreciate something to eat during the performance. A simple enough idea – bags of sweets and tarts sent out so you could simultaneously experience what the cast were eating on stage. But having them leap off stage to deliver bags of toffees and caramels and thousands of boiled sweets turned out to be both a logistical nightmare and an outright winner. To a thumping soundtrack of Talking Heads’ Psycho Killer, my stepmother and the rest of the cast descended on the audience with plates of lemon meringues. As the play hurtled around the country, it felt as though I spent the entire run on trains from one end of the nation to the other. There were only a few I didn’t make it to. I loved the tour even more than the London run. Strangely, the cast insisted the “house” felt different when I was in there, so I spent many an evening in the stalls in support. I saw the play often enough to know every line. It crossed my mind that if Giles ever got stuck on the underground, the real Nigel could possibly squeeze into his short trousers and climb on stage. The scripts can now be licensed for amateur productions, the first of which happened just before Christmas at Bromley Little Theatre. Attending the first night, I realised the story and its warmth works particularly well in intimate theatres. Sitting in the red velvet seats on a freezing winter’s night we tucked into our Walnut Whips and Love Hearts for comfort, just as this little boy had, half a century before. A 20th anniversary edition of Toast – The Story of a Boy’s Hunger will be published in the autumn by 4th Estate link: https://www.theguardian.com/food/2023/jan/22/nigel-slater-how-his-memoir-toast-became-a-phenomenon

Two Ukrainian fighter jets roar low overhead as we emerge from a dense, snow-bound forest and drive into the railway junction town of Lyman, in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine. It is nearly four months since Russian troops were forced to retreat from here, pushed back some 25km (about 15 miles) to the east. But the boom of artillery fire, close to the front lines, is still audible every few minutes, and this town - much of it in ruins - is not yet safe from Russian missiles. "I live on the seventh floor. The rocket hit the fifth floor, early this morning, at around five. But I'm fine," says Alexander Rogovitz, a 73-year-old retired businessman and the only remaining resident of a large apartment block on the edge of town. He bends over to share out some dried food to the eight cats - seven of them strays, abandoned by neighbours - he now looks after. That resilience, and a strong collective spirit, seem to be widespread here, among those who have clung on amid the snow and rubble. In a nearby courtyard, beside a giant bomb crater, a 45-year-old railway technician named Valeri Dmitrenko is busy chopping wood to heat the basement where he and 21 neighbours have been sheltering for the past nine months. Lyman still has no running water or central heating system, and the daytime temperature has been hovering around freezing. "What can we do?" Valeri shrugs, stroking the head of a stray dog he and his wife, Ira, recently adopted and named Princess Diana. When he's not busy with his axe, Valeri helps neighbours repair broken doors and windows in their badly damaged apartment building. Ira walks past, hurriedly, with buckets of water she has pumped from a well in the yard. "I still find it stressful to stay outside, in the open, for long," says Ira, a 41-year-old accountant, before heading down a dark flight of stairs and into the cramped cellar of 6 Railway Street. Despite heavy fighting continuing in the Donbas, civilians are trickling back to liberated Ukrainian towns close to the front line - against the advice of local authorities. In Lyman, devastated by Russian forces last year, some 13,000 residents are living, precariously, in gruelling winter conditions. As Russia's forces approached Lyman last June, 41,000 civilians fled, leaving about 10,000 people behind. Many of those were elderly, or poor - or, like Ira and Valeri, had sick relatives who refused to leave. For the next four months, about 60 people squeezed into the same cellar on Railway Street. "It was difficult at times. People are different. Some became aggressive - we're not used to living all together like this," says Ira. Adding to that stress was the fact that, by Ira's reckoning, about a third of those who had chosen to stay in the cellar were pro-Russian, actively hoping that Ukraine would lose the war. "Yes, there were people who supported Russia. But they left when Ukraine started liberating territory. When the so-called Russian authorities moved out, they went with them, taking their children. Probably because they were scared of what would happen to them here," adds Ira. On 3 October, Lyman was liberated by Ukrainian forces and soon afterwards the town's mayor, Alexander Zhuravlov, returned to discover that "80%, maybe 90%" of the buildings had been damaged or destroyed. The railway lines that pass through the centre of town are still a mass of broken overhead cables and blocked tracks. In recent months, the mayor and his team have managed to restore electricity to most of the town and the surrounding villages. Pensions are now being paid, on time, and some shops have reopened. The government and humanitarian groups have brought in wood stoves and distributed logs. Every day one aid group brings in hundreds of packed lunches to distribute free of charge. There are roughly 700 children living in Lyman and the mayor estimates that another 3,000 residents have returned since the town was liberated. But he's urging the rest to stay away. "At the moment we do not recommend people to return here. On the contrary, they're better off in safer places and cities. There are no comfortable living places here, for now. People will be accepted in other regions and will be provided with accommodation and food," he says, driving to the site of a two-week-old missile attack that ripped the entire wall off a nine-storey apartment block. The mayor says local police are still dealing with "a handful" of Lyman's residents suspected of working for the Russian occupiers. But he believes the experience of the past year has persuaded many pro-Russian residents to change their views. "I think those people now understand that they made a mistake. They were led astray by the media - watching Russian propaganda on television every night and thinking it was the truth. They were in a minority, and they have already changed their minds. They see that this Russian world is not the one they'd been led to expect," says Zhuravlyov. A 62-year-old woman called Valentina, queueing for food at the local hospital, seems to reflect that change of heart, when asked about the security situation in Lyman since it was liberated. In recent months, pro-Russian civilians have often hinted at their allegiance by implying that both sides are equally guilty of shelling towns, and that it is therefore impossible to assign blame. "The bombardment hasn't stopped. The shells still hit the town. We don't know who is firing," she begins. But then, unprompted, Valentina changes her mind. "I suppose it must be the Russians. Yes, no doubt," she says, adding: "We're Ukrainians. This is a Ukrainian town. The shops are open. Our pensions come on time. The state has not abandoned us." link: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-64367346

Rajab precedes the month of Sha'ban and the holy month of Ramadan. Rabat - Monday will mark the beginning of the month of Rajab, the seventh month in the Islamic calendar. In a press release, the Ministry of Islamic Affairs and religious Endowment announced the sighting of the crescent moon at sunset on January 22. The sighting of the crescent moon confirmed that Monday is the beginning of Rajab in Morocco, which precedes the month of Sha’ban and the holy month of Ramadan. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. During Ramadan, one of the holiest events in Islam, Muslims abstain from eating and drinking from dawn to sunset. Ramadan lasts 29 or 30 days, depending on the crescent month. Throughout Ramadan, Muslims cannot smoke, take non-prescribed medicine, or chew gum during fasting hours. People with illnesses requiring medication and the elderly are exempted from fasting. Muslim scholars determine the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan by sighting the crescent. In 2022, Morocco celebrated the first day of Ramadan on April 3. link: https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2023/01/353673/islamic-calendar-monday-is-first-day-of-rajab-in-morocco

Nick Movie: Batman: The Doom That Came To Gotham Time: March 28, 2023 Netflix / Amazon / HBO?: ? Duration of the movie: - Trailer:

Live Performance Title: Coi Leray "Players" (Live Performance) | Open Mic Signer Name: Coi Leray Live Performance Location: - Official YouTube Link: Your Opinion About the Track (Music Video): 10/5

Music Title: PARTY SONGS 2023 🎧 Remixes Of Po[CENSORED]r Songs 🎧 DJ Remix EDM Club Dance Music Mix Playlist $$ Signer: - Release Date: 21/01/2023 Official Youtube Link: Informations About The Signer: - Your Opinion About The Track (Music Video): 10/10

• Name: @BirSaNN • Time & Date: 00:00 / 22/01/2023 • Screenshot: https://imgur.com/a/asXKmoS

Tory Party Chairman Nadhim Zahawi says an error in his tax affairs was accepted by HMRC as having been "careless and not deliberate". In a statement, he said he wanted to address "confusion about my finances" after claims he tried to avoid tax and had to pay it back. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is satisfied with Mr Zahawi's account, the BBC has been told. Labour said there was a whole list of questions that still needed answering. The party has called on Mr Zahawi to publish all correspondence with HMRC "so we can get the full picture". According to the Guardian, Mr Zahawi had to pay back tax he owed with a 30% penalty and the total amounts to £4.8m. The BBC has been unable to verify that figure, but when the paper asked about the penalty, Mr Zahawi's spokesperson did not deny one had been paid. Mr Zahawi's statement does not make clear whether he paid a penalty or not as part of his settlement, nor does it say how much he paid to HMRC. He said when he was being appointed chancellor, questions were being raised about his tax affairs and he discussed it with the Cabinet Office at the time. The exact timing of when the matter was settled with HMRC remains unclear. Labour calls for Zahawi to be sacked over tax claims In the statement issued on Saturday afternoon, Mr Zahawi said: "As a senior politician I know that scrutiny and propriety are important parts of public life. Twenty-two years ago I co-founded a company called YouGov. I'm incredibly proud of what we achieved. It is an amazing business that has employed thousands of people and provides a world-beating service. "When we set it up, I didn't have the money or the expertise to go it alone. So I asked my father to help. In the process, he took founder shares in the business in exchange for some capital and his invaluable guidance. "Twenty one years later, when I was being appointed chancellor of the exchequer, questions were being raised about my tax affairs. I discussed this with the Cabinet Office at the time. "Following discussions with HMRC, they agreed that my father was entitled to founder shares in YouGov, though they disagreed about the exact allocation. They concluded that this was a 'careless and not deliberate' error. "So that I could focus on my life as a public servant, I chose to settle the matter and pay what they said was due, which was the right thing to do." The questions facing Mr Zahawi include whether he tried to avoid paying tax by using an offshore company called Balshore Investments to hold shares in YouGov, the polling company he co-founded in 2000 - something he has always denied. Balshore Investments is registered offshore in Gibraltar. According to HMRC, tax avoidance involves bending the rules of the tax system to try to gain a tax advantage that Parliament never intended. It is legal and includes things that some people would consider to be normal tax planning. Tax avoidance is different from tax evasion, which is illegal. Penalties can be applied by HMRC if tax is not paid in the correct amount at the right time. In his statement, Mr Zahawi continues: "Additionally, HMRC agreed with my accountants that I have never set up an offshore structure, including Balshore Investments, and that I am not the beneficiary of Balshore Investments. "This matter was resolved prior to my appointments as chancellor of the duchy of Lancaster and subsequently chairman of the party I love so much. When I was appointed by the prime minister, all my tax affairs were up to date." link: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-64360260