BirSaNN

In this series, Guardian writers share the best advice they’ve ever received and how it’s impacted their lives since Families are full of random useless advice and mine especially so. My great-grandfather counselled against rock fishing. “Those whom the gods seek to destroy first turn to rock fishing.” Not applicable. My grandmother had warnings when choosing life partners. “Never trust a man with a middle part. Or a black hat.” Outdated, if not prejudicial. A fashionable friend had clothing advice. “Never wear stripes on your arse.” So I was slightly relieved when I moved to a farm that my husband didn’t have much advice for me. He is a sink or swim type of person. One of the only scraps he offered was “always check your own girth strap”. A girth strap, for non-horsey people, is the belt that holds the saddle to the horse. In people, it might hold your trousers up, or separate the bottom and the top half of you, depending on what you need it for. The Farmer™, as he is known, underlined early on in my unspectacular horse riding career that I should always check my own girth strap. He got the advice from a 100-year-old cowgirl interviewed in the pages of a newspaper and soon adopted it as his own. She seemed like someone who had earned the right to give advice. Besides, it was absolutely true that if I did not check my own girth strap, my saddle could roll. In that situation, I could come a gutser (“fall off” in the local parlance) and then look for others to blame. So when our daughter grew up with my horse addiction, she was offered the same advice by her father. One day, while riding at her friend’s place, her saddle did begin to roll on her friend’s enthusiastic pony. As she slid around the Appaloosa’s belly, the first thing that came to mind was “I didn’t check my own girth strap”. She fell off. But my husband wasn’t just using girth strap checking as equine advice. It served to underline personal responsibility for our own predicaments. Complaining about the reading on the bathroom scales or health in general? Check your own girth strap! (Ferme la bouche!) Struggling with your tax return or your life admin in general? Check your own girth strap! (Do it yourself!) Underpants falling down? Check your own girth strap. I have yet to live by it consistently but that’s the challenge, right? By the way, our daughter was unhurt by the fall. But she has never forgotten the advice. And nor will I. link: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2023/jan/11/ive-never-forgotten-the-advice-of-a-100-year-old-cowgirl-always-check-your-own-girth-strap

Russia's defence ministry says its forces are taking part in the battle for Soledar, a town north of Bakhmut in east Ukraine which has been the focus of recent fighting. It comes after the head of Russia's notoriously brutal Wagner mercenary group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, claimed his fighters were in full control there and boasted that only his troops took part. Mr Prigozhin will most likely use any victory to bolster the reputation of Wagner as an effective fighting force in the eyes of President Putin. But the Russian defence ministry appeared to contradict the controversial oligarch's claims. Spokesman Igor Konashenkov said in the military's daily update that: "Soledar has been blockaded from the north and the south by units of the Russian Airborne Forces. "The Russian Air Force is carrying out strikes on enemy strongholds. Assault troops are taking part in battles inside the town." There was no mention of Wagner forces. Ukraine's defence ministry also said on Wednesday that heavy fighting continues, and Wagner forces have had no success in breaking through its defences. Conflicting claims over embattled Ukraine town If Soledar falls, it will be a boost to Mr Prigozhin. In a statement released on Tuesday night, he boasted that "no other units took part in the storming of Soledar apart from Wagner". Ukrainian and US officials have said that Wagner units make up a large part of forces fighting in the area. Analysts have long spoken of tensions between the military and Wagner, and Mr Prigozhin has publicly criticised generals for allegedly being out of touch with the realities of the war in Ukraine. While it is difficult to know for sure exactly whether infighting is going on in the corridors of power, there are some clues. Yesterday, news agency Tass reported that Colonel-General Alexander Lapin was appointed as Chief of Staff of the Ground Forces. Russian media quoted sources who claimed that the announcement of Gen Lapin's position - he was one of those slammed by Mr Prigozhin last year - was made as a warning to the oligarch: don't mess with the military. But many here have been quick to praise Mr Prigozhin and Wagner for their apparent progress in Soledar. Influential media boss Margarita Simonyan gushed about how "polite" he is, signing off with a thanks to Wagner fighters, who she called "my little darlings!" Likewise, pro-Kremlin military bloggers on Telegram lavished praise on the mercenary group. One blogger thanked them for "the emotions you've given us tonight". Another said "When Soledar and [Bakhmut] are liberated, it will be a new chapter in Russian military history. The first time that a private military company has shown such results in a highly intensive military conflict". The strategic significance of Soledar is disputed by military analysts. But if Russian forces do succeed in establishing full control over the town, it will certainly be a symbolic victory for the Kremlin. That is because Moscow's troops have failed to take a single significant town from Ukrainian forces since the summer of 2022. link: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-64235712

The Spanish monarch wants Morocco-Spain relations to be a model for his country’s ties with other countries in North Africa. Rabat - King Felipe VI has said he is satisfied with the improvement of diplomatic ties between Morocco and Spain under the new roadmap of cooperation. “With Morocco, we have started a new phase which allows us to move forward on a stronger and more solid basis,” the Spanish monarch said during the 8th Conference of Spanish Ambassadors Accredited Abroad on Monday and Tuesday. Spain and Morocco announced the new roadmap of cooperation in April 2022, following a year-long diplomatic crisis triggered by Madrid’s decision to host Polisario leader Brahim Ghali for hospitalization in April 2021. Protesting what it saw as Spain's hostility to its territorial integrity, Morocco recalled its ambassador for consultation. Following months of negotiations and dialogue, the two countries announced the opening of “a new phase of relations” in April of last year during the visit of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to Morocco, where he met with King Mohammed VI. The visit came a month following Spain’s endorsement of Morocco’s Autonomy Plan as the most serious and credible basis to end the dispute over Western Sahara. The roadmap also echoed Rabat and Madrid’s determination to improve relations and cooperation at all levels, including trade, security, counterterrorism, and irregular migration. For King Felipe VI, Spain’s ties with the countries of the Mediterranean and the Arab world are “as distinguished as they are priorities in terms of geography, history, and culture.” He explained: “This region is the basis of our security and prosperity. This is why it is very important to strengthen the interest in the Southern Neighbourhood.” The Spanish monarch presented the depth of his country's relationship with Morocco as the model for Spain as it looks to nurture good diplomatic ties with other countries in North Africa, including Libya, Algeria, and Tunisia. Morocco and Spain will hold a high-level meeting on February 1-2 in Rabat, with the event convening senior officials from the two countries to discuss boosting diplomatic, trade, and security cooperation. In his remarks at the 8th Conference of Spanish Ambassadors, King Felipe VI also announced that he and his wife Letizia will make a trip to Angola in February. “It will be our first state visit to a country in sub-Saharan Africa and we are therefore looking forward to it with special enthusiasm,” he said. The Spanish monarch stressed the importance of Africa in Spain's diplomatic outreach. Africa, King Felipe VI said, is “ a vast and plural continent with infinite needs and full of possibilities to cooperate… it is a continent of opportunity and the future, which requires waving relationships of lasting trust and genuine interest in shared progress.” link: https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2023/01/353483/king-felipe-vi-morocco-spain-ties-are-progressing-on-stronger-basis

Nick Movie: Asterix and Obelix The Middle Kingdom Time: February 1, 2023 Netflix / Amazon / HBO?: ? Duration of the movie: 1h 54min Trailer:

Live Performance Title: Frozen - Kristen Bell Sings - For The First Time In Forever Live at D23 Expo2015 Signer Name: Kristen Bell 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: 11/01/2023 Official Youtube Link: Informations About The Signer: - Your Opinion About The Track (Music Video): 10/10

• Name: @BirSaNN • Time & Date: 00:27 / 11/01/2023 • Screenshot: https://imgur.com/a/dCOtzE3

Unions have criticised a new bill aimed at enforcing minimum service levels for the public sector during strikes as "undemocratic, unworkable and illegal". Under the proposals, some public sector workers would be required to work during a strike. The business secretary said the aim was to protect lives and livelihoods. But unions have threatened legal action if the bill is passed, while Labour says they would repeal it if they win the next election. The head of the Trades Union Congress, Paul Nowak, said that if it became law the legislation would "prolong disputes and poison industrial relations - leading to more frequent strikes". "This legislation would mean that when workers democratically vote to strike, they can be forced to work and sacked if they don't comply," he said. "That's undemocratic, unworkable, and almost certainly illegal." Who could have to work during a strike? Anti-strike law sets up battle over principles The new bill, published on Tuesday, comes amid a wave of industrial action across the public sector as workers seek pay increases in the face of the rising cost of living. Laws requiring a minimum level of service during strikes had already been promised for public transport as part of the Conservative's 2019 election manifesto. A bill was introduced to Parliament in October. The government is now seeking to extend this requirement to five other areas - the NHS, education, fire and rescue, border security, and nuclear decommissioning. To meet minimum staffing levels - which are still to be decided - employers would be able to issue a "work notice" to unions, setting out who is required to work during a strike. Under the legislation there would be no automatic protection from unfair dismissal for an employee who is told to work under minimum service agreements but chooses to strike. However, Business Secretary Grant Shapps pushed back on the idea workers would be sacked. "No one is talking about sacking nurses... nothing we are announcing today in this bill from the despatch box is about getting rid of nurses any more than any employment contract has to be followed," he told MPs. Mr Shapps said the government "absolutely believes in the right to strike" but it is "duty bound" to protect the lives and livelihoods of the public. "We don't want to use this legislation but we must ensure the safety of the British public," he said. Mr Shapps said the proposed legislation was similar to existing laws in other modern European economies and it was not designed to ban strikes. He accused unions representing ambulance workers of "a lack of timely cooperation", which he said meant employers could not reach a national agreement for minimum safety levels during recent strikes. He said this made "contingency planning almost impossible" and put lives at risk. But unions disputed his claims as "completely false", with Unite's Sharon Graham saying agreements had been negotiated with regional managers to take into account local circumstances. GMB said it was an "extraordinary attack" on ambulance workers, who had left picket lines to respond to urgent calls. During December's strikes Category 1 calls - classed as the most life-threatening situations, such as cardiac arrest - were responded to by an ambulance. This will also be the case for Wednesday's strikes. However, no blanket agreement has been reached on responding to Category 2 calls, which include strokes or major burns, with unions agreeing locally which calls within this category will be responded to. The strikes taking place in January Tone shifting on both sides after latest pay talks Fire Brigades Union general secretary Matt Wrack called the bill a "shameful attack" on democratic rights and key workers. Unite's Ms Graham described it as a "dangerous gimmick from a government that should be negotiating to resolve the current crisis they have caused". Mick Lynch, head of the RMT transport union, said the "draconian legislation" sought to "punish workers" for demanding decent pay and working conditions. Labour's deputy leader Angela Rayner said it was "utterly stupid" and "insulting" for Mr Shapps to go from thanking nurses to proposing to sack them for striking. "How can he seriously think that sacking thousands of key workers won't just plunge our public services further into crisis?" she told the Commons. "We all want minimum standards of safety, service and staffing. It is the ministers failing to provide it," she said, adding that the public was being put at risk every day by the crisis in the NHS and staff shortages. MPs will get a chance to debate the bill - which applies to England, Wales and Scotland - next week. After the bill makes it through the House of Commons, where the Conservatives have a sizeable majority, it is expected to face greater opposition in the House of Lords where the numbers are less favourable. Any legislation would not have an impact on strikes this month, which are still set to go ahead. Ambulance staff in England and Wales are preparing to walk out on Wednesday, while nurses in England are also set to strike next week. link: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-64219016

A 120 million-year-old bird fossil from China has some rather unusual dinosaur-like features in its otherwise standard avian skeleton, including a weirdly T. rex-like skull. About 120 million years ago, a fearsome bird with a skull that looked eerily similar to that of a Tyrannosaurus rex flew the early Cretaceous skies, hunting for a meaty meal to gobble down, a new study finds. A newly described specimen of this previously unknown species provides clues about how birds began to finalize their evolutionary divergence from the rest of the dinosaurs. Modern birds are descended from dinosaurs, making them the only dinosaur lineage that survived the planet-shaking asteroid impact that wiped out the rest of their kind around 66 million years ago. But exactly how birds evolved from the rest of the theropods — a bipedal group with hollow bones and three toes or claws on each foot, which includes avian dinosaurs as well non-avian dinosaurs, such as raptors like Velociraptor — is still unclear. Researchers unearthed the new species, which they named Cratonavis zhui, at a fossil site in China. The fossil's age suggets C. zhui likely appeared somewhere between the earliest known bird, Archaeopteryx, which lived about 150 million years ago during the Jurassic period, and the Ornithothoraces, a dinosaur-era group which had already evolved many traits of modern birds. In a new study, published Jan. 2 in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution(opens in new tab), researchers analyzed the new fossil to see what traits it shared with both groups. After studying the fossils with a high-resolution computed tomography (CT) scan, which allowed them to virtually reassemble the bones in 3D, the team found that, despite a majority of the skeleton being very similar to Ornithothoraces, certain bones shared a surprisingly strong likeness to non-avian dinosaurs. The most striking similarity was in the skull, which has a shape that is "nearly identical to that of dinosaurs such as T. rex," researchers wrote in a statement(opens in new tab). Related: How did birds survive the dinosaur-killing asteroid? The specimen's raptor-like skull is notable because it would have prevented C. zhui from moving its upper bill in relation to its lower jaw. Modern birds are capable of moving both parts independently, which is believed to have greatly contributed to their enormous ecological diversity today, study lead author Zhiheng Li(opens in new tab), a paleontogolost at the Chinese Academy of Science's Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology (IVPP), said in the statement. It is therefore surprising to know that this trait developed so late in birds' evolutionary history, he added. C. zhui also has an unusually elongated sca[CENSORED], a shoulder bone used during flight, and first metatarsal, a bone found in the foot, compared with modern birds. The sca[CENSORED] plays an important role in flight because it helps rotate birds' shoulders and beat their wings. The elongated sca[CENSORED] in C. zhui likely "compensated for the overall underdeveloped flight apparatus in this early bird," study co-author Min Wang(opens in new tab), a paleoornathologist at IVPP, said in the statement. However, the extended metatarsals are likely leftover from land-dwelling raptors who required longer versions of the bone to help them run. Over time, these bones evolved to be much shorter in birds to allow them to use their hallux, or big clawed toe, to land on branches and grab prey from the air instead of running, study co-author Thomas Stidham(opens in new tab), a paleoornathologist at IVPP, said in the statement. The unexpected lengths of both the sca[CENSORED] and first metatarsal "highlight the breadth of skeletal plasticity in early birds," study co-author Zhonghe Zhou(opens in new tab), a paleoornathologist at IVPP, said in the statement. This plasticity suggests that certain skeletal traits could have evolved independently from one another across the birds' evolutionary tree, a phenomenon known as convergent evolution, but more fossils are needed to tell for sure. link: https://www.livescience.com/ancient-bird-with-t-rex-skull

The hybrid version of Chevy's C8 Corvette will have all-wheel drive and is shown bounding through the snow in this preview video. Chevrolet has released the first official teaser for the 2024 Corvette E-Ray. This hybrid version of the C8 Corvette will have all-wheel drive. It debuts next week, on January 17. The latest version of the C8 Corvette will break ground in many ways. It's a hybrid and features all-wheel drive, both firsts for any production Corvette, and we now know it will make its official debut January 17, thanks to this official teaser video that shows a blue E-Ray driving through snowy conditions. The E-Ray had leaked previously on Chevy's configurator tool, which gave us a glimpse at its widebody appearance shared with the Z06. We also saw "ERAY" badges and a button inside suggesting adjustable regenerative braking. This teaser video also shows a new function called Stealth mode, which we figure is a way of keeping the car in electric mode to minimize the sound of the V-8 gasoline engine. We'll learn lots more about the E-Ray soon enough, as it will make its debut next week. We expect it to go on sale sometime later this year as a 2024 model. Check back here for full coverage of this exciting new version of the mid-engine Corvette. link: https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a42444136/2024-corvette-e-ray-release-date/

It seems unfair to ask them for something they may secretly dislike doing, but I feel as though my enjoyment is secondary My partner and I have been together for four years. We love each other, share interests and take pride in one another’s achievements, but we have a mismatch when it comes to sex. I give oral sex to my partner regularly: it is enjoyable to give pleasure, and I love to do it. I never receive it in return, though. I don’t see it as a quid pro quo, but while my partner claims to enjoy giving it as well, it never happens. I have asked why, tried to be understanding and would never push the matter, but I feel it is a need that isn’t being met, as though my enjoyment is secondary. Lately, I find myself flirting more, the thought at the back of my mind being that a fling might end up with a greater symmetry of pleasure. It feels unfair to ask for something my partner may secretly dislike, but I’m led to believe they do enjoy it, and am left wondering if I am in a relationship where I’ll always be the giver. You certainly are in a relationship where you will always be the giver … that is, unless you do something to change the status quo. After all, why would your partner start reciprocating when it is clear you never really expect it? People tend not to change their behaviour unless they have to, so, in not setting boundaries, you are encouraging selfishness. Ask yourself why you have not insisted on better parity before this. Perhaps a part of you does not believe you deserve to receive pleasure? Perhaps you enjoy the control and power associated with giving and not receiving? If we give another person too much – sexually or in any other way – we can begin to resent them. And receiving too much can cause just as much resentment, as well as an increased level of expectation. It’s never easy to create and maintain mutuality in a relationship, but it is essential for you to work at it without delay. Pamela Stephenson Connolly is a US-based psychotherapist who specialises in treating sexual disorders. If you would like advice from Pamela on sexual matters, send us a brief description of your concerns to private.lives@theguardian.com (please don’t send attachments). Each week, Pamela chooses one problem to answer, which will be published online. She regrets that she cannot enter into personal correspondence. Submissions are subject to our terms and conditions. Comments on this piece are premoderated to ensure discussion remains on topics raised by the writer. Please be aware there may be a short delay in comments appearing on the site. … we have a small favour to ask. Millions are turning to the Guardian for open, independent, quality news every day, and readers in 180 countries around the world now support us financially. We believe everyone deserves access to information that’s grounded in science and truth, and analysis rooted in authority and integrity. That’s why we made a different choice: to keep our reporting open for all readers, regardless of where they live or what they can afford to pay. This means more people can be better informed, united, and inspired to take meaningful action. link: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2023/jan/10/i-love-pleasuring-partner-why-do-i-never-get-anything-in-return

Russia is "likely" to now be in control most of the salt-mining town of Soledar in Ukraine's east after a months-long battle with Ukrainian forces, the UK's Ministry of Defence says. Russian troops and the mercenary Wagner Group have made advances in the past four days, the UK says. Soledar is near Bakhmut, where Ukraine is also locked in a bloody battle. President Zelensky said there was "almost no life" in Soledar, with "no whole walls left". He also said "the whole land near Soledar is covered with the corpses of the occupiers". "This is what madness looks like," he added. Soledar - which had a po[CENSORED]tion of around 10,000 before the war - may be seen mainly as a stepping stone to capturing Bakhmut, and its strategic value is questionable. But a US official said last week that Yevgeny Prigozhin, the Wagner Group's founder, wants control of the large salt and gypsum mines in the area. The UK said part of the fighting had focused on entrances to the 200km-long disused tunnels and that both Russia and Ukraine "are likely concerned that they could be used for infiltration behind their lines". Mr Prigozhin has confirmed his interest in the mines, calling them "the icing on the cake" in the strategic importance of the Bakhmut area. He described them as a "network of underground cities" that can hold "a big group of people at a depth of 80-100 metres", and can also allow tanks and other military vehicles to move freely. However, Britain believes Russia is "unlikely" to take Bakhmut itself immediately due to Ukraine's "stable defence lines". Meanwhile, a senior military official from the US Department of Defense said on Monday there was a "good portion" of Soledar in Russian hands. Fighting around Bakhmut has been going on for months, and the US official described the most recent exchanges as "savage". Two British nationals have gone missing in the region and were last seen heading to Soledar. In his nightly address, Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelensky expressed his thanks to soldiers defending Soledar, saying their resilience "won additional time and additional strength for Ukraine". According to a Facebook post by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, soldiers on Monday repelled attacks near 13 po[CENSORED]tion centres - including Soledar and Bakhmut. Serhiy Cherevaty, spokesman for Ukraine's eastern forces, said in a television interview that Soledar had been struck 86 times by artillery over the past 24 hours. He claimed Wagner's best fighters were being deployed and that Russia was using World War One-style tactics, while suffering heavy losses. "This is basically not a 21st Century war," he said. What is Russia's Wagner Group of mercenaries? Defying Russia in the city 'at end of the world' Despite the long and intense battle, Oleh Zhdanov - a highly respected military analyst in Ukraine - believes that neither Soledar nor Bakhmut are especially important from an operational point of view. Mr Zhdanov said in an interview on Monday with the Ukrainian newspaper Gazeta that Russia "is trying to prove to the whole world that its army is capable of winning". Russia has suffered several setbacks in Ukraine since its invasion nearly a year ago - including losing control of the only regional capital it had managed to capture. Meanwhile, the Institute for the Study of War, a US-based think-tank, has said that Mr Prigozhin "will continue to use both confirmed and fabricated Wagner Group success in Soledar and Bakhmut to promote the Wagner Group as the only Russian force in Ukraine capable of securing tangible gains". link: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-64219979

The new year is often celebrated with festive meals and parades. Rabat - Amazigh people in Morocco and across North Africa will celebrate the Amazigh new year, Yennayer, on January 12. This year will mark the 2973rd year in the Amazigh calendar, and as always will be celebrated by the Amazigh people with parades and festive meals. The word “Yennayer” is believed to be a combination of the words “Yenn” (One) and “Ayur” (month) in Amazigh. The celebration took on a formal status in the 60s when the Paris-based Academie Berbere started counting the Amazigh years from 950 BC. Like many other celebrations, the Yennayer festivities are based around family gatherings, with most families getting up early in the morning to get ready by preparing a range of traditional dishes and wearing traditional clothes. They prepare Couscous, with some hiding a seed of dates or almond piece with the promise of entrusting whoever finds it with the keys to the family’s food storage room. Other dishes common in the celebrations are “tagola,” a combination of corn, butter, ghee, Argan oil, and honey, as well as “irkmen,” a thick soup made from fava beans and wheat. Music, dancing, and parades are also center-stage to the festivities. The songs express love, prosperity, and fertility. The year’s beginning coincides with the flowering of almond trees, making it a good occasion to hope for agricultural prosperity. In rural areas, people also seek to put an emphasis on socializing, trying to resolve outstanding misunderstandings and exchanging food between neighbors. Despite the importance of the occasion, and the big role that Amazigh people and culture play in Morocco, Yennayer is not recognized as an official holiday by the country. As the festivities draw near, Amazigh activists continue to draw attention to their cause and demand more attention from the government, although the process of integrating the Amazigh language and festivities seems to still be slow. Some in the past have gone as far as to question the holiday’s validity, calling it “a french invention.” Amazigh activist Abdelwahed Dirouche responded to this criticism in a 2018 interview with Morocco World News. “You cannot just say it’s a French invention,” he said, adding that the holiday is not only important to the Amazigh people, but to Moroccans in general. “Yennayer promotes religious and cultural pluralism in a world today plagued by terrorism and extremism,” he stressed. “Yennayer is not a holiday with religious rituals, but one that celebrates the natural wonders of children and the environment.” The current Moroccan government, led by Aziz Akhannouch, vowed in 2021 to prioritize the officialization of the Amazigh language,in line with the goals set by the country's 2011 constitution. Morocco’s Ministry of Digital Transition signed an agreement with the Ministry of Youth and Culture on Tuesday to support and promote Amazigh culture and festivities in the country. However, reports such as the latest one from the National Federation of Amazigh Associations (FNAA) maintain that the process still faces a lot of difficulties, especially in education and institutional integration. link: https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2023/01/353466/yennayer-morocco-celebrates-the-amazigh-new-year

Nick Movie: The Old Way Time: January 6, 2023 Netflix / Amazon / HBO?: ? Duration of the movie: 1h 35min Trailer:

Live Performance Title: Jass manak new live concert at Lloyd Law college in Delhi NCR | Catalyst 2020 | Annual Fest Signer Name: Jass manak Live Performance Location: - Official YouTube Link: Your Opinion About the Track (Music Video): 10/7

Music Title: Music Mix 2023 🎧 Remixes Of Po[CENSORED]r Songs 🎧 EDM Dance Music Playlist Signer: - Release Date: 10/01/2023 Official Youtube Link: Informations About The Signer: - Your Opinion About The Track (Music Video): 10/9

• Name: @BirSaNN • Time & Date: 01:31 / 10/01/2023 • Screenshot: https://imgur.com/a/KVyTvXX

Talks with ministers aimed at resolving NHS strikes have made little progress, unions have said. Unite said the meetings were "a missed opportunity", while the Royal College of Nursing said they were "bitterly disappointing". Unison said there were discussions over pay but no "tangible concessions" which would enable Wednesday's ambulance strikes to be called off. However, a government source described the talks as useful and constructive. Ministers have also been meeting teaching and rail unions in a bid to avert further industrial action. The formal agenda of the talks was next year's pay settlements, and they were not expected to lead to an immediate breakthrough for the current pay disputes. Unions are calling for pay rises to keep up with the rising cost of living but ministers say any offer must be "affordable". Speaking ahead of the meetings, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak did not deny that his government could follow Wales by offering a one-off payment to public sector workers to ease the cost of living. Chris Mason: Could one-off payments end strikes? The strikes taking place in January Onay Kasab, from the Unite union, said the government had suggested during the talks earlier that any one-off payments would have to be based on "productivity savings". He said that some of his members were working 18 hour shifts and that it was "an insult" to discuss productivity. "We are extremely angry," he added. Business Secretary Grant Shapps, who was not involved in the talks, suggested it was reasonable for employers to link pay increases to improvements in productivity. "The principle that as a country we can afford to do more if we can make ourselves more productive seems to me to be pretty common sense stuff," he told BBC Radio 4's World at One programme. The Department for Health said Health Secretary Steve Barclay had requested further discussions on ideas to make the health service work better and save staff time, that could unlock additional funding. Other ambulance worker union representatives leaving the meeting were slightly more positive, with Sara Gorton from Unison saying there had been progress. "We did actually manage to talk about pay - we didn't get the tangible concessions that we might have hoped for that would enable us to call off the [ambulance worker] strikes later this week," she said. Rachel Harrison, from the GMB union, said the talks "fell well short of anything substantial that could stop this week's strikes". There was "some engagement on pay" but "no concrete offer", she said. Joanne Galbraith-Marten, from the Royal College of Nursing, said there was "no resolution to our dispute yet in sight". This week's strikes - which include planned walkouts by ambulance drivers, bus drivers, teachers and driving examiners - are all expected to go ahead. Nurses are also set to walk out for two days next week. Elaine Sparkes, from the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, said the talks were "more constructive" than previous meetings but "there is nothing tangible on the table" and the union would announce strike dates later this week. A government source said the health secretary discussed productivity and efficiency savings which would help decide what was affordable for the coming year's pay deal. A one-off payment for health service staff was mentioned in passing, the source said. Unions have repeatedly called for a better pay offer to be on the table before April and are said to have asked Mr Barclay to make that case to the chancellor. The source said Mr Barclay had agreed to look at their request, without making any commitments. Unions say current disputes are about this year's pay offer but earlier Mr Sunak did not address a question about the 2022-23 settlement and ministers have previously said the focus should be on next year's deal. Earlier, there were also meetings between Education Secretary Gillian Keegan and teaching unions. Following the talks, Kevin Courtney, from the National Education Union (NEU), said "no concrete progress" was made and there was no new pay offer. "There is nothing so far that would dissuade us from taking industrial action," he said. However, in a statement he later said there was a promise of further discussions on changes to pay for this year. Teaching unions covering England and Wales, including the NEU, the NAHT and the NASUWT, are currently balloting members on potential strike action. In Scotland, teachers are striking for two days this week, with a week-long industrial action planned for next week. The day of talks come as a ballot opens for junior doctors in England to decide on their own industrial action, which could begin in March. Pat Cullen, general secretary of the Royal College of Nursing, said there was a "chink of optimism" after Mr Sunak told the BBC on Sunday that "we want to have a reasonable, two-way conversation about pay and everything else that is relevant". However, she said this would not stop next week's planned strikes by nurses. The government has previously refused to discuss pay for public sector workers, saying it is a matter for independent pay review bodies. link: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-64207220

And do the rodents live in these wooden structures? Beavers are renowned for building dams, which the animals construct from trees and branches they cut using their strong front teeth, according to the National Park Service(opens in new tab). The rodents also use grass, rocks and mud to reinforce these structures. But why do American beavers (Castor canadensis) build dams? Do they live in them? Put simply, beavers build dams to stay safe, which is particularly challenging considering their awkward body shape and ungainly nature. "Beavers are 40-to-80-pound [18-to-36 kilogram] smelly bags of meat with really short legs," Chris Jordan(opens in new tab), a fisheries biologist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)'s Northwest Fisheries Science Center in Newport, Oregon, told Live Science in an email. That makes these large rodents easy prey. "When beavers are on the land, they're very awkward and vulnerable, like great big chicken nuggets waddling around that any predator would be happy to have as a meal," Emily Fairfax(opens in new tab), an ecohydrologist at California State University Channel Islands in Camarillo, California, told Live Science in an email. "But when they are in the water, they're nearly invincible. They're outstanding swimmers and can hold their breath for 10 to 15 minutes. By building a dam, they create a pond, and that pond is their safety zone." These bodies of water are deep enough for beavers to hide from predators, such as mountain lions, bears, wolves and coyotes, Jordan said. Damming can also flood areas to bring beavers closer to their main source of food, he noted. This includes the bark, leaves and twigs of trees, as well as aquatic plants, such as water lilies and cattails, according to a factsheet from King County, Washington(opens in new tab). Related: What is the world's tallest tree? Furthermore, "beavers dig extensive canal networks behind their dams to spread the water," Jordan said. This can safely bring them closer to trees, but it also helps "in transporting larger pieces of food and building materials back to their lodge, dam and food cache." Although dams protect beavers, they do not dwell within these structures. Instead, they often live in oven-shaped lodges made of sticks, grass, moss and mud built in or on the shore of the ponds their dams created, according to the University of Michigan's Animal Diversity Web online database(opens in new tab). In these lodges, they reside in family groups, known as colonies, which are made up of five beavers, on average, the King County page says. The Eurasian beaver (Castor fiber), which lives in Europe and Asia, is slightly larger than the American beaver. It also builds dams, lodges and canals, a 2020 study in the European Journal of Wildlife Research(opens in new tab) noted. Beaver dams help ecosystems Beaver dams benefit not only their creators but many other species as well. "Beaver dams help slow water down and keep it on the landscape longer," Fairfax said. "This transforms simple streams into thriving wetland ecosystems. The amount of food and water available in their wetlands makes them ideal habitat for many different species. That's part of why beavers are what's known as a keystone species." Ultimately, returning beavers to their original habitats may help reduce the impacts of climate change and benefit their ecosystems in many other ways, Fairfax and Jordan noted in an April 2022 perspectives piece in the journal WIREs Water(opens in new tab). "When their dams slow water down, some of it gets stored in the soil, where plant roots can access it even during drought," Fairfax said. "That helps keep vegetation lush, so that when wildfires start, the beaver complexes are uniquely resistant to burning. These fire-resistant patches help preserve intact ecosystems; provide refuge to animals that cannot outrun, fly or swim away from the fire; stabilize river banks post-fire; and help catch and settle out ash and sediment that is suspended in the streams post-fire." In addition, vegetation from beaver damming can draw the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide from the air and reduce flood damage, the scientists noted. When all this beaver-linked data was examined together, "it was remarkable how well-suited beavers are to not only survive changing climates, but also to accomplish some of the climate change adaptation work we as people have been trying to get done ourselves," Fairfax said. "My big takeaway from that is that we are not alone in our efforts to restore ecosystems and build resilience to climate change," she said. "Beavers, and likely other ecosystem engineers and keystone species, are doing similar things through their own innate abilities. More progress will be made if we work with them rather than against them." link:> https://www.livescience.com/why-beavers-build-dams

This lighter, more track-focused Venom F5 is still road legal and will still make 1817 horsepower. Hennessey is releasing a lighter, track-focused version of its hypercar that is still road legal. Power is unchanged at 1817 horsepower from the twin-turbo 6.6-liter V-8. The Revolution will be priced from $2.7 million, and just 24 will be built. While the Hennessey Venom F5 has yet to deliver on John Hennessey's promise it will prove itself the fastest production car in the world, that hasn’t stopped the Texas company from creating an even harder-core version. According to Hennessey, the F5 Venom is more track focused than the regular version, but it will still be street legal. Although Hennessey hasn’t made any top-speed claims for the Revolution, it will almost certainly be slower than the existing F5, which John Hennessey previously told C/D is targeting a top speed of over 311 mph (that’s 500 km/h in metric). That’s because the Revolution is carrying substantial aerodynamic modifications, with these claimed to substantially increase its peak downforce abilities. The new adjustable rear wing, with patriotic stars-and-stripes endplates, is claimed to be capable of making more than 800 pounds of positive aero assistance at 186 mph, and over 1400 pounds at 249 mph. When Hennessey first showed the F5 in 2020, it promised a track pack with a raised rear wing would follow, and the Revolution seems to be that. Although the company hasn't released any claims for total downforce, the fact that the Revolution has substantially large diffusers front and rear suggests the combined figure will be even more impressive. There are also dive-plane elements on the front bumper to help move the aerodynamic balance forward, which sounds exciting. Power hasn't increased over the regular F5 Venom coupe or the Roadster version that was announced last year. But it probably doesn't need to; a peak 1817 hp sounds like plenty, even in these inflated times. The Revolution will use the same mid-mounted 6.6-liter twin-turbocharged pushrod V-8 as other F5s, with the engine making its power peak at 8200 rpm and accompanying it with a maximum 1193 pound-feet of torque at 5500 rpm. Power will reach the rear wheels through an automated single-clutch transmission and a limited-slip differential. Mass has been trimmed from the other side of the scale, with the F5 Revolution's carbon structure claimed to be lighter than the already svelte F5. Hennessey promises that it will weigh less than 3000 pounds, 50 pounds less than it claims for the existing car. That's despite the arrival of a new high-level engine air intake that sits above the roof. Suspension settings are also promised to be more aggressive and designed for hard track use. Just 24 of the F5 Revolution will be produced, with prices running from $2.7 million. That's a figure that will likely make anybody who paid the $2.1 million that was asked for the regular F5 Venom feel like they nabbed a bargain. Or possibly that they should have waited a little longer for one of these. link: https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a42427408/hennessey-venom-f5-revolution-revealed/

Sarah never imagined that her online word-game addiction would become more than a hobby. But at the end of 2019 it led to an unexpected, long-distance love story. “I was living in Germany but spending a lot of time with my daughter in Switzerland,” says Sarah, who left the UK with her husband when she was 20. “She had had a third baby and needed some extra help. I’d also been widowed in 2018 and was still feeling a bit disoriented.” The Scrabble-style game Words with Friends soon became a nice distraction. “You can play with anyone in the world,” she says. “I would often be sitting in my grandchildren’s rooms waiting for them to sleep while I played.” When she connected with Martin through the game, they began to chat on the messaging function. “He congratulated me on a word I’d played. I’m not even sure how we got talking as I am usually a scaredy cat on the internet.” They felt drawn to each other as soon as they began to communicate. Martin was working in Adelaide, Australia, as a carer and living part-time with his teenage daughters from a previous marriage. “I just used the game to pass time after work,” he says. “But I noticed Sarah’s sense of humour was wonderful. We chatted on Words with Friends for about three months, before we moved to Facebook Messenger and started talking face-to-face through video.” It was frustrating because there comes a point where you just want to hold that person’s hand and be with them They discovered they both loved dogs, books and the same music. “We also started watching films together online and we set up a book club where we’d read the same things, put messages in the books and send them to each other,” says Sarah. They planned to meet in March 2020, but the pandemic robbed them of the chance to travel. Yet despite the difficulties the world was facing, their online relationship continued to grow. “It kept me going, as I was on my own in Germany,” says Sarah. “Having him to share things with was lovely. At the same time, it was frustrating because there comes a point where you just want to hold that person’s hand and be with them.” It would have been easy to give up on the relationship, but their commitment never waivered. Eventually, in September 2022, they were able to meet in Singapore. “It wasn’t like meeting someone for the first time because we’d known each other for over two years,” says Martin. “There was an instant coming together. It was so comfortable and exciting at the same time. We knew each other so well and had already fallen in love online.” They spent eight days touring the sights of Singapore. “In a normal relationship, you can have times of silence but you can’t do that when you’re online,” says Sarah. “When we met in person, I realised how lovely it was to be together and not even talk.” Martin says that leaving each other at the end of the trip was “incredibly hard” for them both. “As soon as we got home, we started planning the next time we could see each other. It’s been challenging because we both have commitments in our own countries.” They hope to meet again early this year and want to find a way to be together permanently. “We have some things to work out but I really want to grow old with Martin,” says Sarah. “When you’ve made that decision, the rest should fall into place.” Sarah is one of the few people Martin feels truly understands him. “She’s my best friend and I love every conversation we have. When I finish work, calling her is the first thing I do every day.” Sarah loves how funny he is. “Anyone who can make me laugh gets points with me. Despite the distance, Martin takes our relationship seriously and he’s clever, kind and curious. We love hearing about each other’s lives and can’t wait to be together all the time.” link: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2023/jan/09/how-we-met-we-got-chatting-in-an-online-word-game-and-fell-in-love