almost question, is it really worth it? If I’ve damaged myself for the rest of my life?” It sounds like a lament from a punch-drunk fighter with holes in their memory and bank balance. Or an old rugby prop, slurry and soaked with regrets. But these words were uttered last week by a British Tokyo 2020 medallist, Holly Bradshaw, as she asked whether the relentless pursuit of sporting glory had harmed her body and mind. It was a brave area to explore, given that most Britons reflexively believe the drive for Olympic success is overwhelmingly a force for good – and that those who receive lottery money to chase their dreams should count themselves lucky. But Bradshaw’s unflinchingly raw yet vital testimony exposed the pitfalls lurking amid the garlands. In her interview with Athletics Weekly, Bradshaw spoke of having to starve herself for three months to get into shape. Of being hungry at night but only drinking water as she wanted to drop weight. And of suffering multiple illnesses and injuries since winning a pole vault bronze medal in Tokyo, including glandular fever, achilles problems, three hamstring tears and a broken bone in her back. At one point it sounded as if she could even teach Jean-Paul Sartre a thing or two about existentialism. “I say to my husband: ‘I don’t know who I am,’” she said. “‘When I retire, who am I going to be? You’ve only known me as Holly the athlete. What if I’m a completely different person?’” The 32-year-old did acknowledge that her success in Tokyo had felt overwhelmingly positive. But then came the kicker. “Winning that bronze medal has damaged me physically and mentally. I just worry, have I damaged myself too much that I can’t get back from that?” What should we make of all this? Having spoken to multiple people in the Olympic ecosystem, a few things come across. First, Bradshaw, who has a masters degree in psychology and is known as one of the more meticulous and self-aware members of Team GB, deserves huge credit for being so honest. Recently she has faced the death of her father, a split from her longtime coach, and injuries, so it is no wonder she sounds particularly vulnerable. But she has never shied away from difficult issues. Previously she has spoken out about having body image issues around her stomach dating back to her youth, and after finishing fifth in Rio she talked about how some in the system had made her feel like a failure. True, there were some dissenting voices about her interview. Some pointed out that the travails of being an elite athlete are minor compared to most people’s struggles in the real world, while someone I particularly respect also questioned why Bradshaw’s coach and federation had not done more to ensure she enjoyed a more balanced life. However there was broad agreement that Bradshaw was voicing in public what many more sports stars suffer in private. The research backs that up. One academic study which looked at common mental disorders (CMDs) – such as stress, anxiety and depression – among 384 European professional footballers found that 37% had symptoms at some point over a 12-month period. While another, on elite Australian and French athletes, showed that the prevalence of CMDs ranged from 17% to 45% among those studied. Commendably, Bradshaw has played a broader part in highlighting such issues having co-authored a 2021 academic paper on the post-Olympic “blues”. The study, which involved 14 anonymous Team GB athletes, makes for fascinating if disturbing reading, with those involved saying they felt they were “little more than medal producing machines”. The word “dehumanising” is used more than once, with many also suggesting that the national lottery system – in which funding is given to a sport on the basis of medal success – is cold and transactional. One star, for instance, recalled the pressure they felt before an Olympic final following a conversation with an influential member of their governing body. “[They] said to us … we were one medal down on our target and that meant that [the sport] would have had a big cut from UK Sport … [after they] said: ‘Thank you so much you’ve just saved our jobs, funding’, and all that kind of stuff.” Link

Kerrie Houston Reightley has always been athletic, and thought she would be able to pick up surfing. Months of ‘crashing and burning’ ensued, but her competitive nature kept her going Paula Cocozza @CocozzaPaula Mon 13 Nov 2023 07.00 GMT Kerrie Houston Reightley has always been sporty. Three years ago, she was on holiday in Maui, Hawaii, with her husband and their son, then 18. “We were walking along the beach. There were all these things you could do – snorkelling, trekking. And I was like: ‘Learn to surf!’ I want to do that.” The 64-year-old is a writer and substitute teacher, and clearly believes in research. She went back to the hotel and started watching videos on how to surf. “I was standing on the bed, trying to balance,” she says. But out on the water, it was a different matter. She was out of her depth, in all senses. “I’m athletic. I do spin classes, I cross-train, I row and I play a lot of tennis. I do a lot of things. I thought: I ought to be able to do this.” Photographs show her “crashing and burning”. She never got up on the board – but vowed to go back for more. Houston Reightley grew up in the Seattle area. Her father, she says, “was a great athlete. He turned me into a great athlete.” At 6ft 5in, and an “all-star-everything jock”, he taught Houston Reightley and her four siblings how to play tennis. Clearly, her father was a big influence on her. “It was this whole idolising my dad thing,” she says. “He was a writer. We would fall asleep to my dad pounding away on his old Remington typewriter. In the morning he’d read us his manuscript, and we’d clap.” Her failure to get up on the surfboard rankled. “I was determined that I was going to do it.” A few months later, when she and her husband went to Mexico, “I prepared myself. It was more psychological than physical. I felt I had to solve this puzzle.” In Sayulita, Mexico, the water was less deep, but the waves came in faster. Houston Reightley booked a private instructor and “made sure at the surf shop: ‘I want someone to take photos of me because I’m going to stand up.’” Even the “beware of alligators” sign didn’t faze her. She just researched what to do if you come face-to-face with one (“watch their eyes”), and became “hyper-focused”. This time, her instructor showed her how to protect her head, and to fall backward instead of forward. “I just remember the feeling right before I walked out. I felt like I was in a competition. I got myself into the right mindset: ‘I’m going to win this match.’ I stood up the first time I tried. There’s a picture of me and my hair is dry and I’m standing on the board. Once you experience that sensation, you understand it better. You get a feel for it, like riding a bike.” A competitive approach might seem like a lot of pressure, but Houston Reightley says she finds competing “meditative”. She was devastated 10 years ago, when her younger brother, with whom she was “super close”, died of cancer. “I felt like never talking to anybody again. Instead, I went out and trained for a triathlon.” In childhood, she says, her family was like its own little tennis club. So now, “when I’m competing, I feel so happy. Win or lose. Though I’m trying to win, of course.” She has been playing on tennis teams for 52 years, including when she was pregnant. Houston Reightley credits sport with “why I feel like I’m in good mental and physical shape … I always focus on the fact that I’m healthy. And, sure, our bodies don’t look like they did in our 20s, 30s, 40s. But I’m in good shape and good health. We look different when we’re older. It’s OK.” Next Houston Reightley plans surfing trips to Bali – her mum was from Indonesia – and British Columbia. But sometimes when she writes articles about her sporting experiences, she notices that her words are accompanied by stock images of women – usually white, and usually in their 40s. “There aren’t photos of older women working out,” she says. “That’s not the way women in their 60s are seen. My friends in their 60s are athletes. I would like to put that out there.” Tell us: has your life taken a new direction after the age of 60? You've read 24 articles in the last year Article count on … There is a good reason why people choose not to support the Guardian. Not everyone can afford to pay for the news right now. That’s why we choose to keep our journalism open for everyone to read. If this is you, please continue to read for free. But if you can, then here are three good reasons to make the choice to support us today from Morocco. 1. Our quality, investigative journalism is a scrutinising force at a time when the rich and powerful are getting away with more and more. 2. We are independent and have no billionaire owner controlling what we do, so your money directly powers our reporting. 3. It doesn’t cost much, and takes less time than it took to read this message. Link

The chance of a volcanic eruption in Iceland is rising, posing a threat to a now-evacuated town, experts say. Iceland has declared a state of emergency after a series of earthquakes. Authorities have ordered thousands of people living in the southwestern town of Grindavík to leave as a precaution. The Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO) said there was a considerable risk of an eruption. The probability of an eruption on or just off the Reykjanes peninsula has increased since the morning, IMO says. An eruption could start at any time in the next few days, according to the statement. Thor Thordason, professor of volcanology at the University of Iceland, said a 15km-long (nine mile) river of magma running under the peninsula was still active. "That's why we're talking about an imminent eruption unfortunately. The most likely eruption side appears to be within the boundary of the town of Grindavík," he told the BBC. Thousands of tremors have been recorded around the nearby Fagradalsfjall volcano in recent weeks. They have been concentrated in Iceland's Reykjanes Peninsula, which had remained dormant to volcanic activity for 800 years before a 2021 eruption. In a statement on Saturday the agency said a tunnel of magma, or molten rock, that extends northeast across Grindavík and some 10km further inland, was estimated at a depth of less than 800 metres, compared with 1,500 metres earlier in the day. On Thursday, the increased seismic activity in the area prompted the closure of the nearby Blue Lagoon landmark. More than 20,000 tremors have been recorded in southwest Iceland since late October. Iceland's Civil Protection Agency said the decision to evacuate came after the IMO could not rule out a "magma tunnel that is currently forming could reach Grindavík". And on Friday, the agency said people must leave the town, but also emphasised it was not an "emergency evacuation" - calling on them to "remain calm, because we have a good amount of time to react". "There is no immediate danger imminent, the evacuation is primarily preventive with the safety of all Grindavík residents as the principal aim," it added. All roads into the town of around 4,000 people are closed other than for emergencies, to ensure traffic can get in and out. Alda Sigmundsdottir, a journalist in Reykjavik, said that people were going back into the town "to get their absolute bare necessities" and pets. "We are just currently waiting for the eruption to start," she told the BBC's Newshour. Iceland is one of the most geologically active regions in the world, with around 30 active volcanic sites. Volcanic eruptions occur when magma, which is lighter than the solid rock around it, rises to the earth's surface from deep below it. In July, Litli-Hrutur, or Little Ram, erupted in the Fagradalsfjall area, drawing tourists to the site of the "world's newest baby volcano". The site was dormant for eight centuries until eruptions in 2021, 2022 and 2023. Link

I can see that you do not have a good activity but everyone learns with time, so I think you deserve a chance and I hope you will do more activity in the project.

McLaren has revealed a striking new 750S special project that acts as an ode to its achievement of winning the fabled ‘Triple Crown’ of motorsports. Just six examples will be made altogether in both coupe and spider form, and each will feature slight variations of the commemorative theme. Spoiler alert: they’ve all been sold already. The unique ‘3-7-59’ paint scheme represents a stunning collision of the liveries worn by the three respective cars in question: the number ‘three’ M16D at the 1974 Indy 500; the number ‘four’ MP4/2 at the 1984 Monaco Grand Prix; and the number ‘59’ F1 GTR at Le Mans in 1995. The flowing multicoloured paintwork has been grafted by McLaren’s Special Operations (MSO) team. It has taken over 1,200 hours to complete and merges over 20 different colours and compositions. For some perspective, that’s the same as working day and night for 50 days straight. The livery itself is a detailed collage of both the cars and the races, and drew inspiration from previous one-off commissions by the MSO team. The front section of the car mimics Alain [CENSORED]’s Monaco Grand Prix-winning MP4/2. Sporting a red and white paint combination, the 750S features a ‘shattered’ imitation of the legendary V12 F1 car’s look. Meanwhile, the rear-end represents the M16D racer which claimed victory at the Indy 500 in 1974. Wearing a number three in blue and featuring the M16D’s bright yellow livery, the left rear three-quarter bridges the gap with a striking chequered flag. The opposite section has by contrast been given a blue ‘colour splash’ effect. Bringing the whole look together across the flanks is a grey colour scheme and ‘59’ logo, acknowledging the F1 GTR’s triumph at Le Mans in 1995. McLaren has even added the bright green dot that signifies a vehicle’s entrance into the GT1 class of the show-piece 24-hour event. The satin black Vortex alloys do conform to the look in subtle fashion but do very little to masquerade the glowing brake calipers that adopt all three of the main vinyl colours across them. Honestly, the more we look at this car, the more we’re convinced it would be the lead in a Need for Speed Underground remake. Capping off the exterior modifications, McLaren has gone through the effort of incorporating three QR code sections into bits of the car, and when these codes are scanned, a webpage detailing the car emerges. The point of this is so that confused onlookers will reach for their phones to grab a picture and will be greeted with a surprise webpage link in the process. The Triple Crown references continue inside, with a selection of badges and orange stitching across the car’s headrests and central armrest. The seats have also received a new graphite Alcantara leather coat and are complemented by white stitching. A painted 12 o’clock marker on the steering wheel can also be seen, while hand-painted carbon fibre shift paddles pay further tribute to the MP4/2. What’s more, owners are also provided with a key fob that mimics the car’s design, ensuring that they’ll never be lost in a bowl full of keys at lavish parties - if that’s even a thing anymore. Link

Given the general narrative around Manchester United and their manager Erik ten Hag, it came as a surprise to discover they are actually in decent form. Victor Lindelof's second-half goal against Luton Town means United have now won four league games out of five, which is their best return of the campaign. In addition, they have also kept consecutive top-flight clean sheets for the first time since the beginning of May. This is despite a period which has seen them suffer successive 3-0 home defeats by Manchester City and Newcastle, blow a two-goal lead in Copenhagen to leave their Champions League hopes dangling by a thread, and be knocked out of the Carabao Cup. At times such as these, when the winds of change are swirling around Old Trafford, accentuating the positives can be a valuable approach. It is something Ten Hag should be stressing to Sir Jim Ratcliffe should, as expected, the Ineos owner be confirmed as a significant, albeit minority, shareholder in United during this month's international break. The same is also true of Sir Dave Brailsford, the former British Cycling performance director, who is expected to have an important role no matter what the new structure looks like. There are clear issues at United. Injuries continue to be a concern, with Christian Eriksen and Rasmus Hojlund both exiting early and United's strikers continue to draw blanks. But, for a couple of weeks, Ten Hag has space to breathe and United have a chance to focus on marking the sad passing of legendary former captain Sir Bobby Charlton on Monday and then the ownership situation. 'I told them at half-time we are not taking risks' United's strikeforce - Marcus Rashford, Hojlund, Alejandro Garnacho, Anthony Martial, Antony - has scored one league goal between them so far this season. Against Luton, Rashford wasted two chances, Hojlund one from inside the six-yard box, and Garnacho one when he elected to take a touch rather than shoot and was closed down by keeper Thomas Kaminski. "We create many chances and we could have made life easier if we score goals," said Ten Hag. "In the first half, I observed four 100% chances. If you get the first, you get the second and it becomes easier. "I told them at half-time we are not taking risks. If you bring bodies higher on the pitch, the opportunity to score goals is higher. It will come but with those four 100% chances, one has to find the net." Injury woes at Old Trafford United have struggled with injuries all season. The absences of Luke Shaw and Lisandro Martinez have robbed Ten Hag of his preferred left-sided defensive option for virtually the entire campaign. Hojlund arrived from Atalanta with a back injury. Sofyan Amrabat was also injured when he signed from Fiorentina. Mason Mount has had a spell on the sidelines, so too Raphael Varane. Against Luton, Aaron Wan-Bissaka was ruled out because of illness. Under the circumstances, Ten Hag could be forgiven for wincing when Eriksen went down in the first half with no-one near him before the same thing happened with Hojlund in the second period, not long after he had been treated for a knock. "You don't want to lose any player this is also our season, so many injuries," said Ten Hag. "We talk about it many times, the routine levels in your team, in the style of play. "At this moment with Rasmus, I can't say anything about it because I don't know. We do an assessment but have to wait for 24 hours to see the conclusion and if there is a problem. "Christian slipped, but it is the same." 'There is a certain point when you have to accept decisions' Ten Hag will be sat in the stands against Everton at Goodison Park in two weeks' time after receiving a one-match ban for his third booking of the season. Challenging the award of a throw-in on the halfway line as the game entered stoppage time seemed a silly way to talk himself into a suspension. Ten Hag was able to see the funny side, pointing out he would not have to fine himself for a breach of club discipline because that only applies to red cards. However, he accepts he needs to learn a lesson. "It was so clear," he said. "I was on top of it and it was obviously our ball. But there is a certain point when you have to accept decisions, and that is what I should do as well." link

Some electricity tariffs reward households willing to move consumption to off-peak hours Miles Brignall Fri 10 Nov 2023 14.00 GMT If you are struggling to afford your energy bills – or you just want to make your home a bit greener – have you thought of switching to an electricity tariff that rewards those willing to shift their consumption to outside peak hours? So far, more than 10,000 households have signed up to the UK’s best-known “time-of-use” tariff – Octopus Energy’s Agile – with many reporting they have been able to cut their electricity bills by as much as 30%. Next month the less well-known energy provider 100Green is set to relaunch its Tide tariff that similarly promises different prices according to preset times of day. Analysts have suggested that it is only a matter of time before more power companies offer similar deals. National Grid ESO, which manages the network, told Guardian Money that consumer flexibility is very much considered the future by the industry. So how do these tariffs work, and should more of us be signing up? To be accepted on to a time-of-use tariff, you have to have a working, compatible smart meter and (usually) agree to half-hourly billing. The general idea is that users get very cheap power during weekday nights – perhaps midnight to 7am – and cheaper power during the day, but they pay a price premium (typically 30% more) for every unit they consume at peak times – particularly between 4pm and 7pm. In the case of the Octopus Agile tariff, customers are told the day before – usually at about 4pm – what they will be charged over the following 24 hours. The unit price of the electricity delivered at each part of the day can vary enormously, and is set depending on demand and what is happening in the wholesale market. The idea is that customers then shift their use accordingly, and at times of very high prices they massively reduce their consumption. On the flipside, when the grid has an excess of power, Agile users are actually paid a small amount for every unit of power they consume. If you are at home during the day, or work non-standard hours, have a home battery, or are an energy geek who is willing to put in the hours, then the rewards can be significant, say those who have tried it. The downside is that if the market goes against you – think the Ukraine war – you could end up paying as much as £1 a kilowatt hour for each unit used during peak hours. That is more than three times as much as the 28p a kWh currently being paid by most UK households on standard tariffs – although the typical peak rate recently has been about 40-44p. These deals are unlikely to appeal to big households whose members all get home at the afternoon-evening peak, and who want to use ovens, washing machines and games consoles. However, at a time when switching to another supplier will usually yield little or no saving, time-of-use deals are very much an option for those wanting lower bills. By moving their energy consumption and using less electricity at peak times, people could save hundreds of pounds a year Octopus Energy’s Alex Schoch Alex Schoch, the head of flexibility at Octopus Energy, says such tariffs are the future as they mean less reliance on fossil fuel electricity generation. “By moving their energy consumption and using less electricity during peak times, customers could save hundreds of pounds a year on their energy bills. But they are not the only ones who are benefiting. By reducing overall system costs, they are also saving everyone else money while also helping to speed us towards a green grid free from dirty fossil fuels,” he says. When it launches in December, 100Green’s Tide tariff will offer fixed pricing at preset times every day, making it easier to manage than the Agile deal. However, its indicative pricing appeared to us to be rather on the high side: 9p a kWh at night, and 40p a kWh during non-peak weekdays. The actual pricing for new customers will be published in December, when potential customers can better calculate if it works out for them. If you like the idea of these tariffs but are not yet ready to fully commit, why not dip your toe in with one of the “lighter” options. Octopus has a tracker tariff that offers prices that track the wholesale market. British Gas, meanwhile, is now offering its customers half-price electricity through its PeakSave initiative, which is running every Sunday from 11am to 4pm from now until New Year’s Eve and is being promoted with ads featuring the sports stars Tom Daley, Katarina Johnson-Thompson and Ellie Simmonds. Again, customers have to have a working smart meter and opt into the scheme. About 250,000 customers have done so and are on target to save £30-£40 before the end of year by doing their washing and drying, etc on a Sunday rather than later in the week. Link

Staff inside Gaza's largest hospital have said patients and refugees are trapped in horrific conditions as heavy fighting rages in nearby streets. A surgeon at Al-Shifa in Gaza City told the BBC that the hospital had run out of water, food and electricity. Israel said it had clashed with Hamas nearby but not fired on the hospital. It said it would help to evacuate babies to "a safer hospital" on Sunday, after medics said two had died and 37 others were at risk. The BBC has been sent pictures of at least 20 newborn babies being kept in a surgical theatre at Al-Shifa, as doctors warn they may die because the neonatal intensive care unit has stopped working, due to the lack of electricity. Reports from inside the hospital paint a picture of horror and confusion, with regular fighting nearby, patients who have recently undergone operations unable to evacuate, and bodies piling up without any way to bury them. Thousands of people are thought to have sought refuge in Al-Shifa, which has been at the centre of fierce fighting for two days. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) repeatedly accuse Hamas of operating from tunnels underneath the hospital, which Hamas denies. Surgeon Marwan Abu Saada told the BBC that the sounds of shooting and bombardments echoed through Al-Shifa "every second". He said attempts to bury the dead had been thwarted by fighting around the complex. "We don't want to have any outbreaks due to these dead bodies," he said, adding that the morgue refrigerator was not working because the generator had run out of fuel. Physicians for Human Rights Israel, a doctors group, said two premature babies had died because there was no electricity. The group warned that there was "a real risk to the lives of 37 other premature infants". Baby evacuation Israel said there was no siege of Al-Shifa, and that the east side of the hospital was open for the safe passage of those who wanted to leave. Spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said Israel would help those "in the paediatric department to get to a safer hospital" on Sunday. He said the decision was taken following a request from the hospital administration and Israel "will provide the assistance needed". Earlier, Colonel Moshe Tetro said there were clashes near Al-Shifa between Hamas and Israeli forces, but no shooting at the hospital itself. Pictures shared with the BBC show at least 20 infants in a surgical ward, wrapped in blankets and lined up in rows on adult hospital beds. Many of them appear to have tape on their faces, suggesting the need for oxygen administration. Doctors have warned for at least a fortnight that the number of available incubators was being reduced due to the power shortage amid the ongoing Israeli siege. Dr Abu Saada said the babies needed intensive care, life support equipment and artificial respiration. "I'm afraid if we leave these children in this unit in this condition we are allowing them to die… they are premature babies", he said, in a voice note passed on to the BBC. International charities have warned that patients in hospitals close to fighting in Gaza are at risk of dying because of a lack of medical treatment. Doctors Without Borders (MSF) deputy medical coordinator told the BBC that if there was no ceasefire, "all the patients who are remaining in these hospitals will just die, and these hospitals will turn into graveyards". At the Al-Quds hospital, the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) said its teams were trapped inside alongside 500 patients and around 14,000 displaced people. Meanwhile one of Gaza's smaller hospitals, Al-Rantisi, was largely evacuated - with only a handful of patients and staff inside. The Gaza Strip is home to 2.2m people, but since the start of the war more than 1.5m people have been displaced, according to the UN's agency for Palestine refugees (UNRWA). Hamas killed an estimated 1,200 people inside Israel on 7 October - many of them civilians - and took more than 200 others hostage. Israel's response inside Gaza has killed more than 11,000 people, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. It says that figure includes more than 4,500 children. In an interview with the BBC on Friday, French President Emmanuel Macron said Israel must stop killing Gaza's women and babies. Mr Macron called for a ceasefire and hoped other leaders - including the US and the UK - would join him. Link

Music title: Stray Kids "락 (樂) (LALALALA)" M/V Signer:Stray Kids Release date:Nov 10, 2023 Official YouTube link: Informations about the signer:- Your opinion about the track (music video):-

Nick movie: Mean Girls Time:January 12, 2024 Netflix / Amazon / HBO: Paramount+ Duration of the movie: 1h 37m Trailer:

Voted

Firstly, I don't see any activity in your profile, and secondly, you did not respect the model/rules, if you want to apply have at least 3 DAYS of activity in the project.

BATON ROUGE, La. — The Louisiana Legislature has until Jan. 15 to enact a new congressional map after a lower court last year ruled that the current political boundaries dilute the power of the state’s Black voters, a federal New Orleans appeals court said Friday. However, whether current Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards will call a special session to redraw the political boundaries and if Republican Gov.-elect Jeff Landry, who will be inaugurated Jan. 8, will have enough time to call a special redistricting session and meet the court’s deadline has yet to be determined. If the Legislature does not pass a new map by mid-January, then the lower district court should conduct a trial and “decide on a plan for the 2024 elections,” according to the order by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth District. The political tug-of-war and legal battle over Louisiana’s GOP-drawn congressional map has been going on for more than a year and a half — which has included Edwards vetoing the political boundaries and the Legislature overriding his veto, the first time in nearly three decades that lawmakers refused to accept a governor’s refusal of a bill they had passed. Louisiana is among states still wrangling over congressional districts after the U.S. Supreme Court in June ruled that Alabama had violated the Voting Rights Act. Louisiana’s current map, which was used in the November congressional election, has white majorities in five of six districts — despite Black people accounting for one-third of the state’s po[CENSORED]tion. Republicans, who dominate Louisiana’s Legislature, say that the map is fair. They argue that Black po[CENSORED]tions in the state are too dispersed to be united into a second majority Black district. Democrats argue that the map discriminates against Black voters and that there should be two majority-minority districts. Currently, five of the six districts are held by Republicans. Another mostly Black district could deliver a second congressional seat to Democrats. In June 2022, a lower court struck down Louisiana’s map for violating the Voting Rights Act. U.S. District Judge Shelly Dick said in her ruling that “evidence of Louisiana’s long and ongoing history of voting-related discrimination weighs heavily in favor of Plaintiffs.” Dick ordered that the map be redrawn to include a second majority-Black district, before it was appealed to the 5th Circuit. In October, the Supreme Court rejected an emergency appeal from Black voters in Louisiana to speed the process of drawing new congressional districts in the state. Lawmakers now have until mid-January to draw and pass a new map, which would have to be done through a special session. A special session may be called by the governor or convened by the presiding officers of both chambers, upon a written petition of most elected members of the House and Senate. While Edwards has not said whether he will call a special session, he remains adamant that a second majority-Black district is necessary to accurately represent the state. “This is about simple math, basic fairness, and the rule of law,” Edwards said in a written statement. U.S. Rep. Troy Carter, the state’s sole Black and Democratic member of Congress, said he “sincerely” hopes the Legislature will draw a new map with a second majority-Black district. Carter posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, to urge lawmakers to “do the right thing” and that “there is no need to wait for a court to force compliance with clear law.” If Gov.-elect Landry calls a special session, the timing will be tricky — as Landry won’t be inaugurated until Jan. 8 and the session couldn’t start until seven days after the proclamation is issued, meaning the earliest lawmakers could return to the Capitol is the Jan. 15 deadline. Landry could not be reached for comment. However, in the appeals court’s order it does say that the district court will have discretion to grant “limited additional time” if requested. Link

Volkswagen’s flagship ID.7 model has debuted in the UK at a starting price of £55,570, which slots it right between the BMW i4 and Mercedes-Benz EQE. It becomes the brand’s first upper-mid-sized EV and sits atop the ID. range. Named the ID.7 ‘Pro Launch Edition’, the car can accept charging speeds of up to 175kW and has a claimed range of 384 miles. Volkswagen’s latest 210kW electric motor is supplied and provides around 282bhp and 402 lb ft of torque, which makes it the most powerful ID. model yet. The ID.7 also boasts a spacious cabin that can be fitted with optional ergoActive premium seats that feature a number of massage settings. The panoramic sunroof has also been given smart glassing, allowing occupants to switch between opaque and transparent settings via touch control. This can also be done using Volkswagen’s new IDA voice assistant - a potential tool of anarchy for petulant children looking for new ways to annoy you. Further technology enhancements are headlined by the Travel Assist suite that now debuts assisted lane changing at speeds of over 56mph, and automatic parking with memory function at a distance of up to 50 metres. Completing the cabin’s talking points is a 15-inch infotainment unit that’s now been revised following consumer feedback, leading to updates such as a slider to adjust cabin temperature. Link

Sri Lanka have been suspended by the International Cricket Council (ICC) because of government interference. Sri Lanka's ministry of sport sacked the national board (SLC) amid the team's poor World Cup, although the decision was reversed by a court. The ICC board determined "Sri Lanka is in serious breach of its obligations as a member". The terms of the suspension, including any potential ramifications, will be decided at the next ICC board meeting. The ICC said Sri Lanka had broken "the requirement to manage its affairs autonomously and ensure that there is no government interference in the governance, regulation and/or administration". Sri Lanka have won just two of their nine games at the World Cup so far, leaving them ninth in the table. They are coached by former England coach Chris Silverwood. Last week sports minister Roshan Ranasinghe described the SLC as "traitorous and corrupt" in a statement to parliament and called for board members to resign. Secretary Mohan de Silva quit and the board was sacked. Ranasinghe replaced them with an interim committee chaired by World Cup-winning captain Arjuna Ranatunga, although a petition against the dismissal was granted a two-week stay order by a court this week. SLC also issued a statement on allegations made by Ranasinghe about supposed financial irregularities. The ICC suspension comes a day after Sri Lanka's last game at the World Cup in India - a defeat by New Zealand on Thursday. England are due to host Sri Lanka for a three-Test series next summer while Sri Lanka are also due to host the Under-19 men's World Cup in January and February next year. Afghanistan have not been banned by the ICC despite the Taliban banning women from playing sports, resulting in their women's team being unable to compete. BBC Sport understands this is because the ICC sees there to be no government interference in Afghanistan. Speaking to the BBC's Stumped podcast on Thursday, ICC chief executive Geoff Allardice said: "We have spoken with the Afghanistan Cricket Board and the position is that they have to operate within the laws of the country and the rules are set by the government. "Really the question for the ICC board is, do we support our member in their ability to promote cricket within the rules set by the government of the country? And the view is yes." Link

Easily reached by train, the cities of Olomouc and Brno have culture in spades – and few of the foreign visitors that crowd the capital Achorus of giggles breaks out in the corridor outside the compartment. There’s a stag party on board the train, and the stag has been dared by his mates to ask two young women if he can take a selfie with them. So far, so stereotypical, except I’m on a Czech train, the stag party is Czech, not British, and our destination is not Prague but Olomouc, a city in Moravia, the Czech Republic’s less-visited, easterly region. This year the tourism arm of the Czech government has been promoting the country’s extensive, low-cost rail network to show that it can meet demand for low-carbon travel. But there’s an ulterior motive: taking people out of Prague and into Moravia. The Czech capital’s overtourism woes are well documented – yet for every Prague business owner complaining about too many tourists, there’s one in Moravia complaining there are not enough of them. Moravia is a region I know well – I lived there for almost a year some time ago – but I’ll admit that during that time, I rarely took the train. I’ll be putting that right with this short, cross-country itinerary, which trundles from Prague to the Moravian capital, Brno, and on to Olomouc. Starting with a day in the capital, I hurry past the tourist hotspots of Charles Bridge and the Old Town Square, with its astronomical clock, down streets scented with bread dumplings, beer and the sugar-dusted, helix-shaped cakes known as trdelník. I’m anxious for respite from the crowds, and I find it in the Grand Cafe Orient, a cubist cafe that first opened in 1912. It’s in the House of the Black Madonna: a former department store designed by Josef Gočár, co-founder of the Czech cubism architectural movement. The cafe closed just 10 years later, when cubism fell out of fashion, but in 2005, new owner Rudolf Břínek reopened it, basing the restoration on 1920s photos of the cafe. It’s a flawless reconstruction, right down to the zigzag coathooks and striped satin upholstery. The next morning, I rise early and walk to Prague’s main station, through the neo-Renaissance-style ticket hall and on to the first-class carriage of a Railjet train operated by České Dráhy, the state-owned national rail service. My ticket cost just 600Kč (£21). Young families, elderly couples and teenagers laden with shopping shuffle on. I don’t see a single other tourist. The flat, farmland of Bohemia becomes hillier and quainter as the train rumbles into wilder Moravian territory, passing through pine forests studded with red-roofed cottages. Wandering across Brno, I hear flutes trilling from rehearsal rooms We pull into Brno’s immense central station, built in 1838. Then, it was a jewel of the Austrian empire, the terminus of a line that led to Vienna. As Brno industrialised and prospered in the following decades, parts were added with little regard for architectural continuity: an art nouveau facade here, a glass-fronted extension there. It’s an appropriate introduction to the city, which appears not so much built as stuck together: Austro-Hungarian confections jostle with functionalist marvels and communist-era monstrosities. Last year, Mendel’s Greenhouse became the newest addition to the mix: a minimalist steel-and-glass space that hosts science-related exhibitions and events. At the greenhouse I meet Ondřej Chybík, one of the architects, who explains the reasoning behind the pared-back, timeless design. “This building should stay here for ever,” he says. “This is the holistically sustainable approach.” Link

Anti-terrorism police in Belgium have detained two suspected members of a far-right group accused of plotting bomb attacks and inciting violence. The pair, a man and a woman in their early 20s, were picked up after a series of raids on houses in Diepenbeek and Ostend, prosecutors said. One house contained large quantities of Nazi memorabilia and flags, they added. The allegations against the two include "recruiting people with the aim of committing terrorist crimes". They are also suspected of "preparing for the commission of terrorist acts". The Belgian raids were part of a Europe-wide operation against right-wing terrorism that also included raids in Croatia, Germany, Lithuania, Romania and Italy, according to the EU's crime agency Europol. In all, five people were apprehended and seven others interrogated across the different countries, it said. The two people taken into custody by Belgian police have been identified as Daan C, born in 2000, and Kayley W, born in 2002. Daan C was arrested pending further investigation, while Kayley W was released after questioning. "Both persons are suspected of participating in the activities of a terrorist group, with Daan C also as a leader," said a statement from the federal prosecutor. "There are indications that the suspects were active on several encrypted extreme-right platforms, urging people to commit terrorist acts, recruiting new members and sharing information on how to use 3D-printed firearms," the statement went on. "They were also found in possession of materials that could be used to produce home-made bombs and petrol bombs." In addition, prosecutors said some members of the online groups had written a manifesto and there were indications they had weapons at their disposal. "Despite the young age of some of the suspects, indicators showed that there was an increased risk that some of them would take action soon," Europol said. Link

Voted

Nick: Desire- Real name: morad How old are you?: 20 Which Games you play? and for how long?(each of them): Cs1.6 4hours / pubg 1h Where are you from?(country and city): Morocco,agadir Describe yourself(at least 50 words): Well, I consider myself a very honest and responsible person, and I am also credited with being very serious about matters that deserve it. I like to make friends Note some of your qualities: Friendly, Hard working, Honest , Help, understand, always support those who need it Tell us some of your defects: A LOT Had you before any kind of responsabilities(describe it): Well I'm now in journalist,harmony On which category/categories have you been active lately?(describe your activity): Free time - (journalist) - Media/Music/Billboard - (Devil harmony) Which category/project you want to care off?: Journalist , Devil harmony How well you speak english?(and other languages): I think i'm doing well in English, and Arabic is my original language Do you use TS3? Do you have an active microphone?: Yes For how long can you be active after you get accepted?(days, weeks, months, years): I'll be here until life hits me with some tough responsibilities, I really don't know Contact methods: Discord/INSTA Last req: I don't have one

heyy

Music title: YoungBoy Never Broke Again - GUAPI Signer:YoungBoy Never Broke Again Release date:Nov 8, 2023 Official YouTube link: Informations about the signer:- Your opinion about the track (music video):-