Desire-

Sacrificial lamb rack (with sweet potato mash and jus) – recipe This recipe is so crazy tasty you’ll think you died and went to hell/heaven. I wanted to create a dish that gave off a death metal energy while tasting like something you’d eat at a flash restaurant. Jules and I filmed an episode featuring this recipe in the middle of Sydney’s lockdown. We went all-out and green-screened the whole kitchen to make it look as though it was set in a fiery pit of doom. It was one of the biggest efforts I’d ever made for a video, and it took me the better part of two weeks to edit the [CENSORED]en thing too. Entirely worth it and, unlike the video production, the dish is as easy as all get-out. Serves 2 Prep 30 mins Cook 30 mins 1–1.2 kg lamb rack 4 long red chillies 2 tbsp olive oil Parsley to serve For the sweet potato mash 2 medium sweet potatoes (approx 800g) 1 whole bulb garlic, unpeeled Olive oil, for drizzling 20g butter Salt and pepper Splash of cream or full-cream milk For the jus 3–4 French shallots or 1 red onion 4–6 garlic cloves, peeled and finely diced 30g butter 150ml red wine 150ml beef stock 1 tbsp brown sugar Straight out of hell’s gate, you’re gonna need to summon the heat in the oven to a brutal 220C/200C fan. Wash any dirt off your sweet potatoes, then dry them. Prick a bunch of holes in them with a fork, but don’t [CENSORED]en stab yourself, please! Wrap in foil and then drop-kick them into the oven for 45 minutes to one hour. You’ll know when they’re done ’cause you should be able to easily stick a pitchfork or small trident through them. Cut the top (not the furry bum end) off the whole bulb of unpeeled and intact garlic, drizzle a little olive oil into it and wrap in foil. Place your red chillies on a non-stick baking tray along with your foil-covered garlic and bung them in the oven with the sweet potatoes. They should all be cooked around or just before the sweet potatoes (35 to 45 minutes). Now to deal with the lamb. A lamb rack commonly comes with a lot of fat on it. If you’re not bothered by it then leave that shit on. If you are like me and want it to look flash as a rat with a gold tooth, then you can gently and slowly pull the fat off the meat. If you decide to use a knife, be careful not to cut the meat off with the fat. If you wanna turn this shit up to 11 on the fancy-pantometer, you can employ the brutal technique of frenching the bones, AKA cleaning/scraping the bones with a knife to remove all fat and excess meat and only leaving the eye of the cutlet on the now-exposed bone. I’ll be honest, this process is a bit of [CENSORED] around and not entirely necessary but it does look cool. To prep the jus ingredients, peel and chop/slice your shallots/red onion along with your garlic cloves, and chuck in a bowl of their own. On the stove, get yourself a wide pan, bung in a dash of olive oil and get it nice and hot. Carefully and quickly sear the lamb rack on all sides, about 45 to 60 seconds each side. Transfer to an oven dish and throw it in the Pit of Doom with the sweet potatoes, chillies and garlic for about 10 to 15 minutes, depending on how you like your meat cooked. Don’t act tough, use a meat thermometer and spike it in the middle to check: 55C for rare, 55-60C for medium rare, 60-65C for medium, 65C for medium-well done, and 65C+ is pretty much gonna make it the inner tube out of a BMX, but I get if seeing pink in the meat freaks you out, so by all means cook past that temp at your hellish leisure. Using the same pan you just seared your lamb in, turn the heat down to medium-high and melt 30g butter, then drop in the chopped shallots/onion and garlic and saute for a few minutes until they soften and begin to turn brown. Add the red potion (wine) to the pan, being careful it doesn’t catch the lip of the pan and catch fire (unlike me, who intentionally did it on camera to look cool), and cook for two to three minutes. Pour in your beef stock and brown sugar and simmer gently for seven to 10 minutes until the liquid has reduced by about half. Then strain the whole lot through a sieve into a bowl to separate the liquid from the onion and garlic. Make sure to give these lumpy bits a good [CENSORED]en push through the sieve to get all the good flavours into that bowl. Then, would you believe it, we chuck the liquid part BACK in the pan and cook it down even more until it’s thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. The consistency should be thinner than honey but thicker than wine. If we have timed it right, out of the oven should come everything (unless something looks or feels like it needs longer, in which case leave it in for a sec). Rest the lamb in a warm place. You can cover it with foil if you like or don’t have anywhere you consider that warm. Carefully peel the skins off the chillies to keep them whole. Set aside. Unwrap the foil from the sweet potatoes and scrape out the orange flesh into a bowl. Remove the foil from the garlic bulb and squeeze the cooked garlic cloves into the sweet potato flesh with 20g butter, a dash of cream or milk and a crack of salt and pepper. Whisk together with a masher or, even better, with a whisk! Give that mash potato some love until there are few to no lumps. Add more salt and pepper if ya want, and if it’s too thick add more milk (but slowly or it will turn to soup). Now for the death metal part: make it look like horns! On a plate, blob on a few spoonfuls of the mash in the centre, then with a sharp knife separate the cutlets by cutting between the bones (I like to keep them as two bones to each serving) and place the bones crisscrossed and back-to-back on top of the mash. Or just plonk the [CENSORED]en things on it. Gently lie two red chillies in front of the lamb in a cross and drizzle the meat with a teaspoon or so of jus. Finish with a pinch of chopped parsley if ya like, and marvel at that shit-hot looking sacrifice you just made for dinner .Link

Spain's Socialist acting prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, has agreed a controversial amnesty deal with a Catalan separatist party, bringing him closer to four more years in office. He was immediately condemned by conservative opponents for dragging Spain towards "humiliation". Although the conservative Po[CENSORED]r Party won July elections they were unable to form a majority. The amnesty deal would give the Socialists the numbers they need. However, right-wing protesters have taken to the streets in Madrid and other cities in recent days, angered by the prospect of a law granting amnesty to hundreds of Catalan politicians and activists "directly or indirectly" related to a failed bid to secede from Spain in 2017. Po[CENSORED]r Party (PP) figures have accused the acting prime minister of writing a "blank cheque for the independence movement". Madrid regional leader Isabel Díaz Ayuso said the Socialists were "selling a nation with centuries of history" with an attack on Spain's rule of law. Amid the febrile atmosphere surrounding the deal, a former leader of the PP in Catalonia and founder of far-right Vox was shot in the head and wounded on a street in Madrid. His attacker was said to have fled the scene on a motorbike. Fury in Spain at Socialists' amnesty plan for power Alejo Vidal-Quadras, 78, had earlier condemned the "infamous pact", warning that it would make Spain a "totalitarian tyranny". However, Spanish reports suggested the attack may have been linked to his work defending Iran's exiled opposition. Mr Vidal-Quadras was said to be in a stable condition. Under the agreement of just over three pages, the draft amnesty covers charges arising from the start of the Catalan push for independence in 2012 to 2023 but it does not refer to any named individuals. It also says JxCat will propose holding a "self-determination referendum on the political future of Catalonia" within the terms of the Spanish constitution while the Socialist party says it will defend the "broad development" of Catalonia's autonomy by judicial means. Mr Puigdemont said the deal marked a step towards resolving "the historic conflict between Catalonia and Spain". Santos Cerdán, the Socialist party negotiator, said it gave a historic opportunity for tackling what "can and should only be dealt with politically". "It's necessary to form a progressive government as soon as possible, that gives stability to Spain and that fulfils the mandate of the people in last elections." The leader of the conservative PP, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, spoke of a day that would go down "in the dark history of our country". Calling for further protests, he said the acting prime minister had formed an alliance for personal convenience and had utterly surrendered to the "blackmail of the independence movement". Party colleague Isabel Díaz Ayuso told Spanish TV that the Socialists had betrayed all their principles. Accusing the acting prime minister of deciding to stay in office despite losing the election, she said his party was guilty of sneaking "a dictatorship through the back door". The controversial amnesty law will be put before parliament in the coming days and, assuming it passes, the next step will be for an investiture debate and a vote around Thursday next week. The European Commission said it had written to the caretaker government in Spain for information about the draft law. A spokesman said it had been contacted "by a large number of citizens and stakeholders who had concerns about [the amnesty]". Link

Music title: Benny The Butcher, Lil Wayne - Big Dog Signer:enny The Butcher, Lil Wayne Release date:Nov 3, 2023 Official YouTube link: Informations about the signer:- Your opinion about the track (music video):-

Nick movie: GHOSTBUSTERS: FROZEN EMPIRE Time: March 27, 2024 Netflix / Amazon / HBO: hulu Duration of the movie:N/A Trailer:

Three people have been arrested and charged in connection with running “high-end brothels” in the Boston area and Northern Virginia whose clients allegedly included military officers and elected officials, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Massachusetts announced Wednesday. The charges allegedly stem from a multiyear investigation that began in the summer of 2020 and is ongoing. Prosecutors said the Massachusetts brothels were in Cambridge and Watertown, and the Virginia locations were in Fairfax and Tysons, primarily with Asian women in both states. The defendants are Han Lee, 41, of Cambridge, Massachusetts; Junmyung Lee, 30, of Dedham, Massachusetts; and James Lee, 68, of Torrance, California. All three were charged with conspiracy to coerce and entice to travel to engage in illegal sexual activity. The charges carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000, according to the Justice Department. Agents identified customers of the network “through surveillance, phone records, customer interviews, and other investigative methods,” according to the affidavit written by the investigating case agent working for Homeland Security Investigations. "These customers spanned a wide array of different professional disciplines," the case agent said in court documents. “Some of these professional disciplines included, but are not limited to, politicians, pharmaceutical executives, doctors, military officers, government contractors that possess security clearances, professors, lawyers, business executives, technology company executives, scientists, accountants, retail employees, and students.” The affidavit says the agent believes there are potentially “hundreds of yet to be identified customers.” The document also specified that the agent was not naming the individuals identified by investigators so far — but not for the purpose of protecting them. “I do not do this for purposes of maintaining their anonymity, but instead do so because our investigation into their involvement in prostitution is active and ongoing,” the affidavit says. According to court documents, the defendants allegedly leased apartments with rents as high as $3,664 a month, furnished them and maintained them as brothels. They also coordinated the airline travel and transportation of sex workers, the court filings said. Court documents indicate the defendants used money orders to conceal the transfer of funds for rent in a way that intentionally did not trip anti-money laundering and Bank Secrecy Act alerts for suspicious money movement. Appointments with the women were offered through a website for the Boston area and one for Northern Virginia, both of which advertised nude Asian models for professional photography, an affidavit filed on Tuesday said. Investigators say the businesses were used "as a front for prostitution." Potential clients were required to undergo a verification process that made them fill out a form that included their name, email address, phone number, employer and a reference, if they had one, the affidavit says. Prosecutors say that the defendants charged the customers approximately $350 to upward of $600 per hour and made them pay in cash. The affidavit says that investigators have interviewed about 20 customers in connection with the probe since 2020. The lawyer for Han Lee declined to comment on the case. The attorney representing Junmyung Lee did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The court documents did not list a lawyer for James Lee. The U.S. Attorney’s office in Massachusetts filed a motion on Wednesday in support of the detention of James Lee pending trial, citing the investigating case agent who wrote in a separate affidavit that the defendant poses a flight risk. The agent wrote that James Lee "has several businesses and corresponding business bank accounts in his name and in the names of his fraudulent identities," which he said he believes the defendant used to launder the money from the prostitution business. The agent said James Lee falsified bank statements, pay stubs and driver's licenses in applying for the leases of the apartments used as brothels. The second affidavit by the agent said the monthly rent was as high as $5,600 for the apartments. "Today, four of those active brothels were subject to search warrants executed by federal law enforcement officers," the agent said on Wednesday. "From the brothels, agents recovered among other things, condoms, cash, and women believed to be engaging in prostitution at the direction of the prostitution ring." The agent added that based on information obtained by a cooperating source, he said he has reason to believe this is not the only prostitution network James Lee is tied to. Investigators also said that James Lee made deposits in his personal and business bank accounts since January 2020 that totaled $4.5 million. More than $550,000 of Covid relief funds, the agent wrote, were among those deposits. Investigators acquired records from the Small Business Administration that, the agent suggested, show James Lee applied for these loans for various businesses, including one listed as E.P.A. Green Services, and potentially under different identities. James Lee "utilized these accounts to conceal and disguise illicit proceeds of the prostitution business, in addition to possible fraudulently obtained Covid-19 related relief funds," the agent wrote. When the search warrant was executed at his home, agents did not find James Lee's passport, the affidavit says. However, the agent wrote that it's believed that Lee has traveled since 2017 to eight different countries on 10 separate occasions, including to South Korea, Brazil, Panama, Singapore, Canada and Colombia. Link

From wellbeing allowances to generous parental leave to a bonus in your pay packet when you take a break, the Scandinavian country has a lot to teach the rest of the world Leah Harper @theharpsbizarre Wed 8 Nov 2023 12.00 GMT 252 Gym classes, massages, mood boosting hobbies; it’s no secret that staying “well” can be prohibitively expensive. But not necessarily in Sweden, where many employers offer their workers a so-called “wellness allowance”: up to 5,000 SEK (approximately £372) tax-free a year to spend on pre-approved wellbeing-based activities. First introduced in 1988, the allowance can be used for endeavours ranging from horseback riding to smoking cessation programmes, and Swedish employers have stuck with it, with many increasing their offering over the years. But the allowance, it turns out, is just the tip of Sweden’s workplace wellbeing iceberg. In fact, when it comes to ideal countries to be employed in, Sweden sets the pace. “It’s pretty amazing,” says Maja Wessel, acting CEO of Region Stockholm’s Patient Advisory Committee (Patientnämnden) of the wellness allowance. Her organisation was awarded Sweden’s best small workplace by Great Place to Work earlier this year and came third in their European final. She spends her allowance on a gym membership, but says that yoga classes and ski passes are also po[CENSORED]r choices. Many Swedish employers also offer a weekly friskvårdstimme or “wellness hour” – 60 minutes a week to look after their wellbeing during paid working hours Perhaps the best-known of Sweden’s enviable workplace practices is the tradition of fika (derived from the Swedish word for coffee, kaffe), which involves stepping away from your desk to share coffee and cake or pastries with colleagues. Unlike in other countries, where a coffee run may more commonly be carried out by one person, or used to facilitate a work meeting, in Sweden the focus tends to be on taking a collective break. “It’s not a time to talk about work – it’s a pause from work, to talk about other things,” says Lotta Henrysson, head of HR at Vattenfall Sweden, a state-owned energy company. “Some people are strict with it: every morning at 9am and every afternoon at 4pm. That’s kind of the old culture, I would say – how it was 20 years ago. Now, it can also be more ad hoc.” Vattenfall’s offices have seating areas on every floor to make it easy for people to move away from their desks and “change the environment” during fika breaks. I join Wessel for fika on a relatively quiet Friday afternoon – it’s All Saints’ Eve, which is traditionally a partial non-working day in Sweden, and as you might expect, the workforce makes the most of the time off. Her team fika in what they call “the green room” – a calm and comfortable plant-filled space adjacent to the office’s workstations. “It’s a great time to get to know each other, to unwind,” she tells me over a plate of lussekatter (saffron buns), kanelbullar (cinnamon buns) and a glass of julmust – a soft drink that’s po[CENSORED]r in Sweden at Christmas time – this is their first one of the year. “During the pandemic, we had fika on Microsoft Teams instead,” adds Catharina Barreus, an administrator at the company, who also joins us. “It taught us that there were other ways to fika.” The department – several floors up in a shared building and comprising of just 25 employees – is relatively nondescript; there are none of the beanbags or sleep pods or other facilities so often attributed to desirable and productive workplace environments. The rows of desks are more reminiscent of a typical call-centre set up, with private side-offices for more confidential conversations. Yet the team are keenly aware of the importance of socialising together. “We know that we have to do things together and be friends, or at least friendly with each other, to maintain a positive workplace culture,” says Wessel, adding that they regularly meet outside working hours, too. Away from the green room, there is also an open-plan kitchen space with tea and coffee facilities, as well as fresh fruit baskets. The fika breaks last just 15-20 minutes – how do they keep them concise, even when colleagues are evidently keen to catch-up? “Everyone is very aware [of the time],” says Wessel. “It’s a stressful environment, everyone has stuff to do.” The country’s tourist board website claims that fika is “so ingrained in the Swedish psyche… that some companies add a clause to contracts stating that employees are entitled to fika breaks.” There is evidence to suggest that taking regular breaks is key to boosting productivity; even though only 1% of Swedish employees work overtime, they are no less productive than those in other countries, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The lack of overtime is also significant. Swedes value work-life balance and, unless the job necessitates it, will avoid letting professional commitments seep into their personal lives. Most employers also offer flexible work hours. “We focus on what is to be delivered and not just on how long it takes,” says Hans Celander, head of competence at Trafikverket, the Swedish Transport Administration. “Maybe you work a little longer today and shorter tomorrow, but the work gets done.” Trust, he says, is key – a sentiment echoed by Barreus. “You do what you’re supposed to do,” she says. “No one is going to bother you about how you do it.” The ring-fencing of personal time is perhaps felt most keenly by outsiders. Natasha, who moved from Britain to Sweden in 2019 to work as marketing director for a fashion brand, says it was “completely normal” for the entire office to be entirely empty by 5pm most days. “When I first joined the business, I would try to book meetings into people’s diaries and at some point, someone said: ‘Natasha, you can’t book meetings at lunchtime because people won’t come!’ They take all of that stuff really seriously, as opposed to in the UK, where we don’t mind trampling over home-lives and lunchtimes. It forces you to be a bit more considerate and intentional about boundaries. Plus, protecting that time makes work more efficient and more enjoyable.” It will come as little surprise, then, to learn that the Swedes are also generous with their holiday allowances: the minimum annual leave entitlement for full-time employees is 25 days a year (the UK and EU standard is 20 days) – plus an extra nine public holidays, bringing the total to 34 (although some European countries offer even more). “You have the legal right to take off four weeks in a row,” says Wessel, citing the Swedish Annual Leave Act. “It’s very important, especially for us – we have this terrible weather, so come summer it’s good to be able to take a long holiday during that time. It’s something I would really miss if I didn’t have it.” In workplaces where such long absences are possible, many employees opt to take the whole of July off, with offices either closed entirely or operating with a skeleton staff, much as they might over Christmas. “It puts the person at the centre, rather than putting work at the centre,” says Natasha. “People tend to spend that time with their families.” While a holiday bonus might sound too good to be true, it also pays to take holiday in Sweden – employees receive an additional 12% of their gross salary, plus 0.43% of their monthly salary, every time they take annual leave. We take the time to really see each other, to see the person in front of you The Swedish concept of “flat hierarchies” may also be something that is felt more acutely by non-natives. Egalitarianism is integral to the way in which many Swedish businesses operate; job titles are rarely used and decisions are often made by consensus. “Everyone’s included in the conversation at least, regardless of your level [of seniority],” says Sarah, a British expat who has been working in Sweden for five years, although she believes that management at her workplace usually still have the final say. The Swedish Institute, a public agency that builds interest and trust in Sweden around the world, argues that taking a collective approach to decision-making – particularly regarding central wage bargaining with trade unions – has resulted in a “predominantly peaceful relationship between employers and employees”. Managers and bosses will usually socialise and fika with less senior members of staff, too. “We are not as hierarchical as other countries can be,” confirms Celander. “We think it is important to let everyone have a say. If everyone knows where you are going and why, you can focus on the delivery.” The Swedish Institute, a public agency that builds interest and trust in Sweden around the world, argues that taking a collective approach to decision-making – particularly regarding central wage bargaining with trade unions – has resulted in a “predominantly peaceful relationship between employers and employees”. Managers and bosses will usually socialise and fika with less senior members of staff, too. “We are not as hierarchical as other countries can be,” confirms Celander. “We think it is important to let everyone have a say. If everyone knows where you are going and why, you can focus on the delivery.” Steinunn Ásgeirsdóttir, who was a director at Patientnämnden, says it is the combination of these elements that creates an innovative and creative – not to mention covetable – workplace culture in Sweden. “It’s not only about the physical work environment, but the social and psychological environment,” she says. “It’s all connected: the self-leadership, productivity, knowledge sharing, innovation, respect for each other, trust, and encouraging each other.” Further emphasis is placed on the importance of work-life balance through progressive parental leave policies: in 1974, Sweden became the first country in the world to do away with gender-specific parental leave, and currently offers a total of 480 days of paid parental leave when a child is born or adopted – almost two years of working days in total. Both parents are entitled to 240 days leave, with 90 of those days reserved as a minimum for each parent. Swedish parents also have the legal right to take time off work to look after a child if they get sick. While plenty of employers may be relatively understanding when it comes to emergency childcare, in Sweden it is entrenched in law under a policy known as Vård av Barn [care of children] - or “vab”, for short. The state picks up 80% of a parent’s salary, allowing for 120 days a year, per child, until the age of 12. And it’s not just the parents who benefit: other family members, friends or neighbours who act as carers for the children are also entitled to vab compensation. In addition, parents are entitled to reduce their working hours (by up to 25%) until their child turns eight years old. There are, of course, some downsides to the seemingly utopian culture cultivated in Swedish workplaces. Gender roles remain relatively entrenched, and Sweden still sees more men returning to work before their (female) partners.. Additionally, Sweden’s democratic decision-making processes within the workplace can mean change takes place very slowly, or not at all – something which is liable to cause particular frustration to those who come from workplaces where snappy decision-making is highly valued. Officially, Sweden does not have a government-mandated minimum wage and many of the attractive employment benefits, such as the wellness allowance, do not apply to those working in temporary positions or on short-term contracts. Even those who do qualify do not always take advantage of the allowance. “We had hoped that more of our employees would actually use it – often, the people who use it are the people who would have joined a health club anyway,” says Henrysson. “Also, we see that many people don’t start using it until late in the year – people think: ‘Oh my God, I forgot!’ – and you can spend it all at once if you want to.” Systemic inequality also means that unemployment is growing in Sweden – and so an increasing number of people do not benefit from the country’s attractive workplace culture at all; Sweden’s overall unemployment rate is one of the highest in Europe, at 7%. Since 2015 it has taken in far more migrants than any other EU country (relative to its po[CENSORED]tion size) but many have difficulty finding permanent employment: in 2017, foreigners were three times more likely to be jobless than local people. Without a job, not only is a significant proportion of the po[CENSORED]tion at a financial disadvantage, but they are also without considerable workplace benefits, creating something of a two-tiered society. But perhaps the biggest downside to the Swedish workplace culture, at least for the rest of us, is that it’s surprisingly difficult to replicate. For all its advantages, the Swedish approach doesn’t always seem to translate to other countries, especially those outside the Nordic region. When I ask the Patientnämnden team what the secret is, Barreus tells me simply that she and her colleagues “take the time to really see each other, to see the person in front of you; we care about each other.” I can imagine that’s not easy to enforce. And while some of what makes working in Sweden so appealing is enshrined in law, much of it lies in the fostering of strong working relationships, a genuine drive for job satisfaction – and, perhaps above all, the recognition that employees have lives outside the office. As Henrysson puts it, Swedish workplaces appear alluring because, “you should not only live to work.” Link

Paris 2024 organisers say they are committed to hosting the Olympic surfing event at its planned site in Tahiti - despite concerns raised by locals about the environmental impact. The site at Teahupo'o, which is 9,500 miles from Paris, is renowned as one of the best surfing waves in the world. But residents on the Pacific island say the construction of an aluminium tower would damage the coral reef. "Our ambition has remained unchanged," Paris 2024 organisers told BBC Sport. "We are studying every possible scenario to enable the surfing competitions to take place on this site, which we want to preserve, respect and enhance for the Games." Teahupo'o is described by the world's top surfers as an exhilarating and unique spot which provides one of the biggest tests in the sport. Located in the South Pacific with a backdrop of mountain landscape, it has long hosted events on the professional World Surf League's (WSL) championship tour, with a wooden tower installed on the reef for the judges. The plan to install a much larger aluminium tower for the Olympics has led to an online petition which had been signed by almost 150,000 people by Wednesday. As well as the impact on the reef, objectors say the drilling needed for the platform, and installation of underwater pipelines, risked damaging the marine ecosystem and the wave. On Wednesday, it was reported French Polynesia president Moetai Brotherson suggested the event could be moved from Teahupo'o to Taharuu on Tahiti's West coast. "All of our efforts are centred on finding the best solution collectively, in conjunction with the Polynesian government, for the exceptional site of Teahupo'o," Paris 2024 organisers said. Their ambition for the Games is to "guarantee top-level sporting competition on a world-renowned wave" which "respects the environment". "Where the Games adapt to Teahupo'o and not the other way round, and to showcase the mythical Teahupo'o wave to the world and ensure that the Games are a success for Tahiti and its people," the statement added. Discussions and further studies are set to continue over the coming weeks. The Paris 2024 surf event is scheduled for 27-30 July next year. Link

At least one person has been killed after a Russian missile struck a civilian ship entering the Ukrainian Black Sea port of Odesa, Ukraine's military says. According to the southern defence forces, the Liberian-flagged vessel was struck by an anti-radar missile. The ship's pilot is said to have died, while three Filipino crewmembers and a port worker have been injured. Russia has not yet commented on the incident. Ukraine's Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov confirmed the incident on social media, adding that the ship was supposed to be transporting iron ore to China. Ships entering and leaving the port of Odesa have been at risk of Russian attack since Moscow pulled out of a deal earlier this year that allowed for the safe export of Ukrainian grain. The Russian defence ministry said it regards all cargo ships in the Black Sea bound for Ukraine as potential military targets. According to Mr Kubrakov, Wednesday's attack is the 21st targeted attack on port infrastructure since Russia withdrew from the deal. Link

Nick movie: shogun Time: February 2024 Netflix / Amazon / HBO: hulu Duration of the movie: N/A Trailer:

Music title: Tee Grizzley - The Sopranos (feat. MGK) [Official Video] Signer:Tee Grizzley,MGK Release date: Nov 3, 2023 Official YouTube link: Informations about the signer:- Your opinion about the track (music video):-

WASHINGTON — A man with a rifle was arrested in a park near Senate office buildings across from Union Station in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, according to the U.S. Capitol Police, which said there is no reason to believe there is an ongoing threat. The suspect was arrested after Capitol Police received a call about a man with a gun. The Capitol Police said in a post on X that the suspect was in custody and it had searched the park and would go through the man’s belongings “out of an abundance of caution.” Capitol Police Chief Thomas Manger identified the suspect as 21-year-old Ahmir Lavon Merrell of Atlanta. Speaking at a news conference, Manger said the gun appeared to be a semi-automatic weapon that looked similar to an AR-15, though he could not confirm details about the weapon. Merrell will be charged with having a firearm on Capitol grounds, Manger said. It is unclear whether there will be subsequent charges. Manger said the incident, which occurred on a day when the Senate was in session, unfolded shortly after 12:30 p.m. when an officer near a Senate office building was alerted to a man nearby with a gun. Officers ordered the man to stop, but he did not comply, so an officer used a stun gun on the man's back and took him into custody, Manger said. Officers were seen sprinting to the Capitol and reporters followed, some of whom were not allowed to leave. One witness described the suspect as a tall Black man wearing an orange jumpsuit. More than half a dozen law enforcement vehicles responded to the scene. It took officers about three minutes to take the man into custody after being alerted to the gun, Manger said. After that, the man was put in an ambulance so that he could be treated from the stun gun if necessary, Manger added. As of Tuesday afternoon's press briefing, bomb technicians were still searching a bag left by the person on a park bench, Manger said, noting they have not found anything suspicious. Frank Thorp V and Megan Lebowitz reported from Washington, Summer Concepcion reported from New York. Link

Bike sales boomed during the pandemic, but now cycle shops are going bust, sales of ebikes are sluggish and there’s a downturn in ‘active travel’ When Alice Clews-Smith and her partner, Kitty, moved to London, they didn’t see many options for pursuing their shared passion for cycling. “I think it’s fair to say that the industry and the cycling scene were very male dominated,” she said. “There was a lack of space for women, trans-femme, non-binary people. We wanted a space where these people could feel welcomed and included. And because not everything is about going fast in Lycra.” So was born the Steezy Collective, which brings together cyclists across the UK. Not that going fast is off the table. The collective noticed that there were no women in the Fastest Known Times list for the Lakeland 200 route – 200km of mountain bike trails through the Lake District – so they set about correcting that, and now the list includes nine women riders, with their efforts captured on film The existence of the Steezy Collective and others such as Sisters in the Wild, the Lakes Gravel Gang, the New Forest Off Road Club and 6am Cycling is part of a new wave of enthusiasts fuelled by the lockdown bicycle boom. Riders are now much more diverse than the cliched and not entirely accurate stereotype of middle-aged men in Lycra. With miles of cycle paths opening up in cities across the UK, people reacted during the pandemic lockdowns by buying bikes in record numbers, with latecomers facing months-long waits. By March 2021, cycle traffic in England was 64% higher than in December 2013. Now that has all changed. Last week, Wiggle Chain Reaction Cycles, one of the UK’s largest online cycle retailers, went into administration while Islabikes, which transformed the design of children’s bikes to make them lighter and easier to handle, said that it would stop manufacturing. The announcements came after three major UK distributors went bust, along with German company Signa Sports United, and the Italian firm Bianchi announced redundancies, Cycling Weekly reported. So what went wrong? “We could see it before anyone else,” said Martin Shepherd at Reynolds Technology in Birmingham, which for the past 125 years has made steel tubes used to create bicycle frames. “During the pandemic, you couldn’t ship bikes fast enough,” he said. “Everybody’s lead time for orders [mostly to Taiwanese factories] started to go up nine months in advance, 12 months in advance. “Now we’ve come out of the other side of it, there’s just vast amounts of inventory because all those people who were having to order 500 bikes 18 months in advance were suddenly swamped with stock.” Customers, on the other hand, had been hit hard in their bank accounts. Sales have dipped, leaving companies with stock that’s proving hard to shift – something analyst Velco described as an economic “whiplash effect”, where small changes are magnified down the supply chain. Some bikes can now be bought at steep discounts since 2024 models will be arriving in a matter of weeks. Shepherd said high interest rates, as well as post-Brexit trade barriers, were also playing their part. UK firms have specialised in mid- and high-end bikes, and sales to Europe had been substantial, but they have been hit by customs delays and extra charges. Now is an excellent time to buy a bike, but those bargains come with a price tag for the sector. If the market is flooded with more cheap stock, it could drive more firms out of business. Link

ow is Formula E not the biggest sport on the face of the planet? By now it ought to have amassed the wealth and global audience to make LIV golf, Saudi Pro League footie and Formula One look about as powerful as a village lawn bowls club. Next season will be Formula E’s 10th. The recipe ticks every box a manufacturer, driver, broadcaster and spectator could ask for. Carmakers like the afterglow of competition pedigree, but only if it gels with their electrified ambitions. Drivers (publicly) want broadly comparable cars that let their talent – not wind tunnel wizardry – propel them to the top. Viewers want close racing, overtaking and the potential for carbon fibre to go flying every so often. And if that’s guaranteed, the broadcasters will keep signing on for next season. Holding the races in cities means the series is also accessible to folks who wouldn’t trek to Silverstone or Spa. It wouldn’t even get clobbered by the ULEZ. Formula E says all the metrics point in the right direction, with audience share swelling, sold-out grandstands and fanbase feedback overtaking NASCAR and MotoGP. But thanks to Netflix, it’s Formula One that’s been catapulted from a nerdy purgatory into a worldwide phenomenon of memes and heartthrobs. So you probably hadn’t noticed that this year’s Portland ePrix had 403 overtakes. And that ahead of this season’s penultimate round, any one of four FE drivers had a title shout. F1 hasn’t enjoyed such a wide open season climax in a decade. Meanwhile, Formula E cars themselves aren’t what they used to be. Remember 2014, when the gangly newbies mustered less power than a Boxster and their batteries couldn’t last an entire race? Forget fresh tyres, the drivers literally had to pit for a whole car halfway through each event, clumsily unbuckling themselves and sprinting across the garage to be belted into a freshly charged twin. That unedifying spectacle was purged in 2018 when the Gen2 cars arrived, teaming a Dallara chassis with a McLaren engineered battery. Those cars were again superseded in 2023 with this Gen3 car. Part stealth bomber, part Christmas tree. Now developing up to 469bhp and capable of six times more regen than the early cars (explaining the 10p pieces behind the front wheels and the total absence of rear brakes), a Gen3 racer is good for in excess of 200mph and 0–62mph in under 2.8 seconds. Being zero emissions, it was the perfect joker in the pack for Speed Week. So, we dialled up Formula E and asked if anyone had a spare car. Perhaps Mercedes (who ditched the series after winning it twice) had one gathering dust in a warehouse. Or Audi, who followed BMW’s works team out the door in 2021. “Actually, we’ve got our own car,” they replied. “And you’ll prefer ours. Ours is faster.” There’s nothing quite like a racing car that’s allowed to break the rules which govern it. Enter the GenBeta – a potential test bed for where Formula E goes next. Four-wheel drive, for starters. The front motor-generator, which is usually only on power harvesting duty, is allowed to contribute some grunt here, so thanks to an uprated battery this £1.3m one-off generates over 530bhp and gets off the line faster on softer, stickier tyres. Handy, when you want to break a world record. Formula E driver Jake Hughes recently guided this very machine to 135.9mph on a 346-metre track within the walls of an exhibition centre in London’s Docklands, shattering the indoor land speed record but not ExCeL’s skirting boards. Gratifyingly for someone whose single seater experience is go-karts and 20 minutes in a BAC Mono nine years ago, it’s simple to operate. Left foot on the near-solid brake pedal, right foot on the long throttle. Click both paddles for neutral, then left for reverse or right for drive. No DRS, no charge modes. Just stop, go and steer. It’s not comfy though. My hips wedge in the carbon seat before my backside touches the bottom, and my knees rest up against the underside of the nose while the steering wheel bumps into my thighs beyond a quarter turn of lock. It’s a relief to realise the reason I’m not a successful racing driver owes little to my talent vacuum and can be entirely blamed on the shape of my skeleton. Like all racing cars, the GenBeta doesn’t like dawdling. As we set up the cameras, it’s getting chilly. Its French handler gestures to a readout on the steering wheel: 37.5°C and falling. Battery temperature. Any colder and the car will lose performance and shut down. It’s imperative to generate some heat. The best way to do that? A couple of brisk laps. The fact I half-spin it on my first lap isn’t a shock to anyone. The fact I make it six corners before spinning it is a surprise to me. What have we learned? The unassisted steering is heavy and I can’t get much leverage on it before thunderthighs cost me an apex. The brakes are stupendous despite barely being there and the throttle travel is very long indeed. That was my downfall. I forgot that bit in the briefing where they warned me how it’s calibrated. The further you press the right pedal, the more the rear motor takes over from the front one, as the car presumes you’ve got plenty of tyre temperature and confidence. I had neither, so it looped around, and knocked one of the bespoke 3D-printed endplates off into the gravel. Freshly versed in new French curse words, I venture out again just as the Gotlandring starts being peppered by a late afternoon shower. But helpfully, this isn’t a slicks ’n’ wings special that needs to be driven at a certain lick to avoid falling off a downforce plateau. Formula E cars aren’t versed in dirty air and DRS. I can sort of imagine how you might go wheel to wheel and race someone in one of these. Whatever language you choose, it’s swearword fast. It whines and whooshes and buzzes with energy. Certainly sounds angry enough to be a racecar when you’re strapped into its core, peering around the halo that your brain quickly learns to see ‘through’. I spend half an hour feeling the car out, trying to absorb and process the messages it’s constantly feeding back. No more spins, happily. But Formula E hasn’t called back so I can’t imagine my data was too tasty. Build me a wider chassis? Despite it body shaming me, then spitting me off for some unscheduled disassembly, it seems to me that the engineers behind Formula E have done their jobs superbly, and improbably it’s the marketing that’s lagging. The rate of technical progress is wild. Formula E’s second decade will be defined by whether or not the viewing public, not the cars, are finally up to speed. Link

ICC Men's Cricket World Cup, Mumbai Afghanistan 291-5 (50 overs): Zadran 129* (143), Rashid 35* (18); Hazlewood 2-39 Australia 293-7 (46.5 overs): Maxwell 201* (128); Rashid 2-44 Australia won by three wickets Scorecard. Table. Glenn Maxwell battled through injury to hit a sensational double century against Afghanistan and guide Australia into the World Cup semi-finals. Maxwell arrived at the crease to face a hat-trick ball after Australia slumped to 91-7 in pursuit of 292 in Mumbai. He was dropped twice and struggled with a back injury and cramp but played a remarkable innings, often on one leg post century, to finish 201 not out. He shared 202 with Pat Cummins (12*) as Australia won with 19 balls to spare. Afghanistan, who had earlier made 291-5 with Ibrahim Zadran hitting their first World Cup century, were well set to join Australia in the current top four after a rampant start in the field before Maxwell produced one of the all-time great innings. He had already hit the fastest World Cup century earlier in the tournament against the Netherlands and returned to the Australia side for this game after missing Saturday's win over England because of a concussion sustained after falling off the back of a golf buggy. It was a truly breathtaking innings, with remarkable reverse sweeps for six, flicks and whips over the leg side on one leg, which will also be remembered as an incredible show of grit and determination. He is the first Australian to hit a double century in a one-day international and was mobbed by his ecstatic team-mates, who could barely believe what they had seen. It is the 11th double ton in ODI history but the first ever made while chasing. Australia's sixth win in a row sees them set up a semi-final clash against South Africa. One of New Zealand, Pakistan and Afghanistan will realistically claim the final knockout spot - all three sides are currently on eight points - to face leaders India. Who needs what to reach World Cup semi-finals? World Cup table and top-runscorers & wicket-takers Maxwell produces all-time great innings At the interval a tight game felt likely, though Afghanistan were favourites, with no side completing a chase of more than 281 at the Wankhede Stadium and Australia also needing to pull off their highest chase in World Cups. After Afghanistan's rampant start, where Australia were guilty of loose strokeplay and lacking a calm head, it looked certain Jonathan Trott's side would pull off their first win over Australia. Yet Afghanistan let the game slip when Maxwell was dropped in the covers on 24, before Mujeeb Ur Rahman put down an easy chance at short fine leg with Maxwell on 33. He was also halfway off the pitch after reviewing when given out lbw on 27, only to return in shock when the technology showed it was going over the stumps. The 35-year-old is one the most destructive batters in the game and this was another example of his game-changing talent. He struck 10 fours and three sixes in his first century, which came up off 76 balls, before the back struggles and cramp left him hobbling. He received treatment on numerous occasions, while Adam Zampa, the next man in, came down prepared to bat twice. But Maxwell persevered, his second century taking 54 balls, with most boundaries followed by a grimace or stretch of the leg or back. The all-rounder showed a nerveless ability to clear the ropes and find the gaps, but also calmly turned down singles and twos he knew he could not make, while never letting the require run rate spiral. He finished the game with a monstrous flick over the leg side to bring up his double century off 128 balls, including 21 fours and 10 sixes. Zadran's century not enough On reflection it may look like Afghanistan failed to put enough on the board, but they were simply denied by one of the greatest innings. South Africa and hosts India have undoubtedly been the standout batting sides in this tournament, but Afghanistan are next on the list. They have shown great maturity, both in setting a winning total against England and in their victories while chasing against Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the Netherlands. There is a calmness bestowed upon them from head coach Trott, who was regarded as one the toughest players during his international career with England. On this occasion they were was led by opener Zadran, who played some beautiful shots through the covers at the start of his innings before demonstrating his power over the leg-side, hitting an unbeaten 129 from 143 balls. Australia were far from their best in the field but seemed happy to just restrict Afghanistan's scoring, only to then take significant punishment late on. Afghanistan added 96 off the final 10 overs, including 64 off the last five, with Rashid Khan hitting a superb unbeaten 35 off 18 balls to lift his side to their highest World Cup score. Maxwell's heroics meant it did not matter here but death bowling is one area Australia will have to tighten up on for the semi-finals. 'I don't know know how you describe that' - reaction Player of the Match, Australia's Glenn Maxwell: "Horrific, I feel shocking. It was quite hot when we were fielding, I haven't done a whole lot of high intensity exercise in the heat. It got a hold of me, I was lucky to stick it out until the end. "It would've been nice if it was chanceless, I've lived a very charmed life out there. To make the most of it, be not out with Patty out there at the end I'm proud of." Australia captain Pat Cummins: "Just ridiculous. I don't know how you describe that. "A great win but Maxi was just out of this world. It's got to be the greatest ODI innings that has ever happened. "It's important. Not only from our team, thinking you can win from anywhere, but opposition look at that as well. It gives us real belief and we're into the semi-finals now so that's great." Afghanistan captain Hasmatullah Shahidi: "Really disappointed. Cricket is a funny game, it was unbelievable. "Our bowlers started really well, we dropped chances for the eighth wicket. Maxwell doesn't stop, I have to give credit to him. "I am proud of the team, the team will be disappointed because we didn't think that could happen. We will try our best to come out stronger against South Africa." Link

South Korean authorities are working to contain bedbug infestations that have caused concern across the country. At least 17 outbreaks have been reported in the capital of Seoul and in the cities of Busan and Incheon as of 5 November, local media report. Seoul has set aside 500 million won ($383,000; £310,000) and set up a response team to take on the bedbugs. The blood-sucking insects have also been a recent source of public alarm in France, and the UK. Bedbug infestations in South Korea were reported in September, at a university in Daegu city in the south-west. They were later reported in tourist accommodations and a public sauna. Some South Koreans have been staying away from cinemas and public transportation out of fear of bedbugs. Hotels battle to beat bedbugs as outbreaks rise 'I've suffered from bedbugs for two years' South Korea's EDaily News reported that a 34-year-old Seoul resident, Ms Choi, would avoid riding subway trains with fabric seats for the time being. Ms Choi had also been spraying pesticide "all over" her house in fear that bedbugs would "suddenly appear", the report said. EDaily News also reported that another local, Mr Seo, had said that he and his girlfriend would be staying at home for the time being. Before the recent outbreak, South Korea was thought to have eradicated bedbugs after a nationwide extermination campaign in the 1960s. While bedbugs do not transmit disease, their bites can cause intense itching. Scratching to relieve the itch can cause wounds that may lead to infections or scarring. The wingless pests, which often cluster near beds or in crevices, are also known to exact an emotional toll. Those living with bedbugs can feel uncomfortable, embarrassed or even fear sleeping. People in Seoul have been flocking to public health centres, asking to have their insect bites checked and seeking advice on measures they should take, local reports say. The Seoul Metropolitan Government is scheduled to inspect some 3,200 public facilities, including hotels and bathhouses, to assess their sanitary conditions. The government will also meet private experts to discuss best practices in controlling bedbugs. Seoul plans to hot-steam fabric seats on subways across the city on a regular basis and replace fabric seating with other materials, local reports said. Authorities' recent recommendations to use certain types of pesticides against bedbugs have sparked controversy as recent studies have deemed them ineffective, South Korean national daily JoongAng Daily reported. link

Nick movie:marvel studios echo Time: 10 January, 2024 Netflix / Amazon / HBO:hulu Duration of the movie: five episodes. Trailer: