Video title: TRY NOT TO LAUGH 😆 Best Funny Videos Compilation 😂😁😆 Memes PART 156 Content creator ( Youtuber ) : 9 Fun Funny Official YT video:

Nick movie: Avatar: The Last Airbender Time:Feb. 22, 2024. Netflix / Amazon / HBO:Netflix Duration of the movie: 8 episodes Trailer:

Lucas Paqueta's excellent finish 17 minutes from time gave West Ham victory in their Europa League encounter with Greek side Olympiakos to send them to the brink of the knockout stages. Paqueta lit up what had been a largely drab contest at the London Stadium when he perfectly met James Ward-Prowse's chipped cross into the penalty area and sent his volley into the corner. Although the goal was initially ruled out for offside, the Brazilian put his hands together in prayer, which was rewarded when video assistant referee confirmed Paqueta had been onside as Ward-Prowse delivered the crucial pass. The win, avenged West Ham's loss to the same opponents in Athens a fortnight ago, which marked the end of an impressive 17-match unbeaten run for David Moyes' side in Europe. "It's good to get back on track. Olympiakos are a seasoned European team and they showed that tonight," said Hammers boss Moyes. "We're top of the group, we still have two matches to play but I think this is the hardest group we've had. Europe has been great for this football club, we've had some great nights and long may they continue. "He [Lucas Paqueta] took the goal brilliantly tonight but there were lots of things I wanted him to do better. We've got room for improvement." The result means West Ham remain above German rivals Freiburg at the head of Group A based on their head-to-head record, knowing two points from their final two games will be enough to ensure Europa League action after Christmas. Victory was not achieved without a late scare as Mady Camara hit the woodwork when he should have done better with a stooping header at the far post. But it was a disappointing night for watching Olympiakos owner Evangelos Marinakis, who will hope for better fortune on Sunday when his other club Nottingham Forest come here in the Premier League. West Ham grind their way to victory The eventual result was reward for Moyes' adventurous team selection, although for a long time it looked like becoming West Ham's first goalless draw since their stalemate at Burnley in December 2021. The strength of the Hammers' teamsheet just did not translate into dominance on the pitch. There were brief periods in the first-half where the home side looked as though they were taking command but it never turned into anything substantial. Said Benrahma came closest to breaking the deadlock when his well-struck effort was curling into the far corner before Alexandros Paschalakis turned it round the post. From the corner Nayef Aguerd headed straight at the Olympiakos keeper. Paschalakis denied Benrahma again with a low save after the Algerian had been picked out in the box by Paqueta. This time Aguerd was wide with his header from the corner. Not that Olympiakos were particularly threatening. Daniel Podence signed a new three-year contract with Wolves before he was loaned back to the Greek club in the summer. A return to Molineux has not been ruled out for Podence but Gary O'Neil will not be rushing him back on the evidence of the mishit shot he sent spinning well wide of the West Ham goal. The second period produced more of the same until Jarrod Bowen sent a surge of energy through the stadium as he embarked on a couple of charging runs, the first of which should have resulted in a goal for Ward-Prowse. It did not matter in the end, although, given the teams had returned to the centre circle before the VAR ruling was determined, it was odd that Paqueta chose to celebrate in front of the Olympiakos supporters. Now, after collecting four points from seven games, West Ham need to address their league for Link

By Ken Dilanian, Andrew Blankstein, Tom Winter, Rebecca Shabad and Zoë Richards The FBI and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service are investigating a series of letters containing suspicious powder that were sent to election workers in multiple states in recent days, law enforcement officials told NBC News. In at least one case, the powder tested positive in a field test for fentanyl, officials said Thursday. There have been no reports of anyone suffering ill health effects, the officials said. The substances found in the letters are still being lab-tested. In a statement Thursday evening, the FBI said that it had responded to "multiple incidents involving suspicious letters sent to ballot counting centers in several states." The bureau did not provide further details, citing "ongoing matters." Officials in California, Georgia, Nevada, Oregon and Washington state have all reported suspicious letters addressed to election officers or workers. The FBI field office in Portland said it had “responded to multiple incidents involving suspicious letters sent to several ballot counting centers in Oregon." The FBI's Seattle and Atlanta field offices issued similar statements. The Texas Department of Public Safety said it had also responded to a report of a letter containing an unknown substance that had been mailed to the state attorney general's office in Austin on Thursday morning. It said in a statement that preliminary tests on the envelope had come back negative, but that the FBI would do further testing. California Secretary of State Shirley Weber said Thursday that federal and state authorities were investigating after the U.S. Postal Service intercepted two suspicious envelopes headed to election facilities in Los Angeles and Sacramento. Weber said there has been no confirmation that the envelopes contained any toxic substances. “Nevertheless, we are advising local election offices to take precautions before handling mail that arrives at their facilities,” she said in a statement. The Nevada Secretary of State’s Office said in a statement Thursday that the federal government had alerted local authorities of suspicious letters addressed to election offices “in multiple states, including Nevada,” and that it was in touch with the FBI, the Postal Service and others. Law enforcement officials said it’s too soon to say where the letters came from or who may be responsible. The Postal Inspectors declined to discuss details of their probe. Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger referred to the envelopes that were sent to Fulton County as domestic terrorism, and said in a statement that his office was "working with our state and federal partners to determine if any additional Georgia officials are being targeted." Robb Pitts, chairman of the Fulton County Board of Commissioners, said in a statement, "This incident underscores the issue of election worker safety and the need for stronger election safety. Our recently-opened Elections Hub will allow us to improve security operations as we go into the 2024 elections." Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs told The Associated Press the incidents in his state were “acts of terrorism to threaten our elections.” Hobbs' office said Wednesday that elections offices in King, Pierce, Skagit and Spokane counties had all been sent envelopes containing unknown powdery substances. His office had also noted that during the state's Aug. 1 primary, election officials in King and Okanogan counties received suspicious substances in envelopes. Investigators determined the one sent to King County contained trace amounts of fentanyl, while the substance in the envelope sent to Okanogan County was deemed unharmful. The mailings come as election officials around the country have complained of increased threats, with some pointing to the bogus rigged election claims by former President Donald Trump and others since the 2020 election. Raffensperger said in his statement that election officials should "be free from fear and intimidation." "We will work tirelessly to ensure that Georgia elections remain free, fair, and secure,” he said. Link

hat have we got here then? This is a 593bhp amuse-bouche; a 605lb ft canape served before the supper and pudding combo that is the fully new, partially hybrid M5 and M5 Touring due in 2024. Launched alongside the standard i5 exec saloon, the M60 is - for now - the most agitating 5 Series you can lay your hands on. Not that it comes across as an outer lane bully, actually. Dare I say it, this is one of BMW’s less controversial recent designs; certainly it’s the most sorted of the electric M car litter. Remember you’ve got the i4 M50 (weird nose), i7 M70 (squinty headlights) and iX M60 (just no) sharing the stable… No, this is a BMW that’s comfortable in its own skin, which means you won’t be red in the face every time someone spots you in it. Holster that mask at once. Yes boss. What does it get that the normal i5 doesn’t? Good question. That additional front-mounted motor contributes another 256bhp over the base i5 - giving the M60 all-wheel drive - while the M Sport suspension makes way for an adaptive set-up that lowers the ride height by 5mm and reacts to the road surface on the fly. The steering also sharpens up and active, 48V anti-roll bars improve responsiveness. TL;DR, more comfort and better dynamics, claims BMW. You also get BMW’s upgraded 22kW AC charging (for quicker top-ups at home), some exterior and headlight tweaks, 20-inch alloys, M Sport brakes with red calipers, a lip spoiler, plus electric front seats, a Bowers & Wilkins sound system and four-zone climate control. For when you’re giving a polar bear and a camel a lift, presumably. The 81.2kWh battery is unchanged, but the extra motor weight and power means you’ll be stopping more often: 321 miles is 40-odd shy of the RWD i5. Luckily 205kW DC charging means 10-80 per cent in the time it takes to order and consume lunch at a reputable cafe chain. Obviously all of those upgrades up the price. So here it goes. That price is £97,745. What?! That’s… nearly twice as much as the 2.0 petrol! Someone’s done their homework, yes it is. And that’s before you add in all the options that’ll march you into six-figure territory, never to be seen again. There’s a bunch of free colour choices but the poshest are £3,300; 21s are £1,500; Merino leather is £2.1k; a panoramic sunroof costs £1,600. Want a humble, heated steering wheel? Only part of the Comfort Plus Pack, m’afraid, so that’ll be £3,750. Think of the rear heated seats, electric tailgate, front comfort (and ventilated) chairs and tablet holders as on the house. The fancy HUD is bundled in with gesture control and BMW’s parking assistant for another two grand. All told this test car came in at just under £115k. That would’ve got you an i8 Coupe some years ago. c ome one then, how does it drive? It’s… sensational - in a completely different league to the i5. A boost paddle sits behind the wheel just begging to be pulled: oblige and max power is yours in bursts of 10 seconds. Acceleration is monumental, arriving in one enormous lump that feels like it’s been borrowed from a notorious theme park ride. Officially 0-62mph takes 3.8 seconds. Not Plaid levels of forward thrust, but fun isn’t measured in one dimension is it? Nope, it's measured in many. And changing direction is where the M60 has its rivals licked. Grip is just massive. Shod in Pirelli P-Zeros the M60 is solid and planted, giving you the confidence to stamp your authority on corners in that way brutish BMWs are so brilliantly capable. After a while it’s a proper muscular workout. I spent an hour in the car and emerged with a neck like Mr Incredible, and now none of my t-shirts fit. Don’t call it agile - it’s 2,380kg and you never quite escape the feeling that several laws of physics are being bent to force it to handle as well as it does - but the front end is ultra chuckable and the steering’s lightning quick. Even the ride is a step on from the standard car. I drove the M60 back-to-back with the i5 on an identical route and it’s noticeably more compliant over our knobbly tarmac, and that little bit better at isolating you from vibration. The comfort seats did their bit no doubt. That’s quite the appraisal. No kidding. I was expecting the M60 to be a carbon copy of the i5 bar a bit more oomph and sure-footedness, but I was blown away by the difference felt behind the wheel. If you’ve got the means, this is the one to go for. No question. Time to wrap it up… Enquickened electric saloons are hard to come by. In fact you’re pretty much limited to that Polestar 2 BST edition 270 (long ago sold out) and the Model S Plaid (not available in RHD). Might as well call it the Model S Plain because you’ll be having 10 times more fun in this when the road ahead gets twisty. Most people go the finance route these days, yes? Chuck a 10 per cent deposit down on an M60 and you’re looking at monthlies of £1,292 over four years fixed at 4.9% APR, with annual mileage of 10,000. Those are substantial numbers indeed. But this is a substantial car. Link

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

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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

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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