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A strange, alien-like blob of flesh recently left beach-goers "baffled" after it washed up on the U.K. shoreline. Experts believe that the unusual object is actually a pile of whale guts that floated ashore. Local resident Helen Marlow discovered the bizarre remains on Oct. 27 at around 12 p.m. local time while walking her dog on Marazion Beach, near Penzance in Cornwall, England, Cornwall Live(opens in new tab) reported. "It appeared to be a white, fleshy-looking substance," Marlow told Live Science in an email. "It had no definite features, such as limbs, but appeared to be one mass." Marlow stumbled across the fleshy, seaweed-covered lump around halfway up the beach shortly after the tide had receded, which suggests that it had washed ashore. It didn't have any "noticeable tears" or give off any "pungent, nasty or rotting smells," Marlow said. "I couldn't bring myself to touch it, but I did try to move it with my boot and, as I did, it wobbled a bit like a big, fat jelly." Related: 11 strange things that washed ashore in 2021 CLOSE Marlow's dog reacted with excitement and attempted to rub its body all over the mysterious lump, suggesting that the object was organic, Marlow said. But other than that, she had "no idea" what it could be. "I just couldn't recognize it or compare it to anything I had seen before," she added. Marlow uploaded photos of the fleshy lump to the British Marine Life Study Society Facebook group and received mixed guesses on what it could be. Suggestions included a whale placenta, sandbags and a deflated weather balloon. The Facebook post soon caught the attention of the Cornwall Wildlife Trust's (CWT) Marine Strandings Network, which records all dead organic material that washes ashore in the area. Initially, the network's researchers suspected that the alien-looking material could indeed be a whale placenta. That would have been "really exciting," Abby Crosby, a marine conservation officer at CWT, told Live Science, because it would have meant that a baby whale had been born nearby recently, she added. Marlow puts her foot next to the white fleshly lump for scale. Marlow puts her foot next to the white fleshly lump for scale. (Image credit: Helen Marlow) (opens in new tab) However, after consulting with experts at the U.K.'s Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme (CSIP), it became clear that the gelatinous mass was actually a whale's stomach. It is unclear exactly which species of whale the stomach may have come from, but its size offers some clues. "It's big," Crosby said, which means it must have come from a sizable whale species. A number of large whales regularly pass through U.K. waters, including fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus), minke whales (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) and humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae). Less frequent visitors include species such as sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) and bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus), Crosby said. Related: A blue whale's daily intake of microplastics weighs as much as a small person The stomach likely came from a dead whale decomposing on the ocean surface far from the coast, she added Small marine scavengers like seabirds typically focus on a dead cetacean's genital area because it is soft and already has an opening that they can tear even wider to reach the whale's flesh and blubber, Crosby said. As a result, "it's not unusual to see the underside of a dead cetacean get opened up," which could explain how the whale's internal organs spilled out, she added. It is unclear how often whale stomachs may wash ashore like this, as people typically report sightings of complete carcasses but tend to ignore the "bits and bobs" that turn up on their own, she added. However, other whale body parts, including bones and blubber, do turn up on nearby beaches, she said. RELATED STORIES —Whale sighting in Australia hints at 'extremely unusual' interspecies adoption —Extremely rare white humpback whale washes up dead on Australian beach —Newfound whale species that lives exclusively in US waters may already be on the brink of extinction Unfortunately, any opportunity to study the whale's stomach and learn more about it has now likely been lost. "I'm guessing it would have washed away with the next tide perhaps, or been eaten by sea birds or fish," Marlow said. But for Crosby, the sighting is nonetheless very important. "It demonstrates that we have some of the ocean's giants living just off our coastline," which is something a lot of people in the U.K. simply don't realize, she said. SURSA

Few things bring people together today like our collective hatred of high gasoline prices. Regardless of who you blame for it, prices are high right now and aren't coming down quickly. It's enough to drive some folks into an electric car, but for those not yet ready to make the leap, the humble hybrid gets another turn in the spotlight. This time, though, we're not only talking about egg-shaped cars like the Prius and others. Instead, we're looking at heart-of-the-market vehicles like the 2023 Honda CR-V Hybrid and the 2023 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid. 2023 Honda CR V Hybrid vs. 2023 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Comparison lead 01 filterSEE ALL 93 PHOTOS Participation Trophies? Here at MotorTrend, we don't do ties. We put our noses to the grindstone until one vehicle wins our latest comparison test. Sometimes this makes our lives a lot harder; this is one of those times. Both the 2023 Honda CR-V Hybrid and 2023 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid are excellent buys, and you'll be happy with either one. They have far more in common than they have differences, and in the end, our decision came down to critical numbers: price and fuel economy. Only one could win, though, so follow along to see how we got there. 2023 Honda CR V Hybrid vs. 2023 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Comparison 58 filterSEE ALL 93 PHOTOS Different Styles, Same Results Be it how they look or how they drive, the 2023 Honda CR-V Hybrid and 2023 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid have different styles and different swagger, but the end result is effectively the same. Indeed, they may have been developed by different companies, but they're two sides of the same coin. When we look at these compact SUVs, we see distinct personalities doing the same job. To our eye, the Honda's design language inside and out is a bit more sophisticated and premium, and it drives that way, too. The Toyota looks a bit more rugged and adventure ready, and that's how it drives. Neither is prettier or better-driving than the other. From the driver's seat, the 2023 Honda CR-V Hybrid is a bit quieter inside than the 2023 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid, but both are excellent. The Honda handles slightly better, but each is pleasantly sporty for a workaday family SUV. The Honda's drivetrain is quieter than the Toyota's under hard acceleration, but they're both equally smooth and refined. Each likewise has good brake-pedal feel that completely masks the transition between regenerative braking and mechanical braking. We do appreciate the Honda's "B" drive mode, which amps up the regenerative braking and comes in handy when going down hills. 2023 Honda CR V Hybrid vs. 2023 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Comparison 63 filterSEE ALL 93 PHOTOS Offsetting Technical Advantages Unsurprisingly for direct competitors, the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4 Hybrids offer most of the same tech features. Each, though, has at least one distinct feature, and each does something better than the other. Both, for example, have adaptive cruise control and lane keeping systems. Honda's is the more sophisticated package, able to hold the vehicle centered in the lane, whereas Toyota's only prevents the SUV from drifting over the lines. Law requires backup cameras these days, but they aren't all created equal. Honda has a simple rearview camera for reversing, and it works well enough. Toyota, meanwhile, offers a 360-degree view by stitching four camera images together, making the vehicle itself invisible on the screen. If you run over something while the Toyota's cameras are on, it's because you aren't paying attention. Each SUV also carries its maker's latest infotainment software, and it's another case of give and take. Toyota's new system looks far more contemporary and is pretty straightforward to use. Honda's offers a lot more customization, but the learning curve is steeper and the look isn't as up-to-the-minute. The CR-V and RAV4 both also come with power tailgates at this price point, but where the Honda requires you to reach for a specific button to close it, the Toyota requires only a gentle tug anywhere on the gate to bring it down. It's a minor convenience, but one we'd like to see on more vehicles. 2023 Honda CR V Hybrid vs. 2023 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Comparison 11 filterSEE ALL 93 PHOTOS What's Inside? Although Honda's interior design language is more sophisticated and premium, it's less of an advantage than a differentiator. Toyota went for a more rugged and functional look, and that's no bad thing. In fact, we found the Toyota's materials to be a bit richer, and we appreciated the contrast stitching and trim plus the striped seat inserts that give the interior a bit more personality than the Honda. The latter depends on orange stitching to break up all the black surfaces. Similarly, we preferred the feel of the Toyota's controls. The various buttons, and especially the knobs, have a heft and feedback commonly associated with luxury cars. There's nothing wrong with the Honda's controls, but when you get Lexus-quality parts at a Toyota price, it feels special. Honda claws back points for better ergonomics, as some of the Toyota's buttons are rather small and difficult to differentiate at a glance, while others are hidden down by the driver's left knee. On the other hand, it's difficult not to appreciate all the Toyota RAV4's storage spaces. The Honda CR-V has a nice big bin right up front under the climate controls, complete with wireless phone charger, but Toyota ups the ante with a built-in shelf in the dash that swallows all manner of everyday carry items without interfering with the wireless phone charger in the bin. Distinctions are tougher to draw in the rear seat. Both have air vents, multiple USB charging ports, multiple cup- and bottle holders, and reclining seat backs. The Honda's second row feels slightly more spacious, but the Toyota's back-seat passengers are treated to more natural light from the panoramic sunroof (Honda's only covers the front seats) and the same level of materials quality and trim work as the front seats. 2023 Honda CR V Hybrid vs. 2023 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Comparison 84 filterSEE ALL 93 PHOTOS Stuff Your Stuff Both offerings deliver about the same amount of cargo space, but there's more to it than that. Honda unfortunately took several steps backward in this department. There's no storage under the CR-V's cargo floor, while the RAV4 not only has storage down there but also a temporary spare tire down (the Honda gets a can of fix-a-flat). The CR-V also lost its handy release handles for the rear seats, which previously let you lower the seats from the back instead of walking around to the sides to do so. Lucky for Honda, Toyota still hasn't adopted that feature, so it's a wash in this case. With the seats down, Honda claims more total cargo space, but for day-to-day hauling, the Toyota has more space with the seats up. 2023 Honda CR V Hybrid vs. 2023 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Comparison 54 filterSEE ALL 93 PHOTOS Speaking Of Statistics If these compact SUVs are too similar to rank based on subjective evaluations, you might hope their spec sheets would provide some grounds for choosing one over the other, but no such luck. Starting with static measurements, the CR-V and RAV4 are effectively the same size; they have basically the same interior space and similar cargo space. The numbers are so close across the board as to be immaterial. Our dynamic test results don't offer much help in picking a winner, either. The Toyota is ever so slightly quicker to accelerate, but the Honda stops shorter. They pull the same lateral g in a corner, and their figure-eight lap times would probably be the same were the sporty-feeling Honda not hampered by a more intrusive stability control system. 2023 Honda CR V Hybrid vs. 2023 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Comparison 55 filterSEE ALL 93 PHOTOS Numbers That Really Matter With nowhere else to turn, all we had left were the two numbers that will matter most to most consumers: price and fuel economy. Folks buying these hybrids are looking to save a buck at the pump and certainly won't mind paying less up front, either. Here, again, the numbers are nearly the same. Both of these Hybrid SUVs are so new, their makers had to give us estimated prices. But they're right on top of each other as tested. Take a look at their base prices, though, and things change. The 2023 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid is about $2,600 cheaper to start than the 2023 Honda CR-V Hybrid, and it comes with standard all-wheel drive. If you want an all-wheel-drive CR-V Hybrid, the gap grows to roughly $4,000. The price difference pretty much stays the same as you climb up the trim levels, with this top-shelf RAV4 Hybrid starting about $2,000 less than this top-line CR-V Hybrid. Then there's the matter of fuel economy. The Honda's isn't expected to improve over the model it replaces, still returning an estimated 40/34/37 mpg city/highway/combined. The Toyota beats it across the board, but especially on the highway and in the combined rating, at 41/38/40. It's not an enormous difference, but it will add up during the course of these vehicles' lives. 2023 Honda CR V Hybrid vs. 2023 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Comparison 65 filterSEE ALL 93 PHOTOS Picking A Winner For the average buyer, choosing one of these over the other is simply a matter of preference and priorities. Would you rather have the giant sunroof or the better lane keeping system? Given this scenario, we chose with our wallets and not our hearts: The 2023 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid is cheaper to buy and is thriftier on gas than the 2023 Honda CR-V Hybrid, and it's therefore our winner.2023 Honda CR-V Hybrid (Sport) Touring AWD Specifications 2023 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid XSE Specifications DRIVETRAIN LAYOUT Front-engine/motor, AWD Front-engine, AWD ENGINE TYPE Direct-injected Atkinson-cycle DOHC 16-valve I-4, plus permanent-magnet elec motors Direct-injected DOHC 16-valve I-4, alum block/head, plus 2 permanent-magnet elec motors DISPLACEMENT 1,993 cc/121.6 cu in 2,478 cc/151.2 cu in COMPRESSION RATIO 13.9:1 14.0:1 POWER (SAE NET) 145 hp @ 6,100 rpm (gas), 181 hp (elec); 204 hp (comb) 176 hp @ 5,700 rpm (gas), 54 + 118 hp (elec); 219 (comb) TORQUE (SAE NET) 138 lb-ft @ 4,500 rpm (gas), 247 lb-ft (elec) 163 lb-ft @ 3,600 rpm, 89 + 149 lb-ft (elec) REDLINE 6,100 rpm NA WEIGHT TO POWER 19.1 lb/hp 17.5 TRANSMISSION 1-sp auto (elec), 2-sp auto (gas) Cont variable auto AXLE/FINAL-DRIVE RATIO 4.44:1/3.14:1 3.61:1/2.99:1 SUSPENSION, FRONT; REAR Struts, coil springs, anti-roll bar; multilink, coild springs, anti-roll bar Struts, coil springs, anti-roll bar; multilink, coil springs, anti-roll bar STEERING RATIO 12.3:1 14.3:1 TURNS LOCK-TO-LOCK 2.4 2.7 BRAKES, F; R 12.6-in vented disc; 12.2-in disc 12.0-in vented disc; 11.1-in disc WHEELS 7.5 x 19-in cast aluminum 7.0 x 18-in cast aluminum TIRES 235/55R19 101H (M+S) Continental CrossContact LX Sport 225/60R18 100H Dunlop GrandTrek PT20 (M+S) DIMENSIONS WHEELBASE 106.3 in 105.9 in TRACK, F/R 63.3/63.9 in 63.0/63.7 in LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT 184.8 x 73.5 x 66.5 in 180.9 x 73.0 x 67.0 in GROUND CLEARANCE 8.2 in 8.1 in APPRCH/DEPART ANGLE 16.1/16.0 deg 19.0/21.0 deg TURNING CIRCLE 37.3 ft 36.0 ft CURB WEIGHT (DIST F/R) 3,904 lb (59/41%) 3,824 lb (56/44%) SEATING CAPACITY 5 5 HEADROOM, F/R 38.2/38.2 in 37.7/39.5 in LEGROOM, F/R 41.3/41.0 in 41.0/37.8 in SHOULDER ROOM, F/R 57.9/55.9 in 57.8/56.4 in CARGO VOLUME BEH F/R 76.5/36.3 cu ft 69.8/37.5 cu ft TOWING CAPACITY 1,000 lb 1,750 lb TEST DATA ACCELERATION TO MPH 0-30 2.7 2.3 0-40 3.97981025 3.66512585 0-50 5.60338542 5.3456105 0-60 7.59547423 7.27178566 0-70 10.3664217 9.49329927 0-80 15.3157665 12.1437202 0-90 — 15.3012337 PASSING, 45-65 MPH 4.03274001 3.83216593 QUARTER MILE 16.2 sec @ 81.5 mph 15.5 sec @ 90.6 mph BRAKING, 60-0 MPH 123.35 133.46 LATERAL ACCELERATION 0.79 g (avg) 0.78 g (avg) MT FIGURE EIGHT 29.3 sec @ 0.57 g (avg) 28.2 sec @ 0.62 g (avg) TOP-GEAR REVS @ 60 MPH 2,250 rpm (gas) 7,100 (elec) NA CONSUMER INFO BASE PRICE $39,000 (est) $37,000 (est) PRICE AS TESTED $39,000 (est) $40,000 (est) AIRBAGS 10: Dual front, f/r side, f/r curtain, front knee 8: Dual front, front side, f/r curtain, driver knee, passenger thigh BASIC WARRANTY 3 yrs/36,000 miles 3 yrs/36,000 miles POWERTRAIN WARRANTY 10 yrs/100,000 miles 5 yrs/60,000 miles ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE 3 yrs/36,000 miles 2 yrs/25,000 miles FUEL CAPACITY 14.0 gal 14.5 gal, 1.59 kWh EPA CITY/HWY/COMB ECON 40/34/37 (est) mpg 41/38/40 mpg EPA RANGE, COMB 518 miles (est) 580 miles RECOMMENDED FUEL Unleaded regular Unleaded regular ON SALE Fall 2022 Now SURSA

Gul Panag wears many hats; but whether it is being an actor, entrepreneur, or a mother, she believes in giving her 100 per cent to everything on hand. With a renewed vigour, the Good Bad Girl actor is busy advocating the need to use clean energy sources for the betterment of the environment with her latest initiative — Sunfuel Electric, an electric car charging infrastructure company, of which she is a co-founder.“Sustainability starts with the air we breathe, and the quickest way to clean up this air is to switch to zero emission vehicles. We are already on track to produce most of our power from renewable clean sources of energy. So the argument that electric vehicles are powered by dirty power won’t hold much longer. Each one of us needs to take little steps in the day-to-day course of our lives for it to collectively impact the big picture,” she told indianexpress.com. In an exclusive chat, Gul, 43, spoke about her likes, everyday life, and her aspirations. Excerpts: What is keeping you busy at the moment? Promoting my films Ghost and Good Bad Girl. And producing films. And working on building partnerships and communities at Sun Fuel. How do you describe your pandemic experiences? It was an opportunity to reset and adapt to the new normal. It was also an opportunity to re-evaluate and re-prioritise life in general. Grateful for the time we got together as a family. You love to travel; your social media is proof. What drives your passion? Seeking out new experiences and widening my horizon and perspective. In between work, travel, and family, how do you ensure to workout? I wake up at 5 am most days, and get the workout done first thing in the morning. Planning it for the end of the day doesn’t work for me.What does your typical workout routine includes? A mix of strength, flexibility, and endurance. But I always start Monday with a run. What does your diet look like? I eat a balanced diet that’s achievable wherever I am. I try and avoid processed food, refined flour, and sugar. How important is it for women to be active in entrepreneurial roles? Women must be active in all walks of life including but not limited to entrepreneurship. In a patriarchal society like ours, it’s imperative that women empower themselves financially because that is the only real route to freedom and empowerment. What’s your idea of perfection? There is no perfection. Seeking perfection in my opinion is setting one self up for disappointment. The ability to adapt and thrive in all circumstances is more important. Your opinion on the changing perceptions of beauty, if any and how it helps shape the society? Perception of beauty has always been a function of conditioning. As conditioning changes, perception of beauty changes. It’s highly subjective and what is considered duty today will probably not be considered beauty tomorrow. One only has to see the perception of what is considered to be an ideal physique and how much that itself has changed in the last two decades to come to that conclusion! Take 5 Favourite cheat meal Nirula’s Big Boy Burger Favourite family outing Movie at the theatre How do you fight boredom? I have no time for it. How do you fight laziness? By being disciplined. Your go-to mantra for health Fit for life Sursa

The Taliban has ordered judges in Afghanistan to fully impose their interpretation of Sharia Law, including potential public executions, amputations and flogging, a move experts fear will lead to a further deterioration of human rights in the impoverished country. Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said Afghanistan’s Supreme Leader Alaiqadar Amirul Momineen made the “obligatory” command after meeting with judges to “investigate the cases of thieves, kidnappers, and seditionists.” “Those cases that have met all the Shariah conditions of limitation and retribution, you are obliged to issue the limitation and retribution, because this is the order of the Sharia… and it is obligatory to act,” Mujahid tweeted Sunday. Kaheld Abou El Fadl, a professor of Islamic Law at UCLA and one of the world’s leading authorities on Sharia law, told CNN there’s a rich history of debate on the laws of Sharia and various interpretations of their meaning. “Every point of law you’ll find 10 different opinions … Sharia is very open-ended,” he said. Sharia law within Islamic jurisprudence means the “search for the divine will,” El Fadl told CNN. “Although, both in Western and native discourses, it is common to use Sharia interchangeably with Islamic law, Sharia is a much broader and all encompassing concept, according to a statement from El Fadl’s website. 02 taliban amusement park ban 110922 Women stopped from entering amusement parks in Kabul The Taliban’s hardline implementation of the doctrine when the group was last in power from 1996 to 2001 included violent punishments, such as public executions, stoning, floggings and amputations. El Fadl said that within the 1400-year tradition of Sharia, those punishments were rarely implemented because the majority of Islamic jurists throughout history didn’t interpret the law the way the Taliban currently does. “The Taliban have a particular approach to Sharia that one cannot ignore,” El Fadl said. “Anyone who doesn’t fit their definition can be possibly put to death.” After seizing power last August, the Taliban attempted to project a more moderate image to gain international support, but in the months since, the group has clamped down on rights and freedoms. Women in Afghanistan can no longer work in most sectors and require a male guardian for long-distance travel, while girls have been barred from returning to secondary school. Last week, women were stopped from entering amusement parks in the capital Kabul after the Taliban’s morality ministry said women’s access to public parks would be restricted. A reclusive leader, Akhundzada was identified in this undated photograph by several Taliban officials, who declined be named. Taliban supreme leader warns foreigners not to interfere in Afghanistan During the group’s first stint in power, the Taliban banned most forms of music as un-Islamic, and this August, in echoes of the policy, Afghan folk singer Fawad Andarabi was dragged from his home and killed. Farhan Haq, deputy spokesman for the United Nations Secretary-General, told CNN the Taliban’s recent announcement regarding Sharia law was “worrying.” “Since they took over as de facto authority, we expect them to abide by their promise to uphold existing human rights commitments made in Afghanistan,” Haq said. “They have not been living up to the commitments. We will continue to press them on this. We are opposed to death penalty in all its forms.” The security situation in the country has also deteriorated since the group’s takeover last year, with the nation growing increasingly isolated and impoverished. Nearly half of the country faces acute hunger, according to the United Nations. An estimated 43% of Afghanistan’s po[CENSORED]tion is living on less than one meal a day, with 90% of Afghans surveyed reporting food as their primary need, according to a May report by the International Rescue Committee. SURSA

Musician Name:Roy Orbison Birthday / Location: April 23, 1936 Vernon, Texas, U.S. Main instrument: Vocals guitar harmonica Musician Picture: Musician Awards & Nominations: Orbison's honors include inductions into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1987, the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1989, and the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in 2014. He received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and five other Grammy Awards. Rolling Stone placed him at number 37 on its list of the "Greatest Artists of All Time" and number 13 on its list of the "100 Greatest Singers of All Time". In 2002, Billboard magazine listed him at number 74 on its list of the Top 600 recording artists. Best Performance: Orbison often excused his motionless performances by saying that his songs did not allow instrumental sections so he could move or dance on stage, although songs like "Mean Woman Blues" did offer that.[154] He was aware of his unique performance style even in the early 1960s when he commented, "I'm not a super personality—on stage or off. I mean, you could put workers like Chubby Checker or Bobby Rydell in second-rate shows and they'd still shine through, but not me. I'd have to be prepared. People come to hear my music, my songs. That's what I have to give them."[155] k.d. lang compared Orbison to a tree, with passive but solid beauty.[156] This image of Orbison as immovable was so associated with him it was parodied by John Belushi on Saturday Night Live, as Belushi dressed as Orbison falls over while singing "Oh, Pretty Woman", and continues to play as his bandmates set him upright again.[152] However, Lang quantified this style by saying, "It's so hard to explain what Roy's energy was like because he would fill a room with his energy and presence, but not say a word. Being that he was so grounded and so strong and so gentle and quiet. He was just there."[141] Orbison attributed his own passion during his performances to the period when he grew up in Fort Worth while the US was mobilising for World War II. His parents worked in a defence plant; his father brought out a guitar in the evenings, and their friends and relatives who had just joined the military gathered to drink and sing heartily. Orbison later reflected, "I guess that level of intensity made a big impression on me, because it's still there. That sense of 'do it for all it's worth and do it now and do it good.' Not to analyse it too much, but I think the verve and gusto that everybody felt and portrayed around me has stayed with me all this time."[157] Other Information: -

Artist: Ghostface Killah Real Name: Dennis Coles Birth Date /Place: May 9, 197 Age: (age 52 Social status (Single / Married): Married Artist Picture: Musical Genres: hip hop Awards:"The Source Awards" is the sixteenth episode of the first season of the American television comedy series 30 Rock. It was written by Robert Carlock and Daisy Gardner, and directed by one of the season's supervising producers, Don Scardino. The episode originally aired on NBC in the United States on March 1, 2007. "The Source Awards" featured appearances by Wayne Brady, Kevin Brown, Grizz Chapman, Ghostface Killah, LL Cool J, and Jason Sudeikis. In the episode, Jack Donaghy (Alec Baldwin) enlists a rap producer, Ridikolous, to unload his line of inferior champagne while Tracy Jordan (Tracy Morgan) reluctantly hosts the Source Awards. At the same time, Liz Lemon (Tina Fey) tries to sever ties with a black man she dislikes without looking racist. Top 3 Songs (Names): All That I Got Is You ft Mary J Blige / Tekitha (1996),Apollo Kids ft Raekwon (2000),Daytona 500 ft Raekwon & Cappadonna (1996) Other Information:-

Music Title: Urbanist Sessions (Live @PORC TV) Signer: MARKO GLASS Release Date: 1 nov. 2022 Official Youtube Link: Informations About The Signer: MARKO GLASS famous romanian rapper Your Opinion About The Track (Music Video): 10/10

As White House officials prepared for the last jobs report before the midterm elections set to be released Friday morning, the last thing they wanted to see is a blowout hiring number. It’s the political paradox that loomed over the last major piece of economic data before Election Day – one that comes at a moment that finds Democrats desperately trying to make up ground on the economy. The US economy added 261,000 jobs in October – more than the 200,000 jobs economists had predicted but still landing in the upper part of the range that White House officials were hoping to see heading into Friday, which was about 150,000-300,000. It was a “Goldilocks” outcome for the White House – a number that’s not too low, but not too high. Biden heralded Friday’s jobs report, saying the new data “shows that our jobs recovery remains strong.” He dismissed criticism from Republicans that the economy is headed toward a recession as he continues to receive low marks from voters on his handling of inflation. “One thing is clear: While comments by Republican leadership sure seem to indicate they are rooting for a recession, the US economy continues to grow and add jobs even as gas prices continue to come down,” Biden said in a statement, reiterating that inflation remains “our top economic challenge.” It’s a far cry from just one year ago, when the US economy was adding jobs each month at an eye-popping clip: More 650,000 jobs in October and November, close to 600,000 in December, followed two months later by a whopping 714,000 new jobs in February. President Joe Biden and his economic team have known for months that a cooling of the economy is a necessity to crack the pervasive price increases that have handed a significant advantage to Republicans on the issue which voters consistently cite as most important. Biden and his top advisers have taken pains since the summer to underscore their rationale for the transition from major job gains to an economic picture defined by “steady and stable” growth. It’s a message intended to temper expectations after more than a year defined by the rapid pace of hiring, but also a goal viewed by officials as a necessity in order to protect many of the gains they regularly tout. At its heart is Biden’s most significant economic success: A dramatic jobs recovery from the pandemic-driven economic crisis he walked into on his first day in office. More than 10 million jobs have been added since Biden’s inauguration and the unemployment ticked up from 3.5% to 3.7% on Friday. The combination of continued job gains and a return to quarterly growth sit at the center of the Biden’s contention that, despite the dour national mood, the US economy is not in or on the precipice of a recession. “Our economy is strong as hell,” Biden told reporters last month. The tight labor market, however, has exacerbated the soaring price increases that have imperiled Democrats’ hold on their majorities in the House and Senate. That, in turn, has driven the Federal Reserve to trigger four consecutive jumbo rate increases, including the most recent three-quarters-of-a-point move this week. Fed Chairman Jerome Powell, in his news conference after the policy announcement, pointed to a labor market that “is just very, very strong” as a central reason the rapid rate increases haven’t tangibly dented soaring prices. “So it may take time. It may take resolve. It may take patience. It’s likely to get inflation down,” Powell said of the effect of the Fed’s actions. “I think you see from our forecasts and others that it will take some time for inflation to come down.” Biden has made clear publicly – and to his team privately – that the Fed is an independent entity and won’t face any political pushback from his administration as it attempts to intentionally cool down the US economy. But White House officials are also keenly aware that the stated goal of a “soft landing” where the central bank manages to significantly tighten economic conditions in order to drive inflation down, but not enough to tip the economy into a painful recession, is a difficult needle to thread. They do see indications that it’s a possible outcome, however. “I believe there’s a path to accomplishing that while maintaining a very healthy labor market,” Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen told CNN in an interview. “And I believe we’re on that path.” But that path includes officials rooting for more modest jobs gains, or clear signs of the “steady and stable” environment that would create more room for the Fed’s difficult task. SURSA

North American migratory birds are becoming smaller as the planet warms due to climate change, a new study finds. Researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) examined more than 30 years of data for adult male birds across 105 avian species that migrate through North America. They found that between 1989 and 2018 the birds' body masses declined by about 0.6% on average, according to an Oct. 27 study in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution(opens in new tab). The species that "experienced the greatest change over time" was the tree swallow (Tachycineta bicolor), said study lead author Casey Youngflesh(opens in new tab), a quantitative ecologist from UCLA and a presidential postdoctoral fellow in the Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior (EEB) Program at Michigan State University. In this songbird, known for its striking iridescent blue feathers, body mass dropped by nearly 3%. Data used in this study came from the Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship program (MAPS), part of the Institute for Bird Po[CENSORED]tions(opens in new tab), a California-based nonprofit that studies bird po[CENSORED]tion decline and has 1,200 bird banding stations throughout North America. So, what's causing birds to shrink, especially over such a relatively short time period? Scientists suspect that climate change is the most likely culprit, and birds are adapting accordingly. "If you're a larger person and you're in a cold environment and let's say you have a very small friend, you will probably be able to withstand the cold a little bit better than a smaller person would," Youngflesh told Live Science. "This really comes down to surface area and volume. As a larger person, you'll be losing less heat than a smaller person. The same thing applies to birds." Related: 10 of the biggest birds on Earth In other words, smaller-bodied birds have a larger body-surface-area-to-volume ratio, so they need to expend less energy to keep cool. By comparison, birds with larger bodies are better equipped for conserving heat, according to the study. Scientists also found that the size of a North American bird is largely dependent on where it resides — even for birds of the same species. "We see that birds are getting smaller over time in response to temperature [change] and we're seeing the same thing over space," he said. "For example, a cardinal living in a really warm area of the United States is going to be generally smaller than a cardinal in a very cold climate, so there's a spatial effect [that's occurring]." Conversely, while some bird species are decreasing in size, their wings aren't keeping pace, resulting in them having larger wings relative to their bodies. This is especially true for birds living at higher elevations. "If you've ever spent time at [high] elevation, it's harder to breathe since there are literally fewer air particles, making the air thinner," Youngflesh said. For birds, thinner air at a higher elevation results in less lift. He pointed to helicopters as an example. “[There are] pilots who won't fly at very high altitudes because of this lack of reduced lift," he added. Youngflesh is quick to note that this change in body size isn't happening across all North American migratory bird species. "In some species, they aren't getting much smaller and the effect isn't as large as some other species," he said. "And that could be due to a number of factors that are important for the size and shape of birds," such as the elevation of their habitat. "As you go up in elevation, say on a mountain, it's generally colder," Youngflesh said. "But birds are actually smaller there, and that has to do with the importance of flight." SURSA

With its Ford F-150 Raptor, Bronco Raptor, and Super Duty Tremor, for example, Ford is no stranger when it comes to getting factory-backed off-road adventure trucks and SUVs into the hands of its eager thrill-seeking, nature-loving adrenaline junkies, who also likely use Fords to get work done during the week. However, Ford hadn't dressed up its venerable Transit van, the proverbial second fiddle in the adventure van market to the 4x4 Mercedes Sprinter (partly because of the Transit's former rear-wheel drive only setup)—until now. With the Transit getting an all-wheel drive option a few years ago and the insatiable po[CENSORED]rity of the off-grid adventure van market, there couldn't be a better time for the 2023 Ford Transit Trail van to hit the scene. It's no Transit Raptor (can you imagine?), but it offers a ton more than the 2022 Transit Adventure Prep Package. A step in the right direction, undoubtedly van builders have their eyes on this machine. 2023 Ford Transit Trail Van 12 filterSEE ALL 23 PHOTOS There's not much need to defend its existence, so we'll keep the why behind the 2023 Ford Transit Trail pretty brief. Because #vanlife. The Class B van segment, where the Trail fits, is reportedly up 30 percent in 2022. There's simply a lot of interest, especially amongst Millennials, with 26 percent intending to make a purchase in the segment. Naturally, the Trail was a missing link for Ford, who partnered with an upfitter for the interior of its debut display Trail. It's a turnkey canvas for do-it-yourselfers, RV manufacturers, and van conversion companies looking to create custom Class B camper vans that can head off-road or get groceries, all while being stored in driveways instead of expensive off-site storage. Whereas most vans need lots of prep to get them nature-ready—a factor that could jeopardize Ford's 3-year/36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty—the Transit Trail is an upfit-ready adventure van straight from the factory. Ford does the hard stuff, so adventurers can focus on the fun home-away-from-home part on the inside. It can be serviced at 3,000 dealers, 600 commercial service centers, and 800 mobile service vans. We'll talk about the various upgrades (over the base Transit commercial van) that make it advantageous for the van-life community. But first, we need to talk about the elephant in the room for those who have been following the Transit Trail's timeline. Although the Trail is new to the United States market, it was previously introduced in the U.K. market. That Transit Trail has a cool Raptor-inspired F-O-R-D grille that we were hoping the stateside Trail would get, too. But it didn't. At least not yet. We refuse to lose hope. These are pre-production pictures, after all. 2023 Ford Transit Trail Van 15 filterSEE ALL 23 PHOTOS Regardless, our Transit Trail does have a pretty aggressive front fascia compared to the base Transit, ready to take on rocks and off-road trails. (Not deer, though. No front end can handle deer.) It has a unique black Transit Trail Blue Oval grille with integrated marker lamps (that's Raptor-esque, at least), cool black HID headlights, and fog lights. It has a massive skidplate-style black front bumper that flows into aggressive black wheel arch cladding that ends in unique splash guards. No chipped paint for that front end. Slider-style driver- and passenger-side steps are also included for easy ingress and egress (and protection)—another Raptor-esque feature. Short-arm, power adjusting, power-folding heated side mirrors with turn signals cap the front end. 2023 Ford Transit Trail Van 4 filterSEE ALL 23 PHOTOS In addition to its beefed-up front end, the 2023 Ford Transit Trail van's rolling attire and stance is further designed for adventure straight from the factory. The 245/75R16 Goodyear Wrangler Workhorse all-terrain tires are mounted on spokey 16-inch Transit Trail black aluminum alloy wheels. The 30.5-inch tires are 2.5 inches taller (more sidewall) than those on the standard Transit and contribute to a 2.75-inch wider track over the base Transit. It does have a spare tire and wheel, which is an off-grid must-have. The Transit Trail has a 2.25-inch body lift. Overall, there's a 3.5-inch ride height increase for improved ground clearance, approach angle, and departure angle. 2023 Ford Transit Trail Van 9 filterSEE ALL 23 PHOTOS The 2023 Transit Trail has some cool tidbits to make the conversion or DIY process cheaper and more streamlined. There's an optional roof vent fan (for those who feel queasy at the thought of cutting a hole in their new van's roof) and drillable areas for cabinetry, shelving, bed, and more. There's also rear-door and passenger-side door privacy windows, illuminated sun visors, built-in 400W AC inverter, and various outlets (110-volt, 12-volt, and USB). A front overhead cab shelf and standard four-way manual swivel driver and passenger Dark Palazzo gray cloth seats help utilize interior space. There's an available 31-gallon extended range fuel tank (up from 25), optional dual alternators, and an available upfitter package to add accessory switches. Most importantly, there's a standard dual-note horn, an aggressive beeper to match the aggressive looks. 2023 Ford Transit Trail Van 14 filterSEE ALL 23 PHOTOS Ford's new Trail van can be configured in several 148-inch wheelbase options: medium- or high-roof in long length, and high-roof extended length. The high roof allows a six-foot five-inch person to stand. It's offered in nine exterior color options that'll allegedly help hide dirt. It's powered by the twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 (310 hp, 400 lb-ft of torque) backed by Ford's 10-speed SelectShift automatic transmission. The Trail comes with Intelligent All-Wheel Drive (AWD) with five selectable drive modes (Normal, Eco, Mud/Ruts, Tow/Haul, and Slippery). It comes standard with the Heavy-Duty Trailer Package for 6,500 pounds of max towing capacity. Max payload is just over 3,700 pounds; GVWR is 9,500 pounds. It comes with a 3.73 limited-slip rear, heavy-duty front axle, and standard dual AGM batteries. Inside, there's standard SYNC 4, a 12-inch touchscreen, adaptive cruise control, Blind Spot Assist 1.0, Reverse Sensing System, keyless entry pad, high-resolution digital camera, and more.The 2023 Ford Transit Trail van, assembled at the Kansas City Assembly Plant in Kansas City, Mo., will be available fall 2022 (that's now, right?) through dealer order banks and eventually upfitters, and starts at $65,975. We can't wait to see how people outfit this red-hot trim, assuming they can even get ahold of one. SURSA

Selena Gomez has always been candid about her personal life and health, especially her struggles with mental health issues. The singer recently made another confession during an interview with Rolling Stone, stating that while she would like to become a parent in the future, it looks difficult for her because of the medications she is taking for bipolar disorder. The 30-year-old opened up for the publication’s latest cover story, admitting that she once visited a friend who was “trying to get pregnant”, later getting into the car and crying realising that the two medications she is on for her bipolar disorder may most likely make it difficult for her to carry children of her own. “That’s a very big, big, present thing in my life,” Gomez shared with the outlet, adding that she hopes to become a mother through other means in the future: “However I’m meant to have them, I will.”What is the connection between pregnancy and bipolar disorder? Dr Gunjan Bhola, associate director and HOD, obstetrics and gynaecology, Marengo QRG Hospital, Faridabad told indianexpress.com that treating women with bipolar disorders during pregnancy is one of the “greatest challenges”, because there are “high recurrence rates in pregnancy and the postpartum period is also known as heightened bipolar episode relapse risk”.“Studies point to significantly higher rates of major congenital malformations, adverse neonatal events and neuro-developmental difficulties with in-utero exposure (especially valproate medicine). Malformations can be mural tubal defects, cardiac anomalies. Adverse outcomes such as gestational hypertension and antepartum haemorrhage occur in pregnant women with bipolar disorder,” she cautioned.The doctor added that the medicines can also increase the rate of induction of labour and caesarean section, and increase the risk of mood disorders in the postnatal period. “Clinical decisions about use of mood stabilisers and antipsychotics by pregnant women should be balanced with the risk of maternal/fetal/neonatal harm from untreated illnesses or acute relapse against pharmacotherapy during pregnancy,” Dr Bhola said. Dr Suhasini Inamdar, consultant – obstetrician and gynaecologist, Motherhood Hospitals, Indiranagar, Bangalore explained that bipolar disorder is a mental health condition where the patient suffers from extreme mood swings; it can impact their energy and ability to function. “The person can experience intense emotional states ranging from extremely happy to irritated or even depressed.”She added that with proper treatment and medications, people suffering from bipolar disorder can lead “full and productive lives”. On the connection between bipolar disorder and reproductive health, Dr Inamdar said one’s sexual and reproductive health can be impacted by bipolar disorder and its treatment. “The condition in itself and the psychiatric medications used to treat it, can impact your sexual health and alter your behaviour and experience.”What should women planning to conceive keep in mind? “If you suffer from this condition and are pregnant or planning to conceive, it is possible to do so, but with complete guidance of doctors regarding managing the condition during pregnancy. Sometimes, women with bipolar disorder stop taking their medications when they find out they are pregnant. This can harm both you and your unborn child. You must consult your doctors first,” Dr Inamdar advised.Pregnancy and bipolar disorder meds Dr Inamdar further explained that pregnancy already leads to a lot of mood swings. In addition to this, if the mother suffers from bipolar disorder, her symptoms will be more prominent. “Bipolar disorder is generally treated with mood stabilisers or antipsychotic medications. Some of them can pose a risk for the fetus. Though this is rare, certain contents in these medications may lead to birth defects or other congenital abnormalities,” she warned. “As stopping the medications is not advisable, with proper guidance from a certified health professional, you can continue your medication while being pregnant and even breastfeed post-delivery. Your doctor will be able to tell you which medications can be continued,” she concluded. SURSA

South Korea scrambled about 80 fighter jets after detecting a large number of North Korean warplanes during a four-hour period Friday, the country’s military said, in a further escalation of regional tensions. In a statement, the South Korean military said it spotted about 180 North Korean military aircraft between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. local time, a day after Pyongyang is believed to have conducted the failed test of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). Tensions in the Korean Peninsula began rising Monday, when the “Vigilant Storm” joint military drills began between the United States and South Korea, involving hundreds of aircraft and thousands of service members from both countries, according to the US. North Korea accused the allies of provocative action and on Wednesday launched 23 missiles from its east and west coasts – the most missiles it’s fired in a single day – into waters either side of the peninsula, prompting Seoul to respond with three surface-to-air missiles. Soldiers hold weapons while seated on a vehicle carrying rockets as it drives past the stand with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during a military parade marking the 105th birth anniversary of country's founding father Kim Il Sung, in Pyongyang April 15, 2017. REUTERS/Damir Sagolj North Korea's suspected ICBM test fails, South Korean government source says Friday’s South Korean deployment included an unspecified number of F-35A stealth fighter jets, the statement said, and the South Korean warplanes participating in the ongoing joint maneuvers had also “maintained a readiness posture,” the South Korean military said. After Thursday’s suspected ICBM test, the US and South Korea announced they’d extend the drills for an extra day until November 5, a move denounced by a North Korean official as a “very dangerous and false choice,” according to state media. Later, after meeting with his South Korean counterpart at the Pentagon, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin accused North Korea of “irresponsible and reckless activities.” “We’ve said before these kinds of activities are destabilizing to the region potentially. So we call on them to cease that type of activity and to begin to engage in serious dialogue,” Austin said. A United Nations Security Council meeting is expected to take place on Friday to discuss Pyongyang’s recent missile launches. According to a spokesperson for the US Mission to the UN, the US, UK, France, Albania, Ireland and Norway had called for an open meeting. In an interview on CNN on Wednesday, US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield condemned North Korea’s actions, saying Pyongyang had broken multiple Security Council resolutions. Thomas-Greenfield said the UN would be “putting pressure” on China and Russia to improve and enhance such sanctions. She declined to say whether US President Joe Biden would raise sanctions with China’s President Xi at the G20 but said it was “on the President’s mind.” SURSA

President Joe Biden is set to deliver a speech Wednesday on protecting democracy, just six days before the midterm elections as the nation deals with a tense political climate following the attack on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband. “On Wednesday, November 2, President Joe Biden will deliver remarks on preserving and protecting our democracy as Election Day approaches. The President will address the threat of election deniers and those who seek to undermine faith in voting and democracy; and the stakes for our democracy in next week’s election,” a Democratic official tells CNN. The speech – a political event hosted by the Democratic National Committee, not the White House – will underscore the points Biden has been making for weeks since a prime time speech in Philadelphia. That address, which covered many of the same topics that the president is expected to touch on Wednesday night, was criticized by Republicans and others for being too political for an official White House event. “Biden has been speaking about democracy for the entire time he’s been in office,” said Jen O’Malley Dillon, the president’s deputy chief of staff, in a conversation with Axios. “You can expect to hear from him this evening, similar to what he’s been saying over the course of the last several months, that there is a lot at stake, including democracy, and that everyone has a role in that.” She said Biden would emphasize that results may take time to tally, but that it shouldn’t undermine confidence in the results. “That’s how democracy works, to make sure every vote is counted, so he’ll highlight that, as well,” O’Malley Dillon added. The setting of the speech near Capitol Hill is meant to reference the January 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol building intended to interrupt the certification of Biden’s win. “On January 6, we saw violence geared toward subverting democratic processes there. So it is, you know, an appropriate place to make these remarks tonight,” Biden adviser Anita Dunn said. Advisers to the president tell CNN that Biden and his team have been contemplating giving a speech on this very topic for some time – but that their decision-making and thinking in recent days have been shaped by what they’ve viewed as a surge in anti-democratic rhetoric and threats of violence. One recent headline in particular that has deeply alarmed Biden and his top advisers: the violent attack against Paul Pelosi last week that authorities say was politically motivated. The shocking home intrusion and attack on Pelosi landed the 82-year-old in the hospital for surgery, and he has since been recovering from a skull fracture, among other injuries. Advisers say that Biden felt that it would be important for him to directly condemn these kinds of threats and acts of violence. He will also want to speak directly to election deniers, they said, in an effort to counter, in part, Republican elected officials and candidates who have openly said they may refuse to accept the results of the upcoming election next week. The theme of protecting the soul of the nation – and the pillars of the country’s democratic system – were central to Biden’s 2020 presidential campaign. The President has since spoken about these topics throughout his presidency, but Wednesday’s speech will mark an effort to emphatically underscore what is at stake heading into the midterms. Defense of democracy has been an animating feature of Biden’s thinking this political season and has emerged more abundantly in his off-camera conversations with Democrats. The day before his speech in Washington, Biden warned a group of Democratic donors in Florida that “democracy is on the ballot” this year – and offered something of a preview of his message for a day later. “How can you say that you in fact care about democracy when you deny the existence of a win? The only way you could win is either you win or the other guy cheated,” he said at the event, held in an oceanfront backyard of a mansion in Golden Beach, Florida. “This has not happened since the Civil War. It sounds like hyperbole, but it hadn’t happened since then, as bad as it is now,” he said. Biden’s Civil War reference hardly appeared coincidental; he was seen this week carrying a copy of historian Jon Meacham’s new book, “And There Was Light: Abraham Lincoln and the American Struggle,” which explores how America’s 16th president confronted secession and threats to democracy. Meacham is an informal adviser to Biden and has helped write some of his most high-profile speeches. In his remarks at the Florida fundraiser, Biden noted the attack on Paul Pelosi and said it was hardly surprising given Republicans’ rhetoric. The attack on the husband of the House speaker is one of the reasons Biden decided to deliver Wednesday’s speech, officials said, though plans had been in the works for a while. “Look at the response – the so-called response — from Republicans, making jokes about it and/or saying, ‘Well, you know, it’s not because of what’s being said and not said,’” Biden said of the assault. “The reason why people are doing what they’re doing – there’s a lot of unstable people in a po[CENSORED]tion as large as ours. When they hear every single day these outrageous lies – these outrageous lies across the board about everything,” Biden said. “How can you be surprised?” he asked. “The guy purchases a hammer to kneecap the No. 3 in line to be President of the United States of America – No. 2 in line, I should say, to be the … president of the United States of America. And nobody on that party condemns it for exactly what it is.” Biden previously laid out the stakes two months ago, traveling to Philadelphia, where he delivered an urgent rebuke of former President Donald Trump and those aligned with his attempts to undermine democracy. “As I stand here tonight, equality and democracy are under assault,” Biden said at the time. “We do ourselves no favor to pretend otherwise.” Biden starkly warned at the time about what he called “an extremism that threatens the very foundations of our republic.” SURSA

Cottonmouths (Agkistrodon piscivorus), also called water moccasins, are venomous snakes(opens in new tab) found in the southeastern United States. They're called cottonmouths because of the white coloration on the inside of their mouths, which they display when threatened. Cottonmouths are semiaquatic, so they're comfortable both swimming in water (hence their other common name of water moccasin) and basking on land. They are the only venomous snake in the U.S. that spends a lot of time in the water, Live Science previously reported(opens in new tab). Other local names for cottonmouths include black moccasins, gapers, mangrove rattlers, snap jaws, stub-tail snakes, swamp lions, trap jaws, water mambas and water pilots. Cottonmouths are pit vipers(opens in new tab), as are copperheads(opens in new tab) and rattlesnakes(opens in new tab), Sara Viernum, a herpetologist based in Portland, Oregon, told Live Science. "Like all pit vipers, [cottonmouths] have heat-sensing facial pits between their eyes and nostrils," Viernum said. These specialized pits are able to detect minute differences in temperature so that the snake can accurately strike the source of heat, which is often potential prey. Cottonmouths rarely bite humans, and usually only do so when provoked. CLOSE HOW TO IDENTIFY A WATER MOCCASIN Cottonmouths are relatively large, ranging from 2 to 4 feet long (61 to 122 centimeters), according to the Savannah River Ecology Laboratory(opens in new tab). They have thick, muscular bodies covered in ridged scales and blocky heads with large jowls. Their pupils are vertical, similar to cat pupils, and they have dark stripes next to each nostril. Their coloration varies from dark brown or black to olive, banded brown or yellow. Cottonmouths are often confused with nonvenomous water snake(opens in new tab) species from the genus Nerodia. Cottonmouths and Nerodia species have similar coloring and patterns and are all usually found near water. Even though water snakes are nonvenomous, they can still bite and are often killed by humans out of fear that they are cottonmouths. There are a few ways you can tell a nonvenomous water snake from a venomous water moccasin, or cottonmouth, according to the University of Florida(opens in new tab). Water snakes are slender compared with cottonmouths, which are thicker and heavier. Water snakes also have longer, thinner tails, and their heads are a similar width to their necks, whereas a cottonmouth's head is thick, blocky and noticeably wider than the snake's neck. Water snake pupils are round, not vertical and cat-like like the pupils of cottonmouths. Water snakes also lack the facial pits that are characteristic of pit vipers, such as cottonmouths.When threatened, nonvenomous water snakes, such as northern water snakes (Nerodia sipedon) and southern water snakes (Nerodia fasciata), often try to appear bigger than they are by flattening their bodies and heads. This flattening makes them look more like cottonmouths. A water snake's flattened head will look more triangular in shape, but not blocky and thick, like a cottonmouth's head. A water snake's head will also still be a similar width to the neck, even when flattened. Trying to kill a snake greatly increases the risk of being bitten by one, according to the University of Florida. Juvenile cottonmouths have more distinctive bands across their bodies and are lighter brown compared with adult cottonmouths. Juveniles also have bright-yellow tail tips that they use as lure to attract prey. "They undulate the tail tip slowly back and forth to lure prey, such as frogs(opens in new tab), within striking distance," Viernum said. The striking patterns present on the juveniles fades with age. SURSA

Remember that brilliant Wendy's commercial featuring a Soviet fashion show, in which the daywear, eveningwear, and swimwear looks all consisted of minimally accessorized medical scrubs? It lampooned the lack of choice offered by competitive burger chains. A similar lack of choice has bedeviled buyers seeking a street-legal Baja trophy truck powered by a bonkers supercharged V-8. Since the latest Ford F-150 Raptor didn't offer such an engine, the Ram 1500 TRX has been the only option. Well, Ford has finally evolved its F-150 Raptor with a truckified version of the Mustang Shelby GT500's Predator V-8. With less displacement, power, and torque than the TRX, can this 2023 Ford F-150 Raptor R "Predator" keep from becoming prey? To give us some idea, Ford invited us to the Silver Lake Sand Dunes on Michigan's west coast to thrash its would-be apex predator. 2023 Ford F 150 Raptor R in action 5 filterSEE ALL 21 PHOTOS Distinctly Different Character Ford is offering a real alternative here: technical finesse versus Ram's brute force. Ford's 5.2-liter Predator motor, as configured for towing and hauling (8,700 and 1,400 pounds), produces 99.7 percent of the power and 98.5 percent of the torque of Ram's Hemi from just 83.9 percent of the displacement. It manages this in part by leveraging a modern dual-overhead-cam valvetrain that spins 14.8 percent faster than the Ram's pushrod mill, and by fitting a 10.4-percent-larger Eaton blower huffing up 3.4-percent-higher peak boost pressure. It's no surprise that these two engines sound completely different. Ford's Predator, which can be enjoyed at any of four exhaust-volume settings, sings a much higher-pitched and more frenetic song that sounds worlds better than the non-R's EcoBoost V-6. And although the Ford may sound higher-strung than the Ram, we got no sense of it being any less torquey at the lower end. That's because tuning changes and a smaller supercharger pulley have added 25 percent to the total area under the Shelby's torque curve—mostly at the lower end. 2023 Ford F 150 Raptor R in action 16 filterSEE ALL 21 PHOTOS Performance We'll be strapping our test gear to a Raptor R very soon. Then we'll know just how much quicker the lighter, aluminum-bodied, 10-speed F-150 Raptor R likely is than the TRX. It'll be a difference you may be hard-pressed to care much about, as both of these things launch like monsters. Their soft suspensions allow the rear ends of each to squat substantially. In the Raptor R, as the front end struggles to deliver torque to pavement in this lightened state, we felt a bit more torque steer than we recall from the TRX. Sport mode even orders up a modicum of over-fueling to deliver those wonderful little overrun backfires and pops. But although we expect Raptor R to outsprint the heavier TRX, if the chase is long enough and smooth enough to allow each truck to sustain its governed top speed, the Ram will chase down the Ford because its tires are rated for 118 mph—6 mph faster than the Raptor's. Fuel "Economy" The EPA has yet to rate the Raptor R, but we drove one set of Raptor Rs to and from the hotel at 80 mph on the freeway through driving rain and wind, and then hooned a different set on the dunes with their beadlocked tires aired down to 14 psi. The trip computers on each reported around 10.5 mpg. 2023 Ford F 150 Raptor R in action 14 filterSEE ALL 21 PHOTOS Baja Bounding These therapod-dinosaur-themed trucks are each optimized for Baja 1000 high-speed desert-running duty, and it may be the shocks that end up really differentiating these beasts. To cope with the added mass of the 37-inch tires, Ford has upped the size of its Fox Live Valve shock bodies to 3.1 inches. This twin-tube design places valved orifices at different points along the shock's piston travel. Fluid flows freely through them around normal ride height to deliver a smooth ride. Damping increases progressively as wheel travel increases, with the final, highest damping rate controlled by orifices in the piston itself. The Live Valve bleeds some fluid off into the nitrogen-pressurized remote reservoir attached to each shock during jounce. The TRX employs aluminum-bodied 2.5-inch Bilstein Blackhawk e2 monotube shocks, with each connected via braided-steel lines to a chassis-mounted remote reservoir. One of two electronically controlled valves connects these reservoirs to either the jounce or rebound chamber, offering what sounds to us like a broader range of overall control. We look forward to an opportunity for side-by-side comparison. About all we can say for now is that no rain-sodden Michigan sand dune can make a Raptor R sweat even a tiny bit. We repeatedly bounded up and over towering dunes, never eliciting so much as a groan, clunk, or loose-panel vibration, let alone a need for recovery assistance. And, as with the TRX, sending 700 horsepower through tires with super aggressive treads easily solves traction problems such as having slightly insufficient momentum to crest a dune or coming to an abrupt stop that piles sand in front of the tires. Just give it a bit more "welly," and off you go. 2023 Ford F 150 Raptor R in action 4 filterSEE ALL 21 PHOTOS User Interface Differences Another notable difference between the Raptor R and the Ram TRX is Ford's strictly business user interface versus Ram's more fun-loving "Performance Pages." These can graph real-time power/torque and g-forces, tally lap or acceleration times, display extraneous gauge info, and show a zillion other things on the center screen, none of which the driver should be distracted by while bounding across a desert. By contrast, Ford puts vital info in the cluster—things such as torque distribution or pitch/roll/steering angles—and allows the central screen to display the live forward camera view even at higher speeds in the Off-Road and Baja modes. Other Cool Stuff We Learned R improves the EcoBoost: Many of the chassis reinforcements made to withstand the 5.2-liter's greater torque have been applied to all Raptors, especially those affecting the front axle and its mounts. But the R still gets an aluminum front axle cover versus steel on EcoBoost models. One-person build: As with the Shelby GT500, each Raptor Predator engine will be built by a single technician (in Dearborn rather than Romeo, Michigan), but said person will not be signing the engine. F-250 transmission clutches: To withstand the added torque being transmitted via the strengthened torque converter stator, the Raptor R's 10-speed automatic shares some clutch packs with the F-250. 2023 Ford F 150 Raptor R in action 2 filterSEE ALL 21 PHOTOS Pricier Choice Ford has priced its Raptor R as the premium choice. Opening at $109,145, the only options are paint color and a panoramic sunroof. By contrast, Ram markets the TRX on an à la carte plan that starts in the low $80,000s and struggles to exceed $104,000 without Mopar accessories. What price, fashion—or, how much quicker will the R need to be for you to justify the cost difference?BASE PRICE $109,145 VEHICLE LAYOUT Front-engine, 4WD, 5-pass, 4-door truck ENGINE 5.2L/700-hp/640-lb-ft port-injected supercharged DOHC 32-valve V-8 TRANSMISSION 10-speed automatic CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST) 6,100 lb (mfr) WHEELBASE 145.4 in LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT 232.6 x 87.0 x 80.6 in 0-60 MPH 3.8 sec (MT est) EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON Not yet rated EPA RANGE 450 miles (est) ON SALE Fall 2022 SURSA

Priyanka Chopra is a globetrotter, who recently made her way to India after almost three years. The actor, who got married to singer Nick Jonas in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, has been living it up at their Los Angeles residence where they host friends and family members on the regular — throwing Diwali and Holi parties — and where they also welcomed their first child, daughter Malti Marie Chopra Jonas earlier this year. The little one, it is being reported, has made it to her mother’s home country, too, and it is her first visit here.Yesterday, the ‘Bajirao Mastani‘ actor posted a fashionable photo from her hotel room, which overlooked the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. In the pictures, she sported a messy ponytail, which gave a lot of volume to her hair. Holding a cup of tea, the new mother flashed a smile, visibly excited to be back home.She looked super stylish in a black ensemble: a rouched co-ord set that featured multi-coloured patterns all over. While the crop top had a plunging neckline, it went well with the high-waisted pants.For accessories, Priyanka opted for a simple black choker, a pair of gold earrings and a matching bracelet. Earlier today, she was seen attending an event for her hair care brand Anomaly, for which she once again flaunted her voluminous hair. The 40-year-old turned up looking like a million bucks in a white high-neck crop-top, with a cutout detail at the centre. It matched well with a pair of off-white flare pants.The ‘Matrix Resurrections‘ actor, who exudes confidence every time she is spotted in public, charmed the paparazzi with her poses. She accessorised with a pair of sunglasses, dainty earrings, the same gold bracelet that was previously seen on her. For makeup, she chose to keep it subtle — opting for a dark brown lipstick and contoured cheeks. Priyanka left her hair loose with a centre parting. Priyanka Chopra, Priyanka Chopra fashion, Priyanka Chopra in India, Priyanka Chopra photos, Priyanka Chopra ensembles, Priyanka Chopra daughter India visit, celeb fashion, indian express news Photo: Varinder Chawla What do you think of these looks? SURSA

United States and Saudi Arabia have shared intelligence with each other that indicates that Iran may be planning an imminent attack on energy infrastructure in the Middle East, particularly in Saudi Arabia, a US official tells CNN. A Saudi official told CNN that that Saudi Arabia shared intelligence of a possible attack with the US, but the source did not give any specifics. A second US official said US F-22 fighter jets already in Saudi Arabia are available to counter any threats. The first official said there has been no increase in US military protection levels in the region, as the US military is not believed to be a target. State Department spokesperson Ned Price said Tuesday that the US is “concerned about the threat picture” and “in constant contact through military, diplomatic, intelligence channels with the Saudis.” FILE - A drone is seen in the sky seconds before it fired on buildings in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Oct. 17, 2022. The Iranian-made drones that Russia sent slamming into central Kyiv this week have produced hand-wringing and consternation in Israel, complicating the country's balancing act between Russia and the West. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky) Iran is preparing to send additional weapons including ballistic missiles to Russia to use in Ukraine, Western officials say “We won’t hesitate to act in defense of our interests and our partners in the region,” Price said at a department briefing. He said that he was not aware of any public warnings issued through the embassy about a threat and confirmed that the State Department is required to inform citizens “if we do have information that is precise, that is credible, that could potentially pose a threat to the American citizen community.” The US believes Iran may be trying to focus attention on Saudi Arabia which Iran accuses of helping fuel protests, sources said. The Wall Street Journal first reported that there is indication of a potential Iranian attack. Pentagon press secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder would not confirm whether there’s currently a specific threat, but said that the Pentagon remains “concerned about the threat situation in the region,” and is “in regular contact with our Saudi partners.” Iran is Saudi Arabia’s chief regional rival, and Riyadh severed official diplomatic relations with Tehran in 2016 after Iranian protesters stormed the Saudi embassy in Tehran in response to Saudi Arabia’s execution of a Shiite cleric. Iran-backed Houthi rebels have also attacked oil facilities in Saudi Arabia and the UAE in recent years, raising concerns that energy infrastructure could be a target for any Iranian provocations in the region. Saudi and Iranian officials have met quietly in recent months to discuss security issues, including the war in Yemen between the Houthis and a Saudi-backed military coalition. But a fragile truce between the parties expired last month, leading to newly increased tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia. SURSA

Artist: Wiz Khalifa Real Name: Cameron Jibril Thomaz Birth Date /Place: September 8, 1987 Minot, North Dakota, U.S. Age: (age 35) Social status (Single / Married): Married Artist Picture: Musical Genres: rapp Awards:American Music Awards Year Nominee / work Award Result 2011 Wiz Khalifa Sprint New Artist of the Year Nominated 2015 "See You Again" Song of the Year Nominated Collaboration of the Year Nominated BET Awards Year Nominee / work Award Result 2011 Wiz Khalifa Best New Artist Won Top 3 Songs (Names):Black and Yellow,Work Hard, Play Hard,No Sleep Other Information:-

Music Title: MARKO GLASS X BVCOVIA - "Dior") Signer: MARKO GLASS Release Date: 27 dec. 2019 Official Youtube Link: Informations About The Signer: Marko glass it's famous Romanian singer Your Opinion About The Track (Music Video): 10/10

The US Treasury Department on Tuesday took its first action against ISIS-Somalia, sanctioning seven individuals and one entities with ties to the terrorist affiliate. The latest actions build on recent moves by the State and Treasury departments against al-Shabaab, and several of those sanctioned Tuesday also have ties to that militant group. Tuesday’s sanctions come just days after a deadly attack in the Somali capital of Mogadishu, where twin car bombs killed at least 100 and injured more than 300. Al-Shabaab has claimed responsibility for the attack. TOPSHOT - Smoke rises over the city as people walk down a street after a large explosion near the education ministry in Mogadishu on October 29, 2022. - Two huge car bombings rocked Somalia's education ministry in the capital Mogadishu on Saturday and shattered windows of nearby buildings, police and witnesses said. The "simultaneous explosions occurred along the Zobe road and there are various casualties. We will provide details later," Sadik Dudishe, Somali police spokesman said. (Photo by Hassan Ali ELMI / AFP) (Photo by HASSAN ALI ELMI/AFP via Getty Images) Explosions near Somalia's education ministry kill 100 people In a call with reporters, a senior Treasury official said that the latest sanctions target ISIS-Somalia, but emphasized that the financial networks are interconnected because their members support other terrorist groups. “The individuals and entity designated today are critical nodes for a weapons trafficking network that is closely integrated with ISIS-Somalia,” the Treasury Department said in a statement. “These networks operate primarily between Yemen and Somalia and have strong ties to al-Qa’ida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and al-Shabaab.” The senior Treasury official said that the Biden administration has increased its focus on exposing and disrupting terrorist financing networks in Africa. The official said there is also a “clear link” between terrorism and organized crime, noting that the network sanctioned on Tuesday is “deeply involved in black market smuggling, violent piracy, and abhorrent environmental crimes.” In addition to the sanctions against those tied to ISIS-Somalia, the Treasury Department also sanctioned “a vital supporter of ISIS in Brazil, who has attempted to serve as a liaison for the terrorist group.” SURSA