[[Template core/front/profile/profileHeader is throwing an error. This theme may be out of date. Run the support tool in the AdminCP to restore the default theme.]]
Everything posted by Mr.Talha
-
https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/maserati/grecale/first-drives/maserati-grecale-2023-uk-first-drive Maserati’s answer to the Porsche Macan has arrived in the UK. We’re testing the Modena, which at £67,810 and 325bhp is the centre point of a three-strong Grecale range that begins with the GT (296bhp, £61,570) and ends with the Trofeo (525bhp, £99,700). Like the GT, it has a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol engine driving both axles through an eight-speed automatic gearbox, but as well as the extra poke, there’s a mechanical limited-slip differential. Air springs are optional and fitted to our car. The Grecale sits on Alfa Romeo’s Giorgio platform, as do the Alfas Stelvio and Giulia, but with an extra 83mm of wheelbase over the Stelvio. Given how good that SUV and that saloon are to drive, particularly in their fast forms, this was a strong basis for Maserati to work on. First, though, to the interior, and very pleasant it is too, with well-appointed materials. Some of the stitching (£445) and carbonfibre (£2030) is optional, but I don’t think you’d feel hard done by without it.The driving position is good, with an almost round steering wheel and satisfyingly large gearshift paddles fixed to the steering column, so that they’re always where you left them. Two touchscreens adorn the dash. The lower one in particular, which handles the climate control, I’d rather featured real toggles. Between them are gear-selector buttons, freeing up space on the transmission tunnel for cubbies, a phone charger, a padded armrest and big cupholders. Well, a fair few Grecales will be sold in the US.There’s decent space in the back and the boot is 535 litres – more than in the Macan and alike other rivals.
-
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-65541212 A body has been found in New Zealand caves where a teenager went missing during a school trip on Tuesday. He was among a group of 17 who went to the Abbey Caves despite widespread flooding in the Auckland region. The group was initially trapped but 14 students and two teachers made it out safely. The boy, aged between 15 and 16, was unaccounted for. New Zealand police said the body was recovered late on Tuesday local time, but has not been formally identified. Auckland, New Zealand's largest city, has declared a state of emergency after heavy rainfall stranded cars, uprooted trees and disrupted public transport. But most roads that were earlier closed reopened on Wednesday and public transport was operating. The Abbey Caves, a series of three underground caves on the upper North Island, features limestone outcrops and sink holes. The cave system is prone to flash flooding. The caves remained behind a police cordon on Wednesday, even as well-wishers left flowers there. Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has weighed in, telling the New Zealand Herald that it is "every parent's worst possible nightmare" not to have their child return home from school. Police Superintendent Tony Hill also acknowledged that the public will want answers on the "very distressing" event. The incident has raised questions about why the school trip went ahead even after weather forecasts warned of heavy rains. The group is from Whangārei Boys' High School. In a post on the school's Facebook page on Wednesday, principal Karen Gilbert-Smith wrote: "It is really important for me to let you know how devastated we are that one of our whānau [family] have lost a much loved, and treasured, son and brother." "The impact of this tragedy is being felt widely amongst our school staff, students and community." The Auckland region in New Zealand has been hit by several extreme weather events thus far this year. From January to April, it received 90% of its average total annual rainfall, with some areas receiving up to 35mm (1.3in) of rain in just one hour. In February, Cyclone Gabrielle ravaged New Zealand, leaving 11 people dead and a trail of devastation that Finance Minister Grant Robertson likened to the damage wrought by the Christchurch earthquake from 12 years ago.
-
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-65530408 Last month, India surpassed China as the world's most populous country, prompting analysts to point out the potential benefits of its significant young demographic. However, a major obstacle to realising this potential is the insufficient representation of women in India's workforce. The BBC's Arunoday Mukharji reports. When Lavanya Uluganathan decided to take a break from work in 2014 to have a baby, she felt torn and dismayed. But the HR professional from the southern state of Tamil Nadu, who says she was at the "peak of her career" then, was clear that she wanted to spend time with her family. Four years and two children later, she felt ready to re-join the workforce. But finding a job was hard. She faced repeated rejections, and recruiters also asked her to take massive salary cuts, arguing that she couldn't expect anything else after taking a break. "It was a huge setback for my career," she says. Ms Uluganathan is not alone. Nearly half of India's po[CENSORED]tion is female and yet, the number of working women has fallen to record lows in the past two decades. According to data from the World Bank, the female participation rate in India's labour force was at its peak in 2000 at 31%. Since then, it has consistently fallen, hitting a low of 21% in 2018. There are many reasons for this. India is still a largely patriarchal society, where women are expected to be primary caregivers at home. Indian women spend eight times the number of hours on unpaid care work compared with men, according to a national time use survey from 2019. The global average is three times. Experts say that safety concerns and not being able to find jobs close to home also prevent women in big cities from joining the workforce. After months of searching, Ms Uluganathan did find a job - as a human resources manager at one of India's biggest two-wheeler manufacturers. The company has a scheme for women who are returning to their careers after a professional break - it offers flexible working hours, mentoring and training to them. Ms Uluganathan said the programme helped her find her ground again. "If you want us to come back with the same energy and enthusiasm, these kind of programmes have to be there," she says. How India calculates value of women's housework Why half of India's urban women stay at home Official data shows that only 32% of Indian women work after they get married - and most of them are part of the agricultural sector. Ashwini Deshpande, an economics professor and head of the Centre for Economic Data and Analysis at Ashoka University, says that the country needs to create more non-farm opportunities in rural areas so that women can find jobs beyond agricultural work. "If you want to gain from India's gender dividend, then women need to be productively employed," she says. A 2018 McKinsey report estimated that India could add $550bn to its gross domestic product by increasing its female labour force participation by just 10%. Currently, women employees account for less than 20% of India's manufacturing sector. But some changes are visible, especially in the industrial belt of Hosur in Tamil Nadu. Located just 35km (21 miles) away from the information technology hub Bengaluru (formerly Bangalore), Hosur is home to a host of industries and has become an attractive destination for investments. Six years ago, Roshni Lugun left her home - 2,000km away in Odisha state - and came to Hosur to work as an engineer in a factory. She started off by making shock absorbers for two- and three-wheelers and is now a staff supervisor. "I wanted to try something new," she says. "If I had stayed at home, I would never have progressed so far. I could not have achieved this." Like Ms Lugun, hundreds of other women working at the plant are changing the face of what was once a male-dominated industry. Even companies in the area are focusing on hiring more women in their workforce. Gabriel India Ltd - an auto parts company in Hosur - says that more than 20% of the workers in its factories are women. The firm says the move makes sense from a business point of view. "Our internal studies have shown that attrition rates for women are lower," says Atul Jaggi, president and deputy managing director of Gabriel India. The company provides perks such as on-site accommodation, subsidised food and several training programmes to attract more women workers. "It doesn't cost more. These are basic facilities which any good organisation should have," Mr Jaggi says. Ms Lagun agrees. "Why should it be that for India's economy to grow, only men have to work? We can also help," she says as she supervises a female colleague who is putting the finishing touches on shock absorbers which will be fitted on two-wheelers. For Ms Lagun personally, the most exciting part of her job is that it gives her a sense of independence . "Sometimes when I am out with my friends, I spot a motorcycle fitted with our auto parts. And I say, look, I have made it. It makes me happy and proud," she says.
-
Musician Name: Stephan Eicher Birthday / Location: 17 August 1960 (age 62) Münchenbuchsee, Switzerland Main instrument: Vocals, guitar Musician Picture: Musician Awards & Nominations: ---- Best Performance: ----- Other Information: Stephan Eicher (born 17 August 1960) is a Swiss singer. He sings in a variety of languages, including French, German, English, Italian, Swiss German and Romansh, sometimes using different languages in the same song. Eicher's success started in German-speaking countries in the 1980s when, as part of the band Grauzone, he had a hit single, Eisbär. With hit songs such as Combien de Temps and Oh Ironie, his po[CENSORED]rity spread across Europe with albums, tours and chart success in France and Switzerland.
-
Artist: Bastian Baker Real Name: Bastien Kaltenbacher Birth Date /Place: 20 May 1991 (age 31) Lausanne, Switzerland Age: 31 Social status (Single / Married): single Artist Picture: Musical Genres: Pop, Country Awards: --- Top 3 Songs (Names):---- Other Information: Bastien Kaltenbacher (born 20 May 1991 in Lausanne), better known as Bastian Baker, is a Swiss singer, songwriter, performer and ice hockey player. He is currently under contract with HCV Martigny of the MySports League. He was coach in the third season of The Voice Belgique (The Voice of Belgium).
-
https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/electrogenic-launches-ev-conversion-kit-classic-mini Electrogenic, the British firm behind electric conversions of the Citroën DS, Land Rover Defender and Jaguar E-Type, has launched a ‘plug and play’ powertrain for the classic Mini. The pre-assembled kit swaps the Mini’s A-Series engine for a water-cooled electric motor outputting 60bhp and 100lb ft through a fixed-ratio gearbox. That’s on a par with the twin-port-injection variant of the A-Series featured in the 1997-2000 Rover Mini, which produced 63bhp and 70lb ft. However, it is a significant uplift compared with the 34bhp, 44lb ft powerplant in the original 1959 Mini (then called the Austin Seven). A 20kWh battery pack gives the Electrogenic kit an 80-mile range around town – where the motor can nearly constantly recover energy in stop-start traffic, and at low speeds – but this figure is likely to fall significantly on faster roads. An extended-range variant, which adds a second battery inside the boot, will be offered at a later date. A Type 2 charging port can be accessed through a replacement front grille that features a cutout for the cable. The conversion kit requires no modification to the Mini’s structure, which makes it completely reversible – similar to the existing Electrogenic Porsche 911. It is incorporated into a replacement front subframe to make it easier to swap with the Mini’s existing petrol engine. A mechanic just bolts the new subframe in and wires the powertrain into the dashboard. The Electrogenic package goes on sale this autumn, priced from £15,000 (excluding VAT). Electrogenic co-founder Steve Drummond said: “We’ve converted a number of beautiful Minis over the years to electric drive and have seen significant demand for a solution that’s both easy to fit and budget-friendly. Our new drop-in kit meets those requirements perfectly. It’s cost effective and simple to install, yet still delivers superb electric performance, thanks to our latest-generation EV powertrain tech.
-
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-65497563 A smiling King Charles III has thanked well-wishers for their support during a walkabout outside Buckingham Palace ahead of his Coronation. The King laughed and shook hands with members of the public, who had brought union jacks and pretend crowns. Accompanied by the Prince and Princess of Wales, some of the crowd sang God Save the King. The walkabout on the Mall had a high security presence, with dozens of cars and police on motorbikes. Thousands turned out for the event, and shouts of "best of luck" and "good luck tomorrow" could be heard. One woman cried: "Love you Charlie!" The King laughed when asked by a man if he was nervous for tomorrow, and joked to some children: "No school? You've done very well!" Among the onlookers were royal fans from across the world. Calling from the side of the Mall, one woman said: "King Charles, it is so nice to meet you - we came here from America!" Another man remarked: "I came from Bangkok", to which the King replied: "It's nice to meet you." Your full guide to how Coronation day will unfold Prince William and Catherine posed for photographs with supporters. Speaking to a BBC reporter on the Mall, the princess revealed her children were "a bit nervous" and "excited" and could not wait for the day. Prince George is set to play a starring role in the coronation and Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis are also expected to attend the historic day. One woman called Faby, from London, told PA news agency she had shaken hands with the King and found him charming. "It was incredible," the 55-year-old said. "It's not every day you get to shake hands with the King. It was so lovely." Theresa Iredale, who turns 66 on Saturday, the day of the Coronation, wore a plastic crown. She said the King thanked her for coming and congratulated her when she told him about her birthday. "I was shaking. I saw his hand coming out to mine and I was like, 'I can't believe I'm shaking the King's hand'. A special moment." Catherine during walkabout on The Mall Well wishers had words of encouragements for the royals ahead of the big day tomorrow "It is a moment of celebration; enjoy tomorrow," Catherine said to one woman. She appeared to take part in a video call at one stage before also speaking on another person's phone then handing it back. As well as union jacks, other flags on display included ones representing Germany, Wales, Canada and Australia. Cries of "Hip, hip, hooray" also rang out. The King and Camilla, the Queen Consort, earlier attended a rehearsal at Westminster Abbey, before hosting a special lunch at Buckingham Palace for leaders of the Commonwealth - the 15 countries where he is monarch. Attendees included UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, and Prime Minister of New Zealand Chris Hipkins. Saturday's Coronation begins at 11:00 BST (10:00 GMT) in Westminster Abbey, and will be led by the Archbishop of Canterbury. At 13:00, the King and Queen will leave Westminster Abbey in a ceremonial procession back to Buckingham Palace, joined by other members of the Royal Family. As part of the Coronation, for the first time the public are being given an active role in the ceremony and will be invited to swear allegiance to the King. The "homage of the people" is a new addition to the ancient ceremony, which is being led by Justin Welby. It was revealed, along with other details of the service, in a liturgy published by Lambeth Palace last weekend. Lambeth Palace said the liturgy had been produced "in close consultation" with the King and the government. Campaign group Republic called the idea "nonsense" and "offensive". The King's close friend and biographer, broadcaster Jonathan Dimbleby, earlier said the King would find the idea of people paying homage to him during his Coronation "abhorrent". Scheduled as part of the pageantry on Saturday is a fly-past, but it will be dependent on the weather, with a 70% chance of showers at the same time. Royal fans who will be in London to celebrate the occasion are advised to bring umbrellas, cagoules and waterproof jackets. Royal Air Force Air Chief Marshal Sir Michael Wigston said "it's 50/50" as to whether a fly-past scheduled to go over the Mall and Buckingham Palace after 14:15 BST will happen. It will consist of more than 60 aircraft from the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force - including the Red Arrows - but a final decision will be made just one or two hours before it is due to start. BBC Weather forecaster Chris Fawkes said cloud was expected to "quickly thicken" during the morning with "outbreaks of rain moving in". "The rain will often tend to be light and drizzly, but a few heavier bursts are possible," he said. "The weather will slowly become drier through the afternoon, perhaps with some sunny spells to end the day."
-
https://www.bbc.com/news/business-65478826 HSBC has fought off an attempt by its biggest shareholder to break up the bank during a frequently tense annual general meeting. Chinese insurer Ping An has been trying for more than a year to split the bank. On Friday it failed to gain the backing of any other major shareholder as investors voted to reject the proposal. HSBC chairman Mark Tucker said the result "draws a line" under a long-running debate about the bank's structure. Despite being headquartered in London, the large majority of HSBC's profits are made in Asia. Ping An, which holds an 8% stake in HSBC, wants the lender to separate out its Asian business. It argues that the bank's profitable Asia operations are subsidising other parts of the bank that are not performing as strongly. Splitting HSBC would also set it free from the requirements of UK regulators. Ping An and Ken Lui, an individual Hong Kong-based shareholder in HSBC, needed to secure 75% of all votes cast at the AGM to force through the split. They failed to get those numbers, with no other major institutional investor backing the plan. Mr Tucker told the AGM a break-up of the bank would undermine its global strategy, and would be both risky and costly. "It would not be in shareholders' interests to split the bank," he told the AGM in Birmingham, which was frequently interrupted by climate change activists who claim HSBC is not doing enough to reduce its financing of polluting industries and businesses. At the meeting, Mr Lui vowed to fight on with the break-up plan, saying he would keep pressure on HSBC's management and would lobby the bank's many small shareholders in Hong Kong. It is not clear what Ping An's next step will be but there are bigger factors at play beyond making a return on its investment. Ping An is partly owned by the Chinese state and, according to some analysts, could be representing Beijing's political aims as much as its shareholders' financial interests. Hong Kong is by far China's most important financial hub and HSBC is the centrepiece institution. Some argue that to Beijing, the idea of simply leaving the city's most valuable asset in Western hands could be a risk that is too big to take. The example of Russia's economic isolation following the invasion of Ukraine is a case in point. Should a similar geopolitical crisis emerge involving China - not an impossibility given the tensions around Taiwan and the South China Sea - having a grip on one of Asia's top banks will be vital. In this sense, HSBC is dealing with an existential crisis that dates back to its founding in Hong Kong under British rule. For most of its 158-year history, the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation - as it was originally known - has had a long-distance relationship with the UK. In fact, HSBC only became a major UK High Street player in the 1990s, when it bought Midland Bank and moved its headquarters to London in 1993. To this day, HSBC even prints the bank notes in Hong Kong. "There is a jarring gap between HSBC's centre of gravity in Hong Kong and its subservience to regulators in Britain," says Steve Vickers, a corporate risk consultant based in Hong Kong. "This is an accident of history and a remnant of the colonial era." A small taste of this came in 2020, when the Bank of England directed HSBC and other British lenders to stop paying out dividends to shareholders because of the pandemic. This enraged ordinary shareholders in Hong Kong, who own about a third of HSBC's shares and many of whom rely on the payments for their retirement funds. From the Chinese mainland perspective, it was a simple but stark illustration of the power of officials on the other side of the world. Asia may generate the money, but ultimately London calls the shots. This is not a situation either Ping An or China wants to be in. It may explain why Ping An is pushing HSBC so hard and so publicly with the kind of shareholder activism that is normally associated with Western investors. "A more assertive China is now unafraid to project itself in the international business arena," says Steve Vickers. "But they have to tread very carefully with HSBC - the stakes are high."
-
Artist: Aitana Real Name: Aitana Ocaña Morales Birth Date /Place: 27 June 1999 , Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain Age: 23 Social status (Single / Married): Single Artist Picture: Musical Genres: Pop, teen pop, pop rock Awards: 16 Top 3 Songs (Names): mon amour, quieres, Las dudas Other Information: Aitana Ocaña Morales (born 27 June 1999), known mononymously as Aitana, is a Spanish singer and actress. She first gained national recognition in 2017, placing as the runner-up in the revival series of the Spanish reality television talent competition Operación Triunfo. While competing on the show, Aitana recorded the single "Lo Malo" with fellow contestant Ana Guerra as part of the songs in the running to represent Spain in the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest. The song became an instant hit in Spain, debuting at number-one and holding the spot for several weeks. Following the competition, Aitana signed a 360º record deal with Universal Music and released her debut solo single "Teléfono" to commercial success and streaming-breaking records.[1] Her debut studio album, Spoiler, was released in 2019 and received a Latin Grammy nomination for Best Pop Vocal Album. Its accompanying concert tour visited many indoor arenas in Spain and was taped for the video album Play Tour: En Directo. In late 2020 she released her sophomore album 11 Razones. It spawned the top five singles "+ (Más)" featuring Cali y El Dandee and "Corazón Sin Vida" featuring Sebastián Yatra.[2] Aitana ventured into acting in the Disney+ original series La Última (2022), for which she also recorded the soundtrack.[3] Dubbed as the "Spanish Princess of Pop", throughout her career, Aitana has accumulated four number one songs in her home country: "Lo Malo", "Teléfono", "Vas a Quedarte" and "Mon Amour". She has also been honored with a Premio Ondas, two Premios Odeón, five LOS40 Music Awards, a Radio Disney Music Award, an MTV Europe Music Award, and a Kids' Choice Award, among many others.[4][5][6] She has also received two nominations at the Latin Grammy Awards, including Best New Artist[7][8] and has been an assessor and a coach on seasons six and seven respectively of La Voz Kids.[9]
-
Musician Name: Camilo Sesto Birthday / Location: 16 September 1946 Alcoi, Spain Main instrument: Vocals, Guitar, Drums Musician Picture: Musician Awards & Nominations:---- Best Performance: --- Other Information: Camilo Blanes Cortés (16 September 1946 – 8 September 2019),[1] known professionally as Camilo Sesto "El Rey del Amor", was a Spanish singer, songwriter and music producer.[2] There are various sales figures for him, ranging from 70 to 200 million records sold, and the singer himself claimed to have sold more than 175 million records.[3][4][5] However, his official sales would represent around than 2.8 million copies worldwide, including nearly 900,000 certified.[6]
-
Music Title: Pindi Aye 2.0 | Pindi Boyz | Ghauri, Hamzee, Zeeru, Shuja Shah, Khawar Malik, OCL & Hashim Nawaz Signer: Ghauri, Hamzee, Zeeru, Shuja Shah, Khawar Malik, OCL & Hashim Nawaz Release Date: 4-5-23 Official Youtube Link: Informations About The Signer:----- Your Opinion About The Track (Music Video):-----
-
https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/e-fuels-exemption-could-spark-“chaos”-ev-push-stellantis-boss Stellantis boss Carlos Tavares has called on government legislators to stick to a set of stable future regulations for the automotive industry and avoid adding anything that adds “confusion to chaos”. Speaking to Autocar on a visit to Vauxhall’s Luton factory, Tavares was reacting to the European Union’s plans to allow e-fuel-powered internal combustion engined cars to be exempt from laws that will see only electric cars allowed to be sold from 2036. Tavares said he welcomed e-fuels as a way to power the 1.4 billion non-electric cars that will be on the roads, even if a full switch was made to EVs for new car sales, and, more generally, an interesting future fuel that his internal combustion engines were already compatible with. But, he highlighted that the broadening of legislation for e-fuels undermined the regulatory path already set towards battery electric cars at the very time when investments and implementation plans had been set for the next 20 years. “The first scenario is they don't break the paradigms,” said Tavares on whether e-fuels can prove to be truly carbon neutral and brought down dramatically in cost. “Then we are safe, and we keep on pushing the EVs. “The second scenario is they break the paradigms. What do we do [then]? Because we still have 12 years, right [before the 2036 ban]? What happens if some of those guys come up with a breakthrough and they say we found a way to reduce the manufacturing costs of the e-fuels tremendously, and now without tax they are in the similar playground? “Do I have the answers to these questions? No. But you see, this is the big problem of what we are doing. To execute the current strategy you need 20 years. What is the probability that within a 20-year time window nobody comes laterally with a breakthrough saying "I found something which is a much lower cost for the society, a much better result for the planet and much easier to execute?” Tavares’s underlying point is one against politicians setting regulations that are not technology agnostic, and there are alternative ways to reduce emissions. He said: “There is no dogma, it's just about the fact that we have been working for a century in the fine tuning of technology. And then suddenly, the outside world would like us to make the same efficiency with a brand new technology that has a very limited amount of time to be optimised. “Politicians are very respectful, [but] I’m not really sure they are listening. I'm just sharing this observation, not in an aggressive mode because I would not like to be a political leader nowadays. I think that's an impossible job. So my respect to them. But at the same time if nobody asks the difficult questions, then who will?
-
https://www.bbc.com/news/business-65466653 The UK is to ban all cold calls selling financial products as part of a national crackdown on scams. Unsolicited calls offering any financial product will be covered by the ban, with a view to stopping fraudsters selling sham insurance products or cryptocurrency schemes. A new fraud squad will also be set up with 500 staff, up from 120 now. But Labour and the Liberal Democrats called the plans "too little, too late". Fraud is now the most common crime in the UK, with one in 15 people falling victim. Last summer, 41 million people were targeted by suspicious calls and texts, according to media regulator Ofcom. However, most fraud now has an online element, data suggests. The government said the blanket ban on cold calls selling financial products would cover legitimate calls as well. This will mean that "anyone who receives a call trying to sell them products such as cryptocurrency schemes or insurance will know it's a scam", it said. Exactly which financial products will be covered will be decided after a consultation, with the ban expected to be brought in this summer. In addition, the government said: So-called "Sim Farms", where people use a large number of Sim cards to send text messages in bulk, will be banned Intelligence services and police will work with overseas partners to shut down call centres engaged in fraud Advertising campaigns will warn people about the risk of scam calls There will be new measures to tackle phone number "spoofing", where scammers alter Caller ID information to make calls look genuine. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said that the new rules will tackle "cold-hearted" scammers who "ruin lives in seconds." He said these scams fund "organised crime and terror". 'Too little, too late' But Emily Thornberry, the Labour Party's shadow attorney general, said the plans ignored "the tens of billions being lost to fraud against businesses and the government, and relies on estimates of the cost of fraud to members of the public that are seven years out of date". Labour said that the government has "repeatedly" left fraud out of the crime figures and they have "no interest in bringing fraudsters to justice". The SNP's technology spokesperson Carol Monaghan said the government had been "slow to protect vulnerable people". "Cruelly, pensioners are often the target of such scam artists and the effects can be devastating," she said, adding the government plans and funding were "insufficient" to tackle the scale of the problem. Alistair Carmichael, home affairs spokesperson for the Liberal Democrats, said: "With only one new investigator for every 9,000 cases last year, the [new] fraud squad is just a drop in the ocean compared to what's needed to protect fraud victims. "These plans will also put even more of a burden on local police forces who are already overstretched." Consumer group Which? welcomed the strategy but also criticised the government for not acting sooner. "More action is needed to guarantee that big tech platforms take serious action against fraud," it added. The government says fraud costs the UK nearly £7bn per year, and nearly 90% of internet users have encountered online scams. A Home Office spokesman said £400m had been allocated to economic crime in the last government spending review, including £100m to tackle fraud.
-
https://www.bbc.com/news/health-65471914 We could be entering the era of Alzheimer's treatments, after the second drug in under a year has been shown to slow the disease. Experts said we were now "on the cusp" of drugs being available, something that had recently seemed "impossible". The company Eli Lilly has reported its drug - donanemab - slows the pace of Alzheimer's by about a third. However two volunteers, and possibly a third, died as a result of dangerous swelling in the brain. Sticky gunk Donanemab works in the same way as lecanemab, which created headlines around the world when it was the proven to slow the disease. Both are antibodies like those the body makes to attack viruses. But these are engineered to clear a sticky gunk from the brain, called beta amyloid. Amyloid builds up in the spaces between brain cells, forming distinctive plaques that are one of the hallmarks of Alzheimer's. "The decades-long battle to find treatments that change Alzheimer's disease is changing," Dr Cath Mummery, the clinical lead for the cognitive-disorders clinic at the UK's National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, said. "We are now entering the time of disease modification, where we might realistically hope to treat and maintain someone with Alzheimer's disease, with long-term disease management rather than palliative and supportive care." The full details of Eli Lilly's trial have yet to be published - but it has revealed the key findings: 1,734 people in the earliest stages of Alzheimer's took part Donanemab was given as a monthly infusion until the distinctive plaques in the brain were gone The pace of the disease was slowed by about 29% overall - and by 35% in a set of patients researchers thought more likely to respond Those given the drug also retained more of their day-to-day lives such as being able to discuss current events, drive or pursue hobbies However, brain swelling was a common side-effect in up to a third of patients. It was mostly mild or asymptomatic despite being detected on brain scans - but 1.6% developed dangerous brain swelling, with two deaths directly attributed to it and a third volunteer dying after such a case. "We are encouraged by the potential clinical benefits that donanemab may provide, although like many effective treatments for debilitating and fatal diseases, there are associated risks that may be serious and life-threatening," Eli Lilly group vice-president of neuroscience research and development Dr Mark Mintun said. The company said it would begin the process of having its drug approved for use in hospitals in the next few months. Dr Liz Coulthard, from the University of Bristol, said there were "significant side-effects" and a lack of long-term data but the drug could "help people live well with Alzheimer's for longer". 'Thought impossible' Having two drugs slow the disease by targeting amyloid in the brain has also convinced scientists they are on the right track after decades of misery and failure. "This should dispel any lingering doubts about this approach," Prof John Hardy, from the UK Dementia Research Institute, whose work led to the idea of targeting amyloid, 30 years ago, said. "Having two drugs is great for competition." Dr Susan Kolhaas, from Alzheimer's Research UK, said: "We're now on the cusp of a first generation of treatments for Alzheimer's disease, something that many thought impossible only a decade ago." However, these drugs appear to work in only the earliest stages of the disease - before the brain is too damaged. And if they are approved in the UK, it would still take a revolution in how the disease is diagnosed to make a difference. Only 1-2% of people have either brain scans or a spinal-fluid analysis to determine whether they actually have Alzheimer's or another form of dementia against which the drugs would be useless. And the NHS would have to decide whether it could afford them. Lecanemab costs more than £21,000 per person per year.
-
https://www.bbc.com/sport/cricket/65469446 Liam Livingstone's 82 not out was in vain as Mumbai Indians chased 215 to beat Punjab Kings by six wickets in the Indian Premier League. Livingstone struck seven fours and four sixes, including three sixes in a row off England team-mate Jofra Archer, as Punjab posted 214-3 in Mohali. Archer finished with 0-56 - the most expensive T20 figures of his career. But Ishan Kishan hit 75 and Suryakumar Yadav 66 on a flat pitch as Mumbai raced home with seven balls to spare. Mumbai lost captain Rohit Sharma for a three-ball duck in the first over and Australia all-rounder Cameron Green for 23 in the sixth over before a dazzling stand of 116 from 55 balls between India internationals Kishan and Suryakumar. They needed 45 from 30 balls when Suryakumar was caught off Nathan Ellis, and Kishan was taken at deep fine leg to start the next over, but Tim David made 19 not out and Tilak Varma an unbeaten 26. England all-rounder Sam Curran, who took 0-41 from three overs, put down a difficult chance off David in his follow-through when 17 runs were still needed. Livingstone's 82, which came from 42 balls, was his first fifty since returning from injury last month and his highest score at the IPL. The all-rounder shared an unbroken stand of 119 from 53 balls with Jitesh Sharma after the Kings slipped to 95-3 in the 12th over - Jitesh ending 49 not out from 27. Archer bowled one bouncer at 95mph in his spell but conceded 27 from the penultimate over, including Livingstone's three sixes and five wides on a difficult pitch for pace bowlers. "I actually had lunch with Jofra today he said he was coming at me," said Livingstone, who was sidelined for almost five months after injuring his knee during England's Test tour of Pakistan in December. "It was one of those pitches you felt you could get hold of seam. "It is nice personally to finally get a few out of the middle after a bit of a rusty start to the tournament." The win for Mumbai, their second successful pursuit of more than 210 in a row, lifts them to sixth, level on points with Punjab, Rajasthan Royals and Royal Challengers Bangalore in a congested table. Gujarat Titans lead on 12 points, one clear of Lucknow Super Giants and Chennai Super Kings. Earlier on Wednesday, the match between Lucknow and Chennai was washed out.
-
Musician Name: Joaquín Sabina Birthday / Location: 12 February 1949 (age 74), Úbeda, Jaén, Spain Main instrument: Guiter, vocals Musician Picture: Musician Awards & Nominations: 7 Best Performance: ----- Other Information: Joaquín Ramón Martínez Sabina (born 12 February 1949) is a Spanish musician, singer, composer, and poet. His songs usually treat about love, heartbreaks and society with a large usage of literary figures similarly to the baroque-literature style. He has released fourteen studio albums, two live albums, and three compilation albums. Some of his most known songs are "Calle Melancolía" ("Melancholy street"), "19 días y 500 noches" ("19 days and 500 nights"),"Quién me ha robado el mes de Abril" ("Who stole my April month"), "Pongamos que hablo de Madrid" ("Lets say I'm talking about Madrid"), "Y sin embargo" ("However"), "Contigo" ("With you") or "Peces de ciudad" ("City fish") He performed both solo and with a group for his live albums, performing with Javier Krahe and Alberto Pérez in La mandrágora, the group Viceversa in a 1986 concert, and with Joan Manuel Serrat in Dos pájaros de un tiro (Two birds with one stone). Sabina suffered a stroke in 2001 and although he physically recovered, he entered a deep depression which resulted in a four-year-long concert hiatus.[1] He recovered and released his eighteenth album, Alivio de Luto, in November 2005 and in 2009 he released his album, Vinagre y rosas. In 2012 he released his latest album in collaboration with Joan Manuel Serrat: La Orquesta Del Titanic. On June 29, 2020, Sabina married Jimena Coronado in a private ceremony in Madrid [2]
-
Artist: Kim Petras Real Name: Kim Petras Birth Date /Place: 27 August 1992 ,Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany Age: 30 Social status (Single / Married): single Artist Picture: Musical Genres: Pop, EDM, dance-pop Awards: 4 Top 3 Songs (Names): Unholy, coconuts, heart to break Other Information: Kim Petras (/ˈpɛtrəs/, German: [ˈpeːtʁas]; born 27 August 1992) is a German singer and songwriter based in Los Angeles, California. Between 2016 and 2020, she released music as an independent artist under her own imprint, BunHead Records, before signing with Amigo and Republic Records in 2021.[2] Petras began recording music as a teenager. She independently released her debut international single, "I Don't Want It at All", in 2017. Several of her singles that followed—"Feeling of Falling", "Heart to Break", and "1, 2, 3 Dayz Up"—charted on Billboard's Dance/Electronic Songs chart. In 2019, Petras independently released her debut project eventually labeling it as a mixtape, Clarity, and her debut compilation album, Turn Off the Light. Petras signed with Republic Records in 2021 and released the EP Slut Pop, her first project with Republic, the following year. Petras's collaborative 2022 single "Unholy" with Sam Smith topped charts internationally, including the UK Singles Chart and the Billboard Hot 100, making her the first openly transgender solo artist to reach number one in the United States.[3][4] Petras was the first openly transgender artist to receive a Grammy Award for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance (for "Unholy" in 2023) and the second transgender woman to win a Grammy following Wendy Carlos.[4][5][6]