This week’s episode of Queen The Greatest Live features brand new interviews with Sir Brian May and Roger Taylor sharing how their live experience as a band has changed across over half a century of touring.
The guitarist confessed of touring as Queen and Adam Lambert in the 21st century: “The reaction is very similar to what it used to be.
“The biggest difference is mobile phones, because in the old days people didn’t have that stuff and they would just be there, their whole selves interacting in mind and body and eyes and ears. It’s not like that now.
“Everybody has this urge to kind of immortalise stuff.
“So, when you look out, you see almost as many mobile phones as people, which is weird.”
Sir Brian continued: “There are knock-on effects from that because there’s nothing secret anymore. We used to go from town to town and audiences would have no idea what we were going to do.
“So everything was new and exciting. Nowadays people will have filmed it. It’ll be on YouTube, it will be on Instagram, and people will know what you did last night.”
Nevertheless, the Queen legend shared how he helps nudge fans into enjoying being in the moment of the live show.
Sir Brian added: “When I do Love Of My Life, I ask them to put their [mobile phone] lights on. People don’t necessarily twig it, but what I’m saying is you’re not using your phone to film at this point. You’re actually using the light, so you can’t be filming at the same time.
“I think that’s partly why the moment is so powerful, because people suddenly go, ‘Oh, there’s nothing else except the performance’.”
Chinese electric vehicle (EV) brand Nio has revealed its new flagship, the ET9, and released some specifications of the high-tech luxury car.
Measuring 5325mm long, 2016mm wide and 1620mm tall on a lengthy 3250mm wheelbase, this executive car has a long, tall fastback silhouette – something rather 1940s in concept, but with a decidedly 2020s execution.
Nio calls it a ‘Landjet’ design, and promises “first-class” comfort inside.
There are just four seats in this huge vehicle, with individual rear seats separated by a full-length centre console called the ‘Executive Bridge’.
There’s a 360-degree ‘versatile tray table’, while the seats have a backrest that can be adjusted by up to 45 degrees.
There are seven electric sunshades to dim the cabin, and noise cancellation technology helps keep it hushed.
The ET9 features a 900V electrical architecture with peak charging power of 600kW, and can use Nio’s growing network of battery-swapping stations. Nio promises 255km of range with just five minutes of charging.
It features Nio’s SkyRide Intelligent Chassis System with steer-by-wire, rear-wheel steering and full active suspension.
By integrating these three hardware systems, Nio claims the ET9 has “the world’s only driven-by-wire intelligent chassis”.
The tech focus is strong with the ET9, with Nio further claiming it has filed 525 patents and debuted 17 world-first technologies on the new model.
Its safety suite features a raft of sensors, including two wide-angle side LiDAR units, and Nio says it has followed ‘aviation-grade safety standards’ and allowed for safety redundancy in seven of its key systems including driving, braking and sensing.
Nio claims the ET9’s Navigate on Pilot Plus (NOP+) system can navigate the car on highways and city streets, automatically make lane changes and navigating interchanges.
Power comes from a 340kW permanent magnet motor at the rear and an 180kW induction motor at the front, for a total system output of 520kW.
On its own website, Nio calls the ET9 “adequately powerful” – shades of Rolls-Royce, which used to not quote 0-100km/h times and instead said its cars’ power was “sufficient”.
The Nio ET9 is available for pre-order in China, with deliveries set to begin there in the first quarter of 2025.
Nio has yet to announce plans to enter the Australian market, though it has lodged trademark applications for a raft of its nameplates – some of which have been opposed by Audi for being too similar to its nameplates.
Happy New Year! This time last year, for the ninth year in a row, I warned you that there had never been a more uncertain outlook for our business. My message this year is exactly the same, only more so. The fog of unpredictability is again playing havoc with the clear skies of planning.
We all know the term “permacrisis”. We have all heard of the acronym “VUCA”, which stands for volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity. We all understand that the fourth industrial revolution is upon us. But my belief is that these three great forces have come together in an age of what I am christening “permavucalution”.
It is my contention that three big permavucalutionary trends are at work. One is artificial intelligence. This technology will turbocharge the pace of change. Don’t just take my word for it. The World Economic Forum thinks so, too. AI is so disruptive that it may end up disrupting disruption itself. If you are struggling to make sense of that sentence, don’t worry: you are not alone.
I have appointed Denise Laplange to head up our new Project for Rapid AI peRformance Improvement and Enhancement. I know you will make Denise feel very welcome. She and the PRAIRIE team will give us a full update on their plans for our use of AI later in January. For now, though, I urge you to embrace this technology in your own work. I often use ChatGPT to say “no” to conference invitations, for example, or to give generic responses to really unimportant emails. I want you to follow my example. Let’s Experiment. Let’s Explore. Let’s Tinker. Let’s EET. We need to get our arms around AI or we risk reaping a whirlwind of chickens coming home to roost.
I know some of you are worried by what AI might mean for your own futures. I say to you: you cannot make an omelette without breaking some eggs. What if you don’t like omelettes, you reply? That’s just ridiculous: who doesn’t like omelettes? Anyway I want to reassure you: AI is a way to make us all better at what we do. It is not likely to be the precursor to immediate large-scale lay-offs.
The second permavucalutionary trend is climate change. At COP28, I had a chance to speak to some actual people who are living with the consequences of global warming. That experience was humbling and inspiring: it made me realise we have to do more in this area. As a company we are making every effort to reduce our own carbon footprint, but action is never enough. We also need to be part of the conversation. That’s why I’m so pleased today to announce the launch of our new #whatdoyousee? marketing campaign.
When I look in the mirror, I don’t just see a highly successful executive, someone who is driven to make the most of himself every day. I also see a father, an ex-husband, a brother, a Peloton rider, a vintage-car collector and a citizen of Earth. What do you see? Please post your own reflections—pun very much intended—on social media. You can also send me an email (and see how I incorporate ChatGPT into my work).
The third manifestation of the permavucalution is a shortage of talent. By talent, I’m not talking about employees in general. I’m talking about the right type of employees—people who are willing to take big bets, who go the extra mile, who see opportunity where others see nothing but extreme danger. I’m talking about some of you.
I have mentioned how uncertain and volatile everything is. That means we have to sprint to stand still. But that’s not all. To respond to constant changes we also need the agility of a mountain goat. And to spot those changes coming, we require the radar of a bat. Now just ask yourself this question: have you ever seen a sprinting goat-bat? That tells you something about the scale of the challenge that we all face.
I know that this level of uncertainty can be disorientating, even frightening. But if we do not think outside the box and push the envelope, we will never be able to capture lightning in a bottle.
Finally, my usual plea: be humble. I have coined a brand new term in this message but I am not doing so for fame or recognition as a deep thinker. I know I don’t have all the answers. If I have a great idea, I don’t just plough ahead with it. I ask my direct reports whether they think it is a great idea first, and only when they agree that it is do I act. Have the humility to follow my example and this company will not just survive the age of permavucalution. It will thrive.
As the US Securities and Exchange Commission prepares to decide on several Bitcoin ETF applications in early 2024, prominent crypto analyst WrathofKahneman has weighed in on the potential for an XRP exchange-traded fund (ETF). WoK, a pro-ZRP influencer, has asserted that the realization of an XRP ETF is unlikely until a significant development occurs.
Crypto ETFs in 2024 mean volatility. It’s not just the influx of institutional funds, it’s the arbitrage between the ETF & the underlying asset. And not many co’s house both ETF & Crypto under one roof, exacerbating arbitrage opp’s. Can’t imagine #XRP ETFs until case is over.
Wok explains that the arrival of crypto ETFs will lead to increased institutional investment in the crypto space, which will have an impact on the market. He highlights that the influx of institutional funds could result in heightened volatility as arbitrage opportunities emerge between the ETF and the underlying crypto assets.
The Onoging XRP Lawsuit
In October 2021, Ripple was hit with a lawsuit from the SEC, alleging that XRP sales amounted to an unregistered securities offering. The case is still going on, and until it is resolved, WoK believes that an XRP spot ETF is unlikely. Now, it remains uncertain as the legal case against Ripple has been ongoing for years, and until it is resolved, it is unclear whether an XRP spot ETF will be approved or not.
Bloomberg Analyst previously suggested that the listing XRP futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) could pave the way for an XRP ETF. However, until this occurs, Wok’s assessment remains valid.
Debate Over Crypto ETFs
Some experts argue that the crypto ETFs will bring stability to the market by providing investors with regulated and secured investment options, while other belive that they could lead to increased volatility due to arbitrage opportunities and institutional inflows.
Manipal Group Chairman Ranjan Pai has invested ₹1,400 crore in edtech major Byju’s’ test-prep subsidiary Aakash Education Services Ltd (AESL), which will pave the way for the edtech major to clear the debt to the US-based lender Davidson Kempner Capital Management, according to sources.
Of the ₹1,400 crore being paid to Davidson Kempner, ₹800 crore is the loan amount and the remaining ₹600 crore is in interest, people in the know added.
Debt resolution
Pai, the billionaire Chairman of Manipal Group, paid out Davidson Kempner in a bilateral debt transaction. An entity belonging to the MEMG Family Office purchased all the non-convertible debentures of Davidson Kempner on the NSE Cbrics platform, putting an end to the longstanding troubles between the edtech and investment management firm Davidson Kempner, sources added.
In May, the troubled edtech major had signed a ₹2,000-crore structured credit deal with Davidson Kempner against the cash flows of Aakash Institute. However, the firm only received about ₹800 crore when an alleged covenant breach was triggered by the lender. Both parties began talks to settle the dispute.
The investment by Ranjan Pai is also linked with the promoter of the brick-and-mortar coaching centre business, Aakash Chaudhry, who is likely to return as CEO of the unit, reported businessline.
Additionally, over the next 30-45 days, Pai is likely to close ongoing investment talks for Aakash, which will eventually give him a 25-30 per cent stake in the company. His investments will be in Aakash and not in Think and Learn.
In 2021, Byju’s acquired Aakash Institute for $950 million, its biggest acquisition, as part of an M&A strategy. The original deal constituted 70 per cent cash and 30 per cent equity.
Are you the type who considers a meal incomplete without dessert? Do sugar-filled coffee drinks and candies pose a challenge to your self-control? You’re not alone. The occasional craving for sugary delights is a common phenomenon. Sugar triggers the release of endorphins, making us feel good. Whether it’s birthday cakes or Christmas treats, sugar seems to be a part of every rewarding indulgence. However, excessive sugar intake can lead to health issues like obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. If you’re seeking ways to manage sugar cravings, are on a weight loss journey, or simply want to enhance your diet, explore our guide to 5 foods that can be a game-changer for you.
Also Read: Is Brown Sugar Better than White Sugar? You Will be Surprised!
Nuts are a healthy binge-snacking option when you crave sugary foods. Photo Credit: iStock
Here Are 5 Foods That Can Help You Curb Your Sugar Cravings
1. Dried Fruits
Has it ever happened to you that whenever you are hungry, your mom has handed you a jar of dried nuts instead of sugary treats? Well, dried nuts are an excellent option to munch on whenever you have sugar cravings. These nuts are packed with essential minerals, vitamins, and fibres that are beneficial for you in contrast to sugary gummies. Nuts can help with your blood sugar levels and may avoid energy crashes which normally happen with refined sugars. Moreover, dried nuts are naturally sweet and can help with your weight loss. So, if you eat dried nuts instead of sugar-loaded munchies, you can keep your sugar cravings as well as your calories in check.
2. Sweet Potatoes
A delightful winter produce, sweet potatoes can help you fight your sugar cravings. Loaded with fibre, sweet potatoes have complex carbohydrates that offer a naturally sweet flavour. The slow digestion of fibre also helps you feel full for a longer period, curbing your desire for sugary foods. What’s more, sweet potatoes can help with a steady release of glucose into your bloodstream, which can help with your body’s blood sugar regulation. As per USDA, one medium sweet potato with its skin can provide almost 4 grams of fibre. So, bake, roast, or mash them, but try to include sweet potatoes in your diet to fight off your sugar cravings.
3. Dark chocolate-covered fruit
Can’t find anything to satiate your sweet tooth? Then why not try dark chocolate-covered fruits? Dark chocolate is packed with flavonoids that can help improve your heart health. It is also known for lowering blood pressure and inflammation and may improve your brain’s ability in terms of attention, learning, and memory. Fruits, on the other hand, are a good source of vitamins and fiber. Strawberries, for example, are packed with antioxidants like Vitamin C that can help support your immune system, manage blood sugar levels, and guard against health conditions like diabetes and high cholesterol. However, dark-chocolate-covered strawberries are not the only fruits that you can consume when your sugary cravings kick in. You can also include other options like oranges, bananas, and kiwis.
Unsweetened yogurt can make for an excellent snack when you crave sugar. Photo Credit: iStock
4. Unsweetened Flavored Yogurt
A nutritious remedy for your sugar cravings, unsweetened flavoured yogurt can be a great way to satiate your taste buds. Yogurt, which is thick and creamy in texture, can provide you with a feeling of satisfaction. It is packed with high-quality protein, calcium, and probiotics which are essential for a happy digestive system. If you opt for plain yogurt, you can substitute the sweetness with natural additions like honey, maple syrup, or fresh fruits. So, if you want a healthy substitute to fight your sugar cravings, then unsweetened flavoured yogurt could be an excellent option.
5. Sugar-free Gum
Ever had a sugar craving right in the middle of traffic? Carry sugar-free gum with you! For some people, unsweetened gum can help manage sugar cravings. A study published in 2010 in the journal Nutritional Neuroscience concluded that chewing gum can help reduce your stress and increase attention span. So, chewing gum, especially the ones without sugar, can help curb your sweet tooth without the added calories and sweetness found in traditional varieties. Sugar-free gum can give you sensory satisfaction while also keeping your oral health in check.
Also Read: Sugar Not Sweet For Skin: 5 Side-Effects Of Sugar You Should Know
Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.
Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) John Lee and Chief Executive of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) Ho Iat Seng have extended New Year greetings to the residents of the respective SARs, expecting a better year ahead and a shared pursuit of new development.
Lee said in his New Year message that in 2023, Hong Kong had embarked on a new journey of turning for the better since restoring order from chaos, achieving many positive turns.
He noted he had set two goals a year ago, both of which have been achieved. These goals included leading Hong Kong out of the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and fully implementing the measures outlined in the policy address.
Lee said that looking ahead to 2024, the Hong Kong SAR government will work toward two major goals. The first goal is to enhance development momentum and revitalize Hong Kong’s economy, and the second goal is to improve people’s livelihoods.
Fireworks in celebration of the New Year illuminate the sky over Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong, south China, January 1, 2024. /Xinhua
Fireworks in celebration of the New Year illuminate the sky over Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong, south China, January 1, 2024. /Xinhua
After the improvement of the district governance system, the seventh-term District Councils have started to provide services on January 1, aiming to better mobilize community forces and improve people’s livelihoods, Lee said.
He said he believes that as long as all sectors of society work together, Hong Kong in 2024 will definitely surpass its past achievements and shine even brighter on the international stage.
Looking back to 2023, Ho Iat Seng, chief executive of the Macao SAR, said Macao sped up economic recovery, strengthened work to safeguard national security, continued to improve the electoral system, steadily advanced appropriate economic diversification, achieved significant results in improving people’s livelihoods, and expanded regional cooperation and international exchanges in an orderly manner.
Noting that 2024 marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China and the 25th anniversary of Macao’s return to the motherland, and is the year for completion of the first-phase development goals of the Guangdong-Macao in-depth cooperation zone in Hengqin, Ho said the Macao SAR government will leverage the enthusiasm and creativity of all sectors of society and plan and organize a series of major festive celebrations.
According to him, the upcoming celebrations are expected to comprehensively demonstrate the achievements and bright prospects of practicing the “One Country, Two Systems” principle, showcase Macao’s advantages and further lift the confidence of the international community in Macao.
The artist Eduardo Kac was at his New York gallery the other day to show a reporter his work: a hologram encoded on a sliver of glass resting inside a tiny metal case. This little package is the capstone of Kac’s career to date — an artifact he created in 1986 that is now, finally, about to find its intended home in space. On Jan. 8 it is scheduled to be on board a Vulcan Centaur rocket as it lifts off from Cape Canaveral and heads into orbit around the sun. This holographic artwork — a “holopoem,” Kac calls it — might or might not be discovered hundreds of thousands of years from now by whatever creatures are around to find it. But for the moment it was here at the Henrique Faria gallery just off Madison Avenue, about to be viewed by a human.
Gingerly, I took the little round case. “OK,” Kac said. “You just have to, like, unscrew it.”
“Unscrew it?” The thing was barely more than half an inch in diameter and had no obvious grips.
I gave it a try. Immediately it went clattering to the floor.
Kac (pronounced Katz) seemed unruffled. “This thing is titanium 5” — the strongest titanium alloy there is. He opened it deftly.
The tiny square of glass inside looked pristine, untouched. But when Kac held it up between thumb and forefinger and aimed a small, hand-held laser at it, the word AGORA appeared in lurid green letters on the opposite wall. This is his holopoem: In his native Portuguese it means “now.” But the name engraved on the outside of the titanium case is ÁGORA — a subtle but important distinction. With the accent mark, the word in Portuguese changes meaning, from “now” to “place,” as in the ancient Greek word “agora” for “gathering place.” (The Greek agora was akin to the Roman forum.)
So the holopoem refers to time, and it refers to space. Space/time. In perpetual orbit around the sun.
“Kac has always been interested in radically new forms of distribution, but this really takes it to a new level,” said Stuart Comer, chief curator of media and performance at the Museum of Modern Art. “It completely resituates how we think about art, language, communication — we’re not communicating very well, so why not try space?”
Kac assumes his holopoem will eventually be discovered by some indeterminate species he calls “homo spaciens”: space people. As for when, he knows better than to hurry. “It’s like you have a gallery exhibition and nobody has showed up for the opening,” he said. “But it’s a permanent show, so you hope that in the course of time they’ll come.”
His primary concern appears to be not time but space. “Putting an art piece deep into the cosmos is an attempt — it’s creating this public space by the sheer act of making the work in it,” he said. This is not the first time he has sought to create a public space, an agora. “But now, with this space poem, my agora is the cosmos.”
Kac first ventured into public space, and into the art world, as a 17-year-old in Rio de Janeiro. That’s when he founded the Porn Art Movement with a friend. It was 1980, toward the end of Brazil’s military dictatorship. The Porn Art Movement wasn’t actually about pornography; it was more subversive than that. In his “Pornogram 1,” for instance, a nude Kac sprawled seductively before the camera, his hairy legs parted just enough to reveal a plausibly rendered vagina. Almost as radical was the idea of performing in public, because under military rule any form of assembly was forbidden. Public space did not legally exist. So Kac put on a pink miniskirt and staged guerilla performances in Rio’s central square and on the beach at Ipanema. He had a couple of run-ins with the military police, but nothing he wasn’t able to talk his way out of.
“Paulo Freire had the pedagogy of the oppressed,” he told me, citing the leftist philosopher. “Then you had the theology of liberation. I created the pornography of emancipation.”
Kac was brought up by his maternal grandparents in the fashionable, high-rise beach district of Copacabana. Polish Jewish refugees who had arrived in Brazil in 1939, they supported his unorthodox pursuits. They funded a book of his porn art poetry. His grandfather even came to the print shop to make sure the job was done properly. “The issue for them was, How is this kid going to survive? With art and poetry? The fact that I was dealing with the body and wearing a miniskirt — that they weren’t worried about.”
Enrolling in a Catholic university in Rio, Kac found its art and literature programs unbearably conservative. He settled on communications because that would open the door to other disciplines — sociology, anthropology, semiotics, cinema, philosophy.
By 1982, he was getting into digital technology. Years earlier, when he was 12, he’d devoured an encyclopedia of current affairs that had entries on such subjects as cybernetics, digital art and holography, whose inventor, Dennis Gabor, had recently won the Nobel Prize in Physics for his work. Back then, digital art had to be created on a mainframe; by the 1980s Kac could make art on a personal computer or on the Minitel, the French videotex service, a version of which was available in Brazil. And that meant his agora was no longer Ipanema Beach or Cinelândia Square. His agora was bigger, broader — the network.
Examples of his Minitel art are now in the permanent collections of MoMA and the Tate. Even as he was programming the Minitel, however, Kac began experimenting with holopoems. In 1986 he was granted a residency at the Museum of Holography in New York, where he created “Ágora.” But when he returned to Rio and tried to set up his own holography lab, he found nothing but frustration. He wasn’t able to get the materials he needed. His laser stopped working. One of the most advanced holography labs for art practice was at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. So he moved to Chicago, got his Master of Fine Arts in 1990, started teaching there a few years later, and has remained on its faculty since.
Kac created 24 holopoems between 1983 and 1993. He also started experimenting with telepresence and robotics, and then with what he calls “bio-art.” This culminated in a blaze of controversy over Alba, the “GFP Bunny,” a cute little albino rabbit that, thanks to some fancy gene-splicing, turned fluorescent green when you put her under blue light.
Meanwhile, the excitement that had greeted holography in the ’70s and 1980s was fading. The Museum of Holography shut its doors in 1992. The C-Project, an ambitious program that had artists like Louise Bourgeois and James Turrell experimenting with holography, started up in 1994 but shut down five years later. A second Museum of Holography, this one in Chicago, hung on until 2009. Today the scene is in limbo. It twitches occasionally: a show at the New Museum in New York in 2012, a C-Project exhibition at the Getty Center in Los Angeles next summer. “It’s not dead,” said Matthew Schreiber, a holographic artist who worked on the C-Project and maintains his own holography lab in Brooklyn. “It’s just kinda very small.” And Kac? “Wherever’s the bleeding edge of technology, that’s where Eduardo is.”
These days, that seems to be space. Kac’s first work to venture beyond Earth was “Inner Telescope,” a paper sculpture that was developed under the auspices of the cultural arm of France’s National Center for Space Studies and realized in 2017 by Thomas Pesquet, an astronaut aboard the International Space Station. That took him 10 years to arrange. A tiny work on glass, “Adsum,” is planned for the surface of the moon in 2025. If the Vulcan Centaur launches on schedule on Jan. 8 and successfully enters solar orbit a few weeks later, he will finally have accomplished the goal he set for “Ágora” in 1986. “I conceived the work for deep space,” he said. “And since that moment, I have been trying to find a way to complete it.”
It will be the Vulcan Centaur’s maiden voyage. The rocket system was developed by United Launch Alliance, based in Centennial, Colo., a joint venture of Lockheed Martin and Boeing that competes with SpaceX and others for contracts from NASA and the Defense Department. Its main payload will be a lunar lander that’s scheduled to to separate from the Centaur V upper stage 92 minutes and 20.9 seconds after liftoff to make a moon delivery for NASA. The Centaur V upper-stage rocket and its forward adapter will continue into deep space, settling into orbit around the sun with a “memorial payload” for Celestis, a Houston-based company that’s in the business of sending tiny smidgens of human remains into the cosmos.
Among those whose heirs have tucked them atop the rocket’s second stage, fellow travelers with the holopoem, are the Apollo 14 astronaut Philip Chapman, the “Star Trek” creator Gene Roddenberry and his wife, Majel, and the actors who played three key characters in the original “Star Trek” series — Lieutenant Uhura, Lieutenant Commander Scott and Dr. “Bones” McCoy.
The correlation of “Ágora” with science fiction seems appropriate. “I am still astounded by the technology that Eduardo uses so brilliantly in that work,” said Jenny Moore, who curated the holography show at the New Museum and now heads Tinworks Art, a new exhibition space in Bozeman, Mont. “And what a brilliant time for it to meet its moment,” she added — in the wake of the extraordinary success of the James Webb Space Telescope, whose images are taking us ever closer to the moment of the Big Bang. Even so, Moore points out, entering into orbit will not actually complete the work.
“Will it be perceived by some other entities?” Moore said. “Think about the Rosetta Stone — how is that word going to be received? Because until it’s perceived, its potential is still unfulfilled.”
Neither Kac nor the rest of us will be around for the answer.
If you’ve recently seen your cat gagging, you may wonder what causes it and whether you should be concerned. Gagging is a confusing term, as it can mean different things to different people. Short of boring you with medical definitions, the various things that people might be referring to when talking of gagging can encompass a variety of different diseases, including true gagging (choking), unproductive vomiting, and coughing, to name a few.
Occasional gagging is potentially nothing serious, but cats that are doing so should still be seen by a veterinarian. Keep reading to learn more about seven common reasons your cat could be gagging.
The 7 Reasons WHy Your Cat Might be Gagging
1. Speedy Eating
Cats that eat their food a bit too quickly sometimes end up gagging. Speedy eating can also cause cats to regurgitate what they just gobbled down. It’s usually pretty easy to identify this sort of gagging, as it happens right after cats eat, and if they vomit, it usually contains undigested kibble.
The situation sometimes occurs in homes with more than one cat where there’s resource competition occurring. Feeding the cats in different locations can cut down on conflict and tension that can cause some pets to resort to speedy eating.
Interactive and slow feeders can assist solo cats that tend to get carried away at mealtime. Not only do they slow cats down, but they also provide mental stimulation that’s critical for their overall well-being.
Image Credit: Africa Studio, Shutterstock
2. Hairballs
Cats can vomit up hairballs, and some people consider this to be “gagging”, however it is actually vomiting. Hairballs form when cats groom themselves and ingest too much hair, which then doesn’t pass through the digestive tract. When enough fur accumulates, cats attempt to vomit it up, and successful attempts usually produce fur and a bit of liquid. Unsuccessful attempts may sound to the untrained ear like gagging.
While occasional hairballs are usually nothing to worry about, cats that regularly struggle with them should be seen by a veterinarian, as the situation could be linked to health issues such as parasites, gastrointestinal disease, or even allergies.
3. Upset Stomach
Nausea can sometimes lead to unproductive vomiting that some people incorrectly call gagging, but other causes are more common. Common signs of nausea include producing lots of saliva, excessive tiredness, overgrooming, a lack of appetite, or lethargy.
Cats can throw up after eating something that doesn’t agree with them. New cat food can also be problematic. Conditions such as food allergies, inflammatory bowel disease, and kidney disease can also upset feline stomachs.
Image Credit: Montakan Wannasri, Shutterstock
4. Respiratory Conditions
Cats cough when suffering from respiratory conditions, which can often be mistaken for gagging. Bacteria and viruses can both cause upper respiratory infections, which result in inflammation, sneezing, and excessive mucous production.
Feline herpes virus and feline calicivirus are behind most upper respiratory infections in cats. However, conditions such as pneumonia and pleural effusions can also cause cats to cough.
Cancers of the respiratory tract can lead to the development of signs that can resemble gagging in cats. The occasional cough is usually nothing to worry about, particularly in happy and healthy cats, but a veterinarian should see pets that have coughs that don’t resolve.
5. Foreign Objects
Cats are well known for nibbling on odd things, which they sometimes end up consuming. Some foreign objects can make it through their digestive tracts without incident, but occasionally, the material gets stuck, which can lead to vomiting and even the development of abdominal obstructions. Toys, plants, and buttons are just a few of the things cats are fond of eating. In these instances, people may again confuse unproductive vomiting with gagging.
String and yarn are particularly dangerous since they can cause intestinal damage and lead to infections such as peritonitis. Signs of foreign body ingestion include lethargy, pain in the abdominal area, lack of appetite, and vomiting.
Call your veterinarian immediately if you suspect your cat has eaten something harmful. If you see anything hanging from your cat’s bottom or a bit of string wrapped around their tongue, leave everything as it is and take your companion in for professional help.
Image Credit: Nils Jacobi, Shutterstock
6. Toxins and Irritants
Vomiting and coughing can be signs that a cat has been exposed to a toxic product or something irritating their airways. Particularly sensitive cats can react to litter dust and fragrances.
Essential oils dispersed through diffusers can make breathing difficult for cats. Droplets from diffusers can land on cats’ fur, where they can be ingested during grooming, which has the potential to make them quite ill. Several essential oils are highly toxic to cats.
Other common items that can cause problems include bleach, rodenticides, deicing salts, as well as plants such as amaryllis and chrysanthemums. Reach out to your veterinarian if your cat consumes anything toxic.
It’s vital to let them know what your cat got into, how much they were exposed to when they ingested the substance, and if your cat is showing any signs such as coughing, lack of interest in eating, bruising, fast breathing, or pale gums.
7. Asthma
Cats with asthma often have dry, unproductive coughs that can sometimes sound like gags. Cats with asthma experience pulmonary inflammation after breathing in dust mites, cat litter particulates, and other allergens. Strongly scented products such as air fresheners and potpourri can cause some cats to react.
Persistent coughs should be evaluated sooner rather than later by a veterinarian. Diagnosis usually involves blood tests, X-rays, and parasite testing, as heartworm disease can sometimes cause similar signs in cats.
Treatment is aimed at managing the condition and usually involves long-term use of anti-inflammatory medication. Inhalers are often prescribed, but other modalities, such as pills and injections, are also available. Most cats diagnosed with the condition need to continue taking the medication even when they do not have difficulty breathing.
Image Credit: Pressmaster, Shutterstock
Conclusion
Gagging is easily confused with coughing or non-productive vomiting in cats. Various conditions can therefore be described as gagging by owners, when in reality, true gagging is relatively uncommon in cats. The occasional gag (or cough, or vomit) is usually not a huge deal, but a veterinarian should see cats if the problem persists.
The Adani Group, which is undertaking the redevelopment of Mumbai’s Dharavi, one of the largest slum clusters in the world, has roped in high-profile planners and designers from India and around the world — they will help in designing and conceptualising the master plan.
The Dharavi Redevelopment Project Pvt Ltd (DRPPL) will be working with architect Hafeez Contractor, UK’s consultancy firm Buro Happold and US-based design firm Sasaki, as well as experts from Singapore. Together, all of them will “reimagine one of the largest and most vibrant informal settlements in Asia”, said a release.
Buro Happold is known for Varso Tower in Warsaw, the tallest building in the European Union, the regeneration of Battersea Power Station and other projects. Sasaki has experience in city infrastructure projects such as the Denargo Market Master Plan and Public Realm development in Denver and the Ellinikon Park in Greece. Hafeez Contractor has been involved with social housing and slum redevelopment projects in Mumbai.
modern renaissance
The Adani Group is planning to embark on the renaissance of Dharavi. There are over 50,000 families living in Dharavi in crowded tenements, and it has developed an ecosystem of its own. DRPPL plans to build private homes with independent toilets, airy kitchens and rooms for family living and resting. Apart from this, there will also be provisions for shops and businesses, while for a more sustainable future there will be vocational job opportunities and upskilling of the local community.
It is more than an urban renewal and revitalising of infrastructure project. “Our goal is to elevate the quality of life of the residents of Dharavi while nurturing the essence of its vibrant culture,” said the release. The aim is to create a model of urban redevelopment for projects across in the country and across the world.
The project administrators are also taking help from Singapore, which till the 1960s, had shanties, slums and ghettos. Towards the end of that decade the Singapore Housing Board was set up and it started building world-class infrastructure that are now held up as prime examples of urban rejuvenation.
Pri kreiranju rubrike Index Shopping nastojimo izdvajati odlične proizvode koji se i nama sviđaju te odlične akcije i popuste. Ne objavljujemo proizvode koje i sami ne bismo kupili ili smatramo da njihova promocija nije u skladu s profesionalnim standardima. Neki proizvodi u rubrici Index Shopping mogu biti sponzorirani.
PRVI je dan nove 2024. godine, a mi ćemo se nakratko osvrnuti na onu prošlu 2023. i teme koje su čitatelji Index Shoppinga najviše klikali. Neki od najklikanijih tekstova bavili su se temama poput maslaca, cijene Ledovog Quattro sladoleda te police s Coca-Colom u jednoj outlet trgovini.
Ovo je bilo top pet najčitanijih vijesti u 2023. godini u Index Shopping rubrici.
5. Probali smo sve žive maslace. Evo koji su odlični, a koji užas
U prošloj godini, a u sklopu blind tastinga probali smo raznu hranu, od čokoladnih namaza, instant kava do maslaca. No upravo su ovi potonji završili u top pet najčitanijih članak Shopping rubrike prošle godine. Izgleda da su maslaci – hit.
Kliknite ovdje za članak.
4. Poljak pokazao s čim mu se sestra vratila iz Hrvatske. Hrvati: Nama je to preskupo
Fotografije proizvoda koje su poljski turisti kupili u Hrvatskoj su privukle veliku pozornost Hrvata. “Uh, tko bi si ovo mogao priuštiti”, “Izgleda da imaju puno novca”, “Ovo je čitava prosječna hrvatska plaća na jednom stolu”, “Mi vam nemamo pojma kakvi su ti proizvodi jer si ih ne možemo priuštiti”, pisali su masovno Hrvati u komentarima.
Kliknite ovdje za članak.
Tekst se nastavlja ispod oglasa
3. Hrvate šokirala cijena Ledo Quattro sladoleda
Mnogo namirnica je poskupjelo prošle godine, ali najviše interesa među čitateljima Index Shopping rubrike izazvala je cijena Ledovog Quattro sladoleda i smjestila taj članak na treće mjesto najčitanijih u 2023. godini.
Kliknite ovdje za članak.
2. Prodaje se kuća za odmor u blizini Zagreba za 37.000 eura. Pogledajte fotke
Nekretnine su općenito tekstovi koji zanimaju naše čitatelje i sukladno tome generiraju puno klikova. No jedan tekst se istaknuo u 2023. godini, a vezan je uz kuću za odmor u blizini Zagreba koja se prodavala za 37.000 eura. Spojler – prodala se.
Kliknite ovdje za članak.
1. Pogledajte natpis koji je osvanuo na Coca-Colinoj polici u Žapcu
U studenom prošle godine u Hrvatskoj su se pojavili slučajevi trovanja koja su navodno bila povezana uz pojedina Coca-Colina pića. Svjedočili smo micanju Coca-Colinih proizvoda s polica mnogih trgovina, ali neke su ipak odlučile zadržati pića u svojoj ponudi uz dodatno pojašnjenje.
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HTech is all set to expand HONOR’s portfolio in the country and include various Artificial Intelligence of Things (AIoT) products to build a comprehensive suite of new smart devices. Leveraging its core competencies and strength areas, HONOR is actively catering to consumer needs by fostering cross-functional collaboration, prioritizing user-centric design, integrating products into a seamless ecosystem, and designing for scalability and future-proofing.
Considering how your IoT products can work together to create a seamless and integrated ecosystem, HONOR said that it will enhance the experience for its users by introducing a slew of hearables, wearables and other IOT devices across price segments to diversify the product portfolio beyond mobile phones.“We understand the IoT market in India is competitive and consumers expect cutting-edge technology and reliability in connected devices.
HONOR maintains a strong focus on product quality and innovation across its range of products,” said the company. As the product portfolio is expanding, HTech is also aligned with the government’s vision to make India a manufacturing hub, and is planning to start manufacturing HONOR products in the coming year, empowering local businesses and communities at large. HTech is looking at building an end-to-end supply chain in India, which will help generate around 4,000 new jobs approximately by the end of next year. “HTech is also providing strong customer support and after-sales service with a network of 400 centers across the country,” the company informed.
A large number of tourists flocked to visit the Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve in the Kanchanjuri town of Nagaon district on New Year’s Eve on Sunday. Massive crowds enjoyed Jeep Safari and were seen enjoying themselves with their families and friends at the picnic spots and parks near Kaziranga National Park. Kaziranga National Park is a protected area in the northeast Indian state of Assam.
New Year’s Eve: Tourists swarm Assam’s Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve(File photo)
Spread across the floodplains of the Brahmaputra River, its forests, wetlands and grasslands are home to tigers, elephants and the world’s largest population of Indian one-horned rhinoceroses. Meanwhile, tourists have started swarming popular tourist destinations across the country for New Year’s weekend. (Also read: Tourists flock to witness last sunrise of the year in Kanyakumari )
Wrap up the year gone by & gear up for 2024 with HT! Click here
Himachal Pradesh welcomed tourists with clear skies and good weather. A large number of tourists thronged to the hilly state of Himachal Pradesh ahead of the New Year. While other North Indian states are engulfed in fog, Himachal Pradesh is witnessing clear skies and pleasant weather conditions. The tourists were seen rushing to skate at Kufri.
Tourists also thronged Kanyakumari to witness the last sunrise of the year in one of the most popular tourist destinations and pilgrimage centres in Tamil Nadu on the eve of the New Year. Located at the southernmost tip of the Indian subcontinent and the southernmost city in mainland India, it is referred to as ‘The Land’s End’ and is famous for its unique sunrise and sunset points.
Meanwhile, in the national capital, Delhi Police conducted a vehicle check in various parts of the city as security ahead of New Year’s celebrations. Major checks were conducted in places like Connaught Place, and Aurobindo Marg among other major marketplaces that are the centres of attraction for occasions like New Year’s eve 2024 celebrations.
This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.
As 2024 dawns so do 13 years since George RR Martin published a book in his A Song of Ice and Fire series.
Since A Dance with Dragons hit shelves in 2011, the Game of Thrones TV show has come and gone with the showrunners being forced to rely on the author’s plot outlines for his unwritten final two novels.
The HBO hit ended five years ago come May (yes you read that correctly) and despite positive updates on progress during the pandemic lockdowns, The Winds of Winter still doesn’t have a release date.
Even more painfully for ASOIAF fans, Martin’s New Year’s Eve blog post shared no update on the book, but plenty of information on other Game of Thrones side projects that are taking him away from writing the penultimate novel.
The 75-year-old’s latest blog post included news that some TV spin-offs will now be animated.
Martin, who was praising Netflix anime Blue Eye Samurai wrote on his blog: “As it happens, HBO and I have our own animated projects, set in the world of A SONG OF ICE & FIRE. None of them have been greenlit yet, but I think we are getting close to taking the next step with a couple of them. When this last round of development started a few years back, we had four ideas for animated shows, with some great talents attached. Writers rooms and summits, outline and scripts followed in due course… but, alas, two of the original projects were subsequently shelved.
“(Those of you who have read my reports in years past may recall that I prefer to say ‘shelved’ rather than ‘killed’, as nothing is ever dead for good in Hollywood, and a project put on the shelf one year can be taken off the shelf a few years later). (( I still have hopes of presenting the stories that we shelved in another form, perhaps as graphic novels)).
“Work on the other two animated projects continues apace, however…and meanwhile, we have moved NINE VOYAGES, our series about the legendary voyages of the Sea Snake, over from live action to animation. A move I support fully. Budgetary constraints would likely have made a live-action version prohibitively expensive, what with half the show taking place at sea, and the necessity of creating a different port every week, from Driftmark to Lys to the Basilisk Isles to Volantis to Qarth to… well, on and on and on. There’s a whole world out there. And we have a lot better chance of showing it all with animation. So we now have three animated projects underway.
“Will any of them make it to air? happen? No way to know. Nothing is certain in Hollywood. But if it does happen, with one or two or all three shows, I hope we can make them as good as gorgeous and gripping as BLUE EYE SAMURAI. We will for damn sure try.”
Fans on the ASOIAF Reddit page expressed their utter despair at the lack of Winds of Winter news amid further distractions for the author, who at 75 also has A Dream of Spring to write; something some fans doubt he’ll manage in his lifetime.
The most upvoted comment by one fan simply read: “GRRM just shoot me already please.”
Another wrote: “Didn’t even try to gloss over the progress on winds just hand me my meds all at once.”
One commented: “Soon it will be 13 years since he finished ADWD and a lot of people are still delusional enough to believe that TWOW is ever going to be finished because GRRM gave them some false hope while promoting HOTD.”
Another lamented: “It’s over. This project is dead. There’s no other way for me to look at it. I wish he’d be honest with himself, and then the fans, in that order. But announcing that he’s giving up on finishing the books would probably be the most excruciating thing he’s ever done, so I can’t blame him for dragging it out.”
Despite ongoing supply issues and ever-extending wait times, the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid’s popularity is still going strong in Australia.
It remains Australia’s favourite SUV according to VFACTS sales data, with 27,435 units registered to November 30 2023, just ahead of the Tesla Model Y (27,418 units).
That’s despite the overwhelming majority of orders being for the RAV4 Hybrid, which depending on variant, could have you waiting 12-18 months for delivery.
The flagship 2024 Toyota RAV4 Edge AWD Hybrid tested here is one of the more in-demand versions that have Australian customers queuing up around the block.
WATCH: Paul’s video review of the RAV4 XSE 2WD Hybrid
Now nudging the $60,000 barrier, the flagship RAV4 in Australia gets a more rugged look and all the tech Toyota can throw at it; but it’s also up against an ever-growing list of rivals and now is priced against premium competitiors.
Does the RAV4 Hybrid still have the Edge? Teehee…
How does the Toyota RAV4 fare vs its competitors?
View a detailed breakdown of the Toyota RAV4 against similarly sized vehicles.
Toyota
RAV4
How much does the Toyota RAV4 Edge AWD Hybrid cost?
The RAV4 line-up received some minor price increases as of July 1, 2023 – see below for details.
Toyota RAV4 pricing:
Toyota RAV4 GX 2WD: $39,760 (+$1710)
Toyota RAV4 GX 2WD Hybrid: $42,260 (+$1710)
Toyota RAV4 GXL 2WD: $43,310 (+$1710)
Toyota RAV4 GX AWD Hybrid: $45,260 (+$1710)
Toyota RAV4 GXL 2WD Hybrid: $45,810 ($1710)
Toyota RAV4 GXL AWD Hybrid: $48,810 (+$1710)
Toyota RAV4 Cruiser 2WD: $48,910 (+$1710)
Toyota RAV4 XSE 2WD Hybrid: $49,585(+$1710)
Toyota RAV4 Cruiser 2WD Hybrid: $51,410 (+$1710)
Toyota RAV4 XSE AWD Hybrid: $52,585 (+$1710)
Toyota RAV4 Cruiser AWD Hybrid: $54,410 (+$1710)
Toyota RAV4 Edge AWD: $56,230 (+$1710)
Toyota RAV4 Edge Hybrid AWD: $58,360 (+$1710)
Prices exclude on-road costs
To see how the RAV4 shapes up against its rivals, use our comparison tool.
What is the Toyota RAV4 Edge AWD Hybrid like on the inside?
Earlier this year the RAV4 received some tech upgrades at the upper end of the range, and they do help to elevate the interior a bit.
Your attention is quickly drawn to the larger new 10.5-inch touchscreen plonked atop the dash, which is running Toyota’s latest infotainment interface and comes standard with a Toyota Connected Services subscription.
It’s a big improvement on the dated predecessor system; although, the basic design may not have the wow factor of some other brands. In fairness, the Lexus interface is pretty much the same in vehicles vastly more expensive.
Wireless Apple CarPlay is a big plus with this new-generation infotainment system, and will likely be the go-to function for most owners. As we’ve experienced with other Toyota models with this infotainment system, the wireless smartphone mirroring connection works quickly and reliably – plus the higher resolution display is much nicer.
The standard nine-speaker JBL premium audio system is also worth calling out for its great clarity and depth.
Ahead of the driver and behind the carryover multifunction steering wheel, is a swish new 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster that has slowly been filtering throughout the Toyota range.
While offering good configurability and pretty crisp graphics, the Toyota’s digital driver’s panel can’t quite match the snappy response of VW Group systems, and can be a little confusing to wade through and adjust things.
There’s an array of widgets and readouts that you can slot into each dial, as well as in the centre section. You can also choose layouts that have two dials, a single dial, or a minimised layout. It’s actually more sophisticated than the display used in even the highest of Lexus models right now. Strange…
Comfort up front is good. The generously padded and bolstered seats offer good support from all angles, and they’re both power adjustable, with the driver’s pew offering memory presets. I will say; however, that I had numerous passengers complain that the height adjustment of the front seat was lacking, with taller occupants feeling quite high.
Space in the back seat is another RAV4 strong point, with its boxy proportions making for one of the most practical second rows in class. Adults can comfortably fit behind adults, and kids are basically swimming in there.
Head, leg and knee room are all at the upper end of the segment, and there’s a good level of amenities too – if not quite at the luxury levels offered by some top-end rivals or premium alternatives.
Rear air vents feature, for example, but there’s no third zone of climate control. There’s only one map pocket behind the passenger seat, and none behind the driver. At least the door trims are the same, soft-touch type that appear up front.
There’s a fold-down centre armrest with cupholders and the requisite ISOFIX and top-tether points for child seats, but really that’s about it. You can’t option a panoramic sunroof on the Edge Hybrid like you can in the standard petrol either, instead you get an old-school small electric moonroof.
Toyota quotes 542-580 litres of cargo capacity with five seats in use, and while there’s no maximum figure with the rear seatbacks folded, it’s a pretty big, square and practical space.
There are also remote release levers in the boot, and the rear bench splits 60:40. A temporary spare wheel lives under the boot floor.
What’s under the bonnet?
Model
Toyota RAV4 AWD Hybrid
Engine
2.5L 4cyl petrol + 2 x electric motors
Power
131kW + 88kW + 40kW – 163kW combined
Torque
221Nm + 202Nm + 121Nm
Transmission
e-CVT
Driven wheels
All-wheel drive
Weight
1760kg (kerb)
Fuel economy (claim)
4.8L/100km
Fuel economy (observed)
5.7L/100km
Fuel tank size
55L
Fuel requirement
91 RON
How does the Toyota RAV4 Edge AWD Hybrid drive?
I’ve driven a few RAV4 Hybrids in my time, and this Edge AWD reminded me of why so many people love them.
Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive technology has been refined over the last couple of decades, and the appeal of the RAV4 Hybrid is that you can hop in and go like any other combustion-engined vehicle, and the vehicle does everything for you.
You don’t have to faff around with drive modes – even though you can flick through a few – just leave it in normal and let the drivetrain do its magic to reduce your fuel bill. In traffic and other low-speed situations the RAV4 will do the bulk of driving in electric mode, signified by a little EV symbol that flashes up in the cluster.
Prod the throttle harder and the petrol engine fires to life, and the handover between power sources is pretty seamless; although, there’s a lot more noise from the rather coarse Atkinson cycle petrol motor.
It makes you want to drive it in a more sedate manner despite its beefy 163kW system power output. And really let’s face it, this isn’t a performance car – while the RAV4 AWD Hybrid quotes 1kW more power than a VW Tiguan 162TSI, the Toyota’s 8.4-second 0-100km/h claim (according to UK specs) is 1.5s slower than its German rival.
The RAV4 Hybrid is best used as a comfortable, efficient family commuter. Drive it with measure and keep your inputs smooth, and you’ll be rewarded with a very fluid and connected drive without performance theatrics.
I love the buttery smooth steering, responsive handling, and the cushy ride despite the Edge riding on larger 19-inch alloy wheels. Fun fact; the Bridgestone Alenza rubber shod around the rims is the same type used on luxury SUVs like the BMW X5 and Volkswagen Touareg .
While not pitched as a sporty offering like a Mazda CX-5 or R-Line versions of the VW Tiguan, the RAV4 has a chuckable feel in corners with controlled body lean and keen turn-in which makes it feel quite connected.
It’s also perfectly civilised at a cruise, settling in nicely; though, not quite the benchmark for road noise insulation. The RAV4’s hybrid system also isn’t the absolute latest from Toyota, meaning its less energy-dense battery chemistry and small electric motors can’t engage EV mode on the highway often like a Yaris Cross or Corolla Cross can.
The latest suite of Toyota Safety Sense assistance features are all standard, and unlike some systems past, the RAV4’s array of ‘techy’ assists are on hand to take the load off.
Of note is the very good adaptive cruise control and Lane Trace Assist functions. These facilitate semi-autonomous highway driving quite reliably, while blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert really come in handy when navigating tight gaps in traffic or reversing out of tight spots. The Edge also gets AEB in reverse.
Toyota’s surround-view camera system offers better resolution than Mazda’s potato cams – I kid, they’re not that bad – but not a patch on what something like the GWM Haval H6 offers.
I’d also note the fact I couldn’t match the fuel consumption claim, even with a mix of conditions heavily skewed to city commuting. The best I could manage was an indicated 5.7L/100km, which is still pretty good but much closer to the likes of the GWM Haval H6 HEV and Nissan X-Trail e-Power, which both arguably offer better performance.
What do you get?
RAV4 GX highlights:
Parabolic LED headlights with auto-levelling
Front LED fog lights
Automatic high-beam
Automatic headlights
Rain-sensing wipers
17-inch alloy wheels
Heated, power-folding exterior mirrors
8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system
Satellite navigation
DAB+ radio
Wireless Apple CarPlay, Wired Android Auto
Six-speaker sound system
7.0-inch instrument cluster display
60:40 split-fold rear seats and centre armrest
Keyless start
Leatherette-wrapped steering wheel
Front/rear carpet mats
Space saver spare tyre
Electronic parking brake
LED interior lighting
LED daytime running lights
Rear mudflaps
Resin rear spoiler
Rear passenger air vents
2 x front and 2 x rear cup holders
3 x front and 2 x rear USB ports
12-month subscription to Connected Services
RAV4 GX Hybrid adds:
Projector LED headlamps
Dual-zone climate control
Optional full-size spare wheel
RAV4 GXL adds:
18-inch alloy wheels
‘Premium’ grille and bumper combo
Rear privacy glass
Leatherette-wrapped shifter
Auto-dimming rear-view mirror
Dual-zone climate control
Proximity entry
Wireless phone charging
Front mudflaps
Roof rails
Illuminated interior door switches
Dual-level boot floor
RAV4 XSE Hybrid adds:
Black exterior accents
Black two-tone roof finish
18-inch alloy wheels in gloss black
Black headliner and pillar garnish
Leather-accented door trims
Ambient lighting (model-specific)
Softex ‘premium’ seat upholstery
Heated front seats
10-way power adjustment with lumbar support (driver)
The Toyota RAV4 wears a five-star ANCAP safety rating based on 2019 Euro NCAP tests.
It scored of 93 per cent for adult occupant protection, 89 per cent for child occupant protection, 85 per cent for vulnerable road user protection, and 83 per cent for safety assist.
Standard safety features include:
7 airbags incl. driver’s knee
Autonomous emergency braking (AEB)
Pedestrian detection (day, night)
Cyclist detection (day)
Intersection Turn Assist
Adaptive cruise control
Blind-spot monitoring
Emergency Steering Assist
Hill-start Assist Control
Lane departure warning
Lane Tracing Assist
Rear cross-traffic alert
Reversing camera
Parking sensors front, rear
Traffic sign recognition
Trailer sway control
RAV4 Cruiser adds:
RAV4 Edge adds:
AEB reverse (low speed)
Rear cross traffic assist
How much does the Toyota RAV4 Edge AWD Hybrid cost to run?
The RAV4 is covered by Toyota Australia’s five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty.
Toyota offers up to five years (60 months) or 75,000km of capped-price servicing, with intervals of 12 months or 15,000km for the RAV4.
All RAV4 variants (incl. Hybrid) cost $260 per service for the first five visits under the capped-price servicing program.
It’s very easy to see why the RAV4 has been Australia’s favourite SUV for some time.
It’s spacious, well featured, nice to drive and as a hybrid offers benchmark fuel efficiency. Even several years on from this generation’s initial launch, it remains a segment leader.
However, the game is quickly changing and there’s more rivals on the way; numerous price rises have taken some of the RAV4’s shine, and the likes of the excellent new Honda CR-V e:HEV prove that electrified motoring can be proper fun – even in an SUV.
In 2024 we’ll see the launch of the Hyundai Tucson Hybrid and Kia Sportage Hybrid, both already excellent offerings in ICE form, and should serve as worthy competition in the electrified space. This top-spec RAV4 Edge Hybrid isn’t all that much cheaper than a base Tesla Model Y (from $65,400), either.
Lengthy wait times are another irk; though, this will apparently be addressed in the new year thanks to a big batch of RAV4 Hybrids due to land in the early stages of 2024. Read more about that here.
The RAV4 Hybrid is a great car for families and singles alike, but I’d also say the Edge probably doesn’t make the most of your spend.
You can save almost $10,000 and get into the XSE 2WD Hybrid. This gets most of the good stuff – the 2WD Hybrid is also more efficient; though, you can get the E-Four version for a few grand more if you need the all-paw traction.
Amid high volatility in the market recently, Bitcoin and Ethereum experienced significant price movements, testing key resistance levels. However, XRP failed to follow this trend. Its price has been relatively stable for the past few weeks, consolidating around $0.6, leading to a decrease in its market dominance. This has sparked bearish discussions among analysts, with some predicting that XRP may undergo a considerable correction soon, possibly before a bull run, as resistance level intensifies.
January Is Bullish For XRP
XRP’s upward momentum has come to a halt recently. The bearish sentiment surrounding XRP appears to be increasing following Ripple’s release of 1 billion XRP from its escrow accounts today. This routine procedure, which takes place on the first of each month, involves three separate transactions to provide a controlled amount of liquidity to the market.
Despite XRP’s current consolidation around the $0.6 mark, investor confidence may be boosted by its historical performance in January. In the last four years, XRP has generally shown a positive trend in this month, with 2022 being the only exception. On average, XRP has shown a 35% increase in January.
If this trend continues this year, it’s possible that XRP could experience a significant recovery from recent lows, potentially rallying towards $0.81 by the end of the month. This analysis is further supported by a rise in on-chain activity, with the daily number of unique active addresses reaching a 5-month high at 72,680.
However, XRP’s market dominance has been declining since November as it now trades at 2.07%. Recently, there has been a noticeable struggle between bullish and bearish traders around the $0.6 level, as indicated by the long/short ratio currently standing at 0.9771. At present, approximately 51% of positions are anticipating a bearish move, while 49% are expecting an increase in XRP’s price.
What’s Next For XRP Price?
XRP price continued to struggle as its upward movement was halted at a key resistance of $0.65, showing the bulls couldn’t overcome this obstacle. However, the price neither dropped below $0.6 due to continuous buying demand near dips. As of writing, XRP price trades at $0.62, declining over 0.4% from yesterday’s rate.
XRP price now hovers between the moving averages on the 4-hour price chart, reflecting a lack of clear direction from either buyers or sellers. The nearly flat moving averages, along with the Relative Strength Index (RSI) trading around the midpoint, suggest that the XRP price might continue to move within the $0.57–$0.65 range for some time.
For the buyers to gain an advantage, they need to push the price above the $0.65 mark. Achieving this could lead to an increase in the price up to $0.68-$0.74, a zone that is expected to serve as a significant resistance. Conversely, if the price drops below $0.58, it would indicate a shift towards a short-term bearish trend.
The Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) has been certified as a Centre of Excellence for Life Sciences by the Life Sciences Sector Skill Development Council (LSSSDC), New Delhi.
Nivedita M, Senior Director of Assessment, Accreditation and Certification at LSSSDC, presented the Certificate of Excellence to Lt Gen M.D. Venkatesh, Vice-Chancellor of MAHE, in Manipal.
A memorandum of understanding (MoU) for future skilling activities for students and faculty in the life sciences sector was signed by MAHE and LSSSDC on the occasion.
A media statement said the Centre for Pharmaceutical Skill Development (CPSD) at MAHE played a pivotal role in helping MAHE earn this distinction.
Under the guidance of key personnel, including Sharath K Rao, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Health Sciences) of MAHE; Giridhar P Kini, Registrar; C Mallikarjuna Rao, Principal of the Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences; and Anup Naha, Coordinator of CPSD; along with Srinivas Hebbar, Co-Coordinator of CPSD, the institution has demonstrated exceptional prowess in pharmaceutical education and skill development, it said.
MAHE’s new status as a Centre of Excellence is not just an accolade, but a responsibility to continue fostering a skilled workforce that can contribute significantly to the life sciences sector, the statement said.
When it comes to setting healthy resolutions for the New Year, sleep is just as essential as nutrition and exercise, experts agree.
A lack of sleep can put you at a greater risk for obesity, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, poor mental health and even early death, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Also, a sleep deficit can adversely impact mood, productivity and focus throughout the day.
SLEEPING LONGER OVER THE WEEKEND COULD HELP PREVENT HEART ATTACKS, SAYS STUDY
Below are nine of the most noteworthy sleep findings that Fox News Digital has covered over the past 12 months.
Each of these findings can bring you better sleep in the year ahead.
A lack of sleep can put you at a greater risk of obesity, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, poor mental health and even early death, according to the CDC.(iStock)
1. Catching up on sleep during the weekends could have health benefits
A study published in the journal Sleep Health found that people who slept for at least one hour longer on weekends had lower rates of cardiovascular disease compared to those who didn’t get catch-up sleep.
The biggest benefit was seen in those who got less than six hours of sleep on weekdays and slept for at least two extra hours on weekends.
People who slept for at least one hour longer on weekends had lower rates of cardiovascular disease compared to those who didn’t get catch-up sleep.(iStock)
Although this was an observational study, Dr. Marc Siegel, clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center and a Fox News medical contributor, said he believes the finding is valid.
“More sleep brings your metabolism down to a lower level where the risks are lower,” he said.
2. Not everyone needs 8 hours of sleep each night
Most people tend to focus on the number of hours of shuteye they get each evening, but experts say that might not be the most important metric.
FOR QUALITY SLEEP, TIMING IS EVERYTHING, EXPERTS SAY: HERE’S THE SECRET OF SUCCESSFUL SLUMBER
In November, Harvard researchers presented study findings that showed sleep regularity — drifting off and waking up at around the same time each day — could be even more important than quantity.
Consistency of sleep may be more important than the number of hours of shuteye, experts say.(iStock)
“When we disrupt our circadian rhythm by going to bed and waking up at different times each day, we can experience a number of negative health consequences, including insomnia, daytime fatigue, difficulty concentrating and increased risk of chronic diseases,” one of the researchers told Fox News Digital.
3. Sleep tracking is beneficial — until it goes too far
Using a wearable tracking device can help people get a healthy duration and quality of sleep — but when they fixate too much on that data, it can lead to a disorder called orthosomnia.
SLEEP TRACKING GOING TOO FAR? YOU MIGHT BE SUFFERING FROM THIS CONDITION, EXPERT SAYS
The Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine coined the term to describe patients who are “preoccupied or concerned with improving or perfecting their wearable sleep data.”
Fixating too much on sleep tracking data can lead to an anxiety disorder called orthosomnia.(iStock)
People who become obsessive or anxious about sleep tracking should take a break from tracking and/or consult with a sleep specialist, experts say.
4. Sleep and mental health are closely linked
A majority of people (78% of respondents) found that a lack of sleep is negatively affecting their mental health, according to a fall report from Calm, the maker of the sleep and meditation app.
LACK OF SLEEP IS COMPROMISING THE MENTAL HEALTH OF 78% OF ADULTS, SURVEY FINDS
“Sleep deprivation affects your psychological state and mental health,” Dr. Raj Dasgupta, chief medical adviser at Sleepopolis in California, told Fox News Digital.
“And those with mental health problems are more likely to have insomnia or other sleep disorders.”
People who have sleep difficulties that impact their mental health — or vice versa — should consult with a specialist, experts say.
5. Winter is the season for the most sleep struggles
Six in 10 Americans said their sleep routines feel different during the winter than in other seasons, according to a survey commissioned by Mattress Firm and conducted by OnePoll between Sept. 26 and Sept. 29.
SLEEP PROBLEMS WORSEN DURING THE WINTER, US ADULTS SAY IN NEW SURVEY
A quarter of people said it is most difficult to wake up during the winter and 21% said the season makes them feel more tired.
A quarter of people said it is most difficult to wake up during the winter and 21% said the season makes them feel more tired.(iStock)
“One of the best things you can do for your body is to get active during the day and give it a relaxing environment for sleep,” said Dr. Jade Wu, sleep adviser at Mattress Firm in North Carolina, as reported by SWNS.
6. If you wake up and can’t fall back asleep, checking the clock is a bad idea
It may be tempting to look at your phone or clock when sleep is interrupted, but according to experts, that could make it more difficult to drift back off.
SLEEP INTERRUPTED: WHAT TO DO, AND WHAT NOT TO DO, WHEN YOU WAKE UP AND CAN’T DRIFT BACK OFF
“Checking the time can increase stress and make it harder to sleep,” Dr. Biquan Luo, a San Francisco sleep expert, told Fox News Digital.
“Additionally, if you check the time on your phone, the contents of the phone may be too stimulating, which further prevents you from relaxing and falling asleep.”
Experts advise against checking the time if you wake up in the middle of the night, as it can increase stress and anxiety.(iStock)
Instead, Luo recommended trying such techniques as progressive relaxation, breathing exercises, white noise machines and other methods to help you relax.
If that doesn’t work within 10 or 15 minutes, she said it’s best to get out of bed and engage in a quiet, low-stimulation activity.
7. The wrong mattress can be detrimental to sleep
Your choice of mattress can make or break the quality of your sleep, experts agreed.
Sleeping on a hard mattress can increase the chances of getting poor sleep by 78%, according to data from Sleep Doctor.
6 SIGNS YOUR MATTRESS MIGHT BE DISRUPTING YOUR SLEEP, ACCORDING TO EXPERTS
Some common signs that you might need a new mattress include difficulty falling asleep, aches and pains in the morning, allergy symptoms or visible signs of wear.
Sleeping on a hard mattress can increase the chances of getting poor sleep by 78%, according to data from Sleep Doctor.(iStock)
When choosing a new mattress, your sleep position, body type and personal preferences for feel and materials should all come into play, according to Dr. Shelby Harris, director of sleep health for the website Sleepopolis and a licensed clinical psychologist at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York.
8. Proper lighting is key to sleep
External light can be a major sleep disruptor, warned Harris.
SLEEP EASY: 6 WAYS TO ADJUST YOUR BEDROOM SO YOU GET A GOOD NIGHT’S REST
“If your bedroom windows allow external light, such as streetlights, into your room, it’s important to have curtains or blinds to block out this light and avoid sleep disruptions,” she told Fox News Digital.
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Other offenders include the blue light that is emitted from cell phones, computers and tablets.
Instead, experts recommend using orange or sunset-colored lights ahead of bedtime and keeping lights dim.
9. A WWII-era military sleep method could help with insomnia
A method used by the U.S. military during World War II could help people fall asleep in less than five minutes, some claim.
A method used by the U.S. military in World War II could help people fall asleep in less than five minutes, some claim.(iStock)
The “military sleep technique” involves relaxing every muscle in the body, starting with the face and working your way down, while taking slow, deep breaths.
WWII-ERA MILITARY SLEEP METHOD COULD HELP INSOMNIACS NOD OFF QUICKLY, SOME CLAIM: ‘PEACE AND CALM’
“Muscle relaxation going down the body, along with a focus on deep breathing, can be an effective way to both increase relaxation and reduce thinking,” Dr. Alex Dimitriu, founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine in California, told Fox News Digital.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
“It works even better with the final steps, which focus on increasing visualization and clearing the mind of thought.”
For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health.
Melissa Rudy is health editor and a member of the lifestyle team at Fox News Digital.
Happy New Year 2024! With the New Year celebrations comes the promise of starting afresh, especially when it comes to our diets. There are so many people who join gyms or begin new diet plans in the New Year in an attempt to lose weight. One of the most popular new year resolutions is said to be ‘I will get fit’, but what happens is in fact the opposite. Most of the diets end up crashing and derailing our weight loss goals. What we would suggest is to make simple and achievable resolutions that you can actually stick to. In New Year 2024, the focus should be on setting small goals that can easily be achieved in the short run first and then made into a regular habit.
Consultant nutritionist Rupali Dutta also agrees, “Remember, the first step is the most important! Set smaller goals, for example, closing your kitchen by 9 pm or walking every half an hour of sitting. She further says that it’s important to just kickstart a habit and it will undoubtedly become a part of your diet regime. “It takes us 21 days to change a habit and if we follow it for three months it becomes our lifestyle. Take your time, it more important to learn what you must change and make a start,” she added.
Also Read: Healthy Diet: 3 Delicious Apple Salad Recipes For A Light Nutritious Meal
Picture Credit: iStock
New Year 2024: Here Are 6 Diet Resolutions You Can Actually Stick To:
1. Eat one fruit every day:
No, we’re not saying you should make a fruit platter for yourself. Just the simple act of eating one whole fruit every day will certainly go a long way in your diet plan. Fresh fruits offer a multitude of health benefits for your body. Eat it raw for best benefits. Once it becomes a habit, you can increase the quantity depending upon your other meals.
2. Use smaller plates for eating food:
Sometimes, we end up piling on more food than necessary into our plates. Bigger plates give us the illusion that we still have some more space, while our stomach is already stretched to full capacity. “Even the healthiest food is good till it is consumed in the amounts that the body needs, extra has never meant more goodness,” says Rupali Dutta. The simple act of using a smaller plate will prove useful for your diet and weight loss goals.
3. Try to skip processed food every alternate day:
If we heard a recommendation like, ‘Avoid processed food entirely’ – we may follow it for two-three days or sometimes even weeks. But then all of a sudden, our cravings for junk food returns and we end up bingeing guiltily. Experts suggest that you can try skipping processed food every alternate day to begin with, and then observe the difference. “Avoid factory made food and have what nature has designed,” says health coach Shilpa Arora. “Learn about how much you need and then stick to it. The occasional samosa or burger will also not de track you from your health goals if you understand this,” adds Rupali Dutta.
4. Switch to herbal tea:
The benefits of herbal teas in detoxifying the system have been proven time and again by various researchers. If you can switch your cup of masala chai or coffee for green tea or any other herbal tea of choice, trust us, your body will thank you! We are not asking ourselves to give it up entirely, but simply incorporate herbal tea into your daily diet at least every alternate day
5. Make one meal everyday a protein-rich one:
In a bid to eat healthy, we often cut down on calories but forget to stock up on good nutrition instead. Rather than saying you will eat less calories or cut carbs completely from your diet, try to make at least one meal a day a protein-rich one. You can choose from either vegetarian or non-vegetarian protein sources. This will provide a simple yet effective means to cut down on calories while keeping you full for longer and contributing to your weight loss goals.
6. Walk for 15 minutes every day:
Apart from the dietary changes, it is also important to incorporate exercise to make sure you shed the excess kilos. Try and walk for 15 minutes every day so that a consistent habit is formed for your daily routine. Once you get the hang of it, you can start taking a longer walk and build up from there. “Complete 10,000 steps daily and get sunlight every morning for best results,” suggests Shilpa Arora.
So, try these simple and achievable new year resolutions and tell us your experience in the comments below. Here’s wishing all our readers a happy and healthy New Year. May 2024 be your fittest yet!
Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.
On New Year’s Eve, Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered his 2024 New Year message via China Media Group and the internet. The following is the full text of the message:
Greetings to you all! As energy rises after the Winter Solstice, we are about to bid farewell to the old year and usher in the new. From Beijing, I extend my best New Year wishes to each and every one of you!
In 2023, we have continued to forge ahead with resolve and tenacity. We have gone through the test of winds and rains, have seen beautiful scenes unfolding on the way, and have made plenty real achievements. We will remember this year as one of hard work and perseverance. Going forward, we have full confidence in the future.
This year, we have marched forward with solid steps. We achieved a smooth transition in our COVID-19 response efforts. The Chinese economy has sustained the momentum of recovery. Steady progress has been made in pursuing high-quality development. Our modernized industrial system has been further upgraded. A number of advanced, smart and green industries are rapidly emerging as new pillars of the economy. We have secured a bumper harvest for the 20th year in a row. Waters have become clearer and mountains greener. New advances have been made in pursuing rural revitalization. New progress has been made in fully revitalizing northeast China. The Xiong’an New Area is growing fast, the Yangtze River Economic Belt is full of vitality, and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area is embracing new development opportunities. Having weathered the storm, the Chinese economy is more resilient and dynamic than before.
This year, we have marched forward with robust steps. Thanks to years of dedicated efforts, China’s innovation-driven development is full of energy. The C919 large passenger airliner entered commercial service. The Chinese-built large cruise ship completed its trial voyage. The Shenzhou spaceships are continuing their missions in space. The deep-sea manned submersible Fendouzhe reached the deepest ocean trench. Products designed and made in China, especially trendy brands, are highly popular with consumers. The latest models of Chinese-made mobile phones are an instant market success. New energy vehicles, lithium batteries, and photovoltaic products are a new testimony to China’s manufacturing prowess. Everywhere across our country, new heights are being scaled with dogged determination, and new creations and innovations are emerging every day.
This year, we have marched forward in high spirits. The Chengdu FISU World University Games and the Hangzhou Asian Games presented spectacular sports scenes, and Chinese athletes excelled in their competitions. Tourist destinations are full of visitors on holidays, and the film market is booming. The “village super league” football games and “village Spring Festival gala” are immensely popular. More people are embracing low-carbon lifestyles. All these exhilarating activities have made our lives richer and more colorful, and they mark the return of bustling life across the country. They embody people’s pursuit of a beautiful life, and present a vibrant and flourishing China to the world.
This year, we have marched forward with great confidence. China is a great country with a great civilization. Across this vast expanse of land, wisps of smoke in deserts of the north and drizzles in the south invoke our fond memory of many millennium-old stories. The mighty Yellow River and Yangtze River never fail to inspire us. Discoveries at the archaeological sites of Liangzhu and Erlitou tell us much about the dawn of Chinese civilization. The ancient Chinese characters inscribed on oracle bones of the Yin Ruins, the cultural treasures of the Sanxingdui Site, and the collections of the National Archives of Publications and Culture bear witness to the evolution of Chinese culture. All this stands as testament to the time-honored history of China and its splendid civilization. And all this is the source from which our confidence and strength are derived.
While pursuing its development, China has also embraced the world and fulfilled its responsibility as a major country. We held the China-Central Asia Summit and the Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, and hosted leaders from across the world at many diplomatic events held in China. I also paid visits to a number of countries, attended international conferences, and met many friends, both old and new. I shared China’s vision and enhanced common understandings with them. No matter how the global landscape may evolve, peace and development remain the underlying trend, and only cooperation for mutual benefit can deliver.
Along the way, we are bound to encounter headwinds. Some enterprises had a tough time. Some people had difficulty finding jobs and meeting basic needs. Some places were hit by floods, typhoons, earthquakes or other natural disasters. All these remain at the forefront of my mind. When I see people rising to the occasion, reaching out to each other in adversity, meeting challenges head-on and overcoming difficulties, I am deeply moved. All of you, from farmers in the fields to workers on factory floors, from entrepreneurs blazing the trail to service members guarding our country – indeed, people from all walks of life – have done your very best. Each and every ordinary Chinese has made an extraordinary contribution! You, the people, are the ones we look to when we fight to prevail over all difficulties or challenges.
Next year will mark the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. We will steadfastly advance Chinese modernization, fully and faithfully apply the new development philosophy on all fronts, speed up building the new development paradigm, promote high-quality development, and both pursue development and safeguard security. We will continue to act on the principle of seeking progress while maintaining stability, promoting stability through progress, and establishing the new before abolishing the old. We will consolidate and strengthen the momentum of economic recovery, and work to achieve steady and long-term economic development. We will deepen reform and opening up across the board, further enhance people’s confidence in development, promote vibrant development of the economy, and redouble efforts to boost education, advance science and technology and cultivate talents. We will continue to support Hong Kong and Macao in harnessing their distinctive strengths, better integrating themselves into China’s overall development, and securing long-term prosperity and stability. China will surely be reunified, and all Chinese on both sides of the Taiwan Strait should be bound by a common sense of purpose and share in the glory of the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
Our goal is both inspiring and simple. Ultimately, it is about delivering a better life for the people. Our children should be well taken care of and receive good education. Our young people should have the opportunities to pursue their careers and succeed. And our elderly people should have adequate access to medical services and elderly care. These issues matter to every family, and they are also a top priority of the government. We must work together to deliver on these issues. Today, in our fast-paced society, people are all busy and face a lot of pressure in work and life. We should foster a warm and harmonious atmosphere in our society, expand the inclusive and dynamic environment for innovation, and create convenient and good living conditions, so that the people can live happy lives, bring out their best, and realize their dreams.
As I speak to you, conflicts are still raging in some parts of the world. We Chinese are keenly aware of what peace means. We will work closely with the international community for the common good of humanity, build a community with a shared future for mankind, and make the world a better place for all.
Right at this moment, when the lights in millions of homes light up the evening sky, let us all wish our great country prosperity, and let us all wish the world peace and tranquility! I wish you happiness in all the four seasons and success and good health in the year ahead!
A new year brings new beginnings. For the Styles Desk, it also comes with an old pastime: Predicting the fashion and lifestyle trends that may bubble up in the months ahead.
Last January, when we pondered what might be in store for 2023, some of our thoughts proved rather prescient. Supersize lies (hello, George Santos); fake fashion items (hello, superfake handbags); and an appreciation for “regular degular” people (hello, blue-collar TikTok), to name three.
Others didn’t come to fruition. Butter crocks never took off; neither did pet rats.
The challenge with seeing the future is you can’t. As much as yesterday’s trends can give clues about tomorrow’s, there will always be those things that come out of nowhere.
Our predictions for 2024 contain well-supported hypotheses and others that may sound unlikely. But a nice thing about Jan. 1 is that it is a day when almost anything can seem possible. — Anthony Rotunno, fashion news editor, Styles
Music, fashion, movies, higher education: All were heavily influenced by Taylor Swift in 2023. Her relationship with Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs also put a spotlight on football — and put an athlete at the side of one of the world’s most popular bachelorettes, turning many people indifferent to the N.F.L. into armchair fans. Will that enthusiasm, coupled with the interest in the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris, set the stage for a jock renaissance? — Wilson Wong, editing resident, Book Review
Everything’s Coming Up Rosettes
We hit peak bow last year. Now rosettes are ascendant. More are appearing on items by Sandy Liang, the designer whose girlish aesthetic in part made bows so prevalent. The red rosette is being pushed as an accessory for the lapel and as a whimsical choker by the fashion blogger Leandra Medine Cohen. And Rosette, a newish clothing label in New York, is dedicated entirely to the soft roselike design. — Marie Solis, staff editor, Styles
Aging Out of Social Media
Gen X and older millennials who grew up without the internet will cease their nostalgic rhapsodizing about life before cellphones, when people read books on the subway and talked to strangers while waiting in line and made plans that they couldn’t cancel via text. They’ll start abandoning social media and recommitting to being charming and witty and interesting in real life with real people in real spaces. — Melissa Kirsch, deputy editor, Culture and Lifestyle
Fancy Glassware Sheds a Stigma
Not even drinking glasses have been immune to discussions about gender identity. But a bartender-led push to abandon outmoded ideas about the gender of cocktail glasses is afoot. Might it mean that men who have had a death grip on their rocks glass since college will start opting for the refined Nick-and-Nora glass more often? A Nick-and-Nora communicates a sense of occasion: It’s narrower than a coupe, wider than a flute and has an eye-catching silhouette — think an upturned bell — that can make everyone feel like the belle of the bar. — Louis Lucero II, senior staff editor, Styles
Smart Watches Enter Elementary Schools
Lots of parents remain resistant to introducing smartphones at a young age — and for good reason. But more seem open to getting smartwatches after companies like Apple made it easier to control children’s accounts. Expect to see more devices on the wrists of the elementary-school set and more school districts trying to adjust to a world where kids play watch games and send garbled audio messages. Some have already banned the devices from classrooms. — Farah Miller, strategy and operations deputy, Culture and Lifestyle
Theme Dressing Becomes a Red-Carpet Staple
Hollywood never met a good idea it didn’t want to squeeze a sequel — or 15 — out of. The strategic red-carpet roll out for “Barbie” has already inspired themed dressing at premieres and photo ops for films like “Wonka” (so many shades of purple) and “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.” With movies like “Dune: Part Two” and the “Mean Girls” remake set to release this year, just imagine the possibilities. — Vanessa Friedman, fashion director, Styles
Grand Theft Auto VI Hype Grows Inescapable
The ultraviolent Grand Theft Auto franchise’s next installment isn’t coming out until 2025. But a trailer released last month has received more than 128 million views — and has led to swirling debates about whether the teaser’s high-fidelity graphics will actually be representative of the game play. (Fans have also noticed that GTA VI, which is set in Miami, evokes the visuals of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, its 21-year-old predecessor heavily inspired by South Florida.) Buckle up for lots more discourse now that thirsty gamers’ attention is piqued. — Mike Isaac, technology reporter, Business
Less Virtuous Drinks
Low-to-no-alcohol beverages are now a fixture at restaurants, bars and even clubs. The focus on virtuous drinking, however, may be inviting new vices: hard sodas, for instance, or heavily caffeinated lemonades. It has been almost 15 years since the company behind Four Loko stopped producing the caffeinated alcoholic drink. Would it be so surprising if that anniversary was used to launch a comeback? — Dani Blum, reporter, Well
Butterfly Kisses Get Reconsidered
The explosion of girlhood online over the last year — girl dinners, girl math — was, in a way, about the culture-shaking, market-moving effects that can come from forces often seen as unassuming. Could it give new relevance to the butterfly kiss, another little, silly thing with surprising potential? The butterfly effect tells us that seemingly tiny events can have colossal, unpredictable effects on far away places and in far away times. Who knows what butterfly effects a year of fluttering eyelashes could yield. — Emma Goldberg, reporter, Business
Manicures for the Boys
ASAP Rocky appeared in a new Bottega Veneta ad with blitzed-out nails. Drake had his painted a neutral color in a recent Nike campaign. And over the past few years, Harry Styles, Machine Gun Kelly, Lil Yachty and Tyler, the Creator, have all launched nail-polish lines. Men, famous and not, have been painting their nails for centuries. But the practice’s recent ubiquity suggests male manicures are poised to have a larger cultural moment. — Christy Harmon, photo editor, Styles
Chocolate Lava Bubbles Up
Molten chocolate cake — or chocolate lava cake — has been harder, but not impossible, to come by since it haunted restaurant menus in the 1990s and 2000s. But in a presidential election year, when some will be driven to seek comfort and others driven to hedonism, few desserts seem more ripe for a comeback than this classic, warm, chocolaty and indulgent confection. — Anna Kodé, reporter, Real Estate
Tides Turn for Gen Z
As Gen-Zers have basked in the glow of youth, they’ve also told older generations that everything they do is embarrassing. (Two words: OK, Boomer.) That attitude may catch up with them now that Gen Alpha, a younger cohort, has arrived online. The new kids are already mocking terms embraced by Gen Z: “It’s not even funny how out ‘slay’ is,” one Gen Alpha member said on TikTok. Some members of older generations are ready for the skewering. “Watching Gen Alpha come for Gen Z is gonna be the highlight of my Millennial life,” a commenter responded. — Callie Holtermann, reporter, Styles
Cats are expressive creatures, especially through their body language. Felines give many clues about their feelings and communicate widely using various parts and positions of their bodies. Their tails, for example, are used to display their mood. An upright tail is often one of a happy and confident cat. They also use their tails to rub against you when you arrive home after an absence or to communicate a need or want with you. On the other hand, if they are feeling threatened, the hair on the tail will fluff out and stand on end.
So, if your cat’s tail is limp, does this mean something is wrong? Potentially, but not always.
Is a Limp Tail Serious?
Physically being unable or unwilling to use or lift their tail needs investigation by your veterinarian as soon as you notice it to begin treatment. Below are five common explanations or scenarios for a floppy tail, some of which are more serious than others. But in any event, all require treatment and are a cause for concern.
Image Credit: Asasirov, Shutterstock
The 5 Likely Reasons Your Cat Has a Limp Tail
1. Trauma
“Trauma” is a broad umbrella term covering many things, but trauma to the tail is one of the most common explanations for your cat not using this part of their spine.
Examples of trauma include:
It is possible for cats to injure their tail by accidentally wafting past hot stoves, saucepans with hot food in them, boiling water, or spitting fat. Open fireplaces and bonfires are other risks, as are fireworks.
The tail is trapped or slammed in a door or window. It is not unusual, and usually it is accidental, but a cat’s tail can become trapped in a building, garage, house or car door, and any type of window.
The tail being run overby a child’s toy, a vehicle, or even stepped on by an adult.
Grazes and cuts occur for a plethora of reasons. Some of the above will cause minor to major wounds, for example. Wounds are uncomfortable and may cause pain and interfere with movement.
This may be due to an injury or wound, as described above, or referred pain, meaning an issue is ongoing elsewhere in the body but the pain is referred to the tail area.
Avulsion injuries.An example of this would be a young child pulling or yanking the cat’s tail or another animal grabbing at it. Cats can also self-inflict this injury by constantly trying to pull their tail out from something (or a situation), like under a wheel or between branches if they are caught in a tree.
Full anal glands.While not direct trauma, it is indirect, as the uncomfortableness of full or impacted anal glands is distressing. It will cause your kitty to exhibit limp tail behavior until their glands are emptied by your veterinarian.
Have a look at your cat’s tail and examine it for any wounds, markings, or odd positioning of bones and tissues. Apply first aid only if you are comfortable and knowledgeable in doing so, and then take your feline friend to the vet for assessment and treatment.
2. Fracture
Some of the reasons cited under trauma may indeed fracture (break) the tail. The tail is a continuation of the spine and forms part of the cat’s backbone. Lots of muscles and tendons are in this area too that can be damaged. An injury to the tail part of the spine, or the spine higher up, can cause your cat not to use their tail and for it to become limp. Your veterinarian will need to perform X-rays and further tests to assess the damage, begin the correct line of treatment, and find out if the use of the tail will return.
Image Credit: PRESSLAB, Shutterstock
3. Dislocation
Dislocation of the vertebrae joints in the tail can happen in road traffic accidents as well as in yanking and pulling injuries. The force doesn’t break or crack the bone but separates one or more of the joints instead, causing pain, swelling, or lack of use.
4. Nerve Damage
Nerve damage created from fractures, dislocation, or avulsion injuries can all result in one or a few of the nerves being affected. Alternatively, nerve-related issues may occur due to other underlying health problems, causing the tail to be limp with a loss of sensation. Many nerves exist in the spinal area, and it is a complicated subject to investigate. The nerve damage may be temporary, meaning the use of the tail will return, or it may be permanent.
Image Credit: Sergey Nivens, Shutterstock
5. Abscess
These are exceptionally common in the feline community that spend time outside. They usually occur during fighting or in a standoff when one cat tries to run away from an aggressive cat or a bullying cat. The aggressor bites the tail or tail base of the runner, and due to the bacteria cats have in their mouths, an abscess can form.
This happens because the bacteria are left in the skin of the unfortunate party when the aggressor sinks their teeth into their skin. An abscess forms in response and will require treatment including antibiotics. A swollen, softish, painful area can usually be seen with puncture marks of the teeth. It may also be hot and oozing pus.
Conclusion
Tail injuries are very common in cats, and they will need to be looked at by a veterinarian in almost all cases. The severity of the injury and its effects, as you can appreciate, is vast, and the treatment and outlook will depend on the originating cause, the degree of damage subsequently caused, and the health status of your cat in general. Some cats will only require rest and medication, while others may require amputation, so always check in with your vet to be on the safe side!
Featured Image Credit: YULIYA Shustik, Shutterstock
In 2023, Institutional investments in the Indian real estate sector reached $5.4 billion, marking a 10 per cent YoY increase, according to Colliers India.
Foreign investments maintained dominance, constituting 67 per cent of total inflows, while domestic investments surged by 66 per cent to $1.7 billion.
The office sector led with a 56 per cent share in total inflows, attracting global and domestic capital.
Despite overall stability, Q4 witnessed a 37 per cent YoY drop in investments, totalling $0.8 billion. Alternatives claimed a 51 per cent share in Q4 inflows, reflecting strong demand in segments like data centres, student housing, life sciences, and schools.
Read: Indian real-estate funding up 82% in Q3 2023: Report
While global investment markets faced challenges, India remained a fast-growing economy, sustaining investor confidence. Although US inflows declined from 2020 levels, Canada and Singapore emerged as leading sources of foreign capital, contributing 78 per cent of global real estate inflows into India in 2023.
Notably, APAC countries increased their investment inflows 3.6 times compared to 2020, with investors favouring India due to its robust economic performance, improved regulatory framework, and sustained demand across real estate segments.
Piyush Gupta, Managing Director at Colliers India, highlighted the positive trend, stating, “As India’s real estate sector concludes another promising year, institutional investments increased by 10 per cent to USD 5.4 billion—the highest since 2020. Investments diversified across education, shared spaces, and data centres, contributing to a strong domestic upcycle in office, residential, and industrial areas. Looking ahead to 2024, investment activity is expected to remain robust, supported by strong domestic economic fundamentals, with technology and ESG factors playing key roles in investment decisions.”
Pri kreiranju rubrike Index Shopping nastojimo izdvajati odlične proizvode koji se i nama sviđaju te odlične akcije i popuste. Ne objavljujemo proizvode koje i sami ne bismo kupili ili smatramo da njihova promocija nije u skladu s profesionalnim standardima. Neki proizvodi u rubrici Index Shopping mogu biti sponzorirani.
OD “milja” nazvani duplići, jeftinije imitacije torbica, kozmetičkih proizvoda i drugih predmeta postali su vrlo popularni kod generacije Z i mlađih milenijalaca. No kupnja jeftinijih kopija je tradicija koja seže generacijama unazad, ali novi zaokret je javno predstavljanje da ih posjedujete i nosite.
Ovo javno prihvaćanje duplića nudi zanimljiv pogled na psihu generacije Z. S jedne strane, moglo bi se činiti da su duplići nešto što je protivno reputaciji generacije Z koja se zalaže za svjesnu konzumaciju, spremnu bojkotirati tvrtku za bilo kakvu indiskreciju, piše Bloomberg.
S druge strane, duplići se mogu promatrati kao subverzivni – naizgled potkopavajući skupe brendove, pa čak i sam kapitalizam. Priznanje da posjedujete duplić ili lažnjak je također jedna od vrlina generacije Z koja voli dijeliti informacije s drugima – o svemu.
Društvene mreže pripomogle su širenju duplića
TikTok, Instagram i druge usluge društvenih medija pripomogle su širenju duplića. Kreatori koriste platforme za objavljivanje recenzija i savjeta o njima te nude i linkove gdje se mogu kupiti. Neki kreatori mogu dobiti malu proviziju svaki put kada kupac klikne link na njihovoj stranici za kupnju proizvoda.
TikTok je čak pokrenuo TikTok Shop ranije ove godine, što je olakšalo kreatorima i malim tvrtkama da korisnicima omoguće kupnju izravno iz aplikacije.
Starije generacije isto su kupovale dupliće ili fejkove, ali su rijetki to priznali
Bujanje duplića može biti u konačnici i problem za luksuzne brendove koji koriste ekskluzivnost kao dio svog poslovnog modela. Poznato je da je Hermès Birkin i Kelly torbe teško kupiti izravno od prodavača i liste čekanja mogu trajati godinama. Porast influencera, i njihovog utjecaja, koji nose torbe koje podsjećaju na originale mogao bi oštetiti sposobnosti marki da taj proizvod učine rijetkim.
Tekst se nastavlja ispod oglasa
No većina generacija imala je neku svoju buntovnu fazu u svojim tinejdžerskim i dvadesetim godinama. A generacija Z je upravo u toj pravoj dobi kada se izazivaju institucije i odbacuje način na koji se ponašaju stariji, a duplići im to na neki način dopuštaju. Neke starije generacije su prošle sličnu fazu s duplićima (ili fejkovima), s time da su rijetki priznavali da ono što nose nije prava stvar.
Danas bi se to nazvalo “gatekeepingom” iliti uskraćivanjem informacija. A generacija Z je, kao što smo već ustvrdili, poznata po tome da to ne radi. Dapače, svoja otkrića često dijeli na TikToku.
Beauty youtuberi zaslužni su za pojam “dupe”
TikTok, međutim, nije mjesto gdje su duplići izvorno popularizirani. Beauty youtuberi zaslužni su za lansiranje pojma “dupe” (duplić, op.a.). Uostalom, pokušaj nalaženja jeftinije, ali učinkovite verzije vrhunskog losiona, ruža za usne ili sjenila ima smisla. Marka u toj situaciji nije toliko važna, koliko proizvod koji radi to što vam treba po značajno nižoj cijeni.
Popularnost duplića može se činiti u suprotnosti sa željom mnogih mlađih potrošača da prioritet daju ekološkoj i društvenoj odgovornosti. Ali generacija Z nije monolit, pa čak i društveno svjesni potrošači mogu vidjeti društvenu vrijednost u moći duplića da demokratiziraju luksuznu robu za mase.
Na kraju, postavlja se pitanje hoće li i generacija Z posustati kao i generacije prije nje i početi kupovati “prave stvari” onda kada će im njihov financijski status to dozvoliti.
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The Rams played their worst game in nearly two months …
… but they’re a good team.
Matthew Stafford made two awful throws that were intercepted …
… but they’re a good team.
They wouldn’t have escaped with a 26-25 victory on Sunday if the five-win New York Giants hadn’t self-destructed …
… but they’re a good team.
The Rams are more than a good story. They’re also a good team. And in the wake of the division rival Seattle Seahawks’ 30-23 defeat to the Pittsburgh Steelers, they’re now a playoff team.
Just one year removed from their own five-win debacle, the Rams are headed back to the postseason.
They have one of the best coaches in the league in Sean McVay, they have a veteran quarterback who has won a Super Bowl in Stafford, they still have the best defensive player in the game in Aaron Donald and they have a legitimate ground game for the first time in who knows how long.
They’re not perfect, but they’ve won six of their last seven games, and they’re the team others should approach with extreme caution in the coming weeks.
The Rams are for real.
What started as a season in which they were rebuilding and transformed into a season in which they established a foundation for the future has suddenly turned into a season very much about the present.
Consider how McVay has adjusted his evaluation system for these Rams. Saying before the season that wins and losses wouldn’t be the only measure of success, he defended his team’s uneven performance Sunday by pointing to the final result.
“Our guys found a way,” McVay said.
Rams running back Kyren Williams (23) celebrates one of his three touchdowns against the Giants with teammates.
(Adam Hunger / Associated Press)
The Rams are no longer a project. They’re 9-7. They’re Super Bowl contenders.
That’s not to say they don’t have concerns.
Their special teams were a mess against the Giants, as kicker Lucas Havrisik missed two extra-point attempts and Gunner Olszewski returned a punt for a 94-yard touchdown against them.
Their inability to move the ball in the second half kept the Giants in the game.
They failed to protect Stafford, who was sacked four times, and Stafford compounded the problems by misfiring on a couple of throws over the middle of the field that were intercepted by safety Dane Belton.
“I’m excited about being able to say, ‘Hey, it’s gonna be a lot more fun cleaning these things up after a win,’” McVay said.
At the same time, the game marked a continuation of the season’s most positive developments.
Donald was, well, Donald, and registered two sacks. Equally, if not more encouraging, was the play of rookies Kobie Turner and Byron Young. Turner was credited with 21/2 sacks and Young with one. Turner has nine sacks on the season and Young six.
Second-year back Kyren Williams provided the Rams with a running game they’ve lacked since Todd Gurley’s knee disintegrated. Williams scored three touchdowns, the last of them a 28-yard slalom through the Giants’ defense that accounted for the winning points.
The game featured several moments in which the Rams could have lost control, but Turner said the team’s recent upswing convinced them they’d figure out how to triumph.
“I think we’ve earned a lot of that confidence,” Turner said.
The Rams were on their way. They sensed that even before the Seahawks’ loss made that official, as their locker and interview rooms were places where jokes were cracked and laughs were shared.
Williams laughed as he recalled Puka Nacua’s 80-yard reception that set up his two-yard touchdown run, saying he shouted at Nacua repeatedly, “Run, Puka, run!”
Rams wide receiver Demarcus Robinson, right, tries to stiff-arm New York Giants cornerback Cor’Dale Flott while running with the ball in the second half Sunday.
(Seth Wenig / Associated Press)
Informed that Nacua was shown on television soon after vomiting in a trash can on the Rams’ sideline, Williams feigned outrage, exclaiming as he giggled, “Why would they show that on TV? That’s terrible.”
Stafford smiled when talking about how Giants cornerback Adoree’ Jackson told him after the game he was convinced he was going to return Stafford’s pass to Nacua for a touchdown.
“So it was almost a touchdown for somebody,” Stafford said.
While McVay recalled the details of the narrow victory, team spokesman Artis Twyman stood nearby looking as if the game had aged him 20 years.
“What about f— me?” McVay said with a hearty laugh.
Why not laugh?
This miracle journey, one only they believed they’d make, is continuing. The Rams are returning to the playoffs.
Infinix is gearing up for the launch of its latest offering, the Infinix Smart 8, in the Indian market. The smartphone, which was launched recently in Nigeria, is expected to come with a distinctive timber-textured back panel. The smartphone is expected to be available in three colour variants.
One of the standout features of this smartphone is expected to be the camera module, which showcases a unique ring flash. The device is likely to come with a 50MP dual AI camera. This is expected to be accompanied by an 8MP selfie camera with an LED flash.
For convenience and security, the Smart 8 is expected to have a side-mounted fingerprint sensor.
A noteworthy addition to the Smart 8 could be the Magic Ring, a dynamic and expandable notch feature. According to the company, the Magic Ring facilitates various functions such as face unlock, background call management, charging animations, and charge completion reminders, offering users a personalized touch and added convenience.
News / Photos / Lifestyle / Inside Dua Lipa’s India vacation album featuring safari rides and temple visits: I feel lucky to end my year here
Published on Dec 31, 2023 08:18 PM IST
Dua Lipa visited India to spend her year-end holiday with her family. Today, she shared new pictures and thanked the people of India for their hospitality.
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Published on Dec 31, 2023 08:18 PM IST
Dua Lipa arrived in India to enjoy a year-end vacation with her family. The three-time Grammy winner travelled around Delhi and Jodhpur, Rajasthan, and even shared pictures from the holiday with her millions of fans on social media. The family’s vacation album showed them visiting historical monuments in these places. Scroll down to check out some snippets. (Instagram)
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Published on Dec 31, 2023 08:18 PM IST
During the safari visit, the Houdini singer wore a yellow kurta featuring a red embroidered pattern of Hindu gods and flowers, full-length sleeves, side slits, a bandhgala neckline, and a relaxed fitting. She teamed the top with distressed denim shorts, open locks, glowing blushed skin, and gold hoop earrings. (Instagram)
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Published on Dec 31, 2023 08:18 PM IST
The One Kiss singer wrote, “I feel so beyond lucky to end my year here in India. Thank you to all the wonderful people here who have shown us so much love, kindness, hospitality and generosity. This experience has been deeply meaningful. I feel lucky to be in and within the magic with my family where we have had the time to explore, regroup, recharge and restart. Ready for the year ahead. What a joy [yellow heart].” (Instagram)
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Published on Dec 31, 2023 08:18 PM IST
Today, Dua posted a set of new pictures from her time in Rajasthan that showed her enjoying tea inside a camp, going on a safari, spotting a tiger, watching a traditional dance performance, posing with an elephant, visiting a temple, riding a horse, and more. She even penned a heartfelt note for India and the people who showed her and her family ‘love, kindness and hospitality’. (Instagram)
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Published on Dec 31, 2023 08:18 PM IST
Earlier, she had shared another post after arriving in India with her family. She had captioned it, “Happy Holidays from me to youuuuu [heart emoji] sending love, light, health, and happiness for the year ahead x.” (Instagram)
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Published on Dec 31, 2023 08:18 PM IST
Meanwhile, when Dua visited Delhi, she went to the Humanyu’s Tomb and Bangla Sahib Gurudwara. Her father, Dukagjin Lipa, shared the photos on Instagram with the caption, “The Indian journey starts at New Delhi.” The first click shows the family posing at the historical monument and another snippet from inside the Gurudwara.(Instagram)
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Here, the first picture shows the singer with her siblings and the second shows her striking a goofy pose with her mom, Anesa Lipa. (Instagram)
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Published on Dec 31, 2023 08:18 PM IST
Meanwhile, Dua Lipa was last seen in India when she made her debut performance in the country back in November 2019. (Instagram)
As 2023 comes to a close, could 2024 be the year of the next James Bond announcement?
Considering the three-year gap between the release of Pierce Brosnan’s Die Another Day (2002) and the casting of Daniel Craig (2005), will it be the same after No Time To Die (2021), which is on ITV1 this evening?
Of course, following on from a Bond who died is going to be a real challenge for whoever takes up the Licence to Kill next.
And according to Ladbrokes, Bridgerton hunk Regé-Jean Page continues to be a favourite with odds of 5-1.
Just ahead of him on 4-1 is Happy Valley’s James Norton, while Snowfall’s Damson Idris is on 9-2.
Henry Cavill, who was runner-up to Daniel Craig in the 2005 Casino Royale auditions, is on 7-2.
However, he may be too famous and too old now (over 40) for the Bond role, and let’s not forget he’s about to play another spy in Argylle.
Meanwhile, the next Bond odds frontrunner continues to be Aaron Taylor-Johnson on 47-25, following rumours of secret meetings with producer Barbara Broccoli.
The bookies’ Bond race should be taken with a pinch of salt, but you never know.
Our best bet would be for a new 007 announcement in late 2024 with an actor, director and title for release in 2025.
FordAustralia has instructed its dealer network to stop the sale and delivery of the remanufactured Ford F-150, after several vehicles presented with a turbocharger fault related to the remanufacturing process.
It’s understood three examples of the remanufactured F-150 have presented with the turbocharger issue.
While Ford hasn’t officially confirmed the exact fault, we understand it’s an issue with the right-hand side turbocharger hose collapsing, which then causes the vehicle to go into a limp mode.
Thai-based RMA Automotive was contracted by Ford to perform right-hand drive conversions for the brand as part of the project to bring the Ford F-150 to Australia. It’s the first time RMA Automotive has performed left-hand to right-hand drive conversions.
Sold globally as a left-hand drive only vehicle, the Ford F-150 is remanufactured in Australia by RMA Automotive under the supervision of Ford Australia.
Other brands that sell remanufactured pickup trucks endorsed by their parent companies in Australia include Ram, Chevrolet, and Toyota, all of whom use Walkinshaw Automotive for the conversion process.
A Ford Australia spokesperson issued the following statement:
“Out of an abundance of caution Ford Australia has placed a temporary hold on F-150s that are on their way to dealers or in dealer stock, after three re-manufactured vehicles presented with a turbo-charger related concern.”
“Customers who have taken delivery can continue to drive their vehicle. We are committed to delivering the highest quality vehicle for our customers, and are working quickly to investigate and resolve the issue.
“We understand the inconvenience it will cause those who are waiting for their vehicle to be delivered and we thank them for their patience.”
CarExpert has spoken with three customers who have cancelled orders after continuous delivery delays, and being kept in the dark about what is going on with their vehicles.
Toyota, which is also in the process of converting left-hand drive Tundras to right-hand drive, has taken a more conservative approach – with the first 300 remanufactured pickups being offered to customers on a one year, customer-funded R&D lease.
Customers must then return the vehicles to Toyota before the brand decides if it will proceed with mass, unrestricted remanufacturing.
MORE: Everything Ford F-150 MORE: Ford F-150 price and specs
The Bitcoin price continues to consolidate within the predetermined region, suggesting the token could continue to exhibit a repetitive price action. As the year-end trade is on the horizon, the star crypto is believed to maintain a sideways trend, as the upcoming spot Bitcoin ETF is expected to have a greater impact than the yearly close. With this, the BTC price heads towards a decisive phase wherein a minor drop may change the direction of the price movement.
The flagship crypto in the long term continues to trade under the bullish influence, but in the short term, the price flashes the possibility of an interim pullback. The candles have been compressed, suggesting the activity of bulls and bears, which has been compelling the price to trade in a narrow range. These ranges can be considered extremely important, as a huge number of BTC addresses hold a significant amount of tokens at the resistance and support zones.
As per the data provided by the analyst, Ali, Bitcoin is positioned between two critical supply walls. The support zone falls between $41,200 and $42,400, where 1.92 million addresses hold nearly 723,500 BTC. Besides, the resistance zone is between $42,500 and $43,750, with 1.67 million addresses holding 706,400 BTC. Therefore, the analyst believes that a sustained close beyond these bounds will help gauge BTC’s trend.
Collectively, the trend suggests a bullish breakout could be imminent, but the drop in volume and the bullish activity may hinder the progress of the rally for a while. However, the price could further follow a fine rebound to maintain a healthy upswing.
“A breakout above resistance may propel BTC towards $47,600, while a dip below support might lead to a correction down to $38,600,”
International students from India to the US increased 35 per cent, reaching an all-time high of 2,68,923 in 2022/23. India has also surpassed China to become the largest host of international graduate students in the US for the first time since 2009/10.
The number of Indian graduate students soared, increasing 63 per cent to 1,65,936 students, an increase of nearly 64,000 students compared to last year. In addition, there was a 16 per cent uptick in the number of undergraduates.
India remains the leading place of origin for international students pursuing Optional Practical Training (OPT), with a modest increase of 1 per cent, according to 2023 Open Doors Report, an annual statistical survey on international students in the US.
China and India remain the two leading places of origin among international students at US colleges and universities. 53 per cent of all international students in 2022/23 were from China and India, comparable to the the previous year.
Market share
However, the market share for each place of origin has shifted, with 27 per cent of students from China and 25 per cent of students from India (compared to 33 per cent from China and 18 per cent from India in 2017/18), the data show.
The number of students staying in the US to gain practical work experience after graduation on OPT grew by 8 per cent to 198,793 students in 2022/23. The growth in 14,034 students on OPT is likely driven by the strong rebound of graduate students last year and ended the two years of declines among students pursuing OPT amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
As the incoming classes of new international students, particularly graduate students, continue to grow post-pandemic, the number of OPT students should also continue to increase in the future.
The majority of leading places of origin experienced rebounds, with 23 of the top 25 places of origin increasing and 14 returning to pre-pandemic enrollment levels. Furthermore, 8 of the top 25 reached all-time highs: Bangladesh, Colombia, Ghana, India, Italy, Nepal, Pakistan, and Spain, the data show.
The total number of international students, including both enrolled and OPT students, surpassed 1 million and rebounded to near pre-pandemic levels, with 1,057,188 international students at US higher education institutions in 2022/23. The 12 percent growth in 2022/23 is the fastest international student growth rate in more than 40 years (+12 per cent in 1978/79).
The year-on-year growth of 108,000 international students studying at U.S. higher education institutions was the largest in Open Doors history.
Open Doors 2023 continued to include international students enrolled at US higher education institutions in the United States and online from abroad and those OPT. Approximately 95 per cent of students were located physically in the United States to pursue their studies. International student representation increased to 6 percent of the total US higher education population, the data showed.
A vibrating pill has shown promise in early studies as a possible obesity treatment.
Developed by engineers at MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), the capsule is intended to be swallowed prior to eating in order to “trick” the brain into thinking the body is full — thereby reducing the amount of calories consumed.
The vibrations activate the “stretch receptors” that detect satiety after eating, sending a signal to the brain that the stomach is full even if it’s not.
OZEMPIC AND WEGOVY WEIGHT LOSS DRUGS COULD HELP REDUCE ALCOHOL USE DISORDER SYMPTOMS, STUDY SUGGESTS
In a study published in the journal Science Advances on Dec. 22, researchers revealed that animals who swallowed the pill 20 minutes before eating consumed 40% less food than those who weren’t given the pill, according to a press release from MIT.
They also gained weight more slowly.
A new vibrating pill developed by MIT engineers could soon serve as an alternative to treating obesity.(Courtesy of researchers, MIT News)
“For somebody who wants to lose weight or control their appetite, it could be taken before each meal,” said lead author Shriya Srinivasan, PhD, a former MIT graduate student who is now an assistant professor of bioengineering at Harvard University, in the press release.
“This could be really interesting in that it would provide an option that could minimize the side effects that we see with the other pharmacological treatments out there,” she also said.
The capsule, which is about the size of a multivitamin, includes a small oxide battery.
EXPERIMENTAL WEIGHT LOSS DRUG COULD HELP TREAT FATTY LIVER DISEASE IN PEOPLE WITH OBESITY, STUDY FINDS
After it’s swallowed, stomach acids dissolve the casing of the pill and the vibrating motor is activated.
The vibrations then activate the receptors that stimulate the vagus nerve, which sends a signal of fullness to the brain.
In the animal study, this triggered the production of insulin as well as the same hormones that are created after eating to a state of fullness. It also reduced levels of ghrelin, the hormone that creates feelings of hunger.
“The key is that it’s going to be a smart pill that AI can regulate and can send signals back to a computer that are then analyzed, to try to figure out how much to make it vibrate,” Dr. Marc Siegel (shown above) said.(Fox News)
“We have the potential to overcome some of the challenges and costs associated with delivery of biologic drugs by modulating the enteric nervous system,” said senior author Giovanni Traverso, an associate professor of mechanical engineering at MIT and a gastroenterologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, in the release.
The hope is that the vibrating pill could one day serve as an alternative to other approaches — including invasive surgeries and expensive injectable medications — for people who don’t have success in controlling obesity through diet and exercise, doctors say.
Approximately 30.7% of U.S. adults are overweight and 42.4% are obese.
“For a lot of populations, some of the more effective therapies for obesity are very costly. At scale, our device could be manufactured at a pretty cost-effective price point,” said Srinivasan.
“I’d love to see how this would transform care and therapy for people in global health settings who may not have access to some of the more sophisticated or expensive options that are available today.”
The researchers aim to test the capsules in human clinical trials in 2024.
Fox News Digital reached out to the MIT researchers for additional comment.
The capsule, which is about the size of a multivitamin, includes a small oxide battery. After it’s swallowed, stomach acids dissolve the casing of the pill and the vibrating motor is activated.(Courtesy of researchers, MIT News)
Dr. Marc Siegel, clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center and a Fox News medical contributor, joined “America’s Newsroom” on Dec. 29 to share his thoughts about the capsule, which he called “fascinating.”
“The key is that it’s going to be a smart pill that AI can regulate and can send signals back to a computer that are then analyzed, to try to figure out how much to make it vibrate,” Siegel said on the Fox News program.
WHAT IS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)?
“It stays in your stomach for four to five days and then it passes and you could replace it with another one.”
Siegel compared the pill to injectable semaglutides such as Wegovy and Ozempic.
“Those medications also slow emptying of the stomach and actually have the same effect, but they also improve insulin and glucose management and they stop your brain from wanting to eat,” he said.
Obesity can increase the risk of stroke, heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and even cancer, according to medical experts. (iStock)
Given those extra benefits, Siegel said that Ozempic and Wegovy have a “metabolic advantage” over the vibrating pill, but noted that not everyone can tolerate those medications due to side effects.
“This could very well be an alternative,” he said. “I think it’s exciting and I think it’s on the road to smart pill technology for 2024.”
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In the U.S., approximately 30.7% of U.S. adults are overweight, 42.4% are obese and 9.2% have severe obesity, according to the National Institutes of Health.
“If you gain weight, [it] increases the risk of stroke, heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and even cancer,” Siegel told Fox News.
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“Those are huge reasons to get people exercising, eating right and getting the weight off.”
For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health.
Melissa Rudy is health editor and a member of the lifestyle team at Fox News Digital.
Imagine paying thousands of rupees for an air ticket, only to be served food infested with worms. This unfortunate incident occurred during a recent IndiGo flight from Delhi to Bombay. Kushboo Gupta, a professional dietitian, shared a video on Instagram, showcasing the condition of the sandwich she was served. In the video, Khusboo can be heard criticising the food quality provided by IndiGo. She also mentioned that upon discovering the worm in her sandwich, she informed the staff. But even after that, the same contaminated sandwiches were distributed to other passengers as well. In response to the incident, IndiGo issued an official statement, extending apologies to the affected passenger and assuring the public that the matter is currently under examination. Also Read: Man Allegedly Finds Cockroach In Vistara Flight Meal; Airline Says, “It’s Roasted Ginger”
Take a look at Kushboo’s video below:
In the detailed caption of her Instagram video, Kushboo Gupta wrote, “I will lodge an official complaint via email soon. But as a Public Health professional, I want to know despite knowing the quality of the sandwich was not good and informing the flight attendant prior, she still continued to serve sandwiches to other passengers. There were kids, elderly and other passengers …. What if anyone catches an infection? A polite note or informing the Passengers would have saved them from eating the sandwich. I immediately rushed or conveyed to her after consuming one bite but all she said ‘I will replace it with some other thing. I will bring it to the department notice and later come with a goodie,’ which I refused to take. I didn’t want to create a panic situation … but her first action should have been to make other passengers aware so that they make an informed decision about consuming the sandwich or not.” Also Read: Mid-Air Birthday Celebration Of A One-Year-Old Leaves Internet Impressed
“You are trained to save our lives if God forbids anything to happen, but shouldn’t this be included in the same SOP? 1. The quality needs to be questioned 2. Despite having the knowledge of why she served fellow passengers. I brought this issue under consideration to Create awareness … I don’t need any Compensation or Refund …. Just one assurance that passenger health and safety should be your top priority,” Kushboo Gupta added.
Responding to the situation, IndiGo‘s official statement read, “We are aware of a concern raised by one of our customers regarding their experience on flight 6E 6107 from Delhi to Mumbai. We want to emphasize our unwavering commitment to maintaining the highest standards of food and beverage service on board. Upon investigation, our crew had immediately ceased the service of the specific sandwich in question. The matter is currently under thorough examination, and we are working closely with our caterer to ensure appropriate corrective measures are taken. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused to the passenger.”
Have you ever faced food quality issues while travelling by air?
China’s ultimate goal is to deliver a better life for the people, Chinese President Xi Jinping said during his New Year address on Sunday in Beijing to ring in 2024.
“Our children should be well taken care of and receive good education. Our young people should have the opportunities to pursue their careers and succeed. And our elderly people should have adequate access to medical services and elderly care,” Xi pledged.
These issues matter to every family, and they are also a top priority of the government, he stressed. “We must work together to deliver on these issues.”
While pursuing its development, China has also embraced the world and fulfilled its responsibility as a major country, Xi added.
“No matter how the global landscape may evolve, peace and development remain the underlying trend, and only cooperation for mutual benefit can deliver,” said the Chinese president.
Relying on the people
The year 2023 has not been an easy one for China. Despite sluggish global growth, China has navigated economic headwinds and withstood the test of major natural disasters.
“Having weathered the storm, the Chinese economy is more resilient and dynamic than before,” said Xi in Sunday’s address.
“The people are the ones we look to when we fight to prevail over all difficulties or challenges,” Xi stressed.
In the address, he mentioned that in 2023, some enterprises had a tough time, some people had difficulty finding jobs and meeting basic needs, and some places were hit by floods, typhoons, earthquakes or other natural disasters.
“All these remain at the forefront of my mind,” he said.
Looking to the future, Xi urged efforts to steadfastly advance Chinese modernization, fully and faithfully apply the new development philosophy on all fronts, speed up building the new development paradigm, promote high-quality development, and both pursue development and safeguard security.
The Chinese president also vowed continued support for Hong Kong and Macao to harness their distinctive strengths, better integrate themselves into China’s overall development, and secure long-term prosperity and stability.
“China will surely be reunified, and all Chinese on both sides of the Taiwan Strait should be bound by a common sense of purpose and share in the glory of the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation,” he added.
Making the world a better place for all
The Chinese president said in his New Year address that conflicts are still raging in some parts of the world.
“We will work closely with the international community for the common good of humanity, build a community with a shared future for mankind, and make the world a better place for all,” said Xi.
The China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) provides a platform for building a community with a shared future for mankind through diverse, high-quality cooperation.
Under the BRI, China has signed more than 200 documents on cooperation with over 150 countries and in excess of 30 international organizations. From 2013 to 2022, the cumulative value of trade between China and BRI countries reached $19.1 trillion, with an average annual growth rate of 6.4 percent.
At the bilateral and multilateral level, China has built communities of shared future with an increasing number of partners in different forms. The China-proposed Global Development Initiative and Global Security Initiative have gained support from over 100 countries, and the Global Civilization Initiative has also been well received.
(Cover: A woman airs chilies at a village in Ji’an City, east China’s Jiangxi Province, December 29, 2023. /CFP)
Alrededor de las 10:30 p. m. de un miércoles reciente, en un parque de patinaje en el centro de la ciudad, debajo de la Interestatal 95 en Miami, cuatro luchadoras entraron al cuadrilátero: Bingo, Midnight Player, Rina Yamashita y Stray Cat.
Más de 1000 personas, incluidos hombres con gorras de béisbol y camisetas de los Delfines de Miami y una mujer que sostenía un perro pequeño, rodearon las barricadas de metal alrededor de la plataforma. Gritaron mientras las luchadoras ocupaban sus lugares. El olor a marihuana y a los gases de escape de los automóviles de la carretera de arriba llenaba el aire.
Stray Cat, vestida con látex negro y una máscara de inspiración felina, se enfrentó primero a Bingo, un personaje parecido a una arlequina vestida con un traje blanco cubierto de diamantes negros.
“¡Stray Cat! ¡Stray Cat! ¡Stray Cat!”, coreaba el público, alentando al personaje cuyo nombre en inglés significa “gata callejera”.
Bingo se abalanzó hacia adelante, extendiendo el brazo y el pulgar hacia abajo. Stray Cat levantó su pierna en el aire y pateó a Bingo en el pecho, causando que la luchadora se retorciera. Stray Cat agarró el brazo de su oponente, lo giró alrededor de su espalda y le aplicó una llave a la cabeza.
Se trataba de Sukeban, una nueva liga de lucha libre femenina con luchadoras japonesas, la primera de su tipo en Estados Unidos.
Es una de las muchas ligas dedicadas a la lucha libre femenina japonesa, donde las atletas a menudo realizan golpes teatrales y contundentes y defensas inteligentes mientras cuentan una historia con sus movimientos y disfraces. Sukeban pone especial énfasis en la moda, y diseñadores de renombre, entre ellos Olympia Le-Tan, fundadora de la liga y su directora creativa, ayudaron a producir el vestuario y los accesorios con la esperanza de atraer a un público no familiarizado con el deporte.
En el evento, estuvo presente Bull Nakano, la comisionada de la liga y luchadora profesional retirada que hizo carrera en Japón.
“Luché durante muchos años”, dijo a través de un traductor, “y me siento honrada de ser actualmente parte de esta transformación de la lucha libre profesional femenina japonesa hacia una forma más artística y entretenida”.
Antes del evento, que fue promocionado como el primer Campeonato Mundial de Sukeban y se llevó a cabo durante la Semana del Arte de Miami, los asistentes exploraron un mercado al estilo de Tokio. Bebieron cerveza Orion, comieron palomitas de maíz y rodearon el cuadrilátero anticipando los seis combates de lucha de la noche.
En el evento participaron 18 luchadoras que compiten profesionalmente en Japón. Fueron agrupadas en cuatro facciones: The Vandals, Cherry Bomb Girls, Dangerous Liaisons y The Harajuku Stars. Las atletas, cada una de las cuales encarna un personaje con una personalidad específica, lucharon entre sí usando sus disfraces, gestos y expresiones faciales para contar una historia del bien contra el mal, explicaron los organizadores.
En japonés, el término sukeban se refiere a una “chica delincuente” o “líder de una pandilla de chicas” y el nombre de la liga es un guiño a las pandillas femeninas de las décadas de 1960 y 1970 que ayudaron a poner el feminismo en primer plano en Japón.
Le-Tan dijo que la misión de la liga era llevar a Estados Unidos un deporte que había sido popular en Japón durante años, particularmente en las décadas de 1980 y 1990.
“Estas jóvenes iban a ver a las luchadoras y se inspiraban, y colgaban afiches de ellas en su habitación”, dijo Le-Tan, y agregó: “Eso es lo que queremos ofrecerle a la generación actual”.
Los organizadores planean organizar combates en todo Estados Unidos. El primer evento de la liga, celebrado en la ciudad de Nueva York en septiembre, se agotó y está previsto llevar a cabo otro en Los Ángeles en marzo.
Artistas importantes han creado estilos memorables para los combates. Le-Tan, que tiene su propia línea de accesorios y artículos para el hogar y ha trabajado con Marc Jacobs, diseñó los vestuarios. Stephen Jones, un sombrerero británico entre cuyos clientes se encuentran Lady Gaga y la princesa Diana, hizo los tocados. Marc Newson, un diseñador industrial australiano representado por la Galería Gagosian de Nueva York, creó el cinturón de campeonato.
Isamaya Ffrench, una maquillista que ha trabajado con marcas como Thom Browne y Off-White, creó estilos para cada personaje. Se enfocó en resaltar las personalidades de cada una de las luchadoras. “Todo fue en gran medida una respuesta orgánica a la ropa”, dijo.
Entre combates, la luchadora Crush Yuu dijo que estaba tan emocionada de participar en Sukeban que había renunciado a su último equipo para unirse a la liga.
Dijo que veía al sukeban como una oportunidad para una colaboración entre las culturas japonesa y estadounidense, así como una oportunidad para mostrar al público estadounidense la lucha libre femenina profesional. Se sentía particularmente alentada por la cálida respuesta del público en Miami.
“El público estadounidense me dio más confianza de la que normalmente tengo cuando salgo al cuadrilátero”, dijo, a través de un traductor, y agregó: “Y eso contribuye a mi creciente amor por Estados Unidos”.
A medida que se acercaba la medianoche y el sonido de los fanáticos vitoreando rebotaba en la carretera interestatal que pasaba por encima, Ichigo Sayaka y Commander Nakajima subieron al cuadrilátero para la lucha por el campeonato.
Mientras Sayaka hablaba con el réferi, Nakajima se deslizó detrás de ella, agarró a su oponente por la parte posterior de la rodilla y la arrojó al suelo. El réferi se inclinó sobre la lona, golpeó el suelo tres veces y declaró vencedora a Nakajima.
Bull Nakano subió al cuadrilátero para entregarle a la luchadora el cinturón del campeonato.
“Damas y caballeros, gracias por acompañarnos esta noche”, exclamó un locutor. “¡Esto es Sukeban!”.
JAMA Network study evaluates current attitudes toward individuals with acne with a call for pharma companies to focus efforts on helping to overcome these stigmas.
Currently, little is known about the magnitude of stigmatizing attitudes toward individuals with acne. In a recent study published by the JAMA Network, researchers aimed to explore the degree of stigma toward individuals with acne and whether these attitudes vary based on characteristics of the individuals with acne or of the survey participants. In order to find an efficient answer, the authors employed a cross-sectional internet survey using digitally enhanced portraits to assess stigmatizing attitudes, recruiting a total of 1357 respondents in the US, with a focus on acne-related attitudes.1
To perform the survey, the authors provided four stock portraits of adults who varied in sex and skin tone and who were digitally enhanced to have acne, with one of 12 pictures being presented to participants at random. Answers were evaluated based on the pictured individual, such as desire for social distance and stereotype endorsement.1
The survey found that participants were highly likely to promote stereotypes typically associated with individuals with acne. Specifically, these individuals were more likely to rate those with severe acne as having poor hygiene, being unattractive, unintelligent, unlikable, immature, and untrustworthy. Additionally, stigma was more pronounced for individuals with severe acne and those with dark skin tones.1
According to a recent study published in an EADV Congress press release, the stigma is considerably worse for females with acne issues, with a reported 10% increase in adult acne among women worldwide, which commonly affects the jawline and chin but can appear on any part of the face. In adults, this condition is known to have serious consequences, including a psychological impact, low self-esteem, social isolation, and depression. Despite genetics being the most prominent risk factor, other influences such as stress, hormones, and diet can heighten an individual’s risk of developing acne.2
“With over a decade of experience in the field, I’ve consistently seen that adult female acne leads to more social challenges compared to adolescent acne,” explained Marek Jankowski, MD, in a press release. “The findings therefore reaffirm this. However, what was truly surprising was images depicting generalized acne, covering a larger area with more lesions, received more positive ratings than images featuring adult female acne occurring in the ‘U-zone.’”3
“Treatment needs to focus on improving the quality of life of patients, not just reducing the surface area impacted by the acne. Unfortunately, this is not currently a goal when treating acne, with therapeutic guidelines still advocating for certain treatment modalities based on the number of lesions, irrespective of their location. Unsurprisingly, acne severity scores do not correlate with quality-of-life scores in patients with acne,” Jankowski continued.
The authors of the JAMA study expressed the belief that their findings build on the existing literature demonstrating increased stigmatizing attitudes toward individuals with dermatologic conditions.1
“Our findings expand on understanding of the quality-of-life impairment associated with acne, suggesting that stigmatizing attitudes might result in negative effects on relationships, education, and employment opportunities,” the authors wrote. “There was greater endorsement of stigmatizing attitudes and stereotypes for the image sets picturing acne among individuals with dark skin, suggesting that skin tone might modulate the degree of stigma. Whether this observed difference is secondary to pathophysiologic variation and disease expression across skin tones or due to underlying racism or colorism requires further study. These differences could result in disparities with respect to social and economic outcomes, particularly given differences in access to treatment by race and ethnicity.”
The study concludes by highlighting that it remains vital to address stigmatizing attitudes toward individuals with acne, particularly focusing on severity and skin tone, and suggests pharma companies focus heavier on contributing to overcome these stigmas.
References
1. Evaluation of Stigma Toward Individuals With Acne. JAMA Network. December 6, 2023. Accessed December 8, 2023. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamadermatology/fullarticle/2812215?guestAccessKey=39c38e87-cb87-4f98-a6af-ea7cacac8823&utm_source=For_The_Media&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=ftm_links&utm_content=tfl&utm_term=120623
2. Study reveals significant stigma associated with female adult acne. EADV Congress. October 11, 2023. Accessed December 8, 2023. https://eadvcongress2023.org/study-reveals-significant-stigma-associated-with-female-adult-acne/
3. Uncovering the emotional scars: Study reveals significant stigma associated with female adult acne. EurekAlert. News release. Published October 11, 2023. Accessed December 14, 2023. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1003675
Cats are curious creatures that have many behaviors that we must study to understand, as they are not natural human ones. One such behavior is something called cat bunting. In short, cat bunting is when a cat places or butts their head on a human, object, or other animal. They often finish the behavior by rubbing their forehead and cheeks on the bunting subject.
So, what exactly is cat bunting, and why do cats participate in such behavior? These are great questions that we aim to answer for you here. Read on!
What Exactly Is Cat Bunting?
Cat bunting is a common action among all cat breeds. You know when your cat is “bunting” if they press their forehead against your body (usually your own head) and then carefully rub their forehead and cheeks against you. Cats are also known to bunt other cats and dogs in their household as well as things like furniture and walls. There are a few different reasons for this behavior, all of which have everything to do with nature and instincts.
Now for a little anatomy lesson. Cats have scent glands on various parts of their body, including the top of their head, cheeks, lips, and tail. These scent glands secrete pheromones which are natural messengers to other cats and animals. Pheromones can be used to create a calming sensation, convey identification information, and claim territory or individuals. These scent glands are one of the main components behind cat bunting.
Image Credit: Lightspruch, Shutterstock
Reasons Why Cats Practice Head Bunting
There are multiple reasons that cats “bunt” their heads and rub their cheeks against people, animals, and objects. None of them are harmful or aggressive. Instead, the reasons are interesting and even endearing.
1. Bonding
Cats will engage in bunting behavior to bond with their companions. This is more so a behavior that is intended to let you know that you have been accepted as part of your cat’s group or “feline family.” It’s bonding in a sense but it goes further than that. Once you have become part of the trusted family, you have a responsibility to participate in the various behaviors that are natural in the feline kingdom—or at least, your cat thinks that you do!
Image credit: lenina11only, Shutterstock
2. Social Ranking
Cats tend to bunt those in their group as a way of creating a social hierarchy. The dominant cat of the group will bunt the other cats to spread their pheromones to the whole group. This helps create a group scent, so any other animals around know that all the cats in the group belong, work, and protect together. Bunting also makes sure all the cats in the group know who the “boss” is. Other cats in the group may bunt each other to help create a functional social ranking that helps keep the peace and stave off serious confrontations.
3. Marking Behavior
Another reason that a cat might engage in bunting is to mark territory. They typically do this to objects like furniture and clothing. They’re trying to make sure other animals know that they have been there and are indicating to cats and humans in their group that the area is safe. It’s not so much to territorially mark objects, but it’s more like leaving behind “news” that the cat doing the bunting has been there. It’s a way of spreading their pheromones and making sure others catch wind of said pheromones whenever they get close.
Image Credit: Caterina Trimarchi, Shutterstock
4. Scent Sharing
Cats will bunt their human and animal companions to share their scent. They hope that their scent will be spread and shared with other beings in the surrounding area. It helps create a sense of community and balance for all group members involved and helps stave off other groups that could be trying to encroach on their territory. Scent sharing is common in households with multiple cats living in them and communal places like boarding centers and humane societies.
How Should You Respond to Your Cat’s Head Bunting?
You can respond to your cat’s head bunting in various ways, but you should never do so negatively. You may gently “bunt” your kitty back, give them a few pets, or pick them up and cuddle with them. Maybe playing a game is the response that your kitty is looking for. Whatever your chosen response, pay attention to how your kitty responds in return.
Once you figure out what responses your cat likes the best, you can respond in those ways whenever bunting comes into play. Always pay attention to how other animals react to a cat’s bunting, especially when dogs are the subject of such behavior. If aggression is the response, it is important to take steps to train the animals in how to interact with each other or separate the animals if necessary, especially when they are not being supervised.
Conclusion
Cat bunting is not usually a harmful or aggressive behavior. If your cat bunts you, chances are that they’re just letting you know that you are accepted as a part of their group, or they are trying to communicate with you. Whatever the reason for your cat’s bunting behavior, there should be no reason to worry unless it causes problems with other animals in your home.
Property registrations in Mumbai in December rose about a third on year, the second highest level in 11 years, while revenue collections increased 4 per cent yearly, state government data showed.
The city registered around 12,500 units in December; the stamp duty collected was ₹952 crore. Sequentially, registrations were up 28 per cent and revenue up 34 per cent.
Homebuyers in Mumbai continue demonstrating confidence in the property market, buoyed by stable demand and an enhanced positive sentiment. Property consultant Knight Frank said this optimism has resulted in a significant surge in Mumbai property registrations.
Read: Mumbai property registrations a tad under 10,000 in November
The increase can be attributed to rising income levels and a favourable perception towards homeownership, it added.
In 2023, property registrations at 1.27 lakh units are the best since 2013, data from Knight Frank showed. This was also 4 per cent higher than last year. The total value of stamp duty collected during the year was close to Rs 11,000 crore, up by over a fifth on the year.
The considerable growth in revenue can be credited to various factors, including the registration of properties with higher values and the increased stamp duty rate, said Knight Frank.
“The year 2023 witnessed a remarkable upswing for the city’s real estate market as the city achieved its highest property registrations in 11 years driven by rising income levels, better affordability, and a positive homeownership outlook,” said Shishir Baijal, Chairman and Managing Director, Knight Frank India.
“Notably, a 57 per cent increase in share of high-value property registrations attests to the robustness of the market. Supported by stable interest rate and an increasing preference for bigger and better homes, homebuyer confidence continues to fuel Mumbai’s real estate momentum,” he added.
Pri kreiranju rubrike Index Shopping nastojimo izdvajati odlične proizvode koji se i nama sviđaju te odlične akcije i popuste. Ne objavljujemo proizvode koje i sami ne bismo kupili ili smatramo da njihova promocija nije u skladu s profesionalnim standardima. Neki proizvodi u rubrici Index Shopping mogu biti sponzorirani.
UREĐENJE doma može biti prilično zabavno iskustvo – posebno ljubiteljima uređenja interijera. Razgledavanje ponuda, slaganje Pinterest boardova, stavljanje stvari u košaricu (bilo fizičku ili online) opuštajuće je iskustvo za mnoge, ali konačni iznos često može pokvariti zabavu.
Stoga, idealno vrijeme za kupnju je onda kada cijene padnu, kao npr. sada kada su stigla zimska sniženja u gotovo sve trgovine, pa tako i one za dom. Modna sniženja smo već pokrili, a sada ćemo se fokusirati na komade za dom. Bilo da ste u potrazi za nekom sitnicom ili većim komadom, sada je idealno vrijeme za nabavku.
Mnoge trgovine poput Lesnine, Emmezete, Prime, Manga, Reserveda, Zare i drugih snizile su cijene raznim komadima za dom. Pregledali smo njihovu ponudu i izdvojili deset komada za koje smatramo da se isplate ugrabiti na ovom sniženju.
U Emmezeti nam se prilično svidio ovaj trosjed u nježnoj ružičastoj boji kojem je cijena snižena za 29% pa sada košta 460 eura.
Tepisi znaju biti prilično skupi pa ih se isplati kupiti na popustu. Nama se svidio ovaj marke Dieter Knoll kojem je cijena snižena za 54% pa sada košta 60 eura. Dimenzije su mu 80 x 150 cm, a možete ga naći u Lesnini.
Servis za jelo može biti i jako dobar poklon nekome za useljenje, ali svakom kućanstvu dobro dođe i jedan ekstra. Ovaj 28-dijelni bijele boje našli smo na sniženju u Lesnini, cijena mu je snižena za 37% pa sada košta 75 eura.
U Primi se može naći dosta komada na sniženju, a nama je za oko zapela ova kuhinja blok. Ima 260 cm, a dolazi u krem boji. Idealna je za manje prostore poput apartmana ili vikendica. Cijena joj je snižena za 51% pa sada košta 619 eura.
Tekst se nastavlja ispod oglasa
U H&M-u se može naći dosta manjih komada za dom na sniženju, a mi izdvajamo ovu vješalicu za vrata crne boje. Ovakve vješalice zgodan su način za pohranu ručnika, ali i odjeće. Cijena joj je snižena za 52% pa sada košta 15.99 eura.
Posteljina može biti prilično skupa stavka, a valja imati više setova u ormaru. Idealno za napraviti zalihe je kada je na sniženju. Mi smo ovu našli u Mangu i odmah nas je osvojila, taman je idealna za nadolazeće proljeće. Dolazi u više veličina, a popust ovisi o odabranoj.
Još malo tanjura, ali kad im nismo mogli odoljeti. Ove smo našli u trgovini Reserved, a cijena im je snižena za 35% pa sada koštaju 26 eura. Osim ovog u ponudi imaju različite veličine i namjene tanjura s ovim uzorkom. Baš su divni!
Dobra rasvjeta ključan je detalj kod uređenja doma, a nama se svidjela ova koju smo našli na sniženju u Zara Home trgovini. Inspirirana je svjetiljkama iz 60-ih godina, a ima jednobojnu završnu obradu i šire postolje na dnu. Cijena joj je snižena za 38% pa košta 30 eura.
Isto u Zara Home trgovini, zaljubili smo se u ovaj naslonjač. Krasi ga okvir od jasenova drva, tapecirana lanena tkanina, a cijena mu je snižena za čak 42% pa sada košta 199 eura.
I završit ćemo ovaj popis s blagovaonskom stolicom marke Canett koju smo našli na rasprodaji u internetskoj trgovini Bonami. Cijena ove sive stolice snižena je za 25% pa sada košta 223 eura.
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Clippers coach Tyronn Lue provided some good news Sunday about star forward Kawhi Leonard, who has missed the last four games because of a left hip bruise.
“Kawhi is practicing today,” Lue said before his team gathered for practice. “Yessir.”
Lue was asked if Leonard would be playing Monday against the Miami Heat at Crypto.com Arena.
“We’ll see,” Lue said. “We’ll see tomorrow. Yeah, we’ll see how he comes out of this, but he is practicing today.”
Lue paused for a moment and then added that Leonard was “fully” practicing.
That was a good sign for the Clippers.
They are 2-2 in Leonard’s absence, but the Clippers had won their last two games.
Leonard had played in the first 27 games for the Clippers, once again showing the basketball world his talents.
He is averaging 24.4 points per game and shooting 56% from the field, 42% from three-point range. He was averaging 34.5 minutes per game, his health really not an issue until the hip injury.
With Leonard out, Lue said trying to install new offensive sets during practices “was not good” because his best player was not able to practice.
Even Lue, who said center Mason Plumlee (left knee sprain) was also practicing Sunday, had to laugh.
“Not good yet, because then Kawhi went down,” Lue said. “But with Kawhi back, today is a good time to add a couple of things here and there. But we do have to extend our package offensively, especially when we get down to the end of the season going into the playoffs.
“You have to be able to lean on some different things. You just can’t do the same thing every single night. And, so, if our pick-and-roll game is not going, we got to be able to do something different. If our post-up game is not going, we got to be able to do something different. If our iso-game is not going, we got to be able to do something different. And they understand that. So, now we got to start adding and start getting better offensively.”
The Clippers are now starting to see growth with this group.
There was a time when they lost six straight games after they acquired James Harden.
Then they rolled off nine consecutive wins in December, leading the Clippers to post an 11-2 record in that month. They are 19-12 overall, fourth in the Western Conference standings before play Sunday.
Those ups and downs of a season have taught Lue to develop more “patience.”
“I think being patient has been the biggest thing, but also just being with a good group of guys has been good for me,” Lue said. “There has been a lot of different situations, a lot of lineup changes, different rotations, different sacrifices. But having this group that’s willing to do that and also putting in the work every single day has been good for us.
“And, so, that’s why you can see us getting better each night. We still have a long ways to go, but just continue to keep getting better.”
![The One Kiss singer wrote, "I feel so beyond lucky to end my year here in India. Thank you to all the wonderful people here who have shown us so much love, kindness, hospitality and generosity. This experience has been deeply meaningful. I feel lucky to be in and within the magic with my family where we have had the time to explore, regroup, recharge and restart. Ready for the year ahead. What a joy [yellow heart]." (Instagram)](https://www.hindustantimes.com/ht-img/img/2023/12/31/550x309/Dua_Lipa_2_1704016567767_1704017458277.jpg)
![Earlier, she had shared another post after arriving in India with her family. She had captioned it, "Happy Holidays from me to youuuuu [heart emoji] sending love, light, health, and happiness for the year ahead x." (Instagram)](https://www.hindustantimes.com/ht-img/img/2023/12/31/550x309/Dua_Lipa_6_1704016567808_1704017473064.jpg)
