Mastercard has announced a payment ecosystem allowing buyers and merchants to make and receive payments using stablecoins. The US-based card payment giant teamed up with Seychelles-headquartered OKX crypto exchange to launch a new card, while another partnership with Canadian payment processing firm Nuvie will allow businesses to accept stablecoin payments. Stablecoins are crypto assets that derive their values from underlying reserved assets like a fiat currency – which shields them from extreme market volatility and makes them usable for day-to-day payments.
Tether (USDT) and Circle (USDC) are examples of stablecoins, both of which are pegged to the US dollar and maintain their values in a 1:1 ratio with the US dollar. Mastercard says through its new system, stablecoin settlements will be made available at over 150 million merchant locations globally.
Mastercard Enables Stablecoin Payments via OKX Card
Mastercard said that stablecoins are bringing efficiency and programmability to payments, disbursements, and remittances. It also said that banks and fintech firms are increasingly ramping up their efforts to explore stablecoin-related services.
As part of this ecosystem development, Mastercard users will be able to spend stablecoins via a new OKX card for day-to-day purchases. Users will also be able to convert and withdraw their stablecoins into fiat currencies.
The company also said that through its collaboration with Nuvei and Circle, merchants will be able to receive their payments in stablecoins, “regardless of how a consumer chooses to pay”.
In the past, Mastercard has teamed up with multiple crypto players like MetaMask, Kraken, Gemini, Bybit, Crypto.com, Binance, Monavate, Bleap, and Paxos. Users of all these platforms will be able to tap into this stablecoin ecosystem to explore potential use cases. The aim is to make the use of stablecoins as convenient as the use of cash stored in any bank account, the firm noted.
Earlier this month, Mastercard said it was working with the Kraken crypto exchange to scale up card-based crypto spending across Europe and the UK. In December 2024, the company partnered Floki Inu to launch a debit card enabling crypto spending via cards.
Swoo Pay and 1inch are other Web3 firms that Mastercard has collaborated with in recent years to explore crypto-centric service offerings.
Carmen Aiken of Chicago made an appointment for an annual physical exam in July 2023, planning to get checked out and complete some blood work.
The appointment was at a family medicine practice run by University of Illinois Health. Aiken said the doctor recommended they undergo a Pap smear, which they hadn’t had in more than a year, and testing for sexually transmitted infections. Aiken, who works for a nonprofit and uses the pronoun they, said they were also encouraged to get the HPV vaccine.
They’d tested positive for HPV in 2019 and eventually cleared the virus but had not received the vaccine to prevent future infections.
“Sounds like a good idea,” Aiken, 37, recalled telling the doctor.
They also needed some lab work done, part of routine monitoring for one prescription. After being examined, Aiken said, they were directed to a different part of the office building to get blood drawn and receive the first dose of the vaccine before leaving.
Then the bill came.
The Medical Procedure
Services at Aiken’s appointment included a pelvic exam, a vaccination, and blood work, checking, in part, glucose levels and liver function.
An annual physical exam typically includes a variety of services, many of which insurers are required to cover under the Affordable Care Act, such as reviewing the patient’s health history, screening for high cholesterol, or performing a Pap smear, a procedure to check the cervix for signs of cancer.
Updating immunizations is also a common, covered service at checkups. The vaccine for HPV, or the human papillomavirus, provides protection against an infection that can cause several types of cancer. Federal health officials recommend being immunized for HPV at age 11 or 12, though the vaccine also can be administered later in life.
The Final Bill
$1,430.13: $1,223.22 for lab services and pathology, plus $206.91 for “professional services,” which included a charge for a 40-minute “High Mdm” outpatient visit — indicating a high level of “medical decision-making” — as well as charges for immunization administration and vaccines.
The Billing Problem: Diagnostic Blood Work With a Hospital Price Tag
Not all services that may be provided as part of an annual physical are paid for by insurance as preventive care.
A patient who needs blood work for a specific medical concern — as Aiken did, for medication monitoring — could be required to pay part of the bill. That’s the case even if the blood work is performed during a checkup alongside preventive services. Some health insurers pay for standard blood work as part of a preventive visit, but that’s not always the case.
Aiken had purchased a health insurance plan on the federal marketplace and said they were confident the visit would be covered at no cost to them.
When they got a bill for more than $1,400, Aiken thought, “How did this happen?” They said they called their insurer, BlueCross BlueShield of Illinois, then filed an appeal for the $1,223.22 amount they owed for lab services after their initial inquiry went nowhere. “Surely this is a misunderstanding.”
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But their insurer sided with UI Health’s position that the blood work rendered during the appointment was not preventive. In a letter denying Aiken’s appeal, BlueCross BlueShield of Illinois decided that “the labs were billed correctly as diagnostic.”
Under the plan’s parameters, the insurer determined Aiken remained on the hook for 50% of the cost of outpatient labs performed in a hospital setting.
Dave Van de Walle, a spokesperson for BlueCross BlueShield of Illinois, would not discuss Aiken’s bill with KFF Health News.
Francesca Sacco, a spokesperson for UI Health, said in an emailed statement that Aiken scheduled the appointment for “medication monitoring and to obtain a vaccine.”
“Medication monitoring is not considered a wellness benefit under the Affordable Care Act,” she said.
Sacco also said Aiken’s labs were sent for processing to University of Illinois Hospital, more than a mile away from the family medicine practice.
That left Aiken owing more. Hospitals typically charge much more than physicians’ offices or independent commercial labs for the same tests.
The distinction between a preventive visit and a diagnostic one is important for billing purposes: It dictates who’s on the hook for the bill. A preventive visit generally comes at no cost to patients. But a visit for an ongoing medical issue is usually classified as diagnostic, leaving the patient subject to copays and deductibles — or even charged for two separate appointments.
Patients may not notice a difference in the exam room. Much of that nuance is determined by the medical provider and captured on the bill.
Confusion still persists 15 years after the ACA’s preventive services protections took effect, said Sabrina Corlette, a founder and co-director of the Center on Health Insurance Reforms at Georgetown University.
“This is an outrageous bill for what should have been routine care,” Corlette said. “People just don’t have this kind of money lying around.”
The Resolution
After the insurer denied their appeal, they “fell down a hole into despair about it for a while,” Aiken said.
“And then someone really wise was like, ‘You can pay it and then just stop thinking about it.’”
So that’s what Aiken did: “I put it on my credit card.”
UI Health’s Sacco said the hospital system is committed to working with insurers to resolve cost-sharing disputes.
“However, it is the insurance company’s sole discretion whether a service is fully covered or subject to cost sharing,” she said. “In this case, the insurer determined that cost sharing would be applicable to a specific portion of the services provided to the patient. Based on this determination, the patient was billed accordingly by UI Health.”
The experience left its mark on Aiken. Last year, they said, they walked out of an urgent-care visit after a doctor recommended a Pap smear — fearing they’d incur another large bill.
Aiken ended up paying the bill by credit card.(Jim Vondruska for KFF Health News)
The Takeaway
Delaying or avoiding care can lead to worse outcomes, which is why lawmakers tried to ensure patients generally would pay nothing for preventive services, such as immunizations, under the ACA.
Annual checkups are a key element of preventive care. For instance, most adults who never received the HPV vaccine do not know they are still eligible, so it’s critical to inform them of their options, said Verda Hicks, a gynecologic oncologist based in Kansas City, Missouri.
The vaccine offers protection against nine types of HPV, she said. It also prevents HPV-related cancers in men, so the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends boys receive the immunization, too.
“Get vaccinated,” Hicks said. “We just do not have the same tools for many other cancers.”
Keep in mind that your coverage may vary — some insurance companies won’t cover the cost of the vaccine for some older patients — and the same services may be subject to different cost-sharing rules depending on whether they are conducted for prevention versus diagnosis.
Also, prices can vary depending on where care is delivered and tests are performed. If you need a blood test, ask that your doctor send the requisition to a commercial, in-network lab. Patients may not realize that labs drawn at a clinic may be sent to a hospital for testing, exposing them to greater costs.
There has been a push in Congress to eliminate this price variation through “site-neutral” payment policies. Regardless of location, the price for routine care would be reimbursed at the same amount.
“Site-neutral reforms could potentially have significantly reduced Carmen’s expenses,” said Christine Monahan, an assistant research professor at Georgetown’s Center on Health Insurance Reforms.
Meanwhile, a case before the Supreme Court could upend the health system by eliminating the requirement that insurers cover preventive services like vaccines and annual screenings at no cost to patients. The high court heard oral arguments April 21.
If the justices side with the plaintiffs this term, Georgetown’s Corlette said, “then we all potentially lose access to free, high-value preventive care, and that would be a real shame.”
Bill of the Month is a crowdsourced investigation by KFF Health News and The Washington Post’s Well+Being that dissects and explains medical bills. Since 2018, this series has helped many patients and readers get their medical bills reduced, and it has been cited in statehouses, at the U.S. Capitol, and at the White House. Do you have a confusing or outrageous medical bill you want to share? Tell us about it!
The first match I played of Stadium in Overwatch 2 was a miserable experience. I was stuck in a third-person view that felt terrible and had to scramble to understand the different items you can get and how they impact your abilities. The enemy Soldier 76, however, was able to make his Helix Rocket one-shot me as Juno by the third round; he then proceeded to spend the rest of the match doing just that, while my allies spammed me in chat for not healing more.
By the end of the match, I was ready to dismiss Stadium as another unremarkable side mode for the hero shooter–one I planned to never touch again. Yet I continued to queue, as I wanted to better understand the mode. As I played more matches, I found that the new item builds and faster rounds are quite enjoyable, even if this mode needs far more polish.
What doesn’t work in Stadium
Stadium defaults to a third-person perspective, but you can–and should–swap it back to first-person.
Stadium has a few issues out of the gate that make the onboarding experience feel bad. The first is that the mode is currently only available in competitive mode. On top of that, it doesn’t offer placement matches, instead having everyone start at the same rank and work upwards. As such, initial matchmaking is wildly inconsistent, which is especially concerning in a mode that can snowball. Since you earn currency by playing well, which lets you buy better items, the team that’s winning can quickly start to dominate.
In addition to the mismatched skill levels, it being competitive means the matches are longer and can’t be backfilled if someone quits, and people have been quitting. In the three dozen or so matches I have played, someone has quit in about half of them. In a normal Overwatch competitive match, when someone quits and fails to return in two minutes, everyone on their team can quit without penalty and the match will conclude. If someone leaves prior to the match starting, or before a certain time, it cancels the match.
All of that is true, on paper at least, in Stadium, but the mode is quite buggy, leading to situations where the game fails to recognize when a game should be called off. For example, I had a match where our tank player picked Junker Queen, but never left the spawn area. The game waited too long to boot them, resulting in the match not being canceled, despite us never having a tank. The timer is also buggy too, as it resets at the end of round, and won’t restart until after the Armory buy phase, which lasts over a minute. More often than not, if you don’t want to get punished for leaving, you just have to play it out, as there is no surrender-vote option.
There is a mercy rule, where a team leading 3-0 with a currency lead of 15K or more will automatically win without having to play a fourth round. This also doesn’t always work, as I’ve had matches where the requirements for a mercy rule were met, the in-between rounds loading screen stated that the requirements were met, and yet, a fourth round was played.
The final issue for onboarding is the third-person perspective. According to Blizzard, it defaults to third-person to make it easier to see everything happening in Stadium. Yet Stadium does not feel like it requires being able to see more than regular Overwatch 2, and the third-person shooting feels stiff and strange. Fortunately, you can go into the settings and swap it back; I did and had a much better time. You can also establish Stadium-specific settings, allowing you to pick and choose which characters use which perspectives, and tweak your settings to better fit its third-person perspective. However, without a casual mode, all this adjusting will have to be done during competitive matches or in the training grounds.
What works in Stadium
Stadium features smaller versions of existing maps, and a few new maps like the Gladius Control map.
So after all that, what makes Stadium worth pushing through to experience? For starters, it provides enough new and exciting experiences to be worth playing. The new building system is great, easy to understand once you spend some time with it, and there are tons of options. I appreciate that each hero has powers specific to them that can fit your playstyle.
For example, I enjoy building Ashe to deal high primary-attack damage. This means getting the powers that boost primary-fire damage, like Incendiary Rounds, which provides an extra 30 fire damage if you hit two scoped shots consecutively. After that, I can purchase items that further boost my primary-attack power to really increase the damage my shots do. However, you can also build Ashe to focus on dynamite explosion damage, or to buff B.O.B., Ashe’s robot bodyguard and ultimate ability, so that you can use him more often and he does more damage.
This build system pairs well with heroes being locked from the start of the match. Unlike other modes, you cannot switch heroes during the game. This means that if you get stuck in a bad matchup, like Zarya against D.Va, instead of counter-swapping to a different hero, you must instead focus on building D.Va in a way to make it a more even fight. Swapping heroes mid-match is a huge part of the strategy of the game–even if Blizzard has seemingly taken steps to try and discourage it–but Stadium completely removing this is a breath of fresh air.
Lastly, the shortened versions of each game mode make some of the more tedious ones actually feel fairer and more fun. In Stadium, each round is essentially an abridged version of another mode. Instead of Clash being best of five, it’s best of three, while Push maps are about half the size, and Control is narrowed down to just a single round. The overall match is longer, but you get more variety, and modes that can feel like a stalemate–like Push and Clash–feel better suited to these shorter experiences.
Overwatch 2 Stadium needs a ton of polish and bug fixes before it can be a truly great experience, but the core aspects of the mode are there. The hero-building offers a ton of flexibility and options, the shorter rounds feel better, and having locked-in heroes removes one of the more frustrating aspects of the game. Fewer bugs and a casual playlist for Stadium could make the experience of learning the new mode less miserable, which would encourage more of the playerbase to try it out without having people constantly quitting from matches. The mode also should just default to first-person, with an option to swap to third-person, to make that first match feel less jarring. Stadium feels like it could be a staple of the hero shooter moving forward, if it gets the love and care it needs.
Daily exposure to certain chemicals used to make plastic household items could be linked to more than 356,000 global deaths from heart disease in 2018 alone, a new analysis of population surveys shows.
While the chemicals, called phthalates, are in widespread use globally, the Middle East, South Asia, East Asia, and the Pacific bore a much larger share of the death toll than others — about three-fourths of the total.
For decades, experts have connected health problems to exposure to certain phthalates found in cosmetics, detergents, solvents, plastic pipes, bug repellants, and other products. When these chemicals break down into microscopic particles and are ingested, studies have linked them to an increased risk of conditions ranging from obesity and diabetes to fertility issues and cancer.
Led by researchers at NYU Langone Health, the current study focused on a kind of phthalate called di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), which is used to make food containers, medical equipment, and other plastic softer and more flexible. Exposure has been shown in other studies to prompt an overactive immune response (inflammation) in the heart’s arteries, which, over time, is associated with increased risk of heart attack or stroke. In their new analysis, the authors estimated that DEHP exposure contributed to 356,238 deaths, or more than 13% of all global mortality from heart disease in 2018 among men and women ages 55 through 64.
“By highlighting the connection between phthalates and a leading cause of death across the world, our findings add to the vast body of evidence that these chemicals present a tremendous danger to human health,” said study lead author Sara Hyman, BS, an associate research scientist at NYU Grossman School of Medicine.
According to the authors, the resulting economic burden from the deaths identified in their study was estimated to be around $510 billion and may have reached as high as $3.74 trillion.
In a past study from 2021, the research team tied phthalates to more than 50,000 premature deaths each year, mostly from heart disease, among older Americans. Their latest investigation is believed to be the first global estimate to date of cardiovascular mortality — or indeed any health outcome — resulting from exposure to the chemicals, says Hyman, who is also a graduate student at NYU School of Public Global Health.
A report on the findings is publishing online April 29 in the journal Lancet eBiomedicine.
For the research, the team used health and environmental data from dozens of population surveys to estimate DEHP exposure across 200 countries and territories. The information included urine samples containing chemical breakdown products left by the plastic additive. Mortality data was obtained from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, a research group in the US that collects medical information worldwide to identify trends in public health.
Among the key findings, the study showed that losses in the combined region of East Asia and the Middle East and the combined region of East Asia and the Pacific accounted, respectively, for about 42% and 32% of the mortality from heart disease linked to DEHP. Specifically, India had the highest death count at 103,587 deaths, followed by China and Indonesia. The larger heart death risks in these populations held true even after the researchers adjusted their statistical analysis to take into account population size within the studied age group.
A possible explanation, the authors say, is that these countries face higher rates of exposure to the chemicals, possibly because they are undergoing a boom in plastic production but with fewer manufacturing restrictions than other regions.
“There is a clear disparity in which parts of the world bear the brunt of heightened heart risks from phthalates,” said study senior author Leonardo Trasande, MD, MPP. “Our results underscore the urgent need for global regulations to reduce exposure to these toxins, especially in areas most affected by rapid industrialization and plastic consumption,” added Trasande, the Jim G. Hendrick, MD, Professor of Pediatrics at NYU Grossman School of Medicine.
Trasande, who is also a professor in the Department of Population Health, cautions that the analysis was not designed to establish that DEHP directly or alone caused heart disease and that higher death risks did not take into account other types of phthalates. Nor did it include mortality among those in other age groups. As a result, the overall death toll from heart disease connected to these chemicals is likely much higher, he says.
Trasande says that the researchers next plan to track how reductions in phthalate exposure may, over time, affect global mortality rates, as well as to expand the study to other health concerns posed by the chemicals, such as preterm birth. Trasande also serves as director of NYU Grossman School of Medicine’s Division of Environmental Pediatrics and the Center for the Investigation of Environmental Hazards.
Funding for the study was provided by National Institutes of Health grant P2CES033423. Further study funding was provided by Beyond Petrochemicals.
Trasande has received support for travel or meetings from the Endocrine Society, World Health Organization, the United Nations Environment Programme, Japan’s Environment and Health Ministries, and the American Academy of Pediatrics. He has also received royalties and licenses from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Audible, Paidós, and Kobunsha, and has served in leadership or fiduciary roles at Beautycounter, Ahimsa, Grassroots Environmental Education, and Footprint. None of these activities were related to the current study. The terms and conditions of all of these relationships are being managed by NYU Langone Health.
In addition to Hyman and Trasande, other NYU Langone researchers involved in the study are Jonathan Acevedo, MPH, and Chiara Gianarelli, MD, PhD.
On April 30, 2025 the Supreme Court put a stay on the Delhi High Court’s order to publish CLAT 2025 revised results. Read the official notification here!
The Supreme Court of India has temporarily stayed the implementation of a Delhi High Court order that called for a revision of the CLAT UG 2025 results. This development follows a petition challenging the fairness of that decision, particularly in relation to how different sets of the exam paper were treated.
A Bench led by Justice BR Gavai and Justice Augustine George Masih passed the stay order while hearing a special leave petition filed by Siddhi Sandeep Landa, a top-ranking CLAT candidate.
Landa contended that the High Court’s ruling which directed the Consortium of National Law Universities to re-evaluate answers to four disputed questions created an imbalance in how students from different paper sets were treated.
In the petition, Landa pointed out that candidates who attempted Sets B, C, and D were awarded marks for a question flagged as problematic, regardless of whether they attempted it.
Meanwhile, candidates with Set A- who had the same question framed differently, were left out of this benefit, especially if they had skipped the question due to perceived ambiguity. This, the petitioner argued, resulted in an unfair advantage to some students purely based on the version of the paper they received.
The Supreme Court acknowledged the issue and stayed the High Court’s order, which had previously mandated the Consortium to form an expert committee and consider releasing a revised merit list. The Apex Court also issued a notice to the Consortium, asking for its formal response.
In the meantime, the Bench directed the Consortium to make the existence of the pending case known to the public by updating its website accordingly. The matter is scheduled to come up for further hearing on May 5.
This stay brings temporary relief to students concerned about uncertainty in the admissions process to India’s premier National Law Universities, which admit students based on CLAT UG rankings.
Are you frequently in the habit of swinging by the vending machine to get chips or strolling to the canteen to buy sandwiches while working in office? Especially after lunch, it’s quite a task to brave through the afternoon sluggishness and imminent cravings from the post-meal sugar spike. It’s a vulnerable moment, one where it’s easy to fall prey to ordering unhealthy snacks. Soon, you realise it becomes a habit over time. It’s time you modify your eating habits and embrace smart dietary pairs that help keep your energy high.
It’s easy to binge on unhealthy food while you are working but the long-term repercussions on your health are deadly.(Freepik)
ALSO READ: Bored of makhana as snacks? Refresh it with a nutrient-rich smoothie
In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Srishti Goyal, Consultant Dietitian at Ujala Cygnus Group of Hospitals, shared 5 nutritious snacks that help to keep your energy high.
Here are the snacks Srishti shared, along with nutritional benefits:
1. Nuts and seeds
Nuts and seeds are nutritional powerhouses.(Freepik)
A handful of almonds, walnuts, or sunflower seeds is packed with healthy fats, protein, and fiber, making them an ideal snack to curb hunger and maintain energy. The mix of nutrients helps keep blood sugar levels stable.
2. Greek yoghurt with berries
Greek yoghurt is a great source of protein, which is essential for repairing and building muscles after exercise. Berries provide antioxidants and carbohydrates to help refuel your body.(Pexels)
Greek yoghurt is high in protein, which can help keep you feeling fuller for longer. Pair it with antioxidant-rich berries like blueberries or strawberries for a naturally sweet and satisfying snack.
3. Hummus and veggies
Olive oil used in Mediterranean dishes like Hummus has positive benefits for good health.(Pexels)
Hummus, made from chickpeas, is a great source of protein and fibre. Pair it with carrot sticks, cucumber slices, or bell pepper strips for a crunchy and nutrient-packed snack that will keep your energy steady.
4. Apple with nut butter
Apples slices with peanut butter is a healthy pair.(Pexels)
An apple is rich in fiber and natural sugars, giving you a quick energy boost. Add a tablespoon of almond or peanut butter for a satisfying mix of carbs, protein, and healthy fats that prevent blood sugar dips.
5. Whole-grain crackers with cheese
Opt for whole-grain crackers paired with a slice of cheese. The fiber from the crackers combined with the protein and fat in the cheese makes for a balanced snack that fuels your body and satisfies cravings.
She further added, “Incorporating these snacks into your routine can help keep energy levels up without the need for caffeine or sugary treats. Make them part of your daily workday snacks for consistent energy throughout the day.”
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.
Pfizer will maintain its 2025 financial forecasts for now, but warned Tuesday it can’t predict the impact of any tariffs or trade policy changes the Trump administration might impose on the pharmaceutical sector.
“While we continue to engage and plan for contingencies, we’re focusing day to day on what we can do to move our business forward,” Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said in remarks prepared for the company’s earnings call for the first quarter.
The drugmaker expects to earn between $61 billion and $64 billion in revenue this year, an estimate that doesn’t include any provisional accounting for tariff-related charges. Some of Pfizer’s industry peers, such as Johnson & Johnson and Merck & Co., have shared initial estimates for the expenses they expect to incur as a result of tariffs already announced by the U.S.
Pharmaceutical products are exempt from tariffs President Donald Trump announced April 2 and then later partially paused for 90 days. However, his administration recently began a trade investigation that’s widely expected to result in sector-specific duties on pharmaceuticals, potentially as soon as next month. Trump has hinted levies could range anywhere from 50% to 200%.
The probe, known as a Section 232 investigation, is specifically meant to weigh national security risks, something that Bourla said was the primary concern voiced by administration officials in his conversations with them so far.
“We have had very productive discussions with all the secretaries that are involved,” said Bourla on a conference call Tuesday. “I’m cautiously optimistic.”
“We will work with the administration to make sure that their concern on national security will addressed [in] the best possible way,” he added.
In the meantime, Pfizer has put together an internal team to model possible trade policy outcomes and develop strategies, such as how the company manages product inventory levels, to lessen any impacts.
Broadly speaking, the pharma industry relies on China and India for many of the raw starting materials used in the production of small molecule drugs, as well as for a good share of the active ingredients in those medicines. Many drugmakers also have extensive manufacturing in European countries like Ireland, Switzerland and the Netherlands.
Bourla said he believes the Section 232 investigation will focus on countries “unfriendly” to the U.S., which, if borne out, could suggest less punitive measures on countries like Ireland, where the industry also domiciles much of its intellectual property.
In recent months, many of the largest pharma companies have announced plans for significant investment in U.S. manufacturing, moves that could eventually help reduce their exposure to supply chain risks like tariffs. Eli Lilly, for instance, in February said it would spend $27 billion to build four new U.S. factories at an event attended by Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who oversees the Section 232 probe.
Since then, J&J, Merck, Novartis, Roche, and AbbVie have disclosed plans for U.S. manufacturing investment that will total nearly $150 billion over the next decade.
Pfizer, which has been cutting costs after over-expanding early in the COVID pandemic, hasn’t unveiled a similar target. Speaking on Tuesday’s call, however, Bourla said the company had substantial room in its existing U.S. facilities to expand production.
“We have huge manufacturing capacity right now in the U.S., particularly for everything that is injectable,” Bourla said. “Our ability, if there is a need, is clearly there without the need to build new facilities, just utilize the current ones and transfer production there.”
Overall in the first quarter, Pfizer reported $13.7 billion in revenue, down 8% from the same period last year due mainly to declining sales for the company’s COVID antiviral Paxlovid.
On an adjusted and diluted basis, earnings per share were $0.92, well above consensus Wall Street estimates as Pfizer’s operating costs came in lower than expected.
The company also shared plans to trim a further $1.2 billion in selling, informational and administrative costs by the end of 2027, as well as $500 million in R&D costs, which it plans to reinvest in its product pipeline. Combined with previously announced cuts to spending, Pfizer now expects $7.2 billion in net cost savings by 2027.
Despite significant property price growth across Australia, some Queensland suburbs have seen property values stagnate or even decline over the past decade.
Low or stagnant prices don’t automatically indicate investment opportunities—often these suburbs remain cheap due to underlying structural weaknesses (e.g., limited economic drivers, poor infrastructure).
Long-term property investment success comes from understanding demand fundamentals and market dynamics—not just chasing low prices.
Imagine stepping into a time machine and heading back to 2015.
Petrol was just $1.20 a litre, a decent coffee cost $4, and you could fill a trolley at the supermarket without flinching.
Fast-forward to today and, while inflation has taken a noticeable bite out of our daily budgets, there are still some parts of Queensland’s property market that look like they’ve missed the last decade entirely.
New data from PropTrack reveals a surprising twist: in 16 Queensland suburbs, property prices are now cheaper than they were in 2015.
And in another 125 suburbs, they’ve risen by $150,000 or less, a modest increase in the context of the significant price growth we’ve seen in other parts of Australia over the past ten years.
Now, let’s not pretend this is the norm.
In much of Brisbane and across the state, property values have risen sharply since 2015, driven by population growth, infrastructure upgrades, and lifestyle migration.
But these outliers are worth examining, not necessarily as hot investment spots, but as a lesson in market dynamics and the long-term importance of supply and demand fundamentals.
Brisbane’s affordable pockets: a decade of little change
In Greater Brisbane, the suburb of Brassall in Ipswich stands out as the only one where property prices have actually dropped over the past decade.
Units here now have a median price of $160,654.
That’s cheaper than a new dual-cab ute and far below the city’s average.
And even in some of the more inner-city suburbs, Bowen Hills, Milton, and Fortitude Valley, median unit prices have crept up by less than $50,000 in ten years.
These are areas that were once flooded with investor-targeted apartments, and while that oversupply kept prices flat for a while, that’s unlikely to be the story moving forward.
Why?
Because, as PropTrack economist Anne Flaherty rightly points out, the economics of apartment development have fundamentally changed.
Construction costs are soaring, and developers aren’t rushing to build affordable units anymore.
Most new builds are targeting the premium end of the market, often priced north of $1 million.
So, the surplus we saw a decade ago is now turning into a scarcity, particularly for affordable apartment stock.
House prices holding steady in Logan’s Park Ridge
Interestingly, one of the only suburbs in Greater Brisbane where house prices have remained relatively stable is Park Ridge, in Logan.
Ten years ago, this was predominantly an acreage suburb.
Today, it’s transformed into a hub of new housing estates on smaller lots.
The median house price in Park Ridge is now $753,500—up only $133,500 from 2015.
That’s moderate growth compared to the broader Brisbane market.
Why the stability?
It’s partly due to the change in housing types.
Developers have subdivided the larger blocks into smaller parcels, introducing more affordable housing options and diversifying the demographic base.
In other words, supply met demand, and in doing so, kept a lid on runaway price growth.
Beyond Brisbane: where prices have actually fallen
And it’s not just Brisbane.
Across regional Queensland, there are suburbs where prices have gone backwards:
East Mackay units: down $155,000
South Townsville units: down $125,000
Gladstone Central units: down $125,000
Sunset (Mt Isa) houses: down $102,000
Happy Valley and Townview: also showing declines
These areas tell a different story.
One of oversupply, economic volatility, and limited demand drivers.
They serve as a reminder that not all markets rise equally or sustainably.
Many of these regions are heavily reliant on single industries (like mining), and without diversification, their property markets remain vulnerable to downturns.
The bigger picture: what this means for investors
So what should investors take from this?
Well, first, don’t assume past performance equals future potential.
Some of these areas may look cheap, but they could stay that way for a long time unless significant demand-side factors shift.
Second, these examples underscore the importance of supply-side constraints in driving long-term capital growth.
When you flood a market with uniform dwellings—like we saw in inner Brisbane’s apartment belt or Gladstone during the mining boom—the lack of scarcity hampers price growth.
Third, with affordability becoming a growing issue in our major capital cities, these “forgotten” suburbs might see renewed interest in the years ahead, particularly if infrastructure improves or migration patterns shift again.
But any potential upside would depend on more than just price.
Investors should look closely at employment drivers, demographic trends, and infrastructure pipelines before jumping in.
Final thoughts
While it’s interesting to see that you can still buy property in some Queensland suburbs at near-2015 prices, that doesn’t automatically make them a good investment.
As I always say, these markets are often cheap for a reason.
That said, in a country facing a chronic housing shortage, and with construction economics now favouring high-end development, the pendulum is likely to swing back toward undersupplied, more affordable stock.
And the best opportunities will go to those who understand where demand is heading, not just where prices have been.
About Brett Warren Brett Warren is National Director of Metropole Properties and uses his two decades of property investment experience to advise clients how to grow, protect and pass on their wealth through strategic property advice.
If you’re always on the hunt for new music, chances are you’ve played around with Spotify’s Smart Shuffle. While the concept is great in theory, Spotify’s execution of the shuffling mode is subpar at best. Thankfully, the streaming giant is now finally letting you get rid of it for good, and I couldn’t be happier.
You Can Finally Disable Smart Shuffle in Spotify
As spotted by a Reddit user @kwabb, Spotify quietly added a new option to the Playback settings page. At the very bottom, there’s now an Enable all play modes toggle. By switching the toggle off, you’ll be able to bid farewell to the Smart Shuffle play mode for good.
You can find this setting by tapping your profile picture in the top-left corner of the screen and going to Settings and privacy > Playback.
Another Reddit user, @Jayfuson_wong, reported that he has a slightly different variation of the setting, with a Smart Shuffle toggle appearing under a Listening controls heading.
Spotify launched the Smart Shuffle play mode in 2023, aiming to help music lovers discover new tracks that align with their taste. It takes different factors into account, including what you’re listening to and when, the listening habits of users who share a similar taste in music as you, and the expertise of Spotify’s music specialists, when suggesting you new tracks.
Related
Spotify Generates Playlists for You Every Week: Here Are the Ones to Try
I love Spotify’s weekly playlists, and you should, too.
To use Smart Shuffle, all you need to do is open a playlist of your choice and tap the Shuffle icon twice. Tapping it once enables the standard Shuffle mode, which plays music from your playlist in a randomized order. If you choose not to enable either Shuffle mode, the tracks will play linearly in the order of the playlist. Once you toggle off Enable all play modes, you’ll only have the option to use the standard Shuffle mode.
Smart Shuffle Isn’t Very…Smart
While Smart Shuffle mode’s concept always sounds great in theory, I’ve never used it all that much, even though I listen to music all day, every day, and enjoy discovering new tracks. That’s because Smart Shuffle is, well, not quite smart. I’ve noticed that the same recommendations appear time after time, even though Spotify claims its recommendations are refreshed daily to keep your listening sessions fresh.
Now you might be wondering, what’s the point of disabling Smart Shuffle permanently when you can just ignore it? Well, there have been countless times when I’ve accidentally enabled Smart Shuffle in a hurry. I only realize a few minutes into my jamming session, when a song I’ve been ignoring for days pops up yet again.
With the option to turn it off for good, I no longer have to worry about situations like this. While Spotify’s standard Shuffle mode isn’t great either, and I’ve noticed it tends to play a small handful of songs on loop from the playlist, at least it doesn’t throw in tracks I never asked for.
According to the comments on the Reddit post, it seems like the new setting is still rolling out to users. So, it might take a few days (or even weeks) before it shows up on your device,
<img src='https://news.cgtn.com/news/2025-04-29/The-significance-of-flour-in-Chinese-food-culture-1CLZKIWzKhy/img/c985f71b3fb742ccb8f20da16ea1bb85/c985f71b3fb742ccb8f20da16ea1bb85.jpeg'A Shanxi chef crafts noodles. /CGTN
<img src='https://news.cgtn.com/news/2025-04-29/The-significance-of-flour-in-Chinese-food-culture-1CLZKIWzKhy/img/c985f71b3fb742ccb8f20da16ea1bb85/c985f71b3fb742ccb8f20da16ea1bb85.jpeg'A Shanxi chef crafts noodles. /CGTN
<img src='https://news.cgtn.com/news/2025-04-29/The-significance-of-flour-in-Chinese-food-culture-1CLZKIWzKhy/img/c985f71b3fb742ccb8f20da16ea1bb85/c985f71b3fb742ccb8f20da16ea1bb85.jpeg'A Shanxi chef crafts noodles. /CGTN
<img src='https://news.cgtn.com/news/2025-04-29/The-significance-of-flour-in-Chinese-food-culture-1CLZKIWzKhy/img/c985f71b3fb742ccb8f20da16ea1bb85/c985f71b3fb742ccb8f20da16ea1bb85.jpeg'A Shanxi chef crafts noodles. /CGTN
<img src='https://news.cgtn.com/news/2025-04-29/The-significance-of-flour-in-Chinese-food-culture-1CLZKIWzKhy/img/c985f71b3fb742ccb8f20da16ea1bb85/c985f71b3fb742ccb8f20da16ea1bb85.jpeg'A Shanxi chef crafts noodles. /CGTN
From knife-cut noodles clattering into a boiling pot to delicate hand-pulled threads dancing in steam, Shanxi’s noodle culture is a symphony of texture and tradition. It’s in such situations that China’s time-honored flour-based food culture is brought to life.
As CBS-owner Paramount Global enters mediation this week to resolve President Trump’s $20-billion “60 Minutes” lawsuit, one question looms: How much should the company pay to settle a dispute that 1st Amendment experts have deemed frivolous?
Paramount’s board during an April 18 meeting agreed on parameters for a possible settlement with Trump, according to two people familiar with the discussions who were not authorized to comment.
Mediation sessions begin Wednesday, multiple sources have said, and the company is eager to put the “60 Minutes” controversy behind so that it can move forward with its sale to David Ellison’s Skydance Media.
The New York Times first reported Paramount’s board directors had agreed on settlement terms.
The knowledgeable people said board members acted to provide clear guidance to lawyers who will be representing them during the mediation process. A Paramount representative declined to comment.
Trump filed the lawsuit in Texas last October, alleging CBS deceptively edited a “60 Minutes” interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris in an effort to prop up her election chances.
Early this year, the president doubled the amount of damages he was seeking to $20 billion. His updated lawsuit attempted to steer the case away from 1st Amendment issues and instead claim “60 Minutes” was a fraudulent product that harmed viewers in Texas.
Paramount’s controlling shareholder Shari Redstone has pushed for a settlement to facilitate Paramount’s sale to the family headed by billionaire tech mogul Larry Ellison. Redstone’s apparent willingness to appease Trump has sparked sharp protests within the company.
Last week, Bill Owens, the executive producer of “60 Minutes,” resigned, citing additional corporate pressure over coverage.
On Sunday, veteran CBS newsman Scott Pelley told “60 Minutes” viewers about Owens’ resignation. Pelley disclosed the show had been facing increased corporate oversight because of Paramount’s desire to win the Trump administration’s approval of the Skydance deal.
The Federal Communications Commission must approve the transfer of CBS television station licenses to the Ellison family.
“None of our stories has been blocked,” Pelley told viewers at the end of the broadcast. “But Bill felt he lost the independence that honest journalism requires.”
Redstone, who serves as Paramount’s chairwoman, recused herself from discussions about the settlement, the sources said. She has refrained from voting on certain Paramount matters related to the company’s sale due to a conflict of interest. Her family is expecting $1.75 billion as its part of the proceeds from the sale to Skydance.
Paramount, however, could face legal blowback if it shells out a huge amount to mollify Trump.
Paramount’s lawyers have pushed back against Trump’s arguments and CBS journalists have maintained they did not distort the Harris interview. The raw footage shows she was quoted accurately, although CBS had edited her response by using her most cogent sentence.
CBS has said the edits were made to pare the then-vice president’s interview to a broadcast length.
Board members are cognizant that a huge settlement could be viewed as something of a payoff to the president to move the Skydance merger over the finish line, knowledgeable sources have said.
Amid the controversy, Trump’s dismay with CBS and “60 Minutes” has continued.
He grew angry over two segments that aired in April, stories on the war in Ukraine and Trump’s desire to annex Greenland. Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform earlier this month that he wanted Brendan Carr, his appointee to head the FCC, to “ impose the maximum fines and punishment” on CBS.
Separately, after a long pause, the FCC reached out to Skydance in the last week to begin the merger review process.
While children are told stories about elves and reindeer, the truth is that hundreds of thousands of people work year-round to make sure Christmas feels magical. From factory employees in China stringing lights on artificial trees to dock workers unloading containers of toys, this vast labor force ensures Americans can choose from a wide selection of decorations and gifts each December. But all of that is in peril this year as President Donald Trump’s disruptive tariff policies threaten to halt a big chunk of global trade.
Across almost every industry, businesses that depend on international trade are waiting in agony as Trump’s tariff standoff with China continues. Some are pausing their orders, while others are scrambling to find alternative suppliers. The disruption, which has dragged on for almost a month, is particularly damaging to industries that run on strict seasonal production cycles, such as for holidays like Christmas. “If you miss this sales cycle, you have to wait the entire year. Nobody wants a Christmas tree after Christmas,” says Michael Shaughnessy, senior vice president of supply chains at Balsam Brands, a multinational holiday decor company.
Companies that sell Christmas ornaments, gifts, and toys tell WIRED that April is usually the time when retailers lock in their orders and manufacturing begins. If they can’t start making products soon, they will face a time crunch later in the year, higher shipping rates, and may potentially miss their sales window. As a result, US customers will likely see fewer options on store shelves and be forced to pay more for their usual Christmas purchases this year.
“Things will be more expensive and there will be fewer choices,” says Jim McCann, the founder of 1-800-Flowers, which sells a wide variety of holiday gifts, greeting cards, and food baskets. “Retailers won’t be forced to discount like they have in the past because there’ll be no reason to.”
The Clock Is Ticking
For people in the Christmas business, work starts for next year as soon as the holiday ends. Until recently, this supply chain was a well-oiled machine, with everyone carrying out their duty at the right time of the year, collectively building up to the grand festive finale.
Rick Woldenberg, CEO of educational toy manufacturer Learning Resources, gave WIRED a breakdown of the timeline: Placing orders and having factories manufacture the products takes three months, and then shipping them from China to the US takes another two. That means, if a company is aiming to have its inventory begin arriving at US warehouses by mid-September to begin preparing for the December holiday season, they really need to start working now, in April.
Earlier this month, Woldenberg sued the Trump administration over the tariffs, alleging the president overstepped his authority by introducing such broad import duties. “We are trying to stand up for ourselves and protect our rights,” he says. “We need help now. The sooner the better. We want them to stop.”
Woldenberg predicts that toy store shelves won’t necessarily be empty come Christmas, because retailers may scramble to find discontinued products or other replacements to fill the gap, but they won’t necessarily be the items customers are looking for. “That is when Americans are really going to find out what a terrible idea this has been,” he says. “We had this once-in-a-millennium amazing supply chain, and it’s being torn apart for no reason.”
A group of Abu Dhabi-based institutions on Monday announced plans to launch a stablecoin, pegged to the United Arab Emirates Dirham (AED). The group comprises Abu Dhabi’s ADQ sovereign wealth fund, the First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB), and investment firm International Holding Company (IHC). The stablecoin will be regulated by the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates (CBUAE). The group aims to introduce stablecoins into UAE’s payment ecosystems.
Key Details About the Stablecoin
ADQ announced that the upcoming stablecoin will be promoted as a digital currency that can be used by citizens, consumers, businesses, and institutions. The stablecoin is also expected to support transactions between machines and AI models in the UAE.
“As we move forward towards an increasingly digital and connected economy, [the] stablecoin will provide a solution that is secure, efficient, and scalable, while creating new opportunities for growth and value creation,” said Mohamed Hassan Alsuwaidi, ADQ MD and Group CEO, in a prepared statement.
The token will be supported on the ADI blockchain, developed by an Abu Dhabi-based non-profit firm called the ADI Foundation. The CEO of the firm said that because the ADI blockchain is developed within the UAE, it will ensure security and transparency within the stablecoin ecosystem.
The finance, commerce, and trade industries are projected to be major beneficiaries of this stablecoin. The token is also expected to establish the UAE as an early adopter of stablecoins, which are being subject to regulations in several parts of the world, including the US.
It’s worth noting that the group has yet to announce a timeline of the rollout of this stablecoin.
While Dubai has secured itself as a Web3 hotspot, overseen by the dedicated VARA regulatory authority, Abu Dhabi has also taken various steps to strengthen its foothold in the Web3 arena.
Earlier in March, the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) signed an MoU with Chainlink to enhance Web3 awareness and explore advanced blockchain use cases.
The Abu Dhabi-based sovereign wealth management fund MGX purchased a minority stake in Binance for $2 billion (roughly Rs. 17,403 crore), making it the first second-party stakeholder of what’s touted as the world’s largest crypto exchange.
Bliss Wedding Chapel has earned a reputation as one of the top wedding venues in Las Vegas, offering a range of services designed to make each wedding day as smooth and memorable as possible. Known for its intimate atmosphere and professional staff, the chapel provides various wedding packages tailored to meet the needs of couples looking for everything from a simple ceremony to a more elaborate celebration. But what services does Bliss Wedding Chapel offer to ensure that every couple’s special day goes off without a hitch?
One of the standout features of Bliss Wedding Chapel is its comprehensive wedding packages. These packages are designed to be flexible and customizable, ensuring that couples can choose the elements that best fit their vision for the big day. From basic wedding ceremonies to all-inclusive options that cover photography, flowers, and even transportation, Bliss Wedding Chapel ensures that couples have everything they need to make their wedding day as stress-free as possible. The chapel staff works closely with each couple to help them select the right package, offering guidance and advice along the way.
Bliss wedding chapel also offers officiant services, which is a critical component of any wedding. Couples can rest assured knowing that experienced officiants will be on hand to guide them through their vows, adding a personal touch to the ceremony. Whether couples prefer a traditional ceremony or something more personalized, the officiants at Bliss Wedding Chapel are skilled at accommodating various preferences and styles. The staff can help couples craft vows, choose readings, or incorporate special elements into the ceremony, ensuring that the event reflects their unique personalities and love story.
What services does Bliss Wedding Chapel offer?
For those looking to enhance their wedding experience, Bliss Wedding Chapel offers additional services such as professional photography. With on-site photographers experienced in capturing beautiful, intimate moments, couples can ensure that their wedding memories are preserved in high-quality photos. These photographers understand the importance of each moment, capturing both the big moments and the smaller, more intimate exchanges that make weddings so special. Couples can choose from a variety of photography packages, ranging from a few candid shots to extensive albums that document the entire ceremony and reception.
The chapel also offers floral arrangements, another essential element of any wedding. Couples can choose from a range of floral designs, including bouquets, boutonnieres, and centerpiece arrangements. The flowers are carefully selected to match the couple’s wedding theme, adding a touch of natural beauty to the ceremony and reception. The team at Bliss Wedding Chapel works closely with florists to ensure that the flowers are fresh, vibrant, and perfectly suited to each couple’s preferences.
For couples traveling from out of town, Bliss Wedding Chapel offers limousine transportation services. This service adds an extra touch of luxury and convenience, ensuring that the couple and their guests can travel in style to and from the chapel. Whether couples are arriving for their ceremony or heading to a reception afterward, the limousine service provides a comfortable and memorable travel experience.
In addition to these core services, Bliss Wedding Chapel also offers live streaming options for couples who want to share their ceremony with friends and family who may not be able to attend in person. This service is especially popular for destination weddings, allowing loved ones from all over the world to witness the event virtually.
In conclusion, Bliss Wedding Chapel provides a variety of services designed to make each wedding day as beautiful and stress-free as possible. From officiant services and photography to floral arrangements and transportation, Bliss Wedding Chapel ensures that couples have everything they need to celebrate their love in style. These offerings, combined with the chapel’s stunning location and dedicated staff, make it a top choice for couples looking to create lasting memories on their special day.
Green Man Gaming’s Golden Week Sale is now live, bringing some massive discounts to dozens of games, including a long list of Square Enix RPGs on PC. The lineup includes almost every Square Enix RPG available from the online retailer, including every single-player entry in the Final Fantasy series, along with many of the company’s other popular franchises like Nier, SaGa, Mana, and more. We’ve rounded up all the deals in the list below. Note that to get the full discounts, you need to be part of GMG’s free GMG XP rewards program.
Some of the most enticing deals are those for Square Enix’s flagship franchise, Final Fantasy. Nearly every game in the mainline numbered series is on sale, as are several spin-offs. If you’re looking to catch up on the latest entries in the long-running series, fans can grab the PC versions of the most recent numbered game, Final Fantasy XVI, in a Complete Edition that includes the base game and all DLC for $37.30 (was $70), or the latest entry in the Final Fantasy VII Remake trilogy, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, for $40.17 (was $70). If you haven’t played part 1, you can grab both Final Fantasy VII Remake and Rebirth in a two-pack bundle for $57.39 (was $100).
If you’re looking to play the earliest games in the series, the Final Fantasy I-VI Pixel Remaster Bundle is a great place to start, especially while it’s on sale for $43 (was $75). If you just want to pick up a few of these Pixel Remaster versions instead of the whole pack, you can grab them a la cart as well. GMG’s sale is also a great chance to grab several Final Fantasy spin-off titles, including the Nioh-style action-RPG Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin, the Final Fantasy fighting game Dissidia Final Fantasy NT, and World of Final Fantasy Complete Edition, which is a monster catching RPG filled with fun homages to the entire series. Check the list below to see all the best Final Fantasy deals at GMG.
Editor’s note: This article was updated on April 29, 2025.
All Final Fantasy Deals at GMG
While the Final Fantasy deals are the highlight, Square Enix also has a long list of other great RPGs in its PC catalog, many of which are also part of GMG’s sale. This includes classics like Chrono Trigger, Chrono Cross, Tactics Ogre, and Live A Live, along with numerous entries in other beloved Square Enix series like Nier, SaGa, Star Ocean, and Mana, as well as many of the publisher’s newer titles like Bravely Default II, Octopath Traveler I and II, Harvestella, and more. Just about every Square Enix RPG is discounted, with the only notable exceptions being the Dragon Quest series and the MMO Final Fantasy XIV. Still, there are deals on dozens of great RPGs–and one of the best is Kingdom Hearts Interugnum Masterpiece, which includes every game and DLC expansion in the series so far for $49 (was $100).
GMG’s Golden Week 2025 Square Enix Deals
Fans of classic Final Fantasy titles, especially the PS1-era entries that sported pre-rendered backgrounds and turn-based combat, will want to check out Fantasian Neo Dimension, the latest game from Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi that also features music by classic Final Fantasy composer Nobuo Uematsu. The game originally launched in 2021 as an Apple Arcade exclusive but was reworked and ported to PC and consoles in December 2024. It’s on sale for $30.74 (was $50). Check out a list of all the Square Enix RPGs on sale at GMG below.
More Square Enix RPG Deals at GMG
GMG’s Square Enix deals are great for PC players looking to add a bunch of RPGs to their Steam libraries for cheap, but those who play on PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, or Xbox can also pick up a handful of the publisher’s games on sale at Amazon right now. There aren’t nearly as many deals to pick from as GMG’s sale, but you can still save on some great picks like the Final Fantasy I-VI Pixel Remaster Collection for $50 on Switch (was $75), Final Fantasy VII Rebirth on PS5 for $50 (was $70), among many others. You’ll find several more Square Enix RPG deals listed below.
An automated machine learning program developed by researchers from Edith Cowan University (ECU) in conjunction with the University of Manitoba has been able to identify potential cardiovascular incidents or fall and fracture risks based on bone density scans taken during routine clinical testing.
When applying the algorithm to vertebral fracture assessment (VFA) images taken in older women during routine bone density testing, often as part of treatment plans for osteoporosis, the patient’s presence and extent of abdominal aortic calcification (AAC) was assessed.
The algorithm shortens the timeframe to screen for AAC significantly, taking less than a minute to predict AAC scores for thousands of images, compared with the five to six minutes it would take for an experienced reader to obtain the AAC score from one image.
During her research, ECU research fellow Dr Cassandra Smith found that 58% of older individuals screened during routine bone density testing presented with moderate to high levels of AAC, with one in four walking through the door unaware that they had high AAC, placing them at the highest risk of heart attack and stroke.
“Women are recognised as being under screened and under-treated for cardiovascular disease. This study shows that we can use widely available, low radiation bone density machines to identify women at high risk of cardiovascular disease, which would allow them to seek treatment.
“People who have AAC don’t present any symptoms, and without doing specific screening for AAC, this prognosis would often go unnoticed. By applying this algorithm during bone density scans, women have a much better chance of a diagnosis,” Dr Smith said.
Using the same algorithm, ECU senior research fellow Dr Marc Sim found that these patients with moderate to high AAC scores also had a greater chance of fall-associated hospitalisation and fractures, compared with those with low AAC scores.
“The higher the calcification in your arteries, the higher the risk of falls and fracture,” Dr Sim said.
“When we look at traditional falls and fracture risk factors, things like have you fallen in the past year and bone mineral density are generally very good indicators of how likely someone is to fall and fracture. Some medications are also associated with higher falls risks. Rarely do we consider vascular health when considering falls and fractures.
“Our analysis uncovered that AAC was a very strong contributor to falls risks and was actually more significant than other factors that are clinically identified as falls risk factors.”
Dr Sim said that the new machine algorithm, when applied to bone density scans, could give clinicians more information around the vascular health of patients, which is an under-recognised risk factor for falls and fractures.
Kean Tax Advisors is inviting applications for a full-time internship at our firm specializing in customs advisory, foreign trade, and litigation. This role is ideal for a highly motivated, final-year student of a 5-year integrated law program who is eager to gain practical experience and take on real responsibility.
Location
Noida
Duration
1 Year, five days a week (Mon-Fri)
Stipend
₹7,000–₹10,000 depending on performance
What We’re Looking For?
Final-year law student (5-year integrated course)
Strong legal research, writing, and analytical skills
Confident personality and professional presence
High energy, well-organized, and committed to excellence
Willingness to go the extra mile and take initiative in a demanding environment
You’ll be working closely on complex legal and regulatory matters that impact international trade and customs practice. Kean Tax Advisors serves a diverse client base with a multinational presence, including industry leaders such as Daikin, Blue Star, LG, and others. This high-intensity learning environment offers real exposure—not a coffee-fetching internship.
How to Apply?
Interested candidates should send their CV with a professional photograph, LinkedIn profile, and a short cover letter expressing your motivation for the position and why you are interested in working with Kean Tax Advisors to [email protected].
Disclaimer: Charging money from students for internships or from job applicants is an unethical practice and can lead to blacklisting. Facing concerns? Please email us at [email protected]
As April comes to an end, Venus enters Aries once again on April 30, 2025. This is the period when love grows with solid power. Cupid is ready today to shower love blessings on all singles and mingles. Our astrologer, Manisha Kaushik, brings predictions for love, career, health, and money for each zodiac sign. Let’s find what love has to focus on today.
Horoscope Today: Astrological prediction for April 30, 2025.
Aries (Mar 21-Apr 20)
Balancing activity and relaxation will sustain your energy levels. High-risk investments may be tempting, but careful evaluation is essential. If facing a career dilemma, evaluating the advantages and challenges will help you gain clarity. A heartfelt discussion with a senior family member might offer valuable insights and a fresh perspective on a lingering concern. Short trips will provide a refreshing break and restore enthusiasm. Property dealings are set to bring favorable results, whether buying or selling.
Love Focus: A heartfelt confession today may bring excitement and deepen the connection. Lucky Number: 8 Lucky Colour: Grey
Taurus (Apr 21-May 20)
Staying hydrated will keep you refreshed and energized throughout the day. Secure financial transactions bring peace of mind in money matters. Your professional skills are sharpening, making it a great time to showcase your expertise. A simple family moment may turn into a cherished memory. Travel plans will unfold at a steady, comfortable pace. Property investments require patience, as progress may be gradual. Students will enjoy a smooth academic journey, with steady efforts ensuring continuous learning.
Love Focus: External influences may test your bond, but privacy will maintain harmony.
Lucky Number: 2 Lucky Colour: Orange
Gemini (May 21-Jun 21)
Your dedication at work will be recognized. Cardio activities will boost stamina and well-being. Avoid shortcuts in finances; a step-by-step debt plan is best. Supporting a young family member by listening will strengthen your bond. Travel promises excitement and unforgettable moments. Renting property can provide extra income, though maintenance issues may arise. A steady academic approach ensures balance without added pressure.
Love Focus: A minor disagreement may reveal differences, but embracing them will strengthen your bond.
Lucky Number: 6 Lucky Colour: Cream
Cancer (Jun 22-Jul 22)
Vitamin supplements can boost immunity and overall health. Carefully assess eligibility and commitments before taking loans. Small initiatives can uplift a sluggish work environment. Expressing emotions openly may help if home acknowledgment feels lacking. Short getaways offer a change of scenery but may not be fully relaxing. Keeping appliances in good condition can prevent rental issues. Students will enjoy a stable academic phase with steady progress.
Love Focus: Keeping romance alive takes effort, and rekindling the spark will deepen your bond. Lucky Number: 3 Lucky Colour: Brown
Leo (Jul 23-Aug 23)
A promising financial opportunity may bring potential gains. Adjusting your diet can help stabilize mood and improve well-being. A workplace connection may turn into a valuable mentorship, boosting professional growth. A heartfelt moment with a parent will be especially meaningful today. Spiritual travel may offer clarity and deep personal insights. When considering property options, carefully weighing pros and cons is essential. Academically, consistent effort ensures progress, even without immediate breakthroughs.
Love Focus: Reaffirming your commitment will foster trust and strengthen your relationship. Lucky Number: 11 Lucky Colour: Dark Grey
Virgo (Aug 24-Sep 23)
Outdoor activities will be refreshing as your body craves movement. Focusing on net earnings will improve financial planning. Passionate leadership will inspire innovation and workplace growth. Silent treatment at home may create distance, so initiating a conversation will ease tensions. Exploring local culture may bring meaningful experiences, though not all will be effortless. Property values remain stable, offering steady investment opportunities. Students will progress consistently in their studies without unnecessary stress.
Love Focus: Romantic moments will unfold effortlessly, filling your heart with joy. Lucky Number: 18 Lucky Colour: Orange
Libra (Sep 24-Oct 23)
A disciplined work approach will drive career growth. Home life feels neutral, but a spontaneous plan could uplift the mood. Your body and mind align, making physical activities enjoyable. Understanding market trends will guide smart speculative investments. Traveling to new places promises joyful adventures and fresh experiences. Home renovations will not only elevate the visual appeal but also improve practicality and comfort. Academically, inspiration will flow, making studies more engaging.
Love Focus: Expressing gratitude will nurture appreciation and strengthen your bond.
Lucky Number: 5 Lucky Colour: Green
Scorpio (Oct 24-Nov 22)
Regular workouts will enhance confidence and strength. Financial caution is key to avoiding losses in lease agreements. Every effort in your career is bringing you closer to your ambitions. A meaningful family exchange will remind you of life’s blessings. Travel urges are strong, but careful planning ensures smooth experiences. Thoughtful property renovations will improve both functionality and aesthetics. Academically, tackling one task at a time will prevent feeling overwhelmed.
Love Focus: Embracing love with an open heart will attract genuine appreciation. Lucky Number: 1 Lucky Colour: Magenta
A new work connection may boost career growth. Humor and patience will ease a family misunderstanding. Energy levels may vary, but rest will aid recovery. A minor financial setback shouldn’t derail long-term plans. Every stop on today’s journey will bring joy and enrichment. Property investments show promise with steady returns. Every lesson will spark curiosity and deepen your enthusiasm for learning, making academic growth more fulfilling.
Love Focus: Emotional distance in relationships may feel conflicting, but space can also bring clarity. Lucky Number: 7 Lucky Colour: Maroon
Smart financial decisions will make transactions smooth. Job uncertainties may ease with a well-structured strategy. Investing in self-care today ensures a balanced tomorrow. A shift in family dynamics may require adaptability. Planning ahead for travel disruptions will reduce stress. First-time property buyers should take their time and avoid rushed decisions. Student’s learning experience will feel fulfilling, as it brings you one step closer to achieving your long-term academic goals.
Love Focus: A casual conversation may lead to a deeper emotional connection. Lucky Number: 9 Lucky Colour: Dark Red
Simple hygiene habits support overall health. Financial opportunities may offer attractive commissions. A slow start at work may require extra focus later. A routine family discussion could turn into a debate, so stay calm. Keeping valuables secure while traveling is essential. Property choices for long-term stability need careful consideration. Academically, exploring new ideas will make learning exciting.
Love Focus: Introducing your partner to family is meaningful, so allow time for everyone to adjust.
Lucky Number: 17 Lucky Colour: Dark Grey
Pisces (Feb 20-Mar 20)
Emotional clarity today brings a refreshing renewal. Understanding asset appreciation aids in wise financial choices. Strong problem-solving skills ensure smooth business operations. The warmth of positive energy at home will be uplifting. Adapting to travel disruptions turns challenges into opportunities. Property comparisons should align with your goals; don’t settle for less. Academically, tackling tasks systematically prevents feeling overwhelmed.
Love Focus: Offering a listening ear and heartfelt reassurance today will nurture a sense of belonging, strengthening your connection in a meaningful way.
Lucky Number: 9 Lucky Colour: Golden
By: Dr. Prem Kumar Sharma
(Astrologer, Palmist, Numerologist & Vastu Consultant)
A shareholder of immune drug developer Acelyin believes the company is better off shutting down and returning cash to shareholders rather than pursuing a merger with fellow biotech Alumis.
Trium Capital, an England-based investment fund and Acelyrin stockholder, revealed in a regulatory filing Tuesday that it intends to vote against the planned merger after concluding it’s not in the best interest of shareholders. In a letter to Acelyrin’s board dated April 28, the firm instead argued that Alumis’ offer, as well as others Acelyrin has considered, are inferior to what equity holders would receive if Acelyrin were to liquidate its assets.
“We believe there is substantial upside to winding up the company as compared to the proposed merger,” Trium portfolio manager Felix Lo wrote in the letter.
Trium’s filing comes amid heightened investor scrutiny of companies that, like Acelyrin, have suffered a setback and are worth less than their cash holdings. These biotech “zombies” typically pivot to a different strategy or merge with another drugmaker. Increasingly, investors have argued their cash should be put to better use. Multiple activist firms have pressured company boards in recent months and one biotech, Third Harmonic Bio, approved a liquidation plan two weeks ago.
Acelyrin debuted on Wall Street in 2023 after raising $540 million in one of biotech’s largest initial public offerings. But disappointing study results led the company to abandon development of the drug at the heart of that offering the following year. A second therapy that became its focus also hasn’t entirely impressed, leaving the company with a depressed stock price.
Acelyrin has pursued other strategic options. Trium noted how the company formed a special transaction committee and began evaluating offers, contacting over 25 parties and considering a variety of different deals. That process culminated with an announcement in February that the company planned to merge with Alumis.
The planned deal is an all-stock transaction that would leave Acelyrin shareholders with about 48% of the combined company, giving them a stake in a company with a bigger cash balance and three drugs in clinical testing. The companies already amended deal terms to give Acelyrin shareholders more equity, with board chair Bruce Cozadd noting in a statement last week that he changes reflected discussions with shareholders.
Acelyrin was also pursued by Tang Capital Partners, which has acquired some struggling companies and bought up shares in others in bids to liquidate them. But Acelyrin rebuffed Tang’s efforts, adopted a “poison pill” to protect itself and threw support behind the Alumis deal instead.
In its letter, Trium argued Tang’s bid, as well as a wind down of the company, would both be better outcomes for shareholders than an Alumis deal that values Acelyrin at less than its cash holdings and carries more risk. The firm also contended Acelyrin failed to discuss such a scenario until early 2025 and, even then, didn’t seriously consider it.
“A liquidation of the company provides certainty of value well above the value from any of the offers received thus far and will allow shareholders to re-invest the proceeds as they see fit,” Lo wrote. “We believe there is no reason for shareholders to accept any transaction that provides upfront value less than value that can be expected in a liquidation.”
Acelyrin shares trade at about $2.50 apiece. Its net cash reserves of $448 million as of the fourth quarter of 2024 were worth $4.45 a share, Lo noted.
Concentra Biosciences, an entity controlled by Tang, had bid $3 per share in cash as well as the right to 80% of the proceeds if Concentra were to license or sell the company’s programs.
Traditional real estate markets are known for their slow processes, excessive fee structures, and outdated systems. However, in 2025, this market is going through a digital transformation. Blockchain technology and digital assets like Litecoin are becoming inevitable parts of this tech evolution in real estate.
Note: In 2025, the Litecoin price is gaining stability, so it is a strong candidate along with other cryptocurrencies to settle property deals. From the execution of heavy property transactions within minutes to ensuring transparency with smart contracts, blockchain is making real estate processes smoother than ever.
Metrics like LTC prices are important for making informed decisions. So, buyers and investors have to stay updated on them.
How is Blockchain Transforming Real Estate in 2025?
Blockchain is transforming real estate by dimming the boundaries between digital finance and physical assets. While the market is leaning toward blockchain, it’s the right time to start tracking Litecoin prices, as this cryptocurrency’s accessibility is opening new doors for global investors.
Here are the big changes that you can expect to see as the blockchain has made its entry into the real estate market:
Transparent Transactions with Decentralised Records
Unlike real-time LTC price tracking, traditional property systems are notorious as they are prone to errors and manipulation. Moreover, all the records, like ownership and transaction histories, are stored in disconnected databases that can be easily tempered with. Blockchain fixes all these issues with its public and secure decentralised ledger.
In blockchain-backed real estate deals, the transactions are recorded and time-stamped in real-time, and the correct data is visible to all the stakeholders. Thus, it eliminates the risk of backroom deals and property fraud.
The global implications of blockchain in real estate are seen in places like:
Georgia, where it enabled the registration of around 1.5 million land titles while reducing the processing time by 95%.
Sweden, where the decentralised land registry contributed to saving €100 million annually.
Property transactions on blockchain offer the same accessibility and sense of security that we get with real-time Litecoin price updates.
Instant Agreements with Smart Contracts
Smart contracts are self-executing systems that are bringing automation to rental agreements, mortgage repayments, and profit distribution on investment properties. They enforce the rules of a property agreement without any intervention of a third party. Here is how it works:
Buyers initiate payment through smart contracts.
The system automatically updates the land titles.
Once the agreements are signed, the payments are automatically released to the sellers’ accounts.
The operations via smart contracts are straightforward and less susceptible to human errors. Just like you can check the LTC price in real time, all data regarding property contracts is verifiable online with just a few clicks. The best part is the quick funds transfers with the blockchain in comparison to the traditional payment options.
Speeding Up Financial Transactions
Typically, it takes around 5-6 weeks to close a property deal with traditional real estate operations. However, with blockchain, this timeline is significantly cut to a few days and even hours.
Blockchain systems replace time-consuming operations with time-efficient alternatives that speed up the process. For instance:
Property rights are instantly verified from the decentralised ledger, and new records are updated in real time.
As soon as the criteria for a successful property deal are met, the payments are instantly released.
Escrow and title transfers are automatically managed with smart contracts.
This time, efficiency is what the modern markets demand nowadays. The reason for the integration of blockchain in real estate operations is the same as why people use blockchain analytics to track the Litecoin price. These are instant, transparent, and accurate.
Tokenisation for Easy Investments
Let’s be real. Not everyone has the budget to invest in high-ticket properties. However, what sounds more viable to buy shares in such properties instead of getting them all? Tokenisation is a budget-friendly way to own properties with less capital, as it allows:
Fractional investments in high-value properties.
More liquidity via token markets.
Lowering entry barriers for small-scale investors in real estate.
Tokenisation is making investments in high-value properties easier for all by purchasing the property tokens listed on blockchain-backed real estate platforms. These assets offer the same flexibility and accessibility as digital assets linked to the LTC price.
Final Takeaways
Blockchain in real estate markets is a lot more than a technical upgrade. It is a systemic shift that is reshaping real estate operations and making it as seamless as checking the Litecoin price on your phone. It helps to reduce overwhelming paperwork, manage property ownership, and get access to global investment opportunities. Tokenisation is the future of investments, but it is important to make a good decision by analysing all the relevant stats, like the current LTC price.
Note: Transparency and efficiency are the standards in the decentralised ledgers and smart contracts. So, investors and buyers can enjoy fast property deals at lower costs with minimised risks.
About Guest Expert Apart from our regular team of experts, we frequently publish commentary from guest contributors who are authorities in their field.
You’re not just watching your TV—it’s also watching you. Every click, every show, and every search is quietly logged to shape what pops up next on your screen. The smarter your TV gets, the more capable it is at collecting data on you. And this made me wonder: what does my smart TV know about me?
Every time you browse channels, binge-watch shows, or switch between streaming apps, your smart TV keeps track of your activity. It notes which genres you like, how long you watch certain programs, and even which days you tend to watch specific types of content. Over time, your smart TV uses all this information to build a digital profile of your preferences. This lets them recommend shows and movies that match your interests.
In the past, TVs used simple monitoring techniques to offer recommendations. Now, they use something called Automatic Content Recognition (ACR). This enables your smart TV to take screenshots of whatever is playing on your screen. These screenshots are sent to your smart TV manufacturer and its third-party partners to analyze and create a profile of you to serve personalized recommendations and ads.
This process is surprisingly thorough. For example, a report from DATUREX found that Samsung TVs can snap a screenshot every half a second, while LG models can do it ten times per second. It doesn’t matter which app or device you’re using—if it’s on your screen, your TV can capture it and analyze it with AI. What’s more is that LG smart TVs will soon be capable of tracking your emotions. When you combine these with other data collection methods like geolocation, voice recognition, and your search history, it becomes clear that your smart TV may know more about you than you initially thought.
From the moment you set up your smart TV, it starts gathering details about you—often more than you realize. This data collection happens continuously, whether you’re watching cable TV, streaming your favorite shows, or even using your TV as a monitor for another device. Here’s what your TV collects behind the scenes:
Personal Details: Your TV collects information such as your email address, home address, birthdate, and credit card information during setup or purchases, then links this to your IP address to track you across devices and help advertisers target you.
Viewing Habits: It tracks everything you watch, including streaming apps, cable, gaming consoles, and laptops, records your favorite genres and how long you watch, and sends this data to manufacturers every few seconds or minutes to build a detailed profile of your habits.
Voice Data: If you use voice commands, your TV records and processes your spoken requests, analyzes your speech patterns, and may even listen for responses during ads, raising questions about when it’s listening, even if you’re not actively using voice features.
Technical and Telemetry Data: Your TV collects information about your Wi-Fi, other connected devices, and how you use them, along with performance metrics such as app load times and power usage. It sends this data back to manufacturers to improve products and learn about your household routines.
All this data collection isn’t just happening for your convenience. The real reason smart TVs gather so much information goes far beyond making your recommendations more accurate.
Unlike streaming services, smart TV manufacturers aren’t traditionally known for providing content recommendations or serving ads to you. So why develop and implement ACR technology?
This shift is driven largely by the opportunity for smart TV manufacturers to generate continuous revenue streams beyond just selling hardware. While smart TVs aren’t the ones showing you all the ads, they can still make money by selling your viewing data to advertisers and data brokers. If you’ve been watching home renovation shows, you’ll likely see ads for hardware stores and furniture retailers. Whether you buy the product or not, the manufacturer still gets paid with the data they’ve collected.
Now, targeted ads aren’t necessarily a bad thing. You still get served ads whether they’re targeted or not. What’s bad about targeted advertising on smart TVs is that streaming services are highly incentivized to develop ways to keep you glued to your sofa. They want to increase your watch time, so they can keep serving you ads. This is why recommendation systems have improved significantly over the past decade. It has become so good that there’s always something to watch.
This can affect a person’s mental health and overall productivity. Excessive screen time has been linked to increased anxiety and sleep problems. And companies intentionally making content as addictive as possible isn’t just making it worse—it’s amplifying the problem.
Aside from possibly affecting you and your family’s well-being, these recommendation systems also control what type of content you watch. Streaming platforms prioritize shows based on your viewing history, which can limit your exposure to diverse content that you might be interested in. This creates a feedback loop that can narrow your viewing options over time, keeping you in a filter bubble of similar content.
Another problem is with the ACR system itself. Unlike basic telemetry techniques, ACR is pretty invasive, with many folks discovering that their TV is spying on them. With smart TVs keeping an eye on your screen several times a second, it’s not hard to imagine how much personal information they can gather with those screenshots. The smart TV you’ve bought to watch shows privately has now become a surveillance device in your living room.
Modern Smart TV recommendation systems are negatively affecting your well-being, your interests, and your privacy. Is there any reason to keep using the feature?
Smart TV AI recommendations can genuinely enhance your viewing experience by helping you discover content tailored to your interests. However, this comes at the cost of your privacy. So, should you use smart TV AI recommendations?
If you value your privacy and don’t want your viewing habits to become another data point sold to advertisers, disabling these features is a no-brainer. Remember, every show you watch, every movie you finish, every pause, and rewind you do are all being tracked and analyzed. If you don’t like being monitored on a TV you’ve paid for, then you should disable AI recommendations.
On the other hand, if you enjoy having your TV suggest shows and movies you’ll probably like, leaving AI recommendations on can make sense. But remember, streaming services still provide pretty good recommendations even without these newer features on your TV. Also, you don’t have to cut your TV off from the internet completely. You just need to turn off the most invasive tracking features on your TV, such as ACR, always-on voice recognition, and the data-sharing option that is always turned on by default on a new TV. With these disabled, you’ll still get some fairly good recommendations while keeping some privacy.
In the end, smart TV recommendations are just there for some extra convenience—they help you find something to watch, but they’re not essential to enjoying your TV. Before trading away your privacy for a few extra suggestions, consider if it’s really worth it. Remember, you can still discover great shows without giving up so much personal data.
<img src='https://news.cgtn.com/news/2025-04-29/China-to-handle-144-million-railway-passenger-trips-over-May-Day-break-1CYlsSQrMGI/img/5b5c1744d3404216a0b5267c3de59b11/5b5c1744d3404216a0b5267c3de59b11.png' alt='Passengers at a railway station in Nanchang City, east China's Jiangxi Province, April 3, 2025. /VCG'
China’s railway network is expected to handle approximately 144 million passenger trips during the eight-day May Day holiday travel rush, which kicked off on Tuesday, the national railway operator said.
The figure represents a year-on-year increase of 4.9 percent, according to China State Railway Group Co., Ltd.
Thursday is expected to see the peak passenger flow for the period, according to the group.
According to China’s 12306 railway booking platform, popular destinations for the holiday include Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Hangzhou, Wuhan, Shenzhen, Xi’an, Nanjing and Zhengzhou.
Platform data also shows that the Beijing-Shanghai, Xi’an-Chengdu, Beijing-Hohhot, Nanning-Guangzhou, Beijing-Shenyang, and Shenzhen-Hong Kong routes are among the most popular for the eight-day period.
To cater to this surge in traffic, China’s rail authorities have scheduled additional train services, operating an average of more than 12,000 passenger trains each day, according to the railway operator.
Actions such as scheduling additional high-speed sleeper trains have been taken to increase transport capacities in popular regions and at peak times.
Andrew Karpen, chief executive and founder of independent film distribution company Bleecker Street Media, died Monday of glioblastoma, a rare and aggressive form of brain cancer. He was 59.
Karpen founded the New York City-based Bleecker Street in 2014 with backing from 5-hour Energy founder Manoj Bhargava. In its first few years, Bleecker Street released such films as 2015’s “Trumbo,” starring Bryan Cranston and Helen Mirren, and the Viggo Mortensen-led “Captain Fantastic” in 2016.
Since its founding, Bleecker Street has released more than 75 films, including the 2017 Steven Soderbergh comedy “Logan Lucky,” 2024’s Oscar-nominated “Golda,” comedy-drama “Hard Truths” and, most recently, “The Wedding Banquet,” a remake of the 1993 Ang Lee romantic comedy starring Bowen Yang, Lily Gladstone and Kelly Marie Tran.
“Our industry has lost a giant,” Kent Sanderson, Bleecker Street president and Karpen’s longtime friend, said in a statement. “Andrew taught us all so much, foremost of which is the value of kindness, honesty, and family above all else. His leadership and courage will inspire all of us at Bleecker Street for the rest of our lives, and we are dedicated to continuing his passion for and legacy of championing cinema.”
Karpen began his career at Miramax before moving to Oxygen Media as its senior vice president of finance and planning. He then spent more than a decade at Focus Features, the specialty film arm of NBCUniversal, starting as its chief operating officer responsible for finance, strategic planning and operations before rising to president and then co-chief executive.
He left Focus Features in 2013, after Universal Pictures named a new head of the specialty imprint and relocated its headquarters from New York to the studio lot in California. Universal said at the time that the company asked Karpen to remain with the studio but that he opted to stay in New York with his family.
He is survived by his wife, Pam; sons Josh and Zack; daughter Sloan; and Josh’s wife, Kristen, who is expecting their first child.
What is the future of the like button in the age of artificial intelligence? Max Levchin—the PayPal cofounder and Affirm CEO—sees a new and hugely valuable role for liking data to train AI to arrive at conclusions more in line with those a human decisionmaker would make.
It’s a well-known quandary in machine learning that a computer presented with a clear reward function will engage in relentless reinforcement learning to improve its performance and maximize that reward—but that this optimization path often leads AI systems to very different outcomes than would result from humans exercising human judgment.
To introduce a corrective force, AI developers frequently use what is called reinforcement learning from human feedback (RLHF). Essentially they are putting a human thumb on the scale as the computer arrives at its model by training it on data reflecting real people’s actual preferences. But where does that human preference data come from, and how much of it is needed for the input to be valid? So far, this has been the problem with RLHF: It’s a costly method if it requires hiring human supervisors and annotators to enter feedback.
And this is the problem that Levchin thinks could be solved by the like button. He views the accumulated resource that today sits in Facebook’s hands as a godsend to any developer wanting to train an intelligent agent on human preference data. And how big a deal is that? “I would argue that one of the most valuable things Facebook owns is that mountain of liking data,” Levchin told us. Indeed, at this inflection point in the development of artificial intelligence, having access to “what content is liked by humans, to use for training of AI models, is probably one of the singularly most valuable things on the internet.”
While Levchin envisions AI learning from human preferences through the like button, AI is already changing the way these preferences are shaped in the first place. In fact, social media platforms are actively using AI not just to analyze likes, but to predict them—potentially rendering the button itself obsolete.
This was a striking observation for us because, as we talked to most people, the predictions mostly came from another angle, describing not how the like button would affect the performance of AI but how AI would change the world of the like button. Already, we heard, AI is being applied to improve social media algorithms. Early in 2024, for example, Facebook experimented with using AI to redesign the algorithm that recommends Reels videos to users. Could it come up with a better weighting of variables to predict which video a user would most like to watch next? The result of this early test showed that it could: Applying AI to the task paid off in longer watch times—the performance metric Facebook was hoping to boost.
When we asked YouTube cofounder Steve Chen what the future holds for the like button, he said, “I sometimes wonder whether the like button will be needed when AI is sophisticated enough to tell the algorithm with 100 percent accuracy what you want to watch next based on the viewing and sharing patterns themselves. Up until now, the like button has been the simplest way for content platforms to do that, but the end goal is to make it as easy and accurate as possible with whatever data is available.”
He went on to point out, however, that one reason the like button may always be needed is to handle sharp or temporary changes in viewing needs because of life events or situations. “There are days when I wanna be watching content that’s a little bit more relevant to, say, my kids,” he said. Chen also explained that the like button may have longevity because of its role in attracting advertisers—the other key group alongside the viewers and creators—because the like acts as the simplest possible hinge to connect those three groups. With one tap, a viewer simultaneously conveys appreciation and feedback directly to the content provider and evidence of engagement and preference to the advertiser.
Coinbase and Animoca Brands have joined a group of institutional investors to announce an accelerator initiative in the UK, focused on Web3 projects. Fabric Ventures and Founders Factory are also part of the programme, that will allow promising Web3 startups to gain financial aid of up to GBP 250,000 (roughly Rs. 2.85 crore). The firms announced the new programme on Monday, and stated that it was designed to advance tech startups working on AI and blockchain technology that can elevate the UK’s economic status.
The initiative also offers 16 weeks of industry experience from Founders Factory, a startup accelerator firm based in London, UK. The selected startups will get business strategy support and market exposure along with training in product development and fundraising, according to a press release published on Monday.
Fabric Ventures, Animoca Brands, and Coinbase will also guide these startups on tokenomics, community strategies, and business scaling practices in the blockchain and AI sectors.
“Ensuring that these products and services are born out of the UK is vital. For too long, access to capital, mentorship, and resources has held back this ambition. This significant investment changes that,” said Keith Grose, UK CEO, Coinbase.
The group of investors has yet to disclose the exact amount of funds that have been allocated to support this initiative. The announcement vaguely mentions the accelerator programme is worth several million pounds.
Startups building for open economy and tokenised business models have been invited to apply. The founders of the selected startups will also get an opportunity to present a demo of their projects to global investors and work for seed funding or Series A investments.
The UK plans to release its crypto rules by 2026. Due to its crypto-friendly approach, several Web3 firms have entered the UK market.
All Web3 firms looking to operate in the UK are required to acquire an operational licence with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Coinbase is among firms that recently registered with the FCA earlier this year.
Ubisoft has quietly updated another one of its games, as Far Cry 4 can now run at 60fps on PS5. Curiously, the Xbox 360 version of Far Cry 4 did run at 60fps on Xbox Series X|S using the FPS Boost function, but it was later disabled. Far Cry 4 will also be added to Game Pass this month, so it might also be getting a fresh update.
Far Cry 4 was previously locked to 30fps on PS5, and this graphical improvement (via Reddit) follows a recent trend of Ubisoft revisiting some of its older games. Earlier this week, Splinter Cell: Blacklist was updated to support Steam achievements and not too long ago, Assassin’s Creed Syndicate got a 60fps patch on Xbox Series X|S and PS5.
Beyond that bit of news, there will now be a new focus on the Far Cry series now that Ubisoft has made a major change to its organization. The company recently announced the formation of a new subsidiary focused specifically on its Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry, and Rainbow Six franchises, and Tencent owns a minority stake in it after investing $1.25 billion.
The last Far Cry game released was Far Cry 6 back in 2021, and there have been rumors that Ubisoft wants to shake up the franchise’s open-world formula for its next two entries. One of these rumored games–an extraction-based multiplayer shooter under the codename of Project Maverick–has reportedly been rebooted while work continues on Operation Blackbird, which is said to be Far Cry 7.
A recent global survey of 156 institutions reveals strong interest in VR-haptic technology for dental training, yet significant barriers impede widespread adoption. The study was led by the University of Eastern Finland and published in Frontiers in Dental Medicine.
Combining virtual reality with force feedback, VR-haptic technology is becoming more and more common in dental education where it complements traditional preclinical hand skill training methods. The aim of the present study was to understand dental educators’ perceptions and needs regarding the acceptability and application of VR-haptics in dental education, as well as to gather suggestions for system improvements.
Over a third of 387 respondents (35%) cited technical limitations in current systems, such as insufficient haptic precision and restricted procedural options, which undermine skill transfer to real patient care. Financial constraints were another major hurdle, with 28% of institutions struggling to afford devices, leading to shortages and limited student access.
Resistance to change also persists: 24% noted low acceptance among educators and students, driven by disruptions to traditional teaching methods. Additionally, 13% highlighted time-intensive curriculum adaptations and training requirements as critical obstacles.
To address these challenges, the authors recommend further hardware and software development, seeking cost-reduction innovations, and providing targeted faculty training to demonstrate VR-haptics’ educational benefits. They point out that future success hinges on multidisciplinary collaboration — particularly among restorative dentistry, prosthodontics, and endodontics — to develop realistic, discipline-specific training scenarios.
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According to the National Library of Medicine, the majority of adult acne or breakout sufferers fall between the ages of 26 and 30, with women being more commonly affected. Research also shows that 44.5% of acne cases follow a cyclic pattern, with flare-ups worsening during the summer months.
Scars, hormones, back acne? Here’s how Homeopathy tackles it all naturally.(Image by Pixabay)
In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr Mukesh Batra, Founder and Chairman Emeritus of Dr Batra’s Healthcare, shared, “While conventional treatments can offer temporary relief from acne, they often don’t address the underlying causes. Homeopathy takes a more personalised approach, focusing on the individual’s unique symptoms, health and lifestyle.”
Summer heat and humidity can make oily skin worse, leading to acne breakouts, enlarged pores, and greasy shine. (freepik )
Targeted remedies for different acne types
Dr Mukesh Batra revealed that Homeopathy offers specific remedies based on the type and cause of acne –
Pulsatilla serves as an effective remedy for hormonal breakouts, particularly for those who exhibit sensitivity to heat or for women experiencing acne in the lead-up to their menstrual cycles.
Silicea helps with deep, persistent acne rosacea or rose-coloured acne.
In women who suffer from acne due to ovarian cysts, Apis Mellifica is useful.
Homeopathic medicines are also prescribed depending on the site of the acne, with Silicea being a popular choice for acne on the face and Calcarea Sulph for active back acne.
A homeopath will also prescribe medicine depending on what causes acne, e.g., if acne is from cosmetic abuse, then Bovista is recommended and if it is due to dandruff, then Sulphur helps.
Apart from active inflammation, homeopathy has shown successful results on persistent acne scars, with medicines like Berberis Aquifolium proving effective in minimising acne scars.
Essential lifestyle adjustments
According to Dr Mukesh Batra, alongside homeopathic treatment, lifestyle changes can significantly improve skin health. He suggested some common tips to control:
Wash your face at least 2-3 times a day with a soap-free face wash
Stay Hydrated – Drink at least 8 glasses of water daily
Don’t squeeze and don’t pick the acne. It may lead to scarring
Avoid makeup – Makeup can cause acne due to clogged pores.
Use water-based sunscreen with SPF 30-50 to protect from UV rays
Dr Mukesh Batra advised, “In addition to this, eating fresh fruits and vegetables provides the nutrients needed for skin repair. Certain foods can worsen acne, like processed foods, refined sugars and dairy, which can increase inflammation and disrupt hormones, so it’s best to limit these. Managing stress is also crucial, as high cortisol levels can trigger breakouts. Regular exercise and quality sleep which are essential for tissue repair and hormonal balance also help in controlling and reversing acne.”
Reducing consumption of certain foods can help deal with body acne(Freepik)
The importance of professional guidance
Dr Mukesh Batra concluded, “Everyone’s skin is unique and for the best results, homeopathic remedies should always be used under the supervision of a qualified practitioner. Self-prescribing can lead to choosing the wrong remedies or dosages, which may not address the root causes. A professional will tailor treatment to an individual’s unique health needs, ensuring a safe and effective path to clearer, healthier skin. By combining homeopathic remedies with lifestyle changes, this holistic approach provides the best chance for lasting skin improvement.”
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.
Merck KGaA has agreed to buy biotechnology company SpringWorks Therapeutics, announcing Monday a $3.9 billion deal after months of negotiations over an acquisition.
The German pharmaceutical firm will pay $47 per SpringWorks share, a small premium to the stock’s closing price Friday but 17% higher than the $40.28 it closed at on Feb. 7, the last trading day before reports emerged of the companies’ discussions.
SpringWorks has developed two drugs that are approved in the U.S. to treat rare tumors. Ogsiveo is cleared for adults with desmoid tumors, while Gomekli won the Food and Drug Administration’s OK in February for adults and children with neurofibromatosis type 1 who experience symptoms from a type of benign tumor.
Dive Insight:
Merck KGaA’s proposed acquisition of SpringWorks is the first biotech buyout worth more than $1 billion to be announced since mid-January, when Johnson & Johnson agreed to purchase Intra-Cellular Therapies for $14.6 billion. The deals in between have been smaller and more opportunistic, reflecting a negotiating environment that’s been frozen by uncertainty over tariffs and a gyrating stock market.
Some of that turmoil may have played a role in drawing out discussions between German Merck and SpringWorks, which in February confirmed the two companies were in “advanced talks.”
While sizable in dollar terms, the deal that emerged nearly two months later values SpringWorks at a relatively low premium, even after adjusting for the share price run-up that followed reports on the companies’ negotiations. Shares in SpringWorks were trading as high as $93.59 in early 2021, when the market for biotech stocks was booming.
The buyout is “a major step in our active portfolio strategy” to position the company “as a globally diversified, innovation and technology powerhouse,” CEO Belén Garijo said in a statement. “Beyond this planned transaction, we will continue to explore M&A opportunities across our three complementary business sectors.”
Once the deal is complete, Merck KGaA expects the addition of SpringWorks to immediately contribute to revenue via sales of the biotech’s two approved drugs. The company said it will fund the acquisition via available cash and new debt, while retaining “the ability to pursue larger transactions.”
Merck KGaA also touted the buyout as a way to expand its presence in the U.S.
The companies expect the transaction to close this quarter, contingent on their receipt of required regulatory sign-offs.
Interested in knowing how others became successful?
Then why not ask successful people what they’d wished they’d been told when they were younger.
That’s exactly what I did with these seven successful property professionals and here’s what they said.
1. Invest in yourself first
Your best investment by far will always be in yourself as what you can achieve elsewhere will always be bounded by what you have achieved within yourself.
Investing in yourself emotionally, physically, spiritually, and financially will allow you to become the best version of yourself.
2. Dream Big
There’s lots of wisdom around with various takes on the same message- but it all comes back to “If you can’t dream it, you can’t achieve it” and the more work that you do on yourself and growing personally and professionally, the more you will be able to achieve in every area- including your financial investments.
I think it was Larry Page who said “Tackle big dreams, there’s no competition.”
3. Don’t wish it were easier, wish you were better
This famous quote from Jim Rohn says it all:
“Don’t wish it were easier, wish you were better.
Don’t wish for fewer problems, wish for more skills.
Don’t wish for less challenge, wish for more wisdom.”
1. Choose who you surround yourself with wisely
While we can’t choose our family but we can choose the people we spend the most time with.
We should choose them carefully because we become a reflection of these people.
If you surround yourself with positive people then chances are you will become a positive person. If you surround yourself with negative people then chances are you will become a negative person.
I once read: “Great minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, small minds discuss people.”
Try never to be the smartest person in the room – while it may be good for your ego, it’s not good for your growth.
Instead, invite smarter people in, or find a different room.
On a similar note, since you can’t be an expert in everything, so surround yourself with people that complement your weaknesses.
2. Develop good habits
“Show me your habits, I’ll show you your future”.
Our habits define who we are and are the best predictors of our success or failure, so we need to develop good ones.
Breaking bad ones and creating good ones is hard work but you will thank yourself in the long run.
1. Don’t focus on things you can’t control
To do so is not only a waste of your time and effort but counterproductive.
Spend your time wisely on things that get you closer to your goals.
2. Surround yourself with people that challenge you
As a motivational author, Jim Rohn said, “You’re the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with.”
While there is no scientific way to prove this hypothesis, my own personal experience confirms that to succeed and grow, you need to be around people who set the bar higher.
3. Live your life as if it’s your last and one day you’ll be right
Steve Jobs has been quoted as saying :
“When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like:
“If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you’ll most certainly be right.” It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: “If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?
And whenever the answer has been “no” for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.”
1. Success does not come from one big event or occurrence, it comes from a series of smaller things
I always used to think I would be successful as a result of one big break or event.
I would get a promotion or win the lotto or flip a property and make a substantial amount of money.
But I’ve learned that success comes from a series of smaller events.
So take every opportunity you can to better yourself or your circumstances, change your habits to be more productive, and work hard towards a long-term goal that you are committed to.
2. Succesful people have multiple streams of income
In most cases, your salary has a ceiling so whether you earn $50,000 per annum or $500,000 per annum your level of savings is capped.
You cannot save your way to wealth and success.
But by investing the income you save in high growth assets, diversifying your portfolio, and adding multiple streams of income from property, shares, and business you can fast track your wealth and are not solely reliant on your salary.
1. Life is hard but you are smarter
Don’t kid yourself – life is hard, but you already knew that didn’t you?
There will always be more problems: economic and investment uncertainty, world tensions, uncertain work prospects, children, etc, but remember you’ve survived 100% of all the problems life has hurled at you.
To make it easier to overcome these obstacles, surround yourself with the right people, get a mentor and a team of experts
And minimise the dangers by understanding risk and mitigating them as much as possible
2. Always learn how to improve at whatever you do
Ensure you’re the best version of yourself.
Keep challenging yourself, ask yourself what you still need to learn, how can I be a better role model, who do I still need to forgive.
And cultivate an attitude of gratitude – focus on what’s going well in your life, what you have, and the person you’re becoming.
Leanne Spring –
1. Prepare For The Unexpected
Every year there is at least one significant X-Factor an unknown that comes out of the blue to destroy the best-laid plans
2. Goals are critical, but so is action
To help you achieve your goals break them down into daily actions.
A routine is very important because it empowers you.
List everything that you need to do and everything that everyone else wants you to do, then you can prioritise the things that are actually important, the things that will get you closer to your goals, and make sure they are done.
About Michael Yardney Michael is the founder of Metropole Property Strategists who help their clients grow, protect and pass on their wealth through independent, unbiased property advice and advocacy. He’s once again been voted Australia’s leading property investment adviser and one of Australia’s 50 most influential Thought Leaders. His opinions are regularly featured in the media.
Over the years, Meta-owned apps have faced their fair share of backlash over concerns regarding their shady privacy practices. Instagram has certainly not been exempt from this. Now, the company is working on making your Instagram Direct Messages more secure, but it comes at a cost.
Instagram’s Enhanced Security Comes at a Cost
A few hours ago, I noticed a banner had appeared in Instagram’s Direct Messages section. As shown in the image below, it mentions that “some messages may be unavailable after June 23, 2025.”
If you’re anything like me and have memories attached to everything, including your messages, this notification might (understandably) freak you out. Fortunately, there’s not much to worry about. Upon clicking the Learn More button, you’ll be redirected to an Instagram Support page, where it mentions the following:
Instagram is upgrading security and some older end-to-end encrypted chats may be unavailable after June 23, 2025.
End-to-end encryption is a security feature that protects your data by ensuring that only you and the sender can read your messages. Ultimately, this means that not even Meta can read your messages.
End-to-end encryption in Instagram DMs isn’t enabled by default though. On iOS and Android devices, you can start an end-to-end encrypted chat by heading to your Direct Messages, opening a new or existing conversation thread, and then tapping the recipient’s name at the very top of the message. Finally, select Privacy & Safety and tap Use end-to-end encryption.
Personally, I find the fact that Instagram is removing some old end-to-end encrypted chats odd, especially since Meta is so vague about its reasoning in the Support article.
Though the company enhancing security is certainly a move in the right direction, I wouldn’t have expected them to wipe certain chats away, no matter how old they might be.
Save Your Affected Instagram Chats Before It’s Too Late
The good news is that if you have conversations that are impacted by this change, Instagram states that you can save any media or messages from them that you’d like to keep until the cutoff date.
If you’re on an older version of Instagram, you might be required to update the app first.
You’ll notice a View Chats button in the banner notifying you of the change, and tapping it will take you to a page showing all your end-to-end encrypted chats that’ll be unavailable after June 23, 2025. None of my chats are affected by this change, which means no chats appeared on this page for me.
Related
How Your Instagram Account Can Be Hacked and How to Stop It
Worried that someone knows how to hack into your Instagram? Here’s how they could do it, and how to prevent it.
Instagram’s support article mentions that “there will be information in the chat on how you can download any media or messages you may want to keep.” So, simply follow the on-screen instructions to export your chat, and you should be all set.
When I saw this notification initially, I thought it was similar to the Instagram technical bug last year that affected some images and videos saved in the Stories Archive section, which ended up permanently deleting them. Though Instagram ended up addressing the bug, the lost Stories could never be restored. It was a huge bummer for me, since I used Instagram’s Archives as a way to preserve my memories.
Regardless, at least Instagram is giving you a heads-up this time around and a chance to save your memories.
With a mystery box full of questions gathered from people around the world, CGTN Digital’s reporter Wang Tao embarks on a trip to Confucius’ hometown of Qufu to uncover what Confucianism means to people today. From ancient rituals to everyday wisdom, his philosophy continues to influence modern life in unexpected ways. How has it transcended time and culture, breaking down boundaries and connecting people across the globe? Let’s discover this through a journey to Qufu.
Beyoncé opened her Cowboy Carter world tour Monday night with the first of five shows at Inglewood’s SoFi Stadium: a characteristically complicated pop spectacle that framed Black creativity as a wellspring — perhaps the wellspring — of American culture.
Kicking off a year and change after the release of Beyoncé’s country-inspired “Cowboy Carter” LP — which finally earned the singer a Grammy award for album of the year this past February after four previous losses — the new road show features virtually all of the music from “Cowboy Carter” yet also looks back over Beyoncé’s sizable catalog, in particular 2022’s clubby “Renaissance,” which spawned a blockbuster world tour of its own.
Monday’s show, which lasted 2 hours and 45 minutes, began as “Cowboy Carter” does, with renditions of Beyoncé’s churchy “Ameriican Requiem” and the Beatles’ “Blackbird”; then she sang “The Star-Spangled Banner” as a giant video screen behind her flashed a message: “Never ask permission for something that already belongs to you.” Beyoncé, dressed in fringed white cow-wrangler garb, did a bit of her song “Freedom” before segueing into “Ya Ya,” during which her 13-year-old daughter Blue Ivy was among her large crew of dancers. “Ya Ya” ended with the singer sitting in a throne as a giant robot arm poured her a drink.
After a costume change, the show’s second act began with “America Has a Problem,” which Beyoncé sang at a news podium festooned with microphones, then zoomed through “Spaghettii,” “Formation,” “My House” and “Diva.” Act III opened with relatively low-key versions of “Alliigator Tears” and “Just for Fun” before a tender reading of “Protector,” for which another of Beyoncé’s children — 7-year-old Rumi — appeared onstage and gave her mom a hug.
For “Desert Eagle,” Beyoncé wore a bedazzled bodysuit that she kept on for “Riiverdance,” “II Hands II Heaven” and “Sweet Honey Buckiin’” — a dance-heavy portion of the show that again prominently featured Blue Ivy. After a New Orleans-accented rendition of Dolly Parton’s “Jolene,” the singer strapped onto an enormous neon horseshoe and sang “Daddy Lessons” as the horseshoe flew around the stadium. A funky “Bodyguard” and a snippet of “II Most Wanted” then gave way to an ecstatic “Cuff It,” which Beyoncé performed on a small secondary stage near the rear of the venue. She rode the horseshoe back to the main stage and did “Tyrant” astride a golden mechanical bull accompanied by two bull heads on swiveling robot arms.
At about the two-hour mark, Beyoncé said, “Welcome back to the Renaissance, y’all,” which led into versions of “I’m That Girl,” “Cozy” and “Alien Superstar,” as well as a western-tinged take on the ballroom battle that Beyoncé’s dancers undertook every night on the Renaissance tour.
The singer started the show’s home stretch performing “Texas Hold ’Em” on a prop big rig dressed in denim short-shorts and furry thigh-high boots; she stayed in that outfit for a chopped-and-screwed “Crazy in Love,” which she followed with “Heated” and her cover of the late Frankie Beverly’s “Before I Let Go.” The concert ended with “16 Carriages,” a bluesy ballad about her life in show business that she sang from inside a flying convertible, and “Cowboy Carter’s” closer, “Amen,” for which she wore a fluffy stars-and-stripes gown. As the lights went up, a masked replica of the Statue of Liberty’s head was at the center of the stage.
New Delhi, April 29: Bajaj has launched its third remaining electric scooter, Bajaj Chetak 3503, in India at INR 1.10 ex-showroom price. The company launched its Bajaj Chetak 3501 and Bajaj Chetak 3502 in India in December 2024. The Bajaj Chetak 3503 was scheduled for release in 2026. Bajaj Chetak 35 series scooters are launched at affordable prices, withattractive designs and longer ranges, while continuing the legacy of Bajaj scooters.
Bajaj scooters were popular in the 1960s and 1970s when they were the first-ever scooters introduced in the early 1970s. Two years later (in 1972), Bajaj Chetak was launched in India, becoming widely popular nationwide. Now, electric scooters continue their history and offer several unique features and specifications that the riders need for the modern age. Bajaj Chetak 3503 bookings have already started in India, and deliveries are expected to start in May 2025. Suzuki Hayabusa Sales Surge 71% in India in FY2025, Company Selling 511 Units Shows Strong Demand for Superbike; Check Price, Specifications and More.
Bajaj Chetak 3503 Price in India
Bajaj Chetak 3503 price starts at INR 1,09,500 (ex-showroom) in India, making it the most affordable model in the Chetak 35 series. Bajaj Chetak 3501 is available at INR 1.30 lakh and Bajaj Chetak 3502 price started at INR 1.22 lakh. The Bajaj began delivering the 3501 and 3502 models between late December 2024 and early January 2025.
Bajaj Chetak 3503 Features, Range and Specifications
Bajaj Chetak 3503 comes with several highlighting features that a rider may want in an electric vehicle (EV). The Chetak 3503 comes with a 3.5kWh battery pack, which is capable of delivering up to 151 km range per charge. The top speed of this Bajaj scooter is 63 kmph. It takes three hours and 25 minutes to completely charge the e-scooter from 0 to 80%. The Bajaj Chetak 3503 electric scooter is available in four colours – Matt Grey, Brooklyn Black, Indigo Blue and Cyber White. Royal Enfield Hunter 350 Updated Model To Launch on April 26, 2025; Set To Be Revealed at Hunterhood Festival in Delhi With New Features and Colours.
Bajaj Chetak 3503 offers various tech and safety features to the riders. It comes with a hill hold assist, Bluetooth and Music support, call and management, a colour LCD screen, LED headlight, and two ride modes – Eco and Sports. The Chetak 3503 offers 35-litre of boot space for storage. Compared to the Bajaj Chetak 3501, the latest 3503 variant is INR 20,000 cheaper.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 29, 2025 01:39 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
What is also clear from the documents is that US police are aware of the control corporations have over their ability to acquire vehicle location data, expressing fears that they could abruptly decide to kill off certain capabilities at any time.
In a letter sent in April 2024 to the Federal Trade Commission, US senators Ron Wyden and Edward Markey—Democrats from Oregon and Massachusetts, respectively—noted that a range of automakers, from Toyota, Nissan, and Subaru, among others, are willing to disclose location data to the government in response to a subpoena without a court order. Volkswagen, meanwhile, had its own arbitrary rules, limiting subpoenas to fewer than seven days’ worth of data. The senators noted that these policies stood in contrast to public pledges previously made by some automakers to require a warrant or court order before surrendering a customer’s location data.
Automakers “differ significantly on the important issue of whether customers are ever told they were spied on,” the senators wrote. At the time of the letter, only Tesla had a policy, they said, of informing customers about legal demands. “The other car companies do not tell their customers about government demands for their data, even if they are allowed to do so.”
“We respect our customers’ privacy and take our responsibility to protect their personal information seriously,” Bennet Ladyman, a T-Mobile spokesperson, says.
AT&T spokesperson Jim Kimberly says: “Like all companies, we are required by law to provide information to law enforcement and other government entities by complying with court orders, subpoenas, and other lawful discovery requests. In all cases, we review requests to determine whether they are valid. We require a search warrant based on the probable-cause standard for all government demands for real-time or historical location information, except in emergency situations. For government demands for cell tower searches, we require a probable-cause search warrant or a court order, except in emergency situations.”
Verizon did not respond to a request for comment.
“Especially now, with American civil liberties eroding rapidly, people should exercise great caution in granting new surveillance powers to law enforcement,” says Ryan Shapiro, executive director of Property of the People.
Jay Stanley, a senior policy analyst at the American Civil Liberties Union, notes that the police documents reviewed by WIRED contained substantial detail about car surveillance that appear to be publicly unavailable, suggesting that corporations are being far more open with law enforcement than they are with their own customers.
“It’s an ongoing scandal that this kind of surveillance is taking place without people being aware of it, let alone giving permission for it,” Stanley says. “If they’re carrying out surveillance on the public, the public should know. They should have meaningful knowledge and give meaningful consent before any kind of surveillance is activated, which clearly is not the case.”
The crypto market in countries like India and Sri Lanka are maturing at a rapid pace, according to a survey by Binance. The exchange says that the demand for advanced security measures is intensifying in Asia’s crypto markets, where investors are cautious and frequent in their engagements with volatile crypto assets. India, Vietnam, and Thailand are among Asian nations that have taken a keen interest in exploring the crypto sector in recent years. While these countries are still working on their respective crypto regulations, their citizens continue to dabble with these volatile assets. Binance has advised Web3 firms to develop security solutions tailored to address the needs of Asian crypto markets.
Around 28 Percent of Asian Crypto Users Are ‘Newcomers’
Binance claims to have surveyed over 29,800 cryptocurrency users across Southeast, South, and East Asia to compile its Asia Crypto Security Survey report. The overall crypto market in Asia no longer belongs to the “newcomers”, the exchange noted. Only 28 percent of Asian crypto users were still within the first six months of starting their crypto investment journey, while 72 percent of crypto holders have been familiar with the sector for over a year or two.
“This blend of newcomers and seasoned users signals an ecosystem in transition: evolving from speculative interest to sustained participation,” Binance observed. Most Asian crypto users have carefully maintained modest portfolios of under $10,000 (roughly Rs. 8.50 lakh), indicating at a mindful approach to purchasing these unstable assets. Over 64 percent of the total number of respondents reported visiting crypto services several times a week.
Over half of the respondents expressed the desire to participate in platform-organised anti-scam simulations like phishing detection tests. “To enhance trust and understanding, respondents suggested improvements in anti-scam education content on platforms. Key areas for improvement include simplifying technical content (63.7 percent), increasing the frequency of notifications (39.3 percent), incorporating localised case studies (36.4 percent), and diversifying interaction methods (26.7 percent),” the report said. “This indicates a strong appetite for practical, gamified education, particularly if tied to rewards or recognition.”
Asian countries are trying to keep up with the ongoing crypto exploration drive in other global regions like the UAE, the EU, and the USA. India has consistently topped Chainalysis’ list of nations showing a rapid adoption of crypto for the last two years. Presently, India awaits its crypto discussion paper that is being worked out by the finance ministry, which will likely clarify India’s stance on the sector.
In India, crypto incomes are taxed by 30 percent, while a one percent tax deducted at source (TDS) is levied on each crypto transaction. Crypto advisors in India, meanwhile, are accelerating efforts to train law enforcement agencies around probing Web3 crimes. The crypto sector is also formulating self-regulatory guidelines to keep the industry healthy as it awaits comprehensive legislation in the world’s most populous country.
Thailand and Vietnam are also taking active steps to spread awareness and knowledge around cryptocurrencies, while tightening the noose around illegal crypto operations to prevent the risks of fraud and financial losses. Pakistan recently established a national crypto council, with Binance co-founder Changpeng Zhao appointed as its principal advisor.
Binance’s Bader Al Kalooti has acknowledged that South Asian crypto users are serious, discerning, and increasingly security conscious. “They’re tech-savvy individuals engaging with crypto exchanges multiple times a week, even daily. They’re building knowledge, not just portfolios. What they’re asking for isn’t hype or high-risk speculation—they’re demanding trustworthy platforms, transparent protections, and interactive education,” he said.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and its sequel Tears of the Kingdom have remained popular since their respective releases on Nintendo Switch, but the active player count will certainly balloon starting June 5. Enhanced versions of both open-world Zelda games launch alongside the Switch 2. If you’re looking forward to playing these two masterful games in 4K at 60fps with HDR, you should check out Amazon’s deals on the official hardcover strategy guides. Whether you’ve played the games already or plan on experiencing them for the first time, these well-designed books are handy reference manuals and beautiful collectibles.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom’s Collector’s Edition Official Guide is a weighty 496-page hardcover with display-worthy cover art featuring the Corrupt Master Sword.
Published by Piggyback and created in collaboration with Nintendo, Tears of the Kingdom’s guidebook covers virtually every aspect of the sprawling open-world sequel. Along with an overview and tips for all of the main quests, side missions, shrines, and caves, the book offers comprehensive reference sections for all of the game’s enemies, weapons, armor, shields, items, and more.
All of the game’s key systems, from crafting and cooking to using Zonai devices to build vehicles and other gadgets, are detailed alongside helpful tips and overarching strategies.
The included World Atlas map section provides the locations all of the Koroks, Dragon’s Tears, and collectibles scattered across mainland Hyrule as well as the Sky and Depths.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild’s Expanded Edition Guide looks great when displayed next to the TOTK hardcover. It also happens to be every bit as comprehensive as Tears of the Kingdom’s strategy guide.
Piggyback published this updated hardcover edition roughly a year after the game’s original launch. The Expanded Edition adds chapters on Breath of the Wild’s pair of DLC expansions. In addition to walkthroughs for the DLC, the 512-page hardcover features a concept art gallery showcasing in-progress illustrations and sketches by Nintendo’s designers.
The guide offers an overview of all main missions and side content, including every shrine. You’ll also find solutions to all of the game’s many puzzles and an in-depth look at the combat system. Catalogs of enemies, gear, and items let you use this book as a reference manual. The 36-page World Atlas reveals locations of collectibles, including every Korok seed. The book also includes a double-sided map of Hyrule with annotations.
If you already own Tears of the Kingdom and/or Breath of the Wild for Switch, you will be able to purchase $10 Switch 2 upgrades for each game from the eShop. But if you’re a new player or simply want to own physical editions for Nintendo’s new platform, check out our preorder guide for the Switch 2 versions of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. For a look at all of the Switch 2’s launch games and accessories, check out GameSpot’s comprehensive Nintendo Switch 2 preorder guide.
Nintendo is also releasing four new Legend of Zelda Amiibo figures based on the Champions from Tears of the Kingdom on the same day: Tulin, Yunobo, Sidon, and Riju.
More The Legend of Zelda Books
If you’re interested in reading about the franchise while you wait for the Switch 2 versions to arrive, you should check out Dark Horse’s Zelda books. You can grab the official Zelda Encyclopedia for 50% off at Amazon. The Deluxe Edition of the book is designed to look like a golden NES cartridge and even includes a slipcase modeled after the cartridge sleeve.
For a deep dive into Hyrule’s lore and a timeline of how the series (pre-Breath of the Wild) fits together, take a look at Hyrule Historia for $23 (was $40). You’ll also find deals on both editions of Creating a Champion, a making-of book centered around Breath of the Wild. The slipcased Hero’s Edition is over 50% off right now.
The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia sample page (Dark Horse Books)
Researchers at Aston University have called for more advice to be given to young people about preventing dry eye disease, after a study carried out in conjunction with Oslo University Hospital and Sørlandet Hospital Trust in Norway found that 90% of participants had at least one sign of the condition in their eyes.
Dry eye disease occurs when the eyes do not make enough tears, or make poor-quality tears without sufficient lipid or mucus levels which leads to poor tear film stability and rapid evaporation. Sufferers may have gritty feeling eyes, itching or stinging in the eyes, red eyes, sensitivity to light and blurry vision. There are several risk factors for dry eye disease, including stress and wearing contact lenses. It is also more prevalent in females. In the 18-25 age group, a major risk factor is screen use.
The research, following 50 18-25-year-olds over time, was led by Dr Rachel Casemore at Aston University School of Optometry and is the first of its kind. The researchers looked for symptoms of dry eye disease in the participants, studied lifestyle factors, and followed up with participants one year on to find out if there had been any progression of the condition.
The initial study showed that 56% of participants had dry eye disease, while 90% had at least one symptom of the condition. Around half of the participants in the study had lost at least 25% of a type of gland in the eye called the meibomian gland. These glands produce the outer lipid layer of the eye’s tear film, which is responsible for preventing evaporation of tears, and therefore keeps the tear film stable and the eye moist. One year on, the researchers found that there had been significant progression of dry eye disease in the study participants.
Additionally, the researchers found correlation found between how long the study group used screens and signs of dryness on the eye surface. The average screen use of participants was eight hours per day.
The researchers concluded that the evidence of dry eye disease symptoms and progression in the young adults in their study shows the need for early detection of potential signs, and the identification of those who may go on to develop dry eye disease. These individuals can then be advised on managing the condition before progression.
The progression and development of dry eye disease can be slowed by various methods. Dr Casemore says that the simplest ways are to take regular screen breaks, to carry out blink exercises to ensure the release of oils from the meibomian glands and to keep hydrated. A healthy, balanced diet, including sources of omega-3 fatty acids, such as oily fish, is also important, as is regular sleep patterns.
Dr Casemore suggests that those with irregular sleep patterns, such as those caused by sleep disorders or anxiety, should seek advice. People who wear contact lenses need to ensure they get regular check-ups to ensure optimum fitting, and that they adhere to their replacement schedule, wearing time schedule, cleaning regimes and safety advice, such as no sleeping, showering or swimming in contact lenses.
Dr Casemore said:
“It is concerning to note the increasing prevalence of dry eye disease signs and symptoms in young adults, which has been referred to as a ‘lifestyle epidemic’ by some researchers. Eye care practitioners are well placed to identify the clinical indicators of dry eye disease and counsel young adults around modifiable risk factors, such as screen use habits, sleeping habits, contact lens use, diet, blinking patterns, and management of stress levels.
“Our future research aims to continue investigation of the potential tear and meibomian gland oil biomarkers which were identified during the study and further explore the effect of diet on dry eye disease development.”
With over 18 years of experience as an advocate, Mr Shadan Farasat has a passion for justice and a commitment to excellence in the legal profession. He practices law primarily at the Supreme Court of India, representing clients in diverse and complex matters involving constitutional, commercial, civil, and criminal law.
About the Opportunity
The Chambers of Mr. Shadan Farasat, Senior Advocate, is inviting applications for two Associates.
Numbers of Vacancies
2
Roles and Responsibilities
The associate will assist in legal research, settling drafts and legal opinions, briefings, and overall case preparation across a diverse range of matters, including constitutional law, civil, commercial and criminal litigation. The work will include appearances before the Supreme Court, Delhi High Court, and other fora.
Eligibility Criteria
Prior Work Experience – Preferably two years PQE.
Retainership
INR 65,000 + per month, commensurate with experience and qualifications.
How to Apply?
Interested candidates can apply through the link given below this post. CV/ Resume not exceeding three pages. Cover Letter explaining the motivation for applying for the role (not exceeding 300 words).
Disclaimer: Charging money from students for internships or from job applicants is an unethical practice and can lead to blacklisting. Facing concerns? Please email us at [email protected]
Life can get busy and noisy, and it’s normal to want a little peace or direction. On tough or hectic days, even a small bit of guidance can make a big difference. If you’re curious about what today might bring, read our daily horoscope and know what the stars have in store for you today.
Horoscope Today: Astrological prediction for April 29, 2025
Aries (Mar 21-Apr 20)
Periodic doctor visits uncover new health worries. Developing expertise through financial literacy courses enhances decision-making skills. A job prospect you have been hoping for is finally materializing, stay confident. A beautiful family tradition will feel more special than ever today. Mini vacations will give you a break, but don’t expect them to completely resolve everything. Renting your property could yield steady income, though tenant turnover or maintenance needs may cause some disruption. School or college life feels calm, with no surprises or major challenges today.
Love Focus: The energy of love surrounds you, bringing joy and deep connection.
Lucky Number: 2
Lucky Colour: Purple
Taurus (Apr 21-May 20)
A raise, bonus, or unexpected financial gift could brighten your day. Effective talent acquisition strategies will attract top-tier professionals. Finding calmness feels easier, though stressful moments may still arise. A cousin’s unexpected visit or message will bring warmth to your day. Indulge in exclusive experiences that create unforgettable memories, whether through a private tour or a special event. Property deals may take longer than expected, so review and approve all details carefully. Academic matters will progress slowly today, but steady effort will keep you on track.
Love Focus: Emotional intimacy today strengthens your bond and creates a safe, loving space.
Lucky Number: 11
Lucky Colour: Brown
Gemini (May 21-Jun 21)
Fitness as a lifestyle promotes longevity, but self-care remains essential. Money decisions require caution, so avoid impulsive choices. Communication breakdowns will improve with clarity and effective dialogue. Family obligations may require balancing personal and extended expectations. Road trips bring freedom but may include detours or delays. Finding retirement-friendly properties takes time, but wise choices ensure long-term comfort. Your academic path feels steady today, with progress unfolding gradually.
Love Focus: Relationship challenges are normal, but overcoming them together makes your bond stronger.
Lucky Number: 1
Lucky Colour: Cream
Cancer (Jun 22-Jul 22)
A good day for structured meals, with timing playing a key role in sustaining energy. Debt management needs attention, though no immediate concerns arise. A tight deadline may increase workplace pressure, but breaking tasks into smaller steps will help. A relative’s encouragement will boost confidence and positivity. Exploring local culture will be a fulfilling and rewarding experience. Managing tenants requires clear communication and mutual understanding of expectations. Education today will be enriching, with each lesson bringing intellectual satisfaction and joy.
Love Focus: Expressing your emotions openly today will create a deeper connection and reinforce the strength of your bond.
Lucky Number: 4
Lucky Colour: Dark Blue
Leo (Jul 23-Aug 23)
Planning exercise sessions ensures consistency, but adjustments should match energy levels. Declining investment yields may raise long-term retirement concerns. A sudden shift in office dynamics may feel unsettling, but trust that adjustments will bring balance. A fun sibling interaction will make today memorable. Thoughtful holiday surprises will add joy and excitement, creating lasting memories. Property investments are set to pay off well, marking an exciting phase in your real estate journey. Students will find joy in discovery and learning today.
Love Focus: Your partner’s unwavering support fills your heart with gratitude and love.
Lucky Number: 18
Lucky Colour: Brown
Virgo (Aug 24-Sep 23)
Today is perfect for refining your savings strategy and making necessary adjustments. If multitasking, prioritize quality over speed. Post-meal walks promote digestion and overall well-being. A discussion with a parent may reveal generational differences, but understanding will prevail. Exploring local culture will bring deep and enriching experiences. Long-term rental investments offer steady income, so choose high-demand areas for better returns. Education feels moderate today, with steady progress keeping you on track, though it may lack excitement.
Love Focus: Healing old wounds is a gradual process. Give each other space and time to fully heal.
Lucky Number: 22
Lucky Colour: White
Libra (Sep 24-Oct 23)
Strengthening immunity lowers health risks, but seasonal precautions remain essential. Smart financial planning paves the way for future prosperity. Team accolades will enhance collaboration and inspire collective success. An elderly family member’s smile will be the most beautiful sight today. Professional meetups while traveling let you blend work with adventure, connecting with like-minded people while enjoying the destination. Property deals will bring favorable outcomes, ensuring success in buying, selling, or renting. Your studies today will feel incredibly enjoyable and rewarding.
Love Focus: Expressing genuine care and affection today will create a sense of security and strengthen the foundation of your relationship.
Lucky Number: 5
Lucky Colour: Orange
Scorpio (Oct 24-Nov 22)
A family member’s unconditional love will brighten your day. The travel bug inspires exploration, but ensure thorough planning. Gentle stretching supports recovery, improving flexibility and mobility. Gold investments offer stability, but diversification is essential. New job prospects emerge, though competition may demand extra effort. Be cautious when renting out property, as tenant turnover and maintenance can impact income. Students may feel behind today, but steady focus and patience will help them catch up.
Love Focus: Supporting emotional boundaries today will create respect and understanding, deepening your love and connection.
Lucky Number: 17
Lucky Colour: Saffron
Avoid overexertion, as your stamina may be lower than usual. A financial opportunity may take time to yield results, so patience is key. A workplace discussion could turn into a debate, so express your views carefully. A major home improvement project may disrupt routines, requiring adjustments. Today’s journey will flow steadily, offering a balanced experience. Renting out property ensures consistent returns, though occasional tenant issues or repairs may arise. Training and coursework will progress steadily, keeping you on track.
Love Focus: Casual encounters can lead to something deeper. Take time to explore where it may go.
Lucky Number: 5
Lucky Colour: Magenta
Bedtime routines promote relaxation, but electronic devices may disrupt sleep. Home equipment purchases should align with financial priorities. If team coordination feels off, setting clear expectations will improve efficiency. A family habit may benefit from small adjustments. Team efforts will lead to success. Whether exploring cities or nature, today’s journey will bring happiness. Online property listings offer a wide range of options to explore. Students will find joy and fulfillment in their studies today.
Love Focus: Nurturing emotional connections today will foster deeper understanding and bring a sense of balance and harmony to your relationship.
Lucky Number: 4
Lucky Colour: Peach
Mindful nutrition supports digestion and overall well-being. Money flows abundantly, and you are aligned with its endless potential. Intense competition may create workplace tension, so navigate it wisely. An old issue with a relative may resurface, but resolving it maturely will bring peace. Traveling today will be a joyful experience, whether exploring mountains or a new city. Renting your property will provide steady income with ideal tenants ensuring smooth management. Academic work feels enriching and deeply rewarding today.
Love Focus: Growing through pain makes you stronger, preparing you for a love that brings healing.
Lucky Number: 18
Lucky Colour: Red
Pisces (Feb 20-Mar 20)
Sticking to a workout plan builds discipline, but listening to your body prevents burnout. Financial discipline keeps your budget steady despite small challenges. Innovation at work will fuel business growth and recognition. The wisdom of an older relative may offer valuable insights today. Scenic detours lead to unexpected treasures, so explore new paths for hidden gems. Property deals look positive, ensuring smooth success in selling or renting.
Love Focus: The universe rewards your self-growth with the kind of love you truly deserve.
Lucky Number: 7
Lucky Colour: Dark Blue
By: Dr. Prem Kumar Sharma
(Astrologer, Palmist, Numerologist & Vastu Consultant)
Novavax claims it can surmount the latest regulatory hurdle hindering its quest to win full U.S. clearance of its COVID-19 vaccine, saying Monday it believes its application is still approvable pending an agreement with the Food and Drug Administration on a postmarketing clinical trial.
Last week, Novavax revealed the agency had requested what’s known as a postmarketing commitment to further study the shot in clinical tests. On Friday, The Wall Street Journal reported the FDA had asked Novavax to conduct an additional randomized clinical trial, which would be a costly and time-consuming additional step for the company.
A spokesperson for Novavax, contacted by BioPharma Dive Friday, said the company “cannot comment on the details of the request” while engaging with the FDA. It’s unclear when exactly the agency wants Novavax to complete the study.
Postmarketing commitments “by their nature are completed after BLA approval,” Novavax said in its Monday statement, referring to the Biologics License Application it submitted. “We believe our application is approvable upon alignment on the details of the PMC.”
Novavax’s vaccine, which has been available under an emergency use authorization since 2022, demonstrated 90% efficacy across more than 25,000 adults who participated in prior clinical testing run by the company. Unlike Pfizer’s and Moderna’s COVID shots, Novavax’s is built around an older, protein-based technology.
All three companies have, at the FDA’s request, annually updated the coronavirus strain their shots target to better match what’s circulating each year. These updates have not previously been treated by the FDA as constituting a new product, similar to how the agency regulates influenza vaccines.
In a Saturday post on the social media site X, FDA commissioner Martin Makary appeared to change that policy: “This is a new product that Novavax is trying to introduce to the market with a study of a different product from 2021. New products require new clinical studies,” he wrote.
Asked to clarify Makary’s comments, Andrew Nixon, the Department of Health and Human Services’ director of communications, said in an email that “the urgency to rush approval of boosters without normal oversight no longer exists.”
“A four-year-old trial is also not a blank check for new vaccines each year without clinical trial data, unlike the flu shot which has been tried and tested for more than 80 years,” he added.
The FDA previously agreed to review Novavax’s application and set a decision deadline of April 1, which it missed, reportedly after unusual intervention by the agency’s top leadership. Novavax would receive a $175 million milestone payment from partner Sanofi should it win full FDA approval of its shot.
Vaccines have been under heightened scrutiny since the appointment of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as HHS Secretary. A long-time critic of U.S. vaccination policies, Kennedy has come under criticism for his handling of the measles outbreak in West Texas. He has reportedly been considering changes to federal vaccine panels, two meetings of which have been disrupted since he was sworn in.
After all these years in property, I’m still surprised at how some investors decide which property to buy, however it doesn’t really surprise me why so many don’t get past their first or second property.
You see… many buy for emotional reasons, and while others think they’re investing in property, for some, they’re really speculating.
In today’s show episode, I discuss common mistakes in property investment with Brett Warren, focusing on the dangers of hot-spotting.
We emphasise the importance of long-term strategies, economic fundamentals, and the need for a solid investment plan. Our conversation highlights the risks of following trends and the necessity of understanding market dynamics to build a sustainable property portfolio.
Takeaways
Investing in hotspots is often a form of speculation.
Long-term strategies are essential for successful property investment.
Economic fundamentals drive property value growth.
Owner-occupiers play a crucial role in the property market.
Avoid following the crowd; focus on informed decisions.
A solid investment plan is necessary for long-term success.
Understanding market dynamics is key to navigating risks.
Investing should be based on facts, not opinions.
The media often overlooks critical insights about property investing.
Also, please subscribe to my other podcast Demographics Decoded with Simon Kuestenmacher – just look for Demographics Decoded wherever you are listening to this podcast and subscribe so each week we can unveil the trends shaping your future.
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About Michael Yardney
Michael is the founder of Metropole Property Strategists who help their clients grow, protect and pass on their wealth through independent, unbiased property advice and advocacy. He’s once again been voted Australia’s leading property investment adviser and one of Australia’s 50 most influential Thought Leaders. His opinions are regularly featured in the media.
Microsoft is constantly improving and tweaking Click to Do, an AI-powered Windows 11 feature that helps you get things done faster by identifying text and images on your screen. Unfortunately, some of the additions need a bit more time in the oven before they’re actually useful.
Click to Do is currently available in preview for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2 in the Dev and Beta Channels on Copilot+ PCs. The ‘Ask Copilot’ feature was rolled out with Build 26120.3671 (KB5055622) for Windows Insiders.
Engaging Copilot With Click to Do
By default, Click to Do analyzes what’s on your screen and allows you to choose the text or image you want to focus on. With Ask Copilot, Microsoft is expanding the list of actions you can take with Click to Do.
When you highlight either text or images with Click to Do, you’re now given the option to Ask Copilot in the menu. The text or image is handed off to the Copilot app with your selected content in the prompt box. You can modify the prompt if needed and then query Copilot about whatever you are working on.
At its core, Ask Copilot is another attempt by Microsoft to expand the useful AI features built into the Windows 11 ecosystem. It aims to reduce friction towards Copilot and improve your efficiency by bringing AI assistance to your current work session.
At first glance, Click to Do feels like a sensible place to add Copilot. But in practice? It’s not quite the leap forward it wants to be.
Too Many Things to Do
Click to Do is suffering from what you could call a productivity paradox: it’s trying to be helpful in so many ways that it just ends up overwhelming you. While versatility is often desirable, excessive options create a messy and overwhelming experience.
You’ll now have to navigate a complex interface filled with decision points and dropdown menus. Plus, you have two further options for Ask Copilot—Copilot and Microsoft 365 Copilot. But the latter does absolutely nothing.
We also have the Search the web option, and Copilot already powers Bing search. Not to mention the Copy option (which you can use to copy the content and paste it directly into the Copilot app), and an Open with option where you could pick the Copilot app to, well, open the selected content in Copilot. Plus, there are a few more additional options. The sprawling list of suggested actions is genuinely helpful, but the abundance of choices makes the experience cluttered rather than convenient.
In principle, AI should simplify processes. Yet, in its current form, Ask Copilot adds complexity to an interface teetering on excessive options. Granted, the feature is in preview, and Microsoft could improve its execution based on feedback from Windows Insiders.
It Just Isn’t That Useful As Is
Beyond usability concerns and interface clutter, the real question remains: Does Ask Copilot truly offer any tangible benefits?
For example, I tried Ask Copilot after selecting an image on a webpage. It just added the image to the prompt box on the Copilot app and then waited for me to write the prompt. However, other Click to Do options like blurring the background, erasing objects with the Photos app, or removing the background with Paint seemed more action-oriented—apart from the visual search with Bing functionality.
As it stands, the integration feels underwhelming. It only pushes the selected content to the prompt box in the Copilot app. Plus, the integration lacks the depth and contextual awareness needed to be truly useful. Copilot doesn’t note where I’m coming from or the nuances of my workflow—it’s just a glorified shortcut.
It’s quite apparent that Microsoft is trying to shoehorn Copilot into every corner of its ecosystem. And it makes sense if we should be able to summon Copilot across Windows experiences. While the long-term vision of AI-powered productivity is exciting, the current iterations are underwhelming. That’s a shame because the idea here has legs.
And it’s not like Microsoft hasn’t cracked it elsewhere across Windows experiences. The Edge browser has built-in Copilot integration that allows you to browse smarter with an AI assistant—whether you’re reading an article, watching a video, or exploring a website, you can ask Copilot anything and get quick, relevant answers without ever leaving the page.
And, of course, there are a slew of Copilot features in Microsoft 365 apps allowing you to use Copilot in Word as a writing assistant or get Copilot in PowerPoint to help you nail every presentation.
Related
These Are My 4 Favorite AI Features in Windows 11
These features are so good that I use them regularly.
This isn’t to say the concept should be abandoned. Instead of burying it among a sea of random actions, Ask Copilot could shine in a more focused, pared-down environment that leads to real productivity gains. Until we see some real change in the functionality and usefulness, though, this feature is more awkward than awesome.
<img src='https://news.cgtn.com/news/2025-04-28/Martial-heritage-in-motion-1CLZxkaEpgs/img/6f948dd79349482f93b722eebe3173ea/6f948dd79349482f93b722eebe3173ea.jpeg'Master Cao practices martial arts with one of his disciples in urban Taiyuan, Shanxi Province. /CGTN
<img src='https://news.cgtn.com/news/2025-04-28/Martial-heritage-in-motion-1CLZxkaEpgs/img/6f948dd79349482f93b722eebe3173ea/6f948dd79349482f93b722eebe3173ea.jpeg'Master Cao practices martial arts with one of his disciples in urban Taiyuan, Shanxi Province. /CGTN
<img src='https://news.cgtn.com/news/2025-04-28/Martial-heritage-in-motion-1CLZxkaEpgs/img/6f948dd79349482f93b722eebe3173ea/6f948dd79349482f93b722eebe3173ea.jpeg'Master Cao practices martial arts with one of his disciples in urban Taiyuan, Shanxi Province. /CGTN
<img src='https://news.cgtn.com/news/2025-04-28/Martial-heritage-in-motion-1CLZxkaEpgs/img/6f948dd79349482f93b722eebe3173ea/6f948dd79349482f93b722eebe3173ea.jpeg'Master Cao practices martial arts with one of his disciples in urban Taiyuan, Shanxi Province. /CGTN
In urban Taiyuan, a master and his disciple spar with lightning-fast precision. The disciple is mirroring Master Cao’s techniques of attack and defense. In the strikes, as sharp as sword blows, are preserved not only the technique but also the soul of China’s warrior tradition.
R&B singer Kehlani remains firm on their views about Israel’s war on Gaza after they recently cost them an opportunity to perform at Cornell University.
The Grammy nominee, who has been an outspoken supporter for Palestinians, got frank about their stance in an Instagram video responding to Cornell’s recent decision to pull the plug on their concert. Kehlani was scheduled to headline the Ivy League school’s annual Slope Day celebration on May 7, but university president Michael Kotlikoff announced last week that he rescinded the invitation, citing concerns that the event “would feature a performer who has espoused antisemitic, anti-Israel sentiments in performances, videos, and on social media.”
In a video posted Sunday, the “After Hours” performer said, “I’m being asked and called to clarify and make a statement yet again for the millionth time that I am not antisemitic nor anti-Jew.”
“I am anti-genocide, I am anti the actions of the Israeli government,” they declared, adding “I am anti an extermination of an entire people, I am anti the bombing of innocent children, men, women. That’s what I’m anti.”
In their video, Kehlani highlighted their previous work with the organization Jewish Voices for Peace and said that they continue to “learn from and work alongside really impactful Jewish organizers against this genocide” of Palestinians.
It’s currently unclear who will replace Kehlani as a headliner for Cornell’s Slope Day celebration, which is just a little more than a week away. In their video, Kehlani didn’t seem to sweat Cornell’s decision too much. “I want to be very clear in stating that I do believe God has plans for me,” they said.
“That’s not gonna stop nothing that I have going on, but I’m asked to clarify because this keeps coming up as a means to silence me, as a means to stop things that happen in my career,” Kehlani added. “As a means to change the course of my life, and I just don’t believe that.”
In their caption, the “Gangsta” and “Nights Like This” artist said they are facing additional attempts at other cancellations. The singer urged critics seeking to cancel performing opportunities to “stand on it being because of your Zionism” instead of linking support for Palestinians to antisemitism.
“All this because we want people to stop dying,” Kehlani said.
New Delhi, April 28: The initial public offering (IPO) of electric two-wheeler maker Ather Energy Limited received a lukewarm response on its first day of subscription, with the overall issue being booked just 0.17 times.
Ather Energy’s grey market premium (GMP) had also slipped sharply, indicating subdued investor interest. The GMP had fallen to just about Rs 1, suggesting a very small premium over the issue price, according to InvestorGain. When the IPO was first announced, the GMP was around Rs 17. 2025 Range Rover Evoque Autobiography in India With New Updates, Features; Check Price, Specifications and Features of New Subcompact Luxury SUV.
The retail investors’ portion saw a better response, getting subscribed 0.62 times. Non-institutional investors (NIIs) booked 0.16 times of their allocated quota, while the employee portion was subscribed 1.77 times. However, there was no participation from qualified institutional buyers (QIBs) on the opening day. The IPO will remain open for subscription till April 30.
The company is looking to raise Rs 2,981 crore through the IPO, which includes a Rs 2,626-crore fresh issue and an offer-for-sale (OFS) of 1.1 crore shares worth Rs 354.75 crore. Investors can bid for a minimum of 46 shares per lot.
Out of the Rs 2,626 crore fresh issue, Ather plans to use Rs 927.2 crore to set up a new electric two-wheeler manufacturing facility in Maharashtra. Another Rs 750 crore is earmarked for research and development, Rs 300 crore for marketing, and Rs 40 crore for repaying debt. 2025 Citroen C5 Aircross Unveiling on April 29, 2025 at Citroen Electric Show, French Automaker Shares Teaser of Its New High-Tech SUV (Watch Video).
The company had raised Rs 1,340 crore from anchor investors on Friday, which included several big names. However, this could not fully boost the demand on Day 1 of public subscription. Ather Energy’s financials show that the company has been making losses every year. In FY24, it reported a pre-tax loss of Rs 1,059.7 crore, higher than the Rs 864.5 crore loss in FY23. Its revenue for FY24 was Rs 1,753.8 crore, slightly lower than the FY23 revenue of Rs 1,780.9 crore.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 28, 2025 08:15 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
At 12:30 pm local time on Monday, the power went out. Across Spain and Portugal trains, planes, and traffic lights abruptly stopped working.
Reports emerged of people being stuck in lifts, and Google Maps live data showed traffic jams in big cities, including Madrid and Barcelona, as they became gridlocked. Major airports warned passengers of delays due to the blackout. Its cause is still unknown. The blackout is estimated to have affected the entirety of Portugal and Spain and small regions in France.
“Traffic lights aren’t working. The streets are chaotic because there is an officer at every crossing,” says Gustavo, who lives in Madrid. “Water doesn’t reach flats at the top of buildings because the pumps are electric, and the very few shops that are open are only taking cash.”
This is every electrical engineer’s nightmare scenario, says Paul Cuffe, assistant professor of the School of Electrical & Electronic Engineering at University College Dublin. “The reason we don’t have widespread outages all the time is because system operators are very conservative and very proactive about using big safety margins to make sure this doesn’t happen,” he says. Engineers plan for failures in grids or surges in consumer demand that could destabilize the power supply. “These things are unusual, but to a power engineer the latent threat of it happening is always there.”
Spain’s electricity operator Red Eléctrica said in a post on X a few hours after the initial blackout that it had recovered power in some areas of Cataluña and Aragón in the northeast; País Vasco, Galicia, La Rioja, Asturias, Navarra, and Castilla y Léon in the north; Extremadura in the east; and Andalucía in the south.
Experts believe that getting the grid back up and running in both countries could take between a few hours to several days, depending on the area. While the grid is powering back up, emergency services will likely be prioritized over things like stable internet connection, they say.
There is a well-rehearsed sequence of steps that now happens, says Cuffe. They are going to be doing what is called a “black start”—a process that gradually reconnects power stations to form a functioning grid again. Electrical supply and demand has to be balanced to avoid further blackouts, meaning as power stations come online, only portions of the grid can come online with them, with the country gradually powering up, step by step. There should be a team within the grid operator that plans for this and that has identified which generators to bring online first, he explains.
“You should be anticipating every failure that can happen and you should survive any one of them,” Cuffe says. From the control room, engineers should be able to tell what parts of the grid are definitely functioning so they won’t be flying blind—but it will still take time.
“Even with a completely healthy grid, to do that black start could take 12 hours or 16 hours. You have to do it sequentially, and it takes a long time. I’m sure there are engineers in vans swarming all over the place as we speak trying to make all this happen.
Bitget has partnered Avalanche as part of the latter’s efforts to invest in the Web3 sector in India. Aimed at driving grassroots-level adoption of Web3 technology in the country, the partnership was announced by the Web3 firms on Monday. While Bitget is a Seychelles-based crypto exchange, Avalanche is an open-source layer-1 blockchain created at Cornell University and later led by New York-based Ava Labs. As part of the agreement, both firms plan to boost India’s web3 infrastructure to support crypto services and highlight blockchain use cases in the country.
Avalanche and Bitget will launch awareness campaigns and educational workshops related to crypto safety and blockchain exploration throughout the year as part of the “HODL ON” tours. Through these tours, the partnership will offer a platform to Indian Web3 startups to showcase their work and secure funding.
Two community meetups have already taken place in Delhi and Bengaluru in recent weeks, as the first leg of the tour went live. The firms said that India’s tech talent is capable of delivering world class Web3 applications if supported by timely grants, mentorship, and international exposure.
“Empowering users with the right knowledge is essential to unlocking the full potential of blockchain in India’s digital future. We’re committed to bridging this gap through community programs, partnerships with universities, and accessible learning tools,” Jyotsna Hridyani, South Asia Head at Bitget said in a prepared statement.
Bitget is currently working with the Financial Intelligence Unit of India (FIU-IND) to secure its mandatory registration that would legalise its operations in the country. Avalanche, meanwhile, is already working with state governments to shift public records onto its blockchain network.
India’s Growing Web3 Workforce
India is on track to overtake the US as the largest hub of Web3 developers by 2028, the India Web3 Landscape Report (2024) by Hashed Emergent claimed last month. The report claimed that India’s Web3 developer community grew by 28 percent in 2024, adding over 4.7 million developers to GitHub
Base blockchain developer, Jesse Pollak had also strongly backed the community of India’s Web3 developers last year. In conversation with Gadgets 360, Pollak had said that if developers could tap into some banking support in the country they would be able to create useful Web3 solutions.
Despite a lack of clear regulations to oversee Web3, the cluster of companies working around blockchain and crypto exceeded the mark of 400 last year. In its report last year, the Bharat Web3 Association (BWA) claimed that Karnataka has emerged as the hotspot for Web3 firms, housing at least 97 Web3 firms, followed by Maharashtra, Telangana, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh.
In recent years, several companies and venture capital firms have initiated funding programmes aimed at assisting bootstrapped Web3 startups. These firms include PwC India, AlgoBharat, and the Solana Foundation among others.
The fee paid to an SEO consultant or agency is part of the cost of SEO. However, getting results also requires a business or brand to contribute time and effort.
This article will look beyond the surface at the full spectrum of costs associated with doing SEO well, enabling you to approach 2025 well-prepared for SEO success.
SEO costs: The basics
Looking for a straightforward overview of SEO costs? Severalstudies have answered the question.
Exact costs vary depending on factors like business size, goals, industry, geographical location, and the overall complexity of the project. But, on average in 2025, we have:
Hourly rates between $75 and $100.
Project-based fees from $2,501 to $5,000.
Monthly retainers ranging from $500 to $1,500.
Local SEO ranges from $250 upwards, depending on competition and total locations.
While some of these figures may seem high, most businesses are small, and their SEO costs are much lower.
In the U.S., small businesses typically spend $500 or less monthly on SEO.
In the UK, the average monthly spend is around £500.
The problem with generic SEO costs
Unfortunately, there is a problem with this SEO pricing model.
Improving your SEO is a more involved and complicated process than buying traffic.
Generic, top-level figures assume that SEO is an entirely hands-off process.
You pay a consultant or agency $$$ per month, and they wave their magic SEO wand and shout “Optimizara” and – Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo! – you appear magically at the top of the search rankings.
Unsurprisingly, that is not how things work in the real world, and effective SEO requires a synergy between the business and the SEO consultant.
In 2025, SEO is hyper-competitive. Competition comes from search ads, AI Overviews, brands, and more aggressive and advanced competitors.
SEO for 2025 should focus on improving visibility across these SERP features.
Succeeding in this landscape requires sage SEO guidance, a strong SEO strategy, a clear SEO plan, and lots of hard work! You have to aim at what Google is aiming at.
Fortunately, Google’s philosophy for SEO is articulated by E-E-A-T.
The content Google wants to surface is based on experience and expertise from trusted authority figures in your industry.
Your SEO is unlikely to be that authority in your business, so rather than someone who does it all for you, your SEO should be a guide who analyzes the current SEO situation and provides you with a map to better results.
Your SEO should be a kind of SEO Obi-Wan Kenobi – a wise sage who will tutor you in the ways of the SEO force and guide you forward.
Instead of viewing SEO as a one-time service you pay for and complete, it’s better to think of it within the framework of the 3Ms model: manpower, money, and minutes.
Manpower is the time you provide.
Money is how you pay for guidance and advice.
Minutes is how long it will take to get results (a key SEO consideration).
This will allow you to develop a more holistic and comprehensive idea of how much SEO will cost to produce results.
Is SEO the right choice for now?
You must consider whether SEO is the right fit for your immediate needs.
SEO is powerful, but it often takes time, so if you need new business today, you may need to have an SEO or PPC conversation first.
The key here is to consider your goals, often using a system like SEO SMART goals.
Then, determine if SEO’s realities align with your overall marketing requirements.
If you decide to integrate SEO into your broader marketing approach, be mindful of tracking your progress with KPIs.
Dig deeper: When your business doesn’t need SEO
The SEO outsourcing trap
One final word of warning.
SEO is not the same as PPC.
Google wants to show the best sites at the top of the search engine.
You can’t just pay to play with SEO.
This thinking can cause you to fall into an SEO outsourcing trap.
This is where you constantly seek the agency that knows the secret to SEO and will be able to succeed where many others have failed before them.
Remember, no agency has a special relationship with Google, and there is no secret trick to get to the top of Google (for long, at least).
Strategize. Plan. Do the work.
The real costs of SEO
Let’s dig a little deeper and look at how to understand the true costs of doing SEO well.
SEO is not a direct pay-to-win model or as straightforward as paying an agency and getting guaranteed results.
Investing in organic search requires:
Analysis.
Insight.
Strategy.
Expert guidance.
Tactical support.
Technical updates.
Creative effort.
It works best when the SEO and the business work closely together, where the SEO often plays the role of researcher, strategist, and project manager to pull everything together.
If I haven’t scared you off yet – and if you really want to improve your SEO, which you really should – then you must go into this with your eyes open and expect it to be difficult.
You will need to sacrifice time and money on the altar of SEO success, but if your sacrifice is worthy, there will be a pile of gold at the end.
Remember, the smartest SEO happens at the intersection of your business knowledge and the agency’s SEO expertise.
Working together, you can achieve results far beyond what either could accomplish alone.
At its heart, this is multi-format content marketing and SEO integrated and working together.
Caveats aside, let’s break this down into a more comprehensive set of SEO costs:
1. SEO outsourcing costs
Your first SEO cost is for professional advice from a credible, experienced expert.
As detailed above, this will cost you anywhere from $100 per hour upwards, depending on competition, complexity, and scope.
Be mindful that there are many types of SEO companies, all of which offer a range of services from analysis and strategy to technical SEO and content creation.
As such, educate yourself on your situation and likely requirements.
Be prepared to do an initial piece of work to:
Understand your marketplace.
Assess your current SEO situation.
Develop a plan with clear timelines.
Before you dive in, it’s crucial to become an educated buyer and understand the difference between SEO goals, strategy, and planning.
With a solid plan in place, you can then determine who will handle what responsibilities on both the client and agency sides.
The plan is crucial – don’t skip this step.
Although it may seem like extra work, planning saves time and money while improving results.
Choose wisely and plan effectively. This step determines whether you succeed or face slow, gradual, painful failure.
2. SEO internal resources costs
As a business, there are many ways you can inform and assist the agency in developing your SEO, including:
The marketing big picture: The agency needs to understand the overall marketing strategy and approach, and where SEO fits into that bigger picture.
Defining goals and objectives: Goals and objectives must be clear for the overall marketing and SEO within that larger framework.
Content creation and approval: The agency may help, but often, this will depend upon specific industry knowledge that the business may need to provide. In many cases, the content may need to come from authentic individuals within the company to hit those E-E-A-T targets.
Website support:Not all agencies provide website support, and many websites are complicated and require developer support to optimize the website design and SEO fully. Your website remains crucial and must be carefully planned to maximize SEO success.
Reporting and feedback: SEO is often judged on several KPIs, but it can be helpful to close the loop here and reconcile conversions to actual leads and sales. This will help the agency understand the real-world impact rather than just the metrics and improve results.
Training: Where the business will perform some of the more day-to-day SEO tasks, time may be assigned for training sessions.
Day-to-day SEO tasks: Where the business is undertaking website updates or content creation, there are some SEO tasks here (all of which should be covered in the SEO training).
Regular communication and meetings: SEO is an iterative process, and healthy engagement on the client side only helps ensure that opportunities are grasped and the SEO stays oriented toward the goal. Regular catch-ups, reviews, and communication help ensure hurdles are overcome and progress is consistent. This all takes time, but will improve results and keep you on track.
The specifics here will always vary depending on the business and that all-important SEO plan.
The key takeaway is that the best results will come when the business and agency work together toward agreed goals.
Dig deeper: Where should you spend your SEO budget?
3. The cost of not doing SEO
Not doing SEO also carries costs and impacts on the business.
Reduced visibility: If your customers search, not being organically visible will lead to less visibility and fewer visitors.
Reduced local or brand awareness: If customers can’t find you, this impacts direct business, referrals, and recommendations.
Credibility: There is a trust associated with organic rankings, and if you rely solely on ads or other means, then this will impact credibility and conversions.
Impact on other channels: Should a prospect find you from other marketing, they may still search for you unless you consider how your business is presented in search results. Then, you could lose business for all the wrong reasons.
Losing out to competitors: Each job you don’t win is what your competitors do. By not having a solid organic presence, you are slowly losing ground that will be harder to reclaim.
Higher advertising costs: Organic, when well-established, tend to have higher engagement and lower costs for generating leads and sales than other channels. This pushes you to rely on more expensive channels and again seeds a competitive advantage to your competitors who are winning more work at lower costs.
Ultimately, if your customers use search engines and you don’t do SEO, you are almost certainly losing out and handing opportunities to your competitors.
4. The cost of doing SEO badly
There is the old saying that if you think it is expensive to use an expert, wait until you see how expensive it is to do the job cheaply with an amateur.
That is SEO in a nutshell.
There are SEO experts on Fiverr.
There is always someone who will do the job for less.
Many low-rent SEO tools and companies will make wondrous promises but deliver very little.
The SEO AI tools are the latest addition of big promises and offer to pump out content daily to boost your SEO, but they will do little to help and could cost you dearly.
Doing SEO badly will, at best, cost you time and money.
Worse still, in the helpful content world, doing SEO badly could hurt your site’s ability to rank in the future.
The key is to use a credible, experienced expert and to put a plan together.
Don’t scrimp on SEO today; it is too expensive in the long run!
5. Costs for SEO software and tools
Another SEO cost is the many tools available that aim to help you rank.
These tools range from around $50 to $100 monthly for a single site.
These tools certainly have their uses from a monitoring perspective, and they can also provide suggestions regarding tasks that may improve your SEO.
The main problem with these tools is that they have to make recommendations, many of which will do nothing to improve your SEO whilst eating up a lot of your time.
Google’s John Mueller addressed the output of SEO tools in this Reddit SEO thread.
“Any SEO tool will spit out 10s or 100s of ‘recommendations,’ most of those are going to be irrelevant to your site’s visibility in search. Finding the items that make sense to work on takes to experience.”
That is our experience, and whilst SEO tools can be helpful, they require an experienced eye to separate the wheat from the chaff.
My take on whether you should use SEO tools is that it depends on your experience.
If you are a novice SEO trying to use the tool to steer your efforts, you will likely eat up many hours, days and weeks following the advice of a tool that will do nothing to help your SEO.
The real cost of SEO tools for most novice users is simply the lost time (which is the most precious resource of all).
6. Time to results
An important note with SEO vs. other paid tactics is that it can take a while to benefit from improved visibility and traffic.
Over time, you can often reduce SEO spend while seeing results stabilize and keep improving, but be prepared for the long game and don’t give up before you capture the hill!
In the early stages, SEO often involves marketing spend aimed at progress toward a goal, but with little immediate tangible business result, so keep this in mind.
Dig deeper: What percentage of your budget should go toward SEO?
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SEO planning and accurate SEO costs
The key to getting accurate SEO costs is to work on an SEO plan.
The specifics here will vary, but at a high level, you will need to determine your:
Situation: Where are you now?
Objectives: Where do you want to get to?
Strategy: What is the overarching strategy? Why should Google rank you?
Tactics: What are the specifics of your approach?
Action plan: Who will do what and when?
Measurements: How will you measure progress and results?
Once you understand all of the financial costs and internal resources and how long it will take to start seeing actual traffic, you can decide how to proceed.
There is a wonderful little book called “The Art of War” by the military strategist Sun Tzu, written around 500 BCE.
Much can be mined from this book for business and marketing strategy, and the following statement seems particularly apt for SEO:
“Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.”
A lot of SEO is tactics without strategy.
Strategy is only useful if it is acted on through tactics.
You need a well-researched and documented plan to understand the costs and timescales.
Remember, professionals have plans; with modern SEO, this is the difference between success and failure.
How much should you spend on SEO?
This is a trickier question and depends on your business and situation.
Small businesses should generally spend between 7% and 12% of their gross revenue on marketing.
How much of that should be spent on SEO depends on:
Your current rankings.
How vital SEO is as a channel for customer acquisition.
And myriad other factors.
If you believe that 50% of customers will search and find you, investing 50% of your marketing budget on organic search and SEO may make sense.
Or you could spend 25% on paid search and 25% on organic (depending on your short vs. long-term goals).
It is impossible to answer this question without considering your current situation. I recommend enlisting the help of an expert to develop a plan and move forward.
The real cost of SEO
You need a broad overview of everything required to do SEO well in 2025 and beyond.
If you approach this thinking that you can get everything you need by spending just $500 a month, you will never compete with businesses that also invest their time and effort into building a long-term plan and vision for SEO.
Even for smaller businesses and local firms, where the agency can handle most of the work, you will achieve far better results by collaborating closely on content.
The win happens at the intersection of the business’s customer knowledge and the SEO’s knowledge of search.
If you’ve read this far, take solace in the fact that most won’t – and likewise, most won’t put in the requisite effort to get real results.
Most companies will either do the job badly or not at all. By being one of the few willing to put in the work to do it properly, you are already well ahead of the pack.
Find an expert to guide you, work diligently to build a plan, and aim squarely at being the best — and letting the world know about it.
This approach will embed SEO into your business in a way competitors can neither easily copy nor compete with.
Good luck!
Dig deeper: How to create and manage an SEO budget
For several years, Fred Neary had been seeing five doctors at the Baylor Scott & White Health system, whose 52 hospitals serve central and northern Texas, including Neary’s home in Dallas. But in October, his Humana Medicare Advantage plan — an alternative to government-run Medicare — warned that Baylor and the insurer were fighting over a new contract. If they couldn’t reach an agreement, he’d have to find new doctors or new health insurance.
“All my medical information is with Baylor Scott & White,” said Neary, 87, who retired from a career in financial services. His doctors are a five-minute drive from his house. “After so many years, starting over with that many new doctor relationships didn’t feel like an option.”
After several anxious weeks, Neary learned Humana and Baylor were parting ways as of this year, and he was forced to choose between the two. Because the breakup happened during the annual fall enrollment period for Medicare Advantage, he was able to pick a new Advantage plan with coverage starting Jan. 1, a day after his Humana plan ended.
When Fred Neary’s five doctors at the Baylor Scott & White Health system were leaving his
Medicare Advantage plan, he was forced to choose: Get new doctors or new insurance.(Kay McCoy)
Other Advantage members who lose providers are not as lucky. Although disputes between health systems and insurers happen all the time, members are usually locked into their plans for the year and restricted to a network of providers, even if that network shrinks. Unless members qualify for what’s called a special enrollment period, switching plans or returning to traditional Medicare is allowed only at year’s end, with new coverage starting in January.
But in the past 15 months, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, which oversees the Medicare Advantage program, has quietly offered roughly three-month special enrollment periods allowing thousands of Advantage members in at least 13 states to change plans. They were also allowed to leave Advantage plans entirely and choose traditional Medicare coverage without penalty, regardless of when they lost their providers. But even when CMS lets Advantage members leave a plan that lost a key provider, insurers can still enroll new members without telling them the network has shrunk.
At least 41 hospital systems have dropped out of 62 Advantage plans serving all or parts of 25 states since July, according to Becker’s Hospital Review. Over the past two years, separations between Advantage plans and health systems have tripled, said FTI Consulting, which tracks reports of the disputes.
CMS spokesperson Catherine Howden said it is “a routine occurrence” for the agency to determine that provider network changes trigger a special enrollment period for their members. “It has happened many times in the past, though we have seen an uptick in recent years.”
Still, CMS would not identify plans whose members were allowed to disenroll after losing health providers. The agency also would not say whether the plans violated federal provider network rules intended to ensure that Medicare Advantage members have sufficient providers within certain distances and travel times.
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The secrecy around when and how Advantage members can escape plans after their doctors and hospitals drop out worries Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, the senior Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, which oversees CMS.
“Seniors enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans deserve to know they can change their plan when their local doctor or hospital exits the plan due to profit-driven business practices,” Wyden said.
The increase in insurer-provider breakups isn’t surprising, given the growing popularity of Medicare Advantage. The plans attracted about 54% of the 61.2 million people who had both Medicare Parts A and B and were eligible to sign up for Medicare Advantage in 2024, according to KFF, a health information nonprofit that includes KFF Health News.
The plans can offer supplemental benefits unavailable from traditional Medicare because the federal government pays insurers about 20% more per member than traditional Medicare per-member costs, according to the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, which advises Congress. The extra spending, which some lawmakers call wasteful, will total about $84 billion in 2025, MedPAC estimates. While traditional Medicare does not offer the additional benefits Advantage plans advertise, it does not limit beneficiaries’ choice of providers. They can go to any doctor or hospital that accepts Medicare, as nearly all do.
Sanford Health, the largest rural health system in the U.S., serving parts of seven states from South Dakota to Michigan, decided to leave a Humana Medicare Advantage plan last year that covered 15,000 of its patients. “It’s not so much about the finances or administrative burden, although those are real concerns,” said Nick Olson, Sanford Health’s chief financial officer. “The most important thing for us is the fact that coverage denials and prior authorization delays impact the care a patient receives, and that’s unacceptable.”
The National Association of Insurance Commissioners, representing insurance regulators from every state, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia, has appealed to CMS to help Advantage members.
“State regulators in several states are seeing hospitals and crucial provider groups making decisions to no longer contract with any MA plans, which can leave enrollees without ready access to care,” the group wrote in September. “Lack of CMS guidance could result in unnecessary financial or medical injury to America’s seniors.”
The commissioners appealed again last month to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. “Significant network changes trigger important rights for beneficiaries, and they should receive clear notice of their rights and have access to counseling to help them make appropriate choices,” they wrote.
The insurance commissioners asked CMS to consider offering a special enrollment period for all Advantage members who lose the same major provider, instead of placing the burden on individuals to find help on their own. No matter what time of year, members would be able to change plans or enroll in government-run Medicare.
Advantage members granted this special enrollment period who choose traditional Medicare get a bonus: If they want to purchase a Medigap policy — supplemental insurance that helps cover Medicare’s considerable out-of-pocket costs — insurers can’t turn them away or charge them more because of preexisting health conditions.
Those potential extra costs have long been a deterrent for people who want to leave Medicare Advantage for traditional Medicare.
“People are being trapped in Medicare Advantage because they can’t get a Medigap plan,” said Bonnie Burns, a training and policy specialist at California Health Advocates, a nonprofit watchdog that helps seniors navigate Medicare.
Guaranteed access to Medigap coverage is especially important when providers drop out of all Advantage plans. Only four states — Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, and New York — offer that guarantee to anyone who wants to reenroll in Medicare.
But some hospital systems, including Great Plains Health in North Platte, Nebraska, are so frustrated by Advantage plans that they won’t participate in any of them.
It had the same problems with delays and denials of coverage as other providers, but one incident stands out for CEO Ivan Mitchell: A patient too sick to go home had to stay in the hospital an extra six weeks because her plan wouldn’t cover care in a rehabilitation facility.
With traditional Medicare the only option this year for Great Plains Health patients, Nebraska insurance commissioner Eric Dunning asked for a special enrollment period with guaranteed Medigap access for some 1,200 beneficiaries. After six months, CMS agreed.
Once Delaware’s insurance commissioner contacted CMS about the Bayhealth medical system dropping out of a Cigna Advantage plan, members received a special enrollment period starting in January.
Maine’s congressional delegation pushed for an enrollment period for nearly 4,000 patients of Northern Light Health after the 10-hospital system dropped out of a Humana Advantage plan last year.
“Our constituents have told us that they are anticipating serious challenges, ranging from worries about substantial changes to cost-sharing rates to concerns about maintaining care with current providers,” the delegation told CMS.
CMS granted the request to ensure “that MA enrollees have access to medically necessary care,” then-CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure wrote to Sen. Angus King (I-Maine).
Minnesota insurance officials appealed to CMS on behalf of some 75,000 members of Aetna, Humana, and UnitedHealthcare Advantage plans after six health systems announced last year they would leave the plans in 2025. So many provider changes caused “tremendous problems,” said Kelli Jo Greiner, director of the Minnesota State Health Insurance Assistance Program, known as a SHIP, at the Minnesota Board on Aging. SHIP counselors across the country provide Medicare beneficiaries free help choosing and using Medicare drug and Advantage plans.
Providers serving about 15,000 of Minnesota’s Advantage members ultimately agreed to stay in the insurers’ networks. CMS decided 14,000 Humana members qualified for a network-change special enrollment period.
The remaining 46,000 people — Aetna and UnitedHealthcare Advantage members — who lost access to four health systems were not eligible for the special enrollment period. CMS decided their plans still had enough other providers to care for them.
Hyper Light Breaker’s first major content update arrives on April 29 and will bring with it major changes to the core gameplay loop, as well as brand-new content including a new Breaker and new Crown.
Lead producer Michael Clark introduced the update in a new trailer, leading with the fearsome new Crown called Maw. Maw has already been teased in the game, and her arena is available pre-update, but this will be the first time players can take her on in combat.
The new Breaker is called Rondo, who has a new SyCom with two new perks: Bladedancer and Reaper. The content update also inroduces two new weapons for players to wield: the Gloom Shiv and the Dreamblade. The update will also add new environments, a new enemy, and more that the devs haven’t yet detailed.
The new content isn’t the biggest part of the upcoming update, however, with Clark revealing that Hyper Light Breaker is getting a major shakeup to its core run structure. Once the update hits, you will have one life for each run, and upon death you will lose all items in your inventory and the Overgrowth will reset. Clark explains that this change will bring Hyper Light Breaker more in line with a traditional roguelike experience.
Players will now get more chances to extract from the Overgrowth, being able to do so from any Shrine, and will no longer have to defeat enemies to do so. SyComs will now follow a class-like structure where every character will have one dedicated SyCom, which can have a perk equipped to enable a passive ability. Inventory will be streamlined so that players no longer have to spend so much time managing inventory, and vendors’ roles have also been changed.
The update will also add a brand-new onboarding tutorial aimed at making Hyper Light Breaker more approachable to new players. The tutorial will launch for all players post-update, even if they’ve already sunk a lot of hours into the game.
Many of the overarching changes made to the game were inspired by player feedback, Heart Machine said in a Steam update, thanking players for being a part of the process as Hyper Light Breaker makes its way through early access.
The Buried Below update arrives on April 29 for Hyper Light Breaker on PC.
Proteins play a central role in virtually every disease.
They are the building blocks of life, serving as essential components in nearly all cellular processes. They facilitate communication between cells and ensure that biological systems function properly.
Put simply, life wouldn’t exist without proteins. That’s why researchers around the world are dedicated to understanding them.
Now, a new study from the University of Copenhagen highlights how protein research could revolutionize multiple areas within biology and medicine. The study, published in the journal Cell, was led by scientists at the University of Copenhagen’s Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research.
“We hope our findings will help explore how drugs influence protein turnover and contribute to the development of better medicines. Our research could also reveal how protein stability changes with age and how we might promote healthy aging,” says Professor Jesper Velgaard Olsen.
“In short, we have developed a cutting-edge technology that allows us to analyse and quantify proteins in individual cells with unprecedented depth. We can now identify exactly which proteins are present and in what quantities.”
With this new approach, researchers can measure how individual cells produce and break down proteins — a process known as ‘protein turnover’. The technique, called SC-pSILAC, enables scientists to track both the abundance of proteins and the rate at which they are turned over in single cells. These insights could have significant implications for cancer research, drug development, and personalized medicine.
Mapping the impact of cancer treatments
Despite their fundamental importance, there is still much we don’t know about proteins — including how many exist in a human cell.
SC-pSILAC is a breakthrough since it can distinguish between dividing and non-dividing cells. A prime example is cancer cells, which divide rapidly and are typically targeted by chemotherapy.
However, some cancer cells do not divide, allowing them to evade chemotherapy. The new method helps identify these treatment-resistant cells, leading to better therapies.
“We can now observe that non-dividing cells remain metabolically active and continue to affect their surroundings — something previous methods couldn’t detect,” explains Olsen.
The researchers have also used this technique to examine how specific drugs impact protein turnover in individual cells, including the cancer medication bortezomib. Their findings uncovered specific proteins and previously unknown biological processes influenced by the treatment.
“This method represents a significant leap in protein research,” Olsen states.
“In my field, we have worked for years to analyze proteins within cells. Only recently has technological progress enabled us to do so at the single-cell level.”
Thanks to this innovation, scientists now have a far more detailed understanding of how proteins operate at the molecular level. The hope is that this knowledge will drive advancements in disease diagnostics and treatment strategies.
About International Journal of Law and Policy Review
The ‘International Journal of Law and Policy Review’ (IJLPR) has been established in the year 2012 under the patronage of NUJS, the University founded by Prof Madhav Menon. The IJLPR is online e-journal and is managed by the School of Technology, Law and Development (STLD) of NUJS.
The purpose of introducing this online e-journal is to reach widely to every reader interested in law and other disciplines, by way of open access system through internet and disseminate and share ideas and knowledge of law and legal development all over the world.
Accordingly, the write up available to this e-journal is basically for educational purpose only and not for any commercial gain.
Sub-themes
Contract Law, Constitutional Law, Land Law, Agricultural Law, Family Law, Criminal Law, Property Law, Jurisprudence, Administrative Law, Code of Civil Procedure, Alternate Dispute Resolution, Law of Evidence, International Trade Law, Corporate Law, Human Rights Law, International Law, Intellectual Property Law, Taxation Law, Environmental Law, Labour Law, Banking Law, Insurance Law, Conflict of Laws, Information Technology Law, Election Law, Cyber Crimes Law, Natural Resources and Energy Law, Water Law, etc.
How to Submit?
Write-up particularly preferred by the Chief Editor and/or Editorial Board shall also be published. The write-up must reach through e-mail [email protected] on or before May 3, 2025. The Next issue will be uploaded on or after Jul 15, 2025. For further information, one may visit instructions on the author’s web page.
Please visit the terms & conditions before sending the manuscript. Editorial Board reserves the right not to accept any further manuscript if a sufficient number of publishable articles already have been received by the board before the submission deadline.”
Submission Categories
Segment 1 – Long Article:
Any topic relating to law and policy
Minimum Length (12000 words including footnotes).
Segment 2 – Special Article:
Any topic relating to law and its research.
Minimum Length (6000 words including footnotes).
Segment 3 – Short Article:
Any topic relating to law and policy.
Minimum Length (3000 words including footnotes).
Submission Guidelines
The Review uses only footnotes (and not end-notes) as a method of citation.
The following Compliance must be observed before sending the manuscript:
Convert the A 4 size paper to executive paper [7.25” X 10.5”];
Remove page border if any;
Remove references and/or Bibliography if any;
Ensure and cross check that the footnote citation style is appropriate according to Journal citation style (for details click here);
While justifying the footnote pay attention to URL or internet address, if the address create unwanted gaps, then use space bar tab after each words in the URL to remove the gaps;
Ensure and cross check the format of the text as per the following style: Paper Title: [Times New Roman, 12 POINTS, BOLD, ALL CAPS, CENTRE ALIGN] Name of Author(s): (Max two authors) [Times New Roman, 12 Points, Italics, Centre Align] Author’s designation and e-mail (font size 10) must be made available below the name of the author. Abstract Caption: [Times New Roman, 11 Points, Centre Align] Abstract Text: [Times New Roman, 11 Points, Italics, Justify, 0.5 inch indent on both sides] Keywords caption: [Times New Roman, 11 Points, Left Align & colon sign] Keywords text: [Times New Roman, 11 Points, Justify, Single Line Spacing] HEADING LEVEL 1, 2, 3 and next: [ English number, Times New Roman, 12 Points, Left side & justified, bold] Main Text: [Times New Roman, 12 Points, Justify, Single Line Spacing] Name of the case in main text: [Times New Roman, 12 Points, Justify, Single Line Spacing, Italics] Footnotes Text: [Times New Roman, 10 Points, Justify, Single Line Spacing]
Deadline
Write-up particularly preferred by the Chief Editor and/or Editorial Board shall also be published. The write-up must reach through e-mail [email protected] on or before May 3, 2025. The Next issue will be uploaded on or after Jul 15, 2025.
Disclaimer: WEF April, 2021, Lawctopus will not publish any ‘Call for Papers/Blogs’ by journals that charge money at the time of submission. If you find any journal doing so, please intimate us at tanuj.kalia[at]lawctopus.com
Radhika Merchant is serving some serious glam in her latest traditional look. The Ambanis’ choti bahu is known for her bold, over-the-top styles and gorgeous accessories, and this new look is no exception. An Instagram page famous for sharing Ambani updates dropped some stunning pictures of Radhika looking every bit like a royal princess in her ethnic outfit. Let’s break down her look and steal some style inspo. (Also read: Radhika Merchant’s adorable braided pigtails at IPL are incredibly quick and easy: Here’s how to recreate the look )
Radhika Merchant stuns with regal look and stunning accessories.(Instagram)
Radhika Merchant stuns in glam ethnic look
Radhika dazzled in a pastel green sleeveless blouse featuring a scoop neckline and an uneven cropped hemline, adorned with intricate golden sequin embroidery that radiated exceptional craftsmanship.
She paired the blouse with a flared lehenga skirt, richly embroidered with exquisite detailing, exuding royal elegance. The matching organza dupatta, with its broad silver borders, was elegantly draped and pinned to one side of her shoulder, adding the perfect finishing touch of grace and sophistication.
No Ambani bahu look is complete without opulent jewellery, and she certainly lived up to that expectation. To accessorise her ensemble, she chose a luxurious multi-layered diamond necklace featuring a statement pendant with a stunning green emerald, a piece she had worn on her wedding day. Her oversized jhumka earrings, which cascaded gracefully to her shoulders, added an elegant touch. Stacked bangles adorned her wrist, while a dazzling diamond ring sparkled on her finger, completing her regal look.
Her makeup look was on point with nude eyeshadow, winged eyeliner, mascara-coated lashes, kohl-rimmed eyes, defined brows, blushed cheeks, luminous highlighter, and a shade of glossy pink lipstick. With her luscious tresses styled in a middle-parted braided hairdo, she looked nothing short of stunning.
About Radhika Merchant
In July 2024, Radhika Merchant, the youngest daughter of Viren and Shaila Merchant, married Anant Ambani. Their lavish wedding festivities lasted for three days, attracting a star-studded guest list that featured international celebrities, Hollywood stars, political figures, and prominent dignitaries from around the world.
Rare diseases pose a significant challenge for healthcare systems, patients and pharmaceutical companies alike. The journey from symptom onset to diagnosis and treatment can take years—sometimes even decades. The scattered and often incomplete data associated with these conditions makes it difficult to identify patients early, track disease progression and improve outcomes.
To overcome these challenges, pharmaceutical companies are increasingly turning to integrated real-world data (RWD) approaches. By combining claims, lab results, electronic medical records (EMR), social determinants of health data, and unstructured physician notes, pharma organizations can gain a 360-degree view of the patient journey. Here’s how integrating RWD helps address key challenges, improves market engagement and ultimately enhances patient outcomes for rare diseases.
What is an integrated data approach?
An integrated data approach captures a holistic view of the patient journey by combining multiple RWD sources. It encompasses claims data, lab and biomarker data, EMR and unstructured physician notes, including details such as why certain treatments were chosen or discontinued, and how disease progression influences therapy decisions.
By integrating these diverse data streams, pharma companies can track patient journeys longitudinally, from precursor symptoms to diagnosis, treatment and disease progression. They can also uncover physician sentiment, gaining insights into their treatment rationales and clinical decision-making captured in notes, and improve patient stratification by identifying patient subgroups based on severity, progression and biomarker status.
This integrated data approach allows pharma companies to overcome several difficulties in working with rare disease data, including:
1. Partial visibility into the patient journey: One of the greatest challenges in rare disease identification is the lack of clear diagnostic codes (ICD codes) and the difficulty in tracking precursor symptoms. Claims data alone, once sufficient for chronic disease tracking, falls short for rare diseases. Without ICD codes, physicians often rely on unstructured notes and lab results to document symptoms and potential diagnoses.
By integrating multiple RWD modalities—including lab data, claims data and unstructured EMR notes—pharma companies can achieve a more comprehensive view of the patient journey. This includes identifying precursor symptoms (e.g., muscle cramps, headaches) that often go un-coded but are documented in physician notes; tracking temporal changes in lab values and biomarker trends over time; and leveraging natural language processing (NLP) to extract disease-related patterns from free-text notes. By combining these data sources, pharma companies can detect subtle patterns indicative of rare diseases, enabling earlier identification and intervention.
2. Loss of data fidelity when linking across vendors: Pharma companies often source RWD from multiple vendors, leading to data fragmentation. The challenge is that when linking datasets from different sources, patient capture rates decrease and data granularity is lost. Inconsistent tokenization practices further reduce the ability to follow individual patient journeys across datasets.
Pharma companies can address this by implementing a single patient token system that spans all data modalities, ensures consistency and preserves fidelity. By using the same tokenized ID across claims, lab and EMR data, companies can follow the complete patient journey without data loss. While repeated tokenization with different vendors can incur additional costs, a single patient token minimizes these expenses while preserving data quality. Additionally, pre-tokenized, de-identified data ensures compliance with privacy regulations while enabling rich longitudinal analysis.
Driving market dynamics and customer engagement with integrated data
An integrated data approach doesn’t just improve clinical insights—it also enhances pharma companies’ market strategies and customer engagement through:
1. Performance tracking and HCP identification
Physician-level insights: By analyzing prescribing patterns and treatment decisions, pharma companies can identify education and awareness opportunities.
Health system segmentation: Companies can segment healthcare systems based on their adoption of rare disease therapies, identifying high-potential partners and areas for growth.
Field team optimization: Integrated data allows field teams to prioritize HCPs who treat undiagnosed or misdiagnosed rare disease patients, driving targeted outreach.
2. Improving market access and coverage
Integrated RWD helps pharma companies better understand payer dynamics like prior authorization insights. By analyzing patient notes, companies can identify common payer barriers (e.g., step edits, testing requirements) and streamline access strategies. It also allows for formulary optimization, as richer payer data reveals coverage gaps, allowing companies to advocate for improved access and reduced treatment delays.
Enhancing patient outcomes with integrated RWD
The future of rare disease treatment lies in data integration. By combining claims, lab results, EMR and unstructured physician notes, pharma companies can overcome the limitations of fragmented data. This integrated RWD approach enables earlier identification of rare diseases, improves diagnostic accuracy and optimizes treatment pathways. Beyond patient outcomes, it empowers pharma companies to refine their market strategies, enhance customer engagement and ultimately bring innovative therapies to patients who need them most.
Want to find out more about how an integrated real-world data approach can improve rare disease patient outcomes? Contact us to learn more about Norstella’s integrated real-world data source, NorstellaLinQ and how Panalgo can help you today.
Trade tensions, especially sparked by Trump’s tariff policies, create economic uncertainty.
Experienced investors know uncertainty can hide significant investment opportunities.
China’s strategy shift from infrastructure to domestic consumption reduces demand for Australian commodities (e.g., iron ore, coal).
Reduced export demand from Australia could push the RBA into multiple interest rate cuts to support the economy.
Melbourne currently lags Sydney significantly in property prices—historically these gaps eventually close.
Strong fundamentals like robust population growth, job creation in the service sector, and constrained housing supply position Melbourne for a catch-up rally in property prices.
Economic downturns don’t necessarily equate to property downturns, particularly if unemployment increases trigger rate cuts.
Historically, Australia’s property markets have often remained stable or risen during economic stress when supported by significant rate cuts.
Trade wars.
Tumbling share markets.
Recession fears.
The news is full of red flags, but experienced investors know that opportunity often hides behind uncertainty.
And this time, the catalyst for the next move in Australia’s housing market might just be found in Donald Trump’s latest tariff tantrums.
They might just set the stage for the next property boom in Australia.
Sounds odd?
Bear with me – there’s a clear logic.
A Global Trade War is brewing again
Trump can’t stay out of the headlines, particularly recently when he announced a sweeping round of tariffs targeting Chinese goods.
Now, Trump has stepped back a little and created some exemptions and delays, but overall, it’s the most aggressive protectionist move since the original trade tensions during his first term.
In retaliation, China has introduced reciprocal tariffs.
It’s already slapped duties on US pork and grain exports, but the real story is in what’s coming: Beijing could move to choke off access to rare earths or American agricultural commodities.
This tit-for-tat response has rattled global markets.
In response, the Dow Jones plummeted, and stock markets around the world followed.
Investors are bracing for slower global growth, and they’re not wrong to be nervous.
But here’s where it gets interesting for us in Australia.
China’s slowdown = Aussie interest rate cuts?
The biggest impact of the trade war won’t be tariffs themselves – it will be the unnerving effect on China’s economy.
Before all this started, China was showing signs of slowing growth.
And unlike previous cycles, when they boosted infrastructure spending (great news for Australia’s iron ore and coal); this time the Chinese Communist Party is shifting strategy.
They’re pivoting to boost domestic consumption instead of building new roads and bridges.
That means less demand for Aussie exports, particularly from mining-reliant states like WA and Queensland.
And if that slowdown trickles into our own economic numbers, the RBA could be backed into a corner.
In fact, the money markets are already pricing in a potential 0.5% rate cut in May, not the typical 0.25%.
And they expect a further 2 to 3 rate cuts over the next year, and for property investors, this could be the trigger that could change everything.
Lower interest rates could unleash buyer demand
Here’s something most people forget – in general, Australia runs on variable interest rates.
That means every time the RBA moves, the impact on the housing market is immediate and widespread.
It’s not like the US, where most borrowers are locked into long-term fixed rates.
In Australia, a rate cut of 0.5% could increase borrowing power by 10–15% overnight.
And we’ve seen time and time again that this kind of policy move brings buyers off the sidelines.
However, different markets react differently, and in the past, when interest rates dropped, higher-priced suburbs tended to react the fastest.
Rate cuts correlated strongly with house price rises, particularly in top-tier markets like Sydney and Melbourne.
The case for Melbourne outperformance
Let’s talk about Melbourne for a moment.
It’s been lagging behind Sydney for a few years now, and the price gap between the two cities has blown out to be the largest differential in decades, and as any experienced investor knows, these gaps don’t last forever.
Melbourne’s fundamentals remain strong: population growth, job creation in services, and a tight housing supply.
If we get those rate cuts, it’s not hard to imagine a catch-up rally in inner and middle-ring Melbourne.
Even a recession might not derail property
You might be wondering – what about the looming recession risk?
Here’s the thing: unemployment doesn’t always kill housing markets.
Why? Because the RBA tends to respond to economic pain with swift interest rate cuts.
And it’s those cuts, not the unemployment rate itself, that drive buyer behaviour.
Historically, we’ve seen property prices hold firm (or even rise) during periods of economic stress, especially when rates are slashed to support households.
Australia’s housing supply crisis adds more pressure
Let’s not ignore the elephant in the room — our housing shortage.
With building approvals at near record lows, and immigration still strong, we’re simply not building fast enough to keep up with demand.
That puts upward pressure on rents and prices, especially in tightly held areas.
And if buyers suddenly have more borrowing capacity due to rate cuts, expect bidding wars to heat up again.
Final Thoughts: The Trade War could trigger a property boom
While the headlines scream “trade war”, smart investors should be paying attention to the second-order effects:
A weaker China could slow down our exports.
That leads to interest rate cuts to support growth.
Lower rates fuel property price growth, especially in undersupplied, in-demand areas.
So ironically, Trump’s tariffs which are meant to protect American industries could set off a chain reaction that supercharges Australia’s housing markets.
And once again, investors who stay informed, nimble, and focused on will be the ones who benefit the most.
About Brett Warren Brett Warren is National Director of Metropole Properties and uses his two decades of property investment experience to advise clients how to grow, protect and pass on their wealth through strategic property advice.
유흥알바를 고려하는 많은 사람들은 일자리의 근로 조건을 잘 살펴보는 것이 중요합니다. 특히 교통비 지원 여부는 중요한 요소 중 하나입니다. 유흥알바는 대부분 밤에 근무하는 직종이기 때문에, 출퇴근 시간이 일반적인 직장보다 늦고 이로 인해 교통비 부담이 클 수 있습니다. 그럼에도 불구하고 일부 유흥업소에서는 교통비를 지원해주는 경우도 있으며, 이는 아르바이트생에게 큰 도움이 됩니다.
유흥알바의 특성상 많은 경우, 해당 장소가 대중교통으로 접근하기 어려운 곳에 위치할 수 있습니다. 밤늦게까지 일하다 보면 마지막 대중교통이 끊어진 후 귀가해야 하는 상황이 발생하기도 하는데, 이럴 때 교통비 지원은 매우 중요한 요소가 될 수 있습니다. 특히 택시나 다른 교통수단을 이용해야 할 때, 그 비용을 지원해주는 경우 아르바이트생에게 큰 도움이 됩니다.
하지만 유흥알바 교통비를 지원하는 정책은 업소마다 다릅니다. 일부 업소에서는 교통비를 전액 지원하거나 일부를 지원하는 혜택을 제공하기도 하지만, 대부분의 경우 지원이 없거나, 일정 조건을 충족할 때만 교통비를 지원하는 경우가 많습니다. 예를 들어, 특정 시간대에 퇴근하거나, 특정 거리를 초과할 경우에만 지원해주는 경우가 있습니다. 이러한 조건을 사전에 명확히 확인하는 것이 중요합니다.
유흥알바 교통비 지원해주나요?
또한, 교통비 지원을 받기 위한 조건은 업소의 정책에 따라 달라지기 때문에, 유흥알바를 시작하기 전에 반드시 근로 조건을 확인하는 것이 좋습니다. 일부 업소에서는 아르바이트생이 일정 기간 이상 근무하거나, 일정한 근무 시간을 채워야만 교통비를 지원하는 경우도 있습니다. 또한, 교통비 지원의 범위도 다양할 수 있는데, 일부 업소는 기본적인 교통비만 지원하고, 초과한 금액은 아르바이트생이 부담하는 경우도 있습니다.
교통비 지원이 없는 경우에도, 유흥알바를 하면서 교통비를 절약할 수 있는 방법은 존재합니다. 예를 들어, 대중교통을 이용할 수 있는 시간대에 맞춰 출퇴근을 하거나, 여러 명이 함께 택시를 타는 등의 방법으로 교통비를 분담할 수 있습니다. 또한, 일부 아르바이트생은 자전거를 이용해 출퇴근하는 방법을 선택하기도 합니다. 이렇게 교통비를 절약하는 방법은 일정한 거리에서는 실용적일 수 있습니다.
결론적으로, 유흥알바에서 교통비 지원 여부는 업소마다 다르며, 교통비 지원이 있을 경우에는 이를 미리 확인하고 근로 조건을 파악하는 것이 중요합니다. 교통비가 지원되는 유흥알바는 아르바이트생에게 경제적 부담을 덜어주고, 더욱 원활하게 일을 할 수 있는 환경을 제공할 수 있습니다.
Passwords. They’re the key to keeping our lives secure, yet so often the bane of our existence when forgotten, lost, or breached.
That’s why every year on first Thursday of May, World Password Day reminds us to stop and take stock of our password security—before it’s too late.
What Is World Password Day?
Now, you’re unlikely to break out a cake and candles for World Password Day; it’s probably not at the top of your yearly reminders. But given the importance of passwords is pretty much universal, taking a day to look at your password security is no bad thing.
First launched in 2012 by tech giant Intel, World Password Day has grown surprisingly over the years into a yearly reminder that password security is vital to keeping your accounts secure. Given most folks now control a huge number of accounts—up to 240 according to Dashlane—it’s harder than ever to maintain your security.
And that’s really the crux of World Password Day: a reminder that account security doesn’t have to be a challenge, especially given how many ways there are to protect your accounts now. The days of “qwertyuiop” should be long gone, and don’t even think about adding numerical increments to your go-to password. No, the password management options available to almost anyone these days should mean each and every one of your accounts is secured with an extremely strong password.
How to Create a Strong, Unique Password: The Basics
MakeUseOf is celebrating World Password Day with a week covering the best password tips and tricks to keep your accounts safe and secure. But there are some handy password creation tips you can take away immediately to start locking down your digital footprint.
Use a Password Manager: More than any other tip, you need to start using a password manager if you’re not already. Bitwarden is one of our favorite password managers, but there are other excellent free and premium password managers.
Use Your Password Manager’s Generator: Your password manager will have a password generator to create strong, unique passwords. It’s infinitely better at generating secure passwords than a human. Just make sure you’re using an offline version to make sure your password isn’t sent across the internet.
At Least 16 Characters: Previously, common password advice was to use a minimum of 12 random characters for maximum entropy, but really, more is better. We suggest a minimum of 16 characters.
Never Reuse Your Password: This is also very important, as if you reuse your passwords across accounts and one is breached, then your whole system fails. This is one area where using a password manager excels, as it’ll create a new, unique password for each account, and you don’t have to remember each one.
Enable Multi-Factor Authentication: Where possible, enable a form of multi-factor authentication to add a secondary line of defense against a data breach.
Oh, and there is one password myth you should avoid: regularly updating your passwords is a big no-no. In the past, this was considered good practice, but actually leads to the exact problems detailed above: short, easy-to-remember passwords with incremental changes. For example, you initially use “sunflowers1”, but your organization makes you reset it each month. Instead of creating a strong password each time, you just change the number, so it’s simple to remember. Easy for the memory, terrible for security.
World Password Day is a great time to take stock and check your online accounts. Checking your passwords doesn’t take as long as you think, and it could be the difference between keeping your accounts secure and spending hours trying to recover them.
<img src='https://news.cgtn.com/news/2025-04-27/Xingyi-quan-Where-time-meets-energy-1CLZirFs46I/img/3ff4efdd239840f486d864ebca887459/3ff4efdd239840f486d864ebca887459.jpeg'Master Chen practices xingyi quan at a temple in Taiyuan, Shanxi Province. /CGTN
<img src='https://news.cgtn.com/news/2025-04-27/Xingyi-quan-Where-time-meets-energy-1CLZirFs46I/img/3ff4efdd239840f486d864ebca887459/3ff4efdd239840f486d864ebca887459.jpeg'Master Chen practices xingyi quan at a temple in Taiyuan, Shanxi Province. /CGTN
<img src='https://news.cgtn.com/news/2025-04-27/Xingyi-quan-Where-time-meets-energy-1CLZirFs46I/img/3ff4efdd239840f486d864ebca887459/3ff4efdd239840f486d864ebca887459.jpeg'Master Chen practices xingyi quan at a temple in Taiyuan, Shanxi Province. /CGTN
<img src='https://news.cgtn.com/news/2025-04-27/Xingyi-quan-Where-time-meets-energy-1CLZirFs46I/img/3ff4efdd239840f486d864ebca887459/3ff4efdd239840f486d864ebca887459.jpeg'Master Chen practices xingyi quan at a temple in Taiyuan, Shanxi Province. /CGTN
<img src='https://news.cgtn.com/news/2025-04-27/Xingyi-quan-Where-time-meets-energy-1CLZirFs46I/img/3ff4efdd239840f486d864ebca887459/3ff4efdd239840f486d864ebca887459.jpeg'Master Chen practices xingyi quan at a temple in Taiyuan, Shanxi Province. /CGTN
<img src='https://news.cgtn.com/news/2025-04-27/Xingyi-quan-Where-time-meets-energy-1CLZirFs46I/img/3ff4efdd239840f486d864ebca887459/3ff4efdd239840f486d864ebca887459.jpeg'Master Chen practices xingyi quan at a temple in Taiyuan, Shanxi Province. /CGTN
In a secluded Taoist temple in Taiyuan, Taoist master Mr. Chen demonstrates xingyi quan martial art. The essence of xingyi quan is that “True power isn’t brute force – it’s the gentle river of qi flowing through life’s daily movements.” His fists, as they trace invisible meridians, merge philosophy with motion.
This article contains spoilers for Episode 3 of Season 2 of “The Last of Us.”
“Give Sarah my love.”
Spoken in a voice inflected with exhaustion and grief, they’re the only words that Tommy, played by the actor Gabriel Luna, is able to muster to Joel (Pedro Pascal), whose lifeless body lies shrouded on a table in a makeshift morgue in Jackson.
As Tommy’s eyes well up and he runs a wet cloth against Joel’s skin, we get a close-up of Joel’s arm and the old, broken military watch on his wrist. It’s a poignant symbol that brings us back to the very beginning of “The Last of Us,” when we meet Joel, Tommy and Sarah. It was Sarah who repaired the watch as a birthday gift to her father, and her sudden death was central to Joel’s grief. And now that grief passes on to Tommy as he says goodbye to his brother.
For this scene that opens Episode 3 of the second season of HBO’s “The Last of Us,” Luna says he tapped into the grief that he’s experienced over the years after losing close family members, including his grandfather in 2013.
“I remember being the only one in that chapel, walking up to my grandfather’s coffin, and that’s what I had in my mind when I was shooting the scene … the young lady gives me the rag to wash [Joel’s] body, and she exits. Now I’m the only one in there,” he says. “But as I’m walking up to Joel’s body, that’s what I was thinking of — my grandpa and being the only one there.”
“I’ve been to a lot of funerals in my life so it felt very familiar,” he adds.
If Episode 2 was the depiction of fire and uncontrollable rage — with Tommy flaming down an unrelenting monster known as a bloater, and Abby (Kaitlyn Dever) torturing and killing Joel — Episode 3 is the opposite. It’s pensive and introspective about what was and what will be, much like Luna in this moment of his career on one of TV’s biggest shows.
“I’ve been to a lot of funerals in my life so it felt very familiar,” says Gabriel Luna about the opening scene of Episode 3 in the second season of “The Last of Us.”
(Liane Hentscher / HBO)
After appearing in small indie films and doing stage work, Luna was cast as the lead in the El Rey series “Matador.” Though “Matador” only lasted a season, the actor went on to join ABC’s lauded Marvel series “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” as Robbie Reyes, a.k.a. Ghost Rider. In 2019, he starred in “Terminator: Dark Fate” as Rev-9, where he went head to head with the original cybernetic assassin played by Arnold Schwarzenegger. That led to a role in Netflix’s “FUBAR” with Schwarzenegger once again, and then “The Last of Us.” (Peacock’s “Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy” and Season 2 of Prime Video’s “The Terminal List” are among his upcoming projects.)
Luna and I meet to talk about his role in the postapocalyptic series at Bludso’s BBQ on La Brea Avenue, a favorite restaurant of his for a simple reason: It reminds him of home. Luna was raised in Austin, Texas, and if you’ve ever been, smoked meats are practically a food group there. It’s two days after Episode 2 has aired, and he knows the shockwave it has sent to viewers. But he’s at ease, wearing a sharp outfit of dark Japanese denim and black leather boots that complement the Texas-themed dining room. He speaks softly but passionately about his work and the show as we converse before a meal of brisket, cornbread and an assortment of sides.
Here, in a conversation edited for length and clarity, Luna discusses the aftermath of Joel’s death, how the scene where he says goodbye evolved, and why as a Latino actor it matters that he avoids stereotypical roles.
There’s been a lot of reaction to Episode 2, where we see Tommy hold the fort and Joel die. Have you been following it?
It’s been a tornado of a couple of days. I was at WrestleMania when the episode aired. I left … a little early to catch a flight, and when I landed, my phone was absolutely lighting up like a Christmas tree, just everyone calling and saying, “Oh, that was amazing. Congratulations.” When you read the script, you knew that there was potential there for it to be something extraordinary. Then when you got there on the day — we spent almost two months shooting the second episode with Mark Mylod, our amazing director of [shows like] “Succession” and “Game of Thrones.” And then, of course, Craig Mazin and Neil [Druckmann], the geniuses behind the whole thing.
You start to see it come together. We might actually be doing something that’ll go down in history, not just the big battle sequence, but also just the iconography of that Joel scene at the end. All those things together were gonna make for a seismic reaction, or at least I hoped shooting this a year ago. I’m sitting here two days after that, and it all came to pass. Everybody reacted the way we thought they might, and people are still watching it. I’m sure if I check my phone there will be another dozen texts from folks.
[Later, Luna flashes his phone, which is filled with rows of notifications.]
For me, it’s unforgettable. I still think about those moments. Craig Mazin once said, “You know, this is the one that they’re going to remember us for.” I think he was right. And if this is one of the major things I’m remembered for — I couldn’t be more proud.
Gabriel Luna in the second episode of Season 2 of HBO’s “The Last of Us.” “If this is one of the major things I’m remembered for — I couldn’t be more proud,” he says.(Liane Hentscher / HBO)
Did Craig and Neil talk to you about the divergence from the video-game storyline for your character? [In the game, Tommy is with Joel when he’s killed.]
Towards the end of the first season, I told them, “You know, it always rubbed me the wrong way that Tommy was knocked out, completely incapacitated during Joel’s murder. Is there a possibility that we shift things around?” Craig’s like, “You know what? I got an idea.”
Right before the strike in 2023, Craig sends me a big, long text, explaining how it all is going to go down, how Tommy is replaced with Dina at the scene of Joel’s murder, and is now in Jackson with his wife, Maria. The entire town is trying to survive this onslaught and originally, in the text, there’s like two or three bloaters. We shot it as if we were being attacked by two or three. We had to shave a lot of it down. I just got goosebumps reading it. My heart was beating just reading this text.
The fact that this change was made based off of input from me and talking to Craig and everybody else — maybe they had designs of doing that before, but I just love them so much for being so open to the possibilities.
I feel that closeness shows. On the press tour, you guys seem to really get along.
To love the people you work with, that’s an incredible blessing. There’s real love there, even among the people who are onscreen nemeses, mortal enemies.
Have you talked to Pedro or anyone else in the cast since?
Craig has a text thread called “The Crazy of Us,” and so we’re all just talking to each other. It’s exciting now for the second episode, but we got a lot more to come, we’re just getting started. But we thought we’d give them a nice little shock to the heart right at the beginning.
“It’s exciting now for the second episode, but we got a lot more to come, we’re just getting started,” Gabriel Luna says.
(JSquared Photography / For The Times)
In Episode 3, you’re one of the first characters we see. What was going through your mind when you were filming?
We talked about my grandfather earlier in this interview. I remember when he passed away. Peter Hoar was the director for [this episode], and he did the Nick Offerman and Murray Bartlett episode [“Long, Long Time”] last season. I just breathed and let it happen.
Pedro was not actually there, it was the body double. They asked me,”Would you like to have him in full makeup?” “I would. Just to see all the damage, right?” And they put him in full makeup, his eyes swollen and bloody, so when I lift the shroud, I could see and have a physical reaction.
I will say one more thing regarding that. We had a lot of dialogue there that I’m glad they cut. Because all you really need to say is, “Give Sarah my love.”
Was that in the script?
That was in the script. There was a whole other bit in the script [about Ellie]. She’s OK, she’s hurt bad, but she’s going to be all right. And me promising to take care of her. Which didn’t need to be said because I’m the only thing she has left.
But from this point, it’s now Bella [Ramsey] and Kaitlyn’s dance. Me, in a supporting capacity, a little bit more central moving forward, but … these are the characters that start moving the story forward. It was also this interesting double meaning, as I was saying these words, it’s not only will I take care of Ellie, but we will take care of the show moving forward.
Rutina Wesley, who plays Tommy’s wife Maria, with Gabriel Luna in “The Last of Us.”
(Liane Hentscher / HBO)
This episode also shows the contrast between Tommy and Joel. You’re married, you have a kid, you’re the town leader. You’re trying to decide, do we go avenge him?
I love how much more torn Tommy has to be to make the choices he’s about to make. My responsibilities to my wife [Maria, played by Rutina Wesley], to my son, to this city, end up superseding my desire to go and help with my brother. You can see this different side of Tommy that you don’t see in the game, where he is a little bit more untethered, impulsive.
I got to have this really wonderful scene with Catherine O’Hara [who plays Gail, a psychotherapist] about what it means to inherit her [Ellie]. To have to understand what she’s going through and to love her, but also love my brother, but also, when does it stop? Could we choose right now to turn the other cheek [and] save a lot of people’s futures and a lot of people’s heartache? Sometimes you can’t. That’s the whole lesson of the story. It’s about forgiveness. But how much will you suffer along the way, until you learn that lesson?
Why do you think people connect with the series so much? There are some parallels to the real world, like the pandemic. There’s a lot of division in our country.
I think that those are great entry points for people. The diversity of the cast, not only in the show, but also in the game, gives people access points as well.
Everybody in “The Last of Us” is on the same plane because we’re all fighting this looming threat above us [and] we’re all contending with it in different ways, reaching to love and community, military force, religion — all these various ways of coping. There’s something to the diversity of it all but also to the sameness of everyone and that we’re all in this together. But also I think people like stories [that] put themselves in our boots … how would I deal with limited resources and no longer abide by the laws of man and laws of nature?
“That’s the whole lesson of the story. It’s about forgiveness,” says Gabriel Luna.
(JSquared Photography/For The Times)
As someone who is Latino, do you feel like your upbringing helped shape your career or have a hand in the roles that you’ve chosen?
The pride and the support and the love of a Mexican American family fortified me. The culture enriched my experience. On the other side of that coin, the representation within media and how they look at us was the opposite of that in a lot of ways. So it was something where I carried the culture and I carried my pride in my background … and it was that pride that won’t let me just take whatever they [the industry] wanted to give. You know, I wasn’t going to play a narcotraficante. I wasn’t going to play gangster, and even though I love our language, I wasn’t going to play characters that only have to speak Spanish because of the way we look.
I wanted to be everyone’s hero. I wanted Black, Asian, white, all of those kids to look to me and see them see themselves in me. I said no to a lot of things that were more traditional, which was what the industry was offering and it ended up being a good thing because I was available when the parts that subverted that came along, like Robbie Reyes/Ghost Rider, the “Terminator” film and this one, “The Last of Us.”
You have done quite a bit of genre work. Is it something that interested you?
I’m a child who grew up with all of that in ‘80s culture, comic books, Ninja Turtles, “Batman ‘89,” “Jurassic Park,” all that stuff … the precursors to all the Marvels and the video game adaptations.
Because of my physical ability, I’ve been able to go into these kind of roles that require a lot of action elements, which are a big staple of these genre pictures. I think that’s what I love. I’m lucky. I’m glad that I get to do these types of things that have these great followings and really passionate fans. I’ve always said it’s in good hands. I tried to ease their concerns by letting them know, maybe not directly before we ever committed to the screen, but certainly after the fact that I love this same way you do. And I love “The Last of Us.” I love the Ghost Rider. I love the 40-year history of the Terminator. I don’t want to mess it up just as much as you don’t want me to mess it up. I really hope that people can see that it is in the nurturing hands of somebody who really loves this type of storytelling.
Up Network and DreamSmart have collaborated to unveil what the companies call the world’s first Web3- focused smart glasses with artificial intelligence (AI). Equipped with Google’s Gemini AI, the smart glasses offer real-time contextual artificial intelligence. Up Network has developed an AI agent operating system to improve human-machine interactions, while DreamSmart’s technology specialises in advanced tech solutions for EVs, smartphones, and wearables. The device has been announced at a time when Web3 and AI technologies experienced significant growth.
The companies have yet to announce a name (or price) for these smart glasses, and which could be rolled out by Q1 2025, as per a press release. The glasses will let users access an AI assistant to handle crypto-related tasks, according to the firms. AI is expected to help newcomers to the crypto space interact with blockchain-related services using natural language commands.
Users of the glasses will earn tokenised incentives for engaging in decentralised activities, according to the companies. The glasses let users own their data as an asset and enable them to have complete autonomous control, as all operations are claimed to work on the device. All Web3 interactions initiated by these glasses will also be processed on-device.
“These glasses are not just a device—they’re a gateway to the future of computing and decentralised technology, combining AI, XR, and Web3 incentives into one powerful ecosystem,” said Devansh Khatri, Co-founder at Up Network.
The glasses weigh 44g and are claimed to offer up to eight hours of battery life. The glasses pack an optical waveguide-based display to offer users an extended reality (XR) experience for entertainment, productivity, and day-to-day tasks, according to the company.
YouTube is testing a new AI Overviews carousel. It will appear in search results for select queries. The feature uses AI to highlight the most relevant clips from videos tied to a user’s search.
Why we care. Google AI Overviews have reduced visibility and traffic to websites. If this experiment is rolled out, could YouTube’s version of AI Overviews end up reducing visibility and video views for brands and creators?
How it works. When a user enters an certain type of query, YouTube will use AI to scan relevant videos and surface highlight clips that it deems most informative or useful. These clips appear in a carousel within the search results, giving users a quick snapshot of what they might want to watch.
YouTube said AI Overviews are designed to help searchers with:
Product research (e.g., [best noise cancelling headphones])
Travel and local discovery (e.g., [museums to visit in San Francisco])
Who can see AI Overviews. The feature is available as a limited test.
Only a small subset of U.S. YouTube Premium members will see the feature.
It applies only to some English-language search queries.
What’s next. YouTube will collect user feedback (via a thumbs-up or thumbs-down). Insights from this test will determine the future of YouTube’s AI Overviews or a broader rollout.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 developer Sandfall Interactive has announced that the game has already sold 500,000 copies, just after launch. In a social media post, the studio said the game reached this sales milestone “sooner than we’d ever imagined.”
Some industry observers theorized that Expedition 33 might have had its lunch eaten by Oblivion Remastered, as it surprise-launched just two days before Expedition 33. Both are Game Pass titles, but clearly, there is enough room for multiple success stories this week. Both Bethesda and Sandfall shared congratulatory messages with each other regarding their respective game launches this week.
Expedition 33 was developed by a core team of around 30 people at Sandfall. “I truly believe that five or six years ago it would have been impossible for a team of our size to make this,” creative director Guillaume Broche told PC Gamer of the studio’s use of Epic’s Unreal Engine 5.
Expedition 33 is off to a fast start
Gallery
GameSpot’s Expedition 33 review scored the game a 9/10, with reviewer Richard Wakeling writing, “There are minor pitfalls in relation to its narrow exploration and some quality-of-life issues, but these missteps aren’t enough to significantly detract from a game with all the makings of an RPG classic.”
A landmark study published in The New England Journal of Medicine reveals that a single oral dose of baloxavir marboxil (baloxavir) significantly reduces the transmission of influenza within households, marking a major advancement in influenza management. Conducted by an international team of researchers including the LKS Faculty of Medicine, the University of Hong Kong (HKUMed), the CENTERSTONE trial provides the first robust evidence that an antiviral treatment can curb the spread of influenza to close contacts.
The phase 3b, double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial enrolled 1,457 influenza-positive index patients and 2,681 household contacts across 15 countries from 2019 to 2024. The index patients, aged 5 to 64, were assigned to receive either baloxavir or a placebo within 48 hours of symptom onset. The primary endpoint was laboratory-confirmed influenza transmission to household contacts by day 5.
Key Findings:
Treatment with baloxavir reduced the odds of untreated household members contracting the virus by 32%.
Transmission resulting in symptomatic influenza was lower with baloxavir (5.8% vs. 7.6%), though the difference was not statistically significant (P=0.16).
Baloxavir led to a faster reduction in viral titers, with a mean reduction of 2.22 log₁₀ TCID₅₀/mL by day 3 compared to 1.85 log₁₀ TCID₅₀/mL for placebo.
Drug-resistant viruses emerged in 7.2% of baloxavir-treated index patients but were not detected in household contacts, suggesting limited transmission risk.
No new safety concerns were identified, with adverse events reported in 4.6% of baloxavir-treated patients compared to 7.0% in the placebo group.
‘These results highlight baloxavir’s potential not only to treat influenza but also to reduce its spread within communities,’ said Professor Benjamin Cowling, co-author of the study and Helen and Francis Zimmern Professor in Population Health, Chair Professor of Epidemiology, and Head of the Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, HKUMed. ‘This dual effect could transform how we manage seasonal influenza and prepare for future pandemics.’
The study underscores the complementary role of antiviral drugs alongside vaccination, particularly in unvaccinated populations or during pandemics when vaccines may not be immediately available.
Lalit Ajmani is the Founding and Managing Partner of Ajmani & Law Partners, a full-service law firm that provides legal solutions to clients across India and abroad. He has been practising law for over six years, specializing in civil and commercial litigation, defamation, and matrimonial disputes.
About the Opportunity
Lalit Ajmani is looking for final-year students who are interested in litigation and keen to join litigation practice.
Eligibility Criteria
Any student of law who has completed his/ her first year of law, looking to work with a growing civil law firm, can apply
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If you’ve ever wanted to lose excess fat with minimal effort, here’s some good news there’s a simple secret that can make your journey a lot easier.
Health coach Mukul Nagpaul reveals the key to effortless fat loss through lifestyle priorities. (Freepik)
Mukul Nagpaul, health coach and founder of Pmftraining shared with HT Lifestyle, “After Coaching thousands of people to lose fat, I observed that everyone is not losing fat in a similar manner, and I saw so many people losing hope as they were putting more effort than others but didn’t lose as much as the other were so I dug deep and found that we were covering just the upper layer of the onion and realised that the real answer lied at the core of the onion for which we had to remove more layers of the onion”. (Also read: Weight loss coach who shed 50 kg reveals ‘best morning routine to lose kilos’: Wake up at same time every day )
What you need to focus on to lose fat
He added, “For a long time, you have lied that to lose fat you need to just exercise and eat well but what if I tell you that’s just a half truth as it will help you lose fat but it’s going to be a minimal amount compared to the effort you put in for losing that fat. So to make your efforts worthwhile, you need to understand your hormones and genetics.”
Mukul Nagpaul emphasises using Pareto’s principle in fat loss by focusing on the 20% of lifestyle changes that yield 80% of results. (Shutterstock)
Here’s what he said you need to focus on to lose fat effectively:
Exercise
Nutrition
Social environment
Home and office environment
Mindset and how your mind works
Understanding your inborn talents (your genius)
“Now we need to use Pareto’s principle of 80/20, where we focus on 20% of the things that are going to give you 80% of the results. So, in the fat loss case, it’s about prioritising two things out of the six mentioned above,” says Mukul. He further explains that overall, people can be divided into six categories and you need to figure out which category you fall into.
Which weight loss category do you fall into
1. Activator: Activators are like cats that do things first and then think about them. They are full of energy, so the top 2 things they need to prioritise are exercise and nutrition.
2. Connector: Connectors are like puppy dogs that get excited when they see their close ones. They interact with them and afterwards go to a corner to relax. As the word suggests, they need connection, and their top two priorities are how their mind works and the social environment.
Discover your personality type to effortlessly lose fat and boost happiness. (pexels )
3. Guardian: Guardians are like bears who eat throughout the summers so they can save energy for their loved ones in winter. They are very caring towards their family and loved ones. The top 2 priorities for them is social environment and nutrition.
4. Diplomat: Diplomats are like buffalo, who like to live life at their own speed and don’t understand why everyone is in such a rush. They like slow mornings, so the top 2 priorities for them are home and office environment and using their inborn talents (genius)
5. Sensor: Sensors are like a bird that likes to be independent, likes its own space, and is mostly introverted. Generally, sensors are very lean, so if they put on fat, then it’s mostly around their tummy so top 2 priorities for them is home and office environment plus how their mind works.
6. Crusader: Crusaders are like horses with blinkers on, they are so focused on their goals that they don’t see anything else. To put it simply, they are entirely driven by their purpose. So, their top two priorities should be: how their mind works and how to use their inborn talents (Genius).
“Mainly by understanding which category you fall into and focusing on these 20% of your lifestyle priorities, you can not only effortlessly shred fat but also improve your energy, productivity, and happiness,” says Mukul.
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.
Sanofi’s first-quarter sales and profit exceeded analyst expectations, but the company held tight on its full-year guidance amid looming threats of new tariffs from the Trump administration and regulatory uncertainty.
Sales climbed 9.7% to 9.9 billion euros, or $11.3 billion, in the period, beating the consensus analyst estimate of 9.6 billion euros. Earnings for the core business rose almost 16% to 1.79 euros a share, topping the consensus expectation of 1.70 euros a share.
The French drugmaker benefited from the launch of new drugs and the continuing growth of Dupixent, a blockbuster medicine used to treat conditions including asthma, eczema and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The drug’s sales jumped 20% to 3.5 billion euros in the quarter, Sanofi said Thursday.
Dive Insight:
Like other top drugmakers, Sanofi is already seeing the impact of Trump’s trade war with China, a major market for medicines and a top producer of pharmaceutical ingredients. But CFO Francois Roger said Sanofi can’t yet account for Trump’s threat of U.S. tariffs on pharmaceuticals generally because there are no details yet on what those duties will look like.
“We don’t know which country they would apply to, which products would be impacted, which rights would be applied, when they will start,” Roger told analysts on a conference call. “But just be aware we have fully factored in whatever has been officially confirmed and announced.”
For 2025, Sanofi expects sales to grow by a mid-to-high single-digit percentage while core business earnings will increase by a low double-digit percentage before the costs of a 5 billion euro share buyback, 72% of which has been completed. The company said it confirmed the guidance for the year “with the knowledge of the external environment we have today.”
Johnson & Johnson last week said Trump’s tariffs will likely cost the company $400 million this year, while Merck & Co. said it’s factoring in about $200 million in costs for tariffs implemented so far. Like Sanofi, Bristol Myers Squibb didn’t give specifics, but raised its guidance for the year even with current tariffs included; the company said it also hasn’t accounted for potential tariffs on the sector as a whole.
Meanwhile, a number of drugmakers are racing to boost their investment in the U.S. amid Trump’s threats. Johnson & Johnson, Eli Lilly, Merck, Novartis and Roche have committed more than $160 billion combined to U.S. drug production in the coming years. Sanofi’s partner for Dupixent, Regeneron, also announced increased investment. Roger suggested such a move could be on the table for the French drugmaker as well.
“We are considering additional measures, potentially including investment in the U.S.,” Roger said on the call. “We are always exploring opportunities to expand our industrial footprint, including in the U.S., to meet both our production needs and the needs of our patients.”
There are many commonly held beliefs about property investing that aren’t only questionable but are also utterly false.
Sadly, some investors go through their entire property journey believing them. And that’s a shame.
They’d waste precious time buying the wrong property or using faulty strategies because they listened to bad advice.
It’s no secret that much of the financial media has its own biases or is influenced by those with vested interests. And this is particularly true of what you find on social media.
When it comes to property investing, the noise from the financial media can be deafening.
But how much of what they say is really worth your attention?
There are many commonly held beliefs about property investing that aren’t only questionable but are also utterly false.
Sadly, some investors go through their entire property journey believing them.
And that’s a shame.
They’d waste precious time buying the wrong property or using faulty strategies because they listened to bad advice.
Most financial publications and websites shy away from highlighting the potential downsides of investing in property for obvious reasons.
However, if you are serious about investing in property, it’s important to be aware of the following investment truths before you dive in.
Or at the very least, as a reality check.
1. The Market is More Than Just Moments:
The media loves a good story, and in the realm of property, that often translates to ‘hot tips’ and alarming trends.
What they don’t emphasize enough is the cyclic nature of real estate.
Markets move in cycles, and while the media might focus on the momentary ups and downs, successful investing requires a long-term perspective.
Remember, property is a long game, and patient investors are usually the ones who end up with the last laugh.
2. Property investing is simple, but not easy
Now, this is not a play on words.
Just because something is simple to understand doesn’t mean it’s easy to do or make money from it.
If property investing is easy, there will be more people owning two or more properties.
But here are some sobering stats:
Half of those who buy a property sell up in the first five years.
Of those who stay in the game, 92% never get past their second property.
The latest stats show that there are only 19,198 Australians with an interest in six or more investment properties.
Of course, property investing is relatively simple if you follow a time tested, proven strategy.
The problem is that most of us act irrationally and emotionally when it comes to money.
Some of us are too cautious and stay in our comfort zone and invest in our own backyard, while others are in too much a hurry and chase the next hot spot.
3. It takes up to 30 years to become financially free through property
Rarely does the financial media discuss the long-term wealth-building benefits of property investing, such as the potential for capital growth, rental yield increases, and tax benefits like depreciation.
These aspects form the backbone of why many choose to invest in property and they should not be overlooked despite not being as ‘newsworthy’ as the latest market fluctuations.
Despite what you might have heard, especially on social media, it takes time to become rich through property.
It takes two or three cycles to build a substant
ial asset base, therefore, you need to be prepared to hold your investments for a number of years.
Unfortunately, most investors waste the first 5-10 years buying the wrong investments, then they need to sell them off.
The good news is, that with the right strategy, you can speed up the process and achieve your financial freedom sooner.
This is where your trusted mentor and independent advisors could help you immensely.
They can guide you on how to buy well in the right area and how to grow your equity quickly so you can expand your portfolio.
4. Residential real estate is a high growth, low yield investment – don’t look for cash flow from your real estate
If you’re looking to use property as a cash cow, you may have to rethink your strategy.
As a property investor, your job is to build your asset base, not just to get cash flow.
Of course, cash flow is important because it keeps you in the game, but capital growth is what makes you rich and gets you out of your day job.
Growing wealth through property involves going through three stages, namely:
Accumulationstage: where you focus on growing your asset base.
Transition stage: now you start paying down loans to lower your LVR. If you’ve invested well and your properties have grown in value, this will happen organically as well.
Live off your cash machine
5. One Size Doesn’t Fit All:
Ever noticed how a single market report can send waves of general advice that seems to apply to everyone?
In reality, property investing is deeply personal.
Your strategy should be tailored to your financial situation, your investment goals, and your risk tolerance.
The ‘best’ investment for someone else might not be the right fit for you.
Customize your approach based on detailed research and personal circumstances, not just broad market trends.
6. The banks are not on your side
Let’s be blunt… banks are in the business to make a profit.
That means your bank wants to make money out of you.
This doesn’t mean bankers aren’t trustworthy but beware that the mortgage they’re selling you may not be the best product for you.
Without a piece of independent advice from a finance strategist, you could also end up paying higher fees and interest rates.
Or worst, unable to get the finance you need to invest in property.
7. No one really knows where the property markets are heading
No matter how much data is quoted or analysed, no one can really accurately predict how the property markets will behave in the future.
If you’re counting on your property to grow in value year after year, you will be sorely disappointed because growth in property values is never linear and there are many factors that are out of your control, no matter how diligent you are.
If you treat your property investments like a business, buy investment-grade properties, invest for the long term and ensure you have sufficient buffer to cover rate rises, vacancies, maintenance issues and any other surprises you have a greater chance of riding the property market cycles.
8. Fear Sells, But You Shouldn’t Buy It:
There’s a reason why dramatic predictions grab headlines; fear is a powerful motivator.
However, making decisions based on fear can be disastrous in property investing.
It’s essential to stay informed but remain skeptical of doomsday predictions and overly optimistic forecasts alike.
Balance is key, and so is staying grounded in solid, unbiased research.
9. The Real Story Behind the Data:
Headlines often throw around statistics that make for compelling reading but digging deeper is crucial.
For instance, national averages can obscure what’s happening locally.
A median price increase nationally might not mean much if your area of interest is stagnant or declining.
That’s because there is not one property market
The media tends to talk of the “Australian” property market or “Melbourne” Property market.
But the truth is, each state has its own cycle and there are markets within markets – different price points, types of property and geographic locations
Sure it’s important to look at the big picture but also consider the microcycle of the suburb you’re investing in.
This way, you won’t miss great opportunities just because the headline data isn’t impressive.
10. The Impact of Hidden Agendas:
It’s no secret that much of the financial media has its own biases or is influenced by those with vested interests.
And this is particularly true of what you find on social media.
Whether it’s pushing certain markets, developments, or even panic to increase readership, it’s important to recognize these potential conflicts of interest.
Always question the motive behind the information you’re consuming and seek multiple sources to get a well-rounded view.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, there’s a lot of confusing information about property investing out there, and a pragmatic eye (and a willingness to seek independent advice) goes a long way in helping you succeed as an investor.
Remember, it’s your money.
Be careful what you read and who you listen to because investing in property is not just about following the trends highlighted in the news.
It’s about thorough analysis, understanding the nuances of your market, and staying committed to your long-term financial goals.
By looking beyond the headlines and questioning the mainstream narrative, you can make more informed decisions that align with your vision for financial success.
Remember, in property investment, knowledge isn’t just power—it’s profit.
About Michael Yardney Michael is the founder of Metropole Property Strategists who help their clients grow, protect and pass on their wealth through independent, unbiased property advice and advocacy. He’s once again been voted Australia’s leading property investment adviser and one of Australia’s 50 most influential Thought Leaders. His opinions are regularly featured in the media.
Constant buffering on a movie night takes me out of immersion and ruins the overall experience. After dealing with buffer rings for quite some time now, I’ve finally decided to make a few simple changes—and my TV hasn’t buffered since.
1
Set TV With Priority Access on Router
These days, it’s common for a home network to support dozens of devices at once. Phones, laptops, tablets, game consoles, and smart devices are all online, all the time, and they’re all competing for the same network bandwidth. This is one of the most common causes why your smart TV ends up buffering despite having an adequate internet speed plan from your ISP.
The QoS (Quality of Service) panel was one of the first things I set up to improve my network’s traffic. This tool doesn’t necessarily speed up your internet, but it does help you manage which devices get priority access to your network. This means that if you set your TV as a high-priority device, the router makes sure it gets the bandwidth it needs for smooth streaming, even if other devices are downloading large files or running video calls at the same time.
QoS can be found on your router’s admin page (typically something like 192.169.100.1 or 192.168.1.1). Depending on your router, the QoS panel may be labeled differently. My router calls it SQM (Smart Queue Management), while others may refer to it as Traffic Shaping or Bandwidth Control. In general, a QoS panel will ask for an IP Range, Priority, and Upstream and Downstream.
To use QoS, I’ve had to manually set static IP addresses for multiple of my devices, including my smart TV. I then set my smart TV’s IP address as priority “1” or high. After saving the settings and restarting the router, I noticed that my smart TV is now playing at full resolution even at peak hours.
2
Optimize Stream Quality Settings
Just because your TV or streaming app offers 4K Ultra HD doesn’t mean your internet or your smart TV can handle it. If your network can’t deliver enough bandwidth, you’ll end up with buffering and stuttering instead of smooth playback. It’s also worth checking your TV’s specs: if it can’t display true 4K HDR, you’re wasting bandwidth if you’ve set your stream quality to max.
Since I mainly use Plex and YouTube Premium for streaming, I focused on adjusting the quality settings in these apps. For Plex, I opened the app’s settings and enabled Automatically Adjust Quality. This feature lets Plex start playback at your preferred settings and then automatically adjust the video quality based on your current connection speed.
4K live streams are becoming more common, but that doesn’t always mean they’re the best choice. If your network can’t handle 4K streams at low latencies, it’s often better to set your quality to QHD (1440p) or HD (1080p). For live content, a bit of delay might be acceptable, but when the stream starts lagging by several seconds or more, lowering the resolution can make a big difference. Smooth, timely playback at a slightly lower resolution beats a 4K stream that’s always freezing or lagging behind.
Lowering stream quality isn’t just about smoother playbacks—it’s also about keeping live streams responsive and in sync. I would rather have uninterrupted streams at a lower resolution than struggling to watch 4K content that constantly buffers or stutters.
3
Switch Wi-Fi Frequency Band
There are different ways you can prioritize your streaming device on Wi-Fi. One of the easiest ways is to switch your connection from the 2.4GHz to the 5 GHz frequency band. A 2.4GHz band offers longer range but provides a slower connection, while a 5GHz band is faster but has shorter range.
Since my smart TV sits in the same room as my router, I switched it to the 5GHz band. This allows my device to load streams faster without worrying about signal strength. If your TV is farther away or separated by a few walls, you may want to place your Wi-Fi access point closer or get a Wi-Fi repeater or even a mesh system to fully cover your space with the faster 5GHz band.
4
Clear the TV and App Cache
Smart TVs are basically small computers with big screens, and like any computer, they collect digital clutter over time. This clutter is called cache, and it can slow your TV’s processor, which can lead to buffering.
I make it a habit to clear the cache on my TV and streaming apps every month or so. On most TVs, you’ll find this option in the Settings menu under Apps or Applications. Select the app, hit Clear Cache, and you’re done. If your TV doesn’t offer this, uninstalling and reinstalling apps works just as well.
Clearing the cache on older TVs, or any unit with fewer hardware resources, really makes a difference in terms of performance and the overall experience.
5
Change DNS Settings
DNS (Domain Name System) servers are responsible for translating domain names, such as makeuseof.com, into the IP addresses your smart TV uses to connect to streaming services. By default, most TVs use the DNS servers provided by your internet service provider (ISP), but these aren’t always the fastest or most reliable options. Slow or overloaded DNS servers can introduce delays when your TV tries to access streaming apps, resulting in longer load times and more frequent buffering.
You can switch your device’s DNS to a public server. Google DNS (8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4) or Cloudflare DNS (1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1) are both great choices. To do this, I went to my TV’s network settings, chose ManualDNS, and entered the numbers.
If your TV doesn’t allow you to change DNS settings directly, you can also set custom DNS servers on your router. This way, every device on your home network will use the new DNS servers automatically. Just keep in mind that some ISP-provided routers may restrict access to DNS settings; in these cases, consider adding your own router for more control.
6
Adjust Playback Buffer Settings
Not every TV or app has this option, but if yours does, it’s worth tweaking. Playback buffer settings control how much video your TV preloads content before it starts playing. By increasing the buffer, you give your TV a longer time to load new content, which lessens buffer time while you watch a movie.
Since I’m hosting my own server, I needed to adjust the transcode buffer, which is essentially a playback buffer on the server side. I’ve set the buffer quality to Fast and the buffer size to 60 seconds, providing a minute’s worth of preloaded content. This setup helps prevent 4K content from stuttering during movie playback. Although it slightly increases the initial loading time, I’ve found that my smart TV experiences smoother playback throughout the entire movie.
Buffering used to be a constant headache while I watched movies on my smart TV, but with a few adjustments and a better understanding of how my network and apps work, streaming finally feels a lot smoother. If you’re still seeing those ring buffers on your screen, try making some of these changes on your device and see the difference for yourself.
Global visitors are traveling less to the United States, signaling a sharp downturn across major inbound markets.
According to the U.S. Department of Commerce International Trade Administration, the number of international visitors, excluding those from Canada and Mexico, declined by 2 percent in February and plunged 12 percent in March.
Canadian travelers remain the largest source of inbound tourism, accounting for roughly a quarter of all foreign visitors. Mexico, the second-largest market, recorded a 23 percent year-over-year drop in air arrivals to the U.S. in March.
A new report from Tourism Economics, part of Oxford Economics, forecasts a potential $64 billion loss for the U.S. tourism industry in 2025. The February 27 report revises earlier projections sharply downward, now predicting a 5.1 percent decline in visits, compared to an earlier forecast of an 8.8 percent increase.
NEW YORK — “Dead Outlaw,” the offbeat musical from the team behind the Tony-winning musical “The Band’s Visit,” isn’t mincing words with the title. The show, which had its official opening Sunday at Broadway’s Longacre Theatre, tells the story of the unsuccessful career of a real-life bandit, who achieved more fame as a corpse than as a man.
Born in 1880, Elmer McCurdy, a crook whose ambition exceeded his criminal skill, died in a shoot-out with the police after another botched train robbery in 1911. But his story didn’t end there. His preserved body had an eventful afterlife all its own.
“Dead Outlaw,” a critics’ darling when it premiered last year at Audible’s Minetta Lane Theatre, may be the only musical to make the disposition of a body an occasion for singing and dancing.
David Yazbek, who conceived the idea of turning this stranger-than-fiction tale into a musical, wrote the score with Erik Della Penna. Itamar Moses, no stranger to unlikely dramatic subjects, compressed the epic saga into a compact yet labyrinthine book. Director David Cromer, whose sensibility gravitates between stark and dark, endows the staging with macabre elegance.
Yet Yazbek, Moses and Cromer aren’t repeating themselves. If anything, they’ve set themselves a steeper challenge. “Dead Outlaw” is more unyielding as a musical subject than “The Band’s Visit,” which is to say it’s less emotionally accessible.
Andrew Durand stars in “Dead Outlaw.”
(Matthew Murphy)
It’s not easy to make a musical about a crook with a volatile temper, an unslakable thirst for booze and a record of fumbled heists. It’s even harder to make one out of a dead body that went on exhibition at traveling carnivals and freak shows before ending up on display in a Long Beach fun house, where the mummified remains were accidentally discovered by a prop man while working on an episode of “The Six Million Dollar Man” in 1976.
Stephen Sondheim might have enjoyed the challenge of creating a musical from such an outlandish premise. “Dead Outlaw” evokes at moments the droll perversity of “Sweeney Todd,” the cold-hearted glee of “Assassins” and the Brechtian skewering of “Road Show” — Sondheim musicals that fly in the face of conventional musical theater wisdom.
As tight as a well thought-out jam-session,”Dead Outlaw” also recalls “Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson,” the Michael Friedman-Alex Timbers musical that created a satiric historical rock show around a most problematic president. And the show’s unabashed quirkiness had my theater companion drawing comparisons with “Hedwig and the Angry Inch.”
Andrew Durand, who plays Elmer, has just the right bad-boy frontman vibe. The hard-driving presence of bandleader and narrator Jeb Brown suffuses the production with Americana authenticity, vibrantly maintained by music director Rebekah Bruce and music supervisor Dean Sharenow.
Elmer moves through the world like an open razor, as the title character of Georg Büchner’s “Woyzeck” is aptly described in that play. A précis of Elmer’s early life in Maine is run through by members of the eight-person cast in the bouncy, no-nonsense manner of a graphic novel.
The character’s criminal path is tracked with similar briskness — a fateful series of colorful encounters and escapades as Elmer, a turbulent young man on the move, looks for his big opportunity in Kansas and Oklahoma. Destined for trouble, he finds it unfailingly wherever he goes.
Elmer routinely overestimates himself. Having acquired some training with nitroglycerin in the Army, he wrongly convinces himself that he has the know-how to effectively blow up a safe. He’s like a broke gambler who believes his next risky bet will bring him that long-awaited jackpot. One advantage of dying young is that he never has to confront his abject ineptitude.
Arnulfo Maldonado’s scenic design turns the production into a fun-house exhibit. The band is prominently arrayed on the box-like set, pounding out country-rock numbers that know a thing or two about hard living. The music can sneak up on you, especially when a character gives voice to feelings that they can’t quite get a handle on.
Thom Sesma in “Dead Outlaw.”
(Matthew Murphy)
Durand can’t communicate emotions that Elmer doesn’t possess, but he’s able to sharply convey the disquiet rumbling through the character’s short life. There’s a gruff lyricism to the performance that’s entrancing even when Elmer is standing up in a coffin. But I wish there were more intriguing depth to the character.
Elmer is a historical curiosity, to be sure. And he reveals something about the American moneymaking ethos, which holds not even a dead body sacred. But as a man he’s flat and a bit of a bore. And the creators are perhaps too enthralled by the oddity of his tale. The show is an eccentric wallow through the morgue of history. It’s exhilarating stylistically, less so as a critique of the dark side of the American dream.
Julia Knitel has a voice that breaks up the monochromatic maleness of the score. As Maggie, Elmer’s love interest for a brief moment, she returns later in the show to reflect on the stranger with the “broken disposition” who left her life with the same defiant mystery that he entered it. I wish Knitel had more opportunity to interweave Maggie’s ruminations. The unassuming beauty of her singing adds much needed tonal variety.
The musical takes an amusing leap into Vegas parody when coroner Thomas Noguchi (an electric Thom Sesma) is allowed to strut his medical examiner stuff. Ani Taj’s choreography, like every element of the production, makes the most of its minimalist means.
Wanderingly weird, “Dead Outlaw” retains its off-Broadway cred at the Longacre. It’s a small show that creeps up on you, like a bizarre dream that’s hard to shake.
Mumbai, April 27: Electric-scooter maker Ather steadily reined in losses through the first nine months of 2024-25 while simultaneously pushing its sales engine to grab a 15 per cent share of the domestic e-scooter market in the March quarter, the company’s red herring prospectus (RHP), filed earlier this week for a Rs 2,981-crore IPO, revealed. Unaudited interim numbers in the RHP show that the net loss fell sequentially in each of the first three quarters of FY25 with the first quarter seeing a deficit of Rs 286-crore.
Further, various initiatives helped the company pare the cash burn to Rs 182 crore in Q2 FY25, a 35 per cent drop from Q1 and a 20 per cent decline in the December quarter to Rs 110 crore, thereby bringing down the cumulative nine-month loss by 26 per cent year-on-year to Rs 578 crore, the RHP said, adding that these were driven by lower cell costs, a richer model mix and a doubling of adjusted gross margin to 19 per cent. Ather Energy IPO: GMP Slips to INR 3 From INR 17 Ahead of Subscription Opening of Indian EV Company.
While costs came down, volumes were seen going up. VAHAN registrations show Ather selling just over 50,000 scooters in the January-March period, enough for a 15 per cent national market share, up four percentage points from the preceding quarter.
The new family-oriented Rizta scooter accounted for more than a third of those deliveries, giving Ather a product foothold beyond its performance-centric 450 series. The company draws 68 per cent of its volumes from Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Telangana, owing to a deeper charging density and brand familiarity in the region.
However, the RHP flags a deliberate pivot north-west as VAHAN records for Maharashtra indicate Ather’s share crossed the 10 per cent mark in Q4, achieving “double-digit” status for the first time in India’s largest EV state while market share for Gujarat soared to 25 per cent in December and averaged roughly 23-25 per cent for the full quarter, up from just 5 per cent in July 2024.
Ather product portfolio comprises variants of its 450 Series and the Ritza series. “We have had the right product for southern consumers; Rizta gives us the same resonance in the North,” co-founder Tarun Mehta told reporters in Chennai last month, adding that the model’s family-friendly packaging “unlocks states like Delhi and Uttar Pradesh for us.”
All this came on the back of a wider network reach as Ather now claims 311 experience centres across 218 cities, up from 178 a year ago, and a fast-charging “Grid” that crosses 4,100 touch-points. At the IPO Road Show in Mumbai this week, he said, “Rizta has opened up a lot of new markets for us in India, especially in the markets where performance scooters Ather 450 don’t even sell. Hence these geographies were closed to us but have now opened up because of Rista. So that gives us a lot of comfort and confidence.”
Besides, the company is also building EL and Zenith platforms for potentially multiple scooter products, multiple bike products, respectively.
Management attributes three internal factors — localisation of battery packs and power electronics to 75 per cent, a Gen-2 platform that cut scooter material costs by 12 per cent, and a switch to franchise-owned outlets that slashed retail capex — for the financial pivot.
These steps, the RHP shows, trimmed the quarterly earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) loss by a third between April and December 2024. The IPO will be a combination of fresh issue of equity shares worth Rs 2,626 crore, and an offer for sale (OFS) of 1.1 crore equity shares by promoters and other shareholders. Ather Energy IPO: Industry Experts Concerns Rise Over Losses and Slow Revenue Growth Ahead of April 28 Launch.
Ather plans to use the IPO proceeds to build a new manufacturing facility in Maharashtra (Rs 927 crore), fund R&D (Rs 750 crore), and support marketing efforts (Rs 300 crore), besides pairing some debt. At the upper end of the price band, the IPO size is pegged at Rs 2,981 crore, placing the company’s overall valuation at Rs 11,956 crore.
(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Bitcoin reflected profits on both national and international exchanges on Monday after a period of decline following US President Donald Trump’s announcement of widespread tariffs on US imports. On international platforms, Bitcoin rose in price by 2.61 percent to trade at $87,373 (roughly Rs. 74.5 lakh). On Indian exchanges, its price hovered over the mark of $87,845 (roughly Rs. 75 lakh) with a gain of over two percent. The past two weeks proved rough for Bitcoin as the Trump administration announced sweeping reciprocal trade tariffs against many nations, particularly China.
“Bitcoin is gaining strong upward momentum, trading at $87,300 (roughly Rs. 74 lakh) as investor confidence picks up once again. Additionally, macroeconomic factors like the dollar index falling to a three-year low and increasing recession fears are prompting investors to turn to Bitcoin as a safe-haven asset,” Alankar Saxena, Co-founder and CTO of Mudrex, told Gadgets 360. “A close above the monthly high of $88,700 (roughly Rs. 75.7 lakh) could trigger a decisive move towards $92,000 (roughly Rs. 78.5 lakh) with strong support at $84,000 (roughly Rs. 71 lakh).”
Ether also registered a price hike of 1.52 percent on international exchanges to trade at $1,640 (roughly Rs. 1.40 lakh). On Indian exchanges, meanwhile, ETH is trading at $1,663 (roughly Rs. 1.41 lakh), reflecting a gain of over one percent.
“Ethereum’s holding its ground above $1,500 (roughly Rs. 1.28 lakh), though it’s still facing resistance near $1,680 (roughly Rs. 1.43 lakh). Macro uncertainties haven’t gone away as yet. US-China trade talks, sticky treasury yields, and the Fed’s next move are all on the market’s radar. The May FOMC meeting will be key, with only a 12 percent chance of a rate cut right now. So, while sentiment is improving, we’re not in full risk-on mode just yet,” Riya Sehgal, research analyst at Delta Exchange, told Gadgets 360.
The crypto price tracker by Gadgets 360 showed most altcoins trading sideways on Monday.
Ripple, Binance Coin, Tron, Leo, and Shiba Inu reflected gains.
Solana, Dogecoin, Cardano, Avalanche, Stellar, and Polkadot, meanwhile, logged losses.
The crypto market cap rose by 1.70 percent to sit at the valuation of $2.74 trillion (roughly Rs. 2,33,93,435 crore), showed CoinMarketCap.
“With increasing confidence among users and improving infrastructure, the trend toward mainstream acceptance continues to gather momentum. The coming weeks will be pivotal in determining investor strategies and overall market direction,” said Avinash Shekhar, co-founder and CEO, Pi42.
As markets largely remain volatile, analysts have advised investors to continue being cautious with their investment decisions and conduct thorough research.
Cryptocurrency is an unregulated digital currency, not a legal tender and subject to market risks. The information provided in the article is not intended to be and does not constitute financial advice, trading advice or any other advice or recommendation of any sort offered or endorsed by NDTV. NDTV shall not be responsible for any loss arising from any investment based on any perceived recommendation, forecast or any other information contained in the article.
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In the world of digital advertising, data is king.
Yet, many PPC advertisers underutilize one of their most valuable sources of insights: their CRM data.
Whether you’re a B2B or B2C marketer, your CRM is a gold mine of customer information that can significantly enhance your paid media strategy.
To boost efficiency and scale, focus on the most impactful CRM data, such as:
Job titles, industry, company size, and revenue for B2B.
Age, gender, location, product preferences, and customer lifetime value (CLV) for B2C.
This article tackles how to use CRM data to refine your targeting, craft compelling ad messaging, and create more relevant website content.
Evaluate CRM data through clustering analysis
First, you need to know how to organize your data to get the insights you’ll deploy in your paid campaigns.
One powerful technique for organizing data is clustering analysis, which helps group similar customers based on shared characteristics.
For this, I prefer the k‑modes algorithm, an extension of the k‑means method.
The algorithm replaces means of clusters with modes – in other words, it replaces an aggregate average with attributes that appear frequently, which is much better for precise targeting.
This allows you to identify primary audience segments that are most valuable to your business. For example:
B2B: Clustering leads and opportunities by job role, industry, company size, and annual revenue.
B2C: Segmenting customers based on demographics, interests, purchase behavior, CLV, and engagement levels.
This analysis will help you uncover actionable insights to shape your advertising approach and ensure you focus on the right audiences.
3 ways to leverage CRM data for PPC advertising
Once you’ve identified key audience clusters, apply those insights across Google Ads, LinkedIn Ads, Meta Ads, and other paid platforms.
While there are additional use cases, let’s focus on the three mentioned above.
1. Refine targeting without hyper-fragmenting ad accounts
A common mistake is over-segmenting ad campaigns, which can lead to inefficient ad spend, limited insights, and hinder platform algorithms from optimizing performance.
Instead, leverage your CRM insights to refine audience targeting strategically:
LinkedIn and Facebook audiences: Upload CRM data to create custom audiences and lookalike audiences, ensuring you’re targeting high-value prospects similar to your existing customers. (Note: A few significant new releases from LinkedIn add even more heft to this recommendation.)
Keyword themes in Google Ads: Use CRM insights to identify the job titles, industries, or pain points that resonate most with your customers and optimize your keyword strategy accordingly.
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See terms.
2. Craft messaging with ads geared toward primary personas
Different customer segments respond to different messages.
Use your CRM data to create tailored ad copy, imagery, and CTAs that align with the needs and interests of your primary personas:
B2B example: If your CRM data reveals that C-suite executives respond best to finesse and expertise-driven content, create ads promoting whitepapers or exclusive webinars.
B2C example: If your data shows that younger demographics prefer discounts while older customers value premium quality, adjust your ad messaging accordingly.
3. Creating relevant website content
Your paid efforts shouldn’t stop at the ad level – your website must also reflect the personas you’re targeting.
By using CRM insights, you can optimize your site to better convert visitors into customers:
B2B: If your highest-value customers are from enterprise-level companies, make sure your website has dedicated pages for enterprise solutions and case studies, with messaging tailored to address their specific pain points and needs. A common issue I’ve seen with agency clients is that their landing pages lack depth; often, distinct personas would benefit from pages with more refined messaging.
B2C: If a key demographic is young professionals interested in sustainability, highlight eco-friendly product attributes and include social proof from like-minded customers.
These insights should extend beyond landing pages.
It’s crucial to gather and evaluate whether your brand positioning across the entire site reflects the common themes that emerge when analyzing different personas.
Final thoughts
Your CRM isn’t just a database – it’s a strategic asset that can transform your paid media performance.
You can drive more efficient and effective advertising campaigns by analyzing customer data through:
Clustering.
Refining targeting.
Crafting tailored ad messaging.
Ensuring your website content aligns with your audience.
One final note here: this is not a one-and-done initiative.
Use your judgment based on:
How much and how quickly new data is entering your CRM.
Any data cleanup projects that might alter the data.
New product launches that could require fresh insights.
Use this information to schedule regular and ad-hoc updates to your analysis.
Don’t let your CRM data go to waste – use it to enhance your paid campaigns and increase your ROI.
Hearing footsteps in Call of Duty can feel vital to success, especially in the game’s more competitive modes. Thankfully, the latest system software update for PlayStation 5 makes hearing footsteps much easier in those crucial moments on Black Ops 6 and Warzone. Here, we guide you through the new setting and provide recommendations for using the Audio Focus feature on PS5.
What is PS5 Audio Focus?
Sony’s latest system software update arrived to PlayStation 5 on April 24, 2025, and this included the addition of Audio Focus, which is an accessibility feature that lets you amplify and more clearly hear certain parts of game audio.
PS5’s Audio Focus works similar to the Loudness Equalization setting that Call of Duty PC players use. Loudness EQ levels out the game’s high and low audio, minimizing loud and unnecessary sounds while amplifying quieter ones, such as enemy footsteps. This has kept console players at an audio disadvantage for the last several years.
Thankfully, the PC advantage is now minimized if you’re a PlayStation 5 player. All you need to do is turn on the Audio Focus and make a few selections.
PS5’s Audio Focus setting
How to use Audio Focus
First, ensure that you’re updated to the latest system update on PS5.
Then go to your PlayStation 5 settings
Select the Sound settings
Scroll all the way down to the Volume settings
Select Audio Focus
You’ll find four Focus Type presets: Boost Low Pitch, Boost Voices, Boost High Pitch, and Boost Quiet Sounds. Each preset can then be adjusted to weak, medium, and strong levels, and there’s even an option to set both the left and right audio channels separately.
Audio Focus Recommendations
Boost High Pitch
The Boost High Pitch setting is specifically designed to help with footstep audio, as it details amplifying “high-frequency sounds like footsteps and metallic noises.”
While it can be used by anyone to gain a competitive advantage, it’s important to note that Audio Focus is an accessibility feature designed more for players with actual hearing loss. There are going to be streamers and content creators using this on strong settings to try to maximize their competitive advantage, but if you’re not hard of hearing, you may find you don’t need this setting turned to the highest option to use it as an optional sound enhancement.
I recommend starting with weak or medium strength for this setting. I am thankful to have both good hearing and a solid headset, so I found using the strong setting for Boost High Pitch was way too much for me. The footsteps didn’t sound painfully loud, but some of the metallic sounds included in the setting were often ear-piercing. Some of the vehicle noises and the creaky metal from the planes in Boneyard were almost unbearable for me.
I played Warzone for a few hours with Boost High Pitch on various strengths. It definitely helped boost the footstep audio in an impressive way, and I wouldn’t be surprised if I got reported as a cheater. There were times I could hear enemies walking from the other side of a large hill, and once I was able to hear an enemy approaching behind me while I was already in a gunfight, which would’ve been difficult to hear on the normal sound settings.
Boost Quiet Sounds
The Boost Quiet Sounds preset says it amplifies “low-volume sounds in a wide range of frequencies.” Technically, footstep audio can sound low in Call of Duty, so I decided to try this out as a milder alternative to the Boost High Pitch setting.
I tried playing Warzone with this setting on medium and strong. I was still able to hear footsteps louder than the normal settings, but it didn’t quite sound as impactful as using Boost High Pitch. The most impactful audio was when enemies were creeping through the grassy areas of Verdansk. I could hear the rustling of the grass more clearly which allowed me to better pinpoint their location.
So, this could be a milder alternative if you want to amplify sound, but you find that Boost High Pitch is too much for your ears. This setting also lets you hear more atmospheric sounds like wind and rustling leaves that you’d likely never hear otherwise, but that’s not intel that will help you win matches.
Audio Focus only works with headphones. If you can’t adjust the Audio Focus settings, it is likely not detecting a headset, so make sure you have your headset connected. This setting should also work for other games on PlayStation 5, as well.
For more adjustments, we also have a guide for recommended settings to use in Black Ops 6 and Warzone. This includes controller layouts, audio, graphics, and advanced game settings.
An interdisciplinary research team from the LKS Faculty of Medicine of the University of Hong Kong (HKUMed), the InnoHK Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health (InnoHK D24H), and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) has unveiled the world’s first artificial intelligence (AI) model designed to classify both the cancer stage and risk category of thyroid cancer, achieving impressive accuracy exceeding 90%. This innovative HKUMed AI model promises to significantly cut frontline clinicians’ pre-consultation preparation time by approximately 50%, aligning with the HKSAR Government’s initiative to harness AI technology in healthcare. The findings were published in the journal npj Digital Medicine.
Thyroid cancer is among the most prevalent cancers in Hong Kong and globally. Precision management of the disease often rely on two systems: (1) the 8th edition of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) or Tumour-Node-Metastasis (TNM) cancer staging system to determine the cancer stage; and (2) the American Thyroid Association (ATA) risk classification system to categorise cancer risk. These systems are crucial for predicting patient survival and guiding treatment decisions. However, the manual integration of complex clinical information into these systems can be time-consuming and lack efficiency.
The research team developed an AI assistant that leverages large language models (LLMs), like ChatGPT and DeepSeek, which are designed to understand and process human language, to analyse clinical documents and enhance the accuracy and efficiency of thyroid cancer staging and risk classification.
The model leverages four offline open-source LLMs — Mistral (Mistral AI), Llama (Meta), Gemma (Google), and Qwen (Alibaba) — to analyse free-text clinical documents. The AI model was trained with a United States based open-access data with pathology reports of 50 thyroid cancer patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas Programme (TCGA), with subsequent validation against pathology reports from 289 TCGA patients and 35 pseudo cases created by endocrine surgeons.
By combining the output of all four LLMs, the team improved the overall performance of the AI model, achieving overall accuracy of 88.5% to 100% in ATA risk classification and 92.9% to 98.1% in AJCC cancer staging. Compared to traditional manual document reviews, this advancement is expected to halve the time clinicians spend on pre-consultation preparation.
Professor Joseph T Wu, Sir Kotewall Professor in Public Health and Managing Director of InnoHK D24H at HKUMed, emphasised the model’s remarkable performance. ‘Our model achieves more than 90% accuracy in classifying AJCC cancer stages and ATA risk category’, he said. ‘A significant advantage of this model is its offline capability, which would allow local deployment without the need to share or upload sensitive patient information, thereby providing maximum patient privacy.’
‘In view of the recent debut of DeepSeek, we conducted further comparative tests with a “zero-shot approach” against the latest versions of DeepSeek — R1 and V3 — as well as GPT-4o. We were pleased to find that our model performed on par with these powerful online LLMs,’ added Professor Wu.
Dr Matrix Fung Man-him, Clinical Assistant Professor and Chief of Endocrine Surgery, Department of Surgery, School of Clinical Medicine, HKUMed, stated, ‘In addition to providing high accuracy in extracting and analysing information from complex pathology reports, operation records and clinical notes, our AI model also dramatically reduces doctors’ preparation time by almost half compared to human interpretation. It could simultaneously provide cancer staging and clinical risk stratification based on two internationally recognised clinical systems.’
‘The AI model is versatile and could be readily integrated into various settings in the public and private sectors, and both local and international healthcare and research institutes,’ said Dr Fung. ‘We are optimistic that the real-world implementation of this AI model could enhance the efficiency of frontline clinicians and improve the quality of care. In addition, doctors will have more time to counsel with their patients.’
‘In line with government’s strong advocacy of AI adoption in healthcare, as exemplified by the recent launch of LLM-based medical report writing system in the Hospital Authority, our next step is to evaluate the performance of this AI assistant with a large amount of real-world patient data. Once validated, the AI model can be readily deployed in real clinical settings and hospitals to help clinicians improve operational and treatment efficiency,’ explained Dr Carlos Wong, Honorary Associate Professor in the Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care, School of Clinical Medicine, HKUMed.
The study was led by Professor Joseph Wu Tsz-kei, Sir Robert Kotewall Professor in Public Health in the School of Public Health, and Managing Director & Lead Scientist of InnoHK D24H; Dr Matrix Fung Man-him, Clinical Assistant Professor and Chief of Endocrine Surgery in the Department of Surgery, School of Clinical Medicine; and Dr Carlos Wong King-ho, Honorary Associate Professor in the Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care, School of Clinical Medicine, and Senior Research Director in InnoHK D24H; all under HKUMed. The first authors were Dr Eric Tang Ho-man and Dr Tingting Wu from InnoHK D24H.
Center of Policy Research and Governance (CPRG) is a Delhi-based independent think tank that aims to promote responsive and participatory policy-making through cutting-edge research and analysis across a wide range of policy areas.
We seek to bring together multiple stakeholders to provide effective solutions for contemporary policy challenges.
About the Opportunity
We invite candidates from diverse backgrounds who have a strong interest in public policy to apply. In this position, the candidate will offer research, writing, and editing support to assist with our initiatives.
The position is for a Policy Research Intern. This internship will be unpaid. The certificate will be given after the completion of the internship.
Roles and Responsibilities
Provide research, writing and editing support on issues
Assist the organisation with conferences, workshops or other events;
Contribute to the design and implementation of initiatives, projects or programmes;
Prepare relevant communications materials (speeches, brochures, success stories, social media materials, podcasts, etc.);
Keep up to date with social, political and economic developments, and brief others on these, write briefings, reports, articles, papers
Work with a range of people and organisations
Manage social media publications to spread awareness and notifications
Eligibility Criteria
An understanding of social sciences is mandatory. Graduates or students pursuing graduation from a recognised university. An analytical subject or previous training in research methodologies is an advantage.
How to Apply?
Interested candidates can apply through the link given below this post. Applicants shortlisted for interviews will receive an email within ten days after applying. Given the volume of applications, we are unable to revert to unsuccessful applications.
Location
Mumbai: CPRG, Office #507, Laxmi Mall Plaza, Near Oshiwara Metro Station, Andheri West, Mumbai 400053
Delhi: 102-Silver Arch Apartments, 22, Firoz Shah Road, Mandi House, New Delhi 110001
Disclaimer: Charging money from students for internships or from job applicants is an unethical practice and can lead to blacklisting. Facing concerns? Please email us at [email protected]
Shah Rukh Khan’s airport style is on point! Sporting a white tee, blue hoodie, and cargo pants, SRK’s casual yet cool look is giving us major fashion inspo.
Shah Rukh Khan is back in Mumbai, and of course, the paparazzi were quick to catch a glimpse of him at the airport on Sunday. SRK looked as cheerful as ever, flashing that signature smile and even sharing a warm handshake with one of his staff members before heading to his car. Dressed in a casual yet stylish outfit, SRK serves major fashion goals that even Gen Z would envy. Let’s decode his look and grab some fresh style inspo. (Also read: Shah Rukh Khan to make historic Met Gala 2025 debut, will be dressed by Sabyasachi: Diet Sabya ‘confirms’ in new post )
Shah Rukh Khan showcased a relaxed yet trendy outfit at the Mumbai airport. (Ashutosh Rai)
Decoding Shah Rukh Khan’s stylish airport look
Ditching his usual hoodies, Shah Rukh took a cooler approach to his airport look. He rocked a simple white t-shirt, which he layered with a stylish blue hoodie jacket. The hoodie left open and casually draped over his frame, featured sleeves that were rolled up neatly to just above his elbows.
To complete the look, SRK paired the top with loose-fit blue cargo pants that added a relaxed vibe while still looking totally on-trend. The combination of easygoing comfort and smart layering made for a look that was equal parts stylish and functional, and as always, King Khan nailed it.
To elevate his laid-back look, Shah Rukh accessorised with some key pieces that added an extra dash of style. He sported a sleek pair of black sunglasses, crossbody black bag, stylish watch on his wrist and pair of white shoes. His perfectly gelled hair, well-groomed beard, and that signature charming smile made him the ultimate heartthrob as he walked through the airport.
On the work front
Shah Rukh Khan’s upcoming action-thriller King, directed by Siddharth Anand, is set to begin shooting in June 2025. In addition to King, Shah Rukh has several exciting projects in the pipeline, including Tiger vs Pathaan, an adventure film with Amar Kaushik, and potential collaborations with Raj & DK and Farah Khan.
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News / Lifestyle / Fashion / Shah Rukh Khan rocks super cool airport look in hoodie and cargo pants that even Gen Z would want to copy. Watch
Caribou Biosciences is laying off about a third of its staff and stopping work on an experimental lupus treatment in a gamble on the potential of a pair of cell therapies for cancer.
The company on Thursday said it’s cutting 32% of its workforce, which totaled 147 employees as of March 1, according to a regulatory filing. It also announced it’s delaying planned study readouts on those two cell therapies until the second half of this year. Results had been expected from a pair of Phase 1 studies in lymphoma and multiple myeloma this quarter, but will now come later so Caribou can accrue what it hopes will be a more convincing dataset.
Caribou had about $213 million in cash as of the end of March, enough to keep the company operating through the second half of next year. The restructuring will extend its financial runway through the back half of 2027.
“We recognize the challenges in the current market environment and believe the best approach is to present the most robust datasets for both programs,” CEO Rachel Haurwitz said in a statement.
Caribou was one of the first biotech companies formed to turn CRISPR gene editing into medicines for humans. Co-founded in 2011 by Nobel Prize winning scientist Jennifer Doudna, the company raised $304 million in an initial public offering in 2021 and has since largely focused on using CRISPR tools to make “off-the-shelf” cell therapies for cancer.
However, like many of its peers, Caribou has struggled to prove its medicines are as effective and long-lasting as the personalized “CAR-T” therapies approved to treat certain blood cancers, leading to a depressed share price and a previous restructuring. Caribou also joined a wave of cell therapy companies pivoting to autoimmune disease research, and was cleared by U.S. regulators last year to test, in humans, one of its cell therapies in lupus.
Through the restructuring announced Thursday, Caribou is abandoning the lupus program before dosing a patient in that planned trial. It’s also halting preclinical research and a Phase 1 study in leukemia. The company is now pinning its hopes on CB-010, a therapy for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and CB-011, for multiple myeloma.
With CB-010, Caribou is enrolling patients in a Phase 1 trial in second-line large B cell lymphoma. By the time it reports results, the majority of study participants will have completed at least six months of follow-up, which would provide more insight into the medicine’s durability. It will also reveal data in up to 10 patients who have relapsed following other treatments that, like CB-010, target the CD-19 protein on B cells. Caribou, in a statement, said its existing data have suggested the therapy can “drive outcomes that are on par” with approved, personalized cell therapies for cancer.
Later this year the company will also present initial data on at least 25 multiple myeloma patients who’ve received CB-011 in an ongoing trial and have at least three months of follow-up.
Caribou shares currently trade at less than $1 apiece. The stock price debut at $16 when the company went public in July 2021.
The Google Pixel 9a aims to strike the perfect balance between premium features and an accessible price point. It is the perfect phone for those seeking value without compromise.
1
Unmatched Camera for the Price
Justin Duino / MakeUseOf
Photography has long been Google’s calling card, and the Pixel 9a continues that legacy by delivering a version of its flagship camera experience at a mid-range price. The Pixel 9a—and Google’s computational photography prowess—proves that you don’t need an expensive phone to take incredible shots.
The Pixel 9a features a dual-camera system with a 48MP main sensor and a 13MP ultrawide lens. This setup delivers exceptional photo quality, rivaling even some expensive smartphone models. Notably, the inclusion of Macro Focus, a first for the A-series, allows you to capture intricate details with stunning clarity. The Super Res Zoom feature is also great for capturing clear, close-up portraits from far away.
Pixel phones shine in low-light photography, and the Pixel 9a packs an improved Night Sight mode capable of capturing crisp details and natural color tones. Unlike most mid-range competitors, which struggle with noise and motion blur, Google’s computational photography algorithms compensate for lighting deficiencies to help shoot a well-lit, balanced image in low-light conditions.
And, of course, there are Pixel’s signature AI-powered features like Add Me and Best Take that enhance group photos by ensuring everyone looks great. Plus, Magic Editor provides versatile AI-powered editing and image manipulation options. Tools like Reimagine let you type what you’d like to add or modify from your photos, while Auto Frame lets you automatically reframe your photo, suggesting the best crop or expanding your image to get more of the scene.
What truly sets the Pixel’s camera experience apart is the consistency and reliability of its results. You don’t need to be a photography expert to take great photos with a Pixel. The point-and-shoot simplicity, combined with Google’s intelligent processing, ensures that the vast majority of your shots will be share-worthy.
2
First Access to New Android Features
Pixel devices are always among the first to receive major Android OS updates, ensuring your phone is at the forefront of new features, enhanced security, and overall system improvements. However, the advantage extends beyond just the yearly Android upgrades. Pixel owners also benefit from Pixel-exclusive or Pixel-first experiences, called “Pixel Drops.”
Pixel Drops are periodic software updates that introduce new and unique features designed explicitly for Pixel devices. Pixel phones often serve as a testing ground for new Android capabilities and experimental features. These aren’t just minor bug fixes or security patches, either. They are significant additions that enhance the functionality and user experience of the phone. Think of them as surprise gifts that keep your Pixel feeling fresh and exciting long after its initial release.
Historically, Pixel Drops have introduced a diverse range of innovative features for the camera, battery, phone calls, AI, and more. Furthermore, Pixel Drops often introduce new customization options and quality-of-life improvements to the Android operating system. This could include new widgets, enhanced privacy controls, better integration with other Google services, and subtle but impactful refinements to the user interface.
Owning a Pixel 9a means you’ll likely be among the first to experience these new features that you might not see for months on other mid-range phones, if you see them at all. This continuous stream of new features and improvements adds significant value to the Pixel 9a, ensuring that it doesn’t feel stagnant over time and continues to offer a cutting-edge experience. With Pixel Drops, your phone keeps getting better over time, automatically for seven years from launch.
Related
8 Google Pixel Features You Won’t Find on a Samsung Galaxy Phone
Some of these features made me switch to a Google Pixel.
3
AI That Elevates Your Experience
Justin Duino / MakeUseOf
If it’s a 2025 device, it definitely has an AI pitch. Google’s integration of its entire Gemini AI suite sets the Pixel 9a apart in this area. The Pixel 9a takes advantage of Google’s Tensor chipset, which is designed for AI-powered optimizations rather than sheer processing speed.
You can use Gemini Live for natural voice interactions, helping you learn more about a topic, brainstorm ideas, or serve as a creative or productive companion for everyday tasks. Plus, Gemini Live has become more versatile with multimodal capabilities—Gemini Live can now talk you through the images, files, and videos you see on your Pixel. Additionally, Gemini’s Deep Research helps you distill hours of research into comprehensive, easy-to-read reports in just minutes.
The Pixel 9a leverages Google’s advanced AI capabilities to offer a range of smart and intuitive features that enhance the user experience in meaningful ways, like Call Assist to take control of your calls, Circle to Search to seamlessly search anything on your Pixel without switching apps, and Pixel Studio to create unique AI images with text prompts.
Of course, the camera is another area where AI plays a crucial role. Features like Magic Eraser allow you to seamlessly remove unwanted objects or people from your photos. Photo Unblur, which can sharpen blurry images, is another prime example of using AI in image processing.
Beyond these specific features, Google’s AI shenanigans also work behind the scenes to optimize the phone’s performance and user experience (for example, Adaptive Battery learns your usage patterns and prioritizes power for the apps you use most frequently, helping to extend battery life throughout the day). The AI integration isn’t just about having a few clever features. Google set out to create a more intelligent and helpful smartphone experience, and it succeeded.
4
Minimalist Design With a Premium Aesthetic
Justin Duino / MakeUseOf
The Pixel 9a deviates from the recent Pixel design language that made these devices stand out. It sheds the trademark camera bar, or camera visor as it’s popularly called, that we’ve seen in the last few Pixel devices.
Instead, Google has gone for a more minimalist aesthetic with a touch of premium flair. The refined design features a flat profile, rounded edges, and a matte glass back complemented by a metal frame. It’s a well-built phone that’s also aesthetically pleasing.
I wasn’t too kicked about the new streamlined camera design, but once I used the Pixel 9a, its modern design grew on me, and the phone feels great to hold and use. The design is both functional and stylish, and it’s available in eclectic color variants catering to diverse style preferences. I quite like the periwinkle color accent that Google calls ‘Iris’, but you could opt for the more restrained black or white, called ‘Obsidian’ and ‘Porcelain’ respectively.
It’s good to know that the Pixel 9a is constructed using 23% recycled materials with a recycled aluminum frame, underscoring Google’s commitment to sustainability. Google claims that the Pixel 9a is the most durable A-Series phone because of its updated designs and some advanced engineering. While I can’t validate these claims personally without damaging my device, it’s a neat assurance to have at the back of your mind.
In a market where many mid-range phones opt for flashy or overly stylized designs, the Pixel 9a offers a refreshing alternative with its understated elegance and focus on usability. This design approach should appeal to a wide range of folks who appreciate a clean, modern aesthetic and a phone that feels premium without being ostentatious.
5
Future-Proofed With Timely Updates
Justin Duino / MakeUseOf
One of the most overlooked aspects of mid-range phones is long-term usability—something the Pixel 9a excels at. As a Google device, the Pixel 9a offers you immediate access to the latest Android updates. Launching with Android 15, it comes with a promise of seven years of OS updates and security patches.
While brands like Samsung also now offer updates for an extended period of time, these updates are often delayed and arrive months after the official launch. And that’s for flagship smartphones. Most mid-range devices receive even longer delayed updates, or worse, they miss out entirely. This means that you experience the latest and greatest Android features for the longest time instead of waiting for manufacturer rollouts.
This immediate access to the latest Android version offers several key benefits. Firstly, you’re able to take advantage of the newest user interface enhancements, privacy controls, and performance improvements that Google introduces with each major Android release. This ensures that the phone feels modern throughout its lifespan and gives you bragging rights among your friends!
Secondly, Pixel phones receive security patches on a regular basis, often monthly. This proactive approach to security saves your device from the latest threats and vulnerabilities. While other manufacturers may eventually roll out updates, the delay can sometimes leave you vulnerable for extended periods.
This extended access to updates contributes to the longevity of the device—the Pixel 9a will remain relevant and secure for years to come. This ensures that your phone will not only perform well out of the box but will also continue to evolve and improve over time. This is an important consideration for those who prefer not to upgrade their phone frequently.
Related
I’ve Used Google Pixel Phones for 8 Years: Here’s Why I Keep Buying Them
Google’s Pixel phones offer an Android experience unlike any other.
The Pixel 9a stands out by offering features typically reserved for flagship models while maintaining an affordable price point. It delivers a comprehensive package that caters to a wide range of people while combining cutting-edge features, reliable performance, and thoughtful design.
It’s a phone that doesn’t compromise on the features that matter most and is the perfect mid-range phone for those who refuse to settle for less.
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Playing a gangster suits Pierce Brosnan. The actor, 71, is often best remembered for heroic characters like James Bond, but ruthless crime boss Conrad Harrigan on “MobLand” is quickly becoming a fan-favorite role. The series, created by Ronan Bennett and written with Jez Butterworth, follows Conrad and his fixer Harry Da Souza (Tom Hardy) as the Harrigan family becomes embroiled in a violent feud with the rival Stevensons. The first two episodes were directed by Guy Ritchie, who set the irreverent, fast-paced tone for the series.
“I read the first five episodes and just enjoyed it,” Brosnan says, speaking over Zoom from his home in Malibu. “I basically said, ‘I’m in.’ It was that easy.”
In the most recent episode, the clans form a temporary détente at the funeral of Tommy Stevenson (Felix Edwards), with Conrad’s devious wife Maeve (Helen Mirren) scheming to draw blood behind his back. Brosnan describes the tense scenes at the wake as “beautifully done,” both in the writing and the staging.
“The whole piece has a theatricality — it was like doing a play,” he says. “Helen made the choice of channeling Lady Macbeth, which was very appropriate. It has those Shakespearean undertones. But we had no idea where it was really going because the scripts were coming in at the 11th hour.”
Helen Mirren co-stars as Maeve Harrigan, Conrad’s wife. “Helen made the choice of channeling Lady Macbeth, which was very appropriate,” Pierce Brosnan says.
(Luke Varley / Paramount+)
Brosnan is already anticipating a second season of “MobLand” (it has yet to be greenlit) and finds it miraculous that he’s been given such a memorable part this late in his career.
“It’s been remarkable to see the impact it’s had on the audience,” he says. “People know me as James Bond and that will never go away, which is fine. But now it’s ‘MobLand.’ A long time ago, Sydney Pollack greeted me after a screening of ‘The Thomas Crown Affair.’ He said, ‘Congratulations. Enjoy it. They don’t come around that often.’ I’ve had a career and I’ve always managed to work and to enjoy the work. But every now and then you get a gift of gold dust like Conrad.”
Here, in a conversation edited for length and clarity, Brosnan discusses developing Conrad, returning to the spy genre in the Steven Soderbergh film “Black Bag” and why acting still thrills him.
What did you initially find attractive about Conrad as a character?
I love gangster movies. When I read [the script,] it wasn’t the Conrad we now see. But I enjoyed the writing and I enjoyed the family aspect of it, and it had meat on the bone. Then when Jez Butterworth came onboard, it transformed even into something more spectacular and it had a cohesion of characters that was very exciting. Conrad became more fleshed out when Jez began writing this outrageous character.
Was he written as Irish?
The Irish aspect of him happened on the day. I was going for a North London or South London accent. But on the very first day of shooting with Tom and myself, Guy said, “Go Irish.” I called up my dialect coach, Brendan Gunn, who I’ve worked with many, many times. I said, “Brendan, I’ve got 15 minutes. Give me a Kerry accent.” Brendan gave me a man who I based the voice on — he’s from Kerry and he’s a politician — and I jumped in with both feet. My own Irish accent is so diminished as an Englishman and a Californian. I wanted something that had a bite to it. I wanted something where you could take someone’s head off with the words.
Were you familiar with Guy Ritchie’s improvisational style before this show?
I’d heard about his style of working and it is very impromptu. You have to come prepared on any show. My teachers taught me you will never be directed, so you better come prepared knowing what to do and play it. Guy’s style is very loose, but he knows what he wants and he gives you great freedom. He gave me great freedom in finding Conrad in that he trusted me enormously with just my finding the character.
Did you know the complete arc of your character going in?
No, I was flying blind. Jez and I only had one conversation, really. I never spoke with Guy about the character — he just said, “Go Irish.” But I found it very exhilarating. It gave me freedom. And it was really fast. On that first day, it was a three-page scene outside my [character’s] country home, somewhat expositional, but also with great character nuance. We rehearsed it once and we shot it maybe two or three times. That’s how it started and that’s how it continued.
What did you discover about Conrad as you went along?
There’s a vulnerability to the character that I like. And there’s a great sense of humor to Conrad. He’s so brash and so bold and what he does is so audacious and he is quite terrifying and unhinged. He comes from a mangled life and he’s very cunning and very brutish. And he knows what’s going on. He knows what Maeve is doing and he loves her. She is his lifeline to some kind of sanity, but she is so damaged as well and he knows he’s been manipulated by her. That’s where the humor comes in for me because he doesn’t show all his cards. But after 10 episodes, I’m still finding out this man.
Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan and Anson Boon in Episode 5 of “MobLand.” “He comes from a mangled life and he’s very cunning and very brutish,” Brosnan says of his character.
(Luke Varley / Paramount+)
When you’re playing someone who does such bad things do you still need to find a way to humanize him?
That’s a really hard one to define when you’re playing someone this corrupt. You have to let the audience in. You have to do so in such a way that allows the audience to come in to you, to beguile them, to charm them. Then you pull out the stiletto. But that’s the joy of it.
You played another ambiguous character in “Black Bag.” What appealed to you about that role?
The play within the play — me being the head of the [spy] agency having been a former James Bond. The sheer delight of playing within that theatrical arena, just like when I was James Bond doing “The Tailor of Panama,” another film in the world of espionage. But it was tough because I was already on another movie called “Giant,” which is about the boxer Prince Naseem Hamed. I was five weeks into that movie, and I’d already said yes to Steven Soderbergh, so I had to do it. It was overwhelming because I had another week left on the boxer movie and the Soderbergh movie came in.
I got on the train down from Leeds on a Friday night and went to work with Steven Soderbergh on Monday morning, straight into a seven-page scene. It was a real shot in the arm and that week went by really fast, and I went back through Leeds and I finished off my boxing movie, and then went into “The Thursday Murder Club.” I finished that and went off to Munich for a remake of “Cliffhanger” with Lily James and then did “MobLand.”
That’s a lot.
It’s a lot of work, but it’s good. It’s exhilarating, especially when you have been on the other end, looking at a horizon which is rather flat and wondering what’s going to happen next. But I’ve always worked. I don’t like sitting around. I like to work. Once you commit to a project, you give it 100% and you honor the work no matter what.
Were you ever worried that if you returned to the espionage genre, you’d start getting a lot similar roles offered to you?
Oh no. That would be wonderful. I haven’t turned my back on that genre of work. There’s some classical piece I’d like to do. I’m not sure what shape or color that is, but something classical would be rather good to put in there at this point in the career.
Do you still feel a rush of excitement when you start a new project at this point in your career?
Yes. I love not knowing what’s going to happen next and then materializing something. Like with “MobLand,” it had all of the ingredients and then how do you do it? It gives you something to work on and you get away from yourself.
Pierce Brosnan, left, with Tom Hardy, who plays Conrad’s fixer, Harry Da Souza.
(Luke Varley / Paramount+)
Are you trying to get away from yourself?
Not necessarily, but it is a great contentment to have a character to work on, a script under your arm or script by the bed, sleeping with a great character, trying to figure [out how to] play him. Especially when you’re in the company of actors like Tom Hardy, Helen Mirren and Paddy Considine, and all the directors that we worked with. It was quite magical every day to see the work and to see the characters develop. That still excites me at 72. It still enthralls me and activates me. But there will be a time when I know enough is enough.
Are you someone who always wants to take big risks in your career?
“MobLand” definitely had its own strong sense of danger and required making choices that were shooting from the hip. But every job is always the same. There’s that wonderful exhilaration of being invited into a movie with a great director, great cast, great script and the euphoria of being asked to play in the company as an artist. And then the realization that you have do it. Then it becomes a very silent room of expectation within yourself: Can you do it? What form will it take?
How do you feel when a project is done?
I used to hold on. I now let go and I let go fast and I move on. However, with Conrad, having played him for five months and felt the resonance that it’s created, it makes me excited for more.
Is there anything you can tease about the rest of the season?
There’s a fair bit of blood. Not everyone is who they say they are. And there’s a particular rat in the pack. There’s quite a few surprises. All the scripts were consistent with what you’ve already seen. If anything, the writing gets stronger. And there’s an introduction of a particular character who alters the landscape. But don’t trust any of them.
Mumbai, April 27: Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd (M&M) entered into an agreement to acquire 58.96 per cent stake in SML Isuzu Ltd. (SML) at Rs 650 per share, which is an outlay of Rs 555 crore, according to a statement issued by the automobile major. In addition, M&M will make an open offer in accordance with the SEBI Takeover Regulations.
The proposed acquisition is a step towards establishing a strong presence in the 3.5T CV segment, where M&M has a 3 per cent market share today, as compared to a 52 per cent market share in the 3.5T LCV segment.
Dr Anish Shah, Group CEO & MD of the Mahindra Group, said, “The acquisition of SML Isuzu marks a significant milestone in Mahindra Group’s vision of delivering 5x growth in our emerging businesses. Maruti Suzuki Q4 Results: Automaker Profit Falls 4% at INR 3,711.1 Crore, Announces INR 135 Dividend.
This acquisition is aligned with our capital allocation strategy for investing in high potential growth areas which have a strong right to win and have demonstrated operational excellence.” M&M’s Trucks and Buses Division has made meaningful progress over the past few years. This acquisition will double the market share to 6 per cent, with a plan to increase this to 10 – 12 per cent by FY31 and 20 per cent+ by FY36.
Incorporated in 1983, SML Isuzu is a listed company with well-recognized brands, a strong vintage and pan-India presence in the Trucks and Buses segment. SML has a market-leading position in the ILCV Buses segment, with around 16 per cent market share, the company claims.
The company reported operating revenue of Rs 2,196 crore and EBITDA of Rs 179 crore in FY24. It has profitable operations, frugal manufacturing, and strong engineering capabilities. As part of the transaction, M&M would acquire the entire stake of 43.96 per cent held by Sumitomo Corporation, promoter of SML, and separately also acquire 15 per cent stake held by Isuzu Motors Ltd, public shareholder of SML, for an aggregate consideration of Rs 555 crore.
M&M would also launch a mandatory open offer for acquisition of up to 26 per cent stake from eligible public shareholders of SML in accordance with the SEBI Takeover Regulations, the statement added.
Rajesh Jejurikar, Executive Director and CEO, Auto and Farm Sector, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd., said, “This acquisition is a pivotal step toward our ambition to become a full-range, formidable player in commercial vehicles by enhancing market coverage, unlocking operating leverage through platform consolidation, a unified supplier and network base, and better plant utilization. Together, we are well-positioned to scale rapidly and drive profitable growth.” Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal Dismisses Claims of ‘Zomato’s Internal Chaos’ Post on Reddit, Says It Is All ‘Utter Nonsense’.
The transaction, including the open offer, is subject to the approval of the Competition Commission of India and is expected to complete within 2025 in accordance with SEBI Takeover Regulations. Kotak Investment Banking is acting as the financial advisor to M&M and manager to the open offer. Khaitan & Co acted as legal advisor to M&M, added the official statement.
(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
The FDA gave compounders a grace period to wind down their production of the drugs after the shortage was over. Small pharmacies had until February 18 to comply, while larger outsourcing facilities had until March 19. (Semaglutide compounders were ordered to cease mass production this spring, with smaller compounders given a deadline of April 22 and outsourcing facilities given until May 22.)
While many compounding pharmacies and telehealth providers have halted production and sales, others have continued to offer tirzepatide products with add-on ingredients, unapproved dosages, or in different forms, such as oral versions. “It’s a minority,” says Jayne Hornung, chief clinical officer at the pharmaceutical analytics company MMIT.
Hornung says that companies continuing to sell tirzepatide are hoping the vitamin additives and other tweaks will allow them to argue they aren’t selling straightforward copies of Lilly’s patented drugs. “They’re getting very creative,” she says.
Compounding pharmacies are generally permitted to create customized medicines for patients even when they’re not in shortage, such as for individuals who may be allergic to certain ingredients or need carefully calibrated doses. The crux of Lilly’s argument is that, when it comes to tirzepatide, the medications telehealth companies are offering are not truly personalized because they are being mass produced and prescribed to many patients.
“There are some ways that compounders tailor a medication to the patient, such as by adding another ingredient that might help with a side effect or an additional concern or diagnosis,” says Annie Lambert, a pharmacist and clinical program manager at information services firm Wolters Kluwer. “But there needs to be good science and evidence behind the safety of combining those things.”
Mass-producing compounded versions of existing drugs with additives was not widespread until recently, according to Nicole Snow, a pharmacist at the compounding company Olympia Pharmaceuticals, which previously produced compounded tirzepatide but stopped after the shortage ended and never included additives. “We’d seen it from time to time, but not in this magnitude,” she says. “It wasn’t a very popular thing until we got into GLP-1s.”
In its suit against Mochi, Eli Lilly claims the telehealth company “switched dosages and prescriptions for patients en masse at least five times—with corporate interests, rather than doctor decisionmaking—driving the changes.”
Those changes, Lilly alleges, included creating two new formulas containing a niacinamide additive and pyridoxine, both forms of vitamin B that the pharma company argues have not been proven to be safe or effective when combined with tirzepatide. Mochi’s own compounder, Aequita Pharmacy, made some of those products. In March, regulators in Washington state ordered production to be halted at Aequita Pharmacy, citing safety violations connected to GLP-1 medications.
In another lawsuit filed in the same California court, Lilly claims that Fella & Delilah Health switched all of its patients from a compounded tirzepatide product with no additives to a version containing untested amino acid additives late last year.
The pharmaceutical giant’s lawsuit against Henry Meds, which offers oral and injectable GLP-1 medications, accuses the company of “creating the false impression” that clinical trials have confirmed the effectiveness of its drugs, “materially omitting that no such clinical trial data exists.”
Bitcoin price hit a six-week high on Wednesday. The price of the world’s most widely used digital asset rose by six percent to reach $93,455 (roughly Rs. 79.8 lakh) on international exchanges, as per CoinMarketCap. On Indian exchanges, Bitcoin’s price jumped by nearly seven percent over the past 24 hours. Data by CoinSwitch and CoinDCX show BTC trading at $93,680 (roughly Rs. 80 lakh). Most altcoins also rose in value on Wednesday, alongside Bitcoin.
“This rally is largely driven by increased institutional buying, with Bitcoin spot ETFs seeing net inflows reach a multi-month high of over $700 million (roughly Rs. 5,984 crore), totalling over $1 billion (roughly Rs. 8,549 crore) in inflows this week alone,” Alankar Saxena, Co-founder and CTO of Mudrex told Gadgets 360. “Another bullish metric is the decline in exchange inflows, suggesting reduced selling pressure, helping build momentum. The Fear and Greed Index now stands at ‘Neutral’, indicating that retail investors are re-entering the markets.”
Ether rose by 14 percent on international exchanges in the last 24 hours. At the time of writing, ETH was trading at $1,800 (roughly Rs. 1.53 lakh) on global platforms. On Indian exchanges, ETH was priced at $1,815 (roughly Rs. 1.55 lakh) on Wednesday.
“ETH continues to trade in a ‘Descending Channel’ and has corrected by almost 65 percent over the past four months. The bulls, however, defended the key support level of $1,350 (roughly Rs. 1.15 lakh). The asset has strong resistance at $1,750 (roughly Rs. 1.49 lakh). Once it breaks and stays above this level, we can expect it to further rally up to $2,100 (roughly Rs. 1.79 lakh),” the ZebPay Trade Desk said.
The crypto price tracker by Gadgets 360 showed the prices of most altcoins were on the rise on Wednesday.
These include Ripple, Solana, Dogecoin, Cardano, and Tron alongside Shiba Inu, Polkadot, Litecoin, Monero, and Polygon among others.
The overall crypto market cap surged by 6.95 percent over the last day to reach $2.94 trillion (roughly Rs. 2,51,25,195 crore), as per CoinMarketCap.
“The US dollar index has hit a three-year low at 98.29, creating favorable macroeconomic conditions for crypto assets. The broader crypto market has responded positively to the development. Adding to the bullish sentiment is the appointment of Paul Atkins as SEC Chairman. His return signals a shift toward a more constructive regulatory approach, with several enforcement actions already rolled back under his leadership. However, caution is advised as volatility may still resurface,” Himanshu Maradiya, Founder and Chairman, CIFDAQ crypto exchange told Gadgets 360.
The prices of Binance Coin, Leo, Stellar, Status, and Ardor dropped on Wednesday.
“Remarks from Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and former President Trump suggesting a de-escalation in the US-China trade dispute have improved the broader risk environment, lifting both traditional equities and digital assets. AI-focused coins, meme coins, and real-world asset projects are also seeing renewed interest, pointing to a broad-based revival across the crypto landscape,” Riya Sehgal, Research Analyst, Delta Exchange told Gadgets 360.
Cryptocurrency is an unregulated digital currency, not a legal tender and subject to market risks. The information provided in the article is not intended to be and does not constitute financial advice, trading advice or any other advice or recommendation of any sort offered or endorsed by NDTV. NDTV shall not be responsible for any loss arising from any investment based on any perceived recommendation, forecast or any other information contained in the article.
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Alphabet spent much of its Q1 2025 earnings call last night talking up the growth of AI Overviews, but dodged a question seeking clarity on how Google’s AI-generated answers impact click-through rates and conversion.
Why we care. Did Google decide that last night wasn’t “the moment to go into details of click-through rate and conversion and so on” because they don’t want to state what is becoming clear to most of us? That click-through rates from AI Overviews are, simply, lower? Because, on the organic side, data shows that is certainly the case (see our Dig Deeper section, below). Many websites have seen traffic decline since AI Overviews launched last May.
The exchange. An analyst from JPMorgan asked (in part):
“Can you just tell us how we should think about the 1.5 billion AI Overviews users just in terms of breadth of rollout? And I know you’re saying monetization at approximately the same rate. But what does that mean in terms of click-through rates and conversion?”
Here’s how Philipp Schindler, Alphabet’s senior vice president and chief business officer, answered:
“I don’t think this is the moment to go into the details of click-through rates and conversion and so on.”
By the numbers. Schindler once again repeated Google’s year-old claim that AI Overviews “continue to drive higher satisfaction and Search usage.” Here’s what else Alphabet shared about AI Overviews and monetization during the earnings call:
AI Overviews have “more than 1.5 billion users every month,” said Sundar Pichai, Alphabet/Google CEO.
Yes, but. Let’s be honest. AI Overviews aren’t a product that has “users.” AI Overviews are a Google Search feature. All this number means is that 1.5 billion Google Search users are served AI Overviews every month – because you can’t opt out of seeing AI Overviews.
The volume of commercial queries has increased since the launch of AI Overviews, Schindler said.
This dataless data point is based on internal Google data from January that Google previously shared in this blog post.
“For AI Overviews overall, we continue to see monetization at approximately the same rate,” Schindler said.
Schindler was asked later in the call for clarity on this monetization, but basically repeated what he said earlier in the call: “But as I talked about it before, for AI Overviews overall, we see the monetization at approximately the same rate, which gives us a strong base on which we can innovate even more.”
Google Search. More than 2 billion people use Search every day, according to Pichai, and they mentioned the 5 trillion annual searches statistic. Here’s what else was discussed related to Google Search performance in Q1:
AI Mode: “…queries are twice as long as traditional Search queries,” and Google is seeing “significant growth in multimodal queries,” Pichai said.
Circle to Search: Usage increased “nearly 40% this quarter and monthly visual searches with Lens have increased by 5 billion since October,” Pichai said.
Revenue: Google reported $66.9 billion in advertising revenue, a 10% YoY increase. This was driven primarily by financial services, insurance, retail, healthcare, and travel verticals.
Dig deeper.
New data: Google AI Overviews are hurting click-through rates
Google organic and paid CTRs hit new lows: Report
Google sued by Chegg over AI Overviews hurting traffic and revenue
Not appearing in Google AI Overviews significantly harms webpages: Study
Google AI Overviews, clicks and traffic impact: Unraveling the mystery
Google Search boss: AI Overviews boost click quality
When Nintendo Switch 2 preorders opened on April 24, some interested buyers undoubtedly found themselves searching Amazon, wondering why in the world the biggest online retailer in the US seemed to forget about a new Nintendo console. But the Switch 2’s absence from Amazon was an expected continuation of a story that has been unfolding over the past year. Amazon simply doesn’t carry first-party Nintendo products these days, which means you’ll only find third-party games and accessories for the upcoming console on Amazon’s storefront.
No Switch 2 preorders at Amazon? No surprise there.
If you regularly buy first-party Nintendo Switch games, the Switch 2’s absence on Amazon’s US storefront probably wasn’t too surprising. To be clear, this article is specifically about Amazon in the US. Amazon UK, for instance, still carries Nintendo products, including the Switch 2.
Last spring, Amazon “sold out” of Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door preorders. But when the retailer never restocked the remastered version of the GameCube classic, it became clear something else was happening. From that point forward, Nintendo’s 2024 and 2025 Switch games weren’t listed on Amazon. The list of absences included numerous notable releases: Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD, Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, Mario & Luigi: Brothership, Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition, Super Mario Party Jamboree, Donkey Kong Country Returns HD, and Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition. Amazon also stopped restocking older Nintendo Switch exclusives that were previously available. You also can’t buy digital games, eShop gift cards, or Switch Online subscriptions from Amazon.
Amazon missed out on hardware releases, too: the Hyrule Edition Switch Lite, Black Friday 2024 console bundles, and this year’s Super Mario Bros. Wonder Switch OLED console bundle. Switch Pro and Joy-Con Controller stock is depleted, and first-party gadgets like Nintendo Alarmo launched without receiving an Amazon listing.
At first, Amazon wasn’t the only major retailer to not offer first-party Nintendo games. Walmart’s online storefront experienced the same shift–though brick-and-mortar stores still stocked Nintendo games on launch day. Later in the year, Walmart started selling Nintendo exclusives online in the days leading up to a game’s launch. Everything with Walmart and Nintendo returned to normal this year, which is why the Switch 2 and all of its Nintendo-made games and accessories are available at Walmart.
Why did Amazon stop carrying first-party Nintendo products?
Sorry, Mario, you can’t preorder the Switch 2 at Amazon.
The short answer is: No one knows for sure, but Amazon almost certainly wants to sell Nintendo products. Neither Nintendo nor Amazon has offered a reason for the dissolution of their retail partnership, but we have a theory based on the fact that Amazon and Walmart were the only retailers impacted by Nintendo stock woes last year. Both retailers have a history of offering discounts on Nintendo games and accessories outside of official Nintendo sales. As in, Switch games were often discounted for long stretches of time, to the point that getting a $10 discount on a first-party game felt like the norm. Ever since Walmart’s Nintendo situation reversed course, most of the first-party game deals we see there are sold by third parties.
Today, you can find the aforementioned 2024 Nintendo games on Amazon, but they are third-party listings that pop up at launch. You’ll also find a wide selection of region-free Nintendo games on Woot, an Amazon-owned discount shop. Woot has made a habit of listing Nintendo’s games on launch day with $10 discounts. This practice didn’t start until after Amazon stopped selling Nintendo games, so read into that as you see fit. And we’ll have to wait and see if the trend continues when the Switch 2 launches on June 5.
Amazon will still carry licensed Nintendo products
The only Nintendo products you can’t find on Amazon–shipped and sold by the retailer–are consoles, games, and accessories published by Nintendo. Beyond the Switch 2 console and Mario Kart World console bundle, this includes accessories like the new Pro Controller, Joy-Con 2, official carrying cases, Switch 2 Camera, and Amiibo.
This distinction is also why we continue to see new Lego Super Mario sets and Little Buddy plushies on Amazon. These sorts of products are created in collaboration with Nintendo, but they are not released by Nintendo. Amazon’s “missing” Nintendo products are strictly in the gaming category.
Editor’s Note: Since Amazon and Nintendo have not commented on the situation, we have no way of knowing when the retailer will sell first-party Nintendo hardware and games again. But as of April 25, we have no reason to believe things will change soon, especially since a year has passed since Amazon stopped carrying Nintendo first-party games.
Nintendo Switch 2 Games & Accessories at Amazon
Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition, Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut, Hitman: World of Assassination Signature Edition
We’re keeping a running list of Nintendo Switch 2 games and accessories sold by Amazon. So far, the game list is the most expansive, but we expect more accessories, officially licensed or not, to appear on Amazon in the coming weeks and after launch.
Thanks to backward compatibility, there are also many Switch 2-compatible accessories to be found on Amazon. You also might find a good deal on accessories that aren’t technically designed specifically for Switch 2, such as a microSD Express Card at Amazon or USB-C hub.
Nintendo Switch 2 Games at Amazon
Several of the Switch 2’s biggest third-party launch games are up for preorder at Amazon, including Cyberpunk 2077, Hitman: World of Assassination, and Yakuza 0. You can also preorder titles releasing this summer, including Madden NFL 26 and Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion.
Officially Licensed Switch 2 Accessories at Amazon
Hori Piranha Plant Camera for Nintendo Switch 2
At this time, the only officially licensed Nintendo Switch 2 accessory we’ve seen at Amazon is the Piranha Plant Camera, but we expect more to be added soon.
Nintendo Switch 2 Carrying Cases + Protectors at Amazon
Nintendo Switch 2 screen protectors and carrying case
The list of Switch 2-compatible controllers sold on Amazon is massive (hundreds, if not thousands), but we’re highlighting two especially notable options here. 8BitDo’s Ultimate 2 Bluetooth Controller for Switch released earlier this month. This terrific pro-style controller has four extra remappable buttons, adjustable trigger locks, TMR electromagnetic analog sticks (better than Hall Effect), three custom profiles, and varied internal customization options. It should work with Switch 2 via Bluetooth out of the box, and it’s also possible the included USB-C dongle will be compatible for 2.4GHz Wireless.
The Switch 2 Pro Controller has two remappable back buttons, but as you can see above, 8BitDo’s Ultimate 2 has a bunch of additional features. It also happens to be $15 cheaper at retail price, but Amazon is offering a 10% discount at the time of writing.
The other controller is an interesting pick for those who don’t like the form factor of Nintendo’s Joy-Con Controllers. GameSir’s G8 Plus is a Bluetooth controller that cradles the Nintendo Switch or iOS/Android devices with screen sizes of up to 8.5 inches. The Switch 2 has a 7.9-inch screen, so there’s no reason why this pro-style controller shouldn’t be compatible with Nintendo’s new console.
microSD Express Cards at Amazon
Amazon has yet to list Samsung’s officially licensed 256GB microSD Express Card, but you can find options from SanDisk and Lexar on Amazon. The Switch 2 only supports the Express format, which are high-performing and pricey. Plus, this is a new technology, so there are very few options available today. Amazon tends to be one of the best retailers for deals on storage devices, but microSD Express Cards at Amazon have yet to receive meaningful discounts.
Nintendo Switch 2 Games & Accessories not at Amazon
Here’s a quick look at the Nintendo Switch 2 first-party games and accessories you won’t find on Amazon.
A team of Duke-NUS Medical School researchers designed and tested a new digital toolkit that helps consumers make healthier grocery choices online — an innovation that could play a major role in the global fight against chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke and diabetes.
In their study, published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, the researchers found that when simple but strategic digital features, such as colour-coded nutritional quality signals and a healthier alternative prompt, were added to an online grocery shopping platform, the nutritional quality of shoppers’ carts improved significantly.
The team’s findings verified the effectiveness of deploying front-of-package (FOP) labels — which only marginally improve diet quality when used alone — alongside other interventions.
In a randomised trial conducted on NUSMart, an online grocery store designed by the Duke-NUS team, study participants were randomly divided into two groups and asked to make a total of three orders over a period of three to six weeks. While those assigned to the control group used a standard version of the store, those assigned to the experimental group used a version of the store with additional digital features, including:
Signalling nutritional quality with a traffic light: FOP labels resembling traffic light signals alerted shoppers to food products’ nutritional quality using three colour bands — green (best), amber and red with an “X” mark — for easy identification of foods to avoid.
Items were sorted into the colour bands based on their Nutri-Score (NS)[1] points, which were assigned according to energy, sugar, sodium, saturated fat, fruit/vegetable, protein, and dietary fibre levels per 100g/ml. The points were then converted into grades on a five-letter grading system, with A being the healthiest and E being the least healthy.
Sorting groceries by nutritional value: Using food products’ NS points, the researchers presented the items by order of nutritional value, with the healthiest options appearing first. Items in the control version of NUSMart appeared in alphabetical order.
Showing real-time cart feedback: Participants could track the nutritional quality of their grocery carts via a pie chart that indicated the proportion of items in each colour band. They could also compare their carts with a reference cart for health grocery shopping, which the researchers had curated using past data.
Suggesting healthier options: Shoppers could also view up to four healthier alternatives with similar prices and characteristics to each selected food product and replace their chosen product with the healthier alternative at the click of a button.
With these interventions, the nutritional quality of participants’ grocery carts improved from NS grade C to NS grade B, which was more significant than results from previous studies involving standalone FOP labels. The interventions also reduced the amount of calories (12.86 kcal), total fat (1.21g), saturated fat (0.85g), sugar (0.82g) and sodium (156.64mg) purchased.
Notably, the researchers found that shopping with the four digital features led to healthier food choices across all three orders.
Assistant Professor Soye Shin from Duke-NUS’ Health Services and Systems Research Programme, the study’s first author, said of the findings: “As online grocery shopping is rapidly gaining ground, we wanted to see if we could design low cost, scalable online tools that could be used to nudge consumers toward healthier choices at the point of purchase. These results show the potential of these tools to improve diet and health outcomes.”
These findings underscore the advantages of introducing diet quality labels, such as Singapore’s Nutri-Grade labelling initiative, which currently only includes beverages but is planned to expand to other food categories.
Senior author Professor Eric Finkelstein, from Duke-NUS’ Health Services and Systems Research Programme, said: “These results are encouraging but the next step is to work with retailers to incorporate these features into existing online stores. Only then will the full value of this approach be realised.”
Next, the researchers will expand the study to include consumers of low socio-economic status and little nutritional knowledge. They will also investigate if the multi-pronged intervention strategy has the potential to positively impact consumers’ health in the long term.
Professor Patrick Tan, Senior Vice-Dean for Research at Duke-NUS, commented on the study’s impact: “This study reflects how smart, evidence-based interventions — when applied at the right moment — can empower people to make better everyday choices for their health. It also shows how research can lead to practical tools that improve not just individual choices, but population health outcomes.”
Duke-NUS is at the forefront of biomedical research and translational innovations. This new study is part of the School’s ongoing efforts to improve global health through systems research and scientific breakthroughs.
Scarlett House is perched in a quiet bylane tucked away from the cacophony of Bandra’s bustling markets. Malaika Arora’s first hospitality venture along with son Arhaan, the restaurant is nestled inside a 90-year-old Portuguese bungalow in Pali Village in Mumbai and moonlights as a retail space as well. From coffees and breakfast bowls in the mornings to cocktails and bar bites later at night—there’s a lot on offer at this 45-cover restaurant.
Food: The menu, designed by Chef Beena Noronha has more hits than misses. There are a variety of global flavours with an Indian twist and since one of the co-founders is Malaika, the menu features a section called ‘Malla’s Favourites’ as well. The Blazing Banana Fries are a welcome respite from the usual French fries and truffle fries. Mind you, these are super addictive! The Chef has hit the nail on the head with the Madras beet maki which uses a beautiful Madras sriracha sauce and pickled beetroot garnished with fried curry leaves. The salmon mille feuille is a delicate dish of dill cream cheese, scrambled eggs and guacamole stuffed inside a jeera khari.
The by-invitation-only cocktail bar serves some interesting tipples that play on art, conscious drinking and emotions. For instance, take passion—the artichokes-infused vodka drink with shiitake mushroom is like having a Mediterranean salad in a cocktail. There’s also a hydration bar that serves infused mineral waters and cold-pressed juices.
Service: The servers are attentive and one does not have to wait too long between dishes to be served.
Décor: The setting of the restaurant inside an old Portuguese bungalow infuses it with an old-world charm.
Price: Food for two costs Rs 2,000 (excluding drinks).
Forvis Mazars Group SC is an independent member of Forvis Mazars Global, a leading global professional services network. Operating as an internationally integrated partnership in over 100 countries and territories, Forvis Mazars Group specialises in audit, tax and advisory services.
About the Opportunity
Forvis Mazars India has opened up applications for the position for their Deal Advisory team at their Central Delhi Location.
Roles and Responsibilities
The candidate will be working in the front-end investment banking domain
Analysis of financial statements: Income Statement, Balance Sheet & Cash Flow Statement (incl. Free cash flow, funds from operations) of public and private companies
Detailed preparation of Information Memorandum, Teasers, Financial Models, company profiles, Investor profiling, Industry research, Transaction analysis & strategic presentations
Conduct extensive market & industry research
Eligibility Criteria
Qualified CA/CFA/MBA having relevant experience in Pre-deals, front-end Investment Banking, Deal advisory, Corporate Finance, Financial Modelling, Financial Research ( India Practice).
How to Apply?
Interested candidates can send their applications to [email protected].
Disclaimer: Charging money from students for internships or from job applicants is an unethical practice and can lead to blacklisting. Facing concerns? Please email us at [email protected]
You feel light and carefree, keeping stress at bay. Pocket money tips can help children develop smart financial habits. Business networking will open doors for rapid career growth. A family outing with siblings will bring fun along with minor disagreements. Exploring new places will be exciting, though some surprises may be less pleasant. Renting property requires careful planning as tenant issues or vacancies could disrupt your plans. The workload may feel overwhelming today, but steady progress will keep you on track.
Horoscope Today: Astrological prediction for April 27, 2025
Love Focus: Rebuilding trust feels like an impossible mission with all the unresolved hurt between you.
Also Read Horoscope Tomorrow, April 27, 2025, read predictions for all sun signs
Lucky Number: 3 Lucky Colour: White
Taurus (Apr 21-May 20)
A relative’s warm embrace will make you feel loved and appreciated. Chronic health concerns may affect daily life, so prioritize well-being. Smart financial habits enhance awareness of opportunity costs. Investor networking will secure funding for promising projects. Last-minute bookings may offer deals, but expect limited availability and possible higher prices. Property investments may not yield quick returns, with gradual appreciation or rental income depending on your strategy. Learning something new may feel slow today, but patience will deepen your understanding.
Love Focus: Embracing self-worth is vital for both partners in a relationship. Recognize your value and share that confidence.
Lucky Number: 6 Lucky Colour: Cream
Gemini (May 21-Jun 21)
A minor income increase may help balance recent expenses. Strong investor relations will support successful funding acquisitions. A conversation with a parent may reveal differences in thinking while strengthening understanding. Stability exercises improve mobility, but progress should be gradual. Exploring new places will bring fresh experiences, though some may be unexpected. Home renovations will progress steadily with minor delays, so focus on overall improvements. Education feels steady today, with consistent effort keeping you on track.
Love Focus: Sharing emotional memories today will create cherished moments that strengthen your bond and deepen your love.
Lucky Number: 11 Lucky Colour: Light Pink
Cancer (Jun 22-Jul 22)
Taking breaks from screens today can help improve focus and ensure restful sleep. Financially, managing family wealth with caution will support long-term stability. If you have a start-up idea, it is likely to gain momentum. A conversation with an elder may test your patience, so approach it wisely. Travel plans may bring joy, whether exploring nature or a lively city. A gradual home revamp will enhance your living space. Academically, discovering new subjects may ignite curiosity and make learning more engaging.
Love Focus: Encouraging emotional openness will strengthen your bond, fostering trust and deeper understanding.
Lucky Number: 6 Lucky Color: Beige
Leo (Jul 23-Aug 23)
Meditation enhances clarity, sharpening focus while soothing the mind. Contributing to noble causes adds deeper meaning to charitable giving. Embracing business agility unlocks opportunities in evolving industries. A senior member may feel overlooked, and small gestures can bring warmth. If visiting a cold climate, sudden drops in temperature may impact health, so dress wisely. Property investments require patience. Manage studies by tackling immediate tasks and breaking them into manageable steps.
Love Focus: A routine day in romance can turn spontaneous with a little effort from your side.
Lucky Number: 4 Lucky Colour: Blue
Virgo (Aug 24-Sep 23)
Maintaining physical strength supports daily activities, though avoiding excessive lifting is wise. Regular evaluations enhance cash flow analysis accuracy, fostering success. Startup ventures spark interest, yet refining execution strategies is essential. A spontaneous moment of togetherness will become a treasured memory. Today’s trip flows like a gentle rhythm, blending familiarity with delightful surprises. The excitement of finding your new home awaits, with incredible options aligning with your vision. Steady academic focus ensures consistent progress and success.
Love Focus: A playful and affectionate exchange makes today extra special.
Lucky Number: 6 Lucky Colour: Peach
Libra (Sep 24-Oct 23)
While no major health concerns arise, staying active will sustain your energy levels. Turning challenges into opportunities ensures financial stability despite any setbacks. Business profits are on the rise, reflecting your persistence. A distant cousin or in-law may assert authority, but standing your ground with respect is key. Budget-friendly stays help, but comfort matters too. Property deals may take longer than expected, requiring patience. Steady effort in education will lead to progress.
Love Focus: Rekindling marital romance may take effort, but it’s worth it. Be patient and creative in reviving the spark.
Lucky Number: 17 Lucky Colour: Sky Blue
Scorpio (Oct 24-Nov 22)
Health is improving, though minor setbacks may test your patience. Future security relies on steady financial planning and disciplined saving habits. Business growth appears promising, but effective resource management is crucial. A disagreement over celebrations or rituals may surface; finding a balanced approach benefits everyone. Exploring local culture calls for openness and preparation. Renting property requires clear agreements to avoid future issues. Steady progress in studies continues, with consistency leading to success.
Love Focus: A moment of reflection may make you appreciate your partner more today.
Lucky Number: 22 Lucky Colour: Golden
Portion control aids in weight management, though occasional indulgence is perfectly fine. Anticipating market shifts enhances expense forecasting and strategic planning. Handling difficult clients strengthens patience and refines communication skills. A cousin’s enthusiasm will highlight life’s simple joys. A scenic drive offers tranquility, though it may lack excitement. Engaging with project developers can reveal promising properties, even if the timeline is longer than expected. Education feels balanced today, with steady progress but little challenge or inspiration.
Love Focus: Embracing individuality in love is difficult when emotional support is lacking.
Lucky Number: 11 Lucky Colour: Yellow
Clean eating nourishes the body, promoting vibrant health. Prioritizing post-retirement savings is essential even amid current expenses. Expanding networking efforts can unlock new opportunities. Adjusting domestic routines may better accommodate everyone’s needs. A road trip today promises excitement and cherished memories, so embrace the adventure ahead. Renovations will elevate both the value and comfort of your home, creating a welcoming space. Your academic journey progresses steadily without sudden challenges or major leaps.
Love Focus: Intuitive connections grow with time. Trust your feelings and let the relationship evolve naturally.
Lucky Number: 7 Lucky Colour: Magenta
Preventing hair loss requires balanced nutrition, though external factors also play a role. Exploring new income sources demands patience for steady returns. Business stability remains strong, but minor risks should be managed wisely. A child in the family may feel emotionally distant, so create a safe space for open conversations. Wanderlust may spark spontaneous plans, but ensure everything is well-prepared. Be cautious with property investments in a volatile market and research thoroughly. Motivation may be challenging today, so set small goals, take breaks, and move forward at your own pace.
Love Focus: A self-reflection on love may help you define your true desires.
Lucky Number: 5 Lucky Colour: Light Green
Pisces (Feb 20-Mar 20)
Yoga sessions improve flexibility, though steady progress is ideal. Poor risk evaluation may lead to speculative losses, so assess carefully. An industry event could connect you with someone offering valuable expertise. A hidden grudge among relatives may cause tension; encourage open discussions for resolution. Travel plans promise unforgettable adventures and exciting discoveries. Applying leasing tips ensures a smooth experience and with patience, clarity leads to a successful lease. Students will have a balanced academic day, with steady effort keeping progress on track without feeling overwhelmed.
Love Focus: Family-supported love decisions foster harmony, but both partners should feel comfortable with family involvement.
Lucky Number: 18 Lucky Colour: Saffron
By: Dr. Prem Kumar Sharma
(Astrologer, Palmist, Numerologist & Vastu Consultant)
Today, a brief rundown of news involving Merck and Vanda Pharmaceuticals, as well as updates from Sanofi and Novo Holdings that you may have missed.
Halozyme Therapeuticshas sued Merck & Co., alleging that the pharmaceutical company is infringing on multiple patents in developing a subcutaneous form of the cancer immunotherapy Keytruda. Halozyme has a drug delivery technology that can turn intravenously infused medicines into under-the-skin injections. The company licensed it to several drugmakers, among them Bristol Myers Squibb and Roche, which have used the technology to make subcutaneous versions of their own cancer immunotherapies. Halozyme expected Merck to do the same, but claimed the company instead used its technology to develop subcutaneous Keytruda “without Halozyme’s permission.” The Food and Drug Administration could approve the drug by Sept. 23. Halozyme is seeking damages and injunctive relief.— Jonathan Gardner
Recent mass job cuts have impacted the FDA’s ability to respond to Vanda Pharmaceuticals’ challenge to a drug rejection the agency issued last year. Vanda previously claimed the FDA “disregarded the evidence” from two placebo-controlled trials in turning back its gastroparesis drug. The company then challenged the ruling and accepted the agency’s offer of an opportunity for a hearing. However, in a federal court filing, the FDA said layoffs are “partially” to blame for that hearing not yet being recommended to commissioner Martin Makary, according to Vanda. The company called on Makary to step in and “restore adherence to the law.” — Ben Fidler
Sanofirevealed Thursday that a closely watched immune drug prospect failed a Phase 2 study in psoriasis. Called balinatunfib, the drug is a pill with the same target as popular injectable medicines like Humira. But while balinatunfib appeared as effective in testing as other oral psoriasis medicines, it missed its main objective because of the study’s “limited” nature. The company may explore its use in drug combinations and “internal assessments and external discussions are ongoing,” Sanofi said. — Ben Fidler
In a bid to bolster life sciences startups in the Nordic region, Novo Holdings and the Export and Investment Fund of Denmark are investing 48 million euros, or about $54.5 million, in the Swedish venture fund HealthCap IX. The new investment will enable HealthCap to “establish a presence” at the BioInnovation Institute in Copenhagen, according to a Thursday statement. HealthCap supports early-stage companies emerging from academia and corporate research, and has invested in more than 130 companies its founding in 1996. — Gwendolyn Wu
Avidicure, a new biotechnology startup working on antibody drugs, announced Thursday it raised $50 million in seed financing. The funding, led by EQT Life Sciences and involving five other firms, will help Avidicure advance a group of multifunctional antibodies it’s developing for cancer. Avidicure claimed these therapies, which it calls “AVC-boosters,” have properties that could make them superior to T cell engagers, checkpoint inhibitors and other popular cancer antibody drugs. Its top prospect is aimed at TROP2, a well-known lung cancer target. — Gwendolyn Wu
We’re used to hearing that Australia has some of the most expensive properties in the world.
The headlines love to scream that Sydney is less affordable than New York or that Melbourne rivals Paris for house prices.
But is this really true?
And more importantly, should property investors care?
Well, let’s take a step back and look at what’s really going on.
A global comparison of luxury and lifestyle
A recent Domain article took a fascinating look at what $1 million, $5 million and $10 million can buy across major global cities, and yes, the comparisons were eye-opening.
In Sydney, $5 million might get you a four-bedroom house in Vaucluse or Mosman — certainly luxurious, but not palatial.
Meanwhile, in Tokyo, the same amount gets you a sprawling apartment in Minato with skyline views.
In Auckland, it buys you waterfront luxury.
In New York?
A two-bedroom condo in a nice neighbourhood.
So yes, our prestige property comes at a premium.
But here’s the thing: that’s not a bad sign.
In fact, it tells a story of desirability, stability, and long-term opportunity.
Price is what you pay, value is what you get
Warren Buffett reminds us that price is what you pay; value is what you get.
And in property, particularly prestige property, that rings especially true.
Australian cities, especially Sydney and Melbourne, consistently rank high in liveability indexes.
We’re politically stable and enjoy a clean environment, quality healthcare, a strong education system, and a resilient economy.
That’s why so many migrants and international investors are willing to pay a premium to be here, and why local demand continues to drive prices in our high-end suburbs.
Even with all the global comparisons, we must remember: that international benchmarks often miss local context.
In Australia, property is not just about shelter.
It’s about wealth creation, intergenerational security, and lifestyle.
The real reason Australia’s top-end property is so expensive
The media often fixates on absolute prices. “Sydney is unaffordable,” they say.
But affordability is nuanced.
What they rarely acknowledge is that our top-end suburbs are not for everyone, nor should they be.
Our prestige markets are tightly held, highly sought-after, and undersupplied.
In Sydney, suburbs like Point Piper, Bellevue Hill, or Double Bay aren’t growing any larger.
In Melbourne, streets in Toorak or South Yarra don’t suddenly appear.
This scarcity, coupled with strong demand from both local and international high-net-worth individuals, creates a price floor that rarely cracks, even in downturns.
And here’s the kicker: while prices at the top may seem eye-watering to the average Aussie, they often represent excellent value when you benchmark them against other global lifestyle cities.
For example, Monaco, London, or Hong Kong will charge a lot more for similar amenities, prestige, and lifestyle.
And good luck getting a backyard.
What this means for strategic investors
Here’s where the real opportunity lies: not in the comparisons themselves, but in understanding the psychology of prestige property.
Wealthy individuals don’t buy just for yield.
They buy for status, for scarcity, for legacy.
They want to own a piece of Australia’s best real estate and they’re prepared to pay for it.
That’s why well-located, high-quality property in our major capitals will continue to outperform over the long term.
Because these assets are seen not just as investments but as trophy assets.
As secure stores of wealth in an uncertain world.
In a country like ours, where home ownership is still woven into the cultural fabric, and where immigration and population growth continue to fuel demand, the fundamentals remain strong, particularly at the top end.
Final thoughts
Australia’s prestige property market is expensive and for good reason.
Our cities offer a lifestyle many around the world aspire to.
And as we continue to attract skilled migrants, global capital, and rising local affluence, these prices are likely to hold or rise over the long term.
So instead of complaining about how “unaffordable” things have become, savvy investors would be better served asking:
What drives value in a globalised world?
Because once you understand that, and apply it strategically, the returns speak for themselves.
About Joseph Ballota Joseph is a Property Coach who put hundreds of people on the road towards wiping away their mortgage in under 5 years through expert Property Investment Plans.
Life online gets messy fast—but these seven free tools help me keep things under control and make the internet easier to use, week after week.
Grammarly is easily one of the tools I rely on the most. As someone who writes a lot—whether it’s emails, articles, or even social media posts—having a second pair of eyes is invaluable. At first glance, it might seem like Grammarly only catches typos, but it goes further, helping with tone, clarity, and even word choice, so your writing fits different situations.
I mostly use the browser extension, which works nearly everywhere I write online—Gmail, Google Docs, and social media. If you work outside the browser, there’s also a desktop app and a mobile keyboard.
While Grammarly has a paid option, the free version is surprisingly powerful—it’s one of the best free AI apps you should be using. Grammarly is more like having an editor or a writing coach beside you.
I’m not a designer by profession and haven’t invested time into learning the ins and outs of using professional-grade tools like Adobe’s. As such, Canva is my go-to tool for all design-related tasks. Whether I need to create an image for a blog post, a graphic for social media, or a presentation, I use Canva.
Related
10 Canva Tips That Cut My Design Time in Half
Design faster without sacrificing quality.
Canva is made for noobs and is packed with professionally designed templates for different purposes that are easy to customize. Besides the templates, you can also create your designs from scratch. However, what keeps me coming back to Canva is its intuitiveness.
Temp Mail is my secret weapon for keeping my email inbox clean. Whenever I need to sign up for something sketchy, download a freebie, or test a service I’m unsure about, I turn to Temp Mail. The service gives you a temporary, disposable email address that you can use instantly. It’s quick and free, with no signup required.
My job is to copy the provided temporary email address, plug it into whichever platform I’d like to try, and I’m good to go. Once I’m done, I close the browser and walk away. There is no spam and no annoying newsletters. Temp Mail is an essential tool, especially in my work as a writer, which requires testing different apps and services, most of which I never use again.
Remove.bg feels like magic every time I use it. As one of the best AI background removers, it instantly removes the background from any image with just one click—no Photoshop skills required. I often need to isolate images from their backgrounds—whether it’s a logo or a photo I want to reuse—and Remove.bg handles it instantly.
You can upload images of various file types (including PNG and JPG) via drag-and-drop, copy-and-paste, or by inserting the image’s URL. The free version lets you download standard-quality photos, which is usually more than enough for everyday use.
Besides the background removal feature, it also offers tools for replacing the background image in a photo, blurring the background, and more. Plus, it integrates with other apps.
If you’re not using Perplexity, you’re missing out. Perplexity is an AI-powered search engine that makes it easy to find answers to your queries from around the web.
Unlike traditional search engines that bombard you with ads and SEO-stuffed articles, Perplexity gives you direct and concise explanations. It also provides you with all the sources of information from which the answers originate for verification.
Related
I Put Perplexity to the Test Against Google in These 8 Searches: Here’s How It Went
Google is still the world’s leading search tool, but Perplexity’s AI-powered alternative is very much worth checking out.
I use Perplexity daily to research, fact-check, summarize long articles, and even brainstorm ideas when I’m stuck. Since it has access to real-time information, it has become my go-to for time-sensitive topics. Perplexity has completely changed how I search for things online.
With so many online accounts to keep track of, I use Bitwarden password manager, so I only have to remember one password—the master password. The rest are stored in my secure password vault. Bitwarden is why I don’t use the same password everywhere or rely on inefficient methods like writing down my passwords in a notebook.
It’s a free, open-source password manager that securely stores all my logins, credit card information, and even notes behind a single master password. Bitwarden automatically generates strong and secure passwords and autofills them across browsers and mobile apps for convenience. However, there are other reasons why I store my passwords in Bitwarden.
Every day, I come across interesting articles online. With no time to go through them, I instantly add them to Pocket for later. Pocket has been around for a while, and even after trying different options, Pocket remains my favorite bookmarking app. Most importantly, it makes storing, retrieving, and organizing bookmarks easy, which is handy as I have many of them.
But besides saving articles, I use Pocket religiously to discover new interesting reads around the web that I wouldn’t have stumbled across on my own.
These tools may not seem flashy, but they’ve quietly become essential to how I navigate life online. And the best part? They’re all free unless you require additional functionality.
<img src='https://news.cgtn.com/news/2025-04-26/2025-World-Garden-Show-to-open-in-Wuhan-1CT3lGRuxsk/img/21528fec4af94e7d9fdb00932ac419ec/21528fec4af94e7d9fdb00932ac419ec.png'A floral installation is seen at the 2025 World Garden Show in Wuhan, Hubei Province on April 26, 2025. /VCG
<img src='https://news.cgtn.com/news/2025-04-26/2025-World-Garden-Show-to-open-in-Wuhan-1CT3lGRuxsk/img/21528fec4af94e7d9fdb00932ac419ec/21528fec4af94e7d9fdb00932ac419ec.png'A floral installation is seen at the 2025 World Garden Show in Wuhan, Hubei Province on April 26, 2025. /VCG
<img src='https://news.cgtn.com/news/2025-04-26/2025-World-Garden-Show-to-open-in-Wuhan-1CT3lGRuxsk/img/21528fec4af94e7d9fdb00932ac419ec/21528fec4af94e7d9fdb00932ac419ec.png'A floral installation is seen at the 2025 World Garden Show in Wuhan, Hubei Province on April 26, 2025. /VCG
<img src='https://news.cgtn.com/news/2025-04-26/2025-World-Garden-Show-to-open-in-Wuhan-1CT3lGRuxsk/img/21528fec4af94e7d9fdb00932ac419ec/21528fec4af94e7d9fdb00932ac419ec.png'A floral installation is seen at the 2025 World Garden Show in Wuhan, Hubei Province on April 26, 2025. /VCG
A grand celebration of flowers and gardens, the 2025 World Garden Show will open on April 27 at Shahu Park in Wuhan, Hubei Province.
The event will feature a vibrant mix of garden designs, new and premium flower variety displays, creative balconies, atmosphere-themed installations and themed gardens. Through these diverse and innovative floral displays, the show aims to promote the concept of garden living and inspire visitors to appreciate, purchase and discuss flowers and horticulture.
Major enhancements are being made to Shahu Park, including five distinctive master gardens, 56 designer gardens from across China, and a range of specialty gardens such as a rose garden, a bulb and perennial garden and a hydrangea garden. These upgrades will enrich the floral experience and elevate the artistic charm of the gardens, making them even more captivating for visitors.
Less than a week after Coachella concluded, the Stagecoach country-music festival has drawn another crowd in the tens of thousands to the now mostly grassless Empire Polo Club in Indio, Calif. The three-day event kicked off Friday and will run through Sunday night with headliners Zach Bryan, Jelly Roll and Luke Combs. I’ll be here all weekend to bring you the highs and the lows as they happen. Here’s what went down on Day 1:
Big stage, big show
Three years after he made his Stagecoach debut in 2022, Zach Bryan returned to headline the festival’s first night with a jumbo-sized performance in which he and a band of more than a dozen players ran through roughly 30 songs (and in the process blew way past his scheduled curfew ). The music was ragged but soulful, and as at every Bryan gig, it inspired folks in the crowd to scream his lyrics into each other’s faces.
Wearing what he said was the same sleeveless Indian Motorcycles T-shirt he wore last time at Stagecoach — “I thought it was cute,” he said — Bryan thanked the audience profusely, which felt inevitably like a bit of damage control after his ex-girlfriend, podcaster Brianna Chickenfry, went public last year with accusations that he had been emotionally abusive. (Bryan didn’t directly respond but wrote on Instagram that he was “unphased by the fake s— people say about me online.”)
But if his career seemed in danger just a few months ago, nothing about his reception here suggested that the enthusiasm about him has cooled. He even got away with doing a rollicking version of Warren Zevon’s “Lawyers, Guns and Money,” which he called his favorite song of all time — and which hardly anybody on the field seemed to know.
An unexpected revelation
The headline out of Lana Del Rey’s set — which came as she’s been teasing the release of a purported country album that may or may not drop next month — is that she once made out with Morgan Wallen, at least if the lyrics of one of her rootsy new songs are to believed.
“I kissed Morgan Wallen / I guess kissing me kind of went to his head,” she sang over strummy acoustic guitar (after telling the audience that this would be the last time she’d ever sing the lines), “If you want my secret to success / I suggest don’t go ATVing with him when you’re out west.”
OK!
Let’s not let that bombshell keep us from savoring some of the other peculiarities of this song, which evidently is called “57.5” after the number of monthly Spotify listeners Del Rey once had — “I got 57.5 million listeners on Spotify,” she sang — and which also had her revealing that she talks to Jesus, hates everybody and still flies commercial. “You need an autograph?” she sang with a little shrug. “S—, I don’t mind.”
Performing on a set made up to look like the porch of a backwoods country cabin, Del Rey debuted a couple of other new tunes, including one that appears to be about her alligator-boat captain of a husband, and one that fans online are calling “Quiet in the South.” She covered Tammy Wynette’s “Stand by Your Man” and John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” and she brought out the up-and-coming country hunk George Birge to do his “Cowboy Songs.”
She also sang lightly countrified versions of “Video Games” and “Summertime Sadness” that made you think about how durable Del Rey’s fame has been over the past decade and change even as she’s taken every available opportunity to test its bounds.
Maybe that’s why.
T.J. Osborne, left, and John Osborne of Brothers Osborne at Stagecoach on Friday.
(Scott Dudelson/Getty Images for Stagecoach)
Five minutes backstage with Brothers Osborne
How often do you shampoo your hair?
T.J. Osborne: Never.
John Osborne: Never?
T.J.:Never.
John: Wow. I’m once a week.
How many unread text messages do you have?
John: Six. And two unread emails. I try to keep it below 10.
Does anyone besides you know the passcode to your phone?
John: My wife. I don’t know the passcode to hers, though.
T.J.: Anybody that’s partied at my house and they’re like, “What’s the passcode? Gotta change the music.” I’m like, “OK, here you go.”
You don’t have to say with whom, but are you currently involved in a beef with anyone in music?
T.J.: Oh, always.
Would you rather be 10% more talented or 10% better looking?
John: I’ve got plenty of talent.
Name a country song you wish you could sing but you know you can’t.
John: Pretty much any Chris Stapleton song.
T.J.: Or Vince Gill. “Go Rest High on That Mountain” — it just needs that high tenor.
What’s an adult beverage you’ve sworn off?
T.J.: No cinnamon drinks. Fireball, Goldschläger, any cinnamon schnapps — won’t do it.
What’s the last thing you used ChatGPT for?
John: If you come in last in our fantasy football league, you have to do open-mic stand-up comedy. And I was nearly in last place, so I used it to help write jokes. It was so bad. ChatGPT is amazing — but a horrible comedian.
Did you come in last?
John: Fortunately, I didn’t have to use the jokes.
T.J.: The guy who did lose, one of our friends got on a Facebook group for the area we live in and told everyone that Nate Bargatze was gonna do a pop-up to get more strangers to come watch him.
Paris Hilton deejays at Stagecoach on Friday.
(Timothy Norris/Getty Images for Stagecoach)
The art(?) of the mix
Wearing bedazzled headphones to match the rest of her super-sparkly outfit, Paris Hilton took all of about eight seconds to bludgeon the crowd inside Diplo’s HonkyTonk with “We Found Love” by Rihanna and Calvin Harris, which she mixed into Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” to open an almost charmingly obvious DJ set. Later, Hilton brought out Lizzo and the two shouted along to Icona Pop’s “I Love It.”
Best introduction of a song so far
Carter Faith, teeing up her feisty new single, “Grudge”: “This song’s about a stupid bitch that pissed me off.”
Cringiest product placement so far
Tucker Wetmore performed on the main stage in front of a digital mock-up of an old-timey saloon complete with a mounted deer head, several American flags — and a sign advertising the canned vodka seltzer sponsoring his summer tour. Womp-womp.
T-Pain performs at Stagecoach on Friday.
(Timothy Norris/Getty Images for Stagecoach)
Three for three
No one has been more visible on the polo grounds this month than T-Pain, who after playing both weekends of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival capped Stagecoach Day 1 with a late-night set in the Palomino tent. The veteran R&B star said he initially had his doubts that he’d be welcomed by a country crowd when Jelly Roll brought him out for a surprise appearance at last year’s Stagecoach: “These people don’t wanna hear my s—,” he said he told Jelly Roll. Yet here, as at Coachella, his hits went over like the classics they are. Paying forward Jelly’s favor, as he put it, T-Pain brought out another country outsider in Kesha, who joined him to do their new single, “Yippee-Ki-Yay,” which unfortunately is very bad.
Still stomp-and-clapping
Just days after Winston Marshall published an essay in the Free Press about abandoning what he views as an immoral music industry, Marshall’s old bandmates in Mumford & Sons put in a last-minute appearance at Stagecoach that drew a gargantuan crowd to the Palomino. Did everybody but me know that Mumford & Sons was still this big?
Carly Pearce performs Friday at Stagecoach.
(Timothy Norris/Getty Images for Stagecoach)
Five minutes backstage with Carly Pearce
Would you rather drive or be driven?
Drive. I get very car sick.
What’s the last thing you cooked?
Spaghetti squash.
How often do you shampoo your hair?
Every day. I’m that person — I know it’s wrong.
Would you rather be 10% more talented or 10% better looking?
Ten percent better looking, for sure.
Name a country song you wish you could sing but you know you can’t.
Martina McBride, “Independence Day.” She just belts on a level I don’t belt.
What’s an adult beverage you’ve sworn off?
Beer.
A go-to indulgence?
Designer handbags.
You have a tattoo you regret?
I have a rainbow butterfly on my foot that I got to match all the colors in my outfits when I was 16. Now it’s a little trashy.
New Delhi, April 26: Royal Enfield has launched its updated Royal Enfield Hunter 350 motorcycle in India at a starting price of INR 1.50 lakh (ex-showroom). The new RE Hunter 350 comes with several notable upgrades in the suspension and features. Royal Enfield has introduced its new Hunter 350 with the same design as the previous model. The bike continues to have the same mechanical specifications.
The 2025 Royal Enfield Hunter 350 comes with an LED headlamp and digi-analogue cluster with a tripper pod. The design of the Hunter 350 largely remains the same as the previous model. Royal Enfield has launched this bike in six colours. Suzuki Hayabusa Sales Surge 71% in India in FY2025, Company Selling 511 Units Shows Strong Demand for Superbike; Check Price, Specifications and More.
2025 Royal Enfield Hunter 350 New Updates, Specifications and Features
Royal Enfield Hunter 350’s biggest change is its rear suspension, which now moves to a progressive spring. The company also elevated the bike’s ground clearance by 10mm due to the new routing for the exhaust. The RE Hunter 350 also has a new seat that offers more comfort due to its high foam density. It also comes with new features and tech.
The 2025 Royal Enfield Hunter 350 continues to have the same 349cc air-cooled engine capable of providing 20.2 hp power and 27 Nm of peak torque. The J-series motor is further mated with a five-speed gearbox and slip-and-assist clutch, making it the first in the 350cc segment. The RE Hunter 350 has a new handlebar and USB Type-C charging in the higher model. Honda Activa 7G To Launch in India Between September and October 2025 With Design Upgrades, New Features; Check Expected Price, Specifications and More.
The prices of the Royal Enfield Hunter 350 vary according to the variants. The starting price for the Hunter 350 base variant is INR 1.50 lakh. The RE Hunter 350 mid-specification variant is available at INR 1.77 lakh. The top variant of the Royal Enfield Hunter 350 is INR 1.82 lakh. All the prices are ex-showroom.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 26, 2025 05:45 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
“The heavy rare earth elements are added as sort of a spice, a doping agent, to maintain the magnetism of the magnet at high temperatures. It also improves corrosion resistance and the longevity of the magnet,” says Seaver Wang, director of the climate and energy team at the Breakthrough Institute, an Oakland-based think tank.
Beyond magnets, these rare earth elements can also serve a range of purposes, such as making metal stronger, improving radar systems, and even treating cancer. Without them, in many cases, technological infrastructure and consumer gadgets won’t be able to perform at the same level—but they will still maintain their basic functions. “The wind turbines will just go out of service 10 years earlier; electric vehicles will not last as long,” says Wang.
Lange agrees that the impact of losing access to heavy rare earth elements would be somewhat manageable for American companies. “One place where that rare earth is in your car is in the motors that pull up and down your window,” says Lange. “There are ways to just deal with some things that are not as fun, like rolling down your windows by hand.”
Loopholes and Workarounds
In the past, China’s critical mineral restrictions haven’t worked very well. One reason is that US companies that want to buy rare earth minerals can simply go through an intermediary country first. For example, Belgium has emerged as a possible re-export hub that appears to pass germanium—one of the minerals Beijing first restricted in 2023—from China to the US, according to trade data. Since the European Union has much closer ties with Washington than with Beijing, it’s difficult for the Chinese government to effectively stop this flow of trade.
Another sign that China’s export controls haven’t been very effective is that the price of critical minerals has increased only slightly since the policies were first implemented, indicating that supply levels have remained steady. “Whatever they did in 2023 hasn’t really changed the status quo” of the market, says Lange.
But China’s latest restrictions are more expansive, and there’s already some evidence that things could be different this time. Companies that need these elements have been forced to buy them from other firms with existing private stockpiles, which have become more valuable in recent weeks. “There is a very steep increase in prices to draw down on stockpiles right now,” says Baskaran, citing conversations she’s had with rare earth traders.
In the long run, however, companies may be able to find technological solutions to address a potential shortage of rare earth minerals. Tesla, for example, announced in 2023 that it had reduced the use of them in its EV motors by 25 percent, and it planned to get rid of them completely in the future. The carmaker hasn’t clarified what it would use instead, but experts speculate it could be turning to other types of magnets that don’t rely on rare earths.
Where Are the American Mines?
While rare earths, or critical minerals in general, are often cited along with semiconductors as industries the US wants to reshore the most, the challenges associated with bringing each of them back are very different.
Unlike making advanced semiconductors, which requires using sophisticated machinery worth hundreds of millions of dollars and building extremely complicated factories, critical minerals aren’t that hard to produce. The technologies involved to mine and refine them are mature and both the US and Canada have large natural deposits of some of them. But the mining industry was pushed out of the West because it doesn’t generate much value and is also extremely polluting.
Bitcoin’s price continued its rise on national and international exchanges on Friday. The most valuable crypto asset rose by less than one percent to trade at $93,400 (roughly Rs. 79.7 lakh) on global platforms. On Indian exchanges, Bitcoin is currently trading within the range of $93,086 (roughly Rs. 79.4 lakh) and $93,962 (roughly Rs. 80.2 lakh). While BTC has maintained its price above $93,000 (roughly Rs. 79 lakh) for over 48 hours, the prices of most altcoins are fluctuating, due to the ongoing market volatility.
“Bitcoin opened the day’s trade on a bullish note and faced a minor pullback. Besides, the altcoins are also facing some bearish heat but have managed to sustain above the gains. This hints towards a rise in the strength of the bulls, who are currently a little passive but may initiate a fresh rally soon,” the CoinDCX Research Team told Gadgets 360.
Ether logged small losses (less than one percent) on national and international exchanges on Friday. CoinMarketCap shows that ETH is trading at $1,766 (roughly Rs. 1.50 lakh) on global platforms. On Indian exchanges, the asset is priced at $1,773 (roughly Rs. 1.51 lakh).
“The cryptocurrency appears to be stabilising its recent gains and seems poised for another upward move. Ethereum has entered a consolidation phase over the same period, with the $1,800 (roughly Rs. 1.53 lakh) level acting as minor resistance in the coming days,” said Piyush Walke, Derivatives Research Analyst, Delta Exchange.
The crypto price tracker by Gadgets 360 indicated the prices of several altcoins were down on Friday.
These include Tether, Ripple, Binance Coin, Dogecoin, and Tron. Additionally, Stellar, Bitcoin Cash, and Polkadot also showed price dips alongside ETH on Friday.
“Sentiment remains cautiously optimistic. If liquidity conditions hold, select altcoins may outperform majors in the near term. Still, investors are advised to prioritise fundamentally sound projects and maintain disciplined risk management,” said Himanshu Maradiya, Founder and Chairman, CIFDAQ Group.
Cryptocurrencies that are currently more expensive include Solana, Cardano, Leo, Shiba Inu, Litecoin, Monero, Cronos, and Cosmos among others.
The overall crypto market valuation rose by 0.92 percent over the last day, as shown by CoinMarketCap. The sector’s market cap presently stands at $2.92 trillion (roughly Rs. 2,50,03,960 crore).
“The overall market sentiment is cautiously optimistic, with patterns of accumulation pointing towards a turnaround. As Bitcoin finds stability, the crypto market may be setting itself up for a new rally fueled by renewed interest and strategic positioning,” Avinash Shekhar, Co-Founder and CEO, Pi42, told Gadgets 360.
Cryptocurrency is an unregulated digital currency, not a legal tender and subject to market risks. The information provided in the article is not intended to be and does not constitute financial advice, trading advice or any other advice or recommendation of any sort offered or endorsed by NDTV. NDTV shall not be responsible for any loss arising from any investment based on any perceived recommendation, forecast or any other information contained in the article.
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Google Analytics just made it easier to get quick insights and more accurate attribution.
The Reports snapshot section now includes pre-built templates focused on user behavior, sales and revenue, and marketing performance. That means less time building custom reports and more time actually using the data.
Alongside the templates, the card library has been updated, making it easier to browse and add the visualizations that matter most to your business.
These templates help users quickly surface relevant insights without needing to manually create or configure reports.
On the attribution front. Google Analytics will now use aggregate identifiers to attribute traffic from paid Google Ads more accurately – even in scenarios where individual-level data is limited.
Why we care.These updates streamline reporting and improve data accuracy, making it easier for marketers and analysts to measure what matters.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 launched this week on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. The new turn-based RPG has received immense praise from critics over the past few days. It currently holds a 92 on Metacritic, which includes GameSpot’s 9/10 review, placing it in a tie with Blue Prince for the best-reviewed game of 2025 (so far). If all of the hype has convinced you to give it a try, you should know that Steam keys are still discounted at Fanatical for a limited time. You can save 20% on either digital edition of Clair Obscur, dropping the price to as low as $40. Physical copies for PS5 and Xbox Series X aren’t discounted, but Clair Obscur is a “budget” $50 release.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Launch Deals Deals
It’s worth noting that Clair Obscur is also available on Xbox and PC Game Pass. It’s an Xbox Play Anywhere title, so Game Pass Ultimate subscribers can carry their saves from PC to Xbox and vice-versa.
The debut title from Sandfall Interactive, Clair Obscur combines flashy visuals with gameplay inspired by RPGs with active turn-based battle systems such as early Final Fantasy titles.
Side note: Blue Prince, the recently released first-person puzzle game that also holds a 92 on Metacritic, is available for $25.49 (was $30) at Fanatical.
Disclosure: GameSpot and Fanatical are both owned by Fandom.
If you want a few more cosmetic items for the in-game characters, you can grab Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’s Digital Deluxe Edition for $60 on consoles or $48 on PC via Fanatical. This version includes:
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 base game
The “Flowers” Collection DLC with unique cosmetic items
A physical version of the deluxe edition called the Lumiere Edition is exclusive to GameStop and only available for PS5 in the US. This version includes everything in the Digital Deluxe Edition, plus a steelbook case and 48-page artbook. Here’s a look at everything included in the Lumiere Edition:
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 base game
A collectible Steelbook case featuring unique cover art
The Expeditioner’s Journal 48-page hardcover artbook
The “Flowers” Collection DLC with unique cosmetic items
A “Clair” custom outfit for Maelle
An “Obscur” custom outfit for Gustave
As of April 18, preorders for this edition are sold out.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is also available in a PS5-exclsuive Collector’s Edition that includes all the bonus DLC from the Digital Deluxe and Lumiere Editions, plus a few physical collectibles. Here’s what’s included:
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 base game
An 8-inch hand-painted Monolith music box
A collectible Steelbook case featuring unique cover art
The Expeditioner’s Journal 48-page hardcover artbook
The “Flowers” Collection DLC with unique cosmetic items
Senescent skin cells, often referred to as zombie cells because they have outlived their usefulness without ever quite dying, have existed in the human body as a seeming paradox, causing inflammation and promoting diseases while also helping the immune system to heal wounds.
New findings may explain why: Not all senescent skin cells are the same.
Researchers from Johns Hopkins University have identified three subtypes of senescent skin cells with distinct shapes, biomarkers, and functions — an advance that could equip scientists with the ability to target and kill the harmful types while leaving the helpful ones intact.
The findings were published today in the journal Science Advances.
“We’ve known that senescent skin cells are different from senescent immune cells or senescent muscle cells. But within a cell type, senescent cells are often considered the same — in essence, skin cells are either senescent or not, for example,” said Jude Phillip, an assistant professor of biomedical engineering at Johns Hopkins University. “But we’re finding that when a skin cell goes into senescence, or a zombie-like state, the cell could go down one of three different paths, each leading to a slightly different subtype.”
Leveraging new advances in machine learning and imaging technology, the researchers compared skin cell samples from 50 healthy donors between the ages of 20 and 90 who participated in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study, an NIH-funded project that is the longest ongoing study of aging in the United States.
Researchers extracted fibroblasts — cells that produce the scaffolding to give tissues their structure — associated with skin tissue and pushed them toward senescence by damaging their DNA, something that happens with aging. Because senescent cells build up naturally as people grow older, the aged samples contained a mix of healthy/nonsenescent and senescent fibroblasts.
Using specialized dyes, the researchers were able to capture images of the cells’ shapes and stained elements that are known to indicate senescent cells. Algorithms developed for this study analyzed the images, measured 87 different physical characteristics for each cell, and sorted the fibroblasts into groups.
Fibroblasts come in 11 different shapes and sizes, three of which are distinct to senescent skin cells, the researchers found. Only one subtype of senescent fibroblast, which the researchers named C10, was more prevalent in older donors.
In the petri dishes, each subtype responded differently when exposed to existing drug regimens designed to target and kill zombie cells. Dasatinib + Quercetin, a drug being tested in clinical trials, for example, most effectively killed C7 senescent fibroblasts but was limited in killing the age-associated C10 senescent fibroblasts.
Though further research is needed to verify which fibroblast subtype is harmful and which is helpful, the findings show that drugs can target one subtype and not the others.
“With our new findings, we have the tools ready to develop new drugs or therapies that preferentially target the senescence subtype that drives inflammation and disease as soon as it is identified,” Phillip said.
More precise targeting of senescence could benefit cancer treatments, the researchers said.
Certain therapies are being designed to trigger senescence in cancer cells, converting uncontrollably replicating cancer cells into dead-in-the-water zombie cells. While these therapies could stop tumor growth, they leave senescent cells in their wake. Conventional chemotherapies also push cells like fibroblasts toward senescence as a side effect. The buildup of senescent cells during treatment can be problematic as those cells may promote inflammation at a time when a patient’s immune system is at its most vulnerable.
Patients may benefit from a drug administered after chemotherapy that can sweep up the mess, removing harmful senescent cells while leaving behind the helpful senescent cells. These types of drugs are called senotherapies.
Next, the researchers plan to look at senescence subtypes in tissue samples, not just in flasks and petri dishes, to see how those subtypes might be associated with various skin diseases and age-associated diseases.
“We hope, with some more development, our technology will be used to help predict which drugs might work well for targeting senescent cells that contribute to specific diseases,” Phillip said. “Eventually, the dream is to be able to provide more information in a clinical setting to help with individual diagnoses and boost health outcomes.”
The Centre for Legal Research and Studies (CLRS), under Vidhi Aagaz, is an academic platform dedicated to advancing legal scholarship and discourse across all domains of law. Registered with the Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises, Government of India, Vidhi Aagaz operates as a global consortium of over 50 academicians and professionals across six countries.
CLRS serves as its legal research arm, focusing on fostering legal awareness and discussion through high-impact initiatives.
About the Internship
This internship focuses primarily on research and editorial tasks. Interns will be primarily involved in assisting journal editors in the editorial process, researching and writing on various legal issues.
Additionally, interns will participate in organizing various academic events hosted by the organisation.
Stipend
Selected interns will receive a stipend of INR 2,000 to cover expenses during the first month. Exceptional interns may be offered a 6-month internship with a monthly stipend of INR 5,000.
Number of Vacancies
2 (two)
Location
Online
Who Can Apply?
The internship program is open to:
Law students (LL.B, BA LL.B, LLM etc.) in any law college in India.
Recent Law graduates.
Preference will be given to:
One intern studying in the 3rd to 5th year of a 5-year law course or the 2nd and 3rd year of a 3-year law course, or a law graduate.
One intern studying in the 1st to 2nd year of a 5-year law course or the 1st year of a 3-year law course.
Good working knowledge of Formatting & Editing academic research.
Time Commitment
Interns are expected to dedicate 2 hours per day on weekdays. On event days (typically Saturdays and Sundays), full-day availability is required.
Deadline
Interns are expected to dedicate 2 hours per day on weekdays. Full-day availability is required on event days (typically Saturdays and Sundays).
Application Procedure
Interested candidates can apply for the internship at the end of this post.
The deadline for application is 10th May 2025. Positions may be filled early, therefore early application is suggestion.
[Applications submitted after the deadline will be considered for future vacancies.]
Disclaimer: Charging money from students for internships or from job applicants is an unethical practice and can lead to blacklisting. Facing concerns? Please email us at [email protected]
Samantha Ruth Prabhu stuns in a dreamy blue kimono-style jumpsuit by Payal Khandwala, accessorised with diamond jewellery and a flawless makeup look.
Samantha Ruth Prabhu is here to bless your screens in the dreamiest shade of blue. The 37-year-old actor recently turned up the heat in a stunning blue outfit, serving major face card goals and leaving us all a little obsessed. Let’s dive into her look and grab some style inspiration. (Also read: Samantha Ruth Prabhu explores the concept of cycle syncing with nutritionist on her podcast: Is it a wellness trend? )
Samantha Ruth Prabhu turns heads in vibrant blue outfit. (Instagram/@samantharuthprabhuoffl)
Samantha Ruth Prabhu rocks stunning blue ensemble
Samantha gave her fans a weekend treat as she took to Instagram and uploaded a series of stunning pictures accompanied by a blue heart as the caption. Dressed head-to-toe in a stunning blue outfit, Samantha served serious glam vibes and struck a bunch of swoon-worthy poses.
Samantha turned heads in a gorgeous blue kimono-style jumpsuit from Payal Khandwala’s Autumn/Winter 2024 collection. The outfit featured a collared silhouette in a striking, vibrant blue shade that instantly caught the eye. She elevated the look by layering it with a sheer organza cape, detailed with intricate golden embroidery along the sleeves, perfectly rocking the monochrome trend while adding just the right touch of drama and elegance.
How she styled her look
Assisted by celebrity stylist Prayag Menon, Samantha accessorised her look with a stunning multi-layered diamond necklace, sparkling diamond drop earrings, a statement ring adorning her finger, and a pair of silver metallic heels that added just the right amount of glam.
Her makeup, done by Avni Rambhia, featured shimmery eyeshadow, mascara-laden lashes, a smoky winged eyeliner, a generous dose of highlighter, and a perfect swipe of nude lipstick. For the hair, with the help of hairstylist Daksh Nidhi, Samantha styled her luscious locks into a neat bun, with a soft section left loose at the front to beautifully frame her face.
On the work front
On the work front, Samantha was recently seen in Citadel: Honey Bunny, the Indian spin-off of the global series, alongside Varun Dhawan. She is currently busy filming Rakht Brahmand: The Bloody Kingdom.
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Catch every big hit, every wicket with Crick-it, a one stop destination for Live Scores, Match Stats, Quizzes, Polls & much more. Explore now!.
Catch your daily dose of Fashion, Taylor Swift, Health, Festivals, Travel, Relationship, Recipe and all the other Latest Lifestyle News on Hindustan Times Website and APPs.
News / Lifestyle / Fashion / Samantha Ruth Prabhu serves major face card goals in dreamy all-blue ensemble. See pics
Gilead Sciences on Thursday reported $6.7 billion in revenue in the first quarter, missing consensus Wall Street estimates as its cancer drug sales fell short of analyst expectations.
Gilead’s oncology portfolio generated $758 million in sales over the first three months of the year, down about 4% compared to the same period in 2024. Slower-than-expected sales of Gilead’s breast cancer drug Trodelvy were the main culprit, though the company also blamed lower demand for a decline in cancer cell therapy revenue.
Gilead’s HIV drug business, though, helped offset those losses, garnering $4.6 billion and climbing 6% year over year. The company expects further growth in the future, as by June 19 the Food and Drug Administration could significantly expand use of lenacapavir, a twice-yearly injectable medicine proven in testing to prevent HIV infections.
Dive Insight:
Gilead has invested heavily in oncology over the last several years, using a string of deals to amass a portfolio of cancer drugs and cell therapies.
That effort has produced somewhat mixed results. Trodelvy — the product of a $21 billion buyout of Immunomedics — hasn’t yet lived up to initial expectations, though clinical results earlier this week in a tough-to-treat form of breast cancer could help improve its outlook. And while Gilead’s cell therapy revenue has steadily grown over the years, the company’s flagging first quarter total suggest competition is eroding its market share, wrote Leerink Partners analyst Daina Graybosch in a Friday note to clients.
Gilead’s core business, though, continues to drive the bulk of its revenue. Sales of its once-a-day oral drug Biktarvy grew 7% to $3.1 billion, while sales of another HIV medicine, Descovy, surged 38% to $586 million.
Lenacapavir, which the company already sells as Sunlenca, could further improve its outlook. The drug was approved in 2022 for people whose HIV infections can’t be controlled by existing treatments. But a pair of large studies last year showed it to be highly effective at preventing infections as well, positioning it to change the dynamics of the so-called pre-exposure prophylactic, or PrEP market currently dominated by pills.
Gilead faces some uncertainty ahead, as Trump administration cuts to a global HIV program could affect the drug’s rollout. The administration has also eliminated a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention office focused on HIV policy and prevention. Gilead faces “greater regulatory (and therefore commercial) risk” from the Department of Health and Human Services, which could affect lenacapavir’s “coverage and reimbursement kinetics,” Leerink’s Graybosch wrote.
Company executives, though, aren’t expecting any such issues as of yet.
“We haven’t heard or seen anything that would cause us to alter our plans or expectations for the … PrEP launch, or adversely affect our HIV business,” said Gilead CEO Daniel O’Day during a call with investors. Chief Commercial Officer Johanna Mercier also said the company believes the U.S. market will continue to grow “quite rapidly” and accelerate with the coming launch.
Gilead shares fell about 3% on Friday, but have climbed nearly 60% over the last year.
To be in Australia’s top 1%, you need a net worth of approximately $8.3 million (US$5.5 million).
Australian household wealth has grown significantly, with the average household net worth increasing from $530,500 in 2004 to $1,462,300 in 2023. Wealth disparities are evident: the top 20% hold 63% of wealth, while the bottom 20% hold just 1%.
Property ownership is a cornerstone of wealth-building for Australians. Homeownership over a decade often results in significant increases in household wealth. Many Australians leverage property investment to grow their wealth beyond their primary residence.
Instead of criticizing the wealthy, the focus should be on improving financial literacy and skills for those in lower income brackets. Key strategies include learning money management, practicing delayed gratification, and investing in the future.
We know that true wealth is much more than how much money you’ve got in the bank or how many properties you own.
But you don’t have to look too far to see references to the top 1% of money earners and how disproportionate the distribution of wealth is.
The media loves to remind us of the huge disparity between the world’s rich and poor.
According to most data, the top 10% of the world’s population owns around 85% of the world’s wealth, meaning the majority of global wealth is concentrated in the hands of this top tier.
The top 10%:Holds roughly 85% of global wealth.
The bottom 90%:Holds the remaining 15% of global wealth.
The top 1%:A significant portion of this wealth is further concentrated within the top 1% of earners.
At the same time as economies fell into recession and many ordinary people lost their jobs and fell into poverty, many of the world’s billionaires increased their fortunes.
Each year Credit Suisse produces a Global Wealth Report showing how money is distributed around the world, and according to their 2024 report (released late last year), wealth growth across the world has recovered from its slump in 2022, growing 4.2% in US$ terms.
Wealth in Asia-Pacific has grown rapidly, but debt has spiraled upwards as well, while a few major markets saw their wealth contract, bucking the global trend.
It revealed that:-
The top 1% of wealth holders own nearly 45-50% of global assets.
Meanwhile, the bottom half of the world’s population collectively owns less than 2% of global wealth. This disparity is so vast that a billionaire’s daily earnings could exceed the lifetime earnings of millions of individuals in lower-income brackets.
Such a divergence in affluence further fuelled criticism of the so-called 1%, which has long been the standard rhetoric of the political Left.
It all started back in 2011 when Occupy Wall Street protesters called outgrowing economic inequality by proclaiming: “We are the 99%!”.
They demonized “the 1%” as fat cats who have grown even richer while the middle class has stagnated.
But you might be surprised to find this 1% doesn’t just comprise the super-rich.
It may include you, or people you know.
When you hear references to the 1%, you might think of billionaires such as Amazon’s Jeff Bezos or Tesla founder Elon Musk.
According to Forbes’s 2024 list of billionaires, there were 2,640 billionaires worldwide in 2024, averaging approximately 0.33 billionaires per million people.
This is a minuscule proportion of the 8.2 billion people on Earth.
So obviously, you don’t have to be a billionaire to join this global elite.
As of 2024, approximately 1.5% of the global adult population are millionaires.
Given the world population of about 8.2 billion people, this equates to roughly 58 million individuals possessing wealth exceeding $1 million
In fact 1.1% of the world’s adult population are millionaires.
It’s noteworthy that the percentage of adults whose wealth exceeds $1 million has tripled since 2000, rising from 0.5% to 1.5%
Collectively, this group collectively hold approximately $208.3 trillion, accounting for 45.8% of global wealth
So how rich do you have to be to make it into the 1% club?
Well, look in the mirror because it’s very likely if you’re reading this you’re already in the 1%.
Australians wanting to be in the country’s top 1% for wealth need to have an individual net worth of US$5.5 million ($8.3 million), Knight Frank’s 2023 Wealth Report has found.
To be in the top 1% of wealth across Asia, the net worth required is even smaller – just US$3.5 million
There are even significant disparities within the 1%
The 1%, it turns out, have their own 1% – people like Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, Elon Musk, and Jeff Bezos.
But when you look at mere mortals, the Australian Bureau of Statistics data shows the average net worth of Australian households has seen significant growth over the past decades.
Here’s a breakdown of the average net worth per household over the years:
Year
Average Net Worth per Household
2004
$530,500
2014
$858,600
2023
$1,462,300
These figures illustrate a substantial increase in household net worth, with the average more than doubling from 2004 to 2023.
Top 20% vs. Bottom 20% Earnings: The ABS reports that in 2019–20, the highest quintile of households received 47.8% of total household income, while the lowest quintile received 4.0%.
Average Household Gross Income: In the same period, the average gross household income was $2,117 per week, equating to approximately $110,084 annually.
Top 20% vs. Bottom 20% Wealth: The wealth disparity is more pronounced. In 2019–20, the wealthiest 20% of households held 63% of total household wealth, whereas the bottom 20% held just 1%.
And in Australia, it has a lot to do with property
Now clearly there is a wide gap between the top 1% and the average Australian and the fact is Australia’s richest households are expanding their wealth three times faster than the poorest groups, and many are using property to leverage their wealth.
Fact is, Australia’s wealth is heavily skewed towards property ownership.
It’s the investment vehicle that more average Australians use to develop their wealth than any other asset class.
Simply owning their own home over a period of 10 years or more has made money for an incredible number of people.
Over this period many homes doubled in value, which meant that many homeowners saw their household wealth increase substantially.
But another group discovered how to profit in ways other than just owning their own home.
They became real estate investors and bought additional properties.
They took their financial future into their own hands.
What’s the solution to this wealth inequality?
Sure, much attention and many headlines are devoted to the “unethical” wealth of these billionaires.
I believe rather than attacking the ultra-rich, we should focus less on taking actions that could inhibit top earners and we would be better off addressing the reasons others aren’t as successful and concentrating on how to improve the lives of those in the bottom 50 percent.
In this group, many workers are in desperate need of a skills upgrade and others need to learn financial fluency.
Many need to how to handle the money they earn including practicing delayed gratification and spend less than they earn so they can save and invest in their future.
One great lesson for them is that it is either having an easy life now and a hard life later; or doing the hard things now so they can have an easy life later.
Just to make things clear…before I receive a flood of negative comments- this blog isn’t to belittle the hardship many ordinary Australians have endured during the last year as mortgage costs, rents and the cost of living have skyrocketed.
Needless to say, I can understand why people would be upset when many of the top 1% are perceived to have earned their income unjustifiably.
Being paid by big corporations that in some cases have been run into the ground and then been bailed out by their governments doesn’t sound right.
Nor does a tax system where the wealthy seem to avoid tax and the poor seem to pay a disproportionate amount.
It’s hard to argue with that logic
I’m just offering another perspective and reminding you that even though our system has lots of faults, it has created more prosperity, even for the lowest 1%, than most of the world can comprehend, considering it was not that long ago that according to the UN, “Nearly half the world’s population, 2.8 billion people, earn less than $2 a day” and the World Bank suggests that 95% of those living in the developing world earn less than $10 a day.
While it is very hard to develop wealth in many of the world’s underdeveloped countries, which are rife with corruption and have poor education standards, in Australia, everyone has the opportunity to educate themselves, work hard and become financially fluent and join the ranks for the wealthy.
We are so lucky that we live in the best country in the world at the best time in history.
About Michael Yardney Michael is the founder of Metropole Property Strategists who help their clients grow, protect and pass on their wealth through independent, unbiased property advice and advocacy. He’s once again been voted Australia’s leading property investment adviser and one of Australia’s 50 most influential Thought Leaders. His opinions are regularly featured in the media.
While it’s been almost a year since AI Overviews came to Search, they’re yet to win people over. Google’s solution to that is simple: push them more, so people have no choice but to accept them. Now, they’re making their way to YouTube.
AI Overviews Are Coming to YouTube Next
As first spotted by Search Engine Land, and as per a post on YouTube’s Help forum, YouTube is currently experimenting with AI Overviews. Once you search for a query, the new feature will use AI to hunt for videos that address your query and display the most relevant clips under a new “video results” carousel.
Since the post mentions that it’ll only appear “after entering certain search queries,” it likely won’t show up for all searches. The post explicitly mentions that AI Overviews will most likely appear when you’re searching for product information, like “best noise-cancelling headphones,” or when you’re looking for travel-related information, such as details about specific locations or activities to do there.
YouTube mentions that AI Overviews will provide “another way to discover content” and “discover topics and information related to your search query.” While this works differently than AI Overviews in Search, which display a text summary of the information you’re looking for, it’s not surprising.
Gavin Phillips/MakeUseOf
Someone visiting YouTube likely wouldn’t want to read a wall of text and would rather watch clips relevant to their query. This isn’t the first time YouTube has dabbled with AI features, though. A few months ago, the company introduced a conversational AI tool that let YouTube Premium members in the U.S. ask questions about the video they were watching or get recommendations for other videos.
Though it’s been almost a year since AI Overviews in Search debuted, I’m still not a fan of them. A lot of the time, they’re inaccurate, fail to address what my query really is, and are frankly unfair to creators and websites that put in the work to answer that query. I imagine something similar will happen with YouTube’s AI Overviews, but that’s a story only time can tell.
Currently, YouTube’s AI Overviews are rolling out to a small number of YouTube Premium members in the United States and are only being displayed for a limited number of English search queries. Unfortunately, it’s possible that, similar to AI Overviews in Search, users won’t have the option to disable them directly and might have to resort to workarounds.
Related
Here’s How I Turned Off Google’s AI Overviews and Reclaimed Regular Search
Done with Google’s AI overviews? You can turn them off in just a few steps.
While there’s no telling if AI Overviews for YouTube will end up being widely rolled out, I expect we’ll find out more about the feature at Google’s annual event, scheduled for May 20 and 21, 2025, Google I/O.
The Tiantan Award trophy of the Beijing International Film Festival (BJIFF) is an embodiment of the pursuit of auspiciousness.
<img src='https://news.cgtn.com/news/2025-04-25/BJIFF-s-Tiantan-Award-trophy-embodies-harmony-and-diversity-1CRlGf8z172/img/60bb2f6361644dd8a68e97fe263c2602/60bb2f6361644dd8a68e97fe263c2602.jpeg'A Tiantan Award trophy of the Beijing International Film Festival is seen in the China National Film Museum in Beijing, March 16, 2025. /CGTN
<img src='https://news.cgtn.com/news/2025-04-25/BJIFF-s-Tiantan-Award-trophy-embodies-harmony-and-diversity-1CRlGf8z172/img/60bb2f6361644dd8a68e97fe263c2602/60bb2f6361644dd8a68e97fe263c2602.jpeg'A Tiantan Award trophy of the Beijing International Film Festival is seen in the China National Film Museum in Beijing, March 16, 2025. /CGTN
<img src='https://news.cgtn.com/news/2025-04-25/BJIFF-s-Tiantan-Award-trophy-embodies-harmony-and-diversity-1CRlGf8z172/img/60bb2f6361644dd8a68e97fe263c2602/60bb2f6361644dd8a68e97fe263c2602.jpeg'A Tiantan Award trophy of the Beijing International Film Festival is seen in the China National Film Museum in Beijing, March 16, 2025. /CGTN
<img src='https://news.cgtn.com/news/2025-04-25/BJIFF-s-Tiantan-Award-trophy-embodies-harmony-and-diversity-1CRlGf8z172/img/60bb2f6361644dd8a68e97fe263c2602/60bb2f6361644dd8a68e97fe263c2602.jpeg'A Tiantan Award trophy of the Beijing International Film Festival is seen in the China National Film Museum in Beijing, March 16, 2025. /CGTN
As the trophy for prizes in the main competition section – which was introduced at the festival’s 2013 edition, two years after the inaugural BJIFF in 2011 – its design is intended reflect the overall theme of “Sharing Resources and Achieving Win-Win Results for the Future.” The design concept is also derived from Tiantan Award’s core value: “Beauty in Variety, Harmony in Diversity.”
<img src='https://news.cgtn.com/news/2025-04-25/BJIFF-s-Tiantan-Award-trophy-embodies-harmony-and-diversity-1CRlGf8z172/img/2c107e5ecba94db1bc08204c2459df37/2c107e5ecba94db1bc08204c2459df37.jpeg' alt='A model of the Tiantan Award trophy is seen in the China National Film Museum in Beijing, March 16, 2025. /CGTN'
The overall height of the Tiantan Award trophy is 45 centimeters, among which the base is 9 cm high and the body of the trophy is 36cm high, both of which are multiples of nine. In Chinese, the pronunciation of “9” (九 jiǔ) is homophonic with “forever” (久 jiǔ), thus the number 9 also contains Chinese people’s pursuit of auspiciousness.
The trophy fully expresses the aspiration of China’s film industry to engage in exchanges and dialogues with global filmmakers, achieve mutual benefit and win-win results, and jointly promote the harmonious development of the global film industry.
It was a night of literary excellence at the 45th Los Angeles Times Book Prizes ceremony Friday night at USC’s Bovard Auditorium.
As winners in 12 competitive categories and three special prizes took the stage, many addressed the fraught political climate in the U.S. as well as L.A. rebuilding after January’s devastating firestorms.
Writers also addressed the dire need to use their voice to reflect the present moment — from poetry winner Remica Bingham-Risher contemplating the abuse her grandmothers endured (in another time and place, their narrative would have been hers, she said), to current interest winner Jesse Katz urging the audience to recognize the individuality of often-stigmatized MacArthur Park residents.
Pico Iyer — who has written 15 books translated into 23 languages — accepted the Robert Kirsch Award for lifetime achievement, which honors a writer with a substantial connection to the American West. The author’s latest novel, “Aflame: Learning From Silence,” recounts his mother’s home in Santa Monica burning during a wildfire in 1990. The book was published on Jan. 14, in the immediate aftermath of the Palisades and Eaton fires.
“I know that many people in this room have been through tremendous losses in the last few months,” he said sharing that he lost handwritten drafts for three books in progress in the 1990 fire. “What initially presented itself mostly as loss began to open doors … and make possible many things that might have never happened otherwise. I really hope that might be the case for some of you.”
“Writing still seems the deepest way of inhabiting another soul and the very best way, therefore, of rescuing us from black and white,” he added.
Investigative journalist Emily Witt accepted the Christopher Isherwood Prize for Autobiographical Prose for her memoir “Health and Safety: A Breakdown,” about her exploration of New York’s nightlife scene.
In her acceptance speech, Witt cited Isherwood’s writing about pre-WWII Berlin as a major influence. Like his milieu, she said the characters of her memoir, which takes place in Brooklyn from 2016 to 2020, lived in acute awareness of the “ideological bankruptcy” of their time.
Celebrated L.A.-born poet Amanda Gorman accepted the Innovator’s Award for bringing “books, publishing and storytelling into the future.”
Amanda Gorman received the Innovator’s Award at the L.A. Time Book Prizes.
(Varon Panganiban)
“Love is no silent harbor, no haven,” Gorman recited. “Still, it is the roaring thing that tugs away from the very shores we clutch. There is no better compass than this compassion.”
Iyer and Gorman will speak Saturday at the Festival of Books about their respective books.
The biography prize went to Laura Beers for “Orwell’s Ghosts: Wisdom and Warnings for the Twenty-First Century.” The book, written on the 75th anniversary of “1984,” explores George Orwell’s prescient and radical teachings. Beers, who was surprised by the win, said the world “seems to become slightly more Orwellian with each passing day.”
Journalist Rebecca Boyle won the science and technology award for “Our Moon: How Earth’s Celestial Companion Transformed the Planet, Guided Evolution, and Made Us Who We Are,” which traces the moon’s role in our biological and cultural evolution.
“The moon, my subject, does remind us that there are cycles,” she said while accepting the prize. “Inherent in the meaning of a cycle or a phase is a return. Things go away and they come back. Fascism went away and now is back. Authoritarianism went away, we thought, and now it is back. But there’s a flip side to that. Every phase that leaves brings something new. There’s also hope and renewal. And I think part of our job — the most important job we have as writers — is to remind us of the positive phases, the return of good, the return of new cycles and hope.”
In her closing remarks, she quoted Pope Francis, whose funeral is tomorrow: “Hope is a gift and a task.”
Kim Johnson, whose “The Color of a Lie” won the award for young-adult literature, said she set her book, about a white-passing Black teen, in 1955 Levittown, Penn., after her first novel was banned in Bucks County, where Levittown is located.
“Writers write in a lot of spaces where we’re doing resistance,” she said. “I’m thinking about reckoning, trying to untangle the roots of racism and systemic factors in this country that are so embedded and baked in our society.”
Achievement in audiobook production went to Dominic Hoffman (narrator) and Linda Korn (producer) for “James: A Novel.” Presented in collaboration with Audible, the award — the ceremony’s newest — honors performance, production and innovation in storytelling.
Jiaming Tang took home the Art Seidenbaum Award for First Fiction for “Cinema Love.” The decades-spanning epic follows gay Chinese immigrants. The novel also has won the Edmund White Award for Debut Fiction and the Ferro-Grumley Award for LGBTQ+ Fiction.
Jesse Katz’s “The Rent Collectors: Exploitation, Murder, and Redemption in Immigrant L.A.” won the award for current interest. The book explores the exploitation of undocumented Angelenos by both gang overlords and local law enforcement.
The fiction award went to Jennine Capó Crucet for “Say Hello to My Little Friend.” Brimming with dark humor, the novel follows a failed Pitbull impersonator’s encounter with a captive orca at the Miami Seaquarium.
Danielle Trussoni’s “The Puzzle Box” received the award for mystery/thriller. The second of Trussoni’s Mike Brink series, the book follows a puzzle master invited to Tokyo to try his hand opening the legendary Dragon Box, which contains a priceless Imperial secret.
The ceremony, which opened with remarks by Times Executive Editor Terry Tang and was emceed by Times columnist LZ Granderson (who also provided updates from the Lakers playoff game), serves as a kickoff to this weekend’s Festival of Books.
“In a world that is now feeling so confusing and distressed, this weekend gives all of us a chance to find a sense of unity, purpose and support,” Tang said.
The 30th annual celebration brings more than 550 storytellers to the USC campus across seven outdoor stages and 15 indoor venues. While some panels are ticketed, general admission to the festival is free.
Saturday’s events include conversations and panels with Amor Towles, Jay Ellis, Claire Hoffman, Stacey Abrams, Joanna “JoJo” Levesque, Griffin Dunne, E.A. Hanks, Rebecca Yarros, Amanda Knox, Rachel Kushner, Krysten Ritter, Max Greenfield and “Giggly Squad” podcast hosts Hannah Berner and Paige DeSorbo, as well as a cooking demo from Roy Choi, a reading by Alison C. Rollins and a performance by singer Aspen Jacobsen.
Sunday’s authors and entertainers include Percival Everett, Jenny Slate, Steve Wasserman, Maureen Dowd, Wilmer Valderrama, Jon M. Chu, Rachel Lindsay, Chelsea Handler, Jennifer Haigh, Gretchen Whitmer, Attica Locke, Janelle Brown, Kristen Ciccarelli and Mike Campbell. A special screening of PBS series “Miss Austen” and an appearance by children’s entertainer Blippi are also among the highlights.
Here’s the full list of finalists and winners for the Book Prizes.
Robert Kirsch Award
Pico Iyer, “Aflame: Learning From Silence”
The Christopher Isherwood Prize for Autobiographical Prose
Emily Witt, “Health and Safety: A Breakdown”
Innovator’s Award
Amanda Gorman
The Art Seidenbaum Award for First Fiction
Jiaming Tang, “Cinema Love: A Novel”
Pemi Aguda, “Ghostroots: Stories”
Joseph Earl Thomas, “God Bless You, Otis Spunkmeyer: A Novel”
Jessica Elisheva Emerson, “Olive Days: A Novel”
Julian Zabalbeascoa, “What We Tried to Bury Grows Here”
Achievement in Audiobook Production, presented by Audible
Matt Bomer (narrator), Kelly Gildea (director, co-producer), Lauren Klein (producer); “Giovanni’s Room: A Novel”
Narrators: Andrew Garfield, Cynthia Erivo, Andrew Scott, Tom Hardy, Chukwudi Iwuji, Romesh Ranganathan, Natasia Demetriou, Francesca Mills, Alex Lawther, Katie Leung; Producers: Chris Jones, Mariele Runacre-Temple, Robin Morgan-Bentley, Nathan Freeman; “George Orwell’s 1984: An Audible Original adaptation”
Dominic Hoffman (narrator), Linda Korn (producer); “James: A Novel”
Michele Norris With a Full Cast (narrator), Mike Noble (producer); “Our Hidden Conversations: What Americans Really Think About Race and Identity”
Biography
Laura Beers, “Orwell’s Ghosts: Wisdom and Warnings for the Twenty-First Century”
Gurugram, April 26: Cars24, an online platform known for selling used cars, has reportedly laid off around 200 to 250 employees. The Cars24 layoffs are Implemented as a part of cost-cutting measures and future hiring plans, according to reports. The e-commerce platform for second-hand vehicles reportedly laid off up to 250 employees this month from its product and strategy teams.
According to the reports, the Cars24 layoffs were announced at the time of a significant moment as the rival company Spinny secured USD 131 million in fresh funding from Accel’s Leadership Fund. With the funding, Spinny Cars would double down on the selection and portfolios globally, said a report by Entrackr. Axis Bank Layoffs: India’s Private Bank Asks 100 Senior Employees To Leave Based on Their Performance, CEO Amitabh Chaudhry Says ‘Nothing Unusual’.
Cars24 CEO Vikram Chopra stated that the decision of layoffs was tough and confirmed that it affected over 200 employees across various functions. Chopra said that he was “deeply grateful” for the contributions of the laid-off Cars24 employees. The CEO said the Cars24 layoffs were not about the performance but the “structures and bets we placed”. He said that the company added some permanent roles to the project.
Cars24had secured USD 450 million on December 21 from leading investors such as Soft Bank, DST Global, Falcon Edge’s Alpha Wave and Tencent. The funding increased the value of the company to USD 3.3 billion. Cars24 did not raise any further funds during external funding in over three and half years. Employment Growth in India: Country Witnessing Job Growth at Faster Pace Than Working-Age Population, Says Work Bank Report.
Besides this, the reports said that the company had not filed for FY25 numbers. In FY24, the company had INR 6.917 crore in profit with 25% YoY growth in revenue. The company posted a net loss of INR 498 crore and an adjusted EBITDA loss of INR 318 crore.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 26, 2025 01:15 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
So, there’s the training data. Then, there’s the fine-tuning and evaluation. The training data might contain all kinds of really problematic stereotypes across countries, but then the bias mitigation techniques may only look at English. In particular, it tends to be North American– and US-centric. While you might reduce bias in some way for English users in the US, you’ve not done it throughout the world. You still risk amplifying really harmful views globally because you’ve only focused on English.
Is generative AI introducing new stereotypes to different languages and cultures?
That is part of what we’re finding. The idea of blondes being stupid is not something that’s found all over the world, but is found in a lot of the languages that we looked at.
When you have all of the data in one shared latent space, then semantic concepts can get transferred across languages. You’re risking propagating harmful stereotypes that other people hadn’t even thought of.
Is it true that AI models will sometimes justify stereotypes in their outputs by just making shit up?
That was something that came out in our discussions of what we were finding. We were all sort of weirded out that some of the stereotypes were being justified by references to scientific literature that didn’t exist.
Outputs saying that, for example, science has shown genetic differences where it hasn’t been shown, which is a basis of scientific racism. The AI outputs were putting forward these pseudo-scientific views, and then also using language that suggested academic writing or having academic support. It spoke about these things as if they’re facts, when they’re not factual at all.
What were some of the biggest challenges when working on the SHADES dataset?
One of the biggest challenges was around the linguistic differences. A really common approach for bias evaluation is to use English and make a sentence with a slot like: “People from [nation] are untrustworthy.” Then, you flip in different nations.
When you start putting in gender, now the rest of the sentence starts having to agree grammatically on gender. That’s really been a limitation for bias evaluation, because if you want to do these contrastive swaps in other languages—which is super useful for measuring bias—you have to have the rest of the sentence changed. You need different translations where the whole sentence changes.
How do you make templates where the whole sentence needs to agree in gender, in number, in plurality, and all these different kinds of things with the target of the stereotype? We had to come up with our own linguistic annotation in order to account for this. Luckily, there were a few people involved who were linguistic nerds.
So, now you can do these contrastive statements across all of these languages, even the ones with the really hard agreement rules, because we’ve developed this novel, template-based approach for bias evaluation that’s syntactically sensitive.
Generative AI has been known to amplify stereotypes for a while now. With so much progress being made in other aspects of AI research, why are these kinds of extreme biases still prevalent? It’s an issue that seems under-addressed.
That’s a pretty big question. There are a few different kinds of answers. One is cultural. I think within a lot of tech companies it’s believed that it’s not really that big of a problem. Or, if it is, it’s a pretty simple fix. What will be prioritized, if anything is prioritized, are these simple approaches that can go wrong.
We’ll get superficial fixes for very basic things. If you say girls like pink, it recognizes that as a stereotype, because it’s just the kind of thing that if you’re thinking of prototypical stereotypes pops out at you, right? These very basic cases will be handled. It’s a very simple, superficial approach where these more deeply embedded beliefs don’t get addressed.
It ends up being both a cultural issue and a technical issue of finding how to get at deeply ingrained biases that aren’t expressing themselves in very clear language.
US banking regulators announced on Thursday they were pulling back several documents that urge banks to show caution when dabbling in cryptocurrency and related activities.
The Federal Reserve said it was withdrawing a pair of supervisory letters stipulating that banks should seek advance approval from regulators before engaging in crypto-asset and stablecoin activities.
In addition, the Fed joined the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and Office of the Comptroller of the Currency in withdrawing a pair of 2023 statements urging banks to be vigilant around crypto-related risks.
Under the prior guidance, regulators warned banks to be wary of volatility, legal uncertainty and liquidity risks when considering whether to provide crypto-related services or take on crypto companies as clients.
Scrapping that guidance marks the latest move by the Trump administration to strike a more crypto-friendly stance. In its statement announcing the changes, the Fed said regulators would be looking into whether new guidance to “support innovation, including crypto-asset activities, is appropriate.”
In March, the OCC was the first US regulator to move to make it easier for banks to engage in crypto activities, similarly moving to scrap guidance adopted under the previous administration urging banks to be cautious in the space.
Meta introduced a small but potentially powerful tweak to its Advantage+ Catalog campaigns: dynamic overlays.
Advertisers can now add price, discount, and shipping labels directly onto product images – styled like stickers – to make promotions pop in the Facebook Feed.
How it works. You’ve got four label options now:
Current price.
A strikethrough sale price.
Percentage off.
Free shipping.
You can turn each on or off, style them how you want, or let Meta choose what performs best.
Each overlay can be toggled on or off, and you can customize the look – or let Meta decide what to show based on performance signals.
The big picture. It’s a subtle update, but one that could meaningfully improve ad performance. In a crowded feed, a well-placed price tag or discount badge could be the scroll-stopper that drives a sale.
Why we care. While the feature isn’t entirely new (previously known as “labels”), this update gives advertisers more flexibility and control. It also taps into Meta’s AI to automatically show the most relevant offer, helping campaigns stand out and potentially convert better.
Hospitals have spent years amassing political influence at the federal and state levels. According to the nonprofit OpenSecrets, hospitals and nursing homes’ federal lobbying spending rose from $35 million in 2000 to more than $133 million last year, a 280% increase.
They recently had a unique opportunity to flex some of that political muscle in Montana, where the state’s Medicaid expansion program was scheduled to expire in June unless legislators and the governor renewed it.
Conservative lawmakers and groups saw an opportunity to terminate or narrow the Medicaid expansion program that cost about $1 billion in federal and state taxpayer money last year to cover tens of thousands of low-income adults. Ultimately, the conservative Republican lawmakers who occupy state House and Senate leadership positions sought to add requirements to the program or receive concessions from hospitals, such as a promise to bolster their community benefit spending, in return for continuing the program that provides them with revenue.
What was expected to be one of the more contentious debates of the legislative session never happened. The Medicaid expansion renewal bill sailed through with little difficulty and few changes.
The hospitals spent the last year working to form a coalition with businesses, health clinics, physician groups, insurers, and advocates for people with low incomes to push for extension of Medicaid expansion, which provides government health coverage to about 74,500 low-income, nondisabled Montanans. That work paid off when Democratic and moderate Republicans lawmakers joined forces to push the bill through.
Hospital lobbyists, led by the Montana Hospital Association, not only helped steamroll Medicaid expansion through the legislature, but they also defeated nearly all attempts to add new requirements to the program and to place new regulations on the hospitals themselves.
The hospitals’ political pull is acknowledged by frustrated conservative lawmakers who contend that the facilities, most of which are nonprofit organizations largely exempt from state and federal taxes, need more oversight and transparency. As Republican state Sen. Greg Hertz put it, “Hospitals don’t seem to want to come to the table to discuss anything, whether it’s transparency, controlling costs, or providing more information to the public on services.”
Hospitals say they’re willing to debate ways to improve health care in Montana. But when it comes to regulations they regard as onerous — or lawmaker criticism that they are uncooperative — they aren’t shy about pushing back. “I think that we’ve demonstrated that we work on all kinds of health policies,” said Montana Hospital Association president and CEO Bob Olsen.
8BitDo’s transparent green gaming keyboard and mouse are discounted at Amazon for a limited time. The Retro R8 Wireless Gaming Mouse is on sale for only $48 (was $60); it’s the first discount for this budget-friendly wireless mouse since its January launch. The Retro 87 Wireless Mechanical Keyboard is up for grabs for $110 (was $120). These matching PC gaming peripherals are officially licensed by Xbox and pay homage to the popular green special-edition original Xbox. While you’re checking these deals out, you should also take a look at the matching 8BitDo Ultimate 3-Mode Controller ahead of its May 15 release.
8BitDo’s Retro 87 TKL Xbox Edition Mechanical Keyboard was designed in partnership with Xbox, and it sports several touches that call back to Microsoft’s first home gaming console, including a translucent green plastic shell and directional keys sporting the same colors as the Xbox controller face buttons. There’s also an integrated Xbox button for pulling up the Xbox overlay menu on Windows. Like 8BitDo’s other console-inspired mechanical keyboards, the Retro 87 TKL comes with a detachable panel with two big, customizable microswitch buttons in the same style as the keyboard.
The Retro 87 also features RGB lighting and is officially compatible with Windows, Mac, and Android devices via 2.4GHz wireless, Bluetooth, and wired connections. Even the included USB-C cable matches the keyboard’s green color scheme. You can customize your bindings and adjust other settings with 8BitDo’s Ultimate Software V2 app. Though previously only available on Windows and Android, 8BitDo recently added the V2 version of its software suite to macOS.
A free one-month trial for new PC Game Pass subscribers is also included in the box.
$48 ($60) | PC, Mac, Android
8BitDo Retro R8 mouse
Gallery
The matching Retro R8 Wireless Mouse is already very reasonably priced at its full $60 MSRP, but this 20% discount lets you get a customizable gaming mouse that looks awesome for under $50.
The Retro R8 sports an ambidextrous design with four additional programmable buttons–two on each side of the mouse. Like the Retro 87’s directional keys, the Retro R8’s extra buttons match the colors of the Xbox controller’s face buttons.
The mouse can sync to PC, Mac, and Android devices over Bluetooth or 2.4GHz wireless via the included dongle. The USB-A dongle can be stored in either the mouse itself or the included magnetic charging dock. If you prefer a wired connection, the Retro R8, just like the keyboard, includes a green USB-C cable for charging and wired mode. The mouse can also be charged directly, so you don’t need to bring the dock with you when away from your desk.
You can tinker with the Retro R8’s settings in the Ultimate Software V2 app for desktop or mobile. The mouse is bundled with a one-month trial to PC Game Pass for new subscribers. You won’t be able to redeem both vouchers if you buy the keyboard and mouse.
8BitDo will release an NES-themed edition of the Retro R8 Mouse on May 22 for $50, but preorders are currently sold out at Amazon. The Retro R8 is 8BitDo’s second gaming mouse following the N30 2.4GHz Wireless Mouse, which has a D-pad instead of side buttons and a touch panel for scrolling. You can get the N30 for only $21 (was $30) at Amazon.
The C64 Edition has the added benefit of including the Super Stick–a detachable arcade stick–in addition to the Super Buttons. All of the aforementioned models are tenkeyless (TKL), but 8BitDo does sell matching Numpads–the C64 Numpad is the only one that’s on sale right now. In December, 8BitDo launched full-size iterations of the NES and Fami Editions, and you can get either of them for only $96–the lowest price yet at Amazon.
In recent years, cell therapies have developed alongside chemotherapy and immunotherapy to become a new pillar in the treatment of patients with blood and lymph gland cancer. In solid tumors, such as skin, lung, or bone and soft tissue cancer (sarcomas), they have not yet proven themselves as a treatment method. Tumor shrinkage was achieved only in rare cases, but the side effects were all the more severe. An international research group led by scientists from the National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT/UCC) in Dresden has now succeeded for the first time in a phase 1 clinical trial in testing a novel cell therapy approach that also shows promise for solid tumors. The results were now published in the journal Nature Medicine.
In a phase 1 trial involving 40 patients, the research group investigated the use of T cell receptor (TCR)-engineered T cells. Using genetic engineering techniques, the researchers incorporated a kind of target identification into the T cells to enable them to recognize tumor-specific proteins. The newly tested IMA203 therapy targets the PRAME peptide, which is produced almost exclusively by tumors and not by healthy tissue. This enables the T cells to attack tumor cells in a targeted manner without damaging normal cells. PRAME is produced by many tumors, such as melanoma, ovarian cancer, sarcomas, and lung cancer.
A good half of the people treated who had not responded to standard therapies previously responded to the therapy. The majority of them even responded over a period of eight months or several years. Compared to chemotherapy, which usually lasts three to six months, this is a significant advancement in treatment. The cell therapy was also well tolerated. Side effects such as fever or skin rash were mostly mild to moderate and only temporary.
“Based on these results, we can speak of a breakthrough,” says Prof. Martin Wermke, head and first author of the trail: “For the first time, we have achieved a lasting response in truly common solid tumors. The efficacy of IMA203 goes far beyond what we can achieve with our current chemotherapy and immunotherapy treatments. Not only do we have significantly more patients responding to treatment, but the effect is also lasting much longer. We now have patients who have not had a relapse of their tumor disease more than two years after receiving IMA203. Some of these patients may even have been permanently cured of their cancer.”
In a next step, IMA203 could be used in a larger trial in patients with melanoma who have not responded to conventional immune and targeted therapies. The NCT/UCC Dresden is testing other cell therapies for other types of skin cancer and lung cancer.
In 2022, the US emerged as the world’s largest pistachio producer with nearly 4,00,070 metric tonnes, majorly from California, followed by Iran (2,41,669 metric tonnes) and Turkey (2,39,289 metric tonnes). The trio contributed roughly 88 per cent of the global output.In India, pistachio is cultivated mostly in Jammu & Kashmir region, Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan.
The smiling nut
Yes, pistachio is nicknamed the ‘smiling nut’. Well, that comes from the natural split in its shell that occurs as it ripens on the tree. The slight, sometimes a little-wide split creates an appearance that resembles a smile. This is also a sign that the pistachio is ready for harvest.
Close cousins
Interestingly, pistachio is a cousin to several other nuts and plants. It belongs to the Anacardiaceae family aka the cashew family, which makes cashew nut and pistachio cousins – the best ones together for the best reasons. By the way, even mangoes, which belong to the same family, share a close kinship with pistachio.
Long live pista trees!
A pistachio tree may live up to 300 years. Planted in orchards, these trees take 7 to 10 years to reach significant production. Their biological characteristics like adaptation to their native environment and slow and steady development contribute to their capacity to live long.
Pricey fellow
The slow production timeline, where trees take many years to mature and yield significantly, coupled with high cultivation costs and growing requirements like water usage and labour-intensive processes, contributes to pistachio being a costly nut in the market.
About the Webinar on U.S. Foreign Policy with India
U.S.-India foreign relations have been at an all-time high. Under Trump’s first tenure, the U.S.-India partnership saw both advancements and challenges. The start of Trump’s second term promised an unprecedented level of cooperation between the nations.
In February 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump met in Washington and announced the U.S.-India COMPACT—a wide-ranging initiative to deepen cooperation across military, commerce, and technology and the TRUST initiative to bolster joint innovation in AI, semiconductors, critical minerals, and pharmaceuticals. The leaders of the world’s largest democracies also announced an ambitious plan to double bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030, with trade deal negotiations scheduled for fall 2025.
Despite these advancements, the recent surprise 26% tariff on Indian imports (which is paused at the time of this writing) has raised questions about the durability of the economic partnership.
As one of the U.S.’s largest trade partners, India faces both challenges and opportunities that could impact the country’s export competitiveness. Furthermore, the recent revocations of student visas may substantially disrupt the pipeline of India’s international students and foreign workers who contribute to the U.S. high-tech workforce.
What is the long-term impact of the “America First” policy on India-U.S. relations, and how will these dynamics evolve in under the new tariff plan? How can economic policies balance competition with cooperation? How are Indian Americans shaping U.S.-India relations, from high-ranking government positions to driving innovation and diplomacy? And how can the diaspora continue to bridge divides and foster enduring bilateral ties?
Moderator
Sital Kalantry, Founding Director Roundglass India Center, Associate Dean and Professor of Law at the Seattle University Law School.
Speakers
Tanvi Madan, Senior Fellow, Foreign Policy, Center for Asia Policy Studies at Brookings Institute
Milan Vaishnav, Director and Senior Fellow, South Asia Program, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Knee joint pain can be demotivating, especially since most exercises require movement at the joint. Whether it’s squatting, walking, or even doing basic day-to-day tasks like getting up, it can feel challenging. But giving up on exercise isn’t the solution. In fact, the condition may even worsen over time. Exercise might actually reduce the pain over time. The way around it is to find balance and modify your exercises so that you can stay active and exercise without putting too much strain on your knees.
Knee joint discomfort is common, especially among older adults. (Shutterstock)
In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Asad Hussain, fitness coach and Founder and CEO of OddsFitness, revealed the right modifications that acknowledge your limitations while making it easier to exercise.
He said, “Knee joint issues don’t mean you have to give up on movement. You just need to move smarter. With the right assessments, controlled mobility work, and joint-friendly exercises, you can reduce pain, improve stability, and actually start enjoying movement again. Exercise isn’t the enemy of knee pain; improper exercise is. Knee pain holds back millions of people from staying active, but giving up exercise is the worst thing you can do for long-term joint health. The right kind of exercise doesn’t damage your knees, it actually makes them stronger and more pain-resistant.”
Asad shared this detailed guide with us, covering all the necessary steps to make exercising easier for people with knee joint issues:
1. Skip the impact, not the cardio
Try brisk walking.(Shutterstock)
If you’ve got cranky knees, ditch the running, but don’t ditch movement. Try low-impact activities like brisk walking, cycling, swimming, or elliptical training. These keep you fit and boost blood flow to the joints without pounding them.
Swimming is a game changer as water supports up to 75% of your weight, easing stress on the joints. Otherwise, if you love walking, it’s also great. Regular walkers have significantly less knee pain over time compared to those who don’t.
2. Build muscles to protect your knees
Strong thighs and hips mean happy knees. Your quadriceps (front of thighs), hamstrings (back), and hip abductors (outer glutes) act like shock absorbers. When they’re strong, your knees don’t take the brunt of your movements.
Start simple: leg raises, sit-to-stand drills, and side-lying leg lifts. Add core work too, a strong core stabilises your entire body and reduces pressure on the joints.
3. Stretch daily to stay loose and pain-free
Do stretching exercises.(Shutterstock)
Tight muscles pull on the knee and mess with alignment. Daily stretching helps. Focus on your hamstrings and quadriceps.
Hamstring stretch: Lie on your back, grab your thigh, and gently pull the leg toward you.
Quadriceps stretch: Pull one ankle toward your butt while standing or lying down.
Yoga and tai chi also boost flexibility and balance. These gentle, flowing routines are proven to help reduce arthritis symptoms and improve mobility.
ALSO READ: When should you stretch? Before or after exercise? Here’s what experts recommend for flexibility and injury prevention
4. Use the pain scale and listen to it
Here’s the rule: Some discomfort is okay. Sharp, lingering pain is not. Use the “traffic light” scale endorsed by NHS and physical therapists:
Green zone (0–3/10 pain): Go ahead.
Yellow (4–5/10): Slow down or adjust.
Red (6+/10): Stop immediately and consult a professional.
Pain that gets worse the next day or doesn’t settle after an hour? You’re pushing too hard.
5. Gear up smart
Get smart gear like resistance bands.(Shutterstock)
Resistance bands: These provide joint-friendly resistance. Perfect for leg workouts without heavy weights.
Pool workouts: Chest-high water walking or gentle water aerobics unloads the knees and feels amazing.
6. Drop extra kilos
Every extra kilo on your frame puts around 4–6 extra kilos of pressure on your knees. Lose just 5–10% of your body weight, and research shows your knee pain drops significantly. A combo of diet and smart movement works best. Even a 10-pound loss can cut your risk of developing knee arthritis in half.
When to get help: If your knee is swollen, red, or hot, or the pain keeps you up at night, that’s a red flag. Time to get it checked.
ALSO READ: Does stretching alone fix your back pain? Expert shares 4 exercises for more effective results
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.
Biohaven lost close to $400 million in market value Friday on news that the Connecticut-based drug developer had withdrawn an application to get one of its most advanced experimental therapies approved in Europe.
The company first asked the European Medicines Agency for approval in late 2023, believing enough evidence had been gathered to show its drug, tentatively branded as Dazluma, is effective at treating “spinocerebellar ataxia,” a type of rare genetic disorder that impairs nerve cells. Once in the body, the drug is designed to break down into riluzole, a molecule already approved in Europe and the U.S. for patients with ALS.
On Friday, the EMA revealed that Biohaven withdrew its application on March 24. The agency’s main drug review committee said, by that time, it had some concerns about Dazluma, and its provisional opinion was a marketing authorization couldn’t be granted. The committee explained that not only was Dazluma’s effectiveness not proven, but Biohaven had requested the drug receive a “new active substance” classification, which comes with significant commercial benefits.
EMA staff weren’t convinced the drug is significantly different than plain riluzole. In an emailed statement, Biohaven CEO Vlad Coric said his company ultimately pulled the approval application once it became clear the committee didn’t intend on bestowing that classification.
Coric added that Biohaven is committed to quickly providing the committee with either further arguments, “appropriate data,” or both, and plans to do so in approximately three months. The company “remains committed to the Dazluma program and plans to resubmit to EMA this year once the data is generated to respond to” the new active substance issue.
“In our view, we view this as a speed bump, but not ultimately a roadblock, on the [European approval] front,” wrote Charles Duncan, an analyst for Cantor Fitzgerald, in a note to clients.
Biohaven shares were down roughly 16% Friday afternoon, to trade around $19.50 apiece.
Meanwhile, the company has also submitted an application to the Food and Drug Administration, and an approval verdict is expected sometime between July and the end of September. To Leonid Timashev, an analyst at the investment bank RBC Capital Markets, the withdrawal in Europe adds risk to the U.S. review, as it “calls into question whether the FDA would be similarly strict.”
Biohaven investors have “been more bearish lately, and questions have focused on what can drive a turnaround in shares,” he wrote in a note to clients. Most believe FDA approval is “critical to helping the stock recover. We believe this puts additional pressure on the news, and explains the outsized stock move.”
In late 2022, Biohaven completed selling off its portfolio of migraine medications to Pfizer for nearly $12 billion. Since then, the new company has been trying to find its next success story, amassing a research pipeline with more than a dozen experimental medicines targeting a range of disease categories, from oncology to immunology to neuroscience.
Yet a couple of those medicines recently hit setbacks in clinical testing. Investor confidence in the pipeline seems to have waned over the past year, with Biohaven shares now having lost two-thirds of their value from when they peaked at roughly $58 in March 2024.
Rental growth is still tracking above the pre-COVID decade annual average of 2.0%, but the rate of change has slowed considerably.
The March quarter increase was largely driven by units, which rose 2.3% nationally compared with a 1.4% rise in house rents. This represents a reversal of recent trends, where houses consistently outperformed units.
Since March 2019, national rents have climbed 38.4% – the equivalent of an extra $182 per week or $9,442 annually. This significant increase has prompted many households to adapt by forming larger households, particularly in capital cities.
National rents rose 1.7% over the March quarter, up from 0.4% in the December quarter, according to CoreLogic’s latest Quarterly Rental Review.
However, this uptick is largely seasonal, with the 1.7% rise in rents over the three months to March marking the slowest Q1 growth since 2019 (1.0%) and is a full percentage point below the 2.7% lift seen this time last year.
While rental values experienced a seasonal boost, the underlying trend remains one of moderation.
Rental growth is still tracking above the pre-COVID-19 decade annual average of 2.0%, but the rate of change has slowed considerably.
At 3.8%, the 12-month change is now less than half the recent 8.3% peak recorded over the year to March 2024.
The further increase in the average household size due to worsening affordability, along with the slowing in population growth, continues to put downward pressure on rental demand and, subsequently, on rental value growth.
Despite the easing in demand, advertised rental listings remain well below average.
Around 99,000 rental properties were listed for rent nationally over the four weeks to 6 April, -22.1% below the historic norm for this time of year.
As a result, vacancy rates tightened to 1.6% in March, down from 2.0% in December and just 10 basis points above the record low seen in March 2024.
High-density sector drives quarterly uptick
The March quarter increase was largely driven by units, which rose 2.3% nationally compared with a 1.4% rise in house rents, reversing the recent trend where houses consistently outperformed units.
The renewed growth in unit rents is likely linked to the seasonal lift in demand from international students who typically favour higher-density housing.
Additionally, the preference for house rent over the past year has widened the gap between median house and median unit rental values, from $38 in June 2023, to $47 in March.
While still below the $71 gap recorded at the end of 2021, the expansion of the house rent premium has eroded some of the relative affordability advantages that some renters have gained by forming larger share houses.
Across the capitals
Across the capitals, Hobart led the charge with a 2.3% increase in dwelling rents over the March quarter.
Perth (2.2%), Brisbane (1.9%) and Adelaide (1.8%) also posted solid gains.
Sydney and Melbourne saw some of the biggest turnarounds in momentum.
After recording quarterly declines in December, both cities rebounded, with rents up 1.4% and 0.8%, respectively.
Darwin recorded the softest result, with rents rising just 0.3%.
On an annual basis, Perth continues to lead with rents up 6.3%, followed by Adelaide (5.5%) and Hobart (4.6%).
Canberra recorded the smallest increase at 1.6%, or an additional $10 per week.
Despite the recent quarterly rise, Hobart remains the most affordable rental capital, with a median weekly rent of $574.
Sydney remains the most expensive, with a median weekly rental value of $781.
Rental growth to remain subdued
While the seasonal uptick in rents offers some short-term momentum, the broader trend of moderation is likely to persist amid weakening demand.
Since March 2020, national rents have climbed 38.4% – the equivalent of an extra $182 per week or $9,442 annually.
This significant increase has prompted many households to adapt by forming larger households, particularly in capital cities.
With affordability stretched, many renters are adjusting by staying in shared accommodation or delaying independent living, which in turn reduces net rental demand.
Additionally, recent migration data also points to easing demand, with net overseas migration in the year to September 2024 coming in at just under 380,000 people – more than 30% lower than the previous year’s peak.
Given the easing in demand, it’s likely rental growth will remain relatively subdued over the coming quarters, even in the face of tight supply.
About Kaitlin Ezzy Kaytlin is a skilled research analyst and key member within CoreLogic’s research team. She specialises in collating large and customised data sets, data visualisation and residential data reports.
www.Corelogic.com.au
Apple’s free 5 GB iCloud plan seems generous until you start shooting with the iPhone’s excellent camera. Photos, videos, backups, and app data guzzle up the space fast. I soon got warned with the dreaded “iCloud Storage Almost Full” alert. But instead of paying for more space, I decided to reclaim some space with these methods.
1
Delete Unwanted Photos and Videos
The biggest culprit for my full iCloud was my Photos library (and our photography habits). I love snapping pictures. While there are reasons for never deleting your old photos, not every shot is a keeper.
Over time, my library became cluttered with blurry photos, duplicates, accidental screenshots, and videos that I would never watch again. To cut down a fat Photos library, open the Photos app and tap Select in the top right corner.
Scroll through my library, selecting anything you don’t want to keep, such as duplicates, out-of-focus shots, old memes, and screen recordings. After deleting them, go to Utilities > Recently Deleted and tap Delete All. This step is essential; otherwise, deleted photos will still count against your iCloud quota for 30 days.
On iOS 16 and later, the Duplicates album in Photos makes this even easier. Go to Photos > Utilities > Duplicates.
Tap Merge to combine a set of duplicates. Then tap Merge [number] Items. If you don’t have duplicate shots, this folder will not be in the Utilities list (as in my case).
Making this a weekly habit became part of my iPhone photo organization routine. My library stayed lean, and I never accidentally deleted something important. If you’re worried about losing a photo, back it up to your computer or an external drive first.
If you have a Mac, the Photos app can help you spot duplicates. Beyond manual culling, photo-deleting apps for iOS can also spot hidden duplicates and similar shots. They are customizable and can flag dozens of redundant images that you might otherwise miss.
2
Optimize iPhone Storage With iCloud Photos
Next, I looked at the storage space on my device. I went to Settings > iCloud > Photos > Manage Storage. The iPhone keeps smaller, device-friendly versions of photos and videos locally. The full-resolution originals stay in iCloud, and I download them only when I need them.
It helps that iCloud Photos manages the backup automatically, so I don’t have to think about it. And I can still see every photo in my library, even ones from years ago.
This setting doesn’t directly reduce your iCloud usage but prevents your iPhone from filling up. It also ensures you don’t have to delete photos to make room for new ones.
If you turn off iCloud Photos, download the originals to your PC or phone first, or you might lose access to the full-resolution versions.
3
Manage Your iCloud Backups
Device backups are another sneaky storage hog. By default, iCloud backs up your iPhone or iPad every night when plugged in and on Wi-Fi. Over time, these backups can balloon, especially if you have multiple devices or old backups still stashed away.
Go to Settings > [Name/Profile] > iCloud > Manage Storage > Backups.
It’s easy to delete old or unnecessary backups by selecting the name of the device associated with the backup.
Check the size of each device backup. You can find backups for devices you no longer use, so delete them. To erase them, tap Turn Off and Delete from iCloud. Tap Turn Off and Delete to confirm.
You should also review the list of apps being backed up. Turn off backup for apps that don’t need it, like streaming apps, games, and news apps that store data in the cloud or can be easily re-downloaded.
In my case, this freed up almost a gigabyte overnight. Only essential data is backed up, and I don’t waste space on things that can be easily replaced.
If you use WhatsApp, back up your chats to Google Drive (on Android) or your computer instead of iCloud. This keeps your iCloud backup smaller.
4
Review and Delete Other iCloud Data
iCloud isn’t just for photos and backups. It also stores data from Mail, Messages, Notes, Voice Memos, and third-party apps. Reviewing what other things are eating up space, one byte at a time, is always critical.
Go to Settings > [Your Name/Photo] > iCloud > Saved to iCloud > See All. Go down the list of apps and see which ones are using iCloud to save their data.
Here’s what I did:
I deleted large voice memos that I had already saved elsewhere.
I opened the Mail app and cleared out old attachments and junk mail.
I reviewed my Notes and deleted anything outdated or unnecessary.
For Messages, I deleted old conversations with lots of photos or videos. I set messages to auto-delete after 30 days under Settings > Messages > Keep Messages.
I also look for folders that hold copies of downloads from browsers, Instagram, and other apps. For instance, when I download a file in Chrome or a reel from Instagram.
Your situation may be different. But each tiny cleanup adds up. I recovered hundreds of megabytes just by being ruthless with old files.
If you use iCloud Drive, move large files to your computer or another cloud service if you don’t need constant access from all devices.
5
Transfer Photos and Videos to External Storage
Some photos and videos are too precious to delete, but I didn’t need them in iCloud. For these, I moved them to an external storage device.
You can use the Photos app or File Explorer to import media on Windows.
For cloud storage, I uploaded select albums to Google Drive or Dropbox. If you own a Mac, connect your iPhone to the Mac and open the Image Capture app. This tool will help you quickly export photos and videos to an external hard drive.
If you have a USB-C flash drive, the Files app on iOS makes it easy to move files directly from your iPhone. Even without space constraints, keep local backups in case photos and videos are memorable.
Once I confirmed the files were safely backed up, I deleted them from my iPhone and iCloud Photos. This cleanup instantly freed up space, but I still had all my memories saved elsewhere.
6
Turn Storage Management Into a Habit
The key to staying under the 5 GB cap is regular maintenance. I set a monthly repeating reminder in the iOS Reminders app to:
Review and delete unwanted photos and videos.
Check iCloud backups and remove old ones.
Clear out large attachments and files from Mail, Notes, and Messages.
Offload pictures and videos to an external storage device.
The Recommended For You screen in iCloud Settings can help you discover large files and delete them to free up a lot of space.
You don’t need to pay for more iCloud storage to organize your digital life. With a few simple habits—deleting what you don’t need, optimizing your settings, trimming backups, clearing out old data, and archiving precious memories elsewhere—you can stay well under Apple’s free 5 GB cap.
Perched high above the cliffs of northwest China’s Shaanxi Province, Huashan Mountain is famed as one of the country’s most perilous peaks. Its legendary skywalk – a narrow path made of wooden planks bolted directly into the sheer rock face – challenges even the bravest. Now, in a jaw-dropping operation, the skywalk undergoes a safety upgrade, including the replacement of its steel cables. Viewer discretion is advised for individuals with acrophobia!
Lar Park Lincoln, the actor known for her work in “Knots Landing” and “Friday the 13th Part VII” and establishing a studio to support upcoming talent, has died.
Lincoln died Tuesday, her Actors Audition Studios announced Thursday in a Facebookstatement. Additional details, including where the actor died and a cause of death, were not revealed. She was 63.
“Over her 45-year career, Lar left an unforgettable mark on Hollywood through her dynamic performances and dedication to mentoring aspiring actors,” the statement said.
The Dallas-born actor was best known for her “Knots Landing” tenure from 1987 to 1991 where she starred as Linda Fairgate. Linda, who earned a reputation among fans for her scheming ways, was the daughter-in-law of star Michele Lee’s Karen Fairgate and was brutally murdered in Season 13. During her time on the CBS drama, Lincoln also portrayed several minor characters and shared the screen with series stars William Devane and Kevin Dobson.
In addition to “Knots Landing,” Lincoln was known for her portrayal of Tina Shepard, the teenager whose special powers awaken Jason from his grave at the bottom of the lake, in the 1988 film “Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood.” She would later reprise the role in the fan film “Rose Blood” released in 2021, one of her final roles.
Lincoln’s acting credits also include TV series “Outlaws,” “Highway to Heaven,” “Beverly Hills, 90210” and “Murder, She Wrote.” She also appeared in films “The Princess Academy,” “From the Dark,” “Autumn Road” and the 2022 movie “Ghost Party,” her final acting credit.
Offscreen, Lincoln also sold her clothing line on QVC and returned to her home state to launch her Actors Audition Studios and raise a family. She published her book “Get Started, Not Scammed,” a guide for prospective actors and models, in 2008.
Under her leadership, Actors Audition Studios mentored several actors who would take their talents to the CW, Netflix, Nickelodeon, Disney, NBC and Disney, according to its website.
“It’s my passion to work with actors, speakers, coaches, and authors to create their best work and soar to success,” Lincoln said on her website. “As a person who understands just how rewarding it is to live out your wildest dreams, it’s equally rewarding for me to help others reach theirs.”
Laurie Park Lincoln was born May 12, 1961 and was married to husband Michael Martin Lincoln until his death in 1995. She is survived by her daughter Piper, her son Trevor, and her siblings Karen and Michael and four grandchildren.
New Delhi, April 25: The Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has issued a show-cause notice to Ola Electric Mobility Limited over missing trade certificates.
In the notice dated April 24, the ministry asked Bhavish Aggarwal-run Ola Electric to provide detailed information about the number of stores and service centres it currently operates, as well as the number of trade certificates it has obtained in the past three years, including their issuance dates, as per a media report Ola Electric Confirms Receiving Inquiries From Government Over Discrepancies in Its EV Sales Data and Trade Requirement Certificates.
The company has also been asked to clarify whether it is stocking unregistered vehicles at its centres, the NDTV Profit report added. The ministry further demanded model-wise and variant-wise data for the 7,820 electric scooters Ola Electric claimed to have delivered in February this year.
The company has been directed to respond within seven days of receiving the notice to avoid any adverse action. In response, Ola Electric said that it had already disclosed the necessary information to the stock exchanges and denied having received any order to shut down over 100 of its showrooms in Maharashtra.
The company made this clarification in a filing to the National Stock Exchange (NSE) on Friday, responding to a media report about enforcement action by the Maharashtra Transport Department. “We are not aware of any such negotiations or events regarding a notice from the authorities ordering the immediate closure of over 100 showrooms in Maharashtra,” the company said in its NSE filing.
Ola Electric also said that it had already informed exchanges on March 21 about receiving notices from four states related to trade certificates at certain outlets. It maintained that all required disclosures have been made in line with SEBI regulations, and there is no undisclosed information that could explain recent movements in its share price. MoveOS 5 Beta: Bhavish Aggarwal-Run Ola Electric Opens Registration for Beta Enrollment; Check Features and Other Details.
“There is no material impact of this article on the company,” Ola Electric added. As per Indian law, dealerships must have a valid trade certificate to sell vehicles or even offer test drives. Around 1.45 pm, Ola Electric shares were down nearly 4 per cent at Rs 50.39 on Friday on the NSE.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 25, 2025 05:26 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
Meta has a lot at stake in the current FTC lawsuit against it. In theory a negative verdict could result in a company breakup. But CEO Mark Zuckerberg once faced an even bigger existential threat. Back in 2006, his investors and even his employees were pressuring him to sell his two-year-old startup for a quick payoff. Facebook was still a college-based social network, and several companies were interested in buying it. The most serious offer came from Yahoo, which offered a stunning $1 billion. Zuckerberg, though, believed he could grow the company into something worth much more. The pressure was tremendous, and at one point he blinked, agreeing in principle to sell. But immediately after that, a dip in Yahoo stock led its leader at the time, Terry Semel, to ask for a price adjustment. Zuckerberg seized the opportunity to shut down negotiations; Facebook would remain in his hands.
“That was by far the most stressful time in my life,” Zuckerberg told me years later. So it’s ironic to observe, through the testimony of this trial, how he treated two other sets of founders in very similar situations to him—but whom he successfully bought out.
The nub of the current FTC trial seems to hinge on how US District Court judge James Boasberg will define Meta’s market—whether it’s limited to social media or, as Meta is arguing, the broader field of “entertainment.” But much of the early testimony exhumed the details of Zuckerberg’s successful pursuit of Instagram and WhatsApp—two companies that, according to the government, are now part of Meta’s illegal monopolistic grip on social media. (The trial also invoked the case of Snap, which resisted Zuckerberg’s $6 billion offer and had to deal with Facebook copying its products.) Legalities aside, the way these companies were upended by a Zuckerberg offer made the first few days of this case a dramatic and instructive study of acquisition dynamics between small and big business.
Though almost all of these narratives have been covered at length over the years—I documented them pretty thoroughly in my own 2020 account Facebook: The Inside Story—it was striking to see the principals testifying under oath about what happened. Hey, my sources were pretty good, but I didn’t get to swear them in!
In their testimony, star witnesses Zuckerberg and Instagram cofounder Kevin Systrom agreed on facts, but their interpretations were Mars and Venus. In 2012, Instagram was about to close a $500 million investment round, when suddenly the tiny company found itself in play, with Facebook in hot pursuit. In an email at the time, Facebook’s CFO asked Zuckerberg if his goal was to “neutralize a potential competitor.” The answer was affirmative. That was not the way he pitched it to Systrom and cofounder Mike Krieger. Zuckerberg promised the cofounders they would control Instagram and could grow it their way. They would have the best of both worlds—independence and Facebook’s huge resources. Oh, and Facebook’s $1 billion offer was double the valuation of the company in the funding round it was about to close.
Everything worked great for a few years, but then Zuckerberg began denying resources to Instagram, which its cofounders had built into a juggernaut. Systrom testified that Zuckerberg seemed envious of Instagram’s success and cultural currency, saying that his boss “believed we were hurting Facebook’s growth.” Zuckerberg’s snubs ultimately drove Instagram’s founders to leave in 2018. By that time, Instagram was arguably worth perhaps 100 times Zuckerberg’s purchase price. Systrom and Krieger’s spoils, though considerable, did not reflect the fantastic value they had built for Facebook.
The Financial Intelligence Unit of India (FIU-IND) has reportedly instructed all crypto exchanges to verify the know your customer (KYC) data collected from users based in India, by the end of June. The KYC details that are older than 18 months will need to be refreshed by all operational exchanges. Mudrex and Pi42 confirmed the development to Gadgets 360 on Friday. The aim of this step is to maintain accurate details of crypto holders, while also identifying the flouters of the national crypto tax laws.
The FIU has observed that many crypto users as well as exchanges are neglecting the one percent TDS deduction law on crypto transactions, The Economic Times reported, citing anonymous sources. The agency now plans to tighten its oversight over crypto activities.
Bharat Web3 Association (BWA), which is an independent crypto advisory body based in New Delhi, said this directive underscores India’s push for regulatory accountability in the Virtual Digital Assets (VDA) space.
“The FIU-IND has directed all registered VDA exchanges to enhance KYC compliance by June 30, 2025, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). This includes updating user data, re-verifying accounts older than 18 months,” the BWA posted on LinkedIn. “BWA supports this effort as a vital step toward fostering a transparent, secure, and regulation-aligned VDA ecosystem in India—one that builds long-term credibility.”
“All crypto exchanges operating in India are required to conduct periodic re-KYC and report TDS to the government.” Mudrex CEO Edul Patel told Gadgets 360. He also noted that crypto exchanges should take it upon themselves to ensure that their users are aware about tax obligations, helping them make informed decisions and stay on the right side of the law.
Earlier this week, Binance started informing its India users about the re-verification process through an email. The exchange has told its users to submit their PAN or (Permanent Account Number), which is a 10-digit identification number assigned to all taxpayers in India.
Sudhakar Lakshmanaraja, founder of Web3-focussed organisation, Digital South said that this step brings India in alignment with the global regulatory approach to crypto.
“Such proactive steps build greater confidence among stakeholders and reflect India’s intent to responsibly embrace the digital asset space,” Lakshmanaraja noted. The government has yet to introduce comprehensive crypto legislation to govern the sector. Earlier in February this year, RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra said that the government is working on its discussion paper that would clarify India’s stance on the crypto industry.
Here’s how to optimize B2B PPC campaigns in an uncertain economy.
How a tough economy impacts B2B businesses
B2B advertisers, who are selling products and services to other businesses, can be especially impacted by market swings.
When it seems like every business is experiencing difficulties, it feels like your whole pipeline has dried up overnight.
B2B advertisers might find that lead volume has dropped, or that velocity has slowed – leads take longer to close.
You might find that prospects are moving away from enterprise solutions and choosing smaller or mid-market solutions instead.
And tariffs can impact the entire supply chain, forcing a price increase to the end user.
Scary stuff. As a business owner, your first impulse is to stop advertising entirely.
Don’t fall into this trap! When faced with the need to cut costs, it’s tempting to look at advertising as an unneeded expense.
But it is more important than ever in a down market. There is still a market for your product or service.
Sure, leads might slow down and take longer to close. But it’s essential to be there when users are searching for you.
If you stop advertising, you’ll lose awareness and leads.
Then, when things turn around, you’ll have to start from square one.
Better to continue advertising, even if you have to reduce budgets, to keep leads flowing.
Think of it like investing in the stock market. This is a long-term play.
If you sell all your stocks now, you won’t be able to take advantage of market gains when things improve.
Advertising is a similar investment.
That’s not to say you shouldn’t adjust your strategy.
Performance changes are inevitable, and reacting appropriately to them is crucial.
Dig deeper: 5 tips for strong media planning during a recession
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See terms.
Key challenges and tactical responses
Here are some changes you might see in your B2B PPC accounts, and how to deal with them.
Increased number of competitors as demand softens
Across most of our B2B PPC accounts, we’ve seen that competition and ad depth have increased significantly in Q1 and into Q2.
Google recently updated its policies so advertisers can run multiple ads for the same business, app, or site on a single search results page, provided they occupy different ad locations.
This means that a single deep-pocketed advertiser can appear more than once for the same search query.
As advertisers fight for fewer customers, we’re likely to see this happen more and more.
What to do
As B2B advertisers, be intentional about what keywords you’re bidding on.
Drop any vanity terms or overly broad keywords that don’t convert well.
Now is not the time to bid on a short-tail term just because you feel you need to show up for it.
Be ruthless about what keywords get to stay in your paid search accounts.
Higher CPCs due to increased competition
As competition rises, CPCs are up nearly across the board in Q1 from Q4 levels.
In some of our B2B accounts, CPCs are up 80% or more quarter over quarter.
What to do
This is no time to set bid strategies and forget about them.
Careful monitoring of performance is crucial, now more than ever.
When CPCs are up this much, B2B advertisers can’t afford to let poor performing keywords or ad variations run for days or weeks. Fast action is needed.
Scripts can really help with performance monitoring, as can creating automated reports or alerts in your accounts.
This is also a good time to ensure you’re optimizing for the right customers.
If you haven’t set up offline conversions yet, make it a priority to do so as soon as possible.
Remember, smart bidding can only optimize for data it can see.
If your campaigns are driving a lot of form fills, Google will think that’s good, even if the form fills are all junk.
Feeding down-funnel data back into Google Ads is more important than ever to make sure you’re optimizing for quality, not just quantity.
Longer lead to sale times
I talked about lead velocity above. Skittish buyers are taking longer to make a purchase decision.
But that doesn’t mean they’re not doing research. And it doesn’t mean you should pull back on advertising.
When prospects are ready to buy, you want to be on their Day 1 list – the first company they call for when they’re ready to act.
About 92% of buyers end up buying from their Day 1 List, according to Rishi Dave of Bain. You want to do everything you can to be on that list.
What to do
When’s the last time you reviewed your ad copy and landing pages? Do they need a refresh?
Use your ad copy to weed out lower-quality prospects and tire-kickers.
This is always a best practice, but it’s never more important than in tough times when advertisers pay a premium for every click.
Ad copy should make it clear that yours is a B2B offering.
Use words and phrases like “For Businesses,” “Enterprise Software,” and so on to help discourage consumers from clicking on your ads.
Landing pages need to be extra-compelling.
User patience for less-than-optimal pages is thin.
Pages must:
Grab visitor attention right away.
Let users know you can solve their problems.
Otherwise, visitors will quickly bounce and go visit one of your many competitors.
Also, while it’s not strictly a PPC thing, make sure your nurture streams and retargeting strategies are in place and optimized.
Take every opportunity to keep users warm and remind them why they should buy from you.
Retargeting is especially important, and it needs to be done thoughtfully.
If you aren’t investing in B2B retargeting across all paid media channels, now is the time to stand that up.
If you are already doing retargeting, double down on optimizing those campaigns.
Simply serving a generic ad to previous site visitors won’t cut it anymore.
Make sure your targeting, message, and landing pages are as relevant as possible.
Lower conversion values
Recession-shy business decision makers are rethinking large investments in technology.
Businesses that might have been looking for an enterprise solution are now scaling back and looking at lower-cost local or regional vendors.
What to do
As mentioned earlier, offline conversions will be more important than ever.
Measuring results through the sales funnel and assigning values to each step allows B2B advertisers to take advantage of value-based bidding.
Using value-based bidding will help the smart bidding algorithm find your business’s highest-value prospects, focusing ad spend on the highest potential ROI.
Value-based bidding will help you attract customers willing to pay for the level of service you offer and weed out those looking for a lower-tier option.
You might also want to consider competitor conquesting.
Create ads and landing pages that describe how your product or service is superior to lower-cost alternatives.
Be sure to set specific KPIs for your conquesting campaigns.
Although direct lead generation from conquesting is challenging, it can be effective for stealing impression share and building remarketing audiences.
Tactically, use brand inclusions and exclusions to ensure your ads serve to the right searchers.
Carefully measure to make sure the campaigns are meeting your KPIs.
In a tough economy, if the conquesting space gets too crowded, you might need to bow out – but it’s worth testing to find pockets of opportunity.
Test lower-cost alternatives
If you’ve been putting off testing Microsoft Ads, Reddit, TikTok, or paid social, now would be a good time to test the waters of Google alternatives.
Microsoft Ads often sees lower CPCs than Google Ads and can work well for B2B advertisers.
Emerging platforms like Reddit are also worth testing, especially if your audience hangs out there.
Same for review sites like Capterra. If you’re in the B2B SaaS space, Capterra ads can be highly effective.
It’s time to get creative
Leave no stone unturned when trying new ideas that could improve efficiency and reduce costs.
Stay the course, but be smart.
By staying one step ahead of competitors, you can optimize your B2B campaigns for success in an uncertain economy.
Dig deeper: PPC survival – Handling inflation and being ready for a recession
For nearly three agonizing years, Mariah Freschi and her husband have been trying to have a second baby. The California mother recently underwent surgery to remove her blocked fallopian tubes, leaving in vitro fertilization as her only option to get pregnant. But the cost quoted by her Sacramento-area clinic was $25,000 — out of reach for Freschi, a preschool teacher, and her husband, a warehouse worker.
“When we first found out IVF was our only option, it just felt so overwhelming,” said Freschi, who has insurance through the California marketplace. “No one sets aside 20, 30 grand to grow your family.”
The Freschis are far from alone in requiring medical assistance to have children: About 13% of women and 11% of men in the U.S. experience infertility, while others are in a same-sex relationship, single, or want to preserve their eggs or sperm before undergoing various medical treatments.
And, like the Freschis, many Americans do not have health insurance that pays for IVF.
During his campaign, President Donald Trump vowed that the government would cover IVF or require insurers to cover it. In February, he signed an executive order seeking policy recommendations on expanding IVF access, dubbing himself the “fertilization president” a few weeks later.
Whether the administration’s efforts will change policy remains unknown, but state-level attempts to mandate fertility coverage reveal the gauntlet of budgetary and political hurdles that such initiatives face — obstacles that have led to millions of people being left out.
“There are economic opponents, and there are ideological opponents,” said Sean Tipton, a lobbyist for the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. “It is a tough lineup of opponents. And that’s very consistent from state to state.”
Twenty-two states have passed legislation requiring insurers to cover at least some fertility care, and 15 of those require coverage for IVF. The laws vary widely, though, when it comes to who and what gets covered, largely because of debates over cost. Fertility services can range from diagnostic testing and ovulation-enhancing drugs to IVF, widely considered the most effective but also the most expensive treatment, during which one or more lab-fertilized eggs are transferred to a uterus.
Mariah Freschi of Rocklin, California, and her husband, Jarred, would like to have a second child but are struggling to afford the necessary in vitro fertilization and don’t have infertility coverage. (Mariah Freschi)
It’s mostly those footing the bill amid rising health care costs and state deficits that have voiced opposition. State insurance mandates “factor in significantly” when it comes to whether employers continue to provide coverage at all because of financial concerns, according to Chris Bond, a spokesperson for AHIP, which represents health insurers, who also said employers “want to have flexibility with how these benefits are structured.”
States cite concerns about higher premiums and the budget impact of having to cover government workers. In the past few years, infertility coverage bills in Minnesota, North Dakota, and Louisiana, for example, failed largely over cost.
IVF advocates, however, cite data from a decade ago showing that fertility care in states with mandates has accounted for less than 1% of total premium costs, a figure similar to estimates for newer mandates. And advocates often argue that building a family is a human right, though fertility care is disproportionately used by wealthy, white women. Covering IVF for the Medicaid population, which includes more than 70 million Americans, rarely works its way into legislative proposals.
The California Example
California is a case study in how many of these conversations play out. Cost concerns sank IVF legislation in the state for several years before lawmakers approved a mandate last year. SB 729 goes into effect July 1 and requires large employers with state-regulated health insurance to cover infertility diagnosis and treatment, including IVF. State employees will get coverage in 2027.
California’s mandate is considered one of the most comprehensive and inclusive in the country, said Barbara Collura, president of Resolve: The National Infertility Association, making same-sex couples and single parents eligible for coverage. But it still leaves out most of the state’s insured population, including those covered by Medicaid, the Affordable Care Act marketplace, and self-insured companies, which account for the majority of workers and are federally regulated.
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Mimi Demissew, executive director of Our Family Coalition, an LGBTQ+ rights nonprofit that co-sponsored SB 729, said her group envisioned the broadest possible mandate, which would have included people covered by small employers, the marketplace, and other privately purchased plans. “We dreamed big,” she said. “But the pushback and the whittling down was because of the budget.”
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s finance department opposed SB 729 over concerns about the state’s budget and higher premiums. And groups representing the state’s health plansand employers cited costs in their opposition, with the California Chamber of Commerce calling health care “one of the most formidable expenses a business experiences,” per a legislative analysis.
The law going into effect this year is estimated to cover around 9 million people, 5 million fewer than originally proposed. Annual premiums, whose cost is typically shared by employers and employees, are projected to increase for people with state-regulated health insurance by approximately $40 per person covered in the first year.
Mandates Vary Widely by State
More than 10 states — including California — have what fertility experts call “comprehensive” coverage, which requires some insurers to cover IVF with minimal restrictions. But even in those states, large swaths of the population miss out.
In Massachusetts, which has one of the country’s oldest, broadest mandates for infertility coverage, including IVF, only about 30% of women were eligible as of 2019.
Those covered by these mandates, however, are grateful. Luisa Lopez, a nonprofit executive, credited the three IVF cycles that New York’s mandate covered with allowing her and her husband to have a baby after 10 years of trying.
“I feel very lucky to live in a state that prioritized this,” Lopez said. Still, she said, she was on the hook for thousands of dollars in copays and other costs.
In states with narrow mandates, coverage is elusive. With limited exceptions, only state employees have qualified for IVF coverage through Utah’s mandate, for example. Joseph Letourneau, a University of Utah fertility specialist who successfully lobbied for fertility preservation coverage for Medicaid patients and state employees with cancer, said he couldn’t recall ideological opposition to fertility coverage but that some legislators were concerned about raising costs.
Oklahoma and Kentucky limit coverage requirements to patients who wish to preserve their fertility because of specific medical conditions.
Pushback Beyond Costs
Some opponents of IVF coverage say life begins at the moment of conception and have expressed concerns about the disposal of embryos during the IVF process.
Chieko Noguchi, a spokesperson for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, said the Catholic Church teaches that IVF is morally wrong because it “involves the death or freezing of embryonic children and treats human beings like products that can be bought and ordered.”
In Republican-controlled-Georgia, some advocates say the proposal of abortion restrictions has distracted from efforts to mandate fertility coverage. SisterSong, a reproductive justice nonprofit, supports two bills that would require private insurers and Medicaid to cover IVF in Georgia. But, the organization’s director of maternal health and birth equity initiatives, Leah Jones, acknowledged a steep uphill battle given the costs and anti-abortion legislation that some advocates fear could criminalize IVF. Having to fight just for the legality of IVF, she said, detracts from expanding access.
This fissure in Trump’s base over protecting versus restricting or even prohibiting IVF has raised questions about how his executive order will play out. Letourneau of Utah said some of his patients have asked if the order will cover their treatment costs.
The White House did not respond to requests for comment.
An Uncertain Road Ahead
While a growing number of companies provide IVF coverage as a health benefit, most patients are left to find ways to pay on their own. Some have turned to loans — IVF financing startups such as Gaia and Future Family have raised millions in venture funding.
The Freschis have applied for grants, are crowdfunding, and have put their upcoming cycle on a credit card.
“It’s so scary,” said Freschi, describing worries about potential unexpected IVF costs. “It just feels like you’re constantly walking around with a weight on you.”
EA’s upcoming free-to-play Skate game will not feature an offline mode, developer Full Circle has confirmed. In an FAQ, the developer said Skate will require a constant internet connection because of how the game was designed.
“The game and city are designed to be a living, breathing massively multiplayer skateboarding sandbox that is always online and always evolving,” the studio said. “You’ll see bigger things evolve, like changes to the city over time, as well as smaller things, like live events and other in-game activities.”
Full Circle added: “In order to deliver on our vision of a skateboarding world, the game will always require a live connection.”
skate. | Official 2024 Development Update
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Also in the FAQ, Full Circle reaffirmed that Skate is expected to launch this year into early access. The studio said the launch represents just the start for Skate, as the studio plans to add “new features, improvements, and content” over time.
Full Circle also let fans know that the early access launch for Skate “will be great,” even if it is not completely finished. Fans can look forward to more news to come in the coming months.
Even though Skate is currently only available in a closed playtest, the game has microtransactions. Full Circle said these optional purchases “support ongoing development” of the game and ideally feel “fair and fun” for players.
“We know that using real money during a playtest is a little unusual, but we think it’s the best way to properly assess and adjust the system before launch,” Full Circle said.
Full Circle also clarified that if Skate has a successful launch and grows over time as planned, new gameplay areas will not be locked behind a paywall. “If a new area is added to the game world, you can access it for free,” the studio said.
Additionally, Full Circle claimed it won’t lock “cool” items behind a paywall as an incentive for people to spend money. While the in-game rewards system is still being worked out–including what people can buy with real money and earnable in-game currency–Full Circle said “there will be ‘cool’ things for you to earn and customize your character without having to spend real cash.”
The new Skate was first announced in 2020, with series veterans Deran Chung and Cuz Parry–creators of the original games–returning. If Skate isn’t your thing, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 is coming this July.
Cinnamon is one of the oldest and most commonly used spices in the world, but a new study from the National Center for Natural Products Research indicates a compound in it could interfere with some prescription medications.
In a recent study published in Food Chemistry: Molecular Sciences, researchers at the University of Mississippi center found that cinnamaldehyde — a primary component of cinnamon — activates receptors that control the metabolic clearance of medication from the body, meaning consuming large amounts of cinnamon could reduce the effects of drugs.
“Health concerns could arise if excessive amounts of supplements are consumed without the knowledge of health care provider or prescriber of the medications,” said Shabana Khan, a principal scientist in the center. “Overconsumption of supplements could lead to a rapid clearance of the prescription medicine from the body, and that could result in making the medicine less effective.”
Aside from its culinary uses, cinnamon has a long history of being used in traditional medicine and can help manage blood sugar and heart health and reduce inflammation. But how the product actually functions in the body remains unclear.
Sprinkling cinnamon on your morning coffee is unlikely to cause an issue, but using highly concentrated cinnamon as a dietary supplement might.
“Despite its vast uses, very few reports were available to describe the fate of its major component — cinnamaldehyde,” Khan said. “Understanding its bioaccessibility, metabolism and interaction with xenobiotic receptors was important to evaluate how excess intake of cinnamon would affect the prescription drugs if taken at the same time.”
Not all cinnamon is equal. Cinnamon oil — which is commonly used topically as an antifungal or antibacterial and as a flavoring agent in food and drinks — presents almost no risk of herb-drug interactions, said Amar Chittiboyina, the center’s associate director.
But cinnamon bark — especially Cassia cinnamon, a cheaper variety of cinnamon that originates in southern China — contains high levels of coumarin, a blood thinner, compared to other cinnamon varieties. Ground Cassia cinnamon bark is what is normally found in grocery stores.
“In contrast, true cinnamon from Sri Lanka carries a lower risk due to its reduced coumarin content,” he said. “Coumarin’s anticoagulant properties can be hazardous for individuals on blood thinners.”
More research is needed to fully understand the role that cinnamon plays in the body and what potential herb-drug interactions may occur, said Bill Gurley, a principal scientist in the center and co-author of the study.
“We know there’s a potential for cinnamaldehyde to activate these receptors that can pose a risk for drug interactions,” he said. “That’s what could happen, but we won’t know exactly what will happen until we do a clinical study.”
Until those studies are complete, the researchers recommend anyone interested in using cinnamon as a dietary supplement to check with their doctor first.
“People who suffer from chronic diseases — like hypertension, diabetes, cancer, arthritis, asthma, obesity, HIV, AIDS or depression — should be cautious when using cinnamon or any other supplements,” Khan said. “Our best advice is to talk to a health care provider before using any supplements along with the prescription medicine.
“By definition, supplements are not meant to treat, cure or mitigate any disease.”
This work is based on material supported in part by the United States Department of Agriculture Specific Cooperative Agreement No. 58-6060-6-015.
The Income-tax Bill, 2025, introduced in the Lok Sabha on February 13, 2025, aims to replace the Income-tax Act, 1961, with a focus on simplification and modernization. The Income Tax Bill 2025, introduced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, represents a landmark reform in India’s taxation system.
It aims to replace the outdated Income Tax Act of 1961, streamline tax laws, and modernize the framework to align with contemporary economic realities. The bill proposes to come into effect from April 1, 2026, and is currently under review by a Select Committee of the Lok Sabha.
Below is an in-depth analysis of the bill’s highlights, its implications for taxpayers, and concerns surrounding data privacy.
Key Highlights of the Income Tax Bill 2025
The bill consolidates tax provisions into 536 sections across 23 chapters and 16 schedules, significantly reducing complexity compared to the 1961 Act, which had 298 sections spread over 823 pages.
Redundant provisions have been removed, and explanations/provisos have been eliminated.
The word count has been halved from 512,000 to 260,000 words. More than 57 tables have been incorporated to simplify provisions related to TDS/TCS rates, deductions, and exemptions.
The definition of undisclosed income now includes virtual digital assets like crypto tokens and digital codes.
Tax authorities can now access online spaces like emails and trading accounts during searches, even bypassing passwords.
If a treaty term is undefined in law or notification, its meaning will come from other central laws.
The dispute resolution panel must now explain its reasoning and highlight key issues while guiding tax assessments.
Structural Reforms in the Income Tax Bill, 2025
Unified Tax Year: The bill introduces the concept of a “Tax Year,” replacing “Assessment Year” and “Previous Year,” which reduces confusion for taxpayers.
Digital Integration: The bill emphasizes digital monitoring of taxes and includes provisions for electronic data storage as part of “books of account”. It expands the definition of “undisclosed income” to encompass virtual digital assets and grants tax authorities access to taxpayers’ virtual digital spaces, such as email servers and online accounts, during investigations.
Virtual Digital Space: Under the existing law, tax authorities can search premises and access physical or electronic records if a person fails to produce required documents when summoned.
The new Bill keeps these powers intact but expands them further. It allows officials to enter and access “virtual digital spaces” during search and seizure operations- even bypassing passwords or access codes, if needed.
The Bill defines this space broadly to include online environments created through computer technology- like email servers, social media platforms, digital investment accounts, and web-based asset records.
Dispute Resolution Panel: Currently, certain categories of taxpayers: such as non-residents, foreign companies, or those involved in transfer pricing issues, can challenge draft assessment orders before a Dispute Resolution Panel (DRP). This panel can guide the final outcome of such assessments.
The proposed Bill continues this mechanism but introduces a new requirement: the panel must clearly outline the issues considered and provide detailed reasoning for its directions.
Interpretation of Tax Treaties: The existing law empowers the central government to sign tax agreements with other countries to avoid double taxation. It also states that if a term used in such an agreement isn’t defined in the treaty or the Income Tax Act, the government may notify its meaning.
The Bill adds a fallback clause wherein if a term isn’t explained in the treaty, the Act, or by notification, then its interpretation will be drawn from any other applicable central law.
Focus on Digitalization
One of the most transformative aspects of the Income Tax Bill 2025 is its emphasis on digital integration:
The definition of books of account now includes digital data stored on cloud platforms or electromagnetic devices (e.g., external hard drives). The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has been empowered to implement compliance measures without requiring frequent legislative amendments.
While the bill’s focus on digitalization is commendable, it raises significant concerns regarding data privacy:
Expanded Scope for Data Collection: The inclusion of digital data as part of “books of account” means sensitive financial information stored electronically could be subject to government scrutiny. This broad definition raises questions about how securely this data will be handled.
Risk of Cybersecurity Breaches: With increased reliance on digital monitoring systems, there is a heightened risk of cyberattacks targeting taxpayer information. Ensuring robust encryption protocols and cybersecurity measures will be critical.
Lack of Explicit Privacy Safeguards: The bill does not explicitly address safeguards for taxpayer data collected through digital systems. In an era where data breaches are common, this omission could compromise individual privacy.
Countries such as the European Union have implemented stringent regulations like GDPR to protect personal data. India’s Income Tax Bill lacks comparable provisions for securing taxpayer information against misuse or unauthorized access.
Relief for Small Businesses: The expanded presumptive taxation scheme reduces compliance burdens for small businesses and professionals by eliminating the need for detailed bookkeeping.
Clarity in Digital Asset Taxation: Cryptocurrencies are now formally classified as taxable capital assets, removing ambiguities that previously led to disputes4.
Challenges Ahead
Despite its merits, the bill faces challenges:
1. Implementation Complexity: Transitioning from the Income Tax Act of 1961 to the new framework will require significant administrative effort. Training tax officials and educating taxpayers about new provisions will be critical.
2. Addressing Privacy Concerns: The government must introduce explicit safeguards for data privacy to build trust among taxpayers using digital systems. While digital monitoring enhances transparency, it must not come at the cost of individual privacy. Striking this balance will be crucial.
Conclusion
The Income Tax Bill 2025 is a monumental step toward modernizing India’s tax system. By simplifying provisions, increasing exemption limits, and emphasizing digital integration, it seeks to create a more taxpayer-friendly framework. However, concerns surrounding data privacy highlight the need for additional safeguards to protect sensitive financial information.
In his new book Fortune Seekers, economic historian Raman Mahadevan maps the rise of the Chettiars — and why their vast Southeast Asian network didn’t last.
From Chettiars to Financiers (2002) by Chern Lian Shan at Asian Civilisations Museum, Singapore.(Wikimedia)
Most Indian business histories focus on the Marwaris and Bania community. But in Fortune Seekers, economic historian Raman Mahadevan turns his attention to the Natukottai Chettiars, a mercantile community from Tamil Nadu whose financial reach once extended across Southeast Asia. By 1929, their assets were estimated at ₹200 crore, an extraordinary figure for a community of just over a lakh people. From financing Burma’s rice economy to backing rubber and tin production in Malaya, the Chettiars built one of the most far-flung capital networks of their time. In this interview with the Hindustan Times, Mahadevan revisits their rise, risk appetite, and eventual decline. Excerpts.
Bankers of the East
Fortune Seekers covers the business history of Nattukotai Chettiars, the most prominent business community from Tamil region.
The Chettiars were reportedly known as the ‘bankers of the East’. Exactly how powerful were they in their heyday?
They were really big and economically quite influential. Some estimates suggest that the total assets of the Chettiar community, which were valued at around ₹10 crore in the 1880s, had by 1929 grown phenomenally to about ₹200 crore. Keeping in mind that this was a small community — some surveys suggest they numbered just around 1,25,000 in the 1930s — this was a very impressive achievement. Their migration to the Far East picked up in the 1870s, catalysed by the opening of the Suez Canal, which effectively shrank the distance between Asia and global markets. That had a huge impact on the whole process of commercialisation and created business opportunities, which, in a sense, triggered the movement of Chettiar capital to these regions. In Burma, for instance, while Europeans owned the big rice mills, the financing of agricultural production was almost entirely in the hands of the Chettiars. That’s where they made their money. Similarly, the global automobile industry required rubber and tin — both of which came from Malaya — and again, the Chettiars financed the production of these commodities. In Ceylon, they funded the non-European coffee, tea, and coconut plantations. The crisis began with the Great Depression and deepened with the Second World War. Counterfactually, you could argue that had these global shocks not occurred, the economic landscape in India might have been very different. If the Chettiars had managed to bring all that capital back to India, they could well have become what the Marwaris were in Bombay and Calcutta.
How did they differ from the Marwaris and Banias? One major difference was that the Chettiars went abroad in large numbers. The Marwaris did go too, but far fewer. While many Marwaris were bankers, they were also predominantly traders. My theory is that the transition from trade to manufacturing is easier — their access to market and commercial intelligence provided a certain edge to the trading class and gave them a head start in industrial ventures. In western India, Marwaris and Gujarati Banias were able to move into paper, sugar, and textiles. But the Chettiars’ domestic footprint was relatively limited until the 1930s, as much of their capital remained locked overseas.
More importantly, as the return on investment through banking in Southeast Asia was significantly higher than in Indian industry, there was no major inclination on their part to invest in industry. The risk the Chettiars took was also much greater as compared to other business communities. All business communities are risk-takers, of course, but the Chettiars, by moving out of South India to Southeast Asia and by learning new languages, operating in remote foreign regions governed by different legal systems, would seem to suggest that they displayed greater risk-bearing qualities.
Another distinctly unique system they developed to enable them to make good use of their capital investment was the intra-community credit network — where one Chettiar would finance another. That speaks to a high degree of enterprise and trust. This is clearly suggestive of a system where mutual faith and a high degree of trust was central to their business enterprise.
While many Chettiar firms faded post-independence, a few built lasting business houses. What set them apart? The Chettiars began repatriating some of their capital back to India in order to invest during the 1940s, when World War II created highly profitable conditions for business.
Apart from textiles, a major area was plantations. Some Chettiars also ventured into Bombay. One such example is Alagappa Chettiar, who invested heavily in insurance companies but lost out due to overtrading. The MCT Group, which founded Indian Overseas Bank, also had investments in Elphinstone Mills. But large-scale domestic investment remained limited.
After independence, you see figures like M.A. Chidambaram, after whom the cricket stadium in Chennai is named, making more serious moves. He acquired Automobile Products of India, the makers of Lambretta scooters, and also invested in diesel engine production. Later, he diversified into chemicals.
The Murugappa Group is a standout example of Chettiar success. Two factors, I think, set them apart. First, the intrafamilial bonds were exceptionally strong, and the elders in the family ensured that the cohesive spirit was maintained across generations. Most business families begin to fragment by the third or fourth generation — but in their case, it seems clear this was anticipated and addressed early on.
Second, they maintained a disciplined focus on core competencies — especially engineering-related sectors like Tube Investments and Carborundum Universal. Only after consolidating in those sectors did they diversify, for instance, with the acquisition of Parry & Co., which was in a different line of business.
Lesson for entrepreneurs
What can today’s small and medium enterprises in India learn from the Chettiar model — especially in how to institutionalise trust, capital, and scale across generations?
I think the most important lesson that today’s entrepreneurs — small and medium included — can draw is the notion of trust and mutual accommodation, a feature central to the Chettiar model. This would enable entrepreneurs to optimise costs and cut down competition. The export-oriented Tiruppur knitwear industry is a good example of the Chettiar model.
Chettinad cuisine is famous for its fiery meat dishes, but the community began as vegetarian. Did their migrations reshape their cuisine? Food isn’t my area of expertise, but you could well be right. The Chettiars were — and are — devout Shaivites, and vegetarianism was a natural offshoot of this faith. In fact, the Tamil word for vegetarian food is ‘saiva saappadu’.
So yes, the long years of exposure to overseas cultures must have played a significant role in the evolution of their cuisine — from an exclusively vegetarian to a more inclusive cuisine. Their use of spices is also quite distinct from what you find in other parts of South India, and even here, it is possible to discern other influences.
You’ve written about efforts to rekindle the Chettiars’ entrepreneurial spirit. How far do you think this will go? Many Chettiars in the diaspora have moved into finance and IT, rather than traditional business. This shift worries some of the older generation, who feel there’s a disconnect from their industrial legacy. So conferences and community events have been organised to revive that entrepreneurial zeal. But honestly, I think that time is over. The chapter of Chettiar dominance in traditional sectors is closed.
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The company doesn’t intend to use price hikes as a “lever” to offset tariff costs, CEO Rob Davis said on a conference call. However, Merck has brought enough drug supply to the U.S. to reduce tariff impacts for the rest of the year and started adding contract and in-house manufacturing capacity to lower future costs.
Merck’s $15.5 billion first quarter sales total was 1% higher than the same period a year ago when keeping currency exchange rates constant, slightly above Wall Street analysts’ expectations. Sales of its top product, the cancer immunotherapy Keytruda, grew 6% to $7.2 billion, but were below analyst forecasts. Shares fell as much as 3% in early Thursday trading.
Dive Insight:
Merck’s first-quarter earnings are among the first signs of the financial impact President Donald Trump’s tariff threats will have on pharmaceutical companies. Johnson & Johnson already reported a $400 million impact from tariff costs, primarily in its medical device business, but didn’t alter its forecast for the year. Other companies, such as Sanofi and Bristol Myers Squibb, have also reiterated or increased their financial outlooks, citing the lack of clarity about what their dues might look like.
Merck’s adjustment was minimal, too, with only a half-percent change — from 82.5% at the beginning of the year to 82% — in the guidance for its gross margin. The company also added $200 million to its operating expenses estimate and trimmed 6 cents from its earnings per share outlook, which is now expected to fall between $8.82 and $8.97. Both of those numbers will be affected by payments to development partners.
Davis expects that Merck’s longstanding plan to onshore drug manufacturing — which has been underway since 2017 — should help protect it from substantial tariff costs. Those moves, he said, have stimulated $12 billion in U.S. capital spending so far, along with another $9 billion in planned investments.
“As you look at 2025, we’re well-positioned with inventory to be able to mitigate anything we could see in the short term,” Davis said. “In the medium to long term, we’ve already started to identify where we can either reposition our own manufacturing, change the the priorities of existing plants, bring on external manufacturing, in some cases, to bridge gaps, and then finally, to build internal manufacturing.”
Merck faces its biggest potential tariff exposure in Keytruda, he added. But the company has enough inventory for 2025, and has prepared to produce “drug substance and drug product” in the U.S.” in the years ahead.
Have you ever caught yourself wondering why the property market seems to be either skyrocketing or plummeting?
It feels like everyone’s either raving about booms or fretting over busts, right?
Well, here’s the less dramatic truth: most of the time, the property market isn’t doing much at all; it’s just quietly ticking along.
But don’t let that fool you—because it’s during those rare, other times—maybe about 20% of the market cycle—that things really heat up or cool down, and these are the moments you need to be ready for.
When opportunities knock…
I remember chatting with an investor who snapped up some regional properties during the 2022-23 boom. Her portfolio’s value soared initially, but lately? Things have plateaued.
What’s behind this change?
Simply put, the market’s mood shifted.
When the market is genuinely surging, even your bad property choices get papered over.
Think about a renovation project that’s lagging three months behind schedule.
In a hot market, that delay might inadvertently boost your profits thanks to rising property values during the wait.
These are golden times for flippers and renovators – the rising tide truly lifts all boats, and your renovation skills become the turbocharger on top.
But these windows don’t stay open for long.
.…And when to brace yourself
Conversely, there are those times when even a textbook-perfect project can bleed red.
Take 2020, for example. A friend of mine wrapped up a stunning renovation right when market panic hit and COVID hit.
Despite his best efforts, by the time he sold, his expected profits had vanished—not due to any missteps on his part, but simply bad timing.
Embracing the boring middle
But realistically, for the bulk of the time, we’re neither in the boom nor the bust; the market is neither soaring nor crashing—it’s just being its regular, predictable self.
During these times, (which are most times), the best strategy is simple: keep doing the fundamentals – invest in quality properties, in solid locations, and take a long-term outlook.
Let capital growth and inflation gradually erode your debt, and consider refinancing to capture equity growth and buy another property.
It’s not the stuff of blockbuster movies, but it’s a strategy that quietly delivers results.
Reading market cues
So, how can you tell what the market’s up to?
It’s booming when real estate agents are too swamped to take calls and ordinary properties fly off the listings in days.
It’s stumbling when doom-and-gloom headlines dominate, and properties linger unsold.
Most of the time? We’re just cruising in “normal” gear—where steady, tried-and-true tactics outshine the rest.
This means your investment strategy needs to be time tested and one “that has always worked rather than one that’s just working now.
At Metropole, we deliver strategies that have stood the test of time and have been fine-tuned over the last five decades by our found of Michael Yardney and that we have been using to deliver outperformance for our clients for the last 26 years.
We’re much more than just another Buyer’s Agent. We help you safely create intergenerational wealth through property.
We’re big enough to tip the scales in your favour, but small enough to care.
Click here to book an obligation-free complimentary Wealth Discovery Consultation to discuss your options.
Over the years, we’ve helped thousands of Australians safely build intergenerational wealth through strategic property and wealth advice.
This financial freedom has given them more choices in their life.
About Adam Hubbard Adam Hubbard is a senior Wealth Strategist at Metropole and his many years of real estate and wealth creation experience gives him a holistic perspective with which he helps his clients safely grow their wealth through property.
Love bombing is a form of psychological and emotional abuse that is often disguised as excessive flattery, a preferred tool of narcissists to charm a romantic interest and gain control over them. However, this pattern of behavior isn’t always calculated and premeditated. Sometimes, owing to their own emotional baggage, a person may end up perpetuating these behaviors without even realizing that they’re doing it. That’s known as unintentional love bombing.
However, just because a behavior is unintentional does not mean that it is not unhealthy or harmful to your relationships. If you tend to be too intense at the beginning of a romantic connection or overextend yourself to win the favor of a romantic interest or partner, only to end up overwhelming them, you need to ask yourself, “Am I accidentally love bombing the person I like/have feelings for?”
Let’s help you find the answer to this seemingly daunting question by diving deeper into the unintentional love bombing meaning, the reasons behind it, the warning signs that you may be guilty of i,t as well as a way to break this pattern, with insights from some renowned mental health and relationship experts.
What Is Unintentional Love Bombing?
Unintentional love bombing occurs when someone showers their partner with excessive affection, attention, and gifts early in a relationship without realizing that this overwhelming behavior can be manipulative or harmful. Unlike deliberate love bombing, which is a calculated control tactic, unintentional love bombing stems from genuine feelings, but it can still be just as harmful to a budding romantic connection.
Psychotherapist Ami Kaplan, LCSW, notes that while love bombing is often associated with narcissistic personality disorder, “anyone is capable of love bombing.” She emphasizes that in many cases, it is an unconscious behavior that stems from a person’s attachment style, self-esteem, and social conditioning. Let’s explore how each of these factors can contribute to a person love bombing their partner, even if there is no malicious intent behind their actions:
Attachment style and early life experiences
Love bombing is often driven by a deep-seated fear of abandonment or rejection
According to attachment theory, the way we form relationships in adulthood is often influenced by our early interactions with caregivers. If a person experienced inconsistency or neglect growing up, they might unconsciously overcompensate in relationships by showering their partner with excessive love and attention. This behavior is often driven by a deep-seated fear of abandonment or rejection.
Psychotherapist Dr. Laura Berman explains, “Individuals with an anxious attachment style may overwhelm their partner with affection, not realizing they’re crossing boundaries, in an attempt to ensure that their partner won’t leave.” For instance, if you have an anxious attachment style you might feel the need to constantly reassure your partner of your love and devotion, as a way of securing their commitment, or seek reassurance from them to convince yourself that they’re not going to leave you, even if there have been no indicators that they might.
Insecurity and fear of rejection
Unintentional love bombing can be a result of a person’s underlying insecurities. When you fear that your partner might pull away from you because something similar has happened to you in the past, or are unsure of their feelings, you might overcompensate by trying to create closeness and connection through constant praise, attention, or contact. In this case, being overly affectionate or excessively communicative are ways to feel more secure in the relationship.
Dr. Alexandra Solomon, a licensed psychologist, explains, “People who have experienced past rejections or abandonment may go to great lengths to ensure their current partner doesn’t leave them, even if it means overwhelming them.”
Related Reading: Discover Your Worth: 13 Ways To Feel Loved And Appreciated
Self-worth tied to a relationship
A tendency to become overly invested in a relationship because you feel like your partner defines your self-worth can also lead to unintentional love bombing. If you begin to view a relationship as an accomplishment that defines your worth, you may go out of your way to make sure everything is perfect all the time and end up investing excessive emotional energy into the relationship, which might lead to you inadvertently disregarding your partner’s boundaries.
Reiterating this, relationship therapist Dr. Carla Manly says, “When someone places too much of their self-worth in the hands of another person, they can unintentionally overwhelm their partner with excessive love bombing in an effort to maintain that emotional connection.”
Idealizing a partner
Idealization is a natural part of the early stages of romantic relationships. When you’re in the fabled honeymoon phase, you view your partner as “perfect” or “the one”. While this is a natural rite of passage for romantic relationships, if you take this idealization too far by constantly expressing your admiration to let your partner know how much you adore or value them, it can leave them feeling uncomfortable or pressured.
“In relationships, some individuals can become so enamored with their partner that they begin to focus all their energy on them, trying to maintain that high level of admiration, not realizing that it may overwhelm their partner.”
—Dr. Shannon Kolakowski, a clinical psychologist
Social conditioning
Relationship therapist Dr. Emily Roberts notes, “Society often teaches us that love should be shown in dramatic ways, and people can internalize these messages, leading to behavior that may overwhelm or pressure their partner.” If you’re taken by the idea of all-consuming and passionate love depicted in movies and TV shows, you may think constant gestures of affection and grand romantic expressions are the only ways to make your partner feel loved. However, what’s “normal” for you may feel excessive to your partner.
Related Reading: Psychology Of Love: Theories That Make Relationships Work
9 Actions That Suggest You May Be Love Bombing Your Partner Without Knowing It
Now that you understand the unintentional love bombing meaning, perhaps it will be a little easier for you to identify if you’ve been unwittingly overwhelming your romantic partner with too much too soon. While your heart may be in the right place, not being mindful of your partner’s boundaries and leaving room for the natural progression of a relationship can backfire.
Consider Melinda and George, who met through mutual friends. George was instantly taken by Sarah and asked her out on a date. While the date went well, George’s behavior afterward had Melinda running in the opposite direction. Less than an hour after their first date ended, George sent a text saying what a great time he had. It was all well and good till this point, Melinda even appreciated George’s candor. But then, the messages wouldn’t stop coming.
He kept sending her overtly romantic messages throughout the night, and the following day, expressing how he had never felt this way about anyone before. By the end of the day, he asked for a second date. Flattered by how into her George was, she agreed. Within a week, he surprised her with an expensive necklace and asked her to go away with him for a weekend getaway.
Love bombing, even when it’s unintentional, can get in the way of forming a genuine connection
Now, Melinda started feeling overwhelmed by the rapid pace and intensity of this budding romantic connection. She enjoyed George’s company but wasn’t ready for such swift advancements. George’s intentions were sincere; he believed that by expressing his feelings so openly and grandly, he was solidifying their bond. However, his actions inadvertently pressured Melinda, making her feel rushed and uneasy. She ultimately said she could no longer continue seeing him.
If that sounds a lot like how you behave at the beginning of a romantic relationship, it’s definitely worth giving some real thought to the question, “Am I accidentally love bombing?” Even if the objective is not control or manipulation in relationships, your actions can get in the way of forming a genuine connection with someone you like. Here are 9 such actions that suggest you’re unintentionally love bombing your partner and need to rethink your approach:
Related Reading: 9 Dangers Of Falling In Love Too Fast And How To Stop
1. Constantly texting or calling
Texting or calling your partner all the time to check in or tell them how much you care is one of the most classic unintentional love bombing examples. Dr. Alexandra Solomon, a clinical psychologist, explains, “When one partner constantly reaches out, it can create a sense of obligation, not connection.” Your partner may feel pressured to reciprocate, and this can quickly lead to a sense of feeling suffocated in the relationship. Now, how do you know that the frequency of your calls and texts is over the top? Well, here are a few indicators:
You send multiple texts in a row if they don’t reply
You call multiple times throughout the day, never giving your partner a chance to reach out on their own
Your guilt-trip your partner when they can’t or won’t reciprocate
2. Planning over-the-top dates or surprises
Grand gestures can overwhelm your partner
Planning elaborate dates or grand gestures is another way you may be overwhelming your partner by coming across as too intense. Another reason why this is a red flag is that it often stems from an underlying feeling of not being good enough, which can lead to overcompensation. Dr. Manly notes, “Sometimes, grand gestures are used to compensate for a fear of inadequacy or to create a false sense of closeness.” If you’re wondering, “Am I accidentally love bombing my partner?”, see whether you’re guilty of the following behaviors:
Organizing surprise trips or romantic dinners frequently
Going overboard with gifts or lavish acts of affection
Planning things without paying any mind to whether these align with your partner’s comfort
3. Overwhelming your partner with compliments
I know what you’re thinking—who doesn’t like compliments! While that is true and compliments are essential for showing appreciation toward your partner, too much of it, especially early on, can make them feel uncomfortable. Dr. Shannon Kolakowski, a psychologist, says, “If you constantly tell your partner how amazing they are, it can create a dynamic where they feel like they’re not allowed to show any flaws.”
Related Reading: Giving Too Much in a Relationship? How Much To Give of Yourself
4. Forcing closeness and intimacy
Pushing your partner to be more intimate than they’re ready for is another sign of unintentional love bombing. If they need space and you push for constant closeness, it can feel smothering. Relationship therapist Dr. Roberts, “Pushing for closeness too soon, without respecting boundaries, can create anxiety and resistance in your partner.” Here is when your attempts at building intimacy in a relationship turn into one of the unintentional love bombing examples:
Insisting on deep, personal conversations that your partner isn’t comfortable with
Trauma dumping in the name of stimulating vulnerability in the relationship
Insisting on meeting big relationship milestones like moving in together early in the relationship
5. Making big promises too soon
Premature declarations of love are among the red flags of love bombing
Sometimes, in the excitement of a new relationship, you might make promises or declarations that are premature, like talking about a future together after only a few weeks of dating or referring to your partner as “the one” or your “soulmate” when you haven’t even had your first fight yet. Dr. Berman explains, “Making sweeping promises like marriage or forever early on can create unrealistic expectations and put undue pressure on the relationship.”
6. Spending all your free time together
I get it, when you meet someone new and are hopelessly smitten, you want to spend every waking moment with them. However, just because you want something, doesn’t mean it’s healthy for you. You may even want to polish off a pound of cake every day but you know where that’s going to lead you. The same is true for your relationship.
When you act on your desire to be around a new partner as much as possible and constantly make plans to spend all your free time with your partner, you crush any scope for personal space and this can make your partner feel like you’re overtaking their entire life, leaving no room for them to honor their other commitments or just focus on self-care.
“Healthy relationships thrive on a balance of togetherness and individuality. If you overdo the time spent together, you risk stifling your partner’s need for independence.”
—Dr. Alexandra Solomon, clinical psychologist
7. Ignoring their need for space
A key sign of love bombing is not recognizing when your partner needs personal time or space, even when they explicitly ask for it. Your partner may go along with your over-the-top gestures for a while, but at some point, they will either directly tell you that they need some space or may hint at it by coming up with excuses to turn you down when you suggest one plan after another or smother them with calls and texts.
If instead of respecting their boundaries, you might continue to shower them with affection or try to be around them constantly, you are love bombing them like it’s nobody’s business. Explaining why this is unhealthy, Dr. Kolakowski explains, “If your partner is distancing themselves, and you push for more closeness, you risk violating their personal boundaries, leading to resentment.”
Related Reading: 8 Signs You Are Losing Yourself In A Relationship And 5 Steps To Find Yourself Again
8. Over-prioritizing their happiness over your own
While a relationship needs to be a priority in your life, it shouldn’t be the top or the only priority. If you’re neglecting your own needs or constantly prioritizing your partner’s, you’re paving the way for an extremely unhealthy dynamic.
Dr. Manly explains, “When you only focus on making your partner happy and neglect your own happiness, you risk developing a codependent dynamic that is unhealthy for both parties.” This may also lead to feelings of being emotionally drained, both for you and your partner. Here are some examples of how not setting your priorities right is also a form of unintentional love bombing:
You cancel plans without a second thought if it means you get to spend time with your partner
You plan your entire day or life around your partner’s needs, even if it leaves you feeling depleted
You over-commit to doing things that you think will make them happy, without considering your own comfort or well-being
9. Making everything about the relationship
If your entire existence revolves around your relationship, you may be guilty of love bombing
As I said, while a relationship is a priority, it’s not the only one. When everything you do is centered around the relationship, it can feel as though there’s no room for individuality or personal growth, which can make the connection feel stagnant and suffocating pretty quickly. Dr. Berman says, “It’s natural to want to focus on your partner, but if the relationship becomes all-consuming, it can lead to feelings of suffocation or emotional burnout.”
Impact Of Unintentional Love Bombing On A Relationship
Even if you can relate to the above-mentioned behaviors in a relationship, you may think, “I have strong, genuine feelings for my partner, and I want to express them. What’s so wrong with that? Is love bombing always bad? Well, it’s important to recognize that even well-meaning actions can sometimes overwhelm a partner and cost you a relationship that could have blossomed into something deep and meaningful had you given it time to grow organically. Unintentional love bombing chips away at the very foundation of a relationship in the following ways:
Related Reading: 5 Signs You Are Entering A Wrong Relationship
1. It emotionally overwhelms your partner
When you shower your partner with affection and attention constantly, it can feel overwhelming for them, especially if they need more space or time to process their feelings. For example, if you text or call your partner multiple times a day, even when they haven’t responded yet, they might start to feel anxious about communication with you, and this can lead to emotional fatigue.
2. Makes your partner feel pressured to reciprocate
Love bombing can create an unspoken expectation for your partner to match your level of affection or commitment, which can make them feel inadequate or guilty if they don’t feel the same way at the same pace. Dr. Manly explains, “When one partner pours out excessive love, it can unintentionally place pressure on the other to feel or act in the same way, which can create anxiety or self-doubt.”
3. Causes an imbalance in the relationship
Lovebombing creates an unbalanced relationship
If you’re always initiating plans, making decisions for the relationship, and expressing your feelings, your partner might start to feel like they’re being carried along rather than actively participating in the relationship. This creates a lopsided equation rather than a partnership of equals.
Dr. Berman says, “When one partner dominates the emotional giving in the relationship, it creates an imbalance that can lead to resentment, withdrawal, and ultimately, a disconnect.” After a point, you may begin to feel like you’re giving too much of yourself to the relationship and feel constantly disappointed that your partner doesn’t reciprocate. On the other hand, your partner may find your behavior unreasonable and push back with, “Well, I didn’t ask for any of this.”
Related Reading: 15 Signs Of Emotional Detachment In Your Relationship
4. It creates feelings of inauthenticity
When the expressions of love are too intense or sudden, it creates a sense of inauthenticity and can leave your partner to question whether your feelings are genuine or if you’re only behaving this way because you think it’s what they want to hear. Dr. Roberts says, “Even when love bombing is unintentional, it can come across as excessive or scripted, leading the recipient to doubt the authenticity of the connection.”
5. It leads to unmet expectations
Dr. Solomon says, “Unmet expectations can result from a mismatch in how affection is expressed, and this can create tension if both partners aren’t on the same page emotionally.” If you constantly express your feelings of love and devotion but your partner doesn’t reciprocate in the same way, you might start feeling frustrated or uncertain about their commitment. At the same time, overwhelmed by your constant affection, your partner might begin to withdraw emotionally. You might expect your partner to feel just as strongly, but they may need more time to match your pace. This creates a mismatch that can threaten the very existence of a relationship.
Related Reading: 11 Ways To Improve Communication In Relationships
6. Healthy communication is hindered
Why is love bombing always bad, you wonder? Well, picture this: your partner has had a rough day at work and is looking to spend some quiet time to clear their head, or maybe they want to go out with their friends and blow off some steam. But you show up at their workplace, flowers in hand, dinner reservations made, hoping for a romantic date, except your partner isn’t in the right headspace for it, and it leads to a fight.
You’re heartbroken that they don’t appreciate your thoughtful gesture. They’re furious that you just won’t back down and give them a minute to breathe. That’s what happens when you love bomb a partner. You might be so focused on showing your partner how much you care that you forget to ask how they’re feeling or to give them space to express their thoughts and concerns.
When one person is consistently over-pouring affection, the focus of the relationship may shift away from open communication to trying to ‘manage’ or ‘receive’ love, and in the process, you miss out on the opportunity to build mutual understanding and connection.
“Love bombing can inadvertently shift the dynamic from open communication to managing emotional needs, where both partners feel their needs aren’t being fully expressed.”
—Dr. Carla Manly, relationship therapist
7. It fuels doubt and insecurity
Dr. Kolakowski says, “Love bombing can lead to self-doubt for the recipient, who may feel overwhelmed by the pace or intensity, leading them to pull away to reassess their own feelings.” If your partner is caught off guard by the intensity of your affection, they might start doubting their own feelings or whether they’re truly ready for such an intense commitment. This can cause them to pull away and trigger feelings of insecurity in you.
7 Ways To Correct Unintentional Love Bombing In Relationships
If you’ve recognized that your actions may unintentionally be love bombing your partner, it’s great that you’re looking to correct it. Here are seven actionable ways to adjust your behavior and bring more balance and mutual respect into your relationship. These strategies will help you create a healthier dynamic while still nurturing the connection between you and your partner.
1. Recognize and respect their boundaries
Everyone needs space to process their feelings, and that includes time apart from constant affection or communication. That’s why, one of the first steps in correcting unintentional love bombing is learning to recognize and respect your partner’s emotional boundaries. Start by asking your partner about their boundaries. For example, “I realize I’ve been texting a lot. How do you feel about that? Do you need space sometimes?”
Then, make an effort to respect whatever boundaries your partner lays out. For instance, if they say they have been feeling overwhelmed by the expectation of constant communication, practice waiting before you send multiple messages or call repeatedly. Give your partner time to respond on their own.
“Recognizing and respecting boundaries is key to building trust and mutual respect in a relationship. When you can give each other space, you show that you care about their needs as much as your own.”
— Dr. Alexandra Solomon, relationship expert
2. Slow down and give your partner time to catch up
Instead of rushing through the relationship milestones or pushing for deeper intimacy, take a step back and allow your partner time to process and match your level of affection. Dr. Roberts, a relationship therapist, suggests, “Allow your partner to take the lead on certain aspects of the relationship. Don’t feel the need to force closeness or commitments before they’re ready.”
This will prevent overwhelming them and give the relationship room to grow at a healthy pace. If you’ve already made big declarations or talked about a future together, try to ease off those topics. Let your partner initiate these conversations when they feel comfortable. Focus on enjoying the present moments with your partner without rushing to define the future.
Related Reading: How To Slow Down A Relationship If It Is Going Too Fast
3. Balance your affection with healthy communication
While affection in a relationship is important, it shouldn’t overshadow the importance of regular, balanced communication. Ensure that your conversations are about more than just affection—discuss your thoughts, feelings, and even concerns openly.
Dr. Kolakowski says, “Balance is key. When you communicate openly about your emotions without overwhelming the other person with affection, you create space for both partners to feel heard and understood.” To be able to do that, you need to
Focus on building a foundation of trust and communication
Make time to check in with your partner about their needs, worries, and desires
Ask more open-ended questions like, “How are you feeling about us right now?”
4. Allow your partner to take the lead sometimes
Create a partnership of equals
If you tend to take charge of the relationship—whether through initiating plans, making decisions, or giving all the affection—it can help to take a step back and let your partner take the reins now and then. This not only shows trust but also helps create a more equal dynamic where both partners contribute.
Dr. Manly emphasizes, “A healthy relationship thrives when both partners feel like they have equal input and ownership. Letting your partner take the lead fosters a more collaborative partnership.”
5. Give space for individuality and personal interests
It’s easy to become overly absorbed in the relationship, but maintaining individual interests and allowing your partner to do the same will prevent the relationship from becoming all-consuming. It’s essential to nurture not only your relationship but also your personal growth and independence. You can do this by
Encouraging your partner to pursue their own hobbies and passions, and doing the same for yourself
Instead of always making plans together, respect moments when your partner needs personal time, whether it’s for self-care or spending time with friends
Related Reading: How To Nurture Space In A Relationship
6. Be aware of your expectations and adjust them
Love bombing often creates unrealistic expectations where your partner might feel pressured to reciprocate with the same level of intensity. By being mindful of these expectations and adjusting them, you can ease the pressure on your partner.
Dr. Berman notes, “When you have realistic expectations for how affection is shown and received, it allows both partners to feel comfortable at their own pace.” So,
Reevaluate the pace at which you’re expecting the relationship to progress
Allow your partner to take their time and express their feelings naturally
Instead of always expecting immediate affection or gestures, give your partner room to express these organically
Focus on enjoying the small moments together
7. Engage in self-reflection and self-awareness
Self-reflection and self-awareness hold the key to correcting unintentional love bombing. Dr. Solomon advises, “Self-awareness is crucial. By understanding your motivations for overdoing affection, you can make conscious decisions to express love in healthier, more balanced ways.”
Understanding why you engage in love bombing—whether it’s to fill an emotional void, boost your own self-esteem, or because of fear of abandonment—can help you take a step back and adjust your behavior.
Spend time reflecting on your behavior and how it may be affecting your partner.
Ask yourself, “Am I giving too much too soon?” or “Am I trying to control the pace of the relationship out of fear?”
If you notice yourself reverting to old habits, check in with your partner and apologize if needed
Let them know you’re committed to respecting their boundaries
FAQs
1. Can love bombing be unintentional?
Yes, love bombing can be unintentional. While it’s often associated with manipulative behavior in toxic relationships, some people may overwhelm their partner with affection simply because they are deeply infatuated, have an anxious attachment style, or believe grand gestures are essential in love. They may not realize their intensity is suffocating or unsustainable.
Key Pointers
Unintentional love bombing occurs when someone showers their partner with excessive affection, attention, and gifts early in a relationship without realizing that this overwhelming behavior can be manipulative or harmful
This behavior stems from factors like anxious attachment styles, insecurity, fear of rejection, low self-worth tied to relationships, idealization of a partner, and social conditioning that promotes grand romantic gestures
Constant communication, over-the-top gestures, excessive compliments, pushing for closeness, and ignoring boundaries are some signs you may be unintentionally love bombing your partner
Overwhelming affection can create emotional fatigue, pressure to reciprocate, relationship imbalance, and feelings of inauthenticity
It can also lead to unmet expectations, hinder communication, and fuel doubt and insecurity in a relationship
To correct this tendency, you need to recognize and respect boundaries, slow down the pace, balance affection with communication, allow your partner to take the lead, encourage individuality, adjust unrealistic expectations, and engage in self-reflection for healthier relationship dynamics
Final Thoughts
Unintentional love bombing can strain a relationship if one partner feels overwhelmed, pressured, or emotionally exhausted. By being aware of these potential effects, you can adjust your behavior to ensure that your love is expressed in a healthy and balanced way. It’s all about respecting each other’s pace and emotional needs while maintaining open, honest communication. Love should feel natural, not forced, and when both partners are allowed to grow and move at their own pace, the relationship will naturally strengthen.
Love Bombing Vs Genuine Interest: 8 Ways To Tell Them Apart
Romantic Manipulation – 15 Things Disguised As Love
Love Addiction: Meaning, Signs & How To Overcome It
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ChatGPT is part of my daily workflow for everything from simple definitions to self-diagnosis. When I switched to Grok for a week, I knew there’d be an adjustment—but I didn’t expect just how much I’d miss some of ChatGPT’s subtler strengths, or how easy it would be to let go of others.
What I Miss About ChatGPT
Even with Grok’s energy and engaging tone, there are moments I long for ChatGPT’s precision. It’s not only about features, it’s about the ease, the rhythm, the way it makes complex tasks feel a bit more manageable.
For each of the following images, ChatGPT’s response is shown on the left, and Grok’s response is shown on the right.
The Cleaner, More Controlled Responses
ChatGPT doesn’t waste words. Its tone is calm, clear, and to the point, even when I ask about something tricky. If I need help understanding how credit scores work or what goes into a good resume, ChatGPT explains it in a way that makes sense without going off-topic.
Grok, on the other hand, tends to lean into personality. That’s part of its charm, but it can also make responses feel a bit looser around the edges. You might get sarcasm when you don’t ask for it, or metaphors that are clever but slightly off-point. While Grok excels in creativity and energy, there are moments I miss ChatGPT’s restraint, especially in professional or technical settings where tone and clarity matter more than flair.
Staying on Track in Complex Conversations
Another aspect of ChatGPT that I miss is its ability to stay on track during long, multi-step conversations. When working through a complicated topic, ChatGPT seamlessly picks up where we left off, connecting ideas and filling in gaps without needing constant reminders. Even as the discussion shifts between topics, it maintains the thread, making the conversation feel more fluid and coherent.
With Grok, the flow can sometimes falter. While fast and creative, it can veer off course, especially in complex back-and-forths. I often find myself having to recap or clarify points, which interrupts the rhythm. ChatGPT, on the other hand, naturally builds on previous discussions, using context to drive the conversation forward without losing focus.
For long, intricate exchanges, ChatGPT’s ability to keep everything connected and moving smoothly is something I value. Grok’s spontaneity is great, but for staying focused over multiple prompts, ChatGPT is significantly more dependable.
More Reliable Source Attribution
One of ChatGPT’s strengths—especially in research or fact-heavy writing—is its ability to cite where information is coming from. Whether through in-line references or subtle context clues, it gives you a clearer sense of what’s widely accepted, what’s speculative, and what’s pulled from a specific source or school of thought. That doesn’t make it infallible, but it does make it easier to fact-check, dig deeper, or confidently cite an idea.
With Grok, sourcing feels a bit more hazy. Answers come quickly and with authority, but it’s not always clear whether they’re grounded in research, cultural consensus, or just the model’s own pattern generation. Because a lot of Grok’s responses pull from content on X (formerly Twitter), the information isn’t always as reliable or well-vetted as it might seem. ChatGPT may not always cite perfectly, but it typically points you in the right direction.
Structured Summaries
When I drop a dense document or messy transcript into ChatGPT, I can count on getting back a summary that feels thoughtful and organized. ChatGPT delivers tiered breakdowns, section headers, or bullet points that make parsing the content fast and painless, especially if prompted to do so. It will even create easy-to-read tables that portion out information in a structured, simple way, making complex material instantly more digestible.
Grok’s summaries, while fast and conversational, don’t always offer the same level of structure. They lean more casual, which sometimes means important details get buried or phrased too loosely. That matters when you’re moving quickly and need to extract insights at a glance. With ChatGPT, I spend less time reformatting and more time working with the information.
These Features Make Switching to Grok Easy
While ChatGPT has its strengths, it still carries habits that slow me down or feel unnecessarily rigid. In contrast, Grok fits more naturally into the way I like to work—faster, less rigorous, and with a bit more creative freedom.
The Formality
ChatGPT can sometimes come across as overly polished. Its default tone tends to be academic or even corporate. This works well in contexts such as preparing a business proposal, drafting technical documentation, or organizing detailed plans. However, it doesn’t always hit the mark when you’re trying to think creatively or approach a challenge from an unconventional angle.
Grok, on the other hand, feels more like collaborating with an intelligent, yet eccentric friend. It’s not afraid to be direct, quirky, or even a little offbeat. This flexibility and openness allow it to be far more effective in creative sessions, where you need a spark of inspiration rather than just a clean, well-structured response.
Over-Explaining Simple Topics
One aspect of ChatGPT’s behavior that has become tiresome for me is the tendency to over-explain basic concepts, as if I were encountering them for the first time. For instance, when asking about SEO, ChatGPT dedicates several paragraphs to explaining what a search engine is before even addressing the core topic. While this level of detail can be useful for beginners, it becomes frustrating for those already familiar with the fundamentals who are seeking a quicker and more direct response.
In contrast, Grok assumes a higher level of familiarity with the subject matter and avoids unnecessary explanations. It gets straight to the heart of the answer unless explicitly directed otherwise. This approach streamlines my workflow, especially when managing multiple prompts, as I don’t have to sift through yet another introductory explanation of “For context, search engine optimization (SEO) is…”
If you have existing knowledge, Grok prioritizes efficiency and respects your time.
Inconsistent Image Generation
DALL-E 3
GPT-4o
Grok Aurora
At the time of writing, ChatGPT’s image generation is split between GPT-4o and DALL-E 3, the latter of which OpenAI refers to as a legacy model. In March 2025, GPT-4o received a huge image update, massively increasing its image quality (along with the time to create an image!). However, herein lies the rub: ChatGPT’s free users only receive a few images before being pushed back to DALL-E 3, which is simply not as good. The difference between DALL-E 3 and GPT-4o is night and day.
ChatGPT’s free image generation, powered by DALL-E 3, still has significant limitations, especially with fine details like hands, faces, or symmetry. The results often end up distorted or surreal instead of realistic. Additionally, it tends to produce more animated or stylized images, which isn’t ideal when you need photorealism. I also found that at times, DALL-E 3 failed to produce anything, which was very frustrating.
Conversely, Grok’s free Aurora engine consistently delivers sharp, photorealistic images with more accuracy, especially when dealing with pop culture references or complex concepts. It’s more flexible and requires far fewer adjustments. At this point, I don’t miss the unpredictability of DALL-E 3. Aurora’s reliable, realistic results have made image generation much simpler, more enjoyable, and more accurate.
Avoiding Controversy
ChatGPT has a tendency to tread carefully around sensitive or controversial subjects, often erring on the side of caution. Whether it’s discussing political ideologies or the effects of robots taking over jobs, its responses are usually filled with numerous disclaimers or neutral statements.
While that caution can be valuable in certain settings, it also makes it harder to move quickly when you’re trying to unpack complex issues or build arguments that require a point of view. In contrast, Grok is more willing to engage directly. It doesn’t shy away from nuance, but it also doesn’t get bogged down in it. That confidence has made deeper, more challenging conversations feel more productive and honest.
Related
Grok Just Upgraded to Rival ChatGPT’s Canvas
Grok’s finally got crayons.
Switching from ChatGPT to Grok hasn’t been seamless, but it’s been an enlightening experience. I miss the precision, memory, and structured support that ChatGPT provides. Grok is less polished, but it brings its own strengths with boldness and creative energy. Both models have their place—ChatGPT for its reliability and structure, Grok for its straightforwardness and edge. Choosing between the two is about finding the right fit for the task at hand.
<img src='https://news.cgtn.com/news/2025-04-24/Rare-dove-tree-blooms-enchant-at-Fanjing-Mountain-1CPDmxG6IGk/img/3223d4c5093f4c85bc615c2a28db1bd4/3223d4c5093f4c85bc615c2a28db1bd4.jpeg'A view of dove tree blooms at the Fanjing Mountain National Nature Reserve in southwest China’s Guizhou Province is seen in April 2025. /Photo provided to CGTN
<img src='https://news.cgtn.com/news/2025-04-24/Rare-dove-tree-blooms-enchant-at-Fanjing-Mountain-1CPDmxG6IGk/img/3223d4c5093f4c85bc615c2a28db1bd4/3223d4c5093f4c85bc615c2a28db1bd4.jpeg'A view of dove tree blooms at the Fanjing Mountain National Nature Reserve in southwest China’s Guizhou Province is seen in April 2025. /Photo provided to CGTN
<img src='https://news.cgtn.com/news/2025-04-24/Rare-dove-tree-blooms-enchant-at-Fanjing-Mountain-1CPDmxG6IGk/img/3223d4c5093f4c85bc615c2a28db1bd4/3223d4c5093f4c85bc615c2a28db1bd4.jpeg'A view of dove tree blooms at the Fanjing Mountain National Nature Reserve in southwest China’s Guizhou Province is seen in April 2025. /Photo provided to CGTN
In late spring, the mist-cloaked valleys of southwest China’s Guizhou Province come alive as Davidia involucrata – the iconic “dove tree” – bursts into full bloom across the Fanjing Mountain National Nature Reserve. Known for its snow-white bracts that flutter like thousands of poised doves in flight, the rare floral display transforms the UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site into a living tapestry of ecological wonder.
A national first-class protected species, Davidia involucrata is celebrated as a “living fossil of the plant kingdom” and a “green giant panda” due to its ancient lineage and scarcity. Thriving in humid, high-altitude environments, the tree has found a sanctuary in Fanjing Mountain’s unique microclimate, where its delicate blooms now paint the rugged terrain in swathes of ivory.
<img src='https://news.cgtn.com/news/2025-04-24/Rare-dove-tree-blooms-enchant-at-Fanjing-Mountain-1CPDmxG6IGk/img/633cbf5b587241699aacbf0426bdac95/633cbf5b587241699aacbf0426bdac95.jpeg'A view of dove tree blooms at the Fanjing Mountain National Nature Reserve in southwest China’s Guizhou Province is seen in April 2025. /Photo provided to CGTN
<img src='https://news.cgtn.com/news/2025-04-24/Rare-dove-tree-blooms-enchant-at-Fanjing-Mountain-1CPDmxG6IGk/img/633cbf5b587241699aacbf0426bdac95/633cbf5b587241699aacbf0426bdac95.jpeg'A view of dove tree blooms at the Fanjing Mountain National Nature Reserve in southwest China’s Guizhou Province is seen in April 2025. /Photo provided to CGTN
<img src='https://news.cgtn.com/news/2025-04-24/Rare-dove-tree-blooms-enchant-at-Fanjing-Mountain-1CPDmxG6IGk/img/633cbf5b587241699aacbf0426bdac95/633cbf5b587241699aacbf0426bdac95.jpeg'A view of dove tree blooms at the Fanjing Mountain National Nature Reserve in southwest China’s Guizhou Province is seen in April 2025. /Photo provided to CGTN
Conservation efforts have yielded tangible results: through enhanced ecological protection and targeted artificial cultivation, the dove tree’s footprint has expanded significantly. Researchers have identified 11 distinct habitats across the reserve, with the largest cluster in the Xiaoheiwan River valley spanning over 200 mu (around 13 hectares) – a testament to the region’s success in nurturing this endangered species.
Beyond its biological significance, Fanjing Mountain exemplifies the harmonious balance between conservation and sustainable tourism. Each spring, the dove tree’s ethereal blossoms contrast vividly with the reserve’s lush green peaks, offering visitors a front-row seat to nature’s resilience. As both a biodiversity hotspot and a thriving tourist destination, the mountain stands as a global model of coexistence – where human stewardship and wild beauty flourish in tandem.
Drag queen Jiggly Caliente, a fierce performer who competed on “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” will take time away from the spotlight to focus on her health after a portion of her right leg was recently amputated.
The “Pose” actor and “Drag Race Philippines” judge was hospitalized for a “severe” infection and lost “most of her right leg,” a family statement said Thursday on her Instagram page. The notice said the 44-year-old entertainer was “heartbroken” to share the health issue but did not provide additional details about the infection.
Jiggly Caliente (real name Bianca Castro) gained popularity for her time on the fourth season of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” in 2012. Though she placed eighth, the performer — who came out as trans in 2016 — earned a reputation for her humor and energetic dance moves. She later returned to showcase her drag chops in the sixth season of “RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars” in 2021.
One of the most popular Filipino “Drag Race” stars, Jiggly Caliente has served as a judge for the spinoff series “Drag Race Philippines” since its premiere in 2022. However, she will leave that seat vacant for Season 4 due her health, her family announced.
She also will not move forward with any public engagements for the foreseeable future, her family said. “Her recovery will be extensive.”
“At this time, we kindly ask for privacy for Bianca and her family as they navigate this difficult journey together,” the statement said, adding that her fans and community are encouraged “to uplift her with messages of hope and love.”
In the comments, Jiggly got just that from fellow “Drag Race” alumni including Bob the Drag Queen, Manila Luzon, Sasha Velour, Jujubee and Raja. “Drag Race Philippines” stars Marina Summers and Eva Le Queen also voiced their support.
“Jiggly I love you so much. You always keep it so real,” Bob the Drag Queen wrote. “A true diva. Heal up sis.”
“We love you so much my sweet jiggles and we are praying with all we’ve got,” “Drag Race” staple Michelle Visage commented.
Broadway star Lea Salonga, “Loot” and “Pose” star Michaela Jaé Rodriguez and “Drag Race” production house World of Wonder also sent well wishes.
New Delhi, April 25: Gensol Electric Vehicles Private Limited (Gensol EV) will reportedly shut down by April 30, 2025. BluSmart Parent Gensol Engineering subsidiary Gensol EV laid off its employees. As per reports, Gensol layoff has hit its remaining employees following a probe by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI). SEBI is investigating allegations of financial misconduct, which reportedly include INR 262 crore diversion of funds and the submission of false pre-orders for electric vehicles (EVs).
The company’s closure is said to be a part of investigation into the Gensol Group’s financial activities, which involves several of its subsidiaries. The ongoing SEBI inquiry has raised significant concerns regarding the company’s business practices, prompting the shutdown and job cuts. Intel Layoffs Coming This Week? Chipmaker May Announce Over 20% Job Cuts To Restructure and Streamline Operations.
As per a report of Financial Express, Gensol EV, the electric vehicle manufacturing arm of Gensol Engineering, has laid off its remaining employees. Gensol job cuts reportedly hit around 100 staff and will close its operations by April 30, 2025. The company, which was in the process of developing two-seater electric cars, is closing its operations amid a wider investigation into alleged financial irregularities, which reportedly include allegations of fund diversion and false pre-orders.
The announcement was reportedly made during a company call on Wednesday, where CEO Pratik Rajendrakumar Gupta informed the remaining staff about the closure. Reports also indicate that earlier this month, Gensol EV laid off 50 employees.
The closure reportedly follows an interim order issued by SEBI on April 16, which accused the Jaggi brothers of “systemic fraud” and “fund diversion.” Investigations reportedly revealed that Gensol secured INR 663.89 crore in term loans from Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (Ireda) and Power Finance Corporation (PFC) to procure 6,400 EVs but delivered 4,704 units valued at INR 567.73 crore. Tech Layoffs 2025 Continue: 28,728 Employees Laid Off by 111 Companies So Far This Year Due to Various Reasons; Check Details.
Reports suggest that the remaining INR 262.13 crore was allegedly disappeared through “layered transactions” that personally benefited the Jaggi brothers. The investigation was reportedly initiated following a complaint in June 2024 concerning share price manipulation and fund diversion.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 25, 2025 12:40 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
The question of who DOGE is has taken on an almost metaphysical quality as the organization’s mandate has expanded. According to Trump’s January 20 executive order establishing DOGE, every federal agency is required to create a DOGE team of at least four employees. (Ehikan’s claim that there is no DOGE team at the GSA may be technically true, but if so, the agency would seem to be in violation of the order.)
Those teams—some members of which are career civil servants and certainly not DOGE employees of any description—were originally tasked with carrying out DOGE’s stated mission to make the government more efficient. But subsequent orders, including a March 20 order to eliminate waste, fraud, abuse, and data silos, have massively widened the scope of DOGE’s work, leading one set of plaintiffs to allege that “‘waste, fraud, and abuse’ are not magic words, and they cannot conjure up a need to grant DOGE Team members on-demand access to Americans’ most sensitive and personal information,” according to a lawsuit filed by the AFL-CIO and other labor groups.
All of this means that the line between who is working for DOGE and who is enthusiastically doing DOGE is blurry at best.
Take DOGE affiliate and former Tesla employee Riley Sennott, who according to a recent Business Insider report was listed as a “senior adviser” at NASA and also appeared to work for the GSA. Sennott was listed as an “IT specialist” GS-15 employee on the GSA’s payroll at the time, WIRED confirmed. Sennott’s journalist father, Charles Sennott, published a column later that month in the Columbia Journalism Review explicitly stating that his son works at the GSA—not DOGE. “It is fair to say that Riley’s current work is part of a broad effort that the public has come to know as DOGE,” the elder Sennott wrote—but also argued that “the General Services Administration is not the same as Elon Musk’s self-proclaimed Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE.”
A number of other high-profile DOGE team members, including Edward “Big Balls” Coristine, Ethan Shaotran, Nicole Hollander, Jeremy Lewin, Luke Farritor, Kyle Schutt, Nathan Cavanaugh, Justin Aimonetti, and Ashley Boizelle, were listed on the GSA payroll at the time Ehikian made his comments at the March 20 all hands, according to documents viewed by WIRED. (Coristine, Shaotran, Hollander, and Farritor are listed as having salaries of $0, while the others collect from $120,000 to more than $150,000 annually.) Sara Sami, the president of an HR consultancy serving federal agencies, says this doesn’t necessarily confirm that they work within the agency, since the GSA processes payroll for other agencies and committees. “They could be classified as DOGE employees, but their pay could be run through the GSA,” she says. GSA employees can also be detailed to other agencies.
Still, GSA employees say they see DOGE affiliates in the office every week. WIRED has confirmed sightings of Coristine, Shaotran, Farritor, Cavanaugh, Gavin Kliger, and Marko Elez over the past few months.
“They’re young tech bros walking around together,” says a current GSA employee. “It’s obvious who they are,” agrees another.
PayPal will start offering rewards to PYUSD stablecoin holders in a bid to boost its adoption and use in the coming months. Bloomberg was first to report on PayPal’s plans, stating that PYUSD users will be able to earn 3.7 percent annually on their holdings once this initiative is rolled out. Later, PayPal CEO Alex Chriss confirmed the development on X (formerly known as Twitter). The US-based online payments giant launched its PYUSD stablecoin in 2023, pegged to the US dollar.
The rewards for PYUSD holders will be provided in the form of the stablecoin itself, Jose Fernandez da Ponte, the company’s senior vice president and general manager of blockchain, told Bloomberg. These rewards will be paid to PYUSD holders on a monthly basis.
PayPal’s CEO said that the company wants customers to experience the utility scope of stablecoins with the new rewards programme.
“Stablecoins have the power to reshape the future of commerce by combining innovation, stability, and accessibility. Now, we’re making PayPal and Venmo the most rewarding way to hold PYUSD. With our new loyalty program, users on PayPal and Venmo will be able to earn rewards when they hold PYUSD within their accounts,” Chriss noted.
At present, the market cap of PYUSD stands at $865.91 million (roughly Rs. 7,394 crore) — with over 866 million tokens in circulation, as per CoinMarketCap data.
This initiative is expected to increase PYUSD adoption for day-to-day expenditures as well as efficient cross-border transactions, Chriss said. The stablecoin regulations in the US are approaching final approval in the coming days – that will clarify the dos and don’ts for businesses engaging with these assets.
Stablecoins have the power to reshape the future of commerce by combining innovation, stability, and accessibility. Now, we’re making @PayPal and @Venmo the most rewarding way to hold PYUSD. With our new loyalty program, users on PayPal and Venmo will be able to earn rewards when… pic.twitter.com/Vd4bQylD2H
PayPal has been exploring the Web3 sector for the past few years. In 2022, the company established a six-member advisory council to research and analyse blockchain use cases aimed at enhancing its infrastructure.
The platform launched its crypto buying, selling, and holding feature for US-based business accounts in 2024, owing to user demand.
The company has yet to disclose a timeline for the rollout of its PYUSD rewards initiative.
Affiliate links may be automatically generated – see our ethics statement for details.
Google today expanded its Checkout on Merchant feature to Demand Gen campaigns serving on YouTube In-stream inventory.
Previously available only for Performance Max campaigns and organic shopping results, this update brings the streamlined checkout experience to more advertising channels.
By the numbers. Advertisers providing checkout URLs have seen an average 11% increase in conversion value at similar CPA in their Demand Gen campaigns, according to Google data.
How it works:
Checkout on Merchant creates an accelerated path from product discovery to purchase.
Users can quickly add products to cart or proceed to checkout on merchant websites.
Merchants can enable the feature through Google Merchant Center via two methods:
Providing a URL template at the account level.
Adding checkout link template attributes to individual products in the feed.
Why we care. This update significantly reduces friction in the customer journey, allowing users to move directly from YouTube ads to checkout on their website. With the possibility of increasing conversion value at a similar CPAs, this feature could directly impact bottom-line results while requiring minimal implementation effort.
For brands already investing in YouTube advertising, this expansion creates a more seamless shopping experience that can capture purchase intent in the moment, rather than losing potential customers in a multi-step process.
Bottom line. The expanded feature is available to all U.S. advertisers using product feeds, aims to shorten the path to purchase by connecting interested consumers directly with merchants’ checkout experiences.
Implementation guides are available specifically for general users and Shopify customers.
EA Sports College Football 26 releases for Xbox Series X and PS5 on July 10, though it’ll be noticeably absent on Switch 2 and PC (once again). Preorders are starting to open for this year’s installment of the revived franchise–and you’ll unlock plenty of bonuses if you reserve a copy in advance. We’re still waiting on full details of what’s changing for College Football 26, but here’s a look at all preorder bonuses and all versions of the game up for grabs.
EA Sports College Football 26 will once again release about a month before Madden. Preorders for Madden NFL 26 opened at the same time as College Football 26, with the pro football sim slated to launch on August 14.
EA Sports College Football 26 Preorder Bonuses
Preorder bonuses vary based on which version of the game you’re purchasing. However, preordering the standard version will get you the following:
If you don’t need tons of digital goodies, the standard edition is the most affordable version of College Football 26. Along with the base game, you’ll get the preorders outlined above.
You can preorder a physical copy of EA Sports College Football 26 for PS5 and Xbox Series X. Unfortunately, EA isn’t bringing College Football to Switch 2, but Nintendo players will be able to return to the professional gridiron in Madden NFL 26 this August.
Spend an extra $30 to get three days of early access to College Football 26. Not only that, but the Deluxe Edition is packed with in-game content to help start your career. Here’s what you’ll get:
3 Day Early Access (July 7-10)
4600 College Football Points
Early Access Ultimate Team Solo Challenges
CUT Top Prospect Pack (Pre Order before June 19th to receive this.)
Know you’ll be playing both Madden NFL 26 and College Football 26? Then save yourself $50 and purchase them together with the MVP Bundle. This gets you the Deluxe Edition of both games, which includes the following:
College Football 26 Deluxe Edition
3 Day Early Access (July 7-10)
4600 College Football Points
Early Access Ultimate Team Solo Challenges
CUT Top Prospect Pack
CUT All Hands Pack
Dynasty Coach Points
CUT Exclusive Elite Player Item (Bundle Only – not included in standalone Deluxe Edition.)
Road to Glory Skill Points
MVP On the Clock Pack College Football 25 Item available on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S (Preorder before April 29th to receive this.)
Madden NFL 26 Deluxe Edition
3 Day Early Access (Aug 11-14)
4600 Madden Points
Early Access Ultimate Team Solo Challenges
Season 1 Elite Player Item
Cover Athlete Elite MUT Player Item
Superstar Legendary XP Boost
MUT Exclusive Elite Player Item (Bundle Only – not included in standalone Deluxe Edition.)
Player Card Exclusive Item
Franchise Coach Ability Points
MVP On the Clock Pack Madden NFL 25 Item available on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S (Preorder before April 29th to receive this.)
Every breath we take, every meal we eat, and every environment we encounter leaves a molecular fingerprint in our bodies — a hidden record of our lifelong exposures. Researchers in the field of exposomics explain how cutting-edge technologies are unlocking this biological archive, ushering in a new era of disease prevention and personalized medicine. The scientists lay out a roadmap to overcome technical and logistical challenges and realize the field’s full potential.
Exposomics explores how the complex interplay of environmental factors — from pollutants in our water and food to social and psychological stressors — shapes our biology. By studying these combined exposures, researchers can uncover how they collectively influence health, from metabolism and heart function to brain health and disease risk.
The Perspectives article is led by the Banbury Exposomics Consortium — an interdisciplinary group of scientists who gathered at Cold Spring Harbor’s Banbury Center in 2023 to define the core principles of this rapidly evolving field. Gary Miller, PhD, a foremost expert in exposomics and faculty member at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, was the lead organizer of the Consortium.
Miller, Vice Dean of Research and Innovation and Professor of Environmental Health Sciences at Columbia Mailman School, co-leads the NIH-funded national coordinating center for exposomics, NEXUS. He also leads IndiPHARM, an ARPA-H-funded initiative using exposomics to predict drug interactions and enhance medication effectiveness.
Exposomics in Action
The young field is already proving its transformative potential. Researchers analyzing molecular evidence identified a specific industrial solvent as the culprit behind kidney disease clusters among factory workers. In another study, scientists merged satellite pollution mapping with residential location information to reveal how airborne particulates prematurely age the brain. Scientists analyzing thousands of circulating molecules pinpointed TMAO, a gut microbiome metabolite produced when eating red meat and dairy, as a previously overlooked major contributor to heart attack risk.
These discoveries are made possible by cutting-edge technologies and tools such as wearable sensors that track chemical exposures in real-time, satellite imagery that maps pollution down to city blocks, and ultra-sensitive mass spectrometers that detect compounds present at just one part per trillion.
A Wider Lens on Our Health
While genetics provides our biological blueprint, it explains only a fraction of chronic disease risk. The exposome captures everything that happens to us, from industrial chemicals to social stressors. Unlike traditional studies examining single exposures in isolation, exposomics integrates advanced tools to understand how environmental, social, and psychological factors collectively interact with our biology.
This approach synergizes powerfully with other “omics” sciences. When combined with genomics, proteomics, and metabolomics, exposomics creates the first complete picture of health determinants. The authors envision a future where all major disease studies incorporate exposome analysis as standard practice.
Systematically analyzing these complex interactions can improve drug development, uncover hidden drivers of disease, and address health disparities. The approach bridges precision medicine and population health.
The Way Forward
Miller and colleagues outline critical priorities for advancing exposomics. These include the development of more sensitive technologies, such as wearable or minimally invasive tools that measure an individual’s exposome; the creation of a human exposome reference to enable analysis and contextualization at the population scale; and the implementation of standardized protocols to enable AI-driven analysis of complex datasets. The field must also address ethical considerations around data privacy and the need for greater focus on the social determinants of health, the authors write.
Newly launched U.S. and European exposomics hubs now provide the infrastructure for worldwide collaboration, standardizing methods, harmonizing data, and training researchers in the cross-disciplinary skills needed to advance this field. These centers form the critical backbone for the future progress of exposomics.
“We’re now building the first systematic framework to measure how all exposures — from chemical to social — interact with biology across the lifespan. Our goal is to create actionable strategies for healthier lives,” says Miller.
Guru Nanak Dev University, established on November 24, 1969, commemorates the Quincentenary of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the esteemed founder of Sikhism.
Functioning as both a residential and affiliating institution, the University’s founding principles, as outlined in the Guru Nanak Dev University Act of 1969, underscore its mandate to provide education and foster research across a spectrum of disciplines, including the humanities, learned professions, sciences—particularly of applied nature—and technology.
About the Call for Papers
Guru Nanak Dev University hereby gives an opportunity to the esteemed legal fraternity to showcase their research aptitude and analytical skills by submitting research papers in the form of chapters in the book “Traditional and Contemporary Criminal Jurisprudence.”
Themes and Sub-themes
Philosophy behind Introducing Reforms in Criminal Laws
Procedural Changes in the Investigation Process
Law on Arrest and Detentions
Procedural changes in the Trial
Default Bail
FIR
Bail
Uniformity in Court structure and Posts
Working of Public Prosecution
Victim Rights and Measures in the new BNSS
Filing a Complaint under BNSS/Pre-Cognisance Hearing of the accused
Widened scope of Documentary evidence
Admissibility of Evidence, Scope of admissibility of digital/electronic evidence and records and to strengthen investigations.
Procedure for validating and verifying Electronic Content.
Forensic Science vis-à-vis Investigation and Trial.
Witness Protection Mechanism
Digitisation of the Judicial Procedure
Mob Lynching
Organised Crime
Terrorism under BNS
Sentencing, Restorative Justice, punishment and Community service as a punishment
Sedition law
Offence against Women and Children
Repealed Provisions for Adultery, Unnatural Offence and Attempt to Commit Suicide
Death by Negligence
AI and the Criminal Justice System.
Chapter relating to any other major changes in the New Criminal Code will also be entertained.
Submission Guidelines
Articles should be written in Times New Roman, font size 12, 1.5-line spacing.
Word limit – 3,000–5,000 words (excluding references).
Referencing Style – Indian Law Institute (ILI)
All submissions will be evaluated based on originality, depth of research, relevance, and coherence. 10% Plagiarism allowed with reference of the text. Usage of AI is strictly prohibited.
Participants must include a cover page with the following details-
For any queries, please contact at 9877768112 or 7986893050.
Disclaimer: WEF April, 2021, Lawctopus will not publish any ‘Call for Papers/Blogs’ by journals that charge money at the time of submission. If you find any journal doing so, please intimate us at tanuj.kalia[at]lawctopus.com
Releasing unnecessary health worries will renew your confidence and inner calm. Building extra income streams requires patience, as returns may be delayed. Thoughtful planning of career goals ensures long-term stability. A casual family chat may unexpectedly become deeply meaningful. Minor travel delays could arise, so remain flexible. Thorough verification of property deals offers peace of mind. Academic advancement might seem slow, but consistent efforts will eventually lead to success.
Horoscope Today: Astrological prediction for April 25, 2025(Pixabay)
Love Focus: Providing emotional reassurance today will nurture trust and foster a stronger sense of security in your relationship.
Lucky Number: 6 Lucky Colour: Pink
Also Read Horoscope Tomorrow, April 25, 2025, read predictions for all sun signs
Taurus (Apr 21-May 20)
A salary raise or bonus may arrive sooner than expected; keep pushing ahead. A harmonious home atmosphere makes today ideal for family bonding. Better digestion will enhance nutrient absorption, improving overall health. Limit credit card usage to avoid financial stress. Travel podcasts can inspire, but firsthand experiences offer richer rewards. Clearly written tenant agreements will prevent future misunderstandings.
Love Focus: Supporting your partner’s emotional growth will deepen your connection, making your bond stronger and more resilient.
Lucky Number: 8 Lucky Colour: Green
Gemini (May 21-Jun 21)
A determined attitude helps you effectively master investment and wealth-building strategies. Using problem-solving skills at work enhances your credibility professionally. A parent’s care may seem subtle, but their support remains steady. Increased strength and energy make physical activities feel effortless. Choosing unconventional travel paths offers more authentic experiences. Exercise caution in real estate investments, as market changes could affect returns.
Love Focus: Your positive energy will naturally attract love, making relationships feel effortless.
Lucky Number: 22 Lucky Colour: Navy Blue
Cancer (Jun 22-Jul 22)
Clearly defining priorities will lower stress, even if unexpected challenges emerge. Optimize grocery budgeting without sacrificing essentials. Managing work pressures thoughtfully will improve mental well-being. A peaceful morning at home will positively shape your day. Travel disruptions are possible, but won’t ruin plans. Completing small home repairs brings satisfaction, saves money, and enhances comfort. Academically, today’s studies feel deeply rewarding, offering both joy and valuable knowledge.
Love Focus: Cultural differences in love may feel challenging, but open communication will help bridge misunderstandings.
Lucky Number: 11 Lucky Colour: Yellow
Leo (Jul 23-Aug 23)
Participating in cardio exercises will enhance your endurance and cardiovascular health. Sharpening budgeting skills aligns your spending with future financial goals. Achieving client satisfaction targets will strengthen your professional standing. A pleasant memory involving extended family may resurface, bringing warmth. Today’s travels promise fulfilling experiences, whether exploring or relaxing. Purchasing your first home marks a significant milestone, symbolizing a new beginning.
Love Focus: Providing emotional clarity today will strengthen understanding and trust in your relationship.
Lucky Number: 7 Lucky Colour: Orange
Virgo (Aug 24-Sep 23)
Planning workouts will enhance your fitness consistency and commitment. Avoid unnecessary debt unless absolutely required. Your dedicated efforts at work are steadily resulting in professional growth. A minor home task might demand attention but will be manageable. Thorough research before traveling can prevent last-minute issues. Renting your property will generate steady income with reliable tenants keeping it well-maintained. Academically, setting achievable study goals will boost motivation and ensure continuous progress.
Love Focus: A meaningful conversation today will bring emotional clarity and strengthen your bond.
Lucky Number: 5 Lucky Colour: Golden
Libra (Sep 24-Oct 23)
A relaxing day at home might experience brief, minor interruptions. Take extra precautions in crowded areas to prevent infections. Fixed deposits offer financial security but limited growth potential. Networking at a work event may lead to valuable connections. Travel will deliver memorable experiences, including beautiful scenery and pleasant surprises. Home renovations can boost comfort and long-term value. Academically, consistent effort will keep your learning steadily on track.
Love Focus: Passion and emotional depth will blend beautifully in your relationship today.
Lucky Number: 7 Lucky Colour: Peach
Scorpio (Oct 24-Nov 22)
Inner harmony will nurture lasting emotional stability. Regular financial reviews will simplify your planning. Your dream job opportunity may appear sooner than expected; stay prepared. A small compromise will preserve family peace. A spontaneous romantic gesture will renew warmth in your relationship. Today’s journey, whether through bustling cities or serene nature, will bring fulfillment. Updating your home’s interior offers a fresh, stylish atmosphere. Academically, persistence will yield success, despite slow progress.
Love Focus: Self-reflection in relationships will help personal growth and strengthen your connection.
Lucky Number: 22 Lucky Colour: Beige
Gaining fresh insight into your role may open new career possibilities. Address fatigue to sustain energy and boost overall health. Improved financial stability enables better long-term planning. A sibling’s advice proves valuable, offering loving and wise perspectives. A romantic getaway will be rewarding, but clear communication helps prevent misunderstandings. Early connections with developers can lead to promising real estate investments. Academically, today’s learning feels deeply satisfying and meaningful.
Love Focus: Taking emotional responsibility will foster mutual respect and strengthen your bond.
Lucky Number: 4 Lucky Colour: Brown
Your body is effectively absorbing nutrients, maximizing health benefits. Planning tax payments ahead will reduce last-minute stress. Joining a training session or course will strengthen professional skills. Discussing family plans may stir excitement alongside differing viewpoints. Comfortable commuting arrangements ensure relaxed travel. Establishing fair security deposits safeguards landlords and tenants alike. Academically, revisiting foundational concepts will simplify understanding of complex subjects.
Love Focus: Your partner’s unwavering support will make every challenge feel lighter.
Lucky Number: 22 Lucky Colour: Brown
Prioritizing dental hygiene will keep your smile healthy and bright. Resolving legal conflicts over unsettled payments may require careful handling. Your long-term career goals are finally coming to fruition, celebrate your progress. A family gathering will be full of laughter and cherished memories. Traveling today may not be thrilling, but it will have a steady and peaceful rhythm. Home renovations will breathe new energy into your space, making it more vibrant. Academically, slow but steady work will bring long-term success.
Love Focus: Being emotionally present today will nurture your bond, fostering a deeper sense of understanding and connection.
Lucky Number: 18 Lucky Colour: Purple
Pisces (Feb 20-Mar 20)
Leading an active lifestyle will help keep both mind and body in sync. Taking on exciting projects will lead to valuable contract payments. Your strong work ethic is setting you apart in your field. A sibling’s small but meaningful gesture will make you feel appreciated. Last-minute travel plans could turn into thrilling and joyful experiences. Managing rental property logistics well will help prevent unexpected maintenance issues.
Love Focus: A heartfelt message from your partner will make your day even more special.
Lucky Number: 9 Lucky Colour: Maroon
By: Dr. Prem Kumar Sharma
(Astrologer, Palmist, Numerologist & Vastu Consultant)
A new, closely watched schizophrenia medication from Bristol Myers Squibb sold well in its first full quarter on the market, according to both the company and analysts.
In its latest earnings report, Bristol Myers recorded $27 million in net sales from Cobenfy during the three-month period between January and March. Chief Financial Officer David Elkins called that a “solid start” and said the weekly number of Cobenfy prescriptions “remains strong, tracking ahead of all branded specific benchmarks.” As of April 11, that number was 1,655.
Matt Phipps, an analyst at the investment firm William Blair, echoed those sentiments in a note to clients, describing the results as a “nice start.” David Risinger, of Leerink Partners, noted that the sales total was 48% above the average analyst estimate.
The drug’s success is imperative for Bristol Myers, which has watched generic competition erode one of its most lucrative products, the blood cancer treatment Revlimid. Two of its other top-selling medicines, the blood thinner Eliquis and the cancer immunotherapy Opdivo, are also poised to lose patent protection in a few years. Across its whole business, Bristol Myers recorded $11.6 billion in revenue in the first quarter, a 6% decline from the same period last year.
Bristol Myers sees Cobenfy as a major product, hence why the company recently shelled out $14 billion to acquire its developer, Karuna Therapeutics. Analysts also have blockbuster expectations, though those were tempered a bit this week when the drug stumbled in testing.
Having already secured an approval in schizophrenia, Bristol Myers has been trying to show Cobenfy has a range of other uses. Those include treating bipolar disorder, autism spectrum disorder, symptoms associated with Alzheimer’s disease, or even being layered onto other antipsychotics for schizophrenia patients.
In that last category, however, a nearly 400-person clinical trial just found Cobenfy was not significantly better than a placebo. To some analysts, the setback erases billions of dollars in potential revenue.
Perhaps expectedly, Bristol Myers leadership talked down the study failure on a call with investors Thursday. Chief Commercialization Officer Adam Lenkowsky said schizophrenia monotherapy remains the “most significant” opportunity, accounting for 70% to 80% of the patients treated with Cobenfy.
“What happens in the real world? Psychiatrists exhaust monotherapy options before trying adjunctive use,” Lenkowsky said. “That’s exactly what we’ve been seeing in the market.”
“Physicians have also told us, both in research and through advisory boards, that missing the endpoint of the study would have no impact on monotherapy usage or their willingness to use Cobenfy,” he added.
More broadly, Bristol Myers upped its revenue forecast for the year by 2%, to a range of about $45.8 billion to $46.8 billion. The raise was based on operational sales as well as the impact of foreign exchange rates.
During the investor call, analysts also pressed the company about its plans to navigate the current political environment, especially Trump administration tariff policies. The U.S. pharmaceutical industry has so far avoided the worst of the tariff impact, but there are strong signs it could get caught in the crosshairs before too long.
“We have been up investing in core infrastructure in the U.S. for many years. So we need to ensure that, ultimately, our trade policies enhance the sector and support efforts like the ones we’ve been making,” CEO Chris Boerner told investors.
“In terms of our exposure, again, what we’ve said is the tariffs that have gone into place, namely around China, have been reflected in the guidance that we provided today,” Boerner added. “It really is simply too early to provide a lot more on pharma-specific sectors, so we’ll have to wait for the specifics there.”
Bristol Myers shares were about flat as of late Thursday morning, trading a little above $48 apiece.
The baby boom was a period that saw a surge in birth rates alongside a dramatic decline in death rates due to advances in medicine and public health.
This combination led to rapid population growth in many high-income countries, which influenced their societies for generations.
However, many other aspects of the baby boom are less well-known, including when it began, how marriage rates changed, and how the ages of mothers at childbirth changed.
What were the main patterns of the baby boom?
In this article, we’ll explore key data on the baby boom in seven charts.
Birth rates began to rise in the 1930s, before World War II
The baby boom is typically defined as the time period between 1946 and 1964.
As an example, Brittanica’s entry on the baby boom states that it describes “the increase in the birth rate between 1946 and 1964”.
Similarly, the US Census Bureau defines baby boomers as “those born between 1946 and 1964”, with the common belief that the baby boom started immediately after World War II.
But as the chart below shows, the rise began earlier.
Birth rates in the United States had been falling in the early twentieth century, and the decline began to slow down at the end of the 1920s.
Then, in the late 1930s, they turned around and began to rise, and this continued during parts of World War II.
At the end of the war, they surged, but this was part of a multi-decadal increase.
One of the striking aspects of the baby boom is that it happened in many countries at the same time.
Many high-income countries saw a rise in birth rates — it wasn’t just nations directly involved in World War II.
Sweden and Switzerland did not actively participate in the war, but they also experienced significant increases in birth rates.
You can see this in the chart below.
Several countries — such as Australia, Canada, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and the United States — began to see a turnaround in birth rates before the war.
In many others, it occurred during the war.
This common trend across many countries suggests that the baby boom was driven by shared societal shifts rather than isolated national circumstances.
The causes of the baby boom are still widely debated by demographers.
Various theories have been put forward, including the role of economic factors, such as rising wages and opportunities, and lower housing costs, as well as declining maternal mortality and societal changes.
The baby boom was also surprising because it happened alongside rising levels of women’s education and workforce participation — changes that often coincide with falling birth rates.
It’s likely that multiple factors played a role and that no single explanation fully accounts for the surge in births.
Although we don’t know the full story, in the following sections, we’ll explore some of the pieces that shaped this remarkable demographic shift.
It wasn’t just that married couples had more children, but more people got married in the first place
Starting in the 1930s, marriage became more common.
The chart below shows the large rise in marriage rates among women between the ages of 20 and 24.
In 1930, around 54% of young American women of this age were married.
By 1960, this had increased to 72%.
In England and Wales, the share who were married more than doubled: from 26% to 58%.
Research suggests that the baby boom across countries was primarily driven by higher marriage rates and less by married couples having significantly more children overall.
The average age of women at childbirth declined as more younger women began having children
During the baby boom, women not only had more children than the previous generation but also started their families earlier.
The chart here shows the average age of women at childbirth.
If you look at the red line, you see that in 1933, the average age of American women giving birth was 28.
At the time, birth rates were slowly increasing, and until the early 1940s, the average age was gradually declining.
However, during World War II, some women delayed having children, which caused the average age at childbirth to rise slightly.
However, once World War II ended, women began having children earlier, especially for their first and second births, and the average age at childbirth dropped.
This pattern of starting families earlier continued through the baby boom years and lasted until the mid-1970s.
Since then, the age of mothers has risen gradually and continuously. In 2021, the average age was 30.
Again, this trend is similar in other high-income countries, as you can see by switching the chart to different countries.
American women had more children, and earlier in their lifetimes, than previous generations
How did the baby boom shape birth patterns for different generations of women over their lifetimes?
This chart can look complicated at first, but it helps us answer these questions by showing how the timing and number of births changed across cohorts of women in the United States.
Each curve on the chart represents birth patterns among women born in a specific year.
By following a curve from left to right, you can see when women born in a particular year had children.
The height of the curve represents the number of births per woman at that age.
This means that birth cohorts with taller curves had higher birth rates at that particular age.
Before the baby boom, women had children at a broader range of ages, often spreading births from their twenties into their late thirties and early forties.
We see a clear shift for women born in the 1920s and 1930s — many of whom gave birth during the peak of the baby boom — as childbirth became more common in the twenties and early thirties.
The chart also shows a diagonal ridge, a striking surge in births, which corresponds to the year 1946, and shows women’s ages in that year.
For example, there is a rise in fertility rates among 26-year-old women born in 1920 and 21-year-old women born in 1925 — reflecting the year 1946.
Birth rates surged during the baby boom as more couples married and started families, creating a noticeable peak in the timing of childbirth for women during this era.
Women born in the 1950s and 1960s mostly had children in their twenties and early thirties, meaning the age range at childbirth narrowed.
Then, for women born in later decades, the range grew again.
Recent cohorts of women have children across a much broader range of ages, with many delaying childbirth into their late thirties and early forties.
You can see this at the bottom of the chart.
Women living through the baby boom had more children in total
We can also look at the total number of births women had over their childbearing years in each generation.
This is measured by the “completed cohort fertility rate”.
It’s given by the woman’s birth year.
The data ends in 1971 as recent generations of women have yet to complete their childbearing years.
Let’s look at women born from the 1910s onwards who had children during the baby boom.
As you can see, the cohort fertility rate — the average number of births per woman by the end of her childbearing years — rose for these cohorts of women.
It peaked at an average of more than 3.2 births per woman.
This shows us that the baby boom not only changed the timing of births but also raised the total number of children women had.
Two-fifths of women had four children or more, and fewer women had no children
Did the average number of children increase because women were having more children than in the past?
Or because fewer women had no children?
The data tells us that it was both.
This chart explores the data: it shows the share of women in each birth cohort who had zero, one, two, three, or four or more children during their lifetimes.
Around two-fifths of women born in 1918 had had three or more births, while around a fifth had no children.
At the peak of the baby boom years — women born in the late 1920s or early 1930s — three or more births became the norm, and almost 40% had four or more.
For those born in the late 1930s, the trend began to reverse.
The share of women having three or more children started to decline. Two became the typical number of children in many high-income countries.
The chart also shows that it became less common for women to have no children across their lifetimes.
Having no children was relatively common for women born in the early 1900s, with about 18% having no children.
As we move to the baby boom cohorts, born in the 1920s and 1930s, this figure sharply declined.
For those born in the late 1930s, only about 6% of women had no children.
The trend reversed for women born after the late 1930s, and the share of women with no children steadily rose through the 1940s and 1950s cohorts.
For women born in the late 1960s and early 1970s, it reversed again.
Conclusion
When we think of the baby boom, we often imagine a surge in births in the United States starting at the end of World War II, as soldiers returned home and families began to grow.
But although this is part of the story, the trend is much broader, as we’ve seen in this article.
Birth rates were already on the rise in the 1930s, setting the stage for an even bigger increase in the 40s and 50s.
The baby boom wasn’t just a post-war phenomenon; it was part of a broader trend that spanned multiple decades.
Women born during the baby boom years had more children, and family sizes grew larger than in earlier or later generations.
After the baby boom period, families started to shrink, and childbirth became concentrated in a narrower range of ages, primarily in women’s twenties and early thirties.
Over time, however, this compressed pattern of family formation began to change again.
Recent generations of women have had children across a much broader range of ages, from their twenties through their forties.
The data also show that cohort fertility rates — the total number of children born to women over their lifetimes — rose again among women born in the 1960s, reversing earlier declines.
A combination of higher birth rates and lower death rates led to a period of rapid population growth, which profoundly shaped the economies, societies, and cultures of high-income countries.
By looking closer at how birth patterns shifted — when women had children, how many they had, and the broader societal changes that shaped these trends — we have a clearer picture of the baby boom and how it reshaped family life for the generations that followed.
About Guest Expert Apart from our regular team of experts, we frequently publish commentary from guest contributors who are authorities in their field.
You’re probably aware of the captioning option for deaf and hard of hearing, also known as SDH/CC. When you read that, you’ll see audio cues like [phone buzzing] along with speaker names.
That’s not useful if you’re just interested in better understanding what’s being said in your favorite TV show or movie.
Netflix is adding a new way to use captions. Starting with the new season of You, it’s possible to also select a new subtitle option that only shows the dialog.
To do that, open the language picker and select English as a subtitle option instead of English (CC).
Netflix says that the new subtitle type will be available on all new Netflix originals in every language offered going forward, right along with the SDH/CC option.
All of the current caption options from Netflix can also be customized by changing both the size and font of the information on the screen. To do that on a TV or streaming device, select the player controls at the bottom of the screen. Then choose Settings to adjust the subtitle size and font. If Settings isn’t shown on screen, your device doesn’t support customization options.
Netflix Should Provide the New Caption Options Across Its Catalog
Subtitles are popular with Netflix users as the streaming giant says almost half of viewing hours have subtitles turned on. Even without hearing problems, there are a number of reasons to use subtitles, like someone sleeping in the same room, wanting to keep better track of the dialog, or because of subpar home theater equipment.
While it’s nice to see Netflix start adding the dialog-only caption option, it should also do the extra work to roll it out to all existing content. That would make the feature much more useful, especially if you’re looking for something else to watch besides a Netflix original.
Many houses are split on whether to use captions when watching TV. Some people avoid subtitles for a more immersive experience while allowing better focus on the dialog. You’ll also benefit from less screen clutter and train your memory and comprehension.
On the other side of the stage, many people enjoy subtitles so they won’t miss a bit of dialog and the state of modern sound mixing.
If you’re a fan of subtitles, the new dialog-option on Netflix sounds great. Thankfully, I am a fan of You, so I will make sure to try it out instead of simply using my AirPods to listen privately without disturbing others in my household.
Shanghai has seen a surge in South Korean tourists since the visa-free policy took effect last November. But where are they heading beyond the usual sightseeing spots? Their picks might just surprise you.
This article contains spoilers for the finale of Netflix’s “You.”
He has been Joe Goldberg, the well-read manager of a New York City bookstore. He’s been Will Bettelheim, a worker at a trendy Los Angeles health food market. He’s been Jonathan Moore, a literature professor at a London university. And he’s been Joe Goldberg — again — but as a married man, a father and a budding philanthropist. No matter the name, he was the seemingly perfect significant other whose charming and considerate exterior hid a delusional, disturbed and dangerous sociopath who goes to extreme lengths — like killing nearly two dozen people — to insert himself into the lives of the women who became his obsession.
Now, Penn Badgley has shed all of those identities. His journey on the Lifetime-turned-Netflix series “You” reached its conclusion Thursday with the release of the drama’s fifth and final season. Joe has been found guilty of the murders of Guinevere Beck (Elizabeth Lail) and Love Quinn (Victoria Pedretti). And in the last minutes of the final episode, we see Joe with a buzz cut and in a red jumpsuit, sitting in a prison cell, skimming a copy of Norman Mailer’s 1979 novel “The Executioner’s Song.” The last words of the series, fittingly, come in the form of Joe’s inner monologue. And they take aim at the viewer.
“Can you say them?” says Badgley, asking for a gentle reminder when we meet a few days before the episodes are released.
Still sporting the buzz cut, he is sitting in a holding room at Netflix’s offices on Vine Street, and as he’s about to reflect on his character’s parting thoughts, the piercing tone of an emergency alert notification begins blaring through his phone‘s speakers. “Earthquake detected,” he says, reading the message before showing his screen. “Drop, cover, hold on. Protect yourself.” It’s that sort of startling distraction, just as the tension has intensified, that’s helped Joe escape detection. Badgely, though, isn’t looking for an out.
With no imminent danger within our radius, he returns to Joe’s final words. (Narrating for the show’s unreliable narrator is a daunting assignment, by the way.)
“So in the end, my punishment is even worse than I imagined. The loneliness, oh my God, the loneliness. No hope of being held, knowing this is forever. It’s unfair putting all this on me. Aren’t we all just products of our environment? Hurt people, hurt people. I never stood a chance.” [An officer appears and slides a letter from an admirer through the bars of his cell. And Joe continues:] “Why am I in a cage when all these crazies write me all the depraved things they want me to do to them? Maybe we have a problem as a society. Maybe the problem isn’t me. Maybe it’s you.”
Here are edited excerpts from the conversation.
What are your thoughts on those final words? What he says is something you’ve talked a lot about over the run of the show.
Michael [Foley] and Justin [Lo, who took over as showrunners for the final season] had an incredibly difficult task for themselves to end this thing that is like, is it end-able? Is it really? I think it’s a satisfying ending. I think it’s the right ending. Thematically, that was where it had to go: him alone and alive. What I suppose you can’t see, what there isn’t time for, is to show him contending in real time with it. But I think he also shows us that he’s avoiding it. He’s like, “Well, it’s not me.”
We gave as much justice as the whole concept could take without breaking it. The show ends in a place where it’s like, what do you do with this? What do we do with with male violence? It’s a really serious question. It’s not at all simple to even approach an answer, if we’re really trying to consider the humanity of everybody and true justice. I think it ends in a place that we veer toward responsibility rather than away from it.
Elizabeth Lail and Penn Badgley in the first season of “You” on Netflix. (Netflix)
Madeline Brewer as Bronte and Penn Badgley as Joe in the final season of “You.”
Right. That’s what got me thinking, is he getting what he deserves, given what he says? Would death have been justice?
Honestly, what would [be justice]? There’s prison, there’s death, there’s torture and death or torture then prison; there’s not getting caught at all. There aren’t that many things that could happen. You go through the list. If he was to be murdered, well, that brings up a lot of questions — namely, is that fair to the person who has to kill him? That’s marring them, that’s leaving them, even if it’s totally justified, with an enormous burden to saddle on a woman’s shoulders, because it would presumably have been a woman [killing him]. That’s not right. There’s prison; we did that. The thing that makes it [work] — people think of the box as his weapon. That’s the thing he’s associated with. But if you think about it, he’s a romantic, seductive figure. And actually, where he does his most damage is really more in the bedroom, the proverbial bedroom. And that’s where he’s actually removed from the world.
It’s not torture, it’s not vengeance. She [Bronte, Joe’s new quasi-love interest played by Madeline Brewer] didn’t even technically mean to do it. That is the thing that makes it satisfying. I don’t even know if it’s satisfying ideologically. In the most practical sense, it’s satisfying. He’s not murdered and saved from misery. Somebody doesn’t have to do something to him that makes him think that he has a moral high ground above them. He’s just put in prison and that part of him is taken away so he literally can never do it again. There can never be a sixth or seventh or however many seasons.
Had you given much thought to what your protagonist deserved?
For years. The real ending is everything leading up to that. It’s the latter half of this last season and, in particular, the last episode. The box is the obvious thing. And, sure, how visually iconic and possibly satisfying would it be to have him killed in the box? He got stopped nearly naked and, for the first time in our eyes, he was becoming a sexual predator. That was what he was from the beginning and, whether right or wrong, what the show chose to do was withhold the viewer from being able to see that, make the visual connection. And if it was responsible, it was because it was making sure you do the work to realize: What do you need to see? Do you need to see a rape? Is that what you need to see in order to realize this man in a sexual predator? I don’t think we should need to see that. It was the one time in my life where I was adamant about being like, “No, I need to be in the least clothing possible.” The audience needs to feel that he is dangerously close to crossing a line, for us to see that moment. And to catch him there, for her to catch him there. For us to see it, to witness his deconstruction in that way — that’s what the ending is, not so much about the prison.
I think people will like it. But there’s gonna be so many people who are going to be like [rolls eyes and moans with disapproval]. OK, fair, fair. You might even have a point. But do you understand how much work a writers’ room has to [do] … you have to try and turn over every stone. What they did, I think, is remarkable.
What was it like shooting that sequence in the woods? It was difficult to watch for all the reasons you say. Joe turned into an animal.
To be honest, I loved it. First of all, hats off to all of our producers. They made sure that we had saved time and money by the time we got to the last episode so we could shoot that thing like a little movie. We had time to make it right. By the time we got there, I’d invested enough that I didn’t have to do a lot more work that I was really consciously aware of. I had some of the most fun I’ve had throughout the entire series. I spent a lot of time in my underwear and nothing else. At the beginning of every take, for a period of about two weeks or so, I had to be covered in some degree of blood, sweat, exhaustion. I was doing a lot of burpees, so it was just physically super demanding. But I got into a place where it was two weeks of this incredible endurance exercise. It was a beautiful way to end the show. We could take care. I should give Madeline [Brewer, who plays Bronte, Joe’s latest conquest], her flowers. She was an incredible creative partner to do that with. There was nothing that felt difficult for the wrong reasons. I spent a week and a half in my underwear in the woods at night — I didn’t get one bug bite!
After five seasons, Penn Badgley says goodbye to the narcissistic sociopath character he portrayed in “You.”(Matt Seidel / For The Times)
You’re lying.
I’m not. I wouldn’t say that. That would be crazy! I’m not even exaggerating. Not one.
How much distance have you had from Joe at this point?
We wrapped in August.
Did you still have the voiceover stuff after that?
Yes, I had enough that my job was not over. In fact, probably two months later or something, I had to go in. On the last day, I didn’t know it was my last day. And by the way, it’s almost always been remote, except for the first season. So, I’m alone. It’s just two post-producers in my ear and the engineer. It’s emblematic of what the experience is for me. It’s like, “I’m here alone.” Of course, there’s so many people supporting but, somehow, Joe is like a man alone in a box. We were doing something kind of unremarkable for voiceover that [last] day. Because of what it was, I said, “Is this it?” That was the highly anticlimactic ending for me.
So, it wasn’t the narration with Joe’s parting thoughts?
No. The final words you hear were the first take that I did months prior to it. My delivery, I think, was not emphatic as some might imagine it would be. The last word is “you.” So, I could really draw that out, and I was just like, “I’m literally not going to give you another one, because if I do, you will use it. I’m sorry, it’s very important to me. Fire me.” That was the one hill maybe I chose to die on.
The last thing [I filmed] was in prison. Actually, that was the same day I shot that “demure” TikTok. The funny thing is, Netflix is asking me to do something for it. I threw that together so fast because the first thing I had to do [for the show] was go in and shave my head. They were like, “Oh, you can do it after rehearsals.” I was like, “I can’t, guys. That’s a huge spoiler.”
That night [after wrapping] I drove all the way out to to Long Island [to spend two weeks at the beach with family]. I think I sat in a long silence. It was certainly surreal. It was a better part of my 30s — in a few months, I’ll be 39; it defines an era for me.
You started this journey with Sera Gamble. She stepped down from showrunning duties for the final season but remained a producer. Were you checking in with her?
Only in the beginning. She trusted Michael and Justin, and I trusted them. There wasn’t even a symbolic hand-holding. It was no longer her duty. Everybody was doing what they needed to do. I think we probably texted right towards the end. She probably had the closest experience to what I experienced but never in the same time and place.
There’s a three–year time jump at the start of the season. Joe returns to New York with Kate [Charlotte Ritchie], he gets his son back, and he’s been living a somewhat normal life, making a pact with Kate to abstain from his sociopathic tendencies.
I liked that there was a version of them trying to do this together. In the version where everything takes twice as long, that would have been cool to explore more. But we got two to three episodes where you do get to see [it]. Some of my most satisfying scene work is with her; he [Joe] was probably the closest to recognizing himself with her [Kate]. Her character bring these qualities that almost threaten to disrupt the entire charade. But then, of course, I suppose she’s also like him, all that stuff, blah, blah, blah. If I had, like a fantasy, like, [I’d like to] explore this more, it would be maybe that. Just a bit.
Penn Badgley, in filming the final episode of “You,” said of his character, Joe Goldberg: “In those last moments, he’s uninteresting. He’s like a lizard. He has nothing to offer … At that point, I was just like, ‘I can’t do this man anymore.’”
(Matt Seidel / For The Times)
The show was in the works for a while, but it arrived at the height of the #MeToo movement.
Technically, right before. When we were shooting, all the [Harvey] Weinstein allegations were coming out — then, they were allegations.
It felt, at least then, like there was a reckoning and a shift in trying to holding men accountable.
And we did it! [he says sarcastically] Didn’t we?
Exactly. There’s been reflection on where we stand today, the cultural progression or regression. So, “You” is leaving at an interesting time. How do you make sense of that?
Let me preface any answer by saying, I suppose I’m trying to make sense of it like anybody. But to me, there’s forces of disintegration and integration at all times. I think, culturally, we have this knee-jerk habit where everything is either-or. It’s such a binary. We’ve been needing to transcend that for a very long time. We’re actually getting there because so many people are recognizing that and wanting a different paradigm that includes a lot more complexity and, therefore, truth. When it comes to this show, I’m really glad we’re ending and not starting now. It’s a very different moment. It seems [that] probably people are more disillusioned now than they were at the outset. At least when it comes to gender inequality, in particular, women’s rights. I suppose that must mean we, as countless others, were on to something. The exercise of Joe as a protagonist wouldn’t have resonated if all of these really difficult truths weren’t difficult and true. Nobody thought this show would solve it and, guess what? It hasn’t.
I guess that speaks to the point of his final words.
Yes, which is true. What I love is that he breaks the fourth wall and it’s like, “I’m not real. OK? I’m not real. So, it’s you. It actually can’t be me because I don’t exist.” I love that. I think the show leaves one feeling strangely good. I think? I could be wrong.
Penn Badgley on his character’s final words: “What I love is that he breaks the fourth wall and it’s like, ‘I’m not real. OK? I’m not real. So, it’s you. It actually can’t be me because I don’t exist.’”
(Matt Seidel / For The Times)
Tell me why.
I don’t know that I have good reasons, but I know that when I watch it, the last 20 minutes feel good to me. Here’s the main reason: because, by the end, we’ve deconstructed him and made him less interesting. It’s like, do you want more of this man? Do you really want more? I’m sure there’s a way we can cook something up, but do you really? And so it passes the narrative voice to her [Bronte]. What a great device too. Again, it’s not about the box. It’s about the voice and the bedroom. Those are the tools he uses more than anything else. He seduces. And those are the things we gave to somebody else. Well, one of them we took away and the other one we gave to her. Also, by his last scene with her, where she got him at gunpoint, I found the muscles in my neck, which is where all of the rage has always come out, were giving out in ways I’ve never experienced in my life. I couldn’t speak or do anything other than force up my lines using my diaphragm alone. It was exceedingly difficult to say anything audibly above the rain. In those last moments, he’s uninteresting. He’s like a lizard. He has nothing to offer. I could only “say my lines like this” [he speaks in forced breaths]. I was tired. At that point, I was just like, ‘I can’t do this man anymore.” She has everything to say and all the dimension and complexity. She has all the bars to drop. Let’s just usher this man away, please.
Were there moments where you saw something in Joe, or comments that he made, and thought, “I’ve been that guy before” or “I’ve done something like that…” How was he a mirror for you?
Absolutely. That was my job as an actor, just to simply permit myself to make the connections and to understand how I am like him. Of course, I have similarities. Because someone like Joe is made — I suppose there’s aspects to predisposition, genetics, all this stuff — but really, a person like that is made, which is made more complex by the fact that they make choices. What I’ve always been doing with him is understanding how my own experiences of anything that I could perceive as traumatic [and] ultimately grappling with my own sadness. We all have losses and grief that is unacknowledged and unexpressed. I think just understanding where is the violence and rage in me? That’s a more intellectual way of saying what I think I was doing intuitively all along. And that was why at the end, I couldn’t do it anymore because I was like, this is just exhausting. Because I’m not thinking about it, I’m doing it. And, so, all the time I was connecting. He was me. I’m not him, but he’s me, in a way. I don’t know if that makes sense.
New Delhi, April 24: In a major step towards improving road safety, the Centre is planning to introduce a safety assessment rating system for trucks and commercial vehicles, Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari said on Thursday.
Similar to the Bharat New Car Assessment Programme (BNCAP) for passenger cars, the proposed rating system will aim to encourage manufacturers to enhance the safety and build quality of heavy vehicles. “The government is working on a similar safety assessment and standardisation system for battery-operated e-rickshaws, which often face safety concerns,” the Union Minister said while inaugurating a two-day workshop on vehicle and fleet safety here. Satellite-Based Tolling System Not Set for Nationwide Implementation From May 1, Says Government.
“Improving the safety of e-rickshaws will not only benefit users but also help generate more employment in the sector,” he added. Highlighting the urgency of such initiatives, the minister said India has the highest number of fatal road accidents in the world, with around 4.8 lakh crashes and 1.8 lakh deaths reported every year.
He emphasised that vehicle safety, safer highways, and promotion of electric vehicles are key priorities for the government. To address the issue of driver fatigue and improve working conditions, Gadkari said the ministry is working on a new law to regulate the working hours of truck drivers.
He also announced plans to set up 32 state-of-the-art driving institutes across India. “The Ministry of Roadways is also working on a law to determine the working hours for truck drivers… at present, they drive for 13-14 hours a day. As the country is facing a shortage of truck drivers, the government also plans to set up 32 state-of-the-art driving institutes across the country,” Gadkari stated. What Is Satellite-Based Toll Collection System, How Will It Be Different From FASTag? Here’s All You Need To Know.
In a welcome move, air-conditioning in truck driver cabins has already been made mandatory, and Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS) will also be required in commercial vehicles. “Air conditioning of driver compartments has already been made mandatory by the ministry. Advanced Driver-Assistance System (ADAS) to assist drivers has also been made mandatory,” the minister said.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 24, 2025 07:26 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
On Wednesday, the team behind the official Donald Trump memecoin sparked a trading frenzy after announcing that the investors who held the largest amount of the crypto coin in the coming weeks would be invited to a gala dinner attended by the US president.
“At this intimate private dinner, hear first-hand president Trump talk about the future of crypto [sic],” reads the listing on the TRUMP coin website. “The most exclusive invitation in the world. Only for the top 220 $TRUMP meme coin holders.” The dinner is set to take place on May 22.
Traders rushed to buy up the TRUMP coin, some trying to bump themselves onto the invite list and others simply hoping to profit, according to analysis by blockchain analytics firm Nansen. Within an hour, its price had surged by almost 60 percent.
However, for the two organizations that own 80 percent of the coin’s supply—CIC Digital LLC and Fight Fight Fight LLC, offshoots of a conglomerate owned by Trump—the market price was a secondary concern. In the immediate term, those firms profit primarily based on how frequently people trade it.
When Trump announced his memecoin in January, the two organizations funneled 10 percent of the total supply into a so-called liquidity pool, the purpose of which is to ensure the asset can be traded freely. In return for supplying liquidity and promising to buy and sell the coin as trades come in—known as market making—the Trump-affilitated organizations command a fee. That fee ranges from 0.1 to 10 percent of each trade depending on the present level of demand. Think of it like surge pricing on a ride-hailing app.
“If you have a coin and you control the market making and the fees generated, what you care about is volume and price movement, not price itself,” says Nathan van der Heyden, head of business development at crypto company Aragon.
Previously, Trump-affilitated entities have reportedly earned tens of millions of dollars in trading fees in connection with the TRUMP coin. In the 24 hours following the dinner announcement, $1.6 million in fees were collected by contributors to the TRUMP liquidity pool on Meteora, the exchange through which the token was originally launched. Most of that money will have accrued to CIC Digital and Fight Fight Fight as the largest contributors to the pool, based on previous reports.
On paper, the Trump-affilitated organizations also stand to gain by any appreciation in the price of TRUMP, as they are by far the largest holders. But in practice, they are prevented from selling their stash of coins, partly by a mechanism that limits access to their holdings for a three-year period, and partly by the prospect of a backlash resulting from the inevitable drop in price caused by any large sales.
“The optics of profiting from selling your own coin are terrible, while profiting from the market making is opaque enough to protect your reputation,” says van der Heyden.
The Central Bank of Russia and the country’s Finance Ministry are planning to launch an experimental crypto exchange in the coming days. The step is part of Russia’s roadmap of gradually legalising cryptocurrencies. Finance Minister Anton Siluanov was addressing a ministry meeting this week, when he shed light on the plans, according to reports from local media. The development follows Russia’s support for the creation of a blockchain-based payments platform to be used exclusively by members of the BRICS group.
Due to the volatility and risks associated with cryptocurrencies, the Central Bank of Russia proposed the testing crypto activities under an experimental legal regime (ELR). Earlier in March, it said it would conduct these crypto transaction trials with “highly qualified investors”.
Investors with portfolios worth at least RUB 100 million (roughly Rs. 10 crore) will be considered as suitable to test the crypto exchange. Individuals whose income exceeded RUB 50 million (roughly Rs. 5 crore) will also be considered as qualified investors, according to an Interfax report.
Qualified investors will be allowed to invest in settlement-based securities, derivative financial instruments, and digital financial assets via the upcoming platform. These investments will reportedly exclude cryptocurrency delivery to investors but link returns to its value.
The experiment is said to be at least six months away from being launched.
Commenting on the development, Bitget COO Vugar Usi Zade told Gadgets 360 that Russia’s move could signify a shift towards greater institutional involvement and the legitimisation of digital assets in international trade.
“By limiting participation to ‘super-qualified’ entities likely institutional players and state-affiliated firms, the Kremlin is creating a controlled sandbox. This mirrors Singapore’s early licensed exchange model but with a distinctly geopolitical twist: facilitating trade with BRICS allies amid sanctions,” Zade said. “As geopolitical dynamics evolve, such developments warrant close attention from investors and policymakers alike.”
The crypto sector currently lacks comprehensive regulations in Russia. The Central Bank of Russia does not recognise crypto assets as a mode of payment, but citizens are permitted to purchase, hold, and trade crypto.
In recent years, Russia has prioritised discussions about crypto on official levels. In February this year, for instance, Russia’s Energy Ministry started discussions on mandating registrations for firms providing crypto mining equipment. The country has also been using Bitcoin to facilitate foreign trade.
“This call is being recorded for Google algorithm optimization purposes.”
On April 22, Google Ads notified Local Services Ads (LSA) advertisers of a significant update to its Terms of Service, asserting the right to use, modify, and analyze all content within an advertiser’s LSA profile, including phone calls from prospective customers.
These rights extend not only across Google’s platforms, products, and services, but also to its affiliates.
And yes, Google has already been digitally eavesdropping on LSA phone calls.
In July 2024, they replaced the previously manual (and relatively accurate) lead dispute process with an automated, AI-driven system.
Anecdotally, this benefited advertisers who didn’t closely monitor lead quality – but those with efficient review processes ended up paying more.
The scope of this AI analysis now extends far beyond lead quality, capturing service details, pricing, special offers, and discounts.
In effect, Google is positioned to create a comprehensive pricing map of LSA advertisers using inbound call data.
At this point, it’s still unclear whether agency MCCs can override an individual advertiser’s consent – or if clients are even being informed when their data rights are handed over.
Join us – or else…
Advertisers must proactively opt in to the new terms by June 5.
“However, if you don’t [accept] your ads will no longer be eligible to serve.”
Notably, agencies can accept these terms on behalf of their clients – presumably with notice, though whether that actually happens is beyond Google’s control.
Problems and pontifications
While this is speculative, the updated terms raise significant privacy, legal, and surveillance concerns.
Abuse of pricing data
Google specifically cites pricing information in its update.
This opens the door to using that data in AI-driven pricing models – potentially allowing Google to influence bidding strategies based on advertiser revenue.
Privacy
There are serious privacy issues in shifting from simple call monitoring to full data synthesis.
On the advertiser side, imagine a criminal defense firm fielding intake calls where prospective clients share incriminating details.
Even more concerning is the ability to build caller-level profiles – tracking someone through multiple calls and stitching together deeply personal context.
Someone searching for a cheap plumber because they’re selling a house, due to a divorce, sparked by infidelity, while battling for custody of a diabetic child after losing a job and health insurance.
That level of data mining is chilling.
Get the newsletter search marketers rely on.
See terms.
YMYL industries
Some industries may need to opt out entirely.
Attorney Raif Palmer put it bluntly:
“I don’t think lawyers can agree, which means they can’t use LSA period.”
With confidentiality obligations and Google claiming rights to recorded conversations, legal and medical professionals may have no ethical choice but to walk away.
It’s unclear whether Google will eventually make exemptions for industries under the “Your Money or Your Life” (YMYL) umbrella.
AI Overviews
All this data – from images and websites to recorded calls – feeds AI Overviews.
Businesses that embrace the ecosystem could gain visibility, as Google builds richer business profiles from this content stream.
Intake
Success in the AI Overviews era may come down to the first impression.
Think: a friendly, keyword-savvy receptionist, or an automated message carefully crafted to hit all the right search triggers.
In law, for example, intake staff might soon be coached to “groom” the AI Overviews:
“Yes, Attorney Jones has 22 years of experience in divorce law in the greater Chattanooga metro. He was recognized by SuperLawyers last year, speaks fluent Spanish, and is competitively priced.”
Responding strategically to Google’s new LSA terms
It’s still early days for these changes, and with six weeks until the opt-in deadline, there’s likely more conversation – and potential pushback – to come, especially from sensitive industries.
For what it’s worth, the Google reps we spoke with didn’t seem to know anything about the program.
The official Joy-Con 2 Wheel Set includes light blue and red controller attachments that match the the color schemes of each Joy-Con. Beyond looking cool, the promotional images make it appear like the wheels have rubberized and/or textured grips. They look nicer than the regular plastic wheels that have been around since the Nintendo Wii era.
You simply slide your controllers into the center slots, and you’re ready to race with motion controls. The wheels are entirely optional, as you can play with tilt controls without any attachment, but these accessories do add a bit of realism and are comfier to hold than the tiny Joy-Cons. They are also great for local multiplayer parties and for youngsters.
If you want to save a few bucks, you can preorder a GameStop-branded Joy-Con 2 wheel set for $17. The official Nintendo Wheel Set looks much nicer, though.
Fear of vision loss may deter some patients from undergoing necessary cataract surgery, according to a newly published study. Cataracts are the leading cause of reversible blindness, and surgery remains the only effective treatment.
The study, recently published in The Journal of Clinical Ophthalmology, highlights the trust patients place in their physicians and the critical role of doctor-patient communication in making medical decisions.
The research was led by Lisa Kelly, MD, a Taylor Asbury-endowed professor-educator and director of medical student education in the Department of Ophthalmology at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. Kelly also serves as medical director of UC eye clinics. The study’s corresponding author was Samantha Hu, a fourth-year medical student. Stephanie Wey, MD, a former UC resident, and Rainier Yono, a third-year medical student, also contributed.
The research team surveyed 42 patients at Hoxworth Eye Clinic, the training site for UC’s ophthalmology residents located near UC Medical Center. The study explored a possible link between health literacy and fear surrounding cataract surgery.
“We hypothesized that patients with lower health literacy would fear surgery more, especially the risk of vision loss,” said Hu. “But our findings didn’t support that.”
Cataracts develop when proteins in the eye’s natural lens break down and clump together, leading to blurry or dimmed vision. Because the condition is most commonly age-related, those surveyed were all 50 and older. Sixty percent reported a yearly income below $50,000.
Study findings
Among those surveyed, 36% reported fear of cataract surgery, and more than half of those specifically feared it would lead to vision loss. However, researchers found no correlation between this fear and a patient’s health literacy level.
“We found patients who would benefit from surgery reasonably understood the procedure after we educated them,” Kelly said. “But even with clear explanations, sometimes their fear persisted.”
Hu noted that simply providing more information wasn’t always helpful. “Overloading patients with data doesn’t necessarily ease their concerns,” she said.
Instead, the study pointed to the importance of open communication.
“Yes, patient education matters, but it’s not always sufficient,” said Kelly. “What’s equally important is building relationships and trust to help patients overcome fear.”
Hu said the findings emphasize how much patients rely on their physicians to guide them to medical decisions based on their individual needs.
“It underscores the trust patients place in their doctors — and the need for physicians to truly understand their patient population,” said Hu.
Kelly added, “It’s a reminder that our patients are people with real fears. Our role is to partner with them in their health care.”
Moving forward, researchers are likely to delve deeper into patients’ fear around cataract surgery and how physicians can further strengthen doctor-patient relationships.
Path to residency
Hu is part of the UC College of Medicine’s Class of 2025. She is originally from Greenwood Village, Colorado, a suburb of Denver.
As Hu became more focused on pursuing the ophthalmology specialty, she said she reached out to Kelly about taking part in research and joined the study in her second year of medical school for the data gathering process.
Hu said she was intrigued by this study because of her interest in the social determinants of health, the economic and social conditions that influence differences in people’s health. “Sam and I spent a lot of one-on-one time together as she worked on this research project,” said Kelly. “I got to know her well.”
The results of the study were first presented at a medical conference last year and likely helped Hu stand out in the competitive residency matching process.
“Engaging with a scholarly question in research like this better positions medical students to take a critical look at the literature,” Kelly said.
After she graduates this spring, Hu will begin her ophthalmology residency at Loyola University Chicago.
G.D. Goenka University is a premier multidisciplinary institution redefining education with a forward-looking approach. Offering undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programs, the university equips students with the skills and knowledge to excel in a dynamic global economy. Committed to academic excellence, research, and holistic development, it fosters intellectual curiosity, creativity, and social responsibility.
A leader in implementing NEP 2020, the university comprises 8 schools, hosting 6000+ students and 11,000+ alumni from over 45 countries. Recognized by UGC, BCI, and ICAR, and rated “Diamond” by QS I-GAUGE, it is a member of AIU, ACU, and IAU.
About the Organizer
The Centre for IP Studies, Research and Extension at GD Goenka University, School of Law, is a premier academic and research center committed to fostering critical discourse in the domain of Intellectual Property Rights.
The Centre regularly hosts national and international conferences, colloquia, and academic events aimed at promoting awareness and deepening the understanding of IP law among students, researchers, and professionals.
Details about the Event
The School of Law, GD Goenka University is organizing the 1st International Colloquium on Copyright: Exploring Copyright Challenges in the Film & Music Industry. This virtual colloquium aims to bring together thought leaders, academicians, researchers, and practitioners to discuss the evolving landscape of copyright in the entertainment sector, especially focusing on emerging digital challenges, the use of artificial intelligence, cross-border legal dilemmas, and protection of creative rights.
This event is an excellent opportunity for students, researchers, and professionals to engage with contemporary issues in copyright law and contribute to global academic discourse.
Eligibility
Open to students, research scholars, academicians, practitioners, and anyone interested in copyright law and the entertainment industry.
Location
The event will be held virtually, allowing participation from across the globe.
How to Register?
Participants can register through the link mentioned at the end of this post.
Disclaimer: WEF April, 2021, Lawctopus will not publish any ‘Call for Papers/Blogs’ by journals that charge money at the time of submission. If you find any journal doing so, please intimate us at tanuj.kalia[at]lawctopus.com
It’s time we start paying attention to something that’s been quietly impacting millions — Irritable Bowel Syndrome, or IBS. Unlike conditions that show up on scans or blood tests, IBS doesn’t always leave visible signs, but for those who live with it, the discomfort is very real. Bloating, stomach cramps and unpredictable bathroom habits aren’t just “in your head” — they’re part of a complex gut disorder that’s all too often misunderstood or ignored.
The rise of digestive drinks
According to Telangana’s Pace Hospitals, 4 to 7% of people in India are living with IBS, and numbers are slowly but steadily rising. That’s why the theme for 2025’s IBS Awareness Month — More Than A Stomachache — couldn’t be more timely. Because let’s face it, IBS is not just about digestion. It can take a serious toll on your self-confidence, your mental well-being, and your overall quality of life.
There are multiple types of IBS:
IBS-C (with constipation as the main symptom),
IBS-D (dominated by diarrhoea), and
IBS-M (a mix of both — sometimes constipation, sometimes diarrhoea, making it harder to manage).
And while we often link flare-ups to poor diet or stress — both valid triggers — the truth is, IBS behaves differently in every person. It’s complex, it’s frustrating, and unfortunately, it’s still stigmatised.
Enter: The rise of digestive drinks
One gentle trend that’s been making its way into everyday wellness routines — especially among Gen Z — is the rise of digestive drinks. These herbal concoctions, often made from everyday ingredients like jeera (cumin), ajwain (carom seeds), fennel, ginger, mint, and lemon, are gaining popularity for their soothing effects on the gut.
Celebs are part of the wave, too. Actor Alaya F recently shared her go-to morning gut tonic, while Malaika Arora and Jennifer Aniston have also opened up about drinks they swear by to keep their digestion in check. But is there real science behind these wellness elixirs? Or is this just another trend dressed in wellness clothing?
Alaya F’s ayurvedic drink
Her morning mix includes ajwain, cumin, fennel, ginger, fresh mint, and soaked basil (sabja) seeds — all steeped in warm water overnight. Taken on an empty stomach, it’s meant to soothe bloating and kick-start digestion. Especially helpful for those with IBS-D (the diarrhoea kind).
Malaika Arora’s clove tea
Malaika prefers clove-infused water, which is known for its anti-inflammatory properties. This one’s great for easing general discomfort and might help those with IBS-D too, but less effective for constipation. Steep a few cloves in hot water, drink.
Jennifer Aniston’s colostrum kick
Her go-to is a drink made with bovine colostrum (yes, the first milk from cows post-birth), lemon juice, ginger, and sometimes Manuka honey. High in immune-supporting nutrients, this one’s geared more towards IBS-C symptoms and overall gut immunity.
Experts say
Many of the ingredients found in digestive drinks aren’t just kitchen staples — they’re backed by science. Ginger helps the gut move more efficiently and eases inflammation. Peppermint has a naturally calming effect, chamomile soothes spasms and fennel and mint can ease bloating.
Lemon juice is known to kick-start digestive enzymes, while probiotics and prebiotics nourish the gut’s good bacteria. “These are ingredients most of us already have at home,” says Dr Bir Singh Sehrawat, Program Clinical Director and Head of Gastroenterology at Marengo Asia Hospitals, Faridabad, adding, “These celeb drinks support digestion, relieve gas and bloating, and encourage regular bowel movements. Something as simple as lemon and honey in warm water can help clear the stomach first thing in the morning.”
But while these drinks may offer comfort in the early stages of IBS or when symptoms are mild, they’re not a fix for everything. If symptoms become more serious — unexplained weight loss, ongoing diarrhoea or constipation, or blood in stools — it’s time to see a doctor. “In such cases, medical attention and a tailored treatment plan are essential,” he adds.
Samiksha Kalra Gupta, Head of the Dietetics Department at Madukar Rainbow Children’s Hospital, agrees and adds, “Digestive drinks are not a replacement for medical treatment for IBS. Individuals with IBS should work closely with their healthcare provider to develop a comprehensive management plan.”
Lifestyle tweaks that can help
Food: Dr Piyush Ranjan recommends the low-FODMAP diet, which has been shown to reduce IBS symptoms in many. Including fibre-rich foods, fermented items like curd and pickles, and avoiding known personal triggers (like dairy or certain veggies) can be helpful.
Sleep: A chaotic sleep schedule can mess with your gut more than you’d think. Poor sleep slows digestion and increases inflammation. Setting a consistent bedtime — and avoiding heavy late-night meals — can help.
Stress: The gut-brain connection is real. Anxiety and stress can worsen IBS symptoms. Mindful activities like yoga, deep breathing, or even a casual walk can help calm the nervous system and, in turn, your gut.
Hydration: Water is your gut’s best friend. So are herbal teas, and fruits like watermelon or cucumber that offer hydration and fibre.
Movement: Exercise helps everything — digestion included. You don’t need a HIIT routine. Even walking or stretching regularly can improve bowel movement and reduce bloating.
Flagship Pioneering unveiled its latest biotechnology startup on Thursday, a company aiming to map the progression of diseases and tailor medicines to stages of a patient’s journey.
Called Etiome, the biotech wants to take on a slew of medical conditions, from Parkinson’s disease and rheumatoid arthritis to the common liver condition known as metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis. It’s starting up with $50 million from Flagship, the biotech company creator that founded Moderna.
Etiome’s name is a portmanteau of etiology — a disease’s origin — and the “omics” sciences that study types of biological molecules. The company was born out of an initiative within Flagship to develop preventive medicines. It’s using a type of AI technology and a trove of health data to closely analyze the various biological changes that occur as certain diseases take hold. It hopes to use this information to pinpoint markers of different disease “stages,” better understand which people are more likely to progress, and intervene with a medicine before they do.
Without that detailed data, it can be hard for drugmakers to figure out why some medicines don’t work on certain people, and why disease moves faster in some but not others. Having it should “lead to a dramatic increase in probability of success of the drugs that we push forward,” said Etiome president and Flagship origination partner Scott Lipnick.
In Parkinson’s, for example, Lipnick noted how there may be different molecular processes driving a person’s struggle to walk or control their brain, necessitating different therapeutic interventions. In metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis, or MASH, certain changes might underlie the progrssion from a fatty liver to inflammation and eventually cirrhosis.
If Etiome can understand those changes and target them at the right time, “we know it’s not too late,” Lipnick said. “That’s when you actually need to make a difference.”
Like many other Flagship startups, Etiome is launching with lofty ambitions. The company aims to develop medicines that can slow, stop or even reverse a variety of conditions, though it hasn’t yet revealed specific drug programs or when human testing might begin.
A tough funding climate has made it difficult for startups to pursue a journey like that, in turn heightening the importance of pharmaceutical partnerships. A Flagship initiative focused on fostering alliances for its portfolio companies has yielded several deals over the last year or so, and Lipnick said such collaborations are “key.”
“We are not going to do everything alone,” he said.
The most unaffordable electorates to buy a home are mostly located in Sydney, with 4 of the top 5 and 12 of the top 20 most unaffordable electorates.
The most affordable electorates to buy a home are concentrated in Regional Queensland, comprising 6 of the 20 most affordable electorates nationally, followed by Melbourne (4) and Regional NSW (3).
The sole federal electorate in Darwin, Solomon, is the most affordable electorate to buy a home nationally.
The electorate of Melbourne stands out as the most affordable to buy, with the lowest dwelling value to income ratio at just 4.7.
The most unaffordable electorates to rent are concentrated in regional markets, especially Regional Queensland and Regional NSW.
The most affordable electorates to rent are clustered around the outer fringes of Melbourne, especially the outer West.
Housing has emerged as a pivotal issue in the upcoming federal election, with housing policies taking centre stage in the political debate and dominating discussion among voters.
And rightly so.
An imbalance between housing supply and demand, alongside cost-of-living pressures, high interest rates and low savings has pushed the cost of owning or renting a home higher, placing immense pressure on many Australians, particularly first-time homebuyers and renters.
However, this isn’t a new problem
Housing affordability challenges have been with us for a long time and most economists agree that policies announced in the lead up to the election are more focussed on applying a Band-Aid to the symptoms of housing affordability rather than addressing the underlying issues that have created such an unaffordable housing sector: a long running under-supply of appropriate housing relative to demand.
CoreLogic produces four different measures of housing affordability.
Each of them was either equal to or at a new record highs for unaffordability at the end of 2024.
National housing affordability metrics median income would be spending eight times their annual gross income to purchase the median value dwelling.
Similarly, based on serviceability metrics for a new mortgage, the median income household would require more than 30% of their gross income for mortgage repayments on the median dwelling value since 2002.
The only respite was in 2020, when interest rates fell to emergency lows and housing values hadn’t yet rocketed higher.
In December, a median-income household purchasing the median value dwelling with a 20% deposit would be dedicating just over half their gross annual income to mortgage repayments.
It’s also taking a record number of years to save for a 20% deposit at 10.6 years, assuming a household can save 15% of their income, which is a major challenge when the cost of living pressures have been high.
To make matters worse, rental affordability has never been this stretched, with rental households requiring roughly one-third of their income to pay rent.
Geographically, Sydney stands out with the most severe levels of housing unaffordability, apart from rental affordability, where Adelaide is the most stretched.
At the other end of the spectrum is Darwin, where a more balanced level of demand and supply has kept housing relatively affordable.
As of December, the most unaffordable electorates to buy a home are mostly located in Sydney
With 4 of the top 5 and 12 of the top 20 most unaffordable electorates.
The list was topped by the electorate of Bradfield, which includes the North Sydney and Hornsby region, with a dwelling value to income ratio of 16.5.
Bradfield has recorded the highest dwelling value to income ratio of any electorate consistently since the final quarter of 2018, and prior to that was ranked either number one or two nationally since 2013.
While the electorate of Wentworth (ranked 12th most unaffordable) is home to more expensive suburbs, such as Bellevue Hill and Vaucluse, and has a slightly lower median income than across the Bradfield electorate.
However, it’s also an electorate with much higher housing density.
In the Wentworth electorate, 69% of dwellings are classified as units, compared with just 40% of housing in Bradfield.
It’s a timely reminder about the affordability benefits that a diverse range of housing stock can provide.
Outside of Sydney, Regional NSW and Regional Qld both accounted for three electorates in the top 20, with Richmond recording the highest dwelling value to income ratio.
Richmond, located in northern NSW and including high-profile coastal markets like Byron Bay, recorded a dwelling value to income ratio of 12.4, the highest of any regional market nationally.
Before the pandemic, the electorate of Richmond was ranked 21st most unaffordable nationally, however, significant value growth through the pandemic saw affordability metrics across most lifestyle markets worsen substantially, with Richmond now ranked the 5th most unaffordable electorate nationally to purchase a home.
Most unaffordable electorates to buy a home
DWELLINGVALUES
AFFORDABILITYMETRICS
Nationalranking
Electorate
Region
SA4 sub-region
Mediandwelling
value
12monthchangein
values
5yrchangein values
Valuetoincome
ratio
%ofincometoservice a new
mortgage
Years to save a 20%
deposit
% of income to
payrent
1
Bradfield
Sydney
North Sydney and Hornsby
$2,720,471
0.6%
25.3%
16.5
104.0%
21.9
35.4%
2
Mackellar
Sydney
Northern Beaches
$2,191,925
-2.0%
28.2%
14.1
89.2%
18.8
39.5%
3
Banks
Sydney
Inner South West
$1,463,950
3.7%
32.6%
13.1
82.5%
17.4
35.8%
4
Fowler
Sydney
South West
$1,103,835
7.8%
37.4%
12.6
79.7%
16.8
39.9%
5
Richmond
Rest of NSW
Richmond – Tweed
$1,107,902
2.8%
54.3%
12.4
78.4%
16.5
49.4%
6
Watson
Sydney
Inner South West
$1,101,110
6.4%
30.2%
12.2
77.2%
16.3
40.6%
7
Chisholm
Melbourne
South East
$1,382,854
-3.0%
10.8%
11.8
74.5%
15.7
33.0%
8
Grayndler
Sydney
Inner West
$1,584,213
1.4%
23.9%
11.8
74.5%
15.7
31.8%
9
Mcpherson
Rest of Qld
Gold Coast
$1,221,147
4.9%
73.9%
11.7
73.8%
15.6
45.6%
10
Hindmarsh
Adelaide
West
$908,896
11.5%
73.2%
11.6
73.2%
15.4
42.0%
11
Cook
Sydney
Sutherland
$1,574,549
1.1%
26.5%
11.5
72.5%
15.3
32.8%
12
Wentworth
Sydney
Eastern Suburbs
$1,736,467
-3.0%
25.5%
11.4
72.4%
15.3
35.4%
13
Berowra
Sydney
North Sydney and Hornsby
$1,757,500
0.3%
26.9%
11.4
71.9%
15.2
29.1%
14
Blaxland
Sydney
Parramatta
$1,120,137
5.0%
28.2%
11.4
71.8%
15.1
37.0%
15
Warringah
Sydney
North Sydney and Hornsby
$1,811,721
-2.3%
21.0%
11.1
70.3%
14.8
30.7%
16
Mitchell
Sydney
Baulkham Hills and Hawkesbury
$1,786,946
-1.7%
32.0%
11.1
70.0%
14.8
27.9%
17
Cunningham
Rest of NSW
Illawarra
$1,006,328
1.2%
39.7%
10.9
68.9%
14.5
39.2%
18
Fairfax
Rest of Qld
Sunshine Coast
$1,068,327
5.0%
70.1%
10.9
68.8%
14.5
42.9%
19
Gilmore
Rest of NSW
Southern Highlands and Shoalhaven
$874,882
0.6%
43.9%
10.8
68.4%
14.4
37.9%
20
Fisher
Rest of Qld
Sunshine Coast
$1,019,235
7.7%
66.7%
10.8
68.1%
14.4
41.3%
Highest ranking for each major region outside the top 20
26
Curtin
Perth
Inner
$1,348,951
9.1%
57.4%
10.2
64.5%
13.6
32.5%
41
Bonner
Brisbane
South
$1,170,743
6.0%
66.8%
9.3
58.9%
12.4
31.0%
66
Mayo
Rest of SA
South East
$834,895
11.2%
79.0%
8.3
52.5%
11.1
31.7%
73
Monash
Rest of Vic.
Latrobe – Gippsland
$636,844
-3.3%
32.0%
8.0
50.8%
10.7
32.5%
83
Franklin
Hobart
Hobart
$711,006
1.9%
34.2%
7.7
48.9%
10.3
32.1%
97
Lyons
Rest of Tas.
Launceston and North East
$561,085
2.4%
50.8%
7.3
45.9%
9.7
32.5%
115
Canberra
ACT
ACT
$925,853
-0.8%
28.1%
6.7
42.1%
8.9
26.5%
136
Oconnor
Rest of WA
Wheat Belt
$458,906
14.4%
77.6%
5.7
36.1%
7.6
34.5%
148
Lingiari
Rest of NT
Northern Territory – Outback
$441,927
-1.2%
6.7%
4.3
27.0%
5.7
30.8%
150
Solomon
Darwin
Darwin
$503,294
2.7%
28.5%
4.2
26.6%
5.6
28.5%
The most affordable electorates to buy a home are concentrated in Regional Qld
Comprising 6 of the 20 most affordable electorates nationally, followed by Melbourne (4) and Regional NSW (3).
The sole federal electorate in Darwin, Solomon, is the most affordable electorate to buy a home nationally.
Importantly, Solomon doesn’t have the lowest median dwelling value – that title goes to the electorate of Parkes in regional NSW.
Rather, Solomon has a combination of relatively low housing values combined with relatively high incomes.
In fact, housing values in Solomon remain 3.8% lower than their record highs recorded more than a decade ago in June 2014.
Among the capitals, the electorate of Melbourne stands out as the most affordable to buy, with the lowest dwelling value to income ratio at just 4.7.
Melbourne is also the electorate with the highest proportion of units, which comprise nearly 80% of all dwellings.
Mortgage serviceability on a new loan comes in under 30% at 29.7%, and it would take a prospective household ‘just’ 6.3 years to save for a 20% deposit.
Another factor that has supported the relatively affordable outcome is that dwelling values remain 7.5% below their record highs from 2022.
The electorates of Lalor and Hawke (ranked 12th and 13th nationally as most affordable to buy), located in Melbourne’s outer West, are good examples of how greenfield supply additions can help to keep a lid on housing affordability.
The density of housing stock in these electorates is very low, with units comprising just 8.3% and 7.5% of housing stock, respectively.
Most affordable electorates to buy a home
DWELLINGVALUES
AFFORDABILITYMETRICS
Nationalranking
Electorate
Region
SA4 sub-region
Mediandwelling
value
12monthchangein
values
5yrchangein values
Valuetoincome
ratio
%ofincometoservice a new
mortgage
Years to save a 20%
deposit
% of income to
payrent
1
Solomon
Darwin
Darwin
$503,294
2.7%
28.5%
4.2
26.6%
5.6
28.5%
2
Parkes
Rest of NSW
Far West and Orana
$356,952
4.2%
52.2%
4.2
26.7%
5.6
26.7%
3
Lingiari
Rest of NT
Northern Territory – Outback
$441,927
-1.2%
6.7%
4.3
27.0%
5.7
30.8%
4
Melbourne
Melbourne
Inner
$539,783
-4.4%
-3.9%
4.7
29.7%
6.3
29.3%
5
Kennedy
Rest of Qld
Cairns
$431,853
10.3%
49.3%
5.0
31.8%
6.7
30.4%
6
Durack
Rest of WA
Outback (South)
$489,617
14.6%
66.3%
5.1
32.1%
6.8
32.6%
7
Grey
Rest of SA
Barossa – Yorke – Mid North
$382,435
12.4%
73.7%
5.2
32.6%
6.9
27.9%
8
Mallee
Rest of Vic.
North West
$376,877
3.8%
44.2%
5.2
32.7%
6.9
30.1%
9
Macnamara
Melbourne
Inner
$652,257
-3.5%
-2.0%
5.2
32.7%
6.9
27.0%
10
Capricornia
Rest of Qld
Central Queensland
$551,098
15.1%
66.2%
5.2
32.9%
6.9
28.9%
11
Maranoa
Rest of Qld
Darling Downs – Maranoa
$425,182
15.1%
82.8%
5.4
34.1%
7.2
30.2%
12
Lalor
Melbourne
West
$632,138
-1.2%
14.6%
5.6
35.6%
7.5
23.2%
13
Hawke
Melbourne
West
$609,125
-0.9%
17.6%
5.6
35.7%
7.5
23.3%
14
Dawson
Rest of Qld
Mackay – Isaac – Whitsunday
$567,353
18.8%
62.2%
5.7
36.1%
7.6
34.1%
15
Oconnor
Rest of WA
Wheat Belt
$458,906
14.4%
77.6%
5.7
36.1%
7.6
34.5%
16
Flynn
Rest of Qld
Central Queensland
$483,287
20.4%
79.5%
5.7
36.2%
7.6
31.9%
17
Farrer
Rest of NSW
Murray
$480,503
5.0%
67.4%
5.9
37.0%
7.8
31.5%
18
Herbert
Rest of Qld
Townsville
$557,745
24.3%
70.1%
5.9
37.1%
7.8
30.1%
19
Nicholls
Rest of Vic.
Shepparton
$490,994
-1.6%
44.1%
5.9
37.2%
7.9
31.0%
20
Riverina
Rest of NSW
Riverina
$512,549
4.4%
68.0%
5.9
37.4%
7.9
28.8%
Highest ranking for each major region outside the top 20
28
Perth
Perth
Inner
$794,215
13.6%
62.6%
6.4
40.2%
8.5
29.6%
30
Fenner
ACT
ACT
$820,136
-0.8%
30.8%
6.4
40.4%
8.5
26.8%
35
Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane Inner City
$908,459
8.7%
52.6%
6.6
42.0%
8.9
27.7%
38
Braddon
Rest of Tas.
West and North West
$472,035
6.1%
55.6%
6.8
42.8%
9.0
31.3%
50
Clark
Hobart
Hobart
$643,810
-1.6%
19.3%
7.2
45.3%
9.6
32.0%
59
Parramatta
Sydney
Parramatta
$864,161
0.5%
18.5%
7.4
46.8%
9.9
29.9%
79
Spence
Adelaide
North
$631,111
14.8%
102.9%
8.1
51.0%
10.8
36.1%
The most unaffordable electorates to rent are concentrated in regional markets
Especially Regional Queensland and Regional NSW, which together made up 13 of the top 20 most unaffordable electorates for renters.
At a local level, the Eastern Seaboard electorates from Hinkler in the north to Cowper in the south comprised 10 of the top 12 most unaffordable electorates for renters.
Rents have risen by more than 40% over the past five years across all these electorates except Page (37.4%).
Richmond (Northern NSW) and McPherson (Gold Coast) topped the list, with a rental household on the median income requiring more than 45% of their gross annual household income to service median rent.
In reality, it is unlikely rental households would be able to dedicate this much of their income to pay rent.
Instead, renters on the median income may be renting properties at the lower quartile of the market or forming larger group households in an effort to maximise the tenancy to cover their rental payments.
The most unaffordable capital city electorate for renting was Hindmarsh in Adelaide.
Located in the western suburbs of Adelaide, rental rates in this electorate have increased by almost 48% over the past five years, taking the median dwelling rent to $637/week.
At a capital city level, Adelaide is the most unaffordable rental market, with a median-income household requiring 35.1% of their gross annual income to cover the median rent.
Most unaffordable electorates to rent a home
DWELLINGRENTS
AFFORDABILITYMETRICS
Nationalrank
Electorate
Region
SA4 sub-region
Mediandwelling
rent
12monthchangein
rent
5yrchangein rent
% of income to
payrent
Value to income ratio
%ofincometoservice a new
mortgage
Years to save a 20%
deposit
1
Richmond
Rest of NSW
Richmond – Tweed
$860
5.9%
49.2%
49.4%
12.4
78.4%
16.5
2
Mcpherson
Rest of Qld
Gold Coast
$944
5.2%
58.8%
45.6%
11.7
73.8%
15.6
3
Cowper
Rest of NSW
Mid North Coast
$603
5.9%
40.4%
44.1%
10.7
67.3%
14.2
4
Moncrieff
Rest of Qld
Gold Coast
$834
4.6%
54.5%
43.4%
9.8
61.9%
13.1
5
Hinkler
Rest of Qld
Wide Bay
$595
6.1%
55.4%
43.1%
9.2
58.3%
12.3
6
Fairfax
Rest of Qld
Sunshine Coast
$817
5.9%
50.4%
42.9%
10.9
68.8%
14.5
7
Wide Bay
Rest of Qld
Wide Bay
$623
8.2%
60.2%
42.8%
10.0
63.3%
13.4
8
Hindmarsh
Adelaide
West
$637
5.5%
47.6%
42.0%
11.6
73.2%
15.4
9
Fisher
Rest of Qld
Sunshine Coast
$763
5.6%
47.4%
41.3%
10.8
68.1%
14.4
10
Page
Rest of NSW
Richmond – Tweed
$590
5.1%
37.4%
40.7%
8.9
56.0%
11.8
11
Watson
Sydney
Inner South West
$708
1.6%
38.6%
40.6%
12.2
77.2%
16.3
12
Fadden
Rest of Qld
Gold Coast
$815
3.8%
54.0%
40.4%
9.4
59.4%
12.5
13
Fowler
Sydney
South West
$652
5.4%
38.7%
39.9%
12.6
79.7%
16.8
14
Mackellar
Sydney
Northern Beaches
$1,196
2.2%
32.0%
39.5%
14.1
89.2%
18.8
15
Cunningham
Rest of NSW
Illawarra
$725
4.7%
35.1%
39.2%
10.9
68.9%
14.5
16
Kingsford Smith
Sydney
Eastern Suburbs
$982
0.0%
35.6%
38.9%
10.7
67.6%
14.3
17
Shortland
Rest of NSW
Newcastle and Lake Macquarie
$681
8.6%
40.6%
38.5%
10.0
62.9%
13.3
18
Kingston
Adelaide
South
$615
5.5%
55.5%
38.2%
9.4
59.5%
12.5
19
Makin
Adelaide
North
$605
5.2%
49.7%
38.0%
9.3
58.8%
12.4
20
Gilmore
Rest of NSW
Southern Highlands and Shoalhaven
$598
2.5%
30.3%
37.9%
10.8
68.4%
14.4
Highest ranking for each major region outside the top 20
21
Forrest
Rest of WA
Bunbury
$686
5.5%
67.3%
37.7%
7.8
49.4%
10.4
22
Flinders
Melbourne
Mornington Peninsula
$671
3.4%
37.4%
37.5%
10.6
67.3%
14.2
24
Cowan
Perth
North West
$721
8.9%
74.3%
37.4%
7.9
49.9%
10.5
31
Gippsland
Rest of Vic.
Latrobe – Gippsland
$461
6.0%
40.8%
36.6%
7.2
45.6%
9.6
32
Bowman
Brisbane
East
$749
4.5%
44.4%
36.4%
9.3
58.7%
12.4
57
Bass
Rest of Tas.
Launceston and North East
$494
2.8%
37.6%
32.9%
6.9
43.6%
9.2
72
Franklin
Hobart
Hobart
$576
4.1%
24.5%
32.1%
7.7
48.9%
10.3
79
Mayo
Rest of SA
South East
$608
6.5%
47.0%
31.7%
8.3
52.5%
11.1
89
Lingiari
Rest of NT
Northern Territory – Outback
$597
1.0%
13.0%
30.8%
4.3
27.0%
5.7
118
Solomon
Darwin
Darwin
$634
3.9%
39.7%
28.5%
4.2
26.6%
5.6
138
Bean
ACT
ACT
$675
1.1%
15.7%
26.9%
6.6
41.5%
8.8
The most affordable electorates to rent are clustered around the outer fringes of Melbourne
Although rents in these outer areas have generally risen by more than 20% over the past five years, it has been from a relatively low base, and the pace of growth has eased over the past year.
The median income household in these electorates would generally dedicate less than a quarter of their gross income towards renting, well below the national average of 32.8% and the Greater Melbourne average of 28.3%.
These electorates are also synonymous with greenfield housing supply, demonstrating the importance of new development in supporting healthy affordability outcomes.
The three electorates of the ACT (Canberra, Fenner and Bean) are all featured in the top 20 most affordable rental electorates, reflecting a relatively low rate of rental appreciation over the past five years.
A strong supply response, especially across the unit sector of the ACT, has helped to keep a lid on rental growth across the region.
Two electorates from Regional Victoria made the top 20 list, with Ballarat (ranked 6th most affordable nationally) and Corangamite (8th) providing a reasonably affordable outcome for renters.
Brisbane also records two electorates on the top 20 most affordable for renters list, with Griffith (ranked 16th nationally) and Brisbane (17th).
Even though rents have risen by close to 40% over the past five years in these electorates, affordability has remained reasonably healthy, with the median income household requiring around 27% of their income to service median rent.
Most affordable electorates to rent a home
DWELLINGRENTS
AFFORDABILITYMETRICS
Nationalranking
Electorate
Region
SA4 sub-region
Mediandwelling
rent
12monthchangein
rent
5yrchangein rent
% of income to
payrent
Value to income ratio
%ofincometoservice a new
mortgage
Years to save a 20%
deposit
1
Lalor
Melbourne
West
$495
-0.3%
25.6%
23.2%
5.6
35.6%
7.5
2
Hawke
Melbourne
West
$478
1.8%
23.6%
23.3%
5.6
35.7%
7.5
3
Gellibrand
Melbourne
West
$573
0.6%
25.9%
23.5%
6.1
38.9%
8.2
4
Gorton
Melbourne
West
$522
2.9%
22.9%
24.1%
6.1
38.7%
8.2
5
Mcewen
Melbourne
North East
$573
3.0%
28.9%
24.2%
6.1
38.5%
8.1
6
Ballarat
Rest of Vic.
Ballarat
$451
3.6%
26.5%
25.3%
6.1
38.8%
8.2
7
Jagajaga
Melbourne
North East
$654
3.7%
26.5%
26.1%
7.7
48.6%
10.2
8
Corangamite
Rest of Vic.
Geelong
$545
2.8%
27.4%
26.3%
7.2
45.4%
9.6
9
Canberra
ACT
ACT
$689
2.1%
15.8%
26.5%
6.7
42.1%
8.9
10
Fraser
Melbourne
West
$520
2.7%
24.3%
26.7%
6.3
40.0%
8.4
11
Parkes
Rest of NSW
Far West and Orana
$432
2.1%
35.2%
26.7%
4.2
26.7%
5.6
12
Fenner
ACT
ACT
$667
1.6%
17.9%
26.8%
6.4
40.4%
8.5
13
Bean
ACT
ACT
$675
1.1%
15.7%
26.9%
6.6
41.5%
8.8
14
Kooyong
Melbourne
Inner East
$725
-0.6%
22.3%
27.0%
9.9
62.4%
13.2
15
Macnamara
Melbourne
Inner
$674
1.0%
21.5%
27.0%
5.2
32.7%
6.9
16
Griffith
Brisbane
Brisbane Inner City
$733
2.3%
39.3%
27.4%
7.7
48.4%
10.2
17
Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane Inner City
$724
2.8%
38.3%
27.7%
6.6
42.0%
8.9
18
La Trobe
Melbourne
South East
$608
3.4%
41.5%
27.7%
6.6
41.7%
8.8
19
Aston
Melbourne
Outer East
$633
3.5%
25.2%
27.7%
7.8
49.1%
10.3
20
Greenway
Sydney
Blacktown
$761
2.7%
32.6%
27.8%
9.0
56.6%
11.9
Highest ranking for each major region outside the top 20
24
Grey
Rest of SA
Barossa – Yorke – Mid North
$401
2.7%
42.4%
27.9%
5.2
32.6%
6.9
33
Solomon
Darwin
Darwin
$634
3.9%
39.7%
28.5%
4.2
26.6%
5.6
37
Capricornia
Rest of Qld
Central Queensland
$585
6.4%
48.2%
28.9%
5.2
32.9%
6.9
46
Perth
Perth
Inner
$731
7.8%
66.8%
29.6%
6.4
40.2%
8.5
62
Lingiari
Rest of NT
Northern Territory – Outback
$597
1.0%
13.0%
30.8%
4.3
27.0%
5.7
68
Braddon
Rest of Tas.
West and North West
$443
5.1%
35.4%
31.3%
6.8
42.8%
9.0
77
Clark
Hobart
Hobart
$570
5.1%
17.9%
32.0%
7.2
45.3%
9.6
83
Adelaide
Adelaide
Central and Hills
$643
6.0%
39.9%
32.3%
8.5
53.6%
11.3
90
Durack
Rest of WA
Outback (South)
$618
13.9%
65.7%
32.6%
5.1
32.1%
6.8
About Tim Lawless Tim heads up the Core Logic RP Data research and analytics team, analysing real estate markets, demographics and economic trends across Australia. Visit www.corelogic.com.au
First love…giddying, intense, passionate, and often all-consuming. There is no denying that the first brush with romantic love has a lasting impact on people. Given that most people experience first love in their teen years, it rarely grows into a lasting relationship. Even so, first loves do shape our patterns in relationships—both good and bad—and are certainly hard to forget. However, the first love theory goes a step further and suggests that men never actually get over the first person they fall in love with.
They always hold a special place for their first love in their heart and even measure up all future partners against them. Now, that can put a serious dampener on a lot of relationships. If you’re not your partner’s first love, you may find yourself wondering if they’re holding a candle for someone else while they go through the motions of a relationship with you and can stir up a lot of insecurity.
That’s why we decided to delve deeper into men’s first love theory and figure out if there is any merit to it after all, based on recent research and studies in the area as well as insights from leading psychologists and relationship experts. So, do men get over their first love? Let’s find out.
What Is Men’s First Love Theory?
Men’s first love theory suggests that a man’s initial romantic experience profoundly influences his future relationships and perceptions of love. This early encounter often leaves a lasting emotional imprint, shaping how he views intimacy and commitment. That’s because when a person falls in love for the first time, their brain undergoes significant changes. Research indicates that romantic love activates areas associated with motivation and reward, similar to the effects of addictive substances.
This intense experience can set a benchmark for future relationships—it’s a classic case of a past relationship affecting the present and future. As psychologist Jefferson Singer notes, experiences from ages 15 to 26 are particularly memorable, making first loves during this period especially impactful. This initial love often becomes a template against which a man measures future partners. Traits from their first love can influence their attraction patterns, sometimes leading them to seek similar qualities in others. However, this comparison can also hinder new relationships, if a person is constantly measuring their present partner against an idealized past.
It’s common to feel a sense of nostalgia when reminiscing about one’s first love. These memories can evoke strong emotions, reminding a person of a time when feelings were fresh and intense. While cherishing these memories is natural, it’s essential to recognize that personal growth and changing circumstances mean that not all aspects of that first love are relevant to the present.
Related Reading: How To Get Over Your First Love: 13 Expert-Backed Ways
A Reddit user, who thinks her first love is still not over her, offers an interesting perspective on the first love theory, and says, “In my experience my first love is not over me. We were together from 16 to 20. When I got divorced at 27 (married at 22, way too young), the first love texted me some really unfortunate uncomfortable low key sad (pathetic but I hate to say that since he’s clearly just emotionally unhealthy) stuff about missing me blah blah blah. I’m 30 now and he’s still doing the same thing.
“He’s not still in love with me like he thinks he is. I’m no where near the person I was in my teens. And we haven’t seen each other or spoken person to person since we were 20. He’s stuck on an idea of me and there’s nothing I can do to help him drop the delusion. That’s all on him. But as I’ve said, this screams emotionally stunted. And that’s going to vary person to person. My current BF is the best man I know. Emotionally mature and available. Married once before very young like me and has no feelings for anyone in his past. We are fully each other’s. These two men are very different and therefore healed and grew differently.”
Is The First Love Theory Only Applicable To Men?
While the first love theory is generally used in reference to men’s experience with first love, it’s not necessarily gender-specific. The answer to what does first love mean to a girl is not very different from what does first love mean to a guy. The first romantic experience leaves a deep emotional imprint on men and women alike. However, there is evidence to suggest that men may process and remember their first love a bit differently than women.
In a majority of cultures, men are conditioned to suppress their emotions, and so, when a guy is vulnerable and experiences deep feelings for the first time, it can be especially impactful. Psychologist Nancy Kalish, who studied rekindled romances, found that men tend to idealize their first love more than women, holding onto memories and emotions for longer. She suggests that because men may not have had as many emotional outlets, their first love becomes a powerful reference point.
First love affects people in unique ways
That said, women also form strong emotional connections with their first love. For them, it might serve as a learning experience or a foundation for understanding future relationships. Ultimately, first love affects people in unique ways, but the emotional weight it carries is a shared human experience. Whether you’re a man or a woman, those early feelings can linger, influencing how you approach love long after the relationship has ended.
Related Reading: You Fall In 3 Types Of Love In Your Life : Theory And Psychology Behind It
Why Is First Love So Powerful?
Whether you think about what does first love mean to a girl or what does first love mean to a guy, there is no denying that first loves hold a unique and enduring power over us, influencing our emotions and relationships in profound ways. Let’s delve deeper into the psychology of first love to understand why it is so:
1. Neurological imprinting
When you fall in love, your brain releases a combination of neurotransmitters, such as dopamine, oxytocin, and serotonin, that create feelings of euphoria and attachment. Biological anthropologist Helen Fisher’s fMRI studies have shown that romantic love activates the brain’s reward system, similar to the effects of addictive substances. When you experience this for the first time, this biochemical response gets deeply imprinted into your memory, making it a reference point for future relationships.
2. Developmental significance
Feelings of intense first love remain etched into your psyche
First loves often occur during adolescence, a critical period for emotional and psychological development. Cognitive scientists at MIT explain that we experience peak processing and memory power at around age 18, making experiences during this time particularly impactful. That’s why your first relationship based on feelings of intense love remains etched into your psyche.
3. Idealization and uniqueness
The novelty of first love leads to idealization, where you perceive the relationship as perfect or unique. This idealization is a key aspect in the psychology of first love and its lasting impact on a person’s choice in adult relationships. Author Rosemary Rogers captures this sentiment, stating, “First romance, first love, is something so special to all of us, both emotionally and physically, that it touches our lives and enriches them forever.”
Related Reading: When I Saw My First Love Years Later
4. Cognitive biases
Research suggests that our first crush is not only hard to get over but also shapes our romantic preferences. Cognitive biases have a role to play in this tendency. During first love, cognitive biases like the halo effect and confirmation bias are heightened, causing a person to focus on positive traits of their romantic interest and overlook flaws. These biases intensify the emotional experience, making it more memorable.
5. Emotional resilience and growth
Experiencing first love and its potential loss contributes to emotional resilience. It teaches you about vulnerability, empathy, and the complexities of human connections, which are essential for personal growth. For a lot of people, their first love is closely tied to their first heartbreak, which can be an excruciatingly painful and often life-altering emotional event. The way a person navigates these ups and downs can become an emotional blueprint for how they steer through similar situations later in life.
Is It True That Men Never Forget Their First Love?
The notion that men never forget their first love has been a topic of both popular culture and academic research. While some studies suggest that early romantic experiences can leave lasting impressions, the idea that men are uniquely or universally unable to move past their first love is not conclusively supported by scientific evidence.
Research indicates that first loves can significantly influence future romantic preferences. For instance, early emotional experiences may create a “romantic blueprint,” leading individuals to seek out partners with traits reminiscent of their initial love. This phenomenon underscores the lasting impact of early attachments on one’s romantic life. However, it’s essential to recognize that the intensity and duration of attachment to a first love can vary widely among individuals.
Related Reading: I Realised In My Adulthood Why They Call It Puppy Love
You cannot stereotype the dynamics of men and love. A lot of men may look back at their first loves with disdain, some may remember their first relationship fondly but without harboring any lingering feelings for their former partner, and some may view the experience as a life lesson in what to do and what not to do in relationships. Take the example of this Reddit user, who discredits men’s first love theory, and says, “Oh god no. If I was still with my first love I’d be miserable or divorced. I was also a shitty and inexperienced partner, which coupled with her mental instability was a recipe for disaster long term.” He goes on to add:
Another user has a similar experience to share:
This has also been the takeaway of Nancy’s research into rekindled romances. She found that while some people maintain a profound connection to their first love, others do not experience the same enduring attachment. This variability suggests that personal factors, rather than gender alone, play a significant role in how first loves are remembered and valued.
Besides, societal norms and expectations can influence how men process and express emotions related to past relationships. Traditionally, men have been encouraged to suppress emotional vulnerability, which might affect how they internalize and recall their first romantic experiences. However, contemporary shifts toward emotional openness are challenging these norms, leading to a more nuanced understanding of how men reflect on past loves.
Key Pointers
The intensity of first love creates a “romantic blueprint,” shaping future relationships and attraction patterns
Research suggests men tend to hold onto memories and emotions of their first love longer, often due to fewer emotional outlets
Many men move on, with personal growth and individual experiences playing a more significant role than gender alone
Cultural expectations around masculinity may lead men to suppress emotions, potentially making their first love feel more impactful
Final Thoughts
So, do men get over their first love or does the first love theory hold water? While first loves often hold a special place in people’s memories (men and women alike), the assertion that men universally never forget their first love isn’t categorically true. Individual differences, societal influences, and personal growth trajectories all contribute to how first loves are remembered and integrated into one’s life narrative.
Love Takes Its Time To Develop And Grow
12 Signs Of Infatuation You Mistake For Love – Again And Again
Limerence vs Love | Difference And Signs To Know
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Your next gaming console might already be on your wall. LG Smart TVs are going to become Xbox game streaming machines with a simple software update—no console required.
Xbox Game Streaming Comes to LG TVs
Starting April 23, the Xbox app is available on select LG Smart TV models. This means that as long as you have an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription, you should be able to stream games directly on your TV.
Microsoft’s announcement wasn’t clear on exactly what TVs are getting the app. If you have a 2025 LG TV, you can find the Xbox app in the new LG Gaming Portal, accessible from the Gaming Q-Card on the TV home page. 2022 OLED TVs, 2023 LG Smart TVs and newer models running webOS24 or later will also get access to the app via a firmware upgrade that lets you download the app from the TV’s app store.
According to a support page listing compatible devices for Xbox Cloud Gaming, you need firmware 23.20.01 or higher to download the app. Smart monitors running webOS24 or later will also get the feature, and it will “soon expand to StanbyME screen.”
You will have to bring your own Bluetooth-enabled controllers to the party though. An Xbox wireless controller would be ideal, but as long as you can pair your existing controller with Bluetooth to your compatible LG TV—including Sony’s DualShock controllers, you should be good to go.
Related
What Is Xbox Cloud Gaming and How Does It Work?
Did you know you can play Xbox games on your mobile phone? Here’s how it works.
LG TVs aren’t the first to support Xbox Cloud Gaming either. 2020 or newer Samsung smart TV models with software version 1300 or higher already have the feature. And if you’re on a regular TV, you can use either of the following Amazon Fire TV sticks to gain access to cloud gaming:
Fire TV Stick 4K Max (1st Gen)
Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd Gen)
Fire TV Stick 4K (2nd Gen)
Fire TV Cube (3rd Gen)
Microsoft wanted to go further and launch a dedicated Xbox Cloud Gaming dongle to let players with any USB-compatible screen stream Xbox games. The company confirmed its intentions, but we’re yet to see a final product.
How To Stream Xbox Games on LG TVs?
Streaming games on your LG TV once you’ve updated it to the latest version should be relatively straightforward. Microsoft provides the following instructions in its announcement:
Navigate to the LG Gaming Portal from either Gaming Q-Card or LG Gaming Portal on the Home Page.
Download and launch the Xbox app.
Sign into or create your Microsoft account.
Connect a compatible Bluetooth-enabled wireless controller. Controllers like the Xbox Wireless Controller, Xbox Adaptive Controller, Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2, PlayStation DualSense, or DualShock 4 controller are all compatible.
Pick a game and start playing!
You’re going to need a good enough internet connection for a good experience, of course. Another requirement is Game Pass Ultimate—a permanent subscription for me given its benefits. That said, Xbox’s game streaming service is limited to specific regions. This means that even if you have an Xbox Game Pass Utlimate subscription, you may not be able to stream games. I recommend checking the Xbox supported countries page in case you live outside the US.
Given the Xbox Cloud Gaming program is still in beta, I wouldn’t expect it to perform as a complete Xbox replacement. Regardless, it should encourage a lot more people to get an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription and dip their toes in online game streaming.
Twenty-nine new majors have been introduced to advanced education institutions on Tuesday by China’s Ministry of Education, in response to the evolving needs of national strategies and the pursuit of high-quality development. Among them, programs such as International Cruise Management, Aviation Sports, and Digital Drama will inject fresh vitality into the cultural and tourism industries.
<img src='https://news.cgtn.com/news/2025-04-23/New-majors-fuel-China-s-cultural-and-tourism-boom-1CNVvb5Bdx6/img/c9e6748a98f94dfcb3faf4bf07e6e2e6/c9e6748a98f94dfcb3faf4bf07e6e2e6.png' alt='The Chinese-owned cruise ship Blue Dream Star enters the port of Hakata in Fukuoka, Japan. /VCG'
As one of the newly introduced majors, International Cruise Management is closely aligned with the recovery of the cruise industry. According to the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), the number of global cruise passengers reached 31.5 million in 2023 and is expected to grow to 39.5 million by 2027. In line with the global recovery, China’s cruise economy also saw a significant upturn in 2023.
Professor Ye Xinliang from Shanghai University of Engineering Science, an expert in cruise industry research, noted that China’s cruise tourism market experienced rapid growth in 2023. Within just three months of full resumption, China recorded 180,000 cruise passengers and over 100 cruise ship port calls.
Amid this rapidly expanding market, the launch of the new major comes at a timely moment. Graduates will be well-equipped for roles in cruise operations, port management, and duty-free retail. This will help boost the international competitiveness of China’s cruise industry and drive economic growth in coastal tourism hubs.
<img src='https://news.cgtn.com/news/2025-04-23/New-majors-fuel-China-s-cultural-and-tourism-boom-1CNVvb5Bdx6/img/23d582e79c37406486eb6daaea76493a/23d582e79c37406486eb6daaea76493a.jpeg' alt='A file photo shows a pilot preparing to take off in a helicopter for a low-altitude sightseeing flight over the Tashan Scenic Area in Yantai, Shandong. /IC'
The introduction of the Aviation Sports major is in response to the rapidly developing low-altitude economy and aviation tourism. In places like Anyang, Henan Province, investment in aviation sports resources has already paved the way for high-quality tourism routes.
Graduates of this program will support the development of aviation sightseeing, flight experiences and educational tourism programs, promoting the broader public access and scaling-up of aviation tourism.
<img src='https://news.cgtn.com/news/2025-04-23/New-majors-fuel-China-s-cultural-and-tourism-boom-1CNVvb5Bdx6/img/919b74dd025c449db42b15d2c30f58d1/919b74dd025c449db42b15d2c30f58d1.jpeg' alt='A performance is staged at China's first panoramic immersive theater theme park in Zhengzhou, Henan. /VCG'
Digital Drama is one of the most forward-looking additions to the new catalog, representing a deep integration of technology and the arts. Through the use of AR, VR, and virtual engines, digital drama creates innovative cultural tourism products and immersive experiences.
Projects like China’s first panoramic immersive theater theme park in Zhengzhou, Henan, have transformed traditional stage plays into highly interactive tourism attractions. The new major will train interdisciplinary talents in both technology and the arts, advancing the digitization and immersive presentation of cultural content.
Sophie Nyweide, a former child actor whose brief career in the late aughts to early 2010s included roles in films “Mammoth,” “Noah” and “Bella,” has died.
Nyweide died April 14 in her home state of Vermont, her family announced in a Legacy.com obituary published last week. “Creative, athletic and wise beyond her years, Sophie accomplished so much in the time she danced upon earth,” her loved ones wrote. She was 24.
The obituary described Nyweide as a welcoming person who saw people other than relatives as family. “Her death has left a hole in all,” the obituary continued. “Sadness, loss, heartbreak and even anger is present for those who loved her and now will have to continue on with her laughter, infectious passion and zest — without those amazing blue eyes that could look directly into one’s soul.”
The family’s announcement did not disclose additional details about the actor’s death, including a cause, but her loved ones implied that the actor had been taken advantage of, refused professional help and self-medicated to cope with undisclosed “trauma and shame,” which led to her death. The Bennington Police Department said in a statement shared with The Times that it is investigating Nyweide’s death as a “possible unintentional overdose” and will conduct an investigation, including final autopsy and toxicology reports.
Police and rescue personnel responded to a 911 call about an unresponsive female early April 14, according to the statement. Officials arrived to a “wooded area along the banks of the Roaring Branch River” where first responders “attempted life saving measures” on Nyweide, who was pronounced dead at the scene less than an hour later. The person who called 911 was present with Nyweide at the time of her death and is cooperating with investigators, the statement said. Investigators will reportedly consider a range of possible causes, including foul play.
Nyweide was reportedly in the early stages of pregnancy when she died, according to severaloutlets citing her death certificate.
Nyweide was born July 8, 2000, in Burlington, Vt., and enjoyed a varied career that spanned from her screen debut in the 2006 film “Bella” to a 2015 episode of ABC’s beloved social experiment series “What Would You Do?” Nyweide was inspired by her mother, actor Shelly Gibson (“All My Children,” “Blood & Oil”), to pursue a career in Hollywood.
By the time she was 11, Nyweide appeared in a handful of films including the 2009 multilingual and country-hopping film “Mammoth.” In the film, directed by Lukas Moodysson, Nyweide appeared as the onsceen 8-year-old daughter of Michelle Williams and Gael García Bernal. Nyweide also shared the screen with James Franco and Julianne Nicholson in the 2010 feature “Shadows & Lies,” and appeared alongside Jessica Alba and Chris Messina as an elementary school student in “An Invisible Sign.”
Nyweide’s credits also include films “And Then Came Love,” “Noah” and “Margot at the Wedding,” TV series “Law & Order” and shorts “Mistakes Were Made” and “Born Again.”
“She seemed happiest on a movie set, becoming someone else,” her family said in the obituary, adding productions were a “safe place for her.”
The obituary continued: “She was an eager adventurer and picked up the customs and even languages of any place she visited. She made friends easily at her schools and saw the good in everyone.”
Before she became an actor, Nyweide took inspiration from her older brother and found a knack for snowboarding. She started competing in the sport at age 5, according to her obituary.
“A life ended too soon. May it not be in vain,” the obituary said. “May we all learn from her brief life on earth and do better. Yes, we must all protect our children and do better.”
The family asks that donations be made in Nyweide’s name to RAINN, an organization dedicated to supporting survivors of sexual violence.
Seoul, April 24: Hyundai Motor Group said on Thursday it has partnered with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi to establish a new research centre in India aimed at advancing future mobility technologies, with a focus on electrification and battery systems.
Under their partnership agreement signed Wednesday, the two sides will establish the Hyundai Center of Excellence, which will serve as a hub for joint research projects under a long-term academic-industry cooperation framework. Hyundai Motor and Kia together plan to invest around 5 billion won ($3.5 million) over two years to pursue research in future mobility technologies at the centre, reports Yonhap news agency. Cybertruck Spotted in India: After Tesla Model Y, Electric Pickup From Elon Musk’s EV Company Seen on Indian Roads, Launch Expected Soon.
The group has identified nine collaborative projects with IIT Delhi, covering areas such as battery cells and systems, battery management systems, safety, durability and diagnostic technologies. The centre will also explore new materials and components to further enhance battery design and performance.
An official partnership agreement signing ceremony was held in New Delhi, attended by Yang Heui-won, president and head of Hyundai’s research and development division, and IIT Delhi Director Rangan Banerjee, among others. “We are excited to work with India’s brightest minds in battery innovation,” Yang said. “This partnership underscores our commitment to developing future mobility solutions in line with India’s unique market needs while contributing to its economy and society.” BMW To Integrate AI From Chinese Startup DeepSeek in New Vehicles in China Later This Year, Says CEO Oliver Zipse.
Hyundai Motor India recently completed 25 years of exports from India, reinforcing its position as the largest exporter in this segment. Since starting exports in 1999, the company has shipped over 3.7 million (37 lakh) vehicles across the globe, it said in a statement. The company’s export data showed the success of India’s push for self-reliant and globally competitive automobile production. Over the years, Hyundai has expanded its global reach, exporting cars to more than 150 countries.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 24, 2025 10:50 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
Here’s a nice little distraction from your workday: Head to Google, type in any made-up phrase, add the word “meaning,” and search. Behold! Google’s AI Overviews will not only confirm that your gibberish is a real saying, it will also tell you what it means and how it was derived.
This is genuinely fun, and you can find lots of examples on social media. In the world of AI Overviews, “a loose dog won’t surf” is “a playful way of saying that something is not likely to happen or that something is not going to work out.” The invented phrase “wired is as wired does” is an idiom that means “someone’s behavior or characteristics are a direct result of their inherent nature or ‘wiring,’ much like a computer’s function is determined by its physical connections.”
It all sounds perfectly plausible, delivered with unwavering confidence. Google even provides reference links in some cases, giving the response an added sheen of authority. It’s also wrong, at least in the sense that the overview creates the impression that these are common phrases and not a bunch of random words thrown together. And while it’s silly that AI Overviews thinks “never throw a poodle at a pig” is a proverb with a biblical derivation, it’s also a tidy encapsulation of where generative AI still falls short.
As a disclaimer at the bottom of every AI Overview notes, Google uses “experimental” generative AI to power its results. Generative AI is a powerful tool with all kinds of legitimate practical applications. But two of its defining characteristics come into play when it explains these invented phrases. First is that it’s ultimately a probability machine; while it may seem like a large-language-model-based system has thoughts or even feelings, at a base level it’s simply placing one most-likely word after another, laying the track as the train chugs forward. That makes it very good at coming up with an explanation of what these phrases would mean if they meant anything, which again, they don’t.
“The prediction of the next word is based on its vast training data,” says Ziang Xiao, a computer scientist at Johns Hopkins University. “However, in many cases, the next coherent word does not lead us to the right answer.”
The other factor is that AI aims to please; research has shown that chatbots often tell people what they want to hear. In this case that means taking you at your word that “you can’t lick a badger twice” is an accepted turn of phrase. In other contexts, it might mean reflecting your own biases back to you, as a team of researchers led by Xiao demonstrated in a study last year.
“It’s extremely difficult for this system to account for every individual query or a user’s leading questions,” says Xiao. “This is especially challenging for uncommon knowledge, languages in which significantly less content is available, and minority perspectives. Since search AI is such a complex system, the error cascades.”
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim met Binance Co-Founder Changpeng Zhao on April 22. The aim of the meeting was to discuss Malaysia’s approach to engage with Web3 technologies like blockchain and digital assets. PM Ibrahim posted details about the meeting on X (formerly Twitter), claiming that he wishes to transform the Asian nation into a major Web3 hub. In the future, the country plans to continue engaging in similar conversation with international regulatory and financial bodies to chalk out a roadmap for Web3 adoption.
The Prime Minister called his meeting with Zhao “productive”. Zhao also posted on X that the meeting with the Malaysian leadership led to “great discussions”, without divulging elaborate details.
In his tweet, the Malaysian PM wrote, “it’s clear that government leadership is essential in driving blockchain adoption—such as through digitisation and exploring tokenisation of financial instruments and other use cases.”
He plans to take steps to help Malaysia position itself at the forefront of global digital transformation. For this, he plans to continue dialogue with Malaysia’s Securities Commission and the Bank Negara Malaysia. Officials from Malaysia’s “Ministry of Digital” will also participate in these Web3-related discussions. Established in 2023, the Ministry of Digital in Malaysia is responsible for overseeing the national digitisation plans and agenda.
Thank you for the productive discussion. :pray:
— CZ :large_orange_diamond: BNB (@cz_binance) April 22, 2025
The Web3 sector, comprises sub-sectors like cryptocurrencies, blockchain, metaverse, and NFTs, and it is still largely unregulated on a global level. The UAE and the European Union (EU) are among the first regions to have deployed comprehensive Web3 regulations – to allow the sector to grow while protecting the interests of its industries and investors.
Malaysia has been tapping into the expertise of Web3-familiar lawmakers and industry insiders. In January this year, for instance, PM Ibrahim met with UAE officials to discuss the formulation of a supportive policy framework for cryptocurrencies. At the time, the Malaysian PM had met with Zhao – marking their first meeting.
Zhao co-founded Binance in 2017. Earlier this month, he was also appointed as a strategic advisor to Pakistan’s recently formed Crypto Council.
He stepped down as the CEO of Binance in 2023 after a $4.3 billion (roughly Rs. 36,745 crore) settlement with US authorities over anti-money laundering violations. He pleaded guilty to the charges and was sentenced to four months in prison.
Despite his history at the helm of Binance, Zhao remains the majority shareholder of what’s touted as the world’s largest crypto exchange.
Shopify is changing how it handles checkout. If you’re running Google Ads or Analytics, you’ll need to act soon.
Key deadlines. Shopify Plus merchants must migrate by Aug. 28, 2025. Non-Plus merchants have until Aug. 26, 2026. Missing these dates could result in a total loss of conversion tracking on your Thank You and Order Status pages.
The fix. Use the Google & YouTube app. The Google & YouTube app, developed by Google for Shopify, is now the go-to way to handle all things measurement, ads, and analytics.
Why migrate now?
No code hassle: Easy, direct integration with Google Ads, Analytics, YouTube, and Merchant Center.
Performance boost: Unlock advanced features like Enhanced Conversions and Customer Match with just a few clicks.
Why we care. Shopify is phasing out legacy methods (like checkout.liquid and “additional scripts”) that many merchants use to install Google tags. If you aren’t ready, you risk losing conversion data, which is critical for optimizing ad performance and reporting.
Who needs to take action? If your Google tags live in checkout.liquid (Shopify Plus only), “Order status page additional scripts,” custom pixel setups, or legacy Google Analytics setup in Online Store > Preferences – you need to migrate. Its recommended that you migrate all Google tags to the Google & YouTube app to avoid data loss and performance issues.
Things to watch. Google Tag Manager isn’t supported in the app, so move tags out of GTM containers for full compatibility. Custom Pixels might work, but are unreliable – Google can’t guarantee their performance. If you didn’t update your Analytics tags before Feb. 2, Shopify converted them to custom pixels, which can cause inaccurate data.
Bottom line:Shopify’s checkout changes are here. If you’re running ads or relying on Google Analytics, migrating your tags to the Google & YouTube app is not optional – it’s essential to ensure you see as accurate data as possible.
HELENA, Mont. — As Republican legislative leaders in Montana girded for this year’s battle over whether to extend Medicaid expansion in the state, they took aim at one of the program’s biggest backers: hospitals.
If Montana’s hospitals wanted to extend the government health insurance program that cost taxpayers about $1 billion in 2024, and benefit from that revenue, they should give something back, such as additional community health care services and benefits, GOP leaders argued as the session began in January.
But instead, they found out just how formidable a political force the state’s hospitals can be. The hospitals not only helped steamroll Medicaid expansion through the legislature, but they also defeated nearly all attempts to add new requirements to the program and to place new regulations on hospitals themselves.
Most Montana hospitals are nonprofit organizations that are largely exempt from state income and property taxes. Legislators requested drafts of several bills to scrutinize hospitals’ “community benefits,” the services they provide for free or at discounted costs that justify their nonprofit status, but did not introduce them during the session.
The state hospital lobbyists’ political pull has frustrated conservative lawmakers in leadership positions who are seeking more oversight of and transparency from the hospitals.
“Hospitals don’t seem to want to come to the table to discuss anything, whether it’s transparency, controlling costs, or providing more information to the public on services,” said Republican state Sen. Greg Hertz, who sponsored the price-cap bill that was rejected on the Senate floor this month.
Hospitals say they’re willing to debate ways to improve health care in Montana, and they point to Medicaid expansion as a program whose benefits flow to all corners of the state.
Yet when it comes to regulations they regard as onerous or criticism that they’re uncooperative partners on health care policy, the hospitals aren’t shy about pushing back.
“I don’t think I’ve ever been approached by any of them on reforming the health care system,” Montana Hospital Association president and CEO Bob Olsen said of the hospitals’ critics in the legislature. “I think that we’ve demonstrated that we work on all kinds of health policies.”
Republicans hold big majorities this legislative session and their conservative leaders — most of whom opposed extending Medicaid expansion — have often seen hospitals as a political foe.
But Montana’s hospitals have always been a strong lobby in the state, with bipartisan appeal. The state’s 63 hospitals employ about 30,000 people, according to the MHA, including many of the state’s physicians, and have multiple lobbyists at the Capitol, both on their own and through the hospital association.
In the past year, hospitals worked to form a coalition with businesses, health clinics, physician groups, insurers, and advocates for people with low incomes to push for extension of Medicaid expansion, which provides government health coverage to about 74,500 low-income, nondisabled Montanans.
Medicaid expansion had been set to expire this June, but the bill extending it breezed through the legislature, passing by comfortable margins in February, with bipartisan support. Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte signed it into law last month.
The MHA has a political action committee that donates to multiple lawmakers of both parties. In 2024, it paid particular attention to allies of Medicaid expansion.
The PAC gave $61,000 to the Montana Democratic Party and $75,000 to a political committee that supported moderate Republicans in contested GOP legislative primaries last June, according to filings with the state commissioner of political practices.
The majorities that passed Medicaid expansion in February included every Democrat in the legislature and many of the moderate Republicans supported by the political committee financed partly by the MHA.
Democrats also have been voting almost universally against bills that would impose new regulations on hospitals.
Hertz’s bill, which would have capped larger hospitals’ prices at 300% of the Medicare rate for most procedures, failed on the Senate floor this month on a 26-24 vote. All but one Democrat and nine Republicans voted against it.
State Sen. Cora Neumann, a Democratic member of the Senate Public Health, Welfare and Safety Committee, also voted against a bill requiring nonprofit hospitals to show that their community benefits meet or exceed the value of their property tax exemptions.
Neumann said she supports better access to affordable care in Montana but that “the policies we have been presented with are not well thought out and raise concerns for me about government overreach.”
State Rep. Jane Gillette, a Republican who chaired the legislative panel overseeing health care spending in the state budget, tried last month to redirect a small portion of Medicaid expansion funds — $7 million a year — to certain hospitals. The money is part of $365 million generated annually by a tax on hospital services, and the corresponding federal match, according to Olsen, the hospital association leader.
Half of the $7 million would go to smaller, independent hospitals and the other half would be distributed to hospitals showing “exceptional health outcomes and efficiencies,” she said.
The House Appropriations Committee agreed March 24 to insert her proposals into the session’s main budget bill.
But a week later — after hospitals lobbied against the change — the same committee torpedoed language in a separate bill that would have implemented the changes. The next day, on the House floor, all but one Democrat and 25 Republicans formed a two-thirds majority to remove the funding change from the budget bill.
“That tells you what a stronghold the hospitals have,” Gillette said. “Even a slight variation to our current system is not acceptable to them.”
Olsen said the change would have taken money from some larger hospitals and moved it elsewhere, and not necessarily to the smaller hospitals Gillette hoped to help.
“She approached us, but never tried to work with us,” he said. “It wasn’t going to reach those hospitals that she wanted to reach.”
Senate President Matt Regier, a Republican, made a last attempt to insert Gillette’s amendment into the state budget bill on the Senate floor on April 17, but it was rejected on a 27-23 vote, with all 18 Democrats and nine Republicans voting no.
Hospitals are, however, working with Regier on his community-benefit reporting measure — the last-standing bill that might impose new regulations on hospitals.
The bill says if the community benefits reported by nonprofit hospitals don’t equal or exceed the value of their exemption from property taxes, they must pay the difference into a fund that would be distributed to small, “critical access” hospitals.
During the bill’s initial hearing April 2, Regier — a Medicaid expansion opponent and sometimes sharp critic of the hospitals — said he was open to amendments that hospitals might find acceptable.
The original bill cleared the Senate April 5 on a party-line, 30-18 vote, with Republicans in favor. Then, in a House committee meeting on April 17, Republicans attached amendments that had the hospitals’ blessing and sent the bill to the House floor.
The changes delay the law’s effective date until 2027 and more specifically define the community benefits that must be reported and the potential property tax liability to which hospitals must match their benefit.
Olsen said the MHA will support the amended bill.
“The truth of it is, hospitals have always far exceeded the tax exemption for community benefits, on the spending they do,” he said. “Some might fall short, from time to time — but over the long haul, they exceed those exemptions.”
Regier’s attempt to quantify the amount and compare it to nonprofit hospitals’ tax exemption is not unreasonable, Olsen said: “I’m confident hospitals can do it.”
KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF—an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism. Learn more about KFF.
MLB The Show 25 is on sale for a big discount at Amazon just one month after launch. Sports fans can save $20 on Sony San Diego Studio’s annual baseball sim for PS5, Xbox Series X, and Nintendo Switch. The PlayStation and Xbox editions are up for grabs for $50 (was $70), while the Switch version is down to $40 (was $60). Since it just released on March 18, this is unsurprisingly the best deal so far on MLB The Show 25.
The latest MLB season began on March 18, when the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs played in the Tokyo Series–though most other teams just started a few weeks ago on March 27. So if your team is already falling behind the count (or you need something to bide time between games), MLB The Show 25 is an easy recommendation.
If you’re looking for some cool MLB merch, last year’s MLB The Show 24: Negro Leagues Edition is available for $34.50 on Xbox Series X. It comes with a copy of MLB The Show 24 as well as a display-worthy steelbook case and New Era baseball cap.
In Frank Baum’s original novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, the Emerald City is said to be such a brilliant shade of green that visitors must wear green-tinted glasses to protect their eyes from “the brightness and glory” of the city.
The glasses are one of the wizard’s many deceits; the city viewed through green-tinted glasses would, of course, only look more green.
But using a new technique called “Oz,” scientists at the University of California, Berkeley, have found a way to manipulate the human eye into seeing a brand-new color — a blue-green color of unparalleled saturation that the research team has named “olo.”
“It was like a profoundly saturated teal … the most saturated natural color was just pale by comparison,” said Austin Roorda, a professor of optometry and vision science at UC Berkeley’s Herbert Wertheim School of Optometry & Vision Science, and one of the creators of Oz.
Oz works by using tiny doses of laser light to individually control up to 1,000 photoreceptors in the eye at one time. Using Oz, the team is able to show people not only a green more stunning than anything in nature, but also other colors, lines, moving dots and images of babies and fish.
The platform could also be used to answer basic questions about human sight and vision loss.
“We chose Oz to be the name because it was like we were going on a journey to the land of Oz to see this brilliant color that we’d never seen before,” said James Carl Fong, a doctoral student in electrical engineering and computer sciences (EECS) at UC Berkeley.
“We’ve created a system that can track, target and stimulate photoreceptor cells with such high precision that we can now answer very basic, but also very thought-provoking, questions about the nature of human color vision,” Fong said. “It gives us a way to study the human retina at a new scale that has never been possible in practice.”
The Oz technique is described in a new study published last week in the journal Science Advances. The work was funded in part by federal grants from the National Institutes of Health and the Air Force Office of Scientific Research.
Untapped photoreceptors
Humans are able to see in color thanks to three different types of photoreceptor “cone” cells embedded in the retina. Each type of cone is sensitive to different wavelengths of light: S cones detect shorter, bluer wavelengths;, M cones detect medium, greenish wavelengths; and L cones detect longer, reddish wavelengths.
However, due to an evolutionary quirk, the light wavelengths that activate the M and L cones are almost entirely overlapping. This means that 85% of the light that activates M cones also activates L cones.
“There’s no wavelength in the world that can stimulate only the M cone,” said study senior author Ren Ng, a professor of EECS at UC Berkeley, “I began wondering what it would look like if you could just stimulate all the M cone cells. Would it be like the greenest green you’ve ever seen?”
To find out, Ng teamed up with Roorda, who had created a technology that used tiny microdoses of laser light to target and activate individual photoreceptors. Roorda calls the technology “a microscope for looking at the retina,” and it is already being used by ophthalmologists to study eye disease.
But for a human to actually perceive a whole new color, Ng and Roorda would need to find a way to activate not just one cone cell, but thousands of them.
A movie screen the size of a fingernail
Fong first started working on the Oz project in 2018 as an undergraduate engineering student, and has created much of the complex software needed to translate images and colors into thousands of tiny laser pulses directed at the human retina.
“I joined after meeting this other student who was working with Ren, who told me that they were shooting lasers into people’s eyes to make them see impossible colors,'” Fong said.
For Oz to work, first you need a map of the unique arrangement of the S, M and L cone cells on an individual’s retina. To get these maps, the researchers collaborated with Ramkumar Sabesan and Vimal Prahbhu Pandiyan at the University of Washington, who have developed an optical system that can image the human retina and identify each cone cell.
With an individual’s cone map in hand, the Oz system can be programmed to rapidly scan a laser beam over a small patch of the retina, delivering tiny pulses of energy when the beam reaches a cone that it wants to activate, and otherwise staying off.
The laser beam is just one color — the same hue as a green laser pointer — but by activating a combination of S, M and L cone cells, it can trick the eye into seeing images in full technicolor. Or, by primarily activating the M cone cells, Oz can show people the color olo.
“If you look at your index fingernail at arm’s length, that’s about the size of the display,” said Roorda. “But if we could, we would have filled the entire visual space like an IMAX.”
The ‘wow’ experience
Hannah Doyle, a doctoral student in EECS and co-lead author of the paper, designed and ran the human experiments with Oz. Five human subjects got the chance to see the color olo, including Roorda and Ng, who were aware of the purpose of the study, but not the specifics of what they would see.
In one experiment, Doyle asked the participants to compare olo to other colors. They described it as blue-green or peacock green, and reported that it was much more saturated than the nearest monochromatic color.
“The most saturated colors you can experience in nature are the monochromatic ones. Light from a green laser pointer is one example,” Roorda said. “When I pinned olo up against other monochromatic light, I really had that ‘wow’ experience.”
Doyle also tried “jittering” the Oz laser, directing it ever-so-slightly off target so the light pulses hit random cones rather than only M cones. The participants immediately stopped seeing olo and started seeing the regular green of the laser.
“I wasn’t a subject for this paper, but I’ve seen olo since, and it’s very striking. You know you’re looking at something very blue-green,” Doyle said. “When the laser gets jittered, the normal color of the laser almost looks like yellow because the difference is so stark.”
Probing the nature of color vision
Oz isn’t just useful for projecting tiny movies into the eye. The research team is already finding ways to use the technique to study eye disease and vision loss.
“Many diseases that cause visual impairment involve lost cone cells,” Doyle said. “One application that I’m exploring now is to use this cone by cone activation to simulate cone loss in healthy subjects.”
They are also exploring whether Oz could help people with color blindness to see all the colors of the rainbow, or if the technique could be used to allow humans to see in tetrachromatic color, as if they had four sets of cone cells.
It may also help answer more fundamental questions about how the brain makes sense of the complex world around us.
“We found that we can recreate a normal visual experience just by manipulating the cells — not by casting an image, but just by stimulating the photoreceptors. And we found that we can also expand that visual experience, which we did with olo,” Roorda said. “It’s still a mystery whether, if you expand the signals or generate new sensory inputs, will the brain be able to make sense of them and appreciate them? And, you know, I like to believe that it can. I think that the human brain is this really remarkable organ that does a great job of making sense of inputs, existing or even new.”
Additional authors of the study include Congli Wang, Alexandra E. Boehm, Sophie R. Herbeck, Brian P. Schmidt, Pavan Tiruveedhula, John E. Vanston and William S. Tuten of UC Berkeley. This work was supported by a Hellman Fellowship, FHL Vive Center Seed Grant, Air Force Office of Scientific Research grants (FA9550-20-1-0195, FA9550-21-1-0230), National Institutes of Health grant (R01EY023591, R01EY029710, U01EY032055) and a Burroughs Wellcome Fund Career Award at the Scientific Interface.
Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham is a multidisciplinary, research-intensive, and student-centric university that has consistently ranked among the top institutions in India. Deemed to be a university under Section 3 of the UGC Act, 1956, Amrita is known for its academic excellence, cutting-edge research, and commitment to social impact. With campuses across India, it provides a rich environment for learning, innovation, and personal growth.
About Amrita International School of Law (AISL)
Amrita International School of Law is a centre of excellence in legal education, dedicated to shaping ethical, knowledgeable, and socially responsible legal professionals. Established under the visionary leadership of Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi (Amma), the institution integrates academic rigor with values-driven learning, ensuring that students are not only adept in legal principles but also committed to justice, service, and innovation.
Amrita’s holistic approach to legal education bridges the gap between classroom learning and real-world practice, preparing students for diverse roles in corporate law, litigation, judiciary, policymaking, legal entrepreneurship, and beyond.
Our unique pedagogical model fosters critical thinking, research excellence, cross-disciplinary integration and puts emphasis on international exposure and collaborations, empowering students to become future leaders in law and governance.
About the Programme
Workshop on “The Overview of IP Laws in India”
Organized on the occasion of World Intellectual Property Day, this workshop aims to provide participants with a foundational understanding of Intellectual Property (IP) laws in India.
It will cover key IP categories, registration processes, and current global and national trends. The session seeks to foster awareness, encourage innovation, and highlight the critical role of IP in sustainable growth and development.
Key Objectives
Introduction to key types of intellectual property: patents, trademarks, copyrights, etc.
Promotion of IP protection and registration processes.
Encouragement of innovation and respect for original creations.
Discussion on global and national IP trends.
Highlighting IP’s role in startups, academia, and sustainable growth.
Celebrating creativity and inspiring future innovators.
Distinguished Speakers
Prof. Unnat P. Pandit, Controller General of Patents, Designs & Trade Marks, Government of India
Prof. (Dr.) Puneet Bafna, Professor, Amity Law School, Amity University Rajasthan
Ms. Soumya Ahuja, IP Consultant and Attorney, Athreya Associates, Mumbai
Mode
Online Mode
Participants can join the workshop virtually from anywhere.
Other Details
Date: 26th April 2025 (Saturday)
Time: 10:30 AM – 01:00 PM
Registration Fees
Free Registration
Certificate of Participation: Provided upon successful completion of the workshop.
Preventing the flu is important, though minor seasonal effects may still occur. Smart money management will set the stage for long-term growth. Career choices may feel overwhelming, but trusting your instincts will guide you. A sibling’s advice will be valuable, so listen closely. Travel promises adventure and excitement at every turn. Moving internationally requires extra planning and research for a smooth transition. Academically, high motivation will make learning feel purposeful and rewarding.
Horoscope Today: Astrological prediction for April 24, 2025
Love Focus: Future aspirations as a couple will strengthen your love and build a lasting foundation.
Lucky Number: 1 Lucky Colour: Light Red
Also Read Horoscope Tomorrow, April 24, 2025, read predictions for all sun signs
Taurus (Apr 21-May 20)
Your body feels strong and capable, empowering you to take on challenges with confidence. Smart spending adjustments could reduce shopping bills without sacrificing comfort. Professionally, your forward-thinking vision will help you anticipate market trends. A senior family member may resist new ideas, so allow time for adjustment instead of forcing change. Mini vacations offer a perfect break, bringing joy and relaxation. Clear rental agreement terms will prevent misunderstandings. Academically, each lesson will be stimulating, making learning enjoyable.
Love Focus: A nostalgic memory will remind you of how much your relationship has evolved over time.
Lucky Number: 22 Lucky Colour: Peach
Gemini (May 21-Jun 21)
Leadership skills will shine at work, inspiring those around you. A conversation about family values could spark an engaging debate, deepening understanding. A fresh surge of energy will help you tackle long-pending tasks enthusiastically. Reviewing your emergency fund will enhance financial security, ensuring you are prepared for the unexpected. Keeping travel documents organized will prevent unnecessary stress. Property transactions may face delays, so double-checking details will avoid setbacks.
Love Focus: Discussing your emotional aspirations today will foster understanding and deepen the connection in your relationship.
Lucky Number: 1 Lucky Colour: Dark Orange
Cancer (Jun 22-Jul 22)
Your home will feel like a haven of love and security today. Travel plans may take you to breathtaking destinations, creating unforgettable memories. Simple desk exercises can ease stiffness, but regular movement is key. Financially, no major surprises are expected, so keep working toward your goals. Productivity techniques will boost efficiency and bring professional rewards. Thorough tenant background checks will help avoid future property issues.
Love Focus: A loving message from your partner will brighten your entire day.
Lucky Number: 2 Lucky Colour: Magenta
Leo (Jul 23-Aug 23)
True wellness begins within; prioritizing self-care will bring lasting happiness. Strategizing asset protection will strengthen long-term financial security. A career-driven attitude will open doors to leadership roles. Your connection with your parents will feel especially strong today, deepening your bond. Travel plans may seem predictable, but unexpected surprises could add excitement. Home improvements might take more time than planned, but patience will lead to rewarding results. In academics, maintaining consistent effort will keep your learning journey smooth and productive.
Love Focus: Showing emotional vulnerability today will allow trust and closeness to deepen in your relationship.
Lucky Number: 9 Lucky Colour: Brown
Virgo (Aug 24-Sep 23)
A surprising revelation at home may spark curiosity but won’t disrupt family harmony. Exploring local culture will offer fresh perspectives, even if things don’t go as planned. A boost in metabolism may improve energy and support balanced weight management. Delayed reimbursements could disrupt financial plans, requiring adjustments. Office stress may be noticeable, but staying calm will set a positive example. Kitchen renovations will take patience, but the result will be worth it. Academically, consistency will ensure steady progress.
Love Focus: The beginning of your love story feels magical, cherish every moment.
Lucky Number: 6 Lucky Colour: Yellow
Libra (Sep 24-Oct 23)
Good sleep habits will restore your energy, though an irregular schedule may cause occasional disruptions. Careful financial planning will help manage delayed cheque clearances. Leadership opportunities are rising, but balancing authority with teamwork will be key. A kind gesture from a family member will add warmth and make your day memorable. A short escape or an extended trip promises adventure and refreshing experiences. Real estate investments appear stable, with strong potential for future gains. In academics, every lesson will not only expand your knowledge but also boost your passion for learning.
Love Focus: Emotional growth through shared experiences will bring depth and strength to your relationship.
Lucky Number: 5 Lucky Colour: All Shades of Green
Scorpio (Oct 24-Nov 22)
Maintaining workout consistency will build endurance and strength. Favorable exchange rates make financial transactions more beneficial today. Navigating office politics wisely will earn you professional respect. A loved one’s guidance will provide clarity at the right moment. Travel today promises adventure and excitement, filling you with happiness. Whether purchasing property or investing, now is an excellent time to take action. Academically, learning will feel enlightening and rewarding, making your studies enjoyable.
Love Focus: A spontaneous romantic gesture will make you feel deeply loved and appreciated.
Lucky Number: 3 Lucky Colour: Silver
Sagittarius (Nov 23-Dec 21)
A new financial opportunity may increase income and stability. Prioritizing tasks will boost workplace efficiency and productivity. Adding seasonal fruits to your diet will naturally enhance immunity. A minor household task may turn into a fun bonding activity. A road trip will offer relaxation at a balanced pace, allowing you to enjoy the journey. Property hunting requires patience, but the right opportunity will come.
Love Focus: Finding closure in love will bring peace, helping both of you move forward together.
Lucky Number: 17 Lucky Colour: Saffron
Capricorn (Dec 22-Jan 21)
Regular doctor visits will maintain overall health, though minor symptoms may need attention. Investing in art collectibles could be beneficial, but thorough research is essential. Enhancing risk assessment skills will improve professional decision-making. A kind word from a cousin will uplift your spirits. A long journey may test patience, so find ways to stay entertained. Property investments may offer gradual returns, focusing on long-term gains. Academically, consistency is key to steady improvements.
Love Focus: Emotional distance could make building traditions together feel challenging—open communication is essential.
Lucky Number: 8 Lucky Colour: White
Aquarius (Jan 22-Feb 19)
Practicing conscious breathing will enhance relaxation, though it may take time to feel natural. Planning international wire transfers in advance will help avoid unnecessary fees. Your presence at work radiates confidence, earning admiration and respect. A small but meaningful family gathering will bring happiness. Travel today promises thrilling experiences, adding adventure to your day. Taking steps toward homeownership will bring you closer to your dream property.
Love Focus: A surprise gesture or heartfelt message will make your heart melt today.
Lucky Number: 7 Lucky Colour: Magenta
Pisces (Feb 20-Mar 20)
Engaging in sports will improve coordination, but safety precautions are essential. Fine-tuning financial strategies will enhance your budget effectiveness. Your quick adaptability will earn admiration at work. A routine phone call with a family member may bring unexpected warmth and connection. Last-minute travel plans could lead to spontaneous adventures, creating unforgettable memories.
Love Focus: Love will grow deeper through shared experiences and understanding today.
Lucky Number: 9 Lucky Colour: Golden
By: Dr. Prem Kumar Sharma
(Astrologer, Palmist, Numerologist & Vastu Consultant)
Veraxa Biotech, a cancer therapy developer backed by Swiss incubator Xlife Sciences, will go public through a combination with a blank-check entity in a deal that will value the company at as much as $1.6 billion and leave it with $253 million in cash.
In addition to Xlife, Veraxa’s major shareholders are the European Molecular Biology Laboratory and its technology transfer arm, Emblem. Veraxa, founded on scientific discoveries at the European lab, said it’s recently widened its scope to focus on two hot areas in cancer research: antibody-drug conjugates and T cell engagers.
Veraxa expects the transaction with Voyager Acquisition to close in the fourth quarter, after which the company will trade on the Nasdaq under the symbol “VERX.” The German biotech is also undertaking a crossover financing round that it expects to produce enough cash for two years’ worth of operations, according to a press release Wednesday.
Dive Insight:
The Voyager-Veraxa merger is part of an uptick in special purpose acquisition company, or SPAC activity that began in the second half of 2024.
SPAC deals boomed in 2020, offering a quicker path for startups to go public and allowing investors to keep a bigger share of the resulting company. But the returns largely failed to live up to the hype, and the number of transactions plummeted amid heightened regulatory oversight.
The deals are gaining new interest in a biotech market that’s been roiled by President Trump’s tariffs and regulatory uncertainty. IPOs have stalled since February, venture firms are making fewer bets, and the pace of startup creation is slowing.
Veraxa says its artificial intelligence-driven technology is designed to produce dual-target cancer therapies that work better with fewer side effects and may offer lucrative returns for investors. The market for antibody drug conjugates is estimated to reach $57 billion by 2030, while sales of T cell engagers should climb to $112 billion, the company said.
The popularity of the approach is evidenced by the fact that multiple deals worth more than $1 billion have come together in the space since 2023, Voyager board chair Warren Hosseinion said in a statement. Investors have also been rewarding early successes in research for companies including Janux Therapeutics.
At this stage, most of Veraxa’s pipeline is in the discovery phase, with one therapy for leukemia in Phase 1 research. But the company said it’s going to expand with both in-house breakthroughs and strategic partnerships. It expects to have three proprietary programs in the clinic by 2029 along with “a growing portfolio of licensed assets.”
In today’s podcast, Stuart Wemyss and I discuss the complexities of managing underperforming property investments, and how to decide when and if you should sell your property.
We explore everything from the emotional traps that can cloud our judgment to strategic considerations like tax implications and portfolio rebalancing.
Takeaways
Investing is a long-term journey, often taking decades to develop financial independence.
The quality of your asset is crucial for long-term returns.
Benchmarking performance relative to market conditions is essential.
Market cycles can significantly affect property values.
Recognising a poor investment is a brave but necessary step
Emotional decisions can cloud your judgment
Patience is key; sometimes waiting is the best strategy.
Tax implications should be considered when selling assets.
Holistic financial advice can optimise investment strategies.
Replacement assets can provide a strategic way to manage underperforming investments.
Also, please subscribe to my other podcast Demographics Decoded with Simon Kuestenmacher – just look for Demographics Decoded wherever you are listening to this podcast and subscribe so each week we can unveil the trends shaping your future.
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As a member of a multilingual household, the subtitles are always turned on for movies and TV. That is, until recently, when I decided to switch them off, and the positive effect has been remarkable.
6
Enjoy a More Immersive Experience
While subtitles have obvious benefits for deaf and hard-of-hearing people and translation purposes, they can detract from the audiovisual experience. It’s surprising how much more I take in when I’m not distracted by the visuals and emotional nuance of a scene. Imagine the time spent flitting between text and images throughout an entire movie. Not only can this increase mental fatigue, but it also means you’re missing many of the subtleties within the entertainment.
After removing the subtitles, I’ve become more engaged with the actors’ expressions, the cinematography, and the movie’s or show’s overall atmosphere. I find that I appreciate the production values much more, and I am more immersed in the dialogue, instead of simply keeping up with the events on the screen.
When we read subtitles, many of us have an inner monologue that accompanies the text, or we are focused chiefly on the wording as it appears on the screen. For me, it served to enhance my comprehension of the dialogue and became a crutch that I came to rely on. All of a sudden, I realized that watching a movie was comparable to reading a novel, and I was missing out on essential audio cues.
Without subtitles, I am forced to focus more on the audio, which helps sharpen my ear for different accents, tones, and natural speech patterns. Modern production values incorporate amazing sound effects and soundtracks across a broad soundstage, which is somewhat diluted when your attention is divided between screen, text, and audio.
4
Better Focus on the Dialog
Reading can sometimes make me skim or jump ahead. Without text to rely on, I am encouraged to fully listen and stay present in the moment. This is especially important when watching movies where delivery and nuance are crucial.
For example, I’m just as happy watching the latest Marvel blockbuster as I am a Coen brothers movie, but with the latter, you might miss important subtleties in the dialogue if you’re not paying full attention to the screen. I recently watched Conclave with Ralph Fiennes—a highly atmospheric film—without subtitles. I found it to be a very satisfying experience while fully immersed in the performance, whereas I would have likely found it incredibly boring if I were forced to read along with the script.
Living in Asia, it’s not unusual for us to watch Filipino, Korean, and Japanese movies at home from time to time with the subtitles on. However, we tend to predominantly watch movies and shows in English, and subtitles have been very helpful to my partner in this regard, as it’s not her first language. However, as her English skills improved, she found that turning the subtitles off and focusing on the dialogue became more helpful in advancing her fluency.
Watching without subtitles can accelerate fluency by training the brain to understand context, idioms, and slang in real time. Picking up on visual cues, such as facial expressions and hand gestures, helps paint a comprehensive picture of what a person is trying to say and enables us to gauge responses more effectively. Despite what my parents used to say, TV can be a valuable educational tool, but there will come a time when it is beneficial to turn the subtitles or captions off.
Related
Captions vs. Subtitles: What Are the Key Differences?
Adding subtitles or captions to your content makes it more accessible. But how do you know which one to add? Let’s explain the difference.
2
Benefit From Less Screen Clutter
We are spoiled by the quality of modern flatscreen TVs, which turn our living spaces into scaled-down cinemas. So why blight your beautiful high-definition screen with large bodies of text that impair the view?
Subtitles can get in the way of important on-screen elements, especially in visually rich shows or movies. They can also obscure text that is already on the screen, including incidental subtitles or visual cues that are essential to the narrative. By turning them off, I have noticed that I appreciate the unbroken vista and become more immersed in what’s on the screen.
1
Train Your Memory and Comprehension
While you’re more likely to remember what you read versus what you hear, watching TV without subtitles can help you improve your comprehension and retention of auditory information. This is a valuable skill for remembering things on the fly and learning from verbal instructions. As we get older, it becomes even more important to retain what we hear. By turning the subtitles off, we subconsciously improve our ability to memorize and learn.
Of course, there are still many benefits to using subtitles. For example, when I want to hear barely audible dialogue and avoid missing information, such as when I’m following on-screen instructions while cooking. There are even occasions when speech is hard to hear in the mix, especially when viewing media with heavy bass frequencies through a subwoofer, as I experienced while watching Mad Max: Fury Road.
With that said, listening is a crucial part of comprehending, retaining, and enjoying audiovisual media. If you usually watch TV and movies with subtitles, try turning them off for a change and see if it makes a difference in how you enjoy and remember the experience as a whole.
<img src='https://news.cgtn.com/news/2025-04-23/Swiss-Chalet-a-taste-of-the-Switzerland-in-the-heart-of-Beijing-1CO0pP7MWSQ/img/61879c5c2e1f49ff94c96c4d97ab06ee/61879c5c2e1f49ff94c96c4d97ab06ee.png'The Swiss Chalet pop-up bar at Houhai Lake in Beijing /VCG
<img src='https://news.cgtn.com/news/2025-04-23/Swiss-Chalet-a-taste-of-the-Switzerland-in-the-heart-of-Beijing-1CO0pP7MWSQ/img/61879c5c2e1f49ff94c96c4d97ab06ee/61879c5c2e1f49ff94c96c4d97ab06ee.png'The Swiss Chalet pop-up bar at Houhai Lake in Beijing /VCG
<img src='https://news.cgtn.com/news/2025-04-23/Swiss-Chalet-a-taste-of-the-Switzerland-in-the-heart-of-Beijing-1CO0pP7MWSQ/img/61879c5c2e1f49ff94c96c4d97ab06ee/61879c5c2e1f49ff94c96c4d97ab06ee.png'The Swiss Chalet pop-up bar at Houhai Lake in Beijing /VCG
<img src='https://news.cgtn.com/news/2025-04-23/Swiss-Chalet-a-taste-of-the-Switzerland-in-the-heart-of-Beijing-1CO0pP7MWSQ/img/61879c5c2e1f49ff94c96c4d97ab06ee/61879c5c2e1f49ff94c96c4d97ab06ee.png'The Swiss Chalet pop-up bar at Houhai Lake in Beijing /VCG
Located on the banks of Beijing’s Houhai Lake, the Swiss Chalet offers a delightful blend of Alpine charm and Chinese tradition. Based on a classic Chinese octagonal pavilion, the pop-up bar incorporates Swiss architectural elements into the local landscape, creating a cozy and culturally rich space that feels both fresh and familiar.
Launched by the Embassy of Switzerland in China in collaboration with Switzerland Tourism, the chalet has quickly become a symbol of cultural exchange between China and Switzerland.
Near the start of the fifth episode of “Étoile,” a highly enjoyable series premiering Thursday on Prime Video, Jack McMillan (Luke Kirby), executive director of the Metropolitan Ballet Theater, stands outside New York’s Film Forum, waiting for Geneviève Lavigne (Charlotte Gainsbourg), general director of Le Ballet National in Paris. The marquee reads “Frederick Wiseman’s Ballet & La Danse,” two real-world documentaries on the dance world by our greatest documentarian; the first, from 1995, looks at the American Ballet Theater and the second, from 2009, the Paris Opera Ballet, actual institutions whose shadows are cast on the wall of this comedy — with a dramatic turn or two — from Amy Sherman-Palladino and Dan Palladino.
The Wiseman reference betokens a certain seriousness on the part of the creators, an awareness that people might be watching who know a thing or two about the subject. (And documentary film.) Sherman-Palladino, who studied dance from a young age, is already well known to fans as the woman behind “Gilmore Girls,” “Bunheads” — which also had a dance theme — and “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” which share with “Étoile” an innate theatricality; an interest in performance (apart from “Gilmore”); and the verbal rhythms of prewar screwball comedy.
There are scenes whose dialogue, with a little adjustment, could have served Irene Dunne and Cary Grant, or Carole Lombard and John Barrymore; it’s the world as once scripted by Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur or Charles Brackett and Billy Wilder, if not quite to that level, and the combination of theatrical speech and location shooting — in and around New York’s Lincoln Center and the Palais Garnier and Salle Favart in Paris — makes for something interesting. Artificial in a way that paradoxically allows for something real and relatable, it’s also, for all its air of sophistication, corny, sentimental, sweet and sexual without being exactly sexy — all these people really care about is their work.
Yanic Truesdale as Raphael, left, and Charlotte Gainsbourg as Geneviève, the director of Le Ballet National. (Philippe Antonello / Prime)
Luke Kirby stars as Jack, the head of Metropolitan Ballet Theater. (Philippe Antonello / Prime)
Setting the series in motion is a proposal from Geneviève that, in order to combat their mutual afflictions — aging audiences, slow ticket sales post-pandemic and creeping cultural irrelevancy — her company and Jack’s would agree to swap some top talent, generating publicity and excitement on both sides of the Atlantic. The bill for whatever this costs will be picked up by Crispin Shamblee (Simon Callow), a wealthy balletomane whom Jack regards as “the devil” and whose exaggerated posh delivery belies the fact that he’s an arms manufacturer (and delivered the eulogy at Rush Limbaugh’s funeral); friend and/or foe, he will come in and out of the action as an unaccountable comical wild card.
Swapped to Paris is Mishi Duplessis (Taïs Vinolo), the daughter of the French cultural minister; having been cut from the French troupe’s ballet school, she’s become a featured soloist in New York and is now being repatriated, much to her displeasure — and that of the jumped-over ballerinas who regard her as a “nepo baby,” even if they can’t properly pronounce it. Also traded is Tobias Bell (Gideon Glick, a “Maisel” vet), a choreographer we are asked to accept as a groundbreaking genius, and whose thorough eccentricity Glick plays quietly and quizzically, as if the world around him, to the limited degree he understands it, is out of joint. Also appearing are a sort of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, who are not the only characters to quickly disappear once a minor point has been made.
Heading west to Manhattan is Cheyenne Toussaint (Lou de Laâge), the Paris company’s star ballerina — its “étoile” — who earlier had made a splash as a guest artist in New York. (She, like Geneviève, has some old sub-romantic business with Jack.) We first meet her in a stormy sea as an ecowarrior, attacking a ship fishing illegally, then getting arrested herself. Cheyenne’s intensity, often indistinguishable from rage, can border on the comic, but de Laâge delivers an all-in, all-out performance; she sits and stands and walks like a dancer (though she also has a double for the dances) and makes you believe she’s who the show says she is. Whether actual star ballerinas are this serious and demanding and socially brutal, I don’t know, but this is a television show.
Cheyenne (Lou de Laage) is the étoile at the center of the exchange between dance companies.
(Philippe Antonello / Prime)
“Étoile” is not long on plot, in the sense that it is heading toward some obvious, definable goal — it has rivulets of plot, rather, involving different characters in different situations and settings, working out problems that have nothing necessarily to do with the series’ Big Idea, as the show moves toward its first-season irresolution. (New plotlines spark up near the end, making a second season a given.)
In an eight-episode series, such sidetracks can hardly be avoided, but it’s a show in any case more enjoyable in its details and performances than in the fate of the companies, or the future of dance. These plots and subplots and miniplots involving dancers and assistants, technicians and politicians, are not all equally rewarding — best of all is the relationship between Mishi and Cheyenne’s intimidating mother, Bruna (Marie Berto), who hammers on things, and with whom Mishi finds herself lodged — but together they create an attractive tapestry.
Kirby, whom I first noticed in the great Canadian series “Slings & Arrows,” a Shakespeare-themed backstage comedy not unlike “Étoile,” and who played a convincing Lenny Bruce in “Maisel,” rockets between nervous energy and being a nervous wreck as Jack; his flying up and down stairs is a motif here. Gainsbourg, in simply accessorized ninja black, is the picture of a woman who knows and means business.
David Haig claims a fair share of the show’s comedy lines as Jack’s closest friend, Nicholas Leutwylek, a former choreographer and dancer who now gets around on an electric scooter, though he remembers the good old days of cocaine and Quaaludes and when, as a guest artist at Stuttgart, hard-partying Germans “gave me so many petrochemicals I was technically a car for most of that season.” (Sleep aids seem to be the drug of choice for young and old here.)
Kelly Bishop, from “Gilmore” and “Bunheads,” plays Jack’s mother. David Byrne makes a funny appearance as David Byrne; choreographer Mark Morris and no doubt other real-world dance world figures I couldn’t identify lend authenticity. The dancers are good, naturally, even if the dances can sometimes feel less exciting than we’re meant to find them. More interesting is the placing of bodies in space when nobody’s dancing, lending a choreographic energy to ordinary conversations.
Those Wiseman films are streaming on Kanopy, by the way, accessible to anyone with a library card (they’re free, and you should have one). They’ll take you right into that rarefied world, without the extra comedy but with plenty of inherent drama. I can’t recommend them enough.
Zoë Schiffer: Can you talk to me about that relationship? And also, what is Tesla’s standing like in China? Is it viewed as a popular, cool car still?
Zeyi Yang: It’s still sort of, because for the longest time, Chinese auto brands have been seen as much inferior than foreign brands. Tesla still has that halo on as this American electric car company. But it’s losing it as we speak. Also, when we talk about the relationship between Tesla and China, sometimes I forget how far back it dates. There’s one very interesting figure we have to talk about. His name is Zhuanglong. He used to be Chinese Minister of Industry and Information Technologies. Basically, the chief ministry of innovations in China. He went to San Francisco in 2008 and tried one of the roadsters, one of the first electric cars that Tesla makes. Because he came from the auto industry, he was an electric car nerd. That’s how this all started. Then, from Musk’s very first visit to China in 2014, he met this guy again. He really tried to push for it to sell his car in China, and later we know built a Gigafactory in Shanghai in 2020. That’s a long history of how Musk and Tesla entered China. But what we know for now is that China is one of the most production facility for Tesla. It’s also one of the biggest market for Tesla. Tesla absolutely cannot lose China.
Zoë Schiffer: That’s really fascinating, because we know with other tech companies like Google and Meta, they tried really, really hard to get into China and weren’t quite as successful, or completely failed in some cases. But Elon Musk was able to prevail. Do we know why that was?
Zeyi Yang: I think it helps that he’s working on a car company instead of a social media company, because there’s just so much stricter control over information and internet in China. Whereas if you’re just making a car, it don’t really go across those red lines that China has. Also, it just helps that China, for the last two decades, have really been thinking, “Maybe I should be betting on electric vehicle as the future of transportation, too.” It did welcome Tesla to be a part of its grand experiment, and also investment to build up an EV empire. That’s why Tesla become a very central part of it and contributed to how China has achieved so far.
Zoë Schiffer: Well, that leads right into my next question, because China has invested really heavily in electric vehicles. In part, I think, to reduce its dependency on foreign oil imports. How is that going so far?
Zeyi Yang: It’s going pretty well, I will say. Yeah. China does not have very rich oil reserve and it has been importing oil from a lot of other places for the longest time. That’s why the Chinese government have always been very careful about that, because if, for example, a World War III happens, those oil supply are going to be cut off. What is it going to do? I think in the early days, I will say the early 2000s, the idea of electric vehicles was this moonshot idea. Where they were thinking, “Maybe, if one day all the cars will be powered by electricity, then we don’t need to import this oil anymore and we’ll be much more secure if war breaks out.” That’s when they really started investing in the research of batteries and electric vehicles as a college research funds. But then, that gradually lead to Chinese companies building up. They heavily subsidize any car company who can make actually a product that get run on the road and customers can buy. All of that, after years of heavy spending, lead to what we have right now, which is a very booming electric vehicle market in China. I think the latest data says that more than 50% of consumers when they’re trying to buy a new car, they go for electric rather than a gas car. That’s pretty remarkable.
Bitcoin surpassed Big Tech firms like Google, Amazon, and Meta to become the fifth-largest asset by market cap on Wednesday. The valuation of the oldest and most expensive crypto asset climbed to $1.86 trillion (roughly Rs. 1,58,87,400 crore) on Wednesday. This takes Bitcoin’s valuation significantly higher than that of silver as well. Bitcoin is behind Apple, Microsoft, and Nvidia which are three of the top five assets in the world, according to data by CompanyMarketCap.
A Quick Glance at the Numbers
At the time of writing, Google’s valuation stands at $1.859 trillion (roughly Rs. 1,58,80,690 crore), marginally lower than Bitcoin’s and subject to fluctuations. Gold remains the top-most asset, with a market cap of $22.4 6 trillion (roughly Rs. 19,19,00,869 crore). Apple, which is in second position, is valued at $3 trillion (roughly Rs. 2,56,24,035 crore).
Bitcoin has been through a few rough patches over the past couple of weeks. The asset rebounded after six straight weeks of losses on Wednesday to trade at $93,455 (roughly Rs. 79.8 lakh). Due to the ongoing tariff uncertainty, Bitcoin’s price previously sank to $76,000 (roughly Rs. 65.3 lakh).
At its peak, Bitcoin’s price crossed the $108,000 (roughly Rs. 92 lakh) mark in the middle of December 2024.
Silver and Amazon, which are at sixth and seventh positions on the CompanyMarketCap Index, are presently valued at $1.855 trillion (roughly Rs. 1,58,46,170 crore) and $1.837 trillion (roughly Rs. 1,56,92,388 crore), respectively.
In conversation with Gadgets 360, CoinDCX co-founder Sumit Gupta said this development reflects the growing institutional conviction and a maturing policy environment around crypto assets like Bitcoin. Others from the crypto space lauded the development of seeing value come out of code.
“This alignment of market performance and policy clarity is laying the groundwork for a resilient, integrated financial ecosystem—one where digital assets are not speculative outliers, but foundational pillars of the global economy,” Gupta said. With India’s discussion paper on crypto still due, Gupta said, the country stands at a pivotal crossroads in the digital asset economy.
Today, we’re exploring how to use Life Events segments effectively. This article will cover:
What are Life Events segments in Google Ads?
How are Life Events different from In-Market segments in Google Ads?
Which Life Events can you target in Google Ads?
Can you use Life Events in all campaign types?
Tips for using Life Events effectively in Google Ads
What are Life Events segments in Google Ads?
Life events segments are one of the four types of audience targeting you can use in Google Ads based on the data that Google has about its users.
With this option, you can target users based on major transitions they are experiencing.
How are Life Events different from In-Market segments in Google Ads?
When you go to use Life Events in Google Ads, you’ll often find them grouped with In-Market segments under a category called “What they are actively researching or planning.” This is because both of these audience types leverage Google’s proprietary data to categorize users around temporary stages in their lives.
For In-Market segments, those “temporary stages” are when someone is currently researching or planning a purchase. It can be a purchase as small as “Razors & Shavers” or as large as “New Houses (For Sale).” In-Market segments are product- or service-focused.
For Life Events, those “temporary stages” are when someone is going through a specific change in their life, like getting married or graduating from college. Life Events segments are human-focused.
Which Life Events can you target in Google Ads?
There are nine categories of Life Events you can use in your Google Ads campaigns:
Business creation
College graduation
Home renovation
Job change
Marriage
Moving
New pet
Purchasing a home
Retirement
For each category, you can target people who are approaching these milestones or have recently completed them. For instance, a pet store could target individuals who are “about to get a new pet,” those who “recently got a new pet,” or both.
Some Life Events categories have sub-categories, too. In our pet example, you can get more specific to target people who are getting a dog and/or people who are getting a cat.
Can you use Life Events in all campaign types?
Unlike the other types of “Google audiences” (Detailed demographics, In-Market segments, Affinity segments), Life Events segments are not compatible with all campaign types.
You can use Life Events segments in:
Display campaigns
Demand Gen campaigns
Video campaigns
Performance Max audience signals
Combined segments (for Display campaigns)
However, Life Events are not compatible with Search or Shopping campaigns.
Tips for using Life Events effectively in Google Ads
The best way to use Life Events is to ensure that your ad creative directly addresses the user’s current situation, and demonstrates how your product or service can assist them through this transition.
For example, if you’re:
Targeting people who are moving, your ad copy could highlight your stress-free moving services.
Reaching out to newlyweds, showcasing your home goods or financial planning services would be relevant as they relate to starting a new life together, building a strong relationship foundation, etc.
Life events segments offer a unique opportunity to connect with potential customers during pivotal moments in their lives.
Have you experimented with this audience targeting option in your Google Ads campaigns yet?
This article is part of our ongoing weekly Search Engine Land series, Everything you need to know about Google Ads in less than 3 minutes. Every Wednesday, Jyll highlights a different Google Ads feature, and what you need to know to get the best results from it – all in a quick 3-minute read.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Medi-Cal, California’s complex, $174.6 billion Medicaid program, provides health insurance for nearly 15 million residents with low incomes and disabilities. The state enrolls twice as many people as New York and more than three times as many as Texas — the two states with the largest number of Medicaid participants after California.
Enrollment is high because California goes beyond federal eligibility requirements, opening Medi-Cal to more low-income residents. The state also provides a broad range of benefits, such as vision, dental, and maternity care — some of which is largely paid for by federal dollars but which also affects state spending.
But lately, Medi-Cal has found itself in political crosshairs.
Democrats say the biggest threat to Medi-Cal is $880 billion in GOP budget cuts being mulled in Washington, D.C., which health experts say would require eligibility restrictions, such as work requirements, or program cuts to yield enough savings over a decade. Republicans argue that Medicaid costs have spiked due to fraud and abuse and they criticize state Democrats for making the benefit available to immigrants regardless of legal status.
In March, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration borrowed $3.4 billion to cover an unexpected overrun in Medi-Cal, and lawmakers in April appropriated an additional $2.8 billion for the rest of the fiscal year. Although the Democratic governor acknowledged a need for adjustments, he has defended the state’s efforts to get more people covered. In 2022, California’s uninsured rate for residents under age 65 hit a record low of 6.2%, according to the California Health Care Foundation.
As lawmakers debate funding for the safety net program, here’s what’s at stake for California’s largest health program.
Who’s Covered?
More than a third of Californians depend on Medi-Cal or the closely related Children’s Health Insurance Program to see a doctor, therapist, or dentist. They rely on the program to get medicine and access treatment. It can also be a lifeline for families by allowing people with disabilities and seniors to stay in their homes and providing coverage to their caregivers. It also funds nursing care for seniors.
The overwhelming majority of enrollees qualify because they earn 138% or less of the federal poverty level: $21,597 annually for an individual person or $44,367 for a family of four. While that’s low for a state where the median household income tops $96,000, it’s far more generous than Alabama’s family eligibility limit, which is 18% of the federal poverty level, or Florida’s, at 26%.
Unlike Alabama or Florida, California extends coverage to low-income adults without dependents. The state also covers more people with disabilities who work, inmates, and other residents who wouldn’t qualify for the benefit program if California lawmakers hadn’t expanded the program beyond what the federal government requires.
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According to state estimates, Medi-Cal covers about 7.3 million low-income families and an additional 5 million adults, most of whom don’t have dependents. An additional million people with disabilities rely on the program.
Medi-Cal also picks up the tab for 1.4 million residents 65 and older for benefits not covered by Medicare, such as long-term care and dental, hearing, and vision care.
The majority of adult Medi-Cal recipients under 65 work, according to a KFF review of March 2024 census data. In California, about 42% of nondisabled adults on Medi-Cal work full time and an additional 20% work part time. Those not employed were most commonly caring for a family member, attending school, or ill.
Just over half of Medi-Cal recipients are Latino, about 16% white, 9% Asian or Pacific Islander, and 7% Black, according to state enrollment data. That differs from the nation as a whole, where about 40% of people under age 65 who use Medicaid are white, 30% Hispanic, 19% Black, and 1% Indigenous people.
Where Does the Money Come From?
The federal government pays for about 60% of the Medi-Cal program. Of its nearly $175 billion budget this fiscal year, Washington, D.C., is expected to contribute $107.5 billion.
An additional $37.6 billion comes from the state’s general fund. The final $29.5 billion comes from other sources including hospital fees, a managed-care organization tax, tobacco tax revenue, and drug rebates.
California receives 50% in matching federal dollars for core services, such as coverage to children and low-income pregnant women. But it gets a 90% match for the roughly 5 million Californians it has added to rolls under the Medicaid expansion authorized by the Affordable Care Act.
Where Does It Go?
On average, Medi-Cal costs $8,000 per recipient, but costs vary widely, according to a March analysis by the California Legislative Analyst’s Office.
For instance, people with disabilities account for 7% of enrollees but 19% of Medi-Cal’s spending, with an average annual cost of $21,626.
Meanwhile, the cost to cover seniors averages roughly $15,000. And senior enrollment, at 1.4 million, has skyrocketed, increasing 40% since 2020 as lawmakers eased the rules for how many assets people 65 and older could have and still qualify for the program.
California also foots much of the bill to cover about 1.6 million immigrants without legal status — roughly $8.4 billion of the $9.5 billion, Department of Finance program budget manager Guadalupe Manriquez said during a recent Assembly Budget Committee hearing.
What Could Get Cut?
President Donald Trump in March said that he would not “touch Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid” but focus on getting the “fraud out of there.” However, health experts say Medicaid services would be gutted if Congress follows through on massive spending reductions to pay to extend Trump’s tax cuts.
Congressional Republicans have discussed implementing work requirements for nondisabled adults, which could affect at least 1 million Medicaid enrollees in California, the most of any state, according to an analysis by the Urban Institute.
Lawmakers also could roll back the Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, which passed in 2010 and allowed more people to qualify for Medicaid based on income. California, 39 other states, and Washington, D.C., have chosen to adopt “Medicaid expansion,” in which the federal government pays for 90% of coverage for those enrollees.
Such a move would cost California billions each year if it opted to continue coverage for the roughly 5 million additional enrollees who have gained coverage under the expansion.
Republicans could also make it tougher for states such as California to continue to draw federal aid through provider taxes such as the MCO tax, something the first Trump administration proposed but later dropped. The tax on managed care plans brings in about $5 billion a year and was endorsed by voters in a ballot initiative last fall, but the federal government has been complaining for years about how states levy such taxes on insurance plans and hospitals. If it restricts how states collect these taxes, it would likely cause a funding gap in California.
If federal cuts occur, Newsom officials acknowledge, the state couldn’t absorb the cost of existing programs. Republicans are pressuring Democrats who control the legislature to end Medi-Cal coverage of residents without legal status — something neither Newsom nor Democratic legislative leaders have expressed a willingness to do.
State leaders also could be faced with cutting optional benefits such as dental care and optometry, trimming services aimed at enhancing recipients’ quality of life, or reducing payments to managed care plans that cover 94% of Medi-Cal recipients.
That’s what California lawmakers did during the Great Recession, cutting reimbursement rates to providers and eliminating benefits including eye and dental care for adults. The governor at the time, Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger, went a step further, chopping $61 million from counties’ Medi-Cal funding in a budget bloodletting that he said contained “the good, the bad, and the ugly.”
Oblivion Remastered surprise-launched this week, but less surprising was the game’s Mature ESRB rating. Oblivion wasn’t always rated Mature, however–when the game first launched in 2006, it was released with a Teen rating, which was quickly changed by the ESRB.
After launching with a T rating, the ESRB ratings board had to issue a correction, bumping the rating up to Mature due to “due to the presence of content that was not fully disclosed when the game was originally submitted to ESRB for rating.”
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The ratings change was partially due to depictions of blood and gore that were more graphic in-game than initially anticipated, but the ESRB had also picked up on a partially nude female model that could be accessed in the PC version of the game using mods. This inclusion–however it ended up in the game’s files–resulted in Oblivion getting a “Nudity” label until the offending files were patched out.
Oblivion Remastered has been rated under the original Oblivion ESRB listing, and so it has the same rating description as the original: Violence, Blood and Gore, Sexual Themes, Language, and Use of Alcohol. Despite getting the same rating, the remaster has a number of changes from the 2006 classic, including new lines of dialogue as well as plentiful quality-of-life changes.
Oblivion Remastered is out now on PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X|S, and is included on Game Pass for Xbox and PC. While Bethesda doesn’t officially support mods for the remaster, it’s still possible to mod the game, and the modding scene is lighting up.
If you’re just getting started in Oblivion, or coming back to it after a long break, check out our full walkthrough for a guide to all aspects of the game.
A research group at the University of Stuttgart has manipulated light through its interaction with a metal surface so that it exhibits entirely new properties. The researchers have published their findings in Nature Physics.
“Our results add another chapter to the emerging field of skyrmion research,” proclaims Prof. Harald Giessen, head of the Fourth Physics Institute at the University of Stuttgart, whose group achieved this breakthrough. The team demonstrated the existence of “skyrmion bags” of light on the surface of a metal layer.
A better understanding of physical phenomena
Skyrmions are a mathematical description of vortex-like structures that help researchers better understand fundamental physical relationships. In recent years, this theoretical concept has been confirmed experimentally across a wide range of areas, including magnetic solids and material surfaces. Giessen’s group has now investigated whether light impinging on the structured surface of a thin gold layer can be made to behave like skyrmion bags that follow specific symmetries. These bags consist of skyrmions contained within a larger skyrmion. For their experiment, the researchers etched fine grooves in the shape of two twisted hexagons into the gold surface with each hexagon generating a skyrmion light field.
Targeted manipulation of light fields
“We then observed a superposition of two skyrmion light fields, from which the skyrmion bags formed,” explains Julian Schwab, lead author of the publication and doctoral student in Giessen’s research group. Even more strikingly, the researchers were able to vary the number of skyrmions gathered within the skyrmion bags by adjusting the degree to which the light fields were twisted relative to one another. In other words, the researchers can manipulate light fields in a targeted manner, thereby giving them shapes that usually do not occur. For the experimental verification, Giessen’s team collaborated with a research group at the University of Duisburg-Essen, and for the theoretical description of the phenomenon, with a group at the Technion in Haifa.
Fundamental research with application potential
So far, this is still fundamental physics. However, these light-field skyrmions exhibit extraordinary properties, thereby sparking researchers’ imagination in terms of potential technical applications. Whether the gold surface used by Giessen’s team is suitable for this purpose remains to be seen. “If someone finds a suitable material, our concept could be applied in microscopy,” states Giessen. We could achieve resolutions with specialized microscopes that would otherwise be impossible because of the limits set by the wavelength of the light.
CLAT 2025 Verdict Update! The Delhi High Court has ordered the CLAT Consortium to revise the merit list based on the objections to the answer key.
In an important judgment affecting law school admissions via CLAT this year, the Delhi High Court ordered the Consortium of National Law Universities to revise the CLAT 2025 results and merit list within 4 weeks.
The ruling came after the court found “substantial errors” in the official answer key released for the national-level law entrance exam, which over 70,000 students appeared for in December 2024.
A division bench led by Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela issued the order while disposing of a consolidated group of petitions filed by CLAT aspirants against the CLAT 2025 results declared on 7th December, 2024. These petitions contested the accuracy of the final answer key and the computation of marks following the CLAT UG exam conducted in December 2024.
The ruling given today is expected to affect the rankings of a considerable number of students and could result in significant shifts in seat allotments during the counselling process.
While the Consortium has been asked to publish revised results within 4 weeks, they are yet to issue a public statement following the court’s directive. With thousands of students awaiting clarity on their admissions, the revised results could alter the dynamics of the upcoming counselling rounds.
The decision has definitely caused a ripple of anxiety and hope across student communities. For many candidates, a 1–2 mark change can mean a swing of hundreds of ranks.
For students across the nation, this judgement means another round of waiting and possibly, a reshuffling of preferences in the upcoming counselling rounds. But with the 4 week deadline set by the Court, at least the waiting period has been limited.
For now, one could say that the Delhi High Court’s decision offers a glimmer of hope to thousands of aspirants who believed the system owed them a fair shot.
While the Delhi High Court has ordered a revised CLAT 2025 UG merit list, it is now hearing petitions related to the PG exam as well. Candidates have alleged errors in the answer key and evaluation, prompting the court to seek a detailed response from the Consortium of NLUs.
Craving a more organised bedroom without sacrificing style? It might be time to rethink your furniture choices. Beds with storage aren’t just practical, they’re also a clever way to reclaim floor space and give your room a cleaner look. From beds with box storage to lift-up frames, these designs let you stash away essentials without any fuss.
Stylish beds with box storage that bring smart solutions to small spaces, giving your furniture setup a fresh, clutter-free boost.
No more cramming things under the bed or dealing with cluttered cupboards. The best beds with storage keep your bits and bobs tucked away while still looking good. We’ve rounded up eight of the best beds that mix form and function so you can breathe easier and stretch out in style. Your next bedroom upgrade starts right here.
Our top 8 beds with storage picks for you
A sleek pick from Wakefit, this queen-sized box bed blends modern style with practical storage. Crafted from thick engineered wood, it features a matte walnut finish and a whopping 920L of storage. With four compartments and water-resistant panels, it’s solid, stylish and ready for daily use.
What makes this bed perfect for your home? It brings smart storage into your space with four sections, sturdy build and a warm walnut finish that suits any décor.
What are buyers saying on Amazon? Buyers love the spacious storage, strong build and comfort. Many say it offers great value and helps them sleep better.
Made from solid Sheesham wood, this bed is built for durability and style. The glossy teak finish and upholstered headboard add charm, while box storage underneath offers a neat solution for extra bedding. It’s a solid pick for those after long-lasting furniture with thoughtful details and storage space.
What makes this bed perfect for your home?
The teak finish, cushioned headboard and hidden box storage bring comfort, style and function into one smart furniture piece.
What are buyers saying on Amazon? Customers love the sturdy wood, smooth polish and cushioned finish. Many say it’s easy to assemble and worth the price.
This Sheesham wood queen bed from STRATA FURNITURE brings structure and storage into your bedroom with polished walnut tones. It features a cushioned headboard for comfort and cleverly concealed box storage to manage your extra items with ease. Its design suits both modern and classic spaces effortlessly.
What makes this bed perfect for your home?
It blends natural wood charm, cushioned comfort and handy storage. A great choice for anyone looking to upgrade bedroom furniture smartly.
What are buyers saying on Amazon? Many love its look and storage layout. Some raise concerns about sturdiness, but most still find it stylish and useful overall.
Crafted from Sheesham wood, this king size bed features a broad frame, smooth finish and roomy box storage. With bold chevron detailing and a low, modern profile, it balances function and style. Great for larger rooms, it offers extra space without compromising on visual appeal or comfort.
What makes this bed perfect for your home? Generous in size and storage, this bed works well for families or anyone who needs more room and organised bedroom furniture.
What are buyers saying on Amazon? Shoppers highlight the roomy design, easy assembly and warm finish. Some love the extra space while others mention smooth delivery and fit.
This poster bed from STRATA FURNITURE adds a bold touch to your bedroom with its tall frame and natural Sheesham wood finish. With handy storage tucked underneath and a classic style, it suits both traditional and modern interiors. Solid construction ensures it’s built for everyday use and comfort.
What makes this bed perfect for your home? Combining strong wooden design and hidden box storage, this bed offers both style and practicality without crowding your space.
What are buyers saying on Amazon? Customers love the finish, design and comfort. Some say the storage could be bigger, but overall it gets great reviews for quality.
This Sheesham wood king size bed from Kunjal Furniture mixes comfort with clever use of space. Its honey-toned finish gives warmth to your bedroom, while the built-in box storage keeps your essentials tucked away. Ergonomically designed, it’s ideal for lounging, reading or just sinking into after a long day.
What makes this bed perfect for your home? Ergonomic design, warm finish and box storage make this bed a smart and cosy pick for your bedroom furniture needs.
What are buyers saying on Amazon? Buyers like the strong build and smooth finish. Some say it’s quite heavy but most find it worth the price and effort.
This stunning Sheesham wood king size bed features a plush cushioned headboard and convenient hydraulic storage. The natural finish and contemporary design bring elegance and functionality to your bedroom. Its solid construction ensures long-lasting durability, making it a luxurious yet practical choice for any modern home.
What makes this bed perfect for your home? The cushioned headboard, hydraulic storage and timeless design combine for both luxury and practicality, enhancing comfort and organisation in your space.
What are buyers saying on Amazon? Customers appreciate the sturdy build, comfort and smooth finish. The hydraulic storage system gets great feedback, making it a solid investment.
This contemporary single bed is made from durable engineered wood with a sleek matte finish. Featuring two large drawers, it offers ample storage space, perfect for small rooms. The bed’s solid construction and clean lines make it a stylish and functional addition to any bedroom.
What makes this bed perfect for your home?
With spacious drawers and a strong frame, this bed provides both storage and style, making it ideal for space-conscious homes.
What are buyers saying on Amazon?
Buyers appreciate its sturdy build and attractive finish. The large drawers are particularly praised for offering ample storage, making it great value.
More beds with storage for you
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Beds with storage: FAQs
What are the benefits of a bed with storage?
Beds with storage help maximise space, making them ideal for smaller rooms. They provide extra storage for bedding, clothes, and personal items, reducing clutter while offering a stylish, functional piece of furniture.
What types of storage options do these beds offer?
Storage beds come with different storage types, such as under-bed drawers, hydraulic storage, or box storage. Some also feature storage compartments in the headboard or side panels.
Do beds with storage require assembly?
Most beds with storage do require assembly, but it’s usually straightforward. Some brands offer assembly services or easy DIY assembly kits to help with installation.
Are storage beds as comfortable as regular beds?
Yes, beds with storage are just as comfortable as regular beds. The storage feature is typically incorporated below or within the bed frame, ensuring no compromise on comfort or mattress support.
Disclaimer: At Hindustan Times, we help you stay up-to-date with the latest trends and products. Hindustan Times has an affiliate partnership, so we may get a part of the revenue when you make a purchase. We shall not be liable for any claim under applicable laws, including but not limited to the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, concerning the products. The products listed in this article are in no particular order of priority.
Repertoire Immune Medicines has formed its second pharmaceutical partnership since changing course a few years ago, announcing Wednesday a new deal with Roche’s Genentech division to develop treatments for an unspecified autoimmune disease.
Genentech will pay Repertorie, a startup launched by biotechnology company creator Flagship Pioneering, $35 million upfront to start the collaboration. Repertoire will then lead early discovery work, with Genentech handling development and eventually commercialization. The startup could receive up to $730 million in future payouts, as well as sales royalties, if the alliance yields any marketed medicines.
Repertoire is built around a technology dubbed Decode that’s designed to identify the components of the “immune synapse,” a type of junction between white blood cells that plays a key role in immune responses. Repertoire uses that information to uncover drugs for cancer and autoimmune conditions and, so far, has publicly disclosed nine bispecific antibodies or vaccines in its pipeline. All are in preclinical testing.
Repertoire made much of that progress after a strategic reset, however. The company originally launched with a plan to make personalized cell therapies, but pivoted, laid off staff and switched its leadership after early study data disappointed.
That directional change yielded a partnership last year with Bristol Myers Squibb to make “tolerizing” vaccines for autoimmune disorders. And around that time, Repertoire and Roche began engaging in deal talks too, according to CEO Torben Straight Nissen.
The two collaborations have helped Repertoire navigate a tumultuous funding climate for drug startups. The company made partnerships a “core” piece of its strategy, in part because alliances could “create a path forward that was independent of, and less reliant on, raising capital through equity.”
“It harkens back to how biotech used to be in the old days,” he said, when startups could use pharma deals to “move up the value chain.”
Repertoire will help Roche develop therapies that treat an immune condition by targeting T cells. The companies aren’t divulging more specifics, including the disease at the center of the deal. However, Roche has been particularly active in immunology in recent years, cutting deals to acquire gut disease drug developer Telavant as well as autoimmune and cancer cell therapy maker Poseida Therapeutics.
Roche has also been studying multiple bispecific T cell engagers, among them its lymphoma drug Lunsumio, in lupus.
“We look forward to translating the new discoveries Decode and the team at Repertoire will reveal to develop novel medicines for patients suffering from autoimmune diseases,” Boris Zaïtra, Roche’s head of corporate business development, said in a statement.
Since 1966, Australia has shifted from a predominantly Anglo-Celtic, agriculture- and manufacturing-based economy to one of the wealthiest, service-oriented nations globally.
Historically, unemployment has mirrored Australia’s economic health and demographic shifts.
Structural demographic factors—such as retiring Baby Boomers, Millennial parenting phases, and smaller Gen Z populations—suggest unemployment will remain low (below 5%) for the next decade.
Labour shortages in healthcare, education, aged care, and tech will persist, offsetting AI-induced job changes.
Despite wealth growth, inequality is widening, shrinking the middle class and increasing hardship among lower-income groups.
Australia’s economy will continue relying on mining, agriculture, international education, and tourism.
The ongoing urbanisation in Asia (especially India, Indonesia, and the Philippines) and growing global food security concerns enhance long-term opportunities for Australia.
Have you ever stopped to think how far Australia has come in the past 60 years?
In 1966, we were a nation of 11 million, fresh off switching from pounds, shillings, and pence to dollars and cents.
That transition was more than monetary.
It symbolised our shift from being a British outpost to finding our own economic and cultural identity.
We were largely Anglo-Celtic, heavily reliant on agriculture and manufacturing, and our cities were smaller, more compact, and very different from the sprawling urban hubs we see today.
Fast forward to today – 2025, and the transformation is profound.
We’ve become one of the wealthiest nations on earth.
Yes, we’re battling a cost-of-living crisis.
But we’re also living longer, better, and in many ways smarter than ever before.
And underneath it all, our success story can be traced through a single, powerful metric: unemployment.
For weekly insights and strategic advice, subscribe to the Demographics Decoded podcast, where we will continue to explore these trends and their implications in greater detail.
Subscribe now on your favourite Podcast player:
A story told through unemployment
In our latest episode of the Demographics Decoded podcast, Simon Kuestenmacher and I took a deep dive into unemployment data stretching back to 1966 – the earliest reliable figures we have.
What emerged was a fascinating portrait of Australia’s transformation, not just economically but socially and demographically.
In the 1960s, Australia had an unemployment rate of just 2%.
That’s not a typo – two per cent.
We were essentially at full employment.
This wasn’t just luck.
There were far fewer people of working age, largely because of the impact of World War II.
And the first wave of baby boomers – born in the late 40s and 50s – was entering the workforce.
Massive families (3.8 children per woman at one point) meant there was a flood of young workers competing for jobs, which helped keep wages low.
That made manufacturing viable.
It was affordable to produce goods locally, and we did so at scale.
Migration also played a strategic role.
Post-war, we welcomed low-skilled workers, many from Mediterranean countries like Greece and Italy, to support our factories, build our suburbs, and pour the foundations, literally, of modern Australia.
From oil shocks to economic overhauls
The early 70s saw unemployment tick up slightly to around 4%, but it wasn’t until the oil shocks of the mid-70s that we saw real cracks emerge.
Global energy instability made manufacturing more expensive, and the global economy began changing faster than our own.
By the early 80s, unemployment had surged to 10%.
Tariff protections were removed, and we opened up to global competition.
This was a period of deep restructuring.
Our economy shifted away from manufacturing towards services, and it wasn’t without pain.
Simon pointed out that this was when Australia had to rethink its economic model.
Deregulation followed, along with labour market reform – all of which caused initial job losses.
It was a tough adjustment, but a necessary one.
The 1990s began with another recession – the infamous “recession we had to have,” as Paul Keating called it.
Unemployment again hovered around 10%.
It was particularly tough in Victoria, where people left in droves.
I remember people joking, “Last one out of Melbourne, turn off the lights.”
Financial institutions collapsed.
Property prices dropped.
Confidence evaporated.
But out of this came a more flexible, competitive economy, one that embraced technology, productivity, and eventually global opportunity.
Productivity, confidence, and the mining boom
By the late 90s, things began to turn around.
Computers were entering the workplace, helping improve productivity.
Gen Xers were now firmly in the workforce, and Australia was regaining its confidence.
The Sydney Olympics symbolised a new era – optimistic, outward-looking, and globalised.
Then came the China boom.
As China urbanised, it couldn’t get enough of our iron ore, coal, and resources.
That boom drove growth, created jobs, and filled government coffers.
Unemployment began a steady downward trend, falling from 11% in 1990 to around 4% by the mid-2000s.
Simon reminded me that this period also reshaped national psychology.
We moved from being tentative and reactive to increasingly confident.
It seemed like, after decades of adjustment, Australia had found its groove.
GFC: a near miss
The Global Financial Crisis between 2007 and 2009 shook the world.
Triggered by bad lending practices in the US housing market, it caused financial chaos globally.
Millions lost their jobs. Banks went bankrupt.
But Australia? We avoided a recession.
Why?
Because China kept buying our resources.
Because we had a strong regulatory system.
And because, even though unemployment jumped from 4% to 6%, it was short-lived.
Simon and I both agree – we grumble about APRA and lending regulations, but during a crisis, it’s these very safeguards that save us.
COVID-19 and the fastest recovery ever
Then came 2020.
The pandemic hit like a freight train.
Unemployment spiked sharply – almost 8% – and there were grim predictions of double digits.
But thanks to swift interventions like JobKeeper, stimulus packages, and temporary regulation changes, we avoided a collapse.
Simon rightly described this as an “outrageous recovery.”
Within two years, unemployment dropped back below 4%.
What baffled economists was how unemployment stayed so low, even as interest rates rose.
Simon had a simple explanation: demographics.
We’re running out of workers.
Boomers are retiring in droves.
Millennials – our biggest generation – are entering the child-rearing phase and stepping back from full-time work.
Gen Z is smaller and not enough to fill the gaps.
So despite rising interest rates, the labour market has remained tight.
Why we won’t see high unemployment again (barring disaster)
Simon made a bold – but I believe accurate – forecast: Australia won’t see 5–6% unemployment again in the next decade.
There are too few workers.
The demand for jobs in healthcare, aged care, education, and technology will outstrip supply.
And while AI will make some roles redundant, it will also enhance productivity and create new roles that we can’t even predict yet.
Even if international shocks occur, we have levers to pull, especially migration.
It’s the tool we’ve used for decades to balance our labour force, and we’ll use it again.
A shrinking middle class and rising inequality
Of course, not all is rosy.
Simon warned of economic hollowing out – more wealth at the top, more hardship at the bottom, and a shrinking middle.
That’s a challenge we’ll have to confront, especially as property becomes less affordable for younger Australians and wages stagnate in certain sectors.
That said, our overall national wealth is still increasing.
The real challenge is making sure that wealth is distributed in ways that preserve opportunity and aspiration.
The business model of Australia: still strong
Australia’s economy remains underpinned by four sturdy pillars: mining, agriculture, international education, and tourism.
Simon doesn’t expect us to diversify much over the next 10 to 20 years.
And frankly, we don’t need to.
As long as Asia continues to urbanise, they’ll need our resources and food.
While China is slowing down, India, Indonesia, and the Philippines – they’ve got decades of growth left.
That’s a big opportunity for us.
And don’t forget: in a warming world where food security is becoming more fragile, Australia’s role as a net food exporter becomes even more valuable.
That might be tragic news globally, but it gives our agriculture sector long-term strength.
Lessons from the Past, optimism for the future
Looking back over the last 60 years, it’s clear that Australia’s economy has proven remarkably resilient.
We’ve evolved from a factory-based nation to a global supplier of food, minerals, and education.
We’ve weathered oil shocks, recessions, global financial meltdowns, and pandemics, and emerged stronger each time.
Simon summed it up best: “Unless we drive the economy into a wall, we’re going to be fine.”
The demographic and economic winds are at our back.
Yes, there will be challenges – skill shortages, inequality, housing affordability, and climate – but with smart planning and long-term thinking, we’re well positioned.
And if we’ve learned anything, it’s that demographics aren’t just background noise – they’re the engine room of our economy.
So if you’re a property investor, business owner, or policymaker, now is not the time to be fearful.
It’s time to be strategic.
The next 20 years won’t be the same as the last 60, but if history is any guide, we’re in good shape.
If you found this discussion helpful, don’t forget to subscribe to our podcast and share it with others who might benefit.
Subscribe now on your favourite Podcast player:
About Michael Yardney Michael is the founder of Metropole Property Strategists who help their clients grow, protect and pass on their wealth through independent, unbiased property advice and advocacy. He’s once again been voted Australia’s leading property investment adviser and one of Australia’s 50 most influential Thought Leaders. His opinions are regularly featured in the media.
Managing newsletter subscriptions in your inbox is about to get a whole lot easier. Google has been working on a feature to tackle subscriptions for a while now, and the update is finally rolling out.
You’ll Soon See a “Manage Subscriptions” Page Within the Gmail App
As first reported by 9to5 Google, Google has introduced a new Manage subscriptions page, allowing Gmail users to unsubscribe from annoying newsletters with a single tap. This is a server-side update, so you won’t have to change any settings to access this feature. Instead, when the feature becomes available for your account, it will show up automatically.
According to the news outlet, this feature has started appearing across “multiple email accounts, devices, and Gmail for Android versions today.” Gmail users with access to this feature spotted a notice at the top of the app, informing them of this welcome change.
That said, this feature isn’t widely available at the moment. A Gmail help page mentions that this update is “gradually rolling out.” In the near future, you should be able to see this feature when using Gmail on your computer, as well as on the Gmail app for Android and iOS devices.
Related
How to Sort Your Gmail Inbox by Sender, Subject, and Label
There’s no one-click way to sort your Gmail by sender, but you can do it. Learn how to sort your inbox with filters like subject, sender, and labels.
Unsubscribing Might Still Take a While
Once you have access to this feature, you’ll see a Manage subscriptions page within Gmail’s overflow menu, which will automatically list all your active subscriptions. The page lists the name and email address of each sender, as well as how many emails they’ve sent you recently.
There’s also an icon on the right side of these details; tapping or clicking this button will let you quickly unsubscribe from newsletters from that particular sender. While most emails only require a single tap to unsubscribe, you might occasionally have to navigate to the sender’s website to complete the process.
If you’re one of the few who has access to this feature already, remember that it can take a few days for the sender to process your unsubscribe request. So even after you tap that button, you might continue to receive emails for a brief period.
I, for one, can’t wait to have access to this feature. I’ve subscribed to so many newsletters over the years that I can’t keep track of all of them. Sure, the Unsubscribe button within the email helps, but it’s easy to keep putting it off since you have to open each email to unsubscribe from it. Given this, a built-in page within Gmail that populates all my newsletters and gives me a simple unsubscribe option feels long overdue.
Nonetheless, I’m glad it’s finally here. But this is just one way to organize and tame your inbox. If your inbox is approaching the limit, there are other ways to free up storage space in your Google account.
As Southeast Asian tourists flock to Shanghai, they’re exploring the city in their own unique ways, going beyond the traditional sightseeing routes. What hidden gems have they discovered in this vibrant metropolis, and how did they find them? Let’s take a look!
New York — An eerie, overpowering force has taken over the Marquis Theatre, home of “Stranger Things: The First Shadow,” which had its official Broadway opening on Tuesday.
This supernatural power is from a dimension even more intimidating than the Upside Down. The occult realm of Netflix, the streaming service that ensnares viewers in a maze of maybes, has joined forces with Sonia Friedman Productions to convert a piece of prime theatrical real estate into a zone of franchise extension.
Broadway denizens, beware: A portal into a fantasy universe has been established in the heart of the Theater District, unleashing a breed of supernatural creatures that makes the “Harry Potter” lot seem mild and mainstream by comparison. Disney musicals have been accused of turning Broadway into a theme park. “Stranger Things” hurls the art form into Dungeons & Dragons territory.
Louis McCartney as Henry Creel in “Stranger Things: The First Shadow” on Broadway.
(Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman)
The good news is that a younger demographic is making the pilgrimage to the temple of their grandparents’ favorite show tunes. There were so many young faces at the Marquis, I had to remind myself that I was attending an evening press preview and not a student matinee.
The production, directed by Tony-winning veteran Stephen Daldry with co-director Justin Martin, is spectacular in the way that it combines the fluidity of the screen with the dynamism of the stage. The theater proves that it can do nearly anything the cinema can do with the right design team, directorial imagination and technological know-how.
Unfortunately, “Stranger Things: The First Shadow,” written by Kate Trefry from an original story she collaborated on with the Duffer Brothers (the series’ creators) and Jack Thorne, also shows that the theater can be just as careless as any hyperactive action movie when it comes to plot. While seemingly unlimited resources are lavished on visual effects, the drama is allowed to tie itself into impossible knots. (Thorne, who won a Tony for “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” and obloquy for the Broadway bomb “King Kong,” achieves a Hegelian synthesis with this potential blockbuster of dubious artistic purpose.)
“Stranger Things: The First Shadow” at the Marquis Theatre in New York City,
(Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman)
The problem with “Stranger Things: The First Shadow” is that it’s as if an entire new season of the series had been squeezed into a 2-hour, 45-minute stage play — roughly the length of three episodes. This is binge viewing on an expedited, don’t-worry-about-the-math timeline.
I barely made it through two seasons of the Netflix series, so I’m hardly an expert on “Stranger Things.” But I did notice that the Duffer Brothers didn’t worry all that much about leaving storytelling holes even when they had eight episodes to lay out their vision. Here, the gaps in narrative logic are so vast that it would take the most committed fans to fill in all the missing pieces from the realm of online mythology the series has accrued since its premiere in 2016.
Gabrielle Nevaeh as Patty Newby in “Stranger Things: The First Shadow.”
(Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman)
The main character of “The First Shadow” is Henry Creel, an adolescent dweeb who looks like Pee-wee Herman but has a malevolent side that could give Carrie a run for her prom night money. Devoted fans will know Henry from Season 4 of the series, but anyone with an ounce of sense will pick up on his sociopath tendencies from the way he buttons the top button of his shirt and stares numbly into the middle distance.
The play is a prequel to the series, set in the same town but taking place in 1959, a generation before the 1980s hairstyles and New Wave mix tapes that made Season 1 such a Gen X trip. We meet Joyce Maldonado (Alison Jaye) and James Hopper Jr. (Burke Swanson) when they’re in high school, having clocked in Netflix hours with them already as adults played by Winona Ryder and David Harbour.
Louis McCartney as Henry Creel in “Stranger Things: The First Shadow.”
(Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman)
Louis McCartney (who also starred in the Olivier Award-winning West End production) plays Henry, a forlorn misfit whose only real friend is the radio he clutches like a transistor security blanket. Wiry and dangerous, the character is also strangely endearing. McCartney’s shattered portrayal, blurring the line between victim and violator, elicits our sympathy without ever asking for it.
Henry’s parents are hoping for a fresh start after moving the family to Hawkins after some trouble in Nevada. Henry, who has psychokinetic powers and an unpredictable temper, apparently blinded a neighbor kid in a fit of pique, forcing the Creels to skedaddle to Indiana. They want to insulate their son, but it’s the community that really needs protection.
Henry Creel (Louis McCartney), center, with his parents, Victor (T.R. Knight) and Virginia (Rosie Benton).
(Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman)
At Hawkins High, the other students sense Henry’s oddity the way sharks scent blood in the water. One of the rich ironies of “Stranger Things” is the way the cruelty of ordinary teenagers is made to seem as depraved as anything in the Upside Down, the alternate dimension in which humans occasionally get trapped and hunted by diabolical forces.
Patty Newby (Gabrielle Nevaeh), the principal’s daughter who feels like an outsider at home and at school, strikes up a friendship with Henry. They wind up getting cast, under strained dramatic circumstances, in the school musical, and a romance of sensitive oddballs blossoms. While Henry tries to resist the dark forces running riot inside him, Patty obsesses about finding the mother who abandoned her, or so she’s been led to believe.
Through his radio, Henry can eavesdrop on people in a way that’s not bound by time or space. He agrees to help Patty find her mother, but sinister things are happening in Hawkins. A rash of brutal pet murders raises fears that a sadistic maniac is on the loose. Henry’s classmates start their own investigation, which inevitably brings them to Henry’s front door.
The Broadway cast of “Stranger Things: The First Shadow.”
(Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman)
As the Hawkins High musical gets underway and Patty’s long-lost Vegas showgirl mother zooms into paranormal view, Dr. Brenner (Alex Breaux) and his lab henchmen are vying to take control of Henry in what seems like a secret government plot but is part of an oceanic backstory that grows ever more convoluted. (The play opens with a naval ship under mysterious attack that may have something to do with the origin story of the Upside Down, but it would take a PhD in “Stranger Things” studies to unpack.)
Daldry and his crack production team move from one scenario to the other with breathtaking ease. There was a time when theater artists were encouraged to dig deeper into what made the stage unique as a form — most notably the palpable connection between actors and spectators.
“Stranger Things: The First Shadow” opens with a naval ship under mysterious attack.
(Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman)
“Stranger Things: The First Shadow” demonstrates that theater doesn’t have to hold itself back from competing with film, television and video games. A play can move not only from place to place but also from medium to medium. But just because the theater can doesn’t mean that it should. All credit to Miriam Buether’s incredibly agile scenic design, Jon Clark’s dynamic lighting and, most especially, Paul Arditti’s spine-tingling sound design and DJ Walde’s ethereally commanding music for turning the Marquis into a mind-blowing funhouse. But what the production really needs is a script doctor capable of a miracle cure.
As Henry’s bad behavior goes from subliminal to gore-fest, the shifts from the blood-splattered lab to the Hawkins boppy musical seem beyond ludicrous. One of Henry’s powers is to prey on the traumatic fears of his perceived enemies, and “Stranger Things: The First Shadow” is able to summon a theater critic’s horrific vision of a Broadway age in which sense is utterly disregarded for violent sensation.
Perhaps the Hawkins drama club is the creative team’s hope that culture will somehow survive the tech apocalypse. The talented cast and inexhaustibly inventive design team make it hard to bet against the future of theater. But the campy Netflix branding reminders, from the series’ unmistakable musical theme to the Gothic scroll of the title to the jokey “next episode” or “watch credits” option that flashes at the show’s end, suggest that there really is an unstoppable force out there ready to make zombies of us all.
“To the extent you are midstream in raising capital, get that closed as soon as possible. We repeat, close anything midstream ASAP,” Hazard wrote. “And be really judicious about how your capital is being deployed.”
Managing partner Charles Hudson told WIRED that his venture firm, Precursor, has stakes in several ecommerce startups that could be “heavily impacted” by Trump’s tariffs.
But, Hudson adds, he doesn’t know the best way to strategize around the tariffs, because “the logic for their timing, scale, and scope seems to reside only in the head of our president, and tariffs aren’t being discussed as part of the normal policy-making process that would give us more clarity.”
Precursor, which invests in early-stage startups, just raised more than $65 million for its fifth fund. Hudson said in a recent interview with The Information that he plans to make investments over a three-year period rather than the standard two years. The hope is that the extra time horizon will give limited partners, who supply the funding to venture capital firms, to see returns on their investments.
Hudson also predicted that selling stock in private startups on the secondary market will make up the overwhelming majority of liquidity that investors see over the next five years, rather than returns from acquisitions or initial public offerings.
Other VCs agree that the secondary market is likely to heat up. “VCs used to be the ultimate HODLers, holding on for dear life, riding it out until a startup they invested in IPO’d,” says Drummond. “But over the past 10 years they’ve had to become much more disciplined sellers and figure out how to deliver liquidity sooner.” That’s been true for a while because of rising interest rates and VCs being more cautious, but it’s “especially true now,” he says.
Analysts from PitchBook, a database for statistics about the venture capital and private equity markets, warn the tariffs could have a cooling effect on international investments, noting that startups once celebrated for having “global first” strategies might now be seen as vulnerable.
In the first quarter of this year, prior to Trump’s official tariff announcements, a smaller share of US capital was already flowing to VC deals in Europe and China than in recent periods. Around 47 percent of European deals included US funding, down four percentage points from the final quarter of 2024.
“For decades, VC has flourished in an increasingly borderless world, but another week of tariff wars is prompting a major reassessment,” PitchBook reporter Leah Hodgson wrote earlier this month.
Bad News for IPOs
Before Trump took office, investors had been hopeful that the tech IPO market would continue rebounding this year after falling into a slump in 2022. The market was showing signs of recovery in 2024: There were 176 initial public offerings in the US last year compared to 127 in 2023 and 90 in 2022, according to data collected by the consulting firm EY.
Accounting firm KPMG noted in a report published earlier this month that “lingering market uncertainties” had led many startups to delay their imminent public debuts this quarter. The mobile banking service Chime, ticket giant StubHub, and Swedish “buy now, pay later” firm Klarna all hit pause on planned public offerings. AI infrastructure firm CoreWeave was the outlier—it began trading shares in late March.
Paul Atkins has been sworn in as the 34th chairperson of the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). US President Donald Trump had nominated Atkins for the role earlier this year. The US Senate also confirmed its support for Atkins to take up the role this month. With him at the helm, the SEC will accelerate crypto-focused regulatory work in the US, Atkins had claimed last month while addressing the Senate Banking Committee.
Atkins, who served as the SEC Commissioner from 2002 to 2008, has maintained close quarters with the cryptocurrency sector. For instance, Atkins co-directed the “Token Alliance” from 2017 to 2024. The initiative was launched by the US Chamber of Digital Commerce to promote the growth of the digital assets industry in the US.
The SEC welcomed its new chief, saying, “Chairman Atkins helped lead efforts to develop best practices for the digital asset sector. Before serving as an SEC Commissioner, Chairman Atkins was as a consultant on securities and investment management industry matters, especially regarding issues of strategy, regulatory compliance, risk management, new product development, and organisational control.”
Atkins believes that unclear crypto regulations are a major reason behind the volatility and risks associated with the sector. Addressing the Senate Banking Committee last month, Atkins reportedly vouched to work with the Congress and fellow commissioners to give the crypto sector a strong regulatory foundation, with a rational and principled approach.
“I am pleased to join the agency’s dedicated professionals to advance its mission to facilitate capital formation; maintain fair, orderly, and efficient markets; and protect investors,” Atkins said, commenting on his new role.
Under former chairperson Gary Gensler, the SEC gained notoriety for launching investigations into numerous cryptocurrency firms, earning him the reputation of a crypto antagonist during his time under ex-US President Joe Biden. However, under the Trump administration, the SEC dropped multiple legal cases against Web3 firms like Binance, Coinbase, Ripple, and OpenSea, among others, in recent months.
Atkins’ appointment as the SEC chair aligns with President Trump’s vision of transforming the US into the crypto capital of the planet.
As part of his role, Atkins will play a crucial role in drafting the crypto legislation in the US – a task that is already underway and is being carried out by the SEC’s Crypto Task Force. President Trump expects to review these rules by August this year.
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I spend a lot of energy these days just telling myself that, in many ways, this is the best the collective human race has ever had it. I try my hardest to muster up some semblance of gratitude, for self-preservation if nothing else. People who are far wiser and more well-adjusted than myself will tell you that being buried in overwhelming dread is exactly what the powers that be want; that maintaining a sense of joy is vital during times like these. In my experience, they’re absolutely right. As such, I’ve tried my hardest to remain uncompromising when it comes to living a life still sprinkled with joy–after all, who would be inclined to live and fight for misery?
I try to spend as much time as possible around loved ones and touch plenty of grass, but admittedly, an element in my attempts to enjoy life and process all of this has been video games. This probably isn’t a surprising or novel claim. If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance you’re a gamer and are very familiar with the healing power and delightful escapism associated with games. Recently, Reuters published a study regarding the positive impact that cozy games such as Animal Crossing or Stardew Valley can have on mental health. According to the study, there is essentially “no statistically significant difference between playing a video game and engaging in meditation.” I love this fact, mostly because it makes me feel a bit less guilty when my husband catches me playing Fields of Mistria at 11 o’clock at night.
But while I have found myself gravitating towards games like Fields of Mistria and Hello Kitty Island Adventure in my spare time–both of which are incredibly fun, free of oligarchs, and adorable–these sweet adventures offering a detour from reality aren’t always what I turn to. And though they’re certainly relaxing, they’re also not the games making the largest positive impact on my mental health, either.
What I long for more than anything these days are tales of resistance; stories in which scrappy underdogs take on forces far larger than themselves. They’re seldom fearless–no sensible person is, video game character or not–but that fear doesn’t hinder them from doing the ethical thing. To invoke a Mr. Rogers quote I’ve always found charming, I suppose that even when it comes to video games, I’m “looking for the helpers.”
This isn’t a new phenomenon for me. When conversations turn to what “radicalized” me, to use the beloved meme template, I can vaguely pinpoint the moment many of my core beliefs and values began to form–it was Final Fantasy VII during the moment when Barrett Wallace began shooting at the heap of metal and concrete Shinra buried his home, friends, and, presumably, his young daughter Marlene beneath. “What’s it all for?” he screams, his body heaving from both grief and the recoil of his bullets. Lately, I find myself asking the same question, over and over and over again. “What’s it all for?”
Barrett from Final Fantasy VII calls out Shinra.
Barrett’s cry is more than relatable, though–it’s cathartic. Through the entirety of Final Fantasy VII, he serves as a beacon of love, bravery, and self-sacrifice. Barrett would lay down his life if doing so would better the lives of perfect strangers; he would fight ceaselessly, and savor the struggle, if it meant his daughter would never have to. He’s the type of person I desperately want to believe exists, not just as a singular being, but as an inherent part of all of us. Barrett Wallace is a “helper.”
I suspect this is in part why Metaphor: ReFantazio resonated so deeply with me last year, too. Throughout its entirety, as it delves headlong into topics such as prejudice, poverty, cycles of violence, anxiety, and religion, Metaphor repeatedly emphasizes the importance of caring for those around you and striving to be a just and empathetic person–a “helper,” if you will. Its metanarrative then takes this one step further by boldly proclaiming that works like Metaphor–works that are earnest, honest, and above all else, hopeful–are far more than entertainment; they’re vast wells of inspiration that exist in part to create even more helpers.
Stories, whether constructed by one person or a whole studio of people, contain our hopes, fears, dreams, experiences, and beliefs. They are the closest we can come to making the intangible, tangible–to sharing our internal worlds with one another in hopes of establishing resonance. And though not all works are intended to inspire, all works can, and thus the act of creating is one that can be immensely powerful. In Metaphor, I found a game that believes all of this as strongly as I do. Long after finishing the game, its hopefulness and reassurance continues to cloak me. And part of the reason it does is because I firmly believe it must cloak other people, too.
Of course some of Atlus’ other titles, namely the Persona series, also encourage perseverance, kindness, and rising against oppression and cruelty. I’d be remiss not to mention how Persona 5 is a game all about taking on those who abuse power, even when that means standing up to dangerous people, the status quo, government institutions, and forces that make you feel small.
I also think about the time I spent playing the Mass Effect trilogy, and how Shepherd’s willingness to help divided communities reconcile, right past wrongs, and lay down their life repeatedly inspires resistance, bravery, and compassion. Sure, you don’t have to play Shepherd that way, and there are some aspects of all of this the game doesn’t quite get right, if we’re being honest. But at its core, Mass Effect offers a power fantasy in which a large part of said fantasy is you having the power to change the entire galaxy for the better. Getting to make out with number one video game boyfriend Garrus is just a nice perk–though I’d argue it does reinforce the importance of holding on to those you have and finding joy even in dire circumstances.
Garrus from Mass Effect holding his signature sniper rifle.
But while RPGs tend to fit the bill more–after all, I’d bet most of us could easily list dozens in which a band of unlikely heroes come together to take on an oppressive regime or stop a Big Bad–there are a few other genres I’ve gravitated to that ignite me in a similar way.
Frankly, you can’t talk about games centered around resistance and helping others without mentioning Dishonored and Wolfenstein. Throughout both of these action-adventure series, you play as characters who are part of small resistance groups hellbent on taking down an oppressive regime. Be it through stealth or overwhelming firepower, your mission ultimately boils down to fighting oppressors and helping to restore power to the citizenry they’ve abused. They also pose an interesting question: Which is truly more violent, the violence exerted through resistance, or the systemic, sanctioned violence that commands us to remain complicit?
The one and only “strand game,” Death Stranding, is also well worth mentioning here, as the entire game revolves around helping others and establishing connections. In a world flooded with fear and in which people are largely isolated from one another, Sam Porter Bridges serves as a bridge himself, helping people regain a sense of humanity and companionship. Sam’s–and the player’s–alturistic nature is further highlighted by another one of the game’s key features, the Social Strand System. Although you will never meet all your fellow Death Stranding players, you are able (and encouraged!) to construct things that will improve not only your in-game world, but others as well. Naturally, this means you will reap the benefits of others’ constructions, too, making this a game that highlights the importance of mutual aid.
In metroidvanias, the general conceit tends to be that once-powerful characters are rendered “weak,” they still choose to embark on dangerous and surreal journeys, some of which help protect those around them. Gaining their powers back, and progression in general, does not come easily; there is a lot of trial involved and, oftentimes, the way forward requires going back, growing stronger, smarter, or better-equipped, and trying again later. In this way, these games emulate life.
And though it might sound a bit obtuse, soulslikes in particular have grown particularly comforting to me over the years. Most of the time, the stories and worlds they contain don’t feel happy, safe, or gentle. But honestly, I prefer that they aren’t. You can’t overcome something if there’s nothing to overcome; you can’t feel assured in your strength or perseverance if they’ve never been tested; you can’t appreciate light and beauty without fumbling through the dark and dire; and you can’t appreciate being alive without acknowledging the finality of death.
The Slayer of Demons trudges up a hill in Demon Souls.
Though sometimes dismissed as brutal or grimdark, I’ve found inspiration and catharsis in games like Demon Souls, Elden Ring, Bloodborne, and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. Behind each grotesque creation, cutthroat swordmaster, hellish landscape, and violent end lies temporary refuge, spectacular sights, and the satisfaction of knowing you earned the right to these things. Sure, there will always be something lying just ahead, but just like in real life, these moments of peace are ones I cherish and savor. They offer a reminder that, despite everything, you are here now, trying your hardest to live and do good even when up against the dark and unfathomable. What an incredible feat that is.
I suppose all this is to say, as much as the world needs games that make us feel secure and cozy, I believe we need games that encourage and empower us, too; games that remind us that life is hard and dark but that we have the power to live, hope, and help. And though some might shy away from the idea of games being political–and the ones I’ve mentioned above are maybe not as overt as the likes of Disco Elysium, Papers, Please, Fallout: New Vegas, or countless other titles that explore capitalism and morality, or critique apathy and centrism–to me it’s undeniable that all of these works of art are constructed out of experiences and core beliefs, which are perhaps the two biggest factors that guide our political ideologies. I find it beautiful to think that these creators believe in, and long to foster, goodness and progression.
And I get that not everyone wants to dig this deep. I get that not everyone will take away the same message or walk away transfixed and transformed. But I also have to believe that these stories do hold that power and there are plenty out there that, like me, are comforted, rejuvenated, and inspired by them. Lately, the world feels pretty bleak. But history, people, stories, and art remind me that nothing is insurmountable, and that a better world–and perhaps a cozy, lit bonfire–lie just ahead.
For biologists, seeing is believing. But sometimes biologists have a hard time seeing.
One particularly vexing challenge is seeing all the molecules in an intact tissue sample, down to the level of single cells, simultaneously. Detecting the location of hundreds or thousands of biomolecules — from lipids to metabolites to proteins — in their native environment allows researchers to better understand their functions and interactions. Unfortunately, scientists don’t have great tools to accomplish this task.
Imaging methods, including most types of microscopy, provide a view of molecules inside cells. But they can track only a select handful of molecules at one time, and they can’t detect all types of biomolecules, including some lipids. Other methods, like regular mass spectrometry, can detect hundreds of molecules but don’t work on intact samples, so researchers can’t see how the biomolecules are oriented.
One promising technique — mass spectrometry imaging — overcomes some of these challenges. It allows researchers to see hundreds of molecules at one time in intact tissues. However, it doesn’t have high enough resolution to allow detection at the single cell level.
This was the problem Janelia Senior Group Leader Meng Wang faced. Wang and her team study the fundamental mechanisms behind aging and longevity, and they wanted to detect many different biomolecules in intact tissues to understand how the components change as tissues age.
“Knowing at each specific location what molecules are there and what is in the neighboring cells is very important for any kind of biological question,” Wang says.
Luckily, Wang’s lab is down the hall from Janelia Principal Scientist Paul Tillberg. Tillberg co-invented a technique called expansion microscopy as a graduate student at MIT. The method uses a swellable hydrogel material to expand samples uniformly in all directions to a point where fine details, like sub-organelle structure, can be detected with a conventional microscope.
Now a decade old, the expansion process is being applied to other methods outside traditional microscopy. Wang, Tillberg, and their collaborators at Janelia and the University of Wisconsin-Madison wanted to see if they could use expansion to overcome mass spectrometry imaging’s spatial resolution problem.
The result is a new method that expands tissue samples gradually without having to degrade them at the molecular level, as happens in the original expansion process. By expanding the intact samples in all directions, researchers can use mass spectrometry imaging to simultaneously detect hundreds of molecules at the single cell level in their native locations.
“This lets you have an untargeted look in the molecular space, and we are trying to bring it closer to what microscopy can do in terms of spatial resolution,” Tillberg says.
The team used the new technique to delineate the specific spatial patterns of small molecules in different layers of the cerebellum. They found that these molecules — including lipids, peptides, proteins, metabolites, and glycans — are not uniformly distributed, as previously thought. Moreover, they found that each specific layer of the cerebellum has its own signature of lipids, metabolites, and proteins.
The team was also able to detect biomolecules in kidney, pancreas, and tumor tissues, demonstrating that the method can be adapted for many different tissue types. In tumor tissues, they were able to visualize large variations in biomolecules, which could be useful for understanding the molecular mechanisms of tumors and potentially aid in drug development.
“When you can see these biomolecules, then you can start to understand why they have such patterns and how that is related to function,” says Wang. She believes the new technology will allow researchers to track these patterns during development, aging, and disease to understand how different molecules contribute to these processes.
Because the new method doesn’t require adding hardware to an existing mass spec imaging system, and the expansion technique is relatively easy to learn, the team hopes it will be used by many labs around the world. They also hope the new technique will make mass spec imaging a more useful tool for biologists and have laid out a detailed description of the new method and a roadmap for adapting it to other tissue types.
“We wanted to develop something that did not require specialized instruments or procedures, but can be broadly adopted,” Wang says.
Preparing for the UGC NET Exam? Our 40 Days Crash Course is designed to help you pass with confidence. With expert tips, focused materials, and practice tests, we’ll support you every step of the way.
About UGC NET Exam
The University Grants Commission National Eligibility Test (UGC NET) is a national-level examination conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) in India. It is held to determine the eligibility of candidates for the role of Assistant Professor and/or Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) in Indian universities and colleges.
UGC NET is conducted twice a year, usually in June and December.
Clearing UGC NET opens doors to teaching at the college/university level, research opportunities, and in the case of JRF, financial support for PhD-level research. It’s an essential milestone for anyone aspiring to enter academia or research in India.
With the right preparation and strategy, you can approach the exam with confidence and clear it on your first attempt. We’re here to help you get ready and make this process as smooth as possible.
About Lawctopus’ Crash Course on UGC NET
Lawctopus is introducing a Crash Course for UGC NET– your all-in-one guide to exam success! This 40 days program is carefully designed to cover everything you need, so you can step into the exam room with confidence.
First, we offer comprehensive reading modules that break down even the most complex topics into simple, digestible lessons. No more feeling overwhelmed by the syllabus!
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About Lawctopus Law School
Lawctopus Law School has taught a wide range of practical skills to over 17000+ law students, young lawyers, professionals, academicians, and business people. Over 1000 students have rated our courses and the average rating is 93.2/100. Our online courses are ‘warm’ learning experiences!
At LLS, our courses are developed by subject matter experts (practitioners and academicians) and these courses are a mix of
Rigorously researched reading modules prepared by people who have “been there, done that“
Recorded lectures by Industry Experts
The reading modules and recorded lectures condense decades of practical learning into a few pages/minutes
Recorded sessions which build about the reading modules and recorded lectures and clear your doubts
Assignments that mirror real-life legal work
Personal feedback on your assignments. At Lawctopus Law School, you learn by doing!
Special Modules, add-on career webinars
The now famous ‘warmth and care’ of LLS
Structure of the UGC Crash Course
We conducted a batch with live sessions for this course from May 1 to June 10.
The detailed live sessions schedule can be checked here.
There are 90-120 minutes long Live Sessions which further builds upon the modules and answers all your doubts.
awctopus Law School’s UGC courses are meticulously crafted to cater to the specific requirements of law students and professionals. The courses available in the bundle are as follows:
UGC-NET: General Paper on Teaching & Research Aptitude [Paper 1]
This self-paced course on the UGC NET Paper Examination is specifically designed to help you prepare for Paper 1 of the UGC NET Exam. We cover all the topics which are part of the syllabus for Paper 1 of the UGC NET Examination Course.
How will this course on UGC NET (Paper 1) help you?
Prepare for the Examination in a holistic manner and cover all the subjects comprehensively.
Get guidance from 4 UGC NET Qualified professionals through 20 recorded sessions and more than 100 recorded lectures.
Evaluate your performance through 10 subject-based practice tests having at least 100 questions each and 4 Mock Tests on Paper 1.
Know the ‘Studying Strategy ‘and types of questions asked for each subject through our recorded lectures.
UGC-NET (Law) [Paper 2]
This self-paced course is designed to assist candidates in preparing for the UGC-NET (Law) examination, a prestigious qualification that enables individuals to pursue teaching and research opportunities in the field of law. The course covers all relevant topics and provides comprehensive study materials, recorded lectures, and practice tests.
Key Elements
Over 10 detailed, comprehensive, and to-the-point Reading Resources for all the subjects.
Over 20 Recorded Lectures by subject matters on all the subjects which are part of the Syllabus of Paper 2 of the Examination. The recorded lectures cover: Types of Questions asked; Studying Strategy; Doubts and Queries on the basis of Readings, Recorded Lectures, and Mock-Tests.
Over 10 Quick Reference Documents (1 or 2 pages long) for Case Laws on each subject; legal terms, definitions, and important sections or theories.
Over 10 Subject-based Practice Tests (Min. 100 questions each; overall 1000+ questions) to help you evaluate your understanding and predict your performance in the Examination.
8 Complete Mock Tests on Paper 2 (100 questions each; 2 marks and 2 hours duration) conducted online through Computer in the same format as the actual Examination.
Course Access – All the learners will have access to the course materials for 1 year from the date of registration.
UGC NET (Law) Mock Test Series
The UGC NET (Law) Mock Test Series is designed to simulate the UGC-NET (Law) examination environment and assess your preparedness. It includes a series of practice tests that mirror the actual exam pattern, allowing you to familiarize yourself with the format, time constraints, and types of questions encountered in the UGC-NET (Law) examination.
The competitive advantage of LLS UGC-NET (Law) Mock Tests includes:
Prepared by 5 UGC-NET qualifiers after a thorough analysis of past years’ papers and patterns.
Each question has been drafted and reviewed by UGC-NET qualifiers.
3 additional layers of reviews were conducted by experts to give you the best quality and experience.
This set of 10 mocks covers all types of questions/concepts, including the ones that are in the syllabus but are not asked very often this ensures that nothing surprises you!
10 Complete Mock Tests having both Paper 1 & Paper 2.
Detailed explanations that enhance your knowledge.
Clear all your doubts through a Discussion Forum.
Evaluate your performance (as compared to other mock takers) through a Leaderboard.
Use the timer feature and get the real mock experience.
Identify your areas/subjects of strength/weakness through a detailed analysis report.
Get up to 5 re-attempts for each Mock Test.
Who is this Course for?
Postgraduate Students of Law
Academicians
Course Duration
May 1, 2025 – June 10, 2025
Course Details
Course Fee: INR 9,900 inclusive of GST.
Course Access: All the learners will have access to the course materials for 1 year from the registration date. All the recorded videos, study materials, and mock tests will be available for 1 year.
Course Developers
Pooja Chandran Nambiar is a Senior Project Manager at the Foundation for Ecological Security. As a law and policy researcher, she focuses on the issues of environmental justice and political ecology, with 3+ years of experience in legal research and writing.
She holds an LLM in Environment and Natural Resources Law from TERI School of Advanced Studies, New Delhi, and has qualified the UGC-NET Examination in 2020 in her first attempt.
Pooja was the Chairholder of the KTS Tulsi Chair of Excellence on Constitutional Law, and was associated with the Lawctopus Law School as a Subject Matter Expert in 2021.
Mariyam Khan completed her Bachelors in Law from Aligarh Muslim University, Malappuram Centre and her post-graduation (LL.M.) from Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi specialising in Criminal Laws.
She has been a rank holder both at UG and PG levels. She qualified UGC-NET in December 2019 and is passionate about teaching.
Jatin Garg has completed Bachelors in Law from RGNUL, Punjab and has done his post-graduation (LLM) in Trade and Investment Laws from NLU Jodhpur.
He has qualified for UGC NET (Law) in 2017 and has worked with IIM Ranchi as Legal Manager, Indian School of Public Policy as an Executive Manager, and has taught Corporate Laws at IIM Ranchi and Amity Law School, Delhi.
Vershika Sharma graduated from NLU Jodhpur and completed her LLM from HPNLU, Shimla, where she secured a Gold Medal. She has been a topper throughout her academic career. Immensely invested in and passionate about education, Vershika has been an academic mentor at IDIA, Rajasthan.
Vershika has taught over 300 students the intricacies of legal research and writing. To enhance her online teaching skills, Vershika also completed an intensive online course on ‘The Art of Facilitation‘ from Colab.x.
Mansi Mankotia graduated with a B.A.LL.B (Hons.) from H.P. University in 2020 and pursued an LLM specializing in criminal law from NLU Shimla. Currently, Mansi is dedicated to advancing her expertise through a Ph.D. in Law.
With professional experience as an in-house counsel, she currently serves as a Learning Manager at Lawctopus Law School, contributing to the development and delivery of practical law courses.
Anushka Ukrani graduated from Campus Law Centre, University of Delhi and has completed her LLM from National Law University, Shimla, where she secured the Vice Chancellor’s Medal for Overall Topper in the master’s programme.
Thereafter she was able to clear UGC-NET in her first attempt and since then has been working as an Assistant Professor at DME Law School (Affiliated to GGSIPU). Currently, she is also pursuing Ph.D. from Dharmashashtra National Law University, Jabalpur.
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