House with heated outdoor pool in ‘idyllic’ location near Swindon
Fans were taken by surprise when news of Evans' return for Avengers 5 broke, sparking speculations about the storyline and how Captain America will fit into the new narrative. Many are eager to see how the dynamic between Evans' character and the other Avengers will evolve, particularly his interactions with Robert Downey Jr.'s Tony Stark, aka Iron Man.
Giannis Antetokounmpo returns for Bucks after missing 1 game with knee swellingThe Ambassador highlighted that the collapse of the Assad regime could create a power vacuum in Syria, leading to increased instability and conflict in the region. He warned that extremist groups, including ISIS, could exploit the situation to further their own agendas. Moreover, he cautioned that the removal of Assad could trigger a wider regional conflict involving other countries in the Middle East.
One of the main areas of concern for Tencent Video members is the continuous decrease in the availability of exclusive content and early access to new releases. Many users have reported that the platform has been cutting back on the number of premium shows and movies available to members, leading to a significant decline in the overall value proposition of a Tencent Video membership.Timing is key when it comes to launching a new game. Developers often spend months, if not years, working on their projects, carefully crafting gameplay experiences and building hype among their audience. A well-timed release can maximize the impact of their efforts and ensure that their game receives the attention it deserves. Conversely, launching in close proximity to a major title like "GTA 6" could spell disaster for a smaller or lesser-known project.
Consumers today are increasingly concerned about the authenticity and origin of the products they purchase. In the case of a Russian supermarket store that claims to offer authentic guarantee and direct supply from the source, one may wonder: Are the products truly of pure import from Russia, or are they actually manufactured in China?Michael Gray Jr., Byron Ireland rally Nicholls to 76-75 victory over Louisiana
Aside from Towns' stellar performance, the Knicks also received valuable contributions from their supporting cast. Players like RJ Barrett, Julius Randle, and Derrick Rose all made important plays throughout the game to keep the team in contention and ultimately secure the win. The Knicks' depth and teamwork were on full display as they worked together to overcome a tough opponent on the road.
In a gruesome incident, a woman’s severed head was found in a garbage dump in Kolkatta’s Tollygunge region on Friday, December 13. The rest of her body was recovered the next day from near a pond in the Regent Park area. Locals spotted the head in a polythene bag and alerted the police, who, within 24 hours tracked down the accused, the victim’s brother-in-law, Atiur Rahman Laskar, from his native place in Basuldanga located in South 24 Parganas district. Later, in a press conference, police informed that the victim, who worked as a domestic worker, used to commute to work with Laskar. Confessing his crime, Laskar told the police that on December 12, he allegedly took the victim to an under construction building, strangled and later beheaded her. He cut her body into three pieces before dumping them in various locations. “The woman has been separated from her husband for two years. She blocked Laskar’s number and started avoiding him after rejecting his advances. This enraged Laskar and drove him towards the crime,” police said.Lang Ping's journey to becoming a national idol began in the 1980s, when she was a key player in the Chinese women’s volleyball team that won the gold medal at the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984. Her powerful spikes, graceful demeanor, and leadership skills earned her the nickname "Iron Hammer", symbolizing her unstoppable force both on and off the court. After retiring as a player, Lang Ping transitioned to coaching, where she continued to make history by leading the Chinese women’s volleyball team to numerous victories, including gold at the Rio Olympics in 2016.
Throughout the 2024 TV schedule , the cast and crew of Saturday Night Live have been aiming to deliver laughs amid the show’s milestone 50th season. Chloe Fineman is one of the many stars who’s been putting in work, especially when it comes to her celebrity impressions. One of the comedian’s most notable impersonations is that of pop star JoJo Siwa , which she broke out for a sketch that aired during the show’s’ latest episode. Now, Siwa herself is suggesting a change Fineman should make, and I can see it. Jojo Siwa previously commented on SNL ’s impression of her when Chloe Fineman played her during a later episode amid Season 49. During that appearance, Fineman sported a black-sequined look similar to the “Karma” singer’s real attire. Siwa lauded the performance on social media, referring to it as “iconic.” When the songstress spoke to People about Fineman’s latest performance, she had more praise to share, though she had one critique related to physicality: I think she needs to be a little more full out in the dance, but other than that, everything was perfect. Chloe Fineman most recently portrayed JoJo Siwa during the show’s latest episode a few weeks ago, which saw Charli XCX host and perform. One pre-recorded sketch parodied the auditions for Wicked , the recently released film based on the Broadway play of the same name. As part of that segment, Fineman and others like Sarah Sherman, Bowen Yang, and Charli herself lampooned the likes of Bernie Sanders, Troye Sivan and Adele. Fineman also portrayed Martha Stewart , Sydney Sweeney and Leslie Mann, in addition to Siwa: The Megalopolis actress has been on NBC’s long-running sketch comedy series for nearly six years now and, in that time, she’s been making a name for herself. Her comedic timing and celebrity impressions have turned some heads, and her skills only seem to be improving. Given that she’s now a veteran, she provided some advice for Season 50 newbies , telling them to “have fun” as they’re essentially “thrown into the fire.” That’s keen advice. At this point, there’s no way to tell whether Chloe Fineman will reprise her role as JoJo Siwa before the landmark season ends. Should she don another sequined outfit, though, I’d love to see her take heed of the pop star’s advice. The results could be truly laugh-worthy. SNL Season 50’s hosts and musical guests have been top notch, the show returns with host Paul Mescal and musical guest Shaboozey on December 7 at 11:30 p.m. ET on NBC. You can also stream past episodes by using an active Peacock subscription . CINEMABLEND NEWSLETTER Your Daily Blend of Entertainment News( MENAFN - media OutReach Newswire) HONG KONG SAR - Media OutReach Newswire - 22 December 2024 - On December 20th, Fushi technology is set to launch its AI Agent industry vertical applications in the Southeast Asia region to help businesses improve efficiency and optimize operations. Fushi Technology is an investment of Hong Kong-listed company Yeahka Limited (9923). In 2024, Fushi already expanded its client base in Southeast Asia, including over 200 global and regional brands such as Starbucks, MUJI, Pizza Hut, New Balance, Levi's, KOI, and Mr. Coconut, covering markets in Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Malaysia, with over 20,000 stores in total. Fushi's achievements can be attributed to two key drivers: The first driver is the synergies created by its partnership with Yeahka. Leveraging the payment technology, service expertise, and applied artificial intelligence (AI) technologies that are already validated in China, Fushi provides more attractive business empowerment solutions for merchants across the Asia-Pacific region. The second key driver is that Fushi itself places great importance on the localization of its SaaS product development and operations functionalities. By continually harnessing the market attributes and customer preferences in different vertical industries overseas, Fushi has enriched its in-house product portfolio and greatly improved service efficiency, enhancing the breadth and depth of its business empowerment capabilities for clients, while also increasing customer retention. The launch of Fushi's AI Agent industry vertical application is also driven by the needs of those overseas clients outside of China. Currently, Fushi's AI Agent primarily targets the food and beverage industry. Customers can use conversational natural language, either through voice or text, on the brand's official app or website to inquire about various information related to restaurants and food, as well as place orders and make payments. This will significantly enhance the customer experience and improve order conversion rates. In the future, Fushi will also collaborate with Ascentis, a leading CRM company in Singapore that Fushi recently acquired, to develop a marketing AI agent, allowing businesses to automatically plan and execute marketing campaigns and manage customer relationships through natural language. AI Agents are intelligent entities based on large language models (LLMs) that can autonomously understand, plan, make decisions, and perform complex tasks. Unlike traditional large models, AI Agents not only tell you "how to do" something, but also help you "do it." According to Deloitte, AI Agents are reshaping industries in unprecedented ways. They not only expand the application scope of generative AI but also enhance AI capabilities through multi-agent AI systems. For example, after launching the AI-driven AXON2.0 advertising marketing engine, Applovin saw an increase in advertising monetization rates, with third-quarter revenue rising by 39% year-on-year and net profit growing by 300% year-on-year. As of December 20th, Applovin's stock price has increased by over 700% this year. With AI Agents reshaping traditional industries and technologies, more industry disruptors are expected to emerge. Jared, a partner at Y Combinator and a senior investor, recently analyzed the market, predicting that vertical AI Agents could become a new market that is 10 times larger than SaaS, potentially creating technology giants with market values exceeding $300 billion each. With China's expansion into overseas markets, Fushi is poised to seize new market opportunities, thanks to its long-standing experience in serving merchants in combination with the addition of proprietary AI Agents. MENAFN22122024003551001712ID1109021700 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.Efforts to establish a de-escalation mechanism between the Hair Spokesperson and Russia have been ongoing for months, with diplomatic channels open and negotiations taking place behind closed doors. However, despite the best intentions of both parties, the mechanism has yet to be activated, leaving the situation unresolved and tensions high.
Title: "Zheng Qinvvn's Upset Victory Over Swiatek Voted as the Biggest Upset of the Year by Foreign Media"Australia is unleashing gene-editing technology like CRISPR across agriculture, medicine, and biology, revolutionising everything, from horses to humans. For the uninitiated, CRISPR technology is a gene-editing tool that allows scientists to alter DNA sequences. It works like molecular scissors, cutting DNA at specific locations and enabling modifications to correct genetic errors or enhance desired traits. Bill Gates and the World Economic Forum (WEF) champion CRISPR as a solution to pressing global issues, such as food insecurity and deadly diseases. When figures like Gates and the WEF enter the conversation, scepticism is unavoidable. The potential for this powerful technology to be hijacked for profit or control is a legitimate concern. Sobering Study A recent study on editing the NCF1 gene—a gene crucial for helping immune cells fight infections—has raised serious concerns that should make everyone, from scientists to patients to policymakers, take notice. The study shows that editing the NCF1 gene, surrounded by nearly identical pseudogenes, often causes unintended and serious disruptions in chromosomes. Pseudogenes are like broken-down copies of normal genes. They look similar to regular genes, but they don’t work properly because they’ve lost the ability to produce functional proteins. Think of them as genetic "fossils,” leftover pieces from our evolutionary past. They’re often harmless, but when they sit close to working genes, like in the case of the NCF1 gene, they can cause problems during genetic editing, leading to mistakes like unintended cuts or rearrangements. CRISPR is like a surgical scalpel, sharp and precise but easily thrown off by small errors. In cases like NCF1, where similar DNA sequences cluster closely together, CRISPR can mistakenly cut in the wrong spot. Large chunks of chromosomes may be deleted, duplicated, or rearranged. These mistakes could have profound and potentially devastating effects on real patients. Potential Scenarios Imagine a young Australian child suffering from CGD (chronic granulomatous disease), a rare genetic disorder that weakens their immune system and leaves them vulnerable to life-threatening infections. Parents are offered hope with cutting-edge gene therapy that uses CRISPR to fix the faulty gene. While the treatment might successfully repair the immune defect, it could unintentionally cause new problems. Chromosomal errors could lead to other serious conditions, such as an increased risk of leukemia or developmental disorders. For the family, what seemed like a cure becomes a risky gamble with consequences they never imagined. Now broaden the scope. Australia, like many countries, is investing in biotechnology as a key driver of its medical research sector. CRISPR-based therapies are being developed to treat everything from rare diseases to blindness. But if the risks highlighted in this study aren’t addressed, Australia could face ethical and regulatory challenges. What happens when unintended consequences emerge years after treatments are rolled out? Who will be held accountable for long-term harm in patients? These are important questions that must be answered sooner rather than later. The Bigger Picture Beyond the impact on individual patients, the broader societal consequences are worth discussing. Just as AI has sparked fears of systems operating beyond human control, CRISPR’s rapid advancement could spiral into uncharted territory. Lawsuits against biotech companies might flood the courts as unforeseen side effects wreak havoc on lives. This could leave governments and healthcare systems scrambling to impose regulations on an industry that accelerates faster than they can react. The problem is painfully familiar. AI and CRISPR are both advancing at breakneck speed, but lawmakers—many of whom barely grasp the basics of these technologies—are hopelessly behind. Most legislators couldn’t explain the difference between a gene and a pseudogene, much less articulate how generative AI operates. Many struggle with even the most basic distinctions, like recognising the difference between a man and a woman. This knowledge gap allows industries to outpace regulation, creating a dangerous environment where innovation races forward with little to no oversight. Like AI, biotech is a double-edged sword. Rogue scientists, unethical corporations, or even state actors could exploit CRISPR for darker purposes. For example, engineered pathogens could be designed to target and even kill specific groups of people. Genetic modifications might also widen the gap between the rich and the poor, with wealthy nations or individuals gaining access to enhancements for intelligence, physical ability, or disease resistance. This could create a genetic underclass while the privileged few move into an entirely different level of biological advantage. This is not hyperbolic fearmongering. This is the world that awaits us. Playing God The ethical debates are also worth considering. Critics might contend that humanity has no right to rewrite the blueprint of life, to tinker with creation itself, or to play God. This perspective warns of hubris, suggesting that altering the genetic code—the very foundation of existence—risks unforeseen and irreversible consequences. Are we claiming the authority to correct nature’s mistakes, or are we crossing a line that was never ours to cross? Others, however, might argue that failing to embrace progress would be equally immoral, as it denies life-saving treatments to those who desperately need them. Whatever your thoughts, this study is a wakeup call for anyone concerned about the future of medicine and humanity itself. CRISPR holds extraordinary promise, but it’s no miracle cure. The risks are real, the stakes are high, and the consequences—particularly for nations like Australia that aspire to lead in biotech—could reshape society. Whether it becomes a tool for salvation or destruction depends entirely on how we wield it. The question isn’t whether we can play God—it’s whether we should.As of midnight on Monday, the immigration practice known as ‘ flagpoling ’ was officially ended, the Canada Border Services Agency said in a press release. According to the CBSA, flagpoling occurs when foreign nationals who hold temporary resident status in Canada leave the country and, after a visit to the United States or St. Pierre and Miquelon, re-enter to access immigration services at a port of entry. The agency said work and study permits will no longer be provided to flagpolers at a port of entry, effective Dec. 23 at 11:59 p.m. eastern. “This practice has taken up significant resources at the border, diverting Canadian and American officers away from important enforcement activities and has contributed to wait times for cross-border travellers,” the CBSA press release said. Manan Gupta, a regulated Canadian immigration consultant based in Brampton, Ont., said that “this has become a very popular trend in recent years.” This generally happens when someone needs a visa or an extension on short notice. “If someone gets a job offer and they have to start soon, they often resort to flagpoling to get same-day visa services,” he said. Essentially , when flagpoling, a person exits Canada and reports to U.S. border officials, indicating that they intend to return to Canada and not to remain in the United States. Upon reaching the Canadian point of entry, the CBSA can then consider the person’s application for the immigration service they are looking to receive. “They can simply tell the U.S. border agent that you don’t have a U.S. visa and they will turn you around before you can enter the U.S. You could then enter Canada, where CBSA agents would process your application,” Gupta said. “You can imagine why this was an irritant for the U.S. when the flow of goods and people was held up in border traffic.” In May this year, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called on the Canadian government to end the practice on its side of the border. Gupta said applicants turn to flagpoling as a “last resort” owing to high wait times for visa processing in Canada. As of Dec. 17, the average processing time for a work permit in Canada was 170 days, while the average wait time for a student permit was nine weeks. “There was nothing illegal about this practice (before Tuesday), but it shows the system wasn’t working well when wait times were so long,” Gupta said. Applicants who attempt to flagpole for a work or study permit at the Canada-U.S. border will be asked to submit their application to immigration officials. Gupta welcomed the government’s decision to end the move. “This was creating a two-tiered immigration system. Why should wait times be different for different people?” Each year, thousands of people flagpole at the Canadian entry points and since 2021, there has been a year-over-year increase, according to CBSA statistics shared with Global News . As of June 2, a total of 32,410 people had flagpoled. Last year, 61,561 used this tactic, which represented a 90 per cent jump from 2022, when 32,394 people flagpoled at the U.S.-Canada borders. In 2021, flagpoling dipped by 34 per cent as non-essential travel across the U.S.-Canada border was restricted amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
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