AP PHOTOS: Traditional autumn fair brings color and joy into everyday lives of Romania's poor
HAGIOAICA, Romania (AP) — It’s a festival of joy that offers an escape from everyday hardships for some of Romania’s poorest residents.
2023-09-20 12:52
Boeing Says China Will Account for 20% of Global Plane Demand
China will account for a fifth of the world’s new aircraft deliveries over the next 20 years, driven
2023-09-20 11:53
20 of the Best Pumpkin Spice Products to Satisfy Your Autumnal Obsession
From flavored coffee to candles that'll make your whole house smell like a freshly baked pie, these pumpkin spice products are perfect for fall.
2023-09-20 05:22
Private Carrier JSX to Cut Austin Flights in Blow to Commuters
JSX Inc., a small carrier that offers private-jet service at close to commercial-jet prices, will cut nearly all
2023-09-20 04:54
Saturday Night Live alum Leslie Jones reveals she had three abortions in her twenties
Leslie Jones has opened up about her experience with abortion in her new memoir. In her book, Leslie F*cking Jones: A Memoir, which was released on 19 September, the Saturday Night Live alum revealed that she terminated three pregnancies throughout her early to mid-20s. In an excerpt obtained by Page Six, Jones wrote she became pregnant multiple times during her on-again, off-again relationship with a man named Richard Brooks. The first time she had an abortion was when she was 18 and Brooks was 27. According to the outlet, Jones said that their relationship lasted “too many years” and they did not use birth control. By her mid-20s, the comedian had undergone three abortions when she came to the realisation that abortion “is not a birth control method”. “My mom got sick early in my life and she wasn’t there to teach me about [sex education],” Jones wrote, noting that her mother suffered a massive stroke when she was young. The Ghostbusters star added that she wished she had been taught properly about pregnancy prevention and admitted she just “didn’t know any of that stuff”. She eventually learned how to practice safe sex and prevent pregnancy through educational services offered by Planned Parenthood. “I still give money to them to this day,” Jones said about the non-profit. “When I went to Planned Parenthood, I finally learned how to prevent pregnancies and take care of myself. Thank God for those people and what they do.” Speaking about her choice not to have children, Jones recently revealed to People that she developed a fear of childbirth early on, after watching a video in her ninth grade health class. “I remember running all the way home and I looked right at my mom and said: ‘I will never do that!’” Jones recalled. These days, she’s remained steadfast in her decision to be child-free, saying: “I didn’t get married and have kids, but I don’t know if that’s what I wanted. I’ve always wanted to take care of myself.” Jones has previously spoken out against conservative legislators passing restrictive abortion laws across the United States. In 2019, she criticised Alabama’s Human Life Protection Act, which sees women who are the victims of incest or rape unable to get abortions. During an appearance on SNL’s “Weekend Update” segment, she dressed up as one of the characters from the dystopian TV series, The Handmaid’s Tale, to slam the abortion ban. “We are all handmaids now,” she said. ”My name actually is OfJost. But I don’t know how much of a good babymaker I’m going to be, because my eggs are dusty as hell. But I’ll give it a shot.” Jones then took off the robe to reveal a shirt with the word “Mine” on it and an arrow pointing down. She proceeded to speak how the abortion law is only the start of women’s rights being taken away. “The next thing you know, I’m at Starbucks and they won’t take my credit card because I’m a woman, instead of the regular reason which is I don’t have no money on me,” she said. Jones then showed a picture of the 25 white, male Alabama state senators who passed the vote. “Why do all of these weird a** men care what women choose to do with their bodies?” she asked. “When women have a choice, women have freedom,” Jones continued. “The fact that nine states are doing this means this really is a war on women. You can’t tell me what to do with my body.” In June 2022, the US Supreme Court voted to overturn Roe v Wade when it ruled in favour of the state of Mississippi blocking abortion at 15 weeks of pregnancy. The ruling struck down a 50-year precedent established by the landmark Roe v Wade court case, which had guaranteed federal protections for abortion access since 1973. Since then, more than a dozen states have banned abortion or issued restrictions to abortion access. Read More Leslie Jones criticises Alabama abortion ban on SNL: 'This really is a war on women' Planned Parenthood resumes offering abortions in Wisconsin after more than a year Women who were denied emergency abortions file lawsuits in three states: ‘Torture no one should have to face’ US prepares for potential end of Roe v Wade - live When will there be a Roe v Wade decision? Why these prosecutors are refusing to enforce anti-abortion laws
2023-09-20 03:56
NYC Denied Motion to Dismiss Suit Over Cap on Food Delivery Fees
New York City must face a lawsuit filed by DoorDash Inc., Grubhub Inc. and Uber Technologies Inc.’s Uber
2023-09-20 03:26
Instacart's IPO surges as the grocery delivery company goes from the supermarket to the stock market
Instacart’s shares are surging in the grocery delivery company’s stock market debut
2023-09-20 01:24
In break with the past, Met opera is devoting a third of its productions to recent work
The Metropolitan Opera is broadening its repertoire this season by performing more recent operas alongside classics like “La Boheme.”
2023-09-20 01:15
Gisele Bündchen opens up about ‘tough’ family times nearly one year after Tom Brady divorce
Gisele Bundchen has reflected on the “tough” times her family has experienced since finalising her divorce from ex-husband Tom Brady. The supermodel, 43, recently opened up to People about the many challenges she and her family have faced in the past year. “It’s been very tough on my family. It’s been a lot - in every area of my life,” she said in the interview published 18 September. Within the last 12 months, Bündchen has navigated co-parenting her two children - son Benjamin, 13, and daughter Vivian, 10, - with ex-husband, retired football star Tom Brady. Before their divorce, which was finalised in October 2022, she relocated her family to Florida for Brady’s three-season stint with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. While the Victoria’s Secret model has now settled down in Miami, she was reportedly helping her two ailing parents at the same time. “I feel like whenever it rains, it pours,” Bündchen told the outlet. “With all the different twists and turns that life takes, all we can do is the best we can given what happens in our surroundings.” Since moving on from her 13-year marriage with Brady, Bündchen explained that she’s relied on meditation and daily exercise to help her through difficult times. “I work out every single day,” she said, noting how her workout routine includes a mix of walking, yoga, and lifting weights. “I think if I didn’t have all the different tools that I have to support me during these times, it would’ve been very hard,” she added. “And I think we all can relate to that, because I think we all have gone through our roller coasters of life.” The Brazilian model also decided to stop drinking alcohol, and revealed how it’s positively affected her one year later. “Right after I turned 40, actually, I felt a huge difference between when I had the glass of wine and when I didn’t have the glass of wine,” Bündchen said. After cutting alcohol from her diet, she recalled seeing a difference “immediately”. “I became more clear,” she explained. “I felt a bit more foggy before. Now I’m very sharp and very present and I notice things that I didn’t notice before. When I’m not drinking, I’m sleeping much better. You have to be loving to yourself. You ask a lot of your body, you’ve got to do a reset. You have got to take care of this only vehicle you got, right?” Last year, Bündchen and Brady announced they were divorcing after 13 years of marriage. In a social media post shared on 28 October 2022, the former couple revealed they had finalised their divorce, just weeks after it was reported that they had each hired divorce lawyers. “In recent days, my wife and I finalised our divorce from one another after 13 years of marriage. We arrived at this decision amicably and with gratitude for the time we spent together,” Brady wrote in a statement shared to Instagram. “We are blessed with beautiful and wonderful children who will continue to be the centre of our world in every day. We will continue to work together as parents to always ensure they receive the love and attention they deserve.” According to People, the couple agreed on joint custody of their children. In addition to their children Benjamin and Vivian, Brady also shares son John, 16, with ex Bridget Moynahan. In the post, the football quarterback said that he and Bündchen arrived at the decision to end their marriage “after much consideration”. “Doing so is, of course, painful and difficult, like it is for many people who go through the same thing every day around the world,” he continued. “However, we wish only the best for each other as we pursue whatever new chapters in our lives that are yet to be written.” Bündchen also shared the news in a statement of her own, which she shared to Instagram. “With much gratitude for our time together, Tom and I have amicably finalised our divorce. My priority has always been and will continue to be our children whom I love with all my heart,” she wrote. “We will continue co-parenting to give them the love, care and attention they greatly deserve.” In her statement, the supermodel acknowledged that the decision to end a marriage is “never easy,” but that she and Brady have “grown apart”. “And while it is, of course, difficult to go through something like this, I feel blessed for the time we had together and only wish the best for Tom always,” she continued. “I kindly ask that our privacy be respected during this sensitive time.” Their divorce announcement came amid speculation that Brady’s decision to unretire from the NFL in March 2022, after he previously announced his retirement in February that same year, had put a strain on their relationship. Bündchen further fuelled speculation that her husband’s career may have contributed to their marital struggles when she explained in an interview with Elle that she believes she’s done her “part” supporting her husband and their family. “I’ve done my part, which is [to] be there for [Tom]. I moved to Boston, and I focused on creating a cocoon and a loving environment for my children to grow up in and to be there supporting him and his dreams,” she said in the interview published one month before their separation. “Seeing my children succeed and become the beautiful little humans that they are, seeing him succeed, and being fulfilled in his career - it makes me happy. “At this point in my life, I feel like I’ve done a good job on that,” Bündchen added, before noting that she feels like it is now her “turn” to focus on her career. “And now it’s going to be my turn. It’s not like I’m going to be in the valley forever.” Since then, the mother of two has revealed how she and Brady have navigated co-parenting their children following their divorce. “We’re not playing against each other,” Bündchen told Vanity Fair last March. “We are a team, and that’s beautiful. I look back and I have no regrets. I loved every bit of it.” Read More Gisele Bündchen reveals why she hasn’t had alcohol in two years Tom Brady pays tribute to exes Gisele Bündchen and Bridget Moynahan on Mothers’ Day Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen plan to ‘keep things drama-free for the kids’ following divorce Placenta abnormalities could be the reason for miscarriages, study suggests Nearly a fifth of parents fear children will ignore health issues while at university Brits feel their mental health declining due to cost of living crisis
2023-09-20 00:54
The 10 Best knife sets
1. Lakeland This smart-looking rubberwood block comes complete with five knives – paring, cook's, all-purpose, carving and bread, which covers what most kitchens need. Each is made from a single piece of hardened stainless steel and there's good handling balance. £59.99, lakeland.co.uk 2. Robert Welch This award-winning set contains six high-quality knives and a stylish knife-block with a handy in-built knife sharpener. Each knife slot has a clever integral magnet mechanism, so that when you slide the knife in or out, the sharp edge is protected. £280, robertwelch.com 3. Maxwell & Williams This five-piece slice-and-dice knife set features knives constructed with stainless steel with a non-stick overcoat for the blade. The coloured handles make them clearly distinguishable from the blade during use and cleaning and they're currently reduced from £59.96. £29.95, maxwellandwilliams.co.uk 4. IKEA Slipad This entry-level knife block, which includes five multi-coloured knives ranging from a paring knife to a carving knife, is perfect for those setting up home on a budget, students going off to college, or the occasional cook. £11, ikea.com 5. Pampered Chef Pampered Chef's knives are the business. They are finely crafted from fully forged, high-carbon German steel for a perfect edge and sharpness, stain and corrosion resistance and durability. Too expensive? There's a less comprehensive set at £127. £390, pamperedchef.co.uk 6. Zwilling This company has been making knives since 1731 and its latest range is hard to fault. The blades are perfectly balanced and all the knives are all forged from a single piece of stainless steel, which goes through six different stages of heat production followed by an ice-hardening process, for optimum durability and stain resistance. £169.99, lakeland.co.uk 7. Judge This eye-catching set makes it easy to find the right knife for the task in hand. The five Sabatier blades with contoured anti-slip handles are clearly displayed in their acrylic stand and if you don't like the red, there's a black version, too. £48, judgecookware.co.uk 8. Stellar James Martin Designed in conjunction with TV chef James Martin, these high-specification stainless-steel blades have a high level of Molybdenum (a type of metal) for lasting quality and come with a lifetime guarantee. Additional knives are also available. £72, stellarcookware.co.uk 9. Raymond Blanc Knives Each blade in this six-piece knife collection is ice-hardened Japanese steel and they run the entire length of the handle to ensure perfect balance, precision and durability. The Suregrip handle is ergonomically countoured, too, enabling a really firm grip. £125, raymondblanc.com 10. Robert Welch Here's another set featuring the multi-award winning Robert Welch Signature kitchen knives. This time, the base – a bamboo drawer unit – is designed for those who like to keep their worktops tidy while cooking. It's also ultra-safe for households with children. £110, robertwelch.com
2023-09-19 23:52
Placenta abnormalities could be the reason for miscarriages, study suggests
A new study has found that placenta abnormalities could be the reason for miscarriages. In the United States, there are approximately 5 million pregnancies per year with 1 million ending in a miscarriage and over 20,000 ending in stillbirth, according to a paper published in the journal Reproductive Sciences. “To have a pregnancy loss is a tragedy. To be told there is no explanation adds tremendous pain for these loss families,” said senior author of the paper and research scientist at Yale School of Medicine, Dr Harvey Kliman “Our goal was to expand the current classification systems to decrease the number of cases that remained unspecified.” For the study, researchers worked to create a classification system for miscarriages based on a test that examines a sample of the body’s tissues – known as pathologic examination. The team looked at a series of 1,527 single-child pregnancies that ended in miscarriage, and the data was then sent to Yale for evaluation. After excluding cases without adequate material for examination, 1,256 placentas from 922 patients were examined. Of these, 70 per cent were miscarriages and 30 per cent were stillbirths. By adding the explicit categories of “placenta with abnormal development” (dysmorphic placentas) and “small placenta” (a placenta less than the 10th percentile for gestational age) to other incidents such as cord accident, abruption, thrombotic, and infection – researchers were able to determine the results of 91.6 per cent of the pregnancies, including 88.5 per cent of the miscarriages and 98.7 per cent of the stillbirths. The most common results for unexplained miscarriages were dysmorphic placentas (placenta with abnormal development) which was around 86.2 per cent. For stillbirths, there was 33.9 per cent due to a small placenta. “This work suggests that the over 7,000 small placentas per year associated with stillbirths could have been detected in utero — flagging those pregnancies as high risk prior to the loss,” said Dr Kliman. “Likewise, the identification of dysmorphic placentas may be one way to potentially identify genetic abnormalities in the almost 1 million miscarriages that occur in our country every year.” He said having a definite explanation “for a pregnancy loss helps the family understand that their loss was not their fault, allows them to start the healing process, and, when possible, prevent similar losses — especially stillbirths — from occurring in the future.” When asked what the most effective way might be to prevent stillbirths, Dr Kliman responded, “Measure the placenta!” Read More 'Please, keep beating little heart': Man gives raw account of wife's miscarriage and fears for new unborn child Woman who had six miscarriages celebrates pregnancy with rainbow baby photoshoot Miscarriage: The loneliest grief of all Nearly a fifth of parents fear children will ignore health issues while at university Brits feel their mental health declining due to cost of living crisis How often should you wash your pyjamas?
2023-09-19 23:48
Brits struggle with mental health due to cost of living crisis
People in Edinburgh, Leicester and Glasgow are struggling the most with their mental health - due to the cost of living crisis. A poll of 2,000 adults found 27 per cent have really taken a hit when it comes to their wellbeing, because of a lack of finances. Newcastle, London and Leeds are other key cities where people are most affected. Cutting down on socialising, gym memberships and nutritious food to save money are reasons why so many feel disheartened and worried about their mental wellbeing. And 40 per cent are dreading the winter as they are unsure if they will be able to afford energy bills to heat their home. The survey was commissioned by British Gas, which is working with Professor Green to raise awareness of the struggles so many are facing and highlight the free support available in the new phase of the British Gas Post Office Pop-Ups. The musician and mental health advocate said: “As a parent your first instinct is to protect and provide, and when you’re doing everything you can, and that’s still not enough, it has a profound impact on your mental health. “Shame, stigma and fear can keep people from speaking up for help, but it’s the best thing you can do – for yourself, your family and your community. “Stress and anxiety breed in uncertainty so I really encourage you to visit a British Gas Post Office Pop-Up or contact the British Gas Energy Trust to help you gain confidence in, and control of, your future.“ The research found 14 per cent of adults are cutting back on how often they shower to lower their bills, and 21 per cent aren’t buying birthday gifts for loved ones. One in 20 (five per cent) say their kids are missing out on new toys. Just over half (55 per cent) believe their mental health would definitely improve if they were more financially stable. People in Manchester were found to be most likely to skip using heat or electricity to keep their homes warm. But those in Edinburgh were most likely to report that they have had issues with money that have led to incurring additional debt, like credit cards. Only 27 per cent of all adults polled via OnePoll are confident they are accessing all the benefits they may be entitled to when it comes to support with their energy bills. One in 10 also believe the rising cost of energy has caused them a great deal of additional stress. And 25 per cent baldly state they are expecting to struggle to pay their energy bills through the rest of the year. Nearly the same amount (24 per cent) said the current cost of living crisis has been just as bad for their mental health as the Covid-19 pandemic. British Gas Energy Trust CEO Jessica Taplin said: “Debt and money stresses are debilitating, which is why we are delighted to be offering money and energy advisors funded by us in Post Offices across the country. “Working with an artist like Professor Green can really help raise awareness, and let people know it’s good to talk about the things that are worrying them.” Read More Voguewashing London Fashion Week won’t pay the wages of Britain’s young fashion designers What is happening to local government finances and why are councils struggling? ‘School staff seeing more students who do not have enough dinner money’ Nearly a fifth of parents fear children will ignore health issues while at university How often should you wash your pyjamas? ‘My baby’s blue eyes drew praise – but their colour was a warning sign’
2023-09-19 22:56