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**US President Joe Biden is ramping up tariffs on Chinese-made electric cars, solar panels, steel and other goods.** The White House said the measures, which include a 100% border tax on electric cars from China, were a response to unfair policies and intended to protect US jobs. China said it was opposed to the hikes and would take retaliatory measures. Analysts said the tariffs were largely symbolic and intended to shore up votes in a tough election year. They follow months of criticism by former President Donald Trump, who is running for the White House against Mr Biden and has argued his rival's support for electric cars would "kill" the US car industry**.** Mr Biden on Tuesday vowed that he would not let China "unfairly control the market" for electric vehicles and other key goods, including batteries, computer chips and basic medical supplies. "If the pandemic taught us anything - we need to have a secure supply of essentials here at home," he said. The tariffs announced on Tuesday will hit an estimated $ 18bn worth of imports, the White House said. As well as a rise from 25% to 100% on electric vehicle tariffs, levies on solar cells will increase from 25% to 50%. Tariff rates on certain steel and aluminium products will more than triple to 25%, up from 7.5% or less. In response, China's commerce ministry said the new moves would "severely affect the atmosphere for bilateral cooperation", and criticised what it characterised as the politicisation of economic issues. Ahead of the heavily-trailed White House announcement on Tuesday, a spokesperson for China's foreign ministry said it "will take all necessary measures to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests". [**US says falling trade with China could be positive**](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-68441427) [**How Chinese firms are using Mexico as a backdoor to the US**](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-68825118) The moves expand sweeping border taxes that the US imposed on Chinese goods under Mr Trump, citing unfair trade practices. During the Biden administration's review of the measures, the government received nearly 1,500 comments, [**the vast majority of them**](https://www.cfr.org/blog/cost-trumps-trade-war-china-still-adding) from business owners arguing that they were driving up prices for everyday Americans, and asking them to be removed. Mr Biden's decision to leave the tariffs in place and expand them into new areas - even as persistent US inflation has weighed on his approval ratings - is a testament to the dramatic shift in trade views for both political parties in the US, which had long championed the benefits of global commerce. Wendy Cutler, a former trade official for the US who is now vice-president of the Asia Society Policy Institute, said she believed Americans were willing to accept higher priced cars, in exchange for helping to protect US companies and jobs. "We've seen this movie before - with solar, with steel and \[aluminium], and when it comes to cars and other products the United States needs to get ahead of the curve," she said. "It's all about trade-offs and maybe in the immediate term cars become more expensive but in the longer term we want to have a competitive industry here." #lens #airdrop
At Lord’s Cricket Ground in the quiet, well-heeled streets of northwest London, different architectural eras collide together in a mishmash of mismatching styles representing the old and the new. A grand [134-year-old pavilion](https://www.lords.org/lords/our-history/father-time-wall/1890-thomas-verity-s-new-pavilion-is-completed), its sandy brown stone façade covered in ornate embellishments, sits at one end, staring at a futuristic glass media center across the pitch which balances on white columns and peers like a giant oblong eye over the ground. And never is that collision between the old and new more evident than when Lord’s, the self-styled “home” of [cricket](https://www.cnn.com/2023/11/18/sport/india-australia-cricket-world-cup-spt-intl/index.html) and one of its most prestigious grounds, hosts the annual schoolboys fixture Eton vs. Harrow. The fixture – in which two of England’s most exclusive and expensive boys’ private schools play one another – is older than the oldest brick at this ground, [first played in 1805](https://www.lords.org/lords/our-history/father-time-wall/1805-the-first-eton-v-harrow-match-takes-place-at) before Lord’s was even at its current location. ***RELATED ARTICLE‘Spirit of cricket’ called into question after fiery confrontation between players and fans results in suspensions*** But it has become increasingly controversial and somewhat emblematic of the attempts of British institutions to reconcile their pasts with the present after it was axed from Lord’s schedule by the Maryleb one Cricket Club(MCC), which owns the ground, in 2022. That provoked an uproar from its members and the warring factions eventually reached a compromise in which Lord’s would host both the Eton vs. Harrow and Oxford vs. Cambridge fixtures for another five years, as well as the finals of the UK’s school and university cricket competitions, before another consultation with members in 2027. In a statement to CNN, Eton said it was “a huge privilege” to play at Lord’s again this year and thanked the MCC. CNN has contacted Harrow for comment but had not received a response at the time of publication. For those criticizing the fixture, it is steeped in elitism and serves only to perpetuate stereotypes that cricket is an upper-class sport, one in which public schoolboys play annually on its most hallowed ground where the England Women have never played a Test. “Guaranteeing a tiny number of schoolboys the right to play at Lord’s every year when millions of children are denied that right is completely unacceptable,” said the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket in [its 2023 report](https://theicec.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/HOLDING-UP-A-MIRROR-TO-CRICKET-REPORT-ICEC-2023.pdf), which examined inequalities and discrimination within the English game. However, for those attending Friday’s match – mostly relatives of the schoolboys on the pitch or alumni who have attended this fixture for decades – it is an important piece of history to preserve, a cherished tradition and another victim of “cancel culture.” ## ‘Part of the season’ The Romantic poet Lord Byron played in the inaugural Eton vs. Harrow match more than two centuries ago. Afterwards, he [wrote](https://www.lords.org/lords/our-history/father-time-wall/1805-the-first-eton-v-harrow-match-takes-place-at), “We were most of us very drunk and we went together to the Haymarket Theatre where we kicked up a row, as you may suppose when so many Harrovians and Etonians meet in one place.” On Friday, cheers and chants began from the moment the two teams walked out onto the sun-drenched pitch. “Let’s go, oi, oi, oi!” shouted the Etonians as they rose to their feet from the first ball, shouting, clapping, and even waving their shoes in their air, as is tradition. In another section of the stands, the Harrovians reciprocated with a standing ovation at the first boundary, before the Etonians launched into a rendition of the “Pirates of the Caribbean” theme song when a player called Jack Sparrow bowled his first over.
##### **The leading exchange continues to innovate in response to user needs. Its lending protocol offers a one-stop solution for all borrowing and lending requirements, while the upcoming upgrade to the SocialFi tool Pulse is designed to reward high-quality engagement.** [Phemex](https://phemex.com/?group=4478\&referralCode=FW6SF5), a top-tier cryptocurrency exchange, continues its streak of CeFi and DeFi innovations. Transitioning from a purely centralized platform, Phemex embraced decentralization last year and has evolved into a hybrid exchange, merging the best features of CEXes and DEXes. The latest fruit of this evolution is the [Phemex Lending Protocol](https://phemex.com/web3/lending?group=4478\&referralCode=FW6SF5), which allows users to borrow cryptocurrency against their digital assets with favorable rates and ultimate flexibility, signaling Phemex's commitment to innovative, user-empowering solutions. While crypto enthusiasts have long expected that feature from their exchanges, Phemex revealed earlier this week some new advantages that can’t be found anywhere else. ### **Benefits and more benefits** If you think about it, there are three main reasons why you might want to use any crypto exchange’s lending services: Increase capital and leverage through asset-backed loans, Enjoy competitive rates and Experience seamless fund mobility. By each of these measures, the Phemex Lending Protocol meets or exceeds industry standards. Participants can take out loans denominated in USDT, BTC or ETH without the need to sell their crypto assets. Loans can also be taken out in PT, Phemex’s high-potential native coin. Because all loans are securely collateralized by participants’ assets, Phemex can provide flexibility to choose loan terms with variable interest rates. Whatever the time horizon on the loan, crypto exchanges can generally offer [better rates than brick-and-mortar banks](https://www.forbes.com/advisor/investing/cryptocurrency/crypto-lending/#:~:text=Borrowers%20can%20often%20secure%20a,than%20rates%20on%20savings%20accounts.), according to Forbes Advisor. Even so, the Phemex team is confident that their loans compare favorably even among crypto exchanges. Phemex highlights its competitive edge with an annual USDT borrowing interest rate starting at 3.57%, a figure notably lower than the double-digit rates prevalent on competing platforms – not to mention almost two percentage points lower than money-center banks lend to each other overnight. For holders of vePT – the wrapped PT version that will soon confer voting authority in Phemex’s governing DAO – the deal gets even sweeter with an additional 30% discount on borrowing rates. Of course, Phemex community members can withdraw and reallocate funds as they see fit, unfettered by undue limitations or delays. This means that Phemex traders can enjoy more lucrative capital efficiency than they can on other exchanges, aligning with the cryptosphere’s goal of unlocking the potential of money. ### **The big reveal at Token2049** At Token2049 in Dubai last week, Phemex made a significant splash by hosting an elite gathering of major crypto community players and key opinion leaders. The extensive two-day networking event featured an insightful keynote by Phemex CEO Federico Variola. Another highlight of Token2049 was the introduction of the Phemex Lending Protocol, when Phemex COO Stella Chan showcased its competitive borrowing rates and the opportunity for users to supply assets in return for substantial earnings. In the future, the platform is expected to add uncollateralized loan capabilities which would propel its services beyond that of most DeFi lending protocols. “Phemex Lending Protocol is changing the game with low borrowing rates and a clear loan-to-value ratio, without any hidden fees," Chan announced. "With $ 22 million in liquidity to start, users can now secure loans leveraging their holdings at just 3.57% APY – far below the high rates of other platforms. Our protocol ensures that users keep control, allowing them to freely withdraw and manage their funds. Additionally, by contributing to our lending pools, they can earn competitive APY returns, creating a robust passive income stream. It's a complete solution for favorable borrowing and earning.” ### **Putting it all together** By integrating these lending features, Phemex is not only expanding its services but also reinforcing its commitment to fostering a more inclusive and accessible financial environment for all its users. Certainly, Phemex has a grander vision than just providing lower interest rates on collateralized loans. The team there has been all about innovation. All this leads into its Web3 ecosystem, [Phemexia](https://phemex.gitbook.io/phemex-web3-whitepaper/), aiming to provide users with greater autonomy and cultivate a robust community where trust and permissionless collaboration are paramount. “Phemex is at the forefront as the crypto world evolves far beyond just digital cash, spearheading the charge into a digital ecosystem integral to our online lives," Chan says. "Our users want democratized financial tools with uncompromising security, and we're delivering just that. We're pioneering in the Web3 space, answering the call with innovations like our new hybrid stack. It combines on-chain autonomy with reliable centralized performance, showcased by our latest offering – the Phemex Lending Protocol. Soon, users will be able to enhance our exchange's liquidity and earn rewards using our AMM protocol. We're eager to drive more innovation and sustain our collaborations with visionary partners in upcoming integrations and listings.” While [Phemex’s PT token](https://phemex.com/web3/pt) may be the most successful exchange-native coin this year, Phemex also generated a lot of buzz with the launch of its new SocialFi product [Pulse](https://phemex.com/web3/phemex-pulse/explore-groups). The platform elevates community groups within the social media realm by offering a decentralized hub, similar to a mix of Telegram's groups and Twitter's connectivity, but within the realm of Web3. Pulse sets itself apart with a unique reward system where community interaction directly earns users PT, a feature unmatched by any other social network. Phemex is now gearing up for the launch of Pulse Season 3, responding to community feedback by enhancing the platform with features that incentivize superior content. With the introduction of “Cast” for sharing insightful content and “Tip” as a way to appreciate high-quality engagement, users can now earn tips for their casts, increasing their chances of winning a portion of the daily 10,000 PT prize pool and ensuring that outstanding content is rewarded. Ultimately, the team’s goal is to expand Web3 use cases into the broader world. The more people get comfortable with blockchain technology and functions, the more widely digital assets will gain acceptance – and the faster these assets will appreciate in value. “Our mission is rooted in providing a user-centric ecosystem that offers the best trading experiences alongside a vibrant community. As we roll out our hybrid stack with the Phemex Lending launch, we're simultaneously fine-tuning Pulse based on user insights,” Chan says. “Community-driven development is pivotal to Pulse's growth, and with Season 3 on the horizon, we aim to reward the creation and engagement of premium content. We are dedicated to nurturing a community where meaningful interaction is recognized and rewarded.”
# ***Bitcoin Is In a 'Bore You to Death' Phase, but Bottom Could Be Close, Analysts Say*** ## This period could last between one to six months, and the sentiment will be the most negative right before the turnaround, one hedge fund manager saidBTC has been sliding since reaching an all-time high in March. Friday's quick tumble showed less interest from dip buyers, suggesting that a bottom might be near, Santiment said. The lull could continue into early summer, setting up a very bullish second half of the year, Bitfinex analysts said. Crypto markets are stuck in a lull with digital assets consolidating for the last few weeks, testing investors conviction whether the bull market will resume. All attempts for a sustained rally over the past weeks have been sold off, the [latest instance](https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2024/05/10/bitcoins-modest-rally-cut-short-price-tumbles-back-below-61k/) coming Friday with bitcoin [(BTC)](https://coindesk.com/price/bitcoin/) tumbling nearly 5% from $ 63,000 to just above $ 60,000 amid [discouraging inflation expectations](https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2024/05/10/bitcoins-modest-rally-cut-short-price-tumbles-back-below-61k/) and hawkish commentary from Federal Reserve policymakers. Blockchain activity also points to low participation, with [transactions](https://www.blockchain.com/explorer/charts/transaction-fees) on the Bitcoin network falling off a cliff and second-largest ether [(ETH)](https://coindesk.com/price/ethereum/) turning inflationary. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT We have been here before. The current period resembles the action from April through September of 2023 when bitcoin was stuck in the $ 25,000-$ 30,000 range for an excruciating six months. Eventually, cryptocurrencies were able to sustain a multi-month rally, with BTC ultimately hitting an all-time high in March of this year. "Bitcoin is in the 'bore you to death' phase," Charles Edwards, founder of crypto hedge fund Capriole Investment said in an [X post Thursday](https://x.com/caprioleio/status/1788530535599407598). This period of consolidation could last for anywhere between one to six months, he explained, during which BTC will be rangebound with low volatility until market participants lose their patience. The sentiment will be the most negative just before the consolidation ends, he added. "When you are sufficiently bored from sideways chop, common symptoms will include thinking the halving is priced in, the bull market is over and selling to buy stocks at the bottom," Edwards said. "Your symptoms and shorts will peak just before the mega rally." Said bottom might be near, according to analytics firm Santiment. "Traders are showing weak 'buy the dip' interest in bitcoin's latest retrace," Santiment [said](https://x.com/santimentfeed/status/1788975787074519310) Friday monitoring social media interactions. "Generally, the crowd's lack of faith is a strong sign of prices being close to a bottom." 🤔 Traders are showing weak #buythedip interest in #Bitcoin's latest retrace down to as low as $ 60.2K today. Generally, the crowd's lack of faith is a strong sign of prices being close to a #bottom. Track social interest levels to see if #FUD stays high. <https://hpic.twitter.com/Nj19XkIdgq> — Santiment (@santimentfeed) [May 10, 2024](https://twitter.com/santimentfeed/status/1788975787074519310?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) Bitfinex analysts noted in a Friday report that bitcoin's recent weakness happened amid a surging U.S. dollar with interest rate cut expectations tempered, and said the lull could continue into early summer. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT "We expect the market to remain uncertain over the short-term in a low volatility environment till the actual tapering of QT \[quantitative tightening] takes place in June." The Federal Reserve announced plans to curb the pace of its balance sheet run-off starting next month, which would impact dollar liquidity positively benefitting risky assets such as cryptocurrencies that are sensitive to the global liquidity environment. However, the greenback's tumble from a six-month peak last week following the Fed meeting and weak jobs report – coinciding with BTC to rebound from near $ 56,000 – was a turning point in the trend, and a weaker dollar could support the next leg in the crypto rally. "We believe sustained strength and a reclaim of range lows on BTC post-FOMC and job market data and the simultaneous weakness in the dollar is a sign of a new regime, which would set us up for a very bullish Q3-Q4 for bitcoin," the authors said.
** ** [French football superstar Kylian Mbappé ](https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/03/sport/mbappe-to-join-real-madrid-after-psg-contract-expires/index.html)confirmed he will leave Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) at the end of the season, the 25-year-old said in a [video ](https://twitter.com/KMbappe/status/1788991573029712287)posted on social media Friday. Mbappé said he will not extend his contract with the French club and that he will play his final match at the Parc des Princes on Sunday when PSG hosts Toulouse. “I have always known, but I think I needed this, a new challenge after seven years,” Mbappé said. “It’s difficult and of course, there are some people I want to thank above all, these are the fans. I know I am not the most demonstrative player. I haven’t always lived up to the love you all gave me for seven years but I never want to cheat. I have always wanted to be effective.“PSG is a club that never leaves anyone indifferent. We can love it or hate it. I made the choice of loving it and I did for seven years with ups and downs of course but I do not regret, at any moment, signing with this prestigious club. It’s a club that I will keep in my memory my entire life.” The 2018 World Cup winner joined PSG as a 17-year-old in 2017 from AS Monaco, where he has since become the club’s all-time leading scorer, and led the French side to six league titles, including this season. Mbappé did not mention where he will play next year but earlier this year, he reportedly agreed to join Real Madrid. “I want to say thank you because without you all, I would have never experienced half of the emotions I felt. And just for that, I am grateful for life. Thank you all. I hope we will finish this year with a last trophy.” After Sunday, PSG has two more league matches on the road before the French Cup final against Olympique Lyonnais at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy in Villeneuve-d’Ascq, France.
**Tokyo/Hong KongCNN — ** With a history spanning more than 1,200 years, “[hadaka matsuri](https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/naked-festival-japan-hadaka-matsuri-2021/index.html),” or the naked festival, is Japanese masculinity on full display. Quite literally. Across [Japan](https://www.cnn.com/world/asia/japan), in freezing winter, thousands of men strip naked — except for a delicate piece of crotch-covering white loincloth — to jostle around their local shrines. Each participant tries to get as close as possible to a man playing the role of “shin-otoko,” a god-man who wards off bad luck. On one hand, the ritual illustrates Japan’s steadfast respect for tradition and cultural heritage. But on the other, its insistence on excluding women — only men are considered pure in the traditional Japanese culture — bears all the hallmarks of one of the country’s greatest modern struggles: gender inequality. To this day, men hold the country’s highest offices and most of the top jobs at prestigious private firms. Last year, the World Economic Forum ranked [Japan 125th](https://www.weforum.org/publications/global-gender-gap-report-2023/) in its Global Gender Gap Index report, far below other G7 countries such as Germany, Britain and the United States. It was just a few spots ahead of India and Saudi Arabia — both notoriously poor performers on gender equality. Some women in Japan still battle deep-rooted cultural expectations that require them to take the role of “shufu,” or housewife, experts say. Meanwhile, the country’s painstakingly long work hours and male-centric institutional culture conspire further against women who are already burdened disproportionately by more family duties than men. But in the naked festival, women have recently found hope. Even the country’s most entrenched male-centric tradition was recently subverted by another wrinkle in the national fabric: a shrinking <https://population.In> February, as the number of male participants dwindled, the country’s oldest hadaka matsuri, at the Konomiya Shrine in central Japan, welcomed 41 women to take part for the first time. “One reason to permit women to participate in such a traditional festival is due to the shortage of men,” said Mikiko Eto, emerita professor who specializes in gender politics at Hosei University in Tokyo. “The number of young men is declining rapidly. Women should be welcome because of shortage of male participants, so we’ve been very welcome.” Haruhiko Nishio, 57, a member of an alumni club for shin-otoko involved in organizing the hadaka matsuri at the Konomiya Shrine, recalled: “Last year, the festival had only 1,700 attendees, only one-fifth of pre-pandemic crowds.” He said women had never been explicitly banned from taking part, but such mass participation was a first. The female group, known as Enyukai, was assigned a minor role on the day (and the women agreed they should keep their clothes on). But for those who took part, it was deeply symbolic. “Japan can’t help but put men at the front and women in the back. I want to unleash female power from now on,” participant Atsuko Tamakoshi, 56, told CNN.
# **Influencer-Investors Get Perks to Pitch Tokens: Inside Crypto's 'KOL' Economy** ## Unlike paid shills of yore, "key opinion leaders" invest in the projects they promote on social media. In return for buzz, they can sell tokens sooner than other investors.Crypto founders have long relied on Silicon Valley-style investors to fund their risky ideas. But in the last few months, venture capitalists and angel investors have given way to a new breed of influencer-turned-investor: the KOL. Key Opinion Leaders flood the social media feeds of global crypto users with "alpha" about which protocols to watch and invest in. They can be as pseudonymous as a cartoon penguin or as recognizable as a YouTube personality. A CoinDesk review of KOL fundraising found a budding economy of influencers who write checks for crypto startups and then promote them to thousands of retail traders on YouTube and X (formerly Twitter). Projects are betting KOLs will help attract users and, critically, eager buyers before they issue their tokens. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT "The further they are gonna shill their bags, the further the token might go, which is super-good for the project and super-good for price action," said Vlad Svitanko, the CEO of marketing firm Cryptorsy, which helps organize KOL rounds. **KOL rounds are a twist on the paid shills of earlier crypto cycles, those high-flying influencers like Ben Armstrong (aka BitBoy Crypto) who charged tens of thousands of dollars to promote tokens to massive online audiences. Instead of billing projects for their services, KOLs now put money *in* them – albeit on very generous terms. Those terms include discounted valuations and options to sell tokens sooner than other private investors are allowed to.** Crypto's upper class is acutely aware of how these "KOL rounds" operate, CoinDesk found in over two dozen interviews with founders, developers, investors and other insiders who insisted on anonymity to discuss fundraising from influencers. It's less clear how well retail investors (the ones being influenced) understand the KOLs' financial relationship with the projects they're boosting. Many KOLs don't disclose their paid deals. Failure to do so could violate U.S. consumer-protection laws, according to a lawyer familiar with these arrangements. "When influencers fail to disclose such arrangements, they mislead their audience, many of whom rely on these endorsements to make financial decisions," said Ariel Givner, an attorney who runs a crypto law practice near Philadelphia. "This lack of transparency undermines the trust that is essential in digital commerce and can lead to significant financial losses for unsuspecting followers." ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT KOLs' prominence is only poised to grow as the multi-billion-dollar "creator economy" reshapes online life. Crypto may be supercharging the trend. "It's a massive thing. It's circumventing not only VCs, it's also circumventing marketing,” said one well-connected person who works with KOLs. “People are going to say they don't even need marketing – they get capital from distribution." ## **Humanity Protocol** One startup that turned to KOLs recently is Humanity Protocol, a competitor to Sam Altman's billion-dollar digital identity project Worldcoin. Far-smaller Humanity Protocol raised $ 1.5 million from a combination of angel investors and KOLs in early March, according to an investor presentation.** **A document titled "Humanity Protocol's Alignment form for KOLs" assigned influencers six months of social media homework: "like" and comment on three tweets a week, write three tweet threads about Humanity Protocol, join at least one of Humanity Protocol's Twitter Spaces a month, among other requirements. The project gave content-specialist influencers granular missions. Trader KOLs should publicly buy Humanity Protocol's yet-to-be-announced tokens "after the launch to demonstrate commitment," one document said. It directed YouTuber KOLs to create two "speculative videos about Humanity Protocol being a main Worldcoin competitor and about the Airdrop." "We're tracking all activities and will void the SAFT and refund KOLs who aren't keen on supporting the project," the Humanity Protocol document said. SAFTs (simple agreements for future tokens) are the contracts through which crypto startups pledge their potentially valuable tokens to backers, including VCs, angels and KOLs.
In Asia, discussing food is like discussing the weather - it can get people talking for hours. But when the BBC recently visited one of the region’s leading food and drink events, it became clear that there are some cuisines that leave even the foodies speechless. “British food?” asks one Thai woman with a perplexed pause. “Um… I’m not really sure what that is. Is that, like, sausage?” A Malaysian man nearby was less hesitant to offer his opinion: “It’s boring! Definitely nothing special,” he laughs. These are sobering words for British exporters, who were promised easy access to lucrative new markets after Brexit. In 2021, to give one example, former International Trade Secretary Liz Truss told UK food producers they had a "golden opportunity" to get British food "to the top of the global food menu". The reality is that the UK still lags far behind its main European counterparts, both in terms of sales and reputation. “It’s a massive job educating people,” says Stephen Jones, managing director of cheese exporters Somerdale International. From his stall at the FHA Food and Beverage Trade Show in Singapore, he introduces locals to strange-sounding cheeses such as Stinking Bishop, Double Gloucester and Wensleydale. “The French, the Swiss, the Italians - they’ve been doing it a lot longer than we have. We're coming in fairly late getting that message across,” he adds. Seeing groups of South East Asian visitors trying - and liking - Wensleydale for the first time certainly raises a smile. But the UK’s small pavilion is dwarfed by Italy’s show-stopping display, which is just around the corner. There you find Michelin-starred chefs giving live cooking demonstrations, while the winner of Italian MasterChef chats away with her country’s ambassador. For Italy, as well as being good for its economy, selling food to Asia has long been an act of diplomacy. “Doing this kind of stuff is a major part of the job,” says Dante Brandi, who has been the Italian ambassador to Singapore and Brunei since last year.
The couple, who live in Steele, Alabama, had been trying to have a child for more than two years, but Bentley’s doctor had told her that she may be unable to conceive because of her history of polycystic ovary syndrome, known as PCOS. The news had left her feeling without a purpose. “That’s all I wanted to be was a mom and a wife,” said Bentley, 25. “I was depressed, severely depressed for that whole time.” Five months earlier, in October 2022, Bentley had started taking Mounjaro for weight loss. Over the first few months, she said, she lost about 40 pounds. Her menstrual cycles, which had been irregular because of PCOS, became normal. And she even felt happier. “It just made me feel like a whole new person,” she said. “I was in a better mood every single day.” Bentley had hoped that losing weight might help her get pregnant, and she’d heard about others having success with weight loss while taking the shot. But when she did become pregnant — sooner than she expected — she worried about the effects it might have on her baby.
***Collapsed cryptocurrency exchange FTX says it has billions of dollars more than it needs to repay customers.*** The firm says that once it has sold off its remaining assets it will have as much as $ 16.3bn (£13bn) to cover the debts, which stand at around $ 11bn. The company's new reorganisation plan says almost all of its customers will get at least the total amount they lost when FTX collapsed in November 2022. In March this year, FTX co-founder Sam Bankman-Fried was sentenced to 25 years in prison for defrauding customers and investors of the now-bankrupt firm. "We are pleased to be in a position to propose a chapter 11 plan that contemplates the return of 100% of bankruptcy claim amounts plus interest for non-governmental creditors," said the company's FTX's new chief executive, John Ray. The plan still needs to be approved by a US bankruptcy court. FTX said it has been gathering the funds to pay its debts by selling assets investments held by Alameda Research or FTX Ventures businesses. Alameda was a crypto trading firm controlled by Bankman-Fried. FTX added that a jump in crypto prices since the company failed had not given its finances a major boost. It said almost all of the Bitcoin and other digital currencies believed to have been held by the exchange at the time of its collapse were missing. The price of the biggest cryptocurrency, Bitcoin, has risen by around 270% since the firm filed for bankruptcy more than a year and a half ago. FTX was one of the world's largest crypto platforms before its downfall. Bankman-Fried enjoyed celebrity status and his platform attracted millions of customers. After reports that it was in trouble, customers withdrew billions of dollars from FTX, triggering the company's implosion and laying bare the extent of Bankman-Fried's crimes.
**Fifa will hold a vote to decide whether Brazil or Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany (BNG) will host the 2027 Women's World Cup.** Both bids met hosting criteria, but Brazil scored higher on technical aspects covering areas such as stadiums, accommodation, fan zones and transport. If Brazil's bid is successful, it will be the first time the tournament has been held in South America. Fifa’s 211 member associations will vote for their preferred host at the 74th Fifa Congress in Bangkok on 17 May. A bid evaluation report published by Fifa on Tuesday, showed Brazil's bid scored 4.0 out of five in a technical evaluation, while the BNG joint bid scored 3.7. The report said: "It is worth noting that, if the bid were successful, South America would be hosting the competition for the first time, which could have a tremendous impact on women’s football in the region." However, the report highlighted the BNG bid's "compact tournament footprint" with "short distances between the proposed venues", while Brazil would require air travel between host cities "which is carbon intensive". Last week, the United States and Mexico **withdrew their joint bid** to host the 2027 Women's World Cup and said they would focus on bidding for the tournament in 2031, while **South Africa did the **same in November.
***With his signature bombast, former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte told a crowd of cheering supporters in January that his successor was a drug addict. The man who replaced him, Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr, shot back, saying the former leader must have hurled the insult in an opioid-fuelled haze.*** That was the strongest sign yet of a crack in the alliance that catapulted Mr Marcos to a historic win in 2022. His ally: Vice-President Sara Duterte, the former president's daughter. From the start, analysts had predicted a divorce between the two most powerful Philippine political dynasties. The likelihood only increased amid public spats and growing differences over political agendas. And yet splitting up might not be an option for Mr Marcos and Ms Duterte, who sold themselves to voters as the "UniTeam". **Cracks in the alliance** Sara Duterte had been leading opinion polls as a possible presidential candidate when she announced in 2021 that she was running for the vice-presidency. Her father made his displeasure clear. She was seen as his political heir - she was the mayor of Davao City, a post Mr Duterte held for many years before he became president in 2016. But her alliance with Mr Marcos, the son of the disgraced former Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos, did not surprise analysts. They said both candidates risked defeat by splitting their support - hers in the south, his in the north - if they ran against each other. Together, they united their respective strongholds and won a clear majority. Many expect Ms Duterte to run for president in 2028. The constitution bars Mr Marcos from seeking a second six-year term - a restriction that he is trying to remove, the Dutertes allege. Mr Marcos says he supports reforms that will ease rules for foreign businesses, drawing more investment and jobs to the South East Asian nation of 100 million people. But his critics say it is a "sinister" ploy to usher in political changes that will allow him to run for the top job again. The fact that the term-limit was imposed in 1986, af**ter his** father was ousted from power by a popular revolt, has only added to the chorus of protest.
**TikTok has filed a lawsuit to try and block the US from banning it if its Chinese parent company does not sell its stake in the social media app.** Fears that data about millions of Americans could land in China's hands drove Congressional efforts to try and split TikTok from the Beijing-based company ByteDance, TikTok has said ByteDance "is not an agent of China or any other country". And ByteDance insists it's not a Chinese firm, pointing to the many global investment firms that own 60% of it. But the app's extraordinary success in the US has made it yet another flashpoint between Washington and Beijing. Some 170 million Americans use TikTok every month. That includes about six in 10 teenagers, a fifth of whom say they are on it "almost constantly", according to Pew Research Center. More than 40% of US users say it's their regular source of news. A ban on TikTok was challenged by the company on Tuesday. In the lawsuit, the social media company called the attempted ban an "extraordinary intrusion on free speech rights" and its millions of American users. A total ban would be difficult to police. While forcing ByteDance to sell the app is seemingly simpler, that option also faces obstacles. For one, analysts say Beijing will try its best to scupper a sale. But who will buy TikTok's US operations, which, by some estimates, could fetch up to $ 100bn (£80.2bn)? And the biggest question of all: Would ByteDance sell its most successful app? ## **Tick tock** Founded in 2012 by Chinese entrepreneurs, ByteDance first hit the jackpot with short video app Douyin in China. A year later, it launched TikTok, an international version. TikTok was banned in China but gained a billion users in five years. It is now run by a limited liability company based in Los Angeles and Singapore but is essentially owned by ByteDance. While its founders own only 20% of ByteDance, it's the controlling stake in the company. About 60% is owned by institutional investors, including major US investment firms such as General Atlantic, Susquehanna and Sequoia Capital. The remaining 20% is owned by employees around the world. Three of its five board members are American.
I made 2 tracks today. Just saving them for later, or never. Remember, I am in album mode. Who cares though, right? There will be an album release party one day. Let’s make it happen. You’re invited. Aww what did I get myself into this is so much work lmao 🤣 but I love it. 🥰 What is everybody up to? Just um, existing and doing your thing? Sweet. I’ll have to share this with $INFINATI holders
Three bodies found in a well in Mexico's north-west, believed to be those of two Australian brothers and an American, all had bullet wounds to the heads, authorities say. Jake and Callum Robinson, 30 and 33, from Perth, and their American friend Jack Carter Rhoad, 30, disappeared on 27 April while on a surfing trip in Ensenada. The identities of the bodies have not been officially confirmed yet, but the parents of the missing tourists have travelled to Mexico to assist authorities. Officials believe the men were attacked as they were trying to fend off an attempted theft of their pickup truck. The attackers wanted the vehicle for its tyres and shot the tourists when they resisted, Baja California state prosecutor Maria Andrade suggested. Abandoned tents, a burnt white pickup truck and a phone linked to the missing tourists were found nearby. Ms Andrade told a press conference on Sunday there was a "high probability" the bodies were indeed the three men and there would be no need for lengthy forensic and DNA tests if their parents were able to identify them by sight. They were found in a 4m (15ft) deep well about 6km (4 miles) from the site of the attack in the town of Santo Tomás on Friday. A fourth body was found in the well but had been there longer and was unconnected to the case, officials said. Three suspects have been detained on suspicion of direct or indirect involvement in with the attack. Earlier, the FBI said it was looking into the case and was in touch with international partners. Baja California is one of Mexico’s most violent states, as local drug gangs fight turf wars. But the Ensenada area, about 120km (75 miles) south of the US-Mexico border and known for its surfing conditions, is considered safer and has long attracted tourists from California.
**Police in Australia have launched an investigation following a complaint by Queensland MP Brittany Lauga that she was drugged and sexually assaulted.** The assistant minister for health said she was attacked on a night out in her constituency of Yeppoon. "This could have happened to anyone and tragically, it does happen to many of us," she said. The incident follows protests that have taken place in response to recent violence against women. Ms Lauga, 37, went to a police station and then to hospital on 28 April. "Tests at the hospital confirmed the presence of drugs in my body which I did not take," she said in a statement posted on social media, adding the substance had impacted her "significantly". Queensland Police Service (QPS) confirmed officers were investigating a sexual assault complaint regarding an incident in Yeppoon on Sunday. Ms Lauga was reportedly contacted by other women who said they were drugged on the same evening. "It's not OK. We should be able to enjoy socialising in our town without the risk of being drugged or assaulted," she said, adding that she needed time to "physically and emotionally heal". Police said no additional reports in the same area have been made, but are asking anyone with information or who has experienced something similar to contact them. "The QPS takes all reports of drink spiking seriously and investigates reports of drink spiking on a case-by-case basis, and often in conjunction with other offences such as sexual assault," they said. Ms Lauga has been in parliament for nearly a decade and was first elected to the seat of Keppel in 2015. Queensland Housing Minister Meaghan Scanlon called the allegations "shocking" and "horrifying", Australian media reported. "Brittany is a colleague, she is a friend, she is a young woman in the Queensland parliament and these are really shocking things to read," Ms Scanlon said. "It is unacceptable that women are disproportionately the victims of domestic, family and sexual violence. Our government is going to continue to do everything we can to protect women and stop violence from occurring."
Hey is a decentralized and permissionless social media app built with Lens Protocol 🌿 Hey lives in the Polygon network, so users can interact with dApp seamlessly with zero gas fees. No one can take down any content from the app, even the admins. Hey is powered by Lens Protocol, a decentralized social graph built by Aave companies 👻 The Problems with existing social media There are a lot of social media platforms out there, and we should agree they provided us great service, but also we should agree there are a lot of problems still persists. • Personal Information: We need to give a lot of personal information not needed for the platform or useful for consumers. • Privacy: There is no privacy on the existing platforms. All the data we give are sold for advertisements, and 1000s of mods and admins monitor all our posts and chats. • Spam: Current model creates tons of spam against the user. Because spamming is free, you don't need to pay money to spam. • Downtime: The app we use right now is prone to downtime because a single company with limited servers hosts that. The Problems Hey Solves • Personal Information: You don't provide any personal information except your username (it's your choice) and wallet address, and we don't collect any sensitive information, and it's difficult to store those in Smart contracts. • Privacy: Hey or the Lens team doesn't have access to remove your posts, everything you post is public, and you are responsible for it. • Spam: In Hey, you must sign for everything or by the relay. That's the nature of the Blockchain; no one wants to sign their identity for spamming • Downtime: Hey is hosted in a decentralized chain and decentralized file storage system IPFS. This means there will be 0 downtimes, and no one can DDoS the platform.
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Minouche Shafik, president of Columbia University, has just released a statement calling for calm. Shafik, who began serving as president of the Ivy League college last July, says that "tensions" on campus "rose to new heights" when protesters broke into a building and locked themselves in. "This drastic escalation of many months of protest activity pushed the University to the brink, creating a disruptive environment for everyone and raising safety risks to an intolerable level", she adds. Columbia has a "long and proud tradition of protest and activists", Shafik continues, adding that students and outside activists "breaking Hamilton Hall doors, mistreating our Public Safety officers and maintenance staff, and damaging property are acts of destruction, not political speech". Shafik goes on to call for students to be allowed to complete their academic work and move forward. "It is going to take time to heal, but I know we can do that together," she says.President Joe Biden is closely monitoring the situations unfolding on college campuses across the country and is "being kept regularly updated on what's happening", the White House says. While addressing reporters moments ago, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre reaffirmed that Americans have the right to peacefully protest - "as long as it's within the law". She says students forcibly overtaking a building - such as the ones who did so at Columbia University this week - was not an example of "peaceful" protesting and stressed the need for all students "to feel safe on campus". Quote Message: It is important that students and communities feel safe here and at the same time, we are going to be really forceful here and continue to underscore how anti-semitism is hateful speech. It is wrong. It is important and we're going to continue to call that out." from Karine Jean-Pierre White House Press Secretary It is important that students and communities feel safe here and at the same time, we are going to be really forceful here and continue to underscore how anti-semitism is hateful speech. It is wrong. It is important and we're going to continue to call that out."
Launch Airdrop 100M DRIFT (10% of the total DRIFT supply) will be airdropped to users. This airdrop will be distributed to loyal Drift users, including long-standing traders (OGs) and participants in the Trader Points program
Bangladesh’s ever-neglected working classVISUAL: SHAIKH SULTANA JAHAN BADHON The basis of May Day, which is observed worldwide on May 1 to commemorate the historic struggles and gains of workers, are demands for fair wages against eight working hours and for a safe working environment. But even after half a century of independence, most of the working people in Bangladesh are far from enjoying these rights. The trajectory of the country's economic growth has been such that most working people are employed in the informal sector. According to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics' (BBS) Labour Force Survey 2022, 84.9 percent of employed people are working in the informal sector, where there is no guarantee of labour rights including minimum wage, fixed working hours, paid leave, health insurance, etc. Even the holiday of May Day cannot be enjoyed by most workers in the informal sector. The latest addition to the unprotected workforce are gig economy workers who have no fixed wage or salary. Nearly one lakh people in the country are providing online freelancing, outsourcing, ride-sharing, and delivery services while lacking a fixed income, job security, and any insurance against work-related injuries.
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This essay explores the troubling global pattern of illiberal governments weaponizing the issue of LGBTIQ rights. We argue that the fluidity of sexual orientation and gender identity makes LGBTIQ people susceptible targets for antidemocratic forces, allowing autocratic and illiberal regimes to contrast these identities with the perceived stability of tradition, national sovereignty, and conventional notions of “nature.” Political homo- and transphobia are used by illiberal governments as tools to mobilize constituencies by framing LGBTIQ rights as incompatible with traditional values. Based on interviews and observations of participants at international forums, we also chart the global movement opposing LGBTIQ rights and explain how it undermines liberal democracy and threatens human-rights egalitarianism, weakens international institutions, and weaponizes democratic pluralism in divisive culture wars. The essay calls for a nuanced understanding of the complex interplay between illiberalism, homo- and transphobia, and the challenge posed to the foundational values of liberal democracies. We also offer ideas for how actors in liberal democracies can respond to and defend LGBTIQ rights effectively.
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How do we make sense of Iran’s “Women, Life, Freedom,” the extraordinary political uprising that came into being following the death of the Kurdish Mahsa Zhina Amini in September 2022 in police custody following her arrest for wearing an “improper” hijab? This is neither a “feminist revolution” per se, nor simply the revolt of the new generation, nor is it merely about the mandatory hijab. This is a movement to reclaim life, a struggle to liberate free and dignified existence from an internal colonization. As the primary objects of this colonization, women have become the protagonists of a movement that may set the Islamic Republic on a revolutionary course.
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Do you want to practise your reading and learn about global issues, special days and festivals? In this section, read articles about a wide variety of topics. The articles are written for learners at B1 English level (intermediate) and B2 English level (upper intermediate) . You will improve your reading comprehension and develop your vocabulary on a diverse range of international events, celebrations and topics. Each article has interactive exercises to help you understand and use the language.
One Punch Man|Season 01|Episode 06|Hindi Dubbed|Status Entertainment
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Lil Bonsai Maker, a new model from culture currency @bonsai and artist @adriamasnou is now available on TITLES. Powered by @lens, Lil Bonsai is the official mascot for creator token Bonsai.
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🤩 Did someone say $pointless Casino ? 🤩 Pointless has been integrated to @lens/betswirl - a trustless, non-custodial & probably fair multichain protocol specialized in GambleFi. BetSwirl leverages Chainlink VRF for bets randomness on various Casino & PvP games. Sports & E-Sports are also available. Starting today, 5 games are available 👇👇👇 🔥 Casino games: ➡️ Roulette ➡️ Coin Toss ➡️ Dice 🔥 PVP Games: ➡️ Russian Roulette ➡️ Coin Flip **Keno will be added later, and Sports/E-sports are operated by another protocol so unavailable in $pointless for now.* Pointless will also be added to the SwirlBot soon, allowing users to play Coin Toss & Dice from telegram ! 🔥 1,000,000,000 $pointless were added as bank from the treasury from unallocated assets. Players can win up to 2% of the bank per bet. Pointless Treasury can increase/reduce the bank, update risk parameters & the split between bank compound & treasury if needed. Huge thank you for @lens/betswirl team for helping us on this integration! Play from app: https://app.betswirl.com/ Play from TG (soon): http://t.me/betswirlbot They just arrived on Lens, follow them here: https://lensvert.xyz/u/betswirl Other socials: https://x.com/betswirl?s=21&t=gMl7KoLJBVgDYpuPnr-wVA https://discord.gg/vfSTKA3B
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What is everyone’s favourite podcast series these days?
Gm frens 🤗 Happy weekend ☀️
PHAVER-UP: GENESIS is near, are you prepared? 🦄 Whitelist Week 1 celebrates our beginning with @lens/lens: 🌿 Connect a Lens to your Phaver profile 🌿 Connect an NFT to Phaver Cred 🌿 Post to Lens from Phaver by April 9 🦄 Mint on Magic Eden April 10 🆙 Details ⤵️ https://phaver.gitbook.io/phaver-help-center/phaver-up-nfts/what-is-a-phaver-up-nft Stay cautious of scam links or fake collections. Always verify through our official channels.