Green Acres Mall officials presented a $1,000 check in support of the Elmont Chamber of Commerce, and a $3,000 check for Simon’s Valley Stream Jazz Festival (Credit: Office of Legislator Carrié Solages)
ELMONT/VALLEY STREAM, N.Y. (TIP): Nassau County Legislator Carrié Solages (D – Valley Stream) thanked the Green Acres Mall for their contributions toward a pair of important Third District community initiatives.
On Friday, May 31, Green Acres Mall officials presented a $1,000 check in support of the Elmont Chamber of Commerce, and a $3,000 check for Simon’s Valley Stream Jazz Festival – the 19th edition of which is set for Saturday, Aug. 10 at the Valley Stream Village Bandshell. The festival, which is being spearheaded through a partnership between Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages, the Village, and the Jazz Festival, features family-friendly fun, an array of multicultural performances, food trucks, vendors and more for a night of music under the stars.
“These funds will go a long way toward enhancing programs that strengthen our local business communities and outstanding cultural events like the Valley Stream Jazz Festival, which has been entertaining our community for nearly two decades,” Legislator Solages said. “I thank everyone at the Green Acres Mall for supporting these worthwhile endeavors and giving back to the residents of the Third Legislative District, and it is my hope that more corporate partners will follow the lead of the Green Acres Mall and contribute toward these outstanding organizations.”
The USA could not have asked for more. After a winning start in the first-ever T20 World Cup on its soil, the home team continues to produce historic moments as it stunned Pakistan with a splendid nail-biting finish in the super over. Earlier, a boundary of the last ball had helped the home team to extend the game to the super over. The decisive super-over saw the USA batsmen put up 18 runs on the board before taking a wicket and restricting Pakistani batsmen to 13 in one of the major upsets in instant cricket.
Pertinently, the USA had defeated its neighbor and arch-rival Canada in the opener in what was termed the revival of the 188-year-old cricket rivalry between two North American nations.
With two wins from as many matches, the USA now stands at the top of the pool.
Once again, Grand Prairie Stadium has proved lucky for the US team. Two games played at a 7,000-capacity stadium have ended in impressive wins for the hosts.
The USA owes its triumphs – both against Canada and Pakistan today – to kits players of Indian origin as skipper Monank Patel made a well-deserved 50 in a game that saw Pakistan put up 159 for seven. The USA responded well finishing at the same total with a boundary coming off the last ball of their 20 overs innings.
While the USA is playing its first-ever T20 World Cup, Pakistan has reached at least the semi-finals in six of the eight editions of the T20 World Cups, including a runners-up finish in the 2022 edition. But today, it was not the day of one of the Asian cricket giants. They were up against a USA team that did everything right on the day to pull off one of the biggest results in the history of the game.
Pakistan relied on Mohammed Amir for the super over. Three wides and a couple of overthrows saw the home team put up an impressive score of 18 with Aaron Jones contributing the only boundary in the decisive over. And when Pakistan returned to bat, Netravalkar, also a player of South Asian origin, held his nerve and verve to restrict Pakistan to 13 for one. It was another migrant of South Asian descent, Nitin Kumar, who scored a boundary of the last ball to force the game to the super over.
The match would go down in the annals of US cricket as the most stunning win ever recorded on American soil in this ancient game seeking a comeback.
Chasing 160 for an outright win, the US lost its opener for 12. It brought in skipper Monank Patel who chipped in with a classy 50 and stood like a rock as the Pakistani bowlers toiled hard to keep the Americans from reaching anywhere near the victory target. He put in 68 with Gaus in a game-changing partnership.
Set 160 to win in regulation time, the USA very nearly won the game in their initial allocated overs as their top order dealt well with a high-caliber Pakistan attack.
Opener Steven Taylor departed for 12 (16) in the final over of the Powerplay, but Monank Patel and Andries Gous put Pakistan on the back foot with a brilliant partnership that moved the tournament co-hosts into treble figures and seemingly in control of the run chase.
Monank was particularly impressive, hitting a classy half-century to give his side hope, putting on 68 in a crucial stand with Gous.
Now, Pakistan faces India on Sunday. After its shock defeat at the hands of the USA, demand for tickets for the India-Pakistan game has dropped significantly.
Though the ICC stated that all efforts are being made to make the drop in pitches at the Nassau County Cricket Stadium to produce some excellent cricket on Sunday, the US has put a spanner with its superb showing at Dallas, one of two other venues of the T20 World Cup.
India starts in style with an impressive win over Ireland
By Prabhjot Singh
After incurring few blows, including a hit on the shoulder of its skipper Rohit Sharma, India raced to a comfortable eight-wicket win over Ireland in its T20 World Cup opener at Nassau County Cricket Stadium on Wednesday. Wicketkeeper batsman, Rishabh Pant, who smashed McCarthy’s second ball of 13th over to the maximum, to hoist win for the 2007 Cup champions India, had also received a nasty hit on his elbow early in the innings.
These blows apart, players and team officials, are making no secret of their feelings about the variable bounce of the “ghost” or “drop in” pitches on use here at County Cricket Stadium. None of the four innings played on this pitch in the two matches so far, any team would reach the triple figure mark.
In the opener, Sri Lanka were bowled out for 77. Ireland innings folded up for 96. Indian bowlers cannot be denied their due as Hardik Pandya (three for 27), Jaspreet Bumrah (two for 6 ) and young Arshpreet Singh (two for 30) bowled extremely well on a pitch of uneven bounce.
While the Indian batting coach Vikram Rathod said that playing conditions were the same for every team, Indian batsmen have quickly adapted themselves by trying to “control the controllable”. He admitted that the “drop in” pitch at Nassau County Cricket Stadium was a “challenging wicket”.
Varying are opinions of players and team officials who have had a chance to train or play on this ground.
“Toss is crucial on this ground and we are lucky, we won the toss and bowled first,” he said corroborating what the Springboks did in the first game against Sri Lanka. They won the toss and put in their opponents to bat first and bowled them out for 77.
India saw its skipper Rohit Sharma hoisting milestone of completing 1000 T20 runs by clubbing successive balls from Joshua Little to the maximum to reach the mark in style. At that time, he had reached 42 from 33 balls to take India to 64 for one in 9 overs. Earlier, India lost its star batter Virat Kohli caught at third man off Mark Adair for . Rohit retired at 56 putting Rishabh Pant in command who closed the game with a six of McCarthy with eight wickets and 46 balls to spare.
The sheen and glory of the big win has been partially taken away by the pitches, curated in Florida and brought in here the newly fabricated Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, the game’s first-of-its-kind modular playing arena that has got mired into controversies, less than a week of its commissioning.
Its uneven bounce and behavior have been worrying teams. India, after winning the toss, put Ireland into bat first as pacers Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Siraj exhibited speed and uneven bounce that saw Indian keeper both jumping high and bending low to gather dot balls in the power play. Arshdeep was first to meet with success as he had removed both Adam Balbirnie and Paul Stirling with impressive figures of two for four at one stage. Arshdeep came for severe punishment in his fourth and last over to end with figures of 2 for 30.
Jaspreet Bumrah was virtually unplayable on this unplayable pitch after he came as a first change to end with two for six from three overs,.
Paul Stirling was clueless to a sharply bouncing delivery that crept up from length and led to a top edge. Harry Tector was hit on the gloves by another Arshdeep delivery and shook his fingers in pain. Later, he was dismissed by a Jasprit Bumrah delivery that darted into him, taking an inside edge onto his helmet on the way to the cover fielder. The uneven and abrupt bounce continued as one of rising deliveries of Arshdeep flew over the head of Benjamin White.
Great Little Master Sunil Gavaskar, who is one of the commentators, could not resist saying: “You can see the bounce. The ball is climbing over the stumps. LBWs will be a little difficult.”
Determined Ireland batters waged a fight and managed to reach 96 even after being reduced to 50-8 at one stage.
When India came to bat in chase of the winning target of 97, skipper Rohit Sharma had to retire hurt after he was hit on the shoulder by a Josh Little delivery. Rishabh Pant, too, received a blow to his elbow off the same bowler. He needed a check from the physio before resuming.
As I mentioned in one of my previous dispatches, four main pitches and six drop-in surfaces were curated in Florida and transported to New York for the T20 World Cup. Some experts who support drop in pitches hold that it takes time for the surfaces to settle down before it starts supporting both batters and bowlers alike.
It is not pitches alone that have come under severe criticism. Even outfields, too, have been drawing wrath of some players and officials. Some sandy patches were picked for mention.
Since the match of the tournament – India-Pakistan encounter – is to be played on one of these four “ghost” or “drop in” pitches on June 9, it may also like earlier matches turn out to be a low scoring game to the disappointment of cricket crazy South Asian Diaspora here.
“We want to see action, hits to the maximum and some entertaining cricket and not the ball playing the mischief,” remarked a veteran cricketer, Mr Yash Kapoor, who is long settled here.
Six of 20 participating teams are represented by Indian Diaspora
By Prabhjot Singh
After the hosts USA defeated Canada in the opening game of the T20 World Cup in Dallas last weekend, Indian Diaspora continues to hold the limelight in this marquee event. In the second game on the same venue, it was the European challenger, the Netherlands beat Nepal by six wickets, focus continued on players of the Indian origin.
The USA-Canada match saw several players of South Asian origin in action. The second game, too, saw players of Indian origin playing a crucial role in the win for the Dutch.
Though Cricket is a game of British origin, it has, like field hockey, come to be known as a game of the South Asian Diaspora. Six of the 20 teams competing in the first ever T20 World Cup being held on the US soil have players of South Asian descent.
While the USA team is led by Monank Patel, it has several other p[layers of South Asian descent. They include Shayan Jahangir, Jessy Singh, Ali Khan, Nitish Kumar, Saurabh Netravalkar, Nisarg Patel. Harmeet Singh, and Milind Kumar. Contrary to belief that cricket is a new game to the American continent, there has been a long history of this “gentleman game” being played in the continent even before the “Test” cricket was introduced. A three-day match played in New York had seen visiting Canada triumph by 23 runs in 1844. Incidentally the first Test match between Australia and England dates back to 1877, 33 years after the first recorded international game in North America. Canada is also led by a player of South Asian origin. He is Saad Bin Jaffer who is credited with taking the wicket of Pakistan’s star batsman Babar Azam. Other players of Canadian team of South Asian origin include Ravinder Pal Singh, Harsh Thakker, Dilpreet Singh, Navneet Dhaliwal, Pargat Singh, Junaid Siddiqui, Kaleem Sana and Shreyas Movva. They dominated the high scoring opening game of the tournament, giving the nearly filled Stadium a good return for its money.
Good work by players of South Asian Diaspora continued in the second game at Dallas where Vikramjit Singh, while playing for the Netherlands, knocked off 22 runs of the Nepalese attack to help his team win the opener. Teja Nidamanura is another player of Indian origin the Dutch team.
Brief Scores of that game are Nepal 106 (19.2 overs) (Rohit Paudel 35, Karan KC 17, Gulshan Jha 14, Logan van Beek 3/18, Tim Pringle 3/20 and Paul van Meckeren 2/19). The Netherlands 109/4 in 18.4 overs( Max O’ Dowd 54 not out, Vikramjit Singh 22, Sybrand Engelbrecht 14, Dipendra Singh Airee 1/6.Sompal Kami 1/18, Abinash 1/29).
Other than the US, Canada and the Netherland teams, players of South Asian descent are also represented on New Zealand, Oman, and Uganda.
While Rachin Ravindra and leg spinner Ish Sodhi are donning Kiwi colors in the T20 World Cup, four players are in the Oman squad. They are Jatinder Singh, Prajapati Kashayap, Pratik Athawale and Sunny Shrivastav.
Uganda, representing Africa along with South Africa, also has three players of Indian origin in its ranks. They are Ronek Patel, Dinesh Nakarani and Alpesh Ramajani.
Former Indian star allrounder Yuvraj Singh is one of the brand ambassadors of the T20 World Cup 2024.
(Prabhjot Singh is currently in New York covering the T20 World Cup. He is a senior journalist who has the rare felicity of covering sports and political news with equal aplomb. He can be reached at prabhjot416@gmail.com)
The only hill station of Rajasthan, Mount Abu is located in the Aravali range. The most important attraction, however, are undoubtedly the Dilwara temples, which is one of the most stunning pieces of architecture in the country. Travellers can enjoy calm and relaxed boating in Nakki Lake, and a view of the sunset from the vista points. The restaurants and eateries around the lake are great places to eat local food and chill. The highest peak of the Aravali Range – Guru Shikhar also lies in Mt. Abu. Mount Abu Forest Sanctuary with an abundance of flora and fauna is also a highlight.
The exceptionally intricate architecture of the Dilwara temples are of course the main attraction here, and you can easily spend hours wondering how these temples were built over 2 centuries, almost 1000 years back. The temples were specifically made so that they are plain from the outside to avoid the attraction of plunderers, and have withstood the test of time extremely well.
NAKKI LAKE
Believed to be have been dug out by a god using his nails, the sacred Nakki Lake is one of the landmarks of the hill town of Mount Abu. About half a mile long, the lake is deeper towards the dam on the west. Carry your picnic hamper, a book and camera and spend a peaceful afternoon on the banks of the lake. Boat riding is another activity that interests visitors here. A pleasant stroll around the lake will lead you to Toad Rock, a boulder that looks just like a toad about to hop into the lake. The 14th-century Raghunath Temple stands near the lake’s southern shore.
ACHALGARH FORT
Bordered by massive walls that enclose a few beautiful temples inside, the Achalgarh Fort offers interesting glimpses of Mewar architecture. Built in the year 1452 by the famous Rajput ruler of Mewar, Rana Kumbha, the fort is situated 11 kms to the north of Mount Abu. Various viewpoints from the fort offer scenic lookouts onto the hill town, the Aravali ranges and the picturesque sunset views.
ADHAR DEVI TEMPLE
Situated atop a cliff in a cave, a visit to the Adhar Devi Temple, also known as Arbuda Devi Temple requires you to climb 365 steep steps, but the strenuous journey is worth the effort. Offering a bird-eye-view of the hill-station from the top, the temple is constructed out of a large rock, and visitors have to stoop and crawl to enter the inner shrine. Located 3 km away from Mount Abu, the temple is dedicated to Goddess Durga and is considered as one of the prominent religious spots in the hill town. The temple is visited by hordes of Hindu pilgrims during Navratri, a nine-day Hindu festival that is celebrated with full gusto.
Adhar Devi Temple is quite old and legend has it that ‘Adhar’ of the Goddess fell here. It is also believed that goddess’s image hangs in the mid air. Besides, the temple has a number of gorgeous statues that you can admire and looking at those arts will make you praise the artists from the bygone era. And the view of mountains and forests you get to see after climbing those hundreds of stairs will make you forget all the tiredness and fatigue. It is recommended you wear proper and comfortable clothes and footwear because the climb uphill is really tiring.
Kamda Saptami Vrat has special significance in astrology. Kamda Saptami Vrat is completely dedicated to the sun. In the scriptures, this fast has been considered special to fulfillment. This faster to fulfill the wishes is fast throughout the year. This fast is done to each Shukla Saptami and every four months should be passed in every four months.
It is believed that by doing this fast, health, wealth, child and reputation are received. Brahma ji had told the glory and importance of Kamda Vrat Lord Vishnu.
Kamada Saptami Vrat is an important Hindu festival that is celebrated on the seventh day of the Chaitra month, according to the Hindu calendar. This day is dedicated to Lord Surya, the Hindu god of the Sun. The festival is also known as Chaitra Shukla Saptami, and it is believed that observing a fast on this day can bring good health and prosperity. According to Hindu mythology, the festival has a special significance as it is said that Lord Surya blesses his devotees and removes all their sins on this day. The festival is celebrated with great enthusiasm in many parts of India, particularly in North India. It is an important day for Hindus, and observing Kamada Saptami Vrat is considered a way of showing devotion to Lord Surya and seeking his blessings.
Story of Lord Shiva and Kamada Ekadashi
According to Hindu mythology, Lord Shiva once narrated the story of Kamada Ekadashi to Goddess Parvati.
It is said that a pious and virtuous woman named Kamada observed the Kamada Ekadashi vrat with utmost devotion and dedication.
She prayed to Lord Vishnu to bless her husband with good health, wealth and prosperity.
Her prayers were answered and her husband was blessed with all the good things in life.
Since then, Kamada Ekadashi is celebrated every year as a day of penance and devotion toward Lord Vishnu.
Significance
Lord Satyanarayan and Lord Venkateshwara are considered the presiding deities of Kamada Saptami Vrat.
Lord Satyanarayan is believed to be the incarnation of Lord Vishnu and is worshipped for wealth, prosperity and happiness.
Lord Venkateshwara is another form of Lord Vishnu and is considered the lord of wealth and prosperity.
Symbolic representation of Kamada Saptami Vrat
Kamada Saptami Vrat is observed on the seventh day of the Chaitra month (March-April) according to the Hindu calendar. It is believed that observing this vrat with devotion and dedication can help one attain peace, prosperity, and happiness.
The vrat is observed by fasting and performing various rituals and puja.
It is also believed that observing Kamada Saptami Vrat can help in getting rid of sins and negative karma.
Preparations for the festival
– Cleaning and decorating of the house and the temple
– Making offerings to Lord Vishnu or Lord Satyanarayan
– Preparing special food items for the fast
Rituals and traditions observed during the festival
– Devotees wake up early in the morning, take a bath and dress in clean clothes
– They offer prayers to Lord Vishnu or Lord Satyanarayan and recite mantras and shlokas
– Fasting is observed by the devotees, and some choose to eat only fruits or drink only water
– Devotees offer flowers, fruits and other items to the deity
– In some regions, people take a dip in the holy river or perform charity work
Importance of fasting
– Fasting is believed to purify the body and mind, and help the devotee focus on the spiritual aspect of the festival
– It is seen as a way to express devotion and gratitude to the deity
– Some devotees also fast to seek blessings for their family, friends, and loved ones
– The fast is broken in the evening after performing the aarti and offering food to the deity.
The festival is associated with several Hindu mythological stories and legends.
One of the most popular stories is the tale of Lord Shiva and Kamada Ekadashi, which marks the beginning of the Kamada Saptami Vrat.
Another story involves Lord Satyanarayan, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu and how he helped a poor Brahmin overcome his troubles.
Spiritual and religious significance
Kamada Saptami Vrat is considered an important festival in Hinduism and is observed with great reverence and devotion.
It is believed that observing the fast and performing the rituals during the festival can help in fulfilling one’s wishes and desires.
The festival is also seen as an opportunity to seek the blessings of the gods and goddesses and to cleanse one’s mind and body of impurities.
Role of Vrat in promoting devotion and self-discipline
– Fasting during Kamada Saptami Vrat is seen as a way of purifying oneself and showing devotion to the gods and goddesses.
– The festival is also seen as an opportunity to practice self-discipline and to strengthen one’s willpower.
– By observing the fast and performing the rituals with sincerity and dedication, devotees aim to deepen their spiritual connection with the divine and to improve their overall well-being.
In conclusion, Kamada Saptami Vrat is a significant Hindu festival that is celebrated with great devotion and enthusiasm. The festival has both historical and mythological significance and it is an important part of Hindu culture and tradition. Through the festival, people not only seek the blessings of Lord Shiva and other deities but also strive to cultivate virtues such as self-discipline, devotion, and compassion. In today’s modern world, the festival holds great relevance as it reminds us of our cultural heritage and the importance of preserving it. It is essential to continue celebrating festivals like Kamada Saptami Vrat to keep our traditions and culture alive for future generations. Let us strive to maintain the sanctity of this festival and promote cultural diversity and harmony.
Mumbai (TIP)- White collar hiring has begun improving steadily on the back of major sectors like oil and gas, banking and FMCG, a report said. Hiring activity grew by 6 per cent in May compared to April driven by sectors like healthcare and travel and hospitality, according to the report.
White collar hiring, however, was down by 2 per cent compared to the same month last year.
Most sectors reported mid-single-digit growths, however, decline in hiring in IT (0 per cent YoY), BPO (3 per cent) and education (5 per cent) dragged down the overall Naukri JobSpeak Index, it stated.
Major sectors such as oil and gas (14 per cent), banking (12 per cent) and FMCG (17 per cent) notched up healthy growth, while healthcare and travel and hospitality, each showcased a robust 8 per cent growth, said the report.
Smaller cities continued to outperform major metropolitan areas, and there was notable demand for senior professionals, contributing to a healthy year-on-year growth in opportunities for experienced candidates, it added.
“The consistent job growth in the AI-ML domain stands out as a major positive and signals that the Indian economy and its talent pool is well aligned with the global tailwind on AI. Moreover, despite the May index staying within 2 per cent of 2023 base, we saw healthy growth in most Non-IT sectors, cementing our job market’s diversified footprint further,” Naukri.com chief business officer Pawan Goyal said.
The report further revealed that the hiring in mini-metros continued to outpace major metropolitan areas.
This trend highlights the growing economic vibrancy and employment opportunities in smaller urban centres, driven by factors such as urbanisation, infrastructure development, and decentralisation of economic activities, it stated.
Non-metro cities like Surat (23 per cent) and Raipur (22 per cent) emerged as hiring hotspots, while metro cities like Delhi-NCR, Chennai, and Hyderabad witnessed stable hiring trends with a slight improvement in the hiring trend in Pune, it added.
Meanwhile, the report stated that the demand for experienced professionals remained high, with roles for candidates with over 16 years of experience clocking a remarkable 23 per cent surge in hiring activity.
Santa Clara (TIP)- Nvidia Corporation, the world’s most valuable semiconductor company, has now become the first computer-chip firm to hit a $3 trillion market capitalisation, as per a Bloomberg report. The Santa Clara, California-based company’s shares have surged roughly 147 per cent this year, adding about $1.8 trillion due to the increasing demand for its chips that power artificial intelligence (AI) tasks.
On June 5 (US local time), shares rose by 5.2 per cent to close at a record $1,224.40, pushing the chip maker’s market value above $3 trillion, surpassing Apple Inc. in the process.
The last time Nvidia’s value exceeded Apple’s was in 2002, five years before the first iPhone’s release. Back then, both companies were valued at less than $10 billion each.
Future Plans and Generative AI
Nvidia shows no signs of slowing down. Chief Executive Officer Jensen Huang announced that the company plans to upgrade its AI accelerators annually. Wednesday’s stock surge increased Huang’s wealth by more than $5 billion, bringing his total to $107.4 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
Huang described the rise of generative AI as a new industrial revolution, expecting Nvidia to play a significant role as technology shifts to personal computers. During a keynote address at National Taiwan University, he highlighted the company’s pivotal role in this transformation.
Senior equity analyst at CFRA Research, Angelo Zino, told Bloomberg he sees this development as just the beginning, citing improved visibility and greater momentum in GPU, CPU, and networking as drivers for consensus estimate upside.
Impact on the Tech Industry
Nvidia has benefited immensely from a surge in AI spending, propelling the company into a race to become the world’s most valuable company. Although it still trails Microsoft Corp. by market value, Wall Street analysts believe it is only a matter of time before Nvidia overtakes it.
Conversely, Apple has faced challenges this year, with its shares pressured by concerns over declining iPhone demand in China and a fine from the European Union. Despite this, Apple shares have recently turned positive for 2024 as investor sentiment slowly improves.
The Reserve Bank of India on Friday, June 7, decided to keep the policy rate unchanged for the eighth time in a row, saying it will maintain a tight vigil on inflation. The rate increase cycle was paused in April last year after six consecutive rate hikes, aggregating to 250 basis points since May 2022.
Announcing the second bi-monthly monetary policy for the current financial year, RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das said the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has decided to keep the repo rate unchanged at 6.5 per cent. He said MPC will remain watchful of elevated food inflation amid the expectation of a normal monsoon.
The RBI raised the growth projection to 7.2 per cent from an earlier estimate of 7 per cent for the current financial year.v The government has mandated the RBI to ensure CPI inflation at 4 per cent with a margin of 2 per cent on either side.
In a bid to bolster the safety and security of digital payments and enhance regulatory frameworks, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) unveiled a series of proposals aimed at fostering innovation, inclusivity, and efficiency in the financial ecosystem.
These initiatives, announced by RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das, signify the central bank’s commitment to fortifying India’s digital infrastructure and promoting a conducive environment for financial transactions.
One of the key announcements made by Governor Das pertained to the establishment of a Digital Payments Intelligence Platform.
This platform, leveraging advanced technologies, aims to mitigate payment fraud risks and enhance the safety of digital transactions.
According to the annual report released by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on May 30, there was a significant surge in the number of financial frauds reported by banks, increasing by 166 per cent year-on-year in the financial year 2023-24 to reach 36,075 cases.
This figure starkly contrasts with the 13,564 cases reported in the previous fiscal year, FY23.
With Microsoft hyping the Windows 11 AI-powered Recall feature, earlier this week a security researcher who previously worked for the tech giant called it a ‘security disaster.’ The feature takes a screenshot of everything you do on your PC and makes all of your past actions searchable. This may look great at first, but a security expert claims it stores data including passwords and card numbers in a plain text SQLite database.
Now, a developer named Alexander Hagenah has published a Python script that “copies the databases and screenshots and then parses the database for potentially interesting artifacts.” This means threat actors can automate the process of extracting passwords and other sensitive information and get away with it. Since the tool can be used to look for terms like “password” from the database and takes little to no time and does not break any encryption, it might allow hackers to steal all your information in mere seconds.
While Microsoft has repeatedly claimed that all Recall data is private and cannot be accessed by anyone other than the user, several security exploits that allow unauthorised users to get access to the database how come to light. The tech giant also claimed that threat actors will need physical access to your machine if they want to steal your passwords but malware might soon evolve to evade detection techniques.
For those not in the loop, the upcoming Windows 11 Recall will be limited to Copilot Plus PCs coming later this month, but the same security expert who called it a ‘security disaster’ claims that he was able to use it on a PC without an NPU, which Microsoft says is a pre-requisite for Recall to work.
Google has introduced a slew of features to its AI research and writing assistant NotebookLM. The upgraded version of the tool is powered by Google’s most capable model Gemini 1.5 Pro. With the latest upgrade, the tool will now be available across 200 countries and territories around the world.
“Our goal from the beginning with NotebookLM has been to create a tool to help you understand and explore complex material, make new connections from information, and get to your first draft faster. You can upload sources — your research notes, interview transcripts, corporate documents — and instantly NotebookLM becomes an expert in the material that matters most to you,” said Steven Johnson and Raiza Martin from Google Labs, in a blog post introducing the new upgrades.
What’s new in NotebookLM?
With the latest upgrade, NotebookLM now supports Google Slides and web URLs as sources along with Google Docs, PDFs, and text files. When it comes to inline citations, users will now be taken directly to supporting passages in their sources. This makes it easy to fact-check the AI response or dive deeper into the original text. Besides, the Notebook Guide gives you a high-level understanding of sources by converting them into useful formats like FAQs, Briefing Docs, or Study Guides. Owing to Gemini 1.5 Pro’s native multimodal capabilities, users can now ask questions about images, charts, and diagrams in Slides or Docs. NotebookLM will also include citations to images as supporting evidence whenever relevant.
When asked about the accuracy and reliability of citations, Martin said that NotebookLM generates citations for all its answers and it always cites the sources for every piece of information provided, ensuring that the answers are based on the sources one uploads.
“For instance, if you upload a source that contains information A, B, or C, any related questions you ask will pull answers directly from that source. To verify the credibility of the sources used, NotebookLM constantly monitors the quality of the answers. It performs checks to ensure that the answers are grounded in the uploaded sources. Additionally, quality is closely monitored whenever new features or upgrades are released or when new models are introduced to ensure there are no losses in quality,” Raiza told indianexpress.com.
When it comes to privacy and security of the source’s data and processes, NotebookLM ensures this by adhering to Google’s standard data protection practices. “Notably, NotebookLM does not train on any user data, ensuring that your data remains private. This privacy guarantee is particularly important for users who wish to use NotebookLM with sensitive work or school documents. Safeguards are in place to protect user information, maintaining confidentiality and security at all times,” Raiza said.
Source: The Indian Express
Meta recently announced it is rolling out the Meta Verified program for WhatsApp Business users in India, Brazil, Indonesia and Colombia. Launched in September last year for WhatsApp Business, the verification was limited to Instagram and Facebook users until now.
Similar to Instagram and Facebook, merchants who subscribe to the Meta Verified subscription service will get the verified badge along with impersonation protection if they share their business details with the company. Moreover, verified businesses can also get a dedicated WhatsApp channel for marketing purposes.
WhatsApp Business users who purchase the subscription can also log in to their account from multiple devices and even create a custom web page with their business details which can be shared with customers and vendors. The company is also working on a new feature that allows people to call WhatsApp Business users using APIs. The functionality works as a customer support number and eliminates the need to share or use a personal phone number. It looks like the company is also working on new tools which will let AI respond to the most common questions users ask business owners. Meta said they plan to charge companies for the feature but did not disclose details on how much it will cost.
Meta launched its first AI-driven ad targeting program for businesses on WhatsApp, as it tries to wring revenue out of the popular chat service, the company announced on Thursday at a conference in Brazil.
CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced the new tools in a video which was exhibited during the event. The announcement marks a shift for WhatsApp, an encrypted messaging service that heavily touts its privacy credentials and has long eschewed the types of targeted advertising tools that underpin Meta’s other apps, like Facebook and Instagram.
The social media giant has been introducing commerce and payment features on the app for several years, including “business messaging” tools companies can use to conduct customer service chats and send marketing materials to people who have shared their phone numbers with the companies.
Eating sweet and refreshing fruits is a delightful way to beat the heat in summer. A storehouse of important vitamins and minerals, fruits can replenish energy levels and fill you with energy on hot summer days. Fruits are also heart-healthy and promote cardiovascular wellness. Eating fruits like oranges, apples, bananas and berries can benefit your heart and aid in reducing cholesterol levels. Eating these fruits is a flavourful way to nourish your heart and promote cardiovascular wellness.
Berries
Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries are packed with antioxidants called flavonoids, which can help lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart disease.
Oranges
The citrus fruits are rich in vitamin C, potassium, and fibre, all of which are beneficial for heart health. Potassium helps regulate blood pressure, while fibre aids in reducing cholesterol levels.
Apples
They contain soluble fibre, which can help lower cholesterol levels. They are also rich in antioxidants and flavonoids, which may reduce the risk of heart disease.
Bananas
They are an excellent source of potassium, which plays a key role in maintaining heart health by helping to regulate blood pressure. They are also low in sodium, which is important for heart health.
Avocados
They are packed with heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, which can help lower bad cholesterol levels (LDL) and raise good cholesterol levels (HDL). They also contain potassium, which helps regulate blood pressure.
Grapes
Grapes, particularly red and purple varieties, contain antioxidants called polyphenols, which have been shown to improve heart health by reducing inflammation and preventing blood clots.
Pomegranates
They are rich in antioxidants, particularly punicalagins and anthocyanins, which can help protect the heart by reducing inflammation and improving cholesterol levels. Source: HT
Commonly used alcohol-based mouthwashes may have adverse effects on oral microbiomes—the community of bacteria that live in the mouth—raising risks of periodontal diseases and some cancers, according to a study.
The oral microbiome plays a role in digestion and keeps the mouth healthy.
The research, published in the Journal of Medical Microbiology, included men who have sex with men, who regularly use mouthwash as a method to reduce the transmission of sexually transmitted diseases.
Three months of daily use of the alcohol-based mouthwash increased the amount of two species of opportunistic bacteria—Fusobacterium nucleatum and Streptococcus anginosus—in the mouth of these men, said the team from the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp in Belgium.
The two bacteria are known to raise the risk of gum disease, and oesophageal and colorectal cancers.
Further, the researchers also observed a decrease in a bacteria group called Actinobacteria—crucial for regulating blood pressure.
“Alcohol-based mouthwashes are widely available. The public may use them daily to tackle bad breath or prevent periodontitis, but they should be aware of the potential implications. Ideally, long-term usage should be guided by healthcare professionals,” said Jolein Laumen, from ITM’s Unit of Sexually Transmitted Infections.
The researchers also called for larger studies to establish the risk. Source: IANS
A recent study discovered that low-dose acetylsalicylic acid, popularly known as aspirin, can attenuate inflammatory responses to sleep deprivation. Study is to be presented at the SLEEP 2024 annual meeting.
The results suggest that prior treatment of low-dose aspirin during sleep restriction lowered pro-inflammatory responses compared to a placebo. Aspirin specifically reduced interleukin-6 expression, COX-1/COX-2 double positive cells in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated monocytes, and C-reactive protein serum levels.
“The novelty of this study is that it investigated whether we can pharmacologically reduce the inflammatory consequences of sleep restriction,” said lead author Larissa Engert, who has a doctorate in behavioral physiology and is a postdoctoral fellow in the department of neurology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and the division of sleep medicine at Harvard Medical School in Boston. “We used a non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drug because it has been shown to affect specific inflammatory pathways, which were previously shown to be dysregulated by experimental sleep restriction or sleep disturbances.”
The researchers collected data from 46 healthy adults in a randomized placebo-controlled crossover trial with three protocols – sleep restriction/aspirin, sleep restriction/placebo, and control sleep/placebo – each consisting of a 14-day at-home phase followed by an 11-day in-hospital stay. In the sleep restriction/aspirin condition, participants took low-dose aspirin during the at-home phase and in-hospital stay. Each in-hospital stay started with two nights of an eight-hour sleep opportunity. Then, under the sleep restriction conditions, participants were exposed to five nights of a four-hour sleep opportunity, followed by three nights of recovery sleep. The control sleep condition provided an eight-hour sleep opportunity throughout the in-hospital stay. Sleep and immunologic measures were assessed at baseline and various points throughout the study. Source: ANI
Eating an overall healthy diet, including certain foods such as walnuts and other whole foods, may reduce the risk of physical function impairments throughout the ageing process in women, a new study has found.
Women who consumed 1-2 servings of walnuts per week (1/4 cup per serving) showed reduced risk of developing impairments in physical functions, the study said. Walnuts are unique among nuts in that they are primarily composed of polyunsaturated fat (13 grams per ounce), which includes alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), the plant-based omega-3 fatty acid.
They are the only nut to contain a significant amount of ALA with 2.5 grams per one ounce serving, the study noted.
“There is a lot of research that looks at specific health conditions in ageing, such as diabetes and heart disease, but less attention to research on quality of life and ability to maintain independence with ageing,” said Francine Grodstein, Professor at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School in the US.
Further, a higher intake of fruits and vegetables, lower intake of sugar-sweetened beverages, trans fat and sodium and moderate alcohol intake were diets most associated with reduced rates of incident physical impairment.
Among food components, the strongest relations were found for increased intakes of oranges, orange juice, apples, pears, romaine or leaf lettuce and walnuts. Overall diet quality, rather than individual foods, may have a greater impact on reducing risk of physical function impairments, emphasised the paper published in the Journal of Nutrition.
For the study, the team looked at data from 54,762 women in the Nurses’ Health Study, which tracked women for over 30 years. Between 1992 and 2008, the team examined these participants’ association between the dietary habits of the participants and subsequent impairment in physical function.
Helps weight loss
Contrary to what people believe, walnuts can form a part of weight management diet. Several studies have suggested that regular consumption of walnuts is unlikely to cause weight gain or obesity. In fact, an ounce of walnuts contains 2.5g of omega 3 fats, 4g of protein and 2g of fibre that help provide satiety. Any successful weight management plan must include satiety factor; so walnut is undoubtedly the right food to consider if you are into a weight management programme. Despite being ‘dense in calories, walnuts can be an important tool in helping you lose weight.
Induces sleep
Walnuts contain a compound called melatonin, responsible for conveying messages regarding the cycle of light and dark to the body. Since melatonin is already synthesised by the body, consumption of walnuts increases the blood levels of melatonin, thereby inducing sleep. That’s why eating walnuts can be a great way to improve sleep.
Great for your hair
Walnut is a good ‘hair food’ too. This is because walnuts contain biotin (vitamin B7) that helps strengthen hair, reduce hair fall and improve hair growth to certain extent. In addition to walnuts, you can try these foods to prevent hair loss.
Prevents heart disease
Among all the dietary plants and nuts, walnuts contain the highest amount of antioxidants. Around 100 g of walnuts will give more than 20 mmol antioxidants, which makes them extremely effective in combating heart disease by their ability to destroy free radicals. They are also loaded with omega-3 fatty acids that lowers bad cholesterol and increases the production of good cholesterol making it a great snack to keep your heart in great health.
Ingredients
1/2 kg chicken
1/4 kg mutton
1/2 kg rice
1 cup curd, well beaten
1 cup milk
3 onions
2 eggs
1/2 cup green peas, shelled
1 pod arlic
1 big piece of ginger
1 tsp rose water
Ghee or oil for frying
Salt to taste Method
– Clean and wash rice and soak it in water for 15 minutes.
– Cook the rice till half done. Keep aside. 3. Clean and cut the mutton into cubes. Joint the chicken. Boil the eggs and keep aside.
– Slice the onions. Grind ginger and garlic to a paste.
– Heat ghee in a frying pan, add onions, ginger-garlic paste and fry well.
– Add the jointed chicken and fry. Add 3 cups of water and salt to taste and cook on slow fire till the meat is tender and only 1/3 of the gravy is left.
– Add some more ghee and the well beaten curd. Cook on a slow fire until the curd gets absorbed.
– Add 1 tsp of rose water after the meat has cooled.
– Take a heavy bottomed pan and arrange alternate layers of rice and cooked meat taking care that the first and last layers are that of rice.
– Place in an oven and cook for about 15-20 minutes on low heat.
– Garnish with fried onions, quartered boiled eggs and boiled green peas.
Save your skin from dryness and dehydration. Increase water intake and exfoliate the dead skin cells to achieve smooth skin, says an expert.
An expert has shared a few tips to get spotless skin:
– Hydrate: Hydrating yourself is absolutely essential to keep your skin healthy. A lot of water content from the body is lost while you sweat during summer season. Therefore, it is essential to increase water intake by a couple of glasses every day.
– Avoid caffeinated drinks and keep away from aerated drinks too as they further dehydrate the skin. Instead, opt for freshly squeezed lime juice or go for coconut water and other fresh juices.
– Exfoliate: Exfoliation helps in the removal of dead skin cells and in achieving smooth skin. You can do it yourself at home with the right mix.
– Oatmeal, honey, lemon, curd, cucumber are some of the ingredients that can work wonders on your skin. In summer season, exfoliate at least thrice a week to remove dead skin and improve blood circulation.
– Moisturize: It is necessary to moisturise your skin before you step out in the searing sun. This will keep your skin hydrated and prevent it from becoming dry and scaly.
– Apply a light and non-greasy moisturiser after you step out from a shower and before applying sunscreen. Follow this procedure in the night.
– Balanced diet: It is not just water that helps you to stay hydrated; indulging in fresh fruits, leafy vegetables and salads help as well. Eat the right food to nourish your skin and stay fit during summer. Avoid boiling or steaming vegetables for too long, as this will reduce their water content.
NEW YORK (TIP): Now that Donald Trump is a convicted felon, his list of countries to visit has gotten much shorter. Trump was found guilty of 34 counts of falsifying records in an effort to keep adult film star Stormy Daniels quiet about an affair that occurred in the 2000s. That means certain freedoms Mr Trump once enjoyed may be out of his reach — and could have a serious effect on his ability to carry out his presidential duties, including travelling to foreign countries.
Nearly 40 nations – including Canada and the UK – have strict policies when it comes to allowing individuals with criminal records across their borders, and barring a special accommodation, Trump would be held to those same standards. It’s unclear if he would be allowed to visit if he wins the presidential election in November but remains a felon.
Here are just five of the over 35 nations that can ban Trump from entry now that he’s a felon:
Israel
Despite Trump once retweeting someone who referred to him as the “King of Israel” and bragging that he moved the US embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, Trump may not be able to visit the nation now that he’s a felon.
Israel reserves the right to refuse entry to anyone with a criminal record, including felonies. Border control forces in Israel have the authority to bar entry for anyone suspected of committing a crime or with a record, and Trump meets both of those qualifiers.
Canada
According to the Canadian government’s tourist hub, any “US Citizen or permanent resident that has a felony conviction on their criminal record may be deemed inadmissible to Canada for the purposes of immigrating, or even if they’re merely coming to Canada to visit.”
Canada even retains the right to bar individuals “arrested or accused of a felony crime … even though you have not been convicted,” meaning Trump would have faced issues visiting the US’s northern neighbor the moment he faced charges. The government notes that “a felony will likely result in inadmissibility.”
Japan
Japan is fairly strict with its immigration and visitation rules, including laws preventing convicted criminals from entry.
Under Japanese law anyone convicted of a violation of “any law of regulation” of any country and who has been sentenced to “imprisonment with or without work for one year or more, or to an equivalent penalty” can be barred from entry.
Japanese law does note that individuals convicted of a “political offence” are not subject to those rules. In Trump’s mind, at least, he could qualify to visit under those terms. It’s unclear if Japan would buy his version of events.
UK
Under UK law, a felon can visit England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Scotland with some restrictions and requirements in place. However, Britain can bar access to convicted felons.
Unless an “Immigration Officer is satisfied that admission would be justified for strong compassionate reasons,” they can refuse access to any convicted felon so long as the crime they committed would also be punishable by imprisonment in the UK.
China
China has strict policies when admitting anyone over its borders. Chinese officials conduct character assessments for anyone applying for a visa, and that includes a criminal history check, including felonies.
Even minor offences can get someone barred from entering China, so Mr Trump may not be able to chide the Chinese in person if he were ever so inclined.
Countries and territories that restrict visits from felons
Argentina
Australia
Brazil
Cambodia
Canada
Chile
China
Cuba
Dominican Republic
Egypt
Ethiopia
India
Indonesia
Iran
Ireland
Israel
Japan
Kenya
Malaysia
Macau
Mexico
Morocco
Nepal
New Zealand
Peru
Philippines
Singapore
South Africa
South Korea
Taiwan
Tanzania
Tunisia
Turkey
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom
Govt will not fail in fulfilling people’s aspirations, says PM-designate Modi
NEW DELHI (TIP): “President has appointed me as PM-designate and I have informed her that swearing-in ceremony may be held on Sunday,” Mr. Modi told the media outside the Rashtrapati Bhavan after meeting Ms. Murmu on June 7. “I will hand over list of Ministers to President Murmu before swearing-in,” he added. Earlier in the day, Mr. Modi was chosen as the leader of the National Democratic Alliance parliamentary party, paving the way for him to become the Prime Minister for the third time.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he would strive to ensure unanimity in all decisions of his next government and asserted that the NDA is an organic alliance committed to the principle of ‘nation first’. He met BJP veterans L.K. Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi at their residences in Delhi, before staking claim to form the government at the Centre for a third consecutive term.
Chosen by BJP-led National Democratic Alliance as their leader to become Prime Minister for the third time, he also said the NDA government in the next 10 years will focus on good governance, development, quality of life and minimum interference in the lives of common citizens.
He said mutual trust was at the core of this alliance and they were committed to principle of ‘sarv pantha sambhava’ (all sects are equal). He will take oath for the third time on June 9 at 6 p.m.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): A federal judge on Thursday, June 6, told Stephen K. Bannon, a longtime adviser to former President Donald J. Trump, to surrender by July 1 to start serving a four-month prison term for disobeying a congressional subpoena.
Mr. Bannon was sentenced in October 2022 on contempt of Congress charges after he refused to give testimony to the House committee that investigated the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol.
Judge Carl J. Nichols, who has overseen the case, allowed him to remain free while he appealed. Last month, however, Mr. Bannon lost the first round of that challenge as a three-judge panel of a federal appeals court in Washington decided that his guilty verdict on charges of ignoring the House committee’s demand for his testimony was proper.
Because of the panel’s ruling, Judge Nichols said he no longer believed that Mr. Bannon could rightfully continue to postpone serving his sentence. “I do not feel my original basis for Mr. Bannon’s stay exists any longer,” he said.
Lawyers for Mr. Bannon have promised to ask the full appeals court to reconsider the panel’s decision. And Judge Nichols said that Mr. Bannon would have to start serving his sentence in less than four weeks unless the full appeals court took the case and issued its own ruling to pause the sentence from being enforced.
Judge Nichols’s decision seemed to catch Mr. Bannon’s lawyer, David Schoen, by surprise, and he approached the podium after it was issued and started arguing with the judge. Judge Nichols dressed him down.
“One thing I think you need to learn as a lawyer is that when a judge has decided, you do not get up and yell at them,” the judge shot back.
After the hearing on Thursday, he remained recalcitrant, declaring that he would challenge his conviction all the way to the Supreme Court if necessary.
Speaking to reporters outside the courthouse, Mr. Bannon sought to portray the case against him as an attack on Mr. Trump and his supporters.
“This is about shutting down the MAGA movement, shutting down grass-roots conservatives, shutting down President Trump,” he said, adding, “There’s nothing that can shut me up.”
Mr. Bannon’s legal travails could continue after — or even during — his stint in prison.
A couple of months after he was found guilty of contempt of Congress in Washington, state prosecutors in Manhattan accused him of misusing money he helped raise for a group backing Mr. Trump’s border wall. In his final hours in office in 2021, Mr. Trump pardoned Mr. Bannon in a separate federal case that focused on similar accusations.
Mr. Bannon’s fraud trial is scheduled to take place later this year in the same Manhattan courthouse where Mr. Trump was recently convicted on charges of falsifying business records to cover up a sex scandal that threatened his 2016 run for the presidency.
Another former aide to Mr. Trump is already serving a prison term for refusing to take part in the House committee’s wide-ranging investigation into Mr. Trump’s efforts to remain in power after losing the 2020 election.
In March, Peter Navarro, who once worked as a trade adviser to Mr. Trump, reported to federal prison in Miami to begin serving his own four-month prison stint after a jury found him guilty of contempt of Congress for ignoring one of the committee’s subpoenas.
(Source: New York Times)
HOUSTON (TIP): Boeing’s Starliner mission has safely docked with the International Space Station and the spacecraft’s crew, NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams, have arrived aboard the station after overcoming new issues that cropped up overnight and Thursday, June 6, en route to the orbiting laboratory, reports CNN. This is the first time astronauts have arrived at the space station via a Boeing Starliner spacecraft.
“Nice to be attached to the big city in the sky,” Wilmore said after docking was confirmed. Pressure was equalized between Starliner and the station, and the hatch between the two opened at about 3:46 p.m. ET.
Wilmore and Williams were welcomed with a ringing bell and plenty of hugs from the seven astronauts and cosmonauts already on board. With their arrival, there are now nine people working and living on the ISS.
“I’m not sure we could have gotten a better welcome,” Wilmore said during welcoming remarks after the entire station crew assembled. “We had music. Matt was dancing. It was great. What a wonderful place to be back.”
Wilmore shared his thanks “to all of you who got us going and kept us going,” including those in NASA mission control, Boeing and United Launch Alliance.
“These organizations are the epitome of teamwork, and it’s a blessing and a privilege to be a part of it,” he said.
Williams also shared her gratitude to the family and friends who have been with them during the lead-up to launch.
The flight marks only the sixth inaugural journey of a crewed spacecraft in US history, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson noted in a May news conference. “It started with Mercury, then with Gemini, then with Apollo, the space shuttle, then (SpaceX’s) Dragon — and now Starliner,” Nelson said.
Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams flew to space for the third time on Wednesday along with a colleague, scripting history as the first members aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft to the International Space Station.
Boeing’s Crew Flight Test mission carrying Williams, and Butch Wilmore lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida after multiple delays.
Williams, 58, is the pilot for the flight test while Wilmore, 61, is the commander of the mission.
Williams also made history as the first woman to embark on such a mission. And it won’t be her first entry in the history books.
In 2012, during a prior trip to the International Space Station, Williams became the first person to finish a triathlon in space, during which she simulated swimming using a weight-lifting machine and ran on a treadmill while strapped in by a harness so she wouldn’t float away.
That came after she ran the Boston Marathon from the space station in 2007.
Williams received her commission as an Ensign in the United States Navy from the United States Naval Academy in May 1987. Williams was selected as an astronaut by NASA in 1998 and is a veteran of two space missions, Expeditions 14/15 in 2006 and 32/33 and 2012.
She served as a flight engineer on Expedition 32 and then commander of Expedition 33.
Boeing’s Crew Flight Test mission has been delayed for several years because of setbacks in the spacecraft’s development.
Last-minute computer trouble nixed Saturday’s launch attempt for Boeing’s first astronaut flight, the latest in a string of delays over the years.
It was the second launch attempt. The first try on May 6 was delayed for leak checks and rocket repairs.
With the launch, Boeing became the second private firm able to provide crew transport to and from the ISS, alongside Elon Musk’s SpaceX.
It can sometimes be difficult for child actors to shed public conceptions of them as a kid, hindering them from being taken seriously in Hollywood as adults.
But at 30, Dakota Fanning is feeling better than ever about her creative voice and agency.
“At this point in my life, I feel very settled in like who I am and what I want and what I don’t want and what I like and what I don’t like,” she said while promoting her latest film, “The Watchers”.
That’s not to say Fanning didn’t receive critical acclaim almost as soon as her career began. She is, after all, the youngest person to receive a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination — she was 7 at the time — in the show’s nearly 30-year history for her performance in “I Am Sam.”
But in the more than two decades since that 2001 breakout role, Fanning has learned a lot about the nature of the business and how to achieve both success and satisfaction in it, something that inspired her to start a production company with her sister and fellow actor, Elle Fanning. “Being an actor for so long, you are reliant on other people to want you to be in their movie, to pick you, to believe in you,” she said of their decision to launch Lewellen Pictures. “Eventually you’re like, ‘Well, I just kind of want to make that happen for myself.’” Fanning has made a lot happen for herself, including earning a degree from New York University despite working consistently since the age of 5. While in school, she studied the portrayal of women in film — something she says she has always been interested in, especially when it comes to female characters who aren’t necessarily “likable.”
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