In 2001, Tony Bennett and his wife opened an arts school for 250 students; how it looks 25 years later
Times of India •

In 2001, Tony Bennett and his wife opened an arts school for 250 students; how it looks 25 years later

Tony Bennett and Susan Benedetto co-founded the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts in 2001 in New York. The school offers specialized training in various art forms while maintaining a strong academic curriculum. Students can major in dance, drama, film, fine art, vocal music, or instrumental music. The school moved to a permanent facility in 2009, equipped with state-of-the-art spaces for performanc...

Why Plato-to-Nato Western myth is being resurrected
SCMP •

Why Plato-to-Nato Western myth is being resurrected

Standing before the Acropolis in Athens earlier this month, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the West’s story “the greatest story ever known to man”. But didn’t Hollywood tell us the greatest story ever told was that of Jesus of Nazareth? The decisions of the coming decade, Rubio said, “will determine whether the West maintains its place at the head of the world or resigns itself to a futu...

Microsoft pulls out of AI datacentre project in Essex over power supply concerns

Microsoft pulls out of AI datacentre project in Essex over power supply concerns

The Guardian •

Development by UK firm Nscale heralded by ministers as largest of its kind in country loses anchor tenantThe development of a huge AI datacentre hailed by the UK government has received a fresh setback after Microsoft pulled out of the project over concerns about power supplies.The development by the British company Nscale, heralded by ministers as the country’s largest AI datacentre when it was a...

Microsoft drops huge AI datacentre project in Essex over power supply concerns

Microsoft drops huge AI datacentre project in Essex over power supply concerns

The Guardian •

Development by UK firm Nscale heralded by ministers as largest of its kind in the country loses its anchor tenantThe development of a huge AI datacentre hailed by the UK government has received a fresh setback after Microsoft pulled out of the project over concerns about power supplies.The development by the British firm Nscale, heralded by ministers as the country’s largest AI datacentre when it ...

U.S. taking Putin’s side would be a ‘historic mistake,’ says Zelenskyy

U.S. taking Putin’s side would be a ‘historic mistake,’ says Zelenskyy

NBC News •

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned that the U.S. formally siding with Russia’s Vladimir Putin would be a “historic mistake,” but said he still sees President Donald Trump as an ally despite a series of moves that have unsettled his country and its allies on Capitol Hill.

Texas Supreme Court to decide if city can seize land for a privately run golf facility

Texas Supreme Court to decide if city can seize land for a privately run golf facility

Times of India •

The Texas Supreme Court will examine an eminent domain case involving Westworth Village's attempt to acquire land from Jim Burgess for a golf facility. Following a previous ruling that deemed the taking unconstitutional on public use grounds, the case delves into the legality of local governments appropriating private property for private enterprise projects. This decision holds the potential to s...

Ukrainian drone attack on Saint Petersburg kills one, sets refinery ablaze

Ukrainian drone attack on Saint Petersburg kills one, sets refinery ablaze

France 24 •

A large-scale Ukrainian drone attack on Russia's second-largest city Saint Petersburg killed at least one person and hospitalised another five on Sunday. The attack – which also sparked fires at an oil refinery and depot – comes as Kyiv accused Russia of violating Washington's "energy ceasefire" dozens of times.   

Ukraine sets Saint Petersburg refinery ablaze in large-scale drone attack

Ukraine sets Saint Petersburg refinery ablaze in large-scale drone attack

France 24 •

A large-scale Ukrainian drone attack on Russia's second-largest city Saint Petersburg killed at least one person and hospitalised another five on Sunday. The attack – which also sparked fires at an oil refinery and depot – comes as Kyiv accused Russia of violating Washington's "energy ceasefire" dozens of times.   

Pope Leo pledges return to duties following lung cancer surgery

Pope Leo pledges return to duties following lung cancer surgery

SCMP •

Pope Leo pledged on Sunday to slowly resume his usual activities as the leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics as he greeted crowds in St. Peter’s Square during his first public event since undergoing surgery for lung cancer five days ago. The 71-year-old pontiff had an ‌operation on Tuesday to remove the lower lobe of his right lung, fuelling speculation about how his illness might change hi...

How a hospital ship helps buoy China’s strategic mission in Africa

How a hospital ship helps buoy China’s strategic mission in Africa

SCMP •

By the time the Chinese navy hospital ship had docked in the Guinean capital Conakry earlier this month, patients were already queuing for free consultations. The queues in front of the Auspicious Ark were so long that some people were told to come back the next day, according to Guinean media reports. The ship, operated by the PLA Navy, offers a range of medical services wherever it stops, includ...

EPA quietly backtracks on claims US has phased out toxic Pfas compounds

EPA quietly backtracks on claims US has phased out toxic Pfas compounds

The Guardian •

Agency changes wording on website as Texas-based chemical firm continues manufacture of plastic containersThe Environmental Protection Agency has quietly backtracked on a claim that the US has phased out two of the most dangerous Pfas compounds – Pfoa and Pfos.The EPA has found that virtually no level of exposure to either in drinking water is safe, and the International Agency for Research on Can...

New NHS England policy for trans people could have ‘a number of adverse impacts’, report finds

New NHS England policy for trans people could have ‘a number of adverse impacts’, report finds

The Guardian •

Exclusive: rules on same-sex wards could lead to delays in care, discrimination and animosity between groups, finds internal assessmentTrans people could face delays and a greater risk of “corridor care” under new NHS England guidance that means they will no longer be able to use same-sex wards, according to an internal report.An NHS England impact assessment, seen by the Guardian, stated that tra...

Some conservative states aren’t using Medicaid hardship exemption – for political reasons

Some conservative states aren’t using Medicaid hardship exemption – for political reasons

The Guardian •

States like Missouri and Iowa are choosing to not take up exemption designed to help low-income people keep coverage during hardshipSome conservative states that have rejected hardship exemptions for the new Medicaid requirements may be choosing not to due to political reasons, experts say.New federal work requirements for Medicaid, slated to come into effect on 1 January, mean that adults enrolle...

Second-hand smartphone traders eye Hong Kong as springboard for global exports

Second-hand smartphone traders eye Hong Kong as springboard for global exports

SCMP •

A pavilion dedicated to second-hand smartphones has made its debut at a Hong Kong trade show now under way, drawing international recycling platforms, refurbishers and automated kiosk operators hoping to use the city as a springboard to export used devices to other markets. The inaugural Global Mobile Exchange Pavilion, co-hosted by the Hong Kong International Communications Electronic Chamber (HK...

5 dogs found dead near San Tin fish ponds in suspected poisoning case

5 dogs found dead near San Tin fish ponds in suspected poisoning case

SCMP •

Hong Kong police have launched an animal cruelty investigation after five dogs were found dead near fish ponds in the northern New Territories, with sources saying the animals may have been poisoned. The force received a report on Sunday morning from a passer-by who spotted four dog carcasses at a fish pond in San Tin, near Mai Po, and suspected the animals had been mistreated. When officers arriv...

Paris protests: A look at the aftermath

Paris protests: A look at the aftermath

France 24 •

Following yesterday's demonstrations in Paris, where violent clashes erupted between police and protesters, our reporter Antonia Kerrigan returns to place de la République.

JD Vance’s immigration tiger is turning on its rider

JD Vance’s immigration tiger is turning on its rider

Times of India •

US Vice President JD Vance admitted his rhetoric on H-1B visas was flawed during a recent town hall event. An Indian-American woman challenged him on his stance, suggesting it scapegoats immigrants. Vance defended his position by claiming he was criticizing corporate practices rather than foreign workers. His remarks have led to significant backlash from various groups regarding his mixed heritage...

Russia sold Alaska for peanuts. Now it guards America against Moscow

Russia sold Alaska for peanuts. Now it guards America against Moscow

Times of India •

In 1867, Russia sold Alaska to the United States for $7.2 million, reflecting strategic concerns. The decision stemmed from fears of potential conflict with Britain during the Crimean War. Subsequent discoveries of natural resources transformed Alaska's economic importance significantly over the years. Alaska emerged as a crucial military platform for the United States against the Russian Far East...