All posts tagged: fresh

Kevin Spacey hits back at fresh allegations in new Channel 4 documentary | Kevin Spacey

Kevin Spacey hits back at fresh allegations in new Channel 4 documentary | Kevin Spacey

Published by skeptic

One of the producers of a Channel 4 documentary that contains fresh claims that Kevin Spacey “behaved inappropriately” with men says it will be broadcast as planned on Monday, despite public denials from the actor this weekend. Dorothy Byrne, a former head of news and current affairs at the television channel, told the Observer that she hopes the new two-part programme, Spacey Unmasked, will prompt “a #MeToo moment for men” and start a wider discussion about standards of behaviour in working situations. “We’re going ahead,” said Byrne. “I’ve made a lot of programmes over decades about women suffering inappropriate behaviour, so this has been a very interesting project to work on. I do feel that it’s a #MeToo moment for men. Lots of things that were done to women 50 years ago are still being done to men, many of whom feel that  they have to put up with it. Employees now know to look out for this kind of behaviour, but they tend to assume it’s going to be a woman at risk.” The documentary …

Song for Wales winner inspires fresh bid to get country its own Eurovision place | Wales

Song for Wales winner inspires fresh bid to get country its own Eurovision place | Wales

Published by skeptic

Musicians, language campaigners and pro-independence politicians have backed a campaign to win a place for the land of song in Eurovision. There is an increasingly loud chorus of music fans who believe that Wales, a country of heavenly choirs, anthem-belting sports crowds and rousing rock bands, should be given its own place in the song contest. On Friday the campaign was given a focus with the release of a song called Anfonaf Angel (I Send An Angel) with a glitzy Eurovision-style video by the singer Sara Davies, who won this year’s Cân i Gymru (Song for Wales) competition, to draw attention to the fact that many Welsh people would like their homeland to have a chance to take part. Davies said winning Cân i Gymru made her wonder afresh why her country did not have a place in Eurovision. “It really doesn’t make much sense to me that we’re not. This will hopefully drive the idea forward and get people talking about it.” A leading voice backing the idea is the folk singer Dafydd Iwan, …

Saracens face fresh blow after Vunipola arrest with Itoje set for suspension | Saracens

Saracens face fresh blow after Vunipola arrest with Itoje set for suspension | Saracens

Published by skeptic

Saracens’ woes have been compounded after Billy Vunipola’s arrest in Mallorca with Maro Itoje facing the prospect of a suspension that could rule him out for the club’s end-of-season run-in. Only 24 hours after news of Vunipola’s arrest emerged, Itoje was cited for a dangerous tackle during Saracens’ 15-12 victory over Bath last Friday. Itoje was on Tuesday night due to appear at a disciplinary hearing with an announcement expected on Wednesday morning. Vunipola, meanwhile, is due to face the music on Wednesday as he makes his first appearance at the club since he was tasered and arrested at a nightclub in Mallorca on a team bonding trip over the weekend. The No 8 paid a fine of €240 (£205) after his arrest on suspicion of a crime of disobedience and assaulting a police officer following an express trial in Palma before flying back to Stansted on Monday. He was also handed a four-month suspended prison sentence. It is understood the players had a day off on Tuesday, but Vunipola is expected back at the …

Elon Musk Slams Tesla With Fresh Round of Layoffs

Elon Musk Slams Tesla With Fresh Round of Layoffs

Published by skeptic

Has Tesla hit rock bottom? You’re Fired Tesla CEO Elon Musk isn’t done laying off workers at his embattled EV company. In an email obtained by Electrek, Musk said he wanted Tesla to be “absolutely hard core” about layoffs, with executives whose subordinates “don’t obviously pass the excellent, necessary and trustworthy test” also now on the chopping block. As a result, the company is reportedly laying off hundreds more staff, including senior executives. The carmaker’s already reeling from a headcount reduction of more than ten percent earlier this month. Multiple top Tesla executives have resigned as well, leaving massive gaps in the company’s leadership. And now many of their teams are also being let go, with rumors suggesting the total number of workers affected by the layoffs could amount to around 20 percent of Tesla’s total headcount. The company’s already in for a “nightmare” year, with year-over-year sales dropping precipitously. Its rapidly shrinking workforce likely won’t help that situation in the short run, apart from slowing down the company’s spending. Head Winds Then there are …

Lucy Beaumont dealt fresh blow after split from Jon Richardson

Lucy Beaumont dealt fresh blow after split from Jon Richardson

Published by Sam

Lucy Beaumont has reportedly had her Yorkshire-based comedy series Hullraisers cancelled before the third season – just weeks after announcing she is due to divorce her husband Jon Richardson. The 40 year old Task Master star is a scriptwriter for the series, in which, Leah Brotherhead, Taj Atwal and Sinead Matthews play three women living and working in Hull, reports OK!. The comedy, which launched in 2022 before returning for a second series in 2023, “explores the hilarious and agonising reality of what it is to be a working class woman juggling work, kids, demanding friends, family and frustrating parents from the school playground – all whilst trying to have some fun too”. However, it’s now been reported by The Sun that, “the gang won’t be reunited for a third series, with a source saying the show is ‘two and done”. READ MORE Yorkshire Tory councillor under fire over posts praising Andrew Tate When approached, a Channel 4 spokesperson said: “We’re incredibly proud of Hullraisers and all it’s achieved, in particular, the show championed regional …

Commentary: Netflix’s Baby Reindeer brings a fresh perspective to male sexual victimisation

Commentary: Netflix’s Baby Reindeer brings a fresh perspective to male sexual victimisation

Published by Sam

Baby Reindeer bucks this trend as it’s become one of the most watched shows on Netflix. The show is harrowing and powerful as it delves into the psychological effects of stalking and sexual victimisation on Donny. Donny’s interactions with a female stalker, Martha, lead to a troubling spiral into vulnerability and mistrust. The show provides a realistic depiction of the distress associated with stalking. Donny’s journey offers an insight into consent, victimisation and the societal pressures placed on men to conform to traditional norms of masculinity, which often dictate their responses to abuse. For instance, as the stalking begins, we see Donny going along with often sexual jokes about his relationship with Martha, who is turning up at the pub he works at on a daily basis to talk to him. Despite becoming increasingly nervous about her and the increasingly sexual tone of her incessant emails, he feels pressure to “be one of the lads” in front of his colleagues. It also highlights how, as shown by Gadd’s own experience and the recent conviction of …

Rita Ora unveils fresh, bouncy hair update for the London launch of her beauty line

Rita Ora unveils fresh, bouncy hair update for the London launch of her beauty line

Published by skeptic

She’s had a busy few weeks promoting the launch of her new haircare brand, Typebea, but Rita Ora’s look has remained as flawless as ever.  Her super chic fashion choices, impeccable makeup and lust-worthy manicures have all been on point but it’s of course, Rita’s hair that continues to steal the show.  Whether she’s rocking the hydro-bob, a slicked-back look or a blonde fringe, the Praising You singer is quickly becoming our go-to hair muse. Now, we all know that Gen Z have been furiously outspoken of their hatred for the side-parting, preferring a centre-part instead but, after spotting Rita’s latest switch-up, we can finally see why.  © Instagram / @ritaoraRita’s ditched her trusted side-part for the first time in forever Rita is known for creating many gorgeous hairstyles alongside her trademark side-part but, her latest post is making us all question whether the middle-part might be a more up-to-date styling choice or at least one to experiment with from time to time.  Starting the first-leg of her London promo tour for her inclusive, luxury …

Ethiopian plastic upcycling startup Kubik gets fresh funding, plans to license out its tech

Ethiopian plastic upcycling startup Kubik gets fresh funding, plans to license out its tech

Published by skeptic

Kubik, a plastic upcycling startup, has raised a $1.9 million seed extension, months after announcing initial equity investment. The startup’s latest investment is from African Renaissance Partners, an East African venture capital firm; Endgame Capital, an investor with a bias for technologies around climate change; and King Philanthropies, a climate and extreme poverty investor. The fresh capital comes as the startup scales its operations in Ethiopia following the launch of its factory in Addis Ababa, where it is turning plastic waste into interlocking building materials like bricks, columns, beams and jambs. Kubik co-founder and CEO Kidus Asfaw, told TechCrunch that the startup intends to double down on its operations in Addis Ababa, as it lays ground for pan-African growth from 2025. Kubik’s approach involves upcycling plastic waste into “low-carbon, durable, and affordable” building materials using proprietary technology, which Asfaw says they will out-license for faster pan-African, and the eventual global growth. “What we want to do is solve problems for cities and so, we’re thinking about our business model being truly circular. The way we’ve …

Tire toxicity faces fresh scrutiny after salmon die-offs

Tire toxicity faces fresh scrutiny after salmon die-offs

Published by skeptic

This article was originally published on KFF Health News. For decades, concerns about automobile pollution have focused on what comes out of the tailpipe. Now, researchers and regulators say, we need to pay more attention to toxic emissions from tires as vehicles roll down the road. At the top of the list of worries is a chemical called 6PPD, which is added to rubber tires to help them last longer. When tires wear on pavement, 6PPD is released. It reacts with ozone to become a different chemical, 6PPD-q, which can be extremely toxic—so much so that it has been linked to repeated fish kills in Washington state. The trouble with tires doesn’t stop there. Tires are made primarily of natural rubber and synthetic rubber, but they contain hundreds of other ingredients, often including steel and heavy metals such as copper, lead, cadmium, and zinc. As car tires wear, the rubber disappears in particles, both bits that can be seen with the naked eye and microparticles. Testing by a British company, Emissions Analytics, found that a car’s …