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In Lebanon, residents fear Hezbollah could be hiding among people displaced by war

A neighborhood watch group in a Christian Beirut neighborhood is on the lookout for militant operatives, which could make the area a target for Israeli airstrikes.




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From high tariffs to isolation, what a 2nd Trump term might mean for foreign policy

With wars raging around the world and high tariffs looming, Economist editor-in-chief Zanny Minton Beddoes says Trump's agenda may be chaotic — but she remains optimistic about possible good elements.




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Russia and North Korea Vow to Defend One Another

North Korea and Russia each ratified a mutual defense treaty within days of each other. The pact means the countries will defend one another if attacked. And some say it may mean more involvement by North Korea in the war between Russia and Ukraine. We hear about the ramifications from our correspondent in Seoul.




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Decades after spotting a mysterious creature in the deep, researchers announce a new species

The mystery mollusc has been identified




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Pebbles Push Back the Invention of the Wheel to About 12,000 Years Ago

Israeli archeologists use models based on their find to spin flax into yarn, indicating these pebbles were used as a version of a spinning wheel.




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Local e-learning company shifting focus with AI software launch

The training company is in discussions with a major computer manufacturing company to bring 10,000 employees onto the platform.




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Why this clean energy company isn't worried about Trump's return to power

A Durham company progressing toward its first utility-scale clean power plant says the Trump agenda actually fits its business model.




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Biotech giant Gilead Sciences to close its Seattle office, lay off employees

A spokesperson said the company's move was "part of our efforts to align resources with our long-term strategic goals."




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6 PWHL teams added to EA Sports video game NHL 25 to be released Dec. 5

Electronic Arts has incorporated the Professional Women's Hockey League into its NHL 25 video game with six teams represented in "play now," "online versus," "shootout" and "season" modes, plus a championship Walter Cup.



  • Sports/Hockey/PWHL

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Canada puts its Billie Jean King Cup title on the line this week

CBC Sports' daily newsletter previews the premier event in international women's team tennis, where Canada is looking to repeat its surprising victory last year.




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Canadian goalkeeper Crépeau's focus is always to accumulate small wins and greatness will follow

For Canadian men's soccer goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau, it's all about winning the small contest in front of you, and accumulate enough of those wins in succession, and greatness will follow.




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Strava’s new Night Heatmaps look to make subscribers safer after dark

Wouldn't it be nice if you could go out for a run without fear of being harmed? Technology has a way of making us both safer and at greater risk while out and about, but a new tool from Strava might help with the former. Strava has announced Night Heatmaps, a feature that shows which areas have more activity — or "heat" — between sunset and sunrise. Yes, Heatmaps is the feature that accidentally revealed the location of US military bases

The update is a welcome one with sunset getting very early in some areas of the world, while night seems to last late into the morning. It also comes alongside a new Weekly Heatmap, which shows heat levels in an area over the last seven days. Again, this can help you know which paths will have the most people, but at all times of the day. While this added awareness is great for knowing where to go, some people might also purposely choose to avoid the busiest times, for fear of unwanted attention (there's no winning here). 

In either case, the Night and Weekly Heatmaps are only available on subscriber accounts (a membership will cost you $12 monthly or $80 annually). It's also worth noting that Heatmaps pull solely from public activities on Strava, so you're not getting the full story of how many people go where. 

Night and Weekly Heatmaps join the Global Heatmaps (also subscriber exclusive) and your Personal Heatmap. You can access any of them through the Map tab and filter the Heatmap by activity type. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/stravas-new-night-heatmaps-look-to-make-subscribers-safer-after-dark-140011174.html?src=rss




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YouTube creators can now make AI song remixes for Shorts

Select YouTube creators can now produce their own remixes of existing songs. YouTube has announced a new feature for its AI-powered Dream Track tool that allows individuals to "restyle" a song and create a 30-second tune to use in a Short. 

Creators in the experiment group for this feature can choose from eligible songs and then give an explanation to AI about how they want to remix it. These changes could focus on giving the song a different genre or mood — whatever twist they're imagining. From there a new song gets produced "that reimagines the music while maintaining the essence of the original song’s vocals and lyrics," YouTube's announcement states. "These restyled soundtracks will have clear attribution to the original song through the Short itself and the Shorts audio pivot page, and will also clearly indicate that the track was restyled with AI."

YouTube rolled out Dream Track in November 2023, powered by Google DeepMind's Lyria model. It allowed a select group of US creators to make songs using the AI-generated voices of participating artists. The feature included a deal with Universal Music Group and partnerships with a slew of musicians, including John Legend, Charli XCX and Troye Sivan. It has expanded its availability to all US creators in the year since. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/youtube-creators-can-now-make-ai-song-remixes-for-shorts-143015775.html?src=rss




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The Guardian is leaving X

The Guardian announced it will no longer be active on X (formerly Twitter) — all its editorial accounts will stop posting on the platform. Users can, of course, still share the outlet's articles on X, and journalists working for The Guardian may link to or embed X posts in their articles or continue using the platform to gather news.

According to the statement, X has become rife with “far-right conspiracy theories and racism” and is simply not worth sinking more resources into. The newspaper would rather spend its time and energy on less "toxic" platforms. Additionally, The Guardian cites Elon Musk as a major reason for moving away, since the results of the recent US presidential election have allegedly shown how Musk "has been able to use its influence to shape political discourse." Essentially, the concern appears to be that continuing to post would be adding fuel to a propaganda machine.

The Guardian isn’t the only news outlet to ditch X: NPR and PBS both left in 2023. Corporations like Apple, IBM, Disney and others still post, but no longer advertise on X. These companies have historically been the social media platform’s biggest source of ad income, as reported by Axios.

The Guardian claims it's able to make this decision because it doesn’t rely on advertising as its main business model. But Twitter was always more about influence than driving traffic, and the returns on investment for publishers have only gotten worse with time.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/the-guardian-is-leaving-x-144549755.html?src=rss




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Meta will reportedly bring ads to Threads as soon as January

Threads could start getting ads much sooner than Meta has let on. The company is now planning to bring ads to its newest app “early next year” with the first ads arriving in January of 2025, according to a new report in The Information.

That suggests Meta is looking to start making money on the rapidly growing service far sooner than Meta executives have previously suggested. In August, when the app reached 200 million users, Mark Zuckerberg said Threads could become the company’s next billion-user service. He said making money off the app would be a "multi-year" effort. 

“All these new products, we ship them, and then there's a multi-year time horizon between scaling them and then scaling them into not just consumer experiences but very large businesses,” Zuckerberg said. In the company’s most recent earnings call, Meta CFO Susan Li said the company doesn’t “expect Threads to be a meaningful driver of 2025 revenue at this time.”

According to The Information, Meta is planning a slow rollout for ads on Threads. The company will start with “a small number” of advertisers in January. It’s unclear how quickly the effort may expand. "Since our priority is to build consumer value first and foremost, there are no ads or monetization features currently on Threads," a Meta spokesperson said in a statement. 

Meta’s reported plans highlight just how quickly the service has grown in recent months. Threads has 275 million monthly users and is seeing more than 1 million new sign-ups a day, according to Zuckerberg. That makes it by far the largest of the X alternatives that have sprung up over the last couple years.

Bluesky, another popular Twitter-like service, has also seen significant growth recently, adding a million new users in the last week, the company said Tuesday. It is still much smaller than Threads with 15 million users. Like Threads, it also currently has no advertising and the company has said it plans to experiment with subscription-based features.

Update November 13, 2024, 2 PM ET: Added a statement from a Meta spokesperson. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/meta-will-reportedly-bring-ads-to-threads-as-soon-as-january-183044211.html?src=rss




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Apple Black Friday deals include a four-pack of Apple AirTags for a record low of $70

Black Friday deals are already popping up around the web, and that includes some Apple devices. You can pick up a four-pack of Apple AirTags for just $70, which brings the price per tag down to $17.50. That's a record-low price for the four pack and just about the cheapest we've seen on the price per unit.

Apple AirTags easily made our list of the best Bluetooth trackers, particularly for regular iPhone users. We love the vast finding network, which really helps when you misplace a tag. Just think of all of those AirTags, iPhones and other Apple devices out there helping to create this network.

Apple AirTags also offer the ability to tap into the ultra-wideband (UWB) wireless protocol. This creates a sort of game out of finding lost items, as long as the object is within 25 feet of the phone. The screen will display directional arrows and a distance meter so you can zero in on the lost item without having to ring the AirTag.

There are some caveats. These trackers only really work with iPhones, so Android users should buy something else. Also, the ringer only goes for seven seconds at a time, which isn’t always enough time to track something down. Finally, there’s no attachment point for connecting to a keychain or a related item. However, there are plenty of good AirTag accessories to solve that problem.

Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/apple-black-friday-deals-include-a-four-pack-of-apple-airtags-for-a-record-low-of-70-191040376.html?src=rss




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The Ninja Creami ice cream maker is $50 off in an early Black Friday deal

Sure, early Black Friday deals offer a great opportunity to snag some essentials and upgrades for a lower price than usual, but if you have the leeway for a fun treat for yourself or a loved one, you'll find plenty of discounts in that realm too. For instance, you can snag the Ninja Creami ice cream maker for $50 off the list price. At $180, that's not too far away from its record low price, making it a solid deal. While it isn't quite the season for ice cream in North America, there's never truly a bad time to enjoy it.

The Ninja Creami is among our picks for the best kitchen gadgets. In fact, we reckon it's the best ice cream maker around.

This is a more compact ice cream machine than many other household models. The Ninja Creami is very easy to use as well, since it operates in a similar way to a food processor. You'll need to make a liquid ice cream base and then freeze it, ideally for 24 hours. You can then use the machine to blend in flavors. Cleaning up is a cinch if you have a dishwasher, since everything aside from the machine component is safe to place alongside your dishes on the racks.

On the downside, it is a rather noisy machine. We estimate that the volume is somewhere between that of a food processor and a countertop blender running at full speed. It's fairly tall too at 16 inches, so you'll want to make sure you have enough space for the Ninja Creami before buying it. Otherwise, we have no major complaints, other than the design not being overly attractive. As such, we gave it a score of 90 in our review.

The Ninja Creami has seven one-touch programs, but if you'd prefer an 11-in-1 deluxe model, you're in luck: that's on sale too. At $220, it's $30 off. It supports 24 oz tubs that hold 50 percent more ice cream than those in the original Ninja Creami. The Deluxe model also has a dual processing feature. This allows you to add two different mix-in flavors to the same base. So you can, for instance, add sprinkles to the top part and cookies to the bottom.

Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-ninja-creami-ice-cream-maker-is-50-off-in-an-early-black-friday-deal-203207931.html?src=rss




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Spotify unveils a new payout model for creators with popular videos

Spotify is aiming to give YouTube some competition with its new partner program for video creators and content that goes viral. The music and podcast app announced a new “Partner Program” that monetizes audio and video beyond income from advertising starting on January 2, 2025.

The new monetization program pays Spotify creators in two ways. Creators can earn a share of ad revenue from their content on all platforms through its Partner Program. They can also earn money through monthly podcast subscriptions that “allow listeners to support creators directly in return for exclusive bonus content and perks.”

Both tiers also come with eligibility requirements. The Spotify Partner Program requires participants to host and upload their content through its Spotify for Creators platform, have streamed 10,000 hours and at least 2,000 unique views in a 30-day period and published at least 12 episodes. Subscriptions will be open to content creators who have at least two published episodes and at least 100 unique Spotify listeners in a 60-day period. The new programs will be available for subscribers in the US, UK, Canada and Australia next January.

Spotify has taken other steps to make its video and music content more accessible and mainstream. The music and video streamer integrated with TikTok and Instagram so users can post tracks on the social media sites.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/music/spotify-unveils-a-new-payout-model-for-creators-with-popular-videos-221706698.html?src=rss




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The Professional Women's Hockey League will join EA's NHL 25 this year

NHL 25 is slated to get a sizable content update at the end of the year. EA announced that the six teams of the Professional Women's Hockey League will be added to the game in an update this December. The Boston Fleet, Minnesota Frost, Montréal Victoire, New York Sirens, Ottawa Charge and Toronto Sceptres will be available to choose in the game's Play Now, Online Versus, Shootout and Season modes.

This EA sports franchise has been putting more women's leagues and female players into the spotlight in recent installments. Women's teams first appeared in NHL 22 back in 2022, and last year NHL 23 showcased Olympic gold medalist Sarah Nurse of Team Canada on its cover alongside Trevor Zegras of the Anaheim Ducks.

In addition to the December update with the PWHL partnership, NHL 25 is adding an NHL Arcade mode this Friday. In early 2025, the game will also see new content tied to the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off event.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/the-professional-womens-hockey-league-will-join-eas-nhl-25-this-year-224023998.html?src=rss




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Make FLOTUS Great Again

Normalize Melania.




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The Trump Team 2.0

This time, it’s different — probably in large part due to Susie Wiles.




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After a brief retreat, politicians are again clamouring for the notwithstanding clause

When Ontario Premier Doug Ford was compelled to abandon his attempt to use the notwithstanding clause to end a labour dispute in 2022, it was possible to believe the tide had turned against the Charter’s escape clause. But the political temptation to override legal rights is apparently still strong.




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Researchers urge federal government to halt macaque imports to Quebec for medical research

Dozens of researchers across Canada have joined a growing chorus of voices urging the federal government to halt the importation of an endangered monkey species for medical research in Quebec.



  • News/Canada/Montreal

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Trump's appointees have criticized Trudeau, warned of border issues with Canada

Donald Trump's second administration is filling up with some of his most loyal supporters and many of the people landing top jobs have been critical of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and security at Canada's border.




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Trudeau flying in and out of Bermuda Wednesday to deliver eulogy for Peter Green

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is flying in and out of Bermuda on Wednesday, where he will deliver a eulogy at the funeral for Peter Green, a close family friend.




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New docuseries examines 2010 murder of Laura Letts Beckett near Revelstoke, B.C.

Peter Beckett was found guilty of first-degree murder in 2017, but his conviction was overturned in 2020.



  • News/Canada/British Columbia

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Emilia Pérez hit Netflix today. Read our original review on the 'musical mess'

The new musical starring Karla Sofía Gascón, Zoe Saldaña and Selena Gomez is a convoluted misfire.




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Why Canada could become the next nuclear energy 'superpower'

With its rich resources, uranium mining companies want Canada to play a key role in fuelling nuclear reactors worldwide.




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Where Can Self-Insured Employers Look to Find Healthcare Savings?

Are you a self-insured employer looking for ways to reduce healthcare spend? Join us for a webinar on December 11 in which HR executives will share their insights.

The post Where Can Self-Insured Employers Look to Find Healthcare Savings? appeared first on MedCity News.




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Trump, RFK Jr., and the Healthcare Bombshell No One Sees Coming

The convergence of Trump’s political capital, Kennedy’s agricultural vision, and existing technological capabilities creates an unprecedented opportunity to restructure America’s approach to health and disease prevention.

The post Trump, RFK Jr., and the Healthcare Bombshell No One Sees Coming appeared first on MedCity News.




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How One Optum Exec Is Handling the Influx of Digital Mental Health Solutions

There has been a surge in digital mental health solutions, making it difficult to know which ones are effective. One Optum exec weighed in on how she’s managing this challenge.

The post How One Optum Exec Is Handling the Influx of Digital Mental Health Solutions appeared first on MedCity News.




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Pharmacy college job fairs propel rapport between academia and industry to create capable workforce

Pharmacy college job fairs play a critical role in bridging the gap between academia and industry. The fair provides a platform for pharmaceutical companies to communicate their hiring needs directly to students. This




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Demand for packaging with anti-counterfeit features is growing

Packaging specialist at Sumitomo (SHI) Demag UK Ashlee Gough examines the latest techniques being deployed to counteract these infringements and different methods to safeguard product and named-brand integrity.




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The U.S. Must Lead the Global Fight against Superbugs

Antimicrobial resistance could claim 39 million lives by 2050, yet the pipeline for new antibiotics is drying up. U.S. policy makers can help fix it




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Are Alternate Timelines Real? Quantum Physics Explains

The multiverse offers no escape from our reality—which might be a very good thing




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Kristi Noem, Trump’s Nominee for Leader of the Department of Homeland Security, Has Rejected Climate Science

President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Homeland Security and its disaster agency has said people aren’t driving temperature increases and declined to accept federal climate money for disaster preparedness as governor of South Dakota




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What happens when a vaccine skeptic leads health policy? Ask Florida

Among the names being floated to head the Department of Health and Human Services are RFK Jr. and Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo. Both are vaccine skeptics, which worries pediatricians.




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Trump's team drawing up list of Pentagon officers to fire: Sources

WASHINGTON — Members of President-elect Donald Trump's transition team are drawing up a list of military officers to be fired, potentially to include the Joint Chiefs of Staff, two sources said, in what would be an unprecedented shakeup at the Pentagon. The planning for the firings is at an early stage after Trump's Nov 5 election victory and could change as Trump's administration takes shape, said the sources, who are familiar with the Trump transition and requested anonymity to speak candidly about the plans. One of the sources questioned the feasibility of a mass firing at the Pentagon. It was also unclear if Trump himself would endorse the plan, although in the past he has railed extensively against defence leaders who have criticised him. Trump has also spoken during the campaign of firing "woke" generals and those responsible for the troubled 2021 pullout from Afghanistan. The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to request for comment.




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European powers pushing for resolution against Iran at IAEA, diplomats say

PARIS/VIENNA — European powers are pushing for a new resolution against Iran by the United Nations atomic watchdog's board next week to pressure Tehran over its poor co-operation, as the world awaits the return of US President-elect Donald Trump, diplomats say. Such resolutions risk further diplomatic tension with Iran. It has retaliated to previous ones and other criticism at the International Atomic Energy Agency's 35-nation Board of Governors by stepping up its nuclear activities and barring top IAEA inspectors, heightening Western concerns about its aims. The resolution would task the IAEA with issuing a so-called "comprehensive report" on Iran's nuclear activities in addition to its regular quarterly ones, which would describe in more detail and put further focus on problem areas like Iran's continued failure to explain uranium traces found at undeclared sites.




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Israel wants freedom to strike Lebanon even after ceasefire, France says

PARIS — Israeli officials are insisting on maintaining a capacity to strike Lebanon at any moment as part of conditions to secure a ceasefire with Iran-backed Hezbollah, France's foreign minister said on Wednesday (Nov 13). Speaking to a parliamentary hearing after holding talks in Israel last week in Jerusalem, Jean-Noel Barrot said it was a condition increasingly voiced among Israeli officials. "Today we hear in Israel voices calling for it to keep a capacity to strike at any moment or even enter Lebanon, as is the case with its neighbour Syria," said Barrot, who held talks with Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer and new Defence Minister Israel Katz last week. "That is not compatible with the sovereignty of a strong country," Barrot said, referring to broader efforts to help strengthen Lebanon's governance. Several diplomats said that it would be all but impossible to get Hezbollah or Lebanon to accept any proposal that included this demand.




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Suspected bomber dead after trying to enter Brazil's top court ahead of G20

BRASILIA — A man killed himself with a bomb outside Brazil’s Supreme Court after trying to enter the building on Wednesday (Nov 13), officials said, stirring security concerns before the country hosts global leaders from the Group of 20 major economies. The blasts come five days before the G20 heads of state meet in Rio de Janeiro, followed by a state visit to the capital Brasilia by Chinese President Xi Jinping. The first of two explosions went off on Wednesday evening in a parking lot near the court building and a second blast came seconds later in front of the court, where the man’s body was found. Federal District Vice Governor Celina Leao said preliminary information suggested the man had killed himself with explosives after trying to enter the Supreme Court. She said he owned a nearby car in which another explosion blew open the trunk. Leao said she hoped it was the crime of a “lone wolf,” but she could not be sure. Police said they had not made a final identification of the dead man as they were confronting the risk of additional explosives on the body.




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Law amended to increase parental leave and mandatory paternity leave

SINGAPORE — A law was amended on Wednesday (Nov 13) to implement more government-paid parental leave and mandatory paternity leave, which had been announced earlier in August. Under the amendments to the Child Development Co-Savings Act, parents-to-be will get another 10 weeks of shared leave on top of their current leave entitlement, bringing the total amount of government-paid parental leave to 30 weeks by April 1, 2026. From April 1, 2025, eligible fathers of Singaporean children will also be entitled to four weeks of mandatory government-paid paternity leave.  The new shared parental leave scheme will be rolled out in two phases, starting with six weeks from April 1, 2025, and increasing to 10 weeks from April 1, 2026. This shared leave is to be taken within 12 months of the child's birth, and employees must inform employers at least four weeks before going on leave in a continuous block.




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'How is this a liveable condition?' Tenants leave home filled with mould and dirt, horrifying agent

A property agent was shocked to discover a leased home in a filthy condition, left behind by tenants who moved out several months earlier, according to a TikTok video uploaded by user HomesWithHaziq on Saturday (Nov 9). "For my future landlords, beware," Haziq wrote in the video description. Introducing the video, he also stated: "If you're planning to rent out your whole unit, watch this video first." According to Haziq, the home had been tenanted out for less than two years to a group of foreigners who had little interaction with one another, keeping to their own rooms. The location of the property was not disclosed, but Haziq shared with AsiaOne that it is located in the west. Starting with the living room, things appear to be clean at first glance - if a little cluttered - but Haziq soon points out in the video visible spots of black dirt hidden behind the couch. "The condition of the house will speak for itself," he added. The first toilet certainly proved his point - the toilet seat was yellowed, with the bottom of the bowl stained black.




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Indonesian president says he will safeguard sovereignty in South China Sea

JAKARTA — Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto said he would "always safeguard our sovereignty" when asked about the issue of the South China Sea, adding partnerships are better than conflicts and that "we respect all powers". Prabowo's comments, made while he was in Washington on Wednesday (Nov 13), came after his foreign ministry stressed that Indonesia does not recognise China's claims over the South China Sea despite signing a maritime deal with Beijing last weekend. Beijing has long clashed with Southeast Asian nations over the South China Sea, which it claims almost in its entirety, based on a "nine-dash line" on its maps that cuts into the exclusive economic zones (EEZ) of several countries. "We respect all powers, but we will always safeguard our sovereignty. But I choose to always find possibilities of a partnership," said Prabowo, who has repeatedly said he will pursue a non-aligned foreign policy. "Partnerships are better than conflicts," he told reporters.




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UK IT and security teams face mounting pressure from legacy technology

This post explores the challenges UK IT and security teams face due to legacy tech and the rise of generative AI. Results reveal a surge in security incidents and burno…




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Fitbit Ace LTE has new features to bring the whole family together

New features for Fitbit Ace LTE helps bring the family closer together and gives kids new ways to move.




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Increasing the power of engagement and creators on YouTube

An overview of the new ways brands can stand out and make valuable connections on YouTube, including on Shorts and with creators.





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Weather Forecast: सावधान! इस राज्य के 21 जिलों में भारी बारिश की आशंका, 3 दिनों के लिए अलर्ट जारी

Tamil Nadu Rain Alert: देश की राजधानी दिल्ली जहां स्मोग से परेशान है तो वहीं दक्षिण भारत में बारिश ने कहर बरसाया हुआ है, जिसकी वजह से यहां के तापमान में तेजी से गिरावट आई है। भारतीय मौसम विभाग ने अपने




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Weather Update: दिल्ली-एनसीआर में ठंड ने दी दस्तक, जानिए देशभर में कैसा रहेगा मौसम का हाल

Weather Update: देश में मौसम के मिजाज में बदलाव देखने को मिल रहा है। पहाड़ों पर ताजा बर्फबारी ने सर्दी का मौसम शुरू कर दिया है, जबकि मैदानी इलाकों में भी तापमान में गिरावट देखी गई है। बीते कुछ दिनों से