Despite concerns buyers would delay home purchases until after the election, metro Denver’s housing market sizzled in October. That activity bucks a national trend. A Redfin survey shows that 23% of first-time buyers plan to wait until after the election to purchase, citing economic uncertainty, potential rate cuts, and candidate policy impacts. According to the […]

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Engagement rings, symbols of love and commitment, have journeyed through time, evolving in design, material, and meaning. This evolution reflects changing fashion trends and deeper shifts in social norms, economic conditions, and technological advancements. From the ancient times when rings were simple iron bands to the present day when they embody intricate designs and diverse ... Read more

The post The Evolution of Engagement Rings: A Journey from Traditional to Modern Choices appeared first on Star Two.

As wildfires escalate in Western states, authorities are embracing once-outlawed burning practices.

In this workshop, we will explore the role of innovation in supporting traditional practices that conserve agricultural heritage systems.  

Traditional agricultural practices, often rooted in the local communities and the knowledge [...]

Learn about the history of wild rice and the Ojibwa

The team traveled from New Zealand to Tonga along a humpback highway to collect environmental DNA and raise awareness of the plight of the marine mammals

A century on, the country’s most beloved Thursday spectacle reaches new heights

The 50th Christmas Craft Fair gathered over a hundred vendors and thousands of customers in Torbay over the weekend. One family business was inspired by the early years of the fair and a passion to keep traditional crafts in style.

Long-term workers tell local friends the meaning of ancient traditions, sharing the Bible stories behind their rituals.

There are "no measurable differences" between the performance of charter schools and traditional public schools on national reading and math assessments from 2017, a finding that persists when parents' educational attainment was factored into the results.

Three national educational funders explain a new program that is highlighting innovative practices in schools around the country.

Retired Master Sgt. Gary Barb, campus technology officer at Penn State Harrisburg, is a veteran of both the U.S. Navy, which he served from 1989 to 1993, and the Pennsylvania Air National Guard, which he served from 1994 to 2012. His daughter, Jessica Barb, is a communications major at Penn State Harrisburg, where she participates in the Army ROTC program, and serves in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard.

This article will discuss why B2B digital marketing is advantageous over traditional marketing and why it is becoming rapidly crucial for businesses to make the switch

SANTIAGO, Chile — It's Friday night in Santiago, and 15 people gather around a table, sharing a bottle of wine as the smell of tobacco and incense fill the air. Black candles burn on top of an altar decorated with chalices and knives. The members of the Temple of Satan are about to start a ritual.  Five years after the Satanic Temple of the United States made headlines — and unleashed a wave of panic — when it was designated a church, a similar organization in Chile, a conservative country where half of its population of 18 million identifies as Catholic, is asking the government to be recognized legally as a religious association.  Scholars, believers and residents consulted by The Associated Press note that Chile, where a long-lasting tradition of Catholicism has played a leading role in public discussions, is experiencing a crisis of faith, following revelations of multiple sexual abuse scandals within the Catholic Church over the years.  "These types of organizations now feel that they have greater support to challenge what was virtually impossible before," said Luis Bahamondes, a professor at the Center for Judaic Studies at the University of Chile. And that's because, "until very recently, the Catholic Church enjoyed an unprecedented power. It had an opinion on everything: politics, economics, geopolitics, sexuality and education."  No sacrifices, devil worship Despite its name, the Temple of Satan: Satanists and Luciferians of Chile does not embark on sacrifices nor ask its congregants to worship the devil. Among its 100 members are people who work as publicists, firefighters, police officers, lawyers and psychologists, and who have found in the organization a way to defy moral norms, dogmas and religious impositions.  While they embrace the term Satanist, they don't revere or believe in Satan. Instead, they worship rationality, individualism, pleasure and the mundane life.  Rather than gods, they praise humankind.  "You are the owner of your present and future, there is no God that makes decisions for you," said Haborym, a spokesperson for the group, during a walk through tombs and mausoleums at the General Cemetery of Santiago. He noted that the figure of Satan is purely symbolic and their rituals are performed "to bring out the emotions and leave the intellect aside."  Haborym and other members of the Temple of Satan in Chile spoke on condition their real names not be used, particularly with many holding public-facing jobs, citing growing threats.  While Hollywood movies like "Rosemary's Baby" and TV series such as "True Detective" helped to portray the idea of Satanists as linked to sacrifice, evil, pain and death, modern groups like Chile's Temple of Satan are strongly against animal abuse, prohibit the affiliation of people with criminal records, see pleasures as a delight rather than a sin, and do not express their opinions unless asked.  "We don't want people killing in the name of Satan," said Haborym.  How to join In order to join Chile's Temple of Satan, applicants are requested to go through a lengthy process that includes filling out a form, showing proof of not having a criminal record, being interviewed by a special commission and, finally, being evaluated by a psychologist.  Once they are accepted, members can choose a new name — normally that of a demon or fallen angel — with which they will be identified inside the temple and among other associates.  Founded in 2021, Chile's Temple of Satan has 100 members, and more than 400 people applied to join in the past few weeks, said Haborym. The interest spiked at the end of July, when the group formally requested that the country's Ministry of Justice legally recognize it as a religious association.  A media frenzy followed, unleashing a heated debate and causing a stir among Chile's main religious denominations.  "The history of Satanism is well known [and] it has often been the cause of tragedies," the leaders of several churches in Chile, including the Catholic, Anglican, Jewish and Evangelical, said in a joint statement.  Following in the steps of the Church of Satan, founded in 1966 by Anton Szandor LaVey, modern Satanists praise skepticism and logic over celestial or supernatural beings. Its followers are free to formulate their own beliefs, rites and spiritual practices.  Many self-described Satanists and Luciferians are atheists. Others say they are witches or believe in the power of magic.  "We do accept that there are certain bases, both academic and esoteric, that give meaning to our existence and reality," said Azazel, who quit Judaism four years ago and, one year later, founded the Temple of Satan of Chile.  His words resonate in the darkness of the chamber and are interspersed with chants, clapping, mantras and readings of passages from the Satanic Bible and the Bible of the Adversary, the main guidelines of the group.  Disappointed worshippers Just like Azazel, others have turned to the Temple of Satan out of disappointment with traditional religions. The new congregants include not only occultists and esotericists, but also Catholics, Jews, Protestants and Evangelicals.  "In Satanism there are no solutions or absolute truths. You are your own god and you create your own reality," said Kali Ma, a dentistry student who was born and raised in a Jehovah's Witness family. "If we compare both, Jehovah's Witnesses are the real sect," she said. "They don't let you do certain things, they tell you how to dress, what to do, how to behave, whether or not to grow a beard."  Nestor da Costa, an expert in secularism and religion at the Catholic University of Uruguay, said the influx of people seeking answers through different perspectives might be linked to the search for less dogmatic approaches.  "It may be a readjustment of the religious side of people who leave Catholicism but continue to believe in something," he said.  It is unclear if the Chilean government will legally recognize the Temple of Satan as a legitimate religious association, but its very existence has already helped to spark a discussion that until recently was unthinkable in this conservative society.  Demanding recognition is the ultimate expression of everything praised by Satanic aesthetics: the rebellion against the status quo and the breakup with deep-rooted traditions.  "We comply with everything that is requested of us as a religious entity," says Haborym. "So there would be no reason to reject us beyond the fact that we're a controversial figure." 

Maltese judge quashes extradition to the US of Daniel Meli, ordering that his case be reheard by the magistrates’ court 

ABSTRACTMore than half of births among Indigenous women in Guatemala are still being attended at home by providers with no formal training. We describe the incorporation of comadronas (traditional midwives) into casas maternas (birthing centers) in the rural highlands of western Guatemala. Although there was initial resistance to the casa, comadronas and clients have become increasingly enthusiastic about them. The casas provide the opportunity for comadronas to continue the cultural traditions of prayers, massages, and other practices that honor the vital spiritual dimension of childbirth close to home in a home-like environment with extended family support while at the same time providing a safer childbirth experience in which complications can be detected by trained personnel at the casa, managed locally, or promptly referred to a higher-level facility. Given the growing acceptance of this innovation in an environment in which geographical, financial, and cultural barriers to deliveries at higher-level facilities lead most women to deliver at home, casas maternas represent a feasible option for reducing the high level of maternal mortality in Guatemala.This article provides an update on the growing utilization of casas and provides new insights into the role of comadronas as birthing team members and enthusiastic promotors of casas maternas as a preferable alternative to home births. Through the end of 2023, these casas maternas had cared for 4,322 women giving birth. No maternal deaths occurred at a casa, but 4 died after referral.The Ministry of Health of Guatemala has recently adopted this approach and has begun to implement it in other rural areas where home births still predominate. This approach deserves consideration as a viable and feasible option for reducing maternal mortality throughout the world where home births are still common, while at the same time providing women with respectful and culturally appropriate care.

Oversimplification about integration of traditional and modern treatment systems often creates confusion among the stakeholders, and nobody understands the reality of the integration and what it is meant for, said Dr.

Fugitive lawyer Charles Yeo, who is in custody in the UK, is currently awaiting an extradition hearing, reported CNA on Tuesday (Nov 12).  A court date for the extradition hearing has not been determined, but Yeo is set to attend a bail hearing on Friday, according to the report. In an Instagram post on Nov 1, the former chairman of the Reform Party said the Singapore government had made a formal request for his extradition. In his post, Yeo also said that he will be presenting himself, together with his legal team, at Westminster Magistrates Court on Nov 11. Yeo left Singapore in July 2022 after being charged earlier that year with multiple offences relating to harassment and wounding the religious feelings of Christians in several social media posts. In August 2022, a warrant of arrest was issued against him for breaching the conditions for overseas travel while on bail.  He was allowed to travel to Vietnam for work, but failed to return to Singapore and claimed he was seeking political asylum in the UK. 

Nov 2, 2022

U.S. power extends beyond the military and economic spheres to include policing. The United States has used its global policing power to capture terrorists, warlords, and drug kingpins. But extradition is not simply a bureaucratic tool. States’ geopolitical interests shape their willingness to cooperate with others in extraditing fugitives. 

Emphasizing the importance of medlinkbreastfeeding/medlink, Gujarat Minister Bhanubhen Babaria encouraged mothers to exclusively breastfeed their babies and avoid traditional feeding practices.

IWMI supports efforts at tank restoration and promotion to enhance groundwater availability by means of Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR).

The post Can traditional tanks help Bengaluru revive its declining groundwater levels? first appeared on International Water Management Institute (IWMI).

Burning incense, a widespread practice in cultural and religious rituals, poses substantial health risks for people with allergies and asthma as per a

Traditional Chinese medicine is safe and effective for treating recurrent respiratory infections in children, reveals a new study. The practice of

Ayurvedic medicine, commonly known as Ayurveda, is becoming popular across the globe day-by day due to its natural healing effects. Ayurveda is currently

Medicinal Labrador tea plant compounds were found to offer protective activity against the parasite responsible for medlinkmalaria/medlink (!--ref1--).

Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Mansukh Mandaviya, emphasized the government's distinct attention towards medlinktraditional medicine/medlink,

The use of Siddha drug treatment can help reduce medlinkanemia/medlink among adolescent girls as per a study that highlights the potential of traditional

While much attention is currently focused on the search for a breakthrough dementia drug, traditional medicines may offer important clues for prevention (!--ref1--).

Every girl has a desire to look her best on the day of her wedding. After all marriage is the most important day in any girl's life. The day when...

Even though the festivities are coming to an end, Raashi Khanna is making sure she keeps the festive cheer alive with her choice of outfits

In a heartfelt tribute to the late Rohit Bal, Ananya Panday donned a 21-year-old suit designed by the iconic designer for her mother, Bhavana Pandey. Ananya's mother Bhavana commented, "It looks great on you !!!!!."

As urban consumers increasingly seek health-oriented products, smart snacking in India has grown 1.2 times faster than traditional snacks, according to a report on Tuesday.

Many are calling decentralized finance, or DeFi, the “Wild West of finance.” This fast-growing industry aims to provide automated banking services for cryptocurrencies to everyone, with no middle men. But DeFi is still in its early stages, which means there are risks. WSJ explains. Photo illustration: Tammy Lian/WSJ

A new study reveals that India's smart snacking sector is rapidly expanding as consumers seek health-focused options over traditional snacks.

What feels like a cosy and warm hug in winter? Well, they have to be either quilts, comforters or duvets. While Comforters and duvets are always much sought-after items, especially during freezing temperatures or extreme cold; most Indians prefer

Ada : Baker Academic, 2022.

New Haven ; London : Yale University Press, [2005]

Manchester : Manchester University Press, [2017]

London ; New York, New York : Continuum, [2004]

Abingdon, Oxon ; New York, NY : Routledge, 2020.

Swansea, Wales : Classical Press of Wales, 2004.

Amherst : Cambria Press, [2008]

Visit Bhopoli village in Palghar district of Maharashtra to de-stress from urban pressures and to go back to nature

Evenings snacks are a serious business with Bengali cha and the tradition may have something to do with the high tea of the Brits

Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2024

Genelia's gyaan... Amruta gets a haircut... Jaya gets nostalgic...

Assam’s Nati dance tradition is set on the path to regaining respect.