In a testament to the growing influence of Nollywood, Toyin Abraham’s comedy-drama film “Alakada: Bad and Boujee” has secured an impressive fifth position among the highest-grossing movies of 2024, with a staggering box office haul of over N200 million. The film’s producer and star, Toyin Abraham, took to social media to express her heartfelt gratitude…
Kangana Ranaut has offered Karan Johar a role in her directorial film. The actress wants to cast the filmmaker for what would supposedly be a ‘proper role.’ She, who wanted Karan to play a villain in her biopic at one point, has now extended a hand and offered him a movie on a public platform. Here’s what exactly happened…Kangana Ranaut offers Karan Johar her directorial filmKangana Ranaut wants to cast Karan Johar in her directorial film. The actress even promised to give the filmmaker a ‘proper role in a proper film.’ While promoting Emergency on Indian Idol 15 (available for streaming on SonyLIV via OTTplay Premium), Kangana made the statement. She said, “I’m sorry to say, but Karan sir ko mere saath movie karna chahiye (should do a movie with me).” While responding to whether she’s open to working in a Dharma film, Kangana added that her movie would be one that has ‘saas-bahu chugalbaazi or a movie that would be a PR exercise.’Will Karan Johar play a villain in Kangana Ranaut’s film?Kangana did not specify whether Karan would play the hero or villain in her movie. Interestingly, during her infamous segment on Koffee With Karan season 5, Kangana expressed her desire to cast Karan as the villain in her biopic. It is when she called him the ‘flagbearer of nepotism.’ At that point, Karan said that he chose not to work with Kangana because he made a choice and not because she’s not a star kid.Kangana Ranaut, Karan Johar (Instagram).Kangana Ranaut’s EmergencyEmergency, based on the dark period in India’s history, covers Indira Gandhi’s life as the PM. Kangana plays Indira in the film which is directed and produced by her. Before switching to politics, Kangana declared Emergency as her last movie since she was tired of how Bollywood treats women. However, from what we see, Kangana has not shut the door completely on Bollywood, for now.Also starring Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman and Mahima Chaudhary, Emergency is finally cleared by the censor board and is scheduled to release in theatres on January 17.
Friday, 10 January 2025, 14:28
Vaccination against flu is effective in both preventing infection and reducing mortality, although the level of protection varies according to age group and influenza virus subtype, according to a meta-analysis conducted by Spanish scientists and published in the European Respiratory Review. After reviewing 192 reports that had studied the effectiveness of the vaccine in 6.5 million patients in 38 countries, the text concludes that vaccination halves the chance of dying in the event of infection, especially in people at risk.
Led by scientists from the CEU San Pablo university, and also involving the Carlos III health institute, the national influenza centre in Valladolid and the Hospital 12 de Octubre in Madrid, the research has examined the effectiveness of the flu vaccine by age and with respect to the three most common subtypes of the virus. The results show that the vaccine is effective in preventing infection against the H1N1 subtype of the influenza A virus and against the influenza B virus in all age groups, from children under five years old to people over 65, while for the H3N2 subtype, the jab is effective in young children, but provides somewhat less protection in adults.
“Vaccination reduces up to four times the probability of death in people with cardiovascular problems such as hypertension, and also significantly reduces the risk of death in people with neurological problems, such as Alzheimer’s and other dementias,” said Estanislao Nistal, virologist and professor at San Pablo CEU.
The flu vaccine is updated every year to maintain effectiveness and strengthen protection, mainly among older adults, the group most likely to benefit from improvements in the formula. Between 3,000 and 6,000 people die each year in Spain from flu-related problems, mainly young children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems, the three groups most at risk.
The authors stress that despite differences in effectiveness between subtypes, annual influenza vaccination “remains the best tool for preventing and also combating influenza by reducing the risk of dying from associated complications”.
“The vaccine not only helps prevent infection and transmission, but also reduces the severity of symptoms in those who get sick, which reduces the likelihood of serious complications, such as pneumonia, hospitalisations, ICU admissions and deaths,” added José María Eiros, director of the national influenza centre in Valladolid.
The document stresses the importance of continuing public awareness campaigns to improve vaccine uptake and achieve greater coverage to protect not only those immunised, but also their close contacts. In September, the interterritorial health council identified target groups for vaccination against influenza and Covid-19 this winter season. These are those under five years of age, those over 60, residents of disabled and geriatric centres, adults with diabetes and chronic diseases, pregnant women and those living with immunocompromised persons.
According to reports from the ministry of health, the flu coverage rate last year reached 66.96 per cent of the over-64s, 55.26 per cent in pregnant women, 41.89 per cent in healthcare workers and 37.22 per cent in children aged one to five. However, these figures still fall short of the targets set by the health ministry, which aims to achieve 75 per cent coverage in the elderly and health workers and 60 per cent in pregnant women and people at risk.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made his podcast debut. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a candid chat with Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath, making his podcast debut on the entrepreneur’s People by WTF series. During the podcast, he spoke about his unexpected journey in politics and how he deals with failures among other things.…
AK&M 10 January 2025 13:45
The I.M. Sechenov Institute of Evolutionary Physiology and Biochemistry (IEFB RAS) has found out how to relieve pain caused by neuronal damage in diabetes. Conventional painkillers are ineffective in this case.
Diabetic neuropathy is a common chronic complication of diabetes mellitus characterized by progressive death of nerve fibers. Damage to neurons leads to hyperactivation of NMDA receptors of the glutamatergic system of the brain, which causes pain.
Scientists of the IEFB RAS conducted a comprehensive chemical and pharmacological study of the drug KB-R7943, which reduces hyperactivation of NMDA receptors. Experiments with diabetic rats have shown the effectiveness of the drug. In the future, scientists plan to conduct preclinical studies to assess the possible side effects of the drug.
The study was conducted with the financial support of the Russian Ministry of Education and Science as part of a government assignment.
Please note that this press release is based on materials provided by the company. AK&M Information Agency shall not be held liable for its contents, nor for the legal and other consequences of its publication.
AK&M 10 January 2025 14:40
Despite the high prices for trips during the New Year holidays, Russians have not given up the opportunity to spend holidays in Russia and abroad, according to the Rosgosstrakh insurance company and the tour search and booking service. Travelata.ru .
According to Rosgosstrakh statistics, Russia, China, Thailand, Turkey and Georgia have become the most attractive countries for individual New Year’s travel. The average length of the New Year’s holiday was 8 days. It was for this period that Russians purchased a travel insurance policy. 64% of those going on a trip preferred to take out insurance only for themselves, the remaining 36% took out an insurance policy for two or for the whole family.
Russians were most afraid of getting injured, losing their property, or harming someone else on New Year’s Eve. Therefore, accident insurance, baggage loss and civil liability insurance have become the most popular options in travelers’ New Year’s policies.
“New Year’s trips are very often associated with active recreation: skiing, ice skating, snowboarding, skibarding. They all have a high risk of injury. Travel insurance works in a wide variety of cases — not just for medical care, as many people think. For example, ski resort enthusiasts often supplement a policy with civil liability insurance. In the event of a collision on a slope or damage to someone else’s equipment, the insurance company will compensate the victim for the costs. We advise everyone who plans an active vacation to apply for travel policies and fill them with the necessary options, in particular, to enable the “Active vacation” option. This will protect the trip from many troubles,” said Olga Kuptsova, Deputy Director of the Methodology and Underwriting Department of Rosgosstrakh Personal Insurance.
According to the tour search and booking service Travelata.ru This year, there were 22% more travelers who purchased package tours for the New Year than last year. For the second year in a row, Egypt has become the most popular destination among Russians for the New Year holidays. 32% of tourists spent their holidays there. Last year, the share of visits to the pyramid country was significantly lower, at 24%. The average check increased from 212 thousand to 250 thousand rubles.
The UAE and Russia shared the second place, with 16% of tourists choosing these destinations each. At the same time, the average price of a tour to the Emirates has risen from 265,000 to 290,000 rubles, and within Russia — from 86,000 to 98,000 rubles.
Thailand is slightly lower (14%), last year it occupied the same rating position, but with a share of 12%. The price of the trip increased from 312 thousand rubles to 358 thousand. Turkey completes the top five popular destinations.: 8% of Russians who purchased tours through the online tour store spent their holidays there. Travelata.ru . The average travel bill reached 232 thousand rubles, whereas last year it was 170 thousand rubles.
“During 2024, Russian tourists more often chose Turkey for their holidays, but they preferred to go to North Africa for the New Year holidays. It is also worth noting that tourists began to plan their holidays earlier and purchased tours long before departure,” said Oleg Kozyrev, marketing Director of the online tour store. Travelata.ru .
During the New Year holidays, 38% of Russian tourists preferred to stay in 4* hotels. One third of the respondents chose five—star hotels, 24% chose three-star hotels. Apartments were in less demand, only 2% of vacationers stayed there. According to statistics, accommodation with breakfast has become the most popular among the types of food in hotels — 39%. Another 34% of Russians chose the “all inclusive” option. A similar pattern developed last year.
Please note that this press release is based on materials provided by the company. AK&M Information Agency shall not be held liable for its contents, nor for the legal and other consequences of its publication.
This week BookTok creators were asked to select the two authors they believe will be among the most popular on the app in 2025.
Romance author Emily Henry received two nominations, from Emily (@emilymiahreads; 82,100 followers) and Sanziana-Dana (@sanzireads; 2,577 followers). Henry is “appeal[ling] for everyone”, noted Emily. Henry’s next novel, Great Big Beautiful Life (Penguin), will be published in April 2025 and follows two competing writers vying to tell the story of reclusive heiress Margaret Ives. Combined, #romancebooktok and #romancebooks have been used in over five million posts on TikTok at the time of writing.
Brittany (@whatbritreads; 56,300 followers) and Emily also believe Sunrise on the Reaping (Scholastic), the latest addition to The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins, will propel the author to new heights on BookTok. “It could be her BookTok break,” said Brittany. “She has, of course, been popular over the years, but her original teen readers are now adults with TikTok accounts ready to scream about this book series even louder”. For Brittany, the March publication will herald the return of “dystopian community” in a “big way”. She added: “I think we’ve been on the brink of a dystopian boom for a while now.”
ML Wang will “for sure” be a popular author on BookTok in 2025, declared Suraka (@surakajanebooks; 16,300 followers). “More and more people” are reading Wang’s dark academia novel Blood Over Bright Haven (Cornerstone), noted the creator. Brittany added that Wang has “really taken the app by storm” with both Blood Over Bright Haven and the self-published fantasy novel, Sword of Kaigen. “She’s an excellent storyteller and, for fans of dark academia and high fantasy, she will be a hit.” Wang’s writing provides the “emotional grit and stunning magical world building that the BookTok community craves”, she continued.
Other nods went to Rebecca Kuang and the publication of Katabasis (HarperVoyager) in August. “Whenever Rebecca comes out with a new book, they completely take over,” stated Suraka. “Katabasis is highly anticipated and I’m so excited by the idea of Kuang bringing back nonsense literature.” In a talk at the Manchester Literature Festival last year, Kuang said of her inspiration for the novel: “Katabasis is a return to the fantasy genre, but instead of historical fantasy I’m leaning toward nonsense literature. I taught Alice in Wonderland in a craft class recently and I was really enamoured with Lewis Carroll’s ability to create a world in which the ground is always shifting under your feet, the rules don’t make any sense and the world is buffering again with each step you take further into it. I was wondering, how do you create a fantasy world that’s nonsense and have the reader feel grounded.”
For Emily, “hype and people talking about” a given book “two months before publication and two months after publication” helps an author become popular on BookTok. “It has to be universally appealing to those who don’t really read many books as well as having bigger BookTokers from different parts of the world talking about it.” Brittany agreed that if publishers “put a book in the right people’s hands early enough, you can really try and make something of a release”. However, she added it is also a “stroke of luck” as to whether an author goes viral on BookTok, but “big creators screaming about something simultaneously” can mean the book will “pick up traction as the months go on”. Sanziana-Dana also said that “having the support of readers is key”.
Regarding narrative, Suraka believes “relatable characters and stories that feature flawed, deeply human characters” help an author become popular on BookTok. “Emotional connection is important too. Whether through romance, heartbreak or triumph, books that create strong feelings in readers tend to inspire viral content and community engagement.” Brittany echoed this point: “I think people want more yearning. Whether romantic or platonic, people crave the pining of two people really destined to be in each other’s lives no matter what is in their way.”
Humanity is constantly devising new and exciting ways to thoroughly exterminate insect species. It’s not our fault that they are killing us as they spread disease and damage crops.
To fight back so we can maintain a foothold on our domination of the earth, researchers Samuel Beach and Maciej Maselko from Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia have come up with a method they call the “toxic male technique.” This technique involves genetically modifying insects so that they create venom proteins in their reproductive systems and expel poisoned semen when they mate.
Videos by VICE
Literal Toxic Masculinity Could Help Suppress Insect Populations
The idea is that these literally toxic male insects will pass on their rancid semen to females during mating, thus prematurely killing the female before it can give birth. The researchers tested a variety of venom proteins in fruit flies. They found that proteins from the Brazilian wandering spider and the sea anemone were especially effective, shortening the lifespans of mated females by up to 64%.
Pair that up with other methods of reducing insect populations like releasing genetically modified mosquitoes or making mosquitoes that are born deaf so they’ll stop having sex, and we may soon live in a world that has just enough insects to maintain ecological balance while ensuring as few humans contract the disease as they carry.
The success of this method depends entirely on whether scientists can precisely control the amount of venom proteins in males without harming them before they can pass on their poisoned cum. Because we wouldn’t want to kill insects before we use them to kill other insects.
While the anticipation for his highly acclaimed web-series The Family Man Season 3 is at an all-time high, seems like we can’t get enough of Manoj Bajpayee exploring the espionage genre. Recently, a few reports claimed that the actor will be joining hands with popular actor Kay Kay Menon, also known for a similar genre, to feature in filmmaker Neeraj Pandey’s next with Netflix. Reacting to the same, the Satya actor has taken to social media to share his thoughts on this piece of news that has been going viral.Manoj Bajpayee reacts to reports about doing a film with Kay Kay Menon, Neeraj Pandey, and NetflixManoj Bajpayee clarifies on reports about him doing a film with Kay Kay Menon Taking to the social media platform X, aka Twitter, Manoj Bajpayee reposted one of the reports that stated that the actor will be kicking off work on this untitled Neeraj Pandey – Netflix film with Kay Kay Menon. Bajpayee denied these rumours and commented, “Kab hua ye? (When did this happen)”. In response to Bajpayee’s clarification over the same, an apology statement was issued wherein the publication and the author accepted that the information provided to them was wrong.Kab hua ye ? https://t.co/7ebOlmM1qy— manoj bajpayee (@BajpayeeManoj) January 9, 2025For the unversed, the reports claimed that the actor and Kay Kay Menon are to collaborate for an untitled espionage thriller, directed by Neeraj Pandey with the makers opting for a direct-to-OTT release on Netflix.About Manoj Bajpayee, Kay Kay Menon, and Neeraj PandeyTalking about his upcoming work commitments, Manoj Bajpayee shared update about The Family Man 3 with his social media fam by posting videos and photos from the sets of the Amazon Prime Video about him wrapping up the series. On the other hand, Neeraj Pandey and Kay Kay Menon are currently gearing up for the premiere of the second season of their highly acclaimed Disney+ Hotstar web-series Special Ops.Also Read: Manoj Bajpayee CONFIRMS Vidhu Vinod Chopra bit Shabana Raza’s hand during Kareeb shoot: “She must have thought they are all mad geniuses”.also-read{border-radius:10px;background:#f2f2f2;padding:10px 15px 0}.also-read .bx-wrapper{max-width:100% !important}.also-read h2{font-size:20px;margin-bottom:5px}.also-read ul{display:flex;-ms-flex-wrap:wrap;flex-wrap:wrap;position:relative;box-sizing:border-box}.also-read li{position:relative;flex:0 0 33.333333%;max-width:33.333333%;padding:0 5px}.also-read .imgsnb .imaginary img{border-radius:8px}.also-read h5{margin-top:10px}.also-read h5 a{color:#000 !important;font-weight:400;line-height:15px}#also-read .bx-controls-direction{display:none}@media only screen and (max-width:400px){.also-read li{width:31.10% !important}}.addformobile{display:none}@media only screen and (max-width:767px){.addformobile{display:block}}BOLLYWOOD NEWS – LIVE UPDATESCatch us for latest Bollywood News, New Bollywood Movies update, Box office collection, New Movies Release , Bollywood News Hindi, Entertainment News, Bollywood Live News Today & Upcoming Movies 2025 and stay updated with latest hindi movies only on Bollywood Hungama.
New York — In a singular moment in U.S. history, President-elect Donald Trump faces sentencing Friday for his New York hush money conviction after the nation’s highest court refused to intervene. Like so much else in the criminal case and the current American political landscape, the scenario set to unfold in an austere Manhattan courtroom…