Have YOU got a story? Email [email protected] MADISON BURGESS Published: 07:41 EST, 19 January 2025 | Updated: 07:41 EST, 19 January 2025
Writer and broadcaster Esther Krakue discusses the claims of bullying under Meghan Markle and the “friction” arising from her business ventures outside of acting.“The problem Meghan has in particular … she does not really have any business management experience in the traditional sense,” Ms Krakue said.“You have a woman who has built a career in an industry where narcissists reign supreme … she is trying to transfer those minimal skills to actually putting together an enterprise … there is inevitably going to be some friction.”
Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính meets with Vietnamese businesses from the Czech Republic and elsewhere in Europe in Prague on Sunday. — VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang
PRAHA — Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính expressed his pride and congratulations for the achievements and growth of Vietnamese business leaders in the Czech Republic and the rest of Europe at a meeting in Prague on Sunday morning (local time).As part of his working trip to the Czech Republic, the PM met with Vietnamese businesses and organisations including Sportisimo, Frostfood, Anam Group, East Sea Travel, Thăng Long Holdings, the Hungary-Việt Nam Economic Development Centre, Tamda Foods, Asia Dragon Cheb, FPT Czech and Slovakia.At the meeting, the entrepreneurs said that they were proud of Việt Nam’s remarkable development as it increasingly upholds its role and position in the international arena. Vietnamese enterprises in Europe had surpassed themselves, expanding to new fields such as construction materials, high-tech agriculture, processing, tourism, real estate, culture, sports and information technology.They expressed hope that Việt Nam would invest in supporting businesses so that the nation’s goods and services would gain more added value, with strong brands to meet demanding markets.Việt Nam should focus on promoting the country’s image, its people, and the potential and opportunities for investment cooperation in the international arena.They also said that Việt Nam needed to encourage development based on science and technology and innovation, as well as reform administrative procedures so that businesses could work more conveniently in the country.The nation should also find more effective ways to connect domestic firms with Vietnamese businesses abroad for mutual development, and come up with more effective solutions in calling for resources from Vietnamese people abroad to help the country grow.PM Chính praised the enterprise leaders in connecting domestic and foreign businesses and entrepreneurs in the European region, as well as supporting those in trade.He confirmed that Việt Nam’s Party and State would continue to create the best conditions for companies to develop, adding that he hoped Vietnamese enterprises in the Czech Republic and Europe would continue to invest and work well under local laws, acting as a bridge for domestic people and firms to enhance the European economy too.At the same time, the PM said he wanted business leaders to return to Việt Nam and invest in production, connecting the strength and strategy of Việt Nam with their host country.The PM instructed the entrepreneurs to share their experiences, transfer science and technology, and give advice to the Party and State on perfecting institutions and building a national development strategy as well as connecting domestic and foreign production and supply chains.Acknowledging the enthusiastic opinions that reflect the reality of Vietnamese enterprises in the Czech Republic and Europe, the PM said that Việt Nam was promoting national growth based on science, technology and innovation.The country was pushing three strategic breakthroughs in institutions, infrastructure and human resources, prioritising high-tech industries, building strong brands, promoting tourism and developing cultural industries.Considering the gap between policies and guidelines and their actual implementation, the PM assigned relevant ministries and sectors to listen to business leaders’ opinions and handle them according to their authority.He said that in the future, Vietnamese businesses in the Czech Republic and Europe, as well as around the world, would be united and would contribute directly and indirectly to Việt Nam’s socio-economic development goals.Along with the country, the overseas businesses would enter a new era, striving to expand into a rich, civilised and powerful country, with increasingly happy and prosperous people.Việt Nam aims to become an upper-middle-income country by 2030, and a developed and high-income country by 2045. — VNS
Inauguration of 2-day workshop on ‘Total station and its application,’ Dr. S.K. Prasad, Professor & Head Department of Civil Engineering, Vidyavardhaka College of Engineering (VVCE), Mysuru, chief guest, Prof. B.V. Suresh Kumar, Organising Secretary, DoS in Earth Science, Manasagangothri and Prof. D. Nagaraju, Senior Professor & Chairman, DoS in Earth Science, Manasagangothri, will be present, Prof. MNV Auditorium, DoS in Earth Science, Manasagangothri, 10.30 am to 11.30 am.
A 22-year-old children’s entertainer is delighted after launching her first business with her opening event now all booked up. Megan Phillips, of Mildenhall, recently started up her own children’s party entertainment service We Entertain, which covers Suffolk, Norfolk and Cambridgeshire. To celebrate her new venture, the former Soham Village College pupil is hosting a free…
Donald Trump’s inauguration as the country’s 47th president was expected to be an extravagant break from tradition — before it got moved indoors due to cold weather. There will still be well-known performers, influential billionaires as guests and foreign heads of state. Unlike his first inauguration eight years ago, Trump will be welcomed back to office by business titans and global leaders, groups that often shunned him in his first term. Here are some things to look out for during Trump’s inauguration.
Trumps inside the Capitol Rotunda, but who else?Expect to see Melania Trump, the president-elect’s five children and grandkids. Don Jr., his eldest son, and Lara Trump, who is married to Eric Trump, have gained more influence over the past year. The fathers of Trump’s two sons-in-law were given key adviser posts as well. While Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner have taken a step back, they are expected to attend just like they did for election night.But the Capitol Rotunda can only hold around 600 people, according to organizers. There will be precious few spots for Supreme Court justices, military leaders, former presidents and their spouses, Cabinet nominees and visiting dignitaries — along with the 535 members of Congress who traditionally get prime spots, though some Democratic lawmakers are skipping the ceremony.Tesla and X owner Elon Musk was invited to the dais along with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. Who will make it into the Rotunda?
Country superstar and the Y.M.C.A.Country music star Carrie Underwood, who has won eight Grammy Awards, will sing “America the Beautiful” before Trump is sworn in around noon EST by Chief Justice John Roberts. Underwood, who went from 2005 “American Idol” contestant to the most decorated artist in CMT Music Awards history, was a surprise get for the president-elect’s inauguration program.Another unexpected announcement came from the Village People, the late-70s American disco group behind the hit “Y.M.C.A.” The group was booked for a Trump rally in Washington on Sunday and at one of the inaugural balls. The hit song was played at the end of Trump rallies and became a viral trend on social media after the election with people mimicking the president-elect’s signature dance moves.
Other performers will include two of Trump’s musical favorites: opera singer Christopher Macchio, who will sing the “The Star-Spangled Banner,” and country singer Lee Greenwood, known for his patriotic anthem, “God Bless the USA,” also played at Trump rallies. Singer-songwriter Gavin DeGraw, best known for his hit song “I Don’t Want To Be,” will perform at one of the three balls Trump is attending. Country singers Jason Aldean, Parker McCollum and country music band Rascal Flatts will be performing at the other two balls.
The inaugural addressTrump is known for delivering hour-plus speeches where he makes grand promises, attacks political opponents and mocks some foreign leaders. During his 16-minute inaugural address in 2017, Trump stuck to his campaign script and painted a bleak picture of the country blaming other countries for shuttering factories and shrinking the middle class. He said he would end “American carnage” and would govern with an “America First” approach.This time around, his main campaign promise has been to launch the largest deportation operation in history and seal off the U.S.-Mexico border. He has spoken about ushering in a “golden age” and pledged to impose tariffs on imports, rolling out more details in recent days on how he plans to pursue those goals. He told NBC News on Saturday that the theme of his inaugural address will be “unity and strength, and also the word ‘fairness.’”“Because you have to be treating people fairly,” Trump said. “You can’t just say, ‘Oh, everything’s going to be wonderful.’ You know, we went through hell for four years with these people. And so, you know, something has to be done about it. … You can’t have that happen, and we shouldn’t have that happen.”
Foreign leaders in town Trump may be breaking a tradition on Inauguration Day after extending invitations to world leaders. No heads of state have previously made an official visit to the U.S. for the inauguration.Chinese President Xi Jinping was the first foreign leader whose invitation to the inauguration became public last December. Xi will not attend but is sending Vice President Han Zheng as his special representative. Argentina’s president, Javier Milei, and Italy’s premier Giorgia Meloni, accepted Trump’s offer. The offices of Ecuadorean President Daniel Noboa and Paraguayan President Santiago Peña have also said they were invited and were planning to attend.
Robbie Williams considers Better Man sequel despite film tanking in US | Metro News Metro Shorts This post was originally published on here
Thousands protests against Donald Trump ahead of his inauguration in Washington | News US | Metro News Metro Shorts This post was originally published on here
ENID, Okla. — If one of your New Year’s goals is to eat healthy or get back to the basics, then Rowdy Stickhorse (Wild Acres) Market and Apothecary may be the place you want to visit.Born from family farms in the Covington area, this farm fresh market is located at 626 S. Hoover. A walk through the shop is an adventure into healthy products from goat milk soaps and creams, to herbal teas, holistic medicines and natural foods.Paulette Rink and her husband Gary started Rowdy Stickhorse with the goat milk soaps and creams before expanding into holistic medicine, then into the Farmhouse Fresh Coffee Shop and Deli.
Breakfast and lunch offers different selections of homemade pastries, soups, quiches and homemade pasta and casseroles.“All of our food comes from farmers and local producers like ourselves who raise their products naturally,” Rink said. “It was an easy transition for us to open this business because we make products and raise everything naturally and always have.”She said their chickens are free-range and roam the entire farm. Their Nigerian dwarf and Saanen goats are for milking and their Kiko goats are for meat.Other farm animals include Gloucestershire old spot pigs, Dexter and Spanish longhorn cattle and Southdown/Friesian sheep. All of their animals are free range.The Rinks do not use any pesticides or chemicals, nor do they use any hormones or antibiotics.“We do not use anything we would not give ourselves,” Rink said. “We are a start-to-finish farm.”She said that means they raise all their animals from incubation to slaughter. They use a rotational grazing system and chicken manure to fertilize the pastures.The Rinks have been at their current location in Enid for 10 years and were across the street for five years, mainly selling food. During the growing season, they have a farmers’ market on the weekend.Clayton Stevicks came into the market Friday, Jan. 17, 2025, for honey.“They carry my favorite honey I use to sweeten things, especially the teas I drink,” he said. “I drink golden turmeric tea for my joints.”
As our population ages, writers are offering books that look at what aging means and ways to live full lives even with the physical limitations that even the healthiest seniors experience. Today we have a memoir from a woman who discovered her need to write when she was 75, a short story collection in which most of the characters are in their 70s, a blog that spans 15 years and, just for fun, poems about pickleball. All the authors are Minnesotans.(Courtesy of the University of Minnesota Press)“Radical Endurance: Growing Old In an Age of Longevity”: by Andrea Gilats (University of Minnesota Press, $19.95)Having entered old age relatively recently, I continue to imagine myself at the beginning of a journey, not approaching the end of my one and only earthly voyage. If I extract the ageism from old age, as I might suck out the venom from a rattlesnake bite, this new stage of life becomes a compelling last chance. My leading act of resistance is to (try to) take thorough advantage of my stable physical, intellectual, and psychological health, and my following act is to (try to) refuse to spend my time brooding about how long each of them might last. — from “Radical Endurance”It’s a pleasure to spend time with Andrea Gilats as she tussles with growing older in her memoir, which she was inspired to write on a May morning shortly before her 75th birthday when she woke to the realization that she was about to leap from older to old.Gilats is a writer, educator artist who retired from teaching yoga when her body told her it was time. She created and directed two University of Minnesota lifelong learning programs for older adults and was co-founder and longtime director of the university’s Split Rock Arts Program. Her previous books include “After Effects: A Memoir of Complicated Grief.”Andrea Gilats (Courtesy of the author)In “Radical Endurance” Gilats writes as a realist who walks the fine line between accepting some of the physical limitations of aging and refusing to give in to the ageism that treats older people as invisible, sick, or demented and useless. She vows to fight these stereotypes, living the best life possible in the years ahead of her.Gilats recalls her midlife moments, including the death of her husband, and a medical diagnosis that made her realize old age comes quicker and lasts longer than we might imagine. Her publisher describes her book as “a personal guide to the transformations, hard truths, profound pleasures, and infinite possibilities of aging.”Whether you are Gilats’ age or older, or you are caring for aging parents, “Radical Endurance” is a balanced look at senior years. Her message, although she doesn’t put it this way, is that age is what you make itGilats will launch her book with a reading at 6 p.m. Thursday at Next Chapter Booksellers, 38 S. Snelling Ave., St. Paul.(Boyle & Dalton)“The Night Owl Sings and Other Stories of Old Age”: by Judy McConnell (Boyle & Dalton; hardcover $28.99, paperback $16.99)In the twelve months since she’d moved into Serene Harbor, she had learned to navigate a slower system, among the canes and walkers and ubiquitous side railings. Everything in the place seemed old, including her… But she had vigor. She could drive in daylight. She could tend to an apartment, her own apartment where she belonged. She still challenged fate; she still grew new cells each day. She was rechargeable. –– from “The Night Owl Sings and Other Stories of Old Age”What a treat to read stories focusing on characters in their 70s and older. In too much fiction seniors are relegated to bit parts or used for comedy. Not so in “The Night Owl Sings,” which is populated mostly by women living the fictional life Andrea Gilats writes about in her memoir.These nine stories are longer than usual, giving the author room to stretch in terms of character development and rich plotting.Judy McConnell (Minnesota Writers Directory)In the intriguing title story, a woman makes a decision about a lover who re-entered her life and “talks” to a wise fox about her future. The final story weaves together a woman’s wish that her big, comfortable male friend could be more emotionally present as she mourns the death of her best friend and plans a birthday party that includes an airplane and parachute. Two women who are old friends cruise down the Illinois River when an outspoken man tells one of them she is fat. And she is. Her friend, who is slim, doesn’t reveal that she battles daily with her need for sweets. And in another story a magical encounter with a young man deep in a cave turns a woman’s lackluster life in new directions.McConnell has a master’s degree from the University of Minnesota. She’s written two previous memoirs and a novel after a career as a secondary-school teacher.“Life is Short and So Am I”: by Lucy Rose Fisher (Temuna Press, $15)I bought my granddaughter, who had just turned age three, quite a few dresses. I just couldn’t resist — little girl dresses are so sweet! A few weeks ago, she asked: “Who gave me this dress?” Her mother said: “Your Grandma Lucy gave it to you.” Then my granddaughter asked: “Was it too small for her?”Lucy Fisher is an award-winning author, artist and gerontologist who began writing a blog about aging when she was in her mid-60s that continued for 14 years during which she reflected on time, mortality, love, loss, creativity, home, travel, a favorite dog and twists and turns of a long life. Enlivening the text are her sketches. Among her award-winning previous books are: “The Journalist: Life and Loss in America’s Secret War,” “Grow Old With Me,” and “I’m New at Being Old.”“Pickles and Paradise”: by Kristin F Johnson (KFJ Books, $12.99)Pickleball isn’t just for older people, but it’s certainly a sport many folks over 65 enjoy. Kristin Johnson dedicates this slim book of poems to all pickleballers in verse that celebrates the game’s inclusiveness, sense of community and rules that emphasize fun and court courtesy. For the author, the best pickleball games are played outdoors and her hope for an early spring runs through the poetry. Here’s “In My Experience,” a poem that sums up all that’s good about the game:Everyone is welcome on the courtwhether you are good or bad at the sport.Whether your serve lands in the kitchenor you return the ball, and your shot isn’t in,as long as you don’t act like a spoilsportyou will have much pickled support.