Blog

  • Japan’s shipbuilders look to consolidation to take on China – Financial Times

    Japan’s shipbuilders look to consolidation to take on China – Financial Times

    1. Japan’s shipbuilders look to consolidation to take on China  Financial Times
    2. Japan ramps up shipbuilding with national yard, industry merger  조선일보
    3. Japan’s largest shipbuilder Imabari acquires JMU  navalnews.com
    4. Why Japan plans to spend billions fixing up its shipyards – and US warships  South China Morning Post
    5. Imabari Shipbuilding, Japan’s largest shipbuilder, will make Japan Marin United (JMU), the second-la..  매일경제

    Continue Reading

  • Wood Group accounts flagged by watchdog as far back as 2017 – Financial Times

    Wood Group accounts flagged by watchdog as far back as 2017 – Financial Times

    1. Wood Group accounts flagged by watchdog as far back as 2017  Financial Times
    2. Financial watchdog launches probe into Wood Group  BBC
    3. Wood-Sidara deal remains on the table despite ongoing investigation by UK’s financial watchdog  Upstream Online
    4. Can the FCA see Wood for the trees?  The Times
    5. Wood Group: Scottish engineering giant faces probe by watchdog over accounting ‘cultural failures’  The Scotsman

    Continue Reading

  • NASA’s James Webb Telescope discovers potentially habitable giant exoplanet near Red Dwarf Star

    NASA’s James Webb Telescope discovers potentially habitable giant exoplanet near Red Dwarf Star

    NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has made another remarkable
    discovery, identifying a massive planet with temperatures
    potentially suitable for sustaining life, Azernews
    reports, citing foreign media.

    Astronomers have found evidence of a planet orbiting the young
    red dwarf star known as “TWA 7” or “CE Antilae,” located
    approximately 34 light-years away. This planet, named “TWA 7b,” is
    estimated to have a mass about 100 times that of Earth.

    Preliminary analysis by NASA suggests that TWA 7b is a young,
    cold planet with an approximate temperature of 48 degrees Celsius,
    conditions that could support life. However, some areas on the
    planet may reach temperatures as high as 70 degrees Celsius.

    An international team of astronomers observed a faint infrared
    source within a debris disk surrounding the star, located roughly
    50 times the distance between Earth and the Sun. Using James Webb’s
    mid-infrared instrument, they employed a high-contrast imaging
    technique that blocks out the star’s bright light to reveal nearby
    faint objects—allowing for direct detection of planets that would
    otherwise be lost in the star’s glare.

    If confirmed, this would mark the first instance where a space
    telescope has directly imaged a planet beyond relying on
    gravitational lensing. This technique, based on Albert Einstein’s
    general theory of relativity, enhances the telescope’s ability to
    detect exoplanets.

    NASA notes that the planet’s position aligns with predictions,
    and the infrared emission is believed to originate from three dust
    rings encircling TWA 7b. This discovery highlights James Webb’s
    unprecedented capability to study low-mass planets around nearby
    stars, expanding our understanding of planetary systems beyond our
    own.

    Continue Reading

  • The Blackberry that ruled the world

    The Blackberry that ruled the world

    There was a time, not long ago, when the choice of smartphone wasn’t just about specs or camera megapixels. It was about identity. And if you had a Blackberry, it told the world you were important. You were busy. You were in the loop.

    In the days before iOS and Android devoured the smartphone market, Blackberry wasn’t just dominant – it was a cultural phenomenon. From Obama to Kim Kardashian, from Bollywood stars to business moguls, Blackberry was the global badge of success and connection.

    So how did this little Canadian device become a worldwide status symbol? And why did it fall so hard, so fast?

    Let’s scroll back to the glory days of BBM and beyond.

    The early days: Business before buzz

    When Research in Motion (RIM), a modest Canadian tech firm founded by Mike Lazaridis and Douglas Fregin in 1984, launched the first BlackBerry device in 1999, it wasn’t aimed at hipsters or celebrities.

    The BlackBerry 850 pager was designed for corporate users and journalists, offering wireless email – an unheard-of innovation at the time.

    Push-email was BlackBerry’s first killer feature. It revolutionised how executives and professionals worked.

    Soon, the devices evolved to include voice calls and full QWERTY keyboards, offering an unmatched messaging experience. The tactile keyboard and secure email became indispensable in a world still reliant on desktop computers.

    The ‘CrackBerry’ era: A cultural phenomenon

    By the mid-2000s, BlackBerry wasn’t just a business tool, it was a badge of success. C-suite executives, bankers, journalists, and politicians swore by their BB devices. The addictive quality of the real-time messaging (first email, then the now-legendary BlackBerry Messenger aka BBM) earned it the nickname “CrackBerry.”

    At its peak in 2009-2010, BlackBerry commanded over 20% of the global smartphone market, with 85 million subscribers.

    In India too, the brand had a cult following. For professionals in Mumbai’s Nariman Point or Delhi’s Connaught Place, no phone matched the BlackBerry’s work utility and prestige.

    Yet even the suits couldn’t hold onto BlackBerry alone for long. Soon, it caught the fancy of the youth, and popular culture.

    BlackBerry and pop culture: Bling, drama, and BBM pins

    Globally, BlackBerry seeped into celebrity culture with ease. Pharrell flaunted an 18-karat gold-plated BlackBerry in 2006, crafted by Jacob the Jeweller. Beyoncé famously admitted she slept with her BlackBerry while recording her album 4. In the Hollywood-LA party circuit of the mid-2000s, BBM PIN exchanges replaced phone numbers.

    Paris Hilton once denied hacking Lindsay Lohan’s BlackBerry in a classic mid-2000s tabloid feud. Lana Del Rey even recorded a song called BBM Baby (“I be BBM’in you…”), an anthem for a bygone era of digital flirtation.

    On TV, BlackBerry became a staple: Gossip Girl, The Hills, and even the cultish Pretty Wild scene (“Nancy Jo, this is Alexis Neiers calling!”) all featured BlackBerry prominently. It was the “it” phone of the Y2K and 2010s culture.

    And then there was India.

    The Indian wave: From boardrooms to college campuses

    In India, BlackBerry was initially associated with top corporate executives. But that changed dramatically with one iconic ad campaign: We’re the BlackBerry Boys.

    In the late 2000s, Vodafone India spotted a cultural shift – BlackBerry was becoming a youth status symbol, thanks to BBM. To capitalise, Vodafone launched prepaid BlackBerry packages, making it affordable to students and first-jobbers.

    Ogilvy’s brilliant “We’re the BlackBerry Boys” campaign poked fun at the older corporate types lamenting that “their” exclusive phone had become mainstream. The jingle went viral, spreading like wildfire on social media and WhatsApp forwards (ironically!).

    It wasn’t just an ad – it was a cultural moment. Overnight, BBM PINs became the new currency of college cool in metros like Mumbai, Bangalore, and Delhi.

    Why BlackBerry worked: A UX masterclass in messaging

    Why did BlackBerry dominate even after the iPhone arrived? Simple: Messaging.

    – The clicky QWERTY keyboards made emails and texts fast and satisfying.

    – BBM was a closed, secure network, like WhatsApp before WhatsApp.

    – Push-email via BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES) was years ahead of its time.

    Steve Jobs himself referenced BlackBerry’s email system as the gold standard during the iPhone launch.

    BlackBerry also excelled in security – an obsession among governments, corporates, and privacy-conscious celebs alike. Its utilitarian UI and delightful trackball navigation prioritised functionality over flash.

    Owning a BlackBerry was about joining a tribe – the device conferred professional credibility and cultural cachet in equal measure.

    The downfall: Touchscreens, app stores, and missed signals

    But even the mightiest brands can fall. BlackBerry’s undoing came down to:

    – The iPhone’s App Store: Apple turned the phone into an app-centric device for all.

    – Android’s open ecosystem: Brands like Samsung scaled fast and cheap.

    – BlackBerry’s arrogance: Leadership dismissed touchscreens as a fad.

    – Software stagnation: BlackBerry OS couldn’t match iOS and Android’s UX.

    Their touchscreen effort – BlackBerry Storm – flopped. By the time they embraced Android with the BlackBerry Priv, it was too late. The market had moved on.

    BlackBerry phones stopped shipping in 2016, though a Texas startup briefly revived them. Today, BlackBerry Ltd focuses on cybersecurity, enterprise software, and its QNX systems in millions of cars.

    Yet the cultural imprint remains:

    – Kim Kardashian stocked up on BlackBerry Bold units after its discontinuation.

    – Alicia Keys (briefly) served as BlackBerry’s Global Creative Director (awkwardly tweeting from an iPhone).

    – Nostalgia for BBM and QWERTY keyboards still thrives in online communities.

    The story of BlackBerry is one of bold innovation, cultural resonance, and the brutal realities of tech disruption. It taught us that being first isn’t enough; staying first requires relentless adaptation.

    In India, it democratized mobile internet access and gave a generation its first taste of messaging addiction. Globally, it became shorthand for hustle culture and celebrity gossip. Its DNA – security-first messaging, typing-first UX – lives on in today’s smartphones.

    So next time you swipe away on your glass screen, remember: there was a time when being a BlackBerry Boy (or girl) was the coolest thing in the room.

    Continue Reading

  • Xbox Game Studios exec gives ‘AI prompts’ to laid-off Microsoft employees to handle emotional stress caused by job loss; deletes post after backlash

    Xbox Game Studios exec gives ‘AI prompts’ to laid-off Microsoft employees to handle emotional stress caused by job loss; deletes post after backlash

    Xbox Game Studios Executive Producer Matt Turnbull has recommended that recently laid-off Microsoft employees use AI chatbots to cope with job loss, offering specific prompts to help workers navigate unemployment. Turnbull’s since-deleted LinkedIn post suggested using tools like ChatGPT and Copilot to “help reduce the emotional and cognitive load that comes with job loss.”Turnbull’s recommendation comes as Microsoft cuts 9,100 employees across the company, with Xbox divisions particularly affected by studio closures and game cancellations. “These are really challenging times, and if you’re navigating a layoff or even quietly preparing for one, you’re not alone and you don’t have to go it alone,” Turnbull wrote in his original post.The exec provided detailed AI prompt suggestions for affected workers, including career planning assistance: “Act as a career coach. I’ve been laid off from a [role] in the game industry. Help me build a 30-day plan to regroup, research new roles, and start applying without burning out.”

    Executive’s tone-deaf timing draws backlash

    His recommendations extended to emotional support, suggesting workers ask AI: “I’m struggling with imposter syndrome after being laid off. Can you help me reframe this experience in a way that reminds me what I’m good at?”His recommendations extended to emotional support, suggesting workers ask AI: “I’m struggling with imposter syndrome after being laid off. Can you help me reframe this experience in a way that reminds me what I’m good at?”The executive emphasized that “no AI tool is a replacement for your voice or your lived experience,” but argued these tools could help workers “get unstuck faster, calmer, and with more clarity.”The suggestion drew criticism from gaming industry professionals, prompting Turnbull to delete his post. The timing proved particularly sensitive as Microsoft invests $80 billion in AI infrastructure while simultaneously reducing its workforce.Xbox head Phil Spencer acknowledged the difficult moment in his memo to employees: “Simply put, we would not be where we are today without the time, energy, and creativity of those whose roles are impacted.” Spencer explained the cuts were necessary to “position Gaming for enduring success” and focus on “strategic growth areas.”The layoffs represent Microsoft’s fourth round of job cuts in 18 months, following previous reductions affecting Activision Blizzard, Xbox studios, and other gaming divisions.


    Continue Reading

  • rare photos chart the rise of Wizkid, Burna Boy and Davido

    rare photos chart the rise of Wizkid, Burna Boy and Davido

    Yaya Egwaikhide & Majid Mohamed

    BBC News

    Oliver Akinfeleye Wizkid on stage at The 02 arena in London in November 2021. He has his back to the camera and is facing the audience, whose phones light up the eerie green atmosphere as dry ice lingers in the air. Oliver Akinfeleye

    Afrobeats has swept the world of music like a tsunami – it dominates playlists and its fans cram into huge stadiums to hear the likes of Nigerian superstars Wizkid, Davido and Burna Boy.

    Photographer Oliver Akinfeleye, known professionally as “Drummer”, caught the Afrobeats wave early – and he decided to document it as it grew into a global phenomenon.

    Since 2017, the New Yorker of Nigerian descent has had exclusive backstage access to some of the biggest artists of the genre – capturing quieter moments of reflection as well as strutting stage performances.

    “I remember my first project with Wizkid like it was yesterday – Echostage Washington DC, 2017,” Drummer told the BBC. “The feeling was exhilarating. It was my job to tell the visual story of how it all went down.”

    Oliver Akinfeleye Wizkid in a zipped-up blue puffer jacket, white trousers and white shoes leans against audience railings to the left of the shot in the Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam before a show in November 2022.Oliver Akinfeleye

    Wizkid seen here before a show in Amsterdam and wowing his fans in London in the photo above

    Drummer has not stopped clicking since – and has now released Eagle Eye, a book of photographs showcasing Afrobeats’ rise from humble beginnings to one of Africa’s largest cultural exports.

    Afrobeats has its roots in various West African musical genres that became especially popular in the decades that followed independence as the continent began celebrating its freedom from colonial rule.

    Highlife, which flourished along the coast from the late 19th Century, became synonymous with Ghana’s national identity after independence in 1957 – and was in turn hugely influential on Nigerian musician Fela Kuti. His Afrobeat (minus the “s”) movement, which mixed traditional rhythms with funk and jazz, became the sound of the 1970s and 1980s in West Africa.

    At the turn of the millennium, this rich cultural heritage fed into Afrobeats, along with a mix of Western pop, rap and dancehall.

    Oliver Akinfeleye Wizkid in round sunglass and a brown beanie, cream sweatshirt and brown waistcoat, holds a microphone on a small stage. To his right can be seen a small mixing desk and to left a group of mainly female fans taking photos of him with their phones. Oliver Akinfeleye

    Wizkid performing to an intimate crowd before hitting the big time

    It gained further popularity in the UK and North America, where there are large diaspora populations, in particular from Nigeria, where most of the genre’s stars came from.

    Afrobeats artists began performing to these communities at first in small venues in the early 2010s.

    Then it really take off – between 2017 and 2022 Afrobeats experienced 550% growth in streams on Spotify, according to data from the world’s most popular streaming service.

    Oliver Akinfeleye David dressed in a white T-shirt, light jeans and red and white shoes holds up his fists (microphone in one) with his back to a huge audience as he perform at the Capital One Arena in Washington DC - 1 July 2023.Oliver Akinfeleye

    Davido on stage in his element in 2023

    This resulted in many of the artists becoming household names around the world, and the musical industry taking note.

    It has gone on to include African music in mainstream award ceremonies like the Grammys.

    Today these artists easily pack out stadiums like Madison Square Garden in New York – pictured below ahead of Wizkid’s performance in 2023.

    “Madison Square was a night to remember – the iconic venue illuminated in the colours of the Nigerian flag honouring our homeland,” says Drummer.

    Oliver Akinfeleye The outside of Madison Square Garden stadium seen at night with panels of green and white lights and a huge sign saying: "Wizkid, Montefiore Concert Series, Madison Square Garden, New York City, Tonight Sold Out". Some people can be seen in front of the stadium by the Pennsylvania Station entrance and vehicles, including one yellow taxi, are driving past - 16 November 2022.Oliver Akinfeleye

    The green and white colours of Nigeria’s flag lit up Madison Square Garden for Wizkid’s sell-out performance in 2022

    Drummer was able to take photographs of the musicians as they started out on their global careers.

    “I always felt that I was capturing moments with just my eyes. Walking the streets of New York City, I would frame scenes in my mind – people, light, emotion,” the photographer says.

    “I’d ask myself, how do I translate this mental perspective to reality?”

    Gradually, the audience grew and became more international with fans in countries such as China, Germany and Brazil.

    Oliver Akinfeleye A black and white photo of Burna Boy, topless and in jeans, seen from behind on stage at Prospect Park as he lifts his hands to fans whose phones light up the crowds at the BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival - 19 July 2019. Oliver Akinfeleye

    Burna Boy performed at New York’s free summer outdoor festival in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park in 2019

    Now even non-African musicians are taking up the Afrobeats sound and releasing their own versions, including artists such as Chris Brown, who released Blow My Mind with Davido.

    The US singer has also performed with Wizkid in London – as the photo below from 2021 shows.

    “I love this picture because when Wizkid brought Chris Brown out at The O2 arena, the place exploded. No-one saw it coming – the energy shifted instantly,” says Drummer.

    “Shock, excitement and pure electricity. A moment stamped in memory and in history.”

    Oliver Akinfeleye Chris Brown (left) in dark puffer jacked and Wizkid (right) in sunglasses, dark T-shirt and trousers, greet each other on stage at The O2 arena in November 2021. The pair are almost in silhouette as the lights of audience phones sparkle like fairy lights in front of them. Dry ice also lingers in the air.Oliver Akinfeleye

    It was electrifying when Chris Brown (left) joined Wizkid on stage in 2021

    Drummer says one of the aims of the photo book is not to just show people what he saw, but to help them feel what he experienced – through his pictures.

    It also sometimes reveals the feelings of the superstars in their private moments.

    This final picture shows Wizkid backstage on his phone in 2021.

    It was “a rare quiet moment”, but even in the silence and the calm his presence spoke volumes, says Drummer.

    Oliver Akinfeleye A black and white image captured after rehearsals in November 2021 of a tired Wizkid lying on a couch with a phone to his ear. His eyes are closed and his other hand is his face touch his brow. He is wearing a white T-shirt and dark trousesr and a black jacket is draped around his shoulders.Oliver Akinfeleye

    Wizkid has some me-time backstage after rehearsals in London in November 2021

    More about Afrobeats from the BBC:

    Getty Images/BBC A woman looking at her mobile phone and the graphic BBC News AfricaGetty Images/BBC

    Continue Reading

  • An AI Foot Scanner Could Detect Heart Failure

    An AI Foot Scanner Could Detect Heart Failure


    The scanner works by using photos to measure fluid levels in the feet and ankles.

    Jul 6, 2025

    Cardiologist listening to a senior patient’s heart.

    (PeopleImages.com – Yuri A / Shutterstock.com)

    There has been a revolution in heart failure care. This long-term disease does not have a cure, but it can be managed. Now, heart failure patients have another tool in their tool box that can help them monitor the disease and act quickly before it worsens. 

    That is because researchers have developed an AI scanner that can detect early signs of heart failure by using photographs of a patient’s feet to measure fluid levels,reported The Independent. The research  was presented at the annual conference of the British Cardiovascular Society in June of 2024, could help prevent hospitalization and expedite care for thousands of people suffering from heart disease around the world. 

    Heart Failure is Not Rare
    Though it sounds dramatic, heart failure is not that rare. There are more than a million people living with this long-term condition currently in the UK alone. The disease occurs when the heart can no longer pump blood through the body properly because it is too weak or stiff. The three primary symptoms that the disease is worsening are weight gain, breathlessness, and fluid build up in the feet and legs. 

    This is why the new AI scanner, created by Heartfelt Technologies, could be so revolutionary. It is installed at the patient’s home and works by taking over 1,800 photographs of a patient’s lower legs and feet per minute and using those to calculate the amount of fluid their feet are retaining, reported the BBC. 

    Dr Philip Keeling, senior author of the study and consultant cardiologist at Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, told BBC that the scanner “keeps an eye on you and alerts the health failure nurse”.

    Testing the Scanner
    According to the Independent, the AI scanner was tested on 26 heart-failure patients from five NHS trusts. The patients were monitored by the scanner and were also asked to weigh themselves daily on a Bluetooth embedded scale, so the researchers could keep track of their weight. 

    The AI scanner was able to detect a worsening of the disease in six patients, and for people who had been enrolled in the study for two weeks before the alert, the average time between the alert and hospitalization was 13 days. That is to say, the scanner picked up on the intensification of the disease nearly two weeks before it got so bad that it required the patient to be hospitalized. On the other hand, the scale was not useful in detecting changes in the patients’ medical situation.

    So it seems that the AI scanners can truly provide an early warning that could help those suffering from heart disease receive the care they need before they deteriorate. 

    Professor Bryan Williams, chief scientific and medical officer at the British Heart Foundation, told the BBC, that the study was “a good example of how technology might aid earlier interventions and treatment. This small study suggests a simple device could significantly improve outcomes for at-risk patients with heart failure by keeping them out of hospital.”

    AI is revolutionizing so many fields, from writing, to art, and science. The AI scanner is proof that though it is sometimes wise to be wary of AI, in many cases, when used correctly, it can truly help make a difference in the lives of so many people. 

    YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:
    Celebrating an Artificial Heart Milestone
    Scientists Develop Temporary Pacemaker Smaller Than a Grain of Rice
    New Diagnostic Tool Gives Tests Results From Just One Finger Prick in Only an Hour


    Continue Reading

  • Researchers put six grey seals in a specially built tank to work out why they don’t drown – and discovered something unexpected

    Researchers put six grey seals in a specially built tank to work out why they don’t drown – and discovered something unexpected

    Human freedivers can descend to significant depths on just one lungful of air. To do this they massively overbreathe beforehand to clear their systems of as much carbon dioxide (CO₂) as possible. This is the gas that triggers the normal urge to breathe when we hold our breath. But the technique doesn’t always work. Freedivers can black out underwater and must have teams of scuba divers on standby to rush them back to the surface.

    Seals can dive to great depths for long periods of time, chasing their fishy prey. So why do they never seem to end up unconscious? This question intrigued marine ecologist Chris McKnight and his colleagues at the University of St Andrews.

    To find out, they lined up six grey seals, temporarily taken from the wild, in a specially built tank. This was an enclosed underwater home with a feeding area and a domed breathing chamber at one end. The seals could forage for as long as they liked in the water and then surface to take a breath in the chamber, rather like emerging into the air through a hole in an ice sheet.

    One of the seals from the study, Oisin. Credit: Sea Mammal Research Unit

    The scientists filled the breathing chamber air with different combinations of oxygen and CO₂, starting with normal air at 21 per cent oxygen and 0.04 per cent CO₂. Gradually they switched to higher concentrations of oxygen and then lower, followed by higher and lower concentrations of CO₂. They measured how long the seals’ feeding trips lasted while breathing each of the air mixes.

    The expectation was that high-oxygen air would mean the seals stayed underwater longer. High CO₂ levels should make the dives shorter, they thought, as with humans when high CO₂ levels in their blood activate the need to breathe. To their surprise, the amount of CO₂ had no effect on the length of time the seals took between breaths. But low oxygen levels certainly did.

    Their conclusion was that a seal’s brain monitors the amount of oxygen in its blood, rather than the levels of CO₂, and the animals make their own decisions on how long to stay underwater based on that information. Instead of their bodies being governed by an involuntary reaction to the amount of CO₂ in their systems, seals can judge when their oxygen levels need topping up and make their way to the surface in a controlled and timely manner. Therefore, they never risk drowning.

    More amazing wildlife stories from around the world

    Continue Reading

  • Brazil handles Argentina again, rematch with USA awaits

    Brazil handles Argentina again, rematch with USA awaits

    SANTIAGO (Chile) – Brazil, the reigning champion and most dominant team in FIBA Women’s AmeriCup history with six titles, will seek its seventh continental crown after a commanding 108-68 Semi-Final win over its South American rival Argentina.

    In this 2025 edition of the tournament, Brazil will face the United States in the gold medal game, a rematch of the 2023 Final.

    Turning point

    Brazil never faced any real trouble, setting the tone from the start with a lethal attack that found success both in the paint and from beyond the arc. Head coach Pokey Chatman’s team put up nearly 60 points in the first half, with quarter scores of 33-22 and 26-16, going into halftime with a 59-36 lead.

    In the second half, Argentina never managed to close the gap—instead, the deficit grew wider with each passing quarter.

    TCL player of the game

    The interior duo of Kamilla Cardoso and Damiris Dantas once again led the way for Brazil, each scoring 16 points. Cardoso added 8 rebounds and 2 blocks, bringing her career total to 32 in the Women’s AmeriCup. She now shares the all-time tournament lead (since 2003) in blocked shots with Colombia’s Yuliany Paz—who also reached that mark on Saturday—and Canada’s Miranda Ayim. Both Cardoso and Paz will have one more game on Sunday to break the tie.

    Point guard Bella Nascimento, who has looked very sharp throughout the competition, delivered another strong performance with 22 points, including 6-of-7 from three-point range, along with 3 assists. Her six made triples tied the all-time mark for a Brazilian player in the tournament (Helen Santos Luz vs. Mexico in 2003).

    For Argentina, Melisa Gretter scored 15 points (including 3 three-pointers) and Amaiquen Siciliano added 12.

    Stats don’t lie

    Brazil’s offense was simply too much for its opponent. The team shot a stellar 58 percent from the field (35-60), including a remarkable 53 percent from long distance (11-21). They also got to the free-throw line 33 times, converting 27—their highest number of made free throws in an AmeriCup game (since 2003).

    On top of that, they dished out 33 assists (9 from Cacá Martins) and committed only six turnovers.

    Bottom line

    This will be Brazil’s 11th appearance in an AmeriCup Final. The South American giant is the tournament’s most successful team, with 6 titles and 14 total medals—and now has a 15th medal guaranteed. Argentina will look to claim its third bronze medal after previous podium finishes in 2011 and 2015.

    Brazil had already beaten Argentina earlier in this AmeriCup during the Group Phase, with a 71–50 win.

    They said

    Nascimento, who played U.S. college basketball at William & Mary, spoke about how the team will approach the upcoming Final against the United States, where the winner will earn a direct spot in the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2026.

    “I think the biggest thing for us is just to play together, how we’ve been doing, you know— sharing the ball. That’s a really positive asset that we have, because we have bigs in the play,” said Nascimento. “We got shooters on the outside. We got drivers. So let everybody get a touch and then find the best shot available.”

    “For me, the most important thing is to have an impact wherever I am and on whatever team I play for,” she added in an interview with FIBA Americas.

    FIBA

    Continue Reading

  • Two-ingredient chocolate snack could help slash cholesterol levels – Health – News

    Two-ingredient chocolate snack could help slash cholesterol levels – Health – News

    Enjoying a chocolate treat occasionally could actually provide some health benefits, with a study suggesting it may help in lowering “bad” cholesterol levels. Dark chocolate, when combined with another wholesome snack, could help bring down cholesterol levels.

    The findings of research featured in the Journal of the American Heart Association indicate that eating dark chocolate along with almonds can result in reduced cholesterol levels in as little as four weeks. This particular pairing was found to specifically target low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL), commonly referred to as the “bad” cholesterol.

    While the human body needs a certain amount of cholesterol for optimal functioning, an overabundance of LDL can clog arteries and increase the risk of heart complications.

    The study was led by Pennsylvania State University and Tufts University in Boston, involving 48 participants who were overweight or obese, aged between 30 to 70 years.

    The aim was to investigate the effects of dark chocolate, cocoa, and almonds on coronary heart disease risk factors, which is one of the top causes of mortality worldwide. The study was conducted over several four-week dietary phases.

    Initially, during the first month, the participants refrained from consuming any of the foods under investigation. In the subsequent four weeks, they began adding daily portions of 42.5 grams of almonds to their regular diet.

    During the penultimate phase of their research, subjects were asked to eat 43 grams of dark chocolate coupled with 18 grams of cocoa powder. The ultimate trial incorporated a blend of all three snack varieties studied.

    The research unveiled that eating almonds solo diminished LDL cholesterol by 7%; an identical effect was witnessed when almonds were teamed with dark chocolate. Moreover, the study indicated that sprinkling these chocolaty delights into an ordinary American diet, without upping overall calories, “may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease”.

    The study authors said: “Our results demonstrate that consumption of almonds alone or combined with dark chocolate under controlled‐feeding conditions improves lipid profiles.”

    Nevertheless, it is key to recognise that this doesn’t imply one can indulge in massive amounts of almonds and dark chocolate unchecked. It’s vital to exercise moderation due to the calorie-dense nature of these foods.

    Penny Kris-Etherton, the lead researcher, made it clear: “It’s important to put this into context. The message is not that people should go out and eat a lot of chocolate and almonds to lower their low-density lipoprotein.

    “People are allowed to have about 270 discretionary calories a day, and when foods like almonds, dark chocolate and cocoa are consumed together as a discretionary food, they confer health benefits unlike other discretionary foods such as frosted doughnuts.”

    But for those considering swapping almonds for chocolate, Kris-Etherton advises caution. The research indicates that consuming dark chocolate and cocoa alone doesn’t significantly impact heart health.

    “Chocolate doesn’t increase cholesterol levels, but it doesn’t decrease cholesterol levels either,” she clarified. However, cocoa beans are held in high regard for their potential health benefits, owing to their content of flavanols – plant-derived antioxidants.

    Prior studies have associated these flavanols with cardiovascular perks, including improved flexibility of blood vessels and alleviated blood pressure. For those aiming to lower cholesterol, the NHS endorses a variety of approaches: trimming down on high-fat foods, increasing consumption of fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, oily fish, olive oil and whole grains, engaging in more physical activity, ditching cigarettes, and reducing alcohol intake.

    If you are concerned about your cholesterol levels, it is advisable to seek guidance from a doctor.

    Continue Reading