Monday, November 10, 2025

 
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Giga raises $61 million to expand enterprise voice AI, starting with DoorDash

Fortune
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Giga raises million to expand enterprise voice AI, starting with DoorDash

Giga, a San Francisco-based startup that builds voice-based AI agents for companies that need customer support, has raised $61 million in Series A funding led by Redpoint Ventures, with participation from Y Combinator and Nexus Venture Partners. The post-investment valuation of the company was not disclosed.

Founded by IIT Kharagpur graduates and Forbes 30 Under 30 alums Varun Vummadi and Esha Manideep, Giga is already working with food delivery company DoorDash. With the fresh funding, the company is looking to scale up usage within Fortune 100 enterprises and grow its team.

The voice AI space is crowded and competitive, mostly because of its potential to automate a lot of customer support work. The sector includes everything from specialized startups such as ElevenLabs and Vapi to tech giants like Amazon and Microsoft, vying for a share of a market projected to grow from $3.14 billion in 2024 to $47.5 billion by 2034.

Voice AI has the potential to streamline a lot of businesses’ customer service tasks, such as answering routine customer questions or scheduling appointments, without a human agent needing to step in. Many companies already use chatbots to automate various written communications with customers, but realistic voice AI that is good enough to hold natural conversations has the potential to handle many more customer interactions.

“It’s about giving time back. Even in chat or calls, people go through ridiculous flows. We want to simplify the process so issues get resolved easily and quickly,” Vummadi, one of Giga’s co-founders, told Fortune.

Vummadi sees Giga’s implementation speed as one of its main competitive advantages. He said the company can deploy enterprise-scale AI support in less than two weeks.

“We’re a very product-based based where companies can come and upload all the existing transcripts of their support agents and their policies, and we automatically build this into our system, so the time to value is dramatically low,” he said.

Another is Giga’s ability to perform multiple actions in real-time. The startup has built a unified real-time orchestration layer that manages all the different things the AI needs to do at once, such as listening, understanding what’s being said, deciding how to respond, checking databases, and speaking back. All tasks the system can do in less than half a second. For example, at DoorDash, if a Dasher can’t complete a delivery, Giga’s system can maintain a live connection with the Dasher, call the consumer to verify the address, and perform cross-check policy compliance all automatically and in real time.

“At DoorDash, we operate at a massive scale across services, platforms, and languages,” said DoorDash co-founder Andy Fang. “Giga leveraged usage data to deliver measurable improvements, including fewer escalations, faster resolution paths, and more efficient workflows across our teams. As we continue to grow across more than 40 countries and serve nearly 50 million people each month, partnerships like this are critical to delivering better outcomes for consumers on a global scale.”

Language and accent barriers

If successful, voice AI companies could help businesses reduce resolution times, cut escalations, and limit the need for large call center teams. However, experts have warned that automated voice AI has historically struggled with nuance and emotional intelligence, particularly when interacting with non-native speakers.

While voice AI systems are typically trained on vast datasets of speech, those datasets tend to skew heavily toward “standard” American or British English, meaning people with strong regional accents frequently find themselves being misunderstood. The problem is also particularly acute for elderly users or people with speech impediments, especially as these systems are increasingly being deployed in critical areas like healthcare and government services.

To combat some of these bias issues, Giga is working with open-source and multi-lingual LLMs and has developed a feature that lets customers opt into talking in a native language.

“We have seen a lot of accent issues go away if people speak in their native language. Multilingual is a very powerful asset,” Vummadi said. “We also store user preferences over time, so every interaction gets better.”

Expanding into finance and healthcare

Giga is planning to use some of the capital to fund an expansion into more regulated industries such as healthcare and finance. For these sectors, the company deploys its entire system on the client’s own cloud infrastructure using open-source models. Vummadi says Giga never has access to client data when deployed in this way.

In financial services, Giga is already live with several clients and is being used to automate compliance processes, such as flagging unusual transactions. When customers make transfers that deviate from their normal patterns, the AI can reach out to confirm the source and maintain the paper trail regulators require. “Those processes will be automated using AI, basically like a human reaching out,” Vummadi said, adding that the system can cross-reference details against external databases like Zillow to verify property sales to prevent fraud.

“What excites me most about Giga is that it’s not just building a best-in-class support bot,” said Satish Dharmaraj, Managing Director at Redpoint Ventures. “The team is building a foundational AI layer for customer voice — one that can understand nuance, reason about context, and scale with enterprise reliability.”



This story originally appeared on Fortune

Lenny Kravitz Shares Serene Moment At Home In The Bahamas

CelebrityInsider
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Lenny Kravitz Shares Serene Moment At Home In The Bahamas


Instagram/@lennykravitz

Lenny Kravitz revealed a hint of his little paradise on earth by posting a serene photo of his house in the Bahamas islands. The caption of the iconic image was “Right where I belong…” and a rare, calm moment from his very lively and exuberant life got revealed.

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When the shutter of the camera clicked, it appeared that Kravitz was not at all ready for it. The first people who saw it pointed out the serene and honest character of the singer and even praised it. The picture showing a man who is completely comfortable and confident in his own territory was a sharp contrast to the singer’s bold, lively character.

Several viewers have commented and one of them offered a very beautiful way of expressing the reason why the picture gained such popularity saying; “This picture is so nice; it’s like the photographer was sneaking up on him.” The unguarded spirit was sensed in the comments as well. One person referred to the picture as “Peace, nature, simple and authentic Lenny!!!” The Spanish version is even more vivid as it still keeps the same enthusiastic tone and is made understandable to all readers.

It is very clear that the spot holds a lot of significance to Kravitz who is never far from the Bahamas. “There are places that change us, they change us from inside out. What a joy they are! Even if we are living far away from them we keep coming back to those places feeling our calm, our home.” The above quotation is a clear expression of the connection between such places and the two concepts of comfort and belonging, which Kravitz’s private moment has touched upon so extensively.

Others have also expressed their thoughts along the lines of how genuine the photo was, one man labeling it “Pure, raw, authentic; thank you for that.” Another one, meanwhile, portrayed Kravitz as a “Beautiful soul spirit heart filled with love, truth, simple man, human child of God, blessed, Wow, Authentic, Respect, freedom ride, life, love, oneness, peace, just simple, Beautiful heart” letting his thoughts flow in a torrent of words that reflected the emotional reaction so many shared.

The rock star’s relationship with nature seemed to be a reason for his audience to become very philosophical in their thoughts. One viewer expressed it; “Kravitz’s aura was, ‘It’s peace of mind’ while another insisted, ‘So beautiful for the soul’. By these comments, it can be easily understood that the peaceful moment of the singer was not only visually appealing but also emotionally attractive to those who were living his life.

Kravitz’s way of life and spirituality in music have long been his differentiators, thus rendering the glimpse into his private retreat very meaningful. His, “Right where I belong” caption is very much the mark of a man who has found his center after an exhausting period in the limelight and the audience seemed to have taken a liking to this gentle side of the legendary artist.

A tsunami of comments came up supporting both, the man, and the moment, one of the people perfectly summed it up: “Mr. Kravitz, just chilling at home. In the Bahamas. I love it.” This plain sentence was the main reason why the post was so appealing – it was not about the rock star, but rather about the man’s bond with his favorite place that was quite calm.

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Lenny Kravitz’s moment of genuine tranquillity was very unlike other celebrities’, as his compassion made it all the more special. He did not only show his audience the picture, but he also let them feel that very moment of life. Even when he appeared miles away, still living in his fantasy, the rock legend was uttering weighty words in a simple way, that is, sometimes the most forceful message is just being present, in a place that is like home. He has also announced a major 2025 homecoming concert in the Bahamas, further solidifying this special connection. His recent appearance at the VMAs showcased a completely different, bold style. Fans were also treated to a rare 1995 acoustic performance he shared recently. This tranquil moment is a stark contrast to a shirtless post from Las Vegas that turned up the heat.



This story originally appeared on Celebrityinsider

The little-known story behind one of Disneyland’s most recognizable ride songs

LATimes
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The little-known story behind one of Disneyland’s most recognizable ride songs


When Xavier “X” Atencio was plucked by Walt Disney in 1965 to be one of his early theme park designers, he was slotted on a number of projects that placed him out of his comfort zone.

Atencio, for instance, never would have envisioned himself a songwriter.

One of Atencio’s first major projects with Walt Disney Imagineering — WED Enterprises (for Walter Elias Disney), as it was known at the time — was Pirates of the Caribbean. In the mid-’60s when Atencio joined the Pirates team, the attraction was well underway, with the likes of fellow animators-turned-theme park designers Marc Davis and Claude Coats crafting many of its exaggerated characters and enveloping environments. Atencio’s job? Make it all make sense by giving it a cohesive story. While Atencio had once dreamed of being a journalist, his work as an animator had led him astray of a writer’s path.

Atencio would not only figure it out but end up as the draftman of one of Disneyland’s most recognizable songs, “Yo Ho (A Pirate’s Life for Me).” In the process, he was key in creating the template for the modern theme park dark ride, a term often applied to slow-moving indoor attractions. Such career twists and turns are detailed in a new book about Atencio, who died in 2017. “Xavier ‘X’ Atencio: The Legacy of an Artist, Imagineer, and Disney Legend” (Disney Editions), written by three of his family members, follows Atencio’s unexpected trajectory, starting from his roots in animation (his resume includes “Fantasia,” the Oscar-winning short “Toot, Whistle, Plunk and Boom” and even stop-motion work in “Mary Poppins”).

For Pirates of the Caribbean, Atencio is said to have received little direction from Disney, only that the park’s patriarch was unhappy with previous stabs at a narration and dialogue, finding them leaning a bit stodgy. So he knew, essentially, what not to do. Atencio, according to the book, immersed himself in films like Disney’s own “Treasure Island” and pop-cultural interpretations of pirates, striving for something that felt borderline caricature rather than ripped from the history books.

Xavier “X” Atencio got his start in animation. Here, he is seen drawing dinosaurs for a sequence in “Fantasia.”

(Reprinted from “Xavier ‘X’ Atencio: The Legacy of An Artist, Imagineer, and Disney Legend” / Disney Enterprises Inc. / Disney Editions)

Indeed, Atencio’s words — some of those quoted in the book, such as “Avast there! Ye come seeking adventure and salty old pirates, aye?” — have become shorthand for how to speak like a pirate. The first scene written for the attraction was the mid-point auction sequence, a section of the ride that was changed in 2017 due to its outdated cultural implications. In the original, a proud redheaded pirate is the lead prisoner in a bridal auction, but today the “wench” has graduated to pirate status of her own and is helping to auction off stolen goods.

At first, Atencio thought he had over-written the scene, noticing that dialogue overlapped with one another. In a now-famous theme park moment, and one retold in the book, Atencio apologized to Disney, who shrugged off Atencio’s insecurity.

“Hey, X, when you go to a cocktail party, you pick up a little conversation here, another conversation there,” Disney told the animator. “Each time people will go through, they’ll find something new.”

This was the green light that Atencio, Davis and Coats needed to continue developing their attraction as one that would be a tableau of scenes rather than a strict plot.

Tying it all together, Atencio thought, should be a song. Not a songwriter himself, of course, Atencio sketched out a few lyrics and a simple melody. As the authors write, he turned to the thesaurus and made lists of traditional “pirating” words. He presented it to Disney and, to Atencio’s surprise, the company founder promptly gave him the sign off.

“Yo Ho (A Pirate’s Life for Me),” Atencio would relay, was a challenge as the ride doesn’t have a typical beginning and ending, meaning the tune needed to work with whatever pirate vignette we were sailing by. Ultimately, the song, with music by George Bruns, underlines the ride’s humorous feel, allowing the looting, the pillaging and the chasing of women, another scene that has been altered over the years, to be delivered with a playful bent.

The song “altered the trajectory” of Atencio’s career. While Atencio was not considered a musical person — “No, not at all,” says his daughter Tori Atencio McCullough, one of the book’s co-authors — the biography reveals how music became a signature aspect of his work. The short “Toot, Whistle, Plunk and Boom,” for instance, is a humorous tale about the discovery of music. And elsewhere in Atencio’s career he worked on the band-focused opening animations for “Mickey Mouse Club.”

“That one has a pretty cool kind of modern instrument medley in the middle,” Kelsey McCullough, Atencio’s granddaughter and another one of the book’s authors, says of “Mickey Mouse Club.” “It was interesting, because when we lined everything up, it was like, ‘Of course he felt like the ride needed a song.’ Everything he had been doing up to that point had a song in it. Once we looked it at from that perspective, it was sort of unsurprising to us. He was doing a lot around music.”

Concept art of a black cat with one red eye.

Xavier “X” Atencio contributed concepts to Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion, including its famous one-eyed cat.

(Reprinted from “Xavier ‘X’ Atencio: The Legacy of An Artist, Imagineer, and Disney Legend” / Disney Enterprises Inc. / Disney Editions)

Atencio would go on to write lyrics for the Country Bear Jamboree and the Haunted Mansion. While the Haunted Mansion vacillates between spooky and lighthearted imagery, it’s Atencio’s “Grim Grinning Ghosts” that telegraphs the ride’s tone and makes it clear it’s a celebratory attraction, one in which many of those in the afterlife prefer to live it up rather than haunt.

Despite his newfound music career, Atencio never gave up drawing and contributing concepts to Disney theme park attractions. Two of my favorites are captured in the book — his abstract flights through molecular lights for the defunct Adventure Thru Inner Space and his one-eyed black cat for the Haunted Mansion. The latter has become a fabled Mansion character over the years. Atencio’s fiendish feline would have followed guests throughout the ride, a creature said to despise living humans and with predatory, possessive instincts.

In Atencio’s concept art, the cat featured elongated, vampire-like fangs and a piercing red eye. In a nod to Edgar Allan Poe’s story “The Black Cat,” it had just one eyeball, which sat in its socket with all the subtlety of a fire alarm. Discarded eventually — a raven essentially fills a similar role — the cat today has been resurrected for the Mansion, most notably in a revised attic scene where the kitty is spotted near a mournful bride.

Xavier "X" Atencio's retirement announcement

Xavier “X” Atencio retired from Disney in 1984 after four-plus decades with the company. He drew his own retirement announcement.

(Reprinted from “Xavier ‘X’ Atencio: The Legacy of An Artist, Imagineer, and Disney Legend” / Disney Enterprises Inc. / Disney Editions)

Co-author Bobbie Lucas, a relative of Atencio’s colloquially referred to by the family as his “grandchild-in-law,” was asked what ties all of Atencio’s work together.

“No matter the different style or no matter the era, there’s such a sense of life and humanity,” Lucas says. “There’s a sense of play.”

Play is a fitting way to describe Atencio’s contributions to two of Disneyland’s most beloved attractions, where pirates and ghosts are captured at their most frivolous and jovial.

“I like that,” Lucas adds. “I like someone who will put their heart on their sleeve and show you that in their art.”



This story originally appeared on LA Times

UK investors are buying the dip in Palantir stock. Should I buy too?

Motley Fool
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UK investors are buying the dip in Palantir stock. Should I buy too?


Image source: Getty Images

Palantir (NASDAQ: PLTR) stock experienced a sharp pullback after the company posted its earnings for the third quarter of 2025 on Monday night (3 November) and UK investors have been aggressively buying the dip. Looking at data from AJ Bell, it’s the most bought stock on the platform over the last day.

Now, I’ve had this artificial intelligence (AI) stock on my watchlist for ages but I’ve never actually pulled the trigger and bought it for my portfolio. Should I follow the crowd and buy it now? Let’s discuss.

Unbelievable Q3 earnings

Palantir’s Q3 results were truly unbelievable. For the quarter, revenue was up an incredible 63% year on year to $1.18bn. Adjusted earnings per share (EPS) was $0.21, more than double the figure in Q3 2024. Meanwhile, the company’s ‘rule of 40’ score (revenue growth plus profit margin) was 114 – that’s literally unheard of.

Driving this mind-blowing growth was the company’s US commercial segment. Here, revenue was up 121% year on year to $397m, signalling that US businesses are scrambling to adopt Palantir’s AI technology. US government revenue growth remained strong however, at 52%.

“These are arguably the best results that any software company has ever delivered.”
Palantir CEO Alex Karp

Just getting started

Looking at these numbers, one thing’s very clear. This company is the real deal when it comes to AI. I was impressed with its growth rate last quarter, which was 48%. The fact that this has accelerated to 63% suggests that the company has AI solutions that are truly best in class.

What’s interesting is that in the quarterly letter to shareholders, its CEO said that the company is just getting started.

I think he may be right because of the $1.18bn in revenue for Q3, $883m came from the US. In other words, there could still be huge potential in Europe, Asia, and other areas of the world.

Does the stock look attractive?

So we have a brilliant company here. But a brilliant company doesn’t always translate to a winning investment so what does the stock look like? Well, this is where things get complex.

You see, Palantir has an insanely high valuation today (even after its pullback). At present, it trades on a forward-looking price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 209 and a forward-looking price-to-sales ratio of about 58 (these figures use sales and earnings estimates for 2026).

These valuations add a ton of risk to the investment case because they’re so high. For reference, Nvidia trades on multiples of about 30 and 13 right now.

Note that a lot of professional analysts have problems with the valuation. On Wall Street, several firms have price targets below $70. Personally, I’d be willing to pay a premium for this company because of its growth. But I can’t justify a price-to-sales ratio of 58.

That kind of ratio assumes that growth will keep ticking along at current rates for years. And I think that’s unlikely (although it could happen).

My move now

Given the sky-high valuation, I’m going to leave Palantir on my watchlist for now. I’m keen to buy it for my portfolio, but I think I’ll get better opportunities in the months ahead.



This story originally appeared on Motley Fool

OnlyFans’ Sophie Rain in Spider-Man Bodysuit Is Must-See

RealityTea
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OnlyFans’ Sophie Rain in Spider-Man Bodysuit Is Must-See


Sophie Rain once again took over the internet with her latest look. She revealed her Halloween outfit in an Instagram post, wearing a Spider-Man bodysuit. This look from the OnlyFans model definitely caught fans’ attention online.

Sophie Rain stuns in Spider-Man bodysuit

In a post captioned, “are your spidey senses tingling?” Sophie Rain revealed her outfit for Halloween. She posted pictures of herself in a mini Spider-Man bodysuit as she posed in front of a white background. Showing off her thigh and arm tattoos, Rain completed her outfit with a golden wristwatch and bracelets around her wrists. In the images posted on her Instagram account, she can even be seen doing a Spider-Man pose for the camera.

Image credit: Instagram / @sophieraiin

Fans stormed the comments section with praise and also a little humour. One fan wrote, “She’s so beautiful,” while another joked, “I don’t have spidey sense but something else is tingling.”

Originally reported by Elton Fernandes on Mandatory.




This story originally appeared on Realitytea

Los Angeles man charged with pimping hundreds of women in Colorado

LATimes
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Los Angeles man charged with pimping hundreds of women in Colorado

A Los Angeles man is accused of trying to recruit hundreds of women and girls into a multi-state sex trafficking ring, according to prosecutors in Colorado.

Andrew Dominguez, 36, was charged with seven counts by a grand jury in Colorado, officials said, including one count of violating the Colorado Organized Crime Control Act, two counts of attempted pimping, two counts of criminal impersonation, one count of extortion and another count of tampering with a victim or witness.

According to the indictment, Dominguez had “established relationships” with several women and girls across multiple states, including Colorado, Texas, New Mexico and a minor in Arizona.

On Monday, Colorado Atty. Gen. Phil Weiser and Denver Dist. Atty. John Walsh announced Dominguez’s arrest. Prosecutors allege that Dominguez has contacted hundreds of women and girls online, looking to recruit them into a sex trafficking ring.

In a statement, officials said Dominguez began contacting victims in early 2023.

Prosecutors with the Denver district attorney’s office became aware of Dominguez when, while investigating a sexual assault involving a different suspect, a woman told prosecutors she believed she had been included in online commercial sex sites for prostitution.

Investigators later determined Dominguez had made the online post for the woman, officials said.

Over the course of their investigation, officials tracked hundreds of commercial sex ads throughout the country, according to the indictment, with many of them listing a similar message in the text of the ad: “no blacks. no pimps. no thugs. no cops.”

Dominguez allegedly used voice over internet protocol numbers, or “VOIP” numbers, which are not linked to a physical phone but transmit calls and texts via the internet, making them more difficult to link to an owner.

Investigators allege, according to the indictment, that Dominguez used the “VOIP” numbers to promote sex workers online, to pose as men looking for sex workers, and to extort women that he’d been unable to recruit for prostitution.

Dominguez threatened to distribute pictures and videos of the women if they did not give him money or engage in prostitution for him, according to investigators.

Officials said more victims may yet be identified.

The 36-year-old was taken into custody in California with the help of agents with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s Fugitive Apprehension Team and U.S. Marshals.

Officials plan to have him extradited to Colorado to face charges.



This story originally appeared on LA Times

Full list of who can get a free NHS flu jab this year

Express.co.uk
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Full list of who can get a free NHS flu jab this year


The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has revealed who can get a free NHS flu vaccination this year.

This announcement comes as the NHS confirms that influenza cases are presently three times higher than they were during the same period last year. Health professionals have explained that the flu season has arrived “more than a month earlier” than usual.

NHS leaders attribute this primarily to a spike among school-age children.

And in a statement on X, previously known as Twitter, UKHSA has acted to inform everyone who is eligible that they can receive a flu immunisation.

The message reads: “‘Who is eligible for the flu vaccine for winter 2025?’ We gathered all the details for you.

“If you meet any of the criteria, come forward and book your vaccine through the NHS website, or remember to return consent forms for school-aged children.”

Duncan Burton, chief nursing officer for England, said: “This early rise of flu in children is particularly concerning – especially given that flu circulation in children normally precedes that in adults – so it’s vitally important those eligible come forward for their vaccine as soon as possible to avoid a long and drawn-out flu season.

“The flu virus changes every year, so it’s important to get a vaccination each year to ensure yours and your families protection and to help reduce the spread to others.

“Vaccines are one of the safest and most effective ways to help shield against the virus and prepare for what we expect to be a very challenging winter, so I would urge everyone eligible to come forward for their jabs as soon as they can, with easy to book appointments or drop-in sessions now available closer to home.”

To book a free flu vaccine, or to find out more, click here



This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk

Genocide is unfolding in Darfur, warns Sudanese government – as it calls for the world to act | World News

SkyNews
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Genocide is unfolding in Darfur, warns Sudanese government – as it calls for the world to act | World News


A genocide is unfolding in Darfur and the world must act, the Sudanese government has said.

Sudan’s ambassador to the UK issued the stark warning at a news briefing in London after the fall of North Darfur capital Al Fashir to the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

Multiple reports of atrocities are emerging from Darfur once again, 20 years after it first made headlines in a conflict the world said should never be repeated.

Thousands are thought to have been killed, with women raped and civilians kidnapped for ransom.

Ambassador Babikir Elamin said the world is just standing by.

“It certainly seems that the international community is either helpless or just not interested,” he said. “We need to stop this mayhem.”

Image:
Babikir Elamin, Sudan’s ambassador to the UK

He singled out the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for helping the RSF, labelling it the “enabler of genocide”.

Britain has close ties to the UAE and British-supplied weapons are reported to have turned up on the battlefield in Sudan, allegedly supplied by the UAE.

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UAE ‘main backer’ behind Sudan war, Sky News is told

“The UK government must put pressure on the UAE,” the ambassador said. “It’s well placed being a permanent member of the UN security council.”

A UAE official said it “categorically rejects any claims of providing any form of support to either warring party since the onset of the civil war, and condemn atrocities committed by both Port Sudan Authority and RSF”.

“The latest UN Panel of Experts report makes clear that there is no substantiated evidence that the UAE has provided any support to RSF, or has any involvement in the conflict,” a spokesperson said.

“Since the onset of the civil war, the UAE has consistently supported regional and international efforts to achieve an immediate ceasefire, protect civilians, and ensure accountability for violations committed by all warring parties.

“The UAE is part of the Quad which in September issued a joint statement calling for a three-month humanitarian truce to enable the swift entry of humanitarian aid to all parts of Sudan and to lead immediately to a permanent ceasefire.

“That statement also underlined that there is no military solution to the conflict in Sudan. Only a transition not controlled by the warring parties, leading to an independent civilian-led government, can secure Sudan’s future.”

‘Ample time to act’

Sudan has suffered a brutal civil war for more than two years. More than 150,000 people are thought to have died. And yet, other conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine have received far more attention.

The RSF paramilitary rebel force besieged Al Fashir for 18 months, to the point of starvation, before capturing it. Residents resorted to eating animal feed and leather.

An investigation by Sky News found the Sudanese forces made arrangements for their own safe passage from the city before it was captured.

It is the conflict the world swore would never happen again, and yet it has. Twenty years ago, the Janjaweed militia committed a genocide killing 300,000 people. In their current iteration, the rebranded RSF are also running amok, once again.

Ambassador Babikir told Sky News the world had “ample time to act” before history repeated itself.

“Janjaweed needs to be dealt with like we dealt with ISIS,” he said.

Read more:
Inside the epicentre of Sudan’s war
The men facing death to smuggle food to Sudan

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Foreign Secretary on ‘truly horrifying atrocities’ in Sudan

The British government says events in Darfur are “truly horrifying” and threaten one of the worst humanitarian crises in the 21st century.

Without more intervention from the international community, that crisis is only likely to deepen.



This story originally appeared on Skynews

Trump once again nominates tech space traveler Jared Isaacman to serve as NASA administrator : NPR

NPR
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Trump once again nominates tech space traveler Jared Isaacman to serve as NASA administrator : NPR


FILE – Commander Jared Isaacman speaks at a news conference after arriving at the Kennedy Space Center, Aug. 19, 2024.

John Raoux/AP


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John Raoux/AP

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump announced Tuesday he has decided to nominate Jared Isaacman to serve as his NASA administrator, months after withdrawing the tech billionaire’s nomination because of concerns about his political leanings.

Trump announced in late May that he had decided to withdraw Isaacman after a “thorough review” of his “prior associations.” Weeks after the withdrawal, Trump went further in expressing his concerns about Isaacman’s Republican credentials.

At the time, Trump acknowledged that he thought Isaacman “was very good,” but had become “surprised to learn” that Isaacman was a ” blue blooded Democrat, who had never contributed to a Republican before.”

Isaacman had the endorsement of Trump’s former DOGE adviser and tech entrepreneur Elon Musk. The president and Musk had a very public falling out earlier this year but are now on better terms.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with a payload of 20 Starlink satellites is seen in the evening sky above Lawndale, Calif., after being launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base on June 18, 2024.

Last week, Trump told reporters he and Musk have spoken “on and off” since sitting together at conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s funeral last month in Arizona and that their relationship is “good.”

Trump made no mention of his previous decision to nominate and then withdraw Isaacman in his Tuesday evening announcement of the re-nomination on his Truth Social platform. And the White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Trump’s decision to reverse course.

“This evening, I am pleased to nominate Jared Isaacman, an accomplished business leader, philanthropist, pilot, and astronaut, as Administrator of NASA,” Trump posted. “Jared’s passion for Space, astronaut experience, and dedication to pushing the boundaries of exploration, unlocking the mysteries of the universe, and advancing the new Space economy, make him ideally suited to lead NASA into a bold new Era.”

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has been serving as interim NASA administrator. The president on Tuesday praised Duffy for doing an “incredible job.”

Isaacman, CEO and founder of credit card-processing company Shift4, has been a close collaborator with Musk ever since buying his first chartered flight with SpaceX.

President Trump speaks in the Oval Office of the White House on Tuesday. Trump announces that U.S. Space Command will move its headquarters from Colorado to Alabama.

He also bought a series of spaceflights from SpaceX and conducted the first private spacewalk. SpaceX has extensive contracts with NASA.

The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee approved Isaacman’s nomination in late April and a vote by the full Senate had been expected when Trump announced he was yanking the nomination.

In his own social media post Tuesday, Isaacman thanked Trump for the nomination and the “space-loving community.” He made no mention of the earlier turmoil.



This story originally appeared on NPR

Season 34, Week 8 Results

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Season 34, Week 8 Results








Courtesy of ABC

It appears “Dancing With the Stars” wanted to sprinkle a little chaos on Season 34, so it did what any competition show might do: invite Flavor Flav to be a guest judge.

Despite having no business judging ballroom dancing, the rapper and reality TV personality squeezed in next to Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough and Bruno Tonioli on Tuesday night, offering up delightfully incoherent remarks about the performances and equally puzzling scores. When he took out his “10” paddle for the first dance of the night — a just-okay jive from Dylan and Daniella — we suspected Flavor Flav would be the kind of guest judge that gives everyone 10s and simply has a good time. 

But no! Alix and Val’s fantastic paso doble, which earned perfect scores from the real judges? Flav gives it a nine! Andy and Emma’s sweet-but-insubstantial contemporary, which the judges gave sevens? Flav also gives that a nine! You just never knew which number was going to appear in his hand, giving Tuesday’s episode a level of unpredictability fit for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame theme.

Elsewhere in the broadcast, co-hosts Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough joined in for the annual team dances, which offered up bonus points to the remaining contestants. This time around, Team Chicago (made up of Danielle, Whitney, Jordan, Dylan, and Alfonso) received a perfect 40 from the judges, besting Team Kool (Andy, Robert, Alix, Elaine, and Julianne), who earned a 38.

Keep scrolling for our full recap of Tuesday’s performances and results, then drop a comment with your thoughts on the episode!

SAFE: Dylan Efron and Daniella Karagach


Dancing With the Stars Dylan Efron Daniella Karagach Week 8
Courtesy of ABC

DANCE STYLE: Jive (to “I’m Still Standing” by Elton John)

Dylan’s confidence on the dance floor has only grown with each passing week, so it was a shame to see him revert to early-season shakiness right before the quarterfinals. He didn’t make any major mistakes with the choreography, but his kicks and flicks weren’t nearly as crisp as Daniella’s were, and his face betrayed a nervous sheepishness that we haven’t seen since Week 1. Also? That hip-hop interlude was weird.

JUDGES’ SCORE: 36 out of 40

SAFE: Alix Earle and Val Chmerkovskiy


Dancing With the Stars Alix Earle Val Chmerkovskiy Week 8
Courtesy of ABC

DANCE STYLE: Paso Doble (to “Livin’ On a Prayer” by Bon Jovi)

Alix’s massive TikTok following probably would have gotten her far in this competition anyway, but now that we’re seeing what she’s truly capable of, that Mirrorball seems hers to lose. This paso was so deftly handled, nicely toeing that line between compelling intensity and over-the-top seriousness (a tough balance for even the most impressive “Dancing” contestants), and Alix and Val’s side-by-side sections were gorgeously synchronized.

JUDGES’ SCORE: 39 out of 40 (thanks to a baffling nine from Flavor Flav) 

SAFE: Andy Richter and Emma Slater


Dancing With the Stars Andy Richter Emma Slater Week 8
Courtesy of ABC

DANCE STYLE: Contemporary (to “God Only Knows” by The Beach Boys)

With nothing but respect for everything Andy and Emma have built together this season, we are now entering “C’mon already” territory with Andy’s longevity in the competition. It’s been genuinely lovely to see Andy experience such love from the home audience all these weeks, and this contemporary was a beautiful encapsulation of his and Emma’s sweet bond. But looking at the other contestants left after Tuesday’s results, next week’s quarterfinals really ought to be the stopping point for Andy’s inspirational, but plateauing, run.

JUDGES’ SCORE: 30 out of 40

SAFE: Whitney Leavitt and Mark Ballas


Dancing With the Stars Whitney Leavitt Mark Ballas Week 8
Courtesy of ABC

DANCE STYLE: Paso Doble (to “No More Tears” by Ozzy Osbourne)

Carrie Ann Inaba catches a lot of flak — some warranted, some not — for her criticism of the female frontrunners every season, but I’ll be honest: I was a little glad to hear her point out Whitney’s wobbly feet in this paso doble, when those imperfections had gone unnoticed by Derek and Bruno. (And Flavor Flav, too, but I’m not sure he knew where he was.) Sure, the small missteps were a result of Whitney committing 110% to the style’s intensity, but she also let that passion affect her usually-incredibly-watchable face, which tended to puff out around the lips this time with Whitney’s big, emphatic exhales. Still rocked, though! No hate!

JUDGES’ SCORE: 39 out of 40

SAFE: Elaine Hendrix and Alan Bersten


Dancing With the Stars Elaine Hendrix Alan Bersten Week 8
Courtesy of ABC

DANCE STYLE: Viennese Waltz (to “What the World Needs Now Is Love” by Dionne Warwick)

What an elegant showing from Elaine here. On the heels of last week’s injury (plus truncated rehearsal time this week), Elaine performed this Viennese waltz with a terrific grasp on the choreography, gliding next to Alan with an airy ease that you’d hardly expect from someone nursing a strained muscle in her torso. The physical demands of the next three weeks do make me wonder if Elaine’s injury will hold her back in the quarterfinals and beyond, but I’m thrilled she’s gotten the opportunity to give it a shot.

JUDGES’ SCORE: 37 out of 40

SAFE: Jordan Chiles and Ezra Sosa


Dancing With the Stars Jordan Chiles Ezra Sosa Week 8
Courtesy of ABC

DANCE STYLE: Jazz (to “River Deep – Mountain High” by Ike and Tina Turner)

Very, very smart of Ezra to pack this jazz with so many tricks, all of which Jordan nailed — though I’ll admit, I did worry she wouldn’t quite land on the judges’ table correctly when she was hoisted over there. In the wake of last week’s so-so contemporary, this routine was the perfect way for Jordan to bounce back and remind us she’s very much a contender, now with even more willingness to showcase her personality in her dances.

JUDGES’ SCORE: 38 out of 40

SAFE: Robert Irwin and Witney Carson


Dancing With the Stars Robert Irwin Witney Carson Week 8
Courtesy of ABC

DANCE STYLE: Paso Doble (to “Icky Thump” by The White Stripes)

Much was made during Tuesday’s episode of the top three couples on the leaderboard all performing paso dobles this week, but I’d argue Robert had a higher mountain to climb than Whitney Leavitt or Alix Earle, having to fill the male leading role. But he really delivered! Unfortunately, yes, that ambitious opening sequence — in which Robert danced for quite a while on his own, minus Witney and plus a cumbersome cape — did include missteps, but his partner work later on was powerful and electric. You can’t not love a knee walk, folks.

JUDGES’ SCORE: 38 out of 40

ELIMINATED: Danielle Fishel and Pasha Pashkov


Dancing With the Stars Danielle Fishel Pasha Pashkov Week 8
Courtesy of ABC

DANCE STYLE: Contemporary (to “Dream On” by Aerosmith)

Gah. Gah! Listen, I love Danielle. I love ’90s nostalgia. I’ve loved her positive attitude and work ethic all season long. But where was the fire here? Where was the energy behind her moves? The combination of the contemporary style, the fierce Aerosmith soundtrack, and an empowering personal backstory for Danielle seemed like it would yield an unforgettable breakout moment for her; instead, so many of her movements looked half-hearted and flat, like when she punched at Pasha heading into the chorus. Plus, something went awry in that final lift, no? Did her dress get stuck for a second?

It’s possible this routine brought up too much emotion for Danielle, and she responded by drawing herself in a bit, so as not to lose her composure. We’ve seen that before! But if her raw angst had to go somewhere, I would have preferred it spill over the top, rather than get shoved down — and America seemed to have similar feelings, sending her and Pasha home in eighth place.

JUDGES’ SCORE: 34 out of 40

Do you agree with Danielle and Pasha’s elimination? And heading into the quarterfinals, who are you rooting for to take home that Mirrorball? Hit the comments!





This story originally appeared on TVLine

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