The Falcons could be building something special with their recent defensive moves.As significant as Atlanta’s additions of outside linebacker Matt Judon and safety Justin Simmons are, what makes them even sweeter for the organization is how much they sting the division-rival Saints.By acquiring Judon from the Patriots, the Falcons have a seemingly huge advantage over Saints tackle Trevor Penning, who struggled mightily in training camp and in Week 1 of the preseason. The teams play in Weeks 4 and 10, and Judon should be able to expose New Orleans’ glaring weakness.The Simmons signing (one year, $8 million) might sting even…
Author: THE CONNECTING NEWSPAPER
Kinmen, Taiwan – On Taiwan’s sandy shores, Liu Xi Jiu puts on his goggles as he prepares to race across one of the most dangerous stretches of water in the world. Originally from Beijing, he is competing in the only event of its kind, a seven-kilometre (4.3-mile) swimming race across a geopolitical hotspot, from Taiwan’s offshore Kinmen Islands to the city of Xiamen on China’s east coast. Around him, 200 athletes from China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau laugh and joke as they warm up. In front of them, past the rows of anti-invasion spikes that line Kinmen’s golden beaches,…
Trader Joe’s is recalling 653,000 scented candles because they pose an elevated fire hazard. In a release on the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s website posted Thursday, Trader Joe’s said the flame on its Mango Tangerine candles can spread from the wick to the wax, causing a larger than expected flame. The products were sold in June. Trader Joe’s said it had received three reports of minor property damage and two reports of minor burns from users of the products. Users should return the candle to any Trader Joe’s store for a full cash refund of $4, or complete a product feedback form online to receive a…
By David Lammy For months, the Middle East has been teetering on the brink of full-scale conflict. None of us can know precisely how close we are to falling into the abyss of all-out war. But everyone recognises that this is a critical moment for the stability of the entire region. And that the risk of things spiralling out of control has been growing sharply. The new British government is doing all it can to push for de-escalation. At the end of my first full week in office, I travelled to Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Ramallah, meeting Israeli and Palestinian leaders…
Nigerian Afrobeats sensation, Rema, has revealed the inspiration behind his latest album, HEIS, and the bold decision to deviate from his signature sound. In an interview with Complex Music, Rema shared his desire to connect with his roots and explore new musical directions, despite initial reservations from his record label.Additionally, Rema explained that he aimed to represent his generation and create a cultural link for fans worldwide. Also, he emphasized that his artistic choices are deliberate and aimed at leaving a lasting impact on Afrobeats.Meanwhile, Rema’s determination to experiment and innovate a sound has resulted in the critically acclaimed album,…
Aaron Judge made history again this week, becoming the fastest player to hit 300 career home runs with his three-run blast on Wednesday against the Chicago White Sox. Judge reached the milestone in just 955 games – 132 games fewer than previous record holder, Hall of Famer Ralph Kiner – despite frequently getting the Barry Bonds treatment at the plate over the past few seasons. Judge trails only teammate Juan Soto in walks since 2022 with 301, with many managers recently admitting they don’t intend to pitch to Judge unless absolutely necessary. This season Judge is on top of the…
The 37-year-old daughter of tycoon Thaksin Shinawatra would become the third member of the family to lead Thailand.Thailand’s parliament is set to vote on whether 37-year-old Paetongtarn Shinawatra should become the country’s next prime minister after the ruling Pheu Thai party nominated her to replace dismissed leader Srettha Thavisin. Parliament is due to convene in Bangkok at 10am (03:00 GMT) on Friday, two days after the country’s top court sacked Srettha over his decision to appoint a minister who had a criminal conviction. Paetongtarn is the youngest child of billionaire tycoon Thaksin Shinawatra and would become the third member of the…
What to KnowA 21-year-old is facing a litany of charges, including murder, for the shooting death of a 13-year-old boy who was walking home from a basketball game at Barclays Center on Feb. 29, the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office announced Wednesday.Jared (Jah Woo) McCauley, of Brooklyn, was arraigned Wednesday on a 13-count indictment in which he is charged with second-degree murder, second-degree criminal possession of a weapon and first-degree reckless endangerment in the death of Troy Gill.Sheik Koureichi, also 21 and of Brooklyn, was arraigned on the same indictment on July 29. Both defendants were ordered held without bail and…
A new annual report by ECLAC indicates that the region’s economies will expand by 1.8 percent in 2024 and 2.3 percent in 2025. SANTIAGO, Chile – The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), released a new edition of its annual report Economic Survey of Latin America and the Caribbean 2024: Low-growth trap, climate change and employment trends, in which it stresses that the region remains stuck in a trap of low growth accompanied by poor investment performance and low labor productivity, which is compounded by limited domestic space for implementing macroeconomic policies for a reactivation as well as…
The Government appointed Counsellor for Foreign Affairs Anna-Kaisa Heikkinen to serve as Director General of the Department for Africa, the Middle East and Latin America for a fixed term from 1 September 2024 to 31 August 2028. Heikkinen transfers to the post from her previous position as Head of Mission at Finland’s Embassy in Maputo. Prior to this, she worked as Head of Mission at the Representative Office in Ramallah in 2017–2020. Heikkinen has also held other positions, including as Special Adviser to the Prime Minister in International Affairs in 2014–2017. She has also worked at the Embassies of Finland…