Author: THE CONNECTING NEWSPAPER

Bolaji Arab’s newest mixtape, Vibes and Mistletoe, is a masterclass in blending global sounds with Afrobeat influences, delivering a sonic journey that is as festive as it is innovative. Known for his ability to craft unforgettable sets, Bolaji kicks things off with Justin Bieber’s Mistletoe, setting a warm, nostalgic mood before seamlessly transitioning into the Awolowo Remix by Fido featuring Tiwa Savage. The shift is so smooth it feels like the two tracks were made for each other, immediately pulling listeners into a vibe that’s both fresh and familiar.Stream ‘Vibes and Mistletoe’ mixtapeThe mixtape shines in its balance of Afrobeat…

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We’re all familiar with the NBA players who dominate the media spotlight. But what about those who excel in their roles while staying under the radar?Today, we spotlight unsung players, starting with four from the Western Conference.Norman Powell – Los Angeles ClippersGiven the loss of Paul George and Kawhi Leonard’s continuous unavailability, many predicted a down year for the Clippers. Not Norman Powell. In an era where payers are media trained to within an inch of their lives, Powell offered a refreshingly honest assessment of the Clippers’ offseason, telling reporters on media day that he saw “more guys getting opportunities,…

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Israeli soldiers have stormed Kamal Adwan Hospital, the last remaining medical facility in the northern Gaza Strip, torching large sections and ordering hundreds of people to leave. Gaza’s Ministry of Health said on Friday that contact had been lost with staff inside the hospital in Beit Lahiya, which has been under siege and heavy pressure from Israeli forces for weeks. “The occupation forces are inside the hospital now and they are burning it,” Munir al-Bursh, the director of the ministry, said in a statement. The Israeli army issued a statement confirming it launched a raid on the Kamal Adwan Hospital,…

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2024 isn’t over just yet, but many of us are already looking at the year ahead and planning when to take some well-deserved time off work.To maximise relaxation time, it’s become commonplace for workers to book their annual leave around bank holidays. In 2025, there are eight scheduled bank holidays in total.If you want to make the most of these holidays, these are the dates you should book off.But remember, it is important to keep in mind that businesses are not required to offer paid time off for public and bank holidays, and they may affect when and how your…

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On Christmas, it was reported that former Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll had expressed interest in the Chicago Bears’ opening, as he desired to return to the NFL next year. Ahead of the “Thursday Night Football” game between the Seahawks and Bears, NFL insider Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated offered an update regarding Carroll’s plans and Chicago’s thoughts on the one-time Super Bowl champion coach. “Pete Carroll has interest in the Bears job, but that’s not the only one he is looking at,” Breer explained, Bleacher Report’s Jack Murray shared. “I’m told that he has informed all of the teams with…

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Eugene Spector, a US citizen born in Russia, has been sentenced to 15 years in a maximum security Russian penal colony.Russia’s FSB security service has said a US citizen sentenced to a 15-year jail term this week was found guilty of leaking biotechnology secrets to the United States. In a statement on Friday, FSB accused Eugene Spector, who was born in Russia and then moved to the US, of acting on behalf of the Pentagon. “The American, acting in the interests of the Pentagon and a commercial organisation affiliated with it, collected and transferred to a foreign party various information…

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South Korea’s lawmakers on Friday voted to impeach acting President Han Duck-soo, in the second head-of-state ousting this month after a short-lived martial decree on Dec. 3. Han’s predecessor, President Yoon Suk Yeol, was impeached a mere two weeks prior. Han’s own impeachment plunges South Korea into renewed political turbulence, shaking the foundations of its democratic success story and driving down the Korean won. South Korea’s lawmakers on Friday voted to impeach acting President Han Duck-soo, in the second head-of-state ousting this month after a short-lived martial decree on Dec. 3, according to South Korean news agency Yonhap. Finance Minister…

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 BRIDGETOWN, Barbados – Greater evidence-based trade policy is on the region’s horizon as Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) member countries are set to benefit from a recently approved project. Over USD165,000 has been allocated for the Caribbean Development Bank and World Trade Organization (WTO) Statistics Training Programme, a trade-focused capacity-building regional activity set to modernise the production, compilation and dissemination and use of data in national statistics and customs offices, and ministries of trade. According to CDB’s director of economics, Ian Durant: “The bank is pleased to support, this initiative which will assist in deepening Caribbean trade and integration and further…

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Mavericks guard Luka Doncic will be sidelined for at least a month after suffering a left calf strain in the second quarter of Wednesday’s loss to Minnesota, report ESPN’s Shams Charania and Tim MacMahon.As Charania and MacMahon detail, Doncic underwent an MRI on Thursday and consulted with multiple medical professionals to establish a return timeline. ESPN’s duo reported on Wednesday that the Mavs were anticipating Doncic would miss an “extended period of time” with the injury, which caused him to leave the arena on crutches. Doncic appeared to suffer the injury when he drove into the lane while being defended by Jaden McDaniels. There…

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The year may be coming to an end, but the extraordinary political events of the United States election season will cast a long shadow into 2025 and beyond. There were many historic moments: from President-elect Donald Trump’s unprecedented conviction in his New York hush-money trial, to President Joe Biden’s surprise – and very much delayed – exit from the race, to two assassination attempts against the soon-to-be president-elect. And, of course, there was Trump’s victory in the November presidential election – a return to the very top for a man who many thought was finished politically when he lost the…

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