Latest news with #Bartholomew
The Advertiser
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Advertiser
Photos of the glitz and glamour of 'Speakeasy Carnival' to support youth mental health
A high-glamour fundraising event at Bartholomew's bar on King Street Friday night saw over 100 business leaders, philanthropists, and community leaders converge in the finest cocktail attire in the name of youth mental health. The event, hosted by EquiEnergy Youth - the young people's mental health support outfit founded by Stephen Spencer - staged a 'speakeasy carnival' with themes lifted from a Fitzgerald novel to raise support for the one in five children and adolescents who will experience serious psychological distress in the next year. The McDougall Foundation - former Newcastle Knight Adam MacDougall's charity - sponsored the event and staged a panel discussion with the city football greats, McDougall, Kurt Gidley and Chris Houston on the night. "We're all passionate about mental health and making a difference, particularly with youth," McDougall told the Newcastle Herald earlier this week. Equi Energy Youth gives adults "the knowledge to support the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people". The Newcastle-based organisation's "psychological first aid" program gives adults simple steps to follow to help young people through distress. A high-glamour fundraising event at Bartholomew's bar on King Street Friday night saw over 100 business leaders, philanthropists, and community leaders converge in the finest cocktail attire in the name of youth mental health. The event, hosted by EquiEnergy Youth - the young people's mental health support outfit founded by Stephen Spencer - staged a 'speakeasy carnival' with themes lifted from a Fitzgerald novel to raise support for the one in five children and adolescents who will experience serious psychological distress in the next year. The McDougall Foundation - former Newcastle Knight Adam MacDougall's charity - sponsored the event and staged a panel discussion with the city football greats, McDougall, Kurt Gidley and Chris Houston on the night. "We're all passionate about mental health and making a difference, particularly with youth," McDougall told the Newcastle Herald earlier this week. Equi Energy Youth gives adults "the knowledge to support the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people". The Newcastle-based organisation's "psychological first aid" program gives adults simple steps to follow to help young people through distress. A high-glamour fundraising event at Bartholomew's bar on King Street Friday night saw over 100 business leaders, philanthropists, and community leaders converge in the finest cocktail attire in the name of youth mental health. The event, hosted by EquiEnergy Youth - the young people's mental health support outfit founded by Stephen Spencer - staged a 'speakeasy carnival' with themes lifted from a Fitzgerald novel to raise support for the one in five children and adolescents who will experience serious psychological distress in the next year. The McDougall Foundation - former Newcastle Knight Adam MacDougall's charity - sponsored the event and staged a panel discussion with the city football greats, McDougall, Kurt Gidley and Chris Houston on the night. "We're all passionate about mental health and making a difference, particularly with youth," McDougall told the Newcastle Herald earlier this week. Equi Energy Youth gives adults "the knowledge to support the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people". The Newcastle-based organisation's "psychological first aid" program gives adults simple steps to follow to help young people through distress. A high-glamour fundraising event at Bartholomew's bar on King Street Friday night saw over 100 business leaders, philanthropists, and community leaders converge in the finest cocktail attire in the name of youth mental health. The event, hosted by EquiEnergy Youth - the young people's mental health support outfit founded by Stephen Spencer - staged a 'speakeasy carnival' with themes lifted from a Fitzgerald novel to raise support for the one in five children and adolescents who will experience serious psychological distress in the next year. The McDougall Foundation - former Newcastle Knight Adam MacDougall's charity - sponsored the event and staged a panel discussion with the city football greats, McDougall, Kurt Gidley and Chris Houston on the night. "We're all passionate about mental health and making a difference, particularly with youth," McDougall told the Newcastle Herald earlier this week. Equi Energy Youth gives adults "the knowledge to support the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people". The Newcastle-based organisation's "psychological first aid" program gives adults simple steps to follow to help young people through distress.
Straits Times
3 days ago
- General
- Straits Times
Alligator with no tail seen crossing the road in US, and the internet can't look away
A tail-less alligator was seen slowly making its way across Highway 23 in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana on May 20. PHOTOS: SCREENGRAB FROM ASHLYN BARTHOLOMEW/FACEBOOK Alligator with no tail seen crossing the road in US, and the internet can't look away An alligator without its long muscular tail was seen crossing a road in Louisiana, a scene many on the internet found both heartbreaking and amusing. The unfortunate reptile is seen slowly making its way across Highway 23 in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana , in a Facebook video posted on May 20 by Ms Ashlyn Bartholomew. The video has since been shared over 8,000 times and seen in many news outlets. 'I couldn't tell at first if he was an alligator or a big dog or what,' Ms Bartholomew told local outlet 'This was the first time I ever saw an alligator without a tail.' She said she first noticed the alligator lying down on one side of the road, 'minding his own business'. She then snapped a video of the animal as it ambled to the other side of the road , and captioned it with: 'Y'all be careful there's half an alligator walking on the road.' Mr Robert Mendyk, an expert on reptiles and amphibians at the Smithsonian's National Zoological Park, told the alligator probably lost its tail due to a run-in with a boat propeller or, most likely, a rival gator. He said alligators regularly survive such amputations. 'The wound walls itself off and heals,' he said. 'They have really phenomenal healing and regenerative abilities.' He also noted that if the alligator was attacked, it was likely by a male alligator with the 'bite force' to chomp off a tail. Many of those who saw Ms Batholomew's video said they felt sorry for the tailless alligator. 'I hope he lives, poor thing! Just trying to survive in his habitat,' Ms Angel Ancar commented on Ms Bartholomew's Facebook page. Ms Tara Wilkinson said in the same thread: 'Need to contact LDWF (Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries). Poor guy probably can't swim.' Others could not help making fun of the sight of a tailless alligator. 'I guess the tail said 'see ya later, alligator',' said Ms Jaleesa Perry. Ms Ria Poirier quipped: 'That's one bad gator ok I'm laughing it looks like half gator n half dog.' There were also those with mixed feelings. 'This is not normal! This baby needs to be with a rehabber honestly but it looks so weird!' said Ms Paula Charier. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
New York Post
3 days ago
- Business
- New York Post
Meta's fate in FTC antitrust trial in limbo as judge weighs possible breakup
Meta's fate is up in the air after Mark Zuckerberg's dirty laundry was aired in a landmark antitrust trial brought by the Federal Trade Commission – though some experts warn that the social media giant could wriggle out of the breakup sought by regulators. The seven-week trial concluded Tuesday after multiple bombshells about Meta's inner workings – including a 2012 email in which Zuckerberg admitted buying Instagram would 'neutralize a competitor' and internal reports showing executives panicking that Instagram was steering minors toward adult sex creeps it called 'groomers.' Despite the embarrassing evidence, the case's outcome is expected to hinge on how US District Judge James Boasberg defines the market in which Meta operates. 4 Mark Zuckerberg's old emails were a key part of the FTC's case. AP The FTC argued that Meta has an illegal monopoly over a narrowly-defined market of social media firms built on friends-and-family connections, with Snapchat as its only real competitor. Meta pushed back, arguing its apps face tough competition from rivals like TikTok and Google-owned YouTube for user attention. Meta has called the FTC's case 'weak' and, in a show of confidence, wrapped up its defense earlier than expected last week after calling just a few witnesses. That's a signal that its lawyers see the market definition issue as a strong argument against a breakup, according to Christine Bartholomew, an antitrust expert and professor at University at Buffalo School of Law. 'In a monopoly case, the victor of the dispute on how to define the market is often the overall victor,' Bartholomew said. 'Like most defendants in these kinds of cases, Meta is arguing the market is broader. The larger the relevant market, the less the potential anticompetitive impact of Meta's alleged conduct.' The FTC has accused Meta of using a 'buy or bury' strategy to stifle upstart social media apps like Instagram and WhatsApp before they could threaten its social media empire. The agency wants a forced selloff of Instagram, acquired for $1 billion in 2012, and WhatsApp, acquired for $18 billion in 2014. 4 The FTC is seeking a breakup of Meta. Getty Images The smoking-gun emails are the strongest part of the FTC's case, according to Bartholomew. In one 2018 message, Zuckerberg mused on whether Meta should 'consider the extreme step of spinning Instagram out' to get ahead of regulators. 'They confirm the FTC's narrative that Meta's acquisitions were intended to minimize competition,' Bartholomew said. 'These were not deals meant to improve a product or enhance consumer benefit. Rather, they were acquisitions meant to shield Meta from perceived competitive threats.' The FTC declined to comment. 'After six weeks trying their case to undo acquisitions made over a decade ago and show that no deal is ever truly final, the only thing the FTC showed was the dynamic, hyper-competitive nature of the past, present and future of the technology industry,' a Meta spokesperson said in a statement. 4 Zuckerberg was the first witness called to the stand. Getty Images During the trial, Instagram co-founder Kevin Systrom testified that Zuckerberg had treated his app as a 'threat' to the company's core Facebook business. Systrom said he felt Zuckerberg had starved Instagram of necessary resources, including approving necessary headcount to improve safety standards on the app in the wake of the Cambridge Analytica data privacy scandal. Meanwhile, Zuckerberg and Meta argued that Instagram's rise to prominence wasn't a sure thing – and that the company helped rather than hurt its growth. The company's attorneys also petitioned the judge to toss the case mid-trial, arguing the FTC had failed to meet its burden of evidence. Boasberg rejected the petition. 4 The FTC surfaced many Facebook emails and internal documents during the trial. Getty Images While the final outcome is difficult to predict, cases focused on potential violations of Section 2 of the Sherman Act – where liability hinges on whether a monopoly exists over a specific market – face a high bar to prove and are notoriously difficult to win. 'There are too many ways a plaintiff can lose,' Bartholomew said. With in-person arguments wrapped up, attorneys for the FTC and Meta will next submit written briefs outlining their arguments for and against a breakup for the judge's review. Boasberg has said he will move 'expeditiously' to issue a ruling in the case. If the judge rules in Meta's favor, the FTC is expected to appeal. If the judge sides with the FTC and determines Meta has broken the law, a second trial would be held to decide appropriate remedies. Meta would assuredly appeal.
Indian Express
4 days ago
- General
- Indian Express
‘So sad': Tailless alligator crosses road, the Internet can't look away
A tailless alligator crawling across a road in southern Louisiana is grabbing eyeballs on the Internet, with many viewers initially mistaking the unusual sight for a large dog. The video, recorded and shared on Facebook by Ashlyn Bartholomew, shows the alligator slowly making its way across Highway 23 in Plaquemines Parish. Bartholomew, who had just dropped her kids off at baseball practice, said she wasn't sure what she was looking at at first. 'I wasn't sure if it was an alligator or a big dog,' she told local news. In the now-viral video, her surprise is audible as she exclaims, 'What?' while watching the tailless reptile awkwardly move across the road. Sharing the video on Facebook, she captioned it with a warning, 'Y'all be careful. There's half an alligator walking on the road.' According to local reports, Robert Mendyk, a reptile expert at the Audubon Zoo, explained that the gator likely lost its tail in a violent fight with another alligator. He also said that such injuries are not uncommon and that alligators are surprisingly resilient, often surviving significant amputations like this one. Watch the video here: A post shared by New York Post (@nypost) Several social media users expressed distress over the injured alligator, with one saying, 'So sad!!! Looked hurt. Can a non-kill rescue service help him?' Another user commented, 'Awww please leave him alone poor guy.' 'I feel very bad for it. Not a fan of alligators, but I don't like seeing any animal hurt or in pain,' a third user reacted. Early this month, renowned French wildlife photographer Lucas Cottereau, known for documenting reptiles around the world, captured a wild American alligator completely missing its upper jaw, in Florida's Everglades. In a series of striking photos and videos shared on Instagram, the alligator is seen moving calmly both on land and through the water. With only its lower jaw remaining, teeth fully exposed and perfectly aligned, the image stunned several social media users.
Business Times
5 days ago
- Business
- Business Times
Iron ore stays relevant despite China's faltering property sector as demand drivers evolve
[SINGAPORE] Iron ore, the backbone of China's steel-fueled boom for more than two decades, is facing a pivotal demand shift. The ferrous metal's fortunes are now decoupling from the country's property sector to hinge more on infrastructure projects and high-tech machinery demand, a shift reflecting broader economic trends in China, Tan Tee Yong, head of commodity derivatives of SGX Group, told The Business Times. The demand for iron ore, as a crucial raw material in steel production, will be supported by China's growing emphasis on 'electrification, digitalisation and greenification – sectors that are inherently steel and iron ore-intensive', he added. In China, the infrastructure sector will overtake property to be the biggest end-user sector for steel in 2025, based on a report by S&P Global Commodity Insights, raising forecasts for infrastructure consumption for both 2025 and 2026 to 234 million tonnes and 227 million tonnes, respectively. Paul Bartholomew, senior analyst of metals and mining research of S&P Global, highlighted that the Chinese government has announced plans to improve the country's water infrastructure, while its infrastructure investment remained steady in the March quarter, government data indicated. On the other hand, steel consumption in the property sector is expected to fall 8 per cent in 2025, an improvement from an almost 12 per cent year-on-year decline in 2024, said Bartholomew. A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU Friday, 8.30 am Asean Business Business insights centering on South-east Asia's fast-growing economies. Sign Up Sign Up Beyond China While China's demand for steel – which is estimated to drop 2 per cent on the year by S&P Global Commodity Insights – is slowing, market watchers have seen rising demand for steel and subsequently iron ore, its primary raw material, elsewhere in the world. 'Beyond China, urbanisation and industrialisation continue to drive demand for iron ore globally,' said SGX's Tan, adding that regions such as Asean and India, in particular, are emerging as key growth markets for the ferrous metal. S&P Global's Bartholomew noted that India, which is adding at least another 30 million tonnes per year of steel capacity over the next five years, is still in steel production growth mode. Facilities in the Middle East and Europe under construction, accounting for about 50 million tonnes of direct reduced iron in the respective region, will also require high-grade iron ore. 'So while China is inevitably slowing, there will be growing demand for iron ore from other regions,' as reflected by the massive investment in the Simandou high grade iron ore project in Guinea, noted S&P Global's Bartholomew. Unexpected portfolio diversifier For institutional investors, iron ore could be more relevant as an unexpected diversifier in a balanced portfolio of 50-50 stocks and bonds, indicated a report released by S&P Dow Jones Indices in collaboration with SGX Group on Tuesday (May 27). Iron ore, proxied by the S&P GSCI Iron Ore index, was found to improve the risk-adjusted returns of the balanced portfolio. Sharpe ratios, with its higher values indicating the more attractive risk-adjusted returns, would be improved by 7 per cent to 19 per cent, with optimal weight of iron ore ranging from 4 per to 9 per cent, said the report. Among the four commodities studied – iron ore, gold, crude oil and copper – iron ore is the only one that provided an increase in potential return while reducing the strategy's volatility, for weighting up to 5 per cent. 'Beyond the 5 per cent weighting, iron ore continued to provide increased return, albeit also introducing higher volatility. Other commodities by contrast, offered a reduction in volatility at the expense of some return,' said the report. The report also found that iron ore's historical edge also came from persistent backwardation, where near-term prices topped futures, allowing investors holding contracts over time to profit by rolling contracts at lower prices. This positive roll-yield, rare in commodities, amplified returns for a long-holder even with small allocations, while cushioning volatility. Prices for iron ore, which soared nearly tenfold during China's construction frenzy, are now under pressure from a prolonged property slump and the economy's tilt towards services. BMI expects iron ore prices to be weighed down by a subdued demand outlook, while remaining supported by renewed optimism over easing trade tensions. In a report released on May 15, the team maintained its 2025 iron ore price forecast at an annual average of US$100 per tonne, a 3.6 per cent year-on-year decrease from estimated 2024 average price of US$103.7 per tonne.
