Latest news with #Cars
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Queen legend Freddie Mercury's six-word question before making sweet gesture to music icon
Electro legend Gary Numan has detailed a heartwarming story about the late Queen frontman Freddie Mercury, which took place when the two musicians crossed paths in Tokyo Freddie Mercury, the legendary frontman of Queen, once posed a "darling" six-word question to another music superstar before making a thoughtful gesture at a party in Japan. Gary Numan, the electro pioneer behind hits like 'Are 'Friends' Electric?' and 'Cars', shared a touching anecdote about Freddie's kindness when they crossed paths in Tokyo. The 67-year-old Tubeway Army frontman described how the iconic rock band threw a "big party" at a sushi restaurant following their concert. However, there was one hitch for Gary: he didn't care for the Japanese speciality. But this didn't go unnoticed by the considerate Freddie, who approached Gary to check on him. This led to a brief conversation between the two musicians and the 'Bohemian Rhapsody' star making a food-related gesture. Speaking to Tom Parker-Bowles for the Mail's You Magazine, Gary said: "I once went to see Queen play in Tokyo, and afterwards they had a big party at a sushi restaurant. Everyone's sitting down and eating, save me. I don't like sushi." He continued: " Freddie Mercury comes over and says, 'Darling, why are you not eating?' I say I'm perfectly all right, and just so happy to be here at this cool evening. Freddie then organised his security man to go out and pick up a McDonald's." Summing up his story, Gary added that he proceeded to eat his McDonald's in the Tokyo sushi restaurant, "ordered by Freddie Mercury", and it would be the last thing he "ever ate in Japan". Freddie, who sadly died on November 24, 1991, aged 45, was reportedly a fan of good food, although it's said that he didn't greatly enjoy indulging in it. Born Farrokh Bulsara in Zanzibar, now part of Tanzania, to Parsi-Indian parents, Freddie retained a lifelong affection for Parsi dishes, as reported by Far Out Magazine. His favourite was chicken dhansak, a classic Parsi recipe combining lentils, vegetables, and typically goat or chicken. In a heartwarming revelation from 2019, it was discovered that Freddie's spirit of giving lived on through his will, which instructed that a festive hamper from Fortnum and Mason be sent annually to his close friends and godchildren, with the bill charged to his estate. "We do think it's a lovely gesture," said a spokesperson for the store to MailOnline, "Which has been known to happen on occasion." Elton John has also spoken about Freddie's incredible generosity, recalling how he received a watercolour painting wrapped in a "beautiful pillowcase" from the ailing star. He added: "It was really moving. He was dying and he still thought of his friends. I still have it on its easel and I still have the pillowcase next to my bed. "That is the type of person he was. He was so so full of love and life."
Time of India
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Time of India
Free phone or empty Bank Account: New scam alert
'Mr. Honda & Mr. Toyota...': Trump Cuts Short Own Joke On 'Fluent Japanese' | Here's Why… U.S. President Donald Trump began recounting a light-hearted story about meeting Japan's Honda and Toyota executives, introduced by former Tokyo ambassador Bill Hagerty, but abruptly stopped before mimicking the Japanese language. "And then he said, Mr. Toyota, right? Toyota. And I said, What business are you in? Let me guess. He said, Cars. He was my interpreter," he added. His comments came at the event to sign the GENIUS Act, attended by business leaders, including representatives from Robinhood, Tether, and Gemini. Watch. 2.1K views | 4 hours ago
Indian Express
08-07-2025
- Automotive
- Indian Express
‘It's like reintroducing a lost language': How parents, schools in Delhi are gently nudging kids back to reading
Six-and-a-half-year-old Zain Ali would polish off his dinner only if there was a steady stream of YouTube car videos playing alongside. Worried about his growing dependence on the gadget, his father, Mohammad Mati, swapped the phone for glossy car magazines and a storybook on Lightning McQueen, the star of Pixar hit Cars — and watched the glow of the screen give way to the rustle of pages being turned. 'By picking topics he already likes, it's getting easier to shift his attention from videos to books,' says the Noida resident. 'It's a slow process, but definitely worth it.' Other parents are making similar trades. Delhi-based Shweta Arora curbed her son Anhad's marathon gaming sessions by signing up the fourth-grader for cricket and swimming, while Noida mother Jyoti Karakoti Bajetha is reviving bedtime stories to break, what she calls, her children's growing 'addiction' to reels and shorts. 'At first, I felt relieved when I gave the phone to my child… mealtimes became easier,' says Arora. 'But, it came at a cost.' Over time, the child started losing concentration and became aggressive. Her efforts are now to introduce her son to books, which she says 'is like reintroducing a lost language'. Several families in Delhi-NCR are now on a mission to help their children reclaim their imagination and curious spark — one book, one practice, and one page at a time. Dr Bhavna Barmi, a senior clinical child psychologist at Fortis Escorts Heart Institute in Delhi, says that 'compared to previous generations, today's primary school children — especially in urban or semi-urban areas like Delhi NCR — are exposed to higher levels of digital content from an early age'. As a result, she says reading as a leisure activity has declined. 'Many children today associate reading with schoolwork rather than relaxation or imagination. There's a reduction in deep, sustained reading. We see more fragmented attention, a preference for short texts like comic panels or YouTube shorts, and a reduced ability to follow longer narratives,' she adds. Dr Barmi also says that parental time constraints and lifestyle changes have meant less shared reading at home, which was previously a norm in many households. At some homes, though, the ritual is making a quiet comeback. Salil Bhati, an avid reader himself, feared that the shelves filled with Amar Chitra Katha and books by Roald Dahl and Enid Blyton, which he'd lovingly stocked in his East of Kailash home for his two children, might never compete with the hypnotic glow of the digital world, especially after the pandemic. Another worry was that the children were comparatively slow to pick up reading compared to their classmates. So he started small: picture books of animals with a few sentences per page, mythological tales with bright illustrations, and simple adventure stories. And the gentle approach paid off. He still remembers the evening his daughter breezed through an entire book in one sitting. 'That's when I realised something had changed,' he says, laughing at how 'even jazzy book covers' now stop the children in their tracks. The siblings have also taken to the daily DEAR (Drop Everything and Read) session at Delhi Public School (DPS) East of Kailash, a school-wide pause when every student sinks into a book of choice for 15 minutes. Like DPS, several Delhi-NCR campuses have been pulling out every bibliophilic trick they know to draw children back into reading. At Modern Public School, Shalimar Bagh, a programme called 'The Human Library' invites pupils to 'borrow' their peers for one-on-one conversations. 'It helps children confront prejudice and stereotypes,' says Naina Nagpal, the school's Primary Years Programme coordinator. 'Members of the Health and Wellness Club share real-life stories — like living books — so classmates can question, discuss and replace myths with understanding.' Sardar Patel Vidyalaya, Lodi Estate, set up its first-graders for the summer with audiobook links — like Meri Saheli (My Friend) on StoryWeaver — so a child can press play and follow the words. At Tagore International School, Vasant Vihar, the low shelf in the junior library doubles as quiet therapy: self-esteem primers such as Alexandra Penfold's Big Feelings and Emily Winfield Martin's The Wonderful Things You Will Be sit beside classics like Cinderella. Librarian Madhuri once doubted boys would pick the fairy tale book — until they checked it out as eagerly as anyone else. Bluebells International School in Kailash Colony has filled its junior library with colour-coded stacks, puppet nooks, Braille rows, and self-help-themed picture books. Meanwhile, at ITL Public School in Dwarka, Barkhaa, a reading series curated by the National Council of Educational Research and Training, is lined up by theme — food, games, animals — while at Ramjas International School in RK Puram, junior librarian Chandana Ghosh holds skits in her classes where students role play story characters. Librarians at these schools say the rule of a good book is simple: if it can coax a child to turn one more page, it earns a place on the shelf. The thumbed spines reveal which ones are favourites. At Bluebells International, body-positivity picture books such as Tyler Feder's Bodies Are Cool and James and Lucy Catchpole's You're So Amazing! sit beside L. Pichon's romp through a child's dairy, titled Tom Gates Is Absolutely Fantastic [at Some Things]. A Class V reviewer has taped his review onto the library's bulletin board: '… this book is all about school trips and I love it. I take this book with me wherever I go'. Senior librarian Shweta Gulati clocks a steady demand for Ruskin Bond's The Cherry Tree, Roald Dahl's The Enormous Crocodile, Paro Anand's classroom sketches in School Ahead, and Deepa Agarwal's Himalayan quest Caravan to Tibet. At Birla Vidya Niketan in Pushp Vihar, Asha Nehemiah's whodunits, Roopa Pai's mythology retellings, and Deepak Dalal's eco-adventures are barely back on the shelves before they circulate again. At Ramjas, Geronimo Stilton, Dog Man, and Cat Kid Comic Club are the most popular, along with encyclopedias about animals, planets, and space. Community networks reflect a similar trend. The Free Libraries Network (FLN) — an online group of over 200 librarians, educators, and enthusiasts — reports that short books like Payal Kho Gayi, Gajapati Kulapati, Ismat ki Eid, Guthli Has Wings, and The Why Why Girl are especially popular among first-generation readers at the primary school level (whether or not they are formally enrolled). Then there are small community libraries, tucked away in the city's villages, which keep the joy of reading alive. At one such space in Dwarka's Sector 23, a 10-day summer camp, which began in the last week of May, is in full swing. On day 4, nine first-generation readers — aged 5 to 13 — from Pochanpur village and nearby lanes perch on chairs a size too tall, feet dangling, eyes fixed on an assistant librarian holding an illustrated folktale. 'Gufa ke andar Aladdin bandh ho gaya… aapko kya lagta hai aage kya hoga? (Aladdin is trapped in the cave. What do you think will happen next?)'. 'Rub the chirag (lamp)!' one shouts. 'He won't get out!' another guesses. The librarian turns the page, smiling as every head follows. 'Children are curious. It's access that they lack,' says Purnima Rao, FLN Director. 'Reading needs to be free, informal, and inclusive. If books are locked away in cupboards, kids won't feel welcome,' she adds. Back at Bhati's home, there has been progress — his nine-year-old daughter now reads entire books aloud to her younger brother, who is in Class II. 'We never forced the children to read. It had to come naturally,' the father smiles.
Hindustan Times
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Disney World's move to close iconic attractions at Magic Kingdom sparks anger; ‘It's a shame'
Walt Disney World is closing a few longtime attractions starting Monday, July 7, to make room for a new area. The iconic Frontierland's Rivers of America, Tom Sawyer Island and the Liberty Square Riverboat at Magic Kingdom will shut down as Disney begins construction on a new land called Piston Peak, which will have a national park theme. Disney announced that Piston Peak National Park will be the largest expansion in Magic Kingdom's history, continuing the stories and themes that have always run through Frontierland and Liberty Square.(AFP) Rivers of America has been part of Frontierland and Liberty Square since 1971, when Disney World first opened. The Liberty Belle steamboat and Tom Sawyer Island were added two years later in 1973, giving guests a chance to take a narrated riverboat ride and see scenes from early American frontier life. Visitors could also take rafts to the island, which was inspired by Mark Twain's famous book, report ABC News. Also Read: Freebies for kids? Here's what Disney is offering at their Florida resort in 2026 Netizen criticizes Disney Land's move to shut iconic attractions Netizens criticized the closing of these iconic attractions on X, where one of the users slammed the changes and called them 'a shame.' The user wrote, 'I'm a bit sad that my birthday of all days is the day that the Rivers of America closes at Disney World. I hope people get a chance to give it one more visit before they close it. It's a shame to see such a staple of Frontierland go, but it's not my call. ' A second user wrote, "We won't be returning to WDW due to the ridiculous changes. Paving over the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer's Island for a "Cars" ride? In Frontierland? Terrible mistake. Then you're destroying Muppet Vision at the Studios. 🤦♀️ Why are you erasing Walt Disney? No rides at Epcot??" 'We do NOT want to give up Rivers of America!!! Put Cars in Hollywood Studios!!! There's more ROOM there!!! It does NOT belong in FRONTIERLAND!!! How do you not GET that?!?!?! How do you NOT listen to us?!?!?!' third user commented. 'Taking away Tom Sawyer's Island and Rivers of America it's totally asinine and ridiculous. Frontierland should not be subjected to this. I would rather go to Epic Universe than spend my money at a park that they don't care about Walt Disney's legacy,' one more reacted. Piston Peak National Park, largest expansion in Magic Kingdom's history In June, Disney announced that Piston Peak National Park will be the largest expansion in Magic Kingdom's history, continuing the stories and themes that have always run through Frontierland and Liberty Square, according to ABC news report. Piston Peak will be modeled after the American frontier and the Rocky Mountains, with landscapes stretching from British Columbia to New Mexico. It will feature snowy mountains, waterfalls, rivers, tall trees, and geysers. Guests will be able to explore areas like a visitor lodge, Ranger HQ, and walking trails. The land is inspired by Disney and Pixar's 'Cars' world, using the idea of a wild 'wheelderness.' Disney's Imagineers are designing the buildings to reflect real-life 'Parkitecture,' a style of architecture that blends with natural landscapes. But that's not all. Disney also confirmed they're working on another major project: the first-ever land based on Disney villains.
Miami Herald
07-07-2025
- Miami Herald
Family travel 5: Saddle up for a trip out West
Go West, young traveler! The American West has long been the scene of discovery and adventure. Here are five ways to tap into the spirit of the legendary landscape. Paws Up Montana, Greenough, Montana As guests at this 37,000-acre working ranch, you and your family will spend your days horseback riding, fly-fishing, biking or tackling the ropes course. Opt to participate in a cattle drive or rappel down cliffs in Lewis & Clark country. Join other families for a chuck wagon dinner where you'll learn how to rope and craft your own s'mores over an open fire. Families staying in any of five safari-style tent-filled camps (think luxury bedding and heated floors) will enjoy easy access to their own Dining Pavilion and the services of the camp chef. Spacious luxury home stays, some with adjacent tent accommodations for adventuresome youngsters, are also possible. You'll want to schedule time in Spa Town where a boardwalk connects a series of luxurious treatment tents where adults and older children can soothe tired muscles. For more: Road trip on Route 66 It's an iconic road trip across the western half of historic Route 66. Begin your adventure in the happy-go-lucky seaside city of Santa Monica before heading to Williams, Arizona, the Gateway to the Grand Canyon. Check out Gallup, New Mexico, the most populous spot between Flagstaff, Arizona, and Albuquerque, New Mexico, and home to classic neon Route 66 signage as well as the historic El Rancho Hotel. Then, roll on to Adrian, Texas, the midpoint on the famous route. It's also the inspiration for Radiator Springs, the town featured in the 2006 animated film "Cars." (The full itinerary continues to Chicago. ) Along the way, you'll marvel at the wide-open spaces, the changing landscape and the rich history to be found as you follow the path of the original Mother Road. For more: Steamboat Springs, Colorado In the late 1880s fur trappers passing through this Colorado enclave heard an odd noise resembling a steamboat. They were pleasantly surprised to find more than 150 geothermal bubbling springs that today soothe tired muscles after skiing or a long hike. Choose from a long list of outdoor pursuits that includes rafting, mountain biking, horseback riding and fly-fishing or tubing on the Yampa River. At day's end check out the impressive barrel racing and saddle bronc riding at the rodeo, a favorite of locals and visitors alike. For more: American Prairie, Montana Using an innovative model, the American Prairie, a Montana-based nonprofit, is in the midst of stitching together a 3-million-acre nature and wildlife reserve on the plains of Montana. Once completed, the reserve will provide a continuous land area, collaboratively managed for wildlife and recreation. It will be the largest of its kind in the lower 48 states. Herds of elk, deer, pronghorn and bison once roamed these grasslands in great numbers. The Reserve's goal is to create a functioning ecosystem within this iconic landscape. Unlike developed national parks, visitors to the privately created American Prairie can expect a sense of uninterrupted nature. The current habitat base of more than 527,000 acres stretches north and south of the Missouri River. Camping and a hut system provide access to driving tours with historic stops, hiking, mountain biking, fishing, wildlife watching and night-sky viewing far from city lights. For more: Jackson Hole, Wyoming As a gateway to two of our most stunning national parks - Grand Teton and Yellowstone - this Wyoming paradise has long been a favorite stop for active travelers. Lace up your hiking shoes and explore amid the jagged peaks of the magnificent Teton Range, following scenic trails that hug the shores of String, Leigh and Trapper lakes. Spend a sunny afternoon picnicking, wading, floating, fishing or kayaking on the Snake River. Saddle up for a horseback ride and imagine how the early settlers might have felt upon discovering the magical beauty of the region. For more: __________ Copyright (C) 2025, Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Portions copyrighted by the respective providers.
