Latest news with #JessicaAllen
The Verge
3 days ago
- Business
- The Verge
TikTok gives everyone more control over what's on their For You page
TikTok is expanding Manage Topics, a feature that lets you customize how often content in the platform's top 10 categories surfaces in your feed, like sports, travel, humor, creative arts, and dance. After rolling out a pilot in the US last year, TikTok spokesperson Jessica Allen confirmed to The Verge that it's now launching globally. TikTok says the settings 'won't eliminate topics entirely, but can influence how often they're recommended as your interests evolve over time.' Once you adjust them, TikTok says it 'might take some time' for the changes to go into effect. Manage topics also only impact the videos shown on your For You feed – not anywhere else on the platform. To personalize the topics in your feed, head to your settings and select Content preferences > Manage topics. You can also access the option by tapping the Share button on a post in your For You feed, hitting Why this video > Adjust your For You > Manage Topics. From there, you can move a slider beneath each topic, indicating how often you want to see related videos, and hit Save. Along with this setting's wider rollout, TikTok is expanding on its keyword filters that block topics from appearing in your feed. The platform is now using AI for 'smart' keyword filters to not only block the specific keyword you enter, but also restrict content with captions, hashtags, or descriptions containing related words. TikTok will show the other keywords that it's blocking, and will also give you the ability to select or deselect words 'in the months to come.' The platform also plans on supporting more than 200 keywords per user, up from 100.
CBC
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- CBC
Must-see looks from the 2025 Canadian Screen Awards
The Canadian Screen Awards, held in Toronto from May 30 to June 1 this year, celebrate the best in the Canadian film, television and digital media. Festivities kicked off on Friday with the News, Entertainment and Sports Awards, and culminated in today's CBC broadcast event, hosted by YouTuber and actor Lisa Gilroy. This year, the list of talented nominees include A-listers like Sebastian Stan, Jeremy Strong and Sandra Oh. Here are the must-see fashion looks from this year's Canadian Screen Awards red carpet. Sonia Mangat Mangat, who hosted the Documentary, Factual, Lifestyle and Reality Awards, walked a gold carpet in an eye-catching pleated blue dress by Lideé, with a built-in cape. The look was styled by Etalk 's Simone Faloona. Jessica Allen The Social host and winner of Best Host, Talk Show or Entertainment News, correspondent shone in a white mini dress by fashion label Vaquera, paired with matching mules. Though actually part of a bridal capsule for Montreal-based retailer Ssense, the look felt fun and playful at the News, Entertainment and Sports Awards. Perdita Felicien Canadian athlete Perdita Felicien wore a really great bright pink suit — with matching heels, nails and lipstick — to Friday's Documentary, Factual, Lifestyle and Reality Awards. The look, she said, was originally pulled for her by stylist Alexis Honce for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. Scott Farley Farley, nominated this year in the Best Lead Performance, Web Program or Series category for Stories From my Gay Grandparents, stood out on the carpet in a black suit by British menswear label Phix, elevated by a green velvet bow tie made by Canadian designer Micheline Wedderburn. Emily Lê Nominated in the Performance in a Leading Role, Comedy category for her role in Paying For It, Lê stood out in a bold, form-fitting red dress with long sleeves. Lamar Johnson The actor and dancer — and last year's Radius Award recipient — attended the broadcast ceremony in an effortlessly stylish look. Here, it was all about the details: layered shirts, perfectly tucked in, Bottega Veneta trousers, and a metallic accessory hanging from a belt loop. Grace Dove Dove, nominated in the Best Lead Performer, Drama Series category for Bones of Crows, wore a moiré-patterned strapless gown with a lace-up corset back to the broadcast ceremony. Manny Jacinto Jacinto, this year's Radius Award recipient, walked the red carpet with fiancée Dianne Doan, looking sharp in a fitted single-breasted suit in an unexpected shade of brown. Andrew Phung Phung, who won Best Lead Performer, Comedy for Run the Burbs, wore a sharp black satin tuxedo with a crisp white shirt and loafers — skipping both the bow tie and socks. Brooke Lynn Hytes The Canada's Drag Race host and winner of Best Host or Presenter, Factual or Reality/Competition, wore a leopard-print sequin halter dress, styled with statement accessories like oversized red crystal earrings and sheer opera gloves. Olunike Adeliyi Adeliyi, nominated in the Performance in a Leading Role, Drama category, was radiant in a deep blue silk velvet gown. The strapless design, adorned with four oversized camellia flowers, is by Canadian fashion label RVNG Couture. Rakhee Morzaria
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
This startup is on the verge of revolutionizing one of the world's biggest industries: 'We need more companies like this'
Swedish startup Stegra is poised to clean up the fossil fuel-guzzling steelmaking industry with low-carbon "green steel," the MIT Technology Review reported. Traditional steelmaking relies on fossil fuel-heavy processes, using two tons of carbon dioxide for every ton of steel produced. The sector as a whole makes up 8% of the world's climate emissions, per MIT Technology Review. Stegra's approach could be the solution to cleaner production. The technology enables green hydrogen to react with the oxygen in iron ore, creating water as the only byproduct instead of carbon. If it can be scaled up, steel's carbon footprint could be drastically reduced while meeting the world's ongoing demand for construction, vehicles, and infrastructure. "We need more companies like this," Jessica Allen, a green steel expert from Australia's University of Newcastle, told MIT Technology Review. Founded in 2020, Stegra is building the world's first industrial-scale green steel plant in Boden, Sweden, set to open in 2026. It will initially produce 2.5 million metric tons of steel annually and scale up to 4.5 million metric tons. Located in a region rich in hydropower and wind energy, the plant will rely on clean electricity to run its massive 700-megawatt electrolyzer, the largest in Europe. That will generate the green hydrogen needed for steel production. Mass commercialization, however, won't be easy. After all, the company has "multiple steps" that haven't been proven at scale just yet, chief technology officer Maria Persson Gulda told MIT Technology Review. Those steps include operating the large electrolyzer and integrating the entire process on an industrial level. Despite the technical hurdles, Stegra's team remains optimistic. Access to low-cost renewable electricity and more than $500 million in grants from the European Union will mitigate production costs, as well as a 20% to 30% premium on its steel. The EU's upcoming Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism also works in Stegra's favor, as it will impose carbon fees on imported steel starting in 2026. Despite the price hike, major automakers have already signed contracts for 1.2 million metric tons of Stegra's green steel over the next several years, including Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, BMW, and Volvo. For consumers, premium steel will add only about 1% to the cost of an average vehicle, making it an attractive option for companies looking to meet sustainability goals. Should the government continue to give tax incentives for energy-efficient home upgrades? Absolutely No Depends on the upgrade I don't know Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. The technology marks a win for people and the planet. Greener steel production reduces climate emissions, and mass adoption among manufacturers can significantly decarbonize the global industry, combating climate change. Cleaner byproducts also mean less pollutants released in the atmosphere, improving air quality and health for surrounding communities. Stegra's innovative technology joins a growing crop of efforts aimed to decarbonize steel manufacturing. Swedish researchers developed a smelting process that promises to remove the air pollution from steel production, and the German government has pledged $2.8 billion to steer the steel sector towards greener production. For now, Stegra's plant represents a crucial first step in demonstrating that low-carbon steel production is not only possible but economically viable. Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Yahoo
27-01-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
ATC chair expresses concerns over increase in illegal sales of whippets, Galaxy Gas
Indiana State Excise Police have seen an "alarming increase" in the illegal sale of recreational-use nitrous oxide — also known as "whippets," laughing gas or Galaxy Gas — over the last year, Indiana Tobacco and Alcohol Commission officials say. Indiana ATC chairwoman Jessica Allen said the State Excise Police, which acts as the enforcement arm of the ATC, has cited 18 state-certified tobacco vendors and confiscated more than 15,000 canisters of nitrous oxide since early 2024. The citations and confiscations followed an increase in complaints about illicit sales to the ATC, which coincided with an increase in people purchasing nitrous oxide for recreational drug use. While it is legal to sell and purchase nitrous oxide for culinary, vehicular or medical use in Indiana, using or selling it for recreational purposes can result in a criminal offense. Allen said ATC officials are concerned about the increased availability of recreational nitrous oxide for sale and that its use could lead to "public health issues and public safety issues." She also cited the cost to the state of disposing of nitrous oxide canisters, which have specific destruction requirements; Allen estimates the ATC will spend more than $1 million through 2026 in destruction costs if the current trend of illegal nitrous oxide usage in Indiana continues. Nitrous oxide (dinitrogen monoxide) is a colorless, odorless gas comprised of two nitrogen atoms and one oxygen atom. The chemical compound appears in the sedative known as "laughing gas" used to reduce pain during medical procedures. Food product manufacturers also use nitrous oxide, most commonly to create the many small bubbles that give whipped cream its light, foamy texture. When nitrous oxide enters your lungs, it displaces other gases like oxygen. In small, medically prescribed doses, nitrous oxide limits the amount of oxygen that reaches your brain, effectively slowing down your central nervous system and limiting pain signals, hence its use for pain control. Nitrous oxide also blocks certain neurotransmitters and triggers the release of endorphins, creating a lightheaded, euphoric sensation, hence its appeal as a recreational drug. "Whippets" or "whip-its" are a slang term for nitrous oxide for recreational drug use. Users typically buy canisters of nitrous oxide intended for culinary use (the drug gets its name from the whipped cream canisters) and inhale the gas inside, either directly or via a balloon, to experience a sense of euphoria. Galaxy Gas is a brand of flavored whipped cream "chargers" (small canisters of nitrous oxide) and dispensers. The widespread recreational use of Galaxy Gas — once popularly documented by users on TikTok — has led to the product's name becoming interchangeable with nitrous oxide, laughing gas and whippets. Anyone in Indiana, including minors, can purchase nitrous oxide for what the state deems legitimate purposes, such as food preparation and vehicle performance. While restaurants and medical offices account for most legal nitrous oxide purchases, car enthusiasts may also use the gas to give a car's engine a boost (although some insurance companies will not cover nitrous-augmented vehicles). A section of Indiana Code 35 prohibits the use or sale of nitrous oxide with intent to cause intoxication or euphoria unless for medical purposes. Violating the code can result in a Class A or B misdemeanor, with penalties up to one year in jail and or fines of up to $5,000. Examples of code violations, Allen said, include selling nitrous oxide with other equipment used to get high, such as balloons, or selling the gas with instructions on how to use it recreationally. However, it can be difficult to determine the intent of a nitrous oxide sale beyond such clear-cut cases, a challenge that hinders excise police's ability to enforce the law. "I think it is broad, and because of the way the law is written, we have to know what the intent is at the time of the sale," Allen said. "So it's difficult to prove what the intent was from the manufacturer to the distributor to the retailer, because there certainly are lawful reasons a business would be selling it." Like many recreational drugs, nitrous oxide comes with a variety of risks, including: Tissue damage from low oxygen. Because our lungs' alveoli (air sacs) take in nitrous oxide much faster than they can expel its waste products like nitrogen, inhaling it dilutes the volume of oxygen available in the lungs. This can lead to tissue death, including in the brain. Symptoms of hypoxia can range from headaches, dizziness, loss of consciousness and nausea to, in extreme cases, heart attack or brain damage. Central nervous system damage. Nitrous oxide impedes our ability to metabolize vitamin B12, which the body uses to protect nerves in the brain and spinal cord. Heavily abusing nitrous oxide can degrade one's central nervous system, leading to muscle weakness or spasms. Further research suggests but does not confirm that inhaling directly from nitrous oxide canisters may cause lesions in the lungs or allergic reactions from breathing in microscopic particles of metals like zinc and aluminum. Data on use of nitrous oxide is sparse although a 2019 study by the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration reported that almost 13 million Americans aged 12 and older had "misused" nitrous oxide at least once. A spokesperson for Indianapolis' Community Fairbanks Recovery Center, which treats a variety of drug abuse and addictions, said the center has seen no notable increase of people admitting they used nitrous oxide recreationally. Lack of data and self-reporting makes it difficult to identify the scale of nitrous oxide abuse. If you are aware of illegal drug activity, you can contact Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana. You can also find your local excise board officer and how to contact them on the ATC's website if you wish to report a business illegally selling drugs. Concerned citizens can also leave a tip with the US Drug Enforcement Administration. Contact IndyStar reporter Bradley Hohulin at bhohulin@ You can follow him on Twitter/X @Bradley Hohulin. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Illegal sales of laughing gas on the rise per Indiana ATC chair
