Latest news with #NorthAmericans
USA Today
a day ago
- USA Today
Dominica's waterfalls and rainforest beckon the adventurous
As Jade Agboton slides off the boat into the calm ocean water, her heart is pounding; there are three whales on the surface just 30 feet away rolling onto their sides to take a snooze. Soon enough, they are all in the vertical position, like floating totem poles. She takes in a gulp of air at the surface and dives down to get a better look. That's when she realizes there's a fourth whale who is very much awake and making a beeline toward her. It approaches so quickly she has to swim fast to get out of its way. 'When I finally made eye contact with him, I felt as small and insignificant as this tiny eye on its massive body,' Agboton recalls. Overwhelming to say the least. But such encounters are not a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence in Dominica. Sperm whales live and breed off the coast of the Caribbean nation all year long. And humpbacks swing by from December to March, so whale sightings are quite common. Add to that eagle rays, turtles, eels and sardines, and Agboton is in heaven. Not surprisingly, that deep passion for all things oceanic is what prompted her to move to Soufrière — where the Caribbean Sea meets the Atlantic Ocean — about a year ago. Before that, though, she didn't know Dominica (pronounced Dom-in-EEK-a) existed. That's still the case for many North Americans. 'I think some of the other Caribbean destinations like Antigua tend to get more media coverage and perhaps have that instant appeal because of the white sand and palm tree type image,' says Alex Outhwaite, a travel TV host based in London. 'Dominica is a bit more rugged, and the terrain is slightly different, but I actually think that's a big draw.' Emerald vegetation, black sand Agboton lives near UNESCO world heritage site Soufrière-Scotts Head Marine Reserve, an almost 500-foot-deep pool inside a submerged volcanic crater. Protected from the waves, the water is often calm and clear, making it the perfect spot for snorkeling, free diving and scuba diving. But the ocean is not the island's only appeal. Two-thirds of Dominica is covered in rain forest and 20 percent of the land is within the national park system. Not to mention, there are nine volcanoes, 365 rivers, black-sand beaches and hot springs galore. Among Agboton's favorite places are Trafalgar Falls and Boiling Lake in Morne Trois Pitons National Park. The lake, once a volcanic crater, is now one of the largest bodies of hot water in the world. Equally compelling is the 115-mile-long Waitukubuli National Trail, where you can pick a section that suits your ability. Here it's not uncommon to find colorful parrots, including the Jaco and Sisserou, broad-tailed hawks and four species of native hummingbirds. 'I was delighted with how lush and green Dominica is,' says Outhwaite. 'I guess that's partly why they call it the Nature Isle.' For an easy trek, the 100-foot Syndicate Falls is a solid option with minimal elevation gain and the reward of getting to swim and picnic once you get there. Scotts Head at the southwestern end of the island is equally accessible and offers a sweeping view of the island. Agboton also recommends kayaking the sea trail. 'It's a nice way to discover the island,' she says. 'In Soufrière we take kayaks or paddle boards and go from Scott's Head to Champagne reef. The whole trail from south to north on the Caribbean coast can be done in one day for experienced kayakers.' Where to Stay Secret Bay Resort, named four times by Travel + Leisure as the best resort in the Caribbean, is spread out among 50 acres. Arrive in dramatic fashion via the funicular. Living spaces include an upscale kitchen, private plunge pool and sweeping ocean views. Make time for a guided paddle to Secret Beach to see a hidden sea cave. Fort Young Hotel, a boutique hotel in Roseau, is ideal for water-based adventure. The house reef is perfect for snorkeling and standup paddling. There's a dive center on site with easy access to some of the top dives sites and the hotel can arrange for you to go swimming with sperm whales. Jungle Bay Dominica, an eco-luxe hotel in Soufrière, draws wellness enthusiasts thanks to its spa, yoga classes and holistic offerings. It's also home to tropical fruits, herbs and vegetables, which guests are encouraged to harvest.
Business Upturn
5 days ago
- Business
- Business Upturn
Happy Mindset Inc. Survey Reveals 64% of U.S. and Canadian Respondents Feel Stuck in Progress Toward Goals, Experiencing Significant Emotional Impact
Waterloo, Ontario, July 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Happy Mindset Inc., a company that supports high-achieving individuals by helping them identify and shift mindset constraints that block progress toward their goals, today announced results from its inaugural State of Feeling Stuck survey. The survey reveals not only how widespread feeling stuck is but also the significant emotional toll and the types of support people need to move forward. The study, conducted with 350 respondents across the United States and Canada, reveals that 87% reported feeling stuck at some point in the past three months, with 64% currently feeling stuck at the time of response. This highlights a widespread and ongoing challenge among North Americans. The survey defined feeling stuck as having a goal important to one's happiness but lacking clarity on how to make meaningful progress, or sensing that their actions were not moving them closer to that goal. Respondents making steady progress or without specific goals were considered not stuck. Respondents who indicated that they felt stuck were asked which areas of their lives they felt stuck in and could select multiple options. The three most commonly selected areas were career or work (59%), finances (55%), and health and wellness (40%). Many selected multiple areas; in fact, 72% reported feeling stuck in more than one part of their lives. The survey also reveals the significant emotional toll feeling stuck takes on individuals. Respondents who reported being stuck in the past three months were asked how feeling stuck affected their daily lives: 73% said feeling stuck increased their stress or anxiety 67% said feeling stuck decreased their motivation 60% said feeling stuck made them feel overwhelmed 56% said feeling stuck affected their mood For some, this experience is not short-lived. Thirty-four percent (34%) of all respondents said they had felt stuck for six months or longer. This suggests that for many, feeling stuck is not only emotionally difficult but also persistent, with potential impacts on long-term well-being and daily functioning. Building on these insights, the survey also explored what forms of support participants found most helpful in overcoming feeling stuck. Both individuals who have successfully navigated these challenges and those currently experiencing them emphasized the value of personalized, connected assistance, in three key themes: Someone to talk to who can help think through challenges Clarity on the reasons behind feeling stuck New ideas not previously considered Reflecting on these findings, Dr. Ada Y. Barlatt, Founder of Happy Mindset Inc., shares her perspective: 'Even though we often feel like we're stuck alone, this survey shows just how common the experience of feeling stuck really is and how deeply it impacts our lives. It highlights the need for practical, personalized ways to shift their mindset and perspective to regain momentum.' The study provides a valuable baseline for continued exploration and tailored solutions for individuals and organizations that are feeling stuck. A follow-up survey is planned for next quarter. About Happy Mindset Inc. Happy Mindset Inc., based in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, uses its Mindset Engineering method to guide clients in clarifying their goals using necessary and sufficient conditions, uncovering mindset constraints, and integrating well-engineered affirmations into daily life, empowering steady, meaningful progress. At its core, Happy Mindset offers a supportive path grounded in both empathy and precision that is designed to help clients move from feeling stuck to clarity and real momentum. Individuals can start their journey to getting unstuck at For select highlights from the survey, including confidence intervals, methodology and questions with notable U.S. and Canadian differences, visit Happy Mindset Inc. invites media inquiries and interviews to explore these findings in greater detail and explore how mindset engineering is helping people get unstuck in work and life. Media Contact: Dr. Ada Y. Barlatt, Engineer | FounderHappy Mindset Inc. [email protected]
Straits Times
7 days ago
- Business
- Straits Times
Billionaire Thomson family to buy $43m luxury London apartment
A member of the multi-billionaire family behind Thomson Reuters Corp agreed to buy a high-end London apartment for about £25 million (S$43.3 million), in the latest sign of North Americans bolstering the city's luxury market. The Thomson family member – whose exact identity is unclear – agreed to purchase the sprawling single-level flat in Mayfair earlier in 2025, people familiar with the matter said, asking not to be named as the information is private. A representative for the Thomson family did not respond to a request for comment. The deal, one of London's most expensive in 2025, is the latest example of how interest from wealthy individuals from across the Atlantic is proving to be a consolation for the London luxury market in the midst of a slump. Silicon Valley investor Matt Cohler bought a detached house in Notting Hill for roughly £22 million at the end of April, while American billionaire Tom Ford purchased a Chelsea mansion for more than £80 million in summer 2024, in one of the top transactions of 2024. The latest is by Canada's richest family as it boosts its UK investments on a surging fortune. The dynasty's namesake media empire traces back almost a century to the late patriarch Roy Thomson opening a radio station in Canada before it expanded into television and more than 200 print titles. Bloomberg LP, parent of Bloomberg News, competes with Thomson Reuters in providing news and services. Thomson Reuters' shares rose roughly 20 per cent in Toronto in 2025 through July 21 on the back of reporting strong earnings, almost double the gains posted by Canada's benchmark S&P/TSX Composite Index. That's helped push the Thomson dynasty's combined fortunes to about US$106 billion, with six members of the family ranked among the world's richest 500, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. Those family members include the third Baron Thomson of Fleet David Thomson, 68, who serves as chairman of the dynasty's media empire. He and his younger brother Peter, 60, also chair Woodbridge Co, the entity that controls their family's stake in their Toronto-based media firm along with Canada's Globe and Mail newspaper. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Singapore's domestic recycling rate drops to all-time low of 11% Singapore Sota parent portal taken down for urgent patching following global cyberattack alerts Singapore HDB launches 10,209 BTO and balance flats, as priority scheme for singles kicks in Singapore Local buyers are key to recovery of prime district condo market Singapore New online channel for public to report illegal ride-hailing services Singapore Ex-Tanjong Pagar United footballer charged with assault after Singapore Premier League match in Feb Singapore COE prices for cars mostly unchanged; premium for commercial vehicles up 2.9% Singapore Cyclist charged after allegedly hitting elderly pedestrian, killing him The Thomson family member's new purchase – a stone's throw from Mayfair's famous Grosvenor Square – was agreed broadly in line with the asking price, one of the people said. Knight Frank, the real estate agent which brokered the deal, declined to comment. London's luxury property market has seen steep discounts in 2025 after stamp duty increases and the abolition of a preferential tax status enjoyed by ultra-rich foreign residents hammered demand. There were 45 per cent more price reductions on £5 million-plus properties between January and May than the same period in 2024, data from researcher LonRes show. Still, a handful of mega-deals defied the slump over the past year, including several transactions in Mayfair. Chelsea FC co-owner Behdad Eghbali bought a luxury penthouse in the district in summer 2024, while the former Icelandic embassy on the high-end Park Street sold for £22 million earlier in 2025. BLOOMBERG
New Straits Times
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- New Straits Times
#SHOWBIZ: Indonesian comedian says Western-style 'roastings' are not appropriate here
KUALA LUMPUR: Legendary Indonesian comedian Cak Lontong has suggested that "roasting," a common feature of Western stand-up comedy, isn't always suitable for audiences in the East, including Malaysia and Indonesia. In an interview with Harian Metro yesterday, Cak Lontong said that if "roasting" is carried out with tact, responsibility, and a full awareness of local sensitivities, it might be accepted by Eastern audiences. "Standards of comedy vary across different regions. Stand-up comedians must always be mindful of local sensitivities," he said. Cak Lontong, whose real name is Lies Hartono, noted that Europeans and North Americans tend to be more "free-spirited" and "open-minded" regarding comedy, possessing fewer "cultural taboos" compared to Asians. "In the East, politeness and respect for local culture must be emphasised." He added that comedians in Malaysia and Indonesia should steer clear of sensitive topics such as cultural norms, religious norms, and even reverence for certain public figures. "Comedians living in multi-religious and multi-racial societies like Indonesia and Malaysia must always navigate local sensitivities carefully to avoid causing outrage." Cak Lontong was speaking at a gala screening of the Indonesian film 'Gerbang Setan,' directed by Toto Hoedi, which is set to be released in cinemas on Aug 7.
Ottawa Citizen
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Ottawa Citizen
Resisterville: 50,000 evaders fled the U.S. across the northern border and changed Canada
Others say that conscription made politics more personal than it is today. 'There was no apathy,' says Nancy, who migrated to British Columbia during the war. 'You were either on one side or the other side. I walked in peace marches, and the people on the sidewalk would jeer at you and call you names and spit at you.' Conscription gave the war an immediate, inescapable significance for a generation of draft-age men — and for their girlfriends, wives, parents, siblings, teachers. For most North Americans today, the wars in Ukraine, Gaza and Syria live at a comfortable distance. No matter how much moral outrage we feel, we can always choose to look away. Most striking was the sense of personal and cultural freedom that many interviewees experienced in Canada. The war resisters lived through an incredibly turbulent decade. At the age of 18 or 19, they became strangers in a strange land. Yet almost all of them spoke about the Long Sixties with a vivid nostalgia. 'I would go off and rent a room here for $9, rent a room there for $12,' says Mark Satin, recalling the years he spent in Toronto in the '70s. 'There wasn't AIDS. There wasn't herpes. You could find a girlfriend just by talking to someone in a park or in a grocery store.' He sighs. 'By the Summer of Love and the late '60s, we were talking to each other in ways that I'm not sure your generation does.' About half of the war resisters remained in Canada permanently. Some have stayed politically vocal over the years, advocating on behalf of the few hundred American deserters who fled to Canada during the Iraq War to avoid military prosecution. But most eventually faded into the woodwork, embracing a new way of life and allowing time to erode their old national ties. Fifty years after the end of the Vietnam War, the resisters have few regrets. 'It took me a long time to reach this point,' says Jack Todd, 'but I'm really proud that I did it. I think it's the defining act of my life.'
