Latest news with #Towers
Hypebeast
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hypebeast
Myke Towers Taps Into His Caribbean Roots With 'Island Boyz'
Island Boyz, the ninth studio album by Puerto Rican artistMyke Towers, dropped on July 18. A declaration of the artist's Caribbean roots, the 23-track record traverses the rhythms of reggaetón, dancehall, dembow, Latin R&B and afrobeats. Charged with the vibrant energy of notable collaborators Quevedo, De La Ghetto, Gabito Ballesteros, Manuel Turizo and more, the album pays homage to the islands that have shaped the contemporary landscape of Latin music and its fluid, multicultural pulse. The anticipated follow-up toLyke Miike,Island Boyzembraces a global urban soundscape, blending Latin rhythms that highlight the rapper-singer's ability to navigate infectious beats with vulnerable songwriting. Album opener 'La Despedida' taps Colombian rapper and producerDFZMto set the tone, showcasing Towers' maturation as a lyricist and his penchant for sonic exploration. 'Surferita,' an energized, summer-ready anthem mixing bombastic ska rhythms and Mexican tuba, features Puerto Rican singeriZaak. Other radio-friendly tracks appear with the album's lead single 'Tengo Celos,' which dropped alongside a music video directed by Daniel Eguren. Moments of introspection arrive on 'Expectativas' with collaborator Quevedo; the Latin single has maintained a number-one status on Spanish radio. For the second year in a row, Towers appeared at the 2025 All-Star Celebrity Softball Game at Truist Park in Atlanta to tease the album and top of the official MLB All-Star Weekend. Fans were treated to live performances by the artist and others, including Puerto Rican rapperYoung Miko, Eladio Carrión, Jordan Chiles and Wisin. Myke Towers'Island Boyzis out now on major streaming platforms.
Miami Herald
02-07-2025
- Science
- Miami Herald
Orcas seen giving food to humans, study says. Is it kindness or something else?
In the fall of 2018, a lone killer whale approached a boat in the Pacific Ocean. It didn't attack the vessel — as has happened numerous times in recent years. Instead, it offered up an unexpected gift. The apex predator 'dropped a dead whole harbor seal directly under where we were standing,' Jared Towers, the director of Bay Cetology, told McClatchy News. After delivering the carcass, the orca slowly swam a lap around the boat, perhaps waiting to see what would happen. But, when no one onboard took an interest in the free meal, it snapped the prey back up and promptly devoured it. This curious behavior, it turns out, was not an anomaly. In fact, it has happened more than two dozen times across four oceans, according to a study published June 30 in the American Psychological Association. 'The accounts of killer whales offering prey and other items to humans presented here, suggest that these are not isolated events but rather, represent a unique form of behavior that has been selected for in this species,' the authors wrote. What exactly motivates orcas to give gifts to humans is unclear, but it could stem from kindness, curiosity or even — more ominously — a 'Machiavellian' impulse. Gift-giving orcas To conduct the study, a team of researchers collected data on worldwide human-orca interactions that occurred between 2004 and 2024. In total, they uncovered 34 separate accounts of wild orcas offering up prey to people situated on boats, in the water or on shore. These took place off the coasts of North and South America, Europe and Australia. The marine predators served up 18 species of wildly different sizes, including a sea star, a spotted jelly, a sea otter, an ocean sunfish and a gray whale. In nearly all of the cases, the orcas delivering the offerings were part of larger group. And in every case but one, they stuck around to see how the humans would react. In some instances, people retrieved the dead animal before placing it back in the ocean. After this happened, on two occasions, the orcas proved persistent, placing the prey back in front of the people. Kindness or something else? Researchers hypothesized a handful of factors that could play into the orcas' gift-giving behavior. 'There are a few drivers of this behavior to consider,' Towers said. 'First, killer whales often kill large prey which means they often have surplus.' Because killer whales can end up with more food than they can consume in one sitting — and since they lack ways to transport or preserve prey — it may quickly lose its value, meaning it can be discarded. 'Second, sharing of resources is foundational to their evolution so sharing with us may be a way to practice learned cultural behavior,' Towers said. And, 'third, killer whales have massive brains which they apparently use to explore the behavior of other animals in their environment (like us).' In short, the killer whales may just be charitable or curious. But, there's still one other option that could help explain the whales' peculiar behavior. 'While seemingly prosocial and altruistic, it can also not be ruled out that these cases were Machiavellian in nature,' the authors wrote, indicating the orcas could be attempting to manipulate humans. They noted that killer whales in captivity have been documented using dead prey as bait to lure other species near in order to kill them. That said, no humans have ever been killed by wild orcas. And, while interesting, Towers also cautioned that this behavior is unlikely to be that widespread in orcas. 'I think it's important to recognize that although there are a number of cases of orcas attempting to provision people around the world,' Towers said, 'that these cases are very rare and are usually documented by people who spend a lot of time studying wild orcas.'
Yahoo
01-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Wild orcas will sometimes offer food to humans
Orcas (Orcinus orca) don't appear to be big fans of yachts, but some of them may be curious about humans themselves. According to a study published on June 30 in the Journal of Comparative Psychology, cetology researchers have confirmed dozens of instances of killer whales intentionally approaching people and offering them food—a behavior they typically reserve for building bonds between orca pods. 'Orcas often share food with each other—it's a prosocial activity and a way that they build relationships with each other,' Jared Towers, a study lead author and executive director of the British Columbia-based research organization Bay Cetology said in a statement. 'That they also share with humans may show their interest in relating to us as well.' Towers collaborated with Vanessa Prigollini at Mexico's Marine Education Association along with killer whale expert Ingrid Visser at the Orca Research Trust in New Zealand to collect incidents of the apex predators voluntarily meeting people. They ultimately confirmed 34 events spanning the last two decades. In total, 11 instances involved orcas approaching humans swimming in water, 21 cases occurred while people were on boats, and another two examples were recorded from shore. However, the researchers didn't simply take witnesses at their word. In order to be included in the study, a potential documentation needed to meet stringent criteria after reviewing any video and photographic evidence, as well as subject interviews. In each event, the orcas must have approached humans of their own volition, then dropped an item in front of them. The whales varied in both age and sex, but all except one appeared to wait for a reaction. In some cases, they even reattempted their food offers—a mix of fish, mammals, invertebrates, birds, as well as one reptile and one piece of seaweed. 'Offering items to humans could simultaneously include opportunities for killer whales to practice learned cultural behavior, explore or play and in so doing learn about, manipulate or develop relationships with us,' the researchers wrote in the study. 'Giving the advanced cognitive abilities and social, cooperative nature of this species, we assume that any or all these explanations for, and outcomes of such behavior are possible.' The team added these may be the first in-depth descriptions of non-domesticated animals behaving in ways that are usually reserved for household pets like cats and dogs. They may also mark the first accounts of wild predators purposefully employing prey and other objects to 'directly explore human behavior.' If true, these instances 'may highlight the evolutionary convergence of intellect between highest order primates and dolphins.'
Time of India
28-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Bengaluru sees uptick in Rs 50 cr+ home deals
Bengaluru's ultra-luxury housing market is scaling new highs—witnessing a raft of Rs50-crore deals—so far mostly limited to Mumbai and Delhi. Historically, high-end residential transactions in Bengaluru typically ranged around Rs 30-40 crore, but current activity reflects a shift toward significantly higher price points of Rs 40-60 crore—underscoring accelerated momentum in the city's top-end housing segment. India's technology capital saw several large residential deals above Rs 45 crore getting registered between last December and this month, according to Zapkey, a real estate data and analytics platform. Eight deals with a total value of Rs 415 crore have been recorded since January, compared to four worth Rs 175 crore in the same period in 2024. The data indicates a more than twofold surge in both deal count and investment value in the Rs 40-60 crore price range. Transactions include two apartments in a prestigious tower in Ashok Nagar, a private mansion in Sadashivanagar, and a high-end villa in Sampangiram Nagar. Each of these deals exceeded Rs 50 crore. 'The Bangalore clientele is discerning, global in outlook, and increasingly willing to invest in properties that reflect status, privacy, and exclusivity,' said Sandeep Reddy, cofounder Zapkey. One of the most high-profile deals was the Rs 50 crore purchase of a luxury apartment— kingfisher Towers by Infosys founder Narayana Murthy last December. A second apartment in the same project was bought shortly after by a real estate investment firm for Rs 45.35 crore. In January, Seema Ravanan, wife of Rostow Ravanan, chairman of AI firm Alfahive, bought an independent house in Sadashivanagar for Rs 57.6 crore from the Kalappa family. Around the same time, the Suvarna Family Trust picked up a property in Jayanagar for Rs 45.78 crore. Most recently, earlier this month, Paresh Shantilal Raja, CEO of Market Financials, bought a villa in the Sadashivanagar enclave for Rs 54.39 crore. 'The buyers are no longer just looking for large homes — they are looking for smart addresses,' said Vijay Chugani, founder, ZenXChugs, a Bengaluru-based luxury property broker. Several of these deals are happening off-market, brokers say, with limited public visibility. While developers are curating new luxury products, resale inventory — especially in heritage zones like Sadashivanagar, Indiranagar, and Koramangala — is commanding a significant premium. 'In some cases, they are ready to wait a year or two for the right product. In many ways, Bangalore is becoming what South Mumbai was two decades ago,' said Rajesh Sadhwani, joint MD, Sadhwani Real Estate Holdings, a real estate brokerage. Experts say that demand intensifies, industry insiders expect a continued rise in big-ticket residential sales in the Rs 40–Rs 75 crore band, driven by NRI investors, family offices, and promoter groups reshoring wealth back into Indian assets. India's ultra-rich population is expanding faster than ever. According to the latest Knight Frank Wealth Report 2025, the number of UHNIs (net worth above $30 million) in India grew by 12.4% in 2024, outpacing the global average. Bangalore alone is home to over 250 UHNIs, a number expected to cross 320 by 2027. The same report highlights that India added 1,200 new millionaires every week in 2024, many of whom are technology entrepreneurs, second-generation business families, and global professionals returning to India.
The Irish Sun
14-05-2025
- The Irish Sun
Mysterious European country of San Marino – tiny landlocked nation you've never heard of that's competing in Eurovision
OF ALL the countries in the world, San Marino is the fifth smallest but has a lot to boast about. Completely landlocked and surrounded by Italy, San Marino is the world's oldest surviving sovereign state. 7 Much of San Marino boasts amazing views of the surrounding landscape Credit: Alamy 7 The Old town features lots of cobbled paths and pretty buildings Credit: Alamy 7 It is very easy to walk around the city Credit: Alamy It is close to the Despite only being 24-square-miles, the capital - Città di San Marino - is home to a wealth of history and views, due to being located 739 metres above sea level. Located in the city, travellers will find Monte Titano - one of the nine Castelli which make up San Marino. As if ripped out of a storybook, Monte Titano features an extravagant tower with has Italy . Read more on Italy On Monte Titano, visitors will find the most famous spot in San Marino - the Cesta tower. Cesta is part of the Three Towers in the Old Town, which is pedestrian so involves walking along narrow cobbled streets. The Three Towers - also known as Guaita, Cesta and Montale - are located at the very top of Monte Titano. The towers are depicted on Most read in News Travel The first tower - Guaita - is the oldest of the three. It was constructed in the 11th century and served briefly as a prison . I visited the tiny island that is Italy's best kept secret and you can avoid the summer crowds The second tower - Cesta - is a museum to honour Saint Marinus and showcases over 1,550 weapons dating from the Medieval era to the modern day. The third tower - Montale - is located on the smallest of Monte Titano's summits. However, unlike the others, it is not open to the public. Between the first and second tower, there is the Witches Path - a cobblestone walkway which leads directly up to the Guaita Tower. Tickets to enter both the Guaita and Cesta Towers costs €9 (£7.58) per person or a combined ticket, which includes both towers and several museums in San Marino, costs €11 (£9.26). One recent visitor said: "The Old Town of San Marino is really nice, spotless, tidy and although full of shops of all kinds it doesn't give you the feeling of being in an outdoor shopping mall at all. "Nice buildings, nice alleys and toilets everywhere." Getting to San Marino is not the easiest though. 7 The small country benefits from sunny, warm weather Credit: Alamy 7 Travelling to San Marino via bus is relatively cheap Credit: Alamy 7 There are multiple museums across San Marino Credit: Alamy The small country has no The closest major international airport is in Most travellers will head to San Marino via the Bonelli Bus, which travels from Rimini - it takes just under an hour and costs €6 (£5.05) each way. San Marino also has no border control, but you will still need a valid passport to visit and the same entry requirements apply in San Marino as in One thing worth noting, if you do plan to visit San Marino, is that there are a lot of steps , narrow paths and cobblestones - so it is not the most accessible place to visit and you will definitely need a comfortable pair of walking shoes. The hottest month to visit is July, where temperatures can reach up to 25C. Nearby, in Italy, there is an Plus, 7 The Three Towers are a popular spot to explore Credit: Alamy
