Latest news with #VictoriaTaylor
West Australian
7 days ago
- General
- West Australian
R.M.Williams research: Aussie's are hungrier for more adventure, fun and freedom
New research has revealed Aussies are hungrier than ever for more adventure, fun and freedom in their life before they kick the bucket. The study, commissioned by Australian brand shows that nearly 80 per cent of Australians have a bucket list. While almost half are actively pursuing their goals, there's strong signs of motivation: one in ten Aussies booked a last-minute experience in the past year, and 65 percent say they're craving more spur-of-the-moment adventures. The Grab Life by the Tugs campaign launched this week to inspire even more Australians to take that next step, whether they desire setting off on a spontaneous weekend away (48 per cent), spending a night under the stars (36 per cent), or finally ticking off the Sydney Harbour Bridge climb (19 per cent). 'There's a deep desire to live more boldly and break away from the ordinary,' R.M. Williams' head of brand marketing communications Victoria Taylor said. Despite busy schedules, 61 per cent of Aussies still prioritise holidays, and nearly half say they regularly make time for life's simple pleasures, like sharing a great meal. Young Australians are leading the charge, with 23 per cent of Gen Z planning to complete their bucket list by the end of this year alone. And across all ages, a third say they'd be disappointed if they didn't get to live out their dreams. Encouragingly, nearly 90 per cent say they'd take more steps toward their goals with the right gear behind them.
BBC News
29-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Police hail fall in anti-social behaviour in trouble hotspots
Anti-social behaviour (ASB) in North Yorkshire trouble hotspots has reduced by more than 76% in certain areas, according to new figures. Foxwood Lane in Acomb, in York, Trafalgar Square in Scarborough, and Thirsk Market Place, were among the places which saw the biggest fall in anti-social behaviour between April 2023 to March 2024, all recording a reduction of more than 50%.North Yorkshire Police credits the decline to a £1m investment by the government in a new policing initiative, which places more high-visibility police patrols in problem Home Office-funded 'Hotspot Response' scheme contributed to a 13% overall ASB reduction across the 45 identified hotspots, the force added. The data showed Ethel Ward, in the Haxby area, recorded the largest reduction, with a fall in ASB incidents of almost 77%, while Sycamore Avenue in Malton and Harrogate's Skipton Road both saw instances of anti-social behaviour drop by at least 50%.Supt Victoria Taylor, head of local policing support at North Yorkshire Police, said: "Hotspot Policing has not only delivered impressive reductions in crime, but has also led to tangible results in protecting vulnerable residents."The feedback from communities across the North Yorkshire Police force region shows that our hard work is being noticed, and that people are feeling safer."The scheme is set to continue throughout 2025. Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
Telegraph
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
It's the Battle of Britain – as seen by the Luftwaffe
'The air offensive over England has begun!'' declared the Deutsche Luftwacht, Nazi Germany 's leading air magazine, on September 1 1940. 'The attacks of the German air force roll over the island kingdom without a break; death flies in the thunder of the German combat units over England's skies; daily and hourly our fighter Staffeln break through the enemy's protective barriers in order to expose the island fortress, praised in arrogant tones as insurmountable, so that our bomber Staffeln can land their deadly blows.' Except, as Victoria Taylor shows in Eagle Days, her wonderfully fresh and compelling new look at the Battle of Britain, defeating the Royal Air Force that summer did prove insurmountable. After all, this was 18 days after the launch of the all-out air assault on August 13, and more than two months after the first attacks on Britain had begun. The RAF was supposed to have been dead and buried already. It was not; and even if during this period, from the very end of August to Saturday 7 September, the Luftwaffe did inflict the greatest intensity of losses on Fighter Command, the German assault was unravelling. Taylor deftly recounts the Luftwaffe's long run-in to the Luftschlacht um England, from the involvement and testing ground of the Spanish Civil War to the start of the Second World War, then the attacks on Poland and Scandinavia, followed by those on France and the Low Countries. Her narrative toggles seamlessly between high command and the front line, while interspersed throughout are fascinating insights from the Germans themselves. For while some were excited about the start of the war, most, it seems, felt heavy-hearted. Taylor includes a particularly touching account from Peter Stahl, a pre-war civilian pilot soon to be drafted into the Luftwaffe. On September 1 1939, the day the war began, he wakes to learn that war has been declared. He can barely eat his breakfast. 'Life,' he writes, 'was indescribably beautiful'; now, everything is threatened. A year on, he will be dropping bombs on England. Eagle Days really hits its straps as France is crushed and the attacks on Britain begin. Taylor uses contemporary German newspaper and magazine cuttings, as well as civilian perspectives, to demonstrate both the rising confidence of Germany and the high levels of expectation that Britain will crumble. At the same time, many of the aircrew are already starting to feel the strain of unremitting flying. This is a warning shot of what's to come: aerial combat, as German doctors are well aware, is highly stressful, both physically and mentally. Yet the expectations on the young men of the Luftwaffe are immense. A number of Taylor's accounts of aerial action are fabulous. On July 8 1940, two days before the official start of the Battle of Britain, Oberleutnant Kurt Scheffel is part of a Stuka dive-bomber force sent to attack Portland. As they near, they're pounced on by hordes of Spitfires breathing down their necks. Bullets stream past Scheffel's cockpit as he desperately tries to flee into a bank of cloud. He eventually makes it home, but many, including the force commander, do not. Rarely has a writer on this subject so effectively turned the tables; here, the aggressors become the hapless victims. It's exhilarating stuff. While Taylor broadly lays events out chronologically, she often pauses for assessments of the woeful Luftwaffe high command, or analysis of the aircraft used and tactics employed. She keeps in view the ongoing state of the aircrew; their diminishing confidence and ability to see through propaganda; their notions of chivalry as well as skulduggery; the considerable impact of RAF bomber raids on German airfields and cities; and the Germans' experience of becoming prisoners. There's one charming account, for example, of a Luftwaffe bomber crew playing happily with the daughters of a Yorkshire farmer while the men wait to be picked up by British authorities. Taylor also gives a fascinating portrait of the Luftwaffe's experience of the Blitz, normally so lopsided in the telling as to make the German bombers anonymous machines. There are some omissions here, and occasions in which aspects of the battle are glossed over. The Luftwaffe's woeful intelligence picture, for example, is mentioned only en passant, while its confused understanding of RAF Fighter Command's fully co-ordinated air defence system – the world's first and only at this time – isn't well explained. The Luftwaffe hammered the radar chain on August 12, the day before Adler Tag, but had little success that day and then decided against further attacks; this was a big black mark against their entire strategy, but it isn't clearly explained. None the less, Eagle Days is a fine book, and Taylor clearly a historian to watch. The Luftwaffe emerges as a far more fallible, flawed and overused part of the Wehrmacht than we're traditionally shown – but one that's significantly more human too. Taylor has delved deep into German archives, venturing where few dare to tread, and has been rewarded for her assiduous work Eagle Days is rich in human voices and drama – and that, after all, is what draws us, like moths to the light, back to the history of the Second World War.
Irish Daily Mirror
23-04-2025
- Health
- Irish Daily Mirror
Cholesterol-lowering foods to avoid for one group of people
High cholesterol can be triggered by a combination of factors, including physical activity levels, weight, smoking and drinking habits, and dietary choices. Additionally, it can be hereditary, and certain groups, such as men, individuals over 50, and people of South Asian descent, are more prone to it. The good news is that your lifestyle choices can influence your cholesterol levels, and some foods can even help lower it. In particular, two naturally occurring chemicals found in certain foods - sterols and stanols - have been shown to be highly effective in reducing cholesterol. Sterols and stanols are plant-based compounds that resemble cholesterol in size and shape. They work by being absorbed from the intestines into the bloodstream, where they block the absorption of some cholesterol. Although small amounts of these chemicals can be found in foods like vegetable oils, nuts, seeds, and fruits and vegetables, it's not enough to make a significant impact on cholesterol levels, according to Heart UK. To address this, food manufacturers have developed products with added sterols or stanols, such as mini yoghurt drinks, fat spreads, milk, and yoghurts. According to Heart UK, "These fortified foods lower your cholesterol gradually, over a few weeks, and how much depends on the amount you eat. Some experts believe they are the most effective single food for lowering cholesterol.", reports Surrey Live. However, sterols and stanols aren't for everyone, with warnings that pregnant or breastfeeding women, as well as children without an inherited condition, should steer clear. Yet, they're deemed safe for kids with inherited high cholesterol and those on statins, since their mechanisms differ. The Association of British Dietitians has shed light on the variable impact of sterols and stanols on cholesterol levels. Some studies indicate that a daily intake of 2g can slash a certain cholesterol type by 7.5-12 per cent, provided it's part of a consistent, healthy diet. But the jury's still out on their long-term benefits, with no concrete proof yet that they fend off heart attacks or strokes. Consequently, UK health guidelines continue to push for a balanced diet over relying solely on sterols and stanols for disease prevention. Victoria Taylor, a dietitian from the British Heart Foundation, advises careful label reading while grocery shopping due to varying stanol and sterol content in products. She points out: "There's little additional benefit to consuming more than 2.5g a day and it's advised that you don't consume more than 3g per day." Taylor further commented: "If you're taking statins, it's fine to use plant stanol or sterol products. As they work in different ways to reduce cholesterol, the effect can be cumulative. But remember that these plant stanols or sterols aren't substitutes for prescribed medications and whilst there is an expectation that their cholesterol lowering effect will lead to fewer heart attacks, no clinical trials have been undertaken to show this."
Rudaw Net
16-04-2025
- Business
- Rudaw Net
President Barzani, US diplomat discuss Middle East developments
A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani met with Victoria Taylor, US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Iraq and Iran, on Wednesday to discuss regional and domestic developments, as well as US relations with both Erbil and Baghdad. On the sidelines of the Sulaimani Forum, 'they discussed Erbil-Baghdad relations and the continuation of dialogue to resolve their outstanding issues,' according to a Kurdistan Region Presidency statement. 'Both sides emphasized the importance of maintaining security and stability in the region,' and the broader regional situation and its impact on Iraq and the Kurdistan Region were also addressed. Since 2014, tensions between Erbil and Baghdad have simmered over budget and oil disputes. The federal government cut the Kurdistan Region's share of the national budget that year, prompting Erbil to independently export oil and rely on the revenues to fund its public sector. However, falling oil prices and the costly war against the Islamic State (ISIS) strained the Region's finances, triggering austerity measures. Public servants faced repeated salary delays and cuts, with Baghdad now assuming responsibility for payments. The crisis deepened in March 2023, when Kurdish oil exports were suspended following an international court ruling in favor of Baghdad. The ruling found that Turkey had violated a 1973 pipeline agreement by allowing Erbil to export oil without federal approval. Despite several rounds of negotiations involving federal and regional officials, as well as international oil companies operating in the Kurdistan Region, no breakthrough has been achieved. Oil companies demand contractual clarity and payment guarantees, Baghdad insists on federal oversight, and Erbil continues to push for an agreement that safeguards its economic autonomy. The US has been actively urging both sides to restart oil exports. In a readout released Friday, the US State Department said Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani ' agreed that reopening the Iraq-Türkiye Pipeline immediately is crucial to protecting past US investments and attracting future investment.'
