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Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Northville adventurer ready to 'smash' world record after journey through every country
NORTHVILLE — As Michael Zervos races toward the finish line of a world record journey – carrying recent stories from North Korea, Sudan and Poland that reveal just how complicated joy can be – he's ready to come home, reflect on the moments that changed him and dive into a new project. After 17 months, 230 flights, 80 visas, four phones, three backpacks and nights spent in everywhere from hotels and guest houses to random couches, buses and the occasional airport bench, Zervos is set to return home Friday, May 30. "After touching down in the U.S., I will have smashed the current Guinness record by almost two months," he wrote in an email to supporters. A Northville native and filmmaker, Zervos set out in January 2023 to break a world record by visiting every country in the world faster than any person in history. The current record is held by Taylor Demonbreun of Alabama, who in 2018 achieved the feat in 554 days. But the trip — dubbed Project Kosmos — has always been about more than sprints through airports and stamps on a passport. In every one of the 195 countries on the Guinness list, Zervos asked people a single question: What is the happiest moment of your life? He heard thousands of stories. But in some places, he said, silence said more than words ever could. The people he met in Poland surprised him. While Zervos expected some cultural reserve in parts of Eastern Europe – maybe a little hesitation to talk on camera – he didn't expect a widespread inability to answer the happiness question at all. 'I approached dozens of people in Warsaw,' he said. 'Middle-aged, young, people who spoke English – and I kept hearing the same thing. 'I don't remember the last time I felt happy.'' At one point, he started asking strip club promoters who were working the city's nightlife district. 'They're paid to engage,' he said. 'I figured, at least they'd talk to me. I even said I'd go in if they answered the question. And still, nothing.' One man sat with him, quietly repeating that he needed the commission, but had no honest answer to give. 'He finally said, 'Friend, you have come to the wrong place if you wanted to ask about happiness.' That moment stuck with me,' Zervos said. Getting into North Korea was something of a surprise. Entry to the country wasn't possible on his American passport, so Zervos, who holds dual citizenship, used his Greek passport and joined a small tour group – the first Western tourists allowed in since COVID. Two weeks later, the country slammed its borders shut again. The process, he said, was complex - coordination from Ethiopia, transfer of money via Western Union and collection of proof for Guinness, all while staying under the radar of state surveillance. Once inside, the contrast between propaganda and real-life experience was compelling. 'There's a state religion there, and the 'Great Leader' is basically deified,' he said. 'But the people — if you listen closely — you can hear their own voices in between the lines.' He saw real life playing out in quiet glances and off-script answers. He took pictures carefully, following strict rules about framing and content – and watched others sneak photos they weren't supposed to take. Still, he said, the experience left him with more curiosity than certainty. 'I want to go back," Zervos said. "I want to spend more time there to really understand it.' It was one of many, many places he'd like to visit again. His visit to Sudan, another holdout country, came through thanks to a lucky break with a long-established Italian tourism company. Zervos was one of the first tourists allowed in since the outbreak of civil war. There, he stayed on the eastern coast, in Port Sudan, far from active conflict – but close enough to see the scars. 'Everyone had a story,' he said. 'Everyone had lost someone, or left someone behind. But they welcomed me with open arms. They gave me what little they had.' He's still in touch with many of the people he met there. Some fled civil war-torn capital, Khartoum, with nothing but their phones. Others left the country altogether. 'If those three days are representative of Sudanese culture – then the people are made of gold,' he said. A May 30 celebration organized by sponsors is scheduled at Detroit Metro Airport. Family, friends and supporters will gather to welcome Zervos home. Then, he'll rest. Sort of. 'I haven't had a routine in nearly two years,' he said, noting he's looking forward to getting back to a regular exercise routine and getting away from meat and alcohol – both of which he's been consuming to conform with cultural norms during his travels. He's also writing a book — the working title is 'Happiest' — for Penguin Random House, a project that came about almost by accident. The email offer landed in his spam folder and he nearly ignored it. 'I'm not a writer,' he said. 'I write scripts for film. They're not meant to be read. But the chance to revisit these stories, and reflect on everything – that's something I couldn't pass up.' The book, Zervos said, will be a tapestry of stories he collected – some familiar to Instagram followers, others too raw or complex to post online. 'I've got 2,000 to 3,000 stories,' he said. 'Some of the best ones haven't even been translated yet.' The book is expected in late 2026 or early 2027. To claim the Guinness World Record, Zervos will need to submit a mountain of documentation, which he's been meticulously gathering all along the way. Requirements include two witness statements from each country, digitized receipts for travel and accommodations, GPS data points, journal entries, photos and video proof. He also must create a detailed cover letter explaining how everything was organized. Even then, approval isn't guaranteed. 'One guy submitted 9,000 pages and got rejected four times,' Zervos said. 'It could take months for them to go through it.' Follow Michael Zervos on Instagram @theprojectkosmos or visit Contact reporter Laura Colvin: lcolvin@ This article originally appeared on Northville globetrotter closes in on Guiness World Record
Bloomberg
4 days ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
Payments Groups Want 3.5% Remittance Levy Killed From Tax Bill
A proposed 3.5% tax on remittance transfers should be killed because it invades consumer privacy and would encourage the use of unregulated money-movement services, payments-industry trade groups told US lawmakers. Even after a cut from an initial 5% proposal, the levy will still hit migrants sending money back to relatives on top of posing a greater money-laundering risk as they seek underground channels, according to a letter Wednesday to US Senators from the Electronic Transactions Association, Financial Technology Association, Innovative Payments Association and several other lobbying groups. The ETA represents the interests of large payments companies including Western Union Co. and Visa Inc. as well as newer financial-technology firms.
Finextra
5 days ago
- Business
- Finextra
Mambu unveils Mambu Payments
Today, global cloud banking leader Mambu unveils Mambu Payments, expanding its composable banking platform to include modern, end-to-end payment capabilities. 0 Following its acquisition of payments technology provider Numeral in December 2024, this marks a significant step forward in Mambu's mission. The launch of Mambu Payments means Mambu is poised to help financial institutions modernise core infrastructure and accelerate innovation across the entire banking stack, spanning lending, deposits, and payments. Modernising payment infrastructure is a strategic priority for financial institutions facing regulatory pressure, the rise of instant payments and industry-wide shifts like ISO 20022, and increasing customer expectations for speed and reliability. Yet many are still constrained by fragmented legacy systems that hinder innovation and scalability. Mambu Payments addresses this challenge with advanced, composable capabilities that integrate seamlessly into any core banking ecosystem. Acting as a universal gateway, it connects institutions to a growing network of pre-integrated clearing systems, partner banks, and payment schemes, while enabling end-to-end automation through a modern payments hub. Mambu Payments is quickly gaining traction - longstanding Mambu customers are building on years of successful collaboration on their core banking and expanding their partnership with Mambu to modernise their payments including Western Union, INDEXO Bank and BCB Group. 'Mambu Payments brings the same qualities that made Mambu's cloud banking platform the core of choice for forward-thinking financial institutions: cloud-native, API-first, and composable,' said Mark Geneste, Chief Revenue Officer at Mambu. "Mambu supports more than 260 financial institutions globally, helping them to modernise and migrate from legacy technology to future-proof solutions. Financial institutions can now choose to start with deposits, lending, or payments and easily expand across the platform as their needs evolve.' 'We wanted our customers to get the best of both worlds,' said Édouard Mandon, VP Payments at Mambu. 'Composability where it matters and an integrated solution with end-to-end workflows where it drives value and reduces friction. That's why we built the native integrations between our payments, lending, and deposit modules the way we did — to give customers the flexibility to choose their own path.'
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Remembering Julie Moore, the civilian who helped change military protocol
When Kisha Patterson last spoke to her husband, Esau, it was an ordinary conversation under extraordinary circumstances. "We talked that morning," she said. "It was like any other day. He was like, 'Hey, I'll call you back.' I was like, 'Okay.' You know, not thinking too much of it, kind of took it for granted." In April of 2004, Army Staff Sergeant Esau Patterson was serving in Iraq. They'd met years earlier in church, at Ft. Benning in Georgia. They got married, had two children, and were planning a family reunion for when he returned. But then came a knock at the door. "And there's two uniformed service members standing there," said Kisha. "And they looked at me, and I could see tears in their eyes, and that's when I knew." A car bomb had killed her husband. He was 25 years old. "I would never get to say goodbye," she said. "I would never get to touch him. I would never get to do anything else." I asked, "What did it mean to you to have service members there with you?" "It meant that what he died for was okay, that he was truly protecting and serving this country," Kisha replied. Those soldiers were carrying out a solemn duty that had not always been performed. During the Civil War, the military had no formal casualty notification system. Occasionally families would receive a letter. By World War I and through the Vietnam War, the military was sending telegrams, until an Army wife named Julia Moore (known as Julie) stepped in. "She completely changed the culture of the military," said her son, Greg Moore. "In 1965, during the Battle of the Ia Drang, death notices were delivered to spouses by telegrams and taxicabs. Cold, cruel, dispassionate. She was outraged." Julie Moore's husband, Hal, was a highly-regarded Lt. Colonel then serving in Vietnam when, as she described in a letter, a taxi driver pulled up to her house: "When he rang the bell I decided not to answer; that way, everything would be all right," she wrote. "I finally said to myself, 'Come on, Julie, you have to face up to what's to come, so go answer the door." It turned out, the driver needed directions. Greg Moore said, "At that moment, she knew what it felt to get that telegram, and she never wanted to have anybody else get that telegram and not have somebody physically with them." So, Julie Moore made a deal with the local Western Union office: they would call her whenever a telegram came. The 2002 movie "We Were Soldiers" portrayed how Julie Moore would rush to comfort the widows. Even as she cared for her five young children, Moore helped other Army wives on the home front, as she recounted in a 2001 interview: "I think people forget that these men had families. And these families had problems. And the wives are left alone to deal with them as best they can. And these women were really up to the task. They really were." Together, the Army wives successfully lobbied the base commander. Julie's son Dave Moore said, "What they really wanted was the Army to make a fundamental change, which they did, in that the Army should take responsibility for delivering these telegrams to the wives and personally care for the spouse during that time of cathartic change." Service members now notify families in person, and offer additional support. When Army Sgt. First Class Kendrick Ray delivered a casualty notification in 2021, it was a sacred mission. Now, he helps families in the days after. Asked what goes through his mind before he knocks on the door, Ray replied, "I just said a prayer, like, 'How can I be of service to this family? I don't know what they're going through, but give me strength to, you know, face whatever it is once I ring the doorbell.' "I believe now it's my purpose," he said. "I can let people know, like, 'Hey, you're not alone. we're right here with you, every step of the way.'" Julie Moore died in 2004. Her husband died 13 years later. In 2023, the Pentagon renamed Ft. Benning Ft. Moore to honor them both. It marked the first time an American military base had been named for a civilian. Dave Moore said, "It's not a legacy she asked for; it's a legacy she built herself towards. And the hero rises to a moment and achieves great things." This year, the Army post was re-named Ft. Benning. But just down the road, at the National Infantry Museum, her name endures. I asked Kisha Patterson, "When you think about what she did, what comes to your mind?" "She's phenomenal," Patterson replied. "I can't imagine having received a telegram with that information on it. So, I just thank her. There're husbands that endure this same pain. There are mothers and fathers, there are children that get these knocks. So, she has, yes, she has truly made a difference for all of us." For more info: National Infantry Museum, Columbus, Ga. Story produced by Robbyn McFadden. Editor: Joseph Frandino. 4 women arrested for allegedly aiding escaped New Orleans inmates Full interview: World Food Programme Executive Director Cindy McCain Open: This is "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," May 25, 2025
Daily Mirror
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
P Diddy's biggest trial bombshells as Kid Cudi finishes testifying
Diddy, 55, is currently facing a number of serious charges, including racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion and transportation to engage in prostitution Sean 'Diddy' Combs' high-profile trial continued on Thursday with bombshell claims made by Scott Mescudi - better known as Kid Cudi. The Just What I Am rapper, who dated Cassie Ventura in 2011, took to the stand on May 22, with dramatic photos of his burned car being shown to the jury. Disgraced music mogul Diddy, 55, is currently facing a number of serious charges, including racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion and transportation to engage in prostitution. He was arrested in September and strongly denies all allegations made against him. He has been in prison since his arrest, and a number of bail requests have been rejected. Since the trial started, the likes of Cassie Ventura, Homeland Security Investigations special agent Gerard Gannon, Cassie's mother, Regina Ventura, Diddy's former assistant, David James, took to the stand to share their testimonies. Cassie's former friend Kerry Morgan and former makeup artist for Diddy and Cassie, Mylah Morales, were among others who testified so far. The trial on Thursday continued after Homeland Security Investigations special agent Gerard Gannon returned to the stand on Wednesday to speak about the raid on the disgraced rapper's home. During his testimony, Gannon said he was responsible for the overall planning of the raid on the rapper's home in Miami, Florida, in March of last year. On Thursday, the trial resumed with Diddy's former assistant George Kaplan returning to the stand. Kid Cudi took to the stand after. Here are the biggest bombshells from Thursday... Kaplan 'witnessed' Diddy abusing Cassie once George Kaplan claimed he was given a bag of cash, which he was told was worth $50,000 (£37,200), by the rapper's security staff. He also said that he was asked on several occasions to pick up thousands of dollars at a Western Union office. He also claimed he only witnessed Diddy being violent towards Cassie once during a trip to Las Vegas on Diddy's private plane in 2015. He told the court he heard glass breaking behind him and turned to see Combs standing with a whiskey glass in his hand. After the glass crashed, Cassie allegedly screamed: "Isn't anybody seeing this?" He claimed that neither he nor security or Bad Boy management staff responded to Cassie's call for help. When asked why he didn't respond to Cassie's plea, he said it was because he was 23 years old at the time and was working at his dream job. "I couldn't believe my good fortune to be working for such an icon," he said. After her plea, he testified that he heard more glass break as Combs stood over Cassie at the back of the jet. The rapper then allegedly told Cassie to stay in the back. Diddy threw apples at his ex-girlfriend, Kaplan claims The former assistant claimed he witnessed the rapper throwing green apples at another girlfriend, Gina, when they had been together at his home in Florida. The former assistant said: "He was very angry. She was trying to shield herself with her arms.' He added: "I thought it might be normal, and this is what I might expect if I wanted to have a career in this industry. I was working all of that out as a young man.' Kaplan quit after Diddy's 'Cassie attack' He claimed he chose to quit the job after Diddy's alleged attack on Cassie on the plane. He said he gave his two months notice after seeing Cassie sitting in a bedroom with a black eye. He claimed the rapper and producer sent him out to buy anti-inflammatory medicine to treat the injury. Kaplan also told Diddy at the time he chose to quit because his dad had been diagnosed with prostate cancer. However, he went on to credit Diddy for teaching him about work ethic. He said: "I had been a fan of his since I was a child. I keep lessons from him to this day.' 'Diddy broke into my house', Kid Cudi claims Kid Cudi, who dated Cassie in 2011, soon took to the stand and claimed Diddy broke into his house after finding out about his romance with Cassie. The Pursuit of Happiness rapper said he went to a West Hollywood hotel with Cassie to get her away from Diddy when Capricorn Clark, Diddy's assistant, called him. She allegedly told him that " Sean Combs and an affiliate were in my house and she was in a car and she was forced to go with them over there.' Cudi recounted driving to his home and calling Diddy while en route. When he asked Diddy why he was at his house, Diddy allegedly calmly replied: "I want to talk to you." Once he got back home, Diddy was said to be gone, but he found his dog locked in a bathroom. Christmas gifts he'd purchased for loved ones had been unwrapped. Cudi says he called Combs, who claimed he was on his way. Cudi, confused, then called the police. Cassie confided in Kid Cudi about Diddy 'abuse' Cudi told the court that Cassie told him there was physical abuse in the relationship, but never told him about sexual abuse. He added that Diddy never interrupted the time he spent with her. During cross-examination, Cudi revealed Cassie first spoke about her relationship with Diddy in 2010, saying: "That's when she was telling me she was having problems." Defence attorney Brian Steel asked Kid Cudi if Combs' treatment of Cassie Ventura bothered him because he was in love with her. Kid Cudi responded: 'Yes.' Kid Cudi's car burnt by a 'Molotov cocktail' The jury was shown pictures of Kid Cudi's Porsche, which he claimed was burned by a Molotov cocktail. He received a call in January 2012 from his dog watcher telling him that the car was on fire. He was 45 minutes away at the time, and his friend sent him pictures of the car in the driveway. Kid Cudi described the photo as 'the damage of the Molotov cocktail in my Porsche." "It looks like the top of my Porsche was cut open, and that's where the Molotov cocktail was put in.' According to the rapper, the car couldn't be salvaged, and law enforcement found a Molotov cocktail in the driver's seat. Once he arrived home, 'it was kind of just burnt up' on the ground near the vehicle. When asked his reaction to the incident, Kid Cudi said: 'What the f**k.' He claimed to have reached out to Diddy after the fire and "finally told him that we needed to meet up, to talk,' Kid Cudi testified. 'He had been wanting to talk to me, so after the fire, I was like, this is getting out of hand, I need to talk to him,' Kid Cudi said. After the incident, he met with Combs, who was alone. He testified that 'Combs was standing there, staring out the window with his hands behind his back, like a Marvel supervillain." The two talked about Kid Cudi's relationship with Cassie from start to finish, he testified. When Kid Cudi asked about the damage to his car, Combs denied any involvement, he said on the stand. In 2015, the pair ran into each other at a club. Combs allegedly pulled Kid Cudi aside to apologise, the musician testified. He told the court he "found peace" with the situation after that. Makeup artist 'saw injuries on Cassie' but didn't call police Diddy and Cassie's former makeup artist, Mylah Morales, took to the stand after Kid Cudi. She testified that she saw Cassie with injuries on her face on Grammy weekend in 2010. After a party at Prince's house, Morales and Cassie went to a hotel room. Diddy later came into the room and asked where Cassie was, Morales testified. She said Combs went into the room where Cassie was and closed the door. Morales said she heard yelling and screaming. 'I was just frantic and I didn't know what to do,' Morales said. She added that Cassie was 'distraught' when Combs stormed out. 'She had a swollen eye and a busted lip and knots on her head." She took Cassie to her home to recover for a few days. She revealed a doctor friend checked Cassie over after the incident. When they recommended she got to the hospital, Cassie refused and they did not call the police. Morales said she didn't phone the police because she feared Combs and feared for her life.
