The Rock Steady Crew, seen performing in New York in 1983, were Holman’s first breaking project as a managerThe introduction of breaking into the Olympics for Paris 2024 may have surprised many, but for Michael Holman – writer, producer, artist, entrepreneur and self-dubbed hip-hop pioneer – it was the realisation of a 40-year vision. The Games’ website describes breaking as a “hip-hop” style of dance characterised by ‘acrobatic movement and stylized footwork’. The format is fundamentally different to ice dancing or gymnastics though. Athletes don’t wait their turn to perform one-by-one and impress judges. Instead breakers will take to the…
Author: National Tone
Google chatbot is the latest AI app to churn out essays, poems and computer code on command.Google has invited people in the United Kingdom and the United States to test its AI chatbot, known as Bard, as it continues on its gradual path to catch up with the Microsoft-backed ChatGPT. Bard, ChatGPT and other similar artificial intelligence apps churn out essays, poems or computer code on command and have taken the world by storm as the biggest new thing in tech since the advent of the iPhone. Google CEO Sundar Pichai told staff on Tuesday that after testing Bard with…
Tsai Ing-wen plans to visit allies in Central America at the end of the month, making two unofficial stops in the US.The office of Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen has revealed she will make unofficial stops in the United States as she travels to visit two Central American allies, Guatemala and Belize. But in the wake of Tuesday’s announcement, the administration of US President Joe Biden has sought to underscore the “personal” nature of the stops, in an attempt to avoid escalating tensions with China. “These are called transits,” National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said of the planned US stops.…
Barnsley scored two late goals in a 4-2 League One victory over South Yorkshire rivals Sheffield Wednesday to end their opponents’ 23-match unbeaten league run as they dropped down to second.The game burst into life in the 10th minute when Mads Andersen slipped the ball through to Devante Cole on the left-hand side of the area and the striker beat goalkeeper Cameron Dawson with a low, angled shot. James Norwood increased Barnsley’s lead two minutes later with a low strike from just outside the area after receiving the ball from Cole.Wednesday reduced the arrears when a long ball from Will…
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has made a surprise visit to Kyiv, stealing some of the attention from Asian rival President Xi Jinping of China, who met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. Kishida, who will chair the Group of Seven summit in May, met President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday while touring Kyiv and paying tribute to those killed in Bucha, a town outside Kyiv that became a symbol of Russian atrocities against civilians. The two visits, about 800 kilometres (500 miles) apart, highlighted the nearly 13-month-old war’s repercussions for international diplomacy as countries line up behind Moscow or Kyiv.…
Memphis Grizzlies guard Dillon Brooks has been suspended one game for receiving his 18th technical foul of the season Monday night against the Dallas Mavericks. He will miss Memphis’ game Wednesday against the Houston Rockets. Brooks had already been suspended earlier this month for receiving his 16th technical foul. .acf-block-preview .instagram-twitter-container width: 340px; margin: 0 auto; NBA rules stipulate that players receive a one-game suspension for a 16th technical foul in one season, followed by the same punishment for every two additional technicals. Brooks received his 18th technical for taunting the Mavericks bench after a dunk mid-way through the third…
Sanctions target firms and individuals accused of buying drone parts on behalf of the Iranian government.The United States has announced its latest round of sanctions against Iranian drone and missile production, this time focusing on firms and individuals who allegedly procured equipment for Tehran’s drone programme. In a statement on Tuesday, the US Department of the Treasury said the targeted “procurement network” operates on behalf of Iran’s Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL), which oversees firms involved in developing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and ballistic missiles. The latest sanctions came as US officials continued to accuse Iran of…
LONDON — Arsenal defender Takehiro Tomiyasu underwent knee surgery Tuesday and will miss the remainder of the season, the Premier League leading club said. The 24-year-old Japan international sustained a “significant” injury to his right knee during a Europa League match last Thursday. Arsenal, which exited the second-tier European competition after the penalty-shootout loss to Sporting Lisbon, said Tomiyasu “had successful surgery in London.” “Everyone at the club will now be working hard with Tomi, so he can join preseason training ahead of next season,” the club said in a statement. Tomiyasu made 31 appearances this season. Most of his…
SANDVIKEN, Sweden — Three-time defending champion Switzerland remained undefeated at the women’s world curling championship with a 7-6 win over Canada in Tuesday’s afternoon draw. Silvana Tirinzoni’s squad led 6-4 following a three-point fifth end and a steal of one in the sixth. After a blank seventh, Canada skip Einarson scored one in the eighth and tied the match 6-6 with a steal in the ninth. With the hammer in the final end, Tirinzoni scored one to cement the win and improve to 6-0. Einarson and teammates Val Sweeting, Shannon Birchard and Briane Harris, fell to 4-2. The team from…
Families living in flood-affected areas have ‘no alternative but to drink and use potentially disease-ridden water’, UNICEF says.About six months after catastrophic floods in Pakistan, more than 10 million people still lack access to safe drinking water in areas affected by the record-breaking rains, according to a United Nations report. Families living in flood-hit areas have “no alternative but to drink and use potentially disease-ridden water”, the UN children’s agency, or UNICEF, said in the report on Tuesday. “Every day, millions of girls and boys in Pakistan are fighting a losing battle against preventable waterborne diseases and the consequential malnutrition,”…