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Renowned Serbian pianist in Cyprus debut
Culturecyprus-mail12h ago

Renowned Serbian pianist in Cyprus debut

This March, the Pharos Arts Foundation continues its collaboration with the Málaga International Piano Competition for another year, bringing the 2025 Competition’s First Prize winner to Cyprus. Music lovers, get ready to welcome Bogdan Dugalić to Cyprus’ music scene. For one evening only, Cyprus audiences will get to witness live the musician who received the […]

Madrid to Create Robert Capa Cultural Center for Youth
Cultureel-mundo1d ago

Madrid to Create Robert Capa Cultural Center for Youth

Madrid Mayor Almeida announced plans to create a cultural "refuge" for young people under 18 in the iconic Peironcely, 10 building, named after Robert Capa. The center, costing one million euros, will be managed by the Padre Llanos foundation and focus on plastic and performing arts, including an exhibition of the famous photographer.

Argentina, Ambassador Nicoletti visits the Malba museum
CultureANSA1d ago

Argentina, Ambassador Nicoletti visits the Malba museum

(ANSA) - BUENOS AIRES, 23 FEB - The Italian Ambassador to Argentina, Fabrizio Nicoletti, visited the Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires (Malba) today in the presence of the President of the Malba Foundation, Teresa Bulgheroni. Founded in 2001 by Eduardo Costantini and now considered one of the most influential cultural spaces in Latin America, the center has hosted numerous important Italian initiatives, developed thanks to close and fruitful collaboration between Malba, the Italia...

Leigh-Anne on going independent and her debut solo album: “You’re not going to tell me the kind of artist I should be. I know who I am”
Culturenme4d ago

Leigh-Anne on going independent and her debut solo album: “You’re not going to tell me the kind of artist I should be. I know who I am”

For the latest NME In Conversation, we talked to Leigh-Anne about her journey to her debut solo album 'My Ego Told Me To', how reggae and her Jamaican and Barbadian heritage are foundational to the record, and the legacy of Little Mix The post Leigh-Anne on going independent and her debut solo album: “You’re not going to tell me the kind of artist I should be. I know who I am” appeared first on NME.

Just When You Thought Obama's Tower Of Doom Couldn't Get Any More Ugly...
Politicszerohedge5d ago

Just When You Thought Obama's Tower Of Doom Couldn't Get Any More Ugly...

Just When You Thought Obama's Tower Of Doom Couldn't Get Any More Ugly... Authored by Steve Watson via Modernity.news, Barack Obama’s infamous Presidential Center in Chicago, already slammed as a dystopian “prison-like” monstrosity, has just received a bizarre new update that’s ignited widespread mockery online. The addition of disjointed words from one of Obama’s speeches has been dubbed “headache-inducing,” amplifying the backlash against this $830 million behemoth that’s overrun budgets, displaced locals, and turned a public park into a narcissistic shrine. As construction drags on toward a June 2026 opening, the former president’s ego-driven tweaks have only fueled the fire, with X users unleashing savage roasts and memes comparing the structure to everything from a Soviet-era bunker to a “concrete porta potty.” The latest fiasco stems from Obama’s decision to etch excerpts from his 2015 Selma speech onto the building’s facade. But instead of inspiring awe, the disjointed lettering has sparked hilarity and disgust. They somehow managed to make the Obama presidential library even uglier. My gosh. ? pic.twitter.com/lmZnyJ4FSs February 17, 2026 One X user highlighted how the words appear chopped and unreadable, calling it a “headache-inducing” mess that perfectly encapsulates the project’s overall failure. I's indistinguishable from L's and T's. E's indistinguishable from F's. Multiple words get disjointed–not just on one plane but two. pic.twitter.com/hohr6Whusy February 17, 2026 what don’t you understand about YOU ARE AMERICA https://t.co/kmHawlABHO February 16, 2026 Fixed it for Obama. pic.twitter.com/BJU5eA6vIx February 18, 2026 This is what the text should read… pic.twitter.com/YaZ2iSJQuY February 18, 2026 pic.twitter.com/N60Kwjw9Q5 February 18, 2026 As we previously reported, the Obama Presidential Center has ballooned to nearly $1 billion in costs, resembling a “Tower of Doom” that’s sucking the life out of Chicago’s South Side. Locals have decried it as a “totalitarian command center dropped straight out of 1984,” with property values skyrocketing and forcing out longtime residents. Alderwoman Jeanette Taylor warned that such developments “displace the very people they say they want to improve it for,” as rents for two-bedroom apartments jumped from $800 to over $1,800 per month. The project’s DEI-focused hiring of diverse contractors has backfired spectacularly, leading to lawsuits over “racial discrimination” and claims of poor performance, proving once again that woke policies lead to broke outcomes. President Trump didn’t hold back when mocking the stalled eyesore. “He needs help,” Trump quipped, noting how the library-museum hybrid is “not too pretty” and has “run out of money” despite Obama’s insistence on DEI builders. Trump contrasted this with his own push for classical architecture, like the grand Arch near Arlington Memorial Bridge, symbolizing a return to American greatness. The center’s foundation is now scrambling with only $116 million in reserves against $230 million in remaining costs, not including staff salaries. Scheduled tours have started, but critics question who’d visit this overpriced ode to Obama’s ego amid Chicago’s economic woes. Obama’s defenders claim it’ll be an “economic catalyst” for the black community, but the reality is displacement and fiscal chaos. This project exemplifies the hypocrisy of elite liberals: preaching equity while building vast ego towers that burden the working class. In the end, as Trump restores beauty and dignity to American landmarks, Obama’s legacy crumbles under the weight of its own pretension— a fitting monument to an era of division and decline. Your support is crucial in helping us defeat mass censorship. Please consider donating via Locals or check out our unique merch. Follow us on X @ModernityNews. Tyler Durden Thu, 02/19/2026 - 15:40

Tigers aiming for first conference title in program history
SportYahoo6d ago

Tigers aiming for first conference title in program history

(COLORADO SPRINGS) — When Katherine Auguste took over as head coach in 2016, the CC Women’s Basketball program was coming off four straight single digit win seasons. Her first season did not go much better, as she began to build the foundation of her program. “We were 2-23, and we kind of started growing together,” […]

Bill Gates to attend India AI Impact Summit, deliver keynote
TechnologyAPReutersBBC+6bloombergwsjFTFrance 24Times of IndiaRappler7d ago9 sources

Bill Gates to attend India AI Impact Summit, deliver keynote

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates will attend the India AI Impact Summit and deliver a keynote address as planned, dispelling earlier speculations. Gates also visited an agricultural field in Andhra Pradesh, where Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu presented his vision for 'Swarna Andhra 2047' and explored collaboration opportunities with the Gates Foundation.

KBr Exhibition on Photographer Walker Evans
Culturela-vanguardia15h ago

KBr Exhibition on Photographer Walker Evans

The KBr exhibition center of the Mapfre Foundation in Barcelona is dedicating a major show to Walker Evans, the photographer who defined the 1930s, also recovering a Pérez Siquier exhibition that closed in 2020 due to COVID.

Roma for Democracy Foundation Calls for 'Manuel's Law'
Politicsn1-serbiadanas20h ago2 sources

Roma for Democracy Foundation Calls for 'Manuel's Law'

The Roma for Democracy Foundation advocated for the adoption of 'Manuel's Law' to prevent future tragedies like the death of a 19-year-old autistic man in Zrenjanin, whose disappearance in 2025 did not trigger a national alert.

Waste Of The Day: The Story Of Robosquirrel
Sciencezerohedge2d ago

Waste Of The Day: The Story Of Robosquirrel

Waste Of The Day: The Story Of Robosquirrel Authored by Jeremy Portnoy via RealClearInvestigations, Topline: Dr. Frankenstein was able to bring his monster back to life using just rusty tools and a cramped workshop. Researchers in California needed taxpayer funding from the National Science Foundation for their own reanimation experiment, with results that were not quite as impressive. In 2012, San Diego State University and the University of California, Davis used part of a ...

600 Guangdong drivers enter Hong Kong as thousands apply for new scheme
BusinessSCMP4d ago

600 Guangdong drivers enter Hong Kong as thousands apply for new scheme

About 600 motorists from Guangdong have driven their vehicles into Hong Kong urban areas during the Lunar New Year holiday under a new scheme that has so far attracted 3,000 applications, according to the transport minister. Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan said on Saturday that weekend quotas for such trips had almost been filled on average during the holiday period. She added that the government would first consolidate the foundation of the scheme before reviewing the curren...

How A Water War Is Brewing Over A Drying Lake In Nevada
Environmentzerohedge6d ago

How A Water War Is Brewing Over A Drying Lake In Nevada

How A Water War Is Brewing Over A Drying Lake In Nevada Authored by John Haughey via The Epoch Times, A Nevada lawsuit trickling toward trial could determine how the nation’s most arid state balances the legal rights of upstream landowners to divert water from rivers for agricultural irrigation with the impacts those withdrawals have on downstream ecologies and economies. Water rights exceed water supply across much of the western United States. With many watersheds failing to deliver enough water for local needs, the suit is being watched by attorneys, state water managers, and federal agencies. It could potentially set a precedent in revising how states across the West regulate access to water. The Nevada case, filed by the Walker River Paiute Tribe and Mineral County, may also present an opportunity for a win-win solution, in which nonprofits and government entities purchase private water rights from willing upstream sellers and dedicate them to downstream public benefit. Without public-private intervention and the changes in state water law that the suit seeks, geologists and environmental experts agree the future is bleak for Walker Lake, a 13-mile long terminal lake about 75 miles southeast of Reno near the California state line in rural, sparsely populated Mineral County. The lake is completely dependent on diminishing Sierra Nevada snowmelt runoff into the Walker River—runoff that, for decades now, has been almost entirely diverted for irrigation by upstream farmers and ranchers. As a result, a desert oasis that once generated more than half of Mineral County’s economic activity through recreational pursuits such as fishing, migratory bird-watching, boating, and camping is now a lifeless “sludge pond,” while the town of Walker Lake faces an accelerating prospect of extinction. “The last fish was caught in 2013 or 2015, I believe. When the fish died, the fishing died; boating, recreation, that all just disappeared,” Mineral County Commissioner Tony Ruse said. “There were restaurants here. There were hotels here. There were businesses here. Now? All gone, just 300 residents struggling.” A Mineral County native, Ruse returned in 2020 after working 34 years as a Switzerland-trained chef in Europe and Asia, including 20 years in South Korea, to open The Big Horn Crossing, a restaurant and convenience store in a shuttered bait shop. It’s now Walker Lake’s only remaining retail business. “It was dead. There was nothing,” he told The Epoch Times. “We should be selling bait here. We should be selling fishing supplies. There should be boats parked in our driveway right now.” (Top) Mineral County Commissioner Tony Ruse fields a phone call at The Big Horn Crossing, a restaurant and convenience store that is the only remaining retail business in Walker Lake, Nev., in January 2026. (Bottom) Walker Lake, a town of fewer than 400 people, is anchored on the slopes of Mount Grant, but no longer supports a fishery, boat races, or the waterfront restaurants and hotels that once made it a desert oasis for tourists, anglers, and campers, in Mineral County, Nev., in January 2026. John Haughey/The Epoch Times Marlene Bunch and her husband Glenn lead the Walker Lake Working Group, created in 1991 to ensure water reaches the lake to sustain its recreational economy. “Upstream diversions have been our nemesis, and that’s what our legal case is for,” Bunch, a former Mineral County clerk and treasurer, told The Epoch Times. Bunch.has lived in Walker Lake since the 1960s. She recalls a 1991 discussion with Nevada Department of Wildlife fisheries biologist Mike Sevon about what would happen if water levels continued to drop. Diminishing Returns Walker Lake retains water flowing east 100 miles from California’s Bridgeport and Topaz reservoirs through Nevada’s Smith and Mason valleys and the Walker River Paiute Tribe’s reservation. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, its water levels have declined more than 160 feet since 1882. Nearly 30 miles long in 1850, the lake is only 12 miles long today. The runoff provided hydrological pressure that sustained area water wells, especially in Walker Lake, where Ruse said residents are seeing “very brackish” water coming from taps, a potential death knell for the town. “It’s getting harder and harder to keep the federal standards for potable water,” he said. “So there’s going to be a day—and I’m waiting for the call—that we need to put a reverse-osmosis system in, which we couldn’t afford to do.” Walker Lake and nearby Hawthorne, the Mineral County seat, struggle in the desert—Hawthorne has seen its population decline 60 percent from 10,000 in 1980 to just over 3,000 in 2020. Meanwhile, agriculture in the Smith and Mason valleys has thrived. (Top) Walker Lake has receded well beyond the sign on U.S. Route 95, in Mineral County, Nev., in January 2026. Decades ago, anglers could shorecast for fish that can no longer survive in the shrinking lake. (Bottom) Nevada’s Walker Lake, a 13-mile-long lake about 75 miles southeast of Reno near the California state line in rural Mineral County, was once more than 30 miles long and 160 feet higher than it is now, in Mineral County, Nev., in January 2026. John Haughey/The Epoch Times But with mountain runoff unreliable for decades now, when upstream users divert their share, little to no water makes it to Walker Lake, leaving once-bustling waterfront businesses marooned as hulking shells far from a distant, receding shore. The case, United States and Walker River Paiute Tribe v. Walker River Irrigation District, is not a new case, but ongoing litigation arising from a lawsuit filed in 1924. It’s part of a flood of litigation stemming from Walker River allocations, going back to 1902, when rancher Henry Miller sued Thomas Rickey over water rights on the river. A 1936 Walker River Decree issued by the Nevada U.S. District Court finalized water rights for more than 500 private landowners, primarily farmers and ranchers, within the Walker River Basin, including those in the Walker River Irrigation District, under a “first in time, first in right” policy that remains the standard almost a century later. Like Nevada, most western states allocate water by the policy, known as prior appropriation. Therefore, under the 1936 decree, upstream users have legal priority to Walker River water. But in 2015, Mineral County filed a lawsuit citing the public trust doctrine, the legal principle that certain natural and cultural resources be preserved for public use. The lawsuit claimed that under the public trust doctrine, it is the state’s duty to maintain minimum inflows into public waters, such as Walker Lake, to sustain environmental, wildlife, recreational, and economic resources. The U.S. District Court ruled in the county’s favor. The irrigation district appealed. The U.S. Ninth Circuit Court overturned the ruling; the public trust doctrine, it held, was a state law issue that had not been decided in Nevada. That kicked the case back to the Nevada Supreme Court, which in 2020 determined all Nevada waters will now be allocated under the public trust doctrine—but that already-issued water rights would not be, and can never be, reallocated. The Supreme Court of Nevada building in Carson City, Nev., in this file photo. In 2020, the court determined that all Nevada waters will now be allocated under the public trust doctrine. Steven Frame/Shutterstock The court directed Mineral County to recommend ways to restore the lake without reallocating water rights, and to work with the Walker Basin Conservancy, a nonprofit created in 2014 with federal funding initially secured by Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s Walker Basin Restoration Program. In 2021, Mineral County amended its 2015 complaint to intervene in the decades’-long parallel suit by the Walker River Paiute Tribe seeking to boost Walker River flows into a reservation reservoir and secure water rights for 167,460 acres added to the reservation since 1936. The county’s complaint includes 24 “actions … necessary to restore and maintain Walker Lake’s public trust values.” After years of procedural delays, including a requirement to individually serve more than 1,000 watershed landowners across the country, the case is set to proceed into discovery. A potential trial looms. But an alternate “win-win” solution orchestrated by the Walker Basin Conservancy is gaining traction and could, perhaps, mitigate the need for a court-ordered resolution. ‘The Only Solution’ Since its creation, the conservancy has restored public access to 33 miles along the Walker River and purchased more than 13,700 acres of water rights, enough to restore about 60 percent of the river inflow biologists maintain is needed to restore the lake’s fishery. Conservancy CEO Peter Stanton and Water Program Director Carlie Henneman did not return emails and repeated phone requests for comment about the program from The Epoch Times. Nor did the Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Walker River Irrigation District attorney Gordon DePaoli, or Walker Basin Working Group’s Oregon-based legal advisers, Jamie Saul of the Wild & Scenic Law Center and Kevin Cassidy of Lewis & Clark Law School’s Earthrise Law Center. Several attorneys representing different parties would only speak off-the-record, underscoring the contentious complexities of the case. A sign of the Walker River Paiute Tribe in Shurz, Nev., on Oct. 16, 2024. Walker Lake retains water flowing east 100 miles from California’s Bridgeport and Topaz reservoirs through Nevada’s Smith and Mason valleys and the Walker River Paiute Tribe's reservation. Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images Roderick E. Walston, an attorney with Best Best & Krieger in Walnut Creek, Calif., told The Epoch Times his clients above the Bridgeport Reservoir in California are apprehensive about Mineral County’s suit, which he said essentially demands the federal court to reallocate existing water rights under the public trust doctrine. “Our response is basically that the Nevada Supreme Court resolved that issue four years ago,” he said. Walston was a California deputy attorney general in 1983 and argued the Mono Lake case before the California Supreme Court. In that case, the state’s public trust doctrine was used to thwart Los Angeles from purchasing Mono Lake water rights that would have devastated the lake’s ecology and Sierra Nevada economies. “So I argued both the case in California Supreme Court 40-something years ago and then also argued the case in the Nevada Supreme Court about four years ago,” he said. Walston said the case could have “great impact” on water disputes in states that uphold the prior allocation doctrine. “This is an absolutely large case,” he said. Meanwhile, Mineral County District Attorney Ryan McCormick, who assumed his post seven weeks ago, told The Epoch Times he’s playing catch-up in reading filings “from decades and decades of litigation.” A sign is pictured at Walker Lake in Hawthorne, Nev., on Oct. 16, 2024. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, Walker Lake’s water levels have declined more than 160 feet since 1882. Nearly 30 miles long in 1850, the lake is only 12 miles long today. Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images “In a perfect world, if we get some specific performance and find a way to divert water back into the lake and have the levels rising again, that would be absolutely ideal,” he said, adding he isn’t privy to the reasoning behind all of the 24 actions assembled by the Walker Lake Working Group. It’s a complicated case in a long-litigated watershed but the best resolution is simple, McCormick said. “With the best interests of Mineral County, Hawthorne, and Walker Lake in mind here, we would like the lake to be receiving fresh water again. It would be nice to see some economic development right now, right?” But Walston said odds are slim the court will cast aside the state’s Supreme Court determination that existing water rights cannot be reallocated. Working with the conservancy and other groups to purchase water rights from willing landowners at $3,000 to $4,000 per acre foot—an acre of one-foot deep water—is a win-win for all involved, he said. “It’s the only solution, really. The Nevada Supreme Court has said you can’t just take water rights that have been adjudicated and take that water and put it into Walker Lake,” Walston said. “But you can go to various water users and negotiate with them and buy their water rights. In that case, then you could reallocate.” Tyler Durden Wed, 02/18/2026 - 22:35

Panics, Politics, & Power: America's 3 Experiments With Central Banks
Financezerohedge6d ago

Panics, Politics, & Power: America's 3 Experiments With Central Banks

Panics, Politics, & Power: America's 3 Experiments With Central Banks Authored by Andrew Moran via The Epoch Times, The Federal Reserve, established more than a century ago, is the United States’ third experiment with central banking. For much of its existence, the institution maintained a low public profile. Only after the 2008 global financial crisis did the Fed begin communicating more openly, introducing post-meeting press conferences and allowing monetary policymakers to engage more frequently with the media. Greater transparency, however, has brought greater scrutiny. Public sentiment toward the Fed and its leadership has fluctuated over the years. Today, YouGov polling suggests the central bank is viewed favorably by 44 percent of Americans and unfavorably by 18 percent. If the Fed pursues a series of reforms, it will have “another great 100 years,” said Kevin Warsh, who was nominated by President Donald Trump to serve as the institution’s next chair. Comparable to past central banks, Warsh said, the current Federal Reserve System is beginning to lose the consent of the governed. “You can think about the Jacksonians of prior times say that the central bank seems like they’re trying to focus and they’re all preoccupied with those special interests on the East Coast, and they’ve lost track of what’s happening to us in the center of the country,” Warsh said in a July 2025 interview with the Hoover Institution’s Peter Robinson. “It’s a version of what worries me today.” What happened in the past, and why is it relevant to today’s central bank? The First Bank of the United States In the aftermath of the American Revolution, the United States faced a series of immense economic disruptions, forcing the nation’s architects to rebuild the economy. The objective was to lower inflation, restore the value of the nation’s currency, repay war debt, and revive the economy. Alexander Hamilton, the first secretary of the Treasury under the new Constitution, proposed establishing a national bank modeled on the Bank of England. Hamilton stated that a U.S. version would perform various duties, including issuing paper money, serving as the government’s fiscal agent, and protecting public funds. Not everyone shared Hamilton’s ebullience over a central bank. Thomas Jefferson, for example, feared that such an institution would not serve the nation’s best interests. Additionally, Jefferson and other critics argued that the Constitution did not grant the government the authority to create these entities. Nevertheless, Congress enacted legislation to establish the Bank of the United States. President George Washington then signed the bill in February 1791. Two of America's founding fathers: Thomas Jefferson (L) and Alexander Hamilton. The White House While bank officials did not conduct monetary policy as modern central banks do, they did influence the supply of money and credit, as well as interest rates. The entity managed the money supply by controlling when to redeem or retain state‑bank notes. If it sought to tighten credit, it would require payment in gold or silver, thereby draining state banks’ reserves and limiting their ability to issue new notes. If it wanted to expand credit, it simply held on to those notes, boosting state‑bank reserves and enabling them to lend more. By 1811, the national bank’s charter expired. While there had been discussions of allowing it to continue maintaining operations, Congress—both chambers—voted against renewing its mandate by a single vote. Its closure came shortly before the War of 1812, which fueled inflation and weakened the currency. Second Bank of the United States Lawmakers believed another central bank was critical at a time of fiscal, inflationary, and trade pressures. Congress used a similar 20-year model to produce the Second Bank of the United States, headed by Nicholas Biddle. The second incarnation had a federal charter, was privately owned, and was tasked with regulating state banks (with gold and silver for note redemption). President James Madison, who opposed the first central bank on constitutional grounds, supported the new institution out of financial necessity. Its creation stabilized credit and brought down inflation. However, by the 1830s, the bank faced strong opposition, particularly from President Andrew Jackson. Labeled the Bank War, Jackson engaged in a years-long initiative to dissolve the central bank. Jackson claimed the national bank was a tool for the wealthy eastern elite and a threat to self-government. “The Jacksonians described themselves as conscious hard-money men who supported the rigid discipline of the gold standard, yet they opposed the newly powerful national Bank because it restrained the expansion of credit and, thus, thwarted robust economic expansion,” author William Greider wrote in “Secrets of the Temple.” In 1832, Jackson vetoed legislation to recharter the bank four years early, delivering a fiery message that historians say was one of the most important vetoes in the nation’s history. “It is to be regretted that the rich and powerful too often bend the acts of government to their selfish purposes. Distinctions in society will always exist under every just government,” Jackson wrote. “There are no necessary evils in government. Its evils exist only in its abuses. If it would confine itself to equal protection, and, as Heaven does its rains, shower its favors alike on the high and the low, the rich and the poor, it would be an unqualified blessing. In the act before me, there seems to be a wide and unnecessary departure from these just principles.” The charter expired in 1836, leading to the panic of 1837. An economic crisis unfolded, leading to bank failures, business bankruptcies, rising unemployment, and contracting credit. While the collapse of the central bank is often considered a leading cause, the British also urged London banks to reduce credit to American merchants, causing a sharp drop in global trade. As the smoke cleared and dust settled, it was not until the 1840s that the United States embarked on a historic economic recovery, now known as the Free Banking Era. Banking was decentralized, and finance was largely unregulated. Despite an erratic financial system, the U.S. economy grew rapidly: agricultural production accelerated, railroads were built, and the country expanded westward. Additionally, deflation was paramount throughout most of the economic expansion. The Federal Reserve System The panic of 1907 led to the creation of the Federal Reserve System. Following years of heavy borrowing, speculative commodities investments (mainly copper), and enormous stock market gains, a financial crisis was brewing. The event nearly brought down the U.S. banking system. J.P. Morgan, a financier, intervened and emulated the actions of modern central banks. He met with the nation’s top bankers, facilitated emergency loans to financial institutions, and backed stockbrokers. The damage had been done as the United States fell into a year-long recession, marked by high unemployment and widespread bank failures. The Federal Reserve Board of Governors seal in Washington on Oct. 29, 2025. Madalina Kilroy/The Epoch Times Washington realized that it could not rely on private bailouts to prevent sharp downturns. Sen. Nelson Aldrich (R-R.I.) is widely regarded as one of the chief architects of the modern Federal Reserve System. In 1910, Aldrich hosted the famous Jekyll Island meetings, a gathering of U.S. officials and bankers, to discuss the blueprint of a new central bank. While the initial draft laid the foundation for the institution, the official Federal Reserve Act was drafted by President Woodrow Wilson, Rep. Carter Glass (D-Va.), and H. Parker Willis, an economist on the House Banking Committee. The new system was a public-private hybrid, with the federal government firmly in charge, and bankers running the regional reserve banks. “It was Wilson’s great compromise,” wrote Greider, “creating a hybrid institution that mixed private and public control, an approach without precedent at the time.” The legislation triggered a contentious political debate over the extent of its independence from the Treasury and the degree of authority delegated to policymakers over currency issuance. Days before Christmas, the bill cleared both chambers and was signed into law by Wilson on Dec. 23. “Wilson’s conviction that he had struck the right moderate balance seemed confirmed, however, by the reactions to his legislation,” Greider noted. “It was attacked by both extremes—the ‘radicals’ from the Populist states and the bankers in Wall Street and elsewhere.” Since its inception in 1913, the modern Federal Reserve has undergone numerous changes and has gained greater power. The New Deal, for instance, allowed the Fed to become the lender of last resort as Washington learned the central bank could not prevent bank failures. In 1951, the Treasury-Fed Accord restored central bank independence after the Federal Reserve had been forced to keep interest rates artificially low throughout the Second World War. Congress then enacted the Federal Reserve Reform Act in 1977, establishing the dual mandate of promoting maximum employment and maintaining price stability. 2026 and Beyond Over the past 50 years, the Fed has undergone modest changes, including the issuance of forward guidance and the disclosure of emergency lending facilities. But while each new regime has nibbled around the edges, Warsh has suggested he could effect substantial reforms at the central bank. “Until there’s regime change at the Fed and new people running the Fed, a new operating framework, they’re stuck with their old mistakes,” Warsh told Fox Business Network in October 2025. “Bygones aren’t just bygones.” Tyler Durden Wed, 02/18/2026 - 16:20

UN calls on Israel to reverse unlawful West Bank actions
PoliticsNHK WorldDawn8d ago2 sources

UN calls on Israel to reverse unlawful West Bank actions

• Pakistan asks international community to reject provocative decision allowing takeover of occupied land as state property • EU calls annexation illegal, Arab nations denounce ‘threat to peace efforts’ • Israel imposes restrictions, deploys police around Al-Aqsa JERUSALEM / ISLAMABAD: As Pakistan denounced the latest Israeli move to convert areas of the West Bank into “state property”, the UN chief called upon Tel Aviv to reverse its new, “unlawful” policy allowing registration of the occupied land in the occupied territory as state property. Israel’s foreign ministry claimed the measure, approved late on Sunday, would enable “transparent and thorough clarification of rights to resolve legal disputes” but the move drew strong condemnations from across the globe for its violation of international law. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said this new measure was destabilising and unlawful, according to a statement by his spokesman Stephane Dujarric. Pakistan also denounced the step as a clear violation of international law as well as relevant United Nations Security Council and General Assembly resolutions. Islamabad urged the international community to reject the decision, said a statement issued by the For­eign Office spokesperson. It added that the occupying power continued to disregard international law and its provocative actions undermined the prospects for a just, comprehensive, and lasting peace in the region. “Pakistan calls on the international community to take concrete measures to end Israeli impunity, and ensure respect for international law,” the spokesperson added. ‘Undermine peace efforts’ Arab nations Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar and Jordan also criticised the move as illegal. The measure is “aimed at impo­sing a new legal and administrative reality in the occupied West Bank” that would undermine peace efforts in the region, Saudi Arabia’s foreign affairs ministry said in a statement. Jordan’s King Abdullah II said the actions “undermine efforts to restore calm and thr­e­aten to exacerbate the conflict,” according to a statement released by the royal court. The European Union called on Israel to reverse the move. “This constitutes a new escalation after recent measures already aimed at extending Israeli control,” EU foreign affairs spokesman Anouar El Anouni said. “We reiterate that annexation is illegal under international law.” The Ramallah-based Palest­inian Authority called for inte­r­national intervention to prevent the “de facto beginning of the annexation process and the undermining of the foundations of the Palestinian state”. Israeli anti-settlement watc­­h­dog Peace Now called the measure a “mega land grab”. Jonathan Mizrachi, the NGO’s co-director, told AFP that the move would attribute new resources for land registration. “There was a lot of ambiguity regarding the land, and Israel decided now to deal with it,” Mizrachi said, adding that the grey area over Area C land ownership was likely to be used against Palestinians. “A lot of land that Palestinians consider theirs, they will find out it’s not theirs under this new registration process,” he said, believing the move would further the Israeli right’s annexation agenda. Changing demography Palestinians see the West Bank as foundational to any future Palesti­nian state, but many on Israel’s religious right want to take over the land. The latest Israeli initiatives come in the wider context of increasing attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank, according to rights groups. “We are witnessing rapid steps to change permanently the demography of the occupied Palestinian territory, stripping its people of their lands and forcing them to leave,” UN rights chief Volker Turk said in a recent statement. US President Donald Trump has opposed Israel’s annexation of the West Bank, saying stability in the territory helps keep Israel secure. However, he has held off from dire­ctly criticising the new Israeli measures, despite the international outrage. Excluding Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem, more than 500,000 Israelis live in West Bank settlements and outposts, which are illegal under international law. Around three million Palestinians live in the territory, which Israel has occupied since 1967. Al-Aqsa restrictions Israeli police said Monday that they would deploy in force around the Al-Aqsa Mosque during Ramazan, as Palestinian officials accused Israel of imposing restrictions at the compound. Over the course of the month of fasting and prayer, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians traditionally attend prayers at Islam’s third-holiest site. Arad Braverman, a senior Jerusalem police officer, said forces would be deployed “day and night” across the compound, adding that thousands of police would also be on duty for Friday prayers. Braverman said police had recommended issuing 10,000 permits for Palestinians from the occupied West Bank, who require special permission to enter Jerusalem. The Palestinian Jerusalem Governorate said it had been informed that permits would again be restricted to men over 55. Published in Dawn, February 17th, 2026

Israel Debates Death Penalty for Terrorists
Politicsnzz1h ago

Israel Debates Death Penalty for Terrorists

Right-wing factions in Israel are pushing for a law to introduce the death penalty for Palestinian terrorists, sparking a debate that challenges the foundations of rule of law and creates further division within Israeli society.

IEMK Supports Nikos Skalkottas Concert Series
Culturenewsbeast16h ago

IEMK Supports Nikos Skalkottas Concert Series

The Institute of Greek Music Heritage (IEMK), founded by Qualco Foundation and Qualco Group, is officially supporting the concert series 'Nikos Skalkottas: Greek Dances for Two Pianos,' dedicated to preserving and promoting Greek musical heritage.

Epstein Funded UCSD Study Of 'Telepathic Autistic Savant' Through Deepak Chopra Connection
Sciencezerohedge1d ago

Epstein Funded UCSD Study Of 'Telepathic Autistic Savant' Through Deepak Chopra Connection

Epstein Funded UCSD Study Of 'Telepathic Autistic Savant' Through Deepak Chopra Connection Jeffrey Epstein was connected with several notable scientists - funding leading research centers, including Harvard, where he donated $9 million, and MIT's Media Lab, which he gave at least $7.5 million (and funneled another $1.2 million to investments under the control of the lab's former director, Joi Ito). He was connected to Stephen Hawking, Marvin Minsky, Steven Pinker and a host of other names.  Vilayanur Subramanian Ramachandran and Jeffrey Epstein Now we learn that Epstein provided funding to a lab at UC San Diego after lifestyle guru Deepak Chopra introduced the financier to lab director Vilayanur Subramanian Ramachandran - a neuroscientist who was studying an "autistic savant who displays telepathy," according to the latest DOJ Epstein file dump.  Chopra, a former UCSD family medicine and public health clinical professor, said in late October that he was just helping Epstein with insomnia by teaching him to meditate. "At my suggestion, he also visited Dr. V.S. Ramachandran's lab at [the University of California San Diego] to learn about ongoing brain research," he told CBS News in December.  EFTA01013830.pdf Ramachandran was conducting a study on an "autistic savant who displays telepathy," according to UCSD's The Guardian, citing a Sept. 25, 2017 email with the subject "Cost to study the autistic savant who displays telepathy," in which he tells Chopra, "i don't have a problem with my lab being funded by epstein ... so long as theres no UC connection."  Ramanchandran further wrote that if Chopra’s “pal [Epstein] is serious about setting in motion a lab for the study of extraordinary brain potential … something like 500,000 to 3 million would get the administrators excited.” A subsequent email from Epstein to his accountant, Richard Kahn, instructed Kahn to send $25,000 from Epstein’s private foundation, Gratitude America Ltd., to the University of California Board of Regents to fund Ramachandran’s research on savant syndrome. He asked it to be mailed to former psychology department director and current chief administrative officer, Peter Hinkley.  Chopra later emailed Epstein on October 5, 2017 to provide an update on spending the day with Ramachandran to discuss the "pilot study of autistic savants." Ceepak Chopra The 2017 emails weren't the first Epstein-Ramachandran mention. On April 17, 2009, Epstein emailed someone whose name was redacted, replying to a list of "smart" and "out of the box" people to have over to his Florida home sometime in the future. Epstein included Ramachandran in this list, along with others who he described as "good friends of mine for years."  While there's nothing we could find on the telepathic kid (maybe they sensed danger), Ramachandran did write an article in December 2006 where he says telepathy is "legitimately ignored, except by crackpots" because it's difficult to replicate. He's also mentioned a few times in this piece on life after death, ESP, and other phenomenon. Tyler Durden Thu, 02/19/2026 - 11:05

Ahead of Ranji Trophy final, Karnataka boys hail KL Rahul’s contribution
SportYahoo1d ago

Ahead of Ranji Trophy final, Karnataka boys hail KL Rahul’s contribution

KL Rahul's timely return to Karnataka for the Ranji Trophy has significantly boosted the team's confidence and performance. His leadership, extensive experience, and willingness to mentor younger players have been crucial. Rahul's consistent batting, including centuries in past finals, provides a strong foundation as Karnataka head into the championship match.

Shikhar Dhawan marries Sophie Shine: Former cricketer weds in private ceremony
SportTimes of India3d ago

Shikhar Dhawan marries Sophie Shine: Former cricketer weds in private ceremony

Cricketer Shikhar Dhawan has tied the knot with his partner Sophie Shine in a private ceremony. The couple, who reportedly met in Dubai, shared heartwarming pictures from their wedding, including traditional rituals and celebratory dances. Shine, an Irish product consultant, also actively participates in Dhawan's ventures, heading his foundation and serving as COO of Da One Sports.

Chase Elliott net worth: Inside his $12 million salary, sponsorships, and speedway success
SportTimes of India3d ago

Chase Elliott net worth: Inside his $12 million salary, sponsorships, and speedway success

Chase Elliott's impressive career earnings, estimated at $12 million, stem from more than just race wins. His lucrative Hendrick Motorsports contract, reportedly $8 million annually until 2027, combined with enduring sponsor loyalty from NAPA and Chevrolet, solidifies his status as NASCAR's most marketable star. His consistent performance and approachable brand build a powerful financial foundation.

Game review — Deltarune shines magnificently bright once it comes into its own
CultureDawn5d ago

Game review — Deltarune shines magnificently bright once it comes into its own

TL;DR Pros: Compelling, emotion-driven story highlighting rich character dynamics Intricate, bright pixel art visuals Thoughtful sound design with incredible music Endlessly inventive variations on gameplay Super replay-friendly, with variant routes and secret bosses Enjoyable, funny and well-written script Every element works well in tandem Cons: Will take a while to fully release Questionable visual design choices in Chapter 1 Not sure why it reused Undertale characters, honestly Score: 6.5/7 — Four chapters of game design and storytelling brilliance Reviewed on PC; available on PC (Windows), macOS, PS4 and PS5, and Nintendo Switch and Switch 2. Price: $12.49 (Steam); $24.99 (Nintendo and PlayStation). Free demo available on PC, macOS, Nintendo Switch and PS4. If you’re unfamiliar with Toby Fox, get familiar right now. After 2015’s smash-hit Undertale that rewired modern geek culture, the indie creator is back at it with another absolute banger: Deltarune, which on the surface alludes to its accolade-winning older brother but is in effect a very different, also amazing game. So amazing that I’m struggling to find anything to criticise about it. The only reason one might not want to play this game right now is that it’s unfinished: just the first four chapters of seven are released. That said, they are phenomenally satisfying and leave me hyped for more to come (and the first two are free!). For a game so full of heart, I’ll wait as long as I need to for the rest, especially since its replayability factor is absurdly high and the wait between chapters has been well worth it so far. Driving through town. — GIF by author Familiar concept, but fully new game Let’s get the comparison out of the way. Deltarune features the same gameplay and interfacing concepts as Undertale, complete with an upgraded version of familiar battle mechanics. It also features a lot of familiar characters from Undertale, playing different roles in a different universe, and makes sparing references to the former game. It even has similar ways to play through the story peacefully or violently, although there’s reportedly only one ending regardless. Kris’ mom wakes them up for school. Does she look familiar? — screengrab by author All in all, familiarity with Undertale acts as a good foundation for this similar universe of monsters and (singular) human and dodging bullets while convincing enemies to be friends. But this is where we can stop comparing the two, because Deltarune is neither its sequel nor its spinoff. It has its own story and gameplay charms, and deserves to be judged on its own terms. In fact, what really surprised me was the fact that, aside from adding some nostalgia, this game honestly didn’t need to rely on any repurposed Undertale characters at all; it could just as easily have used new original characters. I’m not really sure why it made this choice, except maybe to rope in longtime fans, but ironically this is the one thing that threatened to lessen the experience even marginally for me. The game is not Undertale 2, and it doesn’t have to be. When it shakes off that mantle is when it really starts to shine. A new beginning. — screengrab by author A concept that builds and builds Without spoiling too much: Deltarune introduces you to Kris — a human raised in a small town of monsters — and antagonistic deuteragonist Susie. Then it throws the two into a strange ‘Dark World’ with a mysterious prophecy at its core. Along with Ralsei, a Dark World prince, they set out JRPG-style to explore new worlds and seal the fountains at their centre — meeting friends and enemies of all kinds as they go. ALL kinds. — screengrab by author Every chapter brings a new quest, and while Chapter 1 functions more as a proof of concept, by Chapter 2 the game has firmly found its footing and started sprinting. Everything from the underlying narrative to the zany boss fights just keeps heightening. There are points that I just don’t know how the game can surpass itself, and then it does. A former encounter has a glow-up. — GIF by author Sound design integrated into everything Sound is a huge part of Deltarune from both an aesthetic and gameplay standpoint. In some areas, it’s integrated thoroughly into gameplay and interfacing itself, to the point where you might want to play with your headphones set to stereo. Elsewhere, it elevates humorous and narratively powerful moments alike, and suffuses every element of the surroundings and interface with life. Close attention to detail here plays a major role in shaping a living, breathing world. Fox’s soundtrack steals the show in every way, though. Every track is electric, bright, powerful and infuriatingly catchy, making the soundtrack an obvious standout feature. Each new theme compliments its area or battle perfectly, keeping you in the moment during the most tedious of puzzles and holding your attention when tough bosses threaten to get frustrating. I would love to keep singing praises of the music, but I’ll just provide an example. Have a listen as you read the rest of this review, or after. Evocative, expert pixel art The interface is retro and JRPG-esque, with nostalgically pixelly battle screens and movement mechanics. Overall, the visuals are striking, with gorgeously popping colours; there are some plainer elements, but they’re usually used deliberately for dramatic effect. Castle Town. — screengrab by author Traversing the dark. — GIF by author And the sprites are — mostly — amazing. Some are… not, especially in the first chapter. This might be for visual gags that don’t always land, but I’d guess the reason is simpler — certain aspects of Chapter 1’s art suggest a budget of somewhere between $31 and a handwritten note saying “please”. A cage of… ‘animals’? — screengrab by author Thankfully, the visual design gets better every chapter. One must note that the game isn’t particularly ‘cute’, so the art isn’t afraid to get a little creepy, and have its characters pull big faces. I love the unfiltered expressiveness, and I really like it when the visual design breaks boundaries. One of these sprites is not like the others… — GIF by author Two standout features are the scenic backgrounds and the incredible sprite animations, both masterclasses in pixel art. The backdrops of your journey are impressively intricate, especially later, and lend a sense of grand scale to offset some flatness in the map. A view of the city. — screengrab by author Meanwhile, sprite animations are super detailed and rendered with astonishing effort and purpose, grounding the characters firmly in the world and making them feel super real. Lead artist Temmie Chang, responsible for the pixel animation, knocks it out of the park. Susie stays for breakfast. — GIF by author Queen appeals to Kris. — screengrab by author Battles At its core, the battle system is a beautiful bullet hell bonanza. But it’s so much more than that. A typical enemy encounter. — GIF by author A simplified overview: you can choose to ‘fight’ enemies — using magic or melee — or disavow violence entirely to ‘act’ instead until you gain an enemy’s mercy. Acting looks different for every enemy, and it’s always fun and personality-filled. Acting to gain mercy. — screengrab by author A great way to befriend your enemies. — GIF by author This game is absurdly inventive with its battling, with some really creative ways of utilising the entire battle interface. It never runs out of concepts: gimmick fights and minigames abound as it throws rhythm game mechanics, arcade-style punch-outs, and full-fledged Pac-Man your way as it likes. A battle that turns its own interface into a game. — GIF by author The heroes rock out (this is my favourite minigame ever). — GIF by author There are also secret bosses to reward exploration — they can be hard, but are super worthwhile if only for bragging rights. The challenge is optional, so you never feel stuck. A hidden boss fight. — GIF by author Although the game supposedly only has one ending, chapters have their own ‘routes’ that can permanently affect the later game. I prefer playing mercifully, but fighting your way through is a perfectly valid way of experiencing the story with its own rewards. Compelling characters with a fantastically human script Speaking of which, the story absolutely bangs, with phenomenal narrative and comedic pacing and some of the most interesting and rich characters I’ve encountered in a while. I refuse to spoil too much, but for only four chapters, the narrative is substantial and constantly packed with interesting new turns. Whatever Kris has got going on as a (creepy, mysterious) player character is a class apart from your typical silent protag. And the core cast is especially vibrant to fill Kris’ silence, blooming quickly into multi-dimensional characters with rich inner lives and a great variety of personality. Noelle regrets her decisions. — screengrab by author Everyone is really lovable, and the scripting makes them doubly so: even at its most heroes-save-the-day, it never gets too hammy to take seriously. It’s a script that is fun rather than just funny; more than anything, it captures a human side to the characters that evokes the kind of dumb, playful conversations I might have with my own friends. Examining a fire extinguisher. — screengrab by author Susie and Ralsei bond. — GIF by author Sharing a meal. — GIF by author Verdict: PLAY IT Above all, the game is perfectly cohesive. Art, sound, gameplay and narrative all refract off each other in a dazzling interplay, becoming greater than the sum of their parts. Battles have narrative weight and sound design builds humour; music and visuals work in constant harmony to inform gameplay. I struggle to find anything bad to say about Deltarune. It’s fantastic, and whatever minor nitpicks I had early on were thoroughly steamrolled by massive improvement later. The fact that it’s not yet fully released can’t count against it (I did choose to play it unfinished); in fact, these four chapters are enough to cement it among the best of the best games I’m going to play this year. The only thing I would ask of Fox is that he embrace his new stories for what they are: new. Undertale nostalgia may have roped in old fans, but Deltarune shines brightest when it steps out of the other game’s shadow. The adventuring party, inventive game design elements and unique emotional core are easily some of its best assets. Deltarune’s first four chapters are out on Steam for $12.49, with the first two available as a free demo. .single.story { background-image: url('https://i.dawn.com/large/2026/02/191917201803c97.gif'); background-repeat: repeat-y; background-attachment: fixed; background-size: 100vw 100vh; } body:not(.newskit) .story { color: #ffffff; } .story a { color: #ff9d1f !important; } article.box, .story .template__main { background: #000000; opacity: 0.95; } article.box { padding: 5px; border: 0; } .story__time { color: #aaa; } .story__title, .comments { background: #000000; padding: 10px; }

Emails show 'Godfather of AGI' Ben Goertzel courted Epstein for funding and congratulated him on jail release
TechnologyBusiness InsiderDaily Star BD5d ago2 sources

Emails show 'Godfather of AGI' Ben Goertzel courted Epstein for funding and congratulated him on jail release

Ben Goertzel had dozens of email exchanges with Jeffrey Epstein. Horacio Villalobos#Corbis/Getty Images Ben Goertzel, a computer scientist who popularized the term AGI, courted Jeffrey Epstein for research funding, emails show. DoJ files show that Goertzel was aware of Epstein's criminal charges, and their correspondence continued until at least 2018. Goertzel told Business Insider he "made a mistake" in accepting Epstein's money and regretted not doing due diligence. In January 2013, Jeffrey Epstein sent a blunt email to the computer scientist Ben Goertzel. Epstein had funded Goertzel's research in artificial intelligence and was frustrated with a lack of progress. However, on this day, the disgraced financier wasn't writing to discuss algorithms or neural networks — he wanted to discuss Goertzel's hair. "I think it is now time for you to drop the hippie look," Epstein wrote, warning Goertzel that his "disheveled 80s appearance" was an "unnecessary hindrance" to securing the capital that might one day help the two men achieve AGI — artificial general intelligence, a hypothetical level of computer intelligence that could surpass that of humans. Epstein compared the scientist's ponytail to "spinach in the teeth of a friend." "I would be willing to cut my hair for a lot of AGI money," Goertzel replied. Ben Goerzel (right) with Kelly Larson (co-curator of TEDx Hong Kong and Asia Consciousness Festival) and Jeffrey Martin (visiting assistant professor at Polytechnic University) Chris Ip/South China Morning Post via Getty Images The exchange was among dozens between Epstein and Goertzel in files released by the Department of Justice, chronicling Epstein's fascination with the potential of AI. Goertzel, a researcher who helped popularize the term AGI and develop the humanoid robot Sophia, courted Epstein for money over several years, promising he could build the "Sputnik of AI," the emails show. In an online résumé that has since been removed, Goertzel said Epstein gave him a $100,000 research grant in 2001. Emails reviewed by Business Insider show Epstein agreed to give Goertzel at least another $100,000 between 2008 and 2018, spread out across multiple transfers. It could not be learned how much of the money Goertzel ultimately received. The emails show Goertzel was aware of Epstein's criminal charges. In a 2010 email, Goertzel congratulated Epstein on his release from the Palm Beach County Jail. In 2008, Epstein had pleaded guilty to two sex charges, including solicitation of a minor. In 2015, several days after Prince Andrew was named in a lawsuit over underage sex claims related to Epstein, Goertzel wrote about "utterly idiotic negative publicity in the news" and said he was sorry Epstein's camp had to deal with it. "Maybe some variation of what is alleged did happen, but if so it was surely an occurrence among reasonably mature people who mutually consented at the time, so why is it anybody else's business?" Goertzel wrote, before asking for $25,000 for a "corporate contribution" to one of his companies. In a statement to Business Insider, Goertzel said he "made a mistake" in accepting Epstein's money. He said he regretted not doing due diligence on Epstein's crimes and that he had "basically zero knowledge of Epstein's sexual peculiarities and exploitative practices." He added: "I deeply regret being social-engineered by this terrible human being and not doing more research into him decades ago. I won't make this sort of mistake again." 'The Sputnik of AI' Goertzel is currently the CEO of SingularityNET, an AI and blockchain company. He is also chair of The AGI Society, a nonprofit that holds an annual AI conference. His correspondence with Epstein was among millions of documents released by the Justice Department. The files have reverberated through the business world, revealing emails between Epstein and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Virgin founder Richard Branson, LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman, among others. The fallout for some people named in the files has been swift. Goldman Sachs' top lawyer, Kathryn Ruemmler, resigned in mid-February, and Brad Karp resigned as chairman of the law firm Paul Weiss, among others. Appearing in the files does not necessarily suggest that a person has engaged in wrongdoing. In one of the emails released by the Justice Department, Goertzel said he had known Epstein since 2001. Epstein took an interest in what labs like MIT and Google were doing in the AI field. Goertzel, who some consider one of the "godfathers of AGI," coauthored a 2006 book on the topic, and in 2008, he created OpenCog, an open-source project to try to architect human intelligence. Goertzel told Business Insider that he met Epstein through "mutual friends" in New York City. Epstein was well-connected with the rich and the powerful. Martin BUREAU / AFP via Getty Images Epstein appeared concerned in some emails by the lack of support for Goertzel's AGI theories among mainstream experts. "i believe in you. i can't figure out why i am in the minority," he told Goertzel in 2010. In a 2011 email, Goertzel asked if Epstein would fund half of a $3 million grant over four years to fund a "full speed ahead toward AGI" plan, which included building AI that could control a video game character and a humanoid robot. "Of course, US$3M is a lot of money. However, this would be the 'Sputnik of AGI' -- it would set the development of AGI on a whole new course," Goertzel wrote. In his statement to Business Insider, Goertzel said, "I had basically zero knowledge of Epstein's sexual peculiarities and exploitative practices and have no orientation toward that sort of thing and little understanding of it -- it was all about being overly desperate at that stage for any source of $$ to fund innovative frontier science, which Epstein did recognize as valuable but mainstream science at the time did not." Epstein sometimes pushed Goertzel for more tangible proof of breakthroughs and tried to influence some research directions, the emails show. In February 2013, he emailed Goertzel and suggested that having an AI system pass "iq tests for children" would provide a concrete research milestone. Goertzel agreed to pursue the idea. "Epstein was very smart and fairly technically savvy and had a lot of ideas about AI, which were not terribly stupid nor terribly brilliant," Goertzel told Business Insider. "I did not pay much attention to them nor did they influence my work in any way." Ben Goertzel, gives a press conference with Hanson Robotics at Web Summit, 2019 Henrique Casinhas/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images Epstein used corporate and foundation vehicles to send money to Goertzel, including his Southern Trust Company, registered in the US Virgin Islands, the emails show. "As before, we can do this as a tax-deductible donation to a nonprofit, assuming that's still your preference," Goertzel said in a September 2010 email to Epstein. Depending on the circumstances, Goertzel, who spent some of his time in Hong Kong, requested that the money be sent to different nonprofits' accounts, the emails show. In 2014, Goertzel requested that Epstein send the money to Humanity+, a nonprofit focused on transhumanism that he was vice president of. Goertzel said it would act as a fiscal "pass-through" so the money could be diverted to himself and other researchers. "Yes all this was totally legit, the funding was going to open-source AGI R&D for the good of humanity and its future, which was very much within the mandate of Humanity+ as a 501-3c nonprofit," Goertzel told Business Insider. 'Moronic media shitstorm' Goertzel told Business Insider he "reconnected" with Epstein in 2008 after several years of no contact, and that Epstein told him about his legal situation. "He framed it as a politically motivated prosecution for involvement with a consenting adult. I believed him. I should not have," Goertzel told Business Insider. Several emails show Goertzel and Epstein arranging to meet in person. Goertzel told Business Insider they met on several occasions at Epstein's New York and Florida offices. "I never hung out with him in a social setting, never went to the island or flew in the jet or saw him partying with girlfriends or anything like that," he said. In 2015, Goertzel was following up on a payment he hoped to receive from Epstein. Richard Kahn, Epstein's accountant, responded that it had to be put on hold due to "bad press." The Guardian had reported days earlier that Prince Andrew was named in a US lawsuit involving Epstein. "I don't want to push you guys at a difficult time, but given my own situation I do feel moved to ask if Jeffrey might still be able to help with $25K for my 'corporate contribution' to the OpenCog Hong Kong project," Goertzel wrote. "He has helped in this way every year since 2010, usually via a donation to Humanity+." The South China Morning Post reported earlier on some of the payments Epstein made to Goertzel to help him secure Hong Kong grants. Epstein responded, "yes 25," and Goertzel thanked him and said he hoped to resume conversations "once this current moronic media shitstorm blows over." Emails between the men continued for several years. In December 2018, a few days after the Miami Herald published an investigation into Epstein that contributed to his arrest on federal sex-trafficking charges the next year, Goertzel sent an email inviting Epstein to an AI and blockchain event in New York. Alternatively, he said, they could find another time to meet in the city. "let me know if you're in town and might spare a few moments," Goertzel wrote. "it's been a while!" Have something to share? Contact this reporter via email at hlangley@businessinsider.com or Signal at 628-228-1836. Use a personal email address and a non-work device; here's our guide to sharing information securely. Read the original article on Business Insider

Grazia Deledda's Sardinia is the topic of discussion in Luxembourg
CultureANSA6d ago

Grazia Deledda's Sardinia is the topic of discussion in Luxembourg

(ANSA) - ROMA, 18 FEB - To mark the centenary of Grazia Deledda's Nobel Prize for Literature, the Italian Embassy in Luxembourg, in collaboration with the Cavour Foundation, is organizing an evening dedicated to the great Sardinian writer, entitled 'Trame di terra e leggenda. Grazia Deledda's Sardinia between anthropology and literature'. The meeting will be held on Thursday, February 27, at 6.30 p.m., in the Intesa Sanpaolo House Auditorium. The protagonist of the meeting will be Prof. Duilio Caocci, professor of Italian and Sardinian literature at the University of Cagliari, who will guide the audience through a reinterpretation of Deledda's work. The evening will also be enriched by the presence of visual artist Benedetta Cocco, recently featured in the European Investment Bank's Artists Development Programme. Read article...

Jay-Z's luxury watch collection is worth millions and includes one of the most complicated timepieces ever made
CultureBusiness Insider6d ago

Jay-Z's luxury watch collection is worth millions and includes one of the most complicated timepieces ever made

Samir Hussein/Getty Images Billionaire rapper Jay-Z loves luxury watches; the rarer and harder to get, the better. His collection includes timepieces from Audemars Piguet, Richard Mille, and Patek Philippe. He's even worn watches valued at $1 million to attend events like the Grammy Awards. Jay-Z, born Shawn Carter, has long mentioned his love of luxury timepieces in his songs. You can find references to Rolex, Audemars Piguet, and Hublot throughout his decades-long music catalog. He doesn't only flash watches in his lyrics, though. The billionaire rapper, who has a $2.5 billion net worth, has amassed quite a collection of statement timepieces. The $1,075,652 Patek Philippe Grand Complication 5304-301R he wore at the 2025 Grammys was just one of them. Here's a look at that watch and other items included in his watch collection. Jay-Z has a Patek Philippe Grand Complication 5304-301R that retails for more than $1 million. Jay-Z wears a Patek Philippe to the Grammys in 2025. Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Recording Academy ; Patek Philippe Jay-Z is a big fan of Patek Philippe watches. He wore one with a rose-gold case and dozens of diamonds for the 2025 Grammys. Its face includes several functions, such as days of the week and moon phases, that help keep a perpetual calendar for tracking the date. The calendar automatically adjusts for leap years and accurately counts the days until 2100, according to GQ. The hand-stitched strap is made of alligator leather. Beyoncé reportedly gifted him a Hublot Big Bang. Hublot Jay-Z quite literally announced his love of Hublot in the 2011 song "Otis," where he pronounced, "New watch alert: Hublot." Perhaps it was prophetic. In 2012, his wife and fellow artist Beyoncé gifted Jay-Z a $5 million Hublot Big Bang in 18-karat white-gold for his 43rd birthday, according to jewelry blogs. The watch was encrusted with 1,282 diamonds, and it took more than 14 months to assemble, the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève, a foundation that highlights contemporary watches with awards and exhibitions, reported. It also took more than a year to source all the diamonds. A year later, the Swiss watchmaker collaborated with the rapper to design a timepiece under his name. Jay-Z wore his own Hublot watch onstage in 2013. Hublot/Adam Bettcher/Getty Images Hublot released the Shawn Carter Hublot Classic Fusion in yellow gold and black ceramic in 2013. The former watch was priced at $33,900, and the latter at $17,900. The collection was limited to just 350 total pieces, according to GQ. You can't miss his Richard Mille 56 Blueprint watch. Gotham/GC Images via Getty Images/Richard Mille Jay-Z's custom Blueprint Richard Mille 56 watch required more than 3,000 hours to produce, GQ said in 2019. No wonder it cost $2.5 million. During a 2019 show in his hometown of Brooklyn, the rapper freestyled a tribute to the timepiece: "Blueprint on my wrist cost 2.5/Only thing that flips the script between you and I." The rapper later purchased another one-of-a-kind Richard Mille piece — this time in green. Rich Schultz/Getty Images What was the price of that Richard Mille 56 watch? $3 million, according to Complex. Or at least, that was its retail value. Alex Todd, who customized the watch, told the outlet that its monetary value is higher. It was custom-made for Jay-Z and featured rare green sapphire crystals. Jay-Z eventually expanded his collection of Richard Mille watches. The Richard Mille RM011 Felipe Massa watch. Richard Mille He did so with an RM011 Felipe Massa Chronograph in rose gold. The watch was originally released in 2007 and was designed with its namesake, F1 driver Felipe Massa, the brand said on its website. The timepiece is meant to invoke a racing aesthetic and the sport's history of tech innovation. Its crown "resembles a smooth tyre encircling a spoked wheel rim," the maker said. Mille is no longer making this model, but you can get a used one for $215,000. He's worn Richard Mille pieces to attend major sporting events, like the US Open. Richard Mille/Matthew Stockman/Getty Images Jay-Z wore the Richard Mille RM027 Rafael Nadal to watch its namesake take on Novak Djokovic at the 2011 US Open championships. It was designed to be as lightweight as possible and take on all the wear and tear a tennis superstar like Nadal might put it through, Richard Mille said. Nadal referred to it as his "second skin" timepiece. There were only 50 of these watches made at the time, according to Mille. You can buy one on the secondary market for $1.95 million. Nadal collaborated with Richard Mille on several additional versions of this timepiece that the rapper later acquired. Jay-Z has also worn the Richard Mille Rafael Nadal 27-01, which has an anthracite casing. His collection also includes Audemars Piguet watches. Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Audemars Piguet Jay-Z shouted out Audemars Piguet in his 2011 "Watch the Throne" track "N—s in Paris," saying: "Ball so hard, got a broken clock / rollies that don't tick-tock / Audemars that's losing time / hidden behind all these big rocks." He's also worn the brand. Included in his collection is the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Openworked 26585CE. It has an openwork sapphire dial, rose gold dial markers, a black ceramic band and case, and a titanium clasp. You can buy one from the watchmaker, but it's "price upon request" — or, in other words, wildly expensive. To get it on the secondary market, you'll need to shell out over $375,000. Patek Philippe watches can be tough to buy, but not for Jay-Z. The Patek Philippe Sky Moon Tourbillon 6002R watch. Patek Philippe When describing the Patek Philippe 6002 Sky Moon Tourbillon watch on its website, the brand notes the extensive detail that went into creating the timepiece. Some of the highlights include handmade engravings, a double-face design, a retrograde perpetual calendar, a sky chart, and more. It's one of the most technically complicated Patek Philippe watches, and its price is only available "on request." However, used versions of the watch can be found on the secondhand market for prices between $4 million and $6 million. Jay-Z wore his model to Lebron James' 39th birthday party. Jay-Z picked up a Tiffany and Co. x Patek Philippe collab in 2021. The Patek Philippe Tiffany watch. Tiffany & Co. The Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711 in Tiffany Blue initially retailed for $52,635, but since only 170 were made, the price skyrocketed on the secondary market. Days after the watches sold out, one was auctioned off for $6.5 million, CNBC reported in 2021. Jay-Z and Beyoncé were named Tiffany ambassadors that year. In 2023, the musician wore one of the rarest Audemars Piguet pieces. An Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 25594ST "Yves Klein" watch. Audemars Piguet The "Yves Klein" version of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 25594ST watch is an ode to the French artist. He's widely known for developing his own vibrant shade of blue — international Klein blue 191. The Royal Oak design features a perpetual calendar, which keeps track of everything from the time and date to the moon's phases. It's a popular style in its own right, but the Yves Klein version is especially rare. Few are rarely found on the resale market. He also sported a unique Patek Philippe that year. A Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar Split Seconds Chronograph 5004P watch. Patek Philippe Jay-Z sported the Perpetual Calendar Split Seconds Chronograph 5004P watch during a decadent, seafood tower-filled lunch meeting with DJ Khaled in 2023. The watch is modeled on Patek Philippe's first perpetual calendar watch, released in 1996. The particular watch that Jay-Z has, the 5004P model with a silver link band, is nearly impossible to find, but it was valued at $600,000 in 2022, according to IFL Watches. The most intricate Patek Philippe watch belongs to Jay-Z. Jay-Z wearing the Patek Phillipe Grandmaster Chime Reference 6300G in 2019. Patek Philippe/Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Sean Combs The Grandmaster Chime is considered Patek Philippe's most complicated watch, with more than 1,500 individual components. The company made the watch in 2014 to commemorate its 175th anniversary, and only seven were produced. Six went to the watchmaker's most dedicated collectors (who apparently had to apply for the privilege of buying one), while the seventh went to the company's museum in Geneva. Patek Philippe then went on to make the Grandmaster Chime in other fabrications. Jay-Z has the white gold version, which runs around $2.5 million, according to reports. He acquired the Patek Philippe 2499 in a tight-lipped deal. A Patek Philippe 2499 went up for auction in 2011. Harold Cunningham/Getty Images Patek Philippe produced this watch in limited quantities from 1950 to 1985. Only 349 were made. Jay-Z's Patek Philippe 2499 was previously owned by Swedish watch collector and dealer Tony Kavak, who had a yellow-gold band specially made for the piece. As Kavak tells it, the watch wasn't initially for sale. "The watch is so exclusive that I often chose not to wear it in public, and I always wear my watches, that's my philosophy," Kavak told watch site Bezl. But he knew Jay-Z was the right person to own the watch, he added. "You should have seen his happiness," Kavak said in an interview with watch blog Hodinkee. "It just reminded me of how happy I get when I find something rare myself." Neither Kavak nor Jay-Z would reveal the deal's cost, but in 2022, a similar watch sold at auction for $7.68 million. He wore two different F.P. Journe pieces to the 2026 Super Bowl. Jay-Z photographs his daughter at the 2026 Super Bowl. Carlos Avila Gonzalez/Getty Images His first FP Journe Tourbillon Souverain was set with 93 baguette diamonds circling it and even more across its face, according to Celeb Watch Spotter. Jay-Z wore the piece for a meeting with Tom Brady. His wife Beyoncé later shared photos from Super Bowl weekend on her website. They included a close-up shot of another FP Journe Tourbillon Souverain watch, this one in green, on Jay-Z's wrist. Read the original article on Business Insider

2 More High-Profile Transgender Surgery Cases Head To Trial
HealthFox Newszerohedge7d ago2 sources

2 More High-Profile Transgender Surgery Cases Head To Trial

2 More High-Profile Transgender Surgery Cases Head To Trial Authored by Darlene McCormick Sanchez via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours), Two high-profile “detransitioner” cases involving young women whose bodies were irrevocably altered as teens by transgender surgery are expected to go to trial in early 2027. Chloe Cole, an 18-year-old woman who regrets surgically removing her breasts, holds testosterone medication used for transgender patients, in Northern California on Aug. 26, 2022. John Fredricks/The Epoch Times Chloe Cole, who drew national attention after speaking out against subjecting children to gender-reassignment procedures such as hormones and surgeries, has an April 5, 2027, trial date, according to Mark Trammell, CEO of the Center for American Liberty, which represents several detransitioners. ​Cole and others, known as detransitioners, stopped or reversed a medical gender transition that they started earlier. ​She sued Kaiser Foundation Hospitals and other health care providers in California after receiving life-altering hormones and a double mastectomy when she was 15. ​“Kaiser has done everything in its power to keep Chloe out of a courtroom and to ensure that members of the press are not in the gallery,” Trammell told The Epoch Times. ​For Cole, getting a trial date signifies a victory after years of legal wrangling and delays, she told The Epoch Times via text. “After years of fighting for the voices of my generation to be heard, I’ve been given a date for trial. Every victim, every family who spoke up, every step in the culture, all led to this moment,” she said. ​“I’ve waited for my day in court, not just for my sake, but for that of every child who should’ve been protected from irreversible harm.” Kaiser Foundation Hospitals did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding the lawsuit moving forward. However, the medical group told local news outlets in 2023 that it followed medical standards of “gender-affirming care.” ​Trammell also represents Luka Hein, whose case is expected to head to trial in early 2027. ​Hein’s Nebraska case names the University of Nebraska Medical Center Physicians, the Nebraska Medical Center, doctors, therapists, and others as defendants. Like others, Hein had both breasts removed in 2018, when she was 16, as the first step in her “gender-affirming care,” according to the lawsuit. Building Momentum Both medical malpractice cases could solidify gains made in the landmark Fox Varian v. Kenneth Einhorn case, which went to trial in New York last month. It marked the first time that a detransitioner case received a jury verdict. ​The Jan. 30 verdict held a surgeon and psychologist liable for malpractice surrounding the double mastectomy that Fox Varian received when she was 16. The jury found her psychologist, Kenneth Einhorn, and plastic surgeon, Dr. Simon Chin, liable for failing to communicate as required about Varian’s condition. One example was laid out in an October 2019 letter that Einhorn wrote to Chin in support of Varian’s surgery, which contained errors and omitted coexisting mental issues, including autism and depression. Chloe Cole stands near her home in Northern California on Aug. 26, 2022. John Fredricks/The Epoch Times The New York jury awarded Varian $2 million—$1.6 million for pain and suffering, and $400,000 for future medical expenses. ​The Fox verdict sent shockwaves through the gender medicine industry, while offering hope for other detransitioners. ​Trammell said that while medical negligence lawsuits aren’t new, those involving transgender medicine are. ​“How do you put a price tag on a young woman having her breasts amputated and potentially never being able to have a child?” he asked. ​The hope is that detransitioners will now see that they can win a legal victory. ​“I look at that as a tremendous, tremendous victory, not just for Fox Varian, but for other detransitioners who are maybe thinking about filing lawsuits,” he said. Chloe Cole holds a childhood photo in Northern California on Aug. 26, 2022. John Fredricks/The Epoch Times Trammell said that the success of medical negligence cases depends on establishing that doctors and hospitals failed to meet the standard of care. That’s why reviews of gender medicine, such as the recent one by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), are important, he said. ​That federal report rejected medical interventions for children with gender dysphoria, recommending therapy instead. ​The HHS report noted that evidence underpinning the alleged benefits of medical interventions in pediatric gender dysphoria was “very uncertain.” ​Trammell said the pediatric gender industry appears to be based more on politics than science. ​He pointed to European countries’ changing of their policies after studies showed problems with medical interventions for childhood gender dysphoria. The United States has lagged behind Europe in adjusting its approach to pediatric gender medicine, Trammell said. ​“It’s taken the U.S., unfortunately, years to even begin to catch up. And even still, there’s a ton of money and political power behind it,” he said. Tools for Justice ​Civil lawsuits can be tools for changing behavior on the market level, and the landmark Big Tobacco lawsuit settlement in 1998 is a case in point, Trammell said. ​“I think these cases uniquely present the opportunity to put an end to this barbaric industry because ... it’s driven by money and power,” he said. When doctors, hospitals, and insurers become financially liable for pediatric gender procedures, it will have a chilling effect, Trammell said. Chloe Cole speaks in support of the Protect Children's Innocence Act as Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) looks on outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Sept. 20, 2022. Terri Wu/The Epoch Times ​Trammell said states have already helped protect vulnerable children by passing laws banning transgender-related hormone treatments and surgery for minors. However, state lawmakers could have a bigger impact by creating a carve-out on the statute of limitations for medical malpractice. In many states, lawsuits must be filed within two years of the alleged malpractice, but it can take children much longer to realize the harm they suffered. In Texas, 60 lawmakers signed a letter supporting a detransitioner’s case, heard on Feb. 11 by the Texas Supreme Court, that was originally dismissed based on the expiration of the statute of limitations. The state lawmakers vowed to support legislation next year to extend the statute of limitations for detransitioners. Soren Aldaco filed a lawsuit in 2023 asking for more than $1 million in damages, claiming that doctors pressured her into gender-reassignment procedures, gave her “life-altering” hormones at 17, and later “botched” a double mastectomy. Trammell said that at the very least, the statute of limitations on cases involving minors shouldn’t start until they turn 18. “They should have five to 10 years at least to be able to make those decisions for things that happen to them as 13-, 14-, 15-year-olds,” he said. Tyler Durden Tue, 02/17/2026 - 18:25

The Italian Consul in Melbourne, Mauri, meets the mayor of Hobart
WorldANSA8d ago

The Italian Consul in Melbourne, Mauri, meets the mayor of Hobart

(ANSA) - ROMA, 16 FEB - The Consul General of Italy in Melbourne, Chiara Mauri, met with the mayor of Hobart, Anna Reynolds. They discussed updating the twinning agreement between the city of Hobart, the capital of Tasmania, and L'Aquila. The link between the two cities was formalized in 1997, when the then mayor Antonio Centi traveled to Australia with the aim of establishing relations and contacts with the local Abruzzo communities. More recently, in January 2025, the mayor of L'Aquila, Pierluigi Biondi, together with a delegation from the Carispaq Foundation, made an institutional visit to Australia, meeting Mayor Reynolds in Hobart. Read article...

‘We don’t see rivalry’: Axar Patel’s cold verdict after India thrash Pakistan
SportTimes of India9d ago

‘We don’t see rivalry’: Axar Patel’s cold verdict after India thrash Pakistan

India secured a dominant 61-run victory over Pakistan in the T20 World Cup, showcasing a composed mindset and exceptional skill. Vice-captain Axar Patel emphasised the team's focus on cricket over rivalry. Ishan Kishan's sensational 77 off 40 balls on a challenging pitch laid the foundation for India's win, extending their World Cup dominance over Pakistan.