Two men charged over cocaine seizure off Cork coast
The seizure of €150m of cocaine was described by Gardaí as the largest in the history of the State.
2023-09-30 03:18
NBA Rumors: 5 realistic trades to land Jrue Holiday on a contender
The Portland Trail Blazers are expected to trade Jrue Holiday to a contender in the near future. These deals make sense for all parties involved.
2023-09-30 02:47
Gymnastics racism apology delay a 'real shame' - Irish PM
Leo Varadkar says there is "no place for racism in sport" after viral gymnast video controversy.
2023-09-30 01:19
Intel hails 'landmark' as high-volume EUV production begins at Irish plant
By Padraic Halpin and Max A. Cherney LEIXLIP, Ireland (Reuters) -Chipmaker Intel said on Friday it had begun high-volume production
2023-09-30 00:23
Climbing more than five flights of stairs a day can decrease the chances of heart disease, study suggests
Cardio isn’t so bad if you take it in small steps. Climbing at least 50 stairs each day could significantly slash your risk of heart disease, according to a new study. The research, published in the journal Atherosclerosis, found that ascending more than five flights of stairs daily could reduce the risk of cardiovascular ailments by about 20 per cent. Cardiovascular diseases such as Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) along with coronary artery disease and strokes are the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. “Short bursts of high-intensity stair climbing are a time-efficient way to improve cardiorespiratory fitness and lipid profile, especially among those unable to achieve the current physical activity recommendations,” said co-author Dr Lu Qi, HCA Regents Chair and professor at Tulane University’s School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine in New Orleans. “These findings highlight the potential advantages of stair climbing as a primary preventive measure for ASCVD in the general population.” For the study, researchers used data from a UK Biobank of 450,000 adults and participants were analysed based on their family history of cardiovascular disease as well as their genetic risk factors and established risk factors. Participants were also asked about their lifestyle habits and their frequency of climbing stairs, with the median follow-up time being 12.5 years. The results revealed that climbing more stairs daily reduced the risk of cardiovascular disease in those who were less susceptible, with Dr Qi saying the increased risk of heart disease in more susceptible people could be “effectively offset”. “This study provides novel evidence for the protective effects of stair climbing on the risk of ASCVD, particularly for individuals with multiple ASCVD risk factors,” Dr Qi added. ‘A significant training effect’ Dr Nicolas Berger, a senior lecturer in sport and exercise at England’s Teesside University, who was not a part of the study, says walking up staircases has more benefits than walking on a flat surface because it “requires the use of more muscles as well as some balance and gross motor skills.” He says even though these may be in “short bursts”, it still “requires a lot of activity from your cardiovascular system and that is why people often find themselves out of breath whilst climbing stairs. “These short, intermittent bursts of activity have large benefits in terms of reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease. They can significantly increase your heart rate and oxygen uptake and cause positive adaptations in the body,” Dr Berger adds. Although 50 steps a day might not seem like much “it can have a significant training effect.” This type of movement activates muscles such as the glutes, quads, hamstring and calves, as well as muscles in the core, Dr Berger says. If you are not much of a runner, Dr Berger suggests taking stairs may be a useful option. “It’s an attractive alternative to just walking or running for many, due to the easy access for most people in their houses or when out. “If there are no stairs available, walking up and down steep gradients also has similar benefits and demands. Getting up off the floor or low ground has benefits in terms of strength and balance, but not so much for the cardiovascular system. “Overall, incorporating this activity into daily habits for sedentary people, people at risk or anyone trying to stay healthy is a good suggestion,” he adds. Read More How many steps a day can cut risk of early death (and it’s not 10,000) Tread carefully: Do we really need to walk 10,000 steps a day? What I gained (and lost) by walking 10,000 steps each day for 5 months Is a four-day week a good idea? | You Ask The Questions 9 science-backed ways to lose weight without going on a diet A Japanese doctor who studied longevity — and lived to 105 — said if you must retire, do it well after 65
2023-09-30 00:16
Tom Sandavol details mental health battle amid 'Vanderpump Rules' controversy
Tom Sandoval revealed that he struggled with his mental health following his affair with fellow "Vanderpump Rules" castmate Rachel Leviss.
2023-09-29 23:21
Rotterdam shootings: Hospital was warned of 'psychotic' suspect
The woman had complained about her neighbour and prosecutors warned of the suspect's "psychotic behaviour".
2023-09-29 22:46
Has Facebook changed its blue logo?
Facebook is known for its recognisable 'f' logo using the colours light navy blue and white - however, people can't help but notice something different. Some have noticed that once logged into their account there has been a slight tweak to the blue colour they have been familiar with in recent years. The new blue announced by the social media platform is richer, bold and darker in a move which is "Redefining Facebook’s brand identity." “We’re excited to launch the first phase of a refreshed identity system for Facebook, with a focus on fostering effortless, self-initiated exploration and connection across every touchpoint," the announcement read. There were three "key drivers" in regards to the brand design update which include: "Elevate the most iconic elements of our brand to create a distinctive, refreshed Facebook." The second is to "Unify how the Facebook brand comes to life across product-to-marketing experiences." On the topic of blue tone change, this came from wanting to "create an expansive set of colours — anchored in our core blue — that is comprehensive and vibrant, and also designed to be more accessible for people." Of course, Facebook users couldn't help but notice the colour change and took to social media to question if their eyes were deceiving them. Elsewhere, a Mark Zuckerberg product has been deemed the 'cringiest AI of all time'. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
2023-09-29 22:23
Evergrande's chairman has been detained. The company will struggle to survive
After defaulting on its debt two years ago, Chinese real estate developer Evergrande was meant to be restructured and allowed to get back on its feet. But that plan now looks to be in peril, after police detained its chairman as well as staff at a financing subsidiary.
2023-09-29 19:45
JetBlue files complaint in US against Schiphol flight curbs
AMSTERDAM (Reuters) -U.S. carrier JetBlue Airways said on Friday it had filed a complaint against the Netherlands and the European
2023-09-29 19:21
Mark Zuckerberg's latest AI product has been deemed 'cringiest AI of all time'
Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, revealed its latest AI product containing quite a few familiar faces, but people are unimpressed. On Wednesday at Meta's Connect conference, Zuckerberg unveiled Meta's new AI assistant at its headquarters in Menlo Park, California. The digital assistant has drawn comparisons to ChatGPT, where the program generates in-depth and detailed answers to text queries. What makes it different from other AI assistants, however, is that the assistants have faces of celebrities such as Paris Hilton, Kendall Jenner, and Mr. Beast. The various celebrities partnered with Meta to introduce its "cast of characters". For example, Billie - portrayed by Kendall Jenner - is described as your "No-BS, ride-or-die companion". Roy Choi, a Korean-American chef, plays Max, a "seasoned sous chef for culinary tips and tricks". Each character has also been given their own profile on Instagram and Facebook. Zuckerberg posted the announcement in a video to his Instagram and Facebook profiles, involving him and his family displaying their poor acting skills, as well as Kendall Jenner, Tom Brady, Charli D'Amelio, Snoop Dogg, and Dwayne Wade as their AI assistant characters. But whilst Zuckerberg seemed impressed with the new product, most viewers did not share the same sentiments. Host of Corporate Gossip podcast Becca Platsky posted her reaction to the announcement video, calling it the "cringiest AI of all time". "There's something this product gets so wrong about the way people interact with influencers," Platsky says. "And one thing is influencer snark. That drives a lot of engagement to real life influencers, but nobody's gonna snark on a robot!" She also said, "I'm also not sure how many people are going to want to give Kendall Jenner more money for doing less work." Comments under Platsky's TikTok overwhelmingly agreed. Some called it "embarrassing" whilst another user said it felt "like an SNL skit." "I feel like they think we care about celebrities more than we actually do," commented another user. The criticism didn't stop there though, with many commenting under Zuckerberg's announcement letting him now their thoughts. One user called it "depressing" and said "adding more AI to talk to on [an] everyday basis, this is just loneliness amplified." Another gave Zuckerberg the advice to "fire everyone in your staff that failed to tell you how monumentally stupid this video is." Adding, "who the hell needs to chat to AI friends that look like celebrities?" Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
2023-09-29 19:16
Gulnara Karimova: Swiss say Uzbekistan ex-leader's daughter ran huge crime network
Switzerland seizes $857m of assets as the daughter of Uzbekistan's ex-leader is charged with fraud.
2023-09-29 17:45