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In tune: Classical concert-goers' hearts, breathing synchronise

By - Oct 05,2023 - Last updated at Oct 05,2023

WASHINGTON — People who listen to music together often report feeling a powerful connection to each other as a result of their collective experience.

A new study published in the journal Scientific Reports on Thursday now finds that physical responses — including heart rate, breathing and the electrical conductivity of skin — synchronise between audience members at classical concerts.

Individuals who rated more highly for personality traits such as openness were more likely to synchronise, while those with neurotic dispositions were less likely to align.

"When we talk about very abstract things such as aesthetic experiences, how you respond to art and to music, the body is always involved there," Wolfgang Tschacher, a psychologist at the University of Bern who led the research as part of the Experimental Concert Research project, told AFP.

This theory is known as "embodied cognition" — the idea that the mind is not only connected to the body but that the body influences the mind — which, while arguably intuitive to lay people, has been controversial in scientific circles.

To investigate, Tschacher and colleagues observed 132 audience members across three classical concerts.

All three played the same string quintet pieces: Ludwig van Beethoven's "Op. 104 in C minor", Johannes Brahms' "Op. 111 in G major" and "Epitaphs" by the contemporary composer Brett Dean.

The authors used overhead cameras and wearable sensors to monitor the participants, who filled in questionnaires about their personalities before the concert, and whether they enjoyed the performance and what their mood was afterward.

Overall, they found statistically significant synchronisation on several measures — people's hearts beat faster or slower during the same musical passages, as did their levels of "skin conductance".

Skin conductance is closely related to the body's flight or fight response. When it's high it indicates a state of arousal and can be linked to goosebumps on the skin; when it's low we are in a state of relaxation.

The cameras even caught alignment of body movements, which the authors wrote "appears noteworthy, as the audiences of all concerts were seated in dimmed lighting" and spread out due to the pandemic.

However, though people's breathing rates aligned, they did not actually inhale and exhale in unison.

The power of music 

 

As one might expect, people whose personality types indicated "openness to new experiences" and "agreeableness" were more disposed towards synchronising with others.

Those who rated highly for neuroticism, "a person who tends towards fearful behavior, warding off things, being more depressed", in Tschacher's words, were less likely to synchronise — but so too were extroverts, which might seem counterintuitive.

"Extroverted people are very social, they tend to intermingle with people, they want to be in power, and they want to have a certain self-value," he said, adding he had seen this result in previous research too. While extroverts are outgoing, they focus less on the music.

For Tschacher, the findings are more evidence in favour of the "embodied cognition" theory and also help explain why public parades or military marches help build cohesion between participants.

And he expects the effects would be "even stronger" in other musical genres.

"There are additional reasons that people will synchronise in pop concerts, people move, they dance, and that's that is synchronised by the music and that would give even clearer results," he said.

Iraqis marvel at ancient Iraq in new 'Assassin's Creed' game

By - Oct 05,2023 - Last updated at Oct 05,2023

A man plays the newly released video game 'Assassin's Creed Mirage' in a cybercafe in Baghdad on Wednesday (AFP photo)

BAGHDAD — Iraqi gamers celebrated the release on Thursday of the latest instalment of the "Assassin's Creed" action-adventure saga, set in ninth century Baghdad during the Abbasid Caliphate.

In the game, the hooded and stealthy hero fights his way through an ancient maze of alleyways, souks and rooftops, rendered in loving detail with what its creators say is the help of historical sources.

The central character, pickpocket turned master assassin Basim, speaks classical Arabic in "Assassin's Creed Mirage", the 13th edition of the wildly popular franchise published by France-based Ubisoft.

"We were waiting for a game that shows Arab and Islamic culture, the culture and history of Iraq and this region, which does not just consist of wars and terrorism," said one instant fan, Mohammed Bashir.

Sitting in a Baghdad internet cafe, surrounded by fellow gamers, the 30-year-old graphic designer marvelled at the 3D depictions of ancient Iraq and Baghdad.

As the story unfolds and Basim bloodily dispatches a long lineup of foes, the real star is the setting, resplendent with turquoise mosaic domes, carpet sellers and lush oasis towns.

"There's Iraqi music!" exclaimed one young man in the room, lit dimly by screens and fluorescent blue neon lights, where other players were absorbed in football and other video games.

'Bittersweet' 

 

The game had already received a rave review last month from Saudi Arabia's Khaled Almutairi, who praised an advance version on his YouTube channel Gamer Snack, followed by over 2 million subscribers.

The game allowed him to "immerse" himself "in the Arab and Islamic environment," he said, expressing joy at hearing the Muslim call to prayer and the expression "salam alaykum", or "Peace be upon you", on screen.

His only quibble was that the Arabic "lip sync... is poor".

For Bashir — who came of age as Iraq was rocked by years of conflict and chaos — seeing an artistic and beautiful representation of the country's ancient marvels provoked mixed feelings.

"It's beautiful to see Baghdad's glorious past," said Bashir, who also posts video game reviews on YouTube and Instagram.

He praised the game's designers for "recreating a lost city", because — after Baghdad was sacked by Mongol forces in 1258 — the Abbasid Caliphate "did not leave any trace".

But Bashir said seeing Baghdad in all its former glory was also "bittersweet when we know what the city has experienced in recent years".

 

'Excited to see Iraq' 

 

Iraq has been rocked by repeated wars, most recently the US-led invasion of 2003 that deposed dictator Saddam Hussein and sparked years of sectarian conflict and the rise of the Daesh group.

When Iraq has been the setting for video games, it has more commonly been in those of the first-person tactical shooter variety, such as "Six Days in Fallujah" launched this year.

That game, based on gruelling urban combat in the city west of Baghdad, is billed as recreating "true stories of Marines, soldiers and Iraqi civilians during the toughest urban battle since 1968".

Haider Jaafar, who heads the Iraqi Federation of Electronic Sports, said the new "Assassin's Creed" game "will reach millions of people" and give foreign audiences "a positive image of the origins of Baghdad".

Jaafar, who owns the Cooldown cybercafe, said he hoped it will also help promote the gaming sector and fan base in Iraq.

"When we participate in international competitions... people usually ask us: 'Do you really have video game and Internet centres?'" he said with a laugh.

Mustafa Mahmud, another gamer, said he had "impatiently" awaited the game after playing all previous editions, set in different times and places from ancient Egypt to revolutionary France.

"We saw the previous episodes in France, Greece, Egypt," said Mahmud, a student who also works as an IT support at the cybercafe. "We were excited to see Iraq."

S. Korean migrant's tale to open Asia's biggest film festival

By - Oct 04,2023 - Last updated at Oct 04,2023

A man walks past signage for the 28th Busan International Film Festival in Busan on Wednesday (AFP photo)

BUSAN, South Korea — The world premiere of Jang Kun-jae's "Because I Hate Korea" will open Asia's largest film festival on Wednesday night as it looks to rally from a year marked by scandal and budget cutbacks.

The South Korean director's tale of a disillusioned young woman who relocates to New Zealand is among 209 official entries from 69 countries set to unspool at the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), which runs until October 13.

Eighty will be making their world premieres in the southern port city.

This year's edition comes as organisers grapple with the fallout from former festival director Huh Moon-yung's resignation in May amid accusations of sexual misconduct.

The scandal saw BIFF's 2023 budget reduced by about 10 per cent as sponsors withdrew in the wake of the allegations, according to organisers.

Kang Seung-ah, now serving as acting deputy director, acknowledged they had endured a "difficult phase" before assembling a lineup she said was "more substantial than ever before".

Opening night director Jang, who noted he'd attended BIFF far more as an audience member than a filmmaker, told a late afternoon news conference he had sought to address serious questions with his film.

"I believe it's necessary to pay attention to the fact that many young people are finding it difficult to navigate through Korean society. I started questioning whether our society is providing a fair and equitable foundation for young people to pursue their dreams," he told reporters after a preview screening.

Based on the best-selling Chang Kang-myoung novel, "Because I Hate Korea" received support from BIFF's Asia Project Market back in 2016. South Korea has transformed itself into a cultural powerhouse since then thanks to the explosive success of the Oscar-winning "Parasite" and the Netflix series "Squid Game".

"Many people are now showing great interest in Korean content such as K-pop, K-movies, and K-dramas. Living in such an era, they might develop a certain fantasy about South Korea, I think," Nam Dong-chul, the festival's acting interim director, told reporters.

But "I thought it might be good to consider these views from the perspective of people living in Korea and especially the youth in South Korea,” he said of the opening night choice. "They might have different thoughts and experiences."

Frequent Bong Joon-ho collaborator Go Ah-sung, who delivered a memorable performance as the protagonist of "Because I Hate Korea", was unable to attend the festival due to a back injury.

 

'Dear Jinri' 

 

Despite Go's absence, the festival will still feature serious star power, with acclaimed Hong Kong actor Chow Yun Fat schedulled to receive the Asian Filmmaker of the Year award.

Three of Chow's films — "A Better Tomorrow" (1986), "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" (2000) and 2023's "One More Chance" — will be screened in his honour.

Other highly anticipated screenings include "Dear Jinri", a documentary that features late K-pop star Sulli's last and incomplete project.

Sulli, born Choi Jin-ri, took her own life in 2019 after a long struggle with online bullying. The film includes her final media interview, which has not been disclosed previously.

Korea's filmmaking diaspora will also be showcased with a special series of screenings that includes "Searching" (2018), starring John Cho, and director Celine Song's Sundance favourite "Past Lives".

Netflix's highly anticipated "Yellow Door: 90s Lo-fi Film Club" will also have its world premiere at BIFF.

The documentary spotlights South Korea's renowned cinephile generation of the 1990s, acclaimed "Parasite" director Bong among them.

"The Movie Emperor", director Ning Hao's satirical take on the Chinese film industry starring Hong Kong actor Andy Lau, is set to close the festival.

Ning's comedy "deftly captures the fine line between the film industries in Hong Kong and mainland China", as well as the "delicate relationship between Western film festivals and Asian filmmakers", according to the programme notes.

‘Be brave! Tell the truth’: Ian McEwan rails against sensitivity readers

By - Oct 03,2023 - Last updated at Oct 03,2023

McEwan says trigger warnings and sensitivity readers are part of a ‘mass hysteria’ imported from the United States (AFP photo)

PARIS — The acclaimed British novelist Ian McEwan is baffled by the current obsession with sensitivity in the publishing world. “Be brave”, he urged young writers.

“I don’t know what’s happening,” said the Booker-winning writer of “Atonement”, “Saturday” and “Amsterdam”, when asked about “sensitivity readers” combing through books to remove anything that might be deemed offensive.

“It’s happening among very young people who are living in societies that are relatively free, and they seem to want to bind their arms and legs in ways that are just trivial,” he told AFP.

He said he heard a young male writer talk about his fear of writing about male desire.

“I thought, ‘Poor guy!’ Because you’ve lost the desire of half the world,” he said.

His advice: “Be brave! Screw the lot of them. You’ve got to write what you feel. You must tell the truth.

“These mass hysterias, moral panics, sweep through populations every now and then. And I think this is one of them.”

McEwan, 75, insisted the trend does not apply to all young people — just “a weird thing that happens in some universities, which we got from the United States”.

He strongly supports young people fighting to combat climate change — a problem “that is going to affect every last one of us”.

And he draws a line between the world of “trigger warnings” and “safe spaces” from calls for racial and post-colonial reckoning, saying he backed the students who tore down a slaver’s statue in Bristol, England in 2020.

“Demanding a little more accounting of our colonial imperial past is a perfectly good demand. But saying we can’t read Nabokov or Conrad or whatever, seems beyond contempt,” he said.

‘Stupid, shameful episodes’ 

 

McEwan spoke to AFP during a trip to Paris just before the announcement of the Nobel Literature Prize, for which he has long been held up as a possible winner.

He dismissed his chances.

“You know, there are about 50 of us whose names come up every year,” he said.

“I think my son [a medical researcher] will get the Nobel Prize before me,” he added with a laugh.

McEwan’s novels have explored a wide range of complex moral topics from memory and trauma, the ethical implications of scientific progress to the darker side of love and relationships — usually with a sharply ironic humour.

Many have been adapted into films, including “On Chesil Beach”, “Enduring Love” and the highly acclaimed war romance “Atonement”.

Already halfway through his next book, he was visiting Paris for the French release of “Lessons”, which tracks a man’s life alongside the major political events of McEwan’s own lifetime, from the Suez and Cuban Missile crises right up to the COVID-19 pandemic.

It is Brexit that has taken the greatest toll, he said.

He sees it as symbolic of the defeat of an older version of Britain — of “teachers, doctors, librarians... people working in the public service [who] no longer count because Britain is really ruled by people who have made vast amounts of money in financial services and the social good is not of interest”.

“I think they’ll be back,” he added. “The wheel will turn again. We’ve seen too many of the stupid, shameful episodes of the populist right in our country.”

Underpants and a sombre summer at Paris Fashion Week

By - Oct 03,2023 - Last updated at Oct 03,2023

PARIS — From wearing your underwear in the street to very muted colour schemes, some trends stood out from the spring-summer 2024 womens wear collections at Paris Fashion Week, which ends on Tuesday, as did mounting concerns over the industry’s environmental impact.

Here are some highs and lows from the French capital, the climax of a hectic month of fashion weeks in London, New York and Milan.

 

Underwear is outerwear 

 

Get used to walking around in your underpants if you want to stay trendy next spring.

Already a popular look for celebs like Hailey Bieber and Kendall Jenner, it was everywhere in Paris this week.

Stella McCartney’s billowing silk tops were worn over crystal-encrusted undies, Victoria Beckham had outfits that were little more than nightdresses, or swimsuits and socks, while Dries Van Noten had leopard-skin swimsuits under trench coats.

 

Environmental activists 

 

French YouTube star Jeremstar was briefly arrested outside Louis Vuitton’s show for dressing like a “dismembered snake” to protest against the brand’s use of animal skin.

Activists spray-painted LV’s nearby boutique and said the fashion house had climate deaths on its conscience.

Stella McCartney offered a more positive example, setting up market stalls alongside her runway to showcase “cruelty-free” innovations such as vegan leather and seaweed-based yarn (while her show was partly a homage to her parents’ rock band Wings).

Hermes had one of the prettiest stage designs, with guests nestled in a prairie of wildflowers and tall grasses.

But animal rights group PETA was unimpressed and briefly interrupted the show, objecting to its use of crocodile skin.

 

Sombre summer 

 

A lot of designers were keen to drain the colour from spring and summer.

Christian Dior, Saint Laurent, Victoria Beckham, Mugler and hyped newcomer Peter Do were among the many brands with muted, often monochrome palettes.

Some observers were dismayed and also felt there was a lack of innovation.

“Where are your colours? Where are your ideas, except those that come from archives?” chided veteran fashion watcher Cathy Horyn, now of New York Magazine’s The Cut.

 

Balmain’s flowery recovery 

 

Balmain bucked the colourless trend with a shiny and exuberant show that it managed to pull together despite a dramatic robbery — dozens of its outfits were stolen on their way from the airport just 10 days earlier.

There were lots of roses. A woman seemingly lost in an entire red bush of them, another with a swoosh of golden feathers with roses on the tips, and a range of rose-print tops, dresses and mini-skirts.

There were also some ultra-bling, glittering flower concoctions that verged on haute couture extravagance.

“Florals for spring? Groundbreaking...” designer Olivier Rousteing wrote with apparent irony on Instagram.

 

Balenciaga unpolished 

 

Balenciaga’s Demna was humbled last year after the fashion house produced highly controversial ads that appeared to reference child abuse.

But after one low-key show earlier this year, he was back to his rebellious ways this week with surreal looks such as giant-shouldered suits and dresses made from retro tablecloths.

“March was very polished and I realised that I don’t like it when it’s polished. I like it when it’s rough,” Demna told Vogue.

It was also a very personal show, featuring his mother, husband and members of his staff as models.

“It was about me. It was about my story. I needed to do it... because I had a horrible year,” he said.

 

Bye-byes 

 

Naomi Campbell was the star of the catwalk in a shimmering silver dress at Alexander McQueen, where Sarah Burton gave her final show as creative director after more than a decade in charge.

Business of Fashion called it a “typically fearless final flourish from Burton”, leaving a tall order for her yet-to-be-named successor to meet.

It was also the last hurrah for designer Gabriella Hearst at Chloe.

Her sustainability agenda brought acclaim but apparently not enough sales to keep her at the fabled French house and she is leaving after less than three years.

 

Hyundai Palisade 3.8 GDI AWD: High-rise flagship adopts a more statuesque styles

By - Oct 02,2023 - Last updated at Oct 02,2023

Launched in late 2019 as Hyundai’s big flagship SUV, the Palisade struck an assertive aesthetic tone combined with a capable engine, confident driving dynamics and plenty of class, comfort, convenience and tech features. With near Genesis brand-like luxury and refinement for seven or eight occupants depending on seating configuration, it was — in Hyundai’s marketing jargon — pitched as a vehicle for “maverick families”, which one suspects was a reference to its overtly aggressive, and not uncontroversial, cascading grille design, with its scale-like elements and vertically tapered lower end.

Distinct from edgier and more low-slung saloon sister models like the Sonata, the Palisade’s unconventionally complicated octagonal cascading grille design was supposed to serve as a different take on the brand’s design cues, but stemming from a common springboard. Since then, the Palisade’s “classical temple”-like design was updated last year, with a more conventional grille with bigger internal elements, straighter vertical lines and thicker outline, being adopted. Better integrated with a redesigned lower intake, side lights and headlight elements, the Palisade now strikes a more assertively statuesque and more modern style. 

Smooth and swift

Incorporating a more rectangular theme for the rear bumper and exhaust ports, the Palisade goes little changed otherwise, but the restyled front bumper lends itself to a bulkier and more grounded silhouette that emphasises its prominently ridged side creases, character lines and wheel-arches. Riding on appropriately vast standard 18 or optional 20-inch alloy wheels as before, the top spec Palisade 3.8 GDI AWD also retains the outgoing variant’s transversely-mounted, naturally-aspirated direct injection 3.8-litre V6 engine, smooth, slick and quick 8-speed automatic gearbox, and front-biased four-wheel-drive system.

Nestled under a bulging bonnet, the Palisade’s engine is responsive from low-end and builds progressively to a maximum 262lb/ft torque at a revvy 5,200rpm and 291BHP at 6,000rpm. Seamlessly smooth and willing throughout, it delivers good mid-range versatility to confidently carry the Palisade’s 1.9-tonne mass when overtaking or on inclines. It is meanwhile rewarding and eager through to rev limit. Squatting at the rear but digging into tarmac with conviction when launching from standstill, the Palisade dashes through 0-100km/h in 7.7 seconds, and will pull to a maximum 210km/h

 

Refined and reassuring

Employing a high proportion of Advanced High Strength Steel for improved torsional rigidity and enhanced collision safety, the Palisade also uses lighter aluminium suspension components to reduce unsprung mass. Evident in its driving experience, the Palisade’s construction material lends itself to good suspension and steering precision. Its MacPherson strut front and multilink rear suspension meanwhile provide a smooth, settled and comfortably forgiving ride quality, even with stiff low profile tyres. The Palisade also benefits from good steering directness and maneuverability for its substantial size, height and weight.

Reassuringly stable and confidently flexible on motorways, the Palisade’s road-biased four-wheel drives seamlessly redistributes torque between front and rear for confident stability and road-holding, and often with front bias to help achieve reasonable 10.8l/100km combined fuel efficiency. Turning in tidily with light and quick steering, the Palisade provides good grip and little understeer, and feels maneuverable and well-controlled for its class. Tall and comfortable, its cornering body lean is expected, but is well-managed, while more power is directed to the rear wheels through corners, for enhanced agility and balance. 

 

Updated and up-market

Settled in vertical movement over dips and crests, the Palisade is a refined drive that well absorbs most lumps and potholes, while underbody covers help achieve comparatively low aerodynamic drag co-efficiency, to reduce noise intrusion and improve efficiency. Its cabin is meanwhile comfortable, with well-adjustable, large front seats and driving position, and good configurability for its generous middle, and useable third row seats. Wide swing door angles allow excellent cabin access, while cavernous luggage volume expands from a minimum of 509-litres to 2,446-litres when rear rows are folded.

Sensible, functional and palatial, the Palisade’s up-market interior has an airy ambiance and good in-class visibility. Its distinctly premium feel utilises quality materials and soft textures, and has been updated for a more expansive horizontal emphasis and uncluttered layout that includes new vents, updated screens and steering wheel. Well-equipped with numerous infotainment, convenience and safety features, the Palisade incorporates several advanced driver assistance and warning systems. Able to lock four-wheel-drive at lower speeds, it also features a Multi-Terrain Control System that adjusts various systems for different off-road conditions.

SPECIFICATIONS

  • Engine: 3.8-litre, aluminium block / head, inline V6-cylinders
  • Bore x stroke: 96 x 87mm
  • Valve-train: Direct injection, DOHC, 24-valve, continuously variable valve timing
  • Gearbox: 8-speed automatic, four-wheel-drive
  • Power, BHP (PS) [kW]: 291 (295) [217] @6,000rpm
  • Specific power: 77BHP/litre
  • Torque, lb/ft (Nm): 262 (355) @5,200rpm
  • Specific torque: 94Nm/litre
  • 0-100km/h: 7.7-seconds
  • Top speed: 210km/h
  • Fuel consumption, combined: 10.8-litres/100km (estimate) 
  • Length: 4,995mm
  • Width: 1,975mm
  • Height: 1,750mm
  • Wheelbase: 2,900mm
  • Tread, F/R: 1,708/1,716mm
  • Overhang, F/R: 945/1,135mm
  • Headroom, F/M/R: 1,035/1,019/944mm
  • Leg room, F/M/R: 1,120/1,077/798mm
  • Shoulder room, F/M/R: 1,555/1,545/1,402mm
  • Seats: 7/8
  • Luggage volume, behind 3rd/2nd/1st row: 509-/1,297-/2,446-litres
  • Kerb weight: 1,845-1,969kg
  • Steering: Electric-assisted rack and pinion
  • Suspension, F/R: MacPherson struts / multi-link
  • Brakes: Ventilated discs
  • Braking distance, 100-0km/h: 43.1-metres
  • Tyres, standard/optional: 245/60R18/245/50R20

Unity over Division

Muslim and Christian reflections on our spiritual health

By , - Oct 01,2023 - Last updated at Oct 01,2023

By Noor Sa’adeh, a Muslim Perspective 

Songs of the season and accompanying prayers for peace on earth seem not to have had the intended effect. The number of refugees fleeing conflict is well into the millions. Yet, more doors are closed to the burgeoning number of immigrants. Racism is on the rise in even the most democratic of nations. Those who share the same faith are constantly at odds with diverse sects and opinions. 

 

Seeking common ground

 

God, in His infinite wisdom, created us to be able to choose. We can choose unity or choose division based on all kinds of criteria: Race, nationality, education, wealth, status and so on.

 Or we can look to unifying factors. All people are born, we live, we die, we have hopes and fears, we struggle and we celebrate. We bleed, we cry and we hurt. We smile, we love and we care. Even the rich and powerful, the poor and the destitute, engage in the same daily functions, have the same basic needs and wants. Why then do we perceive each other so differently? 

Qur’an (49:10) stresses the unity of humankind and God’s intention that people should live together in harmony. Yet, we are divided into differing sects by political parties, ethnicity, language and geography. Let us focus on and seek common ground rather than emphasise our differences.

 

United in purpose

 

 In the Qur’an (3:103), there is a verse which states: “Hold fast together to the rope of God and be not divided.” This reminds me of the game of tug-of-war we played as children – how teams would have to pull together to win. Those most united in purpose and strength would be the victors. Those who argued or insisted on personal opinions would lose. Even in Muslim prayer, we see the importance of standing side by side, toe to toe, shoulder to shoulder. 

We can easily see the effects of polarisation. Division leads to alienation, conflict, confrontation and at its worst, war. Yet, these all start innocently enough in the smaller divisions we create in our families and our communities. As usual, our good practices begin at home within our marriages and the role modelling we do for our children. According to Prophet Mohammad (PBUH), the natural progression starts with ourselves then moves outward to those nearest to us.

 Can we face the new year committed to creating peace and harmony within the family? Can we imagine a unified front that will offer goodwill and understanding, tolerance and respect towards our extended families, our neighbours and the surrounding community? No single person can change the world, but if we unite around a common purpose, we can then effect a momentous change.

 

By Sonia Salfity, a Christian Perspective

 

Disagreements manage to weave their way into every fabric of our lives and if we are not careful, they will unashamedly unravel us, destroying everything in our path including relationships we treasure the most.

 I would quickly run out of space if I were to write about the different things that cause division among so many people. In the absence of wisdom and insight, simple arguments lead to division and disunity between family members, friends, neighbours, coworkers and even church members. 

Many churches have split up as a result of different leaders not agreeing on primary or secondary matters resulting in dividing their congregations. The same is true with many families as a result of simple misunderstandings or lack of communication; each party is usually busy licking its wounds and blaming the other for all their problems.

For the sake of the greater good 

 

Endless wars have destroyed innocent people on both sides of the aisle because of leaders and key players refusing to humble themselves and compromise to set their differences aside for the sake of the greater good. 

We live in a culture that falsely believes that compromise is a sign of weakness. Jesus however turned everything upside down. He taught us by example and showed us what true strength of character means. He insisted that his followers be servant leaders; putting other people’s needs ahead of their own. Instead of blaming and shaming, he led by caring: “So the last will be first, and the first will be last,” Matthew (20:16). 

 

Loving your enemy

 

Jesus went far enough to ask us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. Friends, Jesus set the bar way higher than our worldly standards knowing full well that we cannot accomplish that without His help. 

If we claim to be His followers, we must strive to obey Him not only when it suits us, but especially when it doesn’t. Ponder this as you meditate on Jesus’ words in the book of Luke:“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that,” Luke (6:32-33). 

 

Bailing out 

 

As Christ’s followers, we don’t get to call ourselves Christians and then pick and choose what path we will follow. When the going gets tough, we don’t get to bail out and choose the easier path that our stubborn and prideful self would naturally have us take. Jesus was very clear on this and there’s just no way around it.

Keep in mind that Jesus didn’t ask us to agree with everyone, nor did He ask us to only love those who agree with us. This means we are to intentionally choose to love those who are disagreeable and not give our real enemy an excuse to rejoice.

This is exactly what Satan does every time we choose to disobey our Lord. The only way I can set my pride aside and humble myself is when I train my mind to remember that every person is created in the image of our one and true God.

 

It’s a choice

 

I don’t get to choose because Jesus already made His choice when He sacrificed himself on the cross for ALL people. By doing so, He leveled the field and all of us are in need of a saviour, redeemer and healer. He gave the same invitation to all people from every tribe and every nation. He gave us each a choice to accept or refuse His gift which was freely extended to us. A gift He paid for with His own life. Through His death and resurrection, those who trust Him are united with our heavenly Father through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Once we understand our true identity in Christ and fully receive His grace, we begin the process of taking that which division unraveled and participating with God as He weaves threads of love and grace into every fabric of our lives.

Sweet friend, we belong to a God who is faithful and keeps all His promises: “He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth,” Psalms (46:10).

 

Reprinted with permission from Family Flavours magazine

 

Petition against felling trees in historic Tokyo park area

By - Sep 30,2023 - Last updated at Sep 30,2023

In this photo taken on February 12, people take part in a protest against the Tokyo metropolitan government’s redevelopment project for the Meiji Jingu Gaien district in Tokyo (AFP photo)

TOKYO — Campaigners filed a fresh petition with almost 225,000 signatures on Monday against plans to fell large numbers of trees and tear down a historic baseball stadium in a rare green area of central Tokyo.

Lush with trees donated to honour Emperor Meiji a century ago, Meiji Jingu Gaien offers respite and shade — Japan saw its hottest recorded summer this year — in one of the world’s biggest urban areas.

The park area is also home to Jingu Stadium where US baseball star Babe Ruth wowed spectators in 1934 and where celebrated Japanese author Haruki Murakami says he was inspired to become a writer.

Also on the site is a stadium dubbed the spiritual home of Japanese rugby.

But the redevelopment project, due to start this month, will see the sports facilities razed and rebuilt alongside several new high-rises to add to Tokyo’s thicket of tall buildings.

According to the petition submitted on Monday to the government, 1,000 trees will be cut down.

The new baseball stadium will also endanger a boulevard of gingko trees, just 6 metres  away, whose stunning autumn leaves attract huge crowds, campaigners say.

“These are all huge beautiful trees,” said Rochelle Kopp, a management consultant who organised the petition — one of several — and who is also involved in a lawsuit against the project.

“The online petition numbers continue to grow because the more members of the public learn the details of the plan, the more people are unhappy about this plan to cram as many skyscrapers as possible into a small space and forever change a beloved landscape,” Kopp told AFP.

 

 ‘Heritage alert’ 

 

The International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) this month put the number of trees in danger at around 3,000 in a “heritage alert” issued by the advisory body to UNESCO.

The redevelopment “will lead to the complete destruction of the urban forest that has been formed and nurtured over the past 100 years”, ICOMOS said.

“Urban parks are places for people’s recreation and also contribute to maintaining rich biodiversity. They mitigate the heat island effect in cities and provide shelter in case of natural disasters such as major earthquakes,” it said in a September 7 statement.

According to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s web page, the developers said in January last year they plan to cut down 892 trees.

The number has since been reduced to 743 trees after further efforts to preserve trees, said a spokeswoman for Mitsui Fudosan, one of the major developers.

“We continue studying how to preserve trees,” she told AFP.

The developers and the Tokyo government say that after work is complete, the number of trees and the amount of green space will in fact increase.

At just 7.4 per cent as of 2015, Tokyo has one of the lowest percentages of public green spaces such as parks and gardens, according to data compiled by World Cities Culture Forum.

This compares to New York’s 27 per cent in 2010, 27.9 percent in Seoul in 2019 and London’s 33 per cent in 2022.

'Harry Potter' actor Michael Gambon dies aged 82

By - Sep 29,2023 - Last updated at Sep 29,2023

LONDON — British-Irish actor Michael Gambon, best known for playing Albus Dumbledore in six of the eight "Harry Potter" films, has died in hospital aged 82, his family announced on Thursday.

Gambon won four television BAFTAs and an Olivier award during a decades-spanning acting career across television, film, radio and theatre, which was capped by his beloved role as the headmaster of the wizarding school Hogwarts in the Potter series.

"We are devastated to announce the loss of Sir Michael Gambon," a statement issued on behalf of his family said.

"Beloved husband and father, Michael died peacefully in hospital with his wife Anne and son Fergus at his bedside, following a bout of pneumonia."

Gambon, born in Ireland, began his illustrious acting career in theatre, making his first appearance on stage in a production of "Othello" at the Gates Theatre in the Irish capital Dublin in 1962.

He became well known in Britain for playing a French detective in the ITV series "Maigret", and for his 1986 role as Philip Marlow in screenwriter Dennis Potter's "The Singing Detective".

He put in a memorable performance in the BBC's 2015 adaptation of JK Rowling's "The Casual Vacancy", while his theatre credentials include appearances in Alan Ayckbourn's "The Norman Conquests", "The Life Of Galileo" and Nicholas Hytner's National Theatre productions of "Henry IV".

Film roles included in period dramas such as 2010's "The King's Speech" and 2001's "Gosford Park".

But he won global acclaim for his performances as Dumbledore in the wildly popular "Harry Potter" films, beginning with 1997's "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone".

Gambon was knighted for his contribution to the entertainment industry in 1998.

Tributes began to pour in following news of his death.

"I'm so sad to hear that Michael Gambon has died," former Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson said on social media, recalling that the actor was such a "tremendous guest" he had a corner named after him on the BBC show's race track.

"He was hugely amusing, and such a tremendous guest, we even named a corner after him."

Red Sea corals threatened by mystery sea urchin deaths

By - Sep 29,2023 - Last updated at Sep 29,2023

A mass die-off of the sea urchins that help keep algae in check on coral reefs is threatening the Red Sea ecosystem (AFP photo)

 

EILAT — The Red Sea's spectacular coral reefs face a new threat, marine biologists warn — the mass death of sea urchins that may be caused by a mystery disease.

Because the long-spined creatures feed on algae that can suffocate corals, their die-off could "destroy our entire coral reef ecosystem", warned scientist Lisa-Maria Schmidt.

"When we jumped into the water, all of a sudden all those specimens we used to see before were gone, and what we saw was skeletons and piles of spines," she told AFP.

The team had first heard reports in January that a sea urchin species off was dying rapidly, so they went to a site known for an abundance of the species Diadema setosum.

They first thought that local pollution could be to blame.

But, within two weeks, the spiny invertebrates also started dying down the coast, including in a seawater-fed facility of the Inter-University Institute for Marine Sciences.

Scrambling to find the cause, the scientists watched with growing alarm as the mass mortality spread south through the Red Sea.

The team found that it affected two kinds of sea urchin, Diadema setosum and Echinothrix calamaris, while other species in the same environment remained unharmed.

In the marine reserve, colourful fish and some other sea urchin species could be seen by a visiting AFP journalist — although the impact of humans was never far away.

While snorkelling, Schmidt grabbed floating plastic rubbish and pushed it up the sleeve of her wetsuit, to discard later.

Walking along the beach, she also picked up handfuls of algae, to feed to the sea urchins still alive in tanks.

 

'Absolutely devastating' 

 

A similar mass mortality earlier hit sea urchins in the Caribbean, raising speculation that a disease may have arrived in the Red Sea by ships, whose ballast water can carry pathogens and exotic species.

"I think it's especially scary for that region, especially in the Red Sea," said Mya Breitbart, a biologist from the University of South Florida in the United States.

She pointed out that, while coral reefs are dying off in many other areas, "those corals are known to be quite resilient, and I think people have placed a lot of hope in those reefs".

Early last year, Breitbart started hearing that the Diadema antillarum species — similar to those affected in the Red Sea — was rapidly changing behaviour and then dying in droves in the Caribbean.

The area has still not recovered from a similar event in the 1980s, whose cause was never discovered, and Breitbart described this second die-off there as "absolutely devastating".

Within months she and scientists working across the Caribbean had pinpointed a pathogen, giving hope that the cause of the Red Sea die-off could be discovered.

 

Next disease 

'on the way' 

 

Omri Bronstein has been working with the team in Eilat and elsewhere to try and identify the source.

"Are we talking about the same pathogen, for example, as the one that hit the Caribbean" in the 1980s, asked Bronstein, who runs a laboratory at the university where sea urchins lie in glass jars.

"Or are we looking at a completely different scenario?"

Stopping the die-off in the seas is impossible, lamented Bronstein.

Instead, the scientific community is working towards establishing a broodstock population of the affected species which can be released into the Red Sea once the current threat has passed.

Once the cause has been identified, Bronstein and his colleagues will also seek to determine how it reached the Red Sea.

If it was transported by a vessel, for example, steps could be taken to clean up ships and minimise the risk of spreading the next deadly pathogen.

"This is something that we can fix, because the next disease is on the way," he said.

"It is probably in one harbour and in one of the ships that is currently sailing our oceans."

 

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