Home Blog Page 2410

Princess Diana’s Letters Sold For $113,000 At Auction

After being hidden away in a closet for more than two decades, a collection of letters written by Princess Diana hit the auction block last week and sold for £82,000, about $113,000.

Dated between 1990 and 1997, the letters were written to family friend Roger Bramble. The Bramble family hopes that the letters show a different side of the people’s princess, especially now that Netflix’s The Crown has dramatized the issues that she had with her ex-husband, Prince Charles, and other members of the royal family according to a report by Instyle.

In a statement, the family said:

We have been concerned that contemporary portrayals of Diana may become accepted wisdom in the minds of the public. We believe these letters reveal the writer to be an affectionate, cultivated, and delightful human being and that their wider publication could only do credit to their author.

According to Marie Claire, the letters touch on several issues, such as Diana’s “divorce from Prince Charles, her mental health struggles, and the media scrutiny.”

However, as the Bramble family mentioned, the letters also show a more laid-back and funny side of Diana’s personality.

In one letter, which was dated October 19, 1995, Diana refers to Queen Elizabeth II as “the Boss.” That specific letter sold for £8,700 (about $12,000).

“I just hope your arrival at Westminster Abbey was before the Boss (The Queen) and if not, I expect to have been mentioned in the excuses,” Diana wrote in the letter.

Another letter thanked Bramble for a “much welcome distraction” as she handled her divorce from Charles and an additional letter describes a “ghastly week” that came after the publication of Andrew Morton’s biography, Diana: Her True Story, in Her Own Words.

The money raised from the auction is going to be split between four charities that Diana worked with: the English National Ballet, Young Musicians Symphony Orchestra, Opera Rara, and the Benesh International Endowment Fund.

Uganda Arrests Suspects Over Lion Killings In National Park

0

Four people have been arrested by a joint security team in Uganda in connection with the poisoning of six lions at the Queen Elizabeth National park.

The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), on Friday March 19, announced that suspected poachers had killed the lions and the authorities were hunting for them. Following the recovery of the animal heads in their compound, Kanungu Resident District Commissioner Hajji Shafque Ssekandi Sengooba, confirmed the arrest of four people.

The arrest came hours after the management of the UWA placed a bounty of 10 million Ugandan shillings (US$2,733) on the lion killers.

The suspects where Nabbed following a tip off by a concerned citizen who must have seen the heads of the lions where they were found by authorities tied up on a mango tree in Kyenyabutongo village in Kihihi Sub County.

Astrazeneca Defends Covid-19 Vaccine After US Concerns on Trial Results

0

AstraZeneca has defended its coronavirus vaccine after a US agency raised concerns about trial results that showed the shot to be 79 percent effective in preventing Covid-19.

AstraZeneca had published results from its US trials on Monday, but US National Institute for Allergies and Infectious Diseases said the results were outdated.

The AstraZeneca vaccine had been praised as a potential game-changer in the fight against the pandemic, as it was more affordable and easier to store and transport.

But public confidence in the drug has dipped after over a dozen countries temporarily suspended its rollout because of isolated cases of blood clots.

AstraZeneca has also struggled for months with production and supply chains, delivering only 30 percent of the doses promised the European Union for the first quarter.

The already stumbling vaccination programmes in Hong Kong and Macau also ran into trouble on Wednesday, as authorities temporarily stopped giving Pfizer-BioNTech shots over concerns about the packaging of vials.

Health officials did not explain what exactly was wrong with them, but insisted there were no safety issues.

Myanmar Frees Hundreds Of Detainees Amidst crackdown

0

Myanmar on Wednesday freed over 600 coup detainees from prison, amid fresh outrage at the junta’s brutal crackdown on protesters.

Local media showed images of the prisoners on the buses flashing the three-fingered salute as people waiting outside the prison waved at them and returned the gesture.

Myanmar has witnessed a deadly wave of violence as the regime tries to quell nationwide protests against the February 1 ouster and arrest of Aung San Suu Kyi.

The Nobel laureate was due to have a court hearing on Wednesday in Myanmar’s capital, on criminal charges but the hearing was adjourned until April 1 because of problems with video conferencing caused by internet shutdown.

Local media reported chaos overnight in Mandalay with barricades burning, arrests, homes raided by security forces.

Also the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), a local monitoring group reported that three people were killed on Tuesday including seven-year-old girl Khin Myo Chit, shot dead at her home in Mandalay.

Meanwhile, Activists have called for a nationwide Silent Strike on Wednesday, and streets were bare in the cities of Yangon and Naypyidaw

Prince Harry Gets New Job As Tech Startup Executive

Prince Harry has reportedly taken on a new job as an executive of a Silicon Valley startup. The recently outspoken royal confirmed to the Wall Street Journal that he will become chief impact officer of BetterUp Inc., an online coaching and mental health firm.

“I intend to help create an impact in people’s lives. Proactive coaching provides endless possibilities for personal development, increased awareness, and an all-round better life,” he said.

The prince has previously revealed plans to work with mental health issues, and his wife, Meghan Markle, famously admitted to Oprah Winfrey this month that she had felt suicidal while trapped in the royal family.

Harry said he has personally been using BetterUp’s app and a coach for a couple of months.

“I was matched with my coach who, quite frankly, is truly awesome and has always given me sound advice and a fresh perspective, which is so valuable,” he told the WSJ.

BetterUp CEO Alexi Robichaux refused to reveal details of Harry’s employment agreement or how he was getting compensated, the WSJ said.

But “it’s a meaningful and meaty role,” Robichaux told the paper of the prince joining the company’s leadership team as an “officer of the corporation.”

Harry is expected to have input into initiatives including product strategy decisions and charitable contributions, and advocate publicly on topics related to mental health.

Harry is eventually expected to spend time in the company’s San Francisco headquarters, attend all-hands meetings and be a special guest at company events, Robichaux said.

Congolese Opposition Candidate To Contest Poll Results

0

One of the contesting opposition candidates in the Republic of Congo’s recently held presidential election says he will file a lawsuit to overturn the results.

Mathias Dzon, a former finance minister, who got 1.9 percent of votes said he would file his election petition at the country’s Constitutional Court but did not say when this will happen

President Denis Sassou Nguesso, 77, was re-elected with 88.57 percent of votes, according to provisional results released Tuesday but Dzon insists the candidates’ representatives did not participate in the compilation.

Sunday’s election was boycotted by the main opposition and was also overshadowed by the death of main rival Guy-Brice Parfait Kolelas on polling day.

On polling day, access to the internet and social media, as well as text messages, was severely restricted while in the the capital Brazzaville, shops were closed.

Also, in some areas voters complained that their names were not on the electoral list.

The victory, placing Sassou Nguesso on course for another five-year term, marks his fourth election win since 2002.

Justin Bieber Visits L.A Prison To Spread The Word Of God

Though he’s fresh off the release of his sixth studio, Justin Bieber managed to find the time to spread the good news.

On Tuesday, March 22, Justin’s RV was captured outside a California prison in LA County. Later, a representative of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation confirmed to TMZ that the Grammy-winning singer stopped by the facility with his pastor to support its faith-based programs.

The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation confirmed Bieber’s visit but did not provide details on what exactly went down.

Did he perform? Pray? Give a sermon? It’s anyone’s guess at this point; however, CDCR reassured TMZ that the visit went on without a hitch and all COVID-19 safety measures were taken.

Bieber also took to Instagram Tuesday to share some inspirational, encouraging words about his faith and Jesus. He wrote:

“My perspective of God has switched from fear to LOVE. U are never too far from God! He’s obsessed with you.”

The singer has been very open about his rekindled faith over the past several years. It was exactly two months ago when he shared an Instagram post reflecting on his 2014 DUI arrest in Miami and credited God for helping him get through the challenging time.

He wrote:

Not proud of where I was at in my life. I was hurting, unhappy, confused, angry, misled, misunderstood, and angry at God. I also wore too much leather for someone in Miami. All this to say God has brought me a long way. From then until now I do realize something. God was as close to me then as he is right now. Don’t allow shame to ruin your ‘today.’ Let the forgiveness of Jesus take over and watch your life blossom into all that God has designed you to be. LOVE YOU GUYS WITH MY WHOLE HEART.

Elon Musk Says Tesla Can Now Be Bought For Bitcoin

Electric Car Maker Tesla Inc says customers can now buy its vehicles with bitcoin, marking a significant step forward for the cryptocurrency’s use in commerce.

Tweeting a post on Wednesday, Elon Musk said Tesla’s can now be purchased with bitcoin, adding that the option would be available outside the United States later this year.

Musk added that bitcoin paid to Tesla would not be converted into traditional currency, but he gave few other details on how the bitcoin payments would be processed.

Tesla Inc. said last month it bought $1.5 billion worth of bitcoin and would soon accept it as a form of payment for cars. The move has brought about advancements toward mainstream acceptance and sent bitcoin soaring to a record high of nearly $62,000.

Musk, last month criticised conventional cash, saying when it “has negative real interest, only a fool wouldn’t look elsewhere”.

Bitcoin, the world’s biggest digital currency, rose more than 4% after Musk’s tweet and was last trading at $56,429.

Like other crypto-currencies, bitcoin is still little used for commerce in major economies, hampered by its volatility and relatively costly and slow processing times.

Australia Warned Of Deadly Spider Plague After Floods

0

Following days of rainfall, Authorities in Australia have warned residents to brace for an influx of the deadly funnel-web spider, which is endemic to the Sydney region.

The Australian Reptile Park said deadly arachnids could look for shelter in homes to escape torrential rain and flooding in Sydney, triggering a plague of the world’s most venomous spiders.

Park director Tim Faulkner said in a statement that The upcoming warm weather and high levels of humidity was the perfect storm for a funnel-web spider boom in coming days

Sydney funnel-webs are widely feared for their notoriously toxic and fast-acting venom, with 13 recorded deaths from bites. However, No one is, believed to have died since an anti-venom programme was introduced in the early 1980s.

Persistent downpours have caused vast flooding in New South Wales state, with parts of suburban northwest Sydney still under water.

Hong Kong Suspends Batch Of Pfizer Vaccines Over Defective Packaging

0

Hong Kong and Macau have reportedly suspended Covid vaccinations from a single batch of Pfizer/BioNTech shots after being informed of a packaging problem with a batch of vials.

Both Chinese cities said their decision came after they were contacted about the issue by Fosun, the Chinese pharmaceutical company that is distributing the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine in China.

The South China Morning Post on Wednesday reported that several centres around the Asian financial hub were told to stop using the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine.

In a statement Hong Kong’s government said the current vaccination had to be suspended during the period of investigation for the sake of precaution.

According to the reports, Vials with the lot number 210102 were found to have defective packaging. Authorities have also added that they decided to cautious until their investigation is concluded.