Brittney Griner has written to President Joe Biden with an urgent plea: “Please don’t forget about me.”The message from the WNBA star was delivered via a letter she handwrote from the Russian jail where she has been held since being arrested in February at a Moscow airport on drug charges. She faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.”As I sit here in a Russian prison, alone with my thoughts and without the protection of my wife, family, friends, Olympic jersey, or any accomplishments, I’m terrified I might be here forever,” Griner wrote.Representatives for Griner shared sections of the…
Author: Team_Benjamin Franklin Institute
Ben MorrisTechnology of Business EditorTunnock’s robot packagingA stream of hot caramel runs through the Thomas Tunnock factory just outside Glasgow.From the second floor where it is made, it runs along conveyor belts down to the first floor, bringing a a sweet, warm aroma to the building.But working with caramel is not easy. Experienced workers have to check that it is at the right consistency, and it takes a team of 12 to spread the caramel in five layers that make up the Tunnock’s wafer biscuit.”We’re making roughly 20 tonnes of caramel a day,” says Stuart Louden, the firm’s engineering and…
ASIA: The major Asian stock markets had a green day today: • NIKKEI 225 increased 505.71 points or 1.03% to 49,507.21 • Shanghai increased 14.077 points or 0.36% to 3,890.448 • Hang Seng increased 192.40 points or 0.75% to 25,690.53 • ASX 200 increased 33.20 points or 0.39% to 8,621.40 • SENSEX increased 447.55 points or 0.53% to 84,929.36 • Nifty50 increased 150.85 points or 0.58% to 25,966.40 The major Asian currency markets had a mixed day today: • AUDUSD increased 0.00013 or 0.02% to 0.66140 • NZDUSD decreased 0.00185 or -0.32% to 0.57582 • USDJPY increased 2.002 or 1.29%…
Tom Brady’s first post following news of his ex-wife, Gisele Bündchen, getting remarried has hinted at how the former footballer may be feeling about it all.Taking to his Instagram page, Brady shared two photos of himself, each accompanied by a specific caption that addressed the mood behind the picture.The former Patriots quarterback also included, as the soundtrack of the post, a song with troubling lyrics that discuss suicide prevention.Article continues below advertisementThe Ex-Footballer Shared Some Selfies With An Interesting Song Choice Amid News Of Gisele Bündchen’s MarriageMEGAOn Saturday, Brady posted on his Instagram for the first time since his ex, Bündchen, got…
MIAMI: A third day of talks aimed at ending the war in Ukraine was set to begin on Sunday (Dec 21) in Miami, with Ukrainian negotiators meeting US officials as Russia said its envoy was present only to receive updates on a revised peace plan and report back to Moscow.Washington last month alarmed Kyiv and its European allies by unveiling a 28-point proposal widely seen as conceding to core Russian demands. That plan has since been redrafted following consultations with Ukraine and Europe, and the latest version is now being discussed in Florida.Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russian envoy Kirill…
Some European leaders feel sidelined as US mediation takes Russian priorities into consideration.After years of support from the United States for the Ukraine war to continue “as long as it takes”, the Trump administration is now pushing to end Europe’s war – quickly and imperfectly.While details are still under negotiation, they include issues such as ensuring Ukraine never joins NATO and Russia’s control over about 20 percent of Ukraine.To understand the implications for Europe, the US and their relations, host Steve Clemons speaks with Kurt Volker, Trump’s former special representative for Ukraine negotiations, and retired Colonel Heino Klinck, former director…
When it rains, it pours for the Los Angeles Lakers.They were already without Austin Reaves (calf), and now, it seems like they will have to get by without their best player for a while.Luka Doncic left the lopsided loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Dec. 21 at halftime and didn’t return. When asked about the state of the injury, Lakers coach JJ Redick didn’t offer much information.Lakers to keep an eye on Luka Doncic’s left leg “I don’t have any other information,” Redick told the media after the game. “He came to me at halftime. I saw him hobbling toward the…
I’ve said it before and I’m sure I’ll say it again: Our built environment contributes to a mental health crisis. The built environment as we know it—buildings and the spaces between—does direct damage to our minds. Communities developed slowly for thousands of years, but in 20th century America, the end of World War II introduced a massive population and construction boom. Land use planning has had devastating impacts on Americans—economically, socially, and culturally. But I’m not a doomer and I know these things are fixable. Not overnight reversible, but certainly fixable. Spreading us out Typical land use rules are written,…
Quantum computers could help us understand how quantum objects behaveGalina Nelyubova/Unsplash For the past year, I kept bringing the same story to my editor: quantum computers are on the edge of becoming useful for scientific discovery. Of course, that has always been the goal. The idea of using quantum computers to better understand our universe is part of their origin story, and it even featured in a 1981 speech by Richard Feynman. Contemplating the best way to simulate nature, he wrote: “We can give up on our rule about what the computer was, we can say: Let the computer itself…
Basketball star Brittney Griner pleaded guilty to drug charges in a Russian courtroom on Thursday, but not before she was handed a note from President Joe Biden.With the hope that a guilty plea might be her best shot at a lenient sentence in what experts fear is a sham trial, the WBNA player admitted to taking hashish oil into Russia by accident because she had been in a hurry when she packed.”Brittney sets an example of being brave. She decided to take full responsibility for her actions as she knows that she is a role model for many people,” read…