The five-star palace hotels are in full swing, the sound of music drifts across the beach and after a 'horrible' year blighted by coronavirus, Cannes is buzzing again for its international film festival. 

-We can't wait- admits Pierrick Cizeron, chief executive at the Majestic hotel that overlooks the Mediterranean and the festival convention centre.
In 2020, the festival that draws stars from across the world, had to be cancelled because of the pandemic.
With France under a partial lockdown in Spring, the 2021 edition has been delayed from the usual May date to July 6-17.
The festival pulled in 40,000 people a day pre-Covid -- only about half that number are expected this year -- and provided 20 percent of annual hotel turnover.
-It's more than just the excitement, we are in the middle of recruiting 250 people for the season- says Yann Gillet, director of the luxury Martinez hotel, which was full for the late May bank holiday weekend.
Last year's cancellation,he says, left staff "heart-broken" at a hotel that usually fills with celebrities for the festival.

The movie extravaganza, "is a real driving force and punctuates our year," Gillet says.

-Often clients come to see us and ask if it really was Brad Pitt's room.-On the seventh floor of the Martinez, which was totally renovated in 2019, the final touches are being made to a double penthouse suite booked by Chopard jewellers for the duration of the festival.
The Riviera resort had lived well off tourism and conventions, but the hotels and restaurants that provided most of the local jobs have been shut for long periods and had to rely on government handouts to try to keep mounting debt under control.
Despite high hopes for the festival, the hotels, which had been shut since September-October, are far from fully booked.
-We are only 10 percent full in June and 25 percent in July- says Cannes hotel union leader Christine Welter.
-It's an unexpected opportunity for people to come to the festival because in normal times it would be complicated- with hotel rooms at a premium and all booked out.
-And that's a good thing this year- she adds. -We have two-star hotels in the middle of town starting at 100 euros a night where normally there would be no rooms available during the festival.-In previous years the cheapest hotel rooms that start at 40 euros a night could fetch 260 euros during the festival.

The authorities are trying to vaccinate as many people as quickly as possible and health protocols are firmly in place, says Welter, as business builds up again.

On the Croisette, that runs along the seafront, a flower delivery man zigzags through the crowd carrying a display in each hand. Out at sea, a speedboat pulls a parachute covered with advertising. 
In the expensive shop windows, handbags, dresses and shoes await visitors with money to spend.
The festival "puts a rocket under our sales, we have magnificent clients," says 42-year-old Olivier Zambrana, who works at a Jimmy Choo boutique.
He would usually buy in double stocks for cashed-up festival-goers, but for now, he says, the shop will wait and see how things go.
At Giry's, caterer to Cannes for 50 years, business is slowly picking up.
In his office, with most of the staff still on furlough, Luc Guibout is recording his first orders in a year.
-There's no big bang but it feels like things are starting to kick off again- he smiles, after what he describes as a "horrible" year.
On the other side of town, in the La Bocca quarter, workers are busy finishing a new multiplex "Cineum" with 2,400 seats. The festival will inaugurate four of the 12 auditoriums.
The Cineum backs on to a new audiovisual studies campus that will take in its first 900 students in September, as city hall looks to capitalise on the global reputation of the festival.

In 2020, the festival that draws stars from across the world, had to be cancelled because of the pandemic

Cannes 2021: A glimpse of the Martinez hotel where most of the action takes place

Cannes 'can't wait' for film festival after 'horrible' year

Another classic piece of internet culture has been auctioned off for a six-figure sum, the latest viral sensation from the 2000s to be eagerly snapped up by digital collectors of "non fungible tokens" or NFTs.

The home video "Charlie Bit My Finger" sold for almost $761,000 on Sunday, the 14th anniversary of its debut.
In the 55-second YouTube clip from 2007, a British toddler named Harry holds his baby brother Charlie. But the adorable domestic scene takes a sudden turn when Harry puts his pointer finger into his brother's mouth, and to his surprise, Charlie clamps down, spawning the much-memed lines: "ouch, Charlie" and "Charlie, that really hurt". 
With more than 883 million views, it's one of YouTube's most popular videos, though it will soon be removed from the platform. The Davies-Carr family announced they would delete it following Sunday's auction, saying the highest bidder would become "the sole owner of this lovable piece of internet history", though of course it has been copied, shared and reposted numerous times across the web.
The auction drew offers from 11 accounts and sparked a bidding war between users "mememaster" and "3fmusic", the latter of which eventually won with a $760,999 offer. 
NFT collectibles, essentially digital assets with a certificate of authenticity created by the blockchain, have exploded in popularity over the past year. 
While the idea of buying something endlessly reproducible may bewilder some, a manic appetite for NFTs has taken hold in markets all over the world as buyers vie for bragging rights to a certified original. 
Early internet memorabilia, including memes, GIFs, photos and videos, have done particularly well. 
In March, Twitter boss Jack Dorsey sold his first tweet, from 2006, which reads "just setting up my twttr," for $2.9 million to a Malaysia-based businessman. 
An anonymous buyer snagged Nyan Cat, a 10-year-old animation of a flying, rainbow cat with a poptart body, for $590,000 the month before. 
And "Disaster Girl", a 16-year-old photo of a slyly smiling toddler with a house on fire in the background, was bought by a Dubai-based music studio for 180 Ethereum last month, the equivalent of almost $500,000 at the time.

It was published 14 years ago

In the 55-second YouTube clip from 2007, a British toddler named Harry holds his baby brother Charlie

'Charlie Bit My Finger' video fetches $760,000 at NFT auction

Twitter said on Thursday it has begun rolling out a new verification application system, allowing specific accounts to get the coveted checkmark.

The move will contribute to the company's plans to give more transparency, credibility, and clarity to verification on Twitter, the US-based tech giant said in a statement.
The accounts must be authentic, notable, and active to receive the blue badge.
-To qualify for verification, you must fit the criteria of one of the six categories; government, companies, brands and organizations, news organizations and journalists, entertainment, sports and gaming, activists, organizers, and other influential individuals.-It will later expand verification to include scientists, academics, and religious leaders.
The verified badge from accounts that no longer meet the updated criteria for verification, such as those that are inactive or incomplete, will be automatically removed, it said.
In order to be verified, an account is required to be complete, meaning it has a profile name, a profile image, and either a confirmed email address or phone number, besides being active within the last six months and have a record of adherence to the Twitter Rules.
-Over the next few weeks, everyone on Twitter will start to see the new verification application directly in the Account Settings tab- the press release said.
The system was officially paused in 2017.

All users globally can apply for blue badge from Account Setting tab

he accounts must be authentic, notable, and active to receive the blue badge

Twitter rolls out new account verification application process

Google announced plans Thursday for its first-ever physical retail store, set to open in New York this year, as the tech giant moves increasingly into gadgetry in competition with Apple.

The retail outlet will open this summer in the Chelsea neighborhood, where Google has a large regional office with many of its 11,000 New York employees.
-At the Google Store, customers will be able to browse and buy an extensive selection of products made by Google, ranging from Pixel phones to Nest products, Fitbit devices to Pixelbooks and more- said Google vice president Jason Rosenthal.
-Or they can shop online at GoogleStore.com and pick up their orders in store. Throughout the store, visitors will be able to experience how our products and services work together in a variety of immersive ways, which we're excited to share more about when the doors open.-The move comes with the internet-search leader increasingly taking on Apple with hardware products ranging from smartphones to thermostats, and follows its acquisition of wearables maker Fitbit.
-The new Google Store is an important next step in our hardware journey of providing the most helpful experience of Google, wherever and whenever people need it- Rosenthal said in a blog post.
While Apple has integrated its physical stores into its marketing strategy, Microsoft last year announced it was permanently closing its retail locations except for a handful that would be used as "experience centers."

The retail outlet will open this summer in the Chelsea neighborhood

At the Google Store, customers will be able to browse and buy an extensive selection of products made by Google, ranging from Pixel phones to Nest products, Fitbit devices to Pixelbooks and more

Google's first physical store set to open in New York

The BBC is to publish the findings of an internal investigation on Thursday into how the journalist Martin Bashir secured an explosive 1995 interview with princess Diana.

Questions have long been asked about how Bashir persuaded Diana to talk, with the princess' own brother claiming he used faked documents and bank statements.
The interview, on the BBC's flagship "Panorama" programme in November 1995, was watched by a record 22.8 million people and lifted the lid on Diana's troubled marriage to Prince Charles.
She famously said "there were three people" in her marriage -- her, Charles and his long-time mistress and now wife, Camilla Parker-Bowles, and also admitted adultery.
Bashir, 58, was little-known at the time of the interview but went on to have a high-profile career on US television networks, interviewing big-name stars, including the singer Michael Jackson, before returning to work for the corporation as religion editor.
He stepped down last week, citing ill health, hours before the report was submitted to BBC director-general Tim Davie. A scheduled BBC programme into the controversy was also delayed.
British media said Thursday the six-month probe by a retired senior judge had concluded Bashir used underhand methods to convince Diana to talk, in breach of editorial guidelines.
The Daily Telegraph suggested the report's findings could be comparable to phone-hacking revelations at the News of the World tabloid, which forced its closure.
A previous BBC inquiry had cleared Bashir of wrong-doing.
Diana and Charles formally divorced in 1996. She died aged 36 in a high-speed car crash in Paris the following year. Charles married Camilla in 2005.

Questions have long been asked about how Bashir persuaded Diana to talk, with the princess' own brother claiming he used faked documents and bank statements

She famously said "there were three people" in her marriage -- her, Charles and his long-time mistress and now wife, Camilla Parker-Bowles, and also admitted adultery

BBC to publish report into Diana interview

Fans who can't wait to see the next "Indiana Jones" film can bid to own his iconic fedora next month -- if they have perhaps a cool quarter-of-a-million dollars to spare.

The custom-made hat worn by Harrison Ford in 1984 action classic "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom" will go on sale in Hollywood from June 29, with an estimate of $150,000-$250,000.
Filmmakers commissioned the archaeologist's fedora from London hatter Herbert Johnson a year before the film was shot, said "Prop Store" auction house COO Brandon Alinger. 
-They didn't just walk in and buy a hat off the shelf... they combined attributes from a few different hats to make what became the Indiana Jones Fedora, which is probably now today, one of the most recognizable hats in all movies- he said.
Ford, 78, is set to appear in his final film as the hero archaeologist next summer.
Over 1,200 items from Hollywood folklore will go on sale in June and July, including Princess Leia actor Carrie Fisher's annotated "Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back" script and Tom Cruise's sword from "The Last Samurai."
The golf cart driven by Brad Pitt's character in "Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood" will be wheeled onto the auction block alongside a wand and eyeglasses used by Daniel Radcliffe in the final two "Harry Potter" films, donated by studio Warner Bros to raise funds for charity. 
Alinger said prices for Hollywood artefacts had "trended up over time" as they became a more established collector's items for investors who seek accumulating value and bid against wealthy fans.
-Pieces like Stormtrooper helmets that have been sold in the past and sold more recently -- you can see that rise in value over time, as more people become aware that this type of asset is available as a collectible or as a piece for investment- he said, of the distinctive "Star Wars" costumes.
Last year, a Darth Vader costume used for promoting the first film in George Lucas's original space saga sold for $287,500.
A "light-up remote-control droid" called R2-SHP from the most recent "Star Wars" film is expected to earn up to $120,000 at the next auction, ending July 1.&nbsp;

Last year, a Darth Vader costume used for promoting the first film in George Lucas's original space saga sold for $287,500

The custom-made hat worn by Harrison Ford in 1984 action classic "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom" will go on sale in Hollywood from June 29, with an estimate of $150,000-$250,000

Indiana Jones hat and Star Wars droid for sale in Hollywood

Prince Charles on Monday urged the public to mark his mother's 70th year as queen by planting trees around Britain, as the government unveiled plans to boost woodland habitats to combat climate change.

The prince said he was "delighted to announce this unique tree planting initiative created to mark Her Majesty's platinum jubilee in 2022".
The 72-year-old heir to the throne urged everyone in the country to join him and "plant a tree for the jubilee -- in other words a tree-bilee" from October, when planting begins.
The plan comes as the government, which has set a target to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050, plans to treble tree planting by the end of the current parliament in May 2024.
Queen Elizabeth II, 95, acceded to the throne in 1952 after the death of her father George VI, and was crowned the following year.
Charles was shown in a video adding the final soil to an oak tree sapling planted in a field as his mother stood watching him.
The tree was planted in the grounds of Windsor Castle, west of London, in March. Symbolically it is a Verdun Oak, trees grown from acorns from the World War I battlefield. 
The Queen during her reign has officially planted more than 1,500 trees, said Charles, who has long been known for interest in environmental causes, including organic farming.
-Planting a tree is a statement of hope and faith in the future- he added.
The project -- called The Queen's Green Canopy -- aims for people to plant sustainable native trees that are resistant to diseases. 
It will also highlight 70 irreplaceable ancient woodlands and train young people to plant and manage trees.
From June, schools and community groups can apply for 3 million free saplings from the Woodland Trust conservation charity.
In 1986 he gave an interview saying he talked to plants, prompting much mockery at the time.
Britain in November hosts the UN summit on climate change, COP26, and has called for greater commitments to tackle global warming.
Environment Secretary George Eustice will this week lay out plans to plant around 7,000 hectares (17,000 acres) of woodland per year for the next three years.

The 72-year-old heir to the throne urged everyone in the country to join him and "plant a tree for the jubilee -- in other words a tree-bilee" from October, when planting begins

Prince Charles launches tree-planting drive for Queen's jubilee

A year after leaving their royal duties to move to Los Angeles, Madame Tussauds has now decided waxwork models of Prince Harry and his wife Meghan now belong in the attraction's Hollywood zone and not with the other members of the House of Windsor.

The couple, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, quit royal duties to forge new independent careers on the other side of the Atlantic, and have since signed deals to deliver and produce content for Netflix (NFLX.O), Spotify (SPOT.N) and Apple (AAPL.O).
Now their waxwork models have been shifted from their place in the royal section of Madame Tussauds in London to join other celebrities, the famous attraction said on Thursday.
-Harry and Meghan have moved zones - Madame Tussauds London has moved its figures of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to their brand new Awards Party zone to reflect their move from Frogmore to Hollywood- Madame Tussauds said in a statement, referring to the couple's former British home Frogmore Cottage.
Later this month, a television documentary series on mental health issues co-created by Harry and U.S. chat show queen Oprah Winfrey premieres on streaming service Apple TV+.&nbsp;Ahead of the broadcasts, Harry appeared on the "Armchair Expert" podcast hosted by U.S. actor Dax Shephard, in which he likened his life as a royal to the "Truman Show", a film about a man who unwittingly grew up as the central character in a popular worldwide television reality show.
He also disclosed that when he first began dating Meghan, they met in a supermarket to avoid paparazzi photographers, and that the couple enjoyed more freedom after moving to California with young son Archie.
-Living here now, I can actually lift my head and actually I feel different, my shoulders have dropped, so have hers, you can walk around feeling a little bit more free- he said.
-I get to take Archie on the back of my bicycle. I would never have the chance to do that.-

Models have been moved to brand new Awards Party zone

Britain's Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, are interviewed by Oprah Winfrey in this undated handout photo

Madame Tussauds moves Prince Harry and Meghan waxworks from royals

Russia's space agency said Thursday it was sending an actress and a director to the International Space Station in October to make the first feature film in space.

-Filming will take place at the International Space Station. The start of the expedition is scheduled for October 5, 2021 from the Baikonur cosmodrome on the Soyuz MS-19 manned transport spacecraft- Roscosmos said in a statement.
Actress Yulia Peresild, 36, and director Klim Shipenko, 37, will undergo special training, including tests on a centrifuge and flights in zero gravity, starting no later than 1 June. 
Their pre-flight training will be documented by one of Russia's main TV channels, Channel One, which will also be involved in producing the film. 
The film's working title is "Challenge" and will be in the genre of a "space drama", Roscosmos said, without providing details about the plot of the film or Peresild's role.
Roscosmos said in September the movie will aim to "popularise Russia's space activities, as well as glorify cosmonaut profession".
The film will be co-produced by Dmitry Rogozin, the head of Russia's space agency, with the ambition of making Russia the first country to shoot a film in space.
Last year, US space agency NASA confirmed that it will be teaming up with actor Tom Cruise to make a Hollywood movie on the ISS.&nbsp;

The start of the expedition is scheduled for October 5, 2021 from the Baikonur cosmodrome on the Soyuz MS-19 manned transport spacecraft

Actress Yulia Peresild, 36, and director Klim Shipenko, 37, will undergo special training, including tests on a centrifuge and flights in zero gravity, starting no later than 1 June

Russia to send film crew to ISS for first movie in space

Organisers of the Berlin film festival said Monday that pandemic conditions in the German capital had improved enough for them to hold a planned outdoor edition in June.

The coronavirus outbreak forced the Berlinale, one of Europe's top cinema showcases, to push back its usual February event and split it into two parts.
It held an all-online edition for critics and industry buyers in March and will now press on with an exclusively outdoor festival for the general public June 9-20. 
-The Berlinale is pleased to be able to give audiences the enjoyment of an open-air cinema experience at 16 venues in total at the Summer Special- it said in a statement.
It said Berlin's falling infection rate "as well as positive signals by government offices" had led to the decision.
-Audiences will be getting a very special, collective festival experience -- something we've all been missing for such a long time- organisers said.
The June edition "is geared towards re-igniting the desire to go to the cinema, and to contributing to the revival of cultural activities with an audience." 
The programme will be made up primarily of movies shown online at the March edition, including the winners of its Golden and Silver Bear prizes, which will be awarded at a gala ceremony on June 13.
Existing open-air cinemas throughout the city as well as a specially created site on Berlin's historic Museum Island will serve as venues and comply with pandemic hygiene rules.
Ticket sales will begin on May 27.
The global coronavirus outbreak has dealt a body blow to the cinema industry and created major complications for film distribution and production for over a year. 
Cannes, the world's top film festival, usually held in May, has been postponed to July 6-17 this year due to the pandemic and was cancelled outright last year.
The Berlinale, now in its 71st year, awarded its Golden Bear top prize in March to the biting social satire "Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn" by Romania's Radu Jude.
The city of Berlin on Monday reported a seven-day coronavirus incidence just over the 100-mark, meaning cinemas, restaurants and other facilities remain closed.
However, officials are hopeful that an accelerating vaccination campaign and tightened lockdown measures will bring infections down soon, allowing for an at least partial reopening.

Existing open-air cinemas throughout the city as well as a specially created site on Berlin's historic Museum Island will serve as venues and comply with pandemic hygiene rules

Berlin film fest says safe to hold June outdoor edition

Germany's iconic Oktoberfest beer festival has been cancelled for the second year running due to the pandemic, Bavarian state premier Markus Soeder said Monday.

Holding big public events in Bavaria, including the annual Oktoberfest in the regional capital Munich, will not be feasible this year, Soeder said after a meeting with city mayor Dieter Reiter.
-In the classic beer tents at the big festivals, social distancing, masks and other measures are practically impossible to implement- Soeder said.
-The situation is too precarious- he added. -Imagine there was a new wave and it then became a superspreader event. The brand would be damaged forever and we don't want that.-Reiter said the cancellation was "a great pity" for the millions of fans of the festival, with "existential consequences" for people's livelihoods.
The event, which draws around six million visitors annually from late September to October, was cancelled in 2020 for the first time since World War II.
But the Oktoberfest has previously fallen victim to epidemics -- cholera kept the beer tents empty in 1854 and 1873. 
With Germany's vaccination effort picking up pace and new infection numbers beginning to slow, the government was Monday weighing new freedoms for those who have been vaccinated.
Some states have already lifted contact restrictions for vaccinated people, with the government planning national rules by the end of the week.
But Finance Minister Olaf Scholz told the Funke media group on Monday there was "still not much to be said" for a large event like the Oktoberfest.
-We should hold off on large crowds in a confined space for the time being- he said.

The event, which draws around six million visitors annually from late September to October, was cancelled in 2020 for the first time since World War II

Holding big public events in Bavaria, including the annual Oktoberfest in the regional capital Munich, will not be feasible this year, Soeder said after a meeting with city mayor Dieter Reiter

Germany's Oktoberfest cancelled again over COVID

To Interested Offerors: 
The purpose of this Funding Opportunity Notice (FON) is to solicit applications/proposals from interested parties, wishing to receive funding from the CATALYZE Innovative Blended Finance (CATALYZE) program. Palladium is implementing CATALYZE, funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and is seeking qualified sources to implement activities that will mobilize financing to high growth potential Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the Western Balkans (Albania, Bosnia &amp; Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia). The Selection Process will employ a two-step phased evaluation that shall progressively reduce the number of offerors considered for the final funding opportunity/opportunities. The process will comprise of two phases:
Phase 1: Initial Review of Concept Papers and Evaluating Against Phase 1 Criteria
Phase 2: Request for Full Proposals and/or Applications and Evaluation Against Phase 2 Criteria and Final Source Selection for award of a subcontract or grant (see definitions below).
Palladium on behalf of USAID anticipates awarding one or more grants and/or subcontracts to fund selected proposals/applications submitted in response to this FON. 
Phase 1: Concept Papers in response to this FON may be submitted during the initial five-month period (“on-ramp period”), and will be reviewed in two rounds, in accordance with the schedule for Concept Paper Submissions noted above. After each review round, successful offerors will be invited to submit full applications/proposals, which if selected, may result in a grant or a subcontract, as defined further below. Successful applications/proposals will be selected for funding by the CATALYZE/Palladium Source Selection Team. 
Subject to availability of funds, Palladium intends to provide between $30,000 to $500,000 for individual value of awards; however, this amount can potentially increase during the co-creation process and/or if additional funds are made available for this initiative. Palladium reserves the right to fund any or none of the applications/proposals submitted. 
Submission of questions: Questions on this FON should be addressed to wbalkans.eog@thepalladiumgroup.com and will be reviewed and answered according to the schedule above and circulated via email to all offerors who submitted concept papers before each review round. The deadlines for receipt of questions are listed above. Telephone calls regarding technical content will not be entertained. 
Palladium may award a subcontract or a grant as a result of any applications/proposals received and evaluated under Phase 2.
For the purposes of this FON a funded Subcontract is defined as a firm fixed price contract to procure goods or services at firm fixed prices, where payments are made for acceptable received and inspected services or goods in accordance with the stated criteria. Subcontracts may include profit or fee when priced.
For the purposes of this FON a funded Grant is defined as an agreement by Palladium to fund the grantee on cost reimbursable or Fixed Amount Award (FAA) to carry out innovative concept proving, research and development, or other work, which may or may not produce a desired final objective or a result. Grants shall not include any profit or fee.
The FON solicits applications/proposals for interventions that will be implemented in the Western Balkans region and offerors should clearly mention the geographic area(s)in which project activities will be implemented. Preference will be given to applications/proposals that cover more than one country.
Grants will be administered in accordance with terms and conditions in the attached FAA sample grant or other conditions to be negotiated for a cost reimbursable grant, which will be provided to the applicants selected for Phase 2 evaluation.
Subcontracts will be administered in accordance with the terms and conditions of Firm Fixed Price Contracts under CATALYZE, which will be provided to the applicants selected for Phase 2 evaluation. 
This FON is comprised of the following main sections:
1.	Program Summary 
2.	Funding Opportunity Statement
3.	Award Information
4.	Eligibility Requirements 
5.	Application/Proposal &amp; Submission Information
6.	Application/Proposal Review Information
7.	Award &amp; Administration Information
8.	Other Information
To be eligible for consideration, offerors must provide all required information in their application/proposal. Applications/proposals that are submitted late, incomplete, or are non-responsive will not be considered. Awards will be made to the responsible offerors whose concept best meet the requirements of this FON and the evaluation criteria contained herein.
Palladium requires applications/proposals to be submitted electronically (via e-mail) to wbalkans.eog@thepalladiumgroup.com no later than the deadlines listed above.
Issuance of this FON does not constitute an award commitment on the part of Palladium, nor does it commit Palladium to pay for any costs incurred in the preparation and submission of an application/proposal. Further, Palladium reserves the right to reject any or all applications/proposals received. Applications/proposals are submitted at the risk of the offeror, and all preparation and submission costs are at the offeror's own expense.
Sincerely,
Dina Karic 
EoG Regional Team Leader

<h2>Attachment A: Eligibility Certification</h2>

Name of Offeror: 	___________________________
FON Number:		___________________________		
Date of Application:	___________________________
Application Title:	___________________________

Authorized Representative Signature	___________________________
Authorized Representative Name	___________________________
Date					___________________________

Funding Opportunity Notice (FON): Innovative Concepts for SME Growth Financing in the Western Balkans

Nepal on Saturday inaugurated a replica of a historic tower that collapsed in a devastating 2015 earthquake, a day before the disaster's sixth anniversary.

The 19th-century, nine-storey Dharahara tower, a major tourist attraction, was among buildings which crumbled in the 7.8-magnitude quake that killed nearly 9,000 people.
Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli inaugurated the new 23-storey, 84-metre (276-foot) white tower, built next to the rubble of the original, by raining flowers from the top-floor balcony.
-Dharahara is linked to our feelings, pride, past and history- the prime minister said.
Two underground floors have also been built, to hold a museum about the quake.
The tower had already been rebuilt once, after a 1934 earthquake.
More than 50 people were killed when the original 50-metre (165-foot) tower -- known for its views across the capital -- fell in 2015.
The new tower is part of a huge national reconstruction programme.
The rebuilding has been hit by political infighting and bureaucracy and many buildings, including health and government institutions and schools, are unfinished.
The National Reconstruction Authority (NRA), the government body overseeing rebuilding, says however that 93 percent of private houses have been rebuilt.
Some 493 out of 920 quake-damaged cultural heritage sites have also been rebuilt, while 288 of them are under construction, according to government records.

The 19th-century, nine-storey Dharahara tower, a major tourist attraction, was among buildings which crumbled in the 7.8-magnitude quake that killed nearly 9,000 people

Two underground floors have also been built, to hold a museum about the quake

Nepal reopens quake-toppled historic tower

Instagram started offering users on Wednesday the option to filter incoming direct message requests for hurtful language, a step aimed at showing the Facebook-owned social network is serious about reducing online harassment.

-Because DMs are private conversations, we don't proactively look for hate speech or bullying the same way we do elsewhere- Instagram said in a blog post.
But requests to open new private chats are "where people usually receive abusive messages," it added.
Running on the user's device to preserve privacy, rather than Instagram's servers, the new filters will block requests to open a direct messaging conversation that contain offensive words, expressions or emojis.
As well as a set of pre-defined filters, users will be able to add their own terms to their personal block list, just as they already can for comments on their posts.
At first, users in seven countries -- Britain, France, Ireland, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada -- will be given the option, with more to follow "over the next few months".
-These are the countries where public figures, especially football players, have been victims of abuse and offensive language in direct messages- Instagram public policy manager in France Clotilde Briend told AFP.
-Most hate speech comes in these direct message requests. We'll give everyone the option of reporting these messages to us, or not- she added.
Facebook is also considering rolling the filter out to its other chat properties Messenger and WhatsApp, Briend said.
With more than one billion users, Instagram has like other social networks spent years trying to fight harassment, hate speech and disinformation.
In 2019, it set up artificial intelligence-based warnings to people trying to post insulting messages, and recently said it would use machine learning to work out users' real age.
In March, it confirmed it would push ahead with a version of the platform geared for pre-teens, as the existing platform bans under-13s.
Childrens' groups and rights advocates from around the world have called on Facebook to drop the plans.

This is a a step aimed at showing the Facebook-owned social network is serious about reducing online harassment

With more than one billion users, Instagram has like other social networks spent years trying to fight harassment, hate speech and disinformation

Instagram lets users filter insults in private message requests

China has revealed a prototype for a new high-speed Maglev train that is capable of reaching speeds of 620 kilometers (385 miles) per hour.
The train runs on high-temperature superconducting (HTS) power that makes it look as if the train is floating along the magnetized tracks.
The sleek 21-meter-long (69 feet) prototype was unveiled to media in the city of Chengdu, Sichuan Province, on January 13. In addition, university researchers constructed 165 meters (541 feet) of track to demonstrate how the train would look and feel in transit, according to state-run Xinhua News.Professor He Chuan (vice president of Southwest Jiaotong University, which worked on the prototype) told reporters that the train could be "operational" within 3-10 years.
He added: "Sichuan has rich rare earth resources, which is very beneficial to our construction of permanent magnet tracks, thus promoting the faster development of experiments."

China is home to the world's largest high-speed rail network, which stretches over 37,000 kilometers, and the fastest commercially operating train -- the Shanghai maglev.
The country's first high-speed Maglev train, it began operating in 2003. Running at a top speed of 431 kph, the train links Shanghai Pudong Airport and Longyang Road in the eastern side of Shanghai.
China has been eager to make further infrastructure improvements ahead of the 2022 Winter Olympics, which will take place in Beijing.This time last year, China unveiled a new 174-kilometer high-speed railway line connecting Beijing with 2022 Winter Olympics host city Zhangjiakou, cutting the travel time between the two from three hours to 47 minutes.
Earlier this month, the country debuted a bullet train specifically designed to withstand freezing temperatures. The CR400AF-G train can travel up to 350 kilometers per hour in weather as cold as -40 degrees Celsius (-40 degrees Fahrenheit).
It will run on routes between Beijing, Shenyang and Harbin -- the latter of which is so cold that it hosts an annual snow and ice festival.

The train runs on high-temperature superconducting (HTS) power that makes it look as if the train is floating along the magnetized tracks

The sleek 21-meter-long (69 feet) prototype was unveiled to media in the city of Chengdu, Sichuan Province, on January 13th

China debuts train prototype that can hit speeds of 620 kilometers per hour

Instagram is launching a small global test on Wednesday where users can choose whether to hide like counts on their own posts or other people’s posts, a Facebook spokeswoman said.

The photo-sharing site, which is owned by Facebook Inc, said this latest test came after seeing mixed responses to its experiments in which it removed likes, commonly used as a measure of popularity.
-In 2019, we started hiding like counts for a small group of people to understand if it lessens some pressure when posting to Instagram- the spokeswoman said in a statement. -Some people found this beneficial but some still wanted to see like counts so they could track what’s popular.-Facebook is also exploring a similar experience which will roll out in the coming weeks, she said, in response to users calling for more controls over how they interact with content on the platform. Facebook has previously tested hiding likes on others’ posts in Australia.
Last month, Instagram accidentally hid likes for a large number of users in what was meant to be a small test, garnering strong reactions. Some users viewed it as an important step for users’ mental health, while others saw it as catastrophic for creators partnering with brands. Likes are expressed through pressing a heart-shaped icon on a user’s post.
Users in the Instagram test will still be able to privately see their own like count. The test will involve a small percentage of global users, but the company declined to say how many.

This latest test came after seeing mixed responses to its experiments in which it removed likes, commonly used as a measure of popularity

Silhouettes of mobile users are seen next to a screen projection of Instagram logo in this picture illustration taken March 28, 2018.

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Entertainment

Cannes 'can't wait' for film festival after 'horrible' year

'Charlie Bit My Finger' video fetches $760,000 at NFT auction

Twitter rolls out new account verification application process

Google's first physical store set to open in New York

BBC to publish report into Diana interview

Indiana Jones hat and Star Wars droid for sale in Hollywood

Prince Charles launches tree-planting drive for Queen's jubilee

Madame Tussauds moves Prince Harry and Meghan waxworks from royals

Russia to send film crew to ISS for first movie in space

Berlin film fest says safe to hold June outdoor edition

Germany's Oktoberfest cancelled again over COVID

Funding Opportunity Notice (FON): Innovative Concepts for SME Growth Financing in the Western Balkans

Nepal reopens quake-toppled historic tower

Instagram lets users filter insults in private message requests

China debuts train prototype that can hit speeds of 620 kilometers per hour

Instagram launches test where users can choose to see likes