Posted: Sep. 23, 2019 7:00 am Updated: Sep. 23, 2019 9:26 am

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, began their first official tour as a family Monday with their infant son, Archie, in South Africa, with Meghan declaring to cheers that "I am here with you as a mother, as a wife, as a woman, as a woman of color and as your sister."

The first day of their 10-day, multi-country tour started in Cape Town with visits to girls' empowerment projects that teach rights and self-defense. Harry danced a bit as a musical welcome greeted them in the township of Nyanga, whose location was not made public in advance because of security concerns.

Violent crime is so deadly in parts of Cape Town that South Africa's military has been deployed in the city, and its stay was extended last week. Frustration over high unemployment and lack of services also has exploded into protests and attacks on foreigners elsewhere in South Africa in recent weeks.

"As someone who has visited this amazing country many times, and as someone who regards Cape Town as a uniquely special place in Africa, I wanted to ensure that our first visit as a family - with my wife by my side - focused on the significant challenges facing millions of South Africans, while acknowledging the hope that we feel so strongly here," Harry said.

The royal couple also was meeting Monday with former residents of District Six, a vibrant mixed-race community that was relocated from the inner city during South Africa's harsh period of apartheid, or white minority rule, that ended in 1994.

Their visit also will focus on wildlife protection, entrepreneurship, mental health and mine clearance a topic given global attention by Harry's late mother, Princess Diana, when she walked through an active mine field during an Africa visit years ago.

Harry later this week will break away for visits to Botswana, Angola and Malawi.

The couple arrived in a South Africa still shaken by the rape and murder of a university student, carried out in a post office, that sparked protests by thousands of women tired of abuse and impunity in a country where more than 100 rapes are reported every day.

This is "one of the most unsafe places in the world to be a woman," President Cyril Ramaphosa said last week, announcing new emergency measures and vowing to be tougher on perpetrators.

While the royal visit wasn't causing the kind of excitement seen at times in other parts of the Commonwealth, some in South Africa said they were happy to see the arrival of Meghan, who has been vocal about women's rights.

"We are encouraged to hear your president take the next steps to work towards preventing gender-based violence through education and necessary changes to reinforce the values of modern South Africa," Meghan said.

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Anna reported from Johannesburg.

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Follow Africa news at https://twitter.com/AP_Africa

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Harry and Meghan start 1st official tour as family in Africa - Herald-Whig

Connectivity has given rise to one of the most influential consumer groups in todays world connected consumers. Smartphones put the world at consumers fingertips, providing instant access to almost anything at any time. Mobility has been a key part of the rise of connected consumers.

2019 has been a key year for connected consumers. For the first time, more than half of the global population is connected to the internet, according to Euromonitor International. That is double the percentage of the population that was connected in 2009. Mobile phones are the key connector with 50% of the global population using such devices to connect to the internet as of 2019.

But who are connected consumers? What is the importance of this consumer segment? How are they leveraging this connectivity to change how they live, work, shop and play? There are five notable traits that define connected consumers as highlighted below:

1)On-demand lifestyle

The rapid increase in connections has ushered in speed, convenience and instant access across life. Connected consumers can summon a taxi, book a flight, browse products, order food, listen to music, play a game, watch a film or chat with others using internet connectivity. Life is always at ones fingertips.

Thanks to the smartphone, connected consumers can now execute any number of actions at any time and from anywhere. Global mobile users execute an average of six distinct activities per day in 2019 with the greatest usage in emerging markets, according to Euromonitor Internationals Lifestyles Survey. The internet is the top mobile activity with 66% of connected consumers browsing the internet on a daily basis in 2019, up from 41% in 2011.

2)Consumer power

Widespread connectivity had a fundamental and profound shift with regards to the consumers position in traditional power structures. Brands no longer control information about their products and services. Informed consumers walk into commerce transactions armed with information about what they want and should expect to pay. Connected consumers are more influenced by personal recommendations and independent consumer reviews as compared with mass marketing, according to Euromonitor Internationals 2019 Lifestyles Survey. Even regarding newer channels, such as social media, consumers are more influenced by posts from friends rather than from a company.

Companies from TripAdvisor to Amazon have seized on these new network effects. Amazon has incorporated customer reviews since launching as an online bookseller in 1995. This transparency gave consumers confidence in purchasing items they could not see or touch. Amazon also introduced star ratings to help consumers quickly understand the product quality. As Amazon moved into physical retail with the launch of Amazon Books in 2015, it took its popular online rating system offline. In-store shelves display the books average star rating along with the top review.

The TripAdvisor, Inc. homepage is displayed on a computer screen in Tiskilwa, Illinois, U.S., on Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2013. TripAdvisor, Inc., is scheduled to report quarterly earnings on Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2013. Photographer: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg

3)Consumer centricity

Society is in the midst of a shift from being about the masses to a story of one. Around one-quarter of connected consumers seek personalized shopping experience with this desire highest among younger cohorts, according to Euromonitor Internationals 2019 Lifestyles Survey. Aspiring next-generation companies and brands cannot accomplish this without help. Up to now, companies have been collecting petabytes of data, but have struggled to make sense of it all. Technology plays an important role for companies wishing to provide a memorable customer experience. Artificial intelligence (AI), specifically machine learning and natural language processing, is being deployed to craft human-like personalized experience for the masses.

AI is a particularly powerful advancement for visually driven social platforms like Pinterest. In February 2019, Pinterest announced its move toward a completely automated e-commerce Shop the Look function, marshalling AI to scale across the billions of images it shows Pinners. Launched in 2017, Pinterests Shop the Look uses AI to match clothing and accessories pinned in pictures with similar products sold by retailers. The latest release is now fully automated. Social media companies and e-commerce players are leveraging AI to improve recommendation efficiency and accuracy.

4)Internet of everything

Always-on is already the new normal. Connected consumers are always connected, receiving and broadcasting information. The coming phase of connectivity will, however, be a giant leap in terms of breadth. Of course, this is more commonly referred to as the Internet of Things, which in simple terms refers to the intelligent interaction that occurs between humans and things to exchange information and knowledge for a new value creation.

This greater connectivity enables companies to adopt service-orientated business models, offering remote monitoring, enhanced analytics and predictive maintenance. Item-level sensors on products will enable companies to track these items through the supply chain until disposal. Even personal chipping will exponentially increase the volume of data, giving brands and service providers unprecedented detail in terms of what connected consumers are doing, when and likely why.

The Internet of Things data platform Evrythng is an example of a company that is turning everyday items, from crackers to lipstick to clothing, into digitized and identifiable products that can be tracked through the supply chain. Sensor-embedded products could be a retail game changerimproving product identification, supply chain management and fraud prevention and enabling greater brand-consumer marketing interactions. In recent years, item-level sensors have significantly dropped in price, making all of this possible.

5)Digital balance

The internet ushered in greater connectivity and convenience across all aspects of consumer life to the point of becoming an addiction for some. More than half of connected consumers globally indicated they would be lost without said internet access, according to Euromonitor Internationals 2019 Lifestyles Survey. Consumers have come to realize that they need to exercise more self-control over their gluttonous ways. At first, consumers tried to fast from the internet for periods of time before realizing it might require a more balanced and sustainable approach to manage ones tech usage, much like ones diet.

Even some of the biggest purveyors of the digital addiction Facebook, Alphabet and Apple have put initiatives in place that will limit usage. Apple, which is the second-largest global smartphones manufacturer based on retail volume sales behind Samsung, introduced new tools to limit screen time, or at least create digital self-awareness, as part of its new operating system in mid-2018. Facebook, which dominates the social media landscape globally, has also taken a more active role in helping its users maintain their digital wellness across its social properties, including the likes of its core Facebook platform as well as Instagram. In a more recent initiative, Instagram has trialed removing likes in response to criticism that such metrics hurt mental health.

A new playbook is required for connected consumers

This widespread connectivity has ushered in a new set of challenges and opportunities, thus, requiring companies to deploy a new playbook. Now, connected consumers have access to anything at any time. They expect to get what they want, whenever and however they want it. The technologies and platforms developed off the back of this access are forever reshaping consumerism. Brands and companies will have to rethink their strategies to win over this more impatient and informed connected consumer.

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Five Key Traits Defining Connected Consumers In 2019 - Forbes

CHICAGO (CBS) Michael Blackman, 45, has been charged with several felonies in the shooting of a Chicago police officer this weekend, and the shooting of a 28-year-old woman last week in the Fulton River District.

Chicago Police Department spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said Blackman has been charged with five charges of attempted first degree murder. He was denied bail at a bond hearing Monday afternoon.

At a press conference Monday morning, First Deputy Supt. Anthony Riccio said officers stopped at nothing to find Blackman to bring him to justice.

Blackman was arrested Saturday after a chase and shootout with police Saturday afternoon near 64th and Bell in the Englewood neighborhood, after earlier shooting a police officer who was trying to serve an arrest warrant.

Police said Blackman shot a 40-year-old police officer Saturday morning in the 1900 block of West 65th Street while the officer was serving an arrest warrant in a burglary case and following up on the shooting of a 28-year-old woman last week.

Police Supt. Eddie Johnson said the wounded officer had the self awareness to make his own tourniquet while his partners maintained pressure on the gunshot wound on the way to the hospital.

The officer was rushed to Advocate Christ Medical Center, where his condition was stabilized after surgery. Doctors said the officer had wounds to his left groin as well as two holes in his left lower leg that involved one of the largest veins in the leg.

She said the officer came in bleeding to death and was taken right to surgery. The officer also has significant fractures in the leg.

Meantime, police continued a manhunt for Blackman, and obtained surveillance video of him going through a vacant lot in the 6400 block of South Hoyne. The video did not show Blackman leaving the area, so thats where police and federal agents focused t heir manhunt.

When police searched the area Saturday afternoon, they stumbled across Blackman, and got into a shootout. Blackman was shot and suffered a broken leg. He was taken to Christ Medical Center in critical condition.

Chicago Police Deputy Chief of Detectives Brendan Deenihan explained police suspect the best motive behind Blackmans seemingly random shooting of a 28-year-old woman in Fulton River District last week might have to do with his job as a Jimmy Johns delivery person.

Police have said Blackman shot the woman in the back as she was walking to lunch last Wednesday near Milwaukee Avenue and Lake Street. She survived and was treated at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. Prosecutors said she suffered multiple broken ribs, and a torn artery and nerve in her chest. She has lost some feeling and mobility and her right hand.

Deenihan said Blackman has delivered to the female victims building several times. In the past, Blackman had issues with security at her building, because he refused to show an ID.

Her building has very tight security and he has problems with the security officers every time he goes to deliver his Jimmy Johns there, said Deenihan. Security always had a problem with him at this building.

Police said this motive is based on speculation and has not been confirmed.

Police said Blackman shot the woman from behind, so she was unable to identify him as the shooter.

In the days before Blackmans arrest, Chicago police had released surveillance video of the gunman who shot the 28-year-old woman. Deenihan said Itasca police informed detectives that gunman strongly resembled a suspect they wanted for a burglary.

Itasca PD should be credited with identifying this offender, Deenihan said.

After the shootout with Blackman, police recovered a weapon connected to all three incidents the Fulton River District shooting, the shooting of the police officer, and the later shootout. Police said it is unknown where he got the gun, but can confirm he illegally owned the gun due to his status as a convicted felon.

Police recovered Blackmans handgun along with three fired cartidge cases and his backpack. The clothing recovered in the backpack matched the clothing the defendant was wearing during the Milwaukee Avenue shooting.

Police said the officer who was shot is still in intensive care and went through a second surgery.

We are very optimistic about his recovery, Riccio said.

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Michael Blackman Charged With Attempted Murder In Shooting Of Police Officer, Earlier Shooting Of Woman In Fulton River District - CBS Chicago

In lieu of a traditional franchise-by-franchise NBA preview, we asked Tyler Parker to give us five players to watch on each team. If we want. For reasons entirely his own.

Once punched Juan Carlos Navarro in the balls so hard the continents briefly shifted, realigned, became Pangea again, then stretched back out to what we think of presently as the world. Im sure Nics not altogether stoked about that memory kicking things off but I cant help my brain. It does what it does and it makes my life hard. Id love to get a new one, so, if you hear of anything, holler. Something cost-effective, but reliable. It doesnt need to be MENSA-level or anything. Im not asking for genius. Just give me one of those brains where the persons kind of oblivious but completely content in every way. And maybe give me one with a lot of information on something awesome in there like surfing or bullfighting or Carlos Santana. Batum seems like the type of guy who will find his way onto a contender before his careers up, coming off the bench in the Finals to try and bother DeAaron Fox into some turnovers. The Kings have rolled through the playoffs and are an absolute juggernaut. Buddy Hield is averaging, no lie, 39 points per game. Bogdan Bogdanovic is made of stardust. Fox is making it all hum. Hes averaging 16 assists per game and his latest album just reached the top of the charts. Hes the king of the radio. Hes the king of the world.

Ill be sending around a petition at some point this year. Not sure when yet. This is real in my head and right now Im certain Ill do it, but Im also lazy and could absolutely see myself being all about the task right up until actually doing it. I was this way when I decided I would run a marathon. I was this way when I decided I would learn to play the guitar. I was this way when I bought white jeans. Committed to the max, then not. The petition will be to change Bridgess first name to Nash.

He admitted he was bad last year and Ill root for him for the rest of his life because of that.

Self-awareness is rarer than a thunderstorm in the desert. Im not happy with that sentence. It makes me yawn. I like how the word thunderstorm looks, though, so Im going to leave it. Bridges plays like hes wearing trampolines on his feet. Hes a tank strapped to the back of a jet. The first time I watched the dunk below I was wearing a hat.

Somewhere around the time his feet touched the ground, I stopped being able to feel it. A buzzing in my head. The Great Chiseled Bunny, soaring, looking for bodies.

Scary Terrys in the Tar Heel State with a full wallet and a starting spot. MJ came down from on high with the JNCOs people and the Hanes people and the mustache people. He spread his arms out wide and smiled.

Look, man, look at this energy, said Jordan. Also, have you ever seen The Big Country starring Gregory Peck?

Of course I have, Im not an idiot, said Rozier. I loved Bryant Reeves. Brooks Thompson could cook, too.

We are not talking about the same things.

Mike deemed it wise to bestow upon Ter a chill $58 mil over the course of the next three years. What do the smart people say? I like him fine as a player, but not at that number? Hell have a game this year where he flirts with 40. It will be kind of fun.

I never watched Monk. Shalhoubs a welcome addition to any ensembleWings was fantastic, was and is classicbut Monk never appealed to me. I think it had something to do with the font.

Let Malik take you on fall tours of Bentonville as the leaves of Northwest Arkansas change. See him there, clothed in floral-patterned sweatshirtsthe flowers are orange, I dont know their nameanswering questions about Crystal Bridges.

I do not, ultimately, care about efficiency.

The classic white throwbacks the Hornets played in last season, with the pinstripes like Muggsy and them used to wear, would look great on anyone. Theyre a fantastic choice for any event, any season. Wear it to your daughters friends bat mitzvah. Wear it to the beach. Wear it to a job interview. Jerseys these days have largely been stripped of their personalities. Where have all the eccentricities gone? The strange has fallen by the wayside as franchise valuations reach up into the billions. The 90s were filled with swings for the fences (see: Grizzlies, Vancouver). I almost typed the 90s were filled with swings for fashions fences. I didnt, though. Teams nowadays seem content to try and hit singles. Heres the thing about singles, though. Theyre boring.

Hit triples. This is what we were promised Monk could do. He plays defense like someone told him it was optional. One day hell start for the Spurs, average 18 a game, get it. For now, hes in Charlotte, refusing to play in summer league, trying to not get slapped by Michael Jordan again.

Last winter, Devont Graham showed up in D.C. with the rest of the Greensboro Swarm and put up 42 on Capital City Go-Go. Bags are outdated and should go the way of the dodo. He was in his treasure chest in our nations capital. I like it in National Treasure when Nic Cage says the word spectacles.

Get Bill Self the Enid Plainsgod to talk about Graham and hell just start reading the thesaurus entry under the word supreme. Self has his reasons and theyre good. At Kansas, Graham was a dog. See him in Phog wearing a chain with a jayhawk piece the size of a yoked-up hamster, a constellation around his neck. Let me go full JVG herehe plays with remarkable energy. Burns bright. Hes all diamonds and gasoline.

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NBA Preview: Five Guys to Watch on the Charlotte Hornets - The Ringer

Photo credit to Texas Isaiah

Catherine Harris-White, better known as SassyBlack, worked with other folks first (THEE Satisfaction, Shabazz Palaces), before flying solo. Her new album is Ancient Mahogany Gold, released on September 13th is burning up the northwest right now and shell be sharing it with fans on her engagement with Kate Tempest, September 29th at the Showbox Sodo; at the Stampede Cocktail Club on October 4th; and another bill with Mary Lambert at the Neptune, November 11th. She was kind enough to take some questions.

NWMS: What are your thoughts about Seattle over the time youve been here? How have things changed, for good, bad, or odd? SassyBlack: Seattle was really peculiar when I first moved here, not to say that has changed too much. Its still a sweet weirdo palace, but it has grown on me. I love its lushness and the opportunity that lives here once you dig a little deeper. Same with the community. Its changing in a lot of ways as everything does, but I am still drawn to be here. NWMS: What are your favorite places to play in Seattle, and why? SassyBlack: I love playing at the Croc, Nectar Lounge, the Showbox, KEXP, the Moore, Neptune, and the Paramount (when I get the chance to). Ive been performing on the stages of the Paramount & Moore since I was about 14 when I was doing more acting. The Croc & Nectar Lounge always feel like home to me as well.

The staff in all these venues have been tremendously and consistently kind to me over the years. Those spaces hold a special place in my heart. I know when I get booked to play these venues I will have a great experience. NWMS: Favorite places to visit in Seattleshops, restaurants, snacks, books, etc.?

SassyBlack: Everyday Music is a sweet spot for me to lose, I mean invest, money. I also dig Little Thai in the University District and Ba Bar on Capitol Hill. Light In the Attic [the record shop] at KEXP is great, so is KEXP in general. Like what a joyful spot to go and just chill. NWMS: Youve been on your own awhile now. How does the music you mastermind solo differ from what you did with collaborators? SassyBlack: My solo music brings me more joy. I am getting back into collaborating with more artists and was lucky enough to have some of my favs play on Ancient Mahogany Gold. NWMS: Where did you record this new album, and who were your wingpeople? SassyBlack: I recorded in LA at Bedrock & in Seattle at Jack Straw thanks to a residency I was lucky enough to receive. In terms of wingpeople, I was lucky to work with Claire Morison (Bedrock) & Ayesha Ubayatilaka (Jack Straw) to record my vocals. Ebonie Smith (Atlantic Records) mixed it all and Adam Straney (Breakpoint Mastering) mastered it. Adam and I have been working together for years. WuTang McDougal did the artwork and Texas Isaiah shot my press photos. Overall I am a pretty lucky gal.NWMS: What would you say are the overall themes of the new album, musically and lyrically?

SassyBlack: Self-love, self-awareness, appreciation, gratitude, struggle, jokes, self-worth, value, experience and self-evaluation. NWMS: The first three singles are Antidote, Depression, and Do It. How do these three tracks compare and contrast with each other?

SassyBlack: Its all about lifes experience and how we deal with things. Depression and Do It are about comprehending the situation you are in and taking the time to process and uplift yourself to get out of that mindset. If we have a negative voice, or a few of them, we have some positive voices as well. Antidote is recognizing and accepting that it all begins and ends with self-love and realization. NWMS: The Strangers Dave Segal referred to you as At once a self-help guru, a concerned lover, and a sage philosopher. Do you relate to each of these roles?

SassyBlack: Yes, I relate to these roles, and I love that he saw them in me. NWMS: Whats in the future for you, after the album drops? SassyBlack: Now that the album is out, I am joyous. I am also working on several projects that will be released in due time. I will be teaching music production classes with a focus in Ableton very often at Coyote Central, the Bellevue Library as well as Patchwerks over on Eastlake.

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Interview: SassyBlack chats with NWMS - Northwest Music Scene

TheSustainable Favela Network(SFN) is a project ofCatalytic Communities(CatComm)* designed to build and reinforce solidarity networks, bring visibility and develop joint actions to support the expansion of community-based initiatives that strengthen environmental sustainability and social resilience in favelas across the Rio de Janeiro Metropolitan Region. The project began with the 2012 filmFavela as a Sustainable Model, followed in 2017 by the mapping of 111 sustainability initiativesand the publication of afinal reportanalyzing the results.

In 2018, the project organizedintimate on-site exchanges among eight of the oldest and most established organizationsthat were mapped in the Sustainable Favela Network, followed by afull-day exchange with the entire networkthat took place on November 10, 2018. Watch the video that accompanies the exchanges featured in the 2018 series by clickinghere.

In 2019, the project is organizing the second round of on-site exchangesthis time open to both SFN members and the general public alikeat projects based in Babilnia,Camorim, Pavuna, Vila Kennedy and Manguinhos. This fourth exchange of the year had participants visit the Kennedy Brothers Community Center (CCIK) in the Vila Kennedy favela. The exchange kicked off with a weekly community yoga class, followed by introductions from community organizers and a presentation on the history of Vila Kennedy by local historian Alex Belchion. The afternoon saw participants split into groups for newspaper basket-weaving and gardening workshops before reuniting for a self-care capacity-building circle led by CatComm director Theresa Williamson. All SFNexchanges are supported by theHeinrich Bll Foundation Brazil.

On the morning of Saturday, September 14, 42 people came together at The Kennedy Brothers Community Center (CCIK) in Vila Kennedy, in Rio de Janeiros West Zone, for the fourth Sustainable Favela Network exchange of 2019. As a quiet rain fell outside the community center, inside, yoga instructor and Vila Kennedy resident Giorgio Freitas guided a community yoga class. A regular self-care activity at the CCIK, the Saturday morning class saw near-full attendance, and Freitas led nearly 30 local women through the restorative session, encouraged participants to be bold while also respecting their limits in each of the different yoga positions. As members of the Sustainable Favela Network from across the city trickled into the CCIK, they too stretched and strengthened their bodies, and the newly-integrated session came to a close with all participants lying down, closing their eyes, for a final Shavasana exercise.

Vernica Gomes Martins da Silva, president of the CCIK, greeted the days now energized participants, followed by Theresa Williamson of Catalytic Communities, Geiza de Andrade Moura of Agentes Ambientais (Environmental Agents, community members trained as part of the Rio city governments Center for Environmental Education), and Alex Belchior, community historian and tour guide. Williamson explained the Sustainable Favela Networks purpose, emphasizing the importance of the days exchange to the network. Andrade introduced the fundamental work that the Environmental Agentsundertake in the community, explaining one of the programs central campaigns, whose theme is that poverty is not synonymous with dirty. The project aims to create a more sustainable community, reducing the level of trash in the streets and introducing additional garbage collection points around the neighborhood, among many other elements.

CCIK celebrated its 50th anniversary this April. It is a hive of activity, and has consistently provided vital support and services to the community. Gomes praised the CCIKs tireless volunteers as beacons of light for Vila Kennedy, which, due to a lack of public sector supportsave for in the form of police intervention and military occupationstep in where the State is absent, carrying out social projects to improve, empower, and provide opportunities for the community. The center offers a range of services, from therapy to assistance with college entrance exams. Above all, though, the center is a place for residents to simply stop, take a break, and catch their breath.

Kicking off the days activities, Belchior introduced his work in compiling a comprehensive history of Vila Kennedy (accessible to all at http://www.vilakennedy.com) and went on to explain the neighborhoods origins. Vila Kennedy, constructed under the mandate of Rio (then the State of Guanabara) Governor Carlos Lacerda, sprouted from Cold War era assistance from the US under President John F. Kennedys Alliance for Progress program. Founded in 1964 as Brazils first planned communityformerly an orange grove, according to BelchiorVila Kennedy was intended to house the evicted residents of Favela do Esqueleto, near the Maracan stadium, whose homes had been demolished to make way for the construction of the State University of Rio de Janeiro (UERJ).

Belchior, a resident of Vila Kennedy for 46 years, emphasized that just as important as the neighborhoods documented history was, that residents connection to the communitys history was equally vital. He asked local participants if they knew their familys histories, especially in regard to how they came to live in Vila Kennedy. Some described their families having no say in how they arrived, having been forced to move after being evicted from other favelas. Others, however, came out of choice, drawn to Vila Kennedy by its early-on planned facilities, such as medical posts, supermarkets, and schools.

As residents exchanged stories and recognized their similarities, community pride surged. Participants were full of ideas, such as instituting regular community meetings and bringing old photographs to help Belchior create a fuller picture of the history of the favela and its people.

I do it out of love, said Belchior, an amazing storyteller, when asked about the purpose behind his work. His long-term project of collecting stories from residents, researching, and archiving the communitys history, is more than a hobby: Belchior believes that if people understand their communitys history, they will begin to see where they live differently, feel more connected, and move towards creating a collective identity of proud residents. He hopes to portray Vila Kennedy as more than an area afflicted by violence. Rather, as a place that has history and memories. Belchior encouraged residents to continue to explore their familys histories in the community and to remember the battles the first residents of Vila Kennedy faced in making the neighborhood what it is today.

Participants in the conversation agreed that documenting a communitys memories and stories is essential, and a fundamental element in engaging residents in community sustainability efforts. A sense of history and pride in ones place is what drives the sense of belonging that in turn engages residents in improving their communities and engaging with its outcomes.

Following a delicious zero-waste lunch prepared by volunteers in the CCIK kitchen, participants split into two groups and dove into the afternoons workshops, run by the communitys Environmental Agents. Geiza de Andrade led one group through a sustainable newspaper basket-weaving workshop, while Nair Romo took a second group outside to a planting workshop in CCIKs garden.

At the sustainable crafts workshop, Andrade showed participants how to create their own baskets out of recycled materials: using rolled-up magazines and newspaper pages, Andrade stuck the carefully prepared paper tubes to a cardboard base using glue. The tubes were then layered one by one on each side, interlacing to create a spiraling square basket. The end products were sturdy, beautiful baskets of various sizes. Andrade explained that the baskets are one of many products she encourages participants in her Womens Empowerment group to sell at local markets and fairs.

Participants also had a chance to exchange ideas on how to reduce waste in their daily lives. Andrade explained ways in which residents can not only reduce waste and consumption of disposable plastics, but also save money by using homemade crafts for events like childrens birthday parties. Andrade dispelled the myth of it being easier to simply buy a whole load of disposable materials for such events.

On the theme of environmental responsibility and sustainability, the conversation moved on to the importance of reforestation, work which is championed by the Environmental Agents in Vila Kennedy. Andrade highlighted the benefits of reforestation, as natural anti-flood barriers and in bringing improved air quality, referencing the successful reforestation which took place in the Babilnia favela in 1995, which led to a noticeable improvement in air quality a decade later. In fact, it was due to reforestation projects that the craft-making workshops came to be. Some areas that were to be reforested were full of trash, so the Environmental Agents began by talking to residents and analyzing the content of the trash. They realized that much of the waste was the result of discarded newspapers and magazines and developed an alternative destination for this material: crafts that residents could then sell and generate income with.

Outside in CCIKs vegetable garden, Nair Romo from the Environmental Agents led participants in a gardening workshop. As the group gathered around, ready to get their hands dirty, Romo gave advice on how to prepare and water the soil. Collectively, the group planted spinach and cilantro, and some residents took seeds with them to plant at home. There are future plans to have a suspended garden made using recycled plastic bottles.

For the final session of the day, participants once again came together in a circle, this time to discuss self-care and mental health. Theresa Williamson began, passing out post-it notes and markers, requesting that participants write down the themes, thoughts or feelings that most gave them anxiety. As the responses were collected and read out one-by-one, participants were prompted to raise their hands if they too felt, or had felt, anxiety in the varying situations. Many hands shot up surrounding themes related to money and employment. The floor then opened up to a frank discussion where participants were free to share experiences or give advice. They explored what having financial issues means to the people of the community, and how the economic system we live in causes a need for money that is sometimes dissociated from the pursuit of life quality.

Aline Barcellos da Cruz from the Sepetiba Ecomuseum, located in Rios West Zone, then led the group in an interactive activity involving balloons and music. Each participant had their own balloon and was asked to keep it in the air, alternating from hand to hand. Barcellos explained that the balloons represented each individuals life and responsibilities, and the challenges of keeping the balance. Everyone was then encouraged to think of how we try to help others with their lives and responsibilities, and how without keeping our own balance and respecting our own limits, we are unable to help others. Returning to the circle as the exercise came to an end, Marcella Vieira from the Reciclao program in Morro dos Prazeres, mentioned the practice of Nonviolent Communication as a means of self-care, and others also stressed how self-awareness and healthy interpersonal communications are key to well-being.

The self-care session ended with a guided meditation session, led by US-born Adam Newman. Newman, the creator of Favela Inc., moved to Rio seven years ago and has lived in the Vidigal favela for the past five. He explained that he moved to Rio for love of the culture, but also in search of a simpler, more balanced life. Newman invited the group to share their life priorities one by one. As responses like love, service, and family repeated themselves around the room, participants were encouraged to think about finding balance and discovering themselves on the path to achieving these priorities. The activity closed with a six-stage guided meditation session. As the session closed, participants stood, joined hands, and, in homage to the spirit of the day and the community of Vila Kennedy, shared their gratitude, making for a beautiful finish to an inspiring day.

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4th Sustainable Favela Network Exchange of 2019: History, Art, and Self-Care in Vila Kennedy - RioOnWatch

The biggest feud of every wrestler's career is the one with their physical limitations.

By Amelia Emberwing Sep. 21, 2019

Wrestling documentaries are typically pretty grim. Breaking into the industry is relatively easy, all things considered. Getting out of it? Generally speaking, that's a different story. A lot of folks hear the phrase its scripted and assume that these men and women arent putting their bodies on the line just like every other athlete. Enter men like Ian Hodgkinson or, as most know him, Vampiro.

The amount of injuries Hodkinson has experienced isnt what makes him unique. All of your favorites have destroyed their bodies time and time again for the sake of the industry they so love. Its not the drugs, either. So many wrestlers find themselves wrapped up in substance abuse, whether it be because of the chronic pain from their injuries, or the crushing depression that can come with being on the road and away from your family the majority of the year.

What makes him unique is his origin, and the understanding that he was never meant to be a wrestler. Hodkinson outright admits that he could never do many of the classic wrestling moves early on in the film. His rise to stardom was never about his technical ability. It was about his charisma and his willingness to do the most insane shit possible. Not being hard to look at certainly worked to his advantage as well. That level of self-awareness isnt necessarily common in the wrestling world.

Nail in the Coffin: The Fall and Rise of Vampiro, while a documentary focused on the wrestler, starts off as a love letter to Mexican wrestling. Hodkinson repeats several times throughout the doc that he hates wrestling. Though the statements probably not untrue, its also made evident just how deeply he loves it. The films focus evolves shortly after to include the love for his daughter, Dasha, and continues on to illustrate his complicated relationship with an even more complicated industry.

Its Dasha that makes this heartfelt documentary a little less grim than the others of its kind. All of the devastating factors are present. Vampiros broken his neck, back, and most of the other bones in his body, as well as suffered from somewhere around twenty-seven concussions. He has the aforementioned history of substance abuse, and was recently diagnosed with early onset Alzheimers. But above all of that pain is his love for his daughter.

Michael Paszts documentary on the wrestler weaves all the pain and love of Vampiros history into something truly special. His vision combined with Hodkinsons dark humor and seemingly ever-present self-awareness make Nail in the Coffin: The Fall and Rise of Vampiro so much more than your standard wrestling documentary. Its heartbreaking while still being hopeful and refreshing. More documentaries focused on the industry could really benefit from following the model set up here.

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Fantastic Fest Review: NAIL IN THE COFFIN: THE FALL AND RISE OF VAMPIRO Is Ready To Fight - Birth.Movies.Death.

Meghan played Mike Ross wife on the show (Picture: Usa Network/Netflix/Kobal/REX)

Its nearing the end of Suits, and Patrick J Adams is getting emotional just thinking about it.

The Suits star, who played Mike Ross as a regular from season 1 through 7, shared several carousels of photos from the shows set, which includes fantastic shots of The Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle before she quit her acting career to become a full-time royal.

Patrick captioned his first post: The best family you can ask for.

Aww, we all need a family like that.

The 38-year-old actor shared a total of 11 posts on Instagram that made us all feel like were part of the Suits family.

One post featured a snap of his former on-screen wife Meghan pretending to look away (at Harry?) with a transparent umbrella over her while filming in Toronto.

He shared several more gems of the Duchess and her co-stars behind-the-scenes of the long-running show.

One shot showed Meghan dressed in a bathrobe and stilettos, probably waiting to get back on set.

Captioning the first, Patrick wrote: This week the last episode of Suits will air and the nearly 10-year journey weve all been on together will finally be over.

So it seems right to post some photos the next couple of days from the early days.

Other photos included Patrick and Meghan with other cast members looking way more relaxed than they usually do on the show.

Meghan appeared on Suits for the last time in an episode that aired on April last year, which was just a month before she married Prince Harry.

Meghan invited her co-stars to her wedding at Windsor Castle last May, and some even made the special guest list at her lavish baby shower in New York.

Now that the former actress quit Hollywood life, she can be seen with Harry getting involved with multiple charities.

The latest adventure sees the couple arriving in South Africa for their first royal visit as a family.

Their official tour, which will be the first with baby Archie Harrison in tow, will start this afternoon in Cape Town.

Among their first stops will be a visit to an initiative that teaches children about their rights, self-awareness and safety, and also provides self-defence classes to young girls.

Meghan and Harry are said to have brought numerous gifts with them for the tour including several presents which were donated to them for four-month-old Archie.

All the gifts are expected to be presented to the charity mothers2mothers, who are dedicated to preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV through education and support services.

If you've got a story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk Entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page - we'd love to hear from you.

MORE: Meghan Markle ordered to remove Suits characters ring in public to prevent engagement rumours about Prince Harry

MORE: Victoria Beckham praises old pal Meghan Markle for keeping it cool to be kind

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Never-before-seen pictures of Meghan Markle in dressing gown and heels - Metro.co.uk

Like a rocket inching its way across the vacuum of space, for stretches of time, Ad Astra is stagnant and lugubrious, its lumbering and turgid runtime being both a test of patience and harbinger of despair because more interesting things dont seem to be on the horizon. It is certainly beautifully shot (youll want to immediately stargaze by the time the credits roll) but thankfully, director James Gray did not seek out merely to entertain, and his work here revels in the journey of thematic exploration rather than trying to accelerate to a destination for the narrative. Truly, Ad Astra is more meditation than movie and its dialogue, more poetry than prose. Gray uses the environment of space in all of its uncertainties, dangers and wonders as a springboard to launch into a larger analysis on the human psyche, asking questions of whether meaning is found outside or inside of oneself while highlighting the dangers of compartmentalizing ones emotions. At once relevant and prophetic, his film is an emotionally resonant and introspective study of the examined human life that isnt afraid to ask more questions than give answers.

Set in the ominous near future and in a time of hope and progress, while Ad Astras world is not quite as technologically advanced as other sci-fi films, it is in this construction of acute normality that Gray layers salient commentary. He knows that the generation watching has the worlds of Gravity, Interstellar, The Martian, Arrival, Blade Runner 2049 and the like in their mental orbit and he opts for something more down-to-Earth. Major Roy McBride (Brad Pitt) accepts a mission to go to Neptune in order to locate his missing father H. Clifford (Tommy Lee Jones) who is suspected to be the progenitor of dangerous power surges that could threaten all life on Earth. For the first part of his journey, Roy takes a commercial flight to the moon (big airlines like Norwegian and Virgin Atlantic have nicely adjusted to the demand for space travel) and is horrified to see how humans have crafted the moon in their own image, making it a carbon copy of Earth. We are world-eaters he mutters in a voice-over, while the camera pans to a shot of people dining at the newly installed Applebees and Subway. Gray presents a future that is familiar to audiences but that is precisely why it is so terrifying; rather than thinking of new ways of living, humans only rinse and repeat their destructive tendencies. Elsewhere on the moon, pirates run about claiming any spot of uncharted territory as their own in a sort of galactic recapitulation of Manifest Destiny. It is haunting to see this primordial greed set against this majestic lunar backdrop and Gray frequently mixes awe and disgust in the same scenes.

Audiences are first and foremost supposed to relate with Roy himself, but rather than frame Roy as likable, Pitt does a brilliant job of presenting the major with weaknesses you can empathize with and vices you feel obligated to chastise. The relationality comes not from the personality traits but the tumultuous journey of self-discovery he undergoes. For Roy, he views space in its voidless, shapeless form, as his way of escape from all he experiences on Earth. His determination for solitude manifests in a veil of dutiful service, whether he is doing his psychological evaluation despite its repetitiveness or dispatching pirates a l Mad Max: Fury Road or Fast and the Furious style. He is distant from his friends and family, particularly his wife Eve (Liv Tyler) who he sees as a distraction from him achieving his own potential. Space is a frontier of hidden discovery and limitless possibilities and Roys well-deserved happily ever after.

Yet once Roy finally gets on his coveted rocket and blasts off to Neptune, he finds that his problems have not disappeared but have instead come back in full force. The pain of having to go through his adult life without a father figure resurfaces once he comes to grips with the fact that maybe his father had the chance to leave the space station on Neptune but refused to. As he goes to various checkpoints before finally landing on Neptune, he likewise realizes that he has the same detrimental and power-hungry vices his dad displayed with his own crew members. Ironically, as Roy moves farther and farther away from Earth (i.e. the source of all his anxiety) he finds he comes to grips with his own humanity and flaws. He discovers himself, more than he would like, and all the emotions that he has kept bottled up come out in torrents. Gray uses these scenes of waiting (it takes seventy-nine days to get to Neptune; the film mercifully bridges that time) to ruminate on what humans are supposed to do when we come to the end of ourselves. Do we keep running away in denial or do we stand to make a change?

While Gray stops short of giving definitive responses to the inquiries he raises, the picture of Roy at the end of the film perhaps best describe the films grandeur. Once Roy has his Damascus Road encounter, he returns to rectify the mistakes he made; in the beginning of the film, Roy recites that he is mission ready and that he is focused on the essential to the exclusion of all else. The camera then pans to Roy in the kitchen with his wife standing by the doorway but the focus is on Roy while she and everything else is the scene is blurred, highlighting her unessentiality. After Roys revelation and his return to Earth, he recites the same creed but this time with Eve in focus. It is a clever visual cue to signal Roys inner transformation. So while Ad Astra does not reinvent the rocket engine when it comes to space exploration in cinema, it deserves encomium for its commentary in that it challenges individuals not only to seek revelation for themselves but to then use that self-awareness to better their communities.

Zachary Lee is a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences. He can be reached at zjl4@cornell.edu.

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'Ad Astra,' A giant leap (of Faith) for Sci-Fi - Cornell University The Cornell Daily Sun

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The Patriots didnt cover the spread this week and they didnt pitch a shutout, but they are still 3-0 three weeks into the 2019 season.

New England built a 30-0 lead before mistakes by rookies on special teams and offense allowed the Jets to get into the end zone twice. That made the final score 30-14 at Gillette Stadium and gave the Patriots a couple of things to stress about after another comfortable victory.

Gunner Olszewski muffed a punt that Arthur Maulet recovered for the first Jets touchdown. The second came in the fourth quarter when Jarrett Stidham relieved Tom Brady and promptly threw an interception that Jamal Adams returned for a 60-yard score. That led Bill Belichick to put Brady back in the game to play out the string.

Brady was 28-of-42 for 306 yards and two touchdowns. Those touchdowns moved him into sole possession of second place on the NFLs all-time passing touchdown list and Drew Brees wont be able to catch up anytime soon.

Brady had a couple of sparkling hookups with Josh Gordon, who shook off a finger injury. Julian Edelman was not able to return to the game after hurting his chest, however, and linebacker Dont'a Hightower also picked up a shoulder injury that will be worth keeping an eye on as the week unfolds.

While the special teams and offense had those stumbles, the Patriots defense never wavered while allowing the Jets 101 yards of offense. They sacked Luke Falk five times and Devin McCourty picked off a pass for the only takeaway of the game for the unit.

The Jets are 0-3 and riddled with injuries of their own. Theyll have a bye in Week Four and hope to get quarterback Sam Darnold and others back for Week Five against the Eagles.

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Patriots up to 3-0 after 30-14 win over Jets - NBCSports.com