Seeman, former actor, director and current Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) Chief met superstar Rajinikanth in Chennai sparking news about a potential political collaboration. The visit is said to have lasted for an hour, and it is speculated that the two discussed about politics in the state. However, Seeman tends to disagree with the rumors. Seeman talks about meeting Rajinikanth Talking to a Tamil news channel, Seeman said the purpose of his visit was just to have a friendly chat, where they discussed about each other's well-being. He stated that it is always a pleasure meeting Rajinikanth as he is highly successful in the film industry, and has close connections with many political figures. Rajinikanth was once heavily criticised by Seeman when he wanted to enter politics. When asked why he criticised Rajinikanth's political ambition, he said "Politics is a harsh and unforgiving field, one must endure criticism and insults. In today’s climate, it is especially challenging for honest individuals to thrive in politics.” About Rajinikanth's future films Rajinikanth is currently working on Coolie, action thriller directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj and produced by Kalanithi Maran's Sun Pictures. The film stars Rajinikanth in the lead role, alongside Nagarjuna, Upendra, Soubin Shahir, Shruti Haasan and Sathyaraj in key roles. Get Latest News Live on Times Now along with Breaking News and Top Headlines from Tamil, Entertainment News and around the world.Unity residents concerned as search for woman continues in abandoned mine
CFPB Proposes Rule to Tighten Oversight of Data Brokers and Safeguard Consumer PrivacyA celebrated author argues that it's not at all impractical to study subjects like writing, languages, music and history
BERLIN (AP) — Tech entrepreneur Elon Musk caused uproar after backing Germany’s far-right party in a major newspaper ahead of key parliamentary elections in the Western European country, leading to the resignation of the paper’s opinion editor in protest. Germany is to vote in an early election on Feb. 23 after Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s three-party governing coalition collapsed last month in a dispute over how to revitalize the country’s stagnant economy. Musk's guest opinion piece for Welt am Sonntag —a sister publication of POLITICO owned by the Axel Springer Group — published in German over the weekend, was the second time this month he supported the Alternative for Germany, or AfD. “The Alternative for Germany (AfD) is the last spark of hope for this country," Musk wrote in his translated commentary. He went on to say the far-right party “can lead the country into a future where economic prosperity, cultural integrity and technological innovation are not just wishes, but reality.” The Tesla Motors CEO also wrote that his investment in Germany gave him the right to comment on the country's condition. The AfD is polling strongly, but its candidate for the top job, Alice Weidel , has no realistic chance of becoming chancellor because other parties refuse to work with the far-right party. An ally of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, the technology billionaire challenged in his opinion piece the party's public image. “The portrayal of the AfD as right-wing extremist is clearly false, considering that Alice Weidel, the party’s leader, has a same-sex partner from Sri Lanka! Does that sound like Hitler to you? Please!” Musk’s commentary has led to a debate in German media over the boundaries of free speech, with the paper's own opinion editor announcing her resignation, pointedly on Musk's social media platform, X. “I always enjoyed leading the opinion section of WELT and WAMS. Today an article by Elon Musk appeared in Welt am Sonntag. I handed in my resignation yesterday after it went to print," Eva Marie Kogel wrote. A critical article by the future editor-in-chief of the Welt group, Jan Philipp Burgard, accompanied Musk’s opinion piece. “Musk’s diagnosis is correct, but his therapeutic approach, that only the AfD can save Germany, is fatally wrong,” Burgard wrote. Responding to a request for comment from the German Press Agency, dpa, the current editor-in-chief of the Welt group, Ulf Poschardt, and Burgard — who is due to take over on Jan. 1 — said in a joint statement that the discussion over Musk's piece was "very insightful. Democracy and journalism thrive on freedom of expression.” “This will continue to determine the compass of the “world” in the future. We will develop “Die Welt” even more decisively as a forum for such debates,” they wrote to dpa.A drone photo shows the Rulong Bridge, a wooden arch bridge, in Qingyuan County of Lishui City. — Xinhua photo BEIJING (Dec 10): Hu Junfeng takes pride in using his civil engineering skills to document the wealth of knowledge his father has amassed over four decades on building Chinese wooden arch bridges. Traditional design and practices for building Chinese wooden arch bridges were added Thursday to its Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco). This stitched aerial drone photo shows the Wan’an Bridge, a wooden arch bridge, in Changqiao Township of Pingnan County, southeast China’s Fujian Province. — Xinhua photo The wooden arch bridges, found mostly in eastern China’s Fujian and Zhejiang provinces, are built without a single metal nail or rivet. Instead, they rely solely on intricately fitted wooden structures. A traditional Chinese-style timber superstructure tops the bridge, featuring a grand roof that adds weight and bolsters the structure’s stability. According to Unesco, the traditional design and practices for building these bridges involve the use of wood and traditional architectural tools, and they combine craftsmanship, the core technologies of “beam-weaving” and mortise and tenon joints, as well as an experienced woodworker’s understanding of different environments and the necessary structural mechanics. “This signifies that the protection, inheritance and promotion of China’s traditional wooden arch bridge craftsmanship have gained global recognition,” said Hu Junfeng’s father Hu Miao, who has dedicated over 40 years to preserving the traditional skill. Hu Miao, a national-level representative inheritor of the traditional wooden arch bridge construction skills, was born into a family of carpenters. Hu Miao said that they constructed and renovated 25 such bridges. His craftsmanship attracted his son, who had previously worked in Shanghai for three years, to return to Qingyuan County, Lishui City of Zhejiang Province in 2022 to inherit the skills. This photo shows the Luanfeng Bridge, a wooden arch bridge, in Xiadang Township of Shouning County, southeast China’s Fujian Province. — Xinhua photo Wooden arch bridges serve as hubs for gatherings, entertainment, trade and other social activities. Locals often hold events like weddings, funerals and birthdays on these bridges. “During the Dragon Boat Festival, locals believe that the more times one crosses the bridge, the more prosperous their life will become, expressing hope for the future,” said Lu Zeqi, an intangible cultural heritage expert in Pingnan County, Ningde City of Fujian Province. Hu’s family is part of a thriving bridge conservation community in Zhejiang. The province now hosts 11 teams dedicated to wood arch bridge craftsmanship, comprising over 170 members. They have constructed and restored more than 80 such bridges. First inscribed in 2009 on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding, the tradition had declined over the years due to rapid urbanization, scarcity of lumber and lack of available construction space, all of which could threaten its transmission and survival, according to Unesco. In 2016, Typhoon Meranti ruined three wooden arch bridges in Zhejiang. It served as a reminder to the public of the importance of protecting and restoring these treasures, and the need to pass down the craftsmanship of bridge building. An aerial drone photo taken on Jan. 23, 2024 shows the Yonggui Bridge, a wooden arch bridge, after snowfall in Qingyuan County of Lishui City. — Xinhua photo Zhejiang has established a themed museum, included information on the bridges in primary school curricula, organized academic seminars, and produced TV documentaries to showcase the history, craftsmanship and culture of the bridges. “Unesco’s recognition marks a transition from ‘endangered’ to ‘revival’ for the craft, signifying an endorsement of our conservation efforts,” said Chen Huawen, a professor at Zhejiang Normal University. Gabriella Bonino, an Italian sinologist, said she once visited craftsmen behind wooden arch bridges, feeling the depth of their traditional skills and admiring the way these arts are inherited through generations. The reflection of local customs is valuable and should be recognized globally. Suman Prasai, a Nepali student at Lishui University, once learned about the building of wood arcade bridges from the Hu family in October. He told Xinhua that “knowing that these skills are now safe and will continue for future generations makes me feel proud and hopeful. It’s a big success for preserving culture in today’s fast-changing world. Walking across it, I could feel the connection between art and nature.” “Unesco’s recognition shows how much effort has been made to protect and pass down the traditional skills of building Chinese wooden arch bridges. These bridges are not just for crossing. They carry stories, history, and amazing craftsmanship,” said Prasai. Apart from being a source of livelihood for woodworkers, the bridges, along with the traditional techniques and knowledge used to build them, have boosted the development of relevant cultural and creative industries. “I’ve enjoyed making ‘wooden arch bridges’ with chopsticks since childhood. Amazingly, with just 15 chopsticks, I could build a ‘bridge’ capable of supporting more than 1 kg,” said Hu Junfeng. A drone photo taken on Oct. 18, 2023 shows workers working on the restoration of the Wan’an Bridge, a wooden arch bridge, in Changqiao Township of Pingnan County. — Xinhua photo Now the chopsticks have been transformed into 3D puzzles and models, as well as other cultural and creative products, showing customers the structure and techniques of bridge building. “Wooden arch bridges, iconic symbols of China’s architectural arts, reflect the essence of master craftsmanship and have turned into popular tourist destinations. With the AI technology, we can create featured products and immersive experiences that go beyond the bridges themselves,” said Chen Shaofeng, a Peking University professor and vice head of the China Culture Promotion Association. — XinhuaWASHINGTON (AP) — The House shut down Democrats' efforts Thursday to release the long-awaited ethics report into former Rep. Matt Gaetz , pushing the fate of any resolution to the yearslong investigation of sexual misconduct allegations into further uncertainty. The nearly party-line votes came after Democrats had been pressing for the findings to be published even though the Florida Republican left Congress and withdrew as President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for attorney general. Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Calif., was the sole Republican to support the effort. Most Republicans have argued that any congressional probe into Gaetz ended when he resigned from the House. Speaker Mike Johnson also requested that the committee not publish its report, saying it would be a terrible precedent to set. While ethics reports have previously been released after a member’s resignation, it is extremely rare. Shortly before the votes took place, Rep. Sean Casten, D-Ill., who introduced one of the bills to force the release, said that if Republicans reject the release, they will have “succeeded in sweeping credible allegations of sexual misconduct under the rug.” Gaetz has repeatedly denied the claims. Earlier Thursday, the Ethics panel met to discuss the Gaetz report but made no decision, saying in a short statement that the matter is still being discussed. It's unclear now whether the document will ever see the light of day as lawmakers only have a few weeks left before a new session of Congress begins. It's the culmination of weeks of pressure on the Ethics committee's five Republicans and five Democrats who mostly work in secret as they investigate allegations of misconduct against lawmakers. The status of the Gaetz investigation became an open question last month when he abruptly resigned from Congress after Trump's announcement that he wanted his ally in the Cabinet. It is standard practice for the committee to end investigations when members of Congress depart, but the circumstances surrounding Gaetz were unusual, given his potential role in the new administration. Rep. Michael Guest, R-Miss., the committee chairman, said Wednesday that there is no longer the same urgency to release the report given that Gaetz has left Congress and stepped aside as Trump's choice to head the Justice Department. “I’ve been steadfast about that. He’s no longer a member. He is no longer going to be confirmed by the Senate because he withdrew his nomination to be the attorney general,” Guest said. The Gaetz report has also caused tensions between lawmakers on the bipartisan committee. Pennsylvania Rep. Susan Wild, the top Democrat on the panel, publicly admonished Guest last month for mischaracterizing a previous meeting to the press. Gaetz has denied any wrongdoing and said last year that the Justice Department’s separate investigation against him into sex trafficking allegations involving underage girls ended without federal charges. His onetime political ally Joel Greenberg , a fellow Republican who served as the tax collector in Florida’s Seminole County, admitted as part of a plea deal with prosecutors in 2021 that he paid women and an underage girl to have sex with him and other men. The men were not identified in court documents when he pleaded guilty. Greenberg was sentenced in late 2022 to 11 years in prison.