Scientists at Belgium's university of Ghent are experimenting with larva fat to replace butter in cakes, cookies and waffles, saying deriving grease from insects is more sustainable than dairy production.

Would you eat Belgian waffles made with 'bug butter'?

George Hood, at 62 has become a fitness inspiration for all. The American has made it to the famous book of Guinness World Records after he held an abdominal plank position for 8 hours 15 &nbsp;minutes and 15 seconds.&nbsp;

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Watch 62-year-old former US Marine George Hood achieve the longest plank ever <a href="https://t.co/RPgMaeDoP3">https://t.co/RPgMaeDoP3</a> 💪 <a href="https://t.co/grVzrVNjl5">pic.twitter.com/grVzrVNjl5</a>
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This record was broken on February 15 after former US Marine overtook China's Mao Weidong's record of 8 hours 1 minute and 1 second.&nbsp;

George Hood is a former US Marine and retired Drug Enforcement Administration supervisory special agent, has broken the similar record before, back in 2011 when he held it for 1 hour and 20 minutes.

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He failed to break the record in 2016. Hood hails from Naperville, Illinois and has been training every day at an average of 7 hours since the past 18 months.&nbsp;

In an exclusive interview to CNN, Hood said: "It's 4-5 hours a day in the plank pose, then &nbsp;I do 700 pushups a day, 2,000 situps a day in sets of a hundred, 500 leg squats a day. For upper body and the arms, I do approximately 300 arm curls a day."&nbsp;

Hoods told the reporters on how he copes up with the enduring pain while he was trying to break the world record: "When it gets tough, you know what I do? I turn that music up so loud, you'd think you're at a rock concert. I always had a fantasy of being a rock star back in the '80s, and at least for those 8 hours, 15 minutes and 15 seconds, I was a rock star."

George Hoods aims to break the world record of most push-ups in one hour. The current record stands at 2,806.&nbsp;

George Hood, at 62 has become a fitness inspiration for all. The American has made it to the famous book of Guinness World Records after he held an abdominal plank position for 8 hours 15 minutes and 15 seconds.

George Hood, at 62 has become a fitness inspiration for all. The American has made it to the famous book of Guinness World Records after he held an abdominal plank position for 8 hours 15 minutes and 15 seconds. Watch 62-year-old former US Marine George Hood achieve the longest plank ever https://t.co/RPgMaeDoP3 💪 pic.twitter.com/grVzrVNjl5 — GuinnessWorldRecords (@GWR) February 22, 2020 × This record was broken on February 15 after former US Marine overtook China's Mao Weidong's record of 8 hours 1 minute and 1 second. George Hood is a former US Marine and retired Drug Enforcement Administration supervisory special agent, has broken the similar record before, back in 2011 when he held it for 1 hour and 20 minutes. × He failed to break the record in 2016. Hood hails from Naperville, Illinois and has been training every day at an average of 7 hours since the past 18 months. In an exclusive interview to CNN, Hood said: "It's 4-5 hours a day in the plank pose, then I do 700 pushups a day, 2,000 situps a day in sets of a hundred, 500 leg squats a day. For upper body and the arms, I do approximately 300 arm curls a day." Hoods told the reporters on how he copes up with the enduring pain while he was trying to break the world record: "When it gets tough, you know what I do? I turn that music up so loud, you'd think you're at a rock concert. I always had a fantasy of being a rock star back in the '80s, and at least for those 8 hours, 15 minutes and 15 seconds, I was a rock star." George Hoods aims to break the world record of most push-ups in one hour. The current record stands at 2,806.

Former Marine George Hood breaks plank world record at 62

Christian Dior turned back the clock for its latest runway show in Paris on Tuesday, as designer Maria Grazia Chiuri dipped into her childhood and teenage memories in Italy with 1970s-inspired looks. 
 
Models wearing headscarves showcased pieces in chequered prints and plenty of fringes, while the designer also explored feminist references that first inspired her, and which have become a recurrent theme for the LVMH -owned brand. 
 
"I come back to when I was younger in Rome around the seventies, eighties, because it was an important moment of my life... with important issues like the liberation of women," Chiuri told Reuters in an interview.&nbsp;

&nbsp; <img alt="DIOR" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="627c7dac-15fe-4bed-aaff-6c1a98c64765" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%284%29_42.jpg" /> 
 
Some looks seemed inspired directly by Chiuri's own experiences, including a camouflage-style puffer jacket. 
 
"I remember the first time I went to the flea-market to buy my denim pants, my military jacket because I didn`t want to be dressed with a pretty dress in which I didn`t recognise myself," she said.

<img alt="DIOR" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="8695b70c-6d03-4a05-92f3-c906a88e5922" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%281%29_95.jpg" /> 
 
Actresses Demi Moore, Nina Dobrev, and Sigourney Weaver were among the stars on the front row at the Paris show. Dior was one of the first major French brands to kick off Paris Fashion Week, which closes the latest season of shows that have whizzed through New York, London and Milan. 
 
Inspired by Carla Lonzi, a feminist activist from the seventies and Marc Bohan, Dior`s creative director for 30 years, the Autumn-Winter styles featured polka-dot prints, crossed-body bags and see-through shirts. 
 
Dior also reinterpreted the brand's distinctive "Bar" jacket in a curvaceous cashmere wool cardigan. 
 
Other evening looks were more luxurious, like sheer silk gowns, though many were styled with sturdy boots rather than stilettos. The show closed on glittery, fluid dresses. 
 
The venue was designed by the Claire Fontaine collective, and included displays of illuminated messages such as "Consent" and "We are all clitoridian women" hung above the catwalk inside a pop-up installation in the Jardin des Tuileries. 
 
"There are certain times that you sense fashion is going to break open and I feel it's happening a little bit right now," American actress Andie MacDowell told Reuters after the show. "From losing corsets to burning bras, I think women are empowering each other." 
 
The coronavirus outbreak meant there were few Asian buyers in attendance. Last week, Italian fashion houses presented in an empty theatre at Milan Fashion Week.

Christian Dior turned back the clock for its latest runway show in Paris on Tuesday, as designer Maria Grazia Chiuri dipped into her childhood and teenage memories in Italy with 1970s-inspired looks.

Christian Dior turned back the clock for its latest runway show in Paris on Tuesday, as designer Maria Grazia Chiuri dipped into her childhood and teenage memories in Italy with 1970s-inspired looks. Models wearing headscarves showcased pieces in chequered prints and plenty of fringes, while the designer also explored feminist references that first inspired her, and which have become a recurrent theme for the LVMH -owned brand. "I come back to when I was younger in Rome around the seventies, eighties, because it was an important moment of my life... with important issues like the liberation of women," Chiuri told Reuters in an interview. Some looks seemed inspired directly by Chiuri's own experiences, including a camouflage-style puffer jacket. "I remember the first time I went to the flea-market to buy my denim pants, my military jacket because I didn`t want to be dressed with a pretty dress in which I didn`t recognise myself," she said. Actresses Demi Moore, Nina Dobrev, and Sigourney Weaver were among the stars on the front row at the Paris show. Dior was one of the first major French brands to kick off Paris Fashion Week, which closes the latest season of shows that have whizzed through New York, London and Milan. Inspired by Carla Lonzi, a feminist activist from the seventies and Marc Bohan, Dior`s creative director for 30 years, the Autumn-Winter styles featured polka-dot prints, crossed-body bags and see-through shirts. Dior also reinterpreted the brand's distinctive "Bar" jacket in a curvaceous cashmere wool cardigan. Other evening looks were more luxurious, like sheer silk gowns, though many were styled with sturdy boots rather than stilettos. The show closed on glittery, fluid dresses. The venue was designed by the Claire Fontaine collective, and included displays of illuminated messages such as "Consent" and "We are all clitoridian women" hung above the catwalk inside a pop-up installation in the Jardin des Tuileries. "There are certain times that you sense fashion is going to break open and I feel it's happening a little bit right now," American actress Andie MacDowell told Reuters after the show. "From losing corsets to burning bras, I think women are empowering each other." The coronavirus outbreak meant there were few Asian buyers in attendance. Last week, Italian fashion houses presented in an empty theatre at Milan Fashion Week.

Christian Dior plays with 1970s influences at Paris Fashion Week

Italian fashion house Fendi on Thursday (February 20) staged a star-studded, size and age inclusive show in Milan, presenting a Fall/Winter collection of fitted feminine looks.

Fendi holds starry, inclusive Fall Winter show

Gripping a scalpel, Vladislav Zaitsev makes an incision in the fold of skin between his client's thumb and index finger and pushes in a small glass cylinder.

Alexei Rautkin, a 24-year-old programmer in a hoodie, is having a chip inserted in his hand so he can open the door to his office without swiping a card.

"It's something I decided a long time ago," he says.

"Mainly because it's convenient but there's also a kind of exclusivity because practically no one else has this."

Rautkin and Zaitsev are among a growing number of Russians interested in biohacking, a global movement whose followers seek to "upgrade" their bodies with experimental technology and DIY health fixes that began in Silicon Valley at the start of the last decade.

For some, the lifestyle trend involves implanting technology under their skin.

For others -- mainly wealthy Russians -- the quest is to live longer, which they hope to do through intensive monitoring of their bodies, taking vast quantities of supplements or extreme exercise.

Although it's unclear how many biohackers there are in Russia, the movement is spreading, with social media forums, conferences and businesses springing up to cater to their needs.

Zaitsev, a programmer with a ducktail haircut, taught himself to insert chips, helped by the fact he's a medical school dropout.

The 28-year-old caught national attention in 2015 by taking the chip out of a Moscow metro pass, dissolving it in acetone and encasing it in silicone before inserting it into the back of his hand.

The disc, about the size of a British one penny coin, is still visible but currently defunct -- Zaitsev reprogrammed it with bank card details, only for the bank to close.

He also has magnets on his fingertips, mainly for party tricks.

He says the biohacking movement is about using technology to facilitate concrete tasks.

"In biohacking, I like things that give a real, confirmed effect, for example putting in chips," he says.

Based on the contact between the close-knit community on social media, he estimates that about 1,000 Russians are chipped.

Most install work passes, he says, while some insert magnets or a compass implant that vibrates when they turn north.

"I like the idea of expanding the capabilities of the human body."

Around the world, implanted microchips are being used to start cars, turn on smartphones, computers and printers, monitor body temperature and store medical information or as business cards.

Professional magicians even use them to enhance their tricks.

Some chips have been approved for human use, but Zaitsev said he uses veterinary ones made in Taiwan and ordered by mail for about 500 rubles ($8) each.

While some have raised concerns over potential surveillance and hacking, the number of chipped people is still very small in Russia, and unlike smartphones, the chips do not transmit the users' location.

In his studio flat, Zaitsev charges Rautkin 2,000 rubles ($32) for the operation to insert the chip that is slightly bigger than a grain of rice.

He has chipped about 50 others, too, he says.

The "typical client is a geek", he adds. "Most are men aged 35 or younger."

Other biohackers have little time for chipping, however.

Entrepreneur Stanislav Skakun says that biohacking is about extending life, potentially for thousands of years, an idea known as transhumanism.

"I haven't yet found a chip that would be useful for prolonging life... I can't see any point in doing this yet," the 36-year-old said.

Instead, he regularly attends a private clinic where nurses fill some 20 test tubes with his blood for analysis.

It's just part of his exhaustive routine over the last five years, measuring hundreds of biochemical markers and taking handfuls of vitamins and supplements daily.

Although he declines to talk in detail about what he takes, he says the supplements include iodine, Vitamin D, magnesium and prebiotics.

As well as genetic tests to identify personal risk factors and compensate for them, he undergoes tests for inflammation, cholesterol, glucose, bone density, the stress hormone cortisol and the efficiency of his immune system.

Trim with piercing blue eyes, Skakun claims that "in the last five years, my biological age hasn't changed at all."

He hopes to live long enough to see scientific advances extend life massively.

"If we conquer cancer, Alzheimer's and cardiovascular disease, we'll prevent practically all the reasons we die," he said.

Such ideas are espoused by international proponents of transhumanism, such as controversial British gerontologist Aubrey de Grey, who believe humans will be able to significantly extend their lifespan and only die from accidents or violence.

Currently the oldest human on record, France's Jeanne Calment, died at the age of 122.

Some biohackers have jumped on breakthroughs in gene therapy, one of the hottest areas of medical research.

Controversially, US biohacker Josiah Zayner, who is a scientist, in 2017 livestreamed an experimental attempt to alter his own DNA using new gene-editing technology called Crispr.

The tool, informally known as molecular "scissors", is being used to treat genetic conditions, such as sickle cell disease, and has made gene editing more widely accessible.

But the US Food and Drug Administration has expressed concern about safety risks involved in DIY kits available to the public for self-administered gene therapies.

Kiran Musunuru, a genetics professor at the University of Pennsylvania, says the Crispr "scissors" often cut next to the targeted gene, causing unexpected mutations.

"It's very easy to do if you don't care about the consequences," Musunuru added.

Top US science journal Science said last July that the tools for public and private regulators to manage biohacking's public health risks were largely already available.

"But they must be used better," it said, in an opinion piece.

Maxim Skulachev, a Russian biologist at Moscow State University who studies longevity, said that biohackers were right to say that ageing may be programmed into our genes and theoretically could be blocked.

"We think ageing was somehow introduced in our genome as a programme," he said.

"For us the only way to fight ageing is to somehow break this programme -- hack it.

In doing so, this could end age-related conditions and cancer, he said, adding that living to the age of 100 would become the new norm.

Nevertheless, he also predicts that the super-elderly will develop other health problems limiting their lifespan which have not yet even manifested themselves.

The problem with biohackers is they are "running too fast," said Skulachev, 46, whose team is trying to come up with a drug to interfere with the genetic ageing process.

"At the moment there is no technology to break this programme and from this point of view... biohackers are engaged in wishful thinking."

Yet biohacking in Russia is already "a big movement" with conferences and businesses, says Skakun, who formerly worked in corporate finance.

Two years ago he founded a startup called Biodata that arranges tests for clients and stores information, charging 150,000 rubles ($2,430) for a full checkup.

Clients are "mainly top managers and business people", he said.

Well-heeled patrons are also paying up to 250,000 rubles ($4,050) annually for a Moscow gym that calls itself a "biohacking laboratory".

The gym, which opened last year with the slogan "Upgrade Yourself", is on the 58th floor of a skyscraper in the business district.

Similarly, members are "company owners or top managers", says founder Artyom Vasilyev.

The slim 29-year-old got into sports science after competing seriously as a runner.

On the treadmill, a gym member dons a face mask to analyse the gases in his breath.

Minutes later he gets a breakdown that shows when his workout was most effective.

Afterwards, he stands in a chamber chilled by liquid nitrogen to minus 120 degrees Celsius (minus 184 Fahrenheit), which Vasilyev says aids recovery.

For all his enthusiasm, Vasilyev doubts that people will live for hundreds of years any time soon.

"I'm more into the idea that you can live 100, 115 years or 120 years but live them in a good-quality way."

Zaitsev, the chipping enthusiast, is scathing about the quest for longevity, which he calls "a kind of religion" seeking a "magic pill". &nbsp;

A month after the implantation, Rautkin is using his chipped hand to open doors at his e-commerce company.

Unfortunately, it doesn't work on the main door, but he is philosophical about this.

"I am using it quite successfully," he says.

"It's not a problem at all to remove it, or leave it for some other use, possibly to identify myself in some other place, maybe to unblock a phone or notebook."

Gripping a scalpel, Vladislav Zaitsev makes an incision in the fold of skin between his client's thumb and index finger and pushes in a small glass cylinder. Alexei Rautkin, a 24-year-old programmer in a hoodie, is having a chip inserted in his hand so he can open the door to his office without swiping a card.

Gripping a scalpel, Vladislav Zaitsev makes an incision in the fold of skin between his client's thumb and index finger and pushes in a small glass cylinder. Alexei Rautkin, a 24-year-old programmer in a hoodie, is having a chip inserted in his hand so he can open the door to his office without swiping a card. "It's something I decided a long time ago," he says. "Mainly because it's convenient but there's also a kind of exclusivity because practically no one else has this." Rautkin and Zaitsev are among a growing number of Russians interested in biohacking, a global movement whose followers seek to "upgrade" their bodies with experimental technology and DIY health fixes that began in Silicon Valley at the start of the last decade. For some, the lifestyle trend involves implanting technology under their skin. For others -- mainly wealthy Russians -- the quest is to live longer, which they hope to do through intensive monitoring of their bodies, taking vast quantities of supplements or extreme exercise. Although it's unclear how many biohackers there are in Russia, the movement is spreading, with social media forums, conferences and businesses springing up to cater to their needs. Zaitsev, a programmer with a ducktail haircut, taught himself to insert chips, helped by the fact he's a medical school dropout. The 28-year-old caught national attention in 2015 by taking the chip out of a Moscow metro pass, dissolving it in acetone and encasing it in silicone before inserting it into the back of his hand. The disc, about the size of a British one penny coin, is still visible but currently defunct -- Zaitsev reprogrammed it with bank card details, only for the bank to close. He also has magnets on his fingertips, mainly for party tricks. He says the biohacking movement is about using technology to facilitate concrete tasks. "In biohacking, I like things that give a real, confirmed effect, for example putting in chips," he says. Based on the contact between the close-knit community on social media, he estimates that about 1,000 Russians are chipped. Most install work passes, he says, while some insert magnets or a compass implant that vibrates when they turn north. "I like the idea of expanding the capabilities of the human body." Around the world, implanted microchips are being used to start cars, turn on smartphones, computers and printers, monitor body temperature and store medical information or as business cards. Professional magicians even use them to enhance their tricks. Some chips have been approved for human use, but Zaitsev said he uses veterinary ones made in Taiwan and ordered by mail for about 500 rubles ($8) each. While some have raised concerns over potential surveillance and hacking, the number of chipped people is still very small in Russia, and unlike smartphones, the chips do not transmit the users' location. In his studio flat, Zaitsev charges Rautkin 2,000 rubles ($32) for the operation to insert the chip that is slightly bigger than a grain of rice. He has chipped about 50 others, too, he says. The "typical client is a geek", he adds. "Most are men aged 35 or younger." Other biohackers have little time for chipping, however. Entrepreneur Stanislav Skakun says that biohacking is about extending life, potentially for thousands of years, an idea known as transhumanism. "I haven't yet found a chip that would be useful for prolonging life... I can't see any point in doing this yet," the 36-year-old said. Instead, he regularly attends a private clinic where nurses fill some 20 test tubes with his blood for analysis. It's just part of his exhaustive routine over the last five years, measuring hundreds of biochemical markers and taking handfuls of vitamins and supplements daily. Although he declines to talk in detail about what he takes, he says the supplements include iodine, Vitamin D, magnesium and prebiotics. As well as genetic tests to identify personal risk factors and compensate for them, he undergoes tests for inflammation, cholesterol, glucose, bone density, the stress hormone cortisol and the efficiency of his immune system. Trim with piercing blue eyes, Skakun claims that "in the last five years, my biological age hasn't changed at all." He hopes to live long enough to see scientific advances extend life massively. "If we conquer cancer, Alzheimer's and cardiovascular disease, we'll prevent practically all the reasons we die," he said. Such ideas are espoused by international proponents of transhumanism, such as controversial British gerontologist Aubrey de Grey, who believe humans will be able to significantly extend their lifespan and only die from accidents or violence. Currently the oldest human on record, France's Jeanne Calment, died at the age of 122. Some biohackers have jumped on breakthroughs in gene therapy, one of the hottest areas of medical research. Controversially, US biohacker Josiah Zayner, who is a scientist, in 2017 livestreamed an experimental attempt to alter his own DNA using new gene-editing technology called Crispr. The tool, informally known as molecular "scissors", is being used to treat genetic conditions, such as sickle cell disease, and has made gene editing more widely accessible. But the US Food and Drug Administration has expressed concern about safety risks involved in DIY kits available to the public for self-administered gene therapies. Kiran Musunuru, a genetics professor at the University of Pennsylvania, says the Crispr "scissors" often cut next to the targeted gene, causing unexpected mutations. "It's very easy to do if you don't care about the consequences," Musunuru added. Top US science journal Science said last July that the tools for public and private regulators to manage biohacking's public health risks were largely already available. "But they must be used better," it said, in an opinion piece. Maxim Skulachev, a Russian biologist at Moscow State University who studies longevity, said that biohackers were right to say that ageing may be programmed into our genes and theoretically could be blocked. "We think ageing was somehow introduced in our genome as a programme," he said. "For us the only way to fight ageing is to somehow break this programme -- hack it. In doing so, this could end age-related conditions and cancer, he said, adding that living to the age of 100 would become the new norm. Nevertheless, he also predicts that the super-elderly will develop other health problems limiting their lifespan which have not yet even manifested themselves. The problem with biohackers is they are "running too fast," said Skulachev, 46, whose team is trying to come up with a drug to interfere with the genetic ageing process. "At the moment there is no technology to break this programme and from this point of view... biohackers are engaged in wishful thinking." Yet biohacking in Russia is already "a big movement" with conferences and businesses, says Skakun, who formerly worked in corporate finance. Two years ago he founded a startup called Biodata that arranges tests for clients and stores information, charging 150,000 rubles ($2,430) for a full checkup. Clients are "mainly top managers and business people", he said. Well-heeled patrons are also paying up to 250,000 rubles ($4,050) annually for a Moscow gym that calls itself a "biohacking laboratory". The gym, which opened last year with the slogan "Upgrade Yourself", is on the 58th floor of a skyscraper in the business district. Similarly, members are "company owners or top managers", says founder Artyom Vasilyev. The slim 29-year-old got into sports science after competing seriously as a runner. On the treadmill, a gym member dons a face mask to analyse the gases in his breath. Minutes later he gets a breakdown that shows when his workout was most effective. Afterwards, he stands in a chamber chilled by liquid nitrogen to minus 120 degrees Celsius (minus 184 Fahrenheit), which Vasilyev says aids recovery. For all his enthusiasm, Vasilyev doubts that people will live for hundreds of years any time soon. "I'm more into the idea that you can live 100, 115 years or 120 years but live them in a good-quality way." Zaitsev, the chipping enthusiast, is scathing about the quest for longevity, which he calls "a kind of religion" seeking a "magic pill". A month after the implantation, Rautkin is using his chipped hand to open doors at his e-commerce company. Unfortunately, it doesn't work on the main door, but he is philosophical about this. "I am using it quite successfully," he says. "It's not a problem at all to remove it, or leave it for some other use, possibly to identify myself in some other place, maybe to unblock a phone or notebook."

Body work: Russia's 'biohackers' push boundaries

Veteran Irish designer Paul Costelloe found inspiration for his latest collection on his way to work, commuting across London by bicycle.

Designer Paul Costelloe Fall Winter 2020 Collection

The annual Elton John Oscars viewing party has hit a snag this year as its host is nominated for an Oscar and has to attend the awards show. However, his husband David Furnish says they have a plan to ensure Elton can be at both venues.

Elton will be in two places on Oscar night, husband David Furnish says

For the 13th year Essence magazine is celebrating the black women of Hollywood. The star-studded event honored newcomers like 'James Bond: No Time To Die' actress LaShana Lynch, veteran Niecy Nash, and the cast and crew of the television show 'Pose' including MJ Rodriguez and writer, director and producer, Janet Mock.

Essence shines a light on black women in Hollywood for the 13th year

As New York Fashion week gets underway - Italian fashion house Missoni showed their new line across America in Los Angeles, turning a parking lot of a hot dog restaurant into a makeshift runway.

M Missoni mix hot dogs and fashion

Evolved By Nature, based in Medford, Massachusetts, is applying modern biotechnology to centuries-old silk to create activated silk.

How silk can replace artificial ingredients in skin care and clothing

Flamenco soul took the catwalk by storm on Saturday (February 1) as dozens of models and fashion designers participated in the 26th edition of the International Flamenco Fashion Show in Seville.

Ruffles and frills at Seville's International Flamenco Fashion Show

Christian Dior took the fashion world back to ancient Greece on Monday (January 20) with vapourous peplum-style gowns and shimmering golden numbers at its Haute Couture show, part of a twice-yearly showcase of one-of-a-kind outfits by top designers in Paris.

Dior's Grecian goddesses kick off Paris fashion extravaganza

Oluwatoyin Onigbanjo is shopping for vegetables at a market in Nigeria's commercial capital, Lagos. Oluwatoyin runs Augustsecrets, a company she started on 2016 that develops meals for children, using locally sourced ingredients. The trained nutritionist says she is intentional about the choice of vegetables and fruits she buys; the colors are crucial in making eye-catching meals that are also healthy and tasty for children.

Playful food: Nigerian entrepreneur gets kids to the table with fun recipes

U.S. consumers, companies and workers will pay the biggest price for proposed 100% tariffs on French Champagne and other sparkling wines, cheese, porcelain, enamel cookware and handbags, witnesses told the U.S. government on Tuesday (January 7).

Sour grapes as U.S. wine sellers fear looming luxury tariffs on France

The fashion designer behind the Ikalook label is 34-year-old Namissa Thera whose artistic ambition is to bring back the 'Mali' into everyday smart wear.

The designer keeping Mali's women trendy and authentic

Hollywood stars share about their favourite festive traditions and just like the rest of us, they are looking forward to some seasonal fun.

Celebrities share their favourite festive traditions

9 Out Of 20 Sunscreen Products Fail Protection Tests.

Gravitas: Is Your Sunscreen Safe To Use?

If you're planning a trip? Then, Here are some tips to make your travel better.

Your Story: Planning a trip? Here are some tips to make your travel better

An age-old crop is lending a caffeinated boost to the local economy of a remote highland town in Indonesia's Sumatra island.

Prized coffee beans proves stimulant for economy of Indonesian highland town

Liverpool won a court battle with shirt manufacturers New Balance on Friday, paving the way to sign a lucrative new deal with Nike from the 2020/2021 season.

A judge ruled in favour of the European champions' case that New Balance could not match Nike's enormous distribution network and promise to market Liverpool via "superstar athletes and influencers" such as LeBron James, Serena Williams and Canadian rapper Drake.

New Balance claimed to have triggered a clause in the current deal which would allow them to maintain the contract for another five years come June 1, 2020, if it matched the terms of any competitor's offer.

Nike's £30 million-a-year offer for the next five years falls short of the reported £40 million New Balance currently pay per season.

However, Liverpool will also earn royalties of 20 per cent on all net sales of merchandise barring footwear plus bonuses for winning the Champions League and Premier League.

According to a report in The Athletic, Liverpool hopes to bank £60-£70 million in total per year from the Nike deal.

Mr Justice Teare found that "the New Balance offer on marketing was less favourable to Liverpool FC than the Nike offer" as the company could not match Nike's offer to use "global superstar athletes".

"It must follow that Liverpool FC is not obliged to enter into a new agreement with New Balance," the judge said.

In a statement, a Liverpool spokesman said: "Liverpool FC is pleased with the judge's decision to rule in favour of the club following the legal dispute with our current kit supplier, New Balance.

"We will continue with New Balance for the current season, in combination with preparing next season's Liverpool kits with our new supplier."

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Liverpool won a court battle with shirt manufacturers New Balance on Friday, paving the way to sign a lucrative new deal with Nike from the 2020/2021 season. A judge ruled in favour of the European champions' case that New Balance could not match Nike's enormous distribution network and promise to market Liverpool via "superstar athletes and influencers" such as LeBron James, Serena Williams and Canadian rapper Drake.

Liverpool won a court battle with shirt manufacturers New Balance on Friday, paving the way to sign a lucrative new deal with Nike from the 2020/2021 season. A judge ruled in favour of the European champions' case that New Balance could not match Nike's enormous distribution network and promise to market Liverpool via "superstar athletes and influencers" such as LeBron James, Serena Williams and Canadian rapper Drake. New Balance claimed to have triggered a clause in the current deal which would allow them to maintain the contract for another five years come June 1, 2020, if it matched the terms of any competitor's offer. Nike's £30 million-a-year offer for the next five years falls short of the reported £40 million New Balance currently pay per season. However, Liverpool will also earn royalties of 20 per cent on all net sales of merchandise barring footwear plus bonuses for winning the Champions League and Premier League. According to a report in The Athletic, Liverpool hopes to bank £60-£70 million in total per year from the Nike deal. Mr Justice Teare found that "the New Balance offer on marketing was less favourable to Liverpool FC than the Nike offer" as the company could not match Nike's offer to use "global superstar athletes". "It must follow that Liverpool FC is not obliged to enter into a new agreement with New Balance," the judge said. In a statement, a Liverpool spokesman said: "Liverpool FC is pleased with the judge's decision to rule in favour of the club following the legal dispute with our current kit supplier, New Balance. "We will continue with New Balance for the current season, in combination with preparing next season's Liverpool kits with our new supplier."

Liverpool set for Nike deal after winning New Balance case

Glitz and glamour took center stage in Lahore, Pakistan as major designers showcased their collections during the kick-off the three-day Pakistan Bridal Fashion Week.

Pakistan Bridal Fashion Week kicks off with glitz, florals

Floating sturgeon laboratories are common in Russia or Iran, but this is Lake Mantasoa, a hydropower reservoir in the highlands of Madagascar at an altitude of 1,400m. It is Africa's first and only caviar farm.

The cool new thing in French haute cuisine? Madagascar caviar

Solar panels, vegan diets, no flights: Meet America's climate revolutionaries

World War II veteran Lawrence Brooks was serenaded and showered with kisses during a celebration of his 110th birthday at the National World War II Museum in New Orleans Thursday.

WWII veteran celebrates 110th birthday in NOrleans

Visitors to New Orleans who want to learn more about cocktails will soon have a new place to go. No, it's not another bar. The Sazerac Company, a Louisiana-based spirits maker, is opening the Sazerac House on Oct. 2.

Sazerac House celebrates NOLA's cocktail culture

A rare Darth Vader mask and helmet worn in one of the early "Star Wars" movies goes up for auction in Los Angeles later this month, along with a pair of Harry Potter's signature glasses.

Hollywood auction allows you to wear a piece of Hollywood history

Vietnamese designer Nguyen Cong Tri is a rising star among celebrities, thanks in large part to the dress he designed for Beyonce at the world premiere of "The Lion King".

Cong Tri shows spring-summer fashion collection; designer talks dressing Beyonce for 'Lion King' world premiere

A coalition of US states unveiled on Friday an antitrust investigation of Facebook, the first of what is expected to be a wave of action against dominant technology firms.

New York State Attorney General Letitia James announced the action on behalf of seven other states and the District of Columbia to probe "whether Facebook has stifled competition and put users at risk."

The case may be the first in a series of antitrust actions against Big Tech firms and highlights growing "techlash," based on worries about platforms that control the flow of online information and dominate key economic sectors.

"We will use every investigative tool at our disposal to determine whether Facebook's actions may have endangered consumer data, reduced the quality of consumers' choices, or increased the price of advertising," James said.

Joining the action were attorneys general of Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio, and Tennessee, said, James.

Earlier this year the US Justice Department said it would launch a "review" of major online platforms to determine if they have stifled innovation or reduced competition.

It was not immediately clear if the states would be working in coordination with federal officials.

'Rising fears'

Facebook offered no immediate comment, but in the past, it has claimed it is not a monopoly and that consumers have many choices for how to connect with people online.

The new probe "shows how unease with large tech companies is spreading beyond Congress and the federal government agencies to the states," said Michael Carrier, professor of antitrust law at Rutgers University.

"With each passing day, there are greater fears about these companies controlling our online lives."

Yet the legal basis for an antitrust action remains unclear, said Eric Goldman, director of the High Tech Law Institute at Santa Clara University.

"It remains to be seen if the (attorneys general) has any merit to their complaints or if they will be conducting a fishing expedition hoping to find some damning evidence," Goldman said.

"Companies as large as Google or Facebook probably have minor problematic practices the AGs could target, but I'm still waiting for any evidence that would support more structural challenges to the internet giants' practices."

'More on Monday'

A separate coalition of states was set to launch another antitrust initiative, with Google reportedly a target.

The office of the Texas attorney general scheduled an event Monday in Washington with a "broad coalition of states" to unveil a probe into "whether large tech companies have engaged in anticompetitive behaviour that stifled competition, restricted access, and harmed consumers."

Google spokesman Jose Castaneda said the company's services "help people every day, create more choice for consumers, and support thousands of jobs and small businesses across the country" and pledged to "work constructively with regulators."

'What's the remedy?'

Maurice Stucke, a University of Tennessee law professor, said he expects one of the areas being investigated will be online advertising markets, which are dominated by Google and Facebook.

"This is a great area to look at because the market has been criticized as being opaque," Stucke said.

Stucke said the investigations may go further by looking at how tech platforms control data, potentially examining "the intersection between competition law and privacy."

Amazon and Apple may also be in the crosshairs. Critics have complained that Amazon wields too much power in online retail and that Apple may disadvantage rivals offering services in its app store.

In the European Union, Google has faced a series of antitrust actions and Amazon is now being targeted by enforcers.

Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren has made a breakup of the big tech firms a part of her campaign platform.

But some analysts say the case against the tech firms faces challenges because the companies have in many cases provided services for free and brought prices down, making it hard to prove they harmed "consumer welfare," a longstanding judicial precedent.

Jessica Melugin of the Competitive Enterprise Institute said the state officials are stretching the limits of antitrust.

"This sort of high-profile activism may benefit state AGs' political ambitions, but impose harmful costs on consumers, businesses, and the economy," she said in a statement.

But Stucke said it would be wrong to view antitrust law as solely focused on consumer prices, and that it may be applied to questions of competition and innovation.

The probes could end up with a variety of outcomes including fines, restrictions on conduct or a breakup, Stucke maintained.

"You'd have to show how the remedy would address the concerns," he said.

A coalition of US states unveiled on Friday an antitrust investigation of Facebook, the first of what is expected to be a wave of action against dominant technology firms.

A coalition of US states unveiled on Friday an antitrust investigation of Facebook, the first of what is expected to be a wave of action against dominant technology firms. New York State Attorney General Letitia James announced the action on behalf of seven other states and the District of Columbia to probe "whether Facebook has stifled competition and put users at risk." The case may be the first in a series of antitrust actions against Big Tech firms and highlights growing "techlash," based on worries about platforms that control the flow of online information and dominate key economic sectors. "We will use every investigative tool at our disposal to determine whether Facebook's actions may have endangered consumer data, reduced the quality of consumers' choices, or increased the price of advertising," James said. Joining the action were attorneys general of Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio, and Tennessee, said, James. Earlier this year the US Justice Department said it would launch a "review" of major online platforms to determine if they have stifled innovation or reduced competition. It was not immediately clear if the states would be working in coordination with federal officials. 'Rising fears' Facebook offered no immediate comment, but in the past, it has claimed it is not a monopoly and that consumers have many choices for how to connect with people online. The new probe "shows how unease with large tech companies is spreading beyond Congress and the federal government agencies to the states," said Michael Carrier, professor of antitrust law at Rutgers University. "With each passing day, there are greater fears about these companies controlling our online lives." Yet the legal basis for an antitrust action remains unclear, said Eric Goldman, director of the High Tech Law Institute at Santa Clara University. "It remains to be seen if the (attorneys general) has any merit to their complaints or if they will be conducting a fishing expedition hoping to find some damning evidence," Goldman said. "Companies as large as Google or Facebook probably have minor problematic practices the AGs could target, but I'm still waiting for any evidence that would support more structural challenges to the internet giants' practices." 'More on Monday' A separate coalition of states was set to launch another antitrust initiative, with Google reportedly a target. The office of the Texas attorney general scheduled an event Monday in Washington with a "broad coalition of states" to unveil a probe into "whether large tech companies have engaged in anticompetitive behaviour that stifled competition, restricted access, and harmed consumers." Google spokesman Jose Castaneda said the company's services "help people every day, create more choice for consumers, and support thousands of jobs and small businesses across the country" and pledged to "work constructively with regulators." 'What's the remedy?' Maurice Stucke, a University of Tennessee law professor, said he expects one of the areas being investigated will be online advertising markets, which are dominated by Google and Facebook. "This is a great area to look at because the market has been criticized as being opaque," Stucke said. Stucke said the investigations may go further by looking at how tech platforms control data, potentially examining "the intersection between competition law and privacy." Amazon and Apple may also be in the crosshairs. Critics have complained that Amazon wields too much power in online retail and that Apple may disadvantage rivals offering services in its app store. In the European Union, Google has faced a series of antitrust actions and Amazon is now being targeted by enforcers. Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren has made a breakup of the big tech firms a part of her campaign platform. But some analysts say the case against the tech firms faces challenges because the companies have in many cases provided services for free and brought prices down, making it hard to prove they harmed "consumer welfare," a longstanding judicial precedent. Jessica Melugin of the Competitive Enterprise Institute said the state officials are stretching the limits of antitrust. "This sort of high-profile activism may benefit state AGs' political ambitions, but impose harmful costs on consumers, businesses, and the economy," she said in a statement. But Stucke said it would be wrong to view antitrust law as solely focused on consumer prices, and that it may be applied to questions of competition and innovation. The probes could end up with a variety of outcomes including fines, restrictions on conduct or a breakup, Stucke maintained. "You'd have to show how the remedy would address the concerns," he said.

Antitrust probe of Facebook may be first step against Big Tech

Collectors from around the world began buying, trading and selling containers of brews Thursday at the 49th annual gathering of members of the Brewery Collectibles Club of America.

'Comic Con of beer collectors' marks 49th meeting

North Macedonian hairdresser Svetlana Grozdanovska's creations are a cut above the rest. Grozdanovska uses trimmings from her client's haircuts to make portraits of local and internationally renowned celebrities.

Hair today, gone tomorrow: stylist creates portraits with cuttings

A European subsidiary of British beverage giant Diageo Plc signed a joint venture deal with state-run Cuba Ron SA on Monday (August 12) to market Santiago de Cuba Rum, in defiance of U.S. efforts to dissuade investment in the Communist-run country.

British beverage giant Diageo to market Cuban rum

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