admin
Play video content Instagram/@official_dumisanidlamini Doja Cat's family drama took a wild and X-rated turn over the weekend. While Doja Cat claims her dad is a deadbeat, who basically ran out on her ... her dad
admin
Play video content TMZ.com "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" star Cynthia Bailey really isn't looking for beef, but if beef finds her ... she's not about to back down! When we caught up with Cynthia
admin
'SLOMW' Jennifer Affleck Taylor's Drama Is Taking Focus From the Beauty of the Show!!! Published March 22, 2026 2:47 PM PDT "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives" star Jennifer Affleck gets that castmate Taylor Frankie
admin
Sofia Coppola's Daughter Romy Mars Says Babysitter Met Wrong Set of 'High' Standards Published March 22, 2026 2:04 PM PDT Play video content TikTok/@ r0mymars Sofia Coppola's daughter Romy Mars is giving all the behind-the-scenes
admin
Beneath the powder snow at internationally popular Japanese ski resort Niseko, anxiety is mounting among residents over soaring prices and a massive influx of overseas workers. At a time when Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is talking tough on immigration, upscale Niseko has never been more popular with seasonal workers, investors and skiers from across the globe. The snow “is the best in the world”, said Gideon Masters, a 29-year-old Australian tourist. “It’s just soft, powder fluff. You can pick it up with your bare hands, it doesn’t even feel cold... It’s just a shame that it’s become so populated,” he told AFP at the foot of the slopes, snowboard in hand. Built in the 1960s on the northern island of Hokkaido, the resort began attracting foreigners, mainly Australians, in the 1990s and became a popular destination after the 9/11 attacks in 2001 for those wanting to avoid the US. They gradually opened more shops and acquired property, and were later joined by Asian investors from Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore, among others, pushing land prices ever higher. In Hirafu, one of the four resorts that make up Niseko, land prices jumped 70% between 2020 and 2025. “If ski resorts in Japan had stayed the way they used to be, they would never have gained such worldwide renown,” said Hiroshi Hasegawa, director of a local real estate agency. “It’s thanks to the taste and sensibilities of Australians and New Zealanders that this town has grown.” They are no longer alone, with “funds based in tax havens and all kinds of investors (who) have started pouring money in. Hollywood stars and artists come here, and owners of multinationals are buying second homes,” he added. “All of this is driving prices up even further,” a trend that will likely continue, according to the agent. Unaffordable for locals For residents, inflated property prices and living costs are leaving a bitter taste. “Land is being sold at prices that are no longer affordable for locals,” explained 42-year-old Masatoshi Saito, who runs a painting company. “In the supermarket, you find luxury products, sea urchins or Dom Perignon champagne, and vegetables have become extremely expensive,” pushing some people to do their shopping in a neighbouring town. To attract staff, hotels and restaurants are raising wages, but local businesses are struggling to keep up. “In construction, paying that much is very difficult because market prices are fixed. Raising wages is a huge risk for bosses,” Saito said. Meanwhile, “care workers sometimes prefer jobs in hotels,” which pay better, creating a risk of labour shortages in social services”, warned Hasegawa. Driven by tourist demand, the region sees thousands of seasonal workers arrive each year, most of them foreigners. In Kutchan, a large town in the area, the non-Japanese population doubles in winter to 3,000 people from 70 countries, making up nearly 20%of residents. “Young people in their twenties come here from all over the world (...), which creates a very lively atmosphere,” but also causes problems with neighbours, admitted Kutchan Mayor Kazushi Monji. Saito and other residents, meanwhile, have complained about littering. A plan to build housing for 1,200 foreign workers that was approved last autumn sparked outcry among locals. “Cultures are different, not to mention the language barrier,” the mayor said, urging “mutual support and consideration”. ‘Harmonious coexistence’Reflecting growing anti-immigration sentiment, the far-right “Japanese First” Sanseito party made gains in February’s general election. Prime Minister Takaichi, meanwhile, has promised tougher rules for foreigners in the name of “harmonious coexistence” between communities. Her government is proposing stricter checks on foreigners entering the country, lengths of stay and illegal work. It also wants to revise rules on land purchases by foreigners for “national security” reasons. While acknowledging the need to adapt legislation to current realities, Monji rejects “the somewhat extreme view” that foreigners could “take over”. The interest Niseko is generating “boosts the economy and greatly contributes to the town’s development”, Kutchan’s mayor said. And with births falling again in 2025 for the tenth year in a row in Japan, the country desperately needs foreign workers. Hokkaido is experiencing extreme polarisation, hosting both the localities that saw the sharpest land-price increases in the country last year due to tourism and foreign investment, and those where prices fell the most, due to population decline. “If we want to share the beauty of this region with the whole world, we must move beyond nationality divides,” Monji said. Related Story
admin
TSA desks sit empty as travellers stand in long lines at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport Sunday in Atlanta, Georgia. (AFP) As government funding for the US Department of Homeland Security remains frozen in Congress, airports are running food drives and accepting donations for security screeners enduring their second stretch without pay in the last six months. Transportation Security Administration officers scrimped and pinched pennies during last year’s 43-day government shutdown, and many of those 50,000 workers are still paying off debts as the current funding lapse for the TSA’s parent agency, the Department of Homeland Security, has stretched to five weeks. Those workers are six days away from missing a second full paycheck, but are being pressured to show up as screening times at some airports stretch on for hours. “The 43-day shutdown in the fall, a lot of TSA officers didn’t get paid for 50 days. So they’re not recovered from that and that was only two or three months ago,” said Kimberly Kraynak-Lambert, trustee of Pittsburgh’s local chapter of the American Federation of Government Employees union, which represents government workers. Airports and officials are scrambling to help TSA staffers make ends meet to forestall a sharp rise in absences from screeners, who earn an average of $61,000 annually, according to federal data. Rebecca Wolf, president of AFGE Local 1127, who represents TSA officers at 47 airports across several western US states, said struggling workers are taking on side gigs like making Amazon deliveries or driving for Lyft and Uber. “Many have gone and applied for food stamps within their states,” she said. “I have a couple of officers in one of my states that they’re actually sleeping in their car and one has been evicted already.” DHS acknowledged the screeners’ hardships, with a spokesperson saying that “Democrats must reopen DHS now.” The union is alerting members nationwide to food drives and free pantries for groceries. Airports like Minneapolis-St. Paul and Phoenix are accepting donations such as gasoline gift cards, food, or essentials like baby goods. Seattle-Tacoma’s airport has opened a food pantry, while at Dallas Fort Worth International, supervisors are bringing food to checkpoints twice a week. Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson Airport is giving out vouchers for one free meal per shift as TSA officers “continue to show up every day to protect millions of travellers, even as they face uncertainty at home,” said Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, in a statement. Screeners are also getting free parking and public transport passes. It is unclear when funding will be restored. Democrats in Congress in February agreed to fund most of the government in exchange for withholding funds from DHS following the high-profile killings of two US residents in Minnesota by immigration authorities. Senate Majority Leader John Thune told reporters on Friday that a bipartisan group of senators have narrowed the remaining issues in the DHS funding talks, but it is not clear when they will reach a deal. “A Transportation Security Officer selling plasma to keep the lights on is unconscionable. Tens of thousands of families turning to food banks because Congress refuses to do its job is a national disgrace,” said Everett Kelley, national president of the AFGE. Officials have noted that small US airports may have to shut due to a shortage of security screeners. So far, 366 TSA officers have quit their jobs since the shutdown began, according to DHS. Workers presenting letters from DHS to creditors asking for late fees to be waived or for payments to be deferred are finding less leniency this time around, said Kraynak-Lambert of Pittsburgh’s AFGE 332. Union officials say workers who call in sick must show proof with a note from a doctor. Related Story
admin
Britain said its Akrotiri airbase in Cyprus would not be involved in its defensive agreement with the United States to use UK bases, after a call on Saturday between Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides. The UK government gave authorisation on Friday for the US to use RAF Fairford in England and Diego Garcia, a joint US-UK base in the Indian Ocean, to carry out defensive strikes on Iranian missile sites attacking ships in the Strait of Hormuz. “RAF Akrotiri would not be involved in the UK’s continuation of its agreement with the US to use UK bases in collective self defence of the region,” a spokesperson for Starmer’s office said in a British readout of the call with Christodoulides. An Iranian-type Shahed drone caused slight damage on March 2 when it hit facilities at the Akrotiri airbase in southern Cyprus, with two others later intercepted. There have been no further known security incidents on the island, where Britain retained sovereignty over two bases when it granted its former colony independence in 1960. A Cypriot government spokesperson said in a statement that Starmer had reiterated “that the security of the Republic of Cyprus is fundamental to the United Kingdom and, to that end, a decision has been taken to enhance the means contributing to the preventive measures already in place”. “Finally, the Prime Minister reiterated that the British Bases in Cyprus will not be used for any offensive military operations,” the Cypriot government spokesperson added.Separately, a source at Britain’s defence ministry said an Iranian ballistic missile attack towards Diego Garcia had occurred before the UK gave the US its latest authorisation. British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper told British media on Saturday that the government’s policy on the US-Israeli-war on Iran remained defensive. “We will provide defensive support against these reckless Iranian threats, but we have not been and we continue not to be involved in offensive action and we want to see the swiftest possible resolution,” she said. “We will not be drawn into a wider conflict,” she added.
admin
MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA - MARCH 22: Carlos Alcaraz of Spain leaves the court after losing to Sebastian Korda of the United States on Day 6 of the Miami Open Presented by Itau at Hard Rock
admin
When conflict erupts, the first disruptions are often measured not only in geopolitical headlines but also in legal notices. Within just two days of the current crisis in the Middle East, contractors involved in major infrastructure projects in Qatar had begun issuing and receiving force majeure notices.This rapid response reflects a deeper reality about doing business in a region impacted by global politics. Large-scale infrastructure projects, from transport networks to energy facilities, are often planned years in advance and involve billions of dollars in investment. Yet geopolitical events can change the operating environment overnight. When they do, one contractual mechanism quickly moves from the fine print to the forefront: force majeure.The term ‘force majeure,’ meaning ‘superior force,’ originates in French civil law but has become a standard feature in international construction contracts. It allows a party to suspend or avoid certain contractual obligations when extraordinary events beyond its control, such as war, natural disasters or terrorism, prevent performance.For contractors and developers operating in the Middle East today, reviewing these provisions is not merely a legal technicality. It is an urgent commercial necessity. In the absence of an explicit force majeure clause, parties may find themselves with limited protection when external events disrupt their ability to perform a contract.Under English common law, for example, the doctrine of frustration may excuse performance if an unforeseen event fundamentally changes the nature of the contract. However, this doctrine applies only in narrow circumstances. By contrast, the Qatar Civil Code expressly recognises the concept of force majeure under Article 188. Even so, most construction contracts include their own detailed force majeure provisions to clarify how risk will be allocated when extraordinary events occur.At the heart of every force majeure clause lies a definition of what qualifies as a force majeure event. Some contracts adopt a broad formulation, referring to any event beyond the reasonable control of the affected party. Others rely on more detailed lists of qualifying events such as war, floods, earthquakes, or terrorist attacks. Both approaches have advantages and risks.A narrowly drafted list may fail to capture unforeseen crises, leaving parties exposed if a disruption falls outside the specified categories. On the other hand, overly broad definitions can create uncertainty about when the clause should legitimately apply. As a result, many modern construction contracts combine the two approaches: listing anticipated events while also including broader ‘catch-all’ language to capture similar circumstances that the parties may not have predicted. But identifying a qualifying event is only the first step.To rely on force majeure, a party must usually demonstrate several key elements. The event must have prevented, hindered, or delayed performance of contractual obligations. It must be beyond the party’s control. And the party must show that it could not reasonably have avoided or mitigated the consequences. This last requirement is particularly important.Force majeure is not a remedy for commercial inconvenience. A contractor cannot rely on the clause simply because a project has become more expensive or difficult. Courts and arbitral tribunals will typically expect evidence that reasonable steps were taken to mitigate the impact of the disruption.Equally critical are the procedural requirements contained in most contracts. Force majeure clauses usually require the affected party to notify its counterparty within a specified timeframe. These notices must explain the nature of the event and how it is preventing performance. In practical terms, this means that failing to comply with the notice requirements, even during a crisis, may prevent a party from relying on force majeure at all. In fast-moving situations such as regional conflict, this can create significant legal risk.When properly invoked, the most common consequence of force majeure is the temporary suspension of contractual obligations. In effect, the contract is paused while the disruptive event continues to prevent performance. If the disruption persists for a prolonged period, however, termination may follow.Many construction contracts allow either party to terminate the agreement after six to twelve months of sustained force majeure. In those circumstances, contractors are typically paid for work completed and may recover certain costs, such as demobilisation expenses, but they rarely receive compensation for lost profits. These scenarios frequently give rise to disputes, particularly regarding the valuation of completed work and the costs incurred before termination, so careful documentation of project progress and costs can be critical evidence if disagreements later arise.The current regional crisis serves as a stark reminder that even the most carefully negotiated contracts operate within a broader geopolitical environment. Infrastructure development across the Middle East continues to accelerate, but global tensions mean that disruption can never be entirely ruled out.In this context, force majeure clauses are far more than standard boilerplate. They are essential tools for managing risk in an unpredictable world. For companies operating in the region’s construction sector, understanding how these clauses work, and ensuring they are drafted and invoked correctly, may ultimately determine whether a crisis results in a manageable delay or a costly legal dispute.Matthew Williams is Counsel at Crowell & Moring in Doha. With more than a decade of experience in Qatar, he advises on construction, project finance and arbitration matters across the region. Related Story
admin
Vietnam and Russia Monday signed a co-operation agreement on the construction of Vietnam's first nuclear power plant, Russia's Rosatom nuclear agency said Monday.Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh was visiting energy-rich Russia as Vietnam seeks to shore up its fuel reserves at a time of disruption to energy supplies caused by the war in the Middle East, sparking fears of fuel shortages around the world.Since the US-Israeli war against Iran began in late February, the cost of 95-octane petrol and diesel in Vietnam, a manufacturing hub, has soared by 50% and 70% respectively.The agreement lays out the legal framework for the construction of two reactors with a total output of 2,400MW at Vietnam's proposed Ninh Thuan nuclear power plant, Rostam said.Rosatom head Alexey Likhachev said the agreement would be the 'foundation for a long-term industrial partnership, which will strengthen Vietnam's energy independence and open up new opportunities for economic growth'.No timeline was given for when construction would start or when the plant might come online.Moscow and Hanoi had initially agreed to build the Ninh Thuan 1 atomic power station back in 2010, but later decided to suspend construction.Another agreement between Russia's top liquefied natural gas (LNG) producer Novatek and a Vietnamese buyer was also signed recently, Novatek's CEO Leonid Mikhelson said Monday.'We have been in negotiations with potential buyers for over five years, and have very recently signed a preliminary supply agreement with one of them. We are ready to commence deliveries at the earliest opportunity,' he told state broadcaster Rossiya 24, without naming the customer.Russia and Vietnam have also signed a deal on oil and gas production in both countries, the TASS state news agency reported, citing Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, without giving details.
