Latest news with #Nell
Khaleej Times
17-07-2025
- General
- Khaleej Times
UAE: Family narrowly escapes villa fire; residents urged to get AC checked
A villa fire in Dubailand has prompted renewed warnings from fire safety experts and residents, urging people across the UAE to routinely inspect their air conditioning units and ensure smoke alarms are in working order. The blaze broke out in the maid's room of a British family's villa in Bella Casa, Serena, and has apparently been traced back to an internal electrical fault in an AC unit. 'There was no functioning fire alarm in the room…the fire alarm didn't go off. It's done a lot of damage. The house is not liveable anymore. We are now moving to another neighbourhood,' said Sally Maddison, a tenant of the villa. The British expat family of five — including young children — say the outcome could have been devastating had the fire occurred at night. 'If this had happened while we were asleep, we might not be here to tell the story. The most terrifying part is that the smoke detector — which should have been the first line of defence — wasn't working,' she added. According to Maddison, their cat, Molly, suffered severe smoke inhalation and had to be placed on oxygen to survive, resulting in veterinary bills exceeding Dh5,000. Meanwhile, their live-in helper, Nell, lost all her personal belongings in the fire, though her passport and birth certificate were somehow salvaged. She highlighted in a show of solidarity, neighbours came together to raise over Dh3,000 to help her (maid) begin rebuilding. 'This wasn't just one oversight — it was part of a larger pattern of neglect,' Maddison said. 'And when we started searching for a new home, we were shocked to find many other villas in Dubai also had no visible fire alarms installed. Proper AC maintenance is another essential that's often overlooked. It's frightening to go through something like this.' Routine AC, fire alarm checks critical Meanwhile, experts raised awareness about regular maintenance of air conditioning units and fire safety compliance. 'The air conditioning units should be inspected and serviced at a minimum every six months; typically, once heading into the summer months and once after the summer,' said Sam Malins, CEO of Reacton Fire Suppression. He explained that the most common types of fires in residential settings stem from electrical faults or malfunctions within AC units, particularly in circuit boards or fans. 'International studies have suggested 86 per cent of AC fires are caused by such issues,' he said. 'In addition, faulty electrics can lead to overheating of components and should they ignite, certain materials used to house the units can be highly combustible, leading to a rapid spread.' Malins stressed that residents must also 'make sure smoke detectors and alarm systems work, in line with the UAE standards". He recommends routine maintenance of AC units, including thorough cleaning to avoid dust or debris accumulation. 'In certain residences, automatic fire suppression systems may be appropriate for added reassurance,' he said. To further reduce risk, Malins suggests installing a timer on AC units. 'The government recommends a temperature of 24 degrees Celsius for personal health. It also works the best with the air conditioning unit, by putting less pressure on the unit ensuring less wear and tear, and it should be set on automatic rather than permanently on." 'There's less chance of AC units breaking down if they are used and reduced chance of mould accumulation. However, you don't want them running permanently if the property is not occupied.'
Daily Record
06-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Outlander's Nell Hudson marries fiancé Max King in 'beautiful' wedding
Outlander's Nell Hudson ties the knot with Max King ahead of baby's arrival Outlander actress Nell Hudson has confirmed that she has married her partner Max King in an intimate ceremony Outlander sensation Nell Hudson has joyfully exchanged vows with her beau Max King in a lovely, low-key wedding ceremony. The actress, best known for her role as Laoghaire MacKenzie on the smash-hit Starz series, gracefully donned an elegant white dress with ruffles, lovingly cradling her baby bump during a charming photoshoot adorned with flowers. Max, bursting with happiness, stood beside his bride, with both basking in the matrimonial bliss that was to follow. Social media followers were initially treated to a glimpse of their romance when they revealed their engagement in March last year, sharing an adorable image set against the iconic backdrop of Paris's Eiffel Tower. Nell, 34, disclosed plans for a "very tiny family-only wedding before the baby comes" relaying her enthusiasm at having her future brother-in-law, Larry King, playing a pivotal part in the special day, reports the Scottish Daily Express. Laoghaire made a bombshell return to Outlander last year (Image: STARZ ) Article continues below Eager to offer her social media supporters a sneak peek, Nell joyously captioned her recent post: "First little look at some wedding pics [love heart emoji] what can I say that hasn't ever been said it really was the best day ever." She also took the opportunity to acknowledge @devonmakeupgirl for her stellar makeup job and Larry for lending his expertise to her bridal hairstyle. Outlander fans have enthusiastically inundated Nell's announcement with warm wishes and commendations on this life-changing event, filling her comments section with love and adoration. Amongst the sea of admirers, there were sentiments like "Beautiful. That dress is amazing." And: "Aww so many congratulations you two!!! You both look amazing." Even Downton Abbey's luminary Joanne Froggatt chimed in with heartfelt felicitations, commenting: "Beautiful! Congratulations!" "Gorgeous photos of a beautiful day," remarked one admirer. "Congratulations to you!" Content cannot be displayed without consent Get MGM+ free for a week This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more £5.99 £0 MGM+ Get MGM+ here Product Description Telly fans can get seven days of free access to binge top series like Outlander with a free trial of Amazon Prime's MGM+ channel. Another pleased follower commented: "I'm thrilled for you!! You are glowing with happiness." Nell's character Laoghaire, who had a fleeting romantic entanglement with the dashing Highlander Jamie Fraser (portrayed by Sam Heughan), surprised fans with her return in Outlander's ongoing seventh season. There's also buzz that she might reappear for the eighth and concluding season, which is set to wrap up the grand time-tripping narrative. Article continues below The good news for enthusiasts of the series is that the journey doesn't end there; with the Outlander universe expanding, the spin-off, Outlander: Blood of My Blood, has already been confirmed for an additional series. Outlander is available to stream on MGM+ via Prime Video.
Gulf Today
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Gulf Today
AI is advancing even faster than Stephenson imagined
Every time I read about another advance in AI technology, I feel like another figment of science fiction moves closer to reality. Lately, I've been noticing eerie parallels to Neal Stephenson's 1995 novel "The Diamond Age: Or, A Young Lady's Illustrated Primer." "The Diamond Age" depicted a post-cyberpunk sectarian future, in which society is fragmented into tribes, called phyles. In this future world, sophisticated nanotechnology is ubiquitous, and a new type of AI is introduced. Though inspired by MIT nanotech pioneer Eric Drexler and Nobel Prize winner Richard Feynman, the advanced nanotechnology depicted in the novel still remains out of reach. However, the AI that's portrayed, particularly a teaching device called the Young Lady's Illustrated Primer, isn't only right in front of us; it also raises serious issues about the role of AI in labor, learning and human behaviour. In Stephenson's novel, the Primer looks like a hardcover book, but each of its "pages" is really a screen display that can show animations and text, and it responds to its user in real time via AI. The book also has an audio component, which voices the characters and narrates stories being told by the device. It was originally created for the young daughter of an aristocrat, but it accidentally falls into the hands of a girl named Nell who's living on the streets of a futuristic Shanghai. The Primer provides Nell personalised emotional, social and intellectual support during her journey to adulthood, serving alternatively as an AI companion, a storyteller, a teacher and a surrogate parent. The AI is able to weave fairy tales that help a younger Nell cope with past traumas, such as her abusive home and life on the streets. It educates her on everything from math to cryptography to martial arts. In a techno-futuristic homage to George Bernard Shaw's 1913 play "Pygmalion," the Primer goes so far as to teach Nell the proper social etiquette to be able to blend into neo-Victorian society, one of the prominent tribes in Stephenson's balkanized world. Three recent developments in AI — in video games, wearable technology and education — reveal that building something like the Primer should no longer be considered the purview of science fiction. In May 2025, the hit video game "Fortnite" introduced an AI version of Darth Vader, who speaks with the voice of the late James Earl Jones. While it was popular among fans of the game, the Screen Actors Guild lodged a labor complaint with Epic Games, the creator of "Fortnite." Even though Epic had received permission from the late actor's estate, the Screen Actors Guild pointed out that actors could have been hired to voice the character, and the company — in refusing to alert the union and negotiate terms — violated existing labor agreements. In "The Diamond Age," while the Primer uses AI to generate the fairy tales that train Nell, for the voices of these archetypal characters, Stephenson concocted a low-tech solution: The characters are played by a network of what he termed "ractors" — real actors working in a studio who are contracted to perform and interact in real time with users. The Darth Vader "Fortnite" character shows that a Primer built today wouldn't need to use actors at all. It could rely almost entirely on AI voice generation and have real-time conversations, showing that today's technology already exceeds Stephenson's normally far-sighted vision. Synthesising James Earl Jones' voice in "Fortnite" wasn't the only recent AI development heralding the arrival of Primer-like technology. I recently witnessed a demonstration of wearable AI that records all of the wearer's conversations. Their words are then sent to a server so they can be analyzed by AI, providing both summaries and suggestions to the user about future behaviour. Several startups are making these "always on" AI wearables. In an April 29, 2025, essay titled "I Recorded Everything I Said for Three Months. AI Has Replaced My Memory," Wall Street Journal technology columnist Joanna Stern describes the experience of using this technology. She concedes that the assistants created useful summaries of her conversations and meetings, along with helpful to-do lists. However, they also recalled "every dumb, private and cringeworthy thing that came out of my mouth." These devices also create privacy issues. The people whom the user interacts with don't always know they are being recorded, even as their words are also sent to a server for the AI to process them. To Stern, the technology's potential for mass surveillance becomes readily apparent, presenting a "slightly terrifying glimpse of the future." Associated Press
Daily Record
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Outlander star shares gorgeous first snaps of intimate wedding day
Nell Hudson married her fiance Max in an intimate wedding back in May. Outlander actress Nell Hudson has shared the first gorgeous snaps of her wedding day. The star who plays Laoghaire MacKenzie in the hit show, is set to welcome her first child shortly with her partner film producer Maximillian King. The couple got hitched in May in an intimate ceremony surrounded by family and friends before the arrival of their little one. And now, Nell has shared some beautiful snaps to her Instagram followers which show her and Max beaming with happiness on their special day. In the post Nell penned: "First little look at some wedding pics what can I say that hasn't ever been said it really was the best day ever." Nell and Max can be seen smiling in the three gorgeous snaps as Nell wore a breathtaking ruffled dress whilst Max looked dapper in a black suit as they posed on a beach. And many fans flocked to the comments to congratulate the newlyweds. One penned: "Aww so many congratulations you two!!! You both look amazing." Another said: "Dreamy photos. You look so happy best wishes! And still sending you all the good energy for an easy quick delivery." While one added: "Huge congrats, so much love to you both! To you three! Iconic as ever." And one commented: "Congrats to all…you look radiant." Nell previously opened up to her Instagram followers about her plans for her low-key wedding. On Instagram she said: "Me and Max are doing a very tiny family-only wedding before the baby comes." The 36 year old announced that she was pregnant back in March. In the sweet post, Nell posted a photo of her smiling to the camera holding her bump, she wrote: "Hello it's been a while, very happy to share some big news! I'm pregnant", alongside a series of heart emojis. Nell and Max got engaged during a trip to Paris last year, and she announced the after already posting several pictures of their trip together, shared a cute snap of them with her engagement ring, writing: "Oh sorry actually just one more from Paris - WE'RE GETTING MARRIED!!!' (sic) Jamie Fraser's (played by Sam Heughan) second wife Laoghaire has caused plenty of trouble for him and Claire Fraser (Caitriona Balfe) over the years and she returned for the second half of season seven. Away from acting, Nell is an author and released her debut novel Just For Today in 2022, which is also being turned into a TV show, according to her Instagram. Her book is about friendship, falling in love and being young in the noughties.
The Citizen
29-06-2025
- General
- The Citizen
Wolmer non-profit feeds hope to hundreds daily
Tucked away on Bakenkloof Street in Wolmer in the north of Pretoria, is a beacon of hope known as Tshwane North Outreach (TNO), a non-profit that transforms lives. The NPO has been operating for about three decades and has become a trusted pillar in the community. It provides not only material relief but also holistic social support, education, and developmental programmes to hundreds of vulnerable individuals and families. Founded in 1996, the organisation initially set out as a community development project. However, as poverty in the area escalated, the vision evolved to address immediate survival needs alongside long-term empowerment. Today, TNO supports children, youth, the elderly, unemployed people, and emerging welfare organisations across the northern regions of Tshwane and North West province. At the heart of the organisation's work is its commitment to poverty relief, with around 150 local families receiving daily cooked meals and fresh produce. In a typical year, it distributes over 2 400 food parcels, 5 280 loaves of bread, and thousands of clothing items, blankets, and school supplies. Manager Stephen Nell said the goal is not just to feed and clothe people, but to restore dignity and create pathways to a better future. 'Each donation and every programme we offer is rooted in our belief that no one should be left behind simply because they were born into poverty.' One of TNO's flagship initiatives is its pre-school education programme, where 35 Grade RR and R children from disadvantaged backgrounds are taught by qualified educators. The young learners also receive nutritional meals, school uniforms, and psychosocial support to prepare them for formal education. Complementing this is the after-school centre, which supports 80 learners from grades 1 to 12 with homework supervision, access to a library and media centre, and stationery and schoolbags. Nell said TNO employs a registered social worker who provides family counselling, play therapy, group support, and child protection services. 'Many of these interventions arise from referrals by schools, clinics, churches, and other NGOs. The organisation further extends its hand through a mother and infant programme, support for HIV/Aids-affected households, and a substance abuse prevention programme aimed at the youth,' he said. A unique aspect of TNO is its support to emerging welfare organisations through its outreach leg, Motswedi Wa Lerato. Currently, 20 such organisations, serving over 2 800 beneficiaries in areas like Ga-Rankuwa, Mabopane, Temba, and Klipgat, rely on TNO's logistical and material assistance. 'People often don't realise the scale of support needed by smaller welfare groups. 'We assist with food, clothes, and household items to ensure they can continue serving their communities with consistency and dignity,' explained Nell. TNO's impact is strenghtened through strategic partnerships with institutions like the Department of Social Development, the Pretoria North Clinic, the National Lotteries Commission, SAPS, and local churches. Private donors and the Women's Agricultural Union also play a role, especially in skills development for women and dignity pack distribution for teenage girls through collaboration with the Annebelle Foundation. During school holidays, TNO offers holiday programmes to keep children safe, engaged, and off the streets. The programmes focus on creativity, resilience, and life skills. The year ends on a joyful note with the annual Christmas party, where more than 100 children enjoy gifts, meals, and a chance to simply be kids. Despite economic challenges, especially post-2020, TNO has maintained clean audits and continues to adapt and grow. Yet, as Nell notes, sustainability remains a concern. 'We survive on the generosity of people, whether it's R50, a bag of maize or a used blanket. It all counts. 'We are calling on individuals, corporations, and faith-based institutions to walk this journey with us. There's still so much more we can do.' ALSO READ: Homeless get more than warmth at shelter Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to bennittb@ or phone us on 083 625 4114. For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
