The Grio
Woman gives birth to record 10 babies in South Africa: reports
Matthew Allen
Sat, June 12, 2021, 8:10 AM
Officials in South Africa are working to confirm the news after Gosiame Thamara Sithole was prepared to deliver eight babies
A South African woman reportedly has given birth to 10 babies on Monday.
If true, it set a new world record, according to BBC.
Gosiame Thamara Sithole, 37, was said to have delivered a set of decuplets in a hospital in Pretoria, South Africa’s capital. Although no photos have been taken of the children, Sithole’s husband, Teboho Tsotetsi, told Pretoria News of the children’s arrival.
Gosiame Thamara Sithole reportedly gave birth to 10 children in South Africa. (African News Agency)
Tsotetsi is pleased, yet surprised, due her prenatal scans only showing eight babies in her womb.
The Pretoria News had interviewed the couple prior to the birth in an earlier interview in anticipation of eight children being born.
“It’s seven boys and three girls,” Tsotetsi said. “I am happy. I am emotional. I can’t talk much.”
Sithole reportedly gave birth naturally to five of the children and the remaining five via cesarean delivery, or C-section, according to a family member. The parents also have a pair of six-year-old twins at home. The new arrivals would bring the couple’s child count to 12.
Sithole, who is from the township of Tembisa, close to Johannesburg, was apparently just over seven months into her pregnancy when she gave birth.
According to WXIX-TV, the South African government is still working to confirm that Sithole did, in fact, give birth to 10 children. Feziwe Ndwayana, a spokeswoman of the Department of Social Development in South Africa’s Gauteng province, said a formal announcement of the decuplets after it confirms and speaks with the family.
The Guinness Book of World Records is also awaiting official word. If confirmed, Sithole and Tsotetsi will hold a new record for most births by a single pregnancy.
Last month, Halima Cissé of Mali, gave birth to nine children in Morocco. Like Sithole, Cissé’s prenatal scan only showed eight children.
Cissé is the first reported case of surviving nonuplets in history.
While the official news of the decuplets is still yet to be confirmed, social media has been all over the story, using the hashtag #Tembisa10.
https://currently.att.yahoo.com/news/wo ... 21251.html
Believe It or Not
Head of world's 'largest family' dies in India, leaving behind 39 wives and 94 children
Joe Wallen
Mon, June 14, 2021, 3:52 AM
A family photograph of the Ziona family, with a total of 181 members. Ziona Chana, 67, is at the front - Barcroft Media
A man believed to have the world’s largest family, including 39 wives, 94 children, 33 grandchildren and one great-grandchild, has died in the northeastern Indian state of Mizoram.
Ziona Chana, 76, was the head of a polygamous Christian religious sect with 4,000 members, and his extended family all lived together in one 100-room, four-storied mansion in the remote village of Baktawng Tlangnuam. The sect was founded by his father.
Mr Chana, a construction worker, developed a rota system for which of his wives would share his bed on any given night, with his remaining spouses sharing a dormitory nearby.
“I consider myself a lucky man to be the husband of 39 women and head of the world’s largest family,” Mr Chana told the Daily Mirror in 2012.
The polygamist married his first wife, Zathiangi, at the age of 17, and reportedly wedded 10 of his other wives in the space of one year. His last marriage came in 2004 to a 25-year-old woman.
Mr Chana with some of his wives in his bedroom in 2011 - Barcroft Media
As his longest-standing wife, Zathiangi was given the responsibility of organising domestic chores.
Polygamy is illegal under Indian law but permitted among a few northeastern tribes.
His children and their partners lived in different rooms in the building but shared a common kitchen. The household was self-sufficient, running its own school and growing its own crops. It consumes as much as 100 kilograms of rice and 70 kilograms of potatoes every day.
As a result, his unconventional mansion has become something of a tourist attraction.
A guesthouse had been constructed within the residence to accommodate visitors - including many from abroad.
Ziona Chana's four-storeyed purple mansion is called 'Chhuanthar Run', which means 'The House of the New Generation', and is home to all 181 members of the family - Barcroft Media
In 2014, the family featured in an advertisement of a leading dishwasher brand, according to the Hindustan Times, and twice appeared on the popular television show Ripley’s Believe It Or Not.
“With heavy heart, Mizoram bid farewell to Ziona, believed to head the world’s largest family," said Mizoram’s Chief Minister, Zoramthanga, who like many inhabitants of the state goes by one name.
"Mizoram and his village at Baktawng Tlangnuam has become a major tourist attraction in the state because of the family. Rest in Peace Sir!”
Doctors in Mizoram said Mr Chana died in the state capital of Aizawl after his diabetes and hypertension deteriorated.
There is some dispute as to whether Mr Chana was the head of the world’s largest family - one Canadian man has allegedly fathered 150 children.
https://currently.att.yahoo.com/news/he ... 30733.html
Joe Wallen
Mon, June 14, 2021, 3:52 AM
A family photograph of the Ziona family, with a total of 181 members. Ziona Chana, 67, is at the front - Barcroft Media
A man believed to have the world’s largest family, including 39 wives, 94 children, 33 grandchildren and one great-grandchild, has died in the northeastern Indian state of Mizoram.
Ziona Chana, 76, was the head of a polygamous Christian religious sect with 4,000 members, and his extended family all lived together in one 100-room, four-storied mansion in the remote village of Baktawng Tlangnuam. The sect was founded by his father.
Mr Chana, a construction worker, developed a rota system for which of his wives would share his bed on any given night, with his remaining spouses sharing a dormitory nearby.
“I consider myself a lucky man to be the husband of 39 women and head of the world’s largest family,” Mr Chana told the Daily Mirror in 2012.
The polygamist married his first wife, Zathiangi, at the age of 17, and reportedly wedded 10 of his other wives in the space of one year. His last marriage came in 2004 to a 25-year-old woman.
Mr Chana with some of his wives in his bedroom in 2011 - Barcroft Media
As his longest-standing wife, Zathiangi was given the responsibility of organising domestic chores.
Polygamy is illegal under Indian law but permitted among a few northeastern tribes.
His children and their partners lived in different rooms in the building but shared a common kitchen. The household was self-sufficient, running its own school and growing its own crops. It consumes as much as 100 kilograms of rice and 70 kilograms of potatoes every day.
As a result, his unconventional mansion has become something of a tourist attraction.
A guesthouse had been constructed within the residence to accommodate visitors - including many from abroad.
Ziona Chana's four-storeyed purple mansion is called 'Chhuanthar Run', which means 'The House of the New Generation', and is home to all 181 members of the family - Barcroft Media
In 2014, the family featured in an advertisement of a leading dishwasher brand, according to the Hindustan Times, and twice appeared on the popular television show Ripley’s Believe It Or Not.
“With heavy heart, Mizoram bid farewell to Ziona, believed to head the world’s largest family," said Mizoram’s Chief Minister, Zoramthanga, who like many inhabitants of the state goes by one name.
"Mizoram and his village at Baktawng Tlangnuam has become a major tourist attraction in the state because of the family. Rest in Peace Sir!”
Doctors in Mizoram said Mr Chana died in the state capital of Aizawl after his diabetes and hypertension deteriorated.
There is some dispute as to whether Mr Chana was the head of the world’s largest family - one Canadian man has allegedly fathered 150 children.
https://currently.att.yahoo.com/news/he ... 30733.html
Confused child calls 911 to get help with their math homework: ‘You said if I need help to call somebody!’
Mon, June 28, 2021, 12:50 PM
A concerned child couldn’t figure out how to solve their math homework, so they called the first person they could think of for help — 911!
In this audio-only video, posted by TikTok account 911 Calls (@911_stories_), a 911 dispatcher answered the phone, saying, “911, what’s your emergency?” A young child responded, “Yeah I need some help.” A situation was certainly under way!
The dispatcher asked “What’s the matter?”
The young student, determined to get some answers, replied, “With my math! I have… takeaways.”
The dispatcher was more than willing to help with the child’s subtraction problem. He responded kindly, “Oh you gotta do the takeaways? Alright, what’s the problem?”
Decode and demystify Gen Z's latest online slang terms with In The Know's new glossary.
The child repeats himself, reminding the officer, “You have to help me with my math!” The officer remained calm while managing this “emergency” and said, “Tell me what the math is.”
The child found a problem and declared that he couldn’t figure out “five takeaway five.” As the dispatcher tried to help the child figure it out, the child’s mother realized he was on the phone.
“Joni! What are you doing?” she asked the child.
“The policeman’s helping me with my math!” the child answered emphatically.
“What did I tell you about playing on the phone?” the child’s mom responded.
The child defended themself passionately, saying, “You said if I need help to call somebody!”
“I didn’t mean the police!” his mom cried out as the video ended.
While this confusion may make for an adorable TikTok, it’s important to avoid mishaps like these and discuss the appropriate use for 911 with children.
TikTokers are cracking up at this hilarious recording
This TikTok has 32.1 million views and counting. The exchange between the dispatcher and the young student delighted viewers.
One TikToker joked, “He understood what had to be done.” Math is no small conquest!
Another viewer commended the officer’s patience, writing “That was so nice of that officer! Nothing but respect for him!”
In Joni’s defense, kids are often instructed to call 911 when there’s an emergency, and as far as the child was concerned, their math homework was quite the emergency.
https://currently.att.yahoo.com/lifesty ... 18780.html
Mon, June 28, 2021, 12:50 PM
A concerned child couldn’t figure out how to solve their math homework, so they called the first person they could think of for help — 911!
In this audio-only video, posted by TikTok account 911 Calls (@911_stories_), a 911 dispatcher answered the phone, saying, “911, what’s your emergency?” A young child responded, “Yeah I need some help.” A situation was certainly under way!
The dispatcher asked “What’s the matter?”
The young student, determined to get some answers, replied, “With my math! I have… takeaways.”
The dispatcher was more than willing to help with the child’s subtraction problem. He responded kindly, “Oh you gotta do the takeaways? Alright, what’s the problem?”
Decode and demystify Gen Z's latest online slang terms with In The Know's new glossary.
The child repeats himself, reminding the officer, “You have to help me with my math!” The officer remained calm while managing this “emergency” and said, “Tell me what the math is.”
The child found a problem and declared that he couldn’t figure out “five takeaway five.” As the dispatcher tried to help the child figure it out, the child’s mother realized he was on the phone.
“Joni! What are you doing?” she asked the child.
“The policeman’s helping me with my math!” the child answered emphatically.
“What did I tell you about playing on the phone?” the child’s mom responded.
The child defended themself passionately, saying, “You said if I need help to call somebody!”
“I didn’t mean the police!” his mom cried out as the video ended.
While this confusion may make for an adorable TikTok, it’s important to avoid mishaps like these and discuss the appropriate use for 911 with children.
TikTokers are cracking up at this hilarious recording
This TikTok has 32.1 million views and counting. The exchange between the dispatcher and the young student delighted viewers.
One TikToker joked, “He understood what had to be done.” Math is no small conquest!
Another viewer commended the officer’s patience, writing “That was so nice of that officer! Nothing but respect for him!”
In Joni’s defense, kids are often instructed to call 911 when there’s an emergency, and as far as the child was concerned, their math homework was quite the emergency.
https://currently.att.yahoo.com/lifesty ... 18780.html
Dwarf cow Rani finds fame in Bangladesh
Thu, July 8, 2021, 4:34 PM
Rani standing with another cow
Bhutti cow Rani stands 51cm (20in) high
Visitors have been flocking to a farm in Bangladesh to see a new celebrity: a dwarf cow called Rani.
The 23-month-old Bhutti, or Bhutanese, cow stands just 51cm (20in) high, and weighs 28kg (62Ib).
Despite a national Covid lockdown, more than 15,000 people have reportedly visited Rani at her farm in Charigram, near the capital Dhaka.
Farm manager Hasan Howladar has applied to the Guinness Book of Records, saying Rani is the world's smallest cow.
"I have never seen anything like this in my life," visitor Rina Begum told BBC Bangla.
Rani has become a local celebrity at her farm near the capital Dhaka
Mr Howladar bought Rani last year from another farm in Bangladesh's north-west Naogaon district.
He says she has walking difficulties and is afraid of the other cows at Shikor Agro farm, so she is kept separate from the rest of the herd.
"She doesn't eat much. She eats a small amount of bran and straw twice a day," said Mr Howladar. "She likes to roam outside and seems to be happy when we take her in our arms."
The title for the world's smallest cow has been held by Manikyam, in neighbouring India, which measures 61.1cm from the hoof to the withers.
Rani is in the running for the title of world's smallest cow
Mr Howladar told the BBC that investigators from the Guinness Book of Records would be visiting his farm this year to see if Rani would take the crown.
With only a few weeks to go until the Islamic festival of Eid al-Adha, there has been speculation about whether Rani will be sold for sacrifice. But farm authorities said they had no plans to part with her.
https://currently.att.yahoo.com/news/dw ... 05143.html
Thu, July 8, 2021, 4:34 PM
Rani standing with another cow
Bhutti cow Rani stands 51cm (20in) high
Visitors have been flocking to a farm in Bangladesh to see a new celebrity: a dwarf cow called Rani.
The 23-month-old Bhutti, or Bhutanese, cow stands just 51cm (20in) high, and weighs 28kg (62Ib).
Despite a national Covid lockdown, more than 15,000 people have reportedly visited Rani at her farm in Charigram, near the capital Dhaka.
Farm manager Hasan Howladar has applied to the Guinness Book of Records, saying Rani is the world's smallest cow.
"I have never seen anything like this in my life," visitor Rina Begum told BBC Bangla.
Rani has become a local celebrity at her farm near the capital Dhaka
Mr Howladar bought Rani last year from another farm in Bangladesh's north-west Naogaon district.
He says she has walking difficulties and is afraid of the other cows at Shikor Agro farm, so she is kept separate from the rest of the herd.
"She doesn't eat much. She eats a small amount of bran and straw twice a day," said Mr Howladar. "She likes to roam outside and seems to be happy when we take her in our arms."
The title for the world's smallest cow has been held by Manikyam, in neighbouring India, which measures 61.1cm from the hoof to the withers.
Rani is in the running for the title of world's smallest cow
Mr Howladar told the BBC that investigators from the Guinness Book of Records would be visiting his farm this year to see if Rani would take the crown.
With only a few weeks to go until the Islamic festival of Eid al-Adha, there has been speculation about whether Rani will be sold for sacrifice. But farm authorities said they had no plans to part with her.
https://currently.att.yahoo.com/news/dw ... 05143.html
Gilgamesh Dream: US confiscates Sumerian tablet stolen from Iraq & bought by Hobby Lobby
28 Jul, 2021 01:09
Gilgamesh Dream: US confiscates Sumerian tablet stolen from Iraq & bought by Hobby Lobby
FILE PHOTO: Cuneiform tablet with Gilgamesh Flood Epic. Babylonian, c17th century BC. Southern Iraq. British Museum © Global Look Press
The US government has seized an ancient Sumerian cuneiform tablet that was bought by a US dealer around the time of the 2003 invasion, and later purchased by craft store chain Hobby Lobby for the Museum of the Bible in Oklahoma.
On Tuesday, the US Justice Department announced that Hobby Lobby – whose owners are devout Christians – agreed to forfeit the artifact, which contains a portion of the ancient Sumerian Epic of Gilgamesh, one of the world’s oldest works of literature.
“Forfeiture of the Gilgamesh Dream Tablet demonstrates the [DOJ’s] continued commitment to eliminating smuggled cultural property from the US art market,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth Polite Jr.
Federal agents originally seized the tablet from the Oklahoma City museum in September 2019. Hobby Lobby had acquired it in a private sale in 2014, from an auction house in London that the DOJ did not name, but which was reported to be Christie’s.
The “cultural value of this tablet that travelled the world under false provenance exceeds any monetary value,” said special agent Peter Fitzhugh of Homeland Security Investigations, which was involved in the proceedings.
The tablet is over 4,000 years old, measures approximately 6 inches by 5 inches (15 cm by 12 cm), and is inscribed in the language of Akkad.
According to a complaint filed by the DOJ on July 16, the unnamed US antiques dealer visited England “in or about 2001” to view a series of ancient cuneiform tablets in an apartment in London. The artifacts are alleged to have belonged to Jordanian coins dealer Ghassan Rihani, who died the same year.
“In or about March or April 2003” – around the time the US invaded Iraq – the dealer visited the apartment again and bought the tablet, which was said to be “encrusted with dirt and unreadable,” from a Rihani “family member.” The dealer then shipped the tablet into the US without declaring its contents and cleaned it, at which point the inscription was recognized as part of the Epic of Gilgamesh.
In 2007, the antiquities dealer sold the tablet alongside a letter falsely claiming it had been found in a box bought at a 1981 auction. The tablet was then resold “several times” until it ended up at the auction house, at which point it was bought by Hobby Lobby and sent to the museum.
US government auctions off only copy of Wu-Tang Clan album once owned by notorious ‘Pharma Bro’ Martin Shkreli
According to Jacquelyn Kasulis, acting US attorney for the Eastern District of New York, the DOJ intends to eventually return the “rare and ancient masterpiece of world literature to its country of origin.”
Iraqi museums suffered several looting spells in the last three decades. Nine of the country’s regional museums were targeted by looters in 1991 during the Gulf War. The rampage resulted in some 4,000 artifacts being destroyed or stolen.
Iraqi authorities have estimated that more than 35,000 items were taken from the National Museum of Iraq in Baghdad when it was sacked during the 2003 invasion. The subsequent US-backed Iraqi governments have tried to get the artifacts returned, but have seen little success. In 2014, when the Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS) terrorist group claimed a large portion of Iraq and Syria and looted the museum in Mosul, the US government pledged to crack down on trade in stolen artifacts, saying that the proceeds might contribute to financing terrorism.
https://www.rt.com/usa/530422-gilgamesh ... um-seized/
28 Jul, 2021 01:09
Gilgamesh Dream: US confiscates Sumerian tablet stolen from Iraq & bought by Hobby Lobby
FILE PHOTO: Cuneiform tablet with Gilgamesh Flood Epic. Babylonian, c17th century BC. Southern Iraq. British Museum © Global Look Press
The US government has seized an ancient Sumerian cuneiform tablet that was bought by a US dealer around the time of the 2003 invasion, and later purchased by craft store chain Hobby Lobby for the Museum of the Bible in Oklahoma.
On Tuesday, the US Justice Department announced that Hobby Lobby – whose owners are devout Christians – agreed to forfeit the artifact, which contains a portion of the ancient Sumerian Epic of Gilgamesh, one of the world’s oldest works of literature.
“Forfeiture of the Gilgamesh Dream Tablet demonstrates the [DOJ’s] continued commitment to eliminating smuggled cultural property from the US art market,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth Polite Jr.
Federal agents originally seized the tablet from the Oklahoma City museum in September 2019. Hobby Lobby had acquired it in a private sale in 2014, from an auction house in London that the DOJ did not name, but which was reported to be Christie’s.
The “cultural value of this tablet that travelled the world under false provenance exceeds any monetary value,” said special agent Peter Fitzhugh of Homeland Security Investigations, which was involved in the proceedings.
The tablet is over 4,000 years old, measures approximately 6 inches by 5 inches (15 cm by 12 cm), and is inscribed in the language of Akkad.
According to a complaint filed by the DOJ on July 16, the unnamed US antiques dealer visited England “in or about 2001” to view a series of ancient cuneiform tablets in an apartment in London. The artifacts are alleged to have belonged to Jordanian coins dealer Ghassan Rihani, who died the same year.
“In or about March or April 2003” – around the time the US invaded Iraq – the dealer visited the apartment again and bought the tablet, which was said to be “encrusted with dirt and unreadable,” from a Rihani “family member.” The dealer then shipped the tablet into the US without declaring its contents and cleaned it, at which point the inscription was recognized as part of the Epic of Gilgamesh.
In 2007, the antiquities dealer sold the tablet alongside a letter falsely claiming it had been found in a box bought at a 1981 auction. The tablet was then resold “several times” until it ended up at the auction house, at which point it was bought by Hobby Lobby and sent to the museum.
US government auctions off only copy of Wu-Tang Clan album once owned by notorious ‘Pharma Bro’ Martin Shkreli
According to Jacquelyn Kasulis, acting US attorney for the Eastern District of New York, the DOJ intends to eventually return the “rare and ancient masterpiece of world literature to its country of origin.”
Iraqi museums suffered several looting spells in the last three decades. Nine of the country’s regional museums were targeted by looters in 1991 during the Gulf War. The rampage resulted in some 4,000 artifacts being destroyed or stolen.
Iraqi authorities have estimated that more than 35,000 items were taken from the National Museum of Iraq in Baghdad when it was sacked during the 2003 invasion. The subsequent US-backed Iraqi governments have tried to get the artifacts returned, but have seen little success. In 2014, when the Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS) terrorist group claimed a large portion of Iraq and Syria and looted the museum in Mosul, the US government pledged to crack down on trade in stolen artifacts, saying that the proceeds might contribute to financing terrorism.
https://www.rt.com/usa/530422-gilgamesh ... um-seized/
Are Olympic Medals Real Gold? Here’s Exactly What They’re Made of & How Much They’re Worth
Jason Pham
Thu, August 5, 2021, 4:22 PM
If you’ve watched the Olympics, you may have wondered to yourself: Are Olympic medals real gold? And if they are, how much is an Olympic medal worth if an Olympian chose to sell theirs? We break down those answers ahead.
Though the Olympic Games started in ancient Greece, the first Olympic medal wasn’t given until the 1896 Olympics in Athens, Greece, where winners were given a silver medal and an olive branch. Runner-ups received a laurel branch and a bronze medal. The prizes were a nod to the Ancient Olympic Games, where winners received an olive branch from a wild olive tree in Olympia that was intertwined to form a circle.
Gold medals, however, weren’t given until the 1904 Summer Olympics in St. Louis, Missouri, which started the three classes of medals we know today: gold for first place; silver for second place; and bronze for third place. Though the design of medals has varied since the 1896 Olympics, for the most part, the design selected for the 1928 Olympics remained for more than 70 years until it was redesigned at the 2004 Olympics in Athens. The redesign was due to controversy around the use of the Roman Colosseum on the medals rather than a building with Greek roots. Each medal, however, must include the following details: the five rings symbol, the Greek goddess of victory Nike in front of the Panathinaikos Stadium in Athens, and the official name of the respective Games (such as Games of the XXXII Olympiad Tokyo 2020), according to the International Olympic Committee.
Along with medals, athletes who place between first and eighth also receive an Olympic diploma. All athletes who compete in the Olympics also receive a participation medal and diploma, which vary from year to year in design. At the main host city stadium, the names of all medal winners are also written on the walls. So that’s the history of medals at the Olympics in a nutshell. But are Olympic medals real gold? And how much are Olympic medals worth? Read on to find that answer.
So…are Olympic gold medals real gold? Well, yes and no. Olympic gold medals have some gold in them, but they’re mostly made of silver. According to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), gold and silver medals are required to be at least 92.5 percent silver. The gold in gold medals is in the plating in the outside and must consist of at least 6 grams of pure gold. As fans may have noticed, many gold medal winners will pose with their medal in their mouth on the winner’s podium, as if they’re about to take a bite out of it. While real gold dents, viewers won’t see much of a difference in Olympic gold medals as they’re made of mostly silver. “The medals for first and second places shall be of silver of at least 925-1000 grade; the medal for first place shall be gilded with at least 6g of pure gold,” An IOC spokesperson told Newsweek in 2021.
Silver medals, on the other hand, are made of pure silver, while bronze medals are 95 percent copper and 5 percent zinc. The shape of medals is usually circular with an attachment for a chain or a ribbon. The minimum diameter is 60 millimeters, and the thickness is a minimum of 3 millimeters. Medals should weigh between 500 and 800 grams (17.64 to 28.22 ounces). Gold medals weighing about 556 grams in total, while silver medals weigh 550 grams and bronze medals weigh 450 grams.
For the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the medals were also made of material recycled from electronic devices donated by the Japanese public. According to the official Olympics website, Junichi Kawanishi, director of the Japan Sign Design Association, designed the medals, which were made from small electronic devices, such as used mobile phones, collected from across Japan. Around 5,000 medals were produced for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, which is the first to involve citizens in the production of medals and is the first to manufacture them using recycled and sustainable metals.
How much are Olympic medals worth?
So much are Olympic medals worth? Well, at a lot less than you may think. Gold medals at the 2020 Tokyo olympics are worth $820, according to CNBC, due to the inflated prices of metals like gold and silver. In 2010, Luxist reported that gold medals were worth around $494, while a silver medal was worth $260 at the time. A bronze medal was worth just $3 at the time, according to the site.
https://currently.att.yahoo.com/lifesty ... 40754.html
Jason Pham
Thu, August 5, 2021, 4:22 PM
If you’ve watched the Olympics, you may have wondered to yourself: Are Olympic medals real gold? And if they are, how much is an Olympic medal worth if an Olympian chose to sell theirs? We break down those answers ahead.
Though the Olympic Games started in ancient Greece, the first Olympic medal wasn’t given until the 1896 Olympics in Athens, Greece, where winners were given a silver medal and an olive branch. Runner-ups received a laurel branch and a bronze medal. The prizes were a nod to the Ancient Olympic Games, where winners received an olive branch from a wild olive tree in Olympia that was intertwined to form a circle.
Gold medals, however, weren’t given until the 1904 Summer Olympics in St. Louis, Missouri, which started the three classes of medals we know today: gold for first place; silver for second place; and bronze for third place. Though the design of medals has varied since the 1896 Olympics, for the most part, the design selected for the 1928 Olympics remained for more than 70 years until it was redesigned at the 2004 Olympics in Athens. The redesign was due to controversy around the use of the Roman Colosseum on the medals rather than a building with Greek roots. Each medal, however, must include the following details: the five rings symbol, the Greek goddess of victory Nike in front of the Panathinaikos Stadium in Athens, and the official name of the respective Games (such as Games of the XXXII Olympiad Tokyo 2020), according to the International Olympic Committee.
Along with medals, athletes who place between first and eighth also receive an Olympic diploma. All athletes who compete in the Olympics also receive a participation medal and diploma, which vary from year to year in design. At the main host city stadium, the names of all medal winners are also written on the walls. So that’s the history of medals at the Olympics in a nutshell. But are Olympic medals real gold? And how much are Olympic medals worth? Read on to find that answer.
So…are Olympic gold medals real gold? Well, yes and no. Olympic gold medals have some gold in them, but they’re mostly made of silver. According to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), gold and silver medals are required to be at least 92.5 percent silver. The gold in gold medals is in the plating in the outside and must consist of at least 6 grams of pure gold. As fans may have noticed, many gold medal winners will pose with their medal in their mouth on the winner’s podium, as if they’re about to take a bite out of it. While real gold dents, viewers won’t see much of a difference in Olympic gold medals as they’re made of mostly silver. “The medals for first and second places shall be of silver of at least 925-1000 grade; the medal for first place shall be gilded with at least 6g of pure gold,” An IOC spokesperson told Newsweek in 2021.
Silver medals, on the other hand, are made of pure silver, while bronze medals are 95 percent copper and 5 percent zinc. The shape of medals is usually circular with an attachment for a chain or a ribbon. The minimum diameter is 60 millimeters, and the thickness is a minimum of 3 millimeters. Medals should weigh between 500 and 800 grams (17.64 to 28.22 ounces). Gold medals weighing about 556 grams in total, while silver medals weigh 550 grams and bronze medals weigh 450 grams.
For the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the medals were also made of material recycled from electronic devices donated by the Japanese public. According to the official Olympics website, Junichi Kawanishi, director of the Japan Sign Design Association, designed the medals, which were made from small electronic devices, such as used mobile phones, collected from across Japan. Around 5,000 medals were produced for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, which is the first to involve citizens in the production of medals and is the first to manufacture them using recycled and sustainable metals.
How much are Olympic medals worth?
So much are Olympic medals worth? Well, at a lot less than you may think. Gold medals at the 2020 Tokyo olympics are worth $820, according to CNBC, due to the inflated prices of metals like gold and silver. In 2010, Luxist reported that gold medals were worth around $494, while a silver medal was worth $260 at the time. A bronze medal was worth just $3 at the time, according to the site.
https://currently.att.yahoo.com/lifesty ... 40754.html
Woman sues McDonald's after complaining that a cheeseburger advert was so irresistible it caused her to break her fast during Lent
Zahra Tayeb
Sat, August 7, 2021, 5:45 AM
The Russian woman said she found a burger advert too enticing.
A woman who broke her religious fast reportedly blamed a McDonald's burger ad for the lapse.
Ksenia Ovchinnikova said she hadn't eaten meat in a month when the ad made her give in.
The Russian is seeking $14 as compensation for sustained moral damage, Fox News reported.
A woman from Omsk, Russia, is reportedly suing McDonald's over an advert featuring cheeseburgers and chicken nuggets, which she said caused her to break her fast during Lent.
Ksenia Ovchinnikova, an Orthodox Christian, said she was trying to stay away from meat and other animal products during the six-week period leading up to Easter in 2019, according to multiple reports.
The case was first reported by Russian state media and picked up by western outlets including Fox News, which wrote that she abstained from eating meat for a month when the enticing McDonald's advert made her give in, according to the lawsuit.
Lent is a strict period in which many devout Christians are expected to sacrifice the eating of meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy for the entire season.
"When I saw an advertising banner, I could not help myself. I visited McDonald's and bought a cheeseburger," she reportedly said in her statement.
Fox News reported that Ovchinnikov accused the fast-food chain of breaking consumer protection law and insulting her religious feelings. She is suing McDonald's for $14 (1,000 rubles) as compensation for sustained moral damage.
McDonald's did not immediately reply to Insider's request for comment.
According to Fox News, Ovchinnikov said in the lawsuit: "In the actions of McDonald's, I see a violation of the consumer protection law. I ask the court to investigate and, if a violation has taken place, to oblige McDonald's LLC to compensate me for moral damage in the amount of one thousand rubles."
https://currently.att.yahoo.com/news/wo ... 56111.html
Zahra Tayeb
Sat, August 7, 2021, 5:45 AM
The Russian woman said she found a burger advert too enticing.
A woman who broke her religious fast reportedly blamed a McDonald's burger ad for the lapse.
Ksenia Ovchinnikova said she hadn't eaten meat in a month when the ad made her give in.
The Russian is seeking $14 as compensation for sustained moral damage, Fox News reported.
A woman from Omsk, Russia, is reportedly suing McDonald's over an advert featuring cheeseburgers and chicken nuggets, which she said caused her to break her fast during Lent.
Ksenia Ovchinnikova, an Orthodox Christian, said she was trying to stay away from meat and other animal products during the six-week period leading up to Easter in 2019, according to multiple reports.
The case was first reported by Russian state media and picked up by western outlets including Fox News, which wrote that she abstained from eating meat for a month when the enticing McDonald's advert made her give in, according to the lawsuit.
Lent is a strict period in which many devout Christians are expected to sacrifice the eating of meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy for the entire season.
"When I saw an advertising banner, I could not help myself. I visited McDonald's and bought a cheeseburger," she reportedly said in her statement.
Fox News reported that Ovchinnikov accused the fast-food chain of breaking consumer protection law and insulting her religious feelings. She is suing McDonald's for $14 (1,000 rubles) as compensation for sustained moral damage.
McDonald's did not immediately reply to Insider's request for comment.
According to Fox News, Ovchinnikov said in the lawsuit: "In the actions of McDonald's, I see a violation of the consumer protection law. I ask the court to investigate and, if a violation has taken place, to oblige McDonald's LLC to compensate me for moral damage in the amount of one thousand rubles."
https://currently.att.yahoo.com/news/wo ... 56111.html
MOST SPOKEN LANGUAGES ON PLANET EARTH TODAY
More than 7100 languages are spoken in world today. The highest number of people speaking languages are as follow:
ENGLISH : 1132 MILLIONS
MANDARIN : 1117 --------
HINDI : 615 --------
SPANISH : 534 --------
FRENCH : 280 --------
ARABIC : 275 --------
BENGALI : 265 --------
RUSSIAN : 258 --------
PORTUGUESE: 234 --------
INDONESIAN : 199 ---------
URDU : 170 --------
GERMAN : 132 --------
ENGLISH : 1132 MILLIONS
MANDARIN : 1117 --------
HINDI : 615 --------
SPANISH : 534 --------
FRENCH : 280 --------
ARABIC : 275 --------
BENGALI : 265 --------
RUSSIAN : 258 --------
PORTUGUESE: 234 --------
INDONESIAN : 199 ---------
URDU : 170 --------
GERMAN : 132 --------