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Brazilian Entertaining Legend Silvio Santos Dies At 93

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BRASILIA, Brazil — Silvio Santos, a Brazilian television executive and broadcaster famed for his dazzling smile and slogan “Who wants money?” has passed away after a decades-long career in the spotlight. He was 93.

Santos owned the television network SBT and produced various variety shows. The most well-known of them bore his name and had been hosted since 1963, with current episodes airing on Sunday nights. It is one of Brazil’s longest-running TV shows. Santos launched several additional successful programs on his network, including “Show of the Million” and the reality show “Artists’ House.”

“Today, heaven rejoices with the entrance of our darling Silvio Santos. He dedicated his 93-year life to spreading happiness and love to all Brazilians. “That wide smile and familiar voice will always be remembered with gratitude,” the SBT network stated in a social media statement Saturday.

Brazilian Entertaining Legend Silvio Santos Dies At 93

According to the Albert Einstein Hospital in São Paulo, he died of bronchopneumonia caused by an H1N1 virus for which he had been treated recently.

His death will alter weekends for millions of Brazilians who have tuned in to the “Silvio Santos Program” and were greeted by its introductory jingle: “Here comes Silvio Santos!” During his show, which lasted up to ten hours, he folded cash airplanes and hurled them into the audience. He continuously interacted with the audience and could wave his hands in the air thanks to a bespoke microphone attached to his collar.

Even in his 90s, he continued to dye his hair dark, which added to his youthful appearance. His well-groomed hair became one of his hallmarks.

2013 Forbes magazine compared him to Oprah Winfrey and film directors Steven Spielberg and George Lucas.

“Silvio Santos was the greatest personality in the history of Brazilian television, and one of the country’s greatest communicators,” President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said on X. “His departure leaves a void on Brazilian television and marks the end of an era,” he claimed.

Santos was better known by his stage name, Senor Abravanel, despite being born in the rowdy Lapa neighborhood of downtown Rio de Janeiro. As an adolescent, he sold pens and plastic sleeves for electoral identification cards and performed coin and card tricks.

His sales pitches were so entertaining that he was invited to audition for the radio host position. He moved from station to station in Rio and found journalistic fame in Sao Paulo after serving in the military. His first television job was in the early 1960s with the Globo network, then TV Paulista, where the “Silvio Santos Program” was born.

About a decade later, he purchased his first television concession and began to develop an empire. He established SBT, which by 2021 was the third most-watched network among the country’s 214 million inhabitants.

Not all of his quips were warmly received. He was regularly accused of misogyny for making comments about women’s attractiveness that made them uncomfortable. He declined to embrace female celebrities on his show in at least two instances, stating that he did not want to become “excited.” In 2016, he asked a 5-year-old girl on air which she preferred: sex, drugs, or money. However, as the proprietor of his network, he never received any penalties.

Santos also had businesses in cosmetics, hotels, and even a bank. Forbes estimated Santos’ net worth from 30 firms to be 2 billion reais (about $380 million) in 2020.

His tremendous appeal, not to mention his power over the radio, garnered the attention of political parties who considered running him for office. He tested the waters in 1989 by launching a presidential campaign, but the electoral commission rejected his candidature due to his television network ownership.

Nonetheless, he maintained a close relationship with officials and hosted “The President’s Week” for 15 years. It featured favorable accomplishments by the leader and was put to music of trumpets and drums. The article praised the achievements of João Figueiredo, the last general to command Brazil during the dictatorship, and Fernando Henrique Cardoso at the turn of the century.

Later, Presidents Lula and Dilma Rousseff took part in a documentary on Santos, which will be screened in 2021 to commemorate SBT’s 40th anniversary.

Brazilian Entertaining Legend Silvio Santos Dies At 93

Fabio Faria, one of his sons-in-law, was appointed minister of communications by President Jair Bolsonaro.

In January 2022, Faria shared a black-and-white movie about Santos’ career on Instagram, narrated by the presenter himself.

“I’m just a street peddler in a suit and tie selling my products, ads, and programs,” the presenter stated in the video. “I also believe it’s the voice, and there’s something mysterious about it.” Because it is the voice that impacts the audience, and you who are on the other end.”

Santos was survived by his wife, Iris Abravanel, and six daughters.

SOURCE | AP

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Trudeau Rocks to Taylor Swift While Montreal Burns

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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has come under fire yet again after a video surfaced on X, showing him dancing at a Taylor Swift performance while anti-Nato protestors ransacked downtown Montreal.

Trudeau attended Taylor Swift’s concert in Toronto on Friday night. Before Taylor Swift approached the stage, X shared a viral video of him dancing and singing along to the song “You Don’t Own Me.”

The image of Trudeau dancing amid violent protests in Montreal generated widespread indignation online. Some social media users even compared Trudeau to the ancient Roman dictator Nero, known for “fiddling while Rome burned.”

Don Stewart, a Member of Parliament (MP) representing part of Toronto, called out the prime minister in a post on X.

“Lawless protesters run roughshod over Montreal in violent protest. The Prime Minister dances,” Stewart wrote. “This is the Canada built by the Liberal government.”

“Bring back law and order, safe streets and communities in the Canada we once knew and loved,” the MP added.

On Saturday, the day after Taylor Swift’s concert, Trudeau condemned the anti-NATO protests, calling them “appalling.”

Anti-NATO activists set off smoke bombs and marched through Montreal’s streets waving Palestinian flags. According to the Montreal Gazette, rioters set fire to automobiles and battled with police.

Pro-Palestinian protests

Protesters also tossed tiny explosives and metal objects at officers. At one point, the mob torched an effigy of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Police used tear gas and batons to disperse the gathering, and three persons were arrested for attacking officers and impeding police operations.

Masked protesters were seen burning flares and bashing storefront windows in videos and photographs shared on social media. Pro-Palestinian protests have been taking place across Canada since the Israel-Gaza conflict began late last year.

Critics have lambasted Trudeau for doing nothing to stop the violent pro-Palestinian marches, with some claiming he has fueled anti-Israel sentiment in Canada.

On Friday, Trudeau stated that Canada would respect the orders of the International Criminal Court (ICC), which issued an arrest warrant for Mr Netanyahu, even if it meant arresting the Israeli prime leader on Canadian soil.

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Calgary Zoo Admits Human Error in Death of Baby Gorilla

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The zookeeper's negligence caused the death of a 2-year-old baby gorilla

The Calgary Zoo has admitted in a public statement that a zookeeper’s negligence caused the death of a 2-year-old baby gorilla. Eyare, a newborn gorilla, died last week after being slammed in the head by a hydraulic door.

The accident occurred when a zoo worker attempted to separate Eyare from the rest of the gorilla tribe for a solitary training session.

The gorilla died from significant head injuries, according to the zoo’s statement.

“This tragedy has struck us all in the deepest way imaginable,” Colleen Baird, director of animal care at the Calgary Zoo, said during a news conference. “Eyare’s brief but meaningful existence gave so much joy to our community, and all will sorely miss her. We will do everything possible to prevent repeat accidents.”

According to Baird, the staff member involved was immediately removed from the workplace and will be reassigned to another area of the zoo. The Calgary Zoo stated that it would take preventive steps, such as specialist personnel training and animal behavioral training, to avoid a similar incident.

Calgary Zoo Questioned

It is not the first time an animal at the zoo has died from negligence at the Calgary Zoo. A capybara was accidentally crushed by a hydraulic door similar to the one that killed Eyare in 2019.

An otter died in 2016 after being entangled in an “unauthorized” pair of jeans that a zookeeper had dropped in its enclosure. In 2013, a penguin died in “a freak accident” after swallowing a stick.

Animal Justice, a Canadian group that promotes animal welfare, has called for an independent investigation of animal safety and oversight at the Alberta facility.

“The Calgary Zoo appears to have a higher rate of animal deaths compared to other zoos, and in light of Eyare’s death there should be a systematic review of the zoo’s operations and practices, conducted transparently by the government or another outside party,” according to Camille Labchuk, the executive director of Animal Justice.

The Calgary Zoo refuted that it has more animal deaths than other zoos, emphasizing that it adheres to operating requirements and has maintained accreditation by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ independent Accreditation Commission since 1978.

“We love and care for more than 4,000 animals representing over 100 species that call our zoo home,” stated a Calgary Zoo representative.

“Human error-related deaths in animals are quite infrequent. We have lost two animals in the last ten years: a North American river otter in 2016 and ‘Eyare’ this week.

While rare, even one human-caused death is too many. These unfortunate instances have served as vital learning experiences, prompting us to examine and tighten protocols to provide the greatest level of care.”

Baird said at the news conference that using hydraulic doors is “common practice with accredited zoos,” adding that the facility will consider switching to alternate doors to improve safety.

The Calgary Zoo, which established the Wilder Institute in 2021, caters to nearly 4,000 creatures, including six more western lowland gorillas.

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Canada’s Lotto Max jackpot Climbs to $80M

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Lotto Max in Canada has reached $80 million for only the second time in Canadian lottery history. Friday’s draw sought a winner for a $75 million pool, but the top reward remained unclaimed as of Saturday, increasing the jackpot.

Only once did the jackpot reach $80 million in September, when it broke the previous record. Before that, the prize was $75 million, a record.

The Lotto Max prize maximum was boosted earlier this year, enabling for jackpots of more than $70 million. The cap is now at $80 million.
While a greater fee may encourage more people to play, the odds of winning the lottery remain extremely low.

According to the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation, the odds for a $5 ticket are around one in 33,294,800.

While there was no jackpot winner in Friday’s draw, someone did match six of the seven winning numbers, plus a bonus, earning them a payout of more than $320,000.

Lotto Max History

Lotto Max is one of three national lottery games in Canada, overseen by the Interprovincial Lottery Corporation. The game was introduced on September 19, 2009, and its inaugural draw occurred on September 25, 2009. It replaced Lotto Super 7.

The odds of winning the Lotto Max are 1 in 33,294,800. This is correct to a point but misleading.

Let’s have a look at the rules:

  1. Players choose 7 numbers out of 50
  2. Numbers cannot be repeated
  3. Numbers are automatically sorted into ascending order
  4. Each play buys 3 lines
  5. Each play costs $5

Seeing that players choose 7 out of 50 non-repeating numbers, the equation for the total number of possible combinations (this is different from permutations where the order in which the numbers appear is significant) when playing the Lotto Max is 50! / (7! x 43!)

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