Latest news with #Opal
Daily Record
a day ago
- Lifestyle
- Daily Record
Why naming your baby after their birthstone could see them lead a lucky life
Gemstone-inspired baby names are on the up - some you will have heard before while others are far more unusual Naming your children is one of the hardest decisions parents have to make. Your offspring will need to live with their name forever and it could even influence relationships, jobs opportunities, and first impressions in the future. Many parents-to-be will want meaningful names for their newborns. To help couples looking for inspiration, Diamonds Factory Ireland spoke exclusively with celebrity psychic and astrologer Inbaal Honigman. Inbaal explained that parents or carers looking for a spiritual boost when naming their new bundle of joy can turn to gemstone-themed names. As well as being lovely monikers, some of them carry specific connotations or symbolism. In fact, using a baby's birthstone as inspiration for their name is said to bring good luck and protection. Inbaal said: "Naming a child after anything valuable, is linked with the value of that item or element. "People who believe in the spiritual power of birthstones, might be more inclined to believe in the protective power of a jewel name, but the beauty of spirituality is that it is inclusive to everyone. "Belief is not necessary, and if you just like the sound, history or meaning of the name, that's also lovely. Spiritual luck and protection will be included anyway." More well-known names Emerald, Pearl, and Ruby make up the birth stones for May, June, and July tots. Inbaal explained how these monikers have grown in popularity, and carry a spiritual weight to them. "The name Emerald may simply mean 'green gem' but the colour green carries such a wealth of meaning inside it," Inbaal said. "Green signifies nature, growth and success. Green is the colour of the heart chakra, and to some, it is the colour of money. A jewel name can give a baby everlasting blessings, as jewels are very long-lasting." On Ruby, a hugely popular name for girls, the expert went on: "Ruby is known as the stone of the heart. "Girls carrying the name Ruby will be blessed with love, vitality, protection and vitality. Red stones also lean towards confidence and fearlessness." Opal also takes the stone spot for October - an up-and-coming name for baby girls related to healing and soothing. "Bestowing the name Opal on a child would bless them with creativity, inspiration and emotional balance," Inbaal shared. "All gemstones have their own qualities, so none are luckier or more spiritually valuable than another, but some may be more or less aligned with your own values." More unusual and, erm, 'out-there' names include Aquamarine and Periody. Aquarmine is March's stone for Tranquility and Courage, while Periody is August's stone for Prosperity and Protection. Although the meanings are nice, they might not be in the running for the next generation of kids' names. Gem-stone inspired names, their meaning and month Birth Stone Meaning Month Garnet Protection and Strength January Amethyst Peace and Clarity February Aquamarine Tranquility and Courage March Diamond Purity and Strength April Emerald Wisdom and Rebirth May Pearl Innocence and Integrity June Ruby Love and Vitality July Periody Prosperity and Protection August Sapphire Loyalty and Wisdom September Opal Creativity and Hope October Topaz Joy and Abundance November Turquoise Luck and Healing Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
IOL News
2 days ago
- General
- IOL News
A life behind bars: The silent suffering of South Africa's zoo animals
From Charlie to Opal - South Africa's shameful legacy of caged zoo animals continues as Johannesburg Zoo refuses to release 3 elephants to a sanctuary. Image: Instagram Imagine spending your entire life confined behind bars, with strangers staring at you day after day. No freedom to roam, no family bonds, no natural surroundings - just concrete enclosures and a life of monotony. This is the silent suffering endured by many wild animals in South African zoos, being caged for our entertainment. It's time to ask: at what cost do we keep animals behind glass and bars for our fleeting amusement? For many years, the ethical debate has raged over the captivity of wild animals in zoos, much like the criticism of using animals in circuses. Any compassionate person must question why, despite decades of public outcry and mounting evidence of animal suffering, zoo officials continue to ignore the pleas of animal welfare organisations and concerned citizens. Once again, the plight of three elephants held in captivity at the Johannesburg Zoo has resurfaced, now with the added weight of legal support from Harvard Law School scholars advocating for their release. A legal application is currently before the High Court in Pretoria against the Johannesburg Zoo, which is owned by the City of Johannesburg and managed by Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo. The elephants - Lammie, Mopane, and Ramadiba are confined in conditions that experts argue cause severe mental, emotional, and physical distress. Renowned elephant specialists insist that any urban zoo, no matter how well-resourced, fails to meet the complex needs of these intelligent and deeply social creatures. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading Concerns have also been raised about the qualifications of those charged with their care. According to the Conservation Action Trust, those responsible include an animal reiki healer, a handler with self-proclaimed "minimum training", and an enrichment officer trained by a pet association. Offers of assistance from international elephant experts have reportedly been ignored by the zoo, which has previously come under fire for its lack of experience in proper elephant management. The Johannesburg Zoo has defended itself, claiming that the elephants receive appropriate care and attention. But scrutiny has intensified as Conservation Action Trust reported that the zoo spent R1.5 million to acquire Mopane and Ramadiba from Inkwenkwezi Private Game Reserve - far more than the usual R150,000 per elephant and that these elephants were initially captured from the wild and subjected to a captive management programme, making their current moated enclosure wholly unsuitable. Charlie's story The issue has also gained traction in the wake of Charlie's story - the last elephant at Pretoria's National Zoological Gardens, who was recently relocated to a sanctuary. Charlie endured a lifetime of hardship. Captured in Hwange, Zimbabwe, 44 years ago, he was trained for the Boswell Wilkie Circus before being moved to various parks and eventually to the Pretoria Zoo in 2001. There, he languished alone, having witnessed three companions die prematurely and losing his infant daughter. His release to a sanctuary in 2024 came after years of campaigning. The EMS Foundation has proposed a similar solution for Lammie, Mopane, and Ramadiba: relocation to the Shambala Game Reserve in the Waterberg. This sanctuary offers secure, spacious surroundings where the elephants can undergo a gradual reintegration into a natural habitat, overseen by experienced veterinarians and animal welfare professionals. Opal the orangutan Then there is the heartbreaking case of Opal the orangutan, held at the Natal Zoological Gardens outside Pietermaritzburg. The late Brian Boswell insisted Opal "did not suffer" and refused to rehome her to a sanctuary. Image: Kloof And Highway SPCA At 45 years old, Opal, one of the most intelligent primates, spends her life alone on a barren patch of grass with only a crude "jungle gym" made of poles. Her only company: curious humans staring at her in silence. Once, she had a mate and a baby boy, but her son died of tuberculosis. Now, her only response to this constant public display and emotional deprivation is to fling her faeces at the gawkers. Despite public concern, the late Brian Boswell - of the notorious Boswell Wilkie Circus - insisted Opal "did not suffer" and refused to rehome her to a sanctuary that would have offered a significantly improved quality of life.
Time Out
3 days ago
- Time Out
These are the most punctual train lines in Sydney
It's been a rough few months for Sydney's train system. A series of strung-out disputes earlier in the year led to strike after strike after strike, and it's not clear whether we're out of the woods. That being said, Sydney's train system gets 1.3 million Sydneysiders where they need to go each day. Transport for NSW and Sydney Trains have set a benchmark to have at least 92 per cent of peak-hour suburban services arrive at stations within five minutes of their scheduled time. So, how did your train line measure up? Topping the punctuality charts in 2025 was the T8 Airport and South line, with 91 per cent of services arriving within five minutes of their scheduled time – making a good first impression on inter-state and international tourists, we say. Coming in a close second was the T4 Eastern Suburbs line with 90 per cent, followed by the T2 Inner West and Leppington line at 86 per cent punctuality. In news that will surprise nobody, the only time when all six train lines ran on time was during the Covid years. As more stations become interchanges between train lines and the metro, travelling on public transport across Sydney is getting smoother. For instance, if commuters use the ever-popular Chatswood interchange on the T1 North Shore line and Epping station on the T9 Northern line, they can shave 21 minutes off a trip from Epping to Victoria Cross – very handy for office-goers and school kids. Yes, we moan and groan every time we see 'track replacement buses' signs every other weekend, but our six major train lines are expanding to cope with a growing urban sprawl. Integration with buses, ferries and the new metro – not to mention seamless payment via Opal or your phone – is making public transport more connected than ever. The Sydney train network is evolving and expanding each year. It might fall slightly short on clockwork precision and punctuality, but with those double-decker compartments and reversible seats, we reckon it's on the right track.
BBC News
12-06-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Calls for schools to ditch formal uniforms to help kids be more active
Children's organisations are calling for schools to switch formal uniforms in favour of clothing more suitable for play and physical activity to help children become more Play and Learning (Opal), a programme set up by former Bristol teacher Michael Follett, is behind the campaign and have joined with other groups who want to encourage always-active school uniforms. Several schools across the south west of England have already adopted the idea and others are discussing the changes. PE lead at Summerhill Academy in Bristol, Sally Goodridge, said changing the uniform has made "children much more comfortable and we can jump up and get active at any time in the day". Play England, Youth Sport Trust, and Opal with Bristol charity Children's Scrapstore are signing up to the Phillips, head teacher of East Wichel Primary School in Swindon, said the school made the decision to change to an active uniform a few years ago."Coming out of Covid, we were seeing more and more children struggling with their mental health, spending more time on screens, and being less active than before [so] as a school, we knew we had to do something that would make a real difference," she said they believe physical and mental health go hand-in-hand and children have a "right to move, play, and spend time outdoors every day". PE lead at Summerhill Academy in Bristol, Sally Goodridge, said due to the change in uniform, "the children are much more comfortable and we can jump up and get active at any time in the day".They have more time during PE lessons as they do not need to get changed and it is cheaper as there is only one uniform to buy," she said. Glyn Jones, head teacher at Blue Coat Primary, in Wotton-under-Edge, Gloucestershire said: "Schools need to adapt to a changing world."The clothes that adults wear to work have changed; seeing somebody wearing a suit or other formal clothes is a rarity [so] schools need to reflect this." Head teacher Nichola Chesterton from Chilthorne Domer Church School near Yeovil in Somerset said the topic of changing the school uniform has been divisive, with more than half of the children in the oldest class preferring to wear the traditional children she said felt they would struggle to concentrate if they were in more relaxed want to keep the uniform "because of our status as a church school and to respect the church when we visit," she added.
Hype Malaysia
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Hype Malaysia
Suchata 'Opal' Chuangsri: 5 Fun Facts About Thailand's First Miss World Winner
It's that time of year again, the new Miss World has been crowned! Opal Chuangsri (สุชาตา ช่วงศรี) of Thailand made history and headlines by becoming her country's first-ever Miss World. The model was crowned the winner at the grand finale of this year's pageant, held over the weekend in Hyderabad, India. 'I'm deeply honoured and humbled by this responsibility. I promise to dedicate myself wholeheartedly to the mission of Beauty With a Purpose, using my voice and actions to uplift, support, and inspire,' she wrote in her victory post on Instagram. Let's learn a little more about Thailand's first Miss World winner. 1. She was the 3rd Runner-up for Miss Universe 2024 This is not Opal's first time on the international pageant stage. In fact, she was crowned third runner-up at Miss Universe 2024, where Victoria Kjær Theilvig of Denmark took home the title. The Thai model has come a long way since then, and now the previous Miss World winner, Krystyna Pyszková of Czechia, has graciously passed the crown to her successor during the finale. 'You are entering a wonderful chapter filled with opportunity and potential, and I know that you will be amazing. I can't wait to see you shine and make your mark on the world. I'll be here to support you and cheer you on every step of the way ✨,' said Krystyna. 2. She's a political science student Talk about beauty with brains. Opal will not let a beauty pageant get in the way of her studies. According to AsiaOne, she's currently pursuing a bachelor's degree in political science and international relations, with interests in psychology and anthropology at Thammasat University in Bangkok. 3. She's proficient in Chinese Not only can she speak English and Thai, but she's also reportedly proficient in Chinese, having graduated from the Triam Udom Suksa School in Bangkok with a specialisation in the Chinese language. Talk about being a polyglot! 4. She's an advocate for breast cancer awareness Raising awareness and advocating for meaningful causes is part of a beauty pageant winner's duty. Past titleholders have often championed causes close to their hearts, hoping to make a difference in the lives of those in need. For Opal, that cause is breast cancer awareness. She had a benign tumour removed at the age of 16 and is the founder of the Opal for Her project, which aims to raise awareness and funds for breast cancer prevention. 5. She also won the Miss World 2025 Multimedia Challenge According to several reports, in addition to winning the main title, Opal also claimed victory in the pageant's Multimedia Challenge. She reportedly topped the contestant app leaderboard, with over 2.3 million views. Sources: MalayMail, AsiaOne, NationThailand What's your Reaction? +1 0 +1 0 +1 0 +1 0 +1 0 +1 0
