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Why egusi is more than just a great soup

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:50 GMT

By Yewande Komolafe, The New York TimesEvery cook has at least one hard-to-get ingredient that they know they can find almost anywhere they are, as long as they’re persistent.For me, it’s the egusi seed. Even after moving from Nigeria to the United States, I’ve always been able to find these off-white seeds, dried and peeled, harvested from the gourd-like fruit of a climbing vine native to West Africa. Just a few handfuls are all I need for a divine pot of soup.The availability of an ingredient that grows on the other side of the Atlantic feels like a luxury, and I felt that even more acutely after speaking with Bethany Oyefeso, who owns Adùn, a Nigerian food delivery company, with her husband, Tobi Smith.When she left Nigeria in 2004, egusi seeds — also called agushi, egunsi or egwusi — and most other West African ingredients were harder to come by outside the continent. As she moved from Sierra Leone to China, the United Arab Emirates and finally to the United States, she de...

Binance’s eastward pivot: New crypto platform launched in Kazakhstan

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:50 GMT

In response to rising regulatory challenges in Western markets, Binance, the world’s foremost cryptocurrency exchange, has taken a decisive step Eastward. Marking a significant milestone in its expansion strategy, Binance has inaugurated a regulated digital asset platform in Kazakhstan, writes Lee Thompson.The announcement was made at a press conference held on June 20, 2023. The event was graced by an assembly of distinguished guests, including representatives from Kazakhstan’s banking sector and the leadership of Binance Kazakhstan.This move follows Binance’s receipt of preliminary approval for operations in Kazakhstan last August. By October, the AIFC Financial Services Authority had granted the exchange a permanent license to establish a digital asset platform and offer custodial services at the Astana International Financial Center (AIFC).Binance’s newest platform is designed to cater to the specific needs of Kazakhstani users. It promises a comprehensive suite of crypto and fi...

Sold! California family sells 1 million pennies found in relative's home

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:50 GMT

More than a week after capturing the interest of the entire nation, a California family's bounty of 1 million copper pennies has officially changed hands.John and Elizabeth Reyes, who discovered the massive cache of precious metal coins in the home that previously belonged to Elizabeth's father, say they've completed a sale for the pennies.Since first speaking with KTLA, the Reyes' story went viral and they received no less than a thousand offers. John says he was so inundated with inquiries that many interested parties were left without an answer, their messages forever lost as social media requests and unread mail in his inbox. "There were some people that were legit, bonafide, really good prospects that I had just completely missed," John said. "Because of the influx of messages that I received, it was just overwhelming."A California family says they've found a buyer for 1 million pennies discovered in the crawlspace of a loved one's home in Los Angeles in 2022. (John Reyes)But d...

California no longer has the most expensive gas in the nation

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:50 GMT

California drivers may not take much comfort in this, but the Golden State no longer has the most expensive gasoline in the United States.Over the past week, the average cost of regular unleaded in Washington State has reached $4.93 per gallon, topping California ($4.86/gallon), by 7 cents, according to AAA.Both states are still well above the national average of $3.58 per gallon.Perhaps more notable is how much lower fuel prices are compared to a year ago when Californians were paying a whopping $6.38 per gallon on average. These California cities have the most expensive pizza in the nation “Drivers are benefitting financially, with 20 gallons of gas costing nearly $30 less than last year. And with the cost for oil low, drivers will find pump prices that are flat or drifting slightly lower for now,” said Andrew Gross with AAA. “We may be in a bit of a demand lull heading into the July Fourth holiday.”In Los Angeles County, the average price of a gallon of regular unleaded is $4.9...

1st trailer for 'Priscilla' movie revealed

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:50 GMT

The first trailer for Sofia Coppola's upcoming film "Priscilla" dropped on Wednesday morning. A24, the independent entertainment company behind "Everything Everywhere All At Once," released the 46-second video. The film is based on Priscilla Presley's memoir "Elvis and Me," which was written with Sandra Harmon in 1985. It stars Cailee Spaeny as Priscilla and Jacob Elordi as Elvis. Spaeny is known for her roles in "Mare of Easttown" and "Bad Times at the El Royale." Elordi famously starred in "Euphoria" and "The Kissing Booth."The trailer starts off with Spaeny getting glammed up to achieve that signature Priscilla look of winged-black eyeliner, pinkish lipstick along with the majorly teased black beehive hairstyle. From there, highlights are shown of Priscilla's life once she meets The King of Rock 'n' Roll."Priscilla, what about boys at school? Must be some handsome ones," a woman, who is assumed to be Priscilla's mom, asks the teen whose solemn look answers the question. "When t...

Dance and Design: Arts Calendar June 22-28

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:50 GMT

Dance and design hold the center this week, with a panoply of architectural events, exhibitions and festival dedicated to progressive functional object-making, dance and performance art at the cutting edge of contemporary, in the halls of the train station, and at the intersection of landscape and community, and a historic site haunted by sound and movement. Plus queer magic tricks and animated shorts, trans poets, a queer writers festival, books and plays in the park, a downtown block party and a Hollywood rooftop party, new gallery shows exploring the abstract edges of nature, psyche, and industry, a riot of video art by women of color, and more. Plus don’t forget to check the regularly updated L.A. Weekly Pride Guide all month for more reasons to put on your dancing shoesLA Design Festival: Sympathetic Resonance by Lachlan Turczan, at ROW DTLA (Photo courtesy of Studio Lachlan Turczan)Thursday, June 22LA Design Festival at Helms Bakery and ROW DTLA. A citywide, interdisciplinary ...

Battle erupts over homes to replace San Jose swim club and tennis site

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:50 GMT

SAN JOSE — A battle has erupted over a real estate developer’s plan to use a “builder’s remedy” as the catalyst for a housing project that would bulldoze a long-time swim and tennis club in San Jose.True Life Cos. wants to develop an affordable housing development at the site of the San Jose Swim & Racquet Club, a familiar establishment in the city’s Willow Glen district — and intends to employ a new-fangled real estate gambit to steer the project to approval.Through a letter prepared by Bryan Wenter, a Walnut Creek-based attorney with Miller Star Regalia and co-chair of the law firm’s land-use department, True Life Cos. notified San Jose planners of the developer’s intention to use the “builder’s remedy” process to seek an expedited approval for the housing project.“Because the project will be affordable” as defined by a 2020 California law and since the city of San Jose has yet to adopt a housi...

Daytime naps may be good for our brains, study says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:50 GMT

By Jack Guy | CNNTaking daytime naps may help maintain brain health as we age, according to a new study. However, prior research has shown that excess napping can also be harmful.Habitual napping was linked with larger total brain volume, which is associated with a lower risk of dementia and other diseases, according to researchers from University College London (UCL) and the University of the Republic of Uruguay.On average, the difference in brain volume between nappers and non-nappers was equivalent to 2.5 to 6.5 years of aging, researchers said.“Our findings suggest that, for some people, short daytime naps may be a part of the puzzle that could help preserve the health of the brain as we get older,” said senior author Victoria Garfield, a senior research fellow at UCL, in a statement.While the study was “well-conducted,” limitations include the fact that napping habits were self-reported, said Tara Spires-Jones, president of the British Neuroscience Association and deputy direct...

First the Choco Taco, and now this ice cream favorite has been yanked

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:50 GMT

New York (CNN) — Not since last year’s disappearance of the Choco Taco have ice cream fans been this shocked.Good Humor no longer makes the Toasted Almond bar.Credit: From Good Humor/Stop&Shop Good Humor confirmed that its Toasted Almond bar, which has been around since the 1960s, is no more. The ice cream maker said in a statement that eliminating the almond-coated vanilla ice cream bar was a “necessary but unfortunate” decision as it updates its “product portfolio to reflect consumer preferences.”“We apologize to our customers that may be disappointed by this news, and while we do not have a current plan to bring back this product, we are excited to continue offering our customers a wide variety of treats available in stores and ice cream trucks,” a Good Humor spokesperson told CNN.Good Humor, owned by Unilever, actually axed the product in 2022, but customers are noticing just now as summer starts. The company’s account on Twitter has been replying to depressed customers...

Two people die in fiery Dublin vehicle crash

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:50 GMT

DUBLIN — Two men died Tuesday night when the car they were in crashed into a tree and pole and caught fire, authorities said.The men’s names were not immediately released.Police said the driver was a 25-year-old man, but they did not have an age yet for the passenger. Both men are believed to be San Ramon residents, police said.The crash happened about 10:30 p.m. Tuesday on Dougherty Road near Fall Creek Road.Dublin police said the men were in a BMW M3 that was apparently traveling at high speed before it hit a tree and light pole.Related ArticlesCrashes and Disasters | Hit-and-run collision leaves pedestrian dead in San Jose early Tuesday morning Crashes and Disasters | Ex-California cop receives 13 years for crash that killed passenger, injured 2 others Crashes and Disasters | Police: Street racer flees in Mercedes after fatally striking pedestrian in Oakland Crashes and Disasters | Los Gatos mother and 12-year...