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Tag: twins

  • Ram Charan and wife Upasana Konidela welcome twins, Chiranjeevi announces birth of baby boy and baby girl

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    Ram Charan and his entrepreneur wife Upasana Kamineni Konidela have welcomed twins. The official update about the twins’ birth was shared by Chiranjeevi on his social media handle.

    Ram Charan and wife Upasana Konidela welcome twins

    In a recent post on social media, Ram Charan and his wife Upasana Kamineni Konidela announced the birth of their twin babies. The actor and his entrepreneur wife are now proud parents to a baby boy and a baby girl.

    Sharing the update, Chiranjeevi wrote, “With immense joy and a heart full of gratitude, we are happy to share that Ram Charan and Upasana Konidela have been blessed with twins – a baby boy and a baby girl.”

    “Both the babies and the mother are healthy and doing well. Welcoming these little ones into our family is a moment of pure joy and divine blessing for us as grandparents. We sincerely thank everyone for their prayers, love, blessings and good wishes. – Chiranjeevi & Surekha,” the actor added.

    Here’s the official post:

    Earlier, the couple welcomed their first child, Klin Kaara Konidela, on June 20, 2023. Later, on October 23, 2025, Ram Charan and Upasana officially confirmed that they were expecting again, marking another milestone in their growing family.

    The update was shared through a video during their Diwali celebrations at home. As the couple announced the happy news, several celebrities extended their congratulatory messages as they prepared to become parents once again.

    Initially, Upasana’s mother, Shobana Kamineni, confirmed that the couple was expecting twins. Now, the couple are proud parents to two daughters and a son.

    Ram Charan’s next movie

    Ram Charan will next be seen in the lead role in Peddi, a sports action drama directed by Buchi Babu Sana. The film is set against a rural village backdrop, with a cricket tournament at its core.

    The movie features Janhvi Kapoor as the female lead, marking her second venture into Telugu cinema after Devara: Part 1. The cast also includes Shiva Rajkumar, Divyendu, Jagapathi Babu, and several others in key roles.

    The music and background score are composed by AR Rahman. The first single, Chikiri Chikiri, was released earlier in 2025. The film is slated for release on March 27, 2026.

    ALSO READ: Parasakthi OTT Release: When and where to watch Sivakarthikeyan, Ravi Mohan’s period action drama

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  • Social Media Might Not Be Rotting Our Brains as Much as We Think, Twin Study Finds

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    A new study out this week might complicate the narrative over social media’s supposed draining effects on our mental health. It showed only a small correlation between social media use and poorer well-being—one that’s likely explained in part by our genes.

    Researchers in the Netherlands examined data from thousands of twins. They found small associations between using social media more and having worse mental health, but also that these associations were often influenced by shared genetic factors. The findings suggest that social media may not be as universally harmful to our psychological well-being as commonly believed, the researchers say.

    “Our research helps move the conversation away from simplistic claims that social media is either ‘good’ or ‘bad’ for everyone,” said lead author Selim Sametoglu, a researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, in a statement from the institute. “We show that the effects are modest, and more importantly, at least partly shaped by individual genetic differences.”

    The clarity of twin research

    Twins are very valuable in science. Since they’re so genetically and often environmentally alike, it makes it easier for scientists to isolate the effects of people’s genetics on a specific trait, condition, or health outcome. If identical twins are more similar to each other in a particular way than are fraternal twins or siblings, for instance, then their genes are likely a big reason for that similarity.

    In this new study, the researchers analyzed data from the Netherlands Twin Register, a long-running project keeping track of the mental and physical health of twins born in the area. As part of the project, twins and their families are asked various questions about their lives, including how often they use social media.

    All told, they studied more than 6,000 twins, both identical and fraternal. For social media use, they counted the time spent browsing and posting on popular platforms like Facebook and Snapchat, outside of related activities like playing video games. They also tracked various measures of well-being, including whether people reported having anxiety and depression symptoms.

    As with previous research on the topic, they found modest links between increased social media use and negative outcomes related to well-being. But upon closer inspection, a person’s genes seemed to play a big part in driving this link. People genetically inclined to spend more time on social media, for instance, might also be more genetically inclined to experience poorer mental health as a result of that time. The researchers estimated that genetics alone could account for 72% of the variation in how often people used social media.

    Notably, they also found people with better well-being tended to browse a greater variety of social media platforms, whereas people with worse well-being tended to post more frequently across a smaller group of social media sites. And while most potential associations were mildly negative or non-existent, the researchers did find that higher social media use was associated with a greater sense of flourishing in their lives (someone feeling flourished might report being highly engaged and interested in their daily activities, as an example).

    The team’s findings were published earlier this June in the journal Behavior Genetics.

    What to think about your social media time

    The authors say their work should add more nuance to the discussion over the purported harms of social media, and they further argue that broad actions to curtail social media use could be counterproductive in their own right.

    “We shouldn’t let headlines like ‘social media is toxic’ distract us from what really matters: each person’s unique background and current state of life. Simply blaming social media use, or restricting access to platforms, won’t solve our well-being and mental health challenges. Instead, we need to focus on the individual—because genes, context, and support all matter,” Sametoglu said.

    Personally, I’m of the mind that, like most things in life, a little moderation goes a long way. So while it’s good to know that my time on Reddit probably isn’t rotting my brain (too much), I’m still going to take regular breaks from doom-scrolling just the same.

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    Ed Cara

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  • Daddy Mode! Woody McClain Pens Sentimental Message While Sharing Glimpse Of His Infant Twin Daughters (PHOTO)

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    Roomies, Woody McClain has penned a sentimental message while sharing a glimpse of his infant twin daughters, Emily and Amaya.

    RELATED: Congrats! Actor Woody McClain Announces He’s Expecting Twins And Reveals Their Names (PHOTO)

    Woody McClain Pens Sentimental Message While Sharing Glimpse of His Infant Twin Daughters Emily & Amaya

    Back on July 14, McClain took to his Instagram to seemingly share footage of himself in a hospital, heading in to watch his boo, Charli B, give birth to their twin daughters.

    On August 9, McClain took to his Instagram to share a carousel and message, seemingly confirming that he and his boo welcomed their twins into the world.

    “I can’t lie. I thought I was going to be laid out on the floor. I feel beyond blessed that all my girls made it out safely. This experience is something I can’t quite put into words. I’m truly thankful for the blessings God has given me. @emilyandamaya 💕,” he wrote at the time.

    Since then, the pair have taken to their twins’ official Instagram account, sharing a glimpse of their new journey in parenthood. Furthermore, a post shared on September 8 appears to show McClain carrying his daughters out of a facility, while a post shared earlier this week shows the girls undergoing their “first manicure.”

    Then, earlier this week, McClain returned with another sentimental post, reflecting on his new chapter of fatherhood. Additionally, McClain shared a photo with his message, droppin’ a peek at his newborn twin daughters.

    “Been praying for patience and to live in the moment. God answered with two beautiful baby girls. Forever grateful. 💕,” he wrote.

    Social Media Reacts To The Sentimental Message & Infant Twin Daughters

    Social media users entered TSR’s comment section, gushing over Woody McClain’s twin daughters and sharing well-wishes for his new journey.

    Instagram user @nick_iamofficial wrote, “Congratulations ❤️”

    While Instagram user @lighteyes74_82 added, “Welcome to the twin club ….wonderful experience ❤️❤️”

    Instagram user @pillowtalkinabt_mi wrote, “Wowwwww I used to love himmmmmm but now I don’t lol congrats!!! 💕”

    While Instagram user @boogiedowndoll added, “Just like that my crush has expired 😂”

    Instagram user @taimarieb wrote, “God bless him and the babies ❤️”

    While Instagram user @official_1_of_1 added, “The best feeling in the world congrats”

    Instagram user @creatorscustomize wrote, “Amen!!! Soooo happy for Cane 🥹🥰”

    While Instagram user @njb35 added, “Watching black men be fathers😭😭😭😭”

    Instagram user @beautifulone.mellow wrote, “Be careful what you pray for and how you pray for it. God is about to give you patience. Congratulations 🎊🎈🎉🍾 love the picture. Parenting is rewarding and challenging. Adorable.”

    While Instagram user @lovenfebruary added, “So u weren’t April fools’ing us after all, huh? 🤣🫶🏽💕😍”

    More On Woody McClain’s Journey To Welcoming His Twin Daughters Emily & Amaya

    As The Shade Room previously reported, on April 1, Woody McClain took to Instagram to share a photo of two positive pregnancy tests. However, because of the date, many social media users felt McClain might have been trolling, playing an April Fool’s joke, per The Shade Room. Later that month, however, McClain returned with another post seemingly showing off his and Charli’s gender reveal, confirming that they not only had a baby on board, but that they were expecting twins!

    Then, in July, McClain returned to social media to share photos — and all the details — from his and his boo’s baby shower.

    RELATED: Awww! Woody McClain & His Boo Charli B. Share Photos From Baby Shower For Their Twin Girls

    What Do You Think Roomies?

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    Jadriena Solomon

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  • MLB roundup: Blue Jays dominate rival Yankees again

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    (Photo credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images)

    Kevin Gausman tied a season high by pitching eight innings for his first win in nearly a month, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. homered as part of a four-hit showing and the Toronto Blue Jays continued their domination of the host New York Yankees with a 7-1 victory on Friday.

    The Blue Jays beat the Yankees for the eighth time in 11 meetings this season. Toronto has won seven of the past eight matchups and moved four games ahead of the Yankees in the American League East.

    Gausman (9-10) permitted one run, on a Giancarlo Stanton homer, and five hits. Bo Bichette contributed three hits and two RBIs for Toronto, which has won three in a row.

    New York starter Cam Schlittler (2-3) lasted a career-low 1 2/3 innings and allowed four runs on five hits. Stanton finished 2-for-4.

    Cubs 11, Nationals 5

    Dansby Swanson slammed a three-run homer in a five-run first inning and Chicago dominated visiting Washington in the opener of their three-game series.

    Nico Hoerner, Reese McGuire and Ian Happ all homered, with Happ scoring four times as the Cubs won for the third time in four games. Chicago starter Javier Assad (2-1) allowed four runs and three hits over 5 1/3 innings.

    Luis Garcia Jr. homered and Daylen Lile had two triples, two RBIs and two runs for Washington, which was riding a three-game winning streak. Nationals right-hander Jake Irvin (8-11) lost his fourth straight start after surrendering seven runs and five hits over 3 1/3 innings.

    White Sox 7, Tigers 5

    Colson Montgomery homered and drove in four runs and visiting Chicago extended its winning streak to six games with a victory over Detroit.

    Andrew Benintendi supplied a solo homer. Kyle Teel and Will Robertson drove in the other Chicago runs. Shane Smith (5-7) gave up four runs and three hits in five innings. Jordan Leasure collected his seventh save.

    Parker Meadows, fresh off the injured list, hit a two-run homer for Detroit. Jack Flaherty gave up four runs in 4 1/3 innings.

    Braves 4, Mariners 1

    Matt Olson sparked a three-run rally with a tiebreaking single in the eighth inning as Atlanta opened a three-game series against visiting Seattle with a win.

    Ozzie Albies followed Olson’s RBI hit with a run-scoring triple as part of a 3-for-4 night, and Drake Baldwin added an RBI single. Atlanta tallied five of its 10 hits in the decisive eighth inning.

    The Mariners have lost four in a row and six of seven on their nine-game trip. Logan Gilbert settled in after the first inning and retired 11 of the final 12 batters he faced. He exited after giving up one run on five hits over six innings.

    Orioles 2, Dodgers 1

    Baltimore rookie Samuel Basallo hit a walk-off solo homer with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning as the Orioles beat visiting Los Angeles.

    It was the second career homer for Basallo, who gave the Orioles a four-game winning streak. The 21-year-old catcher made his major league debut less than three weeks ago. Yennier Cano (3-6) threw a scoreless ninth as Baltimore’s sixth pitcher.

    The blast came off Tanner Scott (1-3), the sixth reliever used by the Dodgers after spot starter Shohei Ohtani threw 3 2/3 scoreless innings. Freddie Freeman homered for the Dodgers, who lost their fourth game in a row. He finished 2-for-4, the only player in the game with more than one hit.

    Mets 5, Reds 4

    Edwin Diaz got into and out of a none-out, bases-loaded jam in the ninth inning to close out New York’s narrow win over host Cincinnati in the opener of a three-game series between the National League wild-card contenders.

    The Mets, who entered Friday with a four-game lead over the San Francisco Giants in the race for the last wild card, won for the third time in four games. The Reds fell to an NL-worst 6-13 since Aug. 15 and dropped six games behind the Mets. Cincinnati also slipped under .500 for the first time since it was 32-33 on June 7.

    The Mets led 4-0 and 5-1 before the Reds scored three times in the fourth against David Peterson (9-5). Diaz gave up a leadoff single to Ke’Bryan Hayes before walking Matt McLain and TJ Friedl before a pair of strikeouts and groundout to second to end the game.

    Rangers 3, Astros 3 (12 innings)

    Dustin Harris doubled home Cody Freeman with the winning run in the bottom of the 12th inning to lift surging Texas to a win over slumping Houston in the opener of a crucial three-game series between the American League West rivals in Arlington, Texas.

    Harris, who was called up from Triple-A Round Rock prior to the game after outfielder Adolis Garcia was placed on the injured list, pulled a pitch from Lance McCullers Jr. (2-5) down the right field line that allowed Freeman to sprint to the plate. Texas snapped a two-game losing streak and has won 10 of its last 13 contests.

    The Astros dropped their second straight outing and have lost five of their past seven.

    Rockies 3, Padres 0

    Kyle Freeland retired the first 13 batters he faced and tied a career high with 10 strikeouts as Colorado beat San Diego in Denver.

    Freeland (4-14), who did not allow a baserunner until Ramon Laureano doubled in the fifth inning, allowed just two hits in a season-high eight innings. It is the fourth time this season he has not given up an earned run while pitching at least six innings. Hunter Goodman homered among his three hits and reached base four times for Colorado.

    Nick Pivetta (13-5) allowed two runs on seven hits in six innings for San Diego.

    Diamondbacks 10, Red Sox 5

    Geraldo Perdomo, Corbin Carroll and Ildemaro Vargas homered and Arizona scored early and late to hold off Boston in Phoenix.

    Perdomo, who homered in the first and added three singles, drove in two runs. He leads National League shortstops with a career-high 90 RBIs. Perdomo singled in a run for a 7-5 lead in the eighth inning after the Red Sox rallied for four runs in top of the inning. Carroll followed with a three-run homer off Justin Slaten for the final margin. Arizona left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez (7-8) gave up four hits and one run in six innings.

    Alex Bregman and Romy Gonzalez had two hits apiece for the Red Sox, who had won 10 of their previous 14 games.

    Brewers 5, Pirates 2

    Quinn Priester delivered a quality start Milwaukee needed, stretching his winning streak to 11 straight decisions with a victory over host Pittsburgh.

    Priester (12-2) gave up two runs on six hits over seven innings to help the Brewers avoid using their ailing bullpen too much on a day they placed setup man Nick Mears on the injured list with back tightness. The Brewers have won 17 consecutive games in which Priester has pitched.

    Pittsburgh starter Johan Oviedo gave up no earned runs and only one hit over five innings. Oneil Cruz and Spencer Horwitz each had two hits to lead the Pirates at the plate.

    Royals 2, Twins 1

    Maikel Garcia hit a two-run homer, Michael Wacha yielded a run in 5 2/3 innings and Kansas City beat visiting Minnesota despite star Bobby Witt Jr. exiting late due to lower back spasms.

    After Wacha (9-11) exited, Angel Zerpa, John Schreiber, Daniel Lynch IV, Taylor Clarke and Carlos Estevez (38th save) held the Twins to just one hit the rest of the way.

    Back from a shoulder injury and making his first start since June 3, Minnesota’s Pablo Lopez (5-4) threw six innings and yielded just Garcia’s homer in the third. Jhonny Pereda hit an RBI double in the fifth inning.

    Giants 8, Cardinals 2

    Rafael Devers and Willy Adames had a homer and two RBIs each as visiting San Francisco routed St. Louis for its 11th win in 12 games and fifth in a row.

    Jung Hoo Lee (4-for-5, two runs, RBI) and Patrick Bailey (3-for-5, run, RBI) helped the Giants amass 18 hits. Carson Seymour (1-2) earned his first major league win, giving up one run in five innings. Tristan Beck allowed one run in three innings for his first save.

    Ivan Herrera hit a homer for the Cardinals, who had won five of their previous seven games. Michael McGreevy (6-3) allowed six runs on nine hits in four innings.

    Phillies 9, Marlins 3

    Cristopher Sanchez logged seven sharp innings and all three outfielders homered for Philadelphia, which dominated host Miami to win for the sixth time in eight games.

    In addition to homers from Brandon Marsh, Harrison Bader and Max Kepler, Philadelphia received a long ball from Bryson Stott. Trea Turner added four hits for the Phillies while Sanchez (12-5) set a career high for wins.

    The highlight for Miami was Brian Navarreto hitting his first career home run in his first major league at-bat in more than five years. Starter Valente Bellozo (1-4) allowed two runs in three innings for the Marlins, who have lost four games in a row.

    Guardians 7, Rays 1

    Steven Kwan and Jose Ramirez drove in two runs apiece in a five-run second inning as visiting Cleveland drubbed Tampa Bay, ending the Rays’ seven-game winning streak.

    Ramirez went 3-for-5 with a double and a run, while Kwan finished 2-for-4 with two runs and two stolen bases. Cleveland starter Gavin Williams (10-5) pitched seven innings of one-run ball.

    Junior Caminero hit a long solo homer and Josh Lowe and Yandy Diaz each had two hits for the Rays. Bulk reliever Ian Seymour (3-1) allowed five runs (one earned) in four innings.

    Athletics 10, Angels 4

    JJ Bleday hit a three-run homer to highlight a seven-run third inning and Lawrence Butler went 3-for-5 with a homer to lead the Athletics to a victory over Los Angeles in Anaheim, Calif.

    Mason Barnett (1-1), making his second major league start, bounced back from allowing a four-run first inning to pick up his win, allowing four runs on three hits over five innings.

    Angels starter Jose Soriano (10-10) gave up eight runs on six hits and five walks in 2 1/3 innings.

    –Field Level Media

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  • Breakthrough in twin DNA analysis leads to historic conviction in 1987 Virginia rape case – WTOP News

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    A Prince William County jury has convicted a Florida man in a 1987 rape and abduction at a Woodbridge, Virgina, gas station in a case marking the first time a U.S. court has successfully identified a suspect despite the challenge of identical twin DNA.

    This article was republished with permission from WTOP’s news partner InsideNoVa.com. Sign up for InsideNoVa.com’s free email subscription today.

    A Prince William County jury on Aug. 21 convicted a Florida man in a 1987 rape and abduction at a Woodbridge gas station in a case marking the first time a U.S. court has successfully identified a suspect despite the challenge of identical twin DNA.

    Russell Marubbio, 54, of Putnam County, Fla., was arrested in the case on June 23, 2023, and initially released on bond over the objection of prosecutors, Prince William County Commonwealth’s Attorney Amy Ashworth’s office said in a Friday news release.

    Following his conviction, Marubbio’s bond was revoked, and he was remanded to the custody of the sheriff.

    Thorough detective work, advanced DNA technology and genetic genealogy analysis led to Marubbio as a suspect decades after the Dec. 19, 1987, attack at a Chevron gas station at 13452 Jefferson Davis Highway, now called Richmond Highway.

    The victim, a 50-year-old woman working as a clerk, was attacked while using an outdoor restroom. Prosecutors said the suspect entered the bathroom, assaulted her with a knife, taped her head and hands and raped her.

    The next day at Potomac Hospital (now Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center), Dr. Rodolfo Lopez collected a Physical Evidence Recovery Kit, known as a PERK, from the victim, the release said.

    The PERK was submitted to the Virginia Department of Forensic Science, and a male DNA profile was developed. However, no match for the DNA was found at the time and the case went cold.

    In 2019, Prince William County Police Master Det. Giannina Pinedo, a 22-year veteran investigator specializing in violent crimes, transferred to the cold case unit and began reexamining unsolved cases.

    She enlisted the assistance of fellow detective Colleen Grantham, who has 23 years of experience in sexual assaults, and together they reopened the case, Ashworth’s office said.

    “With the cooperation of the victim, detectives Pinedo and Grantham initiated efforts to identify the perpetrator,” the release said.

    Pinedo and Grantham collaborated with Prince William County Police Crime Scene Investigator Andrea Feldman, who resubmitted physical evidence seized in 1987 to the Department of Forensic Science for modern DNA testing.

    Detectives also sent cuttings of stains from the victim’s underwear to Marshall University Forensic Science Center in West Virginia for genetic genealogy analysis.

    The analysis results indicated a match to identical twins, one of them Russell Anthony Marubbio of Palatka, Florida.

    With the assistance of Florida special agents, detectives obtained buccal swabs from both brothers to compare their individual DNA to the profile developed from the evidence.

    While their individual DNA matched the DNA on the items seized at the time of the crime, the analysis could not differentiate between the two identical twins, the release said.

    In August 2022, detectives utilized the advanced DNA analysis services of Reston-based Parabon NanoLabs and its laboratory partners “to resolve the challenge posed by identical twin suspects,” the release said.

    Parabon, which has helped solve several high-profile cold cases in Virginia the past several years, provided a solution. The lab identified rare “somatic mutations” that can arise after identical twins split in early development, creating subtle genetic differences.

    “Through deep whole-genome sequencing and specialized bioinformatics analysis, Parabon identified unique somatic mutations in each twin and compared them directly to the DNA recovered from the crime scene,” the release said.

    The advanced analysis conclusively identified Russell Marubbio as the twin whose DNA was present at the crime scene.

    “This landmark case marks the first successful admission and application of this specific technique in a U.S. court to overcome challenges in DNA identification of identical twins,” Ashworth said.

    Ashworth said the nearly 40-year-old rape case “had long been forgotten about by everyone except the victim, who has had to live with the fear and pain of having been raped, and without any closure on this case until now.”

    “This conviction demonstrates the commitment of both our office and the Prince William County Police Department to ensuring that, no matter how much time has passed, we will fight together to seek justice for victims,” Ashworth said.

    A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Nov. 7 before Prince William Circuit Court Judge Kimberly A. Irving, who presided over the trial.

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    Jessica Kronzer

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  • Unbelievable facts

    Unbelievable facts

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    A woman gave birth to three children whose DNA didn’t match her own. After being monitored during…

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  • Karate-loving twins raise funds for Warminster Food Bank to feed families in need

    Karate-loving twins raise funds for Warminster Food Bank to feed families in need

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    JAMISON, Pennsylvania — Karate stars and twins Shane and Weston Fox have been practicing karate since they were 3 years old. .

    They were inspired by their older brother, who stepped on the mat before them.

    In order for the twins to earn their junior black belts from Action Karate Jamison, they had to participate in some kind of community service, or give back to the community in some way.

    They hosted a lemonade stand outside their studio and raised $800 for the Warminster Food Bank.

    Warminster Food Bank is the new name of an organization that has been serving the community since 1958.

    They use donations like these to prepare grocery baskets for families in need.

    To learn more about the Warminster Food Bank, visit their website.

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    CCG

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  • Westeros Twins Ranked by Real Twins the Lucas Brothers

    Westeros Twins Ranked by Real Twins the Lucas Brothers

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    Photo-Illustration: Vulture; Photos: HBO

    We are identical twins who love the Game of Thrones saga. Incidentally, quite a few sets of twin characters can be found in GoT and its prequel series, House of the Dragon. Twins make up roughly 3 percent of the world’s population, but in Westeros, every house seems to have multiple sets (there’s a whole big category for them in the fandom Wiki). Maybe George R.R. Martin secretly wants to be a twin? Totally understandable — he could get twice the amount of work done, finally finishing A Song of Ice and Fire. Which brings us to the matter at hand: ranking all the twins of Westeros. Somebody had to do it, and as experts on all things twins-related, we can offer a unique dual perspective and unparalleled insight into the complex dynamics of such siblings. In essence, all those fistfights in our childhood over who’s the older twin are now coming in handy — a birth-order distinction that would have actually mattered if we were, say, in line to inherit Casterly Rock.

    Twin experts Keith and Kenny Lucas.
    Photo: Troy Harvey/A.M.P.A.S./Getty Images

    In determining our ranking, we considered the significance and impact of each set of twins in the context of the greater events in their respective series. Specifically, we’re looking at each pair’s proximity to the battle for power in the Seven Kingdoms — what role, if any, have they played in their respective houses’ quest for the Iron Throne? (Note: For our purposes, we’re looking only at the TV shows, not the novels.) Moreover, we’ve also factored in the twins’ identicalness, or state of being identical. We think it was Hegel who said, “In identical twins, we witness the dialectical struggle of individuality against unity. They are at once the same and distinct, a living paradox that embodies the very essence of the Absolute Spirit’s journey toward self-realization.” We made that up, but it sounds like some shit he’d say. So without further ado, here are the results of our thorough analysis:

    Photo: HBO

    As much as it pains us, we have to rank these two last. They just haven’t done much in the series up to this point. They continually pop up next to characters who actually do move the plot forward (like their cousin and stepmom, Queen Rhaenyra), but we’d like to learn more about their own ambitions and desires. It would be nice to see them do something duplicitous and vile; if that were to happen, they might move up in our ranking. They aren’t identical and aren’t even played by twins, which is a cardinal sin in our book. Twins should be played by twins. That said, we don’t count fraternal twins as real twins. They’re just two singletons born on the same day. Singleton is a slur we use for single-birth individuals. We were going to go with onesie, but that felt too cute.

    All this is probably moot anyway — while they’re twins in Fire & Blood, it seems Baela may actually be older (not just minutes older) in the TV series. Twin erasure.

    Photo: HBO

    What’s worse than two non-twin actors playing fraternal twins? One non-twin actor playing identical twins. It feels like twinface. You can’t be a Lannister, be somewhat irrelevant to the story, and be disrespectful to twins all at once. It’s unfortunate that twins don’t have a group fighting on behalf of all twins in the media like the TWINAACP — the Twin Association for the Advancement of Cloned People. (Puns are making a comeback, it seems — see OV-HO.)

    Photo: HBO

    Though not played by actual twins, at least these characters are quite relevant to House of the Dragon thus far. Not only are they the toddler children of Aegon II Targaryen and his sister-wife, Helaena Targaryen, but one of them was beheaded, which is such a brutal way to die. Very grateful the show spared us a visualization of the beheading. Thanks, George. Ultimately, Jaehaerys’s death pushes Aegon II to fully commit to war with his half-sister, Rhaenyra Targaryen. Jaehaerys’s death also ensures the Targaryen twins will never grow up to commit incest — something the Targaryens have perfected over time.

    Photo: HBO

    Speaking of incest, where would we be without Cersei and Jaime? If it weren’t for Bran discovering them having sex in the very first episode of GoT, the events in the original series couldn’t have happened. Are we thrilled by the stereotype of twins committing incest being pushed to a mass audience? Of course not. But we can’t deny how pivotal these two are to the story with each of them being fully a realized character. Plus, Lena Headey does such a remarkable job playing Cersei. She alone deserves this high ranking. We don’t think we’ve ever hated and loved a character more than we have Cersei. She was masterful — and ruthless — at playing the game. The scene where she blows up the Great Sept with wildfire while sipping wine is Godfather-esque. But it’s a pity these two weren’t played by actual fraternal twins. Otherwise, they would have finished at No. 1. The incest doesn’t help their ranking either.

    Photo: HBO

    Home of the despicable House Frey, the Twins is also the location of the infamous Red Wedding. While we hated the Freys, we must admit the Red Wedding is one of the greatest scenes in television history. The Twins’ towers are also the most identical entity on our list. Well, aside from …

    Photo: HBO

    This brings us to our top twins: the Cargyll brothers. Since they are played by identical twins (Luke and Elliott Tittensor), they immediately claim the No. 1 position. The showrunners could have cast a single non-twin actor for both roles, but we suspect they opted for actual twins once they realized how much more expensive and complicated their epic fight scene would be otherwise. But beyond their casting, the Cargylls play a key role in House of the Dragon, in which Arryk sides with King Aegon II Targaryen, while his twin, Erryk, sides with Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen. Their story epitomizes the brutal nature of civil wars in which brothers turn against each other even if it means defending the incestuous members of one particular house. Unlike the typical portrayal of twins as strange (which we admittedly are at times), the Cargylls are depicted as badass knights of the Kingsguard. Their battle in “Rhaenyra the Cruel” is iconic, marking perhaps the first time we have genuinely been confused about who’s who in a “good twin, evil twin” fight scene. We will miss the Cargyll twins, but we appreciate what they’ve done for identical-twin representation in the media. They are our Jackie Robinson, shattering the double glass ceiling for all twins.

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  • Francisco Lindor, Mets drop series opener to Carlos Correa, Twins after rookie blunders

    Francisco Lindor, Mets drop series opener to Carlos Correa, Twins after rookie blunders

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    MINNEAPOLIS — The baby Mets have presented well over the last week, but it’s clear there is still a learning curve.

    The Mets dropped the first game of a series against the Minnesota Twins 5-2 on Friday night at Target Field after a defensive blunder in the bottom of the seventh squandered a competitive performance by right-hander Kodai Senga. With the game tied at 2-2 and Sean Reid-Foley trying to keep it tied, Brett Baty and Francisco Alvarez couldn’t connect.

    With runners on first and second and none out, the Twins executed a double steal. Andrew Stevenson overran the base and stumbled on a wild pitch, giving Alvarez time to throw him out at third.

    But Alvarez, the rookie catcher, overthrew Baty at third. Baty’s throw home went wide and Stevenson came home to give Minnesota the lead. If the Mets are looking for things to improve on in the future, holding runners on base should be near the top of the list.

    “He had trouble finding the ball and thought he had a play at third,” said manager Buck Showalter. “He’s out at the plate if we make the throw. It kind of starts with holding the runner to start with.”

    Reid-Foley (0-1) got two outs, but the AL Central-leading Twins (74-67) rallied. Things fell apart for the Mets (64-76).

    Royce Lewis doubled home Willi Castro. The Mets went to the bullpen for Grant Hartwig and Max Kepler singled to center to score Lewis.

    Then came Carlos Correa, the shortstop who was supposed to be a Met this season.

    Correa’s 12-year $315 million deal fell apart because of concerns about his physical. Negotiations dragged out and he ended up right back where he started last season in Minnesota. The rookie right-hander worked the count full on Correa before the shortstop took a cutter low and inside and pulled it down the left-field line for a double.

    However, this time the damage was contained. Hartwig got Alex Kirilloff to ground out to end the inning.

    Correa did enough damage earlier in the night when he homered off the pitcher that he once expected to be his teammate. The Mets went up 2-1 in the top of the fourth on a two-run double off left-hander Dallas Keuchel by Correa’s friend and Puerto Rican countrymate Francisco Lindor.

    But Correa took Senga deep in the bottom of the inning to tie the game at 2-2.

    It was the only real blemish on an otherwise solid outing by right-hander Senga, who remained competitive throughout. He was undeterred when he missed his spots and when one pitch wasn’t working, he went to another.

    “I know I wasn’t my best, but I really wanted to stay out there and go as long as I could,” Senga said through translator Hiro Fujiwara. “Just mixing in a lot of pitches. I had a lot of missed pitches too, but changing velocity and changing location and doing whatever I can to stay out there.”

    The Mets have been conscious of his innings, not wanting to push him past a certain limit of what he’s been used to in Japan. However, he used 101 pitches through six innings with four walks driving up his pitch count. Minnesota took two runs off of Senga on four hits and he struck out five, exiting with the game tied 2-2.

    The Twins scored one in the bottom of the first inning before Senga settled into the game. This is what the Mets have discovered about Senga — he doesn’t give in on nights when he doesn’t have a feel for all of his pitches.

    “Just because I don’t feel good or I’m not feeling my best, it doesn’t mean I just fold and give up the game,” Senga said through Fujiwara. “I’m given four or five days to prepare for this game and I think it’s my job to stay out there and make the game winnable. I take pride in that, yeah.”

    Senga’s season ERA is down to 3.07. He’ll receive some NL Rookie of the Year consideration, and some of it will likely be because of the way he has been able to persevere through tough outings during his first season in North America.

    “A lot of times, those types of outings, where you’re not carrying the normal command of your pitches, are more impressive,” Showalter said.

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    Abbey Mastracco

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  • ‘Twins’ Stars Arnold Schwarzenegger & Danny DeVito Reunite To Open White House Correspondents’ Dinner

    ‘Twins’ Stars Arnold Schwarzenegger & Danny DeVito Reunite To Open White House Correspondents’ Dinner

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    By Brent Furdyk.
    Published:

    Moviedom’s unlikeliest siblings reunited for a special event on Saturday night.

    “Twins” stars Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito appeared together in a special video filmed to open the 2023 edition of the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.

    Schwarzenegger opened the video, sitting in his office as he thanked journalists for the role they play in American democracy.

    “Because our country would not be the shining beacon of freedom that welcomes people like me without the free press,” he declared.


    READ MORE:
    Danny DeVito Admits He Got Arnold Schwarzenegger Stoned On The Set Of ‘Twins’

    “I wouldn’t be the Arnold that you know without the press — that’s a fact. Every reporter, every photographer, every editor who has brought me or my message to the people, has made my life possible and successful,” he continued.

    “So even though you ask questions that annoy the hell out of me, I remind myself always that you’re actually doing the peoples’ work,” the former California governor added. “You’re the ally of the people, so never, ever stop shining a light on the truth and informing the public.”

    At that point, the camera pulled back to reveal DeVito alongside Schwarzenegger in his office. Also present were Schwarzenegger’s famous pets, miniature pony Whiskey and donkey Lulu, while the theme song from “It’s Aways Sunny in Philadelphia” played in the background.


    READ MORE:
    Arnold Schwarzenegger Praises ‘Twins’ Co-Star Danny DeVito In Emotional Reddit Thread

    “I’m very proud of all of you. And it’s not just me and it’s also Lulu and Whisky and my twin brother Danny DeVito, we’re all proud of you!” said Schwarzenegger, as DeVito fed crackers to the pets.

    “I come over here and I’m going to get bit by a horse. That’s the finger, ouch!” DeVito complains.

    Reports of a sequel to the 1988 comedy have simmered for years; as recently as 2021, Deadline reported that a sequel — titled “Triplets” — was in the works, with Tracy Morgan cast as the third sibling after initial attempts to land Eddie Murphy fell through.

    “I thought he would make a terrific triplet, and we rewrote the whole script for him,” “Twins” director Ivan Reitman told the outlet at the time. “Now, we’ll go out and try and put the money together and get it made.”

    Sadly, Reitman — who had planned to direct the sequel — died in February 2022.


    READ MORE:
    ‘Twins’ Sequel ‘Triplets’ Casts Tracy Morgan As Arnold Schwarzenegger & Danny DeVito’s Long-Lost Brother

    “We had a little setback because the man that was [supposed] to direct it, who directed the first one, ‘Twins’, Ivan Reitman had passed away sadly to say,” Schwarzenegger said during a March 2022 appearance at the Arnold Sports Festival in Columbus, Ohio, indicating the status of “Triplets” was up in the air.

    “And so, you know now that we just wait a little bit until this whole thing cools down and then we’re gonna readdress it. But that’s a project [supposed] to be filmed in October and so it could still be you know, but we just have to now look into a different director and just get into and to see if we are going to continue with this project.”

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    Brent Furdyk

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  • Unbelievable facts

    Unbelievable facts

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  • Doorbell video shows malnourished Texas twins seeking help

    Doorbell video shows malnourished Texas twins seeking help

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    CYPRESS, Texas — A teenager who told Texas police that he and his twin sister were handcuffed and endured horrific abuse escaped their family’s home after he found a handcuff key and hid it in his mouth, authorities said in court records.

    The twins, barefoot and holding handcuffs, were seen on doorbell video as they sought help in a Cypress neighborhood, just outside Houston. The video, obtained by Houston TV station KHOU, showed the teens walking door-to-door about 5:30 a.m. Tuesday as they sought help.

    The boy was shirtless and the girl was wearing only a plastic grocery bag around her neck as a shirt, according to an affidavit.

    Their mother, Zaikiya Duncan, 40, was arrested hours later in Louisiana after police issued a missing children alert for five other children. All seven children, including the twins, are now in Child Protective Service custody, authorities said.

    The 15-year-old twins were severely malnourished and told police that abuse had been occurring for months, the affidavit said. They told police that Duncan handcuffed them, forced them to drink bleach and other household cleaners and also sprayed oven cleaner in their mouths “if they talked too much,” the affidavit said.

    The twins also told authorities that they were forced to eat and drink feces and urine, according to the affidavit.

    Duncan is jailed in Baton Rouge and awaits extradition on charges of aggravated assault. Her live-in boyfriend, 27-year-old Jova Terrell, also faces an assault charge. It wasn’t known whether either had an attorney and they are expected to be extradited to Texas within 30 days, Houston TV station KPRC reported.

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  • Nigerian city celebrates its many twins with annual festival

    Nigerian city celebrates its many twins with annual festival

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    IGBO-ORA, Nigeria (AP) — Twins appear to be unusually abundant in Nigeria’s southwestern city of Igbo-Ora.

    Nearly every family here has twins or other multiple births, says local chief Jimoh Titiloye.

    For the past 12 years, the community has organized an annual festival to celebrate twins. This year’s event, held earlier this month, included more than 1,000 pairs of twins and drew participants from as far away as France, organizers said.

    There is no proven scientific explanation for the high rate of twins in Igbo-Ora, a city of at least 200,000 people 135 kilometers (83 miles) south of Nigeria’s largest city, Lagos. But many in Igbo-Ora believe it can be traced to women’s diets. Alake Olawunmi, a mother of twins, attributes it to a local delicacy called amala which is made from yam flour.

    John Ofem, a gynecologist based in the capital, Abuja, says it very well could be “that there are things they eat there that have a high level of certain hormones that now result in what we call multiple ovulation.”

    While that could explain the higher-than-normal rate of fraternal twins in Igbo-Ora, the city also has a significant number of identical twins. Those result instead from a single fertilized egg that divides into two — not because of hyperovulation.

    Taiwo Ojeniyi, a Nigerian student, said he attended the festival with his twin brother “to celebrate the uniqueness” of multiple births.

    “We cherish twins while in some parts of the world, they condemn twins,” he said. “It is a blessing from God.”

    ___

    Asadu reported from Abuja, Nigeria.

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  • Hilary Swank Reveals She’s Pregnant With Twins At 48

    Hilary Swank Reveals She’s Pregnant With Twins At 48

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    Hilary Swank is going to be a mom ― of two!

    The “Million Dollar Baby” actor, 48, announced on Wednesday that she and her husband, Philip Schneider, are expecting twins.

    “I’m so happy to share it with you and with America right now, this is something that I’ve been wanting for a long time, and my next thing is I’m going to be a mom,” the Oscar winner announced on “Good Morning America.” “I’m going to be a mom ― and not just of one but of two. I can’t believe it.”

    Swank, who’s in her second trimester, said in another interview that she’s “feeling great right now” and that twins run in her husband’s family.

    “It’s a total miracle. It’s unbelievable,” she said of being pregnant with two babies.

    Swank and Schneider, an entrepreneur, have been married for four years. They wed in a redwood grove in Carmel, California, in 2018, two years after they met on a blind date in 2016.

    “It was a blind date set up by actor Misha Collins’s wife, Vicki, and another close friend, Jean. We met at 10 a.m. and parted ways at 11 p.m.,” Swank said of their first date, a bottomless brunch. “We clearly enjoyed our time!”

    Swank was previously married to actor Chad Lowe, from 1997 to 2007.

    Swank stars in the new TV drama “Alaska Daily,” which premieres Thursday on ABC. In it, she portrays an investigative journalist seeking a fresh start in Anchorage. Swank has won two lead actress Oscars, for “Boys Don’t Cry” in 1999 and “Million Dollar Baby” in 2004.

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