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Who's the Top Dog? Wave-riding Canines Compete in World Dog Surfing Championships

FILE - Charlie Surfs Up barks as he is pushed through the breakers by Jeff Nieboer in the second heat of very large dogs during the World Dog Surfing Championships, on Aug. 3, 2024, in Pacifica, Calif. (AP Photo/Eakin Howard, File)
FILE - Charlie Surfs Up barks as he is pushed through the breakers by Jeff Nieboer in the second heat of very large dogs during the World Dog Surfing Championships, on Aug. 3, 2024, in Pacifica, Calif. (AP Photo/Eakin Howard, File)
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Who's the Top Dog? Wave-riding Canines Compete in World Dog Surfing Championships

FILE - Charlie Surfs Up barks as he is pushed through the breakers by Jeff Nieboer in the second heat of very large dogs during the World Dog Surfing Championships, on Aug. 3, 2024, in Pacifica, Calif. (AP Photo/Eakin Howard, File)
FILE - Charlie Surfs Up barks as he is pushed through the breakers by Jeff Nieboer in the second heat of very large dogs during the World Dog Surfing Championships, on Aug. 3, 2024, in Pacifica, Calif. (AP Photo/Eakin Howard, File)

Charlie the yellow lab likes surfing so much he'll grab his surfboard and run toward the water, so much so that his humans sometimes have to hide his board if they want to chitchat with friends on the beach.

On Saturday, Charlie is set to join about 15 to 20 other canine wave riders to vie for top dog in the World Dog Surfing Championships outside San Francisco.

The annual contest draws thousands of spectators to Pacifica State Beach, The Associated Press reported.

Participating pooches compete against similarly sized peers for a chance to appear in the finals. Additional heats feature multiple dogs surfing tandem on one board and dogs riding tandem with humans.

Judges scrutinize how long dogs remain on boards, how long they can hold their balance and whether they perform any tricks like turn around while riding waves.

Charlie, aged 10, is due to enter the extra-large single surfer heat. He'll also ride tandem with two other dogs, on what their owners call “The Dream Team.”
“He loves the crowd,” said his owner, Maria Nieboer.

In the ocean, Charlie and Maria's husband, Jeff Nieboer, prepare for waves together. When Jeff sees a good wave, he turns the board around and tells Charlie to “get ready.” At that signal, Jeff pushes the board forward and Charlie scrunches down and rides the wave as long as he can. He can even steer it, at times leaning on the board to ride toward Maria waiting on shore.

He doesn't have to be fed treats for any of this.

“Charlie does what Charlie wants to do once we’re in the water,” Jeff said.

Contest winners get medals and bragging rights.

Charlies “Dream Team” compatriot, Rosie, will be in four heats. The 4.5-year-old yellow lab's owner, Steve Drottar, said Rosie's “stoked” after they go surfing, which they do four to five times a week at home in Santa Cruz.

“It’s like, hey, we actually did something today, right? We did something together as a team," Drottar said. “And the fact that you can do something as a team with your dog creates a different bond than you have when you just take your dog for a walk.”

He can tell Rosie feels a sense of accomplishment after surfing because she's extra happy and wags her tail extra hard. She snuggles up to Drottar even more than normal.

“It’s like we go home on the couch and it feels like she’s saying, ‘Thank you,’” Drottar said.

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Does Fasting Stress You? Here’s the Role of Cortisol and How to Manage It

Deep breathing exercises, remembrance, and brief meditation before sleep may reduce stress markers (Pexels).
Deep breathing exercises, remembrance, and brief meditation before sleep may reduce stress markers (Pexels).
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Does Fasting Stress You? Here’s the Role of Cortisol and How to Manage It

Deep breathing exercises, remembrance, and brief meditation before sleep may reduce stress markers (Pexels).
Deep breathing exercises, remembrance, and brief meditation before sleep may reduce stress markers (Pexels).

Fasting during Ramadan is both a spiritual and a health practice that benefits the body and mind. Medical studies, however, show that fasting can sometimes raise levels of cortisol, the hormone commonly known as the stress hormone. Elevated cortisol may have noticeable effects on mood, including irritability, anxiety, and tension, making emotional regulation more challenging during long fasting hours.

Cortisol is released by the adrenal glands according to a natural daily rhythm, higher in the morning and lower in the evening. This rhythm, however, can be disrupted by poor sleep, dehydration, or physical and mental stress.

So how can cortisol levels be kept in balance during fasting? Here are key practical guidelines:

1. Prioritize sleep. It is central to hormonal balance. Sleep disruption increases stress and interferes with cortisol regulation. To minimize this effect:

Aim for a total of 7 to 8 hours of sleep, including nighttime rest and a short daytime nap if needed.

Keep sleep and wake times as consistent as possible.

Limit screen exposure for at least one hour before bedtime.

2. Break your fast in a balanced way to avoid blood sugar spikes. Research links blood sugar fluctuations to heightened stress responses. For that reason:

Start with fluids and a moderate amount of dates, followed by a meal that includes protein and fiber.

Avoid excessive simple sugars, which can cause a rapid rise and fall in blood glucose, triggering cortisol release.

3. Carbohydrates matter; do not eliminate them. While reducing refined sugars is beneficial, including moderate amounts of healthy carbohydrates - such as oats, whole-grain bread, potatoes, or fruit - at iftar and suhoor helps stabilize blood sugar gradually after fasting.

This balance helps prevent excessive cortisol release and reduces irritability, tension, and anxiety during fasting hours.

4. Maintain hydration between sunset and dawn. Dehydration places additional stress on the body. Health authorities recommend spreading fluid intake after iftar:

Drink water gradually between iftar and suhoor.

Limit caffeinated beverages, as they may interfere with sleep and increase stress.

5. Engage in moderate physical activity. Moderate movement supports healthy stress regulation:

Opt for light walking or stretching about two hours after iftar.

Avoid intense exercise during prolonged fasting hours.

6. Use relaxation techniques. Deep breathing, remembrance, and brief meditation before sleep may help lower stress markers.

US medical sources recommend daily relaxation practices lasting 5 to 10 minutes to support hormonal balance related to stress.

7. Be mindful of caffeine and sugar at night. Heavy coffee intake or frequent sweets during late Ramadan gatherings can disrupt sleep, affecting cortisol levels the following day. Keep your last cup of coffee before midnight and limit desserts to small portions.

8. Consult your doctor if you have a medical condition. If you have hormonal disorders, elevated blood sugar, or high blood pressure, medical guidance is important to adjust medications and dosing schedules during fasting.

Cortisol plays an essential role in energy regulation and the body’s stress response, but maintaining healthy levels depends on consistent sleep, balanced nutrition, adequate hydration, and moderate activity. With thoughtful planning during Ramadan, it is possible to support energy and focus throughout the month, rather than struggling with irritability, anger, and stress.

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Jazan Marks Founding Day with 1,500 Banners and Regional Festivities

The region is set to host a diverse lineup of events, including national performances - SPA
The region is set to host a diverse lineup of events, including national performances - SPA
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Jazan Marks Founding Day with 1,500 Banners and Regional Festivities

The region is set to host a diverse lineup of events, including national performances - SPA
The region is set to host a diverse lineup of events, including national performances - SPA

The Jazan Municipality has finalized its preparations for Founding Day, decorating the region with over 1,500 banners and a comprehensive visual identity, SPA reported.

Streets, parks, and public squares across the city and its governorates have been transformed to reflect national pride and the joy of the local community.

In collaboration with various government departments, the region is set to host a diverse lineup of events, including national performances, folk arts, and heritage displays unique to Jazan.

Varieties

Scottish Antiques Auction Selling Neck Shackles Accused of ‘Profiting from Slavery’

“I think it’s important not to upset and offend, but shock people into learning the whole truth,” the auctioneer, Marcus Salter, said. (Cheeky Auctions Tain)
“I think it’s important not to upset and offend, but shock people into learning the whole truth,” the auctioneer, Marcus Salter, said. (Cheeky Auctions Tain)
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Scottish Antiques Auction Selling Neck Shackles Accused of ‘Profiting from Slavery’

“I think it’s important not to upset and offend, but shock people into learning the whole truth,” the auctioneer, Marcus Salter, said. (Cheeky Auctions Tain)
“I think it’s important not to upset and offend, but shock people into learning the whole truth,” the auctioneer, Marcus Salter, said. (Cheeky Auctions Tain)

An antiques auction selling chains linked to the enslavement of African people in Zanzibar has been accused of “profiting from slavery,” according to The Guardian.

The shackles, dated to 1780 and valued at about £1,000, are among objects listed in the auction, called “Challenging History.”

The auctioneer Marcus Salter, of Cheeky Auctions in Tain, Ross, said he wanted to ensure history was confronted with the sale of the “sensitive artifact” and did not wish to offend.

“I think it’s important not to upset and offend, but shock people into learning the whole truth,” Salter said. “There are certain things we’re not allowed to sell at auction. We had to check with the platform we’re selling with that we could do this. They consider the slave chains to be a historical artefact, therefore we can.

But Labour MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy, who chairs the all-party parliamentary group for Afrikan reparations, said trading in such items meant people were “continuing to profit from the slave trade.”

She said, “If they were to be put in a museum I would understand, but buying and selling them like oddities is the same thing that people do when it comes to human remains– treating them as collector’s items, something to be fetishized rather than items that should be looked at in horror.”

Salter said he was selling the chains for a dealer whose father had owned them for 50 years, adding: “No matter what happens there’s going to be money made out of it from somewhere.”

He claimed if the item was donated to a museum, it could be “put into storage and never seen again”, and that slavery-linked mahogany was sold and used without controversy.

In 2024, the Antiques Roadshow expert Ronnie Archer-Morgan refused to value an ivory bangle linked to enslavement.

Caecilia Dance, an associate at London law firm Wedlake Bell, has advised on the restitution of Nazi-looted art. Dance said she could not comment on the auction, but that there was “no specific law against” trading objects linked to slavery.

She added that “public interest stewardship” – donation, sale, or long-term loan to a museum with relationships with affected communities – would be the “ideal management pathway” for an item linked to slavery.