Xiaomi recently launched the Xiaomi 14 smartphone in India. But how good is the device actually? Let’s find out.

New Delhi: Xiaomi launched the Xiaomi 14 smartphone in India on March 7, 2024, showcasing the prowess of the Leica camera at the launch. The Xiaomi 14 comes with a Leica triple camera setup with focal lengths from 14mm to 75mm. While the brand promised powerful camera performance and showed off its multiple modes such as Authentic Leica look And Leica vibrant appearanceDoes the Xiaomi 14 camera phone really meet its expectations?

Here’s a detailed DxOMark review of the Xiaomi 14’s performance based on its camera, display and audio.

Xiaomi 14 Ultra DxoMark review

Camera:

The Xiaomi 14 underwent a DxoMark camera test, showing its performance in various aspects such as photo, video and zoom quality. The smartphone ranks 28th in the global smartphone rankings and 3rd in the premium rankings, behind the iPhone 15 and Google Pixel 8. Here are some key takeaways from the DxOMark review:

• Camera specifications: The Xiaomi 14 features a primary 50 MP sensor with an f/1.6 aperture lens, an ultra-wide 50 MP lens with a 115° field of view and a 50 MP telephoto lens with OIS.
• Photo performance: The device showed some autofocus irregularities and artifacts in action scenes. Zoom performance was good, especially with the telephoto module’s 50 MP sensor.
• Video performance: Videos showed good texture and details with accurate lighting and white balance. However, there were some issues, such as exposure instability and noise in low light.
• Comparison with the Xiaomi 13: The Xiaomi 14 showed marked improvements in image quality and video performance compared to its predecessor, the Xiaomi 13. These improvements were attributed to hardware upgrades such as a larger sensor and an improved aperture.

Display:

The display performance rating of the Xiaomi 14 by DXOMARK highlights both its strengths and weaknesses. The smartphone ranks 54th globally and 9th in the premium rankings with a score of 133. Here is a summary of the key points:

• Plus points:
  • Smooth viewing experience while scrolling the web or playing video games.
  • Adjusted brightness in low light.
  • Pleasant color rendering in indoor conditions.
• Cons:
  • Many frame mismatches when playing video games or watching videos.
  • Lack of brightness and dark details when watching HDR10 videos.
  • The display is not uniform.

Audio:

With a score of 135 in the DXOMARK Audio tests, the audio performance of the Xiaomi 14 was rated as mediocre. Testers enjoyed the device’s good timbre and dynamics when playing through the built-in speakers, although certain drawbacks were noted, including a lack of low-end response and minor distortion at maximum volume. When it came to recording, the Xiaomi 14 showed strong resistance to wind noise and strong noise cancellation under difficult conditions, making it suitable for separating certain sound sources from the background.

The Xiaomi 14 turns out to be a solid smartphone with both its strengths and weaknesses; However, the final decision to purchase this device solely depends on the user’s preference based on performance, price, and other important specifications.

By Eleanor Dye

Published: 09:46 EST, March 5, 2024 | Updated: 09:48 EST, March 5, 2024

By Bethan Edwards for Mailonline

Published: 10:48 EST, February 29, 2024 | Updated: 10:48 EST, February 29, 2024

For those who didn’t follow the 2011 World Cup qualifying cycle – in which the US lost to Mexico in the CONCACAF semifinals before Alex Morgan ultimately routed the US in a play-off series against Italy – the games against Mexico may have felt like a rivalry in name only.

The U.S. women’s national team had not lost to Mexico since that point in 2010, nor had it lost at home to a CONCACAF opponent since 2000.

Monday night threw that story out the window.

The USWNT were defeated in a 2-0 loss in front of a raucous crowd in Carson, California, and while it couldn’t match the low point of that 0-0 draw against Portugal in the World Cup group stage last summer, the team made its final group match of this Gold Cup was (hopefully) a useful reminder that the team hasn’t yet found their new, cohesive identity.

What should worry fans most is that Monday’s performance mirrored the lethargic USWNT we’ve seen before.

But how much should we read into the 270 minutes played this year? How does a loss change what needs to happen leading up to the Olympics? And why is cohesion still such a big problem?

---

Mexico provided a necessary test – and a reminder

Mexico deserves all the praise and nothing but praise for Monday night’s executions in all the places that matter. But similarly, the USWNT failed in many of these areas.

That failure can be useful if used correctly (see: losses to France in friendlies in early 2015 and 2019, both of which were followed by World Cup titles). However, that has been the message for this American team for a while now. At some point the players and coaching staff step up, or they don’t.

What did the American hierarchy want to get out of these games? If there was ever a time to let the team’s young players solve problems in a difficult situation, it was Monday night, with a 1-0 defeat to Mexico after the first half and with plenty of unproven talent on the pitch. Let them be tested. Even let them fail! Instead, 34-year-old Morgan came into the field after the break with 217 players. That doesn’t say anything about this team right now for interim head coach Twila Kilgore or the incoming Emma Hayes.

The USWNT mystique is gone and the rise in the rest of the world is only part of the story. The players used their collective reputation and mentality as sword and shield. It told them something about themselves, and something about every other team they faced. Without it, they have lost a weapon and something more symbolic.

Leaning on an old-fashioned underdog mentality could be the answer, as ridiculous as it may sound, as the US is still ranked second in the world according to global governing body FIFA. Much has been written about the USWNT’s lack of joy since those very strange Tokyo Olympics, but less attention has been paid to a potential downside: turning the anger for good as it replaces the joy.

With a generational change underway, younger players hungry for recognition and results must leverage every emotional edge they can find.

But first they have to get on the field.

---

Why is cohesion still such a big problem?

It’s worth remembering that this Gold Cup is the first camp of the year for the USWNT, and it’s still preseason for the large portion of this roster playing domestically in the NWSL. That doesn’t necessarily excuse the cohesion issues that plagued the USWNT on Monday, but it’s certainly useful context, along with the massive personnel turnover during the group stage.

Center back Naomi Girma feels key to solving this problem, immediately and in the long term. While it is understandable that she wants to control her load, Girma has already risen to the level of player you need on the field at all times. She has now also been to a World Cup and was the USWNT’s best player in New Zealand and Australia by a very comfortable margin.

“Something that was missing tonight was a bit of courage from the centre-backs and a willingness to play forward,” Kilgore said after the match. “No matter how many numbers we have in front of the back line, the expectation is that we want to play forward passes, we want to keep the ball moving and of course that sometimes requires balance and that comes back, but we do want to play forward.”

When the team’s identity is based on playing from the back, it feels like putting your best defender – a 23-year-old that the team will build around for the next decade – on the pitch for the toughest group stage match that could ever have been . was a more effective use of Girma than pairing her with Tierna Davidson against Argentina.

USWNT defender Kelley O’Hara said Monday that the team has at times been “stuck” within certain formations and tactics in recent years, and that the performance against Mexico had the same feel as some of the team’s more frustrating recent performances. On a night like Monday, it feels like the USWNT are clinging to an identity they need to lose, and some beautiful game principles that are great in theory and sometimes have to go out the window when a game calls for it.

It is impossible to know from the outside whether the coaching situation plays a role here. All that’s coming from the team (at least publicly) is that communication from Hayes and Kilgore has been excellent and everyone understands the plan until Hayes joins from Chelsea in May. .

Hayes not being there until then isn’t ideal on a number of fronts, but it’s just a fact of what the USWNT has to deal with. The federation made this deal, and now the team is dealing with the fallout of playing under an interim head coach stationed a continent away a few months before a major tournament. It’s not ideal and it’s not something that can be changed.

---

How much can we read about starting teams and playing time?

The answer for me is still: “Not much at all.” But just so you can see the three games side by side, here are the lineups…

Rotation was promised by Kilgore, and she delivered. In the media after Monday’s match, she responded a little to the question of whether that rotation had had a counterproductive effect.

“The whole group is ready to play,” she replied. “The whole group was ready to play tonight. We could have chosen several options, and this was the group we chose. I have every confidence that the group is capable of execution.”

Kilgore said it was important that all players had opportunities in this tournament, but also important that the team executed on them.

“It’s not just about partnerships, it’s about systems, roles and responsibilities,” she said.

From my vantage point outside the privileged bubble of the USWNT coaching staff, the Gold Cup still feels like the right place for experimentation, evaluation and rotation. But if you’re going to do it, you have to actually commit.

(Top photo: Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Anthony Albanese was among a string of political elites invited to an Australian billionaire’s VIP party, which included a private appearance by Katy Perry.

The 220 guests had to run the gauntlet of protesters outside Anthony Pratt’s mansion to get in for the VIP event in Melbourne on Saturday evening.

In addition to the Prime Minister, attendees included Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan and her predecessor Dan Andrews, Federal Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen and US Ambassador Caroline Kennedy.

There was a heavy security presence – both state police and private security guards – around Raheen’s estate, along with traffic restrictions to allow drop-offs.

The Grade II listed mansion is located in Kew and is believed to be worth at least $100 million.

The event was held in honor of the food and beverage industry, a customer of Mr. Pratt’s Visy packaging company.

As guests filed in, pro-Palestinian protesters called for the release of jailed Australian Julian Assange and a ceasefire in Gaza.

There was a banner that read “Honk for Assange” – which some passing cars did – and the chants included “Don’t be a Pratt, free Julian Assange” and “Welcome to Prattville, where’s Julian?”

Around 7:30 p.m., about twenty Free Palestine protesters began singing and banging on pots and a drum, but this was unlikely to have been heard inside where the party was in full swing led by the master of ceremonies, comedian Vince Sorrenti.

In addition to the big name politicians, guests from the business world included ANZ head Shayne Elliott, Allan Myers, Michael Chaney, Jack Cowin, Sir Rod Eddington, Ashok Jacob and Roger Corbett.

Perry, who reportedly earned $1.5 million for the one-night private concert, took the stage at 9:22 p.m. and started her set with a cover of “What A Wonderful World.”

“It certainly is, isn’t it,” Perry said after playing the Louis Armstrong classic.

‘Guys, I came all the way from London and I’m so happy to be here. Thank you for having me,” she said.

In videos posted to social media, the American star performed many of her own hits during the hour-long show, including ‘Smile’, ‘Roar’ and ‘Firework’, to the delight of the VIP audience.

Melbourne artist DJ Femme was also on the bill at the $20 million mansion and said it was an incredible, amazing and stunning event.”

“So grateful for moments like this in life,” she added of the show that took three weeks to complete, including the construction of a huge marquee, stage and kitchen to feed guests.

A number of Katy Perry also gathered on the footpath outside the mansion, hoping to catch a glimpse of their hero, but were happy enough just to hear the free show.

The oldest guests, like Mr. Albanese, entered the property through a second gate, about 100 yards from the main driveway and away from the protesters.

After weeks of speculation following the controversial criticism of the Barbie Oscars, Ryan Gosling will take to the stage to perform the film’s nominated hit at the awards ceremony next month, DailyMail.com can reveal.

Inside sources confirm that the Canadian-born actor, 43, who is himself nominated for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Ken in the summer blockbuster, will sing ‘I’m Just Ken’ at the star-studded ceremony in Los Angeles in March . 10.

The idea for the live performance has been the subject of speculation since Gosling and the hit song were announced last month among this year’s Oscar nominations – while the film’s female lead Margot Robbie and director Greta Gerwig were snubbed.

And while it is customary for a Best Original Song nominee to be performed at the awards ceremony, the prospect of Gosling’s special performance was overshadowed by the controversy.

Barbie received a total of eight Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, Best Supporting Actress for America Ferrera and Best Original Song for Ken’s existential song, I’m Just Ken.

The Academy’s controversial decision sparked a wider debate about sexism in the industry among actors and fans alike on social media, and even prompted Gosling to make an extraordinary statement in support of his female colleagues.

In an interview with Variety earlier this month, Gosling said he had not yet been approached about a possible gig at the Uupcoming ceremony — but said he was “open” to the possibility.

“I still haven’t been asked,” he said. ‘It would be too much of a risk if I did it. I don’t know how that would work. But I’m open to it.’

Music producer Mark Ronson, who wrote the popular song, admitted it would be his “dream” to see Gosling perform the song live at the ceremony, but said the actor had not confirmed whether this happened, during an interview on the Red runner with the magazine at the Grammys.

Gosling weighed on Barbie’s shock Oscars amid the backlash in January, in a statement expressing anger that his female colleagues had been overlooked, but stopped short of giving up his own Oscar nomination in protest.

“There is no Ken without Barbie, and there is no Barbie movie without Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie, the two people most responsible for this history-making, globally celebrated film,” he wrote.

“No one in film would be recognized without their talent, perseverance and genius. To say I’m disappointed they weren’t nominated in their respective categories would be an understatement.

“Their work should be recognized, along with the other very deserving nominees.”

The statement itself received further criticism after fans said that taking action against the prestigious institution would be a true show of solidarity.

Speaking to Variety, Gosling admitted that he had “heavily” revised the statement.

“Look, I heavily edited that statement,” Ryan told the outlet. “I think if I say any more about it, I’m actually going to put on a mink and challenge people to a beach vacation on Malibu Beach.

He said the film continues to stimulate dialogue from audiences: “In terms of people’s reactions, the film continues to provoke conversation in every incarnation,” he said. ‘It always provokes this dialogue. It is the power of this film. It’s hard for me to compare it to anything else.’

‘But there is another reason that proves that it is more than a summer blockbuster. It is a great work of art. That’s what Greta and Margot created,” he added.

Gosling called Ken the most challenging role he had yet to play and surprisingly compared it to his role in the 2010 drama Blue Valentine, which chronicled the relationship of an ill-fated couple.

“It’s the hardest role I’ve ever had to play,” Ryan said. “It was like a tightrope walker, in little shorts and no shirt, no net.

“I wanted to make sure I did it. I thought, ‘I can’t screw this up.’ I can’t be the guy who ruined the Barbie movie. So if I’m going to do it, I have to do more than I know I can even do.”

The Queen witnessed performances by Dame Judi Dench, Gary Oldman and Robert Lindsay at a star-studded event celebrating the work of William Shakespeare.

Camilla was greeted on her arrival at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel by a host of actors who have played Hamlet including Brian Cox, Jeremy Irons and David Mitchell.

She was then received by a dozen dames, including Dame Twiggy Lawson, Dame Vanessa Redgrave and Baroness Floella Benjamin.

On Valentine’s Day, Camilla was given two matching jumpers with a heart on them as a gift by event host Gyles Brandreth, who said he hoped they would keep the King and Queen ‘warm on those cold winter nights’.

Before his performance of Cole Porter’s Brush Up Your Shakespeare, Lindsay said Valentine’s Day was the ‘perfect day to celebrate the King’s love of Shakespeare, and indeed to celebrate the love between the King and the Queen’.

Other attendees at the celebrity-filled event included Charles Dance, Stephen Fry and Sir David Suchet.

His Majesty is currently receiving more cancer treatment after his first public appearance at Sandringham on Sunday.

The 75-year-old monarch landed at Clarendon House in the royal helicopter yesterday after spending a week in Norfolk resting following the shock announcement. 

It is understood the reception was due to be a joint event for the King and his wife, but since his cancer diagnosis Charles has postponed all public-facing duties, however he is continuing with behind-the-scenes work on his red boxes of state papers.

Many of the guests signed a card and left messages of well-wishes to Charles.

The event formed part of ongoing celebrations marking the passing of 400 years since Shakespeare’s first folio and featured themed ‘To beet, or not to beet’ beetroot canapes.

Camilla, who wore a green velvet dress, met actors, authors, directors, and representatives of the National Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company at the celebration, joining guests for a group photograph.

The King and Queen hosted a reception at Windsor Castle in July 2023 to celebrate the work of Shakespeare in the 400th year of the first folio.

Shakespeare’s first folio, published in 1623, contains 36 of his plays.

Buckingham Palace said: ‘As an avid reader, The Queen has a strong interest in highlighting the importance of literacy and has long been recognised as a supporter of literacy in the UK and internationally.

‘As a grandmother, Her Majesty understands the joy of reading, but also, how literacy can create life opportunities.’

As Duchess of Cornwall, Camilla became patron of several organisations that promote and support literacy – including the National Literacy Trust, First Story, Coram Beanstalk, and Booktrust.

The Queen’s Reading Room charity, initially launched as an online book club in January 2021, works to celebrate and promote the power and benefits of reading.

Dame Judi said it was ‘lovely’ to attend the event and gave a performance of Shakespeare’s Sonnet 116, describing the Bard as ‘the person in our family who is called the man who pays the rent’.

Oldman then performed a skit by Ronnie Barker about an actor who jumbles up the lines to Hamlet.

Before giving his performance, the Academy Award winner joked: ‘Gyles said it’s just going to be a few people. He also didn’t tell me I’d have to follow Dame Judi Dench.’

It comes as Queen Camilla admired a painting of Princess Charlotte today as she attended an art gallery in London today. 

The Queen visited artist collective in Shepherd’s Bush after her art curator daughter, Laura Lopes,  told her about the talent on show.

Dressed in a navy A-line dress and black heeled boots, the royal braved the rainy weather as she chatted to artists and curators.

Camilla marvelled at the installations, including taxidermy mice, intricate embroidered textiles.

Chatting to the artists after looking around the exhibit, Camilla praised the talent saying she was ‘very envious’ of their talent, before one artist cheekily gave the Queen her card in case she ‘wanted private lessons’.  

It comes amid reports that her husband King Charles 

is currently receiving more cancer treatment after his first public appearance at Sandringham on Sunday.

The 75-year-old monarch landed at Clarendon House in the royal helicopter yesterday after spending a week in Norfolk resting following the shock announcement. 

Keeping calm and carrying on, Camilla today admired an intricate drawing of Princess Charlotte.

The Queen was drawn to a painting of her step-granddaughter Princess Charlotte by Mercedes Carbonell, who had created her version of a photograph released to mark the young royal’s second birthday in 2017. 

The artist said: ‘The Queen liked it very much, I think Charlotte looks like Queen Elizabeth in the photograph.’ 

 

In the portrait, the princess wore a blue and white checked print blouse beneath a cream wool cardigan, while her hair was decorated with navy blue ribbon.

On arrival, Camilla was met by a glowing chorus sung by a female-only choir.

The group of women sang gleefully to the Queen from atop a balcony at nearby flats.

She opted for a stylish navy blue frock while carrying a transparent umbrella, and added a black cropped jacket with open zipped sides, that allowed her free use of her arms.

She teamed the ensemble with a pair of black suede knee-high boots and a chic emerald green Van Cleef and Arpels Alhambra bracelet.

Her blonde bob was typically coiffed to perfection, meanwhile her make-up appeared subtle and enhanced only by a nude lip colour and black mascara. 

Camilla is expected to remain in London because she is hosting a reception to mark the 100th anniversary of the Poppy Factory on Thursday.

As she walked around Kindred Studios, previously used as accommodation by a homeless charity, the Queen told one artist: ‘It was Laura who told me about this, she said it was so fantastic -‘You’ve got to have a look’.’

Among the works on display in the entrance hall were imaginatively quirky pieces by Cordelia Plunket, mother of Camilla’s equerry, Major Ollie Plunket.

Plunket uses taxidermy to recreate scenes from popular culture, and the Queen marvelled at a recreation of the famous Beatles Abbey Road album cover, with the Fab Four replaced with 12in high figures with bird heads.

‘You’ve got Ringo here, and George,’ said Camilla as she peered at the work through the glass case.

Another piece replicated artist Tracey Emin’s My Bed, which the Queen recognised, complete with a bird asleep under a miniature duvet and detritus on the floor.

The artist said later: ‘All of my work is based on iconic moments in time, whether it’s music or film or fashion, and I work exclusively with ethically-sourced animals.

‘And basically my whole thing is to bring a little bit of humour back into taxidermy – it makes it a little bit less scary – and try and put a smile on people’s faces and give life back to these wonderful animals.’

Another work graphically recreated a spaghetti western style shootout between two mice based on the films A Fistful Of Dollars and No Country For Old Men.

Kindred Studios is based in Shepherds Bush and has occupied two other London buildings since 2015. It provides affordable spaces for artists in properties between uses, increasing security for an otherwise empty building and bringing creative life to an area.

While King Charles and the Princess of Wales remain out of action, Camilla and her sister-in-law Princess Anne have been busy.

Today Anne braved the wet weather to wrap up warm at the NCI at Hengistbury Head.

The news comes as the royal was installed as an honorary liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Fan Makers in her first engagement since returning to London with King Charles. 

The Queen was joined by the Duchess of Gloucester, who was made an honorary liveryman in 2005, in the pair’s first joint engagement.

Opting for a black dress, the queen met with the Clerk of the Worshipful Company of Fan Makers, Mrs Claire Chitty, and the Master of the Worshipful Company of Fan Makers, Mr Peter Dove, ahead of a ceremony at Clarence House.

Camilla shook hands with the clerks while adorning a red and gold robe.

Earlier on in the day,  Queen Camilla was by her husband’s side as the royal couple were driven to nearby Clarence House.

It is thought that the King will hold face-to-face meetings in London this week despite his ongoing cancer treatment.

He will spend a day or so in the capital, as his trip is likely to overlap with his medical appointments.

Charles was pictured walking to church at Sandringham with Camilla on Sunday, the first time he had been seen in public since he began regular treatments.

On Saturday he broke his silence for the first time as he sent his heartfelt thanks for the messages of support and said he was ‘heartened’ to hear his experience is inspiring others up and down the country to get themselves checked.

The letter, signed by Charles R, read: ‘I would like to express my most heartfelt thanks for the many messages of support and good wishes I have received in recent days.

‘As all those who have been affected by cancer will know, such kind thoughts are the greatest comfort and encouragement.

‘It is equally heartening to hear how sharing my own diagnosis has helped promote public understanding and shine a light on the work of all those organisations which support cancer patients and their families across the UK and wider world.

‘My lifelong admiration for their tireless care and dedication is all the greater as a result of my own personal experience.’

Charles announced last week he was postponing all public duties while he undergoes treatment for an unspecified cancer, found by doctors while he was being treated for his benign enlarged prostate.

But the King is well enough to hold a limited number of face-to-face meetings, sources say.

The Queen has been carrying out her royal diary of engagements and last week said her husband was doing ‘extremely well under the circumstances’.

Melbourne's highly anticipated St Jerome's Laneway Festival kicked off with a bang on Saturday as Stormzy, Angus Stone and Steve Lacy all took to the stage.

The trio attracted huge crowds to their sets and wowed fans with their incredible performances during the hot music celebration.

Stormzy, 30, born Michael Ebenezer Kwadjo Omari Owuo Jr., dominated with some of his biggest hip-hop hits in recent years.

The Shut Up hitmaker gained attention in the UK underground music scene in 2014 with his Wicked Skengman series of freestyles set to classic grime beats.

Now, the singer-songwriter takes the stage in a simple black tank top and sweatpants as he brought a strong energy to his performance this weekend.

The British rapper connected with the crowd in an impeccable display of talent and was supported by some astonishing visuals on the jumbotron behind him.

Elsewhere, Angus Stone, 37, who now goes by the nickname Dope Lemon, sang some smooth indie tunes for his fans while playing an electric guitar.

Dressed in a striped white shirt and white jeans, the musician looked incredibly stylish on stage as he hid his eyes behind dark sunglasses.

The Australian singer is one half of the musical brother duo Angus & Julia Stone, but often performs solo, and has done so since 2016 under Dope Lemon.

Steve Lacy opted for more comfortable attire during his onstage appearance, donning a basic zip-up hoodie and beige pants.

The American singer-songwriter, 25, hid his eyes behind sunglasses and also performed with a guitar while standing in the center of the stage.

The record producer made a name for himself as a guitarist in 2015 when he joined the alternative R&B band Internet.

Thousands of scantily clad partygoers in light shirts, bikini tops, shorts and even fairy wings flocked to Melbourne's most anticipated summer music festival.

The huge crowd of young Aussies descended on The Park in Flemington for the iconic St. Jerome's Laneway Festival.

Music fans were in high spirits as they enjoyed an incredible line-up of big music names including Dominic Fike, Faye Webster and Cordae.

A TRAPEZE artist who packed her bags and joined the circus as a teenager says her thirst for action knows no bounds.

Maria Lopez says that at the age of 14, she had to decide whether to stay with her mother in Chile and live a “normal” life, or go to Mexico and join the circus with her father, a trapeze artist.

4

4

“She didn't want me to leave,” Maria told The US Sun. “But she knew I was going to do what I loved.”

Maria quickly packed her bags and began a less ordinary life, traveling the world, marrying a fellow trapeze artist who comes from a family with six generations of tightrope walkers, and even performing incredible stunts while three months pregnant.

“That was the limit,” she said. “I did that during all three of my pregnancies. I was fine.”

The US Sun took in the new Ringling circus show in Sunrise, Florida – the 150-year-old company forced to close in 2017 amid a firestorm of controversy before making a comeback this year – and can confirm Maria's thirst for heights – and danger – is not for the faint of heart.

Together with her husband Christian and his family members, Maria defied belief when walking along the triangular high wire, 7 meters high in the air, seemed as easy as walking through the park.

Seeing Lopez's daredevils jumping, riding unicycles and jumping around was something else entirely.

“We're not afraid,” she said. “We live to perform!”

We live to perform!

Maria Lopez

Ringling has tried to reinvent itself to move away from the traditional shows that outraged animal rights groups and led to a multimillion-dollar lawsuit.

It was investigated in 2004 when a lion died of a heart attack while being transported through the Mojave Desert, and in 1998 it was forced to pay a $20,000 fine after a sick elephant was forced to perform in a show.

The company closed its doors in 2017 and attendance fell amid a bitter battle with the Humane Society of the US and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Ringing ultimately paid $25 million for unproven claims of animal cruelty, but those responsible knew the time for change and a modern reboot had arrived.

Anyone who comes to the new look shows hoping to see these animals, or even traditional clowns, will go home very disappointed.

MODERN RESTART

But what's on offer is fast-paced, breathtaking family fun with enough suspense to keep everyone on the edge of their seats.

“It's such a creative environment to be a part of,” says Maria.

She remembers being scared as a child when she saw Father Ernesto make a fantastic trip through the light, but said it felt like seeing “a superhero in action.”

Maria was able to complete her schooling on the road and even when she had children, she continued to travel and work, confident that the life experiences she gave her three children would provide them with a good foundation for life.

None of her children are in the circus, despite Maria saying it would be a “dream” to perform with them.

“They chose something different,” she continues. But they still want to be part of the circus.”

Her eldest son now helps out in the circus's marketing department, while her other two pursue careers in sports and entertainment.

When she started, Maria admits that her mother was “afraid something would happen to her,” until she was able to relax about the idea and let her daughter follow her passion.

“When I was a child, my parents supported me, and I want to be the same with my children,” she said.

Maria, who thrives on the creative energy of her fellow artists, wants to continue for at least another decade and remains happy to have turned her back on her routine life in Chile.

“I think my mom was worried because it can be a scary job, but I understand that,” she said, describing her job as a “workcation,” perfectly expressing the mix between work and fun.

“Still, being able to travel to different places and meet amazing people from different cultures is what keeps me going and motivated.

'MAGIC OF THE CIRCUS'

“The magic of the circus is connecting with the families on the show. I am still in love with that.”

When you watch Maria effortlessly cross the wire, whether on foot, on her husband's shoulders or even on a unicycle, you wonder how it's all possible.

She says that “practice, practice, practice” is the key, but when you put it all together, it's remarkable to think that their act is possible at all.

“I often say to people, imagine your entire body and your feet being supported by a wire that is only the size of your thumb,” she said.

“It's something unique. It's something amazing. It's something I can't express in words.”

Training as a child took place on a wire just a few feet off the ground and although her father was an expert and legend in trapeze running, he wasn't sold on following his little girl.

“He knew the risks,” she recalled. “And he wasn't happy.”

However, her desire to perform was enough to satisfy her father, who saw the raw talent required to perform at the highest level.

Although the Lopezes put on a flawless performance, other performers attempting similar death-defying stunts fell just short and flew into the net, accompanied by the audience's gasps.

The modern Ringling circus revolves around acrobatic performers like Maria, and she admits there have been some serious accidents in the past.

Once you've seen someone zoom around on a 30-foot unicycle or spin at breakneck speed on a terrifying contraption called the Double Wheel of Destiny, flying and jumping with every rotation, it's hard to believe that there are more serious injuries . have not suffered.

It comes with the territory, but there is a universal acceptance of the risks that come with it.

“This is the lifestyle we choose,” she said. “It may be scary for some, but I'm living my dream.”

4

4

It made for a glamorous change to the usual perp walk outside Brooklyn Federal Court.

The founder and CEO of 'orgasmic meditation cult' OneTaste dressed to impress as they appeared with an entourage of supporters after it was accused of forcing women into sex acts and keeping them in 'residential warehouses'.

But there were no dirty photos for Nicole Daedone and Anjuli Ayer as they faced photographers outside the New York courthouse.

Their San Francisco-based company made $12 million a year from their sexual dysfunction treatments for women, including genital massage by a man wearing a latex glove.

It received praise from celebrities such as Gwyneth Paltrow and Khloe Kardashian, and welcomed 35,000 people to its events in 2018.

But the FBI began investigating in November that year after former clients came forward to say they were in debt after paying for expensive classes, and former employees said they had been instructed to have sex with potential investors.

Former employee Ayries Blanck filed a lawsuit against the company in August 2015, claiming they subjected her to a “hostile work environment, sexual harassment, failure to pay minimum wage and intentional infliction of emotional distress.”

But she was sued by the group for violating a non-disclosure agreement when she contributed to the 2022 Netflix documentary Orgasm Inc: The Story of OneTaste.

Blanck's sister Autymn repeated accusations that OneTaste “tolerated violence” and “found strangers to rape her.”

Prosecutors say Daedone and former CEO Rachel Cherwitz used a series of abusive and manipulative tactics against volunteers, contractors and employees.

They also allege that the duo has made OneTaste members dependent on the group for their shelter and basic needs and limited their independence and control.

The company operated in 39 cities, including New York, San Francisco, Denver, Las Vegas, Boulder, Los Angeles, Austin and London, but some former clients claimed they were “raped” after becoming involved with the company, one of whom the BBC said she was attacked by a man called 'Jake'.

The company closed all of its U.S. locations and halted all in-person classes in 2018, and Ayer, who succeeded Cherwitz as CEO in 2017, is not facing charges.

But she told Dailymail.com last year that the allegations are “completely false,” and that consent is the “first thing they teach.”

“I did not expect a five-year media campaign of negative accusations against us,” she added.

“You take women and you take sexuality and then you combine it with some people who are upset in some way and want to tell lies.”

“This isn't Nicole and Rachel who have been charged, this is Eros who has been charged. And this is in a sense, even among the people in the courtroom, a conversation between women.

Daedone and Cherwitz have both pleaded not guilty to the charges and are free on $1 million and $300,000 bonds respectively, but they face up to 20 years in prison if convicted.

The company has already spent $15 million on legal fees and a judge at today's hearing scheduled the trial to start in January next year.