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Chinese military helicopter flies within 10 feet of plane, video shows
Wed, 19 Feb 2025 03:37:16 +0000
Journalists on the Philippines’ plane filmed the helicopter coming dangerously close. Beijing has become increasingly aggressive in the contested South China Sea.
Match ID: 0 Score: 90.00 source: www.washingtonpost.com age: 1 day
qualifiers: 40.00 china, 35.00 south china sea, 15.00 philippines
Australia will ‘watch every move’ of Chinese warships detected off east coast
Thu, 20 Feb 2025 03:23:20 GMT
Ships’ presence off east coast follows incident in South China Sea in which a Chinese fighter jet released flares in front of Australian military plane
Australia will “watch every move” of three Chinese warships which have been detected off the country’s east coast, the defence minister has said.
Three People’s Liberation Army-Navy vessels – the Jiangkai-class frigate Hengyang, the Renhai-class cruiser Zunyi and the Fuchi-class replenishment vessel Weishanhu – were detected off north-east Queensland last week and have been surveilled since as they have sailed south. The Financial Times reported the ships were about 150 nautical miles off the coast of Sydney.
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Continue reading...Poorer countries want rapid emission cuts and more financial help in face of US leader’s stance on global heating
Developing countries are calling on the rich world to defy the US president, Donald Trump, and bridge the global chasm over climate action, before the goal of limiting global temperatures to safe levels is irretrievably lost.
Diplomats from the developing world are rallying to support Brazil, which will host a crucial climate summit in November, after last year’s talks in Azerbaijan ended in disappointment and acrimony.
Continue reading...US state department last week removed line from fact sheet saying ‘We do not support Taiwan independence’
China has called on the United States to “correct its mistakes” after a statement that Washington does not support an independent Taiwan was removed from the state department website.
Beijing views Taiwan as part of its territory and has refused to rule out using force to unify with the self-ruled island one day.
Continue reading...Anthony Albanese doesn’t explicitly rebuke US president but stresses Australia stands with Ukraine
The federal opposition leader, Peter Dutton, says Donald Trump “got it wrong” when he attacked Volodymyr Zelenskyy as a “dictator” who could soon lose his country.
Anthony Albanese, meanwhile, did not directly rebuke the US president on Thursday but stressed Australia stood with Ukraine in the war against Russia.
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Continue reading...Former PM says US president’s comments on Volodymyr Zelenskyy factually and morally wrong. Follow today’s news live
Adam Bandt on Greens’ proposed Centrelink boost
Announcing the plan (see previous post), Australian Greens leader Adam Bandt said:
Finishing school and working out what’s next is a pivotal time for young people, but with rents, education fees and the cost of living all rising, many of them are finding completing further study is not a path they can afford.
Starting out your adult life shouldn’t be this hard. Labor should be doing much more to support young people to get established in the field or industry they want to pursue.
Continue reading...Former deputy premier criticises government’s use of parliamentary privilege to make public previously suppressed CCC report on her conduct
The former Queensland deputy premier, Jackie Trad, says the new government’s decision to release a previously suppressed Crime and Corruption Commission report into her conduct is “terrifying and petty”.
The CCC investigation report has been the subject of a years-long legal wrangle, and had been blocked from release after a high court ruling in 2023.
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Continue reading...Former sponsors walk away from 2025 event – while organisers say they do not meet partnership requirements
Google and Meta do not meet the requirements to partner with the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, the organisation has said, after the two tech giants ended their official involvement and ditched diversity obligations in the US.
At the 47th annual Mardi Gras parade up Oxford Street next Saturday, a notable absence will be the two tech firms, previously event sponsors.
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Continue reading...Independent review asked to recommend cuts to public service to reduce workforce by 5%-6%
Thousands of public service jobs in Victoria are to be slashed after a review ordered by the state’s new treasurer, who has warned “difficult decisions” need to be made to bring the budget under control.
Jaclyn Symes and the premier, Jacinta Allan, on Thursday announced an independent review into the Victorian public service (VPS), to be headed by Helen Silver, a banking executive and former head of the Department of Premier and Cabinet under John Brumby and Ted Baillieu.
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Continue reading...GFG chair Sanjeev Gupta says SA government is on the ‘wrong course’ after it forced the operation into administration
A support package of $2.4bn will be poured into the Whyalla steelworks to protect thousands of jobs and “invest in the nation”, the prime minister says.
The federal and South Australian governments would “combine dollar for dollar on administration” to ensure the steelworks kept operating, and staff and creditors were paid, while a new owner was found, Anthony Albanese told steelworkers.
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Continue reading...This blog is closing now but you can find our latest full story on the falling out between the US and Ukraine here and all our Ukraine coverage here.
Lavrov also speaks about Russia’s alliances with Belarus, North Korea, China and Iran, and countries in Africa.
He says the “comprehensive partnership with China” was “at an unprecedented level and exceeding any prior alliances of a classic type,” with both leaders attending important anniversaries in each other’s countries.
I will tell you something that is a key issue for us at this stage of international development, and that is our move towards a multipolar world. It is a historic process, and it is to do with the subjective trend of new power centres appearing on the world map.
Our partners in the Global South and in the east are unique civilisations and religions and are members of various integration associations, but all of them are united by a desire towards development, progressive development without external pressure…
At the same time, we must state that the collective West, although verbally are in agreement and accepting the multipolar realities, in reality, they still want to preserve their former dominance in the West.
…
Continue reading...Zheng Lijuan fled Panama City hotel as 170 of deported migrants were transported to dense, lawless region
Police are searching for a Chinese woman who escaped from a downtown Panama City hotel where she was being held following her deportation from the US under Donald Trump’s intensified campaign against immigrants.
Zheng Lijuan was one of 299 migrants – from China, Afghanistan, Iran and other countries with which the US lacks extradition agreements – who have been flown in shackles to Panama since last Wednesday. Panamanian authorities say they believe that Zheng was aided by locals who had been “prowling” outside the Decapolis hotel in the capital city where the deportees had been held.
Continue reading...Trump is leaving Ukraine with impossible choices: fight a losing war without U.S. support, or submit to economic vassalage.
The post Trump Doesn’t Care About Ukraine or Russia — Just Money appeared first on The Intercept.
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From the psychological torture to the inexorable rightward drift of the family business, it’s not much fun being a Murdoch
It is a life-defining moment, for James Murdoch, to describe his father and wider family in an interview with the Atlantic. Much of the rough and tumble and backstabbing – Rupert essentially pitting James against the older Lachlan, in a fight that continually vexed him because his favourite (Lachlan) never won – has existed in the public domain for years as rumour. Much of it has been proved or demonstrated within reason, either by biographers – Michael Wolff in particular – or by events, culminating in Rupert and Lachlan’s legal case to secure Lachlan’s hold on the Murdoch family trust, against the other siblings, James, Liz and Prue, at the end of last year, which Rupert lost.
Yet none of those machinations, spanning decades, could really encompass the sheer unbridled nastiness of this family. James describes a meeting with Rupert’s lawyer, Rupert himself sitting at the table, feigning a lack of interest. A series of questions directed to James – “Have you ever done anything successful on your own?”; “Why were you too busy to say ‘Happy Birthday’ to your father when he turned 90?” – are so loaded and needling it’s hard to imagine them emitting from any kind of professional. James recounts thinking his father was distracted, playing on his phone, only to realise that he was actually texting these questions to the lawyer.
Continue reading...Hydrogen sulphide gives Takayu Onsen its unmistakable sulphurous smell but can be dangerous if inhaled in high enough concentrations
Three people have died in north-east Japan in an accident that authorities suspect is linked to the inhalation of deadly gas found in the country’s famed hot spring resorts.
Japanese media said the three men, who all worked at a nearby hotel, were found in a mountainous area near the city of Fukushima on Tuesday. They were discovered in an area of Takayu Onsen (hot spring) where high concentrations of hydrogen sulphide, a toxic byproduct of volcanic hot springs, have been recorded.
Continue reading...Oracle, which has secret partnerships with Israel, has told employees to love the country or work elsewhere.
The post Poised to Take Over TikTok, Oracle Is Accused of Clamping Down on Pro-Palestine Dissent appeared first on The Intercept.
Agreement includes sections on deep-sea mining and education, document shows, as opposition accuses PM of risking relationship with New Zealand
A strategic partnership deal between China and the Cook Islands spans areas from deep-sea mining to education scholarships but excludes security ties, a document released by the Pacific island nation’s government showed.
Western nations that traditionally held sway in the region have become increasingly concerned about China’s push for influence in the Pacific, after Beijing signed defence, trade and financial deals with countries in the region over the past three years.
Continue reading...When China stopped receiving the world’s waste, Turkey became Europe’s recycling hotspot. The problem is, most plastics can’t be recycled. And what remains are toxic heaps of trash
On a chilly evening in late 2016, a few miles from the Turkish city of Adana, a Kurdish farmer named İzzettin Akman was sitting on the second-floor balcony of his concrete ranch house when a construction truck backed up to the edge of his citrus groves, paused, then dumped a great load of rubbish along the roadside. Before he pulled away, the truck’s driver set a paper bag on fire and tossed it on top of the garbage, triggering an outpouring of flames blacker than the night sky into which they ascended. Akman leapt up, put on his sandals and sprinted out along his dirt driveway toward the crackling trash pile.
The trash, by the time Akman got to it, was a hissing mass of fire. Plastic is less flammable than wood or paper, though it emits more heat as it burns. It is at least as capable as either of getting swept up in a gust of wind and, in Akman’s case, setting alight about 50 acres of orange and lemon trees. “Son of a bitch!” Akman wheeled around, ran back home, located a bucket, then rushed back to the conflagration, which he began dousing with water lifted out of a stream by the edge of the road.
Continue reading...Analysts say address to symposium suggests crackdown on sector may be ending in effort to tackle economic slump
China’s president, Xi Jinping, has told businesses to “show their talent” at a meeting of Chinese industry leaders including the Alibaba founder, Jack Ma, as he attempts to halt an economic slump in the world’s second-largest economy.
Xi met Ma, who was at the centre of a crackdown on the tech industry in recent years, as well as the bosses of the electric carmaker BYD, the battery manufacturer CATL, Tencent, Xiaomi, and the founder of Huawei, Ren Zhengfei
Continue reading...Man was trekking with another Briton in Dhauladhar range on trail from Dharamkot to Triund in northern India
A British tourist has died after seriously injuring himself while trekking in the Himalayas.
The man, who had gone on a short hike to the foot of the Dhauladhar mountain range in northern India with another British tourist, fell during his descent on Sunday evening and was taken down the mountain on a stretcher.
Continue reading...Most titles written by Islamic scholar who founded an Islamic organisation banned in the disputed region
Police in Kashmir have raided dozens of bookstores and seized more than 650 books as part of crackdowns on dissent in the Indian-administered region.
Most of the titles were written by Abul A’la Maududi, a prominent 20th-century Islamic scholar who founded Jamaat-e-Islami, an Islamic organisation banned in Kashmir.
Continue reading...People from Afghanistan, Iran, China and other countries flown out as Trump’s deportation effort intensifies
The US has sent undocumented immigrants from several Asian countries whose governments have refused to accept them to Panama, in a move signalling an intensification of the Trump administration’s deportation effort.
A military plane carrying 119 immigrants from countries including Afghanistan, Iran, Uzbekistan, China, Sri Lanka, Turkey and Pakistan flew from California to Panama City on Wednesday in what was expected to be the first of three migrants flights to the country.
Continue reading...Former prosecutor has been in jail since January on charges of insurrection, for which he could be sentenced to life in prison or face the death penalty
Ousted South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol will become the first leader to stand trial in a criminal case as hearings open on Thursday over his bid to impose martial law.
The 64-year-old former prosecutor has been in prison since he was arrested in January on charges of insurrection, for which he could be sentenced to life in prison or face the death penalty if found guilty. Criminal proceedings begin on Thursday at Seoul’s central district court.
Continue reading...Some 400 million devotees will attend this year’s Kumbh Mela festival. Pilgrims and politicians explain why it’s bigger than ever
They sat quietly together on the banks of the Ganges river, heads bowed in sombre prayer. Some men were naked, their bodies smeared grey with ash. Others had a simple saffron cloth tied around their waist. Nearby, barbers balanced on their haunches, shaving the head of each man clean with a flick of their knives, save for a small strand at the back.
This sacred ceremony, committing to a renunciation of earthly pleasures , has been taking place at the Kumbh Mela festival for centuries. The meditation, followed by immersion in the river, is a mandatory initiation ritual for sadhus – Hindu holy men who live an austere life of strict spiritual discipline. Among the most sacred events in the Hindu calendar, the festival occurs every 12 years across four sacred locations in India where it is believed the Hindu god Vishnu once spilled drops of the nectar of immortality.
Continue reading...Rush broke out as travellers scrambled to board trains in India’s capital to go to world’s largest religious gathering
At least 18 people have died in a crush at a railway station in India’s capital when surging crowds scrambled to catch trains to the world’s largest religious gathering, officials have said.
The Kumbh Mela attracts tens of millions of Hindu faithful every 12 years to the northern city of Prayagraj, and has a history of crowd-related disasters – including one last month, when at least 30 people died in another crush at the holy confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati rivers.
Continue reading...Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s chaotic approach to reform is upending government operations. Critical functions have been halted, tens of thousands of federal staffers are being encouraged to resign, and congressional mandates are being disregarded. The next phase: The Department of Government Efficiency reportedly wants to use AI to cut costs. According to The Washington Post, Musk’s group has started to run sensitive data from government systems through AI programs to analyze spending and determine what could be pruned. This may lead to the elimination of human jobs in favor of automation. As one government official who has been tracking Musk’s DOGE team told the...
The latest issue of Eyeshot magazine celebrates the serendipity of everyday life – where construction site sunbathers and hovering cemetery angels defy logic
Continue reading...In the span of just weeks, the US government has experienced what may be the most consequential security breach in its history—not through a sophisticated cyberattack or an act of foreign espionage, but through official orders by a billionaire with a poorly defined government role. And the implications for national security are profound.
First, it was reported that people associated with the newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) had accessed the US Treasury computer system, giving them the ability to collect data on and potentially control the department’s roughly ...
“What he’s done is testing the limits of his power in a way we have never seen in this country,” says retired federal Judge Nancy Gertner.
The post Constitutional Crisis Looms appeared first on The Intercept.
In the span of just weeks, the US government has experienced what may be the most consequential security breach in its history—not through a sophisticated cyberattack or an act of foreign espionage, but through official orders by a billionaire with a poorly defined government role. And the implications for national security are profound.
First, it was reported that people associated with the newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) had accessed the US Treasury computer system, giving them the ability to collect data on and potentially control the department’s roughly ...
Citizens Advice believes Ofgem made flawed interest rate calculation for companies in Great Britain
The companies behind Great Britain’s gas pipes and power lines have pocketed a windfall of nearly £4bn from household bills during the energy and cost crisis, according to a report.
The analysis, by Citizens Advice, argued that energy network owners were able to make the “excess profits” over the past four years after the industry regulator misjudged their costs.
Continue reading...The rule of law is under threat around the world, making it all the more vital to defend it at home
Separation of the judiciary from other branches of power is a recent innovation in Britain’s constitution. The supreme court was established in 2009 and a culture of respect for the independence of the courts is not deeply entrenched.
Earlier this week, Lady Carr reminded Sir Keir Starmer and Kemi Badenoch of that duty. The lady chief justice rebuked the prime minister and the Conservative leader for exchanges in the Commons last week regarding a court decision in the case of a family of refugees from Gaza. Earlier this year an immigration tribunal recognised the validity of their entitlement to settle in the UK under the European convention on human rights, overturning a previous refusal. Mrs Badenoch said this was the wrong decision and challenged Sir Keir to agree. He did, adding that the decision should not stand and that the relevant “legal loophole” would be closed.
Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here.
Continue reading...Civil servant Josie Stewart found to have been unlawfully dismissed in 2022 after she told BBC about failures
A civil servant who blew the whistle about the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan and Boris Johnson’s involvement in a decision to evacuate a pet charity from Kabul has won her case for unfair dismissal against the government in a legal first.
An employment panel of three judges unanimously found the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) unfairly dismissed Josie Stewart in 2021 after she leaked information in the public interest.
Continue reading...Whether it was a city break or wildflower-strewn hiking trip, tell us about your favourite spring break – the best tip wins £200 towards a Coolstays break
As Europe starts to shake off the dark days of winter, it’s time to start planning a spring break. We’d love to hear about your favourite European trip (excluding the UK) – perhaps you discovered a less-known city that’s warming up nicely in spring, or a landscape that’s at its most magical between winter and summer. Tell us why you loved it for a chance to win a £200 holiday voucher.
If you have a relevant photo, do send it in – but it’s your words that will be judged for the competition.
Continue reading...And that’s how he wants to keep it, his executive orders and memos from Attorney General Pam Bondi show.
The post Trump Is Saying the Quiet Part Out Loud: Federal Prisons Are Purposely Inhumane appeared first on The Intercept.
This blog is now closing. You can read our latest story here
As Donald Trump’s administration continues to fire thousands of federal workers and radically slash federal spending, some Republicans are growing unnerved, Axios reports.
As the cuts start to hit GOP lawmakers’ districts and states, some have told Axios there is a larger conflict brewing over the constitutional issue of whether the president can bypass Congress on such decisions.
I think you’re going to see a clash when they … start abolishing [agencies]. Say like USAid, right? We authorized that. That’s a creature of Congress. If they try to do something like that, then you’re going to get into a constitutional argument or crisis.
Before making cuts rashly, the administration should be studying and staffing to see what the consequences are. Measure twice before cutting. They have had to backtrack multiple times.
We all want efficiencies, there is a way to do it, and the way these people have been treated has been awful in many cases. Awful.
Dozens of Alaskans – potentially over 100 in total – are being fired as part of the Trump administration’s reduction-in-force order for the federal government.
Many of these abrupt terminations will do more harm than good, stunting opportunities in Alaska and leaving holes in our communities. We can’t realize our potential for responsible energy and mineral development if we can’t permit projects. We will be less prepared to manage summer wildfires if we can’t support those on the front lines. Our tourism economy will be damaged if we don’t maintain our world-class national parks and forests.
Congress can’t do anything except complain about it.
Continue reading...A former campaign staffer said Sen. John Fetterman’s single-minded focus came at the exclusion of the progressive positions he ran on.
The post Fetterman Staff Quit Amid Frustration Over “Just Working on Israel All the Time” appeared first on The Intercept.
Trump is leaving Ukraine with impossible choices: fight a losing war without U.S. support, or submit to economic vassalage.
The post Trump Doesn’t Care About Ukraine or Russia — Just Money appeared first on The Intercept.
The video might bring pleasure to their supporters, but for us it is a call to shut down their fascist deportation machine.
The post Trump and Musk Delight in the Sounds of Human Suffering With Sick “ASMR” Immigrant Video appeared first on The Intercept.
What we are fighting for is not ‘utopian’ or unachievable. Trumpism can and must be defeated
I will be doing town meetings in Omaha, Nebraska, this Friday night and Iowa City, Iowa, on Saturday morning. Further, in the coming weeks and months, I and other progressives will be holding grassroots events from coast to coast.
Why, at this moment, are we doing town meetings around the country – especially in conservative areas? The answer is obvious.
Healthcare is a human right and must be available to all regardless of income.
Every worker in America is entitled to earn a decent income. We must raise the minimum wage to a living wage and make it easier for workers to join unions.
We must have the best public educational system in the world, from childcare to vocational training, to graduate school – available to all.
We must address the housing crisis and build the millions of units of low-income and affordable housing that we desperately need.
We must create millions of good paying jobs as we lead the world in combating the existential threat of climate change.
We must abolish all forms of bigotry.
Bernie Sanders is a US senator, and chair of the health education labor and pensions committee. He represents the state of Vermont and is the longest-serving independent in the history of Congress
Continue reading...Senate Democrats have the power to block federal contracts to Tesla and SpaceX. It’s the path to pushing Musk out of politics.
The post This Is the Way to Stop Elon Musk appeared first on The Intercept.
For some members of the WhatsApp group, speaking out for Palestine and criticizing Israel are tantamount to supporting Hamas.
The post The Columbia Network Pushing Behind the Scenes to Deport and Arrest Student Protesters appeared first on The Intercept.
CoreCivic CEO Damon Hininger could barely contain his excitement about the Laken Riley Act and Trump’s anti-immigration executive orders.
The post Private Prison CEO on Trump Deportation Surge: “One of the Most Exciting Periods in My Career” appeared first on The Intercept.
Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s chaotic approach to reform is upending government operations. Critical functions have been halted, tens of thousands of federal staffers are being encouraged to resign, and congressional mandates are being disregarded. The next phase: The Department of Government Efficiency reportedly wants to use AI to cut costs. According to The Washington Post, Musk’s group has started to run sensitive data from government systems through AI programs to analyze spending and determine what could be pruned. This may lead to the elimination of human jobs in favor of automation. As one government official who has been tracking Musk’s DOGE team told the...
Musk has emerged as Trump’s far-right-hand man, creating some awkwardness for the president’s Democratic foes.
The post Democrats Swear They’ll Fight Elon Musk. But What About the Cash They Took From SpaceX? appeared first on The Intercept.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is trying to eliminate all Defense Department DEI efforts. It hasn’t been entirely successful.
The post Pentagon Official: Hegseth’s Campaign to Scrub DEI History Is a “Dumb” Distraction appeared first on The Intercept.
ICE wants to hire contractors to monitor social media for threats. Those who criticize the agency could be pulled into the dragnet.
The post ICE Wants to Know If You’re Posting Negative Things About It Online appeared first on The Intercept.
Even with Jordan and Egypt refusing to take in expelled Palestinians, Trump is charging on with his real estate development plan.
The post Trump Is Bullying Jordan and Egypt to Help in Ethnic Cleansing of Gaza. It Isn’t Working. appeared first on The Intercept.
In South Africa, a 36-year-old living with HIV since childhood fears she will lose access to treatment due to Trump’s policy.
The post Global HIV Care Thrown Into Chaos by Trump: “I Will Be Sick and Maybe Die” appeared first on The Intercept.
The cookbook author pumps up the protein in this Neapolitan favourite, with a tin of tuna that elevates the flavour of the capers, olives and passata
This is not so much a recipe as a lifeline: in case of emergency, open pantry door. It’ll require a little forward planning, since you’ll need to have the goods on hand for whenever a puttanesca hankering strikes – but truly, capers and olives should always be in there anyway, because they’re shortcuts to flavourtown. Splashing the tinned tuna in will pump up the protein, too.
Fish in springwater will retain more of its nutrient content and hold its shape better than fish in oil, but if you’d prefer to stick to oil, an olive oil base is what you’re after. When choosing the best fish in tins from a sustainability perspective, look for labels and logos such as a Marine Stewardship Council “blue tick”. As far as fishing methods go, “dolphin-friendly” is just the beginning, so scan for words such as “pole-and-line caught” or “FAD-free purse seine”. Skipjack is the tuna type to look for, then albacore; try to avoid endangered species such as yellowfin, bluefin and big-eye.
Continue reading...In cities along the M5 highway just after the fall of Assad, many expressed relief – along with wariness about the future
Amid the rubble of Saraqib, some of the wall graffiti dating back to its time as a centre of the the 2011 Arab spring uprising remains. “The revolution will go on,” one reads. “Tomorrow the sun rises,” says another.
A week after the astonishing rout of Bashar al-Assad by rebel forces led by the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, this small town of concrete, red earth and olive groves in Syria’s north-west was a stop on the Guardian’s 280-mile (450km) journey along the M5, the highway threading all of the country’s major cities and six provinces together.
Suffering was palpable everywhere, from children rummaging through bins for food in Aleppo and Homs, to relatives searching for loved ones in Damascus’s prisons, to displaced people still living in tents in Idlib. There are huge challenges ahead for HTS’s transitional government, and in some places, sectarian violence has already re-emerged.
Continue reading...What does ‘As Ever’ mean? And does it involve jam? Do not fear: the Duchess of Sussex is on hand to explain all
In these days of darkness we must take delight where we can find it, and one reliable source is the Duchess of Sussex. In her latest venture, Meghan, who occupies the tricky position of having a large platform and not enough to fill it (see also: Brooklyn Beckham), launched a new lifestyle brand that, she promised in a short video, would be “beautifully weaving together everything I cherish – food, gardening, entertaining, thoughtful living and finding joy in the everyday”. The brand American Riviera Orchard is dead. Long live the new brand, As Ever.
The duchess and her husband, Prince Harry, have to do something and good luck to them, but it’s hard not to study the rollout of As Ever for signs of the widening gap between Meghan’s self-image and how the rest of the world sees her. “‘As ever’,” writes the duchess on Instagram, “means ‘as it’s always been’ or some even say ‘in the same way as always’,” the “some” in this sentence apparently referring to the dictionary definition of a two-word phrase that no one has ever had trouble understanding.
Emma Brockes is a Guardian columnist
Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here.
Continue reading...Annual CPI inflation rate hit 10-month high in January in blow to ministers amid rise in food bills and fuel costs
UK inflation accelerated faster than expected at the start of this year, eating into workers’ wages and reducing the chance of an interest rate cut next month.
The consumer prices index (CPI) measure rose to 3% in January, the Office for National Statistics reported, up from 2.5% in December.
Continue reading...Products that enhance the uptake of this neurotransmitter are burgeoning - including drinks that mimic the effects of alcohol, without the hangover. Here’s what happened when I tried them
“Chinese medicine.” “That weird Hungarian liqueur.” “Something my grandad would drink.” The taste test is not going well. Dry January is over and we’re hitting the bottle, but this is not alcohol we’re drinking. It’s theoretically the next best thing: Sentia Black, “a unique blend of functional botanicals, designed for focus and conviviality,” reads the blurb
We’ve been trying it neat, but once you mix it with tonic water it becomes much more palatable – “festive and grownup”, as one of my test subjects puts it. Taste aside, though, does it work? The conversation is certainly free-flowing, but whether it is more “focused and convivial” than it would have been without the Sentia is hard to say. None of us end up dancing on the table or spoiling for a fight, at least. Nor does anyone wake up with a hangover the next morning, so there’s that. Mind you, it is £32 a bottle.
Continue reading...Whose tortelloni are pillows of pasta perfection, and whose taste like postage stamps? Our quick-cook columnist has the answers …
• The best food processors and mixers – chosen by chefs
Shop-bought ravioli and tortelloni are staples in my kitchen – I’ve even been known (with some chutzpah) to serve bowls of the stuff to friends, including well-known food writers, albeit improved with brown butter, crisp sage and hazelnuts, or in my signature ravioli lasagne.
In an ideal packet, I’m looking for a well-seasoned filling, nice and light from the ricotta, and not too processed or stodgy in texture. Similarly, the pasta shouldn’t taste plasticky; the closer it is to homemade, the better.
Continue reading...A weekly email from Yotam Ottolenghi, Meera Sodha, Felicity Cloake and Rachel Roddy, featuring the latest recipes and seasonal eating ideas
Each week we’ll send you an exclusive newsletter from our star food writers. We’ll also send you the latest recipes from Yotam Ottolenghi, Nigel Slater, Meera Sodha and all our star cooks, stand-out food features and seasonal eating inspiration, plus restaurant reviews from Grace Dent and Jay Rayner.
Sign up below to start receiving the best of our culinary journalism in one mouth-watering weekly email.
Continue reading...Palestinians from Gaza responded with outrage to Trump’s proposal to expel them from their homes.
The post “You Don’t Own Gaza, Donald Trump”: Palestinians Vow to Remain and Rebuild appeared first on The Intercept.
In South Africa, a 36-year-old living with HIV since childhood fears she will lose access to treatment due to Trump’s policy.
The post Global HIV Care Thrown Into Chaos by Trump: “I Will Be Sick and Maybe Die” appeared first on The Intercept.
Style, with substance: what’s really trending this week, a roundup of the best fashion journalism and your wardrobe dilemmas solved, direct to your inbox every Thursday
Style, with substance: what’s really trending this week, a roundup of the best fashion journalism and your wardrobe dilemmas solved, delivered straight to your inbox every Thursday
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Imagine a world in which you can do transactions and many other things without having to give your personal information. A world in which you don’t need to rely on banks or governments anymore. Sounds amazing, right? That’s exactly what blockchain technology allows us to do.
It’s like your computer’s hard drive. blockchain is a technology that lets you store data in digital blocks, which are connected together like links in a chain.
Blockchain technology was originally invented in 1991 by two mathematicians, Stuart Haber and W. Scot Stornetta. They first proposed the system to ensure that timestamps could not be tampered with.
A few years later, in 1998, software developer Nick Szabo proposed using a similar kind of technology to secure a digital payments system he called “Bit Gold.” However, this innovation was not adopted until Satoshi Nakamoto claimed to have invented the first Blockchain and Bitcoin.
A blockchain is a distributed database shared between the nodes of a computer network. It saves information in digital format. Many people first heard of blockchain technology when they started to look up information about bitcoin.
Blockchain is used in cryptocurrency systems to ensure secure, decentralized records of transactions.
Blockchain allowed people to guarantee the fidelity and security of a record of data without the need for a third party to ensure accuracy.
To understand how a blockchain works, Consider these basic steps:
Let’s get to know more about the blockchain.
Blockchain records digital information and distributes it across the network without changing it. The information is distributed among many users and stored in an immutable, permanent ledger that can't be changed or destroyed. That's why blockchain is also called "Distributed Ledger Technology" or DLT.
Here’s how it works:
And that’s the beauty of it! The process may seem complicated, but it’s done in minutes with modern technology. And because technology is advancing rapidly, I expect things to move even more quickly than ever.
Even though blockchain is integral to cryptocurrency, it has other applications. For example, blockchain can be used for storing reliable data about transactions. Many people confuse blockchain with cryptocurrencies like bitcoin and ethereum.
Blockchain already being adopted by some big-name companies, such as Walmart, AIG, Siemens, Pfizer, and Unilever. For example, IBM's Food Trust uses blockchain to track food's journey before reaching its final destination.
Although some of you may consider this practice excessive, food suppliers and manufacturers adhere to the policy of tracing their products because bacteria such as E. coli and Salmonella have been found in packaged foods. In addition, there have been isolated cases where dangerous allergens such as peanuts have accidentally been introduced into certain products.
Tracing and identifying the sources of an outbreak is a challenging task that can take months or years. Thanks to the Blockchain, however, companies now know exactly where their food has been—so they can trace its location and prevent future outbreaks.
Blockchain technology allows systems to react much faster in the event of a hazard. It also has many other uses in the modern world.
Blockchain technology is safe, even if it’s public. People can access the technology using an internet connection.
Have you ever been in a situation where you had all your data stored at one place and that one secure place got compromised? Wouldn't it be great if there was a way to prevent your data from leaking out even when the security of your storage systems is compromised?
Blockchain technology provides a way of avoiding this situation by using multiple computers at different locations to store information about transactions. If one computer experiences problems with a transaction, it will not affect the other nodes.
Instead, other nodes will use the correct information to cross-reference your incorrect node. This is called “Decentralization,” meaning all the information is stored in multiple places.
Blockchain guarantees your data's authenticity—not just its accuracy, but also its irreversibility. It can also be used to store data that are difficult to register, like legal contracts, state identifications, or a company's product inventory.
Blockchain has many advantages and disadvantages.
I’ll answer the most frequently asked questions about blockchain in this section.
Blockchain is not a cryptocurrency but a technology that makes cryptocurrencies possible. It's a digital ledger that records every transaction seamlessly.
Yes, blockchain can be theoretically hacked, but it is a complicated task to be achieved. A network of users constantly reviews it, which makes hacking the blockchain difficult.
Coinbase Global is currently the biggest blockchain company in the world. The company runs a commendable infrastructure, services, and technology for the digital currency economy.
Blockchain is a decentralized technology. It’s a chain of distributed ledgers connected with nodes. Each node can be any electronic device. Thus, one owns blockhain.
Bitcoin is a cryptocurrency, which is powered by Blockchain technology while Blockchain is a distributed ledger of cryptocurrency
Generally a database is a collection of data which can be stored and organized using a database management system. The people who have access to the database can view or edit the information stored there. The client-server network architecture is used to implement databases. whereas a blockchain is a growing list of records, called blocks, stored in a distributed system. Each block contains a cryptographic hash of the previous block, timestamp and transaction information. Modification of data is not allowed due to the design of the blockchain. The technology allows decentralized control and eliminates risks of data modification by other parties.
Blockchain has a wide spectrum of applications and, over the next 5-10 years, we will likely see it being integrated into all sorts of industries. From finance to healthcare, blockchain could revolutionize the way we store and share data. Although there is some hesitation to adopt blockchain systems right now, that won't be the case in 2022-2023 (and even less so in 2026). Once people become more comfortable with the technology and understand how it can work for them, owners, CEOs and entrepreneurs alike will be quick to leverage blockchain technology for their own gain. Hope you like this article if you have any question let me know in the comments section
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The United States is unprepared for the burdens placed on its air travel system when the country hosts the 2026 World Cup and 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, according to a report released on Wednesday.
The US Travel Association, a non-profit that represents the travel industry, commissioned a report written by former government officials and industry experts. The report raises concerns about visas, creaking infrastructure and poor security technology.
Continue reading...The slogan ‘Everyone must go!’ is being rubbished, but is it really that bad? Hong Kong and Vilnius have much stronger claims to this shameful title ...
Having worked in the advertising industry for a while, I can tell you that creating a great ad is a lot more difficult than skewering a bad ad. That’s partly why I left a full-time gig in adland to focus on writing. Although the bigger reason, if I’m honest, is that I wrote a column saying I was going to quit my stupid advertising job before actually quitting, and my boss saw it and reacted as you might expect.
But my poor life choices are not the point; the point here is other people’s poor choices, namely those of some marketers in New Zealand. You see, the people at Tourism New Zealand are facing international ridicule for a new advertising campaign – with the tagline “Everyone must go!” – designed to entice Australians to visit.
Continue reading...Whether it was a city break or wildflower-strewn hiking trip, tell us about your favourite spring break – the best tip wins £200 towards a Coolstays break
As Europe starts to shake off the dark days of winter, it’s time to start planning a spring break. We’d love to hear about your favourite European trip (excluding the UK) – perhaps you discovered a less-known city that’s warming up nicely in spring, or a landscape that’s at its most magical between winter and summer. Tell us why you loved it for a chance to win a £200 holiday voucher.
If you have a relevant photo, do send it in – but it’s your words that will be judged for the competition.
Continue reading...Some 400 million devotees will attend this year’s Kumbh Mela festival. Pilgrims and politicians explain why it’s bigger than ever
They sat quietly together on the banks of the Ganges river, heads bowed in sombre prayer. Some men were naked, their bodies smeared grey with ash. Others had a simple saffron cloth tied around their waist. Nearby, barbers balanced on their haunches, shaving the head of each man clean with a flick of their knives, save for a small strand at the back.
This sacred ceremony, committing to a renunciation of earthly pleasures , has been taking place at the Kumbh Mela festival for centuries. The meditation, followed by immersion in the river, is a mandatory initiation ritual for sadhus – Hindu holy men who live an austere life of strict spiritual discipline. Among the most sacred events in the Hindu calendar, the festival occurs every 12 years across four sacred locations in India where it is believed the Hindu god Vishnu once spilled drops of the nectar of immortality.
Continue reading...Rush broke out as travellers scrambled to board trains in India’s capital to go to world’s largest religious gathering
At least 18 people have died in a crush at a railway station in India’s capital when surging crowds scrambled to catch trains to the world’s largest religious gathering, officials have said.
The Kumbh Mela attracts tens of millions of Hindu faithful every 12 years to the northern city of Prayagraj, and has a history of crowd-related disasters – including one last month, when at least 30 people died in another crush at the holy confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati rivers.
Continue reading...In a tweet announcing his attack on the Climate Justice Alliance, EPA head Lee Zeldin linked it to the group’s protected speech about Palestine.
The post Trump’s EPA Kills Grant to Climate Nonprofit Over Its Support for Palestine appeared first on The Intercept.
Palestinians from Gaza responded with outrage to Trump’s proposal to expel them from their homes.
The post “You Don’t Own Gaza, Donald Trump”: Palestinians Vow to Remain and Rebuild appeared first on The Intercept.
In South Africa, a 36-year-old living with HIV since childhood fears she will lose access to treatment due to Trump’s policy.
The post Global HIV Care Thrown Into Chaos by Trump: “I Will Be Sick and Maybe Die” appeared first on The Intercept.
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A group of volunteers is spending two months lying in bed—with their feet up and one shoulder always touching the mattress—even while eating, showering, and using the toilet. But why? This extreme bedrest study is helping scientists understand how space travel affects the human body and how to keep astronauts healthy on long missions.
Microgravity causes muscle and bone loss, fluid shifts, and other physiological changes similar to those experienced by bedridden patients on Earth. By studying volunteers here on Earth, researchers can develop better countermeasures for astronauts and even improve treatments for medical conditions like osteoporosis.
In this study, participants are divided into three groups: one stays in bed with no exercise, another cycles in bed to mimic astronaut workouts, and a third cycles while being spun in a centrifuge to simulate artificial gravity. Scientists hope artificial gravity could become a key tool in protecting astronauts during deep-space missions.
From biking adventures to city breaks, get inspiration for your next break – whether in the UK or further afield – with twice-weekly emails from the Guardian’s travel editors. You’ll also receive handpicked offers from Guardian Holidays.
From biking adventures to city breaks, get inspiration for your next break – whether in the UK or further afield – with twice-weekly emails from the Guardian’s travel editors.
You’ll also receive handpicked offers from Guardian Holidays.
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