As Europe’s tech ecosystem navigates regulation hurdles more founders are starting to look outward—especially toward the Middle East the Gulf region now represents not only a funding opportunity but a fast-moving ecosystem with lessons Europe could learn from an investor and venture ecosystem builder based in Dubai she’s spent over two decades in MENA both as a fundraiser—helping raise a $30M Series A for Gulf e-commerce player Awok—and on the investment side “Founders building in the region understand the markets something different — either in tech or in approach — to win here,” Labin explains MENA’s tech evolution started with e-commerce and logistics “Healthtech especially has real urgency in the Gulf you have a high prevalence of chronic conditions like diabetes and hormonal disorders—but there’s still a huge gap in terms of tailored digital health solutions.” While some sectors are deeply tied to local needs or regulation others present clear openings for European startups “The best fit for European companies is in bringing in deeper technological capabilities—solutions that go beyond what’s currently being built here,” Dana adds In a world where regulation is often seen as a constraint Dana notes how the Middle East has turned it into a competitive advantage—particularly in the UAE and Saudi Arabia.  “What’s unique here is how fast regulation adapts to support new industries,” she says “This is why Web3 and Blockchain companies have been relocating to the region You can go from concept to operational license in weeks It’s not just about speed—it’s also about attitude “Governments here want to be digital first They’re building apps for everything from bill payments to immigration services and it’s about being better than what’s already out there.” “Innovation doesn’t happen in a vacuum—it happens when people are allowed to test and break things without being overly penalized many of the most exciting AI tools aren’t even available in Europe because of regulatory uncertainty.” Dana has worked with several of the region’s most prominent innovation centers including Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority and the Abu Dhabi-based media hub twofour54 “Many of these entities function like corporate funds with their own P&Ls They make money through real estate and licensing and then reinvest a portion of those revenues into ecosystem-building—everything from co-working spaces and incubators to VC funds,” she explains This model ensures that innovation isn’t just grant-funded—it’s sustainable and tied to economic goals.  For international founders eyeing the region Dana recommends a selective approach to accelerators “There are great programs here—Flat6Labs 500 Startups in Saudi—but the key question is: what are you hoping to achieve?” “Some founders join just for the $100k check and then leave But if you’re genuinely exploring the region In terms of events, Dana highlights Investopia as a particularly valuable platform “You get real exposure to local investors It’s one of those places where meaningful conversations actually happen.” Hosted annually in the UAE, Investopia is a high-level economic forum backed by the Ministry of Economy and innovators to shape the investment agenda of the future Investopia serves as a bridge between capital and opportunity—and a key venue for European tech companies seeking Gulf partners “I think Investopia is there to help Some of these things can be especially helpful if you’re a founder from outside the region—just hearing how people think and operate here helps you learn fast I saw so many people from the CEE ecosystem at Investopia If you combine it with meetings with potential investors or clients For those drawn to the Gulf by available capital Dana offers a reality check: fundraising in the Gulf is not a fly-in-fly-out activity “One thing that’s still very prevalent in the region is that investors prefer to back companies that are either based here or have operations here,” she explains “If you’re just showing up to raise money and managers are focused on supporting what they know best—local founders Startups that attract investment tend to either have revenue in the region a team on the ground—or a solid plan for both “Relationship-building is everything here Some investment decisions can take a few months—others take over a year You have to understand what the fund invests in And it’s not just about meeting partners—sometimes the analysts and associates are your real entry point.” “Investors will ask you region-specific questions you’re probably not ready to raise in the region.” Her advice: pair fundraising with market scoping “You don’t need to close on your first trip they’re looking for more than just technical help “It’s not only about outsourcing development anymore So are operators who have scaled companies across multiple markets.”  “There’s a strong reputation here for engineering and product quality We’re seeing more talent from Eastern Europe coming here and taking on leadership roles—especially in product Strategic hires from Europe can bring valuable experience into startups that are scaling fast but lack that kind of muscle From fast-moving regulators to government-backed capital and urgent sector needs the Gulf is carving out its own playbook for tech growth—and others are starting to take notice “Europe has a lot to offer the Gulf region,” Dana says “But there’s also a lot Europe can learn What I’ve seen here is a willingness to listen—to founders That’s something worth paying attention to.” Over 1 million people from all over the world have learned about the tech ecosystem in Central and Eastern Europe thanks to The Recursive In order to keep our content free for everyone If you believe what we do is important and have the means to do so support us in giving a voice to Central and Eastern Europe with as little as €7 Every single contribution of yours helps us guarantee our independence and sustainable future we can keep on providing constructive reporting on the developments in the region give even more global visibility to our ecosystem and educate the next generation of innovation journalists and content creators Find out more about how your donation could help us shape the story of the CEE entrepreneurial ecosystem You can also support The Recursive’s mission with a pick-any-amount Subscribe to The Recursive Innovation Times Keep up with the innovation landscape in CEE every week By entering your email you agree to The Recursive’s Privacy Policy.* Address: Sofia 1504, 6 Shipka Str. For news stories, reach out to: [email protected] For content marketing partnerships: [email protected] © 2020 - 2022 - Recurisve Media JSC | All rights reserved Web Development by Vipe Studio - WordPress Agency Serbia Bosnia & Herzegovina North Macedonia Albania Montenegro Blockchain Cybersecurity Deep tech Dev Tribe E-commerce Marketing & Sales Web3 Team dsm-firmenich PostNL rider fastest up short steep cobbled finish climb beating Edoardo Zambanini in second and Odd Christian Eiking in third After Bahrain Victorious duo Fred Wright and Edoardo Zambanini raised the pace on the second definitive assault on the cobbled cat 3 Labin climb Lund Andresen zipped past in the last few metres of the ascent for the stage win McNulty placed seventh behind the Team dsm-firmenich PostNL rider a handful of seconds adrift as the front group of some 40 riders shattered After the CRO Tour's hardest stage of the 2024 edition crossing the mighty Hors Categorie Poklon ascent McNulty still leads 22 seconds ahead of Lund Andresen the team put a lot of faith in me - I didn't win today clad in the white jersey of Best Young Rider told the race organiser's TV interviewer afterwards.  "They paced me back up over the hardest climb of the day I would never have been up there at the finish if it wasn't for them." "But I think physically this is the best moment of my life And I knew the final climb from last year and hoped somebody would blow up ahead of me Four riders took off in the first flat section of the 160.5 kilometre stage in a strong-looking move with Robert Stannard (Bahrain Victorious) 2023 Giro d'Italia race leader Andreas Leknessund (Uno X Mobility) and Tim Marsman (Metec-SOLARWATT p/b Mantel) The five had a slowly shrinking gap of just over two minutes at the foot of the Polkon climb - the one Hors Categorie ascent of the 2024 race -  courtesy of the pressure applied behind by Polti-Kometa and UAE That was when Leknessund opted to press on shedding Marsman and Mullen from the break while the peloton split into several large segments as a result of UAE's hard work on the 11.7-kilometre climb what UAE were likely not counting on was when multiple Kern Pharma riders attacked in quick succession leaving McNulty isolated and forced to chase in person close to the mist-enshrouded Such was the intensity of the aggressive racing that by the top just seven riders remained with McNulty only for Filippo Ganna (Ineos Grenadiers) to go missing from their number when he crashed heavily on a sharp righthander on the downhill race-wise there was bad news for breakaway trio Leknessund Arrieta did nearly all the heavy lifting on the smoother and then after the mini-peloton swelled considerably in numbers Stannard and Leknessund were finally reeled in 23 kilometres from the line Late testing attacks began almost immediately on the short DSM and Kern Pharma were notably present in numbers on the front as the cobbled cat 3 Labin it was Austrian National Champion Alexander Hajek (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) who started the late fireworks McNulty was in fourth place near the front of the main group when the pack went across the summit of the Labin for the first time The American responded quickly as the tireless Castrillo then bounded past the stage leaders he was less interested when Ben Turner (Ineos Grenadiers) accelerated away at 9.5 kilometres go inching out his lead in a fiercely determined move.  Turner's courageous late attack was sucked in almost at the foot of the climb Clearly wanting to discourage late challenges McNulty opened up the throttle in the last 200 metres only for Bahrain to try a double move with Wright and Zambanini were powerless to stop Lund Andresen from darting past their right-hand side to claim the sixth win in just two years as a professional Lund Andresen was asked if he thought he could still overtake McNulty on GC in the two days of racing remaining "I think it's difficult to beat McNulty after what he did yesterday [stage 3] "So I think the win is out of the picture but at least the final podium is possible I don't think I've ever done that before." Results powered by FirstCycling “He already has asked when he can pitch again” It was an ordinary day on the baseball field at Cooperstown Dreams Park in Cooperstown, New York for 12-year-old Anthony Labin, when the little league pitcher was struck in the head with a line drive. Anthony was knocked unconscious and airlifted from the field to a local hospital. Two days later, he underwent brain surgery to remove a part of his skull to help alleviate the pressure and swelling that was building up in his brain. “Anthony spent a week in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit and once he was taken off the ventilator, he moved to a regular pediatric unit where he spent another week to recover from the surgery. We needed to ensure he was ready for transport,” explains Marijo Labin, Anthony’s mom and Ron Labin, Anthony’s dad. “He was transported via an ambulance to Children’s Specialized Hospital Inpatient Facility in New Brunswick where he spent five weeks.” During Anthony’s time at Children’s Specialized Hospital’s (CSH) inpatient facility in New Brunswick, he saw multiple therapists several times a day. He regularly worked with Speech Language Pathologist, Erica Bissonnette, Occupational Therapist, Kristen Iannuzzi and Physical Therapist, Amanda Pacella. “They were all wonderful and fantastic,” states Marijo and Ron. She explained that at this point in his recovery, “he needs speech therapy the most to regain his language, speech and communications.” Anthony has aphasia which impacts his ability to understand and speak. “He’s doing amazing,” cheerfully said Marijo and Ron. “He already has asked when he can pitch again.” Anthony’s Occupational Therapist, Kristin added that “Anthony is the type of patient you love to have on your caseload. His work ethic and sense of humor made every session a pleasure.” “Children’s Specialized Hospital has been really great in letting us have some privacy for his recovery. Sleep was really important for him. The amazing nurses that we’ve seen all day and night have just been outstanding, helpful and were there for us whenever we needed them. While Anthony is pretty self-sufficient, they still regularly checked on him,” shared Marijo. Anthony and his mom had the opportunity to attend a CSH’s inpatient event, where actress and singer, Ali Stroker shared encouraging words and read her new book, “Ali and the Sea Stars” to the inpatient kids and families. “I was blown away looking around the room and seeing all the young kids relating to Ali. Her and her father are really inspiration. I was glad that we were able to go,” said Marijo. “Thank you to the staff and everybody here. You can tell that people love working here. Even the kids are happy and that says a lot given what’s going on. I’m glad we landed here,” added Marijo and Ron. When asked what Marijo and Ron’s greatest hopes are for Anthony, they shared that “we’re trying to take it one day at a time. Our greatest hope is that he recovers and continues to have an amazing life. He’s an active kid and we would love to see him get back to that.” Anthony said that he hopes to get back onto the baseball field, ride his bike, play backyard wiffle ball, read some new books and hangout with his friends in the near future. Anthony’s Inpatient Speech Language Pathologist, Erica said “It’s that can’t eat, can’t sleep, reach for the stars, over the fence, world series kind of work ethic and mentality that Anthony applied to each session and challenge that was presented to him. I am excited for all the progress he has made and will continue to make on his recovery journey. Continue to hit it out of the park, Anthony!” After about five weeks of being hospitalized, Anthony is finally back home in Westfield, New Jersey where he was cheered on and welcomed home with open arms by the entire community. He’s enjoying being back with his parents, older brother, Nic and his furry best friend, Yogi. For other families going through tough times, “my biggest advice is to just listen to the therapist and staff. Trust them. Trust everyone here who is trying to help and take any advice and guidance that they can give. Lean on friends and family and when they offer to help, take them up on it and do not be ashamed of that,” said Marijo. As he continues his journey to recovery, Anthony started outpatient speech therapy twice a week in CSH’s Union location with Speech Language Pathologist, Kaitlyn Dunn. He’s been making great progress and working on naming and sound sequencing. Russia continued to import coordinate measuring machines (CMMs) which are critical for its military-industrial complex equipment supplies totaled over $20 million with two leading brands standing out: Hexagon Corporation (Sweden) and Wenzel Corporation (Germany) who established supplies of Western-made CMMs to Russia has lost its position in the domestic market RU The Insider studied last year's customs data and discovered that Russia imported CMMs and CMM spare parts manufactured by more than 70 companies but even if the machinery was assembled there the production facilities and technologies involved are owned by a handful of large Western corporations Half of the total CMM exports to Russia are provided by four Western corporations: Swedish Hexagon CHINA-US JOINT ENTERPRISE QINGDAO LEADER METROLOGY INSTRUMENTS (China) Many of these firms do not even have a website Large CMM orders in 2024 were also placed by: Moscow-based Grover International LLC (ООО «Гровер Интернэшнел») whose beneficiary and CEO is Indian national Akhil Prakash The purpose of a coordinate measuring machine is to check the geometry of manufactured objects. It achieves an accuracy of up to one micron across the entire measurement volume, which is about 100 times as accurate as using a caliper. Such devices are indispensable in mechanical engineering The machine feels the part with a probe equipped with a sensor – a ruby “bead.” One probe costs tens of thousands of dollars Early last year, The Insider wrote about the European business of GRU officer Viktor Labin who had settled in Brussels and had set up deliveries of Western-made CMMs to Russia Labin’s business was going very well: his firm Sonatec was Russia's fifth largest importer hauling in more than $2 million worth of products The Insider found that Sonatec's Russian turnover shrank significantly in 2024 leaving the company only 9th in terms of purchases and slicing its imports by more than half and Sonatec LLC — as well as the Western manufacturers Hexagon Renishaw and intermediaries Accurate Gauging We really need your help! Subscribe to donations! Сделано в Charmer устарел и не позволяет корректно отображать сайт performance & privacy features in one app Enhanced protection with device performance booster Is a taped-over webcam or phonecam a sign of paranoia – or smart thinking Just a decade ago, people who taped over their webcam were seen as a little eccentric, shall we say. Fast forward to today, and many laptop models feature a built-in privacy shutter that lets you cover the webcam with a single swipe Is it still worth covering your webcam in 2024 which was recently discovered by our experts As for peeping, attackers’ motives can vary: some are just voyeurs; others might organize commercial surveillance against a CEO; still others might add such functionality to their malware on the off-chance that something interesting crops up and checking the permissions granted to newly installed programs is a no-brainer Physical protection methods are both useful and inconvenient at the same time and compromises have to be made to ensure your privacy Just think: intruders won’t be able to spy and eavesdrop even if they somehow get malware onto your device. But it’s hard to find such devices these days, and in most cases they’ll be either outdated or very low-performance. That said, some companies are modifying smartphones on the market by removing cameras: how do you like, for example, the non-camera iPhone Such devices are in high demand at government and military agencies and restricted-access facilities In addition, there are tons of online guides on how to physically disable the laptop webcam or mic yourself. But not all devices make the procedure painless: for example, modern MacBooks use the camera as a sensor, and go into Safe Mode if it’s disabled And once it is disabled – there’s no way back Some companies – such as Purism – make laptops with hardware switches that let you physically turn off the camera and demanding users are often left dissatisfied with the features available A good and common option – but not foolproof but the sound from the mic can still be potentially eavesdropped and used against you Modern laptops often have several mics to enhance sound quality and taping over them all will be difficult built-in microphones are disabled when you connect an external one A life hack for them is to plug a dummy into the microphone jack (or the universal jack for mics and headphones) Your laptop will think that an external mic is connected and turn off all its built-in ones software protection is more convenient than physical – but not always as reliable On many PC-compatible laptops – especially business models – you can go into the BIOS/UEFI settings at startup (if this sounds Greek to you This is a good way to restrict laptop-based spying but there’s a catch: you’ll have to reboot and undo everything should you ever need to video-call someone find there Cameras or Audio inputs and outputs right-click the device you need and select Disable device You can just as easily turn it back on later This is much faster than rebooting the computer every time and poking around in the BIOS – but where’s the guarantee that a Trojan can’t do the same thing and turn the camera back on Disabling a built-in webcam and microphone in Windows Device Manager Android device owners can view information about dangerous and special permissions in the Permissions section in Kaspersky for Android: All functions → My apps → Permissions only apps authorized by you will have access to the camera and microphone Viewing permissions in Kaspersky for Android open the Settings and go to Privacy & Security Webcam and Mic Control Settings on a Windows device Our application completely blocks access to system libraries used by the webcam and other targeted attack methods via AI systems A dozen short and simple tips on how to use WhatsApp and other messaging apps safely and hassle-free Archives are being used in targeted phishing and other attacks on organizations Cybercriminals are inventing new ways to swipe money from payment cards by using credentials phished online or over the phone just holding your card to your phone is enough to leave you penniless How to counter new privacy invasions by browser developers Lauren Simmonds 2024 – The fourth stage of the CRO Race 2024 is scheduled to begin tomorrow kicking off on the island of Krk and ending in Labin As Morski writes has been taking place as of October the 1st with cyclists biking almost 1,000 kilometres across Croatia in six stages The start of the fourth stage will be on October the 4th on the island of Krk at 12:45 and the cyclists are expected to arrive at the finish line in Labin at around 16:43 Their arrival time at the finish line is of course estimated and may vary in reality Temporary traffic regulations will be in effect on some public roads where the race is set to take place Traffic restrictions will also be enforced on those sections enforced by both the police and representatives of the organisation Temporary traffic regulations on the fourth stage of the CRO Race 2024 (Krk – Labin) will be in force on October the 4th from 12:00 to 16:00 on the roads of the Primorje-Gorski Kotar and Istria counties along the following route: Krk – Malinska – Rijeka – Viškovo – Poklon – Vranje – Nedešćina – Labin It’s important to emphasise that parking will be prohibited both in the start and finish zones during this time. You can find more information about the temporary traffic situation for the aforementioned areas by clicking here and website in this browser for the next time I comment Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors Labin Duke will serve as the first executive director of the Blake Center for Faith and Freedom Duke has more than 10 years of experience working for Christian non-profits according to a news release from the college He most recently served as the executive vice president for institutional advancement at Nashotah House he served as director of donor relations at Baylor University and the director of donor management at Dallas Theological Seminary Duke studied biblical and theological studies at Ouachita Baptist University and earned his Master of Theology degree in academic ministry at Dallas Theological Seminary.  “You could say my whole career I’ve been looking up to Hillsdale College,” Duke said.  Duke said he first heard about Hillsdale while working at Dallas Theological Seminary He wanted his free online Bible courses to imitate Hillsdale’s Constitution 101 course.  “I wanted to use the Constitution 101 as sort of the backdrop for how online courses are done well and how they work and how they operate well,” he said.  Duke said he wanted to be involved in the future of the United States beyond voting he and his wife agreed working for Hillsdale would help them share their faith on a larger scale.  Hillsdale College stood for a way to not only serve within our own faith tradition but to also be able to get back to and support a future for our country that’s sustainable,” Duke said.   The Blake Center opened in 2020 from the donation of Prestley and Helen Blake The property includes a replica of Monticello and a stone barn which the college plans to remodel into a chapel for religious ceremonies or services.  Duke said the Blake Center will allow Hillsdale supporters outside of Michigan to partner with the college.  “There are a million and a half people reading Imprimis in between New York and Maine,” he said “There are a lot of potential supporters in this area many of whom will likely never see the actual campus in Hillsdale We’ve got an opportunity to give them a slice of Hillsdale here at the Blake Center.”  The Center will offer opportunities for students and study kind of balance could be an important part of the approach,” he said “There’ll definitely be programming for college-age students and potentially high school-age students.” Duke said his seminary background prepared him to create an “integrated learning formational style experience” at the Blake Center.  “Labin has two degrees in theology and extensive experience in Christian education,” Vice President for Administration Rich Péwé said in the press release “He is an excellent fit for Hillsdale and its outreach programs at the Blake Center We are excited to see the gifts from Pres and Helen Blake be well-used under his guidance.” College Chaplain Adam Rick said Duke’s leadership and energy show he is well-suited for his new role.  he has seemed like a guy who builds things and can initiate new things,” Rick said.  TrendingCommercialNew YorkAShaya Labin fights Fairstead to close $93M Harlem dealInvestor AAABy Orion JonesResearch by Jay YoungFeb 23 10:31 AMThe clock is ticking for Brooklyn-based investor Shaya Labin who needs more time to close on the purchase of a six-building residential complex in Harlem Fairstead one of the nation’s largest residential landlords and owner of the Dunbar Apartments which span a full block west of Frederick Douglass Boulevard between West 149th and West 150th streets had granted Labin several extensions to close the $93 million deal by Wednesday Labin played a trump card: a bankruptcy filing to “obtain additional time to close under the contract,” court records show The bankruptcy code allows for a 60-day contract extension to close a deal and repay creditors “Financing is tough,” said David Goldwasser a distressed real estate specialist who filed the Chapter 11 request for Labin “The buyer needed more equity than they thought and couldn’t pull it off in time.” The bankruptcy acts as an automatic stay on the deal because whatever the seller wants to do then requires the court’s permission, said Adam Stein-Sapir a bankruptcy expert at Pioneer Funding Group under what circumstances bankruptcy is appropriate?” he said “The seller can challenge the bankruptcy as a bad-faith filing.” SIGN UPIf Fairstead successfully challenges the bankruptcy A representative of Fairstead did not return a request for comment. The Dunbar complex, starting at 2802 Frederick Douglass Boulevard, has 538 apartments across 436,000 square feet. Fairstead took on $85 million in debt against the property in 2018 Little is known publicly about Labin. He has a history of buying smaller properties such as office buildings in Borough Park, Crain’s reported, and in Wethersfield, Connecticut, according to the Hartford Business Journal Fairstead has made moves in the multifamily market at a time when the asset class is considered a safe haven Last summer, it put 1,800 affordable apartments on the market, seeking $400 million for the Savoy Park complex in Harlem, and partnered with Invesco to buy a 48-building residential portfolio in the Bronx in 2021 for $350 million “Affordable housing is such an in-vogue area of real estate right now,” CEO Jeffrey Goldberg told The Real Deal in May I think that it’s a lot harder than people realize.” home to the European Commission and NATO headquarters From his office in a nondescript seven-story building on the outskirts of the Belgian capital Labin supplies Russian arms manufacturers with European-made coordinate-measuring machines a high-tech machine tool critical in the production of the Kremlin’s hypersonic Kinzhal missile The sanctions-busting operation has become a family business Labin’s younger son runs the Moscow-based middleman that delivers his father’s shipments to end users in Russia while his elder son pitches in by organizing pro-Kremlin protests across Europe Despite the Labin family’s unabashed efforts to aid the Russian military-industrial complex none of them has been placed on the European Union’s sanctions list Critical machine tools for the Russian military-industrial complex A GRU agent under the noses of the European Commission and NATO RU That particular sanctions-busting scheme relied on loopholes and exceptions that make it possible for European companies to continue doing business with key players in the Kremlin’s military-industrial complex — and to do so without formally violating any regulations not all of the methods Moscow uses to keep its war machine running fall “within the parameters of the law.” After The Insider’s October report was published several of the European shipping companies that previously offered their services to Sonatek distanced themselves from the Moscow middleman a Poland-based firm that was adamant about its desire not to take part in “illegal activities aimed at circumventing sanctions.” However the Baltic Shipping Agency did indeed exploit gaps in sanctions legislation in order to deliver coordinate-measuring machines to a key cog in the Russian war machine But the scheme discovered by The Insider last year turned out not to have been Sonatek’s only path around Western sanctions a GRU officer named Viktor Labin was already operating on the ground in Brussels routing European technology to the Russian reseller via a shell company registered in Turkey that GRU officer is the father of Sonatek’s owner and CEO Ruslan Labin did not deny that Sonatek LLC is indeed affiliated with the “18 Russian defense companies” in question we used to supply them with something [and] maybe we’re supplying them now.” When asked directly whether he and his family members are employees of Russia’s Defense Ministry but my brother and I never served in the army” — followed by a smiling emoticon Viktor Labin is the founder of the Belgian company Groupe d'Investissement Financier Roman Labin and the aforementioned Sonatek CEO Ruslan Labin are listed as directors on Groupe d'Investissement Financier official documents Groupe d'Investissement Financier is headquartered at Avenue de la Ferme Rose a short drive south from the Brussels city center It was here that The Insider met with Viktor Labin “after the sanctions” were imposed on Russian companies following the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 the elder Labin stopped making deliveries to his son's firm in Moscow While GRU officers do not publicly advertise their professional affiliations, all of the available information regarding Viktor Labin’s background indicates a close connection with Russia’s military intelligence arm. According to address databases, Viktor Labin was formerly registered in Moscow at the renowned dormitory of the GRU academy on Narodnoe Opolchenie Street 52 he took up residence in Zelenograd at the address of building 1818 where housing is allocated to members of the military Although the exact timeline of his relocation to Europe remains unclear the elder Labin had already established a company in Belgium and was living on Winston Churchill Avenue in Brussels Records also show that Labin’s son Roman was issued a pass by a hospital affiliated with the Russian Ministry of Defense in connection with the COVID-19 lockdown in Moscow permits indicating that the holder was engaged in indispensable work were officially required in order to move freely around the city Viktor Labin has another company in Belgium According to the company’s official registration it shares the address of Viktor Labin’s private residence — an apartment block featuring the surname “Labin” on both the doorbell and mailbox While Ruslan Labin helps his father manage by managing Sonatek in Moscow his brother Roman Labin lives in Brussels on the Chaussee d’Alsemberg Roman Labin earns a living in Belgium as a sole proprietor doing business with his brother's Russian company Sonatek paid Roman 3.3 million roubles ($37,100 at the current exchange rate) for what was listed as the supply of a Mitsubishi machine tool Despite his physical presence in Europe, Roman Labin is not shy about flaunting his political beliefs. A 2013 YouTube video shows Roman translating from Russian to French as part of an anti-American protest in Paris. Roman also featured prominently in a 2014 protest in Brussels this time purporting to stand “against Ukrainian fascism.” Her VK page (the Russian equivalent of Facebook) expresses fervent support for Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine Ruslan Labin has made his social media accounts private or VK to make his pro-war stance known — his work to supply the Russian military-industrial with the tools it needs to continue producing modern weaponry speaks for itself As for the patriarch of the family, Viktor Labin’s political beliefs come through clearly in his choice of rhetoric. In a brief telephone call, Labin accused The Insider of being a “Banderovite,” a reference to Stepan Bandera a controversial figure from Ukraine’s 20th century history Russian propaganda has cited Bandera’s continuing popularity among Ukrainian nationalist movements as a key pillar in the Kremlin’s argument that Ukraine — which in 2019 freely and fairly elected a president of Jewish heritage by a margin of 73-26 — needs to be “denazified.” That conversation ended almost immediately after The Insider asked Viktor Labin if he has any relationship with the GRU Labin responded by saying that he would “send you on three letters” — a common Russian insult premised on the fact that the language’s most vulgar term connoting the male reproductive organ is a three-letter word — essentially telling The Insider to “f*** off.” However since Labin ended the call before a follow-up could be asked it remains possible that the three unknown letters in question were actually “G-R-U.” With contributions from Anastasia Mikhailova The underground rapid transit lines have been under construction for almost two decades due to various project delays The cross pinnacle on the Tower of Jesus Christ will be ready to receive visitors in 2026 on the centennial of Gaudi’s death Now you can get your wine in Talence by paying directly in Bitcoin That’s because the state has to spend money on updating the railway infrastructure rather than subsidizing the cost of the popular pass Steffen Romstöck said that he would respect the residents’ choice and would take over the helm of the municipality which will come into force from 1 January 2025 Rethinking renewable energy sources for the urban landscape But operating them is still illegal under the country’s legislation can inform and inspire communities and entrepreneurs that still feel trepidation at the prospect of energy transition it has a unique modular design that allows it to be shortened and lengthened like a train that’s the promise made by the mayor of Paris the district has long been known as the hangout spot for the artsy crowds Hostal de Pinós is located in the geographical centre of the autonomous region the ranking considers several distinct but essential factors these quiet areas will now be available on all main routes in the country The academic institution shows a deeper understanding of the well-being of its students “Windows of Labin Legends” celebrates six people whose accomplishments have changed the city the Croatian City of Labin unveiled an exhibition titled “Windows of Labin Legends” in the Old Town Square the municipality celebrates some of the great people who have contributed to the city's history as well as that of Croatia and Europe Before selecting the “legends” the project’s organisers asked citizens to vote for their favourite people Using these responses and adding a few of their own the expert committee selected 6 important figures whose depictions now live on the facades of public buildings in the Old Town The portraits of these six people can now be found in several locations in the city the project’s organisers have created a map showing the location of each mural The locations of the 6 murals (Source: City of Labin) the municipality explains that the project aims to actively involve citizens in activities which preserve and promote Labin's identity the city's goal was not only to strengthen tourism but to also remind locals of the people who have helped shape the history of their city and country The Labin Association of Amateur Fine Artists “Creative Academy Labin” organised the project alongside the municipality and Labin’s Tourist Board the exhibition was co-financed through the Istrian Foundation for Encouraging Partnership and Civil Society Development’s competition “Small projects for a better tomorrow” The 10th European Conference on Sustainable Cities and Towns (ESCT) sets the stage for stronger cooperation between the EU national and local level to fast track Europe's transition to climate neutrality Urban dwellers across the EU are having a say in making their surroundings friendlier to people and the environment Forests in the EU can help green the European construction industry and bolster a continent-wide push for architectural improvements Apply by 10 November and do your part for the transformation of European public spaces An interview with the Mayor of a Polish city that seeks to reinvent itself An interview with the newly elected ICLEI President and Mayor of Malmö A conversation with the Mayor of Lisbon about the spirit and dimensions of innovation present in the Portuguese capital Metrics details Vision starts with the absorption of light by the retinal photoreceptors—cones and rods due to the ‘inverted’ structure of the retina the incident light must propagate through reflecting and scattering cellular layers before reaching the photoreceptors It has been recently suggested that Müller cells function as optical fibres in the retina transferring light illuminating the retinal surface onto the cone photoreceptors Here we show that Müller cells are wavelength-dependent wave-guides concentrating the green-red part of the visible spectrum onto cones and allowing the blue-purple part to leak onto nearby rods This phenomenon is observed in the isolated retina and explained by a computational model for the guinea pig and the human parafoveal retina light propagation by Müller cells through the retina can be considered as an integral part of the first step in the visual process increasing photon absorption by cones while minimally affecting rod-mediated vision the basic question remains: How does light propagation via Müller cells through the neuronal layers of the retina affect vision (a) Schematic representation of Müller cells (M) and photoreceptors organization in the human parafoveal retina Müller cells' (in black) proximal cup-like funnel of ~12 μm in diameter covers ~15 rods in addition to the central cone and inner nuclear layer (INL) are outlined (b) A data cube of 1,000 × 256 × 256 grid containing a Müller cell (of 130 μm length) and its surrounding tissue was reconstructed based upon measured indices of refraction profile (scale on the right) (c,d) Simulation of light passing through a single Müller cell (top) and the corresponding distribution at the distal part of the cell (bottom) for an incident light of 430 nm (blue) and 560 nm (green–yellow) Light concentration into the centre (cone’s receptive field) is higher for the green than for the blue (e) The transmitted spectrum into the central cone is calculated by summing the pixels inside the Müller cell’s area and averaged over the last longitudinal intensity cycle corresponding for the green-yellow part of the visible spectrum Here we address these questions by computational modelling and experimental imaging methods we use a computational optical model to analyse light-guiding properties of Müller cells in the human parafoveal retina and show that human Müller cells separate white light according to its wavelengths; medium- and long-wavelength light is concentrated onto cones and short-wavelength light leaks to illuminate nearby rods we show similar theoretical calculations for the guinea pig Müller cells and describe imaging experiments in the isolated guinea pig retina to find remarkable agreement between the experimental results and the computational model These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that the wave guiding properties of Müller cells are wavelength-dependent in a manner that improves cone-mediated vision while minimally impeding rod-mediated vision Müller cells are dividing the visible spectrum in a manner that augments the cone’s light absorption while reducing minimally light absorption by the surrounding rods (a) Light from a halogen lamp is injected into an optical fibre collimated onto the retina and imaged by a confocal microscope (b) Light transmission through the retina is reconstructed in 3D (obtained by the microscope’s z axis stack) Distinct light tubes of high transmission—the red channel (588 nm wavelength) from the retinal surface to just above the photoreceptor layer are observed The yellow channel is the auto-fluorescence track used to locate photoreceptors outer segments the stack was obtained using a long working distance lens the transmitted light is imaged using the microscope’s spectral mode The 417–695 nm range is covered by 27 distinct images at intervals of 10 nm Four representative images (48 μm × 48 μm each) for different wavelengths (417 nm (a) Twenty-seven images of transmitted light were recorded above the photoreceptors layer Three representative images for short- (450 nm) middle- (510 nm) and long wavelengths (560 nm) are shown The images were normalized (the sum of all pixels is equal for all images) Müller cells light tubes were located by a threshold and the 10 highest transmission cells were marked and masked show a higher transmission of red-green wavelengths (b (b) Mean (±s.d.) of the spectral light distribution inside Müller cells (N=10) Individual traces are overlaid in the inset (c) Normalized light concentration spectra inside Müller cells (different colours) and in their surrounding areas (e) were obtained from five different retinal preparations The mean (±s.d.) of the concentration spectra of light transmitted inside Müller cells and in their surrounding in all studied retinas (N=5) correspond well with the concentration spectra obtained using the model simulation (purple curve) (d and f All panels were normalized to unity at maximum recorded after 617 nm LED illumination from the retinal surface (ganglion cells side) and recorded by fluorescence scheme after 488 nm laser illumination from the photoreceptors side (c) Merge of the two channels at the photoreceptors layer and in orthogonal Z slices The Müller cells light-guiding tubes are aligned with the fluorescence green signal emitted from the labelled cones (a–c) The gain of cones’ absorption ACone(λ)=M(λ)C(λ) (red as derived by multiplying the Müller cell light concentration into cones M(λ) (grey bars) by the absorption spectrum of human cones’ visual pigments (C(λ) as derived by multiplying the light spectrum leaking outside Müller cells (grey bars) by the absorption spectrum of human rod visual pigment—R(λ) (e) The total light absorption in cones is increased by Müller cells’ light concentration The gain is highest for long-wavelength cones slightly lower for the middle-wavelength cones Photon absorption by rods (black) is reduced by ~20% via their wavelength-dependent light guiding properties and only slightly reduce photon absorption by rods is consistent with psychophysical tests in human observers which are based upon rates of photon absorptions by different types of photoreceptors The findings presented here indicate that the spectral separation of light by Müller cells provides a mechanism to improve cone-mediated day vision with minimal interference with rod-mediated night vision This is achieved by wavelength sorting of incident light by the Müller cells Light of relevant wavelengths for cone visual pigments is directed towards the cones while light of wavelengths more suitable for rod vision is allowed to leak outside the Müller cells towards the surrounding rods This is a novel mechanism that needs to be considered when visual phenomena concerning cone- and rod-mediated vision are analysed for describing a variety of problems within the framework of waveguide beam propagation The initial point of the algorithm is Helmholtz equation When changes in the refractive index profile are moderate The corresponding electromagnetic field can be written as Here n and n0 are the refractive indices of the cell and its surrounding respectively This last assumption is also significant for the reason that it confines the algorithm to be a norm-conservative namely the total power is conserved during propagation The first-order numerical solution is known as the FFT-BPM: h is an infinitesimal propagation step in the z direction (Δz) is the two-dimensional Fourier transform and operator Af is the A operator representation in Fourier space The method has a local error of O(ΔZ2) and a global error O(ΔZ), which is very small since we used Δz≪1. A characteristic spatial intensity distribution output from a single Müller cell can be seen in Supplementary Fig. 1c for a 560 nm monochromatic light These results indicate that the optical simulation of Müller cells is robust even for different bending and fluctuations in the cell’s width and index of refraction All experiments were carried out according to the statement of ‘The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology‘ Male adult guinea pigs (500–700 g) were killed by an overdose (150 mg per kg) of sodium pentobarbital administered intraperitoneally washed twice in a PBS and circumferentially dissected posterior to the ora serrata Anterior segment and vitreous were carefully removed The resulting eyecup-retina preparation was cut into 5 × 5 mm2 segments The retina was carefully separated from the eyecup using 30-G needles and flattened on a 0.17-mm-thick cover glass A fresh retinal preparation was mounted on the stage of an inverted meta-confocal microscope (LSM 510 Meta; Zeiss with photoreceptors surface facing the objective was collimated onto the vitreal retinal surface The transmitted light emanating from the retina was captured through the objective A × 40 oil immersion lens of NA=1.3 (Zeiss Germany) was used throughout the experiments Following the identification of the level of photoreceptors outer segments the microscope configuration was switched to record the spectral transmission of light in the retina Images of transmitted light were recorded at optical sections of 5 μm thickness spanning up to 50 μm above the last auto-fluorescent section This was done in order to validate that the recorded optical sections are proximal to the level of outer nuclear layer 27 distinct spectra were obtained at intervals of 10 nm steps covering a 417–695 nm wavelengths range using the ‘lambda mode’ of the LSM510 Meta microscope To allow inspection of the retina at distant optical slices and in order to facilitate 3D spatial reconstruction of the light tunnelling in the retina, a × 40 lens of a NA=0.75 (Zeiss, Germany), with working distance of 0.71 mm was used (see Supplementary Data 1) Images obtained using such procedure served only for 3D reconstruction of light pathway Optical slices spanning a ~150 μm stack of retinal volume were recorded 3D images of the obtained stack were generated using IMARIS software (Bitplane In the next sections we describe the materials and method we used for labelling the cones in the guinea pig retina and then we describe the optical scheme for observing the alignment of cones with Müller cells light tubes NanoFil sub-microliter injection system with UMP-III microsyringe pump (World Precision Instruments USA) facilitated precise and smooth injection of small dye volumes into the guinea pig vitreous humour The system was attached to a blunt 34-G needle and preloaded with 0.5% solution of FITC-PNA in PBS (Sigma Aldrich) 0.4% Localin drops were applied and the pupils were dilated with 2.5% phenylephrine hydrochloride At 1.5 mm behind the limbus a hole was produced using a 33-G sharp needle was inserted through this hole into the midvitreous cavity retained the needle for 10 s in the vitreal cavity following injection before drawing it out the guinea pig was killed by anaesthetic overdose The eyes were removed and retina dissected as described above We labelled the cone photoreceptors with FITC-PNA in vivo as described above and used the multi-track mode of the LSM 510 Meta-Confocal microscope to obtain transmission and reflection (FITC) channels sequentially The optical configuration was identical to the configuration in all of our experiments for the purpose of this experiment we used a 617 nm LED light instead of the halogen lamp to avoid a situation in which the guided light will excite the cones’ dye and contaminate the transmission channel We also used a × 40 lens of a NA=0.75 (Zeiss We obtained and analysed stacks spanning 100 μm (50 optical slices each 2 μm) above the photoreceptors layers Each cell’s mask was applied to the 27 images corresponding to the entire visible spectrum The purpose of defining the brightest ten regions in each layer separately was to form a blind test: if these regions had not been continuous from layer to layer then they were not the hallmark of light guides The fact that they could be clearly seen across the entire retina is a significant support for the claim that Müller cells lead the light from end to end In order to obtain a reliable assessment of the effects of Müller cells upon light transfer across the retina the light reaching the photoreceptors in the distal retina needs to be normalized relative to the light incident upon the retinal surface at the ganglion cells side is very commonly used in spectral measurements It is important to emphasize that this normalization scheme enables any spectral analysis to be independent of the light source as well as the transmission optics It essentially neutralizes the spectral responsivity of all of these components as if the light source was a perfect white light (flat spectrum) this procedure derives the weights needed to transform a given spectrum of light into a flat spectrum This transformation is used for light output based on the given light input and supplies the information of how much of each wavelength has been transmitted to the locus of measurement relative to the original intensity We use several times the term ‘total intensity of an image’ defined as the sum over all pixels in the image Scheme input. The microscope ‘lambda mode’ data set includes 27 images (A1, A2, … A27). Each image is a photograph taken within a narrow spectral band (11 nm). The images are spanning the visible spectrum in 27 steps (Supplementary Fig. 6a) where the total intensity for all images is equal Calculate the total intensity of each image (sum over all pixels) in the original set to obtain I1,I2,...I27 Find the maximum intensity in the original set of 27 intensities Multiply each image by the normalization weight (Imax/Ii) to derive a new set of images: The highest intensity image is multiplied by Imax/Imax=1 All other images will be multiplied by a factor that is larger than one independent of the source spectrum and the microscope responsivity (microscope PMT’s) 5.1 for M-cones and 0.83 (a 17% reduction) for rods The theoretical and experimental gain factors are similar We believe that the experimental values better describe the real in vivo situation Müller cells increase photon flux reaching the cones compared with the situation where Müller cells were not behaving as wave-guides but the effect is smaller than in the human equivalent The latter was obtained in the same spectral analysis scheme applied to the retina Müller cells separate between wavelengths to improve day vision with minimal effect upon night vision Foundations of Vision Sinauer Associates (1995) The Retina: an Approachable Part of the Brain (Harvard University Press Cone photoreceptor contributions to noise and correlations in the retinal output Physical limits to sensation and perception Origin and functional impact of dark noise in retinal cones Activation of visual pigments by light and heat Müller cells are living optical fibres in the vertebrate retina Retinal glial cells enhance human vision acuity Müller glial cell-provided cellular light guidance through the vital guinea-pig retina Comparative studies on mammalian Müller (retinal glial) cells Fundamentals of Optical Waveguides (Academic press The beam propagation method: an analysis of its applicability Beam-propagation method: analysis and assessment Light scattering from cells: finite-difference time-domain simulations and goniometric measurements Beam propagation method in anisotropic media The Stiles-Crawford effect—explanation and consequences Guided light and diffraction model of human-eye photoreceptors Photoreceptor waveguides and effective retinal image quality The spatial variation of the refractive index in biological cells Visual pigments of rods and cones in a human retina The spectral sensitivities of the middle-and long-wavelength-sensitive cones derived from measurements in observers of known genotype The arrangement of the three cone classes in the living human eye Nuclear architecture of rod photoreceptor cells adapts to vision in mammalian evolution Physical insight into light scattering by photoreceptor cell nuclei Interpretations of fundus autofluorescence from studies of the bisretinoids of the retina Visual pigment coexpression in guinea pig cones: a microspectrophotometric study Intravitreal injection of fluorochrome-conjugated peanut agglutinin results in specific and reversible labelling of mammalian cones in vivo Variation in colour matching and discrimination among deuteranomalous trichromats: Theoretical implications of small differences in photopigments The colour of monochromatic light when passed into the human retina from behind Jr Mode properties of optical fibres with lossy components by the propagating beam method Directional sensitivity of the retina: 75 years of Stiles-Crawford effect the Stiles-Crawford effect and apodization Optical properties of the retinal receptors Cone spacing and waveguide properties from cone directionality measurements Radiation losses of step-tapered channel waveguides Excitation of waveguide modes in retinal receptors Download references This research was partially supported by grants from the Israel Science Foundation Safuri: These authors contributed equally to this work Ruth & Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine performed experiments and analysed the data The authors declare no competing financial interests Supplementary Figures 1-8 and Supplementary Methods (PDF 1650 kb) Download citation Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content: a shareable link is not currently available for this article Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science '#' : location.hash;window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUQuery = location.search === '' && location.href.slice(0 location.href.length - window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUHash.length).indexOf('?') !== -1 '?' : location.search;if (window.history && window.history.replaceState) {var ogU = location.pathname + window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUQuery + window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUHash;history.replaceState(null "\/author\/meyer-labin\/?__cf_chl_rt_tk=3w.jKhKLwaj2eXsxlF.Ps7BP6XytMn0iZNz7doP3.jI-1746494384-1.0.1.1-v9yDrgziMH2uwL.glDj2yLltvgqV2FB47G1eKvV1kCI" + window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUHash);cpo.onload = function() {history.replaceState(null ogU);}}document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0].appendChild(cpo);}()); This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Paul Bradbury 2023 – Continuing our tour of Istria after an excellent week in Terra Magica a few weeks ago the charms of Labin and Rabac combine to serve a superb tourism cuvée There is a saying among American tourists visiting European cities – taking the ABC Tour Going from amazing city to amazing city is a fabulous experience in that once-in-a-lifetime trip but it can be exhausting and hard to get enthusiastic seeing yet another cathedral just as amazing as the last six And so we return to our week-long tour of Istria a few weeks ago it is impossible to get tired of the Amazing Istrian Town Tour but after a week of being constantly being blown away by the likes of Vodnjan we came to our final stop of the 7-day trip – Labin and Rabac and our expectations had been exceeded all week and we had half an eye on the road back to Zagreb And then we met the Istrian town which we both independently agreed was the most to our liking and one which seemed to offer just a little extra in a very high-quality field and Labin Tourist Board Director Astrid Glavicic was there to meet us on the main square As colourful and lively a character as the brightly painted facades which adorned the old town I am not sure what it was – the narrower streets the lack of cafes and restaurants in the old town which gave it a less touristy and more authentic and residential feel the colours but we both LOVED Labin – our favourite old town of the week From a full-on coal mine underneath the town… … to Labin’s very own US Marshall Rather than me try and do an injustice to the things to see and do in Labin, here are the top 5 from our Labin in a Page guide: the finest art project in Labin is easily the sculpture park Dubrova as the fruit of Mediteranski kiparski simpozij (Mediterranean Symposium of Sculpture) They come to Labin every year and are given stone blocks brought from an Istrian quarry to chisel Narodni muzej Labin (People’s Museum of Labin) is dedicated mostly to the town’s mining history and Labinska republika (see below) Labin boasts a unique local delicacy, labinski krafi – nothing similar is found in Istria or Croatia it was eaten on special occasions and can work as both sweet and savory dish That means that you can pair it with meat stew or simply sprinkle it with some toasted breadcrumbs It is relatively unknown even in Istria so Labin is almost the only place to try it and is available in most local restaurants.  If you want to enjoy one of the most spectacular views in Istria Strolling from the old town to the charming local graveyard makes for another pleasant walk It leads from the old town to the nearby coastal town of Rabac passing next to several streams and waterfalls It isn’t nicknamed “Little Plitvice” for nothing It will take you to the nearby town of Raša Several serious races take place around Labin: the biggest Croatian Ultra trail race “100 miles of Istria” starts here a series of races called “Valamar Trail” happens around Labin and Rabac and the runners often say those are the most beautiful races around Old Labin is your typical medieval Istrian town Pozzo Littorio – is a fine example of modernist architecture which ruled Istria with an iron fist until their capitulation Wanting to create perfect settlements for workers and managers of Labin’s coal mines Mussolini’s government brought in top-notch architects to bring their ideals to life New Labin was inaugurated in the early 40s The idea was to have perfectly ordered streets organized around a central square austere houses with an unmistakable Mediterranean touch Rising above the town is the most recognizable local landmark the šoht – local term for a headframe – which was recently refurbished after rusting for years and now serves as a gathering point for the locals.  and accesible by foot (the aforementioned saint Barbara’s trail) another attempt at an utopian miners’ town Although the place lost much of it past splendor The attractions are the church of saint Barbara SO many people had told me that the best pizza in all Croatia was to be found in Labin And so we found ourselves on the terrace of Bistro/Pizzeria Rumore (see below) – pretty bloody good and it was not hard to realise where the reputation had come from Conversation over lunch turned to wine and the strange ways Croats have of consuming wine Having enjoyed the biklijada red wine and goat milk festival in Vrgorac last year (see video below – it really is nuts) I was curious to learn more about a local Istrian speciality called Istarska Supa One would normally have the soup before the pizza and a waiter was summoned and the order made And this is like a soup you have never tried – Teran wine it was apparently drunk directly from the jug which won the prize of comfiest bed of the week I loved everything about my stay at the VERY cosy Hotel Peteani and the terrace view over the town and valley over a wonderful steak dinner was the perfect end to an outstanding day But unlike all the other towns in inland Istria and there is a reason that the tourist board is called Labin and Rabac Tourist Board Just a few minutes from the heart of the old town and I felt I was back in Dalmatia with lively riva and excellent beaches – the perfect combination with historic old town living in a season dominated by the topic of pricing it was nice to see the availability of a waterfront coffee for just 1 euro 20 (see below) take in the sea breeze and enjoy the awesome views over a light lunch before heading back to Zagreb while the AIT Tour had been phenomenal in every respect perhaps the best had been left for last in the less fashionable eastern Croatia Read more about our trip in Inland Istria: Croatian Tourism’s Greatest Success Story. Alternatively, here are 25 reasons you should never visit Istria. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The local mine and the mining industry itself were shut down during the 1980s, but the above ground infrastructure servicing the mine was protected as valuable example of industrial heritage. © Ivan DorotićThe competition entry showed the entire Pijacal zone completed as an important urban public space and future generator of culture region wide. The project showed an area surrounding a dominant element – Šoht, the monumental platform accessing the mine itself – being turned into a representative zone, with Šoht as its iconographic element. © Ivan DorotićThe new town library is housed in one of the former industry's above ground buildings – a Marble Hall (once housing the administration offices) – and is but a first built part of our urbanistic-architectural project as a whole. © Ivan DorotićThe bookshelves are installed into wall recesses, once windows overlooking surrounding spaces. In order to make them accessible, the floor level is raised along the library's perimeter, resulting in areas featuring various library functions (children's area, reading room, research area). © Ivan DorotićThe space is dominated by a grid system in which lay the construction, columns, the glass brick coffered ceiling, windows and doors. This orthogonal rhythm is visible even in the shelving itself, the separators, rectilinear movement through the space, down to the metal perforations on white shelves and the tables. © Ivan DorotićCounterbalancing the bright white, monumental space of the library itself is a black, dark foyer, an entry hall of sorts serving as link to service rooms, the Internet center, stairwell and a lecture room. With its color and atmosphere, this contrasting space is referring to the mining industry itself, bringing to fore the very zone once used exclusively by the miners. © Ivan DorotićIn the central corridor leading to the Bath there is a small “Miners’ Memory” room, closed off by a thick rubber curtain, featuring archival videos of the miners' underground life, projected onto a water screen. © Ivan DorotićPlain green ceramic tiles covering the walls of the former miners' bathroom are preserved in patches, creating visually impressive ornament along the black walls, discreetly referring to the room's original use. © Ivan DorotićThe main construction intervention in the space is the insertion of a new floor. In order to differentiate it from the space itself as an add-on, a foreign body, it was designed as a steel box of sorts, with its steel construction and metal floor and ceiling.  © Ivan DorotićNext phase of the project to be developed is a Multimedia Hall to be housed in the aforementioned miners' Bath It is a room of rather impressive proportions leading into the recently opened public Library You'll now receive updates based on what you follow Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors If you have done all of this and still can't find the email The Henlopen Soccer Camp booted its way through the week of June 17-21 on Cape Henlopen’s Bermuda grass fields Young campers learned the skills of passing defending and having fun in a relaxed atmosphere “The Henlopen Soccer Club prides itself on running camps that are curriculum-based,” said camp director Patrick Kilby “We work to provide a fun but educational setting for all kids ranging from first grade to eighth grade.” “Not only do we provide instruction on each topic but we have a daily speed and agility session,” Kilby said “Our hope is that our young athletes can see the benefit of off-the-ball training and how it can make them better athletes We also work to provide goalkeeper training to any athlete that is interested.” The next set of camps will run from Monday, July 8 to Friday, July 12, at Cape Henlopen High School. The morning session from 8 a.m. to noon is the general camp. They also offer an advanced player camp during the same week from 5 to 8 p.m. To sign up for the July camps, go to www.henlopensoccerclub.org/summercampkilby. EdIna, a joint venture company between Italian energy company Edison and Croatia’s Ina, has reportedly hired a jack-up drilling rig from drilling and well services contractor Crosco, a subsidiary of Ina. According to Bassoe Analytics, the Crosco’s Labin jack-up rig was hired for a period of 45 days. The data provided claimed that the hiring of the rig was agreed on Monday, November 18. The rig will begin working for EdIna on February 20, 2020, and complete its contract on April 5, 2020. The Labin will work on an estimated dayrate of $65,000, which means that the estimated size of the contract could be around $2.9 million. According to the latest AIS data provided by VesselsValue, the rig is located off the Croatian city of Pula. As for the rig, Labin was built at the Viktor Lenac shipyard in Croatia in 1985. It is of a Levingstone 111-C cantilever type design with major upgrades done in 2003/04 and 2014/15. It is worth stating that the EdIna joint venture company was created at the beginning of the 2000s. In 2014, the joint venture company started gas production from the Isabella gas field in the northern part of the Adriatic Sea. Ina told Offshore Energy Today via email that the Labin rig was currently undergoing class renewal. Following the class renewal procedure, Labin will start drilling a well on the Isabella field in the second quarter of 2020. Daily news and in-depth stories in your inbox The Pioneers of Offshore Engineering GustoMSC, part of NOV’s Marine and Construction business, is recognized for providing advanced design & engineering consultancy for mobile offshore units and reliable equipment. In close cooperation with our customers, we translate experience, science, and technical knowledge into realistic & innovative ideas. The performance of new and existing jack-ups, vessels […] Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) on May 1 Among them is GRU officer Viktor Gennadevich Labin, who supplied Russian arms manufacturers with European-made coordinate-measuring machines — a high-tech machine tool critical in the production of the Kremlin’s hypersonic Kinzhal missile — from his Belgium-based company One of Labin’s sons helped him run his business while the other organized protest actions in Europe in support of the Kremlin Both of them — Roman Viktorovich Labin and Ruslan Viktorovich Labin — were also added to the sanctions list The sanctions also included four firms associated with the individuals in the investigation: Russia-based Sonatek LLC and JSC Dux the Belgian company Groupe d'Investissement Financier as well as the Turkish OSBORNE DIS TICARET LIMITED SIRKETI Another individual involved in one of The Insider’s investigations published last October — Sergei Viktorovich Pitikov — was also subject to U.S Pitikov heads the Machine-Building Design Bureau Corporation (KBM) a group of companies within the Rostec Corporation KBM produces Iskander and Kinzhal missiles both of which are used by Russian forces in their invasion of Ukraine A previous round of U.S. sanctions unveiled in February featured nine companies from The Insider's investigations Total Croatia News Enticing women to play an active role in politics and business 3rd annual meeting of partners within the Power project – European Network of Woman Mayors for equal opportunities in citizens’ lives is taking place in Labin from today until Saturday Meeting is hosted by the deputy mayor of Labin Eni Modrušan and it will be attended by representatives from Italy Main topic of the meeting is „Women in politics“ and during the event a workshop will be organised with high school students to discuss women’s successful participation and contribution in today’s  politics Power project is a part of the EU programme Europe for Citizens 2014 -2020 Its main goal is to create a network of cities in which women are either mayors or deputy mayors entice women to take on an active role in politics and business and to promote gender equality.  other participating cities are Pollina (Italy) Tetovo (Macedonia) and an association of south-west cities in Bulgaria the day before New York City went “on pause.” “These days there are no gloves and no masks,” the wedding photographer said and guests are asked not to share on social media: That’s how some Orthodox weddings are being organized today “Most problems of weddings end with hiring a guard who stands at the door and watches that more than fifty people shouldn’t enter at once understands,” an editorial in the Satmar newspaper Der Blatt wrote understands,” is a common phrase meant to serve as a private wink to the knowledgeable reader — here “problems of weddings” implies “city inspectors,” who come to ensure that safety regulations are upheld But it’s no secret: A casual scroll through Instagram events accounts show photographs of weddings held in halls Meyer Labin wore a mask to a wedding held in a New York City hall last week Labin and other members of Haredi communities say such gatherings will likely continue unless there is a big outbreak due to disinformation and a general sense that the community has reached herd immunity I don’t think people will take it seriously,” said Hershel Hershkowitz Hopefully the virus doesn’t have the same effect on our community that it had a few months ago.” a young woman associated with Chabad-Lubavitch has received invitations to several friends’ indoor weddings this month “I haven’t gone to any of them,” she said on condition of anonymity so it’s not like I’m so worried about my own safety But given everything that we know and the potential risk: how we’re celebrating as a community the day before New York City went “on pause.” “These days there are no gloves and no masks,” the wedding photographer said Yet community doctors and religious leaders have been issuing warnings about the health risks of weddings and other big events for weeks “As current contact tracing evidence has shown many of the new cases of infection have arisen from large gatherings (weddings concerts …) where social distancing and/or mask wearing was not strictly observed,” wrote 138 Orthodox doctors in Long Island in an open letter last week the community and advocacy organization for Haredi American Jewry positive COVID-19 tests are spiking in parts of New York City dominated by Haredi Jews like Forest Hills and Far Rockaway in Queens and Midwood according to a statement released over Labor Day weekend by New York City Health commissioner Dave Chokshi 31 statement from Agudath Israel mentioned upticks in Orthodox centers in Lakewood and Passaic Ohio and the Five Towns in Long Island as well The spread is likely connected to a widespread perception that because the virus hit Haredi communities hard essentially everyone in them has already gotten the virus and either gotten sick but is now immune — so called “herd immunity.” ‘Oh you didn’t have corona yet?’” said Labin They operate on the premise that everyone was already infected and now has immunity.” it hasn’t existed in our community since about Pesach,” said a Hasidic resident of Borough Park who spoke He dropped by a 300-person wedding recently at a hall which had turned its foyer light off in order to make it seem like there were no events taking place wrote Chokshi in his statement: “We also must emphasize that these communities’ past experience with COVID-19 does not guarantee immunity from future transmission,” he said urging New Yorkers to continue to socially distance Hasidic media is transmitting a different message less known outside these often-insular communities which have turned Jews taking snapshots at weddings into “informants,” in their words “When a family member took an innocent photo at a relative’s wedding and sent it around to his friends and family it didn’t take long for the picture to leak to the press,” the editors wrote some are organizing weddings that are taking precautions first considered renting a wedding hall for their daughter’s wedding back when they started planning it in spring They chose to have the wedding in a local park venue “Every couple sat alone at cocktail tables “The elderly were seated at a further distance.” For dancing she purchased pool noodles and strung lights through them who could not host outdoor weddings due to weather described a family wedding that was held at a hotel in the bride’s hometown in Pennsylvania The tables were separated by households; hosts asked the guests to wear masks at all times except when dining and handed out ribbons for dancing to avoid holding hands Andrew Cuomo has vowed to crack down on the gatherings or plans of weddings that would violate the law they should forward those complaints to the NYPD or the mayor,” Cuomo told reporters on Aug “If the mayor is not doing any enforcement actions The Borough Park resident said that there is a sense of justification for the laxity: the striking contrast between the surge of cases in March and April “There is a feeling that if there is a case – we all know about it,” he said Yet he wondered aloud why more community members are not wearing masks — which he described as a minor inconvenience “I don’t get why people completely disregard the rules.” Avital Chizhik-Goldschmidt is the Life section editor at the Forward. 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The latest round of restrictions includes figures exposed by The Insider's investigations as well as a company that helped Russian defense contractors purchase European military equipment Sergei Pitikov was exposed in an investigation into how Russian missile manufacturers have escaped sanctions and continue to receive equipment and components from Europe LLC Sonatek — a company featured in two of The Insider's investigations — was also included in the sanctions list This Moscow-based firm wasn’t just involved in government purchases from Kinzhal manufacturers — it also supplied measurement equipment to dozens of other defense contractors The company was used to procure equipment from European countries Sonatek's European trading partners include UAB Breitto (Lithuania) Groupe D'Investissement Financier SA (Belgium) Sonatek is run by the family of Viktor Labin, a Russian GRU agent based in Brussels The Labins have set up shop right next door to the headquarters of the European Commission and NATO and were actively involved in reselling foreign machine tools from Belgium to Russia Although Russian government defense contracts have been classified in recent years The Insider has information that Sonatek provided supply and maintenance services to at least 18 Russian defense companies in 2022 Russia has not been able to establish import substitution for various types of equipment so the Russian military-industrial complex is vitally dependent on imported products supplied by Sonatek among others — continue to supply Russian defense contractors with the inputs they need to continue making weapons 2020 – An incredible reimagining of the mines that run deep below the centre of Labin Istria – the two-kilometre long complex will be accessed spectacularly via a see-through elevator French writer Jules Verne liked to venture deep The second most-translated author ever to have lived (between number one his stories were quite often regarded as fantasy tales for children early transference of his French text into English This is plainly evidenced in two of his most famous books 000 Leagues Under The Sea and Journey To The Centre Of The Earth Jules Verne’s inspiration can be found in physical form on the streets of Zagreb 000 Milja bar entertains with its submarine-themed décor the project about to be undertaken by the town of Labin Istria could just as well be inspired by his other bestseller just as Jules Verne’s journey to the centre of the earth was like no fantasy previously expressed a limitless imagination seems to have gone into how the mines below Labin Istria will look once converted Newly revealed images display a visitor’s space like nowhere else in Croatia Though not quite at the centre of the earth the new attraction lies some 166 metres below ground The thrilling experience of a visit is set to begin before you even reach its entrance – access will be gained by a see-through elevator (lift) The attraction is set to be divided into five modules – entrance and information area an art gallery for exhibitions and multimedia installations centring a wine cellar ( featuring local wines from Istria which are among the most-prized of those produced in Europe – the mine conditions being perfect for their storage) and a gift shop where souvenirs from local producers The sprawling complex is set to extend some two kilometres into the former mines of Labin Istria part of the route is being designed as a train ride although the last section must be done on foot due to the specific conditions of the tunnel The town of Labin Istria was once the centre of mining endeavours in Croatia the town was the scene of a miners’ strike which quickly grew into an anti-fascist rebellion a movement essential to securing Croatia’s future independent state It was the first of its kind and resulted in the declaration of the short-lived Labin Republic (also known as the Albona Republic) 2021 is the 100th anniversary of the Labin Republic an anti-fascist struggle for which the town is extremely proud It is hoped that works on the mine conversion will begin then All images © Level 52 / 3DX Studio / City of Labin Legendary Hasidic singer Michoel Schnitzler died on April 14 How did a community renowned for its piety produce — and come to love — a provocative superstar who died of a heart attack at age 62 on Saturday not only breathed new life into Hasidic music never before seen in the ultra-orthodox world for anyone who isn’t a rabbi But he unwittingly became the voice of a generation energized a musical form once confined largely to staid event halls Schnitzler’s popularity was about so much more than just his voice kids would croak trying to imitate his booming voice — to us a little louder and a little more expressive than the typical Hasidic singer Several of my childhood friends who later pursued careers in music were undoubtedly inspired by him which credited Schnitzler with his own rise to fame “You are leaving behind so many broken hearts so many drop-out boys — including myself — who looked up to you in a line that may have seemed very strange at a Haredi funeral But this encapsulates how people like Schnitzler and Schmeltzer are moving the needle toward greater acceptance and inclusivity within the Haredi world Michoel Schnitzler was a household name in Hasidic homes from New York to Jerusalem his rise was anything but predictable: He was born into a rabbinic family and lost his father at a young age He was divorced at a time when it was still taboo and lived in poverty for most of his formative years The Jewish music scene in the 1990s was dominated by musical legends such as Mordechai Ben David and Avraham Fried their music wasn’t written to ruffle any feathers he took classic tunes and turned them into hits by lending them his touch and adding his own signature twists As a singer at weddings and community celebrations exhibiting a personality bigger than his voice infusing the music with ecstasy and excitement the American phenomenon of celebrity was virtually nonexistent within the Haredi community Idolizing a figure for anything other than piety and Torah knowledge was a foreign concept the idea of pushing back against social norms within the community through music was virtually unheard of Schnitzler’s popularity brought some backlash His style was shunned by some Hasidic rabbis which forced him to move out of Kiryas Joel the ultra-Orthodox Satmar enclave in upstate New York where he was born and raised his popularity was unstoppable — and so was his acceptance into the Haredi mainstream Schnitzler’s voice —  literally and figuratively — resonated deeply with a growing audience of young Haredi Jews he used his music to advocate for more inclusivity and kindness within the Haredi world Some of his songs could even be classified as protest songs. In the most famous among them, “Der Bochur’s Tzava’a,” (The Boy’s Will), commonly referred to as “track 5,” he addresses the problem of judging others by external measures. The lyrics don’t hold back against rabbis and educators who are quick to judge others based on external appearances of non-conformity: “They are rotten on the inside and will burn in hell But they are busy with other people’s sins.  My friend’s son is not wearing a hat and suit, oy how ugly An entire book on how bad those fancy shoes are …  It’s not about how he is dressed or the shoes he’s wearing He is a part of the divine and the son of the king of kings As long as you are doing fine, don’t spill another’s blood How much (blood) can we suck, it’s time to wake up.” I doubt that Schnitzler saw himself as a rebel. But his songs reflected his own personal self-expression, and with his modern clothes and his divorce, he wasn’t a typical Hasidic Jew. But he found a community with those on the fringes of Haredi society. Schnitzler’s songs carried forward the spirit of peace and love of the 1960s into the Hasidic world of the 1990s and early 2000s. By challenging power structures and hierarchies in his own subtle way, he elevated the voices of those marginalized within the Haredi community. He likewise made it possible for those who came after him to write songs of personal expression and social commentary within the confines of community values and norms. This has undoubtedly moved the community toward greater acceptance of members who strayed from the Haredi mainstream. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Michael Schnitzler (@michoelschnitzler) This was evident from the outpouring of grief and affection on WhatsApp: Nearly everyone I know posted a selfie with the deceased entertainer and they weren’t typical celebrity-fan poses Schnitzler was glowing with his genuine smile embracing each person as if he had just reunited with a long-lost friend and many fans also wrote of feeling a personal loss It was striking how little these posts reflected on his music and how much they centered on their own personal perspectives and anecdotes of friendship One friend put it succinctly: “It’s not about all of you having selfies with Michoel; it’s about Michoel having selfies with all of you.” He genuinely connected with people Michoel’s impact on the Hasidic community goes beyond music and entertainment; he embodied strength in the face of adversity and generosity of spirit He leaves behind a legacy of his own music and the music of the countless Hasidic artists whose lives and work were impacted by him To contact the author, email [email protected] Meyer Labin is a Yiddish writer and journalist he lives in New York City with his three children The views and opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Forward. Discover more perspectives in Opinion. To contact Opinion authors, email [email protected] subject line “republish,” with any questions or to let us know what stories you’re picking up Copyright © 2025 The Forward Association Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon We help you navigate a myriad of possibilities Sign up for our newsletter for the best of the city By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news, events, offers and partner promotions. Croatia Summer-long arts festival with local painters throwing open their atelier doors, and a feast of theatre and music in a variety of outdoor spaces. facebooktwitterinstagramAbout us We are no longer a social media company but a technology company we are focussed on innovating and investing for the long term to serve our community and connect the entire world We want these investments to create valuable experiences for our community and the world At the centre of this experience lies mobile devices and creative content – which together are leading to the creation People are creating incredible content and it is coming to life on our phones This shift has been more visible in the Middle East and North Africa region particularly due to the rapid adoption of mobile devices and the passion people here have for storytelling through video We have over 114 million Facebook monthly active users in the MENA region and more than 100 million of these come from mobile devices The region is well positioned to define how the world connects in the years to come The mobile device has evolved from a simple texting and talking device into a hub with apps for everything – music listening The mobile experience has transformed from the web to apps and feeds creating opportunities to connect with people through rich content experiences The thumb is in charge and mobile feeds will be the centre of discovery in 2016 mobile devices have also shifted from large size to pocket size to large size again – but this time with the screen occupying the majority of the device Mobile feeds have come alive and are full of sight People are sharing moments on-the-go and businesses are still to make the most of the opportunity The ability to strategically measure and tailor engagement for audiences on mobile and technology platforms makes it the ideal choice to deliver real business results while achieving a strong return on investment over seven billion people use mobile phones It is estimated that just over 606 million people in the Middle East and Africa will have at least one mobile phone this year and the total will pass 789 million in 2019 This adoption of mobile led solutions has not only impacted the global economy but has spurred the growth of innovators and entrepreneurs platform and connectivity effects have facilitated growth and jobs around the world enabled a global economic impact of $227bn and created 4.5 million jobs around the world in 2014 Small businesses are the backbone of the economy and access to platforms like ours has opened the doors for entrepreneurs to audiences Around the world over 2.5 million small and medium-sized enterprises invest actively with Facebook to reach an audience they otherwise would not be able to engage with we have become the number one referrer to Mariam Al Kassab’s KidzVenture Early Learning Centre website This has resulted in a 50 per cent conversion rate for KidzVenture Facebook is committed to evolving the mobile opportunity for all people here – as we shift from mobile web to apps and feeds This year will be a mobile first year and businesses must make this shift rapidly This means marketers should think about developing device friendly content for audiences; know the discovery journey and design for the thumb By continuing you agree to the Privacy Policy LabInApp speaks about LabInApp’s real-time 3D computer graphics technology promoting the ‘learn by doing’ pedagogy For continuing, Please agree our Terms & Conditions and acknowledge our Privacy Policy This same account can be used across all Elets News portals Romanian born soprano Ana Maria Labin grew up in Switzerland During her studies she won First Prize at the inaugural Swiss competition Concours Ernst Haefliger and had her debut at the Scala di Milano as Valencienne in “Die lustige Witwe” under the baton of Asher Fish and the staging of Pier Luigi Pizzi.Recently she has been invited to sing at the renowned New Years Eve concert at the Semperoper Dresden under Christian Thielemann The concert has been broadcast live on TV and was released on CD/DVD with Deutsche Grammophon.Her roles include Arminda in “La Finta giardiniera” at the Festival Aix-en-Provence Contessa Cover in “Nozze die Figaro” in Glyndebourne Klara in Haydns “Die Welt auf dem Mond” under Julia Jones Héro in Berlioz’ “Béatrice et Bénédict” and Giulietta in Bellini’s “I Capuleti ed i Montecchi” with the Chelsea Opera Group She sang Erste Damein “Die Zauberflöte” at the Bayerische Staatsoper München at Théâtre du Châtelet Paris under Lawrence Foster Euridice in Gluck’s “Orfeo ed Euridice” in Zürich staged by Günter Krämer at the Mannheimer Mozartsommer under the baton of Dennis Russel Davies/Adam Fischer and Najad in “Ariadne auf Naxos” in Glyndebourne under Vladimir Jurowski She made her debut at the Opéra de Paris Garnier singing Valencienne in “Die lustige Witwe” and moved on to sing Hanna Glawari in the same Operetta recently.Very devoted to the baroque repertoire Ana Maria Labin has performed such roles as Armida in Robert Carsen’s production of Händel’s “Rinaldo” Glyndebourne on Tour under Laurence Cummings Regina di Tebe” under Thomas Hengelbrock at the Schwetzingen Festival the soprano part in Purcell’s “King Arthur” by Corinne and Gilles Bénizio (alias Shirley & Dino) under Hervé Niquet with Le Concert Spirituel at the Festival of Radio France in France and Japan the title role of “La Giuditta” by Scarlatti alongside Michael Chance in Holland Belinda in Purcell’s “Dido and Aeneas” at the Festival Retz and Galatea in Händel’s “Acis and Galatea” under Raymond Leppard with the English Chamber Orchestra.Ana Maria Labin’s concert engagements have taken her to the Vienna Konzerthaus performing Haydn’s “Il ritorno di Tobia” “The Creation” and “The Seasons” in the Congress Innsbruck the Philharmonie in Luxembourg and the Haydn Festival in Eisenstadt with the Austro-Hungarian Haydn Philharmonic under Adam Fischer Other concert engagements have included a tour to Italy and Turkey with the English Concert under Harry Bickett singing Vivaldi’s motet “In furore iustissimae iras” and arias from Handel’s Giulio Cesare and Rinaldo; La Baronessa Irene in Haydn’s „La vera costanza“ under Andreas Spering at the Brühler Schlosskonzerte and Ino in Telemann’s „Ino Kantate“ under Michael Schneider and La Stagione at the Kasseler Musiktage She performed Mozart airs and duets with the Mahler Chamber Orchestra under the baton of Antonello Manacorda at the newly built operahouse in Bahrain The young soprano has also sung some creations and modern pieces such as “La chevelure de Bérénice” of Dominique Lemaître with the Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale della RAI under Daniel Kawka; a song cycle by Richard Dubugnon under Alain Altinoglu at the Festival Présences Radio France Beat Furrer under David Zinman and Luciano Berio’s “Sequenza III” at the Tonhalle Zürich Future engagements will include First Lady at the Festival Aix en Provence and the Countess in „Le nozze di Figaro“ at the Prague National Theatre and Opera North.Update: April 2014 Contact News Hurricane Dorian brought strong wind and driving rain Sept the sun was out and the waves were plentiful for the 3rd Annual Diamond State Surf Classic Put on by the Delaware chapter of Surfrider Foundation as a fundraiser 7 competition took place at the northside beach of Indian River Inlet Nearly two dozen competitors participated in the randomly paired event Michael Powell and Tristan Ridings were the winners “We couldn’t have asked for better weather,” said Kevin Chandler Surfrider Foundation Delaware Chapter chair standing near the jetty watching the other surfers “It was the first day of the competition window and we’re getting some of the best waves of the season.” The juniors division winners were Tristan Barnes and Carolina Labin The Dewey Beach Surf Shop Surfer of the Day was Ridings Brothers Surfboards Air of the Day was won by Tom Brecht The Pete’s Steak Shop Wave of the Day winner was Kyle Kaminsky The East of Maui Cutback of the Day winner was Jason Davis The Surfrider Foundation Volunteer of the Day was Brian Overman Chris Flood has been working for the Cape Gazette since early 2014 He currently covers Rehoboth Beach and Henlopen Acres but has also covered Dewey Beach and the state government business stories and random stories on subjects he finds interesting and he also writes a column called Choppin’ Wood that runs every other week Flood moonlights as the company’s circulation manager which primarily means fixing boxes that are jammed with coins during daylight hours but sometimes means delivering papers in the middle of the night He’s a graduate of the University of Maine and the Landing School of Boat Building & Design One of the major investments is the announced architectural study for the arrangement of the very centre of Rabac The first meetings are already getting underway which is what has officially kickstarted the preparation of the study because public bodies have been invited to get better acquainted with the planned news as well as the companies and local residents of Rabac The entire process is being led by architect Idis Turato is to make something everyone can be proud of from the waterfront in Rabac and it is an area spanning approximately seven hectares After all of the discussions and public participation the study will define the micro locations within the project which will require an architectural solution “I’d like to invite you to be active participants in something that will define the further development of Rabac as a destination for the next thirty years Everything is related to the activities of not only hoteliers and those in the hospitality and catering sector but also to all those who have something to do with tourism and therefore I’m inviting you to get involved with as many suggestions as possible because at the moment we have a “white paper” That’s why it’s up to all of us to do quality work together for the future of this region This approach is different than the usual one it isn’t the classic bureaucratic one there will be a lot of public participation through talks which is extremely important considering what kind of project it is,” said Glavicic He announced that the most favourable bidder for dealing with the very core of the old town had now been selected with whom a contract on the main project would be signed “After the preliminary design and location permits the company Fluming from Rijeka was selected and the main project is now underway to complete the reconstruction of the communal infrastructure ending with the ground floor and replacement of all stone surfaces I believe that the project will be finished by the end of this year,” said Glavicic work will begin on the second phase of the reconstruction of the road through Kapelica which is being financed by the County Road Administration with partial co-financing from the City of Labin and it is an investment worth about 8 million kuna in total The first phase was worth about 5.5 million kuna and when the works of the second phase are completed the road will be completely renovated with a sidewalk built all the way from the roundabout at the beginning of the settlement to Morcaki Works worth around 7.5 million kuna are also being completed in Vinez most of which are being co-financed with money from EU funds a new water supply network and a complete road from the school to Marciljani The mayor of Labin also mentioned that investments have recently been made in the road and in the area of ​​Ripenda the plan is to continue towards the settlement of Ripenda – Kosi An important topic is the Agglomeration project worth a massive 776 million kuna which is probably the largest project in the history of Labin for which the director of Vodovod Labin signed a contract with the Government of the Republic of Croatia during an Assembly which co-financed it all with a grant worth more than 4 million kuna “The project of all projects is definitely the Agglomeration and we expect to get all of the necessary location permits this year from the purifier on the site of the former TPP Vlaska I believe that we’ll be able to start some of the work next year as are the works on the roads because part of the sewerage system will be pulled along the routes of roads so we’ll renovate a part of the road as part of these works These are just some of the investments and I believe that next year will definitely ho down in the history of our region in terms of the strength of the investments that are set to follow we’re going to continue to build Labin together develop the infrastructure in all parts of the city,” concluded Mayor Glavicic For more, make sure to check out our lifestyle section please click the box below to let us know you're not a robot Get the most important global markets news at your fingertips with a Bloomberg.com subscription Istria offers amazing locations for its many summer festivals a myriad of cultural events is being put on across Istria many on open-air stages in unique historical and architectural settings Here's our pick of some of the most atmospheric festival backdrops in Istria Pula’s Roman amphitheatre – Pula Film Festival Pula's 1st-century Roman amphitheatre is by far the most spectacular of the dozen venues transformed into makeshift cinemas during this film festival What has become Croatia's biggest cultural event dates back to 1953 when Akira Kurosawa’s epic psychological thriller Rashomon was one of the first films screened here To experience the delight of sitting under the stars among the ancient stones where Roman gladiators once entertained the masses choose one of the alfresco screenings that take place here in the festival's biggest and grandest venue – or attend the opening or closing night galas Pula Film Festival, July 16-24 Labin’s old town – Labin Art Republika Charming hilltop Labin takes on a festive vibe each summer for Labin Art Republika the festival's varied programme includes a dizzying schedule of live music The free nightly walking tours of the old town are a chance to get to know Labin in the company of local guides Labin Art Republika perched at 282 metres and known as the village of artists wander in and out of its many art galleries accompanied by the musical melodies of rehearsals in progress international musicians take to the makeshift open-air stage on the edge of town as part of the annual Jazz is Back festival Jazz is Back Svetvinčenat – Festival of Dance and Non-Verbal Theatre but three atmospheric performance stages for this annual summertime festival of contemporary dance and non-verbal theatre Dominated by the 12th-century Church of St Vincent the town’s medieval square is transformed into an alfresco stage The open-to-the-sky interior of the adjacent 13th-century Grimani Castle is an equally spectacular performance space while the 15th-century pillared loggia tucked in a corner of the town square provides a third stage Dance & Non-Verbal Theatre Festival San Vincenti the squares of Motovun become a cinema under the stars Film lovers flock to this fortified hilltop town for Croatia's best-known film festival now in its 23rd year with its programming still staunchly focused on the promotion of independent cinema from central Europe and beyond Screenings run throughout the day and long into the night some in outdoor cinemas set up on cobblestone squares followed by lively concerts to conclude the evening Motovun Film Festival the crumbling stone buildings and reconstructed Church of St Sophia of deserted Dvigrad come to life with the sounds of classical music Dvigrad became a virtual ghost town when the bubonic plague arrived here in the 17th century The 20th edition of the Dvigrad Festival runs from June to September with a series of outdoor concerts presented here as well as in nearby Kanfanar's Church of St Sylvester Poreč – Concerts in the Euphrasian Basilica The historical centre of the coastal city of Poreč is home to Istria's only UNESCO World Heritage Site: the exquisitely well-preserved Episcopal Complex of the Euphrasian Basilica This Byzantine treasure built in 553 AD shelters beautiful floor mosaics from the 4th and 5th centuries as well as mosaics of brilliant gold leaf decorating its apse The basilica becomes an otherworldly setting for concerts of classical music this is one of Croatia’s oldest festivals of classical music Concerts in the Euphrasian Basilica This article is sponsored by the Istrian Tourism Board. Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker SINGAPORE: A former civilian officer with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) was sentenced to two weeks' jail on Friday (Jan 25) for making an unauthorised computer modification to exempt himself from the Individual Physical Proficiency Test (IPPT) after completing his full-time national service with the Singapore Police Force (SPF) He was deployed to Delta Division at Clementi Police Headquarters and was appointed a Police National Servicemen (PNSmen) Personnel Officer with duties including overseeing medical reviews and remedial training for SPF national servicemen He was also responsible for overseeing the IPPT a physical fitness test that includes push-ups sit-ups and a 2.4km run that PNSmen must take yearly Labin had access to a computer system maintained by the SPF that allowed him to access and maintain records of PNSmen update particulars and upload staff appraisal reports And he soon realised that he was able to amend IPPT statuses in the system More than a year after signing on with MHA Labin logged into the system to amend his own IPPT records he accessed his records and ticked the checkbox that said "IPPT Excused" This meant that his records reflected that he was permanently exempted from IPPT Labin did this even though he knew IPPT exemptions had to be applied for through proper processes that include submitting a doctor's recommendation and attendance for a medical review at the Police National Service Department Medical Review Centre His actions went unnoticed until January last year when an acquaintance of his was hauled up to explain why he did not attend remedial training The acquaintance said he had not been able to book a session for his IPPT and internal investigations uncovered that Labin had helped amend his records as well The prosecutor did not explain his motivations for doing so Labin's defence lawyer Noh Hamid told the court that his client had an ankle injury at the time that caused a momentary lapse in his judgment He pointed out that Labin was only 23 at the time of the offence and it was his first crime in an otherwise good service record He urged the court to temper justice with mercy while Deputy Public Prosecutor Ryan Lim asked for a custodial sentence saying that he knew it was not the right thing to do District Judge Marvin Bay said the offence had been committed against a public institution by the very person entrusted with the maintenance of these records "This offence undermines the integrity of IPPT and its public policy objectives," said the judge "As an essential component of national service IPPT represents a personal commitment to the collective objective of national service." For causing an unauthorised computer modification Labin could have been jailed for up to three years Get our pick of top stories and thought-provoking articles in your inbox Stay updated with notifications for breaking news and our best stories Join our channel for the top reads for the day on your preferred chat app We know it's a hassle to switch browsers but we want your experience with CNA to be fast Upgraded but still having issues? Contact us