Notifications can be managed in browser preferences. Days of unrelenting heavy rain and storms that killed at least 18 people worsened flooding as some rivers rose to near-record levels and inundated towns across an already saturated U.S. South and parts of the Midwest Cities ordered evacuations and rescue crews in inflatable boats checked on residents in Kentucky and Tennessee, while utilities shut off power and gas in a region stretching from Texas to Ohio. “As long as I’ve been alive — and I’m 52 — this is the worst I’ve ever seen it,” said Wendy Quire, the general manager at the Brown Barrel restaurant in downtown Frankfort, Kentucky, the state capital built around the swollen Kentucky River. “The rain just won’t stop,” Quire said Sunday. “It’s been nonstop for days and days.” Officials diverted traffic and turned off utilities to businesses in the city as the river was expected to crest above 49 feet Monday to a record-setting level, said Frankfort Mayor Layne Wilkerson. The city's flood wall system is designed to withstand 51 feet of water. For many, there was a sense of dread that the worst was still to come. “This flooding is an act of God,” said Kevin Gordon, a front desk clerk at the Ashbrook Hotel in downtown Frankfort. The hotel was offering discounted stays to affected locals. The 18 reported deaths since the storms began on Wednesday included 10 in Tennessee. A 9-year-old boy in Kentucky was caught up in floodwaters while walking to catch his school bus. A 5-year-old boy in Arkansas died after a tree fell on his family’s home, police said. A 16-year-old volunteer Missouri firefighter died in a crash while seeking to rescue people caught in the storm. The National Weather Service warned Sunday that dozens of locations in multiple states were expected to reach a “major flood stage,” with extensive flooding of structures, roads, bridges and other critical infrastructure possible. In north-central Kentucky, emergency officials ordered a mandatory evacuation for Falmouth and Butler, towns near the bend of the rising Licking River. Thirty years ago, the river reached a record 50 feet (15 meters), resulting in five deaths and 1,000 homes destroyed. The storms come after the Trump administration cut jobs at NWS forecast offices, leaving half of them with vacancy rates of about 20%, or double the level of a decade ago. Forecasters attributed the violent weather to warm temperatures, an unstable atmosphere, strong winds and abundant moisture streaming from the Gulf. The NWS said 5.06 inches (nearly 13 centimeters) of rain fell Saturday in Jonesboro, Arkansas — making it the wettest day ever recorded in April in the city. Memphis, Tennessee, received 14 inches (35 centimeters) of rain from Wednesday to Sunday, the NWS said. Rives, a northwestern Tennessee town of about 200 people, was almost entirely underwater after the Obion River overflowed. Domanic Scott went to check on his father in Rives after not hearing from him in a house where water reached the doorstep. “It’s the first house we’ve ever paid off. The insurance companies around here won’t give flood insurance to anyone who lives in Rives because we’re too close to the river and the levees. So if we lose it, we’re kind of screwed without a house,” Scott said. In Dyersburg, Tennessee, dozens of people arrived over the weekend at a storm shelter near a public school clutching blankets, pillows and other necessities. Just days earlier the city was hit by a tornado that caused millions of dollars in damage. Among them was George Manns, 77, who said he was in his apartment when he heard a tornado warning and decided to head to the shelter. Just days earlier the city was hit by a tornado that caused millions of dollars in damage. “I grabbed all my stuff and came here,” said Mann, who brought a folding chair, two bags of toiletries, laptops, iPads and medications: “I don’t leave them in my apartment in case my apartment is destroyed." For others, grabbing the essentials also meant taking a closer look at the liquor cabinet. In Frankfort, with water rising up to his window sills, resident Bill Jones fled his home in a boat, which he loaded with several boxes of bottles of bourbon. Izaguirre reported from New York. Kruesi reported from Nashville. Associated Press writers Bruce Schreiner in Shelbyville, Kentucky; Andrew DeMillo in Little Rock, Arkansas; Adrian Sainz in Memphis; Tennessee; Sarah Raza in Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Obed Lamy in Rives, Tennessee; and Sophia Tareen in Chicago contributed to this report. Big Tech and center-right lawmakers at one stroke The European Commission's junking of its standard essential patents bill — intended to curb lengthy legal battles over patents in the telecoms sector — has been damned by a key lawmaker as a "complete mistake" and mourned by companies that license such patents as "a terrible signal to innovative businesses." The bill's withdrawal was part of a larger pruning of red tape within the bloc. Unlike some other proposals that have failed to inch toward agreement, however, its inclusion on the Commission's kill list late on Tuesday was a surprise. The European Parliament has already voted on it and EU governments were due to discuss it later this month Fierce lobbying had surrounded the bill which aimed to set guardrails for legal fights over how the patents used in critical technology like the 4G mobile phone standard and wireless internet should be licensed to cars and fridges generating huge revenues from licensing technology that becomes an industry standard Patent owners such as Sweden's Ericsson and U.S.-based chip designer Qualcomm get paid by companies that use their technology in a growing range of smart devices German center-right lawmaker Marion Walsmann, who steered the file through the Parliament, said the Commission had made “a complete mistake” in dropping a proposal that could have cut costs and litigation risk for smaller businesses but a real slap in the face for European companies," she said Walsmann blamed “pressure from a small number of very influential companies mostly from third countries,” which “has brought the Commission to its knees.” The Fair Standards Alliance — which represents patent users such as Amazon BMW and Ford — was “stunned by the Commission’s decision to abruptly scrap” the proposal warning that it “sends a terrible signal to innovative businesses that depend on predictable and fair SEP licensing,” according to its secretary general Car parts manufacturer Continental warned that the current licensing environment forces it to "accept licensing terms for technologies such as 4G no matter how unfair." Carmaker Volvo and Dutch electronics manufacturer Fairphone also expressed dismay Fairphone Chief Executive Raymond van Eck said the proposal had been a potential "lifeline for SMEs — without it they are left defenseless in a minefield of opaque negotiations and exploitation by patent assertion entities." On the other side, patent holders at IP Europe — including Nokia Qualcomm and Orange — welcomed the Commission efforts as "encouraging research and development and growth," adding that "the innovations and open standards that we champion are part of the solution." The Commission said Tuesday that it would withdraw the proposal in the next six months because “no foreseeable agreement” was forthcoming It said it would assess whether to submit another proposal or find another approach Walsmann said the Commission's rationale was “completely false as the Council has already scheduled several working group meetings specifically on this dossier.” Asked about the withdrawal at a Wednesday press conference to present the Commission’s work program Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič and the European Union’s simplification chief A spokesperson promised to come back with an answer later Koen Verhelst and Max Griera Andreu contributed reporting to this article Counter-attack by Milan-based bank deals blow to plans for a ‘third pole’ in Italian banking The European Commission has been accused of dragging its feet to avoid inflaming Donald Trump’s trade war “The European Commission is attempting to handicap successful American businesses,” blasts top US lobbyist By delaying expected announcements on fining Apple and Meta the bloc’s Digital Markets Act is being dragged into the global trade war Essential digital access to quality FT journalism on any device Complete digital access to quality FT journalism with expert analysis from industry leaders Complete digital access to quality analysis and expert insights complemented with our award-winning Weekend Print edition Terms & Conditions apply Discover all the plans currently available in your country Digital access for organisations. Includes exclusive features and content. See why over a million readers pay to read the Financial Times. This is Radio Schuman, your new go-to podcast to spice up your weekday mornings with relevant news, insights, and behind-the-scenes from Brussels and beyond. From the economy to the climate and the EU's role in world affairs, this talk show sheds light on European affairs and the issues that impact on our daily lives as Europeans. Tune in to understand the ins and outs of European politics. No agenda, no argument, no bias, No Comment. Get the story without commentary. Dare to imagine the future with business and tech visionaries Deep dive conversations with business leaders Euronews Tech Talks goes beyond discussions to explore the impact of new technologies on our lives. With explanations, engaging Q&As, and lively conversations, the podcast provides valuable insights into the intersection of technology and society. Europe's water is under increasing pressure. Pollution, droughts, floods are taking their toll on our drinking water, lakes, rivers and coastlines. Join us on a journey around Europe to see why protecting ecosystems matters, how our wastewater can be better managed, and to discover some of the best water solutions. Video reports, an animated explainer series and live debate - find out why Water Matters, from Euronews. We give you the latest climate facts from the world’s leading source, analyse the trends and explain how our planet is changing. We meet the experts on the front line of climate change who explore new strategies to mitigate and adapt. Tyres were set alight on Sunday evening in front of Audi's Brussels-based factory as workers protested against potential job cuts. The car maker has sent a letter to unions, threatening legal action over the seizure of approximately 200 car keys. As part of their demonstrations, staff members took keys belonging to both finished and incomplete vehicles, as they demanded clarity on the future of the Belgian plant. Audi has ordered their immediate return, warning it can identify the individuals responsible through CCTV. Audi warned in July that workers employed at the Brussels site could be made redundant because of weak demand for Audi's electric Q8 e-tron SUV. An announcement from Audi's parent company Volkswagen last week added fuel to the fire, as it confirmed that no new models would be assigned to the Brussels factory. Some unions believe such a statement means the end of the plant. This would result in the loss of more than 3,000 jobs by the end of 2025. Others have suggested that the site could find other investors, and potentially produce parts for other factories. Volkswagen's announcement has resulted in a fresh wave of strikes, as employees were originally set to return to work after the summer break. A major protest is planned for 16 September in Brussels. In Germany, meanwhile, Volkswagen is also weighing up the closure of factories for the first time in its 87-year history. European car makers are currently struggling to keep up with the electric transition, which requires significant investment in new technologies. The demand for EVs is not robust because many car owners consider them to be unaffordable. European manufacturers are also facing increasing pressure from their Asian competitors. Inflight meals and coffee went airbourne on Friday I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Passengers, food and drinks were flung across a cabin in mid-air after an Air Canada flight hit severe turbulence on Friday morning Flight AC19 from Vancouver to Singapore was two hours into the almost 16-hour journey from Canada when it encountered “some major bumps” over the North Pacific The Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner was left with drinks dripping from the ceiling and debris scattered over seats in the aftermath of the rough movement A Reddit user shared photos of food splattered across the cabin aisle and overhead bins with the caption: “About two hours into the flight from YVR-SIN we hit some major bumps and everything went flying (including a few people!) Luckily no injuries from what I could tell Kudos to the crew for keeping everyone under control Read more: What is turbulence and can it cause your plane to crash? Cabin crew reportedly cleaned up “as much as possible” while the Sinagpore-bound flight continued its journey The passenger added that the turbulence “took everyone by surprise” in the Reddit thread Another commented: “It felt like one of those roller coasters where you have several seconds of weightlessness I had coffee dripping on me from the ceiling and was picking rice out of my hair afterwards.” No injuries were reported from passengers or crew following the incident and no emergency landing was made The Independent has contacted Air Canada for comment It’s not the first instance of severe turbulence this year Last month, six people were injured after a Turkish Airlines flight from Turkey to Taiwan encountered severe mid-flight turbulence due to “adverse weather conditions” Flight TK24 was carrying 214 passengers and 17 crew members from Istanbul’s Ataturk International Airport to Taipei Taoyuan International Airport when it encountered turbulence two hours away from landing on 5 September Following a fatal instance of extreme turbulence on a Singapore Airlines flight in May, several airlines are considering a mandatory rule for passengers to keep seat belts fastened at almost all times In a June social media poll conducted by The Independent’s travel correspondent five to one voted in favour of being strapped in throughout a flight For more travel news and advice, listen to Simon Calder’s podcast Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Rural communities like Chapagua that have done least to stoke the climate crisis barely have time to recover from one disaster before another hits Most inhabitants fled to higher ground after the category 4 Hurricane Eta made landfall in early November 2020 but fisherman Rosendo García stayed behind hoping to safeguard the family’s home and animals After a ravine on the opposite side of the village also flooded the water quickly rose from knee-deep to chest high He escaped once the water subsided a few days later with just one pig a landslide carried the entire house into the river More than 40 sacks of freshly harvested corn were ruined Garcia’s entire extended family was left destitute Nanda Morales in the provisional house to which they were forced to move with Luisa (purple shirt) and their children Photograph: Daniele Volpe/The Guardian“We are poor people but in Chapagua we never felt poor We’re starting again from zero and we’re totally on our own.” the family piled up soil and sand to create an island on the swampy edge of a lagoon cement and metal sheets – is surrounded by salty water García is building a wall from old tyres and sandbags in the hope of keeping the tide at bay, but the sea is rising and the tides are getting stronger Shining a flashlight into the crab holes reveals that the tidewater is only a foot or so below the surface the house shakes like a bucket floating in water,” said Nanda Morales “We are living through climate change in real time.” Read moreA fortnight after Hurricane Eta came Iota: two of the most erratic and destructive Atlantic hurricanes on record, which together killed at least 98 people and caused widespread damage to homes, infrastructure and farmland. The impact was felt by about 4.1 million people in Honduras – half the country’s population The two storms capped a disastrous hurricane season for Central America – its worst since Mitch in 1998 left at least 8,000 people dead and a million others landless and homeless – including the García family yet few climate adaptation plans have been implemented according to Claudia Pineda from the Honduran Climate Change Alliance contradictory and causing further environmental degradation which expose communities further The government knows what needs to be done which included a range of measures yet to be implemented Honduras was woefully unprepared for the 2020 hurricane season which came after several years of drought across Central America The country’s poorest people barely have time to recover from one climate disaster before the next one strikes: time after time vulnerable communities that have contributed least to greenhouse gas emissions are hit by drought “There’s no strategic investment in long-term climate resilience initiatives and it’s the poorest who keep paying the price,” said Josué León a hydrologist and climate adaptation expert at Zamorano University in Tegucigalpa Alba Hernández’s eldest son left home three months ago with a change of clothes and $40 (1,000 lempiras) to look for work in the US. Angelo, 29, lost his job when the African palm plantations were flooded, and struggled to support his six-year-old daughter as there are few other options in the Bajo Aguán region. But his mother is tired of running from the river A birthday party in Chapagua Photograph: Daniele Volpe/The GuardianStanding against the wall in Angelo’s empty bedroom “For years we’ve been trying to relocate the community to safer ground but the authorities are deaf to our requests and now on top climate change is destroying us,” she said It’s not just that the climate is increasingly chaotic In recent years a wave of environmentally destructive megaprojects – including dams mines and African palm plantations – has exacerbated the situation leading to worse flooding and water shortages African palm magnates redirected the mighty Aguán river to help irrigate their plantations leaving some communities dangerously close to the river while others were left without water the García family had built new houses set back some distance from the Aguán On the other side of the river, a small community named after 1974’s Hurricane Fifi, became an island after a ravine with an intermittent stream became a free-flowing tributary León the hydrologist said: “It’s not complicated We know which communities suffer time and time again and why so it’s entirely possible to change things dramatically through simple scientific measures to better manage natural resources and improve resilience We just need some political will and vision.” a far lower estimate than the government’s $10bn price tag León added: “The international community should only support science-based initiatives which involve civil society groups and academics to ensure funds are not misused or stolen.” mouldy cuddly toys and a doll rescued from the muddy deluge are soaking in a bucket because Garcia’s granddaughters cannot bear to throw them out Patricia – who was also rescued after the water subsided – wanders in and out of the house A farming cooperative donated some land for Chapagua’s 202 families to relocate but the community must still raise about $2,000 (50,000 lempiras) to cover travel costs for government officials to visit and authorize the project local authorities will apply for international aid to build new houses though there won’t be enough space to grow food or keep animals Sharlyu Alegría Hernández spokeswoman for the neighborhood association with other community members on the bank of Aguán river Photograph: Daniele Volpe/The GuardianIt could still take years and the men will continue to take turns patrolling the river at night in case it floods This story is part of a Covering Climate Now reporting series on climate migration called Flight for Their Lives. CCNow is a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Russia has argued the manoeuvre is failing but the head of the Nato military alliance reckons it's still "early days" for Ukraine's military push The Ukrainians say their troops have recaptured seven settlements and at least 90 sq km (35 square miles) since launching the offensive at least three people were killed in a relatively rare Russian attack on the Black Sea port of Odesa - and three others died after strikes in the eastern Donetsk region And the Kremlin says it's concerned after unconfirmed reports of an injury for a senior Chechen commander who's had a prominent role during the invasion Mystery surrounds the health of top Chechen commander Adam Delimkhanov (pictured in 2020) And it's with that quick recap of some of today's key events that we'll close this live coverage The day started with news of an attack on Odesa before our focus returned to Ukraine's ongoing counter-offensive Thanks for following along with us today - you've been reading the words of Nicholas Yong Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingUkraine war: Latest updatespublished at 15:34 British Summer Time 14 June 202315:34 BST 14 June 2023Image source Ukrainian servicemen check a destroyed Russian vehicle near the recaptured village of Storozheve Here's a summary of the latest developments from Ukraine: Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRussia plans to contract criminals to serve in warpublished at 15:24 British Summer Time 14 June 202315:24 BST 14 June 2023Russia is preparing to allow suspected or convicted criminals to fight in neighbouring Ukraine today voted to give its initial backing to legislation that would let the defence ministry to sign contracts with a limited number of criminals Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRussians came to Ukraine to 'destroy everything' - Ukraine officialpublished at 15:04 British Summer Time 14 June 202315:04 BST 14 June 2023Ukrianians now understand that Russia is "not just the enemy but people who came to Ukrainian lands to destroy everything" Speaking to the BBC about the country's counter-offensive adviser to the president's chief of staff admits that it is "not easy to go" While Ukraine has made some progress in the Donbas region Russia is a "strong enemy" with "a lot of ammunition" This has escalated the situation on other frontlines Leshchenko also labels a claim from Russian President Vladimir Putin - that he started the war to defend the people of Donbas - as the "biggest fake of 21st century" Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingStill early days in Ukrainian counter-offensive says Nato chiefpublished at 14:51 British Summer Time 14 June 202314:51 BST 14 June 2023Image source Stoltenberg held a press conference ahead of a meeting of Nato defence ministers in Brussels The Nato chief says it's still "early days" in Ukraine's counter-offensive "We do not know if this will be a turning point in the war," Jens Stoltenberg told reporters in Brussels the stronger their hand will be at the negotiating table." He also said the next Nato summit - which will be held in Vilnius in early July - "will make clear that Ukraine's future is in Nato" Kyiv has been eager to join the military alliance of Western nations - something Russia vehemently opposes Rafael Grossi was planning to check nearby water levels after a major dam breach on 6 June caused levels in a reservoir to fall It's worth explaining that the power plant has shut down four reactors since last September amid fighting - after Russian troops occupied the area including the power plant itself The power plant needs a certain level of water to keep the reactors in cool shutdown - in other words to reduce the residual heat from the shutdown reactors and to cool the emergency diesel generators if the plant loses off-site power Satellite images from before and after the incident showed how sharply water levels have dropped in the Dnipro river The water level near the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant on 5 June Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharing'Great concern' over reported injuries to Chechen commander - Kremlinpublished at 14:04 British Summer Time 14 June 202314:04 BST 14 June 2023Reports that a top Chechen paramilitary commander has been injured are of "great concern" Responding to questions about the health of Adam Delimkhanov Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov urged reporters to wait for "real truthful information" and the BBC has been unable to verify the report Ukraine considers Delimkhanov to be the head of Chechen volunteer units fighting in Ukraine and a close ally of Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov Adam Delimkhanov's current status is unknown Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingThe man behind Ukraine's counter-offensivepublished at 13:40 British Summer Time 14 June 202313:40 BST 14 June 2023Oksana Torop Svyatoslav Khomenko & Kateryna KhinkulovaBBC World Service Gen Zaluzhny never served in the Soviet Army and has steered clear of Soviet-style military hierarchy Ukraine's long-awaited attempt to take back the territories in the east and south of the country A key figure in planning and executing this operation is Gen Valery Zaluzhny Ukraine's 49-year-old commander-in-chief his popularity now rivals that of President Volodymyr Zelensky or "our Valera" as friends and old classmates like to call him was appointed commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian military in July 2021 Those who know him well say the appointment pushed through personally by President Zelensky came as a surprise to the general and many others too as his promotion involved climbing several steps on the career ladder Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingIn pictures: Church icons cleaned after Odesa strikespublished at 13:22 British Summer Time 14 June 202313:22 BST 14 June 2023As we've been reporting relatively rare missile strikes in Odesa killed at least three people overnight Locals in the Black Sea port city have started the clean-up Take a look at the following pictures showing damage in a church Smashed glass and broken windows can be seen inside the church Religious icons were removed from the church to be cleaned by locals Another woman cleans a religious icon from the damaged church Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingWhat's happened today so farpublished at 12:59 British Summer Time 14 June 202312:59 BST 14 June 2023Image source A police officer stands next to a shopping mall damaged by a Russian missile strike in Odesa A close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin Lukashenko claimed that some of the weapons are three times more powerful than the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in the Second World War in 1945 Alexander Lukashenko is a close ally of Vladimir Putin who has allowed Russian forces to use his country as a base in the invasion of Ukraine has said the nuclear deployment would act as a deterrent against potential aggressors The deployment is Moscow's first move of such warheads outside Russia since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991 Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingCounter-offensive brings 'extremely fierce battles'published at 12:12 British Summer Time 14 June 202312:12 BST 14 June 2023Image source A Ukrainian soldier near the recently recaptured settlement of Neskuchne An update now from Ukraine's deputy defence minister who's given a further picture of her troops' latest advances Hanna Maliar has posted to say, external that soldiers have advanced by distances of 200m to 500m in the direction of Bakhmut And they've moved forwards by 300m to 500m in the direction of Zaporizhzhia "Extremely fierce battles" have unfolded You may recall that Bakhmut was the site of the longest Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingOfficial acknowledges report of Russian general's deathpublished at 11:46 British Summer Time 14 June 202311:46 BST 14 June 2023That report of an injury to a Chechen commander comes after yesterday's claim that a top Russian officer had been killed in Ukraine A Russian-installed official in an occupied area of Ukraine later acknowledged the report, offering his condolences. "The army has lost one of its brightest and most effective military commanders, who combined the highest professionalism with personal courage," wrote Vladimir Rogov, external Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingChechen commander wounded - Russian military TVpublished at 11:27 British Summer Time 14 June 202311:27 BST 14 June 2023Image source Adam Delimkhanov commanding Chechen forces in Mariupol in Ukraine last year One of the top commanders of the Chechen paramilitary group fighting in Ukraine has been injured Adam Delimkhanov was wounded but still alive, according to a post from Zvezda TV, external - which is run by Russia's defence ministry It cited information from the press office of the Duma (Russia's lower house of parliament) Zvezda later quoted the Duma speaker as saying that Delimkhanov was "alive and well" Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRussia accused of killing civilians in a vehiclepublished at 10:53 British Summer Time 14 June 202310:53 BST 14 June 2023Image source Ukraine's general prosecutor's officeUkraine has accused Russia of attacking a vehicle near the two countries' shared border Ukraine's general prosecutor's office writes on Telegram, external that the attack happened yesterday It says the victims were two civilians and four forestry workers The office says an investigation has been launched The BBC hasn't been able to independently verify the claims Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingTanks food prices and the latest on the dam devastationpublished at 10:32 British Summer Time 14 June 202310:32 BST 14 June 2023Image source Volunteers deliver humanitarian aid to local residents in the village of Afanasiivka following the dam breach We've been focusing on the overnight attacks so far today but don't want to lose sight of the bigger picture Earlier we told you about President Putin's latest comments here are a few of yesterday's other developments: Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingWhy Russia has hit Odesa againpublished at 10:10 British Summer Time 14 June 202310:10 BST 14 June 2023Paul KirbyEurope digital editor Odesa was a prize target for Russian forces from the start of this war and it has come under periodic and deadly attack This latest bombardment is clearly in response to Ukraine's military offensive further east - proving that Russia still has the ability to hit Ukraine's biggest cities much of Russia's bombardment of Odesa has targeted its strategic port which is vital to Ukraine's grain exports through the Black Sea cosmopolitan city has largely escaped some of the worst of the damage Two art museums were hit last year but the opera and ballet theatre continues to run and has a full summer programme Among the buildings hit overnight were a McDonald's restaurant and shops in the city centre - as well as a residential complex and a shopping chain's warehouse As with the previous night's deadly attack on Kryvyih Rih this is Russia showing it can still bomb where and when it chooses Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingStrike on Odesa: The facts so farpublished at 09:58 British Summer Time 14 June 202309:58 BST 14 June 2023Here's what we know so far about the overnight Russian attack on the Black Sea port of Odesa: Russia is yet to comment on the latest alleged attack Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingUN official 'waiting until it's safe' to visit nuclear plantpublished at 09:43 British Summer Time 14 June 202309:43 BST 14 June 2023Image source The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant pictured from the banks of the Kakhovka reservoir last week A senior government official told the Reuters news agency: "He's waiting to be able to travel safely" Russian news agencies say the visit has been postponed by a day the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) held talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Kyiv on Tuesday The IAEA wants access to a site near the plant to check water levels, amid concerns caused by major flooding following last week's Kakhovka dam breach Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingUkraine made limited territorial gains yesterday researchers saypublished at 09:29 British Summer Time 14 June 202309:29 BST 14 June 2023The Institute for the Study of War is a US-based group that provides daily updates on the war in Ukraine It reports on changes to the front lines using a mixture of sources including military intelligence and footage published online Its latest update, external says that Ukraine made "limited territorial gains" yesterday the Ukrainians claim to have taken back a square mile over the past three days President Volodymyr Zelensky acknowledged that a long-promised Ukrainian counter-offensive was under way - with the intention of taking back territory held by occupying Russian troops Cox Mobile now supports the iPhone on its mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) service Jeff Moore, principal of Wave7 Research, noticed the iPhone on sale last Friday at a Cox store in Kansas City. And the company’s website now advertises iPhone support People can now sign up for Cox Mobile and bring their own iPhone The company is also offering a $100 discount for customers who want to buy an iPhone when they activate on Cox Mobile “Customers can bring all versions of iPhone 11 Its service rides on Verizon’s network via a wholesale agreement The MVNOs of its cable kin Comcast and Charter also use Verizon’s network.  Moore said no smartphones from manufacturers have been seen in Cox stores or on the Cox Mobile website.  Cox acquired Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) spectrum for $212 million But it hasn’t commented on its plans for the spectrum Comcast and Charter are working to use their CBRS spectrum to offload some of their mobile traffic from Verizon’s network Cox said it was conducting proof-of-concept fixed wireless access (FWA) trials to deliver high-speed internet to customers in underserved and rural communities The company did not say what spectrum it’s using for the trial “We're committed to creating digital equity in the communities we serve We're hopeful this is another tool we can provide to help connect people to what matters most,” a spokesperson told Fierce via email ';case"arrow-right-regular":return'\x3c!-- Font Awesome Pro 6.1.0 by @fontawesome - 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The survey found that sympathy toward Palestinians among U.S while the proportion not favoring either side is at a new low of 15% That’s a remarkable shift from only a decade ago when sympathy toward Palestinians stood at just 12% sympathy toward Israelis has declined from 64% to 54% Other recent surveys, carried out by researchers at the University of Maryland and Ipsos, reveal similarly noteworthy trends. A new poll published on the eve of Herzog’s address found that in the absence of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict three-quarters of Americans would choose a democratic Israel that is no longer Jewish over a Jewish Israel that denies full citizenship and equality to non-Jews and the wider international community are still officially committed to a two-state solution but many experts believe it’s no longer viable as a result of Israeli settlement expansion Americans are also increasingly less likely to describe Israel as a democracy. When asked to describe the way Israel looks in a poll conducted between March and April only 9% of respondents chose “a vibrant democracy,” a common descriptor for Israel among U.S The rest chose “a flawed democracy” (13%) “a state with restricted minority rights” (7%) and “a state with segregation similar to apartheid” (13%) Some 56% responded with “I don’t know.” Shibley Telhami a Middle East expert at the University of Maryland who conducted the poll tells TIME that the percentage of “don’t knows” was surprising He says that this suggests that those polled “are either uncertain or they’re uncomfortable answering.” referencing one of Netanyahu’s far-right coalition partners Read More: Biden’s Hidden Birthday Message for Israel an associate professor at Rutgers University and author of Justice For Some: Law and the Question of Palestine tells TIME that there has been a “serious shift” across academic associations and other social justice movements when it comes to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict “There is now clear and robust support and understanding of Palestine as a freedom struggle,” she says There has also been a notable shift within the American Jewish community, where the subject of Israel has become more polarizing in recent years. A 2021 Pew survey found that while more than half (58%) of American Jews express an attachment toward Israel markedly fewer approve of its government’s leadership (40%) or its efforts toward achieving peace with the Palestinians (33%) A resolution affirming that Israel “is not a racist or apartheid state” was passed by the House of Representatives on Tuesday with 412 lawmakers in support and 9 against though it is as yet unclear if such a meeting would take place in the White House lawmakers are undoubtedly aware of this widening gap “They would have to have their heads buried in the sand not to see a world changing around them,” says Erakat But American public opinion doesn’t always dictate U.S nor is this issue as front of mind as more pressing foreign policy concerns policymaking is not just about public opinion,” says Yousef Munayyer a senior fellow at the Arab Center in Washington and an expert on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and it’s also about American geopolitical interests And all of those things coming together have made it easier for American policymakers to hold on to the old pro-Israel policies than to be responsive to a base that is increasingly calling for change.” The question is how long that remains sustainable “This is going to continue to shake the U.S.-Israel relationship,” Munayyer adds “When exactly that translates into policy change is not something we can tell.” Write to Yasmeen Serhan at yasmeen.serhan@time.com Tap to enable a layout that focuses on the article Print Spot isn’t like other police dogs it was billed as a potent new tool for industries whose workers are often in dangerous conditions detect radiation for an energy company or inspect the safety of a mining tunnel less agile robots currently used in high-risk situations such as negotiating with hostage takers and assessing suspicious packages The Los Angeles Police Department decided it needed to have a Spot to cover the nearly $280,000 price tag that included upgrades and warranties But the LAPD’s expected purchase has been met with opposition from critics who worry the technology represents a dangerous new frontier in policing as law enforcement in Los Angeles and elsewhere looks to incorporate smarter more capable robots into the job in new ways Opponents to the technology have mounted campaigns to push back against the use of robots drones and other automated devices by police saying they are a threat to people’s privacy and safety That debate played out recently in San Francisco where public backlash defeated a plan that would have allowed the city’s police to weaponize robots for use in killing people in certain situations “Piecemeal efforts” by local officials to regulate police use of such technology have largely failed to keep pace with a rapidly evolving field of robotics “Most of the way we think about how the law regulates police assumes a human being making human decisions in a face-to-face encounter with the public,” said Joh “But the more and more we use this technology there is increasing reliance by police on machine-made decisions.” Standing almost 28 inches and weighing 70 pounds Spot is roughly the size of a full-grown Dalmatian the robots collect and process information about their surroundings which is transmitted in real time to an officer controlling their movements with a tablet-like device It can be customized with a mechanical arm to open doors or sophisticated sensors capable of detecting chemical spills and creating a three-dimensional map of an area In announcing the plan to purchase the robotic dog last month LAPD Chief Michel Moore said the device would serve only as officers’ eyes and ears in a “narrow set” of dangerous situations and not be used in everyday patrols or for surveillance of crime suspects Its use would need to be approved by one of the department’s deputy chiefs and the chief notified The robot could help officers gather information during operations typically handled by the department’s SWAT teams who oversees the LAPD’s Metropolitan Division In a scenario involving a holed-up suspect police might send in the robot to see which room the person is in and whether they are armed and to communicate with the person through a built-in intercom system in hopes of resolving the situation without using force “We would much rather put a remote system in to see what’s going on rather than sending a human or live canine in,” Bixler said It might also be deployed during a natural disaster or a hazardous material spill to provide information to first responders With its ability to maneuver over or around obstacles and semiautonomous operating system Bixler said a Spot would be more useful in these types of situations than the 11 wheeled or tracked robots and five drones the department currently uses Speaking to the Police Commission last month Moore said the department had learned from the upheaval that followed the New York City Police Department’s use of the same device last year The nation’s largest police force acquired Spot in 2020 (and renamed it Digidog) but its use didn’t get widespread attention until the following year when a video showed the robot trotting alongside NYPD officers during a hostage situation at a high-rise public housing building The public outcry grew a few months later when police deployed it at another public housing building as they apprehended an armed suspect The robot’s appearances tapped into deep-seated distrust of police among poor communities of color Critics denounced it as a waste of resources and a high-tech surveillance tool police would misuse on Black and Latino people “Now robotic surveillance ground drones are being deployed for testing on low-income communities of color with underresourced schools,” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) tweeted at the time The city’s Police Department abruptly broke off its contract with Boston Dynamics and returned the robot Similar protests broke out in San Francisco where police sought permission to use robots armed with weapons in limited circumstances The request was apparently made in light of a 2016 rampage in Dallas in which a gunman killed five police officers injured others and led authorities in a chaotic In an unprecedented move for American law enforcement police detonated a bomb on a robot to kill the gunman who was cornered in a garage and refused to surrender The proposed San Francisco ordinance was introduced with promises of narrow use and restraint It would allow some senior police officials to authorize the use of robots “as a deadly force option” in limited violent situations when less extreme measures have failed said he hopes the public continues to speak out Though police won’t be allowed to arm robots in the near future the issue has been sent to a committee for further discussion and the supervisors could vote again sometime in the future that we listen to the dangers and the harms that the community feels would come from this policy and that we abandon it and get to focusing on making San Francisco more affordable echoing some of the complaints raised by activists in New York and Los Angeles San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott said public discourse surrounding the issue of arming robots “has become distorted.” “We want to use our robots to save lives — not take them,” Scott said this is about neutralizing a threat by equipping a robot with a lethal option as a last-case scenario not sending an officer in on a suicide mission.” A similar proposal in neighboring Oakland was rejected and voters there will soon decide whether police robots should be equipped with pepper spray a University of South Carolina criminology professor and an expert on police use of force said the central question surrounding robotics in policing is not whether they should be used but how the people overseeing police departments should shape policies to guide their use “No one is saying you give the machine the authority to make a decision” whether to use deadly force “We’re just saying the decision has been made now let’s apply it with a machine as opposed to a person.” Others believe the case for adopting new technologies isn’t so clear-cut a UCLA law professor and expert on police misconduct litigation said increases in law enforcement power are often justified at first by extreme circumstances but can become a slippery slope toward more common use can and have opened the door for much more use of that power beyond the most horrific situation,” Schwartz said when we grant police power or discretion or advanced technologies they tend to be used in many more situations.” The issue has in recent months gotten some attention from state lawmakers Assemblywoman Akilah Weber (D-San Diego) announced that she had introduced a bill to “regulate limit and require the reporting of the use of deadly force by a law enforcement agency by means of remotely operated equipment.” “With several cities in California considering policies to govern law enforcement’s use of deadly force by remotely-operated equipment it is time to begin discussions about these devices,” she tweeted With several cities in California considering policies to govern law enforcement’s use of deadly force by remotely-operated equipment it is time to begin discussions about these devices 2022An earlier version of this story said the robot appeared on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” It appeared on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.” In a brief statement to The Times, the company said that Spot’s use “in public safety applications” was to “keep people out of harm’s way and help first responders assess hazardous situations.” It cited the robot’s use by several law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and elsewhere, including Houston, where Spot was used in the apprehension of a barricaded murder suspect, and the Netherlands, where it’s been deployed to sweep suspected drug labs before officers are sent in. And in an open letter signed earlier this year by Boston Dynamics and a handful of other robotics companies, the group pledged not to “weaponize our advanced-mobility general-purpose robots or the software we develop that enables advanced robotics and we will not support others to do so.” “The emergence of advanced mobile robots offers the possibility of misuse. Untrustworthy people could use them to invade civil rights or to threaten, harm, or intimidate others,” the letter read. Another company, Ghost Robotics, has started marketing a weaponized dog-like robot to several branches of the U.S. military and its allies. The Philadelphia company did not respond to an email seeking comment. Hamid Khan, a member of the Stop LAPD Spying Coalition, sees the LAPD’s interest in Spot as part of a broader push by police to fashion themselves after the military with increasingly high-tech tools. Khan said his group is opposed to civilian oversight boards that the LAPD and other police departments have proposed to oversee police technology. Such bodies, he argued, give police political cover for expanding their surveillance capabilities. Instead, he said, the coalition and other groups support an outright ban on police using robotics and other surveillance technology. While most law enforcement agencies are currently using Spot and similar robots only for reconnaissance in crisis situations, Carolin Kemper, a researcher at the German Research Institute for Public Administration, said the rush to acquire the technology without proper safeguards opens the door for future abuses. With public trust in law enforcement at historic lows, deploying a robot like Spot only reinforces the image of police as a “faceless” government entity that is disconnected from the communities they patrol, Kemper and her research partner Michael Kolain said via a Skype interview. Kolain also questioned how police might use images, words and other information collected by robots. “It could become a really scary tool of surveillance because from the outside you don’t know what’s going on,” he said. “If I talk back, will my voice be recorded? All these things we don’t know.” The Associated Press contributed to this report. Libor Jany covers the Los Angeles Police Department. Before joining the Los Angeles Times in 2022, he covered public safety for the Star Tribune in Minneapolis. A St. Paul, Minn., native, Jany studied communications at Mississippi State University. Gregory Yee was a reporter for the Los Angeles Times. Before joining the newsroom in 2021, he spent five years covering criminal justice and breaking news for the Post and Courier in Charleston, S.C. He was a native Southern Californian and graduated from UC Irvine in 2012 with a degree in journalism and Spanish literature. Yee died Jan. 4, 2023. California Subscribe for unlimited accessSite Map Trump silently watched much of the exchange between his Secretary of State and DOGE leader Secretary of State Marco Rubio launched into a heated argument with Elon Musk during a Cabinet meeting Rubio has been privately furious at Musk for weeks over his role in dismantling USAID which the secretary believed should have been under his control The conflict began when Musk accused Rubio of not firing State Department workers despite mandates from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) pointing out that 1,500 State Department employees had taken early buyouts which should be tallied as a reduction in the workforce He then sarcastically asked Musk if he should rehire those employees just so they could be fired again mocking DOGE’s stumbles in firing workers they had to rehire soon after because of bad decisions Musk accused Rubio of being just “good on TV,” The Times reported The argument stretched on for an “uncomfortable” time before Trump finally intervened Trump — after silently watching the exchange — said Rubio is doing a “great” job and said he has “a lot” to deal with He added that everyone needs to work together Appearing to recognize some of the growing anger with Musk Trump reduced some of Musk’s power at the meeting The president made it clear that while he supports Musk’s work he also noted that only the Cabinet members would be in charge of any firings and the billionaire’s team would only advise White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt called it a “great and productive meeting.” “Everyone is working as one team to help President Trump deliver on his promise to make our government more efficient,” she said in a statement Rubio similarly said it was an “open and productive discussion” with a “dynamic team,” State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce told The Times Musk similarly labeled the meeting “very productive.” The reported argument comes amid Musk’s continued efforts to shrink federal spending by slashing jobs and terminating contracts through DOGE The efforts have prompted multiple legal challenges, including a lawsuit from 20 attorneys general who accused the administration of terminating tens of thousands of probationary employees without following federal regulations including a 60-day advance notice to affected employees and states govt and politics"},{"score":0.736473,"label":"/law govt and politics/government/government contracting and procurement"},{"score":0.679482,"label":"/society/work"},{"score":0.64596,"label":"/law govt and politics/armed forces"},{"score":0.589507,"label":"/law govt and politics/politics"},{"score":0.58467,"label":"/business and industrial/business operations/business plans"},{"score":0.540258,"label":"/society/work/unemployment"},{"score":0.537629,"label":"/law report says","description":"Trump silently watched much of the exchange between his Secretary of State and DOGE leader "I don't see how people who are saying these things think that they're fighting for good had a strong start but it hasn't landed with everyone Payne says he can't understand how anyone denouncing the show thinks they are fighting a good fight "The spirit of Tolkien is about disparate peoples who don't trust one another and look different from one another finding common ground in friendship and accomplishing big things," he told The Hollywood Reporter "That's the spirit we've tried to inculcate into every single comma and period in the show That this aspiration would be offensive to people and enrage them … it's very hard for us to understand I don't see how people who are saying these things think that they’re fighting for good." Payne pointed to a quote from Galadriel in Rings of Power episode seven where she says every war is fought from without and within and he believes this applies to the people criticizing The Rings of Power "Even if you're fighting for something you think is good "I don't see how people who are saying these things think that they're fighting for good but as of yet there are no further details on what to expect from the sophomore season Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com ESCLog in to comment "data-img-src" : imgSrc } = buylink %> />><%= itemTitle %> and deals sent to your inbox Monday to Friday You don't have permission to access the page you requested What is this page?The website you are visiting is protected.For security reasons this page cannot be displayed Mission Statement: to assist the integration of foreign residents living in Spain and this is never more accurate than when you establish yourself as a foreign resident in a new country Being able to quickly familiarise yourself with the culture and customs can help ease the transition during a challenging time This is why Euro Weekly News makes it our mission to provide you with a free news resource in English that covers both regional and national Spanish news – anything that we feel you will benefit from knowing as you integrate into your new community and live your best life in Spain you can forget about translating articles from Spanish into awkward English that probably don’t make much sense Let us be your convenient and essential guide to all things that will likely affect you as a foreign resident living in Spain It’s all eyes on the North Atlantic as Storm Bert Spain is feeling its own slice of the storm – think howling winds The North Atlantic has brewed up a whopper of a storm undergoing an explosive phenomenon called bombogenesis Bert’s central pressure has dropped like a stone- 42 hPa in just 24 hours That puts its power on par with a hurricane making it one of the most intense cyclones of the year The northwest – Galicia, Asturias, and the Cantabrian coast – face strong winds and scattered rainfall. The Spanish State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) has issued warnings for gusts that could disrupt travel and outdoor activities heavy swells are creating hazardous conditions A chilly front is sweeping across the western side of Spain and the Canary Islands bringing with it weather worthy of a disaster movie Torrential rains are forecast to lash Galicia and the western Canary Islands with downpours so heavy they could lead to serious floods But that’s not all – hurricane-force winds could whip through the northwest High-altitude areas in the Cantabrian Mountains may face gusts strong enough to knock over even the hardiest hikers and El Hierro are forecast to take the brunt of the storm with thunder and lightning serving as Bert’s dramatic finale Downpours could reach record-breaking levels Temperatures are set to nosedive in the Canary Islands while the mainland might enjoy a brief reprieve with a slight warm-up But don’t get too cosy – the southeast quadrant of Spain is likely to see the mercury dip Frost is expected to hit the highest peaks adding an icy cherry to the icing of Bert’s stormy cake with southerly gales sweeping across much of Spain In the Strait of Gibraltar and the Alborán Sea it’s all about the levante (an easterly wind) while the northeast is bracing for gusty easterlies too are likely to face wild winds that’ll have umbrellas flying and bins rolling In the highlands of the Cantabrian Mountains hold on tight – hurricane-level gusts could cause considerable problems If you’re in western Galicia or the Canary Islands And for the rest of us – keep an eye on that horizon With unpredictable weather sweeping Europe Keep your wits about you and enjoy the sunshine where you can find it Get more Spanish news in English. Find more news in English from around Europe Subscribe to our Euro Weekly News alerts to get the latest stories into your inbox Euro Weekly News is the leading English language newspaper in Spain by delivering news with a social conscience we are proud to be the voice for the expat communities who now call Spain home With around half a million print readers a week and over 1.5 million web views per month EWN has the biggest readership of any English language newspaper in Spain The paper prints over 150 news stories a week with many hundreds more on the web – no one else even comes close Our publication has won numerous awards over the last 25 years including Best Free Newspaper of the Year (Premios AEEPP) Company of the Year (Costa del Sol Business Awards) and Collaboration with Foreigners honours (Mijas Town Hall) All of this comes at ZERO cost to our readers All our print and online content always has been and always will be FREE OF CHARGE Download our media pack in either English or Spanish December 6 - 12, 2010TIFF Google Earth - December 6 - 12, 2010KMZ This color-coded image shows rainfall amounts from December 6 to December 12 The heaviest rainfall—more than 600 millimeters or nearly 24 inches—appears in dark blue The lightest amounts—less than 75 millimeters or 3 inches—appear in light green The heaviest rainfall occurs along the coast of northeastern Panama Another pocket of heavy rain occurs along Colombia’s Pacific coast the Associated Press reported that 2,500 homes had been damaged and 10 people had been killed because of the heavy rains Previous closures of the Panama Canal occurred in 1989 when the United Sates invaded Panama to oust Manuel Noriega and in 1915–1916 in the wake of local landslides This image is based on data from the Multisatellite Precipitation Analysis produced at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, which estimates rainfall by combining measurements from many satellites and calibrating them using rainfall measurements from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite View this area in EO Explorer This color-coded image shows rainfall amounts in andaround Panama from December 6 to December 12 Relentless rain wreaked havoc in Venezuela and Costa Rica in late November and early December 2010 This color-coded map shows rainfall amounts in Malaysia and Indonesia from December 24 This color-coded map shows rainfall amounts over Central and South America from November 25 to December 1 Image of some of Luke Dashjr's proposed code changes modified by CoinDesk) One of the most controversial proposals to hit Bitcoin in years – a move that would have made it harder to mint NFTs and tokens atop the blockchain – has been abruptly terminated without any action being taken leading to claims of censorship by the lead proponent for the change Even some experts who supported a more purist vision for the blockchain expressed skepticism that Dashjr's proposal to filter out the Ordinals transactions could win over Bitcoin miners who play a key role in the network's operations and have benefited handsomely from the fee windfall Read more: Ordinals Upend Bitcoin Mining, Pushing Transaction Fees Above Mining Reward for First Time in Years A few days ago, Ava Chow, a Bitcoin Core maintainer abruptly cut off further discussion of Dashjr's proposal – technically known as a "pull request" or PR – without taking any action to incorporate the fresh code According to the web page for the open-source Bitcoin Core project maintainers are responsible for adding code changes that "the team agrees should be merged." "It's abundantly clear that this PR is controversial and has no hope of reaching a conclusion that is acceptable to everyone," Chow wrote I see no reason to leave this open and to continue to send notifications for the constant back-and-forth stalemate discussion." Another Bitcoin Core maintainer, Gloria Zhao, tweeted out a summary of the debate on Github including a recap of the technical details The thrust of Dashjr's proposal was to apply strict data-size limits more broadly to Bitcoin transactions, similar to the hard 80-byte limit applied to a specific data field known as "OP_RETURN." "There's been a lot of talk about adding filters to keep Ordinals TXs out of bitcoin, and this is a pretty sophisticated way to do that," said Lisa Neigut, a Blockstream developer who also teaches courses for Bitcoin developers at Base58 "It would basically make getting Ordinals into blocks very hard to do using the normal TX delivery pipeline." noted that the effort to "Stop inscriptions" as "spam" had been countered by arguments that "We cannot write code to detect all embedded data." Dashjr tweeted that "you conveniently left out that the objections to the PR have already been refuted/answered," and that Chow had "censored anyone who wants to reply." But you conveniently left out the fact that the objections to the PR have already been refuted/answered.And then @achow101 censored anyone who wants to reply.. Read More: 'Bitcoin NFT' Hysteria Comes to Sotheby's as Super-Mario-Style Mushroom Character Tops $200K Dashjr, who has been pushing to purge from Bitcoin what he once described as "data storage schemes" since at least 2014, made headlines recently when his firm Mummolin raised $6.2 million in a seed funding round led by Block Inc.'s head and Twitter founder Jack Dorsey Notably, leaders of the company's Ocean bitcoin mining pool signaled last month that the new project might filter out many transactions involving the Ordinals inscriptions CoinDesk reached out to Dashjr for comment, and he responded by sending a link to a fresh post he wrote on Github a few days ago The proposal to "fix the bug" was "inappropriately closed due to social attacks," Dashjr wrote on Github "This remains an active issue that needs to be addressed." A slew of comments have already piled up on the new thread After publication of this article, Dashjr tweeted "Spam filtering isn't dead until the spam is dead." Read more: Bitcoin Inscriptions Divide BTC Community Amid Network Congestion, but Are 'Unstoppable' Defeat by gilets jaunes will make others think twice before taking similar steps to cut emissions Emmanuel Macron’s defeat by the gilets jaunes (yellow vests) movement over a proposed eco-tax rise is likely to come as a painful lesson for environmental policymakers at this week’s UN climate talks in Katowice After the most violent protests in Paris for half a century, the French president has been forced to postpone a planned eco-tax rise on fuel showing how ecological measures can have explosive consequences if there is any suggestion they are being used to “greenwash” austerity Other leaders will need better timing and a far defter political touch before they introduce similar measures to reduce carbon emissions Dozens of countries and cities have introduced or drawn up plans for carbon taxes to speed the transition from fossil fuels that are warming the planet to increasingly dangerous levels There have also been protests and political backwards steps in Belgium Macron has positioned himself as one of the pioneers. He has championed the Paris climate agreement and promised to make France an example of how economies can grow as they cut carbon emissions In contrast to the me-first-ism of Donald Trump the French leader’s slogan has been “Make our planet great again” this goal was behind the plan to increase petrol prices by four euro cents a litre from January was one of several steps towards France’s commitment to cut carbon emissions by 40% by 2030 and to ban sales of petrol and diesel vehicles by 2040 the health and pollution costs of cars and trucks are unfairly passed on to society in the form of respiratory problems dirty streets and an increasingly unstable climate Fuel taxes are also an incentive for change As the former Nasa scientist James Hansen has noted: “As long as fossil fuels seem the cheapest energy to the public But while policy wonks across the world agree on the principle of “polluter pays” Macron has clearly found it hard to convince the French public on two key questions: what they are supposed to be paying for and whether the burden is being fairly shared The majority of the hundreds of thousands of gilets jaunes protesters are from low- or middle-income families who are hardest hit by the fuel price rises because they spend a disproportionate share of their incomes on fuel and transport They may have found the eco-tax rise easier to stomach if the revenues were then redistributed among the public a model already used in British Colombia that Justin Trudeau plans to expand throughout Canada There would also be less hostility if the revenues were ringfenced for renewable energy environmental homes or a better healthcare system to deal with the costs of air pollution and rising temperatures protesters have been able to argue the tax will be used mainly to cut France’s budget deficit by paying off wealthy creditors Macron has also demonstrated poor timing by announcing a rise in diesel and petrol taxes after a year in which oil prices rose by 23% largely because of Opec limits on production “Maybe he should have taken that into account and waited until the price goes down Or perhaps he should have returned some revenue,” said Bob Ward of the Grantham Institute he said governments could also consider alternatives such as raising standards on vehicles which has been the approach taken by California The city of Boulder in Colorado introduced a carbon tax after a majority of voters cast ballots in favour of the move Seven US states are also considering similar steps following midterm elections in which many Democrats campaigned on promises of climate action Designed by celebrated architect Kate Macintosh Oliver Wainwright meets the architect and residents to find out why it's worth saving In the packed common room at a sheltered housing community in south London groups of pensioners sit eagerly poised over their bingo cards with an imminent visit from the council looming on the horizon "They want to kick us out," says Richard Newman "They're going to sell off the land to build housing Here I can be completely independent – I still go to the shop run a bath – but they want to throw us into an infirmary They've got no compassion whatsoever." Over the last few months, the residents of 269 Leigham Court Road in Lambeth have come together to campaign against the "disposal" of their community which the council plans to sell to fund the construction of "extra care" housing elsewhere in the borough "They call it 'extra care' because it's more like being in hospital," says Joyce James "We live here like a family; we don't want to be separated from one another And the buildings are spectacular – it would be like pulling down Buckingham Palace or Westminster Abbey Modern monastery … the building is designed around a series of enclosed gardens, connected by a covered way. Photograph: Simon Kennedy Photograph: Simon KennedyDesigned in the early 1970s, one of Lambeth's first experiments with modular construction, the place has more in common with the crisp cubic forms of Bauhaus villas than the dumpy semis of suburban Streatham the 44-flat complex is composed of staggered clusters of blocks arranged in a loose chequerboard either side of a central covered walkway stepping back to form terraces and private patios the huddles of homes frame shrub-fringed lawns between their sharply sculpted volumes views carefully framed between the walkway's colonnade "Both of these schemes were driven by a preoccupation with trying to express the individual dwelling within a much bigger overall complex," says Macintosh "We were fighting against the blunt anonymity of the monotonous slab blocks that were popping up everywhere at the time." Cluster blocks … the buildings are arranged as a staggered chequerboard Photograph: Kate Macintosh Photograph: Kate MacintoshHaving won a scholarship to Warsaw Polytechnic while she was a student at Edinburgh Macintosh then spent time working for architects in Stockholm in an environment that influenced the rest of her career "It was a stark contrast to Britain in the 1960s," she says "Scandinavia felt like a much more egalitarian society where women were more advanced in the profession and there was less resistance to modern architecture "It was love at first sight," she grins "I just had to meet the man that had designed those buildings." In Lambeth she joined the research and development department just as a new government policy was introduced to encourage modular construction "It was a national effort to coordinate the dimensions of building materials," she says "to join up manufacturers with designers and builders at the same time as the transition from imperial to metric I thought the R&D department would give me some theoretical backup on the mysteries of modular coordination." Modern marvel … Architect Kate Macintosh revisits 269 Leigham Court Road Photograph: Simon Kennedy Photograph: Simon KennedyHailed in Building magazine at the time as "the London Borough of Lambeth's first wholly metric dwellings," 269 Leigham Court Road was a radical departure for the council "I prefer to restrict the range of materials and seek to achieve visual interest through the modelling and relationships of form and space," she wrote in Architectural Design magazine in 1975 "The larger scale [concrete block] units and simplicity of detailing give it a substantial appearance which I felt appropriate to this scheme." Accompanied by a sparing palette of stained brown timber and tubular steel balustrades the two-layer block-work construction forms a substantial armature that has stood the test of time where communal landings lead off from concrete staircases with a spatial sequence crafted to balance the needs of privacy with sociability Sociable walkway … Resident Valentine Walker stands in the covered colonnade that runs through the site Photograph: Simon Kennedy Photograph: Simon Kennedy"I thought of the covered way as a stream of water with spaces for little eddies to occur off the stream," says Macintosh "Carving out places for people to sit and gossip and mill in and out." The route kinks along its length while there is seating built in to nooks and crannies "People are always stopping to say hello and have a chat along this path," says Valentine Walker who moved here three years ago after suffering from depression but we have our own private gardens around the back too – something to keep the mind creative." "It's the perfect balance of having my own place but feeling part of something bigger," says Linda Lee looking out through full-height windows on to the lawn beyond "I love the feeling of having people around And the grandchildren love tearing around on their scooters." She has only been here for six months "I would be devastated to go," she says "Nowhere else is going to feel like this." The Twentieth Century Society, which unsuccessfully fought to get Dawson Heights listed, has lent its weight to the campaign to save Leigham Court Road, supporting an application by modernist heritage body Docomomo to have it listed Cleverly crafted … Eight units look on to a common top-lit stairwell in each block Photograph: Kate Macintosh Photograph: Kate Macintosh"It's one of those little gems tucked away in the backstreets," says Rob Loader of Docomomo "It has the atmosphere of an Oxbridge college with the building conceived as a backdrop to nature It plays games with formality and informality contrasting rationalist construction with the vagaries of nature There's not much like it anywhere else in the country." "We're seeing an increasing number of these low-rise housing estates threatened by local authorities who are keen to maximise density on their sites," says Henrietta Billings conservation adviser at the Twentieth Century Society "Leigham Court is a really good example of what we should be building now with generous space standards on what is quite a tight site with the one-person units pulled back above two-person units to create south-facing terraces while every detail has been lovingly thought through – down to the lower window sills so people can still look out at the garden from their beds." Officers from English Heritage have now visited the site and will be making their own recommendations soon Lambeth council insists that "demolition is not on the cards," but says it is looking to "dispose of the site," although not before 2018 "It has become abundantly clear that it's all about fulfilling targets," says Jonathan Bartley, chair of Lambeth's Green Party, who successfully fought to save the nearby Glebe sheltered housing community last year "It has nothing to do with taking account of the wishes of residents The council is moving towards a medical care-based model of old-age geared towards putting people in little boxes and charging them for extra services they don't need." "Lambeth claim to be a 'co-operative council' doing things in partnership with residents "So the future of 269 Leigham Court Road will be the real test of their flagship policy." “The Festival of Troubadours” is a film that follows a father who meets his son after twenty-five years He is aware that he is surviving on borrowed time he decides to make amends with all those whom he wronged When Yusuf was woken by an unexpected doorbell one night Can Yusuf forgive his father for leaving him “The Festival of Troubadours” is a slow-paced film capturing the nuances of a strained father-son relationship The film beautifully contrasts the mighty landscape with the discomfort of spending hours with the man Yusuf hated in the confined space of his car “The Festival of Troubadours” is worth watching for the stunning visuals The relationship between the father and the son is evident from the very first instant Yusuf looked at his father with admiration but Heves Ali was not included in the framing triggering a sense of distance between the two He explained to Yusuf that he was visiting his mother’s grave and decided to stay at his place due to the heavy rainfall He could not comprehend why his father turned up at his doorstep after so many years Heves planned to leave the next morning to travel to Arkanya and then to Kars Heves stated that his doctor had said that it would heal within a few days he took pictures of the test report his father was carrying Yusuf left his house for work; he was an attorney at the Ministry of Justice He contacted his friend and asked him to study the report and inform him if it indicated any serious illness He was later informed by his friend that his father’s condition was unstable After studying the logs of various hospitals his friend concluded that the man had been to every one of them but not a single doctor could come up with a promising solution Yusuf tracked down the bus Heves was traveling on and asked him to join him in his car he felt responsible for taking care of him He decided to drive his father to his destination and thus began their journey together to discuss their past and make up for the lost time Heves Ali wanted the blessings of his friends and students and also the forgiveness of all those whom he had hurt in his lifetime Heves knew that the world might forgive him Yusuf yearned for his father to express regret or remorse for leaving him when he needed him the most Yusuf expressed how he had suffered for not having his father by his side What frustrated him the most was the fact that but he could never find the time to talk to his son he would wonder what his life would have been like if Heves had not left him The lack of a father figure had affected Yusuf more than Heves had ever thought it would But he chose to not respond to Yusuf’s anger they paused to admire the beauty of nature that surrounded them a woman with red hair who played the baglama Heves would sit under the tree and play his baglama Heves stopped visiting Zere’s village Zere waited for her lovers for months and seasons and Zere’s heart raced to meet her lover But Heves did not return to meet his lover and Zere knew it when she heard him sing a new song he wrote for another woman who had blonde hair and she walked back home in silence that day Heves knocked on her door for forgiveness and played his baglama under the tree just like he used to Zere opened the door and joined him to play music together Zere asked Yusuf to inform her if his father’s condition had deteriorated She asked him to not be upset with his father any longer since it was all in the past Heves Ali was not a man who could bind himself to the rules of society and stay within the four walls of a house His art was born out of his undefined lifestyle She asked Yusuf to think about it all before coming to any conclusion The Festival of Troubadours was where all of Heves Ali’s friends/ troubadours gathered to play music together and celebrate their traditions Heves’ condition worsened when he went to visit another group of friends and had to be admitted to the hospital Yusuf held his father’s hand when he was lying on the hospital bed He checked his father’s belongings and found the cap that Heves always wore he found the picture that he had taken with his father when he was young Yusuf realized that his father never forgot about him Heves once mentioned that he never contacted Yusuf thinking that his life was better without knowing his father He did not know that his mother would remarry Yusuf shared a bitter relationship with his stepfather Yusuf blamed Heves for ruining his childhood but the picture reminded him of the few yet happy days that he had spent with Heves After listening to the men playing baglama He wanted Yusuf to take him to the festival Yusuf knew how much it meant to his father He decided to take him there in an ambulance and reunite him with all his friends one last time Heves made the three-hour-long journey and reached the festival He raised his baglama and asked his friends for their blessings His friends blessed him in unison and played music for him and he had to be taken back to the hospital he saw his father holding the baglama and walking along with little Yusuf Even though he did not have too many childhood memories of his father he cherished the time they had spent together The final journey to the festival of Troubadours helped Yusuf understand his father and forgive him and the man could leave the world in peace The person whom Yusuf believed was selfish was living the life of a nomad and Yusuf could no longer blame him for his lifestyle and choices he dreamt of choking his father out of hate but it was all resolved when he saw his father carrying his picture along with him even after all these years Yusuf found the closure he was looking for in the form of an unexpected journey “The Festival of Troubadours” ends on an emotional note with Yusuf listening to a recorded tape of his father while driving home alone in his car “The Festival of Troubadours” is a 2022 drama film directed by Özcan Alper 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 or assault are just a few among the types of criminal activities that have become commonplace Here are the most crime-riddent areas of the country The National Police Headquarters has long been featuring an infection map on its website the extent to which crime has infected a particular area concerning ten specific types of crimes The compilation by Index was also crafted using this map The police present the data concerning the number of crimes per 100,000 inhabitants noticeable differences may emerge between the capital and other counties Despite millions residing in the Hungarian capital and its agglomeration the large numbers do not proportionally attract an increase in criminal activities where areas are ranked based on all committed crimes it’s Heves County in the northern part of the country The counties are ranked with the following number of reported crimes: the results can be shocking: in Hevesi district (based on police figures per 100,000 inhabitants) the authorities had to take action against 2,736 crimes Heves County is once again the leader in the number of thefts with 1,044 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in the district of Heves which is in stark contrast to the last place Nógrád takes over the lead from Heves with a number of 29 (Heves in second place with 28 and Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok in third place with 20) it was not Békés but Hajdú-Bihar with only 6 such crimes In the case of violence against the person this category includes the offences of homicide Nógrád County tops the list with 300 cases followed by Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg County with 279 Csongrád-Csanád County came last with 129 cases Nyírbátor and its surroundings in Szabolcs had the highest number of cases while in the district of Kistelek in Csongrád and website in this browser for the next time I comment Y"},"category":false,"taxonomy":{"active":false,"name":"category"}},"markup":{"custom_html":true,"wpp-start":"","wpp-end":"<\/ul>","title-start":"","title-end":"<\/h2>","post-html":"{thumb} {title} {stats}<\/span>{excerpt}<\/p><\/li>"},"theme":{"name":""}} You have successfully joined our subscriber list SupportUs Newsletter © 2025 DailyNewsHungary | All rights reserved