Desmond Milligan

Russia’s troops are continuing their slow war of attrition in eastern and northern Ukraine, even as the conflict enters a pivotal phase with a series of high-level meetings that are part of U.S. President Donald Trump's push for peace. In the three-and-a-half years since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the front line has continued to move slowly with some unexpected strikes also redrawing the map. Here is a look at some of the main events in the conflict. Feb. 24, 2022 — Russian President Vladimir Putin launches an invasion of Ukraine from the north, east and south. Russian troops quickly reach Kyiv’s outskirts, but their attempts to capture the capital and other cities in the northeast meet stiff resistance. March 5, 2022 — Russian advances toward Kyiv and Kherson reach their height. The port city of Mariupol is surrounded. April 2, 2022 — Ukraine defeats Russian forces in Kyiv after throwing them back in Chernihiv. Aug. 29, 2022 — Ukraine’s first counteroffensive starts in the east and south. Sept. 30, 2022 — Russia illegally annexes Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions of Ukraine, even though it doesn't fully control either of the four. September to November 2022 — Ukrainian forces reclaim vast parts of the Kharkiv, Mykolaiv and Kherson regions in the first counteroffensive, including the city of Kherson itself. May 22, 2023 — Russia claims control of Bakhmut after months of fighting. June 6, 2023 — As Ukraine’s long-anticipated second counteroffensive starts, the Russian-controlled Kakhovka Dam explodes, sending a wall of water into southern Ukraine and upending Ukrainian battle plans. Fall 2023 — The second Ukrainian counteroffensive ends, with little change to the front line. Feb. 18, 2024 — Russian forces take complete control of the eastern city of Avdiivka after months of combat. April 19, 2024 — The U.S. House of Representatives approves $61 billion package for Ukraine after months of delay. May 10, 2024 — Russia launches a new offensive in the northeastern region of Kharkiv, capturing a string of villages and opening a new front in the war. Aug. 6, 2024 — Ukraine launches a lightning incursion into Russia’s Kursk region, holding territory along the border in an unexpected and embarrassing episode for the Kremlin. Jan. 20, 2025 — Donald Trump is inaugurated as the 47th president of the United States. His election raises uncertainty as to whether Washington will continue to support Ukraine. April 26, 2025 — Moscow says all Ukrainian troops have been forced out from Russia’s Kursk region. Several weeks later, Putin visits the area in a show of strength and is filmed speaking with local volunteers. June 1, 2025 — Ukraine strikes airfields deep inside Russia by launching drones that have been secretly stored and transported across the country on the back of trucks. The attack is codenamed Operation Spider Web. Summer 2025 — Russia and Ukraine both step up drone strikes with the ability to strike deep into each other’s territory. June 30, 2025 — Russia says it has taken full control of Ukraine’s Luhansk, one of four regions that Moscow illegally annexed in September 2022. July 31, 2025 — Russia says it has taken full control of the strategically important Ukrainian city of Chasiv Yar after a grinding, months-long assault. August 2025 — Russian forces continue their push in the Donetsk region, where the Kremlin has focused the bulk of military efforts, capturing small villages and closing in on Pokrovsk, a strategically important city. Aug. 15, 2025 — Putin meets Trump in Alaska for the first Russia-U.S. summit in four years to discuss ending the war in Ukraine. Zelenskyy and European officials say Putin wants Ukraine to withdraw from the remaining 30% of the Donetsk region that it controls as part of a deal. Follow The Associated Press for full coverage of the war. View the full article

Canada’s federal conservative leader will have a second chance of winning a seat in parliament when residents of a rural Alberta district cast their ballots in a closely watched byelection on Monday. Pierre Poilievre’s bid to take the safe seat of Battle River-Crowfoot comes four months after the Conservatives’ defeat in April’s federal election, in which the party leader lost the riding he had held for more than 20 years. It was an unexpected blow for the 45-year-old career politician who, before the election was upended by Donald Trump’s threats to annex Canada, had been widely expected to become the country’s next prime minister. Despite Poilievre’s defeat, the Conservatives did, however, win enough seats to form the largest official opposition in Canadian history at the expense of other opposition parties. But without a seat in the House of Commons, Poilievre has been unable to serve as leader of the official opposition, hampering his ability to full attack the Liberal government of prime minister Mark Carney. Conservative MP Damien Kurek, a three-time lawmaker, took Battle River-Crowfoot with nearly 83% of the vote in April, but stood down in June to allow Poilievre to run. Because of the federal implications of the vote, the byelection has been overshadowed by a protest movement calling for electoral reform, plunging what might have been a routine vote into chaos and uncertainty. Members of the Longest Ballot Committee have coaxed 203 candidates to add their names the roster, in protest of what they see as poorly structured electoral rules. For the first time, Elections Canada will requiring voters to fill out a blank ballot with the name of their preferred candidate, instead of printing thousands of metre-long ballots. Elections Canada says votes will be counted even if the voter misspells the candidate’s name. The Longest Ballot Committee did something similar in April, when it put 90 candidates on the list in Poilievre’s Ottawa-area riding, dramatically slowing down the vote count. “If I were one of the 53,684 people in Battle River-Crowfoot who voted for Mr Kurek, I would be angry right now. I would be wondering why someone who had received my vote in three elections would suddenly abandon his position as a member of Parliament for a job as a lobbyist,” Barry Rueger, who is among the 214 candidates contesting the vote, wrote in a piece for the Globe and Mail. “And I’d be wondering how a candidate who had just been defeated in his own riding in Ontario was supposed to understand my needs, and fill the role of a rural Alberta MP.” View the full article

The state Capitol. (Photo by Ned Oliver/Virginia Mercury) • “Uncertainty remains in Virginia’s spending priorities.” — VPM • “Youngkin says Virginia National Guard’s federal deployment focused on support roles, not patrols in D.C.” — 13newsnow • “Virginia helps to secure full G.I. bill benefits for veterans.” — WAVY • “Virginia dealerships may have been violating law unnoticed due to poor oversight: audit.” — WRIC • “Virginia State Police investigating homicide in Smyth County.” — WSET SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX View the full article

Based on 30-year data, an average Atlantic hurricane season has 14 named storms. But back in 1983, the hurricane season only produced four storms, the lowest number of any hurricane season in the era of weather satellites. One of these was a billion-dollar disaster, making landfall in the U.S. on this day in history. Hurricane Alicia, the first named storm of the 1983 season, made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane near Galveston, Texas, in the early morning of Aug. 18. The storm intensified from a tropical depression in the northern Gulf of Mexico to making landfall as a Category 3 hurricane in only 67 hours. Sustained winds on land reached 97 mph with gusts up to 125 mph, shattering windows in downtown Houston skyscrapers. These windows were built to withstand hurricane-force winds but not impact from debris. Shards of glass easily became deadly missiles to those nearby. Storm surge was one of the biggest impacts from Alicia. Surges of up to 12 feet pushed into land along Galveston Bay. The storm surge caused the public beach boundary at Galveston's West Beach to move back 150 feet. Not only were high winds and storm surge concerns from this hurricane, but there were also at least 23 reported tornadoes during Alicia. Luckily, most were small tornadoes, rating F0 on the Fujita Scale. But the strongest tornado was rated at F2 with winds in the range of 113 to 157 mph. Tons of trees in the Houston area were lost due to Hurricane Alicia. Soaking rains in the weeks ahead of the hurricane resulted in highly saturated soils, causing trees to be easily blown down. Alicia caused $9.5 billion (adjusted to 2024 dollars) in damage in the U.S. and claimed 21 lives. Miriam Guthrie graduated from the Georgia Institute of Technology with an undergraduate degree in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences and is now a meteorology intern with weather.com before returning to school for her master's. View the full article

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直銷公司Nu Skin的時任男職員，涉藉機叫女同事到其家留宿，或與女同事出差時，以蔘湯或水等把女方迷暈，並脫下她們的衣服。有女同事揭發後，獲公司安排與被告會面時，指被告曾跪地痛哭認：「我同佢換衫咋⋯⋯瞓喺佢側邊，同佢傾偈。」但否認曾作性侵行為。男職員否認指控，更稱因遭女上司打至眼鏡飛脫，他覺得無人信他，才「假招供」自認是「易服癖」，及作出相關的事。案件早前經審後，被告今(18日)在區域法院被裁定罪名成立。法官練錦鴻斥被告所為令事主對人失去信心，先索取背景、精神及心理報告，下令被告還押至9月23日判刑。 練官裁決時指，被告與受害人任職的公司，其上下線感情近乎宗教信往，被告遭上線對質下招供，符合法律的不自願性，故不接納他向上線招認證供。惟曾出庭作證的4名受害作供都十分可信，裁定被告罪名成立。 被告否認3項施用藥物罪被告潘迪偉（43歲，報稱商人），曾在直銷公司Nu Skin工作。他否認3項意圖使他人受損害、精神受創或惱怒而施用毒藥或其他殘害性物品或有害物品。控罪指他於2013年至2014年間，在廣播道柏苑某單位等地方，非法及惡意向3名女子施用催眠藥，意圖使她們受損害、精神受創或惱怒，3名女事主分別姓歐、何及周。 被告潘迪偉否認迷暈3女子。(陳曉欣攝)被告潘廸偉在區域法院受審。(黃浩謙攝)官指公司上下線感情近乎宗教信徒練官裁決時指，被告的公司上下線之間關係親暱，感情「近乎宗教信徒」，企業文化是以營業額為尊。其中嘉民（譯音）是公司最資深的上線，更被尊稱為「大老師」，其地位近乎精神領袖，有權力決定成員的去留。 找資料作假招認令人難以信服被告聲稱遭上線對質時招認，練官指被告面對的指控非常嚴重，但他不爭辯之餘更是逆來順受，更稱他特意上網找資料支持其招認，令人難以信納，扭曲邏輯。惟練官認為嘉民是權力人士，不排除被告獲告知從實招徠，可能可以繼續留在團隊，不符合法律上的自願招認，遂不考慮其招認證據。 4名受害人均誠實可信練官指本案唯一可接納的證據，是4名受害人的供詞，她們證供清晰，所描述的被告作案手法相同。受害人與被告皆隸屬同一直銷團隊，相識多時。她們與被告獨處時，喝下被告提供的飲料之後不省人事，對之前發生的事沒了記憶。她們沒有作偽證的動機，與被告亦無私人恩怨，所遭遇的事絕非巧合，唯一推論是，被告在她們的飲料加料，令她們飲後感到不適，裁定被告罪成。 被告女兒患嚴重抽動症難根治辯方求情指，被告的妻子和6歲女兒住在澳門，其女兒早前診斷有嚴重抽動症，難以根治，望法庭開恩判非即時監禁。惟練官指，被告違反信任，案情嚴重，行為令事主對人失去信心，先為被告索取一系列報告，並需收押候判。 女事主均曾飲被告提供的蔘茶或飲品控方在審訊時曾傳召多名疑曾遭被告迷暈的女事主出庭，她們均曾在同一直銷公司工作，並曾到被告於廣播道的住所，或與被告到外地公幹時，飲過被告提供給她們的蔘茶等飲品後失去意識或記憶。 歐事主喝蔘茶醒來後一絲不掛歐姓女事主供稱，她在2013年左右一個晚上，因工作至夜深，被告邀她到其家借宿，她獲安排在被告家中的客房獨自休息。惟她當晚喝過被告給她的參湯後，洗澡時突失去意識暈倒，醒來已是第二天，驚覺自己一絲不掛睡在被睡房的床上，她以為只是健康問題而沒追究。被告則指歐過勞而暈低，才撬開洗手間的門救她。 何事主在被告家喝水後不省人事另一姓何事主則稱，她獲邀到被告夫婦家留宿，喝過被告給她的水後不省人事，醒來已經天光。被告指她太累，所以睡着。 周事主翻查酒店CCTV發現被告多次入房周姓事主稱，她在2015年兩度與被告單獨到深圳公幹，喝了被告自備的養生湯後，昏迷兼失憶，她第二次醒來時發現自己全身赤裸，覺得有古怪而提早退房回港。周事後返回涉事酒店，並索取閉路電視片段，赫見被告攬住一個大包裹用門卡擅進其房，先後三度進出她的房間。 被告曾跪地向周道歉公司後來安排周與被告在公司會面，被告曾跪地痛哭向她道歉，解釋他在網上購買了安眠藥，承認為周換了3套衣服，曾攬住沉睡中的周談天拍照，他自言無法自控，亦無心傷害周。 男聲在錄音稱同佢換衫及傾偈咋庭上曾播放一段2015年的錄音，期間有人追落藥的事，一把男聲泣稱：「我唔想傷害你哋⋯⋯」又稱在網上見到「F2」安眠藥，並說：「我冇諗過帶任何動機迷佢……」男聲又稱，他將水放在廚房，掉轉給了她都不知，直至他半夜發現沒有藥效，才懷疑是否別人吃了他的藥。男聲又說：「我控制唔到我自己。」又稱他想滿足其換衫的慾望，又說：「我同佢換衫咋⋯⋯瞓喺佢側邊，同佢傾偈。」但否認曾性侵對方。 幾名事主至2019年交談下，發現別人疑也有相同經驗，終決定報案。 被告指上司質問似審犯被告出庭自辯稱，他被上司質問時表現兇惡，像「審犯」般對他，並說：「唔出聲即係默認。」更打至他眼鏡飛脫。被告認為上司已認定他有落藥，他為了保住飯碗，故作出「假招認」，認曾有給蔘藥給周喝，訛稱有「易服癖」及趁周暈倒後為她換了3套衣服，並編造出有食安眠藥習慣，但稱這些均非事實。 案件編號：DCCC 89/2024 商人涉迷暈3女子　事主醒來全身赤裸　指被告認曾為她更衣並攬住商人涉迷暈3女子　事主指被告曾跪地道歉　指癖好源與妻房事不順商人涉迷暈3女　被告稱被上司打至眼鏡飛脫　為保飯碗假認易服癖商人涉迷暈3女子　被告跪地道歉為搏同情　若知有人錄音不會假認商人涉迷暈3女子　庭上播男聲錄音稱難自控　想滿足換衫的慾望商人涉迷暈3女子　第二事主指被告夫婦邀留宿　喝水後完全斷片商人涉十年間迷暈3女子　事主稱喝過被告蔘湯　洗澡時突失知覺 View the full article

據法國24新聞台（France24）報道，當地時間8月17日，歐洲多名領導人相繼確認將於18日前往美國一同參加美烏會談。法國總統馬克龍（Emmanuel Macron，又譯馬克宏）當日表示，歐洲領導人們將向美方詢問，在和平協議中，美方準備在多大程度上為向烏克蘭提供的安全保障作出貢獻。 當日，馬克龍在參加「志願者聯盟」（coalition of willing）視訊會議後表示，此行的目標是展現烏克蘭及其歐洲盟友之間的「統一戰線」，烏克蘭的盟友希望烏克蘭實現「強大而持久的和平」，並希望烏克蘭的「領土完整」得到尊重。 2025年8月17日，法國總統馬克龍（Emmanuel Macron，又譯馬克宏）在與「志願者聯盟」（coalition of willing）成員進行視訊會議後發表講話。（Reuters）馬克龍還稱：「只有一個國家提出的和平方案和投降劃等號，那就是俄羅斯。」 17日晚些時候，俄羅斯外交部發言人扎哈羅娃（Maria Zakharova）發表聲明回應稱，馬克龍的言論是「徹頭徹尾的謊言」。 她表示，七年來，俄羅斯一直依據《明斯克協議》的條款，提議以「和平方式」解決這場衝突，馬克龍明知烏克蘭不可能在戰場上獲勝，卻仍在試圖讓烏克蘭相信自己能夠取勝。 當地時間8月15日，俄美領導人在美國阿拉斯加會晤。之後，烏克蘭總統澤連斯基（Volodymyr Zelensky）宣布將應邀於18日赴美與美國總特朗普（Donald Trump，又譯川普）會晤。就在8月17日當天，多名歐洲政要相繼確認也將前往美國參加會晤，其中包括英國、法國、德國、意大利等國以及歐盟領導人。 歐洲多位領袖均會出席2025年8月18日特朗普與澤連斯基的會談，左起為芬蘭總統斯圖布、德國總理默茨、歐盟委員會主席馮德萊恩、法國總統馬克龍、意大利總理梅洛尼（Reuters）特朗普早前告訴歐洲領導人，他願考慮為烏克蘭提供類似北約第五條的安全保障，此舉被視作特朗普立場的重大轉變。美總統俄烏問題特使維特科夫（Steve Witkoff）17日稱，俄羅斯總統普京京（Vladimir Putin，又譯普丁或蒲亭）同意在和平協議中，接受美歐為烏克蘭提供「強有力的安全保障」。但這一說法尚未得到俄方證實。 本文獲《觀察者網》授權轉載 「箍頸」行業稅開始了　特朗普操弄關稅進入下一步歐洲領袖7+1見特朗普：美俄峰會愈說愈模糊　澤連斯基有三大目標特朗普會歐洲領袖：一場註定徒勞的「華盛頓朝會」特朗普發神秘帖文　內容僅「4英文字母」　語焉不詳引發外界猜測 View the full article

Who says the roadster is dead? Volume manufacturers like Audi, Mercedes, and BMW are gradually backing away from their relationship with open two-seaters but boutique maker Morgan is taking up the slack. The UK-based manufacturer Morgan is deliberately bucking the trend and remaining loyal to open-air culture. After all, the British have been building open cars like these for over 100 years. Only a handful were designed to carry more than two people and nearly all of them were open to the skies. Yes the word tradition is writ large in Malvern. It's no coincidence that even the new models, with their separate headlights, sweeping mudguards, and yacht-like rear ends, look like classic cars from the 1930s. This applies to the Super 3 and the Plus Four, and even more so to the new Supersport, which will move to the top of the model range this summer with prices starting at $126,700. Admittedly the British don't want to upset all those petrol-heads who appreciate a dignified pallor and prefer to drive with some protection from the blazing sun. So the open two-seater is available with a hardtop as an alternative to the fabric soft top, which can be removed with four screws or swapped for the fabric hood so that you can still enjoy the fresh air. Like all Morgans, the Supersport is largely handcrafted at Pickersleigh Road using custom-made aluminium sheets hammered into shape over an ash wood frame. That's why it can take up to five months to produce a car. And in the redbrick workshops three hours north of London, only around 700 cars are completed each year. Yet make no mistake, everything inside this old-school shell is cutting edge, because it comes from BMW in Munich. That means the chassis, the eight-speed automatic transmission, and, most importantly, the lusty three-litre six-cylinder turbo engine which is familiar from the stock BMW Z4. Even though they look similar under the bonnet and there are even a few shared parts in the cockpit, the two cars could not be more different. Not only are the Morgan and Z4 many decades apart in design terms, but their driving characteristics are also in no way comparable. Naturally, both are faster and more powerful than you will ever need for everyday driving. With its 250 kW/340 hp and 500 Nm, the Morgan accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in just 3.9 seconds and reaches a top speed of 267 km/h, despite weighing less than 1,200 kg. But while in the BMW you quickly become a passenger at the wheel and find yourself muttering about all the digital gubbins, the Morgan offers pure driving pleasure. With the seat of your pants just above the asphalt and the wind rushing through your hair, driver and vehicle become one. The Morgan pilot feels as if he or she is steering the rear-wheel drive car almost with mindpower instead of arm muscles. No sooner do you see a curve and the car is already around it. And if you tick all the boxes when buying and pull out all the stops on the road with the Spartan coil-over suspension, you can even feel the markings on the road surface. You can also steer by pumping the accelerator pedal thanks to the rear axle limited-slip differential. Put simply, a limited-slip differential ensures that more torque is transferred to the rear wheel on the outside of the curve when you accelerate harder in a bend. This can make it easier for the car to turn into the curve – in other words, the accelerator pedal is used to steer. Sure, a long trip in the Morgan will leave you feeling as exhausted as if you had just run a marathon. Yet the Sunday morning spin has never been more satisfying and after two sprints and a couple of hairpin turns, the adrenaline flushes every last bit of fatigue from your body. The controls are just as analogue as the driving experience. Not only are you surrounded by wool, natural leather, genuine wood, and aluminium instead of synthetic fibres of any kind, felt made from fishing nets, or vegan leather substitutes, but there are also no sensor fields, voice control, or touchscreens anywhere to be seen. Instead, the digital display, which is apparently indispensable for all manner of indicator lights, is hidden away behind the steering wheel. The modern buttons for it are concealed under the dashboard, and the cockpit is dotted with just a few almost-antique push buttons. The three windscreen wipers are short rubber stubs on chrome fingers, windows are not raised electrically, but moved by hand or removed entirely. The soft top is thrown back using the long arm, and the hardness of the seat is adjusted using a hand pump. There are two air cushions in the seat, which are inflated using a rubber ball. Welcome to the good old days of the automobile. Except that there is now a hidden Bluetooth speaker and LED lights shine from the frog eyes. With a unique combination of classic car design and modern technology, Morgan also offers the timeless fun of driving for its own sake which will act as antidote to the utility of electric cars and will probably still be around long after they are gone. Specification: Morgan Supersport "A performance sports car for individuals who love driving. Supersport ushers in a new era of design, dynamics and refinement to the Morgan range," the company says. Craig Pusey/dpa-tmnThe Morgan Supersport has the design of a classic car with state-of-the-art technology. Craig Pusey/dpa-tmn View the full article

Most people treat a gas station pump like a vending machine for fuel — you drive up, swipe or insert your card, fill your tank, and drive off. But in that 90-second transaction, your debit or credit card could be silently cloned by a tiny device you can't even see. Gas pump card skimmers aren't a new scam, but they've become much more sophisticated. A card skimmer is a small, often well-disguised gadget criminals attach to a payment terminal to steal credit and debit card info. According to the FBI, skimming costs consumers and financial institutions over $1 billion annually in the U.S. alone. They're not just found at shady locations — they've been uncovered at pumps in quiet, upscale neighborhoods, too. The problem is so pervasive that in states including Florida and California, officials now conduct routine pump inspections looking for skimmers. Card-skimming devices aren't obvious; in fact, many are 3D-printed to match the pump's exterior perfectly. But subtle clues — like a loose or bulky card slot — can be the difference between safe fueling and handing your financial life to a stranger. The takeaway? Skimmers thrive on inattention. If you're in a hurry, you're more likely to fall into their trap. It may not be in the unwritten rules of the gas stations, but awareness at the pump is no longer optional. It's a must. Read more: Call Me A Luddite, But These Modern Features Only Seem To Make Cars Worse Red Flags To Spot Before You SwipeA gas pump with electronic card reader - 010110010101101/ShutterstockGas stations make easy targets for skimmer thieves. Pumps sit outdoors, often unsupervised, with locks that are easy to pick. Many still use outdated magnetic stripe readers, so thieves can quickly attach devices and steal card data. So before swiping, do a little pump CSI. Tug the card reader gently — if it shifts, wobbles, or feels unusually bulky, that's your cue to bail. A well-installed skimmer often stacks onto the original reader, creating a visual and tactile mismatch. Look at the security seal stickers on the gas pump; if they're broken, peeling, or misaligned, someone may have tampered with it. Compare it with its neighbor pump; if something's off, walk away. Fake keypads and hidden cameras are the tech crooks use to harvest your PIN, often capturing it right above the keypad or as an overlay. Even tiny signs like misaligned graphics or glue residue are worth noticing. A little vigilance and awareness could go a long way. You don't want to be that person with the worst gas station horror stories. Even if you can't spot a skimmer, you can still make yourself a much harder target. Protect Yourself Every Time You Fuel UpA customer using a card for paying gas - Grace Cary/Getty ImagesWhenever possible, pay inside the store instead of at the pump — it's harder for criminals to tamper with indoor terminals. If you must pay at the pump, use a credit card instead of a debit card. Credit cards have better fraud protection, and you won't risk your bank account being directly emptied. Many banks also offer "tap-to-pay" contactless cards or digital wallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay, which are harder to skim. Also, stick to pumps closest to the attendant's booth, which are less likely to be tampered with. For extra caution, enable transaction or fraud alerts on your online banking or app so you'll know instantly if something suspicious happens. And here's the big one: trust your instincts. If something about a pump feels sketchy — the reader's loose, the seal's broken, or the station just seems poorly maintained — skip it and report to the authorities. Skimmers thrive on people being in a rush and not paying attention. It's not a matter of topping off your gas tank and going on with your day anymore. Slow down, check twice, and you'll be far less likely to become the next person calling their bank to say, "Uh... I didn't just spend $600 in Miami." Want more like this? Join the Jalopnik newsletter to get the latest auto news sent straight to your inbox... Read the original article on Jalopnik. View the full article

Starvation deaths are climbing daily in Gaza, as Israel’s 22-month blockade and relentless attacks drive a man-made famine into homes and tents. As of August 17, the known number of people who have starved to death in Gaza, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry there, reached at least 258 people, including 110 children. (Al Jazeera)Why is there not enough food in Gaza?Between March and mid-May, Israel fully sealed Gaza’s crossings, preventing food, water, and humanitarian aid from entering. The blockade created extreme shortages, pushing Gaza’s already fragile population into severe hunger and dehydration. On August 14, more than 100 aid organisations, including prominent groups such as Oxfam, Doctors Without Borders (MSF), Amnesty International, and the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), condemned Israel’s weaponisation of aid, saying it was obstructing life-saving assistance from entering Gaza. Vast quantities of relief supplies are stranded in warehouses across Jordan and Egypt while Palestinians continue to starve. On Monday, rights group Amnesty International accused Israel of enacting a “deliberate policy” of starvation in Gaza and of “systematically destroying the health, wellbeing and social fabric of Palestinian life”. “It is the intended outcome of plans and policies that Israel has designed and implemented, over the past 22 months, to deliberately inflict on Palestinians in Gaza conditions of life calculated to bring about their physical destruction – which is part and parcel of Israel’s ongoing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza,” Amnesty said. Gaza has always been dependent on aid, given an Israeli blockade that has been imposed since 2007. Before October 7, 2023, about 500 aid trucks entered daily, nearly 15,000 a month. Since then, deliveries have fluctuated drastically, rarely reaching pre-war levels needed to sustain the territory’s 2.3 million residents. When does malnutrition become deadly?The human body relies on glucose from food to survive. When food is scarce, it first burns fat to keep the heart beating, but prolonged hunger eventually causes organ failure, which can lead to death. Prolonged malnutrition also causes brain fog and difficulty thinking or speaking, affecting daily functioning. Children are most at risk because starvation quickly damages their growing bodies and organs. The first 1,000 days of a child’s life, which include during pregnancy up to two years of age, are critical for a child’s development. Malnutrition, especially during this time, can have devastating long-lasting effects that hinder cognitive development, physical development and, in some cases where nutrition treatments and therapies are not administered, can prove fatal. (Al Jazeera)In Gaza, where food shortages have been severe for months, more and more images are emerging of children in the “red” zone on MUAC tapes, which measure the circumference of the upper arm to assess malnutrition. A measurement below 11.5 cm signals severe acute malnutrition. These children require emergency treatment, and without it, they face a high risk of death. Other than the visible signs of extreme thinness, children suffering from severe malnutrition may show physical traits such as sunken, pale eyes, flaky skin, loss of hair, and a swollen belly caused by oedema – fluid buildup in the body due to severe protein deficiency. (Al Jazeera)How is famine measured?Famine is the worst level of hunger, where people face severe food shortages, widespread malnutrition and high levels of death due to starvation. Assessing the situation in Gaza is difficult because access to the ground is severely restricted, and Israel has destroyed nearly all the health facilities. According to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), famine is when: At least 20 percent of households face extreme food shortages. Acute malnutrition affects more than 30 percent of the population. Death rate exceeds 2 deaths per 10,000 people per day. (Al Jazeera) View the full article

長野地検＝皆川真仁撮影 　長野市のJR長野駅前で1月、男女3人が殺傷された事件で、長野地検は18日、長野市の無職、矢口雄資容疑者（47）を殺人や殺人未遂などの罪で起訴した。認否については明らかにしていない。 　責任能力の有無などを調べるため、長野地検は今年3月から鑑定留置をしていた。同地検の長沢範幸次席検事は「刑事責任を問えると判断した」とコメントした。 Advertisement 　矢口被告はこれまでの取り調べに対し「無罪を主張します」などと供述。「社会に復帰しなければならない」といった趣旨の話をしていたという。 　起訴状などによると、矢口被告は1月22日午後8時ごろ、長野駅前のバス停付近で会社員、丸山浩由さん（当時49歳）の左胸部を牛刀で刺して殺害。別の男女2人を刺すなどして殺害しようとしたとしている。【鈴木英世】 View the full article

Thousands of firefighters backed by the military and water-bombing aircraft on Monday battled dozens of wildfires across Spain and Portugal, as the death toll increased to six since the outbreaks began. The Iberian peninsula has been particularly affected by forest fires fuelled by a succession of heatwaves and droughts blamed on climate change that have hit the southern Mediterranean. Two firefighters were killed on Sunday -- one in each country, both in road accidents -- taking the death toll to two in Portugal and four in Spain. The head of Spain's Civil Protection and Emergencies, Virginia Barcones, told broadcaster TVE there were currently 23 "active fires in operation status two", indicating a serious and direct threat to the population. The fires, now in their second week, were concentrated in Galicia, Castile and Leon, and Extremadura regions. In the Ourense province of Galicia, northwestern Spain, signs of the fires were everywhere, from ashen forests and blackened soil to destroyed homes, with thick smoke forcing people to wear facemasks. Firefighters in protective clothing, armed with fire beaters, battled to put out fires, as locals in just shorts and T-shirts used water from hoses and buckets to try to stop the spread. "In my 75 years, I truly mean it, I have never experienced anything like this before," a woman in the town of O Barco de Valdeorras told AFP. Another resident dousing his home with water from a hosepipe described the wildfire that ripped through his area as "like a bomb". "It came from below and it was like a hurricane," he said. "The good thing was that in two minutes it headed up and it didn't stay here long. "If not, our house would have been burnt, it would not have survived." - 'Complicated situation' - Barcones said she hoped weather conditions would turn to help tackle the fires, as Spain's meteorological agency forecast "the last day of this heatwave", which has seen temperatures hit 45C in parts of the south. Many other places have seen temperatures above 40C. Elsewhere in the southern Mediterranean, the authorities in Turkey said two major fires had been brought under control, while rain and falling temperatures have helped firefighters extinguish dozens of blazes in the Balkans. Spain is being helped with firefighting aircraft from France, Italy, Slovakia and the Netherlands, while Portugal is receiving air support from Sweden and Morocco. "It's a very difficult, very complicated situation," Spanish Defence Minister Margarita Robles told TVE. The size and severity of the fires and the intensity of the smoke -- visible from space -- were making "airborne action" difficult," she added. Officials in Castile and Leon said a firefighter died on Sunday night when the water truck he was driving flipped over on a steep forest road. "For an unknown reason, the vehicle approached the embankment and overturned, falling down a steep slope," the regional government posted on X. Two other volunteer firefighters have died in Castile and Leon, while a Romanian employee of a riding school north of Madrid lost his life trying to protect horses from the fire. In Portugal, President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said a firefighter died on Sunday night in a traffic accident that left two of his colleagues seriously injured. A former mayor in the eastern town of Guarda died on Friday while trying to tackle a fire. Some 2,000 firefighters were deployed across northern and central Portugal on Monday, with about half of them concentrated in the town of Arbanil. burs-phz/jxb View the full article

位於港鐵大埔墟站附近的大埔泮涌村，今天（18日）下午4時許突然停電。經民聯大埔南區議員羅曉楓到場了解，料一百戶居民受影響，已聯絡中電及水務署跟進，料最快同日晚上八時完成修復。 8月18日，大埔泮涌村突然停電，經民聯大埔南區議員羅曉楓到場了解，聯絡中電及水務署跟進，料最快同日晚上八時完成修復。（羅曉楓Facebook）8月18日，大埔泮涌村突然停電，經民聯大埔南區議員羅曉楓到場了解，聯絡中電及水務署跟進，料最快同日晚上八時完成修復。（羅曉楓Facebook）泮涌村多戶今天停電，羅曉楓在社交網站Facebook表示，初步懷疑附近工程期間意外損及電線與水管，導致供電中斷，影響區內居民日常生活。 8月18日，大埔泮涌村突然停電，經民聯大埔南區議員羅曉楓到場了解，聯絡中電及水務署跟進，料最快同日晚上八時完成修復。（羅曉楓Facebook）羅曉楓到場視察，並聯絡中華電力及水務署跟進事件，要求盡快完成搶修，及早恢復電力供應，減低對居民的影響。他引述有關方面預計最快今晚八時前完成修復。 8月18日，大埔泮涌村突然停電，經民聯大埔南區議員羅曉楓到場了解，聯絡中電及水務署跟進，料最快同日晚上八時完成修復。（羅曉楓Facebook）8月18日，大埔泮涌村突然停電，經民聯大埔南區議員羅曉楓到場了解，聯絡中電及水務署跟進，料最快同日晚上八時完成修復。（羅曉楓Facebook）明苑中心停電｜梁熙指物監局處理緊急事故守則可優化　列復電時間爆水管淹明苑中心｜徹夜停電居民嘆煎熬　今晚未復修就「瞓酒店」水務署指明苑中心停電多幢大廈停水　議員冀上午8時恢復供水爆水管淹明苑中心│川菜館：嘭一聲停電　三四檯客走數　失約8千元 View the full article

White House trade adviser Peter Navarro says India’s purchases of Russian crude oil are funding Moscow’s war in Ukraine and have to stop, as Washington ramps up pressure on New Delhi to cut off its energy imports from Russia. “India acts as a global clearinghouse for Russian oil, converting embargoed crude into high-value exports while giving Moscow the dollars it needs,” Navarro wrote in an opinion piece published in the Financial Times on Monday. He added that India’s dependence on Russian crude is “opportunistic and deeply corrosive of the world’s efforts to isolate Putin’s war economy”. India is the second-largest buyer of Russian oil, after China, and more than 30 percent of its fuel is sourced from Moscow, providing revenue to the Kremlin amid Western sanctions. In the beginning of this month, United States President Donald Trump imposed 50 percent tariffs on Indian goods over the issue, straining US-India ties. In a speech on the occasion of India’s Independence Day on Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi struck a defiant note, pledging to protect his country’s farmers in the face of high tariffs slapped by the Trump administration. “Modi will stand like a wall against any policy that threatens their interests. India will never compromise when it comes to protecting the interests of our farmers,” he said. White House trade adviser Peter Navarro [File: Will Oliver/EPA]India-Russia tiesIndia counts Russia among its closest defence partners, with the bulk of its weapons, including the S-400 missile defence system, sourced from Moscow. India has continued to maintain good ties with Russia, with Modi meeting Putin in Moscow amid the Ukraine war. But New Delhi has been cultivating ties with Washington in the past decades, raising their relations to a strategic level. The two countries have annual bilateral trade of $128bn, but Trump has been pushing to lower the $45bn deficit in India’s favour. The US also saw India as a bulwark against rising China, but the recent actions by the Trump administration seem to have pushed India to mend ties with its rival, China. Indian Prime Minister Modi is set to travel to China at the end of the month, while Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is arriving in India on Monday on a two-day trip, for talks on the disputed border between the two countries. In the opinion piece on Monday, the White House adviser pointed out that India is “cozying up” to Russia and China. “If India wants to be treated as a strategic partner of the US, it needs to start acting like one,” Navarro wrote. The adviser also said it was risky to transfer cutting-edge US military capabilities to India as New Delhi’s ties to China and Russia deepen. Navarro is the second senior Trump administration official to accuse India of financing Russia’s war in Ukraine. Stephen Miller, deputy chief of staff at the White House, in the first week of August said that New Delhi’s purchase of Russia crude was “not acceptable”. “What he (Trump) said very clearly is that it is not acceptable for India to continue financing this war by purchasing the oil from Russia,” Miller, one of Trump’s most influential aides, said in an interview with Fox News. ‘Unfairly singled out’India’s Foreign Ministry has said the country is being ‘unfairly’ singled out for buying Russian oil while the US and European Union continue to buy goods from Russia. The EU and US trade much more with Russia than India does – New Delhi’s contention for being singled out – although this trade has dipped significantly since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. According to the EU, its total trade with Russia was worth 67.5 billion euros ($77.9bn) in 2024, a fall from 257.5 billion euros ($297.4bn) in 2021. The bloc also continues to buy Russian gas – $105.6bn for gas imports since the war began – an amount equivalent to 75 percent of Russia’s 2024 military budget, according to the Finnish think tank the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air. Total Russia-US trade in 2024, meanwhile, stood at $5.2bn, according to the US Trade Representative’s office – though significantly down from 2021, when it stood at $36bn. India and the US have also been haggling for months to agree on a free trade agreement, with Trump accusing New Delhi of denying access to US goods by imposing high tariffs. Meanwhile, a planned visit by US trade negotiators to New Delhi from August 25 to 29 has been called off, a source told the Reuters news agency, delaying talks on a proposed trade agreement meant to be a relief from additional US tariffs on Indian goods. View the full article

Not every performance car needs a wing big enough to land a helicopter. The best ones often look like they belong in a retirement home parking lot or parked at a PTA meeting. Enter the sleeper car, those rare machines that hid shocking performance beneath beige, boring, utterly forgettable exteriors. The 1990s were a special time for this kind of deception. Automakers were experimenting with turbochargers, V8s, and advanced tech, often sticking them into bodies that screamed “mid-tier rental car.” These vehicles were fast but humble. Loud on the pedal, quiet in design. If you grew up in the MSN News or Hotmail era, chances are you saw one of these monsters in the wild and had no idea what you were looking at. You might’ve laughed at it. And then it blew past you on the highway without even downshifting. Method to the Madness: “Wait, That Thing’s Fast?”Image Credit: Joseph Zadeh - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0/Wiki Commons.Here’s how we picked these marvels of motorsport modesty: each car had to be produced in the 1990s, offer exceptional performance (either from the factory or with a sleeper-worthy factory option), and remain visually subtle enough to avoid raising eyebrows. Rarity was key too, we’re not talking about Civics with bolt-ons or ubiquitous WRXs. These had to be legit factory-built sleepers most gearheads missed the first time around. Now, onto the list, buckle up, but quietly. Volvo 850 T-5R (1995)Image Caption: Volvo.From the company known for safety and square design came a turbocharged brick that could humble much sportier machines. The 850 T-5R featured a turbocharged 2.3L inline-5 engine pumping out 240 hp and 221 lb-ft of torque. That might not sound mind-blowing now, but in 1995, it meant 0–60 mph in just over 6 seconds in a Volvo sedan or station wagon. And the best part? It looked like every other sensible Swedish family hauler. No big wings. No aggressive styling. Just a box on wheels. Only 6,964 T-5Rs were made worldwide, and the yellow wagons were especially iconic (and rare). When you passed one on the highway, you probably thought it was slow. It was faster than it looked. Mitsubishi Galant VR-4 (1991–1992)Image Credit: Phuketian.S / Shutterstock.com.Before the Lancer Evolution took the rally world by storm, there was the Galant VR-4. With only 3,000 units imported into the U.S., this all-wheel-drive, turbocharged sedan was Mitsubishi's secret weapon. The 4G63T engine (sound familiar, Lancer Evo fans?) delivered 237 hp through a trick AWD system and four-wheel steering. From the outside, it looked like a nerdy commuter car. No flared fenders or hood scoops. Inside, it was full of tech and ready to dominate snowy backroads or embarrass V8s on dry pavement. The Galant VR-4 was a rally-bred monster with a librarian's appearance. Oldsmobile Aurora (1995–1999)Image Credit: The Oldsmobile Edge - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0/Wiki Commons.Ah, the Oldsmobile Aurora, a nameplate that sounds like your neighbor’s retirement condo, but under that bland exterior was one of GM’s most underestimated achievements of the ’90s. With a 4.0L V8 engine based on Cadillac’s Northstar architecture, the Aurora quietly packed 250 horsepower and a surprisingly refined ride. This wasn’t your granddad’s Eighty-Eight. It was a space-age sports sedan wearing a business suit. Oldsmobile designed the Aurora to be a technological and design showcase. It had a sleek, cab-forward silhouette, frameless windows, and tight body panel gaps that GM rarely bothered with back then. Most people thought it was just another luxury wannabe, but on the freeway, the Aurora could hold its own against cars twice the price and pass them without breaking a sweat. Its front-wheel-drive layout and smooth 4-speed automatic didn’t scream “race me,” but once moving, the car had excellent high-speed stability and long-legged confidence. It was as quiet as a Lexus and just about as quick as a contemporary BMW 5-series, without all the “look at me” attitude. Mazda Millenia S (1995–2002)Image Credit: OnceInAMillenia - Own work, CC BY 4.0/Wiki Commons.The Millenia S doesn’t just qualify as a sleeper, it’s practically invisible. What made it special was its Miller-cycle engine, a rare supercharged 2.3L V6 that made 210 hp and had all the torque down low. Mazda marketed it as a pseudo-luxury car, and most people thought it was a Camry clone. But when you floored it, it surprised you. The engine revved with a strange urgency, and the handling was far better than expected. With almost no sporty visuals, the Millenia S could leave your neighbor’s Accord in the dust. And he’d never know what hit him. Chrysler 300M (1999)Image Credit: IFCAR — Travail personnel, Domaine public/Wiki Commons.Just before the 2000s dawned and before the gangster-chic 300C hit the streets, Chrysler gave us the 300M, a luxury sedan with surprising performance credentials. Built on the LH platform, the 300M came equipped with a 3.5L high-output V6 making 253 hp and 255 lb-ft of torque. That might not sound earth-shattering now, but it was enough to make this front-wheel-drive executive cruiser feel surprisingly nimble. What made the 300M a sleeper was its demeanor: upscale but restrained. No wild body kits or oversized chrome wheels—just smooth lines, a subtle stance, and an interior full of real leather and wood accents. It looked like something your boss drove to meetings. But step on it, and the 300M came alive. The V6 revved eagerly, and the chassis — benefiting from years of development under Chrysler’s short-lived Daimler partnership — felt more European than Detroit. It even had an optional performance handling package with firmer suspension and quicker steering. Ford Taurus SHO (Yamaha V6, 1989–1995)Image Credit: IFCAR - Own work, Public Domain/Wiki Commons.The original Taurus SHO was a weird and wonderful child of Yamaha and Ford. Its 3.0L V6 made 220 hp and revved to 7,000 rpm, more like a sports bike than a sedan. The five-speed manual was your only choice early on, and it turned this family grocery-getter into a highway hunter. It looked like your mom’s office car. The only clues were tiny badges and maybe the SHO-specific wheels. Underneath, though, was engineering worthy of Europe’s best. It was fast, underrated, and far more durable than people expected. Today, they’re forgotten missiles. Infiniti Q45 (1990–1996)Image Credit: Nissan.If someone told you a Japanese luxury car could outrun a Corvette, you'd probably laugh, unless you knew about the Infiniti Q45. Its 4.5L V8 churned out 278 hp and 292 lb-ft of torque, backed by a limited-slip diff and no-nonsense suspension. Early models even ditched wood trim for sportiness. Looking at it, you’d think: rich dentist. But hit the gas, and it pulled like a freight train. Infiniti never really marketed it well, and Lexus stole all the spotlight. But those in the know still whisper about the Q45 like it’s a secret code. Lincoln Mark VIII LSC (1993–1998)Image Credit: Mr.choppers - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0/Wiki Commons.The Mark VIII. It looked like something your Uncle Harold would buy after a good quarter at the insurance office, but it could move like a Mustang. Especially in the LSC (Luxury Sport Coupe) trim, this Lincoln was far more than the retirement-mobile it appeared to be. At its heart was a 4.6L DOHC “InTech” V8 producing 290 hp, essentially a luxury-tuned sibling of the engine found in the SVT Cobra. With rear-wheel drive, independent suspension all around, and surprisingly crisp steering, the Mark VIII was capable of sprinting to 60 mph in under 6.5 seconds. It had the same basic layout as a muscle coupe but wore a tuxedo instead of a tank top. The LSC package tightened things up even more, with firmer dampers and a more responsive throttle. But you'd never guess its performance by looking at it. The long hood, slippery aerodynamics, and chrome accents screamed “early retirement” more than “stoplight warrior.” And that's what made it perfect. It cruised like a Cadillac, but had the heart and power of a performance coupe. Chevrolet Impala SS (1994–1996)Image Credit: MercurySable99 - Own work/Wiki Commons.You might laugh at this choice, but the Impala SS of the mid-’90s wasn’t your dad’s slow cruiser. It packed a Corvette-derived LT1 5.7L V8 making 260 hp and 330 lb-ft of torque. It looked like a Caprice cop car, because it basically was. The Impala SS had lowered suspension, a performance axle ratio, and a sinister all-black appearance. But no one outside the car world knew it was fast. It could hit 60 mph in under 7 seconds despite its yacht-like proportions. A true street sleeper from GM’s golden era. BMW 540i M-Sport (1995)Image Credit: BMW.Before the M5 dominated headlines, the 540i M-Sport was BMW’s hidden hammer. It came with a 4.0L V8 good for 282 hp, and if optioned right, a six-speed manual gearbox. Only around 200 of these "M-Sport" 540i cars came to the U.S. in 1995, making them unicorns today. It wore standard E34 5-series clothes, with barely a nod to its performance pedigree. But it could run with true sports cars, and handled better than most people expected from a V8 luxury sedan. The only way you'd know was if you got left behind. When Modesty Meant MuscleImage Credit: Joseph M. Arseneau/Shutterstock.The 1990s gave us a rare moment in automotive history, when performance wasn't always painted in neon or accompanied by a massive wing. Instead, speed lived in unlikely places, such as wagons with baby seats, sedans your uncle leased, or coupes built for quiet highway miles. These sleeper cars were like the quiet kids in class who could secretly dunk a basketball. Owning one of these wasn’t about status or spectacle. You didn’t need loud exhausts or carbon fiber to feel the thrill of a perfectly tuned V8 or a turbo that whispered before it screamed. That’s the magic of a sleeper, it lets the drive do the talking, and in today’s world of bloated crossovers and badge-chasing culture, these stealthy machines feel even more special. So, if you see a bland-looking ’90s sedan next to you at a red light… think twice before you laugh. You might be looking at the past’s most polite predator. Like our content? Read More: Cars That Rival the Porsche 911 Without the Price Tag Fast, Fun, and (Maybe) Profitable: Sports Cars That Might Pay You Back View the full article

Rain on Monday halted search and rescue operations in northern Pakistan after flash floods that have killed nearly 350 people with around 200 still missing, officials said. Torrential rains across the country since Thursday have caused flooding, rising waters and landslides that have swept away entire villages and left many residents trapped in the rubble. Most of the deaths -- more than 320 -- were reported in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, according to the provincial disaster agency, which warned of new flash floods "till Thursday". Volunteers had been assisting hundreds of rescue workers in their race against time to find possible survivors and retrieve bodies as fresh rains started lashing the province. "This morning fresh rains forced a halt to relief operations," said Nisar Ahmad, 31, a volunteer in worst-hit Buner district, where "12 villages have been completely wiped out and 219 bodies have been recovered". "Dozens of bodies are still buried under the mud and rocks, which can only be recovered with heavy machinery. However, the makeshift tracks built to access the area have once again been destroyed by the new rains," he added. Around 200 people are still missing in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, according to local authorities. - 'We feel scared' - Many people fled to seek shelter under damaged infrastructure and in the mountains in Buner, an area with difficult terrain. "Even if it rains a little now, we feel scared because there was light rain that day. And then the unsuspecting people were swept away by the storm," said Buner resident Ghulam Hussain, 35. "Children and women are running and screaming up the mountains to escape," Hazrat Ullah, 18, told AFP. Volunteer Ahmad said there were also fears for the future due to a lack of food supplies and clean water. "Many livestock have also perished in the cloudburst, and their decomposing bodies are spreading a foul odour in several places. Right now, our most urgent need is clean drinking water, and I appeal to the government to provide it," he said. The monsoon season brings about three-quarters of South Asia's annual rainfall, which is vital for agriculture and food security but also causes widespread destruction. According to the National Disaster Agency, the intensity of this year's monsoon is about 50 to 60 percent higher than last year. Landslides and flash floods are common during the monsoon season, which typically begins in June and lasts until the end of September. The heavy rains that have battered Pakistan since the start of the summer monsoon have claimed the lives of more than 650 people, with over 920 injured. Pakistan is among the world’s most vulnerable countries to the effects of climate change and is increasingly facing extreme weather events. In 2022, monsoon floods submerged one-third of the country and resulted in approximately 1,700 deaths. vid-la-stm/mtp View the full article

ネス湖畔にあるネッシーのオブジェ＝英スコットランド・ネス湖畔で2022年10月、篠田航一撮影 　「毎日新聞ポッドキャスト―世の中の『いま』を記者が読み解く」。8月18日のテーマは「ネッシーは本当にいないのか？」です。 　英国北部・スコットランドにあるネス湖。古くから「怪物がすむ」との伝説があるこの湖で20世紀前半、首長竜らしき「長い首」が湖面から出ている写真が撮影され、「ネッシー伝説」が広く知られるようになりました。 Advertisement 　ネッシーは本当にいるのか。いないのか。 　4月までロンドン支局長を務めた外信部の篠田航一部長が、21世紀の今も続く「ネッシー研究」について、たっぷりと語ります。 　audiobook.jpではディレクターズカットを含む完全版を配信中。Apple Podcast、Spotifyでも無料版を聞くことができます。 　感想・ご意見はお便りフォームから投稿をお願いします。 　　　◇ 　利用されているブラウザーのCookie設定で、プレーヤーが表示されない場合があります。 View the full article

笑顔でタッチを交わす山本龍選手＝東京都立川市のタチヒビーチで2025年6月27日午後6時19分、玉井滉大撮影 　「自分に対しての期待値は高くはないのかなって」 　2025年度のバレーボール男子日本代表43人が発表されたのは4月17日。その中に、セッター山本龍選手（24）＝ターラント＝の名前はなかった。 　一方で、初選出の大学生セッターらが名を連ねていた。明言はしなかったが、山本選手のプライドが傷つけられたことは想像に難くない。 　その3週間後、山本選手は「追加登録」という形で日本代表入りが発表された。直後に東京都内で開かれた合宿には参加したものの、5月末にチームからの指示で活動を離れている。 　23年のパリ・オリンピック予選にも出場した期待のセッターは、逆境に何を思い、どこを目指しているのだろう。【玉井滉大】 　バレーボールは、日本の「和」の精神を想起させます。華やかなスパイクは試合の華ですが、ボールを拾い、つなぐ選手たちがいて、歯車がかみ合います。 　「セッター流」では、チームの司令塔役の生き様に迫ります。＝随時掲載 　1:マニラ行き一夜で無効　大宅真樹が感じた甘さ 　2:石川祐希へのトス、あのサーブ　深津旭弘の存在意義 　3:窓の外には地中海　山本龍がギリシャで思索した人生 　4:国士舘大・竹松魁柊、バレー日本代表入りの「伏線」 　5:東京GB今橋祐希が「お調子者」を演じる理由 自信も根拠もあった 　今季は絶対的司令塔の関田誠大選手（サントリー）が代表活動を休養しており、セッター争いに注目が集まっている。 　山本選手は率直な思いを明かす。「保証はないですけど、（代表でのプレーの）機会をいただけるのかなと、少しは思っていました」 　男子の日本代表は通常、国際大会に臨む主力のA代表と、それを補完するB代表とに分かれて活動している。昨年、B代表でプレーした山本選手だが、自信も根拠もあった。 　昨季はギリシャ1部のミロンでプレーした。正セッターとして活躍し、チームの3位でのプレーオフ進出に大きく貢献した。 　ミロンではコーチが短い距離のトスを好んだこともあり、速いテンポの攻撃の組み立てに取り組んだ。 　シーズン終盤になると、当初は苦戦したミドルブロッカー陣とのコンビネーションも合うようになり、引き出しが増えた実感があった。持ち味のサーブでも常に得点を狙い、より相手のレシーブを崩せるようになった手応えもあった。 　加えて、日本代表監督にロラン・ティリ… View the full article

Xem clip vận chuyển máy bay A320: (Nguồn: Cục Hàng không Việt Nam) Trao đổi với VietNamNet, ông Nguyễn Hoài Nam, Phó Tổng giám đốc Công ty Cổ phần Dịch vụ Kỹ thuật Hàng không, cho biết đơn vị mất khoảng 1 tháng để tháo rời cánh, đuôi máy bay… Tối 15/8, thân máy bay A320 được vận chuyển sang triển lãm, hiện các bộ phận kỹ thuật đang lắp đặt hoàn thiện. A320 là dòng máy bay khá phổ biến ở Việt Nam, được đưa vào khai thác từ năm 1996. Chiếc máy bay mang sang triển lãm được khai thác từ năm 2010 và hết hạn khai thác sau 14 năm sử dụng. “Đây là dòng máy bay thế hệ mới, khi hết sứ mệnh bay trên bầu trời thì tiếp tục mang một vai trò khác – làm giáo cụ trực quan cho học viên”, ông Nam thông tin. Trước đó, vào tối 14/8, Cục Hàng không Việt Nam cũng đã chỉ đạo các đơn vị đưa chuyên cơ IL-14 từng chở Bác Hồ tới Triển lãm “80 năm hành trình Độc lập - Tự do - Hạnh phúc”. Đội ngũ cán bộ Công ty Cổ phần Dịch vụ Kỹ thuật Hàng không đang lắp đặt hoàn thiện chiếc A320. Ảnh: Hòa An Lãnh đạo Cục Hàng không Việt Nam cho biết, triển lãm kỳ vọng công chúng sẽ có dịp tận mắt chiêm ngưỡng các loại máy bay từ quá khứ đến hiện tại trong không gian “Khát vọng bầu trời”. Theo đó, ngoài chiếc chuyên cơ phục vụ Bác Hồ, trong không gian của A320 người dân còn có cơ hội trải nghiệm các ứng dụng: mua vé máy bay, dịch vụ phòng chờ, ngồi thử trên máy bay và trải nghiệm tại khoang buồng lái. Đặc biệt, tại khu vực trưng bày máy bay A320, người dân còn có cơ hội trực tiếp trải nghiệm kỹ năng thoát hiểm cùng đội ngũ chuyên môn của ngành Hàng không Việt Nam... Xuyên đêm đưa chuyên cơ từng chở Bác Hồ sang Triển lãm quốc giaLực lượng chức năng vừa hoàn tất việc vận chuyển tàu bay IL-14, hiện vật lịch sử từng chở Bác Hồ, tới Triển lãm “80 năm hành trình Độc lập - Tự do - Hạnh phúc”. View the full article

Thiên Bình View the full article

Năm 2025 đánh dấu bước tiến quan trọng khi giải "Chạy Bộ Vì Rùa Biển - Save Turtles Run" 2025 bổ sung cự ly bán chuyên 21km, bên cạnh hai cự ly truyền thống 5km và 10km. Hơn 500 VĐV đã xuất phát trong khung giờ bình minh, trải nghiệm vẻ đẹp nguyên sơ của Côn Đảo khi ánh nắng đầu ngày le lói trên mặt biển. Đặc biệt, chân chạy Kento (Nhật Bản) trở thành người đầu tiên cán đích ở cự ly 21km. VĐV chính là nhà vô địch cự ly 10km năm ngoái. Hình ảnh của giải chạy. Ảnh: BTC Theo đại diện Vườn quốc gia Côn Đảo, năm 2025 chứng kiến sự gia tăng đáng kể về số lượng trứng rùa - gấp 1,5 lần so với năm trước nhờ công tác bảo tồn hiệu quả và thời tiết thuận lợi. Giải chạy đã ủng hộ 100 triệu đồng cho Vườn quốc gia Côn Đảo phục vụ công tác bảo tồn rùa biển. Vì thế, giải chạy không chỉ là sự kiện thể thao mà còn là hành động cụ thể hướng tới du lịch bền vững tại một trong những vùng biển nguyên sơ của Việt Nam. VĐV 17 tuổi ghi nhiều điểm nhất U21 Việt Nam ở giải thế giớiChủ công 17 tuổi Phạm Quỳnh Hương trở thành tay đập ghi nhiều điểm nhất ở U21 Việt Nam tại giải U21 bóng chuyền vô địch thế giới 2025. View the full article

Vòng 4 BMW Championship 2025. Nguồn: PGA Tour Scottie Scheffler tiếp tục khẳng định vị thế số 1 của làng golf khi đăng quang BMW Championship 2025 tại Caves Valley (Maryland) – sự kiện thứ hai tại play-off FedEx Cup. Tay golf người Mỹ hoàn thành 4 vòng đấu với tổng điểm −15, vượt qua Robert MacIntyre hai gậy để giành danh hiệu PGA Tour thứ 18 trong sự nghiệp, đồng thời là chiến thắng thứ 5 trong mùa giải năm nay. Khoảnh khắc đáng nhớ nhất đến ở hố 17 vòng cuối, khi Scheffler thực hiện cú chip-in từ khoảng 25 mét, đưa bóng lăn trọn vào lỗ để ghi birdie. Scheffler mừng chiến thắng cùng gia đình. Ảnh: PGA Tour Cú đánh “từ trên trời rơi xuống” này không chỉ giúp anh vượt lên dẫn trước mà còn làm thay đổi cục diện cuộc đua vốn đang căng thẳng. Ở phía đối diện, Robert MacIntyre – người dẫn đầu 3 vòng đầu tiên với các lượt 62, 64 và 68 gậy – lại sụp đổ ở vòng cuối khi đánh 73 gậy. Màn hụt hơi đó khiến golfer Scotland phải chấp nhận vị trí á quân với tổng điểm −13. Maverick McNealy xếp hạng ba với điểm −11. Chiến thắng mang về cho Scheffler 3,6 triệu USD trong tổng quỹ thưởng 20 triệu USD. MacIntyre nhận 2,16 triệu USD, trong khi McNealy bỏ túi 1,36 triệu USD. Về phía FedEx Cup, Scheffler giữ vững ngôi số 1 và tiến tới Tour Championship với tâm thế ứng viên sáng giá nhất. Cú chip-in ghi birdie của Scheffler ở hố 17. Nguồn: PGA Tour Đáng chú ý, thể thức năm nay thay đổi lớn: 30 golfer góp mặt ở sự kiện cuối cùng sẽ xuất phát ở even par, không còn lợi thế “handicap” như các mùa trước. Giải cũng ghi nhận những câu chuyện bên lề. Sepp Straka phải rút lui từ vòng hai vì lý do cá nhân, khiến danh sách dự chỉ còn 49 thay vì 50 golfer. Ở chiều ngược lại, Akshay Bhatia giành tấm vé cuối cùng tới Tour Championship sau khi vượt qua Rickie Fowler và Michael Kim trong cuộc cạnh tranh sít sao. BMW Championship 2025 khép lại bằng cú chip thần kỳ của Scheffler. Anh trở thành người thứ hai có từ 5 chiến thắng trở lên trong 2 mùa giải PGA Tour liên tiếp, sau Tiger Woods. Huyền thoại Tiger Woods từng có chuỗi thắng ít nhất 5 giải liên tiếp giai đoạn 1999-2023; 2005-2007. Với phong độ này, khó ai ngăn cản được Scheffler hướng đến thêm một danh hiệu FedEx Cup nữa. Bảng xếp hạng và tiền thưởng BMW Championship 2025 Scottie Scheffler vô địch The Open 2025: Người đặc biệt của golf Nhà vô địch The Open 2025, Scottie Scheffler, không cho rằng mình đặc biệt, nhưng chính điều đó làm cho anh thêm khác biệt. View the full article

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