Sunday, September 6

Blog

Tips for hosting Christmas in a small flat from the experts
Life Style

Tips for hosting Christmas in a small flat from the experts

Seriously lacking in square footage? Don’t have a dining room? You must be a Londoner. But after the 12 months we’ve had, some merriment is definitely in order: it’s time for a party. So hit up the Whatsapp group, or send that Paperless Post (if you’re feeling fancy) and get your crew round to your place. But obviously the name of the game is chic and cosy, not cramped. So how to be the host with the most, without having any space? Here’s the brilliant advice we’ve gathered from some of London’s best hosts, to ensure your humble abode big on vibes this Christmas. First things first: ready the room. Obviously the kitchen is the go-to spot if you’re blessed with something larger than a galley space, and ideally with a table. If you’re not serving turkey and trimmings, though, then a buffet t...
Israel to shut embassy in Ireland over ‘extreme anti-Israel policies’
World News

Israel to shut embassy in Ireland over ‘extreme anti-Israel policies’

Photo: JULIA NIKHINSON / AFP Israel says it will close its Dublin embassy due to the Irish government's "extreme anti-Israel policies", including recognition of a Palestinian state and support for international legal action against its war in Gaza. Israel recalled its ambassador after Ireland's decision on a Palestinian state in May, and was further angered last week when Dublin backed South Africa's case at the International Court of Justice accusing Israel of genocide. "The decision to close Israel's embassy in Dublin was made in light of the extreme anti-Israel policies of the Irish government," the foreign ministry said in a statement. "The actions and antisemitic rhetoric used by Ireland against Israel are rooted in the delegitimisation and demonisation of the Jewish state, along wi...
Disgraced NZ businessman Mark Bryers sentenced to 8.5 years in Australian prison
World News

Disgraced NZ businessman Mark Bryers sentenced to 8.5 years in Australian prison

Photo: New Zealand Herald / Brett Phibbs Disgraced New Zealand businessman Mark Bryers has been sentenced to eight and a half years in jail by an Australia court. Bryers was one of several people charged following an investigation into a tax fraud following an 18-month operation by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), the Australian Tax Office and the Australian Federal Police. ASIC said the agencies had broken "a transnational and serious organised criminal syndicate using labour hire and payroll companies associated with the building and construction industry to defraud the Commonwealth [of Australia]." The value of the fraud was put at $A17 million in 2020. ASIC alleged Bryers had been providing tax structuring advice to the syndicate. He was found was found gu...
MFTA updates Fiji travel warning after suspected alcohol poisoning
World News

MFTA updates Fiji travel warning after suspected alcohol poisoning

Four people in critical condition were in Lautoka Hospital (shown), due to the seriousness of their conditions. (File photo). Photo: Supplied/Fiji MOH An American tourist and two foreign residents of Fiji are among a group of seven who fell ill after drinking cocktails at a resort. The Foreign Affairs Ministry has updated its travel advice for New Zealanders travelling to Fiji following reports seven people have become ill after drinking cocktails at a popular resort. Four Australians remain critically ill in hospital with suspected alcohol poisoning. One American and two other foreigners who live in Fiji, were also ill after drinking at the high end Warwick Resort. MFAT updated its advice on its SafeTravel website on Monday, telling travellers to be alert to the potential risks around ...
Syrian Christians attend services, schools reopen a week after Assad’s overthrow
World News

Syrian Christians attend services, schools reopen a week after Assad’s overthrow

By Timour Azhari and Tuvan Gumrukcu, Reuters Syrian Christians attend Mass at a church in in the village of Maalula north of the capital Damascus, Photo: AFP / Fidel Itani Syrian Christians attended regular Sunday services for the first time since the dramatic overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad a week ago, in an early test of assurances by the new Islamist rulers that the rights of minorities will be protected. As the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) swept to power last week, it sought to reassure Syria's minority groups that their way of life would not be at risk. Before Assad fell, historic religious minority groups, including Christians, worshipped freely and some remain jittery at the prospect of an Islamist government. Streets in the heavily Christian Damascus neigh...
Australian and US tourists, foreign residents of Fiji, ill with suspected alcohol poisoning
World News

Australian and US tourists, foreign residents of Fiji, ill with suspected alcohol poisoning

Four people in critical condition were in Lautoka Hospital (shown), due to the seriousness of their conditions. (File photo). Photo: Supplied/Fiji MOH An American tourist and two foreign residents of Fiji are among a group of seven who fell ill after drinking cocktails at a resort. Four Australians remain critically ill in hospital with suspected alcohol poisoning. The ABC reported one of the Australians, a 56-year-old woman, was under constant surveillance in hospital while a 19-year-old was experiencing serious medical episodes. Two other Australian women, aged 49 and 18, were understood to be in critical condition but not as seriously ill. RNZ has contacted the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade about whether any New Zealanders have been involved. Fiji journalist Mereoni Mili said...
Fire authorities on high alert as heatwave brings hottest weather in years to parts of Victoria
World News

Fire authorities on high alert as heatwave brings hottest weather in years to parts of Victoria

Authorities are warning of high fire danger in Victoria (file photo of Ballarat fire in February). Photo: Supplied/ Ballarat Fire Brigade CFA A heatwave is expected to send temperatures soaring across the state today, as fire crews gear up for a challenging day of fire danger. Some parts of the state are set to record their hottest day in years and have been issued extreme fire danger warnings. Melbourne is forecast to hit a top of 41 degrees Celsius - the city's hottest day this year and the hottest December day since 2019. Mildura in the north-west is expected to reach 46 degC, while 45 degC is forecast for Shepparton and Swan Hill. On Sunday afternoon, state authorities including from the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) and the Country Fire Authority (CFA) held a press conference, declar...
Dietary changes may help slow down prostate cancer growth in some people: Study
Health

Dietary changes may help slow down prostate cancer growth in some people: Study

A diet low in omega-6 and high in omega-3 fatty acids, combined with fish oil supplements, can significantly reduce the growth rate of prostate cancer cells in men with early-stage disease, claims a study. The research by the University of California - Los Angeles Health Sciences offers new evidence that changes in diet can play a crucial role in slowing down the growth of cancer cells in patients who are undergoing regular monitoring of cancer but have not yet begun medical intervention. The findings, published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, “suggest that something as simple as adjusting your diet could potentially slow cancer growth," said Dr. William Aronson, Professor of Urology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. The dietary changes may help “extend the time befor...
Kamala Harris debates her future: A run for California governor that would take 2028 off the table
World News

Kamala Harris debates her future: A run for California governor that would take 2028 off the table

By Edward-Isaac Dovere, CNN Vice President Kamala Harris pauses while speaking on stage as she concedes the election, at Howard University on 6 November 2024, in Washington, DC. Photo: Getty Images / Andrew Harnik Top aides and people close to Kamala Harris have divided over whether she should head home to run for California governor in 2026 - and it all comes down to whether they believe she could win the Democratic nomination for president in an expected competitive primary in 2028. Some believe a repeat run, after quickly improving her reputation and raising more than $1 billion over her surprise 100-day race, should be hers for the taking. Others worry that in a longer campaign, against some of the other major Democratic contenders who already sat out 2024 in deference first to J...
Have you ever wanted to run away from your life? Why this phenomenon is more common than you think
World News

Have you ever wanted to run away from your life? Why this phenomenon is more common than you think

By Amanda Musa, CNN Mangione arrives at his extradition hearing. Photo: Jeff Swensen/Getty Images via CNN Newsource Content warning: This story discusses mental health and suicide. A list of helplines is available at the bottom of this page. A family man from Wisconsin. A spirited artist from Hawaii. An Ivy League graduate from Maryland. At face value, Ryan Borgwardt, Hannah Kobayashi and Luigi Mangione lead distinct lives and come from disparate backgrounds. Yet, they all took unexpected paths, disappearing from their jobs, routines, friends and family. Hundreds of thousands of adults are reported missing each year in the United States, according to data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Some run away intentionally, according to former FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe. "As ...