Foreign press

[Sergey S]

‘Hobbit’ bone from tiny species of ancient humans found on Indonesian island

 The remains of the smallest ancient human species, Homo floresiensis, have been found on the Indonesian island of Flores. The fossil arm bone belonged to an adult who roamed the island 700,000 years ago.This species is thought to have shrunk in size due to the unique evolutionary pressures caused by being on the island. A tiny arm bone is similar to previously discovered "hobbit" skeletons, and a newly discovered pair of teeth bears a resemblance to those of Homo erectus. The ancient man was about 100 cm tall, which is 6 cm less than the estimated height of a 60,000-year-old skeleton. Island dwarfism may have helped survive food shortages on the islands and avoid large carnivorous mammals.
 Questions about how the ancestors of floresiensis came to be on the island remain unanswered. Stone tools show that the island was inhabited as early as 1 million years ago, but how floresiensis ' ancestors got to the island is unknown.

Source:The Guardian.com

[Sergey S]

‘We’re not doing anything wrong’: why the word Taiwan is banned at the Olympics

 Taiwanese student Angelina Yang drew a poster with the words "Jiayu Taiwan" at the Olympic Games in France. Yang was quickly surrounded by security guards, who snatched the poster out of her hands. Taiwan's Foreign Ministry called the incident violent and contrary to Olympic values. Taiwan was one of three teams whose flag was banned from the Olympics due to pressure from China. American politicians called the IOC's position " extremely irrational. The incident has angered Taiwanese people over Olympic rules restricting their ability to cheer for their national team.

Source:The Guardian.com

[Sergey S]

Drop bears: The true history of a fake Australian animal

 Dropper bear - a mythical creature used to frighten tourists in Australia. Australians do not believe in the existence of a dropper bear, but use it for entertainment and humor.  The Museum of Australia has created a fake information page about the dropper bear on its website. The origin of the dropper bear is unknown, but the legend of it may date back to a sketch by Paul Hogan in his show "The Paul Hogan Show". The dropper bear has become a part of Australian pop culture thanks to the band "The Drop Bears". The popularity of the dropper bear myth stems from Australia's pride in its dangerous animals and sense of humor. Archaeological evidence points to the prehistoric marsupial lion thylacoleo carnifex, which may have had the ability to climb and jump from trees.

Source: CNN.com

[Sergey S]

'The worst Season ever': How things turned sour on Greece's Instagram Island

Santorini attracts 3.4 million tourists a year, which exceeds the number of permanent residents of the island. On peak days, up to 17,000 cruise ship passengers arrive on the island. Local residents are concerned about the island's overcrowding and declining quality of life. Santorini Mayor proposed limiting the number of cruise ship passengers to 8,000 people per day. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis supported the measure. Anti-tourism protests have become a political flashpoint in Europe Venice has limited the number of tourist groups to 25 people and banned the use of megaphones. Over-tourism has become a problem for Santorini and other tourist destinations.

Source: CNN.com

[Sergey S]

Wolf Spark warns children not to go into the woods in the Netherlands

Dutch authorities warn visitors with young children to avoid woodlands because of the wolf. The last collision occurred when a wolf hit a child near the village of Austerlitz. The child was not injured, but the little girl was bitten in the same area 10 days ago. A DNA test confirmed that the wolf is the culprit. The Utrecht Hills area is popular for hikers, cyclists and runners. Wolves first appeared in the Netherlands in 2015 and have since been seen in dozens. The Utrecht Provincial Administration urges all visitors to be careful when visiting the hill area. Wolf experts find the wolf's behavior atypical and worrisome. The provincial authorities prepared permits for shooting the wolf and gave instructions when meeting it.

Source: CNN.com

[Sergey S]

Venezuela protesters target statues of Hugo Chavez amid disputed election

 Protests in Venezuela are directed against President Maduro and his predecessor Hugo Chavez. Seven statues of Chavez were attacked and destroyed. In La Guaira, protesters tore down a monument to Chavez and set it on fire. In Coro, demonstrators attacked a concrete statue of Chavez. In Calabozo, protesters knocked down an image of Chavez with hammers and a metal pole. The destruction of statues of Chavez is the result of dissatisfaction with the results of the elections in which Maduro was declared the winner. The opposition, observers and neighboring countries are calling on the CNE to publish ballots for counting votes. The Carter Center accused the authorities of a "complete lack of transparency" in declaring Maduro the winner. The protests face a crackdown by an authoritarian government that has resulted in many deaths.

Source: The Guardian.com

[Sergey S]

"Biohazard" causes a change in the route of a United Airlines flight

 United Airlines flight 2477 was forced to land in Virginia due to" health problems " with a passenger. The aircraft was thoroughly flushed after the incident. The flight took off from Houston and was diverted to Washington Dulles International Airport.The flight was bound for Boston Logan International Airport. A flight crew member described a "biological hazard" on board the aircraft. The crew and passengers were wearing masks.United Airlines performed a thorough cleaning of the plane and flew to Boston later that day. This is the last serious incident on board a commercial flight.

Source: CNN.com

[Sergey S]

‘I don't have a budget’: Why do people go into debt to travel

 25% of Americans think it's worth getting into debt for a good vacation. Most people who get into debt charge travel expenses on their credit card. The current trend of moving from" optional "travel to" priority " travel began during the financial crisis of the 2000s. Millennials can't afford big purchases like a down payment on a home because they spend all their disposable income on avocado toast. Social media has changed the way many people think about travel, making it accessible to everyone. Some people may pay for an expensive flight with a credit card and pay for it later. It's not just your income that matters, but your debts as well.

Source:CNN.com

[Sergey S]

Snoop Dogg will carry the Olympic torch in the final stages of Paris

Snoop Dogg will carry the Olympic torch through Paris before the opening ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games. The rapper hopes not to throw the torch because of the heat in Saint-Denis. Snoop is a special correspondent for NBC in the French capital. He posted a photo with a gold medal and emoticons in the form of boxing gloves on the Hotel de Ville City Hall. The mayor of Saint-Denis announced Slimane's concert in front of the Basilica of Saint-Denis after the Snoop relay. Snoop Dogg clocked a time of 34.44 seconds in the 200m event at the US Open in Oregon. The torch was lit in Greece in April and swept across France. The opening ceremony will take place on the banks of the Seine with a parade of athletes on boats.

source: The Guardian.com

[Sergey S]

Japan may be tired of mass tourism. But the deer in this ancient city, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, love it

 In Nara, the ancient capital of Japan, deer have become popular attractions. The city authorities conducted a census of deer, and their number increased by 92. Deer in Nara bow to tourists when they are given crackers. An increase in the number of crackers has led to more active breeding of deer. Some deer are too used to people and snatch crackers from tourists ' hands. The number of deer has decreased during the pandemic. Deer started bowing to people due to stress when the city became a tourist attraction.  In 2022, 9.3 million people visited Naru.

Source: CNN.com

[Sergey S]

Androids are easier to crack than iPhones – forensic experts

 404 Media published two documents allegedly intended for clients of the Israeli company Cellebrite. The documents relate to the "Cellebrite iOS Support Matrix" and "Cellebrite Android Support Matrix". The documents were allegedly shared with one of Cellebrite's clients and should not have been made public. Cellphone forensics failed to crack a significant number of modern iPhones on the market as of April 2024. Tools for hacking phones based on iOS 17.4 or later are "under investigation". Cellebrite can access Android devices, but Google Pixel 6, 7, or 8 smartphones remain unavailable when turned off. Cellebrite confirmed the authenticity of the documents in an emailed statement.

[Sergey S]

Global technical glitch: what you need to know if you're traveling this weekend

Unexpected technical failures affect the operation of airlines and airports around the world. The issue is related to a software update from CrowdStrike for Microsoft Windows. Microsoft said the root cause of the crash has been resolved, but the residual effects are still affecting some services. Airports, airlines, and travelers are facing the consequences of the crisis. American Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Allegiant Airlines, SunCountry, and Frontier Airlines reported problems. Ryanair, Air France, Turkish Airlines and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines also experienced problems. Cirium, an aviation analytics company, reported the scale of the disruption and flight cancellations. Travelers are advised to keep track of information from airlines and check the status of flights before departure.

Source: CNN

[Sergey S]

'Garbage Period of History': Chinese state media refute claims that the country has entered a new era

   
     China is going through a "garbage period of history" on social media. Users discuss China's economic stagnation and regression. The drawing "Grand Slam Misfortune Rating for 2024" has become popular in social networks. The first star is unemployment, the second is mortgage. The full eight-star suite includes debt, parenting, stock trading, illnesses, unfinished housing, Mutai stocks, and more. Some users compare the "garbage time"to the Ming Dynasty. The Chinese authorities are concerned about negative statements about the country. Social media users are instructed not to" throw mud " at the economy.

[Sergey S]

Health leaders hail Labour's plans to phase out smoking as a " game changer’

      The government's plans to introduce a total smoking ban and modernize mental health laws are game-changing and will save thousands of lives. Labor will introduce restrictions on the sale of vapes to children and begin to fight advertising of unhealthy food The Tobacco and Vaping Bill will increase the age at which tobacco can be purchased and ban smoking for those born after January 1, 2009. The law prohibits smoking for people born after January 1, 2009, making the UK the first country to ban smoking. Rishi Sunak vowed to pass the bill, but declined due to lobbying from tobacco companies. The bill provides for changes in the sale and branding of vapes to reduce their attractiveness to children. Restrictions on the packaging and display of tobacco bags may attract children to smoke. Officials will have more power to fine retailers that sell vapes and tobacco to people under the age of 18.

[Sergey S]

China's economy grows slower than expected as leaders gather for third plenary session

      China's economy slowed more than expected in June, which may lead to efforts to restart economic growth at the Beijing meeting. The world's second-largest economy grew 4.7% from April to June, down from a year earlier.The real estate sector continues to decline, with total sales of new commercial buildings down 25% in the first half of 2024. Retail sales declined 0.12% in June, indicating weak consumer sentiment. A record trade surplus of almost $ 100 billion in June.The threat of increased trade barriers increases pressure on Chinese leaders to resume economic growth. Chinese officials have gathered in Beijing for a key policy meeting where major changes in economic policy can be discussed.

source:The Guardian.com