Happy will not be released through the Habeas Corps procedure
New York’s Supreme Court has rejected a request to release Happy Elephant from the Bronx Zoo, saying it does not meet the definition of “person” illegally imprisoned, the Associated Press reported.
The decision of the State Court of Appeals, taken by 5 to 2 votes, confirmed this earlier and means that Happy will not be released through the Habeas Corps procedure, which is a way for people to challenge illegal detention.
The majority opinion, written by Chief Justice Janet DiFiore, said that “although no one disputes the fact that elephants are intelligent beings who deserve proper care and compassion”, the Habeas Corps order aims to protect human freedom creatures and is inapplicable to a non-human animal like Happy.
The case has been closely monitored by animal rights activists and animal-dependent industries. The zoo and its supporters have warned that a victory for the defenders of the Inhuman Rights Project could open the door to more lawsuits on behalf of animals, including pets and other species at zoos.
Proponents of the Inhuman Rights Project have argued that Happy is an independent, cognitively complex elephant who deserves the right reserved in the “person” law.
The Bronx Zoo says Happy is neither illegally imprisoned nor a person, but a well-groomed elephant, “respected as the magnificent creature as it is.”
Twenty containers, some with gold and silver, have been stolen from the port of the city of Manzanillo in western Mexico – an “unusual” and “very serious” criminal operation, according to yesterday’s authorities, AFP reported.
The criminal operation, dubbed “the theft of the century” in some media, took place on June 5th on a private plot of land off Mexico’s main trading port on the Pacific coast, but no information was leaked until two days ago, the agency said.
Official sources describe a spectacular picture. Heavily armed attackers, numbering at least 12, have neutralized the port’s security. The criminals then used cranes and trucks to load the containers for 8-10 hours, Gustavo Adrian Hoya, a security spokesman for the state of Colima, where the port is located, told reporters.
“The stolen goods were selected very demandingly – precious metals and other things, such as air conditioners,” he added. In addition to gold and silver, the bandits seized zinc and TVs, reports mexiconewsdaily.com.
The robbery took place within 8 to 10 hours, as not all containers were removed at the same time.
“This is unusual. There have been thefts of containers from time to time, but not in such quantities,” the spokesman added.
Mexican customs chief Horacio Duarte Olivares called the incident a “very serious organized crime operation” and said an investigation had been launched. He also informed the prosecutor’s office about the investigation, but refused to give details about the amount of stolen gold and silver.
A “strong and durable thermal dome” was promised to tourists in the Mediterranean. At the same time, the temperatures under this “dome”, which was collected by the hot wind from Africa, can reach 45 degrees beyond the limit for humans. Tourists vacationing in Spain and France were warned about this in particular – there are chances that these countries will set a record for the hottest temperatures. Accordingly, tourists were urged to escape from such crazy heat as possible, and above all – not to go out during the day.
Forecasters predict that a heat wave will begin to fill southwestern Europe from the Sahara and gradually spread to all of Western Europe this week. As a result, a “strong and persistent” thermal dome should capture France and Spain. June could be the hottest in at least 30 years.
Extreme heat has already intensified in the Iberian Peninsula over the weekend as Spain, as well as Portugal, Morocco and Algeria, experienced heat waves in excess of 40 degrees. An orange weather warning was issued for Andalusia, where temperatures reached 44°C.
It is expected that in the coming days the heat will spread to France and intensify even more. The most tense conditions are still expected on the Costa del Sol, the Balearic and Canary Islands. The heat will stay at least until the end of the week. By the way, the highest temperature recorded in Spain was last August in Andalusia – and it exceeded +47 degrees.
Tourists are strongly advised to observe all measures against the sun. Wear light-colored clothing made from natural fabrics, do not go out during the daytime, and use sunscreen.
In general, as meteorologists predict, temperatures up to 40 degrees Celsius are likely throughout the Mediterranean, and in some places even higher. The most stressful conditions are expected on the Costa del Sol, the Balearic and Canary Islands. Moreover, extreme heat can last until the end of the week, which means tourists will have a hard time.
Vacationers are urged to take preventive measures to protect themselves. For example, stay at home during the hottest hours, visit the beaches only early in the morning or closer to sunset, drink more clean water, wear light-colored clothes, hats and sunscreens of at least SPF 50.
Tourists have also been warned that summer 2022 is generally expected to be hot, with temperatures warmer than usual also in July and August – the probability of an extremely hot summer in the Canary Islands and northwest Spain is 60% and 70% in the rest of mainland Spain and Balearic Islands.
Recall that earlier the Egyptian Meteorological Authority (EMA) warned tourists about the peak of the heat wave: residents and tourists are in real danger. The temperature in the resorts of Egypt and Cairo can go over 40 degrees. Actually, the heat that covered the Mediterranean came there just from the Sahara.
There has always been controversy over whether whiskey is a beverage that should be combined with food. And the prevailing opinion is that it is better to drink with an appetizer. Until recently, it was believed that whiskey should always be drunk clean, ie. without any food. Combining this drink with an appetizer seemed strange. Although it was common practice to drink appetizers in Europe and Asia, in the United States, whiskey is more likely to be drunk without food. To find the most suitable whiskey appetizer, you need to have a basic knowledge of the different types of your favorite amber drink. The taste of whiskey varies from light to very dense, sweet, fruity, citrus to a more complex and strong aroma with earthy, smoky notes. According to the taste, the food for the whiskey is chosen so that neither the appetizer nor the drink dominates and prevails. Rather, they should complement and increase the pleasure of drinking. For example, bourbon has a slight aroma of vanilla and caramel and therefore should be combined with foods containing caramelized ingredients. As a general rule, light whiskey goes well with seafood and spicy foods, medium whiskey goes well with meat, and thick whiskey goes great with more nutritious, high-fat dishes.
7 most suitable appetizers for whiskey
1. Dark chocolate Chocolate and whiskey go great together. Instead of choosing sweet milk chocolate, it is better to take a dark and bitter taste. Dark chocolate with orange flavor goes great with scotch because of the citrus flavor in scotch, which enhances that in chocolate. Pure dark chocolate is suitable for strong whiskey, and milk or one with the aroma of ginger and chili – for rye whiskey. Hazelnut chocolate goes well with single malt Scotch whiskey, and Americans’ favorite bourbon goes with almost all types of chocolate.
2. Cheese Whiskey and cheese have a lot in common. They need time to mature and are found in many varieties. That’s why the cheese goes well with whiskey. Matured cheddar cheese goes great with whiskey with a more smoky aroma. It is recommended to eat blue cheese with whiskey with a hotter taste. Soft cheeses such as brie and goat cheese are a nice appetizer for a light aromatic whiskey with hints of sweetness.
3. Dried fruits and nuts You will never go wrong if you drink whiskey with dried fruits and nuts. You can show more imagination in the combinations. Be careful which flavors of nuts and whiskey complement each other. Sweeter nuts go well with strong whiskey, while sweeter whiskey is suitable for more bitter nuts. The whiskey with smoky aroma is combined with well-roasted and salted nuts.
4. Grilled meat If you are preparing dinner and you are not sure what to serve for whiskey, you will not go wrong with grilled meat. This is always a good combination. The steaks go well with medium-density whiskeys. Whiskey with a deeper and smoky aroma is suitable for beef. If you are serving lighter meat, bourbon is a good choice.
5. Minced meat dishes All minced meat dishes are a suitable appetizer for strong whiskey with a rich aroma. The high alcohol content and spiciness of single malt Scotch or rye whiskey are combined with heavier, greasy dishes.
6. Smoked salmon Smoked salmon is a great appetizer for whiskey with a high rye content. The smoky aroma of salmon gives the bourbon a slightly spicy, fruity taste.
7. Apple Pie This dessert is combined with whiskey with a light aroma and a hint of sweetness. It can be served with American whiskey such as bourbon or one with a high rye content. The caramel aroma of bourbon emphasizes the taste of apple pie.
Many people believe that foods made with fresh ingredients cannot match canned foods in terms of nutritional value and taste. However, the truth is that modern technology is able to preserve the nutrients found in today’s canned food, while when cooking fresh food most of the nutrients are destroyed during the heat treatment process. In addition, canned foods can be stored for a long time, which is also beneficial. Fresh products that are not used in time should be discarded. Let’s look at a short list of the most useful and nutritious canned foods.
Tomatoes are known for their high levels of lycopene, a carotenoid pigment, a powerful antioxidant that experts say has anti-cancer properties. Tomatoes are also very useful because they contain a lot of vitamin C and pectin. Tomatoes are a universal product, without which the preparation of many dishes would be incomplete. Canned tomatoes are a relatively inexpensive product.
Canned smoked mackerel
If ordinary smoked mackerel can hardly be called a portion of healthy food, canned fish that is specially processed is simply a storehouse of protein. Like any other fish, mackerel is rich in omega-3 polyunsaturated fats, which are great for hair and nails. We mixed the mackerel with melted cheese and black pepper for a great sandwich.
Canned sardines
Sardines are very useful for humans. Their liver contains enough vitamin B12. This vitamin supports the body’s heart function and supplies it with energy. It is best not to put sardines in tomato sauce or water or oil, as this canned food is low in sodium. Combines perfectly with roasted vegetables.
Canned lentils
Lenses can be helpful if you decide to lower your cholesterol. Its content of fibre, vitamin B and protein has a beneficial effect on stabilizing metabolic processes and lowering blood sugar levels. Canned lentils contain only 90 calories, which makes them an indispensable product in your diet.
Canned beans
Canned beans are very healthy. It contains fibre, vegetable protein, iron and vitamin B1, which affect the state of memory. People with diabetes or hypoglycemia can consume soy because it does not contain sucrose. It will become an indispensable product for vegetarians or those who just want to limit the consumption of meat.
Canned pumpkin
When we talk about canned pumpkin, we are talking about low-calorie and low-fat canned pumpkin porridge. Compared to raw, it contains very little water and contains many nutrients, including 500% for vitamin A and 10% for iron and vitamin C.
Although the discovery of an underwater ecosystem came as a surprise, it is not unique, as there are many similar environments on Earth that researchers already know about. But studying these creatures allows you to learn more about Antarctica.
In a recent study in Antarctica, scientists were studying an area a few kilometers from the Ross Ice Shelf when they accidentally discovered a hidden underwater ecosystem made up of swarms of small, shrimp-like creatures.
This underwater ecosystem is in a network of hidden freshwater lakes and rivers that scientists already knew about. However, due to the fact that access to them has been so difficult, experts have only now managed to conduct a direct study of this environment, and look into its hidden depths.
“For a while we thought that something was wrong with our camera, but when the focus improved, we noticed a swarm of arthropods about 5 mm in size,” the scientists said.
These creatures are amphipods, a detachment of higher crayfish, relatives of lobsters and crabs. And while they don’t represent a new species, they may help answer some intriguing questions about their existence.
“I wonder where they get their food from and why their presence was so diverse during our 10 days of observation,” said scientist Craig Stevens from the University of Auckland.
Experts took several water samples to the laboratory to study DNA and other properties of water
As for what these creatures eat, the team is testing the water’s DNA to find clues as to what nutrients may be keeping them alive.
“We were jumping for joy because having all these animals swimming around our equipment means that there is clearly an important ecosystem there,” Stevens said.
Experts took several samples of the water to the lab to study the DNA and other properties of the water, trying to understand what makes it unique.
Although the discovery of an underwater ecosystem came as a surprise, it is not unique, as there are many similar environments on Earth that researchers already know about. However, the study of these little inhabitants allows you to learn even more about the secrets of Antarctica.
“On the surface of the ice shelf there is a small valley descending to the coast. Beneath it is a cathedral-like cave hundreds of meters high, which is also teeming with life,” the scientists concluded.
Recall that in May of this year, large reservoirs of groundwater were found in Antarctica. Scientists believe that the existence of groundwater under the Antarctic ice sheet could affect climate change.
Molecular biologists from Japan have found that dogs have become “man’s best friend” thanks to a gene that reduces stress, writes “Scientific Reports”.
According to the authors of the study from Azabu University, the gene in question has made ancient dogs calmer in the human environment. This, in turn, has allowed the special relationship between them to develop over time.
One of the most beloved pets in the world comes from wolves. However, domestication of the dog has puzzled evolutionary experts for decades.
Japanese scientists believe they have solved the mystery. Dogs appear to carry two mutations in a gene known as MC2R (melanocortin 2 receptor). It produces the hormone cortisol – a natural built-in alarm system that is released when someone experiences fear or anxiety.
“These findings suggest that the MC2R gene played a role in domesticating dogs, possibly by promoting lower levels of stress around humans,” said Dr. Miho Nagasawa of the research team.
The proverbial first human best friend was a gray wolf that came into contact with its first human companions about 33,000 years ago, somewhere in Southeast Asia. About 15,000 years ago, a small pack of domesticated dogs began moving to the Middle East and Africa.
The species, known as Canis lupus familiaris, reached Europe about 10,000 years ago. People began to build farms and settlements with defensive walls, which marks the dawn of modern civilization. The dogs are already there to help guard, graze the first herds and demand walks. According to the study, the outlines of this great adventure are written in their DNA.
On the resort island popular with tourists, real hunger riots can begin: mass protests continue to grow in Sri Lanka, the cause of which is a sharp rise in prices, a shortage of food and fuel. This is multiplied by the lack of foreign exchange due to the fall in tourist traffic due to the pandemic. At the same time, an additional scandal occurred with Russian tourists – related to the arrest of the Aeroflot plane a week ago, and, accordingly, the cancellation of direct flights.
In May alone, food prices on the island rose by more than half. Gasoline, diesel and gas are getting more expensive even faster – almost three times. As a result, gas stations are closed, and many areas of the resort remain without electricity. Earlier, UN High Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs spokesman Jens Lerke said that the economic crisis faced by Sri Lanka risks developing into a full-blown humanitarian emergency.
Recall that at the same time, Aeroflot, which had previously opened a direct flight to the island, announced that it was suspending commercial flights to Colombo (Sri Lanka) “due to the unreliability of the situation in terms of ensuring unhindered flights of the airline’s aircraft to Sri Lanka.” The reason was the arrest of the Airbus A-330, which was confiscated in the capital of Sri Lanka, Colombo, right during its first flight to this country. The main reason was a statement from an Irish lessor.
At the same time, the Sri Lankan court very quickly suspended the order prohibiting the Aeroflot aircraft from leaving the country. At the same time, the country’s tourism industry condemned the actions of the authorities, according to which Sri Lanka lost supplies of Russian tourists. The country’s Attorney General intervened. In his petition, he explained that the tourism industry of Sri Lanka would suffer from the detention of the Russian liner.
“Air sanctions” blocked another direction for Russian tourists – at least direct flights. The Russian national carrier Aeroflot, after its Airbus A-330 airliner was confiscated in the capital of Sri Lanka, Colombo, right during its first flight to this country, canceled all flights in this direction. According to the carrier, it will evacuate tourists already in this country and return tickets to passengers. Tour operators also offer rebooking to other destinations.
Recall the essence of the matter: Aeroflot resumed regular flights to Sri Lanka from April 8. The flights were operated three times a week, mainly on Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. Then the Airbus A330 from Aeroflot began to fly to the resort. This liner suffered: from Saturday, according to a court order, the aircraft, which was supposed to fly on the Colombo-Moscow route, was forbidden to leave Sri Lanka until at least June 16th. “Plaintiff states that he entered into a settlement agreement with the respondent airline Aeroflot, and therefore the plaintiff filed a complaint demanding that the aircraft belonging to the defendant airline be prohibited from leaving Sri Lanka,” the report said. Read the details at the link.
As the editor-in-chief of the Avia.ru portal Roman Gusarov explained to Business FM, the re-registration of the delayed airliner could violate the company’s settlement agreement with the Irish lessor. Here is his comment: “It seems that in this case we are not dealing directly with sanctions and the consequences of sanctions, but with a commercial dispute and the lessor, that is, the owner of the aircraft. Moreover, the situation is ambiguous, and the fate of this aircraft will be decided in the court of Sri Lanka. While there is definitely no decision to withdraw the aircraft, it has been detained at the request of the owner, the lessor. This case will be considered, since this is a commercial dispute, here, I think, the chances are 50/50.” Nevertheless, judging by the statement of the carrier, the issue is directly related to air sanctions – while the authorities of Sri Lanka gave a guarantee of the safety of the liners from arrests.
As a result, tour operators who sell package tours to Sri Lanka on Aeroflot flights will have to find a way to get their money back or transfer the booking to another destination. In particular, Biblio-Globus stated the following: “From June 3, 2022, Aeroflot suspends, until further notice, the program for operating regular SU288 flights on the Moscow-Colombo-Moscow route. For failed flights, the following destinations are available for rebooking: Egypt, Turkey, Maldives, Sochi. Rebooking is carried out at the current cost.
According to the latest information from tourprom.ru, the court of Sri Lanka suspended the order prohibiting the Aeroflot aircraft from leaving the country. At the same time, the country’s tourism industry condemned the actions of the authorities, according to which Sri Lanka lost supplies of Russian tourists.
According to the information provided by ATOR, the prosecutor general of the country intervened in the case. In his petition, he explained that the tourism industry of Sri Lanka would suffer from the detention of the Russian liner. Aeroflot was the only regular carrier operating flights between Colombo and Moscow.
As a result, on June 4, the Russian airline has suspended all flights to Sri Lanka. The High Court considered this argument sufficient to overturn the restraining order.
Experts noted that it is now decisively unprofitable for Sri Lanka to quarrel with Russia – especially given the fact that the country is in a crisis caused, among other things, by the situation on the fuel market. At the same time, the country’s refineries are now working on Russian oil and negotiations are underway on a Russian loan to Sri Lanka for its purchase.
Tourism as a “new oil” and a source of funds has not been canceled either. As a result, tourism in Sri Lanka condemned the actions of the authorities. The incident has already been called “a diplomatic incident, due to which the country lost direct flights from Russia.”
Swedish-Ukrainian IT company Sigma Software has launched a new software development office in Bulgaria. This is the first office of the company in the country. The company has a total of 30 offices in 15 countries around the world.
The company’s ambitions in Bulgaria are not limited to renting an office. Sigma Software plans to become a major part of the Bulgarian technology scene. On June 22, Sigma Software invites the Bulgarian technology community to TechBuzz. This will be a product management meeting with instructive talks from experts, eating and drinking, gifts and making useful contacts.
“We are currently expanding our presence in Europe’s emerging technology markets. It is important for us to grow in places where there are already decent IT communities. which is one of the largest cities in Bulgaria “, says Kate Stefanovic, Senior Event & PR Manager at Sigma Software Group.
To date, Sigma Software has 6 employees working in the center of Burgas near the sea and plans to expand its team mainly by hiring local technological talents.
Clients of Sigma Software are world-famous companies such as AstraZeneca, Scania, SAS, Fortum, DanAds, Viaplay and others. The company helps businesses digitize their business and supports startups in their growth.
The head of Rostourism, Zarina Doguzova, promises that our tourists will continue to travel abroad, and travelers from other countries are waiting in Russia
Now Russian tourism has other urgent tasks, says Lilia Sokolnikova from kp.ru.
The order signed on June 10 by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin on Russia’s withdrawal from the World Tourism Organization caused a stir in the network. What is it, our international tourism is completely abandoned?
Nothing will change for tourists.
The short answer is that for ordinary tourists, in practice, nothing will change at all. The country’s membership in the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) does not affect either visas or prices at resorts (if Antalya hotels gave a discount to guests from UNWTO member countries, then the decision to leave would concern everyone. But no, not give), nor air traffic. If the travel of Russians abroad in the near future depends on anything, it is on whether the aviation and banking sanctions will be lifted. Or introduce new ones.
Zarina Doguzova’s opinion
The head of Rostourism, Zarina Doguzova, expressed her opinion:
– Russia remains in the international tourism arena. We remain open to dialogue with all countries and will continue to cooperate with our foreign colleagues. Along with domestic tourism, we will also continue to actively develop international tourism. And of course we are waiting for guests from foreign countries. In many popular foreign destinations for our citizens, we are in constant contact with our colleagues, we maintain good working contacts. Together we solve all the difficulties that arise in the current conditions.
Can a country engage in international tourism without being a UNWTO member? Easy. The World Tourism Organization includes most of the countries of the world – 160 states and territories. But there are some that are not included. And the USA, for example. Or UK, Ireland, Iceland, Belgium, Singapore, Canada, Australia, New Zealand. Serious list, right? And nothing. This fact does not prevent them from traveling and receiving tourists (unlike the pandemic).
Gone by yourself
The decision to withdraw Russia from the UN World Tourism Organization was not made yesterday. Our country received an application for withdrawal at the emergency session of the UNWTO General Assembly on April 27th. Now the next step has just been taken.
Even earlier, in March, several countries – Guatemala, Lithuania, Poland, Slovenia and Ukraine – called for Russia to be expelled from the UNWTO in connection with the events in Ukraine (officially this sounded like “suspend membership”). The petition was not even considered. But Russia decided to leave on its own.
Can you return if you want? Yes, there are such cases in the history of the UNWTO. Thailand and Malaysia, Bahrain and Qatar, quite respected in international tourism and beloved by travelers, left and then renewed their membership.
Tourism has changed
On the other hand, many experts are now saying that the UNWTO has no real powers, no benefit from membership, why Russia was there at all. It turns out that all these years officials from tourism have not seen senseless spending? In fact, this extreme is a distortion.
Yes, Russia paid membership dues, like other countries. At the same time, our country did not have an office at the UNWTO headquarters in Madrid. Participation in the UNWTO can hardly be called a sinecure for officials and diplomats. Unless they went to seminars and assemblies.
Russia itself hosted the General Assembly of the World Tourism Organization in 2019. Beautiful, big, big. UNWTO Secretary General Zurab Pololikashvili came, ministers of tourism from different countries, the head of Rostourism Zarina Doguzova met with everyone. In St. Petersburg, it was planned to open the UNWTO Academy with free courses for employees of travel companies.
Actually, a lot of UNWTO programs, events and publications are dedicated to the exchange of experience between professionals from different countries and getting to know the best practices. For our country, which is actively developing domestic tourism, all this could be useful.
But the situation has changed. Now Russian tourism has other urgent tasks – for example, on which planes to fly to resorts. And it is quite logical and pragmatic that Zarina Doguzova now travels to SCO summits, meets with her colleagues from Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and India. And he regularly calls up the ministers of tourism of Turkey and Egypt.
