An anonymous reader quotes a report from the Guardian: We may appear to have little in common with sperm whales – enormous, ocean-dwelling animals that last shared a common ancestor with humans more than 90 million years ago. But the whales' vocalized communications are remarkably similar to our own, researchers have discovered. Not only do sperm whale have a form of "alphabet" and form vowels within their vocalizations but the structure of these vowels behaves in the same way as human speech, the new study has found.

Sperm whales communicate in a series of short clicks called codas. Analysis of these clicks shows that the whales can differentiate vowels through the short or elongated clicks or through rising or falling tones, using patterns similar to languages such as Mandarin, Latin and Slovenian. The structure of the whales' communication has "close parallels in the phonetics and phonology of human languages, suggesting independent evolution," the paper, published in the Proceedings B journal, states. Sperm whale coda vocalizations are "highly complex and represent one of the closest parallels to human phonology of any analyzed animal communication system," it added.

[...] The new study shows that "sperm whale communication isn't just about patterns of clicks -- it involves multiple interacting layers of structure," said Mauricio Cantor, a behavioral ecologist at the Marine Mammal Institute who was not involved in the research. "With this study, we're starting to see that these signals are organized in ways we didn't fully appreciate before." The latest discovery around sperm whale speech has inched forward the possibility of someday fully understanding the creatures and even communicating with them. Project CETI has set a goal of being able to comprehend 20 different vocalized expressions, relating to actions such as diving and sleeping, within the next five years. A future where we're able to fully understand what the whales are saying and be able to have a conversation with them is "totally within our grasp," said David Gruber, founder and president of Project CETI. "We've already got a lot further than I thought we could. But it will take time, and funding. At the moment we are like a two-year-old, just saying a few words. In a few years' time, maybe we will be more like a five-year-old."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Fix for critical flaw is an OS update you may not be able to make because the junk data uses all memory

More than 230 different models of Cisco Wi-Fi access points may be writing 5MB a day of nonessential data, filling their onboard flash memory to the point at which they lack space for future software updates.…

De Amerikaanse president Donald Trump heeft de oorlog met Iran tijdens een verkiezingsbijeenkomst in Las Vegas donderdag gebagatelliseerd als "een kleine uitstap". Ook voorspelde hij dat het conflict "vrij snel" voorbij zal zijn.

Trump prees tegenover zijn aanhangers zijn economische verwezenlijkingen "ondanks ons uitstapje naar het prachtige land Iran". Volgens hem was de oorlog onvermijdelijk door het nucleaire potentieel van Iran. "Anders konden er hele slechte dingen gebeuren", zei hij.

Trump sprak in Las Vegas aanhangers toe in aanloop naar de tussentijdse verkiezingen van november.

Uit een peiling van Ipsos van afgelopen weekend komt naar voren dat 51 procent van de ondervraagden vindt dat de oorlog met Iran de kosten niet waard is. Slechts 24 procent denkt daar anders over. En in een woensdag gepubliceerde peiling van Quinnipiac University houdt 65 procent van de kiezers Trump verantwoordelijk voor hogere brandstofprijzen door de sluiting van de Straat van Hormuz.

Langzaam maar zeker schuift een nieuwe oliecrisis richting Nederlandse huishoudens en bedrijven. De acute paniek blijft nog uit, maar in de praktijk stapelen de waarschuwingen zich op, waarschuwen deskundigen in het FD.

De directe aanleiding ligt in de Iran-oorlog, waardoor een groot deel van de olie-export uit het Midden-Oosten is weggevallen. Dat effect wordt nu pas echt zichtbaar, omdat de laatste tankers met olie en geraffineerde producten hun bestemming hebben bereikt. Vooral kerosine is een probleem: het Midden-Oosten leverde ongeveer de helft van de Europese import, terwijl Europa zelf te weinig vliegtuigbrandstof produceert. Europese luchthavens vrezen binnen enkele weken tekorten nu de laatste tanker voor Rotterdam al is gelost.

De stijgende kerosineprijs slaat direct door in de luchtvaart. KLM heeft aangekondigd de komende maand tachtig retourvluchten te schrappen omdat ze verliesgevend zouden worden, en Lufthansa sluit per direct zijn regionale dochter CityLine onder verwijzing naar de scherp gestegen brandstofkosten. Analist Eugene Lindell van onderzoeksbureau FGE spreekt van een “tikkende tijdbom” en ziet slechts één uitweg: de vraag naar olie moet omlaag, omdat er geen echte vervanging is voor de weggevallen vaten uit de Golfregio.

Wereldwijd wordt de meeste pijn nu nog in Azië gevoeld, met een Chinees exportverbod op brandstoffen, benzinerantsoenen in meerdere landen en een energienoodtoestand in de Filipijnen. In Nederland is er nog geen noodscenario, maar de druk loopt op: wegtransport worstelt met dieselprijzen boven 2,50 euro per liter en vreest faillissementen, terwijl de binnenvaart weliswaar schokdempers kent via brandstofclausules, maar eveneens tegen de grenzen van de betaalbaarheid aanloopt.

Dure kerosine raakt vakantievluchten en ticketprijzen, duurdere diesel vertaalt zich in hogere transportkosten en dus duurdere boodschappen, terwijl een nieuwe olieprijsschok ook de inflatie en economische groei kan ondermijnen. Wie nu nog denkt dat de oliecrisis een probleem is voor “daarbuiten”, zou zich kunnen vergissen in de snelheid waarmee slow motion ineens fast forward wordt.

Sarah Ferguson, de ex-vrouw van prins Andrew, is voor het eerst sinds maanden weer in het openbaar gezien: volgens de Britse tabloid The Sun verblijft ze incognito in de Oostenrijkse Alpen.

Ex-vrouw van prins Andrew verstopt zich in de bergen

Sarah Ferguson is opnieuw opgedoken na een maandenlange verdwijning uit de openbaarheid, veroorzaakt door de nieuwe Epstein-affaire rond haar ex-man prins Andrew. De 66-jarige hertogin werd volgens de Britse krant The Sun gespot in de Oostenrijkse Alpen, waar zij zich zou proberen te verschuilen voor de mediahype. Op foto’s is te zien hoe ze in vrijetijdskleding voor een zwarte bus staat, met haar rode haar verborgen onder een witte muts.

Volgens de Britse berichtgeving zoekt Ferguson bewust de luwte op: de rustige bergomgeving zou “de perfecte plek zijn om zich te verstoppen” en af te wachten tot “de ergernis voorbij is”. De ex-royal verloor haar resterende status toen Andrew zijn titels en officiële rol kwijtraakte, en moest daarna ook haar woning in de Royal Lodge verlaten. Vrienden zeggen dat haar dat zwaar heeft geraakt.

Ferguson kampte al jaren met financiële problemen en zou in het verleden zelfs bij de inmiddels veroordeelde zedendelinquent Jeffrey Epstein om geld hebben aangeklopt. Nu de ex-prins begin deze maand is opgepakt op verdenking van “misconduct in public office” en het delen van geheime informatie met Epstein, is ook haar positie opnieuw onder een vergrootglas komen te liggen. Haar laatste publieke optreden was in december 2025 bij de doop van haar kleindochter Athena; sindsdien doken vooral geruchten op dat zij in luxe wellness-oorden in Zwitserland of Ierland verbleef of bij vriendin Priscilla Presley logeerde, wat door Presley zelf is ontkend.

Vandaag volgt een aangename lentedag met hoge temperaturen voor de tijd van het jaar. Landinwaarts kan de temperatuur zelfs de 20 graden aantippen en spreken we van een warme dag. De zon is aanwezig, maar er trekken ook wolkenvelden over die het de zon lastiger maken dan gisteren. Het lijkt wel op de meeste plaatsen droog te blijven met slechts een kleine kans op een bui. Er staat eerst weinig wind, later volgt aan zee een matige westenwind. Al met al ziet het weer er op deze dag van de Koningspelen gewoon prima uit!

I tried not to think about the 1,300 metres of solid rock over my head

Running has always been a passion of mine. I started as a child in the Yorkshire Dales, moving to cross-country at university, then graduating to marathons. I loved the challenge. After my wife, Stephanie, and I married in 2012, and went on to have two daughters, Grace and Rose, I still ran for pleasure, but competitive events took a back seat as I focused on my family and career.

Then one day I heard about a marathon my company had been invited to join. It had been over 10 years since my last big race, but I put my name forward. “I’m surprised,” a colleague said. “You do realise it’s totally underground?” It turned out the race was in a Swedish zinc mine, 1,120 metres below sea level. That made it the world’s deepest marathon, and everyone who completed it would be a Guinness World Record holder.

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From lurid pranks and late-night drives, to why playing in the Revolution was like joining the marines – Prince’s friends and collaborators recount their memories of one of the music world’s most majestic and mercurial performers

George Clinton, singer and leader of Parliament-Funkadelic

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Elderly people take advantage of courses on how to navigate mobile devices and avoid ‘analogue isolation’

It’s not only young people whose gaze is fixed on tiny screens. But for these users in Tokyo, clicking and scrolling is anything but second nature.

“I can’t deal with all of the apps that jump out at me,” says one. “How do I know if I’ve definitely ended a call?” asks another.

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The war in Iran has exposed our dependencies. Europe, including the UK, must be bold about change, so nobody can blackmail us

• Lars Klingbeil is Germany’s finance minister and vice-chancellor

Wars and crises are draining our economies, our sense of security and our emotional wellbeing. They are affecting our daily lives: supply chains are becoming less reliable, energy prices are soaring, and trade dependencies on fossil-fuel energy and critical minerals pose risks to national security. Tariffs, industrial overcapacities and export restrictions threaten jobs and prosperity. Taken together, all this is exposing Europe’s weaknesses and vulnerabilities.

At the same time, we have shown how strengthening our alliances and our economic and military capacities can increase our scope for action. Forming a united European political front is helping to safeguard the sovereignty of Greenland, for instance. And despite all the recent turmoil, Europe remains one of the most attractive places in the world to live and work.

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Seven deaths and 15 injuries have been recorded in the past year as crocodiles move their habitats closer to human settlements

• Warning: contains graphic descriptions of crocodile attacks

Ng’ikalei Loito was walking out of the warm waters of Lake Turkana on a sunny afternoon, having just finished swimming with her two sisters-in-law, when she suddenly felt the crushing force of a crocodile’s bite on her legs.

In excruciating pain, she instinctively clung to a partially submerged tree that was within reach and screamed for help, as the crocodile tried to drag her under the water.

Ng’ikalei Loito sits on her tricycle outside her house in Kalokol town in Turkana

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António Guterres welcomes truce and says through spokesperson he hopes halt in fighting will ‘pave the way for negotiations’

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of events in the Middle East.

United Nations chief António Guterres has welcomed the ceasefire announced on Thursday between Israel and Lebanon, urging “all actors” to fully respect the truce.

A 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon has come into effect, pausing fighting in a devastating conflict between Israel and Hezbollah that has killed more than 2,100 Lebanese people and displaced more than 2.1 million. The agreement was announced earlier by Donald Trump, who said he had spoken with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese president Joseph Aoun, and invited both leaders “for meaningful talks” at the White House. Both leaders welcomed the agreement. But how long the ceasefire will hold is the key question, as both Israel and Hezbollah have maintained their right to defend themselves if the truce is broken. Here’s our report.

Netanyahu called it a “historic” opportunity for peace, though he refused to withdraw his troops from southern Lebanon during the pause in fighting. “We are remaining in Lebanon in an expanded security zone,” he said, due to the “danger of an invasion” and to prevent fire into Israel. “That is where we are, and we are not leaving.” The Israeli prime minister maintained that his key demand was dismantling Hezbollah. He has previously declared his intention to occupy southern Lebanon up to the Litani River – about 30km from the border – while Lebanon demands the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces and for displaced residents to be able to return to their homes.

Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei welcomed the ceasefire and stressed it was already part of the original Iran-US agreement brokered by Pakistan. Baghaei said Iran emphasised “from the outset” the need for a “simultaneous ceasefire throughout the region, including Lebanon”, and expressed his “solidarity” with the people and government of Lebanon. He called for the return of displaced residents to their homes and emphasised the necessity of the “complete withdrawal” of Israeli forces from the south of the country – which, as mentioned, Israel has refused to do.

The Lebanese army urged residents to “exercise restraint” in returning to their villages and towns in southern Lebanon ahead of the ceasefire coming into effect. The army added that even then residents should avoid areas that remain occupied by Israeli forces. It was followed by a similar statement issued by Hezbollah, urging caution amid Israel’s history of “breaking covenants and agreements”.

The Israeli military issued an urgent warning to the people of southern Lebanon not to return south of the Litani River despite the ceasefire coming into force.

In the hours before the truce took effect, Israel and Hezbollah continued to exchange fire. Just as the ceasefire came into force, the Israeli military said it had hit more than 380 Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon in the past 24 hours, including rocket launchers, headquarters and Hezbollah members themselves. Meanwhile, Israeli strikes on Lebanese towns and villages killed dozens of people, including an attack on the town of Ghazieh which killed at least seven people and wounded 33, the health ministry said on Thursday.

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Nearly 50,000 men volunteered to enlist this year, according to the Royal Thai Army, a 22% increase compared with 2025

“Bored of your wife? This April, come and enlist in the military,” says a recent online post from the Thai military, ditching its traditional, stuffy tone for online memes ahead of the recent annual draft season.

It is not known how effective the campaign has been, but nearly 50,000 men volunteered to enlist this year, according to the Royal Thai Army, a 22% increase compared with 2025. This marks a continuation of a trend seen over the past five years in Thailand, and is a marked contrast to countries such as Japan, which are struggling to enlist military personnel.

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Ook woestijnlucht bevat water. Maar hoe krijg je dat eruit? Met de MOF’s van Omar Yaghi moet dat kunnen, denkt hijzelf. „Mijn motivatie is het helpen van de droogste en armste delen van de wereld.”

Het is zes uur ‘s avonds. Nog even die laatste mail beantwoorden. Laptop dicht. Je moet de hond uitlaten. Baby naar bed. Speelgoed opruimen. Iets gezonds eten. Sporten.

banzainetsurfer has added a photo to the pool:

Oku-Iya, Miyoshi, Tokushima Prefecture, Shikoku, Japan
日本四国地方徳島県三好市奥祖谷

banzainetsurfer has added a photo to the pool:

Oku-Iya, Miyoshi, Tokushima Prefecture, Shikoku, Japan
日本四国地方徳島県三好市奥祖谷

Thomas Hawk posted a photo:

Thomas Hawk posted a photo: