Thomas Hawk posted a photo:
Gina Rinehart, who’s been called Australia’s ‘female Donald Trump’, has long fought claims from the family of her father’s business partner – as well as her own children
Full Story podcast: How Gina Rinehart lost hundreds of millions of dollars in court
Australia’s richest person is reeling after a landmark court decision found her company must pay royalties worth hundreds of millions of dollars to a rival mining dynasty.
Gina Rinehart, a multibillionaire with political connections in both the White House and the Australian parliament, has been described by members of the US conservative movement as “a female Donald Trump”. The 72-year-old, who inherited her father’s iron ore empire in Australia’s Pilbara region, has fought multiple claims against the family company Hancock Prospecting that were first launched in 2010.
Continue reading...Building of artillery positions and roads suggest fresh military efforts likely from the north, says Ukrainian president. What we know on day 1,514
Infrastructure preparations suggest Russia is again trying to involve its ally Belarus in the war, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Friday. The Ukrainian president made his remarks, posted on Telegram, in response to what he said was an intelligence report issued by Ukraine’s top commander, Oleksandr Syrskyi. “According to intelligence, road construction in areas leading to Ukraine and the establishment of artillery positions are going on in the Belarusian border area,” Zelenskyy wrote. “We believe that Russia will once again try to involve Belarus in its war.” He said Ukraine had issued instructions to warn the Belarusian leadership of “Ukraine’s readiness to defend its land and independence”. Zelenskyy also said intelligence showed that Russia was “attempting ... to carry out a regrouping of forces - most likely to compensate for a shortage of personnel”. “In this regard, it becomes more evident why the armed forces increased their activity on the territory of Belarus.” He did not provide further evidence. Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko, one of Vladimir Putin’s closest allies, allowed his territory to be used for part of Russia’s February 2022 invasion.
Zelenskyy said Kyiv’s wartime experience in the Black Sea could help to ensure freedom of navigation in the strait of Hormuz. “Decisions made regarding Hormuz now will determine how other aggressive actors perceive the possibility of creating problems in other straits and on other fronts,” he said in remarks to a video conference attended by 50 countries and chaired by France and Britain. “We need to be as specific and clear as possible so that in six months we don’t find ourselves in the same situation as in Gaza, where much still needs to be done.” Zelenskyy, whose remarks appeared on the Telegram messaging app, said that in the course of four years of war with Russia, Ukraine had “already carried out a very similar mission in the Black Sea”. He said: “Russia also attempted to blockade our sea and we have experience in escorting merchant vessels, demining, defending against air attacks and the overall coordination of such operations.” Ukraine, he said, had sent specialists throughout the Middle East to help countries benefit from its experience in defending against Russian drones, many designed in Iran. “We can also contribute to maritime security,” Zelenskyy said. Ukraine has clinched security cooperation agreements with Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates and says it is in talks with Oman, Kuwait and Bahrain.
A fire broke out at an oil terminal in southern Russia’s Krasnodar region, prompting a large firefighting operation, the region’s emergency operational headquarters said early on Saturday. Officials said 224 firefighters and 56 vehicles were battling the blaze at the terminal in Tikhoretsk, north-east of the region’s main town, Krasnodar. No casualties were reported and there was no indication as to what may have caused the fire. Syskyi said this week that Ukrainian forces were seeking to reduce Russia’s offensive capabilities by keeping up a high pace of strikes on military, defence-industrial and other facilities. In March, Ukraine struck 76 such targets including 15 facilities in the oil-refining industry, the top commander said.
Serbia’s Russian-owned NIS oil company has secured a 60-day sanctions waiver from the US. The waiver will allow NIS, which operates Serbia’s only oil refinery, to continue importing crude oil until the sale of the Russian majority stake to Hungary’s MOL. The previous one-month waiver expired on Friday. The US imposed sanctions on NIS in October last year as part of wider measures targeting Russia’s energy sector over the war in Ukraine, and demanded divestment of Gazprom Neft and Gazprom, its Russian majority owners. Serbian energy minister Dubravka Djedovic Handanovic called the latest move a sign of progress in the negotiations on the change of ownership between the Hungarian MOL and the Russian Gazprom Neft.
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VÖLKLINGEN (ANP/DPA) - In de Duitse plaats Völklingen is in de nacht van vrijdag op zaterdag een man om het leven gekomen na een harde knal onder een voetgangersbrug, meldt de politie. Ook zijn meerdere mensen zwaargewond geraakt. Agenten werden kort na middernacht gealarmeerd. In de noodoproep werd melding gemaakt van een harde knal en iemand die om hulp schreeuwde.
De politie heeft de onderdoorgang afgezet, maar heeft nog geen verdere details over de knal of de verwondingen bekendgemaakt. Tientallen agenten onderzoeken wat er is gebeurd.
Völklingen is een plaats met ongeveer 40.000 inwoners, enkele kilometers ten westen van Saarbrücken, niet ver van de Franse grens.
TEHERAN (ANP/AFP) - Iran zal de Straat van Hormuz opnieuw afsluiten als de Verenigde Staten hun blokkade van Iraanse havens voortzetten. Dat heeft de spreker van het Iraanse parlement, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, zaterdag gezegd. Hij bevestigde daarmee wat het Iraanse staatspersbureau eerder al meldde op basis van een bron uit de Iraanse legertop.
"Bij voortzetting van de blokkade zal de Straat van Hormuz niet open blijven," schrijft Ghalibaf op X. Hij voegt er bovendien aan toe dat doorgang door de waterweg afhankelijk zal blijven van toestemming van Iran. Trump schreef vrijdag op sociale media dat de Amerikaanse havenblokkade "volledig van kracht blijft" tot er een definitieve deal ligt.
Iran kondigde vrijdag plotseling aan de Straat van Hormuz te heropenen. Dat bericht deed de gas- en olieprijzen meteen dalen. Iran blokkeerde de voor olietankers belangrijke zeestraat de afgelopen weken om via economische weg druk uit te oefenen op de VS.
GAZA-STAD (ANP/RTR) - VN-organisatie UNICEF zegt "woedend" te zijn nadat twee vrachtwagenchauffeurs, die waren ingehuurd om schoon water te leveren aan gezinnen in de Gazastrook, door een Israëlische aanval werden gedood. De VN-organisatie meldt in een verklaring dat het incident vrijdagochtend plaatsvond tijdens reguliere watertransporten bij het waterpunt Mansoura in het noorden van Gaza, dat Gaza-Stad van water voorziet. Ook raakten twee andere mensen gewond.
UNICEF zegt de werkzaamheden op de locatie te hebben opgeschort en roept de Israëlische autoriteiten op een onderzoek in te stellen. Daarbij benadrukt de kinderorganisatie dat hulpverleners, burgers en essentiële waterinfrastructuur volgens het internationaal humanitair recht moeten worden beschermd.
De Israëlische ambassade in Washington reageerde niet direct op een verzoek van persbureau Reuters om commentaar.
hiroya.uga has added a photo to the pool:
Hozomon gate and five-story pagoda, emptied by long exposure. Sensoji, Asakusa, Tokyo.
banzainetsurfer has added a photo to the pool:
Higashiiyasugeoi, Miyoshi City, Tokushima Prefecture, Shikoku, Japan
日本四国地方徳島県三好市東祖谷菅生
13 suspension bridges made of mountain vines (kazurabashi) used to exist in the Iya Valley and provided a vital means of getting people and goods across the river in the past. Two of the surviving bridges still stand side by side deep in the inner valley. They are known as the Oku-Iya Kazurabashi (奥祖谷二重かずら橋, Oku-Iya Nijū Kazurabashi).
The larger of the two bridges, Husband Bridge (Otto no Hashi), stretches 44 meters across the river next to a small waterfall, while the slightly lower Wife Bridge (Tsuma no Hashi) spans 22 meters a little ways upstream. The bridges are constructed with steel cables hidden within the vines for safety and are rebuilt every three years. They are connected to each other by a network of paved hiking trails that also lead to camping facilities on the far side of the river.
Source: www.japan-guide.com/e/e7829.html
A new Ipsos poll finds Americans are increasingly getting news from online personalities and comedians instead of traditional TV or newspapers. The survey says nearly 70% get news online in a given week, versus 55% from TV and 25% from newspapers, with figures like Joe Rogan, Greg Gutfeld, Sean Hannity, and late-night hosts ranking prominently depending on political leanings. From the Hollywood Reporter: The poll, which was conducted in March, actually found the conservative politicians and cabinet members, including President Trump, were the top news influencers. When politicos were excluded, Joe Rogan led the list, followed by Fox News personalities Greg Gutfeld and Sean Hannity, and then TuckerCarlson and Ben Shapiro. The only three influencers to crack 10 percent were Trump, Rogan, and JD Vance. Among people who voted for Kamala Harris, the top news personalities were late night hosts, led by ABC's Jimmy Kimmel, followed by CBS Late Show host Stephen Colbert, and Daily Show host Jon Stewart.
Just under 70 percent of respondents said they get their news online in a given week, compared to 55 percent for TV, and 25 percent for newspapers. [...] Of traditional media outlets, TV dominated, with Fox News, the broadcast networks, and CNN topping the list of sources. Facebook, YouTube and Instagram were the most popular online news sources. "On these platforms opinionated personalities and comedians appear to drown out anyone who would fit in the traditional journalist category," said assistant professor of practice and Jordan Center Executive Director Steven L Herman. "Even in the late 19th century and early 20th centuries, sensationalist and polarizing voices in print and later on air were among the most influential in the political landscape -- such as political satirist Mark Twain and populist Father Charles Coughlin."
Just under 70 percent of respondents said they get their news online in a given week, compared to 55 percent for TV, and 25 percent for newspapers. [...] Of traditional media outlets, TV dominated, with Fox News, the broadcast networks, and CNN topping the list of sources. Facebook, YouTube and Instagram were the most popular online news sources. "On these platforms opinionated personalities and comedians appear to drown out anyone who would fit in the traditional journalist category," said assistant professor of practice and Jordan Center Executive Director Steven L Herman. "Even in the late 19th century and early 20th centuries, sensationalist and polarizing voices in print and later on air were among the most influential in the political landscape -- such as political satirist Mark Twain and populist Father Charles Coughlin."
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
The post Tamron Wins more TIPA gold! appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Sime.
Tamron, a leading provider of high-quality lenses, announces the presentation by the Technical Image Press Association (TIPA) of its TIPA Award 2026 to two lenses; 16-30mm F/2.8 Di III VXD G2 (Model A064) for “BEST FULL FRAME WIDE-ANGLE ZOOM LENS” and 35-100mm F/2.8 Di III VXD (Model A078) for “BEST FULL FRAME TRAVEL LENS”. With these latest accolades, TAMRON has been honored with TIPA Awards for thirteen consecutive years.
BEST FULL FRAME WIDE-ANGLE ZOOM LENS
TAMRON 16-30mm F/2.8 Di III VXD G2 (Model A064)
This lightweight and fast ultra wide-angle zoom delivers exceptional sharpness from edge to edge, even at F2.8. It combines outstanding optical performance with a robust Moisture-Resistant Construction suited for demanding environments. Its impressive versatility makes it ideal for capturing a wide variety of subjects, even in challenging lighting conditions, making it an all-around choice for landscape, architecture, event, and travel photography. Performance-wise, it delivers fast, reliable autofocus to ensure success in both still and video capture. This affordable lens has an MOD (Minimum Object Distance) of 0.19m at 16mm and 0.3m at 30mm, creating even more potential for exciting imaging opportunities.
BEST FULL FRAME TRAVEL LENS
TAMRON 35-100mm F/2.8 Di III VXD (Model A078)
This handy, take anywhere lens offers an exceptional blend of optical performance, portability, and innovation. It delivers consistently sharp images across its versatile zoom range and maintains a bright F2.8 aperture, excelling in low-light conditions while producing beautifully rendered depth and clarity. The advanced VXD (Voice-coil eXtreme-torque Drive) linear motor focus mechanism ensures rapid, precise, and silent focusing to meet the demands of both still and video creators. Remarkably compact and lightweight for its class, this lens redefines mobility without compromising on image quality.
While you’re here, you should also pop across to Tamron Australia’s Podcast series – Get The Shot, a great series with insights from many and varied photographers.
The post Tamron Wins more TIPA gold! appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Sime.