ANKARA (ANP) - De Europese leden van de NAVO en Canada steken op dit moment zo'n 4 procent van hun bruto binnenlands product (bbp) in defensie en veiligheid, zei secretaris-generaal Mark Rutte aan de vooravond van de NAVO-top in Ankara. Volgens hem zijn de lidstaten goed op weg om het doel van 5 procent te halen en liggen ze op koers om net zoveel geld uit te geven aan hun krijgsmacht als de Verenigde Staten.

NEW YORK (ANP) - De techgraadmeter Nasdaq toonde maandag een overtuigend herstel in New York, terwijl de Dow-Jonesindex een nieuw record bereikte. Beleggers stapten na het lange weekend in de Verenigde Staten weer in techaandelen, na de koersverliezen in de sector afgelopen donderdag. Chip- en techbedrijven als Intel, AMD, Western Digital, Marvell Technology en Oracle stegen tot 6,5 procent. De fabrikanten van chipapparatuur Lam Research, Applied Materials en KLA wonnen tot 3,6 procent, na koersdoelverhogingen door zakenbank Morgan Stanley.

De Nasdaq noteerde kort na opening van de markt 0,8 procent hoger op 26.044 punten. De Dow-Jonesindex won 0,2 procent op 53.027 punten en de S&P 500-index ging 0,5 procent omhoog tot 7517 punten. De Amerikaanse beurzen waren vrijdag dicht vanwege de viering van Onafhankelijkheidsdag op 4 juli.

De Dow steeg donderdag al ruim 1 procent tot een nieuw slotrecord en is maandag de historische grens van 53.000 punten gepasseerd. De Nasdaq verloor in aanloop naar het lange weekend in de VS echter 0,8 procent. Op weekbasis wist de Nasdaq wel ruim 2 procent te winnen.

Onderzeeboten

Beleggers kijken uit naar de start van het cijferseizoen op Wall Street. Zo komen luchtvaartmaatschappij Delta Air Lines en snack- en frisdrankfabrikant PepsiCo later deze week met kwartaalresultaten.

Daarnaast wordt gewacht op de notulen van de rentevergadering van de Federal Reserve, die woensdag worden vrijgegeven. Bij de beleidsvergadering op 17 juni hield de Amerikaanse centrale bank de leenkosten nog onveranderd, maar werd de inflatieverwachting wel verhoogd. Het was het eerste rentebesluit van de nieuwe Fed-voorzitter Kevin Warsh.

Lockheed Martin zakte 1,5 procent. Het defensieconcern is volgens Amerikaanse media de favoriete kandidaat om marinedefensiegroep Ultra Maritime over te nemen voor ongeveer 3,5 miljard dollar. Ultra is eigendom van investeerder Advent International en is gespecialiseerd in radar- en elektronische oorlogsvoeringssystemen voor onderzeeboten en afweersystemen tegen torpedo's.

Wie ooit met lichte paniek naar zijn veertigste verjaardag heeft gekeken omdat 'alles daarna bergafwaarts gaat', kan opgelucht ademhalen. Ja, je reactiesnelheid wordt vanaf je twintiger jaren langzaam minder. Maar als het gaat om écht goed functioneren – verstandige keuzes maken, mensen aanvoelen en complexe problemen oplossen – blijkt je hoogtepunt pas veel later te liggen.

Uit een nieuwe studie blijkt dat mensen tussen hun 55ste en 60ste op hun best presteren. Dan beschikken ze over de optimale combinatie van kennis, ervaring en persoonlijkheid.

Onderzoekers van de University of Western Australia bekeken tientallen eerder verschenen onderzoeken naar cognitieve vaardigheden en persoonlijkheidskenmerken. Daarbij keken ze niet alleen naar intelligentie, maar ook naar eigenschappen als emotionele intelligentie, financiële kennis, moreel redeneren en stressbestendigheid.

Hun conclusie: succes in het leven draait om veel meer dan een hoog IQ. De zogenoemde vloeiende intelligentie, waartoe reactiesnelheid, geheugen en het snel verwerken van nieuwe informatie behoren, bereikt inderdaad al vroeg een piek en neemt daarna langzaam af. Maar daar staat iets tegenover. Je gekristalliseerde intelligentie – de kennis en levenservaring die je in de loop der jaren opbouwt – blijft juist groeien, vaak tot ver in je zestiger jaren.

Ook je persoonlijkheid ontwikkelt zich. Mensen worden gemiddeld zorgvuldiger, stabieler en beter in het omgaan met stress. Emotionele intelligentie bereikt half de veertig een hoogtepunt, terwijl financiële kennis vaak pas tussen de 65 en 70 jaar piekt. Zelfs het vermogen om ethische dilemma's af te wegen en niet vast te blijven houden aan een mislukt plan ('ik heb er al zoveel tijd in gestoken') wordt beter met de jaren.

Hoge functies later in het leven

Dat verklaart misschien ook waarom veel mensen pas later in hun carrière de belangrijkste functies bekleden. Volgens de onderzoekers beschikken mensen tussen de 55 en 60 jaar over de beste mix van denkkracht, levenservaring en emotionele volwassenheid om grote beslissingen te nemen.

Dat betekent overigens niet dat ouder altijd beter is. Na je 65ste zet er volgens de onderzoekers een duidelijke daling in. Vaardigheden als cognitieve flexibiliteit, zoals snel schakelen tussen nieuwe situaties, en het lezen van subtiele gezichtsuitdrukkingen nemen dan af. Ook de behoefte om jezelf intellectueel uit te dagen wordt kleiner.

De onderzoekers benadrukken wel dat hun analyse is gebaseerd op bestaande gegevens van verschillende leeftijdsgroepen. Daardoor is niet met zekerheid te zeggen welk deel van de verschillen door ouder worden komt en welk deel door generatieverschillen.

Toch is de boodschap verrassend positief. Waar we ouder worden vaak associëren met achteruitgang, laat deze studie juist zien dat veel van onze belangrijkste kwaliteiten jarenlang blijven groeien. Misschien zijn je hersenen niet meer de snelste van de klas, maar de kans is groot dat je over een paar decennia wel de wijste bent.

Bron: PsyPost

Exclusive: Campaigners argue news channel’s attacks on climate action ‘work in financial interests’ of Sir Paul Marshall

The hedge fund run by the co-owner of GB News almost tripled its investments in fossil fuel companies in the first quarter of 2026 to $2.8bn (£2.1bn), the Guardian can reveal.

Critics have accused Sir Paul Marshall of “cashing in on climate chaos” and have claimed the news channel, which frequently attacks climate science and action, was “working in its owner’s financial interests”.

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‘In the early days, we hopped on every bandwagon going – punk, ska, mod, everything. Fantastic Day was always there, just in different styles. The original was more Talking Heads. I preferred that’

If I’d been sitting down when I wrote Fantastic Day, it would have been a different song, but I was standing up in front of a chocolate-brown wall with the names of all my favourite punk bands scribbled on it. I was envisioning the future. It was 1978, and my family had moved across London to a place called the Ski Club of Great Britain where my parents ran the bar. We lived in the basement and I had a tiny room that was like a ship’s cabin.

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• Slegers says Germany forward will be ‘great addition’

• OL Lyonnes confirm signing of Chelsea’s Kaneryd

The Arsenal head coach, Renée Slegers, has hailed Selina Cerci as a “great addition” after the Germany forward joined the club from TSG 1899 Hoffenheim.

Cerci scored 34 goals in 47 appearances for Hoffenheim across two seasons. She becomes the second player Arsenal have signed from the Frauen Bundesliga this summer, following their capture of Georgia Stanway from Bayern Munich, also on a free transfer.

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Het aanvalsplan om de nationale weidevogel beter te beschermen is mooi, maar niet bindend. En dat ergert de Vogelbescherming, die zich distantieert van de ondertekening maandag. „Naar iets streven is mooi, maar wat als je dat streven niet haalt?”

De Franse rechter bepaalt dinsdag of het verbod op verkiezingsdeelname voor Marine Le Pen van kracht blijft. Haar radicaal-rechtse partij Rassemblent Nationaal doet het in de peilingen erg goed. Afzwaaiend president Emmanuel Macron is druk bezig vertrouwelingen te benoemen op invloedrijke posities.

Oh ja, oorlog in Iran. Die was er, toen gooide Trump de handdoek en inmiddels zijn de onderhandelingen over een definitieve vredesdeal met het regime in volle gang. Hoog tijd dus voor ons parlement om zich te buigen over de scenario's bij regime change met Sjah-kroonprins Reza Pahlavi. Ok of die onderhandelingen in Zwitserland enige kans van slagen hebben is de grote vraag en het schieten kan ook zo weer beginnen, maar ook dan is Pahlavi op geen enkel moment, ondanks zijn eigen aandringen en dat van de Pahlavi-fans onder de Iraanse diaspora, een figuur van grote betekenis geweest in het conflict. De Iraniërs zijn verdeeld en dat is logisch, de man is nooit in Iran geweest en de Sjah maakte het land in de jaren voor de islamitische revolutie ook niet bepaald gezelliger. Trump zei kort na het begin van de oorlog over Pahlavi enkel dat het best een aardige gozer is, maar dat er bij regime change waarschijnlijk beter gekeken kan worden naar een leider die niet hoeft te worden ingevlogen. En dan was er nog dat gerucht dat Pahlavi achter de schermen steevast 'the loser prince' genoemd zou worden in het Witte Huis. Niet fraai allemaal. Toch wil de Tweede Kamer van zijne koninklijke neusheid horen wat hij precies van plan is, in het geval dat de grote regime change er toch nog komt. Plannen heeft-ie wel, zo kwam hij op de proppen met een commissie (met Afshin Elian) die na de val van het regime de eerste stappen moet gaan zetten in het onderzoeken en berechten van de misdaden van de Mullahs. Uitleg over dit en meer dus in het RONDETAFELGESPREK over Iran. Kijk0n.

INSTANT UPDATE - Toch niet kijk0n, gesprek met Pahlavi is BESLOTEN. Rondetafelgesprek tot nu toe bestond uit Iraniërs die Pahlavi gematigd tot heel stom vinden en technische problemen.

Uchinanchuu has added a photo to the pool:

DirtyGlassEye has added a photo to the pool:

I didn't think I could make this of all things into a post, it was a weird blend of modernity and historical aspects. Several pieces had to be remove for it to be in the condition it is now.
If you recall a similar shot in the same location a lifetime ago, the thing I remember the most about Nachi Taisha isn't its treats, the falls themselves, or even the iconic pagoda. What I remember most was the rough, steep, stone steps. They evened out towards the bottom of the trail but it still felt the same. After shooting the falls I turned around and remembered thinking if I could shoot this stairway-to-heaven-esque composition.
Of course I did have some things in the frame that had to go. This is a popular trail in a popular tourist destination so I had to clone some people out. On top of that I got rid of the railing on the left side of the stairs. I left the center one as it didn't detract much and it helps make the sign markers look in place (and I like having those as a contrasting subject. Only thing left was to deal with the overexposure cutting through the canopy and giving a green tint to the stone. Without using an app to translate it, I think the sign is asking to stay to the right when going down (I only recognize 2 of those kanji symbols), tell me if I'm correct or not.

BK Pham has added a photo to the pool:

byb64 has added a photo to the pool:

Monastère fondé au XIIe siècle

Google was ordered to pay almost $2 billion this week to Pricerunner, reports Bloomberg:

The Patent and Market Court in Stockholm, which issued the judgment on Wednesday, dismissed most parts of the claim in which Pricerunner sought 80 billion Swedish kronor, or roughly $8.2 billion, in the wake of a European Union antitrust crackdown... The Swedish price-comparison website argued that Google has been abusing its dominant position as a search engine by favoring its own comparison shopping service over competing portals for more than a decade. Wednesday's award compensates for lost revenue caused by Google's preferential treatment of its own comparison-shopping service over independent price-comparison services, conduct that also drives up costs for consumers, [Pricerunner owner] Klarna said in a statement after the judgment...

A Google spokesperson said the company doesn't agree with the court's decision and will consider its legal options. [The ruling can be appealed.] Changes implemented in 2017 to Google's platform are working and generating growth and jobs for hundreds of comparison shopping services operating more than 1500 websites across Europe, according to the statement.
The litigation is linked to a 2017 decision by the European Commission to fine Google €2.4 billion for illegally leveraging its search dominance to give its own shopping service an edge. The EU decision unleashed a wave of so-called follow-on suits, which were delayed for years as Google appealed the EU fine. Two years ago the EU's top tribunal confirmed that the company did violate antitrust laws — meaning EU-based plaintiffs no longer have to prove that in court. A Berlin court last year ordered the tech giant to pay €573 million in damages to two German price-comparison websites, a ruling Google appealed. Similar cases are pending across Europe.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Last week, a small customs fee landed in the EU that may have outsized consequences. Imports of single items from outside the EU are now hit with a new €3 duty, a rule that affects a range of people including electronics hobbyists and techies who prefer their printer toner off-brand. The seller or importer is generally responsible for declaring and paying the duty, but folks who build electronics projects, among others, are concerned that the so-called "Temu tax" might lead to a broad hike in parts prices. Designed to fend off a massive explosion in single, low-value items being shipped from China, the €3 duty has applied to all parcels valued at less than €150 entering the EU since July 1. Previously, anything that cost less than €150 fell under the "de minimis" exemption and came in duty-free. The effective scrapping of the threshold is intended to "reduce differences" in how cheap e-commerce (direct imports of single parcels up to €150) and traditional retail (bulk goods imports) are treated. It is charged per category of goods, not per parcel. So buy five USB cables, pay €3. Buy a microcontroller, a relay module, and a USB cable – that's €9 in duty that the seller/s must pay before it goes in your basket. While the new rule is aimed at foreign giants like Temu, Shein, and AliExpress, major European hybrid marketplaces that allow third-party sellers to ship directly from third countries (without stopping at a local warehouse) will also be affected. That includes Amazon, especially its Amazon Haul proposition. Jeff Bezos' internet retail giant first cooked up the platform to lure customers back from discount retailers like Temu, TikTok Shop, and Shein. Amazon rolled out the dedicated storefront to international markets, including Europe, in 2025. Customers can use Haul inside the app or site for "extreme-discount" items priced at €20 or less. The platform focuses on price over fast delivery, with most items shipping directly from manufacturers in China. Over on Amazon Seller Central, it is telling sellers who use its Haul and other parts of the platform that the "€3 customs duty, mandated under EU law, will apply per item/tariff line in the customs declaration. This duty will apply to Fulfilled by Amazon (FBA) and Fulfilled by Merchant (FBM) customer shipments shipped directly from outside the EU to consumers in the EU." The Register asked Amazon for comment. Why the new duty? The idea is to improve safety controls, reduce the burden on beleaguered customs staff, and boost local businesses. However, anyone familiar with the gigantic e-commerce marketplaces now attached to many European businesses will know that these companies will also be affected by the new €3 customs duty. Many major European retail giants, for example, allow international merchants to sell products directly to EU consumers via their online platforms. This also helps them appear more flexible with supply chain stocking without having to fill their own warehouses with excess stock. Speaking about these third country sellers, MEPs said the law would help "incentivize" non-EU traders to ship their items to customers from warehouses inside the EU, so controls in warehouses on EU territory may be easier to carry out. Reuters has noted that Chinese e-commerce giant Shein had already been preparing for the change by "expanding warehouse space in Wrocław, Poland, and ⁠shipping more products to the EU in bulk." The Reg asked Shein, Temu, and AliExpress for comment, but none had responded at the time of publication. Safety is also an issue. The European Commission has noted that many of the small parcels that flew under the de minimis radar contained "products that do not meet EU safety standards or are undervalued or falsely declared to avoid customs duties." In May this year, Temu was fined €200 million ($232 million) for breaking the EU rules around the sale of dangerous products under the EU's Digital Services Act. Temu said at the time that it "respects the objectives" of the DSA and the "need for clear, consistent rules across the digital economy. However, we disagree with the European Commission's decision and consider the fine to be disproportionate." Winners and losers Toner and ink industry giants like HP Inc and others will doubtless be pleased. Tonernews has noted that "for the printer industry, this could be especially significant as low-cost Chinese compatible toner cartridges have long undercut OEMs and legitimate remanufacturers on price. While many aftermarket cartridges are produced responsibly, critics argue that bargain-basement toner sold through overseas marketplaces has fueled a race to the bottom, making it harder for compliant manufacturers to compete on quality, safety, environmental standards, and intellectual property." Electronics and computing hobbyists, on the other hand, are not happy. If you're ordering an ESP32 board (a popular microcontroller SoC that's especially forgiving to newbies) plus some sensors, connectors, relays, and cables – all inexpensive components if you look at them individually – the charges could add up quickly. The fee applies per product category rather than per shipment, meaning the extra costs could quickly exceed the value of the parts. Over on Reddit, one hobbyist complained: "It's just one more nail in the coffin for repairing your stuff with spare parts you can't even get in Europe." A post on the AliExpress subreddit grumbled: "The biggest problem is that we literally can't get electronic parts in here. Those little chips are only found on AliExpress. Can't find them anywhere in the EU. Like for clothing sure. But not for electronic hobby parts." Another opined: "In case of AliExpress it would be… protectionism if it protected local (European) manufacturers. In this case it protects a middleman, who buys exactly the same things somewhere from China and then sells it on the local market, while producing nothing." Other critics, such as Irish Teachta Dála (member of parliament) Pearse Doherty, argue that the €3 charge acts as a regressive tax against working-class shoppers. Doherty says of the law: "For many households, buying everyday items online has become a normal part of life. They should not be faced with unfair additional charges simply for purchasing the goods they need. The government must intervene and press for these changes to be stopped and reworked to ensure people and families are protected." As for the EU itself, its customs officials, at least, can be seen (broadly) as winners here. Before the rule came in last week, every single individual package entering the EU had to be checked – leading to a hidden cost to the bloc itself and its taxpayers. It makes sense that the bloc would want these companies to ship in bulk so it doesn't have to spend a disproportionate amount of time – and staff labor – checking every incoming package. While it would make sense for a portion of the new customs revenue to go directly toward hiring more customs agents, it will instead flow back in the bloc more generally, an EU representative told The Register, confirming an FAQ page: 75 percent of the revenue "will flow into the EU budget and 25 percent will be retained by Member States to reinforce national priorities." Brits worry UK will becoming a dumping ground The bloc's move comes after the US ended its own "de minimis" exemption for China imports in 2025. Currently in the UK, goods worth less than £135 (€157) can enter without customs duty being charged. But the UK rule will be only be phased out in March 2029. Some fear the delay in the UK law means the country will become a dumping ground for cheap Chinese goods. Paul Monaghan, chief executive at the Fair Tax Foundation, told the UK Treasury Committee last week: "This de minimis thing in the UK where there is no customs duty on anything under £135… is leading to this massive flush of imports. The UK is going to get rid of it in about two and a half years. "The US has already got rid of it. The EU gets rid of [July 1]. The number of cheap goods flooding the UK has already doubled in 12 months. Everything that was in the US and Europe is coming into this country in the next 12 months." Only a few days after billions of low-value parcels became subject to new customs charges and tighter scrutiny, some Euro techies have signaled that bargain hunting on Temu and AliExpress hasn't yet been heavily affected, possibly because the businesses have adjusted their shipping and warehousing models, but a general price increase is expected. ®