#cyclist station tour of japan

[tsuminiochiiru]

Cyclist Station Tour of Japan appearance

GRANRODEO appeared on Nojima Hirofumi’s cycle-based radio show on the 25th. It’s available to list to on Audee and there’s a partial transcription available here.

[ayamari-no-goshi]

A list of weird things that have happened while I was traveling overseas

I’ve been lucky enough to do quite a bit of traveling, both for school and for proper vacations. But weird things happen... like, insane weird.

Italy - subway bombing in England. 2nd one in Europe associated with Middle Eastern extremists - upped security in most of Europe. It was also World cup, with Italy in the semifinals. Some of my classmates had drunk Italians come through the windows on the 1st floor to celebrate Italy’s win. There was a bar across the street. Also, half of our tour had their luggage lost.

France - someone got hit by a car outside our hotel. It was also 50 degrees Fahrenheit, and it was the beginning of July. Someone tried pickpocketing me. I watched woman have a grand mal seizure in a Metro station... And I had several panic attacks in the Metro

Greece - the Icelandic volcano had erupted, and the ash cloud caused havoc with traveling. Also, there were riots in Athens when we were there.

England - had to be evacuated because the IRA made bomb threats. Both my aunt and I somehow developed infections

Japan - the last 2 fugitives from the 1995 Tokyo subways attacks were captured. Almost got run over by a cyclist. A typhoon happened.

Ireland - caught a cold before I went over, but that’s it

England/Scotland/Wales - they found dynamite on a railway line. It apparently was there since the 60s or 70s. Unusual amount of military planes overhead

Austria/Czech Republic/Poland/Hungary - accidentally made someone fall in love with me. Silently suffered through chronic appendicitis - the good news is that the pain did prompt me to make a doctor’s appointment for it. Caught a cold. Prague is also creepy, and the only city I’ve ever been in that made me scared to walk alone.

[chaletnz]

Otaru Adventure

I had visited Otaru early in the winter and not known much about the city beforehand so this time I prepared with some research. I had a coffee at Rhythm with Kelly, Damian, and a handful of cyclists then took the first bus to Kutchan, and a train to Otaru while watching a gripping episode of Homeland. In Otaru I walked straight to the bus stop and took a bus up the hill to Otaru Tenguyama cable car. The bus was very confusing and didn't have tickets so I used my Suica card instead but when I got off I realised I could've paid cash so why did the driver tell me to use the Suica? I was greeted by the cable car theme song (in Japan everything has a song/jingle playing repeatedly to drive you insane) as I bought my ticket. The lady at the desk didn't speak English so she held up a laminated card with an assortment of flags and "where are you from?" written at the top. It was for pointing but my flag was missing so I tried to say "Nu Zearando" in my best Nihon accent to which she nodded and ushered me to the cable car. I rode up alone. Well, me and the plastic shields on each seat. It only took a few minutes to reach the top where there were three viewpoints. I decided to sit at number two to eat my lunch of a blueberry pancake. I then took the walking trail where there were two small shrines and a spiritual statue with a long pointed nose. I read the instructions and rubbed three times on each side for success and safety in traffic - and then promptly sanitised my hands. Further along there was an enclosure full of tiny squirrels, and then I used my free ticket to ride on the slider (a small luge). It took 5 minutes to slowly drag me up the hill with the sun beating down on me, reflected in the shiny metal track, and then once released I rode to the bottom in just 30 seconds! I climbed onto the rooftop for the view but it was so hot that I could only stay for a few photos before cooling off in the gift shop. I took the cable car back down with a Japanese family but had to wait a bit until the bus came so I wandered up the road and found a skate park but unfortunately I didn't have a skateboard (not that I could ride it given the current state of my knee). My afternoon was spent checking out some of the sights; the old railroad, the canals, the glass shops. I went for ice cream at a recommended shop but it was closed so I sat in the park across the road to watch a large glass-walled room with an intricate clock inside. It had balls flying down ramps, tubes and loops and crashing into cymbals, xylophones and miscellaneous other household items. I checked in to my hotel room and then, one quick KFC meal later, I was slowly walking down the main street of Otaru. I visited some more glass shops, Japanese souvenir shops, a Venetian glass "museum" (also a shop), Matcha shop, and then I saw a big banner for ¥100 cream puffs - that's how to get me! It turned out to be a confectionary shop and I bought some interesting Japanese sweets to try, as well as my cream puff and the lady even gave me a free mini coffee to go with it! At the end of the shopping street there's an old warehouse that has been converted into a music box shop/museum which was impressive. Tables upon tables covered in music boxes as far as the eye could see. Outside the shop there was the steam clock, a gift from the city of Vancouver, and I was able to see it chime a little tune at 5pm. I visited the Tanaka sake brewery for a tour and some free tastes of their most popular sake. It turns out that I'm not a fan of sake... By this point my feet were killing me but I pushed on to the nearby mall for a look around until I ended up getting stuck inside when they were closing! Eventually I was freed and took the train back to the hotel. The craziest thing happened - I saw this Chinese guy who lives in Niseko as I was leaving the station! He took the bus into Kutchan with me that morning (I often see him on the bus), then I saw him take the train to Otaru. He must've spent the day there and was heading back when our paths crossed again. It's such a small world!

[flash-impact-for-good]

A world tour of innovations for urban bicycle riding

Image from S. Hermann & F. Richter

This article travels the world to see how cities, companies, and start-ups are fostering the use of bicycles for personal transportation and delivery of goods.

We are gradually getting out from quarantine, getting around on errands, and commuting back to work. Riding a bicycle is a good alternative to respect physical distancing while getting back in shape after several weeks of staying at home.

This time may be a chance for an environmentally friendly mode of transportation to strive in busy cities. Still, there are many issues to address: public space availability, safety, comfort, maintenance, and parking. Let’s see how different parts of the world are tackling these issues.

Environmental benefits

Freight and personal transportation is responsible for 14% of global greenhouse gas emissions [1]. Environmentally, a bicycle is a symbol of decarbonized transportation and sustainable cities. Bicycles are an eco-friendly means of transportation that requires no fossil fuels.

As an energy-efficient form of transportation, bicycle uses renewable human power in the most efficient way compared to other alternatives to move people and product from point A to point B: there are no greenhouse gas emissions emitted per km on a bike compared to 220g of CO2eq per km in a car [2].

Safe bike lanes

Cycling is an efficient way of using scarce space in urban areas. However, governments and cities have been struggling to give more space to bicycles. This is a chicken and egg problem. There are not enough bicycles to reserve them space and there are not enough bike lanes for bike riding to go mainstream.

Now everything has changed. Many cities across the world have created additional dedicated bike lanes post Covid-19.  

The UK government has put forward a £2 billion package to foster cycling and walking. Pop-up bike lanes with protected space for cycling, safer junctions, and cycle and bus-only corridors will be created.

Bogota, the capital city of Columbia stands 12th in 2019 Copenhagenize index, which ranks bicycle-friendly cities. Bogota has extended its formerly Sunday only Ciclovia program to all days of the week and added 80 km of bike lanes to its 550 km of existing ones.

In New York City, officials have announced that up to 100 miles of streets will have extended bike lanes and sidewalks.

There are precautions cyclists need to adhere to in order to make their commute as safe and stress-free as possible: knowing the route in advance, being alert of the environment, putting a helmet on, wearing reflective clothing, and having appropriate lighting to be seen on the road.

Secured parking

Where and how can you confidently park your bicycle knowing it will not be stolen, or damaged by weather, and will not disturb pedestrian traffic? Parking is indeed also an issue. The cities are struggling to keep up with the demand and manage sometimes anarchic parking.

In the Netherlands, a giant bike parking facility is conveniently located directly next to Utrecht Central Station, Stationsplein. It caters space for 12,500 bikes.

Automated underground bicycle parking systems are popular in China and Japan. The machinery frees up space on the surface. One system can hold 200 bikes.  To see it working, watch this “futuristic” video.

When you can’t park or when you want to travel longer distances, you may take your bike with you in a bus or a train. This can prove difficult in busy public transit. The region of Seattle has found a solution. Bikes can be installed at the front of buses.

Bicycles on buses in Seattle

Access to bikes

First things first. You need a bike. There are many ways to get one, from buying to rental or leasing.

Most large cities now have bike rental services. Rental systems can be with fixed stations or dockless, whereby bikes can be left anywhere.

Itaú’by Tembici in São Paulo, Buenos Aires, and Santiago or Velib by Smovengo in Paris both provide traditional and electric bikes. Riders park them at pre-defined spaces in bike stations.

Free Float bike rental has suffered from theft and damage. Few are still operating. Among them Dott in Belgium, France, Germany, Italy and Poland, Mobike in China.

Tembici bike stations in São Paulo

Electric bicycles or e-bikes participate in making bike mainstream. Less effort is needed to drive longer distances or carry stuff and you can stay fresh after riding your bike. However, electric bikes come at a hefty price compared to traditional ones: €500 to €3000 for an electric bike compared to as low as €200 for a traditional one.

Leasing models make electric bikes more affordable. Such a model is rolled out by the Dutch company, Swapfiets in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany. For €75 per month, you get an electric bike of your own with the additional benefit of including repair and maintenance.

Repair and maintenance

The rental and leasing models leave the hassle of repairing and maintaining to the lessor or the rental company: a big advantage. Repairing a flat tire, adjusting brakes or derailleur, or tightening the chains are common tasks of the everyday cyclist. They are not easy when you are not into “do it yourself” or are not equipped with the proper tools (and need to stay clean in your business attire).

Going to the nearest bike shop is an obvious choice. Alternatively, you may rely on online platform that puts you in contact with a technician that comes and repairs your bike at your place. Cyclofix or Repair and Run are such services operating in major cities in France.

Bikes for all needs

Bikes, once all similar now come in very different shapes to cater to various needs:  design and performance, delivery of goods, kid transportation, and city commuting.

The number of electric bike firms is growing. High-end ones compete on design and functionalities.

Angell bikes come with a secured system against theft and modern and slick design.

One of the models of Moustache Bikes provides an ultra-low stepover frame that makes it easy to get on and off the saddle at each red light in the town.

Vanmoof bikes include automatic electronic gear shifting and integrated anti-theft technology.

A removable battery built seamlessly into the frame is Cowboys bikes’ signature detail.

In addition to these high-end electric bikes, you can find cargo bikes designed to transport children, carry your groceries or deliver a product to e-commerce customers: to name a few Italian Measy, French Douze Cycles, Dutch Urban Arrow or California based Yuba bikes.

Finally, folding bikes such as those of British Brompton are useful if you have limited storage place. It also makes multi-modal transportation possible.

Bikes at the office

Riding a bike to work is what 62% of Copenhagen citizens do every day. Without the appropriate infrastructure at work (parking space, storage space, showers, bike-friendly culture), it can be hard to change habits.  Luckily, more and more employers are working hard to foster bike commuting, a more reliable, healthy, and environmentally friendly alternative to driving.

Companies may provide for a bike fleet in addition to or replacement to a car fleet.  Start-ups have emerged to help organizations set-up and manage such fleets such as the French  Zenride or Green On.

Beyond cities

Innovation and progress are happening all over the world to foster bike riding as a mode of transportation.

Give it a try. Riding a bike brings back a sense of freedom to a daily commute. No need to have the exotic expensive bikes and gear to be a cyclist. In addition, a bike will help you rediscover the joy of stepping out of the door and exploring your surroundings like the breathtaking roads of Cormet de Roselend.

Corinne Bach, MBA INSEAD 05D Entrepreneur in ecological transition

Recap of innovations

References

[1] Fifth assessment report of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change 2014, summary for Policymakers, and technical summary.

[2] There are different greenhouse gas. Their warming power as well as their persistence in the atmosphere are very different. Scientists have defined an equivalent between the different greenhouse gas and CO2. This way, greenhouse gas emissions can be expressed in one common unit, i.e., gram CO2 equivalent (g CO2eq). CO2 has been chosen as it represents three-quarters of total greenhouse gas emissions released in the atmosphere each year.

This article was posted in June 2020 on Transition Route - Ecological transition blog for resilient businesses

[classyfoxdestiny]

Government passed over 171 candidates to pick Bullingdon Club ‘chum’ of Boris Johnson for sleaze watchdog role

Government passed over 171 candidates to pick Bullingdon Club ‘chum’ of Boris Johnson for sleaze watchdog role

The government passed over 171 candidates to pick a Bullingdon Club “chum” of Boris Johnson‘s to sit on a sleaze watchdog, ministers have admitted.

Ewen Fergusson, a member of Oxford’s infamous dining club at the same time as the prime minister, was handed the role last month – a decision branded “pathetic” by the committee’s former chair.

In an answer to a written parliamentary question from Labour, Cabinet Office minister Chloe Smith said the government had received 173 applications for the two vacancies on the committee.

The longtime friend of the prime minister was appointed to scrutinise him after an advisory panel “carefully considered all applications”, she said.

But Labour said friends of the prime minister should be disqualified from the role on the Standards In Public Life Committee, given its job scrutinising members of the government, including Mr Johnson.

“Being Boris Johnson’s chum from the Bullingdon Club does not qualify you to sit on the watchdog that is supposed to crack down on sleaze and cronyism in our politics. In fact, it should disqualify you,” deputy leader Angela Rayner told The Independent.

“This appointment is an utter joke, and out of 173 applicants of course the Bullingdon Boy fits the job description of marking the Prime Minister’s homework.

“Instead of the Prime Minister appointing his mates to committees we need a fully independent integrity and ethics commission to oversee and stamp out the rampant sleaze and cronyism coming from Downing Street that has polluted our democracy.”

In an answer slipped out after MPs went back to their constituencies for recess, Ms Smith acknowledged that Mr Johnson was given the ultimate say on which of the candidates to appoint following a shortlisting process led by Lord Evans, the chair of the committee.

The latest revelation comes after the Council of Europe’s anti-corruption and integrity watchdog warned in June that the British government has ignored instructions to strengthen UK anti-corruption controls – in a scathing report that gave the government its lowest compliance marks ever.

The row over the weaknesses in the UK’s integrity oversight comes after a series of scandals around lobbying an access to government ministers.

In the latest set of concerns, on Monday it emerged that MPs with second jobs are facing scrutiny over worries that they could exploit a lobbying loophole.

Examples include Tory MP Alun Cairns, vice-chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on taxis, which agreed to “continue pressuring the government to provide urgent financial support for taxi drivers”.

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2 August 2021

Great Britain’s Charlotte Worthington competes during the Women’s BMX Freestyle Final at the Tokyo Olympics

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1 August 2021

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31 July 2021

James Guy, Adam Peaty and Kathleen Dawson celebrate winning the gold medal in the mixed 4x100m medley relay final at the Tokyo Olympics

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30 July 2021

Great Britain’s Bethany Shriever and Kye Whyte celebrate their Gold and Silver medals respectively for the Cycling BMX Racing at the Ariake Urban Sports Park on the seventh day of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan

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29 July 2021

Team GB’s Mallory Franklin during the Women’s Canoe Slalom Final on day six of the Tokyo Olympic Games. She went on to win the silver medal

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28 July 2021

Canoers on Llyn Padarn lake in Snowdonia, Gwynedd. It was announced that the north-west Wales slate landscape has been granted UNESCO World Heritage Status

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27 July 2021

A view of one of two areas now being used at a warehouse facility in Dover, Kent, for boats used by people thought to be migrants.

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26 July 2021

A woman is helped by Border Force officers as a group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dover, Kent, onboard a Border Force vessel, following a small boat incident in the Channel

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25 July 2021

Vehicles drive through deep water on a flooded road in Nine Elms, London

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24 July 2021

Utilities workers inspect a 15x20ft sinkhole on Green Lane, Liverpool, which is suspected to have been caused by ruptured water main

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23 July 2021

Children interact with Mega Please Draw Freely by artist Ei Arakawa inside the Turbine Hall at the Tate Modern in London, part of UNIQLO Tate Play the gallery’s new free programme of art-inspired activities for families

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22 July 2021

Festivalgoers in the campsite at the Latitude festival in Henham Park, Southwold, Suffolk

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21 July 2021

A man walks past an artwork by Will Blood on the end of a property in Bedminster, Bristol, as the 75 murals project reaches the halfway point and various graffiti pieces are sprayed onto walls and buildings across the city over the Summer

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20 July 2021

People during morning prayer during Eid ul-Adha, or Festival of Sacrifice, in Southall Park, Uxbridge, London

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19 July 2021

Commuters, some not wearing facemasks, at Westminster Underground station, at 08:38 in London after the final legal Coronavirus restrictions were lifted in England

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18 July 2021

A view of spectators by the 2nd green during day four of The Open at The Royal St George’s Golf Club in Sandwich, Kent

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17 July 2021

Cyclists ride over the Hammersmith Bridge in London. The bridge was closed last year after cracks in it worsened during a heatwave

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16 July 2021

The sun rises behind the Sefton Park Palm House, in Sefton Park, Liverpool

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15 July 2021

Sir Nicholas Serota watches a short film about sea monsters as he opens a £7.6 million, 360 immersive dome at Devonport’s Market Hall in Plymouth, which is the first of its type to be built in Europe

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14 July 2021

Heidi Street, playing a gothic character, looks at a brain suspended in glass at the world’s first attraction dedicated to the author of Frankenstein inside the ‘Mary Shelley’s House of Frankenstein’ experience, located in a Georgian terraced house in Bath, as it prepares to open to the public on 19 July

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13 July 2021

Rehearsals are held in a car park in Glasgow for a parade scene ahead of filming for what is thought to be the new Indiana Jones 5 movie starring Harrison Ford

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12 July 2021

A local resident puts love hearts and slogans on the plastic that covers offensive graffiti on the vandalised mural of Manchester United striker and England player Marcus Rashford on the wall of a cafe on Copson Street, Withington in Manchester

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11 July 2021

England’s Bukayo Saka with manager Gareth Southgate after the match

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10 July 2021

Australia’s Ashleigh Barty holds the trophy after winning her final Wimbledon match against Czech Republic’s Karolina Pliskova

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9 July 2021

England 1966 World Cup winner Sir Geoff Hurst stands on top of a pod on the lastminute.com London Eye wearing a replica 1966 World Cup final kit and looking out towards Wembley Stadium in the north of the capital, where the England football team will play Italy in the Euro 2020 final on Sunday

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8 July 2021

Karolina Pliskova celebrates after defeating Aryna Sabalenka during the women’s singles semifinals match on day ten of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London

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7 July 2021

The residents of Towfield Court in Feltham have transformed their estate with England flags for the Euro 2020 tournament

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6 July 2021

A couple are hit by a wave as they walk along the promenade in Dover, Kent, during strong winds

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5 July 2021

Alexander Zverev playing against Felix Auger-Aliassime in the fourth round of the Gentlemen’s Singles on Court 1 on day seven of Wimbledon at The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club

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4 July 2021

Aaron Carty and the Beyoncé Experience perform on stage during UK Black Pride at The Roundhouse in London

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3 July 2021

England’s Jordan Henderson celebrates after scoring his first international goal, his side’s fourth against Ukraine during the Euro 2020 quarter final match at the Olympic stadium in Rome

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2 July 2021

Dan Evans serves against Sebastian Korda during their men’s singles third round match at Wimbledon

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1 July 2021

Prince William, left and Prince Harry unveil a statue they commissioned of their mother Princess Diana, on what would have been her 60th birthday, in the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace, London

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30 June 2021

Dancers from the Billingham Festival and Balbir Singh Dance Company, during a preview for the The Two Fridas, UK Summer tour, presented by Billingham International Folklore Festival of World Dance in collaboration with Balbir Singh Dance Company, inspired by the life and times of female artists Frida Kahlo and Amrita Sher-Gil , which opens on July 10 at Ushaw Historic House, Chapel and Gardens in Durham

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29 June 2021

A boy kicks a soccer ball in front of the balconies and landings adorned with predominantly England flags at the Kirby housing estate in London

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28 June 2021

Emergency services attend a fire nearby the Elephant & Castle Rail Station in London

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27 June 2021

People walk along Regent Street in central London during a #FreedomToDance march organised by Save Our Scene, in protest against the government’s perceived disregard for the live music industry throughout the coronavirus pandemic

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26 June 2021

A pair of marchers in a Trans Pride rally share a smile in Soho

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25 June 2021

Tim Duckworth during the Long Jump in the decathlon during day one of the Muller British Athletics Championships at Manchester Regional Arena

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24 June 2021

A member of staff poses with the work ‘The Death of Cash’ by XCopy at the ‘CryptOGs: The Pioneers of NFT Art’ auction at Bonhams auction house in London

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23 June 2021

Bank of England Chief Cashier Sarah John displays the new 50-pound banknote at Daunt Books in London

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22 June 2021

Actor Isaac Hampstead Wright sits on the newly unveiled Game of Throne’s “Iron Throne” statue, in Leicester Square, in London, Tuesday, June 22, 2021. The statue is the tenth to join the trail and commemorates 10 years since the TV show first aired, as well as in anticipation for HBO’s release of House of the Dragon set to be released in 2022

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21 June 2021

Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon receives her second dose of the Oxford/AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine

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20 June 2021

Joyce Paton, from Peterhead, on one of the remaining snow patches on Meall a’Bhuiridh in Glencoe during the Midsummer Ski. The event, organised by the Glencoe Mountain Resort, is held every year on the weekend closest to the Summer Solstice

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19 June 2021

England appeal LBW during day four of their Women’s International Test match against India at the Bristol County Ground

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18 June 2021

Scotland fans let off flares in Leicester Square after Scotland’s Euro 2020 match against England ended in a 0-0 draw

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17 June 2021

Members of the Tootsie Rollers jazz band pose on the third day of the Royal Ascot horse racing meet

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16 June 2021

A woman and child examine life-size sculptures of a herd of Asian elephants set up by the Elephant Family and The Real Elephant Collective to help educate the public on the elephants and the ways in which humans can better protect the planets biodiversity, in Green Park, central London

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15 June 2021

Hydrotherapists with Dixie, a seven-year-old Dachshund who is being treated for back problems common with the breed, in the hydrotherapy pool during a facility at Battersea Dogs and Cats Home’s in Battersea, London, to view their new hydrotherapy centre

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14 June 2021

Scotland’s David Marshall in the net after Czech Republic’s Patrik Schick scored their second goal at Hampden Park

Reuters

While working as an MP Mr Cairns is also employed as a paid adviser to Veezu, a private hire and taxi firm.

Asked about the recruitment process for the committee on standards in public life that led to a friend of the prime minister being appointed, a government spokesperson said: “Mr Fergusson applied through open and fair competition, in line with the Governance Code for Public Appointments.

“His application was carefully considered on its merits by the Advisory Assessment Panel, chaired by Lord Evans, which interviewed him and found that he was suitable for appointment.”

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[brookstonalmanac]

Events 7.22

838 – Battle of Anzen: The Byzantine emperor Theophilos suffers a heavy defeat by the Abbasids. 1099 – First Crusade: Godfrey of Bouillon is elected the first Defender of the Holy Sepulchre of The Kingdom of Jerusalem. 1209 – Massacre at Béziers: The first major military action of the Albigensian Crusade. 1298 – Wars of Scottish Independence: Battle of Falkirk: King Edward I of England and his longbowmen defeat William Wallace and his Scottish schiltrons outside the town of Falkirk. 1342 – St. Mary Magdalene's flood is the worst such event on record for central Europe. 1443 – Battle of St. Jakob an der Sihl in the Old Zürich War. 1456 – Ottoman wars in Europe: Siege of Belgrade: John Hunyadi, Regent of the Kingdom of Hungary, defeats Mehmet II of the Ottoman Empire. 1484 – Battle of Lochmaben Fair: A 500-man raiding party led by Alexander Stewart, Duke of Albany and James Douglas, 9th Earl of Douglas are defeated by Scots forces loyal to Albany's brother James III of Scotland; Douglas is captured. 1499 – Battle of Dornach: The Swiss decisively defeat the army of Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor. 1587 – Roanoke Colony: A second group of English settlers arrives on Roanoke Island off North Carolina to re-establish the deserted colony. 1598 – William Shakespeare’s play, The Merchant of Venice, is entered on the Stationers’ Register. By decree of Queen Elizabeth, the Stationers’ Register licensed printed works, giving the Crown tight control over all published material. 1686 – Albany, New York is formally chartered as a municipality by Governor Thomas Dongan. 1706 – The Acts of Union 1707 are agreed upon by commissioners from the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland, which, when passed by each countries' Parliaments, led to the creation of the Kingdom of Great Britain. 1793 – Alexander Mackenzie reaches the Pacific Ocean becoming the first recorded human to complete a transcontinental crossing of North America. 1796 – Surveyors of the Connecticut Land Company name an area in Ohio "Cleveland" after Gen. Moses Cleaveland, the superintendent of the surveying party. 1797 – Battle of Santa Cruz de Tenerife: Battle between Spanish and British naval forces during the French Revolutionary Wars. During the Battle, Rear-Admiral Nelson is wounded in the arm and the arm had to be partially amputated. 1802 – Emperor Gia Long conquers Hanoi and unified Viet Nam, which had experienced centuries of feudal warfare. 1805 – Napoleonic Wars: War of the Third Coalition: Battle of Cape Finisterre: An inconclusive naval action is fought between a combined French and Spanish fleet under Admiral Pierre-Charles Villeneuve of Spain and a British fleet under Admiral Robert Calder. 1812 – Napoleonic Wars: Peninsular War: Battle of Salamanca: British forces led by Arthur Wellesley (later the Duke of Wellington) defeat French troops near Salamanca, Spain. 1864 – American Civil War: Battle of Atlanta: Outside Atlanta, Confederate General John Bell Hood leads an unsuccessful attack on Union troops under General William T. Sherman on Bald Hill. 1893 – Katharine Lee Bates writes "America the Beautiful" after admiring the view from the top of Pikes Peak near Colorado Springs, Colorado. 1894 – The first ever motor race is held in France between the cities of Paris and Rouen. The fastest finisher was the Comte Jules-Albert de Dion, but the 'official' victory was awarded to Albert Lemaître driving his three-horsepower petrol engined Peugeot. 1916 – Preparedness Day Bombing: In San Francisco, a bomb explodes on Market Street during a parade, killing ten and injuring 40. 1921 – Rif War: The Spanish Army suffers its worst military defeat in modern times to the Berbers of the Rif region of Spanish Morocco. 1933 – Aviator Wiley Post returns to Floyd Bennett Field in New York City, completing the first solo flight around the world in seven days, 18 hours and 49 minutes. 1936 – Spanish Civil War: The Popular Executive Committee of Valencia takes power in the Valencian Community. 1937 – New Deal: The United States Senate votes down President Franklin D. Roosevelt's proposal to add more justices to the Supreme Court of the United States. 1942 – The United States government begins compulsory civilian gasoline rationing due to the wartime demands. 1942 – Grossaktion Warsaw: The systematic deportation of Jews from the Warsaw ghetto begins. 1943 – World War II: Allied forces capture Palermo during the Allied invasion of Sicily. 1943 – World War II: Axis occupation forces violently disperse a massive protest in Athens, killing 22. 1944 – The Polish Committee of National Liberation publishes its manifesto, starting the period of Communist rule in Poland. 1946 – King David Hotel bombing: A Zionist underground organisation, the Irgun, bombs the King David Hotel in Jerusalem, site of the civil administration and military headquarters for Mandatory Palestine, resulting in 91 deaths. 1962 – Mariner program: Mariner 1 spacecraft flies erratically several minutes after launch and has to be destroyed. 1963 – Crown Colony of Sarawak gains self-governance. 1973 – Pan Am Flight 816 crashes after takeoff from Faa'a International Airport in Papeete, French Polynesia, killing 78. 1976 – Japan completes its last reparation to the Philippines for war crimes committed during imperial Japan's conquest of the country in the Second World War. 1977 – Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping is restored to power. 1983 – Martial law in Poland is officially revoked. 1990 – Greg LeMond, an American road racing cyclist, wins his third Tour de France after leading the majority of the race. It was LeMond's second consecutive Tour de France victory. 1992 – Near Medellín, Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar escapes from his luxury prison fearing extradition to the United States. 1993 – Great Flood of 1993: Levees near Kaskaskia, Illinois rupture, forcing the entire town to evacuate by barges operated by the Army Corps of Engineers. 1997 – The second Blue Water Bridge opens between Port Huron, Michigan and Sarnia, Ontario. 2003 – Members of 101st Airborne of the United States, aided by Special Forces, attack a compound in Iraq, killing Saddam Hussein's sons Uday and Qusay, along with Mustapha Hussein, Qusay's 14-year-old son, and a bodyguard. 2005 – Jean Charles de Menezes is killed by police as the hunt begins for the London Bombers responsible for the 7 July 2005 London bombings and the 21 July 2005 London bombings. 2011 – Norway attacks: First a bomb blast which targeted government buildings in central Oslo, followed by a massacre at a youth camp on the island of Utøya. 2012 – Syrian civil war: The People's Protection Units (YPG) captured the cities of Serê Kaniyê and Dirbêsiyê, during clashes with pro-government forces in Al-Hasakah. 2013 – Dingxi earthquakes: A series of earthquakes in Dingxi, China, kills at least 89 people and injures more than 500 others. 2019 – Chandrayaan 2, the second lunar exploration mission developed by Indian Space Research Organisation after Chandrayaan 1 is launched from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in a GSLV Mark III M1. It consists of a lunar orbiter, and also included the Vikram lander, and the Pragyan lunar rover.

[lifeofpalace]

Rushed Hours: Tokyo Drift

Not sure if it was sheer brilliance or plain stupidity but I landed in Tokyo Narita for a layover but I had to depart from Tokyo Haneda, a completely different airport.

Tuesday, June 4, 2019

After securing my eight-hour layover in Tokyo, I contacted Natsumi, who just finished her year-long abroad study in Los Angeles. I asked her to recreate the stairs scene in Kimi No Na Wa/Your Name and show me around Shibuya, since I never had the chance to during my first trip last year. In exchange, I agreed to bring her some snacks and sweets that she misses from Los Angeles.

First mistake - self check-in. I completely forgot the deal with luggage tags. You get three stickers, one to wrap around the handle, one to stick on the suitcase, and one for you to keep to locate your baggage. My naïvity posted both stickers on my suitcases so when I asked the flight attendant where I'm picking up my luggages (in Narita or Changi), she couldn't find out unless I had my luggage tag. Woe is me.

Eventually, I had to pick up my luggages from Narita and check them in for my flight leaving Haneda, which means that I had to carry my suitcases throughout Tokyo. With two checkin luggages and one hand carry, I arrived in the warm Tokyo summer weather starting to be drenched in sweat. I connected to the airport Wi-Fi before planning to buy my Keisei tickets to Nippori Station.

My phone exploded with notifications.

"GUYS THE NEW GRAD APPLICATION IS UP"

"THE BOARD JUST SENT ME THE APPROVAL TO REGISTER FOR THE NCLEX"

Great. Just as soon as I left the country and was halfway across the world.

I graduated with a Nursing degree last month, and hospitals would release their New Graduate Residency programs at different times so we had to be on a lookout constantly. I was eyeing this OR program for one of the most prestigious hospitals in the country and prepared all my application requirements the day prior to my trip. I had a feeling that it would be posted while I was away in Asia, so I gave all my information and documents to Simi so she could apply for both herself and me.

"Done. Sent Chris's application too". Simi commented on the group chat.

To be a registered Nurse in America, graduates must take the Nursing Certification and Licensing Examination, colloquially called the NCLEX. Students do not get to choose their test dates until the School of Nursing approves of their degree and sends the transcripts to the Board of Registered Nursing, in which they would, then, send us the thumbs up to register for a test date.

While I was en route from Los Angeles to Tokyo, the Board sent out emails for the approval to register for an exam date, and by the time I arrived in Tokyo, all of June was booked.

Luckily, I wanted to take the exam this July, so I could have a bulk of my summer to prepare for it and managed to snag a test date towards the end of next month.

I would have approximately five weeks to prepare for the biggest exam of my entire career (and life).

I walk through Narita Airport, completely covered in tarp - apparently the whole airport is under construction, perhaps in preparation for the Olympics next year. I bought my Keisei tickets to Nippori Station from a lady who could only speak Japanese and was yelling at me for not realizing the meanings of her body movements and hand gestures. I got lost while looking for where to board the train and on top of that, my string bag ripped because of how heavy it was becoming from my selfie sticks and umbrella.

Flustered with the multiple situations I had to deal with right after arriving from a 12-hour flight, I sweated through my search for a seat in the train; before I was told that each seats are assigned in their appropriate train car. Great. More things to deal with.

Two hours. It took me two hours to go through arrivals, deal with my residency applications, and getting lost looking for my assigned seat before being on my way to Downtown Tokyo.

I repressed the memories from last year when I had to carry an entire summer's worth of suitcases all around the city, but I had to relive through traumatic experience because I found myself carrying all my suitcases up and down a lot of stairs once again (Shinjuku Station and Yotsuya-Sanchome Station, I'm referring to you).

I toured around East Asia last year with my friend, Simi, where we visited Hong Kong, Macau China, Japan, and South Korea - with that, I rationalized the fact that I had to bring my entire closet with me so I'd have something different to wear everyday. Being the first time traveling outside the country without my family, my mother managed to convince me to carry around a portable pharmacy in my suitcase complete with diarrhea, constipation, allergy, and pain medications. I managed to check-in two large suitcases with my duffel bag; yet little did I realize that I had to carry them around East Asia for the next two months.

I never made full use of the elevator or the ramps for reasons unknown, but it's usually the flight of stairs that greeted Simi and I whenever we step out of the subway cars.

This was prominent in Yotsuya-Sanchome station this time around when I followed the signs leading to Exit 3. There was neither an elevator nor an escalator on site, so I had to carry my luggages down one floor and up another floor. This lead to my reunion with Natsumi being red as a tomato and drenched in sweat, but even in that state, we were on our way to the iconic stairs in the movie under the dimming Tokyo skies.

Three hours down.

"I went to check the route earlier so we're good". Natsumi gave me brief descriptions of the places we passed by on our way to the stairs of Yotsuya Suga Shrine. She talked about the houses in Tokyo and how different they are than the ones in Los Angeles; and asked me which Japanese foods I was willing to eat with her tonight.

"Takoyaki". I answered lacking hesitation. I spent a huge amount of time and money eating takoyaki during my Japanese trip last year. Wherever I found myself (Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto), I was chewing on the octopus balls during the day, under the sweltering afternoon heat, and again before going to sleep.

The last time I had takoyaki was in Los Angeles at this nice cafe in the 626, an Asian enclave that is packed with Asian restaurant in every nook and cranny of the area code. I was with my friend, Lesley, sipping on floral teas when I decided it was a good idea to pay $6 USD to eat four pieces of takoyaki - a price that does not turn heads in the area since that was the normal number.

Not in Tokyo - for obvious reasons. With $6 USD, I could feed myself and two other people enough takoyaki to last us the rest of the night. I will never pass on any opportunity to get takoyaki every time I find myself in Japan.

"Great - I know of a good place in Shibuya that specializes in takoyaki".

We turned left and found ourselves in the middle of a Shinto shrine, apparently the Yotsuya Suga, and Natsumi pointed at an unfamiliar set of stairs. I climbed it up and down and gave her the disapproving shake. "I don't think this is the one", I muttered while confirming with Google Maps that we were indeed at the right location.

We decided to exit the shrine and enter through a different area when I recognized the red railings just a few feet away from the wrong set of stairs.

"THAT'S the one!" I ran to the area, where I found myself at the top where the familiar scene took place. Each corner in my visual field found itself embedded within the animation of the movie: the houses, the streets, the trees, the sea of homes that stretched towards the horizon.

The sky was preparing for sunset as it engulfed it in pink hue. There were elementary boys using the staircase for their exercise and they stopped and rested out of view once in a while as Natsumi and I recreated the scenes on the stairs.

Four hours out of the airport and I was halfway through my layover time. As long as I make an hour before my departure, then I should be safe - that means I had three hours left.

After the photoshoot, we took the Fukutoshin Line to Shibuya eat at Gindaco Highball Sakaba, specializing in takoyaki from different Japanese prefectures. Natsumi also had me try a sweet alcohol called omeshu (お目しゅ), made from plum.

Here, I learned how to ask for more of something, おかわり/okawari or も一つおねがいしあす/mohitotsu onegaishimasu; I also found out there's a different word for water (水/mizu) used mostly in restaurants (お冷/ohiya).

After takoyaki, we headed to her favorite purikura (プリクラ) for pictures and managed to take and edit eight photos which we gave each other as a memorabilia of tonight's visit.

One hour remaining - this will be the rush hour.

Before crossing back to Shibuya Station, we took some time to take pictures with the crowded Shibuya intersection as our background to showcase Japan's busy lifestyle. In relative to the last time I crossed the intersection, there were less pedestrians, but the vibe was retained - Tokyo never sleeps, there's always a reason to be preoccupied within the megacity.

The Shibuya intersection is the busiest of its kind in the world - sometimes reaching up to 1,000 people crossing at one time. From the area's brightly-lit streets leading to restaurants catering to both the local and foreign faces of Tokyo to the loud buskers at the street sides, attracting a crowd large enough to pique the curiosities of the on-lookers, constantly wondering what's going on.

A group of cyclists crossed with me to the middle of the intersection where I posed in-front of a marquee that promoted the Japanese boy group V6 and their new single that was being released within the next week.

Not even a few seconds passed by when a red flag on a stick protruded above the sea of people held by a young lady where she made way to the middle of the intersection, yelling at the people forming a line behind her in Chinese. Oh great, this tour group is about to take over the intersection, in which they did. The crowd eventually blocked every photo opportunities for the rest until the red stop sign signaled the end of the cross.

Time is running out and I might miss the window of comfort for me to go through check-in and immigration comfortably.

We headed inside Shibuya Station right after when Natsumi bid goodbye, then I was on my way to Haneda International Airport.

Wait -

"I FORGOT TO GIVE YOU YOUR SNACKS". I texted her halfway through my commute; she laughed it off.

[queerofcups]

Title: a seal upon your heart Rating: T Word count: 1483 Summary: Sometimes there are weddings. And sometimes there aren’t.

[read on Ao3]

Chapter 1 : your changing contentments, what will you share?

old //

There’s a box in Dan’s room Phil pretends not to know about. They don’t do anniversaries, really, and Valentine’s Day doesn’t feel like a real thing between them. Sentimentality for them is about having something you can hold, not what people expect of them.

So when the day comes-- when there’s no more planning to be done, when they’re due to take a train to the country side with their friends and family, to put on suits and say speeches and kiss, Phil sneaks in Dan’s room. He slips into the closet, pushes aside shoes and random props to get to the small, flat box, slips out a numbered piece of paper that’s creased and soft with age. It’s been years, and Phil’s seen the resulting video that he doesn’t need to look at it, just strokes it a little. Between its folds, there’s a train ticket. Both will do.

new //

Buying rings was fraught. The question of when to wear them had to be answered, long before anyone thought of materials, stones or the lack thereof. Dan knew Phil had lovely fingers, and the thought of them adorned with a ring he chose made Dan’s heart flip with excitement. The thought of Phil taking it off every time he filmed something felt differently.

There are comments the day Phil starts wearing the thin engagement ring they took to calling the trial version. Phil watched them pass by, a small, secret smile gracing his lips.

The real one, the permanent one sits in Dan’s room, on his desk. It’s not a secret. Phil’s seen it and insists that it live in Dan’s room in some semblance of tradition.

It’s simple, silver and unvarnished. Sometimes, in the weeks prior to today, Dan’s eyes would track over the box, and his breath would catch. Today, he slips it into his suitcase, and smiles.

borrowed  //

It’s hard to say where one of them ends and the other begins. Everything is theirs, difficult to point out a yours or mine. Dan takes Phil’s tie, deciding at the last minute that his doesn’t quite go with his suit. Phil packs Dan’s original tie, just in case, ready to head off any last-minute emergencies. Phil wears a hoodie Dan bought to the train station. It smells of him, and it’s warm.

blue //

Dan’s always thought even the happiest weddings hold the barest traces of sadness. There’s something about closing off who universes of possibilities in an ‘I do’ that cracks his heart a little. He knows that there are universes where he and Phil don’t work out, or choose not to get married, or get married in the city, or elope to Japan.

There is a sadness to all of those roads, too.

But this is a life that he knows, and trusts. He trusts the blue of Phil’s eyes, his quirked mouth. He trusts the steadiness of his hands, and the space he fills in Dan’s life, has filled for so long.

There is a part of Dan that is always sad, that will carry that sadness wherever he goes. Phil knows it, loves the bluest parts of Dan as he loves the brightest.

They kiss, when they’re told to kiss, and those versions of themselves die away, beyond Dan’s closed eyes. Chapter 2: keep your name

It starts as a very awkward joke. They’re at a fancy restaurant because Dan is a princess who sometimes requires dinner at fancy restaurants. The worst, most hilarious part is they’re not even on a date. Dan just wanted a reason to wear some fancy new clothes and Phil’s always up for food adventures.

They’re nearly done with dinner; loose with good food and a bottle and a half of wine when Dan says, probably, in retrospect, too loudly for such a nice place, “Hey, Phil, will you marry me?”

They’d been joking about how weird and hard their taxes are, and wondering if it’d be easier to do if they just joined their finances together. Of course, when a hush falls over the restaurant and they realize all the other patrons are looking at them expectantly, there’s not time to explain that.

Dan laughs nervously but Phil steps up, summoning big, glistening eyes from somewhere and goes “Dan! I thought you’d never ask!”

The restaurant applauds (quietly, because this is a classy place) and Dan, a question in his eyes, leans over to kiss Phil.

They kiss and then it’s over, the rest of the patrons gone back to their dinners. Phil is blushing a little, but grinning, his tongue poked out.

They finish they’re dinner and are standing outside, waiting for their car when Dan turns to Phil and asks, “So, are we engaged now?”

“I don’t believe in marriage,” Phil says, easily. Dan expects that to be end of it.

He manages to accidentally propose to Phil in public four more times that year. Each time, a hush falls over whoever’s listening and Phil’s made to smile and accept graciously.

In the middle of the airport, when his eye finally starts stinging less.)

On the tour bus, in front of the whole crew when Phil relents on sharing the bed.)

In Starbucks, when Phil brings him his order with an extra shot of espresso. You’d think the baristas would be used to caffeine-related marriage proposals, but they still gasp and clap.)

After the fourth time, Phil pulls Dan aside, brow furrowed.

“Do we need to talk?” He asks. “Because we can talk. I thought we agreed that marriage wasn’t the thing for us.”

Dan waves a hand, glancing back at the flock of excited bikers that had crowded around for his latest accidentally proposal. He’d been tying his shoe for christsake, not kneeling.

“I know that. It’s just everyone around us that hasn’t gotten the memo.”

Phil nods, still a little unsure.

Dan shakes his head. “Marriage is a heteronormative, capitalist institution borne out of the need to amass land and resources to ensure your family name’s longevity and prove manhood. No, thanks.”

Phil rolls his eyes. “It’s easier to say it’s just a piece of paper, y’know.”

Dan takes his hand, pulling him away from the cyclist, who are still standing there.

“What do they even want?” Dan hisses, looking over his shoulder.

“Their fathers’ approval, probably” Phil says nonsensically, allowing himself to be pulled along out of the park.

That night, Dan’s in bed, having left Phil in the lounge, when gets an email from Phil with the subject line REASONS NOT TO GET MARRIED #1.

“Phil,” he calls, “This is unnecessary. I don’t want to get married.”

“Shut up and click it,” Phil calls back.

It’s an amazon link to a book of queer writers against marriage. Dan reads through the table of contents and orders it, making noises of interest.

“Still unnecessary, but thanks,” Dan calls.

“You’re welcome,” Phil calls back.

The rest of the week, Phil sends him REASONS NOT TO GET MARRIED #2-15.

Some of them are serious, interesting articles on the unreasonableness of monogamy, the sexism and classism inherent in wedding culture (“the wedding industrial complex,” Phil says one night over dinner. Dan makes a delighted noise. He’s always loved it when Phil talks nerdy to him.). Some of them are lists Phil has written up, like “Foods You Can Buy Me Instead of a Wedding Ring” and “Overpriced Clothes You Can Get for Half the Price of a Wedding”. Dan actually bookmarks a lot of the clothes, delighted with Phil’s familiarity with his style. Then he opens up a new message, subject line:

REASONS NOT TO GET MARRIED #16

Neither of us have dowries worth the trouble

Dan Lester sounds weird

Our feelings for each other don’t need to be co-signed by the government

PATRIARCHY = BAD

White washes you out.

I’ll happily stand in front our friends/fans/family/whole world and tell them that I wake up every day choosing to stay with you and go to bed every night grateful you’re choosing to stay with me. We don’t need to sign a contract for that.

Strong threat a wedding would attract another gaggle of cyclists.

He hits send and waits, grinning when he hears Phil chuckling. He goes back to fucking around on photoshop, looking up when Phil appears in his door, smiling.

“Hey,” Dan says.

“That’s technically reasons not to get married #16-22. Bed?” Phil says, gesturing to his room.

“I don’t know, Phil,” Dan says, rolling off the bed, onto his feet. “Is it proper? Two unwed bachelors like us, shacking up? What will the neighbors say?”

Phil smirks, “I was planning on us giving them something else to talk about tonight, but if you’re worried…”

“Nope,” Dan says, pushing past Phil to get to Phil’s room, “No problems here. Let’s consummate our not-marriage right away.”

Dan’s certain the neighbors can hear the sound of Phil’s laughter through the walls.

[topfygad]

Beyond the Stadium : Osaka 2020

With a flurry of activity surrounding summer sports in Japan for 2020, this is your go-to source for news related to Osaka and also a rolling update of hotel availabilities and featured experiences on offer to help your guests get the most out of their Japan 2020 experience.

GET UP TO SPEED AUGUST, 2019

The Olympic torch is set to pass through Osaka. 

HOTEL AVAILABILITY

In anticipation of the surge in visitors to Japan in 2020, we worked hard to secure allotments with local hotels long before others did, which has helped us to provide you with a wide selection of secure and safe-to-book options your clients will love.

Generally these allotments are valid from 10 July through 23 August, 2020, with minor variations between properties.

Rates are entered as soon as they are finalised, and can be consulted on the Online Tariff section of our Agent Hub portal

We highly recommend only proposing services we have allotments for, as many hotels are booked out by officials, teams, etc.

Allotments are limited to specific room categories (see online tariff for details). All bookings have a 10% non-refundable deposit.

  (NEW!) 4* – CROSS HOTEL

Cross Hotel Osaka is located at the entrance of the famous Dotonbori area – Osaka’s main entertainment and nightlife district. JR Namba Train Station and limousine bus stop are also within walking distance. The modern and stylish rooms are equipped with a flat screen TV, high quality amenities, and a large bathtub with a Japanese touch. Free WiFi is available in all rooms. Guests can dine at the onsite restaurant Glamourous X.

MAKE A BOOKING

    FEATURED OSAKA EXPERIENCES

For pre, during and post-sports touring, we’ve curated some outstanding touring options to help guests see and experience the very best of Tokyo.

As with hotels, we have secured daily allotments with confirmed rates for our popular Tokyo Street Food Tour (both on a shared and private basis) and Cool Tokyo Cycling Tour (both on a shared and private basis).

For all other services we will be able to provide an estimate, which may change upon receipt of actual contract rates.

Tours with private guides.

Private car/van airport and city transfers.

OSAKA SOUL FOOD TOUR

Start the Osaka food tour in the Dotonbori area, soaking in the bright lights and fantastic smells. Visit four different venues, sampling local snacks such as okonomiyaki and takoyaki. Top off with fresh sushi and local beers with the chance to interact with an expert sushi chef. 

MAKE A BOOKING

  ELSEWHERE IN JAPAN

ESSENTIAL JAPAN (9D / 8N) Hakone / Nara / Kyoto / Tokyo

Get a taste of Japan’s rich culture and history on a memorable, self-guided tour. Join local worshippers at Tokyo’s Meiji Shrine and spot geishas gracefully strolling through Kyoto’s cobbled streets. Soak in an onsen while gazing at Mount Fuji and wander through Nara’s 8th-century temples.   

MAKE A BOOKING

ACROSS THE ROOF OF JAPAN (12D / 11N) Shirakawa-go / Matsumoto / Takayama / Kanazawa / Hakone / Kyoto / Tokyo

Experience Tokyo like never before on this unique cycling tour. Discover the lesser known and more uncommon areas of Tokyo, and enthusiastic cyclist guide, uncover some of the favourite haunts of the locals. Evening and night rides are an excellent way to see the city in summer 2020.

MAKE A BOOKING

    TICKETS FOR 2020

EXO Japan is not able to procure tickets for our guests. Each country has its own official ticket retailer (a list can be found on the official website). We would therefore recommend either you or the guests to procure tickets through the official channels, and for us to then create a customised itinerary based on the dates of the sporting events they managed to get tickets for. This is the same pattern we have followed, with great success, for the upcoming Rugby World Cup.

  source http://cheaprtravels.com/beyond-the-stadium-osaka-2020/

[steve-daniel]

Hybrid Bikes Market: Competitive Dynamics & Global Outlook 2025

“The latest report, Hybrid Bikes  market attempts to explain as well as understand the buying pattern to help companies design a marketing strategy that can attract more buyers. The approach empowers stakeholders to target audience more accurately and reap highest profits. The product research carried out during the study of the Hybrid Bikes market for the forecast period, 2019 to 2025 aims at helping product owners tweak their products or services according to the taste customers.

Get a FREE Sample PDF Report: https://www.marketgrowthinsight.com/sample/14746

Apart from this, the valuable document weighs upon the performance of the industry on the basis of a product service, end-use, geography and end customer.

When studying the major drivers a conscious effort is made to assess the rise in the product demand, changes in regulatory policies and fluctuating prices of the raw material. Importantly, the study quantifies the industry share occupied by the prominent vendors and offers an extensive view of the growing investment pocket in the Hybrid Bikes industry worldwide.

Detailed evaluation of various aspects with respect to the geography for the estimated period forms an important part of the research.

A quick look at the industry trends and opportunities

The market opportunity analysis offered in the market intelligence report measures various intangible factors such as gross margin, profit, demand and supply, distribution channel and spending power of the customers. Importantly, the study classifies the industry into an array of segments based on product type, application and consumer preference 

Make an Inquiry of Hybrid Bikes market Report: https://www.marketgrowthinsight.com/inquiry/14746

The report also presents the market competitive landscape and a corresponding detailed analysis of the major vendor/key players in the market.

The key players covered in this report: 

The major manufacturers covered in this report Trek Bikes Shimano Giant Bicycle Boardman Bikes Dorel Industries Kent Vilano Kona Bikes Brooklyn Bicycle Shanghai Forever Bicycle

Geographically, this report studies the top producers and consumers, focuses on product capacity, production, value, consumption, market share and growth opportunity in these key regions, covering North America Europe China Japan Southeast Asia India

On the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split into 13-15 inches 15-17 inches 17-19 inches 19-21 inches 21-23 inches 23 inches and Above

On the basis of the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, consumption (sales), market share and growth rate for each application, including Men Women Kids

Hybrid bikes blend characteristics from more specialized road bikes, touring bikes and mountain bikes. The resulting “”hybrid”” is a general-purpose bike that can tolerate a wide range of riding conditions and applications. Their stability, comfort and ease of use make them popular with novice cyclists, casual riders, commuters, and children.

This report studies the global Hybrid Bikes market status and forecast, categorizes the global Hybrid Bikes market size (value & volume) by manufacturers, type, application, and region. This report focuses on the top manufacturers in North America, Europe, Japan, China, and other regions (India, Southeast Asia).

A thorough evaluation of the key driving forces proves beneficial in understanding the manner in which major vendors communicate with their current prospects and existing customers. Detailed data on the restraining factors aid companies and individual lowering the risks. It does so by revealing which opportunities will result in generating more profits.

Purchase Hybrid Bikes Market Research Report: https://www.marketgrowthinsight.com/checkout/14746

The Research Provides Answers to the Following Key Questions:

What is the size of occupied by the prominent leaders for the forecast period, 2019 to 2025? What will be the share and the growth rate of the Hybrid Bikes market during the forecast period?

Which companies are dominating the competitive landscape across different region and what strategies have they applied to gain a competitive edge?

What are the major factors responsible for the growth of the Hybrid Bikes market across the different regions?

What are the challenges faced by the companies operating in the Hybrid Bikes market?

What are the future prospects for the Hybrid Bikes market industry in the coming years?

Which trends are likely to contribute to the development rate of the Hybrid Bikes industry during the forecast period, 2019 to 2025?

What are the future prospects of the Hybrid Bikes industry for the forecast period, 2019 to 2025? 

About us : Market Growth Insight, is a one stop solution for market research reports in various business categories. We are serving 100+ clients with 10000+ diverse industry reports and our reports are developed to simplify strategic decision making, on the basis of comprehensive and in-depth significant information, established through wide ranging analysis and latest industry trends. Contact us : 502, Sai Radhe, Kenedy Road, Behind Hotel Sheraton Grand, Near Pune Station, Pune-411001, sales@marketgrowthinsight.com + 91 8956 049 020

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[travelworldnetwork]

Copenhagen, Denmark on the Nyhavn Canal. Photo: Shutterstock

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So there you are, strolling leisurely beside Copenhagen's picturesque harbour, admiring the beautifully renovated warehouses and shiny contemporary architecture, when all of a sudden a voice in immaculate English, with a slight Scandi twang, says, "Excuse me, this lane is for bicycles."

I look down and see I'm standing on a path that, very clearly, has a bike symbol marked on it. I apologise and shuffle back to the lane designated for pedestrians, a little embarrassed but confident I'm not the only tourist to make this mistake in Copenhagen, one of the planet's most pedal-friendly cities.

It's said that 400 kilometres of cycle paths snake through the Danish capital, and that around 50 per cent of residents regularly bike to work, school or university (and the pub). There are ample paths and promenades for walkers, too, but as they're often adjacent to the cycle lanes, it's easy to drift, especially when you're distracted by something, as you often are in Copenhagen, which Lonely Planet has decreed the world's top city to visit in 2019.

The Playhouse in Copenhagen. Photo: Jens Markus Lindhe

This one-time Viking fishing village became the capital of Denmark in the 15th century and its majestic regal sites and palaces are among its leading attractions, along with the Tivoli Gardens, an eclectic theme park at the heart of the city, and the Little Mermaid, a bronze statue immortalising one of the fairytale characters of Danish writer Hans Christian Andersen. Perched on a rock, close to Copenhagen's cruise port, it's a fair trek from the city centre and almost everyone who comes wonders what the fuss is about when they see its modest size.

Far more visually striking are the modern landmarks that fringe the shores closer to town and that are helping to revitalise derelict naval and industrial zones.

The newest example is Blox built on the site of a former brewery near the Danish parliament and HC Andersen Boulevard (a road, incidentally, that isn't as idyllic as it sounds – it's central Copenhagen's busiest thoroughfare, its six lanes slicing through the city's core).

Unveiled in May, this jumble of glassy cubes of varying shapes and sizes seemingly stacked atop one another, has been labelled a "micro-city within a city" and contains housing, offices, work spaces, a gym and enticing draws for culture vultures and foodies.

You'll find Blox Eats, which is co-owned by Claus Meyer, co-founder of Noma which has been rated world's best restaurant several times and has become a legend of "new Nordic" cuisine. It recently moved to a new location near Christiania, a hippie-ish commune in Copenhagen's east, and tables there are still notoriously tricky to come by but Blox Eats has a no-reservations policy.

It's a very different affair, though. Instead of elaborate 17-course tasting menus à la Noma, it keeps things relatively simple with salads, baked goodies and smorrebrod (Danish open-faced sandwiches), plus tantalising soups, such as a Thai-style offering with pollock (a North Atlantic fish), mussels, noodles, herbs, coconut and crispy crudites). Menus change weekly and at least 30 per cent of ingredients are organic.

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Blox Eats' first-floor food hall is open for lunch on weekdays, while its ground-floor, espresso-scented cafe-eatery welcomes customers daily until 10pm (weekend brunch is one enticing option).

Blox is also home to the Danish Architecture Centre and its DAC Cafe, which has three rooftop terraces with splendid views of Copenhagen. The Centre's galleries and gift shop showcase the Danish flair for design, which infuses everything from landmark buildings to the furniture inside. A recent exhibition explored the genius of Jorn Utzon, the Copenhagen-born mastermind of the Sydney Opera House.

It's somewhat ironic, I ponder as I exit the building, that Blox was crafted by OMA (Office for Metropolitan Architecture), a practice founded by Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas.

Danish fingerprints are, however, all over the design of other contemporary gems flanking the harbour, including the Black Diamond, a pebble's throw from Blox. Clad in polished black granite, it was completed in 1999, as a shiny extension to the red-brick Royal Danish Library. Skywalks connect the two sections, which couldn't be more different in style and vibe. While the original part feels a bit Hogwarts, with wood panelled reading areas, antique bookshelves and hushed voices, the Black Diamond is flooded with natural light thanks to its tall atrium. There's a vibrant cafe buzzing with Copenhageners of all ages, plus a concert hall and exhibition spaces.

Dubbed a "theatre machine", the Royal Danish Playhouse is another key cultural venue in a gleaming boxy shell. Renowned for its ballet and drama productions – ever fancied watching Shakespeare in Danish? – it's around the corner from Nyhavn, a cobbled quayside tourist magnet lined with yachts and pastel-hued 17th and 18th century townhouses.

Looming diagonally across the harbour is the most controversial of the city's 21st century icons. Costing about US$500 million, the Copenhagen Opera House was designed in so-called "neo-futuristic" fashion by the late Danish architect Henning Larsen, who trained with Utzon. It was panned by critics when it opened in 2004. Some dismissed it as a spaceship or the grille of a vintage Pontiac car.

Larsen himself reportedly reckoned it looked like a toaster and regarded it as a "failed compromise" (he had creative differences with the project's backer, Danish shipping magnate, Maersk McKinney Moller). I can't help but like it, especially its enormous cantilevered "lid". As with many of Copenhagen's prominent new buildings, it's ultra-mesmerising after dark, illuminated with colour that reflects off the water.

The opera house is linked to Nyhavn by water bus and also via Inderhavnsbroen, one of the dual cyclist-pedestrian bridges that swerve over the harbour. Guided tours reveal the building's stunning ensemble of limestone, oak, glass, bronze, maple, gold leaf and Sicilian marble. On a tour of the building, visitors are led round the backstage areas and into the vast main auditorium which can seat an audience of around 1500, who come for everything from Puccini to Kylie (she performed here in November).

From the building's lobby, there's a wonderful panorama of Copenhagen's spire-dotted skyline. Glance across the harbour and you'll see the royal district of Frederiksstaden, home to Amalienborg, residence of Margrethe II, Queen of Denmark, and Frederik's Church, a neoclassical jewel with an incredible green copper dome.The Marble Church, as it's alternatively known, was a project involving two high-profile 18th century architects: a Dane, Nicolai Eigtved, and a Frenchman, Nicolas-Henri Jardin.

For dinner, I go Gallic-Nordic at Zeleste, a charming restaurant serving Danish food with a French twist on Store Strandstraede, an affluent street between Nyhavn and Frederiksstaden. Occupying a quaint 17th century building, with rustic furniture, fireplaces and "Copenhagen's cosiest courtyard", Zeleste scores highly on the hygge scale.

Hygge, pronounced hoo-gah, is a Danish phrase for conjuring a warm atmosphere and enjoying the good things in life with loved ones. With a glass of Loire Valley sauvignon blanc for company, and jazzy trumpet tunes floating through the air, I have chilli chickpea salad with mustard vinaigrette, codfish with kale and mussel foam and a "deconstructed" cheesecake, its crushed base sprinkled with edible flowers onto creamy white chocolate.

Like so many things in Copenhagen, it simply has to be photographed, and, thankfully, it's utterly, lip-lickingly delicious as well.

FIVE MORE THINGS TO SEE AND DO IN COPENHAGEN

TORVEHALLERNE

This trendy covered market near Norreport Station attracts a diverse crowd, with more than 60 stands selling oodles of fresh produce and cosmopolitan cuisine from Italy, Japan, Spain and Scandinavia.

FURNITURE STORES

Sofas and armchairs, mirrors and lampshades, Copenhagen's furniture stores stock gorgeously-crafted products from Denmark and the world. Paustian House, a large harbourside showroom designed by Jorn Utzon in collaboration with his sons, Jan and Kim, is a joy to browse.

BAGSVAERD CHURCH

Completed in 1973, the same year the Sydney Opera House was opened, Jorn Utzon's modernist Lutheran house of worship has a dreamy white interior and is worth the 12-kilometre trip to the city's northern suburbs.

NORDIC NOIR

Take a Nordic noir-themed walking tour and discover the atmospheric filming locations of The Killing and The Bridge, the hit television series shot in Copenhagen.

FREDERIKSBERG GARDENS

This delightful urban park is a peaceful expanse of lakes, lawns and woodlands, also home to a royal palace, Chinese pavilion and Copenhagen Zoo.

TRIP NOTES

Steve McKenna was a guest of Collette.

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traveller.com.au/denmarkvisitcopenhagen.com

visitcopenhagen.com

STAY

Admiral Hotel is housed in a converted 18th century granary by the harbour. Rooms from 850DKK. See admiralhotel.dk/en

from traveller.com.au

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Scottish minister demands investigation into nursery over alleged racism

Scottish minister demands investigation into nursery over alleged racism

A Scottish cabinet minister has called for an investigation into alleged racial discrimination at a nursery that refused a place for his young daughter.

Humza Yousaf, the devolved government’s health secretary, said a Dundee nursery had claimed there were no places available for his two-year-old daughter Amal.

But they said a white friend who called to check was told there were places available on three afternoons a week at the same establishment.

Mr Yousaf said applications had been tested by other family members and reporters, with “white-sounding” and “ethnic-sounding” names being accepted and rejected respectively on the same day.

A spokesperson for the owners of the Little Scholars Nursery in Broughty Ferry, Dundee, said they were “extremely proud of being open and inclusive to all” insisting that “any claim to the contrary is demonstrably false and an accusation that we would refute in the strongest possible terms”.

The spokesperson told The Daily Record newspaper, which first reported the claims: “In addition to our owners being of Asian heritage, across more than a decade we have regularly welcomed both children and staff from a range of different religious, cultural, ethnic and racial backgrounds, including two Muslim families currently.

“We have also regularly made arrangements to accommodate different lifestyles by, for example, providing a halal menu for those children who come from Muslim families.”

Mr Yousaf said he and his wife had contacted the Care Inspectorate and are also seeking legal advice on the issue.

Mr Yousaf said: “We are fooling ourselves if we believe discrimination doesn’t exist in Scotland. I believe evidence we have proves our case beyond doubt.

“As well as reporting the nursery to the Care Inspectorate we are also seeking legal advice.”

The minister, who has played a high profile role in Scotland’s response to the Covid pandemic, said that contacting the Care Inspectorate with their concerns was “not a step my wife and I have taken lightly”.

He tweeted: “After our nursery application for our daughter was refused a 2nd time, my wife asked her White Scottish friend to put in an application for a Child the same age. Within 24hrs of refusing our application my wife’s friend’s was accepted.”

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Mr Yousaf went on to claim that “three White-Scottish applicants offered tours of nursery and spaces, often within less than 24hrs”, while at the same time that applicants with Muslim names were “being rejected, including application for my daughter”.

He added: “It doesn’t matter what my position or how senior in Govt I may be, some will always see me, my wife and children by our ethnicity or religion first.

“We have given Little Scholars nursery every opportunity for an explanation for the disparity in treatment, none has been forthcoming.”

“With no explanation from Little Scholars, we will pursue the truth and get answers we deserve.”

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UK could help fund jail in Albania for offenders transferred from British prisons

UK could help fund jail in Albania for offenders transferred from British prisons

The UK could help finance the construction of a prison in Albania to house offenders sent back to the country from British jails.

Albanians make up the largest foreign national group in UK jails, with more than 1,500 behind bars in England and Wales making up around 10 per cent of total inmates from overseas.

British and Albanian justice ministers Chris Philp and Etilda Gjonaj last week approved a prisoner transfer agreement that will allow offenders from either side to be sent back to their home countries to serve out their full sentences.

But Ms Gjonaj revealed in an interview with the west Balkan country’s media that the discussions also touched on the possibility of financial assistance from London to house returned felons – many of them convicted of involvement with criminal gangs active in drug-smuggling and people trafficking.

With very few UK nationals in Albanian prisons, the transfer of offenders is likely to be largely one-way, and Tirana is understood to be concerned about the additional financial burden that the arrangement could create.

Ms Gjonaj told an interviewer that British ministers “welcomed my proposal for the UK to build a prison in Albania or renovate an existing prison”.

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12 June 2021

Oxfam campaigners wearing costumes depicting G7 leaders pose for photographers on Swanpool Beach near Falmouth, Cornwall

EPA

Discussions are understood to be at an early stage, and the Ministry of Justice declined to confirm or deny whether the proposal was raised in last week’s talks.

But an offer of financial help would not be unprecedented.

In 2015, David Cameron offered Jamaica around £25m from the UK’s aid budget to part-fund a prison for offenders returned from Britain, though the deal was eventually rejected by the administration in Kingston. Since then, discussions have taken place with Nigeria about funding for a jail in Lagos, though again the proposal came to nothing.

Under the terms of last week’s agreement, Albanian authorities will have to foot the bill for housing returned offenders in its own jails, saving the UK taxpayer an average £44,600 per inmate.

Mr Philp, said: “We are committed to removing foreign criminals who have abused our hospitality and inflicted misery on our communities.

“Someone who commits a serious crime in the UK should be barred from returning so that the taxpayer no longer has to pay for them and victims can be confident justice has been done.”

No legislation is required to put the agreement into effect, and ministers expect transfers under the scheme to begin in the autumn.

Since January 2019, the UK has removed 7,985 foreign national offenders from prisons, immigration removal centres and the community.

The deal with Albania builds on an earlier agreement and means that offenders must spend at least the same amount of time in custody as they were sentenced to by a judge in the UK.

It also clarifies that prisoners can be transferred without their consent.

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UK’s 2050 target for net-zero ‘too far away’, says Boris Johnson’s climate change spokesperson

UK’s 2050 target for net-zero ‘too far away’, says Boris Johnson’s climate change spokesperson

The government’s 2050 target date of reducing the UK’s net carbon emissions to zero is “too far away”, Boris Johnson’s climate change spokesperson Allegra Stratton has said.

Ms Stratton said that the science was clear that faster action is needed to bring down greenhouse gas emissions in order to stop global temperature increases by 2030.

Her comments are likely to alarm backbench Conservative MPs who fear that voters are being asked to shoulder too great a financial burden to give the UK a world-leading role in the fight against climate change in the year when Mr Johnson is hosting a crucial United Nations summit on global warming.

The UK was the first major industrialised country in the world to sign the 2050 target into law in 2019, and is aiming to persuade other nations to follow suit at the COP26 summit which Mr Johnson is chairing in Glasgow in November.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s World This Weekend, Ms Stratton said that the technology needed to reduce emissions was becoming cheaper all the time, making the net zero target no more expensive than the previous 80 per cent target, at about 1 per cent of GDP.

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1/50UK news in pictures

UK news in pictures

31 July 2021

James Guy, Adam Peaty and Kathleen Dawson celebrate winning the gold medal in the mixed 4x100m medley relay final at the Tokyo Olympics

AP

UK news in pictures

30 July 2021

Great Britain’s Bethany Shriever and Kye Whyte celebrate their Gold and Silver medals respectively for the Cycling BMX Racing at the Ariake Urban Sports Park on the seventh day of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan

PA

UK news in pictures

29 July 2021

Team GB’s Mallory Franklin during the Women’s Canoe Slalom Final on day six of the Tokyo Olympic Games. She went on to win the silver medal

Getty

UK news in pictures

28 July 2021

Canoers on Llyn Padarn lake in Snowdonia, Gwynedd. It was announced that the north-west Wales slate landscape has been granted UNESCO World Heritage Status

PA

UK news in pictures

27 July 2021

A view of one of two areas now being used at a warehouse facility in Dover, Kent, for boats used by people thought to be migrants.

PA

UK news in pictures

26 July 2021

A woman is helped by Border Force officers as a group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dover, Kent, onboard a Border Force vessel, following a small boat incident in the Channel

PA

UK news in pictures

25 July 2021

Vehicles drive through deep water on a flooded road in Nine Elms, London

AFP/Getty

UK news in pictures

24 July 2021

Utilities workers inspect a 15x20ft sinkhole on Green Lane, Liverpool, which is suspected to have been caused by ruptured water main

PA

UK news in pictures

23 July 2021

Children interact with Mega Please Draw Freely by artist Ei Arakawa inside the Turbine Hall at the Tate Modern in London, part of UNIQLO Tate Play the gallery’s new free programme of art-inspired activities for families

PA

UK news in pictures

22 July 2021

Festivalgoers in the campsite at the Latitude festival in Henham Park, Southwold, Suffolk

PA

UK news in pictures

21 July 2021

A man walks past an artwork by Will Blood on the end of a property in Bedminster, Bristol, as the 75 murals project reaches the halfway point and various graffiti pieces are sprayed onto walls and buildings across the city over the Summer

PA

UK news in pictures

20 July 2021

People during morning prayer during Eid ul-Adha, or Festival of Sacrifice, in Southall Park, Uxbridge, London

PA

UK news in pictures

19 July 2021

Commuters, some not wearing facemasks, at Westminster Underground station, at 08:38 in London after the final legal Coronavirus restrictions were lifted in England

PA

UK news in pictures

18 July 2021

A view of spectators by the 2nd green during day four of The Open at The Royal St George’s Golf Club in Sandwich, Kent

PA

UK news in pictures

17 July 2021

Cyclists ride over the Hammersmith Bridge in London. The bridge was closed last year after cracks in it worsened during a heatwave

Getty

UK news in pictures

16 July 2021

The sun rises behind the Sefton Park Palm House, in Sefton Park, Liverpool

PA

UK news in pictures

15 July 2021

Sir Nicholas Serota watches a short film about sea monsters as he opens a £7.6 million, 360 immersive dome at Devonport’s Market Hall in Plymouth, which is the first of its type to be built in Europe

PA

UK news in pictures

14 July 2021

Heidi Street, playing a gothic character, looks at a brain suspended in glass at the world’s first attraction dedicated to the author of Frankenstein inside the ‘Mary Shelley’s House of Frankenstein’ experience, located in a Georgian terraced house in Bath, as it prepares to open to the public on 19 July

PA

UK news in pictures

13 July 2021

Rehearsals are held in a car park in Glasgow for a parade scene ahead of filming for what is thought to be the new Indiana Jones 5 movie starring Harrison Ford

PA

UK news in pictures

12 July 2021

A local resident puts love hearts and slogans on the plastic that covers offensive graffiti on the vandalised mural of Manchester United striker and England player Marcus Rashford on the wall of a cafe on Copson Street, Withington in Manchester

Getty Images

UK news in pictures

11 July 2021

England’s Bukayo Saka with manager Gareth Southgate after the match

Pool via Reuters

UK news in pictures

10 July 2021

Australia’s Ashleigh Barty holds the trophy after winning her final Wimbledon match against Czech Republic’s Karolina Pliskova

Reuters

UK news in pictures

9 July 2021

England 1966 World Cup winner Sir Geoff Hurst stands on top of a pod on the lastminute.com London Eye wearing a replica 1966 World Cup final kit and looking out towards Wembley Stadium in the north of the capital, where the England football team will play Italy in the Euro 2020 final on Sunday

PA

UK news in pictures

8 July 2021

Karolina Pliskova celebrates after defeating Aryna Sabalenka during the women’s singles semifinals match on day ten of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London

AP

UK news in pictures

7 July 2021

The residents of Towfield Court in Feltham have transformed their estate with England flags for the Euro 2020 tournament

PA

UK news in pictures

6 July 2021

A couple are hit by a wave as they walk along the promenade in Dover, Kent, during strong winds

PA

UK news in pictures

5 July 2021

Alexander Zverev playing against Felix Auger-Aliassime in the fourth round of the Gentlemen’s Singles on Court 1 on day seven of Wimbledon at The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club

PA

UK news in pictures

4 July 2021

Aaron Carty and the Beyoncé Experience perform on stage during UK Black Pride at The Roundhouse in London

Getty for UK Black Pride

UK news in pictures

3 July 2021

England’s Jordan Henderson celebrates after scoring his first international goal, his side’s fourth against Ukraine during the Euro 2020 quarter final match at the Olympic stadium in Rome

AP

UK news in pictures

2 July 2021

Dan Evans serves against Sebastian Korda during their men’s singles third round match at Wimbledon

Getty

UK news in pictures

1 July 2021

Prince William, left and Prince Harry unveil a statue they commissioned of their mother Princess Diana, on what would have been her 60th birthday, in the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace, London

AP

UK news in pictures

30 June 2021

Dancers from the Billingham Festival and Balbir Singh Dance Company, during a preview for the The Two Fridas, UK Summer tour, presented by Billingham International Folklore Festival of World Dance in collaboration with Balbir Singh Dance Company, inspired by the life and times of female artists Frida Kahlo and Amrita Sher-Gil , which opens on July 10 at Ushaw Historic House, Chapel and Gardens in Durham

PA

UK news in pictures

29 June 2021

A boy kicks a soccer ball in front of the balconies and landings adorned with predominantly England flags at the Kirby housing estate in London

AP

UK news in pictures

28 June 2021

Emergency services attend a fire nearby the Elephant & Castle Rail Station in London

Getty

UK news in pictures

27 June 2021

People walk along Regent Street in central London during a #FreedomToDance march organised by Save Our Scene, in protest against the government’s perceived disregard for the live music industry throughout the coronavirus pandemic

PA

UK news in pictures

26 June 2021

A pair of marchers in a Trans Pride rally share a smile in Soho

Angela Christofilou/The Independent

UK news in pictures

25 June 2021

Tim Duckworth during the Long Jump in the decathlon during day one of the Muller British Athletics Championships at Manchester Regional Arena

PA

UK news in pictures

24 June 2021

A member of staff poses with the work ‘The Death of Cash’ by XCopy at the ‘CryptOGs: The Pioneers of NFT Art’ auction at Bonhams auction house in London

EPA

UK news in pictures

23 June 2021

Bank of England Chief Cashier Sarah John displays the new 50-pound banknote at Daunt Books in London

Bank of England via Reuters

UK news in pictures

22 June 2021

Actor Isaac Hampstead Wright sits on the newly unveiled Game of Throne’s “Iron Throne” statue, in Leicester Square, in London, Tuesday, June 22, 2021. The statue is the tenth to join the trail and commemorates 10 years since the TV show first aired, as well as in anticipation for HBO’s release of House of the Dragon set to be released in 2022

AP

UK news in pictures

21 June 2021

Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon receives her second dose of the Oxford/AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine

AFP/Getty

UK news in pictures

20 June 2021

Joyce Paton, from Peterhead, on one of the remaining snow patches on Meall a’Bhuiridh in Glencoe during the Midsummer Ski. The event, organised by the Glencoe Mountain Resort, is held every year on the weekend closest to the Summer Solstice

PA

UK news in pictures

19 June 2021

England appeal LBW during day four of their Women’s International Test match against India at the Bristol County Ground

PA

UK news in pictures

18 June 2021

Scotland fans let off flares in Leicester Square after Scotland’s Euro 2020 match against England ended in a 0-0 draw

Getty

UK news in pictures

17 June 2021

Members of the Tootsie Rollers jazz band pose on the third day of the Royal Ascot horse racing meet

AFP/Getty

UK news in pictures

16 June 2021

A woman and child examine life-size sculptures of a herd of Asian elephants set up by the Elephant Family and The Real Elephant Collective to help educate the public on the elephants and the ways in which humans can better protect the planets biodiversity, in Green Park, central London

AFP/Getty

UK news in pictures

15 June 2021

Hydrotherapists with Dixie, a seven-year-old Dachshund who is being treated for back problems common with the breed, in the hydrotherapy pool during a facility at Battersea Dogs and Cats Home’s in Battersea, London, to view their new hydrotherapy centre

PA

UK news in pictures

14 June 2021

Scotland’s David Marshall in the net after Czech Republic’s Patrik Schick scored their second goal at Hampden Park

Reuters

UK news in pictures

13 June 2021

Raheem Sterling celebrates with Harry Kane after scoring England’s first goal of the Euro 2021 tournament in a match against Croatia at Wembley

Reuters

UK news in pictures

12 June 2021

Oxfam campaigners wearing costumes depicting G7 leaders pose for photographers on Swanpool Beach near Falmouth, Cornwall

EPA

And she made clear that urgency was needed to meeting the COP26 target of keeping global warming to a maximum of 1.5 degrees centigrade above pre-industrial levels.

“We have to feel the fierce urgency of now,” she said. “I feel the fierce urgency of now.

“We have to bring countries to COP26 in November in Glasgow with real substantial plans.”

Ms Stratton, who speaks on COP26 on the prime minister’s behalf, pointed to the government’s 10-point plan for a “green industrial revolution” and to pledges from FTSE100 companies to go net-zero as signs of progress towards the 2050 goal.

But she added: “Every bit of society is moving in tandem towards this net zero in 2050, but let’s be honest that’s too far away.

“Net zero is the glide path. What we have to be doing more quickly – the science is clear – (is) we have to be changing our carbon emissions output right now, so that we can stop temperature increase by 2030.”

Amid growing concerns that the UK is lagging behind in its drive to secure international agreement on ambitious targets at Glasgow, Ms Stratton acknowledged that progress had been delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic.

But she said that plans will be unveiled when parliament returns in September for projects like the replacement gas boilers with more climate-friendly alternatives over the coming 10-15 years.

Ms Stratton admitted that minister had to overcome distrust from voters in the light of fast-changing advice on issues like diesel cars – which were promoted as environmentally-friendly for many years before the harmful effects of their exhaust became known.

“My granny says to me ‘Why would we believe government when look what they encouraged us to buy and how quickly they changed their opinion?’” she said.

“But that only underscores the reason why this has to be done properly so we take people with us because it would be so damaging to have another version of that.”

She said that the government had a “balancing act” between moving swiftly enough to respond to the scale of the challenge and taking enough time to ensure that new technology like electric cars works as it should.

“This is a long-term journey we are all on,” she said. “This is a journey to 2050.

“This is not going to happen overnight. This is going to be a conversation we have with the British people about what is fair, protecting vulnerable families from some of the more difficult decisions they will have to make.”

Ms Stratton declined to discuss reports that chancellor Rishi Sunak is holding out against green taxes to pay for action on climate change.

“What worries me and what worries members of the government is the extreme climate change and weather events that we are seeing in this country now,” she said.

“The climate has warmed by 1.2 degrees. We are trying to limit that increase to 1.5. Everyone can see that the margin we have right now is not big. We are headed for 3. If we think about the weather we’re seeing right now at 1.2, what the weather be like at 3 doesn’t bear thinking about.”

Ms Stratton said she understood public cynicism about the chances of international conferences effecting real change.

But she said: “It’s different with Glasgow. Glasgow is actually the one where they come with the plans. So we have the chance to deal with all the things that people are saying make them anxious.

“We have the chance right now. We just have to seize it.”

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Secret proposals to ration care by age in pandemic branded ‘unacceptable’

Secret proposals to ration care by age in pandemic branded ‘unacceptable’

Secret plans to withdraw hospital care from over-70s in the case of a catastrophic pandemic have been branded “totally unacceptable” by charities representing older people.

Confident documents produced following a pandemic planning exercise in 2016 proposed a “triaging” system to be put into operation if healthcare resources were exhausted, under which people in nursing homes could be offered “end of life pathways” instead of medical assistance.

The government said the proposals related to “hypothetical scenarios” and had never been adopted as official policy.

But Age UK charity director Caroline Abrahams told The Independent that Britain had come “perilously close” to an approach of this sort at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic last year.

And she said that the government and NHS should be clear that treatment decisions must always be based on clinical need.

The documents on “NHS surge and triage” and adult social care in the case of a pandemic, labelled “confidential” and “official sensitive”, were obtained by an NHS doctor under freedom of information legislation and published on Saturday by the Daily Telegraph.

Written in 2017 and 2018, they suggested that in the case of a serious flu outbreak which overwhelmed the NHS’s ability to respond, patients could be “triaged” – or prioritised for treatment – based on their “probability of survival” rather than “clinical need”.

In a severe pandemic, the health secretary could authorise medics to prioritise some patients over others and even stop providing critical care altogether, the documents suggested.

Ms Abrahams expressed deep concern that the approach had even been considered.

UK news in pictures

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1/50UK news in pictures

UK news in pictures

30 July 2021

Great Britain’s Bethany Shriever and Kye Whyte celebrate their Gold and Silver medals respectively for the Cycling BMX Racing at the Ariake Urban Sports Park on the seventh day of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan

PA

UK news in pictures

29 July 2021

Great Britain’s Mallory Franklin celebrates on the podium after she won silver in the women’s C1 Canoe Slalom at Tokyo Olympics

Reuters

UK news in pictures

28 July 2021

Canoers on Llyn Padarn lake in Snowdonia, Gwynedd. It was announced that the north-west Wales slate landscape has been granted UNESCO World Heritage Status

PA

UK news in pictures

27 July 2021

A view of one of two areas now being used at a warehouse facility in Dover, Kent, for boats used by people thought to be migrants.

PA

UK news in pictures

26 July 2021

A woman is helped by Border Force officers as a group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dover, Kent, onboard a Border Force vessel, following a small boat incident in the Channel

PA

UK news in pictures

25 July 2021

Vehicles drive through deep water on a flooded road in Nine Elms, London

AFP/Getty

UK news in pictures

24 July 2021

Utilities workers inspect a 15x20ft sinkhole on Green Lane, Liverpool, which is suspected to have been caused by ruptured water main

PA

UK news in pictures

23 July 2021

Children interact with Mega Please Draw Freely by artist Ei Arakawa inside the Turbine Hall at the Tate Modern in London, part of UNIQLO Tate Play the gallery’s new free programme of art-inspired activities for families

PA

UK news in pictures

22 July 2021

Festivalgoers in the campsite at the Latitude festival in Henham Park, Southwold, Suffolk

PA

UK news in pictures

21 July 2021

A man walks past an artwork by Will Blood on the end of a property in Bedminster, Bristol, as the 75 murals project reaches the halfway point and various graffiti pieces are sprayed onto walls and buildings across the city over the Summer

PA

UK news in pictures

20 July 2021

People during morning prayer during Eid ul-Adha, or Festival of Sacrifice, in Southall Park, Uxbridge, London

PA

UK news in pictures

19 July 2021

Commuters, some not wearing facemasks, at Westminster Underground station, at 08:38 in London after the final legal Coronavirus restrictions were lifted in England

PA

UK news in pictures

18 July 2021

A view of spectators by the 2nd green during day four of The Open at The Royal St George’s Golf Club in Sandwich, Kent

PA

UK news in pictures

17 July 2021

Cyclists ride over the Hammersmith Bridge in London. The bridge was closed last year after cracks in it worsened during a heatwave

Getty

UK news in pictures

16 July 2021

The sun rises behind the Sefton Park Palm House, in Sefton Park, Liverpool

PA

UK news in pictures

15 July 2021

Sir Nicholas Serota watches a short film about sea monsters as he opens a £7.6 million, 360 immersive dome at Devonport’s Market Hall in Plymouth, which is the first of its type to be built in Europe

PA

UK news in pictures

14 July 2021

Heidi Street, playing a gothic character, looks at a brain suspended in glass at the world’s first attraction dedicated to the author of Frankenstein inside the ‘Mary Shelley’s House of Frankenstein’ experience, located in a Georgian terraced house in Bath, as it prepares to open to the public on 19 July

PA

UK news in pictures

13 July 2021

Rehearsals are held in a car park in Glasgow for a parade scene ahead of filming for what is thought to be the new Indiana Jones 5 movie starring Harrison Ford

PA

UK news in pictures

12 July 2021

A local resident puts love hearts and slogans on the plastic that covers offensive graffiti on the vandalised mural of Manchester United striker and England player Marcus Rashford on the wall of a cafe on Copson Street, Withington in Manchester

Getty Images

UK news in pictures

11 July 2021

England’s Bukayo Saka with manager Gareth Southgate after the match

Pool via Reuters

UK news in pictures

10 July 2021

Australia’s Ashleigh Barty holds the trophy after winning her final Wimbledon match against Czech Republic’s Karolina Pliskova

Reuters

UK news in pictures

9 July 2021

England 1966 World Cup winner Sir Geoff Hurst stands on top of a pod on the lastminute.com London Eye wearing a replica 1966 World Cup final kit and looking out towards Wembley Stadium in the north of the capital, where the England football team will play Italy in the Euro 2020 final on Sunday

PA

UK news in pictures

8 July 2021

Karolina Pliskova celebrates after defeating Aryna Sabalenka during the women’s singles semifinals match on day ten of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London

AP

UK news in pictures

7 July 2021

The residents of Towfield Court in Feltham have transformed their estate with England flags for the Euro 2020 tournament

PA

UK news in pictures

6 July 2021

A couple are hit by a wave as they walk along the promenade in Dover, Kent, during strong winds

PA

UK news in pictures

5 July 2021

Alexander Zverev playing against Felix Auger-Aliassime in the fourth round of the Gentlemen’s Singles on Court 1 on day seven of Wimbledon at The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club

PA

UK news in pictures

4 July 2021

Aaron Carty and the Beyoncé Experience perform on stage during UK Black Pride at The Roundhouse in London

Getty for UK Black Pride

UK news in pictures

3 July 2021

England’s Jordan Henderson celebrates after scoring his first international goal, his side’s fourth against Ukraine during the Euro 2020 quarter final match at the Olympic stadium in Rome

AP

UK news in pictures

2 July 2021

Dan Evans serves against Sebastian Korda during their men’s singles third round match at Wimbledon

Getty

UK news in pictures

1 July 2021

Prince William, left and Prince Harry unveil a statue they commissioned of their mother Princess Diana, on what would have been her 60th birthday, in the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace, London

AP

UK news in pictures

30 June 2021

Dancers from the Billingham Festival and Balbir Singh Dance Company, during a preview for the The Two Fridas, UK Summer tour, presented by Billingham International Folklore Festival of World Dance in collaboration with Balbir Singh Dance Company, inspired by the life and times of female artists Frida Kahlo and Amrita Sher-Gil , which opens on July 10 at Ushaw Historic House, Chapel and Gardens in Durham

PA

UK news in pictures

29 June 2021

A boy kicks a soccer ball in front of the balconies and landings adorned with predominantly England flags at the Kirby housing estate in London

AP

UK news in pictures

28 June 2021

Emergency services attend a fire nearby the Elephant & Castle Rail Station in London

Getty

UK news in pictures

27 June 2021

People walk along Regent Street in central London during a #FreedomToDance march organised by Save Our Scene, in protest against the government’s perceived disregard for the live music industry throughout the coronavirus pandemic

PA

UK news in pictures

26 June 2021

A pair of marchers in a Trans Pride rally share a smile in Soho

Angela Christofilou/The Independent

UK news in pictures

25 June 2021

Tim Duckworth during the Long Jump in the decathlon during day one of the Muller British Athletics Championships at Manchester Regional Arena

PA

UK news in pictures

24 June 2021

A member of staff poses with the work ‘The Death of Cash’ by XCopy at the ‘CryptOGs: The Pioneers of NFT Art’ auction at Bonhams auction house in London

EPA

UK news in pictures

23 June 2021

Bank of England Chief Cashier Sarah John displays the new 50-pound banknote at Daunt Books in London

Bank of England via Reuters

UK news in pictures

22 June 2021

Actor Isaac Hampstead Wright sits on the newly unveiled Game of Throne’s “Iron Throne” statue, in Leicester Square, in London, Tuesday, June 22, 2021. The statue is the tenth to join the trail and commemorates 10 years since the TV show first aired, as well as in anticipation for HBO’s release of House of the Dragon set to be released in 2022

AP

UK news in pictures

21 June 2021

Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon receives her second dose of the Oxford/AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine

AFP/Getty

UK news in pictures

20 June 2021

Joyce Paton, from Peterhead, on one of the remaining snow patches on Meall a’Bhuiridh in Glencoe during the Midsummer Ski. The event, organised by the Glencoe Mountain Resort, is held every year on the weekend closest to the Summer Solstice

PA

UK news in pictures

19 June 2021

England appeal LBW during day four of their Women’s International Test match against India at the Bristol County Ground

PA

UK news in pictures

18 June 2021

Scotland fans let off flares in Leicester Square after Scotland’s Euro 2020 match against England ended in a 0-0 draw

Getty

UK news in pictures

17 June 2021

Members of the Tootsie Rollers jazz band pose on the third day of the Royal Ascot horse racing meet

AFP/Getty

UK news in pictures

16 June 2021

A woman and child examine life-size sculptures of a herd of Asian elephants set up by the Elephant Family and The Real Elephant Collective to help educate the public on the elephants and the ways in which humans can better protect the planets biodiversity, in Green Park, central London

AFP/Getty

UK news in pictures

15 June 2021

Hydrotherapists with Dixie, a seven-year-old Dachshund who is being treated for back problems common with the breed, in the hydrotherapy pool during a facility at Battersea Dogs and Cats Home’s in Battersea, London, to view their new hydrotherapy centre

PA

UK news in pictures

14 June 2021

Scotland’s David Marshall in the net after Czech Republic’s Patrik Schick scored their second goal at Hampden Park

Reuters

UK news in pictures

13 June 2021

Raheem Sterling celebrates with Harry Kane after scoring England’s first goal of the Euro 2021 tournament in a match against Croatia at Wembley

Reuters

UK news in pictures

12 June 2021

Oxfam campaigners wearing costumes depicting G7 leaders pose for photographers on Swanpool Beach near Falmouth, Cornwall

EPA

UK news in pictures

11 June 2021

Members of the Vaxinol team, who are commercial, industrial and residential cleaners specialising in disinfection and decontamination, use electrostatic spray systems to deep clean the Only Fools Bar in Liverpool

PA

“Whatever the status of this planning document may be, we know from other reports that during the early part of this pandemic we got perilously close to triage approaches being introduced in hospitals that took age heavily into account,”she said.

“If they had been put into practice the result would have been that a relatively healthy 70-year-old would not have got access to the intensive treatment they needed – they would effectively have been written off.

“At that time there was huge uncertainty and fear, as doctors struggled to cope with a virus that was threatening to overwhelm the NHS.

“However, we said at the time and repeat now that there is no place for treatment decisions based on age in a civilised society. Whatever the pressures, these decisions should always be based on clinical need.

“To do otherwise is blatantly ageist and totally unacceptable.”

Prof Martin Green, chief executive of Care England, which represents independent providers of adult social care, told The Independent: “The NHS should not have blanket policies and every single person should be assessed on the basis of need.

“The NHS should be available to all citizens and any scenario planning for a pandemic should focus on the needs of citizens, not the needs of organisations.”

Dr Moosa Qureshi, who obtained the plans, said it was “unprofessional” that they were not given to medics.

“The Information Commissioner held that clinicians must be supported by a clear framework when allocating care during a severe pandemic, and that the framework needs public debate,” he said. “The NHS triage paper provides real guidance for front-line staff if NHS services are overwhelmed. Why did the Department of Health, NHS England and BMA keep it secret from healthcare professionals?”

An NHS spokesman said: “The NHS was asked to produce this discussion document based on a specific and extreme hypothetical scenario to inform the Government’s pandemic flu preparedness programme rather than for operational use and it did not form the basis of the NHS response to coronavirus.”

A government spokesman said the reports were “historical draft briefing papers that include hypothetical scenarios which do not and have never represented agreed government policy”.

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Events 7.22

838 – Battle of Anzen: The Byzantine emperor Theophilos suffers a heavy defeat by the Abbasids. 1099 – First Crusade: Godfrey of Bouillon is elected the first Defender of the Holy Sepulchre of The Kingdom of Jerusalem. 1209 – Massacre at Béziers: The first major military action of the Albigensian Crusade. 1298 – Wars of Scottish Independence: Battle of Falkirk: King Edward I of England and his longbowmen defeat William Wallace and his Scottish schiltrons outside the town of Falkirk. 1342 – St. Mary Magdalene's flood is the worst such event on record for central Europe. 1443 – Battle of St. Jakob an der Sihl in the Old Zürich War. 1456 – Ottoman wars in Europe: Siege of Belgrade: John Hunyadi, Regent of the Kingdom of Hungary, defeats Mehmet II of the Ottoman Empire. 1484 – Battle of Lochmaben Fair: A 500-man raiding party led by Alexander Stewart, Duke of Albany and James Douglas, 9th Earl of Douglas are defeated by Scots forces loyal to Albany's brother James III of Scotland; Douglas is captured. 1499 – Battle of Dornach: The Swiss decisively defeat the army of Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor. 1587 – Roanoke Colony: A second group of English settlers arrives on Roanoke Island off North Carolina to re-establish the deserted colony. 1598 – William Shakespeare’s play, The Merchant of Venice, is entered on the Stationers’ Register. By decree of Queen Elizabeth, the Stationers’ Register licensed printed works, giving the Crown tight control over all published material. 1686 – Albany, New York is formally chartered as a municipality by Governor Thomas Dongan. 1706 – The Acts of Union 1707 are agreed upon by commissioners from the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland, which, when passed by each countries' Parliaments, led to the creation of the Kingdom of Great Britain. 1793 – Alexander Mackenzie reaches the Pacific Ocean becoming the first recorded human to complete a transcontinental crossing of North America. 1796 – Surveyors of the Connecticut Land Company name an area in Ohio "Cleveland" after Gen. Moses Cleaveland, the superintendent of the surveying party. 1797 – Battle of Santa Cruz de Tenerife: Battle between Spanish and British naval forces during the French Revolutionary Wars. During the Battle, Rear-Admiral Nelson is wounded in the arm and the arm had to be partially amputated. 1802 – Emperor Gia Long conquers Hanoi and unified Viet Nam, which had experienced centuries of feudal warfare. 1805 – Napoleonic Wars: War of the Third Coalition: Battle of Cape Finisterre: An inconclusive naval action is fought between a combined French and Spanish fleet under Admiral Pierre-Charles Villeneuve of Spain and a British fleet under Admiral Robert Calder. 1812 – Napoleonic Wars: Peninsular War: Battle of Salamanca: British forces led by Arthur Wellesley (later the Duke of Wellington) defeat French troops near Salamanca, Spain. 1864 – American Civil War: Battle of Atlanta: Outside Atlanta, Confederate General John Bell Hood leads an unsuccessful attack on Union troops under General William T. Sherman on Bald Hill. 1893 – Katharine Lee Bates writes "America the Beautiful" after admiring the view from the top of Pikes Peak near Colorado Springs, Colorado. 1894 – The first ever motor race is held in France between the cities of Paris and Rouen. The fastest finisher was the Comte Jules-Albert de Dion, but the 'official' victory was awarded to Albert Lemaître driving his 3 hp petrol engined Peugeot. 1916 – Preparedness Day Bombing: In San Francisco, a bomb explodes on Market Street during a parade, killing ten and injuring 40. 1921 – Rif War: The Spanish Army suffers its worst military defeat in modern times to the Berbers of the Rif region of Spanish Morocco. 1933 – Aviator Wiley Post returns to Floyd Bennett Field in New York City, completing the first solo flight around the world in seven days, 18 hours and 49 minutes. 1936 – Spanish Civil War: The Popular Executive Committee of Valencia takes power in the Valencian Community. 1937 – New Deal: The United States Senate votes down President Franklin D. Roosevelt's proposal to add more justices to the Supreme Court of the United States. 1942 – The United States government begins compulsory civilian gasoline rationing due to the wartime demands. 1942 – Grossaktion Warsaw: The systematic deportation of Jews from the Warsaw ghetto begins. 1943 – World War II: Allied forces capture Palermo during the Allied invasion of Sicily. 1943 – World War II: Axis occupation forces violently disperse a massive protest in Athens, killing 22. 1944 – The Polish Committee of National Liberation publishes its manifesto, starting the period of Communist rule in Poland. 1946 – King David Hotel bombing: A Zionist underground organisation, the Irgun, bombs the King David Hotel in Jerusalem, site of the civil administration and military headquarters for Mandatory Palestine, resulting in 91 deaths. 1962 – Mariner program: Mariner 1 spacecraft flies erratically several minutes after launch and has to be destroyed. 1963 – Crown Colony of Sarawak gains self-governance. 1976 – Japan completes its last reparation to the Philippines for war crimes committed during imperial Japan's conquest of the country in the Second World War. 1977 – Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping is restored to power. 1983 – Martial law in Poland is officially revoked. 1990 – Greg LeMond, an American road racing cyclist, wins his third Tour de France after leading the majority of the race. It was LeMond's second consecutive Tour de France victory. 1992 – Near Medellín, Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar escapes from his luxury prison fearing extradition to the United States. 1993 – Great Flood of 1993: Levees near Kaskaskia, Illinois rupture, forcing the entire town to evacuate by barges operated by the Army Corps of Engineers. 1997 – The second Blue Water Bridge opens between Port Huron, Michigan and Sarnia, Ontario. 2003 – Members of 101st Airborne of the United States, aided by Special Forces, attack a compound in Iraq, killing Saddam Hussein's sons Uday and Qusay, along with Mustapha Hussein, Qusay's 14-year-old son, and a bodyguard. 2005 – Jean Charles de Menezes is killed by police as the hunt begins for the London Bombers responsible for the 7 July 2005 London bombings and the 21 July 2005 London bombings. 2011 – Norway attacks: First a bomb blast which targeted government buildings in central Oslo, followed by a massacre at a youth camp on the island of Utøya. 2013 – Dingxi earthquakes: A series of earthquakes in Dingxi, China, kills at least 89 people and injures more than 500 others.