Articles from ‘elocal magazine’

It was 1977 and Thierry Sabine was lost. He'd wandered the Libyan desert for three days in an ocean of featureless sand. His meager supplies – a few snacks and a bit of water – were gone. · January 14, 1977: the daytime temperatures weren't the scorching 100-plus-degrees you'd imagine from the deserts of Northern Africa. In fact, they were downright pleasant, hovering around 68 °F (20 °C). Perfect weather for blasting across the barren…

Water security will be a key test of the new Syrian government’s credibility. Since 2011, water scarcity has been a central factor in the country’s prolonged conflict, manipulated for political and economic gain. In a region already vulnerable to climate change, prolonged drought and water shortages have worsened the plight of a country devastated by 13 years of war. · Before 2010, 98 percent of urban Syrians and 92 percent of rural residents…

“Technoference,” the disruption caused by parents’ screen use during face-to-face interactions with their toddlers, is raising alarms among experts. · Sabina Pauen, a developmental psychology professor, warns that this interference can cause stress and confusion in children, as they struggle to interpret their parents’ emotions and reactions when attention is divided. · Beyond this, research highlights broader concerns about toddlers’ early…

Australian Guy Menzies’ flight from Sydney ended awkwardly when he crash-landed in a swamp at Harihari on the West Coast on January 7th, 1931. His heroic effort helped to lift spirits on both sides of the Tasman against the backdrop of the Depression. · The first successful trans-Tasman flight had been completed in 1928 by the illustrious Australian aviator Charles Kingsford Smith and his crew aboard the Fokker tri-motor Southern Cross (see 11…

A simple,delicious,salmon supper brightened with a kiwifruit, pepper and lime dressing. Here, the fish is baked in parchment to keep it tender, and the tangy salsa brings the whole thing to life.  · Ingredients: · 4 x 130g salmon fillets · For the salsa · 1 kiwi fruit · 1 small red onion · 1 yellow pepper · 1 tomato · 1 garlic clove · 30g coriander, finely chopped · 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil · Juice of 1 lime · Method · Preheat the oven…

An explosive new study conducted within the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) own laboratory has revealed excessively high levels of DNA contamination in Pfizer’s mRNA COVID-19 vaccine. · Tests conducted at the FDA’s White Oak Campus in Maryland found that residual DNA levels exceeded regulatory safety limits by 6 to 470 times. · The study was undertaken by student researchers under the supervision of FDA scientists. The vaccine vials…

You see, the poet haunts, casting a spell on the reader or listener. The power of the word in poetic form is nearly incomprehensible. Especially when paired with melody, the effect is extraordinary. This means that a songwriter, a hundred years down the road, having read only small, peripheral portions of his poetry, and having understood even less, can attempt to write a song in meaningful conversation with the poet. · In spite of an education…

Three weeks after forces led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) ousted President Bashar al-Assad on December 8, 2024, HTS leader Ahmed al-Sharaa – previously known as Abu Muhammad al-Jawlani – has announced that elections in the war-ravaged country may take up to four years, citing the need for a new constitution and a nationwide census to determine voter eligibility. · The comments come as Damascus seeks to reassure neighbours and international…

Property values in New Zealand fell by 0.2% in December 2024, marking the ninth decline in the past ten months, according to CoreLogic. · The national median house value now sits at about $804,000, nearly 4% lower than a year ago and down almost 18% from the post-COVID peak. · CoreLogic’s chief property economist, Kelvin Davidson, described 2024 as a “soggy” year for the housing market. High mortgage rates and a weak labour market have driven…

In May 2023 at a CNN Town Hall meeting, Donald Trump, already well advanced in his campaign to become president of the United States again, said: “They’re dying, Russians and Ukrainians. I want to stop them dying. And I’ll have that done – I’ll have that done in 24 hours.” · He has repeated the claim often, saying it would be contingent on his sitting down with Vladimir Putin, the Russian aggressor, and Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of…