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With the introduction of the Hike 100, Winnebago brings big outdoor camping to the small, towable trailer set. Seven feet wide, 16 feet long, and 10 feet tall, the Trailer is suitable for a couple or small family. Winnebago emphasizes the exterior with the Hike 100, offering a roof rack, rear hitch (for a bike rack or something similar), and two awnings that can provide up to 200 square feet of covered space. The induction stovetop can also be used outside the trailer. No MSRP was announced. Winnebago is showing off the Hike 100 on its new Winnebago Insider digital portal, which also highlights five other, larger campers. The rise in remote work possibilities and people just wanting to go somewhere where others aren't during a pandemic has resulted in an uptick in the #VanLife curious. Winnebago recently introduced six new RVs and trailers, including a small trailer called the Hike 100 that, dare we say it, brings a welcome dose of cute to the lineup. With a dry weight of just 2700 pounds and a seven-foot-nine-inch width, the Hike 100 will be towable by some small SUVs (note that the official GVWR is 4200 pounds). The trailer is almost 16 feet long and just over 10 feet tall. Despite the small size, Winnebago made sure to include as much practicality as possible. The rear of the trailer opens up to store outdoor gear you might not want in the trailer's main space. There is also a Thule-compatible roof-rack system for things such as kayaks or surfboards on top and a two-inch hitch on the back for a bike rack or similar accessory. A 190-watt solar panel is standard, and you can add on another for more off-grid power. A compact shower, toilet and sink—and a 31-gallon freshwater tank—let you conduct daily business without too much hassle. There are five different floor plan options for the Hike 100, and lots of customizable entertainment and cooking options, including an induction stovetop that can be used on the outside of the camper when the weather cooperates—or when it doesn't, thanks to a powered size awning over the door and what Winnebago calls a "bat wing" awning that extends over the rear and non-door side of the trailer for up to 200 square feet of covered space outside. Pricing for the Hike 100 was not announced Other new Winnebago models the company recently announced include the Micro Minnie FLX, a step up in size from the Hike 100 that the company said is the only towable camper on the market that "combines five new energy- and cost-efficient technologies that enable users to enjoy time off grid for up to five days." The new Winnebago Roam was designed to offer wheelchair users the chance to enjoy a purpose-built camper, while the new Class C coach camper, the new Ekko, was "strategically designed for increased livability in the footprint of a camper van. Winnebago calls the new Solis Pocket its "most affordable camper van," and it packs a lot of camping functionality onto a Ram ProMaster chassis. Finally, there are the new Class A coaches, the Vista and the Sunstar 33K, for campers who want a larger vehicle as refuge while in the great outdoors. Winnebago used these new models to highlight its just-launched customer portal, Winnebago Insider. This new digital platform is a place for the company to place virtual tours of Winnebago brand products and other approved marketing messages, like "expert commentary about models [and] user testimonials. Link:-https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a37919122/winnebago-new-campers-hike-100/

I knew there was a point to my ludicrous hair. It’s this review. Because without my midlife crisis expressed through the medium of glossy tresses, I would not have been introduced to Fadiga. It describes itself as a “Ristorante Bolognese”, and occupies a tiny site on Berwick Street in London’s Soho. It’s located right next to where I go to be dealt with by the brilliant Filipe, a man who exudes quiet confidence in the face of great challenges. With immense forbearance he excavates something meaningful from the chaos of my endlessly explosive bouffant. While he does so, we talk: the usual stuff, which is to say the staggeringly intimate and profound subjects that any right-thinking person interrogates with their hairdresser. Regularly, he commiserates with me over brutally false allegations on social media that I’ve been dyeing my hair. For God’s sake people, look at my beard. Surely, I’d have dyed that, too, if I was trying to deceive. Once, with perfect mock solemnity, Filipe offered to issue an official statement confirming it was all model’s own. I still have him on standby for that. We also talk restaurants, which is why he mentioned the new place downstairs. It was odd. New restaurants need to hit the ground running to start making back the investment, so breathless news always pops up online. But of Fadiga, I had heard nothing. Once he’d done with me, and swept up enough from the floor to make a newly shorn sheep ache with jealousy, we went down to the street. We stood outside the narrow restaurant, side by side, and stared in through the big window at the cool, clean lines of the wood-floored 10-seater dining room, with its glass display case of freshly made pastas. Apparently, Filipe said, the chef was a bit “out there”. I found my way to the restaurant’s new-born Instagram account, which suggested this might well be so: here were images of candy-striped tortellini looking like humbugs and rhubarb and custard sweets. Here were ravioli in rainbow colours, or filled with blueberries or pear and goat’s cheese. It was both diverting and a touch worrying. Based on a lovely dinner there I can tell you this was all merely come-hither window dressing, though only of the electronic kind. The actual window dressing is courtesy of the ribbons of egg yolk-yellow tagliatelle they sometimes roll and cut on the wide marble sill hard against the real window. When we arrive for dinner, that marble slab is scattered with the promise of squid ink black tortellini. They are made, like all the pastas here, by Michela Pappi. The dishes are then cooked by her husband Enrico Fogli and served by their daughter Carlotta. In Bologna the family ran hotels, before coming to the UK four years ago to run a catering company. Now they have this restaurant, which carries the maiden name of Enrico’s late mother. Here’s what you need to know: that pasta, made daily, is bloody lovely, full of the requisite slipperiness and bite and tension. There are nine main dishes, all priced in the mid-teens, supplemented by a trio of specials. Despite the exuberance on display on Instagram (a lockdown project, Carlotta later tells me; her mum just got bored), it’s all comfortingly familiar. There is pappardelle with a wild mushroom sauce, or tagliolini with summer truffles. There are ricotta tortelli with tomato and basil, squid ink bucatini with seafood, and gnocchi in a butter and sage sauce. Portions are for those with ambitious appetites; if you ask, they will happily split a dish between two so you can try more. We have tagliatelle with their 12-hour ragu. It is everything the dish should be. The beef and pork in that meaty sauce have slumped down after all that languid time in each other’s company to become the richest and glossiest of stews, which cling to every ribbon of pasta. From the specials list there are those squid ink tortellini from the window, as black as an unlit night, as soft and silky as a duck down pillow, and filled with the bright white of filleted seabass. They come in a punchy mess of squid and mussels and the sweetest of cherry tomatoes just waiting to burst against the roof of your mouth. And then there is that classic: tortellini in brodo di cappone, the calming place where Italian mamas and Jewish mothers meet to realise their destiny as feeders. The clearest and most intense of chicken broths bobs with a generous serving of tiny curls of pasta filled with minced pork and parmesan. It is a steamy bowl you want to lean over and stare into; it is food as place of safety. I would be failing in my role as reporter if I left it there. Fadiga really is all about the fabulous pasta. There’s a very short list of starters and they are rugged, sturdy affairs. Alongside a plate of salami and ham, there’s an intensely northern Italian dish of crisp beef meatballs under a duvet of ham and cheese; there are scallops, grilled under thick drifts of buttery golden breadcrumbs. Both come with those cubed roasted potatoes to which the Italians cleave, slightly weirdly. Tonight there are just three desserts and one of those, a strawberry tiramisu, has run out. A new batch has just been made, we are told, but the cream hasn’t yet set. Instead, we have a mildly rigid coffee panna cotta and a zuppa inglese, that comedic take on the trifle, with layers of pink syrup-soaked sponge and cream and fruit. It is certainly pretty. At one point after the starters, we receive an apology for the lengthy wait and the offer of a drink on the house. I am baffled by the delay, given there are only four of us eating up here in this tiny dining room. It turns out that downstairs there is a large table of diners being taken through a pasta tasting menu. Oh, and the sous chef has gone missing. There is about it all the slightly nervy air of a new venture finding its feet, but in the sweetest and most beguiling of ways. Fadiga deserves all the love. Incidentally, it turns out that the shiny display case is not just for show. You can buy their pastas to take home. They cost from £1.50 per 100g for the simple ribbons, to £4.50 for the more luxuriously filled shapes. It means I can now get a masterful hair cut and sort out dinner at the same time. Result. Thank you, Filipe. Thank you, Fadiga. News bites Chef Simon Rogan of the Cumbrian restaurant L’Enclume has launched a set of ‘cook at home’ recipe boxes through the North of England supermarket chain Booths. The boxes, featuring ingredients from Booths suppliers, cost £20 each, serve two people and are available to order via the Booths website for collection in store. The first three boxes are Rogan’s salt baked celeriac, cod loin and roasted cauliflower and chicken breast with creamed kale. At booths.co.uk. The disaster relief charity Shelter Box has published a collaborative novel, Tamesis Street, shining a spotlight on the impact of climate change on global communities through a fictional account of the flooding of London in the near future. The writers include Bill Bryson, Joanne Harris, Sarah Waters, Mike Leigh and, er, me. It gets a mention here because my chapter contains an awful lot about biscuits. To get a free copy sign up to the Shelter Box book club. Also just published is The Female Chef, with words by Clare Finney and Photographs by Liz Seabrook. It features interviews with, recipes by and images of some of the leading women in the British food scene. They include Nokx Majozi of the Holborn Dining Rooms, vegetarian food writer Anna Jones and Andi Oliver of both Wadadli Kitchen and the BBC’s Great British Menu. Copies can be ordered via the Hoxton Mini Press. Link:-https://www.theguardian.com/food/2021/oct/10/jay-rayner-restaurant-revie-fadiga-london-the-pasta-is-bloody-lovely

Pope Francis has launched what some describe as the most ambitious attempt at Catholic reform for 60 years. A two-year process to consult every Catholic parish around the world on the future direction of the Church began at the Vatican this weekend. Some Catholics hope it will lead to change on issues such as women's ordination, married priests and same-sex relationships. Others fear it will undermine the principles of the Church. They say a focus on reform could also distract from issues facing the Church, such as corruption and dwindling attendance levels. Pope puzzled about vaccine hesitancy in the Church Pope backs women's roles in Catholic services Pope Francis urged Catholics not to "remain barricaded in our certainties" but to "listen to one another" as he launched the process at Mass in St Peter's Basilica. "Are we prepared for the adventure of this journey? Or are we fearful of the unknown, preferring to take refuge in the usual excuses: 'It's useless' or 'We've always done it this way'?" he asked. The consultation process, called "For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation and Mission", will work in three stages: In the "listening phase", people in parishes and dioceses will be able to discuss a wide range of issues. Pope Francis said it was important to hear from those who were often on the fringes of local Church life such as women, pastoral workers and members of consultative bodies The "continental phase" will see bishops gather to discuss and formalise their findings. The "universal phase" will see a month-long gathering of the bishops a the Vatican in October 2023 The Pope is expected then to write an apostolic exhortation, giving his views and decisions on the issues discussed. Discussing his hopes for the Synod, Pope Francis warned against the process becoming an intellectual exercise that failed to address the real-world issues faced by Catholics and the "temptation to complacency" when it comes to considering change. The initiative has been praised by the progressive US-based National Catholic Reporter newspaper, which said that while the process might not be perfect "the Church is more likely to address the needs of the people of God with it than without it". However, theologian George Weigel wrote, in the conservative US Catholic journal First Things, it was unclear how "two years of self-referential Catholic chatter" would address other problems the Church such as those who are "drifting away from the faith in droves". Much of the reporting of this two-year consultation has focused on some of the issues that often appear to dominate reporting on the Catholic Church: the role of women for example, and whether they will ever be ordained as priests (the Pope says "no"). While those topics are often of concern to some Catholics, other areas which traditionally dominate Catholic social teaching, such as alleviating poverty, and increasingly, climate change, will likely play a greater part, as will how the Church is run. In reality, any issue can be raised. Don't expect any sudden changes to Church rules though. It's true that some Catholics do want to see a different kind of institution, but for Pope Francis, allowing ordinary worshippers to have their concerns (eventually) raised at the Vatican - even if their bishops disagree with them - is a huge step change for this 2000 year-old religion. Link:-https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-58862935

In a move which will surprise nobody at all, Apple has filed a notice of appeal in the antitrust trial against Epic, makers of Unreal engine and Fortnite. Though it won nine of the ten charges against it, Apple's single loss was a pretty severe one. Enough that we called it a big win for Epic, though Apple says it was their win. Apple's loss is that it was ordered to allow mobile apps to point consumers at outside payment methods. That would let apps avoid the 15-30% share of their earnings that they have to give to Apple right now. Apple's appeal includes a request for a stay on the injunction that lets developers add in-app links to payment websites outside Apple's ecosystem. That means Apple wants to wait until all the appeals are concluded before being forced to comply with the court's ruling—potentially adding years to the time before that order takes effect. As of now, the injunction would begin on December 9th. "“The requested stay will allow Apple to protect consumers and safeguard its platform while the company works through the complex and rapidly evolving legal, technological, and economic issues that any revisions to this Guideline would implicate," said Apple. Epic has already appealed the ruling as well, looking for more than a single victory (and pondering the meaning of the word button. Jon Bolding is a games writer and critic with an extensive background in strategy games. When he's not on his PC, he can be found playing every tabletop game under the sun

The tech giant announced the upcoming changes Thursday to Google Assistant and Android Auto driving modes and a new automaker, Honda, will have Google technology installed in its vehicles. Google said that drivers using Google Assistant on Android phones will soon see a new dashboard they say will reduce "the need to fiddle with your phone while also making sure you stay focused on the road." Instead of scrolling while driving, Google said drivers could tap to see who just called or sent a text and have access to several apps to listen to music with the new dashboard. The dashboard will also include a new messaging update where drivers can say, "Hey Google, turn on auto-read," to hear their new messages read aloud when they come in and respond by voice. These new changes for drivers are apparently part of what Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google and parent company Alphabet, said in a blog earlier this year to make its technologies "universally accessible and useful." For example, users of Android Auto, Google's smartphone app for vehicles, via their Android phones will now be able to see music, news, and podcast recommendations from Google Assistant and they can set which app launches whenever Android Auto starts. Those Android Auto users will soon be able to play games appearing on the vehicle's display with a new feature called GameSnacks while they're waiting or parking. Additionally, Android Auto and Android phone users can make contactless payments for gas using Google Pay. This feature is available at more than 32,000 gas stations across the U.S., including ExxonMobil, Conoco, 76 stations and Phillips 66. On Thursday, Google announced that Japanese automaker Honda will be the latest to have Google built-in technology in its vehicles beginning in 2022. Honda, which announced in April it's aiming to sell only electric vehicles in North America by 2040, will join the likes of Ford, General Motors, Polestar, Renault and Volvo that will have its future vehicles released with default Android operating systems. The Polestar 2 and Volvo XC40 Recharge are among the current models with Google's built-in tech.

HP has once again listed unreleased and next-generation hardware such as the AMD Ryzen 7000 CPU series for its All-In-One Desktop PCs. Previously, HP listed down NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 30 SUPER series graphics cards for its high-end 34 Inch AIO Desktop PCs. Now, the company has confirmed that it will be launching its 24 and 27-Inch AIO PC lineup in both AMD Ryzen 7000 and Intel 12th Gen Alder Lake CPU flavors. This is also the first time that we have seen the AMD Ryzen 7000 CPU lineup listed which means that AMD might be skipping the Ryzen 6000 CPU nomenclature altogether and go two steps ahead with the Ryzen 7000 branding. As stated above, the HP 24 & 27-inch AIO Desktop PCs come in Intel 12th Gen Alder Lake or AMD Ryzen 7000 CPU flavors, feature up to 1 TB PCIe SSD and 2 TB HDD, a full-HD display, a camera & dual speakers. The AIO PC will come in White and Black colors and rock the Windows 11 operating system. The AMD Ryzen 7000 series listed for the HP 24 and 27 inch AIO Desktop PCs might be Rembrandt CPUs instead of Zen 4 chips because 'Raphael' is almost a year away from launch. If AMD goes with the Ryzen 7000 series for both its next-gen Ryzen CPU and APU lineup, that would include the AMD Ryzen 7000G APU 'Rembrandt' and Ryzen 7000 'Vermeer 3DX' chips. It is unlikely to see these All-In-One PCs rocking a desktop chip so a mobility chip like the next-gen Rembrandt APUs is more likely. The two key technologies that will power Rembrandt will be a new Zen 3+ CPU & RDNA 2 GPU architecture. The Rembrandt APUs are said to be fabricated on the TSMC 6nm process node which is an optimized version of the N7 process. Other prominent features of the Rembrandt Ryzen APUs from AMD will include support for PCIe Gen 4 and LPDDR5/DDR5 memory support. The Rembrandt APUs will feature up to DDR5-5200 memory support, 20 PCIe Gen 4 lanes, and two USB 4 (40 Gbps) ports. As per the roadmap, the Rembrandt APUs will feature support on the FP7 platform. AMD is expected to announce its Rembrandt APU lineup (Ryzen 7000H, Ryzen 7000U) during CES 2022 and will go up against Intel's Alder Lake-P and Alder Lake-M chips which are expected to be unveiled later this year with solutions arriving early next year. We will keep you updated as soon as we hear more on AMD's Ryzen 7000 CPU and APU lineup.

There's a big white whale swimming off the coast of Seattle, and no one knows why. Over the past week, people in the greater Seattle area have spotted the white whale swimming around Puget Sound. The wayward cetacean — a beluga — is normally found in Arctic and subarctic waters. "The closest beluga po[CENSORED]tion is Cook Inlet, Alaska," which is about 1,500 miles (2,400 kilometers) away from Seattle, Howard Garrett, co-founder of Orca Network, a nonprofit that raises awareness about whales in Puget Sound, told Live Science. "I haven't checked the water temperatures there, but I'm sure they're a bit colder up there than here." Related: Photos: Meet 'Finding Dory' real-life counterparts One of the first reported sightings occurred on Sunday (Oct. 3), when Jason Rogers, of Bonney Lake, Washington, filmed the white whale swimming in Commencement Bay near Tacoma, about 30 miles (50 km) south of Seattle. "It was a surreal experience, to be sure," Rogers told Live Science in an email. "Sailing in Commencement Bay was the last place we thought we would see a whale, much less a beluga! There it was, swimming along peacefully, although it really felt out of place." Other people spotted the beluga (Delphinapterus leucas) around Puget Sound, even swimming by three different shipyards. "I don't understand the attraction of a shipyard to a beluga," Garrett said. "I don't know if that's a clue, if that means it had been held captive at a shipyard somewhere at a busy port, but we have no documents, no idea of where that would be, certainly in North America." In 2019, a beluga whale wearing a harness that read "Equipment of St. Petersburg" and spotted in Norwegian waters was suspected of being a Russian spy, Live Science previously reported. That beluga, nicknamed Hvaldimir, is still swimming in Scandinavian waters; animal welfare activists are worried it may not be able to hunt by itself and avoid humans, according to the BBC. Like many other Arctic and subarctic animals, beluga adults are white, which helps them stay camouflaged in a world of snow and sea ice, according to the Georgia Aquarium. Belugas are also known for their unique "melons," the round bumps on their heads that the whales use for communication and echolocation. In fact, belugas are social animals that live in pods of as many as 100 individuals, Garrett said, which makes this lone whale's journey all the more mysterious. So, why did this whale venture out on its own? "Until we have some indication, my default theory is that this whale just decided to go out walking, go explore," Garrett said. "It wanted to travel. It's highly unusual, but every now and then it happens with different [beluga] po[CENSORED]tions. So, it's not totally unprecedented, but definitely very rare." The last documented sighting of a beluga whale in Puget Sound was in 1940, Garrett said. There was also a report of a beluga in Puget Sound in 2010, but only one person reported seeing it, and they weren't able to get any photographic evidence of it, he noted. Related: Photos: Response teams try to save starving killer whale In 2020, a beluga whale washed up dead in Baja California Sur, Mexico, according to The Mercury News. It's still a mystery why that whale swam to such warm waters. "I don't know why a beluga would do that," Garrett said. That said, the Puget Sound beluga appears to be in good health, at least according to sightings of it so far. Belugas eat squid, small fish and crabs, "and there's plenty of that in Puget Sound," he said. Puget Sound is also home to other whales, including transient and resident orcas and migrating gray whales, humpback whales and minke whales, Garret said. Local whale and other animal groups are aware of the wayward beluga, including the local branch of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which hopes to safely approach the whale to get images of it. Such images could be compared with photos of other known beluga whales, and might help scientists identify where the Puget Sound visitor came from, Garrett said. To report a sighting of the beluga, call the Whale Sighting Network at (360) 331-3543 or toll-free at (866) ORCANET (672-2638); or you can email info@orcanetwork.org. But don't get too close to the cetacean; they're protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act, which requires that watercraft stay at least 100 yards (91 meters) away, although a greater distance is recommended, according to Whale Wise. Link:-https://www.livescience.com/lost-beluga-whale-seattle

Mercedes-Benz's battery powered EQS450+ (above) and EQS580 have an EPA range of 350 or 340 miles of range, besting their German competition by more than 100 miles. Tesla and Lucid easily beat the new Benz's range with the Model S Long Range coming in at 405 miles and the Lucid Air Dream R AWD covering 520 miles per charge. The EQS450+ boasts the lowest drag coefficient (Cd) or any car for sale and will start at $103,360. The premium-electric-car segment is mostly about two numbers: horsepower and range. Earlier this year, Mercedes-Benz announced that its new dual-motor EQS580 would have 516 horsepower and that the single-motor EQS450+ would come in at 329 horsepower, but now we've learned the official EPA-rated range. According to the EPA, the 107.8-kWh-equipped 580 will travel 340 miles while the single-motor 450+ with the same battery will make it 350 miles on a charge. Mercedes credits its aggressive regeneration strategy, large battery, and the EQS's incredibly low 0.20 drag coefficient for the range number. But while the EV Benz's range compares favorably with the German competition, it falls behind the range of startups like Tesla and Lucid. The best a Porsche Taycan can do is 227 miles—Taycan 4S Performance Battery Plus—and the farthest an Audi e-tron GT can go on a charge is 238 miles. Yet the Benz can't touch the Tesla Model S Long Range's impressive 405-mile number; nor can it come close to the Lucid Air Dream R AWD's 520 miles of EPA range. An important element of any car, electric or otherwise, is the price. The EQS450+ will start at $103,360, moving up to the Exclusive Level costs $3400, and the appropriately named Pinnacle Level comes in at $109,560. Pricing for the more powerful EQS580 opens at $120,160, requires an additional $3400 for the Exclusive trim, and, for those who want it all, the Pinnacle will wear a $126,360 window sticker. Link:-https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a37888423/mercedes-benz-eqs-range-specs/

Michael on Dom What were you hoping for? A face out of Caravaggio’s sketchbooks? A body cut from the Parthenon friezes? Hopes should outpace expectations. First impressions? Good. With cocktails on order when I arrived, Dom was clearly on the same page as me. What did you talk about? Our talk was extravagantly digressive. Here’s some of it: feeling at home in other countries, Rome in winter, Catholic families, coming out, that it has become un-chic to like Timothée Chalamet, peaches, the professor-student relationship. Any awkward moments? When his knowledge of Australiana outstripped mine. Being Australian is my whole shtick. Take that away and what am I? Good table manners? Faultless. Best thing about Dom? He manages to be unstoppably funny without sacrificing sincerity. He has an inner warmth. Would you introduce him to your friends? In a heartbeat. He’d charm them all. Describe Dom in three words Dalston’s hottest ticket. What do you think he made of you? Earnest. In need of direction. Did you go on somewhere? He offered to walk me to the station. (Notice how I didn’t answer the question?) And … did you kiss? The better question is how we kissed. If you could change one thing about the evening, what would it be? I wouldn’t change a thing. Even the rain added something. He lent me his jacket. Marks out of 10? 10. Would you meet again? Dom on Michael What were you hoping for? Either a free pint or a proposal – nothing in between. First impressions? Tall, good-looking, dressed like an extra in Call Me by Your Name. What did you talk about? Lots: Catholicism, Desert Island Discs, death row meals, whether “Australiana” music is a thing. Any awkward moments? In hindsight, I think my outrage at him (an Australian) not knowing who Holly Valance was might have been a bit much. Good table manners? Impeccable. Best thing about Michael? He’s an engaging and engaged conversationalist. Would you introduce him to your friends? If they promised to be nicer to him than they are to me. Describe Michael in three words Intelligent, articulate, charming. What do you think he made of you? A laugh, I hope? Did you go on somewhere? No comment. And … did you kiss? He came all the way from Cambridge – it would have been rude not to. If you could change one thing about the evening, what would it be? Nada. Marks out of 10? A solid 9. Would you meet again? Michael is lovely, but Cambridge is a long way away. … we have a small favour to ask. Millions are turning to the Guardian for open, independent, quality news every day, and readers in 180 countries around the world now support us financially. We believe everyone deserves access to information that’s grounded in science and truth, and analysis rooted in authority and integrity. That’s why we made a different choice: to keep our reporting open for all readers, regardless of where they live or what they can afford to pay. This means more people can be better informed, united, and inspired to take meaningful action. Link:-https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2021/oct/09/blind-date-michael-dom

Most of the world's nations have signed up to a historic deal to ensure big companies pay a fairer share of tax. Some 136 countries agreed to enforce a corporate tax rate of at least 15%, as well a fairer system of taxing profits where they are earned. It follows concern that multinational companies are re-routing their profits through low tax jurisdictions to cut their bills. Yet critics say a 15% rate is too low, and firms will get around the rules. UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak said the deal would "upgrade the global tax system for the modern age". "We now have a clear path to a fairer tax system, where large global players pay their fair share wherever they do business," he said. The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), an intergovernmental organisation, has led talks on a minimum rate for a decade. It said the deal could bring in an extra $150bn (£108bn) of tax a year, bolstering economies as they recover from Covid Yet it also said it did not seek to "eliminate" tax competition between countries, only to limit it. The floor under corporate tax will come in from 2023. Countries will also have more scope to tax multinational companies operating within their borders, even if they don't have a physical presence there. The move - which is expected to hit digital giants like Amazon and Facebook - will affect firms with global sales above 20 billion euros (£17bn) and profit margins above 10%. A quarter of any profits they make above the 10% threshold will be reallocated to the countries where they were earned and taxed there. "[This] is a far-reaching agreement which ensures our international tax system is fit for purpose in a digitalised and globalised world economy," said OECD Secretary-General Mathias Cormann. "We must now work swiftly and diligently to ensure the effective implementation of this major reform." This deal marks a sweeping change in approach when it comes to taxing big global companies. In the past, countries would frequently compete with one another to offer an attractive deal to multinationals. It made sense when those companies might come in, set up a factory and create jobs. They were, you could say, giving something back. But the new digital era giants have become adept at simply moving profits around, from the regions where they do business to those where they will pay the lowest taxes. Good news for tax havens, bad news for everyone else. The new system is meant to minimise opportunities for profit shifting, and ensure that the largest businesses pay at least some of their taxes where they do business, rather than where they choose to have their headquarters. Some 136 countries have signed up - an achievement in itself. But inevitably there will be losers as well as winners. 'Race to the bottom' More than 100 countries supported the initial OECD proposals when they were announced in July. Ireland, Hungary and Estonia - all of which have corporate tax rates below 15% - at first resisted but are now on board. However, Kenya, Nigeria, Pakistan and Sri Lanka have not yet joined the agreement. The pact also resolves a spat between the US and countries such as the UK and France, which had threatened a digital tax on big mainly American tech firms. US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said: "As of this morning, virtually the entire global economy has decided to end the race to the bottom on corporate taxation. "Rather than competing on our ability to offer low corporate rates, America will now compete on the skills of our workers and our capacity to innovate, which is a race we can win." Oxfam has said a 15% tax rate is too low and would do "little or nothing to end harmful tax competition". It believes firms should pay at least 25% wherever they are based. In July, its international executive director Gabriela Bucher said: "[The 15% rate] is already being seen by some in Australia and Denmark as an excuse to lower domestic corporate tax rates, risking a new race to the bottom." Link:-https://www.bbc.com/news/business-58847328

CD Projekt has dropped a series of short Twitter videos showcasing The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt running on a Steam Deck. The videos give us a glimpse of one of the best games of all time running on the hardware, and for all intents and purposes, it looks about as good as you'd hope for a handheld. It's difficult to tell what resolution Witcher 3 is running at (Twitter video compression doesn't help) but the framerate certainly looks consistent enough. It's at least a modest 30 fps (the official target for most games on Steam Deck), and doesn't appear to trip up when entering graphically demanding areas like cities or swamps. It's probably safe to say that it'll look better than the also-impressive Nintendo Switch Witcher 3 port. The first video shows Geralt riding Roach through the streets of Novigrad. The third video shows Geralt approaching the swamp homestead of the Crones, the disgusting and murderous witches who play a central role in the Bloody Baron quest. If you're eagerly awaiting your chance to take your Steam library on the run, check out everything we know about the Steam Deck, including release date, tech specs, and more. Valve also showed us how to take apart a Steam Deck in a recent video. If you want more small screen Witcher adventures, check out everything we know about Netflix's The Witcher season 2.

Nickname : -_-Moltres-_- Age: 17 Profile Link:https://csblackdevil.com/forums/profile/84056-_-moltres-_/ How much time you can be active in Forum & TS3: 5-8 daily Link of Reviews you have posted recently: How much you rate VGame Reviewers Team 1-15: 15 Why do you want be part of the Reviewer's team: Helping the team to be alive again Any suggest you want to make for your Request: No Thx

Around 126,000 gallons (573,000 liters) of crude oil has spilled from a ruptured pipeline off the California coast and begun washing up on beaches and wetlands, along with several dead animals. The U.S. Coast Guard reported the spill at 9 a.m. local time on Saturday (Oct. 2), after boaters noticed a sheen on the ocean surface, according to CNN. The oil slick now covers around 13 square miles (33.7 square kilometers) and has begun washing up on the shoreline between Huntington Beach and Newport Beach, causing widespread beach closures that could last for weeks or months, according to Reuters. "In a year that has been filled with incredibly challenging issues, this oil spill constitutes one of the most devastating situations that our community has dealt with in decades," Kim Carr, the mayor of Huntington Beach, told the Associated Press. She also described the spill as an "environmental catastrophe" and said that it could become a "potential ecological disaster." Officials believe the oil originated from a leak in an underwater pipeline connected to an offshore drilling facility owned by Beta Offshore, a subsidiary of Houston-based Amplify Energy. The company has shut off the pipeline and suctioned out all the remaining oil to prevent further spillage. The company also sent a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) to the site to determine exactly what went wrong, according to an Amplify Energy statement. A wide-scale clean-up including both federal and state agencies is now well underway. "This response is currently a 24/7 operation and response efforts are scheduled to continue until federal and state officials determine that the response to the crude oil spill is complete," the U.S. Coast Guard told CNN. However, there are fears that the spill could have wide-reaching implications for marine wildlife. Already, several dead oil-covered fish and birds have been confirmed in the area, with many more unconfirmed reports starting to come in, officials with the City of Huntington Beach said in a statement. Wildlife experts are also warning of long-term environmental problems as a result of the spill. "It has long-lasting effects on the breeding and reproduction of animals," Miyoko Sakashita, director of the Center for Biological Diversity’s oceans program, told AP News. "It’s really sad to see this broad swatch oiled." Local conservationists are particularly worried about several protected wetland habitats in the area, which are home to numerous bird species, including the snowy plover (Charadrius nivosus) and the California least tern (Sternula antillarum browni), which are both listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act, according to AP News. "The oil has already infiltrated many of our wetlands in Huntington Beach and the Talbert area," Katrina Foley, an Orange County supervisor, told CNN. "And we want to do everything we can to prevent it from intruding into that area even further." Around 2,000 feet (610 meters) of protective booms — floating barriers that contain oil spills — have been released at seven wetland locations in an attempt to limit the amount of oil that pollutes them, according to the City of Huntington Beach statement. The Coast Guard is also using absorbent booms to remove oil from the water's surface, but so far, only around 3,000 gallons of oil just 2.4% of the amount spilled, has been removed, according to Reuters. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife has ordered a fisheries closure in waters up to six miles off the coast due to fears that oil may also contaminate seafood and cause public health problems, according to Reuters. Link:-https://www.livescience.com/oil-spill-california-coast

Honda has shared the first official photos of the next-generation Civic Type R. The new model will arrive in 2022 and is based on the eleventh-generation Civic hatchback. It has similar add-ons as the current model but looks more attractive to our eye due to the new Civic's less tortured lines. We have our first official glimpse of the new Civic Type R courtesy of these photos Honda shared of a prototype model covered in a bit of camouflage. It's a pretty revealing look at the latest hot hatchback, which looks far better than its predecessor but maintains its aggressive stance with a body kit, a big wing on the back, and a serious wheel and tire package. Again based on the Civic's four-door hatchback body style, we can see that the new Type R is wearing Michelin Pilot Sport 4S summer tires wrapped around some nice-looking ten-spoke black wheels. Red Brembo brake calipers are visible, too. A big rear wing and three exhaust tips dominate the rear view. Honda isn't sharing many technical details at this point, but we expect the new model to use the same turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four as the outgoing car, likely tuned to produce a bit more than the current 306 hp and 295 pound-feet. Honda has already confirmed that a six-speed manual transmission will be offered, although an optional dual-clutch automatic transmission may join the lineup. More details should be coming soon, as Honda says that the Type R will be revealed in full sometime next year. It'll go on sale in the U.S. later in 2022, likely with a starting price just under $40,000. Link:-https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a37848724/2022-honda-civic-type-r-teaser/

I have always dreamed of joining the circus and thought this could be the skill for me. Do I have the guts and grace to start spinning around? love the circus. The first time I took my infant sons – their chubby faces bathed in multicoloured lights, tiny minds blown – we emerged to find a freak snowstorm had transformed the car park into a hushed, white wonderland, as if the circus had VIP access to the weather. At another circus in a Yorkshire field, a tame fox sat on a shetland pony as it ambled around, occasionally stopping to graze on the straw bales demarcating the ring, and two women of a certain age in flesh-coloured catsuits, gyrated slowly. They were both amazing. I devoured Josser, Nell Gifford’s account of running away to join the circus, and dream of doing the same; a life of sawdust and greasepaint, not spreadsheets and Google docs. But the circus doesn’t need a writer, so what could I do? I’m as supple as an ironing board and recently managed to put my back out chopping apples, so acrobatics and feats of strength are out. I can’t be a clown either because I’m not funny, as readers often remind me. The Cyr wheel seems promising: it’s a human-sized hoop into which a person inserts themselves, then performs stunning, gravity-defying movements. The apparatus was created in the 1990s by Canadian circus artist Daniel Cyr, though it builds on the much older, more hamster-adjacent “German Wheel”, apparently. I watch videos of men and women making Cyr wheels do extraordinarily graceful things and, inexplicably, think: I could do that. Despite notoriously poor balance and lack of athleticism, my only concern for some reason is what happens to my fingers when the wheel goes upside down – won’t I squash them? It turns out there is no danger of that. Things start badly with my Cyr session when I get lost and end up on a potato farm. A furious woman accosts me. “You thought you’d find a circus? Here? What on earth were you thinking?” When I do locate “Circus Stu” in his rehearsal space, he is much nicer. Stuart was an amateur enthusiast until redundancy from his day job in computing encouraged him to take his hobby full-time as Circus Skills York. He is living that circus dream, albeit in a rain-lashed barn with me today, which is no one’s dream. He is wearing his ringmaster outfit, which I appreciate enormously. My wheel is big, blue, heavy, and apparently very expensive: a basic Cyr wheel starts at £500, a fancy one can set you back £1,500. We start with a static balance on the rim of this luxe hula hoop, lifting one foot at a time. So far, so manageable. The next step is spinning the wheel from the ground. Cyr is as much decorative show craft as stunts, Stuart explains: it’s extremely physical (uh-oh) so a routine traditionally includes balletic, slower movements, to allow the performer to get their breath back. “Rest the wheel on your palm,” says Stuart, “and just guide it gently.” I enjoy this – the weight of the wheel, the swooping sensation – but at the next stage, when I’m supposed to lead the wheel round in a circle like a pony, building momentum, things fall apart. “Keep your left hand still and stay at the back of the wheel,” Stuart keeps saying, as I race ahead again and again, dragging it with my left hand. Glossing over my incompetence, Stuart gets me to let go. The wheel draws lazy, mesmerising parabolas as it drops, and I need to jump in, then sit down. Stuart demonstrates, nimbly, then I have a go and wimp out three times. Getting the balance between height and speed is tricky – I’m scared I will catch my foot and faceplant. If this sounds pathetic, rest assured it looks even worse: I’m just stepping into a huge hoop. But when I manage it, the rush is exhilarating. The reverse – sliding under the wheel as it starts to settle on the ground – is even more nerve-racking: I risk taking 13kg of Ukrainian aluminium on the head. “I’m scared!” I whimper, dithering as the wheel accelerates, but eventually slide under triumphantly in the nick of time, Indiana Jones-style. Buoyed, I have a go at the main event: spinning round. The aim is to create enough momentum for a stable spin, then hold your nerve as the wheel revolves with you on board. I try a “skate start” – pedalling with one foot – and a sort of twisting, treading start, and fail at both, repeatedly. When I do manage to get moving, I barely manage a quarter revolution before getting scared and falling off. Mainly I just stand in my wheel like a baffled Leonardo Vitruvian Man. Stuart, whose patience is saintly, tries various approaches to get me moving, both technical (“Arms at 10 and two, try putting your foot a bit higher, make sure you really go for the spin”) and mystical (“Be one with the wheel”). I really enjoy it when he demonstrates his impressive, stomach-churning skills to encourage me, but my limbs and brain refuse to cooperate. We finally have a minor breakthrough when Stuart puts on some rousing music: I’m sufficiently galvanised to manage a full, if erratic, revolution, before wimping out. “Go with it! Go with it!” he urges. You need to stay in the axis of the leaning wheel to keep up the momentum – but I’m just too chicken. I expected to be spinning upside down by now: I’m the circus equivalent of those men who think they can take a point off Serena Williams. As the angry potato farmer said, what on earth was I thinking? Cyr wheel is huge fun, but I’m not sure it’s my discipline. “If you’d like to come back, we could try something with fire?” Stuart offers rashly. Fire – now we’re talking. Link:-https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2021/oct/04/emma-beddington-tries-the-cyr-wheel-im-about-as-supple-as-an-ironing-board

House cats may lord over the living room, but one significant difference (other than their size) sets them apart from their king-of-the-jungle kin: their vocalizations. Most big cats, such as lions and tigers, can roar loudly to announce their presence and defend their territory, but house cats are stuck with their less-ferocious meows and purrs. So, why can't house cats roar? Goodness knows it would help them get their way around the house (even more so than they do already). It has to do with the physiology of the cat's voice box and throat, which help create these feline vocalizations. Because of the way purrs and roars are made, these sounds are mutually exclusive in cats — any given cat species can either roar or purr, but not both, said John Wible, curator of mammals at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh. Purring is a unique sound because it's created both when the cat breathes in and when it breathes out. The vocalization seems to have evolved first in cats and is widespread in the Felidae family, Wible said. Cats that purr include the house cat, bobcat, ocelot, lynx, cougar and cheetah. "Roaring is much rarer among cats and evolved in a particular lineage of large cats," Wible told Live Science in an email. These cats make up the Panthera genus, which includes lions, tigers, jaguars and leopards. One exception here is the snow leopard, which may have lost its ability to roar, according to Wible and a study in the Journal of Anatomy. As in humans, the sounds cats make come from their voice box, called the larynx. The difference between purring cats and roaring cats starts here, though exactly how cats make these sounds are unclear, Wible said. Roars come from bendy bones in the throat The mammalian voice box is in the throat, where air passing by its structures creates sounds. The hyoid bones and the vocal cords are two essential parts of the larynx that produce vocalizations in cats. "All mammals have bones in their neck close to the lower jaw that are the hyoid apparatus, and these bones have a connection to the base of the skull, either directly or via ligaments," Wible said. One of the significant differences between roaring species and purring species lies in the hyoid. "The roarers have a unique arrangement for one pair of the bones of the hyoid apparatus, called the epihyoids," Wible said. "Rather than bone, the epihyoid is an elongated elastic ligament." The flexible cartilage allows the animals to lower the voice box in the throat, producing a deeper-pitched sound. Purrs come from variations in the voice box Another significant difference between roaring and purring cats lies in the voice box itself and is essential for purring, Wible said. "Purring is caused by the extremely rapid twitching of the vocalis muscle, which is in the vocal folds in the voice box." Roaring cats have longer, heavier, stretchier, fleshier, fattier layers of tissue making up their vocal cords. This tissue is strong and flexible, letting these big cats create the rumbling sound of a roar in a low pitch, according to research published in the journal PLOS One in 2011, but it doesn’t let them purr. Whatever physiological developments led to the cat's purr, "it must have provided some evolutionary advantage to be maintained in the cat lineage," Wible said. Scientists are not sure exactly what its role is in the wild. Theories include the suggestion that purring is a healing or calming mechanism or that it might help hide the mewing of kittens from predators. "My house cats purr as a sign of contentment as far as I can tell," Wible said. "But I don't know if that is the same across wild species of cats that purr." Link:-https://www.livescience.com/why-house-cats-cannot-roar

A new Bond-movie car exhibit, Bond in Motion, has opened at the Petersen Automotive Museum and will run until October 2022. There are 30 cars from 60 years of Bond films. The exhibit features submarines, motorcycles, a Tuk Tuk taxi, and something called a Wet Bike, too. When the very first Bond movie was filmed in 1962, the whole production had a budget of just one million English pounds, or about what the catering budget would be for a modern Bond film. And since Dr. No was shot on the island of Jamaica in the days before carmakers fought—and often paid—to have their cars featured in movies, the Dr. No crew had to rely on the largesse of the local Jamaicans for cars. Thus, Bond’s first-ever chase scene shows Sean Connery piloting an 80-hp Sunbeam Alpine borrowed from a local resident, who happened to own one of the few sports cars on the island. As you’ll no doubt recall from that movie, Bond had to outrun a hearseful of Dr. No’s murderous henchmen, who were driving a LaSalle hearse from the 1930s. Remarkably, the hearse was able to keep up with the Sunbeam Alpine, maybe because the Sunbeam only had a 1.6-liter engine, but only until Bond snuck under the boom of a parked crane, sending the hearse off a cliff to a flaming fireball of death. "Where were they going?" the crane operator asked. "I think they were on their way to a funeral," said Bond, in the first of what would be hundreds of clever quips delivered over vanquished foes. Since that first chase scene, the cars of the Bond franchise have advanced to the point where they are almost as famous as the stars. Since the Sunbeam, 007 has now driven everything from Lotuses, Jaguars, and BMWs, to the coming crop of Aston Martins that will be seen in the 3oth installment, No Time To Die, opening October 8 in the U.S. To celebrate all these wheeled wonders, the Petersen Automotive Museum in the heart of Hollywood has opened an exhibit called Bond In Motion that will run until October 30, 2022. So while there’s no immediate rush, you may want to see it before the latest movie premieres. Link:-https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a37809156/bond-movie-cars-at-the-petersen/

There should be no guilt with cake, only romance – in the making, the display, the history… and, of course, the eating The Great British Bake Off is back! Sales of baking utensils skyrocket when the amateur baking show is on. It appears we’re all cake mad. But I’ve always been mad as a box of doughnuts for cake, long before the GBBO started. In fact, it’s one of my loves – not one of my vices. Cake and I are friends; we go back a long way. At school, we’d bake in home economics class and sell our creations in the tuck shop – 10p a fairy cake. The whole process felt like alchemy to me: the creaming of butter and sugar, then the eggs, all beaten into a frenzy of delight. That feeling of magic at my fingertips has not left – it is why I love to bake. It’s a good lesson in life: humble beginnings can have majestic ends. Like an ode to a lover, I feel emotional when writing about it. I can smell its perfume and the tantalising sensation of it touching my lips. Part of its appeal for me is its rich history. Our love affair with cake goes back centuries. Food historians believe carrot cake originated from carrot puddings eaten by Europeans in the middle ages, when sugar and sweeteners were expensive and many people used carrots as a substitute for sugar. The ancient Egyptians loved baking and the early Greeks were fans of cheesecake. The Romans, apparently, enjoyed early forms of fruitcakes. But it wasn’t until the 19th century that the sponge cake as we know it began to reign supreme. “The cake was originally two pieces of sponge sandwiched with just jam,” says food historian Samantha Bilton. “The addition of cream came in the 20th century. Queen Victoria mentioned her love for cakes frequently in her journals.” Equally po[CENSORED]r these days, is the lemon drizzle cake, usually attributed to Evelyn Rose, who first shared the recipe in the Jewish Chronicle in 1967. “It has lots going for it – light, moist, full of flavour,” says Lisa Smith, owner of Ginger Bakers, adding the wise advice: “If it doesn’t quite work out you can always serve it warm with custard.” Cakes have a touch of whimsy about them, which I adore – as if they belong in story picture books. Perhaps that’s why they are so nostalgic for me, fragranced with childhood romance. Before my 10th birthday I remember going to the bakery with my mum to order my own. I wanted the “1” to be purple and the “0” to be pink. This was very important; it was the first executive decision I ever made. I have a photo of me beaming at the cake just before I blew out the candles. My friends’ eyes are glazed over with admiration that it came in two colours. Linked to the whimsical notion of cake is the frivolity of it, which is essential, because life is just too damn serious. Having said that, I like how deadly serious the art of baking can be. In Paris I visited a patisserie that took my breath away. It was vast and gilded, a mini Versaille, with ceilings that were ornate and grand. The cakes and pastries sat in glass drawers as if they were expensive bits of jewellery. The French know that a millefeuille can be a Monet. For the first time, I felt someone was taking cake as seriously as I did. There was an unquestionable refinement in how it was presented and consumed. I had stepped into a macaron-like pastel- and gold-coloured jewellery box. It was pure romance. I imagined being stretched out on a chaise longue, waiters sashaying around me, carrying silver trays laden with pyramids of delectable delights. This was a seduction of the highest quality. In spite of the po[CENSORED]rity of the GBBO, which Smith thinks is the reason why baking is so po[CENSORED]r now for both men and women, there’s no food group we vilify more, that can make us feel so guilty about consuming. Quite rightly we are vociferous about the ethics of certain foods – veal and foie gras, say, but cake? A drama unfolds whenever it’s offered, so much so that eating it can feel like an act of rebellion: “Oh, I really shouldn’t.” There’s a polite dance between the giver and the taker: “Oh, go on.” And then comes the submissive: “OK. Just a small slice.” We are quick to simplify food as “good” or “bad”. There are plenty of other sugary products out there with a high fat content – why is cake the devil? Perhaps it’s because cake is an indulgence, something we don’t eat when we’re actually hungry and which doesn’t have any real nutritional significance. It is reported that Marie Antoinette callously said, “Let them eat cake!” when French subjects had no bread to eat. Cake exists to simply satisfy desire, and is therefore deemed sinful. A plate of sausages can never look lascivious like a petit fours. Cake is full of flamboyance, dressed up to the nines and wearing stilettos. While stalking the cakes in the supermarket, a stranger whispered in my ear: “Don’t, you’ll get fat.” My response? I bought two cakes instead of one. As I stuffed my face, I thought about the stranger’s words. Cake, to some, is a reminder that desire needs to be measured with as much accuracy as the ingredients that go into baking one. So much of our morality is projected on to these beautiful and edible works of art. It has somehow become symbolic of all that we see as human weakness: gluttony, greed and sin. To accept a slice has become a moral decision. Which is where I’d like to introduce one of my heroes. As well as Joan of Arc, Aunt Sally from the 80s kids’ show Worzel Gummidge is inspirational. Aunt Sally agreed to marry ol’ Worzel just so she could eat wedding cake. Like me, she is unapologetic. Her attitude is refreshing, the antithesis to the Hollywood starlets who live torturous measured lives. She’s flawed – and more interesting for it. For something that’s on the naughty list all year round, cake comes out on our most important days: wedding, birthday, christening. As Bilton says: “Queen Victoria declared: ‘The christening cake was beautiful’ in her journal on 25 January 1842 when writing about her eldest son, Bertie. So I’m guessing, by her reign, christening cake was certainly a thing.” To me, cutting cake always feels ceremonial, whether it’s my birthday cake or a slice just for me on a rainy Monday afternoon. For all its devilishness, the sharing of cake exudes love. Whenever I came home from university my young aunt, Martha, would entice me to visit her. “I’ll bake you a cake,” she’d say (code for: I love you). As I write these words, I feel tearful, because she died at 36. The first time I helped bake a cake was with Aunt Martha. When I think of cake, I cannot help but think of her and what it means to be loved. The proverb, “You can’t have your cake and eat it,” seems nonsensical to me, a logical fallacy. What’s the point of cake if you can’t eat it? But I am aware of the deeper meaning: one cannot have two incompatible things. But this is just what cake is: a mixture of the incompatible. We have the happiness (of eating it) and then the remorse (after eating it). So contrary to po[CENSORED]r belief, I am pleased to announce: you can have your cake and eat it. Please, go ahead. Slice of the action: the cake hall of fame Fairy cake Its history derives from that of the cupcake, which showed up in literature at the end of the 1700s in American Cookery, the first cookbook written by an American, which describes it as “a cake to be baked in small cups”. Battenberg cake Also called “church window cake” and “checkerboard cake”. One theory of the cake’s origin is that it was created in honour of the marriage of Princess Victoria to Prince Louis of Battenberg in 1884. Coffee cake Thought to have originated in Europe in the 17th century. Europe at that time was known for its sweet-tasting yeast breads and with the advent of coffee, the recipe for coffee cake evolved. Link:-https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2021/oct/02/cake-was-my-first-love-it-sees-me-through-life-highs-and-lows

Boris Johnson has pledged the Conservatives will "change and improve" the economy after Covid, as the party opens its annual conference later. The PM said the country cannot "go back to how things were" before the pandemic. It comes after he accused the haulage industry of being too reliant on low-paid immigration, amid shortages at petrol stations. The military is due to begin delivering petrol across the UK from Monday. Two hundred military servicemen and women, 100 of them drivers, will provide "temporary" support to ease pressure on forecourts. The government has also announced 5,000 temporary visas for foreign lorry drivers to plug a shortage of lorry drivers worsened by Covid, Brexit and other factors. Although the industry and opposition parties have dismissed these figures as inadequate, Mr Johnson has said importing drivers is not a long-term solution. Speaking on Saturday, he said: "What we don't want to do is go back to a situation in which we basically allowed the road haulage industry to be sustained with a lot of low-wage immigration." He added that a "mass immigration approach" had made the sector less attractive by reducing wages and "the quality of the job". "People don't want that. They want us to be a well-paid, well-skilled, highly productive economy and that's where we're going." However, he did not rule out issuing more temporary visas, saying the situation would remain "under review". Ahead of the Conservative conference beginning on Sunday, the prime minister vowed to take "big, bold decisions" to rebuild after the pandemic. "We didn't go through Covid to go back to how things were before - to the status quo ante. Build Back Better means we want things to change and improve as we recover." The post-pandemic recovery is set to be a key theme of the four-day event in Manchester, along with the government's effort to "level up" regional inequalities. Around 10,000 delegates are expected in Manchester for the party's first in-person conference since Covid, and the first since its 2019 election victory. As the conference begins, the party has promised £22m extra funding for councils to renovate tennis courts, and £30m for schools in England to repair sports facilities. The party argues this will help equalise access to sport in poorer regions, with unplayable courts more likely to be found in deprived areas. The prime minister has both a substantial Commons majority and leads a party that most recent opinion polls suggest is more po[CENSORED]r than Labour. But, as the conference here begins, the pressures on the government stack up: queues at some petrol stations, fears of further shortages on shop shelves, even staffing issues in abattoirs. Prices are rising just as both the furlough scheme and the uplift to Universal Credit end and an increase to National Insurance looms. Boris Johnson insists he is taking what he calls the "big, bold decisions" on the priorities people care about, such as social care and supporting jobs. Expect plenty of talk here in the next few days about the government's desire to "level up", as ministers call it. It is a promise that collides for many with the reality that it's bills that are going up. The government has made "levelling up" a priority ahead of the next election - but is facing criticism from some of its own MPs that the concept remains vague. On Sunday, 10 Tory MPs elected in 2019 became the latest set of backbenchers to make demands on the issue, calling for more power to be handed to local councils, and for tax breaks to be introduced for community businesses and social enterprises. There is also concern in the party over the effect of rising inflation and surging energy costs, combining with the withdrawal of a universal credit top-up of £20 a week, which was introduced during the coronavirus pandemic. Some of the party's MPs, including former leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith, have joined opposition MPs in warning about a squeeze on living standard for the poorest households. Labour, which has warned of a "winter of discontent", has urged the PM to recall Parliament to discuss the fuel crisis. The party's leader Sir Keir Starmer has called on the government to issue "enough visas" to deal with the lorry driver shortage, and give "key workers" priority access to fuel. Link:-https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-58777034

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