New reports on the finances of Britain’s royal family and its ancient property portfolio have revealed a double dose of good news for the household, which has been destabilized by illness and injury in recent months. Profits from the Crown Estate, which oversees the royal family’s massive land and property holdings, jumped to £1.1 billion (about $1.4 billion) from £442.6 million in the previous year, according to the estate’s annual report, mainly thanks to deals involving the leasing of seabed sites to offshore wind producers. As a result, the money the royal family receives from the government — known as the sovereign grant — will rise to £132 million in 2025-2026, up from £86.3 million in recent years. For centuries, net profits from the Crown Estate have been passed to the government, in return for a fixed yearly payment to fund the royal family and its duties. Since 2012, this payment has taken the form of the sovereign grant, which is calculated as a percentage of the estate’s profits.
Source:The Times
July 24, 2024 03:44 UTC
Yes, principled protesters choose to break the law, like Thoreau defying war taxes, or Gandhi against the British Empire. It’s much smarter and harder to master the rules, apply imagination and skills to succeed (without fears of midnight door banging). So now we endure a second-rate TV celebrity, his “true self” exposed as a multiply-convicted, forever-lying sleazy hustler reborn as a “unity” president? Cultism, narcissism and solipsismNovember comes down to whether enough key adult voters back law, elections, the Constitutional, and reality itself—vs. Nearly all religions and justice systems agree the ultimate driver of sin or immorality are selfish passions that hurt others.
Source:The Guardian
July 24, 2024 03:10 UTC
SABRINA Carpenter was today SLAMMED by UK fans for her unbelievably high ticket prices. One fan fumed: "£250 to sit in the nosebleeds to see Sabrina Carpenter at the o2 - an artist with two hit singles and two other moderate hits. While another said: "SORRY I had every intention of getting Sabrina Carpenter tickets today on o2 priority but the cost is WILD why are they hundreds of pounds????? Announcing the news on social media, the star said: “Soooo excited to bring the Short n’ Sweet Tour to Europe & the UK!!”. “Being a child Disney star has its pros and cons but that’s not how she wants to be known as and this role in Skims is going to change everything.
Source:The Times
July 24, 2024 02:25 UTC
Secret Service would love Trump to pick less dangerous rally sites, but perhaps his self-pitying behavior extends to martyrdom. The move, reported by the Washington Post, comes as Secret Service director Kimberly Cheatle resigned on Tuesday following a combative grilling before a congressional committee by both Democrats and Republicans over apparent security failures before an attempt on Trump’s life by a 20-year-old gunman. In a resignation letter, Cheatle said she’d made the “difficult” decision to leave the agency “with a heavy heart” and acknowledged that the agency “fell short” of its mission “to protect our nation’s leaders”, referring to the Butler rally. The Trump campaign, which may have favored outdoor venues until the shooting because of their larger crowd capacity, is not currently planning further outdoor events and instead is looking to book indoor venues, including basketball arenas, according to the outlet. www.theguardian.com/...
Source:The Guardian
July 24, 2024 01:29 UTC
State Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington Washington D.C. West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Puerto Rico US Virgin Islands Armed Forces Americas Armed Forces Pacific Armed Forces Europe Northern Mariana Islands Marshall Islands American Samoa Federated States of Micronesia Guam Palau Alberta, Canada British Columbia, Canada Manitoba, Canada New Brunswick, Canada Newfoundland, Canada Nova Scotia, Canada Northwest Territories, Canada Nunavut, Canada Ontario, Canada Prince Edward Island, Canada Quebec, Canada Saskatchewan, Canada Yukon Territory, CanadaZip Code
Source:The Times
July 24, 2024 01:24 UTC
Sussex Police said it has used new powers to deal with unauthorised traveller encampments 39 times since they were introduced two years ago. In June 2022 it was made an offence for someone over 18 to reside on land without the owner’s consent and have, or intend to have, at least one vehicle with them. The powers have made police able to arrest people and seize equipment, including vehicles, in relation to the offence. Chief Constable Jo Shiner said traveller encampments can be “a challenge" for local authorities and the police force.
Source:The Times
July 24, 2024 00:07 UTC
Body-cam video from the Illinois state police department shows the moments before police officer Sean Grayson shoots Sonya Massey in the face, killing her. She had called police in fear of a home intruder. According to court documents, Grayson fired three shots as Massey ducked for cover behind a kitchen counter. The shooting followed a verbal exchange about a pot on the stove
Source:The Guardian
July 23, 2024 23:39 UTC
Sharks off the coast of Brazil have tested positive for cocaine, scientists say. Marine biologists tested 13 Brazilian sharpnose sharks taken from the shores near Rio de Janeiro and found they tested for high levels of cocaine in their muscles and livers. The research, carried out by the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, is the first to find the presence of cocaine in sharks. Further research is required to ascertain whether cocaine is changing the behaviour of the sharks. Last year, chemical compounds including benzoylecgonine, which is produced by the liver after cocaine use, were found in seawater samples collected off the south coast of England.
Source:The Times
July 23, 2024 23:35 UTC
July 23, 2024 11:16 AM UTC July 23, 2024 11:16 AM UTC"Vance Remorse" Shows How The Political Landscape Has Shifted Again15 Comments15 Comments by: Colorado PolsUPDATE: As we noted last week, Colorado Republicans including the state’s top congressional candidate Gabe Evans bearhugged J.D. Vance, which won’t age well in the event Vance turns into a boat anchor for the Republican ticket:“Americans relate to J.D. Vance of Ohio to run with Trump is suddenly the focus on intense second-guessing not unlike what Democrats experienced over Biden. The Harris campaign now has the chance to turn Trump’s hubris in selecting a base-pleasing fringe firebrand running mate into a potentially decisive mistake. Or, maybe Trump finds a third running mate?
Source:The Guardian
July 23, 2024 22:55 UTC
“It’s my view that Kamala Harris is head and shoulders above anyone who might step forward. I think that’s why you’re seeing her get the level of support from within our party that she is getting,” Hicks said on Forum. The change at the top of the ticket has revitalized some big-dollar Democrats who viewed Biden’s run as a lost cause. “California is the ATM for the Democratic Party, so we’ll certainly be there for that,” said Mark Buell, the fundraising chair for many of Harris’ California campaigns, on Forum. Kounalakis said Harris backers left the Monday morning meeting with a call to grow the vice president’s networks of support.
Source:The Guardian
July 23, 2024 21:18 UTC
“Slave trader Colston left bequest to Church of England, archive shows”, The Guardian, July 20, 2024:“The archbishop of Canterbury has spoken of the work to address the Church of England’s historic links to chattel slavery on a trip to Jamaica, as archive research reveals that the slave trader Edward Colston left a bequest in the 18th century to the church’s missionary arm. Justin Welby is on a three-day visit to the West Indies to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the diocese of Jamaica and the Cayman Islands. He said a £100m fund set up by the church would be used to benefit communities “which still bear the scars” from slavery. The Church Commissioners, the body that manages the church’s financial assets, published a report in January last year on its links to chattel slavery, via the Queen Anne’s Bounty, a fund used to supplement the income of the clergy…….”Read the full article at Theguardian.com
Source:The Guardian
July 23, 2024 19:51 UTC
Sonya Massey, in the US, killed by police officers.... on 09:03 - Jul 23 by Zx1988I appreciate that it goes slightly against the general point of view here, but it seems a slightly complex matter. "I rebuke you in the name of Jesus" is a phrase used in exorcisms and the casting out of demons. There is definitely an understandable concern about being a police officer and being killed in action because it happens a lot. "Black woman killed by white cop" is factual, but bringing race into the equation is inflammatory. The best course of action is not to mention race before race is confirmed as a factor.
Source:The Guardian
July 23, 2024 19:23 UTC
Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries endorsed Kamala Harris on Tuesday, giving her campaign to become the party's official presidential nominee another boost. Schumer, the Senate Democrat leader, said at a press conference that the Democrats and the country were 'brimming with excitement, enthusiasm, unity' at the prospect of her candidacy. Jeffries, the House minority leader, said Harris had earned the nomination 'from the grassroots up, not the top down', and added that he 'strongly' endorsed her. 'She is ready. She is able to energetically and emphatically lead America into the future,' he said
Source:The Guardian
July 23, 2024 18:41 UTC
Pilot study explores low-dose rapamycin’s potential to slow ovarian aging, potentially extending fertility and improving women’s healthspan. Researchers at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia are investigating whether a weekly dose of rapamycin, one of longevity’s most talked-about drugs, can delay ovarian aging in women. Ovaries are one of the earliest-aging organs, and ovarian aging is considered the pacemaker of female body aging as it drives the aging of multiple organs of the body. Rapamycin has shown promise in animal studies, where it restored normal ovarian function in mice with premature ovarian failure and extended their reproductive lifespan. “Ovarian aging is the fundamental driver of aging in women,” she said.
Source:The Guardian
July 23, 2024 17:12 UTC
HIV ‘vaccine’ could be made for just $40 a year for every patient · theguardian.comGeneric version of a drug already on the market, which can suppress and prevent HIV, would still yield 30% profit if the current price was slashed, researchers say
Source:The Guardian
July 23, 2024 17:06 UTC