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  • Europe looks for alternative to Starlink
    by Anna Pratt on March 24, 2025 at 9:36 pm

    Elon Musk recently seemed to threaten to shut down Ukraine’s use of his Starlink satellite communications system. Musk quickly issued a statement saying he would “never” do this but, given the uncertainty surrounding US policy toward Ukraine since President Donald Trump took office, Europe is examining its options and believes it has an alternative. The post Europe looks for alternative to Starlink appeared first on The World from PRX.

  • Pro-Palestinian activists under increased surveillance on Massachusetts campuses
    by Sara Hassan on March 24, 2025 at 8:45 pm

    Rights groups are concerned as a growing number of pro-Palestinian activists, including Jewish activists, are being photographed and surveilled. The post Pro-Palestinian activists under increased surveillance on Massachusetts campuses appeared first on The World from PRX.

  • A graphic novel cookbook telling the stories behind some uniquely named Chinese dishes
    by Sara Hassan on March 24, 2025 at 4:47 pm

    A new graphic cookbook — complete with recipes and comic book-style illustrations — tells the backstories of the names behind some Chinese dishes. Author Ying Chang Compestine discusses the book with The World’s Host Carolyn Beeler. The post A graphic novel cookbook telling the stories behind some uniquely named Chinese dishes appeared first on The World from PRX.

  • Construction underway on the world’s longest tunnel immersed underwater
    by Anna Pratt on March 21, 2025 at 8:04 pm

    The Fehmarn Belt Link is set to connect Germany and Denmark through the Baltic Sea by car and train. Developers say the project will fundamentally reshape travel in the EU for the better, cutting the time it takes to get from Hamburg to Copenhagen in half. But German advocates aren’t so sure the benefits outweigh the risks. The post Construction underway on the world’s longest tunnel immersed underwater appeared first on The World from PRX.

  • Out of Eden Walk: Walking through COVID
    by Lex Weaver on March 21, 2025 at 7:07 pm

    National Geographic Explorer Paul Salopek was thousands of miles into his Out of Eden Walk when he had to pause his journey in Myanmar to wait out the COVID-19 pandemic. Host Marco Werman speaks with him about the experience of walking and reporting through Asian regions made inaccessible by quarantines and lockdowns. The post Out of Eden Walk: Walking through COVID appeared first on The World from PRX.

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  • Brit influencer left fighting for her life after mysteriously being found unconscious in her South Korean apartment
    by Patrick Harrington on March 25, 2025 at 10:53 pm

    A BRIT influencer is fighting for her life in hospital after being found bruised and unconscious in her apartment. Ashley Surcombe, 29, was found by cops in Seoul, South Korea, with dehydration and multiple organ failure – but it’s a mystery how she ended up in that state. Go Fund MeAshley Surcombe, 29, is in intensive care after being found critically ill[/caption] Go Fund MeAshley seemed unwell and confused in the days before she was found, according to her family[/caption] InstagramThe Brit influencer has lived in Seoul, South Korea, for five years[/caption] Ashley is originally from Evesham, Worcestershire, but has lived in Seoul for five years. The alarm was raised by the content creator’s parents, Nigel and Karen, after Ashley stopped replying to them. Police broke into the house and found the Brit unconscious on the bathroom floor on Monday. There were no signs of a forced entry – and Ashley lived alone. Paramedics rushed her to hospital in Seoul where she remains in intensive care, and Nigel has flown out to be with her. Kat Surcombe, the sister of the critically ill influencer, set up a GoFundMe appeal to cover Ashley’s medical bills and bring her home. The desperate sibling wrote: “It feels surreal writing this, but my family and I desperately need your help. “My little sister, Ashley, who has been living over 5,500 miles away in Seoul, was found unconscious and unresponsive in her apartment on Monday, 24th March. “She’s currently in the ICU with severe dehydration and multiple organ damage. We don’t yet know the full extent of the damage, but we do know it’s serious.” The sister told the Mail: “We just don’t know what happened and we are trying to find out exactly, but it’s been difficult, and we have had to rely on contacts out there.” However, Ashley had seemed off in the days before she was found, according to the family. Kat said: “Her blood sugar levels are very low and when we spoke with her on Saturday, she seemed confused, and you could barely see her lips she was so dehydrated. “We were supposed to speak with her at 8pm on Sunday (Korean time) but she never answered, and we didn’t get any response from messages so that’s when we called police through a friend of my dad who has contacts out there.” The black eye was from Ashley smacking her head against a door about a week before she was found, according to the family. Go Fund MePolice found Ashley with a black eye, organ damage and dehydration[/caption] InstagramThe influencer was planning to document a trip across south-east Asia[/caption] Ashley makes content that is popular in the UK and has amassed over a million followers across her social media accounts. The self-starter is fluent in Korean and had been planning to document her travels across south-east Asia. According to the fundraising appeal, Ashley’s intensive care is costing around £1,500 per day, and thousands more are needed for tests, scans and medications. The appeal explains: “Unfortunately, Ashley’s health insurance recently expired, meaning all medical costs must be paid out-of-pocket. “My parents have already paid a £3,000 deposit just for her treatment, and the expenses are quickly adding up.” Kat also revealed the news had been a horrible shock for the family, and that she is worried for how her parents are handling it. Ashley also has a twin sister called Tara back in the UK.

  • No swearing, tax hike & tourist POLICE: Strict new holiday rules at Brit hotspot as it cracks down on ‘naughty’ visitors
    by Patrick Harrington on March 25, 2025 at 10:26 pm

    A TOURIST hotspot loved by Brits is slapping down a strict new rule book to tackle “naughty” visitors. Bali has announced a raft of rules including a swearing ban and a tourist tax – enforced by a police force dedicated to cracking down on troublemakers. Getty Images - GettyBali is a hot-spot for hedonism among travellers[/caption] Getty Images - GettyBrits, Aussies and other nationalities pile onto the island to let loose[/caption] AFPLocal authorities are clamping down on the antics with a set of new strict rules[/caption] The governor decided to call time on unchecked revelry, after years of reports of bad behaviour by foreign holidaymakers. The tropical paradise is particularly popular with backpacking Brits and Aussies. Officials are pleading with tourists to show more respect to local culture – or face harsh punishment. The island has a history of a no-nonsense attitude towards troublemakers, deporting hundreds each year. I Wayan Koster, governor of the Indonesian island, announced the clampdown in a statement on Monday. He said: “As things change, we need to adapt. “This [set of rules] ensures that Bali’s tourism remains respectful, sustainable, and in harmony with our local values.” The authorities emphasise that tourists must respect Bali’s religious customs, pay for goods with the local currency and obey road laws. Foreigners are also banned from sacred temples from non-religious purposes, swearing, or running businesses without the proper licenses. A catch-all levy has also been applied to anyone visiting the island. Tourists must now pay 150,000 Indonesian rupiahs – about £8 – to the government website when they leave the island. Koster’s announcement comes days before Nyepi – Bali’s sacred silent day – which falls on Saturday, March 29 this year. From 6am on Saturday until 6am on Sunday, everyone – including tourists – must stay indoors. Ahead of the Hindu festival, Koster said: “We have prepared a special team to conduct an operation. Foreign tourists who are naughty will be immediately dealt with firmly.” GettyTourists have been told they must respect local customs[/caption] Getty Images - GettyThe new rules includes a ban on swearing and entering sacred temples[/caption] AlamyHolidaymakers have also been warned against running illegal businesses[/caption] Local reports have identified a trend of foreigners with tourist visas running illegal businesses. Professor Putu Anom, from the University of Surabaya, said that tourists are setting up unlicensed services to plan trips themselves. This is not only illegal, but also squeezes out locals offering tourism services. Anom told The Bali Sun: “There are tourists who stay in Bali for a long time and [offer tourism services] to their friends. That must be prohibited, and the government must be firm.” He added that Bali was facing a glut of tourist services, especially in the hospitality sector, and warned it could lead to an economic crash.

  • Is THIS the location of the mythical Hall of Records? ‘City beneath Pyramids’ may store ‘ancient civilisation’ secrets
    by Patrick Harrington on March 25, 2025 at 9:39 pm

    RESEARCHERS who claim to have discovered a “lost city” deep below the pyramids now believe it could be the site of the mythical Hall of Records. But, as the sensational claims tear across the globe, others in the science world have united to shoot down the “fake news”. GettyA new study claims there is a ‘vast underground city’ beneath the Giza Pyramids, which could include Hall of Records[/caption] GettyThe Hall of Records is a mythical site said to lie near the Great Sphinx of Giza[/caption] The Hall of Records is an ancient library, rumoured to exist underground near the Great Sphinx of Giza – where the pyramids also sit. The story originates from the American Edgar Cayce, who claimed to have discovered it using his clairvoyant powers. He said that refugees from Atlantis – a fictional ancient island – built the great library to preserve their knowledge. Now, it’s emerged that the authors of the bombshell new pyramids study claim they could have discovered the famed site. They said: “The Pyramid of Khafre might conceal undiscovered secrets, notably the fabled Hall of Records”. The new work, by Italian and Scottish archaeologists, claims to have found a “vast underground city” beneath the pyramids – including huge vertical columns with spiral stairs, a water system and connecting corridors. The team, led by Professor Corrado Malanga, said they suspect “an entire hidden world of many structures” beneath the enormous landmarks. Radar technology reportedly allowed them to see complex networks more than a kilometre below ground for the first time. But many in the science world are sceptical and have countered the claims. Dr Zahi Hawass told The National the findings were “completely wrong” and not rooted in science. He added: “The claim of using radar inside the pyramid is false, and the techniques employed are neither scientifically approved nor validated.” The extraordinary new study has not been peer-reviewed. Professor Lawrence Conyers who works at the University of Denver, specialising in radar and archaeology, also critiqued the study. He told the Daily Mail that radar pulses could not possibly detect structures that far underground. mmzero.itProfessor Corrado Malanga is the head of the research project[/caption] A radar map showing the eight cylindrical structures researchers have identified The authors believe they have identified eight huge vertical shafts with spiral staircases coil around them The expert called the claims of a vast city underneath the pyramids “a huge exaggeration”. However, Conyers said there may be smaller structures like shafts and chambers, and highlighted that the site would have been “special to ancient people”. He explained that the Mayans “often built pyramids on top of the entrances to caves or caverns that had ceremonial significance to them”. Other researchers specifically questioned the reputation of the project leader, Professor Malanga. He has long been interested in UFO and alien abductions as well as the “Giza power plant” theory – all fringe ideas that have largely been written off by experts as unsubstantiated conspiracy. Two of the purported vertical shafts GettyRival Egyptologists have rubbished the claims by Professor Malanga and his team[/caption] The use of AI to create some of the images that accompany the research has also been criticised. But Malanga insists there are more secrets to be revealed from underneath the pyramids. He said at the press conference: “Until yesterday, Egyptologists said there was nothing, that is is an empty mountain of stones, but there are a lot of things”. The team reportedly used two satellites in the study, to rule out any possibility of “misinterpretation”. Malanga noted the results from the two were “completely consistent”. His team are reportedly eager to excavate the area to further, but securing approval from the authorities is incredibly tough. A brief history of Ancient Egypt Here's everything you need to know... The Ancient Egyptians were an advanced civilization who at one point owned a huge portion of the globe The civilization began about 5,000 years ago when ancient humans began building villages along the River Nile It lasted for about 3,000 years and saw the building of complex cities centuries ahead of their time – as well as the famous Great Pyramids The Ancient Egyptians were experts at farming and construction They invented a solar calendar, and one of the world’s earliest writing systems: The hieroglyph The Egyptians were ruled by kings and queens called pharaohs Religion and the afterlife were a huge part of Ancient Egyptian culture. They had over 2,000 gods Pharaohs built huge elaborate tombs to be buried in, some of which were pyramids – at the time among the largest buildings in the world The Egyptians believed in life after death, and important people’s corpses were mummified to preserve their bodies for the afterlife The Ancient Egyptian empire fell due to a mix of factors, including wars with other empires and a 100-year period of drought and starvation

  • Samsung Electronics boss Han Jong-hee dies suddenly aged just 63 after turning TV business into worldwide success
    by Sayan Bose on March 25, 2025 at 9:24 pm

    SMARTPHONE giant Samsung’s CEO Han Jong-hee has suddenly died at the age of 63. Han, who put the tech company’s television business on the global stage, reportedly died of a heart attack. Avalon.redHan Jong-hee attends a press conference at CES 2025, the world’s largest consumer electronics show[/caption] EPASamsung Electronics Co. Vice Chairman Han Jong-hee speaks during the company’s annual general meeting at the Suwon Convention Center in Suwon, South Korea[/caption]  A Samsung spokesperson said: “Han Jong-hee died from cardiac arrest today.” Han joined Samsung in 1988 and was seen as having played a key role in getting its high-end TV sets noticed worldwide. He was credited by the company with taking Samsung televisions “to the pinnacle of the global market” – and keeping them there. The firm wrote in a company biography published earlier this month: “Han was central in the unveiling of Samsung’s world-class LED TVs. “His numerous other innovations enabled the company to continually demonstrate its technology leadership.” Han was not part of the Samsung family, which still dominates the company, with third-generation leader Lee Jae-yong the current chief of Samsung Electronics. Jun Young Hyun, the semiconductor chief executive, will now take over Hans’s duties as the company’s sole CEO, Samsung said in a regulatory filing. He was survived by his wife and three children. Han’s death comes as the world’s largest memory-chip maker faces business headwinds in its race to produce chips used in artificial intelligence. Analysts have said Samsung was struggling to meet demand for chips used in AI servers, especially from US titan Nvidia. Kim Dae-jong, professor of business administration at Sejong University in Seoul, said that Han’s death could deal a blow to Samsung’s strategy to keep its number one place in the global TV market. He added: “Considering he has been deeply involved in Samsung’s TV business for decades, helping it firmly secure its global standing, his absence could affect its global strategy for years to come.” Samsung, like other TV titans LG and TCL, has been packing ever more AI into huge screens that are inching towards being digital assistants capable of chatting with users and other devices in homes. At the company’s general meeting of shareholders last week, the last public event Han attended, he also noted that the company would need fresh momentum to gain an edge in the competitive AI field. “We will continue to pioneer in various areas such as robotics, medtech and next-generation semiconductors to secure new growth momentum,” he told the meeting.

  • Black Sea truce ‘reads like it was written by Russia’ & will be ‘used by Vlad to grab more land’ as he still ‘wants war’
    by Sayan Bose on March 25, 2025 at 9:09 pm

    THE Black Sea ceasefire deal was “written by Russia” and Vladimir Putin will use it to push Ukrainian troops out of Kursk and “grab more land”, defence experts have warned. Military analysts told The Sun that the US-brokered Black Sea deal is set to benefit Putin far more than Volodymyr Zelensky, who is trying to salvage a permanent peace deal for his war-torn nation. Ukraine blasted the Russian ship Novocherkassk in the port of Feodosia, Crimea AFPPlumes of smoke and flames were on the site where the large landing ship Orsk of the Russian Black Sea Fleet is docked[/caption] APVladimir Putin is expected to make precious gains from the Black Sea deal[/caption] After a long marathon of negotiations, the White House confirmed that both the warring nations have agreed to halt strikes in the Black Sea region and on energy infrastructure. Washington also agreed to push to lift some sanctions against Moscow in its latest step towards endorsing Russia‘s positions. The agreements were struck by US negotiators who met separately over three days in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, with delegations from Ukraine and Russia. While the full details of the ceasefire deal are yet to be revealed by top diplomats of the nations, experts fear that the deal hugely benefits Russia in the war. The dictator has now succeeded in stopping the fighting on one of Ukraine most successful fronts – as well as halting more crippling attacks on Russian oil plants in another side deal. Putin is now expected to stall further peace deals for months until he has grabbed more swathes of invaded land and pushed Ukrainian forces out of Russia’s Kursk region. Former Nato chief and British Army Colonel Hamish de Bretton-Gordon told The Sun: “This is a deal that’s been written by Russia because actually they get most out of it. “They can get their Black Sea fleet back in the Black Sea, as it were; they can start exporting through the Black Sea. “What is very small print in this deal is also to stop attacking infrastructure, like the oil industry in Russia, which hashas suffered severely. “Ukraine really wanted a full ceasefire, but that’s not going to happen. “If Russia continues to attack in the areas of Sumy and other areas in the Donbass and the east of Ukraine, then that would seem to be a very bad outcome for this deal.” The military expert said that Putin – on the back of the Black Sea deal – would likely look to grab more Ukrainian land before agreeing to a full ceasefire deal in the war. He added: “I think that’s the conclusion I come to. The Russians now want more Ukrainian land of the four Oblasts, which they partly have invaded. “They want to completely retake Kursk before they will even start to talk about a serious ceasefire. “They’re now saying that they want the whole of Zaporizhzhia Luhansk, Donetsk and Kherson as part of any deal in the future, and that would mean that they would take a considerable amount of land. “Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov has been saying in the last couple of days that that is their plan. They want to take the whole of the four oblasts.” Zelensky warned that the Black Sea ceasefire deal could fall apart just hours after both Kyiv and Moscow agreed to stop attacking each other in the naval region. Kremlin claims right over Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant by Sayan Bose, Foreign News Reporter Russia’s Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday that the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant is a Russian facility and transferring control of it to Ukraine or any other country is impossible. The ministry also said that jointly operating the plant was not admissible as it would be impossible to properly ensure the physical and nuclear safety of the station. Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant was seized by Russia in a firefight in March 2022 after sending in tanks. The world’s eyes have since been on the facility – with international nuke experts regularly warning about the danger posed by the plant. It has been previously warned that the facility – stuck in the middle of the warzone – could trigger a nuclear disaster equal to “six Chernobyls” amid the devastating war. While Kyiv welcomed the US-brokered agreement, it said that it’s still “too early” to say if the deal will work out. Embattled Ukraine’s gain is that it will be allowed to relaunch its decimated grain shipping trade across the globe from its besieged Black Sea ports. And Putin is still demanding that Ukraine must be barred from NATO and leave itself virtually defenceless by halting arms imports from the West. Former Major General Chip Chapman warned that Russia will try to play the US diplomats until “they get what they want.” He told The Sun: “Russia still sees a military solution to this. And it will try and play Trump and his advisors until they can get it, get something out of this. “The deal doesn’t mean that there will be a linear progression to an immediate and full ceasefire. “At the moment, they’re playing a canny game. But we’ll have to wait and see if those conditions mean that it’s implemented.” The Kremlin said the Black Sea agreements would not come into effect unless links between some Russian banks and the international financial system were restored. GettyVolodymyr Zelensky holds a press conference about the ceasefire at the Black Sea[/caption] ReutersRussian Navy’s guided missile cruiser Moskva sails back into a harbour after tracking NATO warships in the Black Sea[/caption] AlamyZmiinyi Island or the Snake Island in the Black Sea[/caption] During the peace talks, the US committed to help seek the lifting of international sanctions on Russian agriculture and fertiliser exports, long a persistent Russian demand. The deals were reached after parallel talks in Saudi Arabia that followed separate phone calls last week between Trump and the two presidents, Zelenskiy and Putin. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said: “We will need clear guarantees. And given the sad experience of agreements with just Kyiv, the guarantees can only be the result of an order from Washington to Zelensky and his team to do one thing and not the other.” Kyiv said this was untrue, and there was no requirement of sanction relief for the deals to come into force. Zelesnky blasted: “Unfortunately, even now, even today, on the very day of negotiations, we see how the Russians have already begun to manipulate. “They are already trying to distort agreements and, in fact, deceive both our intermediaries and the entire world.” Kyiv and Moscow both said they would rely on Washington to enforce the deals while expressing scepticism that the other side would abide by them. APUkraine’s 24th Mechanized Brigade prepare to fire a mortar[/caption] Troops fire a self-propelled howitzer towards Russian troops at a front line Zelensky said the truce agreements would take effect immediately and that if Russia violated them, he would ask Trump to impose additional sanctions on Moscow and provide more weapons for Ukraine. “We have no faith in the Russians, but we will be constructive,” he said. Meanwhile, Zelensky also slammed White House envoy Steve Witkoff, who recently praised Russian leader Vladimir Putin and appeared to legitimise Russia’s annexation of some Ukrainian regions. Zelensky said: “A lot of the information spread by some people and the person you mentioned… are very much in line with the messages of the Kremlin.” The Kremlin said that further talks are likely as the US and Russia hammer out the details of the agreement. Trump is reportedly pushing for a full ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine by Easter, with both sides to sign a deal by April 20.