Furry Brown Kiwi a $5 Billion Addition to the World's Diet
When New Zealand growers decided to take a punt on a fruit native to eastern and central China, they weren't sure it'd ever be more than a curiosity to Western palates, like Dragon Fruit or Mangosteen.
Mary Fraser brought the first Chinese gooseberry seeds to New Zealand in 1904, and a handful of growers decided to grow it as a curiosity.
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Miami Herald
8 hours ago
- Miami Herald
China Releases Photos of Aircraft Carriers Beyond First Island Chain
China released photos showing its aircraft carriers conducting "training exercises" in the western Pacific beyond the first island chain, which is intended to keep its navy in check. "The training complies with relevant international law and practice, and is not targeted at specific countries or entity," a Chinese navy spokesperson said in a statement on Tuesday. The first island chain-comprising Japan, Taiwan and the Philippines-is one of three Pacific island defense lines established by the United States, utilizing its own territories as well as those of its allies and partners, with the goal of restricting China's naval activities. The Chinese navy, the largest in the world by hull count, deployed its aircraft carriers-CNS Liaoning and CNS Shandong-to the eastern side of the first island chain simultaneously for the first time over the weekend, challenging the U.S.'s naval dominance in the region. Meanwhile, the Liaoning became China's first aircraft carrier to be spotted operating in waters east of the second island chain, which stretches from Japan to New Guinea-north of Australia-via Guam, the westernmost U.S. territory that serves as a military hub. Senior Captain Wang Xuemeng, a spokesperson for the Chinese navy, confirmed in the statement that both the Liaoning and the Shandong had been deployed to the western Pacific Ocean in recent days to test their capabilities in "far-sea defense and joint operations." The spokesperson said the dual aircraft carrier deployment was a "routine arrangement included in the annual training plan," which sought to improve the ability of the Chinese navy-officially known as the People's Liberation Army Navy-to fulfill its missions. Official photos show both Chinese aircraft carriers launching J-15 fighter jets at an undisclosed location in the western Pacific Ocean during both day and night. A supply ship attached to one of the aircraft carriers was seen providing supplies to a destroyer. However, it remains unclear whether the Liaoning and the Shandong were operating in the same vicinity. They were last tracked underway on the eastern and western sides of the second island chain, respectively, according to a map published by Newsweek. Japan, a U.S. ally that tracks and monitors the Chinese navy, has made a "proper request" to China through diplomatic channels regarding the activities of the Chinese aircraft carriers, Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani said at a news conference on Tuesday. "China intends to improve the operational capability of its two aircraft carriers and its ability to conduct operations in distant seas and airspace," the minister said, adding that Japan had both the will and the ability to deter unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force. Lin Jian, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said on Tuesday: "Let me reiterate that Chinese naval vessels' activities in those waters are fully consistent with international law and international practices. Our national defense policy is defensive in nature. We hope Japan will view those activities objectively and rationally." Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani said on Tuesday: "In any case, the Ministry of Defense and the Self-Defense Forces will continue to closely monitor the movements of the Chinese Navy vessels, including these two aircraft carriers, and will take all possible measures to conduct surveillance activities." China's dual aircraft carrier deployment comes as two U.S. aircraft carriers-USS Nimitz and USS George Washington-are underway in separate areas of the western Pacific Ocean. Related Articles China Makes Childbirth Change Amid Falling Birth RateVideo Shows Chinese 'Militia' Ship Near US Ally's Disputed TerritoryMap Shows China's Visa-Free 'Circle of Friends'Satellite Photo Shows US Aircraft Carrier in Pacific Rivalry With China 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Yahoo
Sunken ship with £16bn of treasure ‘found in Caribbean'
For centuries, a £16-billion treasure trove of gold, silver and emeralds was lost beneath the waves of the Caribbean. But now researchers believe they have identified the 'holy grail of shipwrecks'. The rich treasures of the Spanish galleon San Jose appeared to have been gone forever after they were sunk by the Royal Navy in 1708. A squadron commanded by Charles Wager, who would go on to serve as the First Lord of the Admiralty, intercepted the treasure fleet near Baru Island, off Cartagena, Colombia, and attacked, detonating its powder magazines and sending it to the seabed. The treasure was being transported from Peru to Spain to fund the War of the Spanish Succession against Britain and its allies. Gold and silver coins, pearls and gems, claimed to be worth as much as £16 billion in current prices, sat aboard the San Jose. The ship's sinking dented the Spanish effort in the war, which ended with Britain gaining Gibraltar, Newfoundland and Nova Scotia. Academics in Colombia now claim to have confirmed that a wreck found off the South American country's coast in 2015 is the San Jose. Using underwater drones, they photographed cargo scattered on and around the wreckage of a ship found on the seafloor near Baru Island in 2015. Analysis of the images found silver coins – minted in 1707 with the hallmarks of the mint at Lima, Peru – among the wreckage. Other finds included Chinese porcelain from the Kangxi period (1662-1722) and inscriptions on cannons that dated to 1665. These finds suggest the wreckage is of a ship that sank in the early 18th century. 'This body of evidence substantiates the identification of the wreck as the San José Galleon, a hypothesis that has been put forward since its initial discovery in 2015,' the academics found. 'The finding of cobs created in 1707 at the Lima Mint points to a vessel navigating the Tierra Firme route in the early 18th century. The San José Galleon is the only ship that matches these characteristics. 'This find presents a rare opportunity to explore an underwater archaeological site and deepen our understanding of colonial maritime trade and routes.' The analysis will likely deepen a battle over the legal ownership of the wreckage. Claims have been made by Colombia, Spain, Peru, indigenous communities in the area, descendants of miners who dug up the treasure, and Glocca Morra, the treasure-hunting firm, which says it found the wreck as far back as 1981. Glocca Morra's new owners, Sea Search Armada, insist that the galleon was found within a mile or two of the coordinates of its 1981 discovery. The company, which is claiming £7.9 billion, is also challenging a 2020 law that deemed everything on the ship was Colombian government property The researchers added: 'Coins are crucial artefacts for dating and understanding material culture, particularly in shipwreck contexts. 'Hand-struck, irregularly shaped coins – known as cobs in English and macuquinas in Spanish – served as the primary currency in the Americas for more than two centuries.' The finds follow previous carbon dating analysis of the wreckage that indicated that it was approximately 300 years old. The ship's cargo will not be recovered from the seafloor until the wreckage is 'fully characterised' using 'non-invasive surveys'. With the galleon lying several hundred metres below the sea surface, it is too deep for human exploration. The study is published in the journal Antiquity. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Yahoo
Where the heck is Texas? Agencies say its part of these regions, but Texans don't buy it
Is Texas in the South? The Southwest? Or just... the West? One thing's for sure: it's nowhere near the Pacific Northwest, the Northeast or the Midwest. But really — where the heck is Texas, y'all? It's a longstanding debate, and for good reason. Texas defies easy regional labels thanks to its massive size, central location and the striking cultural differences across the state. It's clear that folks along the Texas–Louisiana border, from Texarkana to Beaumont, are far more Southern than those in Dallas. Fort Worth proudly embraces its cowboy heritage, calling itself "Where the West Begins" — a nod to its deep roots in cattle culture and its historic ties to the Chisholm Trail. Meanwhile, Austin is also becoming increasingly Western — but in a different way, where it's more coastal, tech-driven and cosmopolitan than the 'Wild West.' Communities in El Paso and the Trans-Pecos region align more closely with the cultural Southwest than with populations in the South, while Amarillo and Lubbock feel firmly rooted in the Great Plains. Houston and San Antonio? Who knows ... they sit somewhere in between. So, where is Texas officially? The debate continues. Even within the federal government, there are differing opinions on which region truly claims the Lone Star State. These classifications often vary depending on the purpose of the agency or service, whether it's for economic analysis, job distribution or administrative convenience. The U.S. Census Bureau: West South Central (with Arkansas, Louisiana and Oklahoma) Bureau of Labor Statistics: Southeast The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: West South Central The Federal Emergency Management Administration: No set region but grouped with Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico and Oklahoma U.S. Forest Service: Southern U.S. Department of Agriculture: Both the Southwest (SNAP) and Plains Area (Agricultural Research) A Reddit post on the r/Texas subchannel explored this exact question, and there was almost a consensus. For most Texans, the answer couldn't be simpler: Texas is Texas. "One thing's for certain though, Texas is not in the Midwest," one user wrote, while another replied, "It's the wild wild West." Another shared that the drive from Beaumont to Jacksonville, Florida, is a shorter stretch than that from Beaumont to El Paso, so "Texas is literally wider than the entire 'South,'" while the same holds true for El Paso to San Diego, so "Texas is also wider than the entire 'Southwest'" as well. "It is its own region!" that user wrote. One shared that their dad from Tennessee says, "You're not a Southerner if you're from Texas, just a Texan," to which many agreed. Where is Texas? Let me know by sending an email to baddison@ This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Is Texas in the South? What region is Texas in? Depends on who you ask
