Latest news with #Cromwell
The Herald Scotland
9 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
It has Sean Bean but Tudor murder mystery is as slow as week in Tower
** ENGLAND 1536, and the forecast is for a dark and stormy night with a blizzard of introductory captions. King Henry VIII has broken with the Roman Catholic Church; monasteries are resisting reform; crows caw and swoop as a messenger on a horse thunders through the gloom. By 'eck it's grim out there in STV's new historical drama Shardlake. I say 'new' historical drama but admirers of CJ Sansom's novels will know this period murder mystery has been this way before. It first aired on Disney+ in 2024, but after four episodes the show wasn't renewed; it can be grim out there in streaming land, too. Welcome back, then, to a world of mud, candlelight, intrigue, religion, politics and Sean Bean. We'll get to the mighty Bean in a mo, but first, to the titular young Matthew Shardlake, here earning his crust as a Tudor lawyer/detective. Shardlake is disabled, which puts him at a disadvantage in a society that sees difference as a curse. We know what Shardlake thinks of that, and much else, because he has a handy habit of talking out loud to himself. 'Ready Matthew, ready for what this day might bring?' he asks his reflection in the window. The day has brought a summons from Thomas Cromwell (Sean Bean). A commissioner has been murdered in a distant monastery and Cromwell wants Shardlake to have a gander. Since every Sherlock must have his Watson, Cromwell sends young buck John Barak (Anthony Boyle) to accompany Shardlake, much to our hero's annoyance. Mark Rylance rather made Cromwell his own in Wolf Hall, so all power to Bean's elbow for taking on the gig. His Cromwell is more swaggering than quietly sinister. As for accent, Bean goes for a sort of posh Yorkshire compared to Rylance's soft, indeterminate burr. Either way, these are not men to be messed with. The monastery lot are less than delighted to see the pair, with one brother (Paul Kaye) going so far as to call Cromwell the Antichrist, which rather puts a kink in dinner. But Shardlake has his orders and is determined to stick around and solve the case. What his detractors don't realise is the power Shardlake derives from his disability. 'It is I and I embrace it,' he says in another one-to-one with himself. 'It's my disguise.' It also gives him empathy with society's weak and vulnerable, which in this case means women and a young lad being bullied mercilessly by a senior monk. The attitudes toward disability, the attempts at witty asides, the empathy, makes Shardlake a modern affair, presumably to widen its appeal. But the more talk, less action approach also makes the hour seem as slow as a week in the Tower. Shardlake also wants to have its period cake and eat it, which means lots of gloomy scenes where you can barely make out what is going on. There is always Sean Bean, however, even if the glimpses of him so far have been few and far between, and when he is on screen you half expect him to start banging on about a certain brand of tea. You don't get that with Mark Rylance.
RNZ News
13 hours ago
- Business
- RNZ News
The electricity evangelist spreading the solar message
Woman with Morrison's lawnmower Photo: Hawkes Bay Knowledge Trust Mike Casey is an electricity evangelist, spreading the word from his fossil-fuel-free cherry orchard in Cromwell. He's the CEO of Rewiring Aotearoa, which has just released two reports - the first is a machine count of all the household items people could (and, the organisation says, should) convert to electricity; the second is a policy manifesto which sets out 59 ways to move towards an electrical utopia. In a political world where climate change issues don't appear to have a high priority , Rewiring Aotearoa's efforts could have fallen on deaf ears. However, says Newsroom senior political reporter and climate change writer Marc Daalder, the new energy minister Simon Watts has confirmed he's open to adopting the policy marked as the most important - making electrification loans accessible to everyone. The idea would be to use the high credit ratings of councils to leverage low-interest loans to install home solar panels. Daalder says such a scheme wouldn't put the debt on council balance sheets, and it would mean the government wouldn't have to put up much money to do it either. "Central government would only have to stump up for the set-up costs which would be two to six million dollars, so for someone like Simon Watts who really does want to see a deployment of solar, it's a great cost of living policy because it helps people reduce their energy bills, and that's one of the big growing aspects of our household bills at the moment." Daalder says not directly having to subsidise solar but still giving the industry a big boost is pretty appealing for the government. It doesn't need to plough billions into it because it's being consumer-driven and the economic case for the change is transparent as it is - there are just smaller failures around financing. He says it's fair to say this government doesn't have a great record on climate policy. "I think that Rewiring [Aotearoa] has done a good job of finding a niche where actually maybe there can be some progress from the government." And he detects a change of heart in coalition politicians over what some of them have described as "woke" or "left wing" technologies, particularly after it was revealed that solar energy mitigated about $20 million in damages and losses after the toppling of a power pylon that caused outages to 88,000 Northland homes last year. "I think having Simon Watts as the energy minister makes a big difference as well. There was a sense in the sector that Simeon Brown, the previous energy minster, was somewhat ideologically opposed to some of these clean and green technologies ... although, even that sounded like it was starting to shift as the benefits became apparent." Mike Casey says the Machine Count project was a case of 'you can't change what you can't measure'. The report bridges the gap between big, complicated climate policy that's hard to understand, and the sort of discussions people have in their homes - should they buy an electric lawn mower to replace the old one, or when is it best to get an EV, or put solar on the roof. If Kiwi households upgraded six million of the most easily electrifiable machines, they'd save the country about $8 million a day. And ditching those fossil-powered gadgets and old cars would slash 7.5 million tonnes off carbon emissions each year. Some things are too hard to go after. Getting farmers to swap out their tractors, or unglue people's hands from their barbeques, or get rid of their jetskis just yet is off the immediate agenda. "When you're talking about electrification, especially with a reasonably traditional Kiwi bloke, then the immediate thing that the conversation moves to is 'I've got no option to electrify my 200 horsepower diesel tractor', or 'electrification of international aviation is still a long way away'," says Casey. "So it's really important to quantify ... you know we've 10 million machines in New Zealand ... 8.5 million of them, the technology exists within New Zealand to electrify them right now. A million of them, the technology exists somewhere in the world but for whatever reason they're difficult for us to electrify. And there's about 700,000 machines in New Zealand that the technology just doesn't exist to electrify yet. "And it's a way of breaking that conversation open to make it less about the 200 hp tractors and more about all the small machines that exist in the home where there's a significant economic and emissions opportunity for our country." One of the big changes is likely to be gas cookers, both because the price of gas is going up as the resource gets more scarce, and because the toxins released when cooking with gas inside can be dangerous for children. But Casey is quick to point out they're not going after the 1,316,620 gas barbeques in the country - not only are electric versions not really up to speed yet, but they're not used often enough for it to be a priority. "The other thing we've learnt in this whole electrification discussion is that we don't really want to look at banning things or removing things because it actually creates an allergic reaction from a certain section of society which is unproductive for the overall electrification message." Check out how to listen to and follow The Detail here . You can also stay up-to-date by liking us on Facebook or following us on Twitter .
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
‘This is our duty': D-Day veterans gather to mark landings 81 years on
D-Day veterans have gathered on a Normandy beach to remember the landings 81 years on. The veterans, aged between 99 and 101, travelled to France for the annual ceremony of remembrance for the men who landed on the beaches of Normandy on June 6 1944, to liberate France from Nazi occupation during the Second World War. The five men – Ken Hay, Richard Aldred, Henry Rice, Jim Grant and John Dennett – gathered ahead of the ceremony for a photograph on Sword Beach, one of the five main landing areas along the Normandy coast. The veterans, sitting in wheelchairs while adorned with medals of service, are some of the few D-Day veterans who are still alive today. Mr Hay, 99, was a private in the 4th Battalion with the Dorset Regiment, and was captured by Nazi troops shortly after the D-Day landings. Held as a prisoner of war, he was taken to Poland and forced to work in coal mines before he was liberated by US troops in 1945. On the eve of the ceremony, Mr Hay told The Telegraph: 'Even though the 80th anniversary has passed, we veterans still feel it is our duty to come back here and remember all our friends who never came home. 'We get applauded, even though they are the ones who gave all. 'Sharing my stories with children in the UK and France is something I am very passionate about. We are the age of their great grandparents – we experienced it, understand it and know that it should never happen again.' Francis 'Jim' Grant, 100, served as a Royal Marine and manned a gun on a Landing Craft Flak on D-Day, spending many hours providing covering fire for troops landing on the Normandy beaches. He said: 'I don't think we were really prepared for what happened. We were firing over the tops of their heads.' John Dennett, 100, was a Royal Navy anti-aircraft gunner on one of the thousands of ships taking troops onto the Normandy beaches. The veteran, from Wallasey, Merseyside, made sure the Allied soldiers did not get shot from overhead during the combined naval, air and land assault on Nazi-occupied France. On the 80th anniversary of the famous landings last year, Mr Dennett recalled the 'unbelievable' sight of the ships sailing to Normandy. He said he remembered the sight of the 7,000 ships and thinking 'nothing can happen to us'. 'When they'd gone and opened their fire and they did realise there was trouble, and your feelings were 'well this one is a bit different than the last one',' he added. Mr Rice, 99, from Cranleigh, Surrey, was a signalman who arrived off Juno Beach five days after D-Day. While Mr Aldred, 100, was a Cromwell tank driver attached to the 7th Armoured Division in the Army. Their photographs came before Lord Dannatt, former head of the Army, spoke at the remembrance service at the British Normandy Memorial above Gold Beach. He said the legacy of the soldiers killed on the battlefields of Normandy paved the way for the Europe in which we live today, before warning that the shadow of the Ukrainian war looms over the continent. The former chief of the general staff added: 'The price of returning peace and freedom to Europe was very high but the legacy of the fallen and the courage, determination and commitment of all those who fought in the Normandy Campaign has given us the Europe in which we live today, albeit in the shadow of the war in Ukraine.' Lord Dannatt, who chairs the Normandy Memorial Trust and is patron of the Spirit of Normandy Trust, gave the welcoming speech at the annual ceremony of remembrance, which is led jointly by the two trusts. The Rev Simon d'Albertanson, a Royal Navy chaplain and the chaplain for the Spirit of Normandy Trust, led a memorial service at the British Normandy Memorial in Ver-sur-Mer, describing D-Day as a 'seminal moment in history'. He reminded veterans, officials and members of the public that the legacy of D-Day was vitally important given the conflict and 'troubled times that we live in'. Mr d'Albertanson said: 'This was a seminal moment in history, and we forget it at our peril. 'There's a legacy that builds from the different conflicts, and we live in very troubled times right now, and we need men and women who are fighting for peace. 'As a Christian, one of the lines in the Bible is 'Blessed are the peacemakers'. 'We're called to make peace and sometimes that means we have to bring violence, but that's the last resort. We want to be peacemakers.' Two of the chaplain's own relatives fought during the Second World War. His grandfather, Fred Hawker, joined the Royal Marines in 1942 and served on several ships, including HMS Ark Royal, while his great-uncle, who was a Royal Navy sailor, lost his life during the Battle of the Denmark Strait. Mr d'Albertanson said: 'It's an absolute honour and a privilege to be a part of this. This is all about the veterans and honouring the fallen, those who gave their lives, for our freedom. 'Being here brings it to life. 'It makes you realise what you're involved in, the men and women of the armed forces today – and as chaplains we go with them.' John Healey, the Defence Secretary, also attended events commemorating D-Day, alongside politicians from the United States and France. He said: 'We forever owe an enormous debt to the British and Allied forces who landed in Normandy 81 years ago today, determined to defeat Nazi tyranny and restore peace to western Europe. 'As we reset the nation's contract with our armed forces, we will continue to remember all those who served to defend our values.' The Normandy landings took place on June 6 1944, when nearly 160,000 Allied forces opened a second front by invading Nazi-occupied France. Of those, 73,000 were from the United States and 83,000 from Britain and Canada. Forces from several other countries were also involved, including French troops fighting with General Charles de Gaulle. The Allies faced around 50,000 German forces and a total of 4,414 Allied troops were killed on D-Day itself. 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.
CBS News
4 days ago
- CBS News
19-year-old driving Mercedes 132 mph told trooper he was late for job interview
A 19-year-old man from Connecticut who was caught driving at 132 mph told officials he didn't stop for troopers because he was running late to a job interview, police said this week. State troopers were conducting motor vehicle enforcement on Interstate 91 in the town of Cromwell when they spotted a Mercedes E300 traveling "faster than the flow of traffic," Connecticut State Police said in a press release. A speed radar confirmed the vehicle was driving 132 mph. When a trooper attempted to conduct a traffic stop with lights and sirens, the driver sped away and wove in and out of traffic while "making unsafe lane changes." However, due to the hazard posed to traffic, the trooper stopped trying to follow the vehicle. State police said they contacted the vehicle's registered owner, who said a family member – later identified as 19-year-old Azmir Djurkovic – was driving the car at the time of the incident. "Troopers obtained a phone number for Djurkovic, who admitted to driving and stated he did not stop because he was late for a job interview," state police said. Djurkovic was later arrested and is facing multiple charges, including reckless driving, engaging police in a pursuit and reckless endangerment. He was released on a bond and is scheduled to appear in court later this month.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
Man driving 132 mph told trooper he was late for a job interview
A 19-year-old man was arrested Wednesday after a Connecticut State Police trooper observed him driving at a speed later confirmed to be 132 mph. The trooper saw a Mercedes-Benz E300 traveling at excessive speed on I-91 south near Cromwell and tried to initiate a traffic stop with lights and sirens. The driver accelerated away, making unsafe lane changes and weaving in and out of traffic, the trooper's report said. Because of the hazard being created, the trooper stopped the pursuit. State Police contacted the registered owner of the vehicle, who said that a family member had it. Troopers obtained a phone number for the man, who admitted he had been driving and said he didn't stop because he was late for a job interview. He then agreed to meet Troopers at Troop H office in Hartford, where he was arrested. He faces nine charges: reckless driving; disobeying signal of an officer; failure to maintain lane; passing on the right; improper turn; passing at an unsafe distance; engaging police in a pursuit; interfering with an officer; and reckless endangerment in the first degree. He was released on a $2,500 bond and is scheduled to appear in Middletown Superior Court on June 17. This article was originally published on
