Latest news with #Hydra
Irish Times
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
How Leonard Cohen fans are putting pressure on the Greek island of Hydra
One April day in 1960 a pale, gangly man in his mid-20s stepped off the boat on the Greek island of Hydra unaware that the tiny island – and the people he met there – would shape his life in extraordinary ways. The young man carried a Canadian passport and his name was Leonard Cohen . A dreary soCanadianjourn in London had prompted his trip to Greece in search of sun and he had heard that Hydra – locals pronounce it 'Ee-dra' – was home to a community of artists and writers trying to make sense of the postwar world. Cohen would find his writer's voice here amid what American novelist Henry Miller described as Hydra's 'wild and naked perfection'. He would meet Marianne Ihlen, the Norwegian woman who would become one of the great loves of his life and an inspiration for his work, most famously his song So Long, Marianne. He would live with her and her son in a modest house he bought with $1,500 he received in his grandmother's will. The back cover of Cohen's 1969 album Songs From a Room features a photograph of a smiling Ihlen at home in Hydra, wrapped in a towel and typing at the desk they shared. There, nestled among Hydra's steep and narrow streets that rise amphitheatre-like above its horseshoe-shaped port, they led a simple life. READ MORE Trouble would later come to paradise in the form of tensions between Cohen and Ihlen, including regarding his spiralling drug use, and rifts within the bohemian expatriate milieu they inhabited, but for a spell at least, it was a charmed life that laid the foundation for much of Cohen's later creative output. More than 60 years later and almost a decade since Cohen died at the age of 82, his name remains indelibly linked with Hydra. Many Cohen fans come here in search of what it was about this rugged island with a permanent population of little over 2,000 that made him the singer-songwriter he later became. When Cohen first pitched up here, there was no running water, electricity or cars. Cohen was inspired to write his song Bird On The Wire after observing the installation of telephone poles on the island. Today, cars and other motor traffic remain banned but the island's unique appeal is drawing more visitors. Locals – known as Hydriots – debate how to manage this growing tourism and the impact of foreigners buying up properties to use as holiday homes or rent out on Airbnb in a place where heritage laws mean no new buildings can be constructed. For years, there was a low-key approach to the Cohen footprint here. When asked, shopkeepers and restaurant owners might – or might not – give directions to his residence, which remains in the family. His children Adam and Lorca often visit the island and stay there. Adam produced some of his father's posthumous work in the unassuming bougainvillea-draped house and the video for the track Moving On – which was filmed on Hydra – includes scenes from its sparsely furnished interior. In 2016, the mayor of Hydra, George Koukoudakis, decided to name the alleyway that leads to the house after Cohen, an unusual gesture on an island with few street signs. The blue and white metal plaque was inaugurated the following year. As a result, there are more visitors now and they often leave flowers, candles and other offerings on the doorstep. One fan's homage took the form of carefully arranged Lipton tea bags and oranges in reference to the lyrics of Cohen's song Suzanne. [ From the archive: Leonard Cohen: the key songs and what they mean Opens in new window ] 'Leonard Cohen became a Hydriot in many respects,' Koukoudakis, who was elected for a third term in 2023, told me in his office, which is lined with portraits of Hydra's legendary seafarers and independence fighters. 'We consider him a Hydriot. His second home was always this island and we wanted to honour him in a permanent way.' Koukoudakis has also sought to have Hydra twinned with Cohen's birthplace of Montreal. Marianne Ihlen and Leonard Cohen on Hydra, with Ihlen's son Axel jnr Photograph: James Burke/The Life Picture Collection/Getty Older Hydriots often tell stories of Cohen and their encounters with him, including locals who carried out repairs at his house or helped him with paperwork. Sometimes in these stories the lines can appear blurred between what is real and apocryphal but the overwhelming impression is of a man who, as Koukoudakis notes, was not just widely liked but who was treated as an adopted Hydriot. Locals like to cite what Cohen told a BBC documentary in 1988: 'There's nowhere in the world you can live like you can in Hydra. And that includes Hydra.' Shortly after Cohen landed on Hydra in 1960, a photographer from Life magazine came to capture the bohemian scene that had emerged on the island. One of the images shows Cohen sitting under a tree at Xeri Elia Taverna, also known as Douskos (the name of the family that owns it), strumming a guitar, surrounded by friends. Next to him is Charmian Clift, an Australian writer whose novels Peel Me A Lotus and Mermaid Singing chronicled the lives of the expat creatives who had then converged on Hydra. Another photo shows Cohen, Clift and Ihlen fresh from swimming at one of the island's pebbly beaches. Douskos is still operating and its owners indulge visitors who want to sit next to 'Leonard's tree' as they peruse a menu that features a poem of Cohen's written in 1967: 'They are still singing down at Dusko's/sitting under the ancient pine tree … ' Douskos is on the itinerary of local walking tours focusing on Hydra's literary and artistic heritage. It is also a mainstay for the Cohen fans who organise an annual gathering on the island. This includes concerts by tribute bands and it draws people from across the world – including many from Ireland – a testament to the wide and enduring appeal of his music. Hydra town, and its horseshoe-shaped port. Photograph: iStock In 2016, the mayor of Hydra, George Koukoudakis, decided to name the alleyway that leads to the house after Cohen In 2017, these fans got permission from the Historical Office in Athens to install a stone and wood bench overlooking the Aegean in Cohen's honour. His lyrics 'I came so far for beauty … ' along with the Greek translation are painted on the wooden backrest. Located on a cliffside road that connects Hydra's main town to Kamini beach, it's a favourite sunset viewing spot for both locals and visitors. In recent years, there have been signs of attempts to cash in on the Cohen connection that have dismayed some locals and visiting fans. Canvas tote bags emblazoned with lyrics from some of Cohen's best-known songs can be found in the port-side souvenir shops that cater for the hundreds of day-trippers disgorged each morning by ferries coming from Piraeus. A boutique on the quay is named Everybody Knows, the title of a track from Cohen's 1988 album I'm Your Man. 'It can be quite tasteless,' says one resident who is a friend of Cohen's children. 'I'm not sure who is actually buying those bags.' [ Leonard Cohen and Ireland: he saved the last dance for us Opens in new window ] Mayor Koukoudakis maintains that Hydra will always escape the excesses of mass tourism because it is car-free and new construction is banned but many locals and long-time visitors fret that the island risks losing, in other ways, what makes it unique. They have seen spikes of Leonard Cohen-related tourism in recent years coinciding with Nick Broomfield's 2019 documentary Marianne & Leonard: Words of Love and So Long, Marianne, a jointly produced Norwegian-Canadian eight-part drama series streamed on several platforms last year. The latter, which was lushly filmed in Hydra, seems to have introduced Cohen – and the island – to a whole new generation, according to locals. During my recent trip, I met a visiting Norwegian couple who told me the series had proved a hit in Ihlen's home country. It turned out that the woman had been a palliative nurse for Ihlen's former husband – the man she left for Cohen – Norwegian novelist Axel Jensen, when he lay dying in Norway in 2003. In Hydra, so many have a story related to Leonard Cohen.
Scoop
2 days ago
- Scoop
As War Rages On In Ukraine, Organised Crime Is Taking New Forms
Since February 2022, both legal and illegal economies in Ukraine have been severely disrupted by the war. The report examines the evolution of organised crime structures in the country and focuses on six distinct areas: drug trafficking and production, online scams and fraud, arms trafficking, economic crime, trafficking in persons, and the facilitation of illegal exit and draft evasion. 'The war has not only inflicted untold suffering on the Ukrainian people, but has also triggered a marked evolution in organised crime – which can have profound implications for the country's journey towards recovery and reconstruction,' said Angela Me, Chief of Research and Analysis at UNODC. Drug trafficking While the trafficking of cocaine and heroin through Ukraine has decreased drastically since 2022, the production and trafficking of synthetic drugs such as cathinones and methadone have increased. The expansion of cathinone trafficking in recent years has been facilitated by the darknet, notably through market platforms such as Hydra, which was dismantled in April 2022. Regarding methadone, the report noted that most of the Ukrainian production is trafficked within the country and not abroad, as domestic demand for the drug is on the rise. Arms trafficking The war has also increased the availability of weapons in the country, notably due to a massive influx of arms from the battlefield. This surplus is resulting in a rise in arms seizures and violence among civilians, marked notably by an increase in domestic and intimate partner violence. Although there is no evidence to suggest large-scale arms trafficking outside Ukraine, UNODC highlighted the importance of monitoring the situation in light of the sheer number of weapons available and the historic regional presence of criminal actors specialising in arms trafficking. While there is, as of now, no evidence of drones being used in a non-military context, civilian drones and 3D-printed components for frontline attacks could fuel new illicit markets, the report found. Trafficking in persons As roughly 14 million people have been displaced by the war, some criminal groups have exploited these populations by luring them into shelters or accommodations disguised as humanitarian assistance providers, where they are subjected to forced labour. While intensified patrolling of the borders, paired with the near-complete closure of the eastern and north-eastern borders, has limited the smuggling of migrants through Ukraine, traffickers have instead turned to facilitating draft evasion by Ukrainian men. 'Curtailing organised crime is a key requirement for achieving sustainable peace, justice, national security and the protection of human rights,' said Matthias Schmale, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine, as the global body stands ready to support the country in this critical work.
The Star
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Star
Get ready to party this weekend
IN the second half of the year, there is no shortage of great music playing at the various nightlife venues in the Klang Valley and beyond. Here are some of the options for music fans who want to have a blast after dark. MANDOLIN 72,37, LG 2, Block C, Jaya One Jalan Profesor Diraja Ungku Aziz Petaling Jaya Tel: 012-366 1839 Mandolin, a stalwart of the PJ nightlife scene, has a sister outlet in Jaya One, delivering live music from Thursdays to Sundays. Tonight, Chemistry is in the house while tomorrow night, Take 5 will get the party started. Veteran rocker Sharin is back at On Line Pub on Saturday, ready to bring the Temple of Rock to life. On Sunday night, Lucille takes the stage with DJ Manoj. Next Thursday, the Staneo trio will get into the groove. ON LINE PUB 32, Jalan SS20/10 Damansara Kim, PJ Tel: 011-3612 5543 The Temple of Rock is back with more fun for rock music fans. On Wednesdays, the Rockwell duo take the stage, while on Thursdays, Jeremy Danker sings out strong. On Friday nights, The Voltage gets into gear while Saturday nights see veteran axeman Sharin with his band. Sundays are a bit more mellow, with the D'Constantly trio. DUA KL 5, Jalan Setiapuspa Medan Damansara KL Tel: 019-524 2011 Dua KL is a live music venue that brings out talented musicians after dark. Tonight, Ae$ix brings some rock, pop and country to the stage while on Saturday, Ronnie is in the house to pay tribute to Abba. On Sunday, the Junqo Objektif will deliver a night of pop reimagined. ROCKAFELLERS PJ G.001, The Square, Jaya One Jalan Profesor Diraja Ungku Aziz PJ Tel: 019-207 5211 Rockafellers PJ is one of several great chill-out spots with a good selection of live sports on screen and live music. Hard rockers Hydra are back to take the stage by storm. Join them at Rockafellers PJ this Sunday. This Sunday, rock fans are in for a treat when the near-legendary Hydra turns up the volume to eleven. MERDEKARYA 352 (Annexe), Jalan 5/57 Petaling Garden, PJ Tel: 018-661 4553 Merdekarya has been at the forefront of promoting the indie scene. Tomorrow night, the outlet is closed for a private event but on Tuesday, it's time to put on your dancing shoes for the Blues Dancing Socials. Next Thursday, head honcho Brian Gomez is in the house with his blend of folk rock. Next Friday, Arq is on stage with some new wave-influenced rock. Next Saturday, the Rootnotes is presenting four up-and-coming artists: The Junctions, Manny Magpie, Sarah Sharkfins and Utterly Delyrious. Tickets are available at RM40. No cover charge, except where noted, but a minimum tip of RM10 for the musicians is expected. JAO TIM 61 Jalan Sultan, KL Tel: 03-2022 3897 Website: An elegant venue in the heart of the city, Jao Tim has something for everyone. Tonight, it's a Tribute to Clairo featuring Zoe Tan. Tomorrow night, Helloluqman and the 3005 Cru (featuring Sachie Amira) present a night of Disney D-Sides, Amplified. Crooner Sharizan Borhan is on stage at Bobo KL tonight and tomorrow night. Next Thursday, David Soh, Odelia and Melvin Goh are in the house for a table lamp concert focusing on the 1990s. Next Friday, Ronnie will be in the house running through some of Billboard's hottest hits from the 2010s. Cover charges apply; tickets are available from its website. BOBO KL 65-2, Jalan Bangkung Bangsar, KL Tel: 012-683 8603 Website: Tonight and tomorrow night, evergreen crooner Sharizan Borhan is in the house with his 'Never Gonna Give You Up' show. Next Thursday, one of the nation's foremost musical families, the Solianos, take to the stage with Mimpiku Selamanya, celebrating 100 years of Alfonso Soliano. Next Saturday, Alesia and the Tequila Tonics are in the house with all things 1970s. Cover charges apply. SIMPLY JAZZ by Tin Box 28 & 29 Block C5, Level G3 Publika, Solaris Dutamas, KL Website: Veteran pianoman Michael Veerapen sets the direction at this jazz venue. Tonight, Joshua Gui takes to the stage while tomorrow night, Jessica Teh is in the house to lend her vocals to the night. SWIG @ MEGAH 3A Jln S24/11 Taman Megah, PJ WhatsApp: 016-252 4199 Fancy a night of soul and R&B? If you do, head down to Swig@Megah where the Groove Messengers, featuring Mazlina and Zharif, take the stage. Tickets are priced at RM70 at the door (inclusive of welcome drink). ROCK BOTTOM BANGSAR 3 & 5, Jalan Telawi 2 Bangsar, KL Tel: 011-2729 2383 Set in the heart of Bangsar's Telawi commercial area, Rock Bottom Bangsar is a great place to kick back and chill after a long hard day of work. It's also a popular spot for football fans to catch the best of EPL live. There's plenty of musical action as well. A BAR ABOVE 145-1, Jalan SS2/24, PJ Tel: 016-387 6690 Another hidden gem in the heart of Petaling Jaya's SS2, A Bar Above plays host to some great music. Tonight, Six Sense is on stage to entertain. Tomorrow night, jam to the beat of the 1980s and 1990s with DJ Calvin. Every Monday, enjoy the vibes of the Extreme Duo on stage. BARUMBA PJ 7, Jalan 8/1E PJS 8, PJ Tel: 016-241 7560 Barumba delivers great music for PJ folk to enjoy without having to trek out to KL. On Tuesday nights, guitar virtuoso Sharin is in the house, while on Thursdays, Arab teams up with Aji to entertain the crowd. BATS Sunway Giza Jalan PJU 5/14, PJ Tel: 012-969 8557 Social media: A fun spot in the heart of Kota Damansara with a host of live acts. For the full list of musicians performing here, check out its social media page. ELLI ROCKS TTDI 26A First Floor Jalan Datuk Sulaiman, Taman Tun Dr Ismail, KL Tel: 011-3422 5566 Tonight, the Savanna Trio are in the house. Tomorrow night, Classic Edge take to the stage for a night of fun.
Time of India
03-07-2025
- Time of India
Hydra Sorcerer Leveling Guide—Diablo 4 Season 9 Build Explained
The Hydra Sorcerer build in Diablo 4 Season 9 has become a favorite of players who seek to deal great damage using area of effects, survivability, and interesting mechanics that are not very hard to grasp. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now This summon-focused build is a solid pick to progress efficiently in the early to mid-game because of Hydra's constant fire damage. It makes no difference whether you are an avid newbie or a veteran; Hydra Sorcerer is a sure way of working its way through the numerous Sanctuary challenges. In this guide, we will have a more detailed discussion on the primary skills, equipment choices, and leveling methods you must apply to become even more efficient than ever before in Season 9. Best Hydra Sorcerer Build for Diablo 4 Season 9 Leveling BEST Sorcerer Hydra Leveling Build & Endgame - Diablo 4 Season 9 Core Skills and Build Setup To get the most out of this build while leveling up, focus on these key skills: Primary Skill: Hydra (Core)—Your main damage dealer. Summon multi-headed, fire-breathing serpents that deal fire damage and roast enemies from a distance. Supporting Skills: Flame Shield—A quick lifesaver when you're surrounded or need a quick healing. Teleport—Essential for dodging danger and repositioning yourself quickly. Frost Nova—Freezes nearby enemies and makes them vulnerable to follow-up attacks. Fire Bolt (Enchantment)—Adds a passive burn damage that scales well with Hydra. Recommended Skill Progression As you are leveling up, this skill order works best: Unlock Hydra as early as possible, as it's your primary weapon. Improve the weapon by choosing upgrades that increase its duration and heads. Add Flame Shield and Teleport for better survivability. Unlock Frost Nova to freeze mobs and make them vulnerable. Use Fire Bolt as an enchantment slot for boosting burn damage. Gear and stats to prioritize During leveling, aim for gear that boosts: Items that boost Hydra skill ranks Cooldown Reduction to use abilities more often Fire damage or burning damage bonus Resource Generation/Cost Reduction for better flow Legendary aspects to look out for include Aspect of the Burning Serpent—Makes the Hydra burn more effectively. Serpentine aspect—Lets you summon an extra Hydra. Leveling tips Stick to small areas with dense enemies for better and faster XP. Use Frost Nova to group up and freeze mobs, then drop Hydras. Complete dungeons and side quests that grant the skill points and extra potion upgrades. Visit the blacksmith regularly to upgrade your weapons and stay ahead. In Diablo 4 Season 9, the Hydra Sorcerer is a very versatile and potent builder in leveling. Its area of effect damage is high, and it has defensive capabilities, but it can be scaled easily with gear, so it is very smooth, whether you are in the early game or a regular player. Using this guide and paying attention to central skills improvement and equipment, it is possible to maximize time in Sanctuary and be ready to experience further content comfortably.
The Hill
01-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
A World War II Allied bombing raid holds lessons for the B-2 attacks on Iran
Even without knowing exactly what the U.S. military mission named 'Operation Midnight Hammer' did to the underground Iranian nuclear facilities, Trump and Republicans are triumphantly spiking the ball in the end zone: 'total obliteration,' 'effectively destroyed Iran's nuclear program.' For them, there is no fog of war, no unknown unknowns and only 20/20 clarity into the bomb damage. The American people could understandably conclude from these euphoric assessments that Operation Midnight Hammer was 'one and done.' But wars don't work that way — ask Vladimir Putin, who expected to be in Kyiv more than three years ago. Or consider an Allied bombing raid in World War II that was called 'Operation Hydra.' In early 1943, Allied intelligence confirmed that Nazi Germany was developing Vergeltungswaffen, 'vengeance' weapons, including the V-2 long-range rocket, at Peenemünde on the Baltic Sea. The Hydra plan to destroy Peenemünde was as skillfully conceived and executed as Operation Midnight Hammer. On the night of Aug. 17 to 18, 600 British bombers approached Peenemünde in bright moonlight, the better for accuracy. Similar to Midnight Hammer, Hydra involved a diversionary air operation which, by the time the bombers neared the target, had drawn away German fighter planes. The heaviest German antiaircraft defenses had been previously withdrawn from Peenemünde on Hitler's orders. Conditions were ideal. The British bombers dropped 3 million pounds of explosives on Peenemünde — nearly eight times the explosives dropped by the B-2 bombers on Iran's nuclear sites — plus huge quantities of incendiary bombs. The rocket site, whose below-surface facilities were not remotely as deep as the Fordo site in Iran, was enveloped in a sea of flames. Hundreds of people, including key German rocket engineers, were killed. The next day, the American Eighth Air Force followed up with another bombing of Peenemünde. Newspaper headlines reported that Peenemünde had been 'blasted,' that the 'most extensive damage' had been done and that a large number of highly skilled, 'irreplaceable' workers had been killed. In fact, Germany ad anticipated an attack and had moved the most vital equipment and the production drawings to another location. Even though Hydra was a devastating raid, research and development resumed within months at Peenemünde. In 1944, despite more Allied raids on the rocket site, thousands of V-2s began raining down on Allied cities, killing almost 3,000 people in London alone. Propeller engine bombers are hardly in the same league as the B-2, and World War II was a vastly different war than the American-Israeli conflict with Iran. But Operation Hydra illustrated how Nazi Germany, even as it was losing the war, successfully marshaled its resources and ingenuity to develop, shield from bombers and ultimately deploy a devastating weapon. Iran is suspected of having moved its highly enriched uranium away from the targeted nuclear facilities, and the head of the U.N.'s nuclear monitoring agency recently suggested that Iran could resume enrichment in months. Vali Nasr, one of America's foremost scholars of Iranian politics, pointed out that Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been waging a patient, long-term struggle against the U.S. — he is not about to capitulate, because he believes Iran is fighting for survival. With whatever enriched uranium and nuclear facilities survived, he may seek to acquire a nuclear weapon. The Iranian playbook appears to follow the Taliban adage that the Americans 'may have the watches, but we've got the time.' This is the Middle East, where it is never 'one and done.' Gregory J. Wallance was a federal prosecutor in the Carter and Reagan administrations and a member of the ABSCAM prosecution team, which convicted a U.S. senator and six representatives of bribery. He is the author of 'Into Siberia: George Kennan's Epic Journey Through the Brutal, Frozen Heart of Russia.'
