Latest news with #Manchurian
The Star
a day ago
- Politics
- The Star
Making nationalism scary again
THANKS are owed to Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump and – in a special mention – JD Vance: The aggressive nationalism and chaos these three men promote have made far-right populism scary again, swinging several recent elections, including Romania's presidential vote on May 18. That should be welcome news for anyone who recognises the potential damage a nationalist free-for-all can inflict. But make no mistake, without a radical transformation in their approach, this reprieve for traditional parties of the centre right and left will be short-lived. First, there was Canada, where Trump's trade wars and talk of turning the country into the 51st US state helped erase a commanding opinion poll lead for the country's Maga-lookalike Conservative Party. Then, on May 18, Bucharest's mayor and maths nerd Nicusor Dan scored an equally dramatic, come-from-behind victory to win Romania's presidency. He ran as a moderate independent against George Simion, a nationalist who also had nailed his colours to Trump's mast. Vance ruffled feathers in Romania earlier in 2025, when he used the country's annulment of a first-round presidential vote in November 2024 to accuse Europe of abandoning democracy. Vance dismissed the basis for that court decision – intelligence findings of a massive TikTok campaign organised and paid for by Russia – as 'flimsy'. But a raft of evidence has emerged to support the ruling. In Romania's case, the biggest shift driving the May 18 result was Putin's act of hybrid warfare. Russia's Manchurian candidate was banned from standing again. But when Simion won May's first-round rerun even more convincingly, his success prompted a backlash. Turnout soared for the run-off. Bucharest crowds willing Dan to his 54% to 46%victory chanted: 'Russia don't forget, Romania is not yours.' In fact, the vote may well have been swung by the huge increase in participation by voters in neighbouring Moldova, where more than one million people have dual Romanian citizenship. Simion and his Alliance for the Union of Romanians party cried foul, but so far without providing evidence. It is explanation enough that they were pledging to reunify Moldova with Romania and halt military aid to Ukraine. Both proposals pose existential threats to the small ex-Soviet state, one from the west and the other from the east. These are skin-of-the-teeth escapes for political elites who seem yet to have grasped the scale of the anger felt by voters who want genuine change. Warning lights were flashing this past weekend, too, in Portugal, where the ruling centre-right coalition increased the number of seats it controls in Parliament in the May 18 snap election. Yet it still failed to gain a majority and the day's bigger story was that the far-right Chega party surged to 23% of the vote, mainly at the expense of the centre-left socialists. The country's traditional two-party system now looks broken. There is a lesson here for all centrist parties, especially those on the left that have lost the trust of their traditional bedrock support among blue-collar workers. If they are to survive, these politicians must now be seen to deliver the fundamental change and economic improvement so many voters want. Managing and tinkering will not cut it. Poland shows the challenge. Former European Council president Donald Tusk and his Civic Platform party won back power from the populist Law and Justice Party in late 2023. But delivering on reform promises has proved tough, especially with a Law and Justice president still in office to block legislative change. On May 18, Warsaw's mayor and Tusk ally Rafal Trzaskowski emerged from a first-round presidential vote with a slender lead over his Law and Justice rival, according to exit polls. Strong showings from two other far-right candidates suggest an uphill struggle to win the run-off. Trzaskowski pledged to 'speed up changes'. There is a similar dynamic at play across Western democracies. It does not matter that Brexit has clearly failed to deliver on any of its promises in the United Kingdom, or that Trump and his administration at times resemble an out-of-control clown car as much as a government in office. The point is they are breaking things, which is what many voters want to see. And so long as Maga-like populists are the only ones offering radical change, they will probably be able to ride a growing tide of voter frustration. So yes, Trump and Putin's clumsy aggression is for now undercutting the credibility of their populist acolytes in Western democracies. Yet this respite will count for little if moderates cannot find ways to show they recognise the need for change, and effect it. That is admittedly a tall order. Improving productivity and healthcare, while still tackling climate change and halting Russian aggression in Europe, is infinitely harder than feeding anti-vax conspiracy theories and culture wars, or promising unaffordable handouts. But leaders who recognise the vast damage populist chaos can cause will have to be more bold. They need to pick fights, take risks and break some taboos of their own. Romania's new president, to name just one example, should use his meaningful, if limited, powers to launch a high-profile assault on corruption, forcing him into open warfare with the traditional parties that not only run the government and legislature, but also helped him win the run-off. This will require levels of political courage not yet on display. But it is probably also, at this point, a binary choice. If centrist politicians cannot address the fury so many voters feel over the failure of an era of unprecedented wealth creation and cultural change, then it is only a matter of time before those leaders are roadkill. – Bloomberg Opinion/TNS
Irish Independent
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
June bank holiday in Meath: Five fun things to do in the Royal County this weekend
A visit to Emerald Park Emerald Park in Ashbourne is always a perfect family destination, with over 45 rides and entertainment for all ages, however visitors might be more keen than ever to visit the park over the next few weeks to welcome a new addition to the diverse zoo. Emerald Park recently welcomed the arrival of a 13-year-old male Amur leopard called Manchurian, who joins resident Amur leopard, Freya. The park will also be holding it annual campaign on the bank holiday weekend, 'Love Your Zoo Week', with activities taking place both Saturday and Sunday. Activities on across the weekend include 'Wildlife Ally Workshops', which teaches people how to make bird boxes, feeders, and wildlife-friendly garden spaces. There will also be interactive zoo tours, talks, and a chance to track local pollinator species. Battle of the Boyne Living History Step back in time at the Battle of the Boyne Visitor Centre on Sunday and Monday from 11am to 4pm as Laoch Living History presents a 17th century military camp complete with blacksmiths, gunners, sutlers, monks, and soldiers. Costumed historian Tóla Collier will also hold a battlefield walk both days from 2pm to discuss tactics, strategy, geography, and personalities on the battlefield. Moynalty country music festival This one day festival offers performances from All Folked Up, The Highstool Prophets, The Whistlin' Donkeys, and Meadhbh Walsh and her band. ADVERTISEMENT The entrance fee is €35 and campers are welcome for the festival in the field at €20 per night, starting Saturday. There will be a full bar, food trucks, coffee dock and ice cream on site, for what promises to be a fantastic days entertainment in raising money for the local church. Blue Jean country Queen Festival Since 1987, the Blue Jean Country Queen Festival has been an annual staple organised by Macra. The event sees women from all around the country and abroad compete for a perpetual trophy and a golden sash. This year's event in Athboy includes live music from Rhythm and Sticks and The Fógues. The opening ceremony on Friday will be at The Darnley Lodge Hotel followed by a pub crawl through Athboy's main streets. Follow Independent Meath on Facebook EcoChic clothing swaps The first of the EcoChic Meath clothing swaps will be held on Saturday, May, 31 at 11am at Swift Cultural Centre in Trim. With clothing waste on the rise, this campaign aims to raise awareness on the impacts of clothing waste, and encourage sustainable alternatives. Visitors are encouraged to bring any unwanted clothing and swap it for something else. A maximum of 15 items can be swapped per person and tokens will be given based on what you bring, which can be used for swapping. All events are free to attend and aim to give participants awareness about the environmental impacts of their clothing choices and provide them with the tools and skills to be more sustainable.
Irish Independent
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
Five things to do in Meath this bank holiday weekend
A visit to Emerald Park Emerald Park in Ashbourne is always a perfect family destination, with over 45 rides and entertainment for all ages, however visitors might be more keen than ever to visit the park over the next few weeks to welcome a new addition to the diverse zoo. Emerald Park recently welcomed the arrival of a 13-year-old male Amur leopard called Manchurian, who joins resident Amur leopard, Freya. The park will also be holding it annual campaign on the bank holiday weekend, 'Love Your Zoo Week', with activities taking place both Saturday and Sunday. Activities on across the weekend include 'Wildlife Ally Workshops', which teaches people how to make bird boxes, feeders, and wildlife-friendly garden spaces. There will also be interactive zoo tours, talks, and a chance to track local pollinator species. Battle of the Boyne Living History Step back in time at the Battle of the Boyne Visitor Centre on Sunday and Monday from 11am to 4pm as Laoch Living History presents a 17th century military camp complete with blacksmiths, gunners, sutlers, monks, and soldiers. Costumed historian Tóla Collier will also hold a battlefield walk both days from 2pm to discuss tactics, strategy, geography, and personalities on the battlefield. Moynalty country music festival This one day festival offers performances from All Folked Up, The Highstool Prophets, The Whistlin' Donkeys, and Meadhbh Walsh and her band. The entrance fee is €35 and campers are welcome for the festival in the field at €20 per night, starting Saturday. There will be a full bar, food trucks, coffee dock and ice cream on site, for what promises to be a fantastic days entertainment in raising money for the local church. Blue Jean country Queen Festival Since 1987, the Blue Jean Country Queen Festival has been an annual staple organised by Macra. The event sees women from all around the country and abroad compete for a perpetual trophy and a golden sash. This year's event in Athboy includes live music from Rhythm and Sticks and The Fógues. The opening ceremony on Friday will be at The Darnley Lodge Hotel followed by a pub crawl through Athboy's main streets. EcoChic clothing swaps The first of the EcoChic Meath clothing swaps will be held on Saturday, May, 31 at 11am at Swift Cultural Centre in Trim. With clothing waste on the rise, this campaign aims to raise awareness on the impacts of clothing waste, and encourage sustainable alternatives. Visitors are encouraged to bring any unwanted clothing and swap it for something else. A maximum of 15 items can be swapped per person and tokens will be given based on what you bring, which can be used for swapping. All events are free to attend and aim to give participants awareness about the environmental impacts of their clothing choices and provide them with the tools and skills to be more sustainable.
Bloomberg
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Bloomberg
Russia and America Have Made Nationalism Scary Again
Thanks are owed to Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump and - in a special mention — JD Vance: The aggressive nationalism and chaos these three men promote have made far-right populism scary again, swinging several recent elections, including Romania's presidential vote on Sunday. That should be welcome news for anyone who recognizes the potential damage a nationalist free-for-all can inflict. But make no mistake, without a radical transformation in their approach, this reprieve for traditional parties of the center right and left will be short-lived. First there was Canada, where Trump's trade wars and talk of turning the country into a 51st US state helped erase a commanding opinion poll lead for the country's MAGA-look-alike Conservative party. Then, on Sunday, Bucharest's mayor and math nerd Nicusor Dan scored an equally dramatic, come-from-behind victory to win Romania's presidency. He ran as a moderate independent against George Simion, a nationalist who also had nailed his colors to Trump's mast. Vance ruffled feathers in Romania earlier this year, when he used the country's annulment of a first-round presidential vote in November to accuse Europe of abandoning democracy. Vance dismissed the basis for that court decision – intelligence findings of a massive TikTok campaign organized and paid for by Russia — as 'flimsy.' But as I wrote shortly before the May 4 rerun of the first round vote, a raft of evidence has emerged to support the ruling. In Romania's case, the biggest shift driving Sunday's result was Putin's act of hybrid warfare. Russia's Manchurian candidate was banned from standing again. But when Simion won this month's first round rerun even more convincingly, his success prompted a backlash. Turnout soared for the runoff. Bucharest crowds willing Dan to his 54% to 46% victory chanted: 'Russia don't forget, Romania is not yours.' In fact, the vote may well have been swung by the huge increase in participation by voters in neighboring Moldova, where more than 1 million people have dual Romanian citizenship. Simion and his Alliance for the Union of Romanians party cried foul, but so far without providing evidence. It's explanation enough that they were pledging to reunify Moldova with Romania and halt military aid to Ukraine. Both proposals pose existential threats to the small ex-Soviet state, one from the west and the other from the east. These are skin-of-the-teeth escapes for political elites who seem yet to have grasped the scale of the anger felt by voters who want genuine change. Warning lights were flashing this weekend, too, in Portugal, where the ruling center-right coalition increased the number of seats it controls in parliament in Sunday's snap election. Yet it still failed to gain a majority and the day's bigger story was that the far-right Chega party surged to 23% of the vote, mainly at the expense of the center-left socialists. The country's traditional two-party system now looks broken. There is a lesson here for all centrist parties, especially those on the left that have lost the trust of their traditional bedrock support among blue-collar workers. If they're to survive, these politicians must now be seen to deliver the fundamental change and economic improvement so many voters want. Managing and tinkering won't cut it. Poland shows the challenge. Former European Council President Donald Tusk and his Civic Platform party won back power from the populist Law & Justice Party in late 2023. But delivering on reform promises has proved tough, especially with a Law & Justice president still in office to block legislative change. On Sunday, Warsaw mayor and Tusk ally Rafal Trzaskowski emerged from a first-round presidential vote with a slender lead over his Law & Justice rival, according to exit polls. Strong showings from two other far right candidates suggest an uphill struggle to win the runoff. Trzaskowski pledged to 'speed up changes.' There's a similar dynamic at play across Western democracies. It doesn't matter that Brexit has clearly failed to deliver on any of its promises in the UK, or that Trump and his administration at times resemble an out-of-control clown car as much as a government in office. The point is they're breaking things, which is what many voters want to see. And so long as MAGA-like populists are the only ones offering radical change, they'll probably be able to ride a growing tide of voter frustration. So yes, Trump and Putin's clumsy aggression are for now undercutting the credibility of their populist acolytes in Western democracies. Yet this respite will count for little if moderates can't find ways to show they recognize the need for change, and effect it. That's admittedly a tall order. Improving productivity and health care, while still tackling climate change and halting Russian aggression in Europe is infinitely harder than feeding anti-vax conspiracy theories and culture wars, or promising unaffordable handouts. But leaders who recognize the vast damage populist chaos can cause will have to be more bold. They need to pick fights, take risks and break some taboos of their own. Romania's new president, to name just one example, should use his meaningful, if limited, powers to launch a high-profile assault on corruption, forcing him into open warfare with the traditional parties that not only run the government and legislature, but also helped him win the runoff.
Hans India
15-05-2025
- General
- Hans India
Corn Flour vs. Cornstarch: Essential Differences Every Home Cook Should Know
Although often confused due to their similar names and origin, corn flour and cornstarch serve distinctly different purposes in cooking. Understanding these differences can help home cooks choose the right ingredient for the right recipe, ensuring the desired flavour, texture, and consistency. What Is Corn Flour? Corn flour is made by grinding whole corn kernels into a fine powder. It retains the corn's natural flavour and colour, making it ideal for recipes where a rich, corn-like taste is desired. In Indian cuisine, dishes like makki di roti and corn pakoras frequently feature corn flour as a primary ingredient. It is also used in baking for making bread, cakes, and tortillas. What Is Cornstarch? Cornstarch, in contrast, is derived only from the starchy part of the corn kernel, known as the endosperm. This results in a white, ultra-fine powder with no flavour. Its primary function in the kitchen is as a thickening agent. It's commonly used to thicken sauces, soups, gravies, and desserts like custards and puddings. In Indo-Chinese dishes such as Manchurian or chilli paneer, cornstarch is crucial for giving sauces the right consistency. Key Differences Between Corn Flour and Cornstarch 1. Colour Corn Flour: Pale yellow Pale yellow Cornstarch: Bright white This visual distinction is clear when both are placed side by side. 2. Texture Corn Flour: Slightly coarse, similar to wheat flour Slightly coarse, similar to wheat flour Cornstarch: Extremely fine, akin to powdered sugar or baking powder 3. Flavour Corn Flour: Mildly sweet and earthy, retains corn's natural taste Mildly sweet and earthy, retains corn's natural taste Cornstarch: Neutral and flavourless 4. Culinary Uses Corn Flour: Best suited for baking and recipes that require a corn flavour, such as tortillas or muffins Best suited for baking and recipes that require a corn flavour, such as tortillas or muffins Cornstarch: Ideal for thickening liquids like gravies, soups, and desserts without altering their flavour Final Thoughts While both ingredients originate from corn, corn flour and cornstarch should not be used interchangeably. Their different textures, flavours, and culinary applications mean using the wrong one could change your dish's outcome entirely. Knowing when and how to use each is a valuable skill for any home cook.
