Latest news with #NicholasEvans
The Star
17 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Star
Chinese culture show offers immersive experience at Botswana secondary school
GABORONE, July 29 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese culture show was performed on Tuesday at a secondary school with an international enrolment in Gaborone, the capital of Botswana, to offer an immersive journey and highlight the beauty of cultural exchanges. Organized by Maru-a-Pula School, the Chinese Embassy in Botswana, and the Confucius Institute at the University of Botswana (CIUB), the event featured various cultural activities, including traditional Chinese music, calligraphy, martial arts performances, and language lessons. Students actively participated in hands-on activities such as calligraphy, chopstick challenges, martial arts demonstrations, and even naming their favorite Chinese dishes in Chinese. A standout moment came when CIUB instructors performed a traditional Botswana song in the local language. Delivering welcoming remarks, Nicholas Evans, principal of Maru-a-Pula School, emphasized the event's significance in fostering friendship, mutual understanding, and cultural exchange. "This celebration is more than just a showcase; it is a bridge connecting China and Botswana," he said, noting that the strong bilateral relationship between Botswana and China is built on mutual respect, cooperation, and cultural exchange. Cui Yin, counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Botswana, attended the event, along with the school teachers and students.
Miami Herald
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
US Sends Advanced F-15 Jets To Frontline Air Base Near China
The United States has sent advanced versions of the F-15 fighter jet to Kadena Air Base in Japan as part of efforts to respond to China's growing threat. The U.S. Air Force's 18th Wing-the host unit at Kadena-confirmed the arrival of the F-15EX jets, saying they were there to "conduct integration and familiarization training." Newsweek has reached out to the Chinese Defense Ministry for comment via email. Kadena Air Base is a U.S. air power hub located on Okinawa Island in Japan's southwestern waters. It forms part of the First Island Chain under a U.S. containment strategy aimed at restricting China's military activities across the Western Pacific Ocean in the event of war. As the closest U.S. air base to Taiwan-the self-ruled island that China has threatened to take by force-the Pentagon plans to replace Kadena's 48 F-15C/D fighter jets with 36 newer F-15EX jets, which are capable of carrying more air-to-air missiles. According to photos shared by a Japanese aircraft spotter on X (formerly Twitter) and a report by Japanese media, a group of four U.S. Air Force fighter jets comprising a pair of F-15EX jets, an F-15E jet and an F-16C jet-arrived at Kadena Air Base on Saturday. In a press release issued the same day, the 18th Wing said the F-15EX jets-assigned to Eglin Air Force Base in Florida-will help prepare Kadena Air Base personnel for the deployment of the advanced combat aircraft in spring 2026. The visit marked a milestone in the Pentagon's effort to modernize U.S. air power in the region and deter evolving threats, as it provided pilots and maintainers the opportunity to train in the environment where they will operate the aircraft, according to the 18th Wing. The F-15EX aircraft will ensure Kadena Air Base "remains postured to address the dynamic security environment in the Indo-Pacific region," as they are equipped with advanced avionics and weapon systems, as well as expanded capabilities, the Japan-based unit explained. The specialist outlet The War Zone reported in late June that Kadena Air Base is expected to host two squadrons of F-15EX jets, each operating 18 aircraft. However, that number could increase to 21, as the U.S. Air Force has requested an expansion of the total fleet size. While Kadena's fighter jet fleet transitions from the F-15C/D to the F-15EX, the western Pacific base will maintain a steady presence of fighter aircraft through rotational deployments of fourth- and fifth-generation jets, including the F-15E and the stealthy F-35A. The U.S. Air Force 18th Wing said in a press release on Saturday: "The 18th Wing remains steadfast in its mission to provide credible combat airpower to deter regional aggression, assure allies and partners, and, if necessary, defend Japan." U.S. Air Force Brigadier General Nicholas Evans, commander of the 18th Wing, said in a press release on Saturday: "This [F-15EX] visit ensures we can seamlessly integrate the aircraft into our mission sets and maintain the airpower advantages needed in this region." It remains to be seen whether the U.S. will accelerate the deployment of F-15EX jets at Kadena as China rapidly modernizes its air power with advanced fighter aircraft. Related Articles Iran's Army Makes New Threat: "War for 10 Years"Clashes Kill Dozens in America's Newest Friend in the Middle EastIran and China Challenge US as Alliance GrowsNorth Korea Warns US Over Strategic Bombers Near Airspace 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
Daily Mail
07-07-2025
- Daily Mail
How another unsuspecting family was almost destroyed by a toxic meal: Award-winning author accidentally poisoned his relatives with foraged mushrooms
Erin Patterson 's conviction for poisoning her estranged husband's relatives with deadly mushrooms over lunch has sent shockwaves around the world - but it's not the first time a family has been forever changed by a toxic meal. When author Nicholas Evans accidentally poisoned his family by unknowingly feeding them deadly mushrooms for lunch, it read like a plot from one of his novels. The acclaimed writer of The Horse Whisperer, who died from a heart attack in 2022, was staying at his brother-in-law's 13,000-acre estate Altyre House in Scotland in the summer of 2008, when he decided to pick a crop of mushrooms to rustle up a meal. Having eaten wild mushrooms for many years, Evans believed they were chanterelles and ceps, or porcini - prized for their flavour, and, importantly, not poisonous. Unknowingly, he had in fact fed his family an almost-identical species called Cortinarius speciosissimus, commonly known as deadly webcap - with repercussions that would last for the rest of their lives. As Patterson is finally found guilty for poisoning her family members with deadly mushrooms hidden in a beef Wellington in Victoria, Australia, Evans's unwitting error which had disastrous consequences for his family is thrust back into the spotlight, 17 years later. Patterson was found guilty on Monday of murdering her parents-in-law Don and Gail Patterson and her husband's aunt Heather Wilkinson, and attempting to murder Heather's husband Ian Wilkinson. The three died after they ate beef Wellingtons made with lethal amanita phalloides 'death cap' mushrooms, while Mr Wilkinson survived after weeks of agony in hospital as doctors fought to save his life. Unlike Erin, however, Evans's own encounter with the deadly powers of mushrooms was completely accidental. The day after unknowingly eating the toxic meal, he, his wife Charlotte Gordon-Cumming, brother-in-law Sir Alastair Gordon-Cumming and sister-in-law Lady Louisa were all left in hospital and on dialysis. In the years that followed, all but Lady Louisa required a kidney transplant. Speaking to the Daily Mail in 2010, he recalled the harrowing events of August 23, 2008 on which he nearly killed his family. 'I took the mushrooms back to the house, showed them around and the general comment was, 'Fantastic!',' he said 'So I cut them up and cooked them in butter and parsley. The four adults ate them sitting outside. They tasted slightly bitter but Alastair and I had lots, the two women not so many. Luckily none of the four children present wanted to try the mushrooms - and doctors told them if they had, the mushrooms would have killed them. Charlotte, meanwhile, had the previous day broken her ankle while playing football with her young son and was in so much pain that she could barely eat. Richard said: 'I am naturally a very cautious person and always on the look-out for danger. I have picked mushrooms for years and, if I am the slightest bit unsure, always carefully check in at least one book. 'There was a book in the kitchen but – tragically – we never consulted it. It was a momentary suspension of doubt.' 'After lunch I went for an hour's run, losing myself in the beautiful countryside, followed by a swim in the river.' With Cortinarius speciosissimus poisonings, kidney damage begins quickly and urgent treatment is vital to prevent renal failure. But symptoms often do not appear for several days at a time and sometimes, for up to two weeks. The next morning, Nick felt fine, but Alastair and Charlotte began vomiting and suffering from diarrhoea. By the afternoon, Nick was also feeling unwell and, realising it was likely something they'd eaten, picked out some of the mushrooms from the bin. He said: 'I looked them up in the book. There it was, a perfect match to the one in my hand and labelled 'deadly poisonous'. Nick rang the botanical gardens in Edinburgh, who told him to seek urgent medical help. When the GP arrived, they were sent to Dr Gray's Hospital in Elgin, and the next morning were transferred to Aberdeen's Royal Infirmary. There, they were put on dialysis and given doses of antioxidants. Nick himself was 'horrifically sick' and 'thought he was going to die', even asking his lawyer to bring him his will. Afterwards, all four adults suffered varying degrees of kidney damage, with Nick needing to endure five hours of kidney dialysis every other day just to stay alive while Charlotte needed dialysis for three hours, three times a week. He said: ''I do not pee at all. But I dream about it – wonderful peeing dreams when I think I am cured. When I wake up and find it isn't true it takes me a while to disbelieve it.' Nick and Charlotte's son Finlay, then six had to be looked after by Charlotte's stepmother, Sheila, as they weren't allowed to leave hospital for two weeks. Nick said: 'We told him we had food poisoning, but didn't say anything that would alarm him. It would have been too shocking for him to come and see us.' When they eventually returned home, Nick 'threw up every night until Christmas'. He also had to avoid foods containing a high amount of potassium - including bananas, coconuts, apricots and raisins - as this could kill him. He told the Mail he had to cut his liquid intake down, drinking no more than a litre a day, including soups and yoghurts, meaning he always felt 'very thirsty'. By the Spring he had lost two stone and weighed 11 stone. A year later, he was able to go skiing and could even start running again - an achievement that left him feeling 'euphoric', running four miles, three times a week. He was saved after nearly three years of been on a waiting list when his only daughter gave him one of her kidneys in a live donation. Evans, then 61, said his daughter's donation - which took place at Hammersmith Hospital - had given him his life back. Evans received a kidney from his then 29-year-old daughter, Lauren, because his heart was under strain from thrice-weekly dialysis. 'I was told that the average lifespan on dialysis is five to eight years,' he later recalled. 'I had done three and my heart was starting to cause trouble.' Until then he had been reluctant to be helped by his daughter, a zoologist, even though her blood group was a match to his. 'Your natural instinct is never to do anything to harm your kids, although statistics show there is only a tiny risk to the donor,' he explained. Lauren finally persuaded him to change his mind, and father and daughter woke up following surgery in adjoining beds at London's Hammersmith Hospital. 'It was marvellous,' Evans said. 'Gratitude is a completely inadequate word. It's like being blessed by an angel.' While Nick and Sir Alastair went on the NHS donor list, Charlotte explored alternative methods of medicine, including the Chinese qigong system, which focuses on posture, breathing and intention, and the Japanese healing practice reiki. But Charlotte, now 67, also received a kidney in 2012, thanks to the generosity of the mother of her son's best friend. She told the Mail, three months later: 'I think I look healthier now than I did before my poisoning. I've now got this 34-year-old kidney in me, so that's 20 years younger than me. 'The transplant went very smoothly. I was with my lovely donor, Serena. I was in hospital a week, which was pretty good going, and Serena was out in three days. It's uncomfortable and you're dealing with a large scar, but you wake up from it with a very positive feeling. Mainly, you just think, 'Wow, no more dialysis.'' She said: 'The dialysis was taking its toll. I nearly died twice. Serena recognised that. I said to her, 'I don't know if I'm going to see my son alive when he's 20.' Then she said that, completely unbeknown to me, she had gone off and had the tests.' Charlotte, who was Evans's second wife, had compared the dialysis - of which she needed for three hours at a time, three times a week - to being 'like a prison'. She said the poison had remained in her system for a 'year', meaning she was physically sick for eight months. These days, she is the founder of her own clothing label, House of Comyn, specialising in cuts and styles from the 1940s and 1950s, and made in England. While still listed as active on Companies House, the brand has not posted on any of its social media profiles since 2021. Previously, she was the director at Satya Productions for 16 years, a female-led production company based between London and Cornwall. The singer-songwriter has released a number of albums, including The Brave Songs in 2011, and Mindwalking in 2005. Sir Alastair's wife, Louisa, was also taken ill, although not as severely, having consumed fewer mushrooms and did not require a transplant. Sir Alastair had a transplant in June 2011, with a kidney from the NHS list, but it did not take. It's not known whether he had a successful transplant since, he is still playing an active role in Altyre Estate, even receiving an award from Princess Anne in 2021. Nicholas himself died in 2022 aged 72 following a heart attack. A statement released at the time, said: 'United Agents are very sad to announce the sudden death of the celebrated best-selling author Nicholas Evans who died suddenly on Tuesday this week following a heart attack, aged 72.' The Horse Whisperer, published in 1995, sold around 15 million copies worldwide and was the number one bestseller in 20 countries. He went on to write a further four novels - The Loop (1998), The Smoke Jumper (2001), The Divide (2005) and The Brave (2010). Prior to his death, when Nick asked if he thought there was an explanation for what had happened, he said: 'Charlotte sees it as a message to change us in some way, but I don't believe life is like that. 'I think it was a stupid accident, like reaching for a CD at the back of the car while you are driving and having a head-on crash. Absolutely stupid. But it has changed us profoundly and for the better. We don't take anything for granted.'
The Herald Scotland
10-05-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
US military parades 53 warplanes at Kedena AFB in Japan
"Working alongside our allies and partners, Kadena stands ready to project airpower throughout the region to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific," said Brig. Gen. Nicholas Evans, commander of the base's 18th Wing. Military exercises and other demonstrations like the one on Tuesday are routine and often conducted by large military powers, including the United States and its allies. More often than not, they are symbolic shows intended as a form of deterrence. The Indo-Pacific region has been in a state of high tension for more than a decade over U.S.-China relations, Taiwan and the disputed South China Sea. Why the 'war' games? China launches 'punishment' drills around Taiwan. Here's why Beijing says it's doing it Photographs released by the Air Force show fighter jets and large military aircraft in formation alongside helicopters and drones, with the two Patriot air defense missiles flanking either side of the expansive runway. Where is Kadena Air Base? Kadena Air Base is on the Japanese island of Okinawa, sandwiched between Japan and Taiwan in the East China Sea. Its proximity makes it the closest military outpost to Taiwan, a self-governed island allied to the U.S. China considers Taiwan to be a part of its territory and has vowed to pursue unification, including by force. The base is the largest U.S. outpost in the region, rivaled only by Camp Humphreys in South Korea. More: Elon Musk visits Pentagon as Trump administration denies he saw top secret China war plans What is an 'elephant walk'? 'Elephant walk' is an Air Force term for a close formation of aircraft taxiing en masse before takeoff, according to the U.S. Department of Defense. "An elephant walk like this sends a message you can't ignore--it shows our Airmen, allies, and adversaries that we're united, capable, and ready," said Chief Master Sgt. Brandon Wolfgang. "This kind of teamwork and presence is exactly how we maintain deterrence in the Indo-Pacific." Kathryn Palmer is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her at kapalmer@ and on X @KathrynPlmr.
The Sun
09-05-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
US military stages biggest EVER ‘elephant walk' with supersonic jets, helicopters & drones in show of force to China
THE US has staged its biggest military attack formation ever in the South China Sea region - showcasing supersonic stealth jets, attack helicopters and military drones. The show of power, dubbed "Elephant Walk", was formed using 53 US military aircraft and was put up in a display at the US military base in Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan. 8 8 8 Pictures of the formation, which was put up just 400miles off the coast of China, captured multiple US fighter jets in a tight formation. They were put behind advanced military choppers and were flanked by air defence systems on both sides. Attack drones and naval aircraft were a part of the formation, while larger aircraft were staged behind the fighter jets' formation. The military spectacle featured a wide array of advanced military aircraft, including 24 US Air Force F-35As, eight U.S. Air Force F-15Es, six HH-60 Jolly Green IIs choppers. Two MQ-9 Reapers, two MC-130J Commando IIS and six KC-135 Stratotankers were also present. The formation was guarded by two US Army MIM-104 Patriot air defence systems. US military's 18th Wing Command Chief Master Sergeant Brandon Wolfgang said: An elephant walk like this sends a message you can't ignore—it shows our Airmen, allies, and adversaries that we're united, capable, and ready. Meanwhile, 18th Wing Commander Brigadier General Nicholas Evans said the Air Force's ability to 'project airpower' alongside its allies 'demonstrates our commitment to the alliance with Japan and to maintaining stability across the Indo-Pacific.' The military formation is understood to be one of the largest in recent history. In 2020, a 52-aircraft formation was put up for display at Hill Air Force Base in Utah. China's Taiwan invasion plan could trigger WW3 if US gets involved, expert warns It comes after a top US admiral has warned that China will soon be able to defeat the US in a war over Taiwan. The chilling warning comes amid fears that China is preparing for a full-scale invasion of the island as it masses warships and submarines. Commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command, Admiral Samuel Paparo, raised the alarm at the McCain Institute's annual Sedona Forum in Arizona on Friday. The admiral said that while the US would defeat China in a war over Taiwan now, it may soon lose its advantage, as reported by the Financial Times. Paparo said: 'The United States will prevail in the conflict as it stands now, with the force that we have right now.' But he added: 'Our trajectory on . . . really every force element that is salient is a bad trajectory.' China has ramped up its production of weapons including warships and submarines - and the US doesn't seem to be able to keep up. According to Paparo, for every 1.8 warships made in the US each year China builds an impressive six. 8 8 8 And for every 1.4 submarines made in the US, it builds two. The warning comes as China continues to expand its military exercises around Taiwan, as fears of an invasion mount. Paparo fuelled fears of an attack, saying that Beijing is rehearsing "the full spectrum of military operations" - from a direct invasion of the island to a naval blockade. This comes as Taiwan reported at least 19 Chinese warships as well as the large Shandong aircraft carrier patrolling nearby last month. When asked whether the US would support military intervention in Taiwan, he responded: 'A lesson in history is that people are always saying America will never get in a fight, but it's not the track record.' But if China continues to ramp up its weapons production the US may not be able to protect the island. Why does China want to invade Taiwan? TAIWAN insists it is an independent nation after splitting from mainland China amid civil war in 1949. But China claims Taiwan remains a part of its territory with which it must eventually be reunified - and has not ruled out the use of force to take the island and place it under Beijing's control. The island, which is roughly 100 miles from the coast of south-east China, sees itself as distinct from the Chinese mainland, with its own constitution and democratically-elected leaders. Taiwan sits in the so-called "first island chain", which includes a list of US-friendly territories that are crucial to Washington's foreign policy in the region. This also puts it in an ideal situation to slow a Chinese attack on the West. And with tensions between the two nations high, Taiwan is likely to aid China's enemy if it means keeping its independence. Taiwan's economy is another factor in China's desperation to reclaim the land. If China takes the island, it could be freer to project power in the western Pacific and rival the US, thanks to much of the world's electronics being made in Taiwan. This would allow Beijing to have control over an industry that drives the global economy. China insists that its intentions are peaceful, but President Xi Jinping has also used threats towards the small island nation. And China may have more weapons than previously thought. Google Maps images exposed China's secret submarine fleet back in April. The shocking pictures showed six nuke boats massed at a Chinese base. These included two of the deadly Type 091 submarines, two Type 093A and one chillingly unidentified submarine. The base - dubbed the First Submarine Base - is located 18km east of Qingdao in the Yellow Sea, meaning there's easy access to the East China Sea and the Sea of Japan. Australian independent naval analyst Alex Luck posted the shocking images to X. In the post, he said that five nuclear-powered subs seen on the base were conventionally armed. 8 8
