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Irish Times
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
Strange new worlds and a summer camp murder: YA reads for June
Skipshock: think jet lag turned up to 11. Moving quickly between worlds where time passes differently – shorter days for the poorer, exploited north; longer, luxurious ones for the wealthy south – means that salesmen's careers are short and brutal. 'We are twice as likely to be alcoholics, three times as likely to die by suicide, and infinitely more likely to disappear without anyone caring at all.' Moon has been a salesman for seven years, and time is running out. Enter Margo, 'a sixteen-year-old failed runaway with a watch and unsuitable clothing', whose train from Cork to Dublin suddenly transforms into something more old-fashioned and sinister. In an unfamiliar realm, where time races by far too quickly, she tries to figure out who she can trust. Moon, perhaps, but he's thinking about her not so much as a damsel in distress as a job – delivering her will net him the kind of payload that could help him retire, before the illness sinks its claws in any further. Caroline O'Donoghue's Skipshock (Walker, £14.99), the first in a new duology from the acclaimed author of both teen and adult fiction, is a thought-provoking look at inequality, time and borders, wrapped up in a delicious romantic adventure. Moon, a member of the Lunati, a people whose 'sacred caravan trails' were shut down by an oppressive regime, trusts neither those in power nor the revolutionary movement trying to overthrow them. [ Caroline O'Donoghue: If we had carried on living together, we would have had no friends left Opens in new window ] Margo, emotionally troubled but from relative privilege, takes a while to realise that not having 'done anything wrong' doesn't matter in these new circumstances, that she is 'in effect, an illegal immigrant' here. Their different perspectives invite a certain level of political commentary, and there are some clear parallels with our own world, but O'Donoghue is careful not to sacrifice story, or to reduce complex situations to simple binaries. Thoroughly enjoyable and intelligent. READ MORE 'We had been placed in a biodome with a diameter of about ten kilometres, and a circumference of thirty-two. You could walk all the way around in six or seven hours. Why had we been put here? No idea, though of course we had theories.' Xavier is 13 when 'they', unseen aliens or other forces, kidnap his family from a peaceful rural getaway. He has been living in the dome with his father, stepmother and baby brother for three years – farming, foraging, and clinging to his battered phone as the one last link to his brother, mom, and civilisation as he knew it – when a new family arrives. Having accepted 'there's no point wishing for the impossible', his hopes rise all over again when patriarch Riley, more than a little fond of conspiracy theories and guns, begins planning their escape. Kenneth Oppel. Photograph: Mark Raynes Roberts The prolific Canadian author Kenneth Oppel is on form with his latest, Best of All Worlds (Guppy, £14.99), a quietly tense thriller about imprisonment versus freedom, and individual rights versus communal responsibility. Have Xavier's family been wise or foolish to simply accept their lot? 'They put a bubble over your head, you stay put. They put a hoe in your hand, you farm. Three years, you've been doing exactly what they want,' Riley laments. Even if their captors are benevolent, is compliance the best way forward? Is there a touch of Dr Pangloss in Xavier's own father? There's much to discuss in this smart, engaging book. Meg Grehan Irish verse novelist Meg Grehan returns to the characters of her award-winning The Deepest Breath in The Brightest Star (Little Island, £8.99), which sees best friends Stevie, Chloe and Andrew start secondary school. Stevie is still battling anxiety, with the help of her mum and therapist, but she's also very clear on who she is – a girl who loves space and learning and Chloe, who makes her feel 'fizzy and warm and lovely', even if they're not quite ready for hand-holding just yet. (The innocence of this is an important reminder of how LGBTQ+ content in young people's literature is not inherently 'adult'; let's hear it for representing all kinds of swoony first crushes.) Finding a supportive community at their new school through the Rainbow Club is just as sparkling and hopeful for Stevie – 'The potential / In the air / Is so potent / So palpable / So delicious' – but Andrew, given his own voice in this volume, distances himself for reasons he can't quite articulate or admit. This earnest, tender book is a warm hug for young readers. 'When someone you love dies, people give you about a month. In that month, if you cry, they know exactly why you are crying. But after that, whenever you're sad they ask you why. Expecting a different reason than the one before. As if your grief is past its expiry date. As if your grief was a yoghurt.' It's been several months since Nadia lost her best friend, Lizzy, to cancer, and it still weighs heavily on her. There's a list of things Lizzy wanted her to do, including 'get PJs signed by godlike pop star', but Nadia's fallen behind. Getting through the day is hard enough. When her aunt intervenes, sending her on a transatlantic flight to attend a pop concert, it's the beginning of a life-changing road trip that includes – inevitably – a cute boy, Fran, who may have his own demons, but is also up for an adventure. Jacqueline Silvester Jacqueline Silvester's The Last Wish List (Simon & Schuster, £8.99) is a sweet summer rom-com that provides both familiar tropes and a few unexpected swerves. Of particular note is the handling of Nadia's Russian heritage, with parents who 'think mental health is an expression made up by western marketing companies'; it's a vital reminder that the good-to-talk 'awareness' campaigns land differently depending on cultural background. Ava Eldred Finally, Ava Eldred's second novel, Exit Stage Death (UCLan Publishing, £8.99), is an immensely entertaining murder mystery set at a musical theatre summer camp (this reviewer was sucked in immediately by the premise, but recognises that there are some readers who will not be quite as delighted with all the musical references). Livi's in her final year at Camp Chance, determined to be the lead in the showcase and convince her parents to get on board with drama school; she brilliantly captures 'the feelings of atoms shifting' as she enters this intense summer world. With many of her old camp friends now sitting exams, she pushes herself to make new pals and to smash it in rehearsals – until a dead body appears. The police rule it a tragic accident, but Livi knows better, and has a sinister note from the killer to prove it. 'You're in the middle of your own murder mystery now, but the rest is still to be written. You have until the end of camp to find me, or she won't be the only one.' Eldred pulls off this implausible concept with aplomb, letting her teenage characters continue to be concerned with the everyday – who's getting the lead? Who's kissing whom? Will Livi's last summer of joy and theatre be ruined by all this murder business? – while they work together to solve the crime. The use of stage directions in lieu of the more typical italicised killer-monologue is particularly well done, and a final reveal invites rereading.
CBC
3 days ago
- Business
- CBC
Carney and Trump hold private tariff talks
At Issue this week: Sources tell CBC/Radio-Canada that Carney and Trump have shared private calls and texts about tariffs. Premiers pitch their infrastructure projects to the prime minister. And does a new border security bill go too far?
The Sun
15-05-2025
- General
- The Sun
I was so fed up of pulling out weeds in my garden – a £6 buy stopped them growing in the first place & improves my soil
A GARDENING expert has revealed how to drastically reduce the time spent trying to get rid of weeds. Pollyanna Wilkinson shared her must-try tips for thriving borders without hours of work. 3 3 Wilkinson spoke about managing weeds with Jojo Barr in an episode of their podcast The Ins & Outs. The conversation began when listener Tiff complained about the amount of time spent working on her garden. 'We recently bought a house and have inherited a large garden with well-established borders and a south-facing garden next to a field,' Tiff said. 'The garden brings me endless joy and I love nothing more than filling my house with lots of gorgeous flowers all year round, very lucky. 'However, all my husband and I seem to do is weed and repeat. 'Any top tips for keeping weeds at bay, is wood chip any good or is it just a matter of keeping on hoeing?' Wilkinson said all of her clients hate weeding but it's impossible to avoid the tedious task. She revealed there are two effective ways to minimise how often it must be done. New borders will have more weeds than 'very established' ones because of the way weeds germinate. 1. Fill your borders 'The number one thing I say is just to make sure there are enough plants in your borders so the weeds don't have enough space to thrive,' she said. 'It drives me wild, you just can't get rid of it' pro gardener reveals the nightmare weed every UK home is at risk of 'A lot of people make the mistake of having quite gappy borders and then basically you've just got a soil bed sat there waiting for weeds to seed into them 'You can also look at having plenty of ground cover as well. 'It's about choosing the right plants, you're not just choosing things that are rising out of the soil and the soil beneath is bare. 'Make sure you've got things like hardy geraniums or grasses or oh my gosh so many different things pachysandras, vincas and all sorts of ground covers to basically drown them out.' 2. Add mulch Wilkinson said the next step is having a 'nice, thick layer of mulch' to suppress the weeds by stopping the seeds from getting light. She advised against using wood chips in favour of using a material that's finely ground. 'I prefer to use something like mushroom compost as a mulch, or basically anything really nice and fine,' she said. 'We don't want the big chunky like play bark that you put in a kid's play area on your borders, that's not the dream. 'Think how long that's going to take to break down and add anything to the soil as well." Mushroom compost can be purchased from garden centres and online. Nick Hamilton owner of Barnsdale Gardens has shared his favourite plants and flowers you should consider adding to your garden, borders and pots. Tricyrtis A spectacular plant that gives a real exotic feel to any garden with its orchid-like, spotted flowers giving the impression that this plant should be tender but it is 'as tough as old boots!'. Penstemon I love this plants genus of because most will flower all summer and autumn. They'll grow in sun or semi-shade in a well drained soil and produce a non-stop display of tubular flowers in an array of colours and colour combination to suit all tastes. Luzula sylvatica 'Marginata' With the evergreen leaves edged with yellow it's great asset is that it will grow in sun or shade in any type of soil and is great as groundcover in the hardest spot to fill - dry shade. Eryngium x zabelii 'Big Blue' A stunning, nectar-rich plant that will feed the beneficial insects in your garden. Leave the flowerheads once they have turned brown because they look stunning with winter frost and snow, extending the plant's interest period. Sarcococca hookeriana 'Winter Gem' If you need winter scent then look no further than this compact, evergreen shrub. The scent is stunning and the evergreen leaves create an excellent backdrop for the summer flowers. Cornus sanguinea 'Anny's Winter Orange' A dwarf version of 'Midwinter Fire' the very colourful stems create a stunning winter display, particularly on sunny days. Rosa 'Noisette Carnee' A very well-behaved climbing rose that is perfect for training over an arch, pergola or gazebo. The small, 'noisette' flowers are blush-pink and produce the most amazing clove scent constantly from June to November. Sanguisorba hakusanensis 'Lilac Squirrel' I've never seen a squirrel with a drooping, shaggy lilac tail, but this variety will give your garden an unusual and different look throughout summer. It does need a moisture retentive soil but will grow in sun or semi-shade. Woodland Horticulture Mushroom Compost 60 Litres, for example, is £5.99 from Tates of Sussex Garden Centres. As for what mulch does, it "suppressed weeds, improves the soil, and helps with moisture level"s so there's a myriad of reasons to use it.". Wilkinson said many people use a membrane fabric to suppress weeds but they aren't a good option for plant borders because of how they rot. 'When you're trying to dig plants, if you're trying to put bulbs in a border it's an absolute nightmare,' she said. 'So, no I would much rather you do a nice thick layer of mulch than this cutting out of holes and putting things in.' 3
Washington Post
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
Trump's million-deportation goal appears inspired by an Eisenhower falsehood
'Did you like Dwight Eisenhower as a president? … He did this. He did this with over a million people, and it was actually very successfully done and a lot of people don't know that.' — Then-candidate Donald Trump, appearing on CBS's 60 Minutes, Sept. 27, 2015 'I have sent Congress a detailed funding request laying out exactly how we will eliminate these threats to protect our homeland and complete the largest deportation operation in American history, larger even than current record holder President Dwight D. Eisenhower, a moderate man, but someone who believed very strongly in borders.'
Daily Mail
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Coachload of newly arrived Channel migrants mock Starmer's immigration crackdown: On the same day he vowed to 'take back control' and stop UK becoming 'island of strangers'
More Channel boat arrivals were brought ashore today as Keir Starmer launched his latest bid to 'take back control' of Britain's borders. Amid calm conditions at sea, two Border Force vessels transferred groups to the Port of Dover in Kent. Jubilant men were pictured leaving by coach after going through the immigration processing centre at the Western Docks. It comes after about 200 migrants made the treacherous crossing yesterday, although official figures have not yet been released by the Government. As the events were unfolding in Kent, the PM was giving a speech in Downing Street condemning the scale of illegal and legal immigration in recent years. He admitted the sheer numbers and scale of abuses of the rules - plus the failure of politicians to make good on promises to tackle the issues - risked 'pulling the country apart'. As he scrambles to head off a poll surge by Reform, Sir Keir pledged to end the 'betrayal' of reliance on cheap foreign labour, saying degree-level qualifications should be needed for visas. But Home Office documents suggested that the package will only cut legal arrivals by around 100,000 a year. Net migration has been running at more than 700,000 annually. Nigel Farage dismissed the PM's moves as 'insincere' saying there will still be 'loopholes'. 'We are controlling the narrative. In terms of the rhetoric, it is follow my leader. They are following Reform on all of this,' he told GB News. 'But do they have the will to drive any of this through? I very much doubt it.' The White Paper today laid out plans for curbing legal migration, although Sir Keir spoke about borders more widely. The government said it will 'set out further reforms to the asylum system and to border security in response to irregular and illegal migration' later this year, on top of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill currently going through Parliament. Sir Keir accused the Tories of overseeing an explosion in numbers while in power, saying the system seemed 'designed to permit abuse' and was 'contributing to the forces that are slowly pulling our country apart'. He said he would give Brits what they had 'asked for time and time again' and 'significantly' reduce eye-watering immigration that has been inflicting 'incalculable damage'. In a pivotal moment, he also rejected the Treasury orthodoxy that high immigration drives growth - pointing out the economy has stagnated in recent years. Under the blueprint, skills thresholds will be hiked and rules on fluency in English toughened. Migrants will also be required to wait 10 years for citizenship rather than the current five, and face deportation for even lower-level crimes. However, doubts have been raised about whether the White Paper proposals will have a big enough impact - as it does not include any targets or the hard annual cap being demanded by critics. Sir Keir underlined his determination that the changes will mean 'migration numbers fall' but added: 'If we do need to take further steps... then mark my words we will.' He refused to guarantee that net migration will fall every year from now, saying: 'I do want to get it down by the end of this Parliament significantly.' The premier said: 'Let me put it this way, nations depend on rules, fair rules. 'Sometimes they're written down, often they're not, but either way, they give shape to our values, guide us towards our rights, of course, but also our responsibilities, the obligations we owe to each other. 'Now in a diverse nation like ours, and I celebrate that, these rules become even more important. 'Without them, we risk becoming an island of strangers, not a nation that walks forward together.' The ECHR and its Article 8 right to family life have been notably used by asylum seekers and foreign criminals to avoid deportation. The White Paper promised legislation to 'strengthen the public interest test to make it clear that Parliament needs to be able to control our country's borders and take back control over who comes to, and stays in the UK'. Asked at a press conference if going further on immigration would require 'disentangling ourselves' from the ECHR, Sir Keir said: 'No, I don't think that that is necessary. 'I also remind myself that the international agreements we've signed have given us the basis for the deals that we've struck on illegal migration. 'So the Home Secretary has moved fast, working with other countries to put in place materially improved deals with other countries in relation to migration that would not have been possible if we had been saying at the same time we're about to withdraw from our international obligations. 'You can't strike those deals with other countries to work more closely together on law enforcement, to smash the gangs and to work on returns agreements – which is what we want to do – if in the next breath, you'll say you don't believe in international law.' On Saturday 58 people in one boat were intercepted in the middle of the Dover Straits, according to the Home Office - the first to arrive in a week due to windy conditions at sea. That took the number so far this month to 500 in 11 boats and 11,576 in 210 dinghies so far in 2025. In his Westminster speech this morning, Sir Keir insisted the new proposals would mean 'migration numbers fall', adding: 'If we do need to take further steps then, mark my words, we will.' He refused to guarantee that net migration will fall every year from now, saying: 'I do want to get it down by the end of this Parliament significantly.' He went on to say: 'Let me put it this way, nations depend on rules, fair rules. 'Sometimes they're written down, often they're not, but either way, they give shape to our values, guide us towards our rights, of course, but also our responsibilities, the obligations we owe to each other. 'Now in a diverse nation like ours, and I celebrate that, these rules become even more important. 'Without them, we risk becoming an island of strangers, not a nation that walks forward together.' Home Office aides are said to fear that without deep-rooted reforms, annual net migration will settle even higher than the 340,000 level projected by the Office for National Statistics. There are concerns it will end up closer to 525,000 by 2028 - when the country will be preparing for a general election - because migrants are staying for longer than previously thought. The rate stood at 728,000 in the year to June last year. However, the Treasury has been resisting the most dramatic steps for fear of further damaging the ailing economy. Sir Keir promised the plan 'will finally take back control of our borders and close the book on a squalid chapter for our politics, our economy and our country'. He added: ''Take back control' - everyone knows that slogan, and everyone knows what it meant on immigration, or at least that's what people thought. 'Because what followed from the previous government, starting with the people who used that slogan, was the complete opposite. 'Between 2019 and 2023, even as they were going round our country, telling people with a straight face that they would get immigration down, net migration quadrupled, until in 2023 it reached nearly 1million. 'That's about the population of Birmingham, our second largest city. That's not control - it's chaos.' Sir Keir said the country had been suffering under a 'system that encourages businesses to bring in lower-paid workers, rather than invest in our young people'. He added: 'That is the Britain this broken system has created. Every area of the immigration system, including work, family and study, will be tightened up so we have more control. Enforcement will be tougher than ever and migration numbers will fall'. 'This is a clean break from the past and will ensure settlement in this country is a privilege that must be earned, not a right. 'And when people come to our country, they should also commit to integration and to learning our language. Lower net migration, higher skills and backing British workers – that is what this White Paper will deliver.' Sir Keir said the problems risked making Britain 'an island of strangers, not a nation that walks forward together'. He said: 'So when you have an immigration system that seems almost designed to permit abuse, that encourages some businesses to bring in lower paid workers rather than invest in our young people, or simply one that is sold by politicians to the British people on an entirely false premise, then you are not championing growth. 'You are not championing justice or however else people defend the status quo. You're actually contributing to the forces that are slowly pulling our country apart.' Under today's proposals, migrants will be required to spend a decade in the UK before they can apply for citizenship and will need to have a good grasp of English. The White Paper will also attempt to end the scandal of failed asylum seekers and foreign criminals using human rights laws to block deportation. Ministers are expected to change the law to constrain judges' interpretation of elements of the European Convention on Human Rights. The PM has insisted the government would be 'investing in British workers' The Home Office estimates that the package will bring down annual inflows by around 100,000 They will target Article 8, which protects the right to a family life and is often used by lawyers to block removal on spurious reasoning. However, ministers faced a backlash from the care sector yesterday, with a warning of possible collapse, after Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said she would ban recruiting from overseas, while demanding companies train British workers. Ms Cooper said the dedicated care worker visa will be ended, insisting firms can no longer rely on 'recruiting from abroad'. That measure together with returning the skills thresholds for work visas to degree level will cut visa numbers by 50,000 a year, she suggested. Employers will be encouraged to 'develop domestic training plans to boost British skills and recruitment levels' instead. Alongside legal migration, the government is also facing a massive challenge on Channel boats. More than 11,500 people have made the perilous crossing this year – a record level. The number of people claiming asylum climbed from 91,811 in 2023 to a new high of 108,138 last year. Today's announcement comes less than a fortnight after Reform UK surged to victory in local council elections across England, a result that deputy leader Richard Tice attributed to frustrations about the immigration system. Reacting to Sir Keir's speech, Mr Tice questioned whether the Prime Minister would 'actually deliver' - telling BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'There's no target, no number that can be measured against.' The Conservatives have said the Prime Minister is 'trying to take credit for recent substantial reductions in visa numbers that resulted from Conservative reforms in April 2024'. A Home Office spokesperson said: 'We all want to end dangerous small boat crossings, which threaten lives and undermine our border security. 'The people-smuggling gangs do not care if the vulnerable people they exploit live or die, as long as they pay and we will stop at nothing to dismantle their business models and bring them to justice. 'That is why this government has put together a serious plan to take down these networks at every stage. 'Through international intelligence sharing under our Border Security Command, enhanced enforcement operations in Northern France and tougher legislation in the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, we are strengthening international partnerships and boosting our ability to identify, disrupt, and dismantle criminal gangs whilst strengthening the security of our borders.'
