Latest news with #tents
Irish Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Irish Times
Israeli military preparing to move residents to southern Gaza, says spokesperson
Gaza residents will be provided with tents and other shelter equipment starting from Sunday before they are relocated from combat zones to 'safe' ones in the south of the enclave, the Israeli military said on Saturday. This comes days after Israel said it intended to launch a new offensive to seize control of northern Gaza City, the enclave's largest urban centre, in a plan that raised international alarm over the fate of the demolished strip, home to about 2.2 million people. Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Sunday said that before launching the offensive, the civilian population will be evacuated to what he described as 'safe zones' from Gaza City, which he called Hamas' last stronghold. The shelter equipment will be transferred via the Kerem Shalom crossing in southern Gaza by the United Nations and other international relief organisations after being inspected by defence ministry personnel, the military said. READ MORE The military declined to comment when asked whether the shelter equipment was intended for Gaza City's population estimated at around one million people presently, and whether the site to which they will be relocated in southern Gaza would be the area of Rafah, which borders Egypt. Israel's defence minister Israel Katz said on Saturday that the plans for the new offensive were still being formulated. However, Israeli forces have already increased operations on the outskirts of Gaza City over the past week. Residents in the neighbourhoods of Zeitorun and Shejaia have reported heavy Israeli aerial and tank fire which has destroyed many houses. The Israeli military on Friday said that it had begun a new operation in Zeitun to locate explosives, destroy tunnels and kill militants in the area. The war began when Hamas attacked southern Israel on October 7th, 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages, according to Israeli authorities and 20 of the remaining 50 hostages in Gaza are still alive. Israel's subsequent military assault against Hamas has killed more than 61,000 Palestinians, Gaza's health ministry says. It has also caused a hunger crisis, internally displaced most of Gaza's population and left much of the enclave in ruins. Protests calling for a hostage release and an end to the war were expected throughout Israel on Sunday, with many businesses and universities saying they will strike for the day. Negotiations to secure a US-backed 60-day ceasefire and hostage release ended in deadlock last month and mediators Egypt and Qatar have been trying to revive them. – Reuters
News.com.au
12-08-2025
- Politics
- News.com.au
Truth behind ‘filthy' sight Trump can't stand
It's an arresting site – and that's why Donald Trump wants it to end, right now. In Washington DC, in the shadow of immaculately kept embassies, close to government buildings and on neatly swept streets, are tents. Lots, and lots, of tents. There are tents on footpaths, in parks, even the manicured verges of Washington's motorways. Which is reportedly where the US president saw them on the way to play golf. And he wasn't pleased. The tents are a visual sign of the extent of homelessness in the capital. One of those homeless people, Nathaniel, has been setting up his part encampment part artwork in the ritzy neighbourhood of Georgetown for more than a decade. He told that police knew him but rarely moved him on. But now, Mr Trump wants Nathaniel, his tents, trolleys and various other ephemera gone. Mr Trump prefers ballrooms to tents. Last week he spruiked the building of a new White House entertaining space to show off to world leaders. It will sport all the trimmings a president – who likes a dash of gold – can muster. A scrappy tent, a windswept home for one, in sight of dignitaries just will not do. Homelessness, as well as crime, were the main justifications the US president gave on Monday for a sweeping increase in government control over Washington DC. The city's police will be taken over, the National Guard deployed and, possibly, the military too. However, it may only last for 30 days as beyond that Mr Trump will need Congress' approval. Already, however, his justification has included two words that have already been shown to simply not hold water. 'Crime, Savagery, Filth, and Scum will DISAPPEAR. I will, MAKE OUR CAPITAL GREAT AGAIN!' he wrote on social media. 'If our capital is dirty, our whole country is dirty, and (world leaders) don't respect us. 'We're going to be removing homeless encampments from all over our beautiful parks,' Mr Trump added. 'We're going to help them … but they'll not be allowed to turn our capital into a wasteland for the world to see.' He added that he wanted to 'beautify' Washington which included 'replacing the potholes'. 'Not a crime' It's questionable whether anyone would find Nathaniel's little slice of Washington 'beautiful' – but it's certainly notable. On Pennsylvania Ave, not far from ritzy a strip of Lululemons, Aesops and any number of charming bistros, is a row of shopping trolleys draped with an enormous US flag. Other smaller flags – Switzerland, Japan, Ukraine – can also be found. There's also a large model of the Statue of Liberty and a mattress that has seen better days. It's eclectic. 'I've been doing this for years,' says Nathaniel, who sits next to a shopping bag that says 'good vibes'. He said he first came to Washington from Baltimore. spoke to Nathaniel before the election, before Mr Trump began murmuring about taking over some running of the city. But his patriotic quasi artwork has remained a feature of Georgetown. During the day, he said, he often reads his bible. At night he puts his belongings back into the trolleys covers them with a blanket. He keeps a tight hold on the flag through, his prized possession. 'The police know me, the way I do things' he said. 'It's not a crime, I'm not starting trouble, and I'm just putting my flag up'. There were 'homeless people all over the country,' said Nathaniel when asked why it seemed such an issue in DC. 'In New York they will just be on the Subway and sleeping on the trains'. 'This solves nothing' Of the 700,000 residents of the District of Columbia (millions more live in the Washington suburbs in Maryland and Virginia) around 800 people sleep on the streets, according to the Community Partnership to Prevent Homelessness. Advocates have pointed out that even if the authorities move people out of DC, they can't stop them from coming straight back to the capital. It's not illegal to not have a home. 'Sending in the National Guard, sending in the military, sending in even the local police is not the solution to homelessness,' executive director of the New York based Coalition for the Homeless, David Giffen, said. 'It solves nothing'. Mr Trump also claimed that a federal takeover of DC police was necessary because crime was 'out of control'. 'People come from Indiana, and then they get mugged,' he said. Of all US cities, DC is the 25th most dangerous. That's actually not as dangerous as Indianapolis, which is in Indiana. Maybe Washington residents should be warned about Indiana. Detroit, Baltimore and New Orleans, among others, are also higher than DC on the crime ladder. But many US cities are safer than the capital: San Francisco, Orlando, Seattle, LA and Boston. New York has half as much violent crime per 100,000 people. There's no doubt DC can and should do better. Two words that don't stack up In his executive order to take over the police, Mr Trump said 'rising violence' was the key problem. It's two words that don't stack up. Crime has fallen in Washington DC, dramatically. And that's without the federal government intervening. Homicides peaked in 1996 at almost 400. Last year they were less than half that, albeit it's back on the rise. District of Columbia Attorney-General Brian Schwalb said the move to take over the police was 'unprecedented, unnecessary, and unlawful.' 'There is no crime emergency in the District of Columbia. Violent crime in DC reached historic 30-year lows last year, and is down another 26 per cent so far this year,' he said. But Mr Trump has a disdain for statistics that don't back up his claims. Hours after the announcement, the White House issued a statement tersely insisting that 'Yes, DC Crime Is Out of Control'. It was 'higher than Islamabad,' it stated, singling out the Pakistani city for no apparent reason The White House also claimed the city police was 'allegedly … cooking the books'. But Mr Trump has a long stated desire to assert more control over the capital. And that Washington DC, similar to Canberra, is not a state but a federal entity, makes that much easier. It almost seems as if he wants to create a real life version of The Capitol, the central city of Panem in the Hunger Games franchise. A metropolis of conspicuous wealth, a symbol of sheer power. But Washington's woes are just a symbol of America's huge gap between its have and have nots. A country where the difference between standing on your own two feet and slipping through the massive gaps can be as simple as a bill for an unexpected medical treatment. Where many of those people on the streets are there because of barely treated mental health issues. The White House can physically remove the tents from DC's streets and deposit Nathaniel and others elsewhere. But they remain homeless. The reasons why they ended up on the streets have not magically been solved. But next time Mr Trump is heading from the White House for a round of golf, he may indeed be less perturbed by the sight of tents out of his window. And the guests in his ballroom won't have to wince at the reality of all those have-nots.
Yahoo
10-08-2025
- Yahoo
30 vintage photos show how different camping used to be
Camping didn't always involve luxury RVs, watching movies on iPads, or state-of-the-art campgrounds. Camping has evolved from sleeping under the stars to camping out at music festivals and events. These vintage photos show there's nothing more nostalgic than sleeping in a tent in nature. While technology has made recreational camping more comfortable, there's something nostalgic about how basic it used to be. Today, decked-out RVs can cost $20,000 to $100,000, but the price of luxury RVs can reach as high as $2 million, according to HomeGuide. In the 1930s and following decades, however, recreational campers primarily set up simple tents or basic caravans to spend time with their friends and family outdoors. And today, simpler camping can be a great option for families wanting to spend time together — without spending a fortune — as the cost of living climbs. These photos show what recreational camping used to be like. They might even inspire you to try it for yourself before the summer is over. Recreational camping looked different a century ago. In 1940, the Regional Review called camping "an American tradition," according to a copy of the article shared by the National Park Service. Starting in the mid-to-late 1800s, people camped for fun in North America, according to Britannica. As people increasingly sought to escape cities, organizations such as the Appalachian Mountain Club began to crop up. At the turn of the 20th century, books such as "The Camper's Handbook" continued to ignite interest, and throughout the century, organized camping grew in popularity. In 1930, before the Great Depression really took hold, there were more than 3 million campers across the US, The Dyrt reported, citing Terence Young, the author of "Heading Out: A History of American Camping." While the basic idea of camping was the same as we now know it — sleeping outdoors — the gear was markedly different. Camping originally just involved the campers, the outdoors, and some simple cooking ware. The shelter was simple, too: People would often sleep beneath a sheet held up by sticks and string. If you went camping like this group in France in 1930, you were unreservedly experiencing nature. These simple tents were used regardless of weather conditions. There was usually no electricity for miles, and campers had to make do with whatever heat sources they had — whether that be fires, blankets, or huddling together for warmth. Depression-era camping trips focused on minimalist campsites and limited gear. By the Great Depression, with nearly one in four Americans unemployed in 1932, camping was considered a cost-efficient, resourceful vacation compared to train fares and costly accommodations. The lack of technology made the experience much more authentic, but also more work-intensive. There was a lot more manual labor involved with getting set up and making food than in campsites of the future, which might have access to full kitchens or electricity. Regular morning routines had to be done without a bathroom or mirror. Basic grooming was still expected. Even just making tea could be a chore. Campers had to gather everything from the outdoors if they didn't bring water or other supplies with them. Hammers had to be schlepped to the campsite. Tent pegs were often wooden, not plastic, and had to be hammered into the ground. But the work was part of the fun. Part of the allure of going camping was the authenticity of living outdoors, even if just for the night. People still found ways to make their camping trips a little more comfortable. Campers would bring furniture, books, and other items from home to make their time in the great outdoors more comfortable. Forget the paper plates — some campers brought actual porcelain dinnerware. While this may seem impractical today, it certainly made for a more sophisticated camping excursion. Early on, camping was often done out of necessity during long travels. But over time, it became a more common recreational activity for people. The appeal of having no distractions while enjoying quality time with friends endures. Boy Scouts went on camping trips every year after their establishment in 1910. Campgrounds, as we know them today, weren't really established until the 1930s when the National Park Service developed "Recreation Demonstration Areas," according to the National Park Service. The Girl Scouts were established in 1912, and wilderness survival was also at their core. Apparently, the first official mention of s'mores appeared in a Girl Scouts manual in 1927, according to Reserve America. As the years passed, camping became more involved. People started bringing more with them on camping trips. Rather than just setting up tents, people began bringing RVs. RVs have also evolved. Starting as small cabins built onto the back of regular cars in the 1910s, they eventually evolved into homes, and even mansions, on wheels. The famous Volkswagen Westfalia Camper was an instant classic for campers and road trippers alike. While the VW bus, as it is better known, came out in the '50s, it reached peak popularity in the '70s. It is one of the most iconic road trip vehicles in history, and synonymous with wanderlust. Having camper vans meant being able to bring more of the luxuries of home, from barware ... Camping, as a result, became easier. ... to decorative lanterns. Who says camping needs to mean roughing it? Camper vans also allowed campers to be more comfortable. Instead of sleeping outside, you could have some protection by staying inside your car, or even kick back on a seat that converted into a bed. One could now avoid truly living in the elements. Everyone wants to be close to nature ... but not too close. Once campers were able to have more cover from nature, they did that instead. Camping became more comfortable, meaning campers could now spend days or even weeks at a time in the wilderness. Camping also became a way to get good seats at events. People sometimes spent days camping outside ahead of an event. People would camp to stake out good spots at festivals. Camping is still used as accommodation at modern festivals like Bonnaroo. By the 1960s, camping was no longer just a necessity — it was a popular recreational activity. However, many campsites were still segregated, meaning only white visitors had access to certain parks and campgrounds. Writers of the Beat Generation popularized camping the old-fashioned way in the '60s. The Beat Generation was a literary movement made up of a group of writers who wrote about American culture using a stream-of-consciousness writing method. Jack Kerouac, a popular writer of the time, wrote about the times he slept outside on the beach in Big Sur, which he later published in his 1962 novel "Big Sur." The Beat Generation romanticized the idea of living on the road. To this day, their raw stories about traveling constantly and taking odd jobs to survive encourage readers to live more in tune with nature. Many state and national parks upheld segregation until the passing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, limiting access to these outdoor spaces for Black citizens. However, Black people and families still made use of desegregated parks and campsites or used parks and campgrounds that were designated only for Black citizens. These parks, like Virginia's Shenandoah National Park, became places of community for Black families and received thousands of visitors each year, Atlas Obscura reported. After state and national parks were mandated to be desegregated, many of the Black-only parks closed or were absorbed by surrounding parks, according to the National Park Service. Traditional camping will likely remain a popular activity for years to come, regardless of technological advancements. In fact, the more dependent we become on technology, the more people might like to retreat into nature for a few days. Camping may keep changing, but it will never go out of style. There's been a statistical rise in camping over the past decade. According to Kampgrounds of America's 2024 Camping and Outdoor Hospitality report, active campers have increased by 67% in the last 10 years, and one in four leisure trips are for camping. As families try to find affordable summer activities, we may see even more campers seeking the great outdoors this summer. Read the original article on Business Insider Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
10-08-2025
- Yahoo
30 vintage photos show how different camping used to be
Camping didn't always involve luxury RVs, watching movies on iPads, or state-of-the-art campgrounds. Camping has evolved from sleeping under the stars to camping out at music festivals and events. These vintage photos show there's nothing more nostalgic than sleeping in a tent in nature. While technology has made recreational camping more comfortable, there's something nostalgic about how basic it used to be. Today, decked-out RVs can cost $20,000 to $100,000, but the price of luxury RVs can reach as high as $2 million, according to HomeGuide. In the 1930s and following decades, however, recreational campers primarily set up simple tents or basic caravans to spend time with their friends and family outdoors. And today, simpler camping can be a great option for families wanting to spend time together — without spending a fortune — as the cost of living climbs. These photos show what recreational camping used to be like. They might even inspire you to try it for yourself before the summer is over. Recreational camping looked different a century ago. In 1940, the Regional Review called camping "an American tradition," according to a copy of the article shared by the National Park Service. Starting in the mid-to-late 1800s, people camped for fun in North America, according to Britannica. As people increasingly sought to escape cities, organizations such as the Appalachian Mountain Club began to crop up. At the turn of the 20th century, books such as "The Camper's Handbook" continued to ignite interest, and throughout the century, organized camping grew in popularity. In 1930, before the Great Depression really took hold, there were more than 3 million campers across the US, The Dyrt reported, citing Terence Young, the author of "Heading Out: A History of American Camping." While the basic idea of camping was the same as we now know it — sleeping outdoors — the gear was markedly different. Camping originally just involved the campers, the outdoors, and some simple cooking ware. The shelter was simple, too: People would often sleep beneath a sheet held up by sticks and string. If you went camping like this group in France in 1930, you were unreservedly experiencing nature. These simple tents were used regardless of weather conditions. There was usually no electricity for miles, and campers had to make do with whatever heat sources they had — whether that be fires, blankets, or huddling together for warmth. Depression-era camping trips focused on minimalist campsites and limited gear. By the Great Depression, with nearly one in four Americans unemployed in 1932, camping was considered a cost-efficient, resourceful vacation compared to train fares and costly accommodations. The lack of technology made the experience much more authentic, but also more work-intensive. There was a lot more manual labor involved with getting set up and making food than in campsites of the future, which might have access to full kitchens or electricity. Regular morning routines had to be done without a bathroom or mirror. Basic grooming was still expected. Even just making tea could be a chore. Campers had to gather everything from the outdoors if they didn't bring water or other supplies with them. Hammers had to be schlepped to the campsite. Tent pegs were often wooden, not plastic, and had to be hammered into the ground. But the work was part of the fun. Part of the allure of going camping was the authenticity of living outdoors, even if just for the night. People still found ways to make their camping trips a little more comfortable. Campers would bring furniture, books, and other items from home to make their time in the great outdoors more comfortable. Forget the paper plates — some campers brought actual porcelain dinnerware. While this may seem impractical today, it certainly made for a more sophisticated camping excursion. Early on, camping was often done out of necessity during long travels. But over time, it became a more common recreational activity for people. The appeal of having no distractions while enjoying quality time with friends endures. Boy Scouts went on camping trips every year after their establishment in 1910. Campgrounds, as we know them today, weren't really established until the 1930s when the National Park Service developed "Recreation Demonstration Areas," according to the National Park Service. The Girl Scouts were established in 1912, and wilderness survival was also at their core. Apparently, the first official mention of s'mores appeared in a Girl Scouts manual in 1927, according to Reserve America. As the years passed, camping became more involved. People started bringing more with them on camping trips. Rather than just setting up tents, people began bringing RVs. RVs have also evolved. Starting as small cabins built onto the back of regular cars in the 1910s, they eventually evolved into homes, and even mansions, on wheels. The famous Volkswagen Westfalia Camper was an instant classic for campers and road trippers alike. While the VW bus, as it is better known, came out in the '50s, it reached peak popularity in the '70s. It is one of the most iconic road trip vehicles in history, and synonymous with wanderlust. Having camper vans meant being able to bring more of the luxuries of home, from barware ... Camping, as a result, became easier. ... to decorative lanterns. Who says camping needs to mean roughing it? Camper vans also allowed campers to be more comfortable. Instead of sleeping outside, you could have some protection by staying inside your car, or even kick back on a seat that converted into a bed. One could now avoid truly living in the elements. Everyone wants to be close to nature ... but not too close. Once campers were able to have more cover from nature, they did that instead. Camping became more comfortable, meaning campers could now spend days or even weeks at a time in the wilderness. Camping also became a way to get good seats at events. People sometimes spent days camping outside ahead of an event. People would camp to stake out good spots at festivals. Camping is still used as accommodation at modern festivals like Bonnaroo. By the 1960s, camping was no longer just a necessity — it was a popular recreational activity. However, many campsites were still segregated, meaning only white visitors had access to certain parks and campgrounds. Writers of the Beat Generation popularized camping the old-fashioned way in the '60s. The Beat Generation was a literary movement made up of a group of writers who wrote about American culture using a stream-of-consciousness writing method. Jack Kerouac, a popular writer of the time, wrote about the times he slept outside on the beach in Big Sur, which he later published in his 1962 novel "Big Sur." The Beat Generation romanticized the idea of living on the road. To this day, their raw stories about traveling constantly and taking odd jobs to survive encourage readers to live more in tune with nature. Many state and national parks upheld segregation until the passing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, limiting access to these outdoor spaces for Black citizens. However, Black people and families still made use of desegregated parks and campsites or used parks and campgrounds that were designated only for Black citizens. These parks, like Virginia's Shenandoah National Park, became places of community for Black families and received thousands of visitors each year, Atlas Obscura reported. After state and national parks were mandated to be desegregated, many of the Black-only parks closed or were absorbed by surrounding parks, according to the National Park Service. Traditional camping will likely remain a popular activity for years to come, regardless of technological advancements. In fact, the more dependent we become on technology, the more people might like to retreat into nature for a few days. Camping may keep changing, but it will never go out of style. There's been a statistical rise in camping over the past decade. According to Kampgrounds of America's 2024 Camping and Outdoor Hospitality report, active campers have increased by 67% in the last 10 years, and one in four leisure trips are for camping. As families try to find affordable summer activities, we may see even more campers seeking the great outdoors this summer. Read the original article on Business Insider
CTV News
07-07-2025
- Climate
- CTV News
Over 130 tents set up on Barrie beaches over weekend despite bylaw ban
The hot and sunny weekend meant Barrie's beaches were packed, but with the heavy crowds also came compliance issues with tent and barbecue bylaws. Barrie bylaw states that tents and private cooking appliances are not permitted in areas such as Centennial Beach Park, and only barbecue stations can be used for cooking. However, city staff confirmed to CTV News that numerous violations were observed over this past weekend. 'We had at least 132 tents erected on the beach area,' said Bryan Keene, enforcement services supervisor, citing safety concerns related to tents making it more difficult for lifeguards to supervise the beach. 'Large tents obviously occupy a lot of space and don't allow for as much usage by everyone along the waterfront as well.' Barrie beach-goers can face fines of up to $235 for tents and $365 for cooking appliances. Beach-goers are also reminded to park in designated areas and not on landscaped or grassed areas. On the other hand, the crowds have provided a positive boost to businesses that line the beach. 'We went through so much slush and so (many) hot dogs, we have literally run out,' said Elora Bain with the Barrie Waterfront Concession. With Monday's cool and overcast weather, both Barrie's and Innisfil's beaches were significantly less crowded. Parking in Innisfil had been a bigger issue for the town to deal with. 'We have not had to issue any penalties relating to tents and barbecues, but we have seen parking infractions. These are commonly non-residents parking in spaces not allocated to them or those without an Innisfil-issued parking pass not paying the required fees,' said Mitchel Harris, manager of municipal law enforcement, in a statement to CTV News.
