Border town

I CANNOT help taking fire at anything said in disparagement of Walter Scott. I feel that I have got from his writings, not only immense pleasure, but some good. He was a truly noble-hearted gentleman, a model of that class, and his character is impressed on all the works of his pen. A type, he seems to me, of social chivalry. In all his writings, too, there is the buoyancy of perfect health. In reading them you breathe the air of the Scotch hills. I can conceive no better mental febrifuge, no better antidote to depression, no more sovereign remedy for dull care. Scott was a hot Tory, perhaps a Jacobite, and his worship of monarchy in the person of George IV betrayed him into the one ridiculous action of his life. I have always been glad that he sat down upon the wineglass which he had put into his pocket to be kept as a relic because it had touched the sacred lips of the King. But his Toryism was not flunkyish. Nor was it narrow. It did not interfere in the slightest degree with the … [Read more...] about Scott’s Poetry Again

KARACHI: Several areas of the port city on Wednesday received heavy rains as the fourth monsoon spell hit the metropolis. The areas that received rains include II Chundrigar Road, Shah Faisal Colony, Saddar, Malir, Quaidabad, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Gulistan-e-Johar and Karachi airport. According to data released by the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), Quaidabad received the highest amount of rainfall (32mm) followed by PAF Faisal Base and Surjani Town (26mm), Jinnah International Airport (25mm), Gadap Town (23.4mm) and Saddar (15mm). Meanwhile, the heavy rain also hampered the flow of traffic in the metropolitan city. The rainwater inundated several low-lying areas and roads in the port city. Weather expert forecasts torrential rains Heavy to very heavy rains are expected in Karachi from August 11 to 14 under the influence of the fourth monsoon spell, forecast eminent weather analyst Jawad Memon earlier in the day. He maintained that the low-pressure system penetrating … [Read more...] about Heavy rain lashes Karachi as PMD forecasts more rains

French police shot dead a knife-wielding man at a Paris airport on Wednesday morning, police sources confirmed to Euronews. "Showing composure, the police neutralised this morning a threatening individual in possession of a knife at Roissy Charles de Gaulle airport," said a statement on the Twitter account of the Paris police prefecture. It happened in terminal 2F of the airport, north-east of the French capital, at around 8:20 CEST. "A homeless person was bothering security agents and the border police were called in to help evacuate him", an airport source told AFP news agency. The man moved away and continued to insult them. He then turned around and pulled out a knife. One of the police officers then used his weapon, a police source added. An AFP photographer who witnessed the scene explained that "a tall man of colour brandished an object that looked like a knife towards the police. A warning was given but he came forward and a policeman fired. Only one shot … [Read more...] about Knife-wielding man shot dead at Paris airport, police sources confirmed to Euronews

By Yaroslav Lukov & Francesca Gillett Published 1 hour ago Share close Share page Copy link About sharing A beluga whale that became stranded in France's Seine river had to be put down, ending a dramatic rescue mission that captivated world audiences. Officials say vets took the decision as the four-metre (13ft) mammal was being moved in a refrigerated truck. Overnight, rescuers spent nearly six hours lifting the 800kg (1,763lb) whale from the river using a crane and nets. They had planned to release the animal in the sea but its health deteriorated after failing to eat. "It is with heavy hearts we announce that the beluga did not survive," Sea Shepherd France conservation group wrote in a Twitter post on Wednesday. "We are devastated by this tragic outcome that we knew was very likely," it added. Meanwhile, Florence Ollivet-Courtois, a vet for the local … [Read more...] about France whale: Beluga put down during dramatic rescue mission

Published 5 hours ago Share close Share page Copy link About sharing Twenty young people have set sail on a four-night voyage to learn new skills and build confidence. The children, from Harwich, Essex, are aged between 12 and 15 and will sail to Portsmouth on yachts owned by the Tall Ships Youth Trust (TSYT). The trust was set up for children who would not normally get a chance to sail. They were chosen from Harwich Home Start, Teen Talk Harwich and Harwich and Dovercourt High School. Ivan Henderson, of Harwich Town Council, came up with the idea and set up the Mayflower Legacy Fund with Essex Community Foundation (ECF) to give long-term support to charities and voluntary groups in Harwich. He said: "I wanted the fund to have a link to the ongoing maritime history of Harwich and, importantly, to build up over time and create a legacy that supports and benefits local people … [Read more...] about Children join Harwich to Portsmouth voyage with Tall Ships Youth Trust

Published 10 June 2021 Share close Share page Copy link About sharing McDonald's has won a planning row with a local authority in Wales over English-language digital screens at one of its restaurants. Gwynedd council last year refused the fast food giant permission for larger screens at its Caernarfon drive-thru on grounds of Welsh language requirements. All public signs in the county are required to be in Welsh and English. However, the council has backed down after McDonald's argued the site already included bilingual signs. McDonald's said the restaurant also included self-service ordering facilities in Welsh. "Within the McDonald's restaurant are facilities for customers to order their meals in a number of different languages on the self order kiosk and are proud that this has allowed members of the public to order in Welsh," the company said. Park's concern over … [Read more...] about McDonald’s wins English-only sign row at Caernarfon drive-thru

Published 7 January 2019 Share close Share page Copy link About sharing After years at the heart of government, Mark Drakeford today starts in the top job. BBC Wales' political correspondent Daniel Davies has spoken to friends, colleagues and opponents of the Welsh Labour leader about his politics, personality and the sort of first minister he will be. Mark Drakeford's political awakening came early. Nationalist fervour swept his home town of Carmarthen when Gwynfor Evans was elected as Plaid Cymru's first MP in 1966. At grammar school, Mr Drakeford remembers groups of pupils marching around chanting political slogans. English-only road signs lay piled on the ground, torn down the night before. The political climate fired the imagination of the young Drakeford, a clarinet-playing cricket fan. Trashing road signs was, he thought, a "fantastic thing to be doing", he told me. … [Read more...] about Mark Drakeford: From Latin degree to Wales’ leader

Published 26 January 2021 Share close Share page Copy link About sharing McDonald's is re-submitting plans for English-language digital signs at a Gwynedd restaurant, despite being told they must also be in Welsh. The fast food giant applied last May to replace the existing drive-thru signs at its Caernarfon restaurant with bigger and improved digital versions. Council officers turned them down on grounds of Welsh language requirements. McDonald's said the restaurant had other bilingual signs and self-service ordering facilities in Welsh. It has installed digital signs to speed up service for drive-thru customers at branches throughout the UK, with menus changing by time of day and season. The McDonald's drive-thru at 30 The Caernarfon bid was turned down in November by officers before it reached councillors on Gwynedd's planning committee, according to the Local … [Read more...] about McDonalds drive-thru menus ‘should be bilingual’

Published 1 March 2016 Share close Share page Copy link About sharing Some branches of McDonald's and KFC are banning under-18s from eating inside because of anti-social behaviour. It's after a fight broke out between 20 teenagers near the Meir Park area of Stoke-on-Trent a few weeks ago. Eight people were arrested after police sent armed officers and a helicopter to reports of a fight and gunshots. They've now been bailed. Now it means under-18s will only be able to dine with an adult. Otherwise they'll have to take their food away. McDonald's says the ban is to protect other customers and it'll stay in place for the "time being". The company insists it's not specifically targeting young people but wants to address the problem, which, in this case are under 18s. Newsbeat went to Stoke-on-Trent to find out what people think about it. Scott is 26 and thinks McDonald's … [Read more...] about Some McDonald’s and KFC branches are banning under-18s for anti-social behaviour