A medieval manuscript has confounded scholars for centuries. Have they been reading it wrong all this time? pred 5 urami in 29 minutami Researchers argue incorrect binding of Voynich manuscript radically changes ideas about its drawings and indecipherable textIt has been called the world’s most mysterious manuscript: a medieval set of pages filled with botanical drawings, astronomical diagrams, pictures of nude women and indecipherable text. Claimed at various times to be a book in a lost language, a musical score, an instruction manual or just an elaborate hoax, the so-called Voynich manuscript’s true meaning has defied cryptographers and codebreakers for centuries.Now, new research offers an explanation for why a scholarly consensus over this enduring puzzle has been so hard to come by: not only because its truth is so profoundly mysterious – but because everyone has been reading its pages in the wrong order. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Badenoch calls for UK ‘Iron Dome’ missile defence system - UK politics live pred 5 urami in 29 minutami Conservatives plan ‘new integrated air and missile defence system to protect Britain from attack – in essence, a British “Iron Dome”’Q: You say your Iron Dome will protect the whole of the UK, and bases abroad. But Sir Richard Barrons, the former general, has said that a proper air defence like this would cost up to £100bn.Badenoch says Barrons is referring to an Israel-style Iron Dome.It’s not going to be exactly like the Irone Dome. We haven’t called it an Iron Dome. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Buckingham Palace says it will not fund Andrew’s legal action against police pred 5 urami in 45 minutami Former Duke of York is attempting to quash search warrants that led to his arrest in FebruaryAndrew Mountbatten-Windsor has been warned not to use the king’s private money to fund his legal action against Thames Valley police.The former Duke of York is attempting to quash search warrants that led to his arrest, with a private high court hearing due to take place on Thursday. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
From competing for food to a gold medal: the stories behind India’s Asian Games winners pred 5 urami in 59 minutami The country’s 85-medal haul included athletes who trained with limited money and borrowed equipment. Plus, the Mumbai performer turning everyday absurdities into comedyIn a country where cricket eclipses every other sport, the recently concluded Asian Games offered a much-needed reminder of India’s breadth of sporting talent. In this edition of the games, in Japan, India won 85 medals: 21 golds, 27 silver and 37 bronze medals. I admit I did not know many of the players competing, or even some of the sports they play before putting this piece together. Learning about the stories, I wonder why not.There were individual breakthroughs, records broken and history made. There were also hard-fought team victories, including the Indian women’s hockey team gold medal after a 44-year wait. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
‘Bully in every way’: domestic abuse survivors say ex-partners behind far-right UK street patrols pred 6 urami in 29 minutami Seven women share their stories to make people aware of patterns of violence behind anti-immigration street patrol movementDuring their relationship, Lisa’s ex-partner was controlling. He kept her at home where he was emotionally and physically abusive towards her, including once attacking her with a machete.These days, he runs protests outside houses of multiple occupancy that he claims are housing asylum seekers. He coordinates groups of men to patrol the streets of his town, claiming to protect women but often using these patrols to profile and target men of colour. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
‘Pull the plug’: protesters resort to direct action against AI firms pred 6 urami in 29 minutami Campaign groups report surge in membership after a spate of AI safety alerts and apocalyptic warningsIn a bar below Waterloo Bridge, a cell of a fast-growing anti-AI protest movement met last week to plot their latest move: disrupting a tech industry dinner being addressed by a senior executive from the chip maker Nvidia.Emma, a 28-year-old bartender, had never before taken direct action and was the most nervous of the four plotters from Pull The Plug, one of a growing number of AI-focused campaign groups around the world. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
