Sherman A1
Sherman A1's JournalAlmost 13,500 Ukrainian refugees arrive in Ireland - McEntee
Just under 13,500 Ukrainian refugees have arrived in Ireland, according to the Minister for Justice Helen McEntee.
Arriving at an emergency meeting of EU justice and interior ministers in Brussels, Ms McEntee said 93% had arrived via Dublin Airport.
However, more and more Ukrainians were now travelling across Europe by bus and train, then getting flights from other countries.
Some 3.9 million have fled Ukraine in total, with 2.2 million of those entering Poland.
https://www.rte.ie/news/2022/0328/1288931-ukrainian-refugees-mcentee/
'Drive My Car' wins Oscar for best international feature film
The Japanese film "Drive My Car" has picked up the Oscar for best international feature film.
The Hamaguchi Ryusuke-directed film is based on a short story by author Murakami Haruki. It's about a stage director grappling with the death of his wife and his interaction with a woman assigned to be his driver.
The film already has an impressive trophy collection. It won for best screenplay at last year's Cannes Film Festival and a Golden Globe for best picture in the non-English language category.
Hamaguchi said at a news conference that the reason his film won the Oscar may be that it matched the changing times.
He said, "As one million people have died from the coronavirus, the story about loss and how to live with it has resonated in some way. I think this award has resonated with me."
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220328_38/
US, Philippine militaries begin major joint drills
The militaries of the United States and the Philippines have started one of their largest-ever joint annual exercises.
A ceremony marking the start of 12-days of drills was held in the Philippine capital of Manila on Monday.
Last year's drills were significantly downsized due to the coronavirus pandemic.
This year, roughly 8,900 personnel, 5,100 of them from the US forces, are taking part.
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220328_23/
Finn's Consumer confidence plummets to record low
The last time Finns' confidence dipped this low was during the country's pandemic shutdown and financial crisis over a decade ago.
YLE NEWS
28.3. 06:51
Consumer confidence plummeted in March to the third-lowest level since recordkeeping began, according to a report published on Monday by Statistics Finland.
The number-crunching agency began measuring consumer confidence in 1995, and has only reported lower levels in April 2020 and at the end of 2008.
The agency found that its consumer confidence indicator (CCI) dropped in March, coinciding with Russia's military assault on Ukraine.
"It is typical for consumer confidence to falter in the midst of a crisis," Statistics Finland senior statistician Pertti Kangasalo told Yle News.
https://yle.fi/news/3-12378756
Sanctions impact Russian students in Finland
LUT University says it's not planning tuition deferrals for its Russian students.
YLE NEWS
28.3. 05:20
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Updated 28.3. 05:36
Measures designed to hurt Russia's economy are also impacting young Russians studying in Finland. Banking sanctions mean some Russian students have been cut off from their parents' financial aid.
Sanctions have excluded Russia from global payments infrastructure, but Russia has also imposed bans on foreign currency cash exports from the country.
Around 160 Russian students are studying at LUT University, which has campuses around Finland.
Arseni Baibakov, a student at LUT, said Russia's money transfer rules have prevented him from paying the rent for his student apartment.
https://yle.fi/news/3-12378932
The drone operators who halted Russian convoy headed for Kyiv
The drone operators who halted Russian convoy headed for Kyiv
Special IT force of 30 soldiers on quad bikes is vital part of Ukraine’s defence, but forced to crowdfund for supplies
One week into its invasion of Ukraine, Russia massed a 40-mile mechanised column in order to mount an overwhelming attack on Kyiv from the north.
But the convoy of armoured vehicles and supply trucks ground to a halt within days, and the offensive failed, in significant part because of a series of night ambushes carried out by a team of 30 Ukrainian special forces and drone operators on quad bikes, according to a Ukrainian commander.
The drone operators were drawn from an air reconnaissance unit, Aerorozvidka, which began eight years ago as a group of volunteer IT specialists and hobbyists designing their own machines and has evolved into an essential element in Ukraine’s successful David-and-Goliath resistance.
However, while Ukraine’s western backers have supplied thousands of anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles and other military equipment, Aerorozvidka has been forced to resort to crowdfunding and a network of personal contacts in order to keep going, by getting hold of components such as advanced modems and thermal imaging cameras, in the face of export controls that prohibit them being sent to Ukraine.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/28/the-drone-operators-who-halted-the-russian-armoured-vehicles-heading-for-kyiv
Top official quits Finnish Olympic Committee after late-night texts
YLE NEWS
28.3. 04:34
Mika Lehtimäki on Monday announced his resignation as director of the Finnish Olympic Committee's high-level sports unit.
Yle Sport reported that Lehtimäki received an official warning last autumn related to inappropriate behaviour against women in the workplace, which he accepted and said would lead to a change in his conduct.
"My actions have caused unreasonable harm to Finnish elite sports and the Olympic Committee. I have always thought and said that sport is bigger than any one individual and now it is time for me to live up to those words," Lehtimäki told the press conference.
"For this reason, and on my own initiative, it has been mutually agreed that I will leave my role with immediate effect," he said.
https://yle.fi/news/3-12378927
UK's Maritime and Coastguard Agency Detains P&O Ferry Unready to Sail
Britain's Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) on Friday detained a ferry operated by P&O in Northern Ireland because it was not ready to sail, the agency and P&O said.
The British government has already said it will take legal action over P&O Ferries' decision to fire 800 staff earlier this month with immediate effect.
The ferry European Causeway, which operates between Cairnryan in Scotland and Larne in Northern Ireland, will be detained until the company resolves all the issues, a spokesperson for the MCA said, citing "crew familiarisation, vessel documentation and crew training".
"Following my instruction to inspect all P&O vessels prior to entering back into service, the @MCA_Media has detained a ship for being unfit to sail," British transport minister Grant Shapps said in a tweet.
https://www.marinelink.com/news/uks-maritime-coastguard-agency-detains-po-495345
Tech File: Foldable, "Workboat in a Box" goes to work for Bahrain Defence Force
The WorlkFloat platform is designed for a range of support tasks, with the version for Bahrain equipped with a 10-tm crane that can lift just under half a ton at 13m, a deck load capacity of over 10t, a 2t deck winch that can be used for mooring work, a central moon pool for drilling or GI work, full electrics and navigation, bow loading ramps for military vehicles, spud cans for 10m spud legs, a retractable bow thruster and 2 x 70hp Yamaha high thrust outboards that give an impressive 7 knots and 1.2t of bollard pull.
It's outstanding feature is the ease with which it can be mobilized, demobilized and shipped quickly, globally.
It is also built to the MCA workboat code and complies with relevant class standards for lifting and stability.
WorkFloat is a Cornish-based company established in 2019. Toby Budd, MD and founder said ‘’It is a massive milestone for the business to design, build, deliver and then commission this WorkFloat for the BDF. They have been a fantastic client, extremely hospitable to us while we are here in Bahrain and very understanding of some delays caused by COVID. I can see how useful it will be for them and look forward to working with them on other projects in the future’’
https://www.marinelink.com/news/tech-file-foldable-workboat-a-box-goes-495346
I put vegetables 🥦 into the Insta-Pot and pushed the cake button
But they were still vegetables 🥕 when it was done. What did I do wrong? ……….
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