US Security Chief Gloats Over Iran’s World Cup Exit

US Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin (right), whose agency were responsible for enforcing controversial security measures targeting the Iranian football team at the World Cup, brazenly bragged that the job put him on cloud nine and that he was overjoyed Iran was eliminated. 

Iran exited the global football tournament, which the US is co-hosting with Canada and Mexico, after three draws against New Zealand, Belgium, and Egypt during the group stage. 

Iranian officials complained that, unlike other teams, Iranian players were not allowed to stay in the US and instead had to travel for training and games in Los Angeles and Seattle from Tijuana, Mexico. 

“I’m just glad they’re done, and they’re not coming back”, Mullin told an interagency meeting on Monday, as first reported by Sports Business Journal. 

He added that “there wasn’t a single team that we dealt with more than them”. 

“I was so happy when we were able to pull their visas and said they could leave US soil, and I might have sung a song or two, or maybe danced a happy dance”, the senior official crowed. 

Clearly, this is an American who is deplorable, detestable and despicable!

Iran Draws With Egypt @ World Cup

Yesterday's final Group G matches concluded with Iran drawing 1-1 against Egypt, and Belgium thumping New Zealand 5-1. These results left Team Melli in third place with 3 points, causing them to narrowly miss out on automatic knockout qualification. 

There are now two possible scenarios for Iran: either they go through to the next round with three points and three draws, or they leave the tournament unbeaten. 

According to ⁠Opta's supercomputer's calculations, Iran has a 92% chance of progressing. [Note: Under the expanded 48-team format, the 12 groups will narrow down to a Round of 32. This structure allows the top two teams from each group, along with the eight best third-place teams, to advance via a wildcard tiebreaker system]. 

As it currently stands, Iran sits in sixth place in the third-placed teams rankings.  

Concurrently, Scotland dropped to tenth place in the third-place rankings. Over the last 48 hours, their chances of reaching the World Cup knockouts for the first time plummeted from 42% to a microscopic 0.07%, making elimination practically certain.

The remaining matches in Groups J, K, and L will conclusively determine the tournament fates of both Iran and Scotland.  

We should know by Saturday (local time)/Sunday (Malaysian time).

The Most Oppressed Team at the World Cup

Head coach Amir Ghalenoei says Iran’s treatment by FIFA makes them “the most oppressed” team at the World Cup. Of course, we all know that this is primarily due to hostile US actions.

[Note that Iran blamed FIFA rather than pointing fingers directly at the US because, under FIFA’s tournament regulations, the governing body – not the host nation – are solely responsible for venue operations, scheduling, flag rules, and enforcing team logistics].

There had been severe logistical, travel, and administrative hurdles put in place by co-host the United States. Among them:

Visa Denials: Fifteen members of Iran’s coaching, support staff, and football federation executives were denied visas to enter the US, where all of Iran’s group stage games are taking place. That number was later reduced to eleven after some visas were approved.

Forced Base Relocation: Due to supposedly security precautions and visa complications, the team was forced to abandon their planned training base in Tucson, Arizona and relocate to Tijuana, Mexico.

Exhausting Travel Restrictions: Ahead of their opening match against New Zealand in Los Angeles, California, the Iranians were denied permission to stay overnight. Instead, they were forced to commute back and forth from their base in Tijuana, severely disrupting recovery and training schedules.

Revoked Ticket Allocations: The Iranian Football Federation reported that their designated 8% quota of tickets for group-stage matches against Belgium, Egypt, and New Zealand was withdrawn, leaving them unable to provide tickets to their fans through official channels. One can surmise that Iran residents who are subject to a travel ban by the US government since last year, are, therefore, unlikely to get entry visas for the World Cup, as well as their inability to make payments while financial sanctions are in force.  

WHO'S REALLY RUNNING THE WORLD CUP?!?! 😡😡😡

FYI, the 2026 tournament marks the seventh time the Iranian national team have competed on football's biggest stage. 

And Iran opened their campaign on June 16 with a 2-2 draw against New Zealand. And yesterday, they drew 0-0 against Belgium. 

Iran will finish out group play against Egypt on June 26.

I'm betting Iran will qualify for the Round of 32 knockout stage at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Yes, Lobsters Feel Pain

New research on Norway lobsters adds to a growing body of evidence that these crustaceans feel pain – something scientists have long suspected and even inspired David Foster Wallace's famous 2004 essay "Consider the Lobster". 

In a study published April 13, 2026 in the journal Scientific Reports, researchers found that two drugs used for pain relief in humans – aspirin and lidocaine – significantly reduced the escape responses of Norway lobsters (Nephrops norvegicus) when they were electrically shocked. 

The researchers argue that the medicines were muting the animals' pain processing and that the tail flip is therefore a pain reflex, rather than a simple stress reaction. The team says the findings suggest lobsters deserve greater ethical consideration. 

"The fact that painkillers developed for humans also work on Norway lobsters shows how similar we function", Lynne Sneddon, a professor of zoophysiology at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, said in a statement. "That's why it's important to care about how we treat and kill crustaceans, just as we do with chickens and cows". 

Countries including Switzerland, Norway, New Zealand, Austria and some states in Australia ‪have already banned the boiling of live crustaceans on welfare grounds, and the new findings may add pressure for broader reforms in how these animals are treated and killed. 

[Recommended humane methods for killing arthropods involve electrical stunning (e.g., Crustastun), followed by rapid mechanical destruction of the nervous system (pithing), such as spiking or splitting the carapace, to ensure instant death. These methods prevent suffering by targeting the ganglia, which are distributed along the body, and should be preceded by cooling in a refrigerator or ice slurry for 15–30 minutes to reduce mobility and, likely, sensitivity]. 

To understand how lobsters respond to painful stimuli, the researchers separated 105 Norway lobsters into multiple groups. These included several control groups of lobsters that weren't shocked, along with two shock groups treated with either lidocaine or aspirin. The lidocaine was dissolved in the individual lobster's tank, while the aspirin was injected into the animal directly.

The researchers then gave a 9.09-volt-per-meter electrical shock for 10 seconds to the three shock groups and observed their behavior before, during and up to two hours after the shock. 

When shocked, the lobsters tried to escape by using a tail flip, a common escape maneuver in some crustaceans that rockets them out of danger in small, rapid spurts. The tail flips were seen only in the electrically shocked group of lobsters, not in the control groups. 

Yet when the animals received lidocaine or aspirin before being shocked, the rate of tail flips dropped sharply: Only seven of the 13 lidocaine-treated lobsters and three of the 13 aspirin-treated lobsters tail-flipped, with more intense responses seen in the untreated group.

According to the researchers, their results suggest that the electrical shocks weren't just triggering muscular contractions in the lobsters but instead created a painful experience. That's because if the behavior was merely electrically stimulated, the painkillers wouldn't be expected to suppress the tail flip. 

Instead, painkiller treatment reduced the escape behavior. From this finding, the researchers suggested that the tail flip may have had a neurological component known as nociception. This is when signals from the body part exposed to the harmful stimulus travel to the brain and trigger a negative internal state associated with pain. 

This study joins a growing body of research indicating that crabs, octopuses and other invertebrates can experience pain. In past studies, hermit crabs shocked inside their shells eventually abandoned their homes to avoid experiencing the painful stimulus.

Octopus (Phylum: Mollusca, Class: Cephalopoda, Order: Octopoda) have shown even stronger clues about pain processing; in one widely cited study, "Behavioral and neurophysiological evidence suggests affective pain experience in octopus" published February 23, 2021 in iScience – they avoided places linked to injury and favored those associated with pain relief. This evidence is beginning to gradually change policies about how these animals are being treated. 

In the UK, crabs, lobsters and octopuses are now recognized as sentient animals "capable of experiencing pain and suffering" under the 2022 Animal Welfare Act.

World Cup Set for New Era as Giants Miss Out

The remaining places for this year's FIFA World Cup were finalised on Tuesday, capping a qualifying campaign that spanned nearly three years and setting the stage for the tournament's first 48-team edition. 

The competition will be held across the United States, Mexico and Canada from June 11 to July 19. 

The expanded format has opened the door to new contenders while leaving several established powers and high-profile players on the outside looking in. 

Italy will miss a third straight World Cup after losing its playoff final to Bosnia and Herzegovina on penalties. It has been a rapid fall for the Azzurri, which won its fourth World Cup title in 2006 and won the 2020 European Championship. 

Elsewhere, Nigeria's absence stands out in Africa, with the Super Eagles unable to navigate a competitive qualifying campaign despite a squad drawn from top European leagues. 

Chile, twice Copa America champions in the past 11 years, also missed out as the core of its golden generation fades. 

Poland is another notable omission, having lost its playoff final against Sweden, while Costa Rica, quarterfinalists in 2014, also missed out for the first time since 2010 after a poor CONCACAF zone qualifying campaign. 

Even with 16 additional teams in this year's tournament, the list is a reminder that qualification still leaves little margin for error. 

Besides the above, FIFA President Gianni Infantino has sought to allay doubts about Iran's participation in the tournament, insisting the team would play all of its group matches in the US as scheduled. 

There has been ongoing uncertainty over Iran's involvement because of the conflict in West Asia, with Tehran raising concerns over player safety and banning national and club teams from traveling to countries it considers hostile. 

The Iranian football federation said earlier this month they were negotiating with FIFA to relocate the country's World Cup matches from the US to Mexico.

Iran is due to face New Zealand and Belgium in Los Angeles on June 15 and 21 respectively, before meeting Egypt in Seattle on June 26.

In squash, Sivasangari Subramaniam (right) was handed an extended break at the El Gouna International Open after advancing to the quarter-finals via a walkover following the withdrawal of opponent Mariam Metwally of Egypt. 

The Malaysian was set to take on the world No. 33 yesterday but the home player pulled out after her father passed away. 

Sivasangari had booked her place in the second round with a hard-fought win over world No. 16 Nada Abbas in Giza, Egypt on Saturday. 

The 27-year-old Kedahan won 11-9, 9-11, 11-4, 11-6 in 47 minutes. It was Sivasangari's fourth triumph against the Egyptian in five meetings. 

World's Longest One-way Flight

At 02:19 AM on Thursday Beijing time, China Eastern Airlines flight MU745, carrying 282 passengers, departed from Shanghai. After a stopover in Auckland, New Zealand, it continued its journey to Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina. 

As the world's first commercial air route connecting cities geographically located on the opposite side of the Earth, the route sets a new record for the world's longest one-way flight.

It also stands as the latest example of China's concrete efforts to enhance connectivity and cooperation within the framework of Global South collaboration, Chinese experts said. Spanning approximately 20,000 kilometers and crossing both the Eastern and Western Hemispheres as well as the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, the route shortens the travel time between China and South America by more than four hours, according to the release China Eastern Airlines sent to the Global Times on Thursday.

With Boeing 777-300ER, the newly launched route is scheduled to operate two round-trip flights per week. 

In addition to achieving the longest flight distance globally, it fills the gap in direct flights from Shanghai to major South American cities, establishes a "southbound corridor" flight path across the Pacific Ocean, and reshapes air travel connectivity among three continents. 

Due to the very long route distances and aircraft performance limits, flights between China and South America currently require transit stops, the airline said, noting the new route reduces travel time from nearly 30 hours to roughly 25, offering both shorter flights and more convenient connections. 

China Eastern Airlines are leveraging the new flight route to deepen their strategy of integrating passenger and cargo services. Simultaneously, their logistics subsidiary have activated a direct channel for shipping fresh produce from Argentina to China. On the return leg, the belly hold of the aircraft will be utilized to carry 2.1 tons of Argentine cherries and 10.5 tons of chilled Chilean salmon back to the Chinese market.

Hybrid Dolphins Raise Red Flags

Off the coast of the small French territory of Mayotte in the Indian Ocean, a revolutionary marvel has scientists reeling with concern for the fate of the local dolphin populations. 

The waters of Mayotte have become home to a hybrid dolphin, with blended traits of the Indo-Pacific bottlenose (Tursiops aduncus) and the Indian Ocean humpback dolphin (Sousa plumbea), according to Earth.org. 

While hybridization of cetacean species is not unheard of, it is extremely uncommon, especially in wild populations. For scientists, the discovery raises red flags about the health of the respective dolphin species, whose populations have collapsed in the last decade. The humpback dolphin population, in particular, is estimated to have only five left in the local lagoon. 

The lagoon off the coast of Mayotte is historically considered a rich, biodiverse waterway, complete with a double barrier reef, 760 species of fish, and at least 22 species of marine mammals. While these species of dolphins typically coexist in this lagoon, their behaviors and social structures are fundamentally different, keeping the Indo-Pacific bottlenose and humpback dolphins biologically independent. The fact that they are interacting enough to mate signifies that their populations are in severe distress, lacking options to breed with their own kind. 

While this phenomenon is often nature's way of building resilience against climate change, hybridization in such instances is particularly concerning for biodiversity. In Australia, a similar problem arose when an endangered frog species began to crossbreed with a more common species. 

If hybrid breeds become more commonplace in the ecosystem, it could wipe out the two vulnerable dolphin breeds they're derived from in the process. Plus, it's unclear if this new species can reproduce given its genetic mix or whether it would be socially accepted in the purebred pods. 

The region alarmingly has no conservation plan in place at present. However, efforts for other cetacean populations around the world – like a landmark lawsuit* to protect the Māui dolphin (Cephalorhynchus hectori maui) – show that when indifference is replaced with action, these species can be preserved.

[*A New Zealand environmental group, represented by Earthjustice and Law of the Wild, filed suit on December 04, 2024 against US fisheries regulators to protect the rarest marine dolphin in the world. The grassroots group, Māui and Hector’s Dolphin Defenders, sought to enforce the US Marine Mammal Protection Act, which requires the US government to ban seafood imports from any foreign fishery that excessively harms marine mammals. The suit was filed in the United States Court of International Trade.

The suit contended that New Zealand fishing fleets were driving the critically endangered Māui dolphin to extinction, with estimates that only approximately 30 to 50 individuals remained worldwide. The fleets operating along the West Coast of New Zealand’s North Island didn’t intentionally catch Māui dolphins, but the marine mammals got caught when fishers targeted commercial seafood species in large nets that hang in the water for days or drag through the sea, scooping up everything in their path. Even if fishers freed dolphins from the nets before they drowned, they could suffer serious health impacts from not being able to surface to breathe because nets confined them. 

“With such a critically low population, the Māui dolphin cannot afford a mistake by the US agencies charged with ensuring that United States actions don’t contribute to its decimation”, said Earthjustice attorney Natalie Barefoot. “The species certainly cannot afford repeated mistakes”.

In 2022, the United States Court of International Trade banned some New Zealand seafood imports to America after the marine-protection group Sea Shepherd filed suit, showing harm to Māui dolphins. Despite the incremental protections put in place since that litigation began, more Māui dolphins had perished in the fishery, and the population continued to decline. 

“Fifty years ago, there were 2,000 Māui dolphins. Since then, the population has plummeted by over 97%. It’s clear we have to take steps to save this species from extinction”, said Earthjustice attorney Sabrina Devereaux. Over the past two decades, the population has declined by roughly 3 to 4% per year. 

“The incremental measures that have been put in place in New Zealand’s fisheries since 2020 have not been enough to pause, let alone reverse, the Māui dolphin’s trend toward extinction”, said Law of the Wild’s Legal Director Brett Sommermeyer. “As a result, those measures are not comparable to the United States’ standards”.

Māui dolphins are highly intelligent. The species has a complex social system, and they typically live in small, tight-knit groups of two to eight individuals. The loss of a single member of one of these groups can disrupt their social dynamic. Māui dolphins’ biology makes them especially vulnerable to human impacts; they live about 25 years, and females don’t reach sexual maturity until around eight years old and produce just one calf every two to four years. 

As the lawsuit pointed out, “Even low levels of human-caused mortality can outpace the population’s natural growth rate, leading to its extinction”].

International Students Are Turning Away From The West

The US, UK, Australia and Canada, long considered the “Big Four” destinations for international students, are steadily losing their dominance as visa rules tighten and new education hubs rise across Asia and the Middle East. 

Recent data show dramatic declines in international enrollment in the traditional hubs: Canada has seen a 60% drop in incoming students this year, the steepest since the Covid pandemic, while the US and Australia's both fell by nearly 20%. Only the UK managed to hold relatively steady. 

Before Covid-19, students from major markets like China and India overwhelmingly chose one of these four countries. But that picture has changed. 

According to a joint report by Studyportals and the British Council analyzing 51 million prospective students, demand for study abroad in Japan and China has surged, while Malaysia and India also show strong growth. 

"The global market for academic talent is as dynamic and complex as it has ever been", said Edwin van Rest, CEO and co-founder of Studyportals, as cited in the report. "International students have proven to be of broad and unique contribution to their host countries, and some upcoming destinations are effectively making use of the current market situation to advance talent attraction". 

In the same report, Fanta Aw, CEO of NAFSA-Association of International Educators, added, "Amid sweeping political shifts in the US, this survey offers a powerful snapshot... The message is unmistakable: international students are paying attention and increasingly turning away from the traditional ‘Big Four’ destinations in search of stability, opportunity, and affordability. It is really about the ‘Big Ten’ now". 

Experts say Asia and the Middle East–North Africa are not only keeping more of their local students, but also attracting learners from abroad, a sign of a broader realignment in global higher education. 

Tightened visa and immigration rules have accelerated that shift. Australia and Canada have capped foreign-student numbers, the UK now bans most master’s students from bringing dependents, and the US has added stricter visa checks, including social media reviews. 

Rising tuition and living costs in the West have only pushed more students toward culturally familiar and affordable options closer to home. 

Among the fastest-rising markets is Hong Kong, where up to half of non-local students can receive government subsidies. Investment in higher education has also boosted universities there in global rankings. Other ascendant destinations include Ireland, South Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, the UAE and Vietnam.

Top seeds Pearly Tan-Thinaah Muralitharan cruised into the quarter-finals of the Kumamoto Masters after dispatching South Korea's world No. 20 Jeong Na Eun-Lee Yeon Woo 21-14, 21-9 today. 

The world No. 2 were dominant throughout the 31-minute encounter, extending their flawless head-to-head record against the Koreans to 4-0 this season.

Maldivians Face Lifetime Smoking Ban for Gen Z and Beyond

The Republic of Maldives has banned smoking for individuals born on or after January 01, 2007, becoming the second country in the world after New Zealand to implement a generational prohibition on tobacco. 

According to Maldives Health Statistics, tobacco consumption and exposure to secondhand smoke are among the leading causes of illness and death nationwide. This prompted President Mohamed Muizzu to launch an anti-smoking campaign last year, banning vapes and e-cigarettes while doubling import duties and taxes on cigarettes. 

The new ban, affecting Generation Z first, was ratified as an amendment to the Tobacco Control Act in May and came into force on Saturday. It also reportedly applies to visitors to the island nation known for its luxury tourism. 

Not only that but individuals under 21 are also barred from participating in tobacco-related sales or commercial activities, a move described as “further shielding young people from tobacco exposure”. 

The new law bans all forms of tobacco advertising, sponsorship, and promotion, and upholds a total prohibition on electronic cigarettes and vapes for all ages, including their import, sale, distribution, possession, and use. The Maldives Health Ministry said the new law will help “protect public health and promote a tobacco-free generation”. 

First Lady Saajidhaa Mohamed hailed the move as historic, calling it “a bold, evidence-based step to break the cycle of addiction and prevent diseases” and a commitment to “securing a healthier, stronger future for our youth”. 

Many countries have introduced measures to curb tobacco use in recent years, ranging from banning smoking in public places to raising tobacco taxes and implementing marketing and age restrictions.

It's Official: English-version Ne Zha 2 Set For August 22

The English-language version of "Ne Zha 2" is set to hit screens on August 22. 

A24 Films LLC, commonly referred to as A24 – an American indie entertainment company that specializes in film and television production, as well as film distribution – and CMC Pictures – a Chinese state-backed company that dominate the global distribution of China’s most successful commercial cinema – have teamed up to release the Chinese blockbuster movie in theaters across the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, screening in Imax, 3D and other premium large formats.  

"Ne Zha 2" has so far grossed a whopping $2.2 billion – the first animated movie to do so. Depending on how the movie fares in cinemas in the above-mentioned countries, it may even climb a couple of positions higher on the coveted list of highest-grossing films. 

The A24-CMC partnership will pose a litmus test of the US market’s appetite for Chinese storytelling, as well as the strategic potential of crossover animation when backed by a potent mix of talent and scale.

Dreamliner's Long History of Safety Concerns

The Air India Flight 171 disaster – read my Saturday post "Dreamliner Crashes Soon After Takeoff" – is said to be a rare blemish to the Boeing 787's safety record. 

Boeing have proudly shared that the Dreamliner has been in service since 2011 without a fatal crash. More than 1,100 Dreamliners are in use worldwide, carrying more than 875 million passengers over the last decade. 

That may be so but at the same time, the aircraft has seen numerous complaints, concerns, and whistleblower reports over the safety of the widebody jet. And all of them are getting a second look today. 

The problems began in early 2013, when fires broke out aboard two Dreamliners owned by Japanese airlines. One plane had just landed at Boston’s Logan Airport, the other was just leaving Japan and had to turn around and land. Both blazes were traced to overheating of the planes’ lithium-ion batteries that power the electrical system. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) quickly stepped in, grounding the worldwide fleet of Dreamliners and temporarily halting the delivery of new ones to airlines that had placed orders for them. In April of 2013, the FAA accepted Boeing’s fixes, which involved better insulation for the batteries and a stainless steel box that would house the batteries and prevent smoke or flames from escaping into the plane if a fire did start. The Dreamliners were cleared to fly and the company was cleared to resume deliveries within weeks of the FAA’s decision. 

The next incident occurred in 2019 when, as The New York Times reported in an exposé at the time, John Barnett, a former quality manager who retired in 2017, revealed that he had filed a whistleblower complaint, alleging sloppy work around the wires that connect the planes’ flight control systems, with metal shavings being left behind when bolts were fastened. The risk existed that the shavings would penetrate the wires’ insulation, leading to consequences that Barnett called “catastrophic”. 

Barnett also alleged that damaged or substandard parts were being installed in 787s, including a dented hydraulic tube that a senior manager retrieved from a bin of what was supposed to contain scrap. The FAA inspected several 787s that were said to be free of the shavings Barnett reported and found that they were indeed there, reported the Times. The FAA then ordered that Boeing correct the problems before the planes were delivered to customers. 

In retirement, Barnett sued Boeing, alleging that the company had denigrated his character and blocked his career advancement during his employment – charges Boeing deny. In March of 2024, he was in North Charleston, South Carolina, the site of the US plant where he was employed, working on his case, when he was found dead in his truck from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. 

“Boeing may not have pulled the trigger”, Barnett’s family said in a wrongful death lawsuit it filed, “but Boeing’s conduct was the clear cause”. 

The company sidestepped the charge: “We are saddened by John Barnett’s death and send our condolences to his family”, Boeing said in a statement. 

Last year turned out to be a bad one for Boeing and the Dreamliner for reasons other than Barnett’s death. In January another whistleblower, engineer Sam Salehpour, came forward, reporting that sections of the fuselage of the Dreamliner were improperly connected, with gaps that could cause the plane to break apart during flight. When the sections wouldn’t fit, Salehpour claimed, workers would resort to brute force. 

“I literally saw people jumping on the pieces of the airplane to get them to align”, Salehpour said in Capitol Hill testimony. “By jumping up and down, you’re deforming parts so that the holes align temporarily. I called it the Tarzan effect”. 

In a statement on its website, Boeing defended the integrity of the Dreamliner: “For the in-service fleet, based on comprehensive analysis no safety issues have been identified related to composite gap management and our engineers are completing exhaustive analysis to determine any long-term inspection and maintenance required, with oversight from the FAA”. 

Nonetheless, in May, the FAA acted again, announcing that Boeing had been ordered to reinspect “all 787 airplanes still within the production system and must also create a plan to address the in-service fleet”. That was not the first time the government had taken action on the problem of unacceptable gaps in the Dreamliner’s fuselage. From May 2021 to August 2022, the FAA halted the delivery of new Dreamliners to airline customers while the problem was addressed. Deliveries did resume but, as Salehpour testified, so did the shoddy work on the factory floor. 

In March 2024, meantime, a LATAM Airlines flight from Sydney to Auckland suddenly plunged 400 ft. when the pilot’s seat in the 787 lurched forward unexpectedly. The captain recovered but 10 passengers and three members of the cabin crew were injured. 

For now, the 1,100 Dreamliners criss-crossing the skies are still flying. That could change pending the results of the Air India investigation. Even a temporary loss of the plane – which is a workhorse for long-haul flights – could be a hardship for both the airlines and the flying public. But as the grieving families of the passengers aboard the Air India flight could attest, loss of life is much worse.

Don't expect the Dreamliner's woes to end any time soon. 

On Sunday, a Chennai-bound British Airways Boeing Dreamliner returned to London due to a technical snag. The flight landed safely with crew and passengers disembarking as they normally would, British Airways said in a statement.

Already, on Monday, an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner plane from Hong Kong to New Delhi returned to Hong Kong as a precautionary measure, after a technical issue was suspected mid-air. The plane involved landed safely and airport operations were not affected.  

Tourism to the US is Tanking

According to the World Travel and Tourism Council, the United States stands to lose $12.5 billion due to declining tourism. 

Tourism is a big US export: Foreign visitors spent more than $180 billion here in 2024, more than all agricultural exports combined, said Geoff Freeman, president and CEO of the US Travel Association. 

However, international visits to the US fell 12% year-over-year in March, according to Oxford Economics.

And nationally, small and mid-sized business profits have already “deteriorated sharply” amid the travel slowdown, said Aaron Terrazas, an economist at Gusto, a payroll and benefits provider. 

The share of “tourism” companies that are profitable fell to 32% in April 2025, down from 41% and 43% in April 2024 and 2023, respectively, according to Gusto. The category includes tour operators, condo or time-share agencies and ticket or reservation agencies. 

The share of profitable “accommodation” businesses fell to 36%, down from 44% and 45%, Gusto found. The category includes small hotels and motels, guesthouses, cottages and cabins, and RV parks and campgrounds.  

Canadian travellers, traditionally the US’s most reliable market, dropped by more than 900,000 or 17% in March, as growing numbers of Canadians opt to boycott US holidays. Air and land arrivals from Canadians fell 14% and 32%, respectively, in March compared to the same time in 2024, according to Tourism Economics. Perhaps threatening to make Canada the 51st state wasn't the brilliant diplomatic strategy someone thought it was.

It’s not just Canada: Visits from Western Europe, Asia and South America – historically the US′ highest-value travel markets – are also down by double-digit percentages, according to the US Travel Association.  

Data suggests the weakness will persist through the summer. Air bookings for overseas summer travel to the US are pacing about 10% behind the same time last year, according to Tourism Economics, which is affiliated with Oxford Economics. (These were bookings made as of March).

The US, long marketed as the land of opportunity and adventure, is increasingly perceived as unwelcoming. Tighter border scrutiny, aggressive immigration enforcement, and a sharp shift in political tone have made travellers wary. 

Reports of tourists being detained, shackled and deported at US airports over minor alleged visa issues or misunderstandings have circulated widely. In some cases, visitors have had their phones and electronic devices searched without clear cause. For many travellers, that is a risk not worth taking. 

Governments have started to respond. Several countries, including New Zealand, Germany, France, Denmark and Finland, have updated their official travel advice for the US, urging citizens to exercise caution when visiting. The message filtering through international media is clear: the US is not as easy, safe or welcoming as it once seemed.

For sure, the tourism pullback appears to be “more a US issue right now” rather than a broad global weakness in travel, since other regions are seeing positive tourism growth, said Lorraine Sileo, senior analyst and founder of Phocuswright Research, a market research firm. 

Domestic tourism isn’t poised to pick up the slack – the market was slowing heading into 2025 and the “revenge travel” trend, which had propelled Americans to travel due to pent-up demand after Covid-19 lockdowns, has largely been played out, she said. 

“I don’t think it’s all doom and gloom for the US travel industry”, Sileo said. “But it’ll be a tough year”. 

Sivasangari Subramaniam came up short in her bid to reach the semi-finals of the World Championships on Thursday. The world No. 9 lost 11-3, 8-11, 11-4, 11-5 to American world No. 4 Olivia Weaver in 41 minutes. 

It was the 25-year-old Malaysian's sixth defeat in seven meetings with the 34-year-old Weaver. Many had tipped Sivasangari to overcome Weaver and become the first Malaysian to reach the semi-finals since Nicol David won the title in 2014 – but it was not to be.

I have this advice for Sivasangari: If you know yourself, you need not fear your competition.

Pearly Tan-Thinaah Muralitharan continued their sizzling run by dismantling China's Chen Qing Chen-Wang Ting Ge today to storm into the semi-finals of the Thailand Masters. 

The world No. 4 needed just 34 minutes to wrap up a commanding 21-14, 21-11 win, finally breaking their quarter-final jinx in Bangkok after two previous failed attempts.

Germans Discover New US Tourist Attraction: Detention Centers

Remember when "Aloha" meant "hello" instead of "up against the wall"? 

As reported in The Independent on Monday, two German teenagers got a crash course in American hospitality when border agents decided their spontaneous vacation planning was clearly a sign of something sinister. 

Charlotte Pohl and Maria Lepère, fresh-faced 18- and 19-year-olds from Rostock – about 140 miles north of Berlin – made the mistake of thinking they could just island-hop Hawaii the same way they explored Thailand and New Zealand as part of their around-the-world trip after graduating from high school. 

Upon arriving in Honolulu on March 18 with hopes of island-hopping Hawaii’s islands, the teens were allegedly denied entry into the US despite holding the required Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), according to German newspaper Ostsee Zeitung. So, no leis greeted them – instead, they received complimentary interrogations, body scans, strip searches, handcuffs, and green prison uniforms by brave Customs and Border Protection officers. 

"It was all like a fever dream", lamented Lepère, who apparently hadn't gotten the memo that America now treats tourism like a terrorist plot. 

The teens spent their Hawaiian vacation on moldy mattresses in a freezing cell, sharing space with actual criminals. Which, if you think about it, is a pretty authentic American experience, given the fact that the United States imprisons 580 per 100,000 residents (compared to 68 for Germany). 

Their crime? Not booking their entire five-week stay in advance. Apparently, "spontaneous travel" now ranks somewhere between "suspicious package" and "carrying contraband" in the CBP threat assessment handbook. 

German tourism to the US has dropped since this kind of welcome became standard operating procedure. Turns out people prefer their paradise without prison uniforms. Who knew?

Everyone Must Go!

Depending on how you read it, New Zealand's latest tourism tagline can be a well-meaning plea for people to visit – or a threat to kick Kiwis out. 

"Everyone Must Go!" reads a slogan printed across posters of people in New Zealand's majestic landscapes – part of a NZ$500,000 ($285,000) campaign unveiled on Sunday. 

But what was meant as a catchy call to action aimed at Australian tourists has been accused of being tone-deaf, as New Zealand deals with record emigration rates and unemployment. 

The government has defended the campaign, with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon saying he "[appreciates] there's lots of chat about whether everyone loves the slogan or not".

"The fact that we're talking about it is a good thing. It's a great thing", he added. 

Cushla Tangaere-Manuel, tourism spokesperson for the opposition Labour Party, told local news outlet Radio New Zealand (RNZ) that the new slogan "makes New Zealand sound like we're in a clearance bin at a sale".

"The irony of that messaging is, that's how Aotearoa New Zealanders are feeling right now", she said, pointing to the "many cuts" that residents have experienced. Job cuts to the public sector over the past year, as part of the government's austerity push, have affected thousands of people. 

Meanwhile, people are moving out of the country in record numbers. Official figures show that there were nearly 130,000 departures last year – though that was offset by the arrival of nearly 160,000 immigrants. 

"New Zealanders are voting with their feet, leaving in record high numbers", Labour MP Barbara Edmonds wrote on X on Monday. "Is their real tourism plan 'Everyone Must Go' – for Kiwis?" 

Others associated the slogan with demand for lavatories. 

"I think 'Everyone Must Go' might refer to the need for toilets in some of our high-tourist spots. I mean, the queues are ridiculous", Green Party MP Celia Wade-Brown told RNZ. 

"They don't go kayaking, they don't go diving, but, my goodness, they queue at the toilets". 

Tourism and hospitality minister Louise Upston (left) said in a statement on Sunday that "the campaign tagline of 'Everyone must go' lets Australia know that New Zealand is a 'must visit' destination, and that we're ready and waiting to welcome them now". 

New Zealand's tourism numbers have yet to bounce back to pre-pandemic levels, and authorities are channelling efforts into attracting visitors from neighbouring Australia, its largest source of tourists.

Last year, New Zealand welcomed more than 1.2 million visitors from Australia. But Upston said visitors numbers were only 88% of that in 2019. 

Luxon said he hoped the latest campaign would boost Australian visitor numbers by 5%. 

"It would be totally and utterly tragic if those Australians don't get here before they do die", he said. 

The month-long tourism campaign is set to start on Thursday. 

Yesterday, Celtic's Champions League adventure came to a grinding halt in gut-wrenching fashion as Bayern Munich struck in the 94th minute to deny them a stunning victory in Germany and snatch a 3-2 aggregate victory.

Trailing 2-1 after the first leg of the play-off round at Parkhead, Celtic broke the deadlock with a deserved goal when Nicolas Kuhn slotted home in the 63rd minute, following two defensive errors by the German side to put the Scottish champions in the driving seat. That was after a first half in which Celtic passed up four fine opportunities to score.

A Celtic heartache! All the same, this has been their greatest Champions League campaign in recent memory after wins over Slovan Bratislava, RB Leipzig, and BSC Young Boys, as well as draws with Atalanta, Club Bruges, and Dinamo Zagreb has sent them into the knock-out play-offs.

Ne Zha 2 is 2nd Highest-grossing Animated Film of All Time

Chinese animated film Ne Zha 2 joins the global top 10 movie club with a milestone 12.05 billion yuan ($1.66 billion) of ticket sales on Monday, according to data from China's ticketing platform Dengta. 

Ne Zha 2 is proving that Chinese cinema can not only dominate its domestic market but also hold its own charm in the highly competitive global arena. 

Surpassing blockbusters like The Lion King (2019) and The Avengers (2012), it has become the first Asian film to enter the top 10 club of highest earning films at the global box office. 

Even better, it is now the second highest-grossing animated film of all time worldwide, following Inside Out 2. 

The Chinese box-office hit was screened on Friday in a limited theatrical release in North America. The film's pre-sale box office and screenings have set a new record for Chinese-language films in North America over the past 20 years, with some theaters even adding midnight showings to meet audience demand. Ne Zha 2 has been released simultaneously in 770 theaters across more than 400 cities in 48 states in the US, as well as in 42 cities across 10 provinces in Canada. 

In Australia-New Zealand, the film officially premiered on Thursday, with 124 theaters screening the film, also setting a new record for Chinese-language films in the Oceania region over the past 20 years in terms of screenings, according to CCTV.

Māori Haka in NZ Parliament Goes Metal

André Antunes (right) is a guitarist and YouTube personality from Portugal. And he's brilliant with the electric guitar.

This time around, he's turned his attention to the haka, a ceremonial dance and performance art in Māori culture that is known for its vigorous movements and rhythmic foot-stamping. 

Check out his latest initiative to turn New Zealand's twenty-two-year-old MP Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke (left) hakas into a metal song!

Starting with her maiden parliamentary speech on December 13, 2023, where she performed a haka and ending with the protest where she tore up a contentious bill – the Treaty Principles Bill, which aimed to reinterpret the 184-year-old Treaty of Waitangi (in Māori, Hīkoi mo te Tiriti) – and led her parliamentary colleagues in a haka on November 14, 2024, causing parliament to be briefly suspended:

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The 2 Idiots

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As per RT published October 24, 2024. In an interview with Russian broadcaster VGTRK on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia, Alexander Lukashenko on Wednesday, called both US presidential candidates, Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Kamala Harris "idiots"! 

 

The Belarusian President was asked whether he favored any of the two and Lukashenko (right) decried their empty rhetoric and personal attacks against each other. 

 

“They are all idiots”, he said, adding that both their campaigns have wasted billions of dollars without producing a coherent program. “This is a terrible, stupid election. From our perspective, I don’t understand anything at all”.

 

Emotional farewells are a common sight at airports, but travelers leaving the New Zealand city of Dunedin will have to be quick. A new three-minute time limit on goodbye hugs in the airport’s drop-off area is intended to prevent lingering cuddles from causing traffic jams.

 

“Max hug time three minutes”, warn signs outside the terminal, adding that those seeking “fonder farewells” should head to the airport’s parking lot instead.

 

The cuddle cap was imposed in September to “keep things moving smoothly” in the redesigned passenger drop-off area outside the airport, CEO Dan De Bono told The Associated Press on Tuesday. It was the airport’s way of reminding people that the zone was for “quick farewells” only. 

 

The signs had polarized social media users, De Bono said.

 

“We were accused of breaching basic human rights and how dare we limit how long someone can have a hug for”, he said, adding that others had welcomed the change.

 

The signs were meant as an alternative to those at other airports warning of wheel clamping or fines for drivers parked in drop-off areas. Some in Britain have imposed fees for all drop-offs – however brief. 

 

Dunedin’s airport – a modest terminal serving a city of 135,000 people on New Zealand’s South Island – preferred a “quirky” approach, De Bono said. Three minutes was “plenty of time to pull up, say farewell to your loved ones and move on”, he added. “The time limit is really a nicer way of saying, you know, get on with it”. 

 

A 20-second hug is long enough to release the wellbeing-boosting hormones oxytocin and serotonin, De Bono asserted. Anything longer was “really awkward”.

 

But passengers needn't be unduly worried about enforcement. “We do not have hug police”, De Bono maintained.