Lesotho country profile
Provides an overview of Lesotho, including key facts about this small country in southern Africa.
2023-07-24 16:56
UK firms grow at slowest in 6 months as rate hikes weigh: PMI
LONDON Britain's private sector is growing at its weakest pace in six months in July as orders for
2023-07-24 16:47
Oppenheimer has sparked controversy in India over a sex scene – here's why
One of the most famous lines in Oppenheimer is when J. Robert Oppenheimer, the protagonist, thinks of the Hindu holy book Bhagavad Gita when the first bomb is detonated during tests. Oppenheimer’s line “Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds,” is, apparently, true to real life. It also appeared in the Bhagavad Gita when the god Vishnu is trying to persuade Prince Arjuna that he should do his duty and to impress him, takes on his multi-armed form and says the same words. Now, it turns out some members of the Hindu community in India are upset about how this quote is first brought into the movie – when he is having sex with Florence Pugh’s character, Jean Tatlock. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter While in bed, she gets up and goes to his bookshelf, taking a book written in a language she doesn’t know. Presumably, we can interpret this to be the Bhagavad Gita. Then, she asks him to read it while they continue having sex, feeding the scientist’s ego and further inflating the god complex he has over his own intelligence. Perhaps unsurprisingly, some on social media aren’t too happy about their holy book being read during a sex scene. Uday Mahurkar, an Indian journalist and founder of the Save Culture Save India Foundation, called it a “direct assault on religious beliefs of a billion tolerant Hindus” in an open letter addressed to Nolan. The post argues that Hollywood is deliberately “very sensitive” about Islam and asks why “the same courtesy” can’t be shown to Hindus. It adds that if Nolan does not remove the scene from the film, it will be interpreted as a “deliberate assault on Indian civilization”. News outlet Variety reports that Oppenheimer got a “U/A Certificate” from India’s board of film certification, which is roughly equivalent to a 12A rating in the UK. The publication also reports that Stanley Kubrick’s Eyes Wide Shut originally contained a song on the soundtrack with a line from the Bhagavad Gita during an orgy scene. Warner Bros. later removed the scene and issued a public apology. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
2023-07-24 16:47
Lesotho media guide
An overview of the media in Lesotho, as well as links to broadcasters and newspapers.
2023-07-24 16:46
A $27 Trillion Earnings Week Looms for High-Flying Stock Markets
It’s shaping up to be a pivotal week for global stocks, as companies with a combined $27 trillion
2023-07-24 16:45
Greta Gerwig reveals the key Barbie scene she refused to cut despite studio pressure
Greta Gerwig has revealed the scene in Barbie that she refused to cut. The Academy Award-nominated director said that it was suggested she remove a scene where Barbie meets an elderly woman on a bench and tells her she’s beautiful. “I love that scene so much,” Gerwig told Rolling Stone. “And the older woman on the bench is the costume designer Ann Roth. She’s a legend. It’s a cul-de-sac of a moment, in a way - it doesn’t lead anywhere. "And in early cuts, looking at the movie, it was suggested, ‘Well, you could cut it. And actually, the story would move on just the same.’ And I said, ‘If I cut the scene, I don’t know what this movie is about.'” Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter In another interview, Gerwig called the scene a "transaction of grace" and said it is vital to understand how the living doll perceives the human world. “The idea of a loving God who’s a mother, a grandmother - who looks at you and says, ‘Honey, you’re doing ok’ - is something I feel like I need and I wanted to give to other people,” Gerwig told The New York Times. “If I cut that scene, I don’t know why I’m making this movie,” the director added. “If I don’t have that scene, I don’t know what it is or what I’ve done.” Gerwig's critically lauded and box-office-smashing movie was released worldwide last Friday with seemingly everyone heading out to see the Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling starring comedy about the iconic toy. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
2023-07-24 16:27
Restaurant introduces ‘minimum spend’ that will see solo diners pay double to eat alone
A restaurant in London has sparked criticism over its decision to introduce a minimum spend next month that will see solo diners charged double for their meals. In August, Alex Dilling at Hotel Café Royal, which boasts two Michelin stars, will increase the prices of its tasting menus. Currently, a five-course tasting menu costs £125 per person, while it’s £175 for seven courses. However, from 17 August, the restaurant will increase its prices by 11 per cent, bringing five courses to £165 and seven courses to £195. This is due to an increase in supplier costs and rising staff shortages in London, due to Brexit, that has put pressure on the business. For those dining alone, though, the new minimum spend means solo visitors could be charged a minimum of £330 to visit the restaurant due to the volume of requests they receive. However, the restaurant confirmed that they keep one to two tables for solo diners for every service without the minimum spend. So solo diners who book within 24 to 48 hours of their required booking time could be able to swerve the minimum spend depending on whether those tables are available at the time. Nonetheless, the initiative sparked outrage on Twitter, with commenters quick to point out the joys of dining alone, and how solo diners are often stigmatised. “F*** the Hotel Café Royal then… Solo dining is one of life’s great pleasures,” tweeted one person. “Oh great news. Yet another penalty for being single,” another added. Hugh Smithson-Write, who works in restaurant PR, tweeted: “A classic example of making the customer the problem, rather than finding a solution. “If you get ‘many solo diner requests’ how about you reconfigure your dining room to accommodate that and maximise the revenue? This is the very opposite of hospitality!” Victoria Sheppard, chief executive at Alex Dilling at Hotel Café Royal, told The Independent: “Since achieving our two Michelin stars the demand for solo dining has increased dramatically and whilst we make every effort to accommodate solo diners, we also have to be considerate to the running costs of our business. “That said, we are increasing our opening hours from 17 August and will be able to accommodate more solo diners (without any discretionary minimum spend). 95 per cent of our solo diners requesting tables since we implemented a discretionary minimum spend when we are at capacity for solo diners have been more that happy to proceed with their booking, enjoying wine pairings or champagne of wine alongside their meal. “Nightclubs in our local vicinity have minimum spends for tables or hotels you pay the same price whether one guest or two which is never under dispute.” Read More Michelin star chef Marcus Wareing gives controversial answer to the best pizza in London Tom Kerridge addresses backlash to his £35 fish and chips at Harrods: ‘They shout at me’ Chef defends viral chicken recipe after TikTok backlash: ‘PSA to the seasoning police’ Restaurant with ‘tips are a privilege’ policy sparks intense backlash on social media Cher is launching a gelato brand called ‘Cherlato’ Popeyes widely mocked for attempt to join ‘girl dinner’ trend
2023-07-24 16:27
Glasgow club threatened with eviction over pursuit of convicted rapist David Goodwillie
A ninth-tier Scottish club could lose its home ground if it pursues an interest in disgraced striker David Goodwillie. The 34-year-old former Scotland international was found in a civil case at the Court of Session in Edinburgh in 2017 to have raped a woman. Goodwillie reportedly played as a trialist for West of Scotland Football League side Glasgow United in a friendly last week, and the city council is now threatening to ban the club from the Greenfield Football Centre in Shettleston if he joins them. In a statement on Glasgow City Council’s official Twitter account, leader Susan Aitken said: “David Goodwillie has been found, in court, to be a rapist. However, in more than 12 years, he has never once shown any kind of contrition or remorse. Any club that signs him is making a very clear statement about its attitude to the safety of women and girls - both in sport and in its community. “It would be an outrageous decision, wholly at odds with how community facilities like Greenfield should be run. I’ve asked officers to look at the council’s agreement with Glasgow United and made it clear that I’m ready for the city to walk away.” Goodwillie – who continues to protest his innocence - and his former Dundee United team-mate, David Robertson, were judged to have raped Denise Clair. The two men, who have never faced criminal charges in relation to the allegation, were ordered to pay damages of £100,000 to Ms Clair, who waived her right to anonymity. Goodwillie left Plymouth by mutual consent in the wake of the court ruling and spent almost five years at Clyde despite criticism of the club’s decision to offer him employment. However, subsequent moves to Raith Rovers, Northern Premier League Radcliffe and Australian outfit FC Sorrento collapsed amid fierce criticism.
2023-07-24 16:26
Is Rex Heuermann the Manorville butcher? Filmmaker raises questions about alleged Gilgo beach killer’s connection to scattered body parts
Heuermann was arrested on July 13 as a prime suspect in the murder of four sex workers whose remains were found in December 2010
2023-07-24 16:21
Euro-Zone Private Sector Contracts in Dire Start to Quarter
The euro-area private-sector economy contracted more than anticipated in July, with order inflows and output expectations pointing to
2023-07-24 16:20
Euro zone business downturn deepens far more than thought in July -PMI
LONDON A downturn in euro zone business activity deepened much more than expected in July as demand in
2023-07-24 16:20
Cristiana Girelli's goal gives Italy 1-0 win over Argentina at the Women's World Cup
Cristiana Girelli’s goal in the 87th minute broke a stalemate and Italy kicked off the Women’s World Cup with a 1-0 victory over Argentina on Monday night
2023-07-24 16:17
