SpaceX faces opposition to Starlink expansion from Ukrainian group concerned about Musk ties to Russia

SpaceX faces opposition to Starlink expansion from Ukrainian group concerned about Musk ties to RussiaA non-profit group representing Americans of Ukrainian descent asked the FCC to deny SpaceX authorization to put almost 22,500 satellites into low-earth orbit at least until further review. The satellites would allow SpaceX to provide internet services to more users around the world via its Starlink division. “There is a necessity to determine if Starlink has been used to help a foreign adversary,” Michael Sawkiw, Jr., president of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America, told CNBC.

LawConnect clear Line Honours victor

 

• 28 Dec, 2024 03:23:00 AM

LawConnect clear Line Honours victor

Christian Beck has defied the pundits, his 100 footer, LawConnect, pulling off Line Honours in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race for a second year running, crossing the finish line at Castray Esplanade in Hobart early this morning at 02.35.13, in the time of 01 day 13 hours 35 minutes 13 seconds.

LawConnect’s finish time was 4hrs 19mins 49secs outside the race record of 01 day 09 hours 15 minutes 24 seconds set by LDV Comanche in 2017 in the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia’s (CYCA) 628 nautical mile race. This is her third Line Honours victory – her first was as Perpetual LOYAL in 2016 when the now 16-year-old broke the race record.

Unlike last year’s thriller which saw LawConnect and the John Winning Jr’s Andoo Comanche go head-to-head with the former coming out on top by 51 seconds, Beck’s yacht had the Derwent to herself after Master Lock Comanche damaged her mainsail yesterday, forcing her out of the race.

Late last night, at 11.10pm, Race Liaison advised that LawConnect had rounded Tasman Island, when her navigator, Christopher Lewis, gave an ETA at the finish line of 02.45am this morning.

On board were all but one of last year’s victorious sailing crew along with Beck’s usual few from his business, each given the priceless opportunity of taking part in one of Australia’s greatest sporting events.

Celestial V70, the Volvo Open 70, better known as Willow and chartered by CYCA Commodore, Sam Haynes, is the next yacht due over the line. The 70 footer, tailor made for the conditions in this race, was just over 20 nautical miles behind LawConnect when the latter crossed the finish line.

Celestial V70 is also the current overall leader of the race, with LawConnect sitting in second place. Grant Wharington’s 100 footer, Wild Thing 100, with her short rig, is the third boat due into Hobart where the crowds are gathered on the water and ashore. The Queensland yacht is presently placed third overall.

Monaco unveils its groundbreaking €2 billion floating eco-district

Monaco unveils its groundbreaking €2 billion floating eco-district

In the heart of Monaco’s coastline, a new vision of urban development has come to life. Dubbed the Mareterra project, this floating eco-district was officially completed this month, setting an unprecedented global benchmark. Built entirely on "land" reclaimed from the sea to create new territory for development, this urban expansion adds six hectares (about 15 acres or 3% of Monaco’s total land area), seamlessly blending environmental stewardship with architectural sophistication.

Yoann Richomme is new Vendee Globe leader

Yoann Richomme is new Vendee Globe leader

After leading on December 1st Richomme (PAPREC ARKÉA) gave up many miles when he elected to sail north out of the track of a big Indian Ocean depression on December 2nd. Four days later he was 540 miles behind Dalin but Richomme’s recovery is complete this morning.

There is less than 50 miles between the top three contenders, Seb Simon (Groupe Dubreuil) doing a remarkable job hanging on with no starboard foil.

Behind them the regrouping promises an utterly engaging second half of the race. There are just 14 miles between Nico Lunven (HOLCIM PRB), Thomas Ruyant (VULNERABLE) and Jérémie Beyou (Charal) in sixth.

And behind them 80 miles between the 2020-2021 Vendée Globe champion Yannick Bestaven (Maître CoQ V) and Briton Sam Goodchild (VULNERABLE).

And Germany’s Boris Herrmann (Malizia Seaexplorer) continues a recovery which almost matches Richomme’s as he launches himself back into the top ten, ninth this morning as this group make the most of the fast, windy conditions.

Most Audacious Watch of the Year

 

How Sylvain Berneron Created the Most Audacious Watch of the Year

The independent watchmaker took home a GPHG award for his unusually shaped Mirage timepiece.

Earlier this month, at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie in Geneva, a.k.a. the Oscars of watchmaking, Sylvain Berneron stood on stage at the Théâtre du Léman before a crowd of some 1,400 people and accepted the Audacity Prize for his Mirage timepiece, a sublime example of shaped watchmaking that he spent nearly $900,000 of his own money to develop.

 
In his acceptance speech, Berneron, an industrial designer who’d worked at Breitling for five years before pursuing his own endeavor, remarked on the perseverance the project required and the risks he took to bring the Mirage to market.
 
“There is a real form of self-endangerment which is the foundation of artistic art,” he said. “I would also like to thank my team with whom I work. I was able to start by surrounding myself with their courage.”
 
On the morning after the awards, I met Berneron and his wife, Marie-Alix, for breakfast at the Beau Rivage hotel on Geneva’s lakefront, where he told me about the journey to making the original 38 mm Mirage as well as the smaller 34 mm stone-dial version he introduced at Geneva Watch Days in late August. He kicked off the conversation with a potent anecdote about how, in the earliest stage of his work on the Mirage, a supplier who also happened to be a friend tried to talk him out of making the timepiece, implying that carrying on with his plan would be akin to professional suicide. That Berneron defied the warning and instead committed himself entirely to the project seems like the very essence of audacity. Below, he talks about why he thinks making art requires some “personal endangerment,” how the Mirage is like “an offering to God,” and what collectors and fans of his work can look forward to seeing from Berneron in 2025.

International students enrich our communities

 

News release

January 22, 2024—Ottawa—International students enrich our communities and are a critical part of Canada’s social, cultural and economic fabric. In recent years, the integrity of the international student system has been threatened. Some institutions have significantly increased their intakes to drive revenues, and more students have been arriving in Canada without the proper supports they need to succeed. Rapid increases in the number of international students arriving in Canada also puts pressure on housing, health care and other services. As we work to better protect international students from bad actors and support sustainable population growth in Canada, the government is moving forward with measures to stabilize the number of international students in Canada.

The Honourable Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship announced today that the Government of Canada will set an intake cap on international student permit applications to stabilize new growth for a period of two years. For 2024, the cap is expected to result in approximately 360,000 approved study permits, a decrease of 35% from 2023. In the spirit of fairness, individual provincial and territorial caps have been established, weighted by population, which will result in much more significant decreases in provinces where the international student population has seen the most unsustainable growth. Study permit renewals will not be impacted. Those pursuing master’s and doctoral degrees, and elementary and secondary education are not included in the cap. Current study permit holders will not be affected.

IRCC will allocate a portion of the cap to each province and territory, who will then distribute the allocation among their designated learning institutions. To implement the cap, as of January 22, 2024, every study permit application submitted to IRCC will also require an attestation letter from a province or territory. Provinces and territories are expected to establish a process for issuing attestation letters to students by no later than March 31, 2024.

These temporary measures will be in place for two years, and the number of new study permit applications that will be accepted in 2025 will be re-assessed at the end of this year. During this period, the Government of Canada will continue to work with provinces and territories, designated learning institutions and national education stakeholders on developing a sustainable path forward for international students, including finalizing a recognized institution framework, determining long-term sustainable levels of international students and ensuring post-secondary institutions are able to provide adequate levels of student housing.

In order to better align the Post-Graduation Work Permit Program, we are changing the eligibility criteria:

• Starting September 1, 2024, international students who begin a study program that is part of a curriculum licensing arrangement will no longer be eligible for a post­graduation work permit upon graduation. Under curriculum licensing agreements, students physically attend a private college that has been licensed to deliver the curriculum of an associated public college. These programs have seen significant growth in attracting international students in recent years, though they have less oversight than public colleges and they act as a loophole with regards to post-graduation work permit eligibility.
• Graduates of master’s degree programs will soon be eligible to apply for a 3-year work permit. Under current criteria, the length of a post­graduation work permit is based solely on the length of an individual’s study program, hindering master’s graduates by limiting the amount of time they have to gain work experience and potentially transition to permanent residence.

In the weeks ahead, open work permits will only be available to spouses of international students in master’s and doctoral programs. The spouses of international students in other levels of study, including undergraduate and college programs, will no longer be eligible.

The important measures announced today complement other recently announced reforms to the International Student Program. Taken together, they aim to ensure genuine students receive the support they require and have the resources they need for an enriching study experience in Canada, while at the same time stabilizing the overall number of students arriving and alleviating pressures on housing, health care and other services in Canada.

Quotes

“International students are vital to Canada and enrich our communities. As such, we have an obligation to ensure that they have access to the resources they need for an enriching academic experience. In Canada, today, this isn’t always the case. Today, we are announcing additional measures to protect a system that has become so lucrative that it has opened a path for its abuse. Enough is enough. Through the decisive measures announced today, we are striking the right balance for Canada and ensuring the integrity of our immigration system while setting students up for the success they hope for.”

– The Honourable Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

The 10 Largest Sailing Yachts on the High Seas

 While Lürssen claims a whopping 13 of the 25 largest yachts in the world, Oceanco rules the waves when it comes to sailing vessels. The Dutch shipyard scoops the top two spots on this list, with a total of three overall, including the famed Black Pearl.

For four years, Black Pearl ranked as the largest sailing vessel until early 2023 when Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’s 417-foot sailing gigayacht Koru delivered, and a new flagship was born. That’s because the most unusual and easily recognizable of the largest sailing yachts in the world doesn’t even qualify for this list. The 468-foot sailing yacht A, which has been subject to sanctions, is officially designated as a sail-assisted motoryacht, meaning it’s a hybrid that only uses its sails to supplement its diesel propulsion.

But the rest of this list comprise true sailing vessels, many with classic lines and others employing modern racing and cruising designs to the fullest.

Here, our top 10 largest sailing yachts in the world in 2024.

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Charlie Dalin at the gateway to the Pacific Ocean

Charlie Dalin at the gateway to the Pacific Ocean

On this 32nd day of racing, the skipper of MACIF Santé Prévoyance continues his express ride on the Vendée Globe after having engulfed the Cape of Good Hope / Cape Leeuwin section in 9 days and 22 hours. A record!

SailGP, CBS Sports extend partnership

SailGP, CBS Sports extend partnershipCBS Sports will have a record 54 hours of television coverage for the fifth season of the SailGP sports league set to air across its platforms during the 2024-25 season. The first event of the Season 5, which was held November 23-24, will be be broadcast on December 7 at 2:00pm ET.

“We are thrilled to make history with the largest-ever U.S. broadcast deal for SailGP as the appetite for the most exciting racing on water continues to grow in the U.S. market,” said Russell Coutts, SailGP CEP. “Coming off record-breaking audience figures from last season, CBS Sports’ expanded commitment to our league provides another proof point that SailGP is one of the world’s fastest growing sports and entertainment properties.”

Greg Trager, CBS Sports’ vice president of Programming added, “SailGP is high-octane, dynamic racing against the backdrop of the world’s most beautiful vistas. They have a growing fanbase and we look forward to welcoming them back for another exciting season.”

The 2025 SailGP schedule features three event in key United States markets – Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York.

A Brief History of Ferrari Supercars, From the 288 GTO to the F80

Most terms in the automotive world have fixed definitions: a spark plug, a station wagon, etc.

A few, however, are a bit more slippery. At the tail end of the last millennium, the fastest, most powerful road cars went by a magnificent superlative: supercar. Here in the 21st Century, though, that name apparently seems banal; the term has found itself spread far and wide to describe any road car of a certain type of design and level of performance, no matter where in the lineup it lies, Nowadays, we call most machines at the top of the charts a hypercar.

But at the end of the day, the supercars of the 20th Century and the hypercars of today are the same thing: the tip of the spear for a car company, their greatest achievement of the era. The difference in names is an arbitrary decision, but by the standards of their respective decades, they mean the same thing.

For the purposes of this story, we’ll use the newer term where appropriate, to put the performance of those earlier models in a modern context. The LaFerrari, for example, is probably Ferrari’s first hypercar, unless you think the Enzo was, but the 288 GTO is not a hypercar, and it may not have even been a supercar but merely a sports car. What the 288 GTO, Enzo, LaFerrari, F40, F50, and F80 all have in common, though, is that they were and are Ferrari’s range-toppers. This is their history.

CaPQ pushes back on Quebec nationalism at Bromont event

CaPQ pushes back on Quebec nationalism at Bromont eventBy William Crooks Local Journalism Initiative The Canadian Party of Quebec (CaPQ) held a regional event titled “Staying Canadian” on Oct. 19 at the CNCB Velodrome in Bromont. The event, attended by approximately 25 people, was part of the party’s ongoing efforts to engage with residents of the Eastern Townships. Colin Standish, CaPQ co-leader, spoke on critical political issues and outlined his vision for Quebec’s future within Canada during an interview conducted shortly after the event. Standish emphasized the growing political tensions in Quebec, particularly concerning recent provincial legislation. “Bill 21, Bill 40, and Bill 96 really restructure our society and country in illegitimate ways,” he stated, criticizing both the provincial and federal governments for their roles. Standish argued that the federal government has not only stood by but actively “assisted the province of Quebec in dismantling the Canadian Constitution and the Charter.” Standish highlighted the potential for further constitutional crises, noting that these laws are likely to be contested in the Supreme Court in the coming years. He expressed concern about a possible Parti Québécois (PQ) government and a federal Conservative government lacking strong Quebec representation. “We’re heading into very dangerous waters,” he warned, stressing that these forces could lead to renewed debates on Quebec’s sovereignty. The event in Bromont featured various speakers, including Standish’s co-leader Myrtis Fossey and former Equality Party leader Keith Henderson. They discussed the possibility of an 11th province if Quebec’s sovereignty movement gains traction. Standish explained that, similar to past referendums, communities within Quebec might vote to remain part of Canada. “There’s a legal, legitimate, constitutional way to actually have these debates,” he said, advocating for a federal referendum to determine which areas of Quebec would choose to stay Canadian.

Louis Burton has had to abandon the Vendee Globe

Louis Burton has had to abandon the Vendee Globe

At around midday UTC Wednesday 4 December, Louis Burton (BUREAU VALLÉE) informed the Vendée Globe race management that he had to abandon the race.

He is heading towards Cape Town, which he should reach in around 36 hours.

While sailing in 16th place ahead of a depression, in brisk but manageable conditions, Burton suffered a sudden damage to a mechanical element of the rigging.

This meant he could no longer manoeuvre his boat. For 10 hours after that the skipper of Bureau Vallée searched for a solution to repair it. But his efforts have proven to be in vain.

After a careful analysis of the situation, even with the determination that characterises the skipper who finished third on the 2020-21 race, Burton has had to abandon the race.

After having repaired serious cracks in his boat alone at sea a fortnight ago this second major damage has substantially affected the integrity of his boat at a time when the weather conditions in the Southern Ocean are extremely demanding.

This decision was difficult to make but it is as a sailor who has two round the world races under his belt including that third place in the last Vendée Globe and fifteen years of experience on the IMOCA circuit and fifteen transatlantic races to his credit that Burton leaves the 10th edition of the Vendée Globe.

Both Ultim 3 foiling trimarans aborte their Jules Verne Trophy record attempts

Both Ultim 3 foiling trimarans aborte their Jules Verne Trophy record attempts

The Ultim 3 foiling trimarans of Thomas Coville’s Sodebo and Francois Gabart’s SVR-Lazartigue have both aborted their Jules Verne Trophy record attempts.

The two Ultim foiling trimarans which had set off on the 29/30 November 2024, on a Jules Verne Trophy around the world non-stop record attempt, are both returning to France after suffering damage on Tuesday 3 December.

Francois Gabart’s SVR-Lazartigue reported that the trimaran’s starboard foil was damaged with an ‘OANI’, or an unidentified animal or object, around 500 miles from the Azores.

Thomas Coville’s Sodebo also aborted their attempt on Tuesday 3 December, following damage to the  solenoid valve of the central hydraulic control  block.

Their trimaran is currently en route to the team Sodebo base in Lorient for repairs.

Chef Boyardee Statue in Omaha, Nebraska

Chef Boyardee Statue in Omaha, NebraskaOutside an otherwise nondescript office building for ConAgra Brands stands a life-size bronze statue of Ettore Boiardi, who Anglicized his name as Chef Hector Boyardee when he began selling his packaged spaghetti sauce and dinners. He sold Chef Boyardee Foods to American Home Products in 1946, and AHP's successor International Home Foods was bought in 2000 by food giant ConAgra, which started in Nebraska and whose headquarters were in Omaha at the time. This statue, by Omaha sculptor John Lajba, was erected in 2011 and was originally sited elsewhere in downtown Omaha. In 2017 it was moved to its current location outside the entrance to ConAgra's Charles M. "Mike" Harper Product Development Center. The statue has a seemingly identical twin, unveiled in 2013 outside the ConAgra plant in Milton, Pennsylvania, which has been producing Chef Boyardee products since 1938.

French start Jules Verne Trophy quest

French start Jules Verne Trophy quest With its crew of five men and one woman, the SVR-Lazartigue Trimaran, skippered by François Gabart, began its attempt at the Jules Verne Trophy this Saturday, the record for a crewed round-the-world trip, non-stop and without assistance. Read more on Sail-World

SailGP team rules

With the privately owned teams cherry picking talent from the established, it is clear that the SailGP team rules have been amended since Season 4. Initially with SailGP there was a strong attempt to have a strong nationalistic look to the League, with only one team being permitted per country, and to carry that nations flag. With the emergence and expansion of the League that stance is no longer viable with new privately funded national teams entering and trying to come up to speed against teams who have been sailing for several seasons. The situation is complicated by the fact that the SailGP schedule permits only limited practice time in the League serviced F50s - a very difficult situation for a new team trying to catch up. So to help close the gap between the teams, and make improve competition between all teams the nationality rules have been eased, allowing experienced sailors with the "wrong" passport to be brought into the team. Likewise it also allows established teams to bring in "Top Gun" crew who again may have the "wrong" passport, in an effort to improve team performance.