Recipes

Even as the movie industry continues to recover from the pandemic’s debilitating effects, the ongoing story of film is not about loss of quality. This was a year filled with cinematic delights from every part of the world, with first-time filmmakers doing everything they could to shock audiences, and old masters delving into their darkest reminiscences for indelible works of memoir. I remain concerned by the fact that most of my favorite 2022 films didn’t come from major Hollywood studios—an industry that once prided itself on producing a breadth of stories currently seems too focused on the biggest and loudest—but...

ShutterstockLast week, four Indonesian fishermen were convicted for taking shark fins and poaching fish in Australian waters. The four men were spotted off remote Niiwalarra/Sir Graham Moore island in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, more than 150 nautical miles inside Australia’s exclusive economic zone. But is fining them up to A$6,000 – a huge sum for these men – likely to stop sharks being killed? Hardly. The reality is, they have no capacity to pay the sum. Instead, they’ll likely serve a month or so in jail and return to Indonesia. There, they’ll face the same problem driving them into...

Editor’s note: This post was last updated Dec. 6, 2022 with new information.  Almost three years after the COVID-19 pandemic first upended international travel, many countries have finally returned to pre-pandemic entry requirements by removing vaccination and testing mandates; others have made the process less of a hassle by easing restrictions. Even some of the most restrictive nations are finally open to tourists again. For instance, Japan, announced on Sept. 22 that it would allow visa-free travel there as of Oct. 11. Meanwhile, Taiwan restored visa exemption for U.S passport holders on Sept. 12, and entry for Americans are now...

Of the many fascinating mythological creatures that come out at night, the baku stands out. According to Japanese folklore, the baku, or “dream eater,” is said to prevent or stop nightmares by gobbling them up. But beware — if a nightmare isn’t satisfying, or if you call the baku too often, it may become greedy and help itself to all your hopes and dreams. What Is A Baku? A baku is a mythical creature in Japanese folklore that’s capable of devouring nightmares. As the story is told, those who wake from a nightmare can summon the baku by calling to...

Federal authorities say Chinese hackers have stolen $20 million in COVID relief money since 2020. The U.S. Secret Service has identified the group behind the theft as a hacking team known as APT41 or Winnti, according to media reports. “Of the more than 1,000 ongoing investigations involving transnational and domestic criminal actors defrauding public benefits programs, APT41 has emerged a notable player,” said Roy Dotson, who coordinators the Secret Service’s pandemic fraud recovery efforts. The thefts reportedly involved unemployment insurance and Small Business Administration loan funds in several states. However, the $20 million figure pales in comparison to the funds...