Travel: Top Beaches And Festivals In The Philippines

DW Travel (January 7, 2024) – The Philippines consists of no less than 7,000 islands, many of which have beautiful beaches and a fascinating underwater world. Two expert travel guides, Philippine-born Ave @avelovinit and her Norwegian husband Martin @martinsolhaugen show you their personal top travel destinations for the island state in the Western Pacific.

Video timeline: 00:00 Intro 00:58 From Manila to Boracay 01:54 Boracay island 04:05 El Nido, Palawan island 04:44 Manila 05:46 Siargao island 07:58 Sorsogon, Province of Bico, Kasanggayahan Festival

Classical: Pianist Tiffany Poon Plays Schumann

DW Classical Music (January 7, 2024) – A furious piano piece of the Romantic period. Tiffany Poon plays Robert Schumann’s Davidsbündlertänze, Op. 6 at the Dresden Music Festival 2023. The concert took place in the Palais im Grossen Garten.

Video timeline: (00:00) Coming on stage (00:27) 1. Lebhaft (02:03) 2. Innig (03:36) 3. Etwas hahnbüchen (05:10) 4. Ungeduldig (06:30) 5. Einfach (08:21) 6. Sehr rasch und in sich hinein (10:05) 7. Nicht schnell mit äußerst starker Empfindung (14:07) 8. Frisch (15:14) 9. No tempo indication (16:46) 10. Balladenmäßig sehr rasch (18:15) 11. Einfach (19:51) 12. Mit Humor (20:36) 13. Wild und lustig (23:44) 14. Zart und singend (25:50) 15. Frisch (27:58) 16. Mit gutem Humor (29:22) 17. Wie aus der Ferne (32:56) 18. Nicht schnell

The Davidsbündlertänze, Op. 6, are a two-part piano cycle by Robert Schumann, each consisting of nine character pieces. Schumann wrote 19 pieces, the last of which remains incomplete. The work was composed in the two months following his engagement to Clara Wieck on August 14, 1837. In the first piece, he quotes a motif from the Mazurka No. 5 from her Soirées musicales Op. 6 in the Motto of C. W. He speaks to her of wedding thoughts, which he has incorporated into the pieces. To his friend Carl Montag, however, he spoke of “death dances, St. Vitus’ dances, dances of graces and goblins”.

Schumann’s pseudonyms Florestan and Eusebius also play an important role here. The two characters symbolize his dual role in the fictitious Davidsbund, which also gives this cycle its name. Florestan is the “roaring, exuberant stormtrooper”. Eusebius represents the opposite pole as “the gentle youth who always remains modestly in the background”. In the first edition, the plays are either titled “Florestan and Eusebius” or just one of the two names.

Nature: Coastal Desert Of Baja California, Mexico

BBC Earth (January 7, 2024) – Journey to the coastal deserts of Baja California to witness marine turtles laying their eggs and dolphins gliding through the ocean.

It is the only desert in the world surrounded by two seas, a geologically isolated peninsula sets the stage for a myriad of remarkable plants and animals exemplifying adaptations to an isolated and arid environment. The Baja California Desert is the peninsular arm of the mainland Sonoran Desert, and although closely related to each other, they contain dramatically different evolutionary histories.

Sunday Morning: Stories From Zürich And Istanbul

Monocle on Sunday, January 7, 2024 Monocle’s editorial director, Tyler Brûlé, is joined by Juliet Linley and Chandra Kurt to discuss the weekend’s hottest topics.

We also speak to our editor in chief, Andrew Tuck, our deputy head of radio, Tom Webb, and Monocle’s Istanbul correspondent Hannah Lucinda Smith.

The New York Times — Sunday, January 7, 2024

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How Trump Has Used Fear and Favor to Win Republican Endorsements

Former President Donald J. Trump during a campaign rally last month in Durham, N.H.

The former president keeps careful watch over his endorsements from elected Republicans, aided by a disciplined and methodical behind-the-scenes operation.

How Harvard’s Board Broke Up With Claudine Gay

Claudine Gay looking slightly up to the side and into the distance.
Claudine Gay, the first Black president of Harvard, resigned only six months into her job amid accusations of plagiarism and her response to campus antisemitism.Credit…Sophie Park for The New York Times

Facing intense pressure, it went from standing behind her as the university’s president to pushing her out within weeks.

Who Was the Mysterious Woman Buried Alone at the Pet Cemetery?

At Hartsdale Pet Cemetery, Ed Martin III had become accustomed to unusual requests. Then came Patricia Chaarte.

U.S. News Makes Money From Some of Its Biggest Critics: Colleges

U.S. News sells “badges” to colleges, so they can promote their rankings — whether they are 1st, 10th or much, much lower.

Lifestyle: The Observer Magazine – January 7, 2024

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The Observer Magazine (January 6, 2024) – The latest issue features ‘Willem Dafoe’ – Hollywood legend, art lover, lifetime yogi and gentleman farmer; What sport can teach us about the game of life; Yalda Hakim on the human side of war reporting, and more…

Travel: Cities, Landmarks & Landscapes Of Ecuador

Clairmont Films (January 6, 2024) – Ecuador is a country straddling the equator on South America’s west coast. Its diverse landscape encompasses Amazon jungle, Andean highlands and the wildlife-rich Galápagos Islands.

In the Andean foothills at an elevation of 2,850m, Quito, the capital, is known for its largely intact Spanish colonial center, with decorated 16th- and 17th-century palaces and religious sites, like the ornate Compañía de Jesús Church. 

Travel: Grindelwald First Cableway, Switzerland

AKSense – Zurich (January 6, 2024) – Grindelwald, a village in Switzerland’s Bernese Alps, is a popular gateway for the Jungfrau Region, with skiing in winter and hiking in summer. The First Aerial Cableway is the cableway with six-seater gondolas travelling from Grindelwald up to First via Bort and Schreckfeld.

The gondola cableway has a capacity of up to 1,200 persons per hour with a travelling time of approximately 25 minutes. Aside from the gondola cableway, Firstbahn AG also has three chairlifts and two ski lifts.

Saturday Morning: News And Stories From London

Monocle on Saturday, January 6, 2024: What lasting effect has the Capitol Hill riot had on the US over the past three years? Monocle’s Christopher Chermak discusses how views and memories of that day have changed. How will Asia’s elections this month impact the rest of the world?

Monocle’s Naomi Xu Elegant looks ahead. And is ‘Saltburn’ a perfect satire or does it fall flat? Join journalist Vincent McAviney and Georgina Godwin for a review of the week’s news and culture.

The New York Times — Saturday, January 6, 2024

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F.D.A. Issues First Approval for Mass Drug Imports to States From Canada

A pharmacy technician in blue reaches for a high shelf lined white pill bottles of all sizes in a pharmacy.

The agency authorized Florida to purchase medicines directly from wholesalers in Canada, where prices are far cheaper. Pharmaceutical companies oppose the plan.

Justices to Decide Whether Trump Is Eligible for Colorado Ballot

The Colorado Supreme Court ruled last month that the former president could not appear on the state’s Republican primary ballot because he had engaged in insurrection.

Heavy Rain in U.K. Causes Hundreds of Flood Warnings and Travel Disruptions

In London, around 50 people were evacuated from rising waters. Heavy rain brought similar scenes to parts of France and Germany.

Biden Faces Pressure on Immigration, and Not Just From Republicans

Mayors and governors from President Biden’s own party are looking for help with overflowing migrant encampments, packed shelters and busted budgets.