#Food Ministry India

[rudrjobdesk]

होटल और रेस्टोरेंट कस्टमर से 'जबरन' नहीं वसूल सकते सर्विस चार्ज, उपभोक्ता उठा सकते हैं ये कदम

होटल और रेस्टोरेंट कस्टमर से ‘जबरन’ नहीं वसूल सकते सर्विस चार्ज, उपभोक्ता उठा सकते हैं ये कदम

Image Source : REPRESENTATIONAL IMAGE CCPA orders Hotels restaurants can not levy service charge from costumers Hotels Restaurants Service Charge: होटल और रेस्तरां आपसे खाने के बिल में सेवा शुल्क (Service Charge) नहीं वसूल सकते हैं। CCPA की ओर से जारी एक ऑरडर के मुताबिक होटल या रेस्तरां बिल में सेवा शुल्क ना तो किसी दूसरे नाम से उपभोक्ताओं से वसूल सकते हैं और ना ही खाने के बिल में इसे जोड़ सकते…

[indizombie]

Food-rights advocates allege that religion and caste are influencing the decision of authorities in denying nutritional food to the population. One result of this is the large-scale prevalence of deficiency diseases like anaemia, goitre, rickets and night blindness. Contrary to claims, the majority of the population in India is non-vegetarian — only 39 per cent of the population identified themselves as “vegetarians”, according to the new Pew Research Center survey published in July 2021. “The myth of vegetarianism is denying poor and lower-income groups from eating meat and eggs,” Karpagam says. “The ban on slaughter of cattle in states like Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh is denying the poor their access to affordable sources of protein like beef. Those who are socio-economically better off have access to dairy products like milk, paneer and ghee. They don’t suffer much but they too have Vitamin B12, iron and calcium deficiencies. “Moreover, meat and eggs are considered impure by many. People are criminalised and killed even on suspicion of eating or carrying meat. Children (in schools through mid-day meals) and women both are victims of dietary discrimination. Therefore, India suffers from very high malnutrition.” According to women and child development ministry estimates, 33 lakh children in India are malnourished and over 50 per cent cases are severe.

Maitreyee Boruah, ‘Lack of nutritious food fuelling anaemia in women’, Happiest Health

[suchananewsblog]

India To Get Clean And Hygienic 100 Food Streets Across The Country

Street food is an intrinsic part of Indian cuisine. It represents the essence of local food culture and also drives the economy by promoting tourism. Many Indian street foods like samosa and vada pav enjoy global recognition. Our food streets are always buzzing with tourists and locals, but there are many people who avoid these foods due to health safety concerns. But this may soon be a thing of…

[workersolidarity]

[ 📹 Al-Jazeera Arabic publishes new footage of desperate, starving Palestinian civilians in northern Gaza being shot and killed in cold blood by Zionist snipers who targeted the civilians as they attempted to retrieve food aid that was air dropped into Gaza a distance from where the group had been gathered, a direct violation of International humanitarian law and a crime against humanity.]

🇮🇱⚔️🇵🇸 🚀🏠💥🚑 🚨

ISRAELI OCCUPATION FORCES CAUGHT OPENING GUNFIRE ON STARVING PALESTINIANS ON DAY 182 OF GENOCIDE

On the 182nd day of "Israel's" Special Genocide Operation in the Gaza Strip, the Israeli occupation forces (IOF) committed a total of 5 new massacres of Palestinian families, resulting in the deaths of no less than 54 civilians, mostly women and children, while another 82 others were wounded over the previous 24-hours.

According to Gaza's Ministry of Health, many victims remain trapped under the rubble of buildings they were sheltering in at the time of being bombed and shelled, who, although presumed dead, are unable to be reached due to the IOF actively blocking paramedic and civil defense crews from reaching the sites of Israeli attacks.

Meanwhile, in an unusual move, the McDonald's corporation will be buying the entirety of the Alonyal McDonald's franchise In "Israel", which includes a total of 225 stores, employing approximately 5'000 Israelis.

McDonald's CEO Chris Kempczinsky said the franchise has seen "meaningful business impact" as a result of boycotts and protests organized by the BDS movement against the Israeli franchise, along with other McDonald's chains, after the Israeli franchise announced it would be offering free meals to Zionist soldiers committing a genocide in the Gaza Strip, beginning after the events of October 7th.

McDonalds added that it “remains committed to the Israeli market and to ensuring a positive employee and customer experience in the market going forward."

Sales growth for the McDonald's division of the Middle East, India and China were down significantly, with sales growth for October-December at just 0.7%, well below the market expectations of 5.5%.

Similarly, sales for Starbucks, another U.S. company which has deep financial ties to "Israel," while the leadership of the company holds an openly Pro-"Israel" stance, has also seen significant harm to sales due to boycotts and protests, prompting CEO Laxman Narasimhan to state back in February that Starbucks had seen an "significant impact on traffic and sales."

Meanwhile, the Zionist entity's authorities released a total of 101 Palestinian prisoners from Gaza who were kidnapped and detained by the IOF during its war of genocide in Gaza, many of whom showed signs of torture, and included some prisoners who were taken during "Israel's" raid of the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Yunis, in the southern Gaza Strip.

Meanwhile, occupation warplanes bombarded agricultural lands in the vicinity of the Salah al-Din Gate, along the Egypt-Palestine border in the city of Rafah, in the south of Gaza.

At the same time, the carnage of "Israel's" war of genocide in Gaza resumed on Friday, with renewed artillery shelling of the central and western Khan Yunis governate, while the IOF also resumed bombing on the southern Gazan city of Rafah.

Intense Zionist airstrikes targeted Sheikh Zayed City, in the north of the Gaza Strip, while the central governate of Gaza also saw renewed artillery shelling.

At midnight, Zionist fighter jets bombed several residential buildings in the Tal al-Hawa neighborhood, southwest of Gaza City, in the north of Gaza, while occupation forces directed an intense artillery bombardment on the southwestern and southeastern areas of Khan Yunis, in the southern Gaza Strip, as well as directing artillery fire on residential homes to the east of the Al-Maghazi Refugee Camp in the central Gaza Strip.

The resumed intense Zionist bombardments across the Gaza Strip led to dozens of deaths overnight, along with the wounding of scores of others, including women and children, many of whom remain buried under the rubble of their homes and shelters.

IOF jets also bombed several residential homes in the Batn al-Sameen neighborhood, located to the southwest of Khan Yunis, while also bombing the village of Abasan, to the east of Khan Yunis.

Elsewhere, Zionist forces withdrew troops from the eastern region of Tanzania, coinciding with the intense bombardment of the area.

Tragically, local paramedic and civil defense personnel recovered the bodies of of three martyred civilians from the town of Al-Qarara, to the north of Khan Yunis.

At the same time, Israeli occupation warplanes bombed various parts of the central Gaza Strip, including the areas of Al-Nuseirat, Al-Maghazi, Al-Zawayda, and Deir al-Balah, resulting in the martyrdom of at least 15 Palestinian civilians, and also wounding a number of others.

Zionist occupation air forces also bombed a gathering of civilians near the Abu Holi Junction, northwest of Al-Qarara, resulting in the deaths of at least three civilians and wounding a multitude of others.

Back in northern Gaza, in yet another horrific tragedy, occupation warplanes bombed civilian structures in the Beit Hanoun area, with a second strike targeting paramedic crews as they attempted to transport the dead and wounded to a nearby hospital.

As a result of "Israel's" Special Genocide Operation in the Gaza Strip, the death toll among the Palestinian population has risen in excess of 33'091 civilians killed, over 25'000 of those martyred being among women and children according to the United States Pentagon, while another 75'750 others have been wounded since the start of the latest round of Zionist aggression, beginning on October 7th, 2023.

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#videosource

@WorkerSolidarityNews

[hd-fan-fair]

H/D FOOD FAIR 2022 ANONYMOUS MASTERLIST

(IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER)

Art

1. Portkey Reservation for Two (General, Digital Comic)

Harry is determined to resolve the mystery of Draco's peculiar and frequent Portkey reservations.

2. Sweet Sweet reunion (Mature, Digital)

Harry sends Draco products as bribe. They decide to test them together ;)

3. Melting for You (Teen, Digital Comic)

Model Draco Malfoy lands a risqué dessert shoot with famous photographer Harry Potter and uses his props to shamelessly flirt with Harry in front of the whole crew.

4. Body By Biryani (General, Digital)

Harry co-owns a Biryani Stand at the Wizarding Little India Bazaar. It's Draco's favourite spot. All the aunties love to take care of Draco and want Harry to ask him out already.

5. once more, with feeling (General, Digital Comic)

A proposal, past and present.

6. What the Heart Wants (General, Digital)

What do you do when your new husband ruins all your carefully scheduled travel plans for a local tourist trap? You indulge him, of course.

7. Delicious Curse (General, Digital Comic)

Draco has to eat a traditional dish from each continent, cooked by a person dear to him, to break an unusual curse...

8. For the Love of Asian Noodle Cups (General, Digital)

While it wasn’t the farthest Harry could get from London, landing in Berkeley, California wasn’t a bad start. He just needed somewhere to finally breathe.

Harry had had a very vague idea of what to expect when signing up for the new Ministry Approved Muggle Immersion (MAMI) program.What he absolutely never expected was to walk into his dorm room at UC Berkeley and see an incredibly fit Draco Malfoy already setting up one side of the room.

9. Chitter Chatter Masala (General, Digital)

Bewitched by spices and herbs.

10. Unmei no Akai Ito (Mature, Digital Comic)

Harry thought that spending a year in Japan would give him the anonymity and freedom that he needed after the war. He didn't expect to run into Draco Malfoy shortly after arriving. Or running into him again, and again, and again.

11. A Sense of Balance (Teen, Digital)

Draco never thought having Harry Potter as a travelling partner would actually ground him. For once, he's seeing the world from a new perspective, taking part in newfound rituals, and everything somehow feels right.

[Or, where Draco's Super Important Notebook™ documents tea facts and sketches, as well as candid moments of him falling in love with a soft Gryffindor.]

12. The Bloody Baron's Birthday Bash (Teen, Traditional Comic)

Headmistress McGonagall has put Harry in charge of sourcing pungent delicacies for the Bloody Baron's deathday fest. This would all be very simple, except that finding a food rancid enough to impress a ghost is no easy task, especially not when you have Draco Malfoy and his interest in an Authentic Muggle Experience getting involved.

Art and Fic

13. Preserving Lemons (Explicit, 17196)

There's probably some immutable magical law that if someone steals your wand to destroy the century's most murderous maniac you then bump into that someone in Italy.

Harry is cooking food he couldn't care less about; Draco is making art he couldn't care more about.

A story about kebabs, miniskirts and the way preservation can transform a lemon.

14. Qui Vivra Verra (Explicit, 22144)

“It’s just- It’s a bit funny is all. Draco Malfoy working in a coffee shop.”

“Patisserie,” Malfoy corrected.

The one where Harry is a sad tourist and Draco feeds him croissants.

Fic

15. The Thief and the Throne (Fallen Kingdom) (Mature, 26355)

Many years after the Dark Lord killed the last King and took the throne, a young orphan joins the Order.

Harry hopes that they will teach him how to help those their new King deemed unworthy: the Regulars. Those people who worked hard for their food yet had to hand over most of their harvest to fill the already overflowing warehouses of the Capital.

With the help of the Order and an unexpected ally Harry is ready to right the wrongs.

16. I Want Your Heart To Be For Me (Explicit, 4372)

It’s not often that Harry can pull one over on Draco, his husband of almost twenty years, but Harry thinks he’s done it this time. He aims to recreate their proposal picnic on the grounds of the Eiffel Tower and, later, reignite their passion behind the closed doors of their Parisian hotel room.

18. The Best Cup Noodle (Teen, 4753)

Draco opts to go to an American Muggle university for a year hoping to escape the past. Unfortunately, Harry Potter has decided to do exactly the same thing.

19. Peerless (Teen, 14,546)

Draco’s trip around the world is cut short when he crash lands on an island during a storm. Hoping for a resort or at least a village, he wanders around until hunger forces him to scavenge for food.

20. True Love is Priceless, Finding True Love is Expensive (Teen, 4664)

After the war, Draco Malfoy had a plan to redeem his family name. He donated most of his family's money, started a luxury blind dating service with Pansy, and intended to marry one of the Greengrass sisters.

Dating Harry Potter certainly was not part of the plan.

But, one dinner might change this.

21. Both Feet in the Grape (Teen, 1741)

While on their honeymoon in Italy, Draco and Harry try their hands feet at grape-stomping.

22. Hope's Only Promise (Explicit, 86,095)

Harry lives in Havana and loves making batidos from all his favorite fruits. He doesn’t have a job and plans to wile away his life in his own little plot of paradise. Draco, released from Azkaban on probation, is set with the unwieldy task to convince Harry to come home. He has to go right back to prison if he fails, but he has been cursed to keep all of that from Harry.

23. This is not a love song (General, 12437)

When Pansy leaves to make a Grand Tour across Europe, Draco almost goes with her. But in the end, he stays and is stuck at Grimmauld Place with his roommate, Potter. And they're doing perfectly fine together: Harry cooks, Draco takes care of the rest, and they exchange the perfect amount of words with each other. Until Pansy gets the idea that they need a teambuilding activity and starts sending recipes to cook together.

24. Chicken Parmi and a Lager (Teen, 3325)

Mandy Thorne thought it'd be a nice, relaxing year, backpacking through the Australian outback.

She didn't expect to run into two war heroes in a pub.

25. Hunc Draco Dormiens Amat Titillare (Mature, 15475)

Harry was sent on a journey to discover himself by his ex-wife. He doesn't know what else he has to discover, after finding out he's gay and having to tell his wife and his children about it. Maybe what he's supposed to do with his life now that he's quit the aurors?

He's in Antwerp when he stumbles upon a small high-end patisserie-chocolaterie. What he finds there exceeds all expectations.

26. it is not a house (Explicit, 43390)

There are many stories that can happen in a forgotten house, in the middle of the Arctic.

Heart-warming tales about human connection and finding the essence of the self.

Epic love stories that defy reason.

Warnings about the hubris of human explorations.

This is both none of the above and a bit of all.

This is a horror story.

27. The Beau-tea Of It All (Teen, 7101)

"Welcome back, Draco! What took you so Oolong?"

And there he goes again.

aka Harry and Draco open up a Tea Shop after their Eighth Year, puns are the bane of Draco's existence, he just can't seem to be able to keep himself out of trouble, and Harry is an overprotective idiot.

28. Contentious Confections (Mature, 16725)

Harry and Draco are both younger, lower-level Ministry employees. They have a lovely arrangement going between them but then suddenly the Minister has urgent need of a diplomat and Draco is sent abroad on a mission.

Draco, in an effort to combat the stress of constant travel and with the added benefit of teasing Potter from a'far, revives an old hobby: the making of a confection modelled vaguely after Bott's Beans. He calls them 'Barelys'.

Everyone else, however, calls them 'courting'. Excepting Harry, naturally, who was raised Muggle.

29. Chocolate Cocks and How to Make Them (Explicit, 9628)

Draco's life is practically perfect. Every day he follows the same routines, wears the right clothes and sees the same friends. His books balance. His chocolate factory is successful. Life is good.

It's predictable. Controllable.

If only there wasn't Potter with his stupid just-shagged hair, his flirty comments and his habit of making Draco say the first thing that pops into his brain, and—did he hear that right?—request for edible sex toys.

30. Through Worlds (Mature, 42619)

Harry is looking for a new start, and he's travelled the world to find it. Now in Japan, a chance encounter with someone from his past threatens to distract him from his goal, but when he runs into them again and again, he begins to wonder if maybe he's found what he was searching for all along.

31. The Final Frontier (Teen, 3408)

When the Ministry decides to create a program to send wizarding kind to space, they contact Harry to cook the food for the opening night aboard the station. Harry not only has to work out exactly how to cook in space, but also how to make it taste good.

32. on your heart (Teen, 9916)

Harry runs a successful Palestinian restaurant. Draco works at a small cultural magazine as a junior photographer. When Draco receives his dream assignment, their paths cross for the first time in a decade.

33. The Least Expected (General, 17454)

Draco put everything he had into buying The Villa Narcisa. Things were off to a good start, though. His first guests were expected any minute.

34. That Time I Was Possessed By a Norse God (Explicit, 8370)

Draco is called to aid in an Auror raid of an illegal magical creature ring in an old potions shop in the middle of Norway. A stray spell hits Harry, flinging him into the potions shelves. As the dust clears, Harry isn't himself anymore. It seems he may have been possessed by something ancient and unforgiving, and he had chosen Draco to serve him.

Podfic

35. Melange a Deux (Teen, 01:13:00)

This is the story of two men finding love in unexpected places. And lots of delicious food.

36. haunt yourself and refuse to be buried (General, 00:23:56:00)

Harry Potter is eighteen years old and he is not okay.

Food Fair Cup team members, please help us record how many entries you have entered as a team at this spreadsheet. You can also join our discord for discussions with other enthusiasts!

Do keep on commenting on our wonderful entries and help spread the word by reblogging our fanwork headers or by reccing the wonderful fanworks!

[zindagi-toh-bewafa-hai]

Our elected representatives are currently sitting in the Winter session of Parliament until the 22nd of December 2023. As the leaders of the world’s largest democracy, their silence on the genocide in Palestine, and refusal to call for an end to all ties with Israel is not only shocking but morally reprehensible. Let us, the people of India, demand them to take a stand in the Parliament by passing a resolution stating that: 1. India calls for an immediate and permanent ceasefire. 2. India unequivocally stands with the Palestinian people and against Israeli occupation. 3. India will end all diplomatic, military and trade ties with the State of Israel and 4. India will provide humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza including food, water, medical supplies and fuel

From this website you can email your constituency's Member of Parliament, the Prime Minister’s Office and the Ministry of External Affairs. They won't do shit unless pressured.

[gemsofgreece]

Hello!!! I was reading this post of yours (for my research) and i'm truly wondering how did Byzantine princesses wanted to take a bath?? Do you have a post for that?

I don't but I managed to find a few pieces of information about the general habits of Byzantine bathing and grooming, and particularly that of the empresses and the princesses.

"The wealthy and noble women of the empire were concerned with their looks and Christianity cast no pall on the baths nor the sale of cosmetics and perfumes. (...) Byzantine gardens, therefore, had areas set aside for aromatic flowers from which could be distilled some of the more fragrant oils. (...) Mirrors, tweezers and similar hygiene equipment would have been commonplace in a Byzantine home. (...) Michael Psellos wrote that (Empress) Zoe turned her chambers into cosmetics laboratory in which she created cosmetics and ointments to preserve her beauty well into old age. (...) Byzantine women did not use as heavy cosmetics as their earlier Roman counterparts. (...) For eye liner and darkening eye brows and lashes, kohl was very popular."

Source: http://gretchenbrownauthor.com/2018/04/08/cleanliness-and-hygiene-among-the-byzantines/

"Women washed their hair in special fragranced solutions that naturally lightened it, including saffron, turmeric, fern roots and citrin-colored sandalwood and rhubarb.  The cloths they wrapped their hair in were usually brushed with perfume. People made their own scents at home.  Lotions and creams were made fresh from natural sources and had to be used in a few days. (...) There were many public baths;  the Byzantines - even monks and nuns - bathed frequently. One was expected to bathe twice a week. (...) The Byzantines had a wide variety of cleaning products for bodies and clothes."

Source: https://www.pallasweb.com/deesis/daily-life-in-constantinople.html

"Byzantines in the capital city of Constantinople developed public baths similar to those found in Rome, and public bathing was a daily ritual for many. (...)  Unlike the Romans, who used a lot of makeup and cosmetics, the Byzantines avoided heavy preparations for their skin. Instead, they developed rich perfumes using ingredients obtained in trade from China, India, and Persia, modern-day Iran. Perfume making was developed as an esteemed trade."

Sources:

Baltoyianni, Chryssanthi. "Byzantine Jewelry." Hellenic Ministry of Culture. http://www.culture.gr/2/22/225/22501/225013/e013intro.html (accessed on July 29, 2003).

Cosgrave, Bronwyn. The Complete History of Costume and Fashion: From Ancient Egypt to the Present Day. New York: Checkmark Books, 2000.

"Let us now place ourselves in the second half of the 11th century, when a Byzantine princess arrives in Italy again; not in Rome but in Venice, although with the same nuptial purpose. This time she is Theodora Doukaina, daughter of Emperor Constantine X Doukas and Eudokia Makrembolitissa (the niece of Patriarch Michael I Cerularius) who is to marry Doge Domenico Selvo. (...) The Byzantine stravaganza of Theodora was reflected not only in the colossal retinue she led or the impressive tiara she wore at the ceremony (the one worn by her brother Michael VII, who had just inherited the imperial throne) but also in her own daily behaviour, which included such whims as bathing in the dew that his servants collected or – and here is what interests us – the refusal to touch food with her hands, so that she made use of a golden fork to prick the bites that her eunuchs had previously cut off."

Source: https://www.labrujulaverde.com/en/2020/06/how-two-byzantine-princesses-scandalized-europe-by-using-a-fork/

"While the Germans like Theophano, many of them thought her odd. The Byzantine empire was known for its luxurious, decadent ways, and Theophano was a product of that 'decadence'. She talked too much, she bathed every day, and, strangest of all, she used a two pronged utensil to bring food to her mouth (aka a fork), instead of eating with her hands like everyone else."

Source: http://www.thathistorynerd.com/2017/07/damn-girl-holy-roman-empress-theophano.html

Check here for a great link with detailed description of Byzantine public baths, how they worked and how they were taken

Peter Damian, the Cardinal Bishop of Ostia, wrote a chapter entitled "De Veneti ducis uxore quae prius nimium delicata, demum toto corpore computruit" ("Of the Venetian Doge's wife, whose body, after her excessive delicacy, entirely rotted away.") about an unnamed Byzantine princess whose manners he considered scandalously lavish and which brought to her a horrible death as a divine punishment. This woman has been mistakenly (since Damian died 1072) identified with Domenico Selvo's wife by later Venetian chroniclers (incl. Andrea Dandolo and Marino Sanuto the Younger) followed afterwards by various modern authors; however since the work in which Damianus' chapter is contained is dated ca 1059 it refers probably to Maria Argyropoulaina who had died a half century before.

From Wikipedia. Irrelevant but Maria Argyropoulaina might be the most modern Greek name I have seen in a medieval woman ever.

When, three days after the wedding, the new empress left her rooms to take her bath in the Palace of Magnaura, the court and the commonwealth gathered in queues behind her in the gardens. And when the empress passed with the servants who showed off the robes, the boxes with the perfumes, walking first, accompanied by three ladies of waiting who held apples decorated with pearls, as a symbol of erotic love, the commonwealth would cheer, the jesters of the court would make inappropriate jokes and the most important officers of the empire would escort the empress all the way to the entrance of the bath, where they waited for her to finish, and escorted her back to her bridal chambers.

Source: From The History of the Byzantine Empire by Charles Diehl, translated by me here.

They don't go into great detail as you see but I guess they are enough to give you an idea. Reminder to check the link I added above about the detailed description of the public baths - it is very interesting!

[mariacallous]

As global outrage grows over Israel’s military campaign in the Gaza Strip, China has focused on harnessing the widening divide between Washington’s and the global south’s stances on the war to boost Beijing’s own foreign-policy ambitions.

Over the course of the Israel-Hamas war, China has been careful to stay on the sidelines, wary of miring itself in a spiraling conflict or jeopardizing its regional ties. But as Washington faces fierce pushback over its support of Israel, Beijing has also seized the opportunity to align itself with the so-called global south—a collection of dozens of countries, including Brazil, India, South Africa, and Pakistan—which has overwhelmingly condemned Israel’s actions, sharply diverging from the U.S. position.

China is “mostly hanging back and letting the United States collect abuse,” said Jon Alterman, the director of the Middle East program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. “The only interest China’s pursuing in the Middle East is watching while a larger division opens between the U.S. and large parts of the global south,” he added. 

From the beginning, China’s approach to the Israel-Hamas war has been characterized by caution. Chinese President Xi Jinping, for example, waited nearly two weeks before weighing in after Hamas’s initial Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, while early government statements refrained from even naming Hamas—a response that angered Israeli officials. In the months since, China has positioned itself as a peacemaker, calling for a cease-fire and a Palestinian state without going so far as to directly involve itself in the conflict.

China has “clearly eschewed any substantive role in the ongoing conflict,” Patricia Kim, a fellow at the Brookings Institution, told Foreign Policy in an email. While Beijing wants to portray itself as a regional power broker, she said, “it has zero interest in serving as a security provider or directly intervening in challenging situations that might jeopardize its relationships in the region.” 

These dynamics are evident in the Red Sea, where months of Houthi attacks against commercial shipping, undertaken in what the Houthis describe as solidarity with Palestinians, have disrupted global trade. Yet even as a growing number of countries dispatch ships to safeguard the corridor, China has resisted intervening with its own naval forces. The furthest Beijing has gone in getting involved is privately pressing Iran—which backs the Houthis—to step in, Reuters reported, although Iranian officials have denied the reports. 

Beijing’s approach stands in sharp contrast to that of Washington, which has not only long been one of Israel’s staunchest supporters since the nation’s start, backing the country with billions in military aid, but has also acted as the country’s primary defender on the international stage since the war began, wielding the United States’ veto on the United Nations Security Council to block resolutions backed by dozens of countries—including many in the global south, as well as China—calling for a cease-fire. The Biden administration has also taken action in the Red Sea, launching strikes against the Houthis in Yemen and mobilizing an international task force to help ensure freedom of navigation in the corridor.

Yet as Israel’s military campaign in Gaza inflicts a devastating humanitarian toll—Israeli forces have killed as many as 26,000 Palestinians in Gaza since the beginning of the war, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry—much of the world has grown increasingly frustrated with, and disillusioned by, Washington’s unwavering support for Israel. More than half a million people in Gaza currently face “catastrophic levels of acute food insecurity,” the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification warned in December. 

And Beijing has been trying to capitalize on the divide. “They feel that this is going to further undermine the U.S. in the eyes of the rest of the world, in the parts of the world that they care about,” said Eric Olander, the co-founder of the China Global South Project. “This plays right into their strategy for the Chinese—to show how isolated the Americans are, to show how they’re out of sync with the rest of the world, and just show the hypocrisy of the Americans.”

“The Chinese are playing this, in my view, quite skillfully in terms of pursuing their own foreign policy and promoting some of the values that they’re trying to say about the shortcomings of the U.S-led international order,” he added.

As part of this strategy, China has publicly framed itself as a peacemaker, proposing a five-point peace plan and calling for a Israeli-Palestinian peace conference. In October, Beijing dispatched its regional envoy to Qatar and Egypt to urge a cease-fire; since then, it has pledged some $4 million in humanitarian aid to Gaza, hosted a delegation of Arab and Muslim ministers, and participated in a virtual summit of the BRICS bloc (then comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) over the conflict.

“China has been working tirelessly to promote the cessation of hostilities and the restoration of peace,” Chinese U.N. Ambassador Zhang Jun said at a Security Council briefing during the first month of the war. “China will continue to stand on the side of international fairness and justice, on the side of international law, and on the side of the legitimate aspirations of the Arab and Islamic world.”

During his broader tour of Africa in January, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi also leveraged his trip to Egypt—one of the mediators in the Israel-Hamas war—to reiterate calls for a cease-fire and Palestinian state.

Yet experts say that Beijing’s actions are mostly performative, resulting in few concrete outcomes. The November BRICS summit, for one, failed to generate a joint statement or practical road map forward, as Mark Leonard of the European Council on Foreign Relations noted in Foreign Affairs. China’s proposed peace plan also charged the U.N. Security Council—and not Beijing—with the responsibility of resolving the conflict, according to the Brookings Institution. 

China’s seriousness on mediating the Israel-Hamas war is just “smoke and mirrors,” wrote Ahmed Aboudouh, a nonresident fellow at the Atlantic Council, in December, citing “the opaqueness of China’s diplomatic language and the insignificant sum of money provided by the world’s second-largest economy” to Gaza. 

Rather than miring itself in the conflict, Beijing has focused on making digs at Washington and contrasting the two countries’ positions, part of its bid to cast doubt on the Biden administration’s global credibility. These efforts have been on full display at the U.N. Security Council, where China vetoed a U.S. draft resolution in October after criticizing it for not calling for a cease-fire; Russia also vetoed the resolution. 

The United States “introduced a new draft resolution that set aside the consensus of the members,” Zhang said. Even after other council members—including Beijing—proposed amendments, he said, Washington ignored their “major concerns” and introduced a draft resolution that “confuses right and wrong.” 

Later in December, after Washington vetoed a Security Council draft resolution pushing for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, Beijing again leveraged the vote to position itself alongside the global south and single out Washington’s position. As one of the resolution’s nearly 100 co-sponsors, Beijing felt “great disappointment and regret that the draft has been vetoed by the US,” Zhang said. “All this shows once again what [a] double standard is.” 

State media echoed these sentiments, further drawing attention to the diverging U.S. and Chinese positions. “It is contradictory to tolerate the continuation of the conflict while claiming to care about the safety and humanitarian needs of the people in Gaza,” the Global Times said, referring to the U.S. veto. “It is self-deceptive to advocate preventing the spillover of the conflict while tolerating its continuation.”

More recently, Beijing has also aligned itself with the global south in one of the clearest cases of outrage over Israel’s actions: South Africa’s genocide case against Israel in the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Although the ICJ has no way to enforce its rulings, South Africa’s case reflects the growing international pressure building against Israel, which has dismissed the charges as “false” and “outrageous.” 

While the ICJ has not yet ruled on the question of whether Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, and likely won’t do so for years, last Friday, it responded to South Africa’s request for the court to command an emergency suspension of Israel’s military campaign. In its ruling, the ICJ ordered Israel to “take all measures” to minimize harm to civilians in Gaza. 

After the decision was announced, Chinese state media expressed hope that it would push “some major countries to stop turning a blind eye” to Israel’s actions in Gaza. The Biden administration, in contrast, reiterated its position that Pretoria’s genocide allegations were “unfounded,” although it also said the ICJ ruling was in line with its own calls for Israel to ensure civilians’ safety. 

China has long prioritized cultivating political and economic ties with countries across the global south, with Wang, the foreign minister, most recently wrapping up his first foreign trip of 2024 by visiting Egypt, Tunisia, Togo, and Ivory Coast. His trip marks the 34th straight year that a Chinese foreign minister has made Africa the destination of their first global trip of the year; Wang traveled to Brazil and Jamaica afterward. 

“China decided to treat Israel as collateral damage, compared to more than 50 countries in the global south,” said Aboudouh, the Atlantic Council expert. “China wants these countries’ support for its own vision—for global governance and its strategic priorities.”

[unhonestlymirror]

Ukraine will not be represented at the G20 summit in India

The Ministry of Health of Ukraine explained this by the fact that Volodymyr Zelensky does not like spicy food.

SRIA NEWS

[besthealthtipsrp]

Submit Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution

mahotsavg20-india-2023

Centre releases additional guidelines for Health and Wellness Celebrities, Influencers and Virtual Influencers..Reed more

[trustednewstribune]

Saudi Arabia dives into Ukraine war peace push with Jeddah talks

India has also confirmed its attendance in Jeddah, describing the move as in line "with our longstanding position" that "dialogue and diplomacy is the way forward."

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia was set to host talks on the Ukraine war on Saturday in the latest flexing of its diplomatic muscle, though expectations are mild for what the gathering might achieve.

The meeting of national security advisers and other officials in the Red Sea coastal city of Jeddah underscores Riyadh's "readiness to exert its good offices to contribute to reaching a solution that will result in permanent peace," the official Saudi Press Agency said Friday.

Invitations were sent to around 30 countries, Russia not among them, according to diplomats familiar with the preparations. The SPA report said only that "a number of countries" would attend.

It follows Ukraine-organised talks in Copenhagen in June that were designed to be informal and did not yield an official statement.

Instead, diplomats said the sessions were intended to engage a range of countries in debates about a path towards peace, notably members of the BRICS bloc with Russia that have adopted a more neutral stance on the war in contrast to Western powers.

Speaking on Friday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed the wide range of countries represented in the Jeddah talks, including developing countries that have been hit hard by the surge in food prices triggered by the war.

"This is very important because, on issues such as food security, the fate of millions of people in Africa, Asia, and other parts of the world directly depends on how fast the world moves to implement the peace formula," he said.

Saudi Arabia, the world's biggest crude exporter which works closely with Russia on oil policy, has touted its ties to both sides and positioned itself as a possible mediator in the war, now nearly a year and a half old.

"In hosting the summit, Saudi Arabia wants to reinforce its bid to become a global middle power with the ability to mediate conflicts while asking us to forget some of its failed strategies and actions of the past, like its Yemen intervention or the murder of Jamal Khashoggi," said Joost Hiltermann, Middle East programme director for the International Crisis Group.

The 2018 slaying of Khashoggi, a Saudi columnist for The Washington Post, by Saudi agents in Turkey once threatened to isolate Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom's de facto ruler. But the energy crisis produced by the Ukraine war elevated Saudi Arabia's global importance, helping to facilitate his rehabilitation.

Moving forward Riyadh "wants to be in the company of an India or a Brazil, because only as a club can these middle powers hope to have an impact on the world stage," Hiltermann added.

"Whether they will be able to agree on all things, such as the Ukraine war, is a big question."

'Balancing'

Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, failing in its attempt to take Kyiv but seizing swathes of territory that Western-backed Ukrainian troops are fighting to recapture.

Beijing, which says it is a neutral party in the conflict but has been criticised by Western capitals for refusing to condemn Moscow, announced on Friday it would participate in the Jeddah talks. "China is willing to work with the international community to continue to play a constructive role in promoting a political settlement of the Ukraine crisis," said foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin.

India has also confirmed its attendance in Jeddah, describing the move as in line "with our longstanding position" that "dialogue and diplomacy is the way forward."

South Africa said it too will take part.

Saudi Arabia has backed UN Security Council resolutions denouncing Russia's invasion as well as its unilateral annexation of territory in eastern Ukraine.

Yet last year, Washington criticised oil production cuts approved in October, saying they amounted to "aligning with Russia" in the war.

This May, the kingdom hosted Zelensky at an Arab summit in Jeddah, where he accused some Arab leaders of turning "a blind eye" to the horrors of Russia's invasion.

In sum, Riyadh has adopted a "classic balancing strategy" that could soften Russia's response to this weekend's summit, said Umar Karim, an expert on Saudi politics at the University of Birmingham.

"They're working with the Russians on several files, so I guess Russia will deem such an initiative if not totally favourable then not unacceptable as well."

[continuations]

India Impressions (2023)

I just returned from a week-long trip to India. Most of this trip was meeting entrepreneurs and investors centered around spending time with the team from Bolt in Bangalore (a USV portfolio company). This was my second time in India, following a family vacation in 2015. Here are some observations from my visit:

First, the mood in the country feels optimistic and assertive. People I spoke to, not just from the tech ecosystem, but also drivers, tour guides, waiters, students, and professors, all seemed excited and energized. There was a distinct sense of India emerging as a global powerhouse that has the potential to rival China. As it turns out quite a few government policies are aimed at protecting Indian industrial growth and separating it from China (including the recent ban on TikTok and other Chinese apps). Also, if you haven't seen it yet, I recommend watching the movie RRR. It is a "muscular" embodiment of the spirit that I encountered that based on my admittedly unscientific polling was much liked by younger people there (and hardly watched by older ones).

Second, air pollution in Delhi was as bad as I remembered it and in Mumbai way worse. Mumbai now appears to be on par with Delhi. For example, here is a picture taken from the Bandra-Worli Sea Link, which is en route from the airport, where you can barely see the high rise buildings of the city across the bay.

Third, there is an insane amount of construction everywhere. Not just new buildings going up but also new sewer lines, elevated highways, and rail systems. Most of these were yet to be completed but it is clear that the country is on a major infrastructure spree. Some of these projects are extremely ambitious, such as the new coastal road for Mumbai.

Fourth, traffic is even more dysfunctional than I remember it and distances are measured in time, not miles. Depending on the time of day, it can easily take one hour to get somewhere that would be ten minutes away without traffic. This is true for all the big cities I went to visit on this trip (Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore). I don't really understand how people can plan for attending in person meetings but I suppose one gets used to it. I wound up taking one meeting simply in a car en route to the next one.

Fifth, in venture capital there are now many local funds, meaning funds that are not branded offshoots of US funds, such as Sequoia India. I spent time with the team from Prime Venture Partners (co-investors in Bolt) and Good Capital among others. It is great to see that in addition to software focused funds there are also ones focused on agtech/food (e.g. Omnivore) and deep tech (e.g. Navam Capital). Interestingly all the ones I talked to have only offshore LPs. There is not yet a broad India LP base other than a few family offices and regulations within India are apparently quite cumbersome, so the funds are domiciled in the US or in Mauritius.

Sixth, the "India Stack" is enabling a ton of innovation and deserves to be more widely known outside of India (US regulators should take note). In particular, the availability of a verified digital identity and of unified payments interfaces is incredibly helpful in the creation of new online and offline experiences, such as paying for a charge on the Bolt charging network. This infrastructure creates a much more level playing field and is very startup friendly. Add to this incredibly cheap data plans and you have the foundations for a massive digitally led transformation.

Seventh, India is finally recognizing the importance of the climate crisis both as a threat and as an opportunity. India is already experiencing extreme temperatures in some parts of the country on a regular basis (the opening of Kim Stanley Robinson's Ministry for the Future extrapolates what that might lead to). India is also dependent on sufficient rainfall during the Monsoon season and those patterns are changing also (this is part of the plot of Neal Stephenson's Termination Shock). As far as opportunity goes, India recently discovered a major lithium deposit, which means that a key natural resource for the EV transition exists locally (unlike oil which has to be imported). India has started to accelerate EV adoption by offering subsidies.

All in all this trip has made me bullish on India. Over the coming years I would not be surprised if we wind up with more investments from USV there, assuming we can find companies that are a fit with our investment theses. In the meantime, I will look for some public market opportunities for my personal portfolio.

[bloggingforu]

National Science Day 2023: History, Theme, Quotes, Significance

What is National Science Day 2023

National Science Day is a day of celebration across India at the end of February, on 28th day of February each year, to celebrate an important discovery of the Raman Effect by Indian physicist Sir C. V. Raman in 1928.

There is a belief that the Raman Effect is a scientific phenomenon in which light scatters when it passes through the medium. Its discovery led to an award of Sir Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1930.

The aim is to emphasize the significance of science in our daily lives as well as to acknowledge the achievements of Indian scientists and to foster curiosity and enthusiasm for science for people of all age groups.

The celebrations are organized by organizing a variety of events including scientific fairs, exhibitions, and seminars, in addition to scientific lectures, debates and quizzes.

The National Council for Science and Technology Communication (NCSTC) of the Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India, organizes celebrations for National Science Day in collaboration with various research institutes as well as educational institutions and other organizations across the country.

bloggingforu Provides You with knowledgeable and Informational content.

History of National Science Day

The genesis of National Science Day date back to 1986 when the Indian government created the National Council for Science and Technology Communication (NCSTC) under the Department of Science and Technology (DST) to foster the scientific method and develop the development of a scientific mindset in the general population.

The NCSTC set the 28th of February to be National Science Day to commemorate the discovery of the Raman Effect by Sir Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman in 1928. First National Science Day was observed on February 28, 1987, with various scientific activities that were held across the country.

The day was inaugurated by the prime minister of the time India, Rajiv Gandhi, in order to encourage research in the field and create a spirit of curiosity about science throughout the country. Since its beginning, it is observed each year on February 28 in celebration of science and technology.

The themes selected are designed to highlight different aspects of scientific research and its effect on society. Some examples could be “Science for Sustainable Development,” “Science and Technology for a Sustainable Future,” “Science and Society,” and “Women in Science.”

National Science Day Theme 2023

The theme for National Science Day 2023 is “Global Science for Global Wellbeing”.

here are some of the past themes for National Science Day in India:

2022: “Science and Technology for Sustainable Development with Equity.”

2021: “Future of STI: Impacts on Education, Skills, and Work.”

2020: “Women in Science.”

2019: “Science for the People and the People for Science.”

2018: “Science and Technology for a Sustainable Future.”

2017: “Science and Technology for Specially Abled Persons.”

2016: “Scientific Issues for Development of the Nation.”

2015: “Science for Nation Building.”

2014: “Fostering Scientific Temper.”

2013: “Genetically Modified Crops and Food Security.”

These themes reflect the changing priorities and challenges facing Indian society, and emphasize the role of science and technology in promoting sustainable development, social inclusivity, and scientific temper.

National Science Day Quotes 2023

Here are a few National Science Day quotes that highlight the importance of science and technology:

“The science of today is the technology of tomorrow.” — Edward Teller

“Science knows no country, because knowledge belongs to humanity, and is the torch which illuminates the world.” — Louis Pasteur

“Science is not only compatible with spirituality; it is a profound source of spirituality.” — Carl Sagan

“The important thing in science is not so much to obtain new facts as to discover new ways of thinking about them.” — William Bragg

“Science is a way of thinking much more than it is a body of knowledge.” — Carl Sagan

“Science is simply the word we use to describe a method of organizing our curiosity.” — Tim Minchin

“Science is a beautiful gift to humanity; we should not distort it.” — A. P. J. Abdul Kalam

“Science without conscience is but the ruin of the soul.” — François Rabelais

[hd-fan-fair]

H/D FOOD FAIR 2022 MASTERLIST & REVEALS!

Thank you for your continued support for the Fair! ♥ To the authors, artists and podficcers - Thank you so much for all your efforts and for your brilliance! 

Every piece of work is absolutely beautiful, it must have taken so much effort to make! You always blow us away with your creativity and talent!

♥ To our readers, commenters, and viewers and to everyone who participated in our Fair Cup - you guys bring the creators so much joy. We love and appreciate every single comment and support you have given to our creators! 

So give yourselves a round of applause for being the absolute bestest! Without further ado, we present to you the reveals for the H/D Food Fair 2022! 

(IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER)

Art

1. herman_the_moth drew Portkey Reservation for Two (General, Digital Comic)

Harry is determined to resolve the mystery of Draco’s peculiar and frequent Portkey reservations.

2. Lordazazel23 drew Sweet Sweet reunion (Mature, Digital)

Harry sends Draco products as bribe. They decide to test them together ;)

3. chachisoo drew Melting for You (Teen, Digital Comic)

Model Draco Malfoy lands a risqué dessert shoot with famous photographer Harry Potter and uses his props to shamelessly flirt with Harry in front of the whole crew.

4. digthewriter drew Body By Biryani (General, Digital)

Harry co-owns a Biryani Stand at the Wizarding Little India Bazaar. It’s Draco’s favourite spot. All the aunties love to take care of Draco and want Harry to ask him out already.

5. beanomatica drew once more, with feeling (General, Digital Comic)

A proposal, past and present.

6. getawayfox drew What the Heart Wants (General, Digital)

What do you do when your new husband ruins all your carefully scheduled travel plans for a local tourist trap? You indulge him, of course.

7. Pinky_Wisteria drew Delicious Curse (General, Digital Comic)

Draco has to eat a traditional dish from each continent, cooked by a person dear to him, to break an unusual curse…

8. rainsoakedhello drew For the Love of Asian Noodle Cups (General, Digital)

While it wasn’t the farthest Harry could get from London, landing in Berkeley, California wasn’t a bad start. He just needed somewhere to finally breathe.

Harry had had a very vague idea of what to expect when signing up for the new Ministry Approved Muggle Immersion (MAMI) program.What he absolutely never expected was to walk into his dorm room at UC Berkeley and see an incredibly fit Draco Malfoy already setting up one side of the room.

9. digthewriter drew Chitter Chatter Masala (General, Digital)

Bewitched by spices and herbs.

10. OkaySky drew Unmei no Akai Ito (Mature, Digital Comic)

Harry thought that spending a year in Japan would give him the anonymity and freedom that he needed after the war. He didn’t expect to run into Draco Malfoy shortly after arriving. Or running into him again, and again, and again.

11. sugareey drew A Sense of Balance (Teen, Digital)

Draco never thought having Harry Potter as a travelling partner would actually ground him. For once, he’s seeing the world from a new perspective, taking part in newfound rituals, and everything somehow feels right.

[Or, where Draco’s Super Important Notebook™ documents tea facts and sketches, as well as candid moments of him falling in love with a soft Gryffindor.]

12. dustmouth drew The Bloody Baron’s Birthday Bash (Teen, Traditional Comic)

Headmistress McGonagall has put Harry in charge of sourcing pungent delicacies for the Bloody Baron’s deathday fest. This would all be very simple, except that finding a food rancid enough to impress a ghost is no easy task, especially not when you have Draco Malfoy and his interest in an Authentic Muggle Experience getting involved.

Art and Fic

13. saintgarbanzo wrote and ihopeyoubothstaysafefromharm drew Preserving Lemons (Explicit, 17196)

There’s probably some immutable magical law that if someone steals your wand to destroy the century’s most murderous maniac you then bump into that someone in Italy.

Harry is cooking food he couldn’t care less about; Draco is making art he couldn’t care more about.

A story about kebabs, miniskirts and the way preservation can transform a lemon.

14. camomiletea wrote and drew Qui Vivra Verra (Explicit, 22144)

“It’s just- It’s a bit funny is all. Draco Malfoy working in a coffee shop.”

“Patisserie,” Malfoy corrected.

The one where Harry is a sad tourist and Draco feeds him croissants.

Fic

15. Gnarf wrote The Thief and the Throne (Fallen Kingdom) (Mature, 26355)

Many years after the Dark Lord killed the last King and took the throne, a young orphan joins the Order.

Harry hopes that they will teach him how to help those their new King deemed unworthy: the Regulars. Those people who worked hard for their food yet had to hand over most of their harvest to fill the already overflowing warehouses of the Capital.

With the help of the Order and an unexpected ally Harry is ready to right the wrongs.

16. Booktopus wrote I Want Your Heart To Be For Me (Explicit, 4372)

It’s not often that Harry can pull one over on Draco, his husband of almost twenty years, but Harry thinks he’s done it this time. He aims to recreate their proposal picnic on the grounds of the Eiffel Tower and, later, reignite their passion behind the closed doors of their Parisian hotel room.

17. deliciousblizzardshark wrote The Best Cup Noodle (Teen, 4753)

Draco opts to go to an American Muggle university for a year hoping to escape the past. Unfortunately, Harry Potter has decided to do exactly the same thing.

18. dysonrules wrote Peerless (Teen, 14,546)

Draco’s trip around the world is cut short when he crash lands on an island during a storm. Hoping for a resort or at least a village, he wanders around until hunger forces him to scavenge for food.

19. flavor_of_melodrama wrote True Love is Priceless, Finding True Love is Expensive (Teen, 4664)

After the war, Draco Malfoy had a plan to redeem his family name. He donated most of his family’s money, started a luxury blind dating service with Pansy, and intended to marry one of the Greengrass sisters.

Dating Harry Potter certainly was not part of the plan.

But, one dinner might change this.

20. Enchanted_Jae wrote Both Feet in the Grape (Teen, 1741)

While on their honeymoon in Italy, Draco and Harry try their hands feet at grape-stomping.

21. robinbuckllly wrote Hope’s Only Promise (Explicit, 86,095)

Harry lives in Havana and loves making batidos from all his favorite fruits. He doesn’t have a job and plans to wile away his life in his own little plot of paradise. Draco, released from Azkaban on probation, is set with the unwieldy task to convince Harry to come home. He has to go right back to prison if he fails, but he has been cursed to keep all of that from Harry.

22. enjale wrote This is not a love song (General, 12437)

When Pansy leaves to make a Grand Tour across Europe, Draco almost goes with her. But in the end, he stays and is stuck at Grimmauld Place with his roommate, Potter. And they’re doing perfectly fine together: Harry cooks, Draco takes care of the rest, and they exchange the perfect amount of words with each other. Until Pansy gets the idea that they need a teambuilding activity and starts sending recipes to cook together.

23. captateur wrote Chicken Parmi and a Lager (Teen, 3325)

Mandy Thorne thought it’d be a nice, relaxing year, backpacking through the Australian outback.

She didn’t expect to run into two war heroes in a pub.

24. Lalalaartje wrote Hunc Draco Dormiens Amat Titillare (Mature, 15475)

Harry was sent on a journey to discover himself by his ex-wife. He doesn’t know what else he has to discover, after finding out he’s gay and having to tell his wife and his children about it. Maybe what he’s supposed to do with his life now that he’s quit the aurors?

He’s in Antwerp when he stumbles upon a small high-end patisserie-chocolaterie. What he finds there exceeds all expectations.

25. luminae wrote it is not a house (Explicit, 43390)

There are many stories that can happen in a forgotten house, in the middle of the Arctic.

Heart-warming tales about human connection and finding the essence of the self.

Epic love stories that defy reason.

Warnings about the hubris of human explorations.

This is both none of the above and a bit of all.

This is a horror story.

26. Poison_literature wrote The Beau-tea Of It All (Teen, 7101)

“Welcome back, Draco! What took you so Oolong?”

And there he goes again.

aka Harry and Draco open up a Tea Shop after their Eighth Year, puns are the bane of Draco’s existence, he just can’t seem to be able to keep himself out of trouble, and Harry is an overprotective idiot.

27. stripedsilverfeline wrote Contentious Confections (Mature, 16725)

Harry and Draco are both younger, lower-level Ministry employees. They have a lovely arrangement going between them but then suddenly the Minister has urgent need of a diplomat and Draco is sent abroad on a mission.

Draco, in an effort to combat the stress of constant travel and with the added benefit of teasing Potter from a'far, revives an old hobby: the making of a confection modelled vaguely after Bott’s Beans. He calls them ‘Barelys’.

Everyone else, however, calls them 'courting’. Excepting Harry, naturally, who was raised Muggle.

28. drarryruinedme7 wrote Chocolate Cocks and How to Make Them (Explicit, 9628)

Draco’s life is practically perfect. Every day he follows the same routines, wears the right clothes and sees the same friends. His books balance. His chocolate factory is successful. Life is good.

It’s predictable. Controllable.

If only there wasn’t Potter with his stupid just-shagged hair, his flirty comments and his habit of making Draco say the first thing that pops into his brain, and—did he hear that right?—request for edible sex toys.

29. rainbees wrote Through Worlds (Mature, 42619)

Harry is looking for a new start, and he’s travelled the world to find it. Now in Japan, a chance encounter with someone from his past threatens to distract him from his goal, but when he runs into them again and again, he begins to wonder if maybe he’s found what he was searching for all along.

30. themightyflynn08 wrote The Final Frontier (Teen, 3408)

When the Ministry decides to create a program to send wizarding kind to space, they contact Harry to cook the food for the opening night aboard the station. Harry not only has to work out exactly how to cook in space, but also how to make it taste good.

31. maziktheli wrote on your heart (Teen, 9916)

Harry runs a successful Palestinian restaurant. Draco works at a small cultural magazine as a junior photographer. When Draco receives his dream assignment, their paths cross for the first time in a decade.

32. momatu wrote The Least Expected (General, 17454)

Draco put everything he had into buying The Villa Narcisa. Things were off to a good start, though. His first guests were expected any minute.

33. DrWhoIsGinnyHolmes wrote That Time I Was Possessed By a Norse God (Explicit, 8370)

Draco is called to aid in an Auror raid of an illegal magical creature ring in an old potions shop in the middle of Norway. A stray spell hits Harry, flinging him into the potions shelves. As the dust clears, Harry isn’t himself anymore. It seems he may have been possessed by something ancient and unforgiving, and he had chosen Draco to serve him.

Podfic

34. smirkingcat read Melange a Deux (Teen, 01:13:00)

This is the story of two men finding love in unexpected places. And lots of delicious food.

35. bluedreaming read haunt yourself and refuse to be buried (General, 00:23:56:00)

Harry Potter is eighteen years old and he is not okay. 

[sleepysera]

6.17.22 Headlines

WORLD NEWS

West Bank: Israeli troops kill 3 Palestinians in gunbattle (AP)

“Israeli forces shot dead three Palestinians and wounded at least eight others early Friday during a military operation in the occupied West Bank town of Jenin, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. The military said its forces came under attack and exchanged fire with militants.”

India: One dead in violent protests over military hiring (BBC)

“A person has died and 13 others have been injured in India after protests against a new army hiring plan turned violent. He died when police and protesters clashed in Secunderabad city in the southern state of Telangana on Friday. Police reportedly opened fire into the crowd but reports said it was not clear if the man died due to a gunshot wound. Several states have seen huge protests against the plan to hire soldiers on a fixed four-year term. Protesters say the government's plan to hire temporary soldiers will reduce their chances of getting coveted permanent military jobs, which guarantee fixed salaries and pensions.”

Tanzania: Accused of violence on Maasai protesting eviction (AP)

“Tanzania’s government has been accused of using violence against Maasai herders protesting efforts to evict them from one of the country’s most popular tourist destinations, in the latest friction between those who see certain African landscapes as a lucrative playground and those who simply call them home.”

US NEWS

Alabama Church Shooting: 2 killed, 1 wounded, suspect detained (AP)

“Police investigating a shooting at an Alabama church that killed two people and wounded another said Friday that the shooter was a 71-year-old man who occasionally attended services. Police Capt. Shane Ware did not identify the suspect, who was taken into custody following the shooting Thursday night at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in the Birmingham suburb of Vestavia Hills. Ware said prosecutors were preparing warrants to charge him with capital murder.”

Covid: FDA authorizes 1st Covid-19 shots for infants, preschoolers (AP)

“U.S. regulators on Friday authorized the first COVID-19 shots for infants and preschoolers, paving the way for vaccinations to begin next week. The Food and Drug Administration’s action follows its advisory panel’s unanimous recommendation for the shots from Moderna and Pfizer. That means U.S. kids under 5 — roughly 18 million youngsters — are eligible for the shots, about 1 1/2 years after the vaccines first became available in the U.S. for adults, who have been hit the hardest during the pandemic.”

Climate Crisis: Biden hosts climate meeting amid high gas price pressure (AP)

“Equating the oil and gas industry to Big Tobacco, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Friday that “fossil fuel producers and financiers have humanity by the throat.” But President Joe Biden wasn’t quite itching for a fight. With both soaring energy prices and a warming planet weighing on the world at the Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate, Biden talked about trying to ease the pain of high gas prices while pushing more long-term green policies.”