Dede Sophie

 Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape today (180922) had an audience with His Majesty King Charles III during which the Prime Minister passed on condolences from the people of Papua New Guinea on the death of the Queen and discussed with the new monarch various common issues relating to the country. PNG PM Marape meets King Charles III in London, United Kingdom  In passing PNG’s condolences, Prime Minister Marape said the late Queen Elizabeth II was a pivotal figure in holding together the Commonwealth and its realms and her life of total service, dignity, tolerance, and kindness is an exemplary one to be remembered for many years to come. The Prime Minister and his wife, Mrs Rachael Marape, were received at Buckingham Palace at 2pm today where King Charles used the time to recount his month-long stay as a schoolboy in PNG in 1966, before moving onto discussing other things including the global matters of climate crisis mitigation, and environment and conservation.  Prime Minis

Discussions are underway to establish a sister-city initiative between Papua New Guinea’s Capital Port Moresby and Da Nang city in Vietnam. This was agreed to in a bilateral meeting between Foreign Affairs Minister Justin Tkatchenko and Vietnam’s Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son during the APEC Summit in Bangkok, Thailand. PNG Minister Tkatchenko, who is also the Member for Moresby South, said he fully supports the initiative, because it opens many opportunities for the nations capital. Vietnam’s Foreign Minister said Da Nang is one of the fastest growing cities in Vietnam and is an attraction for tourism and other sectors. NCD Governor Powes Parkop, who also sat in the meeting, expressed keen interest in the management systems that Vietnam employed to maximise their Special Economic Zones.  He said Vietnam is leading in terms of that model of stimulating that economy and creating employment and businesses – an area Port Moresby can venture into mainly in agriculture, fisheries and touri

This perennial holy river is the lifeline of India’s deep south . Originating in the Agasthyamalai biosphere reserve, the Thamirabarani river criss-crosses through tropical forests comprising of medicinal plants and herbs, tumbling into many waterfalls , crossing many lush agriculture driven ancient villages before it joins the Bay of Bengal between Tiruchendur and Tuticorin. In its short journey of 128 kms from start to end, it leaves a significant impact on the people of South Tamil Nadu. Not only because it is the only perennial river of Tamil Nadu, but also because its presence has given birth to a rich ecosystem, a spectacular landscape, a vibrant culture and some fantastic people. The story of Thamirabarani river is so rich that one can do a road trip tracing the journey of the river from top to end. But, if you don’t have that kind of time, you most certainly can explore the Thamirabarani river delta that is full of lush green landscapes, magical villages, gorgeous temples and s

Before we even get into the £154,650 Aston Martin Vantage F1 Coupe or F1 Roadster if you prefer, writes Mark Gallivan, with its 535PS cannonade of V8 power (up 25PS from the base Vantage) we need to talk about that man in the silver Peugeot 3008 crossover. There he is to my right stationary at the set of traffic lights with his entire family in tow. Looking straight ahead I get this odd feeling he’s staring across at me. So I look over. His wife, next to him, is scrolling through her phone. Oh no, not for her a tasty green Aston Martin Vantage F1 with an over the top rear wing that Airbus would give low whistles to. No, Mrs B&Q is studiously ignoring the grumbling car next to her.  The man, meanwhile, stares the sad stare of person who has just seen his life – the one he sellotaped to his bedroom wall of super performance cars when he was 11 – slowly slide away. Ashen faced he gives me a half nod of a condemned man from his Peugeot. The I-might-as-well-kiss-all-my-dreams-goodbye-on

Going camping may be a whole lot of fun, but you have to think about how best to keep safe as well. For a successful trip, staying alert is essential. With the right planning and preparation, it is possible to have a great campout, but don’t set off without thinking about how you’re going to stay vigilant and keep your wits about you. This guide has six tips for staying safe on a camping trip that everyone should take on board before they set off on a big adventure. Take Enough Water with You Staying hydrated is an extremely important part of hiking and camping. Whether you are doing a short walk or a long one, your body needs to stay well hydrated in order to avoid becoming exhausted or gravely ill. Take enough water to last for the entire length of your trip, and make sure you factor in things like washing too so that you don’t run out of potable liquid. Don’t forget, if the weather is going to be particularly warm, you will need to account for this and over-compensate when it comes

Congrats to lucky winner – Amy! Earlier this year I’d reviewed a wonderful novel by Erica Bauermeister called The School of Essential Ingredients which follows the lives of eight students who gather in Lillian’s Restaurant every Monday night for cooking class. It soon becomes clear, however, that each one seeks a recipe for something beyond the kitchen. I found this story to be “lyrical, magical and poignant” and it made me hungry for the flavorful dishes concocted through the length of the novel! That’s why I was happy to accept when Erica got in touch with regarding doing a Thanksgiving recipe post and a giveaway of this book exclusively for readers of this book! But first a little background : Inundated with requests from readers for the recipes mentioned in the book, Erica has spent the last six months putting them up as guest posts on blogs once a month or so, then compiling them on her website (under the tab called “Side Dishes”). She had one in mind for November, featuring t