A substantial, velvety dish to carry you through into the summer months The sky is the same shade as old Tupperware, our tortoise appears to have gone back into hibernation, the flat upstairs has builders in, but the kitchen smells gorgeous, thanks to this week’s recipe. It is one of the variations suggested by Anna Gosetti Della Salda for her aubergine and egg tortino alla fiorentina in the Tusca...
A substantial, velvety dish to carry you through into the summer months The sky is the same shade as old Tupperware, our tortoise appears to have gone back into hibernation, the flat upstairs has builders in, but the kitchen smells gorgeous, thanks to this week’s recipe. It is one of the variations suggested by Anna Gosetti Della Salda for her aubergine and egg tortino alla fiorentina in the Tuscany chapter of Le Ricette Regionali Italiane, an indispensable book that I would save from a fire. The addition of potato to the aubergine makes it an even more substantial, velvet-like and better-tasting dish, I think: a layered vegetable bake crossed with a frittata that fancies itself as having a touch of baked eggs (although don’t expect any puffing up). Instead of the aubergine, you could use artichoke hearts (trimmed and cut into slim wedges), courgettes or cardoon, and, if you fancy, you could also add a crumbled sausage or a handful of diced pancetta. Whatever you use, however, a fundamental stage in terms of both flavour and texture is the initial cooking of the vegetables: frying the potatoes, then covering the pan so they fry-steam into tenderness; the aubergine by simply frying. Important, too, is sprinkling the just-cooked slices with a little salt, so the end dish is seasoned through. (The egg and milk mixture is seasoned with cheese – use whatever you have – but check for salt, too.) Continue reading...
During the second world war, farmers received forecasts in code and railway announcers were banned from blaming delays on fog or snow Data security is not just a modern issue. The BBC stopped its daily weather forecasts as soon as the second world war started. They had been a feature of the radio schedule since 1923 but continuing them would have given vital weather intelligence to the Germans. In...
During the second world war, farmers received forecasts in code and railway announcers were banned from blaming delays on fog or snow Data security is not just a modern issue. The BBC stopped its daily weather forecasts as soon as the second world war started. They had been a feature of the radio schedule since 1923 but continuing them would have given vital weather intelligence to the Germans. In particular, the forecast provided information about when skies would be clear, what winds were blowing and when storms were expected, all of which would be helpful for the Luftwaffe when planning bombing raids. Continue reading...
BRC survey finds public even more pessimistic about finances as higher energy prices fuel inflation fears Consumer confidence in the UK has “collapsed” since the start of the Iran war, according to new research from the British Retail Consortium. The sharp rise in energy prices caused by the effective closure of the strait of Hormuz and attacks on infrastructure in the region has led to fears of h...
BRC survey finds public even more pessimistic about finances as higher energy prices fuel inflation fears Consumer confidence in the UK has “collapsed” since the start of the Iran war, according to new research from the British Retail Consortium. The sharp rise in energy prices caused by the effective closure of the strait of Hormuz and attacks on infrastructure in the region has led to fears of higher inflation and weaker growth across oil-importing countries. Continue reading...
Exclusive: health secretary says he does not think PM will face challenge after May elections, as public doesn’t want ‘chaos’ Wes Streeting has said he does not want Keir Starmer to be challenged as Labour leader after the May elections as it would undermine the party’s election promise to voters to avoid more chaos. The health secretary, who is widely regarded as a prospective candidate in any co...
Exclusive: health secretary says he does not think PM will face challenge after May elections, as public doesn’t want ‘chaos’ Wes Streeting has said he does not want Keir Starmer to be challenged as Labour leader after the May elections as it would undermine the party’s election promise to voters to avoid more chaos. The health secretary, who is widely regarded as a prospective candidate in any contest, urged voters to “give the guy a chance” as he said that none of his colleagues would attempt to oust the prime minister. Continue reading...
Watchdog issues formal guidance to trustees at top AI research institute after staff expressed concerns The board of the UK’s leading AI research institute has been reminded of its legal duties in areas such as financial oversight and managing organisational change by the charity watchdog after a whistleblower complaint . The Charity Commission has issued formal regulatory advice and guidance to t...
Watchdog issues formal guidance to trustees at top AI research institute after staff expressed concerns The board of the UK’s leading AI research institute has been reminded of its legal duties in areas such as financial oversight and managing organisational change by the charity watchdog after a whistleblower complaint . The Charity Commission has issued formal regulatory advice and guidance to trustees at the Alan Turing Institute (ATI) – the organisation’s board – after it was contacted by a group of staff with a list of concerns. Continue reading...
Test yourself on topical news trivia, pop culture and general knowledge every Thursday. How will you fare? Welcome once again to the Thursday quiz. There are no prizes but plenty of opportunities to discover which of your firmly held opinions are, on closer inspection, just question marks in disguise. Fifteen questions await you, covering topical news, popular culture and general knowledge, and su...
Test yourself on topical news trivia, pop culture and general knowledge every Thursday. How will you fare? Welcome once again to the Thursday quiz. There are no prizes but plenty of opportunities to discover which of your firmly held opinions are, on closer inspection, just question marks in disguise. Fifteen questions await you, covering topical news, popular culture and general knowledge, and surprisingly not one of them is about that possum found among the toys at an airport . Let us know how you got on in the comments. Allons-y! The Thursday news quiz, No 240 Continue reading...
A young Chinese woman lives in a nursing home and pays just 200 yuan (US$30) in rent a month in exchange for offering companionship to the elderly. The life choice of 25-year-old Zhang Jin reveals a new pattern for young people to live under less pressure while helping out with the country’s problem of an increasingly ageing population. Over two years ago, Zhang, a new graduate from eastern China’...
A young Chinese woman lives in a nursing home and pays just 200 yuan (US$30) in rent a month in exchange for offering companionship to the elderly. The life choice of 25-year-old Zhang Jin reveals a new pattern for young people to live under less pressure while helping out with the country’s problem of an increasingly ageing population. Over two years ago, Zhang, a new graduate from eastern China’s Jiangxi province, moved to Suzhou in eastern Jiangsu province when she found a job there. Around...
Germany's Economy At The Point Of No Return Submitted by Thomas Kolbe If anyone still needed a concrete figure to illustrate the dramatic state of the German economy, the Federal Statistical Office has now delivered it. The country’s investment ratio is negative, as depreciation exceeds nominal investments. Slowly but surely, the lights are going out. Public discourse in Germany often sounds monoc...
Germany's Economy At The Point Of No Return Submitted by Thomas Kolbe If anyone still needed a concrete figure to illustrate the dramatic state of the German economy, the Federal Statistical Office has now delivered it. The country’s investment ratio is negative, as depreciation exceeds nominal investments. Slowly but surely, the lights are going out. Public discourse in Germany often sounds monocaudal and lacks complexity. Regardless of which social conflicts, administrative difficulties, or economic issues are being debated, for the majority of Germans, the state is not the cause of many problems but the ultimate solution. A majority of Germans regularly fall for the statist-arguing snake-oil salesmen of the major party cartel beyond the firewall. The solutions that Chancellor Friedrich Merz and his junta of green, red, and dark-red socialists apply to every problem arising from the long-term recession are simple and resonate with voters – as we have seen recently in Baden-Württemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate. To put it bluntly: more of the same medicine, more state intervention, more regulation, all intended to cover up the loss of control in the fundamental areas of our time – migration, the definition of our social system, and the organization of the economic framework. It sounds so simple, socially warm, yet resentment-laden: higher taxes on the wealthy, squeezing heirs harder. Fundamentally, Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin are blamed for the energy crisis. Once these childish narratives are established, it’s eyes closed and full speed ahead on the path of green transformation, which has paralyzed the economy. Germany’s economy is running on wear and tear, consuming its own substance just to stay afloat. This statist mindset, cultivated since reunification, comes at a cost. Economists call it “crowding-out,” which can be observed everywhere. Private-sector engagement is being crowded out by the NGO complex, green subsidy entrepreneurs, and all the incentive hu...
AndreyPopov/iStock via Getty Images As 2026 drags on, investors continue to be incredibly wary of investing in tech stocks again, as the combination of a weak macro environment plus fears of a "SaaSpocalypse" in which AI uproots existing software platforms, continues to drive a wholesale rotation out of software stocks. These conditions make it perfect for long-term-oriented investors to pick up s...
AndreyPopov/iStock via Getty Images As 2026 drags on, investors continue to be incredibly wary of investing in tech stocks again, as the combination of a weak macro environment plus fears of a "SaaSpocalypse" in which AI uproots existing software platforms, continues to drive a wholesale rotation out of software stocks. These conditions make it perfect for long-term-oriented investors to pick up shares of attractive businesses that are just beginning to generate meaningful profitability. In my view, the combination of recurring revenue, solid growth indicators that defy the notion of any near-term AI disruption, and bottom-line progress that can't be ignored will help to drive an upward re-rating in stocks like Cognyte Software ( CGNT ), the vertical software platform that targets public sector agencies. Cognyte is down slightly since the start of the year, but a very strong Q4 earnings print (which drove ~7% upside in the stock) has helped to offset recent losses. In my view, this is the start of a longer rebound rally in this name. Data by YCharts I last wrote a "Buy" article on Cognyte in December, when the stock was trading near $10 per share. Since then, shares of Cognyte have fallen ~15%. While I agree that my previous buy call was ill-timed, when I take a fresh look at the company now, I find a lot to like: a flowering adjusted EBITDA profile, strong billings and backlog growth, and low dilution, unlike many of its peers in the SaaS sector. I reiterate my "Buy" rating here. Of course, we should kick off the discussion with an important question: Is Cognyte a disruptor in AI, or is it about to be disrupted? That important question is the single factor that is driving the market for software stocks today. As a refresher, consider what Cognyte does. The company targets primarily public sector agencies (law enforcement, national security, and financial crimes investigations) to ingest reams of big data, helping to drive intelligent decisions, understand and ident...