Draughts players Russia’s Tamara Tansykkuzhina (right) and Poland’s Natalia Sadowska play on after the Russian flag was snatched

I think it’s a terrible shame
That what should be a nice friendly game
Can cause tension or more
Perhaps even a war
As usual a flag is to blame

John Moynes

Reuters

Behold: the Rolls-Royce x Hermès Phantom Oribe – commissioned by Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa, handcrafted by Rolls-Royce and Hermès specialists at the brands’ West Sussex and Paris workshops and envisioned as a “land jet” to complement the entrepreneur’s private aircraft. 

The two-tone MZ Oribe Green and cream exterior references Maezawa’s collection of ancient Japanese ceramics (and the colour scheme of his private jet).

The  interior features hand-stitched Enea Green leather upholstery and ‘Toile H’ canvas by Hermès and a ‘gallery installation’ echoing the brand’s Pierre Péron horse motif  hand-painted on the open pore royal walnut dash.

The top end Phantom costs £446,000 (€513,720). This one probably cost a bit more.

hiconsumption

This evening.

Earlier…

Neigh.

This afternoon.

Government Buildings, Merrion Street, Dublin 2.

As leaked earlier…

….The Cabinet has agreed to the reopening plan for the country throughout May and June.

Via RTÉ:

The Government has approved the plan that will allow people travel across the country from 10 May.

On the same day hairdressers will reopen, along with libraries, museums and galleries, and team sports training will also resume.

Up to 50 people will be allowed attend religious services including weddings, funerals and masses.

Inter-county travel from 10 May as reopening plan approved (RTÉ)

RollingNews

Behold: an image of Polaris – the North Star – digitally manipulated to suppress surrounding dim stars but accentuate the faint gas and dust of the Integrated Flux Nebula (IFN). Fair enough. But why is it called the North Star? To wit:

First, Polaris is the nearest bright star toward the north spin axis of the Earth. Therefore, as the Earth turns, stars appear to revolve around Polaris, but Polaris itself always stays in the same northerly direction — making it the North Star. Since no bright star is near the south spin axis of the Earth, there is currently no South Star. Thousands of years ago, Earth’s spin axis pointed in a slightly different direction so that Vega was the North Star. Although Polaris is not the brightest star on the sky, it is easily located because it is nearly aligned with two stars in the cup of the Big Dipper. Polaris is near the center of the eight-degree wide featured image (…/) The surface of Cepheid Polaris slowly pulsates, causing the star to change its brightness by a few percent over the course of a few days.

(Image: Bray Falls)

apod

The Elements – (V).I.N.Y.L

“This is not a song; it’s a prophecy.”

Feeling nostalgic for 1990s-style rap-metal?

Then you’re in for a treat: Dublin hip-hop blasters The Elements rage against the machine with their new single which features the crew NdLZ (Neill Whelan), Ricki and Adam and guest Harry Phipps on turntables.

Listen closely for a Status Quo sample!

The video was directed by Colin Fleming.

Nick says: The Vinyl solution.

The Elements

Broadsheet.ie