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A Cinematic Journey Through the History of Aviation
Description:
A wide cinematic collection celebrating the evolution of aviation, from fragile early biplanes and daring pioneer pilots to flying boats, wartime fighters, classic airliners, supersonic icons, stealth aircraft, and futuristic aerospace designs. The series combines golden hour light, dramatic skies, ocean crossings, misty runways, military silhouettes, retro travel atmosphere, and science fiction con
A Cinematic Journey Through the History of Aviation
Description:
A wide cinematic collection celebrating the evolution of aviation, from fragile early biplanes and daring pioneer pilots to flying boats, wartime fighters, classic airliners, supersonic icons, stealth aircraft, and futuristic aerospace designs. The series combines golden hour light, dramatic skies, ocean crossings, misty runways, military silhouettes, retro travel atmosphere, and science fiction concepts to create a visual timeline of flight as both engineering achievement and human dream.
These images have been generated by Artificial Intelligence.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned Tuesday against any “destabilizing” actions on Taiwan before a trip to China by President Donald Trump and called on Beijing also to raise pressure on Iran.
US President Donald Trump listens as U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks during a Cabinet meeting at the White House on April 30, 2025, in Washington, DC. File photo: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images/AFP.
Trump is scheduled to pay the first visit of his second term to China next week, a trip h
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned Tuesday against any “destabilizing” actions on Taiwan before a trip to China by President Donald Trump and called on Beijing also to raise pressure on Iran.
US President Donald Trump listens as U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks during a Cabinet meeting at the White House on April 30, 2025, in Washington, DC. File photo: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images/AFP.
Rubio, addressing reporters at the White House, said he was sure that Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping would discuss Taiwan, the self-governing democratic island claimed by Beijing.
“I think both countries understand that it is in neither one of our interests to see anything destabiliz(ing) happen in that part of the world,” Rubio told reporters.
“We don’t need any destabilizing events to occur with regards to Taiwan or anywhere in the Indo-Pacific, and I think that’s to the mutual benefit of both the United States and the Chinese,” Rubio said.
China has ramped up its military presence around Taiwan in recent years and staged large-scale military drills.
While the United States has an ambiguous policy on whether it would defend Taiwan, its military looks increasingly stretched as resources shift from Asia to the Iran war.
Rubio, who has never visited China, was an outspoken critic of Beijing’s human rights record while a senator, championing legislation that brought sanctions over Beijing’s alleged use of forced labor from the Uyghur minority.
The Trump administration has largely downplayed human rights, preferring to focus on promoting what it sees as core US interests such as trade.
Asked if Trump would raise human rights, Rubio said, “I think we’ve proven in some cases it’s most effective to raise them in the appropriate setting. But we always raise those issues.”
Call to pressure Iran
Rubio also called for China to put pressure on Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who was leaving Tuesday for Beijing.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi departs for Beijing on May 5, 2026. Photo: Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Iran has exerted control over the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway through which one-fifth of the world’s oil once transited, in retaliation for being attacked by the United States and Israel.
China has been by far the largest buyer of Iranian oil, defying sanctions unilaterally imposed by Trump since his first term against any country that is Tehran’s customer.
“I hope the Chinese tell him (Araghchi) what he needs to be told, and that is that what you were doing in the straits is causing you to be globally isolated,” Rubio said.
“You’re the bad guy in this,” he said. “You guys should not be blowing up ships.”
The United States has also been blowing up ships. The US military said Monday it had destroyed six small Iranian boats, accusing them of threatening shipping.
During the war, a US submarine torpedoed an Iranian frigate off Sri Lanka, killing 104 sailors, with US forces leaving them to drown.
I traveled to Newport Beach this week to moderate a rollicking panel with the cast of Apple TV’s hit series Shrinking. And right after I introduced them, Ed O’Neill came on stage at the landmark’s 86-year-old Lido Theatre to present them with the four-day festival’s Outstanding Comedy Ensemble Award. Shrinking has been racking up a […]
I traveled to Newport Beach this week to moderate a rollicking panel with the cast of Apple TV’s hit series Shrinking. And right after I introduced them, Ed O’Neill came on stage at the landmark’s 86-year-old Lido Theatre to present them with the four-day festival’s Outstanding Comedy Ensemble Award. Shrinking has been racking up a […]
U.S. journalist and historian Stephen Kinzer, 74, has devoted much of his work to analyzing a century of U.S.-backed government overthrows around the world: from Hawaii to Iraq, examining the pattern of military intervention and exposing its long-term consequences. A former correspondent for The New York Times, Kinzer has established himself as one of the most vocal critics of U.S. interventionism.Seguir leyendo
U.S. journalist and historian Stephen Kinzer, 74, has devoted much of his work to analyzing a century of U.S.-backed government overthrows around the world: from Hawaii to Iraq, examining the pattern of military intervention and exposing its long-term consequences. A former correspondent for The New York Times, Kinzer has established himself as one of the most vocal critics of U.S. interventionism.
Pikachu and Gyarados invite you to come by for a relaxing soak as Noto town recovers from disaster.
A lot of storylines in the Pokémon anime and video games follow the journeys of Pokémon Trainers as they roam far and wide in search of rare Pocket Monsters as part of their training to become Pokémon Masters. No matter how strong your resolve is to be the very best, though, eventually you’re going to need to take some time to stop and rest along the way. Likewise, if your real-life travels take
Pikachu and Gyarados invite you to come by for a relaxing soak as Noto town recovers from disaster.
A lot of storylines in the Pokémon anime and video games follow the journeys of Pokémon Trainers as they roam far and wide in search of rare Pocket Monsters as part of their training to become Pokémon Masters. No matter how strong your resolve is to be the very best, though, eventually you’re going to need to take some time to stop and rest along the way. Likewise, if your real-life travels take you to Japan’s Ishikawa Prefecture, there’s now a Pokémon-themed hot spring where you can rejuvenate yourself.
You’ll find this place in the town of Nanao, on the Noto Peninsula. This part of the prefecture is part of the collection of communities called Wakura Onsen, which has a number of onsen (hot spring) inns. Many of these facilities were damaged during a powerful earthquake that struck the peninsula in 2024, but the latest sign of the region’s recovery comes with the completion of renovations to the ashiyu foot bath in Yuttari Park. Earlier this month, the foot bath reopened following renovations, and visitors can now enjoy a soak in the company of several different Pokémon, including Pikachu, Gyarados, Vaporeon, and Psyduck!
The photos of the now-open facility show that the designers have done a fantastic job delivering on the promises of the concept renders. The footbath uses legitimate hot spring water, but unlike with a full-fledged onsen, visitors don’t have to be nude to make use of it. Just slip off your shoes and socks, the slide your feet in. Since you’re not completely submerged, you won’t need anything more than a hand towel or handkerchief to dry yourself off afterwards either, making this equally appealing to those looking for a long soak or sightseers who just want a quick Poké-relaxation session before moving on to the rest of their itinerary (such as tracking down the area’s Pokémon manhole covers). Aside from the obvious appeal of the Pokémon statues and murals, the foot bath also faces out onto the waters of the bay adjacent to the park, so you get some beautiful natural scenery to admire as well.
And as cool as the place is, it won’t cost you a single yen to use. Wakura Pokémon Footbath is completely free, and is open daily from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Location information
Wakura Pokémon Footbath / わくらポケモン足湯
Address: Ishikawa-ken, Nanao-shi, Wakuramachi Hibari 1-1
石川県七尾市和倉町ひばり1丁目1番地
Open 7 a.m.-7 p.m.
Since the Iran war led to the closing of the Strait of Hormuz, about 20 percent of global oil supply has been choked off, sending prices sky high, especially for jet fuel. So far, the war may already be costing the airline industry an additional $15 billion. Airlines have responded by raising ticket prices, charging more for bag fees, and cutting flights that they’ve deemed unprofitable because of higher fuel costs.
This price shock was a deciding factor in the May 2026 closure of Spi
Since the Iran war led to the closing of the Strait of Hormuz, about 20 percent of global oil supply has been choked off, sending prices sky high, especially for jet fuel. So far, the war may already be costing the airline industry an additional $15 billion. Airlines have responded by raising ticket prices, charging more for bag fees, and cutting flights that they’ve deemed unprofitable because of higher fuel costs.
This price shock was a deciding factor in the May 2026 closure of Spirit Airlines. When a low-cost airline like Spirit goes under, it has a ripple effect through the entire industry, canceling flight routes and raising ticket prices all around.
But even if the war were to end and fuel costs stabilize, major airlines might not be willing to bring their prices back down. In fact, corporations seem all but guaranteed to take advantage of pressuring consumers to pay more to fly.
For over 40 years, flying has been an affordable way to travel. We’ve been living in an era of cheap flights that has shifted air travel from a luxury experience to a globalized mode of public transportation. This video explains how that era might be coming to an end.
Read more about the state of the airline industry and the impact of the war in Iran:
Goodbye (again), Gundam.
Seeing Tokyo’s life-size Gundam statue is an amazing experience, but also surreal one. Sure, Japan is the land of anime and all, but even then, a 19.7-meter (64.6-foot) tall mecha feels like something too awesome to be standing outside of the Diver City entertainment complex in the Odaiba district.
And sadly, it’s not going to be standing there much longer.
Both the official Gundam franchise website and the site for Tokyo’s life-size Unicorn Gundam statue have posted
Seeing Tokyo’s life-size Gundam statue is an amazing experience, but also surreal one. Sure, Japan is the land of anime and all, but even then, a 19.7-meter (64.6-foot) tall mecha feels like something too awesome to be standing outside of the Diver City entertainment complex in the Odaiba district.
And sadly, it’s not going to be standing there much longer.
Both the official Gundam franchise website and the site for Tokyo’s life-size Unicorn Gundam statue have posted notices that the 1:1-scale recreation of the RX-0 Unicorn Gundam will be removed. They’re not giving fans much advance notice to make one last visit either (or one first visit, if you haven’t been able to fit Tokyo into your travel plans yet), as the Unicorn Gundam will be gone at “the end of August.”
It’s a sad turn of events for what has become both a symbol of the neighborhood and a mecha mecca for anime fans from around the globe. The Unicorn Gundam was completed in September of 2017, meaning that it won’t quite make it to a full 9 years. I went to go see the big guy as soon as I could, and on my most recent visit just this month, the Unicorn was still looking great, as you can see in the photos in this article.
Gundam rights-holder Bandai hasn’t said why the Unicorn Gundam is being removed, and with it still drawing huge crowds, to the statue itself and to the two Gundam specialty stores inside Diver City, the decision comes as a shock to many fans.
The blow of the Unicorn Gundam’s departure is softened by Bandai’s promise that it will be starting a project it calls the “Gundam Landmark Concept,” creating a new Gundam facility/attraction that “fans from all over the world will want to come visit.” No further details have been released yet, but with Yokohama’s moving life-size Gundam having been sent off in the spring of 2024 to Osaka for the Expo 2025 world’s fair, the removal of the Unicorn Gundam will leave the Tokyo area with no life-size Gundams at all.
That seems like a vacuum Bandai would want to fill as quickly as it can, and this actually isn’t the first time for Odaiba to lose a life-size Gundam, either. Prior to the Unicorn Gundam’s installation, a life-size version of the original RX-78-2 Gundam stood in the same spot for several years, until it was removed in March of 2017, followed by a Gundam-less period of roughly six months before the Unicorn Gundam, was completed.
So hopefully this doesn’t mean Tokyo will be saying goodbye for good to Gundam so much as goodbye to this particular Gundam, and then hello to a new one. Still, there’s been no official word that a replacement mecha is one the way, and while Bandai says it will have special events to send the Unicorn Gundam off in style, there’s very little time to waste if you want to see it.
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