Catch of the day: rare gold lobster saved by attentive cook in Rhode Island

The crustacean, since named Calvin, had a genetic mutation that occurs in about one in 30 million lobsters

Being one in a million may sound nice, but being one in 30m recently saved an exceptionally rare, gold lobster from being cooked and served as dinner at a New England restaurant, according to those who had a hand in the animal’s reprieve.

As the manager of the Nordic Lodge Restaurant in Charlestown, Rhode Island, tells it, one of the eatery’s cooks noticed the crustacean in question buried under a bunch of other lobsters after they were delivered to the business. The lobster, since named Calvin, was in a basket ready to be cooked and presented as a meal alongside a number of his brethren when the employee pulled him out and set him aside, manager Jake Dolbey told the Guardian.

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Sweet dreams: dessert parlours help to revive UK’s high streets

Market thought to be worth more than £500m as diners seek cheaper alternatives to the pub or a meal out

Dessert cafes and ice-cream parlours are hoping to play a role in a revival of UK high streets and the night-time economy, as people seek an alternative to going to the pub or an expensive meal out.

Their number has soared by almost 700 in the UK in the past decade, according to analysts at Green Street, formerly the Local Data Company, with outlets in places from Aberdeen to Plymouth.

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China’s absence felt at Shangri-La Dialogue, Singapore’s defence chief says – South China Morning Post

  1. China’s absence felt at Shangri-La Dialogue, Singapore’s defence chief says  South China Morning Post
  2. China keeps a low profile at Shangri-La Dialogue. What does that mean?  South China Morning Post
  3. China's defence minister Dong Jun to skip major Asian security summit  Reuters
  4. China's low profile at defense forum leaves US room to woo Asia  Nikkei Asia
  5. Quadrilateral meeting is US-led 'division' under disguise of 'openness': Chinese delegate to Shangri-La Dialogue  Global Times
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Poland to vote for next president, with Holocaust history an apparent item on the ballot – The Times of Israel

  1. Poland to vote for next president, with Holocaust history an apparent item on the ballot  The Times of Israel
  2. In Poland’s Presidential Election Runoff, Candidates Battle for Young Voters Who Don’t Like Them  The New York Times
  3. Poland holds a pivotal presidential runoff influenced by Trump, the far right and the war in Ukraine  AP News
  4. Trump-backed candidate seeks to win Polish presidency in vital European election  Fox News
  5. Karol Nawrocki, a possible Polish president with a shadowy past  The Economist
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Turkey detains five mayors in latest crackdown on opposition – Financial Times

  1. Turkey detains five mayors in latest crackdown on opposition  Financial Times
  2. Turkish authorities escalate crackdown on opposition-run Istanbul municipality  CNN
  3. Turkey arrests dozens including opposition party members  BBC
  4. Turkish authorities order detention of dozens of opposition officials in crackdown  The Times of Israel
  5. Türkiye cracks down on tentacles of corruption octopus with new ops | Daily Sabah  Daily Sabah
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EU’s Kallas welcomes Trump’s ‘tough love’ on arms spending – politico.eu

  1. EU’s Kallas welcomes Trump’s ‘tough love’ on arms spending  politico.eu
  2. Europe’s top diplomat rejects Pentagon chief’s call that it limits role in Asia  The Straits Times
  3. Trump 'tough love' on defence better than no love: EU's Kallas  CNA
  4. EU to strengthen defence system amid Trump admin’s ‘tough love’  Times of India
  5. Trump's Foreign Policy Shifts Reshape European Defense Strategy  Crude Oil Prices Today | OilPrice.com
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Ukraine orders evacuation of 11 villages on Russian border as Kyiv braces for Sumy offensive – France 24

  1. Ukraine orders evacuation of 11 villages on Russian border as Kyiv braces for Sumy offensive  France 24
  2. As 50,000 Russian troops amass, Ukraine's Sumy Oblast braces for potential large-scale offensive  The Kyiv Independent
  3. Russia seizes more Ukrainian territory amid fears of fresh ground offensive  The Guardian
  4. Ukraine Expands Evacuations in Sumy Region Amid Offensive Fears  The Moscow Times
  5. Russia Appears to Launch New Offensive in Ukraine Amid Peace Talks  The New York Times
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Anger as Dorset estate withdraws public entry to ‘stunning’ local landmark

Visitors lament ‘tremendous shame’ as notice withdrawing public access appears after £30m sale of Bridehead Estate

For decades the lake and waterfall on the Bridehead Estate in Dorset have brought joy to visitors who used the permissive path to access a scene of pastoral loveliness that could have come straight from the pages of a Thomas Hardy novel.

But there was melancholy – and anger – among the hundreds, possibly thousands, who made final pilgrimages to the village of Littlebredy this week after it was announced that access to the public was being halted from 2 June.

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Temperatures could hit 27C on Saturday as UK’s sunniest spring on record draws to end

Morning rain could affect Northern Ireland and Scotland but southern and eastern parts likely to remain dry

Temperatures could hit 27C on Saturday, as the UK’s sunniest spring on record draws to a close. But more changeable weather is forecast next week.

Temperatures reached 25.7C at Heathrow on Friday – about 7C hotter than the average for the time of year – and the trend is due to continue into Saturday, with highs of 27C possible in some areas, the Met Office said.

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Drones, AI and new technology will dramatically change nature of war, UK defence review to warn

MoD document expected to highlight dangers posed by Russia and China, and shortfall in UK troop numbers

Britain is facing “a new era of threat” with drones, artificial intelligence and other technologies changing the nature of warfare more fundamentally than at any other point in history, the government’s strategic defence review is expected to conclude on Monday.

The 130-page document written by three advisers to the prime minister, Keir Starmer, will warn of the “immediate and pressing” danger posed by Russia and is expected to try to draw heavily on lessons learned from the war in Ukraine.

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Two adults and a teenager die after single-vehicle collision on M5

Another child in critical condition after suffering serious injuries in south Gloucestershire crash involving a BMW

Two adults and a teenager died and a second child suffered serious injuries in a car crash on the M5 in south Gloucestershire.

A white BMW crashed at about 9pm on Friday when it left the northbound carriageway between junction 14 and Michaelwood services, Avon and Somerset police said. Officers believe no other vehicle was involved.

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North Korea Gets a Weapons Bonanza From Russia – The New York Times

  1. North Korea Gets a Weapons Bonanza From Russia  The New York Times
  2. North Korea has deployed thousands of troops to help Russia 'terrorize Ukraine,' report finds  NBC News
  3. Ukrainian cities ‘terrorised’ by North Korean weapons in Russian hands – report  The Guardian
  4. Russia's Reward to North Korea for Troops Revealed  Newsweek
  5. US and allies accuse North Korea and Russia of flagrantly violating UN sanctions in military deals  AP News
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UK citizens face fingerprint checks each time they visit EU

Biometrics app not ready, meaning travellers through Port of Dover will have to exit vehicles to have identity verified

British citizens who travel frequently to the EU face having their fingerprints individually checked each time they cross the border into the Schengen area because of delays in developing an app to verify biometrics digitally, it has emerged.

It will be “business as usual” this summer but “a big change” in travel will be phased in from November, Doug Bannister, the chief executive of the Port of Dover has said.

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Tourist damages two of China’s terracotta warriors after jumping fence

The man ‘pushed and pulled’ the ancient clay warriors and damaged them to varying degrees, said authorities

A domestic tourist climbed over a fence and jumped into a section of the world-famous display of China’s terracotta army, damaging two ancient clay warriors, authorities said on Saturday.

The 30-year-old was visiting the museum housing the terracotta army in the city of Xi’an on Friday when he “climbed over the guardrail and the protective net and jumped”, public security officials said in a statement.

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