1.Google Cloud has accused Microsoft of anti-competitive cloud computing practices.

2. Google Cloud’s Vice President told Reuters the company has raised the issue with antitrust agencies.

3.Microsoft has reportedly offered to change its cloud computing practices in a deal with a few smaller rivals which in turn will suspend their antitrust complaints.

Alphabet’s Google Cloud has accused Microsoft of anti-competitive cloud computing practices and criticised imminent deals with several European cloud vendors, saying these do not solve broader concerns about its licensing terms.

In Google Cloud’s first public comments on Microsoft and its European deals its Vice President Amit Zavery told Reuters the company has raised the issue with antitrust agencies and urged European Union antitrust regulators to take a closer look.

In response, Microsoft referred to a blogpost in May last year where its president Brad Smith said it “has a healthy number two position when it comes to cloud services, with just over 20 percent market share of global cloud services revenues”.

“We are committed to the European Cloud Community and their success,” a Microsoft spokesperson told Reuters on Thursday.

There is intense rivalry between the two US tech giants in the fast-growing, multi-billion-dollar cloud computing business, where Google trails market leader Amazon and Microsoft.

The sector has recently drawn greater regulatory scrutiny, including in the United States and in Britain, because of the dominance of a few players and its increasingly critical role as more and more companies shift their services to the cloud.

Microsoft has offered to change its cloud computing practices in a deal with a few smaller rivals which in turn will suspend their antitrust complaints, a person with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters this week.

The Presidium Network said it is assisting two of the detainees, charity medic Kevin Cornwell, 53, and an unnamed man.

It also confirmed that the third man is Miles Routledge, 23, a British holidaymaker who received widespread attention and criticism on social media in August 2021 for having travelled to Afghanistan despite the Taliban’s return to power after US-led foreign forces withdrew from the country.

“We believe they are in good health and being well treated,” Scott Richards of the Presidium Network told UK-based Sky News.

“We have no reason to believe they’ve been subject to any negative treatment such as torture, and we’re told that they are as good as can be expected in such circumstances.”

There had been “no meaningful contact” between authorities and the two men Presidium is assisting, he said, adding that their arrests came in relation to a misunderstanding over what he said was a licensed weapon in Cornwell’s room.

The two men being assisted by Presidium were detained by Taliban secret police on January 11.

It is unclear how long Routledge has been held for.

“Anyone travelling to dangerous parts of the world should take the utmost caution,” UK Home Secretary Suella Braverman told Sky News. “If they are going to do that, they should always act on the advice of the foreign office travel advice.”

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Red Bull’s Max Verstappen claimed his first Australian Grand Prix title on Sunday in remarkable circumstances after a chaotic F1 race filled with drama from the green light to the checkered flag.

Although Red Bull’s first triumph in Melbourne since 2011 was expected, the carnage that unfolded in the latter stages of the race at Albert Park made it an extremely hard-fought win.

Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, who drove superbly in his Mercedes, placed second for his first podium of the season, and Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso took third spot.

Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, who drove superbly in his Mercedes, placed second for his first podium of the season, and Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso took third spot.

Only 12 of the 20 starters finished the race, after a late rolling start behind a safety car, and the sport’s governing body said it was the first F1 GP in history to feature three red flags. Australian Oscar Piastri made the most of the disorder to finish eighth and claim his first championship points for McLaren.

Verstappen was pleased to clinch victory but queried the decision by stewards to issue a red flag after a crash on lap 55 of the 58-lap race instead of deploying a safety car.

He held a comfortable lead at that stage but then had to fight to hold the front position from Hamilton when the race was restarted.

Airplane model is placed on displayed Spirit Airlines and jetBlue Airways logos in this illustration taken, June 21, 2022.

WASHINGTON, March 31 (Reuters) – California and three other states on Friday joined the U.S. Justice Department lawsuit aimed at preventing JetBlue Airways (JBLU.O) from buying rival discount carrier Spirit Airlines (SAVE.N) for $3.8 billion.

In addition to California, Maryland, New Jersey, and North Carolina signed on to the lawsuit filed in early March.

In addition to California, Maryland, New Jersey, and North Carolina signed on to the lawsuit filed in early March.

“We look forward to litigating this important case alongside our state law enforcement partners to stop JetBlue from eliminating its rival, Spirit,” Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Doha Mekki said in a statement.

The U.S. Justice Department sued on March 7, seeking to stop the transaction, saying the planned merger “will lead to higher fares and fewer seats, harming millions of consumers on hundreds of routes.”

JetBlue said on Friday “it’s unfortunate that these states have decided to join the DOJ’s effort to protect the dominant position of the four largest airlines in the U.S.”

The airline pointed to large airports in the states that sued saying in Newark, United Airlines (UAL.O) controls about 70% of the market, and in Charlotte, American Airlines (AAL.O) about 90%.

“Preserving the status quo is the most anti-competitive step that the federal government and these states can take,” the airline added.

Adding state attorneys general could mean extra staffing for litigation and additional expertise regarding effects on particular states.

The lawsuit is the latest attempt by President Joe Biden’s administration to push back against further consolidation in industries dominated by large companies.

Separately, Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody resolved a state probe into the deal after the airlines agreed to increase seat capacity by at least 50% in both Fort Lauderdale and Orlando airports if the merger is completed.

The bodies of eight people believed to have died trying to cross from Canada into the United States have been found in the past two days, authorities said on Friday, including two children.

Six people, described as members of two families of Romanian and Indian descent, were found on Thursday in a marshy area of the St Lawrence River, which forms part of the Canada-US border. And on Friday, the bodies of two more migrants were found, bringing the death toll to eight, according to police in the Mohawk territory of Akwesasne.

Shawn Dulude, the Mohawk police chief, said authorities were still looking for a man, identified as Casey Oakes, 30, who was last seen on Wednesday operating a boat that was found next to the bodies.

A child discovered on Friday was a Canadian citizen and a member of the Romanian family, Dulude said. The body of an adult woman believed to be an Indian national was also recovered.

“A total of eight bodies have now been recovered from the waters. All are believed to have been attempting illegal entry into the United States from Canada,” Dulude said.

The territory is known for being a transit point for the trafficking of humans and contraband because of its location. And in February, police in Akwesasne reported an increase in human smuggling into the Mohawk territory.

“Our community has been exploited by this,” said Abram Benedict, grand chief of the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne. “This is not the first time that tragedy has happened in our community like this. We’ve had other losses.”

Weather conditions in the area were rough on Wednesday night, said Lee-Ann O’Brien, deputy chief of the Akwesasne Mohawk police service.

“This is a heartbreaking situation,” the Canadian prime minister, Justin Trudeau, said. “We need to understand properly what happened, how it happened and do whatever we can to minimize the chances of this ever happening again.”

Akwesasne police say there have been about 80 people trying to cross illegally into Canada or into the United States through the Mohawk territory since January, and most of them have been of Indian or Romanian descent. In April 2022, six Indian nationals were rescued from a sinking boat in the St Regis River, which runsthrough Akwesasne Mohawk territory.

Akwesasne straddles the Canada-United States border, and has territory in Quebec, Ontario and New York state

Tony Jackson, an Akwesasne resident, said the weather on Wednesday, when Oakes was last seen, was calm during the day but later turned rough.

“The east wind around here creates a lot of waves, 5ft tall, maybe taller,” Jackson said. He said he believed Oakes’s boat was less than 6m (20ft) long.

Crossing the river on a little boat with many people on board, “that called for disaster”, he said.

He said he had never heard Oakes talk about transporting migrants. But Jackson said he had personally witnessed groups of migrants crossing through fields with bags in hand and also occasionally seen boats carrying large groups of people across the river.

“A couple of times in one month, you’ll see a couple of them walking down the road with all their bags,” he said.

The South African former athlete Oscar Pistorius has been denied parole over the killing of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp 10 years ago.

Pistorius killed Steenkamp, a model and law graduate, when he fired four times through the bathroom door of his high-security house in February 2013. The parole board’s decision was taken at a hearing at the correctional facility on the outskirts of the capital, Pretoria, where the 36-year-old is being held.

The Department of Correctional Services said the parole board found Pistorius had not completed the minimum detention period required to be let out. “We were … advised at this point in time that it has been denied and it will be considered again in one year’s time,” Tania Koen, a lawyer for the victim’s family, told AFP.

Steenkamp’s parents, June and Barry, had opposed an early release, saying they did not believe the former athlete had told the truth about what happened and he had not shown remorse.

“While we welcome today’s decision, today is not a cause for celebration. We miss Reeva terribly and will do so for the rest of our lives. We believe in justice and hope that it continues to prevail,” they said in a statement via their lawyer.

Pistorius was found guilty of murder and given a 13-year jail sentence in 2017 after a lengthy trial and several appeals. State prosecutors accused him of deliberately killing Steenkamp in a fit of jealousy and anger. The athlete, who frequently broke down in court, denied the accusation, saying he was deeply in love with her and believed he was protecting her when he shot through the toilet door because he thought an intruder was hiding there.

1. Indulge in a mezedes medley :-Eating is more than just sustenance in Greece, it marks many of life’s most important moments. Keen cooks spend hours – even days – perfecting recipes passed down from generation to generation to be shared with family and friends – and the variety is tantalising. One way to overcome the difficulty in choosing a dish is to order them all. No Greek gathering is complete without little plates of mezedes on the table, washed down with tiny tumblers of ouzo. Traditionally, mezedes is of Turkish origin, borrowed from the Persian ‘mazze’, which means ‘taste’ or ‘snack’. Today, it is one of Greece’s most compelling culinary flourishes packed with a variety of complementing tastes, from salty taramasalata to silky yoghurt tzatziki that begs to be slathered on meaty keftedes.

2. Warm your soul with hearty magirefta

The chances are you’ve heard of – and probably devoured – many a plate of moussaka, but the eggplant, mincemeat and potato dish is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to homely Greek cuisine. Magirefta refers to rustic, one-pot casserole dishes that are baked over the course of several hours and are a staple of taverna life. Typically, chefs whip up these dishes at the crack of dawn, with the flavours enhancing as the pot cools throughout the day. Aside from moussaka, other popular magirefta include stifado, which is a bubbling vat of sweet, stewed meat swimming with tomato and small round onion bulbs, and kotopoulo lemonato, a chicken dish baked with lemon and oregano. Vegetarians can tuck into awarming gemista- vegetables stuffed with rice and herbs or choose from an endless variety of meat-free orzo dishes.

3. Grab souvlaki on the go

In Greece, meals are rarely limited to three a day, and street food is a common sight in almost every city. Here, what many tourists know as the humble kebab is elevated to impossible heights. Translating to ‘meat on a skewer’, souvlaki is Greeks’ most beloved fast food, though carving chunks from a vertical rotisserie is not uncommon. Comprised of sizzling hunks of meat wrapped with onions, tomatoes and tzatziki in a sturdy pita blanket, souvlaki is a pure joy when eaten fresh. Filled with lamb, pork or chicken and stuffed with French fries, the wrap is on the heftier side for a streetsnack – in the best possible way. Whether grilled over open coals or shaved straight into a sandwich, get ready to soak in the sights with a souvlaki in hand.

4. Try a slice of the pie with tyropita

The Americans have their pumpkin pies, the British have their steak and onion, and in Greece, the tyropita steals the crown. Made from layers of paper-thin phyllo dough and filled with an egg and feta cheese mix, the light and flaky snack is eaten throughout the day in a variety of shapes and sizes. Bakeries make endless variations of tyropita, with regional twists including anything from roasted red peppers to kasseri cheese. Other traditional pies worth sampling include the spanakopita, made with fresh spinach and feta, and the creamy custard-filled bougatsa, which is typically enjoyed at breakfast time and washed down with strong coffee.

5. Sample the fruits of the sea with psarosoupa

With 227 islands and around 15,000km of coastline, it’s not surprising that Greece is famous for its seafood. The catch of the day is typically grilled whole and drizzled with lemon and oil, while smaller fish like whitebait and squid are usually lightly fried. Octopus is a big hit in Greek restaurants and can be grilled, marinated or stewed in wine sauce. For a truly unique experience, try the psarosoupa, or fish soup, cooked with a medley of fish, potatoes and vegetables. To ensure you’re eating the freshest catch, stick to local Greek-owned tavernas and don’t be shy about picking out and weighing your own dinner. If you’re enjoying a tipplewith your seafood, make sure it’s retsina, a traditional Greek wine flavoured with the resin of pine trees that became popular in the 1960s.

6. Indulge your sweet tooth with baklava

No Greek feast is complete without something crispy, crunchy and honey-soaked and baklava ticks all three boxes. Perhaps Greece’s most iconic dessert, the layered pastry consists of phyllo dough and chopped nuts drenched in honey syrup. Varieties include everything from clotted cream to chocolate and rose, though you can’t go wrong with the classic pistachio. If you have a sweet tooth, don’t miss the kataïfi, a similar syrupy offering made with roughly chopped walnuts, scented with ground clove and cinnamon, wrapped in crispy dough and bathed in lemon syrup. Both dishes belong to syropiasta family, which means ‘soaked in syrup’, with other varieties including galaktoboureko – custard pie with syrup – and samali – a semolina cake drizzled in lemon and rosewater syrup.

“Taihu Lake in Wuxi is also very, very beautiful and it’s the source of a lot of poetry in ancient China,” says Janz.

Surrounded by the cities of Suzhou, Wuxi, and Huzhou, Taihu Lake is the third largest freshwater lake in China. Dotted with islands and surrounded by lush hills and landscapes, the lake is a scenic spot to relax and unwind.

While you’re here, make sure to check out the temples and gardens that surround the lake, particularly Liyuan, a beautiful garden which sits on the northeastern edge of Li Lake, a smaller tributary of Taihu.

Taihu Lake in Wuxi, China is indeed a stunning destination that has inspired many poets throughout Chinese history. As the third largest freshwater lake in China, it offers breathtaking views and is surrounded by natural beauty. Visitors can enjoy the scenery by taking a boat tour or simply relaxing on its shores.

In addition to the lake itself, there are several temples and gardens in the area that are worth a visit. Liyuan, located on the northeastern edge of Li Lake, is one such garden that boasts beautiful landscapes and traditional architecture. This serene spot offers a glimpse into China’s rich cultural heritage and is a must-visit for anyone in the area.

One of the world’s most popular holiday destinations, Greece, needs no introduction. But while many associate the country with ancient monuments, white-washed buildings and the highly-instagrammable domes of Santorini, if you look beyond the usual tourism hotspots you’ll find hidden coves, quiet beaches and a flourishing food scene

Despite the quiet years of the pandemic, Greek tourism has shown great resilience, demonstrating how captivating this Mediterranean gem really is.

“We’ve had a wonderful 2022. After two and a half years that were really difficult because of covid, I think we had a full recovery for Greek tourism in 2022,” says Dimitris Fragakis, Secretary General at Greek National Tourism Organisation.

“Of course, we have new challenges for 2023 but I think that Greece will be in the top five countries for demand for this season, and we are optimistic that we’re going to have a really great season.”

How many islands does Greece have?

Greece has over 6,000 islands and islets to its name, with 227 inhabited. While some islands, such as Crete, Mykonos and Corfu have become hugely popular with tourists, others are still somewhat under the radar. It is these islands that the Greek tourist board are now looking to promote, all while focusing on sustainability.

You can’t have viable tourism if you don’t protect your environment.

“Sustainability is one of our major goals for the next ten years. I think it’s one of our major goals for tourism and of course it’s one of the major goals in society too,” explains Fragakis. “Because you can’t have viable tourism if you don’t protect your environment.”

Are there Michelin restaurants in Greece?

This strategy is already starting to pay off – in 2021 Greece was named as the most sustainable food destination in the world by Lonely Planet. Building on this success, the Greek Tourist Board has signed a deal with the Michelin Guide too, which Fragakis hopes will bring more food tourists to the food capital of Athens and the surrounding islands.

“You know, the gastronomy and products of Greece are unique. We are investing in this kind of tourism, actually some months ago we signed a really important agreement with the Michelin Guide in order to put Greece in the guide,” explains Fragakis.

“It’s really important for us because it’s high end tourism, people can go around the country and see our gastronomic products and the people who make them.”

Which islands in Greece are best for foodies?

While you might want to snap the sunsets of Santorini or explore the ruins of Delos during your trip to Greece, Fragakis wants you to explore some of the country’s lesser known islands.

“Our goal is to enlighten people about some destinations that they don’t know, because Greece isn’t only the well-known islands and the well-known destinations,” says Fragakis.

“Greece is a destination as a whole country, all through the year.”

Tilos, a small island in the Dodecanese group between Rhodes and Kos, is a lesser known island that ticks both the food and sustainability boxes.

What is Tilos like?

If you want a relaxing holiday on an island known for sustainability and with some great local food products, then Tilos is for you. The island even won an EU award for its transition to green energy and now has a hybrid power station where it harnesses the power of the wind and the sun to produce its own energy.

Home to a large protected nature reserve, many rare birds can be found here too, including Eleonora’s falcon and the European bee-eater. The island was once home to some even rarer wildlife – over 4,000 years ago the last dwarf elephants of Europe could be found here.

Nowadays, the most touristy area on the island is the port town of Livadia, which sits at the bottom of a mountain. Here you’ll find restaurants serving some of Tilos’ most famous dishes, including stuffed goat baked in the oven, pan-fried vegetable pies and oven-baked pork with wheat.

If you’ve got a sweet tooth, make sure to try Pouggakia, a traditional type of pastry that’s filled with almonds and sesame.

What is there to eat in Donousa?

The most northerly island of the Eastern Cyclades, Donousa is another island which has committed itself to sustainability, particularly within the food and drinks industry. Research carried out in 2018 revealed that 45,000 plastic glasses were being used on the island, but by 2019 this figure had been halved.

Named after Dionysus, the ancient Greek God of wine, the island is 13.65 square kilometres in size, and the perfect destination for hiking among the fragrant wild herbs that line its rocky hills and mountains.

It is these herbs that make the food on Donousa so delicious. Most of the restaurants on the island are traditional tavernas, where you’ll find a mix of seafood and meat dishes, alongside locally grown vegetables.

Make sure to check out Avli Donoussa, a restaurant which specialises in seafood, including sardines and calamari, plus delicious dishes like feta in filo pastry.

After a mild yet miserable winter spent hiding indoors, many Europeans are craving some quality time in nature.

Hiking is the perfect way to enjoy the spring fresh air, keep fit and admire some gorgeous scenery. But with so many epic locations in Europe, how can you choose where to stretch your legs?

To help you out, we’ve compiled some of the best hiking destinations in Europe – a mix of our own favourites and some recommendations by SaveOnEnergy.


From Mediterranean trails to Nordic climbs, here are the best countries to stretch your legs this spring.