Latest news with #BasqueCountry
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Nico Williams sends transfer message to Barcelona
Athletic Club star Nico Williams this week forwarded something of a request to La Liga rivals Barcelona, regarding their ongoing pursuit of his signature. That's according to Diario Sport, who have on Saturday provided an insight into the situation. Advertisement Wide-man Nico has of course already agreed on the terms of a contract with Barcelona, all the way through the summer of 2031. With Athletic Club having made clear that they have no intention of negotiating a transfer with Barca, the Blaugrana have in turn been left with no other option than to pay the Spanish international's exit clause, in full. And it is precisely as much which Nico himself would like to see forked over at the earliest possibility opportunity. As per a report from Sport, whilst the 22-year-old has not set many conditions for his joining Barcelona, he has sent one request to Deco and co: Advertisement 'He wants the payment of his clause to be done before July 9, the date on which Athletic returns to work to carry out the preseason. Nico does not want soap operas or speculation of any kind and is clear that the pressure he would have to endure would be very strong if he joins the discipline of the Basque team.' Conor Laird – GSFN
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Turnover Tradition: How chefs and content creators are shaping the future of food
From social media-driven reinventions of classic dishes to immersive dining experiences in the wilderness, food traditions are being rewritten before our eyes. Culinary heritage isn't being preserved in a museum: it's being brought to life in kitchens worldwide. Rather than simply replicating age-old recipes, or repurposing cuisine between two different cultures, today's chefs are fusing their cultural roots with flavours, methods, and influences from around the world. This is 'Turnover Tradition': the redefinition of heritage cooking as chefs and content creators blend ancestral techniques with global influences, personal narratives, and modern innovations. Take Siberian-born chef and author Alissa Timoshkina, who has reimagined Eastern European staples for her cookbook Kapusta: Vegetable-Forward Recipes from Eastern Europe. Focusing on humble ingredients like cabbage, beetroot, and mushrooms, Timoshkina elevates the humblest of components by applying modern cooking techniques and creative flair. Her approach not only preserves traditional flavours but also aligns them with contemporary tastes and dietary preferences. Related Isabella Nefar on combining cooking with acting for 'My English Persian Kitchen' High noon for French haute gastronomy: France seeks foreign help to inspire its young chefs Meanwhile, chefs in Spain's Basque Country are merging age-old fermentation methods with avant-garde culinary techniques to reinvent pintxos, the small flavourful bites traditionally enjoyed in the region's bars. At the forefront is chef Josean Alija of Bilbao's Michelin-starred restaurant Nerua. His cooking emphasises seasonality and locality, collaborating closely with regional producers to craft dishes that honour Basque traditions while incorporating modernist elements. Alija's philosophy centres on staying true to ingredients and identity, resulting in innovative interpretations of classic flavours. One of the most striking examples of this movement is chef Davide Nanni, who has gained popularity by taking Italian cuisine back to its roots — quite literally. As showcased on his Instagram profile, Nanni cooks in nature, using fire and primitive methods to highlight the rich culinary traditions of central Italy's Abruzzo region. Rather than relying on modern kitchen setups, he prepares dishes using only raw elements — earth, fire, and wood — bringing ancient cooking techniques back into the spotlight. However, this isn't simply nostalgia; it's a carefully crafted reinvention. His dishes, such as arrosticini (Abruzzese lamb skewers) slow-cooked over an open flame and handmade pasta prepared with age-old methods, are a tribute to Italy's rural history, but feel refreshingly new in their presentation and experience. Nanni's work is part of a broader trend in Europe where chefs are leaving behind traditional restaurant settings to create immersive, nature-based dining experiences, blending sustainability with a return to heritage. Another key feature of the Turnover Tradition is the rise of nomadic dining experiences, where chefs craft meals in wild landscapes to reconnect diners with nature. Projects like Nomadic Dinners take guests deep into the woodlands for immersive, open-fire feasts inspired by ancient communal eating practices. These experiences are less about fine dining and more about storytelling, where chefs highlight foraged ingredients, ancestral cooking techniques, and the shared human experience of eating outdoors. Related Foraging chef's forest finds fill restaurant plates on Isle of Man UNESCO biosphere Fungi foraging: 5 safe and edible wild mushrooms to look out for With consumers seeking more meaningful, hands-on culinary experiences, we are tapping into a primal desire for food as an experience, not just a meal. And if chefs are the pioneers of this movement, social media creators are its amplifiers. Platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube are making traditional recipes go viral, often with surprising twists. A study titled "The Utilisation of Social Media as Traditional Culinary Documentation in Strengthening Local Tourism" examines how platforms like Instagram serve as vital tools for preserving and promoting traditional cuisines. The research, which focuses on the Banyumas region in Indonesia, details how millennials are actively engaging in creating and sharing content about local dishes, in the process fostering a renewed appreciation for their culinary heritage. This digital engagement not only preserves traditional recipes, but also enhances local tourism by showcasing unique culinary practices to a broader audience. Take Dylan Hollis, a popular social media creator recognised for his lively videos, where he resurrects quirky and forgotten vintage American recipes. Drawing from a collection of more than 340 historic cookbooks, he breathes new life into old dishes, sharing their origins and preparation with his audience. His charismatic storytelling and humour make these culinary relics both engaging and accessible, sparking renewed interest in the rich and diverse food history of the United States. Back in Italy, meanwhile, the self-styled Gluten Freelancer is talking about Abruzzese cooking with a twist. Calling her style 'traditionally gluten free', she adapts recipes from her mother's cookbook to allow coeliacs and people intolerant to gluten to access unique flavours part of central Italy's culinary heritage. Her cooking is deeply rooted in tradition, but incorporates a storytelling element that resonates with a modern audience looking for authenticity. Then there's Frankie Gaw, a Taiwanese-American food influencer whose series "Turning American Classics Asian" has captivated audiences. Dishes like mochi-infused Twinkies and miso mac and cheese have become internet sensations, demonstrating how fusion cuisine can be both playful and deeply personal. So, where is this all heading? The future of food is being shaped by three key trends. Firstly, hyper-personalised fusion cuisine. The days of rigidly defined national cuisines are fading, replaced by a more fluid, individualised approach to cooking. Expect to see more chefs and home cooks blending their personal backgrounds with global flavours. Traditional dishes won't be lost; they'll simply be reinterpreted through new perspectives. Secondly, a counterbalance to AI-generated food content. With AI now capable of generating recipes, meal plans, and even food photography, the human touch in cooking is more valuable than ever. In-person dining experiences and hands-on cooking will become more prized as a reaction against digitalised food culture. People won't just want to see recipes. They'll want to experience food with all their senses. Thirdly, a new wave of food tourism. More travellers are seeking authentic, immersive food experiences — not just eating in a restaurant, but learning to cook with locals, visiting markets, and understanding the cultural significance of what's on their plate. Culinary schools and travel agencies are already shifting toward offering experience-based gastronomy rather than just food recommendations. The New Culinary Renaissance Turnover Tradition isn't just a passing trend; it's a cultural shift. This year, we've seen several examples of the blending of tradition and innovation is defining the way we eat, cook, and experience food. Whether it's a chef reviving an ancient Armenian dish, a TikTok creator rescuing forgotten recipes, or a nomadic dining experience in the woods, one thing is certain: heritage cuisine is no longer just about the past: it's about the future, too.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Liverpool not accepting ‘normal offers' for Barcelona attacking target
Barcelona's pursuit of Nico Williams has been well documented, with the club now even involved in an all-out war with Athletic Club. The Basque club have no desire to offload Nico and have asked La Liga to block the transfer owing to Barcelona's economic condition. Advertisement Despite the intense focus on Nico, though, it was reported earlier that Diaz is still harbouring the dream of joining Barcelona. Liverpool not accepting normal offers for Luis Diaz Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has offered an update on Luis Diaz's transfer saga. The Italian journalists suggest that Liverpool may only consider the Colombian international's transfer if they receive a 'very huge' bid. The Premier League giants are not accepting normal offers for the attacker, knowing he is a vital cog in Arne Slot's attacking setup. Luis Diaz may end up staying at Liverpool this summer. (Photo by) Advertisement As of now, nothing has been decided as far as Diaz's future is concerned, which suggests the status quo. Romano adds that Barcelona did try to get hold of Diaz about a month ago, but were vehemently rebuffed by Liverpool. That was when the Catalans started to shift their attention towards Nico Williams, making the Spanish international their top target. This implies there is a good chance that the Colombian international is unlikely to come to Catalonia unless Liverpool greatly reduce their demand for the attacker. Barcelona's immediate focus remains on Nico Williams, who is widely wanted by the Barcelona dressing room owing to his good relationship with some of the team members, including Lamine Yamal. As for Diaz, there is a good chance he may remain at Liverpool next season.
Forbes
a day ago
- Forbes
What The Future Of Translation Tech Means For The Basque Language
The 2024 Korrika, a biennial relay race celebrating the Basque language. (Photo by Unanue) In a warehouse-like space on a narrow island in Bilbao, Spain, linguists and technologists are testing the possibilities of automated translation. Their projects include antispoofing work to better detect and combat synthetic voices, which are now highly sophisticated; vocal analysis of calls to potentially identify early signs of neurological disorders; and a limited set of speech commands in elevators, which may be especially useful to people with disabilities. This is the Bilbao base of Vicomtech, a nonprofit research foundation focused on technology. Its funders include private companies and four layers of government (provincial, regional, national, and European). The strong influence of local governments, in particular, is a common theme across both language-revitalization and technology-development projects in the Basque Country. An automated translation program that Vicomtech worked on, Itzuli, is used for 300,00 translations a day, according to the organization. Itzuli is embedded on a government website, where it allows general translation between Basque and Spanish, French, and English. It also offers formal translation, appropriate for legal language, between Basque and Spanish. And the developers are working to add an offering specific to the Bizkaian dialect of Basque. However, Itzuli remains less well-known than Google Translate, which remains convenient for many Basque Country businesses, even if it's not quite as sophisticated. (Google did not respond to a request for comments regarding Google Translate and Basque.) Basque's Hard-Fought Current Status Basque (euskara), a language spoken in parts of northern Spain and southern France, is unusual for several reasons. The vast majority of languages spoken in Europe are Indo-European, but many linguists believe that Basque predates those. It's now essentially unique in Western Europe. While many minority languages in Europe are dwindling, Basque is bucking the trends. Over 1 million people can now speak or understand it. Some of the numbers are dramatic. For instance, while in 1997–98, 40% of students in the Basque Autonomous Community (BAC) of northern Spain chose to take their university entrance exams in Basque rather than Spanish, this shot up to over 70% in 2018–19, according to Euskararen Etxea, a museum and cultural center dedicated to the Basque language. This points to another unusual feature of Basque: it's a young language. In contrast, many minority languages remain the preserve of the oldest community members. In Basque, 22% of BAC residents older than 70 speak Basque, dwarfed by the over 90% of 10–14-year-olds who speak Basque. However, while Basque has grown significantly as a language of education and culture, it is not yet spoken casually to the same degree. 'Basque is a young language because it is children and young people who use it most, and that includes use on the street,' according to Euskararen Etxea. Euskararen Etxea. Also, the expansion of Basque has been uneven. It is declining in the French Basque Country, though overall Basque punches above its weight, in terms of representation. For example, there are about the same number of active users for the Basque and Uzbek versions of Wikipedia, although Uzbekistan has roughly 18 times the population size. Basque has had a tumultuous recent history. It was banned under the Spanish dictatorship of Francisco Franco, which began in 1936. In the decades that followed, the Basque nationalist group Euskadi Ta Askatasuna (Eta) killed over 800 people while agitating, among other things, for protection of the Basque language. In the Basque regions, language battles have been closely intertwined with tensions, sometimes violent, over identity and power. Controversies have continued over, for example, proposed Basque language requirements for some public jobs. It wasn't until 1968 that a standardized version (euskara batua) was created. Language enthusiasts have embraced new technologies such as video games for keeping Basque alive. Now, digitizing Basque is part of the regional government's drive to both safeguard the language and to invest heavily in technology. This is symbolized by Zorrotzaurre, the artificial island housing Vicomtech's Bilbao office. Construction is occurring all over this formerly run-down strip of land, which many industrial companies abandoned after the 1980s. The island still appears modest, but two international starchitects have left their fingerprints on it. Zorrotzaurre's master plan was drawn up Zaha Hadid, and the island is connected to the mainland by Frank Gehry Bridge (Frank Gehry Zubia), whose Guggenheim Museum design was a controversial and expensive gamble that has hugely paid off. Now, Vicomtech associate director Jorge Posada says of the authorities' plans, 'they want to create a kind of Guggenheim effect' for Zorrotzaurre as well. A Deliberately Smaller And Slower Approach To Language Tech The technology has advanced faster than some people's desire to incorporate it. A logical source of Basque-language content for tech developers, including Vicomtech, is the public broadcaster, Euskal Irrati Telebista (EITB). EITB has five TV channels, of which two are fully in Basque, and six radio stations, with two of them exclusively in Basque. 'As a public service, it is one of our big goals' to preserve the Basque language, says Igor Jainaga Irastorza, the chief technology officer for EITB. 'It's one of our foundational basics.' So far, the broadcaster is taking a cautious approach to AI-based translation technologies, with transcription being the first critical step. Jainaga has seen much improvement in the services over the last few years. He calls them 'good enough for being helpful,' especially for general purposes or non-native speakers. But overall, 'we are going slowly with these [AI-based] services, because what we see is that if technology is not mature enough, it can introduce noise in the production processes.' While they haven't set a specific accuracy threshold they need to reach, 'it's best effort,' Jainaga reports. It's particularly important to avoid language-based errors in certain types of content: 'If it's an entertainment program, maybe it's not as critical as if it's a news program.' That balance of caution and context means that EITB allows different levels of AI-powered translation for different types of programming. As Jainaga says, 'We have a big mixture of some of the programs being transcribed by humans, some with automatic processes and some with automatic transcription with human checks, mainly with the products that are coming from outside.' More specifically, for some of EITB's news programs, the automatic transcription of subtitles may be supervised by humans. Some online broadcasts have automatic transcription with human checks, but not automatic translation. The audio platform Guau has automatic transcription and translation. And the recently launched news site Orain allows automatic translation into Spanish, English, and French (using Itzuli). Itzuli interface on the website. All of this needs localization into Basque. In weather forecasts, repeated weather-related terms may be easy to automate and achieve 100% accuracy. But AI models may need to be trained to accurately reproduce names of athletes and small towns, for instance. 'If you are giving that service to the people of the Basque Country, what they expect is that the names of the towns or local people are properly spelled,' Jainaga says. One theme that has emerged from the creation of AI language tools for this small language is the importance of quality over quantity in amassing data and developing models. Jainaga comments, 'Big companies or other developers can…eat all the info on the internet available,' potentially without obtaining rights. 'With minority languages, we have less information, so the only thing that we can do from our point is to have good-quality data.' An organization currently working on collecting high-quality language data is Euskorpora, a young nonprofit whose partners include government departments, private companies, and language institutes. (EITB and Vicomtech are also partners.) Euskorpora's flagship project is the Basque Language Digital Corpus, a collection of audio, text, and video samples of Basque from varied settings, with different language varieties represented over time. The intention is for this corpus to be available to anyone who wants to use it, though likely with some sort of payment structure for commercial uses. This type of corpus is needed, according to Leire Barañano Orbe, Euskorpora's general manager, because other Basque corpora for training machine learning models have focused on research or academic exploration. She believes that 'this distinction is crucial, as research-oriented projects often prioritize innovation and theoretical advancements, while commercial efforts aim to create practical, user-ready tools.' Another difference with the Basque Language Digital Corpus is that Euskorpora is spending a lot of time and care on making sure that they have all the legal permissions for the content they would like to incorporate. In contrast, some other datasets for machine learning models may have murky origins. For instance, it's challenging to gather enough spontaneous snippets of audio and video. So Euskorpora is looking into using audio from call centers—though this would require careful consideration to ensure that all such data is anonymous, with no identifying details captured. This quality-over-quantity approach means that Basque language tools won't be the biggest. Nor will they be the quickest, given the European Union's more careful approach to regulating AI, compared to the U.S. and China. Vicomtech isn't looking to be the fastest or the first, Posada says. Another gap in recorded spoken language is in specialized areas like law and engineering, where there may not be many media samples using this type of specific language. So for such areas, Euskorpora is considering using some proportion of synthetic data to supplement the real-world data. There again, care would be needed to avoid distorting the datasets. Audio is also a challenge for Vicomtech. It can be hard to capture good-quality audio from real-world recordings on the street, or to refine speech recognition in noisy environments like elevators or factory floors. For the moment, direct speech–speech translation is not mature enough, according to Arantza Del Pozo, head of speech and language technologies at Vicomtech. And there is a 'concatenation of errors' when AI systems translate between speech and text, she says. Like just about everyone working on Basque language tools, Barañano of Euskorpora wants to ensure the vitality of the language. She believes that the main European languages have been very strong in terms of digital transformation, but there has a been a large and widening gap for other languages. For this it's necessary to tap into not only government resources, but also larger networks of collaboration and support. For a language fighting for survival, no one organization can go it alone. Barañano believes that 'this collective effort can advance both the preservation and modernization of a minority language in an increasingly digital world.'Reporting for this story was supported by a press trip organized by the Provincial Council of Bizkaia.
The Independent
2 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
Bilbao speak to LaLiga over Barcelona finances amid pursuit of Nico Williams
Athletic Bilbao confirmed that they have held talks with LaLiga to establish Barcelona's financial position as the Catalan club look to sign Nico Williams. Barcelona sporting director Deco revealed last week the club are intent on bringing the highly-rated 22-year-old winger to the Nou Camp this summer and have reportedly already agreed personal terms. Still under financial constraints, Barcelona must comply with the '1:1 rule' and are only able to spend as much as their income and accounts allow, governed by LaLiga, which calculates a limit. Bilbao have sought feedback from LaLiga about how Barcelona would finance any transfer of Williams, who helped the Basque club qualify for next season's Champions League and reach the Europa League semi-finals. A statement on Bilbao's website said: 'The meeting (with LaLiga) was held in Madrid in response to a request from Athletic Club made within the framework of compliance with financial fair play. 'Among the topics discussed was FC Barcelona's ability to sign players, given Athletic Club's legitimate interest in accessing the relevant information after FC Barcelona sporting director Deco publicly acknowledged that they will try to sign a player from our first team. 'This player has a contract with Athletic Club until June 30, 2027. Minding our own business means ensuring that the rules of the competition are followed. 'Deco's statements add to the public statements made by FC Barcelona president Joan Laporta himself, admitting that the Blaugrana club 'is working to be within the 1:1 rule' and that, therefore, it is not currently within the parameters of said rule for registering players. 'We appreciate LaLiga's complete willingness and clarity in its qualified response, and we affirm that Athletic Club will defend its interests to the fullest extent in compliance with the financial fair play regulations approved by each and every one of the professional clubs that make up LaLiga.'
