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Russia warns Japan over providing Patriot air defence systems to Ukraine

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MOSCOW, Dec 27 (Reuters) - A move by Japan to provide Patriot air defence systems to Ukraine will have "grave consequences" for Russia-Japan ties, Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Wednesday.

Relations between Moscow and Tokyo, already difficult, have deteriorated sharply since Russia sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine in Feb. 2022. Japan has joined its Western allies in imposing sweeping economic sanctions on Russia.

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Last week, Japan said it would prepare to ship Patriot air defence missiles to the United States after revising its arms export guidelines, in Tokyo's first major overhaul of such export curbs in nine years.

Although Japan's new export controls still prevent it from shipping weapons to countries that are at war, it may indirectly benefit Ukraine in its war with Russia as it gives the United States extra capacity to provide military aid to Kyiv.

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"The Japanese side loses control over the weapons with which Washington can now do whatever it wants," Zakharova told a weekly briefing. "It cannot be ruled out that under an already tested scheme Patriot missiles will end up in Ukraine."

Such a scenario would be "interpreted as unambigously hostile actions against Russia and will lead to grave consequences for Japan in the context of bilateral relations", she said.

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Earlier this month, Japan and South Korea both scrambled jets to monitor joint flights by Chinese and Russian bombers and fighters near their territories.

Russia and Japan have yet to conclude a treaty formally ending World War Two hostilities due to an old territorial dispute involving a chain of Pacific islands known in Japan as the Northern Territories and in Russia as the Southern Kuriles.

Even before the Ukraine conflict, Tokyo had complained about increased Russian military deployments on the islands, which the Soviet Union seized from Japan at the end of World War Two.

Reporting by Dmitry Antonov Writing by Olzhas Auyezov Editing by Gareth Jones

https://www.reuters.com/world/russia-warns-japan-over-providing-patriot-air-defence-systems-ukraine-2023-12-27/

Chinese chess champion stripped of title after defecating in hotel bathtub

Yan Chenglong crowned ‘Xiangqi King’ but overdid celebrations, as governing body also investigates whether he cheated using anal beads

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The world of Chinese chess is in uproar over rumours of cheating and a bad behaviour scandal that saw the national champion stripped of his title on Monday after a victory celebration ended with him defecating in a hotel bathtub.

Xiangqi, or Chinese chess, has been hugely popular for hundreds of years across Asia – and 48-year-old Yan Chenglong beat dozens of contenders last week to win the title of “Xiangqi King” at a national tournament hosted by the Chinese Xiangqi Association.

But his joy was short-lived, with the CXA on Monday announcing that Yan would have his title revoked and prize money confiscated after had been caught “disrupting public order” and displaying “extremely bad character”.

The association was also forced to address rumours circulating online that Yan had cheated during the competition by using anal beads equipped with wireless transmitters to send and receive signals.

Chess piece illustration

Cheating, groupies, big money and drunken brawls: how chess went rock’n’roll

Read more

Yan allegedly clenched and unclenched rhythmically to communicate information about the chess board via code to a computer, which then sent back instructions on what moves to make in the form of vibrations, according to reports circulating on the Chinese social site Weibo.

“Based on our understanding of the situation, it is currently impossible to prove that Yan engaged in cheating via ‘anal beads’ as speculated on social media,” the CXA said.

But he was still stripped of his title and banned from playing for a year after his celebrations went wayward.

“Yan consumed alcohol with others in his room on the night of the 17th, and then he defecated in the bathtub of the room he was staying in on the 18th, in an act that damaged hotel property, violated public order and good morals, had a negative impact on the competition and the event of Xiangqi, and was of extremely bad character,” the association said.

The association did not disclose the amount of prize money Yan was forfeiting, but Xiangqi tournaments often promise winners tens of thousands of yuan (thousands of dollars).

The CXA had published a social media post last week congratulating Yan and other players for their “spectacularly heated high-level gameplay”.

The post included a photo of Yan on stage, flanked by two runners-up, proudly holding up his prize certificate.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/dec/27/chinese-chess-champion-stripped-of-title-after-defecating-in-hotel-bathtub

'Parasite' actor Lee Sun-kyun found dead in apparent suicide amid drug probe

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Actor Lee Sun-kyun of the Oscar-winning film "Parasite" was found dead in an apparent suicide Wednesday amid an investigation into suspected drug use.

Police found a man in his 40s unconscious in a car near Waryong Park in central Seoul at 10:30 a.m. and later identified him as Lee. A charcoal briquette, which can cause fatal carbon monoxide poisoning, was found on the vehicle's front passenger seat.

Lee's manager had earlier reported to the police that the actor left home after writing a memo akin to a suicide note and that his car was gone. The manager had visited Lee's home in Cheongdam-dong in southern Seoul as he was out of contact.

Lee's body was later taken to Seoul National University Hospital.

Lee has gone through three rounds of police questioning on suspicions of using marijuana and other illegal drugs at the home of a hostess working at a high-end bar in Seoul's Gangnam district on multiple occasions since early this year, including last Saturday, when the questioning lasted for 19 hours.

Lee Sun-kyun dies at peak of his fame

Lee Sun-kyun dies at peak of his fame

2023-12-27 13:40 | Society

The police booked Lee as a suspect in late October in the drug investigation, which was prompted by a tipoff that drugs were being illegally circulated among bars in Gangnam.

The actor reportedly claimed he was tricked by the hostess into taking the drugs and that he did not know what he was taking.

Lee tested negative in both the brief reagent test conducted during police investigations and the lab-based drug test by the National Forensic Service last month.

In his first appearance for questioning on Oct. 28, Lee apologized for "causing immense disappointment," saying, "I am sorry for my family, who are enduring extreme pain at this moment."

Lee also filed a complaint against two people, including the hostess, accusing them of blackmailing and swindling him out of money.

Claiming his innocence, he also submitted a polygraph test request the previous day. His lawyer had insisted that a lie detector test should be used to determine the truth between Lee and the hostess, who has reportedly told the police that the actor used drugs at her home multiple times.

The 48-year-old actor rose to global fame after "Parasite," in which he played a major role, won Academy Awards in 2020.

In 2021, the veteran actor won a Screen Actors Guild Award, along with his "Parasite" cast mates. Last year, he was also nominated for the best actor award at the International Emmy Awards for his role in the sci-fi film "Dr. Brain."

This year, Lee's two movies — the horror flick "Sleep" by Jason Yu and Kim Tae-gon's disaster thriller "Project Silence" — were invited to the 76th annual Cannes Film Festival, with the former in the competition section of Cannes Critics' Week, a parallel film festival of the Cannes Film Festival, and the latter in the Midnight Screening section. (Yonhap)

https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2023/12/251_365851.html

15 Ridiculous NFL Requirements for Cities Hosting the Super Bowl

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Want your city to host a Super Bowl? This is what it takes, according to an NFL document.

The Super Bowl comes around every year, and while your focus is on making the best appetizers for your party, the city hosting the two best teams is making sure that every requirement is met to keep the National Football League happy. In 2013, a newspaper reporter uncovered the NFL’s Host City Specifications and Requirements, a confidential 153-page list of the league’s demands for any city bidding to host an upcoming Super Bowl. While the list is outdated, and there have been no new leaks to prove the NFL still requires these things, it was once a list of legitimate demands and some of them are too good not to share. You’ll also want to read up on these crazy Super Bowl facts you probably don’t know about.

Here are some of the most ridiculous requirements on the list:

Tee time: The league requires exclusive access to three top quality, 18-hole area golf courses (at no cost) so it can host a tournament on Super Bowl weekend.

Bowled over: The NFL also requests the use of two “top quality” bowling alleys (at no cost) for a bowling tournament the Wednesday and/or Thursday before the Super Bowl.

A crazy junket: Sixteen months before the game, the NFL will send 180 people to the host city for a “familiarization trip” to inspect the region. The host city must cover all the expenses.

Free housing: The host city must provide 40 three-bedroom, 50 two-bedroom, and 20 one-bedroom apartments for 30-40 day stays for working staff such as production and security. The apartments must be within a 20-minute drive to the stadium and have amenities such as Wi-Fi, full kitchens, washer and dryer facilities, televisions in the bedrooms, and a work-out facility on the property.

Hotel for the team: The NFL requires a hotel with a minimum of 1,000 rooms for their use with free items such as beer, snacks, Internet, meeting space, free parking, and storage space.

Show me the money: The NFL must be allowed to install ATMs in the stadium that accept “preferred” credit and debit cards. The league may also cover up or remove ATMs belonging to other banks if they wish to do so.

Can you hear me now?: If cell phone signal strength at the team hotels is too weak, the host committee must install boosters or erect portable cell towers. If watching the Super Bowl isn’t really your thing, here are some other activities you can do on the Sunday of the game.

Hotel makeover: Hotels, where the players stay, must carry the NFL network on their cable TV systems for a year prior to the Super Bowl.

Hello, publicity: The host city must give the NFL the use of at least 20 billboards at no charge.

Counterfeit committee: The city must cover the expense of providing the NFL with a task force devoted strictly to busting game-ticket counterfeiters.

Police patrol: Police escorts need to be provided to move the teams, media, and game officials, to and from the airport, practice facilities, and game at no cost.

Premium parking: On game day, the NFL gets access to 35,000 parking spots near the stadium at no cost.

Snow way: In the event of a snow or ice storm on game day, the city must give priority to the NFL “over all other ice and snow removal projects” (except in the case of threats to public safety).

Clean zone code: The host city has to create a “clean zone” in a one-mile radius around the stadium where certain activities are restricted about a week before the game until the Monday or Tuesday after. This basically means that no one can do anything the NFL doesn’t approve of in the “clean zone.”

The ultimate souvenir: After the game, the host city must remove the playing field at its own expense, and, if the league requests it, give those pieces of green back to the NFL so it can sell them as “licensed products.” If you think these rules are ridiculous, check out the dumbest laws in every state.

Tourist planning vacation with the help of world map with other travel accessories around. Young woman pointing at North America on the world map.

Funny International Laws

7-everyday-things-you-didnt-know-were-illegal-378122350-DisobeyArt-ft

Everyday Things You Didn't Know Were Illegal

USA-Map

Things You Won't Believe Are Banned in the U.S.

Originally Published: January 29, 2020

https://www.rd.com/article/super-bowl-host-city-requirements/

Private equity ownership of hospitals made care riskier for patients, a new study finds

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Health care became more hazardous for patients at hospitals purchased by private equity firms, a new study shows.

The sweeping study, which was published Tuesday in the journal JAMA, looked at the rates of 10 serious adverse events associated with medical care at 51 hospitals before and after they were purchased by private equity firms — a financing model designed to make money for investors. The researchers then compared those results with the rates of the same complications at 259 hospitals that were not owned by private equity firms.

People wearing protective face masks wait in line outside a CityMD Urgent Care in the Bronx borough of New York during the COVID-19 outbreak in November 2020.

Why urgent care centers are popping up everywhere

Private equity firms have been acquiring large chunks of the US health care delivery system in recent years. In addition to hospitals, those acquisitions include nursing homes, behavioral health systems, and private physician practices. Academic research has shown that private equity ownership is associated with higher death rates for patients in nursing homes and increased costs to taxpayers. Earlier this month, the Senate Budget Committee announced its bipartisan investigation of the impact of private equity purchases on health care facilities.

All told, researchers analyzed the outcomes of nearly 5 million hospitalizations, which were available through Medicare claims data. Researchers had at least three years of data on each hospital included in the analysis.

Many of these complications are designated “never events” because they’re preventable medical errors that should never occur during routine care, such as leaving a foreign object in the body after surgery, failing to correctly match a patient’s blood type, falls, infections at certain kinds of surgical sites or where doctors insert catheters or central lines, blood clots after joint replacement surgeries and pressure sores.

Researchers said they did the study because, while there has been some evidence to show the economic outcomes after private equity firms purchase hospitals, such as increased billing rates, there’s been little understanding of how this business model may impact patient care.

profession, people, healthcare, reanimation and medicine concept - medics or doctors carrying unconscious woman patient on hospital gurney to emergency room

The surprising reason why you aren’t guaranteed to see a doctor when you go to the ER

The study found that rates of hospital-acquired complications for patients increased by 25% at hospitals after they were purchased by private equity firms.

Study author Dr. Zirui Song said the increase was driven by a 27% increase in falls, which tend to happen on the general floors of the hospital; a 38% increase in central line infections, which are associated with ICU care; and a doubling of the rates of surgical site infections.

The increase in central line infections happened despite private equity-owned hospitals inserting about 16% fewer central lines — ports into large veins that are surgically implanted in patients who need regular intravenous medication, food or fluids.

“In all three so-called layers of the hospital, from the general floors to the ICUs to the operating rooms, we saw a quite striking and concerning average change,” said Song, who is an associate professor at Harvard Medical School, in an interview with JAMA editors.

Experts who have been tracking the impact of private equity ownership in health care called the findings “stunning.”

“I have to say that the number is even higher than than what I expected,” said Eileen O’Grady, who is the health care research and campaigns director for the Private Equity Stakeholder Project, which aims to hold private equity groups accountable.

O’Grady said the research makes sense, based on what she’s hearing from people who work in hospitals that have been bought out by private equity firms, but she believes this is the first time a study has been able to quantify outcomes for patients, partly because there’s little transparency in private equity deals.

So how, exactly, would ownership by a private equity firm diminish patient care? Song says they can’t answer that question from the Medicare claims data alone, but that previous research has shown that these kinds of acquisitions are often linked to staff cuts, and replacing more highly paid workers, such as doctors and nurses, with lower-paid employees.

“So reduced staffing is one potential mechanism that’s at least been documented in the private equity context,” Song said.

An organization that advocates for private equity groups took issue with the study findings.

In a blog posted in response to the study, the American Investment Council, a private equity lobbying and research firm, said the study was unfairly slanted and ignored the benefits that private equity can provide to health care.

“Private equity investment is filling a need that public markets are otherwise unable to provide to help physician practices or other innovative businesses” that don’t have enough money to innovate and grow, the post said.

The AIC points to an earlier study by some of the same authors that found private equity investment was associated with slight increases in the quality of care patients received for some diagnoses such as heart attacks and pneumonia, compared with other hospitals not owned by private equity groups.

“Private equity investments not only improve care, but also expands access to it: when compared to other for-profit counterparts, private equity-backed hospitals are more likely to serve low-income, rural communities, ensuring that rural residents and their families have access to high-quality, life-saving care,” the AIC response noted.

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In addition to its findings on patient outcomes, the new study also highlighted a slight shift in patient demographics at private equity-owned hospitals over the study years. In general, there was a trend at these hospitals toward treating fewer patients who were eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid benefits, a sign of patients with lower incomes. Private equity hospitals also shifted to admitting slightly younger patients and were more likely to transfer patients to other acute care hospitals.

Finally, Song said, there’s clinical decision-making, and acquisition by private equity firms may impact that.

“On average, we see that clinicians on the frontlines are making decisions that at least for the Medicare beneficiary population, amount to differences in their clinical outcomes,” he said.

Song said there needs to be more research on how financial considerations linked to private equity ownership may impact clinical decision making. He hoped similar studies would be conducted for other kinds of health care settings, too, such as doctors’ offices, telehealth and even behavioral health practices.

https://edition.cnn.com/2023/12/26/health/private-equity-hospitals-riskier-health-care/index.html

EVA Air launches speed dating ‘flight to nowhere’

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It might be less spiritual than the Buddhist mantra-chanting flight in Thailand, but EVA Air’s latest “flight to nowhere” idea could be just as magical – by helping people find love in the sky.

EVA Airways, one of the largest carriers in Taiwan, is partnering with travel experience company Mobius on a campaign called “Fly! Love is in the Air.” These are flights for singles on Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year Day.

“Because of Covid-19, EVA Air has been organizing “faux travel” experiences to fulfill people’s desire for travel. When single men and women travel, apart from enjoying the fun in travel, they may wish to meet someone – like a scene in a romantic movie,” Chiang Tsung-Wei, the spokesperson for You and Me, the speed dating arm of Mobius, tells CNN Travel.

I thought 'flights to nowhere' were silly. Then I went on one

Each of the dating experiences includes a three-hour flight that departs from Taipei’s Taoyuan International Airport and circles the airspace above Taiwan, plus another two hours of a romantic date back on land.

Participants are encouraged to have in-depth conversations with each other on board while sampling meals prepared by Michelin-starred chef Motoke Nakamura. They are also encouraged to keep masks on when they’re not eating or drinking.

Each of the three trips varies slightly. The flight on Christmas Day will be followed by an afternoon tea date back on solid ground. The New Year’s Eve date kicks off with a candlelit dinner before guests board the plane, where they will count down to 2021 together. The one on New Year’s Day will be a breakfast date.

Flight attendents will double as "love cupids" on EVA Air's speed dating flight, the event organizer Mobius says on its poster.

Flight attendents will double as "love cupids" on EVA Air's speed dating flight, the event organizer Mobius says on its poster.

Courtesy EVA Air

“Flights to nowhere” have become a trend in Asia and the Pacific during the coronavirus pandemic. Until now, most of these flights – which have originated in cities like Hong Kong, Sydney and Taipei – focused on sightseeing, with travelers getting aerial views of famous landmarks.

For passengers on the matchmaking flights who want to look out the window as well as at fellow singles, the daytime EVA Air flights fly above the east coast of Taiwan, where they can see the mountain ranges that stretch from Hualien City in the north to Taitung City in the south.

The nighttime flight will go over the western shoreline of the island, where they will see Taiwan’s cities illuminated in the darkness.

Singapore introduces 'cruises to nowhere' for travel-starved locals

Unlike a typical flight, there’s no choosing window or aisle ahead of time. Participants will be seated pair by pair by lucky draw. However, they will be free to move around and chat up other travelers during the meals on land.

All three itineraries wrap up with a hearty “confession” section where participants reveal who they clicked with.

“The biggest advantage of speed dating on a flight comes from the serious nature from our participants,” says Chiang. “In addition to gathering participants with enough spending power, it also attracts a group of single people who love traveling. With the same values, it boosts participants’ motivation to meet and helps smoothen their conversation from the start.”

Not just any singles could join the flights, however.

Each flight seats only 40 passengers – 20 men and 20 women. Participants have to be university graduates with citizenship in Taiwan.

The event welcomes men between 28 and 38 years old and women between 24 and 35.

Qantas seven-hour flight to nowhere sells out in 10 minutes

The age specifications have gotten some negative blowback online.

“From different surveys we have done, most of the male participants would like to meet women younger than them while female participants would like to meet men older than them. That’s why there is a different age criteria for the event,” says Chiang, adding “But You and Me have organized different dating events that cater to different age groups.”

The fee for each trip is TWD8388 ($295) per person. All the tickets for the first flight on Christmas are already sold out.

The response so far has been robust. All the 40 seats on the first flight were sold out within a week, with over 400 applicants vying for spots. The next two “love flights” are open for application today.

https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/eva-air-speed-dating-flight-intl-hnk/index.html

'Parasite' actor Lee Sun-kyun found dead in apparent suicide amid drug probe

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Actor Lee Sun-kyun of the Oscar-winning film "Parasite" was found dead in an apparent suicide Wednesday amid an investigation into suspected drug use.

Police found a man in his 40s unconscious in a car near Waryong Park in central Seoul at 10:30 a.m. and later identified him as Lee. A charcoal briquette, which can cause fatal carbon monoxide poisoning, was found on the vehicle's front passenger seat.

Lee's manager had earlier reported to the police that the actor left home after writing a memo akin to a suicide note and that his car was gone. The manager had visited Lee's home in Cheongdam-dong in southern Seoul as he was out of contact.

Lee's body was later taken to Seoul National University Hospital.

Lee has gone through three rounds of police questioning on suspicions of using marijuana and other illegal drugs at the home of a hostess working at a high-end bar in Seoul's Gangnam district on multiple occasions since early this year, including last Saturday, when the questioning lasted for 19 hours.

Lee Sun-kyun dies at peak of his fame

Lee Sun-kyun dies at peak of his fame

2023-12-27 13:40 | Society

The police booked Lee as a suspect in late October in the drug investigation, which was prompted by a tipoff that drugs were being illegally circulated among bars in Gangnam.

The actor reportedly claimed he was tricked by the hostess into taking the drugs and that he did not know what he was taking.

Lee tested negative in both the brief reagent test conducted during police investigations and the lab-based drug test by the National Forensic Service last month.

In his first appearance for questioning on Oct. 28, Lee apologized for "causing immense disappointment," saying, "I am sorry for my family, who are enduring extreme pain at this moment."

Lee also filed a complaint against two people, including the hostess, accusing them of blackmailing and swindling him out of money.

Claiming his innocence, he also submitted a polygraph test request the previous day. His lawyer had insisted that a lie detector test should be used to determine the truth between Lee and the hostess, who has reportedly told the police that the actor used drugs at her home multiple times.

The 48-year-old actor rose to global fame after "Parasite," in which he played a major role, won Academy Awards in 2020.

In 2021, the veteran actor won a Screen Actors Guild Award, along with his "Parasite" cast mates. Last year, he was also nominated for the best actor award at the International Emmy Awards for his role in the sci-fi film "Dr. Brain."

This year, Lee's two movies — the horror flick "Sleep" by Jason Yu and Kim Tae-gon's disaster thriller "Project Silence" — were invited to the 76th annual Cannes Film Festival, with the former in the competition section of Cannes Critics' Week, a parallel film festival of the Cannes Film Festival, and the latter in the Midnight Screening section. (Yonhap)

https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2023/12/251_365851.html

Australia’s most amazing shipping container homes revealed

From five-star accommodation to the skinniest suburban block, these shipping container homes deliver innovative housing solutions at a fraction of the cost. SEE THE STUNNING PICS.

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Shipping container homes have grown in popularity across Australia in recent years due to their relatively low building costs and somewhat shorter construction times.

By joining together multiple containers, home builders have been able to save hundreds of thousands of dollars on construction while having the benefit of an existing structure that can be stacked one on top of each other.

Tasmanian couple Josh and Kiara Rolf told the Mercury they decided to build a three-bedroom house from shipping containers on a $230,000 budget after being quoted $550,000 to $730,000 for a conventional build.

Josh and Kiara Rolf are building a shipping container home at Flowerpot. Picture: Chris Kidd

Josh and Kiara Rolf are building a shipping container home at Flowerpot. Picture: Chris Kidd

“The main thing you save so much money with is you avoid the framing costs,” Ms Rolf said. “In that period you can wait up to three weeks – so you avoid that process completely.”

“With the containers, it went from nothing to a whole house structure in 12 hours.”

MORE: Converted horse truck home has hot tub inside

‘Jaw-droppingly beautiful’: Australia’s 20 best pools revealed

Ultimate prize home has backyard skatepark

While some may turn their nose up at the thought of living in a giant, metal structure, there have been a number of innovative designs built across the country that prove shipping container chic is not only a cost-effective choice – it’s also the next biggest thing.

Here are five of the best shipping container homes in Australia.

Sky Ridge, Kangaroo Valley, NSW

Larry Emdur recently sold this Kangaroo Valley hideaway.

Larry Emdur recently sold this Kangaroo Valley hideaway.

Until recently, this bushland retreat was the holiday home of TV personality Larry Emdur and his wife Sylvie.

The unique property is built from shipping containers.

The unique property is built from shipping containers.

The pair sold the Kangaroo Valley property “Sky Ridge” in August 2023 for $2.78m after leasing it for $1000-$1200 a night as a short stay holiday rental.

It’s designer chic on the inside.

It’s designer chic on the inside.

From the outside, there’s no mistaking the shipfaring history of the house.

It also has a stunning outlook.

It also has a stunning outlook.

The shipping container doors have been left as original and exposed ornaments on either side of the property’s floor to ceiling windows.

Imagine waking up to this view.

Imagine waking up to this view.

But on the inside, the open and expansive house is stylishly decked in designer finishes and quirky artworks that frame spectacular views of the surrounding bush.

MORE: Trendy homes changing housing forever

30 Carver Street, Googong, ACT

30 Carver St, Googong is built from shipping containers. Picture: supplied

30 Carver St, Googong is built from shipping containers. Picture: supplied

This Googong house had been the first of its kind listed for sale in the Canberra region when it was put on the market in late 2022 – but its unique blend of industrial style and homely comfort saw it sell above and beyond its $950,000 plus price guide for $1.1m.

It showcases the boldness of the elements.

It showcases the boldness of the elements.

Selling agent Jason Roses from Verv said the owners had showcased “the uniqueness and boldness of the elements they were using” while creating “a warm family home.”

Contrasting warmth comes from timbers and rose gold.

Contrasting warmth comes from timbers and rose gold.

They did this by combining reclaimed timbers, steel, pressed metals, rose gold and concrete in a visually appealing and eclectic mix of textures and colours.

Container-chic at its best.

Container-chic at its best.

“There’s not one room in the house where those unusual elements aren’t there in a very strong way,” Mr Roses said.

The five-star Paris Villa, near Daylesford, VIC

The Paris Villa – when shipping container meets rustic “wood cabin”.

The Paris Villa – when shipping container meets rustic “wood cabin”.

Who would have thought shipping containers could become five star accommodation? This holiday let proves just how luxe the old containers can be if given the right amount of designer ingenuity.

It makes the most of its natural surroundings. Picture: Stayz

It makes the most of its natural surroundings. Picture: Stayz

Glass floors overlook the bush. Picture: Stayz

Glass floors overlook the bush. Picture: Stayz

The five-star Paris villa near Daylesford in Victoria nabbed People’s Choice for 2019 in Stayz Holiday Home of the Year awards as well as top prize for the country’s most unique holiday home.

Paris Villa is one of many container apartments at Clifftop. Picture: Stayz

Paris Villa is one of many container apartments at Clifftop. Picture: Stayz

Part of a complex of shipping container holiday units, the well positioned villa has views into the surrounding wilderness through wall sized windows and glass floors.

10-12 Hamilton Place, Adelaide, SA

10-12 Hamilton Place, Adelaide is built from shipping containers. Picture: Robert van Gorp

10-12 Hamilton Place, Adelaide is built from shipping containers. Picture: Robert van Gorp

The van Gorps outside their home when it was being constructed. Picture: Robert van Gorp

The van Gorps outside their home when it was being constructed. Picture: Robert van Gorp

This tall skinny house has certainly made a big statement on Adelaide’s smallest block of land. Eight shipping containers were used to build the four storey house on a 90sq m parcel.

It has four levels of living space. Picture: Robert van Gorp

It has four levels of living space. Picture: Robert van Gorp

Owner Robert van Gorp said using shipping containers reduced the build cost and time because it meant the structural components could be built offsite.

Each level has about 30sq m of space, though it doesn’t feel small from the inside.

Just wide enough to fit a lavish bath. Picture: Robert van Gorp

Just wide enough to fit a lavish bath. Picture: Robert van Gorp

“It feels more spacious than it is because all of the windows are full height, they’re 2m wide by 2.5m high and there’s about the same amount of square metreage of glazing on the home as the actual land size,” Mr van Gorp said.

MORE: Building watchdog hit hard by pushback

Jaora St, Graceville, Brisbane QLD

Brisbane couple Todd and Diana Miller had their home featured on Grand Designs. Picture: Grand Designs Australia / Foxtel.

Brisbane couple Todd and Diana Miller had their home featured on Grand Designs. Picture: Grand Designs Australia / Foxtel.

This Brisbane home made from 31 shipping containers was featured in Grand Designs Australia back in 2014 and remains one of the most impressive examples of container home design in the country.

The house had a unique style and plenty of space. Picture: Grand Designs Australia / Foxtel.

The house had a unique style and plenty of space. Picture: Grand Designs Australia / Foxtel.

Builder Todd Miller and his wife Diana had been looking for a way to build a floodproof home after their previous property was inundated in the 2011 floods.

Bright colours and different textures contrasted well to bring warmth. Picture: Grand Designs Australia / Foxtel.

Bright colours and different textures contrasted well to bring warmth. Picture: Grand Designs Australia / Foxtel.

They decided to use shipping containers to construct the three level home with 450sq m of space – and ended up building the country’s largest container home at the time.

There was no compromise on luxury. Picture: Grand Designs Australia / Foxtel.

There was no compromise on luxury. Picture: Grand Designs Australia / Foxtel.

Budget led to the pair choosing shipping containers over a conventional build method.

A truly unique home. Picture: Grand Designs Australia / Foxtel

A truly unique home. Picture: Grand Designs Australia / Foxtel

They also used coal mine shakers to make garden planters and 100-year-old railway sleepers for the timber ramp leading to the garage. Recycled cedar was used for the double garage door.

The bathroom is stylish and chic. Picture: Grand Designs Australia / Foxtel

The bathroom is stylish and chic. Picture: Grand Designs Australia / Foxtel

The pair sold the unique house for $1.42m a few months before the episode of Grand Designs aired.

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Originally published as Australia’s most amazing shipping container homes revealed

https://www.news.com.au/finance/real-estate/australias-most-amazing-shipping-container-homes-revealed/news-story/e7d1635534b817a961e2688efad37b40

Style and Substance: Newly Built Green Home in Bellevue, WA, Checks All the Boxes for $3.5M

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Anew-construction showstopper just landed on the market in Bellevue, WA, for $3,595,000. Best of all, it’s stylish and sustainable.

The eco-friendly home is the work of a green builder in Seattle and boasts a “Built Green 5-Star certified” designation.

The five-bedroom residence known as “Obenhaus” is “Net Zero Energy Ready,” according to the listing. Its construction adhered to some of the highest sustainability standards, established to offset annual energy usage.

“The home has a very contemporary and minimalistic style, but the fact that it is a Built Green 5-Star certified home is super unique to the Seattle area,” says listing agent Michele Schuler, of Realogics Sotheby’s International Realty.

Aerial(Realtor.com)

The 3,883-square-foot dwelling included reclaimed materials during construction.

“It has minimal energy usage, and a lot of the materials used were locally sourced, sustainable materials,” Schuler notes. “There are a lot of unique design elements using metal and wood, as well. It is double-stud construction, so the walls are twice as thick, and it is insulated with cellulose.”

Other eco-friendly features include two electric-vehicle chargers and WaterSense appliances.

Green and gorgeous interior

The flexible space has an en suite bedroom on the first floor that could be used as a guest suite.

Also situated on the main level is a chef’s kitchen with high-end appliances, quartz countertops, and an oversized island. The swank space accesses a lovely terrace for dining alfresco during warmer months.

Kitchen(Realtor.com)

Living area(Realtor.com)

The open floor plan boasts a spacious dining area that flows into a bright living room.

The second-floor primary suite has dual vanities, a soaking tub, glass shower, and walk-in closet with custom built-ins. A terrace on this level overlooks the private backyard.

Bedroom(Realtor.com)

Terrace(Realtor.com)

The walk-out lower level has another guest suite that opens to the fenced yard.

The location is also a draw.

“It is located in the Somerset neighborhood, which is within Bellevue and has some of the most acclaimed schools in the area,” Schuler says. “It is also very centrally located—just 10 minutes from downtown Bellevue and 10 minutes from Seattle.”

So who will snag this innovative build?

“I think the next buyer will be environmentally conscious,” Schuler predicts. “They will also love the contemporary design and will be looking for something unique and something different. Most likely, it will be used as a primary residence. The cost to build a home like this is typically 6-8% more than a traditional home, so the next buyer will also be someone who appreciates the sustainability features.”

In addition to the ecologically sound materials used during construction, a clean-air environment was also prioritized throughout the Dwell Development-designed house.

“It is also a healthy home, pulling in fresh air to scrub out viruses,” Schuler says. “There are hardwood floors throughout and no carpeting, to reduce allergens. If you are looking for a healthy home, this is it.”

Exterior(Realtor.com)

For more photos and details, check out the full listing.

Homes for sale in Bellevue, WA

Learn more about Bellevue, WA

https://www.realtor.com/news/unique-homes/newly-constructed-green-home-hits-the-market-in-bellevue-washington-for-3-5m/

Why the Caribbean is a timeless hit with holiday homebuyers

Other global spots may be more fashionable right now, but fresh development is tempting British buyers across the Atlantic to all corners of the region

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https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/why-the-caribbean-is-a-timeless-hit-with-holiday-homebuyers-g29vgnbqn