As far as the UK-based companies are concerned, BP and Shell made a combined $94.2 billion in profits since the start of the war, while the remaining three, Chevron, Exxon and TotalEnergies have made over $187 billion.

In 2023, BP recorded their second-highest profit in a decade – the first being in 2022, the year the war broke out. While one country and its people lost everything, the largest Western oil companies more than doubled profits to $219 billion, in 2022, and made $134 million in excess profit alone.

All the while, the cost of our household energy bills have skyrocketed, as you well know. In the UK, the average annual energy bill rose to £1,928 per year in the first quarter of 2024 – up £94 from the end of 2023, and a staggering £602 more than the early 2022 average.

But why on god’s barely-green Earth is this happening? How exactly are these oil companies allowed to make all that money, while we wither into recession? I spoke to Antonia Juhasz, senior researcher on fossil fuels at Human Rights Watch, who recently uncovered the devastating human toll of fossil fuel pollution in Louisiana’s “Cancer Alley”, to find out more.

VICE: Hi Antonia! How exactly have the major oil companies made $281 billion off the war in Ukraine? Antonia Juhasz: The obnoxiously large earnings of the major oil companies are due to the fact that we’re still far too reliant on fossil fuels. The profits come from the high oil prices that happened in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Russia used fossil fuels as a weapon of war – it was even one of the motivators for the war. The way the price of oil is set is not purely based on demand and supply: You also have energy traders – entities that buy and sell energy contracts – that pushed the price of oil up, on the expectation that the war would create a supply shortage.

A shortage was the expectation, particularly as many Western governments imposed sanctions on Russian oil. But instead, Russian companies got around sanctions by redirecting the sale of oil to China, India and Turkey, shipping it via a clandestine network of traders and tanker companies. Overall, the amount of oil coming out of Russia has remained largely unchanged.

When there are times of crisis, like a war, the price of oil will go up whether or not a supply shortage even materialises – either way, the industry benefits. That spike of uncertainty and volatility leading up to, and after, the war began are what drove the big profits of 2022 for big oil companies. When prices settled, their profits fell – in the case of BP, dropping by half between 2022 and 2023.

**Are there any other takeaways from Global Witness’ analysis?
**What I think Global Witness really wants to point out is that we’re not taxing fossil fuel companies appropriately. Governments continue to expand and over-subsidise (meaning tax breaks or direct payments that reduce the cost of production) the production of fossil fuels. Global Witness is supportive of a windfall profits tax: If the fossil fuel companies made these huge profits off of the war – which they clearly did – the profits should be taxed as a windfall generated. This categorises their profits as not because the companies did something important or different, but because they simply reaped the benefits of a war.

**So why are we paying more on energy bills when these so-called “super-major” fossil fuel companies are flush with cash? Are we essentially paying into their profits?
**Energy bills went up because we’re too dependent on fossil fuels. This is complicated because a lot more companies are involved, but to simplify it: the supply of methane gas, or “natural gas”, was significantly constrained due to the war, sending the price skyrocketing. Companies that purchase gas, such as electricity companies, had to pay more. Companies selling gas, including the super-majors, are reaping higher profits as a result. Basically, they’re choosing to keep those profits to themselves rather than, say, sell the fuel at a lower price. That's expected, though – left to their own devices, they’ll seek to make as much profit as possible on each stage. That's where governments come in, to tax them more, reduce their subsidies, and to invest in moving rapidly away from their product.

**What could help the UK, where energy prices are reportedly higher than elsewhere in Europe?
**In the UK, there’s actually been a big increase in both wind and solar use and production, and interest in producing more, but there’s a bottleneck in getting connected to the grid. Greater investment in the grid will make it much easier to access renewables, which will reduce the price of energy.

A study by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis found that the UK can save £100 billion by 2050 by cutting dependence on gas by increasing renewable power generation, electrification of heating and efficiency measures. Increased social spending will also ease the transition. This requires an investment and a policy decision: Where do we want to put money right now? That's all about how you redirect investment, and one of the things the UK could do is implement a windfall profits tax.

**Shell is cutting up to 330 jobs from its low carbon solutions unit to focus on high-profit oil projects. BP has scaled back its climate goals. What does this tell us about the priorities of these companies?
**The companies are definitely doubling down on fossil fuels – something they've consistently done over the decades. When the public seems most interested in renewables, they talk about investing more in renewables and they might do a little, but then they go back to fossil fuels.

Take BP: In 2000, it renamed itself Beyond Petroleum to highlight investments outside of fossil fuels. But, over a decade later, I calculated that at its highest point, it was still probably only spending around six percent of its money on “alternative energy”, AKA anything “beyond petroleum”.

Last year, BP announced that rather than scale back fossil fuel investments, it would expand them. The fossil fuel industry is doing the same thing again right now. It talks a good game, but overall oil and gas producers account for only one percent of total clean energy investment globally. It's retreating into its core business because it knows how to make money that way. It's looking for cheap oil fields to produce as cheaply as possible, in places it can have the least regulations possible, with the aim to continue to expand its fossil fuel production and, basically, use techniques that’ll allow it to keep producing fossil fuels, such as carbon capture and storage.

Is there anything else these companies could do now to improve things for consumers and the planet? We’ve seen what these companies have done when we've entrusted the use, production and distribution of these natural resources: It's been catastrophic, it's harmed our health, it's caused war. What it’s not done is create energy justice – energy that is more equitable, accessible, more affordable, and better for our health. I don't want to see these same companies now harness the wind and the waves and the sun. That is not the solution.

What we want to do instead is phase out fossil fuels and protect human rights. Governments are still overly invested in fossil fuels, in expanding and subsidising the production of fossil fuels, and in not taxing or regulating the companies enough. Governments haven't invested enough in supporting people to make the transition and in transitioning to localised renewable energy systems.

The more localised your energy access is – like a solar panel on your roof – the less energy it takes to get it to you.  You actually use about 60 percent less energy overall, simply by using renewables instead of fossil fuels. And the faster we transition, the more money we’ll save.

**Is there any hope in all this?
**Well, the obnoxious profits in 2023 are significantly down from 2022. Those large profits that it did earn in 2023 are not a sign that this industry continues to be the powerhouse that it once was. The oil sector is extremely out of favour with the public, and it's increasingly out of favour with investors, as it doesn't really make that much compared to other investments anymore – it only had that peak in profits because of the war. This continues to be an industry in decline, not an industry that is thriving.

Let’s be frank for a sec: Actual magic mushrooms taste a bit fucked. Like, incredibly bad at times. Tea’s also an option, but are you really going to be carrying a thermos into the rave? Edibles, on the other hand, can be delicious – so whether it be microdosing, party vibes or big-time psychonauting, they’re increasingly the way forward for a lot of people when it comes to consuming shrooms.

But we have questions: Like, how do you know you’re getting a high-quality edible? Does it matter how they’re made? And does the high differ if you’re chomping on a chocolate or pipetting some mushie extract on your tongue?

Dr. K Mandrake holds a Ph.D. in mushroom botany and, along with writer and photographer Virginia Haze, co-authored two psychedelic mushroom cookbooks: The Psilocybin Mushroom Bible and The Psilocybin Chef. They also have a Substack, which has previews of the second edition of their grow book, out later this year. We chatted to K to find out how he got into all this, to understand the science behind mushy edibles and to help you make some of your own at home. 

VICE: Hi K! What's your background in mushrooms, and how did you come to write the cookbooks with Virginia?
Dr. K Mandrake: I started growing magic mushrooms shortly after the UK government banned them in 2005, as a way to ensure a continuous supply in the post-prohibition era we find ourselves in today. Virgina and I met a few years after that while I was living in Thailand, and we first took mushrooms together at a full moon party with some friends. We went our separate ways after this, but always kept in touch. I started studying environmental science towards my PhD, putting my lab skills to work in doing more than just growing shrooms, and she was bouncing around the globe working as a writer and editor in a bunch of places, including for our publisher Green Candy Press. 

Around 2015, we both found ourselves in the same city, and as I'd promised to teach her how to grow mushrooms, we decided to write our first book together The Psilocybin Mushroom Bible. After a few years of consuming nasty little dried shrooms like most people do, we decided there must be a better way to consume them. We're both heavily into cooking and baking, so a few years later we released The Psilocybin Chef in 2020.

Could you take me through the steps of one of one of your favourite mushroom edibles recipes from the cookbook? How do you make them taste nice? 
Our lime ginger and dark chocolate truffles (recipe below) are probably my favourite, and they were also the first edible I ever made my own recipe for. As magic mushrooms are far from the best in terms of culinary properties, most of the time when designing recipes we're trying to distract the taste buds with strong complementary or contrasting flavours. We're big fans of [food writer] Niki Segnit's Flavour Thesaurus and took some inspiration for our recipes from that. 

In the case of the truffles, the dark chocolate is our strong earthy flavour that complements the mushrooms, whereas lime and ginger are bright contrasting notes. We also use some of these ingredients that have interesting cultural ties to the now decades-old psychedelic mushroom community. Ginger is a favourite to stave off nausea, and strong citrus juice is a hat tip to "lemon tekking" – the unproven idea that acids begin breaking down the mushrooms, and converting the psilocybin into biologically active psilocin, resulting in a trip with a higher intensity/faster onset. 

How do you ensure consistency, i.e. would eating half of a chocolate lead to an inconsistent result? Or is it possible to make sure the mushrooms are evenly distributed in a single edible?
That's a great question. I know the cannabis edible industry struggled with inconsistent dosing in the past, and it's definitely a risk for large-scale production of magic mushroom edibles. On a smaller, home scale though, we've never had any huge issues with this as we're pretty thorough about making sure ingredients are well mixed. We also mostly work with dried mushrooms in the book, as we figured it's what most folks will have access to. Dried mushrooms are easy to turn to powder with a spice blender, which helps distribute them evenly through a dish. We also do a few liquid extraction recipes, which can be trickier to master, but are also useful to help with consistent dosing.

Does subjecting mushrooms to heat and cooking actually degrade or alter the quality of the mushrooms and the experience of the trip?
Every time we get asked this question, we always ask one or two back ourselves: "How much heat, and how long for?" The best science we have, which isn't a lot thanks to decades of psilocybin prohibition, says that dried mushrooms only start losing significant amounts of their potency after a 30-minute heating to 125-150°C. Most of our recipes don't go anywhere near that, and we encourage people to add their mushrooms into a dish that requires heat as late as possible, just to be safe. By keeping this in mind, we don't notice too many complaints about weaker-than-normal trips.

Does the high differ depending on how these edibles are created vs consuming them the traditional way, like eating them dry or steeped in tea?
On a chemical level, I wouldn't say so. But with all psychedelics, set and setting is a huge component of the experience, beyond what's going on with the chemicals in your brain and body. Some people might prefer the traditional way, and we fully support that. However, we know many others who gag at dried mushrooms – I don't think Virginia will mind me saying I'm thinking of her here. If you're one of this latter group, feeling nauseous and all the bad vibes that brings might not be the best mindset to be in as you begin tripping, so the recipes in our book are aimed at those people especially. My last trip started with a magic mushroom hot chocolate, and it was so delicious I almost forgot I'd made it to get high.

Lime ginger and dark chocolate truffles from "Psilocybin Chef". Photo: courtesy of Dr. K Mandrake

Ginger Lime Chocolate Truffles With Magic Mushrooms

Servings: 12 (one chocolate = 0.5g dose)
Cooking time: 50 minutes (20 minutes prep, 30 minutes to set)

INGREDIENTS

• 50g dark chocolate
• 65g crystalized ginger
• 6g dried shrooms, powdered
• zest of ½ a lime
• juice of ¼ lime

DIRECTIONS

1. Slowly melt the chocolate in a bain-marie or double boiler.
2. Using a food processor blitz the crystallized ginger almost to a paste.
3. Add in the lime zest, lime juice and blend again.
4. Tip into a bowl, add the powdered mushrooms and stir to combine. It will look like goblin poo at this point.
5. With damp hands, quick the mixture together and roll it out into a long thin log.
6. Cut into 12 equal size pieces then roll each one into a ball.
7. Either roll each ball in the melted chocolate or, if using truffle moulds, cover the bottom of the mould with melted chocolate, add the ball of mixture then top with more chocolate to cover completely.
8. Place into the fridge to set for 30 minutes.
9. Consume immediately for best effects, or refrigerate for up to a week.

In terms of dosage, we always dose our recipes low to be safe (essentially these are the high end of what some might consider a microdose), and recommend you only take one to begin with and keep an eye on how you're feeling for the next hour or so. Mushroom potency can vary wildly depending on the source (eg. species/strain), so keeping the per-truffle dose low helps minimise this variability.

The general side effects of psilocybin are similar to any psychedelic – anxiety, disorientation and paranoia being the main ones. The most important thing for people experiencing these is to know that these feelings will pass, and they might alleviate them by changing their set and setting.

This might include moving to a space where they feel more safe, changing the music or lighting, or practising meditative breathing to list just a few examples. Psilocybin has an incredibly low toxicity, so the physical effects are minimal – besides maybe some nausea or a transient headache – so the main thing is to allow yourself to process any difficult feelings in a space where you feel safest. — Dr. K Mandrake

The baptism, which was streamed on Facebook, was led by Pastor Hansel Orzame, a 44-year-old southern Californian and a self-identified Christian Nationalist who leads “Ekklesia; The Unwoke Church.” 

The service was held in the 800-square foot “Wonderwall Space,” which, with its exposed brick and Christmas lights, advertises itself as ideal for baby showers and engagement photo shoots. But twice a month, Orzame’s flock—who he calls “Praying Patriots”—assembles there to pray. 

The Praying Patriot who was baptized on this recent Sunday in February was named Andrew. Sitting in the bathtub in his clothes, he spoke into a microphone that Orzame held for him, his voice cracking with emotion. Andrew, who has Proud Boy insignia in his personal Telegram profile, explained that he’d recently found God and learned that “true masculinity is in Christ.” 

“Christ had the biggest cojones,” said Andrew. “Being men of Christ is being real men. So let’s be real men.” 

Another man being baptized that day was introduced by Orzame as “a warrior.” “As you know, political rallies can get a little physical, a little spicy,” Orzame said. “I’ve seen this guy do amazing things out there.” 

“Christ had the biggest cojones. Being men of Christ is being real men. So let’s be real men.” 

Orzame’s church has harnessed a rising tide of Christian nationalism, which claims that America is a fundamentally Christian nation, and that “patriots” are in a “spiritual war” against nefarious, even Satanic, forces who want to subvert the country’s cultural and political institutions. 

“Christian nationalists just want to go back to the way it was, Christian values and Christian ethics,” he told his followers in response to a newly-released trailer for the documentary “God and Country,” about the disturbing rise of Christian nationalism.

“We don’t want to jail Muslims, we don’t want to jail Atheists. But we want the Christian standard back. Secular government introduces paganism. It’s just a stopgap for paganism.” 

Praying Patriots gather for a Sunday service at Ekklesia: The Unwoke Church (screenshot from Facebook livestream)

In the last four years, churches that fuse rabid nationalism with Christianity have sprung up nationwide, thumbing their noses at the tax breaks offered by 501c3 status, which has historically incentivized pastors to at least maintain the illusion of keeping politics out of the pulpit. There’s even a website, “MyChurchFinder'' that ascribes a letter rating to churches based on their pastor’s level of Christian nationalist views. Orzame’s church received an A: “Biblically sound, Culturally Aware & Legislatively Active.” 

“We cannot beat these globalists, this globohomo machine alone,” Orzame appealed to God in a recent prayer broadcast on the streaming platform Rumble. “We need Your strength. We need Your guidance. We need strategies from heaven and God.” 

Orzame’s rising profile in southern California’s far-right scene, and his extensive links to the Proud Boys, is the latest indication that the gang and their allies are increasingly seeking religious justifications for their continued culture war activities, even as their uniformed public appearances have waned. The Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project, which tracks extremism and unrest worldwide, found that since the Jan. 6. Capitol riot, Proud Boys have been more likely to appear in public alongside Christian nationalist and conservative groups compared to years prior to 2021, when they often aligned themselves with militias. 

A 40-person private Telegram channel, leaked to VICE News by local researchers, offers some insight into Orzame’s core Praying Patriots congregation. Among them is at least one known Proud Boy, Louie Flores, as well as far-right activist Bryce Henson, an active-duty Navy Seal who was recently investigated and exonerated for his ties to extremist groups. (He is, however, set to be disciplined for making threats towards local independent journalists and activists, according to KPBS). Some members of the channel have explicit neo-Nazi or white supremacist imagery in their profiles. 

Orzame uses the Telegram channel to broadcast his upcoming appearances; recently, he said he’d be at a school board meeting to protest LGBTQ-inclusive policies, an effort that has preoccupied southern California’s far-right for the last two years. These appearances often devolve into violent brawls. “THIS IS GROOMING BEHAVIOR,” Orzame wrote before a visit to Don Lugo High School in Chino, where school board members were set to approve a policy that requires administrators to notify a student’s family if the student identifies as transgender. “Please pray for me and the men that are to be my security.” 

He also posts links to his sermons on Rumble and DLive; the latter platform allows him to collect donations in the form of tokens purchased, or bitcoin. Ahead of one sermon in December, he advised the other members of the chat to avoid using Proud Boy slogans such as “POYB” (Proud of Your Boy”) and “Uhuru” (a Swahili word meaning “Freedom” that Proud Boys have co-opted as their rallying cry). “We will fly under the radar,” wrote Orzame. 

Do you have information to share about Hansel Orzame’s church or about far-right organizing in California? Email tess.owen@vice.com to share tips.

A sermon in September featured John Kinsman, a Proud Boy who just completed a four-year prison sentence for his involvement in a violent street brawl with antifascists in Manhattan in 2018. Kinsman told Orzame that he, too, had recently found God. He described a dream he had in prison, in which he was sitting on the toilet smoking a cigarette and visited by a Christ-like figure who told him God had “big plans” for him. 

Last May, Orzame’s guest was Tony Moon, who goes by “Rooftop Korean” and has been a mainstay of violent far-right demonstrations around Los Angeles in the last few years. Moon was filmed at a 2021 protest swinging a titanium water bottle at a journalist’s head. He has also appeared for in-person services at the Ekklesia Church. 

Orzame was born in Manila and moved with his parents to southern California when he was a child. His father, who he describes as “based,” works as a dentist, and owns a $1.4 million home in Covina; Orzame has held baptisms in his dad’s swimming pool. 

Orzame has claimed he previously worked as a producer in the adult film industry, and even appeared briefly as a talking head in a documentary about the dangers of porn that was bankrolled by a fundamentalist Christian organization. VICE was unable to independently verify his stint in the adult film industry. 

As Orzame tells it, his first stint as a religious leader was as a youth pastor at Gospel Life Community in Walnut, in Los Angeles County, just 8 miles from Pomona. He got his formal training at the Potter’s House of Ministry, an international pentecostal religious organization that’s faced multiple accusations of being a cult.

Orzame did not respond to VICE News’ request for comment, but claims on the Ekklesia website that while serving as pastor for a Christian club at a grad school, he encountered “satanic imagery” scrawled on whiteboards and was ultimately “kicked off of campus for proselytizing.” 

His ties to the far right date back to at least 2017; that year he was present when far-right groups including Patriot Prayer—a Christian nationalist group known for allying with Proud Boys—assembled for “Free Speech Week” at UC Berkeley and ended up scrapping with leftist protesters.

In February 2018, Orzame traveled to San Diego for a so-called “Patriot Picnic,” part of a series of protests against murals in a local park celebrating Mexican-American and Aztec culture. Orzame was photographed wearing a tactical vest with the word “pastor” emblazoned on his chest and was later arrested for urinating on a mural. Local antifascists obtained leaked planning chats that showed protesters discussing the guns they were bringing to the protest, with Orzame responding approvingly. In 2019, along with his wife, he founded Ekklesia.

Though he denies being a Proud Boy himself, Orzame makes no secret of his fondness for the gang. He routinely promotes Proud Boy content on his social media pages, including videos by Proud Boy founder Gavin McInnes and fundraisers to help Proud Boys facing charges related to the Capitol riot on Jan. 6. 

Orzame’s insistence that he’s not actually a Proud Boy, as well as the fact that he generally keeps his hands clean by not getting directly involved in violent melees at protests, means he doesn’t have the same baggage as some of his friends in his group chat. As a result, he’s been able to build inroads into more “mainstream”—relatively speaking—political circles in southern California. 

For example, he describes Siaka Massaquoi, an actor and the vice chair of the Los Angeles County GOP committee, “a close friend.” Massaquoi, who was arrested at Hollywood’s Burbank airport in December on charges linked to the Jan. 6 riot, has appeared on Orzame’s broadcast twice in the last six months. 

In that livestream, Massaquoi and Orzame reflected on a rally hosted by “Leave Our Kids Alone,” a coalition of far-right activists, which resulted in brawls with pro-LGBTQ counter-protesters outside Los Angeles Unified School District’s headquarters. 

Massaquoi suggested that it might be poor optics for the anti-grooming contingent to keep getting into scrapes with counter-protesters at these sorts of events. “We have to be strategic,” he said. 

“I think we should treat this as a military operation,” Orzame said. “I’m not calling for violence, okay? I’m just saying this is spiritual warfare.” 

“It’s a battle for everything,” said Massaquoi.  “Some people are going to be involved in physical altercations, and there's some people who are going to die.” 

“I think we should treat this as a military operation. I’m not calling for violence, okay? I’m just saying this is spiritual warfare.” 

Orzame is also the “chaplain” for a new organization called G3 (God, Guns, and Government). G3 is run by Netty Chow, who became a local celebrity in Orange County in 2020 when she coordinated “prayer walks” in defiance of COVID-19 lockdowns. Also leading G3 is Jon Matthews, a long-time conservative activist with deep ties to the Eagle Forum, which was formed in 1972 as a retrogressive counterweight to the women’s liberation movement. 

Last July, G3 hosted an “Election Reform Summit” that drew an array of right-wing influencers, including MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell, the man who ran the effort to recall California Gov. Gavin Newsom, and Toni Shuppe, a QAnon adjacent election denier and key ally of Pennsylvania state Sen. Doug Mastriano, who ran an unsuccessful bid for the U.S. Senate in 2022. 

The following month G3 paid for Ormaze to travel to Missouri for a conference on election fraud hosted by Lindell. There, Orzame said he met with Gen. Mike Flynn, who allegedly told him he was a “big fan” of the Ekklesia Unwoke Church. “He says ‘good job guys hang in there,’” Orzame wrote in the Telegram channel. 

And most recently, Orzame attended an in-person conference in Orange County hosted by the California chapter of the Election Integrity Project, a group dedicated to sniffing out voter fraud claims that is now holding meetings across the state to recruit “citizen observers” who can “observe and document” the upcoming primary election. 

Orzame might have built a local reputation on providing spiritual meaning to the lives of southern California’s bruisers—to local left-wing activists, he’s known as “The Proud Boys Pastor.” But if his recent activities are anything to go by, he’s now looking to capitalize off some of his new relationships from the culture war scene and expand his reach, beyond the fringes, and into MAGA-world. 

Disclosure: Gavin McInnes, who founded the Proud Boys in 2016, was a co-founder of VICE in 1994. He left the company in 2008 and has had no involvement since then.

Located in a former slaughterhouse in the northern French city of Calais, Le Channel is an alternative theatre, bookshop, and restaurant. In the bar's kitchen, activists have set up a makeshift bakery to bake bread for the thousands of migrants stuck at this busy border, attempting to cross into the UK via the English Channel.

When I visited Le Channel, the bakery was in full swing. On that day, the three-person team of volunteers baked 60 kilos of bread from scratch. The loaves were collected by the charity Secours Catholique (a local chapter of Caritas France) and distributed to migrants in Calais the following day. “We supply them with bread three times a week,” explained Yann, one of the volunteers, who talked to us using a pseudonym. “In exchange, the charity finances part of the project.”

Over the past 20 years, the small town of Calais has become a hub for migrants trying to get to the UK on rickety boats or inside lorries. Up to 24,000 migrants managed to cross the channel last year, while hundreds of people hang around the town waiting for their lucky break.

The local government has taken a very hard stance on migrants, who are forced to camp out in makeshift camps that are regularly cleared and destroyed by the police. The whole town has also implemented anti-homeless architecture and security systems on every corner, as well as cracked down on activists and NGOs trying to help the migrants.

Yann is a member of Internationale boulangère mobilisée (Activist Bakers International, or IBM), an informal network of militant bakers working on various social projects. Founded in February 2018, the group consists of volunteers who join projects whenever they can and bake bread in pop-up locations.

At Le Channel, the current team includes Andrea, 34, a full-time activist from Rennes who co-founded IBM and has his own portable oven. Yann, 31, is an engineer by training who quit his suit-and-tie job in Paris to lead a nomadic lifestyle. He makes ends meet thanks to benefits – just like Andrea. “I stopped believing in changing things from the inside,” Yann said. Then, there’s Marion (also a pseudonym), 21, who wants to gain more experience before officially training as a baker. IBM also organises courses for those who want to get an official degree, which is mandatory to start your own business. The trio will be working together for a few weeks before handing the project over to a different team.

Andrea, Yann, and Marion make bread thanks to donations including flour, bread molds, and other utensils. In times when even artisan bakeries resort to expensive equipment to be profitable, at IBM, they only use their hands. They also bake sourdough style, letting the flour and water ferment so the dough can rise without yeast. That way, the bread keeps longer and is easier to digest.

Although their bread was an instant hit with the customers at Le Channel, that wasn’t the case at the migrant camps. “The migrants don't like our bread,” Andrea and Yann admitted. “At first, the Secours Catholique volunteers hid it from us because they didn’t want to hurt our feelings.” They both recalled how an Afghan refugee was put off by the density of the bread. “He said, ‘You can build a house with your bread,’” they laughed. Eventually, they adapted the recipe into brioche, which is more popular.

The team has also tried to share their skills with the migrants staying in Calais, as Yann finds it important to create a less hierarchical relationship between volunteers and migrants. Only two migrants have come to the bakery since the beginning of January, as most people here see Calais as a place of transit. “Their main goal is to cross the Channel, so it's difficult to form close relationships,” Yann concluded.

A few years ago, I tested a bunch of different frozen soup dumplings, and the brand that undoubtedly came out on top was MìLà (formerly known as The XLB). Founded by two second-gen Chinese Americans, the company seriously values authenticity, and its frozen soup dumplings are not only seriously delicious, but incredibly easy to prepare at home. I was hooked from my first juicy bite of the classic pork xiao long bao (as was my very discerning Chinese-American bestie) and also fell in love with the accompanying Sauce Trio (the ginger-scallion Umami sauce goes crazy). So when I caught wind that MìLà’s Lunar New Year drop was a dumpling collaboration with Seattle’s famed Phở Bắc,  I couldn’t wait to fire up my steamer basket. 

Fam, IDK why this is the first time I’m enjoying access to a pho-filled soup dumpling, but my god, it’s a heavenly experience. You simply steam these bad boys for 11 minutes, and in less time than it takes to watch a rousing live rendition of “Purple Rain” on YouTube, these delectable dumplings are ready for your slurping pleasure. These precious edible purses of hot, aromatic broth, with that iconic flavor synthesis of beef, scallions, cilantro, and onions, are the perfect cool-weather treat. This is truly Asian fusion cuisine we can get behind [chef’s kiss]. 

Photo courtesy of MìLà

Best of all, each bag has a whopping 50 dumplings, so you can keep a stash in your freezer for whenever the craving strikes—and rest assured, it will. Frequently. Like, right now, as I write this. BRB.

The limited-edition Pho Beef Soup Dumplings are available at MìLà.

Your faithful VICE editors independently selected all of the stuff featured in this story. Want more reviews, recommendations, and red-hot deals?Sign up for our newsletter.

Having chronic foot pain has given me a profound appreciation for comfort. Not to give away my intimate food details for free, but I’ve had painful bunions for almost my whole life. Long story short, it sucks and makes finding properly fitting shoes a pain in the ass. It took many hour-long charley horse cramps to realize I needed to wear non-narrow shoes to accommodate my foot shape. I own a lot of sneakers that fit me super well, but I’m always on the hunt for the next best pair to both glow up my closet and keep my feet healthy and comfortable. My current obsession? New Balance’s 530 sneakers. 

The story of the New Balance 530

The New Balance 530 is recognized as one of the ultimate normcore shoes. I’m totally here for its “dad shoe” energy because such a stereotype signals to me that it's a functional, comfy style that also has sartorial versatility. The chunky style dropped in 1992 and was originally designed as a running shoe before reaching “it shoe” status. 

If you’re a chronic social media scroller, you know these are a fashion blogger staple. I was inspired to look into the New Balance 530 more after seeing them paired with amazing fits all over Pinterest. It’s safe to say I’ve been influenced. 

Why I love the 530

I was immediately drawn to these shoes when I saw them. Their mesh body is overlaid with synthetic metallic, suede, or colorful material depending on the colorway, with pops of color at the interior, back, and tongue. I’m a big fan of the thin laces that make them look modern and unisex but still offer a nice, snug fit. 

Their stylish silhouette sits on New Balance’s iconic pillow-soft ABZORB midsole that does exactly what it sounds like— I notice a delightful, springy bounce-back while wearing these. Most importantly, I never experience any bunion pain while wearing these for hours at a time. They don’t come in wide sizing, but I find their standard fit isn’t too narrow for my feet—hallelujah. 

It’s important to note that 530s do run big. I’m usually a women’s size six but needed to go down a half-size for an optimal fit. Because this style is unisex, make sure to check the size guide before copping a pair of these bad boys.

On to the “dad shoe” vibe—to reiterate, they’re visually versatile and look good with everything, from my typical lounge-about attire to my going-out statement pieces like wide-leg leather pants. I love the normcore look, so these have been getting a lot of wear. I currently have the metallic silver and mint green colorway, although they’re unfortunately sold out right now. But, there are still many striking color combinations in stock, including “white and blue oasis,” “moonbeam with sea salt,” and “rain cloud with shadow gray.”

I wouldn’t normally wear these to run, but I was super curious how they’d perform in a running setting, given that was their original purpose. I took them for a spin and while they are comfy, I personally need a more technical running shoe with extra frills for that purpose. As an everyday shoe, I find them to be supportive for my feet, but I need a thicker sole to sustain my high mileage and constant pounding of the pavement. I’ve also had recurring knee injuries, so I need to be extra careful about my running shoes. They’re best suited as walking shoes for everyday meandering and exploring; plus, if you’re going to be wearing them in streetwear fits, you probably don’t want to beat them up with long runs.

TL;DR: The New Balance 530 is god's gift to the normcore sneaker community. It’s a cozy, multipurpose, unisex shoe that has become a staple among a variety of audiences thanks to its endless versatility, comfort, and classic appeal. Fashion bloggers may love them, but my dad also wants a pair, and that says a lot about how practical and comfortable they are for everyday use. Daddy knows best (sorry). 

Purchase the 530 sneakers on New Balance’s website.

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TokyoTreat’s new springtime Sakura box features a bunch of sakura-themed snacks (especially cookies, according to TokyoTreat). And in a move that feels like the ultimate Christmas x Halloween collab—Christmas because you get presents, and Halloween because there’s candy involved, obviously—the company is offering multiple free Kit Kat packages when you sign up. Like, bro, we get it: You’re known far and wide (in your neighborhood) because you’re willing to drive out to the international supermarket in the suburbs to get the good Kit Kats and Lay’s flavors. But if you really want to be delivered to the sugary promised land you deserve, order from TokyoTreat and be gifted seemingly magical Kit Kat flavors like “Sugar Butter Tree,” “Tokyo Banana,” and “Dark Chocolate Kit Kat.” Take that, international supermarket!

To claim your free Kit Kats, use the code KITKAT24 when you check out, and act (sort of) quickly, because the offer ends March 15. So if you’re trying to upgrade your Oscars party snack game, you’d better order right now!

Learn more about TokyoTreat’s curated snack boxes (and use the promo code KITKAT24 to get free Kit Kats) here.

The Rec Room staff independently selected all of the stuff featured in this story. Want more reviews, recommendations, and red-hot deals? Sign up for our newsletter.

It might be harder to stay objective as the moon in Leo clashes with Jupiter in Taurus at 4:39 AM, reminding us to check our egos and the facts. We’re feeling highly expressive and attracted to abstract ideas as the moon squares off with Uranus in Taurus at 11:18 PM. Friends could have fun and quirky things to share with us now!

All times ET.

Read your monthly horoscope for February!

Stay in the cosmic loop with the VICE horoscopes newsletter. Get horoscopes straight to your inbox when you sign up here!

Aries: March 19, 2024 - April 19, 2024

Acceptance of the past and determination for the future arise as Venus, the planet of love and harmony, meets your planetary ruler Mars in Aquarius. A strong connection with your community can give you courage and willpower to see your dreams through and fight for the people and causes you share spiritual ties with.

Taurus: April 19, 2024 - May 20, 2024

You’re claiming victories with grace as Venus and Mars meet in Aquarius. Collaborative efforts and shared successes are up for celebration, and people can feel magnetically attracted to your work (or to your image) as your chart’s place of career and public reputation is activated.

Gemini: May 20, 2024 - June 20, 2024

A change in social status could take place as Venus and Mars meet in Aquarius. A foreign romance may lead to serious commitments or promises could be made (perhaps vows exchanged) within long-distance relationships. Exciting milestones may be reached in your career and you might accept a new designation as rites of passage are completed. An alignment with counter cultural views can inspire you to carry yourself differently, perhaps in a more dignified manner.

Cancer: June 20, 2024 - July 22, 2024

Give-and-take dynamics could be on your mind as Venus, the planet of harmony and prosperity, meets with goal-driven Mars in Aquarius. Discussions and research about inheritances or the history of dowries might come up as you explore cultural ideals that may influence your perspectives about partnerships and shared resources.

Leo: July 22, 2024 - August 22, 2024

Things are getting hot in your partnerships as Venus, the planet of love and pleasure, merges with eager Mars in Aquarius today. Intimate information and shows of commitment could be shared, bringing you closer to your significant others.

Virgo: August 22, 2024 - September 22, 2024

You might find your daily pace and work ambition matched with a partner’s as Venus, the planet of peace and harmony, meets action planet Mars in Aquarius. It’s easier to get on the same page with others; cooperation and mutual commitment to higher standards are unfolding.

Libra: September 22, 2024 - October 22, 2024

You're expressing yourself in dynamic ways, and life feels romantic (even the mundane aspects of it) as your planetary ruler, Venus, merges with action planet Mars in Aquarius. You might be getting in touch with your sexuality, claiming it, and finding healing in doing so.

Scorpio: October 22, 2024 - November 21, 2024

Your sense of pleasure and comfort is redefined as Venus, the planet of love and peace, merges with your planetary ruler Mars in Aquarius, inviting you to pursue your honest desires and heal your inner child. Pro tip: This might involve releasing shame and giving yourself permission to enjoy yourself in ways you were forbidden from in the past.

Sagittarius: November 21, 2024 - December 21, 2024

You’re able to win people over with convincing ideas as Venus, the planet of eloquence and harmony, meets determined Mars in Aquarius. Language barriers could be transcended through an energetic understanding and you might find your learning curve flattened under this transit. Make a note that this is an opportune time to extend an olive branch to siblings or other family members you might need to make peace with.

Capricorn: December 21, 2023 - January 20, 2024

You’re getting clear on what you want, what you need, and what is rightfully yours as Venus, the planet of abundance and harmony, meets independence-seeking Mars in Aquarius. You’re communicating your sense of self-worth with authority and poise, and you might realize just what you need to say or do to ensure you’re compensated fairly. It could be a good day for a job interview.

Aquarius: January 20, 2024 - February 18, 2024

You’re giving off dynamic and charismatic vibes as Venus, the planet of love and beauty, meets independence-seeking Mars in Aquarius. You’re able to attract what you desire today and your focus could be on the relationships, health goals, and material aspirations that bring you greater stability.

Pisces:  February 18, 2024 - March 19, 2024

You might be met with some revelations as the merge between Venus and Mars in Aquarius finds you doing some soul-searching. Give yourself time to reflect in solitude and you may notice a sense of mental fortitude arising, waiting for you to claim that about yourself. Private intimate connections can also take place and you might be contemplating your sexual identity or the way you prefer to express the complexities within you.

I was back at square one with no real clue (or big budget) for what I needed, but I had accepted the fact that whatever I ended up with would probably be of “meh” quality, let alone design. Then the all-knowing TikTok algorithm did what it does best, and delivered me to audiophile heaven with the viral Koss Porta Pros:  

The chemistry was instant—specifically with the beige, retro-style Porta Pros that have helped push the headphones to their viral status. Not only do they continually sell out on both Amazon and the Koss website, but they’ve amassed over 17.7 million views under the #kossportapros hashtag on TikTok. (You may have also spotted these vibey babies on the cover of Caroline Polachek’s Desire, I Want to Turn Into You as well as her recent Everasking Edition re-release.)

Naturally, I was curious about how they perform. They have a 4.5-star average rating from over 1,700 reviews on Amazon, with the majority being glowing treatises on the terrific sound quality, low price, and spot-on 80s/90s aesthetic. As one reviewer said, “I almost cried tears of joy, and maybe part of that is with the presentation. These really deliver.” When the glorious day came for the beige edition restock—yes, these puppies are frequently sold-out—I smashed that order button and set out to see if they were really worth the hype. 

First impressions

First, a few juicy deets on Koss: the American audio gear company was founded in Milwaukee in 1958, and actually invented the world’s first SP/3 Stereophone that same year. It’s also a service-based company—rare these days—which means that if you need repairs or parts for your electronics, the Koss team is there to help you. Even if your model is discontinued, they can hook you up if you dial 1-800-USA-KOSS. Cute and helpful. 

This thoughtfulness was clear in both the packaging and design of my sweet little Porta Pros, which comes with a soft pouch as well as a hard-shelled case. The headphones themselves will also fold up and hook together:

Photo by Author

And these headphones are light. As in, a brioche bun would carry more weight. I felt like I was wearing a cotton candy crown when I finally tried them on, and stepped out into the city to see if they could compete with the kerfuffle of a Bushwick weekend, which is a soundscape of… many things. 

What was rad

“Good god, Francky,” is usually what my editor says when I come into the office with my tangled-up earbuds, looking like a weathered telephone pole. But the day I wore my Porta Pros to work, I felt Linda Hamilton-cool. I looked like I knew how to drive a stick shift, and had opinions about TR-808 drum machines. They also took my typical white T-shirt and raver pants outfit combo to the next level: 

Photo by Author

In terms of specs, these Porta Pros have a lot of hidden features. There’s an inline microphone, remote and attenuating volume control, and a little slidey thingy on the outside of the earphone for you to adjust the firmness of the fit. As a spineless jellyfish, I like them to sit on my head with just a bit of tension. There’s also a pause/play button on the inline microphone attachment that will skip to the next track if you press twice quickly, and the part where you attach your dongle for iPhone listening is slightly angled for more ergonomic use.

Expect a crisp, clear sound with solid bass that hits just right without feeling overwhelming. Given their appearance, it makes sense that they have a bit of an analog terroir to their sound. Prior to purchase, I read a lot of Amazon reviews saying that while the classic Porta Pros sound good, this beige, limited-edition set sounds even better. As one Amazon audiophile writes, “I've done direct A-B comparisons between the two […] and found that they sound more lively, more dynamic, and more three-dimensional. [The] bass punches harder and there's more air [and] sparkle in the treble.” After testing out the re-trending Hounds Of Love album and its muah blend of synth and piano, I wholeheartedly agree.

The sound will leak a bit if you blast The Prodigy or 10 hours of bagpipes, but for the most part, I never worry about others hearing my music—and if I ever do, I can immediately turn down the volume with the little slider on the cable. They’ve pretty much become my on-the-go personality at this point, and I can’t wait to start switching up the earpads, too: 

What was tricky

Wait… exactly how do these sit on my head? was an initial thought when I unboxed my Porta Pros. I’m not alone, as evidenced by Reddit users who say things such as “mandible bones” in threads titled “how the hell do I wear my porta pros??” I’ve seen people wear them both ways on TikTok, which is probably a testament to how comfortable they are, but the correct way to wear them is demonstrated clearly on the Koss website. 

TL; DR

These are a no-brainer purchase for those looking for an affordable, over-the-ear option that also has plenty of aesthetic swag, and this is the first pair of headphones I’ve actually been excited about wearing every day. As someone who dislikes earbuds—but doesn’t want chonky headphones to lug around during my daily commute—the lightweight and easily foldable frame is perfection.

The Porta Pros are worth the hype for the very accessible price (and especially the 80s nostalgia). They might not be the most tech-forward pic for serious audiophiles (no noise cancellation here), but the sound is clear and bright, with solid bass that never gets womp-womp overwhelming, and the often sold-out, retro beige edition will be a real feather in your collector’s cap. Not only do they make me feel like an off-duty bounty hunter in a Terminator movie, but they make every outfit I wear just a little bit cooler. From the rave to the grave, I love my Porta Pros. 

Koss Porta Pro headphones are available on Amazon and at Koss.com.   

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Now, researchers from Princeton University and its Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory have developed an AI model that could solve that last problem. This model predicts, and then figures out how to avoid, plasma becoming unstable and escaping the strong magnetic fields that hold it inside certain donut-shaped reactors. They published their findings Wednesday in the journal Nature.

Donut-shaped tokamak reactors rely on magnets to squeeze plasma particles close together and keep them constantly spinning around a ring, creating a lasting fusion reaction. They’re one of the front-runners in designs for a practical fusion reactor. But if there’s one little disruption to the magnetic field lines running through the plasma, the delicate balance keeping it all contained gets out of whack: The plasma escapes the magnets’ clutches and the reaction ends. 

Chijin Xiao, a plasma physicist at the University of Saskatchewan who wasn’t involved in the study, explained that these instabilities can lead to catastrophic consequences. “When the plasma stops operating, there are several risks: one is that all the energy stored in the plasma is going to be released as thermal energy and may damage the wall of the reactor," she said. "More importantly, a sudden change in the [magnetic] current can introduce a great deal of force on the reactor that can really destroy the device."

Xiao added that one of the biggest tokamak reactors around today, ITER in France, is only designed to withstand a few of these plasma disruptions before the whole machine has to be repaired—a huge expense. The goal is to catch instabilities while they’re small and intervene.

The Princeton lab’s model can predict so-called tearing mode instabilities 300 milliseconds before they happen. It doesn’t sound like a lot of heads-up, but it’s enough time to get the plasma under control, their study shows.

Researchers tested the algorithm on a real reactor, the DIII-D National Fusion Facility in San Diego. They saw that their AI-based system could control the power being pumped into the reactor and the shape of the plasma to keep the swirling particles in check.

Co-author Azarakhsh Jalalvand said in a statement that the success of the AI model comes from the fact that it was trained on real data from previous fusion experiments, rather than theoretical physics models. 

“We don’t teach the reinforcement learning model all of the complex physics of a fusion reaction,” Jalalvand said. “We tell it what the goal is—to maintain a high-powered reaction—what to avoid—a tearing mode instability—and the knobs it can turn to achieve those outcomes. Over time, it learns the optimal pathway for achieving the goal of high power while avoiding the punishment of an instability.”

The study is significant, said co-author Jaemin Seo, because previous studies have only been able to suppress tearing instabilities after they happen. “Our approach allows us to predict and avoid those instabilities before they ever appear.”

But tearing mode instabilities are just one of the ways plasma can become unhinged. There are dozens of ways a glob of plasma can wobble, bend, or break apart: like a kinked garden hose, a fan, or even a sausage. 

Nevertheless, tearing instabilities are one of the biggest challenges on the way to boundless clean fusion energy. “Tearing mode instabilities are one of the major causes of plasma disruption, and they will become even more prominent as we try to run fusion reactions at the high powers required to produce enough energy,” said Seo. “They are an important challenge for us to solve.”

AI will play a large role in controlling and maintaining fusion reactions, Federico Felici, a physicist at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology who wasn’t involved in the study, told Live Science. “There's a huge potential to unleash AI to get better control and to figure out how to operate such devices in a more effective way.” Felici and his team previously created an AI model to shape the plasma ring inside the Variable Configuration Tokamak.

The authors of the latest study describe their work as proof-of-concept at this stage and write in their paper that it’s still very much in the early stages of fine-tuning. They are hopeful, however, that it could be fine-tuned and eventually applied to other reactors, also to optimize the reaction or harvest the energy from it. 

“Currently there’s experimental evidence to control those [plasma disruption] scenarios but those scenarios are so broad that with the current knowledge and data it’s still wait and see,” said Xiao.