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Thousands of *** civil servant jobs to leave London Thousands of *** civil servant jobs to leave London Joshua Nevett Political reporter PA Thousands of civil servants are to be moved out of London under plans to save money and shift government jobs to offices across the country. The government is aiming to cut the number of roles in London by 12,000 and close 11 offices in the capital to save £94m a year by 2032. The changes will see two new government campuses opened in Manchester and Aberdeen, and roles created in other towns and cities. Unions welcomed proposals to relocate officials but said they wanted more details on how civil servants would be impacted. Cabinet Office minister Pat McFadden said the government wanted to move decision-making “closer to communities all across the ***”. He said: “By relocating thousands of civil service roles we will not only save taxpayers money, we will make this government one that better reflects the country it serves.” Shadow Conservative Cabinet Office minister Alex Burghart said the plans showed Labour was “fundamentally unserious about reducing the size of the state and working more efficiently on behalf of taxpayers”. He accused Labour of “shuffling things around and making empty promises”. “Only the Conservatives are serious about reducing the size of the state and making it work more efficiently for British taxpayers,” he said. Government departments are being asked to submit their plans for relocating staff, including senior civil servants, as part of a spending review. A government source told the BBC the exact number of civil servants relocated will be determined by the spending review, which is due to be completed in June. The Labour government has set out a number of reforms to shrink the size of the civil service, which ministers believe is bloated and inefficient. Chancellor Rachel Reeves has promised to reduce government running costs by 15% by the end of the decade, and the Cabinet Office is looking to cut 2,100 jobs in its department over the next two years. The number of civil service staff has increased considerably since 2016, with the headcount topping 514,000 at the end of last year, according to the Institute for Government. Last year, a government source told the BBC more than 10,000 civil servants jobs could be cut as part of Labour’s push for savings across all departments. Regional campuses On Wednesday, the government will outline plans to locate 50% of ***-based senior civil servants in regional offices by 2030. The government wants to create three new regional campuses, one in Manchester focused on digital innovation and AI and a second in Aberdeen focused on energy. The third location is yet to be announced. Manchester is already home to major offices of the science and culture departments, while Aberdeen houses the new Great British Energy headquarters. Other roles will be created in Birmingham, Leeds, Cardiff, Glasgow, Darlington, Newcastle and Tyneside, Sheffield, Bristol, Edinburgh, Belfast and York, with the changes expected to bring £729m to the local economy by 2030. Among the offices being closed in London is 102 Petty France, one of the largest government offices in the capital and home to around 7,000 civil servants in the Ministry of Justice, HM Courts and Tribunal Service, Crown Prosecution Service and the Government Legal Department. The Government will also close 39 Victoria Street, which has been home to the Department of Health and Social Care since the end of 2017. Prospect union general secretary Mike Clancy said hundreds of thousands of civil servants already work outside of London and welcomed plans to “empower” them. But he added: “We have been here before with similar announcements, if this one is to be different, government needs to work closely with unions both on specific relocation plans and on the wider civil service reform agenda.” Dave Penman, general secretary of the FDA union, said civil servants “need to be able to build careers for the longer-term across the ***, including in London where there will now be fewer opportunities”. Penman said Wednesday’s announcement meant “uncertainty” for “civil servants working in offices whose closures have been announced today” and the FDA looked forward to seeing more detail. Source link #Thousands #civil #servant #jobs #leave #London Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Ex-Uruguayuan leader and rebel icon Jose Mujica dies Ex-Uruguayuan leader and rebel icon Jose Mujica dies Jose Mujica, a one-time guerrilla and later president of Uruguay who drove a beat-up VW Beetle and enacted progressive reforms that carried his reputation well beyond South America, has died aged 89. The straight-talking Mujica, known to many Uruguayans by his nickname “Pepe”, led the small farming country’s leftist government from 2010 to 2015 after convincing voters his radical past was a closed chapter. “It is with deep sorrow that we announce the death of our comrade Pepe Mujica,” President Yamandu Orsi said in a post on X. “Thank you for everything you gave us and for your deep love for your people.” As president, Mujica adopted what was then a pioneering liberal stance on issues related to civil liberties. He signed a law allowing gay marriage and abortions in early pregnancy, and backed a proposal to legalise ********** sales. The gay marriage and abortion measures were a big shift for Catholic Latin America, and the move on ********** was at the time almost unprecedented worldwide. Regional leaders, including leftist presidents in Brazil, Chile and Mexico, mourned Mujica’s passing and praised his example. “He defended democracy like few others. And he never stopped advocating for social justice and the end of all inequalities,” said Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Mujica’s “greatness transcended the borders of Uruguay and his presidential term”, he added. During his term in office, Mujica refused to move to the presidential residence, choosing to stay in his modest home where he kept a small flower farm in a suburb of Montevideo, the capital. Shunning a formal suit and tie, it was common to see him driving around in his Beetle or eating at downtown restaurants where office workers had lunch. Mujica was 74 when he became president. He was elected with 52 per cent of the vote, despite some voters’ concerns about his age and his past as one of the leaders of the Tupamaros rebel group in the 1960s and 1970s. Lucia Topolansky was Mujica’s long-term partner, dating back to their days in the Tupamaros. The couple married in 2005, and she served as vice president from 2017-2020. Jose Mujica’s birth certificate recorded him as born in 1935, although he claimed there was an error and that he was actually born a year earlier. He once described his upbringing as “dignified poverty”. In the late 1960s, he joined the Marxist Tupamaros guerrilla movement, which sought to weaken Uruguay’s conservative government through robberies, political kidnappings and bombings. Mujica later said that he had never killed anyone but was involved in several violent clashes with police and soldiers and was once shot six times. Uruguay’s security forces gained the upper hand over the Tupamaros by the time the military swept to power in a 1973 coup, marking the start of a 12-year dictatorship in which about 200 people were kidnapped and killed. Thousands more were jailed and tortured. Mujica spent almost 15 years behind bars, many in solitary confinement, lying at the bottom of an old horse trough with only ants for company. He managed to escape twice, once by tunnelling into a nearby house. His biggest “vice” as he approached 90, he later said, was talking to himself, alluding to his time in isolation. When democracy was restored to the farming country of roughly three million people in 1985, Mujica was released and returned to politics, gradually becoming a prominent figure on the left. He served as agriculture minister in the centre-left coalition of his predecessor, President Tabaré Vázquez, who would go on to succeed him from 2015 to 2020. Mujica’s support base was on the left, but he maintained a fluid dialogue with opponents within the centre-right, inviting them to traditional barbecues at his home. “We can’t pretend to agree on everything. We have to agree with what there is, not with what we like,” he said. Source link #ExUruguayuan #leader #rebel #icon #Jose #Mujica #dies Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Why Super Micro Computer, Inc. (SMCI) Skyrocketed On Tuesday Why Super Micro Computer, Inc. (SMCI) Skyrocketed On Tuesday We recently published a list of 10 Firms Crushing the Market. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Super Micro Computer, Inc. (NASDAQ:SMCI) stands against other firms that are crushing the market. The stock market finished the trading day on a mixed note, as investors continued to digest April inflation figures, which came out lower than expected. On Tuesday, the Labor Department reported that the Consumer Price Index for April rose by only 0.2 percent last month, bringing the annual inflation rate to 2.3 percent, its lowest annual rate since February 2021. Among Wall Street’s main indices, only the S&P 500 and the tech-heavy Nasdaq registered gains, by 0.72 percent and 1.61 percent, respectively. The Dow Jones, on the other hand, was down by 0.64 percent. Beyond the major indices, 10 companies finished the session with strong gains amid a flurry of positive developments, including ratings upgrades and impressive corporate earnings, among others. In this article, we name Tuesday’s 10 top performers and detail the reasons behind their rally. To come up with the list, we considered only the stocks with a $2-billion market capitalization and $5-million trading volume. Why Super Micro Computer, Inc. (SMCI) Skyrocketed On Tuesday A team of technicians in a server room, testing and managing the newest server solutions. Super Micro Computer surged by 16.02 percent on Tuesday to end at $38.89 apiece after investment firm Raymond James Financial Inc. gave the company a bullish outlook and a higher price target. On Monday, Raymond James said it initiated coverage of Super Micro Computer, Inc. (NASDAQ:SMCI) and gave the latter an “outperform” rating with a price target of $41, an upside of 5.42 percent from the company’s latest closing price. According to the investment firm, Super Micro Computer, Inc. (NASDAQ:SMCI) carved out a solid spot in the AI race, with a 9 percent market share in a $145-billion market. In the third quarter ending March 31, 2025, Super Micro Computer, Inc. (NASDAQ:SMCI) recorded a 73-percent drop in net income at $108 million versus $402 million in the same ******* last year. Net sales, however, increased by 19 percent to $4.599 billion from $3.850 billion year-on-year. Overall, SMCI ranks 6th on our list of firms that are crushing the market. While we acknowledge the potential of SMCI as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter time frame. There is an AI stock that went up since the beginning of 2025, while popular AI stocks lost around 25%. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than SMCI but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about this cheapest AI stock. Source link #Super #Micro #Computer #SMCI #Skyrocketed #Tuesday Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

OBITUARY Jose Mujica, Uruguay's former leader, rebel icon and cannabis reformer, dead at 89 – Reuters OBITUARY Jose Mujica, Uruguay's former leader, rebel icon and cannabis reformer, dead at 89 – Reuters OBITUARY Jose Mujica, Uruguay’s former leader, rebel icon and cannabis reformer, dead at 89 ReutersUruguay’s José Mujica, world’s ‘poorest president’, dies BBCJosé Mujica, Leftist President of Uruguay Known for Humility, Dies at 89 The New York TimesThe life and career of José Mujica, in images | Fotos | International EL PAÍS EnglishUruguay’s ex-President José Mujica, nicknamed ‘world’s poorest president,’ dies at 89 NPR Source link #OBITUARY #Jose #Mujica #Uruguay039s #leader #rebel #icon #cannabis #reformer #dead #Reuters Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Contractor NRW halts trading to suss out Whyalla Port claims amid ownership fight Contractor NRW halts trading to suss out Whyalla Port claims amid ownership fight NRW has ducked into a trading halt while assesses new legislation that could threaten security the contractor holds over assets locked up in the collapse of the Whyalla Steelworks in South Australia. Source link #Contractor #NRW #halts #trading #suss #Whyalla #Port #claims #ownership #fight Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump signs $600 billion Saudi investment deal Trump signs $600 billion Saudi investment deal Trump signs $600 billion Saudi investment deal Source link #Trump #signs #billion #Saudi #investment #deal Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Tame CPI in April banishes stagflation threat for now Tame CPI in April banishes stagflation threat for now People shop at a grocery store in Brooklyn on May 13, 2025 in New York City. Spencer Platt | Getty Images The U.S. Federal Reserve at its May 7 meeting warned that America is facing an increased risk of stagflation — a scenario in which the economy slows or contracts while inflation shoots up — because of hefty tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump from April 2. Inflation data released Tuesday, however, showed that prices haven’t grown hotter yet. In fact, the annual reading came in lower than expected, and the core figure, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, was also less than forecast for the month. Admittedly, the data only captures a month after Trump tariffs were introduced. The rush of imports in the beginning of the year — which was a big part of why U.S. gross domestic product fell in the first quarter — could have dampened price increases. Businesses might have also been swallowing the taxes. But with the pause of “reciprocal” tariffs, a trade deal with the U.K. and an agreement with China to temporarily slash three-digit duties — all of which will suppress price hikes and keep the American consumer, the bedrock of the U.S. economy, happy — the threat of stagflation seems to be diminished for now. What you need to know today Lowest annual inflation since 2021The U.S. consumer price index rose a seasonally adjusted 0.2% in April, putting the 12-month inflation rate at 2.3%, its lowest since February 2021, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said. Annual inflation was lower than the expected 2.4%. Core CPI also increased 0.2% for the month, while the year-over-year level was 2.8%. The forecast was for 0.3% and 2.8%, respectively. The S&P 500 is positive for the yearOn Tuesday, the S&P 500 rose 0.72%, putting it around 0.1% in the green for 2025. The Nasdaq Composite added 1.61%, lifted by Nvidia’s 5.6% jump on news that the company is sending 18,000 advanced chips to Saudi Arabia. However, the Dow Jones Industrial Average shed 0.64% after a nearly 18% drop in shares of UnitedHealth pressured the benchmark. The pan-European Stoxx 600 ticked up 0.12%. Trump lifts sanctions on SyriaU.S. President Donald Trump is in Saudi Arabia for the first diplomatic trip of his second term. At the U.S.-Saudi Investment Forum in Riyadh on Tuesday, Trump announced he will remove all sanctions on Syria. The country has been designated by the U.S. as a state sponsor of terrorism since 1979. Trump also announced at the same event that Saudi Arabia will be investing $600 billion in the U.S. in a series of deals. Microsoft is cutting 3% of its employeesMicrosoft on Tuesday said that it’s laying off 3% of employees across all levels, teams and geographies, affecting about 6,000 people. One objective is to reduce layers of management, a Microsoft spokesperson said in a statement to CNBC. The company reported better-than-expected results in late April, with $25.8 billion in quarterly net income, and an upbeat forecast. Shares of Coinbase jumpCoinbase shares soared 24%, their sharpest rally since Nov. 6, the day after Trump’s election victory. On Monday, S&P Global said in a release late Monday that Coinbase will replace Discover Financial Services in the S&P 500 before trading on May 19. Stocks added to the S&P 500 often rise in value because funds that track the benchmark will add it to their portfolios. [PRO] UBS Wealth downgrades U.S. stocksDespite the recent rally in the S&P because of promising signs that trade deals are being forged between the U.S. and its trading partners, UBS Wealth on Tuesday downgraded U.S. stocks, even as others on Wall Street are lifting their 2025 forecast for the S&P. And finally… GMC pickup trucks are displayed for ***** on a lot at a General Motors dealership on January 05, 2023 in Austin, Texas. Brandon Bell | Getty Images GM unveils new ‘groundbreaking’ EV battery tech, aims to be first to market General Motors expects to pioneer a new “groundbreaking” EV battery technology that the automaker says will reduce costs and boost profitability of its largest electric SUVs and trucks. GM is targeting the new batteries and chemistry inside them — called lithium manganese-rich prismatic battery cells — to be used in full-size electric vehicles such as its Chevrolet Silverado and Escalade IQ beginning in 2028. The new batteries use more-prevalent, less-expensive minerals like manganese instead of larger amounts of cobalt and nickel that are currently used in EV batteries from GM and other automakers. GM’s first-to-market expectations come after crosstown rival Ford Motor earlier this month announced its intention to launch what it similarly called “game-changing” LMR batteries before 2030. Source link #Tame #CPI #April #banishes #stagflation #threat Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

US tech firms Nvidia, AMD secure AI deals as Trump tours Gulf states – Reuters US tech firms Nvidia, AMD secure AI deals as Trump tours Gulf states – Reuters US tech firms Nvidia, AMD secure AI deals as Trump tours Gulf states ReutersU.S. hopes to strike deals on minerals, chips during Trump’s ******** trip The Washington PostNvidia sending 18,000 of its top AI chips to Saudi Arabia CNBCUS Weighs Letting UAE Buy Over a Million Advanced Nvidia Chips Bloomberg.comUS tech firms secure AI deals as Trump tours Gulf states The Guardian Source link #tech #firms #Nvidia #AMD #secure #deals #Trump #tours #Gulf #states #Reuters Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Joel Cauchi’s psychiatrist withdraws claim a ‘hatred for women’ fuelled his fatal rampage at Westfield Bondi Junction Joel Cauchi’s psychiatrist withdraws claim a ‘hatred for women’ fuelled his fatal rampage at Westfield Bondi Junction A psychiatrist who completely took killer Joel Cauchi off his schizophrenia medication and claimed a “hatred for women” fuelled his fatal rampage at Westfield Bondi Junction has withdrawn the claim. Cauchi was diagnosed with schizophrenia in 2001 at 17 years old and medicated for nearly two decades to treat the condition. Camera IconJoel Cauchi was diagnosed with schizophrenia when he was 17. Supplied. Credit: Supplied Evidence suggested he had treatment resistant schizophrenia as he was put on clozapine after unsuccessfully trialling two other antipsychotic medications. The court was also told his private Toowoomba psychiatrist of about eight years, known as Dr A, had not sought a second opinion when deciding to take Cauchi off clozapine entirely in 2018, despite doing so when she had began to gradually reduce his dose in 2015 after Cauchi complained of oversedation. He had also taken abilify to treat obsessive compulsive disorder until he was taken off it in June of 2019. Cauchi killed Dawn Singleton, Yixuan Cheng, Faraz Ahmed Tahir, Ashlee Good, ***** Young and Pikria Darchia after a stabbing rampage at Westfield Bondi Junction on April 13, 2024. He stabbed a further 10 people, and was shot dead by Inspector Amy Scott. Camera IconJade Young died in the fatal attack on April 13, 2024. Supplied. Credit: SuppliedCamera IconAshlee Good, Westfield Bondi Junction stabbing victim. Supplied. Credit: Supplied His private psychiatrist of about eight years, known as Dr A, endured a full day of questioning by counsel assisting the coroner Peggy Dwyer SC on Tuesday, with Ms Dwyer often needing to remind Dr A to not interject and listen to the questions being asked. She claimed Cauchi’s rampage had “nothing to do with psychosis” and may have been “due to his frustrations, ******* frustrations, ************, and hatred towards women” despite an expert psychiatric panel finding he was suffering psychosis and previous evidence Cauchi wasn’t targeting women. Dr A was questioned by high profile lawyer Sue Chrysanthou on behalf of some of the families of the victims on Wednesday. Ms Chrysanthou said Dr A’s evidence on Tuesday was contrary to expert evidence and had “caused great distress” to her clients. “I’m entitled to put to her that the evidence she gave yesterday was dishonest, because it was shocking evidence to me and my clients, and I’m entitled to raise it,” Ms Chrysanthou told the court. “She has said today she shouldn’t have said that, it was conjecture,” NSW state coroner Magistrate Teresa O’Sullivan. “Do you agree that what you said yesterday about Joel being organised in the way he carried out that attack, you should not have said?” “It was a conjecture on my part,” Dr A replied. “Do u withdraw it?” Ms Chrysanthou asked. “Yes.” Camera IconSecurity guard Faraz Tahir was also killed. Credit: Supplied Dr A earlier denied suggestions she couldn’t accept Cauchi was psychotic on the day of the attack because she didn’t “want to accept yourself the failings in your care of Joel”. “I did not fail in my care of Joel … I have no error on my behalf,” Dr A responded. Dr earlier denied Cauchi had experienced psychosis at all after he was unmedicated despite his mother raising concerns of her son’s declining mental health on at least seven occasions between October 2019 and February 2020 over the phone, via email, and in person. Camera IconDawn Singleton was Cauchi’s first and youngest victim. Supplied. Credit: SuppliedCamera IconPikria Darchia, Westfield Bondi Junction stabbing victim. Supplied Credit: Supplied This included reports Cauchi had left notes suggesting he was under “satanic control” and suspicions from Mrs Cauchi he may have been hearing voices. The court was told multiple times Cauchi may not have been able to report signs of a schizophrenic relapse as he may not realise he was experiencing them, with it understood his family were well placed to flag such concerns. Dr A accepted the behaviour changes reported by Mrs Cauchi made her “very concerned” but that his mother “is not a psychiatrist”. Cauchi was ultimately prescribed abilify in November 2019 out of caution following Mrs Cauchi’s concerns, however he did not fill the script. Dr A told the court this “wasn’t even necessary” in hindsight, claiming Cauchi was simply concerned he’d contracted an STD following a risky ******* encounter at a licensed ******** and “wasn’t psychotic” during this *******. mental health support Source link #Joel #Cauchis #psychiatrist #withdraws #claim #hatred #women #fuelled #fatal #rampage #Westfield #Bondi #Junction Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

ICE says it deported more than 500 people in the Houston area in one week ICE says it deported more than 500 people in the Houston area in one week The U.S. Department of Homeland Security on Tuesday said it has deported more than 500 people and arrested more than 400 suspected undocumented immigrants as part of a weeklong operation in the Houston area. “This initiative will save taxpayers millions of dollars each year by significantly reducing the time that aliens who have exhausted due process and been ordered removed from the U.S. need to be in ICE custody,” said Immigration and Customs Enforcement Houston Field Office Director Bret Bradford. The Department of Homeland Security didn’t list the type of crimes the people were convicted of or the type of immigration violations they are accused of. But it did highlight five cases of immigrants who were arrested, including two with ********* convictions and one convicted of ******* exploitation of a minor. It’s unclear whether this is the largest ICE operation in Texas under the Trump administration. The federal government doesn’t publicly release data on arrests or removals consistently. However, according to the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse — also known as TRAC — a nonprofit organization that maintains and analyzes data it gets through public records requests, the daily average of arrests nationwide from Jan. 26 to March 8 was 812. From Jan. 26 to March 8, the national daily average of removals was 661, an 11% drop from the daily average during the Biden administration, according to TRAC. “While initially, daily numbers of ICE arrests were posted on social media, this practice stopped when arrest numbers began to fall,” according to a report by TRAC. The arrests and deportations come as a result of a multi-agency operation that included U.S. Customs and Border Protection; the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Diplomatic Security Service; the FBI; the U.S. Marshals Service; and the Texas Department of Public Safety. “This operation underscores the vital importance of collaboration across federal, state, and local agencies in protecting our communities,” said ATF Houston Special Agent in Charge Michael Weddel. “By working together, we were able to identify and remove individuals who posed a clear threat to public safety. Our unified efforts send a strong message: dangerous criminal aliens will be held accountable, and public safety remains our top priority.” Vanessa Cárdenas, executive director of America’s Voice, a national advocacy group, decried the Trump administration’s efforts to paint immigrants as criminals. “This administration will have you believe that every immigrant in America is out to harm us, but that is far from the reality,” she said in a statement. “The vast majority of immigrants are here because they believe in the best of America and they are here making meaningful contributions.” First round of TribFest speakers announced! Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Maureen Dowd; U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-San Antonio; Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker; U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff, D-California; and U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Dallas are taking the stage Nov. 13–15 in Austin. Get your tickets today! Source link #ICE #deported #people #Houston #area #week Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Menendez brothers: Judge agrees to resentencing over 1989 murders – BBC Menendez brothers: Judge agrees to resentencing over 1989 murders – BBC Menendez brothers: Judge agrees to resentencing over 1989 murders BBCJudge resentences Erik and Lyle Menendez to 50 years to life KTLAErik and Lyle Menendez can be resentenced, judge rules CNNMenendez brothers’ long-awaited resentencing hearing underway; cousin pleads with judge to free them ABC7 Los AngelesLyle and Erik Menendez eligible for parole after judge supports resentencing NBC Los Angeles Source link #Menendez #brothers #Judge #agrees #resentencing #murders #BBC Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Outrage as group of ‘tinnie rats’ destroy boat on Gold Coast Outrage as group of ‘tinnie rats’ destroy boat on Gold Coast Boat owners are furious after their sailing boat was sunk by a group of youths on tinnies and jetskis on a popular Queensland waterway. Noe Chambon and Daniel Cooke purchased a 10m sailboat about five months ago that was stationed on the Coomera River, a popular waterway on the Gold Coast. Camera IconA sailing boat was sunk by a group of youths. Nine. Credit: Channel 9 However, while Mr Chambon was overseas, a group of youths who refer to themselves as “tinnie rats” sank their beloved boat. The tinnie rats frequently drive jetskis and tinnie boats erratically and dangerously, filming themselves in the process and sharing clips online. Mr Chambon’s partner Zali and Mr Cooke discovered a young man sitting on the partially submerged sailboat while filming another on a tinnie. He told the pair the boat was sunk by “like 15 people” who filmed the entire incident and uploaded it on social media. Camera IconThe so-called ‘tinnie rats’ film themselves performing dangerous stunts on jetskis and tinnie boats Nine. Credit: Channel 9Camera IconThe group of youths caused significant damage to the sailboat after dragging it by the mast on a jetski. Nine. Credit: Channel 9 “They showed us all the videos of it being towed (and) lots of people standing on it,” Zali told A Current Affair. The video showed a ****** and yellow jetski towing the sailboat by its mast, tipping it to the side and dragging it into the water. Camera IconThe boat was dragged by its mast and tipped on its side. Nine. Credit: Channel 9 According to the owners, the boat’s hatch was damaged, and a hose connected to an opening below water level was disconnected. The owners estimate it would cost them $60,000 to $80,000 to repair the boat. Camera IconThe boat continues to fill with water. Nine Credit: Channel 9 While the boat has since been recovered, the owners have to return a few times a week to remove the water build-up, which causes it to sink further. The owners have managed to learn the identities of two people believed to be involved in the incident but have urged for more to be done to stop it from happening in the future. ”If you’re going around on your own little boat, stealing and sinking boats, I don’t think you should ever have a boat licence again,” Mr Cooke said. It is not known whether the boat owners will pursue charges. NewsWire has contacted Queensland Police for comment. Source link #Outrage #group #tinnie #rats #destroy #boat #Gold #Coast Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

House ethics watchdog now open for business House ethics watchdog now open for business The House’s outside ethics watchdog will soon be able to begin investigating lawmakers after the longest ******* of dormancy in its 17-year history. The Office of Congressional Conduct — which vets misconduct allegations against lawmakers then sends findings to the House Ethics Committee, which can recommend potential formal action — has been effectively shuttered since the start of the 119th Congress as it awaited the appointment of board members. But on Tuesday afternoon, the House clerk read aloud the names of those four members from the chamber floor, permitting the office to make moves toward resuming normal operations once again. Karen Haas, a former House clerk, will serve as board chair; ex-Minnesota Democratic Rep. Bill Luther will serve as board co-chair. Another former House clerk, Lorraine Miller, alongside former Georgia GOP Rep. Lynn Westmoreland, will also hold seats. It follows drawn-out pleading by good government organizations and a personal appeal earlier this month from a group of House Democrats who directly asked Speaker Mike Johnson to appoint members to the board. “Ensuring OCC can operate effectively should not be a partisan issue,” wrote Rep. Chris Pappas (D-N.H.) and seven colleagues. It’s not currently clear what the hold-up was about, though House GOP leadership made early moves to suggest it was seeking to slow-walk the OCC’s ability to get up and running. The rules package at the start of this Congress included language that changed the name of the body and required the board to meet to formally appoint the staff, essentially stalling its ability to resume operations. Former GOP Rep. Porter Goss, who helped create the office in 2008, said he believed the inaction in forming OCC’s board for the new Congress might have been intended to quietly kill it altogether. A spokesperson for Johnson did not respond to an inquiry about the reason for the delay. In any event, with the board’s reappointment — all four members served last year, too — the OCC now has its work cut out for it. Staffers will soon face a mountain of cases that have accumulated during the OCC’s months of relative inactivity. The absence of a board forced the agency to sit almost entirely idle: While it could continue to gather freely-accessible information to develop cases, it lacked the ability to open any investigations without a formal governing body. Beyond reviewing complaints against lawmakers, the inaction from House leadership in appointing a board for the new Congress also prevented OCC from formally changing its name on some official materials — as was required in the Rules package for this Congress — and from releasing reports on its activities. Launched in 2008 by then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the OCC was a response to a series of ethics scandals roiling Capitol Hill at that time, including the high-profile bribery charges against the notorious lobbyist Jack Abramoff. Whereas the House Ethics Committee’s operations are shrouded in secrecy, the OCC was set up to receive complaints from the outside public about any House member. The independent, nonpartisan body could then investigate the matter and turn over credible allegations to the bipartisan Ethics panel made up of House members evenly divided between the two parties. Goss said he, Pelosi and others proponents of the OCC believed that public-shaming could compel good behavior: Whereas the OCC is governed by a board of private citizens, the House Ethics Committee is a panel of members who adjudicate cases against their peers. And while the Ethics Committee is notoriously quiet, OCC is public-facing. “The idea was that this would take the pressure” off the Ethics Committee, Goss said. The House also took months to reappoint members to its Ethics Committee in the longest delay in recent history. It followed the tumultuous circumstances surrounding the release of the report into former Rep. Matt Gaetz, accused of illicit drug use and paying a minor for sex. But many lawmakers revile the OCC, regarding it as a politically-motivated operation unfit to oversee the activities of the House. Shortly after Trump’s first election, lawmakers sought to kneecap the office altogether. Former Rep. Gregg Harper (R-Miss.), who as a member of Congress served on the Ethics Committee, has since leaving office represented people with cases pending before the OCC and said in an interview he would advise future clients to not cooperate with the office’s requests. He called it a “gotcha organization” with little usefulness to the House and said it was time to shut it down to save taxpayer dollars. One current House member, who requested anonymity to discuss sensitive matters around Congressional ethical concerns, argued that the OCC was a partisan entity that would take up just about any complaint — and that, despite the headaches the body creates, it has no real power in how the House Ethics Committee adjudicates complaints. In the meantime, polls have found public trust in the federal government, particularly trust in Congress, to be exceptionally low. Good governance activists argue that the OCC is a key tool in restoring that trust and bemoaned the delays in reconstituting the office. Aaron Scherb, a lobbyist for the progressive group Common Cause, cited concerns about “misconduct just being swept under the rug” in the OCC’s absence. “As we’ve seen, the House Ethics Committee is extremely lacking in its investigations, and so the OCC has in some cases helped spur or kind of helped catalyze the House Ethics Committee to conduct more rigorous investigations,” Scherb said. A spokesperson for OCC declined to comment. Source link #House #ethics #watchdog #open #business Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

British teenager reported missing in Thailand is arrested in Georgia British teenager reported missing in Thailand is arrested in Georgia A British teenager who went missing while travelling in Thailand has been arrested in Georgia. Bella May Culley, 18, was last seen in Pattaya, a city in the east of the south-east Asian country. But on Tuesday, it was revealed she had been arrested thousands of miles away in the west Asian country of Georgia, in the Caucasus region. Cleveland Police said authorities in Georgia had told the force she had been arrested there on suspicion of drugs offences and is in custody. The family of the teenager, who is from Billingham, Co Durham, had earlier appealed to the public for any information about her whereabouts. Lyanne Kennedy, Ms Culley’s mother, said her daughter had travelled around the Philippines in April before flying to Thailand on May 3. Bella May Culley had sent out several snaps of her trip to the Far East Bella first travelled around the Philippines before going to Thailand, but has now been arrested in Georgia – Facebook “She flew out to the Philippines after Easter with a friend and she was there for three weeks,” Mrs Kennedy told Teesside Live. “She was posting loads of pictures and then she went to Thailand on about May 3. “The last message she sent was to me and that was on on Saturday at 5.30pm saying she was going to FaceTime me later. That was the last message anyone has received from what we can figure out up to now.” Ms Culley’s father and aunt, Neil and Kerrie Culley, had flown to Thailand to try to find her. The family of Ms Culley had alerted police in Thailand and Britain about her disappearance. A spokesman for Cleveland Police said on Tuesday: “We have had confirmation from the authorities in Georgia that an 18-year-old woman from Billingham has been arrested there on suspicion of drugs offences and that she remains in their custody.” Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Source link #British #teenager #reported #missing #Thailand #arrested #Georgia Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Trump pulls sanctions on Syria, extends olive branch to Iran – The Washington Post Trump pulls sanctions on Syria, extends olive branch to Iran – The Washington Post Trump pulls sanctions on Syria, extends olive branch to Iran The Washington PostTrump announces plan to lift punishing sanctions on Syria CNNWisconsin judge arrested in immigration case indicted by federal grand jury – live The GuardianTrump says he will end Syria sanctions during Saudi visit marked by big money deals NPRTrump says U.S. will remove all sanctions on Syria CNBC Source link #Trump #pulls #sanctions #Syria #extends #olive #branch #Iran #Washington #Post Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

AEC confirms missing ballots found at electoral worker’s home AEC confirms missing ballots found at electoral worker’s home Almost 2000 ballots that went missing on election night have been found at the Sydney home of a temporary AEC worker. Source link #AEC #confirms #missing #ballots #electoral #workers #home Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

New poll shows drastic rightward shift for notoriously blue state New poll shows drastic rightward shift for notoriously blue state Surprising new data has revealed that New York isn’t leaning as politically “blue” as usual. An April poll by the political analysis firm GrayHouse shows that President Donald Trump, a Republican, has a higher approval rating than New York Governor Kathy Hochul, a Democrat who assumed office in 2021. The poll revealed that 36% of participants approve of Gov. Hochul’s performance, while 55% disapprove. In contrast, 43% of participants approve of President Trump’s performance, and 56% disapprove. Additionally, 49% of participants found Gov. Hochul’s political views to be “too extreme” for the state, although the poll results did not refer to any of the governor’s specific stances. The poll of 826 registered New York voters was held in late April, as President Trump approached the 100th day of his second term. The data hints at a trend of New York voters leaning more purple than expected in the recent past. While Kamala Harris won New York in the 2024 presidential election, President Trump earned 43.6% of the state’s vote, up from 36.8% in 2016. Hochul, who is the first woman governor of New York, is running for reelection in 2026. The state’s last Republican governor, George E. Pataki, was in office from 1995 to 2006; prior to that, Republican Malcolm Wilson served as New York’s governor from 1973 to 1974, taking over the role when Gov. Nelson Rockefeller resigned. More on Politics Read the original article on MassLive. Source link #poll #shows #drastic #rightward #shift #notoriously #blue #state Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Celtics' Jayson Tatum undergoes surgery to repair ruptured Achilles tendon – NBA Celtics' Jayson Tatum undergoes surgery to repair ruptured Achilles tendon – NBA Celtics’ Jayson Tatum undergoes surgery to repair ruptured Achilles tendon NBACeltics’ Tatum has surgery on ruptured Achilles ESPNJayson Tatum’s Achilles injury is a devastating blow to the Celtics’ future and a star in his prime Yahoo SportsKnicks take a 3-1 lead over the Celtics with a 121-113 victory as Tatum is injured in final minutes AP NewsWhat Jayson Tatum’s torn Achilles means for the All-NBA player, the Celtics and the rest of the league CBS Sports Source link #Celtics039 #Jayson #Tatum #undergoes #surgery #repair #ruptured #Achilles #tendon #NBA Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Macquarie sued for misreporting up to 1.5 billion sales Macquarie sued for misreporting up to 1.5 billion sales Macquarie’s brokering arm is being taken to court by the financial regulator for allegedly failing to report up to 1.5 billion short sales over 14 years. Source link #Macquarie #sued #misreporting #billion #sales Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Southwest Airlines files for permit to fly more international routes Southwest Airlines files for permit to fly more international routes (Reuters) – Southwest Airlines on Tuesday filed with U.S. regulators asking for a permit to fly more international routes, including Europe, hinting at plans to expand its limited global network. The carrier’s filing with the U.S. Department of Transport seeks permission to transport “persons, property and mail” to all countries with which the United States has an open skies agreements. Those include countries across Europe, Latin America and parts of Asia and Africa. Southwest currently flies within the U.S. and to some nearby destinations in Mexico, the Caribbean and Central America. It said in a statement the filing was “not necessarily indicative of anything forthcoming” and that it was taking advantage of the DOT’s streamlined regulatory procedures for international authority. The filing comes at a time when Southwest has been cutting costs and looking to streamline its organizational structure. Southwest cut 15% of its corporate workforce in February, as a part of its plan to reduce costs. This included 11 senior leadership positions. The layoffs are estimated to save $210 million in 2025 and another $300 million in 2026. The Texas-based company had said in March it would begin charging customers for checked-in bags to lift earnings. It also ended its open seating policy last year. In April, Southwest joined peers such as Alaska Air Group and Delta Air Lines in withdrawing 2025 forecast as the ongoing trade war caused heightened macroeconomic uncertainty, denting Americans’ ability to spend on discretionary items such as travel. Southwest is more vulnerable to a slowdown as it largely relies on price-sensitive leisure customers in the domestic market. Bloomberg News first reported on the filing earlier in the day. (Reporting by Aishwarya Jain in Bengaluru; Editing by Shilpi Majumdar) Source link #Southwest #Airlines #files #permit #fly #international #routes Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Spellcaster University Review – Thumb Culture Spellcaster University Review – Thumb Culture “Having absolutely love Sim Tower back in the day and not really played anything like it since. I was eager to get Spellcaster University installed. I used to spend hours offline getting lost in the world of Sim Tower. Can the same be said for Spellcaster University? Keep reading to find out more!” Dan @ Thumb Culture Source link #Spellcaster #University #Review #Thumb #Culture Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Erik and Lyle Menendez can be resentenced for their parents' murders, judge rules – NBC News Erik and Lyle Menendez can be resentenced for their parents' murders, judge rules – NBC News Erik and Lyle Menendez can be resentenced for their parents’ murders, judge rules NBC NewsMenendez brothers: Judge agrees to resentencing over 1989 murders BBCJudge says Lyle and Erik Menendez can be resentenced to 50 years to life NBC Los AngelesL.A. judge resentences Menendez brothers, giving them chance at freedom Los Angeles TimesMenendez brothers face ‘moderate risk’ label in bid for resentencing Fox News Source link #Erik #Lyle #Menendez #resentenced #parents039 #murders #judge #rules #NBC #News Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Commonwealth bank profit edges up amid business loan growth Commonwealth bank profit edges up amid business loan growth Commonwealth Bank of Australia’s profit edged higher in the third quarter amid growth in the firm’s business lending. Unaudited statutory cash profit came in at about A$2.6 billion in the three months ended March 31, according to a statement on Wednesday. That’s 6 per cent higher than the third quarter of the prior year. The firm’s business bank continued to grow, with business transaction accounts up 7 per cent and business lending expanding at a faster rate than the broader market. Australia’s largest bank concludes the results season for the nation’s lenders as margin pressure eats into business and home lending across the sector. Chief executive Matt Comyn’s strategy to acquire market share in loans to companies at the same time as remaining the biggest in mortgages helped push the stock price to an all-time high earlier this month. “There is heightened risk to the global economy from geopolitical and macroeconomic uncertainty, which could slow the domestic economy,” Comyn said in the statement. “Australia is in a relatively strong position to navigate the challenges.” Consumer arrears and corporate troublesome and non-performing exposure increased in the quarter. Home loan arrears were up five basis points to 0.71 per cent. “We know it has been another challenging ******* for many *********** households and businesses dealing with cost of living pressures,” Mr Comyn said. “We have remained focused on proactively engaging with our customers on a range of support options to help those who need it most.” *********** consumer confidence is improving as households increasingly expect the nation’s central bank to lower interest rates next week, a report showed Tuesday. Bloomberg. Source link #Commonwealth #bank #profit #edges #business #loan #growth Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Colorado’s Rattlesnake Mega Den Is Active Again and You Can See All 2,000 Snakes at Once Colorado’s Rattlesnake Mega Den Is Active Again and You Can See All 2,000 Snakes at Once Need To Know Project RattleCam started a livestream of a rattlesnake “mega den” in 2024, and now the stream is back for 2025 The hundreds of rattlesnakes in the den, located in Colorado, are active again after months of winter hibernation The livestream allows researchers to monitor the rattlesnakes and gives animal lovers a chance to see the reptiles up close. The RattleCam is back as over 2,000 snakes begin to emerge from hibernation. The livestream was set up in 2024 through a collaboration between scientists from California Polytechnic State University, Central Coast Snake Services, and Dickinson College in Pennsylvania, according to USA Today. RattleCam gives viewers a peek at the hundreds of wild rattlesnakes living in a “mega den” at an undisclosed piece of private property in Colorado. After hibernating for several months, the den’s snakes are starting to emerge to shed their skins and soak up the sun. Many of the female rattlesnakes in the Colorado den are believed to be pregnant and will likely spend the warmer months giving birth and tending to their young, according to the Project RattleCam website. Project Rattlecam/YouTube Rattle snakes on the RattleCam livestream Owen Bachhuber, a California Polytechnic State University graduate student and member of the Project RattleCam team, said researchers expect the mega den’s snakes to become active again throughout May. Bacchhuber told USA Today that the location of the Colorado den will remain undisclosed to protect the snakes. Project Rattlecam/YouTube A look at the Project RattleCam livestream The mega den’s live stream began in Spring 2024 and rapidly gained 2.5 million views, reaching 180,000 viewers a day in some cases. Bacchhuber and his colleagues use the livestream to study the rattlesnakes and to “show them off to everyone around the world,” Bacchhuber told Axios Denver. The RattleCam team captures the livestream by taking turns manually operating a tripod throughout the day. Donations make the project possible and are needed now more than ever, with “the federal government is cutting science [funding] in every place it can,” Bacchhuber added. Bacchhuber and other researchers keep managing the stream fun by naming dozens of snakes from the mega den. One of the snakes is named Lasagna because of her identifiable characteristic of folding her body “like a big pan of lasagna.” Project Rattlecam/YouTube Rattlesnakes soak up the sun in Colorado on RattleCam Twitchy is another snake who is considered “a ladies man” because he “love to put on a show” for the females and gets fidgety in their presence. Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. The female mega den snakes carry their young for three to four months before delivering between eight and 17 babies. RattleCam will remain active at the den throughout the birthing season, so animal lovers will have a front-row seat to the arrival of all the new mega den members. Read the original article on People Source link #Colorados #Rattlesnake #Mega #Den #Active #Snakes Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Stock and crypto trading site eToro prices IPO at $52 per share Stock and crypto trading site eToro prices IPO at $52 per share Omar Marques | Sopa Images | Lightrocket | Getty Images EToro, a stock brokerage platform that’s been ramping up in crypto, has priced its IPO at $52 a share, as the company prepares to test the market’s appetite for new offerings. The Israel-based company raised nearly $310 million, selling nearly 6 million shares in a deal that values the business at about $4.2 billion. The company had planned to sell shares at $46 to $50 each. Another almost 6 million shares are being sold by existing investors. IPOs looked poised for a rebound when President Donald Trump returned to the White House in January after a prolonged drought spurred by rising interest rates and inflationary concerns. CoreWeave’s March debut was a welcome sign for IPO hopefuls such as eToro, online lender Klarna and ticket reseller StubHub. But tariff uncertainty temporarily stalled those plans. The retail trading platform filed for an initial public offering in March, but shelved plans as rising tariff uncertainty rattled markets. Klarna and StubHub did the same. EToro’s Nasdaq debut, under ticker symbol ETOR, may indicate whether the public market is ready to take on risk. Digital physical therapy company Hinge Health has started its IPO roadshow, and said in a filing on Tuesday that it plans to raise up to $437 million in its upcoming offering. Also on Tuesday, fintech company Chime filed its prospectus with the SEC. Another trading app, Webull, merged with a special-purpose acquisition company in April. Founded in 2007 by brothers Yoni and Ronen Assia along with David Ring, eToro competes with the likes of Robinhood and makes money through fees related to trading, including spreads on buy and sell orders, and non-trading activities such as withdrawals and currency conversion. Net income jumped almost thirteenfold last year to $192.4 million from $15.3 million a year earlier. The company has been ramping up its crypto business, with revenue from cryptoassets more than tripling to over $12 million in 2024. One-quarter of its net trading contribution last year came from crypto, up from 10% the prior year. This isn’t eToro’s first attempt at going public. In 2022, the company scrapped plans to hit the market through a merger with a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) during a sharp downturn in equity markets. The deal would have valued the company at more than $10 billion. CEO Yoni Assia told CNBC early last year that eToro was still aiming for a market debut but “evaluating the right opportunity” as it was building relationships with exchanges, including the Nasdaq. “We definitely are eyeing the public markets,” he said at the time. “I definitely see us becoming eventually a public company.” EToro said in its prospectus that BlackRock had expressed interest in buying $100 million in shares at the IPO price. The company said it planned to sell 5 million shares in the offering, with existing investors and executives selling another 5 million. Underwriters for the deal include Goldman Sachs, Jefferies and UBS. — CNBC’s Ryan Browne and Jordan Novet contributed reporting WATCH: Venture capital firm founder on the Gulf’s next wave of unicorns Source link #Stock #crypto #trading #site #eToro #prices #IPO #share Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]