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Tim Wilson: New contender for Liberal leadership Tim Wilson: New contender for Liberal leadership As the battle for the Liberals’ leadership heats up, a new hat may be tossed into the ring from someone who said they weren’t elected “just to sit around”. Source link #Tim #Wilson #contender #Liberal #leadership Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Billionaire Selena Gomez’s mom took out a loan against her home to pay employees at singer’s mental health startup Billionaire Selena Gomez’s mom took out a loan against her home to pay employees at singer’s mental health startup Selena Gomez’s mom, Mandy Teefey, reportedly took out a loan against her home to help pay workers employed at the billionaire’s mental health startup, Wondermind. Teefey, the company’s CEO, found herself in a crisis when the business allegedly started running out of funds to pay its estimated 15 employees, not including vendors and freelancers, in March, Forbes reported Saturday. According to the outlet, workers have been compensated for one out of two missed paychecks, and freelancers and vendors are still waiting to be paid “hundreds of thousands.” Selena Gomez’s mom, Mandy Teefey, reportedly took out a loan against her home to help pay workers employed at her and her daughter’s mental health company, Wondermind. Getty Images According to Forbes, the company started running out of money in March. Mandy Teefey/Instagram Around $60,000 is also owed to a PR firm, anonymous employees alleged. Wondermind told Forbes that the company has “rectified” the issue, and the rest of the payments will be submitted on Monday. In March, emails observed by Forbes revealed that Teefy notified Wondermind staff that their health care company was terminating employee health benefits. “We apologize for the email on a wellness day,” the email read, per Forbes. “As you are aware, we have been working tirelessly to secure our next round of funding.” Employees were also informed in the email that they would have to elect into COBRA coverage, which allows people who lost their jobs or had a reduction in hours to temporarily continue their health plans. Workers are still missing one paycheck and freelancers are allegedly owed thousands. SXSW Conference & Festivals via Getty Images The company told the outlet that the issue has been fixed. Mandy Teefey/Instagram “Like many startups, Wondermind has been working through its own set of growing pains,” they said in a statement. “In the coming days, we will be transitioning into a new chapter for Wondermind, and continuing our important work in mental fitness that helps hundreds of thousands of people.” Sources told the outlet that the company’s issues allegedly started in January 2023 when Teefey, 49, was appointed as the sole CEO. Despite Teefey having reportedly managed her famous daughter’s film and TV career for years, the employees claimed she didn’t have the insight to help the business succeed. Teefey has also allegedly turned down multi-million dollar brand deals, including one with Airbnb, if the companies suggested that Gomez, 32, be involved. Allegations about brand deals, however, were slammed by Wondermind’s chief of staff, Emma Wright, as “insanely, grossly misleading.” Workers are expected to receive their missed payments on Monday. WireImage Reps for Gomez weren’t immediately available to Page Six for comment. @selenagomez/Instagram Wright also praised Teefey’s leadership skills, saying she “[leads] with just pure grace.” “She has been singularly focused on keeping everyone’s livelihoods intact and keeping the company growing,” the businesswoman said. Reps for Wondermind and Gomez weren’t immediately available to Page Six for comment. Wondermind was founded in 2021 and raised $5 million in funding the following year, per Forbes. The “Only Murders in the Building” star, meanwhile, reached billionaire status in September 2024 with a reported net worth of $1.3 million. The “Only Murders in the Building” star reached billionaire status last year. selenagomez/Instagram Bloomberg credited the bulk of the “Calm Down” singer’s financial success to her Rare Beauty makeup brand. selenagomez/Instagram Bloomberg credited the bulk of Gomez’s financial success to her Rare Beauty makeup brand, which she established in February 2019 and launched the next year. While 80 percent of Gomez’s wealth stems from her cosmetics company, the outlet also recognized that her singing and acting careers, real estate investments and paid partnerships contributed to her wealth. The Disney alum’s Wondermind company investment was also credited. Source link #Billionaire #Selena #Gomezs #mom #loan #home #pay #employees #singers #mental #health #startup Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

White House announces U.S.-China trade deal, offers few details White House announces U.S.-China trade deal, offers few details U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent testifies before a House Financial Services Committee hearing entitled “The Annual Testimony of the Secretary of the Treasury on the State of the International Financial System,” on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 7, 2025. Nathan Howard | Reuters The White House on Sunday announced a “trade deal” with China without providing specifics, after Trump administration officials spent the weekend negotiating with their ******** counterparts. While details of the deal are still unclear, any de-escalation in the ongoing trade war could bring much-needed relief to a global economy that has been roiled since President Donald Trump’s April 2 tariff announcement. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Sunday that the trade talks that took place in Geneva over the weekend were “productive.” He said the talks yielded “a great deal” of productivity and that he would give more details in a complete briefing on Monday morning. Bessent also said that he and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer both spoke to President Donald Trump on Saturday evening and “he is fully informed” about the discussions. Greer said during remarks on Sunday that the officials reached some form of a “deal,” but did not provide any specifics. He hailed the discussions as “very constructive.” “It’s important to understand how quickly we were able to come to agreement, which reflects that perhaps the differences were not so large as maybe thought,” Greer said. “We’re confident that the deal we struck with our ******** partners will help us work toward resolving that national emergency,” he added. The ******** officials who participated in the meetings also spoke positively. Vice Premier of the People’s Republic of China He Lifeng said the meeting “achieved substantial progress and reached important consensus.” “The two sides agreed on establishing a consultation mechanism for trade and economic issues,” Lifeng said. China International Trade Representative Li Chenggang suggested that a statement would be coming soon with more details on the negotiations, but did not say when the statement would be released. “As we say back in China, if the dishes are delicious, then timing is not a matter,” Chenggang said. “I think no matter when this statement is released, it’s going to be a big news. Good news for the world.” Read more CNBC politics coverage The high-stakes negotiations in Switzerland this weekend come amid widespread economic uncertainty stemming from the U.S.-China trade war. The two nations have been engaged in a tariff ****-for-tat in the weeks since Trump announced 145% tariffs on Beijing. In response, China raised its levies on U.S. goods to 125%. The standoff has roiled the financial markets and sparked concerns of fewer goods and rising prices for consumers. Trump praised the first day of discussions, writing that the U.S. officials had a “very good meeting today with China” in a Saturday Truth Social post. “Many things discussed, much agreed to,” Trump wrote. “A total reset negotiated in a friendly, but constructive, manner.” Bessent said that he and Greer met with the vice premier of China, in addition to two vice ministers, who the treasury secretary called “integrally involved” in discussions. Source link #White #House #announces #U.S.China #trade #deal #offers #details Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Ecovacs X5 Pro Omni review: an impressive premium robot vacuum that makes cleaning almost hands-free Ecovacs X5 Pro Omni review: an impressive premium robot vacuum that makes cleaning almost hands-free Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test. Ecovacs X5 Pro Omni: two-minute review Not all robot vacuums live up to the promise of effortless cleaning – but the Ecovacs Deebot X5 Pro Omni gets pretty close. As a premium all-in-one device that vacuums, mops and even cleans itself, the X5 Pro Omni is designed to keep your home clean day to day without any help. Unlike standalone robot vacuums that need more frequent attention, the X5 Pro Omni’s base station handles (almost) everything – from emptying the dustbin to scrubbing and drying the mop pads. You will have to, of course, refill the clean water as necessary and clean out the dirty-water tank. For this review, I tested the X5 Pro Omni in a 3-bedroom home for an extended ******* of six months, and it did a great job overall, despite dealing with two messy adults and an even messier Great Dane. You may like Setting up the X5 Pro Omni is quick and easy, and mapping is fast and pretty accurate, though I had to make minor room division adjustments after the first scan. The robovac navigates well around larger objects, but does sometimes ***** up objects like cables or shoelaces, or other small items the sensors miss, meaning it’s best used in spaces that are relatively clear. Performance is excellent across all floor types, including hard floors, carpets, and rugs. Higher suction modes work best to get dirt out of carpets or pick up heavier debris, while standard mode is fine for everyday cleaning on hard floors. Battery life is impressive and the bot has no trouble doing a full clean without needing to return to the dock and charge. (Image credit: Future) The X5 Pro Omni base station is one of its biggest strengths, and unlike competitors like the Dreame X40 Ultra, it reliably clears the robot’s dustbin completely, even with **** hair and heavier debris. The mop washing system is equally effective, using 70°C hot water and scrubbing to keep the pads fresh, followed by hot-air drying to prevent odors. I also found that the 4L clean- and dirty-water tanks were large enough to only need emptying and refilling once a month. The Ecovacs app offers fairly deep customization, and tracks details like where the robot has traveled, the amount of area cleaned and the total number of sessions, but doesn’t log obstacles detected like the Roborock app is capable of doing. Unfortunately the app can be clunky to use at times, like having to navigate into advanced robot settings just to set a scheduled clean or different cleaning modes being triggered than what is selected. The app prompts you to handle any long-term maintenance issues, replacement parts are easy to find, and consumables last more than a reasonable length of time. In my use, the dust bag typically lasted around 60 days (in my case, mostly being filled with dog fur) and the robovac filter needed cleaning at the same time. The main brush, side brush and mop pads show the expected wear, and have plenty of life left in them after six months of constant use. Replacement-part costs are in line with other premium robot vacuums, but I found significant price variation across different markets. While not perfect, the X5 Pro Omni is an excellent choice for those who want a robovac that takes care of itself, with great vacuuming and mopping performance, infrequent maintenance, and a powerful auto-emptying base station. However, if your home has lots of cables or small clutter, or if you want a robovac with smarter object detection or a nicer app, you might need to look elsewhere. (Image credit: Future) Ecovacs X5 Pro Omni review: Price and availability How much does it cost? Starting from $1,299 / £1,399 / AU$2,399 When is it available? Available to buy now Where can you get it? You can get it in the US, ***, and Australia Launched in late 2024, the Ecovacs Deebot X5 Pro Omni is available in most major markets, including the US, ***, and Australia. You can purchase it directly from the official Ecovacs website, Amazon and leading retailers. At full price, the X5 Pro Omni costs $1,299 / £1,399 / AU$2,399. However, Ecovacs frequently offers discounts of around 20%, bringing the price down to a much more appealing amount. And, if you happen to shop on Amazon, you could potentially find even ******* price drops during major sales. Of course, actually using the X5 Pro Omni will incur ongoing costs, particularly for consumables like dust bags, filters, mop pads and brushes. Based on replacing consumables as per the recommendations from Ecovacs, I estimate my annual maintenance costs at around $466 / £424 / AU$606. Some parts, like the Anti-Tangle Main Brush, are significantly more expensive in the *** and Australia than in the US. Third-party alternatives are available but, as expected, Ecovacs recommends using official parts for optimal performance. That said, the most common cost will the dust bag. The Ecovacs Deebot X5 Pro Omni consumables kit (available to purchase separately) helps reduce running costs (Image credit: Future) Premium robovacs from competing brands tend to be priced a bit higher than the X5 Pro Omni. For example, the Dreame X40 Ultra, which features detachable mop pads and 12,000Pa suction, is listed at $1,899 / £1,299 / AU$2,799. The less fully featured Dreame L40 Ultra costs $1,499.99 / £999 but isn’t available in Australia. Similarly, the Eufy Omni S1 Pro, which has a slimmer design but a lower 8,000Pa suction, is priced at $1,499 / £1,499 / AU$2,699, while the Roborock Qrevo Edge comes in at $1,600 / AU$2,799 (currently unavailable in the ***). Ecovacs also has the more affordable but still premium Deebot T30 Omni, which launched at £799 / AU$1,749 (but isn’t available in the US) and is often discounted to £699 / AU$1,199. There are cheaper robot vacuums available, but the X5 Pro Omni balances premium features, powerful suction and fairly advanced automation at a price that makes it an appealing robot vacuum, especially when on *****. Ecovacs X5 Pro Omni: Specifications Swipe to scroll horizontally Ecovacs X5 Pro Omni specs Suction Up to 12,800Pa Rated Power 45W Dustbin 250ml (8.5 oz) Water Tank 90ml (3 oz) Side brush Fixed (does not extend or lift) Mops Dual spinning, raisable 15mm (0.6 inch) Step clearance 22mm (0.87 inch) Battery capacity 6,400 mAh Charge time 4.19 hours Floor mapping 4 floors Wi-Fi 2.4GHz only Robot dimensions 31.3cm (width) x 9.5cm (height) (12.3 x 3.7 inch) Robot weight 4.3kg (9.5 lbs) Clean / Dirty water volume 4L (135 oz) / 3.5L (118 oz) Dust bag 3L (101 oz) Mop washing 70ºC (158ºF) hot water, hot air drying Dock dimensions 39.4cm (depth) x 44.3cm (width) x 52.75cm (height) (15.5 x 17.4 x 20.8 inch) Dock weight 11kg (24.3 lbs) Warranty Two years Ecovacs X5 Pro Omni review: Design and features Squared-off front, no LiDAR turret Base station with auto-empty, mop washing and hot-air drying Side-extendable mop pad Where most robot vacuums are round, the Ecovacs Deebot X5 Pro Omni features a squared-off front (D-shaped) that’s a little reminiscent of the Deebot X2 Omni. Ecovacs says this design helps the bot get the side brush into corners and improve edge cleaning. The shape also means it doesn’t use an extendable side brush. Unlike many competing models, it doesn’t have a top-mounted LiDAR turret, making it shorter and better suited to cleaning under furniture. The bot has a floating main brush that adjusts to different floor types, and a spinning side brush helps with cleaning along edges. It also features a 15mm (0.6in) mop lift, allowing it to vacuum carpets without transferring any dampness from the mop pads, and the right mop pad extends by 4cm (1.6 inch), improving coverage along walls and corners. For navigation, the X5 Pro Omni uses dToF (Direct Time-of-Flight) laser mapping, combined with AIVI 3D 2.0 object recognition, an RGB camera, TrueDetect 3D sensors and anti-drop sensors. In other words, it uses fancy robot vision for navigation and obstacle avoidance, and has extra cliff sensors to avoid accidentally driving down the stairs. It can also use some of these sensors to spot stains that need another mopping pass to be fully cleaned up. Image 1 of 8 (Image credit: Future) (Image credit: Future) (Image credit: Future) (Image credit: Future) (Image credit: Future) (Image credit: Future) (Image credit: Future) (Image credit: Future) The bot includes Ecovacs’ Yiko 2.0 AI voice assistant, which lets you control a range of functionality, like adjusting cleaning tasks without pulling out the app. The X5 Pro Omni can climb obstacles up to 22mm (0.87 inch), which means it can handle some thresholds and small lips in areas with slightly different floor heights. It also offers ZeroTangle tech, where the main roller brush features comb teeth for hair removal to avoid tangles. The physical size and weight of the X5 Pro Omni are fairly typical, and the robot itself measures 31.3 x 34.6 x 9.5cm (12.3 x 13.6 x 3.7 inch) and weighs 4.3kg (9.5lbs), while the base station (or dock) is 39.4 x 44.3 x 52.75cm (15.5 x 17.4 x 20.8 inch), with a total weight of 11kg (24.3lbs). The dock needs 50cm (19.7 inches) of clearance on both sides and 150cm (59 inches) in front for proper operation. The dock handles dustbin emptying, mop washing with hot water, and drying with hot air. It stores dust in a 3L (101oz) bag, which is accessed through a front-opening panel for easy replacement. The clean- and dirty-water tanks each hold 4L (135oz) and are located under a top lid, making them simple to refill and empty. The mop washing tray is removable and any buildup is easily cleaned, although the Roborock Qrevo Edge one-ups the X5 Pro Omni by also featuring a self-cleaning cycle for the tray as well. Design and features score: 4 / 5 Ecovacs X5 Pro Omni review: Performance Handles all floor types well Struggles to get deep into corners Mop pads lift high enough for carpets but not thick rugs Overall, the Ecovacs Deebot X5 Pro Omni kept my floors clean just as well as I can with a stick vacuum and mop, and rarely required any help or intervention beyond normal maintenance. Once I had cleaning schedules set up, it handled most vacuuming and mopping automatically, and I only needed to step in for occasional spot cleaning or to pick up debris that was too large or in a corner it could not reach. The bot works at a similar pace to other robot vacuums, taking around 1.5 minutes per square meter to vacuum and 2 minutes per square meter to mop, but since it can do both tasks at the same time, a full clean doesn’t take as long as it might seem. According to Ecovacs, the 6,400 mAh battery provides up to 224 minutes of runtime, which is enough to clean up to 400m² (4,305ft²) per charge in optimal conditions. Ecovacs doesn’t break down battery life by suction level, but runtime will vary depending on settings and home layout. Overall performance score: 4 / 5 Mapping and obstacle avoidance The Ecovacs Deebot X5 Pro Omni created a detailed and mostly accurate map on its first run. It didn’t require any manual adjustments to the map itself, but I did need to tweak the room divisions in the app. Mapping is fast and easy to run a second time, which I had to do after the robot got lost and mistakenly added extra rooms that didn’t exist. Obstacle avoidance is decent but not flawless. The X5 Pro Omni generally avoids larger objects, but isn’t great at recognizing cables, shoelaces or small items like pieces of paper towel. It will avoid some small obstacles, but anything lying flat on the floor is at risk of being sucked up or dragged along. It also tends to catch and tangle cables, so keeping the floor clear makes a big difference in how well it completes a cleaning run. While it doesn’t have dedicated **** recognition, it does a good job of avoiding spills and larger debris. The app lets you set up no-go zones, though these aren’t ****-specific. Unlike the competition like the Dreame X40 Ultra, the X5 Pro Omni does not capture images of obstacles, so there’s no way to review what it avoided after a clean. The Ecovacs Deebot X5 Pro Omni uses a wide range of sensors for mapping and navigation (Image credit: Ecovacs) During testing, it rarely got stuck as long as the floor was relatively clear. When it did, it was usually due to cables, a thick rug or getting wedged behind a laundry basket or on a dog toy. It detects when it’s stuck and stops safely, rather than pushing forward and causing damage. If that happens, it has to be manually picked up and placed back on the dock, as pressing the power button doesn’t wake it. If told to return home via the app, it sometimes gets lost along the way and needs to be rescued by hand. On the plus side, these issues came up relatively rarely during use. To test its ability to handle small steps, I made a simulated step between rooms using a section of plywood at the maximum 22mm height, and while it sometimes took two or three attempts, the bot made it across every clean. The app includes a remote control mode that streams video from the onboard camera, and allows manual steering of the bot, which I found useful to check on my dog when not home. The video feature didn’t work the first time I tried, but functioned fine every other time I used it. Steering the bot feels slightly laggy but still usable, making it more suited for basic navigation adjustments rather than precision movement. The built-in two-way communication feature works for real-time voice interaction, though there’s no dedicated ****-tracking mode. Despite the quirks covered above, overall the X5 Pro Omni handles navigation fairly well and happily adapts to changing environments. It moves effectively around furniture, shoes and baskets that shift between cleaning sessions, making it a solid choice for homes where the position of larger items may change frequently. Mapping and obstacle avoidance score: 3.5 / 5 Vacuuming I tested the Ecovacs Deebot X5 Pro Omni on wooden floors, tiles and rugs to see how well it handled different surfaces. Along with daily cleaning, I ran a series of controlled tests using flour, sand, rice, oats, dry dog food and dry leaves, scattering them in a corner on hard floors and then on a short-pile rug. Performance across different surfaces was excellent overall. For most debris, the X5 Pro Omni was able to pick up nearly everything in a single pass, but two passes were best for thorough cleaning. Larger or heavier debris required additional cleaning cycles, and the side brush sometimes flicked smaller particles away before the main brush could capture them. The one downside was the robot vacuum consistently failed to get all the way into corners, or fully clean along edges. The vacuum’s suction power can be set to Max, Strong, Standard or Quiet modes. Standard mode worked well for daily cleaning of **** fur, dust and light debris, but heavier dirt and sand needed Max suction to be fully removed. Carpets and rugs benefited from higher suction levels as Standard mode sometimes left behind some debris. Image 1 of 10 Vacuuming test with oats(Image credit: Future) (Image credit: Future) Some oats left after a single pass(Image credit: Future) The robovac dustbin needs manual cleaning once a month or so(Image credit: Future) The robovac dustbin filter can be replaced or cleaned when clogged(Image credit: Future) The filter responds well to vacuuming with a stick vac(Image credit: Future) (Image credit: Future) After an extended test with no cleaning, hair builds up on the side brush, but it does not reduce performance(Image credit: Future) Hair builds up on the main brush over time, but vacuuming performnce remains decent(Image credit: Future) Removing the trapped hair is very easy and takes less than one minute(Image credit: Future) My home has two people who shed a lot of long hair and, in my testing, hair buildup was manageable, but it still accumulated in the side brush and main brush over time, despite the anti-tangle feature. Both the side and main brush collected a noticeable amount of hair after just a week of use, but it doesn’t end up embedded and removal is easy. The wheels and mop pads remained tangle-free, making overall upkeep straightforward, and even leaving it a month between cleaning caused no problems. I measured the noise levels of the X5 Pro Omni with a decibel meter at a range of 1m, with multiple passes and the results averaged. Using Quiet mode, it produces 41dB, which is low enough to be unobtrusive, and the wheel-drive system is actually slightly louder than the vacuum motor. Standard mode is only slightly louder at 42dB, making it suitable for cleaning while watching TV or having a conversation. Strong mode increases the noise level to 44dB, which is still reasonable but more intrusive. At Max suction, it reaches 52dB, which is significantly louder and comparable to a stick vacuum at moderate power. While vacuuming, noise levels remain fairly steady, but auto-emptying at the base station is much louder, peaking at 63dB. Mopping is quieter at 40dB, and general driving noise sits at 41dB, meaning the robot isn’t exactly stealthy when moving between cleaning zones. Mop washing reaches 37dB, so while not silent, it’s quiet enough not to be disruptive. If wanting to run the vacuum at night while sleeping, Quiet mode is an option, provided you have a closed door between you and the robovac and aren’t a light sleeper. The dock should be placed away from sleeping areas, as the auto-emptying noise is quite loud and could be disruptive if triggered at night. To avoid this you can set Do Not Disturb times, where the dock will not activate the auto-empty functionality, but this does limit vacuuming performance for larger homes as the small onboard dustbin in the bot fills up. Mopping For mopping, the X5 Pro Omni uses water with the Ecovacs cleaning solution optionally added to the clean-water tank. I tested with plain water and adding a cleaning solution, but didn’t find the latter made a noticeable difference unless having the bot do a deeper scrub. During my testing, I scheduled mopping once a week but found that adding extra runs during wet weather helped keep the front and back door areas free of muddy footprints. The X5 Pro Omni does a good job on open spaces, but it doesn’t reach under furniture edges as well as a handheld mop. The right-side mop pad does extend slightly, helping it clean closer to edges, but some tight spots remain out of reach. For tougher messes, I tested the X5 Pro Omni by spilling sauce, ‘stepping’ in it and letting it dry a little on my wooden floors. In most cases, one pass was enough to fully clean up the mess, but two passes were needed for the dried stains. Turning up the water-flow setting was helpful in making sure the mop pads were wet enough to tackle stubborn spots. The automatic re-mop feature worked reasonably well on tiles, but the bot struggled to tell the difference between a speck of dried sauce and darker patches of wood. Image 1 of 5 A slightly dried sauce stain(Image credit: Future) The robovac moves in…(Image credit: Future) Mop pads deploy…(Image credit: Future) It swings back for a second pass(Image credit: Future) The sauce is entirely cleaned up(Image credit: Future) The mop pads are washed and dried by the base station after each cleaning run, with drying time adjustable between 2, 3 or 4 hours. You can also set it to wash the mops after each room, or at 10, 15 or 20-minute intervals. The base station washes the mop pads with hot water, scrubbing them against a textured cleaning tray to remove dirt and debris. While I found that this process was very effective, the mop pads still benefit from being machine-washed periodically to give a deeper refresh. It’s also recommended to inspect the pads regularly for wear and replace them as needed. The X5 Pro Omni isn’t designed to handle large liquid spills, as its mop pads are meant for scrubbing rather than sponging up a lot of moisture. I found that if the robot is picked up after or during mopping (for example, to extract a cable or shoelace), it may dribble water, so don’t do that over anything you need to keep dry. One somewhat frustrating quirk is that vacuum-and-mop mode is the default setting, and it can’t be changed to vacuum-only by default. Worse, if a mop and vacuum cycle is accidentally triggered, even if canceled immediately, the robovac will still run a mop wash cycle that can’t be stopped. Battery life The X5 Pro Omni has a 92Wh battery, which is the same as competing models like the Roborock Saros 10 and Dreame X40 Ultra, and larger than the 75Wh capacity battery in more affordable models like the Ecovacs Deebot T30 Omni and Dreame L40 Ultra. Battery capacity alone isn’t the only metric though. For example, in my testing the X5 Pro Omni can do a full double-pass vacuum of a three-bedroom house (around 50 square meters of actual floor cleaning) and only drop to 73% battery capacity. Doing a full vacuum and mop at the same time drops it to 65%, and doing a vacuum then mop takes it to 60%. This means you can expect up to around 140 square meters of vacuuming at maximum suction, and over 100 square meters of vacuuming and mopping. With the suction power set to Standard, the total amount of floor area that can be vacuumed almost doubles. My results here also support the claim from Ecovacs that the X5 Pro Omni can handle up to 244 minutes of cleaning on a charge. As a comparison, the Roborock Saros 10 needs to stop and charge after three rooms when set to the maximum suction. Part of the difference is that the Saros 10 has a higher maximum suction power of 22,000Pa, vs 12,800Pa for the X5 Pro Omni, and higher suction does mean higher battery consumption. One annoyance is that the X5 Pro Omni does not give the exact battery percentage when cleaning, as the Ecovacs app just displays 100 in the battery indicator. It’s not until the vacuum returns to the dock and you start another clean immediately that it updates the remaining capacity. Other times, the indicator works as expected. The X5 Pro Omni will return to the dock to top up the battery as needed when cleaning. While a full charge can take over 4 hours, getting back to 50% only takes about 30 minutes. Battery life score: 4.5 / 5 Dock performance The Ecovacs Deebot X5 Pro Omni comes with a 3L (101 oz) dust bag, rated for up to 60 days of use. How long it actually lasts depends on your home’s size and how much debris is collected, but in my case, the manufacturer’s estimate was fairly accurate. The robovac’s 250ml (8.45 oz) dustbin is emptied automatically when full, or you can set it to Extra mode for more frequent emptying – useful for homes with pets or a lot of dust buildup. Unlike the underwhelming auto-empty suction from the Dreame X40 Ultra’s dock, the X5 Pro Omni’s base station has a well-thought out airflow design and reliably empties the dustbin. During testing, I didn’t experience any clogging issues within the dock itself, but blockages inside the robot’s dustbin occasionally prevented proper emptying which, in turn, affect vacuuming up more dirt until manually cleared. The robovac is supposed to detect when the dock fails to empty the bin, but I found these warnings to be inconsistent. There were times when the bin was clogged but the app never alerted me, so I had to manually check the dustbin after cleaning to ensure everything was working properly. Increasing the emptying frequency can help avoid any potential issues, but in my use, clogging wasn’t a frequent issue unless I had accidentally left larger debris that the bit could ***** up. In testing, the mop washing and drying system worked well to keep the pads clean and stop any odors forming between uses. The dock heats water to 70°C (158°F) and pumps it through a wash system to rinse the mop pads, scrubbing them against a textured cleaning surface to remove dirt and grime. After washing, the dirty water is stored in a container in the top of the base station, and it dries the mop pads with hot air, with drying times adjustable to two, three or four hours. The scrubbing system is highly effective, and the mop pads always came out looking fresh after cleaning cycles and there was never an issue with smell. Image 1 of 4 (Image credit: Future) The dust bag is easy to replace via the front of the base station(Image credit: Future) The clean and dirty water tanks live under the top lid(Image credit: Future) (Image credit: Future) Emptying the dirty mop water is as simple as opening the top of the dock, lifting the container out by the handle and emptying it in a sink. I only did this once a month and the dirty water did tend to smell when being tipped out, but the container was easy to rinse out and didn’t retain any odor. The clean-water container uses the same design and can be topped up at a sink, then put back into the dock. The dock’s noise levels vary depending on the task. Measured from 1 meter away (3.3 feet) mop washing is noticeable at 37dB but not disruptive, though the pumps are briefly quite noisy (46 dB) when running. The drying fan produces a low hum for a few hours but isn’t intrusive. Auto-emptying is the loudest part of the process at 63dB and although it only lasts 10 seconds, it’s still very disruptive if the station is located in a main living area or if done at night. For households with pets or heavy dirt buildup, the dock performs well and reliably empties debris, though owners should occasionally check for clogs in the bot’s dustbin since warnings aren’t always accurate. Smaller objects left on the floor can cause issues, but aside from that, the X5 Pro Omni’s base station is a very reliable and hands-free system. Dock performance score: 4.5 / 5 Ecovacs X5 Pro Omni review: App control Reliable scheduled cleaning Quick access to cleaning reports and history Certain settings are hidden in sub-menus The Ecovacs Deebot X5 Pro Omni can be controlled using the physical buttons on top of the robot, but the app is critical for unlocking its full potential. It provides access to the home map, lets you adjust cleaning settings and offers deep customization of scheduled cleans. The app includes a cleaning history and reporting section, which provides a visual map of where the bot traveled during each clean. It also records the time of each session, the area cleaned and the total duration. Over time, this builds into a comprehensive cleaning log, showing the total square footage cleaned across all sessions, the number of cleans completed and total runtime. However, one notable omission is that the app does not log obstacles detected during a cleaning session, which means there’s no easy way to see what might have blocked the robot mid-clean. Most frequently used settings are easy to access, but some features are buried in sub-menus. For example, scheduling cleans is hidden under Advanced settings, and certain options are locked while the robot is in operation – like when manually triggering a dustbin empty, other settings can’t be adjusted until the process is finished. Scheduled cleaning is very reliable, and in my testing, the X5 Pro Omni only failed to start once without explanation. If a scheduled clean is missed, the robovac resumes correctly at the next scheduled time. However, one frustrating issue is that if you set a clean for later in the day, the app doesn’t indicate that it’s actually scheduling it for the next day – only showing this after the schedule has been set. Perhaps my least favorite bug is when doing spot cleans. If I sent the bot to vacuum up a mess, then later wanted to do another one-off clean, the app would show the previous vacuum-only mode was still selected – but when hitting start, it would actually trigger a vacuum and mop, not vacuum-only. Even if you canceled it immediately, it would spend a few minutes running a mop wash cycle before you could get it to do the actual vacuum. The app also sometimes didn’t properly register where the bot was or what it was doing. This was frustrating, because if you tried to trigger a clean, it would say the bot needed to return to the dock first – even though it showed the bot already in the dock on the app. Force quitting and restarting the app would fix the issue, but it was an annoying extra step. To rule out an issue with my phone (a Pixel 9 Pro XL), I also tried the app on other mobiles and saw similar problems. Apple users may have a different experience – my colleague didn’t run into the same issues when using the app on an iPhone during her Ecovacs T30 Omni review, for example. The app looks good, but can be frustrating at times (Image credit: Future) Another small but unnecessary annoyance is that even when Do Not Disturb times are set (muting the robovac), it mostly works, but still loudly makes some announcements. For example, if the bot gets stuck during the day, and you arrive home late and need to manually place it back in the base station during the Do Not Disturb time, it loudly proclaims “start charging”. Another issue is that after turning down the voice volume to a quiet level, the “task stopped” announcement is still made at the loudest setting. During testing I found the Wi-Fi connectivity to be stable, but it’s worth noting the robovac only supports 2.4GHz networks. I had some quirks when using it with a mesh network, but the issues were hard to pin down to a specific cause. That said, setting up a dedicated 2.4GHz-only network for the robovac helped make it more reliable. During testing, I went on holiday, leaving a family member to house and dog sit. The robovac initially worked fine, but eventually stopped performing scheduled cleans. Despite easy remote access via the app, I couldn’t identify the problem and had to manually trigger cleans each day remotely. After returning, I discovered the Do Not Disturb times had mysteriously reversed from 8pm–8am to 8am–8pm, preventing morning cleans. The app does give error notifications (but does not save them to the log), but I was unaware due to a daylight-saving bug that meant the scheduled clean was being triggered an hour earlier than I expected. In terms of usability, the app provides a similar level of control to other brands, though some robovacs with more features offer slightly more customization. However, occasional lag and loading issues make the experience feel less polished than it should be. The voice and volume inconsistencies are also quite jarring, and take a little of the premium shine off the experience. I also wish it had an easy delayed start option – like a quick way to select a one-time clean at a set time later in the day – especially because setting same-day scheduled cleans is not possible. Still, despite these frustrations, the app is mostly reliable and offers a good balance of customization and control, and hopefully Ecovacs will continue to work on improving the experience over time. App control score: 2.5 / 5 Ecovacs X5 Pro Omni review: Consumables and maintenance The Ecovacs Deebot X5 Pro Omni comes with one dust bag, two side brushes, and a set of washable mop pads in the box – but no cleaning fluid is included. While this is enough to get started, you’ll need to order replacement dust bags within 60 days, and other consumables including filters, mop pads and side brushes will need replacing on a set schedule. Under normal use, the dust bag should be replaced every 60 days, side brushes and filters every few months and mop pads periodically based on wear. Consumables can be purchased through the Ecovacs website and third-party retailers like Amazon, though availability varies slightly between regions. For example, the quarterly maintenance kit is not available in the US, while six-pack dust bag sets are only sold in the US and not in the *** or Australia. Swipe to scroll horizontally Ecovacs X5 Pro Omni consumables pricing Accessory US price *** price *********** price Quarterly Accessories Kit Not available £90.97 AU$129 Antibacterial Buddy Kit $47.97 £42.99 AU$69.90 Cleaning Solution (2 bottles) $47.48 £44 AU$75 Cleaning Solution (1L) $24.99 £22 AU$37.50 Cleaning Solution (110ml) Not available Not available AU$6.95 Washable Mopping Pad $29.99 £29.99 AU$29.90 Antibacterial Dust Bag (3pcs) $24.99 £17.99 AU$29 Antibacterial Dust Bag (6pcs) $44.98 Not available Not available Antibacterial Filter $14.99 £16.99 AU$16.95 Side Brush $12.99 £12.99 AU$14.90 Anti-Tangle Main Brush $19.99 £29.99 AU$49.90 The app tracks the lifespan of consumables by usage percentages and notifies users when replacements are recommended. These estimates tend to be on the conservative side and, in my testing, parts like the main brush and mop pads lasted longer than suggested, though this will of course depend on your usage. Routine maintenance is straightforward, with the main brush and robovac dustbin checked weekly, side brushes and sensors every two weeks, and filters and mop pads cleaned or replaced monthly. Hair buildup occurs over time, but manual removal is simple, and no issues were noted with hard-to-reach areas during testing. Image 1 of 8 Despite the anti-tangle features, hair builds up on the main brush over time(Image credit: Future) The side brush collects hair, but is easily removed and cleaned (Image credit: Future) The front wheel is well designed and does not trap hair(Image credit: Future) The main drive wheels do a great job of avoiding any tangles(Image credit: Future) Removing hair from the main brush is easy – just cut along one side and it slides free(Image credit: Future) The mop wash station is self cleaning, but does build up debris over time(Image credit: Future) The mop wash parts can be removed for a deeper clean in the sink every few months(Image credit: Future) The dust bag seals when removed, which avoids any mess(Image credit: Future) Based on my usage in a small 3-bedroom home, I estimate consumables will cost up to $465.79 / £423.85 / AU$606.30 per year. For larger homes, costs will scale accordingly. Some notable price differences exist between regions – for example, the anti-tangle main brush is 88.9% more expensive in the *** and 54.9% more expensive in Australia compared to the US. However, Australia tends to have lower prices overall for consumables, while the *** has some of the highest accessory costs. Third-party consumables are available, though Ecovacs advises using official parts for optimal performance. I did not test any non-official replacements. With regular maintenance and timely consumable replacements, I found the X5 Pro Omni quite easy to keep in top condition and ongoing costs are similar to other premium robovacs. Be aware, though, there can be significant regional price variations. Consumables and maintenance score: 3.5 / 5 Should I Buy the Ecovacs X5 Pro Omni? Swipe to scroll horizontally Attribute Notes Score Value The X5 Pro Omni is competitively priced among premium models and offers strong suction, advanced mapping, and an all-in-one docking station with mop washing and drying. 4 / 5 Design and features Well-equipped with multiple sensors, a compact build without a LiDAR turret, and a fully functional base station for auto-emptying, mop cleaning and drying. 4 / 5 Performance Vacuuming and mopping performance is strong, though edge and corner cleaning could be better. The side brush works well but doesn’t reach as far as needed. 4 / 5 Mapping and obstacle avoidance Creates a highly detailed map with accurate room divisions, avoids most obstacles but struggles with smaller items like cables or flat objects on the floor. 3.5 / 5 Vacuuming Excellent performance on hard floors and carpets at a range of suction levels, without being too noisy. 4 / 5 Mopping Very capable for maintenance mopping and removing dried-on spills. 4 / 5 Battery life A large battery capacity and decent efficiency means the robovac can clean a larger area than many competitors on a single charge. 4.5 / 5 Dock performance A powerful auto-empty system and effective mop washing and drying, as well as simple maintenance. 4.5 / 5 App and control The Ecovacs app provides deep customization and scheduling features, but it can be clunky to use at times, and I encountered many small but frustrating issues. 2.5 / 5 Consumables, wear and maintenance The X5 Pro Omni is easy to maintain, with robust moving parts, but consumables like dust bags and filters need regular replacement. Ongoing costs are similar to competitors. 3.5 / 5 Overall A very competent robovac that does a great job overall, though isn’t great at getting into corners, and the control app isn’t as polished as we’d like. 4 / 5 Buy it if… Don’t buy it if… Also consider Not sold on the Ecovacs X5 Pro Omni? Below are a few alternatives that are worth considering. How I tested the Ecovacs X5 Pro Omni I used the X5 Pro Omni as my main vacuum cleaner for six months My testing space included hard floors and carpet I performed specific grain-size and wet-spill tests I used the Ecovacs X5 Pro Omni daily for six months in a home with a dog and two adults, and with polished wooden floors, tiles, carpet and medium-pile rugs. The weather during the test ******* included both wet and dry conditions. I started with an initial deep clean, followed by ongoing daily vacuuming, with mopping once or twice a week – plus extra spot cleans as needed. I tested both the automatic mode and manually customized cleans using schedules and shortcuts. I documented cleaning performance over the testing ******* and conducted a range of specific tests with different debris sizes to further gauge vacuuming ability. I also tested dry and wet spills to evaluate the mopping prowess. Additionally, I strategically placed debris – including fur, leaves and hair – in problem areas like corners to assess the robovac’s effectiveness in daily use. During my testing *******, I changed the base station vacuum bag 4 times, manually cleaned the mop cleaning system in the base station, and performed the full range of maintenance checks as prompted by the app. Read more about how we test vacuums [First reviewed May 2025] Ecovacs Deebot X5 Pro Omni: Price Comparison Source link #Ecovacs #Pro #Omni #review #impressive #premium #robot #vacuum #cleaning #handsfree Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

What to know about screwworm, as U.S. suspends cattle imports from Mexico – Axios What to know about screwworm, as U.S. suspends cattle imports from Mexico – Axios What to know about screwworm, as U.S. suspends cattle imports from Mexico AxiosU.S. suspends importation of live cattle from Mexico over screwworm pest CBS NewsUSDA halts live animal imports through US-Mexico border The HillUS suspends ******** cattle, horse and bison imports over screwworm pest ReutersFlesh-eating parasite disrupts U.S. livestock industry at southern border FOX 5 Atlanta Source link #screwworm #U.S #suspends #cattle #imports #Mexico #Axios Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

After Jeanine Pirro picked to replace Edward Martin, a potential pivotal change looms for Justice Department post in Washington After Jeanine Pirro picked to replace Edward Martin, a potential pivotal change looms for Justice Department post in Washington The collapse of the nomination of Edward Martin as U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia — and the surprise announcement of FOX News personality Jeanine Pirro as his replacement — has triggered a unique and mixed wave of reaction from former prosecutors, President Trump’s critics and people involved in the U.S. Capitol riot prosecutions. The selection of Pirro, an ardent loyalist of Mr. Trump and a cable news fixture who spread claims of a rigged 2020 election, has triggered a wave of criticism from some Democrats. But the implosion of Martin’s nomination for the top D.C. prosecutor post has drawn celebratory statements from Mr. Trump’s other critics and potentially softened some of the backlash against the choice of Pirro. Martin, a “Stop the Steal” advocate and MAGA political activist, was among the crowd outside the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. He defended Capitol riot cases, including the case of an accused Nazi-sympathizer, and made frequent appearances on Russian-linked media outlets and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones’s program. Named acting U.S. Attorney on Inauguration Day 2025 by Mr. Trump, Martin promptly fired prosecutors who handled some of the Jan. 6 criminal cases. In the weeks before it became clear his confirmation was blocked by at least one Republican Senator, Martin frequently posted on social media, including one X post in which he controversially referred to U.S. Attorneys as “Trump’s lawyers.” “Ed Martin’s appointment was about rewriting the history of January 6, so having him specifically gone is a huge step forward, even if he’s replaced by another TV lawyer,” said Brendan Ballou, a former Justice Department attorney who handled Jan. 6 criminal cases. Ballou, who a year ago was immersed in the Capitol riot case of a group from Lakeland, Florida, who’d gone on the run from authorities shortly after their charges were filed, told CBS News that Martin is better suited for a position where, instead, “He can just tweet.” Ballou resigned from his position shortly after Martin was named acting U.S. Attorney in January. As for Martin’s would-be successor, Pirro — who is a former judge and prosecutor — Ballou said, “I think these TV lawyers will struggle to get the respect of the judges.” Although Congressional Democrats issued waves of statements and comments criticizing Martin, the response to Pirro’s selection was more muted in its first 48 hours. Sen. Adam Schiff, a California Democrat who led opposition against Martin’s nomination, responded tersely to Pirro’s selection, posting on social media, “Because the other Fox News host in this administration is doing such a stellar job.” Judge Jeanine Pirro in New York City. / Getty Images One former assistant U.S. Attorney who worked in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia told CBS News there were no immediate red flags about Pirro that compared to concerns about Martin. Another former assistant U.S. Attorney said Pirro would have to shift from her provocative TV pronouncements to abide by the Justice Department’s tradition of not “tarnishing someone’s name in public until we can prove it in court beyond a reasonable doubt, they committed a crime. Yet on her show, Pirro has time and time again amplified truly wild conspiracy theories.” Sen. Thom Tillis, the North Carolina Republican who publicly declared his opposition to Martin’s nomination, promptly posted a statement of support for Pirro, an indication that GOP opposition might be non-existent for her service as U.S. Attorney. Michael Caputo, an aide to Martin, told CBS News, “Many of us are angry that Senator Tillis broke faith with President Trump, but Jeanine Pirro is a tremendous pick as successor to Ed Martin. I’m also excited for Ed’s next role with the Justice Department. I’m definitely buying more popcorn.” Martin will instead be assigned to a Justice Department task force and will serve as a pardon attorney. Edward Martin in Washington, DC, on March 25, 2025. Photo by Valerie Plesch/For The Washington Post via Getty The U.S. Attorney for Washington D.C. has a unique portfolio, including federal corruption cases, high-profile defendants and a large set of local criminal prosecutions in the D.C. Superior Court. Pirro will be handling a distinctively broad set of cases, ranging from government fraud to local burglaries and domestic violence. In the days after the announcement, the response to Pirro’s nomination fell along party lines. Patrick Mara, a Republican party leader in Washington, D.C., told CBS News: “I am optimistic on her nomination and hope she uses her prosecutorial experience to the fullest extend to crackdown on violent crime in D.C.” “We look forward to working with her on this. The D.C. Council has created an environment where violent crime is able to flourish,” Mara said. Rep. Glenn Ivey, a Maryland Democrat who once served as a federal prosecutor, told CBS News that the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia is a very important posting. “From local violent crimes and community intervention programs to national security matters and the January 6th insurrectionists, this prosecutor’s job needs serious courtroom skills, managerial experience and sound judgement not just looking good on a TV talk show, salacious soundbite or worse yet – uttering of outright falsehoods on voting machines or other issues important to the American people,” he said. For Jan. 6 victims and police responders, the collapse of Martin’s nomination outweighed concerns about Pirro. “I’m glad that Mr. Martin won’t be serving the people of Washington, D.C,” Harry Dunn, a former Capitol Police officer who testified at a public hearing of the Jan. 6 Select Committee, told CBS News. “For him to even have been nominated is disgusting considering how he feels about January 6th.” Rep. Jamie Raskin, a Maryland Democrat who was a member of the Jan. 6 committee, was critical of Martin, but also has blasted the selection of Pirro. “The U.S. Attorney in D.C. should have unquestioned commitment to justice, public integrity and the truth,” he said. “Jeanine Pirro has used her platform at Fox News to promote dangerous conspiracy theories and to traffic in election lies so outlandish they landed her network in court and cost it hundreds of millions of dollars. America deserves a serious public lawyer of the highest scruples, not another election-denying Fox Corporation propagandist.” The Justice Department did respond to requests for information about the timing of a transition from Martin to Pirro at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Washington, D.C. Scott MacFarlane Scott MacFarlane is CBS News’ Justice correspondent. He has covered Washington for two decades, earning 20 Emmy and Edward R. Murrow awards. His reporting has resulted directly in the passage of five new laws. Source link #Jeanine #Pirro #picked #replace #Edward #Martin #potential #pivotal #change #looms #Justice #Department #post #Washington Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Swansea city fan with almost a century of club memories Swansea city fan with almost a century of club memories Swansea City AFC/Athena Picture Agency On his 99th birthday, Francis was chauffeur-driven to the Swansea.com Stadium by club ambassador Lee Trundle and presented with a “This Is Your Life” red book on his time supporting the club It was almost like meeting a sporting hero, and while 103-year-old Francis Greene has never stepped foot on a professional football pitch, he still left me feeling star-struck. Among other things, he is a World War Two veteran, accomplished pianist, successful businessman, and a great-great-grandfather. But most importantly, for me at least, he is a life-long Swansea City fan with almost a century’s worth of memories. While I have 33 years under my belt, when Francis attended the Swans’ season-ending 3-3 home draw against Oxford United last weekend, it brought down the curtain on his 97th campaign. “We’d shut up the shop on a Saturday lunchtime, and I’d clutch on to dad’s hand as we made our way through the crowds and ****** up at the North Bank turnstiles,” Francis reminisced with a twinkle in his eye. “The noise, the smells, the singing were almost too much for a six-year-old to bear. “But it enchanted me, from that first game, I was hooked.” You never forget your first time, and this was his – a 2-1 victory over Oldham Athletic in 1928. Francis’ story will strike a chord with football fans right around the country, how their side was their first love, staying in their hearts their entire lives. He was born in February 1922, at number one Goat Street, a stone’s throw from the old Vetch Field, where the club played. It was from there his dad ran the family fishmonger’s, Coakley-Greene, which was established in 1856, and is still running today. Greene family photo The Greene family’s fishmongers – pictured in pre-war Swansea town centre in 1907 – is still operating today Like most youngsters, though, the dream was not to cheer on from the side lines – but to be out on the pitch himself. A promising right-half for Swansea Town Boys, Francis was in the same youth set-up as full-back Jackie Roberts and winger Ernie Jones – two of the five Alice Street gang. “I was never probably good enough to play for the Swans, but it was so much fun trying,” he said. His passion for playing wasn’t dampened, though, and he added: “Every moment I wasn’t in school or helping in the shop, I’d be out on the street kicking a ball around with those boys. “But you had to scarper like hell when you heard the policeman’s whistle and saw him coming around the corner. “Boy you’d be for it if he caught you playing near the cars.” Francis’ playing ambitions were curtailed by the looming threat of World War Two. Rather than waiting to be called up, he chose to enlist, training as a mechanic in the RAF ground crews, who kept Spitfires in the air during the Battle of Britain, the London Blitz, and acted as fighter support for bombing raids over Germany. “In some ways I think my time standing on the North Bank [of the Vetch] prepared me for the RAF,” he said. “You felt you were part of something ******* than just you. “An esprit de corps, a friendship and a comradeship that you never experienced in civvy street, apart from on the terraces. “Football is a bit like war – you have to know what your job is, how it fits into the system, and how every other man is depending on you doing it to the best of your ability.” Swansea City AFC A Swansea Town line-up from the 1920s, when Francis started attending matches at the old Vetch Field A huge part of this bonding on the terraces revolved around learning, and singing together, the team’s songs. Through misty eyes, Francis starts reciting a few lines from “I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles” – a song more commonly associated with another team in recent times. “Long before West Ham picked it up and made it their own, we used to belt out ‘I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles’,” he said. “That made me so proud to be properly part of the crowd.” He described it as “a proper badge of honour”, and while some were too rude to repeat, one rather quirky song makes him chuckle as he thinks back. “After the war, the favourite was the Woody Woodpecker song from the cartoon – ‘Hahahaha, It’s The Woody Woodpecker Song’ – I’ve no idea how that one caught on, but it was a lot of fun to sing it,” he said. Greene family photo Francis married his wife Hilda while on leave from the RAF in August 1943 Francis’ favourite players during his childhood were fullbacks Syd Lawrence, and Wilfred Milne – who still holds the record for the most Swans league appearances at 586 between 1920 and 1937. “Those two were lightning, up and down the pitch, left and right, sometimes it was as though we had 13 men on the field, so much was the ground they covered,” he said. But it was after returning to the North Bank when he was demobbed, that he saw some of the most iconic figures of Welsh football. “Of course John Charles went to Leeds and Juventus, before he ever got to play for the Swans, but Mel Charles and Mel Nurse were there,” he said. “It’s incredible that one street in Cwmbwrla could produce so much talent. “Then you had another set of brothers, Ivor and Len Allchurch. “We had so much talent in those years, and all born within walking distance of the Vetch.” Francis has been attending Swansea games for almost a century and remains a season ticket holder Francis took over the family fish business, as well as becoming an executive for Littlewoods department store. As well as cheering on the Swans, he also became an accomplished pianist in his spare time – appearing in a BBC Wales documentary, playing to enthralled crowds at Swansea Market. It is after covering more than half a century of his life and football support that we arrive at a point that is both mine, and Francis’ favourite memory. This is the open top bus tour following promotion to the top tier of English football for the first time, under John Toshack, in 1981. Francis was 59 and I was three. “Yes, we were probably on Kingsway [in the city centre] together that day – who knows how far apart – but by then I was a little bit too big to be sitting on my father’s shoulders like you were,” he said. “The same as you, I can remember the open-top parade, the ticker-tape, and the players waving. “I’d been going 50-odd years by then, and I never thought I’d see us bumping elbows with Liverpool, Manchester United and Arsenal in the top flight.” And this sums up football supporters – from those Francis sang with on the Vetch terraces in the 1920s, to fans on the city’s streets celebrating in 1981, and youngsters saying goodbye to legendary player Joe Allen at the Swansea.com stadium last week. You may not know each other personally, but through your songs, memories, high and lows you experience together, in some way, you are always family. Source link #Swansea #city #fan #century #club #memories Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

South32 boss Graham Kerr to step down next year with Anglo executive picked as his replacement South32 boss Graham Kerr to step down next year with Anglo executive picked as his replacement Graham Kerr is slated to leave South32 sometime next year after more than 11 years in charge of the BHP spin out. Source link #South32 #boss #Graham #Kerr #step #year #Anglo #executive #picked #replacement Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump promises to order that the US pay only the price other nations do for some drugs Trump promises to order that the US pay only the price other nations do for some drugs WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump says he’ll sign an executive order on Monday that, if implemented, could bring down the costs of some medications — reviving a failed effort from his first term on an issue he’s talked up since even before becoming president. The order Trump is promising will direct the Department of Health and Human Services to tie what Medicare pays for medications administrated in a doctor’s office to the lowest price paid by other countries. “I will be instituting a MOST FAVORED NATION’S POLICY whereby the United States will pay the same price as the Nation that pays the lowest price anywhere in the World,” the president posted Sunday on his social media site, pledging to sign the order on Monday morning at the White House. “Our Country will finally be treated fairly, and our citizens Healthcare Costs will be reduced by numbers never even thought of before,” Trump added. His proposal would likely only impact certain drugs covered by Medicare and given in an office — think infusions that treat *******, and other injectables. But it could potentially bring significant savings to the government, although the “TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS” Trump boasted about in his post may be an exaggeration. Medicare provides health insurance for roughly 70 million older Americans. Complaints about U.S. drug prices being notoriously high, even when compared with other large and wealthy countries, have long drawn the ire of both parties, but a lasting fix has never cleared Congress. Under the planned order, the federal government would tie what it pays pharmaceutical companies for those drugs to the price paid by a group of other, economically advanced countries — the so-called “most favored nation” approach. The proposal will face fierce opposition from the pharmaceutical industry. It was a rule that Trump tried to adopt during his first term, but could never get through. He signed a similar executive order in the final weeks of his presidency, but a court order later blocked the rule from going into effect under the Biden administration. The pharmaceutical industry argued that Trump’s 2020 attempt would give foreign governments the “upper hand” in deciding the value of medicines in the U.S.. The industry has long argued that forcing lower prices will hurt profits, and ultimately affect innovation and its efforts to develop new medicines. Only drugs on Medicare Part B — the insurance for doctor’s office visits — are likely to be covered under the plan. Medicare beneficiaries are responsible for picking up some of the costs to get those medications during doctor’s visits, and for traditional Medicare enrollees there is no annual out-of-pocket cap on what they pay. A report by the Trump administration during its first term found that the U.S. spends twice as much as some other countries in covering those drugs. Medicare Part B drug spending topped $33 billion in 2021. More common prescription drugs filled at a pharmacy would probably not be covered by the new order. Trump’s post formally previewing the action came after he teased a “very big announcement” last week. He gave no details, except to note that it wasn’t related to trade or the tariffs he has announced imposing on much of the world. “We’re going to have a very, very big announcement to make — like as big as it gets,” Trump said last week. He came into his first term accusing pharmaceutical companies of “getting away with *******” and complaining that other countries whose governments set drug prices were taking advantage of Americans. On Sunday, Trump took aim at the industry again, writing that the “Pharmaceutical/Drug Companies would say, for years, that it was Research and Development Costs, and that all of these costs were, and would be, for no reason whatsoever, borne by the ‘suckers’ of America, ALONE.” Referring to drug companies’ powerful lobbying efforts, he said that campaign contributions “can do wonders, but not with me, and not with the Republican Party.” “We are going to do the right thing,” he wrote. Source link #Trump #promises #order #pay #price #nations #drugs Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Asia markets live: Stocks to mostly rise Asia markets live: Stocks to mostly rise The Kannai and Chukagai district at night, the hub of Yokohama’s ******** district and thriving Chinatown entertainment and business district, full of shops, cafes, and restaurants. Copyright Artem Vorobiev | Moment | Getty Images Asia-Pacific markets are set to mostly rise Monday over optimism that U.S.-China trade tensions could de-escalate following the superpowers’ talks in Switzerland over the weekend. Both countries alluded to a positive conclusion of the high-stakes trade talks, with U.S. officials touting a deal to reduce its trade deficit, while ******** leaders said that they have arrived at an “important consensus.” U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent noted that the talks yielded “a great deal” of productivity. Meanwhile, ******** Vice Premier He Lifeng said a joint statement containing “good news for the world” would be released on Monday. Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 was set to open higher, with the futures contract in Chicago at 37,915 while its counterpart in Osaka last traded at 37,460 against the index’s Friday close of 37,503.33. Futures for Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index stood at 22,761, pointing to a weaker open compared to the HSI’s last close of 22,867.74. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 is set to start the day marginally higher with the futures tied to the benchmark at 8,265 compared to its last close of 8,231.20. U.S. futures jumped as investors await further details on the trade deal between the U.S. and China. This comes after declines in the three key benchmarks on Wall Street in last Friday’s session. The 30-stock Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 119.07 points, or 0.29%, and settled at 41,249.38. Meanwhile, the broad-based S&P 500 inched down 0.07%, closing at 5,659.91, while the Nasdaq Composite ended the session little changed, ending at 17,928.92. — CNBC’s Yun Li, Fred Imbert, Pia Singh and Brian Evans contributed to this report. Source link #Asia #markets #live #Stocks #rise Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Here's what U.S. Catholics are saying about the election of Pope Leo XIV – NPR Here's what U.S. Catholics are saying about the election of Pope Leo XIV – NPR Here’s what U.S. Catholics are saying about the election of Pope Leo XIV NPRSeattle Catholics celebrate election of 1st American pope at St. James Cathedral KOMOPope’s Family History Offers a Glimpse Into the American Creole Journey The New York TimesPope Leo XIV’s first address draws similarities to Pope Francis’ papacy while preserving forsaken traditions Fox NewsSunday services across Pittsburgh awash with hope in first days of Pope Leo XIV’s papacy Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Source link #Here039s #U.S #Catholics #election #Pope #Leo #XIV #NPR Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Donald Trump prizes more Gulf investment in the US Donald Trump prizes more Gulf investment in the US Sameer Hashmi Business reporter Getty Images President Trump, pictured here in 2019, is due to meet Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Tuesday With US President Donald Trump due to visit Gulf states this week, a key focus will be securing significant new investment for the US economy. “President Trump wants the announcement [of more Gulf money for the US],” says economist Karen Young, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute think tank. “He wants to have a big poster in a meeting that describes where these investments might go. And some estimation of what they will do to the American economy in terms of job creation or his big push, of course, on domestic manufacturing.” Trump is due to arrive in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, on Tuesday 13 May, to meet the country’s de facto leader Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Trump is then expected to attend a summit of Gulf leaders in the city on 14 May, before travelling to Qatar that same day, and then ending his three-day trip in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on 15 May. The economic importance of the region to Trump is highlighted by the fact that the visit to Saudi Arabia was due to be the first overseas trip of his second term in the White House. That was before the death of Pope Francis necessitated Trump attending his ******** in Rome towards the end of April. Saudi Arabia was also the first country that Trump visited during his first term of office, going against the modern practise of US presidents to start with the ***, Canada or Mexico. Getty Images The Saudi Public Investment Fund owns an 8.4% stake in Uber Securing new investments in the US from Gulf states, and particularly from their state-backed sovereign wealth funds, will help Trump to signal back home that his “America First” agenda is delivering results. The presidential visit is drawing top Wall Street and Silicon Valley leaders to Saudi Arabia. A Saudi-US investment forum on 13 May in Riyadh will feature CEOs from BlackRock, Palantir, Citigroup, IBM, Qualcomm, Alphabet, and Franklin Templeton. The push comes amid economic headwinds, as President Trump’s new import tariffs have significantly disrupted global trade, confidence, and the US economy itself. US economic output fell in the first three months of this year, its first fall in three years. Back in January, Prince Mohammed said that Saudi Arabia would invest $600bn (£450bn) in the US over the next years. However, Trump has already said that he’d like that to rise to $1tn, including purchases of more US military equipment. According to Ali Shihabi – a Saudi commentator and author, with close ties to the Saudi government – a number of economic agreements will be signed during the trip. “These deals will further integrate the Saudi and US economies together, joint ventures in the kingdom, in the United States, procurements of American weapons and goods,” says Mr Shihabi. Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment fund (PIF), which controls assets worth $925bn, already has numerous investments in the US. These include Uber, gaming firm Electronic Arts, and electric car firm Lucid. Meanwhile, the UAE has already committed to investing $1.4tn in the US over the next 10 years, in sectors such as AI, semiconductors, energy and manufacturing. This was announced by the White House in March after the UAE’s national security advisor, Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, met President Trump in Washington. Yet Ms Young from the Middle East Institute says that the scale of these investments is not realistic in the short term. She instead says that they are long-term strategic moves, and that the figures should be taken “with a little bit of a grain of salt”. Regarding specific deals that could be announced during Trump’s visit, it is widely reported that Saudi Arabia will agree to buy more than $100bn of US arms and other military items. These are said to include missiles, radar systems and transport aircraft. The US has been a longstanding arms supplier to Saudi Arabia, but in 2021 the then Biden administration stopped selling Riyadh offensive weapons, citing concerns about the country’s role in the war in neighbouring Yemen. The 2018 killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi was also widely reported to be a factor. A US report said that Prince Mohammed had approved the *******. The Biden White House resumed the ***** of these weapons last year. While it cited that the Saudis had stopped bombing Yemen, some commentators said that the US was seeking Saudi assistance to help end the conflict in Gaza and aid its future reconstruction. Getty Images Saudi Arabia is investing in construction and infrastructure as it tries to move its economy away from oil Mr Shihabi says Saudi Arabia will be seeking assurances from the White House that the US will implement a “more efficient procurement system”, enabling the Gulf state to access ammunition and military equipment far more quickly and easily. “The Trump administration is initiating procedures to facilitate those deals. So, it’s expected that this process will improve immediately,” he adds. Artificial intelligence is the other topic that will dominate the agenda during Mr Trump’s visit. Talks are expected to centre on attracting greater Gulf investment into US tech firms, and boosting the region’s access to cutting-edge American semiconductors. The UAE and Saudi Arabia have been investing billions of dollars into tech and AI sectors as try to diversify their economies away from oil. The Emiratis, in particular, are keen to establish themselves as a global AI hub. Last week, the Trump administration scrapped the Biden-era chip regulations that placed restrictions on exports of advanced US chips to more than 120 countries including the Gulf states. The White House is expected to draft new rules that would potentially involve direct negotiations with countries like the UAE. “For the UAE, this is absolutely essential,” says Ms Young. “They are aggressively building out their AI capacity. So, for them getting access to US technology is imperative to be the best.” While much attention will be on Trump courting Gulf capital for the US, Saudi Arabia is equally focused on drawing American investment into its ambitious Vision 2030 program. Led by giant construction projects, such as the building of a linear city called The Line, Vision 2030 is central to the Saudi government’s continuing efforts to diversify the country’s economy away from oil. It also involves pouring resources into entertainment, tourism, mining and sports. However, foreign direct investment into Saudi Arabia declined for a third straight year in 2024, reflecting persistent challenges in attracting overseas capital. The fall in global oil prices since the start of the year has further strained Riyadh’s finances, increasing pressure to either raise debt or cut spending to sustain its development goals. Oil prices tumbled to a four-year low amid growing concerns that a trade war could dampen global economic growth. The decline was further fuelled by the group of oil producing nations, Opec+, announcing plans to increase output. Saudi Arabia is part of that group, and some commentators said that the rise was in part a desire to please Trump, who has called for lower oil prices. Other analysts said the reason was more that Opec+ remains confident that the global economy is growing. The US-Saudi Business Council, is an organisation that aims to boost trade ties between the two countries. It is hoping that Trump’s visit will push American businesses to explore more opportunities in Saudi Arabia, especially in sectors like AI, healthcare and education. “The Saudi government is looking heavily to invest in these sectors. There is a very big appetite for Saudi companies to collaborate with American companies,” Huthaim Al Jalal, who heads the Riyadh office for the organisation, tells the BBC. Saudi officials are said to be confident that some deals in these sectors will be secured during Trump’s visit. For Saudi Arabia, Trump’s visit is about strengthening ties with their longest-standing Western ally – a relationship that grew strained during the Biden years. For President Trump, it is about landing investment deals that can be framed as a win for his economic agenda. “President Trump is looking for a headline of big investments in America, and he will get that from this trip,” adds Mr Shihabi. Read more global business stories Source link #Donald #Trump #prizes #Gulf #investment Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

PM ‘toughens migration rules’ and Zelensky’s ‘direct’ talks with Putin PM ‘toughens migration rules’ and Zelensky’s ‘direct’ talks with Putin Many of Monday’s papers are leading on the government’s new plans to control the levels of migration into the ***. The Guardian says the prime minister is toughening rules in what it calls a “challenge to Reform [***]”, which inflicted losses on Labour in the recent local elections. It states that adults such as spouses, siblings, parents and grown-up children who accompany foreign workers to the *** will be expected to pass an English language test, while care homes will be prevented from recruiting staff from abroad. “Migrants must earn right to stay… and improve their English,” headlines the i Paper as it quotes Sir Keir Starmer saying new immigrants have to earn the “privilege, not right” to settle in the ***. The paper analyses this as the government “seeking to seize [the] narrative from surging Reform ***”. The Times also goes with migrants needing to “earn their right to remain”, with those who pay their taxes on time, work in the public sector or have high-skilled jobs, or volunteer in the community, being “prioritised for residency rights”. Shadow home secretary Chris Philip says it is a “joke” to say the plans will be tough on criminal migrants. “Migrants must wait ten years to become British”, the Daily Express says under what it calls a “crackdown”. It explains that automatic settlement and citizenship for anyone living in the *** for five years will also end. The paper hears from the Conservatives who accuse the government of “pretending to be tough” on the issue. The Conservative response is also highlighted by the Daily Mail. It says the Tories have called the plans “laughable” for not including a cap on numbers and the paper adds that critics “immediately questioned” how success would be measured. The prime minister vows that “migration numbers will fall”, the paper adds, as it puts the other side of the political argument. The Daily Telegraph focuses on another part of the wide-ranging proposals with the headline “Starmer to shut ECHR migrant loophole”. It says the white paper will “tighten legislation” that currently allow courts to grant asylum to what it calls “foreign criminals and ******** migrants” under the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). The Sun leads on an exclusive which claims that while Starmer is announcing his crackdown on foreign criminals being granted asylum, Trinidadian rapper Bang Em Smurf – real name Daniel Calliste – is staying at a taxpayer-funded hotel while seeking asylum in the ***. The paper reports that the rapper – who is a “pal” of 50 Cent – has previously been jailed in the US “following a shootout”. The Financial Times says ******** companies are “accelerating a purge of foreign components” from their supply chains, and were “increasing efforts to source domestic inputs” to replace them with. This follows the “steep tariffs” slapped on China by the US. An analyst for research provider Rhodium Group says the tariffs increase Beijing’s desire to become self-sufficient – something ******** President Xi Jinping pushed for in policies called “Made in China 2025”. “I’ll face Putin to get peace”, reads Metro’s headline on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky agreeing to hold “direct negotiations” with his Russian counterpart. The paper says Zelensky accepted President Vladimir Putin’s peace talks offer after pressure from the US president – and hours after saying there would be no talks without a ceasefire first. The Daily Mirror claims “weight-loss jabs ‘cut ******* risk'”, according to new research that suggests they could cut the risk by nearly half. One expert says it could “herald a new era of preventative ******* medicine”, the paper reports. And finally, the Daily Star- keen as ever on a weather-related story – splashes a Photoshopped image of beach-ready seagulls – towel, sunnies and hat in tow – and the sub-headline “27C hotter than Malta”. It says a “two-week heatwave starts” is starting today and that Britain will be warmer than Mediterranean resorts including Malta. “Grab an ice cream!” it adds. Source link #toughens #migration #rules #Zelenskys #direct #talks #Putin Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Chip in gives Kiwi maiden PGA Tour win and major start Chip in gives Kiwi maiden PGA Tour win and major start New Zealand’s Ryan Fox has chipped in from just outside 50 feet on the first playoff hole to win the Myrtle Beach Classic for his first PGA Tour title, also earning a spot in this week’s PGA Championship. Fox closed with a five-under 66 that looked like it might not be enough when ********* Mackenzie Hughes came to the 18th hole with a one-shot lead. But Hughes pulled his drive into the trees, had to pitch out and missed a 10-foot par putt for a 67 that put him in a playoff at 15-under 269 with Fox and Harry Higgs. Higgs (68) missed a 25-foot birdie putt on the 18th with a chance to win for the first time. Going back to the 18th for the playoff, Hughes and Higgs found the fairway and each had decent looks at birdie. Fox went from the rough to the collar right of the green. He raised both arms when the chip dropped for birdie. Higgs and Hughes each missed their birdie putts. The 38-year-old Fox had won three times on the European tour, including the flagship BMW PGA Championship in 2023, and has climbed as high as No. 23 in the world. But he had yet to record a top 10 on the PGA Tour this year. The PGA Championship was holding a spot in the field at Quail Hollow for the winner of the Myrtle Beach Classic. This will be Fox’s fourth straight year playing the major. Hughes was already in the field. The victory also gives Fox a two-year exemption on the PGA Tour and a spot in The Sentry at Kapalua to start next year. The tournament was played in the same week as the signature Truist Championship which attracted many of the tour’s leading players. Source link #Chip #Kiwi #maiden #PGA #Tour #win #major #start Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Qatar giving Trump a new plane, sources say Qatar giving Trump a new plane, sources say Qatar giving Trump a new plane, sources say – CBS News Watch CBS News President Trump may be getting a new ride from the royal family of Qatar. It’s a luxury Boeing 747-8 and news of the plan is raising concerns. ******* James Inman is at the White House with details. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On Source link #Qatar #giving #Trump #plane #sources Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Japan PM Ishiba reiterates call to eliminate all tariffs with US Japan PM Ishiba reiterates call to eliminate all tariffs with US By Kevin Buckland TOKYO (Reuters) -Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba reiterated on Sunday that he will aim for the elimination of all tariffs in trade negotiations with the United States. Speaking on a Fuji Television morning program, Ishiba said that “discussions have gradually come together,” and that Tokyo’s relationship with U.S. President Donald Trump is “surprisingly good.” However, Ishiba said that Washington’s agreement with London, announced on Thursday, which lowers prohibitive duties on British car exports while keeping a baseline 10% tariff in place, was “one model” for trade deals, “but we should aim for 0% tariffs.” Saying that high auto import levies would make cars more expensive for U.S. consumers, Ishiba added, “for the sake of the American economy as well, shouldn’t those tariffs be lowered?” Trump said on Friday that the U.S. will maintain a baseline 10% tariff on imports even after trade deals are struck, adding there could be exemptions when countries offer significant trade terms. Currently, Japan faces a 25% levy on economically crucial auto exports to the United States, and a reciprocal 24% tariff on other Japanese goods. In terms of supporting the domestic economy, Ishiba said that the government needs to think carefully about a mooted reduction in consumption tax. “If we suddenly lower the consumption tax, what happens to the country’s finances?” he said. “We have to think if there aren’t other ways that we can help those who are truly in need.” (Reporting by Kevin Buckland; Editing by Christian Schmollinger) Source link #Japan #Ishiba #reiterates #call #eliminate #tariffs Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

OKC overcomes clutch woes to win gritty Game 4 – ESPN OKC overcomes clutch woes to win gritty Game 4 – ESPN OKC overcomes clutch woes to win gritty Game 4 ESPNNuggets lose to Thunder in Game 4 NBADenver Nuggets vs. Oklahoma City Thunder Game 4: TV channel, time, what to know KDVRNuggets’ other guys lift Nikola Jokić for a change in Game 3 OT win over Thunder The New York TimesThunder vs. Nuggets Game 4 Predictions : Odds, recent stats, trends, and best bets for May 11 NBC Sports Source link #OKC #overcomes #clutch #woes #win #gritty #Game #ESPN Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Business Daily Business Daily ******** exporters are braced for the consequences of US President Donald Trump’s tariffs Source link #Business #Daily Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Why Burkina Faso’s junta leader has captured hearts and minds around the world Why Burkina Faso’s junta leader has captured hearts and minds around the world Ibrahim Traoré/X A charismatic 37-year-old, Burkina Faso’s military ruler Capt Ibrahim Traoré has skilfully built the persona of a pan-Africanist leader determined to free his nation from what he regards as the clutches of Western imperialism and neo-colonialism. His message has resonated across Africa and beyond, with his admirers seeing him as following in the footsteps of African heroes like Burkina Faso’s very own Thomas Sankara – a Marxist revolutionary who is sometimes referred to as “Africa’s Che Guevara”. “Traoré’s impact is huge. I have even heard politicians and authors in countries like Kenya [in East Africa] say: ‘This is it. He is the man’,” Beverly Ochieng, a senior researcher at global consultancy firm Control Risks, told the BBC. “His messages reflect the age we are living in, when many Africans are questioning the relationship with the West, and why there is still so much poverty in such a resource-rich continent,” she said. After seizing power in a coup in 2022, Traoré’s regime ditched former colonial power France in favour of a strong alliance with Russia, that has included the deployment of a Russian paramilitary brigade, and adopted left-wing economic policies. This included setting up a state-owned mining company, requiring foreign firms to give it a 15% stake in their local operations and to transfer skills to Burkinabé people. The rule also applied to Russian miner Nordgold, which was given a licence in late April for its latest investment in Burkina Faso’s gold industry. As part of what Traoré calls a “revolution” to ensure Burkina Faso benefits from its mineral wealth, the junta is also building a gold refinery and establishing national gold reserves for the first time in the nation’s history. However, Western-owned firms appear to be facing a tough time, with Australia-headquartered Sarama Resources launching arbitration proceedings against Burkina Faso in late 2024 following the withdrawal of an exploration licence. The junta has also nationalised two gold mines previously owned by a London-listed firm, and said last month that it planned to take control of more foreign-owned mines. Enoch ****** Aikins, a researcher at South Africa’s Institute for Security Studies, told the BBC that Traoré’s radical reforms had increased his popularity in Africa. “He is now arguably Africa’s most popular, if not favourite, president,” Mr Aikins said. AFP Support for Western-style democracy has fallen in many African states, research shows His popularity has been fuelled through social media, including many misleading posts intended to bolster his revolutionary image. AI-generated videos of music stars like R Kelly, Rihanna, Justin Bieber and Beyoncé are seen immortalising him through song – though they have done nothing of the sort. Ms Ochieng said that Traoré first caught the attention of Africans when he spoke at the Russia-Africa summit in 2023, telling African leaders to “stop behaving like puppets who dance every time the imperialists pull the strings”. This speech was heavily publicised by Russian media, which has become a major player in promoting Traoré’s pan-Africanist image. Thanks to his rhetoric and pushed by a slick social media campaign, his appeal has spread around the world, including among African-Americans and ****** Britons, Ms Ochieng noted. “Everyone who has experienced racism, colonialism and slavery can relate to his messages,” Ms Ochieng said, pointing out that African-American rapper Meek Mill had posted about him on X late last year, saying how much he liked his “energy and heart” – though he was ridiculed for mixing up names by referring to Traoré as Burkina Faso and later deleted the post. But France’s president is not a fan, describing Traoré as part of a “baroque alliance between self-proclaimed pan-Africans and neo-imperialists”. Emmanuel Macron was also referring to Russia and China whom he accused, in a 2023 speech, of provoking coups in Africa’s former French colonies, and hypocritically stirring up old arguments over sovereignty and colonial exploitation. Traoré’s popularity comes despite the fact that he has failed to fulfil his pledge to quell a 10-year Islamist insurgency that has fuelled ethnic divisions and has now spread to once-peaceful neighbours like Benin. His junta has also cracked down on dissent, including the opposition, media and civil society groups and punished critics, among them medics and magistrates, by sending them to the front-lines of the war against the jihadists. AFP Thomas Sankara, who was killed in 1987, was praised by supporters for his integrity and selflessness – and remains an icon for many in Africa For Rinaldo Depagne, the Africa deputy director of the International Crisis Group think-tank, Traoré commands such support because “he is young in a country with a young population” – the median age is 17.7 years. “He is media-savvy, and uses the past to build his popularity as a reincarnation of Sankara,” he told the BBC. “And he knows the art of politics – how to make a nation completely traumatised by war feel there is a better future. He is really good at that game.” Sankara rose to power in a coup in 1983 at the age of 33, rallied the nation under the motto “Fatherland or death, we will win!”, and was killed four years later in another coup that put Burkina Faso back in France’s political orbit until Traoré’s seizure of power. Ghanaian security analyst Prof Kwesi Aning, who previously worked at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre, said the popularity of the military leader reflected a political shift taking place on the continent, especially in West Africa. A 2024 survey in 39 countries by Afrobarometer showed a drop in support for democracy, although it remained the most popular form of government. “Democracy has failed to give hope to the youth. It has not delivered jobs or better education and health,” Prof Aning told the BBC. He said Traoré was “offering an alternative, and re-capturing the spirit of two historic epochs”: Ibrahim Traoré/X Capt Traoré is at ease chatting to people – here with agricultural workers in March It was Traoré who stole the show at the inauguration of Ghana’s President John Mahama in January, when he arrived wearing battle fatigues with a pistol in his holster. “There were already 21 heads of state there, but when Traoré walked in, the place lit up. Even my president’s bodyguards were running after him,” Prof Aning said. Traoré offered a sharply contrasting image to some of the continent’s other leaders, who struggled to walk but clung to power by rigging elections, he said. “Traoré is stylish and confident, with a very open face and a small smile. He is also a powerful orator, and presents himself as a man of the people.” In a sign that his Russian-allied junta has made some progress on the economic front, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank have given a generally upbeat assessment. In a statement in early April, the IMF said that despite a “challenging humanitarian and security” environment, the economy was expected to remain “robust” in 2025, and the regime had made “commendable progress” in raising domestic revenue, containing the public wage bill, and increasing spending on education, health and social protection. As for the World Bank, it said that inflation had surged from 0.7% in 2023 to 4.2% in 2024, but the extreme poverty rate, which refers to people living on less than $2.15 [£1.61] a day, had fallen by almost two percentage points to 24.9% because of “robust growth” in the agriculture and services sectors. Despite these reports from US-based financial institutions, relations with both France and America have been frosty. A recent example being the claim by the head of the US Africa Command, Gen Michael Langley, that Traoré was using Burkina Faso’s gold reserves for his junta’s protection rather than the nation’s benefit. This appeared to be a reference to the long-standing view of the US, and some of its African allies, that Russian forces were propping up Traoré in exchange for a stake in Burkina Faso’s gold industry – undermining the military ruler’s image as a leader who expelled French troops in 2023 to reclaim the country’s sovereignty. Gen Langley’s comments, made in early April during a US Senate committee hearing, triggered an uproar among the captain’s supporters, who felt their hero was being smeared. This was further inflamed when shortly afterwards, the Burkinabé junta said it had foiled a coup plot, alleging the plotters were based in neighbouring Ivory Coast – where Gen Langley then made a visit. AFP A huge rally in support of Capt Traoré was held in Ouagadougou on 30 April – along with others in cities around the world, including London Ivory Coast denied being involved in any plot, while the US Africa Command said Gen Langley’s visit had focused on addressing “common security challenges” – including “violent extremism”. But the junta took the opportunity to organise one of its biggest rallies in Burkina Faso’s capital over fears that “imperialists” and their “lackeys” were trying to depose the captain. “Because Colin Powell lied, Iraq was destroyed. Barack Obama lied, Gaddafi was killed. But this time, their lies won’t affect us,” one protester, musician Ocibi Johann, told the Associated Press news agency. Rallies in solidarity with Traoré were also held abroad, including in London, on the same day. He took to social media afterwards, posting in French and English, to express his gratitude to them for sharing his vision “for a new Burkina Faso and a new Africa”, adding: “Together, in solidarity, we will defeat imperialism and neo-colonialism for a free, dignified and sovereign Africa.” It is impossible to say how things will end for the young captain, but he – along with military leaders in Mali and ****** – have certainly shaken up West Africa, and other states have followed their example by ordering French forces to leave. The three military-ruled neighbours have also pulled out of the regional trade and security grouping Ecowas, formed their own alliance, and have ended free trade in the region by announcing the imposition of a 0.5% tariff on goods coming into their countries. Mr Aikins said Traoré could learn from others, pointing out that when Rawlings took power in Ghana at the age of 32, he was known as “Junior Jesus” but after 19 years he left a mixed legacy – he had been unable to stem corruption despite helping to create an “enduring” democracy. For a “lasting legacy”, Mr Aikins said, Traoré should focus on achieving peace and building strong state institutions to bring about good governance rather than “personalising” power and cracking down on dissent. You may also be interested in:Getty Images/BBC Source link #Burkina #Fasos #junta #leader #captured #hearts #minds #world Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Knights re-sign Croker as Thompson exit looms Knights re-sign Croker as Thompson exit looms Newcastle have signed forward Mat Croker to a new two-year contract as they lay groundwork for the impending exit of Leo Thompson. Source link #Knights #resign #Croker #Thompson #exit #looms Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The rare disease in a remote town where ‘almost everyone is a cousin’ The rare disease in a remote town where ‘almost everyone is a cousin’ Before Silvana Santos arrived in the little town of Serrinha dos Pintos more than 20 years ago, residents had no idea why so many local children had lost the ability to walk. The remote town in north-eastern Brazil is home to fewer than 5,000 people, and is where biologist and geneticist Santos identified and named a previously unknown condition: Spoan syndrome. Caused by a genetic mutation, the syndrome affects the nervous system, gradually weakening the body. It only appears when the altered gene is inherited from both parents. Santos’s research marked the first time the disease had been described anywhere in the world. For this and later work, she was named one of the BBC’s 100 most influential women in 2024. Before Santos arrived, families had no explanation for the illness affecting their children. Today, residents talk confidently about Spoan and genetics. “She gave us a diagnosis we never had. After the research, help came: people, funding, wheelchairs,” says Marquinhos, one of the patients. Serrinha dos Pintos: a world of its own Where Santos is from in São Paulo, Brazil’s largest and wealthiest city, many of her neighbours were members of the same extended family originally from Serrinha. Many of them were cousins of varying degrees, married to each other. They told Santos that many of people in their hometown couldn’t walk, but that no one knew why. One of the neighbours’ daughters, Zirlândia, suffered from a debilitating condition: as a child, her eyes moved involuntarily and over time, she lost strength in her limbs and needed to use a wheelchair, requiring help with even the simplest tasks. Years of investigation would lead Santos and a research team to identify these as symptoms of Spoan syndrome. They would go on to find 82 other cases worldwide. The entrance of Serrinha dos Pintos, where research suggests nearly a third of couples are related [Mariana Castiñeiras/BBC] At the invitation of her neighbours, Santos visited Serrinha on holiday. She describes her arrival as stepping into “a world of its own” – not just because of the lush scenery and mountain views, but also due to what seemed to be a notable social coincidence. The more she walked and spoke with locals, the more surprised she was at how common marriages between cousins were. Serrinha’s geographical isolation and little inward migration mean that many of the population are related, making marriage between cousins far more likely and more socially acceptable. Worldwide, marriages between relatives were estimated at around 10% in the early 2010s. More recent data shows the rate varies widely, from over 50% in countries like Pakistan, to 1-4% in Brazil and less than 1% in the US and Russia. Most children born to pairs of cousins are healthy, experts say. But these marriages do face a higher risk of a harmful genetic mutation being passed down through the family. “If a couple is unrelated, the chance of having a child with a rare genetic disorder or disability is about 2–3%. For cousins, the risk rises to 5–6% per pregnancy,” explains geneticist Luzivan Costa Reis from Brazil’s Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul. A 2010 study led by Santos showed that more than 30% of couples in Serrinha were related, and a third of them had at least one child with a disability. [BBC] Long road to diagnosis Santos set out to find a diagnosis for the people of Serrinha and she began planning a detailed genetic study, requiring multiple trips and eventually leading to her relocating to the region. She drove the 2,000km to and from São Paulo many times in the early years of her research. She collected DNA samples door-to-door, chatting to locals over coffee and gathering family stories, all the while trying to locate the mutation causing the disease. What was supposed to be three months of fieldwork turned into years of dedication. It all led to the publication in 2005 of the team’s study revealing the existence of Spoan in the Brazilian hinterland. Santos’s team found that the mutation involves the loss of a small fragment of a chromosome, which causes a gene to overproduce a key protein in brain cells. [BBC] “They said it came from Maximiano, a womaniser in our family,” recalls farmer Lolô, whose daughter Rejane has Spoan. Lolô, now 83, married his cousin and never left Serrinha. He still tends cattle and relies on family to care for Rejane, who struggles with daily tasks. But the genetic mutation behind Spoan is far older than the legend of Old Maximiano: it likely arrived more than 500 years ago with early European settlers in the north-east of Brazil. “Sequencing studies show strong European ancestry in patients, supporting records of Portuguese, Dutch, and Sephardic Jewish presence in the region,” says Santos. The theory gained strength after two Spoan cases were found in Egypt, and further studies showed that the Egyptian cases also shared European ancestry, pointing to a common origin in the Iberian Peninsula. “It likely came with related Sephardic Jews or Moors fleeing the Inquisition,” says Santos. She believes more cases may exist globally, especially in Portugal. Silvana Santos no longer lives in the area, but she continues to visit [Mariana Castiñeiras/BBC] Understanding the risks Although there’s been little progress toward a cure, tracking patients has brought some change. Rejane recalls how people used to be called “cripples”. Now, they’re simply said to have Spoan. Wheelchairs brought not just independence, but also helped prevent deformities – in the past, many with the condition had been left simply lying in bed or on the floor. As Spoan progresses, physical limitations worsen with age and by 50, nearly all patients become fully dependent on carers. This is the case for Inés’s children, who are among the oldest in Serrinha. Chiquinho, 59, can no longer speak, and Marquinhos, 46, has limited communication abilities. “It’s hard to have a ‘special’ child. We love them the same, but we suffer for them,” says Inés, who is married to a second cousin. Inês has two sons affected by Spoan Syndrome [Mariana Castiñeiras/BBC] Larissa Queiroz, 25, the niece of Chiquinho and Marquinho, also married a distant relative. She and her husband, Saulo, only discovered their common ancestor after several months of dating. “In Serrinha dos Pintos, deep down, we’re all cousins. We’re related to everyone,” she says. Couples like Larissa and Saulo are the focus of a new research project which Santos is also involved in. Backed by Brazil’s Ministry of Health, it will screen 5,000 couples for genes linked to serious recessive diseases. Thanks to research in occupational therapy, Paula and several other patients have already received motorised wheelchairs [Mariana Castiñeiras/BBC] The goal is not to stop cousin marriages, but to help couples understand their genetic risks, says Santos. Now a university professor, she also leads a genetics education centre and works to expand testing in the north-east of Brazil. Though she no longer lives in Serrinha dos Pintos, every visit feels like coming home. “It’s as if Santos is family,” says Inés. Source link #rare #disease #remote #town #cousin Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Dow futures jump 400 points as traders await details on U.S.-China trade deal: Live updates – CNBC Dow futures jump 400 points as traders await details on U.S.-China trade deal: Live updates – CNBC Dow futures jump 400 points as traders await details on U.S.-China trade deal: Live updates CNBCStock Futures Jump on Hopes For U.S.-China Trade Deal Barron’sUS Futures, Dollar Climb on Geneva Trade Talks: Markets Wrap BloombergDow Jones Futures: Bessent Claims ‘Productive’ U.S.-China Trade Talks; Tesla, Palantir, Alibaba Near Buy Points Investor’s Business DailyDow futures and the dollar surge as Wall Street cheers U.S.-China tariff talks Fortune Source link #Dow #futures #jump #points #traders #await #details #U.S.China #trade #deal #Live #updates #CNBC Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Trump vows to cut medicine price to match other nations Trump vows to cut medicine price to match other nations Donald Trump says he is preparing to sign an executive order that will bring down the price of prescription medications in line with other nations. Source link #Trump #vows #cut #medicine #price #match #nations Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The Midnight Walk (PSVR2) review | One More Level The Midnight Walk (PSVR2) review | One More Level The Midnight Walk, a dark fantasy game made of clay. Source link #Midnight #Walk #PSVR2 #review #Level Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

First white South Africans board plane for US under Trump refugee plan First white South Africans board plane for US under Trump refugee plan The first white South Africans granted refugee status under a programme initiated by U.S. President Donald Trump boarded a plane to leave from the country’s main international airport in Johannesburg on Sunday. A ****** of white citizens with airport trolleys full of luggage, much of it wrapped in theft-proof cellophane, waited to have their passports stamped, a Reuters reporter saw, before they entered the departure lounge for their charter flight. “One of the conditions of the permit was to ensure that they were vetted in case one of them has a criminal issue pending,” South African transport department spokesperson Collen Msibi told Reuters, adding that 49 passengers had been cleared. Journalists were not granted access to those headed to the U.S. Msibi said they were due to fly to Dulles Airport just outside Washington, D.C., and then on to Texas. They had boarded the plane but not yet left as of 8:30 p.m. (1830 GMT). Trump’s offer of asylum to white South Africans, especially Afrikaners – the group with the longest history among white settlers in South Africa and who make up the bulk of whites – has been divisive in both countries. In the United States, it comes as the Trump administration has blocked mostly non-white refugee admissions from the rest of the world. In South Africa, it coincides with heightened racial tensions over land and jobs that have dogged domestic politics since the end of white ********* rule. Despite a wider freeze on refugees, Trump called on the U.S. to prioritize resettling Afrikaners, descendants of mostly Dutch early settlers, saying they were “victims of unjust racial discrimination.” The granting of refugee status to white South Africans – who have remained by far the most privileged race since apartheid ended 30 years ago – has been met with a mixture of alarm and ridicule by South African authorities, who say the Trump administration has waded into a domestic political issue it does not understand. Three decades since Nelson Mandela ushered democracy into South Africa, the white ********* that ruled it has managed to retain most of the wealth that was amassed under colonialism and apartheid. Whites still own three quarters of private land and about 20 times the wealth of the ****** majority, according to the Review of Political Economy, an international academic journal. Whites are also the race least affected by joblessness. Yet the claim that ********* white South Africans face discrimination from the ****** majority has been repeated so often in online chatrooms that is has become orthodoxy for the far right, and has been echoed by Trump’s white South African-born ally Elon Musk. (This story has been corrected to say that Afrikaners have the longest history among white settlers, not that they are the group with the longest history in South Africa, in paragraph 6 ) (Reporting by Thando Hlophe and Tim Cocks; Editing by Leslie Adler) Source link #white #South #Africans #board #plane #Trump #refugee #plan Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]