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Science is a Pandora’s box – but we should open it anyway Science is a Pandora’s box – but we should open it anyway Shutterstock/Leka Sergeeva Whether it’s Pandora’s box, Eve’s apple or the cat’s curiosity, there is no shortage of cautionary tales about the dangers of knowledge – but are there really ideas so toxic that they should be suppressed? Well, it depends on whom you ask. When faced with Galileo Galilei’s heretical concept of Earth not being the centre of the universe, the Catholic church came down hard as the idea threatened its teachings. While this did delay heliocentrism, the church apologised… in 1992. Suppression, then, can hold back an idea for only so long, especially if it turns out to be true. And yet, as we report (see “Bitter argument breaks out over controversial theory of consciousness”), some researchers are arguing that we should reject a proposed theory of consciousness because of its implications for thorny questions like the rights of fetuses or artificial intelligences, even as evidence points in its favour. This is a long way from inquisitors’ cries of heresy, but there is something uncomfortable about dismissing a scientific idea based on its potential consequences. It is still far from clear whether this idea, known as integrated information theory, is even the right approach to consciousness – but it would be wrong to abandon it prematurely. Ultimately, science is the process of opening a never-ending series of Pandora’s boxes Maybe researchers should simply pursue the purity of knowledge, without concern for fallout? This too would be an error. Take the example of physicists whose explorations led to the conception of the atomic bomb. Albert Einstein, working with others, sent a letter to US President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1939 to warn him that scientists in Nazi Germany were probably already working to build one, spurring on the Manhattan Project. Ironically, Einstein regretted sending his letter, feeling that it led to the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. But it is hard to argue that he shouldn’t have issued his warning. Ultimately, science is the process of opening a never-ending series of Pandora’s boxes that are home to potential good or ill. Scientists can do their best to shepherd what they have released, but leaving the boxes closed would be a poorer choice. Topics: artificial intelligence/ consciousness Source link #Science #Pandoras #box #open Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

99.999 per cent of the deep seabed remains unexplored by humans 99.999 per cent of the deep seabed remains unexplored by humans Crewed deep-sea submersibles have been around for decades NOAA The first comprehensive analysis of deep-sea dives has revealed that humans have only directly observed a tiny fraction – less than 0.001 per cent – of the global deep seafloor, leaving the vast majority of our planet unexplored. Oceans make up 71 per cent of Earth’s total surface area, and around 93 per cent of that area is deep seafloor, classed as seabed deeper than 200 metres. While much of this ocean region has been mapped using satellites and ship-mounted sonar, very little has been directly observed. Source link #cent #deep #seabed #remains #unexplored #humans Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Actor Michael Pitt arrested on ******* abuse charges – ABC News Actor Michael Pitt arrested on ******* abuse charges – ABC News Actor Michael Pitt arrested on ******* abuse charges ABC NewsMichael Pitt arrested for alleged ******* assault and attack on ex-girlfriend The GuardianMichael Pitt, ‘Boardwalk Empire’ Actor, Is Arrested on Sex Abuse Charges The New York Times’Boardwalk Empire’ Star Michael Pitt Arrested, Charged With ******* Abuse, Engaging in ********* Without Consent People.com’Boardwalk Empire’ actor Michael Pitt accused of sex abuse, strangulation in Brooklyn ABC7 New York Source link #Actor #Michael #Pitt #arrested #******* #abuse #charges #ABC #News Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Official Nintendo Playing Cards – All Of The Mario & Zelda Decks Available Now Official Nintendo Playing Cards – All Of The Mario & Zelda Decks Available Now Nintendo might be synonymous with video games today, but the company actually got its start as a playing card company. Founded in 1889, Nintendo originally produced Hanafuda–a type of card used to play a variety of games dating back to the 16th century. Playing cards are obviously no longer Nintendo’s main attraction, but the gaming giant hasn’t forgotten its humble playing card roots. Nintendo has continued to release card decks, albeit not as many these days, including traditional 52-card Legend of Zelda– and Mario-themed decks as well as unique hanafuda cards featuring characters from the Mushroom Kingdom. Nintendo playing cards are primarily sold in Japan, though a bunch of imported decks have popped up on Amazon over the years. Prices tend to change often because you’re buying from resellers with limited stock, but the decks typically ship from Amazon and some even have Prime shipping. We’ve rounded up all of the Nintendo playing cards we could find on Amazon. All of the 52-card decks below are packaged in a clear plastic case with a Nintendo logo, so you can display the cool artwork when you aren’t playing. $10 Released back in 2011 to commemorate The Legend of Zelda’s 25th anniversary, this charming 52-card deck features a mix of character and item artwork spanning from the original NES game to Skyward Sword. If you’re wondering who nabbed spots on the face cards: Link is the Jack, Zelda is the Queen, and Ganondorf is the King. The Triforce can be found on Aces, and Tingle is the Joker, which feels like the perfect choice. Each card has a green back with a Triforce pattern, Hylian Crests, and a large Triforce in the center featuring four different versions of Link through the ages. Note: The image shown above is how the back of the cards look; the image on Amazon is brighter and overly saturated. $13.80 This 52-card deck features the modern designs of well-known Mushroom Kingdom characters. Mario himself is on the back of the cards. The red and gold color scheme includes a border of Super Stars. Unfortunately for Bowser, he is the Joker in this deck, while Mario is the King. That probably doesn’t make King Koopa too happy. $15 Nintendo’s Game Stage 52-card deck has a checkerboard design on the back featuring retro and modern artwork of Bowser’s underlings, power-ups, and coins. Each full-color card features a section of a level from the original Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros. 3, Super Mario World, or New Super Mario Bros. U. $11.80 For retro gaming enthusiasts, this 52-card deck is one of your best options if you want Super Mario Bros. playing cards. Mario’s character model from the original Super Mario Bros. game for NES is on the back, and each card has 8-bit artwork of characters or items/objects such as power-ups and warp pipes. And yes, Mario is always king, and Bowser is once again the Joker. $13.40 The artwork on the front of these cards is very similar to the “Standard” deck listed above, while the backs of the cards have vibrant neon Super Mushrooms, Fire Flowers, Super Stars, bricks, and coins set against a solid ****** background. Mario’s 3D character model is jumping in triumph (wahoo). $17 The other ideal option for retro Mario fans is this 52-card deck. This is one of two Super Mario decks with full-color backgrounds on the front of the cards. You’ll find character art from the NES era, with an emphasis on Super Mario Bros. 3. The King, for instance, is Mario with his Frog Suit. The back of each card shows Mario mid-sprint, with his hat fluttering above him, against a multi-colored background. $13.77 Nintendo also created an appropriately colorful deck of Splatoon cards. The back of cards is splattered with paint, while the fronts have gray backgrounds featuring characters from the Splatoon franchise, including Judge Kun, Anemo, Atarime, and the squid logo. $20 for ****** | $21 for Red Smaller and thicker than the playing cards you’re probably used to, Hanafuda (Flower Cards) are designed to play a variety of traditional Japanese card games. Nintendo’s Super Mario-themed Hanafuda deck features unique character artwork you won’t find on the 52-card decks listed above. Each card has a different character or object from the Mushroom Kingdom and a floral background. Along with various cards featuring Mario wearing his classic suits, you can admire cards with art showcasing Bowser Jr., Yoshi, Princess Peach, Rosalina, Daisy, Toadette, and more characters. There are even Yoshi’s Island cards with Baby Mario and Kamek as well as Donkey and Diddy Kong. $13 Though also manufactured by Nintendo, this particular deck features scenic landscape art, rivers, and vibrant foliage. You won’t find video game characters on these cards, but they still look great. $16 This Hanafuda deck ditches the clear plastic case in favor of a more traditional storage case. Like the other two sets, each card features scenic nature artwork. All of the traditional playing card decks above were manufactured by Nintendo, but they aren’t the only card games themed around the publisher’****** franchises. There are officially licensed Mario and Zelda editions of UNO as well as various matching games. Source link #Official #Nintendo #Playing #Cards #Mario #Zelda #Decks Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Dementia cases are rising faster in China than the rest of the world Dementia cases are rising faster in China than the rest of the world Why are dementia cases soaring in China? hanohikirf/Alamy Dementia rates are increasing more rapidly in China than almost anywhere else in the world, with cases more than quadrupling in the country over the past few decades. Daoying Geng at Fudan University in China and her colleagues analysed dementia rates in 204 countries and regions around the world between 1990 and 2021. They used a World Health Organization database to collect information on dementia deaths and cases in people aged 40 and older, focusing on Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia, such as vascular dementia and frontotemporal lobe dementia. The researchers found that the number of people with dementia worldwide more than doubled during this *******, from almost 22 million in 1990 to close to 57 million in 2021. The increase was even more drastic in China, where cases more than quadrupled, rising from roughly 4 million to nearly 17 million over the same time frame. Further analysis revealed that population growth was the main culprit. Birth rates in China spiked in the 1950s. “So those people are getting older today – they are now in their 70s, which is the highest risk group for dementia,” says Xi Chen at Yale University, who wasn’t involved with the study. “Many countries have baby boomers, but not as large a cohort as China’s baby boomers. So that’s the main issue.” The team identified three other major factors contributing to China’s rising dementia rates. The first, smoking, almost exclusively affects men, as only 2 per cent of women in China smoke cigarettes while roughly half of all men do. This is in sharp contrast to wealthier countries such as the US and the ***, where smoking rates have steadily declined, says Chen. One Western trend that China has echoed is a jump in rates of diabetes and obesity, particularly in the past few decades, both of which are risk factors for dementia. This is probably because people in China are adopting a more Western diet high in fats and calories, says Chen. He believes that dementia rates in China will eventually resemble those in the US or ***, as younger generations tend to smoke less than older ones. But the condition will still have a huge impact on China in the meantime. “Dementia is one of the most expensive diseases in the world. It requires a lot of caregiving and treatment,” says Chen. “And in terms of an ageing population, China is still the largest in the world. There are fewer young people taking care of a larger cohort of older people with dementia. So, these are all challenges.” Topics: Source link #Dementia #cases #rising #faster #China #rest #world Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Denmark summons US ambassador over Greenland spying report Denmark summons US ambassador over Greenland spying report Getty Images Denmark’s foreign minister says he will summon the US ambassador to address a report that Washington’s spy agencies have been told to focus on Greenland amid Donald Trump’s threats to take over the island. “It worries me greatly because we do not spy on friends,” Lars Løkke Rasmussen said, responding to the report in The Wall Street Journal. According to the newspaper, US spy agencies were told to focus efforts on the semi-autonomous country’s independence movement, and American goals to extract mineral resources there. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard accused the Journal of attempts to “undermine” President Trump “by politicizing and leaking classified information”. While not denying the report, she accused the newspaper of “breaking the law and undermining our nation’s security and democracy”. Rasmussen, who was attending an EU ministers meeting in Warsaw, said the report was “somewhat disturbing”. “We are going to call in the US acting ambassador for a discussion at the foreign ministry to see if we can confirm this information,” Rasmussen said. “It doesn’t seem to be strongly rejected by those who speak out. That worries me.” The Danish Security and Intelligence Service (****) declined to comment on the article, but told Danish media that it had “naturally” taken note of US interest in Greenland. Based on international interest in Greenland in general, the agency said, there was an increased espionage threat against it and Denmark. President Trump has repeatedly vowed to take control of Greenland, most recently telling NBC News on Sunday that he had not ruled out using military force to seize the arctic island. “I don’t say I’m going to do it, but I don’t rule out anything,” he said. “We need Greenland very badly. Greenland is a very small amount of people, which we’ll take care of, and we’ll cherish them, and all of that. But we need that for international security.” During a speech to Congress in March, Trump told US lawmakers that “one way or the other, we’re going to get it.” Danish officials also condemned a visit to Greenland by Vice-President JD Vance in March. Danish PM Mette Frederiksen said the visit to a remote US military base “completely unacceptable pressure on Greenland, Greenlandic politicians and the Greenlandic population”. Former President Joe Biden, speaking to BBC News in his first interview since leaving office in January, condemned Trump’s calls for the US to take back the Panama Canal, to acquire Greenland and to make Canada the 51st state. “What the hell’s going on here? What president ever talks like that? That’s not who we are,” Biden told the BBC’s Nick Robinson. “We’re about freedom, democracy, opportunity, not about confiscation.” Greenland, the world’s largest island, has been controlled by Denmark for about 300 years. The island governs its own domestic affairs, but foreign and defence policy decisions are made in Copenhagen. The US has long had a security interest in the island. It has had a military base there since World War Two, and Trump may also have an interest in the rare earth minerals that could be mined. Polls show that the vast majority of Greenlanders want to become independent from Denmark but do not wish to become part of the US. Source link #Denmark #summons #ambassador #Greenland #spying #report Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump offers help with India and Pakistan conflict Trump offers help with India and Pakistan conflict U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a swearing-in ceremony for the new U.S. ambassador to China, former U.S. Senator David Perdue, at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 7, 2025. Leah Millis | Reuters President Donald Trump on Wednesday offered to help dial back tension between India and Pakistan, which has escalated as a result of a recent Islamist terror attack in Kashmir. Trump commented on the situation hours after India said its armed forces conducted strikes against Pakistan early Wednesday morning. “It’s terrible,” Trump said of the conflict. “My position is I get along with both,” Trump said in the Oval Office after swearing in former Sen. David Perdue of Georgia as U.S. ambassador to China. “I know both very well, and I want to see them work it out,” the president said. “I want to see them stop, and hopefully they can stop now,” Trump said. He added that the U.S. has good relations with both countries and wants to see the “****-for-tat” stop. “If I can do anything to help, I will be there,” Trump said. Read more CNBC politics coverage Trump on Tuesday night told reporters at the White House that Indian and Pakistan have been fighting for “a long time” and implied the rising tensions may have been foreseen “based on a little bit of the past.” India has blamed Pakistan for the April 22 massacre of 26 civilians in the Indian-controlled section of Kashmir, a Himalayan region. Both India and Pakistan claim that all of Kashmir is rightfully part of their countries. Source link #Trump #offers #India #Pakistan #conflict Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Federal Reserve holds rates as it warns of Trump tariff ‘uncertainty’ Federal Reserve holds rates as it warns of Trump tariff ‘uncertainty’ The US central bank has warned that President Donald Trump’s tariffs have created “so much uncertainty” that it is unsure what to do about interest rates. The Federal Reserve announced on Wednesday it would keep interest rates unchanged, despite pressure from Trump to lower borrowing costs. But Fed chairman Jerome Powell said the economic fallout from Trump’s tariffs meant it was “not at all clear” what the bank should do next. The decision marked the third in a row without action, leaving the bank’s key lending rate hovering around 4.3%. Typically, the Fed cuts rates if it believes the economy is struggling and raises them if prices start to rise too quickly. But the bank – which is set up to make policy independent of the White House -said tariffs had raised the risk of both an economic slowdown and faster price rises, complicating its next move. “It’s really not at all clear what it is we should do,” Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell said on Wednesday. “There’s so much uncertainty.” Wednesday’s decision is the Fed’s first since Trump’s tariff announcements last month raised import taxes on goods from countries around the world, with imports from China facing duties of at least 145%. Logistics firms and ports in the US have since reported sharp drops in trade, while analysts have warned that the risk of recession has ramped up significantly since the start of the year. Trump, who promised lower rates while campaigning for re-election last year, has called on the Fed to lower rates “pre-emptively” and flirted with firing the head of the bank, criticising him as “a major loser” and “Mr Too Late” for not cutting rates fast enough. The European Central Bank cut interest rates last month, citing concerns about the economy due to the trade tensions. The Bank of England is widely expected to take a similar step this week. Officials from the US and China are set to meet this week, but the scope of the talks remains unclear. Trump on Wednesday dismissed the idea of lowering tariff rates pre-emptively to help trade negotiations. Powell said the nature of those talks had the potential to change the economic picture “materially”. “Usually, things clarify and the appropriate direction becomes clear,” he said. “Right now it’s very hard to say what that would be. In the meantime, the economy is doing fine.” The US economy shrank in the first three months of the year for the first time since 2022. But officials said those figures had been distorted by firms rushing goods into the country ahead of tariffs rather than a decline in wider activity. Hiring remained unexpectedly strong last month, keeping the unemployment rate near historic lows of 4.2% while the US stock market has largely recovered from the sharp declines it saw last month. Source link #Federal #Reserve #holds #rates #warns #Trump #tariff #uncertainty Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

WeightWatchers files for bankruptcy protection as weight-loss drugs dominate – National WeightWatchers files for bankruptcy protection as weight-loss drugs dominate – National Popular weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy are helping millions worldwide shed unwanted pounds, but it appears they’ve also been eating away at WeightWatcher’s profits. WW International, formerly known as WeightWatchers, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Tuesday in a bid to protect itself and cut debt after hugely popular obesity drugs capsized its once successful business model. It hopes to eliminate debts of more than US$1.1 billion while positioning the “company for long-term growth and success.” The type of bankruptcy allows the company to continue operating while it restructures its assets and fights to continue operating. The company has accumulated substantial debt of around $1.6 billion. Story continues below advertisement WeightWatchers said it will remain “fully operational” during the process with “no impact to members.” WeightWatchers formed more than 60 years ago, starting out by offering weekly weight-loss support group meetings. The first meeting, which cost New Yorkers $2 to attend, attracted 400 people looking to lose weight. A year later, the company began to offer a franchise option and, soon after, WeightWatchers transformed into a household name with millions of members around the globe. 0:26 Weight Watchers drops ‘weight’ from its name The rising combination of fitness influencers and popularity of GLP-1 drugs, such as Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic and Wegovy, are now a major threat to traditional weight-loss programs. Get weekly health news Receive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday. During Tuesday’s first quarter results, WW International revealed that subscribers were down more than 14 per cent compared to the same ******* last year, at 3.4 million. Revenues of nearly $187 million plunged almost 10 per cent compared with the year prior. Story continues below advertisement The company is due to be taken over by a group of investors, while shareholders will retain a nine per cent stake once the process is complete in 45 days, per the filing. Shares of the company, which once boasted Oprah Winfrey as one of its top shareholders and a member of the board of directors, have traded at under $1 since early February. In after-hours trading on Tuesday, the stock plunged by half, to 39 cents. 1:54 GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy reduce Alzheimer’s risk for those with diabetes Previous Video Next Video Trending Now ********* government ‘fact check’ dismisses Trump administration claims about border RCMP have ‘scaled back’ search for missing N.S. children, say little chance they are alive Winfrey left the WW board of directors in February 2024 after she told People magazine that she had been taking weight-loss drugs, the company said at the time. Winfrey, the company’s largest individual shareholder at the time, pledged to donate her stake to the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C. Story continues below advertisement FILE – Oprah Winfrey announced her exit from the WeightWatchers board of directors on Feb. 28, 2024. John Salangsang/Golden Globes 2024/Golden Globes 2024 via Getty Images In 2023, the company moved into the prescription drug weight loss business — particularly with the $106 million acquisition of Sequence, now WeightWatchers Clinic, a telehealth service that helps users get prescriptions for drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy and Trulicity. Its latest earnings report Tuesday shared that its clinical subscription revenue — or weight-loss medications — jumped 57 per cent year-over-year to $29.5 million. The company has estimated assets and liabilities in the range of $1 billion to $10 billion, according to the petition filed in Delaware bankruptcy court. — With files from The Associated Press More on Health More videos &copy 2025 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc. Source link #WeightWatchers #files #bankruptcy #protection #weightloss #drugs #dominate #National Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Applovin shares pop on earnings beat, mobile gaming business ***** Applovin shares pop on earnings beat, mobile gaming business ***** Thomas Fuller | SOPA Images | Lightrocket | Getty Images Applovin shares soared as high as 15% in extended trading after the company reported earnings and revenue that beat expectations and announced the ***** of its mobile gaming business. Here’s how the company did compared to LSEG consensus estimates: Earnings: $1.67 per share vs $1.45 per share expected Revenue: $1.48 billion vs $1.38 billion expected This is breaking news. Please refresh for updates. WATCH: Activist Robby Starbuck on why he’s suing Meta for defamation Source link #Applovin #shares #pop #earnings #beat #mobile #gaming #business #***** Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Earnings Outlook Dims as Analysts Cut S&P 500 EPS by 2.4% in April Earnings Outlook Dims as Analysts Cut S&P 500 EPS by 2.4% in April Wall Street analysts are lowering their sights when it comes to second quarter earnings, according to a recent analysis by FactSet. In April, according to FactSet senior earnings analyst John Butters, analysts lowered their earnings per share (EPS) estimates for by a larger margin than usual. This is likely due to concerns about a slowing economy and the impact of tariffs on inflation and growth. Specifically, the second quarter “bottom-up” earnings estimate decreased by 2.4%, falling to $63.96 on April 30, from $65.55 on March 31. The bottom-up EPS estimate, according to FactSet, is an aggregation of the median EPS estimates for Q2 for all the companies in the S&P 500. Analysts typically lower or raise estimates based on several factors, including the economy or something company specific. And in the first month of a quarter – which April is for Q2 — earnings estimates are typically reduced. However, this decline is higher than average. According to Butters, over the past five years, or 20 quarters, the average reduction in the bottom-up EPS estimate during the first month of a quarter has been 1.8%. Over the past 10 years, the average decline has been 1.6% — which is the same for the past 15 years. Over the past 20 years, the average decline bumps up to 1.9%. So, the 2.4% drop last month is higher than the averages over the past five-, 10-, 15-, and 20-year periods. The last time the decline was this big in the first month of a quarter was Q4 2023 when it fell 3.9%. Energy Sees the Largest Decline in EPS Estimates In April, earnings estimates for nine out of the 11 sectors were lowered. Energy, by far, saw the biggest declines, with estimates dropping 14.8% on average between March 31 and April 30. Industrials were next, experiencing a 4.7% reduction in earnings estimates, followed by consumer discretionary at 4%. Others showing declines are health care, down 2.8%; consumer staples and financials, both down 2.6%; materials, down 1.8%; real estate, down 0.4%; and communications services, down 0.2%. The only two sectors that had earnings revised up were information technology, up 0.2%, and utilities, up 0.8%, according to FactSet. For the first four months of the year, EPS estimates have declined by 3.1% to $265.68 from $274.12. That is on par with the five-year average, Butters said, but above 10-, 15-, 20-, and 25-year averages. For the first four months, from December 31 to April 30, nine of the 11 sectors have seen earnings reduced, led by the energy (-14.9%) and materials (11.9%) sectors. Two sectors recorded an increase in their bottom-up EPS estimate, led by communication services (+1.4%). also saw an increase of 0.2%. This all suggests that analysts expect companies to make less money in Q2, likely due to economic and tariff headwinds. It could conceivably help companies beat or meet Q2 estimates, as they have reduced expectations. Original Post Source link #Earnings #Outlook #Dims #Analysts #Cut #EPS #April Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Woman awarded $55K by tribunal after being compared to Darth Vader – National Woman awarded $55K by tribunal after being compared to Darth Vader – National An NHS worker in the U.K. has been awarded close to £30,000 (CAD $55,000) after being compared to Star Wars bad guy Darth Vader at work by a former colleague. Lorna Rooke said in 2021 a co-worker took a Star Wars-themed Myers-Briggs personality test on her behalf that likens participants to one of the franchise’s characters. Rooke, a blood donation bank employee, was given Darth Vader — the Sith lord widely viewed as one of the most powerful, hated villains of the franchise — as her personality doppelganger, but says she was not present when her colleague, Amanda Harber, took the quiz for her, saying she had left the room to answer a personal phone call. Harber then disseminated the results among their colleagues, reported the BBC. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Myers-Briggs is a well-known personality indicator test that divides people into 16 categories based on traits of introversion, how intuitive they are, whether they are thought- or feelings-driven and how they perceive and judge their environments. Story continues below advertisement An employment tribunal in Croydon, London, ruled that the incident was a “detriment” because it harmed Rooke and impacted her negatively, reported the BBC. As a result of the quiz, Rooke was made to feel widely disliked, which contributed to her low mood and led her to feel anxious in the workplace, found the tribunal. The Darth Vader characterization was described by the quiz as a “very focused individual who brings the team together.” Nonetheless, the judge found the categorization to be overly negative. Trending Now ********* government ‘fact check’ dismisses Trump administration claims about border Smith dismisses Ford’s warning about separatist threats in Alberta More on World More videos “Darth Vader is a legendary villain of the Star Wars series, and being aligned with his personality is insulting,” Judge Kathryn Ramsden said. The infamous villain is half-human, half-machine, seduced by the dark side of the Force. Because the test was performed by one person for another, without their knowledge, and the results were disseminated amongst a group, Ramsden said it was “little wonder” the claimant was upset. Rooke began working for the NHS Blood and Transplant service in 2003, where she was employed as a training and practice supervisor until the Darth Vader incident, which, according to media reports, was a contributing factor to her resignation. She won the detriment case but lost on other claims of unfair dismissal, disability discrimination and failure to make reasonable adjustments. Story continues below advertisement In total, Rook was compensated £28,989.62, which equates to CAD $53,288.76. &copy 2025 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc. Source link #Woman #awarded #55K #tribunal #compared #Darth #Vader #National Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Thompson survives trial by serve to win in Italian Open Thompson survives trial by serve to win in Italian Open Jordan Thompson has defied injury concerns to once again prove a “nightmare” for one of the rising young stars of world tennis at the Italian Open. For the third time in less than six weeks, the *********** No.3 stood up to another barrage of monster serving from 21-year-old French prospect Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard to prevail after a final-set tiebreak 3-6 6-3 7-6 (7-5) at Rome’s Foro Italico on a rainy Wednesday in the capital. The 31-year-old eventually pulled off his fifth straight win over the much-touted 203cm youngster, despite Mpetshi Perricard sending down 13 aces on the clay, with one delivery timed at a fearsome 235km/h despite still having to deal with a ********* oblique muscle injury. “I was actually not sure if I was going to be able to play today, but I’m glad I gave it a go — but my body might not be thanking me tomorrow,” a smiling Thompson told the Tennis Channel. Thompson, who had a groin problem in Monte Carlo then had to withdraw from the Barcelona Open singles with the oblique problem and missed Madrid, has endured a troubled clay-court campaign but reckoned that, somehow, he’s become Mpetshi Perricard’s “nightmare match-up”, having beaten him in Monte Carlo and Miami. “I’ve got an okay serve myself, my second serve’s a good kicker, so he can’t really run around too many, and then I block a lot of returns that just frustrates the hell out of him,” said Thompson, who’s fallen back to world No.41 this year. Indeed, he’s been defeating Mpetshi Perricard so often of late that Thompson evidently even felt a bit sorry for him. “It’s a tough one. I actually felt bad at the net today,” said ‘Tommo’. “Generally, I don’t really care. I take the win, but I would say ‘no empathy’. But today I didn’t even say anything at the shake of hands. I’m pretty sure he doesn’t want to hear from me, he doesn’t want to see me – so I got out of his way pretty quick!” Next up in the second round, Thompson has another tough assignment against American Brandon Nakashima, the world No.29 who he’s played at the last two Wimbledons, winning in 2023 but losing last year. Thompson was the only Aussie man to progress on a damp day, with Chris O’Connell proving no match for Britain’s former Wimbledon semi-finalist Cam Norrie in a 6-3 6-2 defeat and his fellow Sydneysider Rinky Hijikata going down 3-6 6-1 7-5 to Frenchman Corentin Moutet in a tough two-and-a-half hour duel. Source link #Thompson #survives #trial #serve #win #Italian #Open Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Fed Won’t Make Progress on Goals If Tariffs Stay Fed Won’t Make Progress on Goals If Tariffs Stay Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell says the central bank won’t make progress toward its goals this year if the Trump administration’s tariffs play out. He speaks during a news conference after the central bank held interest rates steady for a third-straight meeting. Source link #Fed #Wont #Progress #Goals #Tariffs #Stay Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

CEOs call on Mark Carney to ‘take action’ to support domestic energy sector CEOs call on Mark Carney to ‘take action’ to support domestic energy sector Canada’s energy CEOs are calling on Prime Minister Mark Carney to scrap the emissions cap on oil and gas producers and repeal industrial carbon pricing to help bolster the industry. Thirty-eight CEOs of ********* energy companies signed a letter congratulating Carney on his election win and pitching policy measures they say would help the prime minister make good on his promise to build the fastest-growing economy in the G7. “As a major contributor to the ********* economy, with significant untapped potential, the energy sector must play a pivotal role in your pursuit of this ambition,” the letter reads. “Your focus on fostering energy independence and enhancing Canada’s energy infrastructure and clean technology requires major sector investment and globally competitive energy and carbon policies. Over the last decade, the layering and complexity of energy policies has resulted in a lack of investor confidence and, consequently, a barrier to investment.” Story continues below advertisement 1:57 Alberta premier defends speech outlining grievances with Ottawa The CEOs say they want an overhaul of the Impact Assessment Act — which sets out the process for assessing major projects — and of the Oil Tanker Moratorium Act, which bans oil tankers carrying more than 12,500 metric tons of crude from stopping along parts of B.C.’s coastline. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Carney campaigned on expediting reviews of major energy infrastructure projects. He promised before the election to move forward with a “one project, one review” approach by recognizing assessments conducted by the provinces and territories. The energy CEOs also called on Carney to repeal the industrial carbon pricing system. Carney campaigned on strengthening the policy after he scrapped the consumer carbon price. “The current federal price and stringency trajectory results in uncompetitive costs compared to those we compete with to deliver our products to market,” the CEOs wrote. Story continues below advertisement “A solution is to revert to the functioning system where provinces administer the policies and pricing to enable emissions-reduction investments, improve emissions performance, and maintain competitiveness.” 3:37 Canada election 2025: Alberta’s energy sector hoping for change Previous Video Next Video Trending Now Smith dismisses Ford’s warning about separatist threats in Alberta ********* government ‘fact check’ dismisses Trump administration claims about border The federal government unveiled its proposed emissions cap regulations late last year. They would compel upstream oil and gas operations to reduce emissions to 35 per cent below where they were in 2019 by sometime between 2030 and 2032. Carney said before the election he wouldn’t be scrapping the regulations. “We continue to believe the federal government’s cap on emissions creates uncertainty, is redundant, will limit growth and unnecessarily result in production cuts, and stifle infrastructure investments,” the CEOs wrote. “Together, we can drive investment into emissions reductions by simplifying the regulatory regime, establishing an attractive fiscal environment, and ensuring carbon policies protect our export industries.” Story continues below advertisement 1:58 Canada election 2025: Carney pledges to make Canada an energy superpower Previous Video Next Video More on Politics More videos &copy 2025 The ********* Press Source link #CEOs #call #Mark #Carney #action #support #domestic #energy #sector Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Survivors Call on Next Pope to End ******* Abuse by Clergy Survivors Call on Next Pope to End ******* Abuse by Clergy As cardinals prepared to enter the Sistine Chapel on Wednesday afternoon to elect a pope, groups representing survivors of ******* abuse by priests made last-minute appeals for the next pontiff to definitively resolve the crisis, which has shadowed the Roman Catholic Church for decades. The best way forward, the groups said, was to impose a zero-tolerance policy on transgressors and those who covered up for them, and for church leaders to own up to their own mishandling of abuse cases. “We want to work with the next pope to put an end to clerical abuse,” Peter Isely, a member of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, known as SNAP, said Wednesday at a news conference. In March, the group launched a website tracking each cardinal’s record in dealing with credible allegations against priests under his watch. Few in the upper echelons of the church’s hierarchy are without blame, the group claimed. On Friday, Matteo Bruni, the ******** spokesman, said the cardinals had discussed ******* abuse in the run-up to the conclave and considered it a “wound to be kept open” so awareness of the problem remained alive and solutions could be identified. SNAP also presented a road map for the pope’s first 100 days, describing steps its members think he should take to resolve the crisis. SNAP is only one of several survivors groups to have arrived in Rome since Pope Francis died on April 21, hoping their message will resonate with the cardinals. One international group, Ending Clergy Abuse, or ECA, echoed Martin Luther’s radical 1517 call for church reform on Tuesday evening when it brought a manifesto — titled the 95 Theses of Survivors — to the front door of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, the ******** office that handles most abuse cases. They did not nail it to the door, but tried to slip it between the doors. “I rang the doorbell but they didn’t answer,” said Gemma Hickey, the president of ECA, who is a survivor of abuse. It was not until they started reading the document out loud that the door opened and an official took it. “He didn’t say anything, but it was received, so I was happy with that, even if it was just symbolic.” Francesco Zanardi, the founder of Rete L’Abuso, Italy’s largest survivors’ group, said at a news conference on Tuesday that the church laws promoted by Pope Francis to guide bishops in handling abuse were often thwarted in Italy because national laws do not force bishops to report cases of abuse to law enforcement officials. Speaking out against clerical abuse is not always without consequence. Ann Hagan Webb and Anne Barrett Doyle, of BishopAccountability.org, an archive and advocacy group, said the police stopped them when they were walking near the ******** office that handles abuse cases holding photos of two cardinals whose records on punishing abusers have drawn scrutiny. “They told us we couldn’t carry signs,” Ms. Barrett Doyle said. The police officers took photos of their documents and called other police officers before letting them go after about 45 minutes. “At least they didn’t arrest us,” she said. Under Pope Francis, the ******** took decidedly stronger steps than it had in the past to counter ******* abuse. Francis issued the church’s most comprehensive law yet to hold clerics accountable if they ********* abused children or vulnerable adults, or if they covered up abuse. And he apologized to survivors on many occasions, acknowledging their pain. But critics have said that the measures were not enough and often were not applied because of resistance within the church. Source link #Survivors #Call #Pope #******* #Abuse #Clergy Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

The Western-inspired base builder/survival game “Above Snakes” is coming to consoles in 2025 The Western-inspired base builder/survival game “Above Snakes” is coming to consoles in 2025 “The San Diego-based indie games publisher and game developer Crytivo, together with the indie games developer Schnackenberg, are today extremely happy and thrilled to announce that their highly anticipated Western-inspired base builder/survival game “Above Snakes”, is coming to PC via Steam on May 25th, 2023.” – Jonas Ek, TGG. Source link #Westerninspired #base #buildersurvival #game #Snakes #coming #consoles Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

3 former Memphis police officers found not guilty in the death of Tyre Nichols – NPR 3 former Memphis police officers found not guilty in the death of Tyre Nichols – NPR 3 former Memphis police officers found not guilty in the death of Tyre Nichols NPR3 former Memphis officers acquitted in fatal beating of Tyre Nichols after he fled a traffic stop CNNMemphis police officers found not guilty of all state charges in Tyre Nichols beating death NBC NewsTyre Nichols’s Death: 3 Former Officers Acquitted of All State Charges The New York TimesJury returns in state trial for ex-MPD officers charged with killing Tyre Nichols localmemphis.com Source link #Memphis #police #officers #guilty #death #Tyre #Nichols #NPR Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

60,000 air passengers stranded over massive Ukrainian drone attack 60,000 air passengers stranded over massive Ukrainian drone attack Jessica Rawnsley, Jaroslav Lukiv & Victoria Bourne BBC News Mash/Telegram Footage of large crowds at Moscow’s airports was shared on Russian social media At least 60,000 passengers have been stranded at airports across Russia because of a massive Ukrainian drone attack, local officials say. Russia’s Association of tour operators (Ator) says 350 flights have been affected since Tuesday evening in Moscow, St Petersburg, Sochi and several other cities. The Russian defence ministry says 524 Ukrainian drones were destroyed in the past 24 hours – a record number if confirmed. No casualties were reported. Ukraine says an overnight Russian drone and missile attack killed two people in Kyiv. The barrage of strikes came as a self-declared Russian three-day ceasefire was set to begin on Wednesday night, ahead of a World War Two victory parade in Moscow on 9 May. Kyiv has repeatedly rejected the truce idea as “theatrical play”, reiterating its call for an unconditional 30-day ceasefire, which is also supported by Ukraine’s allies in Europe and the US. Russia has issued a set of tough pre-conditions for any possible settlement – a move described by Ukraine and many European politicians as an attempt to prolong the fighting and eventually force Kyiv to capitulate. On Wednesday, US Vice-President JD Vance said “we think they [Russians] are asking for too much”, in an apparent hardening of his stance towards Moscow. “It’s very important for the Russians and the Ukrainians to start talking to one another,” Vance added. He also took a far less strident tone towards Europe than he has in recent months, saying “I do still very much think the US and Europe are on the same team”. Three airports serving Moscow – Vnukovo, Sheremetyevo and Domodedovo – suffered disruption, according to Russia’s tour operators association, which added that 110 flights had been cancelled in the capital. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said 19 drones had been shot down near the city since Tuesday evening. In St Petersburg, Russia’s second largest city, 55 flights were either cancelled or delayed. At the city’s Pulkovo airport, footage emerged of a ****** of planes stuck on the runway on arrival. Passengers reportedly waited for hours to leave. Airports at several other cities including Sochi, Kazan, Kirov and Nizhnekamsk also reported flight disruption. Russia’s air traffic problems came as ******** President Xi Jinping arrived in Moscow for Friday’s military parade in Red Square commemorating the 80th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany. A plane carrying Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic to Moscow had to make a brief emergency stop in Baku in Azerbaijan, because of drone attacks across Russia, according to local reports. Vucic later resumed his flight, eventually landing in Moscow. Two Baltic republics, Lithuania and Latvia, had reportedly refused to allow him permission to cross their airspace. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, thought to be the only European Union leader planning to attend, complained that Estonia’s government had refused to allow him to fly over its airspace, which he said was extremely disruptive to his schedule. EPA Russian troops take part in a rehearsal of a military parade to mark the 80th anniversary of victory over Nazi Germany in World War II The government in Tallinn said it had no intention of supporting the Moscow parade and had stressed to EU colleagues that taking part in Russian “propaganda events should be ruled out”. Russia says 27 world leaders are travelling to Moscow. Brazil’s Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro have already arrived. A three-day ceasefire proposed by Putin last month was due to start at midnight Moscow time on Wednesday (21:00 GMT), to coincide with World War Two victory commemorations across Russia. Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and Moscow currently controls about 20% of Ukrainian territory, including the southern Crimea peninsula illegally annexed in 2014. US Vice-President JD Vance told an audience in Washington on Wednesday that he was not yet pessimistic that the Russians did not want an end to the war. “We would like both the Russians and the Ukrainians to actually agree on some basic guidelines for sitting down and talking to one another,” he said. President Donald Trump’s administration has been accused of trying to push Ukraine into making painful concessions in a bid to reach a ceasefire, while exerting far less pressure on Moscow. EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock Two people were killed and several injured in Kyiv in the overnight Russian drone attack, Ukrainian officials say Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called for a “significant increase in pressure on Russia”, after an attack on Kyiv killed a woman and her son. Emergency services were deployed across Ukraine, including in the Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, Zhytomyr, Kherson and Dnipro regions. Earlier this month, Zelensky warned that Ukraine could not guarantee the safety of anyone travelling to Moscow for the parade. “We cannot be held responsible for what happens on the territory of the Russian Federation,” he said. He indicated the Kremlin might organise provocations during the Victory Day commemorations in Russia to discredit Ukraine. Ukraine’s foreign ministry has warned against the participation of any foreign troops, calling it “unacceptable” and helping Moscow to “whitewash its war crimes”. On the eve of President Xi’s arrival in Moscow, the ******** leader hailed the “resilient” relationship between China and Russia. China has sent 102 soldiers – the largest foreign military contingent among the 13 participating nations – to take part in Friday’s annual 9 May parade. Victory Day celebrates Nazi Germany’s 1945 surrender to the Soviet Union during World War Two, remembered as “The Great Patriotic War” in Russia. It is Russia’s most important public holiday, and Putin has repeatedly sought to draw parallels with the full-scale war he launched against democratic Ukraine. His narrative has been rejected by Kyiv and Europe. “These people are not liberators of Europe, they are occupiers and war criminals,” Ukraine’s foreign ministry said on Tuesday. Europe and Ukraine mark Victory in Europe Day on Thursday. Source link #air #passengers #stranded #massive #Ukrainian #drone #attack Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Trump’s China ambassador David Perdue sworn in before trade talks Trump’s China ambassador David Perdue sworn in before trade talks U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a swearing-in ceremony for the new U.S. ambassador to China, former U.S. Senator David Perdue, at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 7, 2025. Leah Millis | Reuters President Donald Trump’s pick for U.S. ambassador to China was sworn in on Wednesday, days before White House officials are set to meet with their ******** counterparts for the first time since Trump announced his 145% tariffs. “What timing … what timing, only you could’ve picked this timing,” Trump quipped from the White House at Republican former Sen. David Perdue’s swearing in ceremony. “I’m entrusting David to help manage one of America’s most complex and consequential foreign relationships, and I know he’ll do a fantastic job,” Trump said of the former Georgia lawmaker. “Say hello to [******** President Xi Jinping] when you’re over there, please,” Trump added. Perdue assumes his diplomatic post days before high-stakes talks get underway in Switzerland between American and ******** officials. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer will meet with their ******** counterparts in Geneva Saturday and Sunday. Both Wall Street and Main Street are eager to see the talks tamp down the sky-high trade tensions between Washington and Beijing. Perdue said that he is “glad to be [Trump’s] man in China,” during his Oval Office ceremony. Read more CNBC politics coverage Trump reiterated on Wednesday that he would not consider rescinding the tariffs on China to kick-start negotiations, raising questions about whether the two nations will reach any deals this weekend. The two nations have been engaged in a ****-for-tat trade war since April 2 that has injected widespread uncertainty into the U.S. economy. Source link #Trumps #China #ambassador #David #Perdue #sworn #trade #talks Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

South Africa’s Julius Malema hits out after not getting *** visa South Africa’s Julius Malema hits out after not getting *** visa South African firebrand opposition politician Julius Malema says he has been denied a visa to attend a conference in the *** on 10 May. Malema said the *** had no “substantial justification” for its decision, and he saw it as an “attempt to silence a dissenting political perspective”. In a leaked letter to Malema’s deputy, the *** High Commissioner to South Africa, Antony Phillipson, said the Home Office had been unable to process his visa application in time for his trip. Malema, the leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party, is a fierce critic of what he sees as “Western imperialism”, and also advocates the nationalisation of white-owned land in South Africa. A Home Office spokesperson told the BBC that they do not comment on individual cases. In a post on X, the EFF said the High Commission had “actively delayed the processing and approval” of their leader’s visa so that he could not speak at the University of Cambridge on 10 May. He had been invited by the university’s African Society to address its Africa Together Conference, the EFF added. In his letter, which the BBC has been told is genuine, Mr Phillipson said that he wanted to “personally apologise” that the Home Office in the *** had been “unable to process the application in time owing to the necessary steps required to consider visa applications and the unfortunate timing of some recent *** Bank Holidays”. He added that he had taken a “personal interest in the issue” over the last week. “I recognise that this will be deeply disappointing, especially as the delegation applied in advance and some paid for priority service,” Mr Phillipson said, in the letter to the EFF’s Godrich Gardee. Mr Phillipson added that the Home Office had agreed to refund the application fee. Malema said on X that the EFF delegation had been promised that “everything would be sorted”, but received a “regret letter just hours before our departure”. “This is unacceptable and spineless,” he added. The *** had a bank, or public, holiday on 5 May. Source link #South #Africas #Julius #Malema #hits #visa Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Not to Be Outdone by Clair Obscur, Split Fiction Registers Insane Sales Milestone Not to Be Outdone by Clair Obscur, Split Fiction Registers Insane Sales Milestone 2025 has been a fantastic year for gaming, with multiple, back-to-back blockbuster releases. With titles such as Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Monster Hunter Wilds, there really wasn’t any shortage of good video games to play through. One of the more underrated releases of 2025 was Hazelight Games’ new co-op action-adventure title, Split Fiction. While the game garnered a sizable number of positive reviews, it did get lost amidst the sea of games released shortly afterward. However, Hazelight Games has once again proved that there still is an audience for co-op titles. Split Fiction crosses an impressive sales milestone As detailed within a post from Game Sensor, Hazelight Studios’ Split Fiction has managed to cross nearly 4 million sold copies, worldwide. This is most certainly quite an impressive number, and even more so when we take into consideration that Split Fiction is a co-op-only title. Split Fiction has sold a massive number of copies | Image Credits: Hazelight Studios For the uninitiated, Split Fiction is an action-adventure, co-op-only title from the creators of It Takes Two – Hazelight Studios. The game follows the adventures of protagonists Zoe Foster and Mio Hudson as they partake in a virtual re-creation of their stories, amidst an experiment that goes awry. The game was released for the PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S on March 6, 2025. A Nintendo Switch 2 port is expected to be released on June 5, 2025. The game sold over a million copies within just 48 hours of its worldwide launch, making it one of Electronic Arts’ best-selling games in recent memory. According to a recent report, Split Fiction sold nearly 4 million units barely a month after its launch. Naturally, this number includes all platforms and their sales, in addition to all versions—both physical and digital. Clair Obscur has also seen a fair amount of success | Image Credits: Sandfall Interactive For those who don’t know, Split Fiction is a strictly co-op-only title, meaning that you cannot play it solo. Given this rather significant barrier of entry, these numbers stand to be even more impressive, and have firmly cemented it as one of the best games to have been released this year. Another game which comes to mind in light of this success would be Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Similar to Split Fiction, Clair Obscur reinvigorated the turn-based RPG genre, easing up its access and making it widely appealing for a large number of players, despite its ‘niche’ nature. Split Fiction is easily one of 2025’s game of the year contenders With nearly 4 million copies sold and an assortment of very positive reviews (from both fans and critics alike), Split Fiction is quite easily one of the best games to have come out this year. It is also a potential game of the year contender and would be Hazelight Studios’ second foray into the category after the equally well-received It Takes Two (which managed to snag a well-deserved GoTY back in 2021). With GTA 6 out of the race this time around, the odds are in Hazelight Studios’ favor, but competition is still expected to remain fierce. Source link #Outdone #Clair #Obscur #Split #Fiction #Registers #Insane #Sales #Milestone Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Villagers tell BBC they survived shelling in Indian-administered Kashmir Villagers tell BBC they survived shelling in Indian-administered Kashmir Aamir Peerzada Reporting from Indian-administered Kashmir BBC Badrudin said he was forced to flee Salamabad overnight as shells hit his village In the village of Salamabad in Indian-administered Kashmir on Wednesday morning, ruined homes were still smouldering. This small settlement lies close to the Line of Control which separates Indian-administered and Pakistan-administered Kashmir, the scene of rapidly escalating tensions in recent weeks that led to strikes from India on sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir on Tuesday night. The streets of Salamabad were almost completely empty the next morning. Locals said the village was struck by Pakistani shelling. Most of the residents had fled the bombardment, leaving chickens pecking in their cages in gardens. Bashir Ahmad, a local shopkeeper who witnessed the destruction, told the BBC that around 02:00 local time (20:30 GMT), “while we were fast asleep, a loud explosion jolted us awake.” “Mortar shells had landed near a water dam, and by 03:00 more shells struck several houses, setting them ablaze. “The government issued no warning or advisory about the cross-border shelling, and we have no safety bunkers to take shelter in.” Bashir Ahmad was one of the few people left in Salamabad Salamabad is no stranger to this kind of shelling: until 2021, incidents of cross-border fire were reported regularly. However, a ceasefire agreement signed between the militaries of both countries saw the number of attacks sharply decrease. Life returned to normal for most, free of fear – that was, until Wednesday morning. Uncertainty now hangs over the villages scattered along the Line of Control once more. Mr Ahmad estimated that only a handful of Salamabad’s 100 or so residents had remained, the rest having left in search of safety from what he described as the most intense shelling in years. In the village, two homes had been torn apart by mortars. Through a hole in the wall of one house, some crockery had remained impossibly upright on a shelf – while everything else around lay shattered or burned. The small homes were no match for the scale of the firepower they encountered overnight. They had been entirely hollowed out by explosions and fire, their tin roofs buckled above them. At a hospital 40km away, Badrudin said he was injured in the shelling, along with this eight-year-old son and sister-in-law. He identified one of the destroyed houses in a picture as his. He said: “We were all in deep sleep when… a mortar shell landed near our homes. The children were also asleep.” “The shelling was intense, we somehow managed to flee.” Badrudin said he had taken out a loan of ₹3 lakh ($3,540 ; £2,653) to build his home in Salamabad. “Everything is gone now,” he said. “We’re too afraid to return.” He continued: “Rebuilding the house will be incredibly difficult—we need the government to step in and help. “We want peace, not war.” Source link #Villagers #BBC #survived #shelling #Indianadministered #Kashmir Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Glennon Doyle and the ‘We Can Do Hard Things’ on the Inspiration Behind Their New Book Glennon Doyle and the ‘We Can Do Hard Things’ on the Inspiration Behind Their New Book Susan Hagen, 48, was practically vibrating with excitement. She would soon be in the same room with three women who had helped her through some of the shakiest, most vulnerable moments in her life, even though they didn’t know it. Hagen, a New Jersey resident, had braved the pouring rain and Times Square crowds to attend a sold-out talk by the best-selling memoirist Glennon Doyle; her soccer Hall of Famer wife, Abby Wambach; and Amanda Doyle, Glennon’s sister and co-founder of the women’s media company — hosts of the podcast “We Can Do Hard Things.” “The podcast has gotten me through so many things,” Hagen said, noting that she had read Glennon’s 2020 memoir, “Untamed,” no less than four times. Much like the author, Hagen got divorced and came out as gay in her 40s. The books, the podcast, all of it helps her feel as if she is not alone, she said. It’s a sentiment I heard again and again when speaking to fans (mostly women) who filled the Town Hall theater in Manhattan on Monday — the woman in her 70s who, like Glennon, has been in eating disorder recovery for years; the ****** woman in her 40s who, like Wambach, is navigating the ups and downs of stepparenting; the lawyers who give “Untamed” to clients reeling from the messiness of divorce. “We can do hard things” has long been gospel for Glennon stans — it’s the title of the trio’s new book, out this week. The project was born, the women say, out of concurrent personal crises that walloped them as hard as anything had so far in their lives. They started writing it as a survival guide for themselves as much as anyone else. Over the course of a year, Wambach’s oldest brother, Peter, died unexpectedly; Glennon, who had struggled with disordered eating throughout her life, was diagnosed with anorexia; and Amanda was treated for breast *******. “For the first time,” Glennon wrote, “we were all drowning at the same time.” At roughly 500 pages long, the new book is a compilation of snippets from conversations the women have had with 118 podcast guests they call “wayfinders” (in a metaphorical sense) — including Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson and their celebrity pals, like Elizabeth Gilbert and Brandi Carlile. The quotes are themed around what the authors believe to be the 20 life questions people tend to ruminate over. Among them: Why am I like this? How do I figure out what I want? Why can’t I be happy? Though the “We Can Do Hard Things” crew are superstars in the self-help world, they are collectively confronting a kind of midlife existential ache and throwing up their hands as if to say: We don’t have any answers! “I have these glimpses where life makes sense for, like, a millisecond at a time,” Amanda, 47, a lawyer who is known as “Sister” on the show, told me during an hourlong Zoom call with the threesome shortly before they were to head out on tour. But soon enough, she admitted, “I am back in a place where I am angry at everyone in my life, and I don’t know why I feel like crap, and suddenly that elusive peace is gone.” Aiming for ‘51 Percent’ When I spoke to the women, the mood was friendly but subdued. They listened to one another attentively, occasionally chiming in with a “yes,” or “that’s good!” Glennon, who in “Untamed” exhorted women to tap into their inner, wild cheetahs, seemed especially reflective. “It’s very funny because all of my work before this was like, ‘Look inside yourself, there are the answers,’” Glennon, 49, said. “Now at 50 I’m like, hmm. Sometimes I look inside myself, and myself is very confused.” Though the women regularly field listener questions on the podcast — and quote themselves throughout the book — they bristled when I asked whether they were surprised that people would come to them for advice. Even the word feels “icky,” Amanda said. The women simply tell the truth about their life experiences, she insisted, without shame. And they are unafraid to ask hard, ugly questions. “We backed into these questions, because over 400 conversations with the wisest people we know, it was obvious they were dealing with the same questions,” Amanda said. “If Brandi Carlile and Michelle Obama and Ina Garten and Roxane Gay are all struggling with these same things, it makes me feel like: ‘Oh, it’s just the human condition. It’s not that I’m failing to figure out life. It’s that this is the way life is.’” These days, Glennon lives by the axiom that life is 49 percent “brutal,” she said, “just nonsensical mess.” But it is also 51 percent beautiful, and that 51 percent is what keeps her going. (The authors dedicated the book to their children with the inscription: 51 percent.) Her wife has embraced the Glennon-ism as well. “I’ve won gold medals,” Wambach, 44, said. “I’ve won world championships. Many people would say, ‘OK, you were living at 100 percent there!’ But my internal life didn’t experience that 100 percent.” Wambach struggled with depression and abused alcohol and prescription pain medications. She got sober after a very public D.U.I. arrest in 2016. Now, on any given day, if she experiences 51 percent “enough-ness” and “contentedness,” Wambach said, “that was a banger of a day.” The Pod Squad Glennon admitted that sometimes when she shares ideas that she finds inspirational — like the 51 percent concept — with people in her life, they tell her, “That’s the most depressing thing I’ve ever heard,” she laughed. But the “We Can Do Hard Things” audience, the highly engaged Pod Squad, doesn’t seem to mind. Every week, several million listeners tune into episodes on topics like friendship, sex, loss, parenting and politics. The crowd on Monday was rapturous — murmuring appreciatively when Amanda confessed to feeling emotionally stuck after her ******* diagnosis and erupting into laughter as Glennon told a story about a recent foray into microdosing mushrooms. They cheered when the women, who are outspoken critics of President Trump, joked about the political might of menopausal women, and belted along earnestly as Tish Melton, Glennon’s 19-year-old daughter, closed out the show with her original song “We Can Do Hard Things.” (It is the podcast’s theme song.) But the women inspire equally fervent dislike as well, with some observers accusing them of navel-gazing and narcissism. Glennon recently quit social media — a change she said was as good for her heart and nervous system as quitting drinking was — and began a paywalled newsletter on Substack to avoid trolls, she said. She abruptly left the platform amid accusations she was siphoning off readers from less-established writers. “I thought it might feel different than social media,” she wrote in an email after the New York show. “It didn’t.” A side effect of being very public people — who talk about very personal stuff — is that the women seldom make it through the grocery store without someone confiding in them, or asking a difficult question. Glennon, an avowed introvert, tries to see those interactions as a two-way street: If she has built a following based on being raw and vulnerable, she expects fans to roll with it if she is candid with them about catching her on a bad day. “I actually don’t have to put on a fake smile, entertain, be a fake version of myself in that moment,” Glennon said, seemingly to herself as much as to me. “That’s what I tried to do for 10 years, to constantly make the other person comfortable, because I felt like I owed the moment something. And that made me very tired and confused and stressed out.” But the Pod Squad seems to find comfort in the women’s commitment to honesty and in their aversion to the idea that anyone — least of all them — has the answers. “There’s a difference between saying to people, ‘Here’s a map,’” Glennon told me, “and saying to people, ‘Here are some snapshots from the trip I took when I walked that road.’” Source link #Glennon #Doyle #Hard #Inspiration #Book Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Supreme Court Grants President Trump a Victory on Military Transgender Ban Supreme Court Grants President Trump a Victory on Military Transgender Ban The Supreme Court sided with the Trump administration on Tuesday, allowing a ban on transgender military members to take effect while a legal challenge goes forward. The ban flows from an executive order stating that the ******* identity of trans service members conflicts with a soldier’s commitment to an honorable, truthful, and disciplined lifestyle and is harmful to military readiness. “A man’s assertion that he is a woman, and his requirement that others honor this falsehood, is not consistent with the humility and selflessness required of a service member,” the president’s directive stated. The high court’s ruling lifted a lower court order that paused the Pentagon’s transgender military ban from taking effect. The court’s liberal justices, Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and Ketanji Brown Jackson, publicly dissented from the decision and said they would have denied the administration’s appeal. The Trump administration argued that stalling the policy could pose a further threat to the country’s military readiness. “Absent a stay, the district court’s universal injunction will remain in place for the duration of further review in the Ninth Circuit and in this Court – a ******* far too long for the military to be forced to maintain a policy that it has determined, in its professional judgment, to be contrary to military readiness and the Nation’s interests,” U.S. Solicitor General D. John Sauer told the court. The executive order was immediately challenged by seven transgender military members in a Seattle-based federal court who argued that the ban denied them the constitutional right to equal protection under the law. The plaintiffs in Shilling v. United States argued the order “turns away” transgender military members “and kicks them out – for no legitimate reason,” Fox News reported. “It baselessly declares all transgender people unfit to serve, insults and demeans them, and cruelly describes every one of them as incapable of ‘an honorable, truthful, and disciplined lifestyle, even in one’s personal life,’ based solely because they are transgender,” the lawsuit said. U.S. District Judge Benjamin Settle issued a preliminary injunction in March, writing that his order was to “maintain the status quo of military policy regarding both active-duty and prospective transgender service.” Later in the month, a three-judge panel denied the administration’s request for a stay, which the Supreme Court overturned. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt called the high court’s decision a massive victory for Trump on X. Another MASSIVE victory in the Supreme Court! President Trump and Secretary @PeteHegseth are restoring a military that is focused on readiness and lethality – not DEI or woke gender ideology. pic.twitter.com/gyquQc3z0c — Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) May 6, 2025 She wrote, “President Trump and Secretary @PeteHegseth are restoring a military that is focused on readiness and lethality – not DEI or woke gender ideology.” ***Please sign up for CBN Newsletters and download the CBN News app to ensure you keep receiving the latest news from a distinctly Christian perspective.*** Source link #Supreme #Court #Grants #President #Trump #Victory #Military #Transgender #Ban Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]