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Trump administration in talks with Rwanda to take deportees from U.S. Trump administration in talks with Rwanda to take deportees from U.S. Trump administration in talks with Rwanda to take deportees from U.S. – CBS News Watch CBS News Rwanda’s government and the Trump administration are discussing details about a potential agreement for Kigali to accept deportees from the U.S., including Africans and other non-Rwandan nationals, CBS News has learned. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On Source link #Trump #administration #talks #Rwanda #deportees #U.S Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

What to look out for on VE Day at 80 What to look out for on VE Day at 80 Rosemary McCabe BBC Journalist Getty VE Day marked the end of World War Two in Europe. Huge crowds took to the streets on 8 May 1945 to sing, dance and rejoice after nearly six years of war. To mark the 80th anniversary, four days of commemorative events have been planned across the ***, from 5 to 8 May. Here’s a guide to what’s happening and when. 1. Commemorations at the Cenotaph London’s Cenotaph will become a focal point for quiet reflection when commemorations begin on Bank Holiday Monday. The monument will be draped in Union Flags, echoing its 1920 unveiling in honour of the fallen soldiers of World War One. Throughout the four days of remembrance, it will serve as a place of silent tribute to those who died in World War Two, both at home and abroad. 2. Red Arrows in the skies On Monday, more than 1,300 armed forces and members of the public are expected to participate in a military procession from Whitehall to Buckingham Palace. The event will begin at 12:00 BST in Parliament Square with an actor reciting extracts from Prime Minister Winston Churchill’s VE Day speech. The procession will travel down Whitehall, past the Cenotaph, through Admiralty Arch and up the Mall. World War Two veterans will watch the event from the Queen Victoria Memorial, alongside Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The procession will be followed by a flypast of current and historic military aircraft. This will include a Voyager transport aircraft – a fleet extensively used in the ***’s support for Ukraine – and the Royal Air Force’s Red Arrows, famous for their red, white and blue smoke trails in the sky. 3. Royals on the balcony King Charles and Queen Camilla are expected to make an appearance on the Buckingham Palace balcony at the military parade on Monday. They will also host a tea party for war veterans, their families and other members of the wartime generation in the palace gardens. The 2025 VE Day commemorations will be the first to take place without any of the royals who appeared on the balcony 80 years ago. In 1945, large crowds gathered outside Buckingham Palace to catch a glimpse of King George VI, the Queen Mother, a young Queen Elizabeth II, and Princess Margaret. Getty Images 4. Street parties and get-togethers On Monday, HMS Belfast is hosting a private VE Day 80 anniversary event, with Radio 5 Live’s Matt Chorley joining for afternoon tea. In the evening, there is a late night extravaganza with drinks, music and special guests. The famous ship, now parked next to Tower Bridge, is the most significant surviving WW2 warship. It fired some of the opening shots on D-Day in 1944 and protected Arctic convoys during the war. Street parties will also take place up and down the country, with local communities encouraged to organise their own get-togethers to echo the celebrations from 80 years ago. Councils are hosting events and some have waived their usual road closure fee. Check your local council website to see what festivities are taking place in your area. And pubs in England and Wales will stay open late on Thursday to allow customers to raise a glass in their local until 01:00 BST. 5. Poppies pouring across Tower lawn On Tuesday, the Tower of London will open an art installation of 30,000 ceramic poppies. The flowers originally featured in Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red, an artwork created to mark the centenary of WW1 and included 888,246 poppies at the castle. Royal Historic Palaces (RHP) said the poppies “will pour across the lawn overlooked by the ancient White Tower, where the blood-red flowers will form a crater, with ripples flowing outwards”. Visitors can see the new installation as part of a general admission ticket to the Tower of London, although a small part will be visible from the public footpath. The exhibition runs until Armistice Day on 11 November. 6. Music to remember On Wednesday, the Parliament Choir will host an anniversary concert at the Palace of Westminster marking the moment when a newsflash announced 8 May 1945 as VE Day. On the same day, the IWM North war museum in Manchester is hosting Letters to Loved Ones, a performance about personal stories of the conflict and people’s understanding of the war today. On Thursday commemorations will be marked by a thanksgiving service at Westminster Abbey and VE Day 80: A Celebration to Remember, an evening concert at Horse Guards Parade. Expected to draw over 10,000 attendees, the concert will feature stars such as Samantha Barks, Fleur East and John Newman. At the Royal Albert Hall, VE Day 80: The Party, will feature the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra and is organised by SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity. 7. Celebrations across the nation Outside London, elaborate VE Day celebrations are planned across the country. To search for an event in your local area, visit your council website or use the ve-vjday80.go.***. In Staffordshire, the Royal British Legion will host an anniversary tea party and service of remembrance at the National Memorial Arboretum on Thursday, bringing together one of the largest gatherings of WW2 veterans and their families on VE Day. In Belfast, there will be guided tours of wartime landmarks and a “tea dance” hosted in the City Hall. In Pontypool Wales, the Blaenavon Workmen’s Hall is hosting a Great Victory Bake off, a Knit for Victory event and a costume competition. On the north coast of Scotland at Banff Castle, a “full programme of music, dance and entertainment” is slated for VE Day. How to follow the events on the BBC The BBC will commemorate VE Day with a variety of special programmes. Highlights on BBC One include special editions of Saturday Kitchen on 3 May (10:00 BST), Antiques Roadshow on 4 May (20:00 BST), The One Show on 5 May (18:30 BST), Who Do You Think You Are? on 6 May (21:00 BST) and EastEnders on 8 May (19:30 BST). There will be special programmes across BBC Radio including a concert from Alexandra Palace on BBC Radio 2. Online, BBC News will cover VE Day with a range of reporting including live pages of the commemorations and a rich selection of video interviews with people who lived through the war. There will also be live broadcasts of major events on BBC One and iPlayer including: Monday 5 May – VE Day 80: The Nation Pays Tribute (BBC One, 10:30 BST), presented by Sophie Raworth with commentary from Paddy O’Connell on the military procession in London. Thursday 8 May – VE Day 80: The Nation Remembers (BBC One, 10:45 BST), a service of thanksgiving from Westminster Abbey presented by Sophie Raworth with commentary from Petroc Trelawny. Thursday 8 May – VE Day 80: A Celebration to Remember (BBC One, 20:00 BST) a live concert from the Horse Guards parade in London presented by Zoe Ball. To read more about what’s happening across the BBC, click here. Source link #Day Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Our pick of the 150 cars that changed the world Our pick of the 150 cars that changed the world Experienced motoring writer Dave Morley’s new book Road Masters: 150 Cars That Changed The World takes an interesting cruise through motoring history. And it is all “very Dave”. For the book, which features the five most important cars from 30 major car makers around the world, is fun. And it is both an analysis of pivotal cars, and also a very human look at how we use cars and what they mean to us. The 150 cars include European prestige manufacturers (Lamborghini, Ferrari, Porsche, Mercedes-Benz), British luxury brands (Bentley, Rolls-Royce), American classics (Ford, Chrysler, General Motors) and Japanese makers (Toyota, Suzuki, Mitsubishi, Honda) and more. Among the cars in the book are stars of the screen, like the Ford Falcon GT-HO Phase 3 from *********** action movie Running On Empty, the Lamborghini Countach from The Wolf Of Wall Street and the Fiat 500 from Disney Pixar animation, Cars. Camera IconDave Morley in his natural environment. Credit: Supplied Cars came into Dave’s own life early. Now 60, he grew up in country New South Wales and was soon behind the wheel. His father was a police officer, and Dave has said that being in the police car with his dad when he was off duty is a big childhood memory. Off duty, one of the family cars was a yellow V8 HQ Holden — another big memory. Dave’s writing career began with newspapers, before he moved into full-time motoring writing. He wrote for car magazine Motor for decades, and has written many books, including the classic Great Aussie Car Fails, and co-hosted the TV show Outback Car Hunters. And Dave’s own vehicle for country runs is an 80 series Toyota Land Cruiser (as is mine, incidentally). Vehicles like that prove, well, the importance of vehicles like that. Without them, you simply couldn’t get to where you want to be. And, of course the 80 series is in the book, along with 149 other cars that changed the world. This engaging 248-page hardback book was published on May 1, 2025, by Hardie Grant Explore and is $45. It’s available through book shops and online. Here, our motoring team has taken their pick of cars included in Road Masters: 150 Cars That Changed The World, with a picture from the book. Camera IconDave Morley in his natural environment. Credit: Supplied OLGA DE MOELLER Volvo P1800 ES No secrets. I’m a Volvo driver. Why the P1800? Well, Simon Templar in The Saint drove a Volvo P1800 and I love the frameless glass tailgate that was resurrected in the C30 hatchback I nearly bought in 2006. Still wish I had. Camera IconVolvo P1800 ES. Credit: George Stamatis/Shutterstock/Supplied Ferrari 250 California Just the name spells freedom for me. Sure, it was an American-market roadster and I just want to drive it up the Pacific Coast Highway in late spring. Camera IconFerrari 250 California. Credit: Dimcars/Shutterstock/Supplied Lamborghini Miura Never mind some early examples exploded in flames at the most inconvenient of times, but I can’t resist the naturally aspirated V12 engine. This is where the modern, mid-engine supercar concept started. Camera IconLamborghini Miura. Credit: Supplied MOGENS JOHANSEN VW Beetle The Beetle is a true classic. Sure, some early models of the “people’s car” had a bit of a reputation for catching fire, but to be fair, the same can be said of a certain make of EVs. I loved the look and the unique sound of these fun little cars. Camera IconVW Beetle. Credit: Sue Thatcher/Shutterstock/Supplied Volvo PV 544 The Volvo PV 544 was the equivalent of a Holden FJ in Denmark where I grew up. They were everywhere . . . my father owned one and I have many fond childhood memories of trips in it. Camera IconVolvo PV544. Credit: Andrii Ivaniuk/Shutterstock/Supplied Citroen DS The futuristic design had me intrigued from the first time I saw one. It was, and still is, like no other car. It had a unique hydropneumatic suspension system which was self levelling and the driver could vary the ride height depending on how much clearance was needed. True French weirdness. Camera IconCitroen DS. Credit: Supplied STEPHEN SCOURFIELD Audi UR Quattro It was most definitely a “breakthrough” car in its day. All-wheel drive? In a road car? Backed up by those rallying credentials. This “original Quattro” was truly a wolf in sheep’s clothing. As Dave Morley writes: “Motorsport success at a global level is often enough to elevate a road car to hero status and get it into the pages of this book. But when the car in question also rewrites the book for road-going vehicles and creates a whole genre that is still revered to this day, then the chances of seeing it here are very good indeed. So it is here. Because the original Audi Quattro of 1980 is just such a car.” And I drove one of the very first Quattros, and can still feel that car, through the wheel, in my hands. Camera IconAudi UR Quattro. Credit: S.Candide/Shutterstock/Supplied Mazda RX-7 Series 1 I’ll start by coming clean. I had a white Mazda RX-7 Series 1 (albeit with twin Weber carburettors) and loved it. I loved the spin of that compact, lightweight Wankel rotary engine. The car came from the brilliant brain of Mazda lead designer Matasaburo Maeda. Camera IconMazda RX-7 Series 1. Credit: Carl Davis / Alamy/Supplied Toyota Land Cruiser 80 Series It is 1990. I’m in the Finke River in Central Australia on a sizzling hot day, and the insect noise is so loud that the Japanese technicians stationed along our drive route are wearing ear defenders. True. I’m on the *********** launch of the Land Cruiser 80 Series, at this moment when Toyota off-roaders turn a corner. The 80 series moved from leaf springs to coils and came with the choice of engines — a 4.0 litre inline-six petrol (which lots of drivers put on gas), and the classic 4.2 litre inline-six diesel engine. With a locking centre differential and low-range transfer case, it was (and is) a capable off-roader — with no electronics. Camera IconToyota 80 Series with aftermarket products. Credit: Martin Berry / Alamy/Supplied Source link #pick #cars #changed #world Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Why this CEO supports Trump’s 25% steel tariff Why this CEO supports Trump’s 25% steel tariff Why this CEO supports Trump’s 25% steel tariff – CBS News Watch CBS News While many businesses are steeling themselves for trade war losses, the American steel industry has a brighter outlook. Elaine Quijano reports. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On Source link #CEO #supports #Trumps #steel #tariff Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

He injected himself with snake venom hundreds of times. His blood could ‘revolutionize’ snakebite treatment He injected himself with snake venom hundreds of times. His blood could ‘revolutionize’ snakebite treatment Sign up for CNN’s Wonder Theory science newsletter. Explore the universe with news on fascinating discoveries, scientific advancements and more. Immunologist Jacob Glanville came across media reports in 2017 of a man who had injected himself hundreds of times with the venom of some of the world’s deadliest snakes, including cobras, mambas and rattlesnakes — and allowed himself to be bitten. “The news articles were kind of flashy. ‘Crazy guy gets bit by snakes,’” Glanville said. “But I looked, and I was like there’s a diamond in the rough here.” Glanville’s diamond was Tim Friede, a self-taught snake expert based in California who exposed himself to the venom of snakes over the course of nearly 18 years, effectively gaining immunity to several neurotoxins. “We had this conversation. And I said, I know it’s awkward, but I’m really interested in looking at some of your blood,” Glanville recalled. “And he said, ‘Finally, I’ve been waiting for this call.’” The pair agreed to work together, and Friede donated a 40-milliliter blood sample to Glanville and his colleagues. Eight years later, Glanville and Peter Kwong, Richard J. Stock Professor of medical sciences at Columbia University’s Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, have published details of an antivenom that can protect against bites from 19 species of poisonous snake — at least in mice — based on antibodies in Friede’s blood and a venom-blocking drug. “Tim, to my knowledge, he has an unparalleled history. It was different, very diverse species from every continent that has snakes, and … he kept rotating between (the snake venoms) over a 17-year, nine-month history, and he took meticulous records the entire time,” Glanville said. “However, we strongly discourage anyone from trying to do what Tim did,” Glanville added. “Snake venom is dangerous.” Friede gave up immunizing himself with snake venom in 2018 after some close calls, and he is now employed by Glanville’s biotechnology company Centivax, Glanville said. Glanville is CEO and chairman of Centivax. The research was published Friday in the scientific journal Cell. CNN contacted Friede, but he did not respond to an interview request. Tim Friede, center, with colleagues Mark Bellin, right, Joel Andrade, left, Gengan Li, back left, and Nicholas Bayless, back center. – Jacob Glanville The snakebite problem If you’re unlucky enough to have a poisonous snake sink its fangs into you, your best hope is an antivenom, which for the most part has been made in the same way since Victorian times. Traditionally, the process involves milking snake venom by hand and injecting it into horses or other animals in small doses to evoke an immune response. The animal’s blood is drawn and purified to obtain antibodies that act against the venom. Producing antivenom in this way can get messy, not to mention dangerous. The process is prone to errors and laborious, and the finished serum can result in serious side effects. Experts have long called for better ways to treat snakebites, which kill some 200 people a day, mainly in the developing world, and leave 400,000 people a year with disabilities. The World Health Organization added snakebite to its list of neglected tropical diseases in 2017. Glanville, who grew up in rural Guatemala, said he had long been aware of the health problems posed by snakebites and immediately recognized that Friede’s experience presented a unique opportunity. Exposing himself to the venom of snakes for nearly two decades, by injecting venom and allowing himself to be bitten, Friede had generated antibodies that were effective against several snake neurotoxins at once. ‘Revolutionary’ potential The researchers isolated antibodies from Friede’s blood that reacted with neurotoxins found within the 19 snake species tested in the study, which included coral snakes, mambas, cobras, taipans, kraits and others. These antibodies were then tested one by one in mice poisoned by venom from each of the 19 species, allowing scientists to understand systematically the minimum number of components that would neutralize all the venoms. The drug ********* the team created ultimately included three things: two antibodies isolated from Friede and the small-molecule drug varespladib, which inhibits an enzyme that is present in 95% of all snakebites. The drug is currently in human clinical trials as a standalone treatment. Study coauthors Mark Bellin and Hannah Hirou prepare antivenom during the course of the research. – Nicholas Bayless The first antibody, known as LNX-D09, protected mice from a lethal dose of whole venom from six of the snake species. The addition of varespladib granted protection against an additional three species. Finally, researchers added a second antibody isolated from Friede’s blood, called SNX-B03, which extended protection across 19 species. The antivenom offered the mice 100% protection against the venom for 13 species and partial protection (20% to 40%) for the remaining six, the researchers noted in the study. Steven Hall, a snakebite pharmacologist at Lancaster University in the United Kingdom, called it a “very clever and creative way” to develop an antivenom. Hall wasn’t involved in the research. And while the ********* has not been tested in humans, should it be approved for clinical use, Hall said the human origin of the antibodies would likely mean fewer side effects than antivenoms made the traditional way using horses or other animals, which can often result in allergic reactions. “It’s impressive for the fact that this is done with one or two antibodies, plus a small-molecule drug, and that increases the number of species, versus a regular antidote. And I think it does a good job of highlighting the potential utility of combining a small-molecule drug with an antibody,” Hall added. “If it makes it into clinic, makes it into people in the long run, it would be revolutionary. It actually would completely change the field in terms of snakebite (treatment),” he said. Columbia’s Kwong said that the published research focused on a class of snakes known as elapids. It did not include viperids, the other major group of venomous snakes that includes rattlesnakes, saw-scaled vipers and additional species. However, the team is investigating whether additional antibodies identified in Friede’s blood or other agents might offer protection against this viperid family of snakes. “The final contemplated product would be a single, pan-antivenom ********* or we potentially would make two: one that is for the elapids and another that is for the viperids because some areas of the world only have one or the other,” Kwong said. The team also wants to start field research in Australia, where there are only elapid snakes, allowing vets to use the antivenom on dogs bitten by snakes. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Source link #injected #snake #venom #hundreds #times #blood #revolutionize #snakebite #treatment Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

RFK Jr. calls for 'new' vaccines to undergo placebo-controlled trials – ABC News RFK Jr. calls for 'new' vaccines to undergo placebo-controlled trials – ABC News RFK Jr. calls for ‘new’ vaccines to undergo placebo-controlled trials ABC NewsRFK Jr plans placebo-trial testing for ‘all new vaccines’ BBCKennedy Issues Demands for Vaccine Approvals That Could Affect Fall Covid Boosters The New York TimesRFK Jr. to require placebo-controlled studies for new vaccines : Shots – Health News NPRUpdated Covid vaccines for the fall may be in jeopardy under RFK Jr.’s new rules NBC News Source link #RFK #calls #039new039 #vaccines #undergo #placebocontrolled #trials #ABC #News Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

‘Harry’ and ‘mad badger’ fly Aussie flag in county fare ‘Harry’ and ‘mad badger’ fly Aussie flag in county fare Marcus Harris has become the leading run-maker in England this summer with another big hundred on a day when Harry Conway, introduced affectionately as an *********** “mad badger”, enjoyed a superb five-wicket county debut. The tale of two “Harrys” eclipsed even the return to first-class action of another Aussie, Test allrounder Beau Webster, who also made an encouraging start to his spell with Warwickshire with an unbeaten knock of 32. Having already been taken into Lancashire fans’ hearts as “Harry”, ever-reliable left-hander Harris enjoyed scoring his first century at his new Old Trafford home, finishing the day unbeaten on 165 against Gloucestershire to take his tally to a season-leading 559 runs in just seven knocks. Across a near four-and-a-half hour, 263-ball chanceless stay, Harris smote 15 fours and two sixes after coming in with Lancashire in a spot of bother at 2-23 in the 11th over. Adding another ton to the one he scored on his Lancs debut against Middlesex at Lord’s, the Aussie’s first seven innings for the county have been 138, 52, 43, 50, 77, 34no and 165no. Harris is the first Lancashire batter to pass fifty on five occasions in his first seven first-class innings for the county. Lancashire finished the day 5-342, with a double-ton there for the taking for Harris against a Gloucestershire side captained by Cameron Bancroft and featuring Cameron Green. Meanwhile, the other 32-year-old *********** “Harry” was working wonders on his Northamptonshire debut as Conway lived up to the extravagant billing his coach, fellow Aussie Darren Lehmann, had given him on the eve of the match, declaring: “Harry is a mad badger, and people are going to love him!” The Northampton crowd certainly did as they watched the South Australia quick, who has lost his state contract, take 5-68 against Leicestershire. That included the wicket of in-form visiting skipper Peter Handscomb, trapped lbw for just nine after a 55-minute struggle as his side was bowled out for 304. Webster became the latest *********** to try to lay down his marker for selection for the World Test Championship final team in June as he made his Warwickshire bow. The 31-year-old Tasmanian, who made an impressive Test debut against India in Sydney in January, only bowled two overs for 10 runs as Yorkshire were dismissed for just 205 at Headingley. But with Warwickshire struggling in reply on 5-106, Webster struck five boundaries off 31 ****** in his unbeaten counter-attack to help them reach the close on 6-161. Another *********** debutant for Yorkshire, paceman Jordan Buckingham, proved expensive, going for 51 off eight overs, but he did pick up the wicket of Warwickshire captain and opener Alex Davies. “I always wanted to come to Headingley as a kid and watch the cricket, so to be out here playing is a dream come true,” said the South Australia quick. Among Yorkshire’s England luminaries, Joe Root fell for one, Harry Brook for 33 and captain Jonny Bairstow for 47. Source link #Harry #mad #badger #fly #Aussie #flag #county #fare Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Army Captain Slams New XM7 Rifle As “Unfit,” Sig Sauer Says Otherwise Army Captain Slams New XM7 Rifle As “Unfit,” Sig Sauer Says Otherwise Army Capt. Braden Trent has caused something of a stir this week, saying that data he has collected points to his service’s new 6.8x51mm XM7 service rifle suffering from serious reliability and other issues, including excessive barrel wear and regular breakages of key components. He claims, based in part on observations of live-fire exercises involving XM7-armed soldiers, that these problems, together with a host of other factors, make the gun “unfit” for its intended purpose. The gun’s manufacturer, Sig Sauer, has strenuously pushed back on Trent’s assertions and outright denied a number of them. Capt. Trent presented his findings, which come from an unclassified student thesis, at the annual Modern Day Marine exposition in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday. The Army infantry officer is currently attending the Expeditionary Warfare School, part of the Marine Corps University in Quantico, Virginia. “My project began as a fact-finding mission. I wanted to find out, how does this new product [the XM7] increase soldier lethality and what data can I provide at the unclassified level to help soldiers and leaders alike make better decisions at the tactical, operational, and strategic levels?” Trent said in his presentation at Modern Day Marine. His research, “consisting of in depth historical analysis, testing with experts, ballistics research, extensive dialog with soldiers, industry and leaders,” came “to the conclusion that the XM7 is unfit for use as a modern service rifle.” What is the XM7 Rifle? The XM7 is a 6.8x51mm version of Sig Sauer’s increasingly popular MCX Spear family of rifles. Though Sig’s MCX family is a separate development, the core design is derived from the AR-15/M16 pattern family of rifles, and upper receivers from certain versions of the former can be directly paired with lower receivers from the latter with the help of an adapter. The overall configurations of guns in both families are very similar, as are the basic ergonomics and control arrangements. MCX rifles notably use a gas piston operating mechanism rather than the direct impingement method found on AR-15/M16 types. Direct impingement (DI) involves propellant gases directly blowing into the main action to cycle it, which can more quickly lead to fouling on key components without regular cleaning. Piston systems that keep gas away from a gun’s internal works can offer improved overall reliability in certain circumstances, although they tend to be heavier than their DI counterparts. The XM7 is one part of the Army’s Next Generation Squad Weapons (NGSW) family of systems, which also includes the 6.8x51mm XM250 light machine gun, the computerized XM157 optic, and various types of 6.8x51mm ammunition. The 6.8mm rounds notably have a hybrid case with a brass body and a stainless steel base designed to allow for improved performance and reduced weight. An XM7 rifle, at bottom, and an XM250 light machine gun, at top. Sig Sauer Sig Sauer is now delivering XM7s and XM250s, as well as 6.8x51mm rounds, after having won the NGSW competition in 2022, and the guns are being fielded. At the time of the initial award, Sig’s contract for the weapon portion of the NGSW program had a ceiling of nearly $5 billion. The XM157s are being procured separately from Vortex Optics. An XM157 computerized optic. Vortex Optics Army combat experiences from the Global War on Terror, especially operations in Afghanistan, where reports often emerged of U.S. forces being outranged, helped drive the NGSW program’s core requirement for guns firing larger rounds offering greater range and terminal ballistic performance. Concerns about improving adversary body armor were also a factor. As of last year, the Army said its “acquisition objectives” included the purchase of 111,428 XM7s, 13,334 XM250s, and 124,749 XM157s. The XM7 and XM250 are in line to replace a substantial portion of the service’s existing M4A1 carbines (an AR-15/M16 family design) and M249 Squad Automatic Weapons (SAW), respectively, both of which are chambered to fire the 5.56x45mm cartridge. A member of the US Army fires an M4A1 carbine, a significant portion of which are now set to be replaced by XM7s. US Army Capt. Trent’s technical criticisms of the XM7 “I’d like to present a technical comparison between the XM7 and the M4A1. There’s a lot of statistics on this page, but the first one I’d like to draw your attention to is total combat weight. Total combat weight is defined as the weight of the weapon, along with a loaded magazine and any accessories that would be expected to be issued to soldiers receiving the system,” Capt. Trent said on Tuesday. “The M4A1 comes in at around eight and a half pounds, which is somewhat lightweight, but still somewhat heavy compared to rifles of old. The XM7, by comparison, comes in at 15.4 pounds.” “The XM7 has a relatively short barrel length of 13 inches,” he added. “That’s actually an inch and a half shorter than the M4A1.” It is immediately worth noting here that the Army says the standard barrel length for the XM7 is 15.3 inches, which is longer than the 14.5-inch barrel on the M4A1. Sig does offer the MCX Spear with a 13-inch barrel. How Trent arrived at the “combat weight” figure for the XM7 is also not immediately clear. The rifle weighs 8.4 pounds unloaded with no accessories and 9.8 pounds with just the addition of a suppressor, according to the Army. A loaded 20-round magazine and the XM157 optic would further increase that weight. Army National Guard Spc. Turner Horton “The NGSW program required a velocity of greater than 3,000 feet per second. Shorter barrels have a negative impact on velocity, meaning that an immense power load is then required of the ammunition to reach program requirements,” per Trent’s research. “The outcome is an immense chamber pressure in the XM7, in excess of 80,000 PSI [pounds per square inch]. This causes dramatically increased wear of internal components and ammunition.” Catridge cases “have literally been ripped apart by the internal pressure of the system,” he added. Ruptured cases in any firearm can cause malfunctions and prompt potential operator safety concerns. Trent said he observed and/or learned of a number of other serious technical issues after being given the chance to interview “over 150 soldiers, maintainers, and leaders,” as well as inspect a sample set of 23 XM7 rifles, all from the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division. 1/101st’s 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment was the first operational Army unit to begin receiving XM7s and the rest of the NGSW family of systems. A member of the 101st Airborne Division with an XM7 rifle. US Army The “most serious issue observed with the XM7 was barrel and rifle[ing] gouging occurring in all samples that had greater than 2,000 rounds through the system,” according to Trent. “It has to be said that 2,000 rounds through a rifle is generally, in the industry, considered to be a break-in *******. However, approximately four inches from the muzzle … [and] one inch behind the gas block, a scratch, or in some cases, a gouge is starting to form in the rifling of the system itself. This can lead to all kinds of problems with accuracy and safety.” In addition, “the XM7[‘s] charging handle has to be pulled all the way to the rear charge the bolt into battery” and “if you attempt to do that, you’ll actually impact the rear of the stock. So soldiers have to pull up and out on the charging handle in order to charge the weapon,” per Trent. “There were three separate cases of the charging handle snapping when pulled with excessive force under adrenaline.” “It has to be mentioned that the XM7 does have a side charging handle, but this is positioned so close to the face of the soldier that it’s not ergonomically viable and is especially difficult to operate when shooting prone,” he added. “Next issue observed is the suppressor and the suppressor locking ring. The suppressor locking ring is the device that attaches the suppressor to the rifle,” Trent highlighted. “Soldiers reported that with hand strength, this device could be broken, meaning that a suppressor could not be mounted to the system or could cause catastrophic malfunctions.” The Army captain said he had observed three suppressors that had suffered catastrophic damage due to this issue during his visit to the 101st Airborne Division. A member of the US Army fires an XM7 rifle with a sound suppressor fitted. US Army Trent also pointed out problems encountered with the XM7’s ambidextrous magazine release. “While seemingly well-intentioned, if you can imagine the rifle at the low ready position in the hands of a soldier or Marine, this would frequently bump into the body armor or chest plates of soldiers in the field, causing the magazine to be released prematurely,” he said. “This was such a problem that some soldiers had actually created DIY [do-it-yourself] solutions to this in an attempt to get around it.” To underscore his own findings, Trent highlighted comments about the XM7 from the most recent annual report put out by the Pentagon’s Office of the Director of Test and Evaluation (DOT&E) earlier this year. Based on the results of combined operations demonstration and limited lethality assessment in 2024, “the XM7 with mounted XM157 demonstrated a low probability of completing one 72-hour wartime mission without incurring a critical failure,” the unclassified report said, but without providing more specific details. Operational limitations Trent further contended that the XM7, even working as intended, is not a suitable standard infantry weapon for the Army due to its weight, bulk, increased recoil, and reduced magazine capacity (20 versus 30 rounds) compared to the existing M4A1. He also argued that evidence continues to show that the majority of infantry engagements occur at ranges of 300 meters or less, negating the increased effective range and improved terminal ballistic performance that the Army has cited as core reasons for adopting the new 6.8x51mm service rifle. “I was able to observe … a combined arms live fire exercise, or company live fire for those who aren’t familiar,” Trent explained. “The platoon I was tasked with observing was tasked to suppress the objective for the other two platoons of that company to then maneuver and provide effects on the battlefield.” “Within 10 minutes, the platoon I observed was almost completely out of ammunition after starting the engagement. By 15 minutes, their ability to produce effective suppression had become almost zero,” he continued. “This is after having taken spare magazines for the XM7 from radio operators, medics, platoon leadership, etc.” “And this can really be drawn down to one major fault in the XM7, and that’s the UBL … or universal basic load. It’s a metric that can be applied to almost any weapon system, and it essentially means the amount of magazines and associated ammunition that a system uses and is expected to be carried into battle,” he added. “So the XM7 [and] the M4A1 actually have the same number of magazines in their UBL seven, but remember, we’re talking about that capacity difference. The total round count a soldier carries into battle with the XM7 is 140 rounds compared to the 210 rounds of the M4A1. Now again, a 70 round difference may not seem significant, but to the soldier in the fight, it absolutely is a difference. Not to mention that every magazine added to the XM7, each 20-round loaded magazine adds another 1.25 pounds to the soldier’s load, meaning that if troops equipped with the XM7 tried to match their old UBLs [in terms of round count], they’re going to have even more weight being carried.” “The final thing I’d like to mention is the Chief of Army Infantry’s stated goal of a 55-pound total soldier load,” the Army captain noted toward the end of his presentation at Modern Day Marine. “If we just take the XM7 and its seven UBL magazine load, we’re almost at half that weight, and that’s before the soldier is put on body armor, water, a rucksack, or anything else that they’ll need in the fight.” Trent also conducted his own experiments with the help of the Marine Corps’ Weapons Training Battalion, and using 7.62x51mm M110 and 5.56x45mm M38 rifles as surrogates for the XM7. The M38 is a subvariant of the Marine Corps’ M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle (IAR), which is, in turn, a variant of the HK416. The HK416 is a gas-piston derivative of the AR-15/M16 series. A US Marine with an M110 rifle. USMC A Marine Corps M38 rifle. USMC “The data demonstrates that a heavier system, or [a system with] higher weight and recoil, increases shooter engagement time, both on the first shot and on follow-up shots. A heavier weight and recoil system decreases shooter hit probability at all distances from seven to 300 meters, the standard range of an infantry engagement, and a lighter weight and recoil system enables faster follow-up shots at all distances from seven to 300 meters,” according to Trent. Sig Sauer’s Rebuttal Jason St. John, Senior Director of Strategic Products for the Defense Strategies Group at Sig Sauer, and Joshua Shoemaker, the company’s Defense Product Manager for Rifles and Suppressors, provided TWZ with a detailed rebuttal to Capt. Trent’s findings from the show floor at Modern Day Marine this week. St. John said that Trent had not consulted the Army program office or Sig Sauer as part of the work on his thesis. Sig Sauer did meet with Trent on the sidelines of Modern Day Marine to discuss his findings. “I believe that Captain Trent had some shortcomings and difficulties in understanding the totality of the NGSW program and some significant blind spots into the progress that the NGSW program has made over the last let’s call it 24 months. By him not having any clarity on any of the engineering change proposal efforts, and understanding of the 101st [Airborne Division’s] fielding efforts, the actual pacing of the program … and really the ongoing product improvement efforts that the program office and Sig Sauer are doing in concert with each other, really clouded his perspective, and I believe his opinions that he represented,” St. John said. “There are significant misrepresentations and holes in those statements [that he made].” For one, St. John denied that the XM7’s average chamber pressure has been exceeding 80,000 PSI. That at least certain loadings of the 6.8x51mm cartridge, as well as the .277 Fury round it is based on, have maximum chamber pressure ratings of 80,000 PSI has been widely reported. A graphic describing the elements of the hybrid-cased 6.8x51mm cartridge. Sig Sauer “It operates in the 77K PSI range, which is higher than legacy ammunition pressures,” St. John explained. “Legacy ammunition pressures average, let’s just call it about 65K PSI. We can go plus three, minus three, we can go actually minus 10, depending on the cartridge. But the benefit of the technology of the Sig Sauer hybrid ammunition is the ability for that ammunition and the development of this weapon system to operate at higher pressures, so that you can get a higher level of performance out of a smaller weapon system.” St. John added that the XM7 had been tested to safely operate with chamber pressures up to 125,000 PSI and said that any assertions that the gun’s chamber pressure might present risks to the shooter were “patently false.” He also said he was not aware of any case rupturing since Sig Sauer first developed the ammunition before the NGSW program was even formalized, but did not deny the possibility. “We do significant reliability [testing], but more importantly, we do a lot of safety testing. And one of the things that we do from a safety testing perspective is we do obstructed bore, and an obstructed bore test is really the most catastrophic event that could happen in a firearms incident,” St. Johns explained. “We do it in three different positions. We put a lodged projectile an inch inside of the chamber, we put another round behind it, and we fire it with a lodged projectile. We do that same test with it midway … down the barrel, and we do it at the end of the barrel. If, during that test, we have any sort of catastrophic failure that’s going to lend itself to a safety concern for a soldier, the weapon system is completely redesigned and started over.” “There has never been an incident with the NGSW with an obstructed bore in our testing where, if that gun had an obstructed bore, which is the high-det[onation], high-pressure, high catastrophic event, where there’s ever been a situation where that rifle has witnessed any potential for causing an issue,” he added. St. John also rejected the assertion that the XM7’s ambidextrous magazine release is particularly easy to hit accidentally. “We have redesigned our magazine release to ensure that it has a better form and function, because there was [sic] some situations where our magazine release was slightly out of spec from a parts perspective, and because of that out of specification, the magazine release would unintentionally release the magazine,” St. John did acknolwedge. “That’s been rectified through the U.S. Army engineering change proposal process. We’ve implemented multiple manufacturing inspection processes of that part to ensure that, as that’s identified, that that can’t happen in the future.” Both St. John and Sig Sauer’s Shoemaker said they were unaware of any instances of the XM7’s charging handle being snapped off. What Capt. Trent is “more likely referencing is when you charge the charging handle – it’s a user training thing – guys are coming off of the AR[-15/M16] platform on a direct impingement system where that’s tied to the carrier,” Shoemaker said. “This is a piston-driven system. It’s tied on the op[erating] rod. So a little bit of movement up and down. So if you pull on it in a rearward position, it could ****** into the back of the stock, if the stock is in a collapsed position.” “If you pull it [the charging handle] to the rear, normally, it’s not going to interfere with the bustock. If you lift up slightly on it’s not going to interfere with the buttstock,” St. John added. “I have never seen in any evaluation, any testing, or had any field report from any end user of an MCX charging handle snapping from use.” Shoemaker further asserted that the basic issue of soldiers becoming more familiar with the particulars of operating the XM7’s charging handle has been “overcome with training.” When asked about Capt. Trent’s description of the XM7’s side-mounted charging handle as “not ergonomically viable,” St. John called that an “opinion” and said that having two charging handles on the gun offers shooters more options depending on the circumstances. A view of an XM7 rifle from the left side with its side charging handle visible. US Army “I honestly don’t know what he’s referencing there,” St. John also said when about the suppressor locking ring issue. “Barrel life on our rifle exceeds 10,000 rounds. I believe the army requirement was 5,000 rounds. Without physically inspecting the barrel … that he’s referencing, I would say that I don’t think we’ve witnessed anything that he is referencing,” St. John added. Sig Sauer’s St. John did acknowledge that the XM7 is still evolving as a result of ongoing testing and user feedback, and that Sig expects more changes to the gun to come in the future, as is often the case when a military gets a new weapon system. “I think that soldiers and citizens should want Sig Sauer, the U.S. [Army] program office to continue that practice of continually evolving and developing and improving their soldiers weapons systems. And I think we anticipate that we’re going to undergo those improvement processes for the next 25 to 30 years,” Sig Sauer’s St. John did also note. “There’s going to be improvements in manufacturing [and] materials processes. The soldiers on the ground and the U.S. Army are going to dictate different operational requirements and standards for the weapons systems, and we’re going to have to react to those modifications that are going to optimize that weapon system as that evolves through time and history.” “It should be no surprise, in my opinion, that specifically in the infancy of a weapons program that there’s a very aggressive improvement effort to ensure that the Army and the soldiers get the weapon system that they deserve,” he added. What the XM7’s future might otherwise hold TWZ has also reached out to the Army for responses to Capt. Trent’s findings, including his assertions about the general operational utility of the XM7 compared to the M4A1. “The Next Generation Squad Weapons (NGSW) program significantly increases lethality and probability of hit at the squad level,” the Army’s official website on the program declares. “Due to the nature of the NGSW ammunition, the 6.8mm projectile will outperform even the most modern 5.56mm and 7.62mm ammunition. These weapon systems will give Soldiers significant capability improvements in accuracy, range, signature management, and lethality.” It’s also worth noting that the NGSW program also reflects the end result of decades of failed Army attempts to adopt a new standard service rifle, potentially in a different cartridge than 5.56x45mm, as well as efforts to move away from the AR-15/M16 family. For an armed force as large as the Army, any wide-scale adoption of a new firearm and a new type of ammunition is a huge undertaking to begin with. All new systems go through some degree of teething issues when they are first fielded. The XM8 rifle, versions of which are seen here, look for a time to be set to become the Army’s new standard service weapon in the early 2000s. US Army As mentioned at the beginning of the story, NGSW is a multi-billion-dollar effort of major importance to both the Army and Sig Sauer. Just this week, the Pentagon and the Army announced major service-wide restructuring plans that will have immense ramifications for many programs, a number of which are likely to be severely truncated, if not cut outright, in the coming months. How the Army progresses with the XM7 and the rest of the NGSW program could have implications for other branches of the U.S. military, as well. Given its size, the Army is often a key driver of joint force small arms decisions simply due to logistics factors and economies of scale. Virtually the entire U.S. military, with the notable exception of special operations units, is in the process right now of fielding variants of Sig Sauer’s P320 pistol. The Army selected a P320-based design as the winner of its Modular Handgun System (MHS) competition in 2017. Sig Sauer has faced significant separate criticism around the P320 over serious drop safety issues that the company insists it has resolved. The pistols also suffered teething troubles during initial fielding with the US Army. A member of the US Army with an M17 pistol, a variant of the Sig Sauer P320. US Army Marine officials said separately at Modern Day Marine this week that their service had just recently completed an evaluation of the NGSW family of systems and is now processing the results to determine what, if any, steps forward will be taken. For now, the primary arm of the Marines remains the M27. “My hope is not that I can provide a definitive answer … it requires further exploration by experts in the field, decision makers in high places, to really explore this,” Capt. Trent did also told members of the Marine Corps Association in a live interview from the floor of Modern Day Marine after his presentation. “I hope that I’ve at least generated conversation that can lead the American military to receiving even more lethal weapon systems and capabilities.” “My hope is that this just generates further interest and discussion about what are the pros and cons of the system,” Trent continued. “If we are going to remain with the XM7, okay, but how can we address the issues for the system to mitigate risk to soldiers [and] maximize lethality?” Special thanks to Breaking Defense‘s Ashley Roque for providing audio of Braden Trent’s presentation at Modern Day Marine. Contact the author: *****@*****.tld Source link #Army #Captain #Slams #XM7 #Rifle #Unfit #Sig #Sauer Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump’s Order Targeting Law Firm Perkins Coie Is ********, Judge Rules – The New York Times Trump’s Order Targeting Law Firm Perkins Coie Is ********, Judge Rules – The New York Times Trump’s Order Targeting Law Firm Perkins Coie Is ********, Judge Rules The New York TimesJudge Strikes Down Trump Order Targeting Law Firm Perkins Coie WSJJudge permanently blocks Trump’s executive order targeting Democratic-tied law firm Perkins Coie CNNJudge snaps at DOJ lawyer arguing Trump executive order targeting Big Law firm can’t be ******** Business InsiderJudge strikes down Trump order targeting Perkins Coie law firm NBC News Source link #Trumps #Order #Targeting #Law #Firm #Perkins #Coie #******** #Judge #Rules #York #Times Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Cummins takes blame as Sunrisers near the IPL exit door Cummins takes blame as Sunrisers near the IPL exit door Pat Cummins has been left scolding himself over his expensive bowling and a missed catch as his Sunrisers Hyderabad outfit slumped to the verge of elimination in the Indian Premier League. The run-blasting outfit that reached the final in 2024 have been a pale imitation under Cummins’ stewardship this year. Their comprehensive 38-run loss to Gujarat Titans in front of 90,000-plus fans in Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium means they’re now reliant on other results to rescue their faintest of hopes. Cummins, whose side have won just three of 10 matches, tried to put on a brave face after Friday’s game, admitting their fate now being out of their hands was “unfortunate”, but he was clinging on to some faint hope they could still make the final play-off quartet. Asked about the difference between the two sides as Gujarat powered to a formidable 6-224 after the *********** invited them to bat first before Sunrisers could muster only 6-186 in reply, Cummins was quick to point the finger at himself. “Our powerplay with the ball wasn’t too great, and I’m probably as guilty as anyone there,” he shrugged, reflecting on being clouted for 40 off his four overs. “(I) probably let them get 20 or 30 extra just with some bad ******. “And maybe we should have hung on to one or two catches throughout the middle – again, I’m guilty there,” he added, referring to a difficult chance he couldn’t take on the retreat when Jos Buttler, who was on 22, skyed one to cover off Harshal Patel. Former England white-ball skipper Buttler went on to thrash 64 off 37 deliveries, before Cummins did get him mis-hitting to long-on for his one wicket of the day. But with Titans captain Shubman Gill also in sparking form with his two-a-ball 76 and Sai Sudharsan kicking off the innings with 48 off 23, Hyderabad couldn’t afford the lapses. “Chasing 200 would have looked a bit more realistic,” Cummins said with a shrug. In the chase, Travis Head was going along nicely on 20 off 16 ****** when Rashid Khan, having to zig-zag at full pelt to get to the ball, took a remarkable catch in the deep to end his knock. The Aussie’s look of disbelief told how fine a piece of fielding it was. Abhishek Sharma made a fight of it with 74 off 41, but the game had long gone when Cummins finished up with a six and a four in his 10-ball cameo of 19. With Hyderabad’s chances now on life support, Cummins was still trying to remain positive. “It was obviously a big auction last year, so the core of this group’s going to be together for three years, hopefully, so there’s still lots to play for,” he said. Source link #Cummins #takes #blame #Sunrisers #IPL #exit #door Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump family’s net worth has increased by $2.9 billion thanks to crypto investments, new report says Trump family’s net worth has increased by $2.9 billion thanks to crypto investments, new report says President Trump’s venture into crypto products has increased his family’s wealth by billions in the last six months, according to a new report, as his administration continues to loosen the federal government’s regulatory approach to the digital currency industry as a whole. The group State Democracy Defenders Action estimated in a new report that the president’s crypto holdings now represent nearly 40% of his net worth — or approximately $2.9 billion. That increase is due in part to his release of the $TRUMP and $MELANIA meme coins, in addition to a large stake in World Liberty Financial, a crypto exchange affiliated with the Trump family that launched in October 2024. State Democracy Defenders Action identifies itself as non-partisan, but it is overseen by frequent critics of President Trump, with an agenda focused on “the autocratic threat to our nation.” The president’s net worth is expected to get another bump, with World Liberty Financial’s announcement this week that a Abu Dhabi-backed firm will invest billions of dollars in the Trump family-affiliated crypto fund. The Emirati firm, MGX, will purchase $2 billion in a stablecoin product offered by World Liberty, the company said in a statement to CBS. The currency, called “USD1” will then be used to invest in Binance, one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges. World Liberty has ties to the president and his sons.The fine print on the company’s website says an entity affiliated with Mr. Trump and his family members own a 60% stake in the company. According to the company’s public reports, a Trump family entity also holds 22.5 billion of the $WLF tokens –- and takes an additional 75% in net revenue from future token purchases. Details of the MGX deal have not been released, so it is unclear how much the Trump family stands to benefit from this transaction. In a statement to CBS News, World Liberty said the deal represents the “single largest-ever investment in a crypto company” and sets a “historic precedent.” It did not respond to questions about how much the Trump family stands to make from the investment. The White House responded to a request for comment by telling CBS News to “report on something people actually care about.” A spokesperson provided links to several White House technology initiatives. As the president’s investments in crypto have grown, the Securities and Exchange Commission has paused investigations into a dozen crypto companies since his inauguration, a CBS News analysis found. The World Liberty Financial website is seen on a laptop on Feb. 12, 2025. Gabby Jones/Bloomberg via Getty Images “The bottom line is it appears like he’s profiting off of his public office,” said Virginia Canter, State Democracy Defenders chief counsel for ethics and anticorruption. Canter, who co-authored the new report, served as senior ethics counsel for the Treasury Department under both Republican and Democratic administrations. “In terms of prior presidents in the modern age, they’ve all divested their assets, or they’ve rolled them over into what we call blind trusts,” Canter said. “President Trump did not do that in his first term, and it seems as if in the second term he’s doubled down and he is all in (on) the crypto industry.” The report leans heavily on past media reports, including a Fortune magazine article that reviewed the Trump family’s financial disclosures and provided the original estimates of the president’s net worth. Crypto companies are not legally required to disclose who is buying and selling on their platforms to the public, so little is known about who has invested in Trump family-affiliated crypto products. Canter says this makes it more difficult to identify potential conflicts of interest. “In his first administration, we could see who was walking in and out of the Trump hotels,” she said. Trump hopes U.S. will be the “crypto capital of the world” The president, who as recently as 2021 described crypto currency as a “scam,” has since embraced digital currency, saying he hopes to make the United States the “crypto capital of the world.” Since his inauguration, Mr. Trump has made several moves to unwind the regulatory environment that many industry insiders say crippled crypto businesses. He has issued multiple executive orders to promote cryptocurrency, including one that seeks to promote the growth of digital currencies and another that instructed the Treasury Department to create a strategic cryptocurrency reserve. Mr. Trump has also used his office to pardon the three founders of cryptocurrency exchange BitMEX, who pleaded guilty in 2022 to failing to prevent money laundering on their platform, according to a report by Reuters. The value of Mr. Trump’s crypto assets have at times fluctuated with his policy decisions and social media posts. The value of $TRUMP increased 18.1% in early March after the president issued an executive order promoting a strategic cryptocurrency reserve, according to the report. A few weeks later, on March 23, the president posted “I Love $TRUMP– SO COOL!! The Greatest of them all!!!!” on Truth Social, which led to an increase in the price of the meme coin from $10.93 to $12.24. Whether or not the $TRUMP coin increases in value, the president’s business collects trading fees when people buy or sell the coin. A Reuters analysis found that business entities behind the $TRUMP coin could have made nearly $100 million in fees in less than two weeks of trading. World Liberty Finance: The Trump family’s crypto exchange Aside from meme coins, the Trump family’s more recent foray into cryptocurrency may become its most profitable. In October, then-candidate Trump helped launch World Liberty Finance, a decentralized or “defi” cryptocurrency exchange. Its website, which heavily features the president’s image, offers users the opportunity to buy into the exchange using $WLFI tokens. “Good News, the World Liberty Financial token is now live. Crypto is the future, let’s embrace this incredible technology and lead the world in the digital economy. Go to World Liberty Financial.com,” Mr. Trump posted on X in October, before the presidential election. The website says World Liberty is “inspired by Donald J. Trump” and Mr. Trump is listed as chief crypto advocate. His sons, Eric, Donald Jr. and Barron, are all listed as Web3 ambassadors. Donald Trump Jr. promoted World Liberty Financial in March, at the D.C. Blockchain conference, where crypto industry insiders rubbed shoulders with members of Congress and the administration. “I’m just super excited about what this can mean for the future of banking for the future of financial systems,” said Trump Jr., who joined World Liberty’s panel remotely. Founders Chase Herro, Zak Folkman and Zach Witkoff appeared on stage to promote World Liberty’s stablecoin offering. Donald Trump Jr. on video screen with the co-founders of World Liberty Financial (from 2nd left) Chase Herro, Zach Witkoff and Zak Folkman, during the D.C. Blockchain Summit in Washington on March 26, 2025. Kent Nishimura/Bloomberg via Getty Images “We want Republicans, Democrats, whether it be ******, blue, brown, white, to be using our stable coin,” said Zach Witkoff, the son of Steven Witkoff, the White House special envoy to the Middle East. “We think it democratizes finance.” World Liberty says it has raised more than $550 million from investors who purchase the $WLF governance token. The majority of these investors remain anonymous to the public. For now, these $WLFI tokens are non redeemable, meaning that once they are purchased, users cannot exchange them. World Liberty denied CBS’ multiple requests for an interview. Justin Sun, the crypto billionaire famous for buying and eating a $6.2 million banana duct-taped to the wall, is one of World Liberty’s few publicly known investors. Sun, who was being investigated for securities fraud in the Biden administration, said he invested $30 million shortly after Mr. Trump’s election, at the time claiming in a post on X to be World Liberty’s”largest investor.” Days before Mr. Trump’s inauguration, Sun said he invested another $45 million, which he also disclosed in a post on X. A few weeks later, the Securities and Exchange Commission reversed itself and asked the judge to grant a stay in Sun’s case, citing “public interest.” The pause in Sun’s case was part of a larger push by the SEC to dismiss cases against crypto companies. A spokesperson for Sun and the SEC declined to comment. Last month, Democrats on the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee sent a letter to the Federal Reserve and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency about the potential for conflict of interest as the Trump administration considers regulations of companies like World Liberty Financial. “President Trump’s involvement in this venture, as he strips financial regulators of their independence…presents an extraordinary conflict of interest that could create unprecedented risks to our financial system,” said the letter, which was signed by five Democrats, including Senators Elizabeth Warren, Ron Wyden and Chris Van Hollen. World Liberty Financial says 85,000 investors have gone through a standard Know Your Customer process to determine “participation eligibility,” and the company says it is arranging for a third-party accounting firm to audit its new venture into the U.S.-debt-backed stablecoins. As president, Mr. Trump is not subject to the criminal conflict-of-interest law. But he is required to disclose his assets and income under the Ethics in Government Act, including his crypto assets. The next financial disclosure report deadline for the president is May 15. Madeleine May Madeleine May is an investigative producer at CBS News based in Washington, D.C. She previously covered politics for VICE News and reported on organized crime and corruption for OCCRP. She covers threats to democracy, disinformation, political violence, and extremism. Source link #Trump #familys #net #worth #increased #billion #crypto #investments #report Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Jeff Sperbeck, former agent for John Elway, dies after golf cart injury. Here’s what we know Jeff Sperbeck, former agent for John Elway, dies after golf cart injury. Here’s what we know LA QUINTA, Calif. (AP) — The death of Jeff Sperbeck, a business partner and former agent for NFL Hall of Famer John Elway, after falling off a golf cart on Saturday appeared to be a “horrific accident” that didn’t involve criminal activity, said Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, whose agency is investigating the incident. Sperbeck, 62, died on Wednesday, after his injury at a Southern California golfing community. Witness Ali Simon told KESQ-TV of Palm Springs that Elway was at the scene of the ******. “This appears to be a horrific accident,” Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco told the Denver Post. “And unfortunately for all of those involved, one of the people – well, a couple of them – happen to be very high-profile celebrities. And that makes this more of an issue than it probably should be.” Elway, who played his whole career on the Denver Broncos, issued a statement saying he was devastated by the loss of his close friend. Here is what we know about the incident. What happened last weekend? Riverside County fire authorities were called to The Madison Club, an upscale country club and residential community in the desert community of La Quinta near Palm Springs, on Saturday evening for a report of a person suffering serious injuries after falling off a golf cart. Sperbeck was then taken to the hospital, and he died early Wednesday from his injuries. Elway was at the scene of the ******, witness Ali Simon told KESQ-TV. Simon said she did not see the accident occur, but saw a man lying on the ground surrounded by people and Elway on the phone. TMZ has reported that Elway was driving the golf cart, citing unidentified sources. KUSA-TV in Denver also cited an unnamed source saying Elway was driving. Law enforcement officials have not said who was driving the golf cart, and Elway did not confirm or deny it in a statement about Sperbeck’s death. Medical personnel at the scene didn’t find evidence suggesting Elway was drunk, Bianco told the Denver Post. He did not elaborate about how personnel reached that conclusion. What is the sheriff’s office’s involvement? Bianco said first responders didn’t immediately call the sheriff’s office to the scene, and typically would notify law enforcement if there were a concern. He said his agency got involved following media interest in the case and is reviewing surveillance footage and witness testimony. The investigation will be short, he said. Ed Obayashi, Modoc County deputy sheriff and special prosecutor, said law enforcement might not initially be called to investigate an injury involving a single person, for example, who falls down the stairs or from a bicycle. But if a death occurs, Obayashi said law enforcement officials are typically asked to investigate so the coroner can complete a thorough report. “It could be a matter of routine, or there may be some information they received that requires them to investigate it,” said Obayashi, who trains law enforcement officials on legal issues. Elway’s attorney, Harvey Steinberg, told Colorado’s 9NEWS it was an accident. “The investigation has confirmed what we already knew: This was a tragic accident and sometimes things happen in life that we will never comprehend,“ Steinberg said. Who was Sperbeck? Sperbeck, who is from the Orange County seaside community of San Clemente, began managing Elway in 1990, when Elway was quarterback for the Denver Broncos. He represented more than 100 NFL players during a three-decade career as an agent and business adviser. He was best known as Elway’s longtime friend, business partner and agent who helped manage the Hall of Famer’s extensive off-field business empire, which included restaurants, car dealerships and a winery. “We are grieving this unimaginable loss as a family alongside our dearest friends the Elway’s and the many other clients Jeff called friends,” the Sperbeck family said in a statement. Sperbeck managed Elway’s marketing and business ventures, and the two collaborated with winemaker Rob Mondavi Jr. in 2015 to co-found 7Cellars by John Elway. Sperbeck was also involved in numerous charitable endeavors and co-founded a sports marketing firm. Elway issued a statement following Sperbeck’s death. “I am absolutely devastated and heartbroken by the passing of my close friend, business partner and agent Jeff Sperbeck,” he said. “There are no words to truly express the profound sadness I feel with the sudden loss of someone who has meant so much to me.” Source link #Jeff #Sperbeck #agent #John #Elway #dies #golf #cart #injury #Heres Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Trump downplays recession fears, saying the U.S. would be ‘OK’ in the long term Trump downplays recession fears, saying the U.S. would be ‘OK’ in the long term U.S. President Donald Trump delivers a commencement address at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, U.S., May 1, 2025. Leah Millis | Reuters President Donald Trump on Friday downplayed concerns about potential economic trouble, saying everything would be “OK” in the long term, even if the U.S economy experienced a recession in the short term. Asked twice by “Meet the Press” moderator Kristen Welker whether it would be OK in the long run if there were a recession in the short term, the president said, “Look, yeah, it’s — everything’s OK. What we are — I said, this is a transition *******. I think we’re going to do fantastically.” Following up, Welker asked Trump if he was worried about a recession, to which he responded, “No.” Asked whether he thinks one could happen, Trump replied, “Anything can happen, but I think we’re going to have the greatest economy in the history of our country.” The remarks come as analysts on Wall Street are increasingly worried that the country could face a recession due to Trump’s changing tariff policy. “Well, you know, you say, ‘Some people on Wall Street say’ — well, I tell you something else. Some people on Wall Street say that we’re going to have the greatest economy in history. Why don’t you talk about them?” Trump said during the interview at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. “There are many people on Wall Street say this is going to be the greatest windfall ever happen,” the president added. According to initial measurements released by the Commerce Department on Wednesday, the U.S. economy shrank by 0.3% in the first quarter of 2025, a reduction largely driven by a fall in exports and a boost in imports ahead of Trump’s expected tariffs. On Wednesday, while meeting with members of his Cabinet, Trump deflected blame for the first-quarter gross domestic product numbers, saying they were a result of the economy former President Joe Biden left behind. “You probably saw some numbers today,” Trump said, “and I have to start off by saying, that’s Biden.” “That’s not Trump,” he added Wednesday. “Because we came in on January, these are quarterly numbers, and we came in and I was very against everything that Biden was doing in terms of the economy, destroying our country in so many ways.” Since the start of his administration in January, Trump has sought to impose tariffs on America’s largest trading partners, including Canada, Mexico and China. Early last month, the president paused the introduction of larger tariffs on most countries for 90 days, just days after imposing them. His partial retreat fueled a rally in markets, which as of Friday recovered the losses they suffered after his initial tariff announcement on April 2. At the same time, Trump slapped even more tariffs on China, raising the tariff rate on the Asian nation to 145%. Still, the president has repeatedly dismissed concerns that the tariffs on China will have major effects on the prices or availability of consumer goods in the U.S. During the Cabinet meeting, he told reporters, “Somebody said, ‘Oh, the shelves are going to be open.’ Well, maybe the children will have two dolls instead of 30 dolls, you know? And maybe the two dolls will cost a couple of bucks more than they would normally.” Source link #Trump #downplays #recession #fears #U.S #long #term Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Judge permanently blocks Trump’s executive order targeting Democratic-tied law firm Perkins Coie – CNN Judge permanently blocks Trump’s executive order targeting Democratic-tied law firm Perkins Coie – CNN Judge permanently blocks Trump’s executive order targeting Democratic-tied law firm Perkins Coie CNNTrump’s Order Targeting Law Firm Perkins Coie Is ********, Judge Rules The New York TimesJudge Strikes Down Trump Order Targeting Law Firm Perkins Coie WSJJudge rules Trump executive order targeting law firm Perkins Coie is unconstitutional CBS NewsJudge snaps at DOJ lawyer arguing Trump executive order targeting Big Law firm can’t be ******** Business Insider Source link #Judge #permanently #blocks #Trumps #executive #order #targeting #Democratictied #law #firm #Perkins #Coie #CNN Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Federal election 2025: Polls open in most states as millions decide on Australia’s future Federal election 2025: Polls open in most states as millions decide on Australia’s future Polls have opened across eastern states for the federal election, with millions of Australians to cast their ballot to decide the country’s political future. Election day has arrived after a five-week campaign where Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton crisscrossed the country to win support in crucial marginal seats. An estimated 10 million people are expected to cast their ballot on Saturday, with more than seven million already voting during the two-week pre-poll *******. Mr Albanese is aiming to become the first prime minister since 2004 to win back-to-back elections, while Mr Dutton is fighting to overcome history to be the first leader since 1931 to unseat a government after one term. But the opposition leader will also have to overcome opinion polls, with the final YouGov poll before polling day showing Labor in the box seat to form majority government. Feel like giving the politicians a rating this Federal election? Our Pollie Rater lets you do just that. Rate the politicians The poll, provided to AAP, showed Labor ahead 52.2 per cent to 47.8 per cent on a two-party preferred basis. The survey of more than 3000 people would mean Labor would slightly increase its vote from the 2022 election by 0.07 per cent. The coalition would receive 31.4 per cent of the primary vote, followed by Labor on 31.1 per cent, with the Greens on 14.6 per cent. One Nation would get 8.5 per cent of the primary vote, with 6.7 per cent voting for an independent, while 2.5 per cent would go for Clive Palmer’s Trumpet of Patriots party. The opposition leader’s satisfaction level among voters has also plummeted to its lowest level at minus 24, compared with minus six for the prime minister. Mr Albanese also leads Mr Dutton 51 per cent to 34 per cent as preferred prime minister. YouGov’s director of public data Paul Smith said Mr Dutton’s standing among voters had been the contributing factor to Labor’s success in the polls. “The decisive fall for the coalition among outer-suburban and provincial votes in key seats will mean Labor will be placed to improve slightly their total over (the last election),” he told AAP. “The driving force this election campaign is the unpopularity of Peter Dutton.” The YouGov poll also revealed 38 per cent of those surveyed had already cast their ballot during the pre-poll *******. The *********** Electoral Commission said on Friday more than 7.3 million people had already cast their ballot, while more than 10 million are expected to vote on Saturday. Despite the polls, Mr Albanese said he was not taking the election result for granted. “I’m working my guts out to ensure there’s a majority government,” he told reporters on Friday. Mr Dutton said he was still confident of a coalition victory at the election. “We have worked hard every day and night, and I have given it all my all, as well as my team,” he said. Labor goes into election day with 78 seats, while the coalition have 57 in the 150-seat House of Representatives. A majority of 76 seats is needed for a party to form government. The YouGov poll of 3003 people was carried out between April 24 and May 1, with a margin of error of 2.3 per cent. Source link #Federal #election #Polls #open #states #millions #decide #Australias #future Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

China claims an island in the South China Sea. Satellite images show Beijing’s growing power-hungry struggle in the region. China claims an island in the South China Sea. Satellite images show Beijing’s growing power-hungry struggle in the region. Tensions continue in the South China Sea, most recently between China and the Philippines. China has been extending its reach in the South China Sea by building artificial islands atop reefs. China’s claims over these islands is unlawful and many countries are fighting back. Tensions between China and the Philippines are heating up over tiny sandbars and coral reefs in the South China Sea, and the US could get caught in the middle. “We should be worried about it,” Greg Poling, director of the Southeast Asia Program and Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative, told Business Insider. The satellite images below show China’s massive expansion across the South China Sea, which has turned open waters into a looming battleground that could rope the US in. Over the last decade, China has expanded hundreds of miles south by building artificial islands over underwater reefs in the Paracel and Spratly Islands in the South China Sea. Map of the South China Sea with tiny dots representing artificial islands.Business Insider / Maxar This has been a yearslong power struggle between China and many countries, including the Philippines, Vietnam, and Taiwan, for control of dozens of disputed reefs, islands, and sandbars in the South China Sea. Up to $5 trillion in goods are shipped across the sea a year. The problem is that China’s claims of sovereignty over these artificial landmarks are unlawful, according to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Mischief Reef is one of China’s largest artificial islands in the Spratlys, spanning 1,380 acres, enough to fit 1.5 Central Parks. Before and after satellite images of Mischief Reef in 2004, top, and 2022, bottom.Maxar / Business Insider Both the Philippines and China, as well as Taiwan and Vietnam, claim the reef as their own. However, a UN tribunal ruled in 2016 that no territory can claim it. That didn’t stop China from building an impressive military base there. Satellite images show that China has militarized Mischief Reef with missile systems, fighter jets, naval ships, and more. An airstrip on Mischief Reef that could be used for military aircraft.Maxar In recent months, multiple ******** vessels in the South China Sea have threatened to collide with Philippine ships in a region called Scarborough Shoal, north of Mischief Reef. Also in Scarborough Shoal, a ******** Navy helicopter flew dangerously close, within 10 feet, of a Philippine patrol plane in February, AP reported. Meanwhile, another recent conflict has flared over a disputed series of sandbar islands in the Spratlys called Sandy Cay. Ariel shot of one of the islands of Sandy Cay. No one lawfully owns it.Philippine Coast Guard via AP Sandy Cay isn’t an underwater reef. The islands remain above ground at high tide, which grants them legal status as a “rock” (or land surrounded by water) under UNCLOS. This means that whoever is the rightful sovereign can also claim 12 nautical miles of the waters around it, Poling said. Last week, ******** state media released a photo of the ******** coast guard holding the ******** flag on Sandy Cay, claiming ownership. ******** coast guard holding the ******** flag on Sandy Cay beaches.CCTV Both China and the Philippines claim sovereignty over Sandy Cay, but neither has it legally. Several days later, the Philippine coast guard responded, releasing a photo of its national guard holding a Philippine flag on Sandy Cay. The Philippine Coast Guard holding the Philippine flag on Sandy Cay beaches.National Task Force West Philippine Sea via AP The photo-off on Sandy Cay is more of a stunt than a threat, Poling said. However, if matters escalate in the South China Sea, particularly in Scarborough Shoal, the US has a mutual defense treaty with the Philippines, agreeing to come to its aid in the event of an armed attack. It hasn’t reached that point and will likely deescalate before that, Poling said. Subi Reef is another one of China’s artificial islands outfitted with a military base. Before-and-after photos of Subi Reef in 2004, left, and 2022, right.Maxar/Business Insider “It is illegally occupied unless China can claim the territorial sea in which it sits,” Poling said. About 100 miles southwest of Subi Reef is Fiery Cross Reef. Before-and-after satellite images of Fiery Cross Reef in 2015, left, and 2022, right.Maxar/BusinessInsider While China, Vietnam, and the Philippines all lay claim to the reef, China’s military presence gives it effective control. However, China is no longer the only nation building artificial islands in the South China Sea. Vietnam has greatly developed part of the Barque Canada reef over the last several years. Before-and-after satellite images of Barque Canada Reef in 2020, left, and 2024, right.Maxar/Business Insider Vietnam is also developing on Discovery Great Reef, another underwater region in the Spratly Islands. Before-and-after satellite images of Discovery Great Reef in 2023, left, and 2024, right.Maxar/Business Insider At 118 acres, though, it’s nowhere near the scale of some of China’s developments on Mischief, Subi, and Fiery Cross Reefs. “The Philippines, Vietnam, even Malaysia and Indonesia have done a pretty good job holding firm,” Poling said, adding that, “I think China just believes it can outlast the other claimants, and that if it keeps up this persistent cycle of pressure, eventually they’ll all crack.” Learn more about what’s been happening in the South China Sea in the video below: Read the original article on Business Insider Source link #China #claims #island #South #China #Sea #Satellite #images #show #Beijings #growing #powerhungry #struggle #region Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump Asks Supreme Court to Let DOGE View Social Security Data – The New York Times Trump Asks Supreme Court to Let DOGE View Social Security Data – The New York Times Trump Asks Supreme Court to Let DOGE View Social Security Data The New York TimesTrump asks supreme court to allow Elon Musk’s Doge access to social security data – live The GuardianTrump administration asks Supreme Court to let DOGE access Social Security systems AP NewsTrump administration asks Supreme Court to let Musk’s DOGE access Social Security systems WBAL-TVTrump brings DOGE fight over access to Social Security data to Supreme Court CNN Source link #Trump #Asks #Supreme #Court #DOGE #View #Social #Security #Data #York #Times Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Sanson finds a Nice way to move to third spot in France Sanson finds a Nice way to move to third spot in France Another goal from in-form striker Morgan Sanson has given Nice their third victory in a row and a 1-0 win over Reims in Ligue 1 in France. A week after he scored twice in Nice’s shock 3-1 win at champions Paris Saint-Germain, Sanson was again on target on Friday (Saturday AEST). With 15 minutes gone, a cross from the left was only partially cleared and fell perfectly for him to knock it into the empty net. The former Aston Villa striker missed most of this season through injury, but has returned in fine form. His goal on Friday was his third in his past two games. The win takes Nice above Lille and Monaco into third place, while Reims remain 13th. Victory also puts Nice into contention for a place in next season’s Champions League. Meanwhile, Paris will have two first-division clubs next season for the first time in 35 years after Paris FC earned promotion. Paris FC’s 1-1 draw at Martigues, and a draw by third-placed Metz, sealed a top-two place in Ligue 2 and automatic promotion. Paris FC were two points behind league leaders Lorient and could top the table when they play their last game of the season next Saturday against Ajaccio. Source link #Sanson #finds #Nice #move #spot #France Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Ben & Jerry’s cites investor Peltz’s growing influence over parent company Unilever Ben & Jerry’s cites investor Peltz’s growing influence over parent company Unilever By Jessica DiNapoli NEW YORK (Reuters) -Ice cream maker Ben & Jerry’s said late on Friday that billionaire activist investor Nelson Peltz, who is on its parent company Unilever’s board, has increased his influence over the consumer goods conglomerate, including on political issues. Unilever and the unit have been locked in a bitter legal dispute since last year over allegations that the parent is muzzling it, hurting its ability to carry out its social mission. The Vermont-based frozen dessert manufacturer made the new claims in response to Unilever’s attempts last week to have the case thrown out. In a court filing, Ben & Jerry’s said Unilever’s edits to its social media posts, a key issue in its lawsuit against the London-based company, “mirror the political views of Mr. Peltz,” who backed U.S. President Donald Trump in his election campaign last year. His increasing influence could signal broader change at Unilever, a corporate leader in environmental, social and governance policies (ESG) that Trump opposes. The maker of Cherry Garcia and other flavors was founded by counterculture members Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, though the two are no longer involved in day-to-day operations. The company has claimed that Unilever has censored it on topics ranging from Trump’s immigration policies to the war in Gaza. Ben & Jerry’s said in the filing that Unilever threatened to eliminate its independent board and sue its members individually if it did not withdraw its proposal that the British charity Medical Aid for Palestinians receive donations from the corporate parent. Unilever said the charity was unapologetically anti-Israel and that a donation to it could threaten Unilever and Ben & Jerry’s with possible sanctions, according to the filing. The filing states that Unilever relented on its position after its assessment of Medical Aid for Palestinians was discredited through various actions, including the head of the charity, Baroness Patricia Morris, saying its position was “unreasonable and unconscionable.” Ben & Jerry’s also said Unilever tasked one of its executives with persuading the company’s founders to take its side in the dispute. Unilever, Ben & Jerry’s, Peltz and Medical Aid for Palestinians did not immediately return a request for comment. Unilever has been saying its brands such as Ben & Jerry’s are on a global mission to do good. Unilever’s ice cream business, including Ben & Jerry’s, is set to operate on a standalone basis starting July 1. The case is Ben & Jerry’s Homemade Inc v Unilever et al, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No. 24-08641. (Reporting by Jessica DiNapoli in New York; Editing by Richard Chang) Source link #Ben #Jerrys #cites #investor #Peltzs #growing #influence #parent #company #Unilever Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Teaching union launches legal action against Ofsted Teaching union launches legal action against Ofsted A school leaders’ union says it is taking legal action against Ofsted over proposed changes to the way it inspects schools in England. The National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) has asked for a judge to review plans for new school report cards, which are due to be introduced in the autumn after Ofsted got rid of its old one or two-word judgements. Its general secretary, Paul Whiteman, said the plans amounted to “another crude grading system to hang over the heads of leaders”, and should be scrapped. Ofsted said supporting mental health was an important part of the proposals, and that the union’s legal claims were “plainly untenable”. The NAHT said it had issued a claim with the High Court for a judicial review on Saturday, as school leaders gathered for its national conference in Harrogate. The decision comes after the sister of head teacher Ruth Perry, who took her own life after an Ofsted inspection, called for the new system to be delayed. A letter signed by Prof Julia Waters with more than 30 others last week, including the general secretaries of four teaching unions, warned the changes would “continue to have a detrimental impact on the wellbeing of education staff and hence on students’ school experience”. On Friday, Mr Whiteman told NAHT members: “Following Ruth’s death, we were promised change. “What we’ve been offered, if you scratch beneath the surface, is more of the same – another crude grading system to hang over the heads of leaders.” Mr Whiteman said school leaders embraced accountability, but said it was “utter nonsense” that Ofsted’s proposed model was the only viable way to assess schools. He called on Ofsted boss Sir Martyn Oliver to “scrap these proposals” and “think again”. A debate by NAHT representatives on the proposed changes was scheduled to take place on Saturday, the second day of the union’s conference. Ofsted’s report cards are set to assess key aspects of each school, including quality of education, behaviour and attendance, personal development, and leadership and management. There will be five possible grades for each area: causing concernattention neededsecurestrongexemplary A separate part of the report card will say whether the school’s duties around safeguarding have been met. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has said the new system will provide “rich, granular insight” to help deliver “tailored” support for struggling schools. Ofsted’s consultation on the changes ended this week. An Ofsted spokesperson said: “Supporting the mental health of those we inspect is an important part of the development of our proposals and we are already hearing positive feedback through our inspection tests. “Our legal team have responded robustly to NAHT. Their suggested claims are plainly untenable. If legal action is launched, we will resist and seek costs.” Source link #Teaching #union #launches #legal #action #Ofsted Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Man City scrap their way to narrow win over Wolves Man City scrap their way to narrow win over Wolves Kevin De Bruyne scored the only goal to give Manchester City a crucial but barely deserved 1-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers and lift them into third place in the Premier League. The Belgian is leaving City at the end of the season and still providing good memories thanks to his goal against a team that had won their past six league encounters. With three games left, City are firm favourites to take one of the Champions League places. Slightly against the run of play, De Bruyne side-footed home a cut-back from Jeremy Doku 10 minutes before halftime in his second-to-last appearance at Etihad Stadium on Friday (Saturday AEST). Wolves will be aggrieved at not taking something from the game, but they were undone by poor finishing and the City goalposts. In the 22nd minute, Jean-Ricner Bellegarde opted to pass when it looked easier to shoot, but Marshall Munetsi at full stretch could not get on the end of his inviting cross. Five minutes later, Rayan Ait-Nouri hit the post, then saw his rebound cleared off the line by Josko Gvardiol. The woodwork saved City again in the second half when a Matheus Cunha strike crashed off the post. City coach Pep Guardiola, meanwhile, scotched rumours he’s about to leave the club. He recently signed a contract extension until June 2027. Guardiola said he will take a break from management when he leaves City, but told Sky Sports he did not know when that would be. “I didn’t say I’m leaving now, or the end of season, or the end of contract. I said when I finish my time here, be it one, two, three, four, five years,” the Catalan said. “What I am saying is when I am finished here I will take a break.” Some Manchester City fans protested the club’s season ticket pricing and policies before the game, taking their seats only after the match kicked off. Source link #Man #City #scrap #narrow #win #Wolves Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Major Boeing supplier Spirit AeroSystems has ‘substantial doubt’ continuing Major Boeing supplier Spirit AeroSystems has ‘substantial doubt’ continuing May 2 (UPI) — Spirit AeroSystems said there is “substantial doubt about the company’s ability to continue as a going concern” though Boeing and Airbus are planning to acquire portions of the parts maker. The company, based in Wichita, Kan., on Friday announced the furlough of 250-350 employees starting on May 12 for one month because of a backlog of parts for two Boeing 737 programs at the Kansas plant, The Wichita Eagle reported. Spirit spun off from Boeing in 2005 but has been finalizing an agreement with Boeing to be reacquired since July 2024. Also, Boeing’s rival Airbus, headquartered in France, on Thursday agreed to provide the company $200 million in credit until it takes over the operation of work on its planes. About 70% of Spirit’s business in 2023 came from Boeing. Spirit Aerospace has factories in other U.S. cities, as well as Britain, France, Malaysia and Morocco. The company made a quarterly filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Tuesday detailing a grim financial picture. “The Company will require additional liquidity to continue its operations over the next 12 months,” Spirit reported. The company reported a net loss of $1.51 billion from January to September 2024. Spirit AeroSystems had a loss of $616.2 million in 2023, $545.7 million in 2022 and $540.8 million in 2021. As of Sept. 26, its debt balance was $4.4 billion, including $426.2 million of debt classified as short-term, and its cash and cash equivalents were $217.6 million. For nine months, net revenue was $4.7 billion compared with $4.2 billion for the same ******* in 2023. In October, Spirit furloughed about 700 employees who work on the Boeing 767 and 777 programs because of slower delivery of Boeing’s 737 Max aircraft amid Boeing machinists’ strike. After the machinists accepted Boeing’s contract offer, Spirit announced the furlough would end Nov. 18. To improve its situation, the company is issuing securities or debt financing subject to any contract conditions, and restructuring operations to increase efficiency and decrease costs. “We retain a range of options and levers to address our financial and spacing constraints and are working with our customers on these matters,” Joe Buccino, Spirit Aerospace spokesperson, told KSN-TV. Besides the strike, Spirit Aerospace blamed higher levels of inventory and contract assets, lower operational cash flows because of fewer deliveries to Boeing, higher factory costs to maintain rate readiness and increases on Boeing’s rising production rates. Aircraft deliveries have slowed after Boeing implemented stricter inspections to deal with the fallout of a door panel blowout on an Alaska Airlines plane in January 2024. The Wichita plant was founded as Stearman Aircraft in 1927 before being acquired by the United Aircraft and Transport Corporation in 1929. Boeing acquired it in 1941. Spirit formed as Mid-Western Aircraft when Boeing sold its operations in Wichita and two other U.S. locations to the investment firm Onex in June 2005. It was renamed Spirit Aerospace a few months later. Source link #Major #Boeing #supplier #Spirit #AeroSystems #substantial #doubt #continuing Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Kirk Medas Dies: MTV’s ‘Floribama Shore’ Star Was 33 – Deadline Kirk Medas Dies: MTV’s ‘Floribama Shore’ Star Was 33 – Deadline Kirk Medas Dies: MTV’s ‘Floribama Shore’ Star Was 33 DeadlineFloribama Shore Star Kirk Medas Dies at 33, Hours After Former Castmates Plea for Help: Report People.com33-Year-Old MTV Star’s Family Asks for Prayers From the ICU Yahoo‘Floribama Shore’ star Kirk Medas fighting for his life ‘on ventilator’ amid ‘severe’ illness New York PostFormer MTV Star on Ventilator in ICU EntertainmentNow Source link #Kirk #Medas #Dies #MTVs #Floribama #Shore #Star #Deadline Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Cadillac Australia thinks one hot electric SUV is enough for now Cadillac Australia thinks one hot electric SUV is enough for now Cadillac will soon reveal the Optiq-V, which will be only the third SUV and the second electric vehicle to wear its vaunted V-Series performance nameplate. And it won’t be coming here. “No, [Optiq-V isn’t] coming here. We’ll have a Lyriq-V,” GM Australia and New Zealand managing director Jess Bala told CarExpert. “We haven’t done a V-Series here before, so we want to assess that one first and then we have to look at different regulations within battery architectures and things like that. “So we’ll start with Lyriq-V, and we’ll continue to assess if there are opportunities that arise.” Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. Camera IconOptiq-V Credit: CarExpertCamera IconSupplied Credit: CarExpert As both an electric SUV and a member of the V-Series line, the Optiq-V is expected to get a more powerful dual-motor all-wheel drive electric powertrain than the regular Optiq, which is due on ***** here in 2026. The larger Lyriq-V is also due here in 2026. General Motors’ luxury brand has yet to confirm powertrain details for the Optiq-V, recently releasing only a pair of teaser images, but it says its engineers have “delivered a unique package prioritising precision, dynamic suspension and tight steering for an exhilarating driving experience”. The regular dual-motor all-wheel drive Optiq produces 224kW of power and 480Nm of torque, with power supplied by an 85kWh nickel manganese cobalt (NCM) lithium-ion battery. It features strut front suspension, and as with the larger Lyriq there’s a five-link rear suspension system and Passive Plus Dampers all round. Camera IconLyriq-V Credit: CarExpert Visible changes evident from Cadillac’s two teaser images include V-Series badging and a rear spoiler, though we’d also expect other aesthetic upgrades to include more aggressive rocker panels and unique wheels. The Optiq-V will slot in under the Lyriq-V – at least in the US market – with the larger SUV featuring a dual-motor electric powertrain producing 459kW and 880Nm. Cadillac claims a 0-60mph (0-96km/h) time of just 3.3 seconds in V-Mode or Velocity Max mode. That just shades the 3.4-second sprint time of the supercharged V8-powered CT5-V Blackwing sedan when equipped with an automatic transmission, despite being down 40kW and 13Nm and weighing more. Camera IconSupplied Credit: CarExpert The Lyriq-V pumps out an extra 71kW and 270Nm over the regular dual-motor Lyriq, though it doesn’t gain Magnetic Ride Control like other V-badged models within Cadillac’s lineup. Instead, it features standard Continuous Damping Control. Changes over the regular Lyriq include a quicker steering ratio, Brembo front brakes, a new artificial propulsion sound, and new Competitive and customisable V-Mode drive modes. While it’s quick, it’s quite different from the traditionally V8-powered models that have worn the V-Series nameplate over the years. Cadillac’s first V-Series model was the 2004 CTS-V sedan, which featured an overhead-valve 5.7-litre V8 (later a 6.0-litre) shared with the Chevrolet Corvette, mated with a six-speed manual transmission. Camera Icon(front to back) Cadillac XLR-V, STS-V and CTS-V Credit: CarExpert It was soon joined by the STS-V sedan and XLR-V convertible, which used a supercharged version of Cadillac’s Northstar overhead-cam V8, mated with a six-speed automatic. These lasted a single generation, but the CTS-V went for two more generations, both with supercharged V8 power. V-Series models were later joined by tamer VSport models, which swapped V8 power for twin-turbocharged V6 engines. That said, not every hardcore V-Series model has packed a bent eight, with the BMW M3-rivalling ATS-V for example being the first V with a twin-turbo V6. In recent years, Cadillac revised its V-Series strategy, rolling out models like the CT4-V and CT5-V that are less powerful than previous Vs – the CT4-V even features a four-cylinder engine, a first for a V-Series – but replacing the full-**** ATS-V and CTS-V models with new CT4-V Blackwing and CT5-V Blackwing models. It also introduced the first ever Escalade-V, the first time the V-Series name has been used on an SUV. Thus far, the more hardcore Blackwing nameplate hasn’t graced an electric vehicle. Source link #Cadillac #Australia #thinks #hot #electric #SUV Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Elizabeth Smart kidnapper arrested after saying she was ‘commanded’ to go to parks: SLCPD Elizabeth Smart kidnapper arrested after saying she was ‘commanded’ to go to parks: SLCPD SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Wanda Barzee, the woman convicted of kidnapping then 14-year-old Elizabeth Smart with her husband in 2002, was arrested and booked into jail on Thursday, according to court records. On May 1, Barzee, 79, was booked into jail for allegedly violating Sex Offender Registry requirements by visiting parks in Salt Lake City. Brent Weisberg, spokesperson for the Salt Lake City Police Department, said detectives arrested her at her home without incident. Documents say she told police she went to Liberty Park to feed ducks in early April because “she was commanded to by the Lord.” Barzee also allegedly admitted to visiting Sugarhouse Park. Elizabeth Smart celebrates 20 years since her rescue. Here’s what she has to say now. Barzee became a registered sex offender after she was convicted for her involvement in the kidnapping and ***** of Smart. She served 15 years in prison before being released in 2018. At the time of her release, Elizabeth Smart asked the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole not to release her, saying she was a danger, but officials said Barzee had served her sentence and there was nothing to keep her in prison. She was on probation for five years after her release and was required to participate in a mental health program. According to Utah law, registered child sex offenders are prohibited from going to areas where children congregate — such as parks and schools. Offenders convicted of violating this law are subject to a class A misdemeanor charge, which can be punished with up to a year in jail and a $2,500 fine. Barzee was booked in the Salt Lake County Jail and has since been released. Latest headlines: Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah. Source link #Elizabeth #Smart #kidnapper #arrested #commanded #parks #SLCPD Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]