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Russia war in Ukraine ‘not going to end any time soon,’ JD Vance says Russia war in Ukraine ‘not going to end any time soon,’ JD Vance says U.S. Vice President JD Vance waves as he boards Air Force Two on May 1, 2025 in Charleston, South Carolina. Pool | Getty Images News | Getty Images U.S. Vice President JD Vance has warned Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine is not likely to come to an end “any time soon.” Speaking during an interview on Fox News, Vance said on Thursday that President Donald Trump’s administration was working to “find some middle ground” to stop a conflict that has been raging for more than three years. “It’s not going anywhere … it’s not going to end any time soon,” Vance said. His comments come shortly after the U.S. and Ukraine signed a long-awaited minerals deal, an agreement that Vance said showed the White House is making progress. He later added that while he was “optimistic” of a breakthrough in peace talks, “it’s hard to say confident” because Russia and Ukraine will “have to take the final step.” After months of tense negotiations, the U.S. and Ukraine on Wednesday signed an economic partnership that provides Washington with preferential access to some of Kyiv’s natural resources. U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent said the “historic” agreement would allow the two countries to invest together to accelerate Ukraine’s economic recovery and help to “facilitate the end of this cruel and senseless war.” For its part, Ukraine said the partnership was capable of delivering success for both Washington and Kyiv. Since his inauguration in January, Trump has pushed for a minerals deal with Ukraine, saying an agreement to jointly develop and monetize Kyiv’s deposits of rare earths, critical minerals, oil, gas and other natural resources would act, effectively, as compensation for U.S. aid to Ukraine throughout the war with Russia. Before his presidential victory last fall, Trump pledged to end Russia’s war with Ukraine in just “one day.” U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned on Tuesday that Washington could step back from its mediation efforts unless Russia and Ukraine delivered “concrete proposals” on how to end the conflict. The Kremlin on Wednesday reiterated previous statements that Russian President Vladimir Putin is open to peace talks with Ukraine. — CNBC’s Holly Ellyatt contributed to this report. Source link #Russia #war #Ukraine #time #Vance Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Baldur’s Gate 3 Won’t Get a Dlc Because We Don’t Have a “Happy Developer” to Do It Baldur’s Gate 3 Won’t Get a Dlc Because We Don’t Have a “Happy Developer” to Do It Baldur’s Gate 3 has easily been the best CRPG in recent history, and one of the best RPGs of all time. And yet, despite all its success, developer Larian Studios has made one thing crystal clear: there will be no DLC. If the first thing you thought upon reading that was, “why?” Well, we’ve been given so many reasons so far. The idea of not making a DLC may sound counterintuitive given the current state and nature of the industry. But Larian’s reasons come down to something surprisingly honest. According to CEO Swen Vincke, the studio simply wasn’t passionate about making DLC. And for Larian, the developer’s passion is non-negotiable. Baldur’s Gate 3 isn’t getting a DLC because it’s “boring“ Speaking to GameSpot in a recent interview, Vincke revealed that Larian had initially explored the idea of DLC. However, after some serious internal reflection, the team realized they weren’t passionate about creating additional content for the game. We tried to be in the DLC business, talked about that with BG3… there’s just no passion… I mean happy player, happy business, but you also need a happy developer for a happy player. What we’re doing now makes developers way more happy. He also described the idea of Baldur’s Gate 3 DLC as “boring.” He explained that although they initially nodded along with expectations to release expansions, the team quickly realized it wasn’t what they truly wanted. And we already know from experience that Vincke is all about the passion. We just nodded and said, ‘Yeah, we’ll make DLCs. Then the moment that we had some time to think, we realized: ‘What are you doing?’ That doesn’t mean that the studio has completely abandoned the game post-launch. Even though DLC was off the table, Larian has continued to add to Baldur’s Gate 3 through a lot of different small and big updates. Patch 8 is the last update for the game, but we could really argue that everything we’ve gotten so far could’ve been a small DLC. Back in GDC last year, Vincke also said the studio was moving on from the D&D style entirely. We’re not going to make new expansions, which everybody is expecting. We’re not going to make Baldur’s Gate 4, which everybody is expecting us to do. We’re going to move on. We’re going to move away from D&D and we’re going to start making a new thing. So, if we aren’t getting a DLC or a sequel, what is our favorite developer working on next? Larian Studios is working on “crazy ambitious” projects next The studio is already working on two different things. | Image Credit: Larian Studios As Larian Studios turns the page, we’re all waiting for what comes next from these talented developers. While we still don’t know any concrete details, Vincke also offered some words on this topic. He described the upcoming projects as “crazy ambitious” and noted that the team is “deep in the trenches” working on them. Many other studios in the industry might have viewed the opportunity for Baldur’s Gate 3 expansions as too lucrative to pass up, but Larian chose a path less traveled. The studio has remained independent since its founding in 1996, and that’s been one of the reasons why Larian has done all the right things for us. “As an independent studio since 1996, we value the freedom to follow our creativity wherever it leads,” is what the studio had to say in an official Steam post last year. And honestly, we’re all in for this. The studio has given us no reason to doubt thus far, and we can say it will probably remain this way in the future. Source link #Baldurs #Gate #Wont #Dlc #Dont #Happy #Developer Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

How the End of a U.S. Tax Loophole Hurts ******** Companies How the End of a U.S. Tax Loophole Hurts ******** Companies A loophole that has allowed American shoppers to buy lots of cheap goods from mainland China and Hong Kong without paying tariffs and filling customs forms is closing on Friday. Meaghan Tobin, a correspondent for The New York Times covering business in Asia, explains. Source link #U.S #Tax #Loophole #Hurts #******** #Companies Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Russell Brand arrives at court for first hearing – BBC Russell Brand arrives at court for first hearing – BBC Russell Brand arrives at court for first hearing BBCRussell Brand appears in a London court on ***** and ******* assault charges NBC NewsRussell Brand’s Ex-Roommate Says Disgraced Actor Had Different ‘Personality’ Take Over When He Did ‘Something Wrong’: ‘The Eyes Go Dead’ People.comRussell Brand to Appear in Court on ***** and ******* Assault Charges The New York TimesRussell Brand arrives at a London court to face charges of ***** and ******* assault involving four women Yahoo Source link #Russell #Brand #arrives #court #hearing #BBC Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Some Restaurants Are Ditching Seed Oils. It Could Cost Them. Some Restaurants Are Ditching Seed Oils. It Could Cost Them. Stuart Brioza, a chef and an owner of the acclaimed San Francisco restaurants State Bird Provisions, the Progress and the Anchovy Bar, never imagined that switching kitchen oils could be so political. Two years ago, he stopped using grapeseed oil in favor of sugar-cane oil, which he thought was less processed and more flavorful, adding a buttery note to vinaigrettes and aiolis. Mr. Brioza only recently realized that the decision to stop using seed oil aligned him with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the health secretary, who is known for espousing conspiracy theories about vaccines, fluoride and other public health issues. Mr. Kennedy and his Make America Healthy Again movement have rallied against seed oils, including canola, soybean and corn oils, declaring — without meaningful scientific evidence — that they are harmful for health. “I have no association with that movement,” said Mr. Brioza, whose restaurant hosted a fund-raiser for Kamala Harris last year, “or anything that has a funny acronym and rhymes with MAGA.” But, he added, “there are aspects of it that just make sense,” including Mr. Kennedy’s criticism of ultraprocessed foods. Across the United States, independent restaurants, as well as national chains like Sweetgreen and True Food Kitchen, are betting against seed oils, even if their reasoning — and politics — differ from those of the MAHA agenda. Restaurateurs are spending significantly more, and in some cases losing money, to make the switch. Mr. Brioza pays $38 to $42 for a gallon of sugar-cane oil, up from the $29.50 to $32.50 he paid for grapeseed oil. Another alternative, avocado oil, costs more than twice to four times as much as canola oil per pound on average, according to the food distributor Sysco. Quarterly sales of sugar-cane oil at Zero Acre Farms, which supplies State Bird Provisions, have grown by an average of 435 percent annually since 2023, a company representative said. Zero Acres funded laboratory testing that showed its oil was more stable than seed oils when heated, and less likely to form byproducts that the company says can cause inflammation. Eric Decker, a professor of food science at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, said there are plenty of healthy seed oils, and little evidence to suggest that alternatives like sugar-cane oil are better for you. “The no-seed-oil craze is not supported by science, and is just another food fad and marketing gimmick,” he said. Eleven Madison Park, the famed Manhattan fine-dining restaurant that serves only a vegan tasting menu, announced in April that its kitchen would swap most of its seed oils for algae oil. The chef and owner, Daniel Humm, said algae oil requires less water and land to cultivate, and has a clean, neutral flavor. It also costs 30 percent more than canola oil. He said the seed-oil discourse has invited a lot of confusion and misinformation. “We feel like we have a platform and a voice to shed light on these issues from a sustainability perspective as well as from a cooking perspective,” Mr. Humm said, adding, “It is not a political thing at all.” For some owners, the switch is primarily a culinary one. Rob Crabtree, an owner of Boat Drinks, a rum and seafood bar in St. Augustine, Fla., started using sugar-cane oil to fry plantains because he was getting “double the life out of the oil in the fryer,” he said. He was somewhat compelled by the report published by Zero Acre, his oil supplier. “But at the end of the day, the culinary side has to win out for us,” he said. Seed oils make up 90 percent of restaurant oil sales by the pound in the United States, according to Sysco. Price keeps them at the top despite the criticism, said Victoria Gutierrez, the company’s chief merchandising officer. But diners are more skeptical of seed oils than ever. Searches for “seed oil” on Yelp increased by 275 percent from March 2024 to March 2025, and searches on the review site for “seed-oil free” rose by 414 percent over that time, a company spokeswoman said. Restaurateurs used to come to Jeff Nobbs, the chief executive of Zero Acre Farms, because they were curious about alternatives to canola oil. Now they are responding to customer perceptions of seed oils. “We had one restaurant say it was the number one source of customer complaints,” he said. Eliminating seed oils has drawn about 20 percent more customers to Psomi, a Greek restaurant in Tampa, Fla., said Christina Theofilos, its owner. Seed-oil free messaging is on Psomi’s social media accounts. “It is a huge part of our identity,” Ms. Theofilos said. The switch to her preferred avocado oil, however, has been costly. The restaurant’s profit margins have fallen by 14 to 18 percent since she made the change two years ago. Ms. Theofilos believes seed oils cause indigestion and inflammation — she stopped consuming them five years ago — and wants to spread awareness through Psomi. (Studies have not found higher levels of inflammation in people who consume more of the fats common in seed oils.) “The MAHA movement represents hope,” she said. “Maybe we can educate people, and maybe some stuff gets off the shelves.” One of the restaurant industry’s most vocal seed-oil detractors is not a chef, but an app. Seed Oil Scout, a database that grades restaurants by their use of seed oils, grew from 100,000 users to 1.5 million last year. Seed Oil Scout categorizes businesses on the app with labels like “assume the worst” and “dine shamefully,” and has granted 80 restaurants in the United States a “seed-oil safe” badge, which costs $100 to $200 a month after owners complete a lengthy verification survey about the restaurant’s kitchen habits. (Another 756 establishments have applied.) The app does not independently verify information provided in the survey, but diners can submit feedback about restaurants. “It is less about penalizing restaurants,” said Erica Rozetti, Seed Oil Scout’s head of business development. “I think a lot of it is just bringing transparency.” Despite identifying as a “MAHA mom,” Ms. Rozetti said the app has declined offers to partner with conservative political action committees. “Pulling ourselves away from that allows for a broader audience to be interested in what we are doing.” A few restaurant owners whose kitchens have abandoned seed oils for purported health or environmental reasons said that politics had prevented meaningful discussions around the topic. “The conversation that needs to happen is: Not all seed oils are bad,” said Johanna Hellrigl Wilder, whose Italian restaurant, Ama, in Washington, D.C., has been seed-oil free since it opened in 2022. She finds the refining process of making many seed oils problematic — but she has no issue with, for instance, sesame oil that is cold-pressed. She is glad people are finally discussing seed oils, but “I also feel like we are missing the point by making it ****** and white,” she said. Last year, the dialogue around seed oils persuaded Justin Yu to use sugar-cane oil instead of canola oil at **** Choy, his vegan ******** restaurant in Englewood, N.J., even though it was triple the cost. He assumed customers were willing to pay a premium for seed-oil-free food. But business barely picked up, and his margins suffered. Mr. Yu left **** Choy at the start of the year, and the restaurant closed in March. “It is hard to run a business with those margins and that oil,” he said. He also couldn’t substantiate claims made by Zero Acre, his oil supplier, that its product is better for the environment. “Maybe it is all a marketing ploy to sell snake oil,” he said. He likened the concern about seed oils to the way many consumers used to speak out about the environmental impact of eating meat; today, steakhouses are multiplying, even in progressive cities like New York. “I don’t think that people care enough to vote with their dollars,” he said. Follow New York Times Cooking on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok and Pinterest. Get regular updates from New York Times Cooking, with recipe suggestions, cooking tips and shopping advice. Source link #Restaurants #Ditching #Seed #Oils #Cost Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Some Restaurants Are Ditching Seed Oils. It Could Cost Them. Some Restaurants Are Ditching Seed Oils. It Could Cost Them. Stuart Brioza, a chef and an owner of the acclaimed San Francisco restaurants State Bird Provisions, the Progress and the Anchovy Bar, never imagined that switching kitchen oils could be so political. Two years ago, he stopped using grapeseed oil in favor of sugar-cane oil, which he thought was less processed and more flavorful, adding a buttery note to vinaigrettes and aiolis. Mr. Brioza only recently realized that the decision to stop using seed oil aligned him with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the health secretary, who is known for espousing conspiracy theories about vaccines, fluoride and other public health issues. Mr. Kennedy and his Make America Healthy Again movement have rallied against seed oils, including canola, soybean and corn oils, declaring — without meaningful scientific evidence — that they are harmful for health. “I have no association with that movement,” said Mr. Brioza, whose restaurant hosted a fund-raiser for Kamala Harris last year, “or anything that has a funny acronym and rhymes with MAGA.” But, he added, “there are aspects of it that just make sense,” including Mr. Kennedy’s criticism of ultraprocessed foods. Across the United States, independent restaurants, as well as national chains like Sweetgreen and True Food Kitchen, are betting against seed oils, even if their reasoning — and politics — differ from those of the MAHA agenda. Restaurateurs are spending significantly more, and in some cases losing money, to make the switch. Mr. Brioza pays $38 to $42 for a gallon of sugar-cane oil, up from the $29.50 to $32.50 he paid for grapeseed oil. Another alternative, avocado oil, costs more than twice to four times as much as canola oil per pound on average, according to the food distributor Sysco. Quarterly sales of sugar-cane oil at Zero Acre Farms, which supplies State Bird Provisions, have grown by an average of 435 percent annually since 2023, a company representative said. Zero Acres funded laboratory testing that showed its oil was more stable than seed oils when heated, and less likely to form byproducts that the company says can cause inflammation. Eric Decker, a professor of food science at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, said there are plenty of healthy seed oils, and little evidence to suggest that alternatives like sugar-cane oil are better for you. “The no-seed-oil craze is not supported by science, and is just another food fad and marketing gimmick,” he said. Eleven Madison Park, the famed Manhattan fine-dining restaurant that serves only a vegan tasting menu, announced in April that its kitchen would swap most of its seed oils for algae oil. The chef and owner, Daniel Humm, said algae oil requires less water and land to cultivate, and has a clean, neutral flavor. It also costs 30 percent more than canola oil. He said the seed-oil discourse has invited a lot of confusion and misinformation. “We feel like we have a platform and a voice to shed light on these issues from a sustainability perspective as well as from a cooking perspective,” Mr. Humm said, adding, “It is not a political thing at all.” For some owners, the switch is primarily a culinary one. Rob Crabtree, an owner of Boat Drinks, a rum and seafood bar in St. Augustine, Fla., started using sugar-cane oil to fry plantains because he was getting “double the life out of the oil in the fryer,” he said. He was somewhat compelled by the report published by Zero Acre, his oil supplier. “But at the end of the day, the culinary side has to win out for us,” he said. Seed oils make up 90 percent of restaurant oil sales by the pound in the United States, according to Sysco. Price keeps them at the top despite the criticism, said Victoria Gutierrez, the company’s chief merchandising officer. But diners are more skeptical of seed oils than ever. Searches for “seed oil” on Yelp increased by 275 percent from March 2024 to March 2025, and searches on the review site for “seed-oil free” rose by 414 percent over that time, a company spokeswoman said. Restaurateurs used to come to Jeff Nobbs, the chief executive of Zero Acre Farms, because they were curious about alternatives to canola oil. Now they are responding to customer perceptions of seed oils. “We had one restaurant say it was the number one source of customer complaints,” he said. Eliminating seed oils has drawn about 20 percent more customers to Psomi, a Greek restaurant in Tampa, Fla., said Christina Theofilos, its owner. Seed-oil free messaging is on Psomi’s social media accounts. “It is a huge part of our identity,” Ms. Theofilos said. The switch to her preferred avocado oil, however, has been costly. The restaurant’s profit margins have fallen by 14 to 18 percent since she made the change two years ago. Ms. Theofilos believes seed oils cause indigestion and inflammation — she stopped consuming them five years ago — and wants to spread awareness through Psomi. (Studies have not found higher levels of inflammation in people who consume more of the fats common in seed oils.) “The MAHA movement represents hope,” she said. “Maybe we can educate people, and maybe some stuff gets off the shelves.” One of the restaurant industry’s most vocal seed-oil detractors is not a chef, but an app. Seed Oil Scout, a database that grades restaurants by their use of seed oils, grew from 100,000 users to 1.5 million last year. Seed Oil Scout categorizes businesses on the app with labels like “assume the worst” and “dine shamefully,” and has granted 80 restaurants in the United States a “seed-oil safe” badge, which costs $100 to $200 a month after owners complete a lengthy verification survey about the restaurant’s kitchen habits. (Another 756 establishments have applied.) The app does not independently verify information provided in the survey, but diners can submit feedback about restaurants. “It is less about penalizing restaurants,” said Erica Rozetti, Seed Oil Scout’s head of business development. “I think a lot of it is just bringing transparency.” Despite identifying as a “MAHA mom,” Ms. Rozetti said the app has declined offers to partner with conservative political action committees. “Pulling ourselves away from that allows for a broader audience to be interested in what we are doing.” A few restaurant owners whose kitchens have abandoned seed oils for purported health or environmental reasons said that politics had prevented meaningful discussions around the topic. “The conversation that needs to happen is: Not all seed oils are bad,” said Johanna Hellrigl Wilder, whose Italian restaurant, Ama, in Washington, D.C., has been seed-oil free since it opened in 2022. She finds the refining process of making many seed oils problematic — but she has no issue with, for instance, sesame oil that is cold-pressed. She is glad people are finally discussing seed oils, but “I also feel like we are missing the point by making it ****** and white,” she said. Last year, the dialogue around seed oils persuaded Justin Yu to use sugar-cane oil instead of canola oil at **** Choy, his vegan ******** restaurant in Englewood, N.J., even though it was triple the cost. He assumed customers were willing to pay a premium for seed-oil-free food. But business barely picked up, and his margins suffered. Mr. Yu left **** Choy at the start of the year, and the restaurant closed in March. “It is hard to run a business with those margins and that oil,” he said. He also couldn’t substantiate claims made by Zero Acre, his oil supplier, that its product is better for the environment. “Maybe it is all a marketing ploy to sell snake oil,” he said. He likened the concern about seed oils to the way many consumers used to speak out about the environmental impact of eating meat; today, steakhouses are multiplying, even in progressive cities like New York. “I don’t think that people care enough to vote with their dollars,” he said. Follow New York Times Cooking on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok and Pinterest. Get regular updates from New York Times Cooking, with recipe suggestions, cooking tips and shopping advice. Source link #Restaurants #Ditching #Seed #Oils #Cost Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Kashmiris in India face violence after deadly attack Kashmiris in India face violence after deadly attack Zoya Mateen BBC News, Delhi Auqib Javeed Srinagar, Kashmir UGC Two shawl sellers were assaulted in Mussoorie because of their Kashmiri identity Shabir Ahmad Dar, a resident of Indian-administered Kashmir, has been selling pashmina shawls for more than 20 years. The intricately embroidered featherweight scarves are a favourite with his customers in Mussoorie, a hill town in the northern state of Uttarakhand, where he works. For his buyers, the shawls are a sign of luxury. For Dar, they are a metaphor for home; its traditional patterns layered with history and a mark of his Kashmiri identity. But lately, the same identity feels like a curse. On Sunday, Dar, along with another salesman, was publicly harassed and assaulted by members of a Hindu right-wing group, who were reportedly incensed by the killing of 26 people at a popular tourist spot in Kashmir last week. India has blamed Pakistan for the attack – a charge Islamabad denies. A video of the assault shows the men thrashing and hurling abuses at Dar and his friend as they ransack their stall, located on a busy boulevard. “They blamed us for the attack, told us to leave town and never show our faces again,” said Dar. He says his goods, worth thousands of dollars, are still lying there. “But we are too scared to go back.” As outrage over the assault spread, police on Wednesday arrested the three men but released them a few hours later after charging a fine and asking them to “apologise” to Dar and his colleague. But Dar had already left by then, along with dozens of other Kashmiri shawl sellers, who, after living in Mussoorie for decades, say they no longer feel safe there. Reuters Additional security forces have been deployed in Indian-administered Kashmir since the killings Many survivors of the Pahalgam attack – the deadliest targeting civilians in recent years – said the militants specifically targeted Hindu men, sparking an outpouring of anger and grief in India, with politicians across party lines demanding strict action. Since then, there have been more than a dozen reports of Kashmiri vendors and students in Indian cities facing harassment, vilification and threats from right-wing groups – but also from their own classmates, customers and neighbours. Videos showing students being chased out of campus and beaten up on the streets have been cascading online. On Thursday, one of the survivors, whose naval officer husband was killed in the militant attack, appealed to people to not go after Muslims and Kashmiris. “We want peace and only peace,” she said. But safety concerns have forced many Kashmiris like Dar to return home. Ummat Shabir, a nursing student at a university in Punjab state, said some women in her neighbourhood accused her of being a “terrorist who should be thrown out” last week. “The same day, my classmate was forced out of a taxi by her driver after he found out she was a Kashmiri,” she said. “It took us three days to travel back to Kashmir but we had no option. We had to go.” Ms Shabir is back in her hometown but for many others, even home does not feel safe anymore. As the search for the perpetrators of last week’s attack continues, security forces in Kashmir have detained thousands of people, shut off more than 50 tourist destinations, sent in additional army and paramilitary troops, and blown up several homes belonging to families of suspected militants who they accuse of having “terrorist affiliations”. The crackdown has sparked fear and unease among civilians, many of whom have called the actions a form of “collective punishment” against them. Without mentioning the demolitions, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said the guilty must be punished without mercy, “but don’t let innocent people become collateral damage”. Former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti also criticised the demolitions, cautioning the government to distinguish between “terrorists and civilians”. “Whenever tensions escalate, we are the first ones to bear the brunt of it. But we are still treated as suspects and expected to put our lives on hold,” another student, who wanted to remain anonymous, told the BBC. Reuters The attack in Pahalgam was the deadliest on civilians in decades Yet the backlash feels a lot worse this time, says Shafi Subhan, a shawl seller from the region’s Kupwara district, who also worked in Mussoorie. In his 20 years of doing business there, Subhan said he had never faced any public threat – not even after the 2019 terror attack in Pulwama district, which killed 40 paramilitary police troopers. To him, Mussoorie felt like home, a place where he found peace – despite being hundreds of kilometres away. He said he shared an emotional bond with his customers, who came from all parts of the country “People were always kind to us, they wore our garments with so much joy,” Subhan recalled. “But on that day when our colleagues were attacked, no one came to help. The public just stood and watched. It hurt them physically – but emotionally, a lot more.” Back home in Kashmir, peace has long been fragile. Both India and Pakistan claim the territory in full but administer separate parts, and an armed insurgency has simmered in the Indian-administered region for more than three decades, claiming thousands of lives. Caught in between, are civilians who say they feel stuck in an endless limbo that feels especially suffocating, whenever ties between India and Pakistan come under strain. Many allege that in the past, military confrontations between the nations have been followed by waves of harassment and violence against Kashmiris, along with a significant security and communication clampdown in the region. EPA Several homes allegedly belonging to suspected militants have been razed down In recent years, violence has declined, and officials point to improved infrastructure, tourism, and investment as signs of greater stability, particularly since 2019, when the region’s special constitutional status was revoked under Article 370. But arrests and security operations continue, and critics argue that calm has come at the cost of civil liberties and political freedoms. “The needle of suspicion is always on locals, even as militancy has declined in the last one-and-a-half decades,” says Anuradha Bhasain, the managing editor of the Kashmir Times newspapers. “They always have to prove their innocence.” As the news of the killings spread last week, Kashmiris poured onto the streets, holding candlelight vigils and protest marches. A complete shutdown was observed a day after the attack and newspapers printed ****** front pages. Omar Abdullah publicly apologised, saying he had “failed his guests”. Ms Bhasin says Kashmiri backlash against such attacks is not new; there has been similar condemnation in the past as well, although at a smaller scale. “No one there condones civilian killings – they know the pain of losing loved ones too well.” But she adds that it’s unfair to place the burden of proving innocence on Kashmiris, when they have themselves become targets of hate and violence. “This would just instil more fear and further alienate people, many of whom already feel isolated from the rest of the country.” Reuters Kashmiris have held widespread protests against the militant attack Mirza Waheed, a Kashmiri novelist, believes Kashmiris are “particularly vulnerable as they are seen through a different lens”, being part of India’s ******* population. “The saddest part is many of them will suffer the indignity and humiliation, lay low for some time, and wait for this to tide over because they have a life to live.” No one knows this better Mohammad Shafi Dar, a daily wage worker in Kashmir’s Shopian, whose house was blown up by security forces last week. Five days on, he is still picking the up the pieces. “We lost everything,” said Dar, who is now living under the open sky with his wife, three daughters and son. “We don’t even have utensils to cook food.” He says his family has no idea where their other 20-year-old son is, whether he joined militancy, or is even dead or alive. His parents say the 19-year-old college student left home last October and never returned. They haven’t spoken since. “Yet, we have been punished for his alleged crimes. Why?” Source link #Kashmiris #India #face #violence #deadly #attack Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

AfD classified as extreme-right by ******* intelligence AfD classified as extreme-right by ******* intelligence Germany’s Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party has been designated as right-wing extremist by the country’s federal office for the protection of the constitution. “The ethnicity- and ancestry-based conception of the people that predominates within the party is not compatible with the free democratic order,” the domestic intelligence agency said in a statement. The AfD came second in federal elections in February, winning a record 152 seats in the 630-seat parliament with 20.8% of the vote. The parliament, or Bundestag, will hold a vote next week to confirm conservative leader Friedrich Merz as chancellor, heading a coalition with the centre-left Social Democrats. The far-right AfD had already been placed under observation for suspected extremism in Germany, and the intelligence agency had also classed it as right-wing extremist in three states in the east, where its popularity is highest. The agency, or Verfassungschutz, said specifically that the AfD did not consider citizens of a “migration background from predominantly ******* countries” as equal members of the ******* people. Outgoing Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said the agency had made its decision after a comprehensive review with “no political influence”. It is thought the change in designation of the AfD enables domestic intelligence agencies to lower the threshold for using informants and surveillance in monitoring the party. Source link #AfD #classified #extremeright #******* #intelligence Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

How to Cook Chicken Breasts Better How to Cook Chicken Breasts Better You don’t need to do very much to get the most succulent, tender meat. A chicken breast can be a beautiful, exciting thing with the right recipes and techniques.Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Cyd Raftus McDowell. Published May 2, 2025Updated May 2, 2025 Fans of boneless, skinless chicken breasts love their leanness, quick cook time and mild flavor. But dissenters call that leanness a downside, making them quick to overcook, verging on dry and too mild — as in bland. Both have a point: Breasts lack the **** of thighs, so they won’t deliver as hearty a flavor or as hefty an insurance policy against rubberiness. But their quirks can be assets. Cook chicken breasts the right way and be rewarded with satisfying, juicy, fast and possibly caramel-crisp meat that might even sway dark-meat supporters. Here are seven ways to make chicken breasts better than the last time you made them (or how you had them growing up, next to mushy cafeteria-tray peas and carrots). 1. Cut into smaller, even pieces Carolina Gelen’s miso-maple sheet-pan chicken with brussels sprouts.Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Chicken breasts are irregularly shaped, which means they’re also easy to irregularly cook. By the time the round, thicker end is ready, the thin, tapered point might be tough. Avoid this problem by cutting the breasts into cubes or slices of roughly the same size so they all cook at the same rate. Try these recipes More sides mean more surface area to coat in a glaze: Cover cubed chicken in miso and maple for lots of caramelized edges. | Recipe: Miso-Maple Sheet-Pan Chicken With Brussels Sprouts For charred, thoroughly spiced chicken fajitas without the grill, slice the breast, coat it in a chile-lime mixture and roast it at a high temperature. | Recipe: Chicken Fajitas By the time the outsides of the small cubes are opaque, the insides will also be cooked through. | Recipe: Gong Bao Chicken With Peanuts 2. Brine them Eric Kim’s dry-brined chicken breasts.Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Rebecca Jurkevich. An unadorned chicken breast can still be succulent: The secret is salt. A half-hour before dinner, sprinkle the breasts with salt, or submerge them in a saltwater solution. These processes, known as dry or wet brining, alter the protein structure to help the meat hold onto moisture for a more tender result. Try these recipes A salt brine keeps the juiciness already in meat from sizzling away during cooking, but adding spices gives it a better chance of flavoring the meat. | Recipe: Dry-Brined Chicken Breasts In the oven, away from your watchful eye, chicken breasts can easily overcook. Safeguard them with wet brining, which plumps the meat with more liquid and compensates for any that may evaporate. | Recipe: Baked Chicken Breasts Add yogurt to a saltwater brine. The lactic acid helps with moisture retention and imparts a touch of *****. | Recipe: Chicken Breasts With Miso-Garlic Sauce 3. Cook the chicken in its marinade Jennifer Steinhauer’s weeknight lemon chicken breasts with herbs.David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Prop Stylist: Paige Hicks. A lot of recipes recommend marinating chicken breasts before cooking, but then there’s the gnarly process of shaking the chicken to get rid of the liquid, patting it dry and placing it in hot oil to sear — where the still-kind-of-wet chicken just mostly splatters. And the flavorful marinade goes down the drain. Instead, marinate the chicken, then put the chicken and the marinade into the skillet. The liquid will protect the chicken from toughening and will reduce into a sauce for the chicken. (Fully boiling marinades for a few minutes will kill any bacteria.) Try these recipes On the stovetop, a marinade of orange juice, sazón and garlic can become a sticky, paprika-red glaze. | Recipe: Sazón Chicken Breasts This chicken’s bath of olive oil, lemon and white wine becomes a punchy pan sauce. | Recipe: Weeknight Lemon Chicken Breasts For a speedy green masala chicken, marinate the breasts in store-bought chutneys and pastes, then pour the chicken and liquid into a skillet of softened onions and garlic. | Recipe: Green Masala Chicken 4. Cook mostly on one side Kia Damon’s blackened chicken breasts.Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Spencer Richards. A lot of chicken breast recipes will tell you to flip the meat halfway through cooking, but that can result in pale outsides and potentially dry insides. Instead, cook the chicken most of the way on the first side. The bottom will be pale, but nobody will notice when the tops are so nicely bronzed and crisp. Try these recipes This recipe prioritizes searing on the first side so a mix of Cajun-style spices can truly blacken before the chicken toughens. | Recipe: Blackened Chicken Breasts This recipe trades high-heat stir-frying for browning a single layer of cubed chicken until a caramelized crust forms. | Recipe: Easy Kung Pao Chicken Searing chicken breasts on mostly one side creates ample browned bits stuck to the bottom of the skillet. Then, when apple cider is poured in, the bits dislodge and add a savory depth to the resulting pan sauce. | Recipe: Apple Cider Chicken With Apples and Parsnips 5. Coat them in mayo Kenji López-Alt’s mayo-marinated chicken with chimichurri.David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne. Kenji López-Alt changed the chicken game when he recommended coating breasts in mayonnaise instead of oil before cooking them. Mayo carries flavor, doesn’t drip, encourages browning and prevents any flavorings — like herbs or chopped garlic — from burning. Try these recipes Here, Kenji mixes herbs into mayonnaise before coating the chicken, so they sizzle but don’t scorch. | Recipe: Mayo-Marinated Chicken With Chimichurri For an easier time on the grill, coat chicken in Dijonnaise: The mayonnaise insulates and prevents sticking, and the mustard tenderizes and caramelizes. | Recipe: Dijonnaise Grilled Chicken Breasts For crispy, breaded chicken cutlets with fewer dishes and mess, replace the flour and egg dredges with mayonnaise. | Recipe: Parmesan-Crusted Chicken 6. Keep the bone and skin Ali Slagle’s rosemary-paprika chicken and fries.Ryan Liebe for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne. Bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts are often cheaper than boneless, skinless counterparts, even though they come with extras. The bone and skin protect the delicate meat from high heat, and when simmered, can turn water into homemade chicken broth. When roasted or seared, the bones evenly distribute that heat across the meat, and the skin crisps. It’s hard to say no to crispy chicken skin. Try these recipes Our best chicken salad starts with slipping bone-in, skin-on breasts into hot water, then turning off the heat. This gradual poaching method results in plush meat and a few pints of chicken stock for future you. | Recipe: Best Chicken Salad For crispy-skinned meat and chicken ****-glossed fries all on one sheet pan, coat bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts with a lemony paprika mayonnaise (see Tip No. 5), then roast them skin-side-down most of the time (see Tip No. 4) alongside potatoes. | Recipe: Rosemary-Paprika Chicken and Fries For Taiwanese instant ramen with more homemade flavor, all it takes is simmering bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts with water, ginger and rice cooking wine. | Recipe: Sesame-Ginger Chicken Noodle Soup 7. Focus on a sauce Yewande Komolafe’s muhammara chicken sandwiches.Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Monica Pierini. In her Five Weeknight Dishes newsletter, Emily Weinstein wrote that chicken breasts’ “mildness can be an asset: Think of white meat as a plush mattress you can blanket with interesting flavors and textures.” Sauces make good blankets, and can cover potential dryness and blandness. Try these recipes Add texture to poached-chicken sandwiches with muhammara, an earthy spread of roasted red peppers, walnuts and lemon. | Recipe: Muhammara Chicken Sandwiches A grilled chicken breast in pita will be pretty dry, but adding a briny-fresh sauce of yogurt, olives, cucumbers and herbs solves that — and in a more exciting way than just having a glass of water. | Recipe: Grilled Chicken Pita With Yogurt Sauce and Arugula Poaching chicken breasts on top of rice gently cooks the meat so it’s silky-soft. Add verve with a sauce studded with raw chopped scallions, jalapeño and ginger. | Recipe: Chicken and Rice With Scallion-Ginger Sauce Follow New York Times Cooking on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok and Pinterest. Get regular updates from New York Times Cooking, with recipe suggestions, cooking tips and shopping advice. Source link #Cook #Chicken #Breasts Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

D-Day veteran and tank crewman Cecil Newton dies aged 101 D-Day veteran and tank crewman Cecil Newton dies aged 101 One of the last survivors of the assault on the D-Day beaches in 1944 has died, his family has said. Aged 101 Cecil Newton, from Aldbourne, in Wiltshire, who served in the 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards, died peacefully in his sleep on Thursday. Aged 20, after boarding a landing craft at Lepe Beach in the New Forest, his amphibious Sherman Tank was among the first to land on Gold Beach on 6 June 1944. His son, Paul Newton, who passed on the news of his death to friends, said: “Thank you all for your friendship for my father and for supporting his efforts to remember those of the 4/7 RDG who did not come back.” Mr Newton’s tank crew was in action for just a few minutes after landing on Gold Beach in Normandy. Their objective was to knock out a ******* block-house that was defending the beach. The tank was among several not to make it off the beach when it sank in a water-filled shell hole, but all the crew got out. They were later among the first British troops to enter the city of Lille. However Mr Newtown was severely wounded when his tank came under attack in a ******* village in November 1944. He suffered a serious leg injury and was shot three times as he got out of his tank. In June 2024, Mr Newton travelled back to France to take part in the D-Day 80th anniversary commemorations. He also visited a French school named after him and some of the places his comrades fell in battle. Source link #DDay #veteran #tank #crewman #Cecil #Newton #dies #aged Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Federal election 2025: Liberal hopes could rest on One Nation preference in WA as voters abandon major parties Federal election 2025: Liberal hopes could rest on One Nation preference in WA as voters abandon major parties Preferences could decide a swag of key election battles in WA, with a new opinion poll revealing Pauline Hanson’s One Nation could be the big winner as voters abandon both major parties. Labor’s primary vote has slipped 2.8 per cent and the Liberal vote is down 3.8 per cent, according to the Demos AU poll that detected a 7.1 per cent surge to give One Nation 11 per cent of first preferences. That could help the Liberal party in key seats including Curtin, after a nationwide preference swap Labor has seized on. “Peter Dutton has sold out principles for political gain,” WA Minister Madeleine King said. “It’s up to him to explain his actions to the *********** people. He has let himself and the Liberal party down.” Teal MP Kate Chaney has accused the Liberals of “trickery” over a nationwide preference swap in 139 seats including Curtin, Brand and Fremantle. Feel like giving the politicians a rating this Federal election? Our Pollie Rater lets you do just that. Rate the politicians But the Liberal party has preferenced the *********** Christians second in other key WA seats, including Tangney and Pearce. One Nation WA Leader Rod Caddies, who will take up one of two Legislative Council seats won by the party at the recent State election, said the party has its sights set on the Senate and handing the Prime Ministership to Mr Dutton would be a welcome bonus. “I guess it’s a win for Australia if you’re a conservative,” he said. “I definitely think we’re a good chance for a Senate seat. One Nation hasn’t been present in WA, strong enough, over the last four years to realistically feel we can win the lower house seats. “It’s never impossible, however, you’ve got to be realistic. If we can increase our vote majorly, that’s a step in the right direction.” Camera IconWA One Nation leader Rod Caddies. Credit: Jackson Flindell/The West *********** One Nation’s lead Senate candidate in WA is millionaire civil construction businessmen Tyron Whitten who, if successful, could ruin the Liberal party’s chances of a third WA Senate seat. When asked if that was a sacrifice he was willing to make to win Curtin, Mr Dutton ignored the question. Mr Caddies listed income splitting for tax purposes and reducing alcohol excise as the party’s policy priorities. “We don’t want to see people just drinking more, but we want to see them socialising more,” he said. “We need to help the restaurants and bars and get people back out.” Mr Dutton avoided any mention of One Nation or Pauline Hanson when pressed on the preference swap in Myaree on Friday, instead turning the focus on Labor deals. “It’s about outcomes at the election,” he said. “The outcome of the election that would be the worst for WA would be an Albanese-Bandt government, because it would mean Nature Positive which the Prime Minister won’t look West Australians in the eye and tell them what it means. “And don’t forget that the teal Kate Chaney is working in lockstep with the Labor party. The Labor party is running soft in Curtin to support somebody that they know is a fellow traveller. Kate Chaney would support a Labor-Greens government and that would be bad for WA.” The Greens vote increased 2.5 per cent to 15 per cent, according to the Demos AU poll. The Liberal party is targeting Curtin, Bullwinkel, Tangney and Pearce in it’s bid to claw back ground in WA after being turfed out by voters in five seats in 2022. The Demos AU poll of 4,100 voters released on Friday made for grim reading in Liberal HQ, with both major parties suffering a slump in support but Labor retain a nationwide edge, 52 to 48 per cent, when preferences were counted. Labor was even further ahead, 56 to 44 per cent two-party preferred, in WA. Anthony Albanese was ahead of Mr Dutton in the preferred PM stakes, 46 per cent to 34 per cent. But Mr Dutton received 43 per cent support from One Nation voters. Source link #Federal #election #Liberal #hopes #rest #Nation #preference #voters #abandon #major #parties Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Snappy tactical deckbuilding roguelike StarVaders punches well above its weight | Video Gamer Snappy tactical deckbuilding roguelike StarVaders punches well above its weight | Video Gamer “The Sherman Oaks-based (CA, the US) indie games publisher Joystick Ventures and Montreal-based (Quebec, Canada) indie games developer Pengonauts, are today very proud and happy to announce that theirmech-themed tactical roguelike deckbuilder “StarVaders”, is now available for PC via Steam after being in development for more than three years.” – Jonas Ek, TGG. Source link #Snappy #tactical #deckbuilding #roguelike #StarVaders #punches #weight #Video #Gamer Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Dozens injured in Russian drone attack on Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya Dozens injured in Russian drone attack on Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya At least 29 people were injured in a Russian drone attack on the southern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhya, with the region’s military governor, Ivan Fedorov, accusing Russian forces of targeting civilian sites. “Residential buildings, the university, and an infrastructure facility were damaged,” Fedorov wrote on Telegram on Friday morning. The Ukrainian Air Force reported further damage from overnight drone attacks in the Donetsk and Dnipropetrovsk regions. It said Russia deployed around 150 drones, most of which were intercepted by Ukrainian defences. Ukraine launched a large-scale drone assault on the Russian-annexed Crimean Peninsula. Russian media and local residents reported anti-aircraft fire and explosions near air bases, particularly around the port city of Sevastopol, where air raid sirens sounded repeatedly throughout the night. No details on damage were immediately available. Russia’s Ministry of Defence said on Friday morning that it had intercepted 121 Ukrainian drones, including 89 over Crimea. While these figures could not be independently verified, they suggest the significant scale and intensity of the attacks on both sides. Source link #Dozens #injured #Russian #drone #attack #Ukraines #Zaporizhzhya Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Europe stocks open to close: earnings, data, US-China trade Europe stocks open to close: earnings, data, US-China trade European stocks opened higher on Friday, as investors assessed a signal that China is seeking trade negotiations will the U.S. The Stoxx 600 index jumped 0.88% in early deals, led by mining stocks, up 2.5%, while banks climbed 1.7%. Most markets were closed on Thursday for the May 1 holiday. London’s FTSE 100 ended a choppy session 0.02% higher to mark its 14th straight session in the green, drawing level with its best run since 2017. Shell shares rose 2.4% after the oil major beat profit expectations for the first quarter and announced its latest $3.5 billion share buyback. April data on the preliminary euro zone inflation rate is due to be released at 10 a.m. London time. Top postsShell posts sharp fall in first-quarter profit, launches $3.5 billion share buyback | view postNatWest beats on profit in first quarter | view postCopper rises on China’s consideration of trade talks with the U.S. | view postMoët Hennessy to cut 10% of its workforce: Report | view post — CNBC’s Anniek Bao contributed to this report Source link #Europe #stocks #open #close #earnings #data #USChina #trade Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

If You're on the Fence, Consider Buying a PS5 Now Before the Prices Inevitably Rise If You're on the Fence, Consider Buying a PS5 Now Before the Prices Inevitably Rise It’s only a matter of time Source link #You039re #Fence #Buying #PS5 #Prices #Inevitably #Rise Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Israel strikes target near Damascus presidential palace in ‘message to Syrian regime’ – The Times of Israel Israel strikes target near Damascus presidential palace in ‘message to Syrian regime’ – The Times of Israel Israel strikes target near Damascus presidential palace in ‘message to Syrian regime’ The Times of IsraelAmid Sectarian Violence in a Syrian City, Even the Funerals Are Armed The New York TimesIsrael strikes near Syria’s presidential palace in ‘message’ to Ahmed al-Sharaa Financial TimesIsrael conducts rare strike outside Damascus amid sectarian tensions in Syria CNNDeadly Attacks on Syria’s Small Druze Community Are Part of a ******* Fight WSJ Source link #Israel #strikes #target #Damascus #presidential #palace #message #Syrian #regime #Times #Israel Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Ten dead, dozens injured, after bus accident in the Philippines Ten dead, dozens injured, after bus accident in the Philippines Ten people have been killed and more than 30 injured after a bus hit several vehicles at a toll gate on one of the busiest highways in northern Philippines, authorities say. The bus driver, who has been detained, said he had fallen asleep at the wheel, police told AFP, adding that four children were among the dead. Buses on the nearly 100km (62mi) Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway often ferry workers between Manila and surrounding provinces. The accident on Thursday happened while families were travelling for labour day. The Department of Transportation ordered the suspension of Solid North Bus, a major bus operator in the region and the company that owned the vehicle involved in the ******. The bus driver may be charged with “reckless imprudence resulting in multiple homicides,” police told AFP. The bus conductor has also been detained. The accident also involved three sports utility vehicles and one container truck, the Philippine Red Cross said in a Facebook post. The organisation said in another post on Wednesday that it was providing food and other aid to people in hospital who were injured by the ******. Deadly bus accidents are not uncommon in the Philippines. Drug use among bus drivers have also made headlines in recent weeks – though it is unclear if it was a factor in Thursday’s accident. In April, some public vehicle companies – including buses, jeepneys and tricycles – faced suspension after 84 of its drivers tested positive for prohibited substances. Transport Secretary Vince Dizon is set to meet representatives from nearly 30 bus companies on Friday after recent accident, local media reported. “I will really find out. I will be honest with them. What is going on, why are you all having accidents, why are your drivers all testing positive for drugs,” he said. “I will be direct with our bus companies because if they don’t get their act together, if they don’t shape up, they will really be sorry.” In 2023, 17 bus passengers died after the vehicle’s brakes failed and it plunged into a ravine in central Philippines, along a winding road known among locals as the “killer curve”. Source link #Ten #dead #dozens #injured #bus #accident #Philippines Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Gaza activist ship ‘attacked by drones’ off coast of Malta, NGO says Gaza activist ship ‘attacked by drones’ off coast of Malta, NGO says Activists who were planning to sail an aid ship to Gaza say it was attacked by drones in international waters off the Maltese coast in the early hours of Friday. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition said its ship The Conscience was targeted at 00:23 local time (22:23 GMT) and issued an SOS distress signal right after the attack. The group said it had planned to sail to Gaza and “challenge Israel’s ******** siege and blockade” there. The Maltese government said a fire onboard the ship was “brought under control overnight” and that the ship was being monitored by “relevant authorities”. It said no casualties had been reported. The Maltese government said 12 crew and four activists were on board the boat, while the NGO said 30 activists had been on board. The NGO appeared to accuse Israel of being behind the incident and called for Israeli ambassadors to be summoned to answer for “violation of international law, including the ongoing blockade and the bombing of our civilian vessel”. The Israeli military said it was looking into reports of the attack. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition uploaded a video showing a fire on one of its ships but did not indicate whether anyone had been hurt. It said the attack appeared to have targeted the generator, which left the ship without power and at risk of sinking. The ship was 17 nautical miles (31.5 kilometres) east of Malta when it was hit. Cyprus responded to the SOS signal by dispatching a vessel, the charity said, but that it was not “providing the critical electrical support needed”. The coalition is campaigning to end Israel’s blockade of Gaza. Two months ago, Israel shut all crossings to Gaza – preventing all goods, including food, fuel and medicines from entering – and later resumed its military offensive, ending a two-month ceasefire with ******. The Israeli military launched a campaign to destroy ****** in response to an unprecedented cross-border attack on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage. At least 52,418 people have been killed in Gaza during the ensuing war, according to the territory’s ******-run health ministry. Source link #Gaza #activist #ship #attacked #drones #coast #Malta #NGO Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Watch: Reform by-election win raises questions for Labour and Tories Watch: Reform by-election win raises questions for Labour and Tories Damian Grammaticas reports from the Runcorn and Helsby by-election count after a knife-edge victory for Reform. Source link #Watch #Reform #byelection #win #raises #questions #Labour #Tories Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Over 80% of USAID programmes ‘officially ending’ Over 80% of USAID programmes ‘officially ending’ The vast majority of the US Agency for International Development’s (USAID) programmes have been terminated after a six-week purge, Secretary of State Marco Rubio has announced. On X, Rubio said that the initiatives “spent tens of billions in ways that did not serve” or harmed US interests. The remaining programmes – just 18% – will now be administered by the State Department. Humanitarian organisations around the world have warned that the controversial move to end long-running US aid programmes is already having dire consequences around the world, potentially endangering lives. The Trump administration has repeatedly made clear that it wants overseas spending to be closely aligned with its “America First” approach. Shortly after Trump returned to the White House on 20 January, thousands of USAID employees were put on leave, and those working overseas recalled. In an executive order signed on his first day, Trump also moved to freeze foreign assistance funding and ordered a review of USAID’s work abroad, led by Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency, or Doge. Thousands of development contracts also were cancelled, and thousands of employees ultimately fired. In his X post, Rubio said that after the review, the US was “officially ending” about 5,200 of USAID’s 6,200 programmes. “In consultation with Congress, we intend for the remaining 18% of programmes we are keeping….to be administered more effectively under the State Department,” Rubio added. Additionally, Rubio thanked Doge and State Department staff “who worked very long hours to achieve this overdue and historic reform”. Democrats and various humanitarian organisations have characterised the shutdown of USAID’s programmes – which were funded by Congress – as ********, prompting several lawsuits. USAID was tasked with a wide variety of missions around the globe, ranging from famine detection to polio vaccinations and emergency food kitchens in conflict zones. The freezes in funding and elimination of programmes is already having an impact. In Sudan, for example, the freeze in humanitarian assistance has led to the shuttering of over 1,100 communal kitchens set up to help those left destitute by the country’s ongoing civil war. It is estimated that almost two million people have been affected. In Oman, dozens of Afghan women who fled the Taliban government to pursue higher education now face return after their USAID-funded scholarships were abruptly terminated. In another example, India’s first medical clinic for transgender people shut operations in three cities after US President Donald Trump stopped foreign aid to it. Source link #USAID #programmes #officially Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Former 2GB radio host Alan Jones to front court after number of alleged victims rises to 11 Former 2GB radio host Alan Jones to front court after number of alleged victims rises to 11 Alan Jones is expected to return to court for the first time after he was slapped with a fresh charge, bringing the total number of his alleged victims to 11. Source link #2GB #radio #host #Alan #Jones #front #court #number #alleged #victims #rises Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Kevin Smith’s Masters Of The Universe Steelbook Collection Preorders Are Steeply Discounted Kevin Smith’s Masters Of The Universe Steelbook Collection Preorders Are Steeply Discounted A few years ago, famed filmmaker Kevin Smith revived the cult-classic cartoon series Masters of the Universe–also known as He-Man–with a new Netflix series split into two seasons: Masters of the Universe: Revelation and Masters of the Universe Revolution. Both seasons will soon be bundled in a new Steelbook Blu-ray Collection launching on May 13, and preorders are available at Amazon. The retailer initially priced the release at its full $50 MSRP, but now Amazon is offering a steep discount that drops the price to only $30.49. With Amazon’s preorder price guarantee, anyone who preordered at the $50 price will receive an automatic price adjustment to lowest price offered by Amazon before release. You won’t be charged for your preorder until it ships. $30.49 (was $50) | Releases May 13 The Masters of the Universe: Revelation and Revolution Steelbook Edition is a three-disc Blu-ray collection that includes all 15 episodes of the rebooted series. Special features are also included in the release according to the Blu-ray’s description, though it doesn’t outline what those extras are. At the very least, you’ll be getting a unique steelbook case featuring unique cover art and interior art of He-Man and his nemesis Skeletor. The show is a direct sequel to the ’80s Masters of the Universe animated series, and it picks up shortly after Skeletor’s assault on Castle Grayskull ends in the supposed death of He-Man. With Eternia’s protector out of the picture, Revelation’s story focused on Teela as she journeyed to save the day and uncover the secrets of Grayskull. Overall, the show has been well-received, and while a third season has yet to be greenlit, Revelation and Revolution are still fun homages to the classic series and crafted with sharp animation. Both seasons featured a stacked voice cast, including Mark Hamill as the dread villain Skeletor, Sarah Michelle Gellar as Teela, and the late Tony Todd as Scare-Glow. If you’re looking to complete the collection, the 1983-1985 run of He-Man cartoons have been collected into a DVD bundle, alongside several other beloved titles from Filmation during its ’80s golden age and Netflix’s popular She-Ra revival. More Classic Cartoon Blu-rays Source link #Kevin #Smiths #Masters #Universe #Steelbook #Collection #Preorders #Steeply #Discounted Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Musk says X hit by major cyberattack Musk says X hit by major cyberattack Elon Musk said X was hit by a major cyberattack on Monday as outages plagued users of the platform once known as Twitter. “There was (still is) a massive cyberattack against X,” Musk said in a post on the platform. Musk blamed a cyberattack, providing no evidence, for crashing the site last year when an interview with Donald Trump was to be streamed. In his post Monday, Musk included an X post from a DogeDesigner account that some on Reddit speculated could be a puppet of the tycoon himself. The post noted protests against the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) that Trump entrusted to Musk, along with Tesla shops being vandalized, suggesting a cyberattack could signal another burst of animosity towards Musk. Musk is chief or Tesla, his electric car company. “It would take a lot of (money) to do an attack of this magnitude,” read a post in the exchange by the account of Jammies. “Who has the resources to fund this?” Musk also maintained such an attack would take tremendous resources, speculating it was the work of a country or large coordinated group. Outages on the X social media platform left tens of thousands of users unable to access the site, according to monitors. Reports of problems with X started in the early hours of Monday, with users in Asia, Europe, and North America saying they could not access the platform, according to the Downdetector tracking site. At the peak, more than 40,000 people reported outages, the site said. The bulk of the reports were from people trying to use X on smartphones, but people on web browsers also reported the service down. “Twitter keeps breaking?” asked a post by @Lalaslovely in the Downdetector chat section. After Musk bought Twitter for $44 billion in late 2022, the majority of employees left or were fired, raising concerns about whether staffing was in place to keep the platform safe and stable. gc/dw Source link #Musk #hit #major #cyberattack Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Death Stranding 2 Has A Limited Edition Watch That Costs Around $1500 Death Stranding 2 Has A Limited Edition Watch That Costs Around $1500 Hamilton has partnered with Hideo Kojima and Yoji Shinkawa to release the American Classic Boulton Death Stranding 2 Limited Edition watch, which costs around $1500. Death Stranding 2’s pre-order announcement arrived yesterday, finally providing players with the sequel’s long-anticipated release date. Along with the announcement, players also received a new 10-minute trailer, which showcased a bit of the game’s narrative and gameplay sequences. Luca Marinelli is introduced around the 8-minute mark and looks like a spitting image of Solid Snake. Interestingly, the watch Marinelli wore in the Death Stranding 2 pre-order trailer is now on *****. The partnership, spotted by Automaton (via GamesRadar+), includes a 36x48mm ****** PVD titanium Death Stranding 2 Limited Edition watch. The design “embraces the game’s futuristic spirit” and features an orange seconds hand, a sleek ****** dial, and seven sapphire crystals for light play. Only 2,000 pieces of the watch were made. Death Stranding 2 Limited Edition Watch Price and Release Date The Death Stranding 2 Limited Edition watch is priced at USD 1,495 and will be available from Hamilton’s website when the game releases on June 26, 2025. Players can check the availability on Hamilton’s website. Death Stranding 2 Watch Features As mentioned, the watch features seven sapphire crystals and a titanium case. It has a primary display and two slide columns. The highlight is the exclusive case back, which features a custom design of the Death Stranding logo and a unique engraved number on each piece. It is a self-winding watch. Your wrist movements transfer energy to the mainspring, making the inner rotor swing. The watch also has a Nivachron balance spring and three-hand automatic movement with a power reserve of 80 hours. In other news, Death Stranding 2 Collector’s Edition costs $229.99. What are your thoughts on the Death Stranding 2 Limited Edition watch? Let us know in the comments or on our community forum! For more information from Insider Gaming, read about Control releasing the Hideo Kojima mission for all platforms. Don’t forget to sign up for our weekly newsletter. SUBSCRIBE to our newsletter to receive the latest news and exclusive leaks every week! No Spam. Source link #Death #Stranding #Limited #Edition #Watch #Costs Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Senate to vote today on Lori Chavez-DeRemer’s confirmation as labor secretary Senate to vote today on Lori Chavez-DeRemer’s confirmation as labor secretary Washington — The Senate is scheduled to vote Monday on former GOP Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer’s nomination to lead the Labor Department under President Trump. Chavez-DeRemer served one two-year term in the House, becoming the first Republican woman elected to represent Oregon in Congress. Mr. Trump nominated Chavez-DeRemer as labor secretary after she lost her reelection bid in November, and her confirmation vote comes as nearly all of the president’s Cabinet nominees have been approved by the Senate. With a history of support for pro-labor policies, Chavez-DeRemer’s path to confirmation once appeared threatened. Sen. Rand Paul, a Kentucky Republican, has opposed her nomination, and predicted in January that she would lose more than a dozen Republican votes. But she appeared poised for confirmation Monday, with support on both sides of the aisle. Chavez-DeRemer was one of only three Republicans who supported the Protecting the Right to Organize Act, or PRO Act, a bill that would have made it easier for workers to unionize that was introduced in the last Congress. During her confirmation hearing last month, Chavez-DeRemer addressed her prior support for the bill, saying it was “imperfect,” while backing right-to-work laws that allow workers to choose whether or not to join a union. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Labor Department, testifies during her confirmation hearing before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill on February 19, 2025 in Washington, DC. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Though Paul’s opposition threatened to tank Chavez-DeRemer’s advancement out of committee last month, three Democrats on the committee ultimately voted to move her nomination forward. And although Democrats haven’t been eager to support some of Mr. Trump’s nominees amid intense criticism of the administration’s work so far, Chavez-DeRemer was expected to see bipartisan support Monday. Monday’s confirmation vote comes after Chavez-DeRemer’s nomination cleared a procedural hurdle in a 66-30 vote last week, with 15 Democrats voting with all present Republicans except Paul to advance her nomination. Though some of her previous views may have conflicted with the administration, Chavez-DeRemer committed during her confirmation hearing to implementing Mr. Trump’s policy vision. “My guiding principle will be President Trump’s guiding principle — ensuring a level playing field for businesses, unions and, most importantly, the American worker,” she said. Kaia Hubbard Kaia Hubbard is a politics reporter for CBS News Digital, based in Washington, D.C. Source link #Senate #vote #today #Lori #ChavezDeRemers #confirmation #labor #secretary Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]