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My biggest fear? Being alone My biggest fear? Being alone Mark Savage Music Correspondent Interscope No-one wants to be alone, and no job is more isolating than being a pop star. Just ask Lady Gaga. Her rise to fame in 2009-10 was unlike anything we’d seen before. One of the first pop stars to harness the power of the internet, she seemed to exist in a permanent onslaught of TMZ photos and gossip blogs. Their appetite was voracious. She wore through so many looks and sounds in the space of three years that one critic wrote she was “speed-running Madonna’s entire career”. And as her fame grew, the headlines became more unhinged. She staged a satanic ritual in a London hotel… She was secretly a hermaphrodite… She planned to saw her own leg off “for fashion”. When she attended the 2010 MTV Awards in a dress made entirely of meat, nobody seemed to get the joke: Gaga was presenting herself as fodder for the tabloids, there to be consumed. On stage, she was an object of worship for her fans, the Little Monsters. But anyone who isn’t a megalomaniac knows that that sort of adulation is a distant illusion. “I’m alone, Brandon. Every night,” Gaga told her stylist in the 2017 documentary, Five Foot Two. “I go from everyone touching me all day and talking at me all day to total silence.” Now 38, and happily engaged to tech entrepreneur Michael Polansky, Gaga admits that those years of solitude scared her. “I think my biggest fear was doing this by myself – doing life on my own,” she tells the BBC. “And I think that the greatest gift has been meeting my partner, Michael, and being in the mayhem with him.” Quick-fire questions with Lady Gaga The couple have been together since 2020, and revealed their engagement at the Venice Film Festival last September – where Gaga wore her million-dollar engagement ring in public for the first time. In person, it’s dazzling, with a huge, oval-cut diamond set on a 18-karat white and rose gold diamond pavé band. But on her other hand, Gaga sports a smaller, more understated ring, featuring a few blades of grass set in resin. It turns out that this is the really special one. “Michael actually proposed to me with these blades of grass,” she reveals. “A long time ago, we were in the back yard, and he asked me, ‘If I ever proposed to you, like, how do I do that?’ “And I just said, ‘Just get a blade of grass from the back yard and wrap it around my finger and that will make me so happy’.” It was a deeply romantic gesture that came tinged with sadness. Gaga’s back yard in Malibu had previously played host to the wedding of her close friend, Sonja Durham, shortly before she died of ******* in 2017. “There was so much loss, but this happy thing was happening for me,” she recalls of Polansky’s proposal. “To get engaged at 38… I was thinking about what it took to get to this moment.” Getty Images Lady Gaga and Michael Polansky arrive at the Venice Film Festival in September, 2024 Frank LeBon The concept art for Lady Gaga’s new album references the idea of a dual or split personality Those feelings ultimately informed a song on her new album, Mayhem. Called (naturally) Blade of Grass, it finds the star singing about a “lovers’ kiss in a garden made of thorns”, and the promise of love in a time of darkness. She calls it a “thank you” to her partner. And fans might have a reason to thank him, too. Mayhem marks Gaga’s full throttle return to pop, after a ******* where she’d been preoccupied with her film career, and spin-off albums that dabbled in jazz and the classic American songbook. Speaking to Vogue last year, the singer revealed it was her fiancé who’d nudged her in that direction. “He was like, ‘*****. I love you. You need to make pop music’,” she said. “On the Chromatica tour, I saw a fire in her,” Polansky added. “I wanted to help her keep that alive all the time and just start making music that made her happy.” ‘Angriest song’ With that approach, the album goes right back to the sucker-punch sound of Gaga’s early hits like Poker Face, Just Dance and Born This Way. On the latest single, Abracadabra, she even revisits the “roma-ma-ma” gibberish of Bad Romance – although this time there’s a reference to death, as she sings, “morta-ooh-Gaga”. In the album’s artwork, her face is reflected in a broken mirror. In the videos, she squares off against earlier versions of herself. There’s an overwhelming sense that the artist Stefani Germanotta is reckoning with the stage persona she created. It all comes to a head on a track called Perfect Celebrity where she sings, “I became a notorious being” – a lyric that, like the meat dress before it, strips away her humanity. “That’s probably the most angry song about fame I’ve ever written,” she says. “I’d created this public persona that I was truly becoming in every way – and holding the duality of that, knowing where I begin and Lady Gaga ends, was really a challenge. “It kind of took me down.” Getty Images The star was besieged by media at the start of her career. How did she reconcile the public and private sides of her life? “I think what I actually realised is that it’s healthier to not have a dividing line and to integrate those two things into one whole human being,” she says. “The healthiest thing for me was owning that I’m a female artist and that living an artistic life was my choice. “I am a lover of songwriting. I’m a lover of making music, of rehearsing, choreography, stage production, costumes, lighting, putting on a show. “That is what it means to be Lady Gaga. It’s the artist behind it all.” In previous interviews, the musician has spoken of how she dissociated from Lady Gaga. For a time, she believed the character was responsible for all her success, and she had contributed nothing. Mayhem marks the moment where she reclaims ownership of her music, not just from “Lady Gaga” but from other producers and writers in her orbit. “When I was younger, people tried take credit for my sound, or my image [but] all of my references, all of my imagination of what pop music could be, came from me. “So I really wanted to revisit my earlier inspirations and my career and own it as my invention, for once and for all.” Getty Images The singer surprised fans in France with previews of her new music last summer From the outset, it was obvious that Gaga was excited about this new phase. Last summer, after performing at the Olympics opening ceremony, she took to the streets of Paris and played early demos of her new music to fans who’d gathered outside her hotel. It was a spur of the moment decision, yet it marked another effort to restore the spontaneity of her early career. “This has been something I’ve done for almost 20 years, where I played my fans my music way before it came out,” she says. “I used to, after my shows, invite fans backstage, and we’d hang out and I’d play them demos and see what they thought of the music. “I’m sure you can imagine that after 20 years, you don’t expect that people are still going to show up to hear your music and be excited to see you. So, I just wanted to share it with them, because I was excited that they were there.” Interscope / Lady Gaga Gaga’s new music is a return to the maximalist, bone-shaking Europop of her early days As an interviewer, this is a full-circle moment for me, too. I last interviewed Lady Gaga in 2009, as Just Dance hit number one in the ***. Back then, she was giddy with excitement, chatting enthusiastically about her love of John Lennon, calling herself a “heroin addict” for English tea, and promising to email me an MP3 of Blueberry Kisses – an unreleased song that is, quite brilliantly, about performing a sex act while your breath smells of blueberry flavoured coffee. Over the years, I’ve seen her interviews become more guarded. She’d wear outrageous costumes or jet-****** sunglasses, deliberately putting a barrier between her and the journalist. But the Gaga I meet in New York is the same one I spoke to 16 years ago: comfortable with herself, and brimming with enthusiasm. She puts that ease down to “growing up and living a full life”. “Being there for my friends, being there for my family, meeting my amazing fiancé – all of these things made me a whole person, instead of the most important thing being my stage persona.” With an air of finality, she adds: “I wanted Mayhem to have an ending. I wanted the chaos to stop. “I stepped away from the icon. It ends with love.” Source link #biggest #fear Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

ASX sell-off deepens as red week continues ASX sell-off deepens as red week continues The *********** share market has fallen to its lowest level in almost six months as uncertainty over global trade sends investors looking for cover. Source link #ASX #selloff #deepens #red #week #continues Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

School bus crashes into tree in Butler County, Pennsylvania School bus crashes into tree in Butler County, Pennsylvania School bus crashes into tree in Butler County, Pennsylvania Source link #School #bus #crashes #tree #Butler #County #Pennsylvania Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Pokemon Go Fest Heads To Paris This Summer Pokemon Go Fest Heads To Paris This Summer Pokemon Go is on the go again and traveling to the city of lights. Niantic, the developer of Pokemon Go, has announced that Pokemon Go Fest is heading to Paris, France and inviting trainers from all over the world to take part in the celebration. Via the Pokemon Go official site, Pokemon Go Fest: Paris will take place in the city of Paris and the Parc de Sceaux from June 13-15. Early bird tickets are on ***** today, March 6, before the tickets go up to full price on April 2. This event will feature the Pokemon Go debut of Volcanion, Every player with a ticket will receive access to special research about the creature and get a chance to encounter it. The official poster for Pokemon Go Fest: Paris Players on hand will also have the first opportunity to see the new forms of Crowned Sword Zacian and Crowned Shield Zamazenta during Five Star Raids. As in Pokemon Go Fest’s previous stops, Niantic will provide a curated route that will let players take in some of Paris’ landmarks while keeping an eye out for elusive Pokemon. The Parc de Sceaux will have real-life Pokemon habitats where players can meet Pokemon mascots and trainers, compete head-to-head in the PVP battle ground, and shop for exclusive merchandise. “The charm of Paris, its walkability, and its globally recognized landmarks create the perfect playground for Pokémon GO Fest,” said Pokemon Go Live Events Marketing Manager Lena Cillis in a statement. “We’re eager to see Trainers explore this beautiful city and the elegant Parc de Sceaux alongside France’s passionate community and visitors from around the world.” Before this event, Pokemon Go Fest will visit Osaka, Japan from May 29-June 1, and Jersey City, New Jersey from June 6-8. Following Pokemon Go Fest: Paris, Ninatic will hold a Pokemon Go Fest Global event from June 28-29. If you’re looking for something to do sooner, Niantic has already shared the Pokemon Go events for March. Outside of Pokemon Go, The Pokemon Company CEO Tsunekazu Ishihara recently suggested that the franchise could go downhill if the company ever loses its focus. So far, there are no signs of that happening. In fact, the next Pokemon Switch game, Pokemon Legends Z-A, recently unveiled a few of its starter Pokeman ahead of its launch late this year. Source link #Pokemon #Fest #Heads #Paris #Summer Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

FAA halts flights to several Florida airports after SpaceX rocket testing failure – CNBC FAA halts flights to several Florida airports after SpaceX rocket testing failure – CNBC FAA halts flights to several Florida airports after SpaceX rocket testing failure CNBCSpaceX Starship rocket explodes after launch for second time this year AxiosSpaceX Starship megarocket upper stage lost again during 8th test flight; booster catch is successful Fox BusinessBreakup of SpaceX’s Starship Rocket Disrupts Florida Airports The New York Times Source link #FAA #halts #flights #Florida #airports #SpaceX #rocket #testing #failure #CNBC Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

‘Crossbow maniac’ and ‘show of unity’ for Ukraine ‘Crossbow maniac’ and ‘show of unity’ for Ukraine Kyle Clifford, who has been found guilty of raping his ex-girlfriend in an attack in which he murdered her and her sister with a crossbow and their mother with a knife, features on many newspaper front pages. The Sun cites prosecutors as saying the 26-year-old was influenced by social media influencer Andrew Tate. However, the judge ruled this was of limited relevance and of “great possible prejudice”, and that it should not be put before the jury. The Daily Express, which shows photos of the three victims, quotes the judge as saying Clifford’s crimes were “almost unspeakable”. It took the jury 45 minutes to convict Clifford of the ***** of his ex-girlfriend, which he had denied, the Daily Mail reports. It says their relationship ended two weeks before he carried out the crossbow and knife attacks. The Metro splashes with a survey for the paper which suggests nearly a quarter of people in the *** know a woman or girl who has been a victim of domestic abuse in the past year. It quotes Woman’s Aid chief executive Farah Nazeer as saying the findings show violence against women and girls “continues to be a national emergency”. US President Donald Trump is said by his defence secretary to be “very encouraged” by Ukraine’s commitment to peace, according to the Times. Pete Hegseth emphasised the US freeze on weapons to Ukraine was a “pause, pending a true commitment to a path to peace”, and not permanent, it says. A “huge defence spending rise” has been agreed by EU leaders during emergency talks in Brussels, the Guardian writes. It quotes Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky, who was at the summit, as saying: “We are very thankful that we are not alone.” The Financial Times says the Trump administration has “backtracked further” from its threat to impose 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada. The paper calls it a “big climbdown from its aggressive trade agenda”. It also refers to a “show of unity” from EU leaders who have pledged “enduring” support for Kyiv. The Telegraph says some of the ***’s biggest pension firms are restricting or blocking investment in the defence industry on “rigid” environmental, social and governance grounds. The fact that defence is excluded on ethical grounds has alarmed ministers, it says. More than 100 MPs and peers have signed an open letter urging Britain’s finance industry to “sweep away ill-considered anti defence rules” that limit investments in the arms industry, it adds. A warning from Chancellor Rachel Reeves, that unemployed Gen Z-ers face benefit cuts “if they aren’t looking for work”, leads the I. It says she has called the number of young people not in education, employment or training a “travesty” and said “the majority of these people should be working”. The three victims of Nottingham killer Valdo Calocane “may have been let down in death too”, says the Mirror. It says hospital bosses fear staff illegally accessed the A&E records for Ian Coates, Barnaby Webber and Grace O’Malley-Kumar. Dr Manjeet Shehmar, medical director at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, said she was sorry that this would add to their families’ suffering and said the investigation would “find out what happened”. The Daily Star warns of a “footie crisis”, with five-a-side pitches being “ripped up for la-di-dah padel courts”. “Is nothing sacred?” it asks. Source link #Crossbow #maniac #show #unity #Ukraine Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Broncos fly into Brisbane, beating Alfred and Roosters Broncos fly into Brisbane, beating Alfred and Roosters The Broncos have arrived home in Brisbane on a charter flight, leaving Sydney straight after steamrolling the Sydney Roosters in their NRL round-one clash. Source link #Broncos #fly #Brisbane #beating #Alfred #Roosters Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Retired Knoxville fire captain dies in accidental shooting on Interstate 640 Retired Knoxville fire captain dies in accidental shooting on Interstate 640 Retired Knoxville Fire Department Capt. Dennis Noe died in an accidental shooting March 5 on Interstate 640, Knoxville police said. Noe, 60, of Blaine, was driving a pickup truck on I-640 near Millertown Pike around 5:40 p.m. when a gun being handled by two ********* passengers discharged. Noe was taken to UT Medical Center, where he died. “In consultation with the Knox County District Attorney’s Office, no charges have been filed at this time,” Knoxville Police Department spokesman Scott Erland wrote in a news release. This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Retired Knoxville fire captain dies in accidental shooting on I-640 Source link #Retired #Knoxville #fire #captain #dies #accidental #shooting #Interstate Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Dow Jones Futures: Trump Blames 'Globalists' For Market Dive; Palantir Plunges As Broadcom Jumps Late – Investor's Business Daily Dow Jones Futures: Trump Blames 'Globalists' For Market Dive; Palantir Plunges As Broadcom Jumps Late – Investor's Business Daily Dow Jones Futures: Trump Blames ‘Globalists’ For Market Dive; Palantir Plunges As Broadcom Jumps Late Investor’s Business DailyUS stocks slide and Nasdaq enters correction as chaos over Trump’s tariffs intensifies CNNNasdaq confirms correction amid US trade policy uncertainty Yahoo FinanceWall Street tumbles as tariff whiplash and falling AI stocks drag Nasdaq 10% below its record The Associated Press Source link #Dow #Jones #Futures #Trump #Blames #039Globalists039 #Market #Dive #Palantir #Plunges #Broadcom #Jumps #Late #Investor039s #Business #Daily Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Star Entertainment unable to reach funding agreement Star Entertainment unable to reach funding agreement A lifeline for casino operator Star Entertainment has fallen through, piling more pressure on the embattled business. Source link #Star #Entertainment #unable #reach #funding #agreement Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Andrew Ellison’s Resource Development Group in hot water over ******** evaporation ponds Andrew Ellison’s Resource Development Group in hot water over ******** evaporation ponds A Mineral Resources subsidiary run by Chris Ellison’s brother is facing punishment for building solar evaporation ponds at its cash-draining garnet mine near Kalbarri. Source link #Andrew #Ellisons #Resource #Development #Group #hot #water #******** #evaporation #ponds Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Top FEMA official fired over payments for NYC migrants says DOGE gave approval Top FEMA official fired over payments for NYC migrants says DOGE gave approval Top FEMA official fired over payments for NYC migrants says DOGE gave approval – CBS News Watch CBS News Former FEMA CFO Mary Comans, who was fired in February by the Trump administration for sending payments to New York City to cover hotels for migrants, says she was following DOGE’s directions. Comans speaks out for the first time since her firing in an exclusive interview with “CBS Evening News” co-anchor Maurice DuBois. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On Source link #Top #FEMA #official #fired #payments #NYC #migrants #DOGE #gave #approval Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Former Oklahoma City ‘First Lady’ dies of ******* Former Oklahoma City ‘First Lady’ dies of ******* OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — Oklahoma civic leader, Terri Cornett passed away on Thursday after a battle with *******. Cornett served as First Lady for Oklahoma City during her husband, Mick Cornett’s final term as mayor. The two met in Tulsa, where Terry worked in advertising. During her time in Oklahoma City, she immersed herself in community organizations, including serving as Development Consultant for Allied Arts. Former OKC Mayor Mick Cornett and Terri Cornett, with members of Allied Arts. Image courtesy Allied Arts Her coworkers at that organization released a statement shortly after Cornett’s death. “Joining community, civic and cultural leaders across the state, the staff and board of Allied Arts profoundly mourns the loss of Terri Cornett. We had the great pleasure of working closely with Terri over the course of nearly 10 years. As Development Consultant for Allied Arts, Terri brought her sales and marketing acumen – along with her positive and kind spirit – to our fundraising efforts, elevating our donor management, prospecting and stewardship practices. In addition to managing a significant donor portfolio representing $2 million in contributions and employee giving campaigns, Terri played an instrumental role in new and exciting endeavors for Allied Arts including: winning the national nonprofit fundraising challenge, Brackets for Good; facilitating partnerships with major local and national companies as well as celebrities; and securing a piece of public art in downtown Oklahoma City to commemorate the Allied Arts 50th anniversary. We have sadly lost one of the most resolute and effective advocates for the arts in Oklahoma. In addition to her unrelenting passion and energy to champion on behalf of cultural, health and education causes, Terri was a friend to all – always sharing a genuine smile and her generous heart to anyone she encountered. We will miss Terri; the grace and compassion that she brought to Allied Arts cannot be replaced.” Sunny Cearley, President Allied Arts 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 KFOR.com Oklahoma City. Source link #Oklahoma #City #Lady #dies #******* Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Intuitive Machines: Athena lander reached the moon – but seems to have fallen over Intuitive Machines: Athena lander reached the moon – but seems to have fallen over The IM-2 mission in low lunar orbit Intuitive Machines Intuitive Machines’ Athena lander has made it to the moon, but it seems to have fallen over. The lander is still working, but it is not yet clear which parts of its mission it will still be able to accomplish. The spacecraft launched onboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Cape Canaveral, Florida on 27 February. It landed on 6 March, but the landing wasn’t entirely successful and its precise location or orientation on the lunar surface is still unclear. “We don’t believe we’re in the correct attitude on the surface of the moon, yet again,” said Intuitive Machines CEO Stephen Altemus in a press conference shortly after the landing. This is a similar result to the company’s last attempt to land on the moon: the Odysseus spacecraft. It marked first time that a private firm had landed a spacecraft on the lunar surface, but it tipped over onto its side and was not able to send back much data. Athena has a variety of scientific instruments, but perhaps the most important of these is The Regolith and Ice Drill for Exploring New Terrain (TRIDENT), a NASA experiment designed to drill up to a metre through the lunar soil. It is intended to take samples from underground and analyse their contents, looking for water ice and other chemical compounds. “This experiment marks a significant milestone, as it will be the first robotic drilling activity conducted in the moon’s south pole region,” said Jacqueline Quinn at KSC in a 25 February press conference. If TRIDENT does still work, “it’s a crucial step towards understanding and harnessing lunar resources to support future exploration”, she said. As part of the IM-2 mission, Athena carried several rovers with it to the moon. One of them, nicknamed Grace after computer scientist and mathematician Grace Hopper, is designed to jump around the surface unlike any rover that has come before it, firing small boosters to jump up to 100 metres into the air and travel a distance of around 200 meters. Grace is intended to explore the moon’s strange, permanently shadowed craters. Athena’s operators have been able to send the craft commands and turn it and its scientific payloads on and off, and downlink some data back to Earth. The solar panels are also functioning to charge up the lander’s electronics. That seems to be good news, but the team is still working to figure out which of the instruments will be able to accomplish some of their scientific goals, said Altemus. This is part of a broader push for increased exploration in the moon, partly in preparation for planned human missions over the course of the next decade. Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost lander just made it to the moon on 2 March, and the Resilience lander from Japanese company ispace is en route. Topics: Source link #Intuitive #Machines #Athena #lander #reached #moon #fallen Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Envoy Keith Kellogg compares Ukraine intel sharing pause to “hitting a mule with a two-by-four” across nose Envoy Keith Kellogg compares Ukraine intel sharing pause to “hitting a mule with a two-by-four” across nose Retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, President Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, says Ukrainians brought the pause in U.S. intelligence sharing “on themselves.” It’s “sort of like hitting a mule with a two-by-four across the nose,” Kellogg said of the impact of the intelligence pause on the battlefield. “Got their attention.” The intelligence the U.S. has been sharing has been critical in helping Ukraine strike Russian military targets, as well as anticipate and block Russian attacks. “But it’s a pause. It’s not an end,” Kellogg told CBS News chief foreign affairs correspondent Margaret Brennan in an interview at the Council on Foreign Relations Thursday. “But it’s sort of of like, okay, we’re trying to get your attention.” “That’s a pretty major concession to Russia, to constrain Ukraine’s ability to target and hit Russian forces,” Brennan said, pointing out, “this pressure really seems to be directly impacting, potentially, what they can do on the battlefield.” “Very candidly, they brought it on themselves,” Kellogg responded, to hisses from the audience. U.S. Ukraine and Russia Special Envoy Kellogg on How the War Might End by Council on Foreign Relations on YouTube CIA Director John Ratcliffe acknowledged the intelligence sharing pause Wednesday, a move that followed the contentious White House visit by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last Friday. The meeting with President Trump was supposed to culminate in the signing of a rare earth minerals deal but instead ended in recrimination, as Zelenskyy sought to remind the president and Vice President JD Vance of the treaties Russian President Vladimir Putin has broken in the past, while Mr. Trump and Vance berated the Ukrainian leader in the Oval Office, accusing him of not saying “thank you” for U.S. military aid. Though Kellogg indicated that intelligence sharing could resume, he declined to say when. “That’s up to the president of the United States,” he told Brennan. Kellogg also said the Trump administration would be willing to work with Zelenskyy once the minerals agreement is finalized. “Sign a document, and then once you sign the document that you want to go forward, that you’re serious about it, then I think you can move forward,” said Kellogg. “When I was in Kyiv two weeks ago, I was very clear to President Zelenskyy — the outcome if we didn’t have a signed agreement.” File: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoy, General Keith Kellogg, meet in Kyiv, Ukraine, on February 20, 2025. Maxym Marusenko/NurPhoto via Getty Images Secretary of State Marco Rubio is now likely to be the administration official who signs the deal with Ukraine. And next week, on Tuesday or Wednesday, Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff expects to meet with Ukrainian officials in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, he told reporters Thursday. Witkoff met with Putin for about three and a half hours last month in Russia and returned to the U.S. with “an indication of where the Russians are” on peace negotiations, Kellogg said. “We want to do the same thing with the Ukrainians, as well,” Kellogg told Brennan. Notably, Kellogg denied an earlier statement by Witkoff that the Istanbul protocol, drafted shortly after the invasion of Ukraine, could serve as the basis for a peace deal framework between Ukraine and Russia. The right-leaning Institute for the Study of War describes the Istanbul protocol as “entirely incompatible with the current stated U.S. policy” and argues it “cannot be the basis or guidepost for negotiations that amount to anything other than capitulation to Russia’s pre-war demands.” The institute noted that a draft of that agreement would have had Ukraine surrender its sovereignty and would have prevented it from maintaining armed forces sufficient to deter a Russian attack. “Steve said it’s a departure point. I think that’s a good word to use,” said Kellogg. “I don’t believe for all of us that that is an equitable framework. And I think we have to develop something entirely new,” he continued. “I think Steve made a comment as a general comment, and it is not the Trump administration policy because they haven’t made their policy,” he added. At this point, Kellogg estimates that the Ukrainians should have enough military aid to continue fighting through the summer. “They have an ability with the assets they’ve got to continue to prosecute the fight, to do it,” said Kellogg. Kellogg would not confirm that as part of a peace agreement the U.S. would backstop any European peacekeeping forces by providing security guarantees to Ukraine. “That’s part of the discussion we’re having with the Europeans as well — when you talk what does [a] backstop look like,” said Kellogg. “What does that look like on the economic side, what do sanctions look like, what do frozen assets, whatever it’s going to be? And then we also look at the military side as well,” he said. Beyond bringing the conflict to a close, Kellogg also said president seeks a “reset” of U.S. relations with Russia. “The need to reset relations with Russia to secure Americans’ vital national interest, and ultimately, to stop U.S. entanglement in an endless proxy war, are the driving reasons why President Trump’s approach and the framing of this war is distinct from the broader, conventional approach that we see publicly to the war,” said Kellogg. He acknowledged, however, that existing sanctions against Russia need to be enforced more aggressively to be more effective. If you ranked U.S. sanctions against Russia on a scale of 1 to 7, he said, “the problem is with enforcement, we’re probably at a 3.” “I think the most important thing is the enforcement of sanctions — not necessarily the sanctions themselves,” he added. Richard Escobedo contributed to this report. More Sophia Barkoff Sophia Barkoff is a broadcast associate with CBS News’ “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan.” She covers foreign affairs, often focusing on national security and U.S. foreign policy with an emphasis on Russia and Eastern Europe. Source link #Envoy #Keith #Kellogg #compares #Ukraine #intel #sharing #pause #hitting #mule #twobyfour #nose Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Trump paused some tariffs, Nasdaq in correction Trump paused some tariffs, Nasdaq in correction U.S. President Donald Trump holds an executive order in the Oval Office, at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S. March 6, 2025. Evelyn Hockstein | Reuters U.S. President Donald Trump expanded his tariff pause to goods coming in from Canada and Mexico, so long as they satisfy terms of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, a trade deal between all countries. Unlike Trump’s Wednesday reprieve to automakers, which bumped up stocks, investors weren’t relieved this time. All major U.S. benchmarks sank, with the Nasdaq Composite limping into correction territory and losing its post-election Trump bump. That might be because the Trump administration seems to be doubling down on tariffs, even as it acknowledges — and dismisses — the repercussions of such levies. Trump brushed off the idea that he’s watching the markets, causing dismay in investors who were banking on the “Trump put,” the idea that the current president would prevent a steep drop in the stocks. Meanwhile, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent waved away the idea of “cheap goods” as integral to the “American dream.” What you need to know today Tariff pause on some goodsGoods imported into the U.S. from Canada and Mexico, and which are compliant with the North American trade agreement known as the USMCA, will be temporarily excluded from U.S. President Donald Trump’s 25% tariffs on both countries, a White House official told reporters Thursday. That covers around 38% of ********* imports and 50% of ******** ones, according to another official. The reprieve will last until April 2. ‘Not even looking at the market’: TrumpWhen asked on Thursday whether the decision to pause tariffs on many products from Canada and Mexico for one month was because of the stock market, Trump said it had he’s “not even looking at the market.” He added, in the long term “the United States will be very strong with what is happening here.” On the same day, U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told CNBC, “The president is focused on rebuilding America … You’re going to see the stock market explode.” U.S. Treasury Secretary dismisses ‘cheap goods’U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Thursday said during a speech to the Economic Club of New York that “access to cheap goods is not the essence of the American dream.” He added that Trump considers tariffs to have three benefits: as a revenue source for the government, as a way to protect industries and workers from unfair practices around the world, and as “the third leg to the stool” as Trump “uses it for negotiating.” More layoffs than during pandemic eraU.S. employers announced 172,017 layoffs for February, up 245% from the previous month and the highest monthly count since July 2020 during the Covid pandemic, outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas reported Thursday. More than one-third of the total came from billionaire Elon Musk’s efforts, with Trump’s blessing, to slash the federal headcount. Challenger put the total of announced federal job cuts at 62,242. U.S. markets grow tired of tariff changesU.S. stocks tumbled Thursday on tariff flip-flop fatigue. The S&P 500 fell 1.78% and the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 0.99%. The Nasdaq Composite slumped 2.61% to enter correction territory, meaning it has fallen 10% from a recent high. The tech-heavy index has also wiped out all its post-election gains. Europe’s Stoxx 600 index edged down 0.03% as investors digested the European Central Bank’s latest rate cut. Germany’s DAX rose 1.47% after hitting a record high earlier in the trading day. European Central Bank cuts ratesThe European Central Bank on Thursday cut interest rates by 25 basis points and updated the language in its decision to say monetary policy was becoming “meaningfully less restrictive.” The cut brings the ECB’s deposit facility rate, its key rate, to 2.5% — a move that markets had widely priced in before the announcement. ECB President Christine Lagarde said no Governing Council members opposed the cut, but one central bank governor abstained. [PRO] Semi ETF forms dreaded patternThe early part of 2025 has not been kind to semiconductor stocks. An ETF tracking a basket of semiconductor companies is down double digits in the past month, in contrast to its 38.5% jump in 2024. The semiconductor ETF’s latest movement has formed a dreaded chart pattern — the first time it’s done so in more than two years — which could signal more trouble ahead. And finally… Traders across the globe are monitoring updates to U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade policy. Spencer Platt | Getty Images Global bonds sell off as investors react to Trump’s tariffs and a ******* ‘paradigm shift’ Government borrowing costs rose across the globe on Thursday. Yields on ******* government bonds skyrocketed on Wednesday, with the yield on the 10-year debt instruments adding around 30 basis points. The 10-year bund yield, seen as a benchmark for the wider euro zone, rose at the start of Thursday’s trading session before trending lower. Deutsche Bank research strategist Jim Reid said in a note to clients on Thursday morning that Germany’s political gear shift had helped fuel a greater appetite for riskier assets in Europe. “There’s no doubt that markets are pricing in a once-in-a-generation policy regime shift, which has brought about a huge risk-on move for European assets,” he said. Source link #Trump #paused #tariffs #Nasdaq #correction Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Trump tells Cabinet members they’re in charge of staffing as business leaders and Republicans complain about Musk – CNN Trump tells Cabinet members they’re in charge of staffing as business leaders and Republicans complain about Musk – CNN Trump tells Cabinet members they’re in charge of staffing as business leaders and Republicans complain about Musk CNNTrump Says Future Job Cuts Will Be Done With ‘Scalpel’ Not a ‘Hatchet’ The New York TimesTrump tells Cabinet that they, not Musk, should ‘go first’ in cutting workers The Washington Post Source link #Trump #tells #Cabinet #members #theyre #charge #staffing #business #leaders #Republicans #complain #Musk #CNN Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Anthony Albanese urged to confirm federal budget over $1200-a-head budget dinner invites Anthony Albanese urged to confirm federal budget over $1200-a-head budget dinner invites The PM was asked to offer certainty on whether Labor would hand down a budget on March 25, after-party members were sent invites for the fundraiser. Source link #Anthony #Albanese #urged #confirm #federal #budget #1200ahead #budget #dinner #invites Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

SpaceX loses control of Starship in space in testing failure SpaceX loses control of Starship in space in testing failure By Joey Roulette (Reuters) – Elon Musk’s SpaceX lost contact with its Starship rocket in space on Thursday during its eighth test mission, dooming a satellite deployment demonstration in the company’s second consecutive Starship failure this year. Several videos on social media showed debris streaking through the dusk skies near south Florida and the Bahamas after Starship’s breakup in space, which occurred after a SpaceX live stream of the mission showed it tumbling uncontrollably. Trusted news and daily delights, right in your inbox See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. The 403-foot(123-meter) rocket system had lifted off at about 6:30 p.m. ET (2300 GMT) from SpaceX’s sprawling Boca Chica, Texas, rocket facilities, with its Super Heavy first stage booster returning back to land as planned. But minutes later, SpaceX’s live stream showed the Starship upper stage spinning in space, while a visualization of the rocket’s engines showed multiple engines shut down before the company confirmed it had lost contact with the ship. “Unfortunately this happened last time too, so we’ve got some practice now,” SpaceX spokesman Dan Huot said on the live stream. The Federal Aviation Administration issued ground stops at Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Palm Beach and Orlando airports because of “space launch debris” until at least 8 pm ET. The failure is another setback for SpaceX’s whirlwind Starship development program. Musk, SpaceX’s CEO, has pushed for swift advances in the rocket’s development in 2025. But a failure in Starship’s first attempt to launch since exploding in space in January puts a dent in Musk’s development vision as he aims to build a rocket capable of sending ******* batches of satellites to space as well as humans to the moon and Mars. The Starship failure in January ended eight minutes into flight when the rocket exploded in space, raining debris over Caribbean islands. (Reporting by Joey Roulette; Editing by Leslie Adler and Sandra Maler) Source link #SpaceX #loses #control #Starship #space #testing #failure Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Trump’s push to fire federal workers and slash spending hits roadblocks in the courts – PBS NewsHour Trump’s push to fire federal workers and slash spending hits roadblocks in the courts – PBS NewsHour Trump’s push to fire federal workers and slash spending hits roadblocks in the courts PBS NewsHourTrump tells Cabinet that they, not Musk, should ‘go first’ in cutting workers The Washington PostTrump Says Future Job Cuts Will Be Done With ‘Scalpel’ Not a ‘Hatchet’ The New York Times Source link #Trumps #push #fire #federal #workers #slash #spending #hits #roadblocks #courts #PBS #NewsHour Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

7 students, driver injured after Mars elementary school bus crashes into tree in Butler County 7 students, driver injured after Mars elementary school bus crashes into tree in Butler County Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what’s in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience.Generate Key Takeaways Seven students and a bus driver were taken to the hospital after a school bus for the Mars Area School District crashed into a tree in Butler County. PHOTOS: School bus crashes into tree in Adams Township The ****** happened a little after 8 a.m. Thursday morning in 1600 block of Three Degree Road in Adams Township. A mass-casualty incident was initially declared for crews to get enough EMS resources to the scene. Mars Area School District superintendent Dr. Mark Gross said the all students on the bus at the time of the ****** were evaluated by medics, and their parents were contacted. UPMC originally confirmed to Channel 11 that they were treating two patients from the bus ****** at Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh. At 3:17 p.m., UPMC provided an update saying that seven students were taken to a hospital. Three children were taken to Children’s Hospital. They have all been released. Four other patients were treated at UPMC Passavant Cranberry. At 4:42 p.m. UPMC said all patients had been released. The bus driver’s condition is currently not known. They were taken to Allegheny General Hospital. Gross said students that were determined by medics to be “not injured” were placed on another bus to continue to school. When those students arrived at the school, they were checked by the school nurse before going to class. Social workers will be available for any students who need assistance throughout the day on Thursday and Monday, Gross said. Friday is an in-service day for students but guidance counselors will still be available if needed. “The District would like to thank our first responders and school personnel for their quick and diligent response to this accident. In addition, we appreciate your patience and cooperation as we make every effort to safely transport your child(ren) to and from school,” Gross said in a statement. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW Source link #students #driver #injured #Mars #elementary #school #bus #crashes #tree #Butler #County Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Huge Impact Crater in Australia Breaks Record for World’s Oldest by Over a Billion Years – Gizmodo Huge Impact Crater in Australia Breaks Record for World’s Oldest by Over a Billion Years – Gizmodo Huge Impact Crater in Australia Breaks Record for World’s Oldest by Over a Billion Years GizmodoA Paleoarchaean impact crater in the Pilbara Craton, Western Australia Nature.comEarth’s oldest-known impact crater discovered in outback WA ABC NewsScientists find crater that rewrites the history of Earth The IndependentEarth’s oldest meteorite crater found in Australia Yahoo Source link #Huge #Impact #Crater #Australia #Breaks #Record #Worlds #Oldest #Billion #Years #Gizmodo Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Cyclone Alfred: PM says ‘now is not the time for sightseeing’ as he outlines preparations for monster storm Cyclone Alfred: PM says ‘now is not the time for sightseeing’ as he outlines preparations for monster storm Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has rallied the country to “hope for the best, but prepare for the worst”, with Tropical Cyclone Alfred now less than 24 hours from landfall on Australia’s eastern coastline. Mr Albanese, who is coordinating the Government’s response from Canberra, said he had approved the request for 120 ADF personnel to depart immediately for New South Wales as the cyclone’s heavy rains begin to make an impact on local communities. The ADF will help conduct ******** checks on vulnerable community members and offer support with road clearance, sandbagging and access to critical infrastructure damage assessment and essential services. The Department of Health’s and Aged Care national incident centre has also been activated. Mr Albanese said more than 375,000 sandbags have now been delivered and generators were already in the national stockpile to meet State government requests. The Bureau of Meteorology on Friday morning said Cyclone Alfred was now just 140kms away from the coast and warned that the system’s slow-moving path would bring extremely dangerous conditions for a longer *******. The warning was echoed by Mr Albanese as he gave an update on the looming crisis from the National Situation Room. “This is already having an impact,” he said. “We should not think that slower means better,” he cautioned, adding that warmer waters could increase the cyclone’s intensity. The cyclone was now forecast to make landfall “in the early hours of tomorrow morning or at some stage tomorrow. It would appear rainfall and wind impacts are expected to continue increasing throughout today,” said the Prime Minister, urging the public to stay away from the coast. “Can I say that everyone has to accept personal responsibility. This isn’t a time for sightseeing or for seeing what it’s like to experience these conditions first hand. Please stay safe,” he said. “I do want to thank the emergency services personnel, local government, disaster management staff and the thousands of volunteers working to keep our community safe,” he added. He also praised Australia’s resilience and spirit in times of crisis. “We rally. We lift each other up. We look out for our neighbours. We look out for our local community,” he said. “Communities come together at a time like this, and to the local MPs and mayors I’ve spoken to, that is what we are seeing here. We get each other through the dark times, hour by hour and day by day.” Source link #Cyclone #Alfred #time #sightseeing #outlines #preparations #monster #storm Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Plane Used To Drop Argentine Political Prisoners To Their Deaths Found In Florida Plane Used To Drop Argentine Political Prisoners To Their Deaths Found In Florida Florida has it all: sprawling retirement communities, womanizing police impersonators and planes used to commit acts of unspeakable horror. A Skyvan PA-51 used by Argentina’s military dictatorship to throw alleged dissidents to their deaths in the South Atlantic Ocean was found in Florida in 2008. The discovery shed light on how the regime terrorized its own population in the 1970s and eventually led to the aircraft’s return to Buenos Aires in 2023. The Skyan’s location was uncovered by Argentine journalist Miriam Lewin and Italian photographer Giancarlo Ceraudo. The duo recently shared their story with CBS’s “60 Minutes.” Lewin was a student activist during the 1970s. The military kidnapped, tortured and ********* abused her during the Dirty War, the term used by the regime. Lewin was lucky to survive her imprisonment in the basement of the Navy School of Mechanics (or ESMA), as it’s estimated that the government killed up to 30,000 people. Read more: Here’s Why You Always Board Planes On The Left A Military School Turned Into A Death Camp Museo Sitio de Memoria ESMA, Buenos Aires, Argentina. – Roberto Fiadone / Wikimedia Commons During the Dirty War, ESMA was a secret death camp in the middle of Buenos Aires. The school’s sadistic officers explored various cruel methods of executing its captives before settling on its death flights. Prisoners were told that they were being vaccinated but were actually sedated. The military then loaded the still-conscious captives onto a Skyvan plane for a one-way trip. They were tossed out of the back at 10,000 feet over the ocean to their certain death. For comparison, the Golden Gate Bridge’s road deck is 220 feet over the water. Lewin said: “Death flights allowed them to disappeared the bodies of the disappeared. No trail, no clues whatsoever that could incriminate them.” The Argentine military bought five British-built Skyvan PA-51s in the 1970s. The twin-turboprop plane was commonly used for transporting troops and cargo because its large rear door. Coincidentally, two of the planes were shot down by the British military during the Falklands War, the 1982 conflict that helped precipitate the regime’s collapse the following year. Found Plane Helped Lead To Life Sentences The rear door of a Skyvan converted to skydiving use – DanNav / Wikimedia Commons The three surviving Skyvans were sold off. In 2008, Lewin and Ceraudo discovered that a skydiving company in Fort Lauderdale, Florida had one of the planes. The new owners were completely unaware of the aircraft’s dark past but happily handed over the Skyvan’s logs. With that information, the duo found the first concrete evidence that the death flights took place. The plane was connected to a death flight where the bodies were actually recovered. A storm washed six bodies ashore over 200 miles away from the Argentine capital and buried in unmarked graves just days after the flight. The bodies were finally exhumed and identified in 2005. Five of the victims were from a group of mothers and nuns kidnapped from Holy Cross Church in Buenos Aires. The regime condemned these innocent people for protesting to learn the whereabouts of their own disappeared children. This movement ultimately led to the dictatorship’s demise. The Plane Is Returned To ESMA A museum exhibit on the victims of the Dirty War – Espacio Memoria y Derechos Humanos The recovered logs also revealed the identity of the death flight’s pilots. They were still living average lives in Argentina. Two of them were commercial pilots for flag carrier Aerolíneas Argentinas. However, the country took action to confront its past and punish those who tormented the populace. In 2017, all the pilots of all death flights were sentenced to life in prison after 48 people tied to ESMA were tried for crimes against humanity. The reporting of Lewin and Ceraudo played a crucial role during the trial. The Fort Lauderdale Skyvan PA-51 was returned to Argentina in June 2023. It is now on display at ESMA, now a museum dedicated to the disappeared during the Dirty War. The vehicles often preserved for their historical significance are successful racing machines or were previously owned by famous people. Cars tied to tragic events are often left to rot or destroyed. For example, the 1966 Lincoln Continental used by Martin Luther King Jr. during his final trip to Memphis, where he was assassinated, ended up in a vacant lot behind an auto shop until 2001. History should be remembered not only to celebrate the successes but also to learn from the horrors. Want more like this? Join the Jalopnik newsletter to get the latest auto news sent straight to your inbox… Read the original article on Jalopnik. Source link #Plane #Drop #Argentine #Political #Prisoners #Deaths #Florida Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Trump Says Future Job Cuts Will Be Done With ‘Scalpel’ Not a ‘Hatchet’ Trump Says Future Job Cuts Will Be Done With ‘Scalpel’ Not a ‘Hatchet’ President Trump announced on social media that the next phase of his government-gutting plan would be conducted with a “scalpel” rather than a “hatchet.” So far, Mr. Trump and his jobs-cutting partner, the tech billionaire Elon Musk, have directed mass firings, prompting lawsuits and sowing confusion across multiple departments, agencies and programs. Agencies fired tens of thousands of probationary employees, ignoring personnel laws and what value they brought to the agency. Mr. Trump said he met with “most of the Secretaries, Elon, and others” to discuss the next phase of reductions. That phase, a so-called reduction in force, is a process that is extremely specific, deliberative and time consuming. These are done when an agency is restructured. Mr. Trump has ordered agencies to turn in their plans by March 13. “As the Secretaries learn about, and understand, the people working for the various Departments, they can be very precise as to who will remain, and who will go,” Mr. Trump wrote on his social media site. “We say the ‘scalpel’ rather than the ‘hatchet.’” “It’s very important that we cut levels down to where they should be,” he added, “but it’s also important to keep the best and most productive people. We’re going to have these meetings every two weeks until that aspect of this very necessary job is done.” Compared with total employment in the United States, the federal work force has been shrinking for decades. Max Stier, president of the Partnership for Public Service, a think tank, described it as about the same size as in 1969. Source link #Trump #Future #Job #Cuts #Scalpel #Hatchet Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]