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Breaking down corrosion to predict failure and design stronger materials Breaking down corrosion to predict failure and design stronger materials Atomic force microscope image of porous nickel oxide formed during the dissolution-reprecipitation process. Credit: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory You’ve seen the movie scene: dilapidated skyscrapers, collapsed bridges, and empty, shell-like cars in a post-apocalyptic city. While Hollywood imagines fictional causes for this decay, in reality, the culprit is far more mundane: corrosion. Corrosion costs trillions of dollars globally, with up to 3% of the U.S. GDP spent on failing materials. New research from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) aims to tackle this issue by predicting failure and informing the design of better materials, up front. The findings are published in the journal Nature Communications. “Our current knowledge of corrosion is based on historical data from well-known and well-characterized metal compositions and processing,” said LLNL scientist and author Brandon Wood. “As soon as you alter the composition at all or alter the way the materials are processed, all bets are off.” Using a novel technique that employs advanced kinetic modeling, the team simulated corrosion processes with both speed and accuracy and identified the effects of operating conditions and material composition. The researchers focused their simulation efforts on the natural protective oxide film that forms on metals. This film is crucial for keeping the metal intact. If it dissolves or fractures, or if it becomes permeable to attack, corrosion creeps in. Simulation-experiment workflow for surface oxide evolution on Ni/Cr alloys. Credit: Nature Communications (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-54627-x Former LLNL postdoctoral researcher Penghao Xiao, now at Dalhousie University, developed the multi-scale simulations that capture how the oxide grows, dissolves and changes composition over time in response to environmental factors like pH and voltage. Since this approach is too cumbersome to deploy for every material and environment, the team trained a machine learning-inspired model to predict when and why corrosion occurs. With this framework, the authors examined three voltage regimes. While the environments with high and low voltages are well-studied and understood, the intermediate regime was a bit of a mystery. “Until now, no one was really able to explain what exactly was going on in that regime,” said LLNL scientist Chris Orme, who was the experimental lead on the project. “We showed there is competition between two processes: dissolution and reprecipitation. When molecules leave the surface, mix and redeposit, the oxide looks completely different.” While voltage may be applied directly in some systems, like batteries, the same phenomenon is surprisingly omnipresent in other contexts as well. “Putting certain metals close to one another creates a sort of microbattery that can drive corrosion,” Wood said. “This has been a problem in building ships and bridges, for instance. Our model can in principle account for such effects, while also being flexible enough to consider the interplay between the corrosive environment and the base metal composition.” That’s just one example of a scenario where this model might be helpful. By advancing our understanding of corrosion and developing predictive tools, this research paves the way for designing materials that can withstand the test of time. More information: Penghao Xiao et al, Atomic-scale understanding of oxide growth and dissolution kinetics of Ni-Cr alloys, Nature Communications (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-54627-x Provided by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Citation: Breaking down corrosion to predict failure and design stronger materials (2025, March 3) retrieved 3 March 2025 from This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only. Source link #Breaking #corrosion #predict #failure #design #stronger #materials Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Coalition channels Trump with work-from-home ban: PM Coalition channels Trump with work-from-home ban: PM Coalition plans to ban public servants working from home is straight out of the playbook of Donald Trump, the prime minister says. Public servants would be forced to work in the office five days per week should the coalition win the next election. The opposition’s finance spokeswoman Jane Hume, who outlined the coalition’s proposal in a speech on Monday night, said work-from-home arrangements had made parts of the public sector ineffective. “While work-from-home arrangements can work, in the case of the *********** public service, it has become a right that is creating inefficiency,” she said in the speech. “Work-from-home arrangements for public servants should only be in place when the arrangements work for the employee’s department, their team, and the individual. This isn’t controversial.” The latest employee census of federal public servants found 61 per cent work from home at least part of the week. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese hit out at the proposal, saying the approach to public servants from the coalition was copying that by the Trump administration in the US. “We don’t have to adopt all of America’s policies. What we have here from Peter Dutton is he’s so policy lazy, him and his team,” the PM told reporters in Sydney on Tuesday. Public Service Minister Katy Gallagher said the work-from-home ban would put women at a greater disadvantage due to the lack of flexible employment arrangements. “I would see this announcement, if you can call it that from the opposition, as certainly a step in the wrong direction for working women,” she told ABC Radio. “They clearly have no idea about how working families manage modern life. I mean, across the economy working-from-home arrangements are in place.” But Opposition Leader Peter Dutton said people not wanting to go back to the office in the public sector was unacceptable. “I don’t think it’s unreasonable that people like in many other workplaces are asked to go back to work for face-to-face contact and that’s exactly what will happen if there is a change of government after the election,” he told reporters in Brisbane. “We need an efficient delivery of government services.” Source link #Coalition #channels #Trump #workfromhome #ban Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Webb exposes complex atmosphere of starless super-Jupiter Webb exposes complex atmosphere of starless super-Jupiter These light curves show the change in brightness of three different sets of wavelengths (colors) of near-infrared light coming from the isolated planetary-mass object SIMP 0136 as it rotated. The light was captured by Webb’s NIRSpec (Near-Infrared Spectrograph), which collected a total of 5,726 spectra—one every 1.8 seconds—over the course of about 3 hours on July 23, 2023. The variations in brightness are thought to be related to different atmospheric features—deep clouds composed of iron particles, higher clouds made of tiny grains of silicate minerals, and high-altitude hot and cold spots—rotating in and out of view. The diagram at the right illustrates the possible structure of SIMP 0136’s atmosphere, with the colored arrows representing the same wavelengths of light shown in the light curves. Thick arrows represent more (brighter) light; thin arrows represent less (dimmer) light. Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, and Joseph Olmsted (STScI) An international team of researchers has discovered that previously observed variations in brightness of a free-floating planetary-mass object known as SIMP 0136 must be the result of a complex combination of atmospheric factors, and cannot be explained by clouds alone. Using NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope to monitor a broad spectrum of infrared light emitted over two full rotation periods by SIMP 0136, the team was able to detect variations in cloud layers, temperature, and carbon chemistry that were previously hidden from view. The results provide crucial insight into the three-dimensional complexity of gas giant atmospheres within and beyond our solar system. Detailed characterization of objects like these is essential preparation for direct imaging of exoplanets, planets outside our solar system, with NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, which is scheduled to begin operations in 2027. Rapidly rotating, free-floating SIMP 0136 is a rapidly rotating, free-floating object roughly 13 times the mass of Jupiter, located in the Milky Way just 20 light-years from Earth. Although it is not classified as a gas giant exoplanet—it doesn’t orbit a star and may instead be a brown dwarf—SIMP 0136 is an ideal target for exo-meteorology: It is the brightest object of its kind in the northern sky. Because it is isolated, it can be observed with no fear of light contamination or variability caused by a host star. And its short rotation ******* of just 2.4 hours makes it possible to survey very efficiently. Prior to the Webb observations, SIMP 0136 had been studied extensively using ground-based observatories and NASA’s Hubble and Spitzer space telescopes. “We already knew that it varies in brightness, and we were confident that there are patchy cloud layers that rotate in and out of view and evolve over time,” explained Allison McCarthy, doctoral student at Boston University and lead author on a study published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters. “We also thought there could be temperature variations, chemical reactions, and possibly some effects of auroral activity affecting the brightness, but we weren’t sure.” To figure it out, the team needed Webb’s ability to measure very precise changes in brightness over a broad range of wavelengths. Charting thousands of infrared rainbows Using NIRSpec (Near-Infrared Spectrograph), Webb captured thousands of individual 0.6- to 5.3-micron spectra—one every 1.8 seconds over more than three hours as the object completed one full rotation. This was immediately followed by an observation with MIRI (Mid-Infrared Instrument), which collected hundreds of spectroscopic measurements of 5- to 14-micron light—one every 19.2 seconds, over another rotation. This artist’s concept shows what the isolated planetary-mass object SIMP 0136 could look like based on recent observations from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope and previous observations from Hubble, Spitzer, and numerous ground-based telescopes. Researchers used Webb’s NIRSpec (Near-Infrared Spectrograph) and MIRI (Mid-Infrared Instrument) to measure subtle changes in the brightness of infrared light as the object completed two 2.4-hour rotations. By analyzing the change in brightness of different wavelengths over time, they were able to detect variability in cloud cover at different depths, temperature variations in the upper atmosphere, and changes in carbon chemistry as different sides of the object rotated in and out of view. This illustration is based on Webb’s spectroscopic observations. Webb has not captured a direct image of the object. Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, and Joseph Olmsted (STScI) The result was hundreds of detailed light curves, each showing the change in brightness of a very precise wavelength (color) as different sides of the object rotated into view. “To see the full spectrum of this object change over the course of minutes was incredible,” said principal investigator Johanna Vos, from Trinity College Dublin. “Until now, we only had a little slice of the near-infrared spectrum from Hubble, and a few brightness measurements from Spitzer.” The team noticed almost immediately that there were several distinct light-curve shapes. At any given time, some wavelengths were growing brighter, while others were becoming dimmer or not changing much at all. A number of different factors must affect the brightness variations. “Imagine watching Earth from far away. If you were to look at each color separately, you would see different patterns that tell you something about its surface and atmosphere, even if you couldn’t make out the individual features,” explained co-author Philip Muirhead, also from Boston University. “Blue would increase as oceans rotate into view. Changes in brown and green would tell you something about soil and vegetation.” Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matter—daily or weekly. Patchy clouds, hot spots, and carbon chemistry To figure out what could be causing the variability on SIMP 0136, the team used atmospheric models to show where in the atmosphere each wavelength of light was originating. “Different wavelengths provide information about different depths in the atmosphere,” explained McCarthy. “We started to realize that the wavelengths that had the most similar light-curve shapes also probed the same depths, which reinforced this idea that they must be caused by the same mechanism.” One group of wavelengths, for example, originates deep in the atmosphere where there could be patchy clouds made of iron particles. A second group comes from higher clouds thought to be made of tiny grains of silicate minerals. The variations in both of these light curves are related to patchiness of the cloud layers. A third group of wavelengths originates at very high altitude, far above the clouds, and seems to track temperature. Bright “hot spots” could be related to auroras that were previously detected at radio wavelengths, or to upwelling of hot gas from deeper in the atmosphere. Some of the light curves cannot be explained by either clouds or temperature, but instead show variations related to atmospheric carbon chemistry. There could be pockets of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide rotating in and out of view, or chemical reactions causing the atmosphere to change over time. “We haven’t really figured out the chemistry part of the puzzle yet,” said Vos. “But these results are really exciting because they are showing us that the abundances of molecules like methane and carbon dioxide could change from place to place and over time. If we are looking at an exoplanet and can get only one measurement, we need to consider that it might not be representative of the entire planet.” More information: Allison M. McCarthy et al, The JWST Weather Report from the Isolated Exoplanet Analog SIMP 0136+0933: Pressure-dependent Variability Driven by Multiple Mechanisms, The Astrophysical Journal Letters (2025). DOI: 10.3847/2041-8213/ad9eaf Citation: Webb exposes complex atmosphere of starless super-Jupiter (2025, March 3) retrieved 3 March 2025 from This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only. Source link #Webb #exposes #complex #atmosphere #starless #superJupiter Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Mobile woman charged with manslaughter after deadly ******: MPD Mobile woman charged with manslaughter after deadly ******: MPD MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG) — Mobile Police Department officers arrested a local woman after a deadly Sunday morning ******, News 5 has learned. Deadly Michigan Avenue area shooting under investigation in Mobile According to an MPD news release, officers were called to the Airport Boulevard and Florida Street intersection just after 12:15 a.m. for a three-vehicle ******. INCIDENT LOCATION Officials said when they arrived, they found a woman dead from the ******. According to the release, officers found that the victim was driving on Florida Street, attempting to cross Airport Boulevard, when another woman driving a truck — now identified as 23-year-old Shana Magbee — did not stop at the red light and hit the victim’s vehicle. A mugshot of Shana Magbee (Mobile County Sheriff’s Office). The third vehicle was stopped at the red light and was waiting to turn north on Florida Street when they were hit, according to officials. Semmes man dies after being hit by truck Magbee was arrested and charged with first-degree assault and manslaughter. 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 WKRG News 5. Source link #Mobile #woman #charged #manslaughter #deadly #****** #MPD Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Eco-friendly flotation method increases mineral yield Eco-friendly flotation method increases mineral yield Efficient optimization and upscaling of reagent systems in the froth flotation. Credit: Borhane Ben Said Flotation is one of the most important processes for separating minerals in the raw materials industry. Achieving the highest possible mineral enrichment requires the appropriate selection and dosage of reagents—a complex, time-consuming and cost-intensive procedure. Researchers at the Helmholtz Institute Freiberg for Resource Technology (HIF), which is part of the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, have developed a workflow for the economic and ecological optimization and upscaling of flotation reagents. Initial tests on an industrial scale have shown a significant increase in the concentration of valuable minerals and confirmed the effectiveness of the developed approach. The paper is published in the journal Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects. Within the flotation process, gas bubbles are added to a liquid with finely ground particles, and the bubbles adhere to particles with a water-repellent surface. These rise to the top with the attached air bubbles and form a froth layer that can be skimmed off. Mineral particles have different surface properties, but it is the selectively adsorbing reagents that determine to which particles gas bubbles can adhere. Various reagents—substances that trigger a reaction if contacted with certain other substances—are used to increase the efficiency of particle separation. However, quantifying the potential of new reagents in industrial flotation processes is very costly and time-consuming. “Flotation reagents are crucial for enrichment efficiency. Our knowledge about their effect has often only been based on laboratory-scale experiments. The selection and dosing of reagents has often been informal, subjective and empirical, based on experience. However, a reagent system consists of several components whose interactions are complex. “Simply replacing a reagent therefore rarely leads to the desired success. Instead, factors such as dosage, application method and interactions with other reagents and minerals must be taken into account,” says HIF doctoral student Borhane Ben Said, explaining the challenges. New workflow successfully tested on an industrial scale—Spin-off in preparation In the CoSilFlot project, Ben Said investigated the selective separation of scheelite and calcite using colloidal silica as a reagent. The experiments were statistically planned, numerically optimized and digitally processed so that a large number of flotation tests could be ruled out at an early stage and the optimum dosage ranges of the single reagents on an industrial scale were quickly determined. The methodology was successfully tested in an industrial flotation plant in Europe, where an increase in the valuable mineral content of up to 16% was achieved. “This underlines the enormous potential of our workflow. “We are currently working on various case studies in the follow-up project CoSilFlot+, including the replacement of highly toxic hydrofluoric acid with sodium fluoride in feldspar flotation and the implementation of biopolymers for the separation of chalcopyrite and molybdenite,” says Ben Said, describing the next steps. The results offer a good utilization opportunity for mining companies and manufacturers of flotation reagents, as the companies can respond better to changes in the case of complex mineral compositions. The flexibility is also advantageous for the implementation of environmentally friendly flotation reagents, as the mining industry is dependent on ecologically compatible reagents in the future. In addition, the workflow offers good prospects of being spun off as a company. “Following successful validation, we plan to establish a spin-off that will offer the CoSilFlot+ workflow as an engineering service for mining companies and chemical manufacturers. The aim is to bring both players together to develop efficient and environmentally friendly solutions and further optimize process results. “At the same time, manufacturers of flotation reagents can open up new applications for their products and thus improve their market opportunities,” says Ben Said. More information: B. Ben Said et al, Nanoparticle depressants in froth flotation – The effect of colloidal silica with different size and surface modifications on the selective separation of semi-soluble salt type minerals, Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfa.2024.133697 Provided by Helmholtz Association of ******* Research Centres Citation: Eco-friendly flotation method increases mineral yield (2025, March 3) retrieved 3 March 2025 from This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only. Source link #Ecofriendly #flotation #method #increases #mineral #yield Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

SpaceX scrubs Monday's 8th test flight of Starship from South Texas – San Antonio Express-News SpaceX scrubs Monday's 8th test flight of Starship from South Texas – San Antonio Express-News SpaceX scrubs Monday’s 8th test flight of Starship from South Texas San Antonio Express-NewsWatch SpaceX launch its Starship Flight 8 megarocket test flight today Space.comLast-minute problems with SpaceX’s mega rocket Starship forces delay of latest test flight The Seattle TimesSpaceX’s Starship: The most powerful rocket ever built calls off first flight attempt since explosive mishap CNNLive coverage: SpaceX to launch Starship Flight 8 suborbital test mission from Starbase Spaceflight Now Source link #SpaceX #scrubs #Monday039s #8th #test #flight #Starship #South #Texas #San #Antonio #ExpressNews Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Space capsule entering Earth’s atmosphere detected with distributed acoustic sensing Space capsule entering Earth’s atmosphere detected with distributed acoustic sensing The sample return capsule from NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission is seen shortly after touching down in the desert, Sunday, Sept. 24, 2023. Credit: NASA On December 3, 2018, NASA’s Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security-Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) successfully rendezvoused with the near-earth asteroid (NEA) 101955 Bennu. Over the next two years, the mission collected rock and regolith samples from the asteroid’s surface. By September 24, 2023, the mission’s sample return capsule (SRC) entered Earth’s atmosphere and was collected by NASA scientists. Analysis of these samples is already providing insight into what conditions were like during the early solar system. According to a recent study, the known trajectory and timing of the SRC’s return provided a rare opportunity to record geophysical signals produced by the capsule using a new method. Because it was traveling at hypersonic speeds as it flew through the atmosphere, the SRC’s return produced a sonic ***** that impacted the ground. Using distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) interrogators and surface-draped fiber-optic cables, the team carried out the first reported recording of an SRC reentry with distributed fiber-optic sensing technology. The team was led by Dr. Carly M. Donahue and consisted of her colleagues from the Earth and Environmental Sciences Division at the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), as well as the Department of Geosciences at Colorado State University and fiber optic-based distributed sensor developer Silixa LLC. The paper that details their findings, “Detection of a Space Capsule Entering Earth’s Atmosphere with Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS),” recently appeared in the journal Seismological Research Letters. Since the end of the Apollo Era, scientists have studied sample return capsules re-entering Earth’s atmosphere. These studies have helped scientists develop safe and effective methods for sample-return missions and provided insight into the atmospheric entry of meteoroids and asteroids. Until now, these studies employed infrasound and seismic sensors to record the resulting geophysical signals. However, Dr. Donahue and her team saw an opportunity since the trajectory and timing of the OSIRIS-REx mission’s SRC were known in advance. The sample return capsule from the OSIRIS-REx mission is seen shortly after touching down in the Utah desert on September 24th, 2023. Credit: NASA/Keegan Barber As Dr. Donahue told Universe Today via email, the reentry was a chance for them to test DAS systems with fiber optic cables to record the geophysical effects produced by the sonic *****. “DAS systems interrogating an optical fiber are still relatively rare,” she said. “Knowing ahead of time the precise trajectory gave us the scarce opportunity to situate multiple DAS interrogators near the point of highest heating and capture the sonic ***** as it impacted the ground.” The team rapidly deployed two DAS interrogators and more than 12 km (7.45 mi) of surface-draped fiber-optic cables. Their network included six collocated seismometer-infrasound sensor pairs, all spread across two sites near the town of Eureka in the Nevada Desert. As Dr. Donahue described: “Once the team got the hang of rolling out the 4 spools of optical fiber that each weighed over 100 kgs, installing and retrieving the fiber took less time than setting up the six co-located seismic and infrasound stations. Approximately 5 km of the optical fiber was located at the local Eureka airport, along with many other teams deploying sensors such as infrasound, seismic, and GPS. The other 7 km of fiber was located along a remote dirt road in Newark Valley.” With the help of this network, the team obtained a stunning profile of the sonic ***** as it struck the ground. The DAS interrogators recorded an impulsive arrival with an extended coda that had similar features to those recorded by the seismometers and infrasound sensors. Whereas traditional sensors only measure sonic booms at one point, Dr. Donahue said that her team’s data revealed how the *****’s wavefront transformed as it impacted the irregular terrain of the Nevada landscape. In addition to being the first time these methods were used to record an SRC reentry, the results of this test could have significant implications when it comes to predicting potential meteor and asteroid strikes. Said Dr. Donahue: “By having an extremely dense array of sensors, DAS has the possibility of better characterizing the trajectory and size of a meteor. The topology (e.g., hills) of the ground is known to have an influence on wavefront recorded at the surface of the earth. By having a dense line of sensors that span over the changes in the earth’s elevation, these effects could be better accounted for to produce a more accurate characterization of a meteor’s trajectory.” Following the completion of its primary mission, the OSIRIS-REx, NASA prepped the spacecraft for the next phase of its mission. In 2029, the spacecraft—renamed the OSIRIS-APEX (Apophis Explorer)—will rendezvous with the near-earth asteroid 99942 Apophis and collect another sample. More information: Chris G. Carr et al, Detection of a Space Capsule Entering Earth’s Atmosphere with Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS), Seismological Research Letters (2025). DOI: 10.1785/0220240394 Provided by Universe Today Citation: Space capsule entering Earth’s atmosphere detected with distributed acoustic sensing (2025, March 3) retrieved 3 March 2025 from This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only. Source link #Space #capsule #entering #Earths #atmosphere #detected #distributed #acoustic #sensing Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Tuesday’s big stock stories: What’s likely to move the market in the next trading session Tuesday’s big stock stories: What’s likely to move the market in the next trading session The S&P 500 had its worst day since December as President Trump confirmed his tariffs would proceed. Here’s what’s on CNBC’s radar going into Tuesday. Source link #Tuesdays #big #stock #stories #Whats #move #market #trading #session Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

'Monumental social failure': global obesity rates soar 'Monumental social failure': global obesity rates soar Obesity, which increases the risk of serious health problems like diabetes and heart disease, will affect half of all adults by 2050, a study shows. Source link #039Monumental #social #failure039 #global #obesity #rates #soar Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Rivers overflow in Peru after intense rainfall Rivers overflow in Peru after intense rainfall STORY: :: Peru’s prime minister declares a state of emergency after intense rainfall leads to flooding :: Tumbes, Peru :: March 2, 2025 :: March 3, 2025 :: Danny Garcia Urbina The floodwaters affected some 150,000 people and 3,000 houses, according to local media, and caused damage in public spaces such as the dilapidated Virgen del Carmen cemetery. Source link #Rivers #overflow #Peru #intense #rainfall Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

CBOE’s volatility expert gives tariff warning CBOE’s volatility expert gives tariff warning CBOE Global Markets’ Mandy Xu warns the stock market is underpricing tariff risks — even after Monday’s sharp sell-off. Xu contends the bond market has been more sensitive to economic uncertainty than stocks over the past few months. But now, that gap may be starting to close. “There’s scope for it [volatility] to go even higher because the way the options market is still pricing tariffs is as a stock-specific catalyst, not as a macro catalyst,” the firm’s head of derivatives market intelligence said on CNBC’s ” Fast Money .” According to Xu, the stock market is still trying to pick out the winners and losers of President Donald Trump ‘s tariff policy. The president said that the U.S. would impose 25% duties on imports from Canada and Mexico on Tuesday. He also said he would slap an additional 10% tariff on China goods. “But what the bond market is signaling is that we could be in for weaker growth — potentially recession. And, that as we know, is bad for all stocks,” said Xu. On Monday, the CBOE Volatility Index surged 16% to 22.78. It came as the S & P 500 turned negative for the year. The Nasdaq Composite was more than 9% off its high, nearing correction territory. .VIX 1D mountain Volatility surged on Monday. Yet, Xu finds the market doesn’t seem alarmed. “We were seeing elevated hedging activity all throughout the last couple of months going into this. So, I think that’s partly the reason why we haven’t seen panic,” said Xu, who added that S & P 500 zero days-to-expiration options volume surged to a record last month . It’s a way to manage risks in this uncertain environment, according to Xu. “Whenever a headline comes through, you don’t know how long it’s going to last, right? Are the tariffs going to get walked back the next day? The next month,” she noted. “I think that’s why we’re seeing just record volumes. Not just in the S & P options, but across the board.” Xu shares the bond market’s economic growth concerns — including the tariff impact paired with government layoffs. She worries it could spark a demand shock. “This is happening at the same time we’re seeing large-scale reductions in the federal workforce. What does that mean in terms of consumer spending? That is going to be key to watch.” said Xu. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics will release the February employment report this Friday. Sign up for the Spotlight newsletter, a hand curated collection of video clips selected by CNBC’s top editors and producers. Your daily recap of top business highlights and leading stories. Disclaimer Source link #CBOEs #volatility #expert #tariff #warning Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Head of FBI New York division forced to retire after telling agents he was prepared to ‘dig in’ – CNN Head of FBI New York division forced to retire after telling agents he was prepared to ‘dig in’ – CNN Head of FBI New York division forced to retire after telling agents he was prepared to ‘dig in’ CNNHead of FBI New York, James Dennehy, forcibly resigns in latest shakeup at the bureau under the Trump administration ABC7 New YorkHead of FBI New York office says he’s retired from the bureau after being ordered to do so YahooJames Dennehy, New York’s Top F.B.I. Agent, Forced Out After Defiant Email The New York Times Source link #FBI #York #division #forced #retire #telling #agents #prepared #dig #CNN Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

CBOE’s volatility expert gives tariff warning CBOE’s volatility expert gives tariff warning CBOE Global Markets’ Mandy Xu warns the stock market is underpricing tariff risks — even after Monday’s sharp sell-off. Xu contends the bond market has been more sensitive to economic uncertainty than stocks over the past few months. But now, that gap may be starting to close. “There’s scope for it [volatility] to go even higher because the way the options market is still pricing tariffs is as a stock-specific catalyst, not as a macro catalyst,” the firm’s head of derivatives market intelligence said on CNBC’s ” Fast Money .” According to Xu, the stock market is still trying to pick out the winners and losers of President Donald Trump ‘s tariff policy. The president said that the U.S. would impose 25% duties on imports from Canada and Mexico on Tuesday. He also said he would slap an additional 10% tariff on China goods. “But what the bond market is signaling is that we could be in for weaker growth — potentially recession. And, that as we know, is bad for all stocks,” said Xu. On Monday, the CBOE Volatility Index surged 16% to 22.78. It came as the S & P 500 turned negative for the year. The Nasdaq Composite was more than 9% off its high, nearing correction territory. .VIX 1D mountain Volatility surged on Monday. Yet, Xu finds the market doesn’t seem alarmed. “We were seeing elevated hedging activity all throughout the last couple of months going into this. So, I think that’s partly the reason why we haven’t seen panic,” said Xu, who added that S & P 500 zero days-to-expiration options volume surged to a record last month . It’s a way to manage risks in this uncertain environment, according to Xu. “Whenever a headline comes through, you don’t know how long it’s going to last, right? Are the tariffs going to get walked back the next day? The next month,” she noted. “I think that’s why we’re seeing just record volumes. Not just in the S & P options, but across the board.” Xu shares the bond market’s economic growth concerns — including the tariff impact paired with government layoffs. She worries it could spark a demand shock. “This is happening at the same time we’re seeing large-scale reductions in the federal workforce. What does that mean in terms of consumer spending? That is going to be key to watch.” said Xu. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics will release the February employment report this Friday. Sign up for the Spotlight newsletter, a hand curated collection of video clips selected by CNBC’s top editors and producers. Your daily recap of top business highlights and leading stories. Disclaimer Source link #CBOEs #volatility #expert #tariff #warning Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Why detecting methane is difficult but crucial work Why detecting methane is difficult but crucial work Christine Ro Technology Reporter Helen Gebregiorgis Handheld devices can detect methane and other gases In and around Washington DC, volunteers and activists have been walking through streets and homes to see how healthy the air is. They’re armed with industry-grade monitors that detect the presence of several gases. The devices look a bit like walkie-talkies. But they are equipped with sensors that reveal the extent of methane, turning this invisible gas into concrete numbers on a screen. Those numbers can be worrying. In a 25-hour *******, neighbourhood researchers found 13 outdoor methane leaks at concentrations exceeding the lower explosive limit. They have also found methane leaks within homes. A key concern has been health. Methane and other gases, notably nitrogen oxide from gas stoves, are linked to higher risks of asthma. Djamila Bah, a healthcare worker as well as a tenant leader for the community organisation Action in Montgomery, reports that one out of three children have asthma in the homes tested by the organisation. “It’s very heartbreaking and alarming when you’re doing the testing and then you find out that some people are living in that condition that they can’t change for now,” Ms Bah says. Methane might be a hazard to human health, but it is also powerful greenhouse gas. While it has a much shorter lifespan in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide (CO2), methane is much better at trapping heat and it accounts for about one-quarter of the rise in global temperature since industrialisation. Methane emissions come from a diverse array of sectors. Chief among these are fossil fuels, waste and agriculture. But methane is not always easy to notice. It can be detected using handheld gas sensors like the ones used by the community researchers. It can also be visualised using infrared cameras, as methane absorbs infrared light. Monitoring can be ground-based, including vehicle-mounted devices, or aerial, including drone-based measurement. Combining technologies is especially helpful. “There is no perfect solution,” says Andreea Calcan, a programme management officer at the International Methane Emissions Observatory, a UN initiative. There are trade-offs between the cost of technologies and the scale of analysis, which could extend to thousands of facilities. Thankfully, she has seen an expansion of affordable methane sensors in the past decade. So there is no reason to wait on monitoring methane, at any scale. And the world needs to tackle both the small leakages and the high-emitting events, she says. Carbon Mapper The Tanager-1 satellite is designed to spot large methane emissions At a larger scale, satellites are often good at pinpointing super-emitters: less frequent but massively emitting events, such as huge oil and gas leaks. Or they can detect the smaller and more spread-out emitters that are much more common, such as cattle farms. Current satellites are typically designed to monitor one scale of emitter, says Riley Duren, the CEO of the Carbon Mapper, a not-for-profit organisation that tracks emissions. He likens this to film cameras. A telephoto lens offers higher resolution, while a wide-angle lens allows a larger field of view. With a new satellite, Carbon Mapper is focusing on high resolution, high sensitivity and rapid detection, to more precisely detect emissions from super-emitters. In August 2024 Carbon Mapper launched the Tanager-1 satellite, together with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the Earth imaging company Planet Labs. Carbon Mapper A methane plume from a Texan oilfield spotted in September 2024 by Tanager-1 Satellites have struggled to spot methane emissions in certain environments, such as poorly maintained oil wells in snowy areas with lots of vegetation. Low light, high latitudes, mountains and offshore areas also present challenges. Mr Duren says that the high-resolution Tanager-1 can respond to some of these challenges, for instance by essentially sneaking peeks through gaps in cloud cover or forest cover. “In an oil and gas field, high resolution could be the difference between isolating the methane emissions from an oil well head from an adjacent pipeline,” he says. This could help determine exactly who is responsible. Carbon Mapper began releasing emissions data, drawing on Tanager-1 observations, in November. It will take several years to build out the full constellation of satellites, which will depend on funding. Tanager-1 isn’t the only new satellite with a focus on delivering methane data. MethaneSAT, a project of the Environmental Defense Fund and private and public partners, also launched in 2024. With the increasing sophistication of all these satellite technologies, “What was previously unseeable is now visible,” Mr Duren says. “As a society we’re still learning about our true methane footprint.” It’s clear that better information is needed about methane emissions. Some energy companies have sought to evade methane detection by using “enclosed combustors” to obscure gas flaring. Translating knowledge into action isn’t always straightforward. Methane levels continue to rise, even as the information available does as well. For instance, the Methane Alert and Response System (MARS) uses satellite data to detect methane emissions notify companies and governments. The MARS team gathered a large quantity of methane plume images, verified by humans, to train a machine learning model to recognise such plumes. In all the locations that MARS constantly monitors, based on their history of emissions, the model checks for a methane plume every day. Analysts then scrutinise any alerts. Because there are so many locations to be monitored, “this saves us a lot of time,” says Itziar Irakulis Loitxate, the remote sensing lead for the International Methane Emissions Observatory, which is responsible for MARS. In the two years since its launch, MARS has sent out over 1,200 alerts for major methane leaks. Only 1% of those have led to responses. However, Ms Irakulis remains optimistic. Some of those alerts led to direct action such as repairs, including cases where emissions ceased even though the oil and gas operator didn’t officially provide feedback. And communications are improving all the time, Ms Irakulis says. “I have hope that this 1%, we will see it grow a lot in the next year.” At the community level, it’s been powerful for residents, such as those in the Washington DC area, to take the air pollution readings themselves and use these to counter misinformation. “Now that we know better, we can do better,” says Joelle Novey of Interfaith Power and Light. More Technology of Business Source link #detecting #methane #difficult #crucial #work Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump needs a “designated survivor” for his joint address to Congress. Here’s what it means and how it works. Trump needs a “designated survivor” for his joint address to Congress. Here’s what it means and how it works. President Trump’s speech Tuesday night will take place in front of members of both Houses of Congress and the entire presidential line of succession — with one notable exception. Each year, one Cabinet member is chosen as the “designated survivor” who will sit out the speech in case of a catastrophic event. The name of the designated survivor is not usually revealed to the public until shortly before the speech starts — or even sometimes after it starts. What is a designated survivor? The designated survivor is the informal name used for the person in the line of succession who does not attend the joint session of Congress so that there would be a leader available to step up in case of a catastrophic event. The line of succession was first determined by Article II, Section 1 of the Constitution, but the Presidential Succession Act of 1947 set the modern line of succession if something should happen to the president and he or she cannot undertake his or her duties. First in line for the presidency is Vice President JD Vance. Second in line after the vice president is House Speaker Mike Johnson, third in line is Senate pro tempore Chuck Grassley, fourth in line is Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and fifth in line is Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. The line continues through other members of the Cabinet, in the order their departments were created, with the secretary of Homeland Security — currently Kristi Noem — at 18th in line. Since all of those people would normally be in attendance at the joint session of Congress, a designated survivor is chosen to stay away. Why does the practice of choosing a designated survivor exist? Unlike the line of succession, the designated survivor is not something determined by the Constitution. The practice is believed to have started during the Cold War in the 1950s, but it was not until 1981 that the first official designated survivor was named as then-Education Secretary Terrel Bell. How do they choose the designated survivor? It’s not clear how the administration chooses a designated survivor since the process is classified. The person must be eligible to serve as president, so they must be a native-born American citizen and at least 35 years old. There have been several Cabinet members over the years who did not fit those criteria, including former Secretaries of State Madeleine Albright, who was born in what is now the Czech Republic, and *******-born Henry Kissinger. Former Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala, who was named as designated survivor by President Bill Clinton in 1996, told ABC News in 2014 that she was shown the Situation Room and the White House staff “talked seriously about the responsibility of the designated survivor.” What does the designated survivor do during the speech? There have been a few designated survivors who have been willing to discuss what they did during the speech. Then-Energy Secretary Bill Richardson, who was tapped by Clinton to be designated survivor in 2000, told ABC News in 2014 that he watched the speech from a friend’s house in Sherwood, Maryland, about 90 miles outside Washington. “It’s fun. You’re sitting there, you’re being watched. You got security. And there are a few thrills,” he told ABC News. “My wife and my friends were impressed the fire trucks were there.” Former Secretary of Agriculture Dan Glickman wrote an essay in 2017 in Politico about his own experience after being chosen. According to Glickman, he was taken a secure location outside Washington (in his case, his daughter’s New York apartment), where he writes that he was “accompanied by key military staff and Secret Service, including a military officer carrying what I presumed to be the nuclear football — a ******, leather-encased aluminum briefcase that would be used to authenticate the person ordering a nuclear strike.” “I don’t recall getting any specific instructions on what to do if the doomsday scenario happened,” Glickman wrote. “All I knew is that if necessary, I could turn to that military officer accompanying me, holding that 45-pound bag, and trigger a military response, including a nuclear strike.” Shalala, meanwhile, told ABC News that she stayed in Washington, waited it out at the White House and ordered pizza for her staff “I saw the president when he left and when he came back,” Shalala said. “He said, ‘Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.'” Who has been named designated survivor in the past? The designated survivor is usually a member of the Cabinet, although the Secretaries of State, Defense and Treasury have never been chosen. There was no no designated survivor in 2021, since only 200 members of Congress attended the joint session of Congress amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Here are the last few designated survivors and the positions they held at the time: Caroline Linton Caroline Linton is an associate managing editor on the political team for CBSNews.com. She has previously written for The Daily Beast, Newsweek and amNewYork. Source link #Trump #designated #survivor #joint #address #Congress #Heres #means #works Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Turbo Overkill Review – Thumb Culture Turbo Overkill Review – Thumb Culture “Turbo Overkill is an intense retro shooter by Trigger Happy Interactive. Previously only available on PC, thanks to publishing by Apogee Entertainment it is now available on consoles.” Jordan @ Thumb Culture Source link #Turbo #Overkill #Review #Thumb #Culture Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The Crown actor faces police interview over pro-************ rally The Crown actor faces police interview over pro-************ rally Charlotte Gallagher BBC News correspondent Getty Images Khalid Abdalla has attended several pro-************ demos in London Actor Khalid Abdalla says he has been told to attend a police interview following a pro-************ protest in January. Abdalla, who played Dodi Fayed in Netflix series The Crown, said on social media he had received a letter from the Metropolitan Police on Thursday. The Metropolitan Police confirmed to the BBC that eight people had been “invited to be interviewed under caution at a police station” as part of an “ongoing investigation into alleged breaches of Public Order Act conditions on Saturday 18 January”. In an Instagram post, Abdalla said it remained to be seen if charges would result, adding that “the right to protest is under attack in this country”. Abdalla, who also starred in United 93, The Kite Runner and The Day of the Jackal, is one of Hollywood’s most outspoken actors on the Gaza-Israel war. He has publicly called for a permanent ceasefire. The actor has attended several pro-************ demos, including the one on 18 January he will be interviewed by the police about. And he was a signatory to the Artists for Palestine *** open letter to the BBC in February, criticising the corporation’s decision to pull a documentary about children’s lives in Gaza after it discovered its 13-year-old narrator was the son of a ****** official. Getty Images Abdalla is not the first public figure to face a police interview following the January rally. The former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and former shadow chancellor, John McDonnell, have already been questioned by officers. The Met has not identified the pair but said at the time that two men, aged 75 and 73, had subsequently been “released pending further investigations”. A static rally involving several thousand people took place in Whitehall after police blocked plans to hold a march from Portland Place, near the headquarters of the BBC. Police said conditions had been clearly communicated that those taking part in the protest should remain in Whitehall. “Despite this, a large group made its way from Whitehall into Trafalgar Square and in some cases attempted to go further.” Police said that a number of people in that group have been arrested on suspicion of breaching the conditions – and that so far, 21 had been charged. The ************ Solidarity Campaign, which organised the protest, said: “What is claimed by the police as justification for this massive overreach of their powers is a complete misrepresentation of what took place, not just on the day but beforehand.” And it added: “We demand that the Metropolitan Police halt any prosecutions or proceedings against those involved in this entirely peaceful protest.” Source link #Crown #actor #faces #police #interview #proPalestinian #rally Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Tomb Raider IVVI Remastered Review – Thumb Culture Tomb Raider IVVI Remastered Review – Thumb Culture “The only thing I wanted after reviewing the Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered Trilogy was a remaster of 4-6. Apsyr heard my prayers and has finally remastered the finale of the original Lara plot as well as Angel of Darkness.” Alex @ Thumb Culture Source link #Tomb #Raider #IVVI #Remastered #Review #Thumb #Culture Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Giant chipmaker TSMC to spend $100B to expand chip manufacturing in US, Trump announces – The Associated Press Giant chipmaker TSMC to spend $100B to expand chip manufacturing in US, Trump announces – The Associated Press Giant chipmaker TSMC to spend $100B to expand chip manufacturing in US, Trump announces The Associated PressIn ‘major win’ for Arizona, Trump and TSMC announce $100B manufacturing expansion The Arizona RepublicChip giant TSMC to invest $100B in US manufacturing Fox BusinessPresident Trump Makes an Investment Announcement C-SPAN Trump to make investment announcement as he meets with CEO of Taiwan giant chipmaker TSMC Yahoo Finance Source link #Giant #chipmaker #TSMC #spend #100B #expand #chip #manufacturing #Trump #announces #Press Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

How the Senate Voted to Confirm Linda McMahon as Education Secretary How the Senate Voted to Confirm Linda McMahon as Education Secretary The Senate confirmed Linda McMahon to lead the Education Department by a party-line vote of 51 to 45. Vote Total Democrats Dem. Republicans Rep. Independents Ind. Bar chart of total votes 51 0 51 0 45 43 0 2 4 2 2 0 Note: Confirmation requires a simple majority of voting senators. Ms. McMahon ran World Wrestling Entertainment for decades before serving as administrator of the Small Business Administration during much of President Trump’s first term. During the confirmation process, she laid out plans to significantly diminish the agency’s role but stopped short of embracing comments by Mr. Trump that the Education Department should be eliminated entirely. How Each Member Voted Republicans Member Answer Yes Y Yes Y Yes Y Yes Y Yes Y Yes Y Yes Y Yes Y Yes Y Yes Y Yes Y Yes Y Yes Y Yes Y Yes Y Yes Y Yes Y Yes Y Yes Y Yes Y Yes Y Yes Y Yes Y Yes Y Yes Y Yes Y Yes Y Yes Y Yes Y Yes Y Yes Y Yes Y Yes Y Yes Y Yes Y Yes Y Yes Y Yes Y Yes Y Yes Y Yes Y Yes Y Yes Y Yes Y Yes Y Yes Y Yes Y Yes Y Yes Y Yes Y Yes Y Democrats Member Answer No N No N No N No N No N No N No N No N No N No N No N No N No N No N No N No N No N No N No N No N No N No N No N No N No N No N No N No N No N No N No N No N No N No N No N No N No N No N No N No N No N No N No N No N No N Source link #Senate #Voted #Confirm #Linda #McMahon #Education #Secretary Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Zero hour contract ban to include agency workers in employment bill Zero hour contract ban to include agency workers in employment bill Agency workers will be included in a ban on “exploitative” zero hour contracts as part of ammendments to the government’s employment reform bill, the BBC understands. The new rules will mean that agency workers will have to be offered a contract guaranteeing a minimum number of hours each week. It is one of a number of additions to the Employment Rights Bill which will be outlined on Tuesday. While unions welcomed the inclusion of agency workers in the ban, the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC), which represents the sector, said the change should not “undermine” the “flexibility” that zero hour contracts offer some workers. Agency workers who choose to be on zero hour contracts will also be made eligible for compensation if their shifts are changed at short notice, it is understood. Although the amendments will not spell out what “short notice” means. There are around one million agency staff in the ***, working across areas such as warehouses, in hospitality and within the NHS. The Labour government pledged last year to ban “exploitative zero hours contracts” as part of the Employment Rights Bill. The minimum hours offered in a contract to agency workers will be calculated according to the average number of hours they normally work. The BBC understands that the government is yet to decide whether this will be based on a 12-week reference ******* or longer. Trade unions have been campaigning for agency workers to be included in the legislative changes to prevent employers getting round the proposed zero hours rules by hiring agency staff. Paul Novak, general secretary of the Trades Union Congress, said the government was right to close this “loophole”. He said agency workers “make up a significant proportion of the zero hours workforce and need protections from bad working practices too”. But the REC said it was concerned about the change. Its deputy chief executive, Kate Shoesmith, said people choose agency work “for the flexibility it provides at a time and stage in their life” and that the new rules must not undermine that. She added that time should be given “to ensure any legislative changes do not conflict with existing and hard-won protections for agency workers”. The REC would “keep working with the government to ensure that,” she said. The BBC understands that the government will table 250 amendments on Tuesday. They will include doubling of the penalty imposed on companies that engage in so-called “fire and rehire” practices. This means that if they fail to properly consult employees before dismissing and then rehiring them on less favourable terms, they could be forced to pay the worker 180 days’ worth of pay in compensation up from the current 90 day penalty payment. The amendments also contain a commitment to extend sick pay to workers earning under £123 a week from the first day of their illness. They will be entitled to 80% of their average weekly earnings or statutory sick pay – which is currently £116.75 per week – whichever is lowest. Currently, to qualify for statutory sick pay, a worker must have been ill for three days in a row. There will also be changes to rules around trade union recognition and the ability of unions to take industrial action. The government is proposing that workers will have to give their employers 10 days’ warning of any strike action – rather than the existing 14 days’ notice. Currently, there can be a ballot for union recognition if 10% of the workforce is a member of a union. The government had been consulting on lowering it to 2% but the proposed amendment will not state a figure and will simply give the secretary of state the power to lower the 10% threshold. Mr Novak said the changes were about ”creating a modern economy that works for workers and business alike” and that driving up standards “will stop good employers from being undercut by the bad, and will mean more workers benefit from a union voice”. Several business groups have been critical of the government for not providing more detail about how the legislation will work in practice. They are unlikely to be satisfied by what’s in the amendments. Craig Beaumont, executive director of the Federation of Small Businesses, said that “anyone hoping to see government take serious account of the concerns of small employers looks likely to remain disappointed for the time being”. He said: “There is a huge gulf between the stated aims of this bill and the real world negative impact on jobs and growth.” Source link #hour #contract #ban #include #agency #workers #employment #bill Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Avowed Boasts 5.9 Million Players In First Month, Leaving Indiana Jones 1.9 Million Behind Avowed Boasts 5.9 Million Players In First Month, Leaving Indiana Jones 1.9 Million Behind The avowed director also confirmed that the game has sold well and is considering expanding into a franchise. Source link #Avowed #Boasts #Million #Players #Month #Leaving #Indiana #Jones #Million Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Super Rugby Pacific: Western Force sign Tom Osborne on injury-replacement contract Super Rugby Pacific: Western Force sign Tom Osborne on injury-replacement contract After the blow of dual ACL injuries to a pair of props, Western Force have gone some way to bolstering their front-row options with the signing of loosehead Tom Osborne. Source link #Super #Rugby #Pacific #Western #Force #sign #Tom #Osborne #injuryreplacement #contract Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Stream These 6 Movies and Shows Before They Leave Netflix in March Stream These 6 Movies and Shows Before They Leave Netflix in March This month’s noteworthy Netflix departures in the United States include a chilling indie, a South Korean classic, two honest-to-goodness great popcorn flicks and a very funny skewering of England’s most famous family. (Dates reflect the first day titles are unavailable and are subject to change.) ‘The Autopsy of Jane Doe’ (March 15) Stream it here. The Norwegian director Andre Ovredal (“Trollhunter”) makes his solo English-language debut with this modest, muted yet endlessly chilling postmortem thriller. Brian Cox and Emile Hirsch star as a father-son team of small-town coroners whose seemingly straightforward autopsy of a young ******* victim becomes something far more complicated — and sinister. Ovredal builds dread with genuine skill (and without resorting to cheap thrills), and the performances are top-notch, with the “Succession” favorite Cox doing particularly stellar work as an old pro who thinks he’s seen it all and is quickly proven wrong. ‘A Walk Among the Tombstones’ (March 16) Stream it here. The pedigree for this 2014 neo-noir thriller is mighty impressive: It is based on a novel by the respected and prolific crime novelist Lawrence Block and adapted and directed by Scott Frank (“Out of Sight,” “********* Report,” “The Queen’s Gambit”). But because the star is Liam Neeson, and because the picture was released just as viewers were beginning to sour on his “Taken” sequels and re-treads, it was dismissed by the adult audience that might appreciate it most. Neeson stars as Block’s most durable hero, the former cop-turned-private investigator (and recovering alcoholic) Matthew Scudder, here investigating a brutal ******* that opens up a complicated series of kidnappings, slayings and secrets. Moody and melancholy, it is possibly the best film of the Neeson-aissance. ‘Oldboy’ (March 24) Stream it here. Perhaps the most popular (at least on these shores) and most influential film of the “New Korean Cinema” movement of the 1990s and 2000s, this artful and aching revenge thriller from the director Park Chan-wook (“The Handmaiden”) concerns a seemingly straight-arrow businessman, Dae-su (Choi Min-sik), who wakes up from a drunken blackout locked in some kind of private prison. He is kept there for 15 years, never allowed to know who put him there or why, so when he is unceremoniously released, he decides to get those answers himself. In the post-“Pulp Fiction” film landscape, Chan-wook’s action set pieces and unflinching violence made him a hero of young cinephiles around the world. But what makes “Oldboy” special, and what makes it stick, is its poignancy; “Oldboy” wonders genuinely what it would be like to lose so much of one’s life, and what kind of madness might follow suit. ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’ (March 30) Stream it here. Legendary Pictures’ “MonsterVerse” got off to a bit of a bumpy start with the tonally uncertain 2014 “Godzilla” reboot; its 2019 sequel, “King of the Monsters”; and the 2017 King Kong entry, “Kong: Skull Island.” But the strands came together into something genuinely engaging and entertaining with this 2021 barnburner from the director Adam Wingard, who graduated nicely, in scope and budget, from the small-scale genre films “You’re Next” and “The Guest.” His primary strategic masterstroke is not to take the material too seriously — which you wouldn’t think would be a consideration, since it’s a movie about giant monsters smashing things. But he also does so without condescending either the characters or his audience. The result is treat, a true blast of popcorn-chewing fun. ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’ (March 30) Stream it here. In retrospect, it absolutely, positively should not have worked. The director George Miller hadn’t made a “Mad Max” movie since the dark ages of 1985, a gap so immense that he had to recast the title character (and whose originator, Mel Gibson, had accumulated more baggage than the series could handle anyway). Miller had spent most of the intervening three decades making family entertainment like the “*****” and “Happy Feet” movies. How he could possibly return to the bone-crunching action that had brought him international fame? And yet he did, magnificently, creating perhaps the best film in the franchise and doing it the old-fashioned way: by relying on practical effects, carefully executed stunt work and some of the best staging and editing in all of action cinema. ‘The Windsors’: Seasons 1-3 (March 31) Stream it here. Viewers who find Netflix’s “The Crown” to be a bit too reverential toward the British royal family will be delighted by this Channel 4-produced satirical sitcom, which unapologetically skewers the current dynasty as dim, conniving, power-hungry nitwits. Written and staged in a broad, soap opera style, the show concerns the various conflicts and colliding interests of Charles and Camilla, sons William and Harry, and their wives and hangers-on, gleefully roasting the family’s public personas, the gossip page rumors and the monarchy itself. Source link #Stream #Movies #Shows #Leave #Netflix #March Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump puts US allies on notice Trump puts US allies on notice With his flailing of Ukraine’s leader, Donald Trump is making clearer than ever that he cares more about power than friends — a chilling message for America’s global network of allies. In the eight decades since World War II, the United States has sought to lead a global order by promoting international rules and ensuring the security of democracies in Europe and East Asia as well as oil-rich Gulf Arab monarchies. US presidents, self-proclaimed “leaders of the free world,” have dropped or weakened support to dependent partners before, including Afghanistan, South Vietnam and, when forging relations with Beijing, Taiwan. Still, there was little precedent for the dramatic, on-camera rupture Friday in the Oval Office in which Trump and Vice President JD Vance berated Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who has relied on Western support to withstand a three-year Russian invasion. Vance accused Zelensky of ingratitude for billions of dollars in US assistance and Trump threw a spotlight on the US ally’s weakness, telling him angrily, “You don’t have the cards.” Trump had days earlier declared that he was making a “decisive break” with past US foreign policy, which he described as “foolish” and responsible for “the deaths of many, many people.” Secretary of State Marco Rubio has called for the United States to act like Russia and China in pursuing self-interest first — a contrast to former president Joe Biden, who prioritized alliances as a force multiplier for US influence. – ‘Profound shift’ on democracy – Trump has long described NATO allies as trade competitors who freeload off the US military, although last week he voiced support for the alliance’s mutual defense commitment. He mocked Zelensky as a “dictator” for not holding elections since the invasion, while praising Vladimir Putin, who has been president or prime minister of Russia for 25 years. Trump has also refused to rule out military force to seize Greenland and the Panama Canal, saying that the United States — not unlike Russia — should take what it wants. While Washington’s championing of democracy has “rightly been accused of hypocrisy, now there’s not even any pretense that the United States is upholding those values,” said Max Bergmann, director of the Europe, Russia and Eurasia program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. “I think that’s going to be very bad for nascent democracies around the world, for democratic movements and for human rights. So I think this is a really profound shift in the international global order,” he said. Bergmann said that Trump was also providing a “real opening” to rival China. “The United States has been trying to convince countries that when you do deals with China, that China could betray you,” Bergmann said. “Well, here’s the United States essentially doing the ultimate betrayal, or completely switching sides, and stopping to support a democracy at war.” – Message on Taiwan? – European leaders immediately spoke of ramping up defense without the United States. ******* Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said a “new age of infamy has begun” after the “unspeakable” scene in the White House. Among places to feel the greatest jolt: former Soviet bloc nations that eagerly joined NATO as protection against Moscow, and Taiwan, the self-governing democracy claimed by Beijing. Trump said Monday that a ******** invasion would be a “catastrophic event” as Taiwanese chip-making giant TSMC announced $100 billion of investment in the United States. Bonnie Glaser, managing director of the ******* Marshall Fund’s Indo-Pacific program, said Taiwan “has reason to be nervous.” Unlike Ukraine, which has backing from nearly all of Europe, Taiwan relies for weapons exclusively on the United States. But she said the economic stakes also made the situations different and pointed to Taiwan’s influence as the world’s foremost chipmaker and a major investor. In the words of Trump to Zelensky, “Taiwan has cards,” Glaser said — though the US president himself said Monday that the TSMC deal could mitigate that slightly. Joshua Rovner, a political scientist at American University, said Trump sees uncertainty as part of his strategy and in his first term, despite criticizing Europe, actually raised US troop levels on the continent. “Trump’s language you can interpret in a million different ways,” Rovner said. “What really matters is what he ultimately does with US forces.” sct/st Source link #Trump #puts #allies #notice Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]