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Speaker Johnson says Zelenskyy may have to resign after fiery Oval Office meeting Speaker Johnson says Zelenskyy may have to resign after fiery Oval Office meeting US President Donald Trump and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy meet in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, Feb. 28, 2025. Saul Loeb | AFP | Getty Images Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., on Sunday said that Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelenskyy “needs to come to his senses and come back to the table in gratitude or someone else needs to lead the country to do that,” in order for Ukraine to continue pursuing a peace deal negotiated by the U.S. His comments come just two days after President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Zelenskyy publicly sparred in the Oval Office while the Ukrainian president visited Washington to finish negotiations on a deal over Ukraine’s rare earth minerals. “President Trump is trying to get these two parties to a point of peace,” Johnson said during an interview on NBC News’ “Meet the Press,” adding, “What President Zelensky did in the White House was effectively signal to us that he’s not ready for that yet and I think that’s a great disappointment.” Johnson emphasized that Trump “has been very clear about this — that if [Zelenskyy] is ready for peace, then we can negotiate a deal.” Zelenskyy has often said that he was seeking to include security guarantees — or assurances that the U.S. would come to Ukraine’s aid if Russia violated a ceasefire deal — in the mineral rights agreement. In the Oval Office spat, Trump told Zelenskyy that he “doesn’t have the cards” to negotiate and joined Vance in asking the Ukrainian president to be more grateful for U.S. support for Ukraine. Johnson on Sunday echoed the president and vice president, telling “Meet the Press” moderator Kristen Welker that Zelenskyy, “berated and interrupted his host, instead of expressing gratitude for the extraordinary help that the U.S. has provided his country.” Johnson also argued that security guarantees were inherent in the mineral rights deal, telling Welker, “This mineral rights deal is a win, a win for everyone. It will give us access to rare earth minerals that we need, and it will provide a level of security for Ukraine.” “They will effectively be in an economic partnership with us after that point, and we will definitely always defend our interests and our investments,” Johnson added. “Russia knows that. China knows that. Iran, North Korea know that and that’s a very important message for us.” Johnson also spoke about the massive budget reconciliation bill that House Republicans passed last week, which now heads to a group of House and Senate GOP leaders as they seek to reconcile the differences between the House and Senate versions on the bill. House Republicans’ bill includes $2 trillion in spending cuts, which some opponents of the measure say could impact Medicaid funding, affecting healthcare and insurance for millions of low-income and disabled people. Johnson on Sunday said that House Republicans did not intend to touch Medicaid funding in the budget bill, telling Welker, “Don’t take my word for it, Kristen, go do a word search of the budget resolution that we passed on Tuesday. There is not one mention of Medicare, Medicaid or Social Security.” “The American people want us to review the expenditures of the country and get our fiscal house in order, and that’s what we must do,” Johnson said, adding that House Republicans also want to extend Trump’s 2017 tax cuts measure, which expires this year. “We can do both of those things simultaneously and not affect benefits for anyone who relies upon those and is eligible to receive them,” Johnson said. Source link #Speaker #Johnson #Zelenskyy #resign #fiery #Oval #Office #meeting Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Lazerus: Bill Zito’s Panthers, Kyle Davidson’s Blackhawks and the road not taken Lazerus: Bill Zito’s Panthers, Kyle Davidson’s Blackhawks and the road not taken It’s entirely possible that four or five summers from now, Connor Bedard’s name will be etched on the Stanley Cup. He’ll have won the Conn Smythe Trophy that spring, of course, after a truly absurd playoff run flanked by Michael Misa and Frank Nazar, with Artyom Levshunov logging a heroic 30 minutes a night on the back end. Kevin Korchinski will have racked up the points as his partner on the top pair, with Sam Rinzel lighting it up, as well. Alex Vlasic’s work as the shutdown defender will be the stuff of legends. That second line of Nick Lardis, Sacha Boisvert and Oliver Moore will have made those Blackhawks matchup-proof, forcing opposing coaches to pick their poison. And man, who’ll be able to forget the way Samuel Savoie, Landon Slaggert and Marek Vanacker wreaked havoc on the newly christened Hair on Fire line, bringing energy to the team and fans out of their seats? It absolutely could happen. Kyle Davidson is counting on it, staking his reputation on it, testing Chicago’s patience on it. Davidson sold Danny Wirtz on his plan to gut the franchise and rebuild it through the NHL Draft, and that’s exactly what Davidson has done. Eight first-round picks in the last three seasons. Two more this year. Two more the year after that. It’ll always be an amusing footnote in Blackhawks history that Davidson’s tank failed but the ping-pong ****** fell his way anyway, landing him the centerpiece in Bedard. The rest has been done with ruthlessness and a lack of sentimentality. Davidson has had as clear a vision as any general manager in the game, and he has stuck with it every step of the way. This is how professional sports teams operate these days, especially in a salary-cap league. When things are going poorly, you blow it up and start over. That’s just how it works. The thing is, it hasn’t worked. Not in the NHL. Not in the cap era. Not yet. The Buffalo Sabres blew it up, tried to tank for Connor McDavid, and are going to miss the playoffs for the 14th consecutive season. The Detroit Red Wings blew it up, built through the draft, made some savvy picks that have worked out well, and are scratching and clawing to be the eighth seed in the East after eight long seasons without a playoff appearance. The Edmonton Oilers picked No. 1 four times in five seasons and landed the most talented player the game has ever seen, and they didn’t reach true contention until last spring — a decade after drafting McDavid and 14 years after taking Taylor Hall. And the Blackhawks, eight years removed from their last true playoff appearance, are still years away from the next one. Saturday, Davidson traded one of his three best players, defenseman Seth Jones, to the Florida Panthers, because Jones couldn’t take the losing anymore. Davidson did relatively well in the deal — getting goaltender Spencer Knight and retaining only $2.5 million a year of Jones’ massive contract — but it was still yet another trade that made the Blackhawks demonstrably worse. Always one step forward, two steps back. Now let’s look at the team that acquired Jones. When Bill Zito took over as GM in Florida, the Panthers were still something of a league laughingstock. They hadn’t won a playoff series in a quarter-century. The roster was loaded with mediocre players in their mid-to-late 20s. They were stuck. Florida Panthers GM Bill Zito hoists the 2024 Stanley Cup. (Bruce Bennett / Getty Images) But Zito didn’t tear it down. He didn’t rebuild the Panthers. He remade them. He used every tool at his disposal — trades, free agency, the waiver wire — to reconstruct the plane while it was still in the air. Within four years, the Panthers were Stanley Cup champions, a model franchise, the envy of the league. Look at how that championship team was built. Zito made one of the gutsiest trades in modern NHL history to land Matthew Tkachuk. He saw players who hadn’t yet reached their potential and got them, trading for Sam Reinhart, Sam Bennett, Brandon Montour and Eetu Luostarinen. He made smart signings in free agency, inking Carter Verhaeghe, Evan Rodrigues and Oliver Ekman-Larsson. And he found gold on the waiver wire, picking up Gustav Forsling — cast off by the Vancouver Canucks, the Blackhawks and the Carolina Hurricanes — and watching him become one of the best defensemen in the league. He dealt away his first-round pick in 2022. And in 2023. And in 2024. And in 2025. And in 2026. The only key players who came through the draft were already there when he arrived: Aleksander Barkov (No. 2 in 2013), Aaron Ekblad (No. 1 in 2014) and Anton Lundell (No. 12 in 2020). It certainly wasn’t easy, and there certainly was some luck involved. Surely, Zito didn’t see Forsling becoming the player he is. Nobody saw a 57-goal season from Reinhart coming after six unspectacular seasons in Buffalo. And he did all this with Sergei Bobrovsky’s $10 million cap hit weighing him down, an albatross that eventually took flight. What Zito did is incredibly difficult. But what Davidson is doing might be even harder. Davidson had his chance to do this more quickly, to spare the fans all this misery. The 2021-22 Blackhawks had a 23-year-old Alex DeBrincat and a 23-year-old Brandon Hagel. They had a 26-year-old Jones and a 24-year-old Dylan Strome. And they had Patrick Kane posting 92 points. Now? DeBrincat is with the Detroit Red Wings, on the verge of his fourth 30-goal season. Hagel is with the Tampa Bay Lightning, a burgeoning superstar enjoying his second 30-goal season and first point-per-game campaign. Strome is with the Washington Capitals, riding shotgun to history as Alex Ovechkin’s center, with 59 points in 60 games. Kane, despite playing just 100 games, has more points over the last two seasons than every Blackhawks player other than Bedard. That’s more than Florida had when Zito took over. But DeBrincat and Hagel were too old (despite being a year younger than Barkov and Ekblad when Zito took over). Bedard was too important. The draft was the only path forward. The teardown was the only way. It’s facile, and perhaps folly, to point all this out in hindsight, of course. There’s a reason so few GMs are willing to be as bold as Zito has been. It usually ends in a firing. Had Davidson tried to retool around his young rising stars and Kane on the fly back then, it’s just as likely that the Blackhawks would be stuck in the mushy middle the past few years as in the Stanley Cup Final. But either of those scenarios sounds pretty darn good compared to what the Blackhawks have been the last four years, what they’ll probably be the next few years, and what drove Jones out of the city he was so excited to come to in the first place. What’s done is done, but it doesn’t have to stay this way. It’s long past time for Davidson to get aggressive, to start trying to win for real. Yes, he made a run at Jake Guentzel last summer, but he came up short. He somehow has to convince Mikko Rantanen or Mitch Marner this summer to sign up for seven years of playing with Bedard. Or go after Wyatt Johnston or Noah Dobson or Evan Bouchard with an offer sheet. Or package some of the myriad picks and prospects and young players he has amassed to land a ready-made rising star. Or all of the above. It’s what Zito would do. It’s what Zito has done. It’s what works. It’s time to get bold. It’s time to get creative. It’s time to start winning again. Because the current path is not just excruciating; it’s extremely unlikely to work. History has shown us that. And it’s better to aspire to be the Florida Panthers than risk becoming the Buffalo Sabres. (Top photo of Seth Jones: Bill Smith / NHLI via Getty Images) Source link #Lazerus #Bill #Zitos #Panthers #Kyle #Davidsons #Blackhawks #road Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Capcom rushes to fix game-breaking Monster Hunter Wilds bug blocking story progress Capcom rushes to fix game-breaking Monster Hunter Wilds bug blocking story progress Capcom says it’s investigating a game-breaking bug in Monster Hunter Wilds. Monster Hunter Wilds was released on Friday, and almost as soon as the PC version was in the public’s hands, players reported issues with optimization, performance and more. The game has received praise from fans outside of the performance issues, however, smashing through one million concurrent Steam players on launch night. Now, a game-breaking bug has been found that can make forward progress in the story impossible. The issue comes from the fact that in an unknown number of instances, a vital NPC won’t appear where they are supposed to. For spoiler reasons, we won’t reveal which character may not appear, but if you’ve made it as far as chapter 5-3, you can rest easy knowing that this issue hasn’t impacted your game. Capcom has yet to reveal the cause of the issue, but it says it is working on a fix. It’s unknown if the patch that was released late on Saturday was the cause of this issue. Capcom posted the following on social media early on Sunday: “Hunters, we are currently investigating the following issue. There may be cases where an NPC does not appear, disabling story progression in Main Mission: Chapter 5-2 A World Turned Upside Down. ”We are currently working on these issues and will provide further updates when we have them.” Capcom has also responded to performance issues faced by PC players of Monster Hunter Wilds. VGC’s five-star Monster Hunter Wilds review, which was played on PS5 Pro, calls it “a victory lap for Capcom’s golden age”, concluding: “Monster Hunter Wilds is confident, bold, and one of the best Monster Hunter games ever, thanks to its ability to stand on the giant shoulders of Worlds and improve it in virtually every way.” Source link #Capcom #rushes #fix #gamebreaking #Monster #Hunter #Wilds #bug #blocking #story #progress Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Xiaomi plans to sell EVs globally after launching $73,000 SU7 Ultra Xiaomi plans to sell EVs globally after launching $73,000 SU7 Ultra The Xiaomi SU7 Ultra on display at the Xiaomi store in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China, Feb 27, 2025. Xiaomi’s first luxury model, the SU7 Ultra, will be officially launched on the evening of February 27. Cfoto | Future Publishing | Getty Images BARCELONA — Xiaomi plans to begin selling its electric vehicles outside of China “within the next few years,” company President William Lu said on Sunday. Lu made the announcement at Xiaomi’s product launch at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. While there were no concrete timelines, his comments underscore the ******** technology giant’s ambitions in the global EV market to take on players like Tesla. “I cannot share too many details but I am so excited to tell our global users that Xiaomi will be releasing EVs for the ***** in global markets within the next few years,” Lu said. This week, Xiaomi launched its first premium EV in China called the SU7 Ultra, which starts at 529,000 ******** yuan ($72,627). Lu said the car racked up 15,000 orders in 24 hours and will be on display at the company’s booth at MWC. It’s only Xiaomi’s second electric car after its announcing its foray into the EV segment in 2021. The company’s first vehicle, called the SU7, was launched last year in March. The company, which is best-known as a smartphone player, only sells its EVs in China but it is the world’s third-largest smartphone vendor. Xiaomi’s SU7 has been successful, with the company delivering more than 100,000 units last year. Xiaomi’s EV *****, along with a recovery in smartphone sales, has helped the company’s stock, which is listed in Hong Kong, surge almost 300% over the last 12 months. The Beijing-headquartered company is looking to ride that wave with a new high-end phone called the Xiaomi 15 Ultra launched on Sunday, which it hopes will challenge Samsung on a global stage. Source link #Xiaomi #plans #sell #EVs #globally #launching #SU7 #Ultra Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Retirees in these 9 states may lose some of their Social Security benefits at tax time – USA TODAY Retirees in these 9 states may lose some of their Social Security benefits at tax time – USA TODAY Retirees in these 9 states may lose some of their Social Security benefits at tax time USA TODAYSeven Ways to Reduce Taxes on Social Security Benefits in 2025 Kiplinger’s Personal FinanceWill Your Social Security Benefit Be Taxable in 2025? The Motley FoolWill AZ tax my Social Security retirement benefits? Here’s how to protect that money The Arizona RepublicHow the IRS Could Slash Your Social Security If You Earn Too Much THE NORTHERN FORUM Source link #Retirees #states #lose #Social #Security #benefits #tax #time #USA #TODAY Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Quordle hints and answers for Monday, March 3 (game #1134) Quordle hints and answers for Monday, March 3 (game #1134) Looking for a different day? A new Quordle puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing ‘today’s game’ while others are playing ‘yesterday’s’. If you’re looking for Sunday’s puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Sunday, March 2 (game #1133). Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,100 games later. It offers a genuine challenge, though, so read on if you need some Quordle hints today – or scroll down further for the answers. Enjoy playing word games? You can also check out my NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles, while Marc’s Wordle today column covers the original viral word game. SPOILER WARNING: Information about Quordle today is below, so don’t read on if you don’t want to know the answers. Quordle today (game #1134) – hint #1 – Vowels How many different vowels are in Quordle today? • The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 4*. * Note that by vowel we mean the five standard vowels (A, E, I, O, U), not Y (which is sometimes counted as a vowel too). Quordle today (game #1134) – hint #2 – repeated letters Do any of today’s Quordle answers contain repeated letters? • The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 3. Quordle today (game #1134) – hint #3 – uncommon letters Do the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today? • No. None of Q, Z, X or J appear among today’s Quordle answers. Quordle today (game #1134) – hint #4 – starting letters (1) Do any of today’s Quordle puzzles start with the same letter? • The number of today’s Quordle answers starting with the same letter is 0. If you just want to know the answers at this stage, simply scroll down. If you’re not ready yet then here’s one more clue to make things a lot easier: Quordle today (game #1134) – hint #5 – starting letters (2) What letters do today’s Quordle answers start with? • F • K • R • W Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON’T WANT TO SEE THEM. Quordle today (game #1134) – the answers (Image credit: Merriam-Webster) The answers to today’s Quordle, game #1134, are… Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. My winning streak is over. Three pieces of bad luck were my undoing today – I chose ROWDY instead of WORDY, REHAB instead of REBAR, and GRILL instead of FRILL. Some days, it just doesn’t work out and you hit red lights at every junction, other days you sail through with a series of greens – I’m happy if I stall occasionally. I hope you did better. How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below. Daily Sequence today (game #1134) – the answers (Image credit: Merriam-Webster) The answers to today’s Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1134, are… Quordle answers: The past 20 Quordle #1133, Sunday 2 March: TUNIC, GLOSS, DEBUG, LARGE Quordle #1132, Saturday 1 March: DENSE, BONEY, KITTY, SMEAR Quordle #1131, Friday 28 February: PASTA, RAZOR, PLUMB, DROOL Quordle #1130, Thursday 27 February: THIEF, CHAIR, ETHER, GRIME Quordle #1129, Wednesday 26 February: LOVER, SPIED, VAPOR, METER Quordle #1128, Tuesday 25 February: TWIST, TWEAK, MEANT, CLEAR Quordle #1127, Monday 24 February: LEASH, LEVER, TOTEM, CREME Quordle #1126, Sunday 23 February: RABID, RELIC, SCRAM, BASIS Quordle #1125, Saturday 22 February: ETHER, SONIC, VAUNT, ROUSE Quordle #1124, Friday 21 February: STIFF, PRIZE, SCOWL, DONUT Quordle #1123, Thursday 20 February: HASTY, DRAPE, FICUS, CRAZE Quordle #1122, Wednesday 19 February: ABATE, TROVE, VENUE, DRAPE Quordle #1121, Tuesday 18 February: TAMER, SCRUB, BRICK, DRIFT Quordle #1120, Monday 17 February: SADLY, WAFER, LITHE, IDIOM Quordle #1119, Sunday 16 February: GHOUL, AFIRE, COVEN, FIERY Quordle #1118, Saturday 15 February: CREEP, CONDO, GRILL, FANCY Quordle #1117, Friday 14 February: MEDIA, ELUDE, THUMB, WIDOW Quordle #1116, Thursday 13 February: SCALP, DWELL, AMPLE, TRUNK Quordle #1115, Wednesday 12 February: SHOOK, GRADE, POLAR, SEEDY Quordle #1114, Tuesday 11 February: HEAVY, CIRCA, PESKY, SCION Source link #Quordle #hints #answers #Monday #March #game Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Transcript: Kaja Kallas on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan,” March 2, 2025 Transcript: Kaja Kallas on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan,” March 2, 2025 The following is the transcript of an interview with European Union top diplomat Kaja Kallas that aired on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” on March 2, 2025. MARGARET BRENNAN: Thank you for making time. So you are the EU’s top diplomat, which means you have to help represent 27 different countries. President Trump said the EU was formed in order to ****** the United States, that’s the purpose of it. What was your reaction to that remark? HIGH REPRESENTATIVE VICE PRESIDENT KAJA KALLAS: Europe is a peace project. You know, it was created so that we wouldn’t have wars between the members of European Union, and we haven’t had. And, of course, also to do things together, cooperate more. You know, coming from a country that joined the European Union 20, 20 years ago. Then, we were actually, you know, pushed by the Americans, you know, you will not get into NATO, but, but Europe, the European Union, is something that you should join because it’s, it’s a good project also for the transatlantic relations. So I was quite surprised to hear a comment like that. MARGARET BRENNAN: Do you know what the President meant by it? HRVP KALLAS: Well, you have to ask the President, so. MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, it seems to reflect that there is some fairly high tension with the US at this point. HRVP KALLAS: Yes. The question is why? We have always been good allies. I mean, we have been working together and we have been friends and allies, what comes to the world in different parts of the world, what is happening. We have been cooperating, whether it comes to Ukraine, whether it comes to, also, Middle East. And we see- in the world, we see powers like Russia, North Korea, Iran, more covertly China, working together. And I think this is the moment where we have to work together as transatlantic partners. MARGARET BRENNAN: Secretary of State Rubio, you had announced you intended to meet with him while you were here, and then that meeting was canceled. Why? HRVP KALLAS: Oh, well, it was said that it’s a calendar issues. But I’m sure we are going to meet again, because we had very good meetings in Munich, and there are a lot of topics that we need to discuss. So we are going to meet in G7 in two weeks time. MARGARET BRENNAN: So you don’t think this was a slight? HRVP KALLAS: Well, you have to ask Secretary of State, but, I mean, we have had such good encounters before, so I don’t really read into you know- I know that we are not on top of our calendars. So, so you know things might happen. MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, you’re here now, France’s President Emmanuel Macron was just here, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, President Zelenskyy is flying here. Are all of the European leaders coordinating? And if so, what’s the message? HRVP KALLAS: We are coordinating. And of course, the message is there are several layers. One is that the fight that Ukraine is having is not only about Ukraine sovereignty, but it’s much, much broader. It’s about freedom of the free world, really. It is about the world where international law applies and the world where might does not make right. It is clear that Russia attacked Ukraine. There is one aggressor and one victim. And we need to really make sure that Russia doesn’t attack again. And for that, we need to concentrate our efforts. I mean putting politically and economically pressure on Russia to stop this war, but at the same time also help Ukraine to defend itself. MARGARET BRENNAN: But what you just said, is factually accurate, Russia invaded Ukraine. But the Trump administration has decided now not to say that explicitly, arguing that the President needs negotiating room. Do you think that that’s persuasive to Vladimir Putin? HRVP KALLAS: Well, it is certainly, you know, a very strong Russian narrative that they want to- want to really push saying that, you know, oh, it’s a conflict between two equal parties, you know. And to clear- I mean, create this chaos where it’s very clear. It is very clear. One country attacked another country, very brutally with force, and is bombing Ukraine every day. I mean, President Trump says that he wants the killing to stop. I don’t think that anybody wants the killing to stop more than the Ukrainians. And in order to achieve that, we should all put the pressure on Putin, because he can stop the killing by not bombing Ukraine and the Ukrainians so that they don’t have to defend themselves. And that’s why our plan, our policies, to really put the pressure on Russia. We shouldn’t overestimate the power of Russia and underestimate our own power. We know that their economy is not doing well. I mean, their inflation is over 20%, their National Fund is almost completely depleted. They don’t have the same revenues from gas and oil that they used to to fund the war machine. So actually, if we concentrate our efforts, we can put the pressure so that they would stop the war, not to offer them anything, you know, on a plate, in addition what they have already done. MARGARET BRENNAN: So why do you think acknowledging who is responsible does matter? HRVP KALLAS: Well, it does matter who is responsible, so who is accountable for this as well. And why it also matters is that we have the United Nations Charter where we have agreed how countries are, you know, interacting with each other. And it says very clearly that you can’t attack sovereignty, territorial integrity of another country, and if you do, there are consequences. And why is it important? It is important for small countries in the world for whom this is the only thing that protects them. If we don’t really defend this principle, then we’re going to see all these developments that we don’t want to see. Because all the countries who are afraid of their neighbors will want to go for nuclear weapons, because this is the only thing that protects them. It’s not the international law anymore. And all the countries who have appetite for the neighbors’ territory will want to have a nuclear weapon, because it is the only thing by- you know, threatening to use this weapon, you can have what you- what you want, because this is what Russia is doing. MARGARET BRENNAN: And yet, at the United Nations this week, you pointed out the U.S. aligned with “new friends,” Russia, Belarus, Sudan, North Korea, at the UN. The U.S. voted with them and against a European backed resolution about Ukraine that demanded the withdrawal of Russian troops. The Trump administration would say, it’s a UN resolution. It doesn’t have a practical impact. Does it? HRVP KALLAS: Well, yes, not so directly. It doesn’t have a practical impact, but it- clearly, I mean, it is saying what kind of principles in the world we are supporting. And of course, we were co-sponsoring, together with the United States, the resolution to support Ukraine. And it was a surprise to us that U.S. suddenly changed the position. I must, you know, really point out that we had the resolution drafted together with the new administration, regarding the support for Ukraine. But when they met the Russians, something happened after that, because the behavior changed. So- so the question is, where do we go from here? Our will and- and wish is to work together with our transatlantic partners for the principles that United States has always stood for. I mean, I’m coming from the country that regained our independence in 1991. It was the time when, you know, Ronald Reagan was really pushing hard for, you know, fight for freedom, and- and we are so grateful for America for doing this. Because we got our independence and freedom back, and therefore also the prosperity and the well being of our people. So we are very grateful. And I’m not- and I don’t want to- I don’t want to see this- I don’t want to let this go. I mean, that, America, you know, is- is not fighting for- for freedom and independence, and, you know, the principles, the basic principles, of the international law. MARGARET BRENNAN: So, President Zelenskyy said Ukraine has intelligence that Russia plans to send troops to Belarus, and from there stage forces, either to attack Ukraine or another European country. Do you share that assessment that Russia will continue its march through Europe? HRVP KALLAS: Russia has been investing more than 9% of its GDP on military. In comparison, European countries are spending 2%. I think my own country is spending over 3%, but- but I think America is spending something around 3 or 4% of its GDP. So if you’re investing so much on the military, you will want to use it again. And that’s why it is very important how we- how we act here. In 2008, they attacked Georgia. Nothing happened. There was not the strong reaction from the West. In 2014, they annexed Crimea and attacked Ukraine. There was not the strong reaction. So, you know, there was a ceasefire, but ceasefire only gave them possibility to regroup and rearm. That’s why it is extremely important that we don’t make the same mistake again. If there is a pause, so they are able to get their forces to gather again, we will just see more wars. Everybody wants peace, but the peace has to be a lasting peace. And for lasting peace, it has to put- the pressure has to be put on Russia so that they don’t do this again. MARGARET BRENNAN: So, the- President Zelenskyy and President Macron of France have both talked about creating Europe’s own army separate from NATO. Do you see that as likely? HRVP KALLAS: I mean, NATO is a defense alliance, and- and it is comprised of 32 different armies of, of the NATO member states. So, NATO structure is the military structure, and in terms of war, very important is, who gives orders to whom? So if you have, you know, those through- 32 armies that cooperate together, and you have one structure, then it’s clear who gives orders to whom. If you have– MARGARET BRENNAN: And right now, it’s the United States to the Supreme Allied Commander. HRVP KALLAS: Yes, it is true. But the- but the structure- structure is there. I mean, command structure, but also communication, everything that is necessary, how we work together. So if we say that we create a parallel structure, then, you know, when, in terms of crisis, then who gives orders to whom? Because the armies are just the 32. So that’s why I haven’t supported a special European army. I’m just saying that all the armies that are there in Europe, but also in NATO, need to work together. MARGARET BRENNAN: So, the EU right now does have sanctions on Russia, and Secretary Rubio has pointed to that, saying, Look, Europe has a say in this. They’re going to have to make their own decisions on sanctions. Do you think you can keep all 27 countries in line and can keep that pressure on Russia? KAJA KALLAS: We have managed so far and- and, of course, it’s getting harder all the time, but we have managed to keep this unity. And I’m– MARGARET BRENNAN: — Hungary’s Prime Minister threatens that– KAJA KALLAS: — That is true, but at the same time, I mean, we are also thinking of different plans. Because, you know, for example, the sanctions, the frozen assets, for example. I mean, we see Russia causing damage to Ukraine every day. We know what this costs. So when we have the frozen assets, then it is, you know, the proceeds can be used for, really, the damages that Russia has caused to Ukraine. And there are– MARGARET BRENNAN: — This is 200 billion Euros– KAJA KALLAS: — 300 billion. MARGARET BRENNAN: 300 billion euros of Russian assets that are frozen. But why isn’t that already being tapped? Is it just because the banking system is averse? KAJA KALLAS: There are several arguments, and some- some countries are not in favor because of the different risks. But I think, you know, in the end, everybody will come to the same conclusion. It shouldn’t be our taxpayers that pay for the damages caused by Russia in Ukraine. It should be Russia who pays. MARGARET BRENNAN: Let me ask you about the trade dispute that seems to be brewing between the US and the EU. President Trump said he’s going to put a 25% tariff on imports, on cars and all of the things. Do you think that a trade war is avoidable at this point? Do you plan to bring a complaint to the World Trade Organization? KAJA KALLAS: We don’t want the trade war with United States. I think there are no winners in trade wars. And I mean, yesterday, I was here and watching the news as well, and you hear the news that consumer confidence in United States is dropping. And you know, if you have trade wars, it increases the prices, and in the end, the consumers will pay for this. So- so it is- it is not- I mean, there are no winners in trade wars, and we don’t want to start one. But of course, we will also protect our interest if a trade war is started against us. 10:45:23 MARGARET BRENNAN: You’ve been meeting with American lawmakers while you’re in Washington. Do you get the sense that any of them are going to persuade President Trump to change his position on Russia? KAJA KALLAS: There are strong supporters of Ukraine in, I mean, both sides of the aisle and have been very, very much understanding what is going on. I don’t know their relationship with President Trump, but I have seen the strong will that there is. Maybe this critical raw materials deal that President Trump is doing with President Zelenskyy will increase the economic interest of United States in Ukraine. That will, in turn, also give, I mean, the interest- security interest, to protect those economic interests that you have in Ukraine. So, so maybe that is one of the tools. MARGARET BRENNAN: So that critical minerals deal the US and Ukraine are supposed to jointly invest in doesn’t have any security guarantees for Ukraine. KAJA KALLAS: It doesn’t have, and- and I mean, we have been saying that, you know, the security of Ukraine is also in the interest of United States, because, as we have been saying, it’s much broader than- than just Ukraine. And when, you know, our American counterparts are talking about China, but at the same time saying that, you know, we can’t step up to Russia. I mean, China is much ******* economy than Russia is, and much ******* army than Russia is. If you’re saying that we can’t step up to Russia, how can we, you know, really be able to step up to China then. MARGARET BRENNAN: And before I let you go, I want to ask you about Iran. Europe will have to make a decision in the fall about what to do if Iran doesn’t agree to hold diplomatic talks about its nuclear program. What is your sense of whether Iran is going to negotiate away its program? KAJA KALLAS: We are going to have next Foreign Affairs meeting, Foreign Affairs ministers meeting, and we’re going to discuss Iran. Our common position, how we approach Iran. It is clear the way Iran operates, I mean helping Russia in the war against Ukraine, but also their activities in the Middle East, that we have to have a much stronger stance when it comes to Iran. Because developing a nuclear weapon, it’s extremely dangerous. And there is one of the points where we need to cooperate with the United States as well. MARGARET BRENNAN: Thank you very much for your time here today. Face The Nation Transcripts More More Source link #Transcript #Kaja #Kallas #Face #Nation #Margaret #Brennan #March Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Egypt says Gaza Strip reconstruction plan is ready Egypt says Gaza Strip reconstruction plan is ready Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty says an Egyptian plan for the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, that ensures Palestinians remain in their land, is ready and will be presented to an emergency Arab summit. Arab countries who were swift to reject President Donald Trump’s plan for the US to take control of the Gaza Strip and resettle Palestinians are scrambling to agree on a diplomatic offensive to counter the idea. Trump’s plan, announced on February 4 during a fragile ceasefire between Israel and ****** in the Gaza Strip, has infuriated Palestinians and Arab countries and upended decades of US diplomacy focused on a two-state solution. The Egyptian counter reconstruction plan, according to Abdelatty, will not be purely Egyptian or Arab but will gain international support and funding to ensure its successful implementation. “We will hold intensive talks with major donor countries once the plan is adopted at the upcoming Arab Summit,” Abdelatty said in a presser with the European Union Commissioner for the Mediterranean Dubravka Šuica. The summit will take place on Tuesday in Egypt. Abdelatty said role of European countries, especially in the economic aspect of rebuilding the war-torn enclave, is critical. Asked about the second phase of the ceasefire deal, Abdelatty said Egypt will continue its intensive efforts to ensure the ceasefire is maintained and negotiations for the second phase can begin. He stressed the importance of safely executing the ceasefire agreement signed in January, emphasising its commitment to ensuring its proper implementation. “The first phase has concluded successfully and now we must shift to discussions on the second phase, which is key to sustaining the ceasefire,” he said. “Naturally, it will be difficult but with goodwill and political determination, it can be achieved.” Abdelatty said that following the emergency Arab Summit, there will be an urgent ministerial meeting in Saudi Arabia for the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, where foreign ministers will push for the summit’s outcomes to be presented globally. “We will ensure that the results of the Arab summit are presented to the world in the best possible way,” Abdelatty added. Israel blocked the entry of aid trucks into the Gaza Strip on Sunday as a stand-off over the truce that has halted fighting for the past six weeks escalated. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said earlier that it had adopted a proposal by Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, for a temporary ceasefire in the enclave for the Ramadan and Passover periods, hours after the first phase of the previously agreed ceasefire expired. Israel will not allow a ceasefire without a release of our hostages. If ****** persists in its refusal, there will be additional consequences.— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) March 2, 2025 If agreed, the truce would halt fighting until the end of the Ramadan fasting ******* about March 31 and the Jewish Passover holiday about April 20. The truce would be conditional on ****** releasing half of the living and dead hostages on the first day, with the remainder released at the conclusion, if an agreement is reached on a permanent ceasefire. There are wide gaps on key areas regarding a permanent end to the war, including what form a postwar administration of the Gaza Strip would take and what future there would be for ******, which triggered Israel’s invasion of the enclave with its attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023. The attack killed 1200 people, in the worst one-day loss of life in Israel’s history, and resulted in 251 people being taken into the Gaza Strip as hostages. The Israeli campaign has killed more than 48,000 Palestinians, displaced almost all of its 2.3 million population and left the Gaza Strip a wasteland. Source link #Egypt #Gaza #Strip #reconstruction #plan #ready Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Windows 11 Task Manager update will show accurate CPU utilization, align with industry standards Windows 11 Task Manager update will show accurate CPU utilization, align with industry standards Microsoft just released Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3360 to the Dev and Beta Channels, with Windows Task Manager getting a minor but important upgrade. According to the Windows Blog, “Task Manager will now use the standard metrics to display CPU workload consistently across all pages and aligning with industry standards and third-party tools.” So, if you get this update, the Details tab of the Task Manager should now more accurately show you your PC’s current CPU utilization. The function has previously been criticized for its inaccuracy because it based its computational charts on your computer’s base clock, not its actual or boost frequency. That means Task Manager was showing you a lower CPU utilization value versus what it actually used because it based its computation on your processor’s slower base clock. So, if it used all of your processor’s resources, you would often find that your CPU utilization went above 100% in the Details tab, adding the numbers manually. You will not see this happen if you look at the CPU graph in the Performance tab, though, as Windows limits it to 100% CPU load even if its computation is already above the number. The issue gets worse if you go under the hood of your PC and underclock your processor. Task Manager will never report that your CPU is already at 100% utilization, even if it’s already at max performance based on the frequency numbers that you set. This inaccuracy is missed by most Windows users, which is probably the reason why Microsoft did not bother fixing it for a long time. After all, if you know enough to care about your CPU utilization and tinker with your processor’s frequencies, you also know that you could easily download third-party monitoring apps like Process Explorer. But finally, enthusiasts will finally get their wish if this Dev and Beta Channel update will make it to the main release. This update ensures that Task Manager will be as accurate as possible, and you can rely on it to show you your PC’s actual performance, even if it’s pushing its processor way above the base frequency that Intel or AMD said it would have. It will still retain the old reading, though, for backward compatibility and rename it as CPU Utility. (Image credit: Microsoft) Despite all its shortcomings, we appreciate the minor improvements that Microsoft releases with its updates. For example, it updated how Task Manager reports RAM speeds from MHz to the more technically accurate MT/s in May 2024. While these updates will likely not impact the majority of Windows users, they will appease the tech enthusiasts who still stick with the operating system, finally giving them readings that are as accurate as possible. Get Tom’s Hardware’s best news and in-depth reviews, straight to your inbox. Source link #Windows #Task #Manager #update #show #accurate #CPU #utilization #align #industry #standards Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

How Wall Street pros are looking at fears over a US economy slowdown How Wall Street pros are looking at fears over a US economy slowdown A choppy February for investors was punctuated by a poor reading on consumer confidence, a soft report on consumer spending, and a sell-off across many of the momentum trades that had defined the market action this year. “The fear here among a lot of investors now [has] become that the economy could be slowing down faster than the Fed is willing to react, which is a tough situation,” Steve Sosnick, chief strategist at Interactive Brokers, told Yahoo Finance an interview on Friday. For the month, the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) fell about 4% while the S&P 500 (^GSPC) and Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) were down 1.4%. Nasdaq GIDS – Delayed Quote • USD At close: February 28 at 5:15:59 PM EST ^IXIC ^DJI ^GSPC Sosnick noted that in recent days, the Dow has been the best relative performer among the major US stock indexes given its lower weighting towards the tech and momentum names that play a larger role in its peer indexes the S&P 500 and Nasdaq. Consequently, defensive plays like Consumer Staples (XLP) have a more prominent influence on the Dow than the S&P 500. “This is an environment either to lighten up [on stocks], raise a little cash, which, considering the cash is still paying you 4%, is not a terrible place to be,” Sosnick said. “But if you want to stay invested, you may want to move a bit more toward low beta stocks and high dividend stocks because they’re a little more insulated from the market’s risk off mentality right now.” Low beta stocks tend to trade with less volatility than the average stock in the market, either going up or down less when the market moves one way or another. Street signs hang outside the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) at Wall Street in New York on February 3, 2025. (Photo by ANGELA WEISS / AFP) (Photo by ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images) · ANGELA WEISS via Getty Images Whether this market is being shaken by fears over economic growth — or is just seeing a rotation as investors move away from recent winners — is a debate that looks set to define the final month of the first quarter. “The stock market is in the midst of another growth scare, in our opinion,” Ed Yardeni and Eric Wallerstein at Yardeni Research wrote in a recent note. “The latest batch of economic indicators has been weak. The current growth scare is reminiscent of last summer’s scare.” That sell-off saw the S&P 500 fall just less than 10% peak-to-trough before the index recovered to make new all-time highs by November. Neil Dutta, head of economics at Renaissance Macro, warned in a recent note to clients that the economy does appear to be softening, with the Federal Reserve’s decision to keep rates elevated amounting to a “passive tightening of monetary policy [that] is the dominant risk and that has important implications for financial market investors.” Story Continues In Dutta’s view, however, these are not yet the dynamics driving the recent action in markets. “A lot of the winners are now being punted,” Dutta told Yahoo Finance in an interview on Friday. “You know, if it was a real recession story, you’d expect financial stocks to be underperforming. You wouldn’t see Europe outperforming. There’s a lot of things going on that are not really consistent with the growth scare.” Should investors begin to act more forcefully on these signs that the economy is softening, Dutta also sees a change in how investors position their portfolios. “If you have a massive tightening of monetary policy, that will put further downward pressure on economic growth and should push investors to take more defensive positions in the equity markets, in my opinion, that might mean Consumer Staples (XLP), maybe Utilities (XLU),” Dutta said. “I’m not an equity market strategist, but that’s that’s sort of how I’d be thinking about it,” he added. “And [I’d also expect investors] to take long positions in the Treasury market because, ultimately, I think the Fed will do the right thing, but there could be some pressure between now and then.” Click here for in-depth analysis of the latest stock market news and events moving stock prices Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance Source link #Wall #Street #pros #fears #economy #slowdown Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Xiaomi 15 Ultra With Leica-Tuned Cameras Goes Global at MWC 2025 Alongside Xiaomi 15: Price, Specifications Xiaomi 15 Ultra With Leica-Tuned Cameras Goes Global at MWC 2025 Alongside Xiaomi 15: Price, Specifications Xiaomi 15 Ultra was launched in global markets by the ******** smartphone maker on Sunday, ahead of the upcoming Mobile World Congress (MWC 2025) in Barcelona. The company’s flagship smartphone was unveiled in China on February 27, while the standard and Pro models were first introduced in October 2024. The Xiaomi 15 series features a Snapdragon 8 Elite chip paired with up to 16GB of RAM. The handsets are equipped with LTPO AMOLED displays, and pack silicon carbon batteries with support for 90W fast charging. Xiaomi 15 Ultra, Xiaomi 15 Price and Availability Xiaomi 15 Ultra pricing starts at EUR 1,499 (roughly Rs. 1,36,100) for the base model with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. The standard Xiaomi 15 is priced at EUR 999 (roughly Rs. 90,700) for the 12GB+256GB model. Xiaomi is expected to announce details related to availability in regions, including India, at a later date. Xiaomi also says it will provider one out-of-warranty repair without labour cost, within the first year of purchasing the smartphone. The company will also offer a free screen replacement within the first six months. Xiaomi 15 Ultra Specifications The Xiaomi 15 Ultra is a dual SIM (Nano+Nano) smartphone that runs on Android 15, with Xiaomi’s HyperOS 2 skin running on top. It is scheduled to receive four OS upgrades. The handset is powered by a 3nm Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset from Qualcomm, which is paired with up to 16GB of LPDDR5x RAM. The Xiaomi 15 Ultra sports a 6.73-inch WQHD+ (1,440×3,200 pixels) quad curved LTPO AMOLED display, with a 120Hz refresh rate and up to 3,200nits peak brightness. Xiaomi 15 Ultra Photo Credit: Xiaomi The company has equipped the Xiaomi 15 Ultra with four Leica-tuned cameras. It has a 50-megapixel primary rear camera with a 1-inch type LYT-900 sensor and optical image stabilisation (OIS). It also has a 50-megapixel ultrawide camera, a 50-megapixel Sony IMX858 telephoto camera sensor with OIS and 3x optical zoom, and a 200-megapixel ISOCELL HP9 periscope telephoto camera with OIS and 4.3x optical zoom. There’s a 32-megapixel selfie camera on the front. You get up to 512GB of storage UFS 4.1 storage on the Xiaomi 15 Ultra. The handset offers 5G, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, GPS, NFC, and a USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port. Sensors on board include an accelerometer, gyroscope, proximity sensor, compass, barometer, and an in-display ultrasonic fingerprint scanner. The Xiaomi 15 Ultra packs a 5,410mAh silicon carbon battery with support for 90W fast charging and 80W wireless charging. The handset’s chassis is built using aerospace-grade glass fibre, and it has an IP68 rating for dust and splash resistance. Xiaomi 15 Specifications The Xiaomi 15 is equipped with the same chip as the flagship Xiaomi 15 Ultra, and the handset features up to 16GB of RAM. The standard model sports a 6.36-inch LTPO AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and up to 3,200nits peak brightness. Xiaomi 15 (left) and the Xiaomi 15 Pro — the latter is only available in China Photo Credit: Xiaomi Like the Ultra model, the Xiaomi 15 is equipped with a 50-megapixel primary camera with OIS, and a 50-megapixel ultrawide camera. It also has a 50-megapixel telephoto camera with OIS and 3x optical zoom. It features the same 32-megapixel selfie camera seen on the Ultra model. The Xiaomi 15 arrives with up to 1TB of UFS 4.0 storage. Connectivity options are nearly the same as the Ultra model, except for Bluetooth 5.4 (the flagship model offers Bluetooth 6.0 connectivity). The Xiaomi 15 packs a 5,240mAh battery, which can be charged at 90W (wired) and 50W (wireless), according to the company. For details of the latest launches and news from Samsung, Xiaomi, Realme, OnePlus, Oppo and other companies at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, visit our MWC 2025 hub. Source link #Xiaomi #Ultra #LeicaTuned #Cameras #Global #MWC #Xiaomi #Price #Specifications Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

***, France and Ukraine agree to work on ceasefire plan for Russia’s war in Ukraine ***, France and Ukraine agree to work on ceasefire plan for Russia’s war in Ukraine British Prime Minister Keir Starmer greets Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the day of the European leaders’ summit to discuss European security and Ukraine, at Lancaster House in London on March 2, 2025. Toby Melville | Reuters Britain, France and Ukraine have agreed to work on a ceasefire plan to present to the United States, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Sunday as European leaders assembled in London to discuss ending the war. The meeting has been overshadowed by the extraordinary scolding of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy by U.S. President Donald Trump, who blasted him Friday at the White House as being ungrateful for U.S. support against the invasion by Russia. But Starmer said he’s focused on being a bridge to restore peace talks, whose collapse he used as an opportunity to re-engage with Trump, Zelenskyy and French President Emmanuel Macron rather than “ramp up the rhetoric.” “We’ve now agreed that the United Kingdom, along with France and possibly one or two others, will work with Ukraine on a plan to stop the fighting, and then we’ll discuss that plan with the United States,” Starmer told the BBC. Starmer and Macron have both spoken to Trump since Friday. Sunday’s meeting is an important step The London meeting has taken on greater importance in defending the war-torn ally and shoring up the continent’s defenses. Sunday’s summit is likely to include talks on establishing a European military force to be sent to Ukraine to underpin a ceasefire. Starmer said it would involve “a coalition of the willing.” Starmer said he does not trust Russian President Vladimir Putin but does trust Trump. “Do I believe Donald Trump when he says he wants lasting peace? The answer to that is yes,” he said. Starmer said there are “intense discussions” to get a security guarantee from the U.S. “If there is to be a deal, if there is to be a stopping of the fighting, then that agreement has to be defended, because the worst of all outcomes is that there is a temporary pause and then (Russian President Vladimir) Putin comes again,” Starmer said. “That has happened in the past, I think it is a real risk, and that is why we must ensure that if there’s a deal, it is a lasting deal, not a temporary pause.” The three essentials Starmer listed for a successful peace deal were: arming the Ukrainians to put them in a position of strength; including a European element to guarantee security; and providing a “U.S. backstop,” to prevent Putin from breaking promises. “That’s the package. All three parts need to be in place, and that’s what I’m working hard to bring together,” Starmer said. Starmer hosted the meeting at Lancaster House, a 200-year-old mansion near Buckingham Palace, following a charm offensive last week to persuade Trump to put Ukraine at the center of negotiations and tilt his allegiances toward Europe. Leaders from France, Germany, Denmark, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Canada, Finland, Sweden, the Czech Republic and Romania will be at the summit. The Turkish foreign minister, NATO secretary-general and the presidents of the European Commission and European Council were in attendance. European leaders are backing Zelenskyy Zelenskyy received broad support from leaders across Europe after the White House fiasco, an exceptional attack on an ally broadcast on live television. Starmer embraced Zelenskyy as he arrived at the meeting Sunday, one of the final arrivals. Europe has been anxious since Trump initiated direct peace talks with Putin, who had been isolated by most Western leaders since invading Ukraine three years ago. The scramble to remain relevant and protect European interests as their once stalwart ally appeared to be cozying up to Putin was even more troubling when Trump called Zelenskyy a dictator and falsely said Ukraine started the war. Meetings in recent days had provided some hope — until Zelenskyy’s visit to the White House. Visits to the Oval Office by Macron, who had declared his visit a “turning point,” and Starmer were seen as steps in the right direction. The meetings were cordial and Trump even took a gentler tone toward Ukraine, though he would not commit to providing U.S. security guarantees and maintained Europe would need to provide peacekeeping troops. Within 12 hours of Starmer’s return from Washington, the talk of peace seemed to collapse as Vice President JD Vance berated Zelenskyy for challenging Trump’s assertions that Russian President Vladimir Putin could be trusted. “Starmer did an impressive job of asserting Europe’s agency in the war on Ukraine and conveying to President Trump that Europe is willing and able to take a leading role in implementing any credible peace deal,” said Rachel Ellehuus, director-general of Royal United Services Institute, a defense and security think tank. “Unfortunately, Friday’s White House meeting was a major step backward.” Ukraine can no longer count on military or political support from the U.S. after Trump declared himself neutral in negotiations, Ellehuus said. She said Europe needs to step in and could release some 200 billion euros ($207 billion) in seized Russian assets to help fund that effort. “The immediate goal of the meetings in London must be to keep Ukraine in the fight so it can negotiate from a maximum position of strength,” she said. European leaders pledge to increase military spending Starmer pledged this week to boost military spending to 2.5% of gross domestic product by 2027. Other European nations may follow suit. Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala said Saturday that Europe faces a historic test and has to look after itself. He said European countries have to increase their arms spending to reach at least 3% of GDP. “If we don’t increase our effort fast enough and let the aggressor dictate its conditions, we won’t end up well,” he said. Macron, who said it was legitimate for the U.S. to shift its focus to dealing with China and Asia, also called for more defense spending as he called for unity. “We should have woken up earlier,” Macron said. “I’ve been saying for years that we need a more sovereign, more united, more independent Europe.” Source link #France #Ukraine #agree #work #ceasefire #plan #Russias #war #Ukraine Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

The Xiaomi 15 Ultra is a Leica-powered photo showcase The Xiaomi 15 Ultra is a Leica-powered photo showcase Practically every flagship phone can take a great picture. But that hasn’t stopped Xiaomi from continuing its partnership with legendary camera maker Leica to produce a photo powerhouse in the new Xiaomi 15 Ultra. Powered by a Snapdragon 8 Elite chip with up to 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, it goes without saying that the Xiaomi 15 Ultra has top-notch specs. It also has a huge 6,000 mAh battery, which is ******* than anything you get from Apple, Google or Samsung. Meanwhile, when it comes to charging, wired speeds go up to 90 watts or just a tad slower at 80 watts wirelessly, which is no mean feat. And unlike most phones sold in the US, it comes with a power adapter in the box. Elsewhere, the 15 Ultra sports a gorgeous 6.7-inch AMOLED display with a 1-120Hz refresh rate and up to 3,200 nits of brightness. It’s also available in three colorways: a white model with an etched back, ****** with an almost rubbery textured finish and a special Silver Chrome edition that draws inspiration from some of Leica’s old-school cameras. I appreciate that the white model I tested features subtle swerves carved into its back that shine in the sunlight. But let’s be honest, that two-toned metal and ****** one is easily the most attractive of the bunch because it really leans into what this phone does best. 1 / 6 Xiaomi 15 Ultra hands-on photo Xiaomi 15 Ultra hands-on photo In back, there’s a massive circular camera module that normally I’m not a huge fan of when used on rival devices like the OnePlus 13. However, on this device, it’s more than just a showpiece because inside it is some serious photo hardware. The Ultra 15’s 23mm equivalent main camera uses a massive 1-inch 50-megapixel Sony sensor. Then, for stuff like expansive landscapes, there’s an f/2.2 50-MP ultrawide cam. But it doesn’t stop there because there’s not one but two zoom lenses: a 50MP midrange shooter with a 70mm focal length plus a super high-res 200MP periscope array with a 100mm focal length (which equates to a 4.7x optical zoom). Now, I haven’t had a ton of time to fully put it through its paces, but from what I’ve seen so far, the Xiaomi Ultra 15 has one of the most well-rounded photo toolkits around. It’s got Leica optics along with big sensors and lenses that cover pretty much every focal length you’d need on a daily basis. And on the software side, there are some preset Leica filters like Vibrant or Authentic to really drive home the collaboration between the two brands. Sam Rutherford for Engadget That said, one of the things that impresses me the most is that Xiaomi even created a separate Photography kit that includes an add-on camera grip with a physical shutter button, an adjustable dial and a dedicated video button. There’s also a case that allows you to attach a standard 67mm filter adapter. This means, assuming you have the right gear, you can take some of the same glass you use on your real camera and use it with the Ultra 15. And this isn’t just some half-hearted afterthought either, as the kit also comes with bonuses like a hand strap, a decorative lens ring and two different removable caps for its shutter. Notably, unlike some ******** phones like those from Huawei, Xiaomi handsets still have access to Google services, so you can download apps from the Play Store. Even the company’s HyperOS 2 is a relatively minimalist Android skin that looks good and is easy to use. And while this model will be available globally starting at around €850, sadly there are no official plans to bring it to the US, which is a real shame because no one is really selling handsets like this in America anymore. (RIP to the Panasonic Lumix DMC-CM1.) Source link #Xiaomi #Ultra #Leicapowered #photo #showcase Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Xiaomi 15 Ultra With Leica-Tuned Cameras Goes Global at MWC 2025 Alongside Xiaomi 15: Price, Specifications Xiaomi 15 Ultra With Leica-Tuned Cameras Goes Global at MWC 2025 Alongside Xiaomi 15: Price, Specifications Xiaomi 15 Ultra was launched in global markets by the ******** smartphone maker on Sunday, ahead of the upcoming Mobile World Congress (MWC 2025) in Barcelona. The company’s flagship smartphone was unveiled in China on February 27, while the standard and Pro models were first introduced in October 2024. The Xiaomi 15 series features a Snapdragon 8 Elite chip paired with up to 16GB of RAM. The handsets are equipped with LTPO AMOLED displays, and pack silicon carbon batteries with support for 90W fast charging. Xiaomi 15 Ultra, Xiaomi 15 Price and Availability Xiaomi 15 Ultra pricing starts at EUR 1,499 (roughly Rs. 1,36,100) for the base model with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. The standard Xiaomi 15 is priced at EUR 999 (roughly Rs. 90,700) for the 12GB+256GB model. Xiaomi is expected to announce details related to availability in regions, including India, at a later date. Xiaomi also says it will provider one out-of-warranty repair without labour cost, within the first year of purchasing the smartphone. The company will also offer a free screen replacement within the first six months. Xiaomi 15 Ultra Specifications The Xiaomi 15 Ultra is a dual SIM (Nano+Nano) smartphone that runs on Android 15, with Xiaomi’s HyperOS 2 skin running on top. It is scheduled to receive four OS upgrades. The handset is powered by a 3nm Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset from Qualcomm, which is paired with up to 16GB of LPDDR5x RAM. The Xiaomi 15 Ultra sports a 6.73-inch WQHD+ (1,440×3,200 pixels) quad curved LTPO AMOLED display, with a 120Hz refresh rate and up to 3,200nits peak brightness. Xiaomi 15 Ultra Photo Credit: Xiaomi The company has equipped the Xiaomi 15 Ultra with four Leica-tuned cameras. It has a 50-megapixel primary rear camera with a 1-inch type LYT-900 sensor and optical image stabilisation (OIS). It also has a 50-megapixel ultrawide camera, a 50-megapixel Sony IMX858 telephoto camera sensor with OIS and 3x optical zoom, and a 200-megapixel ISOCELL HP9 periscope telephoto camera with OIS and 4.3x optical zoom. There’s a 32-megapixel selfie camera on the front. You get up to 1TB of storage UFS 4.1 storage on the Xiaomi 15 Ultra. The handset offers 5G, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, GPS, NFC, and a USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port. Sensors on board include an accelerometer, gyroscope, proximity sensor, compass, barometer, and an in-display ultrasonic fingerprint scanner. The Xiaomi 15 Ultra packs a 5,410mAh silicon carbon battery with support for 90W fast charging and 80W wireless charging. The handset’s chassis is built using aerospace-grade glass fibre, and it has an IP68 rating for dust and splash resistance. Xiaomi 15 Specifications The Xiaomi 15 is equipped with the same chip as the flagship Xiaomi 15 Ultra, and the handset features up to 16GB of RAM. The standard model sports a 6.36-inch LTPO AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and up to 3,200nits peak brightness. Xiaomi 15 (left) and the Xiaomi 15 Pro — the latter is only available in China Photo Credit: Xiaomi Like the Ultra model, the Xiaomi 15 is equipped with a 50-megapixel primary camera with OIS, and a 50-megapixel ultrawide camera. It also has a 50-megapixel telephoto camera with OIS and 3x optical zoom. It features the same 32-megapixel selfie camera seen on the Ultra model. The Xiaomi 15 arrives with up to 1TB of UFS 4.0 storage. Connectivity options are nearly the same as the Ultra model, except for Bluetooth 5.4 (the flagship model offers Bluetooth 6.0 connectivity). The Xiaomi 15 packs a 5,240mAh battery, which can be charged at 90W (wired) and 50W (wireless), according to the company. For details of the latest launches and news from Samsung, Xiaomi, Realme, OnePlus, Oppo and other companies at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, visit our MWC 2025 hub. Source link #Xiaomi #Ultra #LeicaTuned #Cameras #Global #MWC #Xiaomi #Price #Specifications Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

MLB Commissioner Considering Petition To Posthumously Reinstate Pete Rose: AP Source – HuffPost MLB Commissioner Considering Petition To Posthumously Reinstate Pete Rose: AP Source – HuffPost MLB Commissioner Considering Petition To Posthumously Reinstate Pete Rose: AP Source HuffPostSources: Manfred reviewing bid to reinstate Rose ESPNMLB commissioner Rob Manfred considers petition to reinstate Pete Rose ban, source confirms The Cincinnati EnquirerPresident Donald Trump says he will pardon MLB’s all-time hit king Pete Rose USA TODAYTrump Says He Will Posthumously Pardon the Baseball Star Pete Rose The New York Times Source link #MLB #Commissioner #Petition #Posthumously #Reinstate #Pete #Rose #Source #HuffPost Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The Alienware Aurora with an RTX 5080 is now available but I wouldn’t buy it personally, for these reasons The Alienware Aurora with an RTX 5080 is now available but I wouldn’t buy it personally, for these reasons Dell’s new Alienware Aurora desktop with an RTX 5080 is now available to buy and it’s reasonably priced at $2,899.99 at the official Dell Store. For the price, you get that coveted RTX 5080 graphics card alongside a powerful Intel Core Ultra 9-285 chipset, 32GB of RAM, and 1TB SSD. These specs are right on par with other machines right now and more than enough to get you superb performance right out of the box. As deals editor, I’m hesitating to recommend this one to our readers. Dell has a really, reall great track record with sales throughout the year, and its Alienware stock is nearly always included in these big retail events. While it will be a few months yet before any price cuts appear, we should generally see some really great deals. Secondly, I think there are better value RTX 5080 gaming PCs on the market right now. Over at Newegg, for example, you can get this Yeyian Pheonix with a Ryzen 7 9800X3D chipset for just $2,699 (was $2,999). The Ryzen 7-9800X3D inside this machine is a much, much better gaming chipset than the Ultra 9 in the Aurora and you also get proprietary components – meaning they’re much easier to upgrade. Speaking of which, I’m also partial to the high-end Alienware Area-51 that the brand has just announced. While the cheapest RTX 5080 model comes in at an eye-watering $4,499, this new model features completely proprietary parts and an absolutely gorgeous new case design. It’s pricey, yes, but it could be worth springing the extra if you’re dead-set on getting an Alienware gaming PC. Alienware Aurora with RTX 5080 now available What I’d go for instead right now… Source link #Alienware #Aurora #RTX #wouldnt #buy #personally #reasons Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

I’ve studied over 200 kids. The 5 signs you’ve raised a ‘highly spoiled’ one—and how parents can undo it I’ve studied over 200 kids. The 5 signs you’ve raised a ‘highly spoiled’ one—and how parents can undo it When we picture spoiled kids, many of us think of tantrums over not getting what they want, having to follow rules or having to deal with any sort of inconvenience. But spoiled behavior isn’t just about entitlement or parents giving in — it’s about unmet emotional needs, inconsistent boundaries and a lack of connection. As a conscious parenting researcher and coach, I’ve studied over 200 kids, and I’ve found that spoiled behavior can sometimes indicate unmet needs. Here are the five signs of highly spoiled children — and how parents can try to undo this behavior: 1. They struggle with hearing ‘no’ A child may push back against rules not because they’re difficult, but because unclear boundaries feel confusing and frustrating. If rules feel unpredictable — or if a child feels powerless in decisions that affect them — they may act out to regain a sense of control. DON’T MISS: How to start a side hustle to earn extra money Tip for parents: Instead of just saying “no” and moving on, acknowledge their feelings: “I see you’re upset because you want to keep playing, but it’s time for bed now.” Boundaries set with kindness teach that rules aren’t about control — they’re about trust and safety. 2. They constantly seek attention When kids demand constant attention, it often signals emotional disconnection or uncertainty about their place in the family. A child who doesn’t feel secure in their bond may ask for more: more time, more validation, more reassurance. For example, a child who always interrupts or clings to a parent in social settings isn’t necessarily being needy, but is rather unsure of their significance when the focus isn’t on them. Tip for parents: Set aside 10 to 20 minutes of undistracted connection each day. The more time, the better. Play, talk or just be present with your child. Use these moments tell them, “You are enough.” When kids feel emotionally secure, their need for constant validation fades. 3. They have tantrums to get what they want Tantrums aren’t manipulation — they’re a cry for help. Children in meltdown mode are typically overwhelmed and lack the skills to process big emotions. Often, it happens because a child feels unheard when their emotions are dismissed, powerless when they have no say, or overstimulated by too much noise, activity or change. Tip for parents: Stay calm, validate their feelings (“I see you’re really frustrated”) and offer comfort (“I’m here with you until you feel better”). Kids learn emotional regulation through connection, not control. 4. They resist responsibility A child who refuses to clean up, avoids homework or gives up easily isn’t being difficult or lazy. Instead, they may have been shielded from challenges too often or, on the other hand, pushed into independence before they felt ready. Tip for parents: Offer age-appropriate, collaborative responsibilities. Cook together or solve small problems as a team. Remember to celebrate their efforts, not just the results. When kids feel capable and supported, responsibility comes naturally. 5. They lack gratitude When a child acts ungrateful for frustrated for not getting what they want, it’s often not entitlement. It can mean that they feel unheard, disconnected or powerless. And when kids receive constant toys, treats or rewards in place of emotional connection, it dulls their ability to appreciate what truly matters. Tip for parents: Gratitude grows from connection. Engage your child in meaningful moments, such as helping to cook a meal, making a card or sharing small joys as a family. When kids feel that they belong, contribute and are valued, appreciation follows. I always remind parents to avoid over-rewarding their kids. For example, if they help to clean up the house, instead of giving them money or a sweet treat, you could say: “Thank you for helping out. It means a lot to me, and I had fun doing it together.” The goal is to make those moments meaningful, rather than something they do for a prize. Meeting your child’s emotional needs What we call spoiled behavior isn’t about material excess — it’s about emotional needs. True connection isn’t just about spending time together; it’s about making your child feel seen, valued and deeply loved. When parents shift from controlling behavior to nurturing connection, frustrating moments become powerful opportunities to build trust, security and lifelong emotional resilience. Reem Raouda is a leading voice in conscious parenting, a certified coach and the creator of BOUND — the groundbreaking parent-child connection journal designed to nurture emotional intelligence, self-worth and lifelong trust. She is widely recognized for her work in children’s emotional safety and strengthening the parent-child bond. Follow her on Instagram. Want to earn some extra money on the side? Take CNBC’s new online course How to Start a Side Hustle to learn tips to get started and strategies for success from top side hustle experts. Sign up today and use coupon code EARLYBIRD for an introductory discount of 30% off $97 (+taxes and fees) through April 1, 2025. Source link #Ive #studied #kids #signs #youve #raised #highly #spoiled #oneand #parents #undo Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

More Carolina Forest neighborhoods evacuated as wildfire reaches 600 acres – wpde.com More Carolina Forest neighborhoods evacuated as wildfire reaches 600 acres – wpde.com More Carolina Forest neighborhoods evacuated as wildfire reaches 600 acres wpde.comWildfires Break Out in the Carolinas, Prompting Evacuations The New York TimesMultiple wildfires in the Carolinas force evacuations, burn ban issued in South Carolina Fox NewsBrush fires across the Carolinas prompt evacuations as region faces continued dry conditions Sunday CNNStatewide Burning Ban in effect until further notice WIS News 10 Source link #Carolina #Forest #neighborhoods #evacuated #wildfire #reaches #acres #wpde.com Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Defective RTX 5080 takes up to 11% performance hit in gaming — Larger impact at higher resolutions Defective RTX 5080 takes up to 11% performance hit in gaming — Larger impact at higher resolutions We finally have some reputable data about the expected performance penalty for Nvidia’s defective RTX 50 series GPUs, thanks to Gamers Nexus. The YouTube channel’s Steve Burke put up a bounty for Blackwell cards with missing ROPs. Burke offered a $500 bonus on top of the price on the receipt while covering both shipping and taxes. He successfully managed to procure a defective RTX 5080 Founders Edition in exchange for a Zotac equivalent with all its ROPs operational. Investigating NVIDIA’s Defective GPUs: RTX 5080 Missing ROPs Benchmarks – YouTube Watch On In its original statement, Nvidia confirmed that only 0.5% of produced RTX 5090s and RTX 5070 Tis had been affected by the missing ROPs issue. This assertion would be short-lived, as just two days later, we found an RTX 5080 with a similar defect; it had 104 ROPs instead of the advertised 112. In synthetics, based on user-testing, the nerfed RTX 5080 scored 12% lower than what you’d normally expect. TechPowerUp’s results were the only estimate of the performance delta in gaming benchmarks before these Gamers Nexus tests. The RTX 5070 should not be subject to similar problems. Even if defective chips were produced, let’s hope AIBs and Nvidia can manage to keep them out of consumer hands. Nvidia reported an on-average 4% difference in graphical performance if a GPU had missing ROPs. In the handful of games Burke tested, simple bad luck could land you up-to 11% behind other RTX 5080 users, as shown in Total War: Warhammer 3 at 4K. Moving over to the 1440p results, the gap closes somewhat as most games are within 3-4%, with a maximum variation of 8.8% in Dying Light 2 Stay Human. The data indicates that higher resolutions are generally more taxing on the ROP units. When compared against other GPUs in the same ballpark, in the worst-case scenario, the defective RTX 5080 falls to RTX 5070 Ti levels, which invalidates the $250 price gap between the two. Of course, these results are game-dependent, so these outcomes aren’t universal. Image 1 of 3 (Image credit: Gamers Nexus) The best resolution from Nvidia is to create a driver-level identifier to alarm users if their RTX 50 GPU is missing ROP units. This is because the average consumer likely doesn’t use third-party hardware monitoring utilities like GPU-Z and HWiNFO. Even if partners are offering replacements and refunds, supply constraints could keep you waiting for days, if not weeks for a new graphics card. On the bright side, faulty RTX 5080s, before PCB assembly, could be repurposed by Nvidia (through software) as RTX 5070 Tis, in the future. A BIOS reflash could potentially restore these special units to RTX 5080 specs, unless Nvidia scraps these dies. Get Tom’s Hardware’s best news and in-depth reviews, straight to your inbox. Source link #Defective #RTX #takes #performance #hit #gaming #Larger #impact #higher #resolutions Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

‘How … lazy can one of the biggest companies in the world be?’ ‘How … lazy can one of the biggest companies in the world be?’ Eagle-eyed consumers are criticizing the world’s largest beverage company after spotting an error in a new advertisement generated by artificial intelligence. A Reddit user posted a screenshot of the advertisement in the r/ABoringDystopia subreddit. It shows a Coca-Cola bottle as the hub of a Ferris wheel. However, the logo that appears at the bottom is incorrect. Photo Credit: Reddit “Guess they couldn’t spare the money to pay an intern to at least edit the proper logo in,” the OP said. Coca-Cola’s choice to rely on AI left many Reddit users dumbfounded. Others were downright outraged. One commenter wrote, “How f****** lazy can one of the biggest companies in the world be?” What’s happening? This isn’t the first time Coca-Cola has garnered attention for its use of AI. Last year, the company released a Christmas commercial that was created by three AI studios. Many creatives criticized the company for using the technology instead of artists to create the advertisement. In response, a spokesperson for Coca-Cola said the company is always looking for new ways to connect with customers through different approaches. Watch now: Giant snails invading New York City? Unfortunately, taking jobs away from workers isn’t the only cause for concern when it comes to AI. Researchers have been expressing their worry over the environmental consequences of generative AI for years. Why is generative AI’s environmental impact important? The impact generative AI has on the environment starts from the beginning. According to MIT Technology Review, generating one AI image uses about as much electricity as fully charging a cellphone. There are also significant impacts on electricity and water. AI energy demand across the globe will be greater than the annual electricity consumption of a small country by 2026. Meanwhile, Forbes reports that tech giants have raised their water consumption for cooling data centers due to rapid AI growth. The water usage is worrisome — especially since 1.1 billion people around the world don’t have access to water. What’s being done to protect consumers against generative AI? A United Nations AI Advisory Body report addressed the risks of AI. The report includes seven recommendations to address the issues in current AI governance, including the creation of a global fund. In the meantime, consumers are educating themselves about greenwashing. Like Coca-Cola, many corporations run ad campaigns that harm the environment. Having the ability to recognize the problems with an ad campaign, like observant Redditors, is a skill that can help save the planet in the long run. You can also discourage companies’ use of planet-harming processes by supporting eco-friendly brands instead. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don’t miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet. Source link #lazy #biggest #companies #world Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Israel cuts off Gaza aid to pressure ****** to accept new ceasefire proposal Israel cuts off Gaza aid to pressure ****** to accept new ceasefire proposal Palestinians sit at a large table surrounded by the rubble of destroyed homes and buildings as they gather for iftar, the fast-breaking meal, on the first day of Ramadan in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, on March 1, 2025 Abdel Kareem Hana | AP Photo Israel stopped the entry of all goods and supplies into the Gaza Strip on Sunday and warned of “additional consequences” if ****** doesn’t accept a new proposal to extend a fragile ceasefire. ****** accused Israel of trying to derail the existing ceasefire agreement and said its decision to cut off aid was “cheap extortion, a war crime and a blatant attack” on the truce, which took hold in January after more than a year of negotiations. Both sides stopped short of saying the ceasefire had ended. The first phase of the ceasefire, which included a surge in humanitarian assistance, expired on Saturday. The two sides have yet to negotiate the second phase, in which ****** was to release dozens of remaining hostages in return for an Israeli pullout and a lasting ceasefire. Egypt, which has served as a key mediator between Israel and ******, condemned the closure and accused Israel of using “starvation as a weapon.” Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty called for the immediate implementation of Phase 2 of the existing ceasefire agreement. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that under the existing agreements Israel could resume fighting after the first phase if it believed negotiations were ineffective. He said the ceasefire would only continue if ****** kept releasing hostages, telling his Cabinet that “there will be no free lunches.” He said Israel was “full coordinated” with President Donald Trump’s administration. There was no immediate comment from the United States on the proposal announced by Israel or its decision to cut off aid. Hundreds of aid trucks have entered Gaza daily since the ceasefire began on Jan. 19. But residents said prices doubled on Sunday as word of the closure spread and people raced to stock up. “Everyone is worried,” said Sayed al-Dairi, a man living in Gaza City. “This is not a life.” Fayza Nassar, a woman living in the heavily destroyed urban Jabaliya refugee camp, said the closure would exacerbate already dire living conditions. “There will be famine and chaos,” she said. “Closing the crossings is a heinous crime.” Israel says it has U.S. backing Israel said the new proposal, which it said came from U.S. ******** envoy Steve Witkoff, called for extending the ceasefire through Ramadan — the ******* holy month that began over the weekend — and the Jewish Passover holiday, which ends on April 20. Under that proposal, ****** would release half the hostages on the first day and the rest when an agreement is reached on a permanent ceasefire, Netanyahu said. ****** warned that any attempt to delay or cancel the ceasefire agreement would have “humanitarian consequences” for the hostages and reiterated that the only way to free them was through implementing the existing deal, which did not specify a timeline for freeing the remaining captives. ****** has said it is willing to free the hostages all at once in Phase 2, but only in return for the release of more ************ prisoners, a permanent ceasefire and the withdrawal of Israeli forces. An Egyptian official said ****** and Egypt would not accept a new proposal aimed at returning the remaining hostages without ending the war. The official noted that the agreement had called on the two sides to begin negotiations over Phase 2 in early February. The official, who was not authorized to brief media and spoke on condition of anonymity, said mediators were trying to resolve the dispute. Ceasefire has been marred by disputes Under the first, six-week phase of the ceasefire, ****** released 25 Israeli hostages and the bodies of eight others in exchange for the release of nearly 2,000 Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. Israeli forces pulled back from most of Gaza and Israel allowed a surge of humanitarian aid to enter. But the first phase was marred by repeated disputes, with each side accusing the other of violations. Israeli strikes have killed dozens of Palestinians who the military said had approached its forces or entered areas in violation of the truce. Israel carried out an airstrike on Palestinians who it said were planting an explosive device in northern Gaza near the border on Sunday. Gaza’s Health Ministry said two men were killed in the strike and that Israeli fire killed two other people elsewhere. ****** paraded the captives — some of whom were emaciated — before crowds in public spectacles that Israel and the United Nations said were cruel and degrading. It initially returned the wrong set of remains instead of those of a mother who was killed in captivity along with her two young children. ****** said Israel’s aid suspension was another violation, saying the ceasefire and aid deliveries were supposed to continue during negotiations over Phase 2. Israel was accused of blocking aid throughout the war Israel imposed a complete siege on Gaza in the opening days of the war and only eased it later under U.S. pressure. U.N. agencies and aid groups accused Israel of not facilitating enough aid during 15 months of war, and the Biden administration repeatedly pressed it to do more. Experts warned on several occasions that hunger was widespread in Gaza and that there was a risk of famine. The International Criminal Court said there was reason to believe Israel had used “starvation as a method of warfare” when it issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu last year. The allegation is also central to South Africa’s case at the International Court of Justice accusing Israel of genocide. Israel has denied the accusations and rejected both court actions as being biased against it. Israel says it has allowed enough aid to enter and blamed shortages on what it said was the U.N.’s inability to distribute it. It also accused ****** of siphoning off aid. Kenneth Roth, the former head of Human Rights Watch who is now a visiting professor at Princeton University, said that Israel as an occupying power has an “absolute duty” to facilitate humanitarian aid under the Geneva Conventions. “Israel’s latest threat to cut off all aid is a resumption of the war-crime starvation strategy” that led to the ICC warrant, he said. The war began when ******-led militants stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking 251 hostage. The militants are currently holding 59 hostages, 32 of whom are believed to be dead, after releasing most of the rest in two ceasefire agreements. Israel’s offensive has killed over 48,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. It says more than half of those killed were women and children but does not specify how many of the dead were combatants. Israeli bombardment and ground operations pounded large areas of the strip to rubble and at the height of the conflict displaced some 90% of the population of 2.3 million Palestinians. The war has left most of Gaza’s population dependent on international aid for food and other essentials. Source link #Israel #cuts #Gaza #aid #pressure #****** #accept #ceasefire #proposal Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

*** and France to prepare Ukraine peace plan for Trump, Starmer says – ABC News *** and France to prepare Ukraine peace plan for Trump, Starmer says – ABC News *** and France to prepare Ukraine peace plan for Trump, Starmer says ABC NewsUK gives Ukraine’s Zelenskyy a warm welcome after Trump confrontation Al Jazeera EnglishRussia-Ukraine war: ***, France and Ukraine agree to work on ceasefire plan The Associated PressUK’s Starmer tries to restore hope for Ukraine peace at summit ReutersFrom London: Leaders Arrive At Lancaster House For Ukraine Talks Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty Source link #France #prepare #Ukraine #peace #plan #Trump #Starmer #ABC #News Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The FAA is recruiting air traffic controllers. What to know The FAA is recruiting air traffic controllers. What to know The federal government isn’t hiring for many positions these days — except air traffic controllers. The Federal Aviation Administration announced plans last week to “supercharge” hiring efforts after a recent slew of fatal air crashes drew national attention to staffing shortages at many of the country’s airports. The crashes include incidents in Arizona. The state has seen a spate of aviation disasters in recent weeks, including a midair plane collision that killed two people near Tucson and a runway ****** in Scottsdale that killed a pilot and injured others. Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, the busiest in the state, has seen nine close-call incidents in the past decade where planes nearly collided in midair. The new initiative aims to streamline the hiring process for air traffic controllers, shaving about four months off of the overall timeframe. Officials said they would also increase starting salaries for controllers, who direct planes while they are in the sky and on the ground in crowded airspaces. “This staffing shortage has been a known challenge for over a decade, and this administration is committed to solving it,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, adding that the position is “one of the best, most rewarding jobs in America” and that there is a “urgent need to do all that we can to recruit more people to join in our shared mission of safety in our skies.” First responders work on the scene of a plane ****** at Scottsdale Airport on Feb. 10, 2025, that left one person dead and injured four others. Want to apply? Here’s what to know Applications to join the new air traffic controller initiative are open through March 17. Requirements are numerous. The FAA has rigorous medical standards for those interested in the role, and applicants may be disqualified if they have health conditions like hearing loss, heart disease or certain mental illnesses. Applicants must: Speak English fluently and clearly. Be younger than 31 years old. Have at least one year of full-time work experience or one year of higher education, or a combination of the two. Be physically and mentally fit. Meet standards for vision, hearing, cardiovascular, neurological and psychiatric health. Trainees are to be schooled at the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City. On graduation, they will be assigned to an air control tower at one of the nation’s airports. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Air traffic controllers wanted despite federal layoffs. What to know Source link #FAA #recruiting #air #traffic #controllers Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Skype Is Shutting Down On May 5th – Hackaday Skype Is Shutting Down On May 5th – Hackaday Skype Is Shutting Down On May 5th HackadayThe next chapter: Moving from Skype to Microsoft Teams MicrosoftMicrosoft retiring communications app once used by 300 million people MLive.comSkype to Shut 14 Years After Microsoft’s $8.5 Billion Purchase Bloomberg Source link #Skype #Shutting #5th #Hackaday Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Ohio’s first ever Wawa to open this spring Ohio’s first ever Wawa to open this spring Ohio’s first Wawa will open its doors this spring. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] The company announced Wednesday that the Liberty Township location will open to the public on April 16, our news partners WCPO-9 TV reported. TRENDING STORIES: The date coincides with the same day it opened its first store in Pennsylvania 61 years ago, according to Wawa. The location on Cincinnati Dayton Road will be the first one to open in Ohio, but it won’t be the last. Wawa said it plans to open a total of eight to 10 stores across the Buckeye state by the end of 2025. “We are excited to fly into Ohio and bring our unique combination of fresh food and beverage, convenience and service to this state for the very first time,” Wawa President Brian Schaller said in a press release obtained by WCPO-9 TV. News Center 7 previously reported that Wawa held a groundbreaking ceremony for its first Miami Valley location in September 2024. This location will be in Huber Heights. Wawa also plans to open another six to 10 stores per year following 2025 in Ohio, eventually operating a total of 60 locations in the state. According to the company, each store will employ an average of 35 associates, and it anticipates it will create 1,200 long-term new jobs in Ohio as a result of the expansion. The Liberty Township Wawa location was approved on Feb. 7, 2023, and is set to replace an existing car wash and former fuel station on Cincinnati Dayton Road. Last summer, another Wawa location planned on Fields Ertel held a groundbreaking ceremony and was the first location to break ground in Ohio. The Liberty Township location will be the first to open, the company said. Wawa announced its plans to expand to Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana in December 2022 after saying it received “thousands of requests over the years.” The company also plans to begin opening stores in Tennessee, Alabama, North Carolina, and Georgia. Wawa is known for its gas pumps, food, and beverage options, like its custom-made hoagies and specialty drinks. The company currently operates in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Florida, and Washington D.C. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Source link #Ohios #Wawa #open #spring Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]