Major lenders ******* homes with spray foam insulation
Major lenders ******* homes with spray foam insulation
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Spray foam insulation is applied with a spray **** and expands to fill a given area, setting to form an insulation layer
Homeowners are struggling to sell or remortgage as some major lenders are rejecting properties with spray foam insulation, the BBC has found.
A quarter of the ***’s biggest mortgage providers will not lend against homes with spray foam in the roof, our research suggests.
It is estimated as many as 250,000 homes in the *** have this type of insulation, with much of it fitted under the previous government’s Green Homes Grant scheme.
“We were blissfully unaware of any issues to do with it until we put the house on the market,” said Wendy Rowe, whose family struggled to sell her late father’s home and paid thousands to have the insulation removed.
Some mortgage firms are reluctant to deal with homes with spray foam insulation due to concerns over poor fitting leaving moisture trapped and roof timbers at risk of decay.
But the Insulation Manufacturers Association said spray foam can be beneficial if properly installed, and it was worried homeowners could be needlessly driven to “cowboy” removals companies.
Ms Rowe told the BBC that when her father Alan Chawner was offered spray foam insulation in his loft, he thought it would make his ex-council property in Leicester warmer and cut his energy bills.
As a pensioner who claimed the attendance allowance, the entire £4,331 cost of the installation was covered by the Green Homes Grant scheme, which ran in England until 31 March 2021.
‘Left high and dry’
However, the work was not up to scratch, according to a report by Stephen Hodgson, the former boss of the Property Care Association (PCA) who now inspects properties with spray foam and trains surveyors.
After sales stalled and difficult conversations with lenders, Ms Rowe agreed to replace the roof entirely, splitting the cost of nearly £10,000 with new buyers.
She said it has cost the family thousands more in surveyors’ and estate agent fees and utility bills.
The firm that installed the spray foam, SealSixty, gave the family £400 as a gesture of goodwill and said the work met all the requirements set out by the Green Homes Grant scheme at the time.
Ms Rowe said that her family had been “left high and dry”.
“It was installed under a government initiative, and you really don’t expect them to turn their back,” she said.
What is spray foam insulation?
Spray foam insulation has been used to stop heat escaping from roofs, lofts and attics for decades and comes in two forms.
Closed cell spray foam is rigid once set. It is a better thermal insulator and was previously sold to stabilise failing roofs. But if it has been used inappropriately or installed poorly, it might put stress on timbers, restrict air circulation and put them at risk of decaying.
Open cell spray foam ******** soft once set and is only used for insulation. It is more breathable but is often installed where a highly-resistant underlay like bitumen felt is already present, stopping vapour from escaping.
While a recent report by the Health and Safety Executive highlighted situations where using open cell was low-risk, it cautioned against applying it directly to roof tiles.
The nature of spray foam can make it tricky for valuers acting on behalf of lenders to inspect the condition of roof timbers.
When the BBC contacted the 20 largest lenders in the ***, five – including TSB Bank, Skipton Building Society, Co-operative Bank, Principality and equity release lender Aviva – said they did not lend against properties where spray foam is found in the roof space.
The Yorkshire Building Society and Metro Bank said they would not usually lend where there is a significant amount of spray foam.
Equity release provider More 2 Life told the BBC it will only lend on properties with spray foam where it was fitted as part of an authorised new build and has the necessary documentation.
Other lenders such as Lloyds, Nationwide, Barclays, the NatWest Group and Santander have said they consider applications on a case-by-case basis, and will take a valuer’s report into account.
They may, however, ask homeowners for documentation showing it has been installed correctly or for a specialist report to be carried out.
In 2023, the PCA published an inspection protocol in a bid to help surveyors and lenders assess any potential risk in pitched roofs.
Wendy Rowe
Wendy Rowe’s father had the work carried out under the government’s Green Homes Grant scheme
But homeowners like Gary Wright feel like they have been “left in limbo”.
When his two-year fixed-rate mortgage was up for renewal, he hoped to find a better rate.
But when he applied he was shocked to discover open cell spray foam had been installed in 2009. It had not come up during surveys when he had bought the house.
He decided to remove most of the foam in the loft himself, after receiving several expensive quotes.
A surveyor still recommended a full roof report and Mr Wright felt he had to renew his mortgage with his current lender at a less preferable rate.
“We know that in the next two years, we need to get this fixed, and I can’t afford to right now,” he said.
“This phrase ‘spray foam’ has created ***** [among lenders] based on a lack of knowledge,” Simon Storer, chief executive of the Insulation Manufacturers Association, told the BBC.
He suggested “hares were set running” by previous industry guidance that has since been withdrawn.
“Insulating is a very good thing,” he said, adding: “But as with any building work, it needs to be done correctly”.
He said the organisation was also concerned about unregulated companies targeting older, potentially vulnerable, homeowners pushing them to pay for an overpriced removal service during cold calls.
The Homeowners Alliance (HOA) does not recommend installing spray foam until issues with lenders and rogue traders are resolved.
Advice for homeowners
For homes where it is already present, the HOA recommends:
Checking you have all the relevant documentation, including a product certificate, installer warranty, before and after photos, a survey report and a product warrantyContacting the installer or manufacturer to see if you can get a free “health check”Considering an independent assessment by a qualified spray foam surveyor
A government spokesperson said it had “consulted lenders about this matter who say they rely on the views of valuers and surveyors on this issue”.
They added any measures fitted under government schemes must be done by a Trustmark-registered installer “to the highest standards with issues promptly and properly rectified”.
Further information on Trustmark’s dispute resolution process can be found here.
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Sweden, Finland and Norway release new advice on surviving war
Sweden, Finland and Norway release new advice on surviving war
TT News Agency/AFP
The new version of Sweden’s pamphlet “If the crisis or war comes” will reach letterboxes from Monday
On Monday, millions of Swedes will start receiving copies of a pamphlet advising the population how to prepare and cope in the event of war or other unexpected crises.
“If crisis or war comes” has been updated from six years ago because of what the government in Stockholm calls the worsening security situation, by which it means Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The booklet is also twice the size.
Neighbouring Finland has also just published its own fresh advice online on “preparing for incidents and crises”.
And Norwegians have also recently received a pamphlet urging them to be prepared to manage on their own for a week in the event of extreme weather, war and other threats.
In a detailed section on military conflict, the Finnish digital brochure explains how the government and president would respond in the event of an armed *******, stressing that Finland’s authorities are “well prepared for self defence”.
Sweden joined Nato only this year, deciding like Finland to apply after Moscow expanded its war in 2022. Norway was a founder member of the Western defensive alliance.
Unlike Sweden and Norway, the Helsinki government has decided not to print a copy for every home as it “would cost millions” and a digital version could be updated more easily.
“We have sent out 2.2 million paper copies, one for each household in Norway,” said Tore Kamfjord, who is responsible for the campaign of self-preparedness at the Norwegian Directorate for Civil Protection (DSB).
sikkerhverdag.no
Norway’s checklist includes longlife food and medicines including iodine tablets
Included in the lists of items to be kept at home are long-life foods such as tins of beans, energy bars and pasta, and medicines including iodine tablets in case of a nuclear accident.
Oslo sent out an earlier version in 2018, but Kamfjord said climate change and more extreme weather events such as floods and landslides had brought increased risks.
For Swedes, the idea of a civil emergency booklet is nothing new. The first edition of “If War Comes” was produced during World War Two and it was updated during the Cold War.
But one message has been moved up from the middle of the booklet: “If Sweden is attacked by another country, we will never give up. All information to the effect that resistance is to cease is false.”
It was not long ago that Finland and Sweden were still neutral states, although their infrastructure and “total defence system” date back to the Cold War.
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Carl-Oskar Bohlin presented the pamphlet last month
Sweden’s Civil Defence Minister Carl-Oskar Bohlin said last month that as the global context had changed, information to Swedish households had to reflect the changes too.
Earlier this year he warned that “there could be war in Sweden”, although that was seen as a wake-up call because he felt that moves towards rebuilding that “total defence” were progressing too slowly.
Because of its long border with Russia and its experience of war with the ******* Union in World War Two, Finland has always maintained a high level of defence. Sweden, however, scaled down its infrastructure and only in recent years started gearing up again.
“From the Finnish perspective, this is a bit strange,” according to Ilmari Kaihko, associate professor of war studies at the Swedish Defence University. “[Finland] never forgot that war is a possibility, whereas in Sweden, people had to be shaken up a bit to understand that this can actually happen,” says Kaihko, who’s from Finland.
Melissa Eve Ajosmaki, 24, who is originally from Finland but studies in Gothenburg, says she felt more worried when the war broke out in Ukraine. “Now I feel less worried but I still have the thought at the back of my head on what I should do if there was a war. Especially as I have my family back in Finland.”
The guides include instructions on what to do in case of several scenarios and ask citizens to make sure they can fend for themselves, at least initially, in case of a crisis situation.
Finns are asked how they would cope without power for days on end with winter temperatures as low as -20C.
Their checklist also includes iodine tablets, as well as easy-to-cook food, **** food and a backup power supply.
The Swedish checklist recommends potatoes, cabbage, carrots and eggs along with tins of bolognese sauce and prepared blueberry and rosehip soup.
Swedish Economist Ingemar Gustafsson, 67, recalls receiving previous versions of the pamphlet: “I’m not that worried about the whole thing so I take it pretty calmly. It’s good that we get information about how we should act and how we should prepare, but it’s not like I have all those preparations at home”.
One of the most important recommendations is to keep enough food and drinking water for 72 hours.
But Ilmari Kaihko wonders whether that is practical for everyone.
“Where do you stash it if you have a big family living in a small apartment?”
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Pelican News
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Inside a scam looting millions from Indians
Inside a scam looting millions from Indians
Pavan Kumar
Ruchika Tandon had nonstop surveillance by strangers on the phone
For a harrowing week in August, Ruchika Tandon, a 44-year-old neurologist at one of India’s top hospitals, was ensnared in what felt like a high-stakes federal ****** investigation.
Yet, it was an elaborate scam – a web of deceit spun by scammers who manipulated her every move and drained her and her family’s life savings.
Under the pretence of “digital arrest”- a term fabricated by her perpetrators – Dr Tandon was coerced to take leave from work, surrender her daily freedoms, and comply with nonstop surveillance and instructions from strangers on the phone, who convinced her she was at the centre of a grave investigation.
The “digital arrest” scam involves fraudsters impersonating law enforcement officials on video calls, threatening victims with arrest over fake charges, and pressuring them to transfer large sums of money.
In Dr Tandon’s case, they stripped her and her family of nearly 25m rupees ($300,000; £235,000) across bank accounts, mutual funds, pension funds, and life insurance – years of savings lost in a manufactured nightmare.
She is not alone. Indians lost over 1,200m rupees to “digital arrest” hoaxes between January and April this year, according to official figures. These figures only scratch the surface, as many victims don’t report such *******. Stolen funds are often funnelled into overseas accounts or cryptocurrency wallets. More than 40% of the scams have been traced back to Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos, according to officials.
Mansi Thapliyal
Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay was kept ‘********’ in his study and forced to sleep on the couch by the scammers
Things are so bad that even Prime Minister Narendra Modi talked about the scam in his monthly radio talk in October.
“Whenever you receive such a call, don’t be scared. You should be aware that no investigative agency never inquires like this through a phone call or a video call,” he said.
India faces a range of cyber *******, from fake investment and trading to dating scams. But the “digital arrest” scam stands out as especially elaborate and sinister – meticulously planned, relentless, and invasive to every part of a victim’s life.
Sometimes scammers reveal themselves during video calls, while other times they remain hidden, relying solely on audio. The plot could be straight out of an outlandish Bollywood thriller – except it is carefully choreographed.
On that fateful first day, scammers posing as officials from India’s telecom regulator called Lucknow-based Dr Tandon, claiming her number would be disconnected due to “22 complaints” of harassing messages sent from it.
Moments later, a man claiming to be a senior police officer took over. He accused her of using a ****** bank account with her mother to launder money for women and child trafficking.
Pavan Kumar
Dr Tandon received a fake ‘consent to terms of digital custody’
In the background, a jarring chorus of voices echoed, “Arrest her, arrest her!”
“The police will be coming in five minutes to arrest you. All police stations have been alerted,” the man warned.
“I was ****** and frustrated. I kept saying this can’t be true,” Dr Tandon recalls.
The officer seemed to soften, but with a catch. He said India’s federal detective agency, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), would take over as it was a “matter of national secrecy”.
“I will try to talk and persuade them not to put you in physical custody. But you have to be in digital custody,” he insisted.
Dr Tandon used a feature phone that lacked video calling, making it impossible for the scammers to proceed. So they forced her to drive to a store and buy a smartphone.
Over the next six days, three men and a woman, posing as police officers and a judge, kept her under constant surveillance on Skype, with her phone camera running nonstop.
They made her wake up her students at night to buy extra data packs to keep the scam going. She was required to place the phone throughout the house – while cooking, sleeping, and even outside the bathroom – tracking her every move.
Mansi Thapliyal
Mr Mukhopadhyay’s desktop screen showed only the fake badge and name of the ‘police official’
She was also forced to lie to her hospital and relatives, claiming she was too ill to work or meet anyone. When an uncle visited, they ordered her to hide under a bed, with the phone camera running.
For a full week, Dr Tandon endured more 700 questions on her life and work, a staged trial, falsified court documents, and promises of a digital “bail” in exchange for her life savings. In the fake court she was ordered to dress in white to “show respect to the judge”. The callers had switched off their video, leaving only their fake names and authentic-looking badges displayed on blank screens.
At one point, during the ordeal, the scammers even talked to Dr Tandon’s 70-year-old mother, urging her to stay silent “for her daughter’s sake”.
When the doctor repeatedly broke down on camera, the scammers told her: “Take a deep breath and relax. You have not committed a *******. You have just laundered money.”
In a desperate bid for freedom, she transferred her entire savings from half-a-dozen different bank accounts to accounts controlled by the scammers, believing she would be refunded after “government verification”. Instead, she lost everything. The callers disconnected the line after transfer was completed.
Pavan Kumar
Dr Tandon was surveilled 24/7 for a week – even when she was cooking
Back at work after a week, exhaustion drove Dr Tandon to search terms like “digital custody” and “new CBI investigation methods” on the internet.
This led to newspaper stories detailing similar “digital arrest” scams across the country. She still had refused to accept she was a victim of an elaborate hoax, and had rushed to the police station, hoping that “the police station and officers were real”.
Dr Tandon says she approached the police station, anxious.
“I’ve been receiving strange calls for days,” she started, trying to explain.
Before she could say more, a woman officer interrupted sharply, “Have you transferred any money?”
At another police station, “the moment they heard my case, they began laughing”, Dr Tandon recalls.
“This is very common now,” a policeman said.
Mansi Thapliyal
Mr Mukhopadhyay says he was a ‘digital ******’ trapped in his study
Over 500km (310 miles) away in Delhi, author and journalist Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay narrowly escaped the scam in July.
He endured 28 hours under “digital arrest,” as scammers claimed that his defunct bank account had been used to launder money. Mr Mukhopadhyay’s suspicions ******** when a caller asked him why he hadn’t redeemed his mutual funds – not a question a police officer would usually ask on the phone.
Mr Mukhopadhyay slipped from his study, where scammers were surveilling him on his desktop, and confided briefly with his wife. Friends, alerted by his message, quickly asked her to disconnect his modem, freeing him from their grip.
“I became a digital ****** until my friends exposed the scam,” says Mr Mukhopadhyay. “I had moved my funds into my account, ready to transfer it all to them. I felt like a fool when it was over.”
Pavan Kumar
The fake “Judge Dhananjay” displayed an insignia featuring a photo of retired Chief Justice Dhananjay Chandrachud
Progress on catching these scammers ******** unclear, with many victims frustrated by slow moving complaint processes.
Dr Tandon, however, has seen some success: police have arrested 18 suspects, including a woman, from across India. About a third of the stolen money has been recovered in cash and seized in different bank accounts. She has received only 1.2m of the 25m rupees of her looted money so far – that was the cash recovered.
Investigating officer Deepak Kumar Singh says the scammers were running an elaborate operation.
“The scammers are educated men and women – fluent in English and various Indian languages – including engineering graduates, cyber security experts, and banking professionals. Most operate through Telegram channels,” Mr Singh, a senior police official, told the BBC.
Victims of the scam are sent fabricated surveillance ‘rules’ from India’s top investigation agency
…and a fake Supreme Court judge decides on the ‘case’
The scammers were clever, using targeted information from their victims’ social media, investigators believe.
“They track you, gather personal information, and identify your weaknesses,” says Mr Singh. “Then they strike quickly, using a hit-and-run approach with potential victims.”
The scammers knew Mr Mukhopadhyay was a journalist and writer – author of a biography on Prime Minister Modi. They knew Dr Tandon was a doctor and had attended a conference in Goa. They had their biometric national identity numbers. Mr Mukhopadhyay wonders if they were aware he was among the journalists whose house was raided by Delhi police in October 2023 as part of an investigation into the funding of NewsClick (Critics had deplored the move as an ******* on press freedom, a charge the government denied.)
They also made errors. Mr Mukhopadhyay’s caller was unaware of how long it typically took to redeem funds, which raised his suspicions. Dr Tandon’s fake judge, called himself Judge Dhananjay and displayed a fake insignia with a picture of the recently retired Chief Justice Dhananjay Chandrachud. Yet, overwhelmed by the moment, she missed the clue.
Dr Tandon says she still lives in a haze, struggling to separate reality from the nightmare that overtook her life. Even when she filed the police complaint, she wondered, “Was the police station also fake?”
Every phone call stirs fresh anxiety.
“At work, I sometimes go blank, filled with fears. Days are better, but after dusk, it becomes hard. I get nightmares.”
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‘Exploitative’ children’s home firm profits to be curbed
‘Exploitative’ children’s home firm profits to be curbed
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Plans aimed at preventing companies that run children’s homes in England from making excessive profits will be set out by the government on Monday.
It says it will bring forward new measures that will require large providers to disclose their finances. If they do not limit their profits voluntarily, they will face a legal limit on how much they can make.
The government also intends to strengthen the powers regulator Ofsted has to investigate and fine “exploitative” children’s home providers that prey on a stretched care system.
The reforms are part of a major overhaul of the children’s social care system, which supports and protects vulnerable young people.
The measures come as council-run children’s services are struggling with rising demand, complex cases and spiralling costs.
Local authorities say there were more than 1,500 children in 2023 for whom councils were paying over £500,000 a year to be placed in residential homes, with a lack of other options being the most common reason.
Meanwhile, a 2022 report by the Competition and Markets Authority found the 15 largest children’s home providers make an average 23% profit per year.
The government will set out legislation in Parliament on Monday that will require major care home providers to share their finances with the government, so it can challenge what it describes as profiteering.
This will also include a “backstop” law that would place a limit on those profits, which the government can put into effect if the companies do not do so voluntarily.
The government says the measure will also allow it ensure that the largest providers do not suddenly collapse into administration, leaving children homeless.
But Andrew Rome, an accountant and leading analyst in the field, said the 10 largest providers only account for 26% of all children’s homes in England, with many providers being much smaller.
He told the BBC that this measure will miss “smaller opportunists who are charging the extraordinary prices for unregulated [or] unregistered services”.
Mr Rome also said gaining oversight of large providers’ finances would be difficult as they often operate through a network of companies, while smaller firms may only have to disclose limited financial information.
He added that a “backstop” law to limit profits was “close to impossible to design and police”.
The government also intends to give Ofsted the power to issue private providers, including unregistered homes, with civil fines to “deter unscrupulous behaviour”.
It accused some providers of “siphoning off money that should be going towards vulnerable children” from homes that “don’t meet the right standards of care”.
In September, a court in Liverpool heard that unregistered children’s homes were demanding up to £20,000 per child a week from a local authority. The council said it was forced to agree to such fees because it could not find anywhere else to place the children – despite it being unlawful to send them there.
Ofsted will also be empowered to investigate multiple homes being run by the same company.
The government says it is acting on the recommendation of a child safeguarding panel, which reviewed allegations of ****** at three children’s homes in Doncaster run by the Hesley Group.
In 2023, the BBC revealed that more than 100 reports concerning ****** and neglect were logged at the sites between 2018 and 2021. Children were allegedly beaten, locked outside ****** in the cold and had vinegar poured on cuts.
At the time, Hesley made a 16% profit from the sites it ran.
Ofsted received 108 reports about the sites, which housed children with disabilities and complex health needs, but still rated them as “good”. The regulator and the Hesley Group have both since apologised for the failings, and the three homes have been closed.
An expert panel tasked to review the incidents said a “major overhaul” of the safeguarding system was needed.
Annie Hudson, the panel’s chair, said the new legislation would “go some way towards tackling some of the systemic weaknesses that can create the conditions where very vulnerable children are abused and neglected”.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said England’s care system was “bankrupting councils, letting families down, and above all, leaving too many children feeling forgotten, powerless and invisible”.
The government’s other planned measures include:
Strengthening the rights of families to be involved in decisions about a child going into careRequiring every council to have multi-agency child safeguarding teamsRequiring local authorities to offer support for care leavers, including helping them find accommodation, until the age of 21Compelling families with a child who has had a protection inquiry or protection plan for them to have council permission to home-school them
The BBC understands that the government will also outline action to deal with the rise in Deprivation of Liberty Orders, which have increased 12-fold in the last seven years.
These court orders allow children to be locked up – in registered or unregistered homes – and are often granted for children who are a risk to themselves or others. Dame Rachel de Souza, the children’s commissioner, says far fewer should be granted.
Responding to the government’s plans, the Children’s Home Association (CHA), which represents providers in England and Wales, said the new Ofsted powers that will “tackle unregistered and unregulated ******** residential provision is long overdue”.
However, it argued the “backstop” law that threatens to cap providers’ profits “risks serious unintended consequences” as it would “incentivise more providers to adopt offshore interest and debt-driven business models”.
The CHA also criticised Phillipson’s comment that the sector was letting families down, saying it was “not involved with families or their decisions” and took in children “because social work and preventative measures fail, likely due to local authorities’ lack of financial resources”.
Paul Carberry, chief executive of charity Action for Children, welcomed the government’s plan, but said that “urgent investment in not-for-profit and public sector provision is required to create stability and make sure every child gets the placement they need”.
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Pelican News
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Lidia Thorpe censured after King Charles protest
Lidia Thorpe censured after King Charles protest
The Senate has reprimanded independent senator Lidia Thorpe over her protest at a parliamentary ceremony for King Charles during the monarch’s *********** tour.
Government leader Penny Wong said the senator’s outburst sought to “incite outrage and grievance”.
“This is part of a trend that we do see internationally which, quite frankly, we do not need here in Australia,” Senator Wong told parliament on Monday.
Senator Thorpe challenged the King and Queen Camilla during a welcome reception at Parliament House in October.
The Indigenous senator claimed the monarch had “committed genocide against our people” and urged him to “give us what you stole from us – our bones, our skulls, our *******, our people”.
Senator Wong said the censure vote – 46-12 – signalled that *********** politicians should uphold standards of respect during visits by dignitaries.
Senator Thorpe arrived in the chamber after the vote, citing a plane delay for her absence.
“Shame on you all” she said.
“If (the king) comes back in, I’ll do it again.”
Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi decried the motion and called on politicians to listen to the concerns of Indigenous Australians.
“The bubble of white privilege that encapsulates this parliament is a systemic issue,” she said.
“That’s why we are here today, debating a ****** senator being censured for telling the truth of the British crown’s genocide on First Nations people and telling it the way she wants to.”
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Pelican News
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How a wrong Google search can compromise your data and bring law enforcement calling
How a wrong Google search can compromise your data and bring law enforcement calling
Google is probably the one online service that we all use at least once a day, whether it’s searching for a query, finding something to buy or anything else.
It’s generally safe to use, even though the search results aren’t quite hitting the mark these days. That’s a discussion for another time.
What we have at hand today are the hidden risks involved with Google search, which can not only compromise your device and personal data but also bring law enforcement to your doorstep. This is not an exaggeration, and below you’ll find out how.
I’m Giving Away A $500 Gift Card For The Holidays
Cybersecurity company Sophos issued an urgent warning on its website, asking people not to type six words into its search engines. Those who Google “Are Bengal Cats legal in Australia?” have reportedly had their personal information stolen after clicking on fraudulent links that appear near the top of the page.
It’s unclear why hackers have launched this unusually specific campaign. The only reason I can think of is that they are targeting the *********** demographic, and the phrase “Are Bengal Cats legal in Australia?” is easy to rank for on the Google search engine results page.
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What Is Artificial Intelligence (Ai)?
People who search about whether bengal cats are legal in Australia (they are, if you’re curious) are at risk of being targeted by GootLoader malware. This malware is spread through SEO tactics, where hackers make infected links show up high in search results. When people search for terms like legal documents or agreements, they might click on these dangerous links that lead to websites hosting a ZIP file with harmful code.
Once this malware gets onto a computer, it opens the door for a second, more dangerous malware called GootKit, which is designed to steal personal information and allow hackers to control the device remotely.
Confessions From A Victim Scammed By Cyber Creeps
While hackers are targeting Google searches, they’re not the only ones watching what you search. Law enforcement, your workplace’s IT department and your telecom provider can also see your search activity. One couple reportedly learned this the hard way when police showed up at their door after they searched just four words, “pressure cooker *****,” along with the word “backpack.”
Michele Catalano and her husband from Long Island, New York, were browsing online for some everyday items, but they quickly found themselves in unexpected trouble. Michele, a freelance writer, was looking to buy a pressure cooker, while her husband wanted a new backpack. They each searched for the items separately.
But two days later, her husband searched for both items from his work computer, just before leaving his job. His former employer’s IT staff flagged these searches and reported them to the local Suffolk County Police Department. Soon after, several ****** SUVs showed up at the couple’s house, with police wanting to make sure there were no security threats.
Protect Yourself From Tech Support Scams
1. Avoid clicking on ads and suspicious links: Be cautious of ads or unfamiliar links at the top of search results. Hackers often use SEO poisoning to place dangerous links in prominent positions. So, try to stick with trusted websites and known sources.
The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links that install malware, potentially accessing your private information, is to have strong antivirus software installed on all your devices. This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe. Get my picks for the best 2024 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices.
2. Use a VPN: A virtual private network (VPN) encrypts your internet traffic, making it ******* for hackers, ISPs or other third parties to track your online activity and searches. Many sites can read your IP address and, depending on their privacy settings, may display the city from which you are corresponding. A VPN will disguise your IP address to show an alternate location. For the best VPN software, see my expert review of the best VPNs for browsing the web privately on your Windows, Mac, Android & iOS devices
3. Enable SafeSearch: Google’s SafeSearch filters help to block explicit or potentially harmful content. It’s especially useful for filtering out unsafe links and improving search safety.
4. Limit personal data on Google: Adjust your Google account’s privacy settings to minimize data collection, including search history, location tracking and ad personalization. You can access these settings in the “My Activity” section of your Google account.
5. Use private browsing or clear your history: Using Incognito Mode or clearing your browsing history regularly can help reduce tracking of your searches. While it doesn’t hide your activity from ISPs or law enforcement, it limits the data Google can store on your device.
The ‘Unsubscribe’ Email Scam Is Targeting Americans
Bad actors are always trying to exploit any digital medium you use, whether it’s social media or a Google search. It’s concerning how malicious websites that put users at risk are readily available on the first page of Google. Although the search giant has claimed to prioritize helpful content this year, the ease with which hackers manipulate search results suggests Google is doing quite the opposite. I’m not holding out much hope for Google to improve its platform, but you can stay safe by avoiding suspicious links and being extra careful.
Do you feel like Google’s search results have become more or less trustworthy over the years? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact
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Original article source: How a wrong Google search can compromise your data and bring law enforcement calling
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Pelican News
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NYT Strands today — hints, answers and spangram for Monday, November 18 (game #260)
NYT Strands today — hints, answers and spangram for Monday, November 18 (game #260)
Strands is the NYT’s latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it’s great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.
Want more word-based fun? Then check out my Wordle today, NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games.
SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don’t read on if you don’t want to know the answers.
Your Strands expert
Your Strands expert
Marc McLaren
Social Links Navigation
Global Editor in Chief
NYT Strands today (game #260) – hint #1 – today’s theme
What is the theme of today’s NYT Strands?
• Today’s NYT Strands theme is… Coming up for air
NYT Strands today (game #260) – hint #2 – clue words
Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.
NYT Strands today (game #260) – hint #3 – spangram
What is a hint for today’s spangram?
• Water beasts
NYT Strands today (game #260) – hint #4 – spangram position
What are two sides of the board that today’s spangram touches?
First: bottom, 6th column
Last: top, 1st column
Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON’T WANT TO SEE THEM.
NYT Strands today (game #260) – the answers
(Image credit: New York Times)
The answers to today’s Strands, game #260, are…
ORCA
DOLPHIN
SEAL
MANATEE
WALRUS
NARWHAL
SPANGRAM: MARINEMAMMALS
My rating: Moderate
My score: 1 hint
These MARINEMAMMALS are among my favorite of all animals. There’s something about DOLPHINs, WALRUSes and SEALS that are just so appealing, and as for the slightly spooky but fascinating NARWHAL and MANATEE… they’re just great, aren’t they? I was surprised that WHALE was not among them, but otherwise all of the big stars of the marine mammal world were here.
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This Strands was a tricky one to complete, though, because several of the words are unusually spelled. In fact, I used a hint for the first word, and when it gave me C, O, R and A it took me several minutes to assemble that into ORCA! I got there in the end, as I suspect most people will, because there are only so many possible answers here; getting started was tough, but there’s not a huge amount of specialist knowledge required, at least.
How did you do today? Send me an email and let me know.
Yesterday’s NYT Strands answers (Sunday, 17 November, game #259)
TOWER
CASTLE
BRIDGE
FORT
PALACE
MONUMENT
ARCH
SPANGRAM: LANDMARKS
What is NYT Strands?
Strands is the NYT’s new word game, following Wordle and Connections. It’s now out of beta so is a fully fledged member of the NYT’s games stable and can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.
I’ve got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you’re struggling to beat it each day.
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Pelican News
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******* manufacturers warn of the sector’s ‘formidable ******’
******* manufacturers warn of the sector’s ‘formidable ******’
Beckhoff Automation
******* business owner Hans Beckhoff says the country’s manufacturers are struggling
In the 44 years since Beckhoff Automation opened for business, owner Hans Beckhoff says he hasn’t seen an economic crisis like this one.
“You can usually expect a crisis about once every five to eight years,” says Mr Beckhoff. “This time it’s a formidable ******, a really deep one.”
A ******* company, Beckhoff Automation makes automated control systems for a wide range of industries, including manufacturing and the energy sector.
It belongs to Germany’s famous Mittelstand, the often highly specialised small and medium-sized enterprises that make up 99% of ******* companies, provide around 59% of ******* jobs, and are considered the “hidden champions” of the ******* economy.
The Mittelstand’s ability to take a long view on business performance rather than scrambling for annual dividends is part of what has made ******* manufacturing so robust. However, the global economy is shifting rapidly, and pressure is mounting.
“We’re still doing well, though the economic situation has really slowed down,” says Frederike Beckhoff, corporate development manager at Beckhoff Automation and Hans’ daughter. “This year’s results won’t be anywhere close to what we achieved over the past three years.”
******* firms have been hit by a number of problems in recent years. These include the steep energy price hikes that followed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, rising general inflation, and increased competition from China.
Companies also complain about rundown ******* infrastructure, such as the country’s much criticised rail network, bridges and roads, all three of which state-owned broadcaster Deutsche Wells describes as “aging and crumbling”.
Other businesses highlight what they see as a heavy bureaucratic burden at both national and ********* levels, inconsistent government decision-making from Berlin, plus higher labour costs and staff shortages.
“The last three years have not been easy in Germany,” says Joachim Ley, chief executive at Ziehl-Abegg, a manufacturer of ventilation, air conditioning, and engineering systems.
“What we really need is reliable [government] decision making instead of 180-degree turns. Even if you don’t like decisions, you can at least plan and adjust if the decision is reliable. This back and forth is putting a lot of burden on companies in Germany.”
Ziehl-Abegg
******* manufacturers say that they face a number of problems
Germany’s coalition government fell apart earlier this month, and a general election is now set for 23 February, with a confidence vote before that on 16 December.
U-turns the government has made in recent years include walking back subsidy programmes for heat pumps and electric vehicles. This hit both domestic sales and net-zero targets. Berlin declined to comment.
But while political flip-flopping hasn’t helped ******* companies, many look to China as the key strain, especially on Germany’s carmakers, which have been hit by two problems.
Domestic demand for vehicles has cooled in China, and China now has a strong car industry of its own, with an aggressive export policy.
“Since the start of 2021, the ******** export of electric vehicles has gone up by 1,150%,” says Dr Cyrus de la Rubia, chief economist at Hamburg Commercial Bank.
“That’s only EV [electric vehicles]. If you take all cars, including those running on fossil fuels, then you still get an increase of ******** exports of 600%. During the same *******, ******* exports increased by 60%. So there is obviously a shift in market shares happening here.”
The result of this is Volkswagen, Germany’s largest private-sector employer, threatening domestic plant closures for the first time in its 87-year history. It could result in tens of thousands of ******* job losses.
In October, the car manufacturer reported a 64% drop in third-quarter profits compared with a year earlier, primarily blaming a slump in demand from China, traditionally a key market for Germany’s premium car brands.
Mercedes-Benz reported a 54% decline over the same *******, and BMW has also issued profit warnings, both also citing reduced ******** orders.
Ms Beckhoff says that carmakers and the wider ******* manufacturing sector need to increase their competitiveness. “I really do think that productivity is something we have to take really seriously,” she says.
“The wealth we enjoy here in most parts of Germany and Europe, we can’t take it for granted.”
******* manufacturers that require low-cost margins may struggle, says Mr Ley, but he believes there is hope for high-quality products with innovative features that rely on world-class engineering and intellectual property.
Dr Klaus Günter Deutsch, head of industrial and economic policy research at the Federation of ******* Industries (BDI), believes “much will depend on whether we are able to pull the innovation levels much faster, better and more consistently across Europe”.
There is no doubt that job losses and restructuring on their home soil will be a painful process for ******* manufacturers such as Volkswagen, and chemicals firm BASF, which has also warned of cuts.
However, Mr Beckhoff believes this reality check may be healthy in the longer term. “I think it is good for ******* industry that Volkswagen is running into some problems because it will increase motivation,” he says.
“It’s finally understood that we really have to do something. What is it that Winston Churchill said? Never waste a good crisis!”
Getty Images
Volkswagen workers recently protested outside of its factory in Osnabrueck, Germany
So while there is hope for a positive transformation in the manufacturing sector in the longer term, the shorter-term outlook will continue to be challenging. Whoever forms the next ******* government will have to make some difficult calls.
“I am still optimistic,” says economist Dr de la Rubia, who says that the need to upgrade Germany’s infrastructure is now “so obvious” that whoever forms the country’s next government will have to take action.
“I think they will say, ‘okay, the crisis is really there and now we will make a big leap’. That is my hope and my conviction.”
And many agree that this crisis may be just what Germany needs. In the post-war years, the country proved it had the capacity to produce an “economic miracle” against the odds.
The circumstances now may be different, but it’s not unthinkable that, with concerted action, it could do so again.
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Quordle today – hints and answers for Monday, November 18 (game #1029)
Quordle today – hints and answers for Monday, November 18 (game #1029)
Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,000 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 Wordle today, NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles.
SPOILER WARNING: Information about Quordle today is below, so don’t read on if you don’t want to know the answers.
Your Quordle expert
Your Quordle expert
Marc McLaren
Social Links Navigation
Global Editor in Chief
Quordle today (game #1029) – 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 #1029) – 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 0.
Quordle today (game #1029) – 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 #1029) – 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 #1029) – hint #5 – starting letters (2)
What letters do today’s Quordle answers start with?
• A
• B
• W
• H
Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON’T WANT TO SEE THEM.
Quordle today (game #1029) – the answers
(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)
The answers to today’s Quordle, game #1029, are…
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Arrggghhh! What a disaster. Yes, I lost my streak today, courtesy of some really slapdash play by me when I was in a rush. A couple of the words were tricky, admittedly, but I still should have done better.
Three of the four words gave me problems; ASCOT is a common word in Quordle, even if not in general life, and I should have guessed that before TACOS, which is a plural and therefore won’t be an answer. D’oh! I guess my stomach got the better of me there.
HOMER, meanwhile, was a word that gave me all kinds of trouble in Wordle when it appeared early on in the game’s run, and here I needed two stabs at it, going for HOVER first. That left me a 50/50 between BRING and BRINK, with no way for me to know which it was. And here my luck ran out – I went for BRING, but the answer was BRINK and I lost for the first time in a couple of months.
How did you do today? Send me an email and let me know.
Daily Sequence today (game #1029) – the answers
(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)
The answers to today’s Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1029, are…
Quordle answers: The past 20
Quordle #1028, Sunday 17 November: STATE, BRAWN, SWORE, URBAN
Quordle #1027, Saturday 16 November: NOTCH, BENCH, BUSED, FOUND
Quordle #1026, Friday 15 November: PURER, TRUSS, TORCH, FORUM
Quordle #1025, Thursday 14 November: EXALT, TASTE, CRONY, CLOUT
Quordle #1024, Wednesday 13 November: YEARN, ELBOW, SURGE, PINEY
Quordle #1023, Tuesday 12 November: CHORD, ATTIC, OLIVE, EIGHT
Quordle #1022, Monday 11 November: COPSE, REGAL, GRUNT, GOODY
Quordle #1021, Sunday 10 November: GROIN, FAULT, FERRY, SUITE
Quordle #1020, Saturday 9 November: FLUME, THERE, ATOLL, SANER
Quordle #1019, Friday 8 November: DELAY, NAVAL, MOLAR, SWARM
Quordle #1018, Thursday 7 November: REPAY, SYNOD, LOATH, PITHY
Quordle #1017, Wednesday 6 November: SASSY, DRUID, THREW, SLOSH
Quordle #1016, Tuesday 5 November: BEGET, AMUSE, STONY, LOUSY
Quordle #1015, Monday 4 November: CHILL, TACKY, GRAPH, PLAZA
Quordle #1014, Sunday 3 November: QUIRK, HEART, ELBOW, KNOWN
Quordle #1013, Saturday 2 November: SWUNG, FLOOR, PARER, CRUST
Quordle #1012, Friday 1 November: FIFTY, GULCH, RECUT, TWEET
Quordle #1011, Thursday 31 October: TWINE, RIGID, BELCH, AMEND
Quordle #1010, Wednesday 30 October: SLOOP, BRINE, BROOD, FLUID
Quordle #1009, Tuesday 29 October: CLIFF, BURNT, SNAKY, POLYP
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Pelican News
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Children among 10 ***** in missile strike, Ukraine says
Children among 10 ***** in missile strike, Ukraine says
Ten people, including two children, have been ******* and 52 injured after a Russian missile hit a residential building in Ukraine’s northeast, the Ukrainian military says.
“Sunday evening for the city of Sumy became *****, a tragedy that Russia brought to our land,” Volodymyr Artyukh, the head of the Sumy military administration, said in a post on the administration’s Telegram messaging channel.
The State Emergency Service of Ukraine said on Telegram that rescuers and all necessary services continued to work at the scene and psychologists were providing assistance to those affected.
More than 400 people were evacuated, the service added.
Pictures posted on the service’s Telegram showed firefighters battling a blaze consuming cars and rescuers carrying people out of a building. A photo showed a multi-storey building with nearly all windows blown out and facade damaged.
Reuters was not able to independently verify the Ukrainian reports. There was no immediate comment from Moscow.
Both sides deny targeting civilians in their strikes on each other’s territory. But thousands have ***** since early 2022 in Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the vast majority of them Ukrainians.
The ******* on Sumy followed a morning of Russia pounding Ukraine’s power grid in what Kyiv said was a “massive” *******, with 120 missiles and 90 drones that ******* at least seven people.
Ukrainian defences shot down 144 out of a total of 210 air targets, Ukraine’s air force reported later on Sunday.
“The ******’s target was our energy infrastructure throughout Ukraine. Unfortunately, there is damage to objects from hits and falling debris. In Mykolaiv, as a result of a drone *******, two people were ******* and six others were injured, including two children,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said.
With AP
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Pelican News
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Twin sisters with heart ******** cannot get same treatment due to where they live
Twin sisters with heart ******** cannot get same treatment due to where they live
Twin sisters living with heart ******** are calling for an end to what they say is a postcode lottery when it comes to accessing services to help with their condition.
Nicole and Farrah live 32 miles away from each other, but are in different health trusts.
While Nicole has benefited from “life-changing” cardiac rehabilitation, Farrah says she was discharged eight months after diagnosis without any rehab being offered.
She has told BBC News NI she feels “jealous, ******, upset and scared” that she cannot access the same treatment as her twin sister.
Health trusts in Northern Ireland each set their own criteria for when they will offer cardiac rehab sessions.
‘I just thought I was dying’
Being identical twins, there are many similarities in Nicole and Farrah’s lives. The same expressions cross their faces and they have similar sparkling, bright eyes.
They also both have acute heart ********, a condition where the heart cannot pump blood around the body properly.
But where their stories differ is that they cannot both access the same treatment, because they are being treated under different health trusts.
The twins are full of praise for the doctors and nurses that look after them, but are critical of a system that does not offer equal access to services.
Nicole, who lives in a Southern Trust area, was diagnosed in January last year, after months of trips back and forth to doctors to find out why she was so breathless. The news left her “petrified”.
“I just thought I was dying,” she says.
A few months later, in March 2023, her twin sister Farrah was diagnosed too – in a Northern Trust area.
She is on medications with the help of her GP and a consultant but says she has been discharged from speciality cardiac nursing.
‘I still live in *****’
Both the twins were active beforehand, going hiking and kayaking, but Nicole now says that even getting her shopping in from the car can leave her breathless.
At cardiac rehab sessions, she learns gentle exercise, advice on pacing and how to deal with the emotional side of the diagnosis.
“It has given me my life back,” she says.
“It has given me my confidence back.”
Farrah, on the other hand, says: “Cardiac rehab was not offered to me in the Northern Trust – I’ve fought for everything and not got the same help as Nicole did.”
Asked how she feels that her sister can access services that she can’t, Farrah says “very ******, scared and upset because I still live in *****”.
“I’m scared to go to sleep in case I don’t wake up again.”
She says she doesn’t know what exercise she can do, as she does not know her limits as she has not had that specialist help of someone saying, “you can push yourself a bit *******” or “oh no, that’s too much”.
She says having cardiac rehab like her sister would allow for supervision and oversight in a safe environment.
The sisters would also like to see better awareness around heart ******** symptoms and investment to allow those affected to get continuity of care.
How the trusts differ
Some trusts offer cardiac rehabilitation to all heart ******** patients while others have criteria to access it.
The Northern Trust say they currently offer it to heart ******** patients who have had an ischaemic event, which is disruption of blood flow to the heart caused by ******** of the coronary arteries.
They say they are unable to comment on individual cases but are aware of “significant demands” on the heart ******** nurse clinic, and have put strategies in place which have already lowered waiting lists.
The BBC asked each trust on what basis cardiac rehabilitation is offered for heart ******** patients:
Southern – All heart ******** patients are eligible for cardiac rehabilitation
South Eastern – All heart ******** patients are eligible for cardiac rehabilitation
Northern – Currently offers cardiac rehabilitation to heart ******** patients who have had an ischaemic event
Western – All patients who have heart ******** as a result of a recent heart ******* will be offered cardiac rehabilitation services. For heart ******** patients who have not suffered a heart *******, cardiac rehab will be offered on a case by case basis
Belfast – Cardiac rehabilitation is offered to heart ******** patients if that heart ******** is a direct result of a heart *******
The Department of Health says it recognises the importance of delivering high standard, equitable and timely access to cardiac rehabilitation across the Trusts.
It said it is consulting widely with key stakeholders across all Trusts to “gain a clear understanding of the unmet needs of these services and form recommendations, which lead to long-term sustainable solutions”.
Dr Patricia Campbell recommends cardiac rehab to her patients in the Southern Trust [BBC]
Regional approach ‘works better’
Dr Patricia Campbell, the Northern Ireland lead for heart ********, says cardiac rehab is “as effective as any medicines” when helping patients with the condition.
More women in Northern Ireland **** from cardiovascular ********* than from *******, with heart ******** the least well known of those *********.
Dr Campbell says there are about 22,000 people living in Northern Ireland with heart ******** and there are likely to be many people out there living with the condition without knowing it.
She urges anyone experiencing breathlessness, fatigue or fluid retention to visit their GP for a simple blood test (BNP).
Acknowledging the different approaches in each trust she says: “Everything works better when we have a regional approach to things.”
“We have amazing heart ******** nurses in Northern Ireland who are recognised internationally for the work they do, but lots of the services are at capacity.”
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Pelican News
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US ‘lifts ban’ on strikes in Russia and royal ‘raid’
US ‘lifts ban’ on strikes in Russia and royal ‘raid’
On the front of the Financial Times a rescuer is pictured extinguishing a ***** following a drone ******* on a Ukrainian city. The broadsheet reports Joe Biden has authorised Ukraine to launch limited strikes into Russia using US-supplied long-range missiles. The paper notes it is a big policy shift before the end of his White House term in January.
President-elect Donald Trump is pictured beaming on the front page of the Daily Telegraph as he holds a UFC heavyweight championship belt at a bout in New York, as Elon Musk looks on. For its lead story, the paper also reports Joe Biden’s decision to allow Ukraine to strike targets with Russia with US missiles. The paper notes it raises expectation he is also set to drop his opposition to the use of British-made Storm Shadow missiles within Russia. The Telegraph adds US officials told the New York Times North Korean troops supporting Russia in Ukraine led to Biden changing his mind.
The Sun carries a report of a burglary at the Windsor Castle estate in October while the Prince and Princess of Wales were in their home nearby. It says two men scaled a fence at night to steal a farm vehicle. The paper said fleeing thieves then used a stolen truck to smash their way through a security gate.
The Times leads with Sir Keir Starmer’s planned meeting with the ******** president on the sidelines of the G20. It writes it will be scrutinised by those in Westminster who have concerns over China and ***** the Labour government is putting economic concerns above human rights. The paper’s second story says young people will have their benefits cut if they do not take up training or an apprenticeship. Ministers say they will not be allowed to remain outside the workforce.
A Guardian investigation finds Thames Water has £23bn of assets in urgent need of repair and the supply of water to its 16 million customers is “on a ******-edge”. A spokesperson for Thames Water told the paper “the wellbeing and safety of our colleagues and customers is our highest priority”. Elsewhere, cutouts of the heads of Joe Biden and other world leaders are surrounded by water in Rio de Janeiro, as activists call for climate action before the G20 summit. The Guardian says Sir Keir Starmer will aim to reset ties with ******** President Xi Jinping when the two meet.
“Move as close as possible to EU in Brexit reset, business bosses urge Starmer”, the i headlines. The British Chamber of Commerce has told the paper it wants “as much alignment as possible” with Brussels. The paper observes the prime minister faces growing pressure to choose between prioritising the EU and the US under Donald Trump. Meanwhile, England captain Harry Kane is pictured following the Lions 5-0 win over the Republic of Ireland.
“Flush hour gush!” reads the Metro’s headline as it pictures river pollution campaigner Ben Morris gloved up and holding blackened wet wipes from a misconnected pipe. The paper writes hundreds of toilets are flushing straight into rivers because of dodgy plumbing. It adds tens of thousands of homes in London may be affected.
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First payment of $US80m moves Resolute Mining step closer to release of CEO Terry Holohan in Mali
First payment of $US80m moves Resolute Mining step closer to release of CEO Terry Holohan in Mali
Resolute Mining says a first payment to settle a tax dispute has moved it closer to securing the release of its boss and two executives from the controlling junta in Mali.
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Pelican News
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Poultry infected with bird flu found on commercial farm in England
Poultry infected with bird flu found on commercial farm in England
Poultry on a commercial farm in England have been infected with the bird flu virus, the U.K. government said Sunday.
The H5N1 virus was found in kept birds in St. Ives, a seaside town in Cornwall. All the poultry in the infected area will be humanely culled, according to the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs.
It was England’s first confirmation of H5N1 in kept birds this season. The virus was also recently found in wild birds in the southwest of England and in continental Europe, the department said.
The H5N1 bird flu has been spreading in the U.S. among wild birds, poultry, cows and other animals.
Recently, health officials in Canada confirmed that a British Columbia teen had contracted bird flu and said the virus was related to a poultry outbreak in the province.
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Pelican News
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Asia markets live: China LPR, Japan inflation
Asia markets live: China LPR, Japan inflation
A customer places a ********* 10,000 yen banknote on a checkout counter while making a purchase at an Akidai YK supermarket in Tokyo, Japan, on Monday, June 27, 2022.
Kiyoshi Ota | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Asia-Pacific stocks were set to open mixed Monday as markets kickstart what ING calls a “quiet” week for economic data from the region.
Key data this week from the region will include China’s loan prime rate announcement, set for Wednesday.
ING said no change is expected in China’s LPR, with the one-year rate currently at 3.1% and the five-year LPR at 3.6%.
Japan will release trade data on Tuesday and October headline inflation numbers on Friday, while Australia’s central bank on Tuesday will release minutes of its meeting earlier this month..
Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 was set to fall, with the futures contract in Chicago at 38,170 and its counterpart in Osaka at 38,040 against the index’s last close of 38,642.91.
Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 started the day down 0.45%
futures for Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index stood at 19,458, pointing to a stronger open compared to the HSI’s close of 19,426.34.
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Pelican News
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AFLW 2024: Eight moments that shaped Fremantle Dockers’ season
AFLW 2024: Eight moments that shaped Fremantle Dockers’ season
The 2024 season is officially over for Fremantle and while they won’t raise the premiership cup, there are plenty of positives to build on. The West’s Caitlin Bassett looks back on their campaign.
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Pelican News
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Veteran news executive Reg Murphy, who survived abduction decades ago, has ***** at 90
Veteran news executive Reg Murphy, who survived abduction decades ago, has ***** at 90
Reg Murphy, a renowned journalist whose newsgathering career included stints as an editor and top executive at newspapers in Atlanta, San Francisco and Baltimore — and who found himself the subject of national headlines when he survived a politically motivated kidnapping — has ***** at age 90.
Murphy, who lived on St. Simons Island, Georgia, ***** on Nov. 9.
John Reginald “Reg” Murphy was a Georgia native who early in his career covered state politics for the Macon Telegraph. He then worked as a reporter and editor at The Atlanta Constitution amid the civil rights movement. Murphy became editor and publisher of the San Francisco Examiner in 1975, then went on to serve as publisher at the Baltimore Sun.
As an editor, Murphy was inspiring, said Art Harris, a reporter at The Constitution who later followed Murphy to San Francisco, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. “That was his magic. He inspired people by building them up. He was a gentleman and a gentle persuader. I never heard him raise his voice. Not everyone liked his decisions, but he didn’t let that dissuade him from making them.”
Murphy later served in senior leadership roles at the National Geographic Society, where he helped introduce new media technologies expanding the global reach and impact of its print and video platforms.
His reporting career took him across the globe, including to Russia, China, Japan and the Middle East, Mercer University noted in a 2023 article about Murphy, who attended classes there in the 1950s. In the U.S., Murphy stressed journalism’s importance for the health of the country and communities.
“Journalism is, in my mind, sacred,” he said in an interview last year for Mercer University. “It is a sacred trust to tell the truth and to try to give people enough freedom to be able to find the truth and then to pursue it.”
During his time as editorial page editor at The Atlanta Constitution, Murphy became the focus of a gripping story in 1974, when he was kidnapped and held for a $700,000 ransom. The kidnapper claimed to be part of a militia group wanting to stop “the lying of leftist newspapers.”
Two days later, Murphy was released in a motel parking lot after the ransom was paid. Within hours of his release, his abductor was arrested at his home and the money was recovered. The man was later convicted and sentenced to 40 years in prison but ultimately served nine.
Murphy continued his long and successful career in journalism. Years later, Murphy gave a firsthand account of that harrowing experience in Golf Digest. It began when a man claiming he needed help donating 300,000 gallons of heating oil persuaded Murphy to ride with him to his lawyer’s office to sign papers. Murphy recounted what happened once he became suspicious.
“He was steering with his right hand, and with his left he leaned a handgun across his forearm, looked over, and said, ‘Mr. Murphy, you’ve been kidnapped,’ Murphy wrote. ”He tossed a roll of white adhesive tape onto my lap and told me to cover my eyes. With the **** pointing at me, I did as I was told and applied three strips from temple to temple.”
A few minutes later, the car stopped and the kidnapper used rope to tie his wrists behind his back and then his ankles, Murphy wrote. Still blindfolded, Murphy was told to get in the truck.
“When I was in the trunk, he tied my wrists to my ankles behind me so that my body formed a reverse-C,” he wrote. “This was very uncomfortable for my back. The trunk was shallow — if I moved my head up even a few inches it hit the roof. I was breathing fast, but I was also trying to control my breath, trying not to panic.”
They drove for hours until he was led into a building, Murphy recounted. Before being shoved between a bed and the wall, he was allowed to speak on the phone to another editor at The Constitution, informing him he’d been kidnapped. It became national news, coming soon after Patty Hearst, the granddaughter of publishing magnate William Randolph Hearst, was kidnapped by a far-left militant group.
Murphy said he lost 10 pounds (4.5 kilograms) during the ordeal and suffered claustrophobia from the hours spent in the trunk. During his captivity, he replayed in his mind rounds of golf he had shot.
Two months later, Murphy said he was on a golf course at a charity event. On almost every ***** spectators from the gallery asked for his autograph or to pose for a photo, he recalled. His passion for golf provided a therapeutic release from the kidnapping, his obituary said.
Murphy became an active volunteer with the sport’s governing body, the ******* States Golf Association, and served as its president in 1994 and 1995.
“Like so many USGA presidents before him, and since, Reg gave his time and expertise to help leave the game of golf even better,” said USGA CEO Mike Whan. “The USGA, and the people who play and love the game of golf, are better off because of Reg’s commitment, passion and leadership.”
Murphy was the son of Mae and John Lee Murphy, a schoolteacher and a store owner. He remained a strong supporter of Mercer, describing the school as “a place where I learned something about the who, what, where, why and how of journalism.” He served five terms on the Mercer Board of Trustees, his obituary said. Mercer honored his achievements by renaming its Center for Collaborative Journalism as the Reg Murphy Center for Collaborative Journalism.
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BHP boss warns Queensland on coal royalty impacts
BHP boss warns Queensland on coal royalty impacts
The head of mining giant BHP has warned Queensland’s steep coal royalties are a short-term “sugar hit” that discourages investment in the Sunshine State.
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Pregnant Indiana Woman, 25, Has Been Missing for More Than a Month, Family Says ‘We’re Always Going to Look for Her’
Pregnant Indiana Woman, 25, Has Been Missing for More Than a Month, Family Says ‘We’re Always Going to Look for Her’
Emma Baum was nine months pregnant when she was last seen on Oct. 10
Missing People In America/Facebook
Emma Baum
More than a month after Emma Baum went missing, her family is still looking for answers.
The 25-year-old woman was last seen on Oct. 10 in Gary, Indiana, on 25th Avenue and Connecticut Street, ABC 7 Chicago reported. She was nine months pregnant at the time.
According to CBS News, Emma had gone to see the father of her unborn child that day, in an area known to be desolate, and did not have a working phone.
Friends and family members have been looking for her since, handing out flyers and seeking clues to her disappearance. She was reported missing to the Gary Police Department on Oct. 28, per Chicago outlet WGN9 News.
During an emotional news conference on Friday, Nov. 15, her family addressed the tragic situation.
“I have stopped people in their cars. I have stopped people walking. I have talked to anybody I could. We’re looking in abandoned houses,” Emma’s sister Hailey Baum said during the conference, according to CBS News.
Missing People In America/Facebook
Emma Baum
“We love you, Emma. And if you can hear us, there is nothing that you have done to make any of us stop loving you,” Emma’s other sister, Abigale Smith, said, per WGN9 News. “We trust that somebody knows something, and we want her home.”
Emma’s mother, Jamie Baum, told reporters, “We’re always going to look for her. I’m never going to stop looking for her.”
“My whole family will never stop looking for you, Emma,” she added, per CBS News.
According to NBC Chicago, Emma’s boyfriend and the father of her unborn child was picked up on a warrant. He is currently in custody for an unrelated matter and has not been charged in connection with Emma’s disappearance, Gary Police commander Jack Hamady told the outlet.
Gary Police Department/Facebook
Emma Baum
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Emma is 5 feet and 3 inches tall and has brown hair and brown eyes. She has several tattoos along with scars on her arms. She is known to experiment with different ******** wigs.
According to Emma’s family, she has three other children. She may already have given birth.
Anyone with information on Emma’s disappearance is asked to contact the Gary Police Department at (219) 881-1209.
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These 2 active ETFs have outperformed the S&P 500 this year, last year and over 5 years
These 2 active ETFs have outperformed the S&P 500 this year, last year and over 5 years
The stock market is about to do something unusual: go up by more than 20% for the second year in a row. The S & P 500 has risen 24.73% so far this year, up fractionally more than last year’s 24.23%, according to FactSet data. It’ll be only the third time there have been back-to-back gains of that size in the past century, according to Deutsche Bank. Yet, despite this uncommon trend, two actively managed ETFs have outperformed the index. The London-listed JPMorgan U.S. Research Enhanced Index Equity ETF , which trades with the ticker JREU, has consistently beaten the benchmark — not just this year and last year, but every year since 2019, and is also outperforming it in 2024. The U.S.-listed Gotham Enhanced 500 ETF , which has the ticker GSPY, has also posted similar gains since 2021. JREU The JPMorgan Asset Management fund, which currently manages $9.41 billion in assets, employs a strategy known as “research enhanced indexing” (REI), which combines index investing and active management. Piera Elisa Grassi, co-fund manager of the ETF, previously told CNBC that the fund makes numerous small bets rather than a few large ones. The result is a fund that closely mirrors its benchmark in terms of overall composition, but with slight tweaks aimed at generating excess returns. The fund is available to most ********* investors. JREU-GB .SPX 5Y line GSPY The Gotham Enhanced 500 ETF is a newer fund and so has a shorter track record of outperformance. Yet it has beaten the S & P 500 every year since its inception in 2021. The Gotham ETFs fund is accessible to U.S. investors through most brokers as it is listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Gotham ETFs say the fund “buys all 500 stocks in the S & P 500 Index but reweights them, buying more of the ones we think are cheaper and less of the ones we believe are more expensive.” GSPY .SPX 5Y line
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Bushfire could ***** for weeks as property losses mount
Bushfire could ***** for weeks as property losses mount
An out-of-control bushfire that has destroyed at least one home in Victoria’s west could ***** for weeks as the threat passes for another near a popular tourist route.
The blaze at Kadnook near the border with South Australia was one of about 80 that ignited in hot conditions on Saturday.
It is still burning at watch-and-act level on Monday, with residents in the warning area told it is not safe to return.
West Wimmera Shire mayor Bruce Meyer said the ***** started in a private bluegum plantation as people gathered for the nearby Edenhope show, and moved rapidly.
“That might ***** for several weeks yet,” he told ABC TV.
Strike teams are heading to the area to ****** the blaze on Monday and Tuesday and relive exhausted ***** crews.
Their efforts will be boosted by improved conditions after some rain fell in the area on Sunday before winds picked up again.
“It’s quite still at the moment and it’s quite calm,” Mr Meyer said.
“So that will give them a chance to hopefully put in some safety breaks and make the situation a lot safer.”
The ***** has claimed one home and authorities believe two others may have been burnt down, on top of stock and agricultural losses.
Mr Meyer said two sheds, kilometres of fencing, water tanks and troughs had been lost but it was still too early to assess the scale of the damage.
“The conditions there are too dangerous,” he said.
“On the ***** ground, it’s just control the ***** is the priority at the moment.”
Another major ***** along the Great Ocean Road, a major tourist drawcard in the state’s southwest, is no longer considered a threat to local communities.
The blaze at Chapple Vale has ripped through about at least 700 hectares and led to the evacuation of campers and hikers from Otway National Park.
While it is still burning out of control, a watch and act warning for the ***** was downgraded on Monday morning as firefighters slowed the spread.
“There is currently no threat to you,” an alert read.
Senior meteorologist Miriam Bradbury said ***** conditions were generally easing across the country.
“Most areas are only seeing moderate ***** dangers over the next few days,” she said.
“That said, we do still have high ***** dangers forecast today for northwestern parts of Victoria, parts of Tasmania’s east coast and about the western slopes of the NSW ranges.”
The Bureau of Meteorology had issued a severe weather warning for damaging, locally destructive winds and heavy rainfall for parts of Victoria’a southwest coast and northeast.
Mt Hotham recorded 88mm of rain from 9am Sunday to 6am Monday, while wind gusts of 144km/h (Mt Hotham), 131km/h (Mt Buller) and 124km/h (Falls Creek) were experienced in the Victorian alps.
There were almost 500 requests for assistance to the State Emergency Service from Saturday midnight to 9am Monday morning, including more than 300 for downed trees and 120 for building damage.
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Joe Biden wanders into Amazon rainforest after speech
Joe Biden wanders into Amazon rainforest after speech
Joe Biden wandered into the Amazon rainforest after giving a speech warning of the dangers of climate change.
Wearing an open-necked blue shirt, dark slacks and his trademark Aviator sunglasses, the 81-year-old outgoing US president turned away from the podium and ambled into greenery.
The purpose of the photocall was to highlight the dangers of global warming, which have been dismissed by his successor, Donald Trump.
Having previously been to Lima, the Peruvian capital, Mr Biden travelled to Manaus, the largest city in the Brazilian Amazon.
He had flown by helicopter over where the Amazon and ****** rivers meet, seeing at first hand the dramatic drop in water levels because of the worst drought in decades.
He emphasised the role of trees in sucking carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere following a meeting with tribal leaders.
“The world’s forest trees breathe carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere, and yet each minute, the world is chopping down the equivalent of 10 soccer fields worth of forest,” he said.
He also announced a $50 million (£40 million) donation to the Amazon Fund, bringing the total US contribution to $100 million.
Mr Biden added that he would leave the next administration with a strong climate policy to build on, if they chose to do so.
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Morningstar strategist picks 2 stocks from a sector he is ******** on
Morningstar strategist picks 2 stocks from a sector he is ******** on
Top Morningstar strategist David Sekera says there’s one sector that “deserves a place in everybody’s portfolio” right now — the energy sector. Speaking to CNBC’s “Street Signs Asia” last week, the firm’s U.S. markets strategist said the energy sector was trading at a 5% discount and is set to “do well, especially if we get into more of a reflationary environment later in 2025.” Sekera is not alone; George Bull, chairman at Sander Morris and Aaron Dunn, portfolio manager at Morgan Stanley’s U.S. Value Fund , are also bullish on the energy sector given President-elect Donald Trump’s ******* to ****** inflation by reducing energy costs. Stocks Sekara is ******** on within the energy theme include Exxon Mobil and Devon Energy . Morningstar has a four-star rating on Devon Energy and says it is trading at a 22% discount to fair value. It has a three-star rating on Exxon Mobile, which it says is trading at a 12% discount. The investment research company gives stocks a rating of between one and five stars, with a top rating indicating that the shares are undervalued. ‘Priced to perfection’ U.S. stocks hit new highs following Trump’s victory in the U.S. presidential elections, but have since taken a breather. “At this point — whether you want to call it the Trump bump or the Trump rally — according to our valuations, I think it’s run its race,” Sekera said. And he expects further gains in the short-term to be “pretty limited.” “The U.S. stock market, at this point now, is priced to perfection, so I see limited upside until earnings start to catch up with valuations, and that may take at least a couple of quarters,” he added. Sekera says that U.S. stocks are now trading around 6% higher than their fair value. Against this backdrop, Morningstar is maintaining its “market weight” stance on U.S. equities, seeing as “there’s just enough tailwinds to overwhelm the headwinds that we’re seeing at this point in time,” Sekara explained. Among the headwinds he foresees is a moderation in inflation levels to below the 2% target penciled by the U.S. Federal Reserve, as well as more interest rate cuts in 2025. The strategist also expects long-term Treasury yields to come down to an average of 3.6% for the 10-year in 2025 and 3.2% in 2026. On Friday, the 10-year yield was trading around 4.428%
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Mike Johnson calls Trump picks ‘disruptors’ who will shake up DC
Mike Johnson calls Trump picks ‘disruptors’ who will shake up DC
A look at Trump’s cabinet and key roles… in 74 seconds
Washington’s highest-ranking *********** has said that President-elect Donald Trump is tapping “disruptors” to lead his incoming administration.
“They are persons who will shake up the status quo,” House Speaker Mike Johnson said Sunday on CNN’s State of the Union. “I think that’s by design.”
Trump continues to announce officials who he wants to fill high-ranking positions in his administration, seeming to favour close allies over those with related policy experience.
Some of those picks have sent shockwaves through Washington and caused bipartisan concern. But those close to Trump say there are back-up plans in place if these nominees can’t muster the support needed to be approved.
Trump’s defence secretary pick Pete Hegseth has denied a ******* ******** allegation and his potential attorney general Matt Gaetz is at the centre of an ethics scandal. His health secretary nominee, Robert F Kennedy Jr, is under scrutiny for his vaccine scepticism.
The president-elect’s son, Donald Trump Jr, defended his father’s nominees on Sunday, saying on Fox News that “we know who the good guys and bad guys are”.
“It’s about surrounding my father with people who are competent and loyal. They will deliver on his promises,” he said. “They are not people who think they know better as unelected bureaucrats.”
He noted some of the nominees are “controversial” and appeared to acknowledge some could face problems in the Senate, which is tasked with vetting thousands of presidential nominees and voting on their appointments.
“We do have back-up plans, but we’re obviously going with the strongest candidates first,” the president-elect’s son said. “You know some of them are going to be controversial because they’ll actually get things done.”
Donald Trump’s most recent pick, oil executive Chris Wright whom Trump has put forward as energy secretary, has no government experience but is an enthusiastic supporter of fossil fuels.
Mr Wright, the founder and CEO of fracking company Liberty Energy, is expected to work toward fulfilling Trump’s campaign promise to increase fossil fuel production – an aim summed by the campaign slogan “drill, baby, drill”.
The nomination of Mr Wright is likely to further concern among environmental activists already worried about the effects of Trump’s second term.
And it offered a stark split-screen on Sunday to a historic visit President Joe Biden, who became the first sitting US president to go to the Amazon, the world’s largest tropical rainforest.
AFP
Joe Biden became the first sitting US president to visit the Amazon rainforest
Biden took take an aerial tour over part of the Amazon and met with local and Indigenous leaders working to preserve the region’s ecosystem before making a brief appearance in Manaus, a large city nestled in the centre of the rainforest.
There, Biden described the battle against climate change as “a defining cause of my presidency” and touted the landmark climate legislation passed under his administration.
The Democrat also pledged new financial assistance to protect the Amazon, including an additional $50m (£40m)contribution to the Amazon Conservation Fund bringing the US commitment to $100m.
And while he did not mention Trump by name, Biden seemed to make reference to his successor, saying that while “some may seek to deny or delay the clean energy revolution that is underway in America… nobody, nobody can reverse it”.
“The question now,” he said, “is which government will stand in the way and which will seize the enormous economic opportunity.”
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