Pelican Press

Saint Laurent, the Oscars and the “Emilia Pérez” Problem Saint Laurent, the Oscars and the “Emilia Pérez” Problem The “Emilia Pérez” debacle is not the first time the risks of being associated with human beings with potentially problematic preferences and pasts have been brought home to fashion. Indeed, third parties are what Alla Valente, an associate at the market research company Forrester, called “businesses’ biggest risk-management blind spot.” This has been true since long before Ye sent Adidas and Balenciaga into a long-term defensive crouch with his antisemitic rants. In 2005, Kate Moss was caught on camera apparently sniffing ********, and Burberry and Chanel canceled her contracts. In 2021, Lanvin and Pandora cut ties with the ******** actor Zhang Zhehan when he was photographed in front of a Japanese shrine to World War II. But as the cost of doing business has risen, so have the stakes. The crisis consultant Risa Heller said that on a scale of damage, the “Emilia Pérez” fallout should be relatively limited for Saint Laurent, given that most consumers did not yet associate the fashion brand with the film, but that there was cost in what might have been. As Ms. Heller said, “all brands are trying to figure out new ways to get in front of new consumers.” Film must have seemed the perfect answer, and in a sector reeling from the rise of streamers and the growing gap between blockbusters and indies, fashion must have seemed a highly attractive white knight. Now, however, even as Saint Laurent Productions continues full steam ahead, with “Parthenope” by Paolo Sorrentino and projects with the directors Claire Denis and Jim Jarmusch in the works, and even as Ms. Saldaña fronts a new campaign for the house (and wears Saint Laurent as she continues to collect awards), other brands may think twice about following their lead. Despite the existence of “reputational risk insurance,” or “disgrace insurance,” which, Susan Scafidi of the Fashion Law Institute at Fordham University said, “can be part of other insurance policies or a separate policy designed to cover costs of crisis management and related losses,” human risk is almost impossible to avoid. “This was probably on no one’s bingo card of what could go wrong,” Ms. Heller said of the Gascón backlash. “But from now on, every brand will have to add it to the list.” Source link #Saint #Laurent #Oscars #Emilia #Pérez #Problem Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Geoffrey Rush Lives for the Roar of the Crowd Geoffrey Rush Lives for the Roar of the Crowd Geoffrey Rush has rarely met a physical task he didn’t want to attempt, be it sword fighting for “Pirates of the Caribbean” or playing the piano for his Oscar-winning role in “Shine.” The new horror movie “The Rule of Jenny Pen,” starring Rush as a supercilious former judge living in a nursing home, required yet another unfamiliar skill set: He had to use a motorized wheelchair. “I got very good at getting up to speed, but in narrow corridors, it was not the same story,” Rush, 73, said of the feature directed by James Ashcroft and also starring John Lithgow as a psychopathic fellow resident. A lot of the final day’s goof reel “was punctuated by me running into staircases or James leaping over furniture because I went, ‘It’s just not responding.’” In a video call from his native Australia, Rush discussed his cultural essentials, many of them — to his surprise — from his childhood and early professional life. These are edited excerpts from the conversation. The Treniers They were the first band to use the words “rock” and “roll” in lyrics, way back in the late ’40s and early ’50s, when they were a blues band hovering between swing and boogie-woogie. Their energy was definitely sexy and audacious. They beat Bill Haley by about a half decade. My mum was a great jiver during my childhood, and she loved Little Richard. She used to dive onto the dance floor. Silent Film Clowns Bob Monkhouse, who was an English comedian, had a show that I used to watch every Saturday night called “Mad Movies.” I got introduced to silent film and not necessarily the big guns. He looked at a lot of the minor characters, and I became obsessed by that. Chuck Jones I took “Shine” to the Denver festival and they said, “Tonight there’s a special guest. He’s an animator.” I went, “I love cartoons. I’m a big Chuck Jones fan.” They said, “That’s who’s here.” I kind of went to jelly. He invited me to lunch, and then he showed me his oil paintings of his characters in the style of the truly great heroes of art. Wile E. Coyote as done by Vincent van Gogh. Daffy Duck in a homage to Duchamp. I just went, “Oh my God, this is heaven.” Cryptic Crosswords It’s a great word game because the clue you are given, unlike in a normal crossword, is pretty much a synonym. It’s like an IKEA tool kit. You are being given some instructions word by word, and you’re going to have to look very carefully because they will trick you. Audience Participation My son and I recently went to the *********** Open. It was really overwhelming to sit in an audience of 20,000 people where you are watching two virtuoso athletes. The crowd is just riotous. Cinema should be like that. If you sit at home, you are not sharing your own private experience of what the general pulse of the world is at the moment. We all have a responsibility for life to be as intoxicating and as challenging and as celebratory and as communal as we possibly can. ‘The Act of Creation’ In this book on psychology, Arthur Koestler was seriously discussing how jokes work by analyzing the jester, how aesthetic experiences are stimulated by the artist, and how new things are discovered by the scientist. I love that that came from his brain. Teodor Currentzis He looks like a genuine hipster, otherworldly, romantic, demonic person on the podium. His hair flops everywhere. A friend sent me his Tchaikovsky Sixth, which I knew well. By the end of the fourth movement, we were sobbing because this guy was creating an intensity of a sadness and a deep sense of regret, which is in the score if you choose to bring it out. Pondering the Future So what will 2380 be like? Will any of us be around to experience the extraordinary, inconceivable impact of unidentified anomalous phenomena making meaningful contact with us? The Universe I was obsessed as a 10-year-old with the Mercury space program. John Glenn flew over Australia, and I sent away to get an acetate recording of what he said when he saw the likes of Perth. So I thought, “I’ll be an astronomer.” The career guidance officers went, “You’ll need physics and chemistry and applied maths.” I did that in my last two years in high school, and I bombed. But at the same time, I was running the school’s drama club and kind of realigned my trajectory. Synesthesia I’ve never been officially diagnosed as having that condition, but when I was 8, my sister was in a dance studio and they did a concert. I was sitting with my mom in the front row, and suddenly the band burst into life. And my brain just exploded. I went, “I see shapes.” I went to an exhibition of Kandinsky when I was studying in Paris and saw this huge painting, very geometric and very kind of abstract. And I went, “Yeah, I can hear that.” Source link #Geoffrey #Rush #Lives #Roar #Crowd Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Former West Coast forward Jack Darling produces solid but inaccurate first performance for North Melbourne Former West Coast forward Jack Darling produces solid but inaccurate first performance for North Melbourne Premiership West Coast forward Jack Darling had a solid first game against his former club with his new side North Melbourne but struggled with some inaccurate goal-kicking. Having joined the Kangaroos in exchange for a fourth-round draft pick in last year’s trade *******, the scheduling of a preseason game between his current and former sides at Bunbury’s Hands Oval ahead of a home and away match later this year meant he did not have to wait long for a reunion. But the veteran showed some possible signs of early nerves, misfiring with his three shots on goal in the first term before finally kicking a late major. Darling was not subject to any remonstration from his former teammates before the first bounce, instead having a friendly exchange with Harley Reid as he headed to the forward line, where he matched up on long-time teammate Jeremy McGovern. From the first centre clearance of the game, he came forward on the lead and claimed a strong mark, but his drop punt from just inside the 50-metre arc faded late to the near side. He was again in the thick of the action only moments later, showing plenty of defensive intent by pinning Reuben Ginbey holding the ball deep in the pocket before again misfiring with his set shot. Later in the term, he followed up from a strong intercept mark on the wing by getting on the end of another opportunity further forward, having no issue with a distance of more than 50m but slamming his kick into the post. With less than two minutes left in the game, he was finally able to slot his first major in his new colours, snapping truly from deep in the pocket to give the Kangaroos hope. The 32-year-old’s influence in attack faded as the game went on but he did his share of work further up the ground, including some stints in the ruck. He steered clear of a brief altercation sparked after McGovern gave him a holding free kick in the third term but was subject to his first real boos of the day when he found the ball moments later. Camera IconMatt Flynn applies a tackle on Jack Darling. Credit: Amber Lilley/South Western Times/South Western Times He took to the field wearing an unfamiliar No.28 guernsey, with the No.27 he wore for the entirety of his career at West Coast currently occupied at North Melbourne by speedster Miller Bergman. Darling is the Eagles’ second all-time leading goal-kicker with 532 majors in his 14 seasons, sitting behind only premiership teammate Josh Kennedy. Source link #West #Coast #Jack #Darling #produces #solid #inaccurate #performance #North #Melbourne Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Meet the New Owner of the Bathtub Used by Jacob Elordi in “Saltburn” Meet the New Owner of the Bathtub Used by Jacob Elordi in “Saltburn” Anyone who has watched “Saltburn” probably remembers the scene, and some who have not seen the dark coming-of-age thriller about two Oxford students may remember it, too: The part when middle-class Oliver (Barry Keoghan), while visiting the country estate of his wealthy friend Felix (Jacob Elordi), surreptitiously watches him take a bath and then slurps up the leftover water as it streams down the drain. After the film’s release in late 2023, the scene spread widely online — and became the inspiration for candles, cocktails, bath bombs and thousands of discussion threads. And the bathtub featured in it? It’s now on display in Massillon, Ohio, at the home of Kyle Harvey, 36, who bought the tub for $4,375 in an online auction last September. Mr. Harvey, who owns a local car dealership with some relatives, drove 18 hours round-trip to get it, he said. “It’s a piece of history,” said Mr. Harvey, adding that he won the prop after a bidding war. “That bathtub had TikTok going for days.” The fiberglass bathtub is in a room adjoining Mr. Harvey’s at-home movie theater. Other “Saltburn” memorabilia he bought in the auction are also on display there, including a framed photo of Mr. Elordi and Mr. Keoghan and ensembles that the actors wore in the film, which earned awards for both is costume and production design. The bathtub came complete with stains around its drain — Suzie Davies, the “Saltburn” production designer, has said they were made using edible paint — as well as with a large rectangle cut out of it. That section was removed after Mr. Elordi was filmed bathing in the tub, so that cameras could capture Mr. Keoghan from the vantage point of being inside it. When people ask Mr. Harvey what he does with the bathtub, his answer is simple: “I just look at it,” he said. “I’m looking at it right now. Barry Keoghan was right there, it’s so crazy to me.” As Mr. Harvey showed off his treasures in a video call, he lamented Mr. Keoghan’s clothing size, which is “tiny,” he said. So far, Mr. Harvey had not managed to find the right size mannequin to fit an embroidered suit that the Irish actor wore with antlers in a party scene in “Saltburn” — a costume Mr. Harvey paid $8,125 for. “I don’t know what I’m going to do,” Mr. Harvey said. Mr. Keoghan — reportedly around 5 feet 8 inches — is shorter than many mannequins, which Mr. Harvey noted were typically 6 feet tall. “Trying to find one that will fit him is kind of a pain,” he said. Mr. Harvey’s “Saltburn” pieces are part of a larger collection he has amassed of props and costumes from movies and television shows. He estimated that he had acquired about 200 pieces, and that he had paid about $70,000 for all of them. Though a handful had cost him thousands of dollars, most were bought for hundreds of dollars, he said. They include dozens of clothes previously owned by Joe Exotic, the subject of the Netflix documentary series “Tiger King”; several outfits worn by Lady Gaga in the film “House of Gucci”; a mask and two vans from the horror movie “The ****** Phone”; a horse trailer from “Twisters”; and a diner sign from “Friday the 13th,” one of his favorite horror films. He started collecting such ephemera in 2017, after coming across a museum in Blairstown, N.J., dedicated to “Friday the 13th,” which was filmed in the town. (The museum has since closed.) Inspired, Mr. Harvey acquired a “Friday the 13th” script. It was the first item in his collection and he paid $3,500 for it. His love of horror films in particular stretches back to when he was young. “My grandma and I would make cinnamon rolls, and I would make her watch horror movies,” Mr. Harvey said. “That was our thing.” He said he had passed on his fondness for props and costumes to his 13-year-old daughter, Kasey: She convinced him to buy her some items from the reality TV show “Dance Moms,” including clothes and a chalkboard used by the instructor Abby Lee Miller, in 2023. Mr. Harvey is part of a global community of passionate collectors who scour online forums, Facebook groups and auctions in search of objects from their favorite movies. Unlike the big-ticket items that attract publicity — ruby slippers from “The Wizard of Oz” (which sold for $28 million last December), or a door from “Titanic” (which sold for $718,750 last March) — the props and costumes they’re after can be purchased at a much lower cost. The internet has made their hunting and trading easier than ever before. “In the old days, pre-1990s, if you collected something, like cars, you’d go to car meets, different clubs,” said John Klisavage, 71, a former merchant marine officer who collects costumes. “Today, it’s so much more prolific.” Mr. Klisavage, who owns a bookstore in Havre de Grace, Md., estimated that, since 2003, he had bought at least 1,600 film costumes — and possibly as many as 3,000. (He said he had lost count). His purchases include several dresses worn by Jennifer Hudson in “Dreamgirls” and “Respect,” a biopic about Aretha Franklin, for which he paid around $65,000 in total. Mr. Harvey said collecting allowed him to claim a piece of Hollywood. His ultimate wish, he added, is not to acquire any single item, but to spend a day or two on a film set. “I’ll even help out,” he said. “You need me to get Starbucks? I’ll get Starbucks. I want to experience filming the movie, how it’s made. That would be my dream.” He discovered “Saltburn” through TikTok, and loved it immediately. He watched the movie about a dozen times to decide which props and costumes he wanted to buy in the online ***** held by VIP Fan Auctions, one of the major players in the prop- and costume-auction business (others include Heritage Auctions and Prop Store Auction). When the bathtub scene went viral, people posted videos of their parents’ reactions to it on social media. But Mr. Harvey said he drew the line at showing his parents “Saltburn.” “They have no idea why I have this bathtub in my house,” Mr. Harvey said. Source link #Meet #Owner #Bathtub #Jacob #Elordi #Saltburn Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

*** government calls urgent meeting with BBC over Gaza documentary *** government calls urgent meeting with BBC over Gaza documentary By Sam Tabahriti LONDON (Reuters) – The British government called an urgent meeting with the BBC on Friday over the making of a documentary about children’s lives in Gaza that was narrated by the 13-year-old son of a deputy minister in the ************ enclave’s ****** government. The BBC said on Thursday there had been “serious flaws” in “Gaza: How To Survive A War Zone”, made by an independent production company, and removed it from its online platform, five days after it was first broadcast on television. Trusted news and daily delights, right in your inbox See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. The ************ militant group ****** is deemed a terrorist organisation by Britain, the United States and the European Union. The BBC’s decision followed criticism by online commentators who said the narrator was the son of Ayman al-Yazouri, deputy minister of agriculture in Gaza. Britain’s publicly funded BBC has faced criticism over coverage of the Israel-****** war in Gaza by external commentators and some staff members. Some critics accuse it of bias towards the Palestinians, others of bias towards Israel. BBC Director General Tim Davie, when quizzed by lawmakers, said last year the BBC was overall “doing a good job in terms of delivering impartial coverage amidst enormous pressure.” The BBC said in a statement that an internal review had found that the corporation had asked Hoyo Films – the production company it commissioned – several times in writing whether the family in the documentary had any connection to ******. The BBC said Hoyo Films acknowledged the connection only after the documentary was broadcast. Announcing Friday’s meeting with BBC Chair Samir Shah, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said: “I want assurances that no stone will be left unturned.” She was referring to a BBC pledge to undertake a full fact-finding review and refer the issue to its editorial complaints unit. The broadcaster apologised for the documentary late on Thursday, saying the processes and execution around its production fell short of its expectations. It said the production company and the BBC had made unacceptable errors, and that the BBC took full responsibility for the mistakes and their impact on the corporation’s reputation. The production company could not immediately be reached for comment. ****** did not immediately comment. Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel said it was “utterly disgraceful” that the BBC had decided to air a “****** propaganda film” in the week that the bodies of hostage Shiri Bibas and her two sons were returned from Gaza. She called for a thorough investigation. (Reporting by Sam Tabahriti, Editing by William James and Timothy Heritage) Source link #government #calls #urgent #meeting #BBC #Gaza #documentary Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Flames destroy historic building, beloved bike shop Flames destroy historic building, beloved bike shop PENINSULA, Ohio (WJW) — A popular local bike shop burned to the ground early Friday. Firefighters from several departments were called to Eddy’s Bike Shop on Main St. in Peninsula just before 1 a.m. When firefighters arrived, they found the building fully engulfed in flames. Firefighters were still putting out the flames more than two hours later. The building was destroyed. The Peninsula Foundation owns the building. Karen Walters is the executive director of the organization. School bus fire under investigation in Cleveland Heights “I live right across the street and I heard popping noises and I was just about to — Jesus [her reaction to a popping noise in the background] — call the police and they came and I saw them blocking off traffic and then I could see the smoke and the flames from my window,” she said. She said Eddy’s Bike Shop rented the business. They were closed for the winter but preparing to reopen in the next few weeks. “They just moved in last year,” she said. “They’ve been closed for about three months. They’ve been painting and doing some minor remodeling in the off season and getting ready to reopen for the spring.” “It’s iconic,” Walters said of the building. She said it’s right on the Cuyahoga River and its foundation was tied into the bridge. Gene Hackman, wife Betsy Arakawa and their dog were dead for some time, warrant shows “The property was built in 1893 as a small bar here on the river. It survived the flood of 1913 which took out a lot of the properties here,” she said. Walters said she has lived in Peninsula her entire life. In fact, she said her family has called the area home for six generations. “It’s a pretty horrific fire,” Walters said as the building burned behind her. “Very sad day. It’s a sad, sad day.” “That building has been here a long time,” she said. “One of the interesting histories about it is Peninsula had a professional baseball player named Scotty Ingerton. It was his bar for a while. So at one time it was called ‘Scotty’s Place’.” SkyFOX SkyFOX SkyFOX “I think most people will know it was Century Cycles or Eddy’s Cycles which is a big part of the tourism here in town,” Walters explained. “If you’ve been to Peninsula, you just know that there is tons of cycling going on here in the summer months.” There was no information released about a possible cause early Friday morning. The fire will remain under investigation. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW. Source link #Flames #destroy #historic #building #beloved #bike #shop Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Horoscope for Saturday, March 1, 2025 – Chicago Sun-Times Horoscope for Saturday, March 1, 2025 – Chicago Sun-Times Horoscope for Saturday, March 1, 2025 Chicago Sun-TimesHoroscopes Today, March 1, 2025 USA TODAYYour Daily Singles Horoscope for March 01, 2025 Yahoo LifeLove and Relationship Horoscope for March 1, 2025 Hindustan TimesGemini Horoscope Today: March 1, 2025 VOGUE India Source link #Horoscope #Saturday #March #Chicago #SunTimes Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Zelensky Trolls Trump and Vance as He Breaks Silence on Oval Office Row Zelensky Trolls Trump and Vance as He Breaks Silence on Oval Office Row Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky posted a series of pointed messages on X after Friday’s disastrous Oval Office meeting with President Donald Trump. “Thank you, America. Thank you for your support. Thank you for this visit. Thank you, @POTUS, Congress, and the American people,” Zelensky wrote just 40 minutes after he left the White House. More than 15 million users have since seen the post. Some users have interpreted the post—stacked with four “thank yous”—as a response to earlier remarks by Vice President J.D. Vance, who spent the meeting chastising Zelensky for failing to show enough gratitude to Trump and the United States amid the Russian invasion. Since that first comment, Zelensky has amplified European leaders’ messages of support for Ukraine on X by reposting and responding to each one with the same simple phrase: “Thank you for your support.” Following news of Trump’s hostility toward Zelensky at the White House, European leaders quickly voiced their solidarity with Ukraine. ******* Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez were among those who offered support on X. During the meeting in the Oval Office, as Trump and Zelensky talked over each other in front of cameras, Vance prodded Zelensky: “Have you said ‘thank you’ once this entire meeting?” “A lot of times,” Zelensky shot back, “even today.” That wasn’t enough for Vance, who kept pressing, demanding that Zelensky offer “words of appreciation” to the U.S. and its president. When Zelensky finally got a chance to speak, he attempted to heed Vance’s request: “Mr. President, we are staying in our country—staying strong from the very beginning of the war. We have been alone. And we are thankful. I have said thanks in this cabinet. I said ‘thank you’ … ” But Trump, growing agitated, cut him off again. The president ranted about former President Joe Biden’s financial support for Ukraine. Trump wrapped up the meeting in a hurry, abruptly kicking Zelensky out of the White House. Source link #Zelensky #Trolls #Trump #Vance #Breaks #Silence #Oval #Office #Row Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump Will Host Crypto Summit at the White House Next Friday – Bloomberg Trump Will Host Crypto Summit at the White House Next Friday – Bloomberg Trump Will Host Crypto Summit at the White House Next Friday BloombergView Full Coverage on Google News Source link #Trump #Host #Crypto #Summit #White #House #Friday #Bloomberg Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Surging market, steady saving yields new crop of 401(k) millionaires Surging market, steady saving yields new crop of 401(k) millionaires The number of retirement savers sitting on a million bucks or more in their 401(k)s, 403(b)s, or IRAs lifted off last year. The band of 401(k)-created millionaires jumped by 27% in 2024, increasing from 422,000 to 537,000, while the number of IRA-created millionaires bumped up 8% over the year from 318,863 to 344,413, according to a new analysis by Fidelity Investments. The average 401(k) balance of $131,700 at the end of 2024 ranks as the second-highest average on record for the firm and is an 11% increase from the start of 2024. The average IRA balance was $127,534, up 8% for the year. Gen X savers had the most bulging balances — average account balances were up 18% from a year ago, $508,000 vs. $589,400. For those Gen Z savers who held their 401(k) for five years, accounts popped to an average of $52,900 — an increase of 66% over the past year. “Retirement savers experienced positive growth in 2024, which means that the number of individuals who have a million dollars or more in their retirement savings also increased,” Michael Shamrell, vice president of Workplace Thought Leadership at Fidelity Investments, told Yahoo Finance. The driver: A robust economy, lower inflation, and the Federal Reserve’s interest-rate cuts totalling one percentage point. The S&P 500 (^GSPC) ended the year with a gain of 23%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) jumped nearly 13%, and the Nasdaq (^IXIC) ballooned close to 29%. Here’s how 401(k)-created millionaires break down by generation: More than 4 in 10 are boomers: 41%, Gen X: 57%, and millennials: 2%. “Boomers have already started drawing from their retirement savings, which is why the number is lower than Gen X at this point,” Shamrell said. Read more: What is a 401(k)? A guide to the rules and how it works. One thing of note: “More millennial savers than ever before are now using Roth 401(k)s, removing the burden that taxes could pose on their savings when they enter retirement and begin to draw from their nest egg,” Shamrell said. “The millennial generation is making smart investment decisions now that they know will benefit them even further 20 or 30 years down the road when they ultimately enter retirement.” Fidelity’s analysis covers more than 50 million IRA, 401(k), and 403(b) retirement accounts. Retirement saving is a long-term game. “The important thing to keep in mind when it comes to 401(k)-created millionaires is that these individuals have been saving for a long time,” Shamrell said. “The average 401(k)-created millionaire has been in their plan for 26 years and has an average contribution rate of almost 18%.” Story Continues Regular contributions are key because you’re consistently and continuously adding funds to your accounts regardless of market gyrations. That discipline has a snowballing impact, which is the spine of wealth-building. The average 401(k)-created millionaire has been in their plan for 26 years and has an average contribution rate of almost 18%, per Fidelity. (Getty Creative) · Kamon Supasawat via Getty Images How much you set aside each year is a factor that’s in your control. Total average 401(k) savings rates ticked to 14.1%, according to Fidelity’s data, up slightly from a year ago. That rate is a combo of employee and employer 401(k) contributions of 9.4% and 4.7%, respectively. While that’s decent, it’s still below the 15% of pre-tax income each year, including any match, most financial advisers recommend. Read more: How much should I contribute to my 401(k)? Taking money out early from a retirement account is rarely advisable, but it’s sometimes a necessary last resort when money gets tight or an emergency hits. Bank of America compiled data which found that, compared to the third quarter, fewer participants borrowed from their retirement accounts, 2.2% vs. 2.5%, and loan amounts were smaller. The average loan per participant was $8,950, down slightly from $9,100. And the percentage of loans in default dropped from 12.6% a year ago to 11.1%. According to the Bank of America survey, the average worker hardship withdrawal from a 401(k) plan was $5,730, roughly the same as a year ago. Withdrawals should be a last resource for savers. The biggest hit is that you forfeit future retirement savings, but you could also be nicked with taxes and penalties. A withdrawal from your 401(k) account is usually taxed as ordinary income. Also, you’ll pay a 10% early withdrawal penalty before age 59½, unless you meet one of the IRS exceptions. These include certain medical expenses, qualified tuition payments, and up to $10,000 for first-time homebuyers. Some employer plans, too, will allow a non-hardship withdrawal. A loan is a better option if you need the money because you pay yourself back, typically within five years, with interest — the loan payments and interest go back into your account. One caveat: If you part ways with your employer, you might have to repay your loan in full. When you can’t repay the loan, it’s considered defaulted, and you’ll owe both taxes and a 10% penalty if you’re under 59 ½. Read more: What is the retirement age for Social Security, 401(k), and IRA withdrawals? Most workers tap their health savings accounts to pay for current medical bills foregoing investing contributions. (Getty Creative) · Tetra Images via Getty Images I recently wrote about another pathway to a cool million in retirement: a health savings account. If you start early, contribute the maximum pretax contribution annually, add in any catch-up contributions, and let it ride for four decades without tapping it to cover healthcare expenses, you have a shot at doing just that, according to a new analysis by the nonpartisan Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI). Families can save nearly twice as much. “The study is all about the potential,” Paul Fronstin, director of health benefits research at EBRI and an author of the report, told Yahoo Finance. “Under the best possible circumstances.” The problem is many HSA account holders don’t invest their HSA savings. Only about 3.2 million health savings accounts have at least a portion of their HSA dollars invested, according to HSA advisory firm Devenir. Most park the money in cash, depriving themselves of the account’s key advantages. Per Bank of America’s survey, there is a dollop of good news here. About 4 in 10 participants contributed more than they withdrew from their health savings account. The average HSA account balance at year-end was $5,000, up year over year from $4,400, according to the report. Have a question about retirement? Personal finances? Anything career-related? Click here to drop Kerry Hannon a note. Here’s the *******: Only 14% of account holders invested their HSA for future growth, although up from 12% a year ago, many employees are not taking advantage of HSA’s investing potential, according to the report. Lisa Margeson, managing director of Retirement Research & Insights at Bank of America, told Yahoo Finance, there’s clearly “a lot of room for improvement.” “It’s important that employees understand the benefits of an HSA — from its triple-tax advantage to its ability to grow over time — so they can be well prepared for healthcare costs in retirement, a cost employees tend to underestimate.” Kerry Hannon is a Senior Columnist at Yahoo Finance. She is a career and retirement strategist, and the author of 14 books, including “In Control at 50+: How to Succeed in The New World of Work” and “Never Too Old To Get Rich.” Follow her on Bluesky. Sign up for the Mind Your Money newsletter Click here for the latest personal finance news to help you with investing, paying off debt, buying a home, retirement, and more Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance Source link #Surging #market #steady #saving #yields #crop #401k #millionaires Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The Humane Ai Pin Has Already Been Brought Back to Life – WIRED The Humane Ai Pin Has Already Been Brought Back to Life – WIRED The Humane Ai Pin Has Already Been Brought Back to Life WIREDWhat to Do With Your Defunct Humane Ai Pin WIREDHumane AI Pins Will Stop Working at the End of This Week CNETSupposed to replace smartphones, this device will stop working on February 28th, leaving users without a solution. farmingdale-observer.comHP Buys Humane, Humane’s Autopsy, What Comes After Smartphones? Above Avalon Source link #Humane #Pin #Brought #Life #WIRED Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

‘This report presents further proof …’ ‘This report presents further proof …’ Flexjet has submitted one of the largest orders ever for private jets, turning an investment worth billions of dollars into one of the most environmentally damaging methods of transportation. The company, which offers “fractional ownership” of jets — allowing users to purchase a share of a jet for a set amount of time — placed an order with Embraer Executive Jets that is valued at up to $7 billion. The deal guarantees Flexjet 182 new aircraft, with options for 30 more and an extended service agreement, Forbes reported. The vast majority of these new aircraft will be Praetors, which is Embraer’s larger model. The move is seen as a positive for the ultrawealthy, who are the typical users of private aviation. It’s less encouraging, however, for those who care about the changing climate. Commercial aviation is responsible for about 4% of global heat-trapping gases, which pollute the air and cause rising temperatures. Private jets typically have only a handful of people on board and often fly short distances (about half of flights were 310 miles or less), making it the most energy-intensive form of flying. Private jets still make up a small portion of the total commercial-aviation landscape, but the sector is growing rapidly. A study published in Nature found that pollution from private flights increased by 46% between 2019 and 2023. Watch now: Giant snails invading New York City? “This report presents further proof that billionaires are causing the climate crisis,” Jonathan Westin, executive director of the Climate Organizing Hub, told PBS. “They are clinging to their private jets and oil profits while regular people see increasing floods, hurricanes, and wildfires.” Fortunately, while some companies are actively making Earth more polluted with their aviation decisions, others are working toward solutions. There are also promising developments in the private sector for aviation’s future. Several companies are developing hybrid or fully electric aircraft, with test flights proving successful. One is looking at how to turn polluted air from a cement factory into cleaner jet fuel. 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 #report #presents #proof Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Kurdish PKK militia declares ceasefire, heeding jailed leader's call – Reuters Kurdish PKK militia declares ceasefire, heeding jailed leader's call – Reuters Kurdish PKK militia declares ceasefire, heeding jailed leader’s call ReutersA half-century insurgency in the Middle East may be ending. Here’s why CNNTurkey-PKK Deal May Benefit Erdogan at Home and Abroad The New York TimesPKK declares ceasefire in 40-year conflict with Turkiye: Kurdish media Al Jazeera EnglishSyrian Kurds say Ocalan’s message ‘has nothing to do with us’ Middle East Eye Source link #Kurdish #PKK #militia #declares #ceasefire #heeding #jailed #leader039s #call #Reuters Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Cyclone Garance Leaves Trail of Damage on Reunion Island Cyclone Garance Leaves Trail of Damage on Reunion Island Cyclone Garance left a trail of damage and what a resident described as a “spectacle of desolation” on Reunion Island, a French department in the Indian Ocean, between February 28 and March 1. Footage filmed by X user @Mp97440 shows strong winds blowing open a gate on February 28, the day Cyclone Garance made landfall on Reunion Island. It also shows several trees down in the source’s garden. @Mp97440 wrote on X about “the feeling of being stunned by the experience and its spectacle of desolation,” and defined the passage of the cyclone “traumatic”. Trusted news and daily delights, right in your inbox See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. France TV Info reported on Saturday that the death toll from the cyclone had risen to four, after a man trapped under a tree in Saint Denis had died. The island was on a meteorological alert until Sunday afternoon. Credit: @Mp97440 via Storyful Source link #Cyclone #Garance #Leaves #Trail #Damage #Reunion #Island Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Microsoft is shutting down Skype after over two decades | Technology Microsoft is shutting down Skype after over two decades | Technology Skype will ring for the last time on 5 May as owner Microsoft retires the two-decade-old internet calling service that redefined how people connect across borders. Shutting down Skype will help Microsoft focus on its homegrown Teams service by simplifying its communication offerings, the office software giant said on Friday. Founded in 2003, Skype quickly disrupted the landline industry in the early 2000s with its audio and video calls, making the company a household name boasting hundreds of millions of users at its peak. But the platform has struggled to keep up with easier-to-use and more reliable rivals such as Zoom and Salesforce’s Slack in recent years, in part because Skype’s underlying technology grew less suited for the smartphone era. When the pandemic and work from home fueled the need for online business calls, Microsoft batted for Teams by aggressively integrating it with other Office apps to tap corporate users, once a major base for Skype. Online video communication was once the near exclusive purview of Skype before the likes of FaceTime, Zoom and Google Hangouts took over. Skype was an early example of a tech product that was so ubiquitous it was used as a verb. Users would “Skype” someone in much the same way they would Google something. When Microsoft bought Skype in 2011 for $8.5bn after outbidding Google and Facebook, its largest deal at the time, the service had about 150 million monthly users; by 2020, that number had fallen to roughly 23 million, despite a brief resurgence during the pandemic. Over the years, Microsoft struggled to integrate Skype into its suite of tools and could not meet the moment when the company began seeing competition from Apple’s FaceTime and Google’s various communications app attempts. And when Microsoft launched its collaboration product Teams in 2017 that quickly took priority. “We are honored to have been part of the journey,” Microsoft said on Friday. “Skype has been an integral part of shaping modern communications.” To ease the transition from the platform, its users will be able to log into Teams for free on any supported device using their existing credentials, with chats and contacts migrating automatically. skip past newsletter promotion A weekly dive in to how technology is shaping our lives Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. after newsletter promotion For some, it may come as a surprise that Skype was still in operation given the company’s own years-long deprioritization of the platform. Launching successful communication tools has been a challenge for many of the big tech firms including Google. Now Skype will be laid to rest in the graveyard of communication tools alongside Duo and AOL Instant Messenger. Microsoft declined to share the latest user figures for Skype and said there would be no job cuts due to the move. It added that Teams had about 320 million monthly active users. Source link #Microsoft #shutting #Skype #decades #Technology Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Kurdish militants declare ceasefire in 40-year insurgency in Turkey – The Associated Press Kurdish militants declare ceasefire in 40-year insurgency in Turkey – The Associated Press Kurdish militants declare ceasefire in 40-year insurgency in Turkey The Associated PressKurdish militia declares ceasefire following leader’s call to end five-decade insurgency with Turkey CNNTurkey-PKK Deal May Benefit Erdogan at Home and Abroad The New York TimesSyrian Kurds say Ocalan’s message ‘has nothing to do with us’ Middle East EyeWhite House welcomes call by Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan for Turkey’s PKK terrorist group to disarm CBS News Source link #Kurdish #militants #declare #ceasefire #40year #insurgency #Turkey #Press Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Trump administration retreats in fight against Russian cyber threats | US national security Trump administration retreats in fight against Russian cyber threats | US national security The Trump administration has publicly and privately signaled that it does not believe Russia represents a cyber threat against US national security or critical infrastructure, marking a radical departure from longstanding intelligence assessments. The shift in policy could make the US vulnerable to hacking attacks by Russia, experts warned, and appeared to reflect the warming of relations between Donald Trump and Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin. Two recent incidents indicate the US is no longer characterizing Russia as a cyber security threat. Liesyl Franz, deputy assistant secretary for international cybersecurity at the state department, said in a speech last week before a United Nations working group on cyber security that the US was concerned by threats perpetrated by some states but only named China and Iran, with no mention of Russia in her remarks. Franz also did not mention the Russia-based LockBit ransomware group, which the US has previously said is the most prolific ransomware group in the world and has been called out in UN forums in the past. The treasury last year said LockBit operates on a ransomeware-as-service model, in which the group licenses its ransomware software to criminals in exchange for a portion of the paid ransoms. In contrast to Franz’s statement, representatives for US allies in the European Union and the *** focused their remarks on the threat posed by Moscow, with the *** pointing out that Russia was using offensive and malicious cyber attacks against Ukraine alongside its ******** invasion. “It’s incomprehensible to give a speech about threats in cyberspace and not mention Russia and it’s delusional to think this will turn Russia and the FSB (the Russian security agency) into our friends,” said James Lewis, a veteran cyber expert formerly of the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank in Washington. “They hate the US and are still mad about losing the cold war. Pretending otherwise won’t change this.” The US policy change has also been established behind closed doors. A recent memo at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (Cisa) set out new priorities for the agency, which is part of the Department of Homeland Security and monitors cyber threats against US critical infrastructure. The new directive set out priorities that included China and protecting local systems. It did not mention Russia. A person familiar with the matter who spoke to the Guardian on the condition of anonymity said analysts at the agency were verbally informed that they were not to follow or report on Russian threats, even though this had previously been a main focus for the agency. The person said work that was being done on something “Russia-related” was in effect “nixed”. “Russia and China are our biggest adversaries. With all the cuts being made to different agencies, a lot of cyber security personnel have been fired. Our systems are not going to be protected and our adversaries know this,” the person said. The person added: “People are saying Russia is winning. Putin is on the inside now.” The New York Times has separately reported that the Trump administration has also reassigned officials at Cisa who were focused on safeguarding elections from cyberattacks and other attempts to disrupt voting. Another person who previously worked on US Joint Task Forces operating at elevated classification levels to track and combat Russian cyber threats said the development was “truly shocking”. “There are thousands of US government employees and military working daily on the massive threat Russia poses as possibly the most significant nation state threat actor. Not to diminish the significance of China, Iran, or North Korea, but Russia is at least on par with China as the most significant cyber threat,” the person said. The person added:“There are dozens of discrete Russia state-sponsored hacker teams dedicated to either producing damage to US government, infrastructure, and commercial interests or conducting information theft with a key goal of maintaining persistent access to computer systems.” skip past newsletter promotion Sign up to This Week in Trumpland A deep dive into the policies, controversies and oddities surrounding the Trump administration Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. after newsletter promotion Cisa and the State Department did not respond to the Guardian’s requests for comment. The change is not entirely surprising, given that the Trump administration has made it clear that it is seeking to make amends with Moscow. Earlier this week at the United Nations, the US voted with Russia against an EU-Ukrainian resolution that condemned Russia on the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. “The US has long assessed Russia, China and Iran as leaders in cyberthreats. To see a US representative in an international setting erase Russia’s role altogether comes as a bit of a shock – though consistent with the sudden US alignment with Russia and its satellites on the global stage,” said Scott Horton, an American lawyer who previously worked in Moscow and advised Russian human rights advocates. The US has long warned that Russia posed a cyber threat to US infrastructure, including in the annual threat assessment published by US intelligence agencies last year. The report stated that Russia posed an “enduring global cyber threat” even as it has prioritized cyber operations against Ukraine. Moscow, the report concluded, “views cyber disruptions as a foreign policy lever to shape other countries’ decisions and continuously refines and employs its espionage, influence and attack capabilities against a variety of targets”. Russia was able to target critical infrastructure, industrial control systems, in the US and in allied and partner countries. Few lawmakers have previously been as outspoken on the issue as Marco Rubio when he was still a Florida senator. In 2020, as chairman of the Senate intelligence committee, Rubio – who now serves as Trump’s secretary of state – said the US would retaliate for a massive and ongoing cyberattack that had compromised companies and federal agencies, including the energy department’s National Nuclear Security Administration. At the time he said the attacks were “consistent with Russian cyber operations”. But there was no sign of that kind of rebuke from Franz, who now reports to Rubio at the state department. The change in language at the recent UN speech was not only remarkable for omitting Russia and LockBit, said Valentin Weber, senior research fellow at the ******* Council on Foreign Relations, but also for leaving out any mention of allies and partners. “For a quarter century Putin’s Russia pushed an autocratic agenda in the UN cybersecurity negotiations, while engaging in nonstop cyberattacks and information operations around the world, and the US and other democracies pushed back,” said William Drake, director of international studies at the Columbia Institute for Tele-Information in Columbia Business School. “But now the Trump administration has abandoned the liberal international order… [and] the US is no longer a global power trying to maintain an open and rules-based international system, it’s just a great power with narrower self-interests that happen to be impacted by China’s cyberattacks.” Do you have a tip on this story? Please message us on Signal at [Visit our travel help center for real support] Source link #Trump #administration #retreats #fight #Russian #cyber #threats #national #security Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Salt out early as England make bad start against South Africa Salt out early as England make bad start against South Africa England opener Phil Salt clubs an “easy catch” straight to South Africa’s Rassie van der Dussen in the first over of their ICC Champions Trophy match in Karachi. Source link #Salt #early #England #bad #start #South #Africa Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Scientists create ‘e-Taste’ device that could add flavour to virtual reality experiences | Science Scientists create ‘e-Taste’ device that could add flavour to virtual reality experiences | Science If your colleague bores you to tears with pictures of their lunch, then a new gadget could make your life even worse. Scientists have developed a device to recreate the flavours of food and drink, allowing them to be shared remotely in a matter of seconds – but they have not yet cracked spicy food. They say the gadget, which they have called “e-Taste”, could be used to enhance virtual reality and augmented reality systems, boosting immersive experiences. It could also prove useful for biomedical research or even, the team suggests, for “virtual food adventures”. “Potential applications include immersive gaming, online shopping, remote education, weight management, sensory testing, physical rehabilitation and others,” the researchers write. However, the team notes the system requires further development, not least as there are taste sensations the device cannot reproduce, such as spiciness and fattiness. While it is now possible share images, sounds and even physical sensations with others remotely, sharing smells or tastes has proved more challenging. Despite previous attempts by some researchers, the team behind the new study notes that there are numerous hurdles, not least that directly stimulating the tongue electronically or with warmth only enables a few tastes to be evoked; the use of chemicals can pose problems for reliability; and the arrangement of tastebuds on the tongue means it is necessary to target particular areas to create particular sensations. Writing in the journal Science Advances, the US-based scientists report how their e-Taste device has two key components. The first is a sensing platform – or “electronic tongue” – that captures data about the concentration of five different taste chemicals in a liquidised sample of a food or drink and sends the information wirelessly to the second component. This device uses small electromagnetic pumps to push liquids through a layer of gel containing five edible taste chemicals, allowing their delivery to an outlet, placed in a recipient’s mouth, to be controlled. The five taste chemicals, which can be mixed before delivery, correspond to those detected in the original consumable item: glucose, which creates a sweet sensation; citric acid, which produces a sour taste; sodium chloride, which generates a salty flavour; magnesium chloride, a bitter taste; and glutamate, which elicits the savoury taste known as umami. The team adds that the system also allows flavours to be delivered to specific regions of the tongue – something they say could be used to investigate human taste perception. “People will get something like a straw in their mouth, and thus placing it to specific locations when needed,” said Yizhen Jia, a co-author of the study from Ohio State University. The team then conducted a number of tests. Among them, 10 volunteers were asked to sample different sour intensities in the liquids generated by the system, with the results revealing they were able to do so with an overall accuracy rate of 70%. In another test six volunteers were asked to sample different combinations of liquids containing the flavour chemicals, with the combinations designed to represent five different edible items – lemonade, cake, fried egg, coffee, and fish soup. They were then asked to taste a liquid generated by the system and select the foods they thought it represented. Overall they completed the task with accuracy rate of almost 87% – although spiciness is yet to be cracked. Marianna Obrist, a professor of multisensory interfaces at University College London, who was not involved in the work, welcomed the study. “Taste stimulation is a particularly challenging area, yet the authors seem to present a compelling integration of taste sensations to enrich digital experiences,” she said. Source link #Scientists #create #eTaste #device #add #flavour #virtual #reality #experiences #Science Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Victory hot on heels of record-equalling City in ALW Victory hot on heels of record-equalling City in ALW Melbourne City have extended their A-League Women unbeaten run to a record-equalling 18 games, but have cross-town rivals Melbourne Victory hot on their heels at the top of the table. City, yet to lose this season, fought out a dramatic 1-1 draw with Canberra United on Saturday afternoon. Victory then beat Western United 2-1 to extend their unbeaten run to seven matches and close the gap at the top to just five points. City (40 points) sit head of Victory (35) and Adelaide (30), after becoming the fourth team in ALW history to have an 18-game unbeaten streak – a mark they can surpass against Brisbane Roar next Sunday. At McKellar Park, Canberra and City were without their respective Matildas strikers Michelle Heyman and Holly McNamara. City took the lead in the 52nd minute when Taylor Otto bundled home from a corner, getting the better of Canberra goalkeeper Sally James. Canberra equalised in the 81st minute when City’s Bryleeh Henry inexplicably played a horror back pass into the path of Aideen Keane, who took a touch past onrushing goalkeeper Malena Mieres and scored. James stepped up to deny Mariana Speckmaier then Rhianna Pollicina late as seventh-placed Canberra moved just outside the top six on goal difference alone. At Ironbark Fields in Tarneit, Victory took the lead in the 10th minute when a corner bobbled out to Holly Furphy, whose skidding shot somehow got past a plethora of players to nestle in the back of the net. Kahli Johnson, playing her final match before moving to Calgary Wild, tested Victory’s defence late in the half. In the 45th minute, Victory failed to deal with a corner and an attempted clearance from Emily Gielnik nestled in her own net. But Victory restored their lead just two minutes into the second half. Alana Jancevski whipped a superb corner into a dangerous area and skipper Kayla Morrison rose highest to head home the winner. Elsewhere, two goals to Sophie Hoban inside the opening three minutes were enough to deliver Newcastle a 2-1 win over Perth Glory and send the Jets four points clear of last-placed Sydney FC. Hoban opened the scoring with a fierce cross-turned-strike in the second minute at the No.2 Sportsground. Less than a minute later, she helped spark another attack then burst forward, where she had one close-range shot saved, before scoring from the rebound. Perth’s Ella Lincoln tapped home in the 56th minute to add some tension, and Newcastle had to hang on with 10 players after Libby Copus-Brown was sent off in the 77th minute. Source link #Victory #hot #heels #recordequalling #City #ALW Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Extreme online violence may be linked to rise of ‘0 to 100’ killers, experts say | Internet safety Extreme online violence may be linked to rise of ‘0 to 100’ killers, experts say | Internet safety The rise of “0 to 100” killers who go from watching torture, mutilation and beheading videos in their bedrooms to committing ******* suggests there could be a link between extreme violence online and in real life, experts have said. Criminal justice experts advocated a new approach, inspired by counter-terrorism, to identify an emerging type of ********* with no prior convictions, after cases such as Nicholas Prosper, who killed his mother and siblings and planned a primary school massacre. Jonathan Hall, the government’s independent reviewer of terrorism legislation, said there was a “new threat cohort” combining terrorists who were radicalised online and those who had “gone down a rabbit hole and into a dark world”. He said: “There are quite a lot of similarities: they are isolated loners, boys rather than girls; the internet is obviously central; quite a high proportion have neurodivergence. “We have to be stark about this – this behaviour couldn’t have existed without the internet because it is the source of the idea that certain types of violence are the solution.” Hall is writing a report for the Home Office that was commissioned after the Southport attack, looking at whether to treat mass-casualty attack planning as terrorism. He disagreed with stretching the definition of terrorism, but added: “The question is what lessons can you learn from the management of one cohort to apply to the other.” David Wilson, an emeritus professor of criminology at Birmingham City University, said research into whether online violence led to violence in real life was an “emerging field”. Although earlier research challenged previous generations’ moral panic over violence in video games and films, Wilson thought that social media was different because it was more absorbing, was consumed alone, and algorithms led people to content that became “more and more extreme”. Wilson said that for the past five years he had asked 300 first-year criminology students to raise their hand if they had watched a beheading video online. “All of them have,” he said, adding that this prevalence was reflected in an increase in these crimes. He observed the rise of “0 to 100” killers, who diverged from the norm of offences escalating gradually and instead moved straight to *******. This was connected to the rise of “mixed ideology” motives, which included “incel” culture, the “alt-right” and mass-killing manifestos. The problem was compounded by cuts to youth clubs and mental health provision, he said. Greg Stewart, a criminal lawyer and former youth justice lead for the Law Society, said successful reforms to the youth justice system picked up youngsters behaving badly in communities but missed “exceptional children”. “The escalator, which was the old way of looking at things, has been disabled, so you’re more likely to go from a low base to very high seriousness,” he said, adding that there was an overlap between autism, obsessive behaviour and becoming radicalised online. He recommended a Prevent-style response, in which teachers and lecturers picked up “thinking patterns and views”. For example, Nasen Saadi, who stabbed a woman, alarmed a lecturer by asking questions about *******. skip past newsletter promotion Our morning email breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what’s happening and why it matters Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. after newsletter promotion Julia Davidson, a professor of criminal justice and cybercrime at the University of East London, said there was a “huge body of evidence” on young people’s exposure to violent content, which she feared had become a “public health problem”, though “the science is difficult” in establishing a link with offline violence. Young people felt pressure “to watch violent acts and it being a test of belonging to a group” and this dovetailed with the toxic masculinity promoted by influencers such as Andrew Tate, she said. Davidson said conversations in 2017 over the Online Safety Act, which required platforms to prevent children from seeing harmful content, originally focused on child ******* abuse, cyberbullying and ************, but police were sharing growing concerns about online violence – for example, in the Olly Stephens ******* case. Almudena Lara​, the Ofcom policy director for child safety, agreed that children were subject to a “perfect storm of violent content, content that promotes abuse and hate, and often very misogynistic content and por​nographic content​, all being fed to them in a way that almost makes it unavoidable​”. ​Ofcom is seeking to balance freedom of speech with child safety, and requires platforms not to proactively push violent content to children, though Lara said “the bar is not complete elimination​” but rather tackling the “cumulative impact” that was linked to “attitudes towards real-life violence​”. Prof Lorna Woods, a legal adviser to the Online Safety Act Network, said she feared that self-regulation by social media platforms was “not going to be enough” to tackle the problem, particularly where it relied on content takedowns, and platforms must instead move towards safety by design. Source link #Extreme #online #violence #linked #rise #killers #experts #Internet #safety Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Christian town in Syria keeps biblical language of Aramaic alive but fears for its future Christian town in Syria keeps biblical language of Aramaic alive but fears for its future Maaloula is one of the world’s few places where residents still speak Aramaic, the language that Jesus is believed to have used. The town is also home to Syria’s two oldest active monasteries. But since the fall of former President Bashar Assad in an insurgent offensive late last year, some residents fear their future is precarious. (AP video shot by Abd Al Rahman Shaheen) Source link #Christian #town #Syria #biblical #language #Aramaic #alive #fears #future Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Oscars: 15 Moments To Watch Out For On Sunday – ‘Anora’, ‘Emilia’, Chalamet & Brody, ‘Conclave’ And Trump – Deadline Oscars: 15 Moments To Watch Out For On Sunday – ‘Anora’, ‘Emilia’, Chalamet & Brody, ‘Conclave’ And Trump – Deadline Oscars: 15 Moments To Watch Out For On Sunday – ‘Anora’, ‘Emilia’, Chalamet & Brody, ‘Conclave’ And Trump DeadlineIs this the most open Oscars race in recent memory? The GuardianWhen are the Oscars 2025? Here’s what time to watch and how to stream the Academy Awards NorthJersey.comWhat will win at a nailbiter Oscars? AP’s film writers make their predictions The Associated PressWhich movie should win the best picture Oscar? Our film experts battle it out USA TODAY Source link #Oscars #Moments #Watch #Sunday #Anora #Emilia #Chalamet #amp #Brody #Conclave #Trump #Deadline Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Pope Francis on breathing machine after suffering sudden respiratory episode Pope Francis on breathing machine after suffering sudden respiratory episode Pope Francis suffered a sudden episode of respiratory difficulty and was put on a breathing machine on Friday, according to the latest medical update from the ********. The episode was complicated by vomiting, some of which he aspirated, the ******** said. Medical staff treated the aspiration issue before putting the pope on mechanical ventilation, it said. A ******** source told CNN that Francis is not intubated, but he is wearing a mask. The ******** added that the pontiff “remained alert and oriented at all times.” A spokesperson later noted that the pope is not considered out of danger at this point. The ******** source told CNN that doctors expect to know more about his condition in the next 24-48 hours. In its daily morning update on Saturday, the ******** said the night passed “peacefully” for the 88-year-old pontiff and that he was resting. Francis was first admitted to Rome’s Gemelli Hospital two weeks ago, after being plagued by a string of lung-related medical struggles, including bronchitis and then pneumonia. His current hospitalization is his fourth, and now longest, stay since he became pope in 2013. The pontiff has suffered from lung-related issues for much of his life. As a young man, he suffered from severe pneumonia and had part of one lung removed. The ******** has been releasing twice daily updates on the pope’s health. On Thursday, it said that Francis’ condition was “improving” but his prognosis remained unclear. The Argentinian leader’s schedule has been cleared to accommodate his intensive medical treatment. Earlier on Friday, the ******** announced that the pope will not lead next week’s Ash Wednesday service, marking the start of Lent, for only the second time in his 12-year papacy. A cardinal is expected to lead the service instead. On Friday night while praying for the pope, Argentinian Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernández said: “Certainly it is close to the Holy Father’s heart that our prayers be not only for him, but also for all those who, in this particular dramatic and suffering moment of the world, bear the heavy burden of war, sickness, and poverty.” This story has been updated. CNN’s Antonia Mortensen contributed to this reporting. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Source link #Pope #Francis #breathing #machine #suffering #sudden #respiratory #episode Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Bracketology Bubble Watch: North Carolina, Indiana, Texas looking for wins to boost NCAA Tournament résumés – CBS Sports Bracketology Bubble Watch: North Carolina, Indiana, Texas looking for wins to boost NCAA Tournament résumés – CBS Sports Bracketology Bubble Watch: North Carolina, Indiana, Texas looking for wins to boost NCAA Tournament résumés CBS SportsHot streak or cold spell? NCAA Tournament temperature check for 11 bubble teams as March begins CBS SportsMarch Madness lookahead: Who will be the four No. 1 seeds? Yahoo SportsHow does the First Four work in March Madness? ESPNESPN Bracketology update: Joe Lunardi releases latest projections before first day of March On3.com Source link #Bracketology #Bubble #Watch #North #Carolina #Indiana #Texas #wins #boost #NCAA #Tournament #résumés #CBS #Sports Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]