Pelican Press

PlayStation, Manchester ******* and why video games may be players’ secret ******* PlayStation, Manchester ******* and why video games may be players’ secret ******* The dominant Manchester ******* dynasty of the 2000s can attribute their success to several factors. Most pertinently, they had world-class players, such as Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo and Rio Ferdinand, who were coached by Sir Alex Ferguson, arguably the greatest manager in English football history. There was also Old Trafford, the largest club stadium in English football and a ground that Jamie Carragher, writing in the Telegraph, said can make “many players freeze”. They might have even got the odd favourable decision from the officials. But there’s one thing ******* players insist was an underrated secret ingredient: video games. “We always used to play a game at Man ******* on the PSP (PlayStation Portable) called SOCOM — an old-school Call of Duty. We used to spend hours on this game,” said former ******* and England goalkeeper Ben Foster on his Fozcast podcast. “I actually still say part of us winning and our culture was down to that game. We were all together in it, like hating each other at times and arguing, people throwing PSPs, it was unbelievable.” SOCOM (or SOCOM U.S. Navy SEALs: Fireteam Bravo, to use its full name) was a massive hit at *******’s Carrington training ground and on away days and pre-season tours, particularly within the club’s younger core. The ‘third-person tactical shooter’ video game franchise sold more than 10 million copies across eight releases. There were eight players on two teams — sometimes ******* players would have to wait their turn as places were often oversubscribed — and the regulars, including Foster, Ferdinand (nicknamed ‘Brrrap’), Rooney (aka Jack Bauer, after the fictional protagonist of the 24 television series) and Ronaldo, would have team talks before the game, assigning roles to each player. Former ******* players credit playing SOCOM on the PSP for their strong team bond (David Becker/Getty Images) “People were probably wondering what was going on when they were seeing Vida (Nemanja Vidic) and Sheasy (John O’Shea, or ‘Cobra’) pulling out imaginary rocket launchers after they’d scored goals in important games in the Champions League, but it was just our little in-joke, our way of having a laugh about the stuff we’d been doing together,” Wes Brown, who was part of *******’s 2008 Champions League-winning side, said on the club website. “We even took it to England (international duty) with us and all the Chelsea lads would be playing it. We used to play ******* versus Chelsea on SOCOM, and come on, who do you think won those? Let’s put it this way: many a Chelsea PSP was broken in frustration.” Since *******’s golden era of success under Ferguson, the video game industry has exploded, and its place in the football world reflects that. Gone are the days when SOCOM was the game of choice at the elite level; EA Sports FC (previously known as FIFA) and Call of Duty are now the chief titles within football’s most popular pastime. Given the shared nature of the video game and the sport (and that they can play using themselves and their team-mates), EA FC naturally holds a significant market share among footballers. During the first Covid-19 lockdown in 2020, EA Sports hosted the ‘Stay and Play Cup’ on FIFA involving players from clubs across Europe, including Manchester City’s Phil Foden, Real Madrid and Brazil forward Vinicius Junior and Paris Saint-Germain full-back Achraf Hakimi, then on loan at Borussia Dortmund. Trent Alexander-Arnold, another of the entrants for that tournament, which was won by Denmark international Mohamed Daramy, ******** a keen player. In April, he assembled a ‘Pro Clubs’ team to face a squad of YouTubers and streamers (occasionally including Rooney before he was appointed Plymouth Argyle boss in May) — with videos of their game amassing over 1.3 million views across two YouTube channels. This summer, members of Spain’s Euro-winning side, including close friends Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams, made a Pro Clubs team to pass the time on their month-long odyssey to glory. For football players, video games are an ideal companion to their high-pressure lifestyle. Alexander-Arnold is a fan of EA Sports FC (Carl Recine/Getty Images) “Gaming is part of the youth culture,” says Benjamin Reichert, a former professional footballer in Germany and founder of esports team SK Gaming. “Football players and professional athletes get to that level because they want to win. They want to compete every day. Back in the day, when we weren’t gaming, we did other things. We played cards, we played table tennis — it’s all about being the best, competing against each other and having fun.” It’s not just the young players, either. Guadalajara striker Javier Hernandez, 36, formerly of Manchester ******* and Real Madrid, operates an account with nearly one million followers on the live-streaming platform Twitch. He primarily records himself playing Call of Duty but dabbles in other titles, including Resident Evil Village or Five Nights at Freddy’s 4. Other notable stars with streaming accounts include Neymar, 32, and retired Argentina striker Sergio Aguero, 36, who has 4.8m followers on Twitch. “In the biggest sports, there’s so much pressure,” says Reichert. “You have to compete or show every day the best version of you to be in the starting XI on the weekend. Having something where they can come down by playing with friends or online just allows them to have fun. “It’s interesting when you see players streaming or in interviews; you can feel that they are relaxed and free to speak or answer questions that they would never have otherwise. It’s another atmosphere, and I think it’s really important for them.” Reichert, who played in the ******* second and third tiers across an 11-year career as a professional, is considered a pioneer in the world of sports gaming. In 1997, Reichert founded an esports team with other professional players and his brothers, more than a decade before esports became a significant part of the video game industry. He is best known for co-founding (alongside former Bundesliga midfielder Moritz Stoppelkamp) INDIGAMING, the developers of the POGA ‘console in a box’ that is quickly becoming the travel essential for elite football players. If you have watched England’s ‘arrivals’ videos on YouTube or are following some of the game’s biggest stars on Instagram, you might not be aware you have watched someone wheeling around a POGA suitcase. It is a suitcase or a briefcase with a built-in console and monitor that allows players to take their gaming on the go. Conor Gallagher @EASPORTSFC Watch the #ThreeLions arrivals here — England (@England) November 12, 2024 Reichart says: “We were big gamers for years, so it was necessary to have a tool to play wherever we were. As a player, you are always on the run. Away games, journeys, pre-season, whatever, and it was nearly impossible to set up, for example, at the hotel, because the HDMI port might have been disconnected because of the hotel’s entertainment. “Then Moritz, Ingo (Bohm, INDIGAMING’s head of commercial operations) and I came together and created a prototype. We rolled it out through our friends and network with the football players here in Germany. Then it moved from Germany to the *** and through the big leagues around Europe.” Reichert (right) helped create the POGA system (Bongarts/Getty Images) Raheem Sterling was among the first high-profile players to inadvertently promote POGA through his Instagram, showing him and his friend playing FIFA on the train in 2018. Since then, the system has taken off within elite football. In the past year, Yamal, Mohamed Salah and England and Arsenal players Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice have been pictured gaming on the system. Manchester ******* forward Marcus Rashford and Atletico Madrid midfielder Saul Niguez have enthused about it. The POGA system typically contains a built-in console (either a PlayStation or Xbox) and a gaming monitor. They are expensive — prices start at £824; or £1,274 with a PlayStation console (or $1,047 and $1,619 in the ******* States) — and are not likely to become the norm for the average person. Alternatives from companies such as GeeGee Gaming exist too but POGA’s place within the football world is firmly established. That’s not to say that football clubs have been entirely on board with the growing influence video games are playing in the lives of their players. Italy head coach Luciano Spalletti has expressed issues with players playing video games. In February, he suggested one player had stayed up all night playing games and not slept. “That’s not OK,” he said in a press conference. “It’s not the two hours we’re out on the pitch that shows who we are, but the 22 hours either side.” Spalletti did not name any players, but he dropped Gianluca Scamacca — described by local newspaper Corriere Bergamo as a “PlayStation fanatic” — from his squad for the friendlies against Venezuela and Ecuador in March. While Jadon Sancho was playing for Borussia Dortmund, ******* media outlet Bild reported concerns within the club over an alleged habit of spending too much time on his console and similar allegations were directed towards France winger Ousmane Dembele during his time at Barcelona. Despite the odd time when players get carried away, clubs and national teams recognise the role video games can play in success. Before the POGA ***** allowed players to bring their devices on the go, England’s FA set up a console room for the 2018 World Cup. The Fortnite competitions were among the many aspects that improved England’s team spirit, helping them reach their first World Cup semi-final in 28 years. If it genuinely contributed to the winning culture developed under Ferguson at *******, perhaps cautious coaches and front offices are missing an opportunity: allowing your players to play video games could be an underrated formula for success. (Top photos: Getty Images) Source link #PlayStation #Manchester #******* #video #games #players #secret #******* Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Sky Blues coach steps down after four-year Origin stint Sky Blues coach steps down after four-year Origin stint Kylie Hilder has bowed out as NSW Women’s State of Origin coach after two successive series defeats to Queensland. The 48-year-old’s four-year reign of the Sky Blues coincided with a surge in popularity for women’s rugby league and the expansion of the Origin format from one to three games. After an 8-6 loss in 2021, Hilder claimed her sole Origin series victory as coach with a 20-14 win in Canberra in 2022, before losing the tied 2023 two-game series on points differential. Following a disappointing 2-1 series loss to the Maroons in 2024 after winning game one and letting a 10-4 lead slip in game two, Hilder announced on Monday she would not seek to be re-appointed. “I felt it was time for a change for the team, but I have thoroughly enjoyed the experience and privilege of coaching the NSW Women’s Origin team over the past four years and I take a lot of pride in the contribution I have been able to make in that short time,” she said. “To see women’s Origin grow from one game when I started coaching to a three-game series this year is a monumental achievement for the game and speaks volumes about the incredible talent pool in the women’s ranks. “It also says a lot about the work that is being done at NSWRL in our pathways programs to develop genuine player depth at all levels, preparing them for NRLW and Origin honours.” The growth in interest in the women’s game is exemplified in the NRL’s decision to bring Origin to the 45,500-seat Allianz Stadium for the first time in 2025. Sydney last hosted a women’s Origin match at CommBank Stadium in 2023, when a crowd of 12,972 turned up, but record attendances in Brisbane, Townsville and Newcastle in 2024 encouraged the NRL to take the next step. NSWRL chief executive David Trodden paid tribute to Hilder for her contribution to the Sky Blues in her seven games as coach and four as a player. “History will recognise the pivotal contribution which Kylie has made to our game as a player, coach and pathways administrator at one of the most important times in the development of the women’s game,” Trodden said. “Our organisation owes her a great debt.” Hilder will continue to be involved with NSWRL as female pathways manager. Expressions of interest will now be sought for a new coach ahead of the 2025 series opener at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium on May 1, Trodden said. Samoa women’s national team coach Jamie Soward has previously expressed interest in the role after being sacked by St George Illawarra during the NRLW season. Indigenous Women’s All Stars coach Jess Skinner and NSW U19s coach Kate Mullaly are also potential replacement options. Source link #Sky #Blues #coach #steps #fouryear #Origin #stint Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Rory McIlroy wins sixth Race to Dubai title after DP World Tour Championship victory: ‘Means a lot’ after this year Rory McIlroy wins sixth Race to Dubai title after DP World Tour Championship victory: ‘Means a lot’ after this year Rory McIlroy has won his sixth Race to Dubai title after triumphing in the season-ending DP World Tour Championship. The 35-year-old has now won three successive Race to Dubai crowns and his sixth overall — previously winning in 2012, 2014, 2015, 2022 and 2023 — to match the record of golfing legend Seve Ballesteros on the ********* tour. McIlroy entered the season-closing tournament with a 1,785-point lead over closest challenger Thriston Lawrence, who needed to win the DP World Tour Championship and hope McIlroy finished outside the top 11 in Dubai if he were to win. McIlroy won the trophy ahead of the South ******** by finishing two strokes ahead of Denmark’s Rasmus Hojgaard on 15-under at Jumeirah Golf Estates as he shot a three-under-par 69 in his final round. Hojgaard was level with McIlroy with four holes left to play but a superb approach shot allowed the Northern Irishman to birdie the 16th and pull ahead of the Dane, who then missed a birdie putt on the 18th before McIlroy sealed the win with one of his own. “It means a lot because I have been through a lot this year, professionally and personally,” McIlroy told Sky Sports. “It feels like the fitting end to 2024; there have been a lot of close calls where I haven’t been able to get it over the line, but this was a tough day when I could get the job done.” McIlroy’s Race to Dubai win comes after he looked to be on the cusp of ending his 10-year wait for a major in June, but struggled in his final round at the US Open and lost to the ********* Bryson DeChambeau by one shot. GO DEEPER From Rory’s hometown, the angst of McIlroy When asked about equaling the Race to Dubai record held by the late Ballesteros, McIlroy became visibly tearful as he explained the significance. “Everyone knows what Seve means to ********* golf and Ryder Cup players,” he said. “In the ********* locker room, all we have are quotes from Seve — we have a changing room with a Seve shirt from ’95, the last Ryder Cup he played. “He means so much to ********* golf and for me to be mentioned in the same breath as him…I’m very proud.” GO DEEPER McIlroy: Donald Trump’s election ‘clears the way’ for PGA Tour-PIF deal (Richard Heathcote / Getty Images) Source link #Rory #McIlroy #wins #sixth #Race #Dubai #title #World #Tour #Championship #victory #Means #lot #year Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

One Of These Futuristic Grenade Launchers Could Succeed Where The Army’s ‘Punisher’ ******* One Of These Futuristic Grenade Launchers Could Succeed Where The Army’s ‘Punisher’ ******* The two finalists in a U.S. Army innovation challenge to craft concepts for a new futuristic precision grenade launcher have now publicly shown their designs. The service has been exploring options for years now for a highly computerized 30mm Precision Grenadier System (PGS) that soldiers could use to engage targets ranging from ****** personnel behind cover to light armored vehicles to drones in the sky. This all follows the cancellation of work on the advanced 25mm XM25 grenade launcher, nicknamed “The Punisher,” back in 2018. Barrett Firearms, best known for its .50 caliber M82-series rifles, together with MARS, Inc., showed off a model of what they are currently calling the Squad Support Rifle System (SSRS) at the Association of the U.S. Army’s (AUSA) main annual conference last month. FN America, the U.S.-based subsidiary of famed Belgian small arms company Fabrique National, had displayed a model of its PGS-001 design at last year’s AUSA gathering. The SSRS and the FN PGS-001 were the designs to come out on top of the Army’s xTechSoldier Lethality challenge to “showcase their innovative concepts for a Precision Grenadier System” last year. Jamie Hunter" loading="lazy" width="960" height="540" decoding="async" data-nimg="1" class="rounded-lg" style="******:transparent" fifu-data-src="[Hidden Content]; The Squad Support Rifle System (SSRS) model on display at the 2024 AUSA gathering. Jamie Hunter In its current form, the SSRS weighs nearly 14 pounds, is just under 34 inches long, and fires 30x42mm projectiles from a five-round box magazine. True to its name, it has the general outward look of an oversized rifle, including a ******* grip, trigger assembly, and ***** control selector switch that all mimic the ones found on AR-15/M16-series guns. The SSRS also has an attachment rail for optics and other accessories on top. The SSRS model at AUSA was fitted with a Vortex Optics XM157, a variable 1-8×30 optic with a digital display overlay and other advanced features like a built-in laser rangefinder. The XM157 is set to be the standard optic for the Army’s new 6.8mm XM7 rifles and XM250 squad automatic weapons from Sig Sauer. The XM157 optic seen on the SSRS model. Jamie Hunter In terms of ammunition, Barrett had mockups of nine different rounds on display at AUSA, including high-explosive, incendiary, armor-piercing, and dedicated training types. There was also a “close quarters battle” (CBQ) shell, which looks to be a buckshot-like canister round. Some of the mocked-up 30x42mm rounds for the SSRS, including the ******-******** “CQB” type. Jamie Hunter More 30x42mm ammunition mockups. Jamie Hunter Specific details about the PGS-001 are more limited, but it has a roughly similar layout to the SRSS and was also previously shown with an XM157 optic installed. A prominent difference between the two is the notably large muzzle brake on FN’s design. This would help mitigate recoil, especially when ******* multiple shots in succession, but also create significant blast, flash, and noise. FN does not appear to have displayed ammunition types along with the PGS-001 at the 2023 AUSA convention. AUSA 23 – FN USA’s PGS-001 Precision Grenadier System pic.twitter.com/J3Q1UHkTAZ — Soldier Systems (@soldiersystems) October 10, 2023 In past PGS contracting notices, the Army has called for a family of ammunition that includes a “Counter Defilade Round” that can “precisely and quickly defeat personnel targets” behind cover, which would be an air-bursting design, as well as armor-piercing, CQB, and training types. A dedicated Counter Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) shell of some kind has also been on the PGS requirements list. Other previously stated PGS requirements include an overall length of 34 inches or less, a maximum weight of no more than 14.5 pounds, and an effective range of at least 1,640 feet (500 meters). “The PGS will be a man portable integrated ******* system that enables precision engagements to ******** personnel targets in defilade and in the open with increased lethality and precision compared to the legacy M203/M320 grenade launchers,” according to one contracting notice from February 2023. “The PGS will provide overmatch to comparable threat grenade launchers in near peer formations in future operating environments (jungle, urban, woodland, subterranean, desert, day/night/obscured). The PGS is envisioned to consist of a *******, a ***** control, and a suite of ammunition which enables the user to engage targets in defilade/cover, hovering UAS targets, conduct door breaching, engage close combat targets, and light armored targets.” The M203 and M320 mentioned here are both single-shot 40x46mm grenade launchers, which the Army primarily fields as under-barrel attachments for existing M16/M4-series guns. The M320 can also be employed in a stand-alone configuration. The maximum effective range of the M203 and M320 when ******* typical high-explosive rounds is 1,148 and 1,312 feet (350 and 400 meters), respectively. A member of the US Army fires an M203 grenade launcher attached to an M4 carbine. US Army A member of the US Army fires an M320 grenade launcher in its stand-alone configuration. US Army As already noted, this is not the first time the Army has sought such a *******. The core operational needs behind the PGS are extremely similar to the ones that drove the development of a 25mm advanced grenade launcher designated the XM25 and known variously as the Individual Semi-Automatic Airburst System (ISAAS) or Counter-Defilade Target Engagement (CDTE) System between the mid-2000s and the late 2010s. Also nicknamed “The Punisher,” the XM25 had grown out of an earlier next-generation infantry weapons program called the Objective Infantry Combat ******* (OICW) that started in the 1990s. A member of the US Army with an XM25 ‘Punisher’ prototype. US Army Interestingly given the stated PGS requirements to date, the XM25’s 14-pound weight was cited as a contributing factor in its ultimate cancellation, along with the *******’s physic bulk and its cost (as well as that of its advanced programmable ammunition). A 2018 report from Stars and Stripes quoted an Army spokesperson as saying the service had secured the rights to the XM25’s technical data package (TDP), as well as prototypes and ammunition, which in turn prompted questions about whether the service might reboot its development. “The Government does not own the XM25 TDP” and “PGS development will start from scratch but will incorporate lessons learned from the XM25 CDTE program wherever possible,” the Army said in response to questions taken at a 2021 virtual industry day event. While the SSRS and PGS-001 clearly look now to be the front-runners in any final PGS competition, there is still a possibility that the Army could consider other designs, even including losing entries from the xTechSoldier Lethality challenge. ********* Rheinmetall Munitions, Knight Technical Solutions (not to be confused with Knight’s Armament Company), and Plumb Precision Products had also submitted designs for xTechSoldier Lethality, details about which are limited. We do know Knight Technical Solutions’ Multipurpose Intelligent Grenade System (MIGS) is a six-shot revolver-type design intended to go under the barrel of existing infantry rifles like the M203 and the M320, while Plumb Precision Products’ P3-M110 is another rifle-like *******, but chambered to ***** 17.5mm rounds. It is unclear whether ********* Rheinmetall’s entry, called the Squad Support ******* Achieving Precision Grenadier System Objectives, is related to the 40x46mm Squad Support ******* 40 (SSW40) from its ******* parent company. First round ******:[P1] Rheinmetall SSW40 [Hidden Content]] Knight Technical Solutions, LLC, “Multipurpose Intelligent Grenade System ‘MIGS’”[Hidden Content] Precision Products, LLC, “P3 M110 Precision Grenade Launcher” pic.twitter.com/4YZakJxiws — 笑脸男人 (@lfx160219) September 16, 2023 Regardless, the Army clearly has a continued interest in a precision grenade launcher capable of engaging a variety of target types, especially ones behind cover, precisely and at extended ranges compared to the M203 and M320. The service has also explored improved 40mm ammunition types, including air-bursting rounds, to help meet these operational demands. The inclusion of a counter-drone round in the planned PGS ammunition family also underscores the growing threat posed by drones and similarly increasing demand for ways to neutralize them across the U.S. military. For the PGS effort, the counter-drone requirement is something that predates, but has also now been completely validated by the ongoing war in Ukraine, which has helped fully drive the dangers posed by uncrewed aerial systems into the mainstream consciousness. Overall, no matter what design it might ultimately pick for PGS, the Army looks to be aiming to finally succeed where “The “Punisher” *******. Contact the author: *****@*****.tld Source link #Futuristic #Grenade #Launchers #Succeed #Armys #Punisher #******* Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

From postelection rally to preelection levels From postelection rally to preelection levels Traders work on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) floor on November 12, 2024 in New York City. Spencer Platt | Getty Images This report is from today’s CNBC Daily Open, our international markets newsletter. CNBC Daily Open brings investors up to speed on everything they need to know, no matter where they are. Like what you see? You can subscribe here. What you need to know today Markets ended week in the red U.S. markets slumped on Friday and ended the week lower. The S&P 500 fell 1.32%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.7% and the Nasdaq Composite tumbled 2.24%. Europe’s Stoxx 600 lost 0.77%, its fourth straight losing week. Separately, the U.K. economy grew 0.1% in the third quarter, missing the 0.2% mark expected by economists. Caught in the crossfire China may be the target of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s hawkish trade policies, but U.S. companies could suffer in the crossfire. If Trump does implement his tariffs on China, the ******** government could retaliate by introducing its own tariffs, diversifying its imports away from the U.S and increasing scrutiny of U.S. firms operating in China. Last official Biden-Xi meeting U.S. President Joe Biden met his ******** counterpart Xi Jinping on Saturday at the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. Biden reflected on his relationship with Xi across decades, while Xi seemed more focused on Trump’s presidency, saying: “China is ready to work with a new U.S. administration to maintain communication, expand cooperation and manage differences.” To infinity Pure-play space companies have seen their shares soar over the past week. For example, shares of Rocket Lab, an aerospace manufacturer, popped 41% on a weekly basis. While that was ignited by positive news from the company’s earnings report, analysts say the “Trump-Elon” trade is also behind the gravity-defying moves of space stocks. [PRO] Nvidia sets the tone this week Markets had a wild few weeks, during which investors digested the U.S. presidential election results, the Federal Reserve cutting rates, inflation readings and Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s hawkish comments. This week, all eyes will be trained on one key event: Nvidia’s earnings, coming out Wednesday. The bottom line Trump’s decisive victory in the presidential elections, as well as his purportedly market-friendly policies, drove markets to new highs. Last Monday, the S&P closed above 6,000 and the Dow finished the day above 44,000 for the first time. The so-called “Trump trade” — shares of banks, small-cap companies and energy, for example — were behind much of the indexes’ gains. As anyone who has overeaten at a feast knows, however, there’s a point when satisfaction passes into satiation into surfeit. It was only the start of the week, but little did we know we were beginning at the peak. When markets closed on Friday, the S&P lost 2.1% and the Dow had fallen 1.2% for the week — both ending the week below their milestones. The Nasdaq slid 3.2% on a weekly basis. A slump in pharmaceutical stocks dragged down the S&P and Dow. It was triggered by Trump announcing he was planning to nominate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has expressed unorthodox beliefs on health, to lead the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. This illustrates how investors must delicately navigate Trump’s policies, which often present themselves as double-edged swords. For instance, Trump’s proposed tariff and tax cuts will buoy up small caps and expand corporate profits but might also keep inflation hot and interest rates high – which were the worries weighing on markets last week. “In the near term we should expect some micro volatility, particularly around potential policy shifts under a new administration,” said Kristy Akullian, head of iShares investment strategy, Americas, at BlackRock. That said, Akullian added that BlackRock does “expect the U.S. equity market to continue to move higher, but don’t expect that rise to happen in a straight line.” After surfeit comes digestion and then hunger. And the process starts again. — CNBC’s Jeff Cox, Brian Evans and Alex Harring contributed to this report. Source link #postelection #rally #preelection #levels Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

China’s ‘mind-blowingly’ cheap shopping app Temu hits roadblocks in south-east Asia | E-commerce China’s ‘mind-blowingly’ cheap shopping app Temu hits roadblocks in south-east Asia | E-commerce Chinese online marketplace Temu has enjoyed explosive international growth off the back of an eye-catching and often absurdly cheap range of products, but those cut-price tactics have met increasing roadblocks as it seeks to conquer new markets in south-east Asia. Indonesia ordered Temu to be taken down from app stores in October, a move it said would protect the country’s smaller merchants. Last week, Vietnam threatened to ban Temu and fellow ********-owned fast-fashion outlet Shein by the end of the month, saying they had not been approved to do business in the country. The flood of cheaper ********-made products – often with minimal import taxes – has damaged local vendors and manufacturers, who cannot beat the speed, quality or prices offered online, according to Simon Torring, co-founder of market insights firm Cube. “Temu has become the lightning rod for every regulator, everywhere now getting worried about whether cross-border import rules should be changed,” he said. Poom Chotikavan, director of operations at Taksa Toys in Thailand, has struggled to find a local manufacturer to make children’s toys because so many suppliers have gone out of business. Nearly 2,000 Thai factories across all industries closed and more than 50,000 workers lost their jobs in the last financial year, Reuters reported, in part due to greater ******** competition and higher costs. “It’s never been easier to source products from China [so] their sales have just been obliterated,” Chotikavan said. “How will they survive in this landscape where their clients can just reach out to [********] factories?” Temu’s ******** equivalent, Pinduoduo, has operated since 2015, with the global platform launching in the US in 2022 and sweeping ********* markets the following year. Temu has been expanding its presence in south-east Asia, starting with the Philippines and Malaysia in 2023 then Thailand, Brunei and Vietnam this year. Rising consumerism from south-east Asia’s burgeoning middle class has made the region an ideal market, with online shopping sales nearing $160bn in 2024, according to Bain & Co analysis published in November. That ***** came at the right time for Temu to chase international growth, as a slowing ******** economy saw domestic customers cut back on Pinduoduo purchases, according to Jianggan Li, chief executive at venture firm Momentum Works. “In China, the growth is stagnant compared to 2010s and yet it’s very competitive, so players need to find other avenues to grow [such as] overseas markets,” he said. But the slowdown has also left ******** factories with spare capacity, pushing Temu’s main suppliers to sell at high volumes and low costs and giving the marketplace a boost as it pushed its way in. ‘Mind-blowing how cheap it is’ Just as it has in western markets, Temu paired those cheaply produced goods with massive discounts and an increasingly aggressive advertising campaign, while keeping shoppers hooked through a gamified experience of prize wheels and countdown timers. It has reached hundreds of thousands of customers, including Chotikavan, who bought a MagSafe iPhone holder for his car on Temu for $3, less than a seventh of the price it would have cost otherwise. “The products are getting way cheaper, but the quality is quite decent,” he said. “It’s mind-blowing how cheap it is.” It’s the same story across south-east Asia. Woven straw satchels available for $3 on Temu are sold by local vendors in Indonesia for six times the price. Jackets sold in Vietnamese markets for $15 are available on Temu at the same price and with free shipping. While consumers enjoy the increased access to cheap goods, local businesses want their governments to act. Indonesia has taken the firmest stance, boosting taxes and banning e-commerce on social media platforms in 2023, which forced TikTok Shop to buy into a struggling local competitor to continue operating. While a ban would protect local manufacturers and higher taxes would add to government coffers, Temu would seek to push its way in regardless, Torring said, pointing to the platform’s repeat applications to enter Indonesia despite constant refusal. “It’s signalling to other markets: ‘if it’s easy, we will come. If it’s hard, we will still come. You show us the rules, you show us what we need to do, but we will come,’” he said. “Their mandate is ‘take the world’.” Source link #Chinas #mindblowingly #cheap #shopping #app #Temu #hits #roadblocks #southeast #Asia #Ecommerce Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Pacific expresses interest in Cook Island’s super deal Pacific expresses interest in Cook Island’s super deal Cook Islanders will be able to easily transfer their superannuation funds under an agreement with Australia as more Pacific island nations express interest in the reform. The change allows people who move to the Cook Islands permanently to transfer their nest egg to the Cook Islands National Superannuation Fund. The agreement between the two nations covers a gap in an Australia-New Zealand scheme that allows people to transfer retirement savings to their home country. Cook Islanders were in a unique situation where they were also New Zealand citizens with the scheme not flowing through to them, Financial Services Minister Stephen Jones said. “In effect, what that deal does is equalised the arrangements between New Zealand and Cook Islands,” he told reporters in Canberra on Monday. Australia was working through similar requests from other Pacific island leaders, he said. Tens of thousands of Pacific islanders are working in Australia under a labour scheme and receive the same benefits as their *********** counterparts, including superannuation. They can withdraw their superannuation funds when leaving Australia permanently but there are access concerns around navigating paperwork, fees and internet access once back in their home countries with little support. It’s also taxed at 35 or 45 per cent, or 65 per cent for working holiday maker visa holders. The *********** government is working with ANZ, Westpac and Commonwealth Bank to ensure the continuation of its banking services in the Pacific amid concerns *********** banks leaving the region will create a vacuum for China. Hindering access to cash and financial services in the Pacific could also impede local economies and businesses. ANZ operates in nine Pacific island nations. Treasurer Jim Chalmers said he had “terrific engagement” with ANZ and other banks about maintaining a Pacific presence. Australia is working with Pacific governments directly on anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing as it leans on the banks to keep operating. The treasurer wouldn’t confirm whether the federal government was considering underwriting risk or a cash injection with banks worried about profitability in the region. “We’ll have more to say about the specifics of that arrangement in due course,” Dr Chalmers said. Source link #Pacific #expresses #interest #Cook #Islands #super #deal Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Cloudy & chilly tonight; warm start to next week turns cold by the end Cloudy & chilly tonight; warm start to next week turns cold by the end Sunday evening starts partly cloudy but leaves the door open for those looking to enjoy a nice sunset. A weak passing cold front will move in from the north tonight. While most will just see cloudy skies from it, a stray sprinkle up to our north and east can’t be ruled out. Overnight lows will drop into the 40s. Monday is a chilly and gloomy start under mostly cloudy skies. From a passing cold front in the morning to a warm front lifting later in the day, sunshine will be a little tougher to come by compared to Sunday. Outside of a very isolated stray sprinkle chance in the morning, expect a dry and warm afternoon with temps approaching the low 60s. Monday late afternoon and evening will see some breakage in the clouds, which will continue to keep temps in the low 60s and upper 50s. As our next system gets closer, cloudy skies will move in for the remainder of the night. Overnight lows dropping into the 40s but rain chances hold off until our next system crosses on Tuesday. Tuesday brings a new front, starting in the early afternoon. This system will bring in scattered showers and cloudy skies. Rain amounts will vary with this system, with far eastern counties getting a tenth to the quarter of an inch with far southern counties getting close to half an inch. Either way, expect a gloomy day with temps in the 60s. Wednesday brings in another system, a low pressure system passing up to our north. Hit or miss chances will be a good bet during the morning, becoming more scattered as we bring in a cold front. Before the cold front passes, afternoon highs will reach into the 60s. Enjoy the warm weather because the rest of the week will be much colder. Look Into The Future Using Our StormTracker 59 Predictor Thursday sees our low pressure drag itself up to our north, dragging in colder air as a result. Temps in the lowlands will get above freezing, resulting in primarily rain showers. The hilltops and mountains will have a much tougher time, resulting in snow showers. Warm ground temps will make it difficult for any accumulation to take place in the lowlands with the high country seeing a better shot for a few inches Thursday night into the weekend. Don’t forget those jackets with temps in the 40s and 30s, and wind gusts will be pushing 20-30 mph for the lowlands with the mountains 30-40 mph, so expect some cold wind chills! Friday continues our cold snap with temps in the lowlands struggling to reach the 40 mark and mountains seeing temps in the 30s. Scattered snow showers, especially early in the day and nighttime look like a good bet, but once again little to no accumulations are expected outside of the high country. A breezy day is also in place, with wind gusts in the lowlands pushing 25-35 mph and the higher terrain seeing gusts pushing 40 mph, so again keep in mind of cold wind chills! Saturday continues to see chances for rain and snow showers. The best chances for snow will still be across the eastern mountain on Saturday as the remaining moisture decreases for the lowlands. As an area of high pressure moves in, any remaining chances will be cut off during the overnight. A cold a breezy day with temps in the 40s. #WeatherTogether In your extended forecast, an area of high pressure moves in Saturday night into Sunday, drying us out in the process. Temps stay chilly as they only warm up into the 40s for the lowlands. We’ll enjoy an extremely brief dry spell before more chances for showers arrive next week. Given how warm it will be, it’ll be all rain at this point. TONIGHTBecoming mostly cloudy. Stray sprinkle possible. Chilly. Lows in the 40s.MONDAYCloudy skies stick around. Stray sprinkle AM. Dry and warm PM. Highs in the low 60s.TUESDAYScattered showers. Cloudy skies. Staying warm. Highs in the low 60s.WEDNESDAYIsolated to scattered showers. Gloomy but warm. Highs in the low 60s.THURSDAYRain and snow showers. MUCH COLDER. Highs in the upper 30s.FRIDAYScattered rain and snow showers. Still cold. Highs in the upper 30s.SATURDAYMostly cloudy, Chance for rain and snow showers. Highs in the low 40s.SUNDAYPartly sunny skies. Staying chilly. Highs in middle 40s.MONDAYSun and clouds. Chance for showers. Highs in the 50s.TUESDAYChance for showers. Partly sunny. Highs in the 50s.WEDNESDAYSun and clouds. Mild afternoon. Highs in the 50s. Copyright 2024 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 WVNS. Source link #Cloudy #chilly #tonight #warm #start #week #turns #cold Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Islanders bid a fond farewell to MV Hebridean Isles Islanders bid a fond farewell to MV Hebridean Isles CalMac Hebridean Isles, seen here at Stromness, has been retired from service after 39 years One of Scotland’s oldest lifeline ferries has been retired after nearly 40 years of service. With two blasts of its *****, MV Hebridean Isles bade farewell as it left the quay at Stornoway for a final time on Sunday, bound for Glasgow before it goes to the breakers. For islanders, whose lives are so interwoven with the sea, the ships of Britain’s biggest ferry operator Caledonian MacBrayne are more than just large lumps of steel and aluminium. “Heb Isles” leaves behind a ship-shaped ***** in the hearts of many former passengers and seafarers who have come to regard it as a trusty old friend. Brian Pulleyn MV Hebridean Isles was launched as the Cochrane shipyard in North Yorkshire The ship was given the name of the islands it was destined to serve on a sunny day in July 1985 at the long-gone Cochrane shipyard at Selby, North Yorkshire. It was a first on two counts – the “lady sponsor” the Duchess of Kent was the first member of the Royal Family to name a CalMac vessel. And it was the ferry operator’s first vessel built outside of Scotland. Two pipers were sent down to play the Skye Boat Song at the launch ceremony. The ship entered the River Ouse in a dramatic sideways launch Margaret Thatcher was in No 10, Sister Sledge was Number One the charts – and health and safety rules were somewhat more relaxed than today. Shipyard workers hammered away the last supporting “shores” and wedges, then ducked and dashed for cover as the huge vessel slid above their heads in a spectacular sideways launch into the River Ouse. The ship had cost £5.5m – and after a few months of fitting out, it made its maiden voyage off Scotland’s west coast in December. Brian Pulleyn MV Hebridean Isles set new standards of comfort for the CalMac fleet For 15 years it was deployed on the “Uig Triangle” – between Skye, North Uist and Harris – before moving to the Islay crossing, but it has served most of Scotland’s sea routes in its time. Aside from the scheduled sailings, the crew would voluntarily give up their time to put on several special “booze cruises” to raise money for island charities. The first, in 1992, saw a country and western band perform on the car deck, as thousands of pounds were raised to help purchase a ******* ******* scanner for the Western Isles. A band performs on board Hebridean Isles during one of the infamous charity booze cruises For islanders the ship offered new standards of comfort and modernity, its lights blazing brightly as it crossed the Little Minch. When chief engineer Brian Fraser urged the crew to cut back on the illuminations, the ship’s radio officer wrote him a cheeky reply – in rhyme. “Come to the islands, see the sights Lewis, Harris and the Heb Isles lights. Bright she is as she can be Everything’s on just come and see.” Brian Fraser When the chief engineer urged to crew to cut back on the ship’s bright lights he received a poetic response The ship still shines bright in the memories of former CalMac crew members who have been reminiscing about their time on board. Sarah Clark, who worked as a stewardess on the ship from 2002-2005, recalled how the crew made good use of the car deck when the passengers were gone. “We had a wee fitness session going on as well, and when we tied up at 8pm there was a handful of us who would run up and down the car deck after work “I had my own passenger clicker (still have it), 64 lengths of the car deck added up to a 10k.” Sarah Clark Sarah Clark, who joined the ship as a stewardess, found the car deck made a good running track when the passengers were gone. CalMac’s longest serving captain Tony McQuade was chief officer on Heb Isles during a sailing from Islay when the last vehicle on board was a hearse. They had not long set sail when they learned the wrong coffin had been loaded so they returned to port and it was swapped over – in full view of the bemused passengers. “In the next day’s paper, there was an article on how CalMac had loaded the wrong coffin onto the vessel – no mention of the undertaker,” he recalled. “As was common then, the captain received a sample of Islay’s finest for his troubles.” Alex Morrison, who spent 10 years as Master of the ship from 1987, recalls getting hit by a Force 10 gale as the ship approached Skye. Unable to berth, they headed to Harris for shelter – then returned to North Uist. “That was 12 hours I had the poor souls out there and took them back to where I took them from,” he remembered. CalMac Alex Morrison, pictured here on Hebridean Isles in 1991 and 2024 spent 10 years as Master of the ship Senior catering rating John Angus McDonald also recalls some heavy seas when the ship took a group of passengers to Islay to celebrate Hogmanay. The buffet ***** out in the bar rolled off the table – and those who had eaten already were soon bringing it up again. “Everybody was being *****, apart from one man who kept calmly coming up the bar and ordering large whiskies.” As he removed the bottles from the bar to stop them smashing, he asked the passenger why he was so calm. “He replied he was on the Russian convoys during World War Two so was well-used to it. When we docked, he skipped off – while his wife had to be helped off.” Sam Bilner Photography Hebridean Isles, on one of its final CalMac sailings last week Many others have spoken for their affection for the ship – but for Mairi Ann Macdonald, it holds a particularly special place in her heart. She joined the ship as a junior catering rating at the age of 16 in the summer of1989 – and a few weeks later caught the eye of a young man called Neil, from Inverness, who was travelling to spend a weekend on the islands with some friends. When he headed home again on the Monday, they swapped phone numbers, written on a pair of pound notes because it was the only paper they had on them. Soon they were dating – and the following year, sitting on the observation deck of Hebridean Isles on a glorious summer’s morning, he asked her to marry him. “I was gobsmacked – I said are you joking, are you taking the mick here? And he said ‘no, I’m serious’ – and that’s when he handed me the ring,” she said. Mairi MacDonald Ian and Mairi MacDonald were teenagers when they met and later became engaged on Hebridean Isles The ship would later take them to their wedding on Harris. The morning after the ceremony, as they waved off guests who were returning to the mainland, the crew saluted the newlyweds with a toot of the *****. It turned out to be a productive union for the ferry operator – the couple went on to have four daughters, two of whom grew up to work for CalMac. After training as a motor woman, the eldest daughter had her first deployment on Hebridean Isles. “Two generations of my family worked on the same boat and absolutely loved working on her. Precious memories in our hearts and lives,” said Mairi. In September, when they heard Hebridean Isles was coming out of service, the couple made a final journey together on the old ship. “It brought a tear to our eyes, it was a very emotional trip but I was delighted we have done this trip for the very last time. “We did a lot of reminiscing on the journey.” Derek MacLeod Hebridean Isles sailed away from Stornoway for the final time on Sunday morning For the ship itself, the final journey will be to a yet-to-be confirmed shipyard where it will be dismantled. The decision was a tough one for CalMac as it struggles to maintain services with an ageing fleet while awaiting the delivery of new vessels. But with its five-year survey due and certificates expiring, the cost and time required to keep the ship sailing was not considered feasible. Many of the vessels in the CalMac fleet are now so old it is impossible to source spare parts and they have to be manufactured specially. Any useful parts from Hebridean Isles will end up in a large CalMac warehouse in Gourock – an Aladdin’s ***** of ferry equipment that is used to keep the fleet going. So while MV Hebridean Isles will soon be no more, bits of the ship could still be sailing across Scottish waters for many years to come. For those who have lived, laughed and loved on its decks, the memories will live on far longer. Source link #Islanders #bid #fond #farewell #Hebridean #Isles Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Michael J Fox tries to keep humour amid health woes Michael J Fox tries to keep humour amid health woes Michael J Fox tries to keep his sense of humour intact while battling Parkinson’s ******** but admits it’s not always easy. The 63-year-old actor was diagnosed with the ********, which causes uncontrollable movements, such as shaking, stiffness, and difficulty with balance and co-ordination, in 1991. Asked about how he copes, he admitted that while it is “hard” for him to laugh, he has to try to find the fun in things. “It’s hard for me. But I gotta keep it intact,” he told People. In the years since his diagnosis, the Back to the Future star has established the Michael J Fox Foundation, which is dedicated to finding a cure for Parkinson’s and has gone on to fund $US2 billion ($A3.1 billion) worth of research. At the foundation’s annual gala, stars such as Stevie Nicks arrived to show their support. “I can’t believe – a lot of these people I’ve known for years and years – they’re so kind to me,” Fox said. “I think because they see an opportunity for a win, for a big advancement, and that’s what we’re working toward.” The former Family Ties star married Tracy Pollan in 1989 and they went on to have Sam, 35, twins Aquinnah and Schuyler, 25, as well as Esmé, 23. He recently admitted his “biggest goal” in life was to have a family and he is open to the idea of acting but is more focused on his campaign work. “My biggest goal, I think, was to raise a family. We have four amazing kids and that’s been the big thing,” he told Entertainment Tonight. “And then the other is with the foundation. If someone offers me a part and I do it and I have a good time, great.” Source link #Michael #Fox #humour #health #woes Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Targeting workers instead of convicted ********** for deportation means ‘government has ******* us’ Targeting workers instead of convicted ********** for deportation means ‘government has ******* us’ Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas) said Sunday that targeting others besides convicted ********** for deportation means “government has ******* us.” “You know, if we’re going after the guy that’s picking tomatoes or the nurse at the local hospital and we’re not going after the convicted *********, then our government has ******* us,” Gonzales told ABC News’s Martha Raddatz on “This Week.” President-elect Trump, a member of Gonzales’s party, pushed a mass deportation plan throughout his bid for the presidency this year. He promoted a “Day 1 agenda” mostly centered on border and immigration crackdowns. At a previous rally the president-elect said, “On Day 1, I will launch the largest deportation program in ********* history.” “You know, our country was built on those fleeing persecution, and it would be, it would be just absolutely terrible if we don’t protect those that are doing it the right way,” Gonzales said. “Legal immigration should never be mixed with these hardened **********.” Last week, in response to a question from journalist Cecilia Vega on CBS’s “60 Minutes” about the possibility of going forward with “mass deportation without separating families,” Tom Homan, Trump’s pick for “border czar” in his upcoming administration, said that possibility existed and that “families can be deported together.” Homan later said in an interview this month that “U.S. citizens” and “legal immigrants are perfectly safe, for ****’s sake.” Trump has said that mass deportations will be aimed at people in the U.S. illegally, chiefly those with a ********* record. “If the message is, ‘We’re here to deport your abuelita,’ that’s not gonna work well,” Gonzales said Sunday, using the Spanish word for grandmother. The Hill has reached out to the Trump transition team for comment. Copyright 2024 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 The Hill. Source link #Targeting #workers #convicted #********** #deportation #means #government #******* Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Wallabies ****** to save ‘distraught’ Kerevi’s tour Wallabies ****** to save ‘distraught’ Kerevi’s tour The Wallabies will battle to ensure Samu Kerevi’s tour isn’t over after the returning centre was left “distraught” by his red card for a dangerous tackle, the one sour note in their record-shattering win over Wales. As they celebrated their biggest-ever haul of points in a Cardiff Test with the 52-20 thumping, coach Joe Schmidt wasn’t hiding his disappointment that Kerevi’s landmark 50th cap in the centre should be marred by an undeserved punishment. The likelihood is Kerevi could miss the Scotland Test next weekend at Murrayfield, which would be a significant ***** for the Wallabies’ hopes of winning the third leg of their British Isles ‘grand slam’ quest. The Japan-based 31-year-old was not expected to be available for the final match of the tour against Ireland in Dublin anyway, so his tour could be over unless *********** officials successfully ****** his corner. Kerevi was shown a yellow card, later upgraded to red, at the start of the second half after his tackle on Jac Morgan ended with his shoulder and forehead crashing into the Welsh flanker’s cheek. Ruled as highly dangerous by the TMO, the decision to upgrade to the 20-minute red didn’t go down well with the Wallabies who felt there were mitigating circumstances, with Morgan having dipped into the collision late and effectively turning it into a ‘high’ tackle. “We’re pretty disappointed with that decision around Samu, and we’ll have a look at that,” said Schmidt. “It’s pretty tough for Samu to be sent off in that tackle. He is distraught. Fiftieth game for the Wallabies and he gets a red card. “He was trying to drop into the tackle, I thought. We were surprised that there was no mitigation, particularly because Jac played on, and there was no ping on his mouthguard, so it was then described as high danger. “We will look at that closely, and potentially ask some questions through the right channels.” In another incident, Wallabies’ halfback Nic White was hit high by Ellis Bevan, which looked comparable to the Kerevi hit but ended with no card for the Welsh halfback. It could have been worse for the Wallabies later after new boy Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii also had a dubious hit on Morgan, but it went unpunished, with the cross-code star, who played just 17 minutes off the bench, now set to be starting in midfield next week in Kerevi’s absence. Remarkably, the Australians, only narrowly 19-13 ahead when Kerevi was dismissed, were able to make light of being one man down for that entire third quarter as they ran in three of their eight tries, leaving Schmidt and captain-for-the-day Alan Alaalatoa declaring their pride in the team. “Very proud. It was really special. For us to connect like the way that we did today out there under pressure was massive for our group. And I think we’re going to go a long way from that,” said Alaalatoa. Source link #Wallabies #****** #save #distraught #Kerevis #tour Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Bountiful girl abduction ends in police pursuit ******, suspect arrested Bountiful girl abduction ends in police pursuit ******, suspect arrested BOUNTIFUL, Utah (ABC4) — A man was taken into custody Sunday morning after the abduction of a 12-year-old Bountiful girl ended in a ****** during police pursuit, according to Bountiful Police. At around 12:20 a.m. on Nov. 17, police responded to a child abduction near 400 West 200 North in Bountiful. Arriving at the scene, officers learned that a 12-year-old girl had allegedly been taken by a man in his 20s. Family members of the girl had confronted the man, but he fled in a 2011 Chevrolet Camaro with “no visible license plate, a ****** hood, and a social media handle sticker on the back fin of the vehicle,” a press release from Bountiful Police states. LDS ******* to enter ‘non-binding mediation’ with Texas town over temple The police department then activated the Davis County Child Abduction Response Team and began an investigation into the incident. Shortly after 8 a.m. Sunday morning, officers found a car matching the description of the Camaro driving in the area of the abduction. The suspect “began to drive erratically” when officers began following, according to the release, and police initiated a pursuit. The suspect drove onto I-15 at a high rate of speed before taking I-215 Westbound. While trying to navigate an overpass, the suspect ran into the back of a Woods Cross police vehicle, causing both cars to come to a stop. The man was taken into custody after the ******. Police found a Glock 17 handgun on the driver-side floorboard. The 12-year-old girl was uninjured in the ******, but was taken to a local hospital for evaluation. The Woods Cross officer sustained non-life-threatening injuries in the ****** and was also taken to a local hospital. Police are working to positively identify the suspect before releasing more information. “The Bountiful Police Department extends appreciation to all of the agencies who assisted in this investigation,” the release states. No further information is available at this time. Copyright 2024 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 ABC4 Utah. Source link #Bountiful #girl #abduction #ends #police #pursuit #****** #suspect #arrested Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Former NBL star Ball fined $US100k for anti-gay slur Former NBL star Ball fined $US100k for anti-gay slur LaMelo Ball, who spent a season in the NBL before turning heads as a rookie in the NBA, has been given a big fine by the NBA for an offensive comment. Source link #NBL #star #Ball #fined #US100k #antigay #slur Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Incident closes one runway at Palm Springs airport; no injuries, main runway still open Incident closes one runway at Palm Springs airport; no injuries, main runway still open (This article was updated to add information and a photo.) The smaller runway at Palm Springs International Airport was closed Sunday after an unspecified “incident” involving a small plane. All four people on the plane were safe, and other flights continued to operate normally as the airport’s main runway remained open, airport spokesperson Jake Ingrassia said. He did not say what time the incident happened or offer any details. On Sunday afternoon, a plane with moderate damage was visible on the tarmac, resting nose down with its right wing bent. Ingrassia directed questions to the National Transportation Safety Board. Spokespeople there could not immediately be reached. According to Federal Aviation Administration data about the tail number listed on the plane, it’s a SR22T manufactured by Cirrus Design Corp. This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Incident closes smaller runway at Palm Springs airport; no injuries Source link #Incident #closes #runway #Palm #Springs #airport #injuries #main #runway #open Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

I never imagined women’s rights would be lost so easily I never imagined women’s rights would be lost so easily Getty Images Malala Yousafzai has campaigned for women’s rights since she was shot by a Taliban gunman in 2012 A bullet ******* to silence her, now Malala Yousafzai is lending her voice to the women of Afghanistan. In just a few years since the Taliban retook control of the country, women’s rights have been eroded to the point where even singing is banned. Malala has a personal history with the Taliban across the border in Pakistan, after a gunman from the hardline Islamist group shot her as she sat on a school bus. The speed of change in Afghanistan, if not the brutality, has surprised Malala, who since that near-fatal ********* in 2012 has campaigned for equality. “I never imagined that the rights of women would be compromised so easily,” Malala tells BBC ****** Network. “A lot of ****** are finding themselves in a very hopeless, depressing situation where they do not see any way out,” the 27-year-old Nobel Prize Winner says. “The future looks very dark to them.” In 2021, the Taliban regained power in Afghanistan, 20 years after a US-led invasion toppled their regime in the fallout of the 9/11 attacks in New York. In the three-and-a-half years since Western forces left the country, “morality laws” have meant women in Afghanistan have lost dozens of rights. A dress code means they must be fully covered and strict rules have banned them from travelling without a male chaperone or looking a man in the eye unless they’re related by blood or marriage. “The restrictions are just so extreme that it does not even make sense to anybody,” says Malala. The ******* Nations (UN) says the rules amount to “gender apartheid” – a system where people face economic and social discrimination based on their **** and something human rights group Amnesty International wants recognised as ****** under international law. But the rules have been defended by the Taliban, which claims they’re accepted in Afghan society and that the international community should respect “Islamic laws, traditions and the values of ******* societies”. Apple TV+ Malala’s worked on a new film that follows the lives of three Afghan women as their rights are stripped away “Women lost everything,” says Malala. “They [the Taliban] know that to take away women’s rights you have to start with the foundation, and that is education.” The UN says since the takeover more than a million ****** are not in school in Afghanistan – about 80% – and in 2022 about 100,000 female students were banned from their university courses. It’s also reported a correlation between the lack of access to education and a rise in child marriage and deaths during pregnancy and childbirth. “Afghan women live in very dark times now,” Malala says. “But they show resistance.” The Pakistan-born activist, who became the youngest person ever to win a Nobel Peace Prize, is an executive producer on an upcoming film, Bread & Roses, that documents the lives of three Afghan women living under the Taliban regime. The documentary follows Zahra, a dentist forced to give up her practice, activist Taranom, who flees to the border, and government employee Sharifa, who loses her job and her independence. But the film isn’t just about the stories of three women, Malala says. “It’s about the 20 million Afghan ****** and women whose stories may not make it to our screens.” Bread & Roses was directed by Afghan filmmaker Sahra Mani and US actress Jennifer Lawrence was also brought on board as a producer. Apple TV+ The Taliban were ousted when US-led troops invaded Afghanistan in 2001 but returned to power 20 years later Sahra tells ****** Network her mission was “to tell the story of a nation under the Taliban dictatorship”. “How slowly, all the rights have been taken away.” Sahra managed to flee Afghanistan after the US-backed government collapsed following the withdrawal of troops in August 2021. But she kept in touch with women back home, who would share videos which she then collected and archived. “It was very important to find young, modern, educated women that have talent they were ready to dedicate to society,” says Sahra. “They were ready to build the country but now they have to sit at home and almost do nothing.” Even though the film hasn’t been released yet, Sahra believes the situation in Afghanistan has already deteriorated to the point where it would be impossible to make if she started now. “At that time, women could still go out and demonstrate,” she says. “Nowadays, women are not even allowed to sing… the situation is getting more difficult.” The first-hand footage shows the women at protests – they kept the cameras rolling while being arrested by the Taliban. And Sahra says the project only got ******* over time as more of their rights were stripped away. “We were really honoured that these women trusted us to share their stories,” she says. “And it was really important for us to put their security in our priorities. “But when they were out in the street asking for their rights, it was not for the documentary. “It was for them, for their own life, for their own freedom.” Apple TV+ US actress Jennifer Lawrence produced the film which she says is about “the nature of resistance” Malala says that, for women in Afghanistan, “defiance is extremely challenging”. “Despite all of these challenges, they’re out on their streets and risking their lives to hope for a better world for themselves.” All three of the women featured in the film are no longer living in Afghanistan and Sahra and Malala are hopeful the film will raise awareness of what women who remain endure. “They are doing all that they can to ****** for their rights, to raise their voices,” Malala says. “They’re putting so much at risk. It’s our time to be their sisters and be their supporters.” Malala also hopes the documentary prompts more international pressure on the Taliban to restore women’s rights. “I was completely shocked when I saw the reality of the Taliban take over,” she says. “We really have to question what sort of systems we have put in place to guarantee protection to women in Afghanistan, but also elsewhere.” Getty Images Sahra (right) says she’s grateful Malala has “shared her platform” with women in Afghanistan And as much as Bread & Roses deals with stories of loss and oppression, the film is also about resilience and hope. “There’s so much for us to learn from the bravery and courage of these Afghan women,” says Malala. “If they are not scared, if they are not losing that courage to stand up to the Taliban, we should learn from them and we should stand in solidarity with them.” The title itself was inspired by an Afghan saying. “Bread is a symbol of freedom, earning a salary and supporting the family,” Sahra says. “We have a saying in my language that the one who gave you bread is the one who orders you. “So if you find your bread, that means you are the boss of you.” That’s exactly the future she hopes to see for the women of Afghanistan and, based on what she’s seen, one she believes they will achieve in the end. “Women in Afghanistan, they keep changing the tactic,” she says. “They keep searching for a new way to keep fighting back.” Listen to an extended interview with Malala and Sahra on BBC ****** Network News Presents at 23:00 on 18 November or catch up on BBC Sounds. Bread & Roses will be streamed globally on Apple TV+ from 22 November. Additional reporting by Riyah Collins. Listen to Ankur Desai’s show on BBC ****** Network live from 15:00-18:00 Monday to Thursday – or listen back here. Source link #imagined #womens #rights #lost #easily Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Future of five cent coin up in the air as Treasurer Chalmers leaves door open to scrapping smallest change Future of five cent coin up in the air as Treasurer Chalmers leaves door open to scrapping smallest change The five-cent piece could be an endangered species after Jim Chalmers left the door open to scrapping Australia’s smallest small change. As he flagged a move to ensure cash is still accepted at all shops selling essential items like groceries and petrol, the Treasurer said the Government’s thinking about what were the appropriate denominations for *********** money “evolves over time”. “We keep it under constant review,” he said when asked about the fate of the copper-nickel coin. The Mint produced 10 million five-cent coins with the new King Charles III effigy on them in the first half of the year. No five-cent coins were produced at all in 2023. Its records show it sold 29,919 non-premium rolls of 40 five-cent pieces and another 12,552 rolls of a premium version in the last financial. It only sold 935 five-cent coins for circulation by external parties in 2023-23, the lowest amount of all denominations except the 10-cent piece. Source link #Future #cent #coin #air #Treasurer #Chalmers #leaves #door #open #scrapping #smallest #change Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Leonardo DiCaprio Just Turned 50, So Here’s What 50 Years Old Looks Like On 50 Different Celebrities Leonardo DiCaprio Just Turned 50, So Here’s What 50 Years Old Looks Like On 50 Different Celebrities Leonardo DiCaprio is the latest celebrity to turn 50. Jesse Grant / Getty Images for AFI Yes, our little Leo is officially in his 5-0’s. Cbs Photo Archive / CBS via Getty Images Well, because it’s somewhat blowing my mind he’s 50 now, let’s look at bunch of celebs at that *golden* age. *All dates are approximate btw* 1.Harrison Ford at 50: 2.Jack Nicholson at 50: Mediapunch / MediaPunch via Getty Images 3.Ricky Martin at 50: Pascal Le Segretain / Getty Images for amfAR 4.Katharine Hepburn at 50: Bettmann / Bettmann Archive / Getty Images 5.Diane Keaton at 50: Vince Bucci / AFP via Getty Images 6.Steve Carell at 50: Jon Kopaloff / FilmMagic / Getty Images 7.Gene Kelly at 50: Abc Photo Archives / Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images 8.Gwyneth Paltrow at 50: Wwd / WWD via Getty Images 9.Ginger Rogers at 50: Silver Screen Collection / Getty Images 10.Nicole Kidman at 50: Mark Sagliocco / WireImage / Getty Images 11.Mickey Rooney at 50: Nbc / NBCUniversal via Getty Images 12.********** Bale at 50: Robin L Marshall / Getty Images 13.Halle Berry at 50: Gilbert Carrasquillo / FilmMagic / Getty Images 14.Ethel Merman at 50: Abc Photo Archives / Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images 15.John Travolta at 50: Jon Kopaloff / FilmMagic / Getty Images 16.Keanu Reeves at 50: Jason Merritt / Getty Images 17.John Wayne at 50: Archive Photos / Getty Images 18.Goldie Hawn at 50: Rose Hartman / Getty Images 19.Tyson Beckford at 50: Craig Sjodin / ABC via Getty Images 20.Frank Sinatra at 50: Silver Screen Collection / Getty Images 21.Neil Patrick Harris at 50: David Becker / Getty Images 22.Denzel Washington at 50: Jon Kopaloff / FilmMagic / Getty Images 23.Helen Mirren at 50: Ron Galella / Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images 24.Eva Mendes at 50: Gotham / Getty Images for ABA 25.Angela Lansbury at 50: Fairchild Archive / Penske Media via Getty Images 26.Victoria Beckham at 50: Frazer Harrison / Getty Images 27.Oprah at 50: 28.Tom Hanks at 50: Jason Merritt / FilmMagic 29.Robert Redford at 50: Jerome Delay / AFP via Getty Images 30.Mark-Paul Gosselaar at 50: Rodin Eckenroth / Getty Images 31.Elizabeth Taylor at 50: Images Press / Getty Images 32.Julia Louis-Dreyfus at 50: Jesse Grant / WireImage / Getty Images 33.******** at 50: Michael Loccisano / FilmMagic / Getty Images 34.George Clooney at 50: Jeff Vespa / WireImage / Getty Images 35.Hugh Grant at 50: Ernesto Ruscio / WireImage / Getty Images 36.Jude Law at 50: Pascal Le Segretain / Getty Images 37.Dolly Parton at 50: Cbs Photo Archive / CBS via Getty Images 38.Monica Lewinsky at 50: Leon Bennett / The Hollywood Reporter via Getty Images 39.Donald Trump at 50: Dave Benett / Getty Images 40.Mick Jagger at 50: Maria Bastone / AFP via Getty Images 41.Gabrielle Union at 50: Amy Sussman / Getty Images 42.Robert De Niro at 50: Pool Benainous / Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images 43.Cher at 50: Jim Smeal / Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images 44.Paul Newman at 50: Screen Archives / Getty Images 45.Adam Scott at 50: Valerie Macon / AFP via Getty Images 46.Jennifer Aniston at 50: Todd Williamson / NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images 47.Betty White at 50: Abc Photo Archives / Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images 48.Meryl Streep at 50: Arnal / Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images 49.Rob Lowe at 50: Christopher Polk / Getty Images 50.And lastly, Paul Rudd at 50: Nbc / NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images Source link #Leonardo #DiCaprio #Turned #Heres #Years #Celebrities Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Major lenders ******* homes with spray foam insulation Major lenders ******* homes with spray foam insulation Getty Images 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. Source link #Major #lenders #******* #homes #spray #foam #insulation Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

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. Getty Images 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?” Source link #Sweden #Finland #Norway #release #advice #surviving #war Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

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.” Read more stories from India Source link #scam #looting #millions #Indians Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

‘Exploitative’ children’s home firm profits to be curbed ‘Exploitative’ children’s home firm profits to be curbed Getty Images 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”. Source link #Exploitative #childrens #home #firm #profits #curbed Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

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.” Source link #Lidia #Thorpe #censured #King #Charles #protest Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

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. Read On The Fox News App 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 For more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Cyberguy.com/Newsletter Ask Kurt a question or let us know what stories you’d like us to cover Follow Kurt on his social channels Answers to the most asked CyberGuy questions: New from Kurt: Copyright 2024 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved. Original article source: How a wrong Google search can compromise your data and bring law enforcement calling Source link #wrong #Google #search #compromise #data #bring #law #enforcement #calling Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

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. Sign up to be the first to know about unmissable ****** Friday deals on top tech, plus get all your favorite TechRadar content. 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. Source link #NYT #Strands #today #hints #answers #spangram #Monday #November #game Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]