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Steam in the Philips 5000 Series Dual Basket XXL air fryer makes fantastic meals, but it’s not without caveats Steam in the Philips 5000 Series Dual Basket XXL air fryer makes fantastic meals, but it’s not without caveats Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test. Philips 5000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer XXL Steam: One-minute review There are plenty of dual-drawer air fryers on the market these days, but not too many come with a steam function. And that’s where the Philips 5000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer XXL Steam comes in – as the name suggests, you can use the steam to not just cook meals, but it can even be used to clean the air fryer. Cooking with steam means you can make dumplings or steamed vegetables easily, but the Philips 5000 Series XXL also has an air fryer+steam combo mode that I found to be quite handy. This not only cooks meat to perfection, retaining moisture, but also allows for crispy skin and crackling, albeit will need a few extra minutes air frying the perfect results. In fact, pretty much everything I cooked in the Philips Series 5000 XXL turned out to be really good, although I’d recommend not bothering with the presets. They’re handy as a guide, but unless you have the exact amount of food that preset was meant for, it’s not going to cook your meal to perfection. Given its dual drawers, you can sync cook times, no matter what you have in either of them, but you can’t replicate the settings across both drawers because of their difference in size. However, having the power of steam means you’ll need to deal with a few caveats. For starters, it’s available only for the larger drawer, so you will need to plan out what food item goes into which drawer before you start cooking. That also means steam cleaning is only available for the larger drawer and it requires you to manually scrub the basket and drawer anyway. So it’s not quite the magical solution I was expecting it to be. Well, at least both drawers, and the basket and tray, are dishwasher safe. Given how well it cooks, though, it would be easy to recommend, particularly if you want steam cooking. You will, however, need to shell out a decent amount of cash for the privilege. (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar) Philips 5000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer XXL Steam review: price & availability Announced November 2024 Launch price of £249.99 / AU$499, but available for cheaper now Not available in the US at the time of writing Philips came out with two dual-basket air fryers at around the same time in late 2024 – the 3000 Series and the 5000 Series. Both also have single-drawer options, but it’s only the 5000 Series Dual Basket model that has the steam functionality. At launch, it came with a list price of £249.99 / AU$499 in the *** and Australia, but can now be had for £179.99 / AU$349. It’s currently not listed for purchase in the US. This review is based on the *********** model with SKU NA551/00. The model available in the *** is NA555/09 with a brushed-steel finish. I think the discounted price is quite competitive and could be excellent value for some users, especially those who’ll really make good use of the steam functionality to cook (the steam-clean mode is superfluous). That’s not to say it’s cheap, but it isn’t too much more in some markets compared to other dual-drawer models. For example, the Ninja Foodi Max Dual Zone Air Fryer AF400 (has the model number of DZ401 in the US) costs $229 / £229.99 / AU$299.99 and the Instant Vortex Plus Versazone can set you back $199.95 / £199.99 / AU$399 at full price. • Value score: 4 / 5 Philips 5000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer XXL Steam review: specifications Swipe to scroll horizontally Review model: NA551/00 (*** model: NA555/09) Number of baskets: 2 Number of cooking programs: 11 Total ways to cook: 19 Smart control: No Rated power: 2,750W Capacity: 9L (3L + 6L drawers) Temperature range: 40ºC to 200ºC (104ºF to 392ºF) Time range: up to 60 minutes Dimensions: 444 x 383 x 355 mm Weight: 8.75kg Dishwasher safe: Yes Philips 5000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer XXL Steam review: design 800ml removable water reservoir on top of appliance Non-stick coating makes it easy to clean Clear touchscreen display, but requires small learning curve to master If you’re already familiar with dual-basket air fryers, the Philips 5000 Series XXL Steam is not going to look too different, except for one very distinct feature – there’s a small rectangular plastic reservoir on the top to hold up to 800ml of water. It’s translucent, so you can see the level as it gets used up, and it has a cloud icon to indicate what could only be billowing steam. If you don’t notice the water level going down, there’s no need to worry as a warning light will appear on the touchscreen display. The tank can be removed and washed, and it’s best not to leave any water in there when the appliance is not in use to avoid scale build-up. The good news is that the Philips 5000 Series Dual Basket XXL Steam has a descaling cycling built in, but better safe than sorry. Like many dual-basket air fryers, the two drawers are different sizes – a larger 6L basket and a smaller 3L one. Philips says the larger drawer can fit a whole chicken in it, but you will need to make sure it’s not too large a chicken, and although the total 9L capacity sounds like a lot, it may not be enough for a family of four. And it’s only the ******* drawer that has steam functionality. Image 1 of 3 The water reservoir has a cloud icon on its lid to indicate billowing steam(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar) Both drawers, the large basket and the small tray are non-stick and dishwasher safe(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar) The water reservoir fits into its own little niche(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar) Having two drawers means the whole appliance has a large footprint, but it’s not overly large compared to other similar air fryers on the market. It is, however, slightly taller because of the water reservoir on the top. The touchscreen display is very clear when it comes on, even if you have bright overhead lights shining down on the reflective surface. The top line of icons are the presets, below which you can choose the time and temperature for each drawer. There’s even the option to sync cooking times if you want. If you’re already familiar with air fryers, you won’t have much trouble finding your way around the functions on the display, although the steam cooking, air fry+steam combo, steam-clean mode and descaling option will be new to most people. Unfortunately Philips doesn’t provide a proper user manual in the box – it has some diagrams, but they’re not easy to wrap your head around. A detailed manual is available on the HomeID app, which can be accessed via the QR code in the box or on the machine itself, but it’s not easy to find – after some digging, I found a link to the PDF buried in a Quick Guide article for the Series 5000 Dual Basket Steam air fryer. The rear of the appliance is quite plain, but Philips provides cable management in the form of a clip-on brace. Above this are the two vents that, when you use steam, will puff rhythmically. (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar) All of Philips’ air fryers have one thing in common – the raised pattern at the bottom of the drawers. This is to help the company’s proprietary RapidAir technology circulate hot air within each basket more efficiently. This pattern also means you can’t cook directly in the drawer, as some other brands allow you to do. Both the drawers on the Series 5000 Dual Basket XXL Steam are non-stick, but no mention has been made on what the material actually is. That said, the large basket, the two drawers and the small tray are dishwasher safe. One thing to keep in mind with the large basket: it might appear square, but it’s not. So if the basket isn’t fitting, just turn it around and slide it in. The basket has small silicone-covered feet that are prone to pressure, which can happen if you’re handwashing it. This causes the feet to move out of position and not let the basket fit back into the drawer – if this happens, you can gently reposition them. • Design score: 4.5 / 5 (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar) Philips 5000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer XXL Steam review: performance Very useful time-sync functionality and shake reminders Plenty of presets, but they are guides only Not a smart (connected) air fryer It might take you a while to get used to using steam in an air fryer, but once you do, it’s hard to not keep going back to it – I, for one, couldn’t stop experimenting with it. I used most of the functions on this air fryer and disappointments were rare – it really does cook nearly everything very well. From tender steaks to steamed dumplings, I can hardly fault it. That said, nothing I made was using the presets. I found very quickly that unless you plan to cook the exact amount of fries, meat or vegetables the presets were designed for, you will not get the right results. The presets on the Philips 5000 Series are guides only, but you can always adjust cook time and temperature for better results. During my testing I found that manual input of cook time and temperature was the best and, of course, you can always pull a basket out to check on what’s happening to see if any adjustments are needed. Opening a drawer will pause the air dryer – both drawers, in fact – and it automatically restarts when you push the basket back in. Time and temperature adjustments can be made while the appliance is running. One thing to keep in mind with the Philips 5000 Series XXL Steam is that there is no preheat function here. This isn’t unique to this machine, with others like the Russell Hobbs Satisfry Dual Basket air fryer (available only in the ***) also missing out on it. A preheat would have been nice for things like cooking steaks, but I got good results even without it, albeit after a couple of attempts to get the right temperature and time settings for the perfect cook (medium for me, thanks). Image 1 of 2 Cheese and garlic crumpets before cooking…(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar) ..and the final, slightly overdone results(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar) One of the first cooking modes I tried in the 5000 Series Dual Basket XXL Steam was air fry+steam. This feature works by pumping steam and hot air alternately, so you will hear the sound change rhythmically. The chicken drumsticks that I experimented with were tender and moist, but the skin didn’t get crispy. I popped them back in for five minutes more at 200ºC for just air frying, giving me wonderfully juicy chicken legs with crispy skin. The other dish I used the air fry+steam function was pork belly and, again, the meat was lovely, but I did have to use the air-fry mode to crisp up the skin. I’d imagine you could even use it to make some cakes if you want a fudgy interior, but I didn’t have any recipes (or ingredients) on hand to experiment with when it comes to baking during my testing of this air fryer. I found the steam-only function rather useful though. Not only is it good to steam vegetables for a side, you can even make dumplings in this air fryer. The only issue here is the pre-planning. Given you have only one drawer (the larger one) with steaming abilities, you need to figure out beforehand what you should cook in it. For example, if you have a large piece of meat that you want to cook (time-synced) alongside vegetables, you’ll likely need to forgo steamed veg as the meat won’t fit in the smaller drawer. In which case, you will need to use the 6L basket twice, which isn’t ideal. However, if you’re making steamed fish with some roasted vegetables on the side, you can do them both together by putting the latter in the 3L drawer. Image 1 of 3 Halloumi cooked in the air fryer(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar) Chicken drumsticks cooked using the air fry+steam mode, then crisped for 5 minutes by air frying only(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar) Stuffed portobello mushrooms cooked in the Philips air fryer(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar) I found that the 800ml maximum water capacity in the reservoir will last you no more than an hour’s worth of cooking time, so you may need to refill it if you have anything that needs longer cooking. This Philips air fryer also has a maximum temperature of 200ºC, which isn’t as high as some other air fryers are capable of, but I found it still produces lovely crackling anyway. Time synchronization works well and I appreciate that there is a shake reminder too. I love me some crispy, deep-fried bitter gourd (a childhood favorite) and I didn’t even need to lay the slices down in a single layer. The shake reminders were great when I just plopped handfuls in each basket to air fry and, at the end of 27 minutes, I had a Tupperware box full of my fave snack. I cooked halloumi in the air fryer, as well mushrooms, steak and frozen foods. No matter what I threw at it, the results were to my liking, although I will emphasize that the presets won’t necessarily be too useful for first-time users. Dumplings steamed in the large basket alongside prawn and chorizo skewers (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar) As good as the cooking is, I was disappointed by the steam-cleaning function. As wonderful as it sounds on paper, it’s not quite what Philips makes it out to be – you will need to manually wash the basket and drawer to remove all traces of grease and burnt food after a 15-minute steam cycle, then pop it back in for a 2-minute hot-air drying session. Moreover, only the 6L basket has the advantage of steam to loosen caked-in grease. Thankfully both drawers and baskets are dishwasher safe. Given it uses water, there is a descale mode available, but I haven’t had the appliance long enough to try it and, even after three months, have not seen any deposits in the water reservoir. So while I would love to score this air fryer higher just for its cooking performance, I have to dock marks for the caveats surrounding the steam functionality. • Performance score: 4 / 5 (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar) Should I buy the Philips 5000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer XXL Steam? Buy it if… Don’t buy it if… Also consider How I tested the Philips 5000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer XXL Steam Used for five weeks to cook a variety of meals Cooked mushrooms, steak, cheese, chicken, fish and much more Tested most cooking functions and presets (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar) For a ******* of five weeks, I cooked nearly all my dinners in the Philips 5000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer XXL Steam, as well as some lunches and a few snacks during the weekends. This gave me plenty of time to test several of the presets (I didn’t try the bread one though) and experiment with most of the cooking modes. I’m not much of a baker at the best of times, but I did try to make some banana muffins in the air fryer, which didn’t quite turn out as I expected them to, but that had to do with my recipe rather than any fault of the appliance. However, I also cooked various meats in the two drawers to test the roast, air fryer and air-fry+steam combo functions. These included a scotch fillet, chicken thighs and legs, a pork belly and beef sausages – the latter in the smaller basket. The vegetables I cooked – both air fried and steamed – included broccolini, potatoes, cauliflower florets, carrots and snow peas. I also cooked some halloumi and portobello mushrooms. In addition to cooking, I also tested the steam-clean mode a few times. I hand-washed the baskets and drawers most of the time but, when space allowed, I even put them in my dishwasher. The only function I couldn’t test during my review ******* was the descaling as there were no visible marks to tell me if the feature was working optimally or not. Read more about how we test [First reviewed February 2025] Source link #Steam #Philips #Series #Dual #Basket #XXL #air #fryer #fantastic #meals #caveats Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Nvidia’s slump and Trump’s tariffs rocked markets Nvidia’s slump and Trump’s tariffs rocked markets Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang gives a keynote address at CES 2025, an annual consumer electronics trade show, in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. Jan. 6, 2025. Steve Marcus | Reuters U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday he would give tariffs on Canada and Mexico, which are temporarily paused, the go-ahead, while separately threatening on Wednesday to slap a 25% levy on the European Union. Those are some of the U.S.’ closest allies and biggest trade partners. Expect geopolitical friction and economic fallout if the tariffs are implemented. Some of the repercussions might have begun already. Jobless claims in the U.S. for the week ended Feb. 22 rose more than expected and were the highest since early October. Big Tech companies, such as Google, Meta and Microsoft, have announced layoffs this year — while such cost-cutting measures may not have been a direct response to tariffs, they are an early sign of what things could look like when companies try to deal with increased import prices. Nvidia might also be staring down the barrel of a gun. Most of Nvidia’s advanced artificial intelligence chips are manufactured by TSMC in Taiwan. Trump, on his campaign trial, has complained that the island stole the U.S.’ chip business, and said he would impose tariffs on chips from Taiwan. Shares of Nvidia plummeted Thursday after the chipmaker announced earnings Wednesday, wiping out billions in market capitalization. If tariffs on Taiwan are implemented as well, the picture will look much uglier, and not just for the chipmaker. What you need to know today Nvidia loses $273 billion in valueNvidia shares plunged 8.5% on Thursday, wiping out $273 billion in value and giving the company a market capitalization of $2.94 trillion. That makes Apple the only member of the $3 trillion club. So far in 2025, Nvidia shares have lost 10% of their value, as the company faces investor concerns about export controls, tariffs, more efficient artificial intelligence models and an overall slowing pace of growth. Trump says tariffs will go aheadU.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday said in a Truth Social post on Thursday morning that his proposed 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada will go into effect March 4. He also said China will face an additional 10% tariff — on top of that the country already faces — on the same date. Reciprocal tariffs, which will apply to U.S.’ global trade partners, will kick in April 2, Trump added. Meanwhile, Trump threatened to impose a 25% tariff on the European Union. Markets slump over tariffs and NvidiaU.S. markets were jolted on Thursday by tariff jitters and a plunge in Nvidia shares. The S&P 500 retreated 1.59%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 0.45% and the Nasdaq Composite fell 2.78% The pan-European Stoxx 600 index lost 0.46%, weighed down by the auto sector falling 4% as it reacted to Trump’s threat of tariffs on the EU. Shares of aerospace and defense firm Rolls-Royce jumped 16% on upbeat guidance. Higher-than-expected jobless claimsU.S. jobless claims for the week ended Feb. 22 totaled a seasonally adjusted 242,000, up 22,000 from the previous week’s revised level and higher than the Dow Jones estimate for 225,000, according to a U.S. Labor Department report Thursday. The level of claims matched the highest since early October 2024 and comes amid questions over broader economic growth and worrying signs in recent consumer sentiment surveys. Google cuts jobsGoogle told staffers this week in its “People Operations,” the company’s human relations division, and its cloud unit that it is planning layoffs as a part of internal reorganizations, CNBC has learned. Some affected employees’ roles in Google’s cloud unit are being relocated to India and Mexico City, according to sources and internal correspondence viewed by CNBC. The number of layoffs is unclear. [PRO] Gold might hit $3,000, analysts sayCentral banks from around the world have been scooping up gold in recent years, lifting the precious metal to record levels. Now, with persistent geopolitical tensions, along with inflation and trade concerns, bullion could soon reach $3,000 for the first time, analysts think. There are a few ways for investors to gain exposure to gold, with each having their own fees and risks. And finally… A general view of the skyline from the Doha Corniche on March 31, 2022. Nick Potts – Pa Images | Getty Images Qatar attracts VC fund managers to Doha with its $1 billion ‘fund of funds’ The Qatar Investment Authority’s $1-billion fund of funds program — which invests in both international and regional VC funds — is designed to bolster investments in areas such as technology and health care, as Qatar looks to diversify away from its dominant oil and gas industry. Now, it’s accepted its first group of venture capital fund managers. B Capital, a tech-focused firm led by Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin, is among the group of VCs set to launch in Doha, opening its first Middle East office in the Qatari capital. Raj Ganguly, co-CEO of B Capital, hailed the Gulf state’s approach to artificial intelligence, and its support for the sector, as of particular interest. Source link #Nvidias #slump #Trumps #tariffs #rocked #markets Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Trump hosts *** prime minister at White House for critical talks on Ukraine – CNN Trump hosts *** prime minister at White House for critical talks on Ukraine – CNN Trump hosts *** prime minister at White House for critical talks on Ukraine CNNU.K. likely to avoid tariffs as Trump, Starmer in agreement during White House visit The Globe and MailLive Updates: Trump Hosts Starmer at White House to Discuss Ukraine The New York TimesUK-US trade deal could mean tariffs ‘not necessary’, says Trump BBC.com Source link #Trump #hosts #prime #minister #White #House #critical #talks #Ukraine #CNN Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Trump commends Zelensky ahead of White House talks Trump commends Zelensky ahead of White House talks Reuters Volodymyr Zelensky stopped off at Shannon Airport in Ireland on Thursday en route to the US US President Donald Trump has said he has a “lot of respect” for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, on the eve of their talks at the White House. Asked if he would apologise for recently calling him a “dictator”, he told the BBC he could not believe he had said this. He also called Zelensky “very brave”. Trump was speaking after talks with *** Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer about ending the war between Ukraine and Russia. He predicted a “very good meeting” with Zelensky on Friday, saying efforts to achieve peace were “moving along pretty rapidly”. This week’s meetings come after the Trump administration shocked its Western partners by holding the first high-level US talks with Moscow since Russia invaded Ukraine just over three years ago. America’s new president had appeared to blame Zelensky for the war and chided him for not starting peace talks earlier. “You’ve been there for three years,” he had said last Tuesday. “You should have ended it… You should have never started it. You could have made a deal.” But this Thursday, speaking after meeting Sir Keir, Trump told reporters asking about his forthcoming talks with Zelensky: “I think we’re going to have a very good meeting tomorrow morning. We’re going to get along really well.” Asked by the BBC’s Chris Mason if he still thought Zelensky was a “dictator”, he replied: “Did I say that? I can’t believe I said that.” Zelensky will be hoping to win some kind of security guarantees for his country that would underpin any peace deal that may be negotiated. Asked about these on Thursday, Trump only said he was “open to many things” but he wanted to get Russia and Ukraine to agree a deal before deciding what measures might be put in place to enforce it. On his visit on Friday, Zelensky is expected to sign a deal that will give the US access to Ukraine’s rare earth mineral resources. Trump suggested that the presence of US mining concerns in Ukraine would act as a deterrent against future Russian attacks on Ukraine. “It’s a backstop, you could say,” he said on Thursday. “I don’t think anybody’s going to play around if we’re there with a lot of workers and having to do with rare earths and other things which we need for our country.” Reuters Sir Keir Starmer (L) and Donald Trump at the White House on Thursday The British prime minister had said earlier that the *** was prepared to send troops to Ukraine after the war as part of a peacekeeping force but only if the US, Nato’s leading member, provided a “backstop”. Asked if the US would aid British peacekeepers if they were attacked by Russia, Trump said: “The British have incredible soldiers, incredible military and they can take care of themselves. But if they need help, I’ll always be with the British, okay?” Nato’s Article 5 holds that Nato members will come to the defence of an ally which comes under attack. Praising Trump’s “personal commitment to bring peace” in Ukraine, Sir Keir said the *** was “ready to put boots on the ground and planes in the air to support a deal”. “We’re focused now on bringing an enduring end to the barbaric war in Ukraine,” he said. But, he added, it must not be a peace deal “that rewards the aggressor or that gives encouragement to regimes like Iran”. Asked whether Vladimir Putin was trustworthy, the *** prime minister said his views on the Russian president were well-known. Asked in turn why he seemed to trust Putin and Sir Keir did not, Trump said: “I know a lot of people that you would say no chance that they would ever deceive you, and they are the worst people in the world. “I know others that you would guarantee they would deceive you, and you know what, they’re 100% honourable, so you never know what you’re getting.” EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, who had been due to meet US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington before he cancelled the talks “due to scheduling issues”, told BBC News that Putin and Russia did “not want to have peace”. “For any peace agreement to function, it needs the Europeans as well as Ukrainians on board,” she added. Stopping off in the Irish Republic on Thursday en route to the US, Zelensky met the Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) Micheál Martin at Shannon Airport. “We discussed the steps to end the war with guaranteed peace for Ukraine and the whole of Europe,” he said later. Following the overthrow of Ukraine’s pro-Russian president in 2014, Moscow annexed the ****** Sea peninsula of Crimea and backed pro-Russian separatists in bloody fighting in eastern Ukraine. The conflict burst into all-out war when Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February 2022. It is estimated that hundreds of thousands of people, most of them soldiers, have been killed or injured, and millions of Ukrainian civilians have fled as refugees. As well as Crimea, Russia now occupies parts of four other regions – Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson. The Kremlin warned on Thursday that Russia would make no territorial concessions to Ukraine as part of a peace deal. “All territories that have become subjects of the Russian Federation… are an integral part of our country, Russia,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. “This is an absolutely indisputable fact and a non-negotiable fact.” Separately, Russian and US officials met in the Turkish city of Istanbul for talks on rebuilding diplomatic ties. The two nuclear superpowers expelled one another’s embassy staff when Trump’s predecessor, Joe Biden, was in the White House. EPA Ukrainian troops in training near the front line on Thursday Source link #Trump #commends #Zelensky #ahead #White #House #talks Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Canberra’s Hosking hopes luck on his side in Vegas Canberra’s Hosking hopes luck on his side in Vegas Zac Hosking can see why people might think he’s an unlucky man. After toiling away in Newcastle’s lower grades, the second-rower relocated to Brisbane and was rewarded for his patience with a long-awaited NRL debut at the mature age of 25 in 2022. At Penrith the next season, he played 20 of a possible 24 regular-season games, only to find himself ousted from the 17 by Luke Garner on grand final day. Hosking watched from the sidelines as the Panthers came from 16 points down against Brisbane for one of the most memorable grand final victories of all time. When he arrived at Canberra last year, Hosking was hampered by a shoulder injury that eventually required surgery. Then, the 28-year-old tore his calf just as he was nearing a comeback. After recovering from that latest blow, Hosking was named in the second row for this weekend’s season opener against the Warriors in Las Vegas – a city where your fortunes can change rapidly. The good-natured Raider hopes Lady Luck finally smiles down upon him at Allegiant Stadium on Sunday (AEDT). “I don’t like to look at it that way (that I’m unlucky), even though sometimes at the time, that’s how you’re feeling,” he said at the Raiders’ signing session with fans in Las Vegas. “I try to stay out of a negative sort of head space. It’s hard to be negative when you look around here at the moment. “(The atmosphere in Vegas) feels like we’re heading towards a grand final. “I’m ready to move on. I’ve got all my injuries behind me.” Hosking said he’d come into the 2025 season stronger for his setbacks. “Those things are things that build character, it makes you resilient and it makes you prepared for if it happens again,” he said. The Raiders are still confirming who will blow a custom-made replica of their famous Viking ***** before kick-off against the Warriors after UFC boss Dana White declined the club’s invitation. Club legend Jarrod Croker is an option, with the former captain in town as a Raiders ambassador. If Hosking could have anyone blow the Viking ***** from any point in history, he’d pick the frontman of one of his favourite bands. “I’d have Michael Hutchence from INXS,” Hosking said, referring to the singer who died in 1997. “Hopefully they get someone good for the job.” Source link #Canberras #Hosking #hopes #luck #side #Vegas Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Johnson says approach to IRA repeal will be ‘between a scalpel and a sledgehammer’ Johnson says approach to IRA repeal will be ‘between a scalpel and a sledgehammer’ Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) indicated this week that his approach to repealing the Democrats’ climate, tax, infrastructure and health care bill will be neither delicate and precise nor a total overhaul. “It’ll be somewhere between a scalpel and a sledgehammer. We’ll see,” Johnson told reporters on Wednesday. The comment departs from his previous rhetoric on the future of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The Speaker told CNBC in September he wanted to take a “a scalpel and not a sledgehammer, because there’s a few provisions in there that have helped overall.” It’s not entirely clear what the departure will mean in practice, if anything, for the legislation. The 2022 law, which received only Democratic votes, contains billions in tax credits for low-carbon energy sources, as well as new taxes on large corporations and provisions allowing Medicare to negotiate the price of some drugs. Now that Republicans have control of the House, Senate and White House, they are looking to rein in the IRA — especially as they seek ways to pay for the tax cuts they want to enact. However, it remains an open question whether or to what extent the law’s energy tax credits in particular will be modified. A group of 18 House Republicans last year wrote a letter to Johnson saying they want to preserve some of the credits. And targeting any particular credit or energy source becomes difficult, especially with the House’s extremely slim majority. Various GOP-held districts have projects that benefit from credits for solar, wind, biofuels, nuclear energy or electric vehicle manufacturing, and so it may be difficult to find credits that all of the Republican members agree to cut. Mychael Schnell contributed. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Source link #Johnson #approach #IRA #repeal #scalpel #sledgehammer Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

U.S. gold demand is ‘sucking’ bullion out of other countries U.S. gold demand is ‘sucking’ bullion out of other countries Osakawayne Studios | Moment | Getty Images Strong U.S. demand for gold is “sucking” bullion out of some countries as traders try to stockpile it before U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Canada and Mexico kick into high gear. There’s a “glut of gold” in New York’s vaults, Adrian Ash, BullionVault’s director of research, told CNBC. More than 600 tons, or almost 20 million ounces of gold, has been transported into the city’s vaults since December last year, according to data provided by the World Gold Council. That amount of gold doesn’t normally belong in New York, said John Reade, World Gold Council’s market strategist for Asia and Europe. “You only keep it there when extraordinary circumstances are happening,” Reade told CNBC. The threat of tariffs on gold has spurred U.S. banks, investors and traders to shift the precious metal into the Commodities Exchange Centre and other vaults in New York, when it would otherwise usually be stored in London. “There are concerns that imminent tariffs on Canada and Mexico will affect both gold and silver,” said Nicky Shiels, head of metals strategy at MKS Pamp. Supply chains have been disrupted because of this huge sucking sound, which has been the United States importing gold ahead of the potential tariffs. John Reade World Gold Council Trump recently declared that sweeping U.S. tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada will be going forward after a postponement on their implementation expires next week. On Feb. 1, the U.S. president signed executive orders imposing 25% tariffs on products from Canada and Mexico. But some said investors fear the tariff threat will go beyond the two countries. There are lurking concerns that broader tariffs will also come into play in the U.K. and Switzerland, which are also large physical gold hubs, Shiels added. “The biggest concern is that there could be a blanket tariff on all imports into the U.S. and that this could also apply to gold,” said Nikos Kavalis, managing director of Metals Focus. Canada and Mexico are among the largest exporters of gold to the United States. The U.S. imports the most gold from Canada, followed by Switzerland, Colombia, Mexico and South Africa. Since Trump’s election victory last November, U.S. gold futures have largely outpaced their international counterparts, creating arbitrage opportunities for those able to shift large quantities of bullion into the U.S., according to industry watchers CNBC spoke to. Tariff concerns They attributed the movement largely to traders looking to close out of short positions, or those holding physical gold in New York expecting to short futures contracts to capture the outsized premium. As of Thursday, Gold futures listed on the Comex were trading at $2,930.6 per ounce, while the price of spot gold in London was $2,901 — a difference of almost $30. The premium was wider in January. U.S. warehouses now stock four years’ worth of U.S consumer and gold demand, according to data from BullionVault. That’s coupled with production from the domestic mining industry, which already produces enough to meet two-thirds of annual gold demand per year, said BullionVault’s Ash. U.S. domestic production of gold in 2024 was estimated to be at 160 tons, down from 170 tons in 2023, according to data from the U.S Geological Survey. The traders are of the view that Trump “could whack 100% tariffs” on U.S. gold imports tomorrow without it making a dent on U.S. gold prices, because there would be enough gold in the vaults, said Ash. Though there’s usually no pressing need for physical gold deliveries, investors need to be assured that they can be made — something Trump’s tariffs threaten to disrupt. “Very few people have to make deliveries normally, but you always need to be able to make deliveries,” said World Gold Council’s Reade. “But if you’re now suddenly worried that you might have to pay an import tariff, then you don’t want your gold in London, you need to have it in New York before the tariff comes in,” he said. Supply chain disruption The surge in demand for gold into New York’s warehouses has led the U.S. to scour the globe for bullion bars. “Supply chains have been disrupted because of this huge sucking sound, which has been the United States importing gold ahead of the potential tariffs,” said Reade. A complicating factor is that Comex depositories largely make deliveries via kilogram bars, which are usually available only in select regions like China, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and India, he added. “There is only a limited capacity for refineries to produce one kilogram bars,” said Reade. “Suddenly everybody has been trying to get hold of one kilogram bars that are eligible to be placed in Comex warehouses and ship them to New York, and that means that other gold flows have been interrupted,” he added. On a whole, supplies of gold kilobars are being diverted to the United States, market watchers said. London, often referred to as the terminal market for gold, experienced a big impact from the shift. “As the market has been shifting inventories of gold from private London vaults to Comex vaults, the availability of metal in private vaults in London has been declining,” said Metals Focus’ managing director Kavalis. Large gold bars are also being pulled out of London to other refineries around the world where they can be melted and refined into kilobars, because the standard bullion stored in London are 400-ounce bars rather than kilobars. Gold reserves in London’s vaults fell for the third consecutive month in January. The amount of gold reserves in January was 1.7% lower than in December. Gold exports from Switzerland into the U.S. in January also rose to the highest level in at least 13 years. And Singapore has shipped more gold than it normally would to the United States, Kavalis noted. Just to hedge against these tariffs, gold has been shipped to the U.S., and that “sucks gold out of the rest of the system,” said Reade. Source link #U.S #gold #demand #sucking #bullion #countries Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump’s promise of ‘very big deal’ with Zelensky undercut by officials’ widespread doubts over Ukraine’s resources – CNN Trump’s promise of ‘very big deal’ with Zelensky undercut by officials’ widespread doubts over Ukraine’s resources – CNN Trump’s promise of ‘very big deal’ with Zelensky undercut by officials’ widespread doubts over Ukraine’s resources CNNWhy the Trump administration may want Ukraine’s minerals The Associated PressLawmakers skeptical of Trump’s Ukraine deal The Hill Source link #Trumps #promise #big #deal #Zelensky #undercut #officials #widespread #doubts #Ukraines #resources #CNN Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

The US supermax prison the government hopes will solve *** prison crisis The US supermax prison the government hopes will solve *** prison crisis Watch: Inside a Texan supermax prison A pungent smell of detergent and rotten food hits me as we walk through this enormous high-security prison. Inmates press themselves up against the bars to look at us. There are no smiles, only expressionless stares. A man with a tattoo that swirls across his face shouts, “Where you from, ma’am?” “England.” “Hope you enjoy Estelle,” he says. “Do you?” I ask. “A lot better than where I was before.” Welcome to the Estelle Supermax Penitentiary in Huntsville, Texas. Concrete watchtowers punctuate the perimeter of this vast space – equivalent in size to almost 3,000 football pitches – and a sign with an image of a red-maned lion and the words Stay Hungry – Feast on Success greets staff and visitors as they enter. The *** government is looking to Estelle prison for ideas – for ways to reduce reoffending and to bring down prisoner numbers in our already overcrowded jails. There’s a scheme here they’d like to emulate, which gives inmates the chance to shorten their sentences by having a job while they’re inside. Looking to this prison for inspiration might seem a curious choice to many, given Texas executes more people than any other US state. But ministers say by implementing schemes similar to ones used here, *** prisoners will be incentivised to gain qualifications – giving them more chance of employment once released. Just one in five offenders in England and Wales has a job six weeks after being released from custody, the latest stats show. According to the Ministry of Justice, people who are still unemployed six weeks after being released are twice as likely to reoffend as those in employment. BBC/Lee Durant Built in 1984, the prison has housed some of America’s most notorious villains No prison in the *** has as many inmates as they do at Estelle. More than 3,000 men in white jail-suits are currently locked up here – from murderers and rapists, to those doing time for lesser crimes like shoplifting and fraud. Two inmates are on death row. Jimmy Delgado is 52 and serving three life sentences for first-degree *******. He’s already been inside for 25 years – 13 spent in solitary confinement. He’s a large man with muscular shoulders and smiles broadly when we meet in the prison chapel, softly shaking my hand. He tells me he first ended up in prison aged just 16, after carrying out a robbery. He’s remorseful for his crimes and says this prison – together with his faith in Jesus – has helped turn his life around by giving him purpose. He now works as a counsellor, supporting offenders who are struggling to cope with life in prison. BBC/Lee Durant Inmate Jimmy Delgado hopes his role counselling other offenders will help change lives “I’m here for taking a life – and I’m here to save multiple lives,” he says. “If I can change the dynamic of family life for all these guys that are here then I’ve done my job – even if I never get out of prison.” Delgado may never be released, but inmates having jobs in prison is one of the reasons why Estelle Supermax Penitentiary is appealing to the *** government. The “good time credit” scheme used here gives inmates the opportunity to reduce their time behind bars by participating in courses and studying for qualifications, taking up jobs, and behaving well. Credits earned are then added to the number of days the prisoner has already spent in jail, allowing them to reach their parole eligibility date sooner – when a panel decides if they’re suitable for early release. This process depends on the classification of their crime and an assessment by the parole board on their overall rehabilitation. BBC/Lee Durant Inmate Kevin Smith (left) works as a barber in the prison to earn credits which will enable him to be considered for parole sooner Off the long corridor that runs through the main prison building, inmates are quietly working in a small barbers. Kevin Smith is inside for minor offences. He is meticulously cutting a member of staff’s hair with a pair of clippers, and says the good time credit scheme has made him feel positive about his time in prison. “They helped me see that if I do the right thing and make the right decisions, I can do better in life,” he says. “I receive good time by working here, and I can get out earlier with the good time that I received – it works.” The rates of those returning to prison within three years of release have fallen to 20.3% in Texas – a fraction of those in the rest of the United States (68%). The BBC came to Estelle to see their credit scheme in action with *** justice secretary Shabana Mahmood. “The Texans had a system similar to ours – on the point of collapse, running out of prison places in 2007,” Ms Mahmood says. “They’ve now got a sustainable prison population – but most importantly, they’ve been able to massively cut the rates of reoffending here. They’ve got a rate of crime now that they haven’t seen since the 1960s.” She believes the Texan credit system is effective – helping prisoners get out of prison early – and stay out. “It does help prisoners turn their backs on a life of crime.” BBC/Lee Durant A watchtower seen through barbed wire at the Estelle Unit – one of two super maximum security prisons in the state of Texas The Texas prison population is the highest of any state in the US, with 134,668 people in custody in the autumn of 2024 – although over the last couple of decades, since reforms were implemented, that number has reduced by nearly 20%. However, some experts say the good time credit programme is not a magic bullet. “The incentivisation scheme has little to do with the reforms that helped bring Texas’s prison population down in 2007,” says Michele Deitch, a criminal justice policy lecturer at the University of Texas. “And by itself it will do little to address the ***’s very serious overcrowding problem.” What would make a real difference, she says, would be diverting more people from incarceration in the first place: “To shorten sentences, to reduce the use of recalls to prison, and to invest more heavily in rehabilitative programs in prison and in programs and services in the community.” As well as incentivisation, the *** government is also considering the use of “diversion programmes” – where offenders are sent on rehabilitation courses rather than to jail. This can apply to people with addiction issues or mental health problems. It’s what they do here in Texas to reduce the burden on the courts and attempt to sort the root cause of the offence. More prison reporting by Sima Kotecha More people have been put to death in Texas than anywhere else in the US. Since the Supreme Court reinstated capital punishment in 1976, 593 prisoners have been executed. There are 176 people currently on death row – so it might seem strange the *** government could take a leaf out of their book. Even so, the justice secretary believes there is still much the *** can learn from what happens at Estelle. “I don’t think that the fact that they have the death penalty here means that we shouldn’t be learning lessons from strategies that they’ve introduced that really work,” Ms Mahmood says. Justice secretary Shabana Mahmood says there is much the *** can learn from the Texan good time credit system It’s a plan with “huge potential in the ***” according to Nick Hardwick, a former chief inspector of prisons, who believes it will make prisons safer and more productive. “It will help ensure prisoners are doing what is necessary to reduce the risk they will reoffend and create more victims,” he says. But not everyone agrees with incentivising convicted criminals to work towards an early release from prison. Samantha Nicholls’ son was murdered in 2018. Twenty-two year old Joe Pooley was thrown into a river in Ipswich and held under the water. Three people were jailed for his ******* in 2021. Joe’s mother believes inmates should never be released before their sentence is complete. “Prison is a punishment – you should do your time,” she says. “It needs to be a deterrent – you’re there because you did something wrong.” It’s clear the *** needs to find solutions to cut prison overcrowding – and find them fast. Even the recent prisoner early release scheme will barely keep pace with more offenders being jailed. New prison buildings will take years to come on stream. But does this Texan prison have the answers? The challenge for ministers and the criminal justice system is how to stop the revolving doors on the ***’s prisons – the reoffending and lack of prospects facing those who are released which draws them back into crime. Source link #supermax #prison #government #hopes #solve #prison #crisis Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Why 2025 season is the start of a new era in WA footy for Fremantle Dockers, West Coast Eagles Why 2025 season is the start of a new era in WA footy for Fremantle Dockers, West Coast Eagles Expect the unexpected in 2025 as the West Coast Eagles and Fremantle Dockers both enter their exciting new eras, writes Jackson Barrett. Source link #season #start #era #footy #Fremantle #Dockers #West #Coast #Eagles Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

BBC visits US supermax prison the government hopes will solve *** jail crisis BBC visits US supermax prison the government hopes will solve *** jail crisis A pungent smell of detergent and rotten food hits me as we walk through this enormous high-security prison. Inmates press themselves up against the bars to look at us. There are no smiles, only expressionless stares. A man with a tattoo that swirls across his face shouts, “Where you from, ma’am?” “England.” “Hope you enjoy Estelle,” he says. “Do you?” I ask. “A lot better than where I was before.” Welcome to the Estelle Supermax Penitentiary in Huntsville, Texas. Concrete watchtowers punctuate the perimeter of this vast space – equivalent in size to almost 3,000 football pitches – and a sign with an image of a red-maned lion and the words Stay Hungry – Feast on Success greets staff and visitors as they enter. The *** government is looking to Estelle prison for ideas – for ways to reduce reoffending and to bring down prisoner numbers in our already overcrowded jails. There’s a scheme here they’d like to emulate, which gives inmates the chance to shorten their sentences by having a job while they’re inside. Looking to this prison for inspiration might seem a curious choice to many, given Texas executes more people than any other US state. But ministers say by implementing schemes similar to ones used here, *** prisoners will be incentivised to gain qualifications – giving them more chance of employment once released. Just one in five offenders in England and Wales has a job six weeks after being released from custody, the latest stats show. According to the Ministry of Justice, people who are still unemployed six weeks after being released are twice as likely to reoffend as those in employment. Built in 1984, the prison has housed some of America’s most notorious villains [BBC/Lee Durant] No prison in the *** has as many inmates as they do at Estelle. More than 3,000 men in white jail-suits are currently locked up here – from murderers and rapists, to those doing time for lesser crimes like shoplifting and fraud. Two inmates are on death row. Jimmy Delgado is 52 and serving three life sentences for first-degree *******. He’s already been inside for 25 years – 13 spent in solitary confinement. He’s a large man with muscular shoulders and smiles broadly when we meet in the prison chapel, softly shaking my hand. He tells me he first ended up in prison aged just 16, after carrying out a robbery. He’s remorseful for his crimes and says this prison – together with his faith in Jesus – has helped turn his life around by giving him purpose. He now works as a counsellor, supporting offenders who are struggling to cope with life in prison. Inmate Jimmy Delgado hopes his role counselling other offenders will help change lives [BBC/Lee Durant] “I’m here for taking a life – and I’m here to save multiple lives,” he says. “If I can change the dynamic of family life for all these guys that are here then I’ve done my job – even if I never get out of prison.” Delgado may never be released, but inmates having jobs in prison is one of the reasons why Estelle Supermax Penitentiary is appealing to the *** government. The “good time credit” scheme used here gives inmates the opportunity to reduce their time behind bars by participating in courses and studying for qualifications, taking up jobs, and behaving well. Credits earned are then added to the number of days the prisoner has already spent in jail, allowing them to reach their parole eligibility date sooner – when a panel decides if they’re suitable for early release. This process depends on the classification of their crime and an assessment by the parole board on their overall rehabilitation. Inmate Kevin Smith (left) works as a barber in the prison to earn credits which will enable him to be considered for parole sooner [BBC/Lee Durant] Off the long corridor that runs through the main prison building, inmates are quietly working in a small barbers. Kevin Smith is inside for minor offences. He is meticulously cutting a member of staff’s hair with a pair of clippers, and says the good time credit scheme has made him feel positive about his time in prison. “They helped me see that if I do the right thing and make the right decisions, I can do better in life,” he says. “I receive good time by working here, and I can get out earlier with the good time that I received – it works.” The rates of those returning to prison within three years of release have fallen to 20.3% in Texas – a fraction of those in the rest of the United States (68%). The BBC came to Estelle to see their credit scheme in action with *** justice secretary Shabana Mahmood. “The Texans had a system similar to ours – on the point of collapse, running out of prison places in 2007,” Ms Mahmood says. “They’ve now got a sustainable prison population – but most importantly, they’ve been able to massively cut the rates of reoffending here. They’ve got a rate of crime now that they haven’t seen since the 1960s.” She believes the Texan credit system is effective – helping prisoners get out of prison early – and stay out. “It does help prisoners turn their backs on a life of crime.” A watchtower seen through barbed wire at the Estelle Unit – one of two super maximum security prisons in the state of Texas [BBC/Lee Durant] The Texas prison population is the highest of any state in the US, with 134,668 people in custody in the autumn of 2024 – although over the last couple of decades, since reforms were implemented, that number has reduced by nearly 20%. However, some experts say the good time credit programme is not a magic bullet. “The incentivisation scheme has little to do with the reforms that helped bring Texas’s prison population down in 2007,” says Michele Deitch, a criminal justice policy lecturer at the University of Texas. “And by itself it will do little to address the ***’s very serious overcrowding problem.” What would make a real difference, she says, would be diverting more people from incarceration in the first place: “To shorten sentences, to reduce the use of recalls to prison, and to invest more heavily in rehabilitative programs in prison and in programs and services in the community.” As well as incentivisation, the *** government is also considering the use of “diversion programmes” – where offenders are sent on rehabilitation courses rather than to jail. This can apply to people with addiction issues or mental health problems. It’s what they do here in Texas to reduce the burden on the courts and attempt to sort the root cause of the offence. More prison reporting by Sima Kotecha More people have been put to death in Texas than anywhere else in the US. Since the Supreme Court reinstated capital punishment in 1976, 593 prisoners have been executed. There are 176 people currently on death row – so it might seem strange the *** government could take a leaf out of their book. Even so, the justice secretary believes there is still much the *** can learn from what happens at Estelle. “I don’t think that the fact that they have the death penalty here means that we shouldn’t be learning lessons from strategies that they’ve introduced that really work,” Ms Mahmood says. Justice secretary Shabana Mahmood says there is much the *** can learn from the Texan good time credit system [BBC] It’s a plan with “huge potential in the ***” according to Nick Hardwick, a former chief inspector of prisons, who believes it will make prisons safer and more productive. “It will help ensure prisoners are doing what is necessary to reduce the risk they will reoffend and create more victims,” he says. But not everyone agrees with incentivising convicted criminals to work towards an early release from prison. Samantha Nicholls’ son was murdered in 2018. Twenty-two year old Joe Pooley was thrown into a river in Ipswich and held under the water. Three people were jailed for his ******* in 2021. Joe’s mother believes inmates should never be released before their sentence is complete. “Prison is a punishment – you should do your time,” she says. “It needs to be a deterrent – you’re there because you did something wrong.” It’s clear the *** needs to find solutions to cut prison overcrowding – and find them fast. Even the recent prisoner early release scheme will barely keep pace with more offenders being jailed. New prison buildings will take years to come on stream. But does this Texan prison have the answers? The challenge for ministers and the criminal justice system is how to stop the revolving doors on the ***’s prisons – the reoffending and lack of prospects facing those who are released which draws them back into crime. Source link #BBC #visits #supermax #prison #government #hopes #solve #jail #crisis Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

North Korea Is Sending More Troops to Russia, South Korea’s Spy Agency Says – The New York Times North Korea Is Sending More Troops to Russia, South Korea’s Spy Agency Says – The New York Times North Korea Is Sending More Troops to Russia, South Korea’s Spy Agency Says The New York TimesSatellite images show how hundreds of North Korean troops were likely transported to a secluded Russian port CNNNorth Korea has sent more troops to Russia, says Seoul EuronewsNorth Korea sending more troops to fight for Russia, Seoul says The Washington Post Source link #North #Korea #Sending #Troops #Russia #South #Koreas #Spy #Agency #York #Times Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

State Dept. claims it’s sparing life-saving efforts from USAID cuts, but some groups say it’s “not true” State Dept. claims it’s sparing life-saving efforts from USAID cuts, but some groups say it’s “not true” The State Department confirmed Thursday it plans to end more than 90% of USAID contracts around the world, while keeping in place contracts for the most crucial food and health programs. The department claims its cuts would allow the agency to tighten its belt by $58.2 billion in unspent funds on multi-year awards. but it provided no documentation to support its claim. It’s also not clear that the department is funding the initiatives it claims it’s supporting. USAID disbursed nearly $9 billion around the world in 2024 on public health initiatives. A State Department spokesperson said Thursday the agency spared critical USAID awards, including for food assistance, and life-saving medical treatments for diseases such as ****, malaria and tuberculosis. But Lucica Ditiu, the executive director of the Stop TB Partnership, said her global nonprofit, which focuses on tuberculosis, lost funding. “That is not correct, absolutely not true,” she said of the claim that life-saving treatments were spared. She said her organization would survive without U.S. assistance, but it will have to downsize weeks after securing what she was led to believe would be a five-year commitment. The U.S. government has been the largest government-to-government donor in the effort to end tuberculosis, a preventable and curable disease that is the leading cause of death globally from a single infectious agent. The Stop TB Partnership provides grants using USAID funds to 140 grassroots tuberculosis treatment and prevention organizations around the world, some of which perform the risky task of going door-to-door in search of people suffering from the infectious disease. The State Department has not specified exactly which programs have been cut, and which have been spared. USAID, which represents under 1% of the overall federal budget, has been targeted for elimination by the White House’s cost cutters, most notably the world’s richest man Elon Musk. The agency he championed, DOGE, has posted a “wall of receipts” that purports to show where cuts are being made. It’s been marked by inaccuracies, miscalculations and unsubstantiated claims of budget cutting. Musk himself acknowledged that mistakes have been made during a White House Cabinet meeting Wednesday. “One of the things we accidentally canceled very briefly was Ebola prevention.” Musk said, before adding “there was no interruption” in services. Even that was apparently a misstatement. The Associated Press reported that day that a USAID official said no funds for fighting the deadly virus had been released since President Trump’s Jan. 20 funding freeze on foreign aid. A State Department spokesperson said a review of its contracts and grants was geared toward eliminating all but the ones that make America stronger, safer and more prosperous. The agency’s cuts are part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to drastically shrink the federal workforce and budget. Ditiu questioned whether cutting funds designed for tuberculosis prevention would do that. She said “thousands and thousands” of people working to treat and prevent the disease globally stand to be laid off. She worries about work being interrupted in Mozambique, where there’s an “extremely drug resistant strain.” “TB is airborne. You can wear a *******, you can sleep under a bed net, you can run and exercise and eat just kale all your life. As long as you breathe, you can get TB,” Ditius said. “You can get it on a plane, in a taxi ride … it’s not enough to close the borders.” She predicted that as organizations recalibrate and rebuild without American funds, they’ll take their purchasing power elsewhere, buying diagnostic tools and medicine from international competitors such as China. “I honestly don’t think that anyone took the time, or wanted to listen, to explain what it means for the U.S.,” Ditiu said. ****** Chester, a USAID staffer and vice president of the American Foreign Service Association, warned that the cuts not only hurt those abroad, but they’re going to affect Americans — and not just the government workers who are being fired. “Every year we spend $2 billion on agriculture products in the U.S. from Midwestern farmers,” Chester said. “That’s a patriotic thing to do, helping Americans connect to new markets and helping them sell their products to new markets.” “That should be looked at in a good light,” said Chester, who is currently on administrative leave. Chester said the cuts will have a profound impact on the agency’s employees. He pointed to his own family. “My wife also works at USAID, she’s also a foreign service officer, and she has received a termination letter,” Chester said. He spent the day supporting colleagues who were allotted small time windows, some as brief as 15 minutes, to clear out the desks where many had spent their careers. He said they were devoted to serving their countries. “The big thing that I really want people to understand is USAID employees, whether you’re in the foreign service or civil service, we’re patriots. We work for the benefit of America,” said Chester. Dan Ruetenik and Sara Cook contributed to this report. Graham Kates Graham Kates is an investigative reporter covering criminal justice, privacy issues and information security for CBS News Digital. Contact Graham at *****@*****.tld or *****@*****.tld Source link #State #Dept #claims #sparing #lifesaving #efforts #USAID #cuts #groups #true Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Fears ******* patients ‘may starve’ without vital drug Fears ******* patients ‘may starve’ without vital drug Diana Gibbs Mick needs creon since being treated for pancreatic ******* in 2023 ******* patients and others with debilitating conditions have highlighted shortages of a vital drug they say have had a “devastating” impact on their lives. Creon, a pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy (Pert), helps digestion, but has been hard to obtain for the last year and shortages are predicted to last until 2026. It is thought more than 61,000 patients in the *** need it, including those with pancreatic *******, cystic fibrosis and chronic pancreatitis. Some patients said through Your Voice, Your BBC News that they have had to cover long distances to find a pharmacist with supplies. The Department of Health and Social care says it is working closely with the NHS, manufacturers and others in the supply chain to try to resolve the issues. Without the drug, patients lose weight and strength, which means their ability to cope with treatment such as chemotherapy is reduced. Diana Gibbs, who is 74, and her husband Mick, 78, live in Tonbridge, Kent. Mick had a major operation to treat pancreatic ******* in 2023. Diana wrote to BBC News explaining that it is impossible for Mick to digest food without creon. She says he was prescribed a high dose to enable him to regain weight after losing four stone in hospital, but it became increasingly difficult to get hold of the medicine. “We started to have trouble getting them in the higher dosage, involving me traipsing round pharmacies to find one who could get them. Pharmacies cannot get hold of that dosage. He now has to take a lower dose doubling up on the number of tablets taken, one box now lasts less than a week. “Pharmacies cannot get hold of lower dosage either and there is no alternative medication. I was worried that my husband would starve to death without them.” Diana says for now they can get supplies of the drug but there is no guarantee week-to-week, and that is still a big worry. Bryony Thomas Bryony relies on creon to help her digest food Bryony Thomas, who is from Stroud in Gloucestershire, needs creon after being diagnosed with pancreatic *******. Her ******* is now in remission, but she is still reliant on the drug for her digestive system to work correctly. She says there was no availability to get the medication within her county, and she had to get her mother-in-law to make a two-hour journey to a pharmacy in Crewe. At one stage, she says she obtained the drug from another patient, who had a surplus, against regulations via Instagram. She describes her situation as “constantly stressful”. Leading pancreatic clinicians and charities including Pancreatic ******* *** have written to the prime minister saying the absence of Pert can have a “devastating impact on people’s lives”, with doctors and pharmacists “inundated with requests for help from desparate patients”. The letter says that without the drug, people experience “horrendous bowel symptoms, poor diabetes control, malnutrition, and reduced absorption of other medications, all of which can have a massive impact on their health and quality of life”. There are other forms of Pert, but the charities and medical experts say while other countries have many brands available, in the *** creon “holds a very high market share”. They say that with creon running short, switching by patients has depleted stocks of the alternatives. They are calling for a national process for importing Pert. Worry and stress The Cystic Fibrosis Trust says the shortages have caused “significant worry and stress for those affected”. The charity has told patients that a “shortage of raw ingredients is straining the manufacturing process and disrupting global supply chains”. Production of creon is said to rely heavily on pancreatic enzymes sourced from pigs. The Royal Pharmaceutical Society meanwhile is calling on the government to adopt a national strategy to manage medicine shortages. There have been wider problems with drug shortages. The National Pharmacy Association, representing community chemists in the ***, sought views on the issue. Of the 500 which responded, all said they were unable to dispense a prescription at least once a day because of supply problems, and a large majority said patients came in at least once a day to get medicines they had failed to get elsewhere. A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “We know how frustrating and distressing medicine supply issues can be for patients, and the pharmacists and clinicians caring for them. “We’ve issued guidance to healthcare professionals and encourage anyone concerned to consult their clinician.” Source link #Fears #******* #patients #starve #vital #drug Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Explore The Injustice DC Comics Timeline With This New Omnibus Explore The Injustice DC Comics Timeline With This New Omnibus Fighting games aren’t exactly known for having the best storylines, but the Injustice series, which is set in an alternate version of the DC comics universe, is an exception. Not only has the in-game storyline spanned two games so far, but its also been adapted and expanded into its own DC comics line. While the series has seen multiple collections already, the second run, aptly titled Injustice 2, will soon be collected into a massive hardcover omnibus edition. The Injustice 2 Omnibus Edition releases May 20, and preorders are available for $125 at Amazon. $125 Written by Tom Taylor–who also penned the first two years of the award-winning Injustice: Gods Among Us comic books–the Injustice 2 comics pick up shortly after the end of the first game. With the evil parallel-universe Superman of the first game locked up in a super-jail, Batman now works on rebuilding the planet after it endured five years of hell under the Man of Steel’s rule. Of course, new threats reveal themselves, and Earth’s heroes must once again rise up to protect its people. The omnibus includes Injustice 2 issues 1-36 and Injustice 2 Annual 1 and 2. If you haven’t read the original Injustice series yet, you can pick up an omnibus edition at a very good price through Amazon right now, as it’s available for $50 (was $125). Injustice: Gods Among Us Omnibus Edition Volume One covers the first three years of the series, and it charts the fall of Superman after he’s tricked by the Joker and ends up destroying Metropolis city and accidentally killing his family, sending him into a villainous rage. Batman quickly becomes the leader of a resistance group, and it’s not long before all hell breaks loose between the two former friends. You can pair that with the second hardcover volume, which covers the rest of the epic storyline as Batman resorts to increasingly desperate measures against Superman, who has taken over the world alongside an army of supervillains. This one is also on ***** for $66.24 (was $125). Finally, there’s Injustice: Year Zero on ***** for $20 (was $25). This is a quick-read graphic novel at 152 pages, that it shines a light on the Justice League of America’s Injustice Universe counterpart, the Justice Society of America. All DC Injustice Graphic Novels Source link #Explore #Injustice #Comics #Timeline #Omnibus Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Mardi Gras Parade: tickets, parties, closures, everything you need to know Mardi Gras Parade: tickets, parties, closures, everything you need to know From viewing spots and tickets to transport and more, here’s everything you need to know about one of Sydney’s most colourful nights. Source link #Mardi #Gras #Parade #tickets #parties #closures Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Property Damage Estimated At Between $28B-$53.8B; Full Recovery Will Take At Least Until 2029 Property Damage Estimated At Between $28B-$53.8B; Full Recovery Will Take At Least Until 2029 UPDATED with latest: Last month’s Palisades and Eaton wildfires caused between $28 billion and $53.8 billion in property damage, with business disruptions projected to result in economic losses of up to $8.9 billion in Los Angeles County alone over the next five years, according to a study published today. There’s a large delta between $28 billion and $53.8 billion. According to the report, where the final tally falls will be determined by the rapidity of the process and whether a few key best practices are followed. More from Deadline The report commissioned by the Southern California Leadership Council and the L.A. County Economic Development Corporation studies the impacts of the destruction and economic havoc caused by the fires, as well as data-driven recommendations to guide recovery efforts. The study estimates that the fires could lead to up to 49,110 job-years lost and reductions in labor income of up to $3.7 billion, while federal, state and local governments could experience tax revenue losses ranging from $730 million to $1.4 billion. The report looks at the economic damage and personal toll of the fires and discusses the need for investing in prevention and recovery, former state Gov. Gray Davis, SCLC co-chair, said during a virtual press conference. “Speed matters in the recovery process … particularly from an economic perspective,” said Davis. “Job No. 1 is to help people rebuild and get back to their new homes…We have to learn the lessons of this fire and previous fires. We have to build homes better…so we don’t repeat this terrible tragedy…Let’s learn the lessons.” The study analyzed the fires’ impact on key industries, with retail trade, health care, professional services, construction and educational services among the hardest hit. Disruptions to supply chains and workforce displacement could further compound the region’s economic challenges, the report said. Echoing Davis’ comments, L.A. County Supervisor Kathryn Barger said the county’s best path forward is expediting issues surrounding the rebuilding process. “I am laser-focused on streamlining” those issues, she said. Stephen Cheung, president and chief executive of LAEDC, said a best-case scenario would be recovery by 2029, but the process could take many more years. The impact of the fires would grow with the length of the recovery *******, he added. Steps toward recovery, according to the report, include fast-tracking rebuilding efforts through coordinated permitting processes and financial incentives can reduce recovery timelines by up to 50%, strengthening fire-prone communities with improved emergency response systems, microgrids and fire- resistant construction materials and methods, as required in California’s current building codes. Also, implementing alternative insurance models, such as parametric insurance, can ensure faster financial relief for affected businesses and homeowners. Parametric insurance pays a set amount based on the magnitude of the event, rather than the magnitude of the losses in a traditional indemnity policy. Researchers further suggest direct support be provided to impacted businesses and displaced workers through grants, training programs, and small business recovery initiatives to prevent long-term economic decline, the report says. According to the report, establishing multi-agency wildfire task forces with clear recovery roadmaps can also cut response times and improve post-disaster efficiency. PREVIOUSLY on February 20: Access to Pacific Coast Highway between Santa Monica and Malibu, which has been largely restricted since the Palisades Fire erupted Jan. 7, was expanded today for residents, business and other essential traffic. As of 6 a.m., the route was opened to residents of the Pacific Palisades and Malibu burn areas, along with essential businesses and school bus traffic, according to Caltrans. Residents and business owners in the area will need to have access passes to use the roadway. Residents in Malibu and unincorporated areas can obtain access passes at Malibu City Hall. Palisades residents can obtain passes from Los Angeles city staff at the Disaster Recovery Center at 10850 Pico Blvd. “The PCH closure has been challenging for our residents who need to get to and from work, school, and essential trips,” county Supervisor Lindsey Horvath said in a statement. “As PCH reopens, we have streamlined the process for them to more easily navigate checkpoints and access their properties.” Caltrans officials noted that some restrictions will still be in place. PCH is reduced to one lane in each direction with a 25 mph speed limit between Chautauqua Boulevard in Pacific Palisades and Carbon Beach Terrace in Malibu. All signalized intersections will be flashing red. No parking or stopping is permitted, and no pedestrians are allowed in the work zone. No vehicle passing is permitted. There is one lane through the McClure Tunnel from westbound Santa Monica (10) Freeway to northbound PCH, and one lane entering northbound PCH from the California Incline. Those two lanes merge into one lane, potentially causing delays. PCH still remains closed to general traffic, “and only essential travel is recommended,” according to Caltrans. People trying to reach Malibu can use the Ventura (101) Freeway and Las Virgenes Road/Malibu Canyon Road or Kanan Dume Road. Meanwhile, Los Angeles County officials announced the reopening of four county-maintained roads in the area that were closed due to the recent storms. Piuma Road, Rambla Pacifico Street, Schueren Road and Saddle Peak Road all reopened Thursday morning. Tuna Canyon Road remains closed. Las Flores Canyon Road is open to residents only. PREVIOUSLY on February 6: Southern California Edison officials conceded in a regulatory filing today that the company’s equipment may be associated with the ignition of the Hurst Fire, which burned nearly 800 acres in the Sylmar area during the height of the January windstorm in Los Angeles. The Hurst Fire, which erupted Jan. 7 and was fully contained on Jan. 16, did not result in any structures being destroyed or cause any deaths, but did force the closure of the 5 and 210 freeways and prompted evacuations. It preceded the Hughes Fire, which broke out in the area near Castaic Lake on January 22, burned over 10,000 acres and prompted further evacuations. The region’s two other massive fires, the Palisades and Eaton fires, killed a combined 29 people and damaged or destroyed tens of thousands of structures. In a filing with the state Public Utilities Commission, Paul Pimentel of SCE wrote that while the Los Angeles Fire Department is continuing to investigate the cause of the fire, “Absent additional evidence, SCE believes its equipment may be associated with the ignition of the Hurst Fire.” The filing notes that the fire originated in the vicinity of an SCE transmission tower north of Saddle Ridge Road. SCE concedes in the filing that a conductor failure occurred on the tower the night of Jan. 7, causing damaged equipment to fall to the ground at the base of the tower. In the past 30-plus years, more than 3,600 wildfires in the state have been in some way related to power generation, transmission or distribution, according to U.S. Forest Service data as reported by the New York Times. California’s two most destructive and deadly fires, the Camp and Tubbs blazes which collectively killed more than 100 people and destroyed more than 20,000 structures, were caused by failures of power systems. More locally, the deadly Thomas and Woolsey Fires which destroyed thousands of structures in L.A. and Ventura counties in 2017 and 2018 were also caused by SCE equipment failures. SCE has already been targeted in multiple lawsuits accusing its equipment of sparking the Eaton Fire, which burned 14,021 acres in the Altadena and Pasadena areas. The cause of that fire is still under investigation, but attorneys have recently pointed to surveillance video that appears to show SCE power lines arcing in the vicinity of the fire’s origin on Jan. 7. “While we do not yet know what caused the Eaton wildfire, SCE is exploring every possibility in its investigation, including the possibility that SCE’s equipment was involved,” Pedro J. Pizarro, president and CEO of SCE’s parent company, Edison International, said in a statement Thursday. “We have been fully engaged since the start of the fires in supporting the broader emergency response, containment, recovery and investigation efforts.” SCE officials said the investigation into the fire’s cause is likely to take several more months. “Our hearts go out to everyone who has suffered losses,” Pizarro said. “We are working with the local communities SCE serves to rebuild and emerge stronger. We understand the community wants answers, and we remain committed to a thorough and transparent investigation.” PREVIOUSLY on February 4: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced today it has officially begun its “Phase 2” wildfire-debris removal effort, beginning with two Pasadena Unified School District campuses that were destroyed in the Eaton Fire. The announcement marked a key milestone in the wildfire recovery effort, which began with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency engaging in Phase 1 of the process — removing household hazardous materials from destroyed and damaged structures. While that Phase 1 process is continuing, Phase 2 debris removal will move forward at properties that have been cleared by the EPA. “Beginning Phase 2 means we’re making tangible progress toward recovery,” Col. Eric Swenson, the Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles Wildfires Recovery Field Office commander, said in a statement. “Our teams are working with urgency and care to remove hazardous debris while ensuring the safety of the community, workers and the environment.” Phase 2 involves clearing fire-damaged properties of hazardous ash and debris. The sites being cleared to begin Phase 2 are the campuses of Loma Alta Elementary School in Altadena and Edison Elementary in Pasadena. See map below, where yellow means Phase 1 is incomplete, blue means Phase 1 is complete and Purple means deferred to Phase 2. “The safety of our students and staff is our top priority,” PUSD Superintendent Elizabeth Blanco said in a statement. “This debris removal effort will allow us to begin the recovery process with confidence, and we are grateful for the support from (the Corps of Engineers, Federal Emergency Management Agency) and our local partners.” There are also individual properties (in blue below) where Phase 1 has been completed, though the are relatively few. Corps of Engineer officials said the Phase 2 operations will expand in the coming weeks to include residential properties destroyed by the Eaton and Palisades fires. According to the Corps, if the EPA determines that a property is still unsafe to enter due to hazardous materials, they will be labeled as “deferred,” and Army crews will work to render them safe to allow the cleanup efforts to move forward. The cleanup efforts have sparked criticism from some residents concerned about the sites being used to process hazardous materials being removed from destroyed properties by the EPA. Residents, however, are being allowed to return to their properties, along with contractors and utility workers, as they assess damage and determine how to move forward. A nightly curfew for the burn areas remains in effect from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. Checkpoints restricting access to the fire-ravaged Pacific Palisades remain in place. Returning residents and authorized contractors are being given access to the Palisades Fire burn area with access passes, which are now being distributed by law enforcement at the Disaster Recovery Center in West Los Angeles, 10850 Pico Blvd., and at the West Los Angeles Civic Center, 1645 Corinth Ave. Passes can be obtained daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific Coast Highway was reopened between Santa Monica and Malibu early Monday, but a stretch of the roadway was closed later Monday due to fears of possible debris or mud flows caused by two storms bearing down on the region. PCH will remain closed until at least Friday, when the rain is expected to abate, between Chautauqua Boulevard in Los Angeles and Carbon Beach Terrace in Malibu. The Eaton Fire caused at least 17 deaths, destroyed 9,418 structures and damaged 1,073 more while burning 14,021 acres. Repopulation efforts there have been completed. At least 12 people were killed in the Palisades Fire, which burned 23,448 acres, destroyed 6,837 structures and damaged 1,017 others. The cause of both fires, which began while the region was under a red flag warning for critical fire danger due to a historic wind event that saw gusts of 80 to 100 mph, remains under investigation. The Los Angeles County Office of Medical Examiner has positively identified 18 of the 29 people confirmed dead in the two wildfires. The list can be found here. Questions continued to linger about exactly how long it would take for residents to begin the rebuilding process. The EPA has been directed to complete Phase 1 cleanup within 30 days. Status updates on the EPA’s work, including an interactive map of individual fire-affected properties, are available here. Officials urged fire-affected residents to fill out “Right of Entry” forms to either opt in or out of the free Phase 2 debris-clearance program offered by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Residents have until March 31 to complete the forms, which are available online at recovery.lacounty.gov/debris- removal/ or at any FEMA Disaster Recovery Center. Swenson said previously that he anticipates the vast majority of the debris-clearance work to be completed within a year. He said previous comments about the process taking up to 18 months included potential delays involved with some properties in which ownership could be in question or the resident died. Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Kathryn Barger said the county is working on a set of guidelines for property owners who would like to put temporary “accessory dwelling units” on their fire-damaged properties, allowing them to live on site while rebuilding work is done. She noted there are pre-fabricated units available that could potentially be erected on properties quickly, providing a living space for displaced residents who have been staying in hotels or other accommodations. FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers are open at UCLA Research Park West, 10850 W. Pico Blvd., and in Altadena at 540 W. Woodbury Road, to assist homeowners with applying for aid. The center’s are open daily from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. FEMA is also operating two other centers to provide assistance to fire victims, including those from the Hurst, Sunset and Hughes fires. Those centers are at: — Sherman Oaks East Valley Adult Center, 5056 Van Nuys Blvd., building B, operating 9:30 a.m to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday; and— Ritchie Valens Recreation Center, 10736 Laurel Canyon Blvd., Pacoima, operating from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and 1 to 6 p.m. Saturdays. The deadline for fire victims to apply for FEMA financial relief is March 10. According to the county, FEMA has already approved more than $54 million in housing and other assistance for 24,575 households. More than 117,200 individuals have registered for FEMA assistance. By the time all the damage is assessed, the fires are expected to constitute the costliest natural disaster in U.S. history. The UCLA Anderson Forecast released a report Tuesday estimated that the two fires caused property damage and capital losses ranging between $95 billion and $164 billion, with insured losses at $75 billion. PREVIOUSLY on January 19: As the Santa Ana winds quieted over the weekend, there was more good news regarding containment figures for both the Palisades and Eaton blazes. The former fire is 52% contained (up from 43% yesterday) and the latter fire is contained at 81% (risen from 73%). The reprieve is much-needed for fire personnel heading into the week as another extreme wind event is expected from Monday through Tuesday night. In preparation for isolated gusts that could reach anywhere from 50 to 100 mph in wind-prone areas, as well as low humidity, red-flag parking restrictions are in place as forecasters issue a “particularly dangerous situation warning” for many Los Angeles and Ventura county locations. PREVIOUS, Jan. 18: More evacuation orders were lifted today as containment of the Eaton Fire and Palisades Fire has risen overnight due to firefighting efforts working in tandem with breaks in weather, including better humidity levels and lower winds. Containment of the Eaton blaze grew to 73%, up overnight from 65%, with helicopters providing water-dropping support to extinguish hot spots in steep, inaccessible canyons near Winters Creek, Mt. Lowe and Mt. Wilson. Meanwhile, containment of the Palisades Fire rose to 43%, up from 39% last night. While winds are expected to remain calm through the weekend, another Santa Ana wind event is expected to move in Monday and Tuesday, creating new risks for critical fire weather conditions, as well as rapid spread of any new blazes. According to the National Weather Service, gusts could reach 50 to 60 mph. PREVIOUS, Jan. 17: Cooler temperatures and calm winds enabled firefighters to expand containment on the Palisades and Eaton fires Friday, as some residents were being allowed to return to their homes. While most evacuation orders are expected to remain in place for at least another week, authorities siad evacuation orders were eased or lifted in more than three dozens zones on the outskirts of the Palisades burn area. Residents in about a dozen neighborhood zones were cleared to return to their homes on Thursday. In the Eaton Fire area, evacuations were lifted in areas southwest of Altadena Drive, north of New York Drive and east of Allen Avenue; an area east of Lake Avenue and south of Mendocino Lane; and south of Church Canyon Place, east of Old Toll Road and west of Sunset Ridge Road. On Thursday afternoon, residents along Canyon Crest Road into The Meadows east of El Prieto Road were allowed to return home. As of Friday, the Eaton Fire had burned 14,117 acres, with containment at 65%, up from 55% Thursday. The Palisades Fire is now 31% contained, up from 27% Thursday night. It has burned 23,713 acres, according to CalFire. At least 27 people are confirmed dead so far in the fires. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass on Friday appointed businessman and longtime civic leader Steve Soboroff to lead rebuilding efforts in the aftermath of the devastating Palisades Fire. “Steve Soboroff’s name is attached to hope,” Bass said. “It is attached to energy, and it is attached to many, many accomplishments. He will recommend a comprehensive city strategy for rebuilding and for expediting — expediting is a very important word here — we want to expedite the return of residents, businesses, schools, nonprofits and parks.” Bass is expected to issue a series of executive orders next week relating to recovery efforts.next week relating to recovery efforts. As firefighters are getting a reprieve from the weather at the moment, officials warn of yet another Santa Ana event this coming Monday and Tuesday. Los Angeles Public Works Department chief Mark Pestrella warned that the destruction wrought by the fires poses a danger even when the Santa Anas stop. “Properties have been damaged beyond belief. They are full of sediment, debris and hazardous materials,” he said, while assuring that debris removal would be done in conjunction with city of L.A. and the Federal Government, which would first clear away any toxic remnants. But until those toxic remnants and other debris were cleared away, a potentially greater danger, said Pestrella, could be not fire but water from winter rains. “Power, water and sewer are damaged to the point that they cannot be delivered safely in most of the areas.” Pestrella said his department was “assessing impact to the flood control system” in both the Palisades and Altadena. “Both areas suffered watershed damage burned to such a significance that we expect massive debris-laden flows when it rains,” he cautioned. “In an event that we have major rain, we do expect that all of the street areas and all of the communities will be impacted by debris flows that could be hazardous to human health. In order to address this, we are developing plans to capture and hold this debris back as much as we can during a rain event.” Southern California is currently in the grips of a La Niňa weather cycle, which portends a colder, dryer winter — thus the unprecedented January wind event of the past week. But that could change. “I have to give everybody and early warning that we do expect the window for rain to open later this month,” said Pestrella, “so we are already deploying labor forces into the area in order to ensure that the flood control system is ready — as well as our street system is ready — as much as possible for that rain event.” Southern California’s rainiest months are generally January-March, but the current long range forecast from the National Weather Service for the region predicts that “there is a 40 to 50% chance of below normal precipitation in Southern California January 22-26. Below normal is defined as the driest third of climatologically observed precipitation for mid to late January.” According to Cal Fire, detailed damage inspection maps for properties within the Palisades Fire footprint showing damaged or destroyed homes — as well as homes that are not damaged or destroyed — can be found at www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2025/1/7/palisades-fire. Los Angeles County officials said its damage assessments can be viewed at www.recovery.lacounty.gov/palisades-fire. They will be updated daily in real time. CalFire reported that detailed damage inspection maps for properties within the Eaton Fire footprint showing damaged or destroyed homes — as well as homes that are not damaged or destroyed — can be found at fire.ca.gov/incidents/2025/1/7/eaton-fire. Los Angeles County officials said its damage assessments can be viewed at recovery.lacounty.gov/eaton-fire. Those will also be updated daily in real time. The fires have also forced thousands of pets from their homes over the last two weeks, increasing the burden on local animal shelters and rescue groups who are scrambling. Here are some ways to help animals: — Los Angeles and Pasadena/Altadena have phone numbers for those needing help with animals left behind in fire zones. The city of L.A.’s number is 213-270-8155, and for Pasadena and Altadena, it’s 626-577-3752. — For those who have lost or found a ****, the city and county are partnering with Petco Love Lost, a free national lost-and-found **** database at [Hidden Content]. — Earlier this week, the Department of Animal Services and the L.A. County Department of Animal Care and Control issued a joint call for residents to help animals in need and relieve critical overcrowding at shelters by adopting or fostering those without homes. More information is available at LAanimalServices.com/about-fostering, and animalcare.lacounty.gov/become-a-foster-caretaker. PREVIOUS, Jan. 15: Two more people were behind bars today for allegedly setting small fires in Los Angeles as crews continued efforts to contain the major blazes that have killed dozens of people and destroyed roughly 13,000 structures. Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna reported there have been 44 arrests so far, 36 in the Eaton Fire area and eight in the Palisades Fire area. Those apprehensions include two men who allegedly impersonated firefighters in an effort to burglarize homes. Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell reported 14 arrests as of Tuesday morning, including curfew violations, impersonating a police officer, impersonating a firefighter, DUI, vandalism, ammunition possession, burglary and other offenses. McDonnell said officers responded at 5:15 p.m. Tuesday to Glenoaks and Van Nuys boulevards, where a resident had detained a suspect who allegedly set fire to a tree. The resident was able to douse the fire and call police. When officers arrived, the suspect admitted setting the fire, saying “he liked the smell of burning leaves,” McDonnell said. At 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, officers responded to Santa Monica Boulevard and Vermont Avenue, where a suspect was setting fire to piles of rubbish and trash, McDonnell said. Officers were able to douse the flames and arrest the suspect, who told the officers she “enjoyed causing chaos and destruction,” police said. “There are people out there who, this is what they do,” McDonnell said. McDonnell on Tuesday reported three other arrests that occurred Sunday and Monday in the San Fernando Valley and West Los Angeles, all involving people who were allegedly setting small fires. L.A. County District Attorney Nathan Hochman on Monday announced charges against 10 people — including eight for looting in recent burn areas and one for arson unrelated to the major blazes. That latter arrestee was Jose Carranza Escobar, who pleaded guilty. Hochman’s office released video of his arrest. Hochman said Wednesday morning his office had charged two additional people in arson cases. Jaime Mota, 37, is charged with one count of felony arson of property and one count of felony arson during a state of emergency. Mota is being held on $350,000 bail and if convicted as charged, faces up to seven years in prison, Hochman said. At about 2 p.m. on Saturday, Mota allegedly lit a fire in the back of a warehouse/shipping yard in the city of Industry, causing bushes, stacks of pallets and the back portion of a tractor-trailer to burn, according to the DA’s Office. The second new suspect, Ruben Michael Montes, 27, is charged with one count each of felony arson during a state of emergency; felony possession, manufacturing or disposing of flammable or combustible materials, incendiary devices, or explosives with the intent to commit arson; and misdemeanor reckless burning of personal property. At about 12:30 p.m. Sunday, Montes started a fire at the San Gabriel River (605) Freeway underpass and Rivergrade Road in Irwindale, prosecutors said. Hochman said Montes faces allegations of violating probation after committing arson, engaging in violent conduct indicating a serious danger to society, and having a history of prior felony convictions. The statutory bail for Montes is $400,000. If convicted as charged, he faces up to 14 years in prison, and was also expected to be arraigned Wednesday in the court’s West Covina branch, the DA said. Another man, Juan Manuel Sierra, was arrested Thursday in connection with the nearly 1,000-acre Kenneth Fire after first being apprehended by local residents. Sierra was reportedly caught near the source of the West Hills blaze with what appeared to be a blowtorch. He has not been charged, but remains a “person of interest.” Sierra was arrested for violating felony probation related to immigration. He is being held in a L.A. County jail. Meanwhile, leaders of federal and local law enforcement agencies have partnered to create a joint task force to investigate and prosecute fire-related crimes — including arson, looting, burglary, fraud and ******** drones — as Los Angeles County recovers from devastating wildfires, it was announced today. The Joint Regional Fire Crimes Task Force will focus on investigating and prosecuting people who try to exploit the wildfire crisis, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The task force includes representatives of the U.S. Attorney’s Office; the FBI; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Homeland Security Investigations; the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office; the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office; the Los Angeles Police Department; and the county Sheriff’s Department. PREVIOUSLY at 8 a.m.: Winds picked up again early Wednesday as firefighters worked to hold and expand containment lines on the Palisades and Eaton fires. A day after firefighters got a bit of a break with lighter winds than expected, gusts were clocked at up to 35 mph on the coast and in valleys and 55 mph in the mountains before dawn Wednesday, National Weather Service meteorologist Todd Hall said. They are expected to increase through the morning. The death toll is now 25 for the fires combined, and is expected to rise. The Palisades Fire has burned 23,717 acres and is now 19% contained. The Eaton Fire has scorched14,117 acres, with containment rising to 45% Wednesday morning, up from 35% Tuesday night. Red flag warnings of critical fire danger will be in place over much of Southern California through 6 p.m. Wednesday, with some areas under the alert until Thursday afternoon. PREVIOUS, Jan. 13, 4:25 PM: “There’s a special place in hell for you,” said Senator Adam Schiff to those who would loot neighborhoods hit by the recent fires. Then, referencing law enforcement officials standing on stage with him, Schiff continued, “And if the folks behind me have anything to say about it, there’s a special place in jail for you, too.” The Senator’s comments came just minutes after Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman announced that nine people had been charged for looting and burglary related to the Eaton and Pasadena Fires. Hochman said one person had been charged for arson. Sentences could include decades to life in prison. Three of those charged are accused of stealing $200,000 in goods from a home in Mandeville Canyon. Four others allegedly broke into a residence in Altadena and stole a number of items, including the Emmy award of the person who lived there. The arson suspect was arrested in Azusa for setting a fire in a local park on January 10. Today, the DA released video of that arrest. In other fire-related legal news, four lawsuits were filed today accusing Southern California Edison of failing to de-energize power equipment despite dire wind and fire warnings from the National Weather Service. “We’ve seen the photos, so we know that there was fire there. We don’t know what caused it,” the CEO of Edison’s parent company, Pedro Pizarro, told ABC7’s David Ono on Monday about allegations his company’s equipment caused the Eaton Fire. PREVIOUSLY at 12:05 p.m.: Containment on L.A.’s two largest fires increased slightly overnight as firefighters brace for more extreme Santa Ana winds that could quickly spread the blazes. A red flag warning is in place for parts of the city of Los Angeles and county, with wind gusts of up to 70 mph forecast between 4 a.m. Tuesday and noon Wednesday — strong enough to potentially cause “explosive fire growth,” according to the National Weather Service. The service’s Los Angeles office also emphasized areas that are in a so-called Particularly Dangerous Situation. That region, outlined in purple below, stretches from Ventura in the west to above Fillmore in the north to the area of the Eaton Fire in the east to Malibu in the South. See map. The NWS L.A. described the conditions ominously in a statement posted to social media. “PDS Red Flag Warnings are for the extreme of the extreme fire weather scenarios. In other words, this setup is about as bad as it gets. Stay aware of your surroundings. Be prepared to evacuate. Avoid anything that can spark a fire,” the statement read. Governor Gavin Newsom echoed that warning in the tweet last night, placing the current wind event in the context of others that produced destructive fires in L.A. It also was learned today that the remains of 95-year-old Dalyce Curry, an actor who appeared in films such as The Blues Brothers, The Ten Commandments and Lady Sings the Blues, among others, were found in her burned-down Altadena home Sunday. In a Facebook post on Sunday, her granddaughter Dalyce Kelley paid tribute to her late grandmother. “We had a great run. She impacted my life in so many ways,” Kelley wrote. “This loss is devastating.” The Palisades Fire has remained at 23,713 acres burned, but containment increased overnight from 11% to 14%. The Eaton Fire, burning in the hills above Altadena, is now 33% contained. It has charred 14,117 acres. As of this morning, both blazes were experiencing only sparse active fire activity, with crews focused on dousing hot spots, jumping on spot fires and extending the containment lines. Twenty-four people are confirmed dead in the fires, and officials say that number is expected to rise. PREVIOUS, 8:35 PM, Jan. 12: Certain evacuation zones have been reduced or lifted completely as progress is made on the dual Palisades and Eaton blazes. However, authorities have confirmed that the death toll, previously at 16, has risen to 24. Six people have lost their lives to the Palisades blaze, while 16 fatalities stem from the Eaton Fire. This comes after Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said 13 people were reported missing as a result of the wildfires, a figure that has since risen by 3. In terms of hopeful news, areas including Sierra Madre, Arcadia and northern Pasadena have been downgraded to evacuation warnings, and a couple zones were lifted completely. Areas in northwest Monrovia have also been lifted. For the Palisades Fire, an evacuation order for the area to the west of North Sepulveda Boulevard and I-405 has been downgraded to a warning. This is an improvement from a complete shutdown for sections of the 405 Freeway, which were blocked to ward off excess traffic in the West Los Angeles area. The current cost estimate is at $150 billion, making this crisis the most expensive Southern California fire to date. The 2018 Camp Fire, which previously held that title, cost approximately $30 billion. In other news, a majority of LAUSD schools will reopen tomorrow, save the campuses in the most severely impacted areas with evacuation orders, as air quality inspections and HVAC filter replacements for more than 1,000 schools aim to be conducted by Sunday night. However, firefighters are bracing for gusty winds up to 60 miles per hour, which are said to be resuming between Monday night and Wednesday. As of now, containment and acreage on both fires remain the same. So far, 29 people have been arrested due to curfew-related incidents, not including the two individuals who were apprehended on suspicion of flying an unauthorized drone in wildfire-impacted areas earlier today. PREVIOUS, 8:40 AM, Jan 12: A break in the winds and strong aerial assault overnight helped firefighters in their battle against L.A.’s two largest wildfires, but another round of strong Santa Ana winds is expected to move in later today. According to CalFire, “Sunday through Wednesday, widespread critical fire weather conditions are expected with strong Santa Ana winds. The strongest winds are likely on Tuesday with the Red Flag Warning expected to extend till 6 p.m. Wednesday evening.’ The Palisades Fire has scorched 23,707 acres and is now 16% contained. The Eaton Fire in Pasadena/Altadena has charred more than 14,000 acres but firefighters increased containment overnight from 15% to 27%. At least 16 people are confirmed dead in both fires and that number is expected to rise. All mandatory evacuations and warnings remain in effect. PREVIOUS, 8:30 PM, Jan. 11: Sixteen individuals are now dead as a result of the Eaton and Palisades blazes, the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner has confirmed. In total, there are five deaths attributed to the Palisades Fire and 11 related to the Eaton Fire. The three additional fatalities, up from 13 reported earlier, were discovered in Altadena today. One was found in the 3000 block of Krenz Avenue, one in the 200 block of Wapello Street and one in the 30 block of West Pine Street, per KTLA. Several of the deceased have been identified on social media or in other reports, including 66-year-old Victor Shaw, who died defending his Altadena home that had been in his family for the better part of a century. His relatives said he had some health issues that limited his mobility, and he died with a garden hose in his hand. Additionally, the county office identified one Palisades victim as an 80-year-old man, who died at a local hospital, with his identification withheld pending notification of kin. The department said the aforementioned deaths are still under investigation and subject to processing at the facility. In addition to federal, interstate and intrastate support, some 14,000 personnel were joined earlier today by a team of firefighters from Mexico, bolstering figures by contributing more than 70 first responders and disaster relief workers from Mexico’s National Forestry Commission and Ministry of Defense. Canada has also sent dozens of reinforcements and air tankers, though its Super Scooper plane — which can gather 1,500 gallons of ocean water to drop on the fires — has been grounded following a collision with an unauthorized drone. Acreage on the dual fires remain at upward of 23,000 for the Palisades Fire with 11% containment and more than 14,000 for the Eaton Fire with 11% containment. For the latter, 7,000 structures have been destroyed or damaged, with that figure expected to rise, and an additional 40,000 said to be threatened. PREVIOUS, 4:00 PM: At over 22,000 acres burned, the Palisades Fire made a strong northeast push last night, threatening the homes located in the hills north of Brentwood. With containment remaining at 11% and a large evacuation zone stretching from the Pacific Ocean to the San Diego Freeway, as well as north to the Encino Reservoir, sections of the 405 Freeway remain closed to ward off excess traffic in the West Los Angeles area. Per CNS, officials with the J. Paul Getty Trust said today that the Getty Center near Brentwood and the Getty Villa in the Pacific Palisades have both remained intact amid the wildfires. “It was a watchful but fortunately uneventful night up here at the Getty Center. We’ve been told to anticipate stronger winds later in the day and are closely monitoring the situation. Our galleries are safe and protected. Aside from a few hot spots, the Villa remains stable,” they said in a statement. As noted, first responders are preparing for stronger gusts later this evening heading into Sunday, expecting winds of 30 to 40 miles per hour. Another strong wind event is expected between Monday night and Wednesday, with gusts between 40 to 60 miles per hour. Across town, the Eaton Fire’s acreage has climbed to over 14,000, but containment has also recently increased to 15%. As a result, evacuation orders have been lifted in parts of La Cañada Flintridge, Duarte and the gated communities of the Bradbury Estates. PREVIOUS, 9:00 AM, Jan. 11: Firefighters worked through the night to curb the spread of the Palisades Fire ahead of high desert winds which are expected to intensify over the next few days. The blaze expanded northeast late Friday into the San Fernando Valley, prompting expanded mandatory evacuations and warnings. A mandatory evacuation order remains in effect for an area from Sunset Boulevard to Encino Reservoir, and from the 405 Freeway west to Mandeville Canyon, including the Getty Center, as well as voluntary evacuations that stretch to Ventura Boulevard, including a large swathe of Encino and parts of Brentwood. Eleven people have been confirmed dead in the Palisades & Eaton fires combined, L.A. County Sheriff Robert Luna announced at a Saturday morning news conference. By Saturday afternoon, the death toll in Eaton grew to eight, bringing the total to 13 confirmed deaths. The Palisades Fire has burned 21,596 acres and is now 11% contained, Luna said. At least 426 homes have been destroyed, along with 5,316 structures, including automobiles, and some 105,000 people remain evacuated. Luna said the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department has received 13 missing persons reports related to the fires, but some of those could overlap with fatalities. The National Weather Service issued a high wind watch for the San Gabriel Mountains, western Santa Monica Mountains Recreational Area and the Antelope Valley (14) Freeway that will be in effect Saturday night through Sunday afternoon. Those areas could see winds ranging from 30 to 50 mph, with possible gusts up to 60 mph. More powerful winds are expect to hit the region early next week. PREVIOUS, 8:40 PM, Jan. 10 : The Palisades Fire Friday night got over the ridge of the Santa Monica Mountains, threatening the San Fernando Valley. That triggered a new mandatory evacuation order for an area from Sunset Boulevard to Encino Reservoir, and from the 405 Freeway west to Mandeville Canyon. That region was previously under an evacuation warning. Voluntary evacuations stretch all the way to Ventura Boulevard, covering a large swathe of Encino as well as parts of Brentwood. New evacuation warnings have been issued for areas of Bel Air, just east of the 405 freeway. PREVIOUS noon: A break in the weather is allowing firefighters to make some progress Friday against multiple fires that continue to burn throughout the Los Angeles area. Winds are slightly calmer Friday, helping firefighters in their efforts, but more wind and dry conditions are expected to complicate efforts into next week. Ten people are confirmed dead, according to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner, but officials but warn the actual toll will remain unclear until access to all neighborhoods is possible. More than 153,000 people remain under evacuation orders and 10,000 structures have been destroyed between the Palisades and Eaton fires, officials said. Officials warn it will take time to get an accurate and complete death count. Meanwhile, Red Flag wind warnings remain in effects for Los Angeles County through 6 p.m. Friday, and the air-quality alert is in place until 5 p.m. And there’s more bad weather news one the way, as powerful winds are excpected to hit the region again early next week. “Right now it looks like Tuesday will be the strongest day,” National Weather Service forecasters said. “Unlike this week’s very dangerous event, which was more of a northerly wind event, this one is very likely to be a traditional [northeast] Santa Ana event. Still, the low humidities and the winds will combine to bring enhanced fire danger to the area.” On Friday, a new brush fire in the northern section of Granada Hills, named the Archer Fire, ignited shortly before 10:30 a.m., forcing an evacuation warning that included heavily urban areas of the San Fernando Valley community before forward containment could be achieved. The Los Angeles Fire Department said 31.5 acres had been burned. Its center appeared to be in or around the spacious and wooded O’Melveny Park just above Sesnon Boulevard, with neighborhoods nestled directly to the south if it. Before being slowed, an evacuation warning had included Balboa Boulevard and the 5 freeway to the east and Tampa Boulevard to the west, stretching as far south as Rinaldi Boulevard, a main east-west thoroughfare in the northern valley. The Hurst Fire in Sylmar is just a few miles to the northeast of where the Archer Fire started, across the 5 and 210 freeways. The Hurst Fire is now 37% contained. The Palisades Fire, which has burned some 20,000 acres and claimed the lives of two people, is 8% contained. Firefighters quickly got the upper hand on the Kenneth Fire, which erupted Thursday afternoon near West Hills northwest of Los Angeles. It’s now 35% contained. The blaze moved into Ventura County and firefighters managed to stop the flames from spreading. As an investigation into the cause of the fire was underway, police responded to reports of a man attempting to light a fire on Ybarra Road in Woodland Hills who had been held down by residents until law enforcement arrived. The man was interviewed by LAPD investigators and Ventura County Sheriff’s deputies, but they determined there was “not enough probable cause” to arrest him as a possible arson suspect. However, the man was arrested on suspicion of a felony probation violation. The Eaton Fire in the Altadena/Pasadena area has burned nearly 14,000 acres and is 3% contained. Los Angeles County Fire Anthony Marrone says 7,000 structures are believed to have been damaged or destroyed in the Eaton Fire. PREVIOUS, Jan. 9, 5:50 PM: Two deaths have now been reported in the Palisades Fire, which has grown to nearly 20,000 acres, Los Angeles City Fire Chief Kristin Crowley announced at a late afternoon news conference Thursday. The two deaths included one body that was removed from the rubbleof a home along Pacific Coast Highway, Crowley said. Earlier Thursday, representatives of the county Medical Examiner’s Office removed human remains from the ruins of a home in the vicinity of Duke’s restaurant in Malibu. As weary firefighters and residents are still grappling with the ongoing devastating wildfires, a new fire erupted Thursday afternoon near West Hills, northwest of Los Angeles. The Kenneth Fire had burned 960 acres by 5:30 p.m. No injuries or structural damage have been reported. A mandatory evacuation order was issued initially for an area between Vanowen and Burbank Boulevard, from County Lane Road east to Valley Circle Boulevard, but shortly before 5:30 p.m., the mandatory order was reduced to an evacuation warning, according to LAFD. Earlier evacuation warnings that were issued for an area bordered by Ingomar and Saticoy Streets south to Burbank Boulevard, from Valley Circle Boulevard east to Woodlake Avenue, have been lifted. PREVIOUS, 3 PM: Fire officials estimated that more than 5,300 structures have been destroyed by the Palisades Fire. The previous destruction estimate was 1,000+ structures burned. The news was per CalFire officials and based on an aerial survey conducted on Wednesday. A new evacuation order has been issued for a portion of Malibu on the western flank of the Palisades Fire. The section of the coastal community just given the “go” order lies north of the Malibu Pier, south of Piuma Road and east of Malibu Canyon Drive. It is sparsely populated, but the homes that DO lie within its boundaries are multi-million dollar homes. The evacuation zone also lies within the Franklin Fire burn scar that was established when that blaze swept through the region less than a month ago. That should help firefighters. The fact that the order has been issued despite the previous burn scar also says something. PREVIOUSLY at 2:01 PM: Human remains have been found in the rubble of one of the homes destroyed by the Palisades Fire, according to multiple news reports. Sheriff’s deputies made the discovery after being asked to do a ******** check on a resident who decided to stay behind. What they found was a home that had been burned to the ground in the vicinity of Pacific Coast Highway and Las Flores Canyon Road. While there they discovered the remains. The coroner’s truck was then called in. The victim has not been identified. The discovery could bring the total number of lives confirmed lost due to the fires across Los Angeles to six. The death toll from the Eaton Fire stands at five people, according to local officials. Over at that blaze on the east side of L.A., the current evacuation orders are as follows: Additionally, the entire Angeles National Forest is temporarily closed for public safety and the protection of natural resources through Wednesday, January 15. PREVIOUSLY at 11:58 AM: An immediate evacuation has been ordered for Mount Wilson and the Observatory as the Eaton Canyon Fire advances. Mount Wilson, above Los Angeles, is home to numerous television and radio transmission towers which are utilized for stations in the greater L.A. area. At last report, the fire had consumed 10,600 acres in the Pasadena and Altadena areas and was zero percent contained. There was some optimism earlier due to calmer winds Thursday, with some evacuation orders lifted. There are no homes in the area, but flames could be seen near the towers and other structures at the summit, NBC4 reports. The Eaton Canyon fire has left at least five people dead and more than 1,000 structures damaged or destroyed. Numerous injuries also have been reported. Also today, FilmLA gave an update on film permits for Greater Los Angeles: The past few days have brought unprecedented risk to life and property from multiple area wildfires, while also placing extreme demands on public safety personnel. With deepest appreciation for the efforts of local firefighters, police and paramedics at this difficult time, we advise the production community that personnel resources ordinarily available to support film production may not be available during the local State of Emergency. The numerous fires burning in Greater Los Angeles affect multiple City and County jurisdictions, including some served by FilmLA and others that are not. If prior to the fires you obtained permission from FilmLA to film in or near an evacuation zone, expect to have your permit canceled. New applications to film in or near these areas will be denied, until local permit authorities instruct us otherwise. Outside of evacuation zones, all filmmakers planning to work this week in any jurisdiction served by FilmLA, must verify that public safety personnel assigned to you will be available before you proceed. The number of damaged or destroyed structures in the devastating Palisades Fire “is believed to be in the thousands,” Los Angeles City Fire Chief Kristin M. Crowley said during a news conference Thursday morning. “It is safe to say that the Palisades Fire is one of the most destructive natural disasters in the history of Los Angeles.” Many of the structures lost are believed to be businesses or homes, Crowley said. Fierce winds have calmed slightly as firefighters continue to battle the still out-of-control blazes throughout the Los Angeles area, allowing for progress in containment and all-important aerial firefighting efforts to resume. Winds gusts up to 60 MPH are expected to continue through Thursday, according to CalFIre. Red flag warnings remain in effect through 6 p.m. Friday for much of L.A. and Ventura counties due to moderate to strong Santa Ana winds and low humidities, according to the National Weather Service. Nearly 180,000 people remain under evacuation orders, LA County Sheriff Robert Luna said at the morning news conference. The evacuation order extends throughout the Pacific Palisades to the Pacific Ocean, including portions of Santa Monica, Malibu and Topanga. Residents and businesses in Calabasas remain under an evacuation warning on Thursday. As to fatalities, Luna previously said five people had died in Pasadena’s Eaton Fire but today said the number of fatalities is uncertain, with the true extent of the damage still being assessed. Acreage statistics have remained mainly unchanged since Wednesday. The Palisades Fire has burned 17,234 acres with zero percent containment, Luna said. The Eaton Fire in Pasadena and Altadena has charred 10,600 acres and is zero percent contained. The Sunset Fire in the Hollywood Hills scorched nearly 43 acres and also is zero percent contained. All evacuation orders were lifted for those impacted by the Sunset Fire at 7:30 a.m. Thursday. One of the fires that also erupted Wednesday, the Woodley Fire near the Sepulveda Basin in the San Fernando Valley, is fully contained at 30 acres. Luna also said 20 people have now been arrested for allegedly looting in the various fire areas in the county. “Unfortunately, I expect that to go up,” he said, adding that deputies will begin arresting anyone who is in an evacuation area without authorization. PREVIOUS, 12:30 AM: Nearly 2,000 structures have been burned across Los Angeles in the past 48 hours, 1,000 in the Palisades Fire and 972 in the Eaton Fire in and around Altadena. Additionally, in addition to the five people who have been killed in the latter blaze, five firefighters have also been injured. Of note, at least one firefighter was hurt battling the Palisades Fire. The area scorched by the Palisades Fire was updated late tonight from a bit over 15,000 acres to 17,234 acres. Three more structures burned in Studio City when what seemed to be spot fires caused multiple ignitions. On the other side of the hill, the Sunset Fire near Runyon Canyon scorched 60 acres in the Hollywood Hills. In Santa Monica, city officials instituted a curfew from from sunset to sunrise in the areas where a mandatory evacuation order is in effect. PREVIOUSLY at 2:54 p.m.: Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna says five people have now died in the Eaton Fire burning in the Altadena and Pasadena areas. Luna told KNX News there is no additional information available about the deaths. The number of lives lost stood at two this morning. President Joe Biden has approved a major disaster declaration in response to the wildfires burning in the Los Angeles area, which allows those impacted to immediately access federal funds. FEMA also approved a grant to reimburse the state for firefighting costs. The federal government has provided five U.S. Forest Service tankers and 10 firefighting helicopters to support local and state operations. Biden appeared at a Santa Monica fire station and in a statement posted to X, he said, “Over 100,000 people have been ordered to evacuate communities impacted by the Southern California wildfires. At least two people have been killed. And many more are injured — including firefighters. It’s devastating. To the residents of Southern California: We are with you.” Meanwhile, Former President Barack Obama also weighed in. Also, the City of Santa Monica has updated its evacuation order to include the portion of the city north of Montana and west of 11th Street. The area was previously under an evacuation warning. A new warning was issued for the section of the city that runs south to Wilshire Blvd., west to the Pacific Ocean and east to 10th Ct. President Biden was briefed by local officials this morning on the battle against the four major wildfires ringing Northern Los Angeles and it wasn’t good news. Per an Associated Press analysis, the Palisades Fire on L.A.’s Westside is now the most destructive in the city’s history, having destroyed 1,000 structures. Previously, the 2008 Sayre Fire in Sylmar that destroyed 604 structures held that dubious distinction. For those with longer memories who recall the devastating Bel-Air Fire in 1960, that blaze took close to 500 structures. Among those structures was Will Rogers’ historic ranch house at Will Rogers State Park. The State Parks and Recreation Department announced the loss today along with “more than 30 structural losses at Topanga State Park and Will Rogers SHP.” As of 11:20 a.m. this morning, the Palisades Fire had grown to more than 11,800 acres, more than double the number released earlier this morning. By 1:30 p.m., that number had jumped to 15,832 acres. The Associated Press reported that over 1.5 million people in Southern California were without power due to the fires and winds. Of those, 957,000 were in L.A. County and 334,000 in Ventura County. On the opposite end of L.A. County the Eaton Fire, which started last night above Altadena, had grown nearly as large at 10,600 acres burned. Two other fires, the Hurst Fire which broke out in Sylmar near the junction of the 5 and 14 Freeways and the Woodley Fire in the Sepulveda Basin, were at 700 acres and 30 acres, respectively. Around 1 p.m., Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger said between 200 to 500 structures had been destroyed, and another 13,000 structures were at risk. More than 32,500 residents were placed under evacuation orders in the nearby regions including Pasadena and Altadena, she said. One of the structures that was destroyed in the fire was the Pasadena Jewish Temple & Center. All those blazes were fanned by heavy, unpredictable winds. The top gusts over the past 48 hours include Mount Lukens Truck Trail above La Crescenta at 100 mph, Magic Mountain Truck Trail near Sylmar at 90 mph, Saddle Peak in Malibu at 98 mph, Hollywood-Burbank Airport at 84 mph and Eaton Canyon at 70 mph. A portion of that flank of the fire was nearing the Franklin Fire burn scar, which could prove helpful to firefighters. Per the National Weather Service, “The high speed river of air remains over LA County this morning and is fueling a widespread major wind event. The core of this low level jet will slowly move southward during the day and this will cause the winds over LA to slowly decrease. Since the wind speeds are so high now (mtn gusts 70 to 90 mph) the slow decrease will not bring the winds down to below warning levels until early evening.” Another Santa Ana event is on tap for Friday, according to the NWS. L.A. County emergency officials said this morning that more than 50,000 people had been evacuated due to the fires and more than 1,400 firefighters were engaged. More than 320,000 people were reportedly without power. The evacuation/warning zones for the Palisades blaze was expanded to the west this morning, with an area west of Malibu Canyon Road encompassing Malibu Creek State Park and the historic M*A*S*H set and the area where the original Planet of the Apes and many other films and TV shows were shot. See the yellow area on the left of the map below. At noon, KTLA5 broadcast video of the fire making a push north toward Old Topanga and Calabasas at Saddle Peak Road. The outlet’s airborne reporter, from his vantage in a helicopter, said the fire seemed to be spreading “in every direction.” In addition to the devastation in the hills, homes along PCH were also hit. The good news is that the evacuation order zone established last night in Santa Monica — north of San Vicente — did not grow. Over near Altadena, the evacuation zone — in red below — grew massively overnight as flames moved into neighborhoods below Eaton Canyon, where the fire sparked. The evacuation warning zone expanded in nearly every direction, including into the City of Pasadena north of the 210. All of those blazes are currently at 0% containment. PREVIOUSLY at 8:39 a.m.: Fierce winds continue to drive multiple wildfires in the Los Angeles area, leaving two people dead, multiple people injured and more than 320,000 people without power. The Palisades Fire has churned through more than 5,000 acres and destroyed some 1,000 structures, Los Angeles County Fire Anthony Marrone said at a morning news conference in Pacific Palisades, covered by all major broadcast and cable networks. There are a “high number of significant injuries to residents who did not evacuate, in addition to first responders who were on the fire lines,” he said. The cause of the fire is unknown and is under investgation. Television news footage shows homes on the beach in nearby Malibu burned to the ground. The Eaton Fire in Pasadena, which broke out late last night, has burned over 2,000 acres. Two civilians are reported dead and multiple people have suffered significant injuries, Marrone said. An estimated 100 structures have been destroyed. The cause of the Eaton Fire also is unknown and under investigation. One of the structures destroyed in the Eaton fire was the Pasadena Jewish Temple & Center, NBC4 reported. The Hurst Fire in the San Fernando Valley, which also broke out late yesterday, has burned 500 acres. In addition to the Palisades, Eaton and Hurst fires, a fourth fire — the Woodley Fire in Sepulveda Basin — has broken out. A fifth one, the Tyler Fire, started burning in Riverside County, scorching 15 acres so far. A smoke advisory has been issued around much of the Malibu Coast to Santa Monica, stretching all the way east to Pasadena, through 5 p.m. Wednesday. The Palisades Fire has destroyed many parts of its namesake enclave, including portions of Palisades Village and, up the coast a bit, The Reel Inn and Topanga Ranch Motel on PCH at Topanga Canyon Boulevard. The fires have forced the closure of Universal Hollywood Studios theme and Universal CityWalk, as well as access to the Hollywood Sign, Griffith Park and Los Angeles Zoo. [Hidden Content] The blaze continued to spread, fanned by high winds that topped out at 38 mph in the Palisades, 56 mph in Topanga and 59 mph at the Santa Monica Airport at 9:34 p.m. In Eastern Malibu, Saddle Peak clocked gusts to 98 mph at 9:37 p.m. Those wind speeds are expected to increase in the coming hours before lessening somewhat just before dawn. Winds are expected to remain high until Wednesday evening in most areas, with some pockets seeing elevated gusts through Friday. As a result of the firestorm, a 25-year-old female firefighter sustained a serious head injury as a result of the Palisades Fire. She was treated at the scene and taken to a hospital for further evaluation and treatment, according to Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman Capt. Erik Scott. Scott also said multiple burn victims were reported walking toward Duke’s Malibu restaurant at approximately 9 p.m. Incident operations redirected medical resources to the location to provide evaluation and treatment. The City of Santa Monica has issued an evacuation order for all areas of the city north of San Vicente. “Evacuation Order: Immediate threat to life. This is a lawful order to LEAVE NOW. The area is closed to public access.” See the map below from the Santa Monica Police Department for the exact parameters of the order (in red) as well as the area north of Montana, which is under an evacuation warning. Per the city, an evacuation warning is defined thusly: “Potential threat to life and/or property. Those who require additional time to evacuate, and those with pets and livestock should leave now.” All Malibu schools will be closed again tomorrow due to the continuing winds and the Palisades Fire, according to the Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District. Even as today’s devastating Palisades Fire has scorched close to 3,000 acres and prompted evacuations through the Pacific Palisades and Topanga “get set” warnings north to Calabasas, a new blaze is spreading rapidly in the hills above Altadena. Multiple evacuations have already been issued in Altadena itself and even a portion of Pasadena. See portions in red in map below. Evacuation warnings have been issued down to the 210 Freeway in Pasadena proper. See areas in yellow below. Meanwhile on the west side, the Palisades Fire has reached the campus of Pali High, with CBS News National Correspondent sharing video of the conflagration. PREVIOUSLY at 6:30 p.m.:The size of the Palisades Fire and its evacuation zone have nearly doubled in size in just under two hours. From 1,260 acres just before 3 p.m. today, the fire exploded to 2,920 acres at 6:30 p.m. Likewise, while the “must leave” list included most of the Palisades and a section of the Malibu coast moving west, at 6 p.m. the evacuation orders were expanded to include most of Topanga Canyon and the Malibu coast past Las Flores Canyon to just east of the pier. See updated chart, with evacuation orders in red and evacuation orders in yellow, directly below. Also of note: For the first time the evacuation warnings include areas of Calabasas south of the 101 as well as the area around the Malibu Pier, potentially indicating the directions in which the fire is moving. The environs of central Malibu outside city hall and the shopping district were, of course, scorched less than a month ago by the Franklin Fire. That blaze scorched thousands of acres which could act as a buffer to further spread of today’s fire to the west. KTLA5 has reported that brush near the Getty Center had caught fire, prompting concerns for the building itself. A post on the facility’s X account confirmed some trees and vegetation had been scorched, but “no structures are on fire, and staff and the collection remain safe.” Deadline confirmed earlier that The following Los Angeles Unified School District schools will be closed tomorrow due to the Palisades Fire: Canyon Charter Elementary School, Marquez Charter Elementary School, Palisades Charter Elementary School, and Paul Revere Charter Middle School. District officials say they will monitor the fire on Wednesday and potentially shift those campuses to remote learning on Thursday. PREVIOUSLY at 4:15 p.m.: “Hell of a way to start a new year,” said California Governor Gavin Newsom this afternoon at a news conference related to the Palisades Fire. After thanking local officials and first responders he added, “By no stretch of the imagination are we out of the woods.” Indeed, city, county and federal officials have already declared states of emergency. Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell said 30,000 people had been evacuated in the approximately sic hours since the blaze began in the area of N Piedra Morada Drive. Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Kristen Crowley indicated that 10,000 households had been evacuated. While no injuries had thus far been reported, she said that “multiple structures” had been damaged. The fire was moving west. PREVIOUSLY at 2:50 p.m.: Homes have been destroyed as high winds forecast to increase to between 40 and 60 miles per hour later this afternoon fanned a wildfire that has now scorched 1260-plus acres in Pacific Palisades. According to reports multiple homes have been destroyed. While it began as a 10 acre blaze at about 10:30 a.m. in the area of N Piedra Morada Dr near The Highlands, the incident quickly became a 200-plus acre blaze in less than an hour, threatening homes with smoke blowing West toward the Getty Villa. The museum is closed to the public today, but a source tells Deadline the people working there were told to leave. The facility reportedly has a very detailed plan to keep the art safe, including fireproof walls. There are over 250 LAFD firefighters battling the blaze, in addition to those from neighboring agencies. Eastbound Pacific Coast Highway has been closed at Topanga Canyon Boulevard. Eastbound lanes of PCH were also closed at Las Flores Canyon Road, according L.A.C.S.D Public Information Officer Tuyet Alcala. Traffic was being diverted on the Santa Monica Freeway at Lincoln Boulevard to keep people from entering the area. Sunset Boulevard at Palisades Drive was also reportedly impassible, with firefighters potentially using the thoroughfare as a firebreak. At about 12:30 p.m., with local roads choked with traffic and some people abandoning their cars, residents were evacuating on foot, according to Captain Eric Scott of the Los Angeles Fire Department. On KTLA5, a local resident — who the young reporter did not recognize as actor Steve Gutenberg — plead with people who were abandoning their cars to at least leave the keys in them so others could move the vehicles blocking their way. “This is not a parking lot,” said the actor. “If you leave your car on Palisades Drive, leave the keys in it so a guy like me can move it.” Evacuation orders were issued at about noon for the area around Piedra Morada, according to multiple news outlets. Areas near Topanga to the west and Rustic Canyon to the east were reportedly under evacuation warnings. Emergency officials are urging anyone in the path of the fire to leave the area. In fact, one former ABC7 local TV reporter was live on the air from her home and had to get off when she received the evacuation order. An alert sent out by the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff Station warned of “immediate threat to life.” See map below for current evacuations as of 1 p.m. Mandatory evacuations are in red and evacuation warnings are in yellow. Local TV stations broke into coverage of former President Jimmy Carter’s memorial services to cover the incident, with remote crews staging shots from the beach parking lots on PCH with a billowing ****** plume in the background. The smoke could also be seen across most of West Los Angeles. [Hidden Content] Actor James Woods posted close-up video of flames approaching the back deck of his home. Former Fall Guy actress and writer Heather Thomas posted several videos of the fire on a hill nearby, noting in one clip that “both of my daughters live across the canyon and [are] evacuating over here.” Thomas’ husband is Ziffren Brittenham LLP founding partner Skip Brittenham. The National Weather Service in has been warning for several days that today’s windstorm would bring extreme fire conditions as it couples very high winds with very low humidity. Winds were clocked at 46 mph in the Palisades this morning. Humidity is expected to be critically low on Wednesday. As of about noon, SCE had begun emergency power shutdowns to prevent power lines blown down by winds from sparking fires. Areas effected included the Point Dume area and up the the coast into Western Malibu. You can watch a time lapse video of the start and growth of the Pacific Palisades fire below. City News Service contributed to this report. Best of Deadline Sign up for Deadline’s Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Source link #Property #Damage #Estimated #28B53.8B #Full #Recovery Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

What to know about the deadly measles outbreak infecting Texas children – The Washington Post What to know about the deadly measles outbreak infecting Texas children – The Washington Post What to know about the deadly measles outbreak infecting Texas children The Washington PostDo You Need a Measles Booster? The New York TimesRobert F. Kennedy Jr. describes major measles outbreak as ‘not unusual’ during Cabinet meeting The Associated PressWhat RFK Jr. has said about the ongoing measles outbreak Vox.comHow to protect yourself from measles as vaccination rates decline across the nation KOMO News Source link #deadly #measles #outbreak #infecting #Texas #children #Washington #Post Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Your new favorite teacher might be this AI educator that never loses their patience Your new favorite teacher might be this AI educator that never loses their patience StudyFetch’s new Tutor Me is an interactive AI that can converse with students as it teaches Tutor Me builds its lessons from textbooks, notes, and assignments uploaded by the student The AI personalizes lectures and quizzes to the students and can track their progress AI can impart a lot of knowledge but isn’t usually a very good teacher. Sometimes, it’s more like glorified search engines than a study partner. Educational tech developer StudyFetch has a new tool that might change that opinion. Tutor Me is an AI platform focused specifically on teaching students. The idea is something like a ChatGPT that is specially trained to perform as a teacher on specific subjects without needing to constantly tailor your prompts for that purpose. The biggest difference from just asking ChatGPT to teach you something is that Tutor Me is built to work with a student’s actual course materials, so its explanations, quizzes, and lesson plans are always based on what they’re actually studying. You can upload lesson texts, assigned readings, notes from online lessons, or even photos of whiteboards that Tutor Me will analyze to develop a unique study guide and curriculum. Tutor Me acts like an online conference with a teacher. The AI responds in real-time, just like a human tutor would. But unlike a human tutor, it never runs out of patience or time. You can ask it to test your knowledge by requesting a quiz, ask it to speed up or slow down its explanations and speaking speed, and even bring up a topic by referencing a textbook page number. If you find flashcards dry and detached, StudyFetch’s AI might be ideal for helping you stay interested in any given subject. Plus, it can track your progress and help you keep up on your lessons and assignments. Learn AI Considering more than a quarter of teens already use ChatGPT to help with homework, something like Tutor Me probably has a lot of potential interest. OpenAI isn’t the only alternative as an educational AI provider, though. Google Gemini has its own Learn About feature, and Khan Academy’s Khanmigo has an AI-driven tutor for students looking to supplement class time. Educational institutes are taking notes as well. Arizona State University (****) is working with OpenAI to incorporate ChatGPT, and London’s David Game College is running an AI-taught class as part of its new Sabrewing program. Still, the direct integration with course materials will likely aid Tutor Me in standing out. It solves the complaint about AI being too general and offering answers that don’t quite match what you want to learn about. Pulling from actual lesson plans and assignments reduces Tutor Me’s chances of going off-topic a lot. You might also like Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Source link #favorite #teacher #educator #loses #patience Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Cook Islands China deal riles allies as West’s grip loosens Cook Islands China deal riles allies as West’s grip loosens Katy Watson Pacific correspondent Getty Images The remote and resource-rich Cook Islands has antagonised old allies over a deal with China The Cook Islands may be small but the ambitions of its leader are mighty and his signing of a range of deals with China without consulting the public or New Zealand – an ally to which it is closely tied – has caused increasing irritation and concern. The agreements are the first of their kind with a country that is not a traditional ally. They cover infrastructure, ship-building, tourism, agriculture, technology, education and, perhaps crucially, deep-sea mineral exploration. Prime Minister Mark Brown says his decisions will be based on the “long-term interests” of the Cook Islands, which are remote, resource-rich and vulnerable to climate change. Not everyone agrees with him. The new, wide-ranging deals with Beijing have led to protests on Rarotonga – the largest Cook Island – and a vote of no confidence against Brown in parliament, which he survived earlier this week. They have also worried Australia, another powerful ally. New Zealand said it was “blindsided” by the China deals, but Brown believes his country is independent and does not need to consult Wellington on issues he says are of no concern to them. He has, nevertheless, tried to reassure Australia and New Zealand that the deals with China don’t replace their relationships. But the apparent snub comes at a time when the West’s grip on the Pacific seems to be loosening. The rise of China in the Pacific isn’t new. Whether it’s bagging a security deal in the Solomon Islands or providing medical services in Tonga, China’s presence in the region has been growing. And the US and its allies have made a consistent effort to counter that. But now there is a new dynamic at play as the Trump administration upends relationships with allies such as Ukraine and appears increasingly unpredictable. The Cook Islands has had what’s known as a “free association” relationship with New Zealand, a former coloniser, since the 1960s – meaning Wellington helps on issues like defence and foreign affairs, and that Cook Islanders hold New Zealand citizenship. The two countries are very close. There are around 15,000 Cook Islanders living in the Pacific island nation, but as many as 100,000 live in New Zealand and Australia. Culturally, Cook Island Māori – who make up the majority of the population – are also closely related to, but distinct from, New Zealand Māori. “[The relationship with NZ] connects us politically and connects us to our brothers and sisters of Aotearoa [the Māori word for New Zealand] – they left our shores to sail to Aotearoa. We need to remember that,” said Cook Islander Jackie Tuara at the recent protest against Brown’s deals with China. “Let us stand in partnership with countries that have the same democratic principles as we are a democratic nation, are we not? We don’t want to see our land and our oceans sold to the highest bidder. Those resources are for us – for our children, for their future.” The deals Brown has made with China aren’t the only sign that he wants to pull away from New Zealand that have caused concern. He recently abandoned a proposal to introduce a Cook Islands passport following a public outcry. In a nation that is not used to huge displays of protest, several hundred people recently gathered outside parliament in Rarotonga, holding up placards that read: “Stay connected with NZ”. But for all those who are opposed to Brown’s recent moves away from New Zealand, there are plenty of Cook Islanders who back him. China specialist Philipp Ivanov, in apparent agreement with the prime minister, says that “the Pacific island nations have their own agency, their own motivations and their own capabilities”. He believes that the recent developments in the Cook Islands are “all part of that little great game that’s going on between Australia and China and New Zealand in the Pacific. It’s a whack-a-mole kind of game.” Getty Images PM Mark Brown says he is securing the interests of his people Testing the waters While the US has long been a dominant force in security and military in the region, China has tried to strengthen its ties with the small but strategic Pacific Island nations through aid, infrastructure and security deals. In response, the likes of the US and the *** have beefed up their diplomatic presence across the region. Australia too has made it clear it will redouble its support. But it’s unclear to what extent US President Donald Trump will continue his predecessor’s commitments in the region to counter China – and Beijing is taking advantage of that. Last week, planes flying between New Zealand and Australia were diverted after China conducted military exercises involving live fire. Both Australia and New Zealand had been trailing the three ******** warships that were making their way down the eastern coast of Australia in what experts say is an escalation and unexpected show of power. *********** Defence Force ******** vessels have sailed close to Australia and New Zealand recently “It’s a pretty efficient way of testing the diplomatic response in both the Australia-China and New Zealand-China bilateral relationship, and what the US is prepared to say in defence [of its allies],” says defence analyst Euan Graham, from the *********** Strategic Policy Institute. “It’s also making the point that in the numbers game, China will always be ahead of smaller countries with smaller navies and Australia’s navy is at a historic low.” Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was keen to emphasise that no international laws were broken and that the drills were carried out in international waters. Indeed, many have pointed out that Australia and its allies often sail warships through the South China Sea. “I’d see it as China wanting to capitalise on the chaotic effect that Trump is having right now,” says Mihai Sora, director of the Pacific Islands programme at Australia’s Lowy Institute. “China is taking advantage of that moment to [say], look Australia, you are actually alone. Where is the United States in all of this?” A balancing act Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong freely admits “we are in a permanent state of contest in our region, that is the reality”. In speaking out about the warships last week, Australia’s government was trying to reassure the public about China’s intentions, while also wanting to tell Australians that it’s all in hand. That is not a coincidence as Australia heads towards a federal election in the coming months. “[Opposition leader Peter] Dutton comes from this national security and home affairs background, so the government doesn’t want to give him any air to criticise Labor,” Philipp Ivanov says. “Being weak on China would be disastrous for them, given what’s going on in the US and given our own elections.” Getty Images The US has traditionally been a strong backer of Pacific Island nations But it also brings into focus the dilemma this part of the world faces. “Canberra will be contesting every single move that Beijing tries to make … and it reflects the fact that Canberra and Beijing have diverging strategic interests,” says James Laurenceson, the director of Australia-China Relations Institute at the University of Technology Sydney. But, he adds, they also have “enormous commonalities” – China is Australia’s largest trading partner – and New Zealand’s – for instance. “So you’ve got to be able to ride both these horses at the same time.” It’s not an easy relationship – it never has been. The ******* surprise is that of the US, a traditional ally. Although many in the Trump administration still describe China as a grave threat, US allies are unsure what to expect from the Washington-Beijing relationship. And now, as Trump threatens steel and aluminium tariffs and a withdrawal of foreign assistance, Australia feels more isolated than ever. The recent activity of China’s warships in the Tasman Sea serves to highlight that isolation. “I wouldn’t think of them as military acts, so much as political acts using military hardware,” Mr Ivanov says. “I think the political act is to say, look, we can do this anytime we want. You can’t do anything about it, and the United States is not doing anything about it, because they’re busy tearing down the global system.” Source link #Cook #Islands #China #deal #riles #allies #Wests #grip #loosens Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Why many police cases are falling apart Why many police cases are falling apart Getty Images More than 50 people, mostly Muslims, died in the 2020 religious clashes in Delhi Five years after deadly religious riots engulfed India’s capital Delhi, there is no legal closure in sight for the people involved. A BBC Hindi analysis has found that more than 80% of the cases related to the violence where courts gave decisions have resulted in acquittals or discharges. More than 50 people, mostly Muslims, were killed after clashes broke out between Hindus and Muslims over a controversial citizenship law in February 2020. The violence – the deadliest the city had seen in decades – stretched on for days, with hundreds of homes and shops set on fire by violent mobs. The BBC had earlier reported on incidents of police brutality and complicity during the riots. The police have denied any wrongdoing and in their investigation, alleged that the violence was “pre-planned” as a part of a larger conspiracy to “threaten India’s unity” by the people who were protesting against the law. They registered 758 cases in connection with the investigation and arrested more than 2,000 people. This included 18 student leaders and activists who were arrested in a case that came to be known as the “main conspiracy case”. They were charged under a draconian anti-terror law that makes it nearly impossible to get bail. Only six of them have been released in five years, and some like activist Umar Khalid are still in jail, waiting for a trial to begin. BBC Hindi examined the status of all the 758 cases filed in relation to the riots and analysed the 126 cases in which the Karkardooma court in Delhi had given decisions. More than 80% of these 126 cases resulted in acquittals or discharges as witnesses turned hostile, or did not support the prosecution’s case. Only 20 of these cases saw convictions. Under Indian law, an accused is discharged when a court closes a case without a trial because there isn’t sufficient evidence to go ahead. An acquittal is when the court finds the accused not guilty after a full trial. In 62 of the 758 cases that were filed on charges related to *******, there was only one conviction and four acquittals, data accessed by the BBC through India’s Right to Information law shows. Getty Images Several neighbourhoods in the city’s northeastern parts were set on fire in the violence A detailed analysis of the 126 orders also showed that in dozens of cases, the court came down heavily on the Delhi police for lapses in investigations. In some cases, it criticised the police for filing “predetermined chargesheets” that “falsely implicated” the accused. In most of the 126 cases, police officials were presented as witnesses to the events. But for various reasons, the court did not find their testimonies credible. Judges have pointed out inconsistencies in the police statements, delays in identification of the accused by the police and, in some instances, cast doubts over whether policemen were even present when the violence broke out. In two orders, the judge said that he could not “restrain” himself from saying that when history looked back at the riots, the “failure of the investigating agency to conduct a proper investigation” would “torment the sentinels of democracy”. The court was hearing cases filed against three men on charges of arson and looting – but concluded they had been arrested without any “real or effective investigation”. The Delhi police did not respond to the BBC’s request for comment. In a report filed last April, the police had told the court that all investigations were carried out in a “credible, fair and impartial” way. Getty Images Police have claimed the riots were part of a ‘wider conspiracy’ Testimonies from some of the accused and even the court’s own observations, however, raise questions about the investigation. Shadab Alam, who spent 80 days in jail, says he can never forget the terror of the riots. He had taken shelter on the rooftop terrace of a medicine store where he worked with a few others. Just hours earlier, the police had arrived at the shop and asked them to shut it because of ongoing arson. “Suddenly, they [the police] came again and took a few of us into their van,” he told the BBC. When he asked the police why he was being taken, he said, they accused him of participating in rioting. “They asked us our names and beat us up. Almost all of us arrested were Muslims,” Mr Alam said. He added that he submitted his medical report before the court that confirmed three injuries. In its official report, the police charged Mr Alam and 10 other Muslims of burning down a shop. But the court discharged all of them even before the trial could begin. In its observations, the court criticised the police investigation saying that the witness’s statements could have been “artificially prepared”, and that “in all probabilities” the shop was burnt by a “mob of persons from the Hindu community”. It said the police did not pursue the case in that direction, despite being present when the incident happened. Shadab Alam spent 80 days in jail Mr Alam had to wait four years for the case to be officially closed. “All this happened during Covid-19 pandemic. There was a lockdown. We were in a state of frenzy,” said Dilshad Ali, Alam’s father. “In the end, nothing was proved. But we had to spend so much time and money to prove our innocence.” He said the family wanted monetary compensation for their losses. “If the police made a false case against my son, then action should be taken against them,” he added. In another case, the court acquitted Sandip Bhati, who was accused of dragging and beating a ******* man during the riots. The police had submitted two videos to show Mr Bhati was the culprit. But in court, his lawyer said that the police had submitted an incomplete clip to frame his client. In the full video, which the BBC has verified, Mr Bhati is seen saving the ******* man instead of beating him up. In its order in January, the court ruled that the police “manipulated” the video to “frame” Mr Bhati instead of tracing the “actual culprits”. It also asked the commissioner of Delhi police to take appropriate action against the investigating officer in the case. The police did not respond to BBC Hindi’s question on whether this had been done. Mr Bhati, who spent four months in prison, refused to comment, saying he did not wish to discuss his “ordeal”. Activists like Gulfisha Fatima are still in jail with cases dragging on for years With so many acquittals, former Supreme Court judge Madan Lokur said, the prosecution and police “should sit down to introspect what they have achieved in five years”. He also said that “accountability needs to be fixed on the prosecution as well if the arrest is found to be ******** or unnecessary”. “If the prosecution puts someone in jail because they have the power to do so or because they want to do so, they should not be allowed to get away with it if the incarceration is found to be ******** or unnecessary,” he added. Even as some cases fall apart in courts, many of those arrested are still languishing in jail awaiting a trial. Gulfisha Fatima, a 33-year-old PhD aspirant, is among 12 activists who are still in jail on charges of being “conspirators” of the riots. Her family said three other police cases were lodged against her and she got bail in all of them. But she continues to face incarceration in a fourth case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) – the stringent anti-terror law that sets exceptionally challenging conditions for bail. “Since she’s gone to jail, with every hearing we hope she will finally come out,” her father Syed Tasneef Hussain told the BBC. In Ms Fatima’s case, after months of hearing the bail plea, the judge from the Delhi High Court got transferred in 2023, and now the entire case is being heard again. “Sometimes I wonder if I’ll be able to see her or if I’ll die before that,” Mr Hussain said. Follow BBC News India on Instagram, YouTube, Twitter and Facebook. Source link #police #cases #falling Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

‘I’ve lost 4,500 sheep to thieves on Dartmoor’ ‘I’ve lost 4,500 sheep to thieves on Dartmoor’ Charlotte Cox BBC South West Investigations BBC Farmer Colin Abel says he knows of farmers who are thinking of quitting or bringing their sheep off the moors “It’s beginning to feel like the Wild West up here when it comes to sheep crime – it’s soul-destroying,” says farmer Colin Abel, scanning his flock high up on west Dartmoor farmland. This winter – like most years – Mr Abel is missing more than 400 ewes. He says in the last decade he has lost nearly £500,000 worth of livestock to sheep rustling, which is pushing some farmers to the brink of quitting or bringing their flocks off the moors. Devon and Cornwall Police says livestock theft is challenging to police but its officers are “pursuing every line of inquiry” through “forensics, surveillance, tracking and more”. Colin Abel hopes more police action and advances in technology could hold the answer to sheep theft Sheep have grazed on Dartmoor in Devon for centuries but roaming free, they are hard to keep an eye on and the national park is among the five worst areas in the country for sheep rustling. Mr Abel’s family has run Lower Godsworthy Farm in Tavistock since 1888. He estimates more than 4,500 sheep have gone missing in the last decade and with each **** worth roughly £120, that is more than £500,000 worth of livestock, he says. His hardy upland flock of Scotch Blackface and Welsh mountain sheep spend nine-and-a-half months of the year on the moor, where they are most vulnerable to theft. “It impacts financially and on the viability of the business,” he says. “I know farmers who are thinking about whether they want to continue.” PC Julian Fry says they are pursuing all lines of enquiry Dartmoor’s remote landscape makes livestock vulnerable to theft, while also making it challenging to police. Martin Beck, who was appointed in 2024 as the ***’s first national livestock theft specialist police officer, says more than 1,300 sheep were reported stolen in Devon and Cornwall in 2024. Of those, nearly 800 reports – or 62% – related to west Dartmoor. According to Mr Beck, more than 10,000 sheep were reported stolen in the *** in 2024, meaning more than 10% of logged thefts were in this region. Tracking stolen sheep is challenging, he says, adding they can end up on the ******** meat market, in other farmers’ flocks, or being sold on the ****** market, online or at markets. With ear tags easily removed by criminals, the animals’ disease and medicine status are unknown – creating a risk to consumers if they end up in the food chain. They could also be illegally slaughtered in uncontrolled conditions, he says. Mr Beck, who is based in Devon, has called for “more investment and training in rural policing and technology” to address the issue. No prosecutions There have been no prosecutions for sheep theft in the last five years for Devon and Cornwall. The challenge is complicated by the suspected involvement of people from the farming industry, says PC Julian Fry from Devon and Cornwall Police’s Rural Affairs Team. “The tragedy of this situation is that to steal livestock you have to know livestock and have the networks to shift them on.” PC Fry, who grew up on the edge of Dartmoor and knows the farming community well, says despite the challenges, officers are working with abattoirs, commoners and farmers to build intelligence and employ “lots of tactical options”. “Any report of livestock theft we take seriously, investigate and pursue all lines of inquiry,” he adds. “We hope to make this crime a thing of the past.” Rural insurer NFU Mutual estimates livestock theft cost £2.7m in 2023, although Mr Abel says he quit reporting his losses to avoid higher premiums. Farmer Neil Cole says younger generations may not want to enter the profession Seven miles east across the moor, dense fog descends as farmer Neil Cole leads the way across a pen at his farm in Princetown. As he glances through the gloom at his huddle of shuffling and bleating Scottish Blackface sheep, he says: “Imagine you are creating a piece of art and someone sticks their finger nails through it, that’s what it’s like breeding good sheep for generations and trying to do it well – for someone to nick 50 of them is soul-destroying, all that profit gone. “It does affect our mental health. “We turn out 220 lambs expecting to get 160 back – at £150 a lamb we’re in the lap of the gods until we gather.” Mr Cole says they lost £7,000 to theft this year, amid existing financial challenges including mortgages and debts. A report on Dartmoor by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) describes farming on Dartmoor as “economically extremely marginal”. Mr Cole adds: “The economics of keeping sheep on the moor is becoming harder and harder so the younger generation aren’t taking it on as much. “I’ve heard farmers say they are ready to give up and the sheep are important for the ecology of the moor. “It’s not the sort of thing you can steal if you don’t have the knowledge. It is causing divisions in the community.” Colin Abel is now trialling the No Fence app on his flock Mr Abel has trialled satellite trackers from a firm called No Fence on 20 of his sheep. But at £199 per device plus a monthly subscription, he says it is prohibitively expensive to extend the measure to the rest of his 4,500-strong flock. “The cost needs to come down so it’s more practical to stick on the numbers of sheep that graze the commons but it is a step in the right direction,” he says. The firm says it aims to “drive down” the price of collars in future. Mr Abel says satellite trackers are prohibitively expensive for his flock Other advanced technology systems are also being developed and industry and policing leads hope they could provide a future solution to livestock theft. *********** firm Ceres Tag uses AI machine learning and satellite communications to track sheep with digital ear tags. “We detect immediately if there’s very high activity, so we know that the theft is taking place, and then when they leave the property, we are able to track them to their final destination,” says CEO David Smith. “It’s very difficult in a flock of sheep to remove the tag because there’s so many of them… Even if (thieves) did remove the tag, which is highly unlikely, it’s already too late – we’ve already recorded the thieves stealing the animals.” Mr Smith says the price of the tech will come down as it is adopted more widely. ‘More to be done’ Police are also using forensics to track stolen sheep, while Cumbrian sheep and beef farmer Pip Simpson has trialled coded microdots on the sheep’s fleece to brand his sheep. Mr Simpson, based near Windermere in the Lake District, tells the BBC: “I think the answer does lie in technology – what I’d like to see is ultimately a GPS tracker like a microchip in a dog so you can ringfence where it’s at and receive a text when it gets stolen.” Back on the moor, where sheep have grazed and shaped the land for more than 6,000 years, Mr Abel hopes a high-tech solution to this ancient crime can be found soon. “We all know that things are stretched and budgets are tight but we need more to be done – it’s affecting a whole community, and it could start to impact Dartmoor itself,” he says. Source link #Ive #lost #sheep #thieves #Dartmoor Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

'Viable' case against accused anti-Israel vandal 'Viable' case against accused anti-Israel vandal A young man accused of being part of an anti-Israel graffiti and arson attack is fighting for bail as he faces a months-long wait in custody. Source link #039Viable039 #case #accused #antiIsrael #vandal Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

How to avoid taxes on savings account interest How to avoid taxes on savings account interest Savings accounts help you earn money and prepare for financial rainy days. They also protect your savings from loss due to bank failures, fire, theft, and more. But if you’re earning interest on a savings account, there is one downside: the taxes. For most savings accounts, the IRS takes a portion of the interest you earn. With that said, not all savings accounts are subject to taxes, and some offer tax-free or tax-deferred ways to save money and earn interest. Whether you’re planning for retirement, medical expenses, or college tuition, one of these accounts could be the key to earning interest while keeping more of your money. Read more: Do you have to pay taxes on your savings account? This embedded content is not available in your region. A traditional IRA is a retirement savings account that can give you a major tax break. The money you contribute to your account is generally pretax, meaning it can lower your taxable income and reduce your overall tax bill. As the money grows in your IRA, it’s “tax-deferred,” meaning you won’t pay taxes until you make withdrawals. This allows your investments to grow more over time, thanks to compound returns. This type of account can be a good option if your goal is to save and invest for the future, and if you don’t need the money until you reach retirement. It shouldn’t replace your emergency savings fund, since taking money out before retirement usually comes with steep penalties. Read more: What is an IRA CD? A Roth IRA is also a retirement savings account, but it has different tax advantages than a traditional IRA. Your contributions to a Roth IRA are made with after-tax dollars, meaning you’ve already paid taxes on the money, so they don’t give you a tax break up front. However, when you make withdrawals in retirement, you don’t have to pay taxes on the principal or the earnings. Like a traditional IRA, pulling out money before retirement age can result in major penalties, so a Roth IRA is not the right place to keep your emergency fund. Read more: How do Roth IRA taxes work? Many companies offer 401(k)s, which are a common type of employer-sponsored retirement plan. The contributions you make to these accounts are typically pretax, so you’ll have to pay taxes when you make withdrawals, but they reduce your taxable income for the year they’re made. Another major perk? Some employers offer matching contributions up to a certain percentage of your salary. That’s free money that can help you reach your retirement goals even faster. Read more: 401(k) vs. IRA: The differences and how to choose which is right for you If you want to save money for a child’s education, a 529 college savings plan is a great option. There’s no up-front advantage when it comes to your federal taxes, but the money you deposit to a 529 does grow tax-deferred. Plus, withdrawals for qualified education expenses like tuition, books, and housing are exempt from taxes. Your state may also offer tax deductions or credits for contributions to a 529 plan to give you extra savings. Watch: 529 plans: A guide to saving for your child’s higher education If you have a high-deductible health plan (HDHP), you’ll want to look into opening a health savings account (HSA) too. Withdrawals from your HSA for qualified medical expenses are tax-free, and you can choose to contribute pretax dollars — up to $4,300 for 2025 — from each paycheck or deduct your HSA contributions on your tax return. Read more: What is a health savings account (HSA)? Want to reduce your tax bill even further? There could be better strategies than just moving your savings to a tax-advantaged account. Talk to a tax professional to see if any of these options could work for you. Maximize deductions and credits You might qualify for a common tax deduction that reduces your taxable income or a tax credit that reduces the amount you owe. Common deductions and credits include: Student loan interest deduction Education credits Earned Income Tax Credit Self-employment expense deductions Paid alimony Mortgage interest deduction Clean vehicle tax credit Home energy tax credit Tax-loss harvesting is one of the more complicated ways to reduce your tax bill, so you’ll want to give it careful consideration before jumping in. To use this strategy, you have to intentionally sell some of your investments at a loss, meaning you sell them for less than you paid, and then you reinvest the money elsewhere. When you do this, you reduce your overall investment income and, as a result, reduce the amount of capital gains tax you owe. Source link #avoid #taxes #savings #account #interest Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

News Wrap: Tate brothers return to U.S. after travel ban lifted by prosecutors – PBS NewsHour News Wrap: Tate brothers return to U.S. after travel ban lifted by prosecutors – PBS NewsHour News Wrap: Tate brothers return to U.S. after travel ban lifted by prosecutors PBS NewsHourAndrew Tate and brother arrive in Florida after leaving Romania, spokesperson says CNNAndrew Tate, brother Tristan return to US after Romanian prosecutors lift travel ban in trafficking case Fox NewsHow Andrew Tate’s release is splintering the American right Vox.com Source link #News #Wrap #Tate #brothers #return #U.S #travel #ban #lifted #prosecutors #PBS #NewsHour Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]