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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]

Can AI help modernise Ireland’s healthcare system? Can AI help modernise Ireland’s healthcare system? Padraig Belton Technology Reporter Mater The Mater hospital in Dublin – home to Ireland’s busiest emergency department For a country famous as Big Tech’s European address, Ireland’s hospitals often lag far behind in technology. They lack shared computerised patient records, or unique identifiers to track people when they move between clinics. In July 2024, a computer system failure made Dublin’s Mater hospital push back surgeries and beg people not to come to its A&E. Three years before, Russian ransomware attackers shut down the Irish health system’s entire computer network, and published 520 people’s medical records online. But Ireland now has ambitious goals to modernise its healthcare. That includes a programme called Sláintecare. Announced in 2017, the plan is to use some of its €22.9bn (£20bn; $24bn) budget surplus to create a healthcare service that is free at the point of care, like the ***’s or Canada’s. To improve healthcare, pinch points like diagnostics will have to be improved. It’s a problem being tackled at Dublin’s Mater hospital, 164-years-old and the location of Ireland’s busiest emergency department. That’s especially so in winter, when one day early this January Irish A&E departments had 444 people on trolleys waiting to be seen. “In Ireland, the big problem we have is waiting lists, and in particular waiting for diagnostics, for MRI [magnetic resonance imaging] or CT [computed tomography] scans,” says Prof Peter McMahon, a consultant radiologist at the Mater. Because of Prof MacMahon, who as a medical student dabbled as a hobbyist programmer, the Mater is now among the first hospitals in Ireland to use artificial intelligence (AI) across its radiology department – the part of a hospital providing medical imaging to diagnose diseases and guide treatment. To make sure patients with the most urgent needs are seen first, Prof MacMahon says: “We use AI to immediately analyse all head scans for bleeds, all chest scans for blood clots, and all bone x-rays for fractures.” The AI is particularly helpful in assisting younger doctors, when they don’t have experienced consultants to turn to. “Now a nurse or junior doctor at 2am isn’t alone, they’ve got a wing man,” he says. Mater Hospital Prof Peter McMahon introduced AI to scanning at Dublin’s Mater hospital Rural hospitals face different kinds of challenges. Letterkenny University Hospital in Donegal is without MRI facilities at evenings and weekends. Currently, a patient urgently needing an MRI scan at night can face an ambulance ride to Dublin. But now, Prof MacMahon and the Mater’s AI research fellow Paul Banahan have trained a trial AI model to create a “synthetic MRI” from CT scans, to immediately triage patients with suspected spinal injuries. That was done by feeding a “generative AI” model around 9,500 pairs of CT and MRI images of the same area on the same person. Now the AI can predict what the MRI scan would look like from the CT scan, something available in all emergency departments. And since radiology scans also come with doctors’ text reports, he is also exploring using large language models to identify important disease patterns and trends. Peter MacMahon Ireland keeps digital scans in a central digital library Applying AI to medical images in Ireland is easier since the country has stored scans in a central, digital filing system since 2008. But a lot of other important information, like medical notes or electrocardiograms (ECGs), remains largely in paper format in most Irish hospitals, or in smaller databases that are not shared centrally. That will “severely delay” applying AI to spot potential diseases and improve clinical care, points out Prof MacMahon. Ageing IT systems in Irish healthcare are more broadly a challenge. “Quite bluntly, a lot of hospitals are dealing with legacy IT systems where they’re just trying to keep the show on the road,” says Dr Robert Ross, a senior computer science lecturer at Technological University Dublin. “Doing anything else like integrating AI is not easy to do,” he says. Using AI in healthcare is not without problems. An example here is AI speech-recognition tools. Using them could let doctors spend less time on note-taking and report writing. But some have been found to make things up, including to invent non-existent medication. To prevent such AI from hallucinating, “you need to make sure it’s penalised in its training, if it gives you something that doesn’t exist,” says Prof MacMahon. AIs can have biases, but “humans have biases too”, he points out. A tired doctor, expecting a young patient to be healthy, can overlook their blood clot. “For whatever reason we’re far more open to accept human error”, than in new health technology where “the acceptable risk is zero”, says Prof Seán Kennelly, a consultant at Tallaght University Hospital and professor at Trinity College Dublin. This means we “continue with the illusion of 100% accuracy in humans”, and ignore areas where AI-supported technology can make better clinical decisions, he says. Tallaght University Hospital Prof Seán Kennelly (right) and Dr Aidan Boran Healthcare regulators, who already have a “weak enough” understanding of software as a medical device, haven’t at all caught up with rules for AI, says Dr Aidan Boran, founder of an Irish medical tech start-up called Digital Gait Labs, and a researcher at Dublin City University. For example, getting a CE mark, which shows that a medical device meets EU safety regulations, includes providing details about the factory where the product is manufactured. But in the case of software that is not relevant says Dr Boran. “For us, manufacturing literally means copying software,” he points out. AI can have a ****** box problem: we can see what goes in them and what comes out, but the deep learning systems that power these models are so complex that even their creators do not understand exactly what happens inside them. That can create difficulties for a doctor trying to explain treatment decisions that involve AI, says Dr Paul Gilligan, head of St Patrick’s Mental Health Services, one of Ireland’s largest mental health providers that runs St Patrick’s Hospital in Dublin. When AI influences their decisions, doctors need to “be able to articulate the reasoning behind those decisions in a manner that is accessible and understandable to those affected,” he says. More Technology of Business Source link #modernise #Irelands #healthcare #system Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

England GPs hope to see more patients after agreeing new deal England GPs hope to see more patients after agreeing new deal More patients will be able to book appointments online and request to see their usual doctor under a new contract agreed between England’s GPs and the government. The deal gives an extra £889m a year to general practices, as well as a reduction in red tape and targets that ministers hope will mean doctors are freed up to see more patients. The Labour government made manifesto promises to bring back “family” doctors and end the early morning phone scramble for appointments. The doctors’ union, the BMA, says the deal is an important first step in restoring general practices. However, doctors also want the government to commit to talks about a completely new national contract for GPs within this Parliament. GP surgeries are seen as the front door to the NHS, but for years now, doctors have been warning about the pressure their service is under. Patients have felt it too, with some people facing long waits for appointments. Now it is hoped extra money agreed in the new contract for GP surgeries will kick-start improvements. The new agreement for the next 2025-26 financial year will see the total value of the contract grow by 7.2%. The total figure includes almost £800m to cover rising costs, such as staff wages, repairs and maintenance of buildings and more patients. Other measures include a greater flexibility for surgeries when it comes to employing different healthcare staff. GPs will get paid more to carry out routine childhood vaccinations. Through cutting what the government describes as “box-ticking targets”, ministers say GPs will be freed up to take the first steps towards ending the 08:00 scramble for an appointment. Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting says that these are the first steps in fixing what he describes as “a broken NHS”. “Over the past decade, funding for GPs has been cut relative to the rest of the NHS, while the number of targets for GPs has soared,” he said. “That’s why patients are struggling to get an appointment. “This government is cutting the red tape that ties up GPs’ time and backing them with an extra £889m next year. “In return, more patients will be able to request appointments online and see their regular doctor for each appointment.” Dr Katie Bramall-Stainer, who chairs the BMA GPs’ committee, says this contract is a good start, but more work is needed. “We have shown that we want to work in good faith with this government and build on this new beginning – what we now need is certainty about our collective future. “We know the Treasury will be announcing its funding plans for this Parliament this spring, and we need to see a new substantive GP practice contract for England in the upcoming comprehensive spending review. “This is how government can put its words into action and bring back the family doctor, fix the front door of the NHS, and shift resource from a hospital focus towards care closer to home within the community at your local surgery. “We hope government seizes this once-in-a-generation opportunity and repays the trust we are placing in them to do the right thing by England’s GPs, and by their patients.” Source link #England #GPs #hope #patients #agreeing #deal Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Cold War chess grandmaster Boris Spassky dies at 88 Cold War chess grandmaster Boris Spassky dies at 88 Boris Spassky, a Soviet-era world chess champion who lost his title to American Bobby Fischer in a legendary 1972 match that became a proxy for Cold War rivalries, has died in Moscow. He was 88. The death of the one-time chess prodigy was announced on Thursday by the International Chess Federation, the game’s governing body. No cause was given. Spassky was “one of the greatest players of all time,” the group said on the social platform X. He “left an indelible mark on the game.” The televised 1972 match with Fischer, at the height of the Cold War, became an international sensation and became known as the “Match of the Century.” When Fischer won the international chess crown in Reykjavik, Iceland, the then-29-year-old chess genius from Brooklyn, New York, brought the US its first world chess title. Fischer, known to be testy and difficult, died in 2008. Former world champion Garry Kasparov wrote on X that Spassky “was never above befriending and mentoring the next generation, especially those of us who, like him, didn’t fit comfortably into the Soviet machine.” Spassky emigrated to France in 1976. On its website, the chess federation called Spassky’s match with Fischer “one of the most iconic” in the history of the game. Yugoslav grandmaster Svetozar Gligoric said that Spassky’s secret strength “lay in his colossal skill in adapting himself to the different styles of his opponents,” the Washington Post reported. Source link #Cold #War #chess #grandmaster #Boris #Spassky #dies Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

China will not apologise for military drills off Australia’s east, ambassador says China will not apologise for military drills off Australia’s east, ambassador says SYDNEY (Reuters) – China’s ambassador to Australia said on Friday his country had no reason to apologise for the military drills it conducted in international waters between Australia and New Zealand that forced at least 49 flights to change path. Both Australia and New Zealand have raised concerns with Beijing on the rare live-fire drills in the Tasman Sea last week, saying they did not receive adequate notice from China’s navy. Ambassador Xiao Qian said China’s navy conducted drills that complied with international law and gave advance notice following international practices. Trusted news and daily delights, right in your inbox See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. “I don’t see there is any reason why the ******** side should feel sorry about that, or even to think about to apologise for that,” Xiao told national broadcaster ABC News in an interview. “Different countries have different practice and based on the nature of the drill, size of the drill, and the scope of the drill, my view is that the ******** naval certification advice was appropriate.” Xiao said the drills did not pose any threat to Australia, one of its largest trading partners, and suggested Canberra should expect more ******** ships sailing in the region in the future. “As a major power in this region, as a country that has so many things to look after, it is normal for China to send their vessels to different parts of the region to conduct various kinds of activities,” Xiao told ABC News. A frigate, cruiser and replenishment vessel that formed the ******** navy task group has continued west on Friday, across the Great *********** Bight, the New Zealand Defence Force said. *********** air traffic control agency officials this week told a parliamentary committee that a Virgin Australia pilot alerted them first about the live-fire drill after a message from the ******** task group was broadcast on an emergency radio channel monitored mostly by pilots. David Johnston, Australia’s defence chief, told the committee on Thursday it was likely the Defence Department came to know about the drill more than 30 minutes after it started. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, trailing in polls ahead of a national election due by May, has downplayed the incident, saying the drills occurred in international waters and that China did not break any maritime laws. But the opposition Liberal-National coalition said it would be a major incident if the *********** Defence force became aware of the drills late and had to be alerted by a commercial pilot. (Reporting by Renju Jose in Sydney; Editing by Lincoln Feast.) Source link #China #apologise #military #drills #Australias #east #ambassador Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Hundreds of NOAA employees laid off in latest cuts to federal workforce – CBS News Hundreds of NOAA employees laid off in latest cuts to federal workforce – CBS News Hundreds of NOAA employees laid off in latest cuts to federal workforce CBS NewsLayoffs hit federal climate, weather agency NOAA AxiosNOAA begins firing hundreds of staffers The HillNational Weather Service, NOAA layoffs hit hundreds of federal workers The Denver Post Source link #Hundreds #NOAA #employees #laid #latest #cuts #federal #workforce #CBS #News Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Disability charities urge government to protect cash Disability charities urge government to protect cash Lucy Acheson and Thomas Copeland BBC News Ann-Marie Kinsman Reece Kinsman says he relies on physical cash to remain independent and buy things for himself Leading disability charities have called on the government to ensure that people will continue to be able to use physical cash in shops. It comes after a government minister said that shops will not be forced to accept cash, despite concerns that millions of vulnerable people rely on it. Disability Rights *** (DRUK) and the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) are warning that making card payments the default creates “more barriers” for disabled people. The BBC has heard from disabled people and their families who fear losing access to cash would limit their independence. Reece Kinsman, 31, from Manchester, has Williams Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that is characterised by a neurodevelopmental disability. He relies on cash to manage his money, as he struggles to track his spending when using a card. On a recent trip to New Brighton, Merseyside, Reece was left panicked and upset when a fast-food restaurant told him they didn’t accept cash. “I was disappointed really, I didn’t know what else to do. It was just card, and it’s not easy because I’ve got cash only,” he says. Luckily his support worker was with him and covered the cost on her card. Ann-Marie Kinsman Reece and his support worker Penny have known each other his entire life and have been working together for the past four years Reece’s mum, Ann-Marie, says handling physical money has given Reece a tangible sense of control over his finances – one that could be threatened if cash is phased out. “Reece’s level of understanding is around about a six-year-old. We give him cash because it’s better for him to go out in the community and be able to learn how much money is needed to pay for things.” ‘Provide clear guidance’ Last month, Emma Reynolds, the new Economic Secretary to the Treasury, told MPs that shops and service providers would not be required to accept cash. However, she assured the Treasury Committee that the *** would not go fully cashless anytime soon. But with more than 16 million disabled people in the ***, many relying on cash, charities DRUK and RNIB are urging the government to ensure continued access to cash and banking. Fazilet Hadi, DRUK’s head of policy, says the government must “step in and provide clear guidance”. “The last government proposed legislation requiring businesses to accept cash as an alternative, but that didn’t go forward. In the absence of that, new legislation is needed.” Meanwhile, the RNIB emphasises the importance of offering “a choice of payment options,” including cash, adding “there is no one-size-fits-all solution for blind and partially sighted consumers”. Nicola Hickinbotham Jack says using physical money is important for his well-being Jack Hickinbotham, 29, from Hereford, has autism, epilepsy and severe learning disabilities. He enjoys the sense of confidence that comes with directly handling cash. “I feel independent and I like speaking to people.” Hi mum and carer, Nicola, says that without cash, Jack wouldn’t know how much money he had available. “We were in the flower shop on Saturday and Jack wanted to buy a packet of mini eggs. They were £4.95, so I gave Jack a £5 note and he was able to pay with that. “That’s a really big thing for Jack and for his learning skills too.” ‘People rely on cash’ Samantha Smith, 53, from Rotherham, is registered blind and says using cash is a necessity, as she has only 2-3% of her vision left and can’t see the numbers on card machines to verify transactions. “Blind people rely on cash, so this will have an impact on the whole blind community.” Samantha also worries a cashless society could leave her more vulnerable to scams and theft – something she has already experienced. “At Christmas two years ago, I went out to pick up a few last presents. I had my handbag and my purse taken off me. I only lost about £10 in cash that was in the purse. I’d be fearful that if they had taken a card, they would have had access to all of my money.” A Treasury spokesperson said: “Individual businesses can decide which payment methods they accept, but new rules introduced by the Financial Conduct Authority aim to ensure that businesses can deposit cash, helping those who want to keep accepting it.” Source link #Disability #charities #urge #government #protect #cash Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Hundreds of NOAA employees laid off in latest cuts to federal workforce Hundreds of NOAA employees laid off in latest cuts to federal workforce Hundreds of staffers at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, were laid off Thursday as the Trump administration and its newly-created Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, continue slashing the federal workforce. A congressional source told CBS News the layoffs affected 880 NOAA employees. An administration official told CBS News about 5% of the agency’s staff was let go, and nobody who was deemed critical to NOAA’s responsibilities, such as National Weather Service meteorologists, was affected. A source at the National Weather Service disputed this, however, telling CBS News some meteorologists were included in the cuts. Laid off staffers who were considered probationary employees received an email Thursday, which read in part, “OPM has advised that ‘[p]robationary periods are an essential tool for agencies to assess employee performance and manage staffing levels.’ (4) In light of that guidance, the Agency finds that you are not fit for continued employment because your ability, knowledge and/or skills do not fit the Agency’s current needs.” Some 400 employees at the National Weather Service were in a probationary *******, a NWS source told CBS News, but it’s not clear how many of them were included in the layoffs. Tom DiLiberto, who until Thursday had worked as a Climate and weather scientist and public affairs specialist, told CBS News he started as a contractor for NOAA back in 2010, but became a federal employee less than two years ago. His probationary ******* was set to end on March 13, 2025, two weeks from the day he was terminated. “You’re seeing the whittling away of scientists, and the people who got fired today are some of the best people you can imagine,” DiLiberto said. “These people have dedicated their lives to help others. There’s no politics in this. When we forecast, or think of the oceans and keep them clean, we’re not thinking about the politics. This is an insult on science and all that’s good.” DiLiberto had been a forecaster for El Niño and La Niña and, as a public affairs specialist in the office of communications, said he wrote for the El Niño Southern Oscillation blog for a decade. He published his final blog for the service the same day he was let go. He said he has been given no information on any next steps or if he would be receiving severance. Congressional Democrats had been worried DOGE and billionaire Elon Musk, who is classified as a “special government employee,” had their eyes set on NOAA for deep cuts. Former NOAA officials told CBS News earlier this month that current employees had been told to expect budget cuts of 30% and a 50% reduction in staff. Prior to Thursday’s cuts, NOAA had about 12,000 staffers across the world, including 6,773 who are scientists and engineers, according to the agency’s website. Sen. Maria Cantwell, a Washington State Democrat who chairs the Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries and Coast Guard, which oversees NOAA, said the job cuts “jeopardize our ability to forecast and respond to extreme weather events like hurricanes, wildfires, and floods—putting communities in harm’s way. They also threaten our maritime commerce and endanger 1.7 million jobs that depend on commercial, recreational and tribal fisheries, including thousands in the State of Washington. This action is a direct hit to our economy, because NOAA’s specialized workforce provides products and services that support more than a third of the nation’s GDP.” House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Jared Huffman, a Democrat who represents California’s 2nd Congressional District, called Thursday’s cuts a “betrayal of the American people.” “Musk and his fake officials, the DOGE tech bros, have been rummaging through our most sensitive data without authority in violation of the law for weeks now,” Huffman said in a statement. “And this has come with sweeping, indiscriminate layoffs of nonpartisan public servants. Park rangers, firefighters, scientists – all of these people, whose purpose is to serve everyday Americans, have had the rug pulled out from under them. And we will all be worse off for it.” “Musk’s sham mission is bringing vital programs to a screeching halt,” Huffman continued. “People nationwide depend on NOAA for free, accurate forecasts, severe weather alerts, and emergency information. Purging the government of scientists, experts, and career civil servants and slashing fundamental programs will cost lives.” Congressional aides previously told CBS News that lawmakers had received multiple complaints about DOGE staff coming into NOAA offices earlier this month. Former NOAA officials, who spoke directly with current staffers, also previously confirmed to CBS News they saw members of the DOGE team at NOAA headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland, and the Hoover Building, in Washington, D.C., where NOAA’s parent agency, the U.S. Commerce Department is located. The NOAA runs the National Weather Service, which issues vital weather warnings — such as hurricane and tornado warnings — and the National Marine Fisheries Service. It is also responsible for monitoring the health of the oceans and the warming of the climate. House Science Committee ranking member Zoe Lofgren, a Democrat who represents California’s 18th congressional district, said in a statement, “This will cost American lives.” “Protect lives and property; that is NOAA’s mission,” Lofgren said. “Firing the employees that allow the agency to carry out that mission will bring about dire consequences. People will die and face great hardship thanks to the recklessness of Co-Presidents Trump and Musk.” Dr. Juan Declet-Barreto, senior social scientist for climate vulnerability in the Climate and Energy Program at the Union of Concerned Scientists, also criticized the cuts, saying Thursday in a statement, “NOAA’s data and science are used routinely by weather forecasters, mariners, farmers, emergency responders, businesses and everyday people across the country. Everyone in the United States relies on NOAA in their daily lives whether they realize it or not, something that will come into focus for many in the weeks and months ahead.” President Trump has nominated Neil Jacobs to lead the agency. Jacobs, who was acting director of the NOAA for a time during Mr. Trump’s first term, was reprimanded for ethics violations after Mr. Trump held up a hurricane forecast map with ****** marker appearing to extend the storm’s potential path into Alabama — an incident that became known as “Sharpie-gate.” The Senate has yet to vote on his confirmation. Tracy J. Wholf, Paulina Smolinski and Laura Geller contributed to this report. Jordan Freiman Jordan Freiman is a news editor for CBSNews.com. He covers breaking news, trending stories, sports and crime. Jordan has previously worked at Spin and Death and Taxes. Source link #Hundreds #NOAA #employees #laid #latest #cuts #federal #workforce Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Microsoft launches native Mac app for Copilot Microsoft launches native Mac app for Copilot Microsoft is making its Copilot AI assistant available as a Mac app. The native macOS will offer access to the web-based version of the Microsoft tool. It’s rolling out today in the US, the *** and Canada. In practice, the apps functionalities sound pretty much identical to the experience of going to the web version of Copilot. The real distinction is that the Mac app includes a keyboard shortcut for activating the AI assistant with Command + Space and it can be viewed in dark mode. Earlier this week, Microsoft that it would make the Copilot features Voice and Think Deeper, which taps into OpenAI’s o1 model, available to any users for free. Both moves seems aimed at broadening the company’s audience for Copilot. Big tech companies have a rocky history of trying to make their software available on rival hardware. Sometimes, it can take for a service to be optimized for a different brand’s exact specs. The arrival of a dedicated macOS app for Copilot, which is already out as an iPhone and iPad app, might be about as quick as Microsoft has ever brought a service to the Apple ecosystem. Source link #Microsoft #launches #native #Mac #app #Copilot Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Starmer charms Trump, but any deals will have to wait Starmer charms Trump, but any deals will have to wait In Donald Trump’s White House the vibes really matter. The personal relationships he develops with other leaders can affect how those nations are treated. So it was vital for British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to not only master the details of their discussions but to build a rapport with the US president. The invitation from King Charles clearly set the right tone. Trump looked truly flattered that he would become the first person to enjoy a second state visit to the ***. “And that’s a great honour, because it’s never happened before,” the president said at the start of their joint news conference. “I really do call it an honour, but it’s not for me, it’s for our country. It’s respect for our country.” The very diplomatic language deployed by Sir Keir over Ukraine – like praising Trump for creating the conditions in which a ceasefire is being discussed – could not disguise the disagreements over what a peace deal may end up looking like. While Trump says he feels he can trust Russian President Vladimir Putin to stick to any deal, Sir Keir talked of the need to make sure that any truce endures and does not favour the aggressor. The prime minister’s message about increasing defence spending in the *** was clearly very welcome – but he did not walk away with any commitment from the US to participate in ongoing security guarantees for Ukraine once a peace deal has been signed. The warm atmosphere and friendly body language we saw when the two men first met in the Oval Office just before lunch did not seem quite so pronounced when they emerged after talks about three hours later. “You are a very tough negotiator… I’m not sure I like that, but okay,” Trump told Sir Keir as they appeared before reporters after their meeting. And he did not seem to be entirely joking. On the prospect of trade tariffs being imposed on *** exports to the US, the prime minister did seem to have made some progress. Trump said Sir Keir had worked hard and “earned whatever they pay him over there” when he made the case for a trade deal between the two countries instead of tariffs. That would count as a significant victory for Britain, though any proposed deal would inevitably require lengthy and detailed negotiations. Before this meeting it was unclear how the Labour leader’s serious and sober demeanour would go down with the bombastic American president. Carefully worded praise and flattery helped to set the tone, with Sir Keir saying “the *** has a true friend in the Oval Office”. And he was speaking Trump’s language when he highlighted how the two countries were ranked one and two in the world as investment destinations, and for golf players too. Trump responded enthusiastically to the promise of a new chapter in an historic partnership. “What a beautiful accent,” he quipped when the prime minister finished his remarks. “I’d have been president 20 years ago if I had that accent.” There also appeared to be genuine respect toward the president over the issues on which the two leaders see eye to eye. On other significant matters, they seemed to have agreed to disagree. Which is probably as much as Sir Keir could hope for. Tomorrow it is Volodymyr Zelensky’s turn in the Oval Office. A week after Trump called him a dictator, he distanced himself from that description – and his opinion of the Ukrainian president seemed to have softened. “I think we’re going to have a very good meeting tomorrow morning. We’re going to get along really well.” Source link #Starmer #charms #Trump #deals #wait Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

It’s funding D-Day in falling Star Entertainment’s desperate bid to stay afloat It’s funding D-Day in falling Star Entertainment’s desperate bid to stay afloat Embattled Star Entertainment has shocked investors with a pause in trade ahead of the release of its half-year financial report, with a repeated warning that without a white knight it may not be able to continue as a going concern. The casino operator — which runs casinos in Sydney, Brisbane and the Gold Coast — has for months been desperately searching for a funding lifeline to stay afloat as it battles a liquidity crisis. Star was due to release its six months accounts to the end of December this morning but instead entered a trading halt just before the *********** Securities Exchange opened. Just 30 minutes after pausing trade in its shares — which have lost 75 per cent of their value over the past year — Star released a statement saying it was continuing to explore possible solutions “that might materially increase the group’s liquidity position”. It expects to receive “one or more liquidity proposals during the course of today”. “It is likely that the 1HFY25 report will only be able to be finalised if the company has received liquidity proposals which, after appropriate consideration by the directors, are sufficiently capable of being progressed to finalisation in the context of determining whether the company can continue as a going concern,” it said. “As noted in the company’s recent ASX announcements, there remains material uncertainty as to the group’s ability to continue as a going concern.” Star was last week offered a five-year financial lifeline worth $650 million from Oaktree Capital Management after a series of bruising battles with regulators over scandals at its venues over the past few years left it on the brink. The NSW Independent Casino Commission is also keeping a close eye on its operations. The proposal would require approval from the NSW and Queensland governments, and would still leave the company short of funds before the deal kicked in. The casino operator has recently been in talks with Hong Kong-based firms offering to buy its 50 per cent share in Brisbane’s Queen’s Wharf entertainment precinct, which opened in August. It has already sold off assets at its Sydney flagship complex to raise money. It ended the year with just $78m in cash available, losing more than $8m in the final quarter of 2024. The Star has been struggling since the fallout from a high-profile money-laundering scandal in 2021 that steered lucrative high rollers away from its casinos. Former executives and board members have also been accused of putting profit above risk and failing to take action to prevent money laundering in a case brought by the *********** Securities and Investments Commission that began Federal Court hearings earlier in February. Source link #funding #DDay #falling #Star #Entertainments #desperate #bid #stay #afloat Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

5 Freep alum to be inducted in Michigan Journalism Hall of Fame 5 Freep alum to be inducted in Michigan Journalism Hall of Fame The Michigan Journalism Hall of Fame announced Wednesday that 11 journalists will be inducted in its 2025 class: Cynthia Canty, Alex Cruden, Kirthmon F. Dozier, John Flesher, Cindy Goodaker, Daymon J. Hartley, Dorothy Jurney, Keith Owens, Pat Rencher, Jam Sardar and David Zeman. Five of the eleven ― Cruden, Dozier, Hartley, Owens and Zeman ― are Free Press alumni. Alex Cruden, Mar.3, 2005 SUSAN TUSA/Detroit Free Press Alex Cruden started at the Free Press in 1973 and spent 35 years as an editor and manager. While at the Free Press, he played an integral role in perfecting and polishing the newspaper’s marquee journalism and maintained an online stylebook called the Bugle, which handled copyediting style questions and was used by other publications. Since leaving the Free Press, he has written case studies, taught public affairs reporting at Wayne State University, and led workshops and seminars for news media companies and writing and editing organizations across the U.S. Allen Park police praised a teen for a good deed. Social media buried him in criticism More: Detroit Free Press Marathon expected to sell out for second year in a row Kirt Dozier walks off the filed after Lions game in 2015. Kirthmon F. Dozier was best known for his keen eye and sports photography. He started at the Free Press in 1995 and spent almost 30 years as a photojournalist. He was behind the camera for the Detroit Pistons championship, the Red Wings’ Stanley Cup and even Miguel Cabrera’s final day as a Tiger. Dozier died in January 2024 at 65 after a brief illness. Civil rights activist Rosa Parks, carries a sign protesting cutbacks at General Motors and is followed by Rep. John Conyers Jr., D-Detroit, in a picket line in front of General Motors headquarters in 1986. Daymon J. Hartley is known for his social-issue capturing lens. As a Free Press staff photographer from 1983 to July 1995, he shot everything from breaking news and crime stories to overseas combat stories in Nicaragua, El Salvador, Palestine, and Israel. He was nominated for five Pulitzer Prizes, and was twice named a finalist. In 1990, he was named the Michigan Press Photographer of the Year. He has since worked as a freelance photographer. Keith Owens in the Detroit Free Press photo studio in downtown Detroit on Thursday, Oct. 5, 2023. Keith Owens wrote for the Free Press editorial page from 1993-2000. Owens served as the editor of the Michigan Chronical from 2003-2006 and 2015-2018. Owen’s co-founded Detroit Stories Quarterly and the We Are Speaking Substack newsletter and podcast. In 2023, he returned to the Free Press editorial page as a freelance contributing columnist. David Zeman of the Detroit Free Press. Picture taken April 21,2009. MARY SCHROEDER/Detroit Free Press headshot mugshot David Zeman spent 20 years as an investigative reporter and editor at the Detroit Free Press. He was the editor of Jim Schaefer and M.L. Elrick’s Pulitzer Prize-winning investigation of former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick. Zeman served as senior editor of Bridge Michigan from 2013-2024. The 2025 Hall of Fame class will be honored at the Kellogg Center in East Lansing on April 13, the Hall of Fame said in a news release, to recognize their “extraordinary and clearly outstanding careers” that have advanced the legacy of a free and responsible press and elevated Michigan journalism. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan Journalism Hall of Fame class of 2025 Freep inductees Source link #Freep #alum #inducted #Michigan #Journalism #Hall #Fame Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump tariffs, Japan retail sales Trump tariffs, Japan retail sales Tokyo Tower, Tokyo’s famous landmark, rises high above the skyscrapers in Azabu, Roppongi and Toranomon districts. A tilt-shift lens was used in order to obtain a miniature effect. Krzysztof Baranowski | Moment | Getty Images Asia-Pacific markets are set to open lower on Friday after U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed that tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada will be going ahead and taking effect next week. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 traded 0.23% lower. Japan’s Nikkei 225 futures pointed to a lower open for the market. The futures contract in Chicago is currently at 37,695 and its counterpart in Osaka last traded at 37,580 compared to the index’s previous close of 38,256.17. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index futures were at 23,715, also slightly weaker than the HSI’s last close of 23,718.29. Japan is slated to release its industrial output and retail sales data for January on Friday. On Thursday, Trump announced that proposed tariffs on 25% on Canada and Mexico will be implemented on March 4 after a month-long postponement. The president said that these countries had not sufficiently reduced the flow of drugs across the border. Additionally, Trump also said that China, which already faces 10% U.S. tariffs on its products, “will likewise be charged an additional 10% Tariff on that date.” Overnight in the U.S., the three major indexes closed lower. The S&P 500 closed down 1.59% at 5,861.57. The broad market index remains in the red for the week and month. The Nasdaq Composite pulled back 2.78%, to end the day at 18,544.42, with Nvidia’s 8.5% slide pulling the tech-heavy index lower. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 193.62 points, or 0.45%, to finish at 43,239.50. —CNBC’s Hakyung Kim and Pia Singh contributed to this report. Source link #Trump #tariffs #Japan #retail #sales Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Judge blocks Trump administration’s mass firings of federal workers – The Washington Post Judge blocks Trump administration’s mass firings of federal workers – The Washington Post Judge blocks Trump administration’s mass firings of federal workers The Washington PostAmid federal layoffs, US Merit Systems Protection Board sees dramatic spike in appeals from feds WTOPCase surge from fired federal workers jams federal board CBS NewsAFGE Files Lawsuit Against OPM for ******** Mass Firings of Probationary Employees AFGE Source link #Judge #blocks #Trump #administrations #mass #firings #federal #workers #Washington #Post Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump Says He Believes Putin Will Not Violate Any Ukraine Peace Deal Trump Says He Believes Putin Will Not Violate Any Ukraine Peace Deal new video loaded: Trump Says He Believes Putin Will Not Violate Any Ukraine Peace Deal transcript Back transcript Trump Says He Believes Putin Will Not Violate Any Ukraine Peace Deal During a meeting with Prime Minister Keir Starmer of Britain, President Trump said repeatedly that he trusted President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia not to violate the terms of whatever peace deal that might soon be reached to end the war in Ukraine. Reporter: “Mr. President, what would you be willing to do if Vladimir Putin did not?” “If he did not what?” “If he did not stick to the terms of any deal on Ukraine because he has a history of not sticking to his word when it comes to international agreements?” “I think he’ll keep his word, I think — I think he’s — I’ve spoken to him. I’ve known him for a long time now. When we make a deal, I think the deal is going to hold. Now they’re going to have security. You’re going to have security. You’re going to have soldiers. I know France wants to be there. He’s — the president has said he wants to have soldiers there. I don’t think we’re going to even be necessary, but I don’t think there’ll be any problem with keeping the deal with the security.” “If there’s a deal in, we’ve got to make sure it’s a deal that lasts. And that is not temporary — that lasts. And that’s why we need to make sure that it’s secure. And we’ve went in and said, we’ll play our part and we’ve talked, and we will talk about how we work with yourself, Mr. President, to ensure that this deal is something which is not violated because it’s very important.” “It sounds as though one of you completely trusts President Putin, and one of you doesn’t trust him an inch. Have I got that right? Why do you trust him?” “Look it’s trust and verify, let’s call it that. And I think we both can be that way. You have to verify because you never know what’s going to happen.” Recent episodes in U.S. & Politics Show more videos from U.S. & Politics Source link #Trump #Believes #Putin #Violate #Ukraine #Peace #Deal Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

House panel subpoenas tech giants over ‘foreign censorship’ of speech House panel subpoenas tech giants over ‘foreign censorship’ of speech Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) is interviewed by FOX and Friends at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 3, 2025 in Washington, DC. Chip Somodevilla | Getty Images House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, sent subpoenas to eight technology companies asking for more information about their communications with foreign governments over concerns that they seek to “censor speech” in the U.S. The subpoenas were sent Wednesday to the CEOs of Google parent Alphabet, Meta, Amazon, Apple, Microsoft and TikTok, as well as X and video platform Rumble. “The Committee must understand how and to what extent foreign governments have limited Americans’ access to lawful speech in the United States, as well as the extent to which the Biden-Harris Administration aided or abetted these efforts,” Jordan said in a statement. CNBC reached out to each of the subpoenaed companies for comment. The only response came from Rumble, which said it “has received the subpoena and we look forward to sharing information related to the ongoing efforts of numerous governments around the globe who seek to suppress the innate human right to self expression.” Jordan pointed to the European Union’s Digital Services Act, a similar set of laws in the U.K., called the Online Services Act, and regulations around ******** content and hate speech in Brazil and Australia. The committee is seeking communications around the companies’ compliance with “foreign censorship laws, regulations, judicial orders or other government-initiated efforts” and any internal correspondence discussing those matters. The subpoenas come after the Federal Trade Commission last week launched an inquiry into “tech censorship.” FTC Chair Andrew Ferguson said in a statement that the probe will help the agency “better understand how these firms may have violated the law by silencing and intimidating Americans for speaking their minds.” The FTC’s request for public comment defines tech platforms as companies that provide a range of services, from social media and video sharing to event planning and ride sharing. The Republican-led committee has previously accused major tech companies of censorship. The panel subpoenaed Alphabet, Meta and other firms in 2023, demanding they turn over communications between the companies and the U.S. government over censorship concerns. WATCH: Big Tech breadth is a buying opportunity Source link #House #panel #subpoenas #tech #giants #foreign #censorship #speech Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]