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Case surge from fired federal workers jams federal board Case surge from fired federal workers jams federal board Washington — A bubble is quickly forming inside the obscure but powerful U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board, which handles appeals from federal workers who have been terminated or allege they were victims of prohibited actions by their employers. A CBS News review of agency records shows the board has experienced a surge in new cases amid the torrent of layoffs by the Trump administration. In the past week, the board received at least 1,845 new cases from employees nationwide. That compares to approximately 100 cases each week in December and January. The surge in challenges from federal employees threatens to slow or choke the board’s ability to respond to complaints, according to multiple sources familiar with board operations. Case numbers from the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board. February 2025. MSPB MSPB is headquartered in Washington, D.C., and has six regional offices nationwide. It reported having approximately 190 full-time employees in 2024. The agency juggles a series of regular duties, including legal research, studies of the civil service, and — of particular note amid widespread federal layoffs — it hears cases brought by federal workers who argue they were subject to unfair firings or improper and politicized conduct inside their federal agencies. “The MSPB simply won’t be able to review the appeals in any kind of timely fashion,” Pamela Keith, a Washington-based attorney who specializes in federal workforce issues, told CBS News. “Before Trump, appeals could take more than a year. Now, we are looking at two or more years of cases.” An MSPB spokesperson told CBS News in a statement that “MSPB has experience adjudicating increased workloads, such as the influx of more than 32,000 furlough appeals in 2013.” The board saw a surge in cases in 2013, due to the furloughs of hundreds of thousands of federal workers after a budget standoff and disruptions in federal agency services. In a report reviewed by CBS News, the board said that in 2013, the surge of cases hampered the board’s operations, including by “straining MSPB’s processes and IT infrastructure.” The report also said that “MSPB’s paralegals and legal assistants in the regional and field offices worked overtime to manage this massive workload and MSPB hired temporary employees to assist in docketing cases. In addition, a furlough appeal docketing ‘strike team’ was established at HQ to assist the regional and field offices in docketing these appeals.” The Washington-based Government Accountability Project, which advocates for government whistleblowers, has championed the importance of the board. The nonprofit said that “MSPB serves as a critical guardrail for democracy and accountability by protecting federal employees from unjust employment actions such as wrongful termination, suspensions, or demotions, ensuring fairness in the federal workforce. MSPB also works to protect whistleblowers who expose government fraud, abuse, and mismanagement.” Everett Kelley, president of the American Federation of Government Employees, which represents hundreds of thousands of federal workers, told CBS News, “Make no mistake — this backlog is not a bug, it’s a feature of the Trump administration’s ongoing effort to dismantle the civil service. The MSPB is one of the few places federal employees can turn to for appealing a wrongful termination, including terminations made for political purposes. For many federal employees, it’s the only place. With mass layoffs and blatantly political firings occurring daily under Trump’s watch, we expect this paralysis to spread further at tremendous risk to the survival of the non-partisan, professional civil service.” Scott MacFarlane Scott MacFarlane is a congressional correspondent. He has covered Washington for two decades, earning 20 Emmy and Edward R. Murrow awards. His reporting has resulted directly in the passage of five new laws. Source link #Case #surge #fired #federal #workers #jams #federal #board Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Southern border state governor takes on cartels and security with signing of executive order – Fox News Southern border state governor takes on cartels and security with signing of executive order – Fox News Southern border state governor takes on cartels and security with signing of executive order Fox NewsArizona governor signs executive order for new border security plan aimed at cartels Arizona’s FamilyArizona Gov. Hobbs signs executive order to combat ******** cartels, drug trafficking at state’s border CBS NewsOperation Desert Guardian: Arizona Gov. Hobbs signs executive order to create border task force FOX 10 News Phoenix Source link #Southern #border #state #governor #takes #cartels #security #signing #executive #order #Fox #News Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Crystal Palace 4-1 Aston Villa: ‘The mood is buzzing, the music is bouncing’ Crystal Palace 4-1 Aston Villa: ‘The mood is buzzing, the music is bouncing’ “The mood is buzzing, the music is bouncing and everyone is happy.” Those were the words of Crystal Palace striker Eddie Nketiah after he scored his first Premier League goal for the club in the 4-1 win over Aston Villa at Selhurst Park on Tuesday. Palace have turned a corner after a slow start to the season, winning just one of their first 10 league games, and are now on a run of just three losses in 15 matches. They sit 12th in the Premier League table, but are just eight points off Manchester City in fifth, having played a game more. “We know that we can perform very well and this is what we showed today,” said manager Oliver Glasner. The thrashing of Villa felt like a key moment with a number of milestones for players in the Crystal Palace squad. England midfielder Adam Wharton started his first league game since October after injury, France striker Jean-Philippe Mateta scored again, England playmaker Eberechi Eze looked back to his free-flowing self and striker Nketiah scored his first goal for Palace in the Premier League since signing from Arsenal in the summer. Senegal forward Ismaila Sarr, meanwhile, scored two goals on his 27th birthday. The Eagles have the chance to reach the FA Cup quarter-finals if they beat London rivals Millwall on Saturday and are now chasing a second successive top-half finish. “I think we all get the reward and the players get the reward for their hard work,” Glasner said. “We expected it and I mentioned it quite often that the start [of the season] would be quite bumpy. Pre-season not going in the perfect way, many players arriving late. The most important thing is that we stayed together and worked hard. “I think now we can see the progress and development of individual players, of the system and the players know how we have to play and what we have to do. “One thing is theory and the other thing is transform it on to the pitch and that’s one thing that they are doing really well in the last few weeks and months.” Glasner was quick to point out, however, that just 10 days ago he was sitting in the same spot disappointed after a 2-1 home defeat by Everton. “It is always to work on your football and work on the group and stay together,” he said about his targets. “This is what we are doing regardless of what the results are.” Source link #Crystal #Palace #Aston #Villa #mood #buzzing #music #bouncing Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

TikTok star to hit the Eurovision stage for Australia TikTok star to hit the Eurovision stage for Australia TikTok star Go-Jo will represent Australia in its 10th attempt to crack the Eurovision Song Contest, sending the Sydney singer-songwriter to Switzerland. Source link #TikTok #star #hit #Eurovision #stage #Australia Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Fox News correspondent slams Trump administration for new press access rules that ‘gives power to the White House’ Fox News correspondent slams Trump administration for new press access rules that ‘gives power to the White House’ Fox News White House correspondent Jacqui Heinrich condemned the White House on Tuesday after it announced that it was seizing power from the White House Correspondents’ Association and would now handpick news outlets that will be allowed to participate in the presidential press pool. “This move does not give the power back to the people – it gives power to the White House. The WHCA is democratically elected by the full-time White House press corps,” Heinrich, who is a board member of the WHCA, tweeted. “WHCA has determined pools for decades because only representatives FROM our outlets can determine resources all those outlets have – such as staffing – in order to get the President’s message out to the largest possible audience, no matter the day or hour,” she added. A pool is a limited number of reporters who are invited to an event and provide information to all outlets. The pool often provides a basic transcription of what took place. In a separate tweet, Heinrich noted that despite how White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt described the group on Tuesday, the “WHCA has advocated to expand access to news events, beyond just the pool.” She also pointed out that the White House decides whether an event is “open press” or “pool only,” adding that “administrations limit access to ‘pool only’ because of security or space constraints.” A Fox News host blasted the White House’s new press policy announced by Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt (AP) “WHCA’s job in that scenario is to ensure that the pool includes representation from each constituency (radio, tv, wires, print, stills, new media) to get the news out to the fullest possible extent,” Heinrich concluded. “Our job is to advocate for the MOST access possible.” Amid the White House’s ongoing battle with the Associated Press over its demand that the wire service use “Gulf of America,” which has prompted the WHCA to privately push the administration to return access to the AP, Leavitt announced at Tuesday’s press briefing that it would now choose the press pool participants going forward. “I’m proud to announce that we are going to give the power back to the people who read your papers, who watch television shows, and who listen to your radio stations,” she declared. “Moving forward, the White House press pool will be determined by the White House press team.” Leavitt continued: “Just like we added a new media seat in this briefing room, legacy media outlets who have been here for years will still participate in the pool, but new voices are going to be welcomed in as well. As part of these changes, we will continue the rotation amongst the five major television networks to ensure the president’s remarks are heard far and wide around this world. We will add additional streaming services which reach different audiences than traditional cable and broadcast.” She also accused the WHCA of holding a “monopoly over the privilege of press access,” claiming that “the White House will restore power to the American people who President Trump was elected to serve.” The move, which breaks decades of tradition and precedent, left the WHCA blindsided as there had been no prior discussions about any potential change, according to the group’s president Eugene Daniels. In a statement released shortly after the briefing, Daniels said the decision “tears at the independence of a free press in the United States.” “It suggests the government will choose the journalists who cover the president. In a free country, leaders must not be able to choose their own press corps,” he added. “The W.H.C.A. will never stop advocating for comprehensive access, full transparency and the right of the American public to read, listen to and watch reports from the White House, delivered without fear or favor.” National Press Club president Mike Balsamo also denounced the change, saying in a statement that it was a “direct challenge to the independence of a free press in the United States.” Additionally, he noted that the press pool “should never be replaced by a handpicked group of insiders” and urged the White House to “reverse course immediately and preserve the integrity of the press pool for the good of our democracy.” Source link #Fox #News #correspondent #slams #Trump #administration #press #access #rules #power #White #House Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump floats $5 million ‘gold card’ as a route to U.S. citizenship Trump floats $5 million ‘gold card’ as a route to U.S. citizenship U.S. President Donald Trump speaks on the day he signs an executive order in the Oval Office, at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., Feb. 25, 2025. Evelyn Hockstein | Reuters U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday floated the idea of replacing a visa program for foreign investors with a so-called “gold card” that could be bought for $5 million as a route to American citizenship. Trump told reporters he will replace the “EB-5” immigrant investor visa program, which allows foreign investors of large sums of money that create or preserve U.S. jobs to become permanent residents, with a so-called “gold card.” The EB-5 program grants “green cards” to foreigners promising to invest in U.S. businesses. “We are going to be selling a gold card,” Trump said. “We are going to be putting a price on that card of about $5 million,” he added. “It’s going to give you green card privileges plus its going to be a route to (American) citizenship, and wealthy people would be coming into our country by buying this card,” Trump said, adding that details about the scheme will come out in two weeks. Trump added it is possible Russian oligarchs could qualify for the gold cards, when asked by a journalist if those people would be eligible. “Yeah, possibly. Hey. I know some Russian oligarchs that are very nice people,” he said. The EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program, administered by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, was created by Congress in 1990 to “stimulate the U.S. economy through job creation and capital investment by foreign investors,” according to the USCIS website. “The EB-5 program … it was full of nonsense, make believe and fraud, and it was a way to get a green card that was low price. So the president said, rather than having this sort of ridiculous EB-5 program, we’re going to end the EB-5 program. We’re going to replace it with the Trump gold card,” Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told reporters on Tuesday. Source link #Trump #floats #million #gold #card #route #U.S #citizenship Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Power outage hits swaths of Chile, from largest copper mine to Santiago streets – Reuters Canada Power outage hits swaths of Chile, from largest copper mine to Santiago streets – Reuters Canada Power outage hits swaths of Chile, from largest copper mine to Santiago streets Reuters CanadaChile hit by nationwide blackout, forcing Santiago metro evacuations The GuardianPower outage in Chile leaves millions without electricity as officials scramble for answers Fox NewsChile experiences massive blackout hitting 14 of its 16 regions CNNA major blackout hits Chile, leaving millions without power The Associated Press Source link #Power #outage #hits #swaths #Chile #largest #copper #Santiago #streets #Reuters #Canada Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

*** ramps up defence budget and Europe’s ‘fight for peace’ *** ramps up defence budget and Europe’s ‘fight for peace’ Investment in air defences, naval ships and drones will be top of the Ministry of Defence’s “shopping list” after the government confirmed an increase in spending on Tuesday, the i newspaper reports. Sir Keir Starmer committed to ramping up the military budget to 2.7% by 2027 amid fears the US could draw down its military support for Europe. The Guardian’s headline quotes Starmer, who said the *** must be willing to “fight for peace” in Europe amid the ongoing threat posed by Vladimir Putin. The government has framed the defence spending increase as the largest since the Cold War. The Daily Mail hones in on the fact the government is funding the defence spending increase by cutting the foreign budget. During his Commons statement confirming the rise, Sir Keir Starmer warned the world was entering an “era of hard power” – a quote which the Mail features in its headline. The Daily Mirror’s splash reflects anger among the development sector that the international aid budget will be cut in order to pay for new military capabilities. It says the Treasury will “swipe billions” from the aid budget to fund the £13.4bn defence boost. Defence is the main topic on the front page of the Daily Telegraph too, which carries an op-ed from Chancellor Rachel Reeves urging other European countries to increase defence spending. She will raise the issue with her continental counterparts at a meeting of the G20 in South Africa scheduled for later this week. The Financial Times leads on the news that Ukraine and the US have agreed a deal giving American firms access to the war-torn nation’s deposits of valuable rare earth minerals. It says the financial agreement could pave the way for the White House to sign off security guarantees for Ukraine. Officials in Kyiv have said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will travel to Washington in the coming days to signs the deal, the Times reports. Trump has repeatedly pushed for an access agreement to Ukraine’s mines as a means of recompense for the billions of dollars of aid the US committed to Ukraine’s efforts to repel invading Russian forces. Almost 50,000 babies aged two or younger are referred to children’s care services because of domestic abuse fears, the Metro reports. It cites research carried out by charity For The Baby’s Sake, which warns the figures still do not cover the full scale of the abuse. The Daily Express dedicates its front page to calls from the families of farmers for the government to reverse its inheritance tax plans. The agriculture industry has been strongly critical of a Treasury decision to cap inheritance tax relief for farms at £1m. Ministers say the reform will only impact a small ********* of estates. The Daily Star leads on comments made by Boris Johnson, who has accused Donald Trump of telling “flat out lies” about the war in Ukraine. “Liar says liar is a liar” is how the paper frames the former prime minister’s criticism. Source link #ramps #defence #budget #Europes #fight #peace Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Star recruit Utoikamanu opens up about Storm move Star recruit Utoikamanu opens up about Storm move Looking to challenge himself, Stefano Utoikamanu says he’s getting comfortable with being uncomfortable after joining NRL heavyweights Melbourne. Source link #Star #recruit #Utoikamanu #opens #Storm #move Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump floats $5 million ‘gold card’ as a route to U.S. citizenship Trump floats $5 million ‘gold card’ as a route to U.S. citizenship U.S. President Donald Trump speaks on the day he signs an executive order in the Oval Office, at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., Feb. 25, 2025. Evelyn Hockstein | Reuters U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday floated the idea of replacing a visa program for foreign investors with a so-called “gold card” that could be bought for $5 million as a route to American citizenship. Trump told reporters he will replace the “EB-5” immigrant investor visa program, which allows foreign investors of large sums of money that create or preserve U.S. jobs to become permanent residents, with a so-called “gold card.” The EB-5 program grants “green cards” to foreigners promising to invest in U.S. businesses. “We are going to be selling a gold card,” Trump said. “We are going to be putting a price on that card of about $5 million,” he added. “It’s going to give you green card privileges plus its going to be a route to (American) citizenship, and wealthy people would be coming into our country by buying this card,” Trump said, adding that details about the scheme will come out in two weeks. Trump added it is possible Russian oligarchs could qualify for the gold cards, when asked by a journalist if those people would be eligible. “Yeah, possibly. Hey. I know some Russian oligarchs that are very nice people,” he said. The EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program, administered by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, was created by Congress in 1990 to “stimulate the U.S. economy through job creation and capital investment by foreign investors,” according to the USCIS website. “The EB-5 program … it was full of nonsense, make believe and fraud, and it was a way to get a green card that was low price. So the president said, rather than having this sort of ridiculous EB-5 program, we’re going to end the EB-5 program. We’re going to replace it with the Trump gold card,” Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told reporters on Tuesday. Source link #Trump #floats #million #gold #card #route #U.S #citizenship Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

69-year-old Wisconsin man with revoked license arrested for 14th OWI offense 69-year-old Wisconsin man with revoked license arrested for 14th OWI offense LOWVILLE, Wis. (WFRV) – A 69-year-old man was arrested on Monday night for his 14th Operating While Intoxicated (OWI) offense. Officials from the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office said a deputy on patrol in Lowville performed a traffic stop on a vehicle with an equipment violation around 9:20 p.m. on Monday. 2 in Wisconsin arrested on active warrants after fleeing officers, one had three drug charges While speaking with the driver, the deputy noticed signs that the driver may be under the influence. The deputy on the scene conducted an investigation which deemed that the driver was under the influence. The driver, identified as 69-year-old Robert Dolgner of Pardeeville, did not have a valid license and the deputy learned that he had 13 prior OWI convictions. Sheriff: Speed & alcohol contributing factors in deadly ****** in northern Wisconsin, driver ejected from vehicle Dolgner was subsequently taken to the Columbia County Jail and awaits a court appearance on the following charges: Operating after revocation Failure to install ignition interlock device Possession of drug paraphernalia No additional details were provided. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 – Green Bay, Appleton. Source link #69yearold #Wisconsin #man #revoked #license #arrested #14th #OWI #offense Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Boeing says Stephanie Pope is no longer its chief operating officer Boeing says Stephanie Pope is no longer its chief operating officer Boeing’s Stephanie Pope gives a press conference at the Paris Le Bourget Airport, on June 20, 2023. Geoffroy Van Der Hasselt | AFP | Getty Images Boeing said on Tuesday Stephanie Pope is no longer the chief operating officer at the planemaker as of Feb. 19. Pope will continue to serve as Boeing’s commercial airplanes chief, the planemaker said. Boeing had appointed Pope to the newly created role of COO in December 2023. Source link #Boeing #Stephanie #Pope #longer #chief #operating #officer Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

OpenAI is rolling out exciting new features for all ChatGPT users, and I can’t wait OpenAI is rolling out exciting new features for all ChatGPT users, and I can’t wait Advanced Voice Mode is coming to all ChatGPT free users There will be a daily limit on usage Deep Research is being released to Plus, Team, Edu, and Enterprise users OpenAI has just announced, via X, that it is starting to roll out a “preview” version of Advanced Voice mode for ChatGPT free users while also rolling out its Deep Research agent to all Plus, Team, Edu, and Enterprise users. Advanced Voice Mode, which is currently only available to ChatGPT Plus users, launched initially in the mobile app versions of ChatGPT and arrived in the desktop app version of ChatGPT in November last year. It is one of the nicest features of ChatGPT; it’s a way to communicate with the chatbot using your voice in a free-flowing, natural conversation. It’s almost like talking to a real person, and you have the ability to interrupt the chatbot if you find its reply is going on too long. There are a variety of different voices to choose from too, so you can customize the experience. OpenAI has previously experimented with offering 10 minutes of Advanced Voice Mode a month to ChatGPT free users, but the new rollout is going to “give all ChatGPT free users a chance to preview it daily across platforms.” The company is also being a bit secretive about what the daily limit is for Advanced Voice Mode for free users, as it clearly wants to retain the ability to adjust it depending on demand. The only detail on usage it offers is that ChatGPT Plus users will get “5x the free limit.” Starting today, we’re rolling out a version of Advanced Voice powered by GPT-4o mini to give all ChatGPT free users a chance to preview it daily across platforms.The natural conversation pace and tone are similar to the GPT-4o version while being more cost effective to serve.February 25, 2025 ChatGPT 4o-mini-powered The ChatGPT free version of Advanced Voice Mode will be powered by ChatGPT 4o-mini, while Plus users will continue to have access to Advanced Voice Mode powered by ChatGPT 4o. In its statement, OpenAI said: “Starting today, we’re rolling out a version of Advanced Voice powered by GPT-4o mini to give all ChatGPT free users a chance to preview it daily across platforms. Plus users will continue to have access to Advanced Voice powered by 4o with the existing daily rate limit, which is more than 5x the free limit, as well as access to video and screensharing in Advanced Voice.” Reacting to the news some X users expressed concern that the 4o-mini model might be “dumbed down” and expressed frustration that the daily limit remained in place for ChatGPT Plus subscribers “We’re paying for the best, not a crippled version. Get it together”, said X user Emanuele Dagostino. Gemini Live, Google’s voice mode chatbot, is entirely free for Android users. Advanced Voice Mode in the ChatGPT Mac app. (Image credit: OpenAI) Deep Research At the same time, OpenAI is rolling out its Deep Research agent tool to all its paid subscribers, rather than just its Pro subscribers. Built using the o3 model, Deep Research is a tool for carrying out in-depth research using the Internet that drastically reduces the time taken by researchers. Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. The o3 model is optimized for data analysis and can handle text, images, and PDF files that it can access via the web. Deep Research can work independently. You simply give it a prompt, and it goes off and analyzes and synthesizes hundreds of online sources for you, reducing a job that would take human researchers many hours to a few minutes. You might also like Source link #OpenAI #rolling #exciting #features #ChatGPT #users #wait Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Lebanon’s Emigrants Return to a Battered Homeland After Israel-Hezbollah War Lebanon’s Emigrants Return to a Battered Homeland After Israel-Hezbollah War As the war between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah intensified last September, Abed Al Kadiri sat glued to the television in the art studio where he was working in Kuwait. Mr. Al Kadiri watched as Beirut, the Lebanese capital and city of his childhood, was ravaged by Israeli bombardments. He was distraught about what members of his family, including his mother and 13-year-old son, along with his friends, were enduring there. He began having nightmares and panic attacks and was unable to sleep. Determined to support his family and help his country rebuild, Mr. Al Kadiri decided to book a ticket home. “Lebanon was going into an apocalyptic phase,” Mr. Al Kadiri, 40, said on a recent morning in the outskirts of Beirut. “Going back was the only best option.” Lebanon’s large and influential diaspora — estimated at nearly three times the size of the country’s population of 5.7 million — has been trickling back, hoping to offer physical and financial support for a country devastated by one of the bloodiest wars in decades in the Mediterranean nation. The challenges are huge. The returnees are coming back to a shattered country whose economy has been in crisis for years and which has long been plagued by sectarian tensions, political bickering and foreign interference. Lebanon’s trajectory remains deeply uncertain after a conflict that is likely to shift the balance of power inside the country and across the Middle East. But many of the returnees say they felt that they had no choice, even as a cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah signed in November remains delicate. “I felt like our country was calling us, that our physical presence was important,” said Zeina Kays, 48, a communications consultant who left Lebanon in 2004 for Doha, Qatar, where she has lived and worked on and off since. She returned to Lebanon in October. In Doha, she said, she watched on television as families displaced from Beirut arrived in other cities and towns across Lebanon with what remained of their belongings. As the deaths and the destruction escalated, she had “an emotional urge” to return and help, she said. Ms. Kays, 48, is now back for good, she says, in the Koura area, about 30 miles north of Beirut, where she and her husband own a home. ⁠There, with the help of friends and family, she spearheaded a campaign to secure supplies — blankets, medicine, food, utensils and clothes — for dozens of displaced families in her hometown and nearby villages. “This war demonstrated the patriotism, solidarity and unity that exists among all Lebanese people, regardless of their region or religion,” she said in an interview in Batroun, a coastal city that is also home to the Lebanese Diaspora Village, a cultural and touristic project aimed at connecting overseas Lebanese to their homeland. “Lebanon deserves a brighter vision and a better future,” Ms. Kays said. War came again to Lebanon after the Oct. 7, 2023, ******-led attack on Israel. Hezbollah began targeting Israel in solidarity with ******, setting off a series of ****-for-tat attacks across the Israeli-Lebanese border. The conflict, which escalated in late September, killed and injured thousands of people and displaced an estimated 1.3 million, according to Lebanese officials and the United Nations. Entire villages and neighborhoods, especially in the south, were pummeled as Israel conducted intense air raids. Hezbollah, a dominant political and military force that is backed by Iran, was severely weakened as its top leaders were assassinated and its ally in neighboring Syria, Bashar al-Assad, was ousted. The war exacerbated the mounting problems already facing Lebanon. The economic disarray, beginning in 2019 and aggravated by pandemic lockdowns, was ranked by the World Bank in 2021 as among the worst national financial crises since the mid-19th century. Anger over corruption led to huge antigovernment protests. Then, an explosion at the Beirut port in 2020 destroyed parts of the capital and killed hundreds. For two years, Lebanon had a caretaker government, and a new president and prime minister were chosen only in January. “These last few years in Lebanon were really like a roller coaster,” said Mr. Al Kadiri, the artist, who left Beirut for a second time after the 2020 port explosion. He first departed Lebanon for Kuwait during the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah. But he returned in 2014, establishing a studio and reconnecting with the city. He decided to leave again when the port blast destroyed a gallery where he had been exhibiting his work. After starting an initiative titled “Today, I Would Like to be a Tree” in Beirut to help rebuild homes shattered by the explosion, he went to Paris, hoping to find work in the arts there to support his family. He had just arrived in Kuwait from Paris to curate a show when the latest war escalated. Now he is back in Beirut again. “The future can be dark, concerning and scary, but we are here,” he said. “Even if we leave, we still come back.” Lebanese started leaving their homeland in waves starting in the late 19th century, when it was under the Ottoman Empire, and continued to emigrate during French rule and after independence in the 1940s. They fled sectarian divisions, economic crises, famine during World War I, politically motivated killings and a civil war from 1975 to 1990. In countries like Australia, Brazil, Nigeria and the United States, they and their descendants have established new lives. Among their numbers are the international lawyer Amal Clooney and the trader-turned-philosopher Nassim Nicholas Taleb. Many also kept a close relationship with home: In 2023, the diaspora sent some $6 billion in remittances, or about 27.5 percent of Lebanon’s gross domestic product, according to the World Bank. As the war unfolded last year, the Lebanese diaspora mobilized to raise money and emergency aid. Many say they are watching how the new government plans to rebuild the economy, enforce the delicate truce between Israel and Hezbollah, and stabilize the nation before they decide whether to return. Another consideration, said Konrad Kanaan, a 31-year-old lawyer based in France who was visiting Beirut recently, is the shifting geopolitics of the region and how they could affect Lebanon’s future. At a recent dinner at Mr. Kanaan’s brother’s home in the Achrafieh neighborhood in Beirut, an animated conversation ensued about Syria and Gaza. One family member twice quoted the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and said she was eager to understand what his vision for a “new Middle East” would look like. Another spoke about the agony and emotional resentment brewed by recurring wars. They all acknowledged that none of them had a clear idea of the future. “I don’t think resilience is something very positive,” Mr. Kanaan said of an attribute cited by many Lebanese. “It is draining.” Many Lebanese also wonder what will happen to Hezbollah, how the group’s relationship with Iran will develop and whether the militants will withdraw from southern Lebanon as agreed in the truce with Israel. While anger with Israel is high among Lebanese, many have openly criticized Hezbollah for attacking Israel at Iran’s behest. “We love our homeland, but it was taken from us by the Iranians,” said Rabie Kanaan, a 35-year-old business developer from Australia who was visiting family in Beirut (and is no relation of Mr. Kanaan the lawyer). Rabie Kanaan is originally from Tibnin, a town in southern Lebanon that was pounded by Israeli airstrikes during the war. His family’s home was in ruins, he said, and he is now unable to bring his 8-year-old daughter to visit the verdant hills where he grew up. “She’s always asking, ‘Dad, why are they always fighting in our country?’” he said. He tried to counter that notion, he added, telling her, “As ordinary people, we just aim for peace.” Sarah Chaayto contributed reporting from Beirut. Source link #Lebanons #Emigrants #Return #Battered #Homeland #IsraelHezbollah #War Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Barcelona 4-4 Atlético Madrid, Copa del Rey: Recap – Barca Blaugranes Barcelona 4-4 Atlético Madrid, Copa del Rey: Recap – Barca Blaugranes Barcelona 4-4 Atlético Madrid, Copa del Rey: Recap Barca BlaugranesBarcelona 4-4 Atlético (Feb 25, 2025) Game Analysis ESPNEuropean football: Barcelona and Atlético in eight-goal semi-final thriller The GuardianLIVE: Barcelona vs Atletico Madrid – Copa del Rey Al Jazeera EnglishCopa del Rey Soccer Livestream: How to Watch Barcelona vs. Atletico Madrid From Anywhere CNET Source link #Barcelona #Atlético #Madrid #Copa #del #Rey #Recap #Barca #Blaugranes Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Myanmar villagers fly to India to sell organs illegally Myanmar villagers fly to India to sell organs illegally BBC Zeya says the money he received was enough to pay off his debts and buy some land “I just wanted to own a house and pay off my debts – that’s why I decided to sell my kidney,” says Zeya, a farm worker in Myanmar. Prices had soared after a military coup in 2021 triggered civil war. He could barely feed his young family and was badly in debt. They all lived in his mother-in-law’s house, in a village where thatched houses lined dirt roads, a few hours’ drive from the country’s largest city, Yangon. Zeya, whose name has been changed to conceal his identity, knew of local people who had sold one of their kidneys. “They looked healthy to me,” he says. So he started asking around. He is one of eight people in the area who told BBC Burmese they had sold a kidney by travelling to India. ******** organ trading is a problem across Asia, and Zeya’s story gives an insight into how it takes place. Arranging the deal Buying or selling human organs is ******** in both Myanmar and India, but Zeya says he soon found a man he describes as a “broker”. He says the man arranged medical tests and, a few weeks later, told him a potential recipient – a Burmese woman – had been found, and that both of them could travel to India for the surgery. In India, if the donor and recipient are not close relatives, they must demonstrate that the motive is altruistic and explain the relationship between them. Zeya says the broker forged a document, which every household in Myanmar must have, listing the details of family members. “The broker put my name in the recipient’s family tree,” he explains. He says the broker made it appear as if he was donating to someone he was related to by marriage: “Someone who is not a blood relative, but a distant relative”. Getty Images Kidney sales by people living in poverty – like this man in Afghanistan – have been documented in many Asian countries Then, he says, the broker took him to meet the recipient in Yangon. There, he says a man who introduced himself as a doctor completed more paperwork and warned Zeya he would have to pay a substantial fee if he backed out. The BBC contacted this man afterwards, who said his role was to check whether a patient was fit to undergo the procedure, not to check the relationship between donor and recipient. Zeya says he was told he would receive 7.5m Myanmar kyats. This has been worth somewhere between $1,700 and $2,700 over the past couple of years – the unofficial exchange rate has fluctuated since the coup. He says he flew to northern India for the operation and it took place in a large hospital. All transplants involving foreign nationals in India must be approved by a panel called an authorisation committee, established either by the hospital or by local government. Zeya says he was interviewed, via a translator, by about four people. “They asked me if I was willingly donating my kidney to her, not by force,” he says. He says he explained the recipient was a relative and the transplant was approved. Zeya remembers the doctors administering the anaesthetic before he lost consciousness. “There were no big issues after the surgery, except that I couldn’t move without pain,” he says, adding that he stayed in hospital for a week afterwards. ‘Fake mum’ Another donor, Myo Win – also not his real name – told the BBC he too had pretended to be related to a stranger. “The broker gave me a piece of paper, and I had to memorise what was written on it,” he says, adding that he was told to say the recipient was married to one of his relatives. “The person assessing my case also called my mum, but the broker arranged a fake mum for the call,” he says. He adds that the person who answered the call confirmed he was donating his kidney to a relative with her permission. Myo Win says he was offered the same amount of money as Zeya, but that it was described as a “charitable donation”, and he had to pay the broker about 10% of the amount. Both men say they were given a third of the money up front. Myo Win says this was in his thoughts as he entered the operating theatre: “I made up my mind that I had to do it because I had already taken their money.” He adds that he “chose this desperate way” as he was struggling with debt and medical bills for his wife. Unemployment rates have climbed in Myanmar since the coup – the war has ravaged the economy and sent foreign investors fleeing. In 2017, a quarter of the population were living in poverty – but by 2023, this had risen to half, according to the UN’s development agency, UNDP. Myo Win says the broker did not tell him selling his kidney was ********. “I wouldn’t have done it if he did. I am afraid of ending up in prison,” he says. The BBC is not naming any of organisations or individuals involved in order to protect the anonymity and safety of the interviewees. However, another man in Myanmar, also speaking anonymously, told the BBC he had helped about 10 people buy or sell kidneys via surgery in India. He said he referred people to an “agency” in Mandalay in central Myanmar, which he said made arrangements. “But don’t worry about donors,” he said. “We have a list of donors who are queuing up to donate their kidneys.” He too said documents were faked to label strangers as related by marriage. When asked whether he received money for his help, he did not answer. Arrests in India Organ transplants have increased by more than 50% worldwide since 2010, with about 150,000 carried out annually, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). But it says the supply of organs meets only about 10% of global need. Trading in human body parts is ******** in nearly all countries and is hard to measure. In 2007, the WHO estimated that 5-10% of transplanted organs came from the ****** market, but the figure may be higher. ******** kidney sales driven by poverty have been documented in recent years across Asia, including in Nepal, Pakistan, Indonesia, Afghanistan, India and Bangladesh. Getty Images The supply of donated organs meets only about 10% of global demand, according to the WHO India has long been a hub for medical tourism and concern there about kidney sales has been rising, following accounts in media reports and a recent police investigation. Last July, Indian police said they had arrested seven people in connection with an alleged kidney racket, including an Indian doctor and her assistant. Police allege the group arranged for poor Bangladeshis to sell their kidneys, using forged documents to secure approval for the transplants. Dr Vijaya Rajakumari, who had been working at the prestigious Indraprastha Apollo Hospital in Delhi, is alleged to have carried out the operations as a visiting consultant at a different hospital, Yatharth, a few kilometres away. Her lawyer told the BBC the allegations “are entirely baseless and without evidence”, that she only carried out surgeries approved by authorisation committees and always acted in accordance with the law. According to her bail order, she is not accused of preparing forged documents. Yatharth Hospital told the BBC all its cases, including those managed by visiting consultants, “are subject to our robust protocols to ensure compliance with legal and ethical standards”. “We have further enhanced our processes to prevent any such occurrences in the future,” the hospital said. After her arrest, Apollo Hospitals said Dr Rajakumari was a freelance consultant engaged on a fee-for-service basis and it had discontinued all clinical engagements with her. Dr Rajakumari has not been charged in court. ‘No regrets’ Last April, a senior health ministry official wrote to Indian states warning of a “surge” in transplants involving foreigners and calling for better monitoring. Under Indian law, foreign nationals who wish to donate or receive organs must have their documents, including those showing the relationship between donor and recipient, verified by their own country’s embassy in India. The BBC contacted India’s heath ministry and the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization, as well as Myanmar’s military government for comment, but has received no response. A public health campaigner in Myanmar, Dr Thurein Hlaing Win, said: “Law enforcement is not effective.” He added that potential donors need to be aware of the risks, including of bleeding during surgery and damage to other organs, adding that proper follow-up care is needed. Getty Images Protests against Myanmar’s 2021 coup were suppressed and a brutal civil war followed The BBC last heard from Zeya several months after his surgery. “I was able to settle my debts and bought a plot of land,” he said. But he said he couldn’t afford to build a house and had not been able to construct one while recovering from the surgery. He said he had been suffering from back pain. “I have to restart working soon. If the side effects strike again, I have to deal with it. I have no regrets about it,” he added. He said he stayed in touch with the recipient for a while, and she had told him she was in good health with his kidney. Speaking on condition of anonymity, she told the BBC she paid 100m kyats (between around $22,000 and $35,000 in recent years) in total. She denied that documents were forged, maintaining that Zeya was her relative. Six months after his surgery, Myo Win told the BBC he had paid off most of his debts, but not all. “I have no job and not even a penny left,” he said, adding that he had been experiencing some stomach problems since the surgery. He said he had no regrets, but then added: “I am telling other people not to do this. It is not good.” Source link #Myanmar #villagers #fly #India #sell #organs #illegally Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Microsoft Copilot offers Voice and o1-powered Think Deeper for free Microsoft Copilot offers Voice and o1-powered Think Deeper for free Microsoft that it is making some features available for free in its Copilot AI assistant. Everyone now has unlimited access to Voice and Think Deeper, which is powered by OpenAI’s o1 model. Copilot got the Voice feature, which allows users to have conversations with the AI assistant, in . Think Deeper is intended to parse complicated queries, such as assessing the pros and cons of major home purchases, taking cost and long-term value into account. “We are working hard to scale unlimited access to advanced features to as many people as possible, as quickly as possible,” the blog post noted. Microsoft noted that users could experience delays or interruptions during times of high usage for these newly free Copilot applications. Members of the Copilot Pro subscription will still have preferred access to the company’s latest AI models at those peak usage times, as well as to new features that are still in the experimental stage. Source link #Microsoft #Copilot #offers #Voice #o1powered #Deeper #free Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

WiseTech founder Richard White takes control of board after directors’ revolt WiseTech founder Richard White takes control of board after directors’ revolt WiseTech founder Richard White has regained management control of the software group as executive chair, despite it still investigating allegations against the billionaire. The appointment comes just days after WiseTech chair Richard Dammery and three other directors said they were stepping down over “intractable differences” in relation to Mr White’s ongoing role. WiseTech said on Wednesday Mr White would help oversee succession planning at the company, including the appointment of a new chief executive, while leading product development and its growth strategy. Monday’s walkout by Mr Dammery — along with Lisa Brock, iinet founder Michael Malone and Fiona Pak-Poy— shaved more than $9b off the company’s market capitalisation, prompting a ‘please explain’ letter from the *********** Securities Exchange. Mr White has been working in a consulting capacity for the firm after being pressured to resign as chief executive in October last year over allegations he unduly used his influence to gain ******* favours, paid for a multimillion-dollar house for an employee that he had been in a relationship with, and awarded a lucrative contract to a then-lover. He had also been accused of “sustained intimidation and bullying” by former director Christine Holman. A legal and accounting review in November concluded Mr White did not act inappropriately, found he disclosed all close personal relationships in the workplace, did not misuse company funds, and said there was no evidence of bullying, intimidation, or unlawful behaviour. But Mr White has been dogged by new reports in the *********** Financial Review earlier this month that revealed three more women had come forward with allegations of inappropriate behaviour against him, including one from an employee and another from a supplier. WiseTech on Wednesday said Mike Gregg had joined the board as lead independent director and will be in charge of governance, including overseeing the completion of the board review. The company on Wednesday also announced a 38 per cent increase in interim net profit to $US106.4 million as revenue grew 17 per cent to $US327m. The interim dividend was increased to US6.7 cents a share. More to come Source link #WiseTech #founder #Richard #White #takes #control #board #directors #revolt Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

‘My Game in Life Was Always To Avoid All Standard Ways of Failing’ ‘My Game in Life Was Always To Avoid All Standard Ways of Failing’ Charlie Munger’s Financial Success and Longevity Advice: ‘My Game in Life Was Always To Avoid All Standard Ways of Failing’ The late billionaire Charlie Munger, who passed away at the age of 99, shared in an interview that there’s no hidden formula to achieving financial success and longevity. What Happened: Munger’s approach to life and work was simple and direct. He focused on evading conventional pitfalls and was prudent in his decision-making. Munger, a resident of the same humble abode for seven decades, held the belief that lavish living often paves the way to discontent. “I avoided the standard ways of failing, because my game in life was always to avoid all standard ways of failing. You teach me the wrong way to play poker and I will avoid it. You teach me the wrong way to do something else, I will avoid it. And, of course, I’ve avoided a lot, because I’m so cautious,” Munger said in the interview with CNBC. Don’t Miss: This pragmatic approach was also mirrored in his spending habits. When his business associate at Berkshire Hathaway, Warren Buffett, opted to replace a company jet, Munger deemed the $6.7 million expense as extravagant. In Munger’s view, steering clear of apparent risks, frivolity, and “insane” scenarios were instrumental to his financial success and longevity. “Steer clear of insanity at all costs. Insanity is far more prevalent than you’d imagine,” he said. Munger’s financial success and longevity were driven by his ability to steer clear of unnecessary risks, frivolous decisions, and irrational situations. “Avoid crazy at all costs. Crazy is way more common than you think. It’s easy to slip into crazy. Just avoid it, avoid it, avoid it,” Munger said. Trending: The average American couple has saved this much money for retirement — How do you compare? Why It Matters: Munger’s philosophy of financial success and longevity offers valuable insights into his life and work ethic. His avoidance of conventional failure modes, his cautious decision-making, and his disdain for extravagance and risky ventures like cryptocurrency, all paint a picture of a man who valued practicality and prudence over quick gains and lavish lifestyles. His views on financial success and longevity, while not groundbreaking, offer a refreshing perspective in a world often obsessed with quick riches and ostentatious displays of wealth. Story Continues Source link #Game #Life #Avoid #Standard #Ways #Failing Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Team Fortress 2 Classic Coming To Steam This Year Team Fortress 2 Classic Coming To Steam This Year Released in 2020, Team Fortress 2 Classic is a mod for Team Fortress 2 that re-imagines the original game’s early post-launch era. It was one of the most popular fan mods, and now will officially be released through Steam later this year–and can be wishlisted right now. In terms of returning features from the mod, there is a new special class, the Civilian, which is inspired by Team Fortress Classic. There are also original weapons like the nailgun, dynamite pack, and tranquilizer gun that are said to be redesigned. And the traditionally two-team game now features four-team support in Arena, King of the Hill, and other modes, with the third and fourth teams taking on the colors of yellow and green. The mod restores the toon-style character shading of the game’s beta, reimplements cut content, removes many later additions to the game’s content and lore, and adds new content along with exclusive new game modes. On the visual side, there are improved textures, models, and mapping features. With entirely new weapons and items like jump pads, flak cannons, and bricks–you can even have chains wrapped around your fists–combat is dramatically changed. There’s also extensive modding support, allowing players to customize the look of their game, and allowing servers to host advanced custom weapon packs and maps. “Beginning development in 2014 and formally releasing in July of 2020, Team Fortress 2 Classic has been worked on for over a decade now–almost certainly longer than you’ve been alive,” the description reads on Steam. “Even between the massive multi-day updates, a team full of contributors is working nonstop on content, balance changes, and bug fixes.” Being a mod, Team Fortress 2 Classic’s Steam release will require you to own TF2, but that should be no real obstacle, as it’s available for free. News of this Steam port comes not long after Valve released TF2’s source code, potentially opening the door for more extensive mods in the future. Source link #Team #Fortress #Classic #Coming #Steam #Year Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Stock market today: Live updates Stock market today: Live updates A trader works on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange on March 5, 2024. Brendan Mcdermid | Reuters Stock futures rose on Tuesday evening as investors contend with a fourth-straight day of losses for the S&P 500 and await earnings from artificial intelligence darling Nvidia. Futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 77 points, or 0.1%. Nasdaq-100 futures added 0.3%, while S&P 500 futures climbed nearly 0.2%. Stocks are coming off a weak session. The S&P 500 tumbled 0.5%, and the Nasdaq Composite lost nearly 1.4%. Both indexes logged their fourth consecutive losing day. The 30-stock Dow was the outlier, with a nearly 0.4% advance. A weaker-than-expected consumer confidence reading from the Conference Board weighed on stocks Tuesday. A raft of recent reports, including disappointing retail sales numbers and a weak consumer sentiment reading have spurred traders’ worries around the economy over the past week. Nvidia’s fourth-quarter earnings, due after the closing bell Wednesday, could be the next catalyst for the market. The report arrives at a pivotal time for Nvidia: The emergence of DeepSeek raised questions about the sustainability of the once-hot AI trade. The chip giant and other momentum plays are also showing signs of fizzling, with Nvidia down more than 5% in 2025. “I think as the earnings report comes out tomorrow, my expectation is it’s going to be a lot like September,” NYU Stern School of Business finance professor Aswath Damodaran said Tuesday on CNBC’s “Closing Bell.” “A replay of [the] September [quarter] where they will beat analyst expectations, but the market is going to be disappointed because the market seems to have set expectations higher than what analysts are seeing for the company,” he added. Other earnings reports out Wednesday include Lowe’s, TJX and Salesforce. Economic data due on Wednesday include new home sales and building permits. The main event for investors will be the release of the personal consumption expenditures price index on Friday. The PCE is the Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation gauge. Source link #Stock #market #today #Live #updates Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

New Super Mario Movie Limited Edition Steelbook Drops To $28 Ahead Of Next Week’s Release New Super Mario Movie Limited Edition Steelbook Drops To $28 Ahead Of Next Week’s Release Super Mario returns to 4K Blu-ray next week with a new collectible edition of the 2023 movie. Exclusive to Walmart, The Super Mario Bros. Movie Limited Edition Steelbook was designed to resemble the iconic Question Blocks from the Nintendo series. Like most Walmart-exclusive editions of popular films, the new edition of the Mario Movie is cheaper than many steelbook releases these days. You can preorder The Super Mario Bros. Movie Limited Edition Steelbook for $28 ahead of its March 4 release. Up until recently Walmart was charging $35, so it’s possible the price will increase again. $28 (was $35) | Releases March 4 Walmart’s new Steelbook Edition of The Super Mario Bros. Movie is modeled after the iconic Question Block from the games (and film). Instead of bopping it with your head to reveal its contents, you open it like any other case. The interior of the case features landscape artwork depicting the Mushroom Kingdom’s many varieties of large mushrooms. The steelbook case has slots for the 4K Blu-ray and 1080p Blu-ray discs of the film. Like the original release, you’ll also get a digital copy of the film. The Mario Movie is available on Movies Anywhere, so you can add it to your library and watch on any of your devices. Walmart initially priced the new edition at $28 before raising it to $35, where it has remained all year–until now, at least. With just one week to go before launch, Walmart is now charging $28 again. If you placed your order when it was $35, Walmart’s preorder price guarantee ensures you will pay the lowest offered before release. Walmart doesn’t charge until your preorder ships, and adjustments are automatically applied to your account. $41.63 Walmart restocked the Power-Up Edition Collectible Steelbook when preorders opened for the new edition late last year. This edition released in 2023 and promptly sold out at most major retailers. Walmart has the original steelbook in stock right now, but you may want to hold off on snagging a copy at its current price. The Power-Up Edition was priced at $28 for the past couple months, but it’s going for $41.63 as of February 25. Since Walmart is the only retailer with copies on hand, this is the best price for the Power-Up Steelbook Edition. If you bought it from a reseller on Amazon, you’d wind up paying roughly $50. That said, if you’re interested in adding this collectible edition to your display shelf, we’d recommend circling back to see if the price drops again. The Power-Up Edition has a ****** case with a Super Mushroom on the front and back. The interior artwork is a landscape shot of the Mushroom Kingdom leading up to Princess Peach’s Castle. It also comes with 4K Blu-ray, standard Blu-ray, and digital versions of the movie. All editions of The Super Mario Bros. Movie contain the same special features. You can check those out below. The Super Mario Bros. Movie Limited Edition Steelbook (Walmart Exclusive) The Super Mario Bros. Movie Special Features Leveling Up: Making The Super Mario Bros. Movie – Six-part featurette detailing the creation of the adaptation. The Super Mario Bros. Movie Field Guide – Featurette introducing the Mushroom Kingdom and its inhabitants. Getting to Know the Cast – The voice actors discuss their roles. Leadership Lessons from Anya Taylor-Joy – Princess Peach’s voice actor talks about being a leader.. Peaches Lyric Video – Jack ******, also known as Bowser, sings his smash hit ballad about Princess Peach. All Editions of The Super Mario Bros. Movie Super Mario Bros. Movie original 2023 steelbook edition Here’s a look at all of the 4K Blu-ray, 1080p Blu-ray, and DVD editions of the Mario Movie you can get from Walmart or Amazon. Limited Edition Steelbooks (4K, 1080p, Digital) Standard Editions: Super Mario’s longtime nemesis has an upcoming steelbook release, too. And no, we aren’t talking about Bowser. Sonic the Hedgehog 3’s Limited Edition Steelbook is up for preorder at Amazon and Walmart ahead of its April 15 release. Amazon also has an exclusive Shadow the Hedgehog-themed Limited Edition Steelbook, but it’s challenging to find in stock. Source link #Super #Mario #Movie #Limited #Edition #Steelbook #Drops #Ahead #Weeks #Release Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump Media Group Sues Brazilian Judge Weighing Arrest of Jair Bolsonaro Trump Media Group Sues Brazilian Judge Weighing Arrest of Jair Bolsonaro President Trump’s media company sued a Brazilian Supreme Court justice on Wednesday, accusing him of illegally censoring right-wing voices on social media. The unusual move was made all the more extraordinary by its timing: Just hours earlier, the Brazilian justice had received an indictment that would force him to decide whether to order the arrest of Jair Bolsonaro, the former Brazilian president and an ally of Mr. Trump. The justice is overseeing multiple criminal investigations into Mr. Bolsonaro. The Trump Media & Technology Group — which is majority owned by Mr. Trump and runs his Truth Social site — sued the Brazilian justice, Alexandre de Moraes, in U.S. federal court in Tampa, Fla., on Wednesday morning. Joining as a plaintiff was Rumble, a Florida-based video platform that, like Truth Social, pitches itself as a home for free speech. The lawsuit appeared to represent an astonishing effort by Mr. Trump to pressure a foreign judge as he weighed the fate of a fellow right-wing leader who, like him, was indicted on charges that he tried to overturn his election loss. Mr. Bolsonaro had explicitly called on Mr. Trump to take action against Justice Moraes in an interview with The New York Times last month. At the time, it was not clear how Mr. Trump might be able to influence Brazil’s domestic politics. Mr. Bolsonaro was indicted on charges Tuesday that he plotted to hold on to power after he lost Brazil’s 2022 election, including by participating in plans to assassinate Justice Moraes. The indictment said that Mr. Bolsonaro effectively approved the plot and that military agents had begun tracking the movements of the judge. Mr. Bolsonaro has denied the accusations, saying that he peacefully transferred power and had no knowledge of any assassination plot. Trump Media and Rumble accused Justice Moraes of censoring political discourse in the United States by ordering Rumble last week to remove the account of a prominent supporter of Mr. Bolsonaro. That person is a Brazilian who has sought political asylum in Florida after Justice Moraes ordered his arrest on accusations that he spread misinformation and threatened judges. The companies argued that the order against Rumble is “extraterritorial censorship” that illegally restricts their “ability to deliver First-Amendment protected content” in the United States. Mr. Trump’s company has not been subject to Justice Moraes’s orders, but it argued in the lawsuit that it relied on Rumble’s technology and therefore could be harmed if Rumble’s operations were affected. Justice Moraes has argued that his actions are necessary to protect Brazil from the anti-democratic acts of Mr. Bolsonaro and his supporters. His spokeswoman said that Justice Moraes did not have immediate comment. It was unclear how or whether the lawsuit would affect the proceedings against Mr. Bolsonaro in Brazil. The civil suit has no legal standing on the justice’s actions in Brazil. It seeks an injunction against Justice Moraes’s recent order against Rumble. The suit also seeks to prevent Justice Moraes from ordering Apple and Google to remove the Rumble app from their app stores. “This case is about holding Alexandre de Moraes accountable in an American courtroom,” said Martin De Luca, the lead lawyer on the case, a former U.S. attorney who now works at the New York law firm Boies Schiller Flexner. “He has used the judiciary not as a neutral arbiter of justice, but as a weapon to silence political opponents — whether it’s Jair Bolsonaro or a political dissident in the United States.” Mr. De Luca is both a lawyer for Trump Media Group and an adviser to Mr. Bolsonaro. He is helping Mr. Bolsonaro spread his complaints about Justice Moraes internationally, including by helping to organize The Times’s interview with Mr. Bolsonaro last month. Justice Moraes has largely proved immune to years of intense criticism and pressure from the Brazilian right as he aggressively investigated Mr. Bolsonaro and his supporters. As part of investigations into attacks against Brazil’s democracy, Justice Moraes has ordered arrests of Mr. Bolsonaro’s allies and the confiscation of the former president’s passport, as well as the suspension of hundreds of social media accounts belonging to his supporters. Last year, Justice Moraes faced off against Elon Musk — and won — blocking Mr. Musk’s social network, X, in Brazil until the billionaire backed down in his refusal to comply with the judge’s orders to suspend accounts. The moves have also arguably made the judge Mr. Bolsonaro’s political archrival — and a target. In 2023, a mob of Mr. Bolsonaro’s supporters raided Brazil’s Supreme Court. Late last year, a Bolsonaro supporter tried to bomb the Supreme Court but instead killed only himself. And on Tuesday, new details emerged in the indictment of Mr. Bolsonaro showing that, according to Brazilian investigators, the former president had met with military agents about a detailed plot to fatally shoot Justice Moraes as part of their bid to hold on to power. As the head of the federal investigation into the former president, Justice Moraes will now decide how the case against Mr. Bolsonaro proceeds. One of his next major decisions will be weighing whether Mr. Bolsonaro represents a flight risk and thus should be jailed until his trial. Justice Moraes has already used such measures against Mr. Bolsonaro’s allies, including his former running mate, who has been jailed since December. Justice Moraes could also order the former president to wear an ankle monitor. The charges against Mr. Trump that he sought to overturn the 2020 U.S. election have been dropped since he returned to power. Mr. Trump owns 53 percent of Trump Media, a stake worth more than $3 billion. That stake is in a trust overseen by his son, Donald Trump Jr., who is a Trump Media board member. Devin Nunes, the former Republican congressman who is now Trump Media’s chief executive, said in a statement that the company is “proud to join our partner Rumble in standing against unjust demands for political censorship regardless of who makes them.” The lawsuit reflects the close relationship between Trump Media and Rumble, which cater to the same right-wing audience and are headquartered within a few miles of each other on Florida’s Gulf Coast. The case at the center of the lawsuit does not name the Brazilian whose Rumble account Justice Moraes has sought to block, but the details are identical to those of Allan dos Santos, a right-wing Brazilian provocateur who has been living in the United States since 2021. Justice Moraes has sought to block Mr. Santos’ accounts across the social-media landscape for what the judge said were threats against the Supreme Court and efforts to spread misinformation. Mr. Santos is a prominent supporter of Mr. Bolsonaro and much of his online content is standard political fare, though he has spread conspiracy theories, such as claims that the 2022 Brazilian election was rigged. He has also faced criminal complaints in Brazil for threatening judges. One complaint focused on a case in 2020 when he said that a Supreme Court justice who called him a “digital terrorist” would “see what would be done with him.” Justice Moraes sought Mr. Santos’ extradition from the United States, but was denied by the U.S. government last year. Matthew Goldstein contributed reporting from New York. Source link #Trump #Media #Group #Sues #Brazilian #Judge #Weighing #Arrest #Jair #Bolsonaro Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

USAID Lifesaving Aid Remains Halted Despite Rubio’s Promise USAID Lifesaving Aid Remains Halted Despite Rubio’s Promise When Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced last month that lifesaving humanitarian work would be exempt from a freeze on foreign aid, global health workers breathed a collective sigh of relief. But a new directive has put such exemptions on hold. Several senior employees at the U.S.A.I.D. Bureau of Global Health received an email Tuesday telling them to “please hold off on any more approvals” pending further directions from the acting chief of staff, according to a copy reviewed by The New York Times. Senior officials at the Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance received similar instructions during a meeting this week, according to a person familiar with what transpired. For weeks, U.S.A.I.D. officials and the organizations, contractors and consultants who partner with them have struggled to continue the kind of work that Mr. Rubio promised to preserve — “core lifesaving medicine, medical services, food, shelter and substance assistance.” Some waivers have been issued to programs that fall under Mr. Rubio’s definition of “lifesaving” aid, but the payments system called Phoenix that U.S.A.I.D. relies on to disburse financial assistance has been inaccessible for weeks. That means even programs that received waivers have struggled to continue, according to multiple employees of U.S.A.I.D. and the partner organizations that rely on the funding they distributed. The State Department did not reply to a request for comment for this article. On Tuesday, Elon Musk, the billionaire tech entrepreneur empowered by President Trump to combat the agency, told reporters in the Oval Office that the administration had “turned on funding for Ebola prevention and for H.I.V. prevention.” But in reality, the Ebola funding and virtually all of the H.I.V. prevention funding remains frozen, according to two U.S.A.I.D. employees and several aid groups. Young engineers working for Mr. Musk seized control of the agency’s payments system as they took over in recent weeks. And as part of the dismantling overseen by Mr. Musk, the State Department also recently circulated plans to reduce U.S.A.I.D. staff from about 10,000 workers to 611 who had been deemed essential personnel. Without access to funding, organizations that partner with U.S.A.I.D. have been unable to pay their workers and suppliers for projects that were dependent on U.S. government funding. The Norwegian Refugee Council, which does U.S.-backed humanitarian work in about 20 countries, said it has been unable to take advantage of the waivers because the agency’s payments had stopped. “We currently have millions of dollars in outstanding payment requests to the U.S. government,” the group said in a statement, noting that civilians in conflict zones like Ukraine, Afghanistan and Sudan would suffer if its work stopped. “Without an immediate solution we may, at the end of February, be forced to halt U.S.-funded lifesaving humanitarian programs.” New political appointees at the State Department and U.S.A.I.D. have put other hurdles in place. At one mission in Asia, officials received waivers for three programs, including one for malaria eradication, but then were told they needed waivers for individual projects under those programs, a person with knowledge of the impasse said. Beleaguered U.S.A.I.D. staff members said this week that the waiver pause was a sign that the end of their lifesaving work and other projects may be near. Agency officials were notified this week that some 350 awards would be canceled. It was not immediately clear how many of those contracts were on a list that circulated last week identifying about 800 potential award cancellations. Unlike previous notifications, emails sent to staff on Wednesday alerting them to some of the most recent cancellations did not encourage them to check for potential exemptions. People deputized by Mr. Trump and Mr. Musk have accused U.S.A.I.D. officials of delaying and trying to undermine efforts to terminate programs by conducting their own reviews of contracts to ensure lifesaving work is not canceled. However, those reviews would be needed to grant the waivers promised by Mr. Rubio. As the reductions get underway, unions representing U.S.A.I.D. staff as well as companies and organizations that work with the aid agency have been scrambling to push back against the cuts through a series of lawsuits. Some have succeeded in obtaining temporary restraining orders against the president’s efforts to dismantle the agency. The plaintiffs have argued that the downsizing measures are unconstitutional and ********, as Congress appropriated the funds for the agency and, by law, has to approve their withdrawal. In one lawsuit, filed by companies that have had U.S.A.I.D. contracts for global programs, a development firm reported that $250 million worth of health supplies were stuck in transit or “stranded in warehouses around the world” because of the stop-work orders that accompanied the freeze. The firm, Chemonics, had to furlough about two-thirds of its U.S.-based staff in recent weeks. Lawyers for the Trump administration argued in a response to one of the lawsuits that “the president has broad discretion to set the terms and conditions” on the provision of aid. As the legal battles wear on, the drastic changes to the U.S. government’s premier foreign aid agency continue. On Tuesday, the Trump administration fired the inspector general for U.S.A.I.D., Paul K. Martin, just one day after he released a report warning that staff reductions and spending freezes risked the misuse and waste of hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars, according to three people familiar with the dismissal. The report documented confusion around the waivers. It warned that nearly half a billion dollars of food aid was at risk of spoiling, and that a reduced ability to vet partner organizations had made it more difficult to ensure no U.S. money would go toward terrorism. Also on Tuesday, the agency made another round of cuts to contractors, the latest at U.S.A.I.D. to be forced to leave. And the General Services Administration, a federal agency that oversees building leases and other contracts, in recent days terminated the U.S.A.I.D.’s lease for headquarters space in the Ronald Reagan Building in downtown Washington. The General Services Administration said in a statement on Tuesday that it took down the aid agency’s signs and that the 570,000-square-foot space would be “repurposed for other government needs.” U.S.A.I.D. employees in the building lobby on Monday reported seeing officials from other agencies, including U.S. Customs and Border Protection, surveying the office space. Employees learned on Tuesday that they had lost parking privileges because the agency’s leases had been canceled, according to a copy of an internal email obtained by The New York Times. Almost all of the agency’s employees have been barred from entering its headquarters for more than a week, though some of them were given access to their work email accounts this week in order to prepare for their departures. Foreign Service officers working for the agency overseas have been ordered to leave their posts and return to the United States this month, as part of a move putting the vast majority of direct hires on administrative leave. The order has been temporarily delayed by a federal judge, who will next hear arguments in the case on Thursday. Employees say they expect most of U.S.A.I.D.’s work force to be fired or pushed out, and the few remaining to be absorbed into the State Department. Both Mr. Trump and Mr. Musk, who has posted dark conspiracy theories about the aid agency on his social media platform, X, have called for its demise. Source link #USAID #Lifesaving #Aid #Remains #Halted #Rubios #Promise Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

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