Pelican Press

Horoscope for Tuesday, February 25, 2025 – Chicago Sun-Times Horoscope for Tuesday, February 25, 2025 – Chicago Sun-Times Horoscope for Tuesday, February 25, 2025 Chicago Sun-TimesHoroscopes Today, February 25, 2025 USA TODAYYour Daily Horoscope by Madame Clairevoyant: February 25, 2025 The CutLove and Relationship Horoscope for February 25, 2025 Hindustan TimesHoroscope for Tuesday, 2/25/25 by Christopher Renstrom SFGATE Source link #Horoscope #Tuesday #February #Chicago #SunTimes Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Weeds in the firing line through $47 million GRDC, university funding boost Weeds in the firing line through $47 million GRDC, university funding boost Australia’s biggest grains research organisation has unveiled a $47 million weed management initiative designed to help tackle an invasive issue costing farmers more than $4 billion a year Source link #Weeds #firing #line #million #GRDC #university #funding #boost Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Bitcoin drops under $90,000 to lowest since November. – MarketWatch Bitcoin drops under $90,000 to lowest since November. – MarketWatch Bitcoin drops under $90,000 to lowest since November. MarketWatchView Full Coverage on Google News Source link #Bitcoin #drops #lowest #November #MarketWatch Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

At This Architectural Gem, an Artist Was Present. Horses, Too. At This Architectural Gem, an Artist Was Present. Horses, Too. One of the most anticipated events of an overstuffed Mexico City Art Week earlier this month promised to be a surreal collision of architecture, performance art, power, privilege — and horses. Marina Abramovic, the grandmother of performance art, would be presenting her latest works (though she would dispute recognizing them as such) at a house and horse stable designed by Luis Barragán, Mexico’s famed midcentury architect. As a well-heeled crowd milled in the corral at Cuadra San Cristóbal, the Barragán property just outside Mexico City, event staff passed out pink baseball caps printed with the words “La Cuadra.” That is the new name of the property, which will become a cultural center. Without fanfare, three brown horses emerged from the stables, their riders dressed in all ****** and carrying white flags emblazoned with the phrase “Art Is Oxygen.” Behind them was Abramovic, dressed in ****** Comme des Garçons and accompanied by the Guggenheim Museum’s curator at large of Latin American art, Pablo León de la Barra, who shaded Abramovic with a large red tasseled umbrella. Abramovic sat down in a chair on a small platform in front of the iconic Barragán pink wall. The horses began to trot around Abramovic and León de la Barra. With camera crews, a drone and cellphones documenting her, she read her manifesto. Some highlights: “An artist should have enemies. Enemies are very important”; “An artist should die consciously, without fear”; “Don’t forget we have art, and art is oxygen.” She concluded, “We have lunch!” Once the crowd was seated, at a long row of tables set with silver reflecting orbs, a woman in red approached. She was Abramovic’s final performative intervention, an opera singer who sang the lunch menu. “Taco, taco, taco, taaaacoooo,” she sang as a camera drone buzzed by. “Aye, que rico.” The two days of programming — there was also a one-day performance workshop — were meant to celebrate the announcement of the new La Cuadra cultural center, spearheaded by Fernando Romero, a businessman and architect. But rather than offer a collaboration intermingling the vision of two great artists, one Serbian and other ********, and facilitated by this new cultural center and its sponsor, the two days served up a disorienting series of happenings that read more as a parody of the relationship between artist and patron. For all the secrecy and buildup to the big day, the most remarkable aspect was that Abramovic and Romero — representing Barragán’s legacy — proved to be disinterested in each other beyond the most superficial clichés. Abramovic’s fame — and to some, notoriety — stems from her work pioneering performance art as a genre. Her early works tested the limits of her body, emotional endurance and relationship with the viewer. Her 2009 Museum of Modern Art retrospective and performance piece, “The Artist Is Present,” in which she sat in silence for eight hours a day (over three months) and invited museum visitors to sit and gaze into her eyes, cemented her pop cultural standing. She is 78 now, and just weeks before the Mexico City performance, she had undergone a second knee replacement. Romero, the former son-in-law of the ******** billionaire Carlos Slim, invited her to perform new works to celebrate the public announcement of his vision for La Cuadra. The building was formerly known as the Egerstrom house, or as Cuadra San Cristóbal. It is an example of Barragán’s signature “barroco agazapado” style, which applied international modernist principles to vernacular forms of ******** architecture while making liberal play of contrasting volumes of space and light. Barragán, who died in 1988 at 86, layered his work with his Catholic faith. Window shades form crosses. Stairs seem to float to heaven. Gold leaf canvases are placed to catch and reflect light in ways that signal the divine. His use of a bright bougainvillea pink, now named for him, as well as primary yellow and blue accents are borrowed from his friend (and artist) Jesús (Chucho) Reyes. One of Barragán’s innovations was to redeploy these ******** folkloric colors as high modernism. His unique blend of modernism, spirituality and human scale has inspired fervent devotion and in recent years attracted high profile interventions by international artists. One extreme example: The artist Jill Magid, for her 2016 conceptual work “The Proposal,” exhumed the architect’s ashes and sent a portion to be transformed into a life-gem diamond, which she offered to the owner of his professional archives as an exchange: “the body for the body of work.” Romero, who cited a similar devotion to Barragán since his architecture school days, has grand plans for the La Cuadra property. They include converting the house into a museum with exhibitions of Romero’s design collection; assembling an art collection; starting an artist residency program; building a collection of pavilions designed by other architects, a library design prize; and more. The center is scheduled to open in October of this year, and the house will be open to the public for the first time. Romero is best known for his work on the Soumaya Museum (which houses Slim’s art collection), the unbuilt Bitcoin City in El Salvador and a Norman Foster-led redesign of the Mexico City airport (now scrapped). For the Abramovic Method workshop on the first day at La Cuadra, participants (of which I was one) were greeted with a large photo banner emblazoned with an image of the artist, mounted on a white horse and holding a white flag. It was an image from her piece “The Hero,” an autobiographical video and performance about her war hero father, Photoshopped against the property’s pink wall. The banner stood tilting next to a ****** Mercedes G-Class. We were asked to put our bags and jackets into boxes marked with our names. Donning matching white lab coats, we were given noise-blocking headphones, and asked to assume “an attitude of monastic reverence.” The exaggerated blue door yawned open, and we descended into the corral, a camera crew and drone recording our procession. Then Abramovic appeared. She was dressed in all ****** and her outstretched arms were punctuated by a red manicure. She cut a stark contrast against Barragán’s brilliant pinks and ochers as well as the pale aqua of the pool designed for horses to cool themselves in the high-altitude sun. She directed us to sit, surrender our cellphones and watches into a collection basket, and to approach in absolute silence the delicately chopped raw vegetables bobbing in shallow bowls of tepid beet-tinted water before us. “Eat, eat while it’s hot!” she said. Under her direction, we practiced silent sitting, slow walking and eye gazing. Before the last exercise of the workshop, Abramovic addressed us: “You must finish counting all the rice and lentils you take. Because if you cannot do the rice and the lentils, you cannot do life!” She then rose, said her goodbyes and disappeared through the hedges, leaving us to complete our task in silence. The La Cuadra team captain clapped. “The Abramovic Experience has concluded,” she said. “Please leave your lab coats and make your way to the exit.” Abramovic did not consider her interventions in Mexico to be artworks — not the workshop, her talk or the manifesto she read while horses paraded around the corral (She did consider another project in Mexico an artwork: a commercial collection of wood and copper-tipped chairs entitled “Elephant in the Room,” created with the ******** design form La Metropolitana.) “You know, it’s something that I really hate,” Abramovic said a few days later during an interview. “Everybody thinks everything I do is a performance. A manifesto is a manifesto. A lecture is a lecture.” Yet her status as not just as a performance artist, but as the performance artist leads many viewers to consider all of her appearances as artworks. And given her Goop-like business ventures — Longevity Method wellness and skin care products, among others — it’s hard to know where the line is between her spiritualism as artistic inquiry and enlightenment for *****. This line was more muddied by the clunky collaboration with La Cuadra. Much of what on was on display felt like a best-of album. The manifesto was written in 1997, and has been recited publicly many times, according to her team. The workshop was an abbreviated version of the weeklong version she offers at her Abramovic Institute in Greece, which costs 2,500 euros per person. (This was a free mini version mainly for select ******** artists.) And hiring an opera singer to sing a menu was related to her operatic piece “7 Deaths of Maria Callas,” but here was just “an experience” for fun, her studio manager said, not a piece she considers an artwork. Her work at La Cuadra did not in any meaningful way engage with the history of the house, Barragán’s legacy or Mexico. And Romero and his curatorial team didn’t really engage with Abramovic beyond cursory platitudes. Ultimately, the collaboration felt more like an example of so-called adjacent attraction — a marketing concept in which a celebrity’s embodied values are projected onto a product by association. With the timeless beauty of Barragán’s work reduced to backdrop, the whole endeavor read as transactional. Not a great start for La Cuadra’s future as a museum. If there was spirituality here, it was more of a branded swag bag than an exploration of the human soul. Source link #Architectural #Gem #Artist #Present #Horses Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Impressive maiden galloper God Has Drifted continues strong Great Southern season for trainer Paul Hunter Impressive maiden galloper God Has Drifted continues strong Great Southern season for trainer Paul Hunter Albany trainer Paul Hunter’s strong Great Southern season continued when God Has Drifted scored an impressive maiden win in Mt Barker on Friday. Source link #Impressive #maiden #galloper #God #Drifted #continues #strong #Great #Southern #season #trainer #Paul #Hunter Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Conductor Antonio Pappano, on Top and Learning on the Job Conductor Antonio Pappano, on Top and Learning on the Job Antonio Pappano, who leads the London Symphony Orchestra, feels like he is always “playing catch-up” because he skipped music school. Source link #Conductor #Antonio #Pappano #Top #Learning #Job Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The 10 best spots to grab a bowl in Greater New Bedford The 10 best spots to grab a bowl in Greater New Bedford Get your oyster crackers ready, it’s National Clam Chowder Day! This area staple is celebrated each year on Feb. 25, paying homage to the iconic bowl of deliciousness. This local delicacy full of clams simmered in a ******* clam broth with tender potatoes and onions is a SouthCoast tradition. It may be made with simple ingredients, but it packs a big flavor making it the ultimate comfort food. Nothing is better for your head, heart, and hunger on a cold day than a warm, thick crock full of chowder. Here are some local eateries to help you get warmed up: The New England Clam Chowder at ****** Whale. 104 Co-Op Wharf, Pier 3, New Bedford. Open for dining 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The clam chowder at Destination Soups 149 Union Street, New Bedford Open 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday; 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday. Taste test: Which New Bedford restaurant does clam chowder best? Here’s what readers had to say. Clam chowder at The Galley Grille at White’s of Westport 6 State Road, Westport Open 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Thursday through Saturday 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; and 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. Clam chowder at Blue Point Restaurant 6 Dayton St., Acushnet Open 11:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday; 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday. Soup’s on: Haddock chowder a winner for small boat fishermen — and the hungry Clam chowder at Quahog Republic Whaler’s Tavern. 24 N Water St., New Bedford Open noon to 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday; and noon to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday. Clam chowder at Cove Surf and Turf. 1500 Cove Road, New Bedford Open noon to 8 p.m. Saturday through Thursday; noon to 9 p.m. Friday. Bento’s Bar & Grill’s clam chowder 555 Pleasant St., New Bedford Open 4 to 9 p.m. Monday and Tuesday; 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4 to 10 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday; 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4 to 2 a.m. Friday; noon to 2 a.m. Saturday; and noon to 8 p.m. Sunday. Clam chowder at Bittersweet Farm 438 Main Road, Westport Open 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday; 4 to 9 p.m. Thursday; 3 to 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday; and 3 to 8 p.m. Sunday. Lighthouse Tavern NB’s clam chowder 578 Brock Ave., New Bedford Open 4 to 11 p.m. Thursday; noon to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday; and noon to 11 p.m. Sunday. Mikey B’s clam chowder 989 Victoria St., New Bedford Open 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday; and 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: National Clam Chowder Day: 10 best restaurants in Greater New Bedford Source link #spots #grab #bowl #Greater #Bedford Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Book Review: ‘The Strange Case of Jane O.,’ by Karen Thompson Walker Book Review: ‘The Strange Case of Jane O.,’ by Karen Thompson Walker THE STRANGE CASE OF JANE O., by Karen Thompson Walker The man who mistook his wife for a hat; the girl so woefully abused that she developed more than a dozen distinct personalities: Psychiatry’s famous case studies can sound as fantastical as fiction. (And they sometimes were, in fact, too outrageous to be true.) The 38-year-old librarian at the center of Karen Thompson Walker’s quiet, cool-toned new mystery, “The Strange Case of Jane O.,” though, presents herself as almost pathologically normal, the walking embodiment of a Saltine cracker (hold the salt). Pale, slim and as carefully plain as her name, the soft-spoken Jane gives no reason for her visit when she arrives at the Manhattan office of an analyst named Henry Byrd, and seems to regret it almost immediately; less than 15 minutes after the session starts, she walks out. Cue the inevitable strange: Three days later, Dr. Byrd receives a call saying that a woman who matches Jane’s description has been found unconscious in a field in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park, without her wallet or phone or ID. The last thing she remembers is dropping her infant son off at day care and walking the four blocks home to make a cup of tea, 25 hours previously. That’s all catnip to Dr. Byrd, whose preoccupation with his new patient quickly exceeds professional bounds — and only grows when she finally begins to talk. (If not exactly textbook-ethical, his interest is at least not adulterous: Jane is firmly and perhaps congenitally single, and baby Caleb is the product of a ****** donor; Byrd himself is a widower with his own small daughter.) The case file thickens when she confesses that her problem, generally, is too much memory — her recall of past events, no matter how mundane, is photographic; she’s like a data processor whose human software does not degrade. Then there’s her account of what might have been the inciting incident to her park episode: a run-in on the street with an old acquaintance named Nico Lombardi, who she knows has been deceased for 20 years. That first reveal, Jane’s remarkable recall, is a rare but real-enough phenomenon called hyperthymesia; the actress Marilu Henner, of the 1970s sitcom “Taxi,” is one of its better-known cases. The second, the inexplicable encounter, lands more in line with Walker’s particular mode of storytelling, a style you might call soft sci-fi. The author’s widely lauded 2012 debut, “The Age of Miracles,” imagined an Earth whose daily rotation abruptly slows, with a host of unsettling consequences. Her 2019 follow-up, “The Dreamers,” depicted the spread of a baffling, sometimes fatal sleeping sickness on a small college campus a year before the real-world arrival of the coronavirus. Both of those books were set in Walker’s native Southern California, and concerned themselves less with the mechanical details of their respective dystopias than with the intimate, small-scale dramas of their mostly young and female protagonists. (Doesn’t coming of age always feel like a little bit of an Armageddon, anyway?) What they lacked in plot propulsion or writerly panache was made up for with a kind of gentle, unhurried melancholy, a nimbus cloud of vibes. Many of the same themes flutter around the edges of “The Strange Case of Jane O.,” particularly in the flashbacks to Jane’s first meetings with Nico. Their tentative connection was the closest she came to making a friend in a high school summer program in Manhattan two decades previously, and those scenes vibrate with the high-key hopes and anxieties of adolescence, the inherent loneliness of being a person in the world. Walker’s world-building around the opaque adult Jane, though, is less assured. The pages here come larded with Wikipedia bits on psychiatry and semantics (“Webster’s dictionary lists two definitions for the word ache…”) and next to her heady, eucalyptus-scented California, the New York of the novel feels like a borrowed template, a dutiful screen saver in which the “collective, boundless verve” of city life is frequently noted but rarely intrudes. And while Henry and Jane have every reason to be serious and even somber people, as protagonists they are often, alas, wet blankets. “I’ve been told I can be tedious,” Jane notes at one point, without apparent irony. Pizazz is not a narrative prerequisite, but a little levity and specificity, a more colorful interior world, might have gone a long way toward deeper investment in the characters and their outcomes. As it is, the story, with its slow-churn revelations and a conclusion that tips toward the supernatural, builds an eerie, incomplete mood: a scrim of subdued intrigue, obscuring stranger things. THE STRANGE CASE OF JANE O. | By Karen Thompson Walker | Random House | 275 pp. | $28 Source link #Book #Review #Strange #Case #Jane #Karen #Thompson #Walker Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Conductor Antonio Pappano, on Top and Learning on the Job Conductor Antonio Pappano, on Top and Learning on the Job Antonio Pappano, who leads the London Symphony Orchestra, feels like he is always “playing catch-up” because he skipped music school. Source link #Conductor #Antonio #Pappano #Top #Learning #Job Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Snapdragon 8 Elite-Powered Smartphones Will Now Receive 8 Years of OS and Security Updates Snapdragon 8 Elite-Powered Smartphones Will Now Receive 8 Years of OS and Security Updates Google on Monday announced a collaboration with Qualcomm to offer extended operating system (OS) and security updates on Android smartphones powered by its latest flagship Snapdragon 8 Elite chip. This means original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) will now be able to offer their customers with software support for up to eight years. In addition to the flagship chip, phones powered by the new Snapdragon 8 and 7-series mobile platforms will also be eligible to receive this extended support. Eight Years of Software Updates on Android According to Qualcomm, it has worked with Google to allow Application-Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs) such as the Snapdragon 8 Elite to receive up to eight consecutive years of Android updates and security patches without requiring significant changes or upgrades to the platform and OEM code on the device. The company says software support will include an unchanged vendor code, although kernel changes will be required to update the kernel mode drivers. This is claimed to lower the costs incurred by OEMs while offering longer support for their respective devices. In addition to the OS and security updates, the eight-year window will also include two upgrades to the mobile platform’s Android Common Kernel (ACK). Qualcomm says this move promotes the device’s longevity and sustainability. Further, it ensures that OEMs have access to the latest version of the Android each year. New smartphones launching with Snapdragon 8 Elite and Android 15 will be the first handsets eligible to receive the extended support from Google. It will also cover the next five generations of Qualcomm’s ASICs, following its collaboration with Google. In addition to Snapdragon 8 Elite, the Snapdragon 8 and Snapdragon 7-series mobile platforms are also said to be eligible but the decision to implement the update will still be with the OEM. The company further clarifies that only the aforementioned mobile platforms will be supported and legacy chipsets will not be able to take advantage of the extended OS support window. For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel. If you want to know everything about top influencers, follow our in-house Who’sThat360 on Instagram and YouTube. Realme P3 Pro 5G Now Available for Purchase in India: Price, Specifications, Offers Source link #Snapdragon #ElitePowered #Smartphones #Receive #Years #Security #Updates Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

A Gucci Bag That Puts Its Signature Front and Center A Gucci Bag That Puts Its Signature Front and Center First of Its Kind, Last of Its Kind tells the story of an exceptional accessory and the archival piece that inspired it. As a teenager in the late 1890s, Guccio Gucci traveled from Florence to London, where he soon began to work as a porter at the Savoy hotel. Inspired by the memory of the establishment’s stylish international guests, in 1921 he opened a leather goods and luggage atelier on Florence’s Via della Vigna Nuova. Gucci found success by combining Tuscan craftsmanship with English elegance; by midcentury, the house had also become known for its equestrian motifs: Handbags in the shape of saddles were introduced in the late 1940s, and Guccio’s son Aldo incorporated horse bit hardware for his debut loafer collection in 1953. Within a decade or so, the horse bit emblem adorned belts, jewelry, watches, silks and ready-to-wear. In 1973, the brand released its now-iconic bucket bag, featuring a horse bit clasp inspired by a bridle at the center of its suede-and-leather silhouette, with a buckle on the shoulder strap in the shape of a stirrup. Now the former creative director Sabato De Sarno, 41, has resurrected that archival creation with his new Gucci 73 bag. Made from Cuoio di Toscana leather, it comes in a handful of colors and prints, including olive green, ivory and zebra. Although the carryall is instantly identifiable by its hardware alone, it feels as new as it did a half-century ago. Digital tech: Max Bernetz. Set designer’s assistant: Frida Fitter Source link #Gucci #Bag #Puts #Signature #Front #Center Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Facing Early-Onset Alzheimer’s, She Fought to Expand Assisted Suicide in Quebec Facing Early-Onset Alzheimer’s, She Fought to Expand Assisted Suicide in Quebec One recent evening, Sandra Demontigny tried to write down when she would die. “I sat down in a corner with a candle next to me, just to create my own bubble, to think and to cry a little,” she said. She had reflected on this moment for years, desperately hoped for it, fought tirelessly for it. But the words refused to come out. The form before her remained blank. How, exactly, does one decide when to end one’s life? Canada’s French-speaking province of Quebec last fall became one of the few places in the world to allow a person with a serious and incurable illness to choose medically assisted death in advance — perhaps years before the act, when the person still has the mental capacity to make such a momentous decision. And Ms. Demontigny — a 45-year-old mother of three, diagnosed in the prime of her life with a rare form of early-onset Alzheimer’s — played a pivotal role in lobbying for the change. Some facing such a grave health challenge might have withdrawn. But even as Ms. Demontigny (deux-mon-tee-gnee) began losing her memory, she became the face of the campaign to expand the right to die in Quebec. In front of health ministers and lawmakers, on talk shows, in countless interviews, she spoke of how she had inherited the Alzheimer’s gene carried by her family. She recalled how her middle-aged father, in the last years of his life, became unrecognizable and aggressive. She wanted to die with dignity. Still, four months after Quebec expanded the right to die, she had yet to fill out the advanced request forms. Choosing death was agonizing enough, but Ms. Demontigny had to declare, in precise details, the circumstances under which the lethal dose would be administered. Should it be carried out when she needs care round the clock? When she no longer recognizes her own children? “Even though it’s a subject that’s preoccupied me for years, it’s different now because I have to make an official request,” Ms. Demontigny said. “But I’m not changing my mind — that’s for sure.” Under the new law, an advanced request for assisted death must meet a set of criteria and be approved by two physicians or specialized nurses. Across the world, only a few countries — including the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Spain and Colombia — recognize advance requests for assisted deaths, though, in some cases, not for people suffering from Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia. At her one-bedroom apartment, Ms. Demontigny spoke during a two-hour interview often punctuated by the cries of a very voluble siamese cat named Litchi. Her partner, André Secours, was visiting — helping her recall a detail, reminding her of a scheduled phone call in the afternoon or an appointment the following day. Though only in her mid-40s, Ms. Demontigny moved into the apartment — inside a residence for older people in Lévis, a suburb south of Quebec City — as she needed more help a year ago. She chose to live alone, not wanting to burden her family. Her two older children were already adults, and her youngest went to live with Ms. Demontigny’s former husband. Her front door was covered with reminder notes. A timer on top of the stovetop range cuts off power automatically. The dresses in her closet were methodically arranged and archived with photos on her smartphone. No system was foolproof, though. “I’m doing something,” she said, “and Litchi walks past by me, and I follow Litchi and I forget what I was doing.” Bright sofa covers — brought back from Bolivia, the Democratic Republic of Congo and other places where she had worked as a midwife — hinted at her life before her Alzheimer’s diagnosis at age 39. Ms. Demontigny decided to become a midwife after the difficult birth of her first child. The obstetrician, she said, performed a procedure without warning her. “It’s my body — can you at least tell me?” Ms. Demontigny said. As a midwife, she wanted women to be able to give birth in a respectful and natural environment. For Ms. Demontigny, there was a direct link between a proper birth and a proper death. “Life and death resemble each other,” she said. When Ms. Demontigny learned that she had Alzheimer’s, she slipped into depression but was not surprised. Several older relatives had begun experiencing symptoms of Alzheimer’s at a young age, though they kept the illness hidden as long as they could, out of shame. Her father started losing his memory in his mid-40s and stopped working at 47. At home, he spent his days wandering, bumping into walls and collapsing from exhaustion. In his final years at a health facility, he licked the floor and acted menacingly, even threatening to kill his son, Ms. Demontigny’s brother. Like many Québécois families, Ms. Demontigny’s parents had drifted away from the Roman Catholic Church, and Ms. Demontigny considered herself an atheist. And yet, when her father died after years of anguish, she said she felt his soul depart. “I hadn’t seen him like that, at peace, in at least 10 years,” she said. While her parents’ generation kept silent about Alzheimer’s, Ms. Demontigny set up a Facebook page in 2019 to describe living with the illness. The social media posts from a mother of three, not yet 40, who had to give up her career as a midwife because of a rare form of Alzheimer’s, resonated in Quebec. She became the spokeswoman for the Federation of Quebec Alzheimer Societies and wrote a book about her experience, “The Urgency to Live.” Quebec legalized assisted death a decade ago, before the rest of Canada. Under the law, a person had to be in an “advanced state of irreversible decline in capability” and “must expressly confirm their consent immediately” before the assisted death. But the requirements presented a problem for those suffering from an incurable and serious disease like Alzheimer’s, who were likely to lose their capacity to consent. Dr. Georges L’Espérance, a neurosurgeon and president of the Quebec Association for the Right to Die with Dignity, said Ms. Demontigny helped press to allow for advance requests after becoming the group’s spokeswoman in 2022. “She played a primordial role,” Dr. L’Espérance said. “It’s fine to discuss these concepts in the abstract. But it’s different when you can link an illness to someone that people can identify with. And Sandra’s an open book and very credible.” Mr. Secours, Ms. Demontigny’s partner, said fighting for the change had helped fill the void created by her diagnosis. “She had never expected to commit herself to a cause,” Mr. Secours said. “But that saved her, that gave meaning to her life.” In the half-decade since her diagnosis, Ms. Demontigny had led a busy life — speaking out, writing a book, becoming a grandmother. She had embarked on a romantic relationship with Mr. Secours, 72, who lived across the street from her old place. “André talks to everybody, says hello to everybody, he’s very cheerful,” Ms. Demontigny said. “We were friends, neighbors, in the beginning, then our affection developed,” Mr. Secours said. Some people, though, asked him why he had chosen to get involved with someone with an incurable illness. “Even my mother, who just turned 100 and sees very well, told me, ‘André, you’re really not making your life easier.’” “She doesn’t say that anymore,” Ms. Demontigny interjected. The couple vacationed in Costa Rica last year and were hoping to go on a safari in South Africa, they said, as Litchi now lay sleeping before the television. Perhaps it was this, the life she was still able to lead and enjoy, that made it difficult for Ms. Demontigny to put down in writing, as required by law, the “clinical manifestations” that will lead to assisted death. Because Ms. Demontigny is likely to become incapable of consenting as her illness progresses, the manifestations she describes will “constitute the expression” of her consent in the future. In fact, she had written in her book that she wanted assisted death to be carried out when certain conditions were met, including being unable to recognize even one of her children and behaving aggressively toward her loved ones. But though she knew exactly what she was going to say as she sat over the documents on that recent evening, she could not bring herself to write it down, not yet. “I’m not going to change my mind because for me, in my situation, that’s the best possible end,” she said. “But I don’t want to die. I’m not ready. That’s not what I want.” Source link #Facing #EarlyOnset #Alzheimers #Fought #Expand #Assisted #Suicide #Quebec Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Murdered businessman’s body was found in sack Murdered businessman’s body was found in sack The body of a murdered Scottish businessman was found in a sack by a Kenyan cattle herder days after he went missing from his hotel. Campbell Scott, 58, arrived in Nairobi’s affluent Westlands district for a business trip on 15 February. He was last seen the following night with an unidentified man, having been to a nightclub. The BBC has learned his body was found about 60 miles (96.5km) outside of Nairobi in a forest. His hands and legs had been bound with rope. Local police have arrested two people – a taxi driver and a waiter from the club – who may have been among the last to see him alive. Mr Scott, from Dunfermline in Fife, was a senior director at credit scoring firm Fico. He was attending a conference at the JW Marriott Hotel in Nairobi and was due to meet colleagues to discuss a presentation. When he did not return to the hotel on 16 February, colleagues tried to call him but could not reach him. They filed a police report and a search was launched, with Interpol later joining the investigation. On Saturday police received a report that a cattle herder had seen a body inside a sack, which was later identified as Mr Scott. It is expected that an autopsy will be carried out later on Tuesday. The BBC’s deputy Africa editor Anne Soy said the apparent ******* has surprised the local community. She told the BBC’s Good Morning Scotland programme: “It is unusual especially because the victim is a foreigner who had just arrived in the country. “He was going to meet other businessmen for what looks like legitimate business. That has really surprised people. “There are really no theories as to what could have happened. The employer has asked people not to speculate about any issues around his death.” Mr Scott studied at Woodmill High School in Dunfermline and Kirkcaldy Technical College, going on to work for a number of companies before joining Fico. Confirming his death on Monday, a spokeswoman for the firm said staff were “devastated” by the news. She added: “Campbell was a leader in our international Scores business. “He joined FICO in 2014 and was instrumental in introducing Scores to new markets and growing our business with existing partnerships. We mourn his passing and will miss his humour and kindness. “Our thoughts are with Campbell’s family and friends. We ask that the media respect their privacy.” The *** Foreign Office has been contacted for comment. Source link #Murdered #businessmans #body #sack Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Tarryn Thomas all smiles after training with Swan Districts with WA Football yet to sign off recruitment Tarryn Thomas all smiles after training with Swan Districts with WA Football yet to sign off recruitment Tarryn Thomas was all smiles as the disgraced former AFL player tries to get his final lifeline at Swan Districts. Source link #Tarryn #Thomas #smiles #training #Swan #Districts #Football #sign #recruitment Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Plenty of room for improvement in mobile quality in Euro cities Plenty of room for improvement in mobile quality in Euro cities The latest benchmark report on 5G performance across 15 European cities from fixed and mobile network testing and benchmarking firm MedUX has revealed that Porto and Stockholm share the top spot in Europe for overall quality of experience (QoE), a measure of user satisfaction, each scoring 4.78 out of 5, but also highlighted significant room for improvement in several cities, particularly Brussels and London. The Medux research consisted of drive tests conducted during Q4 2024 across 15 major cities in 11 European countries, covering a population of more than 60 million people. The drive test cars used in the study covered more than 5,500 kilometres to understand how mobile operators are deploying and covering European cities with 5G services. The study found that Porto offers the best overall QoE, leading in data and OTT experience, co-leading with Lisbon in value for speed, and the north Portuguese city shared the first place with Stockholm in overall QoE, showcasing the best data and OTT experience. It registered the lowest gaming average jitter of just 10ms and delivers fast cloud service performance. Additionally, Porto co-leads with Lisbon in providing the best value for speed, defined as how much data can be transferred, ensuring peak speeds exceeding 800Mbps in the fastest 10% of sessions. Porto also co-leads with Copenhagen in 5G availability, achieving an 86.54% registration rate and maintains 100% connectivity time in 5G mid-band n78, ensuring a consistently high-quality connection. Stockholm co-leads the ranking, leading in video streaming and 5G uplink speed The report also highlighted Stockholm as co-best overall and 5G only QoE, rated as “excelling” in video streaming, with a 95% rate of 4K video playback time, and 5G upload speeds, achieving a typical (median) speed above 116 Mbps. The city also shares the top spot with Porto for data and over the top (OTT) experience. Stockholm boasted top time-to-content performance with fast web page loading times of less than 1 second. Furthermore, the Swedish capital leads in web browsing and file transferring and co-leads in social media experience. Lisbon provided what was rated as the most reliable service along with the fastest 5G download experience, secured the third position in overall QoE and stands out as the most reliable service, with 99.63% successful internet sessions. The Portuguese city also revealed the fastest 5G download speed, reaching 1.9 Gbps, ensuring a superior experience for data-intensive applications. Additionally, Lisbon co-leads with Porto in value for speed and social media experience. Meanwhile, Copenhagen leads in 5G availability with 86.99% technology registration rate, ensuring widespread access to 5G services. By contrast, Brussels and London were seen as lagging in 5G experience and requiring network improvements. The test data showed that Brussels significantly trailed the leading cities in overall 5G QoE with performance being hampered by lower 5G availability and slower speeds. Furthermore, its overall reliability and streaming services needs improvement. In an embarrassment for the *** capital, and vindicating the gripes of many users, London ranked last in overall mobile experience, mirroring the 2024 findings. The report reveals subpar 5G availability, slow speeds and a clear need for enhanced reliability across multiple services. “This report underscores the importance of a holistic approach to 5G quality. While coverage and speed remain key factors, high-quality 5G connectivity and consistent performance across all services and applications are crucial for delivering a truly superior user experience,” said Rafael González, MedUX’s senior vice-president of EMEA. “Our findings provide valuable insights for operators wanting to optimise their networks and meet the evolving needs of their customers in the 5G era. Our field measurements confirm that, on average, in major European cities, end-users are connected 25% of the time simply to 4G. Furthermore, of the remaining 75% connected to 5G, 10% of deployments lack mid-band spectrum. “This reality dampens the transformative potential of 5G and calls for urgent policy and investment shifts toward dedicated high-quality 5G deployments for enhanced experience and reliability. Addressing these issues is crucial for Europe to ensure universal 5G coverage across all urban areas by 2025 and to fully leverage the benefits of 5G technology.” Source link #Plenty #room #improvement #mobile #quality #Euro #cities Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Social Security changes include payment amount, age eligibility and more Social Security changes include payment amount, age eligibility and more Social Security recipients will see a 2.5% increase in their benefits this year, among other key changes to the program that affect retirement age, taxable earnings, and public sector workers, federal officials announced. The cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) took effect in January, raising the average monthly retirement benefit from $1,927 to $1,976. The increase aims to help beneficiaries keep up with inflation, although some advocacy groups say it falls short amid rising living costs. Other changes include an increase in the full retirement age (FRA) to 66 years and 10 months for those born in 1959, continuing the gradual shift toward an FRA of 67 for those born in 1960 or later. Retirees who delay claiming Social Security beyond their FRA can still receive higher monthly benefits up to age 70. “The Social Security adjustments for 2025 reflect our commitment to maintaining the program’s long-term stability while ensuring benefits remain fair and responsive to economic conditions,” said acting Social Security Commissioner Kilolo Kijakazi in a statement. A major policy shift came with the repeal of the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset, which had reduced benefits for millions of public sector workers, including teachers and law enforcement officers. The Social Security Fairness Act, signed into law in January, restores full benefits to those affected and includes retroactive adjustments from 2024. Workers who receive Social Security benefits before reaching full retirement age will also see changes to earnings limits. The cap increased to $23,400, meaning those who earn above that amount may see temporary benefit reductions. Meanwhile, the maximum taxable earnings threshold rose to $176,100, increasing the amount of income subject to Social Security payroll taxes. Additionally, eligibility for Achieving a Better Life Experience accounts, which help people with disabilities save and invest without jeopardizing federal benefits, will expand in 2026. The qualifying age for disabilities will increase from 26 to 46, potentially benefiting an estimated 6 million more Americans. These adjustments come as policymakers continue to debate the long-term financial stability of Social Security, with some lawmakers pushing for further reforms to address projected funding shortfalls. This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: 2025 Social Security changes: What to know from amount, age Source link #Social #Security #include #payment #amount #age #eligibility Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Harvard Study Finds Eating an Orange a Day Could Cut Depression Risk by 20% – SciTechDaily Harvard Study Finds Eating an Orange a Day Could Cut Depression Risk by 20% – SciTechDaily Harvard Study Finds Eating an Orange a Day Could Cut Depression Risk by 20% SciTechDailyView Full Coverage on Google News Source link #Harvard #Study #Finds #Eating #Orange #Day #Cut #Depression #Risk #SciTechDaily Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Europe ‘severely’ lags other major regions in 5G standalone Europe ‘severely’ lags other major regions in 5G standalone The cornerstone of global mobile communications over the next five years will be 5G Standalone (SA) networks. Yet while research from connectivity intelligence firm Ookla has said that Europe has set the most ambitious 5G infrastructure targets of any advanced liberal economy, it is warning that Europe also features the poorest outcomes in terms of 5G SA performance among comparable major regions. European operators need to adapt their business models and cater to new verticals to capture the full monetisation potential of the technology. Developed in collaboration with Omdia, the report A global evaluation of Europe’s digital competitiveness in 5G SA focuses on Europe’s competitiveness in the technology, progress in monetising the 5G core for consumer and enterprise use cases, and successful government policies. Fundamentally, Ookla acknowledges that the global roll-out of 5G standalone (SA) networks is gaining momentum after a slower-than-expected start, driven in part by its technical complexity and significant capital requirements in a challenging business environment. It added that for governments, being at the frontier of the next phase of the 5G cycle is a key differentiator, with the low-latency and high-reliability capabilities of 5G SA pitched as critical to enabling new industrial applications, strengthening digital competitiveness and attracting inward investment. Mobile networks, Ookla emphasised, are now a core pillar of strategic national infrastructure. The study observed that the European Commission’s commitment to high-performing mobile network infrastructure has been a hallmark of its Digital Decade programme in recent years. This is further strengthened by the recent launch of the Competitiveness Compass initiative, which aims to enhance Europe’s competitiveness in critical industries through a new pro-growth industrial strategy, prioritising 5G SA investments as a central driver of the programme. The European Commission has positioned 5G SA at the centre of its emerging pro-growth industrial strategy to boost competitiveness. Yet, despite setting the most ambitious 5G infrastructure targets of any advanced liberal economy, the report plainly stated that Europe trails the US and Asia in deployment progress. Across Europe, significant disparities in 5G SA roll-out progress among countries have undermined the bloc’s competitiveness in the technology, widening the gap with leaders such as the US and China. In Q4 2024, China (80%), India (52%) and the US (24%) led the world in 5G SA availability based on Ookla Speedtest sample share, markedly ahead of Europe (2%). The region also lagged behind its peers on other key metrics, with the median European consumer experiencing 5G SA download speeds of 221.17 Mbps – lower than those in the Americas (384.42 Mbps), and both Developed (237.04 Mbps) and Emerging (259.73 Mbps) Asia Pacific. Ookla attributed the drive of roll-outs at a faster pace in regions outside Europe to the interplay of earlier deployments, a more diversified multi-band spectrum strategy, and greater operator willingness to invest in the 5G core to monetise new use cases. While European 5G SA roll-out progress remains highly varied, the best outcomes have been observed in countries that have actively mobilised policies to incentivise 5G SA deployment. Germany, the *** and Spain – all four-player markets benefiting from targeted 5G SA-specific fiscal stimuli or coverage obligations says the research – lead Europe in terms of 5G SA roll-out across multiple operators. At the same time, Southern and Central European countries have supplanted the Nordics at the forefront of this phase of the 5G cycle, with Greece (547.52 Mbps) leading on median download speed in Q4 2024 thanks to its 3.5 GHz usage, and Spain and Austria said to be “excelling” in rural 5G SA coverage on the back of intensive deployment of the 700 MHz band. That said, Ookla warned that 5G SA’s full potential remains largely untapped in Europe. Advanced uplink capabilities unlocked by the technology – such as higher-order MIMO and carrier aggregation – to date remain limited to a few operators in leading markets such as the US, highlighting what it said the still nascent profile of the device and equipment ecosystems for 5G SA. On a more optimistic note, Ookla said that European operators at the forefront of business model evolution with 5G SA – such as BT’s EE in the ***, Deutsche Telekom in Germany, Elisa in Finland and 3 in Austria – were already using the advantages of the platform to consolidate their positions at the premium end of the market and stimulate average revenue per user (ARPU) growth. It particularly cited EE as having executed one of the most comprehensive 5G SA deployments in Europe by aggregating multiple carriers across low- and mid-band spectrum, adopting a highly diversified spectrum strategy in the ***, allocating as much as five or six spectrum carriers to its 5G SA deployments across large parts of major cities. Source link #Europe #severely #lags #major #regions #standalone Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Mike Cannon-Brookes wins court order to probe Kevin Chiu’s device over emails to Annie Cannon-Brooks Mike Cannon-Brookes wins court order to probe Kevin Chiu’s device over emails to Annie Cannon-Brooks Atlassian founder Mike Cannon-Brookes is probing the private computer records of an ousted lieutenant who tried to send sensitive information to the billionaire’s estranged wife Annie. Sidelined Cannon-Brookes Services Pty Ltd financial controller Kevin Chiu has failed in his bid to stop lawyers and a computer expert hired by Mr Cannon-Brookes going through his personal storage devices and email accounts. The NSW Supreme Court action against Mr Chiu comes as the Cannon-Brookes are wrestling over the carve-up of a $24 billion fortune derived from his success with software company Atlassian. The injunction and damages action was sparked by the discovery of a series of festive season email communications between Mr Chiu, Ms Cannon-Brookes and the former Cannon-Brookes family office financial controller Catherine Manuel. Cannon-Brookes Services has claimed in the NSW Supreme Court that Ms Manuel was sacked on November 27 for serious misconduct. Ms Manuel went to work with Ms Cannon-Brookes’ new business Smart Collective. Mr Chiu allegedly tried to send downloaded computer records titled HR Backup from his Google folder to Ms Manuel, and then to both his former colleague and to Ms Cannon-Brookes. The folder allegedly contained 966 files that included employment contracts, remuneration and bonus correspondence, employee tax and superannuation details, medical certificates, visa and police check details, and committee minutes and meeting papers. Cannon-Brookes Services chief financial officer Faris Cosic told the NSW Supreme Court that Mr Chiu was confronted on February 4 and acknowledged trying to share the downloaded information with Ms Manuel and Ms Cannon-Brookes. Mr Chiu was given a show cause notice as to why he should not be sacked and was ordered to hand over his personal laptop as well as all personal storage devices used for his work.. Mr Chiu handed over the laptop and offered to delete all company information for his personal devices, but declined to provide usernames and passwords for Cannon-Brookes Services to gain access to his records. Lawyers for Mr Chiu told his employer on February 6 that he was employed to perform work for the Cannon-Brookes family office and was required to take instructions from both Ms Cannon-Brookes and Mr Cannon-Brookes. Mr Chiu had explained that the emails were in the ordinary course of his work. But in giving Cannon-Brookes Services investigators access to Mr Chiu’s storage devices and accounts, Justice Kate Williams said Mr Chiu had not provided any evidence of instructions from Ms Cannon-Brookes to share the information with Ms Manuel. The fact that Mr Chiu copied Ms Cannon-Brookes’ Gmail address into an email he sent at 8.45pm on Christmas Day does not support an argument that sharing the HR Backup Folder was in the ordinary course of his work, the judge said. “It is inherently improbable that those duties extended to sharing confidential information of the kind that Mr Cosic’s evidence indicates . . . with a person whose employment had recently been terminated by CBS for alleged serious misconduct,” she said in her judgment. She said there was a serious question to be tried in Cannon-Brookes Services legal action. The company is asking for a permanent injunction preventing Mr Chiu sharing confidential information plus damages. Source link #Mike #CannonBrookes #wins #court #order #probe #Kevin #Chius #device #emails #Annie #CannonBrooks Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Taiwan detains China-linked cargo ship after undersea cable disconnected Taiwan detains China-linked cargo ship after undersea cable disconnected By Yimou Lee TAIPEI (Reuters) – Taiwan’s coast guard said it detained a China-linked cargo ship on Tuesday after a nearby undersea cable to the Penghu Islands in the sensitive Taiwan Strait was disconnected. Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory, has repeatedly complained about “grey zone” ******** activities around the island, designed to pressure it without direct confrontation, such as balloon overflights and sand dredging. 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. Taipei was alarmed after a ********-linked ship was suspected of damaging another cable earlier this year, prompting the navy and other agencies to step up efforts to protect the undersea communication links, which are vital to the island’s connections to the rest of the world. The coast guard said it dispatched three vessels to detain the ********-crewed Hong **** 58, registered in Togo, which dropped anchor near the sea cable off the southwestern coast of Taiwan around the time it was disconnected. The vessel is a ********-linked ship carrying a flag of convenience, the coast guard said, meaning it is registered to a country other than that of its owner. “All eight crew members are ******** nationals and (we) do not rule out the possibility of the ******** activity of grey-zone harassment,” the coast guard said in a statement, adding that further investigation is needed. China’s Taiwan Affairs Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Reuters was not able to locate a contact for the ship’s owner. Communications between Taiwan and other offshore islands, including Penghu, were not affected after services were redirected to other cables, the digital ministry said. A senior Taiwan security official, speaking anonymously because of the sensitivity of the issue, told Reuters the government is handling the case as a national security matter. “It’s beyond the normal range,” the official said, pointing to the course of the boat, which had lingered in the waters just southwest of Taiwan since Saturday and did not respond to repeated calls by the coast guard. Taiwan has reported five cases of sea cable malfunctions this year, compared with three each in 2024 and 2023, according to the digital ministry. In 2023, two undersea cables connecting the Matsu islands were cut, disconnecting the internet. Taiwan authorities said that two ******** vessels caused the disruption, but that there was no evidence Beijing deliberately tampered with the cables. (This story has been refiled to say Tuesday, not Wednesday, in paragraph 1) (Reporting By Yimou Lee. Editing by Gerry Doyle) Source link #Taiwan #detains #Chinalinked #cargo #ship #undersea #cable #disconnected Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Federal judge declines to temporarily restore AP’s full access to White House – CNN International Federal judge declines to temporarily restore AP’s full access to White House – CNN International Federal judge declines to temporarily restore AP’s full access to White House CNN InternationalJudge Declines to Intervene in AP Lawsuit Over Trump Access The New York TimesJudge won’t immediately restore Associated Press’ access to White House PBS NewsHour Source link #Federal #judge #declines #temporarily #restore #APs #full #access #White #House #CNN #International Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

RSPCA WA urges **** owners to prepare for severe weather events with **** emergency plan RSPCA WA urges **** owners to prepare for severe weather events with **** emergency plan As North West recovers from the impact of cylone Zelia, **** owners are being reminded of the importance of having an emergency plan in place to ensure the safety of their animals during severe weather events. Source link #RSPCA #urges #**** #owners #prepare #severe #weather #events #**** #emergency #plan Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Meteorologist sounds the alarm over unexpected weather phenomenon: ‘Less than typical’ Meteorologist sounds the alarm over unexpected weather phenomenon: ‘Less than typical’ Chicago meteorologist Mike Caplan is concerned about the lack of snowfall the area is experiencing this winter. What’s happening? According to Fox 32, Chicago is in the middle of a snow drought, having received only seven inches of snow since Dec. 1. Normal snowfall levels by this point in the meteorological winter would be closer to 20 inches. Though there is still time for more snow, this weather event is alarming. As of Feb. 16, Chicago had “4.9 inches of snowfall at O’Hare International Airport compared with 6.7 inches which would be normal,” per Fox 32, which added: “For the entire ‘snow season’ going back to last fall, we’ve measured 14.8 inches which is about 13 inches less than typical.” Why is the lack of snowfall in Chicago concerning? Even though a lack of snowfall can be considered an isolated weather incident, the overall likelihood of droughts in the northern hemisphere has increased, which scientists attribute to warming global temperatures. Drought.gov says that parts of the western United States have become a snow drought “hotspot,” meaning that such droughts have become longer and more intense. The National Integrated Drought Information System outlines the impacts of snow drought. They are “widespread, affecting ecosystems, reservoir levels and operations, water resource management, tourism, and winter recreation.” Watch now: Survivors of extreme weather events discuss their fears for their children Lack of snowfall also means there is less water for the drier summer months in a given region. This can be a challenge for drought planning, impacting agriculture and ecology. What can we do about increasing drought conditions? There are steps we can take to mitigate the buildup of heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere. Swapping gas-powered appliances and equipment for electric options will make your home more eco-friendly and could lead to less energy consumption, thus lowering electric bills. You could also incorporate drought-resistant native plants into your garden to reduce water use. If taking public transportation, riding a bike, or walking isn’t an option, driving as efficiently as possible reduces pollution while also saving you money on gas. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don’t miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet. Source link #Meteorologist #sounds #alarm #unexpected #weather #phenomenon #typical Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

US Space Force Shares First X-37B Space Plane Image, Revealing Mission Insights US Space Force Shares First X-37B Space Plane Image, Revealing Mission Insights The United States Space Force has unveiled a never-before-seen image of its X-37B space plane in orbit. The photograph, released on February 20, was captured by an onboard camera as the vehicle conducted experiments above the African continent. Visible in the image are one of the space plane’s solar panels on the left side and what appears to be its open payload bay at the top. The X-37B, launched on December 28, 2023, aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket, has remained in orbit for over a year. This marks the first time an official photograph of the vehicle in orbit has been shared with the public, offering insight into the spacecraft’s operational altitude and ongoing mission. Details of the Mission and Orbital Operations According to a statement from the U.S. Space Force, the X-37B is currently operating in an orbit significantly higher than previous missions, indicating a shift from low Earth orbit to more distant operational zones. The Falcon Heavy’s capability to launch payloads into geosynchronous orbit—approximately 35,000 km above Earth—suggests an extended range of testing and experimentation. The statement also outlined the objectives of the mission, which include evaluating new space domain awareness technologies, testing radiation effects on materials for NASA, and operating the spaceplane in new orbital environments. Aerobraking Maneuvers and Technological Tests The X-37B’s seventh mission has included first-of-its-kind aerobraking maneuvers, designed to utilise atmospheric drag to alter its orbit with minimal fuel consumption. As per Space Force reports, these maneuvers were executed to assess the feasibility of controlled re-entry strategies. Boeing, the manufacturer of the X-37B, has previously highlighted the spaceplane’s role as a platform for testing reusable space vehicle technologies. Past missions have involved trials related to solar power beaming, autonomous flight, and thermal protection systems. Secrecy and Future Operations While specific details regarding the X-37B’s payload and experiments remain classified, its extended orbital duration—surpassing a year—mirrors its previous mission, which lasted a record 908 days. The Space Force has not disclosed when the current mission is expected to conclude. Reports have also indicated that China has been testing its own reusable space plane, which launched on its third mission just weeks before the X-37B’s latest deployment. The competition in space-based military and research technology continues to evolve, with nations increasingly investing in long-duration experimental missions. For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel. If you want to know everything about top influencers, follow our in-house Who’sThat360 on Instagram and YouTube. New Study Challenges Great Filter Theory, Suggests Life Evolves with Planetary Changes SpaceX Falcon 9 Completes 450th Mission, Deploys 23 Starlink Satellites Source link #Space #Force #Shares #X37B #Space #Plane #Image #Revealing #Mission #Insights Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Even as Macron flatters ‘Dear Donald,’ the US is deeply estranged from the West on Ukraine – CNN Even as Macron flatters ‘Dear Donald,’ the US is deeply estranged from the West on Ukraine – CNN Even as Macron flatters ‘Dear Donald,’ the US is deeply estranged from the West on Ukraine CNNWatch: Macron fact-checks Trump over Ukraine funding BBC.comTrump, Meeting With Macron, Says He Might Visit Russia The New York TimesWATCH: Macron corrects Trump after he says European support for Ukraine was a loan PBS NewsHour Source link #Macron #flatters #Dear #Donald #deeply #estranged #West #Ukraine #CNN Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]