Pelican Press

‘Gone in 10 years’: RBA boss under fire following major call ‘Gone in 10 years’: RBA boss under fire following major call An advocacy group has hit back at claims from Michele Bullock during her latest appearance in front of Australia’s parliament. Source link #years #RBA #boss #fire #major #call Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Greenpeace says a pipeline company’s lawsuit threatens the organization’s future Greenpeace says a pipeline company’s lawsuit threatens the organization’s future MANDAN, N.D. (AP) — A Texas pipeline company’s lawsuit accusing Greenpeace of defamation, disruptions and attacks during protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline goes to trial in North Dakota on Monday, in a case the environmental advocacy organization says threatens free speech rights and its very future. The lawsuit stems from the protests in 2016 and 2017 over the oil pipeline’s planned Missouri River crossing, upstream from the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe’s reservation. The tribe has long argued that the pipeline threatens its water supply. Of the thousands of people who protested the project, hundreds were arrested. Energy Transfer and its subsidiary Dakota Access allege trespass, nuisance, defamation and other offenses by Netherlands-based Greenpeace International and its American branch, Greenpeace USA. The lawsuit also names the group’s funding arm, Greenpeace Fund Inc. 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. The jury trial in state court in Mandan, North Dakota, is scheduled to last five weeks. What are details of the case? Dallas-based Energy Transfer alleges Greenpeace tried to delay construction of the pipeline, defamed the companies behind it, and coordinated trespassing, vandalism and violence by pipeline protesters. The lawsuit seeks millions of dollars in damages. The Dakota Access Pipeline was completed and has been transporting oil since June 2017. Greenpeace International said it shouldn’t be named in the lawsuit because it is distinct from the two U.S.-based Greenpeace entities, operates outside the U.S., and its employees were never in North Dakota or involved with the protests. Greenpeace USA said the plaintiffs have failed to back up their claims in the years since the protests. Earlier in February, a judge denied motions by Greenpeace to throw out or limit parts of the case. What is Greenpeace’s position? Representatives of the environmental organization founded over 50 years ago said the company just wants to silence oil industry critics. “This trial is a critical test of the future of the First Amendment, both freedom of speech and peaceful protest, under the Trump administration and beyond,” Greenpeace USA Interim Executive Director Sushma Raman told reporters. “A bad ruling in this case could put our rights and freedoms in jeopardy for all of us, whether we are journalists, protesters or anyone who wants to engage in public debate.” Greenpeace USA helped support “nonviolent, direct-action training” on safety and de-escalation at the protests, Senior Legal Adviser Deepa Padmanabha said. Energy Transfer is arguing that “anyone engaged in a training at a protest should be held responsible for the actions of every person at that protest,” Padmanabha said. “So it’s pretty easy to see how, if successful, this kind of tactic could have a serious chilling effect on anyone who might consider participating in a protest.” Earlier in February, Greenpeace International filed an anti-intimidation suit in the District Court of Amsterdam against Energy Transfer, saying the company acted wrongfully and should pay costs and damages resulting from its “meritless” litigation. What does Energy Transfer say? An Energy Transfer spokesperson said the lawsuit is about Greenpeace not following the law. “It is not about free speech as they are trying to claim. We support the rights of all Americans to express their opinions and lawfully protest. However, when it is not done in accordance with our laws, we have a legal system to deal with that,” Energy Transfer spokeswoman Vicki Granado said in a statement. The company filed a similar case in federal court in 2017, which a judge dismissed in 2019. Soon after, Energy Transfer filed the state court lawsuit now headed to trial. Energy Transfer launched in 1996 with 20 employees and 200 miles (320 kilometers) of natural gas pipelines. Today the 11,000-employee company owns and operates over 125,000 miles (200,000 kilometers) of pipelines and related facilities. Source link #Greenpeace #pipeline #companys #lawsuit #threatens #organizations #future Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Louisiana death row inmate Christopher Sepulvado dies before execution date – USA TODAY Louisiana death row inmate Christopher Sepulvado dies before execution date – USA TODAY Louisiana death row inmate Christopher Sepulvado dies before execution date USA TODAYLouisiana man with execution date next month dies at Angola Louisana IlluminatorDeath row inmate dies one month before he’s set to be executed for brutal killing of young stepson New York Post Death row inmate Christopher Sepulvado dies before scheduled March 17 execution FOX 8 Local First81-year-old death row inmate dies in Angola before execution day WBRZ Source link #Louisiana #death #row #inmate #Christopher #Sepulvado #dies #execution #date #USA #TODAY Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Perpetual pulls plug on $2.1b deal as KKR talks fail to offset tax concerns as break fee row looms Perpetual pulls plug on $2.1b deal as KKR talks fail to offset tax concerns as break fee row looms Financial services conglomerate Perpetual has given up on its $2.1 billion deal unveiled last May to sell its corporate trustee and financial advice arms to US private equity giant KKR. With the deal having been crippled by warnings in December of an unexpectedly big tax bill, the former *********** market darling has decided the ***** is no longer in the best interest of its long-suffering shareholders. The official killing of the deal comes after reports of Perpetual negotiating with KKR in the hope of partially offsetting the effects of tax advice cutting the anticipated proceeds to shareholders by around one-third. “Despite constructive engagement, no alternative transaction has been agreed,” Perpetual said in an ASX statement on Monday. While putting a positive spin on the failed talks, Perpetual also warned a row could be looming about whether it could face a big bill from KKR for aborting the deal. “KKR has asserted that a break fee is payable and has reserved its rights to seek further damages.,” Perpetual said. “Perpetual rejects KKR’s contentions.” The termination of the KKR deal also cleared the way for the retirement of longstanding chairman Tony D’Aloisio, who vowed to step down in August as part of plans to cut the board size from nine to seven directors. Perpetual has been under pressure from big shareholders and analysts to cuts costs and focus on fixing its asset management business, which has been battling to hang onto funds since buying Pendal from Westpac in 2023. Perpetual posted a $472 million net loss for the 2023-24 financial year after taking a $710m pre-tax hit in its once outstanding asset management division. After scrapping its deal with KKR, Perpetual flagged more potential hits — with more than $42m of after-tax transaction costs set to be booked when its releases its half-year result on Thursday. Its net profit was $34.5m in the December 2023 half and $26.8m the prior equivalent *******. But with the KKR deal covering its trustee and advice divisions having crumbled, the board has decided to now seek a buyer for just the advice operation. It said proceeds from the planned ***** would be used to invest in “organic growth” for its corporate trustee and asset management arms. Perpetual managing director Bernard Reilly, who joined the group in September, said the ***** of the advice division was “the right course of action to deliver long-term value for our shareholders”. “Today’s path forward retains earnings diversification in the near term while we work toward implementing a leaner, more simplified operating model,” Mr Reilly said. Perpetual shares finished trading on Monday more than 2.3 per cent down at $23.20 — more than two-thirds lower than its peaks before the global financial crisis. Source link #Perpetual #pulls #plug #2.1b #deal #KKR #talks #fail #offset #tax #concerns #break #fee #row #looms Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

McConnell becomes maverick for Trump, GOP Senate McConnell becomes maverick for Trump, GOP Senate Sen. Mitch McConnell’s (R-Ky.) decision to conclude his storied political career marks the end of an era for Senate Republicans, especially as the longtime GOP leader increasingly signals he’s a maverick unafraid to cross President Trump in his second term. McConnell has already voted against three of Trump’s Cabinet picks — Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. He was the only Senate Republican to vote against Gabbard and Kennedy. Trump’s bellicose rhetoric toward Ukraine this week put one of McConnell’s most important issues on the front burner. While he has been muted in any criticism toward Trump on his blaming Ukraine for the Russian war, it is difficult to see the longest-serving Senate leader in history staying quiet. Colleagues expect him to speak up, and they describe an elder statesman who is ready for a new chapter but is also willing to sound off on his values and priorities. “He’s staying in it. He could easily take a two-year nap, but he’s not,” Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) said. “Mitch McConnell’s a guy who’s pretty comfortable in his place and very supportive of new leadership. But at the same time, he’s not going to just ride into the sunset without at least one more good gunfight,” Cramer continued. “Maybe there will be two or three of them.” McConnell’s role is likely to require a balancing act as he tries to stamp his own imprint on matters without complicating the picture for his successor, now-Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.). Thune served as McConnell’s No. 2 during the final six years of his time as leader. Although he’s not technically on Thune’s leadership team, he remains an informal adviser to his replacement and wants to see him flourish not only for the sake of the team, but for his own legacy. “He’ll do whatever he can to help Thune be successful. He really does view Thune’s success as something he’s got a vested interest in,” one Senate Republican told The Hill. That means supporting the team, McConnell himself has indicated, even if the team is led by a president who McConnell has personally battled. “I expect to support most of what this administration is trying to accomplish,” McConnell recently told “60 Minutes.” “So, what happened in the past is irrelevant to me.” McConnell played an integral role in cementing the 6-3 conservative majority on the Supreme Court, which conservatives widely view as a hallmark of Trump’s first term in office. He was also the Senate GOP’s political tactician who helped hand the party majorities on multiple occasions, including the one Republicans enjoy today. Yet McConnell is not a part of Trump’s MAGA movement, which at times seems to be growing in influence at his expense. There are more GOP senators in the Senate today who are more closely aligned with Trump than McConnell compared to a decade ago — or even two years ago. “It’s impossible to exaggerate his influence on the institution,” Cramer said. “It’s also really clear that his influence has waned in recent months and years, and that the change is afoot.” The fight to succeed McConnell will reflect that change in the Republican Party at large. Two of the GOP’s leading contenders are former Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron and Rep. Andy Barr (Ky.) — both of whom previously have worked for McConnell in various capacities. But when it comes to them winning the seat, it’s Trump’s blessing that will likely matter the most as they are both already trying to put themselves in pole position for his support. “President Trump is the single most important force in any Republican primary in any state in the country,” one Republican operative said. Thursday night’s vote-a-rama to advance the Senate’s budget resolution served as a prime example of how McConnell may navigate the next two years. Even as he voted with the GOP throughout the 10-hour session, McConnell took the administration and Hegseth to task over a push to slash the Pentagon’s budget by 8 percent over the next five years. He also maintained that any monies approved for defense in the coming reconciliation push should be in addition to what is appropriated in the coming spending bill. “[Reconciliation] has to be a supplement to full-year appropriations. It can’t be a substitute. If we’re serious about restoring lethality and peace through strength, we need to start spending more on defense than [President Biden] did, not less,” he said in a statement, adding that the potential for a full-year continuing resolution (CR) would be harmful. “The military services are worried about what a full-year CR will do to defense. So am I.” After announcing he would no longer serve as the Senate GOP leader last year, McConnell made clear he would not be going quietly in the night, particularly over matters surrounding national defense and the U.S.’s role in the world amid what he believes is a retreat by the Trump and MAGA universe. With that in mind, he took over the gavel of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, ensuring that he will have some influence. While McConnell is no longer the party’s leader, his colleagues still listen to him, too. One Senate Republican pointed to the weekly Senate GOP luncheons. McConnell no longer runs the show and doesn’t speak at every meeting — but when he does, usually about national security or a procedural matter, antennas go up. “He’ll say it like, ‘here’s one guy’s input,’” the member said. “But of course everyone’s listening.” “He’s settling in, and he’s only had a brief ******* to do it,” they continued, adding that he’s acclimating to his new position of being “a rank-and-file member with a lot of weight.” McConnell was caught by multiple reporters following his Thursday floor speech joking to his colleagues that “these are the new moderates” while standing alongside Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska). Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Source link #McConnell #maverick #Trump #GOP #Senate Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Ninja Warns Marvel Rival Players About a Rookie Mistake Ninja Warns Marvel Rival Players About a Rookie Mistake Marvel Rivals reached 40 million players recently but that’s not gonna stop people from complaining about the game. Tyler Blevins, better known as Ninja, recently went on another rant about the game. This time he aired his frustration over players who refuse to switch characters mid-game despite being countered. Another day another streamer rant. | Image Credit: NetEase Games Marvel Rivals lets you switch characters at any point in the game, so this allows for mid-game strategy adjustments. But why do some people just refuse? The answers range from sensible to questionable, to plain ego. But does it really matter if the game is just trucking on to more and more success? You need to switch characters mid-game in Marvel Rivals Don’t make it a 5v6 for your team. | Image Credit: NetEase Games Ninja’s comments don’t seem to be about just individual performance. The streamer is talking about how stubborn players can drag an entire team down. He pointed out that in Marvel Rivals, locking in one character for the entire match is a losing strategy. Because what if your enemy switches characters to counter you? What then? NetEase did make every character free for a reason. Ninja GOES OFF on players who refuse to swap heroes in Marvel Rivals “you can not just sit there, lock your character, and then stay in the entire time while the enemy team is changing comp to counter you…you will LOSE” pic.twitter.com/xFNWonmnYF — Marvel Rivals Intel (@RivalsAssembled) February 23, 2025 I agree with him. If your character is getting hard countered and you only know how to play that one character, the game starts to feel like a 5v6 etc. Being able to counter the enemy team comp makes matches feel a lot easier — Frankie (@reaperreapzz) February 23, 2025 Ninja is 100% right about this. If you have melee heroes and you won’t change because you “like wolverine,” yet the other team is farming you and countering. You’re the problem. Learn how to play MULTIPLE heroes. If you’re that guy, your the reason why ranked is tough. Every… — Kreeped (@Kreeped) February 23, 2025 Many players agreed, saying that sticking to one hero when the enemy team is adapting makes the game feel like a 5v6 battle. People replying on X/Twitter were sharing their own experiences of how they’ve had teammates who refuse to switch, only to end up performing horribly. This unwillingness to adapt may be what costs you one of your ranked games, so watch out. While this makes sense, not everyone agrees that players should be forced to switch heroes. There is an argument that allowing mid-game hero swaps in ranked matches is a problem in itself. A few players believe hero selection should be locked for the entire game, forcing teams to coordinate better from the start rather than adjusting on the fly. But we’ve already been dealt the cards. That’s not how the game works, so what can you do? It helps to be versatile in these games Whatever the reason is, you can always try. | Image Credit: NetEase Games And if you’re wondering why this even happens, there are some simple reasons. The first is that most people just don’t have a deep hero pool. Many players only feel comfortable with two or three heroes and when they get countered, they don’t know how to adapt. And the other reason is just that they’re stubborn and won’t switch out of ego. Then there’s the strategic reason which is the loss of ultimate charge. In Marvel Rivals, players retain up to 50% of their ult charge when switching, but the conversion varies between characters and their ult costs. If you have 50% ult charge and switch to a character with more ult cost than your current one, you’ll inevitably be at a lower charge for the new character. This is why people wait to get their ult and switch. But this hasn’t really been a big deal in the grand scheme of things. Marvel Rivals is still massively successful. NetEase recently announced that the game has reached 40 million players, and it’s proof that the fun first mindset the devs have towards game balance is working. Maybe we’ll see players get more serious once the meta really settles down. But who cares, it’s all fun and games. Source link #Ninja #Warns #Marvel #Rival #Players #Rookie #Mistake Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

stocks, news, data and earnings stocks, news, data and earnings European markets are expected to open in broadly higher territory Monday as traders react to the results of the ******* federal election. The U.K.’s FTSE 100 index is expected to open 10 points higher at 8,672, Germany’s DAX up 229 points at 22,486, France’s CAC up 16 points at 8,165 and Italy’s FTSE MIB 6 points lower at 38,506, according to data from IG. Exit polls show the conservative Christian Democratic Union and the allied Christian Social Union secured the largest share of votes in the election on Sunday, with the alliance’s candidate Friedrich Merz set to take over from Olaf Scholz as chancellor of Europe’s largest economy. The CDU-CSU won 28.5% of votes, with the far-right AfD in second place with 20% and Scholz’s Social Democratic Party coming in third with 16.5%, according to ZDF exit polls data. There are no major earnings Monday. Germany’s Ifo Institute is set to release its latest business climate survey. Source link #stocks #news #data #earnings Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Samsung Galaxy M16 5G, Galaxy M06 5G India Launch Confirmed; Design Teased Samsung Galaxy M16 5G, Galaxy M06 5G India Launch Confirmed; Design Teased Samsung is gearing up to introduce two new 5G smartphones in India. The company has teased the arrival of the Samsung Galaxy M16 5G and the Galaxy M06 5G via social media. While Samsung has yet to announce the exact launch date of the handsets, availability details of the upcoming phones have been confirmed. Design details, particularly the rear camera layout of the Galaxy M16 and Galaxy M06 5G have been teased as well. Previously, few other details of the handsets surfaced online through several certification sites and other reports. Samsung Galaxy M16 5G, Galaxy M06 5G India Launch: All We Know The Samsung Galaxy M16 5G and the Galaxy M06 5G will launch in India soon, according to an X post by the company. The exact launch date has yet to be announced. A promotional poster for the smartphones on Amazon suggests that they will be available for purchase in the country via the e-commerce website. The rear camera layout for the Samsung Galaxy M16 5G and the Galaxy M06 5G has been teased in the promotional posts. The Samsung Galaxy M16 5G appears to have three rear cameras, arranged vertically, placed within a pill-shaped island. A larger cutout within the module holds two sensors, while a smaller slot holds the third. A circular LED flash unit is placed outside the camera island. This resembles the design of previously leaked renders of the handset. Meanwhile, the Samsung Galaxy M06 5G gets a vertical pill-shaped rear camera module appears to hold two sensors. The camera island is placed in the top left corner of the rear panel, similar to the Galaxy M16 5G, next to an LED flash unit. Previously, the Samsung Galaxy M06 5G with the model number SM-M166P had appeared on Geekbench. The listing suggested that the phone could come with a MediaTek Dimensity 6300 SoC paired with 8GB of RAM. The handset is expected to ship with Android 14-based One UI 6. Affiliate links may be automatically generated – see our ethics statement for details. 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. Qualcomm Partners With Croma to Launch First Snapdragon Experience Zone in India Source link #Samsung #Galaxy #M16 #Galaxy #M06 #India #Launch #Confirmed #Design #Teased Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Israeli tanks roll into West Bank as ****** says Gaza talks on hold – Al Jazeera English Israeli tanks roll into West Bank as ****** says Gaza talks on hold – Al Jazeera English Israeli tanks roll into West Bank as ****** says Gaza talks on hold Al Jazeera EnglishIsrael to remain in some West Bank refugee camps for ‘coming year’ as military expands campaign CNNExpanding West Bank Campaign, Israel Sends Tanks for First Time in Decades The New York TimesIsrael expels residents of three West Bank refugee camps BBC.com Source link #Israeli #tanks #roll #West #Bank #****** #Gaza #talks #hold #Jazeera #English Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

WA Election 2025: Liberal candidate Thomas Brough referred to medical tribunal over misconduct complaint WA Election 2025: Liberal candidate Thomas Brough referred to medical tribunal over misconduct complaint Thomas Brough has been referred to a medical tribunal over a professional misconduct complaint. Source link #Election #Liberal #candidate #Thomas #Brough #referred #medical #tribunal #misconduct #complaint Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Warren Buffett sounds warning to Washington as Berkshire reports record profit, cash Warren Buffett sounds warning to Washington as Berkshire reports record profit, cash By Jonathan Stempel NEW YORK (Reuters) – Berkshire Hathaway on Saturday reported record annual profits and boosting its cash stake to $334.2 billion, as Warren Buffett used his annual shareholder letter to caution Washington to spend money wisely and take care of those who get the “short straws in life.” Buffett’s admonition came as many investors worry U.S. lawmakers won’t rein in soaring fiscal deficits, and could make them worse by extending tax cuts backed by President Donald Trump. The 94-year-old Buffett, the world’s sixth-richest person and arguably its most famous investor, also acknowledged his advanced age, telling shareholders he uses a cane and will spend less time fielding their questions at Berkshire’s annual meeting on May 3. He nonetheless assured shareholders they would be in good hands after he turns over the conglomerate’s reins to Vice Chairman Greg Abel, saying the 62-year-old Abel has “vividly shown his ability” to deploy capital. “It won’t be long” before Abel takes over, Buffett said. Buffett’s letter was accompanied by Berkshire’s annual report, where it reported a third straight record annual operating profit, rising 27% to $47.44 billion. Quarterly operating profit rose 71% to $14.53 billion, also a record, and which analysts viewed as solid. Net income for the full year totaled $89 billion, including gains from Berkshire’s common stock investments such as Apple and American Express. Berkshire’s cash stake reflected high business valuations and nine straight quarters of selling more stocks than it bought. The selling included Apple, which remained its largest stock investment. “Often, nothing looks compelling; very infrequently we find ourselves knee-deep in opportunities,” Buffett wrote. ‘FISCAL FOLLY’ This year is Buffett’s 60th at the helm of Berkshire, which he transformed from a failing textile company into a $1.03 trillion conglomerate with dozens of businesses in insurance, railroad, energy, industrial, retail and other sectors. “Berkshire’s activities now impact all corners of our country. And we are not finished,” Buffett said. Buffett said Berkshire will continue preferring equities, primarily U.S. stocks, over cash, even as it resists paying a dividend to shareholders, which it has not done since 1967. He said reinvesting in Berkshire is one reason the Omaha, Nebraska-based company paid $26.8 billion of federal taxes last year, 5% of all payments by corporate America. Buffett himself is worth $149.5 billion, Forbes magazine said, Story Continues But he also sent a cautionary message to Washington, lamenting how capitalism “has its faults and abuses–in certain respects more egregious now than ever,” with malfeasance by “scoundrels and promoters” in full force. He urged lawmakers to help preserve a stable U.S. dollar, saying “fiscal folly” can destroy the value of paper money and the country has at times “come close to the edge.” Buffett said long-term success of Berkshire and the American economy, which he called the “American miracle,” has depended on people’s ability to participate. That, he said, is something Uncle Sam can encourage, or take away. “Take care of the many who, for no fault of their own, get the short straws in life. They deserve better,” Buffett wrote, addressing the government. “And never forget that we need you to maintain a stable currency and that result requires both wisdom and vigilance on your part,” he added. Cathy Seifert, an analyst at CFRA Research who rates Berkshire “hold,” said: “Talking about the business of America being messy was his way of addressing the political landscape and its impact on the macroeconomic environment. He is warning Washington: Be careful where you tread.” FEWER BUYING OPPORTUNITIES While Berkshire has not made a major purchase of an entire company since 2016, Buffett said it is likely to increase its combined $23.5 billion of investments in five Japanese trading houses: Itochu, Marubeni, Mitsubishi, Mitsui and Sumitomo. Other stocks appear pricey, with the Standard & Poor’s 500 hitting a new high on Wednesday and the Nasdaq just 3% below its December 16 peak. Berkshire’s size also inhibits its shares from trouncing the indexes, as they did decades ago. The company’s stock price has risen 15% in the last year, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 rose 18%. Over the last decade, Berkshire’s stock price has risen 225%, while the index rose 241% including dividends and 185% excluding dividends, Reuters data show. “They will have lots of buying opportunities but Berkshire will never be the large double-digit compounder it had been,” said Bill Smead, chief investment officer at Smead Capital Management in Phoenix. At Berkshire’s annual meeting, Buffett will spend less time on the stage in a downtown Omaha arena where he, Abel and Vice Chairman Ajit Jain will answer shareholder questions. Tens of thousands of people attend the meeting and a weekend of shareholder events, including shopping. Buffett told Fortune magazine last month that he was still having fun and able to do a few things reasonably well, while other activities had been “eliminated or greatly minimized.” The meeting will also not feature the traditional movie created by Buffett’s daughter Susie. In discussing his age, Buffett said he talks regularly on Sundays with his 91-year-old sister Bertie, using an old-fashioned phone. “We cover the joys of old age and discuss such exciting topics as the relative merits of our canes,” he said. “In my case, the utility is limited to the avoidance of falling flat on my face.” (Reporting by Jonathan Stempel, in New York; Writing by Carolina Mandl in New York; Editing by Diane Craft) Source link #Warren #Buffett #sounds #warning #Washington #Berkshire #reports #record #profit #cash Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Anti-Israel activists hold ******** event for terror chief Nasrallah in NYC – The Times of Israel Anti-Israel activists hold ******** event for terror chief Nasrallah in NYC – The Times of Israel Anti-Israel activists hold ******** event for terror chief Nasrallah in NYC The Times of IsraelThousands of supporters of Hezbollah’s slain leader Nasrallah fly into Beirut for his ******** The Associated PressIDF releases footage of assassination of Nasrallah on day of ******** The Jerusalem Post Source link #AntiIsrael #activists #hold #******** #event #terror #chief #Nasrallah #NYC #Times #Israel Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Tesla owners sue for cars ‘falling flat’ on tech claims Tesla owners sue for cars ‘falling flat’ on tech claims *********** owners have accused Elon Musk’s Tesla of overstating its electric cars’ battery life and self-driving capabilities in a class-action lawsuit. In a consumer action filed in the Federal Court, Tesla Motors Australia has been accused of selling Model 3 and Y cars manufactured by the US-based Tesla Inc based on hyped-up claims. “Tesla made promises about their vehicles’ safety, performance and features such as their ‘full self-driving,’ but it appears some of these promises are falling flat,” Rebecca Jancauskas, director of the firm behind the lawsuit, JGA Saddler, said on Monday. The Model 3 and Y are the two most popular models of electric vehicles in Australia, together accounting for more than 40 per cent of all battery-only car sales nationwide 2024. The class action focuses on three alleged problems, including “phantom braking” – or the tendency for cars to reportedly turn on emergency braking for no reason while in cruise control or Autopilot modes. “This dangerous phenomenon … would terrify you and your passengers and could, if it causes an accident, result in serious injury and/or death,” Ms Jancauskas said. The firm is also accused of failing to deliver on promises to achieve cars’ advertised maximum range or achieving fully autonomous self-driving capability. “Imagine your EV has never reached 75 per cent of its advertised battery range, or the promised self-driving features, that you paid a premium of more than $5000 for, have never been delivered,” Ms Jancauskas said. “For many Tesla drivers these issues are their daily reality.” Despite knowing about these defects for years, Tesla had overstated its cars’ abilities and had failed to address the problems or pay compensation, Ms Jancauskas alleged. “It is hoped this claim underscores the importance for all EV manufacturers to be truthful in their marketing, deliver on their promises, and ensure their products are safe and reliable,” she said. Drivers who purchased or leased a Model 3 or Y equipped with Tesla Vision, a camera-based system that assisted with automated driving, since May 2021 are eligible to join the class action. Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The lawsuit is being financially backed by litigation funder Woodford on a “no win, no fee” basis. If it is successful, Woodford will apply for Federal Court approval to recoup its legal costs plus a commission taken out of the winnings. Mr Musk’s Tesla, the world’s most valuable car company by market capitalisation, has also been under scrutiny by US officials and forced to recall millions of defective vehicles. So far in 2025, there have been two major recalls in the US, affecting more than 370,000 vehicles with power steering problems and about 239,000 vehicles with a rear-view camera issue that could increase the risk of collisions. In 2024, the company recalled almost 700,000 vehicles in the US due to issues with the tyre-pressure warning system and about 1.85 million vehicles due to a software failure to detect an unlatched hood. Source link #Tesla #owners #sue #cars #falling #flat #tech #claims Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Man dead after argument, shooting in East El Paso Man dead after argument, shooting in East El Paso EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — Crime Stoppers of El Paso and the El Paso Police Department need your help in getting more information on an East El Paso shooting that resulted in the death of a 26-year-old man late last year. EPPD identifies man dead after East EP shooting This is this week’s “Crime of the Week,” as publicized by Crime Stoppers. Minutes after 4 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 17, police were dispatched to the Vista Sierra Apartment complex, located at 6813 Bellrose, after residents heard what sounded like an argument and then gunshots. When officers arrived at the scene, they found 26-year-old Jerome Douglas Harper had been fatally shot, Crime Stoppers said. Jerome Douglas Harper. Photo courtesy to Crime Stoppers. According to Crime Stoppers, witnesses said they saw a silver-colored SUV leaving the area immediately after the shooting. Anyone with any information on this ******* is urged to call Crime Stoppers of El Paso immediately at (915) 566-8477(TIPS) or online at www.cselpaso.org. You will remain anonymous, and if your tip leads to an arrest, you may qualify for a cash reward. 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 KTSM 9 News. Source link #Man #dead #argument #shooting #East #Paso Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

First passengers in overturned Delta flight sue, alleging negligence – The Washington Post First passengers in overturned Delta flight sue, alleging negligence – The Washington Post First passengers in overturned Delta flight sue, alleging negligence The Washington PostFebruary 17, 2025: Delta Air Lines plane crashes in Toronto, Canada CNNWhat to know about the airplane that crashed while landing at Toronto’s airport The Associated PressToronto’s Pearson airport back to normal operations after plane ****** CBC.caDelta releases new information about captain, first officer flying plane that crashed in Toronto Yahoo Source link #passengers #overturned #Delta #flight #sue #alleging #negligence #Washington #Post Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Lucky Aussie Saturday Lotto winner yet to claim $3.3m prize Lucky Aussie Saturday Lotto winner yet to claim $3.3m prize An Aussie newsagency is urging Saturday Lotto entrants to check their tickets, with one mystery NSW local yet to claim their $3.3m prize. Source link #Lucky #Aussie #Saturday #Lotto #winner #claim #3.3m #prize Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

No passengers, no planes, no benefits. Pakistan’s newest airport is a bit of a mystery No passengers, no planes, no benefits. Pakistan’s newest airport is a bit of a mystery GWADAR, Pakistan (AP) — With no passengers and no planes, Pakistan’s newest and most expensive airport is a bit of a mystery. Entirely financed by China to the tune of $240 million, it’s anyone’s guess when New Gwadar International Airport will open for business. Located in the coastal city of Gwadar and completed in October 2024, the airport is a stark contrast to the impoverished, restive southwestern Balochistan province around it. For the past decade, China has poured money into Balochistan and Gwadar as part of a multibillion dollar project that connects its western Xinjiang province with the Arabian Sea, called the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor or CPEC. 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. Authorities have hailed it as transformational but there’s scant evidence of change in Gwadar. The city isn’t connected to the national grid — electricity comes from neighboring Iran or solar panels — and there isn’t enough clean water. An airport with a 400,000 passenger capacity isn’t a priority for the city’s 90,000 people. “This airport is not for Pakistan or Gwadar,” said Azeem Khalid, an international relations expert who specializes in Pakistan-China ties. “It is for China, so they can have secure access for their citizens to Gwadar and Balochistan.” Caught between militants and the military CPEC has catalyzed a decadeslong insurgency in resource-rich and strategically located Balochistan. Separatists, aggrieved by what they say is state exploitation at the expense of locals, are fighting for independence — targeting both Pakistani troops and ******** workers in the province and elsewhere. Members of Pakistan’s ethnic Baloch ********* say they face discrimination by the government and are denied opportunities available elsewhere in the country, charges the government denies. Pakistan, keen to protect China’s investments, has stepped up its military footprint in Gwadar to combat dissent. The city is a jumble of checkpoints, barbed wire, troops, barricades, and watchtowers. Roads close at any given time, several days a week, to permit the safe passage of ******** workers and Pakistani VIPs. Intelligence officers monitor journalists visiting Gwadar. The city’s fish market is deemed too sensitive for coverage. Many local residents are frazzled. “Nobody used to ask where we are going, what we are doing, and what is your name,” said 76-year-old Gwadar native Khuda Bakhsh Hashim. “We used to enjoy all-night picnics in the mountains or rural areas.” “We are asked to prove our identity, who we are, where we have come from,” he added. “We are residents. Those who ask should identify themselves as to who they are.” Hashim recalled memories, warm like the winter sunshine, of when Gwadar was part of Oman, not Pakistan, and was a stop for passenger ships heading to Mumbai. People didn’t go to bed hungry and men found work easily, he said. There was always something to eat and no shortage of drinking water. But Gwadar’s water has dried up because of drought and unchecked exploitation. So has the work. The government says CPEC has created some 2,000 local jobs but it’s not clear whom they mean by “local” — Baloch residents or Pakistanis from elsewhere in the country. Authorities did not elaborate. People in Gwadar see few benefits from China’s presence Gwadar is humble but charming, the food excellent and the locals chatty and welcoming with strangers. It gets busy during public holidays, especially the beaches. Still, there is a perception that it’s dangerous or difficult to visit — only one commercial route operates out of Gwadar’s domestic airport, three times a week to Karachi, Pakistan’s largest city, located at the other end of Pakistan’s Arabian Sea coastline. There are no direct flights to Balochistan’s provincial capital of Quetta, hundreds of miles inland, or the national capital of Islamabad, even further north. A scenic coastal highway has few facilities. Since the Baloch insurgency first erupted five decades ago, thousands have gone missing in the province — anyone who speaks up against exploitation or oppression can be detained, suspected of connections with armed groups, the locals say. People are on edge; activists claim there are forced disappearances and torture, which the government denies. Hashim wants CPEC to succeed so that locals, especially young people, find jobs, hope and purpose. But that hasn’t happened. “When someone has something to eat, then why would he choose to go on the wrong path,” he said. “It is not a good thing to upset people.” Militant violence declined in Balochistan after a 2014 government counterinsurgency and plateaued toward the end of that decade, according to Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies. Attacks picked up after 2021 and have climbed steadily since. Militant groups, especially the outlawed Baloch Liberation Army, were emboldened by the Pakistani Taliban ending a ceasefire with the government in November 2022. An inauguration delayed Security concerns delayed the inauguration of the international airport. There were fears the area’s mountains — and their proximity to the airport — could be the ideal launchpad for an attack. Instead, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his ******** counterpart Li Qiang hosted a virtual ceremony. The inaugural flight was off limits to the media and public. Abdul Ghafoor Hoth, district president of the Balochistan Awami Party, said not a single resident of Gwadar was hired to work at the airport, “not even as a watchman.” “Forget the other jobs, how many Baloch people are at this port that was built for CPEC,” he asked. In December, Hoth organized daily protests over living conditions in Gwadar. The protests stopped 47 days later, once authorities pledged to meet the locals’ demands, including better access to electricity and water. No progress has been made on implementing those demands since then. Without local labor, goods or services, there can be no trickle-down benefit from CPEC, said international relations expert Khalid. As ******** money came to Gwadar, so did a heavy-handed security apparatus that created barriers and deepened mistrust. “The Pakistani government is not willing to give anything to the Baloch people, and the Baloch are not willing to take anything from the government,” said Khalid. ___ Associated Press writers Abdul Sattar in Quetta, Pakistan, and Munir Ahmed in Islamabad contributed to this report. Source link #passengers #planes #benefits #Pakistans #newest #airport #bit #mystery Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

DeepSeek’s rise fuels rally in China’s markets while India’s allure diminishes DeepSeek’s rise fuels rally in China’s markets while India’s allure diminishes A ******** national flag, left, and an Indian national flag are arranged for a photograph. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images DeepSeek’s breakthrough in artificial intelligence has boosted investor sentiment around China stocks, with a gauge of the country’s onshore as well as offshore shares soaring over 26% since its January low. The surge in ******** equities comes at a time when Indian stocks have been languishing in correction territory, with experts pointing to a rotation away from India into China. “Every time the China market goes up, the India market goes down,” said Thio Siew Hua, managing director and head of equities at Lion Global Investors. China’s CSI300 had given negative returns for three straight years before logging strong gains last year, while Indian equities have seen secular growth for the past nine years, but returns in 2024 were much lower than the year before. “You need to sell something to fund something new, so that’s what’s happening, especially with the disappointments that we’ve seen in India,” she told CNBC. ******** stocks, led by a tech rally, have been on a tear since the release of DeepSeek’s R1 model in January as it challenged the U.S.-led AI ecosystem, claiming superior performance at much lower costs than the more established AI players. The Hang Seng Tech Index, which tracks the 30 biggest technology firms listed in Hong Kong on Friday hit its highest in nearly three years. Meanwhile, the MSCI China Index — up 26.5% so far from its January low — has gained nearly 18% this year, while the MSCI India index has lost over 7% year to date. The re-allocation into China is driven by a stronger narrative on several fronts, said Abrdn’s head of equities investment specialists for Asia and EM, Alex Smith. Every time the China market goes up, the India market goes down. Thio Siew Hua Lion Global Investors “We saw strong [China] market moves to the upside following the launch of Deepseek,” Smith told CNBC. The rise of DeepSeek has boosted investor interest in ******** tech companies. China’s homegrown models such as DeepSeek’s R1 and Alibaba’s Qwen 2.5 have demonstrated ******** companies’ ability to continuously improve performance while reducing inference costs, Smith said. India’s diminishing allure India’s economy has been grappling with a slowdown, the stock market has corrected sharply in recent months and near-term earnings expectations remain muted, Smith said. India’s GDP grew by 5.4% in the quarter ended September, reflecting the weakest growth in the last seven quarters. At the start of the year, the government lowered its economic growth projection for the fiscal year ending in March to 6.4%, the lowest in four years. By the end of January, 33% of large global EM funds surveyed by Nomura were “Overweight” China and Hong Kong equities, up from 26% in December. Conversely, there has been a 6% increase in global EM funds becoming “Underweight” on India equities, Nomura’s statistics showed. Over 50% of funds Nomura surveyed said they had cut their allocations to India by the end of January, while allocations to China and Hong Kong stocks were increased. Stock Chart IconStock chart icon India’s benchmark Nifty 50 in the past year Manulife’s portfolio manager Nicole Wong told CNBC that she took profits on her India allocations in January, while going “Overweight” on China and Hong Kong’s equity markets, in particular the ******** technology sector. Momentum in the India equity markets has somewhat reversed now, after investors saw India stocks as a preferred place to park their money within the emerging markets space for much of 2024, she added. In the years that followed the pandemic, many investors moved out of China, which saw money move toward countries such as India, said Thio. China’s CSI 300 saw yearly losses of over 5%, nearly 22% and over 11%, in 2021, 2022 and 2023, respectively. Conversely, India’s Nifty 50 saw yearly gains of over 24%, 4%, 20%. The current rotation of flows is a meaningful one, given how investors are now firmly in President Donald Trump’s second era and will most likely continue to see more aggressive stimulus measures coming out of China given tariff threats, said Abrdn’s Smith. While the optimism around ******** markets has increased, the country’s economy has been facing several headwinds. This calls for a cautionary approach, experts suggest. “It may be a little too early to say the worst is behind us in terms of seeing a sustained recovery in consumption activity in China,” said Manulife’s Wong. It is important to note that ******** markets are still relatively volatile, said James Liu, founder and head of research at Clearnomics. “Factors such as a growing trade war, recurring concerns over the ******** financial system, the real estate bubble, and uncertainty around government stimulus will likely drive volatility in 2025,” he said. In Indian equities, there are still opportunities for profit-taking given the corrections since the start of the year, said Ken Wong, Asia equity portfolio specialist from Eastspring Investments. Wong, who allocated 51% of his portfolio to China and 46% in India, said that he is looking to cut exposure to small- and mid-cap names in India but eyeing some large-cap companies, namely the financial, real estate and banking sectors. Source link #DeepSeeks #rise #fuels #rally #Chinas #markets #Indias #allure #diminishes Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Asia-Pacific markets mostly fall as U.S. data stokes fears of sticky inflation and slower growth – CNBC Asia-Pacific markets mostly fall as U.S. data stokes fears of sticky inflation and slower growth – CNBC Asia-Pacific markets mostly fall as U.S. data stokes fears of sticky inflation and slower growth CNBCAsian Stocks, Dollar Dip After Wall Street Selloff: Markets Wrap BloombergAsian Stocks Fluctuate, Dollar Dips After US Data: Markets Wrap Yahoo FinanceAsia stocks track Wall St losses; tech skittish ahead of Nvidia earnings Investing.comAsian shares are mixed after US stocks tumble on worries over tariffs The Hill Source link #AsiaPacific #markets #fall #U.S #data #stokes #fears #sticky #inflation #slower #growth #CNBC Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Officials dodge questions about caravan explosives Officials dodge questions about caravan explosives Questions relating to a caravan discovered by police containing explosives have been swatted away over fears the investigation could be compromised. Source link #Officials #dodge #questions #caravan #explosives Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Uniphar And Two Other Promising Penny Stocks To Watch Uniphar And Two Other Promising Penny Stocks To Watch Global markets have been experiencing a turbulent *******, with U.S. stocks falling amid geopolitical tensions and concerns over consumer spending, while European markets show cautious optimism despite mixed economic signals. In such uncertain times, investors often look beyond the major indices for opportunities that might be overlooked by the broader market. Penny stocks, typically representing smaller or newer companies, offer a unique investment avenue; they may carry an outdated name but still hold potential for growth at lower price points. This article will explore three penny stocks that stand out due to their strong financial foundations and potential for long-term value creation. Name Share Price Market Cap Financial Health Rating DXN Holdings Bhd (KLSE:DXN) MYR0.515 MYR2.56B ★★★★★★ Datasonic Group Berhad (KLSE:DSONIC) MYR0.32 MYR890.29M ★★★★★★ Bosideng International Holdings (SEHK:3998) HK$3.86 HK$44.31B ★★★★★★ T.A.C. Consumer (SET:TACC) THB4.22 THB2.53B ★★★★★★ Warpaint London (AIM:W7L) £4.00 £323.15M ★★★★★★ Hil Industries Berhad (KLSE:HIL) MYR0.855 MYR283.81M ★★★★★★ Foresight Group Holdings (LSE:FSG) £4.00 £455.98M ★★★★★★ Next 15 Group (AIM:NFG) £3.185 £316.77M ★★★★☆☆ Embark Early Education (ASX:EVO) A$0.795 A$145.87M ★★★★☆☆ Polar Capital Holdings (AIM:POLR) £4.865 £468.97M ★★★★★★ Click here to see the full list of 5,706 stocks from our Penny Stocks screener. Underneath we present a selection of stocks filtered out by our screen. Simply Wall St Financial Health Rating: ★★★★☆☆ Overview: Uniphar plc is a diversified healthcare services company operating in the Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom, The Netherlands, and internationally with a market cap of €649.78 million. Operations: The company generates revenue through three main segments: Pharma (€657.34 million), Medtech (€252.93 million), and Supply Chain & Retail (€1.77 billion). Market Cap: €649.78M Uniphar plc, with a market cap of €649.78 million, operates in diverse healthcare segments generating significant revenues. Despite a high net debt to equity ratio of 41.1%, its debt is well covered by operating cash flow and interest payments are adequately managed with EBIT coverage at 3.4 times. The company’s earnings have grown at an average rate of 17.2% per year over the past five years, although recent growth has slowed to 1.4%. Analysts predict a substantial stock price increase, despite current volatility being higher than most Irish stocks and profit margins slightly declining from last year. Story Continues ISE:UPR Financial Position Analysis as at Feb 2025 Simply Wall St Financial Health Rating: ★★★★★★ Overview: Tian An Medicare Limited is an investment holding company that primarily operates hospitals in the People’s Republic of China and Hong Kong, with a market cap of HK$813.61 million. Operations: The company generates revenue from its healthcare segment at HK$1.59 billion, eldercare services at HK$37.71 million, and property investment activities at HK$3.34 million. Market Cap: HK$813.61M Tian An Medicare Limited, with a market cap of HK$813.61 million, has recently become profitable, showing strong earnings growth over the past five years. Its debt management is robust, with interest payments well-covered by EBIT and operating cash flow effectively covering its debt. The company’s short-term assets exceed both its short- and long-term liabilities, highlighting sound financial health. Despite high volatility in share price over recent months and a low return on equity at 2.4%, Tian An’s stock trades significantly below estimated fair value. Recent board changes may impact strategic direction but introduce experienced governance expertise. SEHK:383 Revenue & Expenses Breakdown as at Feb 2025 Simply Wall St Financial Health Rating: ★★★★☆☆ Overview: Sichuan Shengda Forestry Industry Co., Ltd is involved in the production and ***** of liquefied natural gas (LNG) in China, with a market cap of CN¥1.93 billion. Operations: The company’s revenue is primarily derived from its gas business, which generated CN¥685.80 million. Market Cap: CN¥1.93B Sichuan Shengda Forestry Industry, with a market cap of CN¥1.93 billion, is focused on its LNG business in China, generating CN¥685.80 million in revenue. Despite being unprofitable, the company has managed to maintain stable weekly volatility at 5% and has not diluted shareholders significantly over the past year. It holds more cash than debt and boasts a positive free cash flow that supports a cash runway exceeding three years. However, its debt-to-equity ratio has increased over five years from 34.8% to 61%, and short-term assets do not cover long-term liabilities of CN¥450.2 million. SZSE:002259 Revenue & Expenses Breakdown as at Feb 2025 Embark on your investment journey to our 5,706 Penny Stocks selection here. Invested in any of these stocks? Simplify your portfolio management with Simply Wall St and stay ahead with our alerts for any critical updates on your stocks. Streamline your investment strategy with Simply Wall St’s app for free and benefit from extensive research on stocks across all corners of the world. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Companies discussed in this article include ISE:UPR SEHK:383 and SZSE:002259. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email *****@*****.tld Source link #Uniphar #Promising #Penny #Stocks #Watch Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Singapore inflation climbs at the slowest rate since February 2021 Singapore inflation climbs at the slowest rate since February 2021 Buildings in Singapore, on Monday, Feb. 17, 2025. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images Singapore’s inflation climbed by its lowest rate since February 2021, increasing 1.2% year on year in January, down from 1.6% in December. This is the first key piece of economic data since Singapore unveiled its 2025 budget on Feb. 18, which promised more support for households and businesses to combat cost of living pressures. During the budget speech, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said, “While inflation is expected to ease further this year, prices remain high. Singaporeans are still adjusting to these new price realities.” The headline inflation figure is a wide miss from the 2.15% rise expected by economists polled by Reuters. Core inflation in the country — which, strips out prices of private transport and accommodation — rose by 0.8% year on year, down from December’s 1.8% rise and below the 1.5% growth expected. This is breaking news. Please check back for updates. Source link #Singapore #inflation #climbs #slowest #rate #February Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

In One Woman’s Life, the Story of Ukraine’s War, 3 Years On In One Woman’s Life, the Story of Ukraine’s War, 3 Years On In the years since her husband was captured by the Russians, Olha Kurtmallaieva has done whatever she could to speed his return. She has organized rallies to support prisoners of war, pleaded with government officials and read books to understand the psychological trauma that her husband is likely to experience. Even though she is in remission from a rare *******, she worries that time may be running out — for her, perhaps, and possibly for Ukraine. Ms. Kurtmallaieva, 25, and the rest of Ukraine will pass a milestone Monday that few thought the country would reach: the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion. In the beginning, Russia’s leaders and even some American officials assumed that Russian troops would capture the capital, Kyiv, in a matter of days. That didn’t happen. And now, Ukrainians like Ms. Kurtmallaieva, battered and exhausted yet holding on, face this anniversary knowing that the United States, once Ukraine’s fiercest ally, might be pivoting toward Russia. In some ways, Ms. Kurtmallaieva’s story is the story of this war: an invader, a fight, a loss, a stalemate, a life in limbo. She needs more chemotherapy, her doctors say, to reinforce her remission. Her husband, now 31, is still in captivity. “I can sit down now, start crying and say that this has been very hard and very painful,” Ms. Kurtmallaieva said in a recent interview. “But I understand that I did not have another choice and still don’t have one. I just have to keep going and live the life that I have, whether it is good or bad.” There are many ways to measure the cost of three years of war. You can do so in numbers: estimates of more than 100,000 Ukrainian soldiers killed and 150,000 Russians, many dying in the brutal fighting over mere feet of ground along the 600-mile front line; almost 13,000 confirmed civilian casualties, although the true number is likely to be much higher; more than 61,000 missing Ukrainians, dead or hidden away in Russian prisons like Ms. Kurtmallaieva’s husband, a marine who was one of more than 1,000 captured at a metal plant in Mariupol in April 2022. New shorthand has developed: “double widows,” for those who have lost not just one husband to the war but two. “Triple amputees,” to describe those who have lost three limbs to a mortar or a drone. You can also measure this war in what people were forced to leave behind: a rose garden, abandoned in the eastern city of Melitopol; a stuffed animal forgotten on the outskirts of Mariupol by a 9-year-old told to pack her things to a soundtrack of explosions; the blue velvet ****** hung on the tree every New Year’s holiday, stored in a box in Berdiansk, a southern city on the Sea of Azov, near Mariupol. All gone. Despite being haunted by the past, about everything she has lost, Ms. Kurtmallaieva is trying to look forward. When doctors said she entered remission last May, she got herself a present: a Maltipoo puppy. She named it Lucky, she said, on the off chance it might bring her some. Ms. Kurtmallaieva fled Berdiansk, her hometown, six months after Russian forces took it over. She now lives in a small studio apartment in Kyiv that is barely big enough for a queen-size bed, a chair and Lucky. One brick wall, painted white, is decorated with almost three dozen photos of her and her husband, Ruslan Kurtmallaiev, mostly embracing or kissing, including their first picture together and another of them at the city zoo just after her ******* diagnosis. Several show their wedding day. In the corner, Ms. Kurtmallaieva keeps a souvenir featuring the highlights of Berdiansk: the sea, the port, the Ferris wheel, the lighthouse. She met her husband at an Easter church service, and they married in 2017, just after she turned 18. He was already in the marines and said he would stay there until the then-simmering conflict with Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine came to an end; he didn’t want his future children to fight. In the fall of 2021, when she was 21, Ms. Kurtmallaieva received a diagnosis of Stage 2 Hodgkin lymphoma after she felt a hard lump on her neck. She had one chemotherapy treatment in the nearby city of Mariupol, but then she had a small stroke. Her husband surprised her at their apartment in Berdiansk on the afternoon of Feb. 22, 2022. He told her he had a feeling that something was going to happen, but he did not say what. She thought he looked exhausted. After two hours, he went back to his unit in the 36th Separate Marine Brigade. That was the last time Ms. Kurtmallaieva saw her husband and his smile, which she says melts her. Two days later, the Russians invaded. Her husband, fighting in the besieged city of Mariupol, called once or twice a week, but the calls lasted only a minute or two. Sometimes he sent text messages, even if they were just a single ******* to show he was alive. On March 27, he sent a photo of himself in the back of a vehicle. “All right, sweetheart, stay strong there,” he wrote. “I love you.” “And you, my dear, you are the best of the best,” she replied. “Stay strong, my love.” That day, Russian tanks entered Berdiansk. Then she heard nothing. About two weeks later, the steel plant in Mariupol where Mr. Kurtmallaiev was fighting was overrun and he was captured, although Ms. Kurtmallaieva did not know it at the time. A month later, Ms. Kurtmallaieva received a letter from a Russian detention center. Her hands were shaking so much, she ripped the bottom of the letter. It was brief: “My love, your husband is writing to you. I am fine, I am alive and well. I hope you are doing well, too. I love you, my dear. I hope we see each other soon. Yours, Ruslan.” She was trapped in Berdiansk for six months. No chemo, no doctors, no more news about Ruslan. By the time she made it to Kyiv, her health was the last thing on her mind. She was almost frantic, helping organize protests for prisoners of war, scanning Telegram channels featuring videos of prisoners first thing every morning. Feeling run-down and sick, she finally went to the doctor. Her ******* had progressed to Stage 4. She needed chemo, again. This time, she brought a new friend, Inna Turova, 29, whose husband and sister-in-law had been prisoners of war for several months. Ms. Turova also lost her brother after a plane carrying 65 prisoners of war heading for a swap was somehow shot down. “I don’t know how it feels for her, but I know that she’s the strongest person I know, who is fighting for her love,” said Ms. Turova, who held Ms. Kurtmallaieva’s hand during chemotherapy. “She’s waiting for her chosen one to come back. And we’re looking forward to him coming back and being the one who will hold her hand.” Ms. Kurtmallaieva said nothing was certain about her prognosis, just as nothing was certain about her husband’s future. She keeps a book — “Once a Warrior, Always a Warrior: Navigating the Transition from Combat to Home” — next to her bed. She knows that her husband will not have an easy time if or when he is released. She knows that he will need time alone and that, like other former prisoners of war, he might not even understand that he is free, that he has the right to make his own choices. But she also knows just what she will do: She will bring him home, even if that home is a studio apartment in Kyiv, and she will hold him. Oleksandra Mykolyshyn and Dzvinka Pinchuk contributed reporting. Source link #Womans #Life #Story #Ukraines #War #Years Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Top Facts From Germany’s Election Top Facts From Germany’s Election Germany is getting a new chancellor. Its current leader is heading out of power, but his party probably will stick around in a diminished capacity. And the Trump administration’s efforts to influence the vote don’t seem to have done much. Sunday’s election, which came months ahead of schedule after the country’s governing coalition crumbled late last year, produced a few surprises and a lot of suspense. Late in the evening in Berlin, it was unclear if the next government would be another wobbly three-party affair, like the one that fell apart last fall, or a return to the more durable two-party governments that had led Germany for most of this century. Here are five takeaways from the returns. Merz is the likely new chancellor. The largest ******* turnout in decades gave the most votes to the center-right Christian Democrats and their sister party, the Christian Social Union. That almost certainly means the next chancellor will be Friedrich Merz, a businessman who flies his own private plane and has long coveted the top job. Mr. Merz lost a power struggle to lead the Christian Democrats early in the 2000s, to Angela Merkel, who went on to serve 16 years as chancellor. Voters soured on her legacy, though, including an ill-fated plan to rely more heavily on Russia for natural gas and the decision to keep Germany’s borders open in 2015 and begin welcoming what would be millions of refugees from Syria, Afghanistan and elsewhere. After the Christian Democrats fell out of power in 2021, Mr. Merz assumed leadership of the party and drove it to the right on migration and other issues. He was most comfortable campaigning on the economy, promising to peel back regulations and reduce taxes in a bid to reignite economic growth. Mr. Merz is tall and sometimes stern, with a dry wit. Polls suggest that only about a third of the country believes he will make a good chancellor. Even some of his own voters said on Sunday that they are not enamored of him. But if he can quickly forge a government, he has a chance to step into a leadership vacuum in Europe as it struggles with the strains on its relationship with the United States under President Trump. Trump and NATO were on the ballot. When Vice President JD Vance gave a speech at the Munich Security Conference last week chiding the European political establishment for excluding extreme parties, he jolted the once-sleepy election campaign awake. If Mr. Trump’s threats of a trade war and less military protection had already been worrying Germans, the speech and the president’s subsequent U-turn on Ukraine caused a near panic in Germany. Among ******* voters, 65 percent are worried that Germany is helpless against President Trump and President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, according to a poll released on Sunday afternoon. On Sunday night in a post-election debate between leaders, Mr. Merz quickly brought up the threat that Germany and Europe face because of the new U.S. administration. “It has become clear that the Americans, at least this part of the Americans, this government, is largely indifferent to the fate of Europe,” he said. “I am very curious to see how we approach the NATO summit at the end of June — whether we are still talking about NATO in its current state or whether we need to establish an independent European defense capability much more quickly.” Musk did not seem to sway voters. The hard-right Alternative for Germany, or AfD, doubled its vote share from four years ago, largely by appealing to voters upset by immigration. In the former East Germany, it finished first, ahead of Mr. Merz’s party. The AfD’s vote share appeared to fall short of its high-water mark of support in polls from a year ago, however. Many analysts had been expecting a stronger showing, after a sequence of events that elevated the party and its signature issue. The AfD received public support from Mr. Vance and an endorsement by the billionaire Trump adviser Elon Musk. It sought to make political gains out of a series of deadly attacks by migrants in recent months, including in the final days of the campaign. But that boon never materialized. Reaction to the recent attacks and the support from Trump officials may have even mobilized a late burst of support to Die Linke, the party of Germany’s far left, which campaigned on a pro-immigration platform, some voters suggested in interviews on Sunday. The surprise of the night Two months ago Die Linke was dying. Sahra Wagenknecht, its most popular member, started a new party last year that was more friendly to Russia and tougher on migration. Many followed her, thinking that she was the future. Die Linke languished at 3 percent. But Die Linke managed to turn things around in just months, thanks to a new pair of charismatic and social-media savvy leaders and the alienation that many young voters feel with mainstream parties. It surged to what appeared to be nearly 9 percent of the vote and more than 60 seats in Parliament. Its campaign events started attracting so many young people that they became must-see affairs, as much dance party as political rally. The party leaders became social media stars. Heidi Reichinnek, who is credited for much of the turnaround, told a crowd on Sunday night that they owed their success to the many volunteers who went from door to door talking to people about pocketbook issues. Ms. Reichinnek told supporters they “did everything right.” Scholz is out, but his party marches on. Despite polling predicting his third-place finish, Chancellor Olaf Scholz had insisted until the very end that he would somehow retain his job. He was wrong. His Social Democratic Party won a record-low 16 percent, coming in third place. Though Mr. Scholz will continue as a caretaker chancellor until Mr. Merz is sworn in, he is widely expected to step down from active politics. His party will live on, though. It will very likely slip into the familiar role of junior partner in a government led by the conservatives. The so-called “grand coalition” supported Ms. Merkel through three of her four terms, and it could be Mr. Merz’s best shot for a stable government in a tumultuous time for Germany. Source link #Top #Facts #Germanys #Election Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Health officials warn of measles risk at Texas State, Twin Peaks Restaurant – KVUE.com Health officials warn of measles risk at Texas State, Twin Peaks Restaurant – KVUE.com Health officials warn of measles risk at Texas State, Twin Peaks Restaurant KVUE.comMeasles warnings issued in San Antonio and San Marcos as Texas outbreak spreads Texas Public RadioTexas colleges alert to possible measles exposure CBS NewsAs West Texas measles outbreak spreads, how protected are El Paso school children? El Paso MattersTexas State students react to Measles exposure on campus KEYE TV CBS Austin Source link #Health #officials #warn #measles #risk #Texas #State #Twin #Peaks #Restaurant #KVUE.com Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]