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US pressures Ukraine to nix its UN resolution demanding Russian forces withdraw US pressures Ukraine to nix its UN resolution demanding Russian forces withdraw UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.S. has pressured Ukraine to withdraw its European-backed U.N. resolution demanding an immediate withdrawal of Russian forces from Ukraine in favor of an American proposal that does not mention Moscow’s invasion, a U.S. official and a European diplomat said Sunday. But Ukraine refused to pull its draft resolution, and the U.N. General Assembly will vote on it Monday, the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, two European diplomats said. The 193-nation General Assembly then is expected to vote on the U.S. draft resolution, according to the diplomats and the U.S. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because private negotiations are still ongoing. 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 Trump administration is also seeking a vote on its proposal in the more powerful U.N. Security Council. The 15-nation council will meet Monday afternoon on Ukraine, and late Sunday it scheduled the vote immediately afterward, but the European diplomats said it could be pushed to Tuesday at Russia’s request. The dueling resolutions — the first since the invasion — highlight the tension between the U.S., Ukraine and European countries in the five weeks since President Donald Trump took office and has opened talks with Russia after years of isolation in a bid to end the war. European leaders were dismayed that they and Ukraine were left out of preliminary negotiations between the U.S. and Russia last week. The General Assembly has become the most important U.N. body on Ukraine because the Security Council, which is charged with maintaining international peace and security, has been paralyzed by Russia’s veto power. There are no vetoes in the General Assembly, and its votes are closely watched as a barometer of world opinion. However, its resolutions are not legally binding, unlike those adopted by the Security Council. Since Russian forces crossed Ukraine’s border on Feb. 24, 2022, the assembly has adopted half a dozen resolutions condemning the war and demanding the immediate withdrawal of Russian troops. The assembly votes have shown strong global opposition to Russia’s conflict, and the votes on the rival resolutions Monday will be closely watched to see if that support has waned — and to assess support for Trump’s effort to bring a speedy end to the war. One European diplomat said there has been intense lobbying and arm-twisting on the rival resolutions. The U.S. official said the U.S. is trying to get Ukraine and the Europeans to back down on their draft. It comes as Trump plans to host French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday in Washington. The United States believes “this is the moment to commit to ending the war. This is our opportunity to build real momentum toward peace,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement late Friday. He said that “while challenges may arise, the goal of lasting peace remains achievable” and that the resolution would “affirm that this conflict is awful, that the U.N. can help end it, and that peace is possible.” The Ukraine resolution, co-sponsored by the 27-nation European Union, refers to “the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation” and recalls the need to implement all previous assembly resolutions “adopted in response to the aggression against Ukraine.” It singles out the General Assembly’s demand that Russia “immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw all of its military forces from the territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders” and its demand to immediately halt all hostilities. And it calls for “a de-escalation, an early cessation of hostilities and a peaceful resolution of the war against Ukraine.” The very brief U.S. draft resolution acknowledges “the tragic loss of life throughout the Russia-Ukraine conflict” and “implores a swift end to the conflict and further urges a lasting peace between Ukraine and Russia.” It never mentions Moscow’s invasion. Russia’s U.N. ambassador, Vassily Nebenzia, told reporters last week that the U.S. resolution was “a good move.” Russia also suggested an amendment, seeking to add the phrase “including by addressing its root causes” so the final line of the U.S. resolution reads, “implores a swift end to the conflict, including by addressing its root causes, and further urges a lasting peace between Ukraine and Russia.” ___ Lee reported from Washington. Source link #pressures #Ukraine #nix #resolution #demanding #Russian #forces #withdraw Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

******* Election 2025: Friedrich Merz Appears Poised to Be Next Chancellor – The New York Times ******* Election 2025: Friedrich Merz Appears Poised to Be Next Chancellor – The New York Times ******* Election 2025: Friedrich Merz Appears Poised to Be Next Chancellor The New York TimesGerman Election results in full: Conservative victor Merz faces battle to form coalition as far-right AfD waits in wings Reuters’We have achieved something historic’: Germany’s AfD celebrates record gains The Times of IndiaWho Is Friedrich Merz, the Man Poised to Be Germany’s Next Chancellor? The New York Times Source link #******* #Election #Friedrich #Merz #Appears #Poised #Chancellor #York #Times Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

‘Retirement savings crisis’: Aussies forced to work longer due to cost of living ‘Retirement savings crisis’: Aussies forced to work longer due to cost of living Australians are set to work longer as rising cost-of-living sees them put off their retirement. Source link #Retirement #savings #crisis #Aussies #forced #work #longer #due #cost #living Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Best Home Security Cameras Without a Subscription for 2025 Best Home Security Cameras Without a Subscription for 2025 When it comes to your home, you should feel safe and in control. That’s why having a security camera can be a good idea, except a lot of them are only useful if you cough up for a monthly subscription fee. This isn’t possible for everyone, so we found some options for a security camera that don’t have fees beyond what you pay for the hardware. While subscription plans can offer bonus features, they often feel like a rip-off just to cover basic security needs. Thankfully, after spending over 200 hours testing all kinds of security cameras for different parts of your home, we’ve found plenty of options that will provide top-notch security without asking for monthly or annual payments. What’s the best subscription-free home security camera? Our top pick is the Eufy Indoor Cam S350, a 4K dual cam that offers a local storage option and advanced features like **** detection and 32-foot night vision. You can get a lot of quality camera features with this model without worrying about them being locked behind a paywall. Suppose the pan/tilt indoor cam like Eufy’s isn’t on your radar. In that case, our list includes several other fee-free options, including some excellent outdoor light-and-camera combinations and a top-rated budget pick. None require a $5 to $10 subscription to enable essential features. After you’re done, consider stopping by our lists of the best cheap home security cameras and best wireless cams, too. Lorex is a popular choice for buyers who want to stay off the cloud and away from subscriptions. The best home security cameras without subscriptionsEufy Indoor Cam S350 Eufy’s pan/tilt/zoom dual-cam model can see anywhere, and with the right vantage point it can cover multiple doors or areas in a home, all at an excellent 4K resolution for the wide-angle lens and 2K resolution for the telephoto lens. It also has 32-foot night vision and the ability to recognize people or pets and quietly follow them — and it’s surprisingly small for these features, so you can easily find room on a shelf. It offers support for both Amazon Alexa and Google Home/Assistant, but no Apple HomeKit at this time (some Eufy cams do offer Apple support, including the budget pan/tilt 2K model). Eufy also nabs the top spot on our list for its subscription policies: You don’t need one. Nothing significant is locked behind ongoing fees unless you really want cloud storage, and the cam comes with a slot for a microSD card (purchase the size of your choice) to add local storage. You also have the option of adding a HomeBase S380 hub if you prefer more storage, better AI capabilities and other useful features, still without any necessary subscription. The one downside to Eufy’s cam is that the Eufy app is a little janky and may time patience to learn, but that’s a minor tradeoff. Eufy’s pan/tilt/zoom camera is a complete package for a useful indoor camera. See at Amazon Lorex 2K Indoor Camera Lorex brings to the table not only a high-resolution camera, but a whole camera system built around keeping your data out of the cloud. It comes with a 16GB microSD card and no subscription options at all. You can also use Lorex Fusion with a recorder device for more video storage capacity, but it’s not necessary. Or, if you add the cam to the full Lorex home security system with its touchscreen controls, you can switch to a mode that keeps you offline entirely. In addition to these plentiful privacy options, Lorex offers person detection and compatibility with both Alexa and Google Assistant. While there are no pan/tilt features here, the cam can be adjusted to a variety of angles and includes two-way audio for communication. Lorex/Amazon See at Amazon Reolink Argus Track Cam Reolink’s Argus Track is designed for highly efficient outdoor use, combining a 4K cam that can easily spot details across the yard with a solar panel you can set up to keep the battery charged on this wireless model. It’s also got pan/tilt features with the ability to track movement, color night vision and, of course, onboard storage with a microSD card slot. Those powerful features don’t require any subscriptions to use, making this one of the best options for a no-fee outdoor camera that can detect people, vehicles and animals. While the wireless design does make it easy to place, you may have to do more work finding the right installation spot for both the cam and its solar panel, which benefits from a sunny destination. Solar panel cameras aren’t also affordable, but Reolink’s is one of the lowest we’ve found. See at Argus TP-Link Tapo C120 Indoor/Outdoor Cam While Tapo cams have won spots on our other lists for their affordable, feature-rich cams, for this list we’re choosing the versatile C120 indoor/outdoor cam — a little more expensive, but still easy on the wallet. The Tapo blend of subscription-free features (there is a Tapo plan, but it’s far from necessary) offers person recognition and onboard video storage with the purchase of a microSD card. Plus, we frequently find it discounted to less than $30. Another advantage of the C120 is its 2K resolution, higher than many of TP-Link’s budget models, along with a magnetic base that makes placement easy regardless of indoor or outdoor use, although you will need to find a safe outlet to use. It also comes with color night vision and compatibility with both Alexa and Google Home/assistant. TP-Link’s app also allows for a couple of neat tricks, including digital boundary lines that action as motion zones, and customizable siren/light alarms. This Tapo cam can fit nearly anywhere and includes local storage options. See at Amazon Lorex 2K Wi-Fi Floodlight Security Camera If you’re looking to invest in a higher-end outdoor cam and don’t mind spending extra for a full suite of features when you know no subscriptions will be coming your way, Lorex has an excellent floodlight camera for looking over a large outdoor space. It offers a 2K resolution, color night vision, two-way audio and an included 32GB microSD card. That’s a fairly complete package, even without the free person, vehicle and animal protection that’s also included or the support for Alexa and Google Assistant. But the biggest feature of this cam is the two LED floodlight. We like Lorex’s floodlight approach more than most: You can adjust the angles and set specific brightness and color temperature levels, as well as how easily they are activated. That’s a level of customization that is comparatively rare in home security lighting. Lorex/Amazon See at Amazon Blink Outdoor 4 with Sync Module 2 Blink does offer a subscription pan with video recording and storage, but we’re adding it as an effective option because of the Sync Module 2 — this compact, square hub connects to the Blink Outdoor 4 and allows you to plug in a USB flash drive and use it for local storage. That largely removes the need for any subscription. You still get Blink’s motion-activated alerts and incredibly easy-to-use app, so subscription fees become very optional. Otherwise, the Blink Outdoor 4 is a common recommendation of ours because of its long two-year battery life and easy wireless setup. You will miss out on outdoor person detection, which is locked behind the subscription, but otherwise this cam deserves consideration if you don’t mind purchasing a hub to work with. Blink/Amazon See at Amazon Best home security cameras without subscriptions comparedOther home security cams without subscriptions that we’ve tested Lorex’s pan/tilt camera makes for an excellent nanny cam in the right position. TP-Link Tapo C210: This is one of our favorite affordable cameras at the moment, but we prefer Eufy’s better specs that also come with local storage. Blink Mini 2: The Blink Mini 2 has a surprising amount of features for its small size and affordable price (plus outdoor compatibility), but it’s a little too short range and the required Sync Module 2 for local storage greatly increases the price. Google Nest Indoor/Outdoor cam: Nest doesn’t have any local storage options, and the 3 hours of video storage means you need to act quickly, so it’s a complicated compromise for those who want to avoid subscriptions altogether. We went with simpler, local storage approaches for this list. Google Nest Doorbell: The Nest Doorbell is an excellent device that benefits greatly from Google AI and Nest’s high-quality construction, but it also doesn’t have any local storage, so you’ll have to that three-hour limit. Lorex 2K Indoor Pan/Tilt Camera : This Lorex cam is an excellent local storage alternative, but ultimately we chose the floodlight model for its great outdoor usability. TP-Link Tapo C310 : The C310 makes a fine outdoor camera ready for a microSD card, but we found Tapo’s indoor/outdoor camera a little more useful for the average person. Factors to consider when buying a home security camera Blink’s person detection works well enough, but it’s a subscription-only feature. Resolution and view We always pay attention to resolution and field of view for home security cameras. Checking detail, up close and at a distance, is very important for live views and the quality of recorded video. It’s important to pay attention not only to resolution numbers and how wide the field of view is but if a brand locks higher resolutions behind a subscription (some do). Video storage Video storage refers to how easily video can be recorded and shared, typically either in the cloud or locally through an attached hub/hard drive. Cloud storage is almost always locked behind a subscription except in rare exceptions like Google Nest and some others. Local storage is generally a better way to avoid subscriptions and still get this important quality of life. Smart home integration Smart home support for voice assistants (Siri, Alexa, Google Assistant) or platforms like Google Home or Apple Home aren’t often locked behind subscriptions: What you see in the specs is what you get. That can be limited to a single platform (Amazon likes to keep its devices focused on Alexa for now) or spread out between several platforms. If you already use a voice assistant or a full smart home security system, look for a cam that’s compatible with it. Object detection Object detection, like recognizing packages or human-shaped beings approaching, is another feature often locked behind a subscription. Some cameras offer free object detection. Eufy uses human detection for many of its cams, TP-Link Tapo cams offer some free detection and several Lorex cams provide package and people detection. App usability High-quality secure cams come with apps that are intuitive with settings that are easy to manage. It’s also a big bonus if they don’t have constant pop-ups telling you to sign up for a subscription. Night vision We always take a close look at night vision and its distance to make sure that it’s working properly and offers plenty of utility for capturing images on the other side of your yard or room. Two-way audio Two-way audio features help scare away intruders, talk to strangers or tell the kids to get inside for dinner. They’re always free, but we take a close look at their quality and range, too. How we test security cameras Our experts follow a complete testing process that examines how all the features on a home security camera function. Today’s cams have motion detection, audio communication, resolution, night vision, object recognition and much more to test. We walk through these features with a number of visual and audio experiments to see how cams match their claims — and the capability of comparative models. There’s a lot that goes into this process, and you can catch plenty more details over at our guide on how we test. The best home security cam placement and installation Eufy’s solar panel makes a great pairing with this open-range security cam. Placing a home security camera is one of the hardest decisions today’s DIY cameras require. Every home is different, so you’ll need to customize the location to get the best angle to capture a room or yard. Sometimes central locations are best for pan/tilt cameras or a high shelf for an overview. For installation, we like the stability of a ******-in mount or the versatility of a horizontal surface. For more, take a look at our guide on the best spots to install home security cameras. Source link #Home #Security #Cameras #Subscription Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Some Trump Officials Push Back Against Musk’s Ultimatum to Workers – The New York Times Some Trump Officials Push Back Against Musk’s Ultimatum to Workers – The New York Times Some Trump Officials Push Back Against Musk’s Ultimatum to Workers The New York TimesAG Kris Mayes works to stop actions of Trump, Musk and DOGE amid federal layoffs FOX 10 News PhoenixDOD tells civilian workforce to ignore Elon Musk’s request to report productivity Fox NewsSeveral administration officials tell workers not to reply to Musk email Yahoo Source link #Trump #Officials #Push #Musks #Ultimatum #Workers #York #Times Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Crows ruck out for season, ex-Swan given AFL lifeline Crows ruck out for season, ex-Swan given AFL lifeline Former Sydney ruckman Lachan McAndrew has joined Adelaide as another injury rules out Crow Kieran Strachan for the AFL looming season. McAndrew, who played two AFL games during four seasons on the Swans’ list, has been added to Adelaide’s squad as a pre-season supplemental selection ******* signing. The 24-year-old was recruited by Sydney in the 2021 mid-season draft and delisted at the end of last year, when he initially signed with Adelaide’s state league team. But McAndrew is now on the Crows’ AFL list after Strachan suffered another injury. Strachan, who has been a long-time understudy behind Adelaide’s first-choice ruckman Reilly O’Brien, has been moved to the inactive list. Strachan had surgery on stress fracture in his right foot last December. After resuming running in the first week of February, the 29-year-old last week reported heel soreness and was sent for scans which showed another stress fracture, unrelated to his earlier foot problem. Strachan has been moved to the inactive list, making him ineligible for the 2025 season. Adelaide, left with O’Brien as their only listed ruckman, then moved to sign McAndrew. “Given the timing of Kieran’s latest injury and the importance of the ruck position, it was crucial we moved quickly to find a replacement,” Crows list manager Justin Reid said in a statement on Monday. “Lachie has been very impressive with us over summer and has earned the spot on the list and I’m sure he will make the most of his opportunity.” Source link #Crows #ruck #season #exSwan #AFL #lifeline Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

People Revealed The Creepiest, Cult-Like Towns In The United States And, Jesus Christ, It’s Icky People Revealed The Creepiest, Cult-Like Towns In The United States And, Jesus Christ, It’s Icky A while back, Reddit user _Persona-Non-Grata asked the intriguing question, “What are some mysterious, cult-like, bad-vibes towns across the USA?” And the folks over at AskReddit had plenty to say. In fact, there was so much interest that members of our own BuzzFeed Community had a lot to add, too! Here’s a combination of what everyone wanted to share: Note: Some of these stories contain mentions of racism and ******* assault. Also, apologies if your hometown is on this list…but maybe you agree with what these people experienced. 1.”Harrison, Arkansas — There used to be several billboards on the main highway. Lots of white pride radio saying things like, ‘Is it wrong to love your kind?’ There is only one billboard now. It says, ‘Let’s Go Brandon’ by the Christian radio network. I think it is a KKK stronghold. There are YouTube videos of people protesting the old signs. Local people warning the protesters to watch their backs, etc.” Billboard near a road reads: “Diversity is a code word for #WhiteGenocide,” above a welcome sign for Harrison promoting the town and reading —Anonymous 2.”Moscow, Idaho — Moscow has a cult-like church with thousands of followers. Their leader, a self-ordained pastor, has publicly stated he wants to take over the town and turn it into a theocracy. They are deeply misogynistic (marital ***** isn’t ‘possible’) and have a history of ******* abuse within their group. Their members keep running for local office and failing, but they are buying up all the property in town and moving in people from all over the country to attend their private school, theology ‘college,’ and church. Moscow also happens to be the town where the four University of Idaho students were murdered in 2022.” Sheriff’s truck labeled “Latah County Forest Patrol” parked at night with another police vehicle in the background —Dessert_Hater 3.”Woodland Park, Colorado — Some dude started an unaccredited ‘****** college’ there. He’s a total grifter and takes people’s money and claims to be able to heal with his hands but you have to pay him a bunch first. People come from all over the country and then get stuck there after giving away their money to this greedy, evil, piece of crap human. Just like Moscow, Idaho — this dude is taking his followers to take over the town. From what I hear, they are starting to do so. Big nope!!!” Aerial view of a town with mountains in the background and a news headline about a Colorado school board standoff over classroom content —Anonymous 4.”Seabrook, Washington — It is idyllic. Perfectly idyllic. Too much so. Strong Stepford Wives vibes. I read somewhere that it was inspired by the town in The Truman Show.” Aerial view of a coastal town surrounded by lush forests and a sandy beach. Houses are nestled among trees, offering a picturesque seaside setting —lotsalotsacoffee “The idyllic facade is made creepier by the fact that it’s located minutes from Taholah, an impoverished reservation town that’s literally sinking into the ocean. Driving through both towns is a weird contrast.” —AndronicustheGreat 5.”Vidor, Texas — It’s just east of Beaumont, and it’s still a sundown town. Local infrastructure vendors, i.e. Telco, power, etc. know to send only white workers to that town for safety. I’ve been through once, and it just feels off, but I was also traveling with a ****** friend.” Sunrise over a tranquil rural landscape with a wooden fence in the foreground and scattered trees in the misty background —Ok-disaster2022 “I worked on a door-to-door sales team, and we got sent there because we happened to be all ‘white’ at the time. Spoiler: We weren’t all ‘white,’ and our crew included several Latino members. Someone spoke in Spanish, and we were detained by the most overtly racist cops I have ever met and literally escorted out of town. Freaky *****.” —tossaway78701 6.”Colorado City, Arizona — Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints stronghold. Lots of inbreeding.” A rural desert scene with a dirt road, small houses, and a rugged mountain backdrop. A truck drives down the road —thebadhedgehog5 “I used to have to drive through Colorado City to get to my grandma’s assisted living center; it is so creepy, and it is the LDS Poly Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints hot spot. Very creepy feeling driving through.” —willowred 7.”Powers, Oregon — Stopped in the diner for coffee once on a drive-thru. I ***** you not, like straight out of a movie, the other patrons just turned and quietly stared, not touching their plates, until we left.” Elderly couple sitting in a diner booth, with the man wearing a cowboy hat and the woman looking away. Sparse interior with a wall mirror —SkylieBunnyGirl “Holy ***** I can finally share my Powers, Oregon story! My girlfriend and I were doing a trip down the coast, and on our way back to I5 for the return trip, we went over a dirt road pass near the Rogue River and ended up driving through Powers. Same ***** as you, but one of the properties we drove by on the way out had a massive Trump sign erected on 4x4s. The dam sign had three dead sheep hanging from their necks on the bottom! I’m kicking myself for not getting a picture, but after seeing that, we wanted to GTFO.” —louiekr 8.”Tonopah, Nevada — The Clown Motel, located next to the Tonopah Cemetery, is a popular place to stay because of all the reports of being haunted by ‘ghost clowns’ and miners who were killed in the 1911 Belmont Mine Fire.” Aerial view of a motel with clown-themed decorations next to an old cemetery, set in a desert landscape —Fuck_You_Downvote “It reminds me of Captain Spauldings in House of 1000 Corpses!” —amberterrell 9.”Heritage USA — This Christian-themed water park was founded by televangelist Jim Bakker and his wife, Tammy Faye. In the mid-’80s, my brother returned to school as a journalism major at the University of South Carolina. One of his assignments was to write a story about the newly opened theme park. So, one weekend, off he went. He later told me that the whole time he was there, he felt like he had to keep looking over his shoulder because he felt like a couple of guys were going to come up behind him, grab him, and say, ‘You don’t belong here.’ Wish he was still here to tell you himself.’ Bettmann / Bettmann Archive, Will & Deni Mcintyre / Getty Images —Anonymous 10.”Denton, North Carolina — Somehow found myself dating someone from here. I’m half ********, and when she took me to her town, it was very weird. She took me to the local BBQ restaurant, and she later told me the person who said ‘hi’ in the form of, ‘I’m sorry y’all lost the Civil War,’ was the wife of the local KKK’s grand dragon. Everyone in the town stared at me and gave me that, ‘I’ll smile because you’re with a local, but don’t come back’ vibe. Driving around I saw nooses in people’s yards. It was so weird and bizarre!” Group in white robes surrounding a large burning cross at night, arms outstretched —Anonymous 11.”Mooseheart, Illinois — They disguise themselves as a town for children, primarily orphans, but there have been terrible, awful stories about the treatment of those kids, including a ******* abuse case in 1994.” Sunlight streams through arched windows, illuminating two empty wooden beds in a dimly lit room —cnilechild 12.”Citrus County, Florida — I currently live here. I had the unfortunate experience of having to graduate from the local high school after only attending my senior year. Basically, there’s a church on every corner. They all appear to operate individually. However, when you don’t belong to one of the many cult-like churches cluttering Citrus County you find yourself out in the cold and completely isolated. They have an antagonistic way of giving you lip service without any thoughts of good intentions.” A charming small church with a prominent bell tower stands amidst palm trees under a partly cloudy sky —Anonymous “There’s a good reason the locals call it Circus County.” —utlayolisdi 13.”Rhyolite, Nevada — Pulled into this ghost town in the early ’90s with a friend to check it out. Someone who apparently had taken up residence immediately started shooting at us. We left as fast as we could.” Old wooden building labeled “Rhyolite Mercantile” in a desert ghost town setting, with mountains in the background —Anonymous 14.”Glenrio, New Mexico and Texas — This is a ghost town on the border of the two states along Route 66. I felt like I was being watched the whole time. There are still several houses there that I’m not entirely sure are unoccupied. I normally don’t have ‘raised hair on the back of your neck’ moments. But I couldn’t even get up the courage to get out of my car to take some photos of the derelict buildings left. It was very creepy.” Overgrown, abandoned Texas diner with rusted sign and fence post, surrounded by wild vegetation and empty parking lot —Anonymous 15.”Noxon, Montana — Father of a 6-year-old and thought we’d try an Easter egg hunt in a place we’ve never been and do lunch. Pretty big hunt with lots of eggs. Well organized and overall kind of awesome. Afterward, the kids brought the eggs they found to the front and exchanged them for candy. I’m in the line with my excited little guy answering a ton of questions and generally just trying to keep my bundle of squirrels in check. Wasn’t paying attention much as we worked up to the table. I look up as the kid hands his eggs up to…a lady in a Daily Stormer hoodie. Daily ******** Stormer.” Person with a swastika tattoo on their shaved head stands in front of a large swastika flag “She listened as he chatted away with sincere kindness. After the eggs were counted, it was off to the candy exchange. Her husband maybe? Giving the kids high fives and passing out heaps of candy. SS lightening bolts up both sides of his neck. Some runes on his hands, but by that time, it was apparent we were in the wrong neighborhood and it was time to go. Plastered a smile on my face, grabbed hold of a little hand, and we scooted. On the way out, signs were everywhere from conversations to dress to cars in the lot, but I had missed everything. TL;DR We crashed a Neo-Nazi Easter egg hunt in Noxon, Montana.“ —bluesmokeproductions 16.”Amboy, California — Was a Route 66 boomtown, with a railroad stop. When I-40 was opened, bypassing Amboy, it withered and died. Only it didn’t give up the ghost. Some famous murders occurred in that town (if you can call it a town, it’s only three buildings at a crossroad). Legend has it that Charles Manson and the Manson family would frequent the diner in the 1960s as it was the closest part of civilization to their commune. The last time I was there was about 25 years ago, driving through. There’s not a lot of traffic that drives through obviously, but there are people that live there, and as God is my witness, every time I’ve driven through, those people are outside in the scorching Mojave heat of the day staring you down as you drive past.” I don’t know who this person is, but the image shows a man with long hair in a blue shirt surrounded by people, including two police officers —Resident_Job3506 17.”Adams, Tennesse — In 1994 my ex-wife (then-girlfriend) and I were traveling through Adams back to Nashville and stopped at a local restaurant. Like others have mentioned in other towns the place fell dead silent. Everyone stared and said nothing. We were both spooked, so we left and decided to stay at a local motel as we were both tired. The motel was right out of the movie Vacancy and many passing cars slowed down so the locals could stare at us. It was right out of a Stephen King novel or film….we decided to get back on the road and get the hell out of there instead. We didn’t care how tired we were we were out of there!” Neon signs with “Vacancy” above “Television,” set against a backdrop of trees —lysette1963 18.”Northern Minnesota — We were looking at buying 40 acres on I believe Upper Red Lake. We entered a diner at about 6 p.m., it was dark out, and everyone stopped and stared. We were seated, ordered drinks, and noticed how silent it was. No chatter, and everyone was staring at us. Dad left a 20 on the table, and we left before ordering food. Suuuuuper bizarre.” Aerial view of a small town with roads, buildings, a river in the background, and adjacent green areas —Previous-Ad3017 19.”Dodgeville, Wisconsin — Some friends and I experienced the same kind of thing in a bar/bowling alley in Wisconsin on our road trip to House on the Rock. We decided to go out bowling, and when we walked into the bar in the front, it was like it went from bustling to very hushed, and everyone was watching us. The bowling alley in the back was totally deserted and eerie. It was super awkward to be the only people playing, and I swear anytime we glanced behind us toward the bar, we’d catch everyone staring. We all agreed it was one of the creepiest experiences we’ve ever had.” Empty bowling alley with nine lanes, wooden floors, and pin setups at the end of each lane —TheRipsawHiatus 20.”Kemmerer, Wyoming — I played bluegrass and country music in the ’70s and ’80s. Did a gig in Kemmerer. It exists because there is an open pit mine there. You haven’t experienced ugly until you’ve seen an open pit mine. We went into the local ‘music store’ to get some guitar strings (four white guys with a ****** drummer) and when we walked in the lady behind the counter moved her kids behind her and said, ‘I’m married.'” Aerial view of a large open-pit mine in a desert landscape with surrounding mountains in the distance —Anonymous 21.”Vernonia, Oregon — I was 19 and had to pay a speeding ticket up there…this was 1994. I had long hippie hair, walked into the local diner, and everyone stopped and looked at me and my friend…it was damn eerie. Before we walked in, you could hear the conversations from outside, but that stopped once we got in. We were going to get breakfast, but after that, I just got coffee and left and waited at the courthouse in my buddy’s car till they opened. Never been back.” Empty diner with retro-style booths and blue bar stools, creating a nostalgic and cozy atmosphere —Defender_XXX 22.”Bullhead City, Arizona — It’s across the Colorado River from Laughlin, Nevada, a desperately poor man’s version of Las Vegas. We couldn’t find a restaurant on our phones that was open after dark and ended up buying salad bar food at the only grocery store in town. I think this place was an early impact zone of fentanyl because there were unconscious people slumped over in many dark corners and the sound of EMS sirens everywhere. We got up at dawn to wash our rental car, and there was an unconscious woman on the AstroTurf island between the deserted lanes. Just as I got out to check on her, a guy in a pickup pulled up, threw her IN THE BACK, and screeched away. Utter desolation.” Aerial view of a riverside community with houses, palm trees, and mountains in the background under a clear sky —Anonymous 23.”Skidmore, Missouri — Hands down the most DEPRESSING town I have ever driven through. There’s this feeling you just can’t shake while you’re there.” A brick building stands partly overgrown with ivy, next to a vacant lot with trees, on a quiet street —kenan__rockmore “An incredible number of shockingly brutal or very mysterious crimes for such a tiny hamlet. Most famous was the vigilante ******* of Ken Rex McElroy (pictured above), but there’s also Branson Perry and Bobbi Jo Stinnett just for starters.” —Polyphemus117 24.”Gold Hill, Colorado — A leftover hippie town in the mountains from the 1960s. Stopped for gas in the early 1990s. Went into a gas station, ********-Mart. Practically ran back to the car and hightailed it out of there.” Vintage rusty truck in a field with tall grass and trees in the background —smartsedan20 25.”Centralia, Pennsylvania — It’s a ghost town that is still on fire today (from a coal mine fire that started in the ’60s). Though, they ruined the graffiti highway. I don’t know if anybody still lives there today; when I went last, there were a handful of hangers-on.” Abandoned, graffiti-covered road with people in the distance, surrounded by leafless trees under a blue sky —faceeatingleopard “One of the last guys left had a doc made about him. His job is to mow the cemetery on top of the hill, and the park across the road from the old row house he lives in, which sits all by itself now because everything else on the street was torn down. I also watched an urban exploration vid of a guy going through the final mayor’s house, and it was like everything left in that guy’s house stopped existing after 1970.” —toastmn7667 26.”Collinsville, Oklahoma — It has a diner where the local chapter [of the KKK] meets or, at least, used to meet every week. Used to have racist signs on the edge of town. It is one of the most racist places I’ve ever had the misfortune of finding myself.” Old red train caboose with yellow railings on display near a rustic metal-roofed structure, set against a cloudy sky —blackforestham3789 27.”Cairo, Illinois — It is creepy AF. At one time it was a very important commercial center because of its river location. Now it’s practically deserted and has really creepy energy. You can still see glimpses of how it might have been bustling and charming back in the day.” Historic long truss bridge spans a wide river, viewed from a bank with logs and debris in the foreground —jendickinson “My history seminar class focused on writing a report on Iowa volunteer infantry regiments during the Civil War. The regiment I was assigned to research participated in the major campaigns of the Western theater, with some of its companies occasionally assigned as police garrisons in Cairo, among other locations. From their records, it seems that Cairo has a long history of racist violence and Confederate sympathies.” —Norskamerikaner 28.”Crestone, Colorado — It’s easily the most bizarre place I’ve been to in the US. Lots of shoeless hippies, ‘spiritualists,’ cult members/followers, and the like. Just a weird vibe all over. Some of the people are nice, and there are some good artists there, but there’s also a main square/park where you’ll almost always see these desperate, strung-out people with an overloaded car just sitting in the park like, Well I’m here, what next? There’s also an alien landing site nearby, or at least that’s what it claims to be.” Three women sit at a table with colorful chakra symbols. One holds a glass, and they appear engaged in conversation against a tapestry background —BrandonLouis527 “Love Has Won. Docuseries on Max (pictured above) about this *****. Super weird. I can’t unsee some of it, so I’m not sure I’d recommend it. But it’s wild how gullible humans can be for the most random things.” —R_S_Dub79 29.”Gold Bar, Washington — Beautiful view of the Cascade Mountains. Meth and white supremacists everywhere.” Snow-capped mountain in the distance with evergreen trees and mist in the foreground under a clear sky —bluegiant85 30.”Mora, New Mexico — It’s pretty damn scary to outsiders. Lots of rural mountain towns that are isolated from tourists can be strange. I’ve spent a lot of time in West Virginia and Arkansas, but rural NM is probably the most hostile place to outsiders I have been.” Small chapel in a rural cemetery with mountains in the background. Flowers and a peace sign made of stones decorate the foreground —Marcoyolo69 31.”Opp, Alabama — This town is well-known for closing all local federal buildings (besides schools, this includes libraries, banks, courts, etc.) and local businesses on Wednesday. This town was popular during the US slavery era as it has a train that runs through it. Each Wednesday, the city square would be packed with visitors and locals who were there to buy slaves. To give ‘honor’ to the tradition, the city still closes and shuts everything down on Wednesdays. I should mention that I haven’t lived there since 2014.” Nighttime lakeside view with trees reflecting on the water and distant lights on the left side. A streak of light crosses the sky, resembling a shooting star —CailousCancer 32.”Cushing, Oklahoma — I was visiting a distant relative a few years ago, and we drove through at night. The streets were lined with MAGA and Confederate flags. We stopped for gas, and a white man came outside and stared at us. My friend was not white, I was. I made him sit in the car with the door locked while I pumped gas. We tried to leave quickly. As we drove down the main road, we saw a Nazi flag on a window storefront. As we passed, I realized it was a shrine to Donald and Melania Trump complete with mannequins, makeup, wigs, American flags, and a sign that said ‘Make America Great Again.’ As we almost got out of town, there was a rundown house spray painted with the words ‘lock her up.’ It was ******** surreal and terrifying.” Large pipeline monument marked “Cushing, Okla” and “Pipeline Crossroads of the World” on grassy field under a cloudy sky —Tricky-Gemstone 33.”Lynden, Washington — A HIGHLY Christian town comprised of mostly Dutch families. No liquor stores. No weed stores. ******** to mow your yard on Sundays. I’ve lived maybe 10 minutes away from it for about 20 years now and only go out there for the fair.” Aerial view of a serene landscape featuring a large lake, surrounding greenery, and distant mountains under a partly cloudy sky —RankedAverage 34.”Island Pond, Vermont — It’s home to one of the Twelve Tribes communities. Twelve Tribes is a fundamentalist Christian cult known for its misogyny, racism, child abuse, and workplace exploitation. They operate the Yellow Deli restaurants.” Brick wall with “The Yellow Deli” logo painted in yellow, next to a window —cwthree “As a Vermonter, I was scanning the thread just waiting for this one to come up.” —Idkman2019 35.”Elko, Nevada — Stopped at a bar there on a roadtrip. Seemed like a fun place from the outside. Some woman walks up to us and says, ‘Hi! I’m so and so… What are you doing here? You’re not from around here…’ Got lots of stares. Went to a casino across the street to escape. The casino was completely empty but lit up. Felt almost post-apocalyptic except for one janitor. We noped the hell out of there fast. Felt like something really bad was going to happen. We decided not to find a local hotel and bounced. This was in 2010.” Blurred image of a casino interior with slot machines and scattered seating —therealfuriousd 36.”Gallup, New Mexico — Drove through on Route 66 from Los Angeles to Chicago and stopped for gas for five minutes and almost got robbed. I would recommend you ~gallup~ on through if going that route and get gas before or after. Creepy vibes pulling in. Later found out it has one of the highest per capita crime rates in the country.” Busy street scene at dusk with cloudy sky, cars on the road, and illuminated storefront signs in the background —average_dudereino “I stopped here as a young solo female traveler. One of those experiences I look back on and am grateful nothing bad happened. There was a dark, very sketchy vibe.” —OkLoss994 37.”Ennis, Texas — It has the creepiest vibe I’ve ever encountered. I stopped there to get gas and snacks with my team while we were on the way to a competition in Houston when I was in high school, and we all thought we were going to die. I was the only group member outside of my teacher who wasn’t a guy, and the boys noticed how we were being looked at and how sketchy everything was. She all started going with me and in groups because they got a bad vibe, too. I hope they all have had fantastic lives since because they were freaked out too and immediately realized that if anyone was going to get attacked, it would be us, and jumped into action to prevent it.” Person standing under a streetlight on a dimly lit road at night, silhouetted against the light —alexmattson 38.”Yermo, California — Half the town looks okay. The other half looks like it blew up in a meth lab explosion. My buddy and I were driving to Vegas and wanted to see the Calico ghost town. We took a wrong turn and were in Yermo for a good ten minutes before we realized it wasn’t the ghost town.” A cartoon figure in cowboy attire stands by a “Calico Ghost Town” sign with a desert landscape and distant mountains in the background —depotlounge 39.”Poteau, Oklahoma — In my hometown of Poteau, we had two bars. One of which was bought by a racist MAGA *******. Wall-to-wall Trump/Anti-Biden flags…literally floor to ceiling. Every night at midnight, they stop the music mid-song and play the Star Spangled Banner while everyone is expected to stand with their hand on their heart. The first time I was there, I was drunk and having a conversation at midnight. Got yelled at to stand at attention by multiple people. Went there again a few weeks later. Midnight rolled around. I stood up and said, ‘This is such *********,’ to a friend. Two bouncers and the owner immediately showed up at the table, and I was banned for life. I am so glad I no longer live in that backward town.” People watching TV in a bar showing a man in a suit, with text “PLANT OUR FLAG ON THE…” visible. Shelves of bottles are in the background —jamesfesperman 40.”Lee’s Summit, Missouri — My boyfriend is from Lee’s Summit (just outside of Kansas City), and we went to a wedding in Jefferson City last year. As we were driving through the state, I definitely said several times, ‘This could be straight out of Sharp Objects.’ Super unsettling.” A quiet street scene with trees lining the road, several parked cars, and a corner building with shops and large windows —sayhellotojenn 41.”Pella, Iowa — Super conservative, religious culty vibes. People here live in a bubble where they think their views are the same everywhere. They are stunned when opposing views are expressed. So much so that those who disagree are afraid to speak out. Plus, there is a small ‘members-only’ church with guards at the door to prevent non-members from entering.” Close-up of a vintage map highlighting the city of Pella —sierradulemer 42.”Rainbow, California — It’s on the business loop of I-15 between San Diego and Riverside. Home to some tree nurseries and a vintage ’50s-era truck stop. The diner has a B rating from the health department and a confederate flag on display. Stopped there for lunch once out of curiosity. Found out it’s a mainstay for neo-Nazis and bikers.” Retro-style evening scene of a vintage motel and gas station with illuminated signs reading “Motel,” “Gas,” and “Cafe.” String lights hang above —homefree 43.”Laytonville, California — It’s in Mendocino County. It’s a weed-growing town with two motels, two restaurants, a store, and a gas station. It was a hippie town for a long time. Now, it is a hostile environment with bikers, cartels, Wiccans, and wannabe drug lords. Creepy feeling going through there. It feels like what I imagine a gold rush boomtown was: price gouging and danger.” Deserted street with power lines, a stop sign, and a small building on the right; barren landscape extends into the distance —homefree 44.”Cinco Ranch, Texas — There are something like 8,000 homes in this neighborhood and we did not see A SINGLE PERSON outside. No joggers, no dog walkers, no kids…no one. The realtor said they must all be in church, but the ‘******** people should be back at work mowing lawns soon.’ It was just another sign to stay the ***** out of Texas.” Aerial view of a suburban neighborhood with neatly arranged houses and a curving road near a body of water —kestrelh 45.”Mack, Colorado — Once we had to stop here for gas…never do this! Real The Hills Have Eyes vibes. We immediately turned around because of the bad vibes but got stuck by a passing train. When we returned a woman, rail-thin with missing teeth, yelled, ‘Fill up, I’ll open up!’ So I start getting gas and noticed the 1980s-style pump had a piece of tape tripping the price. I go past the foul garbage can with flies everywhere and open the door to a horror movie. To my right, a boy eating cereal at a table stops and stares desperately at me, directly in front, up in a trailer, is a wolf growling. All the store racks were covered with plastic, and dolls were hanging from the rafters also wrapped in dust-covered plastic.” Sign reading “Welcome to Colorful Colorado” on a roadside with trees and sky in the background “As the woman started yelling, ‘You didn’t fill up!,’ l noticed a paper saying, ‘Where are you from?’ I dropped a twenty to cover my gas and my son opened the door, saying, ‘Come on mom we gotta go.’ We drove off only to be stopped by the train again. Just as it cleared the road I saw the woman with other ******’s reject types running after the car. Luckily, we got out of there so I can warn you all!” —Anonymous 46.”Scotland, Indiana — Due to snow and an accidental detour, I drove through here on my way to the Indianapolis airport. The first thing we noticed was a giant banner stating that they are home to the annual Christmas festival, but the banner was dated about four years prior and falling apart. As we drove through the little town around 7:00 p.m. there wasn’t a soul in sight or a light in any window. There were, however, statues of people and mannequins in the front of people’s homes. It was quiet and terrifying and we couldn’t get through that town fast enough.” A white mannequin torso with a ****** mark on the head is displayed next to vintage bags, wooden sticks, and an empty picture frame on the ground —Anonymous 47.”New Square, New York — Only ultra-orthodox Hasidic Jews live there. No one else. They have almost no contact with anyone who is not Hasidic. They have their own schools, stores, doctors, police (unofficially), lawyers, you name it. Most families have a dozen children or more and as a result, they get public assistance. They rarely vaccinate their children and there have been measles and other preventable outbreaks. People are not allowed to watch TV or use the internet. I grew up nearby and as a (non-practicing) Jew myself I would never step foot in that town. It is very much like fundamentalist ******* towns out west, but this is literally in the middle of a pretty affluent suburban county.” A utility pole with an orange sign featuring Hebrew text; trees and part of a building visible in the background —jaymay25 48.”The Villages, Florida — What started as a little community of 400 mobile homes has become a massive retirement compound of nearly 80K residents, many retirees but also families with school-aged children. Being so meticulously planned, with manicured landscaping and themed ‘town squares,’ and residents being predominantly white boomers makes it all very Stepford Wives. All of the big Republican candidates and Fox News pundits make a stop at The Villages during their campaigns and book/speaking tours.” Aerial view of a suburban neighborhood with neatly arranged houses, green lawns, and a distant pond —2dabdeb 49.”Interlachen, Florida — Years ago, I was driving in north-central Florida along Route 20 near Interlachen taking my daughter to Girl Scout camp. Way outside of town where there is absolutely nothing, I see on Google Maps that there are streets laid out like a city of 100,000 people, but there are just trees as far as I can see. So I slowed down to see if any of these streets existed, and they did — but they were dirt roads. I spent an hour just driving around on all these dirt roads, and there is at most one house or trailer per block and everything else is just empty dirt roads. To this day, I have no idea why all those dirt roads are there and why Google knows about them. Maybe a real-estate developer went out of business during a big project? This was a few years after the 2008 real estate crisis, so maybe the market just disappeared. Whatever the reason, driving around a whole town with basically nobody living there was creepy.” A straight dirt road flanked by dense, tall trees stretches into the distance under a clear sky —Anonymous 50.”Pulaski, Tennesse — It’s a pretty creepy place. The KKK was founded there in 1865 and has always had some control over the town ever since. It’s a tiny, rundown town with not a lot going on. I’ve heard it’s still a sundown town. The only ‘outsiders’ who live there are members of the Twelve Tribes cult who run a Yellow Deli on the square. Even though I am white, I used to drive through the town sometimes on my way back to visit family and was told by my mother to never under any circumstances stop there for anything, not even gas. My grandpa was an FBI agent stationed out of the closest field office and apparently had heard some stories, too, so it’s a place we don’t go.” Four individuals wearing hooded cloaks with pointed hats stand in a row —Anonymous 51.”Newburg, Missouri — My friend dated a woman from there. Saw her a few times a week. Got pulled over by the local cop and was told to STOP seeing that woman. The cop said his life was in danger, and that he, the cop, couldn’t do anything to prevent violence towards him by other men wanting to date her.” Flashing police car lights at night, with red and blue lights on top of the vehicle —Anonymous 52.”Pecos, Texas — Was traveling solo from Florida to Colorado and went through this west Texas town. It was like being in a Mad Max movie. I drive a Honda CRV, and I’m sure I have the smallest vehicle in town. Lots of huge trucks — it’s a big oil and gas spot. Unfortunately, I’d been on the road awhile and had to **** so bad. I found a gas station and ran in fast. The women’s bathroom had a Word document printed sign that read there was absolutely zero reason a man should need to use the women’s. I wish I’d taken a picture of it but I was so focused on getting out of there that I just left! Weird freaking town.” Industrial facility at dusk with storage tanks and equipment silhouetted against the sky, surrounded by sparse vegetation —Anonymous 53.”Las Vegas, New Mexico — My husband and I were 19 years old, traveling with our 6-month-old son. We stopped for gas, and a carload of drunk men followed us and then tried to run us off the road. My husband waved a big knife at them. Also, it was midnight, New Year’s Eve! The cops were firing their guns in the air. The car wasn’t running right. It wouldn’t go over 40 mph. This happened in 1980. I’ll never forget it.” Dimly lit gas station at night with two vehicles parked at pumps under fluorescent lights —Anonymous 54.”Mount Ida, Arkansas — Publicly claims to be ‘The Quartz Crystal Capital of the World,’ but also ranks 10th on the ’10 Most Historically Racist Places In Arkansas’ list curated by roadsnacks.net. There is an active KKK Klavern there. Proud of being a ‘sundown town.’ Don’t be fooled by the crystals! These folks are messed up.” A box containing raw amethyst stones and polished quartz spheres displayed on crumpled paper —Anonymous 55.”McCarthy, Alaska — My family took a road trip through Alaska when I was 15 and my siblings were 12 and 8. We went to this town in the middle of nowhere that you could only access by pedestrian footbridge and it looked dirt poor, like a ghost town out of a western movie. My parents stopped at the only store that looked half open to see if they could get food and my sisters and I walked around exploring. Two **********-looking kids followed the three of us around and pelted us with pebbles. They wouldn’t talk to us. I felt so bad for them trapped there. According to Wikipedia, in 2010 the population was 28 people and in the 1980s they had ‘the worst mass shooting in the history of Alaska,’ so I have to say the chills I got from that town as a kid were not wrong. This was a long time ago though, I hope it’s doing better now.” Two people walk on a snowy road, passing equipment and a snowmobile. Text reads “March 1st, 1983.” —Anonymous 56.”West Plains, Missouri — My good friend bought 40 acres there. Went with him to frame his house. Found out it’s a town lost in time. There were no people of color in the whole town. I asked a young guy at the lumber yard about it. He said, ‘Well, the KKK is still pretty big around here.’ A weird vibe for sure.” Rural dirt road lined with bare trees, green house on the left. Large text overlay: “Racist Next Door.” —Anonymous 57.”Elizabethtown, Kentucky — My son, 19, and I were traveling from Ohio to central Kentucky on I-75. We stopped in for gas, coffee, and to stretch our legs. We decided to get the coffee first cause we had just under a quarter gas tank. We pulled into a restaurant. We walk in, and everyone stops and stares. People in the booths are craning their necks to stare at us. Everyone was white, and we are olive-skinned Puerto Ricans. We ordered two coffees to go and just stood waiting — quite uncomfortable. After much longer than it takes to brew a pot of coffee, we finally got served, paid, and walked out. Decided to drive on to the next town to get gas and threw out the untasted coffee. It was a very strange experience. Especially since we thought Elizabethtown was a college town and didn’t expect to have that kind of experience there.” Aerial view of a town square with a central historic building, surrounded by streets, shops, and greenery —Anonymous 58.”Lynchburg, Virginia — Home of Jerry Falwell and Liberty University. Is it really a cult if they’re so corrupt they fleece 40,000 students a year and convince the religious right to select a thrice-married **** man for president?” Group of people in conversation outdoors; one man gestures while holding a book. Casual, retro attire; trees in background —mh28205 59.”Redding, California — They tell stories about the aliens who live on Mount Shasta (Lemurians) and it brings a lot of interesting characters out. More recently, a Christian cult has set up camp and will ‘attack’ people in stores with gold and feathers to save their souls.” Snow-capped mountain in the background with a highway in the foreground, showing cars and a truck driving by —Anonymous 60.”St John’s, Arizona — My ex-husband’s family lives there and every time we visited I told my ex that if he ever tried to move us there I would never. It totally reminded me of the town Napoleon Dynamite was filmed in. When my father-in-law died we stayed in the home of a distant family member who had passed away and her son was there, and very intoxicated. He kept offering to let our small children sleep in the living room with him. After a completely sleepless night of keeping watch over our kids, we went to the *******, only hotel for the rest of the visit. Around that time there was an incident where a child shot and killed his own father and a friend that made national news.” Police vehicle with “St. Johns Police” marking. News headline: “AZ boy who killed at age 8 to return to school; he’s now 15, will transition to a foster home.” —juliasmithb 61.”Corinth, Mississippi — My sister and I took a road trip through the USA in the early 2000s. Passed through this little town, and saying the vibes were weird is an understatement. We drove around a little to see the place and figure out if we should explore. We both got very quiet and after a few minutes, my sister said, ‘This place is a bit…’ My response was, ‘YUP!’ I don’t know how to describe it, on one hand, it looked like picture-perfect southern America but it was definitely an unsettling feeling. It felt like curtains were twitching like we were being watched; there were American and/or Confederate flags on all the residential and commercial buildings, and it was very quiet.” Two flags hang from a porch: the Confederate flag on the left and the U.S. flag on the right “We stopped at a department store and saw guns for *****, lots and lots of guns, serious weaponry, and as we were leaving, we stopped at a train crossing where the train seemed never-ending. After watching this unending train for a while I started timing it and it took over two minutes for the train to finally get to the end. The train made us feel utterly trapped in this weird unsettling town. The road out was completely blocked and a pickup behind us added to the feeling. We actually got giddy when we got out of there. It took us a while to figure out, but we eventually realized that the town was 100% white, which added to the unsettling feeling. We didn’t see one person of color, which added to the weird vibes and made the whole experience feel like we would end up in a true crime documentary if we hung around. I don’t come from a massively diverse country and I’m white myself so to feel that creeped out by seeing only white faces surrounded by guns and confederate flags definitely gave me a new appreciation of how other ethnicities must feel when they’re outrageously outnumbered in a hostile environment. Creepy Corinth!” —louisefleming 62.”Trade, Tennessee — Heading to Boone, North Carolina, a university town in the skiing areas, we passed through unincorporated Trade. It had a large old gas station and market on the roadside, and that’s it. Something about that area made it feel like The Shining. I’ve never gone back.” Vintage roadside sign with faded letters reading “LO – GAS” and “EAT,” set in a desert landscape —Anonymous 63.”Colfax, Illinois — I had to go there to observe one of the teachers at the high school when I was in college. I pulled into the town and stopped at the gas station. I went in to use the bathroom, and it was such a creepy experience. I asked where their restroom was, and both employees just pointed at it without saying a word. I really had to go, so I just went really fast. Then, the high school turned out to be a K–12 building with a TOTAL of 250 students. The high school was in the basement, and the power went off while I was there. Apparently, that is a normal occurrence.” Sign affixed to a wall indicates direction to a restroom with “WC” and a red arrow pointing right —Anonymous 64.”Belvidere, Illinois — A single highway completely encircles this north-central Illinois city. The Grange, a formerly secret society, runs the city behind the scenes. In 1967, a tornado ripped through their high school at dismissal, killing 24. No one will speak of this event.” Aerial view of a small town with residential and commercial buildings, roads, and green spaces. Farmland is visible on the horizon —Anonymous 65.”Rural Wyoming — Man, this was years ago, but it was around 1998 or 1999, when I was 9 years old. My family drove us to Mount Rushmore from Denver. We stopped off the highway in a random Wyoming town with a population of just over 100. We had a choice between two restaurants and entered one. Straight from a horror movie, the entire restaurant, packed with most of the town, fell silent when we walked in. We ate, and everyone was staring at us. My sister and I believed they were going to ******* us. We left, and it turns out our parents also thought we were going to be murdered.” Aerial view of a suburban area with roads, houses, and open fields under a clear sky —Starbucks__Lovers 66.Finally, “Riverside, California — The only town I’ve ever been to that has a logo — they call it a raincross, and it is EVERYWHERE. It’s on street signs, etched in concrete freeway walls, on people’s houses, literally everywhere. It turns out Riverside is where indigenous children were sent en masse to be ‘re-educated’ in the ways of the white man, and the raincross symbol is a combination of the Christian cross and the cross to which Native Americans prayed for rain. It’s a very conservative county with several huge megachurches (including Harvest, of the Harvest Crusades) and although it has beauty and history, it is a strange place for sure.” Neoclassical building with columns and sculptures atop its facade, flanked by greenery under a clear sky —Anonymous Have you had a similar creepy experience while traveling through the United States? What mysterious, cult-like, or bad-vibes town have you been to? Tell us about it in the comments below or via this totally anonymous form, and maybe there will be a part two. Note: Some responses have been edited or length and/or clarity. Source link #People #Revealed #Creepiest #CultLike #Towns #United #States #Jesus #Christ #Icky Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

SAG Awards Winners List – Updating Live – Deadline SAG Awards Winners List – Updating Live – Deadline SAG Awards Winners List – Updating Live DeadlineBest red carpet looks at the 2025 SAG Awards CNNSAG Awards 2025 Winners List (Updating Live) VarietyAll the best celebrity photos from the 2025 SAG Awards USA TODAYThe 31st SAG Awards get underway with a win for Kieran Culkin The Associated Press Source link #SAG #Awards #Winners #List #Updating #Live #Deadline Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

From one to seven: Cricket’s rapid rise of world events From one to seven: Cricket’s rapid rise of world events When it comes to the ICC’s cluttered global schedule, Pat Cummins understands the less-can-mean-more argument. But in terms of Australia’s desire to fill out their burgeoning trophy cabinet, the answer is always the more the better. Australia will face South Africa on Tuesday night in Rawalpindi, where the winner will take an enormous stride towards the semi-finals of the ICC Champions Trophy. Some 105 days later the sides will meet again in the final of a different ICC event, the World Test Championship decider at Lord’s. Few of the players on show in Tuesday’s ODI will feature in London, with Cummins’ ankle injury meaning none of Australia’s Test bowlers are in Pakistan. Still, it highlights the sprawling nature of ICC events, up from the one 50-over World Cup every four years that existed until the late 1990s. “It’s just the nature of world cricket at the moment,” Cummins told AAP during a promotional interview for Prime Video’s exclusive Champions Trophy coverage of every match. “There’s so much cricket, international and franchise tournaments that you do feel like you come across the same players a few times throughout a year.” Cummins is not ready to denounce the Champions’ Trophy or any tournament yet, with that and the T20 World Cup the only bilateral or global trophies Australia don’t hold. But the national captain does appreciate that rarity can add value. In the four-year cycle between 2025 and 2028, no less than six ICC global trophies will be available for the world’s best men’s teams. They include two T20 World Cups, two Test Championships, an ODI World Cup in 2027 and this year’s Champions’ Trophy. Cricket will also enter the Olympics in 2028 using the T20 format, three months before a T20 World Cup is then played in Australia and New Zealand. “Every tournament you want to win, but, you know, I think those ones that are scarcer have that little bit extra on them,” Cummins said. “That scarcity is what made the one-day World Cup in 2023 so special. You play it once every four years. “It’s got a lot of history, but there’s that small moment in time where you can win that trophy. “The World Test Championship is an interesting one in that it’s a two-year tournament effectively, which I think is a point of difference. “Around that, the tournaments do happen quite often. But so does the IPL, so does the Big Bash. You still want to win those trophies.” What’s not in question is that when it comes to tournament play and winning trophies, Australia do it best. The 2023 ODI World Cup win was considered one of the team’s greatest ever triumphs, while the maiden 2021 T20 success also ranks highly. The Champions Trophy may not hold the same prestige, but victory would arguably be as impressive. Missing their entire frontline pace attack, Australia beat England in their opener on Saturday after a supreme chase of 352 was led by Josh Inglis’ unbeaten 120. “We just love tournament play,” Cummins said. “It’s not fearing and being willing to take the game on. Being brave enough to bowl first and backing yourself to chase whatever. “In a bilateral series, you’ve just got to be slightly better than the opposition.”But in a tournament you’ve got to be able to set yourself apart and take the game on, otherwise you’re normally middle of the pack.” GLOBAL MEN’S TROPHIES IN NEXT FOUR YEARS: * Feb-Mar 2025: Champions Trophy (Pakistan) * Jun 2025: Test Championship Final (Lord’s) * Feb-Mar 2026: T20 World Cup (India and Sri Lanka) * Jun 2027: Test Championship Final (Lord’s) * Oct-Nov 2027: ODI World Cup (Africa) * Jul 2028: Olympics (Los Angeles) * Oct 2028: T20 World Cup (Australia and New Zealand) Source link #Crickets #rapid #rise #world #events Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Indian rupee to take cues from regional peers, bond traders eye liquidity moves Indian rupee to take cues from regional peers, bond traders eye liquidity moves By Dharamraj Dhutia and Jaspreet Kalra MUMBAI (Reuters) – Persistent foreign portfolio outflows may keep the Indian rupee on the defensive this week with the currency taking cues from regional peers, while government bonds will react to liquidity infusions by the central bank. The rupee, rose slightly week-on-week to settle at 86.7125 against the U.S. dollar on Friday. While the local unit’s near-dated realized volatility eased last week, persistent selling of domestic stocks by overseas investors has kept it under pressure, which traders reckon is likely to persist. Foreign investors have net sold over $11 billion of local equities over 2025 so far, contributing to the rupee being one of Asia’s worst-performing currencies. Strong interventions by the Reserve Bank of India have reduced speculative positioning against the currency, but the trend continues to be one of steady depreciation, said Abhilash Koikkara, head of forex and rates at Nuvama Professional Clients Group. He expects the rupee to be in the 86.40 to 87.10 range in the near-term and weaken towards 88 over six months. Meanwhile, focus will be on the Reserve Bank of India’s $10 billion 3-year dollar-rupee buy/sell swap on February 28. The swap follows a shorter-tenor $5 billion buy/sell swap conducted by the central bank last month as part of its measures to infuse liquidity in the banking system. U.S. personal consumption expenditure inflation data due on Friday will also be in focus to gauge the future path of the Federal Reserve’s policy rates. Meanwhile, India’s benchmark 10-year bond yield, which ended marginally higher at 6.7065% on Friday, should move in the 6.67% to 6.74% range this week, traders said. Over the last five weeks, the RBI bought 1 trillion rupees ($11.54 billion) of bonds via open market operations and another 388 billion rupees through secondary market purchases. It has also infused around 440 billion rupees through a dollar/rupee buy/sell swap and injected 1.83 trillion rupees via long-term repos. The focus should be towards maintaining durable liquidity, which has seen recent drain due to the rundown of FX reserves, said Dipanwita Mazumdar, an economist with Bank of Baroda. India’s inflation is seen aligning with the target of 4%, which opens up space for monetary policy to address concerns on the growth front, members of the rate-setting committee said in the minutes of the latest meeting released on Friday. The RBI cut interest rates by 25 basis points at the February meeting. Foreign investors have turned sellers of government bonds over the last two weeks. Story Continues ($1 = 86.6380 Indian rupees) (Reporting by Dharamraj Dhutia and Jaspreet Kalra; Editing by Mrigank Dhaniwala) Source link #Indian #rupee #cues #regional #peers #bond #traders #eye #liquidity #moves Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Shackled, starved, alone in tunnels: Families of freed hostages share new details – The Times of Israel Shackled, starved, alone in tunnels: Families of freed hostages share new details – The Times of Israel Shackled, starved, alone in tunnels: Families of freed hostages share new details The Times of IsraelIsrael and ****** Trade Accusations of Violating Fragile Cease-Fire The New York TimesUpdates: ****** shuts down Gaza talks until 620 Palestinians freed by Israel Al Jazeera English Source link #Shackled #starved #tunnels #Families #freed #hostages #share #details #Times #Israel Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump names right-wing commentator as deputy FBI director Trump names right-wing commentator as deputy FBI director US President Donald Trump has appointed right-wing commentator Dan Bongino as deputy director of the FBI. Trump said Bongino was “a man of incredible love and passion for our Country” and would serve under newly-confirmed FBI director Kash Patel. Bongino is ex-NYPD and Secret Service and also worked as presidential protection for two presidents – George W Bush and Barack Obama. He hosts a self-titled podcast whose Facebook posts often attract more attention than those of Fox News and CNN combined. “Thank you Mr. President, Attorney General Bondi, and Director Patel,” Mr. Bongino wrote on X in a post after Trump’s announcement. Mr Bongino, who has run for Congress three times, hosted the now-president on his podcast, the Dan Bongino Show, in October ahead of the 2024 election. About his new career as a prolific conservative political commentator, he said in 2018: “My life is all about owning the libs now.” He is “willing a prepared to give up” the podcast “in order to serve”, Trump said in his announcement on Sunday. Source link #Trump #names #rightwing #commentator #deputy #FBI #director Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Senator Penny Wong ducks Coalition grilling over Dural caravan terror plot Senator Penny Wong ducks Coalition grilling over Dural caravan terror plot One of the Prime Minister’s most senior ministers, Penny Wong, has ducked a Coalition grilling on the foiled caravan terror plot in Sydney. Source link #Senator #Penny #Wong #ducks #Coalition #grilling #Dural #caravan #terror #plot Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

American Airlines flight escorted by fighter jets and diverted after security scare American Airlines flight escorted by fighter jets and diverted after security scare American Airlines flight escorted by fighter jets and diverted after security scare Source link #American #Airlines #flight #escorted #fighter #jets #diverted #security #scare Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

China strives to attract foreign investment amid geopolitical tensions China strives to attract foreign investment amid geopolitical tensions Tensions between the world’s two largest economies have escalated over the last several years. Florence Lo | Reuters BEIJING — China is trying yet again to boost foreign investment, amid geopolitical tensions and businesses’ calls for more concrete actions. On Feb. 19, authorities published a “2025 action plan for stabilizing foreign investment” to make it easier for foreign capital to invest in domestic telecommunication and biotechnology industries, according to a CNBC translation of the ********. The document called for clearer standards in government procurement — a major issue for foreign businesses in China — and for the development of a plan to gradually allow foreign investment in the education and culture sectors. “We are looking forward to see this implemented in a manner that delivers tangible benefits for our members,” Jens Eskelund, president of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China, said in a statement Thursday. The chamber pointed out that China has already mentioned plans to open up telecommunications, health care, education and culture to foreign investment. Greater clarity on public procurement requirements is a “notable positive,” the chamber said, noting that “if fully implemented,” it could benefit foreign companies that have invested heavily to localize their production in China. China’s latest action plan was released around the same time the Commerce Ministry disclosed that foreign direct investment in January fell by 13.4% to 97.59 billion yuan ($13.46 billion). That was after FDI plunged by 27.1% in 2024 and dropped by 8% in 2023, after at least eight straight years of annual growth, according to official data available through Wind Information. All regions should “ensure that all the measures are implemented in 2025, and effectively boost foreign investment confidence,” the plan said. The Ministry of Commerce and National Development and Reform Commission — the economic planning agency — jointly released the action plan through the government’s executive body, the State Council. Officials from the Commerce Ministry emphasized in a press conference Thursday that the action plan would be implemented by the end of 2025, and that details on subsequent supportive measures would come soon. “We appreciate the ******** government’s recognition of the vital role foreign companies play in the economy,” Michael Hart, president of the American Chamber of Commerce in China, said in a statement. “We look forward to further discussions on the key challenges our members face and the steps needed to ensure a more level playing field for market access.” AmCham China’s latest survey of members, released last month, found that a record share are considering or have started diversifying manufacturing or sourcing away from China. The prior year’s survey had found members were finding it harder to make money in China than before the Covid-19 pandemic. Consumer spending in China has remained lackluster since the pandemic, with retail sales only growing by the low single digits in recent months. Tensions with the U.S. have meanwhile escalated as the White House has restricted ******** access to advanced technology and levied tariffs on ******** goods. ‘A very strong signal’ While many aspects of the action plan were publicly mentioned last year, some points — such as allowing foreign companies to buy local equity stakes using domestic loans — are relatively new, said Xiaojia Sun, Beijing-based partner at JunHe Law. She also highlighted the plan’s call to support foreign investors’ ability to participate in mergers and acquisitions in China, and noted it potentially benefits overseas listings. Sun’s practice covers corporates, mergers and acquisitions and capital markets. The ******* question remains China’s resolve to act on the plan. “This action plan is a very strong signal,” Sun said in Mandarin, translated by CNBC. She said she expects Beijing to follow through with implementation, and noted that its release was similar to a rare, high-profile meeting earlier in the week of ******** President Xi Jinping and entrepreneurs. That gathering on Feb. 17 included Alibaba founder Jack Ma and DeepSeek’s Liang Wenfeng. In recent years, regulatory crackdowns and uncertainty about future growth had dampened business confidence and foreign investor sentiment. China needs to strike a balance between tariff retaliation and stabilizing FDI, Citi analysts pointed out earlier this month. “We believe China policymakers are likely cautious about targeting U.S. [multinationals] as a form of retaliation against U.S. tariffs,” the analysts said. “FDI comes into China, bringing technology and know-how, creating jobs, revenue and profit, and contributing to tax revenue.” In a relatively rare acknowledgement, ******** Commerce Ministry officials on Thursday noted the impact of geopolitical tensions on foreign investment, including some companies’ decision to diversify away from China. They also pointed out that foreign-invested firms contribute to nearly 7% of employment and around 14% of taxes in the country. Previously, official commentary from the Commerce Ministry about any drop in FDI tended to focus only on how most foreign businesses remained optimistic about long-term prospects in China. Source link #China #strives #attract #foreign #investment #geopolitical #tensions Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The 31st SAG Awards get underway with a win for Kieran Culkin – The Associated Press The 31st SAG Awards get underway with a win for Kieran Culkin – The Associated Press The 31st SAG Awards get underway with a win for Kieran Culkin The Associated PressBest red carpet looks at the 2025 SAG Awards CNNScreen Actors Guild Awards 2025 full list of winners (updating live): Shogun wins three awards so far Hindustan TimesKieran Culkin Hilariously Rambles Through 2025 SAG Awards Speech: ‘I Haven’t Said Anything’ PEOPLEHollywood News Live Today February 24, 2025 : Screen Actors Guild Awards 2025 full list of winners (updating live): Shogun wins three awards so far Hindustan Times Source link #31st #SAG #Awards #underway #win #Kieran #Culkin #Press Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Godstone sinkhole to be investigated with 3D maps, says council Godstone sinkhole to be investigated with 3D maps, says council Katy Docherty-Warren BBC News, South East PA Media The sinkhole on Godstone’s High Street may be investigated with 3D mapping The Godstone sinkhole will be investigated using 3D mapping technology, a council leader has said. Godstone Parish Council said an operation by Surrey Highways to investigate the two holes had had to be delayed until next week due to safety concerns. The sinkholes – which appeared last week on Godstone High Street – have caused 30 households in the area to be evacuated, although six have now returned. Tandridge District Council’s leader Catherine Sayer said remote sensing called LiDAR would be used to create 3D maps instead of borehole testing. She said: “What I have seen is information that says the borehole testing is delayed, and they’re going to use less intrusive testing methods and survey methods. “The less intrusive testing methods will be used first.” One of the alternative methods that may be used is LiDar, which stands for light detection and ranging. It is a remote sensing technique which uses lasers to measure distances and create 3D maps, Ms Sayer added. The technology has been around since the 1970s when it was used in meteorology, but is now used by autonomous vehicles to sense surroundings. PA Media Works to investigate the sinkhole have been delayed for safety reasons A source from Surrey County Council, whose highways department is responsible for the investigation, said equipment would arrive on 26 February. He said: “We’re waiting for some specialist equipment to arrive on site to carry out further comprehensive assessment to ensure any stability and repair work is safe and designed properly.” Tandridge District Council said it would be hosting a public meeting at St Nicholas Youth Centre on Tuesday evening to address concerns from residents and business owners. Surrey Police said on Sunday that security measures in the area had been strengthened. A spokesperson said: “The perimeter fencing of the cordon surrounding the sinkhole has been made more secure over the weekend and the site will be staffed by Ringway 24/7 on behalf of Surrey County Council. “In addition, CCTV cameras have been installed and an overnight security guard has been provided by Tandridge District Council. “Surrey Police is supporting partners by providing advice on additional security measures that could be put in place by the local council.” Source link #Godstone #sinkhole #investigated #maps #council Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Venus won’t rise in Indian Wells despite invite: report Venus won’t rise in Indian Wells despite invite: report Former world No.1 Venus Williams will not compete at next month’s Indian Wells tennis tournament despite the WTA 1000 event giving the 44-year-old American a wildcard, according to ESPN. Williams, who played only two tournaments last season, said at a speaking event in Denmark that she had not been told of the wildcard before the tournament announced it on Wednesday, adding that she was unable to compete because of prior commitments. The seven-time grand slam champion played at Indian Wells as a wildcard last year. “I found the announcement super amusing because, I don’t know, people seem to be happy, so I was like, ‘Maybe I’ll just go with it, I don’t know’,” the ESPN report quoted Williams as saying. “I’m actually not going. I’m going to be overseas.” The main draw at Indian Wells runs from March 5. “I love Indian Wells, I would love to be there and if I could have accepted it, I would have been like, ‘Yes,'” she said. Williams boycotted the event for 15 years after fans booed and heckled her younger sister Serena during her 2001 final victory over Kim Clijsters, apparently in response to Venus withdrawing injured from their semi-final. Source link #Venus #wont #rise #Indian #Wells #invite #report Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Homebuyers are getting the largest discount in 2 years as sellers accept offers below asking price — here’s where the biggest markdowns are Homebuyers are getting the largest discount in 2 years as sellers accept offers below asking price — here’s where the biggest markdowns are Home prices are seeing the biggest discount in two years, and homes are sitting on the market longer. That signals the housing market is tilting in favor of buyers as the critical spring selling season is about to begin. Housing prices may have been listed too aggressively, as sellers settle for offers below what they initially sought. According to a Redfin report, the average home listing sold for 1.8% less than its asking price in January, the largest discount in nearly two years. In addition, it takes the average home 56 days to go under contract, the longest in nearly five years. With a slow market, buyers have more time to negotiate on pricing and terms for certain homes. “The listings lingering on the market tend to be in unpopular neighborhoods, or require renovation,” Charles Wheeler, a Redfin agent in San Diego, said in the report. “Relatively affordable, move-in ready homes close to highly rated schools are selling quickly, often with multiple offers.” The Redfin data is the latest sign that the housing market is tilting in favor of buyers as the critical spring selling season is about to begin. In December, home delistings spiked 64% from a year ago to 73,000, their highest levels since 2015, according to CoreLogic data cited by the Wall Street Journal. That’s as buyers increasingly turned down sellers, who had added more supply to the market. To be sure, homes are not suddenly cheap. Prices were up 4% in January compared to last year. Additionally, the average 30-year mortgage rate remains elevated at nearly 7%. Higher housing prices and rates have shoved the average homebuyer’s monthly payment to nearly record highs, according to Redfin. Still, there are deals to be had, and Redfin pointed to one state in particular that stands out: Florida. In West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Miami, the typical home sells for 5% below asking price, the biggest markdown among the 50 most populous U.S. metro areas. Tampa and Jacksonville saw home sales at roughly 4% less than the asking price. According to a separate Rocket report, Miami-Dade January housing sales saw 78% of homes close under the asking price. All of these metros are selling at a larger discount than they were in January 2024, according to Redfin. The Florida market has been battered with natural disaster concerns, causing potential buyers to reconsider. Extreme weather events have caused home insurance costs to soar, along with HOA fees and property taxes. Sellers are more enticed to accept an offer under the listing price as demand slows. Homes are selling above asking in only seven of the U.S. 50 most populated metros, led by San Jose, Calif., where homes are selling on average 3% above asking price, Redfin said. This story was originally featured on Fortune.com Source link #Homebuyers #largest #discount #years #sellers #accept #offers #price #heres #biggest #markdowns Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Highlights: NASCAR Cup Series race at Atlanta – NBC Sports Highlights: NASCAR Cup Series race at Atlanta – NBC Sports Highlights: NASCAR Cup Series race at Atlanta NBC SportsBell uses overtime to win 10th NASCAR Cup race ESPNBell takes only lead in OT to edge Hocevar, Larson in another thrilling NASCAR finish in Atlanta FOX 5 AtlantaNASCAR at Atlanta results: Christopher Bell wins a thriller after ****** on last lap freezes the field CBS Sports Source link #Highlights #NASCAR #Cup #Series #race #Atlanta #NBC #Sports Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

AfD is 'absolutely delighted' – BBC reports from the party's HQ AfD is 'absolutely delighted' – BBC reports from the party's HQ The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) is expected to become the second biggest force in the country. Source link #AfD #039absolutely #delighted039 #BBC #reports #party039s Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

ABC host Laura Tingle resigns as National Press Club president ABC host Laura Tingle resigns as National Press Club president Longstanding ABC political reporter Laura Tingle is resigning as president of the prestigious National Press Club. The iconic Canberra-based institution announced the bombshell change to one of media’s plum hosting gigs on Friday evening, saying Tingle had decided to vacate the role due to time pressures. “Laura had formed the view that the demands on her time with a federal election and being an ABC board member that she was unable to give the president’s role the time it deserves,” the NPC said in a statement. The NPC hosts regular debates, speeches and discussions between journalists and Australia’s political and business elite and experts drawn from academia. Tingle, in her four years as president, would regularly moderate the event before opening up the floor to questions. The institution was founded in 1963 and has presented several memorable exchanges. Camera IconLaura Tingle with former ******** embassy spokesman Wang Xining NewsWire / Gary Ramage Credit: News Corp AustraliaCamera IconCraig Kelly, Zali Steggall, Tingle, Adam Bandt and Rex Patrick at a ‘cross bench’ forum. NewsWire/ Andrew Taylor Credit: NCA NewsWire In March 2023, former prime minister Paul Keating outlined his opposition to the controversial AUKUS security pact at the forum before entering into some strident and at times vitriolic back-and-forth with reporters over his position. The platform has also hosted a range of international speakers, including former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher in 1979 and anti-apartheid campaigner Bishop Desmond Tutu from South Africa in 1984. Sky News Australia political reporter Tom Connell will now serve as president. “The club’s board of directors unanimously elected Tom Connell, long-term club director and treasurer, as the new president following the resignation of Laura Tingle earlier this week,” the NPC said. “Tom Connell has been a director since 2019 and became the club’s treasurer in 2021. “Tom is a political host and chief election analyst for Sky News and is based in Canberra. “He has been working in the federal parliamentary press gallery as a working journalist since 2012. Mr Connell said it was an “honour” to take up the role. “The club has long been the pre-eminent venue for in-depth policy and political debate in Canberra and I hope to be able to continue the legacy of those before me,” he said. He also praised Tingle’s stewardship of the NPC. “She was a tour de force as president and she made a towering contribution to this important national institution.” Source link #ABC #host #Laura #Tingle #resigns #National #Press #Club #president Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Florida Turnpike southbound lanes near Clermont now open Florida Turnpike southbound lanes near Clermont now open The Brief All southbound lanes of the Florida Turnpike were closed Saturday afternoon near mile marker 283 in Clermont. There was also police activity in the area. Traffic cameras showed that traffic was being detoured onto North Hancock Road. CLERMONT, Fla. – UPDATE: As of 3:47 p.m., all southbound lanes on the Florida Turnike near Clermont appear to have reopened. Original story All southbound lanes of the Florida Turnpike are currently closed near mile marker 283 in the Clermont area. The lanes were closed Saturday afternoon at Exit 278, which is North Hancock Road. Traffic cameras show that traffic is being detoured to North Hancock Road. There is currently police activity in the area. The FOX 35 News team is working to learn more details surrounding the heavy traffic incident. This is a developing story. Check back soon for more updates. Traffic cameras show heavy backup and a police presence near mile marker 283 in the Clermont area. View the interactive map below to see the latest traffic alerts and road closures in Orlando and around Central Florida STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 35 ORLANDO: Source link #Florida #Turnpike #southbound #lanes #Clermont #open Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Europe-U.S. relationship takes center stage Europe-U.S. relationship takes center stage 19 February 2025, Berlin: Visitors walk in front of the ******* flag in the dome of the Bundestag. Picture Alliance | Picture Alliance | Getty Images The transatlantic relationship between Europe and the U.S. has been one of the world’s longest alliances, and yet it has never been more closely watched than the past month. Over the weekend, exit polls showed Germany’s conservative CDU-CSU party secured the largest share of votes in the ******* federal election, with the far-right Alternative fuer Deutschland (AfD) party in second place. The AfD, which counts Tesla CEO Elon Musk among its supporters, secured about 20% of the vote, up from around 10% in Germany’s last federal election. However, the party is unlikely to be part of the government, as no other parties have agreed to work with it. Friedrich Merz, migration hard-liner and longtime rival of Angela Merkel, is expected to become Germany’s next chancellor. “I would never have thought that I would have to say something like this in a TV show but, after Donald Trump’s remarks last week…it is clear that this government does not care much about the fate of Europe,” Merz reportedly told ******* public broadcaster ARD on Sunday. This comes as Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Sunday he would be ready to give up the presidency, if doing so would achieve a lasting peace for his country under the security umbrella of the NATO military alliance. Support for Ukraine has been a flashpoint between the U.S. and Europe since U.S. president Donald Trump took office, with Trump blaming Ukraine for the Russian invasion in 2022 and largely aligning with Russia’s position for peace in the three-year war. What you need to know today ******* conservatives win election, but far-right makes gains The Christian Democratic Union and the allied Christian Social Union secured the largest share of votes in the ******* federal election on Sunday, according to exit polls. This puts the party’s lead candidate Friedrich Merz in prime position to take over from Olaf Scholz as chancellor. The far-right Alternative fuer Deutschland (AfD) party saw its best performance in its history, with about 20% of the vote and in second place. Berkshire will continue to increase investment in Japan trading housesBerkshire Hathaway is committed to its Japanese investments for the long term, and has reached an agreement with the companies to own beyond its initial 10% ceiling, Warren Buffett said in his annual letter to shareholders released Saturday. The Japanese names in Berkshire’s portfolio are Itochu, Marubeni, Mitsubishi, Mitsui and Sumitomo, which are the biggest “sogo shosha,” or trading houses in Japan that invest across diverse sectors domestically and abroad. Wall Street sells off on sticky inflation numbers U.S. stocks fell on Friday as new data raised concerns over inflation and recession fears, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 748.63 points, or 1.69%, to record its worst day of 2025. The S&P 500 slid 1.71%, while the Nasdaq Composite dropped 2.2%. The pan-Europe Stoxx 600 ended Friday’s session 0.52% higher. U.S. agencies sound the alarm over ******** medical equipment Experts say the proliferation of ******** health-care devices in the U.S. medical system is a cause for concern across the entire ecosystem. The FDA and the U.S.’ Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) have warned about a “*********” in the Contec CMS8000, a popular monitor that tracks vital signs, which has an “easy-to-exploit vulnerability that could allow a bad actor to alter its configuration.” [PRO] What’s next for Alibaba after AI rally?Alibaba is back in the spotlight — with U.S.-traded shares soaring nearly 70% so far in 2025 — as a favored play on ******** artificial intelligence. Its Qwen AI model has proven itself a capable rival to DeepSeek, along with winning a deal for iPhones sold in China. And finally… U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell testifies before a Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee hearing on “The Semiannual Monetary Policy Report to the Congress,” at Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., Feb. 11, 2025. Craig Hudson | Reuters The Fed is stuck in neutral as it watches how Trump’s policies play out. The popular narrative among Federal Reserve policymakers these days is that policy is “well-positioned” to adjust to any upside or downside risks ahead. However, it might be more accurate to say that policy is stuck in position. With an abundance of unknowns swirling through the economy and the halls of Washington, the only gear the central bank really can be in these days is neutral, as it begins what could be a long wait for certainty ahead. Source link #EuropeU.S #relationship #takes #center #stage Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Atlanta post-race inspection – Jayski.com Atlanta post-race inspection – Jayski.com Atlanta post-race inspection Jayski.comBell takes only lead in OT to edge Hocevar, Larson in another thrilling NASCAR finish in Atlanta FOX 5 AtlantaNASCAR Atlanta race: Our best pictures from the Ambetter Health 400 TennesseanKyle Larson scores best career superspeedway finish at Atlanta Jayski.com Source link #Atlanta #postrace #inspection #Jayski.com Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]