Pelican Press

Israeli hostage Shiri Bibas' kibbutz says returned body is hers – BBC.com Israeli hostage Shiri Bibas' kibbutz says returned body is hers – BBC.com Israeli hostage Shiri Bibas’ kibbutz says returned body is hers BBC.comRemains of Shiri Bibas, mom of two killed, allegedly returned to Israel following ******’ broken promise Fox NewsBibas family mourns Shiri after her body ID’d: We sought certainty ‘and now there’s no comfort in it’ The Times of IsraelLive Briefing: ****** acknowledges it sent wrong corpse to Israel, hands over new body The Washington PostFate of Bibas Family Renews Fears for Israel-Gaza Cease-Fire The New York Times Source link #Israeli #hostage #Shiri #Bibas039 #kibbutz #returned #body #BBC.com Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

‘Reality check’: Aussies warned of potential produce shortages and inflated prices following floods in Far North Queensland ‘Reality check’: Aussies warned of potential produce shortages and inflated prices following floods in Far North Queensland *********** consumers have been warned “dramatically inflated” prices could be on the way after one state was smashed by floods. Source link #Reality #check #Aussies #warned #potential #produce #shortages #inflated #prices #floods #North #Queensland Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Major changes proposed for Kirkwood Highway. Public invited to learn more at workshop Major changes proposed for Kirkwood Highway. Public invited to learn more at workshop Kirkwood Highway, a four-to-six lane road stretching between Wilmington and Newark, often feels like a challenge to navigate. Whether driving or walking, the high-speed traffic and dangerous crossings create a risky situation for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians alike. But change is on the horizon. For over a year, transportation officials worked with stakeholders to develop a plan to reimagine the busy thoroughfare into one that combines land use and transportation, promoting future residential and economic development along the 8.3-mile corridor. The Wilmington Area Planning Council will present final recommendations for the Kirkwood Highway Corridor Land Use and Transportation Plan during a public workshop on Monday, Feb. 24. The event will be held from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Cranston Heights Fire Company Memorial Hall, 3306 Kirkwood Highway, Prices Corner. A 47-year-old pedestrian was fatally struck on Kirkwood Highway near Farrand Drive in Milltown on March 24, 2023. Officials will run a formal presentation at 4:30 p.m., which will be repeated at 5:30 p.m. Community members can attend at any time during the two-hour session to learn about proposed changes and provide feedback on the recommendations. ORIGINAL STORY: Public input sought for redesign of Kirkwood Highway Public feedback highlights concerns about speed and safety Intersecting with major state routes, Kirkwood Highway is lined with commercial establishments and surrounded by residential areas. A major public concern has been the high speeds and safe access for users of public transportation, pedestrians and cyclists. After gathering feedback from local business leaders, community activists, environmental groups and attendees of public forums, updates presented during a Feb. 6 workshop focused on creating a safer, more community-oriented corridor while also improving traffic flow. Delaware State Police patrol as car enthusiasts watch participants in the Kirkwood Highway Cruise rumble along Midway Plaza or mingle among parked cars in the shopping center, Saturday evening, August 10, 2024. The informal annual motor event draws hundreds of onlookers and participants who show off their cars or cruise a long stretch of Kirkwood Highway. An increase in police presence and law enforcement has reduced the drag racing and stunt driving that had marked previous events. The latest recommendations highlight several key priorities: Community development area for Prices Corner Intersection improvements such as at Route 2/Route 7 and Route 2/Green Valley, as well as the intersection at Possum Park Road/Paper Mill Road Pedestrian and bicycle enhancements To register for the Monday workshop or to view prior workshop presentations, visit the website www.wilmapco.org/kirkwood/. You can contact Anitra Johnson at *****@*****.tld. This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Transportation officials to present plan to transform Kirkwood Highway Source link #Major #proposed #Kirkwood #Highway #Public #invited #learn #workshop Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Back in their districts, GOP lawmakers get an earful on DOGE and Musk – The Washington Post Back in their districts, GOP lawmakers get an earful on DOGE and Musk – The Washington Post Back in their districts, GOP lawmakers get an earful on DOGE and Musk The Washington PostAngry voters confront GOP representative over Trump’s push to expand his power CNNSome Republicans hammered at home by constituents about DOGE, Ukraine ABC News Source link #districts #GOP #lawmakers #earful #DOGE #Musk #Washington #Post Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Grim warning for flood-ravaged North Queensland as three die from melioidosis Grim warning for flood-ravaged North Queensland as three die from melioidosis “Record numbers” of a rare soil-borne disease have been recorded in parts of Queensland devastated by floods, including three fatal cases. Source link #Grim #warning #floodravaged #North #Queensland #die #melioidosis Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Several injured in Hawaii beachfront explosion Several injured in Hawaii beachfront explosion Several injured in Hawaii beachfront explosion Source link #injured #Hawaii #beachfront #explosion Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Luigi Mangione faces New York court over killing of CEO Brian Thompson – BBC.com Luigi Mangione faces New York court over killing of CEO Brian Thompson – BBC.com Luigi Mangione faces New York court over killing of CEO Brian Thompson BBC.comEven for an administrative hearing, Luigi Mangione draws crowds at New York City courthouse CNNChelsea Manning Shows Up to Manhattan Courthouse to Support Luigi Mangione PEOPLEProsecutors claim Luigi Mangione’s rage against health care industry led to CEO’s ******* CBS NewsThe Moment That Showed Luigi Mangione is ******* Than Trump The Daily Beast Source link #Luigi #Mangione #faces #York #court #killing #CEO #Brian #Thompson #BBC.com Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

West Coast co-captain Liam Duggan says ‘scary’ Elijah Hewett kept him up at night ahead of intraclub match West Coast co-captain Liam Duggan says ‘scary’ Elijah Hewett kept him up at night ahead of intraclub match West Coast co-captain Liam Duggan says he lost sleep knowing he was going to go up against luckless midfielder Elijah Hewett in the Eagles’ intraclub on Saturday. It comes as Duggan praised top draftee Bo Allan and second-year forward Archer Reid who are firming for a round one debut next month. Hewett missed all of last season with a serious foot injury, but his pre-season has been near faultless, including a starring performance for the Eagles in the match simulation against Richmond on Monday. But the 20-year-old found himself starting in the midfield of the B-Team at Mineral Resources Park alongside Clay Hall and a host of WAFL players. Duggan said Hewett deserved to be in the best side but the competition for spots meant he was squeezed out. “Hewey, he deserves to be in that side at the start too, the yellow team that we were in but with the competition at the moment and a healthy list that’s what happens,” Duggan said. “We’ve all been there when we were young, promising pre-seasons and you end up with maybe a little bit of a hit to the ego, but Elijah handled it really well. “I went to sleep last night knowing I was playing on him a little bit and it took me a while to get to sleep because he’s such an aggressive player, attacks the footy really hard and gets forward of the ball. “He’s a pretty scary proposition when he gets up and going so, I wouldn’t read too much into it. For Elijah, he’s had a great pre-season and I look forward to playing with him.” Allan however was part of the best side, starting on the bench before once again impressing as part of the rotation across half-back. Duggan said the teenager hadn’t “put a foot wrong” in his first pre-season. “I haven’t worked with him a lot as I’ve been up in the midfield while he’s been down back but all the boys say he fits in really nicely,” Duggan said. Camera IconTim Kelly gathers the ball in front of Elijah Hewitt Credit: Daniel Wilkins/The West *********** “When a bloke just comes in and fits in and it’s not like his a first-year (player) or new to the game, that’s a really big compliment. “He’s a great size, really quick and he’s a good user, so really promising signs for Bo.” Archer Reid is also looking to finally break into the best side after playing as the forward-ruck to back up Bailey Williams, putting him ahead of Jack Williams. “We’ve got really high hopes for Archer internally, we think he’s a great player, a great man and a great teammate,” Duggan said. “We can see the potential so it was great to see him get some reward today. He does those hard things for us, he’s one of our better runners for a big bloke. “I really don’t know what’s going on up in the forward line, I steer clear of that well and truly but there’s some real competition up there I know that for sure. Arch if he can fit in that’ll be beautiful.” Source link #West #Coast #cocaptain #Liam #Duggan #scary #Elijah #Hewett #night #ahead #intraclub #match Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Author of Upcoming Elon Musk Biography Says ‘There Is No Evidence’ Billionaire Has Any ‘Intellectual Achievements’ Author of Upcoming Elon Musk Biography Says ‘There Is No Evidence’ Billionaire Has Any ‘Intellectual Achievements’ Attorney, journalist, and Elon Musk biographer Seth Abramson eviscerated both Elon Musk and his “fanboys” who have attempted to use the billionaire’s IQ as an indication of his intellectual prowess in a series of messages shared on X Thursday evening and into Friday. “You are in a cult,” he wrote in one before he later noted Musk “has zero *personal* intellectual achievements.” “As an Elon Musk biographer, I would peg his IQ as between 100 and 110,” Abramson tweeted Thursday afternoon. “There’s zero evidence in his biography of anything higher. And I want to repeat that now, lest you think it a typo. There’s zero evidence, from his life history, of Musk having anything higher than a 110 IQ.” The author then stepped away from the platform (“on the basis of this not being a platform worth spending time on”) only to return Friday morning and find his initial message had gone viral in online MAGA communities — and “because Nate Silver thinks Carlyle’s 1800s theory of history, the Great Man Theory, is still relevant to historians in 2025,” Abramson continued. What followed was a lengthy series of messages, each designed to decimate Musk’s reputation among some circles as a kind of genius. Musk “was sued for stealing the idea for Zip2—which fired him as soon as investors got involved” and “was going to run PayPal into the ground after his company merged with it—again he was fired.” He then “invested in Tesla when it was distressed and quickly began running it into the ground.” Musk founded Zip2, described as “a sort of digital Yellowpages” by Belmont Hill School’s The Panel Online, with his brother. The outlet reported that in an attempt to impress investors in the company, Musk “created a large, fake casing around the Zip2 computer to make it seem like an extremely advanced supercomputer” — a move that worked, but investors who put $3 million into the company did so only after Musk agreed to step down so “someone more experienced to take his place.” The code used by the program, which Musk taught himself, “was soon exposed to be so scrambled that a majority of the program had to be rewritten by more advanced programmers.” Musk ultimately returned to the company as CEO and benefitted financially when it was sold to COMPAQ in 1999. He used the $22 million his 7% share brought in to an “internet bank” at X.com — the same company he merged with the founders of Paypal. He was named CEO after the merger in April 2000 but was removed from the position six months later. SpaceX, Abramson continued, is Musk’s only “truly successful and novel company” and a chunk of its success was owed to President Obama, who Musk “successfully lobbied” after “Russians had laughed Musk out of Moscow.” “I needn’t tell you the Boring Company is a failure that has done no more than produce an ******** flamethrower for fun, one that cannot be legally shipped and has caused lots of people legal issues,” Abramson added. “Neuralink is mired in ethics investigations, and Musk does none of its science.” “Everything” Musk has said about Twitter/X was “a lie,” he also said, “and business schools will teach how he ran this platform into the ground for 200 years.” “Feel free to Google all the things Musk did to scam people into thinking he’d made a successful foray into robotics,” Abramson continued. “It does not take intelligence to throw money around and buy a company or buy a politician. Anyone would/could.” “It does not take intelligence to, having thrown money at a politician, use the clout you accrued from that to advantage your own businesses—businesses you are well aware you have nothing to do with the success of, which is why you mess around with their patents to hide that fact.” “If you assign intelligence to just spending money, you’re in a cult,” he also added. “If you attach intelligence to simply owning a successful company whose work on a day-to-day basis you have nothing to do with and who you are considerably more of a hindrance to than a help to, you’re in a cult.” Toward the end of his messages, Abramson noted, “It is also a particularly American disease to confuse wealth with intelligence and corporations with those who own them. In most of the world the conversation we are having would seem utterly preposterous, as again there is no evidence of Musk having *intellectual* achievements.” “I don’t find IQ to be a valuable measure,” he also clarified. “I introduced the term to this conversation because it’s used by *you fans* as some sort of supposed proof of Musk’s intelligence—though none of you have any proof whatsoever of any IQ test the man’s ever taken.” Abramson’s entire thread can be read on X, formerly Twitter. The post Author of Upcoming Elon Musk Biography Says ‘There Is No Evidence’ Billionaire Has Any ‘Intellectual Achievements’ appeared first on TheWrap. Source link #Author #Upcoming #Elon #Musk #Biography #Evidence #Billionaire #Intellectual #Achievements Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Infinix Note 50 Series Launch Date Announced, AI Features Teased Ahead of Debut Infinix Note 50 Series Launch Date Announced, AI Features Teased Ahead of Debut Infinix Note 50 series will be launched next month, according to the company. The upcoming smartphone lineup will succeed the Infinix Note 40 models that were unveiled nearly a year ago, and will first arrive in Indonesia. A teaser published by the company also gives s a look at the rear camera module of one of the handsets in the Infinix Note 50 series. Infinix has also revealed that the upcoming Note 50 series will offer support for artificial intelligence (AI) features. Infinix Note 50 Launch Date, Design Revealed The Infinix Note 50 series of smartphones will be launched in Indonesia on March 3, according to a post on the company’s Instagram account. The company previously teased the debut of the smartphone in another post on the platform. There’s no word from Infinix on how many models will be launched in the Note 50 series. According to the company’s post, the upcoming Infinix Note 50 series will offer support for AI functionality. We can also see the rear camera module of one of the models in the Note 50 series. Other details about the smartphones are likely to be announced in the days leading up to their debut. While Infinix has yet to announce details of its upcoming smartphones, a new model — the Infinix Note 50 Pro — was previously listed on Indonesia’s SDPPI website, with the model number X6855. The listing on the regulator’s website doesn’t reveal any of its specifications, but it appears to confirm at least one of the models in the upcoming series. The Infinix Note 50 Pro is expected to arrive as the successor to the Note 40 Pro 5G model that arrived in in April 2024. That handset featured a 6nm MediaTek Dimensity 7020 chip and a 5,000mAh battery. It sports a 6.78-inch curved 3D AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. The Note 40 Pro is also equipped with a 108-megapixel primary camera and a 32-megapixel selfie camera. For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel. If you want to know everything about top influencers, follow our in-house Who’sThat360 on Instagram and YouTube. Apple Vision Pro to Get Apple Intelligence Support, Spatial Gallery App With visionOS 2.4 in April Source link #Infinix #Note #Series #Launch #Date #Announced #Features #Teased #Ahead #Debut Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Los Angeles DA urges judge to deny Menendez brothers’ request for a new trial – CNN Los Angeles DA urges judge to deny Menendez brothers’ request for a new trial – CNN Los Angeles DA urges judge to deny Menendez brothers’ request for a new trial CNNNew DA Deals Severe Blow to Menendez Brothers’ Hopes. Here’s How Erik and Lyle Could Still Go Free PEOPLENew Los Angeles DA Nathan Hochman does not support overturning Menendez brothers’ ******* convictions Fox NewsNew L.A. Prosecutor Approaches Menendez Brothers’ Appeal With Skepticism The New York Times Source link #Los #Angeles #urges #judge #deny #Menendez #brothers #request #trial #CNN Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

WA election 2025: Liberals make $100m pledges to boost regional housing and road safety WA election 2025: Liberals make $100m pledges to boost regional housing and road safety The party has announced a $200 million commitment to be split between addressing the regional road toll and housing more public sector workers in the regions. Source link #election #Liberals #100m #pledges #boost #regional #housing #road #safety Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Man scratched off lottery tickets, placed them back in dispenser while working at Dorchester Road convenience store Man scratched off lottery tickets, placed them back in dispenser while working at Dorchester Road convenience store DORCHESTER COUNTY, S.C. (WCBD) – A man who worked at a Dorchester Road convenience store has been charged with lottery fraud. Arrest warrants provided by state police show the employee, Christopher Alexander Konwai, 29, intentionally scratched off lottery tickets to see if they were winners. He then placed them back into the dispenser to be sold. It happened on at least two occasions while Konwai worked at the Krishna of Summerville in November 2024. Documents from the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division said it was captured on store surveillance video and store management was notified. The South Carolina Education Lottery then asked SLED to investigate. Konwai was charged with attempting to influence a game by coercion and tampering with lottery tickets. He was booked into the Dorchester County Detention Center. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCBD News 2. Source link #Man #scratched #lottery #tickets #dispenser #working #Dorchester #Road #convenience #store Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Supreme Court pauses Trump administration's effort to fire head of whistleblower protection agency – Fox News Supreme Court pauses Trump administration's effort to fire head of whistleblower protection agency – Fox News Supreme Court pauses Trump administration’s effort to fire head of whistleblower protection agency Fox NewsSCOTUS analyst says ‘justices were struggling’ in first Supreme Court test amid Trump’s widespread firings CNNSupreme Court Rejects, for Now, Trump’s Bid to Fire Government Watchdog The New York TimesSupreme Court stiffs Trump, punts on firing whistleblower agency head The Hill Source link #Supreme #Court #pauses #Trump #administration039s #effort #fire #whistleblower #protection #agency #Fox #News Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Jenny Hall search focuses on Eggleston and Hamsterley running trails Jenny Hall search focuses on Eggleston and Hamsterley running trails Evie Lake BBC News, North East and Cumbria Family handout Jenny Hall was last seen leaving her home on Tuesday afternoon The search for a woman who has been missing for three days is focusing on running trails she is known to use, police have said. Jenny Hall, 23, was last seen leaving her home at Barracks Farm, Tow Law, County Durham, on Tuesday just after 15:00 GMT. Her red Ford Focus was found parked on the B6278 between Eggleston and Stanhope. Ch Insp Dean Haythornthwaite, of Durham Police, said: “We are focusing our search on areas we know Ms Hall likes to run through and we are determined to do everything we can to find her.” The force said searches were concentrating on routes between Eggleston and Hamsterley after searching moorland for the previous two days. Digital intelligence officers have conducted extensive inquiries into her mobile phone, smart watch and running apps, but none have yielded any results, the force said. Ms Hall, a keen long-distance runner, is described as 6ft (1.8m) tall with very long dark hair. She was last seen wearing a blue hoodie with a John Deere logo and dark jogging bottoms. Her family have now confirmed she may have also been carrying a green jacket and had her hair in a ponytail. The search is now focused on the running trails Ms Hall frequently uses Police teams, specialised sniffer dogs and mountain rescue search teams continue to cover ground with air support, despite the weather being described as “challenging”. Teesdale and Weardale Search and Mountain Rescue Team (TWSMRT) said more than 30 mountain rescuers and three search dogs had covered more than 100 miles (161km) of paths and tracks on the moors either side of the B6278 since Wednesday. A spokesperson for TWSMRT thanked the public for offers of help, but individuals were advised not to try and assist as it could “hamper the systematic search”. Routes between Eggleston and Hamsterley are being searched extensively Ch Insp Haythornthwaite said police had “become increasingly concerned” for Ms Hall and were “exploring all lines of enquiry, including dozens from members of the public”. “I would like to thank everyone who is working around-the-clock in our search and efforts to reunite Ms Hall with her family,” he added. Durham Police is urging anyone with any information to ring 999. TWSMRT Mountain rescue teams searched the moorland on Wednesday and Thursday Source link #Jenny #Hall #search #focuses #Eggleston #Hamsterley #running #trails Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Lanna Hill: Events will give Perth a leg-up over our east coast rivals Lanna Hill: Events will give Perth a leg-up over our east coast rivals From Fringe, to Perth Festival, to the onslaught of local and international acts storming our venues over the summer, it’s the time of year our outdoor-obsessed city really shines. If you’re anything like me, it’s a very tempting (and potentially expensive) time of year, as punters try to strike the balance between sticking to some semblance of a budget and not missing out on the big concert, artist or activation of the summer season. Between the mass return to work and the kids returning to school, it can be tricky even to keep track of all of the events on offer — the ever-looming risk being finding out after the fact on our friends or family’s social media feeds. While we’ve come a long way over the past decade, the “big country town” stigma of Perth still sticks. We’re famous for our beaches, our way of life and those Indian Ocean sunsets, but we’ve often been seen as more conservative or backward compared to our east coast capital cities. And while it might seem silly to consider Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane as rivals, they are. We compete for talent, Federal funding, international media attention, music acts and much more — and the events, initiatives and developments WA chooses to throw its weight and money behind have an impact that flows onto much more than just our immediate engagement with it. The Cook Government has been clever in hitching its cart to some of the more adventurous initiatives we’ve seen in a long time — the East Perth power station activation as part of Perth Festival, or the recently announced $2.75 million initiative to support the local music industry being great examples. While not everyone’s cup of tea, Roger Cook’s personal brand aligns with this in a way that paints a clear picture of what a reelected term would look like — decisive, bold and colourful, while still unabashedly Perth. It provides a valuable balance to our far more traditional, export-oriented economic sectors such as mining or agriculture, that we are similarly so well known for within the national context. The beauty of these high-profile activations like the power station, or the huge music events like last year’s Fred Again at Langley Park, is that the strong visual point of reference provides a powerful and memorable hook, especially for people unfamiliar with Perth. And let’s face it, eye-pleasing visuals are something we do particularly well. When you throw in the amplification power of social media, we’re feeding a message not only to residents of the city and the State but to the rest of Australia and further abroad that Perth may just be able to delight and surprise in 2025 — as well as serve up those staple Perth characteristics we’ve been known for for decades. That kind of direction and personality is something this state has been crying out for for a long time and it finally sets us up for the kind of attention our 17.5 per cent GDP contribution should also afford us. And while the increasingly busy cultural calendar over the summer months can throw up some practical challenges, it also transforms Perth into a city where multiple cultural communities and movements can not only co-exist but thrive — a hallmark of any iconic world city. Lanna Hill is a strategist, speaker and founder of Leverage Media Source link #Lanna #Hill #Events #give #Perth #legup #east #coast #rivals Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

These Are The Most Dangerous Foods In Your Refrigerator, According To Foodborne Illness Experts These Are The Most Dangerous Foods In Your Refrigerator, According To Foodborne Illness Experts You open up your fridge all the time — out of hunger, boredom or simply a need to find something to cook for dinner. As great as it is to have food standing by whenever you need it, there are also dangers lurking in that chilly appliance. Is there bacteria brewing in three-day-old cooked rice? Or on the fresh salad greens? Or maybe that raw chicken that’s dripping everywhere? Person looking into a refrigerator at night, with various items inside the fridge, seeming contemplative about what to eat We talked to experts about the foods that can pose the greatest danger to health. First, it’s important to understand your level of risk. “The truth is, all food can potentially cause food poisoning,” said Dr. Daniel Atkinson, clinical lead at Treated.com, an online health care service company. “Food that’s been left out too long, has been kept in the fridge past its use-by date or leftovers that aren’t reheated properly can all be contaminated with harmful bacteria.” Be careful with high-protein foods, fresh vegetables and cooked rice. Close-up of a plate of fried rice with vegetables, including peas and carrots, promoting a savory and colorful dish for a food article There are general categories of food that deserve extra care in their storage. If you’re looking for the most likely culprits, “Think of those high-protein foods that pathogens love, like meat, fish, milk, cheese and eggs,” said Matt Taylor, senior manager of food consulting at the NSF, a nonprofit organization that develops and certifies standards for food safety and sanitation. His view was echoed by consulting food scientist Bryan Quoc Le, who pointed to other high-protein culprits like ******** soft cheese, smoked fish and unpasteurized milk. Another concern is what’s called “ready to eat” meat or poultry, which includes deli meats sliced at the counter, said University of Connecticut associate professor Dennis D’Amico, whose expertise includes food microbiology and safety. He also said that pathogens can contaminate fresh produce, including mushrooms, leafy green prepackaged salads and sprouts. “Most fresh produce should be washed and scrubbed with a produce brush at home,” he said. “Just remember to clean and sanitize the scrubbing brush.” Another possible danger comes in cooked rice, which Atkinson explained: “Before it’s even cooked, rice can contain spores of a bacteria known as Bacillus cereus,” he said. “This bacteria can still pose a threat after rice has been cooked, and the risk of becoming ill from eating it is much higher if cooked rice isn’t handled the right way.” He warned that rice should never sit out on a countertop at room temperature. “Refrigerate rice as soon as it’s cooled down, and eat it within 24 hours. One misconception might be that rice that’s unsafe to eat will show visible signs of being off, such as being moldy or having an unusual smell. But this might not always be the case.” And, he said, you need to be just as cautious with takeout rice, which might have even more potential to do harm. “Additives and spices in fast-food rice might mask signs that it needs discarding, and there’s no way of knowing how long it was stored before being cooked to order,” he said. “For this reason, you should probably avoid putting it in your refrigerator altogether and toss it out when the meal is over.” Sight and smell can’t always save you (nor can refrigeration). Person sniffing a carton from an open refrigerator, wrinkling their nose, possibly due to a questionable smell If you think you’ll be able to use your senses to uncover food dangers, that may not necessarily be the case, the experts said. “Don’t believe that if it smells good, it’s safe to eat,” said registered dietitian Tracee Yablon Brenner. “Actually, a good deal of harmful bacteria, such as salmonella and listeria, don’t influence the smell, taste or appearance of food. Bacteria that’s spoiled might make some food smell terrible, but bacteria also can flourish unnoticed.” As handy as refrigeration is, it’s not foolproof, said Jason Reese, an attorney who specializes in foodborne illnesses and personal injury. “One of the biggest misconceptions I’ve seen is the belief that cold temperatures and refrigeration completely stop the growth of bacteria,” he said. “While it can slow growth, it doesn’t totally eliminate it, especially for dangerous pathogens, including listeria.” Still, keeping your fridge at the proper temperature is very important. “Higher refrigerator temperatures can facilitate pathogen growth, which increases the risk of illness and more serious complications,” D’Amico said. “The preferred refrigeration temperature is 2° to 4° Celsius (35.6° to 39.2° Fahrenheit), but studies have shown that average consumer refrigerator temperature is closer to 7° C (44.6° F).” Lazy mistakes you should stop making. Person eating salad at a desk with a computer, pens, and smartphone nearby, suggesting a work-from-home lunch break If you’re in the habit of tossing a half-eaten bowl or can of food directly into the fridge, you may want to rethink that, Le said. “Uncovered foods can easily incubate and spread microorganisms, as the air in the refrigerator is constantly moving and can transport spores around to other foods.” If you’ve served a meal and are enjoying just sitting around the table afterward, don’t forget that food needs to be refrigerated quickly, said Mitzi Baum, CEO of the nonprofit Stop Foodborne Illness. “Bacteria are always on the move and can grow in perishable foods like meat, eggs, salads, cut fruit and casseroles within as little as two hours,” she said. And if you happen to hear something on the news about a food recall, don’t ignore it. “Take recalls seriously,” she added. “When a product is recalled, consumers should act quickly to remove it from their homes.” Give yourself permission to waste food. Person discarding a plate of chili with corn and beans into a trash bin lined with a plastic bag “If you aren’t sure how long food has been in the fridge, throw it away,” Taylor said. But to prevent future food waste, he had this handy idea: “Keep a roll of painter’s tape and a permanent marker in your kitchen, so you can easily label items with names and dates when you store them. Always review food labels for expiration and ‘best by’ dates, as well as serving and safe storage directions.” “If you’re serious about avoiding getting sick from the food you eat, it always makes sense to make practical decisions,” Atkinson said. “The old adage ‘if in doubt, throw it out’ is a solid rule of thumb when it comes to food safety, and while it might feel wasteful at times to throw out food that’s suspect, you’ll feel better knowing you’re taking fewer risks.”This article originally appeared on HuffPost. Source link #Dangerous #Foods #Refrigerator #Foodborne #Illness #Experts Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Supreme Court pauses Trump administration's effort to fire head of whistleblower protection agency – Fox News Supreme Court pauses Trump administration's effort to fire head of whistleblower protection agency – Fox News Supreme Court pauses Trump administration’s effort to fire head of whistleblower protection agency Fox NewsSCOTUS analyst says ‘justices were struggling’ in first Supreme Court test amid Trump’s widespread firings CNNSupreme Court Rejects, for Now, Trump’s Bid to Fire Government Watchdog The New York TimesSupreme Court stiffs Trump, punts on firing whistleblower agency head The Hill Source link #Supreme #Court #pauses #Trump #administration039s #effort #fire #whistleblower #protection #agency #Fox #News Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump fires top US general CQ Brown in shake-up at Pentagon Trump fires top US general CQ Brown in shake-up at Pentagon Rachel Looker BBC News, Washington Getty Images CQ Brown with Hegseth at the Pentagon during a visit with Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu President Donald Trump has fired US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff CQ Brown, the highest-ranking officer in the country, as part of a major shake-up of the top military leadership. “I want to thank General Charles ‘CQ’ Brown for his over 40 years of service to our country, including as our current Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff,” Trump posted on social media. He said five other top officers were being replaced. Gen Brown was the second ****** officer in US history to hold the post, which advises both the president and the secretary of defence on national security. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth had previously said that Gen Brown should be fired because of his “woke” focus on diversity, equity and inclusion programmes in the military. Later on Friday, Hegseth announced the firings of two additional senior officers: Chief of Naval Operations Adm Lisa Franchetti and Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen Jim Slife. Adm Franchetti was the first woman to lead the Navy. All three top officers removed on Friday were appointed by former President Joe Biden. Hegseth said in a statement: “Under President Trump, we are putting in place new leadership that will focus our military on its core mission of deterring, fighting and winning wars.” Trump said he would nominate Air Force Lt Gen Dan Caine – a career F-16 pilot who most recently served as CIA associate director for military affairs – as the new chairman of the joint chiefs of staff. Getty Images Adm Franchetti was the first woman to lead the Navy Gen Brown was visiting troops at the US southern border on Friday roughly two hours before Trump’s post announcing his departure. Rumours had been swirling this week that the president would remove the commander, whose term was set to expire in 2027. Gen Brown made headlines in 2020 when he spoke out about race following the death of George Floyd. He posted a video message to the Air Force describing the pressures he had felt as one of the few ****** men in his unit and being questioned about his credentials. In 2022, while chief of staff of the Air Force, Gen Brown co-signed a memo setting out diversity goals to boost the proportion of ********* officer applicants while adjusting lower the rate of white candidates, according to the Air Force Times. Colin Powell was the first ****** chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, serving from 1989-93. One of Trump’s first acts after being sworn in last month was to fire the first female commandant of the Coast Guard, citing “excessive focus” on diversity. US Air Force Gen Jim Slife is also out In November, before he was confirmed, Hegseth said on a podcast that there were many problems in the military, including diversity initiatives, which the Trump administration should “course correct”. “First of all, you got to fire the chairman of Joint Chiefs,” Hegseth said in describing the steps he believed Trump should take. The Pentagon also announced on Friday that it would cut its budget and let go of 5,400 probationary employees next week. Meanwhile, a federal court in Maryland temporarily blocked Trump from implementing bans on diversity, equity and inclusion programmes. District Judge Adam Abelson ruled that the directives by Trump may violate free-speech rights in the US Constitution. Source link #Trump #fires #top #general #Brown #shakeup #Pentagon Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has committed $37m to Tasmania’s salmon industry Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has committed $37m to Tasmania’s salmon industry One Aussie state’s lucrative salmon industry has been thrown a $37m lifeline, after facing years of uncertainty and added scrutiny from conservation groups. Source link #Prime #Minister #Anthony #Albanese #committed #37m #Tasmanias #salmon #industry Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Meta approves bonuses of up to 200% of company executives’ salaries a week after laying off 3,600 employees Meta approves bonuses of up to 200% of company executives’ salaries a week after laying off 3,600 employees Meta has approved a plan that could see company executives earning bonuses of up to 200% of their salaries. The company said in an SEC filing it was increasing its “target bonus percentage” for named executive officers from 75% of their base salary to 200% of it. The changes will take effect from the 2025 annual performance ******* and do not include the company’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg. The filing said the “variable cash incentives” were meant to “motivate its executive officers to focus on company priorities and to reward them for company results and achievements.” The committee for Meta’s board of directors said the increase came after a review of other companies in the tech sector. They said the company’s total cash compensation of executives “was at or below the 15th percentile of the target total cash compensation of executives holding similar positions” at peer companies. The increase will put Meta executives’ compensation in the “50th percentile of the peer group target cash compensation,” the company said in the filing. The committee for Meta’s board of directors approved the percentage increase on Feb. 13, 2025. Representatives for Meta did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fortune, which was made outside normal working hours. The bonus increase comes just one week after Meta laid off around 5% of its workforce, around 3,600 employees. The cuts were aimed at strengthening Meta’s operations after Zuckerberg declared 2025 “an intense year” and announced plans to heavily invest in the company’s AI efforts. Meta told the affected workers it was terminating their employment due to “low performance,” but several have since publicly said they received better-than-average reviews and blasted the company on LinkedIn and online forums. “I frequently asked for feedback and was always told I was doing a good job,” Kaila Curry, an ex-content manager at Meta, wrote in a LinkedIn post. “I was never placed on a PIP [performance improvement plan], never given corrective feedback, and never properly mentored or provided clear expectations. I simply put in the work… I am not a low performer.” Meta is not the only tech company targeting its so-called “low performers.” Big Tech rival Microsoft has also said it plans to target underachieving employees in a fresh round of cuts. Story Continues The shift is a tone change from mass tech layoffs in recent years, which have largely been blamed on cost-cutting. Meta has even said it plans to replace workers who have been laid off. Several workplace experts previously told Fortune that, intended or not, the “low performance” label attached to the laid-off workers was highly subjective and potentially unfair. Despite recent layoffs, Meta reported strong results in its Q4 2024 earnings, with revenue increasing 21% year-over-year to $48.4 billion, exceeding Wall Street expectations. The company credited its advertising business and AI-driven product improvements for the growth. Zuckerberg has called 2025 a “really big year” which will see Meta’s AI assistant become the most widely used in the industry. This story was originally featured on Fortune.com Source link #Meta #approves #bonuses #company #executives #salaries #week #laying #employees Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Supreme Court rules that government watchdog fired by Trump may temporarily remain on the job – CNN Supreme Court rules that government watchdog fired by Trump may temporarily remain on the job – CNN Supreme Court rules that government watchdog fired by Trump may temporarily remain on the job CNNSupreme Court pauses Trump administration’s effort to fire head of whistleblower protection agency Fox NewsSupreme Court stiffs Trump, punts on firing whistleblower agency head The HillSupreme Court Rejects, for Now, Trump’s Bid to Fire Government Watchdog The New York Times Source link #Supreme #Court #rules #government #watchdog #fired #Trump #temporarily #remain #job #CNN Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Waters on Supercars provisional pole, Courtney crashes Waters on Supercars provisional pole, Courtney crashes Cam Waters is primed to secure pole for the second Sydney 500 race, while Blanchard Team Racing will languish at the back of the grid after a team-wide ******. Source link #Waters #Supercars #provisional #pole #Courtney #crashes Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Socorro ISD layoffs shock teachers, students Socorro ISD layoffs shock teachers, students EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — It has been a painful several hours for the Socorro ISD community after the district’s Board of Trustees voted Wednesday night, Feb. 19 to lay off about 300 teachers and staff for the 2025-26 school year to address its budget deficit. Socorro ISD board approves hundreds of layoffs to deal with budget shortfall “I feel like I’ve just been punched in the gut. It’s just very disappointing and just very painful to know that, basically, our whole (fine arts) department was demolished and done away with,” Jessica Ramirez, a SISD fine arts specialist in music, said. “They’re the unsung heroes, and yet they’re the ones that are sitting at the top getting paid high dollar, while our teachers are being cut from their jobs,” Alison Valles, SISD alumni who attended the meeting, and whose sister is a middle school band teacher, said. “Ultimately, of course, it was very heartbreaking, to have to see the school board forced to make this decision because at this point, it was very evident that there was no other option to make but that one. It was heartbreaking to hear some of the information that was being put out there either by speakers or by school board members themselves,” Rosie Perez, president of the West Texas Alliance, said. District officials at the meeting presented data showing that since 2016, previous SISD boards had approved expenditures that exceeded their allocated budget for that given school year. Data chart presented at SISD’s Board Meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 19 The data showed how the district’s deficit continued to grow year over year as they continued to adopt higher expenditures until the current inflection point, where their actual deficit doubled from over $19 million in 2023 to over $50 million in 2024. “Fixing a budget is linear, but it’s very painful. For the last decade, in the first five years, you had about 300 million in revenue and expenditures. Then it’s like you started losing your discipline. Then it was OK to spend a little bit more than you allocated because then you started adopting deficit budgets in 2017,” Michael Hinojosa, one of the two state-appointed conservators, said. Hinojosa highlighted how the board’s financial mismanagement coincided with year-over-year enrollment growth until the current school year when SISD saw a decrease in student enrollment of over 500 students. “You cannot pay your mortgage with your credit card. You have fiscal responsibilities as a judiciary, as an elected official in this county,” Hinojosa said. District officials estimate Wednesday’s decision will generate approximately $30 million in savings for the district, leaving $8 million still to be addressed as they work to tackle their deficit and build up the district’s financial reserves. “This is really the beginning. And I think once again, there will be continuous discussion about the systems and the processes and the structures that we need to take care of, to address further going forward, what are the areas that we might need to look at,” Andrew Kim, the second state-appointed conservator, said. Four positions on SISD’s Board of Trustees will be up for election on May 3, paving the way for a new-looking board to finalize the district’s budget for the 2025-26 school year. “But what they (SISD’S board) did was maintain control, control of their destiny. This is going to be difficult, but they’re going to make it because of their professionalism. And there’s going to be a new board. There’s going to be at least three new board members that will have to pick this up. And actually, those three new board members are going to have to adopt the budget,” Hinojosa said. Perez, with the West Texas Alliance, said their focus now lies on assisting any of their members who will be on the chopping block of this decision. “Should they receive a job offer from another district, we’ve already worked out with Socorro, for them to be allowed to be released from their current contract. We’re also working on just finding some support for them throughout the community, and questions that they may have with regards to their retirement, to their years of service, should they choose not to continue in public education. So that’s how we’re going to be here for our members,” Perez said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News. Source link #Socorro #ISD #layoffs #shock #teachers #students Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Filter trouble? Why audiologists worry noise-cancelling tech may impair hearing skills | Science Filter trouble? Why audiologists worry noise-cancelling tech may impair hearing skills | Science They are prized for making the commute more bearable and shielding against the din of daily life. But noise-cancelling headphones have come under scrutiny after audiologists raised concerns that overuse might impair people’s hearing skills. While the technology has clear benefits, not least in helping people listen to music at lower volume, some specialists suspect that constantly filtering out background noise may have unintended consequences. Renee Almeida, an adult audiology clinical lead at Imperial College healthcare NHS trust, has seen an uptick in adults coming to her clinic with hearing issues only for tests to suggest their hearing is fine. The problem is with their brain, not their ears. They might fail to locate where a sound is coming from, or struggle to follow a conversation on the train, in a bar or at a restaurant. The condition, known as auditory processing disorder (APD), is often diagnosed in children, so the rise in adults with similar issues struck Almeida as odd. Her hunch is that widespread use of noise-cancelling headphones could be the culprit. “The brain is used to dealing with thousands of different sounds at the same time and it’s always been able to figure out what is and isn’t worth listening to. If a dog barks outside, in a split second I recognise that it’s a dog barking and I don’t really care,” she says. “With noise cancelling, you’re giving your brain only one source of sound, be it a podcast or music. One source. There’s nothing else for your brain to worry about.” Excessive use of noise-cancelling headphones could impair the developmental process by which children learn to attend to sounds, Almeida says. For adults, it could make their brains lazy, just as muscles weaken without exercise. In both cases, she says, people could struggle to extract speech from the hubbub around them. There is no scientific evidence that noise-cancelling headphones cause APD. Nor is there any robust data showing a rise in the condition. But Almeida believes the question warrants attention. “Studies definitely need to be done,” she says. “The research should focus on the effects of extended use, especially in young people.” APD affects about three to five per cent of school-age children. It has been linked to low birth weight, but also chronic middle ear infections. In older adults, the condition can be triggered by stroke or head trauma. In many cases, the cause is never clear. Dr Cheryl Edwards, an audiologist at Boston children’s hospital, said children with APD could struggle to hear in classrooms, have difficulty working out where sounds are coming from, and miss nonverbal cues such as the shift in tone that flags sarcasm. Reading and spelling can also suffer. “We certainly see academic issues,” she says. Whether cases are rising is harder to say, however. Auditory processing has long been a speciality within a speciality, Edwards says. And while referrals have risen with better awareness, there aren’t reliable records to measure any trend against. According to Harvey Dillon, a professor of auditory science at the University of Manchester, there is no doubt that listening experience affects our ability to segregate “wanted speech” from background noise. He says children improve at using spatial cues to home in on sound sources from the age of five to 14 years old. But disrupting what is heard can be more problematic for children than adults. If a child has repeated ear infections before the age of five, they can find it hard, later on, to focus on sounds from one direction while suppressing those from another. Surprisingly, Dillon says, many don’t catch up once their infections are behind them. Instead, they need to learn the skill through intensive training on apps such as Sound Storm or Soundiverse. Adults seem to be different. If a person wears a single earplug for a week, they will gradually relearn how to locate where sounds are coming from. When the earplug is removed, their ability dips again, but quickly recovers to its previous level. For Dillon, the idea that noise-cancelling headphones might be driving APD is a hypothesis yet to be tested. “There is no research that I am aware of investigating a link between the use of noise-cancelling headphones and reduced auditory processing ability,” he says. Dillon cautions that loud music can damage neurons in the auditory system without affecting the thresholds measured in hearing tests. “It may be that listening to loud music is the cause of the auditory processing problem, not the noise-cancelling feature,” he says. “If so, noise cancelling could be a good feature, in that it allows one to listen to music, without interference from background noise, at a lower level.” Prof Dani Tomlin, the head of audiology and speech pathology at the University of Melbourne, says people who use noise-cancelling headphones for prolonged periods may find listening harder when they take them off. But she says “the benefits should not be overlooked”, for managing sensory inputs in neurodiverse people and helping individuals to listen to podcasts and movies on planes and trains. “Instead of suggesting abandoning noise-cancelling headphones, we need more comprehensive research studies,” she adds. For now, Almeida recommends bone conduction headphones and hearing training. She urges patients to listen to radio debates and to take down the lyrics of rap songs when they are playing. “There is immense plasticity in the brain,” she says. “Make an effort to listen to what’s being said.” Source link #Filter #trouble #audiologists #worry #noisecancelling #tech #impair #hearing #skills #Science Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]