Pelican Press

Ugandan opposition figure Besigye, looking frail, appears in court as calls for his release grow Ugandan opposition figure Besigye, looking frail, appears in court as calls for his release grow KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — Ugandan opposition figure Kizza Besigye appeared briefly in a civilian court Wednesday as attorneys tried to secure his freedom, but a judge said he was too unwell to follow proceedings. A visibly frail Besigye, who has been detained since November, was driven back to a maximum-security prison in Kampala, the Ugandan capital. Besigye’s continued detention is attracting more attention as his supporters, activists and others warn that he needs medical care and should be removed from prison conditions. They say any harm to him while in custody could trigger deadly unrest in this east African country. 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. His family says he has begun a hunger strike to protest his continued detention after Uganda’s Supreme Court ruled last month that military tribunals cannot try civilians. Besigye’s attorneys say he and others who faced charges before the court-martial should have been released immediately. Justice officials say they are studying the evidence against Besigye in order to charge him in a civilian court. Besigye, a four-time presidential candidate, is a prominent opposition figure in Uganda. For years he was the most serious challenger to President Yoweri Museveni, who has held power since 1986, before the recent rise of the opposition figure known as Bobi Wine. Besigye went missing in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi on Nov. 16. Days later, he appeared in a cage before a military tribunal in Kampala, charged with offenses concerning a threat to national security. He was later charged before the same tribunal with treachery, an offense under military law that carries the death penalty. The Commonwealth group of nations, of which Uganda is a member, has urged Ugandan authorities to free Besigye and his co-accused, an assistant named Obeid Lutale. They are “improperly detained,” the group said in a statement. “Their continued detention raises serious questions about Uganda’s commitment to upholding the rule of law, key tenets of our shared Commonwealth Charter and values,” it said. Amnesty International also called for Besigye’s release, saying his “abduction clearly violated international human rights law and the process of extradition with its requisite fair trial protections.” But the president suggested authorities were unlikely to free Besigye without putting him on trial, saying in a statement that his rival must answer for “the very serious offenses he is alleged to have been planning.” Museveni rejected calls by some for forgiveness and instead urged “a quick trial so that facts come out.” Military prosecutors accuse Besigye of soliciting weapons in meetings in Europe with the purpose of undermining national security. The charges have not been substantiated, but the president’s son, army commander Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has alleged that Besigye plotted to assassinate Museveni. “But all of you remember. Besigye wanted to kill my father,” Gen. Kainerugaba said in a post on the social platform X, charging that Besigye deserved to be hanged. Besigye’s wife, UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima, says her husband is being framed. His attorney says the charges are politically motivated. Besigye’s case is being watched closely by Ugandans anxious over political maneuvers ahead of presidential elections next year. Although Museveni is expected to seek re-election, some observers believe he may step aside in favor of Kainerugaba in a bloodless coup. Many expect an unpredictable political transition because Museveni has no obvious successor within the ranks of the ruling National Resistance Movement party. Besigye, a qualified physician who retired from Uganda’s military at the rank of colonel, is a former president of the Forum for Democratic Change party, for many years Uganda’s most prominent opposition group. He is a fierce critic of Museveni, for whom he once served as a military assistant and personal doctor. Uganda has never witnessed a peaceful transfer of presidential power since independence from colonial rule six decades ago. Source link #Ugandan #opposition #figure #Besigye #frail #appears #court #calls #release #grow Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Meghan Markle Renames Her Lifestyle Brand As Ever Meghan Markle Renames Her Lifestyle Brand As Ever Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, has announced that her cooking and lifestyle brand will now be called As Ever, and she has promised there will be jam. “Cat’s out of the bag,” Meghan said in an Instagram video posted to her 1.9 million followers on Monday night. In the video, she is sitting in a sun-dappled yard, her hair in a messy bun, with a dog scampering down a set of stairs. Taking an entrepreneurial page from Martha Stewart and a mood board from the mom bloggers who love her, Meghan seems ready to embrace the joys — and the business opportunities — of her home life in Montecito, Calif., far from the confines of the British royal family. The website for As Ever features a photo of Meghan and Princess Lilibet, her daughter with her husband, Prince Harry. They are in white dresses, running through bright green grass with trees in the distance. The logo for the new brand features a palm tree with two hummingbirds, which are a favorite of Prince Harry. (Through a representative, Meghan declined an interview request.) In her Instagram post, she said the new chapter would be “beautifully weaving together everything I cherish — food, gardening, entertaining, thoughtful living and finding joy in the every day.” The announcement comes as Meghan prepares to release her new series with Netflix, “With Love, Meghan,” on March 4. The show had previously been scheduled for earlier in the year but was delayed because of the wildfires in California. In the video, the former actress explained that the brand’s previous name, American Riviera Orchard, which was announced last year, felt too geographically specific, confining her to products from the Santa Barbara area, which it was named after. “Then Netflix came on, not just as my partner in the show, but as my partner in my business,” she said. “It was huge.” The terms of the partnership were not immediately available, and representatives from Netflix declined an interview request. But Meghan emphasized in the announcement that the energy was similar to one of her previous projects, The Tig, a lifestyle website that was shut down in 2017 before she and Prince Harry were engaged. She added that she had “always loved cooking, and crafting and gardening.” “This is what I do,” Meghan said in the video, “and I haven’t been able to share it with you in the same way for the past few years. But now I can.” Her eight-episode Netflix series, which was shot at her home, is expected to lean into this idyllic side of her lifestyle and will include cameos from the chef Alice Waters and the actress Mindy Kaling. In the series, according to an announcement from Netflix, Meghan will share personal tips and tricks and invite viewers to watch as she and her guests roll up their sleeves in the kitchen and even meet her bees. The concept for As Ever started with fresh fruit preserves that she made at home and gave to friends, and she hopes to highlight other products soon. “There will be fruit preserves, I think we are all clear at this point that jam is my jam,” she told her followers in her video announcement, adding, “but there are so many more products that I just love that I use in my home, and now it is time to share with you.” Source link #Meghan #Markle #Renames #Lifestyle #Brand Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

How Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump shook up the world in a week How Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump shook up the world in a week When he penned his eyewitness account of the 1917 Russian Revolution, American journalist John Reed famously titled it Ten Days That Shook The World. But 10 days is too long for Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. They’ve shaken things up in a week. It began with the Putin-Trump telephone conversation on 12 February and their presidential pledges to kickstart relations. It continued with the Munich Security Conference and a schism between Europe and America. Next stop Saudi Arabia for the Russia-US talks: the first high-level in-person contacts between the two countries since the Kremlin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. It is a week that has upended traditional alliances, left Europe and Ukraine scrambling to respond, raised fears for European security and put Russia where it wants to be: at the top table of global politics, without having made any concessions to get there. One image dominates this morning’s Russian newspapers: senior Russian and American officials at the negotiating table in Riyadh. The Kremlin wants the Russian public and the international community to see that Western efforts to isolate Russia over the war in Ukraine have failed. Russian media are welcoming the prospect of warmer ties with Washington and pouring scorn on European leaders and Kyiv. “Trump knows he will have to make concessions [to Russia] because he is negotiating with the side that’s winning in Ukraine,” writes pro-Kremlin tabloid Moskovsky Komsomolets. “He will make concessions. Not at America’s expense, but at the expense of Europe and Ukraine.” “For so long Europe had gone around all puffed up, thinking of itself as the civilised world and as a Garden of Eden. It failed to notice it had lost its trousers… now its old comrade across the Atlantic has pointed that out…” On the streets of Moscow I don’t detect that level of gloating. Instead, people are watching and waiting to see whether Donald Trump will really turn out to be Russia’s new best friend and whether he can bring an end to the war in Ukraine. “Trump is a businessman. He’s only interested in making money,” Nadezhda tells me. “I don’t think things will be any different. There’s too much that needs to be done to change the situation.” “Perhaps those talks [in Saudi Arabia] will help,” says Giorgi. “It’s high time we stopped being enemies.” “Trump is active. He’s energetic. But will he do anything?” wonders Irina. “We dream that these negotiations will bring peace. It’s a first step. And maybe this will help our economy. Food and other goods keep going up in price here. That’s partly because of the special military operation [the war in Ukraine] and the general international situation.” Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump have spoken on the phone; their two teams have met in Saudi Arabia; a presidential summit is expected soon. But a few days ago the newspaper Moskovsky Komsomolets tried to imagine what the two leaders had said to each other during last week’s phone call. They came up with this rendition: “Trump called Putin. ‘Vladimir! You’ve got a cool country and I’ve got a cool country. Shall we go and divide up the world?’ ‘What have I been saying all along? Let’s do it!….” Make-believe? We’ll see. Source link #Vladimir #Putin #Donald #Trump #shook #world #week Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Alien: Rogue Incursion Review – Thumb Culture Alien: Rogue Incursion Review – Thumb Culture “Released last week on the Meta Quest3 and 3S, Alien: Rogue Incursion is a new entry to the iconic franchise. Developed and published by Survios we head into the universe in an immersive, single-player VR journey. Priced at £30.99 on the Meta Store at the time of writing, we check out whether it’s worth a purchase.” Stu @ Thumb Culture Source link #Alien #Rogue #Incursion #Review #Thumb #Culture Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

‘Modern Love’ Podcast: Why Gossiping Could Help Your Love Life ‘Modern Love’ Podcast: Why Gossiping Could Help Your Love Life For Kelsey McKinney, the author of the new book, “You Didn’t Hear This From Me: (Mostly) True Notes on Gossip,” spreading a good story occupied a morally gray zone throughout her childhood. McKinney, who is also the former host of the podcast, “Normal Gossip,” talks with Modern Love’s Anna Martin about navigating the ups and downs of gossiping in her own life. McKinney also reads the Modern Love essay “We Were a Party of Two, but Never Quite Alone” by Linda Button, who tells the story of how gossiping with her rich suitor’s exes brought the euphoria of her relationship back down to earth. While reading Button’s essay, McKinney fields questions from Martin so they can do some gossiping of their own. Links to transcripts of episodes generally appear on these pages within a week. “Modern Love” is hosted by Anna Martin and produced by Reva Goldberg, Emily Lang, Davis Land, Amy Pearl and Sara Curtis. The show is edited by Jen Poyant, our executive producer. Production management is by Christina Djossa. The show is mixed by Daniel Ramirez and recorded by Maddy Masiello and Nick Pitman. It features original music by Dan Powell. Our theme music is by Dan Powell. Special thanks to Larissa Anderson, Dahlia Haddad, Lisa Tobin, Brooke Minters, Sawyer Roque, Daniel Jones, Miya Lee, Mahima Chablani, Nell Gallogly, Jeffrey Miranda, Isabella Anderson, Christine Nguyen, Reyna Desai, Jordan Cohen, Victoria Kim, Nina Lassam and Julia Simon. Thoughts? Email us at *****@*****.tld. Want more from Modern Love? Read past stories. Watch the TV series and sign up for the newsletter. We also have swag at the NYT Store and two books, “Modern Love: True Stories of Love, Loss and Redemption” and “Tiny Love Stories: True Tales of Love in 100 Words or Less.” Source link #Modern #Love #Podcast #Gossiping #Love #Life Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Moore River closure remains as highly infectious norovirus identified as source of spike in gastro-illness Moore River closure remains as highly infectious norovirus identified as source of spike in gastro-illness Authorities have confirmed a highly infectious stomach bug is behind a recent spike in illness reports from people swimming in Moore River. WA Health and the Shire of Gingin on Wednesday confirmed there had been several cases of norovirus in people who have recently taken a dip in the river in Guilderton, about 92km north of Perth. It has been closed since January 31 after elevated bacteria levels were detected in the water and an increase in reports of a gastro-type illness following the Australia Day long weekend. Norovirus is highly contagious and is one of the most common causes of gastroenteritis. It is commonly accompanied by vomiting and diarrhoea, but can also result in nausea, stomach cramps, headache, a low grade fever, chills and muscle aches. There is no specific treatment for the virus, which can cause outbreaks in schools, child care centres, aged care facilities, cruise ships, restaurants and hospitals. The shire and WA Health said the health warning remains and the advice continues to be to avoid swimming and all other direct water contact activities in the river. “It is possible that there are still viable norovirus particles in the river, as the virus can survive for up to 3 weeks,” a shire spokesperson said. “People who continue to swim in Moore River while the warning signs are displayed may be at increased risk of gastrointestinal illness.” Authorities are continuing microbial water quality surveillance in the area and will provide updates as further information comes to hand. Anyone who has been in Moore River and is experiencing symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea or abdominal pain should seek medical attention and request testing through their GP. They are also encouraged to notify WA Health’s Environmental Health Directorate on 9222 2000 or email *****@*****.tld. WA Health advises anyone with gastrointestinal illness not to swim in public swimming pools or the river until they are free of symptoms for at least 48 hours to avoid passing the illness on to others. People with confirmed or suspected norovirus infection should: Drink plenty of fluids such as plain water or oral rehydration drinks to avoid dehydrationAvoid anti-vomiting or anti-diarrhoeal medications unless prescribed or recommended by a doctor. Source link #Moore #River #closure #remains #highly #infectious #norovirus #identified #source #spike #gastroillness Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

DEAD LETTER DEPT. Review – Thumb Culture DEAD LETTER DEPT. Review – Thumb Culture “If data entry wasn’t bad enough, Mike Monroe with Belief Engine have added psychological horror into the mix with new release DEAD LETTER DEPT. After moving to the big city, you find yourself working the night shift at a data entry job. Lost letters make their way to your desktop, pleading for you to get them to their home. There are multiple endings to uncover and story hidden in every letter. It’s time to clock in and start your shift.” Alex @ Thumb Culture Source link #DEAD #LETTER #DEPT #Review #Thumb #Culture Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Book Review: ‘Money, Lies, and God,’ by Katherine Stewart Book Review: ‘Money, Lies, and God,’ by Katherine Stewart MONEY, LIES, AND GOD: Inside the Movement to Destroy American Democracy, by Katherine Stewart Given that “Money, Lies, and God” was mostly written before the November 2024 election, the book reads as an eerily prescient guide to the phantasmagoria of our political moment. But it’s a measure of the upheavals of the last few weeks that even the book’s author, the journalist Katherine Stewart, failed to anticipate some of the early surprises of the second Trump term. Stewart makes passing mention of Darren Beattie, a White House speechwriter who left his post in 2018 after news reports revealed that he spoke at a conference attended by white nationalists. “Beattie was too far out even for the Trump administration,” she writes — a plausible observation that was nevertheless committed to print too soon. A couple of weeks ago, Trump tapped Beattie for a top job at the State Department, putting him in charge of the country’s public diplomacy a mere four months after Beattie declared, on X, “Competent white men must be in charge if you want things to work.” Stewart’s previous book, “The Power Worshippers” (2020) traced the rise of Christian nationalism; “Money, Lies, and God” expands the story to encompass the right-wing “movement to destroy American democracy.” Beattie is just one figure in a bulging cast of characters that Stewart handily divides into five main categories: Funders, Thinkers, Sergeants, Infantry and Power Players. These groups don’t always have one another’s best interests at heart, nor do they always get along. But as Stewart shows, this fractious movement has lined up under the banner of MAGA and Donald Trump. They speak the language of democracy while practicing the authoritarian politics of coercion and exclusion. What they all share, Stewart says, is an attitude of “reactionary nihilism.” They denounce tolerance and pluralism as a catastrophic change to their preferred political order. Reactionary nihilists presume a world that is “devoid of value, impervious to reason and governable only through brutal acts of will.” Stewart should know — she has spent plenty of time with reactionary nihilists, whether in person or on the page. Her book gives us a tour through a raucous Christian nationalist event in Las Vegas and a fancy Moms for Liberty fund-raiser in Philadelphia. She offers a brisk intellectual history that includes the high-toned, illiberal musings of the Harvard legal scholar Adrian Vermeule and the gutter misogyny of the internet personality Bronze Age Pervert — a Yale philosophy Ph.D. An adolescent boy’s preoccupation with “manliness” turns out to be a common denominator among the thinkers on the right. Rational deliberation gets derided as a tool of liberal democracy, which they somehow depict as both tyrannical and toothless. All the strategies they offer boil down to domination. “Money, Lies, and God” covers a lot of terrain, but it’s Stewart’s exploration of right-wing ideas that makes her book stand out. A chapter called “Smashing the Administrative State” explains the radical right’s longstanding plans to replace the public administration of government services with a “privately controlled, corporate-managed” regime. Another chapter on the Claremont Institute, the right-wing California think tank, examines the influence of the political philosopher Leo Strauss and the Nazi jurist Carl Schmitt. Yet Stewart is also careful not to overstate this movement’s intellectual depth. So many of the ideas espoused by the cutting-edge figures on the far right are reflexively contrarian and fundamentally empty. Its leading intellectuals are Ivy League graduates who persist in being obsessed with the campus squabbles of the Ivy League. Stewart argues that their elaborate theories are constructed from feelings of elite entitlement and petty resentment: “When they talk about sticking it to the administrative state or fantasize about having their dictator buddy manhandle the libs, they seem to be dreaming about revenge on the people down the hall.” This is a book with a decidedly strong point of view, even if Stewart maintains that she gathered her facts with an open mind. “As a reporter, I like to look first and theorize later,” she writes in her introduction. “I am interested in facts, not polemics.” After spending a lot of time with the facts, Stewart has developed her theory of the case. The Funders and Thinkers, she says, have worked out their own symbiotic ecosystem, with the Funders supplying the money that helps the Thinkers churn out the ideas that justify the Funders’ power to make ever more money. Just don’t tell that to the Infantry — those millions of lower- and middle-income Americans who turned out for Trump. Stewart explains that the only real role for the Infantry is to supply the votes. They might think they’re voting for cheaper eggs, when what they’re more likely to get are fewer meat inspectors and an expansionist war: “Satisfying the economic and emotional needs of this group is always the ostensible source of legitimacy of the antidemocratic movement, but it is never the actual goal.” As an antidote to so much cynicism, Stewart ends her book with some recommendations, calling for building coalitions and pursuing a “progressive system of taxation.” It’s the kind of noble, hopeful conclusion that nevertheless highlights the discrepancy between the incessant churn of the Trumpian news cycle and the more languid pace of what might be called “book time.” But Stewart maintains a commitment to deliberation — not just as an activity but as an essential principle. The far right, she points out, seeks to “demolish the very possibility of reasonable discussion” by treating politics as an extension of war by other means. Books like hers function not as weapons but as maps, navigating a way around the edges of the abyss. MONEY, LIES, AND GOD: Inside the Movement to Destroy American Democracy | By Katherine Stewart | Bloomsbury | 338 pp. | $29.99 Source link #Book #Review #Money #Lies #God #Katherine #Stewart Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Republicans are eyeing cuts to Medicaid. What is Medicaid, and how is it different from Medicare? Republicans are eyeing cuts to Medicaid. What is Medicaid, and how is it different from Medicare? In January, during a congressional hearing on his way to becoming secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. got basic details wrong about Medicaid — a program he now oversees. He said that Medicaid is fully funded by the federal government (it’s not) and that many enrollees are unsatisfied with high out-of-pocket costs (enrollees pay limited, if any, out-of-pocket costs). Medicaid is complex. The $880 billion-a-year state-federal program offers health coverage to millions of disabled and low-income Americans. The program covers different services for different people in different parts of the country — and enrollees may interact with private insurance companies without “Medicaid” in their names, leaving some unaware that they’re on the program at all. Although President Donald Trump promised to “love and cherish” Medicaid, Republicans in Congress last week announced federal budget proposals that could dramatically curtail the program. As that debate begins, here is what you need to know about Medicaid. What is Medicaid, and how is it different from Medicare? Medicaid and Medicare were created by the same legislation — an addition to the Social Security Act — that was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1965. Medicaid is a government health insurance program for people with low incomes and adults and children with disabilities. Medicare, by contrast, generally covers those 65 or older. For older Americans with low incomes, Medicaid covers out-of-pocket costs for Medicare. Such people are commonly called “dual eligibles,” because they qualify for both programs. Who is on Medicaid? More than 79 million people receive services from Medicaid or the closely related Children’s Health Insurance Program. That represents about 20% of the total population of the United States. Most enrollees qualify because of low incomes. About 40% of all children in the country are covered by Medicaid or CHIP, created in 1997. Both pay for services such as routine checkups, vaccinations, and hospital stays. Medicaid also covers pregnant people before and after they give birth and pays for more than 40% of all births. Medicaid also covers people with disabilities or complex medical needs and helps them afford services that allow them to live independently in community settings, outside of institutions such as nursing homes and state-run hospitals. The program serves a diverse cross section of the country. About 40% of people under 65 who use Medicaid are white, 30% are Hispanic, 19% are ******, and 1% are Indigenous people. Federal Medicaid dollars cannot be used to cover immigrants who are in the U.S. without legal permission, though some states, as well as Washington, D.C., have used their own funds to extend Medicaid coverage to such individuals. California was the first state to do so. What are the income qualifications? Eligibility generally depends on whether a person is low income, and states have different ways of defining that. For a four-adult household without dependent children, the current national median coverage level is $44,367. The Affordable Care Act, often called Obamacare, which passed in 2010, allowed more people to qualify for Medicaid on the basis of income. This is what is known as “Medicaid expansion.” The law offered states a sizable incentive to add more people to their programs: The federal government would pitch in more money per enrollee to help cover them. The intention behind the expansion was to close gaps in health insurance programs for the millions of Americans who don’t get coverage through an employer. Medicaid would cover people with extremely low incomes, and as their incomes rose, they could move to subsidized health plans sold through the Affordable Care Act’s exchanges. Informational brochures on Medicaid expansion during an event held by New Hanover County Department of Health and Human Services at a library in Wilmington, North Carolina, on Dec.16, 2023. Allison Joyce/ Bloomberg/ Getty Images In 2012, the U.S. Supreme Court said the decision of whether to expand the program would be left up to individual states. Today, 40 states and the District of Columbia — led by Democrats and Republicans alike — have opted in. In the 10 states that haven’t expanded Medicaid to more low-income adults, the median earnings qualification level is $5,947 a year for a single-person household in 2025. Those who make more are not eligible. Adults in those states who make too much for Medicaid can also make too little to qualify for help buying plans on the Affordable Care Act exchanges, leaving some unable to afford coverage. An estimated 1.5 million fall into this coverage gap. Where does the money to pay for it come from? The federal government pays most of the cost of Medicaid by matching a portion of what states spend. Currently, the federal government matches at least 50% of state spending and offers states more money for some services and enrollees — for instance, for children and pregnant women. Less wealthy states — determined by considering residents’ per capita incomes — receive a higher match, translating to a higher percentage of federal dollars. In Mississippi, for instance, the federal government picks up 77% of the cost of Medicaid. States also receive a 90% match from the federal government for enrollees eligible for Medicaid under the ACA’s expansion. There is no limit on how much states can spend on the program, and hundreds of billions of federal dollars flow into states each year. In 2023, states spent about 15% of their own budgets on Medicaid. What does that money pay for? Federal law requires all state Medicaid programs to cover certain services, including emergency medical transportation, X-rays and lab work, family planning, and medication-assisted treatment for people with opioid use disorder. The program also covers many nursing and home health services, though federal law allows those benefits to be clawed back after an enrollee’s death. Beyond that, states have the flexibility to choose the services their Medicaid programs cover. All states cover prescription drugs, and most cover eyeglasses, some dental care, and physical therapy. Medicaid covers more mental health and long-term care services than any other type of insurance, public or private. What is Medicaid called in my state? Medicaid programs can go by many different names, even within the same state, in part because most states use private insurance companies to run them. This can be confusing for consumers who may not realize they are actually enrolled in Medicaid. In New York, for instance, Medicaid plans are offered by major companies, such as Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield and UnitedHealthcare — and some you may not have heard of, such as Amida Care and MetroPlusHealth. In Wisconsin, enrollees may be in BadgerCare Plus; in Connecticut, Husky Health; in Texas, STAR; and in California, Medi-Cal. How does Medicaid affect hospitals and doctors in my state? Medicaid generally pays health care providers such as doctors and hospitals less money for services than Medicare or private insurance does. But it can be more money than they’d get caring for people who are uninsured — and without Medicaid, many more Americans would be uninsured. Like states, providers and hospitals have come to rely on this money and express concerns that even phasing it out over time would require major adjustments. What’s going to happen to Medicaid? It’s not clear. Republicans in Washington are again pushing for major changes, which could take the form of cuts to federal funding. That could reduce the number of people who qualify, the services available, or both. A similar push focused on repealing and replacing Obamacare in 2017, during Trump’s first term, was unsuccessful. Perhaps one of the biggest obstacles to changing Medicaid is its popularity: 77% of Americans — and majorities of Democrats, independents, and Republicans — view the program favorably. At the heart of it all are key questions about the role of government in people’s health: How big should the U.S. medical insurance safety net be? Who deserves government assistance? And how will enrollees, states, providers, and the health care system at large absorb major changes to Medicaid, even if a rollout were staggered? KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF — the independent source for health policy research, polling, and journalism. Source link #Republicans #eyeing #cuts #Medicaid #Medicaid #Medicare Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

New homes in the Boise Foothills are cracking, falling apart. How’d we get here, again? New homes in the Boise Foothills are cracking, falling apart. How’d we get here, again? Building in the Boise Foothills has always been a grueling task, and deeply unpopular with those who want to preserve the rolling golden hills. Water issues, erosion, steep slopes and fire risk are a few of the issues developers face when trying to build in one of the region’s most prized icons. But that doesn’t stop developers from trying, such as with Boise’s upscale Terra Nativa subdivision just north of the Old Penitentiary. It seemed like a successful neighborhood until 2016, when residents watched as their homes slowly crumbled and cracked apart in landslides. Now, a growing neighborhood in the Boise Foothills, Eyrie Canyon, is facing a torrent of complaints from homeowners as its developer continues to build east of Quail Hollow Golf Course and north of Hill Road. Jerry and Judy Myers bought a newly constructed home and moved to the neighborhood in 2016 to be closer to their daughter and better take care of Judy’s aging mother. Prices were steep — between $600,000 and $675,000 when they bought their home — and have only gone up since. Homes in the neighborhood are now selling for over $1.5 million. The Myerses happened to live less than 1½ miles from the collapsing homes in the East End in 2016, before they moved to the Eyrie Canyon halfway across the city. But the ghosts of Terra Nativa seem to have followed them. When they were moving into their new house, their home inspector noticed cracks on the outside of the home, which is common as new homes settle into the soil below. But the cracks grew, and the ceiling started to sink. “Each year it got worse,” Judy Myers told the Idaho Statesman in an interview. Judy Myers talks about structural damage to her home and others in her neighborhood in the Boise Foothills. They hired crews to fix the home. Workers found sections under the entry and fireplace with no supports, Judy Myers said. They put in giant screws called helical piers to secure the home, but the living room began sinking into the ground, creating a bowl-like depression. Judy Myers said they spent about $800,000 — well over what they paid for the home, and most of their life savings — to keep the house from coming apart, including about 70 steel helical piers. The couple paid for the repairs out of pocket since insurance doesn’t cover “dirt movement,” she said. A former schoolteacher and real estate agent, Judy Myers came out of retirement to sell more homes to pay off the costs of their home repairs. It wouldn’t be right, she said, to sell their home until she could prove that it had no problems. At this point, “It’s a house of steel,” she said. Judy Myers had several helical piers, shown here, installed under her home in the Boise Foothills to repair problems with the foundation. But it’s not just the Myerses. The Ada County Highway District has responded to several problems with the roads in Eyrie Canyon, while city of Boise records show several other homeowners in the neighborhood have also applied for permits to put in helical piers. In September, neighbors in three other homes in Eyrie Canyon filed tort claims against the city of Boise and ACHD, alleging they knew the soil in the area was unstable and failed to ensure that the developer, Boise’s Connell Development Co., addressed hazards. In mid-January, the same neighbors sued Eagle-based Core Building Co. in civil court, which built several homes in Eyrie Canyon. None of them sued Connell. A tort claim against a government entity is often a precursor to a lawsuit, unless the parties reach a settlement out of court. As of mid-February, none of the neighbors had sued the city. Maria Weeg, a spokesperson for the city of Boise, declined to comment on the claims’ allegations, citing ongoing litigation. Rachel Bjornestad, spokesperson for ACHD, told the Statesman by email, “We are aware of the issues in the subdivision and have received a tort claim. While we do not believe any of our facilities or actions are causing the issues, the claim is currently being processed and investigated.” Colin Connell, the founder of his namesake company, told the Statesman in an interview that all problems were homeowner-caused. Core Building Co. did not return a request for comment. What are the allegations in the Boise Foothills? The neighbors’ tort claims sought $4.5 million in damages, alleging the city and ACHD were “negligent, grossly negligent, reckless and/or acted willfully and wantonly in the planning, evaluation, inspection and approval of the development of North Eyrie Way and/or the subdivision.” “As a direct and proximate result of the conduct of the city and ACHD, ground movement has occurred and is expected to occur in the future, subjecting (the owners) and their home to serious, irreparable and permanent damage, loss in market value, economic loss and emotional suffering,” according to the three claims. According to the claims, the homes are continuing to move and to sustain additional damage. “In the event this movement continues unchecked, the home will likely become unsuitable for occupation,” each of the claims says. Before any homes had been approved for the homeowners’ phase of Eyrie Canyon, the city had already received a higher-than-normal number of permit requests for other, earlier homes, according to the claims. “Despite having such knowledge, the city failed to require (Connell Development Co.) to demonstrate that site limitations could be overcome in a manner that would minimize hazards to life and property,” according to the claims. The lawsuit the neighbors filed against Core said the homeowners had a 10-year warranty on any required repairs to the foundation of the homes. According to the lawsuit, the homeowners notified Core in October that there were building defects in their homes, including cracking and/or separation in several parts of the homes, including walls and ceilings, woodwork and cabinets, foundation walls and concrete slabs. The lawsuit said Core inspected the houses and denied any fault. Core has not yet filed a response to the lawsuit, which was filed Jan. 17. According to Chad Nicholson, a Boise lawyer representing the homeowners, preliminary estimates for repairs are high. “Each home is looking in the hundreds of thousands of dollars in repairs,” Nicholson said by phone. “The homes are still settling and they’re expected to continue settling.” The Myerses are not part of the lawsuit. Jerry Myers, who is retired, is in his early 80s, while Judy Myers is in her 70s. She said going to court would take too long. “We’re just too old,” she said. Judy Myers points to a large crack on her kitchen wall. What happened in the Foothills homes? Judy Myers said the damage to the couple’s house came from a combination of moving soil and underground streams of water. She said the city, ACHD and Connell knew about them before construction started in Eyrie Canyon, but nobody disclosed the risks when they bought the home. “They still went ahead and started developing this area anyway,” she said. Colin Connell told the Statesman that there was no moisture in the soil. It is so dense, he said, that the only way homeowners could have a problem is if they caused it themselves. “If this moisture shows up under the foundation … it’s always irrigation, because there’s no way there’s enough rain to saturate it down like that,” Connell said. “It’s either irrigation or storm water.” Connell said the Myers’ lot and home were built to comply with all guidelines, and the problems in the subdivision were caused by homeowners putting grass too close to their homes and watering too much. Connell said he couldn’t believe the Myerses had put almost a million dollars into securing their home and questioned how that could have happened. “Maybe (Judy Myers) figured if she put the piers in, she could still water all she wanted,” Connell said. “But she doesn’t have a story that’ll hold water other than (being) ticked off, because she caused her own problems.” Judy Myers denied that sprinklers were the cause. She said the soil was wet even after turning the sprinklers off for extended periods. Any kind of water stays on top, she said, because the clay soil doesn’t allow it to sink. Asked if there were any disclosures or rules explaining that residents should keep grass away from their homes and to watch their use of sprinklers, Connell said no. “You can’t put that kind of rule in writing,” he said. “You just can’t enforce it. I mean, how can you enforce it if someone goes out there and is dumb enough to put a hose next to your foundation to make your little grass grow?” Some homes in the Boise Foothills have had significant structural damage. What do experts say about the Foothills? There have been concerns about the area’s soil and geologic makeup since at least 2008, when a geotechnical report from Boise’s Strata firm outlined hazards in the area for Connell Development. Some of these hazards included earthquakes, subsurface storm water disposal, potential landslides and slope instability. Strata recorded several types of zones for the development, ranging from floodplains to moderate or steeply sloping areas. The Myers home sits in the middle of Strata’s range with soils made up of mostly clay, silt, silty sand and clayey sand. “General constraints include potentially active clay soils, low strength settlement potential, potentially localized wetness and erosion,” according to the report. “The near-surface soils may exhibit relatively low density and may be susceptible to settlement when loaded, such as from residential foundations or structural fill.” Strata reported that the Myers’ home was in a zone that was suitable for roadway, infrastructure and residential development, but construction would likely need to account for dense soil that doesn’t allow water to sink. Judy Myers points out an area of her garage floor that needed repair. Based on previous experience, Strata reported that the soil could swell or shrink between 4% and 10% depending on changes in moisture content. Though there are mitigation measures builders could take, this swelling or shrinking could lead to movement and distress of pavement, foundations, slabs and other structures, according to the report. “The purpose of our study was to identify any ‘fatal flaws’ which may have a significant adverse impact on the proposed development concept,” according to the report. “No such flaws were identified during our research and reconnaissance. However, we have identified specific geotechnical and geologic issues.” Some of these problems include seasonal water problems in three of the four zones after heavy rain, during spring runoff and from sprinklers, according to the report. “Standing water below crawlspaces, or water intrusion into basement living areas, can lead to numerous structural and health problems, and could ultimately lead to litigation between homeowners and general contractors or the development team,” according to the report. Poor design, or too many sprinklers? Meridian’s Allwest Testing and Engineering conducted a study for Connell Development in 2019 after the company noted drainage problems and ACHD expressed concerns over problems with roads along Arrow Villa Way and Goshawk Way — where the Myers home sits. In a July 2019 visit, Allwest noted that the road was cracking and parts of the sidewalks had cracked and separated. “It is our opinion that surface waters (precipitation, snow melt, storage, irrigation, etc.) … led to asphalt pavement, concrete structures and gravel subsection shifting down-slope toward the southwest,” according to the report. The company recommended rebuilding the road and sidewalk and adding better preventative measures, such as drainage trenches or pipes, to make sure surface water didn’t create more problems in the future. After the Myerses started noticing issues, they hired Meridian-based Innovate Geotechnical to study their property. The company found a layer of wet soil about two feet deep and standing water at the surface along the north side of the home. Several factors like heavy rain or irrigation practices could have led to the standing water, according to the report, but the cause was not within the scope of the study. The Myerses commissioned another study in 2021 from Boise’s Focus Engineering that recommended they re-evaluate their water usage and avoid aiming sprinklers toward the house foundation. But it also noted that the lot adjacent to their home didn’t appear to have adequate site drainage, stubs for future pipe connections or roof downspouts to the drainage system. “Some type of site drainage system connected to the ACHD storm drain pipe system should be required and installed for any proposed new home construction on the adjacent building lot to help prevent soil saturation and possible groundwater movement to other surrounding sites,” according to the study. Construction crews are continuing to build new homes in Eyrie Canyon, as shown here on Accipiter Way. More houses on the way despite the problems So who’s at fault for these home issues? “There’s no real clear answer,” said Seth Olsen, the founder of Innovate Geotechnical who studied the Myers home. “It’s really a combination of everyone.” Meanwhile, Connell is moving ahead. There are still about 16 houses to go in the latest round of the Eyrie Canyon development, and he has plans to develop 74 more acres he owns in the Foothills, he said. That may be a long shot. In 2019, the Boise City Council denied a plan Connell presented to develop 21 acres of the Foothills between the Myers home and Quail Hollow Golf Course. Since being sworn in, Mayor Lauren McLean has made a concerted effort to preserve the Boise Foothills. In the years since, the city has become even more focused on preserving land in the Foothills, buying 325 acres in 2020 from Gov. Brad Little’s sons and 80 acres in 2024, according to prior Statesman reporting. The mayor and the City Council’s recent attempts to preserve the Foothills, Connell said, don’t make sense with the thousands of open acres that could be used. “It’s ridiculous that they won’t allow it to be developed,” Connell said, “because the soil is not an issue at all.” Statesman reporter Sarah Cutler contributed to this story. Boiseans opposed this 200-apartment building. The City Council approved it anyway. Why? ACHD declares emergency closure of busy Boise bridge. Its new weight limit: About 1 car Idaho author was excited to buy first home after new book. Then the emergencies started Demolition dust: How the growth of Boise could be putting residents at risk Source link #homes #Boise #Foothills #cracking #falling #Howd Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Tape 1 Review | TheXboxHub Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Tape 1 Review | TheXboxHub shadowT|16h ago|Review|0| ▼ Info Add Alt Source GameRadar writes: “I’m blown away by Lost Records: Bloom and Rage – Tape 1, and if this continues into Tape 2, Don’t Nod will have totally captured the core essence of its most iconic series, blossoming into something new and brilliant.” Lost Records: Bloom & Rage PC gamesradar.com Read Full Story >> [Hidden Content] gamesradar.com Source link #Lost #Records #Bloom #Rage #Tape #Review #TheXboxHub Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The Tiny Squid Lighting Up Menus The Tiny Squid Lighting Up Menus An Insider’s Guide to the East London Borough of Hackney The East London borough of Hackney has always been in flux: A diverse area characterized by waves of immigration, it has been home to everyone from Romans to Huguenots, West Indians to Turks. These days, it’s known for its creative and tech scenes — the first European edition of the Texas-born South by Southwest festival will take place in Shoreditch, home to London’s Silicon Roundabout, in June. East of Shoreditch, toward Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, you’ll find clusters of Georgian and Victorian houses alongside verdant parks and some of the city’s most interesting boutiques, bakeries and restaurants. At Sesta, which opened on Wilton Way in September close to Hackney Central station, the chef Drew Snaith, a co-founder of the restaurant, updates the traditional Scotch egg with ’nduja Scotch olives and substitutes stone bass for meat in a dish inspired by the Pakistani stew nihari. A 20-minute walk north, at Mambow, its owner, the 30-year-old chef Abby Lee, offers punchy modern Malaysian food paired with **** sours and natural wines. And just above Regent’s Canal, the family-run Miga makes refined Korean food such as beef tartare with Asian pear or pan-fried pork belly with king oyster mushrooms. In Stoke Newington, in the northern part of Hackney, you’ll find quilted coats and balloon-sleeved raincoats designed on the premises at Sonia Taouhid, and cultish European labels including Folk, Toast and Sideline at the men’s and women’s branches of Array. Then there’s L.F. Markey, a few bus stops south in Dalston, which sells jumpsuits, denim overalls and dresses in joyful primary colors. But perhaps the biggest changes to Hackney are taking place on its eastern end in the Olympic Park, where in May, the Victoria and Albert Museum is scheduled to debut its V&A East Storehouse. The 172,000-square-foot space will display thousands of objects, including a 15th-century gilded wooden ceiling from the destroyed Altamira Palace in Toledo, Spain, as well as David Bowie’s archive. And near the storehouse, the dance organization Sadler’s Wells has a new zigzag-roofed theater showing contemporary works from both local and international companies; in April, the choreographer Mette Ingvartsen’s Skatepark will set the stage with quarter-pipes and ramps, and skateboarders will join the dancers. — Kate Maxwell A Serpentine Band With Jungle-Green Stones For the Rome-based jeweler Bulgari, the snake is definitional. Since 1948, the 140-year-old house has invoked the serpent’s sinuous contours, most often in watches, which over the decades have curled around the wrist both in the abstract tubogas — a flexible band created without soldering — and in realistic interpretations with hinged scales, gemstone eyes and dials hidden in the hissing reptile’s mouth. But for collectors who prefer their Bulgari asp with no purpose other than to adorn, this rose-gold bracelet, embellished with jelly bean green chrysoprase elements, a 3.23-carat cushion-cut Zambian emerald, a pair of buff-top rubies and alternating bands of pavé diamonds, is its own dazzling reward. Bulgari Serpenti Amazonian Enigma bracelet, price on request, (800) 285-4274. — Nancy Hass Photo assistant: Karl Leitz Japan’s Firefly Squid Is Embraced by Chefs Stateside Each spring, hotaru ika, or firefly squid, ascend to the surface of western Japan’s Toyama Bay to spawn, setting the water aglow with pinpricks of electric blue light. Soon after, the finger-size creatures, which owe their luminescence to a chemical reaction similar to the one seen in lightning bugs, start appearing on menus in Japan, where they remain for just a few months. Now, U.S. chefs are embracing the squid as well. Hiroshi Tsuji, 48, remembers fishing for hotaru ika when he was growing up in Japan, where fishermen typically steep them live in soy sauce, mirin and sake. Now, at his omakase spot Sushi Gyoshin in Honolulu, he simmers and then chills them, covering them with chives and yuzu miso and placing one or two atop a piece of sushi. At Nisei in San Francisco, the chef and owner David Yoshimura, 35, pairs the squid with other fleeting springtime ingredients; last year, he served them grilled over miner’s lettuce with a stinging nettle-and-yuzu kosho (yuzu and chile paste) purée. While most squid are gutted before being cooked, firefly squid are tiny enough to consume whole, so “you’re eating the insides, too,” Yoshimura points out. “There’s a lot of umami, a lot of savoriness, a lot of funkiness.” Alex Ching, 33, who was until recently the chef at Kumiko in Chicago, likes to offset that funk with slivered pickled cucumbers and karashi sumiso, a sweetened miso-and-vinegar sauce spiked with hot mustard. And while you’re most likely to find hotaru ika in Asian-inspired restaurants, the seafood counter Little Fish in Los Angeles is an exception. There the squid are dredged in potato starch and fried, the result similar to crispy calamari. “The texture is really fun, almost squeaky,” says Niki Vahle, 32, a Little Fish co-chef and co-owner, with a “deep, cool ocean flavor.” — Martha Cheng A TAG Heuer Watch With Diamonds to Mark the Hours Founded in 1860 by the 20-year-old Edouard Heuer on his family farm in Saint-Imier, Switzerland, the company that would eventually become TAG Heuer began as a maker of pocket watches. Since the mid-20th century, however, the brand has been best known for a much sportier chronograph: the Carrera. Named for the Carrera Panamericana — a notoriously dangerous car race first staged in the early 1950s on the recently completed ******** section of the Pan-American Highway — it debuted in 1963 with a sleek, unornamented dial that nods to both racecar gauges and the work of Modernist designers like Charles Eames and Le Corbusier. The watch has gone through hundreds of iterations over the years, the latest of which combines a vintage-inspired domed sapphire crystal with an abundance of diamonds: 72 of them set in the watch’s *******, with 11 more marking the hours. The new Carrera Chronograph is available with a blush or Prussian blue face, with coordinating straps in pale pink calfskin or navy alligator — a long way from midcentury modern minimalism, but a sign of our times for sure. — Jameson Montgomery Source link #Tiny #Squid #Lighting #Menus Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Google Pixel 10 Series Reportedly Spotted on GSMA Database With Model Numbers Google Pixel 10 Series Reportedly Spotted on GSMA Database With Model Numbers Google’s Pixel 10 series launch is still a long time away, but there’s already a lot of buzz surrounding the chipset and camera features of the Pixel 9 successors. Most recently, the upcoming Pixel smartphones have allegedly popped up in the GSMA database suggesting their model numbers. The listing reveals four models, similar to the current Pixel 9 series. The listing suggests two model numbers each for the Pixel 10 and Pixel 10 Pro. GSMA Listing Reveals Four Pixel 10 Models Smartprix reportedly spotted the Pixel 10 family on the GSMA database with model numbers. Like the Pixel 9 series, the new lineup is said to include four devices — Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL and Pixel 10 Pro Fold. The vanilla Pixel 10 is reportedly listed with model numbers “GLBW0” and “GL066,” while the Pixel 10 Pro bears model numbers “G4QUR” and “GN4F5.” The Pixel 10 Pro XL is shown with model number “GUL82″ and the Pixel 10 Pro Fold is tagged with model number “GU0NP.” The report includes a screenshot of the alleged listing with the model numbers. The Pixel 10a which is expected to join the Pixel 10 series next year is not mentioned in these filings. The appearance of four Pixel 10 devices in the GSMA database indicates that Google could be in the final stages of getting regulatory approvals for its next-generation Pixel phones. The next-generation Pixel phones are expected to stand out from their predecessors with a brand-new Tensor G5 chip and improved generative AI features. It is likely to arrive in August this year. They are likely to include a MediaTek T900 modem. The series is likely to run on Android 16 out-of-the-box. The Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL, and Pixel 10 Pro Fold models are said to have codenames Frankel, Blazer, Mustang, and Rango, respectively. They could support HDR video recording at 4K/ 60fps. 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. Oppo, OnePlus Testing Massive 8,000mAh Battery for Upcoming Smartphones, Tipster Claims Former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati Launches AI Startup, Poaching Staff From ChatGPT Maker Source link #Google #Pixel #Series #Reportedly #Spotted #GSMA #Database #Model #Numbers Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Why ‘city-killer’ asteroid YR4’s impact probability keeps increasing – Big Think Why ‘city-killer’ asteroid YR4’s impact probability keeps increasing – Big Think Why ‘city-killer’ asteroid YR4’s impact probability keeps increasing Big ThinkWill That Asteroid Strike Earth? Risk Level Rises to Highest Ever Recorded. The New York TimesOdds of asteroid 2024 YR4 hitting Earth in 2032 have reached new high New ScientistOdds of massive asteroid striking Earth increase again: NASA Fox News Source link #citykiller #asteroid #YR4s #impact #probability #increasing #Big Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

New Baldurs Gate 3 mod stops players from accidentally boning Gale New Baldurs Gate 3 mod stops players from accidentally boning Gale A new Baldur’s Gate 3 mod aims to stop players from accidentally romancing Gale, the lovable mage that just wants affection. Source link #Baldurs #Gate #mod #stops #players #accidentally #boning #Gale Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Global mining giant Glencore reports profit slide as key earner coal slumps Global mining giant Glencore reports profit slide as key earner coal slumps Glencore posted a slide in full-year profit as the commodity giant battles slumping prices for key materials and suggested that it’s prepared to cut output to support prices in some markets. Source link #Global #mining #giant #Glencore #reports #profit #slide #key #earner #coal #slumps Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Assassin’s Creed III Introduced a Narrative Nuance Responsible for Becoming the Foundation For Many Future Titles Assassin’s Creed III Introduced a Narrative Nuance Responsible for Becoming the Foundation For Many Future Titles Although Assassin’s Creed III is one of the most divisive titles in the Ubisoft series, it excelled at narrative nuance. It should come as no surprise that the game’s opening sequences are set in the present, but it takes an interesting and rebellious turn once the narrative delves into the past via the Animus. Assassin’s Creed III was released on October 30, 2012. | Credit: Ubisoft. In the years that have passed, Assassin’s Creed has made several attempts to restructure its story, but none of them may have been as drastic as Assassin’s Creed III‘s narrative shakeups. This laid the groundwork for a number of subsequent Assassin’s Creed video games. How did Assassin’s Creed III introduce a narrative nuance in the franchise? Haytham was important in bringing the narrative nuance to the game. | Credit: Ubisoft. Haytham Kenway is the rival of Assassin’s Creed III‘s protagonist, Connor Kenway (also known as Ratonhnhaké:ton). This relationship is even more intriguing because Haytham is Connor’s father. Furthermore, Haytham is the son of Assassin’s Creed IV: ****** Flag‘s protagonist, Edward Kenway. Assuming that this endearing Englishman was an assassin when, in reality, he was a Templar, and forcing us to play as Haytham at the start, was a brilliant move by AC3. Being conflicted right away was a great way to introduce a nuance that hadn’t been explored at all. The concept that Ubisoft used in AC3 is that the company decided to begin the story from a different aspect instead of using a straightforward narrative. allowing you to see both sides of the story. That was with AC3, and in Black Flag, they deviated from the whole Assassin storyline by making Edward a pirate. Then it was a whole Templar concept with Rogue as well. If you consider the whole Ezio perspective, the plot was linear before AC3. However, it lost its linearity in AC3 and later, and the story became richer and more intricate. All things considered, it’s an intriguing setup that the game would go on to continue to explore in future games like ****** Flag, Rogue, and many more. Even Shadows should take a feature from AC3. Haytham portrayed a completely different ‘Templar’ image Haytham’s son Connor is the main protagonist of Assassin’s Creed III. | Credit: Ubisoft. Haytham’s story may be tragic, but it is also poignant, as he sacrifices his family for his country to save the game’s main antagonist, Charles Lee. The Assassin’s Creed franchise is not usually known for its antagonists, but Haytham is among the series’ best. Now, here’s where the narrative nuance comes into play. However, Haytham’s presence persists throughout the game, offering a special emotional bond between the Assassins and Templars’ central characters. His viewpoint is significant throughout the story, helping the player comprehend Connor’s contemplation of a Templar-Assassin alliance and intensifying the sense of tragedy in the carnage. Comment byu/Ficboy from discussion inassassinscreed The Templars are evil, right? Haytham was awesome. Haytham is still the same person when we see him again, and he can circle around Conner philosophically. As a Templar, Haytham proudly passes away without expressing remorse for his deeds. Additionally, Haytham’s entourage, particularly William Johnson, John Pitcairn, and even Charles Lee, prove to be more than just power-hungry sleeveheads; they are men who genuinely believe in and want to bring about peace via order. It is commendable that AC3 reframed the Assassin-Templar conflict as “freedom versus order” rather than “good versus evil.” Source link #Assassins #Creed #III #Introduced #Narrative #Nuance #Responsible #Foundation #Future #Titles Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Couple watched neighbours ‘land-grab’ their garden on camera while holidaying in Austrailia Couple watched neighbours ‘land-grab’ their garden on camera while holidaying in Austrailia A couple involved in a bitter boundary dispute watched their neighbours ”land-grab” their garden on camera – while holidaying in Australia. Rosa Bell and her husband Murray say they looked on in horror as the boundary fence was removed, their patio was dug up, shed torn down and trees were chopped away by contractors working for their neighbours. The dispute was sparked when The Bells applied for an extension to the side on their three-bed detached home in Tadworth, Surrey, and as part of the application raised concern about an overhanging guttering pipe and garage wall. But it escalated when Rosa and Murray were visiting their daughter on the other side of the world – and they say neighbours – named in legal documents as Huy Eng Myers and Michael Myers – claimed a total of 1.2 meters at one end and 76cm at the other end of the garden as their own. Rosa said the council and police won’t take any action and she is left to pursue the matter through civil court. Source link #Couple #watched #neighbours #landgrab #garden #camera #holidaying #Austrailia Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Mass Effect 5: Theories, Speculation, & Direction Mass Effect 5: Theories, Speculation, & Direction Now that BioWare is solely focused on the next Mass Effect. Theories are now floating around. Here are some theories about Mass Effect 5. Source link #Mass #Effect #Theories #Speculation #amp #Direction Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump plans to impose 25% tariffs on autos, chips and pharmaceuticals – CNN Trump plans to impose 25% tariffs on autos, chips and pharmaceuticals – CNN Trump plans to impose 25% tariffs on autos, chips and pharmaceuticals CNNTrump says US auto tariffs to be around 25% YahooCars could get more expensive again as tariff-loving Trump warns automakers: You’re next Fortune Source link #Trump #plans #impose #tariffs #autos #chips #pharmaceuticals #CNN Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

How a plan to land £100m of ******** on a Highland beach went wrong How a plan to land £100m of ******** on a Highland beach went wrong Steven McKenzie & Anna MacLeod BBC Scotland News & BBC ALBA Getty Images Chisholm’s gang used Clashnessie beach in the Highlands to land the ******** Thirty-five years ago, one drug dealer believed he had a foolproof plan to smuggle uncut Colombian ******** directly into Scotland. Recruiting a gang of fellow Scots, Julian Chisholm proposed taking the drugs by ship across the Atlantic to a remote Highland beach, and then by road to central Scotland for distribution. He successfully pitched his idea to South America’s Cali Cartel, one of the world’s most dangerous crime organisations. But on a stormy winter’s night in 1990, Chisholm’s criminal enterprise began to spectacularly unravel. BEEZR TV/BBC ALBA Former deep sea diver Julian Chisholm put together a plot to get high purity ******** directly to Scotland Brought up in Blairgowrie, Perthshire, Chisholm worked as a deep sea diver in the North Sea oil industry in the 1980s before turning to a life of crime. After quitting his job, he moved to southern Spain and worked his way into the region’s criminal underworld. He started smuggling cannabis, but had his sights on something more lucrative – ********, the drug of choice of the rich and dubbed “white gold”. “Half a tonne of gold was worth £7m or £8m,” writer Iain F Macleod tells new BBC Alba three-part documentary ******** and the Klondykers. “Half a tonne of ******** was worth £100m.” Chisholm formed a plan to get ******** of high purity directly to Scotland. He would land it in the Scottish Highlands, a large and sparsely populated region too big for the authorities to watch every way in and out. His scheme circumnavigated the existing route of drugs to Scotland through continental Europe, over the sea from Holland to England and then north. There were too many opportunities for police to intercept consignments. And by the time ******** reached Scotland it had been cut – mixed – several times with additives such as flour or baking soda to bulk up the supply. Getty Images Special forces raid a cartel compound in Cali, Colombia, in the 1990s Chisholm sold his plan to the Cali Cartel, a violent Colombian criminal group smuggling ******** into Europe. Writer Eugene Costello says: “Setting up a deal like that with the Cali Cartel doesn’t happen overnight. “I am still intrigued how he did it.” Despite being based in Spain, Chisholm’s criminal activities were on the radar of *** police and customs, who were aware of a link to the Highlands. Still, Chisholm successfully smuggled a large quantity of cannabis undetected to convince the cartel he could handle ********. The cannabis was landed on Gruinard Island in Wester Ross. Nicknamed Anthrax Island, it was closed to the public due to contamination caused by germ warfare tests in World War Two. ‘Cut adrift’ Chisholm had recruited a team of six including diver Chris Howarth and fisherman Noel Hawkins, who were from the Highlands, along with David Forrest, from Dundee, and Ian Rae, of Angus. Howarth and Chisholm scouted locations where the drugs could be landed from sea. They settled on Clashnessie, a small beach near the tiny community of Drumbeg on the rugged north west Highland coastline north of Ullapool. In December 1990 the plan was put into action. A rusty freighter, with Howarth and Hawkins on board, picked up bales of ******** dropped from a plane into the ocean off Trinidad – islands off South America’s east coast. The ship reached the Highlands during a storm. But Howarth and Hawkins were ordered by the freighter’s Spanish captain, a veteran of running drugs, to get into a rubber dinghy with the ******** and get it to shore. Costello says: “It was foolhardy almost to the point of homicidal to cut them adrift in a force 10 storm.” Packets of ******** were lost overboard. Days later a fishing boat would pick up a package worth about £1m. Some believe the original amount of drugs involved was a tonne. Nearing the shore the dinghy was cut to shreds on a rocky, razor sharp reef. Howarth and Hawkins eventually got to the safety of the beach and stashed the drugs they had managed to bring with them under rocks. They then trudged a few miles in wet clothes to Drumbeg and the nearest phone box to let Chisholm know. BEEZR TV/BBC ALBA A reconstruction of the gang’s orange van on a Highland road The next part of the plan was set in motion. The Dundee-based distribution team – Forrest and Rae – hired a bright orange van in Forfar and headed north to collect the drugs. Police and Customs officials monitoring Chisholm were alerted that something might be afoot. They believed it was another large shipment of cannabis and were determined not to let this one slip under their noses. Efforts were made to trace Forrest and Rae’s movements. The pair reached Clashnessie and the ******** was packed into the back of the van. Forrest and Rae set off on the long drive back south. If they were stopped by police, they were to tell officers they were a special delivery crew transferring radioactive material from the Dounreay nuclear power plant, near Thurso, for disposal at another site. They had fake paperwork to support their lie. Their hope was officers would keep their distance and let them to carry on their way. They were unaware the authorities already had an inkling of what they were up to and would see through any such ruse. A patrolling police sergeant spotted the van parked outside toilets at Corrieshalloch, near Ullapool. The Highlands were a far quieter place than they are today and the orange vehicle jarred with Mike Maclennan. He noted the east coast number plate and called it in. A check confirmed it was a vehicle hired by Rae. The authorities were now firmly on the tail of Chisholm’s gang. The van was surrounded by police on the A9 near Aviemore. Customs investigator Graham ***** says: “We were always thinking this was going to be a cannabis importation and when the van was opened we had these ****** bags. “The total was half a tonne of ********.” The £100m of “white gold” was the biggest drug seizure made in the *** at that time. It led to the arrests and jailing of Chisholm’s gang. Chisholm was arrested in Spain, but there would be yet another twist in the story. Martha Lochhead Chet Sandhu, a former international drug smuggler, said Chisholm was held in a high security prison Chisholm was held in Fontcalent high security prison in Alicante, southern Spain, until he could be extradited to the ***. Chet Sandhu, a former international drug smuggler and Fontcalent inmate, tells the documentary: “It’s a notorious jail, an old jail. It’s not a pleasant place to be in. “There are a lot of people from Russia, North America, Algeria and either in there for ******* or drugs.” But Chisholm’s time in Fontcalent soon came when it was decided to transfer him to another jail. A van turned up at the gates but guards said it was too big to fit through the entrance so Chisholm and the other prisoner would have to be walked out. On the way they managed to slip out of their manacles and ran into the desert. Chisholm has not been seen since. There are suggestions he managed to find a bolthole in Spain. He remains a wanted man. Source link #plan #land #100m #******** #Highland #beach #wrong Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

NSW police officer charged after alleged ******* assault in Cronulla, Sydney NSW police officer charged after alleged ******* assault in Cronulla, Sydney A serving NSW police officer has been charged with ********* assaulting a woman in Sydney’s south almost a year and a half ago. Police began investigations after receiving a report of that a woman had allegedly been ********* assaulted at a home in Cronulla by a man she met at a hotel on Saturday September 16, 2023. Camera IconThe constable has been out of the workplace for just over a year. NewsWire/ Gaye Gerard Credit: News Corp Australia Officers attached to Sutherland Police Area Command established a crime scene at the Cronulla home after the woman reported the alleged assault on September 17, 2023. The 25-year-old officer was arrested at his Dulwich Hill home and taken to Newtown Police Station. He has been charged with two counts of ******* intercourse without consent. The constable is attached to a Central Metropolitian Region command but has been out of the workplace since November 2023. He was granted conditional bail to attended Newtown Local Court on April 14. His employment status is under review. Source link #NSW #police #officer #charged #alleged #******* #assault #Cronulla #Sydney Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

These Are The Cheap Cars That Consumer Reports Actually Recommends Buying These Are The Cheap Cars That Consumer Reports Actually Recommends Buying Photo: Hyundai It’s no secret that new cars are expensive these days even if you don’t need something fancy. Heck, if you aren’t careful, you could end up spending more than $40,000 on a Toyota RAV4. That said, there are still plenty of new cars available that cost a lot less. The problem is that the cheapest new cars have traditionally not actually been very good. They met the legal definition of a car, but that was about it. So how do you know which less-expensive new cars are actually worth considering? You could definitely spend hours poring over all the information available on owners forums, or you could let our friends at Consumer Reports point you in the right direction. Combining its own independent test results with information gathered from hundreds of thousands of owners and actual transaction data, CR recently released a list of the cheapest cars it actually recommends. Let’s take a look at what made the list: Subaru Legacy A 2025 Subaru Legacy Premium has a starting MSRP of $27,310, but on average, buyers are typically getting them for $1,533 less than that. So if you’re interested, expect to only pay $25,777 instead. That’s pretty darn affordable for a new car these days, and it also happens to be Consumer Reports’ top-rated midsize sedan regardless of price. Overall Score: 82 Buick Envista It may be a little weird to see a Buick on a list of cheap cars, but as Bob Dylan said, the times, they are a-changin’. The 2025 Buick Envista Sport Touring has a base price of $25,100, but on average, they’re going for $362 more than that. Still, it looks good, and people are probably going to guess you spent a lot more than $25,462. Overall Score: 62 Subaru Impreza If you like Subaru but don’t need or want a sedan as big as the Legacy, look no further than the $25,319 2025 Subaru Impreza Sport. Well, technically, it has an MSRP of $25,610, but you can expect to pay $291 less than that. Despite its low starting price, the Impreza has also proven to be exceptionally reliable and is the second-rated small car that Consumer Reports has tested. Story continues Overall Score: 80 Kia Soul Maybe it’s a hatchback. Maybe it’s a crossover. Who really cares? The Kia Soul is practical and affordable, with a starting price for a 2025 Kia Soul S coming in at a mere $22,990. Unfortunately for your wallet, other folks have figured out what a good car the Soul is, so the average transaction price is actually $1,013 over MSRP. Then again, considering what else is available for less than $25,000 these days, paying $24,003 will probably still feel like a deal. Overall Score: 73 Mazda 3 The Mazda 3 has been a Jalopnik favorite for years, and it’s really no surprise to see it on Consumer Reports’ list of great, affordable cars. Not only is it pretty reliable, but it’s also more fun than you’d expect considering a 2025 Mazda3 2.5 S starts at $23,950. The average transaction price is actually $23,962, but something tells us you won’t mind spending that extra $12 after taking one for a test drive. Overall Score: 78 Hyundai Elantra While we still remember the days when it was surprising how good Hyundais were, those days are long gone. And yet, the Korean automaker has still kept the price of a 2025 Hyundai Elantra SEL Sport at a reasonable $23,150. On average, though, buyers are paying $43 less than that, bringing the price you can expect to pay down to $23,107. Overall Score: 67 Toyota Corolla You had to have known the Toyota Corolla would be on this list at some point. After all, it’s the Corolla. And yet, with an MSRP of $22,325 and an average transaction price of $22,808, it isn’t actually the cheapest car Consumer Reports recommends. That said, it will probably be the most reliable. Overall Score: 76 Nissan Versa The Nissan Versa may be the bane of everyone who rents a car’s existence, but it’s a new car with a base price of $21,190. It isn’t going to be fancy or even especially comfortable, but it is a car, and you can expect to buy it for $21,835, which is $645 over MSRP. You can find better cars for less, but the Versa does still come with that new car warranty. Overall Score: 61 Nissan Sentra The 2025 Nissan Sentra S has a starting price of $21,590, which means it’s slightly more expensive than the Versa is on paper, but the extra $203 people pay on average means its $21,793 average transaction price is a tiny bit lower than the Versa’s. Unless the Versa’s smaller size is important to you, just get the Sentra. It’s a much better car regardless of price, and if it’s cheaper, too? That’s a no-brainer if there’s ever been one. Overall Score: 78 Hyundai Venue Not too long ago, the cheapest car that Consumer Reports recommended would have probably been a subcompact hatchback such as the Toyota Yaris. Today, that honor goes to the Hyundai Venue, a subcompact hatchback with just enough ride height for Hyundai to call it a crossover. A 2025 Hyundai Venue SE starts at $20,100, but demand has pushed the average transaction price up by $1,000 to a wallet-draining $21,100. Oh wait, that actually ridiculously affordable by new car standards. Overall Score: 61 For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Source link #Cheap #Cars #Consumer #Reports #Recommends #Buying Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Germany's far-right AfD is shut out from power for now, but waiting in the wings – Reuters Germany's far-right AfD is shut out from power for now, but waiting in the wings – Reuters Germany’s far-right AfD is shut out from power for now, but waiting in the wings ReutersGerman election: Merz’s conservatives slide in YouGov poll DW (English)The rise of the far right, global trade and Ukraine’s future: why the ******* election matters – visual explainer The GuardianHitler’s Spiritual Heirs Are About to Win Big in Germany’s Election HaaretzGerman Federal Election Results Bloomberg Source link #Germany039s #farright #AfD #shut #power #waiting #wings #Reuters Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump and Musk discuss conflict of interests Trump and Musk discuss conflict of interests President Donald Trump and Elon Musk defended the role of Doge, the non-governmental agency which he is in charge of, during their first joint TV interview on Tuesday evening. Asked about potential conflicts between his businesses and US government role, Musk said he’s “never asked the president for anything.” “If there’s a conflict, he won’t be involved,” Trump added. Source link #Trump #Musk #discuss #conflict #interests Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]