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Rare deep-sea ‘doomsday fish’ washes up on Canary Islands coast – The Independent Rare deep-sea ‘doomsday fish’ washes up on Canary Islands coast – The Independent Rare deep-sea ‘doomsday fish’ washes up on Canary Islands coast The Independent’Doomsday Fish’ Washes Ashore Mexico Beach: ‘Nobody’s Gonna Believe This’ PEOPLE‘Doomsday’ fish washes up on beach, sparking ‘disaster’ fear: ‘Something bad is going to happen’ New York Post Video captures rare ‘doomsday’ oarfish swimming near Mexico beach shore USA TODAYAnother ‘Doomsday Fish’ Just Washed Up on a Popular Beach Men’s Journal Source link #Rare #deepsea #doomsday #fish #washes #Canary #Islands #coast #Independent Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Cyclone Zelia: Great Northern Highway reopening expected this weekend Cyclone Zelia: Great Northern Highway reopening expected this weekend Main Roads WA expects to reopen the Great Northern Highway to general traffic sometime over the weekend. Source link #Cyclone #Zelia #Great #Northern #Highway #reopening #expected #weekend Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

‘I felt my government was right’ ‘I felt my government was right’ Riding in a helicopter can be an exhilarating experience, especially when flying over the Himalayan mountains. However, if seeing the iconic Mount Everest is on your bucket list, get ready to burn some calories instead. As the Diplomat reported, leisure helicopter rides have been banned since January 1 in Nepal’s UNESCO-listed Sagarmatha National Park — which includes Everest. The chopper ban does allow for medical evacuation and transport of food and other essentials for climbers and expedition participants. However, if you plan on trekking any area 4,000 meters above altitude, you’ll have to do so the old-fashioned way — by foot. While the national park is taking this step to protect wildlife, it will affect the local helicopter industry. Sixty percent of their business comes from the Everest region, so many are protesting the ban. The local Sherpa community in the Everest area has been pivotal in rescue missions and guiding expeditions. This group has also used helicopters as part of its work. Helicopter transport has helped them with their workload and delegating tasks. One anonymous expedition leader told the Diplomat, “Daily kitchen essentials are easier to ferry by chopper from Kathmandu.” However, others see how much trash can accumulate when too many people are in one spot. “After reaching Mt. Everest Base Camp, I felt my government was right in its tourism and mountaineering policy,” local journalist Chencho Dema said, per Nepal Press. The helicopter ban will affect the economy by slowing down some of the visits, but it can slow down something else — pollution. After all, when trekkers leave, local people still live there, in an environment that must carry on. The abundant litter left behind by so many visitors has contributed to the local watershed contamination. Watch now: Netflix chef and bestselling author talks about why she’s in love with new cooking technique It has become so overcrowded it’s become referred to as the “world’s highest garbage dump,” per National Geographic. Another problem from the overcrowding is eroding footpaths and razed trees to build more lodges. The local Sherpas run the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee NGO that helps keep the area clean. As the Diplomat reports, Kanchha Sherpa, who was part of the first summit expedition in 1953, states in his book, “I think that Everest needs a rest for a few seasons. And maybe this will make a better value of Everest.” Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don’t miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet. Source link #felt #government Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Dramatic video shows moment Delta plane flipped after landing in Toronto – ABC News Dramatic video shows moment Delta plane flipped after landing in Toronto – ABC News Dramatic video shows moment Delta plane flipped after landing in Toronto ABC NewsTwin Cities band Yam Haus supposed to be next on crashed Toronto plane KARE11.comNew video shows moment Delta plane flips upside down while landing CNN Source link #Dramatic #video #shows #moment #Delta #plane #flipped #landing #Toronto #ABC #News Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Elon Musk says Grok 2 is going open source as he rolls out Grok 3 for Premium+ X subscribers only Elon Musk says Grok 2 is going open source as he rolls out Grok 3 for Premium+ X subscribers only xAI’s debut of the Grok 3 AI model allowed CEO Elon Musk and his team to show off the power of the latest iteration of Grok. Slightly lost in the benchmarking fireworks is what happens to the Grok 2 model, though. While Grok 3 is exclusive to Premium+ subscribers on X, Grok 2 will be even more accessible than before as it will shortly be open-source. Grok 2 has been the default model for every Grok user, but the underlying engine will now have a chance to spread far further. Usually, AI models from big companies are locked down. You get access to them through paid subscriptions, and you can use them, but you can’t really see how they work or modify them to suit your specific needs. Open-sourcing Grok 2 means that developers will be able to dig into its code and customize it for use in entirely new applications. Just how open the open-source version of Grok 2 will be is unclear, though. Sometimes, companies say open source even when they retain or hold back at least a little of their proprietary work. Still, Grok 2 is likely to have a second life in the hands of an open-source community that can tweak and experiment with it. Despite its name, OpenAI has moved away from open-source. Its most powerful models remain proprietary. GPT-4, for example, remains locked down, with no open-source version in sight. Musk’s deliberate contrast with OpenAI certainly appears, at least somewhat. After stating his distrust of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman last fall, Musk highlighted his plan to open-source xAI models after completing the next iteration to contrast with ChatGPT’s creator. Worth noting that @xAI has been and will open source its models, including weights and everything, As we create the next version, we open source the prior version, as we did with Grok 1 when Grok 2 was released.October 4, 2024 Open thought Not that xAI is unique in pursuing the open-source vision. Meta has dabbled with the open-source movement by releasing aspects of its Llama models since they first launched. The sudden superstar of AI, China-based DeepSeek, has also been pushing hard to open-source AI. The open-sourcing of Grok 2 means they might lead to some intriguing AI tools popping up outside the usual walled gardens. We could see smaller companies and independent developers using it to create custom chatbots and personalized AI assistants, like an AI chatbot trained entirely on classic literature or one that helps indie video game developers generate lore for their worlds. They might prove you don’t need a multi-billion-dollar walled garden to develop something groundbreaking. Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Then again, some of those creations will depend on what kind of limitations will be baked into the release. Even if xAI means it when it says Grok 2 will be open source, the company could still have its cake and eat it, too. The company can keep its cutting-edge products exclusive but let people have the older version to generate goodwill, get free innovation from independent developers, and maybe attract more people to sign up for Grok. You might also like Source link #Elon #Musk #Grok #open #source #rolls #Grok #Premium #subscribers Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Firehouse Subs in Australia: Retail Food Group takes bite out of $1.7b sandwich market with launch of US chain Firehouse Subs in Australia: Retail Food Group takes bite out of $1.7b sandwich market with launch of US chain The company behind eateries Donut King and Gloria Jean’s is set to muscle its way into the local $1.7 billion sandwich category by launching US chain Firehouse Subs across Australia. Fresh from abandoning its popular bakery chain Michel’s Patisserie last week, Retail Food Group announced on Wednesday it had inked a deal with Restaurant Brands International to open 165 Firehouse Subs stores over the next 10 years. The move — which will see the first store opened in south-east Queensland late this year — pits the brand directly against market leader Subway. The Gold Coast-based RFG is also behind the Crust pizza chain and Brumby’s Bakery. The deal with RBI — one of the world’s biggest quick service restaurant companies — is expected to see 15 company-owned stores opened in the next three years in Queensland before expanding across the country via franchisees. RFG chief executive Matthew Marshall said Firehouse Subs was a key pillar of its ambitious growth strategy. “I am convinced that Australians have never tried anything like the quality and flavour of Firehouse Subs,” he said. “This is a brand that is all about the highest quality sandwiches with exceptional service. We couldn’t ask for a better partner than RBI, bringing global scale and new market entry expertise.” RBI International president Thiago Santelmo said it was excited to expand Firehouse Subs in the Asia-Pacific region. An RFG spokesman told The Nightly that WA was also on its radar, saying there was an “opportunity for franchisees to partner with us to expand the Firehouse Subs brand in all States and Territories”. Firehouse Subs was founded by brothers Chris and Robin Sorensen in Jacksonvile, Florida. It has grown to 1300 locations across North America, with plans to expand into Brazil. RFG shares jumped 13 per cent to $2.08 following the announcement of the deal and its half-year results, which showed net profit grew 74 per cent to $7.3 million in the six months to the end of December as revenue leapt 20 per cent to $69.6m. Sales growth at its coffee, cafe and bakery brands — which generates about 72 per cent of total sales — was offset by weaker performance from its quick service restaurants segment. RFG said Crust has seen the number of customers decline as families continued to pull back on dining out. Source link #Firehouse #Subs #Australia #Retail #Food #Group #takes #bite #1.7b #sandwich #market #launch #chain Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Intelligent life may be much more likely than first thought, new model suggests Intelligent life may be much more likely than first thought, new model suggests When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Early life may have made an inhospitable Earth more habitable — and it could be happening on alien planets too, new research proposes. | Credit: Getty The emergence of human life may not have been as improbable as scientists once thought, a new model suggests. The finding increases the likelihood of intelligent life elsewhere in the universe, the researchers say. Previously, scientists assumed that for human life to emerge on Earth, it needed to pass through a series of “hard steps” — flukes in evolution that are incredibly unlikely to occur within the lifetime of an average star. This makes our position as intelligent observers of the universe a rare occurrence and our chances of finding intelligent aliens low. But a new model has challenged this decades-old assumption by proposing that human intelligence wasn’t a long shot but instead an outcome that unfolded according to predictable geological processes. The researchers published their findings Feb. 14 in the journal Science Advances. “We’re arguing that intelligent life may not require a series of lucky breaks to exist,” lead author Dan Mills, a researcher at the University of Munich, said in a statement. “Humans didn’t evolve ‘early’ or ‘late’ in Earth’s history, but ‘on time,’ when the conditions were in place. Perhaps it’s only a matter of time, and maybe other planets are able to achieve these conditions more rapidly than Earth did, while other planets might take even longer.” First proposed by physicist Brandon Carter in 1983, the hard steps model is an attempt to explain why humans emerged on Earth so late in the life of the sun — roughly 4.5 billion years into its 10 billion-year lifespan. Carter reasoned that intelligent life evolved through a chain of highly improbable evolutionary events — the formation of replicating molecules, the emergence of RNA and DNA, the evolution of multicellular organisms, and the inventions of sex and language. Related: Alien life may look nothing like life on Earth — so how should we go about looking for it? Carter’s proposal quickly took root in astrobiology, encouraging the view that our own evolution was a remarkably uncommon accident and that the odds of us encountering human-like beings elsewhere in the universe was, therefore, dishearteningly low. But it may not be true after all, the new research suggests. By combining expertise in physics and geobiology, they studied the key steps that led to the evolution of life on our planet. This produced a model that explains our origins through the sequential openings of key “windows of habitability,” such as oxygen and nutrient availability, ocean salinity and sea surface temperatures. According to this model, human life didn’t emerge late on our planet but simply when the planetary conditions were right. RELATED STORIES —Does alien life need a planet to survive? Scientists propose intriguing possibility —‘It’s hard not to believe he saw something’: Historian Greg Eghigian on how UFOs took over the world —The fastest-moving stars in the galaxy may be piloted by intelligent aliens, new paper suggests “We’re taking the view that rather than base our predictions on the lifespan of the sun, we should use a geological time scale, because that’s how long it takes for the atmosphere and landscape to change,” Jason Wright, a professor of astronomy and astrophysics at Penn State and a co-author of the paper, said in the statement. “These are normal timescales on the Earth. If life evolves with the planet, then it will evolve on a planetary time scale at a planetary pace.” To test this new proposal, the researchers outlined a number of research projects that include testing unicellular and multicellular organisms at extreme temperatures and oxygen levels to ascertain the range of conditions in which they could have emerged. They also proposed scanning the atmospheres of distant exoplanets for key biosignatures, such as the existence of oxygen, and searching the evolutionary record for signs that singular innovations on the path to human life (such as photosynthesis and eukaryotic cells) evolved more than once. “This is a significant shift in how we think about the history of life,” co-author Jennifer Macalady, a professor of geosciences at Penn State, said in the statement. “It suggests that the evolution of complex life may be less about luck and more about the interplay between life and its environment, opening up exciting new avenues of research in our quest to understand our origins and our place in the universe.” Source link #Intelligent #life #thought #model #suggests Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Tiger Woods, Jupiter Lose TGL Matchup as Fans Applaud Rickie Fowler, NYGC's 1st Win – Bleacher Report Tiger Woods, Jupiter Lose TGL Matchup as Fans Applaud Rickie Fowler, NYGC's 1st Win – Bleacher Report Tiger Woods, Jupiter Lose TGL Matchup as Fans Applaud Rickie Fowler, NYGC’s 1st Win Bleacher ReportTiger Woods has his ‘most embarrassing moment’ by not knowing the yardage in a TGL match Yahoo SportsExclusive Q&A: TGL’s tech chief answers the questions golf fans have been asking GolfDigest.comTiger Woods just experienced ‘one of the most embarrassing moments’ of career NBC SportsTiger Woods Left Distraught After Laughing Teammates Let Him Hit the Wrong Club Sports Illustrated Source link #Tiger #Woods #Jupiter #Lose #TGL #Matchup #Fans #Applaud #Rickie #Fowler #NYGC039s #1st #Win #Bleacher #Report Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Federal election 2025: Anthony Albanese bats away early election speculation Federal election 2025: Anthony Albanese bats away early election speculation Anthony Albanese won’t be calling the federal election this weekend, amid rampant speculation on when Australians will head to the polls. Conjecture about the election date has amplified in the 24 hours since the Reserve Bank on Tuesday delivered its first interest rate cut in more than four years. But on Wednesday morning, the Prime Minister jovially brushed off suggestions he would call the election this weekend. “I spoke to someone this morning, absolutely convinced that I’m driving to Government House this Sunday to call the election,” he told Jonesy and Amanda on Sydney Gold radio. Camera IconAnthony Albanese toured the BlueScope Steelworks at Port Kembla last week. PMO via NewsWire Credit: News Corp Australia Mr Albanese batted away jokes from the radio hosts about April 12 being the election date too, adding “everyone’s trying to have a bid” on when the nation will cast their ballots. The ongoing speculation about the election date should spark another conversation about four-year government terms, the Prime Minister said. “I think what it is, is this is a real argument for four-year fixed terms,” he said. “We’ve tried a couple of times hard to get referendums passed in this country, as we know, but we’ll have the elections due on May 17, or before.” To call an election, the Prime Minister needs to visit the Governor-General in Canberra. This is generally done on a Sunday. From there, legally binding documents called writs authorise the election – this can take more than a week – and then the campaign ******* must run for at least 33 days but no more than 58 days. NED-13128-When-will-we-go-to-the-polls April 12 is shaping as the bookmakers favourite at the moment, but May 17 is the absolute deadline. In the immediate wake of the much-needed interest rate cut, Treasurer Jim Chalmers said impending elections always brought an element of uncertainty among businesses. However, the Treasurer said he was not seeing a heightened element of hesitation this time around. Dr Chalmers put the election call firmly at Mr Albanese’s feet. Camera IconAnthony Albanese with local residents in his Grayndler electorate, James Declase, partner Louisa McSpeddan and baby Romy, the day after the rate cut. NewsWire/ Gaye Gerard Credit: News Corp AustraliaCamera IconOpposition Leader Peter Dutton has also been out and about pressing the flesh in this pre-campaign *******. NewsWire / John Gass Credit: News Corp Australia “I wouldn’t have thought he would have decided yet,” the Treasurer said on ABC radio Wednesday morning. “He’d be weighing up all of the options. “It’s got to be an election in the next three months. Of course, he’s thinking about it. Of course he’s weighing it up.” The federal budget is scheduled to be released on March 25. That date is an important touchstone for the election. If the election date has been set, parliament dissolved and politicians are in campaign mode, the current government will not release a March 25 budget. But again on Wednesday, the Treasurer said his government was “certainly preparing” to hand down a federal budget on March 25. Source link #Federal #election #Anthony #Albanese #bats #early #election #speculation Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Redditor Nets $15,000 A Month In Dividends With These Favorite High-Risk Stocks – Says ‘These Picks Changed My Portfolio’ Redditor Nets $15,000 A Month In Dividends With These Favorite High-Risk Stocks – Says ‘These Picks Changed My Portfolio’ Benzinga and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below. Investing in the stock market is usually a balancing act between risk and reward. While some investors go for steady, predictable returns, others are drawn to high-risk, high-reward stocks. These investments, often defined by volatility and the capacity to create massive gains, can be life-changing for those who strategize correctly. Still, they are not for the faint of heart since high-risk stocks can also lead to significant losses, making them controversial among investors. But, for those willing to embrace the suspense, the rewards can be considerable, as one Redditor’s story shows. Don’t Miss: The poster, who has amassed a portfolio worth more than $1 million, is now reaping the perks of his high-risk, high-reward investment approach. He’s earning $14,000 to $15,000 monthly in dividends, an achievement he has sustained for over a year. His portfolio is a combination of covered call ETFs, split-share funds and other high-yield investments that have performed well lately. However, the poster mentioned that he’s aware of the current favorable market conditions and he’s prepared to recalibrate his strategy if necessary. “Been over a year, so far, so good. Not too concerned, as I can recalibrate at a moment’s notice. I’m not ignorant of the fact that everything is performing well right now,” the investor said. Trending: Warren Buffett once said, “If you don’t find a way to make money while you sleep, you will work until you die.” Here’s how you can earn passive income with just $100. Below, we break down each of the stocks and funds the investor holds, explaining what they are, the dividend yields, and why investors might be drawn to them. Simplify Volatility Premium ETF Simplify Volatility Premium ETF (NYSE:SVOL) focuses on split income and capital gains between shareholders. Known for its high-yield dividends and popular among income-seeking investors, SVOL pays 15.24% annually. Story Continues JPMorgan Nasdaq Equity Premium Income ETF With a dividend yield of around 9.53%, JPMorgan Nasdaq Equity Premium Income ETF (NASDAQ:JEPQ) specializes in covered calls. The ETF generates income by selling these calls on NASDAQ-listed stocks and balances income production with moderate growth. Defiance S&P 500 Target Income ETF Like JEPQ, Defiance S&P 500 Target Income ETF (NYSE:SPYT) employs a covered call strategy to generate income, but it also invests in an S&P 500 index portfolio. With a dividend yield of 8.2%, SPYT’s approach lessens investors’ portfolio volatility. Trending: Arrived Home’s Private Credit Fund’s has historically paid an annualized dividend yield of 8.1%*, which provides access to a pool of short-term loans backed by residential real estate with just a $100 minimum. Life & Banc Split Corp. Life & Banc Split Corp. is a ********* split share giant that invests in a common shares portfolio of selected ********* banks and life insurance companies. LBS pays a dividend yield of approximately 14.8%. Brompton Lifeco Split Corp. Investing in Canada’s largest life insurance companies’ common shares, Brompton Lifeco Split Corp. provides a dividend yield of around 15.2%. Brompton Split Banc Corp. Brompton Split Banc Corp. focuses on investing in a portfolio composed of common shares of the largest six ********* banks. Investors might be charmed by SBC’s high dividend yield, which is around 13.5%, and its strong financial performance. Dividend Growth Split Corp. Offering a distribution rate of 18.66%, Dividend Growth Split Corp. invests in a varied portfolio of mainly large-cap ********* equities with a high dividend growth rate. See Also: This Jeff Bezos-backed startup will allow you to become a landlord in just 10 minutes, with minimum investments as low as $100. Global Dividend Growth Split Corp. Global Dividend Growth Split Corp. focuses on a diversified portfolio of equity securities and large-capitalization global dividend growth companies. GDV pays investors 10.5% in dividends per year. WisdomTree U.S. Quality Dividend Growth Fund WisdomTree U.S. Quality Dividend Growth Fund (NASDAQ:DGRW) tracks the investment outcomes of dividend-paying large-cap companies that focus on growth in the U.S. equity market. While generating a lower yield–around 2.3%–DGRW is known for its consistency and resilience during market downturns. iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF Tracking the investment results of an index made of U.S. equities, iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF (NYSE:DGRO) pays investors 2.18%. The ETF has a history of consistently growing dividends. Wondering if your investments can get you to a $5,000,000 nest egg? Speak to a financial advisor today. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you up with up to three vetted financial advisors who serve your area, and you can interview your advisor matches at no cost to decide which one is right for you. Arrived allows individuals to invest in shares of rental properties for as little as $100, providing the potential for monthly rental income and long-term appreciation without the hassles of being a landlord. With over $1 million in dividends paid out last quarter and a growing selection of properties across various markets, Arrived offers an attractive alternative for investors seeking to build a diversified real estate portfolio. In October 2024, Arrived sold The Centennial, achieving a total return of 34.7% (11.2% average annual returns) for investors. Arrived aims to continue delivering similar value across our portfolio through careful market selection, attentive property management, and thoughtful timing in sales. Looking for fractional real estate investment opportunities? The Benzinga Real Estate Screener features the latest offerings. This article Redditor Nets $15,000 A Month In Dividends With These Favorite High-Risk Stocks – Says ‘These Picks Changed My Portfolio’ originally appeared on Benzinga.com © 2025 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. Source link #Redditor #Nets #Month #Dividends #Favorite #HighRisk #Stocks #Picks #Changed #Portfolio Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Diablo Immortal tasks you with gathering Bloody Hearts for rewards in Feast of Valenti event Diablo Immortal tasks you with gathering Bloody Hearts for rewards in Feast of Valenti event Collect hearts in exchange for rewards Feast of Valenti Limited-Time Event runs until March 12th New Season 36 Battle Pass: Amberclad Just because Valentine’s Day is officially over doesn’t mean you can’t still share the love in Sanctuary – that’s where you need it the most, after all, isn’t it? In particular, Diablo Immortal will have you experiencing a twisted version of love in the Feast of Valenti Limited-Time Event, where you can receive your heart’s deepest desire for something horrifying in exchange until March 12th. Desperation can truly drive anyone mad, and some people will do anything to have their greatest wish granted – even if it means worshipping the vengeful fiend Valenti no matter what the cost. As you gather Bloody Hearts throughout the event, you might just catch her attention and receive goodies like Telluric Pearls, One-Star Legendary Gems, and Legendary items via the Trial of the Hordes, Survivor’s Bane, Wild Brawl, and Fractured Plane. As for the new Season 36 Battle Pass: Amberclad, there will be 40 ranks to aim for to score Crests, Hilts, Legendary Gems, and so much more. All these are simply scratching the surface of what’s in store for you this month and beyond, which you can learn more about in the official blog post. Are you on the hunt for something similar though? Why not take a look at our list of the best aRPGs on Android to get your fill? In the meantime, if you’re eager to join in on all the fun, you can do so by checking out Diablo Immortal on the App Store and on Google Play. It’s free-to-play with in-app purchases. You can also join the community of followers on the official Facebook page to stay updated on all the latest developments, visit the official website for more info, or take a little peek at the embedded clip above to get a feel of the vibes and visuals. Source link #Diablo #Immortal #tasks #gathering #Bloody #Hearts #rewards #Feast #Valenti #event Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Ensuring Accountability for All Agencies – The White House Ensuring Accountability for All Agencies – The White House Ensuring Accountability for All Agencies The White HouseTrump order challenges independence of FCC, FTC and financial regulators The Washington PostTrump Tightens Grip On Bank, M&A Regulators in Latest Order BloombergFTC, SEC and other independent federal agencies must clear regulations by White House, Trump orders Fierce healthcare Source link #Ensuring #Accountability #Agencies #White #House Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

‘Gay problem’: Fijian Drua move on after director axed ‘Gay problem’: Fijian Drua move on after director axed It’s business as usual for the Fijian Drua despite the country’s director of women’s rugby being sacked over her anti-gay stance, three weeks out from the Super Rugby Women’s season opener in Sydney. That is the assertion of Drua skipper Bitila Tawake after former Fiji captain Laijipa Naulivou was fired by the Fiji Rugby Union, who said they needed to reinforce a “commitment to upholding professional standards” and safeguard “the integrity of Fiji Rugby”. Naulivou told the Fiji Sun “those who played with me know that I do not condone being gay for women in rugby”. “I always speak against it and I know I’m very unpopular in that area with those who practice it,” she said, later referring to “this gay problem” as one of the issues for rugby in Fiji. The report cited alleged rifts related to sexuality in the women’s sevens squad as a reason for Fiji finishing a disappointing 12th at the 2024 Paris Olympics after losing all five games – three years after taking bronze in Tokyo. Naulivou also claimed that same-sex player relationships was “one big drawback” when the Fiji women’s team participated in a previous sevens tournament, and that a “gay problem” was affecting player retention across European nations. “I rather not comment on that but so far the girls are in good spirits coming into this week,” Tawake said at Wednesday’s Super Rugby Women’s season launch at North Sydney Oval. “We usually keep things off the field and on the on the field so, yeah, everyone just wants to keep it that way.” After winning back-to-back titles in 2022 and 2023, the Drua lost last year’s final 50-14 to the NSW Waratahs. Waratahs captain Piper Duck on Wednesday supported the Fiji Rugby Union decision to let Naulivou go just four days into the role, saying it was important for the game to continue “progressing in the right direction”. “Rugby is an extremely inclusive sport. The reason I love rugby is the inclusivity of both sexuality, religion, gender, body type, everything,” Duck told AAP. “We are an inclusive environment and that’s why I love the game. “That is what rugby is and it’s the reason I play it and I’m so grateful to be somewhere I feel like I can be myself and I am so welcomed and so loved.” Piper’s Waratahs host the Fijian Drua in the season opener at Allianz Stadium on February 28. Source link #Gay #problem #Fijian #Drua #move #director #axed Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Likelihood of Major Asteroid Hitting Earth Just Got Upgraded Again Likelihood of Major Asteroid Hitting Earth Just Got Upgraded Again A new asteroid that was discovered hurtling towards Earth in December has the highest odds of a collision to date, according to new data from NASA. New Scientist reported on Monday that asteroid 2024 YR4 now has a 2.6 percent, or about a 1-in-38 chance of hitting the Earth in 2032. When the asteroid was first spotted it had a 1-in-83 odds of a collision, but has been steadily increasing as astronomers learn more about the trajectory. It was since upgraded to 1-in-67, then to 1-in-53, and 1-in-43, before being given 1-in-38 odds. The European Space Agency has placed the odds slightly lower, with the current projection at a 2.41 percent chance of collision. According to a NASA blog post from earlier this month, the asteroid is estimated to be approximately 130 feet to 300 feet in diameter. If it does collide with the planet, it could release energy equivalent to 7.7 megatonnes of ****, or enough to destroy an entire city. However, as it’s still pretty early, the odds could still rise or decrease as it comes closer to the Earth. “As more observations of the asteroid’s orbit are obtained, its impact probability will become better known,” the federal agency writes. “It is possible that asteroid 2024 YR4 will be ruled out as an impact hazard, as has happened with many other objects that have previously appeared on NASA’s asteroid risk list … It is also possible its impact probability will continue to rise.” Hugh Lewis, a professor of astronautics with the University of Southampton, ***, likewise said “just because it’s gone up in the last week, doesn’t mean that it’s going to continue to do that.” NASA is planning to observe the asteroid next month with the James Webb Space Telescope to hopefully get a better understanding of the size, and what sort of impact it could make should it pass through the Earth’s atmosphere intact. “That will help us determine what we need to do about it, because if it’s a stony asteroid, that’s very different from a high proportion of iron-metal asteroid,” Lewis explained, noting that a stony asteroid has a better likelihood of breaking up during impact. “The mass makes a huge difference in terms of the energy and whether or not the atmosphere has an effect on it.” But it’s crucial for astronomers to learn as much as they can in March, as the asteroid will disappear behind the sun in April. After that, it will be out of range of telescopes until it comes back into view in 2028. In the meantime, astronomers can use previously collected data to possibly help refine the trajectory. “Any observations we can make between now and when it’s out of view will obviously help us to refine the orbit and to make better predictions,” Lewis added. “That doesn’t necessarily mean that it will go down before April. It could continue to go up, but still ultimately miss us.” Source link #Likelihood #Major #Asteroid #Hitting #Earth #Upgraded Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

HSBC annual profit jumps 6.5%, marginally misses estimates HSBC annual profit jumps 6.5%, marginally misses estimates A view of the logo of HSBC bank on a wall outside a branch in Mexico City, Mexico June 14, 2024. Henry Romero | Reuters Europe’s largest lender HSBC on Wednesday reported annual pre-tax profit of $32.31 billion, marginally missing analysts’ estimates. For the full year, HSBC reported revenue of $65.85 billion, down from $66.1 billion in 2023. Here are HSBC’s full-year results compared with LSEG mean estimates: Pre-tax profit: $32.31 billion vs. $32.63 billionRevenue: $65.85 billion vs. $66.52 billion The bank’s profit before tax for the fourth quarter nearly doubled from a year earlier to $2.3 billion. These are the lender’s first full-year results with Georges Elhedery’s as CEO of the London-headquartered bank. Elhedery, who was the bank’s chief financial officer, was chosen to lead the company in July following the retirement of Noel Quinn. On Tuesday, HSBC dismissed about 40 investment bankers in Hong Kong, Reuters reported. The sectors hit hardest are reportedly M&A, consumer, real estate and resources and energy. Last October, the bank revealed plans to reorganize its business into four units, separating its operations into an “Eastern markets” sector and a “Western markets” division. Shares of HSBC in Hong Kong gained over 23% last year, LSEG data showed. This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates. Source link #HSBC #annual #profit #jumps #marginally #misses #estimates Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Futures Rise After S&P 500 Hits High; Two Earnings Losers Late – Investor's Business Daily Futures Rise After S&P 500 Hits High; Two Earnings Losers Late – Investor's Business Daily Futures Rise After S&P 500 Hits High; Two Earnings Losers Late Investor’s Business DailyStock Market News, Feb. 18, 2025: Dow Ends Higher; Intel Shares Rally The Wall Street JournalS&P 500 Hits All-Time High in Late-Day Advance: Markets Wrap Yahoo FinanceMarkets News, February 18, 2025: S&P 500 Sets Record High as Stocks Rally in Late Trading; Intel, Supermicro Shares Continue to Surge InvestopediaStock Market Today: Stocks end at record high with peace talks, Walmart in focus TheStreet Source link #Futures #Rise #SampP #Hits #High #Earnings #Losers #Late #Investor039s #Business #Daily Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Ella Roberts and West Coast Eagles AFLW players help celebrate 30th anniversary of Auskick Ella Roberts and West Coast Eagles AFLW players help celebrate 30th anniversary of Auskick This year marks the 30th anniversary of Auskick as a national program and for 20-year-old Eagles’ midfielder Ella Roberts, it’s where the journey all began. Source link #Ella #Roberts #West #Coast #Eagles #AFLW #players #celebrate #30th #anniversary #Auskick Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

What Brian Laundrie Allegedly Texted Himself After Gabby Petito ******* What Brian Laundrie Allegedly Texted Himself After Gabby Petito ******* Originally appeared on E! Online A new docuseries is taking another haunting look at Gabby Petito’s *******. Among the evidence and new details presented in Netflix’s American *******: Gabby Petito are the text messages Gabby’s then-fiancé Brian Laundrie sent in an attempt to build an alibi. While in possession of Gabby’s cell phone, Brian allegedly staged a text message conversation between himself and Gabby, sending texts from his phone and answering them from hers—after he had already killed her. On Aug. 28, per the docuseries, Brian hiked from his and Gabby’s last known location in Grand Teton National Park to a new area of the park, texting Gabby’s phone from that location the next day, “Hey Hunny, just calling to let you know I made it to Colter Bay! I think the campground is still a little ways up the road, I’m gonna go check it out! LMK when your[sic] on your way, no rush:)” In an additional text, Brian reiterated there was “no rush” for Gabby to join him and added, “Can’t wait for you to see the mountains across the water!” More from E! Online From there, Brian hitched a ride back with multiple different people to the Spread Creek camping area where he had left the van—and Gabby’s phone. It was only then, after Brian returned to the van—and texted Gabby asking if she could pick him up a day early—that he received texts back from Gabby’s cell. It was only then, too, that the texts sent from Brian to Gabby’s phone were read. “Yeah sure baby,” Gabby’s phone texted Brian, “we’ll do one more night of dispersed and then we’ve got our site at Colter Bay for TWO NIGHTS!!” Instagram As FBI Special Agent Loretta Bush told the Netflix cameras, “The activity between the two phone was almost instantaneous. Brian was holding both phones and talking directly to himself. It was an apparent that he was trying to create an alibi.” On Aug. 30, Brian began his journey home to Florida in the sprinter van—of which Gabby had been the sole owner—along the way using Gabby’s debit card to pay for gas. He also sent Gabby’s mother Nichole Schmidt a text asking to connect with Gabby’s grandfather, who had been trying to get in touch with Gabby. Gabby’s phone referred to him as “Stan” rather than Grandpa in the text, which Nichole would later say struck her as odd. During his drive home, Brian also sent himself a Zelle payment of $700 from Gabby’s account, as if in payment for trip supplies. He wrote in the memo section of the transaction, “Goodbye Brian, I’ll never ask you for anything again.” Instagram Ultimately, authorities determined Gabby had been killed by Brian, with an autopsy report listing her cause of death as a ********* caused by manual strangulation and blunt-force trauma to her head and neck. Shortly after returning home to Florida, Brian, too, went missing. His skeletal remains were later found in October and his death was ruled a suicide. Near Brian’s body was a waterproof bag that contained a notebook in which the 23-year-old had described Gabby’s alleged final moments, claiming she’d been injured on a hike and had been “begging for an end to her pain,” at which point Brian wrote, “I ended her life.” But as Gabby’s stepfather Jim Schmidt noted, “Not one of the versions of Brian’s account was accurate by the findings of Gabby’s autopsy. The sole cause of her death was strangulation and nothing remotely or even close to what he said.” For more revelations from American *******: Gabby Petito, keep reading. Gabby Petito’s Family Thought Brian Laundrie Was Nice, But… “I thought he was a little socially awkward but very polite,” Gabby Petito‘s mom Nichole Schmidt said of Brian Laundrie in Netflix’s American *******: Gabby Petito. “Kinda quiet,” noted Gabby’s stepfather Jim Schmidt. But, said Gabby’s father Joe Petito, Brian “shook your hand, looked you in the eye.” Gabby and Brian got together after high school—love at first sight, he’d tell friends of the moment he saw her outside a deli and pulled over to talk to her—and after less than nine months of dating she moved to Florida with him to be closer to his family in December 2019. Rose Davis, a friend Gabby met in Florida, said of hanging out with both her and Brian for the first time, “It felt like a parent was watching us on a play date. It was very weird.” Brian was “very nice,” she added, but Rose remembered going home and telling her mom, “there is something off about him.” “That just started becoming more and more clear as our friendship progressed,” Rose said. “Brian had a very dark side of him.” Brian proposed in July 2020. Nichole said she found out Gabby was engaged from Brian’s mom Roberta Laundrie posting about it on Facebook. “She didn’t want to tell anybody,” Nichole said. “I thought that was really strange.” Gabby’s stepmother Tara Petito said she found it “a little bit shocking” that Brian didn’t ask Joe for his daughter’s hand before popping the question. Gabby was excited and happy at first, Nichole said, “but as time went on, she kind of lost that excitement.” Brian Laundrie Didn’t Support Gabby Petito’s #VanLife Dream Rose recalled how much Gabby loved working at Taco Bell, the job she took to help her pay for her beloved white 2012 Ford Transit Connect van. But Brian “started feeling neglected and having this possessiveness” over Gabby, she said. In text messages shown in the series, he disparaged her job and called the people she worked with “low lifes,” writing it was “f–king disgusting” she had become one of them. He managed to make her feel bad about making him feel bad, which resulted in her feeling undeserving of Brian’s love, Rose said, “and he wanted her to feel that way.” “I think there was a moment before her van life that she started to open her eyes,” Rose added. Gabby was getting “more frustrated. I think it was all clicking for her, the more it went on.” Still, Brian looked amiable enough in the footage Gabby shot as they embarked on their #VanLife odyssey in July 2021. But according to Rose, he didn’t think much of his fiancée’s dream and mainly went along for the ride to have her all to himself. “If I get her away from her job, I get her away from her friend, she only has me,” Rose said of his motivations. “And then, next thing you know, they were gone.” Gabby told her, Rose continued, that Brian thought her vlog idea was “stupid.” But, she added, “I think he was worried that the truth of everything would be on footage. There’s that possibility he says the wrong thing or reacts the wrong way while she’s recording.” The Cops Gave Brian Laundrie the Benefit of the Doubt On Aug. 12, 2021, a witness called 911 to report he had seen a man slapping a woman on the side of the road in Moab, Utah, after which they drove off and the van they were riding in hit a curb. Body cam footage from the Moab City Police’s encounter with Brian and Gabby that day was aired weeks later during the investigation into Gabby’s fate. But it remains shocking to see Gabby basically taking responsibility for their physical altercation, telling officers she had anxiety and “really bad OCD” and Brian really stressed her out but had been trying to calm her down. Brian had scratches on his face from Gabby’s phone, he said, telling police he was trying to push her away as she attempted to get the van keys from him. When a cop asked Gabby how she got bruises on her face and arm, she kept saying “I don’t know.” But she had been yelling at him, she said, and told police, “I guess I hit him first.” One officer told another, per the footage, that “from what she’s claiming, she’s the full-on aggressor here.” A cop then escorted Brian to a hotel known in the area as a refuge for victims of domestic violence, while Gabby was given the keys to the van and told where, an officer said, she could get a cheap hot shower to “decompress, destress a little bit.” The couple were ordered to refrain from contact, including texting, until the next day, but they reunited that night and soon were headed to Salt Lake City. The Police Footage Was Eye-Opening for Gabby Petito’s Family “She never told me about their fight in Moab,” Rose said in the series, having noted that Gabby had FaceTimed her every few weeks from the road, “but I’ve seen her that upset before, because of him.” Recalling how she felt finding out about the 911 call and viewing the police footage for the first time that September, Gabby’s mom Nichole said in the series, “I watched my daughter looking frightened to death. That’s when I realized that things were way worse than I could have imagined.” And “to see the distress my daughter was in, and then [cops] laughing and joking around [with Brian],” Nichole continued, “I could not believe that she was being treated as an aggressor.” Gabby Petito Texted Her Ex-Boyfriend From the Road Gabby’s ex-boyfriend Jackson (no last name given) said in the series that he heard from her out of the blue on Aug. 22, 2021. They had dated for about a year before she started seeing Brian, he noted, and had talked about doing the #VanLife thing together. So, when he heard about her adventure with Brian, he was a little wistful, but also happy for her. “I’m sure I’m the last person on the planet you want to hear from,” she wrote in a text shown in the series, adding that she was “only alone until tomorrow,” if they could talk before then. He later considered her reaching out “a cry for help.” On the phone Gabby “hinted” that she and Brian had an argument, Jackson recalled, and she said “I have a plan, I think I want to leave him.” She just had to figure out when, she told him. “I think that she wasn’t sure of what he would do, or what he could do,” Jackson said. “I think she was wanting to get away but just didn’t know how to do it.” Gabby Snapchatted him on Aug. 27 saying being in Jackson Hole, Wyo., reminded her of him. She also called him later that day, at 1:45 p.m., Jackson said, but he was at work and couldn’t answer. That was the last he ever heard from her. “Maybe if I did answer that phone call,” he said, “I could have helped or there could have been a different outcome.” Gabby Petito’s Parents Tried to Get in Touch With Brian Laundrie’s Family On Aug. 27, Gabby texted her mom: “I’m fine. I convinced Brian to go camp out in the woods so I can have the van to myself. It’s what he wants to do anyway. I don’t care. He said I could have the van if I paid him.” Nichole asked if they were breaking up, to which Gabby replied, “No I just said I could make more money as a solo female van lifer. I’m driving to a campsite now.” Further texts to Gabby went unanswered. Nichole received one from her daughter’s phone Aug. 30 that struck her as weird, she said, because it referred to Gabby’s grandfather by his name, Stan, instead of “grandpa.” Having heard nothing from Gabby since, Nichole texted Brian’s mother, Roberta, on Sept. 10 and got no reply. When she attempted again, she said, the bubble had gone from blue to green, an indication either Roberta’s phone was off or Nichole had been blocked. Gabby’s dad Joe also tried contacting Roberta and Brian’s dad Chris Laundrie, as well as his sister Cassie Laundrie, to no avail, Joe said in the series. Including, he added, when he texted they were calling the police. E! News reached out to the Laundries’ attorney for comment but did not hear back. The series noted that, through their lawyer, they declined to provide a comment. (At the time, Cassie told reporters that she and her husband were getting updates about the case from the media and didn’t know what was going on with her parents or brother. “We are just as upset, frustrated and heartbroken as everybody else,” she said.) This Was When Gabby Petito’s Parents Knew Something Was Really Wrong On Sept. 11, North Port, Fla., police officers went to Roberta and Chris’ home to see if they had any information about Gabby’s whereabouts. The cops’ body cam footage shows Chris telling them that Brian was inside, he had nothing to say and the police could call the family’s attorney. As heard from the footage and audio recordings, police in North Port and New York’s Suffolk County, where Gabby’s family lived, were at a loss as to what to do next, since there was no proof yet that a crime had been committed. But the van Brian and Gabby had been traveling in was parked in the Laundries’ driveway and, because Gabby’s name was the only one on the title, police were able to promptly tow it away. Finding all of this out, Nichole recalled in the series, “My body would not stop shaking…I knew something bad happened.” Added Gabby’s dad Joe, “We started screaming.” Stepmom Tara said, “I collapsed.” Friend Rose noted, “I just lost it, to be honest. I was screaming, ‘What did he do? He did something, what did he do?'” Brian Laundrie’s Mom Told Him She’d Help Him Get Rid of a Body When authorities returned to the Laundrie house on Sept. 17, Brian’s parents said he wasn’t there, they hadn’t seen him for three days and they wanted to report him missing, FBI Special Agent, Tampa Division, Loretta Bush recounted in the series. Among his belongings at the house, the agent continued, was a letter from his mother, on which she’d written “burn after reading).” “You are my boy, nothing can make me stop loving you. Nothing will or could ever divide us, no matter what we do,” Bush read. “If you are in jail I will bake a cake with a file in it. If you need to dispose of a body, I will show up with a shovel and garbage bags.” In the series, both Rose and Tara called the letter “disgusting.” Nichole said, “It made me sick to my stomach.” Investigators Detailed Brian Laundrie’s Attempt to Create an Alibi On Aug. 29, Brian made “a flurry of calls to his parents,” Busy said. “They contacted each other multiple times. We learned that he told them Gabby was gone and he needed a lawyer…At which point his parents wired money to a lawyer.” Joe remembered thinking, “You’re going to throw $25,000 of your hard-earned cash out on a lawyer from f–king Wyoming? And you’re telling me you didn’t ask where she was? That’s some bulls–t.” Gabby’s stepdad Jim alleged the amount couldn’t be for “anything less than to represent somebody for *******.” Most chillingly, investigators figured out using cellular data that he’d been texting Gabby under the guise that she was alive, but that his messages weren’t read on her phone until he was back at the Spread Creek Dispersed camping area in Bridger-Teton National Forest, where her phone was. “The activity between the two phones was almost instantaneous,” Special Agent Bush explained. “He was holding both phones and talking directly to himself. It was apparent that he was trying to create an alibi.” Brian started the drive to Florida on Aug. 30, using Gabby’s debit card to pay for gas at multiple stations along the way, per the FBI. He sent the text about Gabby’s grandfather to her mom and sent himself a Zelle payment from Gabby’s account for $700, as if she were paying him for the van. The transaction memo read, “Goodbye Brian, I’ll never ask you for anything again.” Joe Petito Remains Haunted by Thoughts of Daughter Gabby’s Last Moments Gabby’s body was found Sept. 19, 2021, by members of the official search party in the Spread Creek Dispersed Camping Area. She was lying in the fetal position on her left side, wearing a hoodie. The coroner determined she’d been strangled and had blunt force trauma to her head and neck. An agent noted in the series, “She was not laying in a natural position,” leading them to believe she was killed elsewhere and the crime scene had been staged. Gabby’s stepdad Jim was in town for the search. When he saw a photo of her body, “just left there like she was a piece of trash by someone who was supposed to love her,” he “collapsed to the ground,” he recalled in the series. He then called Nichole, Joe and Tara. “I got a phone call that I’d never see my daughter again,” Joe said. Tara called it the worst day of their life. “I think about the last moments a lot,” Joe continued. “I’m sure she was scared. And anytime she was scared she would call me or Jim, [Tara] or Nicki, so I don’t know who she called out for.” Gabby Petito’s Family Didn’t Buy Brian Laundrie’s Version of Events Brian’s skeletal remains were found Oct. 20 in the Carlton Memorial Reserve. His death was ruled a suicide from a gunshot wound to the head. In a waterproof bag found nearby, there were pictures of Brian and Gabby, a waterproof notebook in which he wrote that she’d been injured and he “ended her life” to take away her pain. But from that moment, he added, “I knew I couldn’t go on without her.” There were also letters in the bag, including one stating, “Please do not make life harder for my family, they lost a son and a daughter.” Nichole reflected in the series, “I always found it odd that he wrote in there, leave my parents out of this, they didn’t do anything wrong.” Jim noted, “Not one of the versions of Brian’s account was accurate by the findings of Gabby’s autopsy. The sole cause of her death was strangulation and nothing remotely or even close to what he said.” A judge awarded Gabby’s family $3 million in a wrongful death lawsuit they filed against Brian’s estate in 2022. Another suit they filed against his parents, for intentional and reckless infliction of emotional distress, was settled in February 2024. For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News App Source link #Brian #Laundrie #Allegedly #Texted #Gabby #Petito #******* Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Brazil charges former president Jair Bolsonaro over alleged coup plot – Financial Times Brazil charges former president Jair Bolsonaro over alleged coup plot – Financial Times Brazil charges former president Jair Bolsonaro over alleged coup plot Financial TimesJair Bolsonaro: Former Brazilian president charged over alleged coup plot to poison successor Sky NewsBrazil Charges Bolsonaro With Attempting a Coup The New York TimesBrazil charges Bolsonaro with attempting a coup after 2022 election loss Deccan HeraldJair Bolsonaro charged over alleged far-right coup plot to seize power in Brazil The Guardian Source link #Brazil #charges #president #Jair #Bolsonaro #alleged #coup #plot #Financial #Times Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

IN PICTURES: Albany RSL celebrates second *********** Defence Force 50 Year service IN PICTURES: Albany RSL celebrates second *********** Defence Force 50 Year service After Albany RSL’s first *********** Defence Force 50 Year service last year, it wasn’t a surprise that the service held on Saturday at the historic Albany Forts was again a success. Source link #PICTURES #Albany #RSL #celebrates #*********** #Defence #Force #Year #service Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Tribe Nine pre-downloads are now open, so there’s no excuse not to dive into this Danganronpa-esque RPG Tribe Nine pre-downloads are now open, so there’s no excuse not to dive into this Danganronpa-esque RPG You can now pre-download Tribe Nine ahead of the launch Expect a twisted story and action-packed combat More rewards to come Akatsuki Games Inc. has officially announced that pre-downloads for Tribe Nine are now open, so you can get first dibs on the single-player RPG ahead of its launch on the 20th. Of course, you’ll still have to wait for when the servers officially go live, but I suppose it’s a different feeling altogether when an action-packed experience you’re looking forward to is already on your phone, isn’t it? Tribe Nine is very much about a twisted game of life and death – something you can expect from the Danganronpa-esque visuals and concept. The dystopian world of Neo Tokyo is your playground, and as you can probably expect, another masked figure is pulling the strings behind the scenes (and he’s named “Zero” too – coincidence? I think not). The stakes are high and the action is intense, as you dive into three-person team battles to survive this dog-eat-dog world. There’s a Monokuma-looking creature in here too, it seems, so I think it’s safe to say that the narrative will be very much front and centre here as well, especially given the brutal twists and turns this “extreme baseball”-themed RPG will have. Of course, there are plenty of mini-games and little requests you can take on from the locals too, just to make sure you can still take a breather despite all the death and destruction. In the meantime, if you’re eager to join in on all the fun, you can do so by checking out Tribe Nine on the App Store and on Google Play. It’s free-to-play with in-app purchases. You can also join the community of followers on the official Twitter page to stay updated on all the latest developments, visit the official website for more info, or take a little peek at the embedded clip above to get a feel of the vibes and visuals. Source link #Tribe #predownloads #open #excuse #dive #Danganronpaesque #RPG Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Company says family of Wisconsin man who died after inhaler price jumped have no grounds to sue Company says family of Wisconsin man who died after inhaler price jumped have no grounds to sue Cole Schmidtknecht, 22, of Appleton, died Jan. 21, 2024 of complications of an asthma attack. His parents are suing Walgreens and OptumRx, alleging the companies were negligent in raising the cost of the inhaler Schmidtknecht needed to $539.19 and offering him no alternative when he tried to refill his prescription. A company being sued by a family for the death of their 22-year-old son who couldn’t afford his asthma inhaler is asking a judge to dismiss the lawsuit. The parents of Cole Schmidtknecht, an Appleton man who died in January 2024 after suffering a severe asthma attack just days after his family says he stopped using his preventative inhaler due to a severe price hike, filed a lawsuit last month against OptumRx, a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group, and Walgreens. In the lawsuit complaint, Cole’s parents, Bil and Shanon Schmidtknecht, allege both OptumRx and Walgreens were negligent and bear responsibility for their son’s death. Five days before Cole’s catastrophic asthma attack, he went to his pharmacy, the Walgreens at 729 Northland Ave. in Appleton, to refill his prescription. There, he learned his inhaler — which he had been taking daily as a preventative medication to manage his asthma for around 10 years, his parents said — was no longer covered by his insurance, and now cost him nearly $540. Unable to afford it, Cole left the pharmacy with only a rescue inhaler he was able to get with a $5 copay. Cole’s parents allege OptumRx discontinued coverage of Cole’s inhaler, Advair Diskus, in a decision that was financially and not medically motivated, then never provided the 30-day notice of the coverage change that is required by state law. The lawsuit complaint further alleges that Walgreens employees did not take any steps to help Cole get his medication — like asking Cole’s doctor to request an exception to OptumRx’s new formulary or approve an alternative medication that was covered by his insurance. OptumRx responded with a motion to dismiss the federal lawsuit Friday. In a brief supporting the motion, attorneys for OptumRx asserted that while the company “expresses its deepest sympathies to the parents and loved ones of Cole Schmidtknecht, whose untimely death is unquestionably heartbreaking,” federal law protects OptumRx from the claims made in the lawsuit. The court filing cites the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, known as ERISA, which it states was enacted by Congress to ensure regulation of employee benefit plans are handled at the federal, and not the state, level. ERISA’s “remedial provisions” are “the sole avenue” for resolving claims that concern employee benefit plans that are governed by ERISA, like the benefit plan Schmidtknecht had through his employer, OptumRx argues. RELATED: A 22-year-old from Appleton died after his inhaler price skyrocketed. His parents are suing. OptumRx’s court filing also argues that the facts listed in the lawsuit complaint “present an incomplete picture of the events surrounding Mr. Schmidtknecht’s interactions with the pharmacy, and indirectly with Optum Rx.” The company claims that despite the lawsuit complaint’s statement that Cole had been taking Advair Diskus regularly up until the medication stopped being covered by his insurance, he “had not filled any prescriptions for Advair Diskus using his OptumRx pharmacy benefit since April 5, 2022.” The lawsuit remains ongoing. Attorneys for Walgreens filed a motion Friday requesting a time extension to file a response to the lawsuit complaint, according to court records. “OptumRx has asked that the Court dismiss them from the case before the parties engage in any fact discovery,” Michael Trunk, one of the Schmidtknecht family’s attorneys, said in a statement. “There is no basis in federal or Wisconsin state law for its request, and the Schmidtknechts look forward to litigating the issue before the Court.” Bil Schmidtknecht previously told the Post-Crescent he hopes the lawsuit can raise awareness about a need for reform of pharmacy benefit managers like OptumRx. Pharmacy benefit managers, also known as PBMs, are companies that act as intermediaries between drug companies and pharmacies. Most of the largest PBMs are owned by health insurance companies or their parent companies. This means PBMs have significant power over the pharmaceutical supply chain — and can inflate medication prices for Americans, the Federal Trade Commission has warned. In 2023, the three largest PBMs — CVS Caremark, Express Scripts and OptumRx — processed close to 80% of the approximately 6.6 billion prescriptions dispensed by pharmacies around the United States, according to a 2024 FTC report. The six largest PBMs manage close to 95% of prescriptions in the country. Contact Kelli Arseneau at 920-213-3721 or *****@*****.tld. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter, at @ArseneauKelli. This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: OptumRx asks judge to dismiss lawsuit over Cole Schmidtknecht’s death Source link #Company #family #Wisconsin #man #died #inhaler #price #jumped #grounds #sue Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Pope Francis Has Bilateral Pneumonia – The New York Times Pope Francis Has Bilateral Pneumonia – The New York Times Pope Francis Has Bilateral Pneumonia The New York TimesHospitalized Pope Francis has developed double pneumonia, ******** says AxiosPope Warned Confidants He May Not Survive Health Scare YahooPope’s complex clinical picture requires longer hospitalization ******** News – English Source link #Pope #Francis #Bilateral #Pneumonia #York #Times Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Fastfood giant KFC leaves Kentucky home for Texas Fastfood giant KFC leaves Kentucky home for Texas KFC, the fast-food restaurant chain formerly known as Kentucky Fried Chicken, is moving its corporate headquarters in the US from Louisville in Kentucky to Plano in Texas, according to a statement from its parent company, Yum Brands. About 100 corporate employees and dozens more remote workers will be required to move and will receive relocation support. The decision by Yum Brands’ is part of a plan to have two headquarters for its main brands — KFC and Pizza Hut will be headquartered in Plano, while Taco Bell and Habit Burger & Grill will remain in Irvine, California. In recent years, many companies have relocated to Texas attracted by the state’s lower taxes and business-friendly policies. “These changes position us for sustainable growth and will help us better serve our customers, employees, franchisees and shareholders,” said David Gibbs, the chief executive of Yum Brands in the company’s statement. Yum also expressed hope the plan will boost collaboration between its employees and brands. The statement added that Yum will be maintaining it corporate offices as well as the KFC Foundation in Louisville. The governor of the state of Kentucky, Andy Beshea, has criticised the move to relocate KFC’s headquarters, according to a statement given to the Associated Press. “I am disappointed by this decision and believe the company’s founder would be, too,” Mr Beshear reportedly said. “This company’s name starts with Kentucky, and it has marketed our state’s heritage and culture in the ***** of its product.” KFC’s history in the state dates back to the 1930s, when its founder Colonel Harland Sanders began selling fried chicken at a service station in Corbin. Today, Sanders’ face is emblazoned on the shop fronts of more than 24,000 KFC restaurants in over 145 countries and territories around the world. Since the pandemic, many US companies have moved their headquarters. According to a report by real estate services firm CBRE, Austin and other Texan cities have been particularly successful due to the state’s business-friendly environment. Source link #Fastfood #giant #KFC #leaves #Kentucky #home #Texas Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

New additive shows promise in taming cattle emissions New additive shows promise in taming cattle emissions Backers of a new livestock feed additive say its breakthrough key ingredient provides a low-cost solution for reducing methane emissions from cattle. Source link #additive #shows #promise #taming #cattle #emissions Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]