Pelican Press

More police on the beat, for longer: ******** party makes election pitch on ****** More police on the beat, for longer: ******** party makes election pitch on ****** More police overtime and a superannuation bonus are the centrepiece of the WA ******** party’s $500 million election promise to crackdown on ******. Source link #police #beat #longer #******** #party #election #pitch #****** Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Philippines urges residents to flee as super typhoon Man-Yi strengthens on approach Philippines urges residents to flee as super typhoon Man-Yi strengthens on approach MANILA (Reuters) -Philippine authorities issued an urgent appeal on Saturday for residents in low-lying areas and coastal towns to move to safety as super typhoon Man-Yi gained strength on its approach towards the country’s main Luzon island. Man-Yi, the sixth tropical cyclone to hit the Philippines in a month, intensified with maximum sustained winds reaching 195 kph (121 mph) and gusts up to 240 kph, according to state weather agency PAGASA. This prompted it to raise its storm alert to its highest level for the provinces of Catanduanes and Camarines Sur in the central Bicol region. Ariel Nepomuceno, head of the Office of Civil Defense, urged residents in the typhoon’s projected path to comply with evacuation orders as Man-Yi threatened to unleash heavy rains and powerful winds that could trigger floods and storm surges. “It is more dangerous now for those in landslide-prone areas because the ground has been saturated by the consecutive typhoons,” Nepomuceno said, warning that storm surges could reach 3 metres (10 ft). PAGASA warned that the typhoon continues to be a “potentially catastrophic and life-threatening situation” for the Bicol region. More than 500,000 people in the region’s six provinces have been evacuated, a disaster official told DZRH radio, adding the number is expected to rise as local authorities mobilise more residents. As of 5 p.m. (0900 GMT), PAGASA reported that the storm was located 120 km east of Catanduanes and was projected to make landfall late Saturday night or Sunday morning. “It must be emphasized that heavy rainfall, severe winds, and storm surge may still be experienced in localities outside the landfall point,” PAGASA said. The main capital region Metro Manila is also likely to be affected with heavy to intense rains as early as Sunday. Locally named as Pepito, Man-Yi also caused the cancellation of dozens of flights in the eastern Visayas region facing the Pacific Ocean. On average, about 20 tropical storms strike the Philippines each year, bringing heavy rain, strong winds and deadly landslides. In October, Tropical Storm Trami and Typhoon Kong-rey triggered floods and landslides that ******* 162 people, with 22 still missing, government figures show. This month marked the first time in recorded history that four storms were active simultaneously in the western Pacific Ocean, the Japan Meteorological Agency said. Nepomuceno said nearly 40,000 uniformed personnel were on standby for search, rescue and relief operations, while more than 2,000 vehicles, including navy vessels, were ready to be deployed. “We aim for zero casualties,” Nepomuceno said. (Reporting by Karen Lema; Editing by Clarence Fernandez and Clelia Oziel) Source link #Philippines #urges #residents #flee #super #typhoon #ManYi #strengthens #approach Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Bela Karolyi, coach of gymnastics greats, ***** at 82 Bela Karolyi, coach of gymnastics greats, ***** at 82 Bela Karolyi, the charismatic if polarising gymnastics coach who turned young women into champions and the ******* States into an international power, has *****. He was 82. USA Gymnastics said Karolyi ***** on Friday. No cause of ****** was given. Karolyi and wife Martha trained multiple Olympic gold medallists and world champions in the US and Romania, including Nadia Comaneci and Mary Lou Retton. “A big impact and influence on my life,” Comaneci, who was just 14 when Karolyi coached her to gold for Romania at the 1976 Montreal Olympics, posted on Instagram. The Karolyis defected to the ******* States in 1981 and over the next 30-plus years became a guiding force in ********* gymnastics, though not without controversy. Bela helped guide Retton – all of 16 – to the Olympic all-around title at the 1984 Games in Los Angeles and memorably helped an injured Kerri Strug off the floor at the 1996 Games in Atlanta after Strug’s vault secured the team gold for the Americans. Karolyi briefly became the national team coordinator for USA Gymnastics women’s elite program in 1999 and incorporated a semi-centralised system that eventually turned the Americans into the sport’s gold standard. It did not come without a cost. He was pushed out after the 2000 Olympics after several athletes spoke out about his tactics. It would not be the last time Karolyi was accused of grandstanding and pushing his athletes too far physically and mentally. During the height of the Larry Nassar scandal in the late 2010s – when the disgraced former USA Gymnastics team doctor was effectively given a life sentence after pleading guilty to ********* assaulting gymnasts and other athletes with his hands under the guise of medical treatment – over a dozen former gymnasts came forward saying the Karolyis were part of a system that created an oppressive culture that allowed Nassar’s behaviour to run unchecked for years. Still, some of Karolyi’s most famous students were always among his staunchest defenders. When Strug got married, she and Karolyi took a photo recreating their famous scene from the 1996 Olympics, when he carried her onto the medals podium after she vaulted on a badly sprained ankle. Source link #Bela #Karolyi #coach #gymnastics #greats #***** Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Super Typhoon Man-yi fells trees, power lines in the Philippines Super Typhoon Man-yi fells trees, power lines in the Philippines Super Typhoon Man-yi uprooted trees, brought down power lines and ripped off corrugated iron roofing as it swept across the storm-weary Philippines on Sunday, following an unusual streak of violent weather. Man-yi was still packing maximum sustained winds of 185 kilometres per hour (115 miles per hour) after making landfall on lightly populated Catanduanes island late Saturday. More than 650,000 people fled their homes ahead of Man-yi as the national weather service warned of a “potentially catastrophic and life-threatening” impact from the storm. “There have been no reported casualties, perhaps because people followed the evacuation orders,” Catanduanes provincial disaster operations chief Roberto Monterola told AFP on Sunday, as clean-up efforts on the island got underway. “All the towns sustained damage, but we expect those in the north to have more problems,” Monterola said. “It’s just a breeze and a drizzle now.” Man-yi is expected to “slightly weaken” to a typhoon before hitting Luzon — the country’s most populous island and economic engine — on Sunday afternoon, forecasters said. Panganiban municipality in the northeast of Catanduanes took a direct hit from Man-yi. Photos shared on the Facebook page of Mayor Cesar Robles showed toppled power lines, damaged houses, and trees and corrugated iron sheets strewn on the roads. – ‘Bursts of wind’ – “Pepito was so strong, I have never experienced a typhoon this strong,” Robles said in a post, using the local name for Man-yi. “It is still a bit unsafe there are still bursts of wind and there are many debris.” Man-yi is the sixth storm in the past month to batter the archipelago nation. At least 163 people ***** in the previous storms, that also left thousands homeless and wiped out crops and livestock. Climate change is increasing the intensity of storms, leading to heavier rains, flash floods and stronger gusts. About 20 big storms and typhoons hit the Southeast ****** nation or its surrounding waters each year, ******** scores of people, but it is rare for multiple such weather events to take place in a small window. Robert Tancino, a government ambulance driver in Tiwi municipality in Albay province, which faces Catanduanes, said his area appeared to be largely unscathed. “Not too many trees fell and the roads are otherwise clear. I did not see any damage among the houses here,” Tancino told AFP. On its current trajectory, Man-yi will cross north of Manila and sweep over the South China Sea on Monday. Man-yi hit the Philippines late in the typhoon season — most cyclones develop between July and October. Earlier this month, four storms were clustered simultaneously in the Pacific basin, which the Japan Meteorological Agency told AFP was the first time such an occurrence had been observed in November since its records began in 1951. cgm/amj/fox Source link #Super #Typhoon #Manyi #fells #trees #power #lines #Philippines Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Melbourne pro-************ supporters ****** Christmas display opening at Myers Melbourne pro-************ supporters ****** Christmas display opening at Myers A Christmas tradition for families threatened by protesters has made a largely scaled back unveiling. Myer in the centre of Melbourne displays decorative Christmas windows each year. Pro-************ supporters had threatened to ****** the grand opening which was scheduled for Sunday. However, Myer said it would cancel the grand opening which is typically attended by families. The protesters also scrapped their disruptive plans in kind. In a largely scaled-back rendition, Santa and a few staff members pulled down the curtain on the Australia Zoo themed windows at 7.30am on Sunday. Just a handful of protesters were at the early morning unveiling, though more started gathering before the retail giant’s store opened at 10am. Camera IconA pro-Palestine protester disrupts the Myer Christmas window unveiling on Sunday. Credit: SuppliedCamera IconSome families did still stop to see the latest edition of the windows on Sunday morning. NewsWire / Luis Enrique Ascui Credit: News Corp Australia They were chanting “****** are dropping, while you’re shopping”. At least 43,000 Gazans have been ******* in direct conflict since October 7, 2023 – about 70 per cent of those are children or women. Oxfam says Palestinians are being starved as a military tactic, and aid agencies estimate 96 per cent of Gazans face high levels of food shortages. In Melbourne, a vocal protester shouting “free Palestine” made her presence known during a live television cross to a reporter. The demonstrator was dressed as a police officer, wearing clown make up, and holding a sign which read “you look ******* staring at windows when kids are being murdered”. Camera IconPremier Jacinta Allan labelled the group planning to protest the windows as “morons”. NewsWire / Aaron Francis Credit: News Corp Australia The protest group, which initially threatened a large demonstration outside the windows is separate from the organising group which has run protests through the city every Sunday since October 7, 2023. The Australia Palestine Advocacy Network organises the weekly march through the city, and is diverting its demonstration on Sunday away from Myer. Australia changed its position at the UN for the first time in 20 years this week, voting with 158 other countries including the ***, New Zealand, France, Germany and Japan, for a resolution to recognise the “permanent sovereignty of the ************ people in the Occupied ************ Territory, including East Jerusalem, and of the ***** population in the occupied Syrian Golan over their natural resources”. Camera IconPolice were out at the Myer store on Sunday. NewsWire / Luis Enrique Ascui Credit: News Corp Australia The US, Canada and ******* were among seven nations which voted against the resolution. In light of the protest action figuratively clashing with a family Christmas tradition, Premier Jacinta Allan faced questions this week about whether Victoria needed a NSW-style protest permit system. “Do we really think the same sort of morons who want to disrupt a beautiful Christmas tradition for families is going to apply for a permit?” she said on Friday. Camera IconMyer scrapped plans for a grand opening of the windows, which are zoo themed this year. NewsWire / Luis Enrique Ascui Credit: News Corp Australia “(The windows) will be open for the thousands and thousands of Victorians from all different backgrounds, from all different parts of the state, to come and enjoy that beautiful family tradition,” the Premier said. Information from Myer shows the first window display, “Santa and the Olympics”, was erected in 1956. The most recent display themes have been: Bluey (2023), Disney 100 year anniversary (2022), Peter Rabbit (2021) and Christmas is Uncancelled (2020). Source link #Melbourne #proPalestinian #supporters #****** #Christmas #display #opening #Myers Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Concord’s ******** Might Get Sony to Listen to Public Feedback With Future Live Service Endeavors Concord’s ******** Might Get Sony to Listen to Public Feedback With Future Live Service Endeavors Sony acquired Firewalk Studios in 2023, two years after both companies announced their collaboration for a AAA live-service project, later revealed to be Concord. Firewalk’s acquisition indicated that the ********* company was quite confident with Concord, as it rarely purchases studios that haven’t released a project. Concord was the biggest ******** in the gaming history. (Image via Firewalk Studios) However, Concord‘s debut in August 2024 turned out to be a massive disaster in PlayStation’s history, as it sold less than 30,000 copies across PC and PS5. The game was pulled offline, and refunds were dished out to everyone just two weeks after the debut. Many thought that Sony wouldn’t learn from this ******** and would continue pushing for such horrendous titles without listening to player feedback. However, it seems like the gaming giant has finally learned its lesson and won’t repeat this mistake with future projects. Sony Accepts its Concord ******** and Plans to Depend on User Testing In Sony’s recent financial call, the company’s president, COO, and CFO Hiroki Totokii opened up about the failures of Concord and its record-breaking hit of Helldivers 2. When talking about the hero-shooter, Totokii stated that it should have run its development gates and depended on user testing or internal evaluation much earlier than it did. Next time, Sony will seek proper confirmation that a live-service game can lure in players. Basically, with regards to new IP, of course you don’t know the result until you actually try it. So for our reflection, probably we need to have a lot of gates, including user testing or internal evaluation, and the timing of such gates, we need to bring them forward. We should have done those gates much earlier than we did. According to Totokii, Sony should’ve noticed and reacted to the issues with Concord much earlier while developing the game so that it could’ve reached the same heights as Helldivers 2. He also blamed the company’s “siloed organization” and the game’s release window. If you’ve forgotten, the hero-shooter debuted not too long after ****** Myth Wukong. However, the ********* company needs to understand that listening to “feedback early” doesn’t necessarily lead to good results. Helldivers 2 was a massive success, but it wasn’t a known title before its debut. It didn’t receive many public betas, so it can’t be said that listening to feedback is always crucial. Putting Concord in front of the gaming community still wouldn’t have led to success because it was destined to be a ********. It couldn’t set itself apart in the hero-shooter genre that was already occupied by giants such as Overwatch 2 and Apex Legends. Sony Isn’t Giving Firewalk Studios Another Chance The ******* hero-shooter’s developer was axed. (Image via Firewalk Studios) You’d think after the ******** of Concord, the gaming giant would give its Firewalk Studios another shot. The studio is filled with veterans from Halo and Destiny veterans who gave us some generational hits that have gone down in gaming history. However, Sony has decided to pull the plug for FIrewalk Studios, quashing all and any hopes for a potential revival of the ******* hero-shooter down the line. Firewalk is signing off one last time. Firewalk began with the idea of bringing the joy of multiplayer to a larger audience. Along the way we assembled an incredible team who were able to: – Navigate growing a new startup into a team during a global pandemic: Firewalk was… — Firewalk (@FirewalkStudios) October 29, 2024 While Sony’s decision might seem harsh for Firewalk Studios, many experts predicted that the game would be written off, especially after the reports that it cost $400 million to craft over the course of eight years. All of this is quite shocking, considering Sony considered Concord to be the future of PlayStation and a rival to Star Wars. We can only hope that the gaming giant’s next live-service game isn’t a tragedy like Concord. With that said, do you think Concord had the potential to be Sony’s next big hit? Let us know in the comments below. Source link #Concords #******** #Sony #Listen #Public #Feedback #Future #Live #Service #Endeavors Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Victim identified after deadly four-vehicle I-81 ****** near Dauphin/Lebanon County line Victim identified after deadly four-vehicle I-81 ****** near Dauphin/Lebanon County line LEBANON COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM) — State Police released new details Friday about the fatal four-vehicle ****** that closed a stretch of I-81 by the Dauphin and Lebanon County on Thursday morning. James Stokes, 27, of Cresco, was ******* in the ****** that happened before 2:30 a.m. on I-81 north in East Hanover Township by Mile Marker 84.8, State Police at Jonestown said in a release. A tractor-trailer crashed into the back of another one, causing the first tractor-trailer to jackknife. Then a vehicle that Stokes was a passenger in crashed into the back of the second tractor-trailer, which then caused that to move into the other lane where a fourth vehicle hit it and caught *****. Stokes was pronounced ***** at the scene, while two other people were taken to Hershey Medical Center for evaluation, State Police say. The investigation into the ****** is ongoing. Anyone with information or possibly caught the ****** on dash camera footage is asked to contact PSP Jonestown at (717)-865-2194. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now The ****** caused part of I-81 to shut down for the entire morning, and some of the afternoon. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27. Source link #Victim #identified #deadly #fourvehicle #I81 #****** #DauphinLebanon #County #line Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Venezuela frees more than 100 arrested after election Venezuela frees more than 100 arrested after election More than 100 people detained during protests over Venezuela’s disputed presidential election in July have been freed, according to a local rights group. “Up to now we have verified 107 political prisoners, due to the post-electoral situation, released in Venezuela,” the Foro Penal group’s director, Alfredo Romero, said on social media. The prosecutor’s office and communications ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment. According to Foro Penal, at least 1800 people were arrested after the presidential election on July 28, which kept President Nicolas Maduro in power despite heavily contested results. Maduro took office in 2013, and is set to begin his next six-year term in January. The rights group monitored the releases at four prisons in central Venezuela, including at least 50 young adults from Tocoron prison, Romero said. A video he posted showed some of them walking along a highway outside the prison, to cheers and applause from a group of onlookers. The releases were expected to continue. The election sparked deadly anti-government protests, and the opposition, rights groups and unions have accused Maduro’s administration of cracking down on dissent. Venezuela’s electoral authorities and top court said Maduro won the elections, without showing all the voting tallies, prompting supporters of opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez to accuse the ruling party of ******. Maduro said last week he would ask the attorney general’s office to review any arrests in which authorities may have made mistakes. More than 80 teenagers were released from prison in September after being arrested during the post-election protests. Attorney General Tarek Saab on Friday said he had asked to review at least 225 cases. He has said the protests left 28 people ***** and nearly 200 injured. Activists and relatives of some of those who were arrested said those people did not participate in the protests. They have also alleged some prisoners have endured ******** in detention. Source link #Venezuela #frees #arrested #election Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

‘Chicken Scam Lady’ spotted in Tacoma, accused of striking again in Auburn, Kent ‘Chicken Scam Lady’ spotted in Tacoma, accused of striking again in Auburn, Kent TACOMA, Wash. – Auburn Police say an elusive retail thief nicknamed the “Chicken Scam Lady” has struck again in their city. Jasmine ******* is already wanted on warrants in both Pierce County and King County. Detectives say ******* has stolen thousands of dollars from local businesses by demanding refunds for items never purchased. Now officers in Kent and Auburn say they are also looking for her. She was nicknamed the chicken scammer after law enforcement reported that she told several victims in the past that she needed a refund for chicken that had gone bad. This is a photo of ******* just released by Auburn Police. She’s been accused of targeting a wide range of businesses in the area with the scam. At Side Piece Kitchen in Tacoma, the co-owners say ******* targeted the business for fraudulent refunds six times, both in person and by phone around the same time last year. Fortunately, she was turned away by the eagle-eyed employees and owners, who knew that she had been accused of targeting other businesses in the past. Side Piece Kitchen co-owners Hailey and her husband Dante Hernandez are decorating for the holidays this week. With lines often out the door for breakfast, it’s also during this busy time that Hailey keeps her eye out for Willis, the suspect she considers a potential holiday villain. “Oh Jasmine,” said Hailey. “It certainly picks up this time of year, her scamming.” Law enforcement has accused Jasmine ******* of creeping into local businesses, trying to steal more than just holiday cheer. “Just like Santa Claus,” said Hailey. “She’s like the Grinch, but less lovable. The Chicken Grinch.” ******* was caught on security cameras at Side Piece in 2023, accused of demanding refunds for food that she never purchased. “I get a call – ‘Hailey, the chicken scammer is here’. I’m like, ‘What?’ They are like, ‘The chicken scammer is outside. Look at the camera.’” During one such attempt by *******, Hailey said she personally chased her away. The interaction was caught on security cameras. Hailey is pictured below telling ******* not to come back to her business. Court documents also show that ******* is accused of running afoul of the law not just in Pierce County, but King County as well. Investigators say not only did she target restaurants like Side Piece Kitchen in Tacoma along with other small businesses, but a long list of grocery stores in locations were also targeted. The list contained in court documents is pictured below. Detectives said victims stretched from Normandy Park, Bellevue and Seattle to Puyallup and Enumclaw. Prosecutors said in court documents, ******* tried to get cash refunds on the spot by claiming “she was treated poorly because of her race” or arguing that, “she made a large purchase for her ******* and the food was bad.” Auburn Police say, “Her most recent attempt to defraud businesses occurred on November 12th, when she stole over $800 from three different businesses.” Police went on to say “Jasmine has a history of entering businesses, falsely accusing them of racism, and demanding large sums of money as refunds, without ever providing any proof of purchase.” “A lot of times these employees just cough it up. They don’t want to get the bad review. They don’t want to get in trouble,” said Hailey. Though there are multiple warrants out for her arrest, she’s managed to fly the coop. Meantime, Hailey says while ******* ******** free, she’s been partial to wearing PJ’s. Security video and images released by police show her wearing what look like pajama pants time and time again during her alleged thefts. “She’s like the pajama Grinch,” said Hailey. “Maybe she gets them for the holidays. Hello Kitty seems to be her favorite.” Even though she’s been chased out of Side Piece more than once, Hailey says ******* doesn’t seem to care. She’s accused of returning again and again to the same business multiple times. “She is like this urban legend almost, and so when you finally do see her in the flesh, it is so crazy, because you’ve heard about her over and over and over again,” said Hailey. Auburn Police say if she comes into your store, do not give her money. Instead, call 911 immediately. MORE NEWS FROM FOX SEATTLE Lacey parents charged in possible attempted honor ******** of daughter Bird flu ****** rare goose at Seattle’s Woodland Park Zoo Here’s when ski resorts in western WA are planning to open Over 1,500 salmon counted in 1 day at Seattle’s Carkeek Park Bellevue officer who fell onto I-5 during VP visit sues state Seattle home sales skyrocket, median home price soars to $740K How to watch UW Huskies vs. UCLA Police investigating at least 3 deadly crashes overnight in western WA Tacoma Humane temporarily waives adoption fees as shelter is ‘beyond full’ To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX Seattle Newsletter. Download the free FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national coverage, plus 24/7 streaming coverage from across the nation. Source link #Chicken #Scam #Lady #spotted #Tacoma #accused #striking #Auburn #Kent Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Lachlan Griffiths’ family hopes to find his body after two men sentenced over his ****** Lachlan Griffiths’ family hopes to find his body after two men sentenced over his ****** The family of a man whose body ******** missing nearly three years after he was ******* in what’s been described as an act of “vigilante justice” has pleaded for anyone with information to come forward about the whereabouts of their loved one. Lachlan Griffiths family have spent more than 1000 days looking for answers since the 35-year-old was ******* on January 17, 2022. Camera IconLachlan Griffiths (second from right) is sorely missed by his family. Supplied Credit: Supplied Mr Griffiths was last seen arriving at a business in Coopers Plains, in Brisbane’s south, owned by David Lee Tan, 42, in the early hours of January 17, 2022. When his family reported him missing on Australia Day 2022, Queensland Police narrowed down their investigation to the transport business. Their investigation led them to dig up some freshly poured concrete in a warehouse on the property. When they found human ******** encased in concrete, police had thought they’d found Mr Griffiths. It wasn’t until further DNA testing discovered the human ******** actually belonged to Andrew Walsh, 35, who had also been reported missing weeks earlier. Mr Griffiths’ ******** have never been found. Those responsible for Lachlan Griffiths ****** sentenced Tan and 30-year-old Billy Lee Bronstein were sentenced in the Brisbane Supreme Court on Monday over their role in Mr Griffiths’ ******. Both men had previously pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Mr Griffiths. The court was told while the two men were not involved in the ******** of Mr Griffiths, they had helped ensure a plan to bring harm to him was carried out. In her sentencing remarks, Supreme Court Justice Frances Williams said Bornstein and Tan, and a third man Filip Grbavac, had developed a plan about a possible ***** deal to lure Mr Griffiths to the business where he would be “vulnerable and isolated”. The court was told Grbavac had confided in Bornstein and Tan around January 14 about allegations Mr Griffiths had harmed a member of Grbavac’s family. The court was told Bornstein contacted Mr Griffiths in an attempt to buy drugs from him. Bornstein then drove a van owned by Tan to meet Mr Griffiths with Grbavac before the three men returned to the Coopers Plains business after explaining to Mr Griffiths there was an issue with paying for the drugs, the court was told. Justice Williams said Mr Griffiths was then taken to a boardroom, where he was the victim of “prolonged and extreme” ********* at the hands of Grbavac. Police believe Mr Griffiths ***** in that room before Bornstein left the premises. Justice Williams said while Bornstein was not in the room where Mr Griffiths was believed to have *****, he was part of the plan to enact “vigilante justice”, despite any proof of the allegation. Bornstein had told police he’d walked past the boardroom at one stage and saw Mr Griffiths on the ground covered in blood by still conscious. He also saw blood spatter on the walls. The court was told Grbavac had blood over his hands, arms and face. Camera IconThe sentencing was handed down in the Brisbane Supreme Court on Monday. Newswire / Dan Peled Credit: News Corp Australia Justice Williams said while Bornstein wasn’t involved in the ******** of Mr Griffiths, he “did nothing to stop the so-called interrogation”. “While you did not throw the punches and you were not in the room, there is evidence you were aware there would be *********,” she said of Bornstein. “You and others decided to take matters into your own hands … it was a carefully crafted and calculated plan to adopt a form of vigilante justice that circumvented proper investigation of the complaint and resulted in the loss of a life. “The plan was not ad hoc or spontaneous, it appears to be planned out and thought out over a ******* of time.” Justice Williams said Bornstein’s involvement in Mr Griffiths’ ****** was “calculated” and based on a “misspent sense of loyalty to a friend and employer”. Bornstein was sentenced to nine years in jail for Mr Griffith’s manslaughter, with 721 days of pre-sentence custody declared as time already served. He will be eligible for parole in November 2028 after having served 60 per cent of his sentence. Meanwhile, Tan was sentenced to 9 years and six months for his role in the manslaughter of Mr Griffiths. The court was told Tan was at times in the room with Grbavac as he assaulted Mr Griffiths but police believe he wasn’t there when he *****. Grbavac had later texted Tan stating “cheers brother, appreciate your help and hospitality”, the court was told. Camera IconLachlan Griffiths and Andrew Walsh both ***** at a Coopers Plains business owned by David Lee Tan. Credit: Supplied Tan was also sentenced on Monday after he pleaded guilty to being an accessory to ******* after the fact following the ****** of Mr Walsh. The court was told Tan helped dispose of Mr Walsh’s body in an oil pit at his business including pouring concrete over him and trying to dissolve his ******** with chemicals. Justice Williams ordered Tan serve to 15 years and six months in prison for his involvement in the deaths of Mr Griffiths and Mr Walsh. He will be eligible for parole after nine years and six months in jail from September 2031. Family’s final wish The horror of losing a loved one ******** a difficult thing to grasp for the family of Mr Griffith’s, as they potentially have to accept they may never find his body. After Tan’s sentence was handed down, some of Mr Griffiths’ family members lashed out as the 42-year-old sat in the dock. “Cowardly little grub,” one person yelled. Following the sentencing of Bornstein and Tan, Mr Griffiths’ family said outside of court they hoped they would one day see him again. “We continue to hope for the return of Lachie’s ********, so we may lay him to rest in the niche prepared for him at our local *******,” the family said in a statement. Camera IconBernie, the mother of Lachlan Griffiths, says she hopes someone will come forward to explain her son’s body is. NewsWire/Tertius Pickard Credit: News Corp Australia “We beg anyone who may know where he is to come forward and give us this small measure of peace. “Whilst this marks the end of our time in court, it’s not closure, no true justice, it only marks the final chapter in this part of our journey. “We are deeply grateful to Justice Williams for her compassion and for giving us a voice in this process. “We were able to speak about he profound impact of Lachie’s loss on our family, and for that, we say thank you. “Today’s sentencing reflects the law’s conclusion, but it will never match the loss we carry.” Mr Griffiths’ father, Chris, said his son will be remembered as a “loyal” man. “He was a lovely little ****. He was a good ****, very loyal to his family and so forth,” he said. “He was always loyal to me. “I loved him very much, like we all did. It’s a sad ending.” Chris said it was hard to sit in the courtroom and watch the men who last saw his son alive receive their sentences. “I just want to thank the police for their hard work but you never get the result you really want,” he said. “I’m no lawyer, I would have liked to have seen, obviously as a dad, you’d like to see life as life but it’s not that way. “At least he got some time and I got to eyeball Tan and that was good for me. “Everyone handles grief differently. “I miss him.” Camera IconLachlan Griffiths’ father, Chris, says his son was well loved by his family. NewsWire/Tertius Pickard Credit: News Corp Australia Sadly, the location of Mr Griffiths’ body might be a question his family might never get the answers to. Grbavac, who was charged with Mr Griffiths’ *******, ***** while he was in prison following an alleged ******** by his cellmate in February 2024. The family’s last hope is that Bornstein or Tan know where Mr Griffiths’ body is and reveal the location. With both eligible for parole in a few years, their release will be up to the Parole Board of Queensland, who have the power to deny parole if a victim’s body has not been found. The board must decide whether the parole applicant has been found to have not co-operated fully with finding the body. Justice Williams said the matter of Bornstein’s parole would be a matter for the board. Source link #Lachlan #Griffiths #family #hopes #find #body #men #sentenced #****** Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Specs, price, release date, and more Specs, price, release date, and more When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Credit: Apple Despite its expected September 2025 release schedule, the iPhone 17 lineup is already generating some buzz. That interest is partially thanks to the rumored inclusion of a first-ever wildly thin iPhone model called the iPhone 17 Air. Obviously, we don’t know the name for sure, but Apple’s rumored, thin smartphone is also being referred to as the iPhone 17 Slim, though Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman seems to think Apple will go with the ‘Air’ naming convention to boost sales — an idea first suggested by Apple leaker and YouTuber Jon Prosser. Whatever the name ends up being, we’ve rounded up the best leaks and rumors about the iPhone Air’s specs, price, release date, and more. iPhone 17 Air rumors: Latest newsiPhone 17 Air rumors: Release date & price It’s still early days for the iPhone 17 Air, so rumors about its price aren’t as solid as rumors about its specs and features. That said, there are a few ideas swirling around about its potential price tag. In a report from The Information, it’s said the iPhone 17 Air “could be priced higher than the iPhone Pro Max.” The iPhone 16 Pro Max starts at $1,199 right now, so the iPhone 17 Air could very well start at $1,299 or higher. This rumor matches up with rumors from July 2024 that a ‘Slim’ iPhone would become the most premium model in the iPhone lineup. However, rumored specs up to this point indicate the iPhone 17 Air will feature lower-end specs compared to the Pro Max, so a higher price doesn’t make the most sense. Another rumor from analyst Jeff Pu via an investor note seen by 9to5Mac suggests the iPhone 17 Air may act as a “replacement” for the iPhone’s “Plus” model. If Pu means the Air model would fully replace the Plus model in the iPhone 17 lineup, then the Air’s starting price could match or hover around the iPhone 16 Plus’ $899 starting price. When it comes to a release date, Apple is much more predictable. The iPhone 17 Air, if it exists, will likely launch in September 2025, along with the rest of the iPhone 17 lineup. iPhone 17 Air rumors: Specs None of the following specs have been confirmed by Apple yet, but here’s what we’ve heard so far from leakers and analysts regarding the iPhone 17 Air’s possible specs. iPhone 17 Air rumors: Design & display The iPad Pro M4 is the thinnest product Apple has ever made — even thinner than the iPod Nano — and the company reportedly has plans to bring that sleek, thin design to the iPhone, MacBook, and Apple Watch. The iPhone 17 Air was originally thought to be much thinner than the iPhone 16’s 7.8-millimeter depth. However, according to a ***** reported on by MacRumors, it might not be impressively thin like we were first expecting. The ***** mentions Apple’s original plans to reduce thickness by manufacturing a battery with a thinner substrate, but the cost and tech involved made it an impractical solution. The battery will supposedly be around 6mm thick, and with all the extra materials around it, it’ll likely be larger than the smallest iPhone ever, the iPhone 6 at just 6.9mm thick. Compared to the 13-inch iPad Pro M4’s thickness of just 5.1mm, the iPhone 17 Air’s thickness will pale in comparison, but it should still be noticeably thinner than the rest of the iPhone 17 lineup. 3D render of the iPhone SE 4 and iPad mini 7 based on information gathered from rumors and leaks. Two iPhone SE 4 smartphones sit on top of an iPad mini 7, one is facing up to show its display, the other is facing down to show its back and camera array. Many rumors suggest the iPhone 17 Air will adopt a fully aluminum casing, in an effort to make the phone feel lighter. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, however, thinks the phone’s chassis will be constructed of both aluminum and titanium, “with a lower percentage of titanium than the current Pro and Pro Max metal frames.” As for its display, the iPhone 17 Air is expected to feature a 6.6-inch display with a 2,740 x 1,260-pixel resolution, ProMotion capabilities with a refresh rate of up to 120Hz, and potentially a smaller camera cutout, thanks to Apple’s rumored “metalens” technology. A leaker on Weibo (via MacRumors) says all iPhone 17 models will adopt a “super-hard AR (anti-reflective) layer” that’s “more scratch-resistant” than the existing outer glass. Then, there’s also a slim possibility that the iPhone 17 Air could be one of the first to sport an OLED display panel (via Tom’s Guide). iPhone 17 Air rumors: Cameras For the longest time, iPhones either have two or three cameras in the rear camera array. With the iPhone 17 Air, however, the company might shake things up and risk upsetting the Apple cart. iphone 16 back According to a research note by industry analyst Jeff Pu (seen by MacRumors), the iPhone 17 Air will reportedly be getting a single 48-megapixel rear wide camera, similar to what’s expected for the iPhone SE 4. This means it’d be adopting the same main rear camera found in the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus, but ditching the 12-megapixel ultrawide camera. If the 17 Air’s price is to remain the same as the existing 16 Plus model, this camera omission will definitely be an issue. On the front, the selfie camera will reportedly be getting an upgrade, leaving its 12-megapixel camera behind in favor of a much better 24-megapixel camera. This change is supposed to be hitting all iPhone 17 models, not just the Air. iPhone 17 Air rumors: Outlook While I’m hoping the iPhone 17 Air will indeed be the thinnest iPhone Apple’s ever made, that doesn’t seem likely right now. Larger batteries (which give people the all-day battery life they want) simply don’t allow for incredibly thin phones. That said, it could be a welcome addition to the iPhone 17 lineup. Right now, the biggest thing that differentiates the base iPhone 16 from its Plus counterpart is screen size. Replacing the Plus model with a thinner Air model could make it stand out as the phone you buy when you want a large display and a thin, lightweight form factor, and make fewer people opt for the base variant. Expect more info to arrive as we push ahead into next year and approach WWDC 2025. As an iPhone gets closer to its release date, we often start seeing more leaks of both info and photos, so stay tuned. For news, rumors, and updates on all things Apple, iPhone, and tech, follow Laptop Mag on X, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Flipboard for the latest word as it arrives. Source link #Specs #price #release #date Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Toyota Prado: No retro round *********** for Australia for now Toyota Prado: No retro round *********** for Australia for now The Toyota LandCruiser Prado 250 Series has much boxier, retro-inspired styling than its predecessor, though there’s one feature Australians are missing out on with the new-generation SUV. At its reveal the ********* carmaker showed off a Prado 250 Series that features classic, round ***********, compared to the more modern-looking rectangular units. Other markets such as the US, ***, Europe, and Japan have Prado variants with these circular ***********. A lot are special launch-edition variants. 100s of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. Camera IconSupplied Credit: CarExpertCamera IconSupplied Credit: CarExpert In Australia, however, the entire launch lineup for the Prado 250 Series has the rectangular units. When asked about whether the round *********** will be introduced to the local lineup at some stage, senior product planner Harrison Schipke said Toyota Australia is taking on customer feedback. “Of course, there has been positive feedback on the round headlamps,” said Mr Schipke. “This is a new-generation product, as we take on customer feedback, we can definitely leave the door open to a round headlamp as well.” Camera IconSupplied Credit: CarExpert “We don’t have any plan right now,” added Toyota Australia vice president sales and marketing Sean Hanley. “But you know, we are a company that is nimble and adjusts to customer demands. “So if it’s there, we’ll certainly look at the opportunities.” For the first time, all Toyota LandCruiser Prado variants are based on the same TNGA-F ladder-frame platform as the LandCruiser 300 Series, as well as the Toyota Tundra and Lexus GX and LX. Camera IconSupplied Credit: CarExpert Pricing for the 2025 Toyota LandCruiser Prado range starts at $72,500 before on-roads for the GX, and extends to $99,990 before on-roads for the Kakadu flagship. They are powered by the same 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine as the 150 Series, this time fitted with 48-volt mild-hybrid assistance, although power and torque outputs remain the same at 150kW and 500Nm. The new Prado’s turbo-diesel engine is mated to a new eight-speed torque-converter automatic transmission (up two ratios from the outgoing model) and a two-speed transfer case, once again offering low-range gearing and sending power to all four corners through a full-time four-wheel drive system. MORE: Everything Toyota LandCruiser Prado Source link #Toyota #Prado #retro #*********** #Australia Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Two flash ****** fired into garden of Netanyahu’s home in north ******* Two flash ****** fired into garden of Netanyahu’s home in north ******* CAIRO (Reuters) -Two flash ****** were fired towards ******** Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s home in the northern ******** town of Caesarea on Saturday and fell into the garden, police said. Neither Netanyahu nor his family were present and there was no damage reported, it added in a statement. ******** Defence Minister ******* Katz said the incident crossed “all red lines” in a post on X early on Sunday. “It is not possible for the Prime Minister of *******, who is threatened by Iran and its proxies who are trying to ************ him, to be subject to the same threats from home,” Katz said. He also called on security and judicial agencies to take the necessary steps. *******’s President Isaac Herzog condemned the incident in a post on X and said an investigation was underway. “The incitement against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu crosses all boundaries. Throwing a flash ***** into his house tonight is crossing another red line,” Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir also said on X. In October, a drone was launched towards the premier’s home in Caesarea, without causing any harm. To the north, ******** forces have been trading ***** with Lebanon’s armed Hezbollah group since October 2023. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for Saturday’s incident. (Reporting by Enas Alashray and Ahmed Tolba, additional reporting by Jaidaa Taha; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne and Richard Chang) Source link #flash #****** #fired #garden #Netanyahus #home #north #******* Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Can live-streamed street sets energise *** music for new artists? Can live-streamed street sets energise *** music for new artists? BBC DJ AG (pictured with blue hat) has been credited alongside the DJ Mak 10 with bringing energy to the *** rap scene It’s a dark, drizzly, night in London and there’s a crowd gathered around a set of decks. They’ve turned up for DJ AG – whose street sets have been getting a lot of attention. He invites people, anyone, to pick up a mic and ***** bars with him. It started as a platform to showcase new artists, but more recently, big acts have been getting involved, including Skepta, JME, Chip, Krept & Konan, Ms Banks, Devlin, ArrDee and Lethal Bizzle. DJ AG always draws a crowd in real life but there are thousands more watching on social media – his streams have racked up millions of views on TikTok. He tells BBC Newsbeat it’s not planned and he just rocks up with decks and sees what happens. “The sets aren’t new but the fact they’re broadcasting them across the planet means people have an opportunity to get their music out there in an organic way. “The great thing is we’ve shaken up the industry,” he says. DJ AG is frustrated by the lack of opportunities for emerging artists For aspiring artists, it can feel ******* than ever to find opportunities to showcase their talent. Figures released earlier this year by the Music Venues Trust said financial stresses led 125 *** venues to abandon live music in 2023. That’s one of the reasons DJ AG puts on his sets. “What’s different now is there’s nothing at grassroots,” he says. “You’ve got a lot of open mics closed down. “Right now, outside, we’re not paying for anything. A bit of power and we’re bringing it to the streets. “On this platform, it’s free. The emerging artists don’t have to pay anything.” A chance to hear something new? Rapper Louis Massey and his manager Kaianne Lewis Sapong think the industry needs a shake up Rapper Louis Massey and his manager Kaianne Lewis Sapong feel these types of sets not only help provide opportunity, but also offer the chance to hear something different. “For me, it can help. It’s only one viral moment away from your career taking off,” says Lewis, 22. “This is exciting. This is organic. This is the rap scene which came from the organic scene.” Kaianne, 22, agrees that the industry sometimes feels “stale” at the moment. “I complain about it frequently. Me and my artists want to really solidify our base so we can bring a difference to the *** because it sounds a bit repetitive at the moment. “There’s a lot of talent in the *** but it’s not being pushed to the forefront,” she says. Getty Images D Double E feels street sets can help provide a platform for original sound In the early noughties, grime emerged from the electronic dance scene – helped by the underground and pirate radio stations. Grime MC D Double E says the authentic nature of these live sets – which at times have a pirate radio feel – reminds him of his own journey. “I learned this from lockdown. Everyone was going online, doing sets and it was a great look. “When it stopped happening – I was like ‘why has it stopped?’ “To see people doing it now – like it’s new. It’s great.” The record producer, who has been in the industry for over 20 years, says he “broke out in the same way”. “Doing a set for no reason. But it wasn’t being recorded and people couldn’t watch it. “This is the difference now – you can actually see it. Some of our famous sets, Roll Deep [the grime collective], Dizzee Rascal, you can’t see us, only hear us.” “You’re gonna see more talent. More windows [opening]. That’s what’s supposed to happen when the light’s shining.” And he says it will bring more originality, after a ******* of things feeling “a bit robotic”. “For some reason, everyone just went international and the *** voice wasn’t there. “Now it’s just straightening up a bit more.” DJ Target says the *** rap scene is headed back to the streets as people rebel against the record labels 1Xtra’s DJ Target, another grime pioneer, feels people are now “enjoying that early essence” of the genre. “That self-sufficient, just turning up at places, those live moments,” he says. “So seeing that in 2024, a new generation getting stuck in and doing the same – I love to see it.” He agrees with the views of artists such as Skepta, who believe “creativity sometimes get lost in the music industry”. “It’s good to get back to that raw, straight to the consumer, sometimes direct from the street, untouched raw talent,” says Target. “Seeing this happen in 2024, I feel there’s only going to be inspiration for the next generation. “And we’re probably going to see a few stars come out of it.” Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays – or listen back here. Source link #livestreamed #street #sets #energise #music #artists Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Bolzano & Otzi the Ice Man Bolzano & Otzi the Ice Man The area known as Val Senales in South Tyrol is regarded as one of the best places in Italy to ski. From the mountain village of Maso Corto in Italy’s northernmost province you can take the Val Senales Glacier Cable Car to the highest hotel in Europe, the Glacier Hotel Grawand, which sits in spectacular isolation 3200m above sea level on the Van Senales glacier. From the comfort of one of the hotel’s rooms or restaurant are incredible views of the Otztal Alps, one of a line of summits that forms part of the border between Italy and Austria. The ski slopes are open from September to May in this picturesque corner or Italy, and during the summer months hikers set off on some of the 1600km of hiking trails and treks to more than 250 peaks in the region. In 1991 ******* hikers Erika and Helmut Simon were doing just that, trekking on the Tisenjoch Pass at an elevation of 3210m above the Otztal Valley, when they noticed the upper part of a human body protruding from the ice. The couple alerted Austrian authorities, who assumed the body was the victim of a mountaineering accident. The following day they attempted to extract the body from the ice, using axes and jackhammers. Due to poor weather the body wasn’t freed from the ice for five days. It was then whisked by helicopter to the Institute of Forensic Medicine at Innsbruck Medical University in Austria. There Konrad Spindler, an archaeologist at the University of Innsbruck, examined the ******** and announced the male body was at least 4000 years old. Subsequent radiocarbon analysis performed on the body’s tissues found it was even older than that — around 5300 years old. The glacial ice had preserved it through a process of natural mummification. The mummy was dubbed Otzi due to the place the Simons’ found him in the Otztal Alps. His discovery was to rank as one of the greatest archaeological finds of the 20th century. Otzi’s belongings were scattered around the body, and included a bow and quiver with 14 arrows, a leather pouch, a copper-bladed axe, a flint dagger, and fur and leather garments, providing a unique glimpse of life during the Copper Age (3500BC to 1700BC). The incredibly well-preserved mummy was initially housed at the Institute of Forensic Medicine at Innsbruck Medical University. But when it was learned Otzi had been found on the Italian side of the Alps a mere 93m from the Austrian border, the Italian government claimed the ********. Six-years later, Otzi was transferred to the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology in Bolzano, a small city known as the “Gateway to the Dolomites”. Camera IconOtzi bear skin hat. Credit: South Tyrol Museum The Dolomites are a range of mountains — 18 with peaks that rise to more than 3000m — of such exceptional natural beauty they were declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2009. While it’s thought Bolzano was founded around 15BC as a Roman military station, the city became a major trading hub between southern and northern Europe in the Middle Ages due to its close proximity to major trading routes, including the Brenner Pass, the lowest crossing point in the Alps. Bolzano’s first documented market was the St Genesius market, held in August 1208, and today the city is a feast of Romanesque and Gothic architecture. There’s a grand cathedral dating from the 12th century; tiny St John’s in Town *******, consecrated in 1180; Laubengasse with its tall 13th century buildings in the city’s old town, and a 13th century Franciscan monastery. Runkelstein Castle, dating from 1237, which sits on a rocky outcrop on the outskirts of town, was decorated with fine frescos from 1385, which you can see today. Piazza Walther is a wide space of cafes and shops overlooked by a monument dedicated to a medieval poet, where we sip cappuccinos before heading to the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology. Here, the entire first floor of the museum is dedicated to Otzi the Ice Man and his artefacts. The mummy ***** on precision scales in a special cold cell, which is kept at a constant temperature of -6C. For 30-years the ancient, withered corpse, which we view through a small window, has been extensively examined, measured, X-rayed and studied by archaeologists from around the world. We learn that due to the location within the glacial deep freeze that meant Otzi’s body remained so well-preserved over the millennia, his tissue, bones and organs are also well-preserved. Otzi is thought to have been around 45 when he *****, was 1.6m tall, had dark, medium-long hair, and broke several bones during his lifetime including his nose. He had 61 tattoos in the form of lines and crosses. As they are all located at sites on his body with considerable wear and tear it’s thought they may have served therapeutic purposes. At first it was thought Otzi may have ***** in an accident on the mountain. But in 2001 an X-ray revealed a flint arrowhead in his left shoulder, after which an entry wound was discovered in his back. The arrow severed an artery, indicating he bled to ****** within minutes. It is now believed Otzi was murdered. Camera IconDolomites around Bolzano. Credit: Discover South Tyrol/The West *********** Just as fascinating as learning about Otzi and life in the Copper Age is viewing his restored clothing and other belongings. I study a bearskin cap, and goatskin leggings reinforced with leather strips knotted onto an additional leather strip — like stockings on a garter belt. A copper axe is preserved intact, as is a small flint dagger, and you can see the 5000-year-old stitching on the deer hide quiver that held his arrows. On display at the museum is model of Otzi made of silicon, synthetic resin and real hair, which was crafted by Dutch artists Andrie and Alfons Kennis in 2011 based on research conducted at the time. The life-sized model of a short, middle-aged, tattooed man is remarkably lifelike. Recent studies of Otzi’s genome using the latest sequencing methods reveal he may have darker skin than previously assumed, and a genetic predisposition to balding. However, the museum currently has no plans to revise the Kennis reconstruction. All that knowledge about the past is bit much to take in over one afternoon, so we retire to the elegant bar at Parkhotel Laurin, one of Bolzano’s fine hotels, for a well-deserved glass of Santa Maddalena, a fine red wine made from grapes grown in the vineyards around Bolzano. Source link #Bolzano #Otzi #Ice #Man Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Elon Musk’s X Corp. files notice in Alex Jones’ Infowars bankruptcy case Elon Musk’s X Corp. files notice in Alex Jones’ Infowars bankruptcy case Attorneys for X Corp., the firm established by Elon Musk to take over Twitter, filed a notice of appearance on Thursday in the bankruptcy case of Alex Jones and his Infowars platform. The new owners of satirical news site The Onion had been declared the successful bidders for Jones’ controversial platform, alongside families of the Sandy ***** massacre victims. But this week, the Texas bankruptcy judge overhearing the case voiced concerns about the transparency of the auction process and called for a new hearing to discuss those potential issues. “Nobody should feel comfortable with the results of the auction,” Judge Christopher M. Lopez said, according to a Bloomberg News report. The X Corp. filing, dated Nov. 14 and first reported by Mother Jones, does not disclose the purpose of X’s appearance, other than to state the rights reserved to it as an interested party, and to request all relevant documents in the case. Attorneys for X listed in the filing did not respond to a request for comment. A lawyer representing The Onion also did not respond to a request for comment. Both Musk and Jones are known allies of President-elect Donald Trump. Musk has allowed Infowars to broadcast on X while Infowars’ fate is in limbo. Jones has used Infowars as a platform to promote *********** theories, far-right ideologies and misinformation. He often focuses on events and social issues to sell related products like supplements and survival gear. Jones’ bankruptcy stems from his obligation to pay $1.5 billion in damages to families of Sandy ***** Elementary School ********* victims, who filed defamation lawsuits over his false claims that the massacre was a hoax. He broadcast the *********** theory on his platform, which led to years of harassment and threats against the grieving families. In a statement on X, The Onion’s chief executive, Ben Collins — who previously covered disinformation and *********** theories for NBC News — called assertions made this week by Jones and other Infowars personnel that the auction had formally been “overturned” false, while describing other allegations they leveled as “wacky.” “We look forward to completing this process at the next scheduled court date,” Collins wrote Saturday. A representative for Infowars did not immediately respond to a request for comment. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Source link #Elon #Musks #Corp #files #notice #Alex #Jones #Infowars #bankruptcy #case Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Drama, farce, a radio ham and the Baker Street bank heist Drama, farce, a radio ham and the Baker Street bank heist Getty Images The tunnel into Lloyds Bank was described in court as “a remarkable piece of engineering” In the autumn of 1971, a group of men came together who would carry out one of the most astonishing bank raids in history. Skill, audacity and patience, ********* connections, a fair amount of luck, and inspiration from a Sherlock Holmes story culminated in a weekend of high drama and barely believable farce. A weekend in which a gang tunnelled into a secure vault and made off with the contents of hundreds of secure ******** boxes, while all the time being listened to by an ******** radio operator who was trying to tune in to pirate radio. A weekend in which police officers were on one side of the vault’s door while the gang were on the other, and nobody thought to check inside. As Lloyds Bank announces the upcoming closure of its Baker Street branch in central London, this is the story of how one of the most secure locations in the country was plundered – and even now, ******** partly unsolved. An archive news report from 1971, featuring a youthful John Humphries On a Friday night in September 1971, a group of men, clutching sandwiches and flasks of tea, made their way into SAC, a leather goods shop on Baker Street. The previous May, the lease for the shop came up for ***** and was duly bought by Benjamin Wolfe, a man in his 60s. He had been especially keen on the premises because it was two doors down from Lloyds Bank and it had a basement the same depth as the bank’s vault. Before even that, in December 1970, an apparently well-to-do man opened an account at the Baker Street branch of Lloyds and put £500 (about £6,000 today) into it. Later, he rented a safety ******** box at the branch. Like many wealthy clients, he made frequent visits to his box in the vault. Unlike many wealthy clients, he used the time to measure the room with his umbrella. Other circumstances played into the hands of the group. The summer had seen a number of roadworks in the area. The vibrations caused by the work led to businesses’ trembler alarms repeatedly going off. So the businesses disabled their trembler alarms. Getty Images Detectives and uniformed officers went to inspect the interior of the bank after staff found the vault in a “state of some disorder” Originally thought to have been organised by a Brian Reader, who was later involved in both the Brinks-Mat heist and the Hatton Garden raid, the personnel of the gang has never been fully established. Reader, who ***** aged 84 last year with an estimated fortune of £22m garnered from his string of high-risk burglaries, denied he took part. Four people, including Wolfe and Anthony Gavin, a protégé of Reader’s, were jailed in 1973. It’s thought at least another four, including a woman, slipped away. Getty Images The lease of the leather goods shop SAC was bought by one of the gang Other unanswered questions include how much was taken. It was reported that it could be anything between £500,000 and £3m (today’s equivalent of £6m and £40m). Only a fraction was recovered, and the rest went untracked. There were rumours involving government suppression of the story, for reasons unknown. And records about it officially sealed at the national archives until 2071. And is there any truth to the claim that one box contained photographs of Princess Margaret in an intimate clinch? Getty Images If police had looked into the leather goods shop on the night they were called out, they would have found a tunnel into the bank’s vault Gavin allegedly came up with the scheme after reading a Sherlock Holmes story, The Red-Headed League. In it, Arthur Conan-Doyle’s hero waits in a vault for burglars planning to tunnel in. Alongside Wolfe, Gavin recruited Reginald Tucker (who was the umbrella-wielder) and Thomas Stephen. Two others, Bobby Mills and Mickey Gervaise, were thought to be on board – although afterwards they disappeared into “thin air”, the police investigation found. Getty Images Police removed more than 800 items of evidence, a trial heard Tea flasks and sandwiches were not the only items carted inside the leather shop. Stephen, recruited for his ability to provide the necessary tools, had produced a 100-tonne jack, explosives, and a thermal lance, which heats and melts steel with pressurized oxygen to create very high temperatures. Months of weekends were spent digging the 40ft tunnel, with debris being taken away in plastic boxes under cover of darkness. When it was time for the raid, Mills, furnished with a walkie-talkie, mounted a nearby roof to keep an eye out as the others went through the tunnel and worked on breaking into the vault. The jack didn’t work, and nor did the thermal lance. It would have to be the gelignite. Timing the ********** to coincide with traffic to conceal the noise, they managed to break through. They were in. Getty Images Police check the alarm that didn’t sound as the burglars burrowed into the bank Meanwhile, in his attempt to tune into Radio Luxembourg, Robert Rowlands was picking up the gang’s walkie-talkie conversations on his ham radio. The 35-year-old was listening to them in real time as they co-ordinated their movements and the rooftop lookout beefed about how cold he was. Mr Rowlands heard the group discuss whether to take a break as their exploits had left the vault full of fumes, smoke and dust. One tunneller requested a cup of tea and a sandwich. They also mentioned how many “thousands” they had and what they would go back for. Mr Rowlands assumed they were burgling a tobacco shop and the numbers referred to cigarettes. Local police were not interested. A few hours later Mr Rowlands called Scotland Yard, where detectives were indeed interested. They called in a detection van from the Post Office in an attempt to trace the walkie-talkie signal. But they didn’t do this until Sunday afternoon, when it was all over. Getty Images The bank manager, who was “roused from his bed” the previous night, explained to customers the branch was shut The Times reported the following day: “Bank managers and caretakers were roused from their beds and brought from weekend holiday retreats to open their premises. “Police, accompanied by security men, went into the bank, but after being assured that the strong room was intact, they left. “As they closed the front door of the Lloyds premises, the thieves, some of them crouching behind the strong room doors, breathed a sigh of relief. “The slightest gasp might have given away their position. “Soon afterwards the thieves crawled back along the 40ft tunnel. They escaped through a back window leaving eight tons of rubble from the tunnel behind.” Or, as bank staff said, with remarkable understatement when they opened the branch on Monday morning: “We found the vault in some disorder.” Getty Images Police and news reporters gathered outside the branch on Baker Street Cdr Robert Huntley, of Scotland Yard, said: “Inevitably, we have come in for some criticism, from people who say we were slow to move off the mark. “When we were able to visit the bank with Lloyds security staff we were assured that the strong room was still intact. No one suspected that the gang had come up through the floor on the other side.” It was the biggest robbery ever carried out in the Metropolitan Police district, with 120 detectives working on the case. “We are getting information about who are the real brains behind this gang”, Cdr Hunt said. “We think that the ‘Mr Big’ is probably a faceless commuter. I do not know him.” Getty Images Robert Rowlands, left, raised the alarm after picking up the gang’s walkie-talkie conversations on his ham radio Gavin – whose tunnel-digging was described at the Old Bailey as “a magnificent piece of engineering” – Tucker and Stephen all pleaded guilty to entering the bank as a trespasser, stealing cash and jewellery and possessing explosives. Wolfe was found guilty of the same charges. Passing sentence, Judge Sutcliffe QC, said: “Each one of you must have known that the reward for success would be very high and the penalty for ******** would be high as well.” Wolfe was given eight years in jail, while the others received 12. Judge Sutcliffe told Wolfe he was passing a lesser sentence on him only because of his great age. “I am not going to have on my conscience the sentencing of a man for so long that he has little chance of leaving prison alive.” (Wolfe was 64). Getty Images The bank will close on 6 January, Lloyds said The aftermath of the case saw an undignified bout of finger-pointing. Scotland Yard said it was let down by the security staff of Lloyds Bank, who in turn said they had been assured their alarms were “foolproof”. The Post Office complained it could have caught the gang if it had been called in earlier. There were also questions as to why police did not check the leather shop, which would not only have revealed the tunnel leading straight into the vault, but the men inside, busily opening 286 safety ******** boxes. Getty Images The tunnel started inside the SAC shop and ran underground to the bank The heist was the inspiration for a 2008 film, The Bank Job. It includes a plotline in which the British Security Services want to retrieve some compromising photographs of Princess Margaret, allegedly held in a security box by Trinidadian militant gangster Michael X. The obvious solution was to get a gang to tunnel into the vault. The storyline boosted a rumour that appeared in newspapers, in which an anonymous “friend” said Reader was definitely involved in the heist and had told him he found photos showing a leading politician abusing children. Reader apparently left the images “scattered on the floor of the vault” for the police to find. There has been no evidence this was true. Another rumour was that the government imposed a “D-notice” – now called a DSMA-notice – on the story. This hinges on a lack of coverage of the story, with many claiming it disappeared from the news agenda. A DSMA-notice is issued to prevent inadvertent public disclosure of information that would compromise *** military and intelligence operations. It is not usually used to silence news stories about bank jobs that have already happened. The lack of published stories, though, isn’t quite true. Naturally, interest ***** down, but the raid was still being reported in national and regional papers throughout the decade. The rumour may gave started with radio ham Mr Rowlands, who said police had snatched a phone out of his grasp while he spoke to a newspaper about his part in the case. He said the officer had told the editor he wasn’t allowed to publish anything. Years later, Mr Rowlands suggested the police were trying to cover up what appeared to be their own incompetence. The only mystery that ******** is what is in the 800 pages of sealed documents at the National Archives. They are due to be released in 47 years time. So what did Lloyds Bank say about the whole event? It advised customers to insure valuables kept in their safety boxes and denied any liability. After all, it said: “It is a little unusual for raiders to come up through the floor.” Source link #Drama #farce #radio #ham #Baker #Street #bank #heist Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Brothers, third male **** in light plane ****** at Tinamba West in Gippsland Brothers, third male **** in light plane ****** at Tinamba West in Gippsland Two teenagers and a man in his 20s have been ******* in a light plane ****** in eastern Victoria. The ****** happened near the Gippsland town of Heyfield on Saturday, about 5.45pm. The three people on board – brothers aged 20 and 16, and another 15-year-old male – ***** in the incident. The 20-year-old was a licensed pilot, the Herald Sun reported. The *********** Transport Safety Bureau said the plane was “********-built”. Flight data shows the aircraft was in the air for 17 minutes. The plane crashed into a paddock and was destroyed by *****, bureau chief commissioner Angus Mitchell said. “The ATSB is deploying to the accident site a team of transport safety investigators from its Canberra office, specialising in aircraft operations and maintenance,” he said. The bureau will now investigate and parts of the aircraft will be examined in Canberra, Mr Mitchell said. “The ATSB anticipates publishing a preliminary report, detailing the information collected in the investigation’s early evidence gathering phase, in about six to eight weeks.” Residents in the area of the ****** told media the plane was circling before the incident. Flight data shows the aircraft departed West ***** Airport at 5.30pm on Saturday. It took off, flew north, before doing five asymmetrical loops above the town of Maffra. The plane was then flown west and flew about four loops before crashing. Camera IconThe plane crashed in a paddock near the Tinamba-Glenmaggie Road in Tinamba, Victoria. Google Credit: Supplied The previous owner of the plane, from Queensland, told the Herald Sun he had sold the plane two weeks ago. As well as the transport safety bureau investigation, a report will be prepared for the coroner. A Victorian aviation industry consultant – whose business designs planes and issues airworthiness certificates – arrived at the scene on Sunday, and said the ****** was a “another tragic accident”. “We’re in a state in the industry at the moment where we are looking at training, we’re looking at maintenance, we’re looking at particularly loss-of-control flight accidents,” consultant Lorraine MacGillvray said. “It’s up to the *********** Transport Safety Bureau to conduct the investigation, so I cannot pre-empt any cause for this accident.” “I have some ideas – they could possibly be ********** – we’ve got a situation where in Australia at the moment the ATSB can be selective on the accidents they investigate – I’m very happy they are investigating this accident.” Flight data shows the plane had been flown frequently in the past week. Including numerous short and hour-long flights around Echuca in the state’s north, the plane was flown from Echuca to Moorabbin in Melbourne on Friday, and then to ***** later that day. Source link #Brothers #male #**** #light #plane #****** #Tinamba #West #Gippsland Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Sheriff’s Office on scene of ********* near north Salisbury Walmart Sheriff’s Office on scene of ********* near north Salisbury Walmart Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office deputies and detectives from the ********* Investigation Division are on the scene of a ********* Saturday night in the 500 block of N. Curlew Road, near the north Salisbury Walmart. In a second Facebook post Saturday night, the Sheriff’s Office said deputies are in the area of the north Salisbury Walmart, investigating the whereabouts of a person of interest who may have been in that area. This is a developing story. This article originally appeared on Salisbury Daily Times: Sheriff’s Office on scene of ********* near north Salisbury Walmart Source link #Sheriffs #Office #scene #********* #north #Salisbury #Walmart Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Why Sunday is still sacred on Lewis and Harris Why Sunday is still sacred on Lewis and Harris Getty Images Sunday has a special significance to islanders of Lewis and Harris Islanders on Lewis spend their Sundays in a way the rest of Scotland – and the *** – have not seen in decades. Swimming pools and sports centres are closed and most businesses are shut. Like the rest of the Western Isles there is no public transport on Sundays. There is a strong tradition of ********** *******-going on Lewis – and neighbouring Harris – with the ******* of Scotland and Free ******* predominant. According to the latest Census figures, ******* of Scotland (35.3%) was the most common religious group in the Western Isles. But a row over the seven-day opening of a Tesco in Stornoway, Lewis, has brought this traditional way of life into focus. And today’s first Sunday opening marks a historical change. Faithful observance of the Sabbath, or Lord’s Day, is embedded in the culture of Lewis and Harris. According the ******’s Ten Commandments, the Sabbath is a spiritual time for worship and rest from work and play. In the past, islanders didn’t hang washing outside as a mark of respect for the Sabbath – and on occasions some *******-goers even chained up children’s swings to help ensure peace and quiet. Dr James Englinton is a a senior lecturer in Reformed Theology at Edinburgh University and has family from Lewis. He said chaining swings had become a trope used by people who don’t understand island culture. Dr Englinton added: “It’s very much projected on to that culture and that kind of stuff makes the Sabbath sound very dour, killjoy and weird. “What you have on Lewis is a living example of a local culture that practices a day of rest as a community. “On mainland Scotland people think that’s quite odd, but it’s a normal thing across continental Europe.” A small protest was held when the first Sunday cinema screenings were held The Rev Hector Morrison, who is from Lewis and is principal of Highland Theological College UHI, said one reason for the longevity of Lewis and Harris’ Sunday traditions were evangelical revivals. These were events when communities felt committed to a very pious way of Christianity. The Rev Morrison says parts of Lewis and Harris experienced revivals every 10-15 years up until at least the 1970s. He has fond memories of growing up in Lewis and says the Sabbath never seemed dour. The former minister adds: “I believe that Sunday will remain special for Lewis and Harris people not primarily because it is so deeply embedded in the island’s culture, but as long as the gospel itself ******** significant and powerfully at work in these islands. “Each new generation which comes to love the Lord, will want to keep the Lord’s commandments.” Other religions across the Western isles include *********, particularly in the southern isles including Barra, and there is a mosque in Stornoway. For Lewis and Harris the last 20 years have seen significant changes to Sundays. Hotels’ restaurants have opened and there is a petrol station with a shop trading on Sundays. The island’s first commercial flights started in October 2002. About 60 campaigners gathered to meet the plane when it landed at Stornoway. They stood in quiet protest and handed out leaflets saying travelling on the Sabbath was a sin and damaging to a person’s soul and island life. A young oil industry worker was among the passengers on that first flight. He told the BBC at the time a Sunday air service offered him a chance to balance working away from home and getting back to spend quality time with his family. Getty Images Women walk to ******* in the Hebrides in the 1950s Seven years later the first ferry – a lifeline form of transport in the Western Isles – sailed from Stornoway to mainland Scotland on a Sunday. A small group prayed and sang a psalm as cars boarded the boat, but several hundred other people stood and clapped as a show of support for the sailing. The late Rev Angus Smith led protests against Sunday ferries Among the protestors was Govan-born Free ******* minister Rev Angus Smith. He led a demonstration against Skye Sunday ferries in 1965 and was removed by police after sitting in front of cars waiting to board. Then in 2018, a screening of Star Wars: The Last Jedi marked the first time a cinema was open on a Sunday in Lewis. There was a small protest outside. Lizzie Aucott-Hall supports the move to open Tesco in Stornoway on Sundays When it comes to Tesco islanders have mixed views. Lizzie Aucott-Hall said: “The town has lots of other things open on a Sunday anyway so why not Tesco? “If the place was shut I would understand but it’s not. “If I can go and buy a pint of ***** I should be able to buy a pint of milk.” But Ruth Pickard is not in favour of the move. She told BBC News: “I’m totally against it. We moved up here from Yorkshire 34 years ago and one of the attraction was the peace and quiet and the way of life. “What you can’t buy six days a week, I don’t know what you need on a Sunday.” Lewis-based BBC journalist Donald Lamont said the debate is not a simple one. He told BBC Radio’s Good Morning Scotland: “It’s not as straight forward as those of a religious persuasion versus those who are not. It’s more nuanced than that. “There are a lot of people expressing sadness, a lot of people are ambivalent and there are those who are pleased with the news.” Source link #Sunday #sacred #Lewis #Harris Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Home lost, people told to flee Great Ocean Road towns Home lost, people told to flee Great Ocean Road towns At least one home has been destroyed by ***** and holiday makers evacuated from popular tourist spots along the Great Ocean Road, as out-of-control bushfires rage in western Victoria. Some 80 bushfires and grassfires ignited in hot conditions on Saturday and hundreds of firefighters are racing to contain two that are burning out of control. One is at Kadnook near the border with South Australia and the other is threatening communities along the Great Ocean Road, a major tourist drawcard in the state’s southwest. Authorities evacuated campers and hikers from Otway National Park as they closed walking tracks close to the attraction, which shut for about six hours overnight over concerns about smoke and *****. The blaze at Chapple Vale has ripped through about 700 hectares, with anyone still nearby told to leave immediately including those in Crowes, Gellibrand Lower, Johanna, Johanna Heights, Lavers Hill, Stalker, Wangerrip, Wattle Hill and Yuulong. “Don’t wait, leaving now is the safest option – conditions may change and get worse very quickly,” an alert from the Vic Emergency website states. “Emergency services may not be able to help you if you decide to stay. “By choosing to stay, you and your family may be at risk of serious injury or ******.” The ***** at Kadnook claimed one home and authorities believe two others may have been burnt down, on top of stock and agricultural losses. The ***** is ripping through rough terrain so water ******** aircraft were used to ******* the flames, which CFA Chief Officer Jason Heffernan said had destroyed 1000 hectares at a private bluegum plantation. “(It is) quite undulating country, which will be challenging for firefighters to be able to get in there and get containment around it,” he told reporters at the State Control Centre on Sunday. The cool change has kicked in but there is now a concern lighting and strong winds could flare ***** conditions. The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a severe weather warning for damaging, locally destructive winds and heavy rainfall for parts of Victoria’a southwest coast and northeast. “It’s definitely concerning that we have seen lightning through that part of the state where we have obviously seen ***** conditions already, and with the elevated westerly winds this afternoon it is going to pose an impact,” Senior Meteorologist Keris Arndt said. There were more than 200 requests for assistance to the SES in the 24 hours to 10am on Sunday, including about 70 in Shepparton in central Victoria related to trees and powerlines down in storms. Source link #Home #lost #people #told #flee #Great #Ocean #Road #towns Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Orange County restaurant employee ***** after falling off ladder Orange County restaurant employee ***** after falling off ladder An employee of a restaurant in Orange County ***** on Saturday after he fell off a ladder, according to authorities. The incident was reported at about 7:52 a.m. on the 3300 block of Bristol Street in Costa Mesa, according to Costa Mesa Police and ***** Rescue. Authorities said the employee, identified only as a 32-year-old man, fell from a roof while climbing down a ladder. Worker ******* in construction accident at Orange County high school He suffered severe head trauma and was pronounced ***** at the scene. Authorities didn’t say which restaurant he worked for. His identity has not yet been released. According to police, officers do not believe this is a suspicious ******, and it’s being investigated as an accident. No additional details were immediately made available. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA. Source link #Orange #County #restaurant #employee #***** #falling #ladder Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Why police didn’t prosecute abuser linked to CofE Why police didn’t prosecute abuser linked to CofE BBC The Makin report found John Smyth was a prolific abuser of children and young men John Smyth’s ****** in 2018 meant an “appalling abuser” associated with the ******* of England escaped justice for ******* stretching back decades. Smyth used his role in a ********** charity to ******** over 100 children and young men – and the Archbishop of Canterbury resigned after being criticised in a scathing report earlier this month. Now, an advocate for the victims of John Smyth tells the BBC the police were not “sufficiently curious” when told about him. When a full investigation was finally launched it was nearly four years after officers had first known about Smyth, and only after reporting by Channel 4 News. Keith Makin, the author of the Smyth review, has suggested police may have been “overwhelmed” by historical allegations of ****** in other cases, following the Jimmy Savile affair. A spokesperson for the National Police Chiefs Council acknowledged officers faced “resourcing challenges” from an unprecedented number of cases. So why did “the most prolific serial abuser to be associated with the ******* of England”, as the report described Smyth, avoid prosecution? For over 30 years police were not told about Smyth’s ******* because of an “active cover up” inside the ******* of England, according to the Makin review published earlier this month. It found that Smyth was an “appalling abuser of children and young men. His ****** was prolific, brutal and horrific”. It also highlighted how evidence of ******* had been gathered in the 1980s but was suppressed, including details of children being physically and ********* abused. “The scale and severity of the practice was horrific,” noted the so-called Ruston report, named after the Rev Mark Ruston, who compiled it in 1982. It listed victims being beaten hundreds of times with canes until they bled. People inside the ******* of England kept this secret, meaning Smyth was able to move to southern ******* and continue his ******, the report found. He was put on trial there for culpable ********* after the suspicious ****** of a 16-year-old boy in Zimbabwe but the case collapsed. When were *** police informed? It was only in the summer of 2013 when British police were first alerted. One of his victims had asked the Bishop of Ely’s safeguarding adviser for counselling. Some details were passed to Cambridgeshire police relating to the case and that of another alleged victim. According to the Makin review, the safeguarding adviser was told officers could do nothing: Smyth’s actions were “an ****** of trust” but they would be “unlikely to reach the threshold for a ********* investigation”. A spokesperson for Cambridgeshire Police told the BBC: “With the limited information available at the time, and the victims’ not wishing to make a complaint, it was not possible for us to pursue an investigation.” Ely diocese was advised to contact police in Hampshire, where most of the alleged offences took place, and was told an intelligence report had been sent by Cambridgeshire Police to colleagues in Hampshire, although the Makin review found no record. Hampshire Police told the BBC they first received a report of ****** in October 2014. They were given a summary of ****** allegations by a representative of the Titus Trust – the successor charity to the one running the summer camps where ****** had taken place. But police did not know the identity of the alleged victims. A spokesperson from Hampshire Police told the BBC they asked for details but “the third party declined to provide these, stating that the victims would contact police.” They didn’t, and it isn’t clear why not. This was “a critical and important missed opportunity”, according to victims who spoke to the Makin review. “The matter was filed pending any new information coming to light,” a spokesperson from Hampshire police told the BBC. PA Media Justin Welby resigned as the Archbishop of Canterbury following criticism in the Makin report When new information did come to light it was in a different police force area. In late 2016 Thames Valley police were contacted by the Oxford diocese, who disclosed a full copy of the Ruston report, which was compiled more than 30 years earlier and which spelt out in graphic detail the beatings administered by Smyth. Finally officers had it. And yet still very little happened. The report contained no evidence of ****** in the Thames Valley area, so the force passed the information to national policing colleagues working on Operation Hydrant. This was set up in 2014 to coordinate the policing by forces around the country of historical child ******* ****** allegations, prompted by the Jimmy Savile case. There’d been a “surge in adults reporting being ********* abused as a child”, a spokesperson for the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) told the BBC. “It quickly became apparent that there was a real potential for duplication for forces as victims were reporting multiple offenders across different geographical areas.” The NPCC confirmed Operation Hydrant had received Smyth referrals and said information was shared appropriately with relevant police forces. The Makin Review raised questions about the police’s overall handling of the reports it had received in this ******* and the ******** to follow up on them. “An explanation offered by those in touch with police at the time suggests they may have been overwhelmed in this ******* by historic allegations of ******.” The NPCC acknowledge “police forces up and down the country saw a massive increase in non-recent reports of child ******* ****** during this ******* which did present resourcing challenges for many”. When did police start investigating? In 2017 police finally launched an investigation – Operation Cubic – but only after press reporting. Channel 4 News had been tipped off about the Ruston report by Smyth survivor advocate and writer Andrew Graystone. He hoped the press would push the police into action. “They were too busy with Jimmy Savile and other victims,” says Mr Graystone. “They should have been more assiduous in following up whether victims they did know about had been contacted and therefore had had the opportunity to respond. “They were not sufficiently curious as to whether there was more they weren’t being told or whether the offences were more widespread and serious.” He says the consequence was further delay in dealing with Smyth. When the full scale of his ******* was finally made public it was too late. In 2018 the Crown Prosecution Service agreed there was a case for him to answer and arrangements were begun to bring him back to the *** from South ******* for questioning but in August he *****. “While the victims will not see the suspect charged and the allegations put before a court,” said a spokesperson for Hampshire police, “we hope that the updates provided to them during the course of the investigation provided some reassurance that their allegations were taken seriously.” The NPCC said: “In the past many victims have been *******. This is not good enough and policing has worked hard to learn from its mistakes. “The approach today to tackling child ******* ****** and exploitation has evolved and is much improved in many aspects. However, there is still much to do, and making these improvements is a significant priority for national policing.” Newsnight – Fall of an Archbishop With Justin Welby stepping down as Archbishop of Canterbury, following criticism of his handling of a report into a prolific child abuser with ties to the ******* of England, Victoria Derbyshire asks a senior bishop if he should have gone sooner. Source link #police #didnt #prosecute #abuser #linked #CofE Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

********* troops to join US marines in NT ********* troops to join US marines in NT ********* troops will join US marines deployed to the Northern Territory, in a major defence move amid simmering regional tensions. Richard Marles was in Darwin on Sunday to meet his ********* and ********* defence counterparts as part of trilateral talks on boosting interoperability between forces. Ahead of the meeting, the Defence Minister said the Reciprocal Access Agreement, which allows Japan and Australia to use each other’s military bases, presented an opportunity for ********* forces to train up alongside *********** and US troops. “So we have spoken to Japan about having their Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade doing training with our own defence force … and with the US marines,” Mr Marles told Sky News. Camera IconDefence Minister Richard Marles says ********* forces will deploy alongside *********** and US troops in the Northern Territory. NewsWire / Martin Ollman Credit: News Corp Australia He said the move was “about building *********** capability”. “It is really important that we are building the best relationships possible with like minded countries, with our friends and with our allies,” Mr Marles said. “Japan is obviously a country with whom we share values of democracy. We have a huge strategic alignment with Japan.” Mr Marles said he would give more details of the arrangements later on Sunday. The deepening of three-way defence ties with Tokyo and Washington comes amid increased ******** military assertiveness. Last month, the ******** military simulated an invasion of Taiwan as part of major war games that were condemned by the democratically self-governed island’s Western allies, including Australia. Camera IconMore foreign troops will be deployed to the Northern Territory in a major defence move amid simmering tensions in the region. Glenn Campbell Credit: News Corp Australia Beijing claims Taiwan and swathes of the strait that separates it from the ******** mainland, with President Xi Jinping having pledged to unite the two in his lifetime. In September, the ******** military also confirmed it fired an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) into the Pacific Ocean in a “routine” test. The launch was the first such test in more than 40 years. The ******** defence ministry said the ICBM was carrying a “****** warhead” and the launch was “not directed at any country”. But ICBMs are primarily used as a nuclear weapons delivery system, which is why the test has sparked regional apprehension. Source link #********* #troops #join #marines Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Doctors Are Begging You to Pay Attention to This Early Lung ******* Sign Doctors Are Begging You to Pay Attention to This Early Lung ******* Sign November is Lung ******* Awareness Month, an effort to educate everyone about the second most common ******* in the U.S. Maybe you think you already know all the facts. If you don’t smoke and steer clear of second-hand smoke, you’re in the clear, right? Not necessarily. While smoking is the number one risk factor for lung *******, as oncologists explain here, there are other ways people unknowingly increase their risk. They also share what the earliest signs of lung ******* are so those who are experiencing them can see their doctor ASAP for treatment. This is key because, as with other cancers, early treatment for lung ******* increases the chances of recovery. SIGN UP for tips to stay healthy & fit with the top moves, clean eats, health trends & more delivered right to your inbox twice a week The #1 Early Sign of Lung *******, According to Oncologists Dr. Yelena Patsiornik, MD, a hematologist and medical oncologist at White Plains Hospital’s Center for ******* Care, explains that what’s tricky about lung ******* is that it often doesn’t cause symptoms until it’s advanced. However, she says some people do experience early symptoms. The most common one, she says, is persistent coughing that doesn’t go away or gets worse over time. Dr. Amy Cummings, MD, PhD., a thoracic oncologist and physician-scientist at the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive ******* Center, concurred that a new cough that doesn’t go away or gets increasingly worse is an early sign of lung *******. Both oncologists say that other signs of lung ******* include coughing up blood or rust-******** sputum (mucus), hoarseness in your voice, feeling weak or tired, recurrent lung infections like bronchitis or pneumonia that don’t go away or keep coming back, unexplained weight loss, shortness of breath, wheezing and chest pain that gets worse when you breathe deeply or laugh. “Many of these symptoms can happen for reasons other than lung *******, but if they’re lasting or getting worse over six weeks, make sure to schedule an appointment and bring it up with their doctor so they can be appropriately evaluated,” Dr. Cummings says. Related: Here’s What You Should Never, Ever Do If You Want to Lower Your Risk of Lung ******* The reason why it’s important to know the early signs of lung ******* is because the earlier lung ******* is caught, the higher the chances are of recovery. “Early-stage lung ******* is highly curable with early intervention,” Dr. Patsiornik says. She explains that the main factor that affects treatment is the stage of the ******* at diagnosis, but other factors include where in the lungs the ******* is located, the type of cells the ******* formed in and if there are any other underlying health conditions co-occurring. Remember: Often lung ******* doesn’t have any signs at all until it’s advanced. For this reason, Dr. Patsiornik says it’s important to get screened for lung ******* annually if you are between the ages of 50 and 80 if you smoke or have quit smoking within the last 15 years. Related: An Oncologist’s Advice for Finding a Path Forward When Living With Lung ******* How to Lower Your Risk for Lung ******* As you might expect, smoking is the number one risk factor for lung *******. An estimated 90% of lung cancers are caused by smoking. But even if you don’t smoke, there are other risk factors to be aware of. “There are more non-exposure lung cancers these days, and as many as one in four lung cancers are in people who don’t have an exposure history,” Dr. Cummings says. She says that there are a lot of guesses as to why this is, with the most likely answer being that it doesn’t just come down to one reason. She says some of these reasons include prolonged exposure to indoor cooking, second-hand smoke, a family history of lung ******* and having a pre-existing lung ********. Dr. Patsiornik adds that exposure to asbestos, radon and smoke from wood burning are also risk factors for lung *******. Besides avoiding these risk factors, Dr. Patsiornik says that one way to lower your risk for lung ******* is to test for radon. “Radon is a radioactive gas that can build up in homes and cause lung *******. If you live in an area with high radon levels, test your home for radon and take steps to reduce the level if it’s high,” she says. Dr. Patsiornik says that it’s also important for workplaces to follow health and safety guidelines to avoid exposure to carcinogens. “If your workplace contains chemicals that can cause *******, wear protective gear and limit your exposure,” she says. Exercising regularly and maintaining a healthy diet also help lower the risk for lung *******, according to Dr. Patsiornik. There is a lot you can do to lower your risk for lung *******. If you have any questions about your individual risk or need help quitting smoking, talk to your doctor. The conversation just might save your life. Next Up: Related: Living with Lung *******: A Year in the Clear Sources Dr. Yelena Patsiornik, MD, hematologist and medical oncologist at White Plains Hospital’s Center for ******* Care Dr. Amy Cummings, MD, PhD, thoracic oncologist and physician-scientist at the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive ******* Center Source link #Doctors #Begging #Pay #Attention #Early #Lung #******* #Sign Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]