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Catholic priest, 79, extradited from NSW to face charges over 1990s ‘indecent assault’ in WA against girl Catholic priest, 79, extradited from NSW to face charges over 1990s ‘indecent assault’ in WA against girl A frail Catholic priest has been granted bail and ordered to not work with kids after being charged with historical abuse offences against a young girl in WA. Source link #Catholic #priest #extradited #NSW #face #charges #1990s #indecent #assault #girl Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

OpenAI is finally going to make ChatGPT a lot less confusing – and hints at a GPT-5 release window OpenAI is finally going to make ChatGPT a lot less confusing – and hints at a GPT-5 release window ChatGPT will one day unify all of OpenAI’s LLMs GPT-5 will be free for all users with higher intelligence for paying subscribers As part of the unification process, OpenAI’s o3 will no longer be available as a standalone model when GPT-5 launches OpenAI CEO, Sam Altman, just revealed some major info on the future of ChatGPT that will see all GPT models including the upcoming GPT-5 unified without the need to pick a model for each occasion. At the time of writing, you need to choose between different OpenAI models every time you use ChatGPT, whether that’s GPT-4o for everyday tasks or a more focused reasoning model like o3-mini for problem-solving. But that could all be about to change according to Altman who promises a simplifying of ChatGPT that “just works”. On X, Altman said, “We want AI to “just work” for you; we realize how complicated our model and product offerings have gotten. We hate the model picker as much as you do and want to return to magic unified intelligence.” This would essentially mean that you’d no longer need to choose between AI models and ChatGPT would be able to determine which model is best depending on your prompt. Altman said, “a top goal for us is to unify o-series models and GPT-series models by creating systems that can use all our tools, know when to think for a long time or not, and generally be useful for a very wide range of tasks.” This would be a pretty incredible feet and a huge improvement over the current system which means you have to constantly change between models depending on what’s best suited for your needs. Even more so, the average consumer sometimes doesn’t know which model is best for which scenario, so having ChatGPT do that work for you removes a point of friction from the process. He goes on to say that GPT-4.5, the successor to 4o, will be the final ChatGPT model to launch as a standalone model before combining all models in a system that uses all of OpenAI’s tools simultaneously. This means that when GPT-5 does inevitably launch it will “integrate a lot of our (OpenAI’s) technology, including o3.” Altman even confirmed that o3 will no longer be shipped as a standalone model when this change occurs. Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. OPENAI ROADMAP UPDATE FOR GPT-4.5 and GPT-5:We want to do a better job of sharing our intended roadmap, and a much better job simplifying our product offerings.We want AI to “just work” for you; we realize how complicated our model and product offerings have gotten.We hate…February 12, 2025 Unlimited access to GPT-5 As if the news of OpenAI planning to unify all of its AI models wasn’t big enough, Altman’s roadmap also revealed that the free tier of ChatGPT will get unlimited access to GPT-5 at its “standard intelligence setting.” Plus subscribers will get an even “higher level of intelligence” while Pro subscribers, who pay the hefty $200/month fee, will get the highest level of GPT-5 intelligence. One X user took the opportunity of Altman sharing future ChatGPT info to ask for an ETA for GPT-4.5 and GPT-5. Altman responded “weeks / months”. Whether that means 4.5 is weeks away and 5 is months away or it was just a cheeky response to the users “Weeks?Months?” question, your guess is as good as mine. While Altman didn’t confirm a release date for GPT-4.5 or GPT-5 he did confirm that GPT-5 will incorporate voice, canvas, search, deep research, and more. So while we don’t know how long we’re going to have to wait, the wait should be worth it. You may also like Source link #OpenAI #finally #ChatGPT #lot #confusing #hints #GPT5 #release #window Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Trump drew the line at Social Security cuts in Republicans’ proposed budget, but Medicaid is on the chopping block Trump drew the line at Social Security cuts in Republicans’ proposed budget, but Medicaid is on the chopping block House Republicans unveiled a budget draft that potentially cuts critical Medicaid funding. The Budget Committee draft instructs the Energy and Commerce Committee to cut at least $880 billion. House and Senate GOP leaders aren’t on the same page when it comes to advancing Trump’s agenda. Medicaid may be on the chopping block as the Trump administration prepares its budget blueprint. The House Budget Committee’s budget draft included a goal of about $2 trillion in spending cuts and allowed for $4.5 trillion in tax cuts. The blueprint draft called for at least $880 billion in spending cuts from the House Energy and Commerce Committee over the next decade. This would likely mean large Medicaid cuts, potentially leading many Americans to lose their benefits. A Ways and Means Committee document outlining reconciliation options reveals over $2 trillion in potential Medicaid cuts, though some could overlap. President Donald Trump has said Social Security and Medicare, which are the largest federal government programs, wouldn’t be cut. Elon Musk has also accused “federal entitlements” such as Social Security of fraud. The draft directed the Committee on Agriculture to reduce the deficit by $230 billion, which would mean cutting nutritional programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. The most recent Medicaid enrollment data from October 2024 revealed over 72 million people were enrolled in Medicaid, while 7.25 million were enrolled in Children’s Health Insurance Programs. Medicaid provides healthcare and long-term services coverage for lower-income Americans and is financed by both the federal government and states. In some states, over 30% of the population is covered by Medicaid. According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Medicaid spending in 2023 was nearly $872 billion. Some GOP leaders have proposed reducing Federal Medical Assistance Percentages, the amount the federal government pays to states based on factors such as a state’s per-capita income. Others have proposed Medicaid per-capita caps, which an early House Budget Committee proposal said could save up to $900 billion. This shift would lead states to either cut back on Medicaid services or identify other methods for funding potentially billions in losses. Figures such as Robert F. Kennedy Jr. have argued that Medicaid is ineffective, and some question whether it has improved people’s health. Critics of the program have also said people relying on Medicaid could get insurance from other sources, such as their workplace. However, Medicaid expansions have been shown to improve care access, reduce mortality rates, and spark economic growth. Senate Budget Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham of South Carolina in recent days had already moved ahead with his border security, military, and energy package, as Republicans in the upper chamber had been waiting for their House counterparts to offer their budget proposal. Graham is aiming to pass a second budget resolution extending the 2017 tax cuts later this year. Senate Republicans can pass a budget reconciliation bill with a simple majority, or 51 votes, as they wouldn’t have to meet the normal 60-vote filibuster threshold. The party currently holds a 53-47 majority in the upper chamber. House GOP leaders see their budget framework as one that could pave the way for passing a reconciliation bill through Congress with the priorities of Trump and top conservatives in mind. Republicans have a razor-thin 218-215 majority in the House, so every vote will be critical, and they’re looking to pass one bill with Trump’s signature policy desires. Speaker Mike Johnson on Tuesday told reporters that Graham’s plan was a “nonstarter.” “We all are trying to get to the same achievable objectives,” the Louisiana Republican said. “And there’s just, you know, different ideas on how to get there.” GOP leaders have recently pushed for Medicaid cuts, leading to debates over how much to cut services many Americans rely on. Other major points from the House blueprint included increasing the debt limit by $4 trillion, reductions in education totaling $330 billion, and allocating up to $300 billion in additional border and defense spending. The Senate’s plan calls for $150 billion in additional defense spending and a $175 billion boost for border security. Read the original article on Business Insider Source link #Trump #drew #line #Social #Security #cuts #Republicans #proposed #budget #Medicaid #chopping #block Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

NATO ministers plead for Ukraine to be involved in Trump-Putin peace talks – POLITICO Europe NATO ministers plead for Ukraine to be involved in Trump-Putin peace talks – POLITICO Europe NATO ministers plead for Ukraine to be involved in Trump-Putin peace talks POLITICO EuropeUS relations with Europe will never be the same after Trump’s call with Putin CNNNATO Allies Stunned by Trump’s Talks with Putin over Ukraine NewsweekTrump’s Ukraine Plans Mean a $3 Trillion Bill for European Allies BloombergNo lasting peace in Ukraine without European role in talks, leaders say after Trump-Putin call The Guardian Source link #NATO #ministers #plead #Ukraine #involved #TrumpPutin #peace #talks #POLITICO #Europe Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Grenade attack in Grenoble bar injures 12 Grenade attack in Grenoble bar injures 12 Twelve people have been injured after a grenade was thrown into a busy bar in the French city of Grenoble, local authorities have said. The incident happened at the Aksehir bar shortly after 20:00 local time (19:00 GMT) on Wednesday evening, leaving two people in critical condition. The motive for the attack is not clear but investigators say it “may be linked to a settling of scores”. Prosecutor Francois Touret-de-Courcey said eyewitness accounts suggest the suspect, who is as yet unidentified, may also have been carrying a Kalashnikov assault rifle. Speaking to reporters at the scene, he said: “There’s nothing to make us think it’s linked to terrorism,” describing the incident as an “act of extreme violence”. He added that investigators were looking at possible connections to drug trafficking. Authorities said many people were at the venue, located in the city’s Olympic Village neighbourhood, when the suspect briefly entered. Some 80 firefighters and police officers were deployed to the scene with the area remaining cordoned off on Thursday morning, French paper Le Figaro reports. Deputy Mayor Chloe Pantel told the AFP news agency that the venue was “a spot where locals and people from outside the neighbourhood gather, especially to watch football matches”. Police presence in the area will remain for a while, she added. Posting on X, Mayor Eric Piolle condemned what he described as a “criminal act of extraordinary violence,” before thanking rescue and security forces “for their rapid intervention”. Source link #Grenade #attack #Grenoble #bar #injures Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The Chancellor and her expenses before she became an MP The Chancellor and her expenses before she became an MP Billy Kenber Politics investigations correspondent Phil Kemp Politics producer BBC Rachel Reeves has had a difficult start to her ministerial career. As well as Labour’s new chancellor taking on the challenges of the *** economy, she has faced tricky questions about her past. They began with scrutiny of her online CV late last year. On the professional networking site LinkedIn, the Chancellor of the Exchequer claimed to have worked as an economist at Halifax Bank of Scotland (HBOS) immediately before becoming an MP. One of those who challenged it was a retired former colleague, Kev Gillett. In a public post on LinkedIn, which he asked followers to share, he wrote: “Back in 2009 Rt Hon Rachel Reeves worked 3 levels below me. Just facts. She was a Complaints Support Manager at LBG/HBOS. Not an Economist. #factcheck.” In fact it emerged that she had worked in a managerial role within the bank’s complaint handling department and her LinkedIn profile was updated to remove the claim. Gillett also made another claim about Reeves’s time at the bank from 2006 to 2009, writing that she: “Nearly got sacked due to an expenses scandal where the 3 senior managers were all signing off each others expenses.” Reeves’s team vigorously denied the allegations. However, Labour’s imminent victory in last summer’s general election prompted a post on a private Facebook group for former HBOS employees that BBC News has seen asking if anyone remembered Reeves. One former employee replied: “the expenses dept certainly do!” Several others made reference to Reeves being investigated over her expenses spending. BBC News has been seeking the truth behind these suggestions, speaking to more than 20 people, many of whom were former colleagues, and gaining access to receipts, emails and other documents. We have learnt that there was an expenses investigation into Reeves and two other senior managers. A detailed six-page whistleblowing complaint and dozens of pages of attached evidence, which we have seen, raised concerns that the three managers were using the bank’s money to “fund a lifestyle” with allegedly inappropriate spending on dinners, events, taxis and gifts, including for each other. We have not been able to establish what the final outcome of the investigation was. Indeed it may not have concluded. But the initial part of the investigation, which was conducted by Internal Audit at the request of the bank’s risk department, found that the three managers appeared to have broken the rules and the whistleblower’s allegations were substantiated, according to a senior source with knowledge of the investigation. A spokesman for Reeves said the Chancellor had no knowledge of the investigation, always complied with expenses rules and left the bank on good terms. Banking career Reeves was in her 20s and trying to become an MP when she took up a job at Halifax Bank of Scotland in West Yorkshire in 2006. The role required her to move north from London, where she had unsuccessfully stood as Labour’s parliamentary candidate in what had been a safe Conservative seat. She initially worked in the mortgage department, but in late 2007 moved to become Head of Business Planning in the Customer Relations department, which handled complaints. Her career at HBOS coincided with what would prove to be a tumultuous time for the bank. The global financial crisis which began in late summer of 2007 would force the sector to embark on a massive programme of job cuts and cost savings. In September 2008, HBOS itself came close to collapse, requiring a government-brokered takeover by Lloyds and an emergency bailout which would total £20.5bn of taxpayers’ money. It was shortly after this near-collapse, by early 2009, that a whistleblower from her department raised concerns about the spending habits of Reeves and two other managers, one of whom was Reeves’s boss. Before this, in late 2008, a memo was circulated to Reeves and others which called for tighter cost control in the department. Written by a planning and strategy manager, the document, “Financial Risk Control within Customer Relations”, raised concerns about “spending on travel” and on corporate spending cards, including Motivation cards which were used to reward staff. It laid out proposals to “improve cost controls” which included monthly discussions with Reeves and another of the senior managers who the whistleblower claimed had mis-used expenses to “give visibility of claims, invoices, Thanks card use and reports”. Separately, Reeves was emailed in mid-December 2008 about proposals for a presentation setting out how much had been spent on Motivation cards, recognising top performers and on taxi travel, to “focus attention on particular aspects of travel that are costly and perhaps need more consideration”. Reeves replied to say that she was not sure a “huge analysis” was needed and she wanted to see the papers before they went any further. Whistleblower complaint and investigation The whistleblower’s complaint submitted by early 2009 was a six-page document laying out a range of concerns about an alleged spending culture in the Customer Relations department. It focused on the behaviour of three individuals: Reeves, Reeves’s boss, and another senior manager in the department. Reeves’s boss, who we are not naming, was responsible for signing off the expenses of the other two managers. The report and attached receipts and other documents seen by BBC News show Reeves was accused of spending hundreds of pounds on handbags, perfume, earrings and wine for colleagues, including one gift for her boss. Concern was also expressed about her spending on taxis and on a Christmas party. The whistleblower believed the spending to be excessive. After a call to the whistleblowing hotline, the whistleblower was instructed to hand in a physical copy of their report and supporting evidence, two sources said. A separate source, who contacted BBC News themselves in the wake of an article on the furore around Reeves’s CV last year, was also aware that someone had blown the whistle on Reeves and another colleague. The report was passed to the bank’s risk department and, at their request, was taken on by the Internal Audit department. A source who worked in risk at the bank told us: “Given the nature of the allegations – claiming expenses for things you wouldn’t normally claim expenses for – and the relative seniority of the individuals, the matter was referred for investigation by a team outside of that department.” The Internal Audit department, which had access to expenses claims and sign-offs, then assessed the complaint and supporting documents, according to two sources. It found that there was evidence of apparent wrongdoing by the three senior managers including Reeves, a senior source with direct knowledge of the investigation told BBC News. Internal Audit completed its involvement in the investigation and passed its findings to an investigative part of the Risk department in around April 2009. The normal process would then have been for the managers to be interviewed about the allegations. There would then be an assessment of potential disciplinary action if necessary. However it does not appear that this next interview stage took place, or that the investigation ever reached a formal conclusion. Reeves insisted she was never interviewed, as did her boss, who said she was “not aware of an expenses probe and my departure was not related to any alleged investigation”. The other senior manager declined to comment. There is no evidence of which we are aware that the bank’s internal investigation was completed, or that there was ever a concluding finding of any wrongdoing. Reeves left the bank in May 2009, as did her boss. The other senior manager was on sick leave in May and never returned to work at the bank. There is no suggestion any of the departures were linked to the investigation or spending issues and a spokesman for Reeves said the Chancellor left the bank on good terms. They also provided a statement from the lawyer who provided legal advice on the compromise agreement – a voluntary legal document ending an employee’s employment – she signed on her departure. He said it was a “standard-style agreement adopted by the company when a mutually agreed exit was made during the bank’s restructure”. “Absolutely no allegations of wrongdoing or misconduct were mentioned by the HBOS HR team during this process,” he said. Expenses allegations What lay behind the whistleblower’s complaint and the grumbles of other colleagues was unhappiness relating to several different areas of spending. One concern was the use of bank payment cards to pay for Christmas and birthday gifts. “A culture developed among senior managers in Customer Relations where gifts were given freely to direct reports – both upwards and downwards,” one former colleague of Reeves claimed. “[They had] a very cavalier attitude regarding the budget in the department.” Reeves and the other senior managers had both a corporate credit card and another payment card known as a ‘Motivation’ or ‘Thanks’ card. The Motivation card was intended to be used to reward high-performers for good work. There was guidance about its use. In February 2008 a memo instructed HBOS employees on the correct use of Motivation cards, which were widely used within the Customer Relations department. It stated that the cards were to be used to “reward/acknowledge colleagues who have gone the extra mile”. Suggested gifts included “chocolates, flowers, wine, vouchers or you could simply log on and send a free e-card to say ‘Thanks’ for a job well done”, the memo said. It warned that managers would be “responsible for all transactions on your card and will be held accountable if spending on your statement cannot be verified”. Spending in this area was scrutinised because the company incurred tax on it. The memo doesn’t explicitly prohibit Christmas and birthday gifts. But 11 former employees told us they had never heard of colleagues being bought birthday gifts with the bank’s money, and believed that doing so was in breach of the rules. Several said any birthday gifts were bought with their own money. However, one ex-staff member, Jane Wayper, a former HR business partner who was given permission to speak to us by Reeves’s team, claimed that “birthday gifts and Christmas presents could be purchased using Motivation cards” and “staff were encouraged to do so for their teams”. Reeves bought birthday presents for colleagues with HBOS’s money throughout her time in Customer Relations, receipts show, with purchases including wine and cosmetics. Some were bought using a Motivation card, while others were reimbursed through an expenses claim. She also spent £152 on a handbag and perfume as a present for her boss using the bank’s money, according to the whistleblower’s report. The present was a joint gift from Reeves and one of the other managers who was later investigated alongside her. And she bought earrings as a present for her PA, which she claimed back on expenses. Her PA, Linda Barrowclough, said she had received Christmas and birthday gifts from Reeves but had assumed they were “personal gifts [and] they’d have come out of her own pocket”. Reeves also used her Motivation card to spend more than £400 on a leaving meal for a colleague, which the whistleblowing complaint claimed was not a permitted use. Christmas gifts The situation around Christmas gifts, which Reeves also bought for her PA and others, was more complicated. That’s because, according to internal bank guidance we have seen, these could be bought on expenses providing they were small gifts of £25 or less and they were not bought using the Motivation card. The £25 limit was based on tax advice as anything more substantial would attract tax. It appeared to her colleagues that Reeves had broken these rules. But there does appear to have been confusion about the policy. We have also seen emails showing that Reeves was encouraged by her boss to buy more expensive Christmas presents, and to pay for them with her Motivation card. In late October 2008, Reeves’s manager wrote that “after checking with other departments, it looks like the standard practice of buying Christmas gifts for direct reports using motivation bank will continue this year”, emails seen by the BBC show. She suggested spending £50 to £75 per person on the presents. A reminder titled “further clarity” about how to buy Christmas gifts and how much to spend was circulated by another HBOS employee in early December, emails show. Reeves and the other managers who were later investigated were all among the recipients of this email confirming the rules on Christmas gifts. While seasonal gifts, such as at Christmas, were allowed, the managers were explicitly told they could not use Motivation cards for these purchases. The cost of these “trivial” gifts was also not allowed to exceed £25, in line with HMRC guidance, the email said. This is because rewards for performance at work are taxable whereas seasonal gifts such as those given for Christmas, providing they are not too costly, are exempt. Replying to the email, Reeves wrote that she didn’t understand why the “goal posts are shifting” and said she had already ordered and paid for her presents using “Motivation Bank/Thanks, and I do not intend to cancel them,” claiming this would cost more time and money. A colleague responsible for finance acknowledged that the message on paying for Christmas gifts hadn’t always been clear but said: “I don’t believe that the goalposts are being moved.” Receipts show that gifts bought by Reeves at Christmas 2008 included a £49 handbag for her PA, while she herself received £55 worth of wine from her boss. Open secret? There was a widespread belief at the bank that there had been an expenses investigation into Reeves and two colleagues. But Reeves has said that she has no recollection of being investigated or having questions raised over her expenses. A spokesman for Reeves said she was “proud of the work she did at HBOS” and was not aware of the claims about her expenses until approached by the BBC. “She was not aware of an investigation nor was she interviewed, and she did not face any disciplinary action on this or any other matters. All expenses were submitted and signed off in the proper way,” she said. The spokesman also said Reeves left in 2009 “on good terms and received a severance payment, including her full notice pay and bonus”. “HBOS allowed her to keep a company car for six months after she left and she was given a favourable reference.” Her team put forward several formal HBOS employees for interview who they said corroborated her account that she had not been investigated. One said she hadn’t seen evidence of senior managers misusing expenses and the bank had controls to prevent it but she left in February 2008, more than a year before Reeves departed. She also said that she had never heard of giving birthday and Christmas gifts at HBOS’s expense as being part of the bank’s policies. Another, Jane Wayper, the former HR business partner, said in a statement that she didn’t recognise the accusations against Reeves and “would have been aware of any investigation which concluded there was a case to answer” as she would have been involved in the disciplinary process. She said there was “extensive oversight of all expenses policies” and claimed that “birthday gifts and Christmas presents could be purchased using Motivation cards”. But this is at odds with a document seen by BBC News and the testimony of 11 sources we have spoken to. Many of Reeves’ former HBOS colleagues were worried about the consequences of sharing confidential information with BBC News but believe it is in the public interest for what happened, and their concerns about the now-Chancellor’s spending of the bank’s money, to be reported. But, given their concerns about speaking out publicly, we have agreed not to name them. The investigation at HBOS was not the last time Reeves would face scrutiny over her expenses. In 2015, it emerged that she was among 19 MPs who had had their official credit cards suspended by the parliamentary expenses watchdog after failing to show their spending was valid. Reeves owed more than £4,000 in spending at the time when her card was blocked. She subsequently cleared her debt. If you have any information on stories you would like to share with the BBC Politics Investigations team, please get in touch at [email protected].*** Source link #Chancellor #expenses Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

PS5 Sales Pass 74.9 Million Units After Shipping Almost 10 Million Consoles During the Holidays PS5 Sales Pass 74.9 Million Units After Shipping Almost 10 Million Consoles During the Holidays dveio12m ago(Edited 11m ago) So, what I am reading from this: – “500 million MAU” + Zenimax + ABK + “Game of the Decade” Starfield + Indiana Jones + Stalker 2 + Call of Duty in Gamepass + Flight Sim resulted in • -7% total revenue (USD 6.6 billion) • -29% hardware sales • somewhere around +2% for “content” for the Xbox division in the most important quarter of the financial year. Whereas the little Astro Bot, metaphorically speaking, helped the Playstation division in direct comparison to: • +17% total revenue (~$11 billion, almost double Xbox) • +15% hardware sales • +37% operating income • 75 million PS5s “shipped” (~72 million PS5s “sold through”) • once again decreased gap to aligned PS4 numbers … in the most important quarter of the financial year. 2025 is already being forecasted to achieve even better fiscal results for Playstation. Also, 2025 is about to offer an even better software line up overall. I don’t really see the “console business is stagnating” argument. At least not for Playstation and Nintendo. Source link #PS5 #Sales #Pass #Million #Units #Shipping #Million #Consoles #Holidays Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Davis, Harrell fire Sixers to finals upset of Kings Davis, Harrell fire Sixers to finals upset of Kings Star imports Kendric Davis and Montrezl Harrell have steered the Adelaide 36ers into the NBL Play-In Game with a 95-88 upset of the Sydney Kings. The Sixers blew out to a 16-point lead before halftime and withstood a huge Kings fightback in Thursday night’s Play-In Qualifier at Qudos Bank Arena. They will take on South East Melbourne in another knockout contest at John Cain Arena on Sunday, with the winner advancing to the Play-Offs. Davis, runner-up to Bryce Cotton in the league’s MVP award, had 24 points and six assists as Adelaide posted their fourth successive win over Sydney this season. Harrell had 18 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, and ended his personal battle with the Kings’ home fans by sarcastically waving goodbye after the final buzzer. DJ Vasiljevic was also important, finishing with 23 points off 7-of-11 shooting from long range. Sydney star Jaylen Adams had 30 points and 10 assists, but also committed a season-high nine turnovers – one short of the record in the 40-minute era. Cam Oliver (19 points, 12 rebounds) also fought hard for the Kings in the absence of Xavier Cooks, who was suspended this week after returning an adverse finding from a drug test. Adelaide started well in their first post-season game since the 2018 grand final series, leading 23-22 at quarter-time through Davis pull-up triple. The visitors’ lead ballooned to as much as 16 points in the second ******* after an 11-0 run sparked by threes from Sunday Dech, Jason Cadee and Davis. A frustrated Adams was subbed out by Kings coach Brian Goorjian just before halftime with 16 points and six assists – but also seven turnovers. Sydney surged after the main break and Adelaide’s offensive rhythm vanished, as a 30-18 third ******* gave the home side a slender 71-69 advantage with one quarter to play. The lead changed hands several times in the second half and it was the Sixers who held their nerve down the stretch. Adams was briefly subbed out with a ****** dislocated finger with 2:10 left as Adelaide’s Jarrell Martin – back in action after a calf injury – helped settle the contest off the bench. The result means Cadee’s career will continue for at least one more game after the 15-year veteran announced this week he would retire when the Sixers’ season ends. Source link #Davis #Harrell #fire #Sixers #finals #upset #Kings Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Hello Kitty Island Adventure review [SideQuesting] Hello Kitty Island Adventure review [SideQuesting] A surprisingly fun island-hopping adventure that mixes Animal Crossing with Legend of Zelda, the latest Hello Kitty game is easy to recommend. Source link #Kitty #Island #Adventure #review #SideQuesting Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Weak Gravitational Lensing Examines Universe’s Structure: What You Need to Know Weak Gravitational Lensing Examines Universe’s Structure: What You Need to Know The behaviour of the universe on the largest scales is being examined through weak gravitational lensing, a method that may confirm or challenge the long-standing Cosmological Principle. This principle, which asserts that the universe is both homogeneous and isotropic, underpins the Standard Model of Cosmology. If inconsistencies are detected, fundamental assumptions about the universe’s structure may need to be reconsidered. Observations from new space telescopes are being used to analyse potential deviations, with findings expected to provide deeper insights into cosmic evolution. Cosmological Principle Under Investigation According to a study published in the Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics (JCAP), a methodology has been proposed to test the universe’s isotropy using weak gravitational lensing data. This effect, predicted by general relativity, occurs when light from distant galaxies is subtly bent by massive cosmic structures. Researchers have suggested that anomalies in this lensing data may indicate deviations from the assumption that the universe has no preferred direction. James Adam, an astrophysicist at the University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, and lead author of the study, told Phys.org that the principle suggests no true centre exists in the universe. The Standard Model of Cosmology, which relies on this assumption, has been supported by various observations. However, inconsistencies in cosmic expansion measurements and the cosmic microwave background have raised questions about possible anisotropies. Observations from the Euclid Space Telescope, launched in 2023, are being analysed to detect possible anisotropies. Weak gravitational lensing alters galaxy shapes in a measurable way, allowing researchers to distinguish between two lensing components—E-mode and B-mode shear. In an isotropic universe, only E-modes should appear on large scales, while B-modes remain weak. A correlation between the two could indicate a non-uniform cosmic expansion. Future Observations and Potential Impact The study simulated how an anisotropic expansion would modify weak lensing signals, demonstrating that Euclid’s data could be used to detect such deviations. If verified, these findings could require adjustments to current cosmological models. Adam stated to Phys.org that extensive validation is necessary before any fundamental assumptions are reconsidered. Future telescopic data will be analysed to confirm whether these anomalies represent real physical phenomena or observational errors. For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel. If you want to know everything about top influencers, follow our in-house Who’sThat360 on Instagram and YouTube. Motorola Razr+ 2025 Design, Key Features Leaked; May Arrive as Razr 60 Ultra in Select Markets Instagram Brings Teen Accounts With Additional Protections to Users in India Source link #Weak #Gravitational #Lensing #Examines #Universes #Structure Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Fashion Is a Serious Business. Once a Year, It Makes Time for Ridiculousness. Fashion Is a Serious Business. Once a Year, It Makes Time for Ridiculousness. Of all the unexpected gifts this job has given me, perhaps the greatest one is the opportunity to be a visitor in the worlds of design and fashion. Anyone who has been allowed entree into a realm they never knew well (but were always curious to know better) understands that much of the fun of that introduction is learning about the culture of the place — the rituals and traditions that members of that tribe have long since ceased to find extraordinary. For example: Last year, I was talking to a dear friend, a fashion designer in Paris. “What are you doing?” I asked. “I have to finish the hats for the Catherinettes,” he said, so matter-of-factly that, for a moment, I wondered if my inability to decipher what he was saying was actually a sign of my ignorance. “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I said. It turns out that, every November, most of the French fashion houses participate in the St. Catherine’s Day festival. St. Catherine is the patron saint of, among other special interest groups, single women and, back in the 1940s and ’50s, the day was celebrated by 25-year-old female couture assistants putting on whimsical or outlandish hats and wandering the streets of Paris, announcing to one and all that they were looking for a husband. Today, some things about that tradition have changed or been updated — men, called Nicholases, are now included; no participant can be older than 25 (men used to become Nicholases only when they turned 30); the Catherinettes and Nicholases can come from any kind of fashion house, not only those that make couture, and don’t have to work in the design ateliers — but it endures. There are still extravagant hats, many designed by the maisons’ artistic directors, typically in yellow and green, the colors associated with St. Catherine (no one can agree on why). The honorees, usually among the lowest-ranked, newest members of the houses, still get the afternoon off. (Dior even throws their employees a ball.) On the Covers Of course, being 25 in 2025 isn’t the same as being 25 in 1955. Many of these employees aren’t looking for spouses — now, or maybe ever. But St. Catherine’s Day is a reminder that even the most serious businesses — and fashion is serious, despite some appearances to the contrary; some might even call it self-serious — make time for silliness. And not just silliness but sentiment. The French are rightly proud of the influence and power their fashion still carries on the global stage; this celebration is as much one of the next generation as it is of the industry itself. It’s also a reminder that what makes any closed-door artistic community special is the peculiarities that it has cultivated over the decades. “Oh, how wonderful!” said one New York stage manager I told about the Catherinettes; at the time, we were working on a piece about the traditions of Broadway theaters. “I never knew that.” She’d just finished telling me about some of her world’s rites; she was tickled to hear about someone else’s. Who knows? Maybe your business isn’t as boring as you think. Maybe it’s actually deeply weird — and you’re the only one who doesn’t know it. Source link #Fashion #Business #Year #Time #Ridiculousness Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

What are the biggest snowstorms in Rochester history? These were some of the worst What are the biggest snowstorms in Rochester history? These were some of the worst Rochester is among the snowiest cities in nation. The region is astride common storm tracks and far enough north that precipitation often falls as snow instead of rain. And of course, the Flower City is located along the shore of one of the world’s largest snow-generating machines — Lake Ontario. So epic winter storms are not uncommon. Here are some of Rochester’s biggest: Snowstorms in Rochester NY: Biggest multi-day snowfall 1. February 28 – March 2, 1900. 43.5 inches Snow fell for 63 hours straight, making this the worst snowstorm and deepest snow pack ever seen in Rochester. The monster storm halted commerce and disrupted lives through the Great Lakes region, with cities from Cleveland to Buffalo to Montreal reporting blizzard conditions. In this area, Le Roy had 10-foot drifts, Geneva was cut off from outside communication and the only people who made it into Brockport arrived on horses. In the city, people bemoaned the fact that the daily milk train had been hours late and delivery vehicles weren’t able to navigate the streets. 2. February 27 – March 3, 1984. 32.7 inches Malvern Street in Rochester on Feb. 29, 1984. The Great Leap Day storm, as this was known, extended for six straight days. But the worst of it came on the last two days of February, when nearly 2 feet of snow fell and the Rochester area was briefly in shut-down mode. People had resumed their normal lives by March 1, but light snow continued as crews struggled to clear streets and haul away snow. 3. January 29 – February 2, 1966. 28.8 inches The Blizzard of ’66 featured a great deal of lake-effect snow, with reports of 100-inches snowfalls and 30-foot drifts at locations near the east end of Lake Ontario. The area was paralyzed for a time, and a father and daughter died of exposure along an Orleans County road after their car, which they’d pulled off the road, was buried in snow. The Feb. 2 Democrat and Chronicle contained a startling report that wholesale suppliers said the community was running short of food. 4. March 13-15, 2017. 26.5 inches This storm was insidious in that it began just five days after a ferocious windstorm knocked out power to much of the Rochester area. Schools and most businesses closed; those that remained open had few customers, as no one could travel. 5. February 5-7, 1978. 25.8 inches The entire eastern United States was socked by this storm. Part of the New York State Thruway was closed, and the stock exchange in New York City shut down as well. Locally, it started slowly but shut down Rochester on Feb. 7, 1978. Two men died of heart attacks after trying to shovel snow that lay two feet deep. The city manager later ordered an investigation of snow-removal failures. Snowstorms in Rochester NY: Biggest single-day snowfall 1. March 1, 1900. 29.8 inches. This mother of all one-day storms forced cancellation of most train service, blocked roads, closed schools, shuttered stores and left coal companies hustling to meet a spike in demand. This was the second day of a three-day event that became the biggest snowstorm on record here. 2. January 3, 1996. 23 inches A good portion of this mammoth snowfall was lake-effect snow from Lake Ontario. Transportation networks ground to a halt, and schools were closed for two days straight. Municipal highway departments, their budgets already depleted by a heavy plowing workload in November and December, cried poverty. 3. March 4, 1999. 22.3 inches “Blizzard of ’99” screamed the headline atop the next day’s Democrat and Chronicle. “Big blow triggers mammoth paralysis, road chaos.” A state of emergency was declared after a storm that drops 2 to 3 inches of snow an hour ravaged the region. Chagrined forecasters admitted they hadn’t foreseen the severity of the storm. 4. March 6, 1999. 18.4 inches Coming on the heels of an even ******* storm two days earlier, this monster forced the county government to reimpose a state of emergency six hours after the old one was lifted. Parts of the New York State Thruway closed, as did local malls and many other businesses. Thanks largely to these back-to-back storms, March 1999 was the snowiest March ever in Rochester. 5. February 14, 1960. 18.4 inches A car buried in snow on March 14, 1960 . This storm was billed at the worst in Rochester in a decade. Snowdrifts were hip-deep. Roads were closed and airplanes grounded, though passenger trains remained in service. Two men died of heart attacks while shoveling snow. The storm helped make the winter of 1959-60 the snowiest in local history. NOTE: Unofficial records show a one-day snowfall of 30 inches on Feb. 15, 1837, and multi-day storms totaling 30 inches on Feb. 2-7, 1845, and Feb. 4-6, 1854. The storms are omitted from this list because measurements were not made by official weather observers. This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Rochester NY Weather: Worst blizzards and snowstorms in history Source link #biggest #snowstorms #Rochester #history #worst Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater on Xbox Won’t Have Snake vs. Monkey Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater on Xbox Won’t Have Snake vs. Monkey METAL GEAR SOLID Δ: SNAKE EATER will be released on August 28, 2025 ! Pre-Order Now! METAL GEAR SOLID Δ: SNAKE EATER is a remake of the 2004 game METAL GEAR SOLID 3: SNAKE EATER. The remake maintains what players loved from the original, like the story, characters, voice acting, gameplay, and music, but presented now in an even more immersive experience. Source link #Metal #Gear #Solid #Delta #Snake #Eater #Xbox #Wont #Snake #Monkey Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

‘La Dolce Villa’ Review: Sweet Italian Nonsense ‘La Dolce Villa’ Review: Sweet Italian Nonsense From the start, I had many questions about “La Dolce Villa,” directed by Mark Waters, most of which are easy enough to answer but stick in the mind nonetheless. Why, for instance, is the hot middle-aged dad, Eric (Scott Foley), so incredibly mad at his 20-something daughter, Olivia (Maia Reficco), for wanting to purchase a literal villa in Italy for the whopping price of one euro? Why, for that matter, is her Italian so good? Why does Eric seem so convinced the one-euro Italian villa situation is a complete scam, despite, presumably, living in a world that has the internet? Why does everyone in the tiny, remote, fictional town of Montezara, in which this villa can be found, speak extremely accomplished, crystal-clear English? And why does it feel like “La Dolce Villa” is actually funded by an Italian tourist bureau? The same answer applies to each of these: It’s a Netflix movie, designed expressly for the “Emily in Paris” audience. That is to say, it’s a glossy fairy tale about Americans having lighthearted adventures in Europe, getting into scrapes and falling in love and charming the pants off all the locals. I’ve basically explained the premise, but let’s add that Eric, a widower, and Olivia are from Ohio. After a couple of bad traveling mishaps in the past, Eric is convinced Italy is the worst place ever. He used to be a chef, but now he’s a corporate guy — yet when he sees the villa, with its capacious broken-down kitchen, the gears start to turn. Olivia is more of a free spirit, and she’s made friends with the mayor of Montezara, Francesca (Violante Placido), who is beautiful, around Eric’s age and full of big plans for her little town. Montezara is populated by an assortment of contractors, nonnas and beautiful young people. Everybody eats pasta and rides bikes through the countryside. And Montezara seems full of villas available for one euro, part of a movement in Italy to infuse new life into communities that are in danger of becoming ghost towns. (In the movie and in real life, buyers have to commit to renovating the building within a few years, which can cost thousands of dollars but is still much cheaper than buying a house virtually anywhere else.) It’s basically paradise on earth, and of course, Francesca and Eric — being single, middle-age and extremely beautiful — will meet cute and have a series of slapsticky mishaps and you know the rest. The screenplay for “La Dolce Villa” was written by Elizabeth Hackett and Hilary Galanoy, who penned another real estate-themed Netflix rom-com with a punny title, “Falling Inn Love.” (That one involved an American “winning” a fixer-upper inn located in New Zealand.) The appeal of this kind of film is obvious: It is utterly predictable, lighter than air, sweeter than stracciatella gelato and, if you’re in the right mood, a prompter of serene good will. It’s not a comedy in the sense of having jokes, but a comedy in the sense of not being any other kind of thing. And they all lived happily ever after. To be honest, the longer I watched “La Dolce Villa,” the more I started to think its very nonsensicality was the charm. It is not aiming for realism, even the kind of realism a previous generation of romantic comedy might have tried to evoke. Eric’s many strange ideas and the Montezarans’ suspiciously American-friendly accents are just odd enough to remind us that this is not real life. It’s fantasy, pure and simple. Make some pasta and settle in. La Dolce Villa Not rated. Running time: 1 hour 39 minutes. Watch on Netflix. Source link #Dolce #Villa #Review #Sweet #Italian #Nonsense Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

At least 22 children and two adults infected in Texas measles outbreak – The Washington Post At least 22 children and two adults infected in Texas measles outbreak – The Washington Post At least 22 children and two adults infected in Texas measles outbreak The Washington PostMeasles Outbreak Hits Town in Texas The New York TimesMeasles outbreak in Texas was “completely preventable,” infectious disease expert says CBS NewsMeasles cases are rising in the US, mainly among those who are unvaccinated: Health officials ABC News Source link #children #adults #infected #Texas #measles #outbreak #Washington #Post Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Split Fiction – Story Trailer Split Fiction – Story Trailer Learn about the power of friendship in Split Fiction, a boundary-pushing co-op adventure from Hazelight Studios, the masterminds behind It Takes Two. The heroes of Split Fiction, Mio and Zoe, don’t get along at first, but soon enough they become each other’s only hopes. This journey will throw unexpected twists at them and if they want to make it through, they’ll need to have each other’s backs. Source link #Split #Fiction #Story #Trailer Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

A Sheet-Pan Chicken Dinner With a Dash of Romance A Sheet-Pan Chicken Dinner With a Dash of Romance Today it all spreads far faster, mostly on social media platforms. Somebody eats somewhere, and before you know it, a line forms around the corner. A dish, a diet, a tool can suddenly go viral and be seemingly everywhere. An air-fryer is great, I have no doubt, but what about the toaster? When it comes to cooking, the internet can be a limitless source of information, but this sense of endless choice can be misleading. What you’re seeing amplified by the algorithm is just a very small number of dishes of the many, many in the world. I’m no technophobe, but I want to hold on to the importance of the human hand in all this. Two cooks are never the same. We all bring a different set of memories and expectations to a dish. That we have our own memories of the same dish — roast chicken, chocolate cake — leaves space for the romance to come in: the thing an algorithm can never quite pin down. These layers can be found in the ras el hanout spice mix I use in my chicken tray bake. Roughly translating as “head of the shop” or “top shelf,” this blend can have anywhere from eight to 80 (or more!) ingredients, depending on the region and on what the particular attar, or spice mixer, considers their own “best” version. The story behind it, according to Ghillie Basan in her “Flavours of Morocco,” claims that “a warrior, presumably one of the Arab invaders, created the mix with all the scents and flavors of the countries he has passed through. Rich in flavor and known to contain various aphrodisiacs, as well as several unknown ingredients, each spice merchant has his own recipe.” So no two recipes are ever the same. My version, for example, has ****** pepper in it, cumin, cloves, allspice, coriander, nutmeg and cinnamon. Others see rose petals as crucial, but as Paula Wolfert writes in her “The Food of Morocco,” “Theoretically almost any addition is permissible.” This vast variation thwarts any attempt to find a definitive version. Source link #SheetPan #Chicken #Dinner #Dash #Romance Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

John Lithgow ‘set’ to be new Dumbledore in Harry Potter TV show John Lithgow ‘set’ to be new Dumbledore in Harry Potter TV show Ian Youngs Culture reporter Getty Images US actor John Lithgow is reportedly set to take on the role of Dumbledore as the makers of the new Harry Potter TV series start to assemble their cast. The veteran Oscar-nominated star is “in final talks” to sign up to play the Hogwarts headmaster, according to film and TV industry outlets Variety and Deadline. Lithgow is known for starring in sitcom 3rd Rock Rrom the Sun, with other roles ranging from voicing Lord Farquaad in Shrek to playing Winston Churchill in The Crown. If his casting is confirmed, he will follow in the footsteps of Richard Harris and Michael Gambon, who played Albus Dumbledore in the Harry Potter films. Getty Images Richard Harris was the first actor to play Dumbledore on screen The TV series will feature a brand new cast and is expected to start filming this summer. It will be “a faithful adaptation of the iconic books” by author JK Rowling, and is due to last for a decade, streaming service HBO Max has said. No actors have yet been officially confirmed, but an open casting call has been held to find the three young stars. “We appreciate that such a high-profile series will draw a lot of rumour and speculation,” HBO told Deadline, in response to the reports about Lithgow. “As we make our way through pre-production, we will only confirm details as we finalise deals.” Who is John Lithgow?Getty Images Lithgow won three Emmy Awards for 3rd Rock from the Sun He’s been one of the most popular and respected actors in America for several decades, with roles that span both drama and comedy. Lithgow earned two Oscar nominations in the 1980s (for The World According to Garp and Terms of Endearment) and won three Emmys for playing ***** Solomon in 3rd Rock from the Sun from 1996 to 2001. He won another Emmy and got a Bafta nomination for playing Churchill in Netflix’s The Crown – proving he can master a British accent – with more memorable TV roles in Dexter and Perry Mason. He has recently been seen as an FBI boss in The Old Man, and as a scheming cardinal in Conclave, which is up for a string of Oscars this year. The 79-year-old has the required combination of gravitas, warmth and levity to make a success of the Dumbledore role, although if the series does last for a decade, he’d be almost 90 by the time it ends. Source link #John #Lithgow #set #Dumbledore #Harry #Potter #show Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Dave the Diver – Ichiban’s Holiday DLC Announcement Trailer Dave the Diver – Ichiban’s Holiday DLC Announcement Trailer Ichiban ventures into the Blue Hole, in hopes for a much-needed getaway. But he’s in for more than just a holiday— unsettled threats and new, unforgettable friendships lie ahead! Get ready to join Ichiban and the Blue Hole crew for a wild ride in DAVE THE DIVER: Ichiban’s Holiday DLC, arriving in April. Source link #Dave #Diver #Ichibans #Holiday #DLC #Announcement #Trailer Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Windows 11 is set to offer the option nobody was crying out for – having Copilot automatically load in the background when the PC boots Windows 11 is set to offer the option nobody was crying out for – having Copilot automatically load in the background when the PC boots Windows 11’s Copilot app has a new feature in testing It offers the ability to ‘auto start on login’ for the app This could be a handy timesaver for those who use Copilot regularly Windows 11 has an incoming change for the Copilot app whereby it can be set to automatically load in the background when you start your PC. PhantomOfEarth, who regularly posts bits and pieces of Windows-related observations and rumors on X, noticed the development. New Copilot app update for Insiders: 1.25014.121.0, with a new auto start on login (runs in the background) feature. pic.twitter.com/0urRNzmQrWFebruary 10, 2025 As shown in the above post, there’s a new ‘auto start on login’ choice in the Settings for the Copilot app, which when enabled does just that – it automatically starts Copilot (in the background) when your system is fired up. Right now, the option is still in testing (in version 1.25014.121.0 of the app), but providing there’s no pushback or problems, it should go live for all Windows 11 users before too long. (Image credit: Microsoft) Analysis: The stumbling journey of the Copilot assistant You might be thinking ‘who cares’ when it comes to this additional feature for Copilot, and that’s a fair enough point. I don’t imagine usage of the Copilot app is all that widespread, and indeed, I’d be surprised if it wasn’t a niche feature in Windows 11 – but for those people who do make use of the AI, this is still a handy little extra touch. What it means is that they can invoke the Copilot app with the Alt+Space keyboard shortcut (assuming that’s also enabled), without having to wait for it to load up the first time this action is taken in a new computing session. (Because it will have already loaded up already, in the background). The good news is that the option isn’t on by default, so Copilot isn’t being forcefully pushed into the background of everybody’s Windows 11 installation. You can either use this option, or just feel free to ignore it. Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. All in all, it’s a relatively minor change, and as with anything to do with Copilot, I’m waiting for Microsoft to justify its existence in a more convincing manner. There were some big promises of an AI that could make sweeping system-wide changes based on simple requests back at the launch of the Copilot assistant on the desktop. However, all that appears to have been, well, swept under the carpet as time passed by, and Copilot was decoupled from the internals of Windows and made a standalone app. Maybe Copilot will be realized in this form eventually, but I can’t help but think that this destination feels a long, long, way off, given how things have progressed – or rather haven’t – with the desktop assistant thus far. Via Windows Latest You may also like… Source link #Windows #set #offer #option #crying #Copilot #automatically #load #background #boots Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Digimon Story Time Stranger – Announcement Trailer Digimon Story Time Stranger – Announcement Trailer The latest installment in the Digimon Story series, Digimon Story Time Stranger, is set to be released 2025! In this JRPG, players will embark on an adventure that spans across worlds and even time itself. From the human world to the Digital World, collect and raise a diverse array of Digimon to fight in turn-based battles. Explore the eternal bond between humans and Digimon to unravel the mystery of your world’s collapse – and save it once again. Source link #Digimon #Story #Time #Stranger #Announcement #Trailer Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Inside Fashion’s Mysterious St. Catherine’s Day Celebrations Inside Fashion’s Mysterious St. Catherine’s Day Celebrations Every year on or around the 25th of November, the French fashion industry hosts a kind of runway show just for itself. Wearing mostly green-and-yellow hats — the color combination is said to represent either family and hope or faith and wisdom, depending on which milliner you ask — young people from the Parisian luxury houses gather at City Hall to celebrate St. Catherine’s Day, a Catholic holiday dating to the Middle Ages that was first observed by the couture industry in the late 19th century. Historically, the Catherinettes, as they’re known — single women, each 25 years old and working in one of the city’s then-dozens of haute couture ateliers — were granted a rare opportunity to meet their bosses before getting the rest of the day off to enjoy street parties, all while wearing opulent, often garish hats that were sometimes personalized to represent their individual skills or interests, or at least their house’s codes. (In the late 1940s, Schiaparelli’s Catherinettes wore oversize versions of the designer Elsa Schiaparelli’s surreal fragrance bottles in the shape of suns and candlesticks.) Though only midway through their 20s, the Catherinettes were already considered spinsters, and their hats sent a clear message: “I’m available,” says Sophie Kurkdjian, an assistant professor of fashion history at the American University of Paris. “And I’m looking for a husband.” She likens the tradition to Tinder for the petites mains, or “little hands,” as the generally anonymous artisans responsible for sewing and embroidering the world’s most exquisite gowns are known. The Catherinettes’ patron saint is Catherine of Alexandria, a skilled debater who died in the fourth century and who, according to legend, converted pagan scholars to Christianity and refused to wed a Roman emperor. (She’s also believed to watch over scholars and students.) More than a mating ritual, though — one that was practiced across France long before it was adopted by the fashion industry — St. Catherine’s Day was also a “bonding experience,” says Pamela Golbin, formerly the chief curator of fashion and textiles at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs. “Today it would be considered a team-building exercise.” Men from the houses eventually adopted a parallel tradition in honor of St. Nicholas, another patron saint of many, including those looking to wed, who once purportedly paid the dowries for three unmarried sisters by secretly tossing gold into their father’s home. They celebrated on St. Nicholas’s feast day, Dec. 6, and enjoyed five additional years of shame-free singledom, becoming Nicholases at 30. Two years ago, the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode, the governing body of Paris Fashion Week, which had long heard complaints about the holiday’s “antifeminism,” decided that participants no longer had to be unmarried, says its executive president, Pascal Morand. It also lowered the age for Nicholases to 25. The rule change affected people like Victor Weinsanto, a 30-year-old French designer who started his own label in 2020 and has now missed his opportunity to be feted as a Nicholas. He had appreciated the tradition since his internship at Chloé, where he’d watched Catherinettes receive handbags with their hats. (Along with the hats, which participants can keep, many houses provide additional gifts: Balenciaga, for example, offers full outfits.) Nevertheless, Weinsanto still relishes the spectacle from a distance. “It’s a moment where you can have some freedom about taste,” he says, recalling the large feathered hats worn last November by employees of Hermès, a brand not especially known for its flamboyance. At City Hall, the participants — about 400, many dressed in ******, representing 17 houses as well as the federation itself — modeled their colorful hats in a private fashion show, with each brand having chosen its own music. (Hermès opted for Sabrina Carpenter’s “Espresso”; Patou went with a Lil Wayne song.) For a competitive industry that generally takes itself quite seriously, the event is a goofy anomaly and rare moment of unity. And yet the ceremony isn’t without a bit of good-natured one-upmanship: The Catherinettes’ hats are often designed by the house’s creative director, but some revelers at City Hall had added personal touches; an employee of the millinery Maison Michel affixed a wooden stake to theirs to reflect their passion for the TV series “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.” Others attached rhinestones or felt Chanel logos to their hats, the same way American college students might customize their graduation caps. The Catherinettes and Nicholases, who now both celebrate in November, no longer come from only the world of couture, which means that employees from any of the 100 or so houses in the federation can participate. (These days, only 14 of those maisons still make haute couture: custom garments produced entirely by hand and requiring at least four full-time tailors and seamstresses.) Nor must they make clothes at all. Among Balenciaga’s 23 participants last year, there were employees from its retail stores and corporate departments. (The brand, known for its subversion and streetwear, dressed its staff in ****** baseball caps designed by its creative director, Demna, with green and yellow on the brims.) Delphine Bellini, the chief executive of Schiaparelli, sees it as a moment to “pass the baton between the senior experts and the young talents,” and an opportunity to impress upon the company’s next generation the importance of craftsmanship. “I have to admit that I’d rather represent the modern interpretations of the tradition than the old ones,” says Emma Spreckley, a press assistant and recent Catherinette at Dior, which had 68 celebrants in 2024. Each year on a Friday around the holiday, the house throws a lavish ball for its team — not just any corporate office gathering but an extravagant ********* party attended by its creative directors, along with Delphine Arnault, the chief executive of Dior fashion, and her father, Bernard Arnault, the chief executive of Dior’s parent company, LVMH. (Everyone at Dior gets the following Monday off.) “It’s our most important meeting of the year,” says the British milliner Stephen Jones, who learned about the Catherinettes when he was hired at Dior in 1996. He acknowledges some mystery around the tradition — outside New Orleans, which hosts a small neighborhood hat parade to acknowledge St. Catherine’s Day, the celebration is unfamiliar to most Americans, even those who work in fashion. Multiple houses and designers were reluctant to say too much about the custom — almost as if it were a secret. “Some things are meant to be kept private,” Jones says. “When you buy a Dior haute couture dress, what are you buying? You’re buying a dress, but you’re also buying privacy — something that’s just for you, not anybody else.” To him, the event is about the pride fashion takes in its artisans: The hats he designed for this year’s event, inspired by the brand’s resort 2025 collection, were made by the Scottish knitwear manufacturer Robert Mackie. “In the United States, they celebrate sports heroes or military heroes,” says Jones. “In France, they celebrate dressmaking and fashion design.” Source link #Fashions #Mysterious #Catherines #Day #Celebrations Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Indian Migrant Says Deportation Flight Was ‘Torture’ Indian Migrant Says Deportation Flight Was ‘Torture’ new video loaded: Indian Migrant Says Deportation Flight Was ‘Torture’ transcript Back transcript Indian Migrant Says Deportation Flight Was ‘Torture’As India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, meets with President Trump, issues around immigration are likely to be a source of tension, including a U.S. military flight that returned shackled migrants to India. Harwinder Singh was on the first deportation flight from the U.S. to India, just weeks after President Donald Trump took office. Video of conditions on the military plane that carried them, shared by U.S. officials, sparked outrage among Indian lawmakers. Now, as India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, visits Washington, the incident is expected to resurface. Take all your stuff out of your bag and put it in front of you, O.K.? India accounts for the largest group of undocumented migrants to the U.S., other than Latin America. Singh said he and his fellow passengers were shackled and mistreated during the 40-hour intercontinental trip. Singh’s family has long struggled to make ends meet. Before his time in the U.S., Singh was a farmer, but that never made enough. He said he hoped to earn more in the U.S. and send it home. According to a Pew Research Center study, in 2022, there were approximately 700,000 undocumented Indians in the U.S., a number that has likely risen in recent years. Recent episodes in International International video coverage from The New York Times. International video coverage from The New York Times. Show more videos from International Source link #Indian #Migrant #Deportation #Flight #Torture Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

With the Overture DLC, Lies of P Travels Back in Time into the Chaos That Started It All With the Overture DLC, Lies of P Travels Back in Time into the Chaos That Started It All The February PlayStation Stae of Play finally gave us the announcement for the Lies of P DLC that we’ve all been waiting for. The Overture DLC for the 2023 Soulslike title is coming out this summer and will be a prequel to the base game. While we don’t have a date or price tag for the DLC, Neowiz did give us a trailer at the State of Play. The DLC finally got announced and it looks glorious. | Image Credit: Neowiz Players can expect to be plunged into the horrific early days of the Puppet Frenzy. In the base game, we woke up in the aftermath of the ruins of the massacre, but now we will most likely get to experience the chaos firsthand. With new locations, enemies, and a mysterious guide it certainly seems interesting. Lies of P‘s DLC will be a prequel to the base game But exactly what will we see in it? | Image Credit: Neowiz Lies of P: Overture was officially unveiled at Sony’s 2025 State of Play event. We saw a new cinematic trailer for the DLC which showed us a new chapter in the game’s dark and twisted take on Pinocchio. Developer Round8 Studio describes the DLC as a “developers’ cut,” suggesting it will include ideas and story elements that didn’t make it into the base game. Revealing Lies of P: Overture, a new prequel DLC set before the collapse of the grandiose city of Krat. Watch the full trailer: pic.twitter.com/cklBLoBnva — PlayStation (@PlayStation) February 12, 2025 Game Director Jiwon Choi shared in a PlayStation Blog post that the DLC is a refined vision of the story that Lies of P set out to tell. Much like a director’s cut version of a film, this DLC allowed the team to fully explore parts of the game that were previously left unexplored. And honestly, this is great news because the base game does a lot of good things. So more of that is good. As a sequel, the Overture DLC won’t just rewind time. We’re also getting the introduction of Lea, the Legendary Stalker. According to what we found out in the base game, Stalkers are elite hunters who protect humans from rogue puppets. It seems like the DLC is going to let us actually meet one in action. AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH! Lies of P DLC out this summer! (Funny that it’s releasing in the summer when apparently it’s going to be winter in the DLC.) And I have SO MANY QUESTIONS? Is that a Gunblade?! Who is the Stalker behind Pinnochio? Did someone else take up the mantle of the Hound? pic.twitter.com/lqjcO2rFpc — S.M. Pollard (@SM_Pollard) February 12, 2025 Players who fell in love with Lies of P’s steampunk setting will find plenty to explore in the Overture DLC. In the main game, we explored the ruins of a once-great city, piecing together its history through scattered clues. Now, we get to see Krat in its prime, though on the brink of disaster. We don’t have a release date but boy is the hype real The studio has definitely put passion into it. | Image Credit: Neowiz Of course, a Lies of P expansion wouldn’t be complete without new combat features and changes. The combat in the base game already had the punishing difficulty expected from a Soulslike game, and with Overture, Round8 Studio is doubling down on it. We’re going to see new weapons, Legion Arms, and new enemy types. In true Lies of P fashion, we hope that player choice will continue to shape the world and its outcomes. While the main game allowed players to lie and influence the story, the DLC being a prequel raises new questions about the consequences of their actions. Could we alter events in some way? Or will we simply be an observer, doomed to witness the inevitable destruction of the city? Lies of P’s unexpected success made it one of the best Soulslike titles outside of FromSoftware’s catalog, and with the Overture DLC Round8 Studio is telling us that it isn’t done refining its vision. We’re gonna get an expansion to the game’s lore but also set the stage for its already-confirmed sequel. Source link #Overture #DLC #Lies #Travels #Time #Chaos #Started Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

How Not to Be Cynical About Valentine’s Day How Not to Be Cynical About Valentine’s Day Sarah Dimpengi has been single for the past four years. But on Feb. 14, she plans to decorate her apartment with pink, red and white balloons and invite friends over for cherry margaritas and heart-shaped pizzas. Though Ms. Dimpengi, 25, used to get dispirited about being single around the holiday, her feelings have evolved since ending a yearlong relationship. “I just kind of started appreciating people around me more and appreciating myself for showing up every day for me,” she said. Ms. Dimpengi, a marketing and communications coordinator in Ottawa, reframed her perspective on Valentine’s Day as a time to display such gratitude. This year, she also plans to take herself to a pottery class and meet up with her three sisters to gift them tops that she crocheted. Not all singles spend Valentine’s Day in despair while scrolling through social media posts of couples showering each other with roses and affection. While television and films often depict the holiday as a dreaded day for some of the uncoupled, others have embraced the day with hopefulness about future romantic prospects, while also celebrating other forms of love in their life. Cahleb Derry has spent only one Valentine’s Day with a romantic partner, and he has naturally dissociated the holiday from its romantic associations. “I think it’s so important to ‘date’ your friends,” said Mr. Derry, 26. For Mr. Derry, a marketing manager and music curator in Brooklyn, Valentine’s Day is about “creating time to be with people I love, and it can be agnostic to romance. It can be platonic. It can be familial.” He plans to meet friends throughout the weekend for dinners and parties. And every year, his mother sends him a warm text message. Cynthia Tavard has never been in a romantic relationship, but her favorite Valentine’s Day tradition is to spend the day watching romantic comedies with friends and family while snacking on chocolate-covered strawberries. Ms. Tavard, a 24-year-old sales associate at a merchandise store in Union City, N.J., said that during this time of year, she sees the barrage of items marketed toward couples, including his-and-hers T-shirts. She said she rejects the commodification of love, but she embraces the celebration of it. And though she said she would like to be in a romantic relationship, she’s not willing to sacrifice her health and happiness for someone who is not the right fit. “I have seen people — fictional and in real life — get into really toxic relationships,” she said. “I’d rather be single than be with someone who’s going to disturb my personal peace.” She added: “I just always feel like my time will come. As long as I’m open to it, it will come.” According to Sarah Hensley, a relationship coach in Lexington, Ky., who has studied the science of attachment for about 20 years, people who display optimism are more likely to attain their desired outcomes. “If we feel like love is out there, and that the possibility for a healthy, loving and sustained relationship can come our way,” she said, “we are more likely to find it.” Beliefs and attitudes tend to lend themselves to behavior and outcomes. “When we’re a hopeful romantic, we’re probably more likely to behave in ways that are going to promote connection,” Dr. Hensley added. “We’re more likely to talk to people when we’re out and about and strike up conversations that could lead to a connection.” The journey to being optimistic about love without depending on the validation of a romantic partner, particularly for those who have been unlucky with dating, begins with developing a loving relationship with self. Mr. Derry, who has been on that journey, learned to challenge his feelings of jealousy or bitterness that would sometimes arise when seeing couples celebrate the holiday. “If you’re manifesting a relationship, I think that positive energy and not being bitter can help you get there,” Mr. Derry said. Now, he said he enjoys scrolling through Instagram and seeing couples from high school who are still together or learning that an old friend is in a new relationship. But still, yearning for a partner is a normal feeling. Though Ms. Tavard considers herself an optimist, she does have moments where she wishes she had someone to watch a flick with. “I’m human,” she said. Madison Sheeren, a 26-year-old business development supervisor, has stopped running away from this truth, particularly as she reads “Communion: The Female Search for Love” by bell hooks. Until she has a romantic partner, Ms. Sheeren said, “I will continue to focus on myself and enjoy what life looks like as a single woman in her 20s.” Ms. Sheeren, who moved to Brooklyn from Houston in August, said that the cynicism around dating doesn’t necessarily always escape her: “People weren’t lying when they said the New York dating scene was rough out here.” So, she took a monthlong break from dating to remind herself of all the ways she can love herself and others. Now, she said she feels “a lot more optimistic,” about dating again. Source link #Cynical #Valentines #Day Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]