Pelican Press

Lauren Daigle Super Bowl Performance Feels Like ‘Vindication’ After Attack by New Orleans Mayor Lauren Daigle Super Bowl Performance Feels Like ‘Vindication’ After Attack by New Orleans Mayor Louisiana native Lauren Daigle is celebrating what she sees as “vindication” as she prepares to perform at the pregame show for the Super Bowl. The 33-year-old Christian recording artist is slated to join jazz musician Trombone Shorty on Sunday for a rendition of “America the Beautiful” at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. Daigle’s participation in the major sporting event is an about-face from her experience five years ago, when the “You Say” singer-songwriter was scrubbed from ***** Clark Productions’ annual New Year’s Rockin’ Eve celebration because New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell, a Democrat, wanted the artist to face retribution for performing at an outdoor worship event in 2020, violating a public health guidance. The event was organized and led by California worship leader and activist Sean Feucht. At the time, Cantrell said, “[Daigle] harmed our people, she risked the lives of our residents, and she strained our first responders in a way that is unconscionable — in the midst of a public health crisis. This is not who we are, and she cannot be allowed to represent New Orleans or the people she willfully endangered.” But now, five years later, Daigle is feeling liberated as she prepares to perform on one of the world’s biggest stages in her home state. Appearing on Fox News contributor Raymond Arroyo’s podcast, “Arroyo Grande,” Daigle said she is feeling vindicated from the way she was treated by Cantrell. Listen to the latest episode of “Quick Start” “To get this moment years later, I would say for anybody watching that has had their reputations smeared in any sort of way and they are just waiting for the moment of vindication, sometimes it only takes five years,” she told Arroyo. It should be noted Daigle’s participation in Feucht’s “Let Us Worship” event, a protest of COVID-19 restrictions, was unplanned. She recalled riding her bike when she saw Feucht, a personal friend, and decided to stop by the worship event. At that point, Feucht asked her to sing. In her statement at the time, Daigle said she was “disappointed that my spontaneous participation has become part of the political discourse, and I’m saddened by the divisive agendas of these times.” The Christian entertainer also noted she was never formally invited to participate in the New Year’s broadcast but said she would have been “honored” had the invitation ever materialized. Of Cantrell’s letter, Daigle told Arroyo, “I went home to Lafayette, and I got in my parents’ bed and I pulled the covers over my head as an adult. I was like, ‘Gosh, here we are again.’ Because now there’s no amount of public ridicule that is fun.” “What I learned is that when people need an element of hope, coming together is one of the most beautiful things,” she continued. “It is one of the most incredible rights that we have in this country. It is. And I think to take that away from people is so disheartening, especially in a time like that.” Daigle also talked to Arroyo about using the song as a way to minister to and share God with people. “How can I use this song?” she asked rhetorically. “[T]he line — and I’m not trying to sound cliché at all because I know, ‘Hello, Christian,’ whatever — [w]hen it says, ’God shed His grace on me,’ that line, it just really gripped me to the core in a way.” “I’ve sang songs over talking about God, right?” the singer-songwriter continued. “But when you see a song that is meant for something else, and it still includes the power of God in it … it’s meant to honor our nation and show the beauty of our nation. Right? But they also know God has done something for this nation. There’s something unique about this. To be able to sing that song with a true conviction versus just, ‘Yeah, I’m just going to jump up on stage and have this opportunity.’” Source link #Lauren #Daigle #Super #Bowl #Performance #Feels #Vindication #Attack #Orleans #Mayor Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

China lashes out at US ‘coercion’ after Panama declines to renew agreement China lashes out at US ‘coercion’ after Panama declines to renew agreement China on Friday lashed out at what it called U.S. “coercion” after Panama declined to renew a key infrastructure agreement with Beijing following Washington’s threat to take back the Panama Canal.Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said at a briefing that China “firmly opposes the U.S. smearing and undermining the Belt and Road cooperation through means of pressure and coercion.” Source link #China #lashes #coercion #Panama #declines #renew #agreement Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Former NBA player Nate Robinson undergoes kidney transplant – CNN Former NBA player Nate Robinson undergoes kidney transplant – CNN Former NBA player Nate Robinson undergoes kidney transplant CNNNate Robinson, former NBA dunk king, undergoing kidney transplant after dealing with renal failure – The Athletic The AthleticNate Robinson successfully undergoes kidney transplant, family focuses on recovery KING5.comFormer Celtics Star Announces Life-Saving Kidney Transplant Sports IllustratedNate Robinson receives kidney transplant at UW, where he starred The Seattle Times Source link #NBA #player #Nate #Robinson #undergoes #kidney #transplant #CNN Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Former SLO County probation officer accused of embezzling more than $100,000 from union Former SLO County probation officer accused of embezzling more than $100,000 from union A former San Luis Obispo County probation officer has been accused of embezzling more than $100,000 from the Probation Department’s union. Fallyn Sierra Rollins, 32 — who sworn in as a deputy probation officer in 2019, according to the county’s Facebook page — appeared in court for the first time to face nine counts of grand theft on Friday. County spokesperson Jeanette Trompeter told The Tribune Rollins was first hired by the County in 2017 as a Juvenile Services Officer. She was hired as a deputy probation officer in 2019 then resigned from her position on Sept. 6. She is accused of stealing the money from the agency’s union between February 2023 and July, court records show. It is unclear at this time exactly how much Rollins is accused of embezzling. On Tuesday, The San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office charged her with nine counts of grand theft over $950 by embezzlement with one sentencing enhancement for the amount being more than $100,000. According to the charge sheet, Rollins is accused of unlawfully taking money and personal property from the San Luis Obispo County Probation Peace Officers’ Association Inc. — the union for the Probation Department over an 18 month ******* between February 2023 and July. The San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office said in a news release that Rollins served as the treasurer for the union. That gave her “unique control over the association’s checking account, debit card and financial records, which allowed her to divert money undetected.” Association leadership quickly reported the suspected theft to the San Luis Obispo Police Department when it was discovered, the District Attorney’s Office said. Both the association and the Probation Department worked cooperatively with the Police Department during the investigation. “Upon learning of the alleged misconduct, the SLOCPPOA Executive Board took immediate and decisive action to address the situation,” the association’s executive board said in a news release. .”We promptly reported the matter to the San Luis Obispo Police Department, ensuring transparency and cooperation with law enforcement.” “We regret that this incident may cast a negative light on law enforcement and Probation peace officers,” it continued. “However, we remain steadfast in our commitment to serving our community with integrity and dedication. Our officers continue to work diligently to enhance public safety and support offender rehabilitation.” Assistant District Attorney Eric Dobroth told The Tribune that Rollins had a warrant out for her arrest with a $1.18 million bail, but that her attorney found out about the warrant and motioned the matter to be put on the court calendar without her being taken into custody. Court records show a judge lowered her bail to $100,000, which she posted Friday morning. Judge Barry LaBarbera ruled Santa Barbara County’s Probation Department will manage Rollins while she resides with her mother in Santa Maria. She was expected to check in with the agency by the end of the day Friday. She must wear a GPS tracking monitor, the judge ruled. Her next court hearing was scheduled for Feb. 24, when she is expected to enter a plea. Fallyn Rollins, right, is sworn in as a deputy probation officer on April 26, 2019, at the Board of Supervisors’ Chambers in San Luis Obispo. She allegedly embezzled more than $100,000 from the probation department’s union and was charged with nine counts of grand theft by embezzlement on Feb. 4, 2025. Probation officer’s family, friends say she will pay the money back According to court records, Rollins’ attorney Robert Sanger submitted a motion for his client to be released without having to post bail. Her family and friends submitted several declarations to argue for her release. In one declaration submitted to the court, Rollins’ mother Tonia Rollins said her daughter has always been a responsible and reliable person and a good citizen and has always done the right thing. Fallyn Rollins and her 3-year-old son live with her, Tonia Rollins said, and help take care of her as she battles *******. “I am confident that there is no danger of Fallyn reoffending or committing any other crimes,” Tonia Rollins said in the declaration. She added that she and her daughter plan to refinance the house to raise funds for restitution. “I want to do this because I believe in my daughter in that she will make positive contributions to the world, including raising my grandson,” her mother said. “I want to help her make this situation as right as possible.” Ramona Reed, a longtime friend of the Rollins family, wrote in a declaration that Fallyn Rollins was diagnosed with mental health issues as a teenager and was prescribed medication. There were times Rollins stopped her medication because she felt better, Ramona said, “but always got back on track (with the treatment).” Defense Attorney Robert Sanger, left, and Deputy Probation Officer Fallyn Rollins listens in court, where she pleaded not guilty to embezzling more than $100,000 from the agency’s union, on Feb. 7, 2025. Reed said Rollins has always been responsible and that the alleged crime was “totally out of character” and has been “devastating” for the whole family. “She is so remorseful about what she has done and is so sorry,” Reed said. “She regrets not making better choices.” Rollins brother Logan Rollins said in a declaration that his sister “wants to handle this head-on.” He said she had a “serious lapse” in behavior and wants to pay everything back and make it right. He said she was an excellent sister, daughter and mother and “has more integrity than anyone I know.” “When I first heard about what Fallyn has done, I was completely shocked because it was so unlike her,” her brother said. He said his sister admitted to being in a dark place at the time of the alleged crimes and realized herself she would have to make things right by paying the money back. Alexandria Brunson, Fallyn Rollins friend, said in her declaration that Rollins was a great mother and friend, who “was always there for you especially in bad times when people need support.” “Fallyn Rollins is taking responsibility for what she did. It is very important to her, and her entire family, that she do everything in her power to make right what she has done.” Source link #SLO #County #probation #officer #accused #embezzling #union Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

What is the Kennedy Center, and can Trump make himself chairman? – The Washington Post What is the Kennedy Center, and can Trump make himself chairman? – The Washington Post What is the Kennedy Center, and can Trump make himself chairman? The Washington PostTrump Says He Will Install Himself as Kennedy Center Chairman The New York TimesTrump Takes Over the Kennedy Center The AtlanticTrump says he ousted Kennedy Center chair and board members USA TODAY Source link #Kennedy #Center #Trump #chairman #Washington #Post Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Sony PlayStation Network outage angers gamers worldwide Sony PlayStation Network outage angers gamers worldwide Sony’s PlayStation Network has experienced a major outage across the world, leaving tens of thousands of gamers unable to access online services. Source link #Sony #PlayStation #Network #outage #angers #gamers #worldwide Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Top Trump prosecutor in DC opens probe based on referral from Elon Musk Top Trump prosecutor in DC opens probe based on referral from Elon Musk By Sarah N. ****** WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Ed Martin, President Donald Trump’s top federal prosecutor in Washington, announced on Friday he has launched an investigation into government employees accused of stealing property and making threats based on a referral by Elon Musk. “After your referral, as is my practice, I will begin an inquiry,” Martin wrote in a letter made public on X to Musk and Steve Davis, the president of Musk’s tunneling enterprise the Boring Company, who has been working with Musk and others at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Trusted news and daily delights, right in your inbox See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. “If people are discovered to have broken the law or even acted simply unethically, we will investigate them and we will chase them to the end of the Earth to hold them accountable,” Martin wrote in the letter, which he posted on X using his personal social media account. It was not clear what specifically Martin was referring to. Musk, the world’s richest man, has been tasked by Trump to lead a government overhaul that has upended Washington, sparking street protests and multiple lawsuits. Martin’s decision to announce the investigation publicly is highly unusual and appears to run contrary to Justice Department rules about the use of personal social media, which say employees should not discuss sensitive non-public information, or make comments that could impact the outcome of future trials. A spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s office did not have an immediate comment about Martin’s post. Friday marked the second time Martin has made posts related to investigations concerning Musk’s effort, following a Monday announcement that the FBI was investigating the “targeting” of members of Musk’s team. Before becoming interim U.S. Attorney, Martin advocated for Trump’s supporters who stormed the Capitol on January 6, 2021, and has said he was there himself. His legal representation of one former client accused of assaulting police on January 6 has since raised ethical questions, after Reuters reported that he filed a motion with the court as U.S. Attorney to have the charges against his client dismissed. On Thursday, a legal activist group filed a misconduct complaint against Martin. (Reporting by Sarah N. ******; Editing by Andy Sullivan and Daniel Wallis) Source link #Top #Trump #prosecutor #opens #probe #based #referral #Elon #Musk Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Freed Israeli hostage Eli Sharabi looks gaunt, British family says – BBC.com Freed Israeli hostage Eli Sharabi looks gaunt, British family says – BBC.com Freed Israeli hostage Eli Sharabi looks gaunt, British family says BBC.comHamas frees 3 more hostages as part of ceasefire agreement with Israel Fox NewsHamas Makes Gaunt Israeli Hostages Thank Captors Before Release The New York TimesIsraeli hostages and ************ prisoners freed as Israel condemns frail appearance of captives CNNPhotos show former hostage Eli Sharabi reuniting with his mother, sister after release from Gaza The Times of Israel Source link #Freed #Israeli #hostage #Eli #Sharabi #gaunt #British #family #BBC.com Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Fact-Checking Claims About USAID Funding Fact-Checking Claims About USAID Funding Top officials in the Trump administration and allies in Congress, eager to dismantle the U.S. Agency for International Development, have accused the agency of misusing taxpayer funds. But many of their claims were misleading or lacked context. The agency, long a target for conservative critics who have questioned the value of foreign aid, has been subject to sharp upheaval in the last week. After freezing foreign aid for 90 days, the Trump administration said it would drastically reduce the agency’s work force, although a federal judge temporarily paused elements of the plan on Friday. The speed and scale of the efforts to gut U.S.A.I.D. are part of a larger bid by Mr. Trump and his allies to cut costs across the federal government. Here is a fact-check of their claims about the agency. What Was Said “In some cases with U.S.A.I.D., 10, 12, 13 percent, maybe less, of the money was actually reaching the recipient, and the rest was going into the overhead and the bureaucracy.” — Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in a news conference on Tuesday This is misleading. Mr. Rubio was likely referring to a January report from U.S.A.I.D. showing that about $2.1 billion, or 12.1 percent of its funding, went directly to local partners. But that does not mean that 80 to 90 percent of funding was spent on “overhead and bureaucracy.” In fact, most of the agency’s funding is channeled through other recipients like American companies and charities as well as public international organizations. For years, U.S.A.I.D. has tried to shift more resources to and engage more directly with local partners, but the agency continues to team up with nonlocal partners to carry out the bulk of its aid programs. Catholic Relief Services, for example, is a nonlocal partner that has received hundreds of millions of dollars in funding from the agency for charity work. By Mr. Rubio’s logic, such work would be considered “overhead.” According to a 2024 analysis by the Congressional Research Service, about two-thirds of U.S.A.I.D.’s funding from fiscal year 2013 to fiscal year 2022 went to project-based assistance, about 19 percent toward contributions to public international organizations like the World Food Program and the International Committee of the Red Cross and 1.9 percent in contributions to the budgets of foreign governments. About 7.7 percent was spent on administrative costs. What Was Said “And I would just say a strong message to Democrats who are out there pretending to be outraged about the long list of crap that this administration is cutting, federal waste and funding, like $2 million for sex changes in Guatemala, $6 million to fund tourism in Egypt, $20 million on a new Sesame Street show in Iraq, $4.5 million to combat disinformation in Kazakhstan.” — Karoline Leavitt, White House press secretary, at a news conference on Wednesday “Because if you look at the waste and abuse that has run through U.S.A.I.D. over the past several years, these are some of the insane priorities that that organization has been spending money on: $1.5 million to advance D.E.I. in Serbia’s workplaces, $70,000 for a production of a D.E.I. musical in Ireland, $47,000 for a transgender opera in Colombia, $32,000 for a transgender comic book in Peru.” — Ms. Leavitt in remarks on Tuesday to reporters This is exaggerated. Ms. Leavitt’s descriptions of the awards were largely inaccurate for five of the eight examples she listed. She was correct that U.S.A.I.D. awarded a $20 million grant to Sesame Workshop to produce a television show for young children called “Ahlan Simsim Iraq”; a $4.5 million grant to “advance integrity and accountability in the information space and build societal resilience in the face of disinformation” in Kazakhstan; and a $1.5 million grant to advance diversity, equity and inclusion in Serbia. But she omitted context or misstated key details in her descriptions of the five other grants. A $2 million grant was awarded to Asociación Lambda, a Guatemalan group, to “deliver gender-affirming health care, advocate for improved quality and access to services, and provide economic empowerment opportunities.” Gender-affirming care is an umbrella term that includes surgery as well as hormone therapy, counseling, hair removal and speech therapy; it is unclear how much of the $2 million, if any, specifically funded surgical interventions. The group’s work also includes providing technical assistance, education and training to L.G.B.T.Q. people. The $6 million award in Egypt referred to a bilateral assistance agreement signed in 2019, under the first Trump administration, that made no mention of promoting tourism. The agreement, instead, sought to “increase educational opportunities and strengthen the livelihoods of the people of North Sinai” and “provide access to transportation for rural communities and economic livelihood programming for families.” And the State Department, not U.S.A.I.D., funded the last three projects Ms. Leavitt cited: about $70,000 for a musical performance at the United States ambassador’s residence in Dublin featuring both American and Irish singers and $32,000 to the Fulbright Commission in Peru to create a comic book “featuring an LGBTQ+ hero to address social and mental health issues.” For the opera in Colombia staged by an American composer, $22,000 of the $47,000 outlay was in nonfederal funding. What Was Said “They’ve asked for, you know, the expenses of U.S.A.I.D. I mean, look, look — this is what was uncovered, three just quick examples, I mean you tell me if this is unreasonable, some of the stuff that the money was being spent on that we didn’t even know, crazy examples that came out. Look, $100 million on initiatives like expanding atheism in Nepal. That’s what American taxpayers should be paying for? No way. Transgender operas in Colombia, drag shows in Ecuador, no way.” — Speaker Mike Johnson, in a news conference on Wednesday This is misleading. Mr. Johnson’s comments may give the impression that these were U.S.A.I.D. initiatives, but the three examples he cited were awards from the State Department. In 2021, the State Department solicited proposals for an award of $500,000 for projects that support religious freedom in two to three countries in South or Central Asia, the Middle East or North Africa. The goal was to “to ensure everyone enjoys religious freedom, including the freedom to dissent from religious belief and to not practice or adhere to a religion” and “combat discrimination, harassment and abuses against atheist, humanist, nonpracticing and nonaffiliated individuals of all religious communities.” The award was the subject of a yearslong investigation by Republicans on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Documents the lawmakers obtained showed that the recipient of the award was a group called Humanists International, which said it would use the funding for “two sub-grants to member organizations in Sri Lanka and Nepal.” Republicans argued that the group and its member organization in Nepal, Soch Nepal, promoted atheism while the State Department maintained that the groups protected both the right to believe and not believe and “saved many, many lives.” The State Department also funded $25,000 of the $47,000 opera staged in Colombia and gave $20,600 to a nonprofit in Ecuador for a film festival. Fox News reported in 2022 that the grant stated that the festival would include 12 drag shows, though the language currently describing the grant does not specifically mention drag shows. Regardless, these were not U.S.A.I.D. grants. Source link #FactChecking #Claims #USAID #Funding Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump rules out deporting Prince Harry from the US Trump rules out deporting Prince Harry from the US US President Donald Trump seems to have ruled out deporting the Duke of Sussex from the US, despite questions raised about his immigration status and past drug use. Harry now lives in Montecito, California, with his wife Meghan and their children after the couple stepped down as senior British royals in January 2020. Late last year, he said at a New York Times event that his life in America is what his mother Princess Diana would have wanted for him. Trump has appeared to have ruled out deportation, telling The New York Post: “I’ll leave him alone”. “He’s got enough problems with his wife. She’s terrible,” Trump said. Meghan has previously been a vocal critic of former reality star turned politician and called Trump “divisive” and a “misogynist”. She backed his rival, Hillary Clinton in the 2016 US presidential election, and suggested then that she would leave the US if he won. Harry’s reference to taking ********, ********** and psychedelic mushrooms in his book Spare prompted a conservative Washington DC think tank to question why he was allowed into the US in 2020. In his controversial memoir, Harry said ******** “didn’t do anything for me”, but said ********** had helped him. The Heritage Foundation alleged he may have concealed past ******** drug use that should have disqualified him from obtaining a US visa. Earlier this week, the case was in the US courts for the first time since Trump returned to office last month. A judge was being asked to consider whether to vacate a previous ruling that Harry’s US visa application should remain private. The Heritage Foundation brought the lawsuit against the Department for Homeland Security after a freedom of information request was rejected, as the think tank claimed it was of “immense public interest”. US judge Carl Nichols ruled in September 2024 that the public did not have a strong interest in disclosure of Harry’s immigration records, but the Heritage Foundation wants the judgment to be changed. The think tank also said answers on Harry’s prior drug use in his visa application should have been disclosed, as they could raise questions over the US government’s integrity. In the department’s response to the legal claim, it said: “much like health, financial, or employment information, a person’s immigration information is private personal information”. Trump said in a GB News interview with Nigel Farage in March last year that Harry should not receive preferential treatment. Asked if the duke should have special privileges if he was found to have lied on his application, Trump had said: “no”. “We’ll have to see if they know something about the drugs, and if he lied they’ll have to take appropriate action,” he said. Source link #Trump #rules #deporting #Prince #Harry Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Maker builds cool Raspberry Pi Home dashboard with an old touchscreen monitor Maker builds cool Raspberry Pi Home dashboard with an old touchscreen monitor Thanks to the Raspberry Pi and its expansive community, customizing your house with smart devices is easier than ever. Today, we’ve got a cool smart home gadget to share, put together by a maker and developer who goes by _Ctl on Reddit. Using our favorite SBC, he’s created a touchscreen home dashboard full of useful features, apps, and add-ons. This project looks great with a wooden frame and is mounted to the wall for a finished, decorative look. According to _Ctl, he can use it for media support through things like Sonos, which lets you play music or ****** up videos on YouTube. It also has useful tools like a weather app and can sync with Google tools to monitor calendar events and tasks. Maker _Ctl initially considered using an old tablet but settled on using an old touchscreen monitor he had on hand instead. This offers more space for the user interface and makes for a larger, more interactive end product. According to _Ctl, it’s also handy for gaming and has proven to be a fun “pass-and-play” chess board. (Image credit: Reddit/_ctl) The main board powering this cool home dashboard is a Raspberry Pi 5 4GB model, so you get quite a bit of flexibility and performance compared to older models or smaller versions like a Pi Zero 2W. It’s connected to a 24-inch Dell P2424HT, which offers video support and touch input using USB-C. The wooden frame was built from scratch by _Ctl for this project. In the project thread, _Ctl explained that he tinkered with a few operating system options, including Magic Mirror, but ultimately settled on LineageOS. On top of this, he’s running Nova Launcher, which offers many customization options for the user interface and is more than ideal for building a custom home dashboard like this. You can explore this Raspberry Pi project in greater detail on Reddit. Get Tom’s Hardware’s best news and in-depth reviews, straight to your inbox. Source link #Maker #builds #cool #Raspberry #Home #dashboard #touchscreen #monitor Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Ambassador Tells Rubio U.S.A.I.D. Cuts Would Cause ‘Major Vulnerability’ in Africa Ambassador Tells Rubio U.S.A.I.D. Cuts Would Cause ‘Major Vulnerability’ in Africa The U.S. ambassador to Mozambique, Peter H. Vrooman, has sent an urgent cable to Secretary of State Marco Rubio saying that the forced withdrawal from Mozambique of all employees of the main U.S. aid agency would result in a “major vulnerability.” The move would make it impossible, he said, for the U.S. government to properly manage $1.5 billion in aid programs, much of it delivering lifesaving humanitarian assistance. The cable, a copy of which was obtained by The New York Times, said the absence of experienced agency employees in Mozambique would leave in limbo 114 active funding awards and 225 more junior workers, likely local citizens, “that will all require management and supervision.” The cable paints a picture of chaos about to descend on the U.S. diplomatic mission and vulnerable citizens of Mozambique because of the imminent departure of the experienced aid workers, many of whom are Foreign Service officers with many years or decades of service. “As a result, we are unable to put in place sufficient protections, procedures and management to prevent fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement,” Mr. Vrooman wrote in the cable, which is labeled “sensitive but unclassified.” Other chiefs of missions across Africa are sending similar cables to Mr. Rubio in a rare coordinated effort, said a person with knowledge of the cables. Mr. Rubio announced on Monday that he would be acting administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development, or U.S.A.I.D., ending its independent status, and was appointing Pete Marocco, a divisive State Department official who worked in the first Trump administration, to oversee daily operations. The move came after a task force led by Elon Musk, the billionaire adviser to President Trump, worked with Mr. Marocco to force drastic cuts to the agency, freeze much of its technology infrastructure and lock workers out of electronic systems, essentially halting the agency’s operations in advance of complete dismantlement. The top officials then ordered all U.S.A.I.D. employees around the world — more than 10,000 workers — to go on leave as of Friday and said all direct hires must return to the United States within 30 days. Those orders have now been temporarily blocked by a judge. On Jan. 20, Mr. Trump signed an executive order halting foreign aid as his major foreign policy action, and Mr. Rubio has said officials will do a 90-day review of all such aid. The total government budget for U.S. foreign aid across several agencies, much of it humanitarian assistance, is about $60 billion per year, less than 1 percent of the federal budget. In the cable from the embassy in Maputo, the capital of Mozambique, Mr. Vrooman, a diplomat of nearly 35 years who has also served as ambassador to Rwanda, argued for Mr. Rubio to allow five aid agency employees to be exempted from the forced departure “to complete required property and management controls and contract wind-down operations, if ordered, in a manner that safeguards U.S. national interests and minimizes legal liabilities” to the U.S. government. Mr. Vrooman also argued for exemptions to eight health positions to try to keep lifesaving humanitarian assistance programs running. Mr. Rubio has granted a waiver to the blanket foreign aid halt for such programs, but many American officials say they cannot keep the programs running for various reasons. The absence of the necessary health employees “will jeopardize the effectiveness of the waiver to save lives,” Mr. Vrooman wrote, in bold letters. He noted that U.S.A.I.D. supports 40 active lifesaving and emergency active field programs, and that in Mozambique more than two million people depend on the provision of antiretroviral drugs to prevent the spread of H.I.V., AIDS and strains of tuberculosis. One U.S.A.I.D. program that requires an experienced manager to be present in Mozambique provides essential treatment for 389,000 people living with H.I.V., Mr. Vrooman noted. He also wrote in the cable that U.S.A.I.D. families with school-age children should be allowed to stay in the country until mid-June, when the school year ends. Mr. Vrooman did not immediately reply to an email seeking comment. Source link #Ambassador #Tells #Rubio #U.S.A.I.D #Cuts #Major #Vulnerability #Africa Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Pickerington man, 23, dies in Myrtle Beach shooting Pickerington man, 23, dies in Myrtle Beach shooting MYRTLE BEACH S.C. (WCMH) — A 23-year-old man from central Ohio was killed in a shooting on Ocean Boulevard, the Horry County Chief Deputy Coroner said. According to reporting from NBC4 sister station WBTW, Aaron Hoston of Pickerington died around 11:10 on Tuesday at a South Carolina hospital after being shot in the 1200 block of South Ocean Boulevard, Chief Deputy Coroner Tamara Willard said. WBTW reported local police said another person was hospitalized, but had not shared details of their condition. How co-workers helped stop New Albany warehouse shooting According to a Facebook post by Myrtle Beach police, officers responded to the scene at 10:57 p.m. Per WBTW reporting, the shooting occurred near Sea Mist Quick Stop Grocery, but a security guard for Sea Mist declined to comment and did not confirm if the shooting happened inside the grocery. Sea Mist is also a motel, and a receptionist at a nearby resort told WBTW the shooting happened at Sea Mist, although she could not confirm if it was at the grocery or motel. Anyone with information is asked to call Myrtle Beach police at 843-918-1382. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV. Source link #Pickerington #man #dies #Myrtle #Beach #shooting Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Dungeons of Hinterberg is heading to PS4, PS5 next month Dungeons of Hinterberg is heading to PS4, PS5 next month Microbird Games and Curve Games’ Dungeons of Hinterberg is expanding its reach with a PS5 launch next month. The game was a contender for Best Independent at 2024’s The Smash Jump Awards. Revealed on Microbird’s Twitter, the game will come packaged with DualSense functionality. Beyond that, though, not much else is established for the port. Don’t underestimate the power of a Playcation! Dungeons of Hinterberg comes to PlayStation on March 13th! pic.twitter.com/DPqJfzrzxt — Dungeons of Hinterberg – OUT NOW! (@MicrobirdGames) February 6, 2025 In our review of Dungeons of Hinterberg, we said: “Dungeons of Hinterberg is a delightful and wonderfully weird experience. This is not your usual run-of-the-mill action-adventure RPG. It does a fantastic job creating a fun and relaxing experience, with a social sim that contributes to the unique story and world building, while also giving you a breather from the combat and puzzles.” Dungeons of Hinterberg launches to PS5 on March 13. Gabriel Stanford-Reisinger Editor-in-Chief Gabe has been a gamer since he was young, playing games like Pajama Sam, Freddi Fish, Guitar Hero, and whatever looked cool on GameFly. Ever since 2018, he’s been infatuated with the inner workings of the gaming and entertainment industries, covering a wide range of topics from video games to TV and film. Starting as a contributor for PSX Extreme, he’s worked his way up to its Managing Editor. Using what’s he learned over the years, he founded Smash Jump to remind everyone to smash jump. Source link #Dungeons #Hinterberg #heading #PS4 #PS5 #month Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

NIH chops support for some medical research costs – Axios NIH chops support for some medical research costs – Axios NIH chops support for some medical research costs AxiosDeep Cuts to Medical Research Funds Could Hobble University Budgets The New York TimesNIH plans to slash support for indirect research costs, sending shockwaves through science STATNIH cuts billions of dollars in biomedical funding, effective immediately The Washington Post Source link #NIH #chops #support #medical #research #costs #Axios Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

A Trump Peace Plan for Ukraine? A Trump Peace Plan for Ukraine? Reports suggest a proposed US peace plan could be unveiled this week. Source link #Trump #Peace #Plan #Ukraine Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Blizzard’s Only Good Video Game Movie Adaptation Originally Wanted Humans as Heroes, Every Other Race as Villains Blizzard’s Only Good Video Game Movie Adaptation Originally Wanted Humans as Heroes, Every Other Race as Villains Hollywood and video games have a love-hate relationship, mostly leaning toward the latter. For every decent adaptation, there are a dozen misfires that make fans shake their heads in disappointment. Yet, Warcraft stands out as a rare gem in this chaotic landscape. Directed by Duncan Jones, the film managed to capture the grandeur of Blizzard’s legendary fantasy universe while remaining accessible to newcomers. However, this cinematic adventure almost took a wildly different, and much worse, direction. A still from Warcraft | Credits: Universal Pictures Early in its development, there were plans to make the human characters the sole heroes while portraying every other race as villains. Duncan Jones, a true Warcraft fan, wasn’t having any of that. His resistance to this oversimplification is the reason Warcraft became one of the most faithful, visually stunning, and unexpectedly good video game movies to date. The battle over Duncan Jones’ Warcraft’s story was a close call A still from World of Warcraft: The War Within | Credits: Blizzard Entertainment When a movie adaptation of World of Warcraft was first announced, longtime fans of the franchise had every reason to be skeptical. Hollywood’s track record with video game adaptations was, to put it kindly, abysmal. But when Duncan Jones took over as director, things started looking up. However, there was a problem, early versions of the script wanted to follow a predictable Hollywood formula, where humans were the noble warriors, and every other race, Orcs, Trolls, and the Undead, were reduced to mindless villains. When Jones was asked about that in an interview with thrillist, he said, When I got involved there was an approach to the film which was more “humans are the heroes and the invading orcs were the bad guys.” It didn’t ring true to me as to what the Warcraft game is. As someone who is familiar with the game, it really mattered to me that that element of it was accurate. I think being able to make the orcs more human, up their screen time, and balance the audience empathy for those orc characters was all something that felt absolutely crucial to me. I was fortunate that I was able to convince the powers that be that that was the right thing to do. For anyone familiar with Warcraft’s lore, this approach was a complete betrayal of the source material. Warcraft isn’t about ******-and-white morality, it’s a saga of clashing cultures, tragic misunderstandings, and characters who believe they’re doing the right thing, even when they’re at odds. Duncan Jones saw the depth of this world and fought to preserve it. His vision led to a film where both sides, humans and Orcs, had compelling perspectives, making the conflict feel grander, more emotional, and far more engaging than a simple good-versus-evil tale. Why Warcraft worked when others failed A still of the orcs in Warcraft | Credits: Universal Pictures The reason Warcraft stands out isn’t just because of its epic battles and breathtaking CGI. It’s because it respects its source material. World of Warcraft has millions of fans obsessed with gaming including the creator of ****** Myth Wukong, Feng Ji. Hence, it’s natural for such a game’s movie adaptation to incite excitement. So many video game movies fail because they either strip away what makes the games special or try too hard to appeal to audiences who have never played them. Warcraft strikes a delicate balance. It introduces a massive fantasy world but doesn’t dumb it down. It showcases legendary characters like Lothar and Durotan without making them feel like generic action heroes. Most importantly, it respects the idea that there are no absolute heroes or villains in this universe, just different sides fighting for survival. Sure, the film had its flaws. Some critics found it overwhelming, and others thought it was too lore-heavy. Although the film was a hit globally, grossing $439 million according to IMDb, it was only able to collect $47 million in the US. For fans of the franchise, it was a love letter to everything that made Warcraft great. And considering what almost happened, humans as the sole good guys and every other race demonized, it’s a miracle that we got such a faithful adaptation at all. Duncan Jones may not have saved all video game movies, but he certainly gave us one of the best ones out there. With the Microsoft acquisition maybe a sequel isn’t far away. Warcraft can be streamed on Netflix. Source link #Blizzards #Good #Video #Game #Movie #Adaptation #Originally #Wanted #Humans #Heroes #Race #Villains Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump and Musk Bring Vast Aid Machinery to a Halt in Africa Trump and Musk Bring Vast Aid Machinery to a Halt in Africa For decades, sub-Saharan Africa was a singular focus of American foreign aid. The continent received over $8 billion a year, money that was used to feed starving children, supply lifesaving drugs and provide wartime humanitarian assistance. In a few short weeks, President Trump and the South African-born billionaire Elon Musk have burned much of that work to the ground, vowing to completely gut the U.S. Agency for International Development. “CLOSE IT DOWN!” Mr. Trump wrote on social media on Friday, accusing the agency of unspecified corruption and fraud. A federal judge on Friday halted, for now, some elements of Mr. Trump’s attempt to shutter the agency. But the speed and shock of the administration’s actions have already led to confusion, fear and even paranoia at U.S.A.I.D. offices across Africa, a top recipient of agency funding. Workers were being fired or furloughed en masse. As the true scale of the fallout comes into view, African governments are wondering how to fill gaping holes left in vital services, like health care and education, that until recent weeks were funded by the United States. Aid groups and United Nations bodies that feed the starving or house refugees have seen their budgets slashed in half, or worse. By far the greatest price is being paid by ordinary Africans, millions of whom rely on American aid for their survival. But the consequences are also reverberating across an aid sector that, for better or worse, has been a pillar of Western engagement with Africa for over six decades. With the collapse of U.S.A.I.D., that entire model is badly shaken. “This is dramatic and consequential, and it’s hard to imagine rowing it back,” said Murithi Mutiga, Africa program director at the International Crisis Group. Mr. Mutiga described the collapse of the agency as “part of the unraveling of the post Cold War order.” “Once, the primacy of the West was assumed” in Africa, he said. “No more.” Experts say the agency’s abrupt undoing will cost many lives by creating huge gaps in public services, especially in health care, where U.S.A.I.D. has poured much of its resources. In Kenya alone, at least 40,000 health care workers will lose their jobs, U.S.A.I.D. officials say. On Friday, several U.N. agencies that depend on American funding began to furlough part of their staff. The United States also provides most of the funding for two large refugee camps in northern Kenya that house 700,000 people from at least 19 countries. Ethiopia’s health ministry has fired 5,000 health care professionals who had been recruited under American funding, according to an official notification obtained by The New York Times. “We are in disbelief,” said Medhanye Alem of the Center for Victims of Torture, which treats survivors of conflict-related trauma at nine centers in northern Ethiopia, all now closed. Of over 10,000 U.S.A.I.D. employees worldwide, barely 300 will remain under changes conveyed to staff on Thursday night. Only 12 will remain in Africa. The most pressing challenge for many governments is not to replace the American staff members or money, but to save American-built health systems that are rapidly crumbling to the ground, said Ken O. Opalo, a Kenyan political scientist at Georgetown University in Washington. Kenya, for instance, has enough drugs to treat people with H.I.V. for over a year, Mr. Opalo said. “But the nurses and doctors to treat them are being let go, and the clinics are closing.” Broader economic shocks are also likely in some of the world’s most fragile countries. American aid accounts for 15 percent of economic output in South Sudan, 6 percent in Somalia and 4 percent in the Central African Republic, said Charlie Robertson, an economist who specializes in Africa. “We could see governance effectively cease in a few countries, unless others step up to replace the hole left by the U.S.,” he said. Whether U.S.A.I.D. is truly dead may yet be determined by Congress and the U.S. courts, where supporters have filed a raft of legal challenges. But the Trump administration seems determined to move faster than its challengers. As Mr. Musk and his team have commandeered the agency’s operations in Washington, shuttering its headquarters and sacking or suspending 94 percent of its staff, its vast aid machinery in Africa has shuddered to a halt. In major hubs in Kenya, South Africa and Senegal, American aid officials were shocked to find themselves labeled “criminals” by Mr. Musk, then ordered to return to the United States, according to eight U.S.A.I.D. employees or contractors who all spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation. On Friday, the Trump administration gave all U.S.A.I.D. staff members 30 days to pack their bags and come home, causing turmoil among families now faced with the prospect of pulling children out of school on short notice. If the federal court that is now reviewing that directive does not overturn it, few will have jobs to return to. Several U.S.A.I.D. officials noted that Google’s artificial intelligence system, Gemini, had been activated on their internal communications systems recently, and that internal video calls conducted on the Google platform were suddenly set to automatically record. Officials said they worried that Mr. Musk’s team could use A.I. to monitor their conversations to ferret out dissenters, or to excerpt snippets of conversations that might be weaponized to discredit the agency. Colleagues at the agency have turned to Signal, an encrypted messaging app, this week to share information unofficially. People are being driven by fear, one of them said. In private, even senior U.S.A.I.D. officials agree that the agency needs an overhaul. In interviews, several recognized the need to streamline its bureaucracy, and even questioned an aid system that relies so heavily on American contractors and fosters a damaging culture of dependency among African governments. Announcements by Marco Rubio, the secretary of state and acting head of U.S.A.I.D., that emergency food and lifesaving aid would be exempted from the administration’s cuts were initially welcomed by employees. But, officials said, it turned out to be largely a mirage. Despite the promise of waivers, many have found it impossible to obtain one. Worst of all, many said, were the broadsides delivered by Mr. Musk and the White House portraying the agency as a rogue, criminal agency run by spendthrift officials pursuing their personal agendas. Such attacks were false and deeply hurtful to Americans who sought to relieve human suffering around the world, several people said. In Nairobi, where U.S.A.I.D. has about 250 Kenyan and 50 American staff members, several Kenyans spoke at a tense town hall this week. They worried that talk at the White House of widespread corruption inside the agency might cause other Kenyans to believe that they, too, had benefited from fraud, said an official who attended the meeting. Like the Americans present at the town hall, the Kenyans worried they were about to be fired. But there was one major difference between the two groups, the official noted: While the Kenyans were anxious for their livelihoods, the Americans were worried about their country. Source link #Trump #Musk #Bring #Vast #Aid #Machinery #Halt #Africa Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

*********** Jews take Israel, Zionists to task over Gaza *********** Jews take Israel, Zionists to task over Gaza The son of Holocaust survivors and other Jews opposed to Israel’s war in Gaza are highlighting concerns that anti-Semitism is being exaggerated for political purposes in Australia. The group of Jewish activists will gather on the steps of Victorian Parliament on Sunday days after *********** lawmakers passed harsh new penalties aimed at curbing rising anti-Semitic attacks. Those attacks are “tragic but isolated” and being used to create a narrative that Jews are living in fear, rally organisers say. “We stand against the genocide in Gaza … and we reject that the Palestine movement is fermenting anti-Semitism,” spokesman David Glanz told AAP. “We think there’s a highly political agenda here, where people claiming to be highly motivated by anti-Semitism are actually motivated to shut down Palestine voices.” Speakers include Jewish comedian Jacob Sacher and barrister Jeffrey Lowenstein, a former chair of the Anti-Defamation Commission whose parents are Holocaust survivors. Mr Glanz said those who are pro-Israel claim to speak on behalf of all Jews but “there isn’t one form of being a Jew”. “Anti-Semitism is real but the politicians and media who put such emphasis on it have nothing to say about the rising tide of hatred faced by our ******* brothers and sisters,” he said. The rally, to later join up with a weekly Palestine rally, is expected to face a counter-protest from about a dozen Zionists. The future of Gaza hangs in the balance after US President Donald Trump’s plan to clear two million Palestinians from their homeland and resettle them in third countries – ending hope for a two-state solution – was panned by Arab nations and others. Defence Minister Richard Marles said the occupied territory did not come up during his first meeting with his US counterpart Pete Hegseth on Saturday. “We did not go through that,” he said. “Our position is really clear, it’s what it has always been … what I’m not about to do is engage in a running commentary on the remarks of the president.” Australia has long maintained its desire for a two-state solution, in which Israel ends its occupation of Gaza and the West Bank and allows the creation of a ************ state. Mr Marles declined to say what Australia would do if Mr Trump sent troops to the occupied territory, which has been decimated since Israel’s offensive in response to a major ****** attack in October 2023. Mr Trump on Thursday evening walked back talk of US troops entering Gaza while reiterating US would take control of the strip post-war to create his vision of a “Riviera of the Middle East”. Source link #*********** #Jews #Israel #Zionists #task #Gaza Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

How Sam Altman Sidestepped Elon Musk to Win Over Donald Trump – The New York Times How Sam Altman Sidestepped Elon Musk to Win Over Donald Trump – The New York Times How Sam Altman Sidestepped Elon Musk to Win Over Donald Trump The New York TimesView Full Coverage on Google News Source link #Sam #Altman #Sidestepped #Elon #Musk #Win #Donald #Trump #York #Times Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Communities brace for more flooding, tropical cyclone Communities brace for more flooding, tropical cyclone One state is on alert for a possible tropical cyclone as communities hit by flooding brace for a fresh round of danger and a recovery expected to take years. Source link #Communities #brace #flooding #tropical #cyclone Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Woman stuck for 18 months on an NHS ward evicted from her hospital bed Woman stuck for 18 months on an NHS ward evicted from her hospital bed “I feel very angry, upset, worthless, and like my mental health and my life does not matter,” says Jessie, propped up in a hospital bed. She is recording this in a video diary. Blue NHS curtains are drawn around the bed and all her possessions are stacked up in the tiny chaotic space this creates. Among the piles of boxes and bags sit the dolls she holds to keep her calm. Thirty-five-year-old Jessie spent 550 days in Northampton General Hospital. For nearly all that time, she was medically fit to leave but finding her a suitable place to go to was difficult. The BBC has followed her story for more than five months as the NHS trust took costly High Court action against her, to have her evicted from the hospital bed she was occupying. Jessie was eventually arrested and taken to a care home where she says she feels anxious. Jessie has dolls that she holds for comfort [BBC] Her story is an extreme example, but it demonstrates the acute pressures faced by a care system coping with more complex cases, the knock-on effect to the NHS, and how the person at the heart of it can feel lost. North Northamptonshire Council, which is responsible for her housing and care, says it cannot comment because of an ongoing police investigation into Jessie’s behaviour. The hospital says it “is not the best environment for patients who are not in need of acute medical care”. The Department of Health and Social Care has told the BBC: “This is a troubling case which shows how our broken NHS discharge system is failing vulnerable people.” Jessie was one of more than 70 people who contacted the BBC after reading about Matthew in Surrey – who would end up spending more than a year stuck on a hospital ward before being moved to a care home. Most who wrote to us told of their struggles to find the social care they needed, some also faced long waits to get out of hospital. At the start of January 2025, nearly 13,000 out of the more than 100,000 hospital beds in England were occupied by people who didn’t have a medical reason to be there, according to official figures. For people delayed for more than a week, the most common reasons were a lack of social care available in their own homes, or a shortage of places in care or rehabilitation homes. Such delays have become normal, say experts. Jessie’s story It is very rare for a patient to be taken to court by the NHS – Jessie’s is only the fourth case since 2006. So how did she come to be arrested in her hospital bed? She arrived at Northampton General on 14 April 2023 needing treatment for cellulitis, a bacterial infection affecting the skin, which can be serious. She uses a wheelchair and needs help with all her personal care. She has also been diagnosed with an emotionally unstable personality disorder. Jessie likes games, arts and crafts, and trips to garden centres. She also finds life difficult and can be challenging to those trying to help her. When stressed, she self-harms and can threaten to harm others. By the end of April, she was ready to be discharged from hospital, but was told she could not return to the nursing home where she had lived for nine years because it could no longer meet her needs. Jessie – who is unable to work and reliant on benefits – became increasingly isolated stuck inside her hospital cubicle on the six-bedded ward. She says her mental health deteriorated further, people would stare at her and she felt safer with the curtains drawn. All Jessie’s possessions were stacked up inside the cubicle [BBC] From documents we have seen, and from what Jessie and her mother, Hilda, have told us, it was about a year before she was offered an alternative place by the local council. Sarah Scobie, deputy director of research at the Nuffield Trust think tank, says patients stuck in hospital for three weeks or more, like Jessie, tend to need a lot of support, and the number of these cases is increasing. With councils – who pay for most social care – financially squeezed and overstretched, many care homes and home-care providers are only given short-term funding, she says. It is “difficult for them to establish services, recruit staff, train staff, invest in a service, if they don’t know whether that funding is going to continue,” she adds. The government says it is providing an additional £26bn to help “shift the focus of care from hospital to community, and tackle delayed discharges by improving the links between the NHS and social care”. It also says a review of adult social care led by Baroness Louise Casey, which starts work in April, will draw up a plan for a fair and affordable care system for the future. In Jessie’s case, legal documents say the council investigated nearly 120 care places. Only one was offered to her. This was a supported living flat in a nearby town, with two care staff initially present 24 hours a day. But the town has upsetting memories for Jessie. She finds it too difficult to talk about, other than to say “bad things” happened. She told us she was desperate to leave hospital, but the thought of going there made her feel suicidal. So, she refused the one place offered. Jessie uses a wheelchair and needs help with all her personal care [BBC] Under the 2014 Care Act, Jessie should be able to express a preference about where she lives. She has mental capacity, but was assessed by the NHS as needing a professional advocate to support her in this, helping her understand the decisions she is asked to make and to explain her views to others. Jessie was referred to an advocacy firm by the council, but in June 2024 her case was closed after she asked for a new advocate but then didn’t respond to further contact. The health and care system is “convoluted, complicated, very bureaucratic” and it is easy for a patient’s voice to get lost, says Caroline Entwistle from the advocacy charity, VoiceAbility. She believes an advocate can “take that pressure off the person who’s feeling quite overwhelmed” – but that funding for such services is not keeping up with demand. The hospital did provide Jessie with mental health support while she was in her cubicle. But she believed no-one was listening to her. “I explained all the reasons I wasn’t happy with [the accommodation],” she says, “but they just went ahead with it anyway.” In August 2024, 16 months after she arrived, the hospital started legal action against Jessie to repossess the bed she was in. She did not really understand what was happening, she says. Neither did her mother. They could not find a solicitor and had no advocate, so the first two hearings went ahead without anyone representing Jessie’s views. The NHS trust argued a patient didn’t have the right to choose their placement, and that a hospital bed took up significant resource. It said it had taken account of Jessie’s vulnerabilities throughout and the package of care offered by the council was significant, with staff present 24 hours a day to keep her safe. A care plan, which detailed the support Jessie needed, was only given to the court at the final hearing. The date suggests the assessment was completed the day before. It also notes that “Jessie is unable to communicate effectively”. At the final High Court hearing on 4 October, Jessie attended remotely from hospital. Within minutes she was overwhelmed and had to leave. Her mother struggled to speak for her. The judge said Jessie could challenge the council’s assessment of whether the accommodation and care were right for her, but she could not remain in hospital “when she does not need a bed there, and has not needed one for over a year, and others do”. He ruled that Jessie must leave hospital, and said “we must hope the transition goes smoothly”. The hospital trust says it is committed to working with “care partners to provide the best possible care for those in our communities” in the place that “best suits their needs”. The most recent data, from 2020-21, suggests a standard NHS hospital bed costs £345 per day. Adjusting for inflation, this would mean Jessie’s hospital stay is likely to have cost more than £200,000. We do not know how much the legal action cost. Ten days after Jessie’s final hearing, 18 months after she arrived in hospital, the police arrested her. She spent several hours at a police station before being moved to the flat in the town that holds bad memories. Police are investigating her for a number of alleged incidents, she told us, including for sending offensive emails shortly before she was evicted in October. Since moving, Jessie says she has self-harmed and the police have been called on three occasions – once by Jessie, twice by staff. “They don’t know what to do with me,” she says. Jessie has recently been visited by a new advocate. Source link #Woman #stuck #months #NHS #ward #evicted #hospital #bed Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

US flu season right now is the most intense it’s been in 15 years – MLive.com US flu season right now is the most intense it’s been in 15 years – MLive.com US flu season right now is the most intense it’s been in 15 years MLive.comDoctors’ visits for flu highest in 15 years, most since swine flu pandemic: CDC ABC NewsFlu levels now highest since 2009 pandemic, CDC reports CBS News Source link #flu #season #intense #years #MLive.com Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Lyon takes Galle lesson all the way to 550 wickets Lyon takes Galle lesson all the way to 550 wickets A chat with Ricky Ponting and Mike Hussey on the day of his Test debut has propelled Nathan Lyon to 550 Test wickets at the same ground 14 years later. Lyon became only the third *********** to reach the milestone when Dinesh Chandimal hit him to a diving Beau Webster on Saturday in the second Test against Sri Lanka. The veteran off-spinner (3-80) took two more wickets into the sheds on the third day in Galle as Australia (414) closed in on a 2-0 series win over the hosts (257, 8-211). Lyon could conceivably pass Glenn McGrath (563) by the end of the calendar year to hold the second-most wickets of any ***********, but Shane Warne (708) is some way off. “I hate talking about it but it is something I’m extremely proud about,” Lyon said of his milestone. “It’s pretty cool when you look at it. When I debuted 14 years ago or whatever it was, I didn’t think I’d take 550 wickets. To pick up that one here is very special.” On the same turf in Galle in August of 2011, Lyon made his Test debut as a former groundskeeper with a penchant for finger spin. Lyon has since added 135 more Test caps, and lost a fair bit of hair, but his memories of that match in Galle remain clear. “That was a long time ago,” he said. “I was pretty raw, I didn’t really know what I was doing. “I just remember Ricky Ponting and Mike Hussey just came up and said, ‘Have a bit of fun, trust your skill and bowl your best ball’.” The advice clearly worked. The 23-year-old Lyon became the first *********** since Keith Miller in 1946 to take a wicket with his first delivery in Test cricket as Kumar Sangakarra edged him to the slips. Sangakarra was the ICC’s number-one ranked Test batter at the time and retired with the most runs for any Sri Lankan player in history. Lyon has become one of the greats himself. No *********** off-spinner has taken more wickets and only four of his countrymen have played more Tests. As much as things have changed, Ponting and Hussey’s advice has been a constant on Lyon’s rise to Test greatness and 550 wickets. “They’re three things that have stuck with me throughout my whole career,” Lyon said. “I’ll keep doing that ’til the day I retire, but that’s a long way away. I’ll keep enjoying it, keep trusting it and keep bowling my best ball, and see how we go.” Australia have not won a Test series in Sri Lanka since that 2011 visit on which Lyon debuted, but are on the cusp of securing a 2-0 sweep on day four. The spinners had struggled for a breakthrough late on day three before fellow veteran Angelo Mathews (76) clipped Lyon to Webster in the deep. Sri Lanka are only 54 runs ahead at 8-211, and Lyon will do whatever it takes to get those final two scalps. “I’m happy to bowl all day. I’ll rest when I get home,” Lyon said. Source link #Lyon #takes #Galle #lesson #wickets Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Player Count Soars Past The First Game’s Record Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Player Count Soars Past The First Game’s Record Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is staring the naysayers in the face and battling them back with reckless abandon. Despite campaigns on social media to smear the game’s image, the Warhorse Studios RPG is soaring up the charts. It has now more than doubled the peak player count of 2018’s Kingdom Come: Deliverance on Steam, and it’s not slowing down. KCD2 is proving to be a smash hit. Not only did it receive glowing praise in my review, but it’s already one of 2025’s most decorated games. It sold more than one million copies in a single day, with Warhorse Studios and Plaion making a profit within 24 hours of launch. On the Up Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 had, at the time of publishing, hit a peak player count of 233,586 users. That dwarfs the record set by the first title, which was released in 2018 and secured a peak count on Steam of 95,800. Incredibly, the launch of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 has worked wonders for the first game. Players worldwide are flooding the first game to get the scope of the story before landing in the sequel. At the time of writing, the first game was sitting on a peak player count of 38,669 users, the highest it had been since March 2018. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 has had some trouble on social platforms because of some of the more complex themes present, but that’s not enough to slow down the growth of this phenomenal title. Warhorse Studios has already revealed that this year, three major expansions will be released for Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2. The developer has a wonderful track record in that arena, having released a string of top expansions for the first game that provided entertainment long after the story was completed. Have you given Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 a try yet? Let us know on the Insider Gaming forum. For more Insider Gaming coverage, check out how to check if the PlayStation Network is offline SUBSCRIBE to our newsletter to receive the latest news and exclusive leaks every week! No Spam. Source link #Kingdom #Deliverance #Player #Count #Soars #Games #Record Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]