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Pelican Press

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  1. Pelican Press
    DWZ concern as Metcalf excels in Warriors-Sharks trial DWZ concern as Metcalf excels in Warriors-Sharks trial Dallin Watene-Zelezniak was an early casualty of the NRL’s pre-season challenge as Luke Metcalf signalled the Warriors’ future without Shaun Johnson was in good hands. Watene-Zelezniak was subbed off midway through the first half in the Warriors’ 12-12 trial draw with Cronulla at Shark Park on Friday night. The New Zealand Test winger landed awkwardly as he challenged for a high ball and was taken off the field for further assessment. It was not immediately known whether the injury would impact the prolific tryscorer’s involvement in the Warriors’ season-opener in Las Vegas. Fellow winger Roger Tuivasa-Sheck was a late scratching on Friday and the Warriors were also without halves contenders Chanel Harris-Tavita and Tanah Boyd. The absence of the two playmakers looks to have worked in the favour of Metcalf as coach Andrew Webster searches for a candidate to replace Shaun Johnson at halfback. Wearing the No.7, Metcalf was lively with ball in hand, nudged an impressive 40/20, and registered a game-high 356 kicking metres. His exploits came after the Sharks had taken an early lead through in-demand prop Tom Hazleton. Warriors fullback Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad soon cancelled out the home side’s advantage to level the scores at 6-6 to end the first half. Nicoll-Klokstad and Metcalf combined 12 minutes after the break to send Taine Tuaupiki over on the right edge. With 20 minutes left, Webster gave Metcalf an early night and replaced him with Jett Cleary, the younger brother of Penrith ace Nathan. Their father, Ivan, was on hand to watch Jett’s first outing in Warriors colours alongside long-time Panthers prop James Fisher-Harris, who got through unscathed. For Cronulla, the Puru twins – lock Hohepa and halfback Niwhai – looked like they will be pushing for NRL action over the course of 2025. Hohepa’s late try helped secure a draw for the Sharks. Prop Braden Hamlin-Uele got valuable minutes under his belt and Siosifa Talakai lined up as a right-sided second-rower. Coach Craig Fitzgibbon kept the Sharks’ big guns on ice and will likely let his more high profile names loose in next Thursday’s second and final trial away to Canberra. Source link #DWZ #concern #Metcalf #excels #WarriorsSharks #trial Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]
  2. Pelican Press
    European Brain Surgery Start-Up Seeks US Expansion European Brain Surgery Start-Up Seeks US Expansion Robeauté, a start-up which promises to transform brain surgeries with microrobots the size of a grain of rice, has raised $28 million in its latest funding round. Co-founder and COO Joana Cartocci spoke to Bloomberg’s Tom Mackenzie about the challenges of innovating in Europe and raising capital compared to the United States. Source link #European #Brain #Surgery #StartUp #Seeks #Expansion Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]
  3. Pelican Press
    New Algorithm Uses Fiber Optic Cables to Improve Earthquake Detection Globally New Algorithm Uses Fiber Optic Cables to Improve Earthquake Detection Globally A new method for detecting earthquakes is being developed, leveraging fiber optic cables used in global communication networks. Researchers have introduced an algorithm capable of converting these cables into seismic sensors, potentially improving early warning systems. The breakthrough could allow existing infrastructure to play a crucial role in monitoring seismic activity, including earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and icequakes. This advancement is being explored as a means to enhance traditional seismometer networks, addressing challenges associated with fiber optic detection methods. Algorithm Integrates Fiber Optic Data with Traditional Sensors According to a study published in Geophysical Journal International, the algorithm adapts a physics-based approach to detect earthquakes using data from fiber optic cables alongside conventional seismometers. Dr. Thomas Hudson, Senior Research Scientist at ETH Zurich, told Royal Astronomical Society that fiber optic cables can serve as thousands of seismic sensors. He noted that while integrating fiber optic technology with earthquake detection has been difficult, the new approach aims to simplify the process by combining multiple data sources. Challenges in Using Fiber Optic Cables for Seismic Detection While fiber optic cables can detect vibrations, several factors complicate their use for earthquake monitoring. Their locations are often dictated by communication infrastructure rather than optimal seismic detection points. Additionally, these cables primarily detect strain along their length, whereas traditional seismometers measure movement in three dimensions. This limitation makes detecting fast-traveling P-waves more difficult, affecting the accuracy of earthquake alerts. The study suggests that integrating data from both sources can overcome these issues and improve early warning capabilities. Potential Applications Beyond Earthquake Detection Beyond earthquakes, the algorithm has shown potential in identifying seismic activity in geothermal boreholes, glacier movements, and volcanic eruptions. The technique works by analysing energy patterns across sensors and pinpointing earthquake locations based on coherent signals. Dr. Hudson mentioned that the method performs well even in urban environments where background noise can interfere with conventional detection. Open-Source Algorithm for Broader Seismology Applications To facilitate adoption, researchers have made the algorithm openly available, allowing the seismology community to integrate it into existing monitoring networks. Although challenges remain, particularly in handling large volumes of data generated by fiber optic sensors, the study highlights practical approaches to manage this issue. With further development, fiber optic networks may significantly enhance global earthquake monitoring systems. 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. Salesforce Said to Cut 1,000 Roles While Hiring Salespeople for AI iQOO Neo 10R Confirmed to Launch in India on March 11 Source link #Algorithm #Fiber #Optic #Cables #Improve #Earthquake #Detection #Globally Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]
  4. Pelican Press
    Affordable Winter Trips in the Caribbean Affordable Winter Trips in the Caribbean When it’s cold in northern North America, it’s high season in the warm reaches of the south — especially in the Caribbean — as snowbirds flock to sunnier shores. High season ushers in high prices, but bargain seekers can claim a stretch of sand by considering the value of all-inclusive resorts that bundle meals and activities into the rates. For example, Iberostar Waves Costa Dorada in the Dominican Republic offers a beach, pools and five restaurants (doubles from $170 a night for two). Liberty Travel, an agency based in Montvale, N.J., and known for its expertise in the Caribbean, steers clients to the Grand Palladium Jamaica Resort & Spa for its four beaches and multiple dining options (from $285 for a double). But for those seeking a D.I.Y. getaway, the following destinations allow travelers to stretch their budgets this winter. A small Dutch island about 50 miles north of the coast of Venezuela, Bonaire is not the place for classic sandy beaches; most are scattered with coral and shells. Instead, the eco-centric island, surrounded by a marine reserve, is for snorkelers, swimmers and divers looking for easy-to-reach reefs. (Visitors pay a $75 entry tax as well as a $40 nature fee, which allows access to the island’s marine park and national park.) More than 50 of the destination’s roughly 85 dive sites are accessible from shore, meaning certified divers won’t need a guided boat excursion — a big savings — to swim among staghorn corals and schools of tropical fish. At beaches like 1,000 Steps — an exaggeration of the 67 limestone steps required to reach it — both divers and snorkelers can view marine wonders and stick around for sunset over the cactus-studded horizon. Home to few large hotels, Bonaire offers many vacation rentals and small resorts. Bamboo Bonaire, for example, has cottages, with kitchenettes and furnished porches within a lush walled compound (doubles from $225 a night; stays of five nights or more are eligible for 20 percent off). You’ll need to rent a car to explore the island (Kayak lists rentals from $34 a day), including Washington Slagbaai National Park on the north end, a nearly 10,600-acre preserve that is home to swim-inviting beaches and salt ponds filled with flamingos. Cartagena, Colombia On the northern coast of Colombia, Cartagena offers a more urban option in the sun. A UNESCO World Heritage site, Cartagena’s historic center is filled with military architecture from the 16th through 18th centuries that attests to its strategic location as a Caribbean trade port on par with Havana and San Juan, P.R. Beach lovers will find Airbnb rentals from about $70 a night in the Bocagrande seaside district on a peninsula south of the old center. Culture seekers will appreciate a more central address, such as the Townhouse Art Hotel, an art-focused boutique hotel with 11 individually decorated rooms, a piano bar, two pools and a rooftop lounge with views over the city (doubles from $155 a night, including breakfast). A walled city, Cartagena deserves a day of walking its cobblestone streets to appreciate the gracious colonial architecture painted in Caribbean hues. Two-hour free walking tours offered by Free Tour Cartagena (don’t forget to tip your guide) provide an overview of the city’s main plazas and landmark churches. Explore the corridors and batteries of the Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas, a Spanish 17th-century military fortress atop San Lázaro Hill (admission 36,000 pesos, or about $8). For entertainment, hit the arty Getsemaní neighborhood, outside the old city walls, which is known for its street musicians, murals, bars and restaurants arrayed around the Plaza de la Trinidad. Guadeloupe archipelago Between Dominica and Antigua in the Lesser Antilles, the French archipelago of Guadeloupe consists of five island groups — Basse-Terre, Grande-Terre, Marie-Galante, Les Saintes and La Désirade — offering rainforest and volcano hikes, snorkeling and diving on protected coral reefs, sandy beaches and surfing. Trails, beaches and the National Park of Guadeloupe are free to visit. Flights from Miami to Guadeloupe land at Guadeloupe International Maryse Conde Airport, which is connected to neighboring Basse-Terre by a bridge. Ferries to other islands cost 25 to 45 euros (roughly $26 to $47) one-way. Rental cars offer convenient ways to get around (the average rental price is $39 a day, according to Kayak). Look for relatively affordable stays at a number of small, eco-friendly resorts, including the 23-room Les Galets Rouges on Basse-Terre, overlooking the Cousteau Reserve marine park and near several hot springs (two-night minimum stays in a double start at €550, including breakfast). On Les Saintes — technically composed of nine islands, of which two, Terre-de-Haut and Terre-de-Bas, are inhabited — the guesthouse Les Hauts de la Baie is near Grand Anse beach on Terre-de-Bas (doubles average €130 a night, with access to a shared kitchen). Culinary highlights include the bokit sandwich, a fried bun stuffed with a choice of fish, pork or chicken with spicy sauce and usually sold for a few euros at local stands. Placencia, Belize On the southern coast of Belize, the laid-back beach town of Placencia, on the tip of a 16-mile-long peninsula, offers access to the Belize Barrier Reef offshore and a bohemian town center. “The real charm of Placencia is its unique ‘main street,’ which is actually a narrow sidewalk lined with colorful bars and restaurants that give off a fun Caribbean and rustic vibe,” wrote Rob Harper, the co-owner of Namu Travel Group, a Costa Rica-based travel agency that specializes in Central America, in an email. Vacation rentals in the former fishing village include Bella Azul from Bella Vita Casitas (starting at $198 a night), a cabin for two with use of kayaks, paddle boards and bikes included. A small guesthouse modeled in French colonial style, Alux House has studios designed to sleep two from $105 a night. Studio apartments in the Driftwood Gardens Guesthouse start at $65 a night for two. Save money on rooms in order to splurge on an all-day trip on the water to snorkel at one of the offshore isles (from $125 at Captain Jak’s) or hike and go bird-watching in the nearby Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary (from $139 with Viator). Golf cart rentals are another popular way to explore the peninsula ($55 a day from Barefoot Services). San Juan, P.R. According to Dollar Flight Club, a membership service offering cheap airfares, San Juan is one of the best deals in the region, with round-trip flights starting at $138 from Atlanta. Upon touchdown, travelers can readily see why the capital of Puerto Rico has bargain appeal. Beaches and San Juan’s colonial center lie within easy reach of the airport. Among lodging options, Old San Juan offers a number of atmospheric hotels, including the Gallery Inn, which features 22 rooms with access to 15 patios and views over the town walls in a building designated a National Historic Landmark (doubles from $170). Closer to the beach, Hibird, in the coastal Condado district, offers accommodations with a rooftop pool and a beach club about a five minutes’ walk from the hotel (studio suites with a kitchenette from about $188). While many Caribbean destinations offer escapes into nature, San Juan’s strength is its history and culture. A walking tour of Old San Juan is a good place to learn about its colonial past (Patria Tours offers two-and-a-half-hour itineraries for about $51, including entrance to Castillo San Cristobal, which the National Park Service says is the largest fortress in the Americas). Seek culture in the nearby Santurce neighborhood, home to vibrant street murals, the Art Museum of Puerto Rico (admission $15) and the Museum of Contemporary Art ($8). Stick around after dark to drink, dance and sample street food like empanadillas (turnovers) and alcapurrias (fritters) at La Placita de Santurce, a public square that is particularly lively on the weekends. Source link #Affordable #Winter #Trips #Caribbean Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]
  5. Pelican Press
    ***'s tougher immigration policy risks trapping victims in modern slavery – Reuters *** ***'s tougher immigration policy risks trapping victims in modern slavery – Reuters *** ***’s tougher immigration policy risks trapping victims in modern slavery Reuters UKStockport abattoir raid leads to human trafficking arrests BBC.comMore British people than ever trapped in modern slavery – as Sky News joins police on abattoir raid Sky NewsPolice force entry into abattoir in Stockport in modern slavery investigation Stockport Nub News Source link #UK039s #tougher #immigration #policy #risks #trapping #victims #modern #slavery #Reuters Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]
  6. Pelican Press
    Heresy Brings Brutal New Enemies, Delivering the Challenge That Has Been Missing for So Long Heresy Brings Brutal New Enemies, Delivering the Challenge That Has Been Missing for So Long Episode Heresy is finally out in Destiny 2 and this last Episode brings a lot of new content. We’re getting a new Sundered Doctrine dungeon, a roguelike mode called The Nether, and a ton of balance changes and other features. But there is one silent change that’s getting a lot of praise from players. More of this, please! | Image Credit: Bungie The update has refreshed the Taken faction and introduced new Dire Taken enemies with new abilities and stats. Players are already singing the praise of this change saying that it brings some much-needed difficulty and variety to the game. A change like this has been long overdue from Bungie, especially with the recent monotony of the game. Destiny 2 is bringing some fresh enemy changes this time We actually get to learn new things with this. | Image Credit: Bungie At first glance, the Dire Taken may seem like yet another version of the same old Destiny 2 faction. But they’re not. Their new abilities set them apart from anything we’ve seen before and players have quickly noticed and praised the new abilities and features these reworked Taken units are bringing to the table. first impression of heresy…. goated dreadnaught looks incredible, actual difficulty in the questline for solo nether, story is WTF, so many builds to have fun with, star wars collab is such a banger this is the destiny i love pic.twitter.com/7pTCf8nQJx — Mactics (@MacticsG1) February 5, 2025 Taken Thrall now leaves behind explosive Blights upon death, so we’re either forced to run or shoot it down as soon as possible. Taken Minotaurs generate Stasis fields that can trap you if you get too close, while Taken Vandals have been reported to become entirely invisible until they attack, which is pretty cool. Unlike the slight variations introduced with the Vex in Echoes or the Scorn in Revenant, the Dire Taken has a lot of big gameplay changes. Over time, most of us have learned and adapted to the patterns of all the enemy factions. But it’s these kinds of changes that breathe fresh air into a game. And that’s been the consensus among players as comments of praise and new life fill the comments on Reddit. Players want more with other enemy factions Bungie, please give us more enemy changes like this! | Image Credit: Bungie One Reddit user even compared the Dire Taken to the best parts of past expansions, noting that this episode is the first time in a long while that they had to stop and learn how enemies behave. Let’s hope Bungie recognizes the good feedback and makes similar changes in the future. It doesn’t always have to be a completely new thing, just needs to shake it up the right way. Comment byu/Broseiden_04 from discussion inDestinyTheGame Comment byu/Broseiden_04 from discussion inDestinyTheGame Beyond the enemy refresh, Episode: Heresy also comes with a lot of new changes, including The Nether, a new rogue-lite activity set on the Dreadnaught. This three-player mode limits health regeneration and ammo and is sort of a dungeon crawler where we have to collect buffs and strategize their runs. The episode also brings the new Sundered Doctrine dungeon which revisits Rhulk’s Pyramid Ship and launches with Contest Mode for the first 48 hours. We also got a new Arc-based buff called Bolt Charge which players can stack up to 10 times with attacks. At max stacks, any ability summons an Arc bolt that strikes your enemies. With Episode Heresy being the last of the episodic format, the expectations were high before the switch to a new system. And it’s safe to say while it isn’t perfect, Bungie has done some good work here. Source link #Heresy #Brings #Brutal #Enemies #Delivering #Challenge #Missing #Long Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]
  7. Pelican Press
    TikTok sued by parents of *** teens after alleged challenge deaths TikTok sued by parents of *** teens after alleged challenge deaths TikTok has been sued by the parents of four British teenagers believed to have died after taking part in viral trends that circulated on the video-sharing platform in 2022. The lawsuit claims Isaac Kenevan, Archie Battersbee, Julian “Jools” Sweeney and Maia Walsh died while attempting the so-called “blackout challenge”. The US-based Social Media Victims Law Center filed the wrongful death lawsuit against TikTok and its parent company ByteDance on behalf of the children’s parents on Thursday. The BBC has asked TikTok for comment. The complaint was filed in the Superior Court of the State of Delaware on behalf of Archie’s mother Hollie Dance, Isaac’s mum Lisa Kenevan, Jools’ mother Ellen Roome and Maia’s dad Liam Walsh. It claims the deaths were “the foreseeable result of ByteDance’s engineered addiction-by-design and programming decisions”, which were “aimed at pushing children into maximizing their engagement with TikTok by any means necessary”. And it accuses ByteDance of having “created harmful dependencies in each child” through its design and “flooded them with a seemingly endless stream of harms”. “These were not harms the children searched for or wanted to see when their use of TikTok began,” it claims. A coroner concluded in January 2024 that Hollie Dance’s son Archie died aged 12 after a “prank or experiment” went wrong at their home in Southend-on-Sea in April 2022. Ms Dance, along with Lisa Kenevan, mother of 13-year-old Isaac, has tried to raise awareness about potentially dangerous social media trends in the wake of their childrens’ deaths. Ellen Roome, who believes her 14-year-old son Jools died after participating in an online challenge, has sought to obtain data from TikTok that could provide clarity around his death. She has been campaigning for “Jools’ Law”, which would allow parents to access the social media accounts of their children if they die. “It’s my one goal to try and make something positive out of the loss of Jools, not just me but for the families who have already lost children and families going forward,” she told the BBC in January. Source link #TikTok #sued #parents #teens #alleged #challenge #deaths Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]
  8. Pelican Press
    GTA5 Has Sold Over 210 Million Copies, Red Dead Redemption 2 Has Sold Over 70 Million Units GTA5 Has Sold Over 210 Million Copies, Red Dead Redemption 2 Has Sold Over 70 Million Units Take-Two announced its financial results for the third quarter of fiscal year 2025 and an update on sales of GTA5 and Red Dead Redemption 2. Source link #GTA5 #Sold #Million #Copies #Red #Dead #Redemption #Sold #Million #Units Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]
  9. Pelican Press
    Alaska authorities search for missing small plane Alaska authorities search for missing small plane US authorities are looking for a small plane carrying 10 people that has been reported missing in the state of Alaska. The US Coast Guard for the Alaska region said a Cessna Caravan craft was 12 miles (19km) offshore on a flight from Unalakleet to Nome when “its position was lost”. The two cities are some 146 miles from each other across the Norton Sound, an inlet of the Bering Sea on Alaska’s western coast. Search and rescue crews “are working to get to the last known coordinates” of the flight, state officials said in a statement. They said they had been notified of an “overdue” aircraft operated by the airline Bering Air at 16:00 local time on Thursday (01:00 GMT). The 10 people on board comprised nine passengers and a pilot, the update from the Alaska Department of Public Safety said. There was no information immediately available about who was on board. The BBC has contacted Bering Air for comment. The volunteer fire department in the landing city Nome said the pilot had told air traffic controllers that “he intended to enter a holding pattern while waiting for the runway to be cleared”. Source link #Alaska #authorities #search #missing #small #plane Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]
  10. Pelican Press
    Some on benefits are ‘taking the mickey’, says minister Some on benefits are ‘taking the mickey’, says minister Joshua Nevett Political reporter PA Some people on benefits are “taking the mickey”, Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall has said, as the government seeks ways to curb ******** spending. Kendall was speaking to ITV about a Department of Work and Pensions survey that suggested 200,000 people on benefits were ready to work if they had support. The DWP report found 49% of health and disability benefits claimants felt they would never be able to work again. But it also showed nearly half (44%) of people with a mental health condition expected to be able to work in future if their health improved. Kendall told ITV: “I think what the survey shows today is that despite all the myths, a lot of people who are currently on sickness or disability benefits want to work.” When asked if people on benefits were “pretending they can’t work”, she added: “Many of them have either just lost jobs that they desperately miss, or really want to get back into to work once they’ve got their health condition under control. “So I think that there are many more people who want to work. I have no doubt, as there always have been, there are people who shouldn’t be on those benefits who are taking the mickey and that is not good enough – we have to end that.” The government says the number of young people aged 16 to 34 who do not work because of long-term sickness and have a mental health condition has reached 270,000. This number increased by 60,000 (26%) in the last year, according to the DWP. As of January, 9.3 million people aged 16 to 64 in the *** were economically inactive – a rise of 713,000 since the Covid pandemic. Last year, the government spent £65bn on sickness benefits – a 25% increase from the year before the pandemic. That figure is forecast to increase to around £100bn before the next general election. Kendall said the DWP survey, which spoke to 3,401 benefit recipients, showed the need to reform the current ******** system and encourage young people to work if they can. The DWP secretary said: “There is genuinely a problem with many young people, particularly the Covid generation, but we can’t have a situation where doing a day’s work is in itself seen as stressful.” Kendall said supermarket managers had told her some young people did not understand work was “just the nature of life and that isn’t stress or pressure”. The DWP secretary is expected to present a policy paper on ******** reform next month. Ministers are worried about the surge in the number of people claiming benefits since the pandemic and the cost to the taxpayer, as the country faces challenging economic headwinds. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has said people who claim long-term sickness benefits should be made to return to work “where they can”. “The basic proposition that you should look for work is right,” he told the BBC last year. “People need to look for work, but they also need support. “That’s why I’ve gone out to look at schemes where businesses are supporting people back into work from long-term sickness.” Source link #benefits #mickey #minister Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]
  11. Pelican Press
    3 Creepy New Psychological Thrillers 3 Creepy New Psychological Thrillers By Jakob Kerr Days before someone shoots him to death, Trevor Canon, the founder of the San Francisco startup Journy, amends his will to freeze his assets in the event of his *******. That’s the proximate story of DEAD MONEY (Bantam, 407 pp., $30), Kerr’s terrific debut, which appears to be a traditional whodunit but is really an unpredictable nesting-box of surprises. Who’s keeping secrets, and to what end? Why is Journy, a revolutionary “mobility platform,” with the irritating motto “It’s not the destination — it’s the Journy,” such a big deal? Mackenzie Clyde, whose venture capital firm invested $5.2 billion in the company, is ordered by her boss to help the F.B.I. investigate Canon’s death. The case takes them, among other places, to the home of a would-be entrepreneur babbling about “inner creators” and “mindful irrationality” (luckily, Mackenzie is an expert at “autopiloting through a conversation”). They also visit the prestigious courtside-seat area at a Warriors basketball game, where Mackenzie “couldn’t find a single man who appeared to be wearing socks”; and, hilariously, Burning Man, where tech bros whacked out on psychedelics cavort around in unicorn, astronaut and sandworm costumes. Kerr, who worked at Airbnb for a decade, brings an insider’s knowledge and a satirist’s sensibility to the vanities and delusions of Silicon Valley. Describing Canon’s decision to pay for his $9 million house in cash, he observes that “tech founders would sooner use Windows than be saddled with something as banal as a mortgage.” Mackenzie — 6-foot-2, full of secrets, constantly underestimated — is the most interesting character of all, her surprising back story unfolding in a series of interstitial chapters. “You’re tall,” men tend to blurt when they meet her. “Taller than you,” she always responds. By Ande Pliego It’s a premise as old as time — or at least as old as the 1939 Agatha Christie classic “And Then There Were None”: A group of strangers stranded on an island are murdered, one after the other. Pliego’s new homage, YOU ARE FATALLY INVITED (Bantam, 371 pp., $30), lures a crew of thriller writers to what is billed as a “themed writers retreat” at the island mansion of J.R. Alastor, a best-selling but reclusive author. Just like Christie’s shadowy puppet master, the delightfully named U.N. Owen, Mr. Alastor (whoever he is) isn’t there to greet the guests. But he’s ordered them to solve a series of creepy puzzles. “I would encourage you to come up with an answer,” Mila, who has been hired to orchestrate the weekend, says. “Mr. Alastor believes in consequences for poor effort.” The writers are vain, *******, competitive and insecure. They’re also harboring guilty secrets that seem to deserve fitting punishments. As Thomas Fletcher, who specializes in literary mysteries, notes: “Every one of us kills people for a living.” Pliego has great fun with her (occasionally overcomplicated) material. It’s clear that more than one person with murderous intent is roaming around the island hellscape. It’s also clear that the characters are in on the joke, such as it is. As one says, “Irony wasn’t just misting across the dinner table — the entire island was soaked in it.” By Alison Gaylin Gaylin’s clean prose and controlled narrative voice bring an all-too-realistic chill to WE ARE WATCHING (Morrow, 324 pp., $30), a book that begins with a domestic cataclysm. Meg and Justin Russo, who own a lovely bookstore in the Hudson Valley, are driving their daughter to college when they see a group of men glaring menacingly and photographing them from a nearby Mazda. Meg loses control of the car, and Justin is killed. What comes later is just as troubling. The creepy, staring visitors who come to the bookstore ranting about a “secret chamber” and claiming to “know what you do in there.” Online chatter about the predictions supposedly hidden in “The Prophesy,” a long-out-of-print fantasy novel that Meg wrote as teenager. Repeated references to the number 121222. All this appears to have something to do with Meg’s father, a musician who in the 1970s was part of a heavy-metal band with a cult following. Now he’s a paranoid recluse — raving about antisemites, the pharmaceutical industry, religious zealots and cabals of people who hate rock music and are out to get him. The more Meg learns about the troubling events from his past, though, the more she thinks he might have a point. The book shows how social media can disseminate crazy ideas that tip into real-life violence. But if it makes you think of “Pizzagate” — the 2016 right-wing conspiracy theory accusing Democrats of running a child sex-trafficking ring from a pizzeria in Washington, D.C., that caused a believer to open fire with an assault rifle in the restaurant — it might also bring to mind the paranoiac claustrophobia of “Rosemary’s Baby.” Who can Meg trust, and who will betray her? A tip: Watch out for people with missing fingers. Source link #Creepy #Psychological #Thrillers Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]
  12. Pelican Press
    A recliner has been recalled over fears it could catch fire causing death and property damage A recliner has been recalled over fears it could catch fire causing death and property damage A reclining armchair has been recalled by authorities after a sofa overheated from an electrical default and caught fire. Source link #recliner #recalled #fears #catch #fire #causing #death #property #damage Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]
  13. Pelican Press
    Affordable Winter Trips in the Caribbean Affordable Winter Trips in the Caribbean When it’s cold in northern North America, it’s high season in the warm reaches of the south — especially in the Caribbean — as snowbirds flock to sunnier shores. High season ushers in high prices, but bargain seekers can claim a stretch of sand by considering the value of all-inclusive resorts that bundle meals and activities into the rates. For example, Iberostar Waves Costa Dorada in the Dominican Republic offers a beach, pools and five restaurants (doubles from $170 a night for two). Liberty Travel, an agency based in Montvale, N.J., and known for its expertise in the Caribbean, steers clients to the Grand Palladium Jamaica Resort & Spa for its four beaches and multiple dining options (from $285 for a double). But for those seeking a D.I.Y. getaway, the following destinations allow travelers to stretch their budgets this winter. A small Dutch island about 50 miles north of the coast of Venezuela, Bonaire is not the place for classic sandy beaches; most are scattered with coral and shells. Instead, the eco-centric island, surrounded by a marine reserve, is for snorkelers, swimmers and divers looking for easy-to-reach reefs. (Visitors pay a $75 entry tax as well as a $40 nature fee, which allows access to the island’s marine park and national park.) More than 50 of the destination’s roughly 85 dive sites are accessible from shore, meaning certified divers won’t need a guided boat excursion — a big savings — to swim among staghorn corals and schools of tropical fish. At beaches like 1,000 Steps — an exaggeration of the 67 limestone steps required to reach it — both divers and snorkelers can view marine wonders and stick around for sunset over the cactus-studded horizon. Home to few large hotels, Bonaire offers many vacation rentals and small resorts. Bamboo Bonaire, for example, has cottages, with kitchenettes and furnished porches within a lush walled compound (doubles from $225 a night; stays of five nights or more are eligible for 20 percent off). You’ll need to rent a car to explore the island (Kayak lists rentals from $34 a day), including Washington Slagbaai National Park on the north end, a nearly 10,600-acre preserve that is home to swim-inviting beaches and salt ponds filled with flamingos. Cartagena, Colombia On the northern coast of Colombia, Cartagena offers a more urban option in the sun. A UNESCO World Heritage site, Cartagena’s historic center is filled with military architecture from the 16th through 18th centuries that attests to its strategic location as a Caribbean trade port on par with Havana and San Juan, P.R. Beach lovers will find Airbnb rentals from about $70 a night in the Bocagrande seaside district on a peninsula south of the old center. Culture seekers will appreciate a more central address, such as the Townhouse Art Hotel, an art-focused boutique hotel with 11 individually decorated rooms, a piano bar, two pools and a rooftop lounge with views over the city (doubles from $155 a night, including breakfast). A walled city, Cartagena deserves a day of walking its cobblestone streets to appreciate the gracious colonial architecture painted in Caribbean hues. Two-hour free walking tours offered by Free Tour Cartagena (don’t forget to tip your guide) provide an overview of the city’s main plazas and landmark churches. Explore the corridors and batteries of the Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas, a Spanish 17th-century military fortress atop San Lázaro Hill (admission 36,000 pesos, or about $8). For entertainment, hit the arty Getsemaní neighborhood, outside the old city walls, which is known for its street musicians, murals, bars and restaurants arrayed around the Plaza de la Trinidad. Guadeloupe archipelago Between Dominica and Antigua in the Lesser Antilles, the French archipelago of Guadeloupe consists of five island groups — Basse-Terre, Grande-Terre, Marie-Galante, Les Saintes and La Désirade — offering rainforest and volcano hikes, snorkeling and diving on protected coral reefs, sandy beaches and surfing. Trails, beaches and the National Park of Guadeloupe are free to visit. Flights from Miami to Guadeloupe land at Guadeloupe International Maryse Conde Airport, which is connected to neighboring Basse-Terre by a bridge. Ferries to other islands cost 25 to 45 euros (roughly $26 to $47) one-way. Rental cars offer convenient ways to get around (the average rental price is $39 a day, according to Kayak). Look for relatively affordable stays at a number of small, eco-friendly resorts, including the 23-room Les Galets Rouges on Basse-Terre, overlooking the Cousteau Reserve marine park and near several hot springs (two-night minimum stays in a double start at €550, including breakfast). On Les Saintes — technically composed of nine islands, of which two, Terre-de-Haut and Terre-de-Bas, are inhabited — the guesthouse Les Hauts de la Baie is near Grand Anse beach on Terre-de-Bas (doubles average €130 a night, with access to a shared kitchen). Culinary highlights include the bokit sandwich, a fried bun stuffed with a choice of fish, pork or chicken with spicy sauce and usually sold for a few euros at local stands. Placencia, Belize On the southern coast of Belize, the laid-back beach town of Placencia, on the tip of a 16-mile-long peninsula, offers access to the Belize Barrier Reef offshore and a bohemian town center. “The real charm of Placencia is its unique ‘main street,’ which is actually a narrow sidewalk lined with colorful bars and restaurants that give off a fun Caribbean and rustic vibe,” wrote Rob Harper, the co-owner of Namu Travel Group, a Costa Rica-based travel agency that specializes in Central America, in an email. Vacation rentals in the former fishing village include Bella Azul from Bella Vita Casitas (starting at $198 a night), a cabin for two with use of kayaks, paddle boards and bikes included. A small guesthouse modeled in French colonial style, Alux House has studios designed to sleep two from $105 a night. Studio apartments in the Driftwood Gardens Guesthouse start at $65 a night for two. Save money on rooms in order to splurge on an all-day trip on the water to snorkel at one of the offshore isles (from $125 at Captain Jak’s) or hike and go bird-watching in the nearby Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary (from $139 with Viator). Golf cart rentals are another popular way to explore the peninsula ($55 a day from Barefoot Services). San Juan, P.R. According to Dollar Flight Club, a membership service offering cheap airfares, San Juan is one of the best deals in the region, with round-trip flights starting at $138 from Atlanta. Upon touchdown, travelers can readily see why the capital of Puerto Rico has bargain appeal. Beaches and San Juan’s colonial center lie within easy reach of the airport. Among lodging options, Old San Juan offers a number of atmospheric hotels, including the Gallery Inn, which features 22 rooms with access to 15 patios and views over the town walls in a building designated a National Historic Landmark (doubles from $170). Closer to the beach, Hibird, in the coastal Condado district, offers accommodations with a rooftop pool and a beach club about a five minutes’ walk from the hotel (studio suites with a kitchenette from about $188). While many Caribbean destinations offer escapes into nature, San Juan’s strength is its history and culture. A walking tour of Old San Juan is a good place to learn about its colonial past (Patria Tours offers two-and-a-half-hour itineraries for about $51, including entrance to Castillo San Cristobal, which the National Park Service says is the largest fortress in the Americas). Seek culture in the nearby Santurce neighborhood, home to vibrant street murals, the Art Museum of Puerto Rico (admission $15) and the Museum of Contemporary Art ($8). Stick around after dark to drink, dance and sample street food like empanadillas (turnovers) and alcapurrias (fritters) at La Placita de Santurce, a public square that is particularly lively on the weekends. Source link #Affordable #Winter #Trips #Caribbean Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]
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    Trump’s Justice Department ends Biden-era task force aimed at seizing assets of Russian oligarchs Trump’s Justice Department ends Biden-era task force aimed at seizing assets of Russian oligarchs WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration’s Justice Department has disbanded a Biden-era program aimed at seizing the assets of Russian oligarchs as a means to punish Russia for its invasion of Ukraine. The move to disband Task Force KleptoCapture is one of several moves undertaken by the Justice Department under the new leadership of Attorney General Pam Bondi that presage a different approach toward Russia and national security issues. The department also ended the Foreign Influence Task Force, which was established in the first Trump administration to police influence campaigns staged by Russia and other nations aimed at sowing discord, undermining democracy and spreading disinformation. The U.S. government in the run-up to the 2024 presidential election aggressively moved to disrupt propaganda campaigns by Russia, which officials have assessed had a preference for Trump. 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. In a memo addressed to all employees Wednesday — the first day of Bondi’s tenure — the attorney general’s office stated that “attorneys assigned to those initiatives shall return to their prior posts, and resources currently devoted to those efforts shall be committed to the total elimination of Cartels and TCOs” — an acronym for Transnational Criminal Organizations. The Trump administration has made combating the illicit flow of fentanyl into the U.S. a priority. The opioid is blamed for some 70,000 overdose deaths annually. The Justice Department on Wednesday also shifted its approach to enforcement of a World War II-era law known as the Foreign Agents Registration Act, which requires people to disclose to the government when they lobby in the U.S. on behalf of foreign governments — including Russia — or political entities. Under the policy change, prosecutors were directed to focus criminal enforcement on acts of more traditional espionage rather than registration violations. Despite the disbanding of the task force, Trump administration officials, including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, have called for a more aggressive stance on Russia. During his confirmation hearing, Bessent advocated for stronger sanctions on Russian oil, saying the Biden administration’s sanctions regime wasn’t “muscular” enough. “I believe the previous administration was worried about raising U.S. energy prices during an election season,” he said. Trump has said he will bring about a rapid end to the war in Ukraine and said talks are ongoing to bring the conflict to a close. “We made a lot of progress on Russia, Ukraine,” Trump said earlier this week. “We’ll see what happens. We’re going to stop that ridiculous war.” Source link #Trumps #Justice #Department #ends #Bidenera #task #force #aimed #seizing #assets #Russian #oligarchs Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]
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    Shirley Temple King, Leo Kelly, Has the Power to Change Menus Shirley Temple King, Leo Kelly, Has the Power to Change Menus In 2022, the chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten was working in the kitchen of Happy Monkey, his restaurant in Greenwich, Conn., when an employee pulled him aside. A critic was coming in. “I’m always nervous when someone tries my food,” Mr. Vongerichten said. But this time was different. The critic was 8 years old, and he planned to order an item that wasn’t on the menu: a Shirley Temple. After perfecting arroz **** pollo and sour cherry mole, Mr. Vongerichten admitted that America’s favorite mocktail had slipped through the cracks. “The Shirley Temple is not something I grew up with in France,” he said. “We were not prepared.” Mr. Vongerichten and his team invented a Shirley Temple recipe at the eleventh hour using small-batch grenadine, homemade ginger syrup and Tajín seasoning. The critic awarded it a 9.3 rating. This is the effect of Leo Kelly, now 11, who has been reviewing the drink for roughly half of his life as the “Shirley Temple King.” In short videos on Instagram, and occasionally on TV, he ranks Shirley Temples on a 10-point scale, considering factors like color, carbonation and the quality of the grenadine. The internet is awash with food reviewers who opine from dining booths and drivers seats. But perhaps few of them have studied a single item the way Leo has. “I think that if restaurants see this, they can improve them,” he said in a recent interview over Shirley Temples at the Smith in Midtown Manhattan. “Not just for when I come in, but for everybody.” Most restaurants and bars do not list a Shirley Temple on the menu, although almost any bartender can easily cobble one together. When Leo started his account in 2019, the drink was in a bad place. “I was served lukewarm Shirley Temples,” he said. “It hurts me to say that.” Even with renewed interest in alcoholic Shirley Temples, progress has been slower than he hoped. He filmed his first review when he was 6 years old and came up with the name for his account on the fly. He was sipping a Shirley Temple by the pool at Gurney’s, a luxury resort in Newport, R.I., when he asked his father to record a video. “I thought it would be a hit,” said his father, Tom Kelly, a vice president at a sports and entertainment agency. “He has a personality that people love. That’s been since he was born.” His parents manage his Instagram profile — with 240,000 followers and counting — and approach the account like an extracurricular activity. “This is not his job,” said Lisa Kelly, his mother. “This is his hobby.” The reviews are only one part of his life, they said. He is also a son, an older brother and a student — and an actor who has leveraged his online fame to land auditions for “Law & Order S.V.U.” and the Bobby Farrelly film “Dear Santa.” When middle schools were closed on Martin Luther King’s Birthday, Leo traveled from his home in Fairfield, Conn., to the Smith for a review. He looked a little like Iain Armitage in “Young Sheldon,” wearing skinny jeans and a gray cardigan that his mother had picked out. The Shirley Temple on the table was about to be torn limb from limb. “It’s got a pretty good color,” he said as his mother filmed. “Maybe a little too red. Unfortunately, it is lemon-lime soda, and it does have a little more grenadine than I want it to.” He rated it a 6.1. While he accounts for ambience and service, he said, the bulk of a rating is based on the taste and appearance of the drink. He favors ginger ale over lemon-lime soda and deducts points for various missteps, such as serving a drink in a plastic cup, using store-bought grenadine or garnishing with fewer than three cherries. “This is just my opinion,” Leo said. “I’m not going to come for anybody who likes lemon-lime soda.” To keep his ratings honest, he typically visits restaurants without notice, and his parents pay for all of the meals that appear in his reviews. Occasionally, he dines out wearing a low-brim cap or a fake mustache (which seems unlikely to help a child maintain anonymity). “It’s a simple drink, but there are a million ways to get it wrong,” he said. Only one Shirley Temple has ever received a perfect score: at the Lotte New York Palace hotel in Midtown. Santa Claus made it. His ratings can have surprising consequences for restaurants. In 2019, Leo gave the Shirley Temple served at a LongHorn Steakhouse a 5.0 for having zero cherries. When the review went viral four months later, executives took note, updating the recipe at more than 500 locations. They are now made with five cherries. Tyler Hall, a marketing manager in Boston, learned about Leo the hard way earlier this year, when one of his company’s restaurants, Sonsie, was featured in a review. At first, he thought the video was sweet. As he watched, he realized it was a takedown. Leo critiqued the color and complained about carbonation. He thought the grenadine tasted off and counted one and a half cherries — a first in his career. “3.1.” The review rippled through the Lyons Group, which operates Sonsie and 15 other restaurants in the area. Shirley Temples at Sonsie are now made with canned ginger ale or Sprite instead of fountain soda to ensure proper carbonation. Its bartenders are working on a homemade grenadine. “We want that feedback, and we want to respond to it,” Mr. Hall said. “It doesn’t matter if it’s a kid or an adult.” To Leo, that’s the fundamental purpose of the critical enterprise. “The reason for being a critic is to better whatever you are reviewing,” he said. “To better cinema, to better Shirley Temples, to better anything.” Source link #Shirley #Temple #King #Leo #Kelly #Power #Change #Menus Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]
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    Ecuador’s Leader Has Had a Year of Chaos. He Is Still Favored to Win Sunday’s Election. Ecuador’s Leader Has Had a Year of Chaos. He Is Still Favored to Win Sunday’s Election. Daniel Noboa was nowhere to be seen. And, yet, he was everywhere. On balconies. In the arms of various supporters. In the back of a truck. Cardboard cutouts of Mr. Noboa, Ecuador’s president, were ubiquitous at an election rally in a suburb of Quito, the capital, on Wednesday, as they are in many parts of the country. They even appear in different outfits — a suit and presidential sash, a T-shirt and jeans, a tank top and gym shorts. The posters are part of the president’s successful communication strategy ahead of Sunday’s election: short on specific policy proposals but strong on mastery of social media and viral trends to project an image of youth and vigor to Ecuador’s voters, the majority of whom are younger than 44. Supporters and detractors alike have even taken to saying, “The cardboard is going to win.” Mr. Noboa, 37, took office just 15 months ago, after his predecessor called for early elections amid the threat of impeachment over embezzlement accusations. In his short term, he has faced a slew of national and international controversies, an energy crisis, a feud with his vice president, persistent drug-related violence and unemployment. He has also been criticized by opponents and analysts for what they describe as strongman tendencies, including abusing his presidential powers in the name of combating violence and corruption. And, yet, polls show, Mr. Noboa, a center-right politician, is the leading candidate in Sunday’s election, and could win enough votes to avoid a runoff. His popularity, experts say, is buoyed by his branding as a hip and forceful leader, as well as by his truncated term — many voters don’t blame him for the country’s ills and say he needs more time. His main opponent is Luisa González, a leftist establishment candidate handpicked by a powerful former president, Rafael Correa, who served from 2007 to 2017. She has drawn support from Mr. Correa’s base of voters, who are eager to return to the prosperity and low ********* rates during his tenure. But it also hurts her among other Ecuadoreans who remember Mr. Correa’s repressive tactics and corruption scandals. Many Noboa supporters put it simply: Ms. González represents the past, while Mr. Noboa represents the future. Mr. Noboa’s party, which was created less than a year ago, is predicted to win about a third of the seats in the legislature — the same as Mr. Correa’s party. For years Ecuador has been defined by Mr. Correa’s movement, but some say Mr. Noboa has the potential to create a political force of his own. This is the first time since the Correa years that Ecuador has seen a relatively popular president seeking re-election, and it “creates the possibility for a type of political stability that Ecuador hasn’t seen really since Correa left office,” said Risa Grais-Targow, the Latin America director for Eurasia Group, a political risk consultancy. Ecuadorean presidential elections typically feature two rounds of voting, with the two top candidates in the first round facing off in the second. To win the first round outright, a candidate must win more than 50 percent of the votes, or win 40 percent of the votes with a 10-point margin over the nearest rival. Just five years ago, Mr. Noboa was a political unknown. After one term as a legislator, he rose unexpectedly from the bottom of the polls to a second-place finish in the first round of presidential elections in 2023, helped, in part, by a strong debate performance. Mr. Noboa, a Harvard Kennedy School graduate, comes from one of Ecuador’s wealthiest families. His father, Álvaro Noboa, who owns an economic empire that includes Bonita Bananas, also ran for president five times, unsuccessfully. The younger man has been leading the country of nearly 18 million through a particularly bloody *******. Over the past five years, the drug-trafficking industry has expanded in Ecuador, drawing in international criminal groups, unleashing violence in the once-peaceful nation and sending tens of thousands of migrants fleeing to the United States. Two months after taking office, Mr. Noboa declared a state of internal armed conflict after several prison riots and an on-air siege of a TV station. The drastic step, which allowed the military to patrol prisons and streets, was seen as a turning point. Some Ecuadoreans felt the measure was necessary to crack down on gang violence, while others worried it threatened civil liberties. The move initially brought down violence in cities like Guayaquil, but the sense of safety did not last. January saw more violent deaths than any month in the past three years, according to police data. In April, Mr. Noboa dispatched police officers to the ******** Embassy to arrest a politician who had taken refuge there to escape a prison sentence for corruption. Experts called the action a violation of international law on the sanctity of diplomatic missions, and the arrest drew global condemnation. But in Ecuador, the moves boosted Mr. Noboa’s image as a tough-on-crime leader, and Ecuadoreans endorsed his hard-line approach later that month, when they approved a referendum enshrining the increased military presence into law and lengthening prison terms for certain offenses linked to organized crime. “I think he is authoritarian,” said Cristina Guevara, 45, who cares full time for her disabled son. “But we want him to win because it is the only solution that there is going to be right now.” Still, Mr. Noboa’s approach has been polarizing, and his approval ratings have been carved in half. Many blamed his harsh strategy for the disappearance in December of four children who were forced into a military patrol car after they were seen playing soccer in the western province of Guayas. Their charred remains were found weeks later, and the case set off outrage and protests against the military. A judge ordered the detention of 16 military members involved in the disappearance. When it comes to his plans for the country, Mr. Noboa has provided little in the way of concrete promises, instead speaking vaguely about throwing “the old Ecuador” in the trash. His success has been in creating a “character,” said Caroline Ávila, an Ecuadorean political analyst. “This character still does not tell the voter what country he wants to give you.” Verónica Díaz, the national coordinator of Mr. Noboa’s party, said one of his top plans was to change the Constitution to lift a ban on foreign military bases. Mr. Correa instituted the ban in 2008, pushing out a U.S. military presence that critics say was crucial for fighting international criminal groups. Mr. Noboa is also openly feuding with his vice president, Verónica Abad, a right-wing business coach. Ecuadorean law requires presidents to cede their duties to the vice president while campaigning, but Mr. Noboa has refused to do so, citing an electoral law that he claimed allowed him to govern and campaign at the same time. The constitutional court rejected that claim on Monday, so Mr. Noboa stopped officially campaigning. Experts say some of Mr. Noboa’s actions are an overreach of executive authority that could be seen as authoritarian. “He’s tended to push the limit in terms of both international and domestic constitutional norms,” said Ms. Grais-Targow. “But it’s always been done with the banner of security measures or transparency, which I think has helped to contain the political fallout for him.” His supporters see him as a fearless leader willing to make bold decisions for the sake of the country. But Ledy Zúñiga, a former justice minister who is running for the National Assembly with Ms. González’s party, said weakening the country’s democratic norms only makes it harder to address the country’s violence. “As long as the institutional framework of the security system is not strengthened, it is very difficult,” she said. Mr. Noboa is also one of the few leaders in Latin America who seem to be on good terms with President Trump. He attended his inauguration and has accepted deportation flights. Mr. Noboa’s decision not to actively campaign, following the court’s ruling, makes for an unusual scene on the trail. On Wednesday, the plaza in suburban Quito was packed with thousands of people waiting to hear him speak. Because of the court’s decision, he never did. So he ate lunch in a food market while chatting with local vendors. Spectators quickly surrounded him, standing on chairs, snapping selfies and chanting campaign slogans. “It was exciting because no president has ever come to this market before,” said Soledad Medina, 60, who sold the president juice. “He is very young and he is intelligent and would like our Ecuador to change. What we need is a change.” José María León Cabrera contributed reporting. Source link #Ecuadors #Leader #Year #Chaos #Favored #Win #Sundays #Election Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]
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    NASA’s Juno Detects Io’s Most Powerful Volcanic Eruption Yet NASA’s Juno Detects Io’s Most Powerful Volcanic Eruption Yet A volcanic eruption of unprecedented scale has been observed on Jupiter’s moon Io, with a massive hotspot detected in the southern hemisphere. The discovery was made by NASA’s Juno spacecraft during a flyby on 27 December 2024. The heat energy released from this eruption has been estimated at around 80 trillion watts, surpassing the total energy output of all power plants on Earth by six times. Io, the most volcanically active body in the solar system, experiences extreme geological activity due to the gravitational forces exerted by Jupiter. This tidal flexing causes internal heating, leading to continuous volcanic eruptions across its surface. New Hotspot Revealed by NASA’s Juno Spacecraft According to NASA, data from the Juno spacecraft’s Jovian Infrared Auroral Mapper (JIRAM) instrument has confirmed the presence of a massive new volcanic hotspot on Io. The eruption site appears to be fueled by a single, extensive magma chamber, covering an estimated 105,000 square kilometres. This newly detected feature is believed to be the largest volcanic structure on Io, exceeding the well-documented Loki Patera lava lake, which spans around 21,000 square kilometres. In a statement in an official press release by NASA, Scott Bolton, principal investigator of the Juno mission and space physicist at the Southwest Research Institute, noted that the intensity of this volcanic event was unexpected. Bolton stated, that the data from this latest flyby blew their minds as this is the most powerful volcanic event ever recorded on the most volcanic world in our solar system. Io’s Surface Shows Signs of Change New images captured by Juno have revealed a large, dark region on Io’s surface. This area is thought to be covered in solidified lava from the eruption, though further observations will be needed to confirm its exact nature. Due to the spacecraft’s distance from Io during the recent flyby, high-resolution images of the region were not obtained. Io’s extreme volcanic activity has long been attributed to tidal forces exerted by Jupiter’s gravity. Unlike Earth, where volcanic eruptions result from internal heat generated by a molten metal core, Io’s eruptions are primarily driven by external gravitational stresses. These forces cause constant deformation of the moon’s surface, heating its interior and producing vast magma reservoirs beneath its crust. Earlier theories suggested that Io’s subsurface was entirely composed of molten magma, but recent studies have disproved this assumption. Instead, researchers now believe that magma is concentrated in specific areas beneath the moon’s active volcanoes, such as the newly identified hotspot. Further Observations Expected in March A closer flyby of Io is scheduled for 3 March, with Juno expected to capture more detailed data on the newly discovered magma chamber. Scientists anticipate that these observations will provide further insights into Io’s volcanic processes and contribute to a broader understanding of similar activity on other celestial bodies. Bolton added in his statement that this discovery could significantly enhance knowledge about volcanic activity beyond Earth. He said that while it was always great to witness events that rewrite the record books, this new hot spot can potentially do much more. Source link #NASAs #Juno #Detects #Ios #Powerful #Volcanic #Eruption Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]
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    Book Review: ‘Animals, Robots, Gods,’ by Webb Keane, and ‘The Moral Circle,’ by Jeff Sebo Book Review: ‘Animals, Robots, Gods,’ by Webb Keane, and ‘The Moral Circle,’ by Jeff Sebo Several vignettes stand out. Keane cites a colleague, Scott Stonington, a professor of anthropology and practicing physician, who did fieldwork with Thai farmers some two decades ago. End-of-life care for parents in Thailand, he writes, often forces a moral dilemma: Children feel a profound debt to their parents for giving them life, requiring them to seek whatever medical care is available, no matter how expensive or painful. Life, precious in all its forms, is supported to the end and no objections are made to hospitalization, medical procedures or interventions. But to die in a hospital is to die a “bad death”; to be able to let go, one should be in one’s own bed, surrounded by loved ones and familiar things. To this end, a creative solution was needed: Entrepreneurial hospital workers concocted “spirit ambulances” with rudimentary life support systems like oxygen to bear dying patients back to their homes. It is a powerful image — the spirit ambulance, ferrying people from this world to the next. Would that we, in our culture, could be so clear about how to negotiate the imperceptible line between body and soul, the confusion that arises at the edge of the human. Take Keane’s description of the Japanese roboticist Masahiro Mori, who, in the 1970s, likened the development of a humanoid robot to hiking toward a mountain peak across an uneven terrain. “In climbing toward the goal of making robots appear like a human, our affinity for them increases until we come to a valley,” he wrote. When the robot comes too close to appearing human, people get creeped out — it’s real, maybe too real, but something is askew. What might be called the converse of this, Keane suggests, is the Hindu experience of darshan with an inanimate deity. Gazing into a painted idol’s eyes, one is prompted to see oneself as if from the god’s perspective — a reciprocal sight — from on high rather than from within that “uncanny valley.” The glimpse is itself a blessing in that it lifts us out of our egos for a moment. We need relief from our self-centered subjectivity, Keane suggests — hence the attraction of A.I. boyfriends, girlfriends and therapists. The inscrutability of an A.I. companion, like that of an Indian deity, encourages a surrender, a yielding of control, a relinquishment of personal agency that can feel like the fulfillment of a long-suppressed dream. Of course, something is missing here too: the play of emotion that can only occur between real people. But A.I. systems, as new as they are, play into a deep human yearning for relief from the boundaries of self. Could A.I. ever function as a spirit ambulance, shuttling us through the uncanny valleys that keep us, as Shantideva knew, from accepting others? As Jeff Sebo would say, there is at least a “non-negligible” — that is, at least a one in 10,000 — chance that it might. THE MORAL CIRCLE: Who Matters, What Matters, and Why | By Jeff Sebo | Norton | 182 pp. | $24 ANIMALS, ROBOTS, GODS: Adventures in the Moral Imagination | By Webb Keane | Princeton University Press | 182 pp. | $27.95 Source link #Book #Review #Animals #Robots #Gods #Webb #Keane #Moral #Circle #Jeff #Sebo Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]
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    Antonio Gates, Jared Allen, Eric Allen and Sterling Sharpe make the Pro Football Hall of Fame – The Associated Press Antonio Gates, Jared Allen, Eric Allen and Sterling Sharpe make the Pro Football Hall of Fame – The Associated Press Antonio Gates, Jared Allen, Eric Allen and Sterling Sharpe make the Pro Football Hall of Fame The Associated PressTE Gates in 4-man HOF class, smallest since ’05 ESPNPro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2025 revealed at ‘NFL Honors’ NFL.comAntonio Gates, Jared Allen lead smallest Hall of Fame class since ’05; Eli Manning misses cut – The Athletic The AthleticNo Hall call for Panthers; Luke Kuechly an automatic finalist in 2026 Panthers.com Source link #Antonio #Gates #Jared #Allen #Eric #Allen #Sterling #Sharpe #Pro #Football #Hall #Fame #Press Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]
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    Wario Land 4 is coming to Switch Online’s GBA library next week Wario Land 4 is coming to Switch Online’s GBA library next week Wario Land 4 is the latest Game Boy Advance game headed to Switch Online. As announced by Nintendo, the 2001 platformer will be released on Switch Online’s GBA app on February 14. The final handheld game in the Wario Land series, Wario Land 4 sees Wario sneaking into a newly discovered Golden Pyramid to try and steal its treasure. Wario gets lost and has to make his way out while also dealing with the evil Golden Diva, the ruler of the pyramid. While previous Wario Land games made its protagonist almost entirely invincible, Wario Land 4 introduces a health bar, meaning players need to be more careful when controlling him. As in the previous games, however, Wario can deliberately take hits from enemies to gain their special abilities. Wario Land 4 will be the 24th Game Boy Advance game to be made available on Switch Online in the West. Wario’s back for more… and more… and MORE in Wario Land 4, coming to #NintendoSwitch for #NintendoSwitchOnline + Expansion Pack members on 2/14! #GameBoyAdvance pic.twitter.com/TS7WkfHJJY — Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) February 7, 2025 The last additions before this were back in October, when F-Zero: GP Legend and the previously Japan-only release F-Zero Climax were added to the library. Before this, the first three games in the Legendary Starfy series – also previously only available in Japan – were added to the service. NES, SNES, Game Boy and Game Boy Color games are available as part of the standard Switch Online subscription, which costs $19.99 / £17.99 / €19.99 for a 12-month individual membership. However, to play Game Boy Advance games (as well as Mega Drive / Genesis and Nintendo 64 games), players need to have the Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscription, which costs $49.99 / £34.99 / €39.99. Source link #Wario #Land #coming #Switch #Onlines #GBA #library #week Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]
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    Red Dead Redemption 2 May Never Beat GTA 5 but It Has Surpassed Mario Kart 8 With 70 Million Sales Worldwide Red Dead Redemption 2 May Never Beat GTA 5 but It Has Surpassed Mario Kart 8 With 70 Million Sales Worldwide Among the most acclaimed games ever released, Red Dead Redemption 2 is one of Rockstar’s most influential creations and has won numerous awards. In addition to receiving a lot of positive reviews, the Wild West-themed game was also a commercial success, selling millions of copies quickly. Red Dead Redemption 2 was released on 5 December 2019. | Credit: Rockstar Games. In actuality, Red Dead Redemption 2 remains well-liked by players, with impressive sales even as recently as late 2024. Thanks to a brief price reduction on Steam, its player base recently experienced a record-breaking increase. And now as per a recently revealed sales report by Take-Two, it has even beaten Mario Kart 8. Red Dead Redemption 2 becomes the 6th most-sold video game of all time Red Dead Redemption 2 has sold 70 million units so far. | Credit: Rockstar Games. Red Dead Redemption 2‘s lack of post-launch attention has disappointed many fans, but it doesn’t appear to be deterring players from giving it a try. Despite selling fewer copies than GTA 5, RDR 2 has sold an astounding 70 million copies lifetime, according to a recent Take-Two Interactive announcement. ‘RED DEAD REDEMPTION 2’ has now sold 70 million copies The 6th best selling video game of all-time pic.twitter.com/7TYT6GPkyF — ScreenTime (@screentime) February 7, 2025 This makes it the 6th best-selling video game of all time, beating Mario Kart 8. Red Dead Redemption 2 performed admirably for itself in 2024, selling an extra three million copies during the quarter, much like Grand Theft Auto 5. This number is nothing to laugh at, as RDR 2 is more than six years old and its online component is no longer receiving significant content updates. However, the aura of GTA 5 remains the same as it has come to light that GTA 5 has sold a staggering 210 million copies over the course of its lifetime. This accolade puts the game just behind Minecraft on the top of the list of the most-sold games ever. The game is still exhibiting impressive growth this late in its lifecycle, even though this figure far outpaces some of the best-selling video games ever. Grand Theft Auto 5 sold 5 million copies in the last three months of the year, according to Take-Two, which is more than 1.5 million copies per month on average. To sell that many copies in their lifetime, let alone so quickly and so long after launch, would be a success for many games. Red Dead Redemption 2 has set a new Steam record for all-time player count Red Dead Redemption 2 is now available at a heavily discounted price. | Credit: Rockstar Games. Even though Red Dead Redemption 2 was released on Steam in 2019, the Rockstar game recently broke the previous record for concurrent players. Who is the culprit? Due to a huge *****, the 2018 title is now the least expensive it has ever been. An all-time high of 99,993 concurrent players has been reached by RDR 2, according to SteamDB. 58,416 players are still playing as of this writing, and that milestone was only set five days ago. Furthermore, the 24-hour peak was 85,842. It all makes sense now why the game is now the sixth most popular video game ever. However, Rockstar could have made the game the truly untouchable. Regarding the actual *****, the base edition of the game is available for $14.99, while the Ultimate Edition is available for $19.99. Among other highlights, the Complete Edition of Grand Theft Auto 4 has been reduced to just $5.99 as part of a massive ***** for Rockstar titles. Source link #Red #Dead #Redemption #Beat #GTA #Surpassed #Mario #Kart #Million #Sales #Worldwide Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]
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    Princess Royal Sailing Club to host a memorial for missing yachtsman Maurice Saunderson Princess Royal Sailing Club to host a memorial for missing yachtsman Maurice Saunderson Yachtsman Maurice Saunderson, who vanished while sailing late last year, will be memorialised at Princess Royal Sailing Club next weekend as a “true legend” of the sailing community. Source link #Princess #Royal #Sailing #Club #host #memorial #missing #yachtsman #Maurice #Saunderson Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]
  23. Pelican Press
    High-Resolution Observations Provide New Insights into Brown Dwarf HD 206893 B High-Resolution Observations Provide New Insights into Brown Dwarf HD 206893 B High-resolution spectroscopic observations have offered a deeper understanding of HD 206893 B, a brown dwarf orbiting the star HD 206893. The Keck Planet Imager and Characterizer (KPIC) was used by astronomers to examine this substellar object, revealing critical details about its atmospheric composition, mass, and formation. The findings contribute to ongoing research on brown dwarfs and their role within planetary systems. Located approximately 133 light-years away, HD 206893 B has drawn attention due to its position within a circumstellar debris disk, prompting further investigation into its origins and influence on the surrounding environment. Observational Data and Findings According to the study published on the arXiv pre-print server, high-resolution spectroscopy was conducted to analyse the brown dwarf’s atmospheric parameters. Led by Ben Sappey from the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), the research team implemented a forward-modelled Bayesian approach to interpret spectral data. The results indicated that HD 206893 B possesses a radius of roughly 1.11 times that of Jupiter and a mass of about 22.7 Jupiter masses. The brown dwarf’s effective temperature was estimated to be around 1,634 K, while its age was calculated at approximately 112 million years. Formation and Atmospheric Composition The collected data also provided insights into the brown dwarf’s formation scenario. The atmospheric carbon-to-oxygen (C/O) ratio was determined to be 0.57, aligning closely with the solar value. This ratio is often used to assess planetary formation mechanisms, with the findings suggesting either core accretion or disk fragmentation processes. Given its location at an approximate distance of 11.62 AU from its host star, the brown dwarf is believed to have formed through core accretion rather than disk fragmentation, which typically results in planet formation at significantly greater distances. Future Investigations As reported by phys.org, as per researchers, further studies are needed to refine the understanding of HD 206893 B’s formation and atmospheric properties. Observations using the Near Infrared Spectrograph (NIRSpec) onboard the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) have been suggested. The advanced capabilities of JWST could provide more precise measurements of elemental ratios such as carbon-to-sulfur (C/S), which may offer a clearer picture of the brown dwarf’s formation history and its relationship to the surrounding debris disk. Continued monitoring of this system is expected to enhance knowledge of substellar objects and their complex interactions within planetary environments. 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. Alphabet Faces Scrutiny on AI Spending as Google Cloud Growth Slows Apple Vision Pro to Receive visionOS Update With PS VR2 Controller Support This Year: Gurman Source link #HighResolution #Observations #Provide #Insights #Brown #Dwarf Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]
  24. Pelican Press
    Russia’s problems in Ukraine don’t mean it’s unable to attack the West. NATO allies warn its war machine is spun up and as dangerous as ever. Russia’s problems in Ukraine don’t mean it’s unable to attack the West. NATO allies warn its war machine is spun up and as dangerous as ever. Russia’s military has been hammered in its invasion of Ukraine. But that doesn’t mean it wouldn’t attack the West, officials and warfare experts warned. Estonia’s ex-foreign minister said Russia was “probably more dangerous than it has ever been.” Russia’s military has suffered severe losses in Ukraine, and nearly three years since it launched its full-scale invasion, its soldiers remain locked in a brutal slog. But the West can’t rest easy. Moscow has repeatedly threatened the NATO alliance, and Russia is on a war footing, rebuilding and reconstituting its army, manufacturing more weapons, and even joining forces with nations hostile to the West. Gabrielius Landsbergis, who served until late last year as the foreign minister of Lithuania, a European Union and NATO member bordering Russia, spoke with Business Insider about how Russia has been investing heavily in its war machine. The Russians are “not just repairing the tanks from the battlefield, but they’re also building ones,” he said. “They’re building drones” and have had years to test and experiment. They have experienced large-scale modern combat while the West has focused more on counterterrorism than on preparing for a major war with a near-peer adversary, letting some skills needed for the former atrophy. “I would probably say that Russia is probably more dangerous than it has ever been,” Landsbergis said. Don’t ignore Russia Keir Giles, a senior consulting fellow at Chatham House’s Russia and Eurasia Programme, told *** that Russia’s struggles in Ukraine didn’t preclude the possibility of a Russian attack elsewhere. Giles said that assuming Russia’s setbacks in Ukraine meant it wouldn’t launch an attack elsewhere “ignores Russia’s habit of convincing itself wrongly that it’s capable of doing something and then launching the attack anyway.” Regardless of whether Moscow gets it right or wrong, “the consequences are devastating,” he said. Russian soldiers participating in a military exercise in a Russian-controlled part of the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine.Russian Defence Ministry Press Service via AP He also noted that heavy troops losses, which Russia sees as cheap assets, had not deterred Russia from continuing its attack on Ukraine. Many of the professional soldiers whom Russia started this war with are now gone, along with tremendous amounts of equipment. The ***’s minister for the Armed Forces said in December that the *** thought more than 750,000 Russian military personnel had been killed or wounded since it began its full-scale invasion in late February 2022. Ukrainian estimates are even higher. Russia often relies on expendable forces and decades-old equipment pulled from storage to plug holes in its army. But Russia’s military is far from hollowed out. Its economy and industry are on a war footing and working overtime to rebuild and rearm, and Russia, as the top US general in Europe said in the fall, has forces, such as strategic aviation assets and submarine forces, that “have been barely touched” by the war. That general, Christopher Cavoli, the commander of US European Command, also said the Russian army had grown. “The narrative that Russia has depleted is the most dangerous one,” Landbergis said. “Honestly, I think that Russia is not just not depleted. I think that it’s clearly on the warpath.” He said Russia had “way more personnel than” it had before the war, and while those newer service members have much less training than the soldiers Russia had at the beginning, they are still getting invaluable experience. George Barros, a warfare expert at the Institute for the Study of War, said Russia “has the readiness and the capability to be able to posture and potentially attack members of NATO’s eastern flank,” which includes Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. Andris Sprūds, Latvia’s defense minister, told *** “this war has taught us that even a weakened Russia is still a dangerous Russia.” “Although Russia’s efforts are currently focused on the war in Ukraine, this is not the time to relax and let our guard down,” he said, adding that “we estimate that Russia will reconstitute its military capacity within the next five years’ time; therefore, we must do everything to prepare against a potential attack.” Russian service members riding a T-90M Proryv tank.Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP On a war footing Many European countries are sounding the alarm that Russia may act against them. Sweden started giving citizens a booklet advising them how to prepare for war, and its defense minister recently warned that while Russia’s forces were “tied up in Ukraine,” Russia “poses a threat to Sweden, as it does to the rest of NATO,” adding: “We cannot rule out a Russian attack on our country.” Poland’s foreign minister also said last year that he would not be surprised if Russia attacked his country. Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, a defense expert and a former commander for the ***’s Joint Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear forces, told *** that Russia, after being “hammered” in Ukraine, was most likely not in a position to attack conventionally. But “the Russian war machine is spun up at the moment,” he said, so Russia could be a more serious threat in five to 10 years. He said NATO had “overwhelming power” to meet an attack, but Russia could still cause significant damage. Attacks have already started European officials say Russian attacks have started, reporting hybrid attacks like cyberattacks, arson, assassination efforts, and attacks on infrastructure linked to Russia. “Putin is already waging attacks in Europe and testing us and pushing the red lines,” Margus Tsahkna, the Estonian foreign minister, told ***. Barros said the Russian hybrid attacks were “acts of war that we decide not to respond to.” If the West does not send a strong signal to Russia to stop, Landsbergis said, Russia will escalate. “With no clear repercussions for the actions, they’re incentivized to go even further.” Landsbergis said his country was preparing for a time when Russia would look elsewhere in Europe. Estonia is doing the same and is, Tsahkna explained, now targeting spending 5% of its GDP, proportionately more than the US, on defense because of “real needs.” That share of GDP, now targeted by both Estonia and Lithuania, would be the highest of any NATO ally. Russian soldiers loading a short-range ballistic missile launcher during tactical nuclear weapons training.Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP, File Some European leaders and warfare experts warn the continent is not producing enough ammunition and weaponry to deter or counter Russia, despite increasing production rates. Tsahkna said Europe needed “to invest in our defense industry, our capabilities.” Sprūds, Latvia’s defense minister, said that “we have to invest in our defense” by “increasing defense funding, ramping up production, boosting our resilience, and supporting Ukraine as it fights for all of us.” The Baltic states have been on the forefront of the effort. Ultimately, Landsbergis said, “we need to prepare, and the most dangerous times are up ahead.” Read the original article on Business Insider Source link #Russias #problems #Ukraine #dont #unable #attack #West #NATO #allies #warn #war #machine #spun #dangerous Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]
  25. Pelican Press
    How Josh Allen beat out Lamar Jackson for AP NFL MVP – The Associated Press How Josh Allen beat out Lamar Jackson for AP NFL MVP – The Associated Press How Josh Allen beat out Lamar Jackson for AP NFL MVP The Associated PressBills’ Allen edges All-Pro Jackson for first MVP ESPNBills QB Josh Allen wins 2024 AP NFL Most Valuable Player award NFL.comSuper Bowl, NFL news, live updates: Josh Allen takes home NFL MVP honors Yahoo SportsHow they voted: Josh Allen wins AP NFL MVP award The Associated Press Source link #Josh #Allen #beat #Lamar #Jackson #NFL #MVP #Press Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

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