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One accused in massive St Pinot bulk carrier ******** haul admits involvement, other six set for epic trial One accused in massive St Pinot bulk carrier ******** haul admits involvement, other six set for epic trial But the six other people charged over the massive 850kg haul – found in the hull of a bulk carrier that had sailed into waters off Perth – are set for an epic trial. Source link #accused #massive #Pinot #bulk #carrier #******** #haul #admits #involvement #set #epic #trial Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

USS Gerald R. Ford Was Still Struggling With Its Dual Band Radar Prior To Deployment USS Gerald R. Ford Was Still Struggling With Its Dual Band Radar Prior To Deployment The dual-band radar (DBR) aboard the Navy aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78), the ship’s primary sensor system, struggled to perform during a pre-deployment exercise and suffered failures as it grappled with the constant need for radar coverage. It remains unclear whether DBR’s issues impacted Ford’s operations during its first full deployment, which began in May 2023 and was extended before ending in January 2024, but the Navy is now seeking to replace Ford’s DBR entirely. These findings are part of the Pentagon’s Director Operational Test and Evaluation (DOT&E) annual report released last week. The document contains revelations regarding what the Navy will need to do to continue using the DBR, which was only installed aboard Ford and a truncated version of it exists in the three ships of the USS Zumwalt (DDG-1000) class. The full DBR suite was supposed to equip these ships before being scaled back significantly a decade ago, mainly due to cost concerns. In addition to DBR, the latest DOT&E report also offers fresh insights into the state of the Navy’s newest carrier, how it performed during deployment and the potential for rough seas ahead. (USN) (U.S. Navy) “DBR availability declined during the FY23 [composite training unit exercise] with the continuous demand for radar coverage and an intermittent failure observed during operations,” the report states. Service officials did not respond to TWZ questions on the report’s findings by deadline, and this article will be updated when those answers come in. Prior DOT&E reports have blamed subpar DBR performance on “the operational expectation of continuous radar coverage.” Due to DBR only being installed on the Ford and a version of it and its combat system on three Zumwalt class ships, supporting DBR and its assorted maintenance, software and upgrades is a pricey proposition for the Navy, which is very heavily invested in the proven Aegis Combat System and associated sensors. The Navy is also considering replacing Zumwalt’s radar with a SPY-6 variant and Aegis Combat System to help with sustainment and commonality across the fleet. The DOT&E notes both DBR’s rarity and the challenges the Ford may face in keeping it up and running as it awaits the installation of a variant of the AN/SPY-6 radar. A rendering of how an AN/SPY-6 radar variant would look on a Ford class aircraft carrier. (Video screenshot/RTX) The specific version of the SPY-6 destined to supplant the DBR on Ford is a subvariant of what is also known as the Enterprise Air Surveillance Radar (EASR) and will include three separate fixed antenna arrays installed around the carrier’s island instead of the DBR’s six arrays. All subsequent Ford class carriers will be built with EASR, leaving just Ford as the only carrier ever have fielded the DBR. TWZ has previously unpacked the capabilities of the complete SPY-6 family, which currently includes four different variants, and the potential payoffs of fielding such an advanced and scalable active electronically scanned array radar system across the fleet. In addition to Ford class carriers, the Navy plans to install versions of the radar onto various new surface combatants, carriers and amphibious ships going forward, and plans are underway to back-fit it into existing destroyers as well. The various variants of SPY-6 radars. (RTX) It remains unclear precisely when the Ford will get EASR and the new DOT&E report warns that relying on the DBR until then will be challenging. For now, the Navy has asked manufacturer Raytheon to continue providing engineering efforts in support of the DBR program, Military + Aerospace Electronics reported in November. Raytheon did not respond to a TWZ request for comment on its DBR efforts by deadline Tuesday. The DOT&E report’s data cutoff date was Oct. 1, 2024, and it remains unclear what progress, if any, has been made on correcting the ship’s issues, including problems with the DBR, since then. “Due to the one-of-a-kind nature of the DBR, its availability will depend on the Navy’s access to replacement parts throughout the remaining life of the system,” the DOT&E report states. “The Navy should acquire sufficient DBR replacement parts for the interim ******* prior to the scheduled replacement of DBR with EASR.” DBR was billed as the service’s first radar system capable of operating simultaneously on the S-band and X-band frequency ranges. It combines the functionality of the X-band AN/SPY-3 multifunction radar and the S-band SPY-4 volume search radar (VSR) for detecting and tracking targets. It and its underlying combat system was billed central nervous system of the Ford class. Sailors at work on the deck of the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) in October. (U.S. Navy) But citing costs and the fact that it might be more radar than a carrier needed, given the capabilities of carrier strike group (CSG) destroyers and cruisers, the Navy opted to replace DBR back in 2016 Military Aerospace + Electronics’s John Keller reported. Continued reliability issues and it having zero commonality with the rest of the fleet were also huge concerns. Cost was also a factor, and officials said that moving to the EASR for the Ford class’s second carrier, the future USS John F. Kennedy (CVN-79), would save the service up to $120 million. The future aircraft carrier USS John F. Kennedy (CVN-79) under construction in 2019. (U.S. Navy) Even with last year’s extended deployment under its belt, the Ford continues to suffer a host of other problems across various ship systems beyond the DBR. Insufficient data has been gathered to determine the carrier’s operational effectiveness due to initial operation and testing evaluations remaining incomplete, according to the DOT&E. In some ways, the tardiness of Ford’s testing is to be expected, according to Bradley Martin, a retired Navy surface warfare officer and senior policy analyst at the RAND think tank. “Many things about the Ford are unusual, and a starting point is that it was delivered late,” Martin told TWZ. The Ford was delivered in 2017, after roughly 15 months of delays. Its first cruise was pushed back several years as well. “It’s not exactly that the Navy’s operational needs scuppered the testing cycle as much as the ship being delivered late meant that the operational schedule had already been perturbed,” he said. TWZ has extensively covered the trials and tribulations of the Ford over the years, and the DOT&E’s new report provides added insight into the struggles the Navy has long faced in fixing problems like advanced weapons elevators (AWE), subpar sortie generation rates, and other issues. At one point lawmakers derided the ship as little more than “a $13-billion nuclear-powered floating berthing barge.” TWZ has also covered Ford’s engineering advancements, from its new island design to a novel video system offering 360-degree situational awareness. While Ford has suffered a variety of missteps over the years, few ship failures have attracted more scrutiny than the AWEs. Billed as a next-generation breakthrough, it took the Navy roughly four years after accepting the Ford to make all 11 of its weapons elevators work. Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Gilday watches USS Gerald R. Ford’s (CVN-78) advanced weapons elevators (AWE) during a visit to the ship in 2019. (U.S. Navy) The Navy reported to DOT&E that Ford’s weapons department conducted 11,369 AWE runs during its May 2023 to January 2024 deployment, moving more than 1.8 million pounds of ordnance to the flight deck. Still, the report notes that these rates fall short of what these AWEs are supposed to move. “Of note, the crew is reliant on off-ship technical support for correction of hardware and software failures,” the report states. During its deployment, the Ford maintained fighter jet sortie generation rates “that were sufficient to meet combatant commander operational taskings.” But during carrier qualifications and other evolutions, sortie generation rates have fallen short of the program requirements, a baseline that is not listed in the report. The DOT&E blames these shortfalls on continuing issues with the “reliability and maintainability” of the carrier’s electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS) and advanced arresting gear (AAG). Ford is the first carrier to feature a catapult system not powered by steam, and issues have plagued EMALS for years. The DOT&E report warns that problems with EMALS and AAG “continue to adversely affect sortie generation and flight operations.” The report states that the EMALS catapult and AAG arresting gear system completed 8,725 launches and arrested landings during Ford’s deployment. DOT&E did note that it hasn’t received enough data from the Navy to update the reliability statistics laid out in last year’s report. A sailor performs a prelaunch inspection on an Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) in September. (U.S. Navy) It also warns of “AAG reliability degraders,” and how challenges continue to exist when it comes to obtaining AAG replacement parts. The service continues to have to rely on “off-ship technical support” to address AAG problems as well. The Navy is also considering whether it should retrofit a fourth AAG engine on the carrier class. It was originally incorporated into Ford’s design, but not installed “as a cost savings measure,” the report states. “The fourth engine would improve the reliability and availability of AAG, improve the pilot boarding rate, and restore a redundant capability to rig the barricade in the event of AAG engine failure, which the current configuration does not support,” the report states. When it comes to EMALS in particular, DOT&E noted that “reliability has not appreciably changed from prior years and reliance on off-ship technical support remains a challenge. NAVAIR is continuing development on improvements.” Fiscal Year 2024 saw the Navy make improvements to how it collects EMALS reliability data, and a similar effort for the AAG is underway. But work remains to be done. “The Navy has not yet shown progress for data collection on the other shipboard systems, but has implemented procedural changes designed to improve data collection within shipboard work centers in support of the FY25 scheduled test events,” the report states. Meanwhile, the sea service continues to update its test plan for areas like sortie generation rate, self-defense, and cyber survivability. The aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78), sails in formation with the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF) Kashima class training ship, JS Kashima (TV-3508), middle, and Hatakaze class guided missile destroyer JS Shimakaze (TV-3521) in the Atlantic Ocean in September. (U.S. Navy) Ford’s berthing for its crew and carrier air wing are also lacking, the DOT&E warns. TWZ has already reported on sailor quality-of-life issues like clogging toilets, and the new report indicates that sailors could be sardined together in ever-tighter quarters. The prospect of Ford being overcrowded runs counter to the carrier class’s original vision, which entailed design changes that would reduce manning to 15 percent below a Nimitz class carrier’s force of 3,000 sailors. An embarked carrier air wing brings a Nimitz class carrier to about 5,000 in all. New ships are supposed to feature growth allowances that would allow for an extra 10 percent of the ship’s company, allowing for extra racks for crew turnover, visitors, and personnel temporarily assigned to the vessel. “However, sufficient berthing is not installed for the Ford class to conduct combat operations with all hands assigned a bed, due to a lack of berthing capacity for embarked units,” the DOT&E found. “If the ship and its embarked units were each at 100 percent manning, the ship would have a shortfall of 159 beds. These berthing shortfalls will affect quality of life onboard and could reduce the Navy’s operational flexibility in employing the ship across its full spectrum of missions and logistical support roles for the CSG.” Such rack shortfalls could increase as the carrier’s air wing diversifies to host the CMV-22B Osprey, the MQ-25 Stingray aerial refueling drone, and the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, none of which are currently part Ford’s carrier air wing (CVW). The Stingray is not yet in service, and TWZ reported last month on other changes Navy brass has planned for CVWs. The Navy’s MQ-25 Stingray aerial refueling drone. (U.S. Navy) Original test plan timelines for gauging other aspects of Ford were delayed due to “the Navy’s operational requirements,” the report notes. The Navy and Pentagon faced a difficult choice with Ford. They could have waited for all the testing to be completed, or they could have sent it east from Norfolk as a contributing member of a carrier fleet that is already stretched thin, Martin noted. “As of its deployment, it was capable of doing most of the things aircraft carriers need to do in the environment as it exists,” he said. “Waiting for all those to be tested might have resulted in years of delay in getting the ship out to where it could take at least some of the pressure off the operational force.” “Were all its systems tested to the point of readiness? No,” Martin said. “Was the ship capable of doing the job of an aircraft carrier? Yes.” The next carrier in the Ford class, the future USS John F. Kennedy, is scheduled for delivery later this fiscal year and will be capable of supporting F-35 operations. The future USS Enterprise (CVN-80) is running 18 months behind its original delivery date and is scheduled to be delivered to the Navy in Fiscal 2029, according to the DOT&E. “This delay is due to complications with material availability and industry/supply chain performance,” the report notes. The Navy will take possession of the future USS Doris Miller (CVN-81) in Fiscal 2032, according to the report. The following two Navy carriers, CVN-82 and CVN-83, will be named after presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, respectively. Ford’s first full cruise was an operational win for the Navy’s priciest and arguably one of its historically most troubled acquisitions programs. But the DOT&E report indicates that, at least up to the cutoff date for data available in the report, much work remained to be done on the Ford to ensure that it is the high-tech, capable power projector that it has been billed as since it’s inception. Clearly, there has been some progress, but some of the ship’s issues require major changes or physical additions, and those don’t come quickly when it comes to massive warships. Email the author: *****@*****.tld Source link #USS #Gerald #Ford #Struggling #Dual #Band #Radar #Prior #Deployment Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Toyota Motor posts nearly 28% drop in third-quarter operating profit, missing estimates Toyota Motor posts nearly 28% drop in third-quarter operating profit, missing estimates FILE PHOTO: The logo of Toyota is pictured in Cuautitlan Izcalli, Mexico, January 30, 2025 Raquel Cunha | Reuters Japanese automaker Toyota Motor on Wednesday reported a second consecutive fall in quarterly profit, as it navigates competition in China and a market shift toward electric vehicles. Here are Toyota’s results compared with estimates from analysts, compiled by LSEG. Revenue: 12.39 trillion yen vs. 12.1 trillion yen Operating profit: 1.22 trillion yen vs. 1.39 trillion yen The world’s largest automaker by sales volume saw a nearly 28% year-on-year drop in operating profit during the quarter ended December. The results mark Toyota’s second consecutive year over year decline in operating profit after the company saw profit fall 20% year over year in the previous quarter. Net income attributable to the company, however, jumped to 2.19 trillion yen from 1.36 trillion yen a year ago. The automaker’s consolidated vehicle sales for its financial third-quarter dropped to 2.44 million from 2.55 million units a year ago. Source link #Toyota #Motor #posts #drop #thirdquarter #operating #profit #missing #estimates Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Toyota Motor posts nearly 28% drop in third-quarter operating profit, missing estimates Toyota Motor posts nearly 28% drop in third-quarter operating profit, missing estimates FILE PHOTO: The logo of Toyota is pictured in Cuautitlan Izcalli, Mexico, January 30, 2025 Raquel Cunha | Reuters Japanese automaker Toyota Motor on Wednesday reported a second consecutive fall in quarterly profit, as it navigates competition in China and a market shift toward electric vehicles. Here are Toyota’s results compared with estimates from analysts, compiled by LSEG. Revenue: 12.39 trillion yen vs. 12.1 trillion yenOperating profit: 1.22 trillion yen vs. 1.39 trillion yen The world’s largest automaker by sales volume saw a nearly 28% year-on-year drop in operating profit during the quarter ended December. The results mark Toyota’s second consecutive year over year decline in operating profit after the company saw profit fall 20% year over year in the previous quarter. Net income attributable to the company, however, jumped to 2.19 trillion yen from 1.36 trillion yen a year ago. The automaker’s consolidated vehicle sales for its financial third-quarter dropped to 2.44 million from 2.55 million units a year ago. Source link #Toyota #Motor #posts #drop #thirdquarter #operating #profit #missing #estimates Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

USAID to place all direct-hire staff on administrative leave starting Friday – ABC News USAID to place all direct-hire staff on administrative leave starting Friday – ABC News USAID to place all direct-hire staff on administrative leave starting Friday ABC NewsTrump Appointees to Put Almost All U.S.A.I.D. Workers on Leave The New York Times Source link #USAID #place #directhire #staff #administrative #leave #starting #Friday #ABC #News Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Jessica Page: School is back in session for politicians, but final exams are already looming Jessica Page: School is back in session for politicians, but final exams are already looming Roger Cook joked that the worst comment he ever received on a report card was ‘you have to sit that test again’. March 8 is his final exam. Source link #Jessica #Page #School #session #politicians #final #exams #looming Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Major southwest Las Vegas valley intersection closed to traffic following fatal ****** Major southwest Las Vegas valley intersection closed to traffic following fatal ****** LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — A bicyclist is dead after being struck by a vehicle early Tuesday morning in the southwest valley. The intersection of Tropicana Avenue and Decatur Boulevard is closed to traffic while police investigate the ******, which was reported at 3:50 a.m. According to Las Vegas Metropolitan police, the person who was struck suffered critical injuries and died after being transported to a hospital. No information on the driver was released. Police said the intersection could be closed for several hours and advise motorists to find an alternate route. Traffic anchor Nate Tannenbaum suggests drivers heading north or south use Jones or Valley View boulevards, and to go east or west, use Flamingo Road or Hacienda Avenue. 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 KLAS. Source link #Major #southwest #Las #Vegas #valley #intersection #closed #traffic #fatal #****** Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Netflix Removes Karla Sofía Gascón From ‘Emilia Pérez’ Oscars Campaign: Reports – Rolling Stone Netflix Removes Karla Sofía Gascón From ‘Emilia Pérez’ Oscars Campaign: Reports – Rolling Stone Netflix Removes Karla Sofía Gascón From ‘Emilia Pérez’ Oscars Campaign: Reports Rolling StoneHow Emilia Pérez Is Being Removed from the ‘Emilia Pérez’ Oscar Campaign Yahoo EntertainmentNetflix Distances Itself From Karla Sofía Gascón as Controversy Forces ‘Emilia Pérez’ Oscar Campaign Changes VarietyOscar Nominee Karla Sofía Gascón Faces Backlash over Resurfaced Controversial Social Media Posts PEOPLE Source link #Netflix #Removes #Karla #Sofía #Gascón #Emilia #Pérez #Oscars #Campaign #Reports #Rolling #Stone Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Tasmania Fire Service warns Canning Peak bushfire threatens Overland Track Tasmania Fire Service warns Canning Peak bushfire threatens Overland Track A bushfire triggered by dry lightning has closed a popular walking track and global tourist draw, as firefighters battle to control the “uncontained” fire. Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service northwest regional manager Nic Deka said the Overland Track had been shut down due to a fire at Canning Peak about 5km southwest of Pelion West in the island’s northwest. “The fire grew significantly overnight and is now just 5km southwest off the track,” he said in a fresh alert issued on Wednesday. “Conditions are challenging and there is potential for the fire to impact the Overland Track within the next 24 to 48 hours.” It is estimated some 100 walkers have now been blocked from the track. “Walkers scheduled to depart today have been stopped and those north of Windermere have been instructed to return to Cradle Valley,” Mr Deka said. Camera IconThe Tasmania Fire Service is fighting 18 bushfires across the state. Tasmanian Fire Service Credit: News Corp AustraliaCamera IconThe Canning Peak bushfire recorded on Wednesday. Tasmania Fire Service Credit: News Corp Australia “Significant smoke from the fire is present in the area between Waterfall Valley and Pelion and anyone currently on the Overland Track is urged to follow instructions from track rangers.” The service said anyone who had booked a walk during the closure would be provided a full refund. The Overland Track is billed as Australia’s “premier alpine walk”. “This exhilarating and life-changing journey attracts walkers from across the globe,” the wildlife service states on its website. “Beginning at the iconic Cradle Mountain and ending at Australia’s deepest lake – Lake St Clair, this 65km, six-day trek takes you through the heart of the Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park, part of the magnificent Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area.” The Tasmania Fire Service is battling multiple fires in the state’s west coast and south, with aircraft deployed to fight the blazes. Camera IconLightning strikes in the west coast and south triggered the bushfires. Tasmanian Fire Service Credit: News Corp Australia “These aerial assets are being used for spotter flights, water bombing, and mapping to support our firefighting efforts,” Tasmania Fire Service deputy chief officer Matt Lowe said. “We’re currently using all the 15 aircraft we have through the National Aerial Firefighting Centre arrangements and we have further local aircraft on standby ready to act should any new fires start. “We have also this morning requested two Blackhawk helicopters from interstate to help with our efforts.” There are 18 bushfires burning across the state at present, he added, with one in the south and 17 on the west coast. “There is no threat to communities at the moment but containing these is our priority,” he said. Some 4770 dry lightning strikes have been recorded near or over Tasmania since Monday, with 1227 striking the ground. Emergency services are warning community members to remain vigilant and monitor local conditions. Source link #Tasmania #Fire #Service #warns #Canning #Peak #bushfire #threatens #Overland #Track Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Can an executive order eliminate the Department of Education? Can an executive order eliminate the Department of Education? Can an executive order eliminate the Department of Education? Source link #executive #order #eliminate #Department #Education Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Egg problems driving up prices at Waffle House and others could persist – The Washington Post Egg problems driving up prices at Waffle House and others could persist – The Washington Post Egg problems driving up prices at Waffle House and others could persist The Washington PostWaffle House is placing a surcharge on every egg it sells CNNSeattle shoppers and businesses scramble as egg prices soar due to bird flu impact KOMO NewsWaffle Housing adding 50-cent egg surcharge; cite soaring prices due to bird flu KEPR 19 Source link #Egg #problems #driving #prices #Waffle #House #persist #Washington #Post Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Federal election 2025: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese offers extra $1.7 billion in hospital funding Federal election 2025: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese offers extra $1.7 billion in hospital funding Hospitals will get an extra $1.7 billion in Commonwealth money over the next year in a 12-month funding lifeline that pushes a full deal beyond the Federal election. Western Australia will receive a $156 million boost to take total Commonwealth funding up to $3.6 billion for 2025-26, or 11 per cent more than the current year. Overall, the Federal Government will pay $33.9 billion for hospitals. “Our priority is strengthening Medicare, not ensuring that every taxpayer pays for some to get free lunch or karaoke night or a weekend away at the cost of low and middle-income earners,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said. “Could I indicate very clearly, this is additional funding. This is additional funding to States and territories that will make an enormous difference.” National cabinet agreed in 2023 to work towards a fresh hospital funding deal with extra Commonwealth funding in exchange for the States stepping up with the so-called foundational supports to help people who did not need to be on the NDIS. Health Minister Mark Butler said the funding extension announced on Wednesday was not worth the same as what the States would have received in the first year of a full new agreement. He pledged work would continue on a fresh five-year deal but said that prioritising NDIS changes, limitations on striking individual State deals and the WA Government going into caretaker mode on Wednesday meant it couldn’t be done before the Federal election. Mr Albanese said the States were engaging constructively on the NDIS foundational supports, which will require them to put more money into things like teachers’ aides for children with autism. Source link #Federal #election #Prime #Minister #Anthony #Albanese #offers #extra #billion #hospital #funding Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Remains of all 67 victims of the midair collision near DC recovered as NTSB probes altitude data Remains of all 67 victims of the midair collision near DC recovered as NTSB probes altitude data ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) — The remains of all 67 victims of last week’s midair collision of an American Airlines flight and an Army helicopter near the nation’s capital have been recovered, authorities said Tuesday. All but one has been identified. Meanwhile the NTSB said it was examining new data that could put the helicopter above its 200-foot (61-meter) flight ceiling. The airport’s air traffic control screen — relying on radar sensors and other data — had it at 300 feet (91 meters), the agency said. However that figure would have been rounded to the nearest 100 feet, according to authorities. Investigators said they need to get more information from the still-submerged ****** Hawk to verify the data. 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. The jet’s flight recorder showed its altitude as 325 feet (99 meters), plus or minus 25 feet (7.6 meters). Earlier in the day, crews working in choppy conditions raised a number of large pieces of the jetliner from the Potomac River, including the right wing, the center fuselage and parts of the forward cabin, cockpit, tail cone and rudder. “Our hearts are with the victims’ families as they navigate this tragic loss,” officials said in a joint statement from the city and federal agencies involved in the search and recovery, including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Navy dive teams and Washington police and fire crews. The chief medical examiner will be working to positively identify the final set of remains, officials said. The collision occurred last Wednesday night as the plane was about to land at nearby Ronald Reagan National Airport, killing everyone on board both aircraft. Authorities said early on that they expected to recover the remains of everyone who died, and they are now focusing on retrieving the jet and hope to recover the helicopter later this week. On Monday salvage crews were able to pull one of the two jet engines from the river, along with large pieces of the plane’s exterior, Col. Francis B. Pera of the Army Corps of Engineers said. Sixty passengers and four crew were on the American Airlines flight from Wichita, Kansas, including figure skaters returning from the 2025 U.S. Figure Skating Championships there. The ****** Hawk was on a training mission. Army Staff Sgt. Ryan Austin O’Hara, 28, of Lilburn, Georgia; Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Loyd Eaves, 39, of Great Mills, Maryland; and Capt. Rebecca M. Lobach, of Durham, North Carolina, were aboard. Federal investigators are trying to piece together the events that led to the collision. Full investigations typically take a year or more, but they hope to have a preliminary report within 30 days. Wednesday’s ****** was the deadliest in the U.S. since Nov. 12, 2001, when a jet slammed into a New York City neighborhood just after takeoff, killing all 260 people on board and five on the ground. ___ Dale reported from Philadelphia. Source link #Remains #victims #midair #collision #recovered #NTSB #probes #altitude #data Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Forget Renegade Raider, Rarest Cosmetic in Fortnite Left the Item Shop After a Day of Being Launched Forget Renegade Raider, Rarest Cosmetic in Fortnite Left the Item Shop After a Day of Being Launched Fortnite is one of the most popular battle royals in the market right now. Developed by Epic Games, the game has maintained more than a million players each month and has been ruling the hearts of gamers ever since it was launched in 2017. What makes Fortnite truly exciting is the collaborations with various pop culture media, bringing some of the iconic items into the game. Fortnite has more than a million concurrent players each month | Image Credits: Epic Games Many of these items have varying degrees of rarity, appearing and disappearing from the shop at random. One of the rarest items in the game was the Renegade Raider outfit from Season 1, but a new item has surpassed it in rarity. Let’s find out what it is. What is the rarest item in Fortnite? How did Pigskin dethrone Renegade Raider? | Image Credits: Epic Games Renegade Raider is one of the rare outfits that appear in the Fortnite shop every now and then, you might be wondering “If the outfit is rare, how is it appearing in the shop so frequently?”. While the outfit is featured in the shop, for players to actually buy the outfit, they have to have over 1,500,000 XP in the game. Renegade Raider has been in the game since the game was launched back in 2017. Although the outfit is not that appealing, fans of the game buy it as a memory of what Fortnite was like when it was released more than 8 years ago. Pigskin is this other item in the game that has taken the spot from Renegade Raider for being the rarest item. It is the first toy in Fortnite that was introduced in the shop for free back in Season 7 as part of the Fourth Down Set which debuted NFL (National Football League) items in the shop. Comment byu/Megazard02 from discussion inFortNiteBR Pigskin was available in the shop for only one day, appearing on February 3, 2019. It was removed from the game a day later, but what makes its rarity even greater, is that the item is a toy, a cosmetic that has been discontinued. Comment byu/Megazard02 from discussion inFortNiteBR Toys are just interactive cosmetics in the game, that players can obtain from the Battle Pass or buy in the Item Shop. Epic Games decided to stop releasing new toys in the game, with the last toys being released in season 7 of chapter 2. Comment byu/Megazard02 from discussion inFortNiteBR Fans of the game are speculating that toys were discontinued due to the complexity of the game’s coding. Unlike standard cosmetics, toys are interactive and allow players to throw and collide with them, which could have presented technical challenges for the developers, especially with frequent game updates and evolving mechanics. The disappearance of toys in Fortnite. Fans are still hoping for toys to return in Fortnite | Image Credits: Epic Games With no indication that toys will make a return to the game again, Pigskin stands as a relic of Fortnite’s past, much like the Renegade Raider outfit. Pigskin has remained absent for over six years, cementing its status as one of the rarest items in the game. As Fortnite continues to evolve with new collaborations and content, longtime players and fans of the game will always keep an eye out, hoping for new toys and the return of these rare and nostalgic items. Source link #Forget #Renegade #Raider #Rarest #Cosmetic #Fortnite #Left #Item #Shop #Day #Launched Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Donovan Mitchell gets poster dunk, but Celtics get win over Cavaliers in matchup of East's best – Yahoo Sports Donovan Mitchell gets poster dunk, but Celtics get win over Cavaliers in matchup of East's best – Yahoo Sports Donovan Mitchell gets poster dunk, but Celtics get win over Cavaliers in matchup of East’s best Yahoo SportsDonovan Mitchell puts Kristaps Porzingis on a poster with one of the dunks of the year in Cavs-Celtics Yahoo SportsCavs’ Donovan Mitchell throws down huge dunk over Kristaps Porzingis: Watch the video Akron Beacon JournalMitchell throws down tomahawk slam over Porzingis in Celtics-Cavs ESPNWATCH: Cavaliers’ Donovan Mitchell throws down dunk of the year candidate in showdown with Celtics CBS Sports Source link #Donovan #Mitchell #poster #dunk #Celtics #win #Cavaliers #matchup #East039s #Yahoo #Sports Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Valley of the Giants’ Ancient Empire Trail and Nornalup Inlets Marine Park open $5.7m accessibility upgrade Valley of the Giants’ Ancient Empire Trail and Nornalup Inlets Marine Park open $5.7m accessibility upgrade A world famous tree walk and water recreation hotspot can now be accessed by visitors of all shapes and sizes following the ribbon cutting of new accessibility infrastructure on January 31. Source link #Valley #Giants #Ancient #Empire #Trail #Nornalup #Inlets #Marine #Park #open #5.7m #accessibility #upgrade Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Raptors youth playing critical minutes Raptors youth playing critical minutes TORONTO – In the final minutes of a close game the Toronto Raptors had rookies Jamal Shead, Ja’Kobe Walter and Jonathan Mogbo playing with sophomore Gradey ***** and four-year veteran Scottie Barnes. At 23 years of age, Barnes was the oldest Raptor on the floor as Toronto tried to complete a 23-point comeback in a 121-115 loss to the New York Knicks on Tuesday. Shead said that it was proof the Raptors’ rebuild is going to plan. “I think that’s a testament to us. We didn’t shy away from it,” said Shead, who scored a career-high 16 points and added nine assists off the bench. “I think we accepted the challenge, and we looked forward to it and I think it was really fun and we made it fun. “We’re young, but that’s how you learn.” Walter, Toronto’s first-round pick in last summer’s NBA Draft, also saw promise in the young lineup. Story continues below advertisement “That just shows the maturity that we have and what we want for the future,” said Walter, who finished with 13 points. “Having games like this early in our careers, I know in the future, we’re going to be ready for times like that.” Related Videos 1:32 Toronto Raptors players surprise students in Kahnawake Previous Video Next Video It was just Toronto’s third loss in 11 games as the Raptors have found their rhythm since a five-game losing skid in early January. Shead said the team is nearing head coach Darko Rajakovic’s vision of what the Raptors could be. Get daily National news Get the day’s top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. “I think he preaches perfection, and you won’t get to that, but you can get close,” said the 22-year-old Shead, who was selected in the second round of the draft. “Just trying to push yourself and try to be perfect every game. He’s not going to beat you up for it, but he’s going to push you to it. Story continues below advertisement “Having a coach like that helps you because he just wants the best out of you.” Walter started in place of RJ Barrett of Mississauga, Ont., who missed the game after entering the NBA’s concussion protocol earlier Tuesday. Like Shead, he said increased playing time in Toronto and with the G-League’s Raptors 905 is helping him rapidly improve. “Just having the ball in my hands a little bit more and being able to be a leader, it just brings my confidence up for times like this,” he said. “When people like Scottie or Gradey or whoever trust me with the ball in my hands. Trending Now Musk Starlink deal with Ontario government back on hours after threat to rip it up Canada to divert aluminum to Europe in response to Trump tariffs More on Sports More videos “Playing with 905 definitely helped me work on my skills, and to help the game slow down for me.” Veteran centre Jakob Poeltl had five points, two rebounds and two assists in 15 minutes of play for the Raptors before leaving the game with a right hip pointer. Point guard Immanuel Quickley, still on a minutes restriction after a hip injury, had nine points and five assists in nearly 21 minutes of play. Barrett’s absence and Poeltl and Quickley’s reduced minutes helped make it possible for Shead, Walter and Mogbo to be on the floor for critical minutes against the Knicks. Rajakovic said he was really happy with Mogbo’s performance against New York centre Karl-Anthony Towns, who dominated the game with 27 points and 20 rebounds. Story continues below advertisement “You could see how aggressive (Mogbo) was on defence,” said Rajakovic. “He did a great job of using his length. He ended up guarding Towns down the stretch on very important possessions.” This report by The ********* Press was first published Feb. 4, 2025. &copy 2025 The ********* Press Source link #Raptors #youth #playing #critical #minutes Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

‘Lost City’ Deep Under The Ocean Is Unlike Anything We’ve Ever Seen Before on Earth ‘Lost City’ Deep Under The Ocean Is Unlike Anything We’ve Ever Seen Before on Earth Close to the summit of an underwater mountain west of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a jagged landscape of towers rises from the gloom. Their ******* carbonate walls and columns appear ghostly blue in the light of a remotely operated vehicle sent to explore. They range in height from tiny stacks the size of toadstools to a grand monolith standing 60 meters (nearly 200 feet) tall. This is the Lost City. Discovered by scientists in 2000, more than 700 meters (2,300 feet) beneath the surface, the Lost City Hydrothermal Field is the longest-lived venting environment known in the ocean. Nothing else like it has ever been found. For at least 120,000 years and maybe longer, the upthrusting mantle in this part of the world has reacted with seawater to puff hydrogen, methane, and other dissolved gases out into the ocean. In the cracks and crevices of the field’s vents, hydrocarbons feed novel microbial communities even without the presence of oxygen. Chimneys spewing gases as hot as 40 °C (104 °F) are home to an abundance of snails and crustaceans. Larger animals such as crabs, shrimp, sea urchins, and eels are rare, but still present. Despite the extreme nature of the environment, it appears to be teeming with life, and researchers think it’s worth our attention and protection. In 2024 researchers announced a record-breaking recovery of mantle rock in the form of a 1,268-meter-long core sample dug from the Lost City Hydrothermal Field. It’s hoped the core could provide crucial evidence on how life emerged on Earth billions of years ago under conditions preserved in the minerals. While other hydrothermal fields like this one probably exist elsewhere in the world’s oceans, this is the only one remotely operated vehicles have been able to find thus far. The hydrocarbons produced by the Lost City’s vents were not formed from atmospheric carbon dioxide or sunlight, but by chemical reactions on the deep seafloor. Because hydrocarbons are the building blocks of life, this leaves open the possibility that life originated in a habitat just like this one. And not just on our own planet. “This is an example of a type of ecosystem that could be active on Enceladus or Europa right this second,” microbiologist William Brazelton told The Smithsonian in 2018, referring to the moons of Saturn and Jupiter. “And maybe Mars in the past.” Unlike underwater volcanic vents called ****** smokers, which have also been named as a possible first habitat, the Lost City’s ecosystem doesn’t depend on the heat of magma. ****** smokers produce mostly iron- and sulfur-rich minerals, whereas the Lost City’s chimneys produce up to 100 times more hydrogen and methane. The calcite vents of the Lost City are also much, much larger than ****** smokers, which suggests they’ve been active for longer. The tallest of the monoliths is named Poseidon, after the Greek god of the sea, and it stretches more than 60 meters high. Just northeast of the tower, meanwhile, is a cliffside with short bursts of activity. Researchers at the University of Washington describe the vents here as ‘weeping’ with fluid to produce “clusters of delicate, multi-pronged carbonate growths that extend outward like the fingers of upturned hands”. Unfortunately, scientists aren’t the only ones beckoned by that unusual terrain. In 2018, it was announced that Poland had won the rights to mine the deep sea around The Lost City. While there are no precious resources to be dredged up in the actual thermal field itself, the destruction of the city’s surroundings could have unintended consequences. Any plumes or discharges, triggered by the mining, could easily wash over the remarkable habitat, scientists warn. Some experts are therefore calling for the Lost City to be listed as a World Heritage site, to protect the natural wonder before it’s too late. For tens of thousands of years, the Lost City has stood as a testament to the enduring force of life. It would be just like us to ruin it. An earlier version of this article was published in August 2022. Related News Source link #Lost #City #Deep #Ocean #Weve #Earth Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump Appointees to Put Almost All U.S.A.I.D. Workers on Leave – The New York Times Trump Appointees to Put Almost All U.S.A.I.D. Workers on Leave – The New York Times Trump Appointees to Put Almost All U.S.A.I.D. Workers on Leave The New York TimesSenate Session C-SPAN Source link #Trump #Appointees #Put #U.S.A.I.D #Workers #Leave #York #Times Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Concerned gun owners grill WA Nationals about plans for 2024 Firearms Act Reform they dub a power “overreach” Concerned gun owners grill WA Nationals about plans for 2024 Firearms Act Reform they dub a power “overreach” More than 250 concerned stakeholders gathered at Retravision Stadium on January 23 to grill the Nationals WA about what they plan to do about tough new firearms legislation, dubbing it a “massive overreach” Source link #Concerned #gun #owners #grill #Nationals #plans #Firearms #Act #Reform #dub #power #overreach Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

IS prisoners facing unknown fate in Syrian prisons IS prisoners facing unknown fate in Syrian prisons Men of various ages and nationalities sit silently in their cells in a Syrian prison. All are alleged members of the Islamic State group, captured during the final days of the extremists’ so-called caliphate declared in large parts of Iraq and Syria. The Associated Press was given a rare visit to the prison where security of the centre is a growing question since the fall of the Assad dynasty. Source link #prisoners #facing #unknown #fate #Syrian #prisons Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Aga Khan: Billionaire and spiritual leader dies at 88 – BBC.com Aga Khan: Billionaire and spiritual leader dies at 88 – BBC.com Aga Khan: Billionaire and spiritual leader dies at 88 BBC.comThe Aga Khan IV, Leader of the Ismaili Muslims, Dies at 88 The New York TimesKing ‘deeply saddened’ over death of Queen Elizabeth’s friend the Aga Khan The IndependentThe Aga Khan Prince Karim Al-Hussaini, spiritual leader and friend of the late Queen, dies aged 88 Sky NewsVale His Highness The Aga Khan IV Thoroughbred Daily News Source link #Aga #Khan #Billionaire #spiritual #leader #dies #BBC.com Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Sri Lanka veteran set to play last Test against Aussies Sri Lanka veteran set to play last Test against Aussies Sri Lanka Cricket has called a press conference where Dimuth Karunaratne is expected to formally announce he will retire from Test cricket after the series against Australia. Sri Lankan media reported Karunaratne would play his 100th and final Test against Australia from Thursday, with the former captain to address the media in Galle at 12pm local time (5.30pm AEDT) on Wednesday. The left-handed opening batter is set to finish his Test career having played the seventh-most matches of any Sri Lankan. International superstars Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakarra and Muttiah Muralidaran are among the only others in front of him. No Sri Lankan has played more innings as a Test opener than Karunaratne, whose 7172 runs make him the fourth-most prolific Sri Lankan batter of all time after Jayawardene, Sangakarra and current teammate Angelo Mathews. But the 36-year-old has gone since April 2023 without a Test century and has averaged only 27.05 since the beginning of last year. He made scores of 7 and 0 in the first Test against Australia last week, when the tourists trounced their hosts by an innings and 242 runs. Sri Lanka, starved for opportunities in the longest form, will only play two more Test matches between now and May 2026 – a statistic likely to have factored into the red-ball specialist’s thinking. Replacement top-order options include Oshada Fernando, who filled in for injured Pathum Nissanka in the first Test against Australia, and uncapped Lahiru Udara. Karunaratne’s Test career is set to finish where it began more than 12 years ago with a debut against New Zealand in Galle. Highlights of his time in the team include captaining Sri Lanka to a series win in South Africa in 2019 among his 30 games as skipper, and a highest score of 244 against Bangladesh in 2021. Source link #Sri #Lanka #veteran #set #play #Test #Aussies Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Nvidia sell-off hasn’t rocked this bull looking for a nearly 60% pop in the AI darling Nvidia sell-off hasn’t rocked this bull looking for a nearly 60% pop in the AI darling One of Wall Street’s biggest Nvidia (NVDA) bulls is standing pat in the face of a fierce sell-off in the stock. BofA’s Vivek Arya reiterated Nvidia as his top pick for 2025 on Tuesday, ahead of a potentially catalyzing earnings report on Feb. 26. Arya’s price target of $190 assumes about 57% upside from current trading levels. Arya has one of the highest price target on Nvidia on the Street, as Yahoo Finance data below shows. “The [earnings] call could mark the trough in investor sentiment as: 1) we expect Nvidia to reassure on Blackwell execution, 2) Signal confidence around fiscal year 2026/calendar year 2025 with 60%+ year over year growth in data center sales (still leaves headroom vs. Taiwan Semiconductor’s call for AI to grow 100%+ year over year in calendar year 2025 end), and 3) create excitement ahead of flagship GTC Conf. (Mar 17) where focus shifts to solid pipeline (GB300, Rubin), and physical AI (robotics),” Arya wrote in the note to clients. In an October appearance on the Opening Bid podcast, Arya said he sees Nvidia as a “generational investment.” To be sure, Arya’s Nvidia defense (and those of other bulls) has fallen on deaf ears so far this year — and with valid reasons. China-based DeepSeek surprised markets in late January after unveiling RI, its AI model that gave a ChatGPT-esque performance at a cheaper price tag. RI costs a reported $5.6 million to build a base model, compared to the hundreds of millions of dollars incurred at US-based companies such as OpenAI and Anthropic. Fears mounted instantly that US companies are overspending on AI infrastructure, which includes Nvidia chips. “Conventional wisdom all of last year was that training amazing models was going to be possible for only a handful of companies,” Snowflake CEO Sridhar Ramaswamy told me on Yahoo Finance’s Opening Bid podcast (listen below). “What DeepSeek has done over the past few weeks is shatter that belief by saying they can train a model for $6 million.” This embedded content is not available in your region. Meanwhile, with giants like Amazon (AMZN) announcing an $8 billion partnership with Anthropic to enter the AI chip space and Google (GOOG) dropping a supercomputer with an AI chip called Willow, it’s evident Big Tech companies want in on Nvidia’s hefty market share. Further, Broadcom (AVGO) and Marvell (MRVL) have released advanced custom chips. “The fact that Jensen doesn’t even make his own chips — that everyone has Taiwan Semiconductor available — is all the more credit to him at the design level, the way they have done things is pretty fantastic. I would say I wouldn’t want to be Jensen necessarily because wow, other people are working on the same things,” Microsoft (MSFT) co-founder Bill Gates told me on Opening Bid. Story Continues Source link #Nvidia #selloff #hasnt #rocked #bull #pop #darling Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Apple Rolls Out Invites App for iPhone as a Way of Creating and Sharing Custom Invitations Apple Rolls Out Invites App for iPhone as a Way of Creating and Sharing Custom Invitations Apple on Tuesday released its Invites app for iPhone as a new way of creating and sharing custom invitations with family and friends. While the ability to create them is restricted to users with iCloud+ subscriptions, anyone can RSVP, regardless of whether they have an Apple Account or Apple device. The Invites app allows them to share invitations, RSVP to shared events, contribute to Shared Albums, and engage with Apple Music playlists. Notably, it is a new offering which Apple did not advertise during the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2025 where it showcased iOS 18 and all of its features. However, references for it were reported to be discovered in the latest version of iOS 18.3 beta’s code. Now, it has been globally rolled out. Apple Invites App The Cupertino-based technology giant announced its new Invites app in a newsroom post. Apple describes it as a means of bringing “together capabilities our users already know and love across iPhone, iCloud, and Apple Music, making it easy to plan special events.” It is available as a free download from the App Store for all iPhone models running iOS 18 or later, and can also be accessed on the web by navigating to icloud.com/invites. To create an event with Apple Invites, users can select an image from their library or wallpaper gallery. It also leverages the company’s Apple Intelligence suite, whose Image Playground feature can be utilised to create custom images featuring concepts, descriptions, and people with text-based prompts. The company says invite’s text can be tweaked using AI-powered Writing Tools. The app allows hosts to easily manage their events. They can share invitations with a link, review RSVP’s, and select the details they want included in the preview — all within Invites. Additionally, guests can view and respond to invitations with the new app, choose which of their details are shared with others, and report an event. Alternatively, they can view on the web which does not require an iCloud+ subscription or even an Apple device. Apple’s Invites app allows participants to contribute photos and videos to a dedicated Shared Album within each invite. Additionally, soundtracks curated for the event via Apple Music can be accessed by guests within the app. This builds upon the existing benefits of iCloud+ subscription, including expanded storage, Private Relay, Hide My Email, HomeKit Secure Video, and custom email domains. Source link #Apple #Rolls #Invites #App #iPhone #Creating #Sharing #Custom #Invitations Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]